A dare for members who hate SR or Smallville

[Kal-Ex]

Some people here hates SR or Smallville and some others like them very much. Let’s try something: I dare the members who hates SR to write 3 things they really enjoy in the movie… same thing with Smallville. And why not also do the opposite: members who are big fans of SR, I dare you to write 3 things you hate about the movie (same with Smallville).

So I start: I like Smallville and I don’t like Superman Return

3 thing I don’t like about Smallville:
1- 9 seasons is too long, I want to see the end before Welling has grey hair
2- All the Daily Planet characters are introduced when Clark still lives in Smallville
3- Too much teenager oriented in tone

3 things I love about Superman Return:
1- They keep the crystals and the fortress of solitude
2- Plane rescue (Superman is flying for real)
3- Brandon Routh as Clark kent









Spelling in thread title edited by Maverick

[MerM]

3 Things I Don't Like About Superman Returns:
1) Yeah, at times it does feel like a remake of the first film.
2) Really bad decision to cut the Return To Krypton scene out, unbalances the first part of the film.
3) Bosworth as Lois Lane is not as bad as many have claimed, but she's not particularly good either.

Here come the inevitable snark responses.

[MAVERICK]

GREAT idea Kal!


3 things I do not like about Superman Returns:

The ugly dark filter & artificial grain they needlessly put on top of a pristine digital picture.

The fact that they cut out one of the films most important sequences: Return to Krypton.

The Red on Superman's cape should have been brighter.



3 things I like about Smallville (Keep in mind I haven't watched since season 4):


John Schneider is perfect as Pa Kent

John Glover was great as Lex's father

It was nice to see Christopher Reeve again, even if it was in this show.

[atp]

Three things I liked about Superman Returns:

1) Return to Krypton scene.
2) James Karen as Ben Hubbard
3) Lex explaining that he faked the discovery of Krypton

[Bobby M]

Come on, ATP. This topic was just begging you to list "the end credits" as one of your favourite aspects of SR.

[MerM]

Jan 13, 2010 13:54:16 GMT -5 atp said:

Three things I liked about Superman Returns:

1) Return to Krypton scene.
2) James Karen as Ben Hubbard
3) Lex explaining that he faked the discovery of Krypton

I CALLED IT.

[stargazer01]

Things I like about Smallville:

-A lot of the special effects
-The production values are solid
-I actually like the main theme


Things I dislike about Superman Returns:

-Some scenes are too dark
-The red in the suit is too dark in some scenes
-Not enough close ups of real Brandon flying.

[zoom]

Ok so I don't like either, so it's a "love" thread here:


Smallville:

1. Superman is back on TV in any form

2. the show lasted this long and is a testament to it's audience and shows the populairity

3. the women are hot!


Superman Sucks--er I mean Returns:

1. Superman is back on the big screen in any form

2. The original theme music and continituy was incorparated in the film

3. Kate Bosworth has a nice body.

[sandman1347]

I wasn't a fan of Superman Returns but I can come up with 3 things I like about it.

1. The sequence where Superman rescues the passengers of that plane. There was a great build up to that scene and it was executed very well. Too bad the movie never reached that peak again afterwards (the climax came way too early in that movie).

2. The scene where Superman and Lois fly together. It was kind of a throwback to the old films (that actually worked). The dialogue was quite good there. Superman struggled to get Lois to see beyond her own pain and realize that he has a responsibility to everyone.

3. The idea (not the execution of it) that Superman fathered a half human son. It was interesting. It was perhaps the only trully creative element of the whole script. It was the only thing about the movie that wasn't simply an homage to the Donner films or comic books. Unfortunately it really wasn't even dealt with that well but not a bad idea.

[The Phantom Menace]

I have no opinion on Smallville, pro or con, because it's been too long since I've watched it.

I like Superman Returns, so three things I dislike:
-The dreary color palette (although I hear that's actually just the DVD transfer)
-after Superman lifts the island, the denoument is way too drawn out.
-"He got an A in Science, but a C in Gym." Isn't this kid supposed to be five years old?

[Deleted]

3 Things I Love About Superman Returns:
1.) The shuttle/airplane rescue. I thought it was phenomenal.
2.) The yacht rescue. It f'n ruled.
3.) Flying over the Earth with the Williams theme.

3 Things I Love About Smallville:
1.) It provided Superman programming during a drought.
2.) They tried to include a lot of people from previous Supes franchises.
3.) For a while, the Lex/Clark dynamic was sort of interesting.

[ye5man]

3 Things I Love About Superman Returns:
1.) Opening creds
2.) Flight with Lois
3.) Flying over the Earth with the Williams theme.

3 Things I Love About Smallville:
1.) Foreshadowing in early series before it get repetitive. The blind woman "seeing" Lex in the whitehouse for instance
2.) Production and photography.
3.) Rosetta Stone with Reeve

[crazy_asian_man]

3 things to hate about SR:
1. Too short, would have wanted the "Return to Krypton" sequence as well.... if nothing else, since the fx are finished (and it cost $10 mil for the whole thing).... again, why not a WB dvd release? Bizzare...
2. Lex's underwhelming real estate motivation
3. Fuzzy continuity that sometimes contradicted itself for nitpickers if it actually was supposed to be after the theatrical SII. (i.e. Why is Lex suprised that Jor-el thinks that Lex is his son?)

3 things to love about Smallville:
1. SOME attempt to integrate many of the Donner elements. (i.e. Fortress of Solitude)
2. 1st Legion and JSA ever on film
3. Once in a blue moon, a really great episode.

[Kirok]

Jan 13, 2010 13:54:16 GMT -5 atp said:

Three things I liked about Superman Returns:

1) Return to Krypton scene.
2) James Karen as Ben Hubbard
3) Lex explaining that he faked the discovery of Krypton

Brilliant. ;D

I like both, but I'm admittedly a Smallville fan and I think Superman Returns was a bit of a disappointment with too many missed opportunities, so I'll play.

Three Things I Don't Like About Smallville
1) Lana. Throughout the entire series (until thankfully this season) there has been WAY WAY WAY too much focus on Lana. I liked her and her relationship with Clark in the first season, but that's about it. The jumped the shark with it in the second season and it was never the same. Then they integrated her FAR too much into the mythology, continuing even into the otherwise excellent "Legion" episode. And her final arc derailed the (again) otherwise excellent eighth season, with her ultimate departure being the final insult. A Kryptonite-absorbing superhero? No natural closure for her and Clark? What a disaster.
2) Amnesia. There are so many instances of characters learning Clark's secret then forgetting it by the end of the episodes it's ridiculous. The one notable exception would be "Shattered" and "Asylum" where Lex finding out was integral in Clark's dilemma whether or not to allow Lex to go through a dangerous mind-wiping procedure since it meant protecting his secret. Clark decided that it wasn't worth it and tried to rescue Lex but the procedure still took place due to circumstances out of his control. That was real drama, but other than that it's such a rehashed plot device (not so much anymore though since Lois is literally the only one not to know the secret).
3) Needlessly Prolonging the Series. The original plan for the series was 5 years, but it was so successful they extended it to 7. That didn't bother me; the Star Trek spin-offs had ingrained in me that 7 years was a nice round number for a sci-fi show. There was a notable drop off in quality in years 6 and 7 though, despite occasional moments of brilliance. Then year 8 which by all accounts should have been awful ended up being one of the series' best. They should have wrapped it up then though and went out on a high note, because now they're clearly just playing out the stretch.

Three Things I Like About Superman Returns
1) The Plane Rescue. The most exciting sequence I've ever seen on the big screen, hands down. From the build up to Superman's arrival on the scene to the rescue itself to the crowd cheering Superman's return, it was absolutely amazing. Had SR not been a pseudo-sequel, it would have made for a fine first appearance of Superman in a rebooted franchise.
2) The Music. John Ottoman did a wonderful job adapting Williams' themes into a fresh new score, and his own music was quality and memorable too. So far above your standard superhero score nowadays there's just no comparison. This one gets a regular listen by me.
3) The IDEA of a Sequel to the Donner Films. While I have my issues with the actual execution of that idea, continuing on from STM and SII was inspired. Why retell an already perfect origin when so much of popular culture knows Superman from the original films? Where I would have differed would be in the evolution of Lex's character and making it a TRUE sequel to the original films instead of just using them as a "vague history."

[sandman1347]

I watch Smallville but I usually just criticize it when in forums. I'll offer 3 things I like about it now.

1. The great episodes can be very entertaining. Even if there's only 1 or 2 of them each season now, it's like getting a free Superman short film on TV and it's pretty cool.

2. Lois Lane. Erica Durance is probably my favorite actress ever hired to play the character. Don't get me wrong, Margo is Margo but to be honest I thought she was too old to be cast opposite Reeves. Bosworth was a bad fit and I won't even discuss Hatcher. Durance brings just the right mix of attitude, sexiness and dignity to the character.

3. Lex Luthor. Too bad he's not there any more. Michael did a fantastic job in this role. In fact, I'd say this is my favorite live action version of the character (I don't like the campy Hackman and Spacey versions). He's the most well written character in the show (and perhaps the only well written character in it too).

[ye5man]

Margo is Margo but to be honest I thought she was too old to be cast opposite Reeves

Aren't you getting confused with Noel Nell?

[belloq]

like about Smallville (saw the 1st 3 or 4 seasons) :

*rosenbaum as lex - at least what i saw of him. at times he is easily my favorite (please don't lynch me for that). love his obsession with clark.
*the slower, methodical introduction of the krypton mythology. liked how it was brought along a little at a time to begin with. its a shame they started getting so out of hand with it after a while.
*the christopher reeve arc. not much needs said about how great that was, but even take reeve out of the equation and it was still a neat idea to have a scientist that kind of knew what was going on. very cool to see clark learn a bit about himself in a different way than the fortress crystals.

don't like about returns:
*editing. could have definitely been cut sharper.
*cinematography. looked like a tv-movie at times.
*pointless shitty cg. those scenes of a flying cg close-up brandon routh. wtf?

[jak321]

Jan 20, 2010 1:57:22 GMT -5 sandman1347 said:

I watch Smallville but I usually just criticize it when in forums. I'll offer 3 things I like about it now.

1. The great episodes can be very entertaining. Even if there's only 1 or 2 of them each season now, it's like getting a free Superman short film on TV and it's pretty cool.

2. Lois Lane. Erica Durance is probably my favorite actress ever hired to play the character. Don't get me wrong, Margo is Margo but to be honest I thought she was too old to be cast opposite Reeves. Bosworth was a bad fit and I won't even discuss Hatcher. Durance brings just the right mix of attitude, sexiness and dignity to the character.

3. Lex Luthor. Too bad he's not there any more. Michael did a fantastic job in this role. In fact, I'd say this is my favorite live action version of the character (I don't like the campy Hackman and Spacey versions). He's the most well written character in the show (and perhaps the only well written character in it too).

Agree with all that.

Also, unlike Margot and Teri, Durance has been consistent in Performances and the looks department.