Freeze Frame

The story of acclaimed French writer and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol is depicted through animation in the unconventional biopic, "A Magnificent Life." Directed by Sylvain Chomet of “The Triplets of Bellville” fame, it’s a colorful overview of Pagnol’s life, from his childhood through his adult years focusing on his artistic and commercial successes…and failures. While mildly interesting, “A Magnificent Life” lacks the passion of any of Pagnol's classic movies. The extremely raw and edgy R-rated documentary "Andre is an Idiot" was the audience winner at this year's Sundance Film Festival. It's easy to see why. A free-spirited iconoclast named André Ricciardi decides to make a documentary of his battle with terminal colon cancer. He and his family and friends handle it with a lot of raw humor...and a bit of denial. “Andre is an Idiot” is cleverly made and surprisingly touching given how utterly irreverent and profane it is. The Hulu time-travel action comedy "Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice" fails to live

You can have all the great special effects and cute aliens you can muster, but without the charisma and star power of Ryan Gosling, the sci-fi opus "Project Hail Mary" would drift aimlessly into space. Gosling plays a science teacher who reluctantly becomes an astronaut and attempts to save our sun from a bizarre destructive force. While in deep space, he encounters an unlikely ally. While it's overlong and repetitive, "Project Hail Mary" is still an engaging crowd pleaser. Rose Byrne stars in the comic drama "Tow," the true story of a homeless woman trying to rebuild her life. Things took a hellish turn when the vehicle she was sleeping in was towed and she endured a long and excruciating legal fight to reclaim it. While it deals with serious issues, "Tow" takes a lighter tone with its treatment of David vs. Goliath social themes. There are family films and then there are movies for the kids only. "The Pout-Pout Fish" falls into the latter category. It's a harmless animated tale based on the picture books

"Cohorts," the loyal followers of bestselling author Colleen Hoover, have been anxiously awaiting the cinematic adaptation of her latest novel, "Reminders of Him." They likely won't be disappointed. Maika Monroe gives a strong performance as a young woman recently released from prison after serving time for involuntary manslaughter. She returns to her hometown in hopes of meeting her daughter who was taken from her at birth and begins a romantic relationship with bar owner Tariq Withers. “Reminders of Him” is as predictable, calculated and manipulative as you might expect, but the committed cast is solid. Bring the Kleenex. The horror entry "Undertone" is billed as "The Scariest Movie You'll Ever Hear." That's because the gimmick is its unique audio approach. Nina Kiri plays one of the hosts of a podcast about the paranormal. She begins losing her grip on reality when listening to ghastly audio mysteriously sent to her co-host. "Undertone" is the very definition of "slow burn"...but in this case it's too slo

Even second-rate Pixar is better than most other animated features. The latest offering from the renowned studio is "Hoppers," a unique sci-fi fantasy about a rebellious girl whose mind is transplanted into a robotic beaver in an attempt to save a pristine glade from the bulldozers of shortsighted developers. Excellent animation, sharp voice work and a thoughtful screenplay elevate “Hoppers,” which should hop right to the top of the U.S. box office. The pro-environmental message comes through loud and clear, but the kids will only care about the wacky characters and zippy action. It may be a bit too scary for the younger kids, but "Hoppers" still has the warmth family audiences crave. As the saying goes, you're only as good as you dare to be bad. Give writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal credit because she dared, but "The Bride!," her gonzo take on "The Bride of Frankenstein," is a cinematic horror...and not in a good way. Credit also to the brave, powerhouse performances from Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley,

If you don't know what the term BDSM refers to, then the comic drama "Pillion" may not be for you. Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling star in the very...I repeat, very...adult story of a dominant biker and his submissive partner. While it's well written and smartly acted, much of the content of this R-rated movie pushes it close to the NC-17 designation. Still, for open-minded viewers, the unconventional romance “Pillion” is an empathetic portrait of an unusual relationship. Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain stars in the dark and unpleasant drama, "Dreams." She plays a socialite having a steamy affair with a much younger, very talented Mexican ballet dancer played by Isaac Hermandez. The fact that he's an illegal alien is only one of the numerous problems this couple faces.The immigration theme in “Dreams” is top-of-mind, but the movie is undermined by unlikeable characters and...here we go again...some unusually graphic sex scenes. The Amazon Prime movie "The Bluff" is a throwback action swashbuckler starri

The black comedy thriller "How to Make a Killing" is inspired by the classic 1949 British film, "Kind Hearts and Coronets." But this version isn't quite sure what it wants to be. Glen Powell stars as an heir to a vast fortune who's been disowned by his callous family. He plots to bump off all his relatives who stand in the way of his inheritance. The audience is challenged to root for a guy who's obviously ethically challenged and Powell's charisma is a big help in that department. It's modestly funny, but the tone shifts in “How to Make a Killing” are so jarring that it may give audiences a case of whiplash. As a companion piece to his 2022 hit "Elvis," director Baz Luhrmann offers his first documentary, the concert film, "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert." Using previously unseen footage stored in a Kansas salt mine, Luhrmann creates a hybrid film that mixes concerts, rehearsals, press conferences and backstage footage into a riveting showcase. For the uninitiated, “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” demonstrat

"Crime 101" is a slick and engaging thriller featuring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, and Mark Ruffalo. Hemsworth portrays a jewel thief who is emotionally conflicted and determined to complete one final heist. Guided by a personal code of ethics, his character refuses to harm anyone and targets only insurance companies with his schemes. The film's impressive supporting cast includes Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro and Nick Nolte who all contribute to the film’s strong ensemble dynamic. Bart Layton, a British documentary filmmaker, brings surprisingly taut and effective direction, allowing "Crime 101" to remain engaging even when the plot stretches believability. “Crime 101” is an entertaining action throwback. The animated sports comedy "Goat" is from producer Steph Curry, who also lends his voice to one of the characters. The story centers on a young goat who dreams of competing in "Roarball," an intense and dangerous version of full-contact basketball. The film boasts a talented voice cast, including Caleb M

First world problems plague a pop star in the unpredictable mockumentary "The Moment." Charlie XCX plays a fictionalized version of herself in the story of her preparations for a concert and tour. While not a comedy per se, it pokes fun at the whole "Brat" phenomenon and satirizes pop stardom. “The Moment” is an interesting experiment more than a satisfying movie and features surprisingly little music. Those sensitive to flashing light, steer clear. French director Luc Besson offers his offbeat take on "Dracula." Caleb Landry Jones is impressive as the cursed vampire who spends centuries searching for his lost love. Besson's opulent, operatic approach is visually engaging, but the movie is overlong and peppered with unintentionally funny moments. "Dracula" doesn't exactly suck, but it isn't a full-blooded horror, either. Perhaps the best thing you can say about the Angel Studios romantic comedy "Solo Mio" is that it's harmless. Kevin James plays a middle-aged schoolteacher who travels to Rome with his fianc

The latest Jason Statham thriller "Shelter" provides exactly what you'd expect. It's packed with over-the-top action and ridiculous implausibilities. Statham is a disgraced special ops agent hiding out on a remote Scottish island who's forced back into action to protect an innocent preteen girl, well played by Bodhi Ray Breathnach. The action gets more elaborate and sillier as the movie progresses, but director Rick Roman Waugh puts the pedal to the metal and doesn’t let logic get in the way. Don't roll your eyes too much while watching “Shelter,” or you'll miss some decent stunt work. Omar Epps and Wiz Khalifa lead the cast of the morose and violent crime drama "Moses the Black." Serbian writer/director Yelena Popovic attempts to juxtapose a modern story about a Chicago gang leader recently released from prison with that of the martyred Ethiopian saint from the fourth century. Epps is saddled with the responsibility of staring endlessly into void while supposedly seeing visions of the saint who turned from

Artificial Intelligence is once again the antagonist in the sci-fi thriller, "Mercy." Set in the crime-ridden near future, Chris Pratt plays a detective on trial for his wife's murder. He has 90 minutes to convince an A.I. judge, played by Rebecca Ferguson, of his innocence. While it gets a bit goofy and stretches credibility to the limit, “Mercy" gets to its over-the-top climax in an entertaining manner. The gentle British drama "H is for Hawk" is based on an acclaimed memoir. Claire Foy plays naturalist Helen Macdonald who spent a year training a goshawk. She used the experience to cope with the death of her father and her own clinical depression. “H is for Hawk” is relatable, thanks to Foy's performance, but never quite soars. Another strong performance from Maika Monroe can't save the depressing crime thriller, "In Cold Light." Monroe plays a drug dealer recently released from prison who wants back in the game but comes into conflict with mobsters and crooked cops. Good guys are hard to find here. "In C

It’s double feature time for fans of stalwart actor Ralph Fiennes. "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is the fourth installment in the horror series about a zombie infection. Fiennes plays a doctor who confronts human evil worse than that exhibited by the zombies. While gripping, well-made and genuinely scary, its graphic and sadistic violence approaches the level of torture porn. Fiennes pops up again in a movie that couldn't be more different. In the gentle comic drama "The Choral," he plays a conductor in a small English village mounting an amateur performance of the Edward Elgar piece “The Dream of Gerontius” while struggling with the challenges of WWI. “The Choral” is well crafted, but very lightweight. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck team up once again for the taut and intense Netflix crime thriller, "The Rip." Inspired by a true story but highly fictionalized, it's about a team of Miami drug agents who stumble upon a stash of $20 million in cartel drug money. The discovery sews distrust between the agents

In the very adult comic drama "Is This Thing On?" Will Arnett plays a man who tries out standup comedy as a way to cope with his impending divorce. Strong performances by Arnett and Laura Dern propel this empathetic tale, well directed by Bradley Cooper, who also has a funny supporting role. A number of noted comics appear as cynical versions of themselves. While fictional, the movie inspired by the true story of British standup comic Jim Bishop. Arnett’s foul-mouthed comedy material isn't really all that funny but still rings true. "Is This Thing On?" should appeal to those not easily offended. What's really being said when estranged family members engage in awkward 'small talk?' Indie film darling Jim Jarmusch offers a suggestion in "Father Mother Sister Brother," three unrelated stories of family dysfunction. The strong cast includes Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling and Cate Blanchett. Surprisingly, this restrained and subtle drama was the big winner at the 2005 Venice Film Festiva

Happy New Year. It’s time to look back and name my top ten movies, the cream of the cinematic crop for 2025. 10) THE SECRET AGENT is an oddly structured but involving Brazilian paranoia thriller set during that country’s political strife in 1977. 9) WEAPONS is an extremely original and genuinely unnerving horror chiller about 17 children who mysteriously disappear from the same grade school class. 8) IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT is a harrowing, secretly filmed Iranian drama about former political prisoners who kidnap a man they believe was their tormentor. 7) THE LIFE OF CHUCK is a thoughtful philosophical and ultimately life affirming comic drama about a terminal cancer victim but told in reverse chronological order. 6) BLACK BAG is a clever and twisty drama that plays like “Who’s Afraid of Virgina Wolf?” but with spies. 5) MARTY SUPREME is an offbeat character study about a brilliant but manipulative and conceited ping pong champ, set in the 1950s. 4) SENTIMENTAL VALUE is an insightful Danish drama about

Timothée Chalamet proves once again that he's the real deal in the whacky comic drama, "Marty Supreme." It's an offbeat character study from filmmaker Josh Safdie, set in the 1950s and involving the misadventures of a manipulative, conceited but somehow likable table tennis phenom. While fictional, it's inspired by the remarkable life of ping pong ace Marty Reisman. "Marty Supreme" is supremely watchable. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star in "Song Sung Blue," a biopic about a Neil Diamond tribute band called "Lightning and Thunder" that achieved a degree of success in Milwaukee in the 1980s. They experience extreme highs and lows in their personal and professional lives. The stars are very appealing, but if you're not a fan of Diamond's music, steer clear. Amanda Seyfried gives a strong performance in the unorthodox historical musical drama, "The Testament of Ann Lee." She portrays the title character, the founder of the Shaker movement who was considered by some of her followers as the second coming of Chr

"Avatar: Fire & Ash" is the third entry in the phenomenally successful sci-fi franchise, and delivers exactly what you'd expect, 3 hours and 12 minutes of spectacular visuals and zippy action. The story, however, is very repetitive and has little to offer that's new. Plus, there's no real sense of peril. The attraction is the remarkable eye candy, so if you opt to see it, go ahead and splurge on the Imax version. The very busy actresses Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star in the goofy psychological thriller "The Housemaid." Sydney plays the maid who uncovers some dark secrets in the household of wealthy Amanda. Seyfried is excellent but Sweeney is merely adequate in this trashy flick. "The Housemaid" doesn't clean up because the filmmakers didn’t have the nerve to go full camp...which would have been the better route to take. The strange political thriller "The Secret Agent" is a nominee for this year's Critics' Choice Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Set during Brazil's political strife of 197

The Netflix whodunit "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" is the third movie in filmmaker Rian Johnson's tongue-in-cheek series featuring Daniel Craig as private detective Benoit Blanc. This time out, a young priest played by Josh O'Connor is accused of murdering a charismatic monsignor. The all-star cast includes Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner and Kerry Washington. They’re all obviously having fun and O'Connor, in particular, is excellent. But this mildly engaging mystery is overlong and really stretches credibility. Still, "Wake Up Dead Man" is more than entertaining enough to keep you awake. The wildly original horror satire "Dust Bunny" plays like a midnight movie for the junior high set. A little girl named Aurora, sharply played by Sophie Slone, is haunted by a giant carnivorous dust bunny under her bed. After it has eaten her parents, she hires a neighbor, played by Mads Mikkelsen to dispatch it. It turns out that resident in apartment 5B is actually a hired killer, an associa

The outstanding drama "Hamnet" is a speculative period piece about the inspiration behind Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Anchored by terrific performances by Paul Mescal and Jesse Buckley as Shakespeare and his troubled wife Agnes, it's an emotionally involving tale, adapted by director Chloe Zhao from Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel. Perhaps surprisingly, "Hamnet" is a better film than Zhao's previous Oscar winner "Nomadland." And speaking of Oscar, Buckley's moving performance is likely a Best Actress shoo-in. The Netflix showbiz drama "Jay Kelly" provides a role that fits George Clooney like a glove. He plays a movie star who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughters while alienating those in his entourage who've supported him. Adam Sandler gives the film's best performance as George's unappreciated manager. While somewhat engaging, there are phony elements in the movie that are uncharacteristic of the gifted filmmaker Noah Baumbach. "Jay Kelly" is a mixed bag bolstered by megawatt star power. Mel

The comic fantasy "Eternity" takes the romantic triangle concept to a multidimensional level. Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner star in the tale of an afterlife weigh station, where a woman must decide whether to spend eternity with her husband of many years or her first husband who died decades earlier. The concept is better than the execution, but a likable cast gives this rom-com a considerable boost. The animated farce "Zootopia 2" is a worthy successor to the 2016 hit. In this lively, funny and smartly executed tale, a fox and a rabbit uncover the mystery of why reptiles are prohibited from a city where most animals live together in relative peace. It’s a family film in the best sense of the term. It’s a beautifully animated offering with zany slapstick for the kids and sly cultural and political commentary for their parents. Can’t wait for “Zootopia 3.” "Left-Handed Girl" is an edgy Netflix drama from Taiwan. A struggling single mom opens a food stand in a busy Taipei marketplace. She co

Okay, Ozians. The wait is finally over. The second and final part of the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical "Wicked" is finally here. In "Wicked: For Good," Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba and Ariana Grande's Glinda use their vocal powers for good, providing a long but fitting climax. Both films combined have a running time of over 5 hours and, yes, it's padded. But thanks to spectacular production values and soaring vocals “Wicked: For Good” provides enough magic to satisfy all the Munchkins out there. In the sweet, low key comic drama "Rental Family," Brendan Fraser plays a struggling American actor in Japan who takes a job pretending to be the dad of a lonely young Japanese girl. While it works on a sentimental level, the whole setup glosses over some troubling ethical lapses. It's well-intentioned but tries a bit too hard to be heartwarming. Speaking of sentimental, the Norwegian comic drama "Sentimental Value" is about a famous filmmaker who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughters by making

"The Running Man" is a remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 dystopian action thriller based on a Stephen King book. Oddly enough, it was set in 2025. This time out, Glen Powell plays a man desperate for money for his family, who agrees to appear in a TV reality game show where he attempts to outrun a team of murderous bounty hunters to win a billion dollars. Director Edgar Wright, who made "Baby Driver" and "Shaun of the Dead," knows his way around action and comedy and delivers on both counts. However, this time he just doesn't know when to quit. He's guilty of overkill. The biggest problem with "The Running Man" is the running time. "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" is the third installment in the comedy heist action series about an ensemble of magicians who pull off bank jobs using their considerable skills at illusion. Jesse Eisneberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher team up once again, this time attempting to steal the world's largest diamond from a villainous crime organization led by Rosa