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Justice League

  • Title: Justice League
  • IMDb: link

Justice League movie reviewBuilt from the worst foundation possible laid by the disastrous Man of Steel and the trainwreck which was Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s a wonder that Justice League is even watchable let alone entertaining. Don’t get me wrong, the latest from “visionary” director Zack Snyder is beset with multiple problems, but thankfully being a dumpster fire isn’t one of them. Despite issues with character, plot, editing, acting, and cinematography, Justice League does produce a flawed yet entertaining film bringing DC heroes together against a common threat. It’s not the follow-up to Wonder Woman DC fans were hoping for, but it’s a fair bit better than I expected from Zack Snyder and company.

The threat chosen by the four (count them four) credited screenwriters is the film’s first major obstacle. A C-List villain at best, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), a poor stand-in for the more imposing Darkseid, is almost entirely forgettable while his plans for uniting three disco cubes to destroy the Earth is goofy as hell. At least his legion of fear-eating Parademons gives someone for Batman (Ben Affleck) to hit (as the Dark Knight is pretty impotent against the big guy).

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Supergirl – Midvale

  • Title: Supergirl – Midvale
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - Midvale TV review

Alex‘s (Chyler Leigh) recent break-up leads Kara (Melissa Benoist) to take her sister home to Midvale in an episode that gives us our first real look at a teenage Kara struggling with her new life on Earth. Izabela Vidovic and Olivia Nikkanen are cast as the younger version of the two characters in this Smallville-ish episode that even contains a reference to Clark’s computer-wiz friend Chloe. It’s a nice change of pace episode, and allows both characters time to deal with their recent loss, but it also pretty by-the-book and reminds us how lucky we are that the show chose to begin with an adult Kara rather than offering yet another awkward teen coming-of-age super-hero story.

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Supergirl – Damage

  • Title: Supergirl – Damage
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - Damage television review

Kevin Smith returns to direct another episode of Supergirl. While the episode’s final B-story finally deals with the long-teased break-up of Alex (Chyler Leigh) and Maggie (Floriana Lima), in a very grown-up manner, the episode’s B-story feels a bit more like a comic book as Moran Edge (Adrian Pasdar) returns to take some revenge. While the show eventually dumped plans for Maxwell Lord to play a larger role as a Lex Luthor stand-in, with “Damages” the show’s writers go all-in on Edge as he uses the media to paint Lena Luther (Katie McGrath) as a dangerous industrialist responsible for the lead poisoning causing health issues in several of National City’s children.

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Thor: Ragnarok

  • Title: Thor: Ragnarok
  • IMDb: link

Thor: Ragnarok movie reviewMarvel has struggled with creating a consistent and fully-realized film for either Thor or the Hulk. Sure Thor is okay. And The Incredible Hulk is fine, but neither is likely your favorite Marvel movie. The solution to throw the two together with a Ragnarok (end of Asgard)/Planet Hulk mash-up proves to be just what the doctor ordered. Oh, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is here, too. Thor: Ragnarok marks the first time in four films that Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has actually been more interesting than Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Don’t get me wrong, Hiddleston is still charming as hell, but taking Thor away from Earth and (mostly) Asgard frees the character up considerably for one hell of a fun ride that rivals Guardians of the Galaxy for Marvel Studios’ best space adventure.

After defeating the creature prophesied to bring about Ragnarok, Thor returns home only to find Loki (disguised as their father) ruling Asgard. Without giving too much away, the pair head out to find Odin (Anthony Hopkins) only to run into the sister (Cate Blanchett) they never knew existed and get banished to the far end of the universe on a gladiator-style planet run by a smarmy Jeff Goldblum.

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Supergirl – The Faithful

  • Title: Supergirl – The Faithful
  • wiki: link

“They’re praying to me.”

Supergirl - The Faithful television review

Faith can make a powerful ally, and an even more powerful enemy. In a world of super-powered individuals it would only be a matter of time before someone would begin worshiping a hero as something far more. In the “Faithful,” Kara (Melissa Benoist) is far from pleased to discover someone she saved two yeas ago has started a cult to worship the Kryptionian god Rao and, more specifically, Supergirl. Targeting those who have been saved by National City’s hero, the group grows and individuals wanting to feel a part of something even put themselves (and others) in danger in order to be saved. The fact that the man truly believes what he is doing is right, and sees through her alter-ego, only further complicates things.

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