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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Freeze Frame: “Malcolm & Marie” (R), “Falling” (R), “Rams” (PG-13)

John David Washington stars along with Zendaya in the dark and talky drama, “Malcolm & Marie.” Following a movie premier, a filmmaker and his girlfriend muse intermittently argue, make up, make love and argue again. The actors are terrific, but writer/director Sam Levinson’s bitter film plays out like a lesser version of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf.” It’s smart, but it lacks the incendiary humor that could have elevated it. “Malcolm & Marie” is observant but frustratingly repetitious.

Actor Viggo Mortensen makes his directorial debut with the heartbreaking drama, “Falling.” Mortensen, who also wrote and produced, plays John, a gay man whose brutish and abusive father Willis, played by Lance Henriksen, is suffering from dementia. Longstanding issues resurface as the elderly man spews homophobic and misogynist nonsense causing John to recall difficult memories from his childhood. While the film is very well acted and well intentioned, it is a slog to sit through. Henriksen’s character is so unlikeable that he sabotages any potential empathy for his plight. You have to give Mortensen credit though for his uncompromising viewpoint. Still, “Falling” is an agonizing watch.

Sam Neill and Michael Caton play feuding brothers in the lightweight Australian comic drama, “Rams.” Although they live side by side on their family sheep ranch, Colin and Les haven’t spoken to one another for 40 years. When a rare disease appears among their flocks, their relationship is strained further and puts the entire local agriculture community in jeopardy. This is the type of movie that relies on homespun rural charm for its appeal. And, while it doesn’t all work, the capable cast gives the low-key “Rams” a much-needed punch.

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.

January 29, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Dig” (PG-13), “The Little Things” (R), “Penguin Bloom” (TV-14), “Supernova” (R)

“The Dig,” a warm and moving tale inspired by true events. Carrie Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes star in Simon Stone’s adaptation of John Preston’s novel about one of the most important archeological discoveries in British history. In 1939, group of enthusiastic amateurs unearth an Anglo-Saxon treasure on a remote rural estate…but it’s the filmmakers who hit emotional paydirt. “The Dig” is a truly welcome and pleasant surprise.

Three Oscar winners, Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto add gravitas to the lurid serial killer melodrama, “The Little Things.” Washington plays an ostracized cop wrestling with old demons who tries to help a green detective solve a string of murders. The film adds nothing new to the genre and the story eventually loses its credibility. But as usual, Washington brings something to his role that makes it somewhat watchable.

Naomi Watts stars in the touching Australian family drama, “Penguin Bloom.” It tells the true story of Sam Bloom, an avid surfer who suffers pronounced mental trauma after a tragic fall leaves her paralyzed. When one of her sons rescues a magpie that had fallen out of a tree, the act of kindness winds up having a powerful impact on everyone in the family. While it’s formulaic, “Penguin Bloom” rises above its emotional manipulations to find some moments of emotional authenticity.

Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth play a middle-aged gay couple who go on a final road trip in an old RV in the British drama, “Supernova.” Their relationship is tested by the fact that one of them is quickly losing his battle with dementia. “Supernova” somehow manages to avoid becoming too saccharine and sentimental thanks largely to the capable cast and the filmmakers’ subtle approach. “Supernova” benefits from its stars.

January 22, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The White Tiger” (R), “Our Friend” (R), “No Man’s Land” (PG-13)

The well-made and disturbing Netflix drama “The White Tiger” is based on the award-winning picaresque novel by Aravind Adiga. Set in modern India, the sprawling story is a scathing indictment of business and political corruption as well as the inequities of the Indian caste system. The story is seen through the eyes of a low class driver who works for and is exploited by members of a rich family. If a Dickens novel had included a hero who employed nefarious means to pull himself out of his troubles, it might have looked a bit like “The White Tiger.”

The drama “Our Friend” is a skillfully acted tearjerker that tells the story of a man who essentially puts his life on hold to help out when one of his friends faces a severe health crisis. Jason Segel hits the right notes as the selfless friend and Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson are equally good as a couple trying to cope when one of them is stricken with terminal cancer. The film’s plot jumps back and forth in time which is jarringly awkward, and the tone is inconsistent. Still, “Our Friend” manages some truthful moments that make the emotional manipulation a bit easier to take.

“No Man’s Land” is a modern Western that involves the turbulent aftermath of a tragedy that takes place along the Texas/Mexico border. Jake Allyn plays the son of a Texas rancher who accidentally shoots a Mexican immigrant boy and then flees across the Southern border with a Texas Ranger, the boy’s father and violent smuggler in hot pursuit. The filmmakers are obviously hoping that their story works to expose contemporary racial injustice, making it a timely update of well-worn Western themes. But the slowly paced “No Man’s Land” doesn’t quite live up to that promise.

January 15, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “One Night in Miami” (R), “Outside the Wire” (R), “MLK/FBI” (Not rated), “The Marksman” (R)

On the night the Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight boxing crown in 1964, he met up with NFL running back Jim Brown, pop music superstar Sam Cooke and civil rights activist Malcom X. The film “One Night in Miami” is a fictionalized account of that event. Kingsley Ben-Adire, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom, Jr. are all solid in this absorbing movie that marks an impressive directorial debut for Oscar-winning actress, Regina King. It’s a thought-provoking speculation about the cultural, spiritual and political issues that the African American community was struggling with. “One Night in Miami” is entertaining and timely.

“Outside the Wire” is an action-packed sci-fi thriller set in the near future that is nearly undone by some preposterous plot holes. Anthony Mackie plays a cyborg soldier on a mission to stop Ukrainian terrorists from detonating a nuclear device. The movie delivers plenty of violent commotion for action fans, but stumbles with its plot. “Outside the Wire” doesn’t adhere to its own reality, so it’s a frustrating misfire.

It’s been well established that the FBI considered Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to be an enemy of the state, keeping him under nearly constant surveillance. The documentary “MLK/FBI” tells this ignominious story through a wealth of archival footage and voice-over observations from historians, former FBI agents and civil rights activists. While the film adds nothing new to this story, “MLK/FBI” is a good primer for those who may be unaware of this dark chapter of our history.

Liam Neeson stars in yet another generic action flick. In “The Marksman” he plays an aging Arizona rancher protecting a Mexican boy from a drug cartel. With more plot holes as bullet holes, this marksman misses the target.

January 8, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Silvie’s Love” (PG-13),”Pieces of a Woman” (R), “Stars Fell on Alabama” (PG-13), “Shadow in the Cloud” (R)

Are you a fan of the sweeping melodramatic Hollywood romances of the 1950s that often show up on Turner Classic Movies? If so, then "Silvie's Love" is right up your alley. Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha star in the story of a rocky romance between a wannabe TV producer and a jazz sax player. “Silvie’s Love” echoes those popular, soapy 50s movies that filmmakers like Douglas Sirk made mainly for a female audience. One significant difference is that writer/director Eugene Ashe and his leads are African American, giving the story a unique perspective. The cast is appealing and the score by Fabrice Lecomte is a big help, too. “Silvie’s Love is beautifully shot, lush and lyrical.

Outstanding performances from Vanessa Kirby, Shia LeBeouf and Ellen Burstyn propel the heartbreaking drama, "Pieces of a Woman," the story of how a traumatic home birth affects the lives of a woman, her partner and her mother. It's admittedly hard to endure but is a distinctive acting showcase that thrusts Kirby into this year’s Oscar race.

“Stars Fell on Alabama” is a low budget indie romcom that follows an overly familiar path. James Maslow plays a Hollywood agent who travels to his hometown for his 15-year high school reunion. He talks one of his clients, a starlet played by Ciara Hanna, to pretend to be his girlfriend in order to impress his old friends. The likable cast can’t quite overcome the script’s glaring cliches.

Chloë Grace Moretz stars in the wacky, over-the-top sci-fi horror film, “Shadow in the Cloud.” During WWII, a mysterious female captain flies boards a B-17 bomber on a rainy New Zealand runway. She carries a classified package. She and the crew battle Japanese fighter planes and something far more bizarre. “Shadow in the Cloud” is zippy, well directed midnight movie fodder.

January 1, 2021 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: Russ’ Top Ten Movies of 2020

As we begin a new year, it’s time to look back at the best movies of 2020. Here’s the cream of the year’s cinematic crop.

10) End of Sentence (Not rated)
John Hawkes and Logan Lerman star in a sweetly sentimental comic drama about the attempted reconciliation of an estranged father and son.

9) Nomadland (R)
Frances McDormand stars in Chloe Chow’s effective low-key drama about homeless seniors who travel from one part-time job to another.

8) The Outpost (R)
“The Outpost” is a gripping and completely immersive account of US troops ambushed in Afghanistan’s Battle of Kamdesh in 2009.

7) News of the World (PG-13)
America’s dad Tom Hanks stars in his first Western. It plays like a combination of “True Grit” and “The Searchers.”

6) Minari (PG-13)
Stephen Yeun stars in the touching and realistic drama “Minari,” the story of a Korean American who attempts to start a small farm in 1980s Arkansas.

5) The Social Dilemma (PG-13)
The important and harrowing documentary "The Social Dilemma" focused a searing spotlight on how in spite of its founders’ good intentions, social media has evolved into a nightmare of misinformation.

4) Soul (PG)
“Soul” is Pixar’s heartfelt and intelligent animated fantasy about finding one's purpose in life.

3) Mank (R)
Gary Oldman stars in the outstanding showbiz drama, “Mank," about alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, the scribe of “Citizen Kane.”

2) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (R)

“The Trial of the Chicago Seven" is Aaron Sorkin’s surprisingly timely courtroom drama concerning the legal troubles of peace activists in1968. The verdict: It’s ‘compelling,’ beyond a reasonable doubt.’

1) Hamilton (PG-13)
“Hamilton” is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s clever, absorbing and inventive hip-hop history lesson about a founding father, perhaps the most unlikely hit musical of all time.

Well, that’s it for this edition of Freeze Frame. Until next time, I’m Russ Simmons with Fox 4 and KKFI-FM.

December 25, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Soul” (PG), “News of the World” (PG-13), “The Midnight Sky” (PG-13), “Promising Young Woman” (R), “Monster Hunter” (PG-13)

The folks at Pixar continue to show their golden touch. “Soul” is a Disney+ feature that again demonstrates that animation can be a powerful way to tell a compelling story that would be difficult for live action. Jamie Fox voices the lead character, a jazz piano player who is accidentally transported to the pre-life realm and winds up helping another person find life’s purpose. “Soul” is heartfelt, funny and intelligent and is one of the year’s best films.

America’s dad, Tom Hanks, delivers again with his first Western, “News of the World.” It’s a post-Civil War story about a man who attempts to deliver a 10-year-old German girl, raised by Kiowa people, back to the family she was kidnapped from. They endure many hardships as they travel across the Texas wilderness. “News of the World” plays like a mix of “True Grit” and “The Searchers,” and I mean that in the best way.

George Clooney gives a strong performance in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama, “The Midnight Sky.” After a global catastrophe, a scientist tries to warn astronauts on a returning spacecraft to steer clear of Earth. Clooney also directed this moody philosophical thriller that is more than competent, but a bit too unhurried for its own good.

Carrie Mulligan gives a fierce and potent performance in the subversive pitch-black feminist comedy, “Promising Young Woman.” Provoked by a friend’s tragic death, a woman pretends to be drunk at singles bars in order to entrap aggressive men who would take advantage. The plot goes places you probably won’t expect. The title “Promising Young Woman” could also describe first-time filmmaker Emerald Fennell.

“Monster Hunter” is more fantasy action nonsense based on a video game. Milla Jovovich is a soldier transported to an alternate dimension where she battles giant creatures. Somehow, it’s both action packed and boring.

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.