MOVIE REVIEW: DISCLOSURE DAY

 

A meteorologist and a cybersecurity expert find themselves at the center of a movement to expose the government's cover-up of extraterrestrial secrets.

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell

Release Date: June 12, 2026

Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for action/violence, some bloody images and strong language.

Runtime: 2h 25m

Review:

Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day offers up the kind of action and humanity you’d expect however there’s a noticeable unevenness to it all, mainly due to a clunky script that keeps it from being something truly special.  Spielberg hasn’t lost his ability to create an engaging blockbuster that throws you right into the action and does so effortlessly here by dropping us right in the middle of the action.  Kernels of story details are dropped along the way before the full reveal of the alien coverup conspiracy that drives the story.  Well-funded shadow organizations chase down Emily Blunt’s Margaret Fairchild, a Kansas City meteorologist, and Josh O'Connor’s Daniel Kellner, a cybersecurity expert who’s ready to reveal everything.   Car chases and action sequences are interspersed with discussions about faith and how it would handle a revelation of exterritorial life.  It’s an intriguing concept to consider but the script doesn’t find a way to weave it seamlessly into the story which halts the film’s forward momentum.  The film is essentially a road movie with it working best as we follow our two leads trek to ultimately find each other through their shared connection.  It doesn’t make a ton of sense if you spend too much thinking about the whole thing but it’s entertaining enough to keep you engaged and makes its nearly two and half hour runtime not feel all that laborious.  It’s a testament to Spielberg and his cast because the script is filled with clunky dialogue and one-dimensional characterization that would have made the whole thing a mess in less capable hands.  Emily Blunt delivers a thoroughly impressive turn, leaving a noticeable mark the moment she pops up onscreen.  Her meteorologist’s on-air breakdown/revelation is deftly handled in an extended one shot early in the film which shows how effortlessly switches between speaking a foreign language to a frazzled on-air personality running late.  She plays against type for large stretches of the film as the character’s world has been utterly upended as she’s forced to face repressed memories.  Blunt brings so much nuance to her turn which makes her character the most interesting and layered person onscreen throughout.  Her and Wyatt Russell, who plays her boyfriend to start, have some solid chemistry together but he’s sidelined far too early for my taste.  Josh O’Connor does what he can with his character, which isn’t nearly as layered or interesting, leaving him the less interesting task of unloading a fair share of exposition.  He’s fine in the role but he’s just never as engaging as Blunt, which is amplified when the pair team up in the final act.  Suffering similar fates are Colin Firth and Colman Domingo who are asked to bring their notable screen presence but asked to do little more.  Those hoping for a direct connection to Spielberg’s classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, will be left wanting since there’s nothing to be found outside a blink or you’ll miss its flash of Devils Tower among a quick succession of alien encounters.  Once it’s all said and done, Disclosure Day may not be Spielberg’s best but it’s probably the kind of movie that you wished the X-Files franchise had gotten back in the day. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: SCARY MOVIE 6

 

Twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer, Shorty, Ray, Cindy and Brenda find themselves targeted by another mad slasher.

Director: Michael Tiddes

Cast: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Cheri Oteri, Chris Elliott, Dave Sheridan, Lochlyn Munro, Jon Abrahams, Anthony Anderson, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans 

Release Date: June 5, 2026

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Rated R for crude sexual content, graphic nudity, strong violence, and drug content and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 36m

Review:

Scary Movie 6 sees the return of the Wayans brothers and nearly everybody from the original movie for what should be a raucous return for horror spoof franchise unfortunately what we get is a collection of mostly unfunny and lifeless scenes that recycle tired jokes more often than not.  There’s plenty of fertile ground in the horror genre to pick from over the last twenty-five years they could have mined to spoof but for some reason it fumbled away as we get unconnected recreations of famous scenes but little more.  Five writers are credited, including three Wayans, which just leaves you wondering why they couldn’t deliver something slightly a tad more cohesive and funnier.  The jokes do come at a steady pace but most of them just don’t land mainly because they’re fairly lazy and predictable.  The plot is still using the Scream franchise as its overall template, borrowing heavily from Scream 5, which seems more than a little passé by this point.  It would all work better if the spoofs of recent horror hits were worked into the flow of the film as opposed to random non sequitur tangents.  It would all be more forgivable if they were at least funny and took advantage of the talented cast.  Anna Faris and Regina Hall are highlights of the whole thing, especially when they get to work off each other, but those moments are few and far between.  Faris’ best moments don’t come until the very random John Wick spoof in the final act that also throws up the cleverest concept of the whole film which leaves you wondering why the concept of legacy characters killing off reboot characters wasn’t the central thread holding it all together all along.  The rest of the cast do what they can with what they are given with Marlon and Shawn Mayans regurgitating the same weed and gay jokes from the first two films while Olivia Rose Keegan, who delivers a rather fun impression of Faris as her daughter, and Cameron Scott Roberts just seem to be begging for something to do.  Cheri Oteri, Dave Sheridan and Anthony Anderson along with a handful of other familiar faces return for small cameos that aren’t as impactful or funny as they should be.  Scary Movie 6 ends up feeling like a massive misfire since the Wayans have proven to be more than capable of delivering a solid spoof with the first Scary Movie and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka serving as prime examples of how funny they can be. 

D

MOVIE REVIEW: MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

 

The Sword of Power leads Prince Adam back to Eternia, a world shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor. Joining forces with Teela and Man-At-Arms, Adam must embrace his true destiny as He-Man -- the most powerful man in the universe.

Director: Travis Knight

Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin 

Release Date: June 5, 2026

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence/action, some suggestive material, and language.

Runtime: 2h 22m

Review:

Travis Knight’s adaptation of Masters of the Universe leans heavily into the absurdity of concept to deliver a colorfully weird but likable film that, echoes of 1980’s Flash Gordon, boast some fun action sequences and a pair of strong turns from Nicholas Galitzine and Jared Leto but its ultimately held back by a weak script and its overlong runtime.  The film opens, much like Knight’s 2018 Bumblebee, with an extended action sequence that delivers everything anybody who grew up with the show in the 80’s could want as we see the various heroes and villains battle it out before settling into the main thrust of the story of Galitzine’s Adam trying to find his sword and his way back home.  Galitzine has a likeable, goofy charm that’s reminiscent of Christopher Reeve’s Clark Kent from the 80’s Superman which makes it easier to watch as he works through some of the script’s weaker moments in the early part of the film.  Once Knight moves the action back to Eternia there’s a healthy sense that everybody is having a blast as we get a series of energetic action sequences and self-referential jokes that are generally fun.  Unfortunately, there are more than a few dead zones which makes you wish there had been some judicious edits to make everything flow together more consistently.  The script offers up plenty of comedic elements, some working better than others, along with an undercurrent about masculinity and dealing with emotions which is an interesting angle for this muscle-bound cartoon that’s not fully explored.  You get the sense that there’s a more interesting version of Galitzine’s Adam and Idris Elba’s Duncan relationship, but the script doesn’t give it time to really germinate.  Elba is fun in this role, but you get the sense he’d love to do something more substantial even his relationship with his daughter Teela, played by a focused Camila Mendes.  Mendes delivers solid work, but her character feels a bit stiff for all the other goofy going around her as she’s mostly stuck playing the straight girl to everybody else.  On the other end of the spectrum are Jared Leto’s Skeletor and Alison Brie’s Evil Lynn with both gleefully hamming it up every time they pop up onscreen.  Leto’s work manages to capture the odd insecure megalomania of the cartoon character which makes him the most fun character in the whole movie.  His dialogue and deliver are just pitch perfect, especially as he leans into the characters’ unapologetic evilness that doesn’t try to overthink his motivations too much, which lets Leto go wild.  Brie isn’t given as much time to shine but she manages to leave enough of an impression that you wish the character was explored a bit more.  Something the film could have easily done with its hefty nearly two hours and a half runtime to flesh out some of the character a bit more, as is Master of the Universe has its faults fans of the series are sure to find plenty of nostalgic enjoyment to be had.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: BACKROOMS

 

Backrooms is an upcoming American science fiction horror film directed by Kane Parsons in his feature-length directorial debut and written by Will Soodik. It is based on Parsons' web series and inspired by the "Backrooms" creepypasta.

Director: Kane Parsons

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell

Release Date: May 29, 2026

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated R for language and some violent content/bloody images.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Kane Parsons brings his YouTube series to the big screen in a mesmerizing debut that’s an unsettling, off-kilter decent into a manila colored labyrinthine propelled by stellar visuals and a standout performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor.  Parsons film boast an early 90’s aesthetic that leans heavily into the more mundane but there’s always a sense that something is off about what you are seeing.  Cinematographer, Jeremy Cox, deserves a hefty amount of credit as he and Parsons frame shots with a meticulous attention to detail both in the real-world environments and the multitude of “backrooms” the film takes us through.  It all gives the proceedings a distinctive look that’s striking and instantly memorable especially when the film changes to a first-person VHS perspective emulating the original “creepy pasta” shorts.  The switch to first person delivers some of the film’s most hair-raising moments as we are exposed to a steady barrage of the increasingly bizarre rooms and creatures that inhabit them.  There’s an arthouse approach to the whole thing that maybe off putting to some since answers are few and far between by design leaving large portions of the story up to interpretation.  The story seems to pull inspiration from a variety of sources most notably Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich, David Lynch’s more idiosyncratic film along with a healthy serving of Mark Z. Danielewski’s 2000 book, House of Leaves, which also dealt with a massive nonsensical, dark labyrinth.  This is definitely a film that leans heavily on strength of its atmospheric energy to make up for its lean storytelling approach.  Chiwetel Ejiofor makes the most of his screentime delivering an impressive turn as the damaged furniture store owner who discovers a portal to the “backrooms.”  Ejiofor mines the script for every morsal of emotional depth for his character as we follow his decent into the rooms and his own damaged psyche.  There are a few moments of levity when his employees, played by Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell, join his exploration with distavorous results.  Renate Reinsve plays Clark's therapist, who carries her own trauma but doesn’t get nearly as much to work with even as she takes the lead in the final act of the film.  Reinsve does the best she can with her screentime which is mostly made up of looking into the camera is confused wonderment however she does have two impressive interchanges with Ejiofor that leaves you wishing the script had explored their relationship in more depth over the course of the film.  Story issues aside, its hard to deny the level of artistry and talent on display in Backrooms which bodes well for Kane Parsons’ future in film. 

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: PRESSURE

 

The fate of the free world hangs in the balance as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Capt. James Stagg face an impossible choice -- launch the D-Day invasion or risk losing World War II altogether.

Director: Anthony Maras

Cast: Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, Damian Lewis

Release Date: May 29, 2026

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, War

Rated PG-13 for war violence, bloody images, some strong language, and smoking

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Pressure is an earnest exploration of the logistical challenges rarely talked about in the lead up to the D-Day invasion in the form of a well-acted potboiler powered by strong performances from its cast.  There has been a myriad of films about World War 2 by this point with most of them focusing on the battlefield which makes this exploration of the logistical planning all the more intriguing.  Director Anthony Maras uses that aspect to his benefit as he sets up the collection of characters working together and occasionally against each other as they try to execute something that’s never been done before.  The outcome is the stuff of history book, but Mara still manages to create a tangible sense of tension primarily based off the internal conflicts of the large personalities in the mix played deftly by a strong collection of performers.  Andrew Scott leads the way as the stoic and self-assured Scottish meteorologist James Stagg who is steadfast in his knowledge and convictions.  Scott delivers a laser focused performance that allows the character’s intellect and somewhat abrasive nature come through while allowing for quieter moments of self-doubt and agony especially when it comes to his pregnant wife.  Brendan Fraser is just as solid as Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, who is a big, bombastic personality but with added layers that reflect how deeply he feels his failures and his desire to prove himself worthy of his position.  It’s a fascinating juxtaposition especially when he’s challenged by Damian Lewis’s much more experienced British commander Bernard “Monty” Montgomery.  Lewis brings an overbearing sense of self confidence even though he’s been relegated under Fraser’s less experienced Eisenhower with their interplay making for some of the film’s more fascinating moments, something the script should have taken more advantage of.  Less interesting is a similar adversarial relationship between Scott’s Stagg and his American counterpart Irving P. Krick played by Chris Messina.  Their relationships play out in a predicable nature of dislike which grows into earned respect that isn’t fleshed out the way it should be.   Kerry Condon is the film’s lifeblood and the connective tissue that traverses the myriads of personality Eisenhower’s steadfast secretary Kay Summersby had to deal with.  There’s little doubt that there’s a hefty amount of dramatization of the actual events but it’s done in such a manner that it’s probably the most engaging film about weather reports you’ll see and makes Pressure a perfect lead up into a film like Saving Private Ryan. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: PASSENGER

 

A few weeks into their van life adventure, a young couple witnesses an accident that leaves the driver dead. Soon, they're being pursued by a demonic stalker who's impossible to outrun and follows them wherever they go.

Director: André Øvredal

Cast: Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, Melissa Leo, Joseph Lopez, Miles Fowler, Alan Trong

Release Date: May 22, 2026

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong violent content, some gore, and language.

Runtime: 1h 34m

Review:

Passenger is the kind of generic horror film that offers little more than a handful of generic jump scares and recycled plot points that won’t linger in your memory much after the film comes to a close.  It’s strange to see André Øvredal deliver such a blasé film since he’s delivered a handful of solid films in his career like 2010’s Trollhunter and 2016’s The Autopsy of Jane Doe.  The opening sequence offers up an interesting set up along with a nice use of panoramic camera to deliver a solid jump scare, unfortunately that sequence has been used ad nauseam as the film’s trailer.  It doesn’t help that nothing after that point really provides any semblance of originality or inventiveness as the jump scares are telegraphed from a mile away.  It doesn’t help that the plot is a nonsensical blend of Nomadland and demonic haunting horror.  The rules for the highwayman from hell are also so incredibly generic that nobody would ever survive a road trip which makes most of what happens a tad difficult to take seriously.  It would all be a bit easier to watch if the main characters were somewhat interesting instead of being the blandest flavor of vanilla.  Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell play the central couple who decide to live out their van life dream and get engaged along the way.  They do what they can with the script but they lack any real chemistry together which makes it difficult to believe they’d just pick up and leave their, apparent affluent, lives to live on the on road.  Small smatters of details are drop about their relationships but nothing that makes them all the interesting or engaging especially as the clichés start to mount up.  Academy Award winner, Melissa Leo, pops up in what amounts to a glorified cameo that ultimately adds nothing to overall script outside of getting our cursed couple to the final location.  There’s been a recent string of well-made horror film, unfortunately Passenger feels too much like a throwback to the kind of cookie cutter horror slop that has pervaded the genre for far too long.

D

MOVIE REVIEW: STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU

 

The evil Empire has fallen but Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they enlist the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Director: Jon Favreau

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Blum, Martin Scorsese

Release Date: May 22, 2026

Genre: Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action.

Runtime: 2h 12m

Review:

The Mandalorian and Grogu hits the big screen with decidedly lower stakes than most Star War films but it still packs in a hefty amount of action in this standalone story that leans heavily on mindless fun as opposed to dramatic heft.   The film is more of a series of smaller stories that almost makes the whole thing feel like an elevated binge of the show with more expansive visuals and action.  Jon Favreau delivers an easily accessible film that doesn’t require the audience know much about the show before jumping right into the bounty hunting action.  Favreau’s familiarity with the world and characters comes through as he easily sets up the series of planets and environments Mando and Grogu traverse from the snow covered opening to the Blade Runner inspired planet Shakari.  The action set pieces come at a regular pace, rarely letting up with the dramatic storyline taking a backseat to the overall spectacle.  The opening sequence has a fun Hoth sort of look and feels while the gladiator fight with a jacked Rotta Hutt, voiced by Jeremy Allen White, answers the question how do worms fight.  The twin Hutts compound on Nal Hutt has a swampy Yavin feel that will feel familiar to anyone who grew up with the original films.  That setting does offer Grogu his best moments, first with the tiny mechanic Anzellans and then by him in a particularly inspired, nearly silent, segment that lets him take center stage.  That segment is the most impressive and memorable of the bunch as it brings something original to the board which is refreshingly creative and noteworthy something the film could have used a tad bit more of.  Those looking for some deeper expansion of Mando and Grogu’s story won’t find much here as the script offers little more than the reaffirmation of their surrogate father/son relationship.  Rotta Hutt, Jabba’s son, is a solid but rather one note as someone trying to move out of his father’s notorious legacy and forge his own path.  Jeremy Allen White delivers solid voice work as Rotta even though the quality of his character’s CGI strangely fluctuates from good to shoddy for some reason.  Pedro Pascal also provides strong voicework, he doesn’t show his face well over an hour into the film, with him easing back into the character like an old pair of jeans.  Sigourney Weaver has a supporting role as a Republic colonel but the film gives her pitifully little to work with as her character isn’t given much time to shine.  There could be more dramatic beef to the The Mandalorian and Grogu that would have made it stand out a bit more but it’s fun enough to keep fans and causal movie goers entertained.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: OBSESSION

 

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic gets exactly what he asked for. However, he soon discovers that some desires come at a dark and sinister price.

Director: Curry Barker

Cast: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter

Release Date: May 15, 2026

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, sexual content, pervasive language, and brief graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

Curry Barker’s big screen debut, Obsession, is impressive on multiple fronts as he delivers a horrific romantic comedy that’s devilishly funny, bloody and gross at the same time which is propelled by a star making turn from Inde Navarrette.  There’s an elegance to Barker’s film that’s immediately evident from the moment it begins, displaying a meticulous attention to visual detail.  He frames his characters in a very purposeful manner that conveys so much information without saying a word.  There’s little time wasted setting up the premise before the wish starts spiraling out of control with increasingly brutal extremes.  Michael Johnston perfectly captures the sad sack energy of someone pining for his lifelong crush who just can’t pull trigger while being entirely oblivious to other interested parties.  There’s a tangible sense of his total lack of self-confidence that seeps through the screen especially in the opening of the film as he awkwardly tries to finally make his move on Inde Navarrette’s Nikki.  The group of friends made up by Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless bring a natural sense of authenticity to the group that makes their relationships feel lived which helps when things start getting strange.  Navarrette’s performance is impressive from the start as she perfectly nails the cute girl who has obviously friendzone Johnston’s for years while leaving him a sliver of hope.  Once the wish takes hold, she unleashed an unhinged performance that’s impossible to look away from as the character becomes increasingly psychotic and violent.  It’s a fun balance of horror and comedy especially once the blood and viscera start flying with her doing the majority of the heavy lifting.  The Monkey's Paw conceit isn’t particularly new but there’s enough subtext woven into the script that offers up more depth to the story if choose to analyze it.  There are a few missteps here and there as Barker struggles to keep the energy up in the final act and the supporting players getting painfully little time to make an impression.  That being said, Obsession is a hell of a debut for Barker that makes you anxious to see what he has up his sleeve in the future.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MORTAL KOMBAT II

 

Johnny Cage joins other fighters in the ultimate, no-holds-barred battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn, a powerful tyrant who threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Director: Simon McQuoid

Cast: Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Tati Gabrielle, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada

Release Date: May 8, 2026

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, and language.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Review:

Mortal Kombat 2 ups the schlock factor from the original as it leans harder into old school B movie territory which works perfectly for the franchise with Karl Urban brings fresh energy as Johnny Cage.  The film offers up the most basic of storylines to prop up the action borrowing heavily from Marvel’s Thanos and his “daughters” for the Shao Kahn, Kitana and Jade plotline which drives the action.  The story is almost secondary though as director Simon McQuoid is almost overanxious to get the action started and deliver his rather impressively acclimated action sequences that most people come for.  The action sequences are all well-constructed and choregraphed throughout although I could have done without some of the slow-motion shots.  The visuals, though, are truly impressive with the fights set on a celestial temple and the final act’s underworld hellscape leaving the biggest impression.  Those moments are where the film really pops off the screen and are sure to make fans of the video game series grin from ear to ear.  Unfortunately, the script is rather clunky throughout with plenty of groan inducing line peppered throughout the film.  The cast does what they can with the material, and you can feel that Adeline Rudolph and Tati Gabrielle are trying desperately to pull something a bit meatier out of Kitana and Jade’s relationship.  Fairing far better is a Karl Urban who joins the series as fan favorite Johnny Cage who is a washed up 90’s martial arts movie star.  Urban is clearly having a ball in the role and his natural gruff charisma works so well that you wish the film took better advantage of it.  In between the fight scenes, Urban makes the film pop far more than anybody else onscreen, especially once Josh Lawson resurrected Kano joins the fray.  They bounce off each other with such natural chemistry that you’re left wishing the film had given them a heavier focus.  They bring the right kind of energy to the whole thing and are well aware of what kind of movie they are making, especially since the film’s costumes seem like they were raided from 1987’s Masters of the Universe.  Much like that film, Mortal Kombat 2, won’t ever be considered a cinematic classic but it definitely has an old school B movie charm that makes it easy to enjoy.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: HOKUM

 

When novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents' ashes, he's consumed by tales of a witch that haunts the honeymoon suite. Soon, disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance force him to confront dark corners of his past.

Director: Damian McCarthy

Cast: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Genre: Horror

Rated R for some violent/disturbing content, and language.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Review:

Damian McCarthy’s latest film, Hokum, is another atmospheric exploration of trauma and regret, carried by a strong central performance from Adam Scott, that doesn’t bring as many scares as 2024’s Oddity but still works as an effective thriller with hefty supernatural elements.   The central conceit of a damaged writer traveling to a haunted hotel immediately elicits comparisons to Kubrick’s The Shining which will be hard to avoid.  There are similarities between the two, but McCarthy does manage to pave his own path by delivering something closer to a murder mystery paired with a haunted house.  He takes his time setting up the location and the eccentric collection of locals at the hotel who come in contact with Adam Scott’s novelist.  Scott delivers a fairly engaging turn in the lead by dialing up the asshole level to 11 especially in the first half of the film.  His character just seeps with nihilistic energy from the open shot which starts to make more sense as we learn more about his traumatic childhood.  There’s enough nuance to his performance to even out some of his outright hostility which gives you peeks into the pain he’s carried through his life.  Once the action moves into the more self-contained Honeymoon suite, he sheds that top layer as he moves into survival mode as he’s dealing with murderous entities, both real and supernatural.  McCarthy sets up a claustrophobic, haunted fun house that delivers the majority of the film’s scares.  There are only a handful of jump scares scattered throughout with using the atmosphere to great effect that builds to a creepy conclusion that still offers a sliver of hope amid all the dour darkness wrapped into the narrative.  Fun supporting turns from Peter Coonan, David Wilmot and Florence Ordesh leave you wishing the film spent a bit more time fleshing out their characters to make them more three dimensional and take advantage of the performers’ talents.   Small complaints aside, Hokum is a rather impressive puzzle box of a supernatural thriller that delivers a story that’s far meatier than most other films in the genre.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2

 

Miranda Priestly struggles against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, as they compete for advertising revenue amid declining print media, while Miranda nears retirement.

Director: David Frankel

Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated PG-13 for strong language and some suggestive references.

Runtime: 1h 59m

Review:

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a glitzy dose of cinematic comfort food that brings back beloved characters in an enjoyable follow up that doesn’t reach the levels of the original thanks to a script that decides to play the hits instead of bringing something new to the table.  The film feels instantly familiar as director David Frankel brings us back into this world with relative ease after twenty years.  The film takes very little time catching everybody up on what the central quartet of characters have been up to since the end of the first film.  The slow grinding death of print media is peppered throughout the film’s plot, offering some superficial commentary on the state of that business and its effect on former titans of the industry.  Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is appropriately rattled by the shifting landscape and navigating her path forward until she’s dealt an unexpected career blow.  Streep shifts back into the role with incredible ease which shouldn’t come as a surprise for such a talented actress.  Her acidic line delivery is still fantastic across the board even though there aren’t as many memorable lines as the first time around.  She’s given a few moments where we get a more honest peek into Miranda mentality with her guard down which prove to be highlights of the film.  Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci also jump back into these characters’ skins like nary a day has passed since the first film.  Hathaway’s Andy Sachs has become a well-respected journalist whose paper was shut down due to a corporate merger leading her back to Runway and Miranda.  The film notes how much journalistic success she’s had in the past 20 years, but she reverts back into a wide eyed, eager to please go getter who slowly folds herself back into the fashionista world with the help of Stanley Tucci’s ever charming Nigel.  Tucci is fun across the board, but you get the feeling he’s dying for something a bit more substantial to work with.  Its similar story with Andy’s frienenemy played by Emily Blunt who moved on from Runway to become a senior executive at Dior.  Blunt is great across the board especially when her character is brought back together with Streep and Hathaway, but the characters are all given painfully little growth or depth since the last film.  If the script didn’t tell you about Blunt’s and Hathaway’s successes you’d assume they never left since they act like they did in the original film.  Considering the amount of time between the films you’d hoped they would have crafted a slightly meatier script for the collected talent.  Newcomers, Lucy Liu, Kenneth Branagh and Justin Theroux all have supporting roles which don’t amount too much outside of being plot devices which are a waste of their talents.  The Devil Wears Prada 2 is perfectly fine follow-up to get wine drunk too and reconnect with another chapter in these characters lives even though you’ll probably forget about by the next morning.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: MOTHER MARY

 

Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer on the eve of her comeback performance.

Director: David Lowery

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Alba Baptista, Sian Clifford,  FKA Twigs

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Genre: Drama, Music, Thriller

Rated R for some violent content and language.

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

David Lowery’s Mother Mary is a densely packed, mesmerizing film that is unconventional at nearly every turn which is sure to turn off plenty of viewers but those who engage with it will find a haunting tale powered by excellent turns from Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.  Lowery’s film feels like stage play for large portions of its runtime, keeping the focus on the central pair and their damaged relationship with the script offering up a series of impressive monologues for each.  The dialogue drives the film, giving Michaela Coel plenty of time to shine as she delivers a nuanced fiery turn.  She captures the screen with impressive confidence as you get a sense of her character’s pain and resolute determination to move forward in spite of the past.  Her delivery captures the lion’s share of the theme’s Lowery packed into its script with such ease that she almost drowns out Hathaway at various points throughout the film.  That’s not to say Anne Hathaway doesn’t deliver a strong turn because she’s rather fascinating as the broken pop star searching for absolution.  It’s all very dialogue heavy before things shift into something more metaphysical and abstract which is all open to interpretation.  This isn’t the type of film that’s provides a straight-line narrative which can make it a challenging especially since Lowery packs the script with so many metaphors and analogies that it overwhelms the narrative at various points during the film.  His visuals also vacillate between genres going from a single location melodrama to horror with moments of a concert film interspersed in between.  Some of it works incredibly well, such as a rather virtuoso moment that has Hathaway’s Mother Mary come off and going on stage in rapid succession, while others don’t land as intended which leaves you with a sense that the film would have benefited from a more focused approach.  Mother Mary is bound to elicit a wide range of reactions since it’s open to multiple interpretations by design which is sure to please some but utterly frustrate others. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: MICHAEL

 

The story of pop superstar Michael Jackson -- from his extraordinary early days in the Jackson 5 to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fuels a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo

Release Date: April 24, 2026

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Music

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material, language, and smoking.

Runtime: 2h 7m

Review:

Michael is a glossy biopic that recreates major moments in his career with impressive care and attention to detail but the rest is a sanitized, superficial look at his life and complicated legacy.  Antonie Fuqua delivers a well acclimated film that moves at steady pace as he jumps through time periods fairly quickly relying a bit too much on montages.  The early Jackson 5 days are all appropriately nostalgic while also setting up the film’s central relationship between Michael and his task master father Joe.  Unfortunately, Fuqua seems impatient with the non-musical moments as he rushes through most of the character moments in order to get to the next set piece.  There are hints dropped here and there about Michael’s insulated, controlled life leading to his eccentricities as he gets older, but it’s never explored in any meaningful way.  There are times when you feel like the film starts to swerve into more uncomfortable territory and it quickly pulls back into safer, family approved aspects of his life.  It’s a real shame because you get the sense throughout the film that there’s a better, more insightful film in there which has been stripped down to basics to avoid dealing with any of the issues of his complicated upbringing, career and life.  It’s a wasted opportunity especially since the two actors portraying Michael turn in impressive turns that really capture his aura especially as a performer.  Juliano Krue Valdi plays young Michael in the early moments, and he isn’t asked to do much dramatically, but he really captures the look and feel of Jackson from those early performances.  Jaafar Jackson, as the older version of Michael, is really impressive as he captures his mannerism on and off stage to an eerie degree especially with the help of prosthetics and makeup in the back half of the film.  It’s just a shame the script doesn’t offer him much to work on the dramatic end since he proves to be a capable actor.  We are given glimpses into him creating his signature album, Thriller, but doesn’t offer much in the way of his inspiration or motivation outside of wanting to break free from his father’s grip.  It would have helped if any of the supporting characters were fleshed out with only Coleman Domingo’s Joe Jackson leaving an impression.  Domingo, under heavy prosthetics as well, steals every scene he’s in with his fiery turn that also could have also benefited from meatier script to work with.  KeiLyn Durrel Jones plays Michael's bodyguard, and he’s presented as a pseudo father figure/protector, but the film never bothers to explore their relationship outside of a few quick moments between the two.  It all reinforces how superficial Michael is as biopic since its more concerned with recreating well known moments than digging into what makes the man tick something that the second film, hopefully, digs into.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: NORMAL

 

The new sheriff of a small town in Minnesota uncovers a dark secret while investigating a botched bank robbery.

Director: Ben Wheatley

Cast:  Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Reena Jolly, Ryan Allen, Billy MacLellan, Brendan Fletcher

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, and language.

Runtime:1h 30m

Review:

Ben Wheatley’s Normal is what happens when you throw Fargo, 30 Days of Night (sans the vampires) and Hot Fuzz into a blender, the result is a bloody but choppy, tonally inconsistent film that’s highly entertaining in spots thanks to Bob Odenkirk keeping the whole thing from flying off the rails.  Wheatley’s film has an easy air about it, especially in its opening act as we are introduced to the assorted collection of characters in the quirky small town.  He gives you just enough of a hint that something’s off about the whole thing before the full reveal of the town’s secrets.  Bob Odenkirk’s world weary interim Sheriff, Ulysses, is more than content to just go through the motions and humor of the small town and its quirky residents.  His own checkered past has him adrift, moving from one town to the next, hoping to reconnect with his estranged wife.  A pair of hapless bank robbers reveal the town’s ugly underbelly that begins with the rather graphic violence that takes up the film’s back half.  There are wild swings in tone from there which occasionally shift from serious to devilishly brutal, sometimes in the same scene.  It makes for a herky-jerky feel as the film struggles to maintain a steady rhythm even as the action gets more insanely kinetic and ultra-violent.  The biggest issue is that, besides Odenkirk’s Ulysses, everybody else onscreen is little more than thinly written caricatures who are given scant time to leave any sort of noticeable impression.  Billy MacLellan’s Deputy Mike Nelson and Henry Winkler’s Mayor Kibner both turn in fun performances but the script wastes their efforts by taking them offscreen far too early.  Those sorts of missed opportunities keep Normal from being something far more memorable than it ends up being.   

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY

 

The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she's returned to them. However, what should be a joyful reunion soon turns into a living nightmare as she starts to transform into something truly horrifying.

Director: Lee Cronin

Cast:  Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Verónica Falcón

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Genre: Horror

Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, gore, language and brief drug use

Runtime: 2h 14m

Review:

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is an intense and gory horror film that feels more like a mash up of The Exorcist and other assorted classics more than its namesake.  Writer/Director Lee Cronin sets up an intriguing mystery initially after the family’s daughter is introduced and then quickly kidnapped before jumping eight years into the future.  He takes the time to let the characters breathe so we get a good idea of the family dynamics at play in the aftermath of the disappearance.  Once the missing daughter reappears, after a mysterious plane crash, Cronin starts to slowly unfurl a series of gory moments of body horror that are definitely not for the squeamish.  There are plenty of well set up scares throughout especially once Natalie Grace’s comatose Katie goes full spider monkey mode.  There’s a grab bag of possession tropes thrown at the screen with The Exorcist being the most obvious along with bits of The Omen and even some elements from Bring Her Back in the back half of the film.  Cronin decide to take the film in another direction entirely in its final act, changing the tone entirely which feels closer to his last film, a strange choice to say the least especially considering slow burn set up.  This is the type of horror film that suffers from a lack of individual identity as it’s clearly borrowing from other well-known horror classics, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.  It’s frustrating because the film isn’t terrible since it’s fairly engaging and entertaining for large swaths of time and the cast delivers solid performances across the board.  Jack Reynor and Laia Costa are strong as the parents with my sole complaint being they seem way too young considering the kids ages.  They are appropriately distressed and loving even as the situation begins to spiral out of control with small tidbits of resentment between the pair offered up but never explored.  The younger cast members each turn in believable performances with the youngest, Billie Roy, getting to unleash a particularly memorable line in the third act.  Natalie Grace is appropriately disturbing throughout boasting heavy make up throughout that does its job of looking disturbing and gross from the moment she shows up onscreen.  Verónica Falcón has fun with her limited screentime but I do wish Cronin had made better use of her talents.  Lee Cronin’s The Mummy offers up a handful of head scratching decisions which leaves the whole thing feeling a missed opportunity since there are signs of a better movie scattered throughout.    

C

MOVIE REVIEW: FACES OF DEATH

 

A content moderator stumbles upon a series of violent videos that appear to re-enact death scenes from the infamous 1978 film "Faces of Death." In an online world where nothing can be trusted, she must determine whether the violence is fake or unfolding in real time.

Director: Daniel Goldhaber

Cast: Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, Aaron Holliday, Jermaine Fowler, Charli XCX

Release Date: April 10, 2026

Genre: Horror

Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, sexual content, nudity, language and drug use.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Review:

Reviving the infamous pseudo-documentary, Faces of Death, into a feature is a tall order but this meta-approach about the current algorithm driven culture creating a serial killer is more insightful than expected.  Writer/Director Daniel Goldhaber shows a healthy amount of confidence behind the camera as he sets up the general premise and concepts which offer up plenty of intriguing about the original documentary and how the world has changed since it caused such a stir.  There are plenty of tantalizing ideas thrown about in the first half of the film especially reflecting on how horrors in our “post truth” world is little more than content with the film reflecting its gaze back at the audience for watching it all.  It’s a fascinating approach which sadly starts to lose a bit of its shine in the second half of the film as Goldhaber continually beats you over the head with the message.  That latter half does start to feel more like a traditional serial killer film which is topped off with an appropriately gory finale.  There’s plenty of inspiration pulled from films like Silence of the Lambs and Michael Mann’s Manhunter for Dacre Montgomery’s serial killer who is using the original film as inspiration for his kills.  Montgomery goes full bore into the role with impressive gusto as he proves to be the most interesting performer on screen throughout.  Barbie Ferreira is solid as the content moderator that falls down a dangerous rabbit hole as she searches for the deranged killer.  Unfortunately, both characters are thinly written, which is a missed opportunity since both performers are begging for something meatier to bite into for their characters.  It’s not a fatal flaw but you are left feeling there was something more substantial that could have been explored.  Issues aside, Faces of Death proves to a pleasant surprise considering the random source material.  

B-