MOVIE: Superman (2025)

by benmweilertNo Comments
SupermanYear: 2025Rating: PG-13Length: 129 minutes / 2.15 hours With the Superman franchise now in its third or fourth film instantiation after the frenzied height of the comic book movie craze, I was interested to see where James Gunn would take this iconic character. On top of the excellent casting decisions, I was pleased to see the plot tackle some interesting philosophical questions about superheroes (similar to Captain America: Civil War (2016)) as well as addressing the need for the most powerful being on Earth to have a group of friends to rely on because he can’t do everything himself. I know we’re way past the point of individual superheroes having stand-alone films, but there was a lot to unpack with the addition of the “Justice Gang”—even with at least two of that trio being semi-recognizable heroes. Sure, they were fun additions, but with as much screen time as they got, it started feeling less like a movie about Superman (David Corenswet) and...
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MOVIE: The Suicide Squad (2021)

by benmweilertNo Comments
The Suicide Squad Year: 2021 Rating: R Length: 132 minutes / 2.20 hours I don't mind superhero films. I think they're fun and flashy, and I can turn my mind off for an hour or two. What I do mind is endless reboots of franchises. The fact that I saw three separate Spider-Man reboots in 15 years accentuates my point. Now, I understand that The Suicide Squad (2021) is allegedly a sequel to Suicide Squad (2016). Still, it felt more like a reboot since Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) were the only recurring characters. And, let's be honest, they can't cast Harley Quinn with anyone other than Margot Robbie now. For those who thought that having a great director like James Gunn on board would make this film better than its predecessor, you're partly right. Sure, there's a bit of his style of humor that is on display. Still, it's essentially the same plot as the previous...
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