Freeze Frame: "After the Hunt" (R), "Good Fortune" (R), "Ballad of a Small Player" (R)

Freeze Frame

Who would have thought that a movie with a great cast, intriguing theme and acclaimed director could have resulted in something as bad as "After the Hunt." Julia Roberts stars as a college professor who becomes embroiled in a sex scandal. The strong supporting cast includes Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny. Director Luca Guadagnino is responsible for acclaimed films like “Call Me by Your Name” and “Challengers,” but he’s lost his grip here. Colossally pretentious, burdened with pompous dialogue and unlikable characters, it’s a burden to watch. The terrific performances are the only saving grace of “After the Hunt,” so viewers should hunt for something else to watch.

Writer/director/star Aziz Ansari offers a low-key, feel-good comic fantasy, "Good Fortune." Keanu Reeves is an inept guardian angel who switches up the lives of a struggling gig worker, played by Ansari, and a wealthy investor, played by Seth Rogan, to try to make Ansari feel better about his life. Big mistake! Ansari likes being rich and doesn’t want to return to his old life, even though he had a great girlfriend, played by Keke Palmer. Good Fortune” is a likable comedy that tries to be a modern take on a Frank Capra-style premise but is only modestly successful.

The Netflix drama "Ballad of a Small Player" is an intriguing experiment that doesn't quite live up to its promise. Colin Farrell is fine as a deeply indebted gambling addict in Macau who desperately strives for one big win to save him. The shifts between the real and the imagined are sometimes awkward and confusing. Even so, “Ballad of a Small Player” is a stylish look at the descent of a loser.