Freeze Frame

KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio

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FILM REVIEWS
EVERY TWO WEEKS

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

6 DAYS AGO

Freeze Frame: “His Three Daughters” (R), “The Substance” (R), “Transformers One” (PG)

Three strong performances provide a solid foundation for the Netflix drama, "His Three Daughters." Carrie Coogan, Natasha Leone and Elizabeth Olsen play disconnected sisters who gather together as their father goes into hospice. They alternately avoid one another or come into conflict. While the constant bickering can sometimes become exhausting, “His Three Daughters” is a heartfelt and empathetic character study that manages to avoid saccharine elements and ring true. The endless pursuit of youth and beauty is at the heart of the dark and revolting sci-fi horror thriller "The Substance." Demi Moore plays a fading celebrity who uses an illegal drug to transform into a younger, better version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. But watch out for those side effects! French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat slyly invites the audience to ogle the beautiful bodies on screen only to pull the rug out from under viewers with grotesque body horror. The humor and grisly elements are way over the top and self-indulgent. "The Substance" may be skillfully repulsive, but it's still repulsive. You don't need to know anything about Hasbro's "Transformers" to enjoy the creative animated origin story, "Transformers One." Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry and Scarlett Johansson move over from the Marvel universe to provide voices in the story of humble robot miners and best friends who later became mortal enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron. The pals work together to free their fellow citizens of the planet Cybertron from a corrupt dictator. Action packed and often funny and better than it has any business being, "Transformers One" should appeal to fans and newbies alike.

2 min
13 SEPT

Freeze Frame: “The Killer’s Game” (R), “The Critic” (R), “Uglies” (PG-13)

Graphically violent action comedies just keep popping up, with over-the-top stunt work inspired by movies like "The Kingsman" and "John Wick." It takes a deft touch to pull these movies off and the makers of "The Killer's Game" don't quite have it. Dave Bautista stars as a world class hitman who thinks he's terminally ill and puts out a hit on himself. When the diagnosis proves wrong, he changes his mind and must defend himself from all manner of bad guys. It starts out well enough but gets progressively silly, tedious and repetitious. "The Killer's Game" is mainly a time killer. Sir Ian McKellen takes the title role as one of the vilest of all humans, “The Critic.” In 1930s London, an unscrupulous theater critic manipulates a struggling, insecure actress into a scheme to blackmail the publisher of the newspaper that runs his column. It’s well produced and McKellen is excellent as is the stalwart ensemble of fine British actors. But the improbable melodramatic flourishes and abrupt climax undermine a promising setup. This critic says “No” to “The Critic.” “Uglies” is a Netflix offering adapted from Scott Westerfeld’s sci-fi novel series. Joey King stars in the tale of a future society where operations to make people pretty are mandatory at age 16. You may have flashbacks to other YA sci-fi series like "The Hunger Games," "Divergent" and "The Maze Runner," but those movies are much better than this. The cliffhanger climax hints at more episodes to come, but don’t hold your breath. Ineffective direction, iffy special effects and stilted dialogue make “Uglies” unattractive.

2 min
5 SEPT

Freeze Frame: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (PG-13), “Across the River and Into the Trees” (Not rated)

It's taken 36 years, but Michael Keaton's wisecracking demon returns to haunt supernatural TV hostess Winona Ryder in Tim Burton's gory gothic comedy, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." Surprisingly, the over-the-top farce has aged pretty well. Jenna Ortega, who stars in Burton’s Netflix series “Wednesday,” plays Winona's estranged teenage daughter. She doesn't believe in ghosts, but after her grandfather's grisly death, it doesn't take long for her to realize that mom knows what she's talking about. Catherine O’Hara, Willem Defoe, Monica Bellucci, Justin Theroux and Danny DeVito all join in on the macabre fun. Clever visuals, including some of Burton’s patented stop-motion animation sequences, fast pacing and a dark and twisted sense of humor all work together to bring "Beetlejuice" back from the cinematic dead. Liev Schreiber stars in "Across the River and Into the Trees," a winsome big screen adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's final and critically assailed novel. Schreiber plays a terminally ill American Army Colonel in Venice during the waning days of WWII. He meets and has an unlikely entanglement with a Contessa 30 years his junior, played by Matilda De Angelis. This low-key film is modestly successful in exploring Hemingway's dual themes of recapturing one's youth and dying with dignity. "Across the River and Into the Trees” is a glossy Venetian travelogue boosted by Schreiber's authoritative presence. In conjunction with the ongoing Disney 100 exhibit at Union Station, classic Disney films are being showcased on the Extreme Screen. You still have time to catch “Frozen, “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella.” More information is available at extremescreen.unionstation.org.

2 min
30 AUG

Freeze Frame: “1992” (R), “Reagan” (PG-13), “You Gotta Believe” (PG), “The Deliverance” (R)

The crime drama "1992" is a typical thriller but is infused with social relevance. Tyrese Gibson plays a worker at a metals plant who winds up battling thieves out to steal platinum. Scott Eastwood and the late Ray Liotta are the bad guys using the chaos of the LA riots that ensued after the death of Rodney King to cover their tracks. It's modestly effective despite some glaring plot holes. The 40th President of the United States gets the movie biopic treatment in "Reagan." Dennis Quaid plays the actor turned politician in a well-produced but superficial overview that the term "hagiography" was coined for. It's less an insightful look at the man and more of a fawning idealization promoting a political viewpoint. While it skims the surface, "Reagan" is still an informative synopsis that should appeal to the Gipper's many admirers. Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear headline the family friendly sports movie, "You Gotta Believe." It tells the true story of a ragtag little league baseball team whose coach is afflicted with cancer. His struggles inspire them, propelling a team with little natural talent to the Little League World Series. The filmmaking is standard, but the heartwarming story carries the day. Director Lee Daniels offers yet another rip-off of "The Exorcist." In the dreary Netflix horror entry "The Deliverance," Andra Day plays an alcoholic mother whose three children are threatened by an evil spirit. The only thing more prevalent than cliches are f-bombs. I suspect that Day and the talented cast that includes Glenn Close, Mo'Nique and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor would like their names exorcised from the credits.

2 min
23 AUG

Freeze Frame: “Alien: Romulus” (R), “The Union” (PG-13), “My Penguin Friend” (PG), “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” (PG-13)

After 45 years and eight previous "Alien" movies, is it possible for yet another installment to be exciting, suspenseful and fresh? In the hands of director Fede Alverez, the answer is "Yes." In "Alien: Romulus" the action takes place between the events of the first and second movies. Springfield, Missouri native Cailee Spaney stars in the tale of space miners who encounter a dangerous life form on a derelict space station. The screenplay and execution are smart and the movie adds some genuine surprises. "Alien: Romulus" is a sturdy and welcome addition to the "Alien" franchise. "The Union" is a harebrained but mildly entertaining Netflix spy comedy starring Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg. Secret agent Berry kidnaps construction worker and former high school flame Wahlberg to recruit him into an unlikely international espionage operation. It's derivative and doesn't make a lick of sense, but the game cast makes "The Union" bearable. "My Penguin Friend" is an amateurish but harmless family film inspired by a true story that made waves on the internet. Jean Reno plays a Brazilian fisherman who rescued a wounded penguin. They bonded and the penguin made regular 3000-mile swims from his home in Argentina to visit his Brazilian pal. The filmmaking plods but the sweet story carries the day. If you haven't read the novel "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat" and watch the Hulu adaptation, you may wonder what's missing. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan and Uzo Aduba play lifelong friends who endure considerable pain and joy over the years. It's sincere, but the soapy storyline meanders and the movie has a sheen of artificiality that it can never quite shake.

2 min
16 AUG

Freeze Frame: “Sing Sing” (R), “Daughters” (PG-13), “Jackpot!” (R)

The healing power of the arts is the focus of the moving and thoughtful drama, "Sing Sing." Coleman Domingo is excellent, starring alongside a group of actual former inmates in the story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at the infamous Sing Sing maximum-security prison. The fact that these incarcerated thespians are playing a version of themselves adds greatly to the movie's authenticity and demonstrates that humanity and empathy can resurface when even the hardest criminals are given a chance at self-expression. Another film about an intriguing prison program is the topic of the touching Netflix documentary, "Daughters." It was the winner of the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Through a handful of personal stories that unfold over a few years’ time, “Daughters” explores the Daddy Daughters Dance program that allows prisoners at a Washington DC correctional facility to have contact with the offspring they so seldom see. While the filmmaking is standard, this behind-the-scenes overview provided by “Daughters” is heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure. The noisy and outrageous Amazon Prime comedy, "Jackpot!" is a comic twist on dystopian movies like "The Hunger Games" and "The Purge." In the near future, a lottery takes place where the winner gets $3 billion...but if someone kills them within 24 hours, the killer gets the money. Awkwafina goes on the run when her ticket hits and John Cena plays a mercenary for hire who tries to protect her. Director Paul Feig has given us some very funny movies like "Bridesmaids" and "Spy," but this foul-mouthed opus is just too manic and grating. “Jackpot!” isn’t quite able to hit the comic jackpot.

2 min
9 AUG

Freeze Frame: “Borderlands” (R), “It Ends with Us” (PG-13), “The Instigators” (R)

Yearning for another movie based on a video game series? If so, you still may want to avoid "Borderlands." Director Eli Roth, best known for his gory splatter films strands Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Jamie Leigh Curtis and Mark Twain Prize winner Kevin Hart in a sci-fi action comedy guaranteed not to win any awards. It's loud and annoying and Jack Black's robot Claptrap is the most annoying space character since Jar Jar Binks. "Borderlands" borders on awful. Okay, Cohorts...and you know who you are...the wait is over. Colleen Hoover's "It Ends with Us" has finally arrived on the big screen. This adaptation of Hoover's bestselling novel stars Blake Lively as a florist whose family history of abuse haunts her relationships. Lively is appealing and Justin Baldoni, who also plays one of Lively's romantic partners, does passable work, but this well-meaning film version is a bit too contrived for full emotional impact. If you took a Coen Brothers film and replaced the caustic wit with snarky profanity, it might look a bit like the Apple TV+ heist comedy, "The Instigators." Matt Damon and Casey Affleck lead a terrific cast in a noisy crime flick about a group of dimwitted amateur thieves who try to rob the corrupt Boston mayor...but everything goes wrong. You can't blame the players, but "The Instigators" might have worked better if it weren't for the story's many implausibilities. In conjunction with Union Station’s Disney 100 exhibit, a lineup of classic Disney movies will be featured on the Extreme Screen through September 19th. More info is available at unionstation.org.

2 min
2 AUG

Freeze Frame: “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie” (Not rated), “Sorry/Not Sorry” (R)

The fourth feature length film from the SpongeBob SquarePants universe is a wacky animated farce on Netflix. The scandal involving standup comic Louis C. K. is the subject of a documentary from the folks at the New York Times.

2 min

See All (40)

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

Creator

KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio
Years Active

2013 - 2024
Episodes

40
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Freeze Frame

Freeze Frame

Freeze Frame: “His Three Daughters” (R), “The Substance” (R), “Transformers One” (PG)

Freeze Frame: “The Killer’s Game” (R), “The Critic” (R), “Uglies” (PG-13)

Freeze Frame: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (PG-13), “Across the River and Into the Trees” (Not rated)

Freeze Frame: “1992” (R), “Reagan” (PG-13), “You Gotta Believe” (PG), “The Deliverance” (R)

Freeze Frame: “Alien: Romulus” (R), “The Union” (PG-13), “My Penguin Friend” (PG), “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” (PG-13)

Freeze Frame: “Sing Sing” (R), “Daughters” (PG-13), “Jackpot!” (R)

Freeze Frame: “Borderlands” (R), “It Ends with Us” (PG-13), “The Instigators” (R)

Freeze Frame: “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie” (Not rated), “Sorry/Not Sorry” (R)

About

Information

Freeze Frame

Episodes

Freeze Frame: “His Three Daughters” (R), “The Substance” (R), “Transformers One” (PG)

Freeze Frame: “The Killer’s Game” (R), “The Critic” (R), “Uglies” (PG-13)

Freeze Frame: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (PG-13), “Across the River and Into the Trees” (Not rated)

Freeze Frame: “1992” (R), “Reagan” (PG-13), “You Gotta Believe” (PG), “The Deliverance” (R)

Freeze Frame: “Alien: Romulus” (R), “The Union” (PG-13), “My Penguin Friend” (PG), “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” (PG-13)

Freeze Frame: “Sing Sing” (R), “Daughters” (PG-13), “Jackpot!” (R)

Freeze Frame: “Borderlands” (R), “It Ends with Us” (PG-13), “The Instigators” (R)

Freeze Frame: “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie” (Not rated), “Sorry/Not Sorry” (R)

About

Information