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superhero

“Wonder Woman 1984” soars, but only rarely

Wonder Woman 1984
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Gal Gadot remains great in the title role, but the sequel does too little, while doing too much, to match her.

Tim Stevens Posted on December 18, 2020December 18, 2020

“Spider-Man” swung us into the brightness of the modern superhero era

Spider-Man
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Sam Raimi brought his camp sensibilities to Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, launching a bright new era for superhero filmmaking.

Andrea Thompson Posted on October 29, 2020October 29, 2020

From page to screen, “Spider-Man 2” brought New York to life

Spider-Man 2
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Despite attempts to recapture its magic, Sam Raimi’s second superhero entry remains the best in energy and empathy.

Ben Kaye Posted on October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

“Darkman” was Sam Raimi’s original superhero classic

Darkman
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Years before Spider-Man, Sam Raimi delivered a fully original and fully entertaining superhero tale with his 1990 effort.

Douglas Laman Posted on October 11, 2020October 10, 2020

“The Secret Society of Second-Born Royals” inherits its charms from better franchises

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals
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Disney+ tries to blend its love of princes and princesses with its new focus on superheroes, with mixed results.

Michael Snydel Posted on September 26, 2020September 26, 2020

“The Boys” blasts away superhero fatigue in season 2

The Boys Season 2
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Amazon’s anti-superhero show returns for a more assured sophomore run that gives its broad satire deeper character.

Jon Negroni Posted on August 24, 2020August 24, 2020

“Project Power” turns New Orleans into a superpowered battleground

Project Power
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Netflix’s latest is a zany high-concept thriller that overcomes some ill-timed politics with well-staged action.

Oluwatayo Adewole Posted on August 13, 2020August 13, 2020

“Sky High” is 15 years old. It’s best admired in the trophy room

Sky High
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In 2005, Disney showed us what a superhero high school would look like — the results are fun, but they fall short of their deconstructive potential.

Justin Harrison Posted on July 29, 2020July 29, 2020

“The Umbrella Academy” keeps the apocalypse light for season 2

Umbrella Academy Season 2
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The second season of Netflix’s comic-book adaptation sends its fractured superhero family into the past, to mixed results.

Tim Stevens Posted on July 27, 2020December 1, 2020

“The Old Guard” is finely-honed superhero action

THE OLD GUARD (2020)
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Gina Prince-Bythewood’s nuanced, layered comic book actioner finds character among its expert choreography.

Mel Valentin Posted on July 9, 2020July 9, 2020

“Doom Patrol” is back for a strange, homespun second season

Doom Patrol Season 2
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The black-sheep show of the DC Universe returns for a second season even more confident in its quirks.

Tim Stevens Posted on June 26, 2020June 26, 2020

“Scoob!” is as insubstantial as a Scooby Snack

Scoob!
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Hanna-Barbera gives Scooby-Doo a superpowered reboot and loses most of its charm along the way.

Rob Kojder Posted on May 15, 2020May 15, 2020

“Spider-Man: Far From Home” forces Peter Parker to grow up

Spider-Man Far From Home
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The latest Marvel film to date is more than a mid-sized follow up to Avengers: Endgame — it establishes Peter Parker as the beating heart of the new MCU.

Chris Ludovici Posted on April 28, 2020April 28, 2020

“Thor: Ragnarok” was a joyous punch in the face of colonialism

Thor Ragnarok
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Taika Waititi’s irreverent revamp of the Thor series, Thor: Ragnarok, manages to weave some much-needed criticism of imperialism among the gags.

B.L. Panther Posted on April 27, 2020May 4, 2020

“Avengers: Endgame” is nothing short of a miracle

Avengers Endgame
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The culmination of Marvel’s 11-year gameplan is a cinematic juggling act whose success is an unlikely achievement.

Andrew Bloom Posted on April 26, 2020April 26, 2020

“Black Panther,” M’Baku, and reclaiming the savage

Black Panther
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Ryan Coogler’s superhero film not only salvages the colonialist origins of the comic’s imagery, it reclaims them for a Black audience.

Oluwatayo Adewole Posted on April 26, 2020April 26, 2020

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” Found Poignancy In Its Cosmic Weirdos

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
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James Gunn’s interstellar hangout movie is weird and messy, but deeply, admiringly focused on its characters and an earnest emotional core.

Douglas Laman Posted on April 21, 2020April 21, 2020

How “Spider-Man: Homecoming” Updated the Teen Film for the MCU Era

Spider-Man: Homecoming
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Alien robots and evil Norse gods may prove a thrill to the multiplex, but here, they’re not much more intimidating than adolescence.

Sean Price Posted on April 21, 2020April 21, 2020

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