ZACK SNYDER’S SUPERMAN THROWS PUNCHES!

I had my tickets to see Man of Steel two weeks before the film’s release.  I’ve written many articles about the film and broken down just about every trailer.  The more I saw, the more excited I became.  Could THIS be the Superman movie I’ve always wanted to see?  To say I was pumped would be a gigantic understatement.

When Superman Returns was released, I was incredibly disappointed in the lack of action as well as Lex Luther’s ‘land’ scheme.  That movie focused on Clark Kent and his integration into society but failed to deliver a Superman worthy of the big screen.  Man of Steel is very much the opposite.  This reboot focuses almost entirely on Kal-El and his integration into society.  Would humanity accept a savior from another world?  What would happen if an alien revealed his/herself today?  It’s a fascinating theme that lays the foundation for a Superman movie unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

I’m going to start at the end and work my way backwards.  The final hour of this movie is as big (if not bigger) than the finale of last year’s smash The Avengers.  The destruction caused by Superman and General Zod’s Metropolis death match is gargantuan.  Buildings crumble, roads are shattered and Zack Snyder delivers some of the most exciting action I’ve ever seen on the big screen.  Finally, the Man of Steel is unleashed with a worthy opponent backed by some spectacular visual effects and direction.

When I woke up this morning and gathered my thoughts for this review, all I could think about was the final act.  I can’t wait to see it again but I don’t think I’ll see it in theaters twice.  Why?  Because it took over 2 hours to get to the explosive finale.

THE DARK KNIGHT THIS IS NOT

I think comparing Man of Steel to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy isn’t entirely fair.  True, they share a similar real world approach but there can only be one Dark Knight.  The one glaring difference between the two is the time it takes to establish the hero’s origin.  With Batman Begins, Nolan created an effective and exciting back story while remaining economical with screen time.

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We don’t even see Earth for nearly 30 minutes in Man of Steel.  From there we follow a broken timeline that mixes in important events from Clark’s youth as we follow his journey as an adult.  All the usual Superman moments are included but several scenes felt better suited as deleted scenes on the Blu Ray.

It’s interesting for such a fast paced movie to feel slow.  Time crawls when you can’t wait to see super speed.

Still, it’s hard to fault a movie for providing such detail as they built up the universe’s mythology.  I think my excitement to see Superman in action worked against me as I waited.  Regardless, this movie definitely feels long in addition to actually being long.

I went in to Man of Steel thinking there was no way the film would earn less than 8/10.  When the credits rolled I was blown away by the action but surprisingly found myself considering a 6.  Upon further review, I decided that Man of Steel is a worth a trip to the theater.  It’s worth it because THIS is the best Superman movie I’ve ever seen.  Years ago, I was angry because there wasn’t enough action in Superman Returns.  Many fans were.  People demanded a Superman that threw punches and the talented filmmakers behind this epic delivered exactly what we asked for.

This is a Superman movie filled with iconic moments and massive action set pieces.  It features a truly stellar cast with scene stealing performances by Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon and Amy Adams.  There are slower moments and an incredibly long build up to the enormous finale but in the end, it was entertaining.  A 7/10.

It may not redefine the superhero genre as many hoped but not all movies can be as big as The Avengers or as complex as The Dark Knight.

THIS IS THE SUPERMAN MOVIE I ASKED FOR

An action packed epic where Superman battles a worthy foe and holds nothing back.  Maybe I will catch it again on the big screen after all.

Click here for more reviews.

EPIC VILLAINS IN A SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

If I may quote Mission Impossible 2:

“Every search for a hero must begin with something which every hero requires…  A villain.”

We all love great villains.  They are the reason our heroes are called to action in the first place.  Throughout history we have been blessed with iconic and unforgettable villains.  The Wicked Witch of the West, Hannibal Lector, Darth Vader, Auric Goldfinger, Nurse Ratched, The Joker, Norman Bates, Freddy Krueger, Verbal Kint, Biff Tannen, Bill the Butcher, Doc Ock, Tommy DeVito, Alex DeLarge…

Dramas, horror, thrillers, comedies…  Every genre has it’s classics but no group faces more scrutiny that the Summer Blockbusters.  Big franchises, sequels and the unstoppable force known as the comic book movie.

It’s the first question we all ask when a giant blockbuster is announced.  Whether it’s a new franchise or a sequel we all want to know who our favorite heroes will fight next.  How will these villains look?  Sound?  Move?

Fans crave every detail leading up to the movies they cannot wait to see.  I remember staring at this image wondering what Christopher Nolan’s Joker would be like.

The Joker was brilliantly realized by Nolan and wonderfully portrayed by the late Heath Ledger.  However, by the time the movie arrived, we had several trailers, clips and more that took away at least a little of the mystery. Is that a bad thing?  I don’t think so.  We live in a different time.  I suppose the question is…

Can you keep a big villain secret?  Should you?

I wonder how much scrutiny Darth Vader would face if Star Wars was released today.  A world where studios preemptively release images from sets in order to beat the spies to the punch.  Every time a movie shoots an exterior scene, images shot on cell phones pop up online.  We live in an age of social media.  An era where promotion is 24/7 and fans are closer than ever to the development process.

Now, I don’t want to sound like a spoiled brat.  Here I am, discussing my relentless craving for new villain reveals while complaining that we know too much before they are unleashed.  I just appreciate the evolution of the villain reveal.

We may have 4 or 5 trailers for each big blockbuster these days but I could choose to avoid them.  I just don’t.  I simply cannot resist pressing play and envisioning the adventures that await on the silver screen.

There are filmmakers out there who work tirelessly to keep their big projects a secret.  J.J Abrams immediately comes to mind.  When he and his team produced Cloverfield, it nearly broke the internet when they unveiled the mysterious trailer.  What the hell did the Cloverfield monster look like?

Personally, it drove me nuts for months.  The director repeated this tactic when he created Super 8. It’s a proven way to generate interest in a film.   Super 8 was actually my favorite movie of 2011.

He’s doing it again with Star Trek Into Darkness.  Who is John Harrison?  Is it really Kahn?  The answers are coming.

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Honestly, I can’t decide which side I’m on.

Do I prefer the shroud of secrecy and the anticipation it ignites?  Or do I want a constant stream of updates and risk burning out before the lights dim?

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

In the last few weeks, we were treated to new trailers that revealed Superman’s enemy Zod and Thor’s next challenge Malekith.  Both look incredible.

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We were also given a glimpse of Jamie Foxx as Electro in next summer’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2:

Would you rather wait to see the villain?

I’m not sure if you can argue one way or another which approach is better.  Secrecy is frustrating but could ramp up the hype to impossible heights.  On the other hand, transparency invites discussion online and the promotion never stops.  There are pros and cons to both.  Sometimes too much secrecy can be seen as a weakness or a lack of faith in the studio.  Sometimes, a villain is revealed and hardcore fans tear it apart in vicious blog posts, tweets and parodies.

Yet sometimes, magic can be captured in the imagination of a film fan’s curiosity.  The same blogs and tweets can also be overwhelmingly positive.  Take Electro for example.  I think he’s going to look awesome on the big screen.  I can’t wait to see what he looks like with added effects.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how or when a villain is revealed.  Whether it’s a year out or opening night, the only thing that really matters is…  The story.

The next generation of heroes and villains are coming.  Which ones will claim their place amongst the greatest of all time?  That’s a search that will never end.

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SUPERMAN.  THAT IS ALL.

The biggest and best Man of Steel trailer has arrived.  Will it be the best Superman movie of all time?  I’m not prepared to make that statement but this trailer definitely presents a strong case.  This three minute teaser is full of iconic moments.  Exactly what you would expect in a Superman movie.

5. THE EDITING

It’s not actually a moment but as a professional editor, I couldn’t help it.  This trailer is edited brilliantly.  Sometimes that many jump cuts can be jarring but the score is perfect and it sets the tone for an amazing summer blockbuster.

4. KRYPTON

This trailer brings us our first real look at life on Krypton even though it’s being destroyed.

3. “I WILL FIND HIM.”

General Zod has arrived and he looks like a worthy and relentless villain.

2. SUPERMAN!

Take a look at these poses and tell me this won’t be a love letter to Superman fans around the world.

1. SUPERMAN PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE

Superman unleashed.  Zack Snyder looks to have filmed the best Superman action sequences ever.  Dear technology…  Thank you.

COUNTDOWN | Top 5 Moments: Man of Steel Trailer #2

WHICH BLOCKBUSTER WILL COME OUT ON TOP?

The Summer Movie season is nearly upon us and 2013 is shaping up to be one spectacular show. I think the battle for this year’s crown comes down to three outstanding projects: Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness & Man of Steel.

Which one will stand out critically? Commercially? Which one will connect to audiences most?

Ultimately, it depends on which franchise you love and the history behind it. Are you excited to return to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe after the events of The Avengers? Are you counting down the days until J.J Abrams unleashes another adventure in his rebooted Star Trek universe? Can the DC Universe thrive without Christopher Nolan’s Batman?

These are all questions that will be answered but which one will truly deliver?

IRON MAN 3

May 3, 2013 (April 18th)

The marketing machine behind this film did a fantastic job with the first two trailers. Tony Stark is in for one hell of a battle with The Mandarin but more importantly himself. Immediately, you get a sense that the events of The Avengers weighs heavily on him. It should be! Aliens opened a portal and invaded Earth! The whole planet was almost lost!

Iron Man 3 is a guaranteed success because of The Avengers and previous films but how will people respond to a standalone tale now that the team has disassembled? Are movie audiences spoiled now?

Personally, I think it will work. Judging by the trailers, Marvel has learned that Iron Man cannot be used solely to introduce elements of future films.  That approach killed any momentum Iron Man 2 could muster.

Thankfully, that movie was erased last year when Tony flew a nuclear missile through a portal in the sky and blew up an alien mothership…

Apparently, the finale of Iron Man 3 is full of different types of armors in one of the most explosive endings ever.  An ending that has Avengers director Joss Whedon worried about how he will top it in The Avengers 2.  This according to Marvel president Kevin Feige:

“There are a lot of suits in this movie. While it is both a movie in which he spends quite a bit of time outside of the suit, as you see it’s not working and he’s — and he’s with Ty in Tennessee, by the end of it we reveal that underneath the house, which is now covered with rubble, he’s got dozens and dozens of suits.

And once, throughout the course of the movie, and all that rubble gets pulled aside by construction cranes, just when he needs them, he calls them to the rescue and we have what I think is the biggest most action-packed finale we’ve had. I showed the film to Joss Whedon, who is our writer-director of Avengers and who is currently working on Avengers 2, and he saw the finale of this and he goes, ‘Now what am I supposed to do now? What am I going to do in Avengers 2?’ (Geek Tyrant)

Will Iron Man 3 win the summer 2013 movie season?

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STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

May 17th, 2013

J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot basically introduced me to the Star Trek universe.  That should NOT have been the case.  I didn’t dislike Star Trek at all, it was just never a part of my life growing up.  This universe is essentially all I know about the characters from the original series other than the standard pop culture references.  I’m reluctant to call myself a Star Trek fan but I did enjoy the reboot a lot.

This time around, the origin story is established and the possibilities are endless.  I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Will Star Trek Into Darkness win the summer 2013 movie season?

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MAN OF STEEL

June 13, 2013

Christopher Nolan is done with Batman and has now turned his attention to Superman.  (I just read that last sentence again and grinned.)  Superman is returning for REAL this time!  This new take on the Man of Steel looks nothing short of spectacular.

I was highly disappointed in Superman Returns (2006).  For a Superman movie, it really didn’t offer much action and when it did, it he was lifting continents out of the water.  Lex Luther’s evil land plan was pretty dumb and the movie failed to relaunch the franchise as many hoped.

This time it’s going to be different.  This is the modern Superman movie I’ve been dying to see my whole life.  (My age when the first films were released ranged from non existent to infant child.)

I can’t wait to see Man of Steel.  I truly hope Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan and the entire team deliver something amazing.  I’m at the point now where I’m just about prepared to guarantee it.

Will Man of Steel win the summer 2013 movie season?

XTRA | Top 5 Moments: Man of Steel Trailer #2

Do you think another movie can beat these three titans this summer? The Wolverine? Pacific Rim?

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THE RANKINGS

TOTAL BOX OFFICE (WORLDWIDE)

3. Man of Steel

2. Star Trek Into Darkness

1. Iron Man 3

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

3. Star Trek Into Darkness

2. Iron Man 3

1. Man of Steel

MY PERSONAL PRE-SUMMER RANKINGS

3. Star Trek Into Darkness

2. Iron Man 3

1. Man of Steel

What do you think?

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRAILER OF 2012?

I wake up every morning with the hope that another big trailer has arrived.  It doesn’t happen every day but it’s always exciting when it does.  No matter what type of movie the trailer is promoting, I can’t resist hitting play.  I love trailers.

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Selecting the best trailer of any given year is tough with so many standouts in 2012.  For me, (with respect to Skyfall) it came down to two:

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES TRAILER #3

REVIEW | The Dark Knight Rises | Top 5 Moments: The Dark Knight Rises Trailer #3

Of all the trailers for The Dark Knight Rises, this one was my favorite.  Everything from the opening score to the frantic finale was amazing.  I’m still having trouble accepting the end of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.  However, I think that’s why my favorite trailer of 2012 is…

MAN OF STEEL TRAILER #2

Top 5 Moments: Man of Steel Trailer #2

It’s time to get excited for Christopher Nolan’s NEXT franchise.  (Or at least a franchise he’s heavily involved in) I was absolutely blown away by the Man of Steel trailer.  Director Zack Snyder looks to have truly delivered a Superman we’ve all been craving for decades. (Sorry Superman Returns but it’s true)

I absolutely adore the tone of this trailer and we FINALLY got some great looks at Henry Cavill as Superman.

This is hands down one of the biggest events of 2013 and certainly one of my most anticipated summer movies.  It’s safe to say I don’t need much more convincing after a powerful trailer like this.

Congratulations Man of Steel.  You’ve made it a lot easier to get over the end of The Dark Knight Legend.

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More 2012 trailer breakdowns:

Top 5 Moments: Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer #1

Top 5 Moments: Pacific Rim Trailer #1

Top 5 Moments: Iron Man 3 Trailer #1

Top 5 Moments: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer #2