Freeze Frame: "A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey" (R), "HIM" (R), "Xeno" (PG-13), "Swiped" (R)

Freeze Frame

While it doesn't all work, the fantasy romance "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" is, at least, an interesting experiment. Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell are very appealing, but they're stranded in a bizarre story about strangers who revisit trying episodes from their past by passing through a series of mystical doorways. Its message that encourages risk-taking comes through, but “A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey” can't quite overcome some uneasy, saccharine elements. Don't be fooled by the name Jordan Peele above the title for the horror movie "HIM." He produced but did not write or direct this ugly and dull one-note chiller about a wannabe quarterback, played by Tariq Withers, who is lured into a Satanic cult led by Marlon Wayans to ensure he becomes the "GOAT." It's odd that a movie about football has no forward momentum. “HIM” fumbles an interesting premise. "Xeno" is an offbeat sci-fi tale that plays like an uneasy mix of the family friendly "ET" and the grisly "Alien." A troubled teenage girl befriends a stranded carnivorous space creature, but the bad guys are the government agencies hunting it. While it's reasonably well made, "Xeno" has a frustrating finale that will likely leave audiences underwhelmed. The Hulu drama "Swiped" purports to tell the true story behind the scandalous rise of dating apps "Tinder" and "Bumble." Lily James plays Whitney Wolfe Herd, the tech entrepreneur who experienced blatant sexism and misogyny as she helped establish the popular sites and wound up being exploited in the press. "Swiped" could have used a bit more bite, but it's an interesting historical nugget.