Superman Returns

[Dru]

I saw this today with my 10 year old son and we both LOVED IT! I will tell you that when I first saw who was cast, I never thought he would be able to fill Christoper Reeve's boots, but dammit, he DID. I thought it started off a little slow (but I thought the same thing about Batman Begins and loved that as I sat through it). I also wasn't feeling Kate as Lois before I saw the movie, but she was OK. Kevin Spacey was perfect as Lex Luthor. Superbly evil, yet witty. He is a maniac! I actually liked Kitty. The tears when they were kicking the [!@#$%^&*] out of Superman. Her concern when she realized Lex's TRUE plan. I really liked her. I actually think I would have liked her even better as Lois.

The piano scene threw me for a loop. I was not expecting that. Apparently, neither were Lois and Brutus. I am going to go see it in the theater again.

And yes, I teared up a few times.

[Roman]

Maybe I'm saying this because I just saw it today, but BR maybe deserves an Oscar nom as Best Actor next year. He was splendid. Whe he was getting the crap kicked out of him, all you kept saying was "Get up, man. Get up!" He did a wonderful job taking over for Christopher. I'm sure he is proud that the Superman legacy is in such good hands, on television and on the big screen.

[Dru]

I was very pleased with this movie. Literally, I laughed , I cried

I REALLY went in not expecting what I got. I was VERY critical of someone else taking over Christopher Reeve's role and I really had my doubts, but Brandon Routh shut my ass right up today. Let me say that no man will ever be Christopher Reeve , but when Routh is Clark Kent, it's JUST like watching Christopher Reeve all over again, when's he's Superman, he's his OWN Superman, and a good one at that.

Just like Batman Begins, this starts out very slow for a superhero movie, but when there is action, there is ACTION. Also, like Batman Begins, they spent a great deal of this movie laying the groundwork for the sequels. It took me a little longer to accept Kate Bosworth as Lois, but I feel she pulled it off. Not in the looks department, but she damn well pulled off the emotional side. The part of Lois that knows Superman, that loves him, that would do whatever it takes to help him.

We see his weaknesses, his pain (mental and physical) and we see his emotional torment of being "alone" in a world not his own and having to make difficult choices. Hehears all our cries for assistance, but he can't be everywhere at once. (A very important example was when he left Metropolis after he read those coordinates, but noticed what was happening under the ocean heading towards the city). The part of the movie where Lex Luthor gets the upper hand, I had tears in my eyes right along with Kitty. My throat was lumped up. They held nothng back acting out those scenes. I mean, I was cringing and tensing up and everything. I LOVED this movie!! I felt like I was a kid sneaking my cousin Ruben's comic books again and learning the story of the vastly superior Kal-El and his inner struggles as he masquerades as a human on our planet.

Anybody else have opinions on how graphic some of the violence was? The scene with Lois and Brutus beating her, the maniac on the roof that was shooting Superman, (and the EYE) the beating he took at the hands of Lex's lackeys. I mean, he REALLY got the [!@#$%^&*] kicked out of him. When he got stabbed with the Kryptonite. That was one of the moments where I was cringing in my seat. Nothing campy about those violent scenes. They were gritty and so "real". I think you know what I mean.

I will definitely need to see this in the theatre again and you know I already have a space in my collection for the DVD.

[Roman]

The violence was necessary. You can't have a Superman movie and have the violence be family friendly. The kids today are too smart for that. I did think the knife in the back was maybe a bit much, but for me it was fine. The emotion in the theater when he was getting beat like that was thick. You could feel it. And, have you ever just looked around when a movie has everyone captivated? No one was saying a thing. You could hear a pin drop. And, it was well done enough that when he was on that gerney, you thought "Damn. Is he going to die for real?"

Now that's movie making. They had a chance to make an adult superhero motion picture, and were very sucessful. Now I'm just waiting for the B.O. take for today. Word-of-mouth is going to make this film a classic.

[Dru]

Oh, I know it was necessary for today. For the way the comic books are written too. But to see it, to FEEL it. It was very intense. I think the part where Brutus is beating Lois, kids that see their mother being beat will identify with her son feeling helpless (at first anyway). When Lex not only stabbed him, but twisted, then broke the Kryptonite OFF in him, OMG I went from shocked at the violence to desiring backbreaking payback violence. I wanted INSTANT justice.

Yes, our theatre was quiet too. I didn't even want to blink for fear I'd miss something (yet I'm sure I did), so I'll be justified in going to see it again. EVERYONE was riveted to the screen. I started calling people as soon as I got to my car. I'm also waiting on the BO take. I think they said this movie had a $260,000,000 budget. I really want them to make that up, and then some.

[Roman]

I couldn't believe it when I saw what the budget was. They'll make that back in two weeks, tops. I really feel this will break Spiderman's record for biggest 3-day opening, and it will surely set the 5-day record.

That little boy is such a good actor. When he slammed that piano, the couple behind me said "That's Superman's baby!" LOL Then when Lois asked him "Could you open the door for Mommy?"

Which brings me to one of the few stupid parts of the movie. Why in God's Name would you take your son on the of a psychotic criminal? Hell, why did she take him with her in the first place?

The other scene was when he was talking to his son, and tears came up in his eyes. He now is a father himself. BTW, what did he say to him right before he flew out the window? I couldn't understand it.

[Dru]

remember earlier in the movie, they made a note of Lois not picking him up like she was supposed to. She thought Richard had him and he reminded her that SHE was supposed to get him. When she initially left after finding out where the blackouts first originated, she was on her way, then remembered she had to pick him up. Lois has always been a snoop after a scoop and she's tough cookie. She doesn't let anything get in the way of the top story. I guess she just figured she could handle the story she was seeking. But did you see her face when she saw those wigs on the stands? She knew right then she had to get the hell out of there. Then her face when she saw him in the hallway.

When he was over the bed, I THINK he was saying how the son would become the father and the father would watch over the son? It sounded to me a lot like the Bible. I could barely hear what else he was saying as he was whispering due to being inside their house undetected.

What did you think about the inhaler and the wheezing when he got excited? Do you think maybe he is not actually asthmatic, but maybe his body is adapting to being half human, half Kryptonian?

[Roman]

Thank you. Instead of saying I couldn't understand it, I should have said I couldn't hear it. Sorry. I just might go and see it again tomorrow. I wonder if those theaters are packed tonight? They should be. Thanks for the explaination about Lois. That just ticked me off that she would take her child into such a dangerous situation.

[Dru]

Also, after she realized her mistake, she did try to barter with Lex to let her son go free and do whatever he wanted to her. Didn't work, but she tried.

I added a few more sentences to my last post after editing it. Tell me what your thoughts are on that. Also, I took it as he doesn't know how to control his powers yet, or maybe he doesn't even realize how much or exactly WHAT powers he does have. I noticed he wheezes when he gets excited. Did you catch his face when he saw Superman on that plasma screen, then saw Clark standing next to it? Wheeze, wheeeze, WHEEZE!

[Roman]

I agree with you 100%. His powers are activated when he starts weezing. That is probably a subtle hint at the Ozone Layer, which may be affecting him since his father is from Krypton, a planet without the environmental problems like we have on Earth.

[Toups]

LOL The audience erupted in laughter when that happened. It was a WTF....LMAO moment.

She didn't know the mansion/boat belonged to Luther.

I thought Superman was repeating the Jor-El's words from the beginning of the movie, "You are my son....."

LOL Another funny moment. What made that scene funny was Clark's dorky smile. I loved his dorky smiles like in the elevator and when Lois/Richard were comparing Clark and Superman's attributes.

I don't know about the 3-day opening since Spiderman opened a Friday. But I hope Superman will break the 5 day and 7 day records.

[Roman]

And, I must say this. The opening credits wers some of the very best I've seen in a long time. John Ottman's score was fantasI'll be getting that tomorrow.

BTW, the bartender in themovie was theguy who played Jimmy Olsen in the tv show back in the 50s.

The old lady who died? Noel Neill, TV´s Lois Lane.

[Dru]

Oh, ok. I wasn't sure because I could barely hear that part. I could hear him saying, father and son, etc, etc, but that's about it.

Oh that was hilarious when Richard asked Lois, "Uh, about how tall would you say Clark is?" And he was eavesdropping from across the room. They looked at each other, then looked at Clark who had that dorky grin and the wave, then looked at each other again and cracked up.

Side Note: What was with Jason and the bucket/trashcan on his head in the Daily Planet office? That was cracking me up. I have to see this again. I'm debating if I should go again today after Y&R goes off.

Oh, and I kind of felt cheated that Superman didn't acually do the kicking of ass to Lex's lackeys. They got theirs BECAUSE of what Superman does when he goes back, but still...

[Roman]

Well, SR's first day take was $21 million. It did fall short of what WB wanted. Its not bad, but I do think word of mouth will still propel this film past 150 million by this time next week.

[Dru]

Last year's Independence Day event picture, War of the Worlds, grabbed $21.3 million on its opening Wednesday (sans Tuesday previews), which led to $100.6 million in its first five days. Two years ago, Spider-Man 2 captured the Wednesday record with its $40.4 million debut, culminating in a $152.4 million five-day haul.

That's from BoxOfficeMojo.com. I HATED War of the Worlds. I was so disappointed in that movie. I didn't realize until today when I read the Superman B/O article that WOTW had grossed that much money. I watched that flick and immediately pushed it and everything about it out of my mind. I'm really hoping Superman rakes it in this weekend. I've been reading so many reviews and even though the great majority are VERY positive the people who don't like it, REALLY don't like it.

Anyhoo, I've had Selene from Underworld on my desktop ever since Underworld Evolution came out. I finally changed it today.