It's a bird.. it's a plane..
IT'S SUPERDOG!
Super cute SUPERDOG (and Superman too I guess) - look who’s flying into cinemas this weekend!
Sent to save Earth by the man sent to save the DC Universe, this is Supes through through the eyes of Guardians filmmaker James Gunn, the new Kevin Feige of DC. And with Henry Cavill sidelined for a younger model (David Corenswet) Gunn means to aim straight for the comic book fan core.. and bring in the younger fans with a lighter more crowd-pleasing vibe.. with some help from KRYPTO the Superdog of course (woof woof).
So.. read on my dear film fam for my fulsome review below - after two viewings of this new Superman, the second with the discerning eye of a 12 year old, I feel somewhat qualified to wax lyrical ;)
I also jumped on a cheeky Zoom call with none other than the new Superman himself alongside the spectacular and Marvelous Mrs Maisel Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane) and Brit Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luther). I also had a yarn with James Gunn who is always such a lovely bloke to interview - so much fun all round!
Will chuck those chats up for your viewing pleasure over the weekend.
NEW RELEASE
Superman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Was I pumped to see another Superman? A reboot? One without hot Henry Cavill?
Nup.
The one comfort I had was the James Gunn Factor. I’m a big fan. He infused the MCU with a kinetic heartfelt energy with his Guardians and I totally get why DC poached him to do the same.
This is the DCU’s first big Superman swing post-Snyderverse, and it's aiming not just to impress, but to reset the emotional compass. Can the most famous superhero in the world still surprise us? And after the existential multiverse hangover of recent superhero fare (Thunderbolts* the exception) is Clark Kent the saviour of superhero fatigue?
If anyone can thread that needle — it's Gunn. And this Superman? He’s not here to mope. He’s here to fly.
Enter stage left our newest Super-Actor David Corenswet. Suited, booted and caped he slips seamlessly into Metropolis like he’s been doing it all day ref. It’s ridiculous in fact how Supermanny this new Superman is.
Rachel Brosnahan brings brainy boss energy as Lois Lane and I am totally into her and the genuine chemistry of this iconic hook-up.
Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luther is the perfect mix of ruthless vulnerability who hates on Superman SO bad that its good and I enjoyed his villainy enormously.
Of course we have the usual eclectic Gunn support casting at work as he ropes in a few other caped, masked and winged metahumans to augment Kal El’s world. Brave enough to bring back a Green Lantern hilariously delivered by Nathan Fillion sporting one of the worst bowl cuts ever witnessed on the big screen. We have Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl with her caustic asides AND we have the brilliant Edi Gathegi as Mr Terrific and give that guy his own movie - massive highlight for me (he’s… (yep)… terrific).
And did I mention the pooch? Krypto the Superdog is scruffy, demonically badly behaved and insanely cute. Does he save the day? Maybe?
Story-wise, this feels the closest to a comic book bought to the big screen than we’ve seen for a while. It didn’t feel entirely fresh but it did explore the cool notion of nature vs nurture and becoming the person you’re meant to be under your terms and by making your own choices. Gunn’s take on this superhero is all about reconciling godlike power with everyday humanity and I kinda dig that.
So think less brooding deity, more hopeful boy scout with heat vision - what this Superman is, is OPTIMISTIC, and I really feel like that’s exactly the kind of saving the world needs right now. Going to watch Superman at your nearest and dearest cinema won’t change your life, but it may well make life feel a little more hopeful for a few hours. And what’s not to love about that.
PS: the 12 year old gave Superman a big thumbs up
Jurassic World: Rebirth
I reviewed the new dinos along with Brad in F1 on TVNZ Breakfast and with my main man Mulligan on RNZ Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan.. so click to take your pick!
Jesse Mulligan on RNZ.. Jurassic World: Rebirth and a preview of the NZIFF program…
And here again with Jesse we chat F1 and kiwi film Kōkā..
SHE’S HERE SHE’S THERE SHE’S EVERY F**KING WHERE!
It’s been a little insane of late and I feel a little like the shiny wee ball in a pinball machine violently pinging from one thing to the next. The past month has been a flurry of corporate conference and awards night hosting plus a potpourri of radio with my film reviews and pop culture round-up with Jesse on RNZ, co-hosting The Breeze Blockbuster 50 with Mike Puru and this week hosting The Breeze night show. I even popped onto the panel for my mate Ryan Bridge’s new NZME breakfast program Herald NOW alongside the lovely Phil Goff.
My super fun film chats on TVNZ Breakfast continue and then last week the crazy cats at Seven Sharp called me up and sent me out with Tory the Terrific Camera Queen to hang with these classic kiwi kids and tell the story of their awesome music school at the Ōtara Music Arts Centre.
Our story aired on the night of the one year anniversary of our final Newshub programme and that felt weird, but also kinda cool? The world is a funny old place and I feel so bloody grateful to still be able to do the things I love :)
Click below to have a gander - they’re so damn cute!
My Seven Sharp Story on the Sistema Aotearoa Music School
OK I’ve been so slack lately so time to hit PUBLISH! Let me know what you’ve been bingeing the hell out of coz I’m in a little lull tbh. I will review the new Netflix Sam Neill and Eric Bana binge called Untamed when the embargo lifts and I have also just dived into the Argentinian Netflix show The Eternaut thanks to a rec from my mate Dan who can always be trusted in these things - I shall report back once I’m further in! Meantime Max and I are have JUST watched the finale of Season 3 of Lost - only three more to go ha ha (we LOVE it!!).
Stay safe and stay well out there film fam, I’ll be back shortly with a FULSOME bag of picks for the Whānau Mārama NZ International Film Festival - hope you’ve got your programme at the ready! And remember.. It's never as bad as it seems. You're much stronger than you think you are.
KRxx
Kate, can you let us know about any cheerful films in the NZIFF line-up? I grabbed the programme the day it came out, but just got more and more depressed as I read through endless descriptions like 'powerful' and 'tense' and 'unsettling' and 'raw' and 'exploration of loneliness' (which seems to be this year's NZIFF theme) and 'stark'. I'm already incredibly tense and completely unsettled, and right now the only Stark I need is Tony. I'm ready to pay a ridiculous amount (for a single viewer) to Netflix just to get access to 'My Mom Jayne' and 'K-Pop Demon Hunters'. I don't even like K-Pop, but it sounds like actual fun.
Thanks for the endorsement of Superman! It also sounds like as tho it won't cause me to sit in the car afterwards too depressed to even drive.
I think you're spot on in saying that Superman's optimism is the right tone for the times. I'm so glad DC has rocketed out of the bleak Snyderverse. Am excited to go see it.