Change Your Image
MLFILMS
Reviews
Superman Returns (2006)
Superman Returns: The Official Review (spoiler free)
"They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show them the way."
- Jor-El
9:30am Sunday June 18, 2006. Arriving at an 11:00am screening of Superman Returns, my pulse was racing and stomach was fluttering. Questions filled my head. That early, are the doors going to be locked? How many people are lined up as tickets don't guarantee seating? Would I be first in line? Will popcorn be made available? Answer: no, 2, yes and yes. (Though I only had a soda and the 2 people there first weren't technically in line. They did, in fact, end up behind me).
Faster then a speeding bullet, more questions raced into my head . Would the Superman franchise once again become more powerful then a locomotive? Would it leap box office records in a single bound? Or, would it forever entrap The Man of Steel into the Phantom Zone next to the failed comic book movies of The Hulk and Catwoman?
First off, this is not a remake. Superman Returns comes to us 5 years or so after the events of Superman II, thankfully ignoring the stories of Superman III and Superman IV: the Quest for Peace. Our hero learned astronomers had discovered remnants of the planet Krypton, Superman's home world. He decides to go back and check things out for himself, to see if he is truly the lone survivor. Gone for years, the world, including Lois Lane have moved on. Lois has won a Pulitzer Prize for her article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman". She's engaged and has a son. Lex Luthor is out of prison, still looking to rule the world. Once back, he must regain the trust and love of the world, including Lois Lane.
An all too short 2 and a half hours later, I had my answers. Yes, yes, and no! Superman Returns comes through with flying colors! (get it...red, blue, yellow...Superman can fly...come on, it's good!). Wonderfully paced, I was not at all looking at my watch (even though the running time is 2:30ish) wondering when the story would move along. The characters developed quickly and each was believable in their roles. Sam Huntington plays an excellent Jimmy Olsen and the always "on" Kevin Spacey matches Gene Hackman in his portrayal of Lex Luthor. Kate Bosworth does very well as Lois Lane. She hasn't been "cleaned Up" for the new movie, which was a nice surprise. She still smokes, ignores the orders of her boss and, now, had a child out of wedlock. References to Superman the Movie and Superman II, via quotes and storyline, are everywhere in Superman Returns. They, along with a really nice twist, are well placed and work well to tie the movies together. Happily, not at all overdone or "cheesy". There's plenty of action and some really neat effects, which compliment the story.
Brandon Routh, a relative unknown, seamlessly switches between Superman and Clark Kent. Clark is his usual bumbling self, but believable and not at all schticky. He plays Superman with a romantic feeling with his flowing cape and his flying. Routh's emotion filled facial expressions let you into exactly how he's feeling and dealing with everyone's reaction to his long absence. Including his relationships with Lois and Lex. No crime is too big or too small for this Superman. Some say he looks and sounds too much like Christopher Reeve's Superman. Big deal. It's not distracting at all and early on it's easy to get into Routh as the new Man of Steel.
From the applause at the end of the movie, to eavesdropping into the conversations coming out of the theater, hardcore and casual fans alike will enjoy Superman Returns.
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!! Make sure you stay 'til the credits are over!!
Boy was this a funny movie. I am sure I missed a lot more of the funny lines because I was laughing so hard!! Mike Myers sure loves to be naked in his movies as proven by the hysterical opening sequence. Mini Me, Scott Evil and references to pivate parts make this movie so much fun. Some of the jokes that were in the first are back in this and are still as funny. It's not "shh", it's "zip it" in a great scene with Dr., Evil and he son. The Jerry Springer part is perfect for this film! Enjoy it! I did!
The Out-of-Towners (1999)
Lots of good laughs!
Well, it is a Steve Martin movie so of course you will laugh!! There are some very funny parts to this movie. It does, however, have a tendency to stop on a dime and go the other way - From humor to serious relationship discussions. But, ultimately, a Steve Martin/Goldie Hawn combination...with a touch of John Cleese...add to a fun movie that will make you laugh out loud!
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Not Oscar worthy, but not bad either
It was not the worst movie I have ever seen. Actually, I kind of enjoyed it. I went in expecting a bad film, but I was surprised. Sarah Michelle Gellar was good as the B**ch. Lots of nice twists to the plot as well.
8MM (1999)
Quite possibly the worst this year.
What a lousy movie. Nick Cage delivers a dull performance as he runs around the country searching for the killers of a girl he never met. Very predictable outcome. The movie should have ended before it started.