It’s a constant in life, no matter the decade, no matter the century: Teenagers want to be adults and, eventually, adults want to be teenagers again.
What 14-year-old wouldn’t want to be an adult superhero? Billy Batson sure does. Lucky for this streetwise foster kid, an ancient wizard can do just that for him, but only if Billy says, “Shazam!”
And just like that, Billy becomes Shazam, with a body that only a superhero could have but with just one trick: There’s still a teenager at heart inside.
This leads to Shazam testing the limits of his superhero abilities with an unrestrained joy, accompanied by occasional recklessness, of a child. Flying takes on new dimensions, and shooting lightning out of his hands is worthy of more than one test. Speaking of which, can Billy skip him social studies test, especially if he is the almighty Shazam?
Zachary Levi plays the part with perfection; speaking of which, his superhero character needs to reign in his wonderment and start mastering his superhero powers because Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) lurks, and he is the personification of evil.
“Shazam!” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) is a DC Super Heroes title but has its own distinctly fun, family-centric tone. The bonus features are sublime, with an exclusive motion comic, five compelling featurettes (including “Shazamily Values,” deleted scenes and gag reel.
Other Titles
Perfectly timed for the 50th anniversary of U.S. astronauts landing on the moon, “Space: 1999 — The Complete Series” (Shout! Factory) gloriously makes its way to Blu-ray and DVD shelves. Both formats are available, and consumers can’t go wrong with either. All 48 episodes of the epic series are including, along with an entire disc of bonus features, including new interviews with actors Barbara Bain and Nick Tate and director Kevin Connor, and new audio commentaries. The bonus disc also includes nearly 20 previously released extras. Martin Landau starred in this classic science fiction TV series. For the uninitiated, the show follows a space crew that is accidentally sent hurtling through the stars because the ship, originally on the moon, is blasted with the moon into orbit when a nuclear waste dump on the lunar surface unexpectedly detonates. Strange beings and peril await at every turn. The show, from 1975 to 1977, was way ahead of its time.
“The Brady Bunch 50th Anniversary TV and Movie Collection” (CBS DVD) is a must-purchase for any Brady fan! Never has there been a compendium like this: All five seasons of the original series, all five of the Brady TV movies, “The Brady Kids: The Complete Animated Series,” and the spinoff shows “The Bradys” and “The Brady Brides.” Not to be outdone, the DVD includes bonus features of the original complete series, including a featurette “Coming Together Under One Roof” and commentaries on certain episodes by actors Barry Williams, Christopher Knight and Susan Olsen, and creator Sherwood Schwartz.
“Don’t Look at Me That Way” (IndiePix Films) is a creation of Mongolian-born documentary director Uisenma Borchu, who delves into gender identity and sexuality; the main two female characters have an intimate affair, but one of them is also attracted to men.
“The Heiresses” (Icarus Films) follows a woman who must adjust her life after financial strife. She starts her own taxi service, driving wealthy heiresses around. To do so, she must learn to drive again, break out of her shell, engage with the world, and embark on her own personal revolution. This poignant film is in Spanish with English subtitles.