When James Gunn was handed the keys to the DC Comics cinematic universe, he wasted no time leaving his mark with last year’s “Superman”. For many fans of the self-reverential filmmaker, it was exactly what they love and expect from Gunn. For many fans of the Superman character, it was far from the faithful adaptation of the beloved icon they had hoped for. Gunn made a James Gunn movie rather than a Superman movie.

Now we are getting his second big screen DCU installment with “Supergirl”. And while Gunn hands the directing reins to Craig Gillespie, his influence looks to be all over this thing. The first full trailer gives us a good sense of that. It features all the James Gunn hallmarks: gratuitous needle drops, irreverent humor, overly stylized action, etc.

Molly Alcock takes over as Kara Zor-El, the angsty cousin of Kal-El, aka Superman. As she and her CGI dog Krypto party across the galaxy, she is recruited by a young girl (Eve Ridley) to avenge her father’s death. Space pirates, mercenaries, human traffickers, and bounty hunters are all included in writer Ana Nogueira’s script. But the only piece that stands out is Jason Momoa as Lobo, the snarling anti-hero who the actor has long desired to play. Everything else looks like Gunn’s usual product.

“Supergirl” mopes her way into theaters on June 26th. Check out the trailer below and let me know of you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

“You’re Dating a Narcissist!” teases itself as a smart and sincere anti-romcom. But the film quickly devolves into an unrelatable, formulaic, and borderline obnoxious swing-and-miss. Director Ann Marie Allison attempts to offer a modern examination of love and commitment. And she certainly has a capable star in Marisa Tomei. But it all gets lost amid the movie’s strained attempts at humor and too many half-baked characters who only exist to complicate things.

But arguably worse is the baffling journey of the film’s lead character Judy. Played by the immensely talented Tomei, Judy begins as an intelligent, self-assured and accomplished woman, albeit confident to a fault. She’s a successful author, a psychologist, and a professor at a prominent New York university. But over the course of the story, the script turns her into a raving, obsessive lunatic, often for comic purposes which generate more eye-rolls than laughs.

Judy is riding the success of her popular new book “You’re Dating a Narcissist!”, leading her to teach a class on empowering her students to recognize narcissists when looking for a partner. At the same time, her preoccupation with narcissists has turned her extremely cynical towards relationships. That’s why she’s shocked when she gets a call from her 22-year-old daughter Eva (Ciara Bravo) who has some exciting news.

Eva is an art student studying in Los Angeles which is where she meets a hunky young doctor named Theo (Marco Pigossi). After only six weeks of dating the two get engaged. But once the lovesick Eva shares the news with her mother, a panicking Judy immediately flies across the country to “save” her daughter. She brings along her best friend Diane (Sherry Cola) because movies like this seem compelled to throw in a comedic confidante and sidekick.

Once she arrives in LA it’s almost as if a switch is flipped, turning Judy into a deranged person. Of course the movie doesn’t see her that way, and it tries to offset her bizarre behavior with thinly sketched allusions to her past that are meant to earn our sympathy. The problem is that Judy gets more unbearable as the movie bops forward, to the point that it’s hard to feel anything for her. And outside of Eva, the side characters surrounding Judy are too shallow and inconsequential to be anything other than props for her story.

“You’re Dating a Narcissist!” begins as an alluring feature with a lot of promise. But over time it’s like binge-watching a mediocre-at-best sitcom that’s not nearly as smart or funny as it wants to be. Even more frustrating is that it squanders Marisa Tomei who hasn’t missed a step and deserves more prominent starring roles. Sadly the material here doesn’t do her justice, leaving her to carry a load that’s not worth the effort.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

Steve Zahn gives the performance of his career in “She Dances”. It’s a funny, warm-hearted, and endearing father-daughter dramedy inspired by the actor’s own personal experience as a bonafide “dance dad” to his daughter Audrey, who makes a splash in her wonderful big screen debut. And the real-life relationship they share adds volumes to what we see on screen.

“She Dances” marks the directorial debut of Rick Gomez who works from a screenplay he co-wrote with Steve Zahn. Together they craft a story that is built upon a fairly recognizable framework. A hurting father and daughter take an unexpected trip together and end up rekindling their once close relationship along the way. That’s not what you might call a new premise. But it’s what Gomez and Zahn does with it that makes “She Dances” shine.

Steve Zahn plays Jason Phillips, a husband and father who lives separately from his wife Deb (Rosemarie DeWitt) and their daughter Claire (Audrey Zahn). The reason for the separation is a heartbreaking tragedy that comes more into focus as the story plays out. But in essence, they are three fragile people struggling to deal with things in their own ways. Jason has essentially shut himself off which has only made things worse.

Claire has grown up dancing. And now as a senior in high school, she’s all prepared for her final dance competition. But in order to make the trip, Claire needs to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Circumstances make it to where Deb can’t go. So she convinces a reluctant Claire to call her dad to step in and accompany her to the competition. Jason nervously agrees, hence setting up the scenario that will force the father and daughter to finally reckon with their pain.

“She Dances” finds some good comedy in Jason’s well-intended but fumbled attempts at being a good dance dad. At times it strains too hard to squeeze laughs out of certain circumstances. But asGomez mostly finds a solid balance of heart and humor. And it never gets too silly or too schmaltzy. Rather the film maintains a firm grip on its humanity in big part thanks to the honest and organic connection between Zahn and Zahn.

The movie is also helped by a several supporting characters who each add different layers to the story. Mackenzie Ziegler is a lot of fun playing Claire’s best friend Kat who ends up being more than just a comic tag-along. Sonequa Martin-Green gets several good scenes as Claire and Kat’s dance instructor and mentor, Jamie. And Ethan Hawke brings a his natural charisma to the small but richly empathetic role of Jason’s supportive best friend and business partner.

“She Dances” hits its marks as a routinely funny comedy and a bittersweet family drama. It’s a film that surprises on many levels, never more than when its deeper themes rise to the surface. The elder Zahn pulls inspiration from some personally meaningful places to deliver what is a career-best performance. And the younger Zahn impresses in her big screen debut, avoiding the many traps that can accompany this kind of material. She’s a revelation and I’m already excited to see what she does next.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

It was only a few days ago that Chuck Norris passed away in Kauaʻi, Hawaii. The legendary martial artist, action movie star, television actor, and author was 86 years ago. He was born March 10, 1940 in the tiny town of Ryan, Oklahoma. His eventual love for martial arts opened the door to an acting career which kicked off in the 1970s before flourishing in the 1980s.

Norris’ success in martial arts led to him meeting and befriending Bruce Lee. It was Lee who gave Norris his first significant role as a main antagonist in 1972’s “The Way of the Dragon”. Norris would work in several other movies during the decade as an actor and fight choreographer. But it was during the 1980s that his career as an action star took off with films like “The Octagon”, “Lone Wolf McQuade”, the “Missing in Action” trilogy, “Code of Silence”, “Invasion U.S.A.”, and (my personal favorite) “The Delta Force”.

Norris would continue making movies into the 1990s. But his biggest success of the decade came with the hit television show “Walker, Texas Ranger”. The show ran for nine seasons and a total of 196 episodes. Since then, Norris has appeared in several television and movie projects while participating is numerous charities aimed at children, military veterans, AIDS/HIV care, and more. RIP Mr. Norris.

At a time when the sputtering Marvel Cinematic Universe is in desperate need of a boost, along comes “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”. This is the fourth Spider-Man film in the MCU and the first since 2021’s wobbly but lucrative “No Way Home”. Even crazier, it is the 38th (!!!) film in the seemingly everlasting MCU. Director Destin Daniel Cretton takes the reins from departing Jon Watts, but Tom Holland returns to the Peter Parker role that made him a star.

“Brand New Day” takes place four years after the events of ”No Way Home”. If you recall, Dr. Strange saved the world by casting a powerful spell. But as a side effect, the world has forgotten that Peter Parker exists. So now he spins his web across New York City, fighting crime as Spider-Man. But as Peter Parker, he’s alone and forgotten by all those he loved. But things take a turn as his past rears its dangerous head.

The new trailer doesn’t tell us much, but it should do its job of exciting fans of the franchise. It mostly just character drops those who will play a part in Peter’s next chapter. Characters such as MJ (Zendaya), Ned (Jacob Batalon), Frank Castle aka The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and more. To be honest, it wasn’t enough to hype me for the movie. But I’m sure we will see a lot more before it hits theaters.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” swings into theaters on July 31st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Easily among my most anticipated movies of 2026 is Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Three”. After two stellar entries into his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal science-fiction classic, Villeneuve wraps up his trilogy with what promises to be one of the biggest films of the year. “Dune: Part Three” brings together a star-studded cast of returning characters and new additions, many of whom get their moment in the exciting first trailer that just dropped.

Written by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, “Dune: Part Three” adapts Herbert’s novel “Dune: Messiah”. In the new trailer we’re treated to much of what has made this film series great: terrific characters, stunning visual effects, an immersive world, and what looks to be an absorbing story. Not only will the dark tale of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) continue on the changing desert planet of Arrakis, but Villeneuve is taking us to the stars. Overall it’s a journey I can’t wait to continue.

“Dune: Part Three” releases in theaters on December 18th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.