Category Archives: mystery

“American Woman” Poster, Trailer & Clips

drama, mystery, ,

Jack Scott directed American Woman in a small, blue-collar town in Pennsylvania. We meet Debra, a 32-year-old woman whose teenage daughter went missing, leaving her to raise her infant grandson alone.

The story is told over 11 years, from when her daughter vanishes, through the trials and tribulations of subsequent years looking for closure, leading to the long-awaited discovery of the truth. In the movie trailer, we get a slight glimpse of the truth.

Scott’s directing credits are minimal, though he directed Welcome to the Rileys. 

The screenplay is by Brad Ingelsby, whose writing credits include Out of the Furnace, starring Christian Bale, and Run All Night, starring Liam Neeson.

They screened the movie at TIFF, and the reviews were positive. The cast also includes Christina Hendricks and Aaron Paul.

The movie clip “Please Set Down” seems random, but the scene shows how tormented Debra is over her daughter’s disappearance. She is accusing someone, but it is hard to tell who because the sound is slightly off.

The following movie clip shows the positive aspect of the movie. Sure. There are some lows but some highs, which makes a good movie. It is a fun clip to watch.

The following two clips contrast with each other. I am unsure who Debra is talking to in the kitchen, but the moment is decisive, and two actresses pull it off. The editing is excellent because it’s so intense. I am guessing the scene is with her daughter before she disappears, but I am unsure because the season isn’t right.

The following clip is a brutal scene for Miller, who plays Debra. But it would be best if you gave the little boy credit for hanging in with her anguish. He is with her, believing it and sympathetic.

The following two clips reveal her daughter’s attitude toward her son’s father. She is immature and not taking her life all too seriously. The other clip is Debra’s grandson as a teenager and at least a decade since her daughter disappeared.

I saw the movie the other night. The acting is excellent, but there are not enough highs to stress the lows. So, when we hit the movie’s most depressing point, it does not do the story justice. Miller does an excellent acting job, as does the rest of the cast, so you can watch with that in mind. The movie is available online on Amazon.

“Everybody Knows” Trailer, Featurette, Interview and Movie Clip

drama, foreign movie, mystery, suspense, ,

Directed by Asghar Farhadi, Everybody Knows follows Laura, played by Penelope Cruz, a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires. She returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her two children to attend her sister’s wedding. However, the trip is upset by unexpected events that bring secrets into the open.

Javier Bardem stars opposite Cruz (who are a real-life couple) as a former lover. The upset on her trip is tragic. The movie trailer indicates a kidnapping or disappearance. It’s not clear, but someone is missing. I believe it is her daughter.

The movie is in Spanish with English subtitles.

After watching the movie clip “Call the Cops.” we find out Laura’s daughter is missing and, at best, kidnapped.

The movie is being called a big-screen thriller. It is scary and intense. This was not obvious in the last clips and trailers. The featurette shows how intense the movie truly is.

The full interview with Cruz is now available for you to view. She explains the story, her character, and her character’s relationship with everyone involved in the story. Cruz talks about working with her husband as well. It’s a beautiful interview, and you get to be with her for a little over 8 minutes.

“Pet Sematary” Trailers, Poster, Clips, Interview with Directors & Featurette

based on a book, horror, mystery, remakes, , ,

Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer and based on the influential horror novel by talented and prolific author Stephen King, Pet Sematary follows Dr. Louis Creed, played by Jason Clarke. He and his family relocated from Boston to rural Maine. He and wife, played by Amy Seimetz, have two young children.

They discover an enigmatic burial ground hidden deep in the woods near the family’s new home. A tragedy strikes the family, and Louis turns to his unusual neighbor, Jud Crandall, played by John Lithgow. This sets off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unfathomable evil with horrific consequences.

Such a great cast draws me to this movie.  Jason Clarke other latest movie is Serenity. Kolsch and Widmyer teamed up before directing horror movies. Both come from diverse backgrounds with Widmyer a graduate from Long Island University’s film school.

The second trailer is so scary, but it tells you what happens in the movie. This is a classic by Stephen King, so the studio figures everybody knows the plot. Clarke is so good in this movie, creepy.

The featurette tells us we are in for a true horror movie. I got the jiggers just by watching this featurette.

The interview with both the directors, Kolsch and Widmyer, is full of information about King and his books. They take their knowledge and apply it to the movie. They talk about directing the actors and how they work to develop their characters.

These two guys are funny when they talk about directing cats. Their personalities come out, and they are different, but their rapport is so strong.

“Are you happy mommy?” sends chills up my spine. The movie clip will drive horror and Stephen King fans to the movie theaters.

I totally jumped out of my skin watching the final trailer. This movie is scary and horrific.

“Serenity” Trailers, Movie Clips and Posters

drama, mystery, suspense, thriller, , , , , ,

Written and directed by Steven Knight, Serenity follows Baker Dill, played by Matthew McConaughey, a fishing boat captain. Dill leads tours off a serene, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island.

I watched the movie last night on Prime. It is nothing like what we see in these clips and trailers, and the poster is not true to the story. I recommend this movie because it has a message that lingers with you long after the film ends.

The movies gradually become daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller as Dill’s quiet life is shattered. His former wife Karen, played by Anne Hathaway, tracks him down with a desperate plea for help. She begs Dill to save her – and their young son – from her new, violent husband, played by Jason Clarke, by taking him out to sea on a fishing excursion, only to throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead.

Karen’s appearance thrusts Dill back into a life he’d tried to forget, and as he struggles between right and wrong, his world is plunged into a new reality that may not be all that it seems.

The third trailer shows more of the movie and how it plays out for Dill.

These clips are intense, and this movie will have me on the edge of my chair. Such good acting in these two clips is all I can say right now until I see more. Here, we have two Oscar winners and a strong supporting cast. It is a suspenseful movie, which means it is plot-driven. That is even better. I love a good story.

The story thickens with three more intense and story-driven scenes. The whole time I am watching each scene, I think, “Dill is being taken advantage of.” He is vulnerable and surrounded by unscrupulous people. I am being kind when I say “unscrupulous.” McConaughey plays Dill as if he has no control over everything that happens; he is just being affected by the circumstances.

“Lizzie” Trailer, Movie Clips, and Poster

horror, mystery, suspense, thriller, true stories, , , , , , ,

Directed by Craig William Macneill,  Lizzie is about the notorious woman Lizzie Borden, played by Chloe Sevigny. You might remember the famous or not-so-famous skipping-rope song about the woman who was accused of chopping her mother and father to bits.

“Lizzie Borden took an ax

And gave her mother forty whacks.

When she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.”

Still, there is a mystery to the true story that endures throughout American history. Many writers speculated in their own versions and books about what happened on that deadly day.

The movie follows Lizzie after a lifetime of loneliness. She finds a kindred spirit in housemaid Bridget Sullivan, played by Kristen Stewart. Their secret intimacy sets off an unthinkable act – while the movie explores the days leading up to the savage crimes in a dark tale of repression, exploitation and thwarted dreams.

The two movie clips below show the story’s dark and sinister aspects. Unfortunately, one of the movie clips is blocked, but the studio may lift the block in the near future.

The two movie clips below show some fine acting chops. I am impressed. Notably, the scene in the barn is worth a look. It is an excellent acting scene for student actors because the undertones are deep.

The movie clip helps you understand how the movie is presented. You will notice a date at the bottom of the right-hand corner of the screen. These are actual events that happened.

“Homecoming” Teaser Trailer

drama, mystery, thriller, , , , , ,

Directed by Sam Esmail, I am excited about this Prime Video Series. Homecoming is a mind-bending psychological thriller. The story focuses on Heidi Bergman, played by Julia Roberts. She is a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, a Geist Group facility helping soldiers transition back to civilian life. Walter Cruz, played by Stephan James. He is one of these soldiers, eager to begin the next phase of his life. Overseeing Heidi and the facility is Colin Belfast, played by Bobby Cannavale. He is an ambitious company man whose manic behavior puts demands on questionable motives.

Four years later, Heidi has started a new life, living with her mother, played by Sissy Spacek. Heidi is working as a small-town waitress, when a Department of Defense auditor, played by Shea Whigham, comes to her with questions about why she left the Homecoming facility. Heidi begins to realize that there’s a whole other story behind the story she’s been telling herself.

The cast also includes Jeremy Allen White, Alex Karpovsky, Dermot Mulroney, among others. Here is a very short teaser trailer.

The Truth About “City of Lies” Trailer and Poster

based on a book, drama, mystery, thriller, , ,

Directed by Brad Furman, City of Lies, based on an authentic story, stars Johnny Depp as Russell Poole and Forest Whitaker as Jack Jackson. The movie follows Poole and Jackson as they investigate the murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG spark.

The screenplay is by Christian Contreras, who adapted the story from Randall Sullivan’s non-fiction book. Contreras also wrote the script for Zero Dark Thirty.

Furman is best known for directing The Lincoln Lawyer, and the movie trailer shows a tight and well-crafted movie.

“Suspiria” Trailers, Movie Clips, and Poster

fantasy, horror, mystery, , ,

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, who directed Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria takes place a the center of a world-renowned dance company. The dark movie follows the company’s artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist.

A fancy horror movie where some will succumb to the nightmare while others will finally wake up.

The movie stars Chloe Grace Moretz, Dakota Johnson, and Tilda Swinton.

The “Susie’s First Dance” movie clip shows a great intensity and I am not sure why Swinton’s character is drawn to come and watch Susie dance. Is it a telepathic message? Foreboding being sensed by Swinton’s character?

The movie clip shows the stress of being at this dance studio.  I am not quite sure what is happening yet.

Creepy, creepy and creepy is all I can write about the next trailer. No doubt in my mind, this is a horror, suspense movie.

These horror suspense movies always have me guessing what the movie is about. Watch the second trailer, and you will see what I mean.

The movie trailer protends something terrible happening with evil lurking in a small community.

“The Happytime Murders” Trailer, Movie Clips, and Posters

comedy, mystery, , ,

Directed by Brian Henson, who is the son of Jim Henson, who is the creator of the Muppets. His son is the only person who can get away with murdering the sweet and kind puppets in the world. Brian Henson helmed several Muppet movies. These movies are a complete opposite of The Happytime Murders starring Mellissa McCarthy.

The movie is sacrilegious, vulgar, and in the gutter. Parents are warned and leave your kids at home with the babysitter.

The story and screenplay by award-winner Todd Berger follow a murder mystery set in a world where humans and puppets co-exist, but puppets are viewed as second-class citizens.

When the puppet cast of an ’80s children’s TV show begins to get murdered one by one, a former cop Connie Edwards, played by Melissa McCarthy, who has since become a private eye, takes on the case. Edwards is a disgraced LAPD detective.

The movie clips show what the movie is like and, I must admit, I chuckled quite a bit when I watched these clips.  Hensen directs the actors to deliver the lines straight and not try to be funny, which works for me.  The puppets are so cute and funny looking.

https://youtu.be/99qtuBMeziU

https://youtu.be/HZfhPr5BCsk

https://youtu.be/eMI_yAXaGVU

For all those adults who grew up watching Sesame Street, the red band trailer may upset you or cause hysterical laughter. Either way, I am not surprised Big Bird, Kermit and Miss Piggy are not in the movie.  They would not lower themselves to this flagrant blasphemy of kids television shows.

“Kin” Posters, Movie Clips, Featurette, and Trailer

action, adventure, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, suspense, teenagers, , , , ,

Written and directed by Josh and Jonathan Baker, the movie is about a young man and his adopted teenage brother. A revengeful criminal chases them, the feds and a gang of otherworldly soldiers. The supernatural means it has a science fiction twist to the story. Dennis Quaid stars as the father, and Carrie Coon, James Franco, and Zoe Kravitz star.

The young man, played by Jack Reynor, is recently released from prison. He and his brother, Eli, played by Myles Truitt, are forced to run. They have a rifle-like weapon of mysterious origin that Eli found. They use the rifle effectively because it is super powerful and needs to fight off some bad guys.

The poster on the right shows more about the movie. The otherworldly aspect of the story is evident. Not much is being told about the overall story yet.

The movie is streaming and is available on Blu-ray and DVD. Now it is your turn to watch it on your device.

Just below the poster on the right is the motion poster for Kin.

The poster focuses on the young boy who finds the alien gun.

The featurette teaches what it takes to be a sound designer for a movie like Kin. I love this stuff.

The movie clip shows Zoe Kravitz in action.

The movie clip shows how the alien gun works.

The movie clip shares a plot point in the story. That is interesting because I can’t imagine someone leaving that much money at a bar.

I am not sure why the movie is called Kin. It could be about the relations between the brothers being kin even though they are not blood-related. The title could be referring to the powerful weapon. Just have to see the movie to find out.

The movie trailer tells the story and what the two brothers are up against.