Luca

First astonishing fact about this film: the main character’s parents aren’t dead. Second...well, there really isn’t anything else astonishing about this flick. It’s cute, reasonably entertaining—my attention did not wander at any point in its running time—visually impressive (though that hardly counts at this point, so refined is the state of the art) and at least a little bit heart-tugging. I doubt this one will ever enter into anyone’s pantheon—the somewhat similar Coco is substantially more memorable—but watching this work can hardly be considered a waste of time. And if you take it as an oblique homage to Italian cinema in general, then that adds a further dimension of pleasure to the experience. Like many a visit to the shore, this is enjoyable but ultimately ephemeral.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

The junior league version of the DC universe gets another outing--and as with many a minor-leaguer, it follows up a great game with a few errors. The humor in this episode doesn’t come across quite as fresh or clever. The impact of a solid cast of characters, all back from the original, is diluted here, And the plot pulls some of its punches, enough to make the stakes less terrifying and more tepid. (Also, what gods? The trio of presumed Olympians is decidedly second-rate. I guess it would have required a Superman flick to get Zeus involved.) So is this one a bad movie? No, that’s a bit too harsh. You don’t have to feel ashamed if you spend a couple of hours with it. And, again, with minor-leaguers, most of the reason you  sign them up is for potential. There’s still some possibilities in this corner of the extended franchise--but the producers had better make sure the next entry is spot on, or audiences will be only too ready to designate this player for assignment to the cinematic version of retirement.

Shazam!

A real surprise. This flick appears at first glance to be a throwaway addition to Warner’s somewhat feeble attempts to build a DC cinematic universe. After all, it features what can best be described as a relatively minor character from the old pages--certainly so for those who are not comic heads from way back. But initial impressions can be deceiving. This movie actually stands as one of the better recent  efforts in the genre--even compared with that other studio’s output. The story here is presented with a lot of humor and charm, and--when you witness the interpersonal dynamics between Billy and his foster family--even a certain amount of beauty. The characters all around are well played and suit their roles in the story exceptionally well. You root for these people, and you care whether or not they triumph the end. Add all that in with some good action, good but not overwhelming special effects, and an excellent supporting role for my native town of Philadelphia, and it all comes together in an unexpectedly uplifting superhero film. Who’d have thunk it? The power word here is...PURR!