Superman

My View:  Superman  (2025)   PG-13  In Superman, Superman (David Corenswet) must reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his life as the human Clark Kent. As always, Superman embodies truth, justice, and is a force for good, battling forces of evil, including Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). This 2025 Superman is not your Zack Snyder Superman (I am convinced that Snyder hates Superman (the hero), nor is it your old origin story like the 1978 Christopher Reeve film. We don’t see Superman as a baby, his Earth parents (tiny spoiler alert) are both still alive, and he has been working and living as Clark Kent for the past three years. Instead, we are transported to a weak and hurt Superman, who has just lost a battle to a mysterious bad guy, The Hammer of Boravia, who seems to be Superman’s equal. Right from the start, we also see that this film, like director/writer James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, this film will have a lot of humor in it as Superman whistles for the Superdog Krypto, who proceeds to jump and try to play with the hurt Superman. And from that start, we get one of the better superhero films in the past years and certainly one, if not the best, Superman movie. We are given a Superman film that is entertaining, filled with emotion, and features a superb villain in Lex Luthor, played to perfection by Nicolas Hoult. Hoult portrays Luthor as someone who is convinced that Superman is the bad guy and needs to be taken into custody because of his excessive power. To take on Luthor and his band of henchmen (some of which are just computer nerds), Superman has in his corner fellow reporter and girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). I will tell you right now that two characters steal the movie. The first one is Krypto, who is darn cute and always getting into trouble. The second is Mr. Terrific, a character that you might not know a lot about (unless you watched the CW show Arrow). Mr. Terrific, brilliantly portrayed by the cool and calm Edi Gathegi, is a tech wizard who utilizes various gadgets to fight crime.  Rachel Brosnahan is delightful as Lois Lane, the girlfriend of Superman, who has doubts that their relationship can last, especially since she is a tough-as-nails reporter who must cover Superman’s exploits, both the good and bad. I loved the chemistry between Brosnahan and Corenswet, shown in a back-and-forth scene where Lois interviews Superman, and they have to keep turning off the recorder due to arguments. David Corenswet is just what you want in Superman —a believable Man of Steel who perhaps trusts mankind too much and struggles to understand the complexities of living in a world where right and wrong are not always set in stone. I had so much fun watching this film, with a great bad guy, lots of humor, plenty of great action sequences, and a dog that not only flies but also can save the world almost as well as Superman. And yes, there are two post-credits scenes: one in the middle and one at the very end of all the credits.    My Rating: Full Price  Superman Website  Now playing in theaters, including IMAX. 

Indiefest:  Sovereign  (2025) R  In Sovereign, father Jerry (Nick Offerman) and son Joe (Jacob Tremblay) are members of a group of anti-government extremists called the Sovereign Citizens. The two soon find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police (Dennis Quaid) that sets off a manhunt. Buoyed by a riveting performance by Nick Offerman, Sovereign is a slow turn into madness by an anti-government extremist who makes his living giving talks around the country in small groups about how to take on the government. Jerry is raising his son to follow in his footsteps, homeschooling him, and using every moment to underscore how the American government is taking away his money and his liberties. It’s a chilling performance of a man who thinks he is always right and everyone else is wrong. Jacob Tremblay plays Joe as a young man who idealizes his father but wonders if he has gone too far and is tired of being isolated from the world. Sovereign is a film that ramps up the tension and dread as Jerry is convinced that he will win in the end, and his son starts to have doubts about his father’s beliefs and his future. Based on a true story, Sovereign is a tale that is destined to be sad for both the father and son, as well as the lawmen who attempt to force Jerry into something he doesn’t believe in.   My Rating: Full Price  Sovereign Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story  (2025)  R   Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story follows Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver), who has relocated his family to America in an effort to escape his troubled past after battling Dracula. However, the past has a tendency to resurface when one least expects it. The film offers an intriguing premise about what happened to Van Helsing after he defeated Dracula, but the pacing is so slow that viewers may find themselves wishing for something—anything—to happen. Abraham’s Boys focuses more on a man who is haunted by his past while he and his wife raise their two sons in isolation. The film hints at the presence of vampires from time to time, but the scares are never there, and this is more a film that promises more than it can deliver. Fans of horror would likely have more fun watching one of the classic Hammer Dracula films from the 1960s or 1970s than spending time with Abraham’s Boys. My Rating: Cable  Abraham's Boys Info  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Daniela Forever  (2024) R  Daniela Forever is about Nicolas (Henry Golding), who struggles to cope with the tragic loss of his girlfriend, Daniela (Beatrice Granno). In an attempt to heal, Nicolas joins a clinical trial of a new drug, which starts delivering a reconstruction of Daniela through lucid dreams. What would you do if you had the ability to bring back a loved one in your dreams that felt real? Would you choose to remain there? That’s Nicolas’s dilemma as he starts dreaming about his lost love, Daniela, and doesn’t want it to end. It’s an interesting premise that never finds its footing in this film. However, the film struggles to engage its audience due to the lack of depth in Daniela's character. We see very little of her before Nicolas begins his dream journey, leaving her almost a blank slate. This makes it difficult for viewers to understand why Nicolas was so madly in love with her in the first place. The film squanders a believable and enjoyable performance by Henry Golding, who once again shows his ability to dominate a scene with his charm and charisma. However, that’s the problem, as his character is far more interesting than Beatrice Granno’s Daniela, and it makes you wonder why someone would want to spend all their time with them. The film drags on, taking too long to come to an ending that, while satisfying, ultimately feels anticlimactic given the emotional journey we experienced for nearly two hours. I doubt I’ll be dreaming about Daniela tonight.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Daniela Forever Website  Now playing in select theaters.

Forgotten Film:  In the Mood for Love  (2000)    Two married couples move into apartments next to each other. Mrs. Chen (Maggie Chueng) and her husband who is always on the road. Mrs. Chen works as a personal secretary for a businessman and spends her free time going to movies.  Mr. Chow (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and his wife, who is always working late, leaving Mr. Chow to fend for dinner on his own. In the Mood for Love is an outstanding love story of two people who realize that they aren't happy with their lives and that their spouses are cheating on them. They find solace in each other, but (here's the catch) they don't want to be like their unfaithful partners, so they refuse to cheat, but this doesn't stop them from falling in love. The film is visually stunning, boasting incredible cinematography. The two lead actors have such charisma that it’s almost painful to watch. Their love story theme is Nat King Cole singing in Spanish, and it hits you right in the heart each time you hear the song. It's easy to see why this film consistently appears on many top 50 lists and was recently restored.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  In the Mood for Love Info  The film is currently in some regional theaters due to it’s restoration. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Superman:  Journeyman Sign Writers

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Eddington  (2025)  R  Eddington is set in a small town in New Mexico in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is running for mayor against incumbent Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal).  As the election unfolds, the town descends into chaos, with mask mandates, conspiracy theories, and a sense of society unraveling in the background.  Eddington Website  In theaters on Friday, July 18, 2025.

Until Next Time!

How to Train Your Dragon

My View:  How to Train Your Dragon  (2025)  PG  How to Train Your Dragon is a tale about Vikings and dragons, who are mortal enemies on the isle of Berk. That is until Hiccup (Mason Thames) meets a hurt Night Fury dragon that he names Toothless. Little do the two know that their future together means that they will save the lives of both species. The 2010 animated film is one of the best-animated movies of the 2010s, with a story that was touching and filled with thrilling animated scenes that showed the love between a boy and a dragon, all the while exploring the themes of legacy, father/son dynamics and finding out that our enemies are sometimes misunderstood. This live-action film follows the same themes and does it well, but the nagging question is, why do the same movie if it isn’t going to bring anything new to the story? While the performances are good, and the CGI animation of Toothless is fine, this version doesn’t give us anything new; it’s the same story, just in a longer version (beware, parents of young kids, this movie is over two hours long). I will say that I felt the flying sequences weren’t as thrilling as the animated version, and I missed Craig Ferguson’s performance as the bombastic Gobber (played this time by a less enjoyable Nick Frost). Will parents and kids enjoy watching this version? Sure, because it’s a great story. Was the production of this remake worth all the money and effort? Doubtful.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee  How to Train Your Dragon Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Materialists  (2025)  R   In Materialists, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a famous New York City matchmaker who has always been lucky in making the perfect match for others but has been unlucky in love herself. Lucy may have met her perfect match in suave and rich Harry (Pedro Pascal) until her ex, John (Chris Evans), comes back into the picture. What’s a matchmaker to do? I am a big rom-com fan, and I was excited to see this film after watching the trailer. While I loved this film because of the phenomenal performances by the three stars, this is not your typical romantic comedy. Materialists is a more of a harsh reality romance than a comedy, though there are some laughs along the way. The film is about how hard and sometimes cruel dating can be, as seen through the eyes of someone who deals in the romance game and views marriage as a business agreement. Lucy is not actively looking for a mate, but she admits she will settle for one if they can ‘check all the boxes,’ including being rich. Dakota Johnson portrays a woman who is jaded but enjoys her job of finding matches for men and women seeking love, provided they meet certain requirements. It’s a marvelous performance that immerses us in Lucy’s world and her mindset, giving us a woman who is lovable yet troubled and flawed. Harry enters Lucy's world, and he is convinced that she is the one for him, no matter how many times Lucy tells him she isn't right for him. To make matters more complicated, her ex, John, comes back into her life. Evans, as Chris, portrays a man who is love-struck and has never stopped loving this complicated woman. John knows Lucy better than anyone; they have a connection, and we see that when something happens to a client of Lucy’s. Lucy doesn’t go to Harry, but to John for support and comfort. This is not a movie for everyone because its lead character is not always likable and is frustrating, doesn’t follow the usual romantic playbook and our heroine falls for a man who we know isn’t right for her and she doesn’t care. The title alone tells you a lot about Materialists. It’s a film that gives us the down-and-dirty on dating, matchmaking, and whether someone is truly perfect for someone. You will have to watch until the end to help you decide.      My Rating: Full Price  Materialists Website    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Life of Chuck  (2024) R  The Life of Chuck explores the life and adventures of Charles Krantz, a man who is experiencing the end of his life while being celebrated by his friends and family. The Life of Chuck is one of those films that’s hard to review because its structure is complicated, and I don’t want to give away any of the surprises (and there are a few). One clue to this film is that it is based on a Stephen King novella, although more in the vein of The Shawshank Redemption or Stand by Me, rather than horror films like The Shining or It. The film is told in three parts and unfolds in reverse to tell us the story of Chuck. I will warn you that the first part is a little off-the-wall strange, and while Chuck makes an appearance, that part of the film is about two exes (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan) who are trying to cope with a world gone off the rails and find support in re-connecting. Part two is about Chuck as an adult (played by ever-charismatic Tom Hiddleston), and part three is about Chuck as a teen (played by Jacob Tremblay) and as a kid (played by the adorable Benjamin Pajak). Along the way, there are some fantastic performances by Carl Lumbly, Mia Sara, and Mark Hamill (which I think is so good it could get him an Oscar nod). While not a musical, the film features some incredible and exciting dance numbers, with Hiddleston performing a thrilling and moving dance alongside the delightful Annalise Basso. The Life of Chuck is a film that slowly reveals its secrets, and while it throws you into a world that doesn’t make much sense at first, it becomes a joyful and life-affirming film that makes you feel glad you experienced the life of a man named Chuck.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Echo Valley  (2025)  R    Echo Valley revolves around Kate (Julianne Moore), a horse ranch owner in the beautiful and isolated Echo Valley. Her world is shattered when her estranged, drug-addicted daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), shows up at her doorstep in hysterics and covered in someone else’s blood. Echo Valley is a film whose pedigree, with Director Michael Pearce (Beast), Writer Brad Ingelsby (creator and writer of Mare of Easttown), and stars Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, and Fiona Shaw, should have been a slam dunk. Instead, we get a mess of a film that feels like it is two or three different movies pitched separately and put together by the studio to make one ‘Oscar bait’ film. Julianne Moore (who delivers a fantastic performance despite the material) plays Kate, a grieving widow struggling to keep her horse farm afloat. Sydney Sweeney portrays Claire, a troubled, drug-addicted girl who repeatedly returns to her mother for money, only to disappear again without notice. Sweeney’s character doesn’t have much depth; she mostly wanders around moping and runs back to a troubled relatioship. We get our villain in Domhnall Gleeson, who portrays a drug dealer who mostly sneers threats and keeps showing up to make mom Kate's life hell. The film is packed with so many twists and turns that it seems Brad Ingelsby may have drawn inspiration from too many 1970s TV mysteries before writing the script. It's frustrating when the major plot twist is something you can deduce halfway through the film. While I’m no detective like Mannix or Columbo (references to 1970s shows), I realized that Echo Valley desperately needed a stronger script than the one Julianne Moore was given. My Rating: Cable   Echo Valley Info   Now playing on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View:  Deep Cover  (2025) R    Deep Cover is about three struggling London improv actors (Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) who are hired by the police for a series of sting operations. Can they say their usual improv phrase “yes, and…” and still survive as they find their way into joining a criminal gang? As someone who appreciates improv and had dabbled in it during my acting days, I found the premise intriguing. Little did I know the jokes would be flat, and what improv there is is so poorly done it’s painful. The only character that you have fun watching is Marlon, portrayed by Orlando Bloom, who isn’t exactly known for his comedic chops. He brings life to the film with his portrayal of Marlon, an actor stuck in small commercial roles but dreaming of being like Brando or De Niro. Marlon’s character tends to go over the top, crafting backstories so dramatic they could bring any hardened criminal to tears. Regrettably, the rest of the cast fails to shine, and actors like Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, and Sean Bean are underutilized in a script that recycles every poor cop movie trope without delivering any real comedy. I considered improvising a joke here at the end of this review, but this film took me out of the moment. Can anyone out there say ‘yes, and’ for me?  My Rating: Cable  Deep Cover Info  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

Indiefest:  Prime Minister  (2025)   The documentary Prime Minister chronicles Jacinda Ardern’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, during which her terms she had to navigate a mass shooting, COVID-19, and giving birth to a first child. Prime Minister is an outstanding documentary about a person who never expected to come into power, but when she did, she went all out, even while having a child while in office. The film commences with Jacinda's leader resigning, resulting in her becoming a top contender for her party's Prime Minister nomination. We then follow Jacinda through the election, which she barely wins, a reeelction in a landslide, putting her in office for five years. Prime Minister is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how leadership can work and how it can just as quickly be undone. We also get to see how she managed a relationship and the birth of a baby while in office. We get personal footage, which I loved because her partner shot a lot of it (they didn’t get married until after her stint as Prime Minister), and we see up close and personal their back-and-forth conversations about everything that is going on in their lives.We gain insight into her decision-making process and the reasoning behind her conclusions. While some of her decisions led to great successes, we also witness her struggles, including the impact of COVID-19 and the influence of Trump supporters reaching all the way to New Zealand. Throughout the documentary, we hear recordings she made during her years as Prime Minister, and we also see what she is doing now—hint: she’s teaching at a university in the U.S., which has been making headlines. Prime Minister is an inspiring film about a political figure who genuinely cared for people, prioritized their needs, and was willing to share her thoughts and feelings on pressing issues. What a novel concept.  My Rating: Full Price    Prime Minister Info  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster  (2025)  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a documentary about Stockton Rush, whose quest to become the next billionaire inventor led to the development of the Titan, a doomed underwater deep-sea sub that he hoped would bring oceanic exploration to the masses.Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a fascinating and infuriating story about a man who had a vision to take the world down into the sea and share its wonders. Unfortunately, stupidity, ego, and money got in the way and ultimately cost the lives of five people. The film utilizes extensive footage and interviews with most of the principals behind the creation of the sub and its attempts to become a means for the world to see the Titanic’s wreckage up close in person. The film gives you a detailed look at both the lead-up to the accident and the investigation by the Coast Guard into how the deaths happened. I won't use the word 'accident' to describe what caused people to lose their lives because the disaster that happened was going to happen that day or weeks/months later. From the start, the idea of using a carbon fiber hull instead of steel or titanium was destined for failure. Stockton Rush was a man who thought he knew more than anyone else and was convinced, even when the testing told him otherwise, that the hull would stand the pressure. There is some horrifying footage of a dive the sub took that is as scary as what we experienced in the recent theatrical film Last Breath. There is a reason it took so long to discover where the Titanic was because it was resting so deep in the ocean floor. Maybe we should just let the ship stay at the bottom of the sea and stop trying to disturb its slumber. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster Website  Now playing on the Netlfix platform. 

Forgotten Film:  Safe  (1995)  R  As a well-off housewife, Carol (Julianne Moore) devotes her time to remodeling her home, attending charity events, and gardening. Carol starts experiencing physical symptoms, such as coughing uncontrollably after being exposed to exhaust fumes or getting a nosebleed when getting a perm at her hair salon. Carol's condition continues to worsen, and doctors are unable to determine the cause. She then, encouraged by friends, to go to a retreat that specializes in allergies. There, she continues to get worse, finally isolating herself in a completely sterile environment. The film was directed by Todd Haynes, known for his engaging and sometimes controversial films, including Far From Heaven (2002), I'm Not There (2007), Carol (2015), and Wonderstruck (2017). Safe is a film about a woman who embarks on a path where she is constantly given reasons why the problem is in her head, but the symptoms persist and worsen. Julianne Moore is outstanding as Carol, whose life keeps getting worse and worse. The film can be viewed as a horror film, as for someone like myself who has dealt with severe allergies all my life, not knowing the cause of your problems can be horrifying, especially when everything you do compounds the problems. Critics and the Hollywood establishment saw in her performance in Safe that Moore would become a force to be reckoned with as an actor. My Rating: Full Price  Safe Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of How to Train Your Dragon:  Lock Off PA

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Superman  (2025)  PG-13  Superman (David Corenswet) must reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his life as the human Clark Kent. As always, Superman is the embodiment of truth, justice, and trying to be a force for good while battling forces of evil, including Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). James Gunn, the man responsible for the amazing Guardians of the Galaxy film series, is behind the film.  Superman Website   The film will be out in theaters on Friday, July 11, 2025.

Until Next Time!