Freeze Frame

Arts & Culture • Podcast • Short Segment

Freeze Frame is a weekly show reviewing the latest movies from Hollywood's best films to independent and arthouse movies.

Hosted by

Russ Simmons

• Airs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10:58 am; Sunday at 12:30 pm; Monday ats at Noon on "Arts Magazine"

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Freeze Frame is a weekly show reviewing the latest movies from Hollywood’s best films to independent and arthouse movies.

Recent Episodes

April 16, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Vanquish” (R), “In the Earth” (R)

The action thriller "Vanquish" represents the nadir in the distinguished career of Morgan Freeman. The Oscar-winning actor can't save this ridiculous, over-directed mess about a corrupt police commissioner who blackmails a skilled assassin, played by Ruby Rose, into conducting a series of bloody revenge crimes. Writer/director George Gallo uses every filmmaking technique in the handbook of movie cliches in an ill-fated attempt to shore up his terrible script. Absurd and sleazy, "Vanquish" manages to vanquish two hours of your time and innumerable brain cells.

"In the Earth" is a very creepy and unsettling paranoia thriller from noted British horror director, Ben Wheatley. Filmed during and inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, the plot involves a pair of researchers who venture deep into the woods while the world around them is in lockdown due to a deadly virus. But there are some things that are even scarier in the woods. Wheatley plays on our current fears about the virus as well as our concerns about what’s happening in the natural environment. The cast is solid and Wheatley manages to squeeze more than you might expect from his very modest budget. It's smart and well-crafted, but "In the Earth" is an uneasy and awkward blend of art house horror and grisly midnight movie schlock.

The 25th annual Kansas City Film Fest International is a virtual event once again this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The organizers have coordinated an eclectic lineup of films and events that will appeal to both hard core cinephiles and popcorn movie fans. Movies, Q&As and other events can be screened online through April 17th. More information is available at www.kcfilmmfest.org.

Your local art house theaters are offering online viewing options for a number of intriguing movie titles. More information is available at nelson-atkins.org, Screenland.com, fineartsgroup.com and drafthouse.com.

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April 9, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

“Thunder Force” (PG-13), “Concrete Cowboy” (R), “Voyagers” (PG-13)

Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer are forces of nature. It’s their personal appeal that propels “Thunder Force,” a silly superhero spoof written and directed by McCarthy’s husband, Ben Falcone. McCarthy and Spencer play two friends who become a dynamic duo when Spencer develops a method to imbue them with superpowers. In many ways, the force with “Thunder Force” is very weak, but its stars find a way to inject the comic into this dotty comic book movie.

“Concrete Cowboy” is a coming-of-age movie with a unique twist. Caleb McLaughlin stars in the story of a delinquent kid whose long-suffering mother sends him to live with his estranged father, played by Idris Elba. He discovers that his dad is a part of a subculture of skilled Black horsemen who live in inner-city Philadelphia. Many of the supporting cast members play slightly fictionalized versions of themselves. While uneven, “Concrete Cowboy” is an engaging tale that benefits greatly from its singular cast and setting.

The sci-fi tale “Voyagers” is like a version of “Lord of the Flies” set in outer space. Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp and Colin Farrell star in the story of an 80-year mission to colonize an Earth-like planet. Divisions begin to emerge in the young crew and their small civilization disintegrates as some members try to exert their dominance. While the premise is intriguing, the characters are dull and the movie itself starts to feel like an 80-year voyage.

The annual Panic Film Festival returns virtually and in person at the Screenland Armour April 8th through the 18th. The fest features over 60 new sci-fi, horror and film thrillers from around the world for two weekends! Plus, special events, meet-ups, live trivia and much more. More info is available at panicfilmfest.com.

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April 2, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Godzilla Vs. Kong” (PG-13), “French Exit” (R), “The Unholy” (PG-13)

Thanks to its childlike enthusiasm and spectacular special effects, “Godzilla Vs. Kong” is a fun popcorn movie adventure even though its storyline and dialogue are below par. “Kong: Skull Island” is still the best of the Legendary Studios MonsterVerse series that has successfully revived the giant monster genre. Ultimately, ”Godzilla vs. Kong” is like watching a WWE smackdown with power lines and skyscrapers instead of ropes and turnbuckles. For maximum enjoyment, try to channel your inner 7-year-old and just go along for the goofy ride.

Michelle Pfeiffer’s icy smooth performance is the main attraction of the eccentric comic drama, “French Exit.” It asks that eternal question, what happens to the idle rich when the money runs out? Pfeiffer plays a New York socialite who escapes to Paris with her shiftless son as her once substantial inheritance dwindles. Once in the City of Lights, she recruits the help of a fortune teller and makes contact with her dead husband, whose spirit has inhabited the body of her cat. The tone of this film is inconsistent and its charm ephemeral. But it’s got Michelle Pfeiffer, and that may be enough for some.

It may be far too early to speculate about what the worst movie of the year will be, but “The Unholy” is probably a viable candidate. Jeffrey Dean Morgan stars as a washed up, alcoholic journalist who hopes to resuscitate his career by covering and exploiting a small-town supernatural phenomenon. A teenage girl, deaf and mute from birth, begins to speak and prophesy after supposedly seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary. Is this miracle the product of good or evil? Even though the dialogue and execution are terrible, the most disappointing thing about “The Unholy” is that it isn’t campy enough to be unintentionally funny. It’s just an unholy mess.

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March 26, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Zach Snyder’s Justice League” (R), “Nobody” (R), “Bad Trip” (R), “City of Lies” (R)

Director Zach Snyder’s superpower is that there’s no ‘quit’ in him…even when there should be. His bloated superhero movie “Zach Snyder’s Justice League” drones on and on for over four hours of spectacular but mind-numbing action featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg. Is it better than the original 2017 version that was half as long? Maybe, but Snyder has hauled the DC Comics universe to the R-rated dark side kicking and screaming…and done it oh so slowly.

Bob Odenkirk proves he’s got action movie mojo in the ultra-violent dark comedy, “Nobody.” He plays a disrespected suburban dad who has suppressed his unique past for years. The truth comes out when fate puts him in the crosshairs of the Russian mob. Obviously inspired by the success of the “John Wick” movies, “Nobody” is a wild ride that goes a bit too far but is bolstered by terrific stunt work.

“Bad Trip” is a hybrid movie, a mixture of a buddy comedy and a “Punked”-style hidden camera show. Eric André and Lil Rel Howery are pals on a road trip, pursued by vengeful prison escapee, Tiffany Haddish. Long dull stretches are punctuated by a few hilarious moments in this shamelessly raunchy farce.

Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker do their best, but they can’t save the disjointed crime thriller, “City of Lies,” a movie that’s been sitting on the shelf for five years. Was the truth behind the murder of Biggie Smalls in 1997 covered up due to a police corruption scandal in Los Angeles? That’s the premise of this story about a former detective and a journalist who tirelessly attempt to uncover the facts, even in a police system designed to protect itself. The fractured, herky-jerky narrative prevents “City of Lies” from becoming the compelling experience it should have been.

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March 19, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Courier” (PG-13), “Rush to Judgement” (Not rated)

“The Courier” is an understated, workmanlike spy thriller, based on a true story. In the run-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the British spy agency MI6 recruited a reluctant businessman named Greville Wynne, solidly played by Benedict Cumberbatch, to travel to Moscow and secretly work with a mole in the Russian government. The aim was to provide the West with info on Soviet Union’s plans for their mobile nuclear missiles. The film’s a slow burn, methodically ratcheting up the tension as well as providing an interesting take on the friendship that developed between the businessman and the mole. That friendship, as it happens, had a profound impact on history. Under the direction of Dominic Cooke, “The Courier” is a bit listless at first but ultimately finds its footing as it builds to a nail-biting conclusion. Well cast and informative, “The Courier” is a modestly engaging cloak-and-dagger history lesson.

“Rush to Judgement” is a skillfully made documentary about an infamous viral video from 2019. Teenager Nick Sandmann and classmates from the Covington Catholic High School were at the Lincoln Memorial after the March for Life in Washington, D.C. At that time, a phone video was shot that appeared to show the kids confronting and intimidating an elderly Native American man. When the video was posted on twitter, news outlets amplified misconceptions about the incident without applying appropriate journalistic scrutiny. Filmmaker Steve Oldfield exposes these missteps through probing interviews and additional video context. Available on Vimeo and video on demand, “Rush to Judgement” is thought-provoking and appropriately titled.

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March 12, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Father” (PG-13), “Cherry” (R), “Moxie” (PG-13)

Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Coleman add significant gravitas to the heartbreaking drama, “The Father.” Hopkins plays an elderly gent tortured by dementia and Coleman is his long-suffering daughter who does her best to help him. Writer-director Florian Zeller uses some clever dramatic tricks to give us a sense of the mental confusion and emotional disorientation that Hopkins’ character is experiencing. “The Father” is a touching and empathetic portrait of the painful personal crises of both the patient and his family.

The Russo Brothers have achieved massive success by directing films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They go for something completely different with the edgy crime drama, “Cherry,” based on Nico Walker’s semi-autobiographical novel. Tom Holland plays an Iraq War veteran suffering from PTSD who becomes a drug addict and bank robber. He manages to get his girlfriend hooked, too, while on his predictable downward spiral. It’s a gritty and well-acted drama, but the flashy direction draws attention to itself rather than the characters, weakening the story’s impact. “Cherry” is an over-directed near miss.

The comic coming-of-age drama “Moxie” is a likable if only modestly successful YA movie directed by Amy Poehler. Hadley Robinson plays Vivian, an introverted 16-year-old girl who just tries to get along. However, a new classmate arrives who shakes up her “let’s not make waves” worldview. Vivian is inspired to anonymously create an underground magazine called “Moxie” that addresses the sexism, racism and injustice she sees at her high school. The movie’s heart is in the right place even if all of the puzzle pieces seem a bit too obvious. “Moxie” is an amiable tale of female empowerment.

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March 5, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Coming 2 America” (PG-13), “Raya and the Last Dragon” (PG), “I Care a Lot” (R)

It’s been 33 years since Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall teamed up for the memorable comedy, “Coming to America.” They join forces once again in “Coming 2 America.” Newly crowned King Akeem of Zamunda, played by Murphy, returns to America when he learns he’s got an illegitimate son living in Queens who is the rightful heir to the throne. There’s plenty elaborate makeup and splendiferous costumes to go along with the broad and goofy gags. While it doesn’t all work, those with fond recollections of the original will find “Coming 2 America” worth the return trip.

There’s a lot of heart to go along with a wealth of Disney magic in the new animated action fantasy, “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Set in a fictional Southeast Asian country, “Raya and the Last Dragon” tells the tale of a teenage warrior who goes on a quest to gather some magical gemstones and revive an enchanted dragon in order to save her country from destructive monsters. Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina lead the voice cast in this stunner that works both as a ripping adventure tale as well as an emotionally satisfying fable. Plus, it embraces female empowerment and diversity. “Raya and the Last Dragon” is another gem in the Disney canon.

There isn’t a single redeeming character in the darkly cynical comedy, “I Care a Lot.” Rosamund Pike gives a Golden Globe-winning performance as Marla, a professional guardian who is appointed by courts to oversee the care of elderly citizens. But Marla effectively drains them of all their assets. Things get complicated when she takes advantage of the mom of a ruthless gangster. It’s unnerving to watch as you hope that each character gets their comeuppance. Still, “I Care a Lot” is a sharp takedown of our warped system of elder care.

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February 26, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” (Not rated), “Minari” (PG-13), “The Vigil” (PG-13)

Andra Day makes an auspicious and striking feature film debut in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” It isn’t so much a biopic about the iconic jazz vocalist as it is about Holiday’s contentious relationship with the FBI which used her drug abuse as an excuse to censor her performance of the classic protest song, “Strange Fruit.” Sadly, the movie doesn’t live up to Day’s performance. As directed by Lee Daniels, it’s disjointed, meandering and lacks the focus necessary for it to work on an emotional level. But “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” is worth seeing for Day’s acting as well as her choice renditions of Holiday’s classic songs.

“Minari” is the very definition of a pleasant surprise. This low-key family drama from filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung is a semi-autobiographical story about a Korean American family that tries to start a farm in rural Arkansas in the 1980s. Steven Yeun and Han Ye-ri are excellent as the parents of two young kids who face formidable, emotionally wrenching challenges adapting to life in the Ozarks. Most of the story is told through the eyes of David, a seven-year-old boy. “Minari” is a warm and affectionate tale that serves as an apt salute to the fortitude of family.

If the opportunity to be creeped out for a few hours beckons you, then “The Vigil” is right up your alley. A young Jewish man, played by Dave Davis, has distanced himself from his Orthodox culture after experiencing an emotionally wrenching tragedy. He reluctantly agrees to keep vigil over a dead man’s body for a few hours at night, only to be visited and harassed by an evil spirit. This intelligent and unnerving film creates an eerie atmosphere and provides us a final, impressive performance from the late Kansas City native, Lynn Cohen.

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February 19, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Nomadland” (R), “Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence” (NR), “Rock Camp” (NR), “Blithe Spirit” (PG-13), “Flora and Ulysses” (PG)

Expect multiple Oscar nominations for “Nomadland,” a drama based on a non-fiction book about indigent senior citizens who travel around the U.S. in trailers in search of employment. Frances McDormand is solid, as always, and director Chloé Zhao uses a number of non-actors to play versions of themselves. It’s slow-moving, but “Nomandland” is elegantly understated and effective.

“Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence” is a compelling documentary about a Kansas City woman named Bobbi Jo Reed. A former addict and prostitute, she got clean after years of struggle and founded Healing House, a local charity that has helped over 8,000 people in our area who have had similar struggles. “Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence” is an inspiring, challenging film.

“Rock Camp” is a much more light-hearted documentary. For 25 years, Rock impresario David Fishof has produced the annual Rock n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, where amateur rock wannabes live out their dreams by being mentored by actual rock stars. The movie follows the stories of four such campers. The talking heads include Roger Daltry, Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Sammy Hagar and Joe Perry, all of whom seem to be having fun…just like viewers of this movie.

“Blithe Spirit” is a spiritless version of Sir Noel Coward’s 1941 supernatural comic play. The gifted cast includes Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, Judy Dench and Leslie Mann, but under Edward Hall’s direction, it all seems a bit too forced and calculated. For a much better adaptation, seek out the classic 1945 film version directed by David Lean.

“Flora & Ulysses” is a Disney+ adaptation of the Newberry Award-winning children’s novel. It’s the tale of a young girl and a squirrel with superpowers. There’s a lot of slapstick and broad humor that saps “Flora & Ulysses” of much of its heart.

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February 12, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Judas and the Black Messiah” (R), “The Mauritanian” (R), “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” (PG-13)

Another dark chapter in American history is the focus of the riveting drama, “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Daniel Kaluuya is electrifying as Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton whose organization was infiltrated in the 1960s by a self-serving FBI informant, well played by Lakeith Stanfield. Writer/director Shaka King effectively depicts the personal passions of the story’s central characters as well as the feds’ attempts to undermine their organization. “Judas & the Black Messiah” is an illuminating and instructive social statement.

A strong cast is the main attraction of “The Mauritanian,” yet another true story about injustice. Adapted from the best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, it depicts his detention and torture for fourteen years at Guantánamo Bay without ever having been charged with a crime. Tahar Rahim gives a compelling lead performance and the strong supporting cast includes Jody Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch and Shailene Woodley. Director Kevin McDonald’s approach to the material lacks the drive and urgency that the story deserves, but “The Mauritanian” is still an enlightening and thought-provoking watch.

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, who co-wrote the bawdy hit comedy “Bridesmaids,” return with the goofy surreal farce, “Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” They play friends who leave their small midwestern town for the first time for a vacation at a Florida resort. They get embroiled in an unforeseeable adventure that involves spies, killer mosquitos and Jamie Dornan. ‘’Wacky’ may be the operative word for this work of offbeat PG-13 absurdity. In order to enjoy “Barb & Star,” you have to have an affinity for the surreal sense of humor that Wiig brought to many of her roles on SNL. Just be prepared for a broad, two-hour sketch.

Robin Wright’s assured performance is the best thing about “Land,” which is also the actress’ directorial debut. Emotionally unmoored by a tragedy, a woman retreats to the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains and it proves to be a challenging move.

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Arts & Culture • Podcast • Short Segment

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