For those who thought that there is an absence of spirituality in Hollywood, I suggest seeing “Talladega Nights, The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”

“Help me Allah … Help me Tom Cruise, … Help me Opray Winfrey …”
and the prayer to Baby Jesus at the dinner table is something too funny to be sacreligious.

Some told me that this isn’t as funny as “Anchorman” but whatever, it’s in the same league. Go see it if you need to laugh.

Snakes on a Plane. Wow, what can I say? It’s terrible, but not so bad.
Snakes on a Plane Review by Kurt Lorder (linked to title)

NUMEROUS MAJOR SPOILERS ALERT!!!

Saw Superman on 3D IMAX last night. Only certain action scenes are in 3D. It was cool for a big action movie and it’s in the same place as the multi-plex. However, not sure it’s worth the drive for those who might live a distace from an IMAX.

Anyway, I have to say, I enjoyed the movie. Scale 1-10, I give it a 7.5. It’s really the first Superman movie I like. (Superman 2 was ok.)

First, the superficialites:
Special effects were great.
Costume was great.
Story was pretty good. A little long, story took a while to develop. Wasn’t really crazy about the whole crystal problem but I guess all the other plots were used up.
I’ll have to do a little more thinking about it but it turned out better than I expected, though not worth $300 million – but it does save the franchise.

Casting – I liked the actors and the characters they played but agreed with others that if this is set between Superman 2 and 3, that Clark and Louis should have been played by actors who look older. (then again, it doesn’t help that Christopher Reeves was like 40 when he did Superman 2.)
Speaking of which – Thought that Brandon Rouse was a great successor to Reeves. He spoke just like him.

Lex Luther is a tough character to play – I happen to like Kevin Spacey, so I’m supporting the performance but I don’t think we saw anything new in the Luther character.

But of course Superman is a tough character to play too.
There is no self-conflict within him, which is what makes Batman and even Spiderman so interesting (especially Batman. which I think this movie would have been better received if it didn’t have to follow Batman Begins.) But Superman is portrayed as the Christ-figure with such strong emphasis – I was surprised.
After seeing it, one of my close friends said they should rename it to “The Passion of Superman”. Loved that.
This is what makes Superman so different from the other heroes. He is good – very, very good. (although no lie – while waiting to leave the theater, I overheard parts of a father-son birds-bees discussion bc Superman and Louis aren’t quite married but had a kid so the son, who was about 7 or so, was a little confused. Which brings up the point, did that need to be in there?). Anyway, Superman’s goodness is what one of the main things that I like about his character.

It feels impossible NOT to compare heroes with each other. It may not be fair, but whatever.
Spiderman is perhaps my favorite superhero but he is confused – there is no confusion with Superman.
Batman is angry, he fights crime to avenge his family tragedy and bring justice. Superman does so because he sees this as a calling. Another Christ-like attribute.
In fact, the movie, rings over and over. Even when Superman is dying/coma-state, it’s a female nurse that discovers the room is empty. In the dvd, I’m going to see if her name tag reads Mary.

The voice-overs of Superman’s father,Jor El (from Marlon Brando’s 1978 recording), “I’m sending them my only son”. Again, too many to mention.

Normally, I am not sure if that would have sold me. Like at the end of Matrix Revolutions, Neo’s arms are outstretched. That didn’t to it for me. But this is the first time I think I actually cared about the character of Superman. Ok, second, because I felt for him in Superman 2 when he got beat up at the restaurant (after he let go of his powers). Anyway, I think Bryan Singer may have done it again and he may have resurrected Superman’s career.