Freeze Frame: "IF" (PG), "I Saw the TV Glow" (R), "Thelma the Unicorn" (PG), "Aisha" (Not rated) • KKFI

Freeze Frame: “IF” (PG), “I Saw the TV Glow” (R), “Thelma the Unicorn” (PG), “Aisha” (Not rated)

If being sentimental, sweet-natured, and family-friendly is a crime, then “IF” is guilty on all counts. Filmmaker John Krasinski’s fantasy about a young girl who can see other people’s imaginary friends is certainly corny and saddled with a score that pounds the emotional moments like a sledgehammer. But Ryan Reynolds and young Cailey Fleming give very appealing performances and the movie generates plenty of warmth. Families be aware and cynics beware.

If David Lynch decided to make a movie about teen angst and alienation, it might have looked a bit like Jane Schoenbrun’s bizarre psychological horror entry, “I Saw the TV Glow.” In the 1990s, two teens played by Justice Smith and Bridgette Lundy-Paine, become obsessed with a horror TV show, and begin to lose their grip on reality when the series ends. While it goes off the rails, it’s a very interesting cinematic experiment for fans of the avant-garde.

The Netflix animated fantasy “Thelma the Unicorn” was written and directed by Jared Hess and Lynn Wang the couple behind “Napoleon Dynamite.” It’s the story of a pony who longs to be a singer and gets her chance at fame when she pretends to be a unicorn. While harmless, this is one of the weaker contemporary cartoons that borrows too many elements from other, better stories. “Thelma the Unicorn” is only for the most undemanding tots.

Letica Wright and Josh O’Connor star in the realistic drama, “Aisha,” now available on video on demand platforms. Wright plays a Nigerian refugee facing heartbreaking obstacles as she strives for protective status in Ireland. “Aisha” is a subtle, understated social drama bolstered by fine performances.


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