Freeze Frame

Kenneth Branagh’s take on the classic Agatha Christie whodunit “Murder on the Orient Express” is like its namesake: Luxurious, workmanlike…and just a bit stodgy. Branagh plays Belgian detective Hercule Poirot who is pressed into service when a gangster, played by Johnny Depp, is murdered on a train traveling from Istanbul to London. The long list […]

Is the third time the charm for “Thor?” The latest installment in the Marvel Universe to have the God of Thunder front and center is indeed the best of the three. A goofy, tongue-in-cheek action adventure that relies a lot …

“Suburbicon,” a twisted collaboration between director George Clooney and the Coen Brothers, is a satiric poke in the eye to the idea of an idyllic 50s American suburbia. This pitch black comedy stars Matt Damon and Julianne Moore in a …

“Suburbicon,” a twisted collaboration between director George Clooney and the Coen Brothers, is a satiric poke in the eye to the idea of an idyllic 50s American suburbia. This pitch black comedy stars Matt Damon and Julianne Moore in a violent tale of murder and racism. In spite of its interesting sociological subtext, it never […]

With a great cast, bestselling source material and acclaimed filmmakers in command, “The Snowman” should have been a solid thriller. Sadly, it’s an icy misfire. Michael Fassbender plays a detective on the trail of a cunning serial killer who leaves …

“Marshall” is not a biopic about America’s first black Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall. It’s a courtroom drama about one Connecticut rape case that the famed jurist worked on in his early days as a lawyer for the NAACP. Chadwick …

Is the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” merely a replicant? Nope. Happily, “Blade Runner 2049” is a compelling film noir follow-up that stands on its own. Ryan Gosling plays a LAPD officer who hunts down …

One the most watched sporting events of all time is celebrated in the crowd-pleasing comic drama, “The Battle of the Sexes.” Emma Stone and Steve Carell star as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, who, in 1973, faced off on …

Is the third time the charm for Lego’s animated franchise? Well, even though the novelty is wearing a bit thin, “The Lego Ninjago Movie” is, for the most part, cheeky, colorful fun.   Jackie Chan leads the voice cast as …

Is the third time the charm for Lego’s animated franchise? Well, even though the novelty is wearing a bit thin, “The Lego Ninjago Movie” is, for the most part, cheeky, colorful fun.   Jackie Chan leads the voice cast as Master Wu, who serves as mentor and inspiration for a group of wisecracking ninjas who […]

Filmmakers have been trying for years to adapt the political thrillers by the late author Vince Flynn. His CIA super agent Mitch Rapp finally makes his big screen appearance in “American Assassin,” a noisy thriller that introduces us to Rapp …

Filmmakers have been trying for years to adapt the political thrillers by the late author Vince Flynn. His CIA super agent Mitch Rapp finally makes his big screen appearance in “American Assassin,” a noisy thriller that introduces us to Rapp in hopes of creating a new franchise.   Actor Dylan O’Brian, best known for the […]

A white, plus-sized female rapper from a depressed New Jersey suburb may be the most unlikely movie lead of the year. In “Patti Cake$,” Australian actress Danielle Macdonald plays a young woman derisively called ‘Dumbo’ who tries to make her …

A white, plus-sized female rapper from a depressed New Jersey suburb may be the most unlikely movie lead of the year. In “Patti Cake$,” Australian actress Danielle Macdonald plays a […] The post Freeze Frame: "Patti Cake$," "I Do…Until I Don't" appeared first on KKFI .

Robert Pattinson works hard to shake his “Twilight” image in “Good Time,” a gritty crime drama that takes place in one night. He plays a none-too-bright bank robber who tries to get his mentally challenged brother released from jail. While …

Robert Pattinson works hard to shake his “Twilight” image in “Good Time,” a gritty crime drama that takes place in one night. He plays a none-too-bright bank robber who tries […] The post Freeze Frame: "Good Time," "Ingrid Goes West," "Leap!" appeared first on KKFI .

Actor Channing Tatum and director Steven Soderbergh go rogue with their independently produced and distributed comic heist movie, “Logan Lucky.” Tatum plays a fired miner who decides to rip off all the cash for a big race at the Charlotte …

The term “uplifting” is often overused, but it’s apt when describing “Step,” a documentary about a step dancing team from an all-girls high school in inner city Baltimore. Don’t expect lots of dance footage, however. “Step” instead focuses on the …

One way or another, you will be disturbed by Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow’s grim and troubling historical drama, “Detroit.” Either the police brutality and racism will rattle you or the movie’s sadistically violent depiction of it will do the trick. …

The provocative Charlize Theron and some smashing fight choreography provide a potent one-two punch for “Atomic Blonde,” an ultra-violent adaptation of a popular graphic novel. Theron plays a British secret agent with a particular set of skills who is sent …

British actress Sally Hawkins gives the kind of performance Oscar loves in “Maudie,” a biopic about Maude Lewis, the late Canadian folk artist who gained fame in the 1950s. The story covers her struggle with crippling rheumatoid arthritis, her dysfunctional …

It may seem absurd, but I’m not monkeying around. The franchise update of “The Planet of the Apes” series that began in 2011 may be the best Hollywood franchise reboot ever. The third installment, “War for the Planet of the …

Okay, so just who needs yet another reboot of the Spider-Man franchise? After all, this is the third time the story has been reworked since 2002. Well, I guess we do since “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is arguably the best Spider-Man movie, …

Decadent, violent, profane…and wildly entertaining, “Baby Driver” is a zippy heist film fueled by a kinetic soundtrack that should appeal to both Baby Boomers and Millennials. Ansel Elgort plays a skilled getaway driver who uses music to help him concentrate …

Just how does one transform $260 million into something pretty much worthless? Just ask director Michael Bay, who spent all that dough on the latest Hasbro Toys come to life extravaganza, “Transformers: The Last Knight.” It’s not that you can’t …