Remember in Superman II, where the three evil Kryptonians led by General Zod show up in Metropolis? They're fighting Superman and they pick up a city bus and are going to throw it at him. Superman pleads with them,"No! The people!" He soon realizes that the only way to keep the city safe is to lead the Kyptonians away by basically making it look like he's chickening out. So he flies off.....to keep people from being hurt. It's a great moment where the film demonstrates the core of the character's selfless heroism.
Yeah, you won't be seeing stuff like that in Man of Steel.
This is a movie that takes an approach to comics' first and greatest hero that misses the point of the character entirely, resulting in a film that I walked out of feeling bored and depressed. It's a film that is well-acted, and with action set pieces that are executed competently and with a real sense of scope. But there's no joy in the material. For a film about a man who can soar through the air, it never really takes flight.
Feeling like there's not enough self-righteous indignation on our airwaves? Do you think that all the American media is missing is a show where journalists can see how great the news would be if they just did it with integrity, darn it? Think that the liberal way is the best way?
Then rejoice, because The Newsroom is returning to HBO for a second season on July 14th!
I'm kidding, I actually love this show, and I'm psyched that, after its rocky reception, it's coming back.
I'm an Aaron Sorkin fan, and an unapologetic one. There are tons of criticisms you can level at the guy's work, for sure. It is arrogant. It is unabashedly liberal. He does recycle dialogue and ideas. There is a nostalgic paternalistic streak to it. And I can even see how people can call his stuff a little misogynistic, though I also think he created CJ Cregg, one of the great women characters in the last twenty years or so, so I'm not sure more isn't being read into this issue than actually exists. I do hope they make Maggie a better character this season though. She was written like a complete moron last year, and she is probably the single biggest fuel to the whole "Aaron Sorkin hates women" thing when it comes to this show. He's a better writer than the stuff he was giving her to do last year.
But I don't care. He's a master of the rhythm of speech, not in a realistic way, but in a musical way. He can structure a story exceptionally well. He has a love of screwball comedy, particularly the romantic aspects of that genre, and if you love that as I do, then it's a very good thing.
Here's the trailer for the second season:
I'm excited. And for all those who hate this show and it's liberal bias, feel free to not watch it.
I've kind of been avoiding the massive deluge of Man of Steel stuff that is all over the interwebs right now. But I had to look at this new trailer, which seems to be 2 minutes of relentless action. It's sort of like Zak Snyder is mocking Bryan Singer's Superman Returns through marketing.
You remember Superman Returns, right? You know where Superman is a deadbeat Jesus-dad who basically spends the movie lifting really heavy things? Okay, I actually kind of like Superman Returns, but Man of Steel looks like a film that actually takes full advantage of 21st Century technology to tell the kind of big scale story the Big Red S deserves.
Check it out below:
Awesome-Sauce. Still think the costume looks.......really weird. Off. I think Supes really does need the red underpants. Otherwise he looks a little bland.
Also, Michael Shannon is terrifying. My favourite comment about him came from my friend Scofe who once told me, "I saw Michael Shannon on the street today. He stared into my soul."
I must be the last person on the planet to post about this, but over the weekend the news broke that Matt Smith is leaving Doctor Who.
Smith will stay for the upcoming 50th Anniversary special in November (which sees him paired with David Tennant, his predecessor in the title role) and for the Xmas Special in December, which will be his final turn in the role that made him famous the world over.
In the BBC press release, Smith had this to say:
Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show. I'm incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realise all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.
Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor...
...It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys. Matt.
