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‘deadpool & wolverine’ struts past $1b global box office; soon to become biggest r-rated movie ever worldwide, eric dane, maia mitchell, tyriq withers & thomas doherty board ace entertainment thriller ‘family secrets’.

By Matt Grobar

Matt Grobar

Senior Film Reporter

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EXCLUSIVE : Eric Dane ( Euphoria ), Maia Mitchell ( Good Trouble ), Tyriq Withers ( Atlanta ) and Thomas Doherty ( Gossip Girl ) have been set to star in Family Secrets , a new thriller from Matt Kaplan’s ACE Entertainment .

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Kaplan produces for ACE Entertainment, which is also financing the feature, with Christopher Foss, Matthew Janzen, Aubrey Bendix, and Braden Bochner overseeing production for the company. Samantha Schlaifer is co-producing.

Best known for roles on Euphoria and Grey’s Anatomy , Dane most recently wrapped production on the thriller Borderline with Samara Weaving and the motorcycle racing pic One Fast Move opposite K.J. Apa. Next, he can be seen in Tony Tost’s directorial debut National Anthem from Bron Studios, co-starring Sydney Sweeney, Halsey, and Paul Walter Hauser, which premiered at SXSW.

One of the stars of ABC’s The Fosters and its spin-off Good Trouble , as well as an EP on the latter, Mitchell can currently be seen opposite Thomas Brodie-Sangster and David Thewlis in the Star Original Series The Artful Dodger , an Australian production that is available globally on Disney+, and on Hulu in the U.S.

In addition to the Rebel Wilson Netflix pic Senior Year , Withers has been seen on shows like Atlanta , Tell Me Lies and Legacies , among others.

Founded by Kaplan in 2017, ACE Entertainment is best known for producing Netflix’s beloved To All the Boys series, as well as such titles as The Perfect Date , Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between , Love in Taipei , and Love at First Sight . Most recently, the company wrapped production on Recipe for Love , starring Maia Reficco, Kit Connor, and Kate del Castillo, and writer-director Tommy Dorfman’s I Wish You All The Best starring Corey Fogelmanis, Alexandra Daddario, Cole Sprouse, and Lena Dunham.

Dane is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; Mitchell by WME, Anonymous Content, and Myman Greenspan Fox; Withers by Paradigm, Forward Talent, and Play Management; Doherty by WME, Anonymous Content, Olivia Bell in the UK, and Peikoff Mahan Law Office; and Vitthal by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

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‘Family Secrets’ Ending, Explained: How Was Jan Involved In Pawel’s Life? What Happened To Pawel And Kaska?

On Kaska and Jan’s wedding day, Kaska learns multiple truths about her family that left her exasperated. “Family Secrets” is about two dysfunctional families coming together for holy matrimony that is disrupted for some reason or other. Even though Kaska had decided to marry Jan, she could not share the vows with him. Secrets that were kept hidden from her started to spill as the situation spiraled out of control. The series manages to balance the humor and the suspense, but drags it far too long.

Spoilers Ahead

What Is The Series About?

Kaska was destined to meet Pawel. He saved her from a potential accident as she was talking on the phone while crossing the road. As luck would have it, they were both about to start studying medicine at the same college. Naturally, they became the best of friends as they spent time together. Their relationship gradually evolved from friendship to romance, just as Pawel had predicted on the first day that their lives coincided. Kaska was madly in love with Pawel, but she did not wish to marry him just because she was pregnant. Even though Pawel insisted, she struggled to commit to marriage. A few days after constantly refusing his proposal, Pawel disappeared. He was gone from her life, leaving no trace behind. She sent multiple texts and emails, but he never contacted her. She could not wrap her head around the possibility of Pawel disappearing just because she was not ready to get married. It did not seem like a valid reason, but then what made him leave Warsaw?

Kaska felt Pawel’s absence every day, but then she met Jan. Jan was a loud personality who became the heart of every party. He concealed his depression with humor and resorted to alcohol and drugs to cope with his dysfunctional family. Jan felt an instant connection with Kaska. It was perhaps also because he had seen her with his father and wanted to find out what his father was up to. Jan knew Kaska was an important piece of the puzzle that his family had created, and she chose to keep her close. Kaska and Jan were far apart in terms of personalities, but Jan never stopped pursuing Kaska. Saddened by the disappearance of her lover and the growing responsibility of raising a child, Kaska gave in to Jan’s request, and the two decided to build a future together. But Kaska did not know that she was being manipulated to fulfill Jan’s dream of having a perfect family. Something that he always desired but could never enjoy. She was his way of getting back at his family for pushing him to the edge. But marriage can never function on deceit, and that was what became clear on their wedding day.

Why Did Kaska’s Mother Disapprove Of Her Marriage With Jan?

Kaska’s mother, Malgozata, wanted more from her life than the usual drudgery. She disapproved of her husband, Marek’s decision to settle away from Warsaw because of a lucrative job offer. She wanted him to be there for his family, whereas he wanted to do more than a part-time job and earn enough to live a fulfilling life. Malgozata refused to leave Warsaw, and Marek had to move out alone. Kaska opposed her mother’s decision; she wanted her mother to support her father on his journey. Her sister, Alicja, felt quite the opposite. She thought that her mother was right to not give in to every whim of their father. As the parents argued, the two sisters dreamt of moving out.

Malgozata was young at heart; she did not wish to rot in her misfortune and wanted to live her life to the fullest. A divine coincidence occurred when she met with an accident and was introduced to Emil. While she was not seriously injured, she surely was madly drawn to the man who was behind the wheel. Emil was a famous plastic surgeon, and also the father of Jan. Emil was notorious for cheating on his wife with several women, and Malgozata was just another fish in the sea. Even though their relationship was a casual one for Emil, it was not the same for Malgozata. She felt alive for the first time in a long time, and she started to love herself in the process. She fell in love with him and wanted a lot more than just a physical relationship. But Emil refused to commit to it. He was not ready to leave his wife, Dorota. No matter how pathetic their marriage was, he cared for her.

When Kaska announced that she would wed Jan, Malgozata refused to accept it. Heartbroken by her failed relationship with Emil, she doubted Kaska for getting romantically involved with him. She had seen the two in a car and started to hate her daughter from that instant. She threw Kaska out of their house to punish her without even allowing her to explain herself. She despised the entire family and did not wish for her daughter to marry their son.

How Was Dorota Responsible For Pawel’s Disappearance?

Dorota was tired of her husband. She had seen and heard him cheat on her on more than one occasion. The worst part was that now her son was aware of his father’s actions as well. To shame Emil, Jan would often bring up uncomfortable topics to discuss over breakfast. From what we know, Dorota was not loyal either. At one point, Emil accused Dorota of being the one to first cheat on him.

Dorota met Pawel when he appeared late for an examination, and she refused to allow him to take the test. Later, Pawel’s father explained how he was responsible for his son’s delay, and Dorota conducted a separate exam for him. Soon, he became her object of desire, and she was determined to own him. Even though Pawel did not show any interest, she refused to give up. She found a reason to live and enjoy her life without realizing how suffocating it was for Pawel. She was a professor and had powers that she threatened to misuse if Pawel refused to give in to her whims and fantasies. Pawel loved Kaska, and Dorota was aware of their relationship. To forcefully build a relationship with him, she threatened to ruin Kaska’s career if he rejected her.

Realizing how obsessive Dorota was becoming of him, he told her that he would report her to the university for stalking and molesting a student. He got out of her car and accused her of being selfish and mentally unstable. Dorota felt insulted and could not accept the fact that she was failing to get hold of the person she had been dreaming about. In that moment of rage and rejection, she drove the car over him. She informed her husband about it, and he advised her to leave the body. Dorota attempted to take her life after the incident, but she was rescued by Emil. The situation left a scar on the couple. They were involved in a murder, but they never heard of Pawel ever again.

What Happened To Pawel And Kaska?

While Emil and Dorota believed that they had left Pawel to die, they did not know that their son had followed them that night. Jan followed Dorota after overhearing their argument about Pawel. Jan knew from a young age that his parents were not loyal to one another, and that affected him deeply. He would always suspect his father and his mother of cheating on their relationship. He wanted to find out what his mother was up to, and that was when he witnessed his mother run her car over her lover. As Emil and Dorota left the scene, Jan walked up to Pawel and helped him get into his car. He sheltered Pawel and provided him with the necessary treatment. When Pawel asked him why he chose to treat him in his house, Jan said that Pawel, in a subconscious state, had told him he did not wish to be admitted to the hospital to stay away from a police case. Pawel did not know what to trust. While he was grateful to Jan for helping him out, he could not help but doubt his intention. One night, when Jan threw a party at his house, Pawel noticed Kaska there. By the time he ran down to greet her, she had left in her car. Jan stopped Pawel and told him that the girl he was chasing was his fiancé. Pawel was caught off-guard; he did not know that Kaska was already in a relationship with another man. Jan lied to Pawel because he knew that Kaska and Pawel were lovers, and he had started to grow an interest in her. He was aware that by calling her his fiancé, he would be able to keep Pawel away from her.

Pawel vanished within a few days after the incident. He took off without informing anyone where he was going. Kaska tried to contact him several times, but he never responded to her calls or texts. He secretly met the director of the university to discuss his future. He was informed that he had to be transferred to another university because of Dorota. Emil knew about his wife’s affair and asked the director to make sure that he no longer studied there. The university director warned him about the odd couple, advising him to stay away from them and continue his studies at another university. Pawel tried to talk to Kaska, but he heard her talk over the phone with Jan and did not wish to interfere in her relationship. He was ashamed of himself for falling prey to Professor Dorota. He did know what to say to Kaska, and the fact that Jan’s mother tried to molest him could break her down. Even though he loved her, he could not confront her.

Kaska was Jan’s project; he knew she was pregnant when they first made love, even though she did not disclose it at that time. He wanted to experience the joy of raising a family, even if the child was not his. Kaska could not reject his proposal. She had tried to contact Pawel and even visited his father, but he never considered showing up. Kaska believed that Jan would provide a father figure to her child, and she agreed to raise the baby with him. While Jan intended to have the perfect family, he knew from early on that it would be far from it. He cheated on Kaska after he discovered that she was contacting Pawel even after they had a wedding date fixed. Jan was just like his parents; he was obsessed with Kaska even after knowing that she loved Pawel, the man he pushed away from her life. He was ready to achieve his goal at the cost of Kaska’s happiness. 

But on their wedding day, Kaska could not stop thinking about Pawel. She hoped for him to show up, but he never came. She cited various reasons to delay their marriage because, deep down, she knew this was all too wrong. She could never forget the fact that she had once seen Pawel and Dorota together in a classroom sharing a kiss. But Dorota refused to share any details about Pawel; instead, she tried to poison Kaska’s mind by stating how Pawel was repulsed by her. Ultimately, her grandmother motivated her to do what she wanted instead of settling for the easier option. Meanwhile, Jan, too, realized that he was chasing the impossible and confided the truth in Kaska. He called Pawel and asked him to come to the wedding. Pawel was not sure if going to the wedding was a good idea, but his father and grandmother pushed him to go get his girl. Pawel cycled, and Kaska ran to meet her lover. They finally met in the middle of the road, just like they did the first time. Only this time, she was on the other side and was waiting for the traffic to clear to embrace him. But just as Pawel was about to cross the road, a truck crossed by, and “Family Secrets” Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger.

We could hear a drop. Therefore, it could either be Pawel or Jan (who was behind him) who met with an accident. “Family Secrets” allows the audience to choose their preferred ending. Pawel could be alive, and they could unite as they had intended to, or he could have been hit by the truck, and their love story could be in jeopardy. Or did Jan completely lose his mind and push Pawel to die? The ending could also be an indication of another season of “Family Secrets.” Though the secrets that existed between the two families are pretty much covered in this season, another season might just be wishful thinking. I feel that the cliffhanger was the best way to end the rollercoaster series.

“Family Secrets” is a 2022 Polish Comedy Crime series streaming on Netflix.

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Film Review: ‘Family Secrets’

Hany Fawzy's ham-fisted meller is an offensive pro-"gay conversion therapy" tale.

By Jay Weissberg

Jay Weissberg

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Tyro helmer Hany Fawzy’s “Family Secrets” is billed as the first Egyptian movie whose central theme is homosexuality. While that’s true, the flip side is that the pic, execrable mise-en-scene aside, is actually a pro-“gay conversion therapy” tale in which the poor chump is told his “disorder” can be cured. Love the sinner, hate the sin is but one of many offensive statements coming out of this ham-fisted meller, apparently “based on a true story.” It could be worse — at least the protag is meant to be sympathetic. These “Secrets” will generate far more press than sales.

Controversy is swirling at home, where official censors are demanding cuts to scenes that would barely have discomfited Will Hays. If the film does get released in Egypt, media debate will at least bring the subject out into the open, though as propaganda for conversion, the results are likely to do more harm than good. Away from home, the only prospects this “Family” has are with ultra-conservatives looking for something to screen at anti-gay retreats.

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Fawzy’s previous career as scripter (“I Love Cinema”) neither helped behind the camera nor honed his ability to judge plausible dialogue and construction, the latter muddled by poorly handled flashbacks (the pic does a very bad job of signaling the passage of time). Characterizations are lifted from that most tired of canards, the one about the overbearing mother (Salwa Mohamed Ali) and the absent father (Tarek Soliman). As a teen, Marwan (Mohamed Mahran) confesses to older sis Omnia (Passant Shawki) that he’s attracted to men; she spills the beans to Mom, who tells him he’s delusional.

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Mom takes him to a series of shrinks: One berates him to butch it up, another puts him on anti-depressants and pills to decrease his sex drive. Fed up with feeling drowsy, he chucks the meds once in college and acts on his urges, going online and arranging a first date. The sleazy Neanderthal he gets would turn most gay men straight, and he runs away. Marwan’s next shrink, Dr. Nabil Barakat (Ahmed El Rafie), is at least superficially more supportive, telling him he can change if he wants to, but if he doesn’t, emigration is an option.

After a series of dates with nice English prof Mazen, Marwan finally loses his virginity, leading to a shot of him in a pink shirt staring traumatized in the mirror as music that makes the Warsaw Concerto seem anemic blares on the soundtrack. TV psychiatrist Amgad Wahbi (Emad El Raheb) is consulted and a path to heterosexuality is laid out, one that addresses his so-called retarded psychological development without stigmatizing the “disorder.” Find the real Marwan, Wahbi tells him, and the homosexual will disappear.

Not to be overlooked is the presence of Marwan’s older brother, Sameh (Ahmed Abdel Wahab), a homophobic pig who gets a co-worker knocked up, forcing Omnia to pay for the illegal abortion and reparative hymen surgery. Presumably this is scripter Qader’s way of pointing out the pervasiveness of hypocrisy, though it plays like just another meller scandal. More troubling is the revelation that Sameh raped Marwan as a boy, making it inevitable he’d be gay, right? After all, he’s working against a triple whammy: termagant mom, absent dad and sexual abuse as a child. But since Sameh himself was raped by the family driver, wouldn’t that mean that he’d have to be gay, too? This is self-loathing, dangerous nonsense, pure and simple.

Unknown actor Mahran was brave to take the role, though his effeminate gestures and facial expressions are downright embarrassing. Thesping in general is subpar, and the one marginally effective scene, in which Marwan confronts his father, is neutered by the odious message of conversion. Inept scenes and bright TV lighting suggest a third-rate Turkish sudser, and Rageh Daoud’s score induces severe dyspepsia.

Reviewed online, Dubai, Dec. 12, 2013. (In Dubai Film Festival — market.) Running time: 111 MIN. Original title: “Asrar Aa’leya”

• Production: (Egypt) An Al Amal Film Prod. production. (International sales: MAD Solutions, Cairo.) Produced by Ihab Khalil.
• Crew: Directed by Hany Fawzy. Screenplay, Mohamed Abdel Qader. Camera (color, HD), Amr Farouk; editor, Doaa Fathi; music, Rageh Daoud; production designer, Osama Mohamed Attia; sound, Mohamed Fawzi.
• With: Mohamed Mahran, Salwa Mohamed Ali, Tarek Soliman, Passant Shawki, Emad El Raheb, Ahmed Abdel Wahab, Ahmed El Rafie, Hisham Mansour.

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Family Secrets Reviews

• 1 hr 36 mins
• Drama, Family
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Three generations of women (Maureen Stapleton, Stefanie Powers, Melissa Gilbert) share memories while trying to come to grips with their pasts and futures. Lowell: James Spader. Mrs. Fenwick: Irene Tedrow. Mickey: Kimmy Robertson. Barry: Gary Dontzig. Linda: Marion Ramsey.

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Family Secrets Reviews

No All Critics reviews for Family Secrets.

Family Secrets Movie

Family Secrets movie production status is currently Completed

June 2, 2024 • Awaiting release by distributor; release date not yet announced

Who's Involved:

Eric Dane, Maia Mitchell, Thomas Doherty, Malik Vitthal, Hannah Dodd, Tyriq Withers, Enola Holmes

Release Date:

Plot: What's the story about?

In this dramatic thriller, when wealthy philanthropist Henry Westerfield flies his family and friends abroad for his son Bennet’s wedding, the celebration quickly turns sinister when one of the guests turns out to be there with ulterior motives and a past that could upend the life of one of the wealthiest men in America.

official plot version

Poll: Will you see Family Secrets?

Who stars in Family Secrets: Cast List

Tyriq Withers

I Know What You Did Last Summer (reboot), Him  

Maia Mitchell

The Last Summer, No Way Out  

Thomas Doherty

Dandelion, High Strung: Free Dance  

Hannah Dodd

Enola Holmes 2  

Enola Holmes

One Fast Move, Borderline  

Who's making Family Secrets: Crew List

A look at the Family Secrets behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director Malik Vitthal last directed Body Cam .

Malik Vitthal

Screenwriters

ACE Entertainment

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Production: What we know about Family Secrets?

Filming timeline.

• 2024 - June : The film was set to Completed  status.

Family Secrets Release Date: When is the film coming out?

Family Secrets is coming out as a release To Be Announced (TBA) . There are 9,438 other movies coming out on the same date, including The Rosie Project , Sherlock Holmes 3 and The Nightingale .

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• Sun., Jun. 2, 2024
• added Malik Vitthal as director to movie credits
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Family Sins: Is There a Real-Life Inspiration Behind the 2004 Film?

Directed by Graeme Clifford, ‘Family Sins’ is a drama film that follows the story of Brenda Geck, a woman who appears to lead a typical life in New Hampshire with her husband and 11 children, a mix of biological and foster kids. Brenda is regarded as a charitable and upstanding member of the community, but as the film unfolds, secrets and dark truths emerge, threatening to shatter the facade of their seemingly perfect family life.

Kirstie Alley delivers a fantastic performance as Brenda, the central character of the 2004 film. She is supported by a talented cast, including Will Patton, Deanna Milligan, and Kevin McNulty. The film is visually captivating, with impressive cinematography and the musical score by Charles Bernstein adds to the overall intensity of the movie. ‘Family Sins’ is not an easy watch, as it skillfully creates a sense of discomfort in the audience with each unfolding scene and leaves them wondering if there is any inspiration from a true story.

Family Sins is Based on a Rhode Island Woman

Written by Donald Martin, it is based on the true story of Frances Burt, a woman living in Rhode Island during the 1980s. The story gained widespread attention when one of her foster daughters managed to escape from the household, sought help, and helped expose the shocking truth. The child revealed a harrowing tale of captivity, where Frances forced the foster children to engage in criminal activities such as shoplifting, arson for insurance money, and burglaries.

This was not the full extent of the crimes committed in the house. The foster children had been subjected to sexual assault at the hands of Frances’ husband, Walter Burt, and one of her sons, Raymond Burt. The full story came out when the police raided their house in June 1993 and found a 50-year-old woman in the basement. The door of the basement was locked from upstairs and it became evident that she was being held against her will. Her name was Pauline Charpentier and when she was taken to the hospital, she was diagnosed to be suffering from a slight mental disability.

Walter, Frances, and two of their children were apprehended by the police and confronted with a range of accusations. They were scheduled for arraignment, where they were formally charged with offenses including arson and insurance fraud. Walter Burt, in addition, faced a first-degree sexual assault charge involving a child. In 1993, the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families revoked their fostering license. In 1994, Frances was found guilty on 24 counts that encompassed arson, sexual assault, kidnapping, extortion, racketeering, as well as welfare and disability fraud.

The film does indeed exercise artistic freedom in its storytelling, filling in narrative gaps that exist in the actual legal events. Furthermore, it alters the names of the characters to create a fictionalized version of the story. The movie also delves into the subject of Stockholm Syndrome, which is portrayed through the character Nadine, inspired by the real-life Pauline. Although it is challenging to confirm whether Pauline truly experienced Stockholm Syndrome, the syndrome itself is a well-documented phenomenon supported by research and observations.

There is no official information available regarding Frances Burt’s current whereabouts. However, it is heard that she received a 30-year prison sentence in 1994 but was released from prison in June 2001 and placed on probation for the remaining 19 years of her sentence. ‘Family Sins’ is commendable for its bold approach in bringing this true and obscure yet extraordinary story to the public’s attention while handling the sensitive subject matter with a nuanced touch.

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‘Betrayal: A Father’s Secret’ documents the dark truth that shatters a family

The documentary begins streaming July 30 on Hulu.

Ashley Lytton’s husband, Jason, seemed like the perfect partner. They met when she was a single mother working to support two children and he appeared to embrace every aspect of her life, charming her family and earning her kids’ trust.

Four years later, Ashley and Jason were married, they had a child together and the Lytton family became widely liked in their Riverton, Utah, community.

The couple's relationship endured some rocky times, but things seemed to be looking up as Jason Lytton was having success in his career as an electrician. Then, on Sept. 29, 2021, a seemingly innocuous request revealed the dark truth that had festered in their now 10-year marriage.

Jason called Ashley to ask her to set up a Venmo account, then called back a little while later in what Ashley recalls was almost a frantic state. He told her to forget about setting up the account.

Ashley said Jason's behavior made her suspicious, so she continued to look into his computer files and found a hidden folder.

“I got into his iCloud account and then I saw the hidden folder. I opened it. I literally didn't believe what I was seeing,” Ashley Lytton said of her discovery. “The hidden folder had photos in it, hundreds of inappropriate photos of children.”

“Betrayal: A Father’s Secret,” the second season of the docuseries from ABC News Studios, follows how Ashley Lytton’s discovery shattered her family and her efforts to protect her son and two daughters from the fallout. It is available to stream on Hulu beginning July 30.

The three-part series features interviews with Ashley Lytton, her family, the couple's friends and experts as it follows Jason’s arrest, Ashley learning the depths of his behavior, the justice system’s struggle to address these crimes and the challenge of cutting him out of her life.

Sete Aula’i, the section chief for the internet crimes against children unit of the Utah Attorney General’s office, highlights the misnomer often applied in cases like this.

“We don't use that term, child pornography,” he said. “In adult pornography, those are willing participants who are consenting to that act. With child pornography, a child cannot consent.”

The images found in Jason Lytton’s iCloud account are all considered CSAM, or child sexual abuse material, Aula’i noted.

“It is an epidemic here and across the world honestly,” Aula’i said. “This is terrible stuff.”

Ashley Lytton’s decision to report her husband’s CSAM led to an arrest. After accepting the reality of what she had found, she went to the Riverton City Police Department to file a report. An investigation into Jason’s iCloud uncovered more than 1,500 photos of material involving child sexual abuse, including 100 videos of someone close to Ashley.

“That's when that fire started going from a smolder to like a real flame inside of me,” Ashley said.

Given the amount of evidence, the detective decided Jason could immediately be arrested. Ashley agreed to lure Jason to a Walmart parking lot under the expectation of talking things over -- but it was there Jason was caught off-guard by police.

“I had decided already that I wasn't going to tell the kids. I don't think I really fully grasped what this all entailed,” Ashley said of the period after Jason’s arrest. “I was just going to tell the children that he was at a mental hospital getting help.”

That possibility of shielding the children evaporated when local media picked up the story.

“The realization that all these people were going to know this terrible, ugly, dirty thing about my husband,” Ashley said of that moment.

While in jail, Jason tried to communicate with his wife and children through letters. He promised to fix his mistakes and sought forgiveness, but Ashley’s 15-year-old daughter Avaya wasn’t convinced and didn’t want to hear from her stepfather.

“Give me my space. But he couldn’t because those letters and those apologies were to make him feel better,” she said. “He's really manipulative. He is one of those kinds of people that will literally say anything to make you believe him.”

Ashley wasn’t quite so resolute, allowing Jason to talk to their 7-year-old daughter on the phone because she was determined to hear from her father.

“It was really, really sad because he doesn't deserve to have her,” Avaya said.

Ashley also retained a flicker of hope that Jason wasn’t beyond help.

“I think I wanted to believe it,” she said of his apologetic letters. “I wanted to believe he's been sick and he’s gonna get better because I wanted my life back. Give the kids their life back.”

After spending 30 days in jail, Jason was released so he could prepare for his trial and moved in with his grandfather. Struggling with her family being shattered, Ashley reconnected with her husband during this time.

“I went right back into wifey mode,” she said. “I took him all the clothes that he needed and I'd cook him dinner. Then we were studying the Bible together. It felt happy and good, and I wanted to go back to the way life was.”

However, when she looked at the evidence from the investigation into Jason’s activities, her fury at the depth of his deception was re-awakened.

“That was when my rose-colored glasses came off,” Ashley said. “Knowing what I know now, that was just a really desperate attempt to not lose my life.”

Jason was charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and voyeurism. He ultimately agreed to a plea deal on a lesser charge, leading to a sentence of less than a year in jail and 48 months’ probation.

However, this didn’t free Ashley and her children from Jason’s orbit -- he was released after 10 months, returned to living nearby in Riverton and seemed likely to get unsupervised visits with their youngest daughter. Divorce could see him get half of all their assets.

These facts left Ashley in a challenging position as she tried to make a fresh start, after a seemingly harmless phone call to set up a Venmo account uncovered the dark secret that fractured her reality.

“We live in a very beautiful place,” she said. “Sometimes the beauty masks what really is going on, so don’t let it fool you.”

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Borderlands' Explosive Ending, Explained

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Borderlands' tiny tina twist, explained, borderlands' lilith is the eridian firehawk, borderlands' lilith kills atlas, borderlands is all about family.

The following contains spoilers for Borderlands , now playing in theaters.

Video game fans have been waiting for Borderlands for some time now. It has finally arrived, thanks to director, Eli Roth . He's known more for horror, but this time, he paints a dystopian picture about the desert planet of Pandora.

Here, Cate Blanchett's Lilith is a bounty hunter trying to pick up Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt). She'll make big money off the mark. But in time, Lilith realizes her employer is shady. Furthermore, Lilith discovers family secrets linked to this place that was once her home. It builds to an explosive finale that changes Lilith's outlook on life, and her destiny, in general.

Borderlands Star Reveals How Marvel & Star Wars Helped Her Prepare for the Video Game Movie

Borderlands star Ariana Greenblatt shares how she prepared for her role in Lionsgate’s live-action adaptation of the best-selling video game series.

Lilith reneges on her mission and teams up with Tina, Kevin Hart's Roland and a droid, Claptrap (voiced by Jack Black) . It's due to Lilith realizing her boss, Deukalin Atlas, doesn't want Tina (his daughter) back for anything good. In fact, he plans to exploit and possibly kill the teenager. It turns out, Tina was cloned from the blood of an Eridian -- a special alien race that left Vaults on planets like Pandora filled with cosmic wonders and weapons .

Atlas wants to collect keys and use Tina to open the door to the Vault. The trick, however, is finding it. Lilith's crew decides to locate the Vault before the villain. They face various gangs on the planet, like the Psychos, evade traitors at cantinas, and get extra help along the way. Some of these allies include Gina Gershon's Mad Moxxi and Jamie Lee Curtis' Dr. Patricia Tannis . Throughout these meetings, these women drop certain clues that Lilith is special. However, Lilith doesn't care.

Lilith hates the place after her mother died fending off bandits at a science research station. Tannis ended up raising Lilith, who decided to leave and become a bounty hunter -- an avenue for her pent-up rage. As time passes, Lilith's human side finally shows. She begins to care for Tina like a daughter. She wants to protect her, as she knows what it's like to not have family in this broken galaxy. Another issue arises, however: Tannis posits that once Tina and the keys unlock the Vault, the child will die .

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The final trailer has been released for the wild video game adaptation Borderlands.

Lilith is torn over whether they should access the Vault in Borderlands . Sadly, Tina turns against Lilith and tries to kill her after learning Lilith is still talking to Atlas . Lilith is trying to cut the relationship, but Tina assumes Lilith wants to trade her in at the Vault when they detect it. A series of harrowing domino effects occur along the way, separating Roland and Lilith from the group. Roland returns to help out at the Vault once Tina tries accessing the door. It's perfect timing, as Atlas and his army -- the Crimson Lance -- appear, too.

Atlas means business, killing his own field commander, Knoxx, to send a message. He hates how Roland defected as well. Now, all he wants is what's in the Vault, or else his legion, extremists like Krom, and the bandits around will have a field day. Fortunately, Lilith shows up and reveals Tina can't open the gate. In fact, Tina isn't the Chosen One. Lilith is. All movie long, the gang passed certain points thinking Tina's DNA was getting them access, but it's really due to Lilith. She quickly activates powers like the X-Men's Phoenix because she is the cosmic being from Edirian legend, the Firehawk .

Lilith can fly, create psionic shields, and use telekinesis, just like Jean Grey. Lilith quickly kickstarts a war to save her friends. She does want to bargain with Atlas, but she can tell he'll back out of his word. Lilith is taken down by his war vessels. Luckily, she remembers her destiny. Her mother wanted Tannis to take her away from this world, but Tannis didn't get the full message at the time. The reason being, the mother didn't want Lilith being weaponized or becoming a monster.

On top of that, she didn't want Lilith opening the Vault. It was unknown if Lilith would die, and who'd be there to scavenge the treasures. Lilith powers up again and takes out most of the army. Her friends rally as well, inspired by her grit and determination. The gamers will know this is Lilith's Siren arc where she flexes her power as an instrument of mass destruction. That said, Lilith knows she can win in a more peaceful, cerebral fashion.

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Atlas is the equivalent of an evil Tony Stark . He has a unique shield generator around his body, rolls around with holograms and drones, he can fire off energy blasts, and he commands his ships without blinking an eye. His ego, however, is his downfall . It arises once he takes Tina hostage. Lilith opens the portal and takes them down into the Vault. Atlas salivates over what he can do with all these relics. However, as he's distracted, Lilith uses her teleporting abilities and the shadows.

Lilith wasn't aware she was deploying this ability in the past to save her crew. She thought it was Tina. Now, she has confidence and knows how to control it. Lilith ends up picking off Atlas' shield generator, which allows a tentacled monster to pull him into the darkness and kill him . This is more than likely the Destroyer from the game. However, it would have been nice to see more of the beast, and maybe, the creature trying to go after Lilith and Tina.

Nonetheless, the ladies slip out and embrace the victory. Tina is glad she got some shots in on Atlas. He objectified, demeaned and imprisoned her. This is why Roland snuck her out in the first place and tried to deal with the Vault before Atlas' other raiders could get to it. The movie ends with the gang watching fireworks. The planet is free of burden. They have a guardian for the Vault; someone who can ward off other Vault Hunters with bad intentions. Lilith knows how criminals operate, so she is the perfect person to keep watch, which is a journey that Star Wars' Boba Fett walked.

'I Got Really Absorbed': Cate Blanchett Bought a PS5 to Prepare for Borderlands Role

Borderlands star Cate Blanchett opens up about what she did to prepare for her role as Lilith in the film adaptation of the beloved video game series.

Lilith is glad to have a family that will look after Tina in the most selfless manner . Roland is the big brother, Tannis is like the grandmother, and Claptrap is the annoying, juvenile kid in the pack. Notably, Claptrap was programmed by Lilith's mother to help her if she ever returned to Pandora. So, their initial meeting in the opening was the first of many boxes of kismet that had to be opened for Lilith to unlock her full potential and overall fate.

Lilith activates her powers and flies up into the night sky at Tina's request. It affirms their bond. Tina is free of Atlas' toxic shackles and his corporation using her. Clearly, she wants to be like Lilith someday. She might not have that iridescent Eridian firepower like Lilith, but she has a big heart and altruistic ambitions. All that's left is to look to the future, train, and show the galaxy that the Eridian legacy isn't about destruction -- it's meant for good and rebuilding a better galaxy.

Borderlands is now playing in theaters.

Borderlands

A feature film based on the popular video game set on the abandoned fictional planet of Pandora where people search for a mysterious relic.

Family Secrets (1984 TV Movie)

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In the wake of Quentin Tarantino ’s ascendance to his pop culture throne in the ‘90s, dozens of imitators tried to mimic his approach to filmmaking, only to fall flat on their faces. It turns out that what he does is much harder than it looks. As all of those Tarantino wannabes were to “ Pulp Fiction ,” Neil Marshall ’s “Duchess” is to the work of Guy Ritchie , particularly “Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels,” the filmmaker's international breakthrough. Incongruent needle drops, freeze frames with character names, overheated narration, and tough tales of interconnected criminals – “Duchess” wants SO badly to be a Ritchie film that he almost deserves co-writing credit on the project. Although he probably wouldn’t want that. “Atrocious” might have been a better title.

The remarkably boring Charlotte Kirk plays Scarlett Monaghan, a woman approached by a suave gentleman named Robert McNaughton ( Philip Winchester ) while out with her deadly dull boyfriend at the club one night. Robert and Scarlett have instant chemistry, so they pretty quickly dispatch with Mr. Wrong and begin a steamy affair before Scarlett discovers how Robert makes his money. He’s a dealer in massive diamonds, which means he travels in an underworld of shady characters that requires that he have a couple of criminal allies of his own in the loyal Danny ( Sean Pertwee ) and Baraka ( Hoji Fortuna ). Colin Egglesfield plays an antagonist of Robert/Scarlett, while Stephanie Beacham is forced to deliver some of the film’s worst dialogue as a crime lord of the jewelry scene.

Without spoiling, Scarlett ends up forced into more action than she could have expected when she responded to the flirtatious, snappy dresser that fateful night. Marshall, Kirk, and Simon Farr’s script wants to be a Guy Ritchie variation on “Kill Bill,” a story of a woman pushed to vengeance by people who underestimated her. Still, they don’t come close to closing that sale in any notable capacity. Kirk just isn’t charismatic enough or believable when it comes to action (or character or dialogue or anything), which could explain why Marshall resorts to extreme violence to try to make a truly dull film more interesting. At one point, a hot iron is pressed to a torture victim’s penis. At another, oil is poured on a man’s face and lit aflame. It’s like the torture porn version of “ Snatch .” Yeah, not fun.

It doesn’t help that the plotting and tone of “Duchess” are so exaggeratedly stupid that the whole thing plays almost like a parody of Ritchie instead of an homage, one that goes on for what feels like forever – it’s overlong at nearly two hours, and I swear to you it feels twice as long. And when it all ends with a door wide open for a sequel? It’s more of a threat than a promise. 

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Duchess (2024)

113 minutes

Charlotte Kirk as Scarlett Monaghan / Duchess

Philip Winchester as Robert McNaughton

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Family Secrets – Season 1 Episode 1 Recap & Review

The big day.

Episode 1 of Family Secrets begins with a pregnant woman dressed in a wedding gown running in the streets. She looks lost and someone keeps calling after her.  The scene cuts and viewers are taken to five years back, the same woman is running in the streets. Her name is Kaśka and she just got into med school and is excitedly trying to contact her family and share the good news.

She is absentmindedly on her phone and doesn’t notice she is at a railway crossing. This is when Pawel shows up at the nick of time and saves her from being run over by a train. 

Fast forward and we are back on the wedding day. The wedding guests are getting antsy as Kaśka is running late. The groom Janeczek is worried that Kaśka is having second thoughts while the best man tries to solve the mystery of the father of Kaśka’s unborn child instead of finding out why she is late. 

Meanwhile, Kaśka and her sister Alicja are back in their apartment . Alicja is trying to get Kaśka ready and to the wedding venue but she has locked herself in the bathroom and  Alicja is worried she might want to call the wedding off.

In the bathroom, Kaśka is having a flashback of her second run-in with Pawel at a party for the first-year medical students, and it turns out they are studying at the same medical school. They instantly connect, having fun and dancing the night away.  

The scenes alternate between flashbacks and the current time. Kaśka decides to leave the bathroom and have the wedding. On the way, she has a flashback to seven months before the wedding. She is walking at night soaking in the rain, crying, and unable to reach Pawel on the phone. Her mom kicked her out of the house and she went to her sister’s place.

The next day, Kaśka is yet to hear from Pawel even though she left him a message on his phone. We learn that  Kaśka is seeing a new guy and Alicja is eager to know all about this new man.  Unfortunately,  Kaśka is not willing to tell her. Kaśka is still trying to reach Pawel and is frustrated she can’t reach him and he has not called back.

After her class, Kaśka runs into her Professor who offers to give her a lift as they discuss the specialty Kaśka has chosen. Kaśka accepts the offer but says she doesn’t wish to discuss her specialty. On the way, the professor picks up her husband and in a twist of events, Kaśka and her husband know each other.

We are transported back to the present at Kaśka’s wedding and the choir is tired from singing to distract the guests. The professor and her husband are part of the guests and they are arguing and the professor alludes to an illicit relationship her husband had and an agreement they made. In the midst of all this, Kaśka finally arrives, much to the relief of everyone.

As she arrives at the wedding, Kaśka has another flashback of how she met Janeczek, the man she is about to marry. They met by coincidence after being introduced to each other by Alicja’s boyfriend, Robert. Janeczek is Robert’s best friend and in another twist, he is the son of Kaśka’s professor.

She also has a flashback of the fight she had with her mom seven months ago. Her mother has decided not to show up at her wedding.

Back at the wedding, Kaśka is having second thoughts and the episode ends with her walking away from Janeczek.

The Episode Review

This show perfectly utilizes time frames to tell the story and by the looks of it, is a juicy one. This is the first episode and there are many questions already, the burning one being the identity the father to Kaśka’s baby . Is it Pawel or the man about to officially be her father-in-law? Why exactly are they getting married with all this mess going on? 

Either way, I hope we will be getting some of these questions answered in the next episodes. The show so far seems promising and it looks like things are just beginning to unravel at the wedding. The episode is certainly tantalizing and makes you curious about what will happen next.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Betrayal: A Father’s Secret’ on Hulu, Where A Woman Gets Blindsided By The Ugly Secret Her Husband Is Keeping

Stream it or skip it: ‘unsolved mysteries’ vol. 4 on netflix, where the legacy docuseries tackles more intrigue from the annals of true crime , stream it or skip it: ‘taken together: who killed lyric and elizabeth’ on max, a docuseries investigating a 2012 double abduction, stream it or skip it: ‘pd true’ on paramount+, a true crime docuseries told from the pov of police personnel, stream it or skip it: ‘cowboy cartel’ on apple tv+, a docuseries about the fbi’s bust-up of an unusual money laundering operation.

We sometimes wonder if the producers of docuseries that are based on podcasts actually know what the differences in rhythm between a podcast and docuseries are. Podcasts can tell a deeper story and ramble on a bit because, let’s face it, most people are listening to them in the car, or while working out, or while scooping poop out of the litter box (maybe that third one is specific to us, but whatever). Docuseries are being watched, and even if the person watching is on a second screen or otherwise distracted, they expect the show to get to the point faster than they expect a podcast would. A new season of a docuseries based on a popular podcast illustrates this problem very well.

BETRAYAL: A FATHER’S SECRET : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A man behind the wheel of his car, making a phone video, about to burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Ash,” he says. He sobs and puts his head in his hand.

The Gist: Betrayal: A Father’s Secret is a 3-part docuseries that examines what happened when Utah resident Ashley Lytton found disturbing pictures on her husband Jason Lytton’s iCloud account. The harrowing day that followed that discovery, along with Jason’s arrest and trial were documented on the hit iHeart Radio podcast Betrayal , and Ashley Lytton guides the podcast’s host, Andrea Gunning, through her discovery and what followed.

Through interviews with Ashley, her oldest daughter Avaya, her sisters and stepmother and law enforcement, along with reenactments, we hear about the scope of what Jason Lytton did. We first hear about how Ashley and Jason got together, and how he became a great father to his two stepchildren, including Avaya, before the couple had a child of their own. They got married in 2011. During a two-year period, however, Jason became withdrawn from the family and Ashley was close to leaving him. But the togetherness of the pandemic reignited his fatherly instincts.

In 2021, after being handed an electrician’s business by the retiring owner, a panicked Jason called Ashley to set up a business Venmo. Something about the panicked calls got Ashley’s radar up, and she logged into Jason’s iCloud account and found a hidden folder full of child sexual abuse material, like pictures of naked girls who were way underage.

Head swirling, the first thing Ashley did was shower off the dirty feeling she had after glimpsing at the pictures. She called her sister Anna, who advised her to go to their stepmother, who worked in the local corrections department. She also contacted Jason’s brother, who is a police officer; after Jason’s brother dismissed Ashley’s concerns, though, she had a panic attack so severe that she went to the emergency room. It was there, with her sister Anna, that she decided to report Jason to the police.

That evening, a detective called her into the station, and told her some shocking news: Not only did he have over 1000 files of child sexual abuse material, but some of the files involved someone they both knew.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? This is the second season of the docuseries based on the podcast Betrayal , with the first one being Betrayal: The Perfect Husband .

Our Take: Betrayal: A Father’s Secret spends a lot of the first episode with throat-clearing setups, with Ashley Lytton talking about her childhood, her history with the father of her oldest two children, and her and Jason Lytton’s meet-cute. Where it doesn’t go into detail is how, when Jason started panicking over the Venmo account, Ashley instinctually went to his iCloud account. There seemed to be little talk about the decision-making process there, though later we do find out that Ashley had previously discovered Jason in an emotional affair with a girl that was barely 18.

It felt like a critical piece of the story was missing, taken out in an attempt to tell the story in a more pulse-pounding manner, making it as if Jason was the perfect husband and father, and Ashley’s perfect life instantly crumbled the second she saw those awful photos on his iCloud account. But something spurred her to look there in the first place, some seed of mistrust that Jason had previously planted, and without that information we’re being asked to accept how Ashley found the photos as something that naturally happens.

Not that we’re defending Jason Lytton; he’s a sexual predator whose actions went way beyond having random pictures of naked girls on his iCloud. His particular brand of pedophilia directly affected his family, including Ashley’s older daughter and son, whom he helped raise since they were 2 years old and 5 months old, respectively. He’s not just some random dude their mother married; he’s essentially their father. And what he did was such a sick betrayal (there’s that word!) that it feels a lot more time could have been dedicated to just what would motivate him to do it, as well as putting the files in the cloud to begin with.

We didn’t necessarily need an entire episode of setup about Ashley’s perfect life, and the tease at the end of the first episode about just how depraved Jason’s activities were could have easily been revealed in that first episode without a loss of the “WTF?” factor that we know the producers wanted to elicit from the viewers. In other words, Betrayal: A Father’s Secret is a good two-part docuseries that was contracted for three episodes, and it shows.

Sex and Skin: None. When Ashley tries to describe what she saw in the pictures to the producer interviewing her, she has to stop and leave the room to collect herself.

Parting Shot: After we see teases of what horrific thing Jason Lytton did, we see flashes of her family, and videos and pictures of Jason and Ashley with their kids. Sleeper Star: Sete Aula’i, who works for Utah’s attorney general’s office, gives viewers a good definition of why what used to be called child pornography is now called child sexual abuse material.

Most Pilot-y Line: We would have liked to have heard about why Jason withdrew from his family in the years prior to the pandemic. Was it the emotional affair? Something having to do with the pictures? Something else?

Our Call: STREAM IT. Despite a lot of storytelling issues, Betrayal: A Father’s Secret is less than two-and-a-half hours of runtime, which should be just enough to get viewers curious enough about the Lytton case to listen to the podcast episode about it, which we’d imagine has more details.

Joel Keller ( @joelkeller ) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com , VanityFair.com , Fast Company and elsewhere.

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