Speaking as a hardcore Superman geek, I’m especially happy to see more indie filmmakers come out of the wood work to put on display their storytelling chops for Superman. What with the newest Superman film arriving in theaters in 2013, it’s especially pleasing to see more of the Man of Steel in the fan film circuit. I mean why the hell should Batman get all of the good fan films, anyway? “Requiem” is an admittedly ambitious and intimidating undertaking. Much like “Superman Returns,” it owes much of its mood and tone to the classic Christopher Reeve pictures, and director Gene Fallaize pretty much acquires the same atmosphere and implements the classic score the original Reeve films once had.
Tag Archives: Superman
Young Justice: Season One, Volume One (DVD)
After the success that was “Teen Titans,” it was only a matter of time until the Cartoon Network in America decided to re-tap the well that provided them with top ratings and dive in to a famous title from the comic world. This time around, Warner has tackled the “Young Justice” brand, a title about the second tier young cohorts of DC Comics titan elite and their efforts to prove themselves to their elders. This time providing a sterner tone and more defined animation styles, “Young Justice” is a definite contender for breakout series of the DC label.
S: A Superman Fan Film (2011)
Director Johnny K. Wu thankfully doesn’t try to re-invent the wheel when it comes to “S: A Superman Fan Film.” Essentially it’s an homage to the classic tropes of the Superman mythos that tells its story under thirty minutes and uses its array of dazzling green screen effects and top notch costumes to get the job done in conveying a simplistic and rather meat and potatoes Superman tale. While at times a bit campier than I would have liked, “S: A Superman Fan Film” is a loyal and rather entertaining Superman fan film that pits the man of steel against his two greatest nemeses.
The PC Thug: R.I.P. Dwayne McDuffie
Dear Dwayne McDuffie,
Ever since hearing about your death, I can’t help but think what a huge loss the comic book and pop culture world has suffered. No really, I think it’s no understatement that the news of your death is leaving a giant hole in the comic book world, and since the announcement of your death my mind has shifted from “Oh that’s pretty sad… wait… man that sucks… wait… wow, that’s shitty… oh god… we’re fucked.” Because let’s face it when was the last time we had someone like Dwayne McDuffie say “Hey! Wouldn’t it be cool if minorities weren’t cliches and stereotypes?” And yes, wouldn’t it be amazing if our minority heroes weren’t secondary sidekicks or poorly promoted rehashes of the same old formula we’ve seen day in and day out?
Superman XXX: A Porn Parody (2011)
Able to leap tall booties in a single bound, it’s Superman XXX! As a long time Superman fan since the age of five, I’ve found myself oddly intrigued by what they could do with a Superman related porno movie. Batman and Wonder Woman are easy targets for porn parodies. Batman’s entire shtick is based around black outfits and hanging around young girls and boys in caves, while Wonder Woman’s entire crime fighting routine is based on bondage and wrapping men in rope to get them to do and say what she wants. She’s the original dominatrix. But Superman is a tougher concept mainly because he’s such a boy scout it’s tough to imagine anything with Superman even remotely pornographic.
All Star Superman (2011) (DVD)
“My last adventure is about to begin…”
I never actually was able to read all of Grant Morrison’s much hyped and controversial “All Star Superman” when it was originally released in newsstands back in 2005, so for me watching “All Star Superman” was mostly new territory. While I loved Morrison and Quitely’s treatment of the man of steel (for what I read), I lost track of the series, so 2011’s “All Star Superman” is fresh terrain that I was mostly excited to sit through, especially when you consider the cast of seasons heavyweights like Christina Hendricks, Anthony LaPaglia, Frances Conroy, and John DiMaggio respectively. “All Star Superman” remains about as true to Frank Quitely’s unique artistic design as possible while adhering to the neo-anime tone that DC has sidled with over the years. While the 2011 movie is short in the tooth, it is absolutely satisfying, especially in its ability to remain firmly entrenched in anime devices that keeps “All Star Superman” anything more than another stock Superman title.
Superman Classic (2011)
It seems like every single year there is always someone paying tribute to Superman. Last year a slew of animators created an amazing life-like model of Christopher Reeve as Superman taking off in to the sky. This year we have “Superman Classic,” a 2011 treat that’s all too brief, but goes down so well nonetheless. In lieu of the upcoming reboot from Zack Snyder, I think this is an apt variation that presents what could be and not what should be, as most fan boys are prone to insisting upon with their fan films.