“Kindness is the new punk rock.” At one point in the new “Superman” reboot from Warner Bros. and DC Studios, Clark Kent shares this slogan with Lois Lane, and with that provided us with the thesis of director James Gunn’s take on the iconic superhero. This movie is paced with the speed and messiness of a punk rock anthem, yet is defined by the empathy and midwestern good-naturedness of our hero. Fans of the darker Zack Snyder take on the hero may find themselves at odds with the bright colors, goofball supporting cast and the first cinematic appearance of Krypto, the Superdog, but those with an open mind and open heart will be rewarded with one of the best superhero movies since “Avengers: Endgame.” Plus, as a newspaper, we would be remiss if we didn’t note that the journalists from the Daily Planet are the true heroes in this film–as all real journalists are. Slay, Lois! [Jeremiah Dollins]

With “Avengers: Doomsday” and Dr. Doom himself on the horizon, it was only a matter of time before his greatest foes the Fantastic Four made their appearance. “Fantastic Four: First Steps” is a safe but great opener to this new phase of Marvel, capturing that family dynamic the Fantastic Four are centered around while still bringing out the characters’ individual story arcs and emphasizing what they mean to the civilians they protect. For as good as this film is visually, and as compelling as the characters often are, there are still some faults. Some line deliveries fall flat, and the film is too short. But with Marvel’s recent track record, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” is worth the money. [Mark Rodriguez]

This live-action version of the Disney animated classic has divided audiences. The changes to the original story had fans of the original film at a loss; all of the scenes that gave Stitch both vulnerability and character were not put into the new live-action, for example the Ugly Duckling scene where Lilo is able to relate to Stitch’s loneliness and isolation. The design change involving the aliens using watches to clone people–didn’t work in terms of story development. Not to mention the removal of the main villain Captain Gantu from the original film made the suspense minimal. The ending ended fondly, however it made the build up of Nani leaving for college redundant, making me hold the movie not to the same standards as that of the original. [Liliana Salinas]

From “28 Days” to “28 Weeks,” we finally got the long-awaited sequel “28 Years Later.” This summer thriller will have you feeling uneasy and unsettled. It’s the story of 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) who lives with his parents on a quarantined island off the coast of England 28 years after the viral outbreak in “28 Days Later.” Because Spike’s mom (Jodie Comer) is sick, he decides to bravely go to the mainland and brave the hordes of the infected to find a doctor to save her. This is a spooky, unsettling movie worth checking out. [Santiago Cabrales]

Zach Cregger’s follow-up to 2022’s jaw dropping horror film “Barbarian” comes at the perfect time as the box office is flooded with sequels and reboots and unoriginal stories, and it gets everything right. The story sells itself: a group of third graders from the same class flee their homes one night at 2:17 a.m. and go missing, leaving behind their teacher, one classmate, and a community divided by fear, grief, and confusion. The narrative stops and starts, changing points-of-view, yet never forgets to ratchet the tension. And when the scares come–and they do come–they will knock you out. “Weapons” is the best horror film of 2025 and will finish as one of the best films of the year, period. Don’t watch this one alone. [Jeremiah Dollins]

Nostalgia comes in all forms, and “Happy Gilmore 2” is one that worked for me. Movie watchers around the world are giving poor reviews about the attempt “Happy Gilmore” makes at using nostalgia. Even though the film is facing a lot of criticism for recycling old jokes, bringing these back fleshed out key details and characters in the movie. This sequel to the 1996 classic comedy brought back old characters, jokes, and even some new characters for cameos and comic relief. Overall, this film went par for the course. [Daniel Aguirre]

Daniel LaRusso is back on the big screen, this time bringing Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han along for the ride. This sequel to the 2010 “Karate Kid” reboot connects itself to the 1984 original. As great as that sounds, this one is definitely a mixed bag. The story, centering around the same old story of a bullied kid, Devon, learning karate to stand up for himself, was predictable and loaded with super cheesy dialogue like something out of a bad after-school special. Still, the fight scenes are insane and way more creative than the original “Karate Kid” movies, featuring some cool new moves. And the soundtrack is fire, blending old-school music with some sick modern beats. Overall, “Legends” is a fun watch if you’re looking for some action and nostalgia. Just don’t expect anything groundbreaking. It’s not replacing the original in anyone’s heart. [Isaiah Stuart]