The unfortunate demise of Zack Snyder’s DC superhero universe has made it hard to know what to expect from upcoming hold-over movies such as “The Flash”, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”, and the just released “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”. New DC head-honcho James Gunn has spoken highly of all three films and has indicated that they each have roles to play in what he has planned going forward. Whether that’s true or just studio speak remains to be seen.

I was a big fan of Zack Snyder’s vision. Where Kevin Feige’s MCU sought to stress the humanity of its heroes, Snyder looked at humanity through the prism of his god-like characters. It may sound like a small detail, but it gave the two universes a much-needed contrast. Interestingly, 2019’s “Shazam!” was the most MCU-like DC movie to come during Zack Snyder’s tenure. It made money and received good reviews. But it was a little too silly and lighthearted for my taste.

Regardless of my thoughts of its tone, “Shazam!” was well directed by David F. Sandberg and it had the pitch-perfect star in Zachary Levi. Both return in the inevitable sequel “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”, a movie that began production before the COVID-19 pandemic and prior to the dissolution of the Snyder-led DCEU. Now several delays later and with a cloud of uncertainty over the character’s future under James Gunn looming, the film is finally getting its release.

Screenwriter Henry Gayden also returns from the first film, this time helped with the script by Chris Morgan of “Fast & Furious” fame. As before, their story is infused with the same whimsical brand of humor although this time it’s dialed back just a bit. I’m guessing that’ll disappoint some, but for me it was a plus. Interestingly, their two big antagonists, the Daughters of Atlas, are plucked straight from Greek mythology and don’t actually appear in DC Comics. But Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu) turn out to be a fun and menacing (enough) duo.

Once again the movie follows the spirited teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who is transformed into a super-powered adult (played by Levi) whenever he yells the magically charged word “SHAZAM”! That’s when he’s instantly imbued with “the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury”.

Despite getting more comfortable with his powers, Billy still finds it difficult juggling life as a 17-year-old living with his foster parents (Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans) and being a superhero to his hometown Philadelphia. Even more challenging for a kid in an adult’s body is his well-meaning yet sometimes overbearing impulse to lead and protect his super empowered foster siblings. It’s especially frustrating to his foster brother Freddy (a delightful Jack Dylan Grazer) and his foster sister Mary (Grace Currey).

Sandberg kicks things off with two terrific scenes that serve as introductions. The first takes place at a museum in Athens, Greece. Two people decked in Ancient Greek armor enter the crowded museum like cosplayers at a convention. But they quickly reveal themselves to be the Daughters of Atlas, and they’ve come to reclaim a broken staff that’s said to be crafted from the mystical Tree of Life. They believe it to be rightfully theirs, and once they seize the two pieces, they let out some of their anger on the museum-going innocents. It’s a grim sign of things to come.

Over in Philadelphia, Billy and his super-family race to help the many citizens trapped on the collapsing Ben Franklin Bridge. They get everyone to safety but don’t exactly save the bridge, prompting the local newspapers to label them the Philly Fiascos. Back at home, Billy is worried about aging out of the foster system and losing another family. Meanwhile Freddy hits it off with a new girl at school named Ann (Rachel Zegler). These are just some of the human elements that play a big part in the movie, much as they did in the first film.

Of course everything leads to the Daughters of Atlas coming to Philly to duke it out with Billy and his fam. The buildup to the big climax is filled with giddy talk of magic and mythology, but Sandberg is smart enough not to take things too seriously. Much of it comes from Djimon Hounsou who returns as the master wizard still regretting choosing Billy as his champion. His story here doesn’t make much sense, but he’s sure having a great time. Same with Mirren and Liu who are given the bare minimum to get by in terms of backstory. But they’re a lot of fun in their roles.

With the exception of a few underwritten characters, some occasional convolution, and a little late movie cringe, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” was an unexpected treat and a surprising step up from the first film. It’s unashamedly silly, but it has the heart and humor fans will be looking for. There’s some cool creature designs, big action, and several fun set pieces. Oh, and there’s a dragon. Yet underneath the layers of expensive digital effects is a story of friendship, family, and sacrifice. And it’s all once again carried by Zachary Levi, who may never suit up as Shazam again, but he’s sure been good when he has. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” hits theaters today.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

It was just last year that the once thought dead and buried Scream franchise was brought back to life with an unremarkable and at times painfully dumb fifth installment. In keeping with the goofy yet popular trend, that movie was simply titled “Scream”, despite being the fifth film in the slasher series. It brought in some legacy characters, mixed them in with a new younger batch, and spent much of its time killing off many of them. Most importantly (especially for Paramount), the movie was mostly well received and earned a hefty profit at the box office.

That means a sequel was all but guaranteed, and surprisingly they didn’t wait long. “Scream VI” lands in theater just a little over a year after its predecessor. It brings back most of the survivors from the last slaying (notably absent is Neve Campbell – a shame) and it adds a few newbies to the slaughter. Thankfully, “Scream VI” is a step up from the last year’s flick. Unfortunately it stumbles in some of the very same places, especially in the final 30 minutes where the unintentional goofiness overflows.

One thing I enjoy about the Scream movies (more specifically the first two) is how its cutlery-loving killer Ghostface isn’t some unkillable supernatural monster under the mask. In fact Ghostface is never the same person which adds a fun whodunit element to the stories. While it has increasing gotten harder to believe, the idea is that the killer is a regular Joe (or Joes) with his or her or their own twisted motivations for carving up their fellow cast members.

While Ghostface might not be supernatural, in “Scream VI” you start to wonder if everyone else is. With a near laughable regularity, characters survival brutal encounters with Ghostface’s blade, quickly bouncing back as if nothing happened. Several characters get savagely gut-stabbed but within seconds are perfectly fine. One gets stabbed at least ten times but a minutes later is alive and cracking jokes. One gets stabbed several times and even shot, but don’t worry. After a short breather they’re good to go. Another gets cut and sliced to the point where I was waiting for their guts to slither out. But mere moments later they’re making their escape out a window. You’d think it was an ongoing joke except it’s never played for laughs.

And then we get to the story itself. Returning screenwriters James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick move the story from the blood-soaked California town of Woodsboro to New York City. Half-sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega), both survivors from the previous film’s killing spree, have moved away from Woodsboro but the trauma has followed them across the country. Tara enrolls in college hoping to put the past behind her. It’s tougher for Sam, who attends therapy and is the subject of nasty online conspiracies claiming she orchestrated and carried out that more recent Woodsboro murders.

Sam and Tara are accompanied to the Big Apple by twins Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), also Woodsboro survivors. This “Core Four” is joined by the erotically charged Quinn (Liana Liberato), the shy and geeky Ethan (Jack Champion), Mindy’s flame Anika (Devyn Nekoda), and Josh (Danny Brackett), a hunky neighbor with eyes for Sam. A couple of classic characters return s well, Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), a survivor of the 2011 Woodsboro slayings and now an FBI agent, and investigative reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox).

The movie wastes no time getting going with Ghostface butchering two film school students in their New York City apartment. Quinn’s father, NYPD detective Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) calls Sam in for questioning after her ID and a Ghostface mask is found at the murder scene. A little later, her therapist (an expendable slab of meat) is brutally done away with and yet another clue is left pointing to Sam. She and her friends know she’s being set up, but by who?

From there, it’s all about survival and suspects as co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett usher us through another Scream installment that feels bigger and broader than it actually is, in large part thanks to its New York setting (it was actually shot in Montreal). But at its core, “Scream VI” is really more of the same. It follows its signature formula, mixing horror and black comedy with varying degrees of success. And there’s also the meta-commentary, although here it feels much more tacked on and out of obligation.

As for the characters, they’re a pleasant enough group and there’s some decent chemistry between them. But too often logic gets tossed out the window and some of their actions (especially in the final third) are mind-numbingly dumb. You go for the knife in the downed killer’s hand rather than the gun that’s right behind you? You really leave your sibling behind on the subway despite all that’s going on? Just a few of the many headscratchers that are no fault of cast (Barrera and Ortega are especially good). But the writing does them no favors.

All of that said, “Scream VI” isn’t without its strengths. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett serve up the goriest Scream movie to date. Watching victims hop up and walk away from Ghostface’s attacks neuters some of the brutality. But we still get some delightfully effective kills. We’re also treated to some tense and thrilling set pieces. One takes place in a downtown bodega. Another is in Sam and Tara’s apartment. And there’s a great sequence on a subway that builds some palpable suspense before ending terribly. These scenes are when the movie is at its best.

“Scream VI” is sure to make a lot of money which all but assures us a seventh installment. As for this one, it takes its show on the road but mostly sticks with what has worked for it. Aside from its setting, if there is another noticeable difference it’s that the film takes a step away from traditional horror. Scares are traded in for more action. Think “Fast & the Furious” minus the cars and starring Ghostface (there’s even a reoccurring mention of “family” in case you needed proof). Yes, it brings a new energy to the franchise. But as a big fan of Wes Craven’s original, it’s kinda sad to see the series go the more poppy route while merely giving lip service to the things that made the early films great.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

Randall Park makes his directorial debut with “Shortcomings”, a romantic(ish) comedy written by Adrian Tomine. In many ways the film bucks many of the trends that have become synonymous with the romcom genre. But in several other ways it falls right in line with what we’ve come to expect. Ultimately it’s that inconsistency, along with some pretty glaring box-checking, that keeps the movie from fully gelling.

At first, Ben (Justin H. Min) and Miko (Ally Maki) seem like a form-fitting couple. They have their different likes and unique perspectives. For example he’s obsessed with artsy cinema while she’s much more politically minded. Yet differences aside, they’ve been together for six years and seem to love each other. But we start seeing cracks in their relationship which comes to a head when Miko gets accepted to a three-month internship in New York City. They agree to take “some time off” and she goes to the Big Apple while he stays in California.

Ben is a mix of pitiful and insufferable, and his only release outlet is his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola). She’s your stereotypical romantic comedy comic relief. She risqué, eccentric, and faithful, but mainly there to fill in a role and get some quick laughs. Cola’s performance is good and she does hit us with a funny line or two. But she’s the prototypical romcom sidekick who stands by the lead character and drops nuggets of wisdom in between her crude gags and obvious observations.

After Miko doesn’t answer his calls, Ben quickly looks for a cure to his loneliness. He starts by hanging out with Autumn (Tavi Gevinson), a wacky new employee at the movie theater he manages. Later it’s an acquaintance of Alice’s named Sasha (Debby Ryan). But they only open his eyes to what he had with Miko. The question is, has he waited too late to finally realize what he had? And does he have it in him to put his own ego aside?

We get some really good performances from Min and Maki who both do well in bringing out their characters’ personalities. But best is how Park writes them. While Ben is tough to bear, Miko is no angel which leads to some fairly interesting second half tension. Jacob Batalon also pops up in a small but funny role (he has one particularly funny line that Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will definitely enjoy).

Yet as a whole “Shortcomings” doesn’t offer as much to its genre as it clearly hopes to. It shows signs of originality and even ends on a pretty satisfying note. But you can see it working hard to have a modern appeal, despite leaning on a few too many tropes. Ultimately nothing about it feels all that fresh. It’s certainly a solid debut for Park. But the inconsistencies of the script, are a little too much for the first-time director to overcome.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

I have a thing for journalism procedurals, but sadly it’s not the kind of movie that comes around very often. With “She Said”, director Maria Schrader and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz scratch that itch for fans of the genre like me. Their film is very much a procedural in every sense of the word. It’s no “All the President’s Men” or “Spotlight”, but it features many of the things those films do so well. Among them is highlighting the intrinsic value of investigative journalism, now more than ever.

“She Said” is based on the 2019 nonfiction book of the same name by New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. It chronicles their work to uncover and expose the sexual harassment and sexual abuse of high-profile film producer Harvey Weinstein. Over 80 women would end up coming forward accusing Weinstein of sexual misconduct including rape. His abuse spanned 30 years (at the very least) and was brought to a stop thanks the the reporting of Kantor and Twohey along with the brave victims who came forward to share their story. The 70-year-old Weinstein is currently serving 23 years in prison with more charges pending.

After what feels like some obligatory back-patting in the shaky and self-regarding opening ten minutes, “She Said” gets on track after New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) gets wind of a possible sexual assault by high-ranking Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. After conversations with actresses Rose McGowen, Ashley Judd, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Kantor realizes she has a much bigger story on her hands. So she recruits fellow Times reporter Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) to help root out the truth.

Mulligan and Kazan give strong performances, gelling with Lenkiewicz’s gloss-free yet undeniably polished screenplay to give us credible reporters on the trail of a story that would shake the industry and spark a movement. Both relay their characters’ fervor for the truth while touching on the psychological and emotional toll their investigation had on them and their families. Among the film’s biggest strengths – chronicling the ups and downs that come with investigative reporting. The movie also excels in giving voices to the victims who often remained hidden behind headlines. None are better than Jennifer Ehle and Samantha Morton who deliver the film’s most emotionally impactful moments.

That said, this is very much a self-celebrating movie, with journalists portrayed in such heavenly light that there’s little room for them to be anything more than journalists. Yes, Twohey is cool and iron-willed while Kantor is timid yet resolute. But those traits don’t really give us an idea of who these two women are. Even their bosses, Rebecca Corbett and Dean Bacquet (very well played by Patricia Clarkson and Andrew Braugher) bask in the same self-celebratory glow. This wouldn’t be a big deal if the movie was revealing things we didn’t already know. Instead everyone are just filling roles that are more or less defined for us from the first moment they appear on screen.

But that’s not to say “She Said” doesn’t have its values. Quite the opposite in fact. The above-mentioned interviews with victims really bring Weinstein’s damage to light (a few others, particularly with Ashley Judd who appears as herself, not so much). And it’s fascinating to watch Kantor and Twohey walk the fine-line between encouraging the victims to come forward as named sources and respecting their apprehension and reluctance. And again, if you’re someone who enjoys by-the-book journalism procedurals, “She Said” has exactly what you’re was looking for. “She Said” is out now in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Playwright, novelist, screenwriter, and director Florian Zeller blew me away with his 2020 directorial debut, “The Father”. The film, an adaptation of his own 2012 play of the same name, was a heart-wrenching story of an elderly Welsh man suffering from dementia. The film’s lead performance earned Anthony Hopkins his second Best Actor Academy Award which was one of the most deserving Oscar wins in recent years. So naturally I was excited for what Zeller would do next.

His sophomore feature is “The Son”, another deeply human drama yet again based on his own stage play of the same name, this one from 2018. The film sees Zeller exploring painfully real subject matter that doesn’t make for the most comfortable viewing. But much like its predecessor, “The Son” keeps its characters and its story grounded in such fashion that it’s hard to turn away. Overall it may not be as seamless or as focused as “The Father”. But the script (co-written by Zeller and Christopher Hampton), combined with some truly absorbing performances, vividly brings this character-driven story to life and keeps us glued to every meaningful exchange.

Where as “The Father” dealt with an octogenarian with dementia, “The Son” revolves around a teenager with clinical depression. But it’s just as much about a broken family and a man confronted with his own failures as a father. Zeller takes a deep look at depression, from the warning signs to the near unexplainable nature of the pain to its crushing effects. But it’s seen mostly through the eyes of a well-meaning dad who struggles to grasp his son’s mental illness while coming to grips with how his own past actions might have contributed to it.

For Peter (a devastating Hugh Jackman), things couldn’t be better. He’s a successful attorney working for a big New York City law firm, and he’s just been offered a prominent role in a Delaware senator’s upcoming campaign. At home, he and his second wife, Beth (Vanessa Kirby) just had a healthy baby boy. But Peter’s seemingly blissful life is shaken when his ex-wife, Kate (Laura Dern) unexpectedly shows up at his door and tells him that she’s concerned about their 17-year-old son, Nicholas (Zen McGrath). She mentions his anger, detachment, and the fact that he’s been skipping school for nearly a month.

The next day, Peter stops by Kate’s to see Nicholas. Their conversation stalls mainly because Peter believes his son is simply going through a phase, while Nicholas knows he can’t explain his feelings in a way his father would understand. It ends with Nicholas asking if he can come live with Peter and Beth. Knowing it’s the right thing to do (and possibly out of a sense of guilt), Peter agrees. Beth has concerns, but she stands by her husband.

To Peter’s credit, he loves Nicholas and truly wants what’s best for him. But his blind optimism keeps him from truly seeing his son’s condition. In Peter’s mind, all Nicholas needs is a change of scene – a new school, some new friends, and everything will be alright. Peter even makes an effort to be around more for Nicholas, like a good dad should. It’s all sincere and well-intended, though slightly self-serving. Peter also wants to prove to himself that he’s better than his own vain and coldhearted father (played in one profoundly revealing scene by the indelible Anthony Hopkins).

To no surprise, Peter’s efforts only exacerbate the problem. He finds himself routinely suggesting the wrong thing or responding the wrong way. Communication breaks down, deep-seated pain comes to light, animosity and resentment set in. Through it all Zeller maintains a tight rein, and his stagecraft proves to be an asset. He’s very good at fleshing out characters through rich organic dialogue. And in doing so, his cast is given some strong material to work with. Jackman benefits most and gives what may be the best performance of his career. Kirby is excellent as is Dern. Unfortunately the latter disappears for much of the second half which is a shame considering Kate offers a fascinating angle to the story. McGrath is shakier and can’t quite match his seasoned co-stars. He especially struggles in the more emotionally demanding scenes.

In “The Father”, Zeller cleverly used point-of-view to catch us off-guard and pull us into the failing mind of his main character. Here his storytelling is more streamlined and straightforward. But to be honest, that’s exactly what material like this needs. There is a questionable choice at the end that means well but doesn’t really work. Outside of that one noticeable stumble, the storytelling is top-notch, the character work is dynamic, and the handling of subject matter is admirable. It all works to make “The Son” a worthwhile follow up to “The Father” and further establishes Florian Zeller as one of the most exciting dramatic filmmakers of this new batch. I can’t wait to see what he does next. “The Son” opens November 25th in Los Angeles and New York.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS