Archives for : Mystery
The summer blockbusters are rolling in! Steven Spielberg’s newest alien sci-fi, thriller, “Disclosure Day,” has arrived. And after bringing us legendary extraterrestrial stories like “E.T.” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, I’m sad to say this highly anticipated alien mystery lacks the Spielberg magic we’ve come to love from his previous theatrical treasures.
“Disclosure Day” asks the question, what if you found out we are not alone and someone was able to show you undeniable evidence of alien life. Would that scare you? It’s an interesting question and could be an interesting movie if the script and the characters were not all over the place. In the film, Dr. Daniel Kellner is on the run from his underground government boss; he carries a great deal of proof that aliens are among us and feels that entire world should finally know the truth. Luckily for him, a Kansas weather girl, who shockingly is linked to the aliens, can help Kellner get the message out.
There are several issues with this film. It appears; there wasn’t a clear intention of which direction they wanted to go. The tone bounces around from a serious drama to a hokey and unconvincing kids’ movie. There are numerous plot holes in the convoluted storylines, and the underdeveloped characters make any “emotional” or climatic scenes feel unearned. The saving grace of “Disclosure Day” and the real reason to watch, is Emily Blunt’s award-worthy performance as Margaret Fairchild. She brings energy and personality, as well as humor to the very long, two and half hour, underwhelming sci-fi. Though the rest of the all-star cast, including Josh O’ Connor, Colin Firth, and Coleman Domingo do a fine job, their surface-level roles are not as memorable.
There is thrilling action that entertains, and the comedic relief makes the film worth a trip to the box office but set your expectations low. It does pain me to speak negatively about this movie, especially because of Blunt’s performance, but Spielberg can and has done much better than this. The intent to reflect on humanity and have empathy for the known is admirable and greatly appreciated, but the efforts made to bring that message to the screen fell flat and rings hallow.
Rating: C-
“Disclosure Day” opens in theaters June 12, 2026.
I had the great honor to speak with the incredible Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, & Mike Schur about the second season of the fun, lighthearted mystery comedy, “A Man on the Inside.”
“Eager to take on another big undercover case, Charles Nieuwendyk (Ted Danson) gets his chance when a mysterious blackmailer targets Wheeler College president Jack Berenger (Max Greenfield), who enlists Charles to go undercover as a professor. Charles finds no shortage of possible suspects, but his attention gets diverted by free-spirited music teacher Mona (Mary Steenburgen), whose zest for life awakens feelings he thought he’d buried after the passing of his wife.”
“From creator Michael Schur, A MAN ON THE INSIDE is based on the documentary THE MOLE AGENT, a 2021 Oscar® nominee for Best Documentary feature.”
“A Man on the Inside” Season 2 streams on Netflix on November 20, 2025.
This may be the last time audiences will see Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt from the widely known Mission Impossible franchise. While there is no official word on the exit, the film’s title and ending, along with rumors of Cruise moving on, indicate it is likely that if the franchise were to continue, it would be with a new team. But in the meantime, we can focus on the latest film, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.
Director Christopher McQuarrie returns to pick up where he left off from the last movie, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning. Read full review here.
Rating: B
“Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning” opens in theaters May 23, 2025.
The first “Accountant” surprisingly charmed and entertained audiences. While I did not expect a sequel, I certainly don’t mind getting to see Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal team up again. Though it’s hard to beat the refreshing plot of the original film, this second installment adds up to a solid watch.
Ben Affleck returns as Christian Wolff, an unusual accountant with a brilliant mind that can calculate far more than tax returns. Read the full review here.
Rating: B
“The Accountant 2” opens in theaters April 25, 2025
In TYLER PERRY’S DUPLICITY, high-powered attorney Marley (Kat Graham) faces her most personal case yet when she is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the shooting of her best friend Fela’s (Meagan Tandy) husband (Joshua Adeyeye). With the help of her boyfriend (Tyler Lepley) – a former cop turned private investigator – Marley’s search for what really happened leads her down a treacherous maze of deception and betrayal.
I had the opportunity to speaks with the stars of the film, Kat Graham Meaghan Tandy, Tyler Lepley, & RonReaco Lee about the power of the media and their captivating characters.
Check out the interview and the movie, streaming on Prime March 20, 2025.
“The Watchers” follows a young artist who gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night. I spoke with filmmaker, Ishana Night Shyamalan (daughter of horror icon, M. Night Shyamalan) about her directorial debut.
“The Watchers” opens in theaters June 7, 2024.
It’s rare these days to not be able to predict the end of a movie, especially one that appears to be formulaic, but I can assure you, you won’t know what to expect from Universal Pictures’ new, surprisingly funny thriller, “Abigail”.
After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful, wealthy man, they must wait 24 hours in an isolated mansion to collect their 50-million-dollar ransom, but things quickly go awry when the group discovers they are locked inside with no normal little girl. What proceeds to happen is an entertaining, creatively shot blood bath that will shock and humor audiences.
The plot is straight-forward, but the production and performances elevate what could have been a bore. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett film a balanced narrative that flows much like a ballet performance. There’s a good rhythm at the start and engaging theatrics throughout with Abigail’s random, but impressive dance moves right before she remarkably lands her bait. And while the band of crooks do a fine job, it’s our young star, Alisha Weir who steals the show. She’s natural at playing an angelic scared little girl, who in an instant can flip the switch to a terrifying demonic tiny dancer.
But “Abigail” does have its flaws. Towards the end, the film does waver and stubble over its steady beat with too many betrayals and inconsistent character identities. Which prevents it from providing the depth that was potentially there. That being said, there is still more positive than negative here, especially from the comedic timing of the entire cast. It’s very much M3GAN meets Ready or Not, just nowhere near as good. But, if you’re a fan of the horror genre, then “Abigail” is satisfying, mindless bloody fun.
Rating: B-
“Abigail” opens in theaters April 19, 2024
This week I review “Five Nights at Freddy’s”. It’s about a security guard who begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza and discovers the animatronic costumes that reside there, aren’t just robots. They are alive. Find out if I think the film is a fun thriller.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s” is playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock.
Rating: D+
