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Movie Review: Black Adam

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One of the best DC superhero movies to date is “Black Adam,” which is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and stars Dwayne Johnson in a standout lead role.
The majority of the decisions that bland-ify even the best entries in the genre are rejected in this story about a gloomy, presumably malicious god who reappears in a long-occupied Middle Eastern nation.
For the first third of the film, its eponymous character—a hero who fought against a tyrant ruler thousands of years ago—is portrayed as a terrifying and mysterious entity with an insatiable desire for destruction. His resurrection from a desert tomb, going by the ancient name Teth-Adam, is both a miracle and a curse for the people who prayed for protection from the corporate-mercenary thugs who have been oppressing them and strip-mining their land for years.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The remainder of “Black Adam’s” running time concentrates on the inevitableness of Adam’s change into a decent man, summarizing the transformation of the title character . Then, “Black Adam” adds a dash of the macho sentimentality that was once popular in classic Hollywood films about loners who needed to become involved in a cause in order to reorient their moral compass or realize their own value.
But the film’s early chapters of its plot never lose their razor-sharp edge.

At first, Adam appears to be a literal force of nature comparable to Godzilla and other monsters from Japanese kaiju movies.
At first, it’s difficult for anyone who cross Adam’s path to determine if he is good, evil, or simply apathetic to human needs.
Everyone wants Adam to assist them in stopping the Intergang, a multinational corporate/mercenary consortium whose interests are represented by a two-faced charmer(Marwan Kenzari), from receiving a crown made in hell and imbued with the power of six devils .
The latter are typically brought on by three “civilian” people who appeal to Adam’s supposedly inherent (albeit hidden) benevolence. One of them is Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi), a professor at a university, a member of the resistance, and the widow of a resistance hero who was assassinated by the colonists.
A different one is Adrianna’s jovial and unflappable son Amon (Bodhi Sabongui), who zooms through the bombed-out city on a skateboard that appears to have as many additional uses as a Swiss Army Knife.
Finally, Adrianna’s brother Amir (comedian Mohammed Amer), who brings life to the stereotypical earthy everyman role, is present.
However, the screenplay by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani manages to fend off the urge to indulge in unwarranted sentiment.
Despite proof, the film does not claim that Adam or the superheroes he is up against (Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman, Noah Centineo’s Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell’s wind-controlling Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan’s dimension-hopping and clairvoyant Dr. Fate) are good people with sincere intentions.
There is no absolute right or wrong in discussions of motives and strategies.
The film’s edge comes from its desire to linger as long as it can in morally ambiguous territory.
It also results from the violence, which is shown as an unavoidable outcome of the individuals’ personalities, goals, and obligations rather than being connected to any certain code or ideology.
That framing, along with the blood splatters and scenes of individuals being shot, impaled, and crushed, strains the movie’s PG-13 rating to its breaking point.
In fairness, they may not have expected the movie to begin with a flashback that climaxes with a slave at a construction site getting gut-stabbed and thrown off a cliff, and a boy being threatened with beheading, or for the title character to obliterate an army with electrical bolts and his bare hands seconds after his first appearance. Nearly every other scene—including expository dialogue exchanges—is set against the backdrop of a chaotic city whose residents have been hardened not just by the occupation, but by the catastrophes that are unleashed whenever super-beings clash, which ties into recurring scenes and dialogue about what it means for a small country to be invaded and occupied by outsiders who set their own rules and are indifferent to daily life on the ground.

Fidelity to basic film storytelling keeps “Black Adam” centered even when it’s doing ten things at once. The film is packed with foreshadowings, setups, payoffs, twists, and surprises, and filled with well-defined lead and supporting characters. One standout is Brosnan, who delivers a moving portrait of an immortal who is tired of seeing the future and thinking back on his past. Dr. Fate looks at those who can live in the present with a mixture of melancholy, wisdom, and envy.

Another is Johnson, who has real acting chops but in recent years has often seemed to be constrained (maybe intimidated?) by his lucrative image as the people’s colossus. He’s as minimalist as one could be when playing a god.

The result sometimes plays like the DC answer to the pop culture-quake that was “Black Panther,” serving up a Middle Eastern-inflected version of the Marvel film’s Afro-Futurist sensibility, and letting its setting stand in for any place that was colonized. But its politics are more clearly defined and less compromised. “Black Adam” is staunchly anti-imperialist to its marrow, even equating the Avengers-like crew sent to capture and imprison Black Adam to a United Nations “intervention” force that the people of the region don’t want because it only makes things worse. The movie is anti-royalist, too, which is even more of a surprise considering that the backstory hinges on kings and lineage.

“Black Adam” is a superlative and clever example of this sort of movie, coloring within the lines while drawing fascinating doodles on the margins. In its brash, relentless, overscaled way, Collet-Serra’s film respects its audience, and wants to be respected by it. “Black Adam” gives the audience everything they wanted, along with things they never expected.

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Brad Pitt And Angelina Jolie Finalize Divorce After Years Of Court Battles

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After a prolonged and contentious eight-year legal battle, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to the Daily Mail, the former couple officially signed off on the divorce paperwork on Monday, December 30.

However, their dispute over a French chateau they once shared remains unresolved.

“Frankly, Angelina is exhausted,” said divorce lawyer James Simon.

“Over eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all the properties they had shared with him, and since then, she has been focused on finding peace and healing for their family.”

Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016, just two years after their marriage, following a 10-year relationship.

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Alan Shearer Shares His Views On Key Premier League Fixtures Ahead Of Christmas Weekend

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Alan Shearer, the legendary Newcastle striker, has shared his predictions for the Premier League matches set to take place this weekend before Christmas. Among the standout fixtures is Liverpool’s exciting away trip to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, which promises to be a thrilling encounter between two attacking teams.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Shearer offered his insights on several key clashes, starting with Aston Villa’s home match against Manchester City. He noted Villa’s strong home form, saying, “Aston Villa vs. Man City – Villa is a formidable team, especially when their passionate crowd backs them. They play with flair and aggression, making them tough to beat, particularly on the attack. I’m predicting a draw for this one.”

Turning to the Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal match, Shearer recognized the challenge for Arsenal, saying, “Crystal Palace v Arsenal – This will be a tough test for Arsenal, but I believe they have the resilience to bounce back after recent performances. I’m predicting an away win for Arsenal, but it won’t be easy; Palace are always difficult to beat at home. Expect a very competitive game.”

For the Everton vs. Chelsea clash, Shearer praised Chelsea’s form, stating, “Everton v Chelsea – Chelsea is in second place and showing great form, clearly in the title race. While they have a strong chance, I’m still uncertain about their ability to win the Premier League this season. My prediction is a Chelsea victory in this one.”

Regarding the Manchester United vs. Bournemouth game, Shearer predicted a tight contest, saying, “Man United vs. Bournemouth – I think this one will end in a draw. Bournemouth has proven to be competitive, and I believe they’ll manage to take something from United.”

Finally, for the highly-anticipated Spurs vs. Liverpool match, Shearer backed Liverpool’s attacking strength, commenting, “Spurs v Liverpool – I think Liverpool will win this one. Expect plenty of goals and action, as both teams play an offensive style, but I see Liverpool coming out on top in what should be a fantastic game to watch.

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SWAPO’s Nandi-Ndaitwah Triumphs In Namibia’s Presidential Race, But Opposition Rejects Results

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Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party has claimed victory in last week’s contentious elections, marking a historic achievement as Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah becomes the country’s first female president. However, the results remain disputed by the main opposition party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced that Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, secured just over 57% of the vote, while her closest challenger, Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), received 25.5%. Despite the outcome, the IPC has rejected the results, citing irregularities and logistical issues during the voting process.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, a longtime member of SWAPO, takes leadership of the resource-rich nation, which has been governed by SWAPO since its independence in 1990. Her election marks a milestone, as she joins the ranks of a small number of female leaders across the African continent.

The election, held on November 27, was marred by logistical challenges, including ballot paper shortages and technical failures with electronic voter registration devices. These problems led to extended voting hours and long queues, with some voters abandoning the process after waiting for up to 12 hours. The IPC has accused authorities of deliberately attempting to disenfranchise voters and has vowed to challenge the results in court.

Election monitors, including a group of southern African human rights lawyers, condemned the delays, calling them intentional. While the ECN acknowledged organizational shortcomings, such as overheating devices and insufficient ballot papers, they defended the overall process.

Voter turnout was high, with nearly 77% of the 1.5 million registered voters casting their ballots. The election proved to be a crucial test for SWAPO, as dissatisfaction grows among the younger population, a trend seen in other liberation-era parties across Southern Africa, such as South Africa’s ANC and Botswana’s Democratic Party.

Despite Namibia’s wealth in natural resources like uranium and diamonds, much of the population remains disadvantaged, with youth unemployment reaching an estimated 46% in 2018. Nandi-Ndaitwah has promised to address these challenges by focusing on economic diplomacy and attracting foreign investment.

Known for her signature gold-framed glasses and consistent display of SWAPO’s blue, red, and green colors, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasizes the wisdom and experience she brings to her new role. As she steps into office, she faces the dual challenge of uniting a divided nation while fulfilling her campaign promises of economic growth and job creation.

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