On June 16, 1959, George Reeves committed suicide; which was then later thought to be and is still heavily debated as a murder. This death was important to many people for the simple fact that it was the end of a beloved icon, and one of the earliest people to bring Superman to life. Reeves is also one of the earliest to help fuel the alleged Superman Curse, a series of coincidences later touted and tagged as a black mark on the folks who played Superman, for the sake of selling books. Is it a curse that brought about such bad ends to these men who played Superman? I say no. It was merely a bunch of coincidences that lent credence to the term “Shit happens.”
Tag Archives: Romance
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
“The Devil Wears Prada” is yet another film around Oscar time that was just insanely over blown for having some talent on its side, because I can’t see any other reason. As a dramedy it’s just the formula story of a girl who finds her self reaching stardom and abandons her roots. All the while writer Mckenna doesn’t make much of a case to convince us that this relationship Hathaway’s character Andy experiences is worth saving or pivotal enough to cause us to tear up at the prospect of this base tearing down. Adrien Grenier has literally nothing to do here but mope around and bitch about his girlfriend’s career, while Andy is really just a dumb tart really not worth fretting over. She’s a character who never quite reveals any bolder shades of complex emotions beyond superficial issues, which is probably the intent, and when she reaches down into her true roots once again, she’s still just a one note sap.
Ghost Rider (2007)
I tell you. I tell you. “Ghost Rider” had potential, friends. “Ghost Rider” under the right set of creators, competent direction, and writers it could have been one hell of a violent horror thriller with Ghost Rider not only serving as a horrifying anti-hero, but also a potential villain if not careful. With someone like maybe Clive Barker, along with a hard R and zero camp, “Ghost Rider” would have been a horror fan’s wet dream, but alas, we’re left with this. One of the most brutal crimes from Johnson’s screenplay is that he shamelessly cribs from the “Spawn” film. And if you’ve ever seen it, you’ll know that it’s hardly the source material capable for a competent film to begin with.
Jopog Manura, (My Wife is a Gangster) (2001)
Jin-Gyu Cho‘s film is a very unusual little entry. It’s basically all over the map in terms of the genres, and is really never what you expect it to be. The premise reads like a sitcom, except with violence and mystery a la “La Femme Nikita.” Sure, in some places that could lead to an awfully messy film, but “My Wife is a Gangster” surprisingly works. Eun Jin is a mob boss named Big Brother, who was given the tag of a legend after taking on a group of men to defend a friend in combat. But after so many years of acting like a man and grimacing, she finds her long lost little sister and now must stick by her while she dies. Her sister wants one thing for her: she wants her to get married.
A Portrait of Envy (2007)
Love, especially unrequited and unspoken love makes us do some rather perverse things. Sometimes it will bring about a dark side within us and force us to confront it without our knowledge, and leave us oblivious to all logic and reason. Thus is the hook of Garcia’s utterly morbid and unsettling short drama. Very much in the vein of “The Weight of Water,” Gillian is a humble and rather meek woman who suddenly finds her soul mate one day at work. Rather unassuming at first, she sparks a conversation with her co-worker Jerry, and the two engage in a conversation about art that instantly brings her to the brink of sheer euphoric bliss which is crushed under the weight of Jerry’s confession that he has a girlfriend he’s about to marry.
Hairspray (1988)
Though it’s true I’ve never been much of a John Waters fan, the prospect of the upcoming remake has entertained me some. Not only is the prospect of seeing John Travolta in drag a hilarious option for movie viewing, but, yes, I think it looks entertaining in spite of the serious possibility it will be completely watered down, and void of any of the civil rights commentary posed. Before that, though, I thought I’d see “Hairspray” for the first time to see what the big deal is. Like all of Waters’ films, it’s a cult classic, and one that’s an acquired taste.
Waiting… (2005)
In the end, “Waiting” is yet another “Clerks” rehash, but alas, it’s a rehash that works. And why? Mainly it’s because it manages to cast the talents of folks who can actually handle comedy; Luis Guzman, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long, Anna Faris, the list goes on. Suffice it to say, the cast is an all-star cavalcade of comedy actors, save for the likes of Andy Milonakis. “Waiting” is also supposedly a film that perfectly captures what it’s like to be a waiter or work in the restaurant industry, and goes behind the more disgusting facts of working in a restaurant, including the restlessness of its workers to keep from going insane. “Waiting” may not be a comedy classic, but for what it is, it made me laugh quite often.