Philadelphia Archives – CULTURE MIX

Review: ‘Here’ (2024), starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright

November 2, 2024

by Carla Hay

Robin Wright and Tom Hanks in “Here” (Photo courtesy of TriStar Pictures)

“Here” (2024)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Culture Representation: Taking place in Philadelphia from 1503 to 2022, the dramatic film “Here” (based on the graphic novel of the same name) features a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few Native Americans and African Americans) representing the working-class and middle-class.

Culture Clash: The movie’s story shows what happens on a section of land through various centuries, including the conflicts and challenges of families who lived in a house that was built on the land in 1907.

Culture Audience: “Here” will appeal mainly to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and don’t mind experimental movies that are dull and disjointed.

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright (center) in “Here” (Photo courtesy of TriStar Pictures)

“Here” is an overinflated bore that should have been a brief visual arts installation instead of a feature-length movie. The story is too fragmented for character development. The visual effects make real people look like video game characters. “Here” has a much-hyped reunion of the director and the two main stars of the Oscar-winning 1994 blockbuster “Forrest Gump” for an entirely different story, but this reunion in “Here” fizzles instead of sizzles. “Here” had its world premiere at the 2024 edition of AFI Fest.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis (who co-wrote the “Here” screenplay with “Forrest Gump” screenwriter Eric Roth), “Here” is adapted from Richard McGuire’s 2014 graphic novel of the same name. “Forrest Gump” co-stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, who played a couple with a troubled relationship in “Forrest Gump,” also portray a couple with a troubled relationship in “Here.” The story concept of “Here” is simple, but it’s difficult to make a meaningful movie out of it. That’s because the story structure (which takes place over multiple centuries) is constructed as visual snippets of the lives of people who occupied a particular section of land in what would become the U.S. city of Philadelphia.

“Here” begins with eye-rolling pretentiousness by showing this section of land during an era when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Dinosaurs are seen galloping and charging through this land. During this brief part of “Here,” people might be wondering, “What is this? A dinosaur movie?” A montage then shows changing seasons and how the land evolved over the next centuries.

And then, the movie’s story officially begins in 1503, when an oak tree sapling begins to grow. The movie later shows that the oak tree was cut down in 1899. In 1907, a Cape Cod-styled house was built where the oak tree used to be.

Some people who hear about this movie might have the wrong impression that “Here” only shows the interior of a house’s family living room throughout various decades. That’s only partially true. Although the majority of “Here” consists of the interior living room scenes, the movie has many scenes that take place outdoors, before this house was built in 1907. These pre-1907 outdoor scenes are ultimately unnecessary and distracting.

These pre-1907 scenes take place in the section of land when it was an undeveloped wooded area. In 1609 and 1610, an unnamed man (played by Joel Oulette) and an unnamed woman (played by Dannie McCallum), who are both Native American, become a couple and have a baby. Their “courtship” consists of the man giving the woman a handmade necklace. That is all you will learn about this couple in this dreadfully shallow movie.

The couple is only shown hanging out in this wooded area. You don’t get to see where they live for shelter. You don’t get to see their personalities. You don’t get to see how they raise their child. You don’t get to see anything about their tribe or community. And you don’t even get to see them talk, because the “Here” filmmakers decided that the Native American characters needed to be completely mute in this movie.

Depriving these Native American characters of names and dialogue just reeks of filmmaker condescension, as if just showing these Native Americans in a few short-lived moments is enough to fulfill diversity requirements. It’s an appallingly tone-deaf approach to diversity. And it’s an example of how underrepresented people are often presented as “inferior” or “less than” the demographics who get the most screen time and dialogue in the average Hollywood studio movie.

“Here” also has intermittent scenes taking place in the 1700s to show portions of the life of Benjamin Franklin (played by Keith Bartlett), his wife Elizabeth Franklin (played by Leslie Zemeckis), their son William Franklin (played by Daniel Betts) and William’s son Billy Franklin (played by Alfie Todd). “Here” isn’t a biopic of the Benjamin Franklin family, so these scenes look jarringly out-of-place, especially since “Here” does a lot of non-chronological timeline jumping.

One minute, there could be a scene taking place in the house in the 20th century. The next minute, there could be a scene taking place in the wooded area before the house was built. There are superficial references to the Revolutionary War in the Benjamin Franklin family scenes. You will not be getting any history lessons from watching this movie.

In “Here,” Hanks and Wright portray a longtime married couple named Richard “Ricky” Young and Margaret Young. Most people who want to watch “Here” for the scenes with Hanks and Wright will be disappointed to see that these two stars are only in about half of the movie. The other scenes are for the characters who are in various timelines. Some of these other characters are family members of Richard and Margaret, while most of the other characters do not know the Young family at all.

Here are the characters who live in this house at various times:

Married couple John Harter (played by Gwilym Lee) and Pauline Harter (played by Michelle Dockery) are the house’s first residents in 1907. John really wants the house and persuades a reluctant Pauline that they should buy the house. John is enthusiastic about being a private airplane pilot in his spare time, so he later mortgages the house to buy a small airplane. John’s airplane pilot activities cause tension in the marriage because Pauline thinks it’s a dangerous hobby. Pauline is particularly upset when she finds out that John took their daughter (born in 1911) on the plane with him for a short ride.

Leo Beekman (played by David Fynn) and Stella Beekman (played by Ophelia Lovibond) are a free-spirited, childless married couple who live in the house from 1925 to 1944. The scenes with the Beekmans are competently acted but have no real emotional connection to the rest of the movie. All you will learn about this couple is that they have a fixation on a reclining, swiveling chair that they call a “relaxy boy chair,” and at one point in time Leo took partially nude photos of Stella to make some extra money.

Al Young (played by Paul Bettany) and his pregnant wife Rose Young (played by Kelly Reilly) move into the house in 1945. At the time, Al is 22 years old and a World War II veteran. It’s later shown that Al has undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and he abuses alcohol as a way to cope with his mental illness. Al has a moody personality that becomes volatile when he’s drunk. Rose is a dutiful and passive wife who has to cope with Al’s unpredictable mood swings.

Al, who grew up during the Great Depression, is constantly worried about money, which is why he took a stable job as a corporate salesperson. Their first child Richard, nicknamed Ricky, is born shortly after they move into the house in 1945. Al and Rose eventually have two other children: Elizabeth (born in 1950) and Jimmy (born in 1952). When Richard is about 16 years old, Al loses his job and has a period of unemployment, which causes turmoil in the marriage of Al and Rose.

Various performers depict the children of Al and Rose, at various stages of the children’s lives. The role of underage Richard is portrayed by Ellis Grunsell, Teddy Russell, Finn Guegan and Callum Macreadie. Lauren McQueen has the role of young adult Elizabeth, while Grace Lyra, Jemima Macintyre, Billie Gadsdon and Beau Gadsdon portray Elizabeth as an underage child. Harry Marcus has the role of young adult Jimmy, while Diego Scott, Logan Challis and Albie Salter portray Jimmy as an underage child.

Richard is very artistic and shows from a young age that he has a talent for drawing and painting. He especially likes to make portraits of his loved ones. Richard wants to be a graphic designer, but Al discourages this career and tells Richard that Richard should choose a profession that has more financial stability and requires wearing a suit in an office.

At 18 years old, Richard (played by Hanks) and his 17-year-old girlfriend Margaret (played by Wright) are in love with each other. The first time that Richard brings Margaret to his house to meet his family, she makes a good impression. Rose tells Margaret that Rose regrets giving up a career as a bookkeeper to become a homemaker. Rose advises Margaret to not make the same mistake and to pursue any career path that Margaret wants to have.

One night, when Richard and Margaret are alone in the living room, they have sex on the living room couch. She gets pregnant from this encounter. Richard and Margaret then have a quickie wedding in the living room in April 1964. In case viewers don’t know it’s 1964 in this scenes, the movie makes a point of showing that during the wedding ceremony, the TV in the living room is tuned in to the Beatles performing on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

In September 1964, Richard and Margaret’s first and only child Vanessa is born. Richard puts aside his dream to become a graphic designer and takes a job as a life insurance salesman to support his family, as they continue to live in this house that is owned by Al and Rose. Vanessa as a child is portrayed by Albie Mander, Eloise Ferreira, Eliza Daley, Elodie Crapper and Faith Delaney. Vanessa as a young adult is portrayed by Zsa Zsa Zemeckis.

Richard and Margaret are loving and devoted parents to Vanessa, but trouble is brewing in the marriage, beginning in the marriage’s early years. Richard keeps postponing plans for him and Margaret to get their own home because he says they can’t afford it. Margaret, who is a homemaker, offers to get a part-time job to help with the expenses, but Richard wants to be the only income earner for their family. Adding to the marital strain, someone in the Young family has a major health crisis in 1979.

While all of these issues are going on in the Young family, “Here” abruptly cuts in and out to scenes that happen before and after the Young family members are living in that house. It’s later revealed that someone in the Young family sold the house in 2005, but Richard and Margaret go back to visit the house in 2022, when the house is up for sale again. This visit is not spoiler information because it’s in the trailer for “Here.”

In 2015, a family of three move into the house: Devon Harris (played by Nicholas Pinnock), his wife Helen Harris (played by Nikki Amuka-Bird); and their teenage son Justin Harris (played by Cache Vanderpuye), who is a high school student. The Harris family has a housekeeper named Raquel (played by Anya Marco-Harris), who gets COVID-19 in November 2020. Don’t expect to learn much more about this family.

Just like in the scenes with the Native Americans, “Here” clumsily handles the scenes with characters who aren’t white. The Harris family scenes have a racially condescending tone to them because the most memorable scenes with the Harris family have to do with pointing out that this family is African American. When the Harris family first moves into the house, Devon comments on how this house probably used to be owned years ago by people who never thought a black family would live there. Later, “Here” has a scene where Justin gets a family talk about how to deal with racist police officers.

“Here” is so enamored with its concept of “scenes (mostly) from a living room,” this ultimately flat and listless movie fails to explore deeper issues and refuses to answer inevitable questions. One of the biggest unanswered questions is: Why is married Richard so stubborn about living with his parents when he knows it makes his wife unhappy?

Richard took a job as a life insurance salesperson so that he could support his family, but obviously the job doesn’t pay enough for him to feel financially independent. It’s not as if Richard and Margaret have several children to financially support. They only have one child. This isn’t a situation where Richard and Margaret stayed in his parents’ house for a few years after their marriage. They stayed for several years.

After a while, it just doesn’t ring true that Richard (who lives rent-free in his parents’ house) isn’t making enough money to save for a down payment and mortgage on a small house for his family of three. Richard doesn’t have any addiction or spending problems that would explain why he keeps using the excuse that he can’t afford to buy a home of his own. By having Richard and Margaret “stuck” in the house for more years than what Margaret wants, it looks like a very contrived reason for the couple’s marital strife.

And speaking of things that look phony, the de-aging visual effects in “Here” are not entirely convincing, especially in scenes with Hanks, Wright and Bettany portraying characters who are supposed to be younger than 25. The faces don’t look natural. And neither do many of the body movements.

The best aspects of “Here” have to do with the movie’s production design, which looks meticulously accurate for each era that is depicted. There are some scenes where the background of the living room is clearly not real but is the creation of computer-generated imagery (CGI), making it obvious that “Here” blurs the lines between real production design and CGI design. The movie’s costume design is quite notable. However, production design and costume design are not enough to make a good movie.

“Here” undoubtedly has a very talented cast, but they are restricted by having characters with personalities that lack depth and have scenes that are cut too short and edited in an off-putting way. If “Here” had omitted everything that happened before the house was built and just focused on the two most interesting families who lived in the house, then “Here” might have been a meaningful film. As it stands, “Here” is a fairly ambitious experiment that is a failed experiment because of muddled storytelling that is in service of soulless visual effects.

TriStar Pictures released “Here” in U.S. cinemas on November 1, 2024.

Review: ‘Trap” (2024), starring Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Alison Pill

August 1, 2024

by Carla Hay

Josh Hartnett and Ariel Donoghue in “Trap” (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

“Trap” (2024)

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Culture Representation: Taking place in the Philadelphia area, the dramatic thriller “Trap” features a predominantly white cast of characters (with some African Americans and Asians) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.

Culture Clash: A serial killer takes his daughter to a pop star’s arena concert and tries to evade law enforcement who have set a trap for him at the concert.

Culture Audience: “Trap” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, star Josh Hartnett, and crime thrillers, but the movie has plot twists that are too ridiculous to take.

Saleka Shyamalan in “Trap” (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

“Trap” is an apt title for yet another M. Night Shyamalan movie that traps viewers into a “bait and switch” plot that takes a disappointing detour into stupidity. This is not a horror movie. This is a half-baked thriller and nepotism project. That’s because Saleka Shyamalan (one of M. Night Shyamalan’s children) is in this movie which seems to be an excuse to try and launch her music career.

Saleka Shyamalan portays a Lady Gaga type of pop star named Lady Raven in “Trap.” Saleka Shyamalan does her own singing on the several generic pop songs that she co-wrote for the movie. In the production notes for “Trap,” M. Night Shyamalan says, “Although we set out to create Lady Raven, a fictional pop star, it started with letting Saleka write, produce and record an album.” Let’s just say that Saleka Shyamalan’s singing is better than her acting. She’s also in the movie a lot more than what’s shown in the “Trap” trailers.

M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed “Trap,” which takes place in the Philadelphia area, his hometown area. Clips from the best scenes in “Trap” are in the movie’s trailers. A devoted husband and father named Cooper (played by Josh Hartnett), who works as a firefighter (although “Trap” never shows him at his firefighter job), has a secret life as a serial killer.

This murderer, who dismembers his victims, has the nickname the Butcher. He doesn’t seem to have a particular type of person he targets, but it’s revealed at one point in “Trap” that Cooper had an abusive mother, so he has “mother issues.” Cooper sometimes hallucinates seeing his mother (played by Marcia Bennett) in random places. She doesn’t really do anything in these visions, but seeing her still unnerves Cooper.

“Trap” begins by showing that Cooper has taken his teenage daughter Riley (played by Ariel Donoghue) to the fictional Tanaka Arena to see an afternoon concert by Lady Raven. Why is this concert being held in the afternoon? It’s hastily explained in the beginning of the movie that Lady Raven’s evening concert was sold out the night before, so she added an afternoon concert for the next day, due to popular demand.

While he’s at the concert, Cooper uses his phone’s webcam to secretly keep track of a young man named Spencer Gordon (played by Mark Bacolcol), who has been kidnapped by Cooper and is chained up in what looks like a basement or a garage. It’s implied that Cooper plans to kill Spencer later. At one point in the movie, it’s mentioned that the Butcher uses various houses to murder his victims. Later in the movie, Cooper explains how and why he has access to numerous houses.

Cooper notices that there’s an unusually large number of uniformed law enforcement officers at this concert (the “Trap” poster says 300 cops are on the scene), which makes Cooper very nervous. Inside the arena, Cooper soon finds out from a talkative merchandise vendor named Jamie (played by Jonathan Langdon) that law enforcement found out that the Butcher will be at this concert, so the entire concert is a trap for the Butcher. Somehow, the law enforcement officials plan to do surveillance on all the men who might fit the Butcher’s psychological profile.

As he does in all of his movies, M. Night Shyamalan has a cameo as an actor. In “Trap,” he portrays Lady Raven’s uncle/employee, who does a favor for manipulative Cooper, who tells a lie in order to get this favor. Cooper lies by saying Riley is recovering from leukemia. Considering that Cooper lies and steals to get security access from people who are working at the arena, it’s very easy to predict what he has in mind.

A psychological profiler named Dr. Josephine Grant (played by Hayley Mills) wanders around the arena and tells her law enforcement colleagues on walkie talkie what the Butcher is all about, what he probably looks like (a white male in his 30s or 40s), and what he is most likely to try to leave the arena undetected. And yet somehow, Dr. Grant can’t identify him as a person of interest when Cooper is standing right in front of her and is sometimes looking suspicious in several scenes. “Trap” also wants viewers to believe Cooper has extraordinary hearing abilities because he can somehow hear conversations that are several feet away in this crowded and noisy arena. Yes, the movie really is this idiotic.

“Trap” takes some tentative steps toward being a dark comedy, including an intentionally amusing cameo from Scott Mescudi (also known as rapper Kid Cudi), who portrays an androgynous hip-hop artist named The Listener making a guest appearance at this Lady Raven concert. Cooper also makes some wry comments that are supposed to bring some laughs to people watching this movie. However, the dark comedy in “Trap” doesn’t hit its full stride and ends up sidestepping that dark comedic tone to stumble around during the dull and dreary last 20 minutes of the film.

What does “Trap” get right? The concert scenes on stage are very accurate. The casting of Donoghue is also perfect, since she is the principal cast member who is the most authentic in her teenage role as bubbly but somewhat insecure Riley. (“Trap” has an extraneous subplot about Cooper trying to cheer up Riley, who was recently rejected by two former friends, who are both at the concert.) Alison Pill, who is too talented to be in this substandard movie, portrays Cooper’s wife Rachel in a thankless and limited role where she still excels.

Viewers of “Trap” who are familiar with law enforcement procedures will be cringing at all the things that “Trap” gets wrong. For example, law enforcement officials allow key witnesses to leave a major crime scene without questioning them. Cooper evades capture on at least one occasion because of what can only be described as the movie cheating in its film editing.

“Trap” is effective in building suspense only during the scenes that take place during the concert. But even then, this suspense is built with repetitive scenarios. Cooper tries several times to find ways out of the arena without being seen by police or arena security, but all he ends up doing is call more attention to himself to the police and security people on duty. In his role as Cooper, Harnett gives an often-smirking performance that seems to be leaning into the dark comedy, but it sometimes doesn’t land very well because the movie plays it too safe and never really shows Cooper to be a fearsome murderer.

Almost an hour into the 105-minute “Trap,” the movie takes a ludicrous turn and goes off the rails completely. It’s enough to say that this shift in the plot is because of what happens when certain characters leave the arena. “Trap” might’ve intended to have some dark comedy, but the movie is more memorable for its unintentional comedy because of how often “Trap” is laughably bad.

Warner Bros. Pictures will release “Trap” in U.S. cinemas on August 2, 2024.

Review: ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ starring Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, Djimon Hounsou, Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren

March 15, 2023

by Carla Hay

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods”

Directed by David F. Samberg

Culture Representation: Taking place in Philadelphia, the superhero action film “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” features a racially diverse cast of characters (white, Asian, African American and Latino) portraying superheroes and regular human beings.

Culture Clash: Billy Batson, who transforms from being a teenager to an adult superhero named Shazam, leads his teenage foster siblings (who have similar superhero transformation abilities) in battling against three daughters of the god Atlas who want to retrieve the powers that the Shazam family has.

Culture Audience: “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners, movies based on DC Comics, and the 2019 movie “Shazam!,” but “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is yet another sequel that is inferior to the original movie.

Ovan Armand, Jack Dylan Grazer, Asher Angel, Faithe Herman, Grace Caroline Currey and Ian Chen in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” loses much of the charm of 2019’s “Shazam!,” by overloading on bad jokes, cluttered storylines and formulaic action scenes. It’s a failed attempt to be a wisecracking, high-quality superhero movie. This movie sequel’s visual effects are also unimpressive, as several scenes make it too obvious where the “green screens” were located to put the computer generated imagery (CGI) in post-production. Much of the movie’s dialogue is cringeworthy, most of the performances are trite, and the cliché-ridden story has no surprises.

The movie didn’t have to be this disappointing. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” features many of the same team members who made “Shazam!,” including director David F. Samberg, screenwriter Henry Gayden, producer Peter Safran, film editor Michel Aller and most of the principal cast members. However, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” added a screenwriter—Chris Morgan (“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” “The Fate of the Furious”)—and changed cinematographers, production designers, and visual effects supervisors. The changes did not result in a better movie.

The “Shazam!” movies are based on DC Comics characters. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” has all the qualities of a dull and mindless sitcom, thereby making the forced comedy look very awkward in what’s supposed to be an exciting superhero movie. And for a movie with such a simple plot, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” keeps muddling the story with unnecessary subplots and pointless scenes. There are simply too many underdeveloped characters in this movie. Most of these characters don’t have memorable personalities; they have forgettable soundbites.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (which takes place in Philadelphia) picks up three years after the events of “Shazam!” Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel) is now 17 years old. He is still living with a secret that most people don’t know: He can transform into an adult superhero named Shazam when he yells the word “Shazam!” Billy is living in a foster family with other teenagers, whom he considers to be just like siblings. As shown in “Shazam!,” these foster siblings have similar abilities to transform into adult superheroes. Billy is the leader of this group.

Billy/Shazam’s superhero pals are goofy Freddy Freeman (played by Jack Dylan Grazer), who can transform into Super Hero Freddy (played by Adam Brody); sweet-natured Darla Dudley (played by Faithe Herman), who can transform into Super Hero Darla (played by Meagan Good); intelligent Mary Broomfield (played by Grace Caroline Currey), who can transform into Super Hero Mary (also played by Currey); introverted Pedro Pena (played by Ovan Armand), who can transform into Super Hero Pedro (played by D.J. Cotrona); and earnest Eugene Choi (played by Ian Chen), who can transform into Super Hero Eugene (played by Ross Butler). These friends/foster siblings have made a pact not to perform any superhero duties without each other.

In most teenage superhero stories, these superheroes are orphans or have at least one deceased parent. The guardians of these teen superheroes usually don’t know about the teenager’s special powers, but they eventually find out. After all, there are only so many times that it can be believable that a parent or guardian does not notice that their teenager isn’t around at the same time a superhero is on live television committing an act of heroism. In “Shazam! Fury of the Gods!,” there are six teenage superheroes in the household. It stretches the bounds of credibility that their foster parents Victor Vasquez (played by Cooper Andrews) and Rosa Vasquez (played by Marta Milans) would take so long to notice.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” brings some Greek mythology to the story, by having three daughters of the Greek god Atlas (the Guarder of the Tree of Life) on a revenge mission to get back the mystical powers that were stolen from them by an enigmatic sorcerer named Wizard (played by Djimon Hounsou), who is shown in a prison in the beginning of the movie. The three sisters are Hespera (played by Helen Mirren), who has the power of the elements that can affect the weather; Kalypso (played by Lucy Liu), who has the power of chaos that can affect mind control; and Anthea (played by Rachel Zegler), who has the power of axis that can affect the rotation of Earth.

Near the beginning of the movie, Hespera (who is the leader of this trio of sisters) and Kalypso are seen invading a museum, where they use their powers and steal a wooden staff that was locked in a glass case. Hespera and Kalypso then pay a hostile visit to the Wizard in his prison cell. The sisters have brought the wooden staff, which they force the Wizard to hold while he says, “Shazam!” This act is supposed to lead the sisters to the keeper of the stolen powers. And it leads them right to Shazam.

And where is Anthea? It just so happens that there’s a new student at the high school attended by Billy and his pals. Her name is Ann (also played by Zegler), who appears to be kind and compassionate. Freddy is instantly smitten, but there are repetitive scenes where Freddy (who uses an arm brace) is brutally attacked by school bullies Brett Breyer (played by Carson MacCormac) and Burke Breyer (by Evan Marsh), two brothers who also want Ann’s attention. Brett and Burke humiliate Freddy by physically assaulting him in front of Ann. The movie weirdly has Freddy accept this abuse with a smile, because Freddy says that all that matters to him is that Ann likes him.

Meanwhile, Billy/Shazam has his own crush: Wonder Woman. There’s another misguided scene where Billy is having a fantasy that he (as Shazam) is on a dinner date with Wonder Woman, who is not facing the camera. (In other words, they didn’t get “Wonder Woman” movie actress Gal Gadot for this scene.) All of sudden, when she is facing the camera, she has the face of the Wizard, who has an important message for Billy/Shazam. This scene is supposed to be amusing, but the visual effects just make everything look bizarre and misplaced.

Billy/Shazam is also going through an identity crisis. As Shazam, he is seen in the office of pediatrician Dr. Dario Bava (played by P.J. Byrne) and treating this appointment like he’s in a a psychiatric therapy session. While lying down on a couch, Shazam whines, “I feel like a fraud.” He also says that he feels rejected by his parents, rejected by the system, and rejected by the city. Shazam also has an inferiority complex because the Flash superhero (another DC Comics character who wears a red superhero suit with a lightning bolt) is more famous than Shazam. When Dr. Bava tactfully reminds Shazam that he’s a pediatrician, not a psychiatrist, Shazam keeps whining.

Not long after this not-very-funny scene, the superhero pals go to rescue people from a collapsing Benjamin Franklin Bridge. It’s a scene where Bonnie Tyler’s 1984 song “Holding Out for a Hero” is playing, and the characters joke about it in a meta way that is not very cute. Fortunately, there are no fatalities during this disaster, but the bridge has completely collapsed. The news media and the general public blame Shazam and his superhero friends for not being able to save the bridge, so the superheroes are called the Philadelphia Fiascos. It doesn’t make any sense that the superheroes would be vilified for not saving the bridge when the superheroes chose saving people’s lives as the top priority.

The Philly Fiascos label is just another excuse for the movie to make Billy/Shazam feel sorry for himself. He also thinks he’s losing the respect of the superhero group of friends. There’s a useless subplot about Freddy going out on his own to fight a crime as Super Hero Freddy. Billy/Shazam finds out about it, so there’s more pouting, whining and complaining from this character, as he lectures Freddy about team unity and not breaking their group pact.

Billy is about to turn 18 soon. Victor and Rosa will lose foster care government funding for each child that turns 18, also known as aging out of the child welfare system. These foster parents have told Billy that they can’t financially afford to have him in the house after he’s legally an adult. Billy feels even more insecure about losing his home, because Victor and Rosa have decided to let Mary stay in the household after she turned 18.

The foster parents made an exception for Mary, because the foster parents say they can afford to have only one other adult in the household. Mary just happened to have the luck of turning 18 first out of all six foster kids. And because Billy/Shazam is somewhat competitive with Mary (because he’s insecure about her being smarter than he is), you know what that means: More pouting, more whining and more complaining from Billy/Shazam.

What happened to the fun-loving Shazam from the first “Shazam!” movie? He can be seen occasionally in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” but he’s mostly turned into a neurotic annoyance who tells so many horrible, unfunny jokes, it would embarrass even the most amateur stand-up comedian in a low-rent, obscure nightclub. There’s a very unoriginal joke about “The Fast and the Furious” movie franchise, which seems like more like a shameless plug from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” co-writer Morgan, who’s been a screenwriter for a few movies from “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. When Billy/Shazam isn’t fretting about not being perceived as an “alpha male,” he’s fixated on the idea of dating Wonder Woman. This movie is not subtle at all about why Wonder Woman is mentioned so many times.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” also has tone-deaf, sexist jokes about women’s ages. Someone insults Hespera by saying she looks too old to be Kalypso’s sister, and questions if these two sisters are even from the same family. The dolt who makes this asinine remark apparently doesn’t know that gods and goddesses in Greek mythology can live for centuries and can therefore become parents of children with significant age gaps. There’s also a stupid crack that Billy makes about how Wonder Woman will no longer be too old for him when he turns 18.

It goes on and on with simple-minded dialogue and unimaginative action scenes in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” A lot of it is actually quite boring, compared to the abundance of better superhero movies that exist. Viewers will learn nothing that’s new or interesting about Billy/Shazam, unless you think it’s fascinating that he sure knows how to complain a lot if people don’t treat him like a rock star. Levi and Asher are just treading in shallow waters with the Shazam and Billy characters in this movie, when the filmmakers could have given them a deeper and more adventurous dive.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” also missed several opportunities to have more character development for supporting characters Mary, Darla, Pedro and Eugene, who are all written and portrayed as generic as generic can be. Finding out that Pedro has a crush on a baseball outfielder named Marshall Wade (as briefly shown in one of the movie’s early scenes) does not count as character development, since it’s already well-known among DC Comics fans that Pedro is gay. Freddy, who is supposed to be the funniest character in the “Shazam!” movies, just kind of drifts along, while Grazer does his best to make the weak material work in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.”

As for Mirren, Liu and Zegler, they are perfectly satisfactory in their roles as the vengeful daughters of Atlas, but they are not outstanding in the movie. Mirren looks a little bored. Liu is a little too campy in her role. Zegler just looks happy to be there, since “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is only her second movie, after she made an impressive movie debut with a starring role in the 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” Simply put: The performances of Mirren, Liu and Zegler in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” are not going to be considered iconic in the DC Extended Universe.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” has a blockbuster movie budget but all that money is wasted on a story that has the quality of a third-rate kiddie cartoon. The movie’s plot is stretched out to nearly 132 minutes when it could have easily been 90 minutes or less. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” gives the impression that the filmmakers from 2019’s “Shazam!” were so impressed with themselves because “Shazam!” was a hit with most fans and most critics, so the filmmakers didn’t bother to make a better sequel and are just coasting on the success of a “Shazam!” movie that was made several years ago.

Movie audiences have come to expect a certain level of cinematic quality for these superhero movies, which don’t always have to be super-serious. But the superhero movies that want to be comedic should at least fulfill the basic requirement of being funny and entertaining. In that regard, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” misses the mark by a long distance.

The movie’s mid-credits scene is a reference to HBO Max’s “Peacemaker” series, while the movie’s end-credits scene features a character who was in the 2019 “Shazam!” movie. The DC Extended Universe is undergoing a massive overhaul under DC Studios’ co-chairmen/CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, including recasting of several major DC Comics characters. In other words, this incarnation of the “Shazam!” franchise is going out with a whimper (and a lot of whining from Shazam), because the next “Shazam!” movie is getting a much-needed revamp with a new team.

Warner Bros. Pictures will release “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” in U.S. cinemas on March 17, 2023.

Notary Hotel opens in downtown Philadelphia

July 17, 2019

The following is a press release from Braemar Hotels & Resorts:

Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: BHR) (“Braemar” or the “Company”) today announced the opening of The Notary Hotel in the heart of Downtown Philadelphia. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the former Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Downtown underwent a rebranding and renovation in excess of $20 million to create The Notary Hotel. Located at 21 North Juniper Street, the property now features 499 guest rooms and over 10,000 square feet of conference space throughout 12 event rooms. It joins Marriott International’s Autograph Collection® Hotels, a diverse portfolio of approximately 180 independent hotels around the world that reflect unique vision, design and environments.

“After approximately two years of design and construction on The Notary Hotel, we are delighted to finally announce its formal grand opening as a member of the Autograph Collection by Marriott,” said Richard J. Stockton, Braemar’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As of today, the hotel is available for booking as an Autograph property on Marriott’s central reservation system and elsewhere and will be referred to as The Notary Hotel in all future public communications.”

For more information, or to make reservations, please visit The Notary Hotel website at https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phlak-the-notary-hotel-autograph-collection or contact 215-496-3200 to speak with one of the hotel’s team members.

Braemar Hotels & Resorts is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in luxury hotels and resorts.

Ashford has created an Ashford App for the hospitality REIT investor community. The Ashford App is available for free download at Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store by searching “Ashford.”

2019 Tribeca Film Festival movie review: ‘Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project’

May 1, 2019

by Carla Hay

“Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project”

Directed by Matt Wolf

World premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on April 25, 2019.

Long before the Internet put the news at our fingertips 24 hours a day, eccentric hoarder Marion Stokes (who died in 2012 at the age of 83) obsessively recorded newscasts on TV. In the process, she amassed a mind-blowing collection of videos that museums don’t even have. She had an estimated 70,000 VHS and Betamax tapes—and that doesn’t count the videos that she had in other formats, such as digital. How did one woman get this obsession and manage to keep at it for decades until she died? The fascinating documentary “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project” explains it all and more.

Stokes started out as a radical, Communist political activist. She and her first husband, Merrill Metelits, met through the Socialist Party, and they had a son together named Michael. She became so afraid that the United States would become like Nazi Germany, that she and her family moved to Cuba, where they lived for a time before they moved back to her native Philadelphia. The couple broke up when Michael was 4 years old, and they eventually divorced. Father and son are each interviewed for the documentary, and they look back on their lives with Stokes with mixed emotions: They loved her, but they also thought she was very difficult. Michael Metelits describes his mother as very controlling and overly critical of him, and there were long periods of time when they were estranged.

TV was an early obsession for Stokes, who counted the original “Star Trek” series as one of her all-time favorites because she thought the outer-space society depicted in the show was “televised socialism,” according to Michael Metelits. She also had a fondness for sitcoms and news documentaries. She was also a voracious consumer of books, magazines and newspapers—collecting so many that her numerous homes were packed to the ceilings with her hoarded collections. (She had an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 books at nine different homes, according to the documentary.) As is the case with many hoarders, Stokes had an obsessive-compulsive disorder where she felt compelled to repeat the same routines over and over.

In the late 1960s, Stokes was able to parlay her interests in television and political activism into a job hosting “Input,” a public-affairs talk show on the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia. Her radical views made her the target of FBI surveillance, according to the documentary, but it didn’t stop her from openly expressing her opinions on hot-button topics such as the Vietnam War, racism and wealth distribution. The archival footage of “Input” is where the documentary shows Stokes talking the most, because later in her life, she became a recluse and did not give interviews.

It was through “Input” that she met her second husband, John Stokes, a millionaire who worked with her on the show and who made his fortune from capitalism. Even though Marion was a die-hard Communist, and even though John was married with five children at the time they got romantically involved, they ended up being “soul mates,” according to her son and members of John Stokes’ family who are interviewed in the documentary. John eventually divorced his wife to marry Marion, and family members in the documentary talk about the awkward transition they went through to become a blended, interracial family.

Although John Stokes’ money funded a lot of Marion’s obsessions, she became rich in her own right by becoming an early investor in Apple. She collected computers—Apple was naturally her favorite brand, and she was a huge fan of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Marion was so obsessive over Apple products that she not only bought every Apple product that ever came on the market, but she also bought several of the same items in all the Apple product lines. When Jobs died in 2011, Marion had her driver deviate from their usual routine and drive by her childhood home. Why?

The documentary mentions that Marion was adopted as a child because her biological mother did not want to raise her with her siblings. Apple co-founder Jobs was also adopted, which might explain why Marion felt such a strong connection to him. Being rejected by her mother led to lifelong emotional scars, and probably explains the psychological issues that caused Marion’s hoarding later in her life.

People close to Marion estimate that her interest in recording the news began sometime between 1975 to 1977—which is around the time that the Betamax recorder became a home-video product. Her interest became a full-blown obsession during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979. By the time CNN (the first 24-hour news channel) launched in 1980, Marion was operating her own type of news organization out of her home—albeit an organization that recorded rather than reported the news. Her news recordings weren’t limited to national networks, since she also recorded the news from local stations. Many of the newscasts that she recorded weren’t archived by the stations.

One of the best parts of “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project” is a scene with a four-way split screen that shows simultaneous newscasts of the morning of September 11, 2001. The screens show how CNN was the first to report the news of a plane crashing into one of New York City’s Twin Towers, and how morning shows on ABC, CBS and Fox were slower to react. The scene visually recreates what Marion probably watched on her multiple TV screens on that tragic day.

Of course, all of this obsessive recording took a toll on Marion’s personal life. According to people interviewed in the documentary, she and husband John (who died in 2007) isolated themselves from their families for about 20 years. Her employees—including secretary Frank Heilman, drivers and aides, some of whom are interviewed in the film—became her surrogate family. The employees remember that any time that she spent outside the home had to be meticulously planned so that if a tape ran out during recording, someone would be there to immediately put in a new tape.

Fortunately, Marion reconciled with her son Michael about two months before she died. Her death came on the same day as the tragic Sandy Hook school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. Michael inherited Marion’s entire collection. Although he couldn’t find anywhere that would take all of her magazines, books and newspapers, he was able to get the Internet Archive (a San Francisco-based non-profit digital library) to take her phenomenal collection of videos, which are being digitally transferred and archived. (This isn’t a spoiler, since what happed to Marion’s collection has been in the news, and Michael has given several interviews about it.)

“Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project,” which is skillfully directed by Matt Wolf, is an example of the type of documentary that can be a true hidden gem. Because the film is not about a big celebrity or a controversial subject, it will probably be overlooked by a lot of people. But if you’re a news junkie or someone who has an interest in the media, “Recorder” is highly recommended viewing because it’s about someone who had an impact on the media without most people even knowing it.

UPDATE: Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films will release “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project” in New York City on November 15, 2019. The movie’s release dates will vary in other cities.

2018 Made in America: Nicki Minaj, Post Malone are headliners

June 4, 2018

Nicki Minaj at the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 1, 2017. (Photo courtesy of H&M)

The following is a press release from Live Nation:

MADE IN AMERICA, the JAY-Z curated two-day music festival and staple of Labor Day Weekend, returns to Philadelphia for a seventh year.

When:
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Sunday, September 2, 2018

Where:
Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, PA and for those unable to attend, global music and entertainment platform, TIDAL, will livestream the festival on TIDAL.com

A primary goal of MADE IN AMERICA is to have a positive impact on the communities involved. Since the inaugural two-day concert in 2012, the event has generated $31.9 million in economic impact for the city. This year, the festival, produced by Roc Nation, will continue to benefit the ACLU of Pennsylvania as well as United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

Abercrombie & Fitch, Citi, and Puma’s commitments to the arts, as well as the community, make each a perfect fit with MADE IN AMERICA. The festival not only honors artists and music lovers, but it also benefits organizations that are vital to accomplishing much needed positive work.

Headliners Nicki Minaj and Post Malone are joined by Meek Mill, Diplo, Zedd, Miguel, Janelle Monáe, Alessia Cara, Fat Joe, 6lack, Belly, Ty Dolla $ign, Rich The Kid, Sabrina Claudio, Jessie Reyez, Louis The Child, Tchami, Lil B, Gunna, Snakehips, Juice WRLD, BlocBoy JB, SOB x RBE, Sheck Wes, SAINt JHN, Jay Park, Saweetie, A$AP Twelvyy, Cashemere Cat, Jai Wolf, TOKiMONSTA, Preme, White Reaper, Clairo, Show Me The Body, Code Orange, Turnstile, Saba, Anna Lunoe, Driver Era, Bloodpop, Injury Reserve, Hobo Johnson & The LoveMakers, Davido, Shoreline Mafia, Elohim, Lost Kings, Forth Wanderers, Kweku Collins, Odie, Maxo Kream, Armani White, Amara La Negra, Buzzy Lee, Mir Fontane, Trouble, JPEGMAFIA, Tyla Yaweh, City Morgue, Louis Futon, Lophiile, Wicca Phase Spring Eternal, Orion Sun and Zahsosaa.

Ticket Purchase:
Continuing its commitment to bringing fans closer to their favorite artists, TIDAL members will have access to a special presale beginning on Monday, June 4^th at 2:00pm ET. Members can find details for purchasing tickets via their TIDAL account. Those who sign up for TIDAL to access presale will receive a six-month trial.

This year, TIDAL members attending the festival will have access to a wide array of exclusive benefits including: fast track entrance, TIDAL lounge access with air conditioning, seating and complimentary phone charging, artist meet and greets, ticket upgrades, limited-edition merchandise and premium views of the main stage on the TIDAL VIP riser.

Citi is the official presale credit card of MADE IN AMERICA. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Tuesday, June 5 at 10am ET until Thursday, June 7 at 10pm ET through Citi’s Private Pass® program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

Tickets are available to the general public beginning Friday, June 8 at 10:00 am ET at LiveNation.com.

Make the weekend unforgettable with VIP passes that include access to VIP viewing areas, an air conditioned VIP Lounge, VIP restrooms, exclusive merchandise & more. Details here: https://livemu.sc/MIA-VIP

ONGOING FESTIVAL INFORMATION:
For the latest on the “MADE IN AMERICA” Festival, United Way Of Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, ACLU Of Pennsylvania and new partners please be sure to visit: www.madeinamericafest.com or download the MADE IN AMERICA app.

Courtyard Philadelphia South at the Navy Yard unveils $8 million room expansion

June 6, 2017

The following is a press release from Courtyard Philadelphia South at the Navy Yard:

As the popularity of The Navy Yard booms, the demand for hospitality continues to rise as well.

In response to this exponential growth, Courtyard Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard spent $8 million to expand its property. The hotel now boasts an additional 40 more rooms designed for today’s traveler.

General Manager Derek Beckman said he is enthusiastic to share these fresh spaces with visitors staying in The City of Brotherly Love.

“Since over 150 major companies and organizations are situated in The Navy Yard, it comes to no surprise that there is a need for more hotel rooms,” Beckman said. “With this expansion, we’ll be able to handle and accommodate more visitors than we ever have before. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, our guests can expect the right blend of attentive services and modern comfort that help them move toward a successful travel experience.”

When visitors enter their quarters, they will notice sleek décor and a relaxing ambiance emphasized by a muted color palette. Corporate professionals can efficiently finish assignments with expansive work desks and ergonomic chairs, while complimentary Wi-Fi and flat-panel TVs are available to help guests stay well-connected and entertained. Weary travelers can find some much-needed rest on pillow top mattresses with crisp linens, custom comforters and fluffy pillows. Guests can upgrade to the hotel’s home-inspired suites with private bedrooms and living rooms when more space is desired.

Not only is the Philadelphia Courtyard a popular choice among business travelers, but sports lovers will appreciate the hotel’s unbeatable location near the homes of Philadelphia’s favorite teams. Guests can easily walk to catch a professional baseball game at Citizens Bank Park, join the roaring crowd of football fans at Lincoln Financial Field and witness every slam dunk or slap shot at Wells Fargo Center. For golf enthusiasts, Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club is just a mile away.

Of course, no Philadelphia trip is complete without visiting the historic Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Travelers can hop abroad a downtown train via the AT&T Station, which is less than a mile from the hotel.

2017 Budweiser Made in America Festival: Jay Z, J. Cole, the Chainsmokers among the performers

May 1, 2017

Budweiser Made In America Festival Philadelphia

The sixth annual Budweiser Made in America Festival, curated by Jay-Z, has announced its lineup of performers. The event will take place at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia on September 2 and September 3, 2017. TIDAL.com will also have a livestream of the event.

Jay Z, J. Cole and The Chainsmokers are headlining the festival. Other performers will include Kaskade, Marshmello, Migos, Solange, Run the Jewels, Little Dragon, 21 Savage, Sampha, Cash Cash, R3hab, Pusha T, Vic Mensa, DMX, DJ Mustard, Marian Hill, Tiwa Savage, Getter, KYLE, Wizkid, Stormzy, Lizzo, Dirty South, Broods, Kelela, Francis and The Lights, Ugly God, Yung Lean, PnB Rock, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Rob $Tone, Rapsody, Netsky, Green Velvet, Beach Slang, Salva, Burns, Jorja Smith, Vanic, THEY., Kap Slap, Devault, Nick Grant, Mt. Joy, Mannequin Pussy, Kodie Shane, Flor, Earthgang, Medasin, Tommy Genesis, Smino, Mozart La Para, Carter Winter, Maleek Berry, Karen Rodriguez, J.I.D, Busty & The Bass, Ari Lennox, Downtown Boys and Queen of Jeans.

This year’s concert will benefit both the ACLU of Pennsylvania and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. A primary goal of this music festival is to have a positive impact on the communities involved.

Ticket Purchase Information
Tidal members have access to an exclusive presale ahead of the general public beginning May 1, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time at TIDAL.com/MIA.

Citi is the official credit card of the Budweiser Made In America Festival. Citi cardmembers get access to presale tickets beginning on May 2 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time through May 4 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time.

The general public can purchase tickets at Ticketmaster, beginning May 5, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.

Legoland Discovery Center Philadelphia opens for business

April 6, 2017

Miniland at the Legoland Discovery Center at the Plymouth Meeting Mall in Philadelphia. (Photo courtesy of PREIT)

Legoland Discovery Center Philadelphia, an indoor family-friendly LEGO play experience, has opened at Plymouth Meeting Mall in Philadelphia. According to a press release from PREIT (the parent company of the shopping mall), Plymouth Meeting Mall’s Legoland Discovery Center is the only Legoland Discovery Center location in Pennsylvania. It is also just the fourth location on the East Coast, the ninth across the country, and the 17th in the world. The 33,000 square foot attraction offers the ultimate indoor Lego playground, featuring a first-of-its-kind Lego-themed ride; a 4D cinema; Miniland, a miniature replica of landmarks in Philadelphia; and more. It complements the mall’s existing innovative roster of tenants that includes Whole Foods Market and Dave & Buster’s.

PREIT CEO Joseph F. Coradino commented in a statement: “The mall environment a decade ago was vastly different from that of today, and tenants like Legoland Discovery Center further demonstrate how the mall industry continues to innovate and evolve. Our strategy is laser focused on diversifying our tenant base and enhancing the experience at our properties, introducing a variety of offerings that are new to our customers. By creating differentiated shopping environments for visitors that mirror their changing behaviors, PREIT is executing on its long-term strategy to add value to its shopping centers.”