Freeze Frame: “Black Adam” (PG-13), “Ticket to Paradise” (PG-13), “The School for Good and Evil” (PG-13)

The DC Cinematic Universe adds yet another larger-than-life character to its ever-expanding lineup. Dwayne Johnson is “Black Adam,” a superpowered antihero from the Middle Eastern nation of Kahndaq, who becomes the nemesis of the Justice Society. After being entombed for 5000 years, Black Adam is released and his existence endangers the citizens…blah, blah, blah. If your idea of a good time is seeing The Rock smash up $200 million worth of CGI scenery for over two hours, you’ll get your money’s worth. Mostly though, “Black Adam” merely offers little more than cinematic leftovers.

While far from paradise, the old-school romantic comedy “Ticket to Paradise,” has charismatic stars to make the passage pleasant. George Clooney and Julia Roberts star as feuding exes who travel to Bali to attend their daughter’s wedding. They disapprove and attempt to sabotage the match. The terrific young actress Kaitlyn Dever makes the most of her role as their daughter in a woefully underwritten role. It is utterly predictable but has a few amusing and touching moments. “Ticket to Paradise” works as well as it does thanks largely to the charisma and star power of its capable cast.

The Netflix fantasy “The School for Good and Evil” is a Harry Potter wannabe that never manages to find the magic. Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington and Laurence Fishburne lead the adult cast as professors at an academy for fairytale heroes and villains. Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie play best friends from a small village who inadvertently wind up at the magical academy. Director Paul Fieg of “Bridesmaids” fame may be ill-suited for this material, bludgeoning viewers with a barrage of mind-numbing special effects in place of effective pacing. “The School for Good and Evil” fails to make the grade.

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