This week, we feature a new ominous sci-fi thriller on human-alien contact and a spectacular rollicking adventure involving lost relics, family ties, and greedy Nazis.
New Release
‘Signal One’
Annika (Isabelle Fuhrman) arrives as the brain hired to solve the impossible: speak to something that comes from beyond Earth. The billionaire behind the project (Dennis Quaid) thinks he’s changed mankind’s future, but the signal answers back with a price.
Fuhrman gives Annika the right kind of restless intelligence, and Quaid’s billionaire has enough charm to make a bad idea sound reasonable. Sobol keeps the premise lean: a private island and a room full of brilliant people learning that first contact doesn’t care how smart they think they are.
Mystery | Sci-Fi
Release Date: June 5, 2026
Director: Jonathan Sobol
Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis
Running Time: 1 hour, 27 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Where to Watch: Theaters
Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
Family Pick
‘The Jungle Book’
Mowgli (Bruce Reitherman), a boy raised by wolves, must leave the jungle after Shere Khan (George Sanders), a man-eating tiger, returns. Black panther Bagheera (Sebastian Cabot) guides him toward the man-village, while carefree bear Baloo (Phil Harris) tempts him to stay in the jungle.
This has the old kind of Disney morals: growing up hurts, but the road there can still come with humor and positive experiences. Sanders gives Khan a silky menace, while Harris turns Baloo into one of the studio’s great comic voices.
Adventure | Comedy | Family
Release Date: Oct. 18, 1967
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Starring: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima
Running time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
MPAA Rating: G
Where to Watch: YouTube, Amazon, Apple TV
Rated: 4 stars out of 5
Father, Son, and Holy Relics
‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’
Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) follows his father’s Grail diary after Professor Henry Jones (Sean Connery) disappears. The chase runs through Venice, old traps, Nazi greed, and Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), who knows plenty she isn’t saying.
This is my favorite kind of Indy adventure: lots of booby traps, creepy villains, ancient riddles to solve, and a father who calls the hero “Junior.” Under all the fun, there are good old-fashioned lessons about self-sacrifice and choosing to do the right thing.
Adventure Epic
Release Date: May 24, 1989
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody
Running time: 2 hours, 7 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Where to Watch: Amazon, YouTube, Apple TV
Rated: 4 stars out of 5
New York in Full Swing
‘On the Town’
Three sailors, Gabey (Gene Kelly), Chip (Frank Sinatra), and Ozzie (Jules Munshin), get one day in New York City and find romance, cab rides, and museums, leading up to a grand Coney Island finale.
The pace moves at a full sprint, with Kelly, Sinatra, Munshin, Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett, and Ann Miller turning the city into a bright little miracle of dance, flirtation, and comedy.
Comedy | Musical | Romance
Release Date: Dec. 30, 1949
Directors: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Starring: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett
Running Time: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Not Rated
Where to Watch: YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon
Rated: 4 stars out of 5
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