Samuel L. Jackson

I think of Marvel and Disney’s ever-growing cinematic empire almost as a form of cultural stagnation brought on by the commercialization of art.

Viewers will be hard-pressed to find an on-screen romance less appealing than that of “The Protégé,” which is shallow, half-baked, and much like the rest of the film, confusing.

The reunion is a welcome escape for fans of the series, but it offers little in the way of novel ideas or reflections on how the show is relevant to politics today.

Belated and ballyhooed, “Captain Marvel” sells itself on the promise of a game changer for its franchise and proceeds to bend over backward for a brand-maintenance agenda. A failure of imagination, this textureless piece of plastic is so mechanically structured it’s been made uninhabitable to any artistry or panache.

Though the show featured some pleasantly surprising wins and an impressive number of awards given to artists of color, the moments we could champion were quickly snuffed out by those that disappointed.

At this point, it’s become apparent that Shyamalan feels obligated to stick some kind of sneaky twist into every movie he directs, whether or not such a twist is warranted. “Glass” boasts more than a couple of twists, turns and revelations, but they aren’t earned and only inspire indifference.

With the final entry of that trilogy “Glass” releasing this Friday, it’s only appropriate that we look back at where it all started and chronicle just a few of the reasons why “Unbreakable” remains Shyamalan’s very best film.

After 10 years, 32 post-credit scenes, two Hulks and one record-breaking opening weekend for “Black Panther,” it’s time to rank all 18 films set in the MCU.

For the next week, the arts and entertainment department has you covered with the most engaging and exciting events in the Bay.

And while Vaughn has packed plenty of ass-kicking into his 2-hour, 21-minute behemoth of a sequel, it’s Vaughn himself who's had his ass kicked this time around.