Freeze Frame Archiv

Although you’ll feel shamelessly manipulated by the cheery sports flick “Eddie the Eagle,” you probably won’t mind too much. Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman star in the true story of a somewhat mentally challenged British ski jumper and the drunken ski bum who trains him to compete in the 1988 Olympics. The movie so lightweight that it threatens to blow right off the screen, but the likable stars and good-natured spirit make it a painless time-waster. Yet again, white guys have the lead roles in a story that takes place in ancient Egypt. In the over-produced fantasy epic “Gods of Egypt,” Scotland’s Gerard Butler and Denmark’s Nikolaj Coster-Waldau play gods who battle it out over control of the land of the Nile. The $140 million budget is all eye candy effects, but the gods of screenwriting apparently cursed the convoluted script. “Triple Nine” is a sleazy but involving crime drama. Some crooked cops are forced by the Russian mob to pull off some complicated heists, but the arrival of an honest rookie officer complicates matters. The strong cast includes Casey Affleck, Kate Winslet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie and Woody Harrelson, and they’re all too good for this squalid material. There’s…

Many recent faith-based films have suffered from low budgets and mediocre acting. Not so with “Risen,” a new take on the story of the resurrection of Christ. Joseph Fiennes is excellent as a battle weary Roman Tribune who is charged with finding the body of Jesus after it disappears from its tomb. He reluctantly discovers that there’s something miraculous afoot. Well acted, skillfully produced and appropriately reverent, “Risen” rises above the crowd and goes beyond preaching to the choir. Kansas City’s Jason Sudeikis and newcomer Stephan James star in the sports drama, “Race.” James plays Olympic great Jesse Owens who electrified the world during the 1936 Berlin games that were supposed to prove Hitler’s theory of Aryan superiority. Sudeikis is Owens’ hard-drinking coach. This handsome-looking film hoped to do the same thing that “42” did for Jackie Robinson’s story, focusing on a great sportsman’s dignity in the face of daunting racism. While very well meaning and honorable, it’s also slow moving and a bit too episodic. Thanks to its cast and its commendable heart, “Race” gets a bronze medal for its efforts. 81-year-old Dame Maggie Smith won the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in…

First, the bad news: The edgy R-rated Marvel superhero movie “Deadpool” is smutty, vulgar, tasteless and perverse. Now, the good news: “Deadpool” is funny, sharply made and Ryan Reynolds is terrific as the X-Men’s snarky, wisecracking antihero. If you’re not easily offended, “Deadpool” could prove to be a shamelessly raunchy guilty pleasure. Just leave the kids at home. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson return as the fashion world’s dumbest male models in “Zoolander 2,” the sequel to the 2001 comedy that developed a cult following on video. An endless parade of celebrity cameos is the most amusing thing about this long-delayed follow-up that plays like an overextended sketch. Even fans of the original may find it lame. “How to be Single” is a bawdy R-rated sex comedy that may make you want to shun the single life. A likable cast that includes Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Allison Brie and Leslie Mann give the movie a boost, but this episodic and meandering movie plays out like a de-glamorized episode of “Sex and the City.” “Where to Invade Next” is the latest documentary from left wing activist Michael Moore. Moore goes a number of other countries to see how they’re coping with…

Russ covers the latest farce from the Coen Brothers as well as an Oscar-nominated British drama.  

The true story of a daring rescue at sea is the focus for Russ this week.  

The post FREEZE FRAME: “The Finest Hours” appeared first on KKFI.

Russ covers two oddball offerings from screenwriters-turned-directors.

Russ covers the Golden Globe-winning Western starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Russ covers the cream of the year's cinematic crop.

The theaters are loaded for Christmas. Some are gifts and others are lumps of coal. Russ sorts out all the holiday film releases, including "The Hateful Eight," "The Big Short," "Daddy's Home," "The Danish Girl," "Carol, "Concussion," "Joy," "Youth," and "Point Break."

Russ lets us know if the force is strong with series reboot, a Tina Fey-Amy Poehler comedy and the latest kids' opus featuring animated rodents.

Russ covers Ron Howard’s version of the seafaring epic that inspired “Moby Dick.”

The post FREEZE FRAME: “In the Heart of the Sea” appeared first on KKFI.

Two movies with local connections are on Russ' agenda. A collaboration between KU professor Kevin Willmott and director Spike Lee and a biopic of Mother Teresa by a Clinton, MO native.

Russ fills us in on the “Rocky” franchise revival, an old-fashioned romantic drama and a biopic about a blacklisted screenwriter.

The post FREEZE FRAME: “Creed,” “Brooklyn,” “Trumbo” appeared first on KKFI.

Claustrophobia abounds in a kidnapping drama and a dramatization of the 2010 mine disaster in Chile. Russ also covers a German drama about Nazi persecution and a British rom-com.