Superman Returns

[MAVERICK]

Jul 8, 2011 15:37:07 GMT -5 atp said:

Have you ever known a good superhero movie to not get a sequel?

Yes, I think The Incredible Hulk is one of the top 3 best made super hero flicks made. It will not have a sequel. Kevin Feige's stupid ass didn't wanna pay Norton what he was owed, so, the sequel died due to a producers stupidity.

Superhero movies, by their nature, are designed to get sequels. So if one doesn't, it sends out a strong message.

That message sometimes is that some people cant get along (Like Singer & WB) so, the sequel doesn't get made.

And it's even more of an indictment when a movie doesn't get a sequel, but instead the series gets rebooted.

Or maybe it means what I said above.

I don't even know why I argue this with you. You like the some of the shittiest movies of all time while calling good movies crap. ;D

Moving on.

Jul 8, 2011 16:24:14 GMT -5 Jimbo said:

"The Rocketeer never got a sequel. Therefore it was shit."

Eh....no.

^THIS^

[Jor-L5150]

watched it on bluray again last night.
(yesterday was a sh*t hi*t day).

...now about that comic book opening...

[crazy_asian_man]

True, but have you ever known a good superhero movie to not get a sequel?

Superhero movies, by their nature, are designed to get sequels. So if one doesn't, it sends out a strong message.

And it's even more of an indictment when a movie doesn't get a sequel, but instead the series gets rebooted.

Think The Hulk and Die Another Day.

Loved them both, so it's not the best example.

Some good movies get ignored whatever the genre; and some poor movies that should have been better sometimes reaps rewards better than it deserves.

Box office isn't everything; if so, Sam Raimi should have had unlimited control over Spiderman 3 and freedom with 4--- instead of being rebooted.

Box office may be a factor; but (like all businesses) relationships between the main players I think is just as strong, when it comes to movies and greenlights for sequels.

[tomahawk]

It was Bryan Singer's relationship with Tom Cruise that killed SR2. Funnily enough it appears to have stymied Bryan Singer's career as a whole. Singer's career was on the up. Valkyrie stopped the momentum in both.

[ye5man]

Was Valkyrie well received/commercial success? I have it, yet to watch it.

[crazy_asian_man]

I think it was a modest hit:
Domestic: $83,077,833 41.5%
+ Foreign: $117,198,951 58.5%
= Worldwide: $200,276,784

Production cost: $75 million

Though..... I have NO idea what formula is needed/fabricated for something to be a success for a studio. Double the production budget?
Not everything can make a billion dollars, so, who knows?

Rotten Tomatoes: 61%- considered 'fresh'- but only good.
"Given the subject matter, Valkyrie could have been an outstanding historical thriller, but settles for being a mildly entertaining, but disposable yarn."

My own opinion: it's one of those movies that is respectable and intelligent - but (much like 'Usual Suspects') I wish the movie made you care more about the characters involved. It's more about a fascinating segment of WWII history that I never (and I think a lot of people) were never aware of.

Singer strongly avoids sentiment, but I almost wouldn't have minded a bit more sentimentality for this kind of story. Even at one watch, it felt a little long and slow, but fascinating from the historical pov.

[atp]

Valkyrie was okay. Not crap but not great either.

I really don't know why all the hype about Singer ever was justified. The Usual Suspects is overrated crap and the X-Men films are okay-ish.

[crazy_asian_man]

The Usual Suspects is overrated crap and the X-Men films are okay-ish.

Suspects I wasn't crazy about either, but I get that (at the time) the suprise at the end was the level of the ending of "Sixth Sense" level (I remember being knocked off my feet at that ending) for many people who were startled at its cleverness.

Singer generally does really smart films that doesn't insult the intelligence of the viewer (aside from the 'land land land' bit from Lex, but that was a tribute slightly too far imo).

Don't agree with you on X-men at all, though. The first one is lacking a bit- but at the time it was AMAZINGLY close to the source material- when I don't think other comic films even came within the ballpark, most of the time..... not to mention the difficulty of adapting the mountain of stories at that point.

Also- being the first GOOD superhero group film.

The second one takes it up a giant notch and is in the top ten superhero films of all time imo. Damned pity that he was booted from contributing to X3 as a producer, which he offered when he went to direct SR.

As producer on Xmen: First Class--- I give a giant amount of credit to Singer for quality control on that one.

I know Nolan is considered (more/less) the bar for Superhero films now, but Nolan also had a different set of circumstances. Adapting Xmen (and Superman) have two completely different sets of baggage to them and are trickier than Batman.

Nolan's Batman is fantastic (particularly TDK), but I'm not sold that he necessarily would be the best fit for Superman/X-men.

Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon", which was a great adventure film, and seemed to be a pretty good fit for a superhero film--- and has had a LONG history of highly-rated dramatic films, but..... he did an AWFUL "Hulk" film.

Anyhow- I don't think Singer is the best filmmaker ever, but as far as superhero films go, I do consider his Xmen & SR contributions supreme.

[ye5man]

The Usual Suspects is overrated crap

Can't agree with that enough. It also became cool to like the movie for some reason

[MAVERICK]

Jul 9, 2011 10:26:47 GMT -5 ye5man said:

The Usual Suspects is overrated crap

Can't agree with that enough. It also became cool to like the movie for some reason

It also became cool to say what you just said.


Love the movie.

[Deleted]

Yeah, I loved the Usual Suspects. Saw it when it first came out and loved it then.

[ye5man]

Jul 9, 2011 13:18:08 GMT -5 MAVERICK said:

It also became cool to say what you just said.

Did it? I've never seen that.

[Valentine Smith]

Yeah, I have no issues with Usual Suspects. X1 hasn't aged well at all, but X2 is still terrific.

[MerM]

Jul 9, 2011 14:35:31 GMT -5 Valentine Smith said:

Yeah, I have no issues with Usual Suspects. X1 hasn't aged well at all, but X2 is still terrific.

I gotta disagree, X1 still holds up pretty well. It's a little small-scale, especially in the last third, but otherwise it still works.

[crazy_asian_man]

Yeah, I have no issues with Usual Suspects. X1 hasn't aged well at all, but X2 is still terrific.

I agree it's small scale- (I still have the Premiere magazine issue that detailed how Singer wanted more money for the last act, but was denied)- and it feels like some bits are missing, but considering the limitations- it's a great intro piece to something that no one figured out at that point in Hollywood.

As a further compliment, there was an interview with Grant Morrison who said that until he saw Xmen 1 the movie, he couldn't 'figure out' how to get into writing his own Xmen series. (Something that came as a shock to me)

[MAVERICK]

Jul 9, 2011 13:47:38 GMT -5 ye5man said:

Jul 9, 2011 13:18:08 GMT -5 MAVERICK said:

It also became cool to say what you just said.

Did it? I've never seen that.

DAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

[ye5man]

Oh God, like that is it? I think I understand

[MAVERICK]

;D ;D ;D

[crazy_asian_man]

Saw SR again, in its entirety, not bits and pieces as I often do. It's was far more interesting this time, seeing the RTK & other deleted scenes before watching the film. (Were there other deleted scenes that weren't shown, but only on youtube?) Been waiting for the right time to do my 'mega-review', may do so soon.

The short of it: quick shots for now:

* Strangest color palate used for a superhero film--- primarily brown and aqua blue. At times, I think the cinematography (on video, no less) is gorgeous- at other times, the color palatte is a bit off-putting.

* Kept eyes open for 'the money'.... and much of it is there, but placed in spots I didn't think NEEDED to have that much money put there.... but, of course, much is assumption over what was built versus renting a spot out. (ie: The space shuttle control room didn't HAVE to be so huge- presuming it was built and cost a bit. )

* I still miss the 'real' New York as Metropolis. The Spiderman series was DEFINITELY the better for using real locations, pity that the Hollywood unions in general seem to make filming in the US too costly.

* There's a really sharp understated wit to SR, the comic timing is brilliant. Lois' coming down from the roof after seeing Superman (Jimmy's & Jason's expressions are priceless + the idea of having Clark with food in his mouth after such a serious scene- hilarious) -

* John Ottman's music/editing. I'm not suprised that his best work comes here when he's in control of both the musical and visual rhythyms. The music is his best work, imo, and it really sells the emotions of the picture.

* I'm starting to be more aware of the deleted bits that almost underline and point out some of either the 'fat' or the 'gaps' in the film that don't have a payoff, consequentally.

- (ie: The focus on the briefcase being put in the closet..... to then later on payoff with Supes getting the suit.)

* Still miffed at tiny points that were deleted that would have made the character's journey a little clearer/more complete (ie: I always thought that Clark's return & immediate departure for Metropolis was a bit abrupt. It definitely could have used the extra two minutes or so talking about Clark considering staying on the farm & NOT returning to Metropolis. Also, the bit of young Clark testing a couple of moments of his flying and looking up at the sky through the broken hole in the barn was a nice 'punctuation point' to that scene, showing the VERY moment he discovered that he could fly.

Anyhow...... more later. Those are the short cuts....

[stargazer01]

I LOVE this vid. But it's so bittersweet now.

[MAVERICK]

Love that guy

[Jor-L5150]

stop the presses!
MAVERICK!!!!

your concubine is available!! KATE is single!

By Mike Krumboltz, Yahoo!
Wed, Jul 27, 2011, 2:00 am PDT
After almost two years together, the actress has split from boyfriend Alexander Skarsgard. Us Weekly reports that the breakup occurred "a while ago." Though they are split in real life, fans can catch them together on the big screen in the September thriller "Straw Dogs."

[Jimbo]

Wait a minute....

James Marsden is starring in ANOTHER movie where he plays a cuckold? ;D

[stargazer01]

Interesting article on the movie and the RTK scene:



www.dannygraydon.com/2011/07/return-trip-to-krypton-thatll-be-10-million/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Bryan Singer’s SUPERMAN RETURNS gets a terribly unfair rap, not least maintained by the simple-minded cacophony of online fanboys, whose criticism seems confined to a small array of gripes (e.g: “Superman just lifts things!”; “Superman’s a deadbeat Dad!”; “Superman’s doesn’t punch anything!” etc) that are tediously parroted in a knee-jerk fashion, with determinedly little or no recognition of the film’s strengths. I’m a hearty defender of Singer’s film, in spite of knowing only too well that he essentially remade (and sequelled) Richard Donner’s hallowed 1978 original with a melancholic sheen.

Brandon Routh was a fine Man of Steel – it’s a genuine shame that he’ll never reprise the role – and I consider the film’s deliriously-exciting airline rescue sequence to be one of the very best action set-pieces produced in the last decade, a bravura showcase of digital effects. Yet, what I continue to find particularly admirable was the film’s bold focus on Superman’s most vital element – behind the invulnerability and superpowers, he’s a man with a vulnerable heart – and the film’s plot presents him with a singular emotional challenge – a son unknown to him – that cannot be overcome by physicality. Granted, it may not have been a plot element that was riven with excitement – and one that couldn’t possibly have been ignored in any sequel - but it effectively mined a seam of emotional drama that most summer blockbusters would be less than concerned with.

Five years on and the recent release on Blu-Ray of the existing five Superman films released between 1978 and 2006 provided the opportunity to finally see the discarded alternate opening to Superman Returns, a seven minute sequence in which Superman travels, via a crystalline spacecraft reminiscent of that which rocketed him to Earth in Donner’s film, to the radioactive remains of the planet Krypton in a fruitless search for survivors. As cut scenes go, it was a bloody expensive excision – reportedly costing $10 million! – but, as you can see below, it was impeccably rendered and provides a nicely moody atmosphere, if perhaps a little too dark, sedately paced and a low-key introducion of our hero.

Does it make a valuable addition to the film? I think so: aside from the opening text, the mission’s failure is only mentioned by Clark to his mother (“That place was a graveyard…”) and it adds a level of gravitas to the later revelation that he was actually duped into leaving Earth, also foreshadowing the climactic peril of New Krypton. It also features a nice development of the detail in Donner’s film that Superman’s S shield motif is actually a family crest of sorts, and it’s certainly dramatic to see it here as a monolithic stone monument. The film’s ultimate opening makes an immediate connection to Donner”s film with the shot of the barren Kryptonian terrain that opened that film – replete with Marlon Brando’s voice over – and so was much more effective in setting out its stall, but the Return to Krypton sequence is far from a deservedly-dumped dud – for ten million clams, one should hope so!



This is also another interesting take even if I don't agree entirely:

popwatch.ew.com/2011/07/27/superman-returns-deleted-opening-scene/

[ye5man]

I don't like RTK. Its OK on its own but if the movie had have opened like that then it would have been too much of a downer. Plus it went on far too long.
Well done to Singer for having the balls to chop it off!