FREEZE FRAME: “BlacKkKlansman” (R), “The Meg” (PG-13), “Dog Days” (PG)

If it weren’t true, you might not believe it. “BlacKkKlansman” tells the remarkable true story of a black Colorado police officer who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. Director Spike Lee, who co-wrote the screenplay with KU professor Kevin Willmott, recharges his career with a film that is funny, incendiary, thought-provoking, unnerving and oh-so relevant in contemporary America. John David Washington plays detective Ron Stallworth and Adam Driver is the Jewish officer who provided his face when confronting the Klan in person. It doesn’t all work, but “BlacKkKlansman” is a powerful, dynamic and timely Spike Lee joint.

Couldn’t get enough of Shark Week? Well, Jason Statham is here for you. “The Meg” is a goofy thriller about a 75-foot prehistoric megalodon that terrorizes a scientific crew when it is inadvertently released from its deep-sea trench. This by-the-numbers aquatic adventure is no “Jaws,” but is B-movie Saturday matinee fare that may appeal to the 7-year-old in you.

Maybe the best thing you can say about the family-friendly canine comedy “Dog Days” is that it’s harmless. Vanessa Hudgens and Adam Pally lead a likable cast in the story of some LA folks whose paths cross due to their common love of dogs. This farce tries hard to tug at our heartstrings while tickling our funny bones and the formula sometimes works. Dog lovers may respond in a Pavlovian way, but this scruffy flick will still quickly evaporate from your memory.

Also opening this week, “Slender Man” is a horror film about the boogie man of internet lore. “The Cakemaker” is a German-Israeli film about two people who bond over the shared grief of a common deceased lover. “A Prayer Before Dawn” is a true story about a British boxer’s harrowing experiences in a Thai prison.

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