#specifically asher angel billy

[renatapatata]

shazam 3 pitch ; rosa signs billy up for therapy and its just hours of asher angel as billy talking out his abandonement issues and getting the help he needs regarding that with bonus hugs from his parents and siblings 😁

[spaceotter42]

Andi Mack Cast in 2023

The Andi Mack cast has kept busy starring in movies and TV shows since AM went off the air nearly four years ago.  See them this year in the following:

Asher Angel is Billy Batson in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” premiering March 17 in theaters.

Peyton Elizabeth Lee stars as “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.,” which begins airing its second season on March 31 on Disney+.  Peyton’s new movie “Prom Pact” premieres on Disney Channel March 30, and on Disney+ March 31.

Sofia Wylie continues in the main cast of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” which debuts its 4th season on Disney+ later this year, specific date yet to be announced.

Luke Mullen will appear in the “Barbie” movie premiering in theaters July 21, 2023.  The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.

[billiesbatsons]

Billy Batson icons

feel free to use, credit is appreciated but not required

i’m open to requests!

[dglovesfood]

Male English Names and Meanings

A correctly chosen name has a strong positive effect on the character and fate of a person. It actively helps to develop, forms positive qualities of style and condition, strengthens health, removes various harmful programs of the memory. But how to choose the perfect name?

 The meaning of the name has no real effect. For example, the meaning of Agshin is brave, strong. It does not mean that the young man will be strong, and those who have other names will be weak. The name can block his heart centre, and he will not be able to give and receive love. On contrast, another boy will help solve problems of love or power and achievement of goals. The third boy may not affect. Moreover, all these children can be born on the same day. And have the same astrological, numerological, and other characteristics.

 The mystery of a man's name is shared by a unique smell primarily in a person, and not in the grammatical meaning and characterisation of the name. If this name destroys the child, then it would not be beautiful, sweet with the surname. It would still be harm, destruction of character, a complication of life, and aggravation of fate.

 Below are beautiful male English names. Try to choose some that are most suitable for your child. 

 List of male English names for letters A, B, C & D:

A:

Aaron - high mountain

Ab - father of the light

Abbot - father

Abel - father of many

Abell - shepherd

Abner - father of light

Abot - father of

Abram - father

Abran - father of many

Abraham - father of many

Absalon - my father - world

Averill - fighting boar

Adam - the land of

Addison - son of Adam

Aden - fire

Addison - son of Adam

Adlay - Jehovah the righteous

Adney - nobleman island

Adolf - the noble wolf

Adrian - from Hadria

Adair - the rich spear

Asia - eastern

Azelstan - the magnificent stone

Able - the shepherd

Ak - oak grove

Akey - number one

Akerley - oak grove

Alastair - defender of humanity

Alwar - elf army

Alfven - a friend of an elf

Alvis - all-wise

Algar - spear of an elf

Algernon - with a mustache

Aleister - defender of humanity

Alec - defender of humanity

Alexander - defender of humanity

Alain - beautiful

Alester - defender of humanity

Algeria - Elf Spear

Alik - Defender of Humanity

Alexander - Defender of Humanity

Allan - handsome

Allen - beautiful

Allister - defender of humanity

Alton - old city

Alf - elf

Alfonzo - noble

Alford - old river ford

Alfred - elf council

Albert - bright nobleness

Aldina - an old friend

Alpin - white

Altair - pilot

Alfred - elf council

Alister - protector of humanity

Ambi - immortal

Ambrose - immortal

Amedeus - loving god

Amias - from Amiens

Amory - loving

Amos - bearing, carrying

Amyas - from Amiens

Anakin - kind, merciful

Angel - Angel, messenger

Anges - one, the only choice

Anderson - son Andrew

Angelelli - angel, messenger

Ange - angel, messenger

Anskom - stone valley

Anson - son Agnes

Antwan - invaluable

Antoine - invaluable

Arden - eagle valley

Arik - ruler

Aryl - lion of the god

Arin - peace

Arkell - helmet, protection of the eagle

Arly - the forest of the eagle

Arman - brave, hardy man

Arn - the power of the eagle

Arne - control of the eagle

Arni - eagle power

Arnold - control of the eagle

Arran - high mountain

Arrin - high mountain

Arron - high mountain

Arthur - man - bear, warrior, eagle Thor

Archie - genuine courage

Archibald - true courage

Ancelet - noble from birth

Aselin - small nobleman

Acer - number one, first

Aston - eastern settlement

Afton - Sweet Afton

Affton - sweet Afton

Achill - painful

Ash - ash

Asher - happy

Ashton - ash colony

  B:

Bad - friend

Buddy - friend

Baz - king or basil 

Basil - king

Byron - in cowsheds or covered barnyards

Bayard - red-brown or bright sunset

Buck - a courageous young man

Baxter - baker

Balder - prince

Baldrick - brave ruler of

Bambi - child

Baptist - Baptist

Bardolph - the gorgeous wolf of

Baria - king or basil 

Barclay - birch forest

Barnabas - son of a preacher

Barney - son of a preacher and bold as a bear

Barnaby - son of a preacher

Barrett - bargainer

Barry - blond

Bart - son Talmey

Bartolomei - son Talmey

Bassett - a little short, low

Baster - the destroyer

Butch - the butcher

Bevan - the son of John

Beverly - the beaver

Bevis - the bright

Babe - the baby Ruth

Bailey - the assistant to the sheriff

Bailie - deputy sheriff

Ben - son of the south, or blessed

Benjamin - son southern

Benji - son southern

Benedict - blessed

Benet - blessed

Bennett - the sacred

Bennie - the south and the son of Benedict blessed

Benson - son Ben

Bentley - cleansing

Benton - grassy meadow

Beauregard - a beautiful perspective

Berndt - a fortified settlement

Berenger - a spear of a bear

Beret - a merchant

Bernie - as brave as a bear

Berry - blond

Bertie - bright

Burton - fortified settlement

Bertrand - bright raven

Beavis - radiant

Bill - helmet

Billy - helmet

Biersch - bush

Beef - punch

Blaine - small yellow-skinned

Blize - cheerful, happy

Bliss - joy, happiness

Blaze - sizzling

Blake - black

Blaine - slightly yellow-skinned

Blair - battlefield

Bob - famous

Bobby - famous

Baldwin - brave friend

Bollard - bald, rounded like a ball

Beaumont - beautiful Mount

Boniface - good fortune

Boris - fighter, warrior

Bradley - wide wooded area

Braden - salmon

Brian - strength

Brion - strength

Branden - hill covered with broom

Brannon - covered hill broom

Brayden - salmon

Brennan - Prince

Brent - hill

Brenton - burning city

Brett - Breton

Briard - rosehip

Brion - strength

Brice - colorful, spotted, variegated

Brisko - birch forest

Britton - from Great Britain

Brigham - house near

Broderick bridge -

Brody's dream - dirty place

Broz - immortal

Brock - badger

Bront - thunder

Brody - dirty place

Brooke - stream, Feed

Brooke - brook, stream

Brooks - from the creek

Bruno - brown

Brutus - hard

Bryant - the power of

Brady - chested

Bradford - wide ford

Braden - salmon

Brady - chested

Bram - father of many children

Brutus - multi-colored, spotted, motley

Buz - contempt

Booker - bookbinder, scribe

Bew - handsome

Bailey - sheriff's assistant

  C:

Chad - fighting

Chaz - man

Chuck - man

Chucky - man

Charlie - man

Charlton - settlement of free peasants

Charles - man

Chase - chasing, hunter, hunting

Chandler - candle merchant

Chance - chance

Cherokee - name of native Americans

Chip - man, a follower of Christ

Chunky - report keeper, secretary

Chauncey - report keeper, secretary

  D:

Dee - shortening of longer names starting with "Dee"

Deacon - serving

Digby - ditch around

Diggory settlement - lost, lost

Digory - rejecting, lost

Dison - son Dew

Dick - powerful and brave

Dicky - powerful and brave

Dicky - powerful and brave

Dil - big sea

Dylan - big sea

Dilbert - having some specific meaning

Dimer - judge

Dean - Dean, spiritual observer

Diner - man, warrior

Dirk - king of nations

Dob - of ad hoc

Dodge - a famous spear

Dolph - a noble wolf

[a-darla-ble]

Can’t Get That Music Outta My Head
You know all those songs you hear in the film Shazam! (2019) in which at least one song in a certain scene that you love so much that you want to download it for your playlist, but then it’s like “Oh, my gosh! What’s the actual name of that song and by who?!” Well, you’re being covered. Here is the “complete” list of non-orchestral songs played in the DCEU film.
Song 1 - Song played in this flashback scene in 1974 Upstate New York as we see young Thaddeus Sivana (Ethan Pugiotto, centre), his bullying brother Sid (Wayne Ward, left) and Mr. Sivana, his estranged father (played by longtime DC veteran, John Glover).
Song 2 - Philadelphia - Today. View shot of the skyscrappers with the statue of William Penn, on top of the Philadelphia City Hall, founder of the future state of Pennsylvania in 1681 when he received a royal deed from King Charles II of England, although human activity in the region precedes that date.
Song 3 - Song played in this scene in which the Vásquez group home received their newest addition to their foster family, Billy Batson (Asher Angel). In the foreground, we see Eugene Choi (Ian Chen) yelling it out in an online video game.
Song 4 - Song played in this scene where Pedro Peña (Jovan Armand) was listening to it in his headphones, while Rosa Vásquez (Marta Milans) greeted Billy to Pedro, resulting the latter to simply nod back shyly. 
Song 5 - Song played during this scene in which we see the family joining their hands for saying grace. But Billy, who’s having his first supper with them, wanted to miss the boat on that one. 
Song 6 - Song heard in this scene when Victor (Cooper Andrews) and Rosa, in the background, were talking to a police officer on the phone about his escape, while Eugene did a background check on him and sharing information with her sister Mary Bromfield (Grace Fulton). Also, we see our little Darla doing some art project by putting purple glitter on purple construction paper. 
Song 7 - We hear the song faintly, but it is played during that moment when we see Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) and papa Victor having a heartfelt talk about Billy’s recent escape after school. 
Song 8 - Billy, who recently and suddenly became Shazam!, and Freddy witnessing a convenience store robbery following an attempt to buy beer, with Billy’s advantage as a bulking adult. We hear, in the background, the instrumental version of the classic 1980′s song by Boy George (a.k.a. Culture Club).
Song 9 - In this scene where we hear that specific Christmas classic, Victor and Rosa were discussing, after Billy had run off, about how Mary used to do the same thing but became a wonderful big sister to the rest, and hoping it would become the same for Billy. 
Song 10 - After discovering his newlyfound superpowers, Billy (as Shazam!), along with Freddy as his “manager,” went on a montage of testing for possible more newlyfound powers accompanied by this Freddie Mercury classic tune. 
Song 11 - This song is heard while we see Freddy talking to Billy about his latest success on social media as Philly’s newest superhero. And, to his advantage for being picked on his disability, tells all the kids that Shazam! will show up at the cafeteria at lunchtime while being targeted by bullies Brett and Burke Breyer, much to Billy shocking surprise. 
Song 12 - After what Freddy said to the other kids that he knows Shazam! and that he would show up at lunchtime the next day, he and Billy had an arguement “like an old married couple” as Mary would put out later. Frustrated, Billy left the table without excusing himself while a certain little girl with the cute glasses knows Billy secret identity. This song was played in this scene. 
Song 13 - This song was heard while we see Billy, who was fed up with going to school decided to skip it in favour of doing selfies to the public in the city. While chatting with Mary after he saved her from being hit by a snow plow, Freddy was waiting in the cafeteria for Billy to show up as Shazam! 
Song 14 - Billy was still showing off his powers, especially while blasting “lightning with his hands” to this song playing on the speaker. Until a bitter Freddy arrived and kicked aside the speaker and argued to him that he had a suitcase wedgie from the Breyer twins, leading to yet another argument. 
Song 15 - This little girl (Aria Anthony) was so happy to see her idol, Santa Claus (Brian Kaulback) at the mall. This traditional Christmas music was played when Shazam! and Dr. Sivana’s fight came crashing down, resulting in Santa running away in a panic, leaving the poor little girl alone. I bet her two front teeth will not be the only thing she will be asking for Christmas. Maybe an unselfish Santa. 
Song 16 - The fight between Shazam! and Dr. Sivana at the mall continues. After Sivana crashes him through a fitting room wall and into a toy store, this children’s folk song was heard throughout. 
Song 17 - After escaping Dr. Sivana from the Rock of Eternity and into a strip club, Shazam! and the other foster siblings headed outside of that joint, with Mary carrying Darla in her arms and covering her eyes, so as not to see the contents inside. Sorry, Darla, but not for your lovely eyes to see. This “great music” was played inside.
Song 18 - After saving the world as superheroes themselves and defeating Dr. Sivana, the Shazamily were chatting and laughing through this sweet song at Christmas morning, as Billy realized that home is where the love is. 
Song 19 - Billy owed his new brother and best friend Freddy seriously for not showing up as planned. He finally showed up, much to the astonishment of the kids in the cafeteria. Superman showed up as well, bringing dessert, and not without the iconic theme composed by the legendary John Williams. 
Song 20 - This 1995 version of the song, originally sung by the Descendents in 1985, covered this whole animated end credits sequence of this fun superhero film as we see our super family’s display of heroing and fun through Freddy’s notebooks’ doodles.

[orbsdotorg]

Shazam was fine! Totally fine. It felt like it rushed through some things it really shouldn’t have (the plot could have used maybe one less scene of Billy being a jerk about his powers and one more scene of Billy actually spending time with his new family and bonding with them in any way) and some of the dialogue was a bit... first draft-y? Also, Zachary Levi as Shazam does a fantastic, funny job of playing a teenager in an adult’s body but it feels completely divorced from Asher Angel’s performance as Billy. But yeah, aside from that, it’s a fun movie. I like how it felt relatively low stakes. Like, there’s an implied “villain will destroy the world if successful” thing but as far as what we see in the movie there are always specific people with faces and personalities in danger instead of an ominous pillar of energy or a bunch of falling buildings. Second best DCEU movie after Wonder Woman. Not perfect, and I’ll probably never watch it again, but I’d watch a sequel and it’d be cool if the character shows up elsewhere.

[un-enfant-immature]

Warner Bros. unveils the first trailers for ‘Aquaman’ and ‘Shazam’

Today at Comic-Con, Warner Bros . gave fans a first peek at the first DC Comics films post-Justice League.

Warner Bros. and DC had a bumpy 2017. There was the astonishing critical and commercial success of Wonder Woman, followed by the box office disappointment of Justice League — leading to an executive shakeup and a general rethinking of its movie strategy.

Will Aquaman, which stars Jason Momoa as the titular superhero and is due out on December 21, turn things around? Director James Wan (who’s best-known for horror titles like Saw and The Conjuring but also directed Furious 7) told the Comic-Con audience that his goal is to create a movie that “plays more like a science-fiction fantasy film than a traditional super hero movie.”

Wan previously said there’s been a long wait for the trailer because he wanted to ensure the visual effects were ready — and after watching this footage, you can see what he was talking about.

The trailer does spend some time establishing the relationships between Aquaman, his love interest Mera (Amber Heard), his mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and his half-brother/rival Orm (Patrick Wilson). My real takeaway, though, is that this is going to be a spectacular, effects-filled movie with plenty of undersea action.

Then there’s Shazam!, which looks like it could be DC’s first outright comedy.

With the film’s release date (April 5, 2019) still nearly a year away, this trailer seems to focus on a few key scenes setting up the premise, with young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) gifted by a mysterious stranger with the ability to turn into a big red superhero (Zachary Levi) by just calling out the word “Shazam!” (The character was originally known as Captain Marvel, but I assume that they’ll stick with the Shazam name in the movie.)

Like Wan, director David F. Sandberg has previously helmed horror movies (specifically Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation), but the trailer makes it clear that he’s taking a light-hearted approach to the material. Despite his appearance as an invulnerable superhero, this version of Shazam is still a goofy kid.

And if you were hoping for a glimpse at Wonder Woman 1984, it sounds like the filmmakers did show off footage at Comic-Con, but they don’t have a polished trailer yet to put online.

Director Patty Jenkins said she looks at the movie as less of a sequel and more a standalone story with the same character: “We can make a whole new movie that’s as strong and unique as the first. It’s not more of anything; it’s its own thing.”

[marilynngmesalo]

‘Shazam!’ debuts with US$53.5M, handing DC Comics another win

‘Shazam!’ debuts with US$53.5M, handing DC Comics another win ‘Shazam!’ debuts with US$53.5M, handing DC Comics another win https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

NEW YORK — Seven films in, the DC Extended Universe is finally flying with some wind behind its back. The well-reviewed, relatively modestly budgeted Shazam! debuted with US$53.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing DC its latest critical and box-office success.

Though one of the oldest characters in DC’s superhero stable, Shazam! doesn’t boast the name-recognition of Batman or Superman. But by scaling back to a $100-million budget and going for the lighter, comic tone, Shazam! steadily built up its word of mouth with stellar reviews. Warner Bros. also showed the film nationwide two weeks before opening, where it made $3 million in advance screenings.

REVIEW: 'Shazam!' a lightning bolt of unexpected joy

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'Shazam!' director promises 'a fun movie'

'We're the fun uncle': Zachary Levi teases DC's 'Shazam!'

Shazam! came out well ahead of the weekend’s other top draw, Pet Sematary. Paramount Pictures’ remake of the original 1989 Stephen King adaptation opened in a distant second with $25 million. It’s a solid start for Pet Sematary, though far from the haul that the last big-screen adaptation of King’s conjured up: It opened with $123.4 million in 2017.

Last week’s top film, Dumbo, slid steeply in its second week. Landing in third, the Disney live-action remake dropped 60% with $18.2 million.

Pitched as “Big meets Superman,” Shazam! stars Asher Angel as Billy Batson, a teenage foster kid who transforms into an adult superhero (played by Zachary Levi).

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Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief at Warner Bros., said the studio originally forecast a $40 million opening. “That was the right number for us,” Goldstein said. “That’s what we needed to make money on it.”

But expectations grew based on reviews (91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience reaction (an A Cinemascore). The PG-13-rated film attracted an especially young crowd; 45% were under 25.

The result further validated DC’s pivot following the disappointments of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman and David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Warner Bros. has since steered its comic book adaptions in a different direction, leaning more on stand-alone entries less predicated on the overall “universe” and more fluctuating in tone. Following Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Shazam! makes it three in a row for DC superhero standalones.

Earlier in the week, Warner Bros. also teased the DC release Joker, with Joaquin Phoenix, at CinemaCon. An even smaller-budgeted origin story with a similarly unique, albeit much darker, tone; it was one of the most talked-about movies at the Las Vegas event.

“Wonder Woman was really the start of changing the ship,” Goldstein said. “When you look at each of these properties, they’re all very different. Their approach is different. Their tone is different. But here’s the commonality: All good movies, all well done. I think that’s what you’ll see out of DC is very specific approaches for that property.”

Overseas, Shazam! grossed $102 million in 79 markets, including $30.9 million in China.

“DC has really found its groove,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “They’re really breaking out each character. Shazam and the Joker could not be two more different characters within the DC Universe. But I think that diversity of content is going to serve them well.”

Dergarabedian noted the two most dominant genres in movies right now — superheroes and horror — swamped theatres over the weekend, taking up four of the top five spots at the box office. The stiff competition in similar-styled holdovers could have slightly depressed results for both Shazam! and Pet Sematary. But right now, there’s scant room on the calendar between major comic book films and horror releases.

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In fourth was Jordan Peele’s horror thriller Us, which added $13.8 million in its third week. Its cumulative global total stands at $216.6 million.

Marvel’s Brie Larson-led Captain Marvel, which recently crossed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales, took in $12.7 million domestically in its fifth weekend. Captain Marvel, ironically, was Shazam’s original name when the character was first crafted, as a Superman knockoff, in 1939. He was relaunched in 1973 as Shazam after decades of lawsuits and the debut of Marvel’s own Captain Marvel.

The weekend’s other wide-release newcomer was STX Entertainment’s Best of Enemies, starring Taraji P. Henson as a civil rights activist and Sam Rockwell as a Ku Klux Klan leader. It opened with $4.5 million.

In limited release, Claire Denis’ High Life, starring Robert Pattinson, opened with about $100,000 in four theatres for A24.

Neon’s Aretha Franklin documentary, Amazing Grace, debuted with $96,000 in eight locations. The film, shot over two days at the New Bethel Baptist Church in the Watts section of Los Angeles in 1972, was lost for decades in part because its director, Sydney Pollack, failed to slate the images, leaving them not synced with the audio. Before her death last August, Franklin sued several times to prevent its release.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.

1.  Shazam! $53.5 million ($102 million international).

2.  Pet Sematary, $25 million ($17.3 million international).

3.  Dumbo, $18.2 million ($39.6 million international).

4.  Us, $13.8 million ($10.3 million international).

5.  Captain Marvel, $12.7 million ($14.1 million international).

6.  The Best of Enemies, $4.5 million.

7.  Five Feet Apart, $3.7 million ($4.1 million international).

8.  Unplanned, $3.2 million.

9.  Wonder Park, $2 million ($3.3 million international).

10. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, $2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.

1. Shazam! $102 million.

2. Dumbo, $39.6 million.

3. P Storm, $27.5 million.

4. Pet Sematary, $17.3 million.

5. Captain Marvel, $14.1 million.

6. Us, $10.3 million.

7. Andhadhun, $7.6 million.

8. Song of Youth, $4.5 million.

9. Five Feet Apart, $4.1 million.

10. Cloud in the Wind, $3.4 million.

Click for update news Bangla news http://bit.ly/2uQ2FSK world news

[jillmckenzie1]

My Name Is

Director Zack Snyder has thoughts. During a charity event screening of his films Dawn of the Dead, Watchmen, and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, he was asked about the depiction of Batman. Specifically, the depiction that the Caped Crusader was awfully, well…homicidal. During the film, Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight straight-up mows down crooks with cunningly hidden machine guns in the Batmobile and decimates goons in a brutal warehouse battle. It’s all a bit much.

Snyder responded with the immortal quote, “Someone says to me: Batman killed a guy. I’m like, ‘F**k, really? Wake the f**k up.” It’s not surprising that the guy who made 300 and who is a noted devotee of Ayn Rand would make a superhero movie with an almost complete lack of a light touch. Snyder directed Man of Steel, the film that kicked off the DC Expanded Universe as a direct competitor to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One could say his films are gritty, dark,* and his aesthetic set the tone of the universe initially.

You know what? That’s okay, provided you’re telling the right story with the right characters. The superhero genre is wildly malleable, and a character like Batman can work with a darker-toned story. That shouldn’t be the default tone, though. Superman doesn’t need to be grimdark. Ever. The good news is that the pendulum is swinging the other way and the films of the DCEU are lightening up.

Wonder Woman had a clever sense of humor. Aquaman had crazy set pieces involving armored seahorses. While the films of the MCU are often criticized for having interchangeable tones, the DCEU seems to be going in a more director-focused direction. That’s a smart move, and we’re seeing more evidence of that with the newest installment, Shazam!

The holiday season can be a bummer. 14-year-old Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is acutely aware of that. He’s been in and out of foster care for years in Philadelphia, and he’s developed a reputation for being a touch troublesome. Can you blame him, though? As a young child, he was separated from his mother, and he’s got a list of all the Batsons located in the area. Billy knows she’s out there somewhere.

His search is interrupted when he’s placed into a foster home run by the kindly Rosa Vasquez (Marta Milans) and Victor Vasquez (Cooper Andrews). They have five other foster kids, all of them welcoming and warm. Billy particularly clicks with Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), a sarcastic fan of the new heroes that have been coming out of the woodwork. In a nice touch, Freddy even owns a crumpled bullet fired at Superman. The bullet even has a certificate of authenticity.

Then…things get weird. While bullies are hassling Freddy, Billy steps in. They give chase and Billy escapes on the subway. Only everyone else on the train disappears. The train arrives at the Rock of Eternity, the lair of the Wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou). The magician needs help. He’s looking for someone to transfer his power to, someone pure of heart. Billy fits the bill.

With a crack of thunder, Billy is transformed into a hilariously swole superhero (Zachary Levi) with a vast array of abilities.** He’ll need them, since the embittered Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) is out there. Sivana had his own encounter with the Wizard, and he’s on a quest to release the Seven Deadly Sins upon the world. Like you do.

If Shazam! were a household pet, it would be an adorable Labrador retriever. This dog is friendly, a little crazy, and just wants to love you all the time. He wants to go for miles-long walks. He wants to play fetch for hours. When you stagger home, exhausted, and you just want 15 minutes of peace, the dog jumps on you continuously, almost saying, “OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH LET’S GO FOR A HIKE IN THE FOOTHILLS AND CHASE SQUIRRELS AND DO DOGGY THINGS COME ON GET UP GET UP GET UP.”

That’s not to say I disliked it. While director David F. Sandberg has made a film that feels incredibly long at times, it’s always punctuated with a great deal of humor, heart, and some full-on horror occasionally.*** The film feels like a throwback to the output of 1980’s Spielberg and Zemeckis, where it occasionally is just gory enough for kids to feel like they’re getting away with something watching it.

Long stretches of the screenplay by Henry Gayden are very funny, particularly the second act. After Billy has gotten his powers, he doesn’t immediately start fighting crime and protecting the good citizens of Philadelphia. He and Freddy try to buy beer. He fires lightning out of his fingers to charge the cellphones of passersby. He becomes an online sensation by just screwing around with his powers. I think the average teenager would behave in much the same way, and I liked that. There’s some smart writing on display mocking the tropes of superhero cinema, but the script has real heart when necessary.

Let’s also take a moment to direct praise at the script for a positive portrayal of the foster system. For years in movies, foster homes have been depicted as hellholes populated by people who are dismissive at best and as demonic at worst. The reality is that the vast majority of foster parents are people who genuinely want to help kids who have caught a tough break. For a major blockbuster to push this concept is a wonderful thing.

I liked the cast, and it’s always a treat to see Mark Strong lean into playing a villainous maniac. As Billy, Asher Angel is a quiet center to the madness going on around him. As his grown-up alter ego, Zachary Levi’s Shazam is perfect. He’s brimming over with that jumpy Labrador retriever energy, and he believably shifts from enthusiastic to a little selfish to embracing the mantle of responsibility. I would have liked for the two of them to have had performances that were in sync a little bit more, so you could feel like this was two sides of the same person.

With all that, I was impressed to see Jack Dylan Grazer walk away with the entire movie. His Freddy is legitimately witty, a kid who uses his wit as a shield to protect himself from a frequently hostile world. Playing that balance without coming off as bitter is not easy, and Grazer allows his sadness and fear to peek out.

Superhero comics were originally aimed at kids. It’s refreshing to me to see a superhero movie that remembers that, leans heavily into the adolescent wish fulfillment, and isn’t obnoxiously self-serious. Shazam! is a rarity: a family movie that the entire family can genuinely enjoy without having seen two dozen other movies first.

  *One could also say that his films sometimes try way too hard.

**The good people at Wikipedia tell me that Shazam is actually an acronym, and Billy gains the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. Thanks, Wikipedia!

***Tonally, I kept thinking Shazam! feels like Gremlins. Dollops of goofy comedy, then some fairly intense and gnarly stuff takes place. You’ll probably notice this with the Seven Deadly Sins creatures, or when Sivana kills a guy by throwing him out of a skyscraper.

from Blog https://ondenver.com/my-name-is/

[mikemortgage]

‘Shazam!’ debuts with $53.5M, handing DC Comics another win

NEW YORK — Seven films in, the DC Extended Universe is finally flying with some wind behind its back. The well-reviewed, relatively modestly budgeted “Shazam!” debuted with $53.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing DC its latest critical and box-office success.

Though one of the oldest characters in DC’s superhero stable, “Shazam!” doesn’t boast the name-recognition of Batman or Superman. But by scaling back to a $100 million budget and going for the lighter, comic tone, “Shazam!” steadily built up its word of mouth with stellar reviews. Warner Bros. also showed the film nationwide two weeks before opening, where it made $3 million in advance screenings.

“Shazam!” came out well ahead of the weekend’s other top draw, “Pet Sematary.” Paramount Pictures’ remake of the original 1989 Stephen King adaptation opened in a distant second with $25 million. It’s a solid start for “Pet Sematary,” though far from the haul that the last big-screen adaptation of King’s conjured up: “It” opened with $123.4 million in 2017.

Last week’s top film, “Dumbo,” slid steeply in its second week. Landing in third, the Disney live-action remake dropped 60% with $18.2 million.

Pitched as “‘Big’ meets Superman,”‘ “Shazam!” stars Asher Angel as Billy Batson, a teenage foster kid who transforms into an adult superhero (played by Zachary Levi).

Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief at Warner Bros., said the studio originally forecast a $40 million opening. “That was the right number for us,” Goldstein said. “That’s what we needed to make money on it.”

But expectations grew based on reviews (91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience reaction (an “A” Cinemascore). The PG-13-rated film attracted an especially young crowd; 45% were under 25.

The result further validated DC’s pivot following the disappointments of Zack Snyder’s “Batman v Superman” and David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad.” Warner Bros. has since steered its comic book adaptions in a different direction, leaning more on stand-alone entries less predicated on the overall “universe” and more fluctuating in tone.

Earlier in the week, Warner Bros. also teased the DC release “Joker,” with Joaquin Phoenix, at CinemaCon. An even smaller-budgeted origin story with a similarly unique, albeit much darker, tone; it was one of the most talked-about movies at the Las Vegas event.

“‘Wonder Woman’ was really the start of changing the ship,” Goldstein said. “When you look at each of these properties, they’re all very different. Their approach is different. Their tone is different. But here’s the commonality: All good movies, all well done. I think that’s what you’ll see out of DC is very specific approaches for that property.”

Overseas, “Shazam!” grossed $102 million in 79 markets, including $30.9 million in China.

“DC has really found its groove,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “They’re really breaking out each character. Shazam and the Joker could not two more different characters within the DC Universe. But I think that diversity of content is going to serve them well.”

Dergarabedian noted the two most dominant genres in movies right now — superheroes and horror — swamped theatres, taking up four of the top five spots at the box office. The stiff competition in similar-styled holdovers could have slightly depressed results for both “Shazam!” and “Pet Sematary.” But right now, there is little room on the calendar between major comic book films and horror releases.

In fourth was Jordan Peele’s horror thriller “Us,” which added $13.8 million in its third week. Its cumulative global total stands at $216.6 million.

Marvel’s Brie Larson-led “Captain Marvel,” which recently crossed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales, took in $12.7 million domestically in its fifth weekend. Captain Marvel, ironically, was Shazam’s original name when the character was first crafted, as a Superman knockoff, in 1939. He was relaunched in 1973 as Shazam after decades of lawsuits and the debut of Marvel’s own Captain Marvel.

The weekend’s other wide-release newcomer was STX Entertainment’s “Best of Enemies,” starring Taraji P. Henson as a civil rights activist and Sam Rockwell as a Ku Klux Klan leader. It opened with $4.5 million.

In limited release, Claire Denis’ “High Life,” starring Robert Pattinson, opened with about $100,000 in four theatres for A24.

Neon’s Aretha Franklin documentary, “Amazing Grace,” debuted with $96,000 in eight locations. The film, shot over two days at the New Bethel Baptist Church in the Watts section of Los Angeles in 1972, was lost for decades in part because its director, Sydney Pollack, failed to slate the images, leaving them not synced with the audio. Before her death last August, Franklin sued several times to prevent its release.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.

1. “Shazam!” $53.4 million ($102 million international).

2. “Pet Sematary,” $25 million.

3. “Dumbo,” $18.2 million.

4. “Us,” $13.8 million.

5. “Captain Marvel,” $12.7 million.

6. “The Best of Enemies,” $4.5 million.

7. “Five Feet Apart,” $3.7 million.

8. “Unplanned,” $3.2 million.

9. “Wonder Park,” $2 million.

10. “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” $2 million.

——

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

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[filga]

Shazam Probably Won't Feature A Superman Cameo

Shazam Probably Won’t Feature A Superman Cameo

Superman’s planned Shazam! cameo may not be happening after all. Warner Bros. is tipped to introduce a brand new superhero on the big screen with David F. Sandberg’s upcoming film starring Zachary Levi as the titular character and Asher Angel as his human alter-ego, Billy Batson. Not much is known regarding specific story details about it, but judging on the film’s first trailer, it’ll be…

[thehowtostuff-blog]

Today at Comic-Con, Warner Bros. gave fans a peek at the first DC Comics films post-Justice League.

Warner Bros. and DC had a bumpy 2017. There was the astonishing critical and commercial success of Wonder Woman, followed by the box office disappointment of Justice League — leading to an executive shakeup and a general rethinking of its movie strategy.

Will Aquaman, which stars Jason Momoa as the titular superhero and is due out on December 21, turn things around? Director James Wan told the Comic-Con audience that his goal is to create a movie that “plays more like a science-fiction fantasy film than a traditional super hero movie.”

Wan (who’s best-known for horror titles like Saw and The Conjuring but also directed Furious 7) previously said there’s been a long wait for the trailer because he wanted to ensure the visual effects were ready — and after watching this footage, you can see what he was talking about.

The trailer does spend some time establishing the relationships between Aquaman, his love interest Mera (Amber Heard), his mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and his half-brother/rival Orm (Patrick Wilson). My real takeaway, though, is that this is going to be a spectacular, effects-filled movie with plenty of undersea action.

Then there’s Shazam!, which looks like it could be DC’s first outright comedy.

With the film’s release date (April 5, 2019) still nearly a year away, this trailer seems to focus on a few key scenes setting up the premise, with young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) gifted by a mysterious stranger with the ability to turn into a big red superhero (Zachary Levi) by just calling out the word “Shazam!” (The character was originally known as Captain Marvel, but I assume that they’ll stick with the Shazam name in the movie.)

Like Wan, director David F. Sandberg has previously helmed horror movies (specifically Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation), but the trailer makes it clear that he’s taking a light-hearted approach to the material. Despite his appearance as an invulnerable superhero, this version of Shazam is still a goofy kid.

And if you were hoping for a glimpse at Wonder Woman 1984, it sounds like the filmmakers did show off footage at Comic-Con, but they don’t have a polished trailer yet to put online.

Director Patty Jenkins said she looks at the movie as less of a sequel and more a standalone story with the same character: “We can make a whole new movie that’s as strong and unique as the first. It’s not more of anything; it’s its own thing.”

Oh, and stop reading now if you don’t want to be spoiled for a year-old movie, but if you’re wondering why Chris Pine is in 1984 when his character Steve Trevor appeared to die in the first Wonder Woman: Apparently there were no answers forthcoming during the panel.

from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2Nz4FpH

[christopherross7601]

Warner Bros. unveils the first trailers for ‘Aquaman’ and ‘Shazam’

Google Analytics Certification Exam: Get Certified in 2 Days

Today at Comic-Con, Warner Bros . gave fans a peek at the first DC Comics films post-Justice League.

Warner Bros. and DC had a bumpy 2017. There was the astonishing critical and commercial success of Wonder Woman, followed by the box office disappointment of Justice League — leading to an executive shakeup and a general rethinking of its movie strategy.

Will Aquaman, which stars Jason Momoa as the titular superhero and is due out on December 21, turn things around? Director James Wan told the Comic-Con audience that his goal is to create a movie that “plays more like a science-fiction fantasy film than a traditional super hero movie.”

Wan (who’s best-known for horror titles like Saw and The Conjuring but also directed Furious 7) previously said there’s been a long wait for the trailer because he wanted to ensure the visual effects were ready — and after watching this footage, you can see what he was talking about.

The trailer does spend some time establishing the relationships between Aquaman, his love interest Mera (Amber Heard), his mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and his half-brother/rival Orm (Patrick Wilson). My real takeaway, though, is that this is going to be a spectacular, effects-filled movie with plenty of undersea action.

Then there’s Shazam!, which looks like it could be DC’s first outright comedy.

With the film’s release date (April 5, 2019) still nearly a year away, this trailer seems to focus on a few key scenes setting up the premise, with young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) gifted by a mysterious stranger with the ability to turn into a big red superhero (Zachary Levi) by just calling out the word “Shazam!” (The character was originally known as Captain Marvel, but I assume that they’ll stick with the Shazam name in the movie.)

Like Wan, director David F. Sandberg has previously helmed horror movies (specifically Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation), but the trailer makes it clear that he’s taking a light-hearted approach to the material. Despite his appearance as an invulnerable superhero, this version of Shazam is still a goofy kid.

And if you were hoping for a glimpse at Wonder Woman 1984, it sounds like the filmmakers did show off footage at Comic-Con, but they don’t have a polished trailer yet to put online.

Director Patty Jenkins said she looks at the movie as less of a sequel and more a standalone story with the same character: “We can make a whole new movie that’s as strong and unique as the first. It’s not more of anything; it’s its own thing.”

Oh, and stop reading now if you don’t want to be spoiled for a year-old movie, but if you’re wondering why Chris Pine is in 1984 when his character Steve Trevor appeared to die in the first Wonder Woman: Apparently there were no answers forthcoming during the panel.

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from Chriss H Feed https://ift.tt/2Nz4FpH via IFTTT

[fmservers]

Warner Bros. unveils the first trailers for ‘Aquaman’ and ‘Shazam’

Today at Comic-Con, Warner Bros . gave fans a first peek at the first DC Comics films post-Justice League.

Warner Bros. and DC had a bumpy 2017. There was the astonishing critical and commercial success of Wonder Woman, followed by the box office disappointment of Justice League — leading to an executive shakeup and a general rethinking of its movie strategy.

Will Aquaman, which stars Jason Momoa as the titular superhero and is due out on December 21, turn things around? Director James Wan (who’s best-known for horror titles like Saw and The Conjuring but also directed Furious 7) told the Comic-Con audience that his goal is to create a movie that “plays more like a science-fiction fantasy film than a traditional super hero movie.”

Wan previously said there’s been a long wait for the trailer because he wanted to ensure the visual effects were ready — and after watching this footage, you can see what he was talking about.

The trailer does spend some time establishing the relationships between Aquaman, his love interest Mera (Amber Heard), his mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and his half-brother/rival Orm (Patrick Wilson). My real takeaway, though, is that this is going to be a spectacular, effects-filled movie with plenty of undersea action.

Then there’s Shazam!, which looks like it could be DC’s first outright comedy.

With the film’s release date (April 5, 2019) still nearly a year away, this trailer seems to focus on a few key scenes setting up the premise, with young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) gifted by a mysterious stranger with the ability to turn into a big red superhero (Zachary Levi) by just calling out the word “Shazam!” (The character was originally known as Captain Marvel, but I assume that they’ll stick with the Shazam name in the movie.)

Like Wan, director David F. Sandberg has previously helmed horror movies (specifically Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation), but the trailer makes it clear that he’s taking a light-hearted approach to the material. Despite his appearance as an invulnerable superhero, this version of Shazam is still a goofy kid.

And if you were hoping for a glimpse at Wonder Woman 1984, it sounds like the filmmakers did show off footage at Comic-Con, but they don’t have a polished trailer yet to put online.

Director Patty Jenkins said she looks at the movie as less of a sequel and more a standalone story with the same character: “We can make a whole new movie that’s as strong and unique as the first. It’s not more of anything; it’s its own thing.”

Via Anthony Ha https://techcrunch.com