What To Watch This Weekend: 'Shazam!,' 'Pet Sematary' And More

If you're a DC Comics fan, you'll definitely want to head to the theaters this weekend to catch "Shazam!," starring Zachary Levi as the superhero with a yellow lightning bolt. Joining him in the origin flick are Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Frazer as the superhero's best pals.

Also opening this weekend is the remake of horror classic "Pet Sematary," starring Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz as a married couple who quickly discover a mysterious burial ground for pets near their new home.

For those in the mood for a politically charged biopic, "The Best of Enemies" stars Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell as two bitter rivals who become an unlikely pair of friends.

Here's what to see and skip this weekend:

Opening This Weekend

“Shazam!” — Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Djimon Hounsou; directed by David F. Sandberg

The latest action fantasy from the DC Comics universe recounts how one teenaged boy acquires his superpowers and emerges as Shazam, earth's mightiest mortal and defender with the ability to wield lightning.

Foster kid Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is a 14-year-old boy who has never recovered from a painful childhood incident when his mother mysteriously disappeared. Over the years, he has bounced around from one foster home to the next in the hopes of being reconnected with her.

When a 3,000-year-old wizard (Djimon Hounsou) endows Billy with magical powers so that he might save the universe from threats of destruction, the youngster learns that when he utters the magic word“Shazam!,” he can transform into an adult-sized superhero (Zachary Levi) with a yellow lightning bolt.

Totally bewildered, Billy confides in his best friend, Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Frazer), who is a superhero fanatic. Together, the best buds try to sort out Billy’s newfound powers that will come in handy when Shazam faces off against the super-evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).

See it. This superhero movie is super-deserving of that titular exclamation point. It has a beating heart and a spunky soul! Plus, Levi, Angel and Frazer make an excellent trio of best pals. And aren’t you at least a little curious as to what the acronym SHAZAM means?

Watch the trailer:

“Pet Sematary” — Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz; directed by Kevin Kolsch and Denis Widmyer

Kevin Kolsch and Denis Widmyer’s film about death and mortality is a new take on the 1989 classic, “Pet Sematary,” based on Stephen King’s 1983 horror masterpiece.

In the film, Jason Clarke stars as Louis Creed, a doctor who takes his wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), and their two young children, Ellie (Jete Lawrence) and Gage (twins Lucas and Hugo Lavoie), to live in rural Maine for his new job.

As they settle into their new home, Ellie’s cat, Church, gets killed by a truck on a nearby highway. To protect the little girl from grief, the family’s neighbor, Jud (John Lithgow), convinces Louis to bury their beloved cat at a pet cemetery in the woods. However, unbeknownst to them, it comes with a price: Pets buried in “Pet Sematary” may return freakishly frightening and malevolent.

See it. The latest version ups the ante with a couple of new hair-raising twists, while remaining true to the novel’s incredible eeriness.

Watch the trailer:

“The Best of Enemies” — Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell; directed by Robin Bissell

Inspired by true events chronicled in Osha Gray Davidson’s book, “The Best of Enemies" recounts the beginning of the unlikely friendship between two bitter rivals, civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) and former local Ku Klax Klan leader C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell).

It is 1971 and public schools in North Carolina are still segregated, despite the Supreme Court ruling against this in 1954. This prompts political leaders to come up with a resolution to the escalating educational crisis. They determine that a “charette” — a non-violent community meeting — is needed to bring the opposing sides together in a peaceful, timely manner.

Charrette expert Bill Riddick (Babou Ceesay) chooses a couple of Durham’s famous opposing residents to attend the 10-day meeting: Atwood, who is a single mom and a fierce activist, and Ellis, who is Durham’s top Klansman.

Is 10 days enough for Atwood to make Ellis have a change of heart?

See it. Henson and Rockwell project a commanding presence onscreen, arousing our fervent interest in their characters.

Watch the trailer:

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