Superman

James Gunn is at the forefront of a new dawn for superhero movies. His movies are funny, sentimental, and most importantly, filled to the brim with charm—Superman being no exception. The core theme of Superman, hope, is not lost here—through a vibrant color palette, exciting action sequences, a striking connection to the real world, and a myriad of interesting characters—it establishes itself as having all the right set pieces for a truly unique, new-age superhero film. In theory. Despite having so many shining stars at their disposal, the narrative often feels misguided, unengaging, and at certain points, rushed. All of the aforementioned aspects beg for screentime; it nearly seems as if the movie is physically unable to keep up. It is filled to the brim with major moments that do not feel earned, before promptly proceeding to the next. There is a lot of charm and heart in this movie, but it never takes the time to properly examine and analyze what makes it so special in the first place. A tall tale, with shallow notes. It's okay.