13 Minutes of Super Eye Candy

Pretty good featurette. Lots new footage. Fun enough.





















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A Worthy Villian

Zod makes Superman come to life. 'Man of Steel' will be a successful reboot simply because Zod can't be rounded up by S with ease. Zod can't be dropped into a prison and kept in a special cell for 'super villains'. There will be a fight worth watching.

I had my doubts but, now, the only thing we have to worry about is sustainability. Will future movies in this (new) franchise work as well as 'Man of Steel'. If they keep inventing bad guys as good as Zod then they'll have a chance. Slip into Lex Luthor mode again and it's all over.

























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New Trailer for 'Man of Steel' -- or -- How Superman Got His Name

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A Message From Zod

Have been skeptical as to whether 'Man of Steel' will be relevant but, have to admit, this adds depth. I still don't care to see a Superman movie but at least this makes it interesting.























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'Kick Ass 2' --or-- The Opposite of Superman

I asked about the relevance of 'Man of Steel' and the trailer for 'Kick Ass 2' seems to be the answer. Yes, superheroes are evolving and, yes, Superman is dated. These guys are the new not-so-super heroes. Dorky, funny, and (alas) quite dark, and more in line with what today's audience wants to see at the movies.

I'll go out on a limb and predict that, after adjusting for budget, KA2 beats MoS at the box office.

























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'Man of Steel' vs 'The Lone Ranger'

To me, there doesn't seem to be that much interest in Superman, sorry, the Man of Steel, as he's now known. But, really, there's even less interest in the Lone Ranger. How could there not be? One rides a horse in the old west (wake up) the other wears a red cape and flies through the air (stop laughing). Well, one is more off putting than the other that's for sure.

But now, with both trailers rolling out yesterday, we have some hard numbers. First, here's the YouTube page for a search for "Man of Steel trailer" filtered for 'this week'.

As you can see the trailer scored over 5 million view in one day. Not great, but not bad.

Here's the search page for "Lone Ranger" also filtered for 'this week'.

Yeah, those are the top results. Added up they don't even hit 250,000. Have to say, 'Man of Steel' isn't looking like a huge hit but 'The Lone Ranger' could end up being a write off for Disney. Where have we heard that turn of phrase before?























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He Doesn't Look Dumb

My problem with Superman is how dumb he looks. That getup was hokey in the 50s and it's gotten worse every decade since. However, Henry Cavill not only doesn't look dumb in that cape and suit, he looks...good. It works, even seems contemporary.

The story hints at a depth not seen from this property before. When the young Clark Kent asks his father (Kevin Costner -- good to see again) whether he should have let a bus full of kids 'just die' instead of saving them in order to keep his identity secret, Costner answers, "Maybe." Not the simplistic tone we've gotten before.

And the people involved. David Goyer writing, Zack Snyder directing certainly has a visual flair. The cast is impressive -- Amy Adams, Diane Lane (wow), Michael Shannon (the new go-to guy for intensity), Russell Crowe, Laurence Fishburne (give me a second). Did I mention the cast was impressive?

Also, the name 'Superman' doesn't appear in the title (and, thankfully, neither does the word 'Dark'). There's even a real sense of operatic dread from the antagonist. A breath of fresh air considering Superman usually faces a MUAHAHA!! bad guy bent on taking over the world -- please.

Snyder and his crew have to bring it just to keep from embarrassing themselves because, really, nobody cares about the S-Man anymore. If they manage to do that it will be pretty good. If they manage to get audiences involved it will be a real achievement.

So, yes, the intent shows and this could be, might be, a successful reboot. I would never have even thought it possible. I laughed when I heard it was going to happen. But, gotta admit, it looks like they may have gotten it right.

The voice over asks whether the world is ready for Superman (to continue in movies?). We'll find out.




















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2, Count 'em, 2 Teaser Trailers for 'Man of Steel'. (Oh, and a Poster, too)

Well, really, it's the same thing with different voice over, but that's okay.

Gotta admit, looks good. And, I have no interest in S-man.





















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