10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), Director: Dan Trachtenberg, rated PG-13

Monsters come in many forms.

Starring: John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Suzanne Cryer

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"I know that this isn't the life that you prefer, and that it's been hard for you to come down here... but I really want us to be a happy family, you and me." – Howard

Why watch this? This suspenseful thriller will certainly elevate your heart rate.

Plot Summary: After a car accident, a young woman awakens to find herself in an underground bunker with two men who claim the outside world is uninhabitable due to a chemical attack. Confined and uncertain about her captors' true motives, she begins to question if the true danger lies within the shelter or if an actual disaster has occurred above ground. Tension builds as she attempts to uncover the truth and determine her next move for survival.

Dad's Preview: This follow-on to the surprise monster hit Cloverfield (2008) is more of an adjacent film than a sequel. That does not prevent it from being a tense, claustrophobic thriller with murky facts and motives, all taking place in an unhinged survivalist's bunker. I was on edge the entire time, and loved the convincing performances. Goodman and Winstead really stand out as captor and prisoner. This film is ultimately about a girl's journey to finding her strength while under duress. But along the way, we're unsure where it's all going. Who's lying? What's really going on outside? The ending is a twist you may not see coming. I sure would like to see a this story continued...

Bad Robot; Paramount Pictures