Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

We didn't much like what seemed to be a good choice to keep us awake without a New Year's Eve gathering, starting the movie before a late dinner and continuing afterwards. The best things to recommend are the wardrobe, the fireworks scene in the middle, and the aerial catfight near the end.

The enormous cast, led by Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and, especially Kristen Wiig, is just fine. But the thing is way too long (2:31) and just didn't work for us. We wanted to like it, especially as it's directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins, from a screenplay by her, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham.

I like to quote cartoonist Nicole Hollander, who once wrote that a chick flick has too much talking and not enough hitting. This one had too much talking AND too much hitting.

Hans Zimmer's lively score can be streamed with a subscription on Apple Music and free on Spotify.

Lindy Hemmings is credited for the fun 80s clothes.

Gadot and Jenkins were last blogged for Wonder Woman, Pine for A Wrinkle in Time, Wiig for Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, Callaham for Zombieland: Double Tap, and Zimmer for Hillbilly Elegy. Johns has created, developed, and/or written dozens of TV episodes based on DC comics; and Hemmings has distinguished herself by costuming, among others, Topsy-Turvy (1999), for which she won an Oscar, My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight, and Wonder Woman.

If you are more inclined to follow Rotten Tomatoes' audiences, averaging 74%, than its critics at 60, do watch for a cameo by Lynda Carter, TV's original 1970s Wonder Woman. It's available by subscription on HBO Max.