USA TODAY International Edition
‘ Flash’ back to superheroes of yore
Look out, Spider- Man and Optimus Prime: The Flash is speeding into the box- office battlefield and he’s bringing Michael Keaton with him. ● This weekend, Ezra Miller pulls double duty as DC’s resident super- speedster and his teenage alternate- reality self in a comic book adventure that features Keaton back as Batman for the first time since 1992’ s “Batman Returns.” Disney/ Pixar rolls out a romantic comedy – a first for the animation giant – with immigrant themes, while Chris Hemsworth stars in a Netflix action sequel and Jon Hamm headlines an arthouse crime comedy. ● Here’s a guide to new movies that will satisfy every cinematic taste, plus some noteworthy theatrical films making their streaming and on- demand debuts:
If you want to get nuts again with Michael Keaton’s Batman: ‘ The Flash’
Good news, you don’t have to go back in time 30 years to see Keaton in a cape and cowl. The best movie Dark Knight of all time proves it once more in an adventure where super- fast “Justice League” hero Barry Allen ( Miller) is stuck on a parallel Earth, and meets his teenage self in a “Back to the Future”- type plot and coaxes crusty Bruce Wayne ( Keaton) back in Bat- gear. Yeah, it’s a fan- service mess by the end, but at least it’s pretty fun for the most part with the Barrys getting to know each other and an awesome debut by Sasha Calle’s new Supergirl.
● Where to watch: In theaters
If you’re ride or die with all things Pixar: ‘ Elemental’
In a city where elements coexist ( but don’t necessarily get along), fire woman Ember ( voiced by Leah Lewis) and sappy water guy Wade ( Mamoudou Athie) meet and go on an adventure that sparks a relationship - which doesn’t excite Ember’s parents. It’s not a Pixar greatest hit by any stretch, and the rom- com bits don’t tonally gel with the racial and xenophobic metaphors of the underlying immigrant story, but kids will enjoy the dazzling animation and Ember and Wade are easy to root for as an unlikely couple.
● Where to watch: In theaters
If you’re all about Black culture and social horror: ‘ The Blackening’
A group of old friends gather for a Juneteenth reunion but it quickly turns wild when they find a board game that wants them to pick the Blackest member of their group – or else! – and they’re being stalked by a killer in a blackface mask. Director Tim Story’s horror satire nods to such flicks as “Scream” and “Saw,” though it’s much more “Scary Movie” than “Hereditary.” And while the film’s not really that freaky, the script is clever and the social commentary is sharp.
● Where to watch: In theaters
If you love to see Chris Hemsworth wreck people: ‘ Extraction 2’
No hammer, no problem. The muscular “Thor” star returns as Australian black ops mercenary Tyler Rake ( Hemsworth), who somehow made it out alive after the deadly first “Extraction.” After a recovery period, he’s sent on another more personal mission: to rescue the wife and kids of a powerful Georgian gangster from the prison where they’re being held captive along with their bad- guy dad. It’s a sequel that improves on the emotional stakes and explosive situations of the original, including an unreal 21- minute, one- take scene that action lovers will adore.
● Where to watch: Netflix
If you’re excited by Jon Hamm solving crimes: ‘ Maggie Moore( s)’
“Mad Men” pals reunite for this lackluster dark comedy, directed by John Slattery. Hamm plays a small- town Arizona police chief who arrives at a murder scene where a woman named Maggie Moore is mysteriously found dead at a hotel. Here’s the rub: It’s the second Maggie Moore killed in a week. Hamm’s cop is on the case that involves moldy fast food, a deaf hitman and a bunch of dim bulbs not good at crimes. The narrative is a mess though there’s fun chemistry between Hamm and Tina Fey, who plays the observant neighbor of one of the Maggies.
Where to watch: In theaters and on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon
If you need an unhinged thriller for Pride Month: ‘ Jagged Mind’
Billie ( Maisie Richardson- Sellers) and Alex ( Shannon Woodward) are in a new relationship but something’s definitely up: Billie keeps reliving the night she met her girlfriend, plus weird memories and strange visions that make her worry she might have dementia like her mother. What unfolds is way more sinister – did we mention the voodoo, or that Alex is kind of a hot mess herself? – in a time- loop thriller that overcomes the Lifetime- y melodrama and crafts a bizarrely entertaining narrative.
Where to watch: Hulu