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Author Topic: Superman Returns William Valdes Film Handler Posts: 37 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Sep 2004 posted 06-21-2006 10:44 AM                     I got a chance to see this during a screening at our theater this past Sunday. I thought it was very good. Lots of great special effects shots and the sound is pretty spectacular. Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth (as Lex Luthor and Lois Lane) did a really tremendous job with their roles. Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent did pretty decent job as well. The story was interesting but a bit slow. It felt very much like the original Superman films especially during the opening credits which were exactly the same style as the originals. 4/5 stars.  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 06-26-2006 07:39 AM                        Superman Returns: An IMAX 3D Experience We received our print Friday night (15 boxes containing 88 reels). After a couple 12-hour shifts, I have completed print assembly and it's been screened as of late Sunday (a few hours ago). We've got a rental Monday (today) at 7:00pm, and our first public show is 10:00pm on Tuesday the 27th! (Useless to the review, but forgive me, I'm tired!) I must say, the 3D is impressive! Four different sequences, which add up to a total of 17 minutes and 26 seconds, were DMR'ed to be 3D, and the result is remarkable, especially if you're a skeptic (like I was) believing that 2D live action could be not "converted" to a convincing 3D. Now, it doesn't look like it was shot in 3D, which might be due to the sequences being CG-heavy in general, but it DID NOT look like flat planes hovering back and forth on a Z-axis. There's subtle depth as well as vast, there's shape and geometry and contour, and it was better than I was expecting. The choice of scenes wasn't too bad, either: two 6-minutes-plus sequences were the highlights (the first one much better, in my opinion), a 3-minute flashback sequence about 17 minutes into the movie, and the final 1-minute before the end credits. Granted, there were artifacts. One scene in particular had thin hairs on the boy's head which, in the right eye (the one added for the 3D) completely disappeared. Some edges of foreground objects look odd, here and there. But, for the most part, it's a fabulous effect that audiences will like, and that I'll watch many times over. The story was good, but seemed to drag because of some extended action sequences. Without the 3D, the dragging might be more apparent. I loved Kevin Spacey's performance! He's just good, anyway. Kate is hot. Brandon did a good Clark Kent and had the Reeves' mannerisms down. There was light humor, intense moments, and feel-good Superman-saving-the-day bits throughout. It was a fine Superman movie. I think comic fans and the die-hard-devotees will enjoy the treatment, but I could probably pick out one or two of the fine points they'd nit-pick at. Suspended disbelief aside, there were a couple that I would point out, too ... but, whatever, it's a fantasy movie. And, oh boy, that original theme music! Blasting through the IMAX auditorium, it was better than I'd ever heard it! The opening titles get your blood pumping, alright ... it's too bad they didn't do those in 3D as well.  |  IP: Logged Mike Schindler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1039 From: Oak Park, IL, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 06-26-2006 10:35 PM                     Brian, Since it originated on HD, how did it look compared to other DMR releases like, say, POSEIDON, which I thought was very pretty?  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 06-26-2006 11:58 PM                        I'll have to watch it a bit more closely, but I think it's very crisp and smooth. Past DMRs (Polar Express excluded) always had a subtle film-grain-static effect that I haven't yet noticed in this one. Lots of sharpness, and a few soft focus scenes. As DMRs go, this is one of the finest. Minor issues with the polarizer timing, which I may adjust later ... at the end of the 3D sequences, the right eye goes black BEFORE the flashing red symbol appears to remove glasses, and the polarizer doesn't move until after that symbol comes and goes.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-27-2006 12:21 AM                        That sounds annoying. If I were to actually watch this in a theater, I'd watch the less-bothersome 100% 2D version.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-27-2006 03:22 AM                     Granted, a great movie. Kids will eat this one up like mad..in as well as the adults who saw the original WB 1978 release. Just the teenagers......well.. they are never with any program... Yes Kevin Spacey did an excellent portrayl of Lex Luthor (as with Gene Hackman of the original). The moll in this one wasn't really at original and ditsy as Eve Teschmacher-played by Valerie Perrine. The 157 minute run time did go by rather well.. 4 out of 5 stars..  |  IP: Logged Jake Lafree Expert Film Handler Posts: 136 From: Valparaiso, IN USA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 06-27-2006 03:29 AM                        Yes, I agree with Mr. Fullmer, 4/5 stars. The movie was long, but not one of those annnoyyyying long movies. I thought it moved by nicely. Sounded great in Dolby Digital too.  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 06-27-2006 08:45 AM                        quote: Joe Redifer less-bothersome 100% 2D version. Well, the least off-putting way of viewing this movie would be waiting until it was legally available to download off satellite broadcast and had just magically appear on one's perfect home-movie viewing system. Of course the 2D version would be unobtrusive, but the 3D is a cool novelty. Putting on glasses just to view parts of it can't be THAT much of an imposition, can it? After all, I spent about 24 hours of my life assembling and making sure this thing would be projected with the presentation Bryan Singer and Warner Bros. hoped would make audiences orgasm all over their seats. If all my efforts were for naught, then I'd feel a little insignificant, wouldn't I? For all I care, I HOPE they leave their seats dirty. It would be a compliment.  |  IP: Logged Mike Schindler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1039 From: Oak Park, IL, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 06-27-2006 01:07 PM                     I agree that this is a very good movie. Like the originals, it realizes that Superman fighting crime is relatively boring, and what makes Superman stories work is the supporting cast. But unlike the originals, it doesn't sacrifice those characters for lame-ass comic relief which is completely off-key with the rest of the movie. That's not to say that this movie isn't funny. It is. But it's not the Three Stooges. It has more of a dry wit. The other thing that I liked was how Superman's powers were portrayed. Yeah, he's strong. But he still has trouble with that plane. And yeah, he's fast. But he can't spin around the frickin' Earth and turn back frickin' time. Man, those original movies sucked. Sure, they had great music and iconic imagery, but they play like they were written by a two year-old. This one works. It's a good relaunch. But it doesn't come close to BATMAN BEGINS.  |  IP: Logged Michael Coate Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1904 From: Los Angeles, California Registered: Feb 2001 posted 06-27-2006 05:55 PM                     Schindler, you disappoint me. I thought you had better taste in movies. quote: Mike Schindler But unlike the originals, it doesn't sacrifice those characters for lame-ass comic relief which is completely off-key with the rest of the movie. I have to disagree if it's the interplay in the '78 movie between Lex (Gene Hackman) and Otis (Ned Beatty) to which you're referring. quote: Mike Schindler Man, those original movies sucked. Sure, they had great music and iconic imagery, but they play like they were written by a two year-old. I think "Superman" (1978) is the best comic book movie ever made. Watch it again...maybe you'll notice that much of the writing is intelligent and clever.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-27-2006 06:35 PM                        I agree with you about Superman '78. It is an awesome movie. The only thing I don't like about those films is the character of Otis....if Lex Luthor is really the ruthless guy he claims to be, he'd kill Otis just for being an annoying little toad. The fact that he doesn't sort of undermines his ruthlessness. But it's still a great film.  |  IP: Logged Michael Coate Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1904 From: Los Angeles, California Registered: Feb 2001 posted 06-27-2006 07:24 PM                     Could it be that Lex deep down is insecure and that he keeps Otis around to boost his ego? After all, he did tease Otis about his weight in a way that simultaneously addressed his own insecurities. "The article [in the newspaper] says Superman was clocked flying at over 200 miles per hour." "Otis, do you know what's so significant about the number 200? It's your weight and my IQ."  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-27-2006 08:45 PM                     Eve: Lex, why do so many people have to die for the crime of the century? Lex: Why? You ask why? Why does the phone always ring when you're in the bathtub? Why is the greatest criminal mind of our time surrounding himself with total nincompoops? Otis (enters): I'm back, Mr. Luthor! Lex: Yes. I was just talking about you.  |  IP: Logged Mike Schindler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1039 From: Oak Park, IL, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 06-27-2006 08:57 PM                     quote: Michael Coate I think "Superman" (1978) is the best comic book movie ever made. Watch it again...maybe you'll notice that much of the writing is intelligent and clever. Mike, I know you're a big fan of the original, and it's OK, really. We all have our flaws But, no, I just rewatched the first two a couple of weeks ago, and they were actually worse than I remembered. I don't see anything intelligent or clever about Superman spinning around the planet in order to go back in time. It's actually the opposite of those things. For one thing, it's not intelligent, because it makes no goddamn sense. I'm willing to believe a man can fly, but spinning backwards around the planet to go back in time? That's going just a little too far, especially since there is no setup or explanation. Which leads me to why it's not clever. The writers (which have God knows how many Oscars between them) wrote themselves so far into a corner, that they had to pull this nonsense out of their butts. Then in the second one, you've got people talking in space, and amnesia kisses, and all that other crap. And then there's Ned Beatty, who's usually real cool. But when he's onscreen, I have to look away out of embarassment for him. My forehead still hurts from having to slap it so much while I was watching those things. I know that people love this movie, but I just don't get it. I didn't get it when I was a kid, and I don't get it now.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-27-2006 09:41 PM                        What I don't understand about the Chrissy Reeves Superman movies is why he would fall for a woman who smokes. Is he a 'tard or something? He should have left her dead and said "Dat's wut u git, bitch! Word."  |  IP: Logged

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