3 Things I like in the Superman and Lois Pilot Episode

Would you look at that suit. 

It is different from the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover where I last saw lead stars Tyler Hoechlin (Superman) and Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois) as guests. Without that odd looking lock between shoulder and cape its design is closer to Man of Steel, giving the impression that it wants more distance from the Arrowverse. 

And if you count the cinematography, the music, the special effects, the drama, the social issues and themes introduced: Superman and Lois can compete with Man of Steel. But for me it is the better Superman. A surprising conclusion considering I gave up on Arrowverse. 

One hopes the series will not run out of steam, after all, this is just the pilot. These are the 3 noteworthy points of interest in the new series Superman and Lois.

Warrior Nun (Netflix)

Deep in the inner recesses of the Roman Catholic Church is the Order of the Cruciform Sword, guardians of an an angel’s halo, wielded by the Warrior Nun. Since the Crusades the halo bearer has lead fellow sister warriors in a war against demons. 

The halo gets passed from warrior to warrior through the centuries until lately it ended up with a civilian that no convent, much less a secret paramilitary one, would want.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Spoilers

Finally an Avengers movie I enjoyed which is surprising amid subdued expectations.

Inhumans (ABC) (2017)

Spoilers

The Inhuman Royal Family fight their way back to the moon after being thrown out by one of their own. 

Overthrowing a government is easy to understand; there’s a problem and a goal. Lackluster delivery notwithstanding, it is Inhumans over Iron Fist for me for just having a simple problem and a goal. They are the two of Marvel's worst output to date, both for TV and both coming out just in 2017. Although generally critically Inhumans has been called worst of all. 

The Punisher (Netflix) (2017)

The Punisher hit all the right notes typical of a ronin of the American military machine. It blends in. I did not get any comic book feels even with Karen Page and that Detective who owes his promotion to Daredevil were on hand.

Spider-man Homecoming (2017)

Spoilers

In honor of the 3 Spider-man movie versions in over 15 years, here are my 3 character related observations of the newest one Spider-man Homecoming.

Identity Crisis

The exploration of death is inevitable in a superhero story. 

Not to be confused with the loss that often makes the hero, this exploration of death is of the loss which occurs during and perhaps because of being a superhero. Batman has already lost a Robin. In Marvel, Spider-man has lost a girlfriend. 

A hero is supposed to save lives so what questions and doubts does death raise? 

What would Uncle Ben say?

 

With great power there must also come, great responsibility.

Peter Parker’s biggest regret and therefore the greatest lesson about having powers is what made the above arguably the most famous quote of Spider-man. 

Wonder Woman (2017)

Agreed. Wonder Woman is the best DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movie to date. Although I am not really sure being compared to Captain America: The First Avenger is a good thing. There are indeed comparisons but Wonder Woman is better. What does that even say; the best of DCEU is equal to whatever The First Avenger is to Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Before moving on, spoiler warnings. I am at a loss why readers would still need warning because any review is a potential spoiler however vague they try to be. Anyways.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

It’s a team of a-holes now instead of the individuals in Vol. 1.

Iron Fist (2017)

Yes there are spoilers.

Logan (2017)

The caption on my Instagram says, “Red everywhere…” 

When I took that shot it was still an empty brand new Gateway Cinema 5; I was amusing myself looking at the neat reddish design of the entire theater, waiting for Logan to be screened. After watching, red though this time refers to blood which by now is foremost on my mind.

The Kryptonite Spear

The two reasons I hated Batman vs Superman are called Justice League: Doom and Dark Knight Returns.

Justice League: Doom is about Batman’s contingency plans landing in the wrong hands and used by the enemy against the Justice League. Against Superman, all that was required was a distraction and then a kryptonite bullet. 

Can the Avengers survive?

Can all the ego; all the differences in personalities and skills, inherent in a large group of people, a team, be properly addressed in a forced ranking system such as the Performance Based Incentive System?

Tagging makes Clark Kent obsolete

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.” Marianne Williamson

The most famous underwear in comics is that of Superman.  There are two reasons. One, because it is red and two, for some reason he does not wear it under the blue tights.

When I saw the publicity shots of Man of Steel I thought finally the franchise found people with good taste.  Then I finally learned where the underwear came from.  In a featurette Man of Steel director Zack Snyder states the inspiration for the famous red underwear were those of Victorian era strongmen.

Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel the movie has resurrected that perfect man from the planet Krypton.

Actually reborn is more apt description instead of resurrection as the franchise is trying to be reborn into something other than a continuation of a saga.  It went to such great lengths that what the older generation has referred to as the red briefs over pants is gone.  Gone also is the iconic John Williams intro that made movie goers feel they were flying up to the sky.

Man of Steel will make it on its own for this generation or it does not, and the first few days in the box office are looking good.

Avengers (2012)

I have been watching Carmine Gallo for a while, always wondering if I can apply his lectures to a class report someday. Actually I was more hoping that I will cease to be the kind of person who Jerry Seinfeld describes as picking the casket instead of the person delivering the eulogy. 

Carmine was a former reporter and anchor on CNN and CBS; he now consults for big corporations advising them on effective communications. Among his lectures is a message map wherein there is one message supported by three supporting messages.

Now how does this relate to the Avengers?  That answer is simplicity.  

I have been thinking about the recent blockbuster a lot.  It made $1.4 billion dollars as of June 30 according to imdb.com and with revenues like that everything’s good right?

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

First of all nobody shot at anyone at the cinemas so safe to say the only copy cat the Philippines is going to have are Pirates.

After seven years of waiting for every few years for a new sequel to come in the trilogy is finally complete. 

The Dark Knight (2008)

In writing this review I agonized how to start it; but here goes: Just because there is a clown-like character does not mean The Dark Knight is a movie for children particularly those that barely walk.

I began that way because I was distracted – fortunately not so much – by a child, who seems to me, not old enough to walk. The mother had enough sense to go out with the child before making too much of a scene. So before bringing your child for this movie watch Batman Begins and maybe this time understand it, or, keep note of the fact that Adam West is 80 years old. The Dark Knight is not for children!

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The first thought that crossed my mind during the opening scenes of the Incredible Hulk was Bill Bixby. Though the memory is almost gone, it was the TV series Bruce Banner whom I thought of - his eyes when he goes berserk; his ‘you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry’ remark; and that Gamma experiment which as I recall also happened in a lab and a chair similar to this 2008 incarnation.