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Although I am a zealous and devoted fan of Bella Lugosi, and have screened nearly all of his American films, I unexplainably missed seeing Victor Halperin's 1932 film, White Zombie. I'm shamefully embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of this movie until I watched Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1999). There is one particular scene in this stellar Burton film where Bella Lugosi (played by Martin Landau who deservedly won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Lugosi) is casually watching himself in White Zombie on his black and white television set. With a hint of irony, Lugosi is sitting on a couch beside his friend, financially and critically challenged actor/writer/director Edward D. Wood. That entire moment "called" to me. And it is this precise scene which fatefully introduced me to White Zombie.

Essentially, White Zombie is more or less a low budget, mildly self-conscious melodrama, however, it is historically the first known film with Zombie characters. I would define WZ as "unadulterated cinema" with all of the anticipated clichés thrown in for good measure. It's all there in gluttonously generous portions, including off-screen howling dogs, awkward closeups of malevolent glaring eyes, thin wisps of menacing fog, and plenty of esoteric brooding. But artistically, it synchronistically works to embrace the gothic-like tone of the plot. A few of the images are surprisingly graphic, yet they are exceedingly tame by today's film standards.

For all its glory, guts, and faults, White Zombie is an amazing feat, especially for a 1932 Poverty Row production. It was shot in 11 days with a meager budget of $50,000. It featured sets already used on the United Artists studio lot (which Halperin had rented). Nevertheless, the film made quite a lot of money at the box office, with absolutely none of the profits going into Lugosi's pocket. He was paid somewhere in the range of $500-$800 for his wonderfully theatric performance. This would become a tragic pattern for the rest of Lugosi's acting career.

WZ is a film not only for fans of the horror genre, but also for cinephiles who enjoy an artfully paced presentation. I mean, WTF, come on! Never mind that the Zombies are absurdly slow-moving and not particularly menacing. And how fitting that the action takes place on the Caribbean island of Haiti where all sorts of esoteric Voodoo images continue to appeal to Pop Culture audiences.

White Zombie's macabre theme of mindless dead bodies creeping around has been around a long time. And this odd genre has courageously continued to flourish, most notably with the release of Night of the Living Dead (1968). The ubiquitous Zombie/Voodoo theme can be found in the action thriller, Live and Let Die (1973), starring the late Roger Moore as British Secret Agent James Bond, AKA, "007." Animated corpses again surface in Zombieland (2009), There was also a TV series, The Walking Dead (2010), which portrayed life after a massive Zombie apocalypse. And there was the release of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016). I could easily cite several more films. Apparently it's near impossible to keep good Zombies down (literally and figuratively).

No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that Bela Lugosi was already a very popular stage and movie star, especially after his critically acclaimed film portrayal of Dracula (1931).

There is one particular scene in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, where there is a brief exchange between the infinitely famous and very openly gay playwright, Noel Coward, and fellow actor Guy Dexter:

"Not much has changed since 1850, has it?" Coward says.

Dexter responds, "Well, you can see women's ankles now." Coward replies, "That doesn't do us much good, now, does it?"

And then they both broadly smile.

It's a clever and revealing moment, and this is just one example why this third Downtown Abbey film exceeds all of the previous entries. We're looking at intensely changing times in the early 1900s, where many of the characters are willing to change while others are having a difficult time accepting the inevitable.

As an extension of the TV series and the previous two films, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a continuation, an "update" as it were, of what's happening in the lives of the most privileged people in Great Britain. It's about inherited wealth, loss of wealth, and how all of it directly affects the wealthy as well as their servants and the community who desperately rely on them for sustenance. It's a worthy plot, indeed, one that seems strikingly familiar even in 2025 where there is much cultural and economic uncertainty in the world.

The main reason of course to see this wonderful film is to return to the familiar Downton Abbey themes and enjoy the magnificent actors who wonderfully portray characters we've grown to love (and in some cases fairly dislike) since it all began in 2010 in the UK and 2011 in the United States. It's all about virtue, honor, angst, joy and sorrow, all skillfully reflected in this captivating script. Creative Writers make films great. Superb Actors make films even better.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a warm and sentimental journey, and if you're like me, you'll feel slightly sad when the credits begin to roll. But don't worry, it includes a beautiful tribute to the late Maggie Smith.

No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that Joanne Froggatt, who plays Anna, actually wrote her own story line. She was noticeably pregnant while filming so they decided to make Anna pregnant as well.

What is it about Superman that continues to herald his enduring and existential character? Is it because since 1938 this infant refugee from Planet Krypton has consistently stood for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way?" Or is it because Superman subconsciously embodies an extremely powerful human ideal of unwavering morality and a commitment to fairness?

Whether portrayed in the original comic book or television series, or the all too infrequent releases of the big screen film franchise, the enormously iconic character of Superman inspires hope for all audiences. Indeed, even Superman's alter identity (Clark Kent) seems to always choose to do what is right, even if it means personal sacrifice.

The threads of the intentionally allegorical storyline line are woven in such a clever manner that there is no doubt you are viewing actual political and cultural events in real time, 2025. But it's not a distraction. Indeed, it adds depth and heart to the film. Where this version of Superman differs from its predecessors is in the well-delivered narrative. Yes, as expected, there are numerous CGI special effects and loads of action scenes. But director/writer James Gunn delivers what I would describe as the perfect embodiment of the classic Man Of Steel. Gunn lays out a greatly expanded Superman universe with some unexpected twists and turns as well as old and new supporting characters. The mixture is decidedly virtuous, and we get to know the characters and their respective personalities in welcomed detail.

Regarding featured characters, Rachel Brosnshan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, 2017) is easily the best Lois Lane since Margot Kidder's legendary portrayal in 1978. She is not only Lois Lane, aggressive and insightful ace reporter, she is also the love of Superman's/Clark Kent's life. The chemistry between Lois and Superman (David Corenswet) is convincing, palpable, and touching. Corenswet offers us the most vulnerable, empathetic and human version of Superman since Christopher Reeve's wonderful performance in Superman (1978). I must also give a huge nod of approval to Nicholas Hoult who plays Superman's arch enemy, Lex Luthor. Considering this evil role was once played somewhat comedically by the late, great, Gene Hackman, this version of Luthor is nothing short of brilliant. And then there is Krypto, Superman's sidekick. This super pup is no slouch, and you're going to love his character long after the credits begin rolling.

I could go on, but I'll stop here. This is a blockbuster film you are going to want to see this summer and again when it's streaming, or released on Blu-ray or DVD. But I think it would be best if you can view it on a big screen. There's lots to see.

No spoilers here as usual for me, but I will say there's finally a wonderful and mechanical explanation of how Clark Kent's glasses actually hide his identity.