Superman Returns First screening (for the press) report

[Maestro Limpio]

Wow, I expected some solid reviews but I'm surprised at how positive these are...

 

[Maestro Limpio]

On the night of Thursday, June 8th I attended a special press screening (and IMAX 3D preview) of "Superman Returns".
Producer Chris Lee told us he came directly from Technicolor and we were technically the first audience to see the film.
A far more in-depth review will be coming in the future, but for now here's what I can tell you.
This movie is far greater than I could have ever anticipated, and I went in with extremely high expectations.
The effects, of course, do not disappoint. Several of the sequences are vying for the "most amazing thing I've seen on screen... EVER" and I've yet to decide which one tops the others.
But I didn't see many people questioning the effects, so on to larger issues. I am brimming with things I want to tell you. To reassure you about. To make you realize that this is really the Superman movie we've all been waiting before. But without details that will be hard to do. But perhaps my enthusiasm for what I've seen is coming through in this. At least, I hope it is.
James Marsden? Made me care for a character I had no real reason to. Parker Posey? Steals all her scenes. Eva Marie Saint? Touching and amazing. Frank Langella? A truly fantastic Perry. Sam Huntington? Best Jimmy EVER. Kevin Spacey? Easily the most sinister Lex to ever be seen on screen. A delight to watch. Kate Bosworth? Remarkably deep, tough and opinionated, just as Lois should be.
Brandon Routh?
There is no longer any doubt.
Brandon Routh IS Superman.
Routh and Bosworth have fantastic chemistry. Honestly, not a single performance was anything less than fantastic.
And the story? Well, that's what everyone wants to know, and the thing I can tell you the least about.
I still feel it inside me, honestly. It touched me. It's brilliant.
I hope this somehow does it justice, but I fear that I does not.
I have been moved.
I wish I could tell you more. I really do. I want to grab each and every one of you and make you understand how vital it is that you see this film. But perhaps my enthusiasm for what I've seen comes through in this.
At least, I hope it does.
Jeffrey Bridges

from supermanhomepage.com

 

[OneKnight]

I think we have to ask ourselves one question:

Does WB want massive box office or critical praise? I ask that because I don't think they can get both.

My reasoning?

I think if critics like it a lot, and if older members here (late teens and up) do as well, then I think it loses the box office to a simpler popcorn flick like POTC2 whuch is bound to appeal more to younger teens and kids who nowadays seem to want action over story/substance.

 

[Cinemaman]

WOW

Looks like critics really liked it and there is so much positivity about SR. Cant wait for RottenTomatoes results.

Yeah SR really can beat POTC2, because it already has positive reviews and soon will get good WOM with very high numbers. I am sure it will seriously hurt POTC2.

Maybe people even will be disappointed that POTC2 was better than 1st and will go to see SR.

 

[Action ACE]

I think we have to ask ourselves one question:

Does WB want massive box office or critical praise? I ask that because I don't think they can get both.

My reasoning?

I think if critics like it a lot, and if older members here (late teens and up) do as well, then I think it loses the box office to a simpler popcorn flick like POTC2 whuch is bound to appeal more to younger teens and kids who nowadays seem to want action over story/substance.

I feel that Superman Returns is riding the "anticipation" wagon a bit smoother than say, the Matrix sequels did, as well as a number of other films to have been released. I think there are a lot of people ready to see this film and some of which that have WAY TO HIGH anticipation for it. But I think for the most part, from what I've gathered from most people, is that the public is interested in this film as about as much as they were into Batman Begins. Batman won critical praise and ultimatley grossed 200 mil +. However, it did not have an outstanding opening which grossed only around 50 million. I hope Supes does well. I would like to see all the records broken. But for this films sake, a good but not great opening may not do it too much harm.

Look at what happened to most films opening to HUGE numbers. Second week they tank. (w/ exeption of Star Wars and all that ****). Still, I believe that a good opening leads to better numbers and reviews than a huge opening. Huge openings almost always seem to cause critics to turn their damn noses up. We'll see in less than 3 weeks though.

 

[charl_huntress]

Has AICN posted their review? I would think that they would have one up by now.

Also, when is the ban for the full review and spoilers lifted?

 

[JamalYIgle]

I think we have to ask ourselves one question:

Does WB want massive box office or critical praise? I ask that because I don't think they can get both.

My reasoning?

I think if critics like it a lot, and if older members here (late teens and up) do as well, then I think it loses the box office to a simpler popcorn flick like POTC2 whuch is bound to appeal more to younger teens and kids who nowadays seem to want action over story/substance.

Uhmmm. STM was both a massive hit and critcally praised. Alot of movies are critcally praised and massive hits. LOTR for example, the Indiana Jones movies, The star Wars trilogy.

 

[Cinemaman]

Has AICN posted their review? I would think that they would have one up by now.

Also, when is the ban for the full review and spoilers lifted?

I haven't found anythin on AICN, but I think we should wait for next week.

Guess Harry will love SR

 

[OneKnight]

Uhmmm. STM was both a massive hit and critcally praised. Alot of movies are critcally praised and massive hits. LOTR for example, the Indiana Jones movies, The star Wars trilogy.

You completely missed the point, but that's okay.

 

[Asgard]

I predict that the tomatometer will be around the 90-93 percentile.

 

[TheScarecrow]

While this is certainly positive...is this really the kind of posititve that a Superman movie OUGHT TO have? I mean, there are comparrisons to 9/11 for godsakes. It sounds like an art house flick, not a Superman movie.

You're right. America's greatest hero, saving the day in a scene that mimmicks part of one of the worst events of our time. So not Superman.

 

[JamalYIgle]

You completely missed the point, but that's okay.

No I understood your point. You think that a movie can't be both a commercial hit and a critical hit because if the critics like it it'll be too highbrow for teen and small children. My point is that it's been done before, and from all indicator returns will do it as well.

This is just as much of a Popcorn flick as POTC. It's Superman.

 

[Naite22]

Oh for cryin out loud... shut the hell up with the kid already!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's getting so ****ing irritating hearing you all ramble on about the fact that you dont like the idea.. ok, we get it now!!!! Now CLOSE that mouth, will ya! Does "the kid" look like an enoying brat, like the one in "the Mummy returns"?? Nope, he looks like a fragile little kid, who doesn't say too much, and has asma! See the film, and give this issue a rest, it's really driving me up the wall!

 

[AddisAbaba]

This film is absolutely OWNING all who see it.

To wit: No person WHO HAS SEEN THE FILM has anything but OUTRIGHT PRAISE and AWE for the film.

The Glory days are here at last and the crow buffet is ready for the Singer/Routh haters...

BRING.

IT.

ON.

 

[Pickle-El]

I need a negative review.....seriously.

 

[Naite22]

^aint gonna happen pal!!!!!!! HAHA!

 

[Cinemaman]

I think SR will get even more positive reviews than BB.

 

[AddisAbaba]

Statistically speaking, it is more than likely at this juncture

who?

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Executive producer Chris Lee introduced the film, noting that it had just been put to bed and that some minor tweaks -- i.e. color corrections -- still might be made.

Color corrections to make hair black like in comics and his eyes bluer?

 

[AddisAbaba]

Keep clinging baby.

The rest of us will be merely doing our bit to ensure records tumble...

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

While this is certainly positive...is this really the kind of posititve that a Superman movie OUGHT TO have? I mean, there are comparrisons to 9/11 for godsakes. It sounds like an art house flick, not a Superman movie.

I agree with you. I remember when some critics were saying simular things about Hulk and nobody liked that movie. I hope it's just a stuck-up reviewer who's looking way too much into the movie.

 

[Wilde]

Wow! I love that fact that not only is every review positive, but every review talks about how amazing and brilliant the movie is!

And what's even better, every single reviewer has said something like "Brandon Routh IS Superman" and that he is perfect in the role!

Brandon Routh is Superman. Period. He seemed to embody the very fiber of Superman's being. He turned in a phenomenal performance and gave a fresh face to a well-known character.

Brandon Routh is my Superman. I really think he was fantastic in this film, and he was particularly strong in his Superman scenes with Kate Bosworth's Lois Lane. There's something very interesting going on in Brandon's performance. He's not simply cloning what Reeve gave us two decades ago, but he is exuding the same sort of aura that Reeve did back then. The best way that I can describe it is to say that these two are cut from the same cloth.

Brandon Routh turns in a performance that at many times plays as an homage to Christopher Reeve's legendary portrayal of Superman while managing to prove scene-after-scene that he now owns the role.

Brandon Routh?

There is no longer any doubt.

Brandon Routh IS Superman.

Routh and Bosworth have fantastic chemistry. Honestly, not a single performance was anything less than fantastic.

Brandon Routh is perfect in the role, playing Clark Kent as a clumsy, bumbling reporter and Superman as a strong and powerful hero.

Like Apollo come to earth, like Atlas holding the world in the great Rockefeller Center sculpture, Brandon Routh’s Superman has a gravity that enobles this entire two-and-a-half hour picture.

If you have any misgivings about the castings, as I've already mentioned, Brandon and Kevin are unbelievably good so count on many chills going up and down your spine. Watching them is like watching the comic come to life.

Lets hear people criticize Routh now!

I can't wait to see this movie!

 

[true316]

Here are some spoiler-free reviews of the movie: Basiclly, the movie rocks harder than we can imagine at this point in time!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=7528

http://news.bostonherald.com/blogs/stephenSchaefer/?p=63

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/archives/2006/06/i_saw_superman.php

http://supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=2149

http://www.bluetights.net/news.php?id=314

Here's a couple more positive reviews from the press screening:

http://entertainment.kaboose.com/pages/superman-returns.html

http://www.iesb.net/warnerbros2006/061006.php

 

[DavidTyler]

Why can't it appeal to and satisfy both casual movie-goers and also the large existing fanbase by remaining respectful of its source material?

Or are you suggesting that crafting a film that does this is beyond Singer's capabilities? If so, then he was the wrong man for the project.

Worse yet... is our resident DC employee suggesting that the stories in comics can't be used on the big screen and be enjoyed by the general public? Sounds suspiciously to me as if JamalYIgle has very little faith in the medium he works in.

I know that there are stories in comics that won't translate well but there are SO MANY that will. ... AND HAVE.

I think saying that they can't create a movie that caters to the comics fans because it may not appeal to the general public is so myopic and wrong on many levels.

A good story is a good story is a good story.

The only thing that's being asked here is to not stray too far from source. Don't drastically rewrite the foundation.

 

[darkzombiemutt]

wait, what foundation has been rewritten?