REVIEW: ‘Superman’ is bright, hopeful and jam-packed. Almost to a fault.

On a meta level, Gunn’s movie is an announcement of its own. He and his newly reset DC Universe of movies and TV shows need a standard-bearer, and that role naturally falls to the so-called Big Blue: the most powerful hero in the lineup and the one mainstream audiences know the best. And as certain toxic fans out there will be quick to tell you, Gunn wants everything about this new era of stories to be different. He wants a brighter, more uplifting tone (at least for Superman) and less grungy realism compared to the DC Comics-inspired movies of the last 20-odd years. By wiping the slate clean and starting again, there’s a lot to set up, and much of that falls on the shoulders of this new movie.

Film, New ReleasesRobert SnowJuly 14, 2025superman, david corenswet, nicholas hoult, rachel brosnahan, nathan fillion, james gunn, dc, dcu, 2025, movies, reviewComment

REVIEW: 'Those Who Wish Me Dead' lets good ideas burn out of control

We might expect the rest of the movie to focus on Hannah coming face to face with another fire, and learning to overcome her misplaced guilt. This is a Taylor Sheridan movie, though. So in the tradition of movies he’s written (Sicario, Hell or High Water) and directed (Wind River), it needs to have some human evil on par with the natural menace.

[VIFF 2018] REVIEW: Lanthimos delivers on "The Favourite"

Of course, there’s the usual palace intrigue – secret things are done and said in darkly lit corners, and the usual extravagance of the rich, including a candlelit ball and a duck race, are all present – but it’s presented in such a Lanthimosian manner it’s equal parts funny and somewhat disturbing.

Film, New ReleasesJason ChenOctober 9, 2018the favourite, emma stone, rachel weisz, olivia colman, period film, drama, film, movies, cinema, review, nicholas hoult, yorgos lanthimosComment

[TIFF 2017] REVIEW: ‘The Current War’ buzzes with ideas, but doesn’t connect

Gomez-Rejon throws a lot at the screen, especially some adventurous cinematography, but it doesn’t help clarify a thorny narrative that spreads out over many years and offers valid arguments on either side of the debate. No matter the subject matter, historical period pieces generally need to synthesize the many sources out there into something that educates and entertains inside of two hours. It’s kind of hard to do that when the director appears to be fussing over the umpteenth long take, off-kilter composition, or daring scene change.

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