IndependentFilm.com

Just some thoughts. I run a website about independent film. So as you would expect, I get to see a lot of independent films. No surprise there. But sometimes, just sometimes, I like to see the big Hollywood films. I like to think of it as seeing a Broadway versus an off-broadway show.

I don't usually get invited to "screen" the Hollywood films so I helped the U.S, economy by happily buying my tickets this summer for (so far...) Cars, Goal, Mission Impossible, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Superman.

Cars - I was kind of disappointed, but hey, it's a kids movie and I got to see it at the drive-in. So it was cool to see a film about cars at a drive-in. In case you were wondering it was the drive-in in Welfleet, Mass on Cape Cod.

Goal - A strange, but still kind of neat film about a Mexican born illegal alien who escapes from the United States to move to the land of opportunity, England, to play professional soccer. His Dad dies while he makes the pro team; with his asthma. Not a bad film, but it was the second of the double feature at the drive-in. If you are a soccer/football fan or if you have asthma you will enjoy this film.

An Inconvenient Truth - Al Gore schools us on the danger of Carbon Monoxide, or was it Dioxide. Anyway, according to this film, we are all in big trouble. Global Warming. This is a summer must see. You'll feel smart at the end of the film. Leave your politics asside and watch. This is the first film ever to screen at Sundance and Cannes. I liked it, but it freaked me out a bit.

Mission Impossible - This film probably would have done a lot better if Tom Cruise and his publicity machine had...well you know. Tom. I like Tom Cruise so I liked this movie. I just wish and hope the rumors are NOT true that he is trying to have episodes of South Park removed from broadcast. That would be censorship and censorship is bad. It's bad Tom. I liked this film.

Pirates of the Caribbean - WOW! Man, Disney nailed this one on the head! Nice job to everyone involved in this. Acting, music, special effects, not too serious that it would scare the kids, but "real" enough or better word "plausible" enough to be believable. This was a very good film. See this film, it's entertaining and has heart. This is what a Hollywood film should be.

Superman - Jeeeeeeeeeeez. What were they thinking.

Hey, even Roger Ebert agrees, or, I should have read his review before I went to see it, then that way I would have at least known what I was getting myself into.

[Spoiler - as if] Superman has an illegitimate son with Lois. They ruined the Jimmy Olson character, Lois was lackluster, Superman was OK I guess but not memorable.

Look, I know that this movie isn't art, but they even messed up the music. Superman has arguably the best music score ever written next to Star Wars. You would think that even that would have saved this film.

Not even Superman could have saved this film.

And I am growing a little tired of seeing New Yorkers standing around lower manhattan looking up at the sky in disbelief as people jump or fall out of skyscrapers. It's been done before.

I remember reading rumors that Kevin Smith was writing a Superman script. I bet if all of the same people involved in Superman Returns shot Kevin's movie it would have rocked. Maybe it would have been the best Superman that ever was. But we'll never know now. This Superman Returns story is just plain stupid.

What Superman got right: Lex Luther played by Kevin Spacey, Parker Posey as the silly Lex Luthor girlfriend, and the use of Marlin Brando's voice from the past, and a memorable performace by Frank Langella as the Editor of the Daily Planet. But that wasn't enough to save the film. Not by a longshot. I almost feel like this film should have been about Lex Luthor. Perhaps even call the film Lex Luthor Returns. That would have been cool.

Why would you have Superman leave earth for several years only to miss a court date so that Lex Luthor would get out of a double life sentence on a technicality. Why would he leave and not say good-buy to Lois, who he got pregnant? Why didn't they scrap all of that and have a love scene with Lois and Superman. The kid should not have been added as a character. And they spend way too much time explaining about why Superman left Earth and came back. This plot makes no sense and is not a Superman plot.

I have not been this worked up over a film in years.

If you are looking to see a Hollywood film, go see Pirates. It's awesome. Me, I'm waiting to see Clerks II.