Supergirl

 

Supergirl follows the titular hero, reprised by Milly Alcock, as she reluctantly teams up with an unlikely companion for an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice, after a ruthless adversary strikes a little too close to home.

Alcock is a phenomenal actress (I absolutely loved her in House of the Dragon), and she showed real range here, it's genuinely a disservice to her talent that the material around her didn’t rise to meet it.

The plot was easy to follow and bravely tried to tackle some serious themes around sex trafficking. The film almost tapped into some great meta-commentary about why she's still labeled a "girl" as a hero while her male counterpart gets called Superman, but it never fully committed to the idea.

Unfortunately, the villains just didn’t have the presence to feel genuinely dangerous. Jason Momoa played Lobo like a kid-friendly caricature, channeling a cartoonish, Jack Nicholson-style Joker, and at this point you have to wonder if every character he plays is contractually obligated to ride a motorcycle.

The fight choreography came off as largely chaotic, lacking the crisp, creative execution you see in top-tier action films. The one major exception was a fantastic slow-motion sequence near the end that mirrored the style James Gunn. I actually assumed Gunn directed this going in, and finding out he didn't explained why it ultimately lacked the spark of Superman.

The narrative explored some touching, grounded themes around loss, grief, and finding your purpose without needing to be perfect, but the movie as a whole was just okay. It was missing that vital piece needed to really lock you in and make you care.

Unfortunately because the film is bombing this could end up costing Alcock the chance to keep playing this character, which would be a real loss as the film did have potential.

Office Romance

 

Office Romance is a Netflix romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez as Jackie Cruz, a formidable airline CEO who sparks a relationship with a new company lawyer, Daniel Blanchflower, played by Brett Goldstein. The two must navigate their connection despite a strict corporate policy against dating, leading to a roller-coaster of drama and hilarity.

Jennifer Lopez remains, for me, the reigning queen of romantic comedies; she can do no wrong, and this film was no exception. Her character was a fully formed, brilliant leader, yet deeply guarded underneath it all. What struck me most was the way she fell into a clear fawn response with her gaslighting father, constantly appeasing him even as she fought to balance her relentless professional drive with a personal life she kept tightly locked away. And her chemistry with Goldstein was strong enough that I was rooting for them from the very first scene.

The film was co-written by Goldstein, who previously brought his signature wit to Ted Lasso. His talent as a writer shined through here, delivering strong character development alongside an easy-to-follow and highly enjoyable script. While the narrative arcs were predictable, the film handled it well. Some viewers labeled the humor as absurd, but I didn’t mind the raunchy bits and thought it was genuinely funny throughout. Beyond the laughs, the movie explored strong, uplifting themes around standing up for yourself, choosing your own happiness over the expectations of others, and standing firm in your convictions.

In the end, Office Romance was a great one-time watch. It's not necessarily a replay movie, but it is perfect for unwinding on the couch with some low-stakes entertainment.