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superman returns: the review!

I saw “Superman Returns” this weekend. I honestly wasn’t all that excited when the hype was going around about it. For some reason, I always think that I don’t care about superheroes and the movies made about them. With the exception to the rule being Halle Berry’s version of “Catwoman“, I’ve honestly loved every single comic book hero movie I’ve ever seen. “Superman Returns” was no different.

Because we always go see a movie when I’m in town, Rick, Brooke, and I went to see a matinee showing of it this past weekend. It was more than worth by $6.25 admission and $5 gallon jug of Mountain Dew. But I didn’t realize that until after about the first 20 minutes, which were so painfully slow they had me nodding off to sleep.

Once the movie got the information overload out of the way, so everyone could catch up to what was going on, I was wide-awake and overly jacked up about Superman flying all over the place, saving everyone’s day.

Brandon Routh did an awesome job as Superman. I’ve never seen any of the original Superman movies in their entirety, but I couldn’t imagine someone else like James Caviezel (he played Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ“), who really wanted the role, or Nicholas Cage, who was originally cast in the Tim Burton version of the film that eventually went nowhere. The movie needed someone new, some fresh blood, if you will. It would have been like having the kid from “Jerry Maguire” play Harry Potter – you just don’t want to make the connection of the most amazing superhero in the world to some actor you’d seen in a previous movie.

Kevin Spacey did a phenomenal job as the creepy bad guy Lex Luthor, but when doesn’t he hit the role right on the head? I only remembered Kate Bosworth from “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton“. Keeping that in mind, I was pleased with her performance as Lois Lane. The kid that plays Jason is adorable, but I don’t expect to see him around much longer. If they go on with more sequels to “Superman Returns”, which I really hope they do, they can’t very well justify whey the kid’s growing so fast between movies. Hollywood sucks that way.

In any case, “Superman Returns” has found itself on my list of movies to buy, which seems to be getting shorter and shorter these days. Go see it. If you hate it, there’s something wrong with you. Seriously.

pink concert at first ave

I have a history with Pink – the incredible artist, not the disgusting color. In blog archives that aren’t available right now, I know there as a very involved debate probably five years ago in the comments of an entry I wrote about who was more awesome at the time – Jennifer Lopez or Pink. (Pink, I’m sorry I ever put you in the same class as J-Lo. But I was young and dumb!) Then, she had a concert back in 2002 that I really wanted to go to, but couldn’t because I was in a wedding the very same weekend. When I saw she was coming to First Ave tonight, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would be there.

First Ave is one of the best places I’ve ever seen a concert. Think about it – a former Greyhound bus depot turned into the backdrop of Prince’s Purple Rain? What’s not to love about that?

Given the best venue in town for someone that has the kind of vocals Pink does, I was entranced by her entire set. From the new stuff on her latest album I’m Not Dead to some of her awesome old school stuff like “There You Go”, she threw in a ton of stuff from her sophomore album M!ssundaztood. She even rocked it out a with a rendition of “What’s Up“, originally done by 4 Non Blondes.

She saved my favorite part for the encore – just her and an acoustic guitar. On some awards show a while back, I saw her sing “Trouble” with nothing but the guitar. It was raw in a really good way, and I searched high and low for a place I could download it.

While she’s an energy-filled firecracker and so much fun to watch when she’s rocking out to “Stupid Girls” or “Get This Party Started”, I enjoy her just as much when she shows the audience just a little bit of her vulnerability during the songs where her voice is what stands out, and not the jumping and rocking and dancing and all that other good stuff.

I love Pink. I’m so glad I could catch this concert. If she ever comes here again, I’ll be sure to be at that concert, too. It always makes me happy when I get psyched out of my skin to go see someone I love perform and then I’m even more psyched after the concert’s over.

For your entertainment, YouTube has this video up of a live performance of “Dear Mr. President” and also the “Stupid Girls” video that you must see right this very second.