If this is your first time seeing one of these posts on the blog, they’re inspired by Steven Soderbergh’s annual “Seen/Read” list. At the beginning of every year, Soderbergh posts his chronicle of all the media he consumed during the prior year.
I feel like I can look back at a month and tell you what was going on — or not happening — that affected how much media I consumed. In June, for example, I was spending most of my non-working hours helping my mother around the house after she fell. So I was too worn out to watch or read much.
So as you’ll see, July was influenced by Superman debuting in theaters. Reviewing it jump-started me writing more on this blog again. But I also wanted to prepare for the movie by reading Superman books and films. That will continue in August. Summer of Superman!
James Gunn gets Superman. That’s easily the best aspect of his Superman movie. The writer-director knows the Man of Steel isn’t cool.
Superman is a dork. “The Big, Blue Boy Scout” is a nickname that’s been attached to him for years in DC Comics mythology and among comic book fans. Maybe it’s largely derisive, but it also explains what Superman is all about. He sees the good in people. He will do the right thing, even if he doesn’t always think through all of the ramifications of those actions.
What Gunn’s Superman gets right is that it doesn’t try to modernize the character for current audiences. The movie embraces what makes Superman distinct, what makes him the first superhero — maybe the only superhero — that comes to mind for many when imagining the concept.
Superman is a hero because he helps people when he could so easily hurt them. It’s not that he can catch a falling building, fly to the Arctic in minutes, or shoot lasers out of his eyes. He’s supposed to be decent and kind. To portray him otherwise is an attempt to make him cool instead of goofy.
Some might feel like this Superman is a bit too goofy. He wears his trunks on the outside of his costume (which is the best design, even if it looks silly). He built robot companions for himself. He fights giant monsters. And perhaps most controversially, this Superman has a dog. A superpowered dog named Krypto. It’s impossible to be a grim and serious drag when a dog wearing a cape is flying around the screen.
Gunn really toes the line with how much Krypto is in this movie. But it’s not just for comic relief or an attempt to appeal to kids. Krypto serves a storytelling purpose, and more importantly, he helps explain Superman’s character. He hasn’t trained this dog well, presumably because he’s busy. But Krypto also helps Superman feel less lonely because he’s from Krypton.
Superman also shows how human he really is when he fears that his innocent companion has been harmed. It’s another example of how much he cares. In Superman II (1980), Christopher Reeve pleaded with Terence Stamp’s General Zod not to hurt people. Here, he gets pissed when he believes Lex Luthor has hurt his dog. He scolds fellow superheroes for not neutralizing a threat more humanely.
This 2025 Superman isn’t one we’ve typically seen on the big screen. He’s vulnerable and relatable, which is portrayed very believably by David Corenswet. The story begins with Superman having a really bad day and needing to recuperate. Who can’t empathize with that?
On the latest Amusement Park Podcast, we react to news of the next Batman movie being set for a Summer 2021 release and a younger Bruce Wayne meaning Ben Affleck will no longer play the role. We also review the entire Season 2 of The Punisher after delving into the first six episodes last week. And we review the latest DC animated movie, Reign of the Supermen.
Previously, I’ve just posted the same blurb and link to the podcast that you can find at the Amusement Park Podcast website. But I’d like to try and offer a bit more here at The Casselbloggy, especially for those who take the time to click over and read. I think it could be a good opportunity to discuss topics that didn’t make the cut or stuff that I intended to include but forgot to mention while we were recording.
That’s where I’d like to go this week because it’s bugging me that I forgot to talk about Punisher star Jon Bernthal and his voice for Frank Castle. I’ve seen Bernthal in several other movies and TV shows like The Walking Dead, Sicario, Show Me a Hero and The Ghost Writer, but had forgotten what his actual speaking voice sounds like. So when I watched some talk show clips of him, it was jolting to me how different he sounded from Frank Castle.
I know; it’s called acting! But it’s still impressive to me (and far more effective than, say, Christian Bale’s Batman voice) and a reminder of how deeply Bernthal lost himself in that role. It’s a damn shame that he probably won’t play The Punisher anymore.
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On the latest Amusement Park Podcast, we review Aquaman! Did Jason Momoa sink or swim? We also discuss Mortal Engines‘ disastrous box office, the new MoviePass plans that may pull Chris back in and what we’re enjoying this week.
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Coming up with stuff to discuss hasn’t been a problem for us, five episodes into the Amusement Park Podcast. But it’s always helpful when the news fairies bring us a hot topic shortly before we record.
The apparent break-up between Henry Cavill and Warner Brothers, and Cavill no longer playing Superman on the big screen provided plenty for us to talk about. Chris Cox and I also discuss Entertainment Weekly‘s Captain Marvel cover story, review Season 2 of Netflix’s Iron Fist, and say goodbye to the Oscars’ “Most Popular Film” award.
Have we already been doing this for a month? Four episodes says we have. The fourth edition of The Amusement Park Podcast is now available.
On the latest Amusement Park Podcast, we review Aquaman! Did Jason Momoa sink or swim? We also discuss Mortal Engines‘ disastrous box office, the new MoviePass plans that may pull Chris back in and what we’re enjoying this week.
Ian Casselberry 