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Review by Adam Donato  The last summer blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg was The BFG almost exactly a decade ago. It hasn’t been his strongest era, though the standout being The Fabelmans. To some it may have seemed like his best days were behind him. After a four year wait, we finally get a new Spielberg movie and he’s going back to his roots. A genuine alien feature from the greatest to ever do it. Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor are sent on a mission by Colman Domingo to expose Colin Firth’s hard fought secrets to the whole world. After The Mandalorian and Grogu came below expectations, there’s a clear space for Disclosure Day to reign supreme as the science fiction event film of the summer. Cinephiles can worship Spielberg all they want, but will casual audiences connect with Disclosure Day like they did earlier this year for Project Hail Mary? Movies like this are so unique. Original event films are so rare these days. Spielberg again and again proves here that he still has the juice. Obviously, cinephiles are going to connect with this film, but it also has themes that should connect with everybody. We live in a world where it feels like major crimes are being committed and the public is being hidden from the truth. The cathartic experience of journeying to disseminate information that people have the right to know. The way to achieve ultimate peace is through listening and understanding. All of these themes are thoroughly explored in this exciting thriller of a movie. It’s not the most bombastic blockbuster, but it has interesting characters involved in intense and unique action sequences. No filmmaker in history has more experience taking what seems like a simple science fiction concept and filling it with all this wonder and depth. If general audiences don’t connect with Disclosure Day, then we are truly lost.  The cast is littered with academy award worthy talent. The film starts with Josh O’Connor, but this is definitely a dual protagonist type of movie with Emily Blunt going on a parallel journey to O’Connor as the two evade this evil corporation. Both are great, but since Blunt is given heavier material, she’s the standout here. Her connection with the aliens is so interesting to explore and makes for some of the most effective scenes in the movie. O’Connor’s storyline is more focused on the extended chase sequence of the movie, which is exciting because he’s not typically an action star. Colin Firth delivers a menacing performance as the leader of this evil corporation, but doesn’t have an incredible amount of depth and doesn’t have any personal rivalry with either protagonist. His relationship with Colman Domingo is his best stuff, but that’s not explored until it’s too little too late. Domingo’s character is so shrouded in mystery throughout that he doesn’t have much to do besides whisper advice to our heroes on the phone. The only main character that’s not some multi nominee is Eve Hewson, who Spielberg had previously worked with on Bridge of Spies, as the romantic interest for O’Connor’s character.
There’s three action sequences that could be considered the best action sequence of the year so far. Obviously, there must be plenty of CGI involved, but everything looked amazing and felt grounded in reality. It helps that there’s great actors doing good performances of compelling characters so it makes the stakes feel heightened, but that’s a concept that is so lost upon most action movies. Spielberg just knows how to deliver a handsome looking movie. It’s shot beautifully. He is known for his usage of light in his filmography and this definitely continues that trademark. There’s a shot in the trailer of a close up of a deer’s face transforming into an alien face and it’s the coolest looking thing put on the big screen this year. We are truly watching a master at work. Disclosure Day is easily one of the best movies of the year. The long wait for the next Spielberg movie is certainly worth it. Low budget horror films have been dominating the summer so far and that’s been lovely to see, but it’s important that original tentpole movies from elite directors with excellent talent are successful if they’re good. Luckily, Disclosure Day absolutely delivers. It may not be his best movie, but that’s a ridiculously high bar when he’s made about a dozen perfect movies. Just like the people in Disclosure Day needed to hear the truth, audiences need to see this movie. Disclosure Day is in theaters June 12th! Rating: 5/5
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Review by Steve Barton II  America is known for having an insane amount of holidays that are celebrated throughout the year. Some are more niche and silly and only celebrated by small sects of the population while others totally stop the entire country in its tracks and force everyone to observe. Some holidays have major religious connotations, while others are more centered on patriotism and showing respect for the living and the fallen soldiers who served in the military. When it comes to Flag Day, Americans are celebrating the day congressional leaders adopted the Stars and Stripes as the American flag in 1777 and it became observed in 1916. While it may not be a federally recognized holiday (which means shutting everything down), some communities around the United States still celebrate loudly and proudly. When it comes to the documentary Flag Day, the audience is transported to Three Oaks, Michigan for their 2024 festivities where they hold the largest Flag Day celebration annually. We become a fly on the wall, while we see how this town comes together to create this amazing celebration of life and community. The strongest aspect of Flag Day is the verité style that it’s shot in. Instead of being a traditional documentary where the subject sits down for an interview and they splice in B-roll over them narrating, Flag Day takes the fly-on-the-wall approach and lets the audience experience it themselves. Directors Melissa and Andrew Shea grabbed a small group of cinematographers and sound artists and created intimate scenes with several members of the community of Three Oaks, Michigan. We see local businesses owners, high school marching bands, veterans and many volunteers who all play an integral role in creating this celebration and the impact they have. When these folks are speaking to or in front of the camera to a fellow member of the public, you can visibly see how passionate and proud they are to be involved in this event and as an audience member, you can’t help but feel the love emanating from the screen.  Flag Day also doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in at only 75 minutes. While that may seem short for a feature length film, the Shea’s accomplish everything needed to show Three Oaks and their historical event. Stretching this out to hit 90 minutes could’ve been done, but it would’ve destroyed the pacing and the filmmakers would’ve been forced to add more interviews or capture more B-roll of community events. The mix of showing the natural beauty of small town Michigan and the beauty of communities coming together no matter their race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. They are all present to celebrate their friends, family and their fellow neighbors who served their country.
Overall, Flag Day is a wonderful celebration of community and pride for one’s home. In a time where patriotism is a difficult concept to fully embrace, it’s nice to be reminded how important it is to be kind and respectful to your fellow citizens. The way Flag Day is filmed, you get the feeling as an audience member that you’ve been invited to the celebration and every group wants your help and support. It’s easy to forget when social media and news outlets constantly cover all the horrible events happening across the country and world that we have groups that are keeping hope and positivity alive and well. Flag Day may not be a special day for all Americans, Three Oaks, Michigan invites you to join in on June 14th and change that way of thinking. If we know anything from this film, the town is gearing up for their next Flag Day celebration right now! Flag Day will release in theaters starting June 12th! Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Steve Barton II  Parody movies have had their historical runs back in the 80s and 90s, but the genre had been put on life support after the debaucherous year of 2013 that gave us Movie 43 and Scary Movie 5! With back to back stinkers like that, audiences were completely fine with letting parody stay online or on television until Frank Drebin Jr. saved the genre. With The Naked Gun becoming a box office hit last year, Akiva Shaffer proved that well-written parody can still work in the 2020s and the Wayans’ Brothers were taking notes! With the boys losing the franchise to the Weinsteins after Scary Movie 2, the series went on a quick decline in quality and their lack of involvement left a gaping hole that only Shawn, Marlon and Keenen Ivory Wayans could fill! Now over 20 years later, the brothers are back and they’re here to get silly! Scary Movie (or Scary Movie 6) sees the core four friends return to their hometown 26 years after the original masked killer massacre and they’re here to stop them from killing the new generation and their movies! Scary Movie plays on the “requel” tropes that Scream, Halloween and several other horror franchises have done in the 2020s by making a direct sequel to the original, while (not so) subtly referencing the other movies. Early reactions are mixed on the humor in Scary Movie and the material itself is too. Some jokes and references like Weapons were quite creative and funny, the jokes at “being politically correct” about LGBTQIA+ topics and toilet humor fall extremely short in 2026. The marketing material calling this “edgy” and using the train scene in the trailers are the worst aspects of Scary Movie and may turn some people off from even entering the theater. Humor is ultimately subjective, but the Wayans do a great job at poking fun at everyone (including themselves and their past work) and keeping it fun and not mean spirited or hateful.  The weakest part of Scary Movie would be the overarching plot and how messy it can be. Some scenes do fit into this absurd plot, but there are scenes that almost feel like Family Guy cutaway jokes or SNL skits with no context. With the original using most of Scream’s plot as their blueprint, this Scary Movie uses Scream 5 for its main inspiration and it works. Shawn, Marlon and Keenen did throw in some of their own flair, but they keep the bones intact. While most audience members are present to see the original cast reunite, the movie introduces a new generation of characters with Cindy and Brenda’s children and a few others who are mainly there for the old cast to make boomer jokes at their expense. Other than that, the new cast serves almost no purpose and when they’re the only ones on screen, you’ll be counting the minutes until Shorty, Brenda or even Ghostface show back up!
If someone said a Scary Movie sequel would come out 26 years after the original and it would still capture the same magic and have box office success back 10 years ago, they’d have been committed to a hospital for a psychological evaluation. While Marlon has stayed around Hollywood doing stand-up and making mediocre movies, Shawn and Keenen stepped away and the comedy world has missed this legendary team! Everything from the funny references from both recent movies and Wayans Brothers past projects, the hilariously random celebrity cameos and cartoonish characters make this film feel the most like the original. If sitting in a packed theater with your friends and laughing at absurdly goofy jokes and cringing at the boomer humor, then I just have one question left for you. What’s your favorite Scary Movie? Scary Movie is in theaters starting June 5th! Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Steve Barton II  While American football and basketball rank the highest among American sports fan’s viewership, soccer reigns supreme worldwide with over three billion fans. The most prestigious event in the sport of soccer is the FIFA World Cup, which is held in a different country every four years. The tournament began back in 1930 and has become the largest and most highly regarded event in the sport of soccer for both the teams, their owners and their local governments. The teams have the honor of being one of the thirty-two teams invited to the most prestigious tournament in their sport and the local governments are all hoping that they are chosen to host the tournament, in hopes of bringing tourists and wealth to their home. In Mexico 86, we follow Martin De La Torre (Diego Luna) as an audacious Mexican bureaucrat who will stop at nothing to convince the FIFA organization to host the 1986 tournament in Mexico, even if he has to get dirty. Diego Luna proves to the world once again that he is an incredible talent and completely became this fictional bureaucrat who you want to root for due to his charm and presence, but he’s not a perfect protagonist. From the opening, we see Martin (Luna) meeting a beautiful woman (Karla Souza) at her door and quickly find themselves making love, but then learn that he’s married and this is NOT his wife. Martin is a compelling businessman who you shouldn’t look away from, because he’s like a sly fox who is always making moves. It's also interesting that Martin De La Torre isn’t fully based on a real person, rather a blend of political figures in Mexico in the 1980s. Having this flawed protagonist makes what could be a boring story about the behind-the-scenes of soccer interesting, even if it may not all be historically accurate.  Without Luna, Mexico 86 may not have been on anyone’s radar due to the story being a bit niche and boring. They try to amp the fun up with the ridiculous party scenes and the love triangle that Martin places himself in, but it doesn’t land as hard as intended. While soccer is the biggest and most popular sport in the world, the politics behind the game is most certainly not. In 2026 where we’ve had a mixed bag of biopics already, Mexico 86 is gonna struggle to find its way to the top of the pile to be seen. Gabriel Ripstein captures the look and tone of the 1980s and the editing in with the archival footage helps place the audience there too. With Ripstein’s previous work on Narcos, he borrows some familiar components from that like the narration helping to frame the story.
In the end, Mexico 86 is a niche film that is made purely for fans of soccer and historical fiction. Luna fans will get their fill of his charm and charisma, while he gets lost in the makeup and becomes Martin De La Torre. The politics behind soccer may get a bit slow at times, but they do a decent job and picking the pace back up and not letting you nod off too long. A companion piece documentary to pair with Mexico 86 would make for an interesting afternoon. If the FIFA World Cup and its history is of any interest to you, give Mexico 86 and shot and see if you’ll hit the net! Mexico 86 is available on Netflix starting June 5th! Rating: 3/5 Review by Chadd Clubine  Carolina Caroline already has three compelling reasons to put it on your radar: Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, and Adam Carter Rehmeier. Weaving and Gallner lead the cast, while Rehmeier directs from a screenplay by William Thomas Dean IV. The film first premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it earned strong reviews and considerable acclaim. Now arriving in limited release, Carolina Caroline stands out in an especially crowded weekend at the movies. If you're looking for a new release that genuinely rewards your time, make every effort to seek this one out—it’s arguably the strongest film opening this weekend. The premise initially feels familiar in its Bonnie and Clyde-inspired setup, but what ultimately sets Carolina Caroline apart is the electric chemistry between Weaving and Gallner, as well as the deeply personal circumstances that send their characters on this journey. At a brisk 106 minutes, the film wastes little time immersing viewers in its story and characters. Both leads are given substantial development, grounding them in a sense of humanity that makes their increasingly criminal actions more compelling and understandable. By centering Weaving’s character on a search for her long-lost mother, the film also provides meaningful insight into her motivations, revealing the emotional wounds and personal history that shape who she is. Releasing Carolina Caroline at the start of the summer feels like a smart choice. Its sun-drenched cinematography captures the heat and freedom of the season, while the film’s energetic pacing gives it the momentum of a high-octane thriller. Yet some of its best moments come when the action slows down. When the couple isn't on the run or committing crimes, their interactions feel authentic and deeply affectionate, thanks largely to the undeniable chemistry between Weaving and Gallner and Rehmeier’s confident direction. The two actors complement each other so naturally that it's difficult to imagine anyone else in these roles. It's also refreshing to see two recognizable stars commit to a smaller-scale production, lending the film a sense of sincerity and purpose that makes its emotional beats resonate even more strongly.  Rehmeier’s involvement as director is especially noteworthy given the impressive body of work he has quietly built in recent years. He previously directed the fan-favorite Dinner in America (2020) and followed it with Snack Shack (2024), another film that quickly developed a passionate following. Across his work, Rehmeier demonstrates a remarkable ability to make relationships feel authentic and emotionally grounded, even when the circumstances surrounding them are messy, chaotic, or unconventional. While he also served as a writer on those earlier films, Carolina Caroline marks an opportunity for him to direct a screenplay written by someone else. Even so, the film still feels deeply personal, carrying the same sincerity, empathy, and emotional truth that have become hallmarks of his filmmaking. With each project, Rehmeier further establishes himself as one of the most distinctive and underappreciated voices working in independent cinema today. There is something particularly compelling about the way Carolina Caroline chooses to open and close its story. Flash-forward openings often undermine suspense by making the destination feel inevitable, but that never becomes an issue here. The film cleverly guides viewers toward one set of expectations, only to gradually reveal that the story is headed somewhere far different. Just when it seems like the pieces are falling into place, it pulls the rug out from under you with devastating precision, delivering an emotional payoff that lands with tremendous force. The ending may initially feel abrupt, but the more it lingers in your mind, the more apparent it becomes that it is exactly the conclusion the story needs. Rather than overstaying its welcome or overexplaining its ideas, the film trusts its audience to sit with the weight of its final moments. In doing so, it reinforces its themes of capitalism, addiction, and self-destruction with remarkable effectiveness, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits roll. Overall, Carolina Caroline is a remarkable achievement from everyone involved. While its premise evokes familiar outlaw-romance narratives, the film carves out its own identity through sharp characterization, emotional depth, and an unexpected narrative trajectory. From the magnetic chemistry between Weaving and Gallner to the thoughtful way the story unfolds, the film proves consistently engaging and emotionally resonant. It's the kind of experience that lingers long after it ends, transforming a familiar setup into something genuinely memorable. More importantly, it serves as further evidence that Rehmeier is one of the most exciting voices working in independent cinema today and a filmmaker whose profile should continue to rise with each new project. Carolina Caroline is now playing in theaters! RATING: 4/5
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