Superman (2025) Written and directed by James Gunn

 

David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult are the main characters in this first James Gunn outing for DC comics. He does all the right things though the plot is still, like most of these films, over complicated. I like that Superman isn't all powerful and can be hurt and defeated so there are stakes not always present in other versions. I also like how naive he is in many ways, always taking the high road and believing saving lives is more important than politics. I don't think he is wrong and because he is Superman, he can afford to be that way. At one point the people of earth, or at least the city of Metropolis, turn against him because of Lex Luthor on a TV show. I would LOVE to say this is dumb but after seeing how easily people in the United Stated and elsewhere can be fooled into believing the most obvious con jobs, it sadly might ring true. 

There are far too many characters in this film, a DC hallmark but in this case they play well as more background characters and stay in service to the main plot instead of having a million plots and trying to make them all work together. Hoult I think is good but his talent is wasted  in a role that doesn't really bring anything new to the Lex Luthor character. Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern is a fantastic asshole and not like any other green lantern I know of. 

Crytpo the super dog could have been a terrible mistake and he is overused but so well done and I love dogs so much it wasn't a distraction for me. The James Gunn "banter" between characters is sometimes a little much and doesn't always land but again, it's work well enough to keep you engaged. It's no Gardians of the galaxy in that respect. 

I would see a sequel and other films in this new chapter for DC. Maybe they will have the right tone finally but as superhero movies are losing appeal at the moment, it might be a little late. 

Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) directed by Matt Shakman

 I did not have high expectations for this film. The look of it was interesting, an alternative Earth with 1960's aesthetics. Pedro pascal seems a weird choice for tall and angular Reed Richards (Mr. Fantasic) and marvel's superhero offerings seem to have run their course. I was pleasantly surprised. Setting the action on an alternative Earth freed it from endless superhero match ups and the world was pretty cool to look at. All the actors were good in the roles and it avoided most of the pitfalls that have turned me off these CGI spectacle driver films lately. I thought the cast gave some heart to the events and the story and managed to get through the "Reed feels guilt for the accident that transformed them all" we "we are all family" sentiments (well earned in this one) without feeling too trope heavy or superficial. It's not a deep film, it's a good one. Entertaining, light where it needs to be and about people you care about. There is, of course, a big fight at the end with the monstrous Galactus but they use guile and a team effort over just punching and brute force. I will definately watch a second one with this cast. 

Sólo quiero caminar

Just Walking. Thieving, vengeful, resourceful, uberbabes, needless death, redemption, abusive bastards, fucking, shooting, tool-use, punching and pasión of many types.