‘Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice’ and ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’ on Local Screens (Sun., 3/27/16)

1) Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice – I know what you’re thinking, aren’t Batman and Superman supposed to be the good guys? What in the world do they have to fight about—cape envy? But I’m sure thousands of fanboys are frantically sending me abusive texts to set me right; in the last Superman, movie Man of Steel, ol’ blue eyes saved the planet but in the process destroyed most of Metropolis and alienated the populace. (People are ungrateful wretches, aren’t they?) Meanwhile somewhere in Gotham City Batman is watching and starts to worry that Superman is getting a little too big for his spandex britches. So for reasons that only make sense if you work in the film industry, the two start fighting with each other.

Need more? Lex Luthor shows up with a new killing machine so Clark and Bruce have to kiss and make up and give Lex the heave-ho … with the help of Wonder Woman. (Oh, did I forget to mention that Wonder Woman’s in it too?) It may sound like a bunch of hooey, but heavens they’ve certainly lined up a cast of heavy hitters: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Shannon, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Laurence Fishburne. If you ask me, the real superhero is the poor schmuck who drew up all those contracts. Check Fandango for screens and times. (TH)

2) My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2—Now this is what you call “counter programming.” Here’s a film that’s the complete opposite of Batman vs. Superman. Cast your mind back to 2002 and the release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a tiny independent Canadian-American romantic comedy about a young woman from a very strong-willed, close-knit Greek clan, Toula, who goes and falls in love with Ian, a non-Greek WASP, leading to no end of complications with her family. Made on a budget of $5 million, the film grossed in it’s first year of release $242 million, making it one of the most profitable films of all times. Over the years, writer and star Nia Vardalos has hinted at a sequel and now she delivers. The marriage of Toula and Ian has hit a rough patch just as their teen-aged daughter Paris is dealing with troubles of her own. But things go from bad to even worse when a long-hidden family secret gets aired and everybody’s in crisis. Returning from the first movie are Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, and Andrea Martin. New to the series are Elena Kampouris, John Stamos, Rita Wilson, and Joey Fatone.  Check Fandango for screens and times. (TH)

3) The Princess Bride – “There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours.” “Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya! You killed my father! Prepare to die!” And, of course, “ … as you wish.” Aficionados will immediate recognize these lines from the 1987 Rob Reiner directed classic comedy The Princess Bride. Set in the mythical land of Florin, the story concerns two love birds (Robin Wright and Cary Elwes) and the motley assortment of ne-er-do-wells who contrive to separate them. William Goldman adapted the screenplay from his 1973 novel and though, initially, the film was only a modest success, it’s gone on to become one of the most beloved (and quoted) comedies of all times. Thanks in no small part to the knock-out cast including Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage, Peter Cook, Mel Smith, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, and a score by Mark Knopfler. 8 p.m. Today only. Regent Square Theater, 1035 S. Braddock, Regent Square. (TH)

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