A Case of the Mondays
I'll never get tired of that post heading...
Anyway, I have a new post up at Killer Year, about the popularity of Antiheroes in popular culture.
A few other notes...
I saw "Superman Returns" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" this week. Superman was ok, I'd say a solid 'B', but considering Bryan Singer directed I was expecting something more. Though to be fair we saw it in The Worst Theater In the World (it deserves ALL CAPS). It was the kind of theater where the only speakers were taken out of some high schooler's room, and there are half a dozen seats covered in garbage bags. Not to mention that during the movie, at least three different people started snoring. Not because the movie was boring. But because it was the kind of theater where the sound is so sucky it's easy to take a nap. The special effects were top-notch, the acting (save Kate Bosworth) was surprisingly good...but something was missing. And I think it might have something to do with my Antihero theory...in 2006, Superman just isn't that interesting a hero. There. I said it.
Pirates, however, was a different story. I saw the first one with little expectations, and was very pleasantly surprised. It's one of my favorite blockbusters of the past few years. I was excited for Round 2. The previews kicked ass, the whole cast was back, and once again it did not disappoint. It was better than Superman, better than X-Men 3, probably my favorite film so far this summer, up there with "V for Vendetta" in my Best of '06 category. It's just a fun movie. Though Orlando Bloom really doesn't belong on screen with good actors like Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. He seems like he should be on the O.C. And in five years, I have a feeling he'll be starring in some sort of O.C. ripoff called "Venice Shores" or something like that.
So see PC2. Tell 'em I sent you. You might get a free popcorn. Or at least a weird look from the guy at the box office.
I'll never get tired of that post heading...
Anyway, I have a new post up at Killer Year, about the popularity of Antiheroes in popular culture.
A few other notes...
I saw "Superman Returns" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" this week. Superman was ok, I'd say a solid 'B', but considering Bryan Singer directed I was expecting something more. Though to be fair we saw it in The Worst Theater In the World (it deserves ALL CAPS). It was the kind of theater where the only speakers were taken out of some high schooler's room, and there are half a dozen seats covered in garbage bags. Not to mention that during the movie, at least three different people started snoring. Not because the movie was boring. But because it was the kind of theater where the sound is so sucky it's easy to take a nap. The special effects were top-notch, the acting (save Kate Bosworth) was surprisingly good...but something was missing. And I think it might have something to do with my Antihero theory...in 2006, Superman just isn't that interesting a hero. There. I said it.
Pirates, however, was a different story. I saw the first one with little expectations, and was very pleasantly surprised. It's one of my favorite blockbusters of the past few years. I was excited for Round 2. The previews kicked ass, the whole cast was back, and once again it did not disappoint. It was better than Superman, better than X-Men 3, probably my favorite film so far this summer, up there with "V for Vendetta" in my Best of '06 category. It's just a fun movie. Though Orlando Bloom really doesn't belong on screen with good actors like Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. He seems like he should be on the O.C. And in five years, I have a feeling he'll be starring in some sort of O.C. ripoff called "Venice Shores" or something like that.
So see PC2. Tell 'em I sent you. You might get a free popcorn. Or at least a weird look from the guy at the box office.
posted by Jason Pinter at
9:24 AM
12 Comments:
I saw Superman yesterday and liked it. It was a pretty good action flick. I didn't even have a problem with Kate, thought she did a good job. The only problem I had was the "moment" on the boat with the kid. That was kinda annoying.
Yeah...that was something else. But Lois Lane taking her small child onto a strange boat while reporting a story that obviously has nefarious underpinnings...that's just a head-slapping moment. I suppose Kate's not a bad actress, but there really wasn't much to the role of Lois Lane, especially when compared to (relatively) better-written female protagonists this year like Natalie Portman in "Vendetta" and even Famke Janssen in X-Men.
Or it might have been the theater, which could have made "Lawrence of Arabia" feel like a cheap B movie.
My theory for what was missing in Superman is: the bad-guy plot had nothing to do with the rest of the movie. The connection was so loose, that they could have been their own stand-alone movies.
Still...I was strangely moved by the thing. I think old school Superman fans are happy with it (i.e. my dad who loved it), which is really the target audience anyway. We're an X-Men generation. Those issues are more relevant to us. (I'll let it go for now that X3 was disappointing...killing off main characters does not a plot make...)
I haven't seen Superman yet, that's for next weekend with my two older girls (though my 12 year old who is furious the movie isn't a continuation of the SMALLVILLE plot and characters . . . )
But PIRATES! What a ride. I loved the first movie so much I saw it twice in the theater (the last time I did that was with THE MATRIX) and bought the DVD when it came out. Not only is the original a fantastic movie, it's a great example to use for my writing workshop (and gives me an excuse to watch it over and over . . . ) Though what's your beef with Orlando? I thought he was good in LOTR (though I was a Lord Aragorn fan :) . . . but I thought he really hit it with PIRATES.
Off to check your antihero post . . .
I haven't even seen POTC 1 yet.
I'd better get on that!
How dare you rip on Orlando? Haven't you seen Kingdom of Heaven or any of his other flicks? (Ok, it's weird how his nipples are way off on the side of his boobs, but other than that...) Kiera's the one who's come a long way in her acting lessons since the last film.
All in all, agreed, though. Pirates is a great ride.
Haven't seen Kingdom. Or his nipples. And I have equal desire to see all three.
Amen to that. Did anyone see Troy? He was a little too believable as a sniveling sissy boy.
I also saw Superman 2 and Pirates 2. I have planned for months to get to Pirates 2 on opening night, and I made it!
LOVED it. Great story, tons of fun, incredible graphics and spectacular costuming. I was only disappointed that I got shuttled out of the theater before the little after-credits scene, and that I have to wait until next year for 3.
And then there was Superman...
I have to confess that I saw the original Superman with Christopher Reeve for the first time about two weeks before Superman Returns. What's-his-nuts was no Reeve -- but dang it, the music score got me big-time.
Sandra, do see both Pirates movies. You will not be disappointed!
Hey, it's not Orlando's fault he has pretty hair. Besides, he's not sissy, he's... sensitive.
Ok, I give up. Just leaves more of him for me.
starbucks, they're just jealous they can't shoot an arrow like he does . . .
Seats covered with garbage bags?
Like green?
~visions of seats where somebody died~
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