Movie Review: The Flash (2023)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Emotions at the end work

Cons: Very little else does

The Bottom Line:

Flash gets solo film

But more time spent on others

He deserves better

“Do You Want to Get a Bite?  I’m Still Hungry.”

Yes, I’d heard all the issues with The Flash and the rumors of reshoots even before it came out in 2023.  But, I always intended to give this movie a shot at some point.  It was pretty much as bad as I’d heard.

No, I don’t remember all the behind-the-scenes drama and delays at this point.  But it was one of the last movies in the failed Zack Snyder DC Universe.  That killed interest as well since, by the time it came out, we knew we were getting new versions of these characters.  Really, the movie was doomed.  Not that it was good.

Anyway, the story sort of focuses on Barry Allen, aka The Flash (Ezra Miller).  He’s a science tech in a crime lab who is attempting to clear his father (Ron Livingston) of a crime he didn’t commit – killing Barry’s mother Nora (Maribel Verdú).  But then Barry gets the idea to go back in time to keep his mother from being killed.  What could possibly go wrong?

Of course, we all know what could go wrong.  But in this case, it means a movie that is mostly set in an alternative universe.  Act one sets things up in pretty good fashion.  Yes, there’s an action sequence that could have been cut if they really wanted to speed things up, but that’s a minor issue.  It does what it needs to do to get the story going.

Act two is where the movie really falls apart.  Yes, it is fun at first watching Barry figure out what he’s done and then have to start interacting with a new version of himself.  But here’s the things.  This is called The Flash.  It’s supposed to finally be a chance for us to get to know the big screen version of the character.  But we quickly go meet Michael Keaton’s version of Batman and then rescue Supergirl, as played by Sasha Calle.  And who is our villain?  General Zod (Michael Shannon).  If we were going to have a Flash movie, shouldn’t these cameos from other characters be kept to a minimum?  And shouldn’t we have had one of his villains as the threat we are facing for much of the movie?  Barry felt like a supporting character in his own movie, which is ironic given his complaint early on during that first act action scene.

Now, I’m going to contradict myself.  The movie could have done with less Barry.  Essentially, we have two versions of the character through much of the film, both played by Ezra Miller.  And I found both versions annoying much of the time.  Now, I’m not talking about the acting.  This is the way the character is written to be played.  But seriously, could we make him less awkward?

And, to be clear, none of the complaints are aimed at any of the actors.  It is the script that lets them down.

Meanwhile, if I hadn’t watched the show, I wouldn’t have gotten that Kiersey Clemons’s Iris West is a pretty important character in Barry’s life.  She’s an afterthought.  Yes, the lead character’s comic book love interest is sidelined in his big movie.

The special effects are also poor.  Laughably poor at times.  You get a sense of where how things are going to look from that first act action sequence, and they don’t get any better.  For a big budget movie like this, it’s very surprising.

Given all I’ve been saying, I was surprised at just how much the climax touched me.  Yes, we still managed to get the emotional impact we should have.

Going into this movie, I did try to separate my expectations from the TV show The Flash, which I mostly enjoyed, especially the first few seasons.  While not exactly a story that show told, I still feel like that show did the similar story so much better.  Granted, they have multiple episodes to tell a story instead of only two and a half hours.  But this movie didn’t really even try to tell Barry’s story.

And yes, we get more cameos from various versions of DC characters, including those from the Zack Snyder series.  We could have done without most of them since they didn’t really add anything to the story.

The only reason to watch The Flash is if you are a die hard superhero fan, especially since this version of the character is no longer important.  You can just skip this mess of a film.

Movie Review: Superman II

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great action scenes as Superman’s story continues

Cons: Slow second act, Lex is useless

The Bottom Line:

Superman is back

Film still has pacing issues

Not classic for me

“Not Everyone Can Have X-Ray Vision.” “Do I Detect a Note of Jealousy?”

In my quest to watch the Christopher Reeves Superman movies, I had recorded the second when it was on cable.  As much as I had issues with the original, Superman II had its own issues.

After a bit more of the prologue with General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his two hence people on Krypton before it explodes, we get the opening credits, which also act as a refresher of what happened in the original movie.  Pretty clever, at least in my opinion.

When we are off to Paris where Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) is trying to cover some terrorists who have set up a hydrogen bomb in the Eiffel Tower.  When Superman (Christopher Reeve) takes it to space to it can explode without causing any damage, he accidentally frees General Zod and the other two prisoners from the Phantom Zone where they’ve been held prisoner all this time. 

While the trio make their way to Earth with the intent to taking it over, Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve, obviously), and Lois grow closer, leading to Clark making a choice with huge implications.  Oh, and Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) manages to escape from prison thanks to help from Eve Teschmacher (Valerie Perrine).  What havoc will he cause?

Obviously, with the backstory out of the way, this movie can get off to a faster start, and the opening act is fun and thrilling.  We know how it is going to end, but it’s still fun getting there.

It’s the second act where the movie struggles.  We get General Zod’s trio working on taking over the planet while Superman and Lois are out of touch (the wonders of life in the pre-cell phone days).  For me, it dragged.  Couldn’t Superman have learned about the threat earlier?  Because we knew where it was going to go, and I wish the movie had taken less time getting there.

Then comes the third act, which is what we have all been waiting for.  And it was worth it.  I enjoyed the fight.  Yes, we got lots of special effects, but the fight was still contained enough that we could follow what we going on.  Modern superhero movies could learn from it.

Other issues with the film?  I watched the original theatrical cut, and it had a huge plot hole in it.  I had to go back to the internet to figure out exactly what happened.  Yeah, my theory was right, but really?  A line of dialog would have resolved it.  Also, what point did Lex Luthor have in this film?  I get that it’s Lex, but we really didn’t need his character.  They could have accomplished the little bit he did in other ways.

None of what I just said is a slam on the actors.  They are all great at bringing their characters to life.  It’s the fault of the screen play.

The effects are dated; we can definitely tell when a green screen is being used.  But it’s a movie from 1980, so that’s no surprise.  As long as you keep that in mind, you’ll be fine.

I know that the next two sequels aren’t as well regarded as the first two movies, which makes me curious to watch them and see what I think.  I’m also curious to rewatch Superman Returns, which I haven’t seen since it was in the theaters almost twenty years ago.

While Superman II is by no means a bad movie, it isn’t a classic for me, either.  I think nostalgia plays a large part is how much people enjoy it.  For me, that was lacking.

Movie Review: Superman - The Movie (1978)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: The main cast bring to life characters we quickly care about

Cons: Too much set up before story gets going

The Bottom Line:

Good performances

Can’t overcome poor pacing

Still, it has some charm

“Would You Like a Glass of Wine.”  “No Thanks.  I Never Drink When I Fly.”

For years, I’ve been meaning to go back and watch the Christopher Reeve’s Superman movies.  I think I’ve seen the rest of the live action takes on the character up to 2025 (and I’ll watch the new movie at some point).  So I finally went back to where it began – 1978’s Superman: The Movie.  It’s got a very slow start, but I did enjoy the second half.

If you know nothing about the character, this movie is a good introduction.  If you know much about the character, you’ll find the first 45 minutes or so rather boring.  Heck, the entire first scene of the movie doesn’t come into play here, but my understanding is it is critical to the sequel.  I’m sorry, but it really should have been saved for that film.  Anyway, we see Superman’s parents send him to Earth, the Kents find him, and a couple of scenes of him as a teen before he heads to his Fortress of Solitude to become the Superman we know.

Then, the movie finally gets going.  That’s when we meet the rest of the core characters we know and love.  Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) takes a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet in Metropolis.  There, he meets Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), star reporter who he immediately gets a crush on.  But just as he’s settling into his new life, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) sets a plan into motion that only Superman could stop.  Will he be able to?

Clearly, I didn’t like the first 45 minutes.  Yes, there are some cool moments for those of us who know the characters from the comics (or just the lore in general), but it does nothing to advance the story.  Some of the character set up is interesting, but a little goes a long way.

Once the heart of the story starts, things do pick up.  I enjoyed seeing how the characters interacted.  While the banter might be mild by today’s standards, I still enjoyed it.  I did find Lois especially harsh to Clark, but that’s a minor complaint.

And I have to praise the actors.  They do a great job of making these characters come to life, and their warmth with each other helped pull us in.  I can see why so many people praise Christopher Reeve.  He makes Clark Kent and Superman distinct.  There’s one scene in particular where we get to see it, and it makes his performance shine.

But even so, the story is seriously lacking.  If Lex didn’t introduce himself to Superman in the vilest way possible, Superman never would have known he existed.  Maybe it’s the story telling of the time, but I expect more interaction between the hero and villain before the end.  Or at least a hero who is trying to stop something evil.  Here, it feels a bit like an accident.

The end?  Epic.  I’d seen parts of this movie (if not all of it) years ago when I was a kid, but I didn’t remember much.  A few of those moments from the climax were still in my brain, and I enjoyed seeing the context.

The movie is almost 50 years old, so I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you the effects are dated.  Yes, some of them hold up, but quite often, they don’t.  But that’s okay.  Just relax and let yourself enjoy them.  Frankly, there’s something charming about them even if we are used to more state-of-the-art effects today.

I will be interested in seeing how these movies progress.  While many people do enjoy Superman: The Movie, I found that it showed its age a little too much in the storytelling to truly pull me in.

TV Show Review: Gotham Knights - Season 1

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Lots of twists and suspense with fun characters

Cons: A few things set up for a second season we will never get

The Bottom Line:

Murder of Batman

Can this group prove innocence?

Short show worth watching

“What Happened to Don’t Do Anything Stupid?”  “I’ve Never Been Good at Taking My Own Advice.”

I’ve been watching DC Comics shows on the CW for so long, that I really don’t pay too much attention to the premise of the shows any more.  I figured I’d at least give the first episode of Gotham Knights a try before I decided whether I’d watch any more or not.  By the end of that episode, I was hooked and I was along for the thirteen episode ride.

Yes, the show is set in Batman’s Gotham.  But the show opens with the murder of Bruce Wayne, which leaves his ward, Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan) devastated.  He’s even more shocked when he learns that Bruce was also the vigilante known as Batman.  But things that a turn when evidence surfaces that shows Turner paid for Bruce’s murder.  Clearly, he is being framed.  And the assassins?  A fellow group of teens that include Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan), the daughter of The Joker, and twins Harper and Cullen Row (Fallon Smythe and Tyler DiChiara).  The four go on the run together in an effort to stay out of jail for a crime none of them committed.  Helping the fugitives are Turner’s friend Stephanie (Anna Lore), an expert hacker, and Carrie (Navia Ziraili Robinson), who was the current Robin.  Then there’s DA Harvey Dent (Misha Collins) who is unofficially trying to help the fugitives because something doesn’t seem right to him.  But Harvey has his own problems.

The group quickly uncovers a conspiracy involving a secret group that has really been running Gotham for decades.  But can they prove it?  Or will they be killed in the process?

As I said, I was quickly hooked, and I couldn’t wait for each episode to roll around so I could find out what was going to happen next.  The characters were great and the twists compelling.  The odds were always against our characters, and I just couldn’t see how they’d go about proving their innocence.  Good thing I’m not one of them, right?  And yet, we do get a satisfying resolution by the end.

Yes, I lead with that.  Going in, I suspected this was going to be a one and done series given the changes that we had at the CW and how many of their shows were being cancelled at the time.  It wasn’t too long into the series airing that we found out I was right.  Yes, the show leaves some things dangling in an attempt to set up a potential season two.  And, while I would love to know what happened next with those cliffhangers, the main driving story for this season is resolved, and I can live with how the series left things.

Given that this is set in the Batman world, that means the show is dark.  Not too dark, but darker than some of the stuff I normally watch.  Know this, and you’ll be fine.

Also, this was a 2023 CW show.  That means we have a large group of LGBTQ+ characters in the main cast.  I was rolling my eyes as that was introduced in the pilot since it was not only predictable but felt forced.  But I’m glad I didn’t let that turn me off.  Yes, some of those themes were explored, but given the plot driven story, we weren’t given that much time to be lectured.

The cast is fabulous at bringing their characters to life each week and making us care about the story and the outcome.  I have to give a special shout out to Olivia Rose Keegan who is delightful as Duela.  Her character gets some of the best lines and she nails them each time.

If you passed on Gotham Knights, you really missed out.  It is worth tracking down the show and enjoying these delightful thirteen episodes wherever you can.

TV Show Review: Superman & Lois - Season 4

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Everything fans have loved continues here

Cons: These ten episodes are the end

The Bottom Line:

Season to wrap up

Show never misses a beat

And wraps things up well

“What Do You Think Superman and Lois Lane Will be Remembered For?” “I’d Like to Think Truth and Justice.”

I went into the fourth season of Superman & Lois sad because I knew it would be the final season.  But I was grateful that they were given ten episodes to wrap things up.  I expected it to be quite a ride, and I was right.

The season picks up exactly where season three ended.  Clark as Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) is fighting the monster that Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) had sent to attack the superhero.  It doesn’t go well, and that leaves Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) and the couple’s twins Jonathan and Jordan (Michael Bishop and Alex Garfin) to not only pick up the pieces but also figure out how to fight Lex, who has set his sights on destroying Smallville on his way to getting his complete revenge on Lois Lane.  Will anyone be able to fight what is coming?

I was a little worried going into this season since, when the show was renewed for a fourth and final season, we learned that only the characters I’ve mentioned so far would be coming back as series regulars for the final season.  As much as I love the entire Kent family, I also love the supporting characters we’ve gotten to know over the first three seasons.  However, the producers quickly assured us that we would see plenty of them over these final episodes.  And they were right.  While not everyone was in every episode, we saw enough of them to get meaningful wrap ups to their storylines.  And, their appearances felt meaningful, too, not just one offs to wrap things up.  Yes, it was noticeable that not everyone was in every episode like we’d gotten used to seeing, but it wasn’t painfully obvious.

That’s because the things we loved were still here.  The characters were all still fantastic no matter how many episodes they were in.  I’ve always loved that the characters were so well drawn and made us want to root for them.  They reacted to things in a realistic way even if we were yelling at them to do something different.  And their relationships were the key to everything.  Yes, there is conflict between them at times, but when it matters, they are there for each other, which is what I have loved about this series so much.  That holds doubly true for Clark and Lois.  They are such a dynamite couple.

And the story is suspenseful.  Given that we are dealing with Superman, the way the writers keep us on the edge of our seats is remarkable, and that was the case here again.  Granted, we are dealing with a villain who is smart and out to destroy Lois using cunning instead of brute strength.  We do get a couple of lighter episodes which was great breathers, but they were just as exciting to watch for what they showed us about the characters.

All this is held together with phenomenal acting.  The writers put the characters through their paces, and actors never missed a beat.  The special effects are also well done.  I bought what I was seeing on the screen.

Which brings us to the finale.  I’m not going to spoil anything.  I know lots of people who loved it and are praising it (and some who didn’t).  I liked it, but the bittersweet tone it took wasn’t quite what I was expecting.  Still, I did find it satisfying.  I think this may be the best series ender we got from an Arrowverse or Arrowverse adjacent show.

I think Superman & Lois might have spoiled me for other iterations of Superman.  I definitely won’t want to jump into anything else with the character too quickly.  Instead, I want to live in the glow of this show’s take on the world’s most famous superhero.  If you’ve been enjoying the show, you’ll definitely want to see how it ends.

TV Show Review: Superman & Lois - Season 3

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Writing and acting beautifully tackle tough subject with other stories

Cons: For some, the cancer story will be too hard

The Bottom Line:

Tackling cancer

With other storylines, too

Makes a strong season

“Where Are the Paperweights?”

It’s no secret that I’ve been loving Superman & Lois, the last of the DC Comic shows on The CW.  Season two got a little strange for me, but I still liked it.  I found that season three made some surprising choices but was ultimately stronger for it.

The season opens as Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch) are getting ready to celebrate the 16^th birthday of their twins, Jordan and Jonathan (Alex Garfin and Michael Bishop stepping into the Jonathan role).  With Clark joining the staff on Smallville’s paper, they think that everything will be going well in their world.

However, bad news is just around the corner, and this time, it is something that Superman can do nothing about.  Lois has a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer.  As everyone attempts to deal with it emotionally, Lois thinks it might be the best way to continue her investigation of Bruno Mannheim (Chad L. Coleman), a criminal she’s been trying to nail on and off for years.  He runs a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center in Metropolis.  But will that be too much for her health?

Yes, there are storylines going on beyond Lois’s cancer this season, but it is front and center in every episode.  I felt it was respectfully done and showed the ways that everyone impacted by it reacts realistically.  However, that does come with a warning for those who are dealing with it or have gone through it.  It might be too much.  Go in cautiously, and if it gets to be too much, step away.

But I have to give the writers credit.  They could have taken some easy ways out, and they didn’t.  They faced things head on, and the result was good.  I think it will be cathartic for some people.  It will certainly be hard for those dealing with it currently or in the recent past.  Only you know how you will react.

As I said, there are other storylines going on.  Mannheim and his evil empire is a large part of that.  I wasn’t familiar with this particular villain, so I enjoyed watching how all of that played out.  There were some great twists.

Meanwhile, Jordan is still trying to figure out how to use his new powers, and how to use them appropriately.  And Jonathan tries joining the local fire station.

And there are the Cushings.  I’ve got to admit, I have struggled some with what they did with those characters in season two.  I was a bit happier with where they left them at the end of this season, but I still wish they’d made different choices for the characters.

And it’s a good thing that I am happy with much of where the characters are.  We are going to get a season 4, but only the Kent family is coming back as regulars.  The rest of the cast coming back for guest spots or as recurring characters hasn’t been ruled out, so I’m hoping we’ll see more of these characters pop up in multiple episodes if not every week.  I’ll miss the Cushings, the Irons, General Lane, and Chrissy if they don’t.

I already praised the writing, but the actors all nailed it every week.  I didn’t want to look away because the actors were pulling me in with their performances.  There’s lots of drama this season, which the cast excels at, but they make the most of some lighter moments, too.

There are thirteen episodes in season 3.  It was a struggle to wait from week to week to watch them.  Now that they are all out, I bet you race through them.

I’m going to miss Superman & Lois when it is over.  The strength that was season 3 of the show proves just how wonderful it is.

Book Review: Bruce Wayne - Not Super by Stuart Gibbs with art by Berat Pekmezci

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Laughs in this alternative Batman tale 

Cons: Too super for cons

The Bottom Line:

New take on Batman

Filled with plenty of great laughs

A quick yet fun read

Fun Middle School Origin Story

I’ve not read many graphic novels, but, being a fan of Stuart Gibbs, his Bruce Wayne: Not Super caught my eye. It helped that a friend also worked on the book, so I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. 

Bruce Wayne stands out at his middle school, Gotham Preparatory School for the Really, Really Gifted. No, not because of the wealth he’s inherited from him parents but because he’s the only one without any powers. But when he sees a student bullying another kid, he decides he has to do something. Will he come up with a plan?

Yes, this is a Batman origin story. Not being super familiar with the comic books, I’m not sure how this compares to anything else, although I suspect it was fairly original. But I don’t care. I was having fun with the story. Yes, I figured where it was going, but there were still plenty of great details and surprises along the way. 

And lots of laughs. That’s no surprise since Stuart Gibbs always makes me laugh.

I have to give full props to Berat Pekmezci, the artist. Some of the best jokes come from the visuals, so be sure to take the time to appreciate them. 

One area where I know this book takes license with comic lore is that all the other students at the school are future superheroes and villains. I recognized most of them, and I got a kick out of seeing how they were portrayed. The main characters are all from Batman, although I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the others have larger parts if there are future releases. 

This is a fun take on young Batman. If you want a twist on this familiar character, be sure to pick up Bruce Wayne: Not Super. 

NOTE: I received a copy of this book. 

TV Show Review: The Flash - Season 9

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: A couple of episodes and some other moments

Cons: The rest is a mess

The Bottom Line:

Flash – final missions

Disappointing for this fan

Has subpar writing

“Is It Always This Crazy?”  “Well, It’s a Wednesday.”

Honestly, I would have been fine with The Flash ending at the end of season eight.  I hadn’t been enjoying the show for several years, which is a shame because it was so much fun when it started out.  And season eight wrapped things up well.  But we got a short season 9 that did nothing to help the legacy of the show.

This season finds Barry Allen, aka The Flash (Grant Gustin), and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) preparing for the next stage of their lives.  Oh, Iris might not be pregnant yet, but they know it is coming soon from the time traveling that has happened over the course of the show.  Barry is ready to embrace it, but Iris is a bit upset that they are just playing into their futures.  Meanwhile, Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) has made a decision that impacts his relationship with Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) and Chester and Allegra (Brandon McKnight and Kayla Compton) work toward their own relationship.

And yes, there are villains.  Honestly, we once again get a couple of smaller arcs.  They are okay, but nothing spectacular.

Now, this is going to be a negative review (as if you hadn’t figured that out already), but I am going to say there were a couple of episodes I really did enjoy.  The season opener was fun even if it is a familiar plot device, especially in the Arrowverse.  We also revisited the pivotal season one storyline of what happened to Barry’s mom for an episode, and I really liked it.  Yes, even though we’ve been there multiple times.

I will also give them this, they do a good job of bringing back many actors from this show.  They also work in Olive Queen and Diggle, although I’ll admit to being disappointed by that episode overall.

Part of the problem with this season involves the actors.  Oh, I’m not saying that they were bad at acting this season.  They are all still doing their best with the material they are given – it’s just that the material is subpar.

No, what I’m talking about is the actor’s desire to do something different.  In the case of Jesse L. Martin, he wanted to do another show, so he only does a handful of episodes this season.  That’s his choice (this is a job, after all, and we all change jobs), but the way the writers handled it was poor.  I’m more bothered by the writers’ choices than his choice.

Likewise, original cast member Danielle Panabaker wanted to play someone new.  On this show, that’s a possibility, but the way the writers handled it was absolutely horrible.  Seriously, they weren’t even trying.

Then there’s the characters brought in from other shows.  Batwoman (Javicia Leslie) plays a part in the opening arc.  I felt like we had a good send off for her character on her show even if it was cancelled without much warning.  Dreamer from Supergirl (Nicole Maines) also shows up so we can get an update on her even though Supergirl got a final season to wrap up the characters.  While both of these shows were part of the Arrowverse, they weren’t a direct spin off of The Flash like Legends of Tomorrow was, at least when it first began.  And you know what we didn’t get?  Any resolution to the cliffhanger on that show.  Since Legends of Tomorrow was my favorite Arrowverse show when it ended, this really hurt, as you can see.

Then there’s the final fight.  All I have to say is, given what we’ve seen over the last nine years, it was way too easy.

All told, season nine consisted of 13 episodes.  There were moments I enjoyed, and a couple of fun episodes, but for the most part, these episodes were immediately forgettable.

If you’ve managed to stick with the show, you’ll want to see how it ends with season 9.  If you’ve enjoyed the last few seasons of The Flash, you’ll probably enjoy this one, too.  But me, I’ll be over here wishing that the wonderful writing of the first few seasons had continued throughout the entire show.

TV Show Review: Stargirl - Season 3

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Acting, effects, when the show was on, it clicked

Cons: Pace was off, leading to some slow episodes

The Bottom Line:

Murder mystery

Still uneven overall

But it could be good

“How Scary Do I Look?”  “No More Scary Than Usual.”  “That Hurts!”

I found the first two seasons of Stargirl to be uneven.  When it was on, it was great, but when it wasn’t, it was very slow.  Despite a great set up that really appealed to me, I found that to hold true with season 3.

As this season opens, Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) and her family have returned from a vacation to find that the newly resurrected Sylvester Pemberton, aka Starman (Joel McHale), has made himself at home while they’ve been gone.  Courtney is thrilled he has chosen to stick around.  She’s hoping to really learn how to use the staff and its powers from the man who wielded it before her.  Her step-father, Pat (Luke Wilson), is less enthused since he has enjoyed bonding with Courtney over her training.  Plus, there’s the fact that Sylvester seems to be much more reckless with Courtney’s safety than Pat is comfortable with.

However, things get complicated when a former enemy of Courtney and her friends turns up dead.  All the evidence points to someone Courtney thought was a new ally, and it splits Courtney’s group of friends over whether this person can be trusted.  As more attacks happen in town, can Courtney find out what is going on?

A murder mystery – how perfect is that for me?  And I was excited when the discovery of the body ended the first episode of the thirteen episode season.  However, we had the usual distractions and sidelines as the season progressed.  Some of them were great at showcasing the various characters and advancing their storylines.  But some were just too slow.

I did feel that Courtney had matured some this season and didn’t just do things her way regardless of what anyone else thought, which was nice.  Yes, she still made some foolish choices, but at least they were new bad choices.

For a superhero show, this show saved their budget for a few big episodes.  We might get light action in every episode, but there were a couple of episodes where they went all out.  Those episodes were spectacular, and they would keep my attention every second.  The special effects were also good, as well.

When this show was on, it was great.  There were some strong twists along the way that I enjoyed.  The climatic battle was great as well.

It’s just that half the episodes are great, and half are a struggle to get through.

None of my complaints should be aimed at the actors.  They brought the scripts to life wonderfully every week.

Seeing the writing on the wall with all the changes going on at the CW, this show decided to wrap up things at the end of the season and even give us a few minutes set in the future as the final moments of the show.  I was satisfied with the way the show wrapped things up, and I suspect most fans will be, too.

While the first two seasons were released on DVD and Blu-Ray, this season has only been released on DVD.  Fans of the show are disappointed by this development, but I’m sure it has to do with the sales on physical media of the first two season sets.

I wasn’t disappointed when it was announced that season 3 would be the last we’d see of Stargirl, or at least this version of her.  Yes, there was enough I enjoyed to keep me coming back, but the hit or miss nature of the show kept it from ever being a favorite.

Movie Review: Batman & Robin

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Fun, charm

Cons: Camp, especially from the villains

The Bottom Line:

Franchise comes to end

With campy film that most hate

But still has some charms

“Secrets Are a Prerequisite in this House, Don’t You Think?”

Here it is – the film that killed the original Batman movie franchise.  Batman & Robin seems to be universally loathed.  I remember seeing it back in the second run theater in 1997 (are second run theaters still a thing?) and thinking it wasn’t that bad.  Even today, I don’t see why it is so loathed even though I can see some flaws.

When this movie picks up, Batman (George Clooney) and Robin (Chris O’Donnell) are about to find themselves facing a couple of new villains.  First up, Dr. Victor Fries (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has accidentally turned himself into Mr. Freeze while attempting to find a cure for his wife’s disease.  Now he’s attempting to collect enough diamonds to make his experiment work.  Meanwhile, an attempt to kill Dr. Pamela Isley (Uma Thurman) instead turns her into Poison Ivy, a woman out to save the environment and plants at any cost.  When these two villains team up, it causes plenty of problems for the town, especially since Batman and Robin can’t quite figure out how to work together.

Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler Alfred (Michael Gough) gets a surprise visit from his niece Barbara (Alicia Silverstone).  And Barbara just might uncover some of the secrets of Wayne manner.  If she joins the fight, will that help defeat the villains?

Yes, there is a lot happening here, and it helps the fast pace that we get Mr. Freeze’s backstory in some quick exposition instead of watching it happen.  We do get to see Dr. Isley become Poison Ivy, but there isn’t a long backstory involved.  I did get a kick out of seeing John Glover as part of her backstory since he was part of Smallville for so many years.  Anyway, this movie is full speed ahead with the action.  There’s enough story to link the action scenes together, but it never bogs things down.

And we get plenty of action.  There are multiple action sequences filled with stunts and special effects.  Okay, so quite a bit of it is over the top, but I bought what I was seeing since as I turned off the logical part of my brain arguing that what I was watching wasn’t really possible.

So where does the movie go wrong?  It has a huge camp factor.  That is what has made this film so universally loathed.  And I get it.  I love puns, but even I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at some of the dialogue the characters were given to say.  Some of the performances really play into the camp as well, especially those coming from the villains.  They were over the top.  The heroes were better at finding the right balance.  Having just watched Batman Forever before I watched this, I’d argue that villains here aren’t that much more over the top than the villains in that movie were.  That one had Jim Carrey playing The Riddler, after all.

I think this doesn’t bother me as much as it does others for a couple of reasons.  I tolerate quite a bit of camp and cheese.  Just look at the amount of Hallmark movies I watch and review.  Also, this feels much more like a modern action film where the action drives the story and not the other way around.  The action scenes are definitely over the top, which again, feels like many of the modern action movies.  Yes, this is definitely the lightest of the original film franchise, but I enjoy light, so that’s another thing in the film’s favor as far as I am concerned.

What bothered me the most was Bruce Wayne’s love life.  Yes, he has a new girlfriend here.  She’s just background in a couple of scenes, not a major part of the story for the first time in the franchise – there’s just too much else going on.  However, it is implied that the two of them have been together for a long time.  Just how long has it been between movies, and what happened to his girlfriend from that one?

I see the flaws, and I can understand why it bothers people.  This certainly isn’t my favorite of the original Batman films.  But Batman & Robin has a certain charm to it that makes me enjoy it despite the flaws.

TV Show Review: Legends of Tomorrow - Season 7

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters in a zany, fun story

Cons: Ends with a cliffhanger; show now cancelled

The Bottom Line:

Wacky antics here

Show back to what it does best

Sadly, now cancelled

“We Really Should Be Better at This by Now.”

I’ll admit that I struggled a bit with the last couple of seasons of Legends of Tomorrow.  It took some bizarre and dark turns that I wasn’t always comfortable with.  I’m pleased to say that I found season 7 refreshingly fun again.

We pick up moments after the season six cliffhanger.  That means our team of heroes just watched as their ship, the Waverider, was blown up by…the Waverider…stranding them in 1925 Texas.  Of course, it isn’t long before Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) comes up with a plan.  It turns out that the inventor of time travel is just about to perfect his invention…in 1925.  They just have to get to New York City in time to make sure it happens and then use it to return home.

So Sara sets out with her new wife, Ava Sharpe (Jes Macallan), Nate (Nick Zano), Gary (Adam Tsekham), Zari (Tala Ashe), and Behrad (Shayan Sobhian).  However, they quickly find a problem when Sara and Ava are mistaken for the bank robbers who have been dubbed the Bullet Blondes, and they find J. Edgar Hoover (guest star Giacomo Baessato) on their trail.

Meanwhile, Astra (Olivia Swann) and Spooner (Lisseth Chavez) have been left behind to keep others from finding the remains of the Waverider.  Astra’s attempt to resurrect it via a magic spell succeeds in destroying the ship further, but it has one interesting side effect – their computer, Gideon, suddenly appears as a real woman (Amy Louise Pemberton, who has also voiced the computer all series).  What complications will that give our team?  And what will happen when they meet up with time travel inventor Gwyn Davies (a recast Matt Ryan).

I commented to a friend who also watches the show that it felt like the writers of the show had been kidnapped by aliens, and they were finally rescued in time to write this season.  This had the fun and hijinks that I associated with the show when it was at its best.  Is it wacky?  Absolutely.  If you are looking for something realistic, you won’t find it here.  This show is over the top in the best possible ways.  The plot holds together unless you start analyzing it too hard, then you’ll find some of the holes.  But if you sit back and enjoy the ride – what a wonderful ride!

I also told this friend that this show was my favorite sitcom.  And yes, the laughs were on purpose.  The situations the characters found themselves in were created and played for laughs.  And the show was filled with one liners as well.  I haven’t laughed at a show as hard as I did here since The Big Bang Theory went off the air.  No, not every episode was a laugh riot, but the laughs were plentiful overall this season.

Now this isn’t to say that we didn’t get more serious character moments.  That was another way the show felt like a return to the earlier, better seasons.  We actually got character growth throughout the season.  In most episodes, each character got a small moment to shine, with one or two doing the heaviest lifting.  It felt like an ensemble, and I felt like I got to know the characters who have been introduced in the last couple of seasons better here than I had when they first showed up.  As a result, I rooted for them more than I had the last two seasons.

Given the premise of this season, it should be no surprise that we spend a lot more time in one year than we have in past seasons, but rest assured that we do find ourselves in other times later in the season.  The hijinks continued no matter what year we were in.

Yes, the show does offer some political opinion a few times throughout the season.  However, I did feel like it was organic to the story that was being told.  I also appreciated that it was only a handful of moments over the course of the season, sometimes just a line or two.  I would have preferred that it was left out, but it didn’t feel like a lecture.

The show hit its 100th episode this season, and they had a great episode that brought back some familiar faces from earlier seasons.

With all this praise, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that I thought the cast was wonderful.  The writers gave them so much to do, and they did it perfectly.  Likewise, the special effects and costumes were wonderful.

Of all the shows that The CW axed this year, this is the one that hurt the most because I was enjoying it against so much.  There’s also the fact that the show ended with yet another cliffhanger (after almost offering up the perfect series finale).  I really need to know what happens to these characters next.  I do feel like, after seven years, we should have gotten a much better ending.  However, I’m willing to overlook that because I had so much fun overall.

The show has always had shorter seasons, so the thirteen episodes we got here feels natural for this fan.  The main storylines for this season were wrapped up nicely here.

If the show had ended after season six, I wouldn’t have minded.  However, after the outstanding season 7, I’m really going to miss Legends of Tomorrow.  If you want something completely different and out there, but with characters you’ll love, this show is for you.

TV Show Review: Batwoman - Season 3

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters and story, Alice

Cons: Still a little dark

The Bottom Line:

A final season

Proves to be Batwoman’s best

Show’s fans will enjoy

“You Are Going to Tell Us What Pam Did with Mary, or This Psycho Killer is Going to Show You What I Can Do with a Lemon Zester.  Trust Me, I’ve Done Worse with Less.”

When season 3 of Batwoman started, I was hoping that show would continue to build on the strengths while avoiding the weaknesses of the first two seasons.  I’m happy to say that the show managed to do just that.

As this season kicks off, some of the trophies that Batman kept from his most famous foes have been stolen and are turning ordinary citizens into new versions of the classic villains.  As a result, Ryan Wilder, aka Batwoman (Javicia Leslie), is having to team up with Alice (Rachel Skarsten) to track them down.  However, things get much more complicated for the team when Mary (Nicole Kang) gets infected with one of the items.

Meanwhile, Ryan makes an unwanted connection when she discovers that her birth mother is business owner Jada Jet (Robin Givens).  Ryan isn’t sure what she wants to do with this information, especially since it means she has a half-brother as well, Marquis (Nick Creegan).  But Marquis isn’t all he appears to be.  Will Ryan’s family distract her when Gotham needs her the most?

With all the storylines going on here, there is plenty to keep us entertained each week, especially since this season only consisted of 13 episodes.  The writers had a goal in mind for all the characters, and they worked hard to get there each episode.  Yes, the climax was a bit rushed, but it wasn’t too bad.

This also meant that we didn’t have room for lectures.  There might have been one or two, but I honestly don’t remember any.  We definitely didn’t have the episodes and storylines just designed to lecture us on the pet social issue of the week, which was a wonderfully refreshing change.  That isn’t to say we didn’t have plenty of lesbian characters/relationships this season, but they were presented in a more organic way.

We did have some dark moments and themes again this season, but it wasn’t as bad as season two.  That made it easier to watch as well.

The effects and stunts were great again this season.  As was the acting.  The entire cast did well, but the standout again was Rachel Skarsten.  Her Alice was a highlight as always.

It really helped this season that we didn’t have the baggage around Kate Kane.  With the focus being solidly on Ryan, we could truly root for her character, and the relationships she’s built with the other characters last season were allowed to grow in logical ways.

This show was part of the blood bath at the CW this season.  While I do find it ironic that the show was cancelled just as I was feeling they were finding their footing, I’m not going to miss it.  This season was good, but it wasn’t outstanding.  The writers did a good job of wrapping up stories and relationships at the end of the season.  Oh, we have enough of a tease about what might happen next to the characters, but it’s not enough of a cliffhanger to make the cancellation hurt.  I mean, you know that Batwoman is going to face new challenges going forward.  That’s no surprise.

If you’ve watched the first two seasons of Batwoman, you’ll definitely want to watch season 3.  If you’ve never gotten into the show, there’s really no reason to change that now.