Up! Up! and You Don’t Say…

OMG!  May I say it again:  OMG!

I read reviews, at least, similar to the one below before going to see “Man of Steel”.

Review of “Man of Steel” is joyless

In a very recent post, I did a quasi-retraction of my ill feelings toward professional film critics and how they, well, just don’t see it all – or at all.

See that post —> Here <—

I went to see “Man of Steel” today with a friend.  I was, from the reviews, ready for a fair afternoon at the matinee with some excitement in an, apparently, mediocre film.  So, once again:  OMG!

I have come to the conclusion that reviewers must have had one person watch the trailer, then a large group of them got together and wrote the critique.  I kept wondering through most of the film, “What movie were they watching?!”

I mean, really, the review above lists the film as a lot of (unnecessary CGI and violence), too much prologue from Jor-El, no sparks between Lois and Kal-El, as well as too much brooding on Kal-El’s part.  Another reviewer maintained that the movie lacked emotions and that the last hour was simply bodies flying through buildings.

All I could think of during some parts of the movie was that I simply don’t reach enough people on this blog now to do service to letting the world know that the reviewers of this movie simply DID NOT WATCH THE FILM!  My belief is that they went with the idea already in their minds and so did not see what was right in front of them.

If ever I was to be freshly-pressed for a post, this should be the one just to let people know.

The movie is over 2 1/2 hours long, I expect some dialogue as well as a prologue.  Jor-El delivers the prologue in excellent fashion (Russell Crowe was great), telling the story of how Kal-El got to Earth and why.  He also did this while not talking when the film was doing the job itself.

Kal-El is brooding…yeah?  Why not?  What can possibly be good for a young child who:

1) Doesn’t even know why he is different

2) Can’t let anyone know he is different

3)  Feels alienated (no pun) because he is different

4)  Doesn’t even have all his powers, or at least not all under control

I would be brooding too!  The movie is being realistic.

General Zod comes to Earth.  Kal-El has, somewhat figured things out, but doesn’t have enough info yet…he just doesn’t trust him.  By the way, Earth doesn’t trust either of them…another reason for Kal-El to be brooding.

Things get bad and then the fireworks start!  The CGI is intense and gratifying.  Come on!  You have several people who have the ability to be darn close to invulnerable, fly, and lift mountains.  When they fight – they fight!  I see nothing overdone.  The problems we suffer from too often in movies is that the fighting is over quickly, sometimes, too quickly.  Here is more reality – these guys don’t tire and truly hurting them is darn near impossible.  OMG! (Once again) Did I say that they FIGHT?!

Get through to Lois and Kal-El.  If the person doing the review didn’t see sparks, then I doubt they dated either.  These two did so much with just their eyes and a touch.  Granted Lois is much better at it.  Kal-El grew up never being able to feel.  It would have been really out of place for him to just settle in and react like we do – totally out of character.  He cares for her – you know that undoubtedly.  He cares for humans – absolutely.  I don’t understand the problem.

Yes, this was a different take on the Superman ideas of the past.  But not unreasonably so.  I don’t think the comic book readers and the Superman fans are going to agree with these other reviewers at all.  It had everything it takes to be a blockbuster film:  good actors and actresses, well-written script, great CGI, a new idea, and the film/sound were great.

Go see this, decide for yourself – you tell me if you think I was wrong.  I won’t wait for any kind of backlog because I don’t think there will be one.  Try this poll:

Namaste,

Scott

Friday Fictioneers – 5/24/13 – “Wrong Number” Genre: humorous PG13

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“Hello?” pause.  “No, ma’am, I am not Dr. Telendy.  You have the wrong number.”

Excited voice.

“Ma’am, there is no way for me to help you.  I am sorry about your husband and your best friend.  No, really.  And the identity crisis with your son.  I am not against gays at all.  No…”

More agitation.

“Ma’am.  Please…stop…for a second.  My name is not George.  It is Kal-el.  I am not from around here.  I stopped in here to change so I could…nevermind…too late…no, ma’am, it’s not a party.  The noise in the background was a train I wanted to catch.”

H-E-R-O-E-S

I have spent that last couple of weeks watching the final season of “Smallville”. Ten seasons! We had this show with us for ten years!

That’s without all the comics, movies, TV shows, and other materials covering the Man of Steel.

Well, this isn’t a review of the show, so don’t go anywhere yet. In fact, I won’t show a clip from any of those movies, nor say much else about Kal-El.

What I wanted to look at was the underlying reason why something created in the 50s is not only still around, but can command enough of our attention to grab us on a, basically, old story, and carry it on major TV for ten years.

Any ideas? Okay, no more suspense. Here’s my thoughts on the matter.

I believe that what we all truly like, at least what the majority of the people like, is the massive difference between Clark Kent, the nobody, and Superman, the Special. Superman is the underdog gone galactic; he is the person who struggles all the time with the problems of trying to be human and fit in when he can also stop bullets and move planets. He is our idea of a hero.

But, he is not the only hero around. In fact, there are a lot of them who are simply human. I have a list of my heroes. I wonder if they are yours, too (not really in order):

1) Jesus Christ
2) Helen Keller
3) Joan D’Arc
4) George Washington Carver
5) Mother Theresa
6) Ghandi
7) Daniel Boone
8) Rosa Parks
9) Isaac Asimov
10) Neale Donald Walsh

Now number ten, Neale, is probably someone none of you has heard of. He wrote the “Conversations with God” series and greatly influenced my current set of spiritual beliefs. He has been horribly labeled by the church; however, to me, he is a man who took his beliefs and sought to help others by showing them something different.

Jesus is number one on my list, but not because of His religious significance. I put Him there because he believed something that was not well thought of then, kept on speaking it out, and never once took a step away from that even when it meant death on a cross.

All of these people have that in common to me. They took a stand and use their own determination and endurance to continue on until they had done all they could do.

Who are your heroes? I would love to know that. Put them in the comments with the reason why if you can.
Perhaps, I will find a new hero to add to my list (by the way, that list is not all-inclusive!).
Namaste,
Scott