My Dad, The Superhero

There's a saying that ordinary people can't be superheroes, which if you think about in the comic book/film/TV world, is true, but if you think about it in the real world, we have superheroes around us all the time.  There's cops, firefighters, teachers, and in my case, my dad.  He's doesn't have a job like the ones I just mentioned, and he isn't Superman or Batman, but he's always there for my family, which is superhero enough for me.

Point in case is my recent bout with illness.  I complained to my dad about it yesterday because I wasn't feeling well, but it was his day off and his birthday.  The last thing he probably wanted to do was take me to the doctor, but he did after I kept nagging him, and after he saw how seriously ill I was.  I kept saying I told you so, but he held up a good face.  And he bought me all the medicine and things I needed to feel better, which is already starting to pay off (the strep throat feels like it's weakening).  My dad may be 60 now, but he's still my superhero, and even though I don't always remember to say it, I want to say thanks and that I love him.  

With this post, I want to post up an episode of Boy Meets World that reminds me of my dad.  It's a very funny episode, yet strong because it shows the roles dad's play, and how important their relationship is with their children.  My dad and I are older than before, but I'm glad we are still close.  Anyways, here's the episode.  Enjoy!

Man Of Steel

Man Of Steel (PG-13)

Grade: B+

• Directed by: Zack Snyder
• Produced by: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, and Deborah Synder
• Screenplay by: David S. Goyer
• Starring: Henry Cavill (Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Michael Shannon (General Zod), Kevin Costner (Jonathan Kent), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Laurence Fishburne (Perry White), Russell Crowe (Jor-El), Antje Traue (Faora), Ayelet Zorer (Lara Lor-Van), Harry Lennix (Lieutenant General Swanwick), Christopher Meloni (Colonel Nathaniel Hardy), Richard Schiff (Dr. Emil Hamilton)
• Cinematographer: Amir Mokri
• Music by: Hans Zimmer
• Studio: Legendary Pictures, Syncopy, DC Entertainment
• Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
• Released: June 14, 2013
• Running Time: 143 minutes/2 hours and 23 minutes
• Language: English

"You're not just anyone.  One day, you're going to have to make a choice.  You have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be.  Whoever that man is, good character or bad, it's going to change the world."

-Johnathan Kent

Superman is the most famous superhero of all time.  And when it comes to his powers, few are equal to him, but when it comes to films though, Superman has had his share of hits and misses.  "Superman I" and "Superman II" were great, but all the ones that followed after were duds.  As time passed, the films and actors have changed with the times.  We've gone from Christopher Reeve, to Brandon Routh, to now, Henry Cavill, in the newest Superman flick "Man Of Steel".  I didn't have many expectations coming into this film since the original trailers didn't show much, and I'm generally not a huge fan of the superhero genre, but "Man Of Steel" was a film that I thoroughly enjoyed, despite not being perfect.

"Man Of Steel" doesn't present anything new to us.  Instead, it combines the plots of "Superman I" and "Superman II", focusing on Jor-El /Krypton, General Zod, and of course Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman.  The film starts off showing Kal-El's birth, then shows how closely Kyrpton is to destruction because of it's unstable core.  Jor-El has a plan to save it, but General Zod has a plan to save it too, that doesn't involve everyone, leading to mass violence.  He murders Jor-El, but not before he sends his son off to planet Earth, with something he wants.  For his crime, General Zod and his accomplices are imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, but they eventually break out, vowing to find Jor El's son.  The rest of the film shows Kal-El, who is now Clark Kent, and how he must adapt to life on Earth with his ever-growing powers, enemies, and life problems.

The praise of "Man Of Steel", starts with Henry Cavill, who played Superman in a way I haven't seen since Christopher Reeve.  He's handsome like Reeve was, pulled off a decent enough Clark Kent, (which is always difficult in the Superman films), and he brought sensitivity to the character, which was rare to see, since Superman is basically indestructible, yet Cavill showed with his acting that even a superhero has emotions he must deal with.  Cavill wasn't alone though; I thought Russell Crowe did a great job as Jor-El too because he was a strong, knowledgeable male figure, with an actual important role in the film, which is something I couldn't say with Marlon Brando in "Superman I".  Along with the acting, the fight scenes are fun to watch.  Some of them may drag on, or be Dragon Ball Z/video game-like, but if you're like me, then you just like watching Superman beat the crap out of people.  It's good triumphing over evil.  What can be better than that?      

Of course, with the praise, comes criticism, and "Man Of Steel" has that.  Like I said before, the film doesn't present anything new in terms of plot, which isn't a bad thing, but if you're an old school Superman fan, I can see why that would be boring, like in the flashback scenes for instance.  They may be helpful, but we all know the story so well, that it's distracting, and interrupts the flow of the film.  Another flaw I saw with the film, which may just be something I feel, is the lack of excitement for the cast.  Amy Adams is good looking, and I like Kevin Costner and Laurence Fishburne, but they didn't fit their parts or do much in the film at times, so to me, they were a waste, and just a ploy by the film to sell tickets.

With everything I've just said though, "Man Of Steel" is a good film that I recommend worth seeing if you're a fan of the original film, animated series, or just Superman in general.  It has a few flaws, but they don't take away from the work Henry Cavill did, or the achievement "Man Of Steel" is.  Sure, you could argue it's like "Superman Returns", but this film pays homage to two of the original films, instead of one, and it just looks better, let's be honest!  I know reception to this film is varied, but give it a chance.  It might surprise you like it did me.  Or I may just like it because I'm still a kid inside, and part of me just loves seeing Superman return, looking the part, kicking butt, and saving the world.  Superman is back everyone, and he's here to stay!