Shazam!: Impish, Upbeat -- I'm Liking It!

Movie Review: Shazam! (2019)
Version: Library Blu-Ray borrow

Shazam! is a new kind of superhero movie, fashioned out of comic books first published in the 1940's and over time morphed by DC Comics into something of a wink and a nod to what you think of today as the persona of a Superman or a Batman. Its greatest feature is its impish, upbeat sense of humor. I'm really liking it!

Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel) is an orphaned boy who has grown up trying to find his idealized mother, living in and out of well meaning but not-making-it Philadelphia foster families. Most refuse to deal with him but in his latest family he finds foster parents and foster siblings who won't give up on him and an incorrigible new friend in Freddy (played by Jack Dylan Grazer) who helps him discover his amazing new powers. Taken to an underground lair by Wizard Shazam to become the champion to keep the seven evil powers in check, twelve year old Billy is selected to protect the world, but the wizard gives him no instructions. Meanwhile, a previous candidate to be champion, Dr. Sivana (played by Mark Strong), who was denied, returns and is chosen by the seven evil powers to be their champion. This is when the heart of the movie takes off.

A fun part of the film is Freddy helping Billy figure out what his powers are. The two twelve-year-olds do what twelve-year-olds would do testing ideas, some good some not so good. Billy proclaims the wizard's name, "Shazam!" to become the superhero or to return to himself, as he and Freddy try to figure out how to live out the dream life of a kid being a superhero. They learn he can't fly, falling flat on his face, but that he is impervious to pain. In fact, the two sneaking out of the foster care house late at night and going to a convenience store, stop an armed robbery. As part of their discovery process they tease the robbers into shooting Billy, watching the bullets bounce off. "It kinda tickles," Billy giggles. There is all kinds of silliness between the two new buddies as the movie fully explores this relationship, and it works.

Eventually Dr. Sivana shows up to challenge Billy. And the two are of equal power. This contest puts everyone connected with Billy in danger, so while Billy originally just sloughs it off he finally realizes he has to take it serious. This is where the fun wears off. The movie drags on as it takes an enormous amount of time to resolve the conflict between Dr. Sivana and Billy. Honestly, they could have done it in half the time. As is, they cheapened the charm.

What the superhero movie genre needed was a sense of humor after taking itself too seriously for too long, and Shazam! fits the bill just great. (Just next time, guys, resolve the conflict more quickly, OK?)

Kingsmen: The Golden Circle: Brilliant but Unfortunately Not Suitable for All Audiences

Movie Review: Kingsmen: The Golden Circle (2017)
Version: Library borrow

The second movie in the Kingsmen franchise, The Golden Circle, is brilliant. But unfortunately it isn't for everyone. Certain language and a very explicit sexual scene make sure of that. Adult supervision is strongly advised during the music festival scene! If you're okay with strong language and you can keep the kids out of the room during the music festival scene, then teens might get through this otherwise fun, action-packed film unscathed.

Julianne Moore plays a drug lord who has tainted the world's supply of recreational drugs with a toxin that over time renders users first silly, then crazy, then paralyzed, then dead -- unless the United States gives in to her demands to legalize all drugs. Then she will release an antidote with immediate results to rescue the world's population of drug users. And it turns out, it affects people of all walks of life, including the president's chief of staff, a Kingsman's love interest, most of the world's population, and best of all, entertainer/song writer Elton John, who steals the show near the end.

The Kingsmen become involved when Moore's character, Poppy, blows up their headquarters in London and elsewhere. The only Kingsmen left are Eggsy (played once again by Taron Egerton) and Merlin (played again by Mark Strong). A clue leads them to a whiskey distillery in Kentucky, where they discover a "cousin" organization called The Statesmen. They meet a group of very erstwhile American agents, including leader Champ (played by Jeff Bridges), Tequila (played by Channing Tatum), and Whiskey (played by Pedro Pascal), whom they enlist in the battle against Moore's drug empire known as The Golden Circle. The Statesman's version of Merlin is Ginger (played by Halle Berry). An added interesting twist, Poppy has enlisted the help of Charlie (played by Edward Holcroft), one of the Kingsmen enlistees who didn't make it in the last movie. Colin Firth returns as Harry, rescued and resuscitated by The Statesmen but not knowing who he was.

For every Kingsmen British skill and tool, there is a Statesmen American equivalent in this movie, making for an entertaining match up as the story plays out. Umbrellas and suitcases give way to whips and lassos, stylish bowlers give way to Stetsons, broughams give way to cowboy boots, and on and on. But what they all have in common is their flair for quick action and well honed technique. From the beginning to end of the film, there is action. And just for added fun, Elton John gets to throw in a high-air karate kick during a rescue-scene sequence at Poppy's Cambodian lair. It's worth watching the movie just to see that!

So much imagination went into the making of this film. Not just the sets in London and surrounding countryside, but also making the Kentucky distillery look amazing. And then Poppy's lair is just out of this world incredible! Add to that the CGI for robotics and the special effects for the car chase scenes! Then the attention to detail for the fight scenes. For an examination of all that, make sure you get the Blue-Ray version, which includes an Extras section that lasts well over an hour -- there is so much there to see and absorb in that section alone!

My uptake for this film is, if you can take the more than occasional f-bomb throughout this film, and if you aren't squeamish about the explicit sexual scene during the music festival, see Kingsman: The Golden Circle. It's really quite brilliant, as the Brits like to say.