Supergirl

The DC Universe was rebooted in 2025 with Superman. While the film had it’s flaws, it did signify a new and promising era for the comic book series. When it was announced that Supergirl would be getting the big screen treatment next, and that Milly Alcock would be in the starring role, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I loved her work on both House of the Dragon and Sirens – to see her featured in one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters was going to be a treat.

Forced to leave her home and family behind on Krypton, Kara Zor-El (Alcock) has a major chip on her shoulder. Her only confidante is her dog Krypto. Spending most of her time planet hopping and drinking to numb her feelings, Kara is simply just trying to get through the day to day. When Krypto is poisoned, Kara reluctantly teams up with Ruthye (Eve Ridley), whose family was killed by the same creatures, to get revenge.

I wanted so badly to enjoy this film, but there were so many things about it that just didn’t work. Alcock was perhaps the only bright spot throughout. She had the whole wounded and moody thing down pat and I really felt for her. The relationship she shared with Krypto was also a delight to watch; nothing can come between a girl and her dog after all. But the rest of the cast came up short for me. Ridley didn’t make a big enough splash. I actually found her to be a bit annoying in some scenes. As nice as it was to see David Corenswet reprise his role as Clark Kent, he was more on the sidelines this time around and therefore didn’t have much impact. Jason Momoa had his grand return to DC as Lobo and while I was initially curious about his character, I soon realized that he was a bit too cartoonlike for my taste. And don’t even get me started on Matthias Schoenaerts who portrayed villain Krem. While he looked the look, he did not talk the talk. I found him to be quite one-dimensional and not scary at all.

The storyline was also uninspired. Visiting different planets and meeting new beings should be fun, but this felt exhausting. They were jumping around so much, it was hard for me to keep track. It also didn’t help that the writing wasn’t up to standard. Additionally, there were some very obvious CGI sequences that took me out of it completely. I understand that a film taking place in space means I need to suspend some disbelief, but this was too much. At least it had a killer soundtrack.

I am not sure why Supergirl went so wrong when it had all the ingredients it needed to be right. It just lacked so much of that magic I look for when watching a superhero film and I kept wondering when it would be over. I’m not ready to write the DCU off just yet, but I am unsure of it’s next venture at this point.

Rating: ♥️♥️

Slumberland

For as long as she’s been alive, it was Nemo (Marlow Barkley) and her father Peter (Kyle Chandler) against the world. Living in a lighthouse on a little island, they didn’t need anyone else but each other. So when Peter is lost at sea one night after a horrific storm, Nemo’s life is turned upside down. Having to leave behind the only home she’s ever known, she goes to live with her uncle Phillip (Chris O’Dowd) in the big city. Adjusting to her new normal is no easy feat; all she wants is to be reunited with her dad. That dream becomes a reality when, at night, she finds herself in Slumberland, a magical place where anything is possible.

I was originally going to give this film a miss, simply because when it came out, I had four other movies I needed to watch. But then I found myself with nothing to do this weekend, I figured why not check it out after all? The premise sounded interesting enough, it was filmed in Toronto and Jason Momoa was in it. That seemed like more than enough reasons for me.

The cinematography was stunning. The various locations that Nemo visited on her dream quest were ever-changing. They always offered something new and exciting and I’d find myself wondering where we would be transported to next. Larger than life outlaw Flip (Momoa) not only served as a guide to Nemo, but also helmed a colorful cast of characters.

What I thought would be an average run of the mill movie about a girl on an adventure soon turned into something else entirely. Yes, a large part of the film is just that, but there was more to it too. At the end of the day, Slumberland is about loss and how we deal with it. As a child, it’s difficult enough formulating thoughts and feelings, but learning how to deal when someone we love is no longer with us is a completely different matter. Unfortunately I could relate to Nemo all too well as I also lost a parent when I was young. Perhaps if a movie like Slumberland had been around for me at the time, it would have helped me.

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

It’s no secret that I am total DC trash. I have always preferred DC to Marvel and it’s not just because Batman was my favorite character growing up. Despite the fact that they still need to find their footing, I am constantly looking forward to the newest installments and I believe they have a lot of potential. So, when I heard that Zack Snyder was releasing his cut of Justice League, I was stoked. Even I can admit that the 2017 Joss Whedon version left a lot to be desired. This was a chance at redemption and I loved absolutely everything about it.

Following Superman’s (Henry Cavill) self sacrifice, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists the help of Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to put together a team of superheroes in order to save the planet from new foe Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds). Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) are recruited to form The Justice League. If they want to be successful, they need to get Superman back – and that’s just the start of their problems.

This movie is long. At a whopping four hours and two minutes, I think it is the longest superhero movie I have ever seen. But that is how it needed to be. Having all this extra time really allowed for storylines to be fleshed out more. Details here are vital and that is something we missed out on the first time around.

Not only that, but every single character had a strong backstory. This change gave us better insight into characters that we didn’t know much about before, like Cyborg and The Flash, for example. Nobody was left out and it was great to see more interaction between everyone too. The Flash in particular was an absolute stand out. He brought some much needed comic relief in the otherwise dark setting and I really hope he gets his solo film now.

The effects seemed like they had stepped up a notch and the overall atmosphere was much darker. I liked that because it fit the story and overall DC feel that way. I also loved the music choices throughout. They weren’t overdone, however when they were used, fit perfectly.

I truly believe that Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a masterpiece. I’m forever grateful that he decided to give the fans this gift. He really does have an amazing understanding on the DC universe and I hope there is a sequel (with him on the helm) in the future.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5