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Movie Review: ‘The Parenting’
(L to R) Edie Falco, and Brian Cox in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

‘The Parenting’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

Premiering on Max on March 13th, ‘The Parenting’ is the latest blend of horror and comedy to arrive this year –– and is one of the most successful so far.

Humorously blending the sort of possession story offered up by ‘The Exorcist’ allied with the rom-com stylings of ‘Meet the Parents,’ Craig Johnson’s movie works on both fronts, and a committed cast throw themselves into the roles.

Related Article: Parker Posey Talks ‘Beau Is Afraid’ and Working with Director Ari Aster

Will ‘The Parenting’ scare up solid laughs?

Lisa Kudrow in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Comedy and horror tend to be fairly natural bedfellows, but getting the balance right between the two can be tricky, as one can cancel out the other. ‘The Parenting’ certainly leans heavier on the comedy aspect and doesn’t feature too much that is truly terrifying, but it does a good job of weaving the genres into a cohesive whole.

Many of the jokes are uproarious and come out of character, which means this works on several levels, including some gross-out moments and authentic development for the story.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Nik Dodani, and Brandon Flynn in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

The movie’s script comes from Kent Sublette, who has long worked on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and has served on the writing teams of various award shows. But while there have been complaints in recent years about a dip in comedy levels at the venerable series, ‘The Parenting’ shows no signs of such lag.

Laughs come thick and fast with this film, rooted in believable characters, while the horror aspect is also entertaining and well crafted.

Chances are you’ll guess early on what is really happening here, but that doesn’t detract from how much fun you’ll have watching the movie itself.

Edie Falco in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

As director, Craig Johnson has mostly worked in the indie sphere on movies including ‘The Skeleton Twins,’ ‘True Adolescents’ and ‘Alex Strangelove.’ He’s also been behind the camera for shows such as ‘Minx,’ Gossip Girl’ and ‘School Spirits.’

Here, he brings character-focused skills to bear on the film, encouraging the cast to stretch themselves and bring their A-game to the various roles.

While the horror side of things is, as mentioned, less of the focus, it’s still brought to the screen in interesting fashion. The scares are well-shot and the demonic side of the story has just the right level of freakish energy.

Cast and Performances

(L to R) Lisa Kudrow and Dean Norris in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

If the script and direction are both winners, the charming, funny cast is equally a part of the movie’s ultimate success.

As central characters Rohan and Josh, actors Nik Dodani and Brandon Flynn share a warm chemistry as the couple who are nervously preparing to have their parents meet (while Rohan is also planning to propose to Josh, which adds an extra layer of anxiety). Their back-and-forth feels authentic, as do their heightened responses to each other’s family units.

And what family units! Rohan’s adoptive parents are the withdrawn Frank (Brian Cox) and the smart, somewhat picky Sharon (Edie Falco), who aren’t best amused by the situation they find themselves in. And that’s before the demonic angle kicks in.

Brian Cox in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Falco does buttoned-down well here, playing off of everyone else and letting the comedy flow naturally. As the layers of Sharon peel, we find out what much more about her and how much she cares for her son.

As for Cox, he’s fantastic here, his buttoned-down character the first to be possessed by the demon lurking within the renovated rental house and turning him into something quite different.

Lisa Kudrow, meanwhile, leans into the kookiness of Liddy, Josh’s mother, but this is no Phoebe clone; instead she’s a good-natured person looking to have fun who becomes more and more concerned as the film goes on.

She’s well matched by Dean Norris, who is Josh’s big-hearted dad Cliff, who just wants everyone to get along, but is also prepared when the worst happens.

Parker Posey in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Then there’s Vivian Bang’s Sara, the boys’ OTT best pal, who takes a panicked text from Rohan as reason to show up at the rental house and inject her particular brand of party girl attitude. But even she is more than meets the eye.

Finally, there’s Parker Posey as local eccentric Brenda, who manages the rental property and might just have more to do with the possession problem than anyone might first suspect. Posey is solid in the role, bringing a particularly offbeat energy.

And the cast as a whole are absolutely game for a laugh –– how many movies have you seen where a naked Brian Cox vomits all over another character? Or seen Edie Falco surprised on the toilet by people walking in on her?

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Brian Cox, Nik Dodani, Brandon Flynn, Edie Falco, Dean Norris, Lisa Kudrow in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

‘The Parenting’ is a truly entertaining mix of laughs and chills that, while you might be surprised it isn’t coming out around Halloween, should work for any movie night that needs a blend of genres.

A solid script, fine style and great casting make this one stand out. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s a really fun one.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Parenting’?

A young gay couple, Rohan and Josh (Nik Dodani and Brandon Flynn), host a weekend getaway with their respective parents in a country house rental. Things take a turn when the three couples discover the presence of a 400-year-old evil entity.

Who is in the cast of ‘The Parenting’?
- Nik Dodani as Rohan
- Brandon Flynn as Josh
- Parker Posey as Elizabeth
- Vivian Bang as Lillian
- Lisa Kudrow as Lisa
- Dean Norris as John
- Brian Cox as Gerald
- Edie Falco as Dorothy
‘The Parenting’ premieres March 13th on Max. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

List of Movies and TV Shows Directed by Craig Johnson:
- ‘True Adolescents‘ (2009)
- ‘The Skeleton Twins‘ (2014)
- ‘Alex Strangelove‘ (2018)
- ‘Special‘ (2019 – 2021)
Buy Brian Cox Movies on Amazon
March 12, 2025
Movie Review: ‘The Six Triple Eight’
(L to R) Kerry Washington as Captain Charity Adams and Milauna Jackson as Lt. Campbell in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Laura Radford / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix.

Arriving on Netflix on December 20th, ‘The Six Triple Eight’ is the latest film from writer/director Tyler Perry and chronicles an inspiring real-life story of the all-Black section of the Women’s Army Corps, who were charged with an immense task.

With mountains of undelivered mail stuck in hangers and both troops and their families frustrated by the lack of reliable deliveries, the unit had to figure out some way to get the lines of communication open again.

Related Article: Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo Talk ‘UnPrisoned’ and Working Together

Does ‘The Six Triple Eight’ Deliver?

Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Bob Mahoney/Perry Well Films 2/Courtesy of Netflix.

While he’s more known for his Madea work and melodramas, powerhouse director Tyler Perry has dipped his toe in the past before with 2022’s ‘A Jazzman’s Blues,’ though there he was channeling the Black experience into a fictional story.

For ‘The Six Triple Eight,’ however, he’s diving right into actual history, the pressure of bringing a true –– yet criminally ignored –– story to screens weighing heavy on the filmmaker. There is a reason to feel that: the heroic work of the Six Triple Eight U.S. Army unit is worth celebrating, but Perry does sometimes fall victim to cliché and pat scenes that feel like something out of an After-School Special.

While the real-life women faced plenty of resistance and no little racism in their mission, Perry choose to hammer the themes home in such repetitive and unsubtle fashion that it’s almost like using a giant bomb dropped from a B-52 when a sniper’s bullet might serve the job better.

Script and Direction

Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams in ‘Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Bob Mahoney / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix.

Perry wrote the screenplay for his latest based on Kevin Hymel’s article “Fighting a Two-Front War” about the real-life Corps members. And with a wealth of material and so many potential stories to choose from, it’s a shame that what ended up on screen is such a relatively lightweight collection of seen-it-before stories.

While there is certainly something to be said for the young woman grieving a lost love throwing herself into duty, a lot of that has been said before, and better. And while the unit notched a lot of resistance from Generals and other superior officers, the wealth of sheer racist characters on display here starts to feel like overload. The message is stamped into us rather than carefully sketched.

In directorial terms, this is possibly Perry’s most accomplished film to date, opening with an impressive battle scene but then focusing in on the personal stories of the women involved. It’s not overly fussy visually, letting the characters breath –– at least those that actually warrant a story, which is only one or two.

Cast and Performances

The focus here is certainly on Ebony Obsidian, who is our main character and point of connection for the story. But as the narrative moves on, it’s Kerry Washington’s Major Charity Adams who begins to dominate.

Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King

(L to R) Gregg Sulkin as Abram David and Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Bob Mahoney / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix.

Lena is the young woman mentioned above whose story starts with burgeoning love, only for the romance to be squashed before it can get going when her beau dies in combat. In the early going, Obsidian has to make do with Perry’s fairly obvious lines about love and racial barriers, and some of that continues once she signs up for the WAC, where she’s soon mocked by outsiders and the press for her seeming lack of spine.

Yet once the character digs in and proves herself several times over, she comes alive a little more. Obsidian is able to bring all of her various sides to life with conviction, though she’s somewhat limited by what she’s given.

Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams

Kerry Washington in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Netflix.

Washington, who is also an executive producer on the movie, is a commanding –– pun intended –– presence in the film, playing the woman whose duty it is the to oversee the training of the Six Triple Eight unit and then their mission when they’re finally dispatched to Europe to tackle the mail issue. This is clearly a role that Washington is passionate about, and that comes through the character and off the screen.

Dean Norris as General Halt

‘Breaking Bad’ veteran is here playing less of a character and more of a group of racist stereotypes rolled into one person. He’s a swaggering good ol’ boy who tries to bully the Six Triple Eight out of their mission and puts barriers in at every turn. Norris does what he can with the role, but it never feels like an actual human.

(L to R) Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt and Sam Waterson as President Roosevelt in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Bob Mahoney / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix.

Sam Waterston as President Roosevelt and Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt

Waterson has barely one scene as Roosevelt, but does impress in the role, while Sarandon, acting through a mouthful of teeth, puts her mark on the compassionate, authoritative Eleanor.

Supporting Cast

Oprah Winfrey pops up almost as briefly as Waterson to play the influential activist Mary McLeod Bethune, though she’s mostly used for exposition. Around Obsidian, the likes of Sarah Jeffrey, Kylie Jefferson, Pepi Sonuga and particularly Shanice Shantay make for a fun and supportive friend group.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Milauna Jackson as Lt. Campbell, Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams and Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Cr. Bob Mahoney / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix.

Perry, looking to stretch himself here, finds that his ambition sometimes exceeds his grasp, but it’s a decent enough take on the tale. Still, a historical event as important as this (especially one that has been so underreported) still might have benefitted from other eyes and hands on the script.

‘The Six Triple Eight’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘The Six Triple Eight?

The movie is inspired by the first and only Black Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in World War II. Despite facing racism and sexism –– and grueling working conditions – they were committed to serving their country with honor and distinction. Given an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes delivered hope and shattered barriers.

Who is in the cast of ‘The Six Triple Eight’?
- Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams
- Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King
- Dean Norris as General Halt
- Sam Waterston as Franklin Roosevelt
- Oprah Winfrey as Mary McLeod Bethune
- Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt
- Milauna Jackson as Captain Campbell
- Kylie Jefferson as Bernice Baker
- Shanice Shantay as Johnnie Mae
- Sarah Jeffery as Dolores Washington
- Pepi Sonuga as Elaine White
(L to R) Milauna Jackson as Lt. Campbell and Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Bob Mahoney / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix.

List of Movies Directed by Tyler Perry:
- ‘Madea’s Family Reunion‘ (2006)
- ‘Daddys Little Girls‘ (2007)
- ‘Why Did I Get Married?‘ (2007)
- ‘Meet the Browns‘ (2008)
- ‘The Family That Preys‘ (2008)
- ‘Madea Goes to Jail‘ (2009)
- ‘I Can Do Bad All By Myself‘ (2009)
- ‘Why Did I Get Married Too?‘ (2010)
- ‘For Colored Girls‘ (2010)
- ‘Madea’s Big Happy Family‘ (2011)
- ‘Good Deeds‘ (2012)
- ‘Madea’s Witness Protection‘ (2012)
- ‘Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor‘ (2013)
- ‘A Madea Christmas‘ (2013)
- ‘The Single Moms Club‘ (2014)
- ‘Boo! A Madea Halloween‘ (2016)
- ‘Boo 2! A Madea Halloween‘ (2017)
- ‘Acrimony‘ (2018)
- ‘Nobodys Fool‘ (2018)
- ‘A Madea Family Funeral‘ (2019)
- ‘A Fall from Grace‘ (2020)
- ‘Tyler Perrys A Madea Homecoming‘ (2022)
- ‘A Jazzmans Blues‘ (2022)
- ‘Mea Culpa‘ (2024)
- ‘The Six Triple Eight‘ (2024)
Buy Tickets: ‘The Six Triple Eight’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Tyler Perry Movies on Amazon
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December 21, 2024
Movie Review: ‘Carry-On’
Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Sam Lothridge/Netflix ©2024.

Landing on Netflix on December 13th, ‘Carry-On’ will probably make most people compare it to festive action classic ‘Die Hard.’ Which seems a little unfair given the latter film’s high watermark status in the action genre, but when you put an average joe character up against scheming criminals at Christmas, the comparisons are inevitable.

Still, ‘Carry-On,’ while it truly can’t compare to the towering 1988 benchmark, it doesn’t embarrass itself in the genre, providing a solid amount of entertainment partly thanks to good performances from its leads.

Related Article: Taron Egerton Talks ‘Tetris’ and Playing Video Game Designer Henk Rogers

Does ‘Carry-On’ hold up?

(L to R) Tonatiuh as Mateo Flores and Taron Edgerton as Ethan Kopek in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Netflix © 2024.

The ‘Die Hard’ comparisons, while tough for any movie to live up to, are at least slightly short-circuited by some decent worldbuilding going on here. Taron Egerton’s Ethan Kopek isn’t even at the level of John McClane, who was at least an NYPD officer. Kopek instead is more of a man in search of his place in life; while he’s happily in a relationship, his TSA job isn’t exactly the most fulfilling purpose, but he’s largely coasting.

It’s a worthwhile place from which to start a main character in a movie such as this –– because you have something to build from. You know he’s going to step up to the task at hand when the moment calls for it, but he’s not a superhero or a man (usually Liam Neeson in Jaume Collet-Serra’s other movies) with a particular set of skills. Unless you count running (foreshadowed with talk of Kopek’s high school track star status).

Likewise, Jason Bateman is an interesting choice to play the primary antagonist as the man known only as “Traveler” is more of a tactical thinker than an all-action villain. And the action element is largely effective, even if one key scene appears to borrow heavily from ‘Toy Story 2.’

Script and Direction

Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Sam Lothridge/Netflix ©2024.

The script for the movie originated with a script by T.J. Fixman (who has mostly written video games) and has been through some polishing by Michael Green (a scriptwriting veteran whose credits include the Kenneth Branagh‘s Poirot films, ‘Logan’ and ‘Jungle Cruise’).

As a result, it feels mostly lean and taught, and the characters are built in such a way as they work for this kind of movie. It’s far from a perfect screenplay, but it does nimbly skirt around some of the more egregious cliches and tropes.

It also stays mostly grounded (at least until the action shifts to a plane) and believable and finds something interesting for most of the characters to do.

Collet-Serra, meanwhile, knows his way around an action movie, and while he’s certainly pumped out some generic titles in his time, this feels sturdier and more energetic that some of his other efforts. And that’s despite it largely taking place in one location (albeit an airport that offers chances for different rooms).

If there’s one big issue with the movie, it’s a scene where Danielle Deadwyler’s detective clashes with Logan Marshall-Green’s character (we won’t reveal it so as to avoid spoilers) in a speeding car. It’s an ambitious attempt to have the actors do a lot of the work themselves as opposed to cutting around stunt people. Yet for all its kinetic energy, it suffers from sometimes looking like the cut scene from a video game, draining the tension as you can’t help but chuckle at the weird visual. For a movie that is so focused on being real-world, it’s a misfire.

Performances

While Egerton and Bateman are the crux of the story, the script shares the character development love around the rest of the cast too.

Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek

Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Sam Lothridge/Netflix ©2024.

As we mentioned above, Kopek is an unmoored young man, nervously happy about becoming a father with his girlfriend Nora. He’s coasting through his job, but of course gets a chance to shine when he’s put in peril. Egerton has played some more flamboyant characters in his time, but he does solid work as Kopek, keeping him from feeling like a superhero. And his interactions with everyone around him are entirely believable.

Jason Bateman as Traveler

Jason Bateman as Traveler in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Netflix © 2024.

He may never get a name, but Bateman does revel in an interesting character –– and it’s one that the actor plays well. He’s threatening but not so physically imposing as to be ridiculous. He’s also good at delivering the exposition that is naturally a part of a villain such as this.

Danielle Deadwyler as Elena Cole

Danielle Deadwyler as Elena Cole in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Netflix © 2024.

As the dedicated LAPD detective who starts to dig into one aspect of the case, Deadwyler is similarly lumbered with some expositional dialogue but is also weaved effectively into the story later on. And she’s always convincing.

Sofia Carson as Nora

(L to R) Sofia Carson as Nora Parisi and Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek in’ Carry-On’. Photo: Netflix © 2024.

Playing off of Egerton for much of the early going, she’s eventually more than just his love interest, actually handed some agency as the plot moves forward. It also doesn’t hurt that Nora is in some ways more capable than Ethan is.

Supporting cast

Dean Norris as Phil Sarkowski in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Sam Lothridge/Netflix © 2024.

The reliable likes of Dean Norris (as Egerton’s grumpy TSA boss), Sinqua Walls (as one of his colleagues) all help to fill out the world of Kopek’s daily drudgery, while Bateman’s character is supported by the likes of Theo Rossi as his accomplice. It’s a solid ensemble for a movie such as this.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek and Jason Bateman as Traveler in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Sam Lothridge/Netflix ©2024.

A solid action thriller with decent premise that aches in places to be ‘Die Hard’ but also does its own thing, ‘Carry-On’ might not exactly be in the first class of the genre, but it’s sitting comfortably in premium economy.

‘Carry-On’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Carry-On’?

A young TSA agent (Taron Egerton) fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.

Who is in the cast of ‘Carry-On’?
- Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek
- Jason Bateman as the Mysterious Traveler
- Sofia Carson as Nora Parisi
- Danielle Deadwyler as Elena Cole
- Logan Marshall-Green as Agent Alcott
- Theo Rossi as the Mysterious Watcher
- Dean Norris as Phil Sarkowski
- Sinqua Walls as Jason Noble
- Josh Brener as Herschel
- Curtiss Cook as Lionel Williams
Jason Bateman as Traveler in ‘Carry-On’. Photo: Netflix © 2024.

Other Jaume Collet-Serra Movies:
- ‘House of Wax‘ (2005)
- ‘Goal II: Living the Dream‘ (2007)
- ‘Orphan‘ (2009)
- ‘Unknown‘ (2011)
- ‘Non-Stop‘ (2014)
- ‘Run All Night‘ (2015)
- ‘The Shallows‘ (2016)
- ‘The Commuter‘ (2018)
- ‘Jungle Cruise‘ (2021)
- ‘Black Adam‘ (2022)
Buy Taron Egerton Movies on Amazon
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December 12, 2024
Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey Starring in ‘Six Triple Eight’

Kerry Washington on ABC’s ‘Scandal.’ Photo: ABC/DANNY FELD

Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey are headed off to war.

No, they haven’t somehow signed up for the military, they’ll instead lead the cast of Tyler Perry’s new film for Netflix, ‘Six Triple Eight’.

In case that title has you furrowing your brow, here’s some background details: ‘Six Triple Eight’ tells the true story of the 855 women who joined the war effort with little knowledge of their Herculean task at hand, which was to sort through and fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail. Facing discrimination, unfamiliar land and a war-torn country, they persevered and succeeded—in record time—in sorting over 17 million pieces of mail. Their efforts allowed American soldiers to reconnect with their families and loved ones back home. Per a press release from Netflix when the film was originally announced last month, “The motto that kept them going each day was one they created themselves: ‘No Mail, Low Morale.’ The women of the 6888 weren’t just delivering mail, they were delivering hope.”

Drawing from an article written by Kevin M. Hymel and published in WWII History Magazine about the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion, Perry sparked to the story and wrote the script for the new movie, his fourth for Netflix.

Oprah Winfrey from OWN’s ‘Super Soul Sunday.’

The real-life heroes have largely been written out of, or ignored by, history books, but their recognition took a step forward when President Joe Biden signed the bill for the women to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest honor last March.

Perry has recruited Washington––who will also be an executive producer on the movie––and Winfrey to star. But they’re just the tip of the ensemble for this one, which also includes Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Jay Reeves, Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Gregg Sulkin, Dean Norris, Sam Waterston and Susan Sarandon.

Having juggled a few ideas in the wake of working on his most recent movie, ‘A Jazzman’s Blues’ (also for Netflix), Perry decided to push ahead on his World War II project, moving quickly to lock in the cast he needed.

The director started the cameras rolling on this one this week, so the battalion will finally see their story told on screen for the first time. He had considered turning the idea into a TV series (with Krystal M. Harris providing the script), but the movie version has leapfrogged past that.

Washington, probably still best known for TV series ‘Scandal’, was last seen on screen in ‘The School for Good and Evil’. Winfrey, who built a huge media career in addition to winning awards as an actor, is among the producers of an upcoming film adaptation of ‘The Color Purple’ musical, itself based on the 1985 movie that launched Winfrey’s movie career with an Oscar nominated role.

Tyler Perry at the BET Awards.
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January 11, 2023
Exclusive: Leave Your Legacy With This ‘Book of Henry’ Clip

In this exclusive clip from “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow’s “The Book of Henry” (out everywhere on June 16th), the title character (played by Jaeden Lieberher from “Midnight Special“) describes what he wishes his legacy to be. It’s a touching sequence, off kilter and affecting like the rest of the movie, and much like the movie’s marketing materials so far, purposefully mysterious. In order to get to the bottom of the clip (and the movie), we spoke to Lieberher. Get ready to open “The Book of Henry” with Henry himself.

When I asked Lieberher to describe the movie (which also stars Naomi Watts, Sarah Silverman, Lee Pace, and Dean Norris), since it is a film that pretty much defies classification, he gave a great response. “It’s a family movie about a mom and her two sons. One of her sons, Henry, is a genius who takes care of his family and wants to protect them,” Lieberher explained. “And he sees that next door some dark things are happening. Nobody really sees it except for Henry. So he tries to do the right thing and save her.” (Having seen the movie, I can confirm that this is a very good encapsulation.)

As for the exclusive clip, I asked if this was a good example of who Henry is as a character. “It is,” Lieberher said. “It’s the first time you see how he views the world and how he views other people. And it also shows the great qualities in Henry and how much of a good person he is.” Lieberher went on: “Right there and then, clearly he is a genius but during that speech he’s a normal boy. So he’s easier to get into. He’s just around the other students and telling it like it is.”

When I brought up the fact that between “The Book of Henry” and the highly underrated “Midnight Special,” he’s cornered the market on characters that have a little something extra going on, Lieberher said it was a fun aspect to play. “It’s pretty cool playing someone that is not exactly normal,” Lieberher said. “It’s pretty fun playing those types of characters, you get to play around with their personalities and develop who they are.”

And while Lieberher might be a young actor, working so closely with a trained actress like Watts, he didn’t feel the need to pepper her with annoying questions (which is probably what I would have done) but instead chose to observe her. “I paid attention to how she worked and how she acted, because when you’re working with someone like that it’s easy to learn a lot,” Lieberher said. When I asked what the biggest takeaway was, he said, “She doesn’t just use her words when she’s acting, she uses her whole body. I think I learned a lot from her.”

“The Book of Henry” is a smaller, quieter movie that is obviously being released in the middle of summer, a time usually reserved for superhero movies, plus-sized sequels, and animated epics. I asked Lieberher to explain why people should take a chance on something as esoteric and emotional as “The Book of Henry.”

“Well I think you see big movies like those, there are only a few feelings you get from it. Maybe you’re excited by the action. But this movie brings a lot to the table and makes you feel so many emotions and feelings,” Lieberher said, sounding like the preternaturally gifted character he plays in the movie. He continued: “It’ll make you feel for the family, it’ll make you excited, it’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, and maybe you’ll cry or laugh. That’s what makes this movie really great and interesting.”

“The Book of Henry” opens on June 16.

June 6, 2017
‘Under the Dome’ Season 3 Unites Julia and Big Jim to ‘Fight the Enemy Within’

$"Awakening" -- When Barbie enlists his father\'s help to reach out to Julia, he realizes that Don may know more about the Dome than he is letting on. Meanwhile, Big Jim appoints himself sheriff of Chester\'s Mill, on UNDER THE DOME, Monday, August 18 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured (L-R) Rachelle Lefevre as Julia Shumway and Dean Norris as James "Big Jim" Rennie Photo: Best Possible Screen grab/CBS2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.$ Are you ready to go back “Under the Dome” — and outside the Dome, around the corner from the Dome, or wherever CBS sends us next? Season 3 of the show that is really not following Stephen King’s book at all anymore premieres this Thursday, June 25 at 9 p.m. with back-to-back episodes. In “Move On” and “But I’m Not,” CBS says:

The residents of Chester’s Mill appear both inside and outside the Dome following their mysterious encounter in the tunnels beneath the town. As the Dome begins to reveal its ultimate agenda, the townspeople are forced to question what and whom they can trust as fresh threats appear, new residents emerge and surprising alliances form.”

On the new residents front, it looks like Marg Helgenberger will guest star as Christine Price, a Chester’s Mill resident with insight into the Dome’s origins, and Eriq La Salle guest stars as Hektor Martin, the ruthless CEO of the energy company run by Barbie’s (Mike Vogel) father.

And on the “surprising alliances” front, TV Guide has some scoop on why (gasp!) Big Jim Rennie (Dean Norris) and Julia Shumway (Rachelle Lefevre) will actually be on the same side this season, even though she was last seen stabbing him to stop him from killing her. As UTD creator Neal Baer told TV Guide:

Julia and Big Jim become – I wouldn’t say bosom buddies, but they certainly become allies against everyone. They unite against the enemy within. That’s the theme of this season … struggling to live under the dome and fight the enemy within. And it’s not Big Jim.”

The showrunner said this alliance is tied to who or what is really behind the Dome:

Big Jim and Julia really come to terms where he says, ‘You’ve always said the Dome was here to protect us. You’ve always had faith in the Dome. You’re wrong.’ And Julia comes to see that maybe Big Jim is right.”

Big Jim is right?! Don’t tell him, it’ll go straight to his ego. Are you coming along for the ride with this crazy train departs on Thursday?

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June 22, 2015
This ‘Under the Dome’ Season 3 Trailer Takes Things Outside

CBS just released a new trailer for the upcoming third season of summer hit “Under the Dome,” and the action-packed clip teases that the show’s title may soon become irrelevant for the residents of Chester’s Mill.

The clip checks in with all of our main characters, with Big Jim (“Breaking Bad” alum CSI”), who appears in the season premiere as a voice of hope for Chester Mill, preaching faith in the face of whatever dark times the dome may instill.

Of course, the dome may not be a problem for residents much longer, as one of the last shots in the trailer shows the structure being destroyed — and the bewildered characters realizing that they’ve finally been freed from their prison. As Barbie (Mike Vogel) says earlier on in the trailer, “Sometimes, you’ve gotta take a leap of faith.” Maybe that’s the key to the residents’ redemption after all?

Check out the clip below, and dream up your own theories about how Chester’s Mill escapes the clutches of the dome. “Under the Dome” makes its season three debut on June 25 on CBS with a special two-hour premiere.

Photo credit: YouTube

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May 19, 2015
Best of Late Night TV: Eric Stonestreet, Stephen Amell Play ‘Name That Thing’; Keri Russell’s ‘Inflatable Flip Cup’ (VIDEO)

If you’re like us and value your sleep, you probably nodded off into your Ambien dreamland before the party started on post-prime time TV. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here’s the best of what happened last night on late night.

“Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet and “Arrow” star Stephen Amell were on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Tuesday night, and they competed in a fun game called “Name That Thing.” Spoiler alert! Eric won, but he admitted in one of his individual videos that Stephen probably should’ve won because the final round was to name a bunch of U.S. Presidents and Stephen is Canadian. Eric said Stephen knows more about the U.S. than Eric does about Canada, so it wasn’t quite fair. Eric also talked about pranking his “Modern Family” co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and shared his latest torture, sending him a sex toy in the mail. He’s a big football fan, too, and he and Jimmy discussed the Super Bowl. He won’t go to a Super Bowl unless the Kansas City Chiefs are competing. Stephen told Jimmy Kimmel he walked to the studio since he lives closeby. He walked over with a friend, which was a plan he made a long time ago in case he ever got to “do Kimmel.” “The Americans” star Keri Russell had to disguise her beauty in a giant inflatable fat suit to play “Inflatable Flip Cup” with Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.” Before playing the game they did an awesome little dance. Love her little “Mother!” shout during the game — and when she thew her empty cup at Jimmy. Jude Law – dressed interestingly, but always cool – was on “The Tonight Show” talking about his submarine movie “Black Sea.” He talked about jumping onto a speeding submarine in real life. Not a good conversation for anyone with claustrophobia. And apparently it smells “unique” on submarines; when you come out, you stink like a badger! Rainn Wilson was on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and he’s a major “Star Wars” fan. He turned into a 12-year-old girl when he met Mark Hamill. He also shared his unique Chewbacca impression. Lauren Graham – love her – was also on “Late Night” and she discussed the final season of “Parenthood” and how she found out that “Gilmore Girls” was canceled. At least this time she knew that the show was ending. Brian Michael Bendis was also on “Late Night” and talked about “Marvel’s Secret Wars.” The whole Marvel universe is going to become different. Dean Norris was on “Conan” and talked about having a dance-off with “Dancing With the Stars” pro Derek Hough. Dean said he held his own, even if he couldn’t walk for a week afterward. Dean has a black belt from martial arts training, and he still does his own fight stunts. Olivia Munn was also on “Conan” and she talked about her racy dance scene with Johnny Depp in “Mortdecai.” He kept grabbing her boob for the scene – it was scripted, although Conan questioned who put that in the script.

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January 21, 2015