Freeze Frame

KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio
  • 0.0 (0)
  • FILM HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Freeze Frame: The 10 Best Movies of 2025

    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 a filmmaker who tries to make up with his estranged daughters by making a film about his family. 3) HAMNET tells an absorbing speculative tale about William Shakespeare and his wife whose personal tragedy inspired his most acclaimed play, “Hamlet.” 2) SINNERS is a grisly vampire film that’s really about racism, Jim Crow, the Blues…and much more. 1) ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is a wildly entertaining thinking man’s action film dealing with wannabe revolutionaries. Smart and skillfully made, it’s the best film of 2025.

    2 min

  2. 26/12/2025

    Freeze Frame: "Marty Supreme" (R), "Song Sung Blue" (PG-13), "The Testament of Ann Lee" (R), "Goodbye June" (R)

    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 Christ. She attempted to establish a utopian religious society in 1700s New England but met with ample hardships and considerable backlash. The music is a mix of original songs and hymns of the era. “The Testament of Anne Lee” is dark and dramatically erratic but oddly involving. Kate Winslet makes her directorial debut in the Netflix family drama, "Goodbye June." Winslet plays one of four siblings who come together when their mother, played by Helen Mirren, is hospitalized with terminal cancer during the holiday season. It's manipulative and obvious, but the sterling cast prevents “Goodbye June” from becoming too saccharine.

    2 min

  3. 19/12/2025

    Freeze Frame: "Avatar: Fire and Ash" (PG-13), "The Housemaid" (R), "The Secret Agent" (R), "David" (PG)

    "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 1977, Wagner Moura plays a tech pro who is being pursued by secret foes. The structure of “The Secret Agent” is disjointed for sure, but only that adds to its offbeat appeal. The animated musical “David” is the latest from faith-based distributor Angel Studios. This well made and involving movie tells the story of the King of Israel from his early days as a lowly shepherd to his heroic defeat of Goliath and his ascension as leader of his people. The story’s violence has been toned down, but it’s still faithful to the Biblical themes and is a painless introduction for the kiddies.

    2 min

  4. 11/12/2025

    Freeze Frame: "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" (PG-13), "Dust Bunny" (R), "Merv" (PG)

    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 associate of a handler played by Sigourney Weaver. The art direction and off-kilter humor are very imaginative, but "Dust Bunny" doesn't quite clean up as it tries to stick the landing. The Amazon Prime holiday rom-com "Merv" is one shaggy dog of a movie...and that has nothing to do with the fact that it's about a canine. Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox play an estranged couple who share custody of a scruffy pooch who's depressed by their separation, Their efforts to cheer him up mostly fail but rekindle their romantic spark. "Merv" is well meaning, but as artificial as an aluminum Christmas tree.

    2 min

  5. 05/12/2025

    Freeze Frame: "Hamnet" (PG-13), "Jay Kelly" (R), "Hunting Season" (R), "Oh. What. Fun." (PG-13)

    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 Gibson stars in the ugly, excessively violent drama, "Hunting Season." Mel and his daughter provide aid and shelter to a woman found shot in the woods, only to invoke the wrath of a vicious drug lord. This is the kind of fodder that used to be called "grindhouse cinema," prodding audiences into vengeful bloodlust. Happy Holidays! A gifted cast can't save the noisy, irritating Amazon Prime holiday farce, "Oh. What. Fun." Michelle Pfeiffer plays a put-upon mom who goes all out for her family at Christmas, but her efforts aren't appreciated…until she goes missing. None of it rings true. "Oh. What. Fun." is a lump of coal for your cinematic stocking.

    2 min

  6. 28/11/2025

    Freeze Frame: "Eternity" (PG-13), "Zootopia 2" (PG), "Left-Handed Girl" (R), "Rebuilding" (PG)

    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 contends with the troubles of her two daughters, one a wayward teen and the other a 5-year-old kleptomaniac. Although it’s the first effort of director Shih-Ching Tsou, Sean Baker of “Anora” fame is the co-writer and editor. “Left-Handed Girl” is a shrewd movie that takes viewers to places they may not expect. A solid performance by Josh O’Connor is the main attraction of “Rebuilding,” a convincing if stubbornly low-key drama about a group of people living in Fema shelters after losing everything in a devasting Colorado wildfire. “Rebuilding” is an effective, deliberately paced tale of resilience anchored by inspired casting.

    2 min

  7. 21/11/2025

    Freeze Frame: "Wicked: For Good" (PG), "Rental Family" (PG-13), "Sentimental Value" (R), "Train Dreams" (PG-13)

    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 a comeback film about his family. Stellan Skarsgard, Renate Reinsva and Elle Fanning give terrific performances in an involving tale that will keep you guessing. It manages to live up to its 'sentimental' title without getting sappy. In the mood for a laid-back cinematic tone poem? "Train Dreams" is a beautifully shot Netflix period drama starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones about an ongoing series of tragedies that beset a railroad worker and his family in the early 20th Century Pacific Northwest. Tragic and austere, “Train Dreams" is a film to appreciate if not necessarily enjoy.

    2 min

  8. 14/11/2025

    Freeze Frame: "The Running Man" (R), "Now You See Me, Now You Don't (PG-13), "Nouvelle Vague" (R)

    "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 Rosamund Pike. It's a reasonably entertaining installment, but the tricks are very familiar. What's missing from "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" is magic. If you haven't seen Jean-Luc Godard's classic 1960 French New Wave film "Breathless," then Richard Linklater's "Nouvelle Vague" probably won't have much meaning for you. This Netflix offering is a painstaking recreation of the making of "Breathless," which popularized a new style of filmmaking and made international stars of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg. Nerd alert!! It's a loving homage to avant garde movie making.

    2 min
See All (286)

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    286
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio
  • Show Website
    Freeze Frame