Advertise on podcast: Freeze Frame

"We're way past making friends." So goes the chilling promo quote from filmmaker Aaron Sorkin's "The Social Reckoning," a sharp follow up to the now classic Facebook exposé, "The Social Network." In this smartly written and involving true story, Mikey Madison plays whistleblower Frances Haugen who worked with Wall Street Journal writer Jeff Horwitz, played by Jeremy Allen White, to expose some of Facebook's darkest secrets. Jeremy Strong plays Mark Zuckerberg like he's a Bond villain. Facebook’s use of algorithms to radicalize people and maximize user time for profit is put under a withering microscope.  “The Social Reckoning” is an ethically provocative broadside blow at big business social media. Zachary Levi steps into the boots once worn by John Wayne in the classic 1947 Western, "Angel and the Badman." In this workmanlike remake, Levi plays a wounded bandit who holes up to heal in the homestead of a Quaker family. Sheriff Tommy Lee Jones and some malicious bad guys are in hot pursuit looking for Zachary and some stolen Confederate gold. Fans of sagebrush sagas will likely find a lot to like in “Angel and the Badman,” a reasonably entertaining Western throwback. Ben Affleck stars in and directs the tense Netflix thriller, "Animals." He plays a deep in debt Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. Kerry Washington is his long-suffering wife, and Gillian Anderson is a mysterious character who loans Ben millions in cash for the ransom. There are more than a few "Hey, wait a minute..." moments in the spotty script, but the cast and lively pace make “Animals” a provocative distraction.

Robert Redford once said, "You're only as good as you dare to be bad." Tom Cruise and Oscar-winning filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu have dared big time, and the result is the oddball climate change satire, "Digger." In this over-the-top, very meta movie, Cruise is a crass oil tycoon responsible for steering the planet toward environmental ruin. Supporting actors Riz Ahmed, John Goodman and Sandra Hüller ably channel the movie’s weird vibe. Cruise is terrific in an opus that's incredibly irritating, and as subtle as a sledgehammer. But “Digger” also has fleeting moments of brilliance. It seems that Iñárritu is daring audiences to hate "Digger" and, frankly, most people will. Okay, Cohorts...fans of pulp novelist Colleen Hoover, the fourth cinematic adaptation of her work has arrived. In the erotic thriller "Verity," Dakota Johnson plays a woman hired as a ghostwriter for a popular novelist. But naturally, things aren't what they seem and the lines between reality and fiction become blurred. Josh Hartnett and a very busy Anne Hathaway co-star. You can't blame the cast, but the whole preposterous affair becomes unintentionally laughable...that is, when it's not unintentionally dull. Local filmmaker Jen Greenstreet's new docudrama "May Contain: My Life" is now available to stream on outlets like Apple TV and Amazon Prime. It's a cautionary tale as well as an informative look at the struggles of people dealing with food allergies. Several sufferers tell their stories, including NFL Hall of Famer Jerome "The Bus" Bettis. “May Contain: My Life” is a thoughtful cry for tolerance and acceptance.

Filmmaker Zach Cregger, responsible for recent horror hits "Barbarian" and "Weapons" was handed the reins to reimagine the biopunk "Resident Evil" franchise about killer mutants. The result is an utterly shameless, violent, ugly...and brilliantly made adaptation of the video game that's far better than its predecessors. Austin Abrams makes an appealing everyman thrown in an apocalyptic hell. There are more effective jump scares here than in a dozen horror movies as well as a lot of cheeky humor. “Resident Evil” is depraved but effective. Ethan Hawke gives another solid performance in the Depression Era prison drama, "The Weight." In a desperate attempt to secure his release from a penal labor camp and reunite with his child, Ethan agrees to warden Russell Crowe's scheme to smuggle a fortune in gold across a vast area of Oregon wilderness. While it may not quite be in the same category as the similarly themed classics like “Treasure of the Sierra Madre” and the white-knuckle thriller “Sorcerer,” “The Weight” is a gritty and involving thriller about the costs of human greed. The stop motion animation masters at Aardman studios, home of Wallace and Gromit, offer a clever early Halloween treat for the whole family, "Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom." Shaun, experimenting with a formula to grow pumpkins, accidently causes the farmer of Mossy Bottom to become covered with hair and mistaken for Bigfoot. This fast and furious and nearly wordless comedy is aimed squarely at the youngest demographic but is loaded with sight and sound gags that should appeal to mom and dad. “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” is a nimble family flick.

The horror thriller "Don't Move" was shot in Kansas City and was written by James "Murr" Murray from the TV series "Impractical Jokers." Lyndsy Fonseca, rapper Russ and KC's own Rob Riggle star in the story of a church camping trip that goes terribly wrong when the campers get lost in the Ozarks and encounter a giant killer spider. It's a well-produced chiller that should appeal to the midnight movie crowd. The aggravating and overlong wartime thriller “The Fix” is burdened with so many head-scratching inconsistencies it’s hard to know where to start. In this improbable tale, Zachari Levi stars as a CIA agent who, after an operation in Afghanistan goes disastrously wrong, seeks redemption by going on a rescue mission set up by his one-time mentor, Liam Neeson. “The Fix” desperately needs repair. The Angel Studios thriller "Runner" is not to be confused with the current Amazon Prime thriller "The Runner." Alan Ritchson plays a high-risk delivery man who races against time with organ escort Owen Wilson to get a liver to a little girl in desperate need of a transplant. But bad guys are trying to steal the organ for a mobster's transplant.  "Runner" is essentially a mindless series of violent and generic chase scenes that somehow managed to escape an "R" rating. To say that filmmaker Tyler Perry is prolific is like saying water is wet. The Netflix comic drama "Why Did I Get Married Again?" is his 30th movie and the third in the series that began in 2007. This time out, the bickering couples reunite for a destination wedding. Not Janet Jackson this time, but it does have Lake Como. It’s silly, soapy and sappy.

In the Apple TV action comedy "Mayday," Ryan Reynolds plays a Navy pilot shot down in Soviet territory during the Cold War. An ex-KGB agent and America-lover, played by Kenneth Branaugh, works to help Ryan avoid certain death and escape the country. “Mayday” is mindless and silly but is a lively and amusing buddy flick bolstered by its charismatic stars. Virginia Woolf wrote her 1919 novel, "Night and Day" while recovering from a nervous breakdown. She despondently described the book as "flat" and a "complete failure." The new cinematic version, "Virginia Woolf's Night and Day," isn't a complete failure, but it is a bit flat. Haley Bennett is fine as a young Victorian woman who wants to be an astronomer at a time when women aren't allowed advanced education. “Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day” is well-meaning, well-produced…and a little dull. Fine performances by Dakota Fanning and Jake Johnson help elevate the low-key love triangle "The Sun Never Sets." It’s from cult mumblecore filmmaker Joe Swanberg. A loving couple decides to take a brief break in their relationship, but things get complicated when an ex-boyfriend shows up. You may be compelled to yell, "Hey, get a counselor," but “The Sun Never Sets” is a thoughtful comic drama that avoids most romantic drama cliches. The Amazon Prime action thriller "The Runner" is not to be confused with the action thriller "Runner" that opens in theaters next Friday. In "The Runner," Gal Gadot plays a lawyer who, while on a morning run, learns her son has been kidnapped and she’s blackmailed into killing a witness in a murder trial. Gadot gives it her all in a cliched and overly familiar potboiler.

Every great filmmaker gets one Mulligan. Ridley Scott's futuristic thriller "The Dog Stars" is his. Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin star in a poorly paced and overly familiar post-apocalyptic nightmare about survivalists who face grisly dangers after a flu pandemic. There are impressive individual sequences, but “The Dog Stars” plays like scenes cobbled together instead of a cohesive whole. The hybrid cartoon and live action farce "Coyote vs. Acme" wants to be "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" but is a bit closer to "Space Jam." Wile E. Coyote and his lawyer Will Forte sue Acme Corporation for defective products used in Coyote’s endless pursuit of the Road Runner. While there are more laughs in a typical 7-minute Looney Tunes short, "Coyote vs. Acme" is a likable low-key poke at corporate America. If you're one of the people who thought Barney the Dinosaur was a little creepy, the horror flick "Buddy" should send a shudder up your spine. In this tongue-in-cheek creep fest, a malevolent unicorn character lures children into its TV realm to absorb their souls. While satirical, “Buddy” goes full-blooded horror and provides just enough chills for the midnight movie crowd. The gloomy Netflix thriller "The Whisper Man," based on a novel by Alex North, wants to be "Silence of the Lambs," but can't quite emulate that classic's impact. Robert De Niro plays a former cop who tries to help his son Adam Scott recover his son who is kidnapped by a serial killer. Michael Keaton is an imprisoned murderer who is manipulating everything from behind bars. The cast is fine, but “The Whisper Man’s” overall impact is lessened by some head scratching lapses in logic.

The formative years of famed gastronome Anthony Bourdain are the focus of the drama “Tony.” Dominic Sessa plays the callow and self-centered 19-year-old in a highly fictionalized tale loosely adapted from Bourdain’s bestselling autobiography “Kitchen Confidential.” It may not be authentic, but a sharp cast and thoughtful script make “Tony” a full flavored coming-of-age drama. The wacky cinematic experiment “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” is a blood-soaked love letter to slasher films with a lesbian twist. Hannah Einbinder stars as a filmmaker who tries to recruit a reclusive scream queen, played by Gillian Anderson, to come out of retirement for a slasher reboot. Filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun’s grisly opus is very imaginative but ultimately becomes excessively self-indulgent. From the other end of the cinematic universe comes the beautifully produced but lightweight family fantasy, “The Magic Faraway Tree.” Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy lead the cast in the story of a struggling urban family that moves to the country where the kids discover a whimsical magic land inside the titular tree. It plays a bit like the poorer cousin of “The Wizard of Oz” and “Willie Wonka,” but “The Magic Faraway Tree” provides an adequate juvenile distraction. All you need to know about the movie "Mutiny" is that it stars Jason Statham. That means it's a thriller packed with action and not too much logic. Statham plays a billionaire's bodyguard who gets framed for his boss' murder. He winds up on a cargo ship breaking up a human trafficking ring. Don't ask. "Mutiny" is silly but mostly delivers the action goods.

The intriguing historical drama "The Brink of War" focuses on the 1986 Reykjavik nuclear disarmament talks between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. Jeff Daniels and Jared Harris portray the Cold War leaders and J.K. Simmons plays Secretary of State George Schultz. First time filmmaker Michael Russell Gunn speculates about what the dialogue between these philosophical opponents may have been like. He reportedly interviewed Schultz and was granted access to some of the Secretary’s transcripts. While it isn't dramatically riveting, it’s well-acted and surprisingly timely. “The Brink of War” is a thoughtful and involving history lesson. Adam Sandler's daughter Sophie gets her chance in the spotlight in the Netflix comic drama, "Don't Say Good Luck." Sophie plays a sophomore who gets the lead in her high school’s production of the musical “Waitress.” Things get complicated as her mom, played by Melanie Lynskey, struggles with recurrent cancer. “Don’t Say Good Luck” is lightweight and a bit soapy, but the sincere performances and general good vibes make it a poignant and uplifting tale. The Netflix horror entry "The Last House" attempts a new twist on the alien invasion genre. Wagner Moura and Greta Lee play a married couple who gets trapped with their two kids when a strange rainfall seals them in their home. They struggle to survive while never quite understanding just what’s going on. There will undoubtedly be many moments when you will ask, "Hey, what about..?" The screenwriters don't cover their bases which undermines the proceedings. Director Louis Leterrier pumps up the action in the final scenes, but “The Last House” is still a slow-moving sci-fi thriller.

The high concept rom com "One Night Only" has an original premise, but sketchy execution. In a future where premarital sex is outlawed, one night a year is left open for singles to hook up. Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner play singles looking for a brief encounter, but circumstances keep throwing them together and pulling them apart. There are a few clever moments but "One Night Only" can never overcome its inherent phoniness. The twisted and blood-soaked horror comedy "Ice Cream Man" is morally repugnant. But for Spat Pack filmmaker Eli Roth, the king of ‘torture porn,’ that's kinda the point. The treats served up by a mysterious vendor in a small town turns the kids into homicidal zombies. The crazed and foul-mouthed kids DO hideous things they're not nearly old enough to SEE on the big screen and an army of makeup artists create the grisly mayhem. “Ice Cream Man” lands a few twisted laughs, but you may feel like taking a shower afterward. The Apple TV sports comedy series "Ted Lasso" starring KC favorite son Jason Sudeikis is back for season four. The first episode which was shot here in town highlights several local landmarks. Ted's former British employers come to town to try to persuade him to return to England and coach a women's soccer team. Fans of the series know exactly what kind of cheeky humor to expect, and season four serves it up in welcome fashion. Just seeing award-winning British actress Hannah Waddingham become obsessed with Gates BBQ sauce is reason enough to tune in. The documentary "Cookie Queens" focuses on four girls undergoing the joys and pressures of Girl Scout cookie sales season. It's sweet but lighter than a thin mint.

Is it possible to find something fresh in a superhero series as long in the tooth as Spider-Man's? Well, thanks to solid acting, thoughtful pacing and some terrific action set pieces, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is an involving and peppy popcorn flick. In an attempt to save his friends and loved ones from harm, Peter Parker had Dr. Strange cast a spell so that no one would know him. But the arrival of a mysterious nemesis with telekinetic powers complicates matters, getting the Hulk and Punisher involved. Sadie Sink is excellent as a troubled character, but to identify her would be a major spoiler. Let's just say the Avengers Universe is expanding. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" shows that Marvel still has gas in the tank thanks to sharp direction and thoughtful production. Despite its title, the Amazon Prime thriller "The Devil's Mouth" is not a supernatural horror flick. It's a survival drama where a group of dimwitted college friends decide to swim in a notoriously dangerous cave in Thailand. Naturally, they choose the most difficult route and encounter...you guessed it...a ravenous shark. Kathryn Newton leads the cast in this predictable drama that is so cliched and annoying that you might just find yourself rooting for the shark. Thank heaven for Snoopy. His adventures in the Apple TV animated offering "There's No Place Like Home, Snoopy," are more believable than those of the kids in "The Devil's Mouth." During a yard sale, Charlie Brown's sister Sally inadvertently sells Snoopy's doghouse. As the Peanuts gang tries to figure out how to return it, they all learn a lesson about what home really means. It's a short, sweet and funny family outing.

For audiences that love action and hate dialogue, "Motor City" might be the movie for you. Alan Ritchson stars in this over-the-top crime thriller set in 1970s Detroit. There are only about four lines of dialogue in this entire story of a man who escapes from prison to seek revenge on a drug dealer who framed him. Ben Foster and Shailene Woodley co-star in a plot propelled by classic music of the era. The whole affair gets increasingly ridiculous as it progresses and that finale is unintentionally funny. Still, "Motor City" has just enough absurd thrills to rev the engines of undemanding action fans. Maybe all you need to say about the Netflix action comedy "72 Hours" is that it stars Kevin Hart. Fans take note. Others beware. Hart plays a forty-year-old promotional exec who goes on a bachelor party weekend in Miami with some 20-somethings to see how young people behave. Teyana Taylor and some SNL stars are wasted in support. The humor is raunchy, and the script is devoid of even a moment of realism. Still, it generates a few low-brow laughs, but not enough to justify its length.... that just seems like 72 hours. The script for the Apple TV comedy "The Dink" plays like one that Will Ferrell would have rejected 20 years ago. In this coarse sports comedy, Jake Johnson plays a former tennis bad boy who is reduced to coaching pickleball at his father's struggling tennis club. Mary Steenburgen co-stars as an older pickleball player Jake takes a shine to. Its farcical approach occasionally serves up a laugh, but it never manages to make it to 11.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan's larger-than-life cinematic style is well suited for Homer's "The Odyssey," and his adaptation of the epic tale sails impressively onto the silver screen. Big ideas and big themes dominate the big screen in this ancient horror story. Matt Damon leads a strong ensemble as Odysseus, the morally conflicted king of Ithaca who must face down demons of all sorts as he questions his bloody role in the Trojan Wars, embarks on an ill-advised adventure, angers the gods...and just wants to go home. A notable cast aids Nolan's vision that puts an emphasis on violent conflict, symbolizing Odysseus' inner turmoil. The acting honors go to Robert Pattinson as the duplicitous, scheming Antonius and Smantha Morton as the wily witch Circe. While it's guilty of some clunky dialogue and a few minor missteps, "The Odyssey" is an impressive old school Hollywood spectacle that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. The Hulu sports drama "They Fight" is the kind of movie that you root for. It's a true story, its inspirational themes resonate, and the cast is fine. Problem is, the execution is so bland and conventional, that the story never ignites as it should. Based on a 2017 documentary of the same name, "They Fight" is about a boxing coach recently released from prison, played by Andre Holland, who works with a group of Washington DC adolescents. Wendell Pierce runs a gym that gives Andre a chance to see if he can redeem himself and inspire the kids toward a championship. It's well intentioned, but the sluggish story fails to score a knockout.

So, what does the term "live-action version" really mean? In the case of Disney's remake of their 2016 animated musical hit "Moana," it means there are some real actors on screen along with a whole lot of computer-generated animation tweaked to look realistic. Same songs save for one. Dwayne Johnson is back as demigod Maui, and we have a new Moana nicely played by Cathrine Laga'Aia. Otherwise, it closely resembles the original. Somehow, that's not enough. What worked as a cartoon just seems too labored in 'live action.' “Moana” fans, stick with the original. The edgy sex comedy "The Invite" is the polar opposite of Disney. It’s an English language adaptation of the 2020 Spanish hit, that was sarcastically titled, “Sentimental.” Seth Rogan and Olivia Wilde play a bickering couple whose marriage is ready to derail. To spice things up, Olivia invites the swingers from upstairs, played by Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton, to come down for dinner. Naturally, things quickly get awkward. It's essentially a razor-sharp stage play, ably directed by Wilde, that provides a great cast with a decadently funny vehicle. But the constant quarreling is a bit hard to stomach. Warning: “The Invite” is not for the easily offended. Amy Goodman, host of the daily news program “Democracy, Now” that airs here on KKFI, is the subject of the film documentary “Steal This Story, Please!” Goodman and the filmmakers will be in town for screenings and Q&A sessions on July 17th and 18th at the Glenwood Arts Theater in Overland Park. Info is available at KKFI.org or fineartsgroup.com.

Looking for a holiday weekend flick to get the kids out of the blazing heat? You could do a lot worse than "Minions & Monsters," the third installment in the "Minions" prequel series and the seventh installment overall in the "Despicable Me" franchise. This time out, circumstances find the Minions in 1920s Hollywood, and they decide to make a monster movie. The pacing and animation are solid in this episode that has a lot of inside jokes for parents who are movie buffs. "Minions & Monsters" delivers exactly the kind of goofy family fun you'd expect. Just in time for the July 4th celebrations, Angel Studios offers the historical drama "Young Washington." Relative newcomer William Franklyn-Miller portrays the founding father in a respectful but underwhelming look at his life before the American Revolution. Washington's ambitions and his strategic blunders in a skirmish with the French are the focus of this well-mounted but superficial biopic. The supporting cast includes familiar faces who bring a gravitas that Franklyn-Miller's performance is missing. Best thing you can say is that "Young Washington" is an easily digestible history lesson. Is the third time the charm for Millie Bobby Brown in the Netflix comic mystery, "Enola Holmes 3?" Light, bright, and easy to digest, “Enola Holmes 3” is a tongue-in-cheek sequel that presents yet another mystery for the sister of Sherlock Holmes, appealingly played by Brown. This time out, Sherlock, played by Henry Cavill, is kidnapped while attending Enola's wedding in Malta. A sprightly feminist YA offering “Enola Holmes 3” floats along nicely thanks to a solid production and an appealing cast.

While newcomer Millie Alcock soars as the new punk "Supergirl," her movie never quite flies. Giving her a personality that contrasts with her strait-laced cousin Superman was a smart choice, but the filmmakers aren't quite able to pull all the elements together. Still, the eye candy is first-rate, and the action sequences are well-staged. Maybe the best thing you can say is that "Supergirl" is a serviceable intro to a welcome new character in the DC Universe. Scott Eastwood plays a soldier caught behind enemy lines during the Battle of the Bulge in director Rod Lurie's solid WWII flick, "Lucky Strike." While it covers familiar territory, “Lucky Strike” is a mostly effective tale of survival, heroism and the hellish nature of war. Whenever she's on screen, Angelina Jolie's strong performance propels the drama "Couture." Problem is, she's not on screen enough. Jolie plays a filmmaker working in Paris for Fashion Week when she discovers she's got breast cancer. The other stories involving peripheral characters fall flat. For a movie about fashion, "Couture" is surprisingly lacking in style. A strong cast and an interesting premise are swamped in director Julian Schnabel's colossally pretentious Netflix drama, "In the Hand of Dante." Oscar Isaac plays a writer recruited by mobsters to authenticate and then steal a manuscript of Dante's "Divine Comedy.” In an intersecting parallel story, Isaac also plays Dante himself as he struggles to write his masterpiece. While intriguing, the movie is profane, ugly, violent and saddled with laughable dialogue. Gerard Butler's performance as a murderous thug is a creepy standout in “In the Hand of Dante,” a head-scratching misfire.