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 The first week of June brought some big releases to theaters and an anticipated streaming film. Below is my take on this week’s new movies. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Masters of the Universe (Theaters)
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, and Jared Leto
Synopsis: I was born in 1981. As a child of the 1980s, I fondly remember watching the He-Man cartoons. I had a He-Man action figure, along with his arch-nemesis Skeletor, among others. I enjoyed the world and the character. While I don’t remember seeing the live-action film from 1987—which is now nearly 40 years old—I’ve seen it since. Dolph Lundgren portrayed the titular hero, while Frank Langella portrayed his nemesis. It was an ambitious swing that is memorable to some, but not exactly high art. But in a world where everything old is new again, it tracks that He-Man is back on the big screen. This time with the special effects and the scope that can do the story more justice in a live-action version. But is it worth your time to check out even if it doesn’t bring a wave of nostalgia from your childhood? I think it is. The film focuses on Adam (Galitzine), who was sent to Earth from his home in Eternia long ago. As a child, he was present when Skeletor (Leto) and his army attacked. Adam’s parents were captured, so the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) sent Adam and the Sword of Power into hiding to safeguard them and give the realm a chance. But Adam lost the sword in transit, and he’s been seeking it ever since. He finds it in a comic shop, expecting an instant result. But instead, nothing happens—at least so it appears. But soon, his old friend Teela (Mendes) appears, drawn by the sword, to bring it and Adam back to Eternia. But what he finds is a vastly different place. In the 15 years he’s been gone, with Skeletor wreaking havoc, Eternia has suffered. It’s battered and broken. But Adam is no longer the small, scared child he was. He has to summon his courage and step up to be the champion Eternia needs to survive. It’s always a kick when you see things from your childhood brought to life on the big screen. This certainly isn’t the first time in the past 20 years that we’ve seen a classic toy inspire a new big-screen film. It’s sometimes had mixed results. While some of the Transformers films were quite good, the G.I. Joe films were forgettable. The Barbie film was an Academy Award contender, but others have fallen by the wayside. The original Masters of the Universe from 1987 is an interesting relic of the era. It has its fans and champions of its nostalgia, but it’s not a great film. The effects are poor by modern standards, and the story and performances are sometimes laughable. In that sense, this new Masters of the Universe is a huge leap forward. This is a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It makes some winks and nods to the past, even including Lundgren in a fun cameo. It brings a sense of humor to its world and characters that makes this a more accessible journey. But it also pays homage to the past and builds the lore of the cartoon series in this new live action take. It’s also a lot of fun. The graphics and special effects have moved to a place to bring Skeletor, Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie) and others to life in a more robust way. The look of the world and the epic scope of the battles works well to draw you in and take you on a fun blockbuster ride. This is the ideal kind of large scope film for the summer season. I enjoyed the cast, which includes Elba and James Purfoy in addition to the others mentioned. Everyone seems to be having fun. But it works well because of Galitzine, who is great in the lead role. He brings some humor and awkwardness to the character that’s endearing, but he also soars in the action sequences. With the dated concept and the sometimes-goofy trailers I didn’t know what to expect from Masters of the Universe. But it ended up being a great ride that’s a lot of fun and best to see with a crowd in theaters. It is what the summer season is all about, and one of the biggest surprises of the year for me so far.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence/action, some suggestive material, and language.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Office Romance (Netflix)
Starring: Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein
Synopsis: At some point, Lopez won’t work as the lead of a romantic comedy. That day is not today. She takes the lead as an uptight but brilliant CEO of a mid-level commercial airline on the cusp of making a big leap forward. Goldstein, who co-wrote the script with Joe Kelly, plays a Brit who has come to make New Jersey home thanks to his sister (Jodie Whittaker). He takes a position in the legal department and when his boss (Bradley Whitford) is unavailable, he’s trust into a lead role. His advice wins over Cruz (Lopez), while his charm leads to sparks. But with the company’s strict policy against inter-office dating, what will become of this spark? This is a fun spin on a romantic comedy and a workplace comedy. It’s full of fun supporting and cameo roles, including from Betty Gilpin, Tony Hale, and Edward James Olmos, among others. I thought this one had fun moments and a decent story. Lopez and Goldstein are talented performers who play well off each other. This was billed as a steamy romance, which I don’t think fits. But it’s a decent streaming watch, especially for a date night.
Rating: Rated R for sexual material, language throughout, and graphic nudity.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Power Ballad (Theaters)
Starring: Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas
Synopsis: This is the latest film from John Carney. So, you know to expect pathos and some great music. In the film we meet Rick Powers (Rudd), a wedding band singer who once had aspirations to be a star musician. But he chose a wife and daughter, staying in Ireland and plying his talents with a wedding band. At a wedding in a luxurious resort, one of the guests is Danny Wilson (Jonas), a former boy band star who is trying to remake himself as serious musician. After the wedding, they spend a few hours jamming. While Rick helps Danny on his songs, he also shares some of his own ideas. Back in Los Angeles, desperate for a hit, Danny builds on one of Rick’s songs. It hits and becomes a sensation. When Rick hears the song, he tries to reach out and instead is told the song originated with Danny and belongs to him. It sets off a crisis as Rick grapples with the loss of his last great shot at fame. This is a fascinating and moving film. There is some humor, and Rudd is a great lead. Jonas is great at singing and performing, which makes him ideal in the role of Danny. He does a nice job of portraying the shallow artist who, only occasionally, feels bad about what he’s done. I liked the emotional sequences and the music here. This was a sappy film in ways, but it was the right kind of sappy for me. Carney even works in a great reference to Once! I enjoyed this one.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout and some drug use.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Scary Movie (Theaters)
Starring: Anna Farris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Dave Sheridan
Synopsis: Does any franchise ever truly die? Scary Movie launched in 2000 as a spoof answer to Scream. After two successful installments, the Wayans Brothers were excluded from Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4. Then, stars Farris and Hall were out of Scary Movie 5. It’s been 13 years since that installment, 20 years since we’ve seen Farris and Hall, and 25 years since the Wayans brothers were a part of the franchise. That’s a lot of time to see new films develop and makes plans for skewering them. And that’s just what they did. The whole original crew is back, with a film that introduces a crop of new characters, but mostly wants to focus on the original crew, making meta commentary, and skewering the horror hits of the last 15 years. As befits the franchise, the main plot here mirrors the plot of Scream V. It points out all the flaws and uses them for comedic benefit. If you’ve been a fan of the franchise, this is a glorious return to form. This is the best of the films in the franchise since the second installment and feels like a welcome return that makes a lot of fun jokes and references. It’s decidedly aimed at an adult audience, but if that’s your kind of humor, this will work for you.
Rating: Rated R for crude sexual content, graphic nudity, strong violence, and drug content and language throughout.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five