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Meet the (anti) heroes of ‘Black Adam’ | CNN

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Meet the (anti) heroes of ‘Black Adam’ | CNN



CNN
 — 

Simply while you thought you lastly dedicated a lot of the names of the ever-growing Suicide Squad to reminiscence, DC goes and casts a brand new crew of antiheroes in “Black Adam,” its newest bid for field workplace domination.

Meet the Justice Society of America (JSA), a crew of superheroes who need to tamp down, or a minimum of higher management, the titular antihero Black Adam. You received’t keep in mind these of us from movies previous (save for one cameo by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), however they’ve been comedian ebook stalwarts for many years.

Earlier than you see “Black Adam,” familiarize your self with the brand new solid of morally ambiguous super-humans. From Physician Destiny to Adam himself, listed here are the recent faces you’ll meet in “Black Adam.” (“Black Adam” is distributed by Warner Bros., which shares mum or dad firm Warner Bros. Discovery with CNN.)

Performed by: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

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Powers: Tremendous velocity and energy, magic, flight, lightning bolts, extended life, amongst many others

Black Adam is the morally ambiguous predecessor of Shazam, the gangly teen-turned-adult superhero. Adam was born centuries in the past as “Teth-Adam,” a daily man who turns into the “champion” of a wizard named Shazam, who instills in him the facility of a number of gods, in response to DC. In contrast to Shazam the superhero (a unique man from the wizard – sure, it’s complicated), Teth-Adam didn’t use his newfound powers for good. He’s exiled by the wizard who gave him his powers and given a brand new title that matches his corrupted coronary heart – Black Adam.

We meet Adam when he returns from a 5,000-year-long imprisonment. He’s set on liberating his homeland, a fictional North African nation known as Kahndaq, Johnson advised the New York Occasions. However Marvel Lady, he’s not – Adam “straight-up murders folks” to ahead his trigger, mentioned Empire Journal in its three-star evaluation of the movie. He believes he’s the “proper individual to guide humanity,” says DC, and typically which means making selections that prioritize the nice of the numerous over the lives of the few.

Performed by: Pierce Brosnan

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Powers: Sorcery, uber-intelligence, flight – the works!

Nerd by day and sorcerer by night time, Kent Nelson is a “kindly educational” who evolves right into a formidable hero when he wears the golden “Helmet of Destiny,” which can also be imbued with godlike powers, says DC. In an interview with the AV Membership, Brosnan defined that the helmet is each a “curse and a blessing” that the character lives with as a result of his father, an archaeologist, found the artifact.

Physician Destiny helped discovered the Justice Society, a superhero supergroup that, within the movie, is tasked with tamping down Black Adam’s antiheroic antics. Onscreen, Brosnan-as-Destiny is the seasoned veteran of the JSA, preserving the newbs in line whereas taking over Adam – however he’s obtained secrets and techniques of his personal, too, Brosnan teased.

Hawkman's costume is fittingly avian-inspired.

Performed by: Aldis Hodge

Powers: Flight, tremendous energy, general grasp of fight

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Add one other bird-themed superhero to your psychological rolodex and meet Hodge’s Hawkman, a hero who flies with huge golden wings and dons a golden helmet full with a golden fowl beak – DC describes him as “a fierce warrior the ultimate.” Good luck, Adam! Within the movie, Hawkman leads the JSA to cease Adam however nonetheless leans on Physician Destiny for fatherly recommendation.

The character has “been by a lot,” Hodge teased in an interview with Self-importance Honest, and people experiences have influenced the colourful fashion by which he fights. Hawkman, a.ok.a. Carter Corridor, can also be a foil to Adam, Hodge mentioned, who each crave justice however have totally different, uncompromising concepts about easy methods to obtain it. Finally, he mentioned, they discover a “mutual respect” inside one another – two supers of spectacular energy.

He’s additionally motivated by love – all through his life in DC Comics, he’s been in a loyal relationship with, natch, Hawkgirl.

Performed by: Quintessa Swindell

Powers: Controlling wind

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It’s one factor to be gifted powers by an amulet or cursed artifact; it’s one other to easily harness the weather. Meet Cyclone, a teenage hero whose thoughts can manipulate the air and weaponize excessive climate to fend off foes (she obtained her powers after being a take a look at topic for nefarious scientists). Per DC, she brings a “social justice perspective” to the Justice Society.

Swindell, a nonbinary actor, has mentioned that their character is influenced by ballet, and whereas Cyclone, a.ok.a. Maxine Hunkel, is the most recent addition to the JSA, she’s unafraid to embrace her truest self: “Very hardly ever have I seen a job that paints a younger woman in a method that provides her the power to stay authentically and in truth in her weirdness,” Swindell mentioned in an interview with Leisure Weekly.

Performed by: Noah Centineo

Powers: Rising into a large at will after which shrinking again

Don’t name him Ant-Man: That is Atom Smasher, a younger JSA recruit whose powers you’ll actually acknowledge – he’s a “mass manipulator,” which means he can flip right into a Godzilla-sized model of himself – however with out the size-changing tech. Atom Smasher is a “metahuman,” like Cyclone, and the method of rising big is a painful one, Centineo advised Syfy: His muscle tissues “break after which type,” after which break and re-form once more when he returns to his customary dimension.

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He’s additionally a little bit of a “nepotism child”: His grandfather, “pressured into villainy,” Centineo mentioned, was the primary to obtain the powers Atom Smasher inherited, so although he lacks the expertise of his fellow JSA members, he “comes from this pedigree” that makes him a assured, if conceited, addition to the group.

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'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' jolt the box office with a combined $170 million

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'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' set the stage for gravity-defying box office weekend

Universal Pictures’ “Wicked” needed no lessons in how to be popular at the domestic box office this weekend, opening at No. 1 to the tune of $114 million, according to studio estimates.

That’s the highest opening ever for a film based on a Broadway musical, way ahead of 2014’s “Into the Woods” ($31 million). “Wicked” smashed the same record globally, bringing in a total of $164.2 million and surpassing 2012’s “Les Misérables” ($103 million).

In second place this weekend was Paramount Pictures’ “Gladiator II,” which launched at $55.5 million in the United States and Canada — the biggest domestic opening ever for an R-rated film released in November, not adjusted for inflation.

Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the first act of Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz’s hit Broadway musical fell slightly short of recent analyst expectations in the $120-million to $140-million range, falling closer to the studio’s more modest pre-release projection of $110 million.

“Wicked” cost an estimated $150 million to make, not counting marketing.

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Meanwhile, the legacy sequel to Ridley Scott’s early-aughts best picture winner came in lower than both analyst and studio projections, which ranged from $60 million to $75 million. The film had a pre-marketing budget of $250 million.

Still, the solid performances of both movies are an early, much-needed holiday gift to the movie theater industry, which has suffered a disappointing autumn thanks to critical and commercial flops such as Warner Bros.’ “Joker: Folie à Deux” and Amazon MGM Studios’ “Red One.”

“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

“What’s happening right now is the perfect recipe for success for movie theaters heading into 2025,” he added. “It’s how you finish the race, right?”

Rounding out the top five at the domestic box office this weekend were “Red One,” which grossed $13.28 million in its sophomore weekend for a North American total of $52.91 million; Angel Studios’ “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin,” which debuted at $5.12 million; and Sony Pictures’ “Venom: The Last Dance,” which devoured $4 million in its fifth outing for a total of $133.83 million, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore.

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“On behalf of the people who operate movie theatres around the world, congratulations to our studio partners and the creative community for one of the most successful November weekends ever at the box office,” said Michael O’Leary, president of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, in a statement.

“This is a tremendous catalyst for a strong box office going into December and the new year,” he said.

Arriving 21 years after its source material took Broadway by storm, “Wicked” stars Ariana Grande as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy and friends followed the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. The highly anticipated reframing of “The Wizard of Oz” also counts Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode and Michelle Yeoh among its principal cast.

The movie’s ubiquitous rollout was fueled by an aggressive marketing campaign that saw Universal partner with 400 brands worldwide — including Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, Bloomingdales and Target — to paint the shelves Glinda pink and Elphaba green.

“Wicked” also benefited from mostly positive reviews hyping the performances of its leading sorceresses. The film received a 90% rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, and a A grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore. The audience skewed heavily female. Women accounted for 72% of the domestic opening weekend box office.

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Jim Orr, head of domestic distribution at Universal Pictures, was particularly glad that “Wicked” seems to be playing pretty evenly across the country — not just over-performing in coastal regions that tend to see more traffic.

“To see certain markets like Nashville and Salt Lake City over-index like they are is very gratifying,” Orr said.

“Very encouraging to a long, healthy run at the domestic box office.”

It’s a big win for Universal and its leader Donna Langley, who was recently elevated to chair of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios. The Comcast-owned studio has often bet big on the musical movie genre — sometimes to great success (“Mamma Mia!” and “Les Misérables”) and other times to disastrous results (“Cats,” “Dear Evan Hansen”).

“The history of box office is littered with musicals that failed,” Dergarabedian said.

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In an effort to evade the curse of the movie musical, some studios have recently concealed the show tunes when promoting titles such as Paramount’s “Mean Girls” or Warner Bros.’ “Wonka.” But this strategy has been known to backfire, and “Wicked” took the opposite approach.

“The marketing team [behind ‘Wicked’] did a fantastic job of embracing wholeheartedly — as they should — the musical aspects of this,” Dergarabedian added.

“This is a huge result for the genre and sets the bar really high.”

“Wicked Part Two,” covering the second act of the stage production, is scheduled to bow next year.

Also new to domestic theaters this weekend was “Gladiator II,” which stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington as dueling warriors and emperors of ancient Rome. Rounding out the main cast of the bloody historical drama are Joseph Quinn and Connie Nielsen.

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The long-awaited “Gladiator” follow-up drew mixed-to-positive reviews, receiving a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a B grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.

“The fact that we were 52% under [the age of] 35 shows that we tapped into a new audience for the film, and not just in service of the legacy audience,” said Chris Aronson, head of domestic distribution at Paramount Pictures.

“That’s very heartening … of the film itself, of our marketing efforts and of its playability.”

The next major studio entry is Disney’s “Moana 2,” which opens in wide release the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

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Sookshmadarshini Review: A Cleverly Written Thrill

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Sookshmadarshini Review: A Cleverly Written Thrill

BOTTOM LINE
A Cleverly Written Thrill

RATING
3/5

CENSOR
U/A, 2h 22m


What Is the Film About?

Ammachi (granny) goes missing from Basil Joseph’s home, and his neighbor Nazriya Nazim starts suspecting him for several reasons. Basil Joseph claims that Ammachi’s disappearance is due to her Alzheimer’s disease, but Nazriya remains unconvinced. Is there more to her suspicion? What serious turn does the story take, and what is the real reason behind Ammachi’s mysterious disappearance? These questions form the core plot of Sookshmadarshini.

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Performances

Basil Joseph and Nazriya Nazim compete with each other in running the show with their seamless performances, delivering exactly what a thriller drama needs.

Both carry the film on their shoulders through the cat-and-mouse, tit-for-tat narrative. Though Sookshmadarshini is a thriller, it stands out in their filmography due to the superb balance and finesse they bring to their performances.

The styling and performances perfectly complement the story, as expected from a quality Malayalam film.


Analysis

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Sookshmadarshini is directed by MC Jithin, who previously directed Nonsense, a film that also grabbed the attention of Telugu OTT viewers.

In Sookshmadarshini, director MC handles a simple plot with a suspenseful hook but needs to tightly guard the secret and maintain the viewer’s attention until the very last scene.

While the first half feels simple and slow, and the director seems to be trying too hard not to reveal even the slightest hint, the mix of humor and suspense keeps the narrative engaging.

By the time we reach the interval, the story pulls us in, yet the success lies in the fact that nothing is really revealed.

At the same time, it feels like the buildup in the first half raises high expectations for the second half, which must deliver big; otherwise, it risks becoming frustrating.

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The second half introduces more intrigue through a sister character, and the suspense around the ‘secret’ driving all the drama becomes even tighter.

Although most of the story takes place in a neighborhood between two houses, the quality technical work -be it the camera or the background score -elevates the suspense as the director pushes the story forward.

It might not a perfect thriller but offers enough to keep you hooked, especially in the second half.

Some exaggeration or logical misses in Nazriya’s character might be noticeable, but they don’t affect the viewer’s engagement, which is the best part.

Also, the director successfully breaks away from the regular beats of a typical comedic thriller, adding a sense of freshness.

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Overall, Sookshmadarshini is a cleverly written, smart mix of comedy and suspense, with the director maintaining the secret until the climax through an engaging narrative. The film also offers superb, fresh BGM and visuals that perfectly match the theme, making it a satisfying watch.


Performances by Others Actors

Sookshmadarshini is a film that relies on its supporting cast as well, and their selection is flawless.

Actors like Manohari Joy who plays Ammachi (granny), Kottayam Ramesh, Deepak Parambol, and Sidharth Bharathan, along with the female cast -Akhila Bhargavan, Pooja Mohanraj, and Merin Philip -may not be familiar to Telugu audiences, but their performances clearly demonstrate how perfectly they fit their roles. Each one proves to be an asset to the film.


Music and Other Departments?

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First and foremost, the background score by Christo Xavier is terrific, we must say. It is one of the best BGMs of the year. It’s neither too loud nor too soft; instead, it sounds fresh and, most importantly, perfectly matches the situations, elevating them to a whole new level. He has justified every single penny of his remuneration.

Camera work by Sharan Velayudhan is perfect. The film moves between two houses for the most part, but the camera angles and visual quality never feel boring or low-budget. He has done full justice to what the film requires.

Editing by Chaman Chakko could have been sharper. Though Sookshmadarshini is an engaging watch, it does feel like it could have been sharper.

Though the small VFX work handled by Black Maria Studio is slick, especially showing WhatsApp conversations as text on screen, it came out trendy and of good quality.

Production values by Happy Hours Entertainment and Ava Productions are quite adequate and immersive for the simple setup it requires, pulling it off with quality.

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Highlights?

Superb BGM that enhances most scenes

Sustaining suspense until the end

Engaging writing and narrative

Performances by Nazriya and Basil Joseph

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Drawbacks?

Logical flaws or occasional exaggeration

Feels forced at times to keep secrets until the end

A bit of a slow first half


Did I Enjoy It?

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Yes, it’s an engaging mix of humor and thriller.

Will You Recommend It?

Yes, without hesitation.

Sookshma Darshini Movie Review by M9

This Week Releases on OTT – Check ‘Rating’ Filter
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From Billie Eilish to Metallica: 10 must-see concerts this holiday season

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From Billie Eilish to Metallica: 10 must-see concerts this holiday season

Considering that the weather outside isn’t exactly frightful during the winter months in SoCal, our concert calendar manages to keep our social lives plenty warm in between all the extra meals and family gatherings scheduled to descend upon us in the coming days.

It’s in that spirit of giving that we offer a brisk yet bountiful list of ways to spend your time in the company of fellow fans, all basking in the gift of live music this holiday season. Cobbling together a slate that bears a gift of a little something for everyone — from the metalhead, to the pop princess to the avant-jazzer. Here’s our guide to 10 must-see concerts to enjoy from post-Thanksgiving through the top of 2025.

decorative

Each year, starting around Thanksgiving, culture vultures get to unwrap an early present: a raft of films, TV shows, concerts and more that fill the calendar through the end of the season. And this week, The Times is happy to be your guide to some of the most noteworthy offerings, from Oscar contenders and crowd-pleasers to holiday specials you and the family can curl up with. Read on!

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Dawn Richard + Spencer Zahn / Zebulon / Dec. 2
Richard deserves a clean break from any Diddy news in her life. She’s a hell of a modernist R&B singer in any setting, but even better with adventurous pianist and composer Zahn in tow. “Quiet in a World Full of Noise,” their latest collaboration in a fruitful string of them, is a tender, vulnerable meditation on grief and deserves its own flowers. — August Brown

TV on the Radio / El Rey Theatre / Dec. 4, 5 & 7
Twenty years after the release of its acclaimed “Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes,” this adventurous New York art-rock crew has reunited to play its first gigs since 2019. TV on the Radio’s 2004 debut mapped the bewildering psychic landscape of a post-9/11 America, so it’s fitting that the band chose this moment of exuberance and fear to make its return. At the El Rey, you’ll see singer Tunde Adebimpe, guitarist Kyp Malone and drummer Jaleel Bunton onstage; Dave Sitek, the band’s guitarist and studio mastermind, opted to sit these shows out. — Mikael Wood

KIIS-FM Jingle Ball / Intuit Dome / Dec. 6
For the acts on the bill — all of them eager to hear their songs on the radio into the new year — this annual all-star holiday concert is a way to kiss the powerful programming rings at KIIS (and its corporate parent, iHeartMedia). For fans in the audience, it’s efficient one-stop shopping for what’s happening on today’s Top 40, including SZA’s wonderfully digressive R&B, Benson Boone’s earnest nice-guy balladry, Tate McRae’s neo-Britney dance-pop and Shaboozey’s post-hip-hop country music. Also due to perform are Meghan Trainor, Kane Brown, Madison Beer, T-Pain, NCT Dream … and Paris Hilton. Some things never change. — M.W.

Metallica / YouTube Theater / Dec. 13
Between two SoFi Stadium dates and a headlining appearance at Indio’s Power Trip festival, Metallica hasn’t exactly been hard to see in Southern California over the last year and a half. But here’s a rare opportunity to catch the veteran metal band in the kind of small(-ish) room it hasn’t played regularly in decades. The occasion for Metallica’s visit to Inglewood’s 6,000-capacity YouTube Theater is the group’s biannual Helping Hands benefit concert, which aims to raise money to fight hunger and to support technical education. Jimmy Kimmel will host the evening, and expect additional acts to be announced. — M.W.

Billie Eilish / Kia Forum / Dec. 15, 16, 17, 20 & 21
On the road for the first time without her brother and producer, Finneas, as a permanent part of her live band, the 22-year-old pop superstar stops at the Forum for five shows in support of “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” which just became the siblings’ third straight album to be nominated for album of the year at the Grammy Awards. (Nobody else has done that with their first three LPs.) Before the tour, Finneas said he’d join his sister onstage occasionally when his schedule permits; here he’ll serve as Eilish’s opening act on Dec. 21. — M.W.

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Jeff Parker ETA IVtet / Zebulon / Dec. 16-17
The guitar genius was the beating heart of the late, great Highland Park jazz club ETA, whose residencies spun off a number of compelling combos like the experimental group SML. Fans of his IVtet — a small cadre of jazz and session heroes who are among the city’s best improvisers — will be thrilled to see the combo back in action in person and on record with “The Way Out of Easy,” a refined slate of free-flowing jams. — A.B.

Besame Mucho festival / Dodger Stadium / Dec. 21
Shakira recently postponed a 2024 arena tour to 2025 so she could meet fan demand by upgrading some dates to stadiums. But the Colombian pop icon — whose latest album, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” chronicles her messy breakup with Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué — is still on the books to headline the third Besame Mucho festival at Dodger Stadium, where she’ll be joined by Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Los Tigres del Norte and Banda MS for an expansive overview of Latin music spread across multiple stages. Among the dozens of other acts on the bill: Ivy Queen, Juanes, Café Tacuba, Caifanes, Los Tucanes de Tijuana and Carlos Vives, the last of whom was just named person of the year at the Latin Grammys. — M.W.

X / The Observatory / Dec. 27
What on earth is Los Angeles going to do without X? The standard bearers of SoCal’s punk scene for more than five decades promised they’d hang it up with “Smoke & Fiction,” a compelling valediction of an LP released this year. Who knows how many gigs they have left in the tank? While you should see them any chance you get, this Christmas show should be an especially meaningful one. — A.B.

Latin Mafia / Hollywood Palladium / Jan. 22
The Mexico-based De La Rosa brothers won a new artist nod at the Latin Grammys for their debut album, “Todos Los Días Todo El Día,” which deftly straddles urbano, trap, R&B, EDM and indie. They’ve already played Coachella and Camp Flog Gnaw. What’s next? A recent listening party in Mexico City that drew the 18,000 fans suggests they’re about to get much bigger stateside. — A.B.

Jamie xx / The Shrine / Jan. 23
You’re not going to have a better night on a dance floor than whenever Jamie xx is on deck. The producer and erstwhile member of the xx beat his own high standards with this year’s “In Waves,” a joyful and heartfelt insistence on the redemptive power of the club. Whatever other dark stuff is happening in late January in the United States, know that you can still go hear “Baddy on the Floor” with a roomful of jubilant friends. — A.B.

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