Film

Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson appear in “Civil War.” (Promotional photo courtesy A24)

Review: An unexpected battle for empathy in ‘Civil War’

Garland’s new film comments on political and personal divisions through a unique lens of conflict on American soil

 

Promotional photo courtesy Sony Pictures Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor appear in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”

On the Screen: New ‘Ghostbusters’ struggles to balance original ideas and nostalgia

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” picks up right where “Afterlife” left off, and it also succumbs to a lot of the same problems

 

Sandra Hüller portrays Sandra Voyter in “Anatomy of a Fall.” (Promotional photo courtesy Neon)

On the Screen: ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ is dense, rapturous

I’m disappointed I had to wait so long to get the opportunity to see this film

 

An Alaska Native man walks towards an Orthodox church in a screenshot from “Sacred Alaska.” (Promotional image courtesy Simon Scionka)

Church to screen film exploring Orthodox connection to Alaska Native cultures

“Sacred Alaska” screening will be held at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center and start at 6 p.m.

An Alaska Native man walks towards an Orthodox church in a screenshot from “Sacred Alaska.” (Promotional image courtesy Simon Scionka)
Poster for 2nd Annual Indigenous Language Film Festival. (Provided by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Indigenous Education Progam)

Indigenous language film fest returns with 16 submissions

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Indigenous Education Program hosted its Second Annual Indigenous Language Film Festival on Thursday

Poster for 2nd Annual Indigenous Language Film Festival. (Provided by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Indigenous Education Progam)
People identifying as Democrats and people identifying as Republicans sit face to face during a workshop put on by Braver Angels in this screenshot from “Braver Angels: Reuniting America.” (Screenshot courtesy Braver Angels)

KPC lecture series to feature film and discussion about connecting across political divide

“Braver Angels: Reuniting America” is a nonpartisan documentary about a workshop held in the aftermath of the 2016 election of Donald Trump

People identifying as Democrats and people identifying as Republicans sit face to face during a workshop put on by Braver Angels in this screenshot from “Braver Angels: Reuniting America.” (Screenshot courtesy Braver Angels)
Orion (Jacob Tremblay) and Dark (Paul Walter Hauser) in “Orion and the Dark.” (Promotional photo provided by Dreamworks Animation)

On the Screen: ‘Orion and the Dark’ is resonant, weird

Fear of the dark is natural, not some problem that Orion has to go on adventure to overcome

Orion (Jacob Tremblay) and Dark (Paul Walter Hauser) in “Orion and the Dark.” (Promotional photo provided by Dreamworks Animation)
Sam Rockwell portrays Aidan and Bryce Dallas Howard portrays Elly Conway in “Argylle.” (Promotional photo courtesy Apple Original Films)

On the screen: Anticipated spy flick falls flat in unmemorable ‘Argylle’

Overlong and a little jumbled, the film fails to play to its own strengths

Sam Rockwell portrays Aidan and Bryce Dallas Howard portrays Elly Conway in “Argylle.” (Promotional photo courtesy Apple Original Films)
Jaquel Spivey is Damian, Angourie Rice is Cady and Auli’i Cravalho is Janis in “Mean Girls.” (Promotional photo courtesy Paramount Pictures)

On the screen: ‘Mean Girls’ is a special, musical, spectacle

The adaptation of the 2017 Broadway musical is a surprising early-year hit

Jaquel Spivey is Damian, Angourie Rice is Cady and Auli’i Cravalho is Janis in “Mean Girls.” (Promotional photo courtesy Paramount Pictures)
Poster for 2nd Annual Indigenous Language Film Festival. (Provided by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Indigenous Education Progam)

KPBSD to host 2nd annual Indigenous Language Film Festival

Community submissions will be accepted until Feb. 16

Poster for 2nd Annual Indigenous Language Film Festival. (Provided by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Indigenous Education Progam)
Barry Keoghan portrays Oliver Quick in “Saltburn.” (Promotional photo courtesy MGM Studios)

On the Screen: ‘Saltburn’ weird and fun, not as sharp as Fennell’s first outing

Since “Saltburn,” the second film by director Emerald Fennell, came to streaming last month, I’ve seen a lot of conversation about the film on social… Continue reading

Barry Keoghan portrays Oliver Quick in “Saltburn.” (Promotional photo courtesy MGM Studios)
Tom Blyth portrays Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler portrays Lucy Gray Baird in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." (Promotional photo courtesy Lionsgate)

On the Screen: ‘Hunger Games’ still has something to say

Surprisingly rich prequel interrogates contemporary politics through dystopian lens

Tom Blyth portrays Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler portrays Lucy Gray Baird in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." (Promotional photo courtesy Lionsgate)
Carol Ford portrays Aunt Nancy in “Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble,” a short film by Raleigh Van Natta. (Photo courtesy Raleigh Van Natta)

Local filmmakers given spotlight at Winter Film Series

The series is an offering of short films intended to spark discussion about film in the local community

Carol Ford portrays Aunt Nancy in “Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble,” a short film by Raleigh Van Natta. (Photo courtesy Raleigh Van Natta)
Promotional photo courtesy Toho Studios From left, Yuki Yamada portrays Shiro Mizushima, Hidetaka Yoshioka portrays Kenji Noda, Kuranosuke Sasaki portrays Yoji Akitsu and Ryunosuke Kamiki portrays Koichi Shikishima in “Godzilla Minus One.”

On the Screen: New ‘Godzilla’ surprises as one of the year’s best movies

The film shines not because of a giant computer-generated monster, but instead because of its emotional narrative grounded in humanity, history and politics

Promotional photo courtesy Toho Studios From left, Yuki Yamada portrays Shiro Mizushima, Hidetaka Yoshioka portrays Kenji Noda, Kuranosuke Sasaki portrays Yoji Akitsu and Ryunosuke Kamiki portrays Koichi Shikishima in “Godzilla Minus One.”
Marvel Studios

On the Screen: ‘Marvels’ messy but very fun

Where the film shines is in the stellar performances of its three leads

Marvel Studios
Promotional photo courtesy Paramount Pictures Lily Gladstone portrays Mollie Kyle and Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Ernest Burkhart in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

On the Screen: ‘Flower Moon’ a grueling historical spotlight

Throughout “Killers,” Scorsese depicts failings of society and personal relationships

Promotional photo courtesy Paramount Pictures Lily Gladstone portrays Mollie Kyle and Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Ernest Burkhart in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Promotional image courtesy Taylor Swift Productions Taylor Swift performs songs from her album “Lover” in “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.”

On the Screen: An emotional spectacle

Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ brings intensity of stage to screen

Promotional image courtesy Taylor Swift Productions Taylor Swift performs songs from her album “Lover” in “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.”
Madeleine Yuna Voyles portrays Alphie in “The Creator.” (Photo courtesy 20th Century Studios)

On the Screen: ‘Creator’ a visual delight, thematically light

The film shows off a thought-provoking and vividly realized original setting, even if it fails to capitalize on its own ideas

Madeleine Yuna Voyles portrays Alphie in “The Creator.” (Photo courtesy 20th Century Studios)
Kenneth Branagh portrays Hercule Poirot in “A Haunting in Venice.” (Photo courtesy 20th Century Studios)

On the Screen: Murder most haunting

Hercule Poirot takes on supernatural in latest Agatha Christie adaptation

Kenneth Branagh portrays Hercule Poirot in “A Haunting in Venice.” (Photo courtesy 20th Century Studios)
Taylor Zakhar Perez portrays Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine portrays Prince Henry in “Red, White and Royal Blue.” (Photo courtesy Amazon Studios)

On the Screen: A romance for idealists

‘Red, White and Royal Blue’ a surprisingly biting romcom

Taylor Zakhar Perez portrays Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine portrays Prince Henry in “Red, White and Royal Blue.” (Photo courtesy Amazon Studios)