It’s nearly the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. This week Todd Thacker takes a look at a quirky satire filled with star power, and an action duel between comic book heros that is exploding onto local screens.
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This week includes some directors that I’m sure you’ve heard of before. Fans of the Coen brothers will be lining up see their new 1950s Hollywood period piece called Hail, Caesar!. And Zack Snyder, the director of Watchmen and Superman from a few years ago, brings us Batman vs. Superman, Dawn of Justice.

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Todd Thacker

Welcome to Film Focus. I’m Todd Thacker.

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Hail, Caesar! (2016, Joel and Ethan Coen)
A day in the life of a 1950s Hollywood fixer and his stars.

First up, Hail, Caesar! The story is set around a 1950s Hollywood mogul called Eddie Mannix (played by Josh Brolin) who is brought in to help a troubled production called “Hail, Caesar!” Among other problems, the star of that film (played by George Clooney) has been kidnapped for a $100,000 ransom.

Interweaved into the plot are performances by a host of A-listers... Ralph Fiennes as the perfectionist director, Scarlett Johansson as an actress with a big secret, and Tilda Swinton playing two parts as twin gossip columnists.

But despite the great line-up, cinematography and costume design, the consensus among critics is that the film falls flat due to a lack of energy and narrative focus. Hail, Caesar! is more about the small moments of acting and humor among this strong cast than its overall plot.

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Batman vs. Superman, Dawn of Justice (2016, Zack Snyder)
The world wrestles with what kind of hero it needs.

Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Amy Adams star in Zack Snyder’s latest comic book effort -- this time with two superheros fighting it out for the good of the world.

After Gotham City was laid waste by General Zod, and Superman emerged as a god-like figure, Bruce Wayne puts his resources to use in balancing out the global power structure. The plot thickens, though, when Lex Luther (played by Jesse Eisenberg) unleashes a new plan to threaten the world.

Due to Dawn of Justice’s global release date, it has yet to be extensively reviewed. But given Snyder’s previous work in Watchmen and Superman, and its $250 million budget, chances are this new DC Comics production will be an action-packed fast-paced adventure.