Did you see what Clark did?

[AWESOM-O]

Saw Man of Steel tonight.

There were some awkward scenes that could have been edited better. Some of the story beats could have been replaced with better story beats. And my biggest complaint is that Snyder doesn't know how to execute a cinematic crescendo very well, which means that scenes that could have been incredibly powerful are just kind of whatever.

In spite of all that, the film is goddamn amazing at times. The fight scene in Smallville is just  When I watched that, I could not believe that we are finally in a world where something like that can be put on screen. I feel horrible for all the little kids who died of cancer or cystic fibrosis before they could witness an action scene like that.

The actors were all great. All of them. I got annoyed by the adult version of the fat kid who used to bully Clark, and the creepy blogger who hits on Lois, but aside from them, everyone else was cool.

Honestly, it's a 7/10 film, but that 7 is some of the best 7 you'll ever see. If that makes sense. Worth it for Faora alone.

[helios]

Worth it for Faora alone.

This right here.

I, too, just got back from seeing this and it's pretty mediocre, but goddamn that fight scene in Smallville was just beautiful. It was the high point of the entire movie and I wish there was more Kryptonian-on-Kryptonian violence in the movie. It took too damn long to get to the good stuff.

And Faora - it was like watching episode 167 of Naruto Shippuuden but without the weird art.

[Rahxephon91]

Faora was certainly the stand out of the movie.

It's a pretty solid movie. The action is probably the best action in a Super Hero movie bar none. The story doesn't really succeed on giving Superman a character though. Superman is presented interestingly though and the overall plot of what it means to have Superman in this world is done well, but he and Lois aren't exciting characters and the plot and movie suffer because of it.

But the action scenes are incredibly entertaining. The movie just is pure visual awesomeness. Probably the best looking Super Hero movie since the Burton Batman movies.

[Rahxephon91]

I mean I feel like for special effect blockbusters  like this, you have to see it in Theaters.

[Momo]

so in my 3 part rating system of Piracy, Blu Ray, In Theaters, this is a Blu Ray?

Blu Ray

.

[Human Snorenado]

I mean I feel like for special effect blockbusters  like this, you have to see it in Theaters.

I agree with spergimus prime here

[CajoleJuice]

I mean I feel like for special effect blockbusters  like this, you have to see it in Theaters.

pretty much, yeah. kinda like avatar

[Joe Molotov]

BOM is saying that Man of Steel made $21 Million just off of Thursday sneak previews and Midnight showings.   

[cool breeze]

The cast was was great, yeah.  Michael Shannon was a bummer because he's normally great and was only OK here.  Faora was way more menacing of a character.  The guy playing Superman was surprisingly great.  I'd only seen the first three trailers going into this, which were all Russel Crowe or Kevin Cosner acting, and all you saw of Clark was him walking around and looking handsome and like Superman; went in thinking that's why he was hired.  I like Amy Adams and other than some hamfisted script awkwardness during her introduction, she's great.  Both sets of parents are good.  Um, there are two cast members from Battlestar Galactica that show up together.

Overall I'm positive on the movie and partially because it's good groundwork for future Superman movies.  I appreciated how it's more science fiction than space magic.

What I liked least about the movie

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Jor-El hologram moving things forward.  Superman is on the alien ship, Jor-El shows up and tells him "Zod's a bad guy, you should be superman, in fact, here's a ready made costume with cape and everything.  Yeah I know this is a scouting ship that's been here longer than you have, but roll with it.  Now go outside and learn to fly."  and later he shows up and tells Lois how to defeat Zod's forces.  For all the talk about a child's right to choose, a lot superman's idea is thrust onto Clark.  Like, Clark's suit is blue with a red cape.  At this point it's been established that the standard suits are black and without capes.  It would've been nice if Clark had some agency in deciding what his suit would look like.  There's a flashback towards the end where young Clark is running around wearing a cape.  I think it would've worked better if he chose to wear a cape based on his human upbringing. 

This is such nitpicking.  Sorry.

[close]

There are some strange similarities this had with Amazing Spider-Man probably not worth getting into.

The scene in the movie when the audience (or just the kids behind me) went crazy:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Superman and Faora destroying an IHOP.  The 5 y/o kids were yelling "INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES OMG" and it was uncomfortable.

[close]

And the action is very fun.  I thought of Speed Racer leaving the theater, where you have these overindulgent special effects heavy action scenes at key parts of the movie, and sort of empty  but really exciting to watch.

[Barry Egan]

Overall I'm positive on the movie and partially because it's good groundwork for future Superman movies.

I remember rationalizing the first JJ Abram's Star Trek movie this way 

anyway, I'm still looking forward to this with tempered expectations. 

[AdmiralViscen]

Pretty sure Zod had a cape but it was burned off at the gas station

[Boogie]

Overall I'm positive on the movie and partially because it's good groundwork for future Superman movies.

I remember rationalizing the first JJ Abram's Star Trek movie this way 

Haha, yeah, that didn't work out quite as hoped, huh?  Whoops. :-/

[Great Rumbler]

First day grosses for comic book movies:

1. Avengers - $80 million
2. The Dark Knight Rises - $75 million
3. Iron Man 3 - $68 million
4. The Dark Knight - $67 million
5. Spider-Man 3 - $59 million
6. Iron Man 2 - $51 million
7. X-Men: The Last Stand - $45 million
8. Man of Steel - $44 million
9. Spider-Man 2 - $40 million
10. Spider-Man - $39 million

Superman Returns opened at $18 million.

[cool breeze]

Pretty sure Zod had a cape but it was burned off at the gas station

yeah

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Zod, Faora, and I think Jor-el wore capes while wearing the armor.  I didn't notice anyone else wearing a cape without the armor.  Superman's suit is the chainmail without the armor.  I just wanted Clark to have more influence over how Superman is portrayed.  I could see a scene where holo Jor-el presents him with with the full Kryptonian armor, mask and all, and Clark refuses it.  The same reason he wears the handcuffs and surrenders himself, he chooses to appear as nonthreatening as possible.

Again, it's a nitpick.  Some of the most enjoyable scenes in Batman Begins, Iron Man, and Amazing Spider-man are the characters creating their costumes.

[close]

[CajoleJuice]

First day grosses for comic book movies:

1. Avengers - $80 million
2. The Dark Knight Rises - $75 million
3. Iron Man 3 - $68 million
4. The Dark Knight - $67 million
5. Spider-Man 3 - $59 million
6. Iron Man 2 - $51 million
7. X-Men: The Last Stand - $45 million
8. Man of Steel - $44 million
9. Spider-Man 2 - $40 million
10. Spider-Man - $39 million

Superman Returns opened at $18 million.

To be fair to older movies, "midnight" showings have become kind of hax on first day grosses.  They used to actually have to be after midnight to count.  Like, the first two Spider-Man movies' first days are legitimately just one day.  And Superman Returns opened on a Wednesday, which usually results in a much lower first day.

I don't think they counted a bunch of Thursday showings this time around. Wal-mart showings or something?

Edit: Yeah, $12 million on Thursday.

[AdmiralViscen]

All the theaters around here were playing it at 12:01, 12:15, 12:30, etc. I couldn't find a single showing even as early as 11:30.

[CajoleJuice]

Its current rating on IMDB would put it somewhere between 74-110 on the Top 250.

[Human Snorenado]

If you've always thought Superman was a lame character, would this movie still be appealing?  The action looks really good. 

[Great Rumbler]

Its current rating on IMDB would put it somewhere between 74-110 on the Top 250.

Well, it is The Godfather of comic book movies.

[Human Snorenado]

If you've always thought Superman was a lame character, would this movie still be appealing?  The action looks really good.

Possibly.  Explain why you thought / think he was lame and maybe I can answer.

Past representations of the character have bored me, the same as Captain America.  "Here's a good guy!" doesn't really make for compelling storytelling in my opinion.

(yes, I disliked the recent Captain America movie as well)

This movie seems like it has more going on, but ehhhhhhh Zack Snyder so who knows.

[Tasty]

Watching Superman 1 for the first time. Pretty good so far.

The movie's going to play very well overseas, too, I think.  Singer's probably crying in his beer right now.

At least Days of Future Past will be a good movie.

[Tasty]

I'm surprised how faithful it is. You'd think with a big risky event movie like this at the time it was made, Hollywood would be cutting all the lore and subtlety out Dragonball Evolution-style. Dunno how they roped Brando into it either.

[Human Snorenado]

Fair enough; I'm probably going to see it in a week or so, I have a shit ton of school/work to deal with over the next little bit.  It's definitely something I want to see in theaters as the action scenes look dope, just wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy the actual story.

[Purple Filth]

Yeah, Saiyans are OP too.  Also a dead planet.  Also often best-menaced by other Saiyans or robots or even more powerful alien overlord types.

Hrm.

There is a reason you always have those Superman vs Goku dream matches

[Boogie]

Saw it.  Really liked it.

Sure, it's flawed, but it was pretty damned entertaining.

[Tasty]

I'm surprised how faithful it is. You'd think with a big risky event movie like this at the time it was made, Hollywood would be cutting all the lore and subtlety out Dragonball Evolution-style. Dunno how they roped Brando into it either.

For real, they got him in with a giant fucking bag of money.  Said giant bag of money is probably the main reason Donner ended up off Superman 2, as the studio wanted to cut Brando's footage to avoid paying his steep fee, and that was a deal breaker for Donner.

Lol I guess that does explain it.

Amazing we got Donner's cut like 20 years later. I always love the development history on stuff like that.

[Great Rumbler]

Happy Father's Day!

[Tasty]

He should have addressed it to "Superdad."

[cool breeze]

Kryptonians are OP. 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

spoiler for an easter egg (that I didn't notice while watching it): apparently the satellite Superman and Zod briefly fight on had a Wayne logo on it, implying that at least Bruce Wayne is part of this universe.  If there is ever a World's Finest or Justice League movie, I can't imagine how unbalanced the team would be.  Batman can't roll with this version of Superman.

It's not that he's as overpowered as other portrayals of Superman.  Man of Steel showcases kryptonians' power in a really raw way.  That one Shaq looking one tears apart an A-10 and splatters the pilot in two seconds.

[close]

At least Days of Future Past will be a good movie.

Days of Futures Past and Amazing Spider-Man 2 both sound ridiculous and bloated and I can't wait to see both.  ASM2 must have like 5 or 7 villains by now.

[Great Rumbler]

Days of Future Past was amazing in X-Men: The Animated Series.

[Tasty]

I believe Singer can pull off Days of Future Past because he pulled off large casts well in X1 and X2.

However I can't say much of anything positive about Mark Webb and ASM1. ASM2 will be a great hatewatch.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Still bitter Raimi got booted from the series.

[close]

[Tasty]

Well he did produce that... and Wolvy's getting his own movie (yes there is just the one movie and it's coming out next month, if you say otherwise you should be sectioned) so presumably he'll have a lesser impact on DoFP.

Also I've been saying it since the first trailer released but The Wolverine > Man of Steel (not box office wise, obviously), I just feel it in my heart. Almost to the point of making another embarrassing tag bet.

[Tasty]

Also Oscar, The Wolvy seems to be leaning less on the "should I give up my powers?!?" thing from Supes 2 you were talking about, based on the last trailer. The old guy goes "I can make you mortal" and he's all "Lol, no" and the old guy's like "Shit, I wanted you to give it to me."

I'm sure it'll still play into things but it's likely to be fairly light (compared to say Spidey 2 doing it.)

[Mandark]

Singer made good movies with X1 and X2 but I wouldn't say he pulled off the large cast well.  Basically Wolverine & Friends the Movies.  First Class is a much better example of pulling off a large cast well IMO.

Huh, I felt like First Class did really well with Xavier/Magneto/Raven but was just sort of Superfriends-y with the rest of the cast.

[Tasty]

I really want a Whedon directed/written X-Men before he goes off the deep end. I know he wrote X1's script but he's pretty much disowned it, and Whedon is pretty much the best example in my mind of a dude who can juggle a massive cast (it helps he comes from TV.) But I have the sinking feeling he's now Marvel's pet monkey and they won't let Fox have him. =/

[Tasty]

I guess that's true. But I won't ever stop wondering what if... :'(

[Great Rumbler]

Including midnight showings on Thursday, the total weekend gross for Man of Steel looks to be about $125 million.

[Tasty]

Margot Kidder is such a babe. 

[Human Snorenado]

Margot Kidder is such a babe. 

 

[Tasty]

*was

[Human Snorenado]

 

[Tasty]

Should I even bother with the theatrical cut of Supes 2 or just go for the Donner cut?

[nudemacusers]

so I just saw this...

it was aiiight with moments of good. Action, obviously was well handed. Lots of cheesy lines and plot nonsense... one that bugged me immediately:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

WHY THE FUCK WAS LOIS ON THE BOMBER SHE HAD ZERO PURPOSE TO BE THERE

[close]

edit: agree with awesome-o pretty much to a T. I definitely came away with an 'average' feel, but man, the smallville fight lawd.

[nudemacusers]

Oh I know, it just seemed like such a transparent "character should be here because reasons and so they can be saved dramatically" kind of thing. It's also like my only pet peeve in movies like this.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

It would have made much more sense if she was the one trapped in the rubble and supes saved her dramatically there

[close]

[Tasty]

Reeves is KILLING me as Clark here.

One of the best comedic performances in a >20 year old movie I've seen.

[Steve Contra]

Superman II

[Flannel Boy]

How many movies older than 20 years have you seen? People don't watch many movies significantly older than they are.

[Tasty]

How many movies older than 20 years have you seen? People don't watch many movies significantly older than they are.

Admittedly not many lol, but I've been trying to make up for it.

[Rahxephon91]

Yeah, Reeves brings actual personality to the character and he does the country bumkin with Clark just as well.

No one else has done as good a job. Though, I haven't seen Lois and Clark in a while.

[Tasty]

This Lex stuff in Supes 2 is just pure stupid.

"Herp derp I know exactly where Superman lives somehow! And his Momogram is telling me about the three villains for this movie somehow! And I know they're on Earth because I've been monitoring three alpha waves... somehow!"

[Tasty]

I believe those are specific problems that came about from the director change.  Are you watching the Lester cut?

...yes.

I was already 30 mins into it by the time you answered. >_< GAF said it was OK! And that the music was better or something!

[fistfulofmetal]

This was mostly shit.

The origin stuff was played completely straight and was completely boring. I'm all for slow burn drama in a superhero movie. Like Batman. But it doesn't work here. There's no finesse or style. Just boring.

Then we get action. And it's action. The chick is pretty cool. Superman punches stuff. But it's just dumb.

It's a dumb movie.

Superman is just a dull boring character. Superman Returns is a better movie.

[Bebpo]

Enjoyed it a lot.  Drama was alright, but man, as stated on the first page the action scenes were AMAZING.  They were how I'd always wanted superhero fights to be like with dudes punching each other through buildings and having KH-style zero shift or street fighter super blue shadows because of how fast they are.  Wasn't just dudes punching each other like humans fighting but in costume.  Really felt like super people fighting on earth.

I think the most negative part of the movie is that while Michael Shannon is a good actor...he's not menacing enough as Zod here.  But maybe that was the point, that he was just a dude who was a soldier with a job, and not some super mega-villain.

Would recommend!  But then again I liked Watchmen.

[demi]

Man of Steel is for the Shounen lovers who wish people could see their final form.

Zod even does it at the very end. All that was needed was for him to sprout wings and become ANGELIC.

[Bebpo]

Man of Steel is for the Shounen lovers who wish people could see their final form.

Zod even does it at the very end. All that was needed was for him to sprout wings and become ANGELIC.

I...would have been ok with that 


Yeah, I'll agree with your statement.  I do love me some badass shounen fights.

[Brehvolution]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/21/supermans-battle-with-zod-cost-2-trillion-killed-129000-people/

[fistfulofmetal]

The collateral damage is not why the movie is bad.

But Superman showing no concern for collateral damage and doing nothing to lessen it is pretty dumb.

[cool breeze]

spoilers for man of steel and other comic movies

spoiler (click to show/hide)

All the events of man of steel are still kinda superman's fault.  He was the one who activated the distress beacon and lured Zod to Earth.  He wanted to find out about his birth parents, caused problems, and then fixed those problems.  Humanity would've been better off if his ship was knocked off course and he suffocated on Neptune.

It's almost exactly like the Amazing Spider-Man.  Peter wanted to learn about his birth parents, helped create the lizard formula, and then stopped the lizard.  At the end of the day if both weren't eager to learn more about their birth parents there wouldn't have been a conflict to stop.  Neither film establishes the need for a "hero," like there isn't a crime problem in New York or Metropolis, and then shit goes down.

Thor and The Avengers are similar.  Thor caused all the problems in both those movies, again, because of daddy issues.  Batman also had daddy issues, but it was established that Gotham was a shithole and Batman fought to fix it....except in Dark Knight Rises; that was Batman's fault.

Having said that, whatever, it's not a criticism as much as it's just part of these movies.  These are expensive summer movies based on comics; the shoe fits.  Maybe one day film will have its Citizen Kane moment.

also, superman, avengers, and spider-man all had to stop blue lasers from destroying the city.  wtf?

[close]

[Tasty]

Saw it.

Saw the credits.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jon Fucking Peters

My mouth was on the floor. It took almost 20 years but Peters finally got his goddamn giant spider in a Superman final act (the other gravity gun thing that was a completely superfluous fight is basically a giant spider.)

[Tasty]

Lol of course, but the coincidence is just too funny to me.

Jon Peters
Superman
Giant fucking spider