"Ha-ha. This is one time I've scooped you, Lois."
"Yes. Lucky for you, I was hurt."
"Incidentally, who told you I was at the museum?"
"My mummy done told me."

Fourteenth title in the "Superman" animated series released by Paramount (produced by Famous Studios, who succeeded The Fleischers for operational control of the cartoon the previous year) finds Egyptologist Dr. Jordan expiring under mysterious circumstances at the new King Tush exhibit at the Metropolis Museum. The historian's assistant Jane Hogan…

"You came back from the desert with a new friend, didn't you, Beni?"

A property long gestating even before Coppola's success w/ "Dracula" brought about the 90s revival trend of Universal Studios' antiheros (really would've liked to have seen Clive Barker's proposed take on the material. Imhotep's adoption of the Uncle Frank Cotton brand of rejuvenation is nevertheless a nice tribute to the author/filmmaker), this updated edition of "The Mummy"-verse benefits from savvy cross-pollination from other blockbuster genre titles (chiefly…

"'The Statue of Liberty is kaput.' Well, that's disconcerting."

Not an easy picture to assess in a modern light, when patriotism itself has been even more weaponized for ulterior motives (that final shot of the flag billowing in the wind carries more baggage now than Spielberg ever intended). The landing on Omaha Beach remains one of the most disorienting and gut-wrenching sequences in cinema and it leaves you as shaken as Captain Miller (Tom Hanks). No punches are pulled here…

"Holy s***! I've been goin' out w/ a loaded gun!"
"People get hurt that way."

After a somber Memorial Day, I needed some levity and this blast from the past hit the sweet spot. For the impressive critical reception this received at the time of its release, I don't think the material has anything highbrow or insightful to elucidate on the subject of toxic masculinity (we're all s***s and we know it. I'm sure even Brett Favre has his sour…