Things have never been worse for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as so-called "superhero fatigue" has seemingly taken over the moviegoing audience. That is, until earlier this month when rival DC Studios rejuvenated the box office with James Gunn's take on "Superman," a movie that has gotten raves from critics and audiences alike, and has grossed (at the time of this writing) nearly half a billion dollars at the box office.

Maybe it wasn't "superhero fatigue," but Marvel burnout instead?

With the odds stacked against them, Marvel relies on one of their oldest superhero groups to finally right the ship...and wouldn't you know, the Fantastic Four save the day.

Superman is not just an alien, he's from another time. And until James Gunn's "Superman," no other filmmaker has had the courage to lean into what has made him one of the most - if not the most - aspirational character in the history of American fiction.

A key question one must ask themselves when going into a "Jurassic Park" movie is: What do I truly expect? Expectations - and where we set them - play a major part in how we experience any film. Sometimes, aiming too high can almost guarantee disappointment. That's not to excuse a movie that sets a low bar for itself...rather an acknowledgement that much of our reaction depends on the mindset we bring to the theater.

Taking into consideration that the first "Jurassic Park" movie was a ground-breaking, earth-shattering blockbuster and a global phenomenon - and considering just how TERRIBLE many of the sequels have been - it's safe to say that "Jurassic World: Rebirth" is a bona fide success. It draws on our nostalgia without feeling manipulative. It simplifies things to the core of what made the first one a hit, without merely trying to recreate it.

You could say - in a fitting parallel to the film's plot - that this installment extracts a bit of the original's DNA, in a noble attempt to finally do something worthwhile with it.

The mere mention of the word "Pixar" used to bring with it an expectation of exceptionalism. And while the studio still is capable of producing magic from time to time (see last year's "Inside Out 2"), "Elio" contains very little of it. 

When it comes to myth-making in modern cinema, no character in the past decade rivals the legend of John Wick. Across four films, Wick (Keanu Reeves) has racked up a body count that challenges the highest in cinematic history. With action sequences and production values that have set a new standard for the genre, the John Wick series has become the benchmark other action films aspire to reach.

Branching off from this success comes "Ballerina" (technically titled "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina"), featuring a character that Wick crossed paths with back in "John Wick: Chapter Three - Parabellum." Eve (Ana de Armas) is more than just a female version of John Wick, and while "Ballerina" stumbles out of the gate, it eventually finds its footing and earns its place in the John Wick cinematic universe.

It would be impossible to overstate Tom Cruise's impact on Hollywood. A bona fide mega-star, one of the finest actors of his generation and a certifiable mad-man when it comes to the Mission: Impossible movies.

With "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," we are now eight movies deep into this unlikely franchise...and it feels more like a long-winded farewell rather than going out with a bang. It was of course based on the popular TV series that aired in the late 1960s-early 1970s, but Tom Cruise and his undeniable drive, charisma and vision is what initially propelled the first film in the franchise into a box office smash...propelling the rest of the films to push the boundaries of what an action movie is capable of.

The first seven films have grossed over 4 billion dollars at the box office, and we arrive at "The Final Reckoning" with the loftiest of expectations both financially and creatively. Can it possibly live up to the previous chapters? Will Tom Cruise - like he did with "Top Gun: Maverick" back in 2022 - rejuvenate the movie business and instill a boost of much-needed confidence into a once-again struggling industry?

"Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" is a difficult movie to assign a letter grade to. It's by no means a bad movie, although it may be the weakest entry in the series. Its third act is exhilarating and on par with anything the franchise has given us to date, but those first two hours are a slog. 

I can deal with "implausible"...let's face it...implausibility has been baked into the formula of this series from the very beginning. But the choppy, overcomplicated first two hours feels like a missed opportunity.

There's little question that "Thunderbolts*" is one of the better Marvel films of the past few years...but that's a very low bar to clear.

Taking a cue from the legendary film critic Roger Ebert, all movies should be judged "relative to genre," meaning we shouldn't, say, put "The Minecraft Movie" on the same grading scale as "The Godfather."

With that in mind, "Thunderbolts*" may feel a bit more inspired than recent Marvel movies. But even accepting it for what it is - a teen-targeted superhero team movie - any praise quickly crumbles when you hold up against nearly any other film in the same category. I'll explain.

Horror films rarely resonate as award-worthy movies...not to mention how rare it is to see any Spring release at all turn up on a "Best of" list come year-end. That's what makes "Sinners" such a rarity. Not only is it one of the best mainstream horror films in years, it's already one of the year's best films. In fact, I can't think of a scenario where it wouldn't be on my personal "Best Movies of 2025" list.

It's well-made, well-acted and features one of the most kick-ass scores - and scenes - you'll ever witness. While the plot, characters and devices aren't wholly original, it's mashed together with such conviction that it feels wholly original. And it's not easy for a movie to work simultaneously on many different levels, but "Sinners" does. It can be enjoyed by horror enthusiasts, as popcorn entertainment or as a good date night out. But its complex themes can also be dissected by film critics and historians, made in a way where multiple viewings might be required to pick up on every nuance or metaphor.

Make no mistake, "Sinners" is bold and bloody, and bound to bring comparisons to Robert Rodriguez's "From Dusk Till Dawn" as it seems to shift midway through from intriguing drama to gory vampire romp. But it's far from mindless...you'll be thinking about this one for a long time afterwards.

When a movie based on the popular sandbox video game "Minecraft" was announced nearly a decade ago, fans cheered. Moments later, many of them thought, "Wait...what?"

Despite it's tremendous worldwide popularity - it is in fact the #1 best-selling video game of all time, outselling even games like Super Mario Bros. and Tetris - its open-world format doesn't necessarily come with a minable (pun intended) storyline suitable for a feature film. How would a Minecraft movie even work? What would it be about?

Well, now we know. And the result is that "A Minecraft Movie" isn't all bad, in that it's a complete romp that both makes fun of and honors the blocky-universe it is based on. It's silly, ridiculous and ends up being a bit better than it has any business being. Albeit, it was a very low bar...video game movies have generally been awful, and expectations were minimal.

​Ironically, it's the hard-core Minecraft gamer, not the casual movie-goer, that may take issue with this movie the most. In aiming it at the masses, it obviously becomes a more accessible movie, but it simultaneously risks losing the adoration of those that made it popular in the first place.

A lot has been said about the one-of-a-kind comedian Andy Kaufman. But somehow, the new documentary about his life, "Thank You Very Much," seems to put a fresh spin on what we've come to know, while also examining the methods of his madness.