Showing posts with label kevin spacey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kevin spacey. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

"SUPERMAN RETURNS" (2006) Review

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"SUPERMAN RETURNS" (2006) Review

The 2006 Summer movie season was a memorable one for me. I never got around to review movies like"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III""POSEIDON""THE DaVINCI'S CODE", and "X-MEN 3: THE LAST STAND". I had just started on my first blog and never really bothered to put much effort into a movie review. However, I did managed to write a few words about "SUPERMAN RETURNS".

I supposed one could say that "SUPERMAN RETURNS" is almost a direct sequel to the 1980 film. It begins with Superman aka Clark Kent's return to Earth five years after his journey to a location where astronomers believed they had discovered the remains of Krypton. During those five years, his nemesis Lex Luthor served time in prison before his release, which coincided with Superman's return. Upon the latter, Clark resumes his old job as a journalist for Metropolis' The Daily Planet. He also learns that the love of his life, Lois Lane, is now engaged to Perry White's nephew Richard, with whom she has a five-year-old son named Jason. Lois also won a Pulitzer Prize for her article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman".

While Clark deals with this personal drama, Luthor and a new group of minions steal Kryptonian crystals from the Fortress of Solitude and Kryptonite from the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. These thefts set in motion Luthor's plan to utilize a combination of both to to grow a new landmass in the Northern Atlantic Ocean that will supplant the continental United States. In other words, Luthor has plans for another land swindle that might cost the lives of millions of people.

I wish I could say that I had loved "SUPERMAN RETURNS". I wish I could say that I found it very original. I wish I could . . . but I cannot. Because I would be lying if I had said so. Do not get me wrong . . . "SUPERMAN RETURNS" was a pretty good movie. Well . . . it was entertaining. And the movie featured a first-rate performance from leading man Brandon Routh as Clark Kent aka Superman. I also enjoyed performances from Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, a young Tristan Lake Leabu, Eva Marie Saint, and Sam Huntington. I was especially impressed by Kevin Spacey's witty take on the villainous Lex Luthor and Parker Posey's hilarious performance as Luthor's ditzy henchwoman, Kitty Kowalski. Unfortunately, the movie also turned out to be something of a disappointment for me. It possessed a plot that failed to support its roster of talent.

First of all, I felt that it was a big mistake on director Bryan Singer's part to continue the story, following 1980's "SUPERMAN II". It was bad enough that he had re-used John Williams' score and Marlon Brando's image as Jor-El. But he also used plot lines from the 1978 film, "SUPERMAN"(1978). He re-hashed the following:

*Lois' rooftop meeting with Superman, followed by a flight over Metropolis

*Some of Chris Reeves' dialogue

*Lex Luthor's plot to destroy part of the U.S. for a land swindle (which was not handled very effectively)
.

Singer also borrowed the love triangle from Marvel's 2004 movie, "SPIDER-MAN 2" . . . but with only a few twists. And the movie's final action sequence seemed to drag forever.

In the end, I could not tell whether the movie was a sequel to "SUPERMAN II" or a remake of "SUPERMAN". Very confusing and very disappointing. Although I believe the movie proved to be pretty good with a first-class cast, it also proved to be one of the most unoriginal comic book hero flicks I have ever seen. Singer could have done better. I rated the movie a "B-".




Wednesday, October 14, 2020

"HOUSE OF CARDS" Season Four (2016) Photo Gallery

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Below are images from Season Four of "HOUSE OF CARDS", Netflix's television remake of the 1990-1995 BBC miniseries trilogy that was based upon Michael Dobbs' 1989 novel. Produced and developed by Beau Willimon, the series stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright:



"HOUSE OF CARDS" SEASON FOUR (2016) Photo Gallery

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Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Top Five Favorite "HOUSE OF CARDS" Season Three (2015) Episodes



Below is a list of my top five favorite episodes from Season Three of Netflix's series, "HOUSE OF CARDS", a remake of the 1990-1995 BBC miniseries trilogy that was based upon Michael Dobbs' 1989 novel. Produced and developed by Beau Willimon, the series stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. 


"TOP FIVE FAVORITE "HOUSE OF CARDS" SEASON THREE (2015) Episodes



1. (3.03) "Chapter 29" - President Frank Underwood and First Lady (and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.) Claire Underwood host a state dinner for President Viktor Petrov of the Russian Federation, while protesters surround the White House.





2. (3.11) "Chapter 37" - Frank prepares for an upcoming presidential debate between himself, U.S. Solicitor General Heather Dunbar and House Deputy Minority Whip Jacqueline "Jackie" Sharp, while Claire campaigns on his behalf.





3. (3.13) "Chapter 39" - While tensions between Frank and Claire come to a boil, Frank's former Chief of Staff Doug Stamper finds Rachel Posner, the former prostitute who knew about Frank's manipulation of the late Congressman Peter Russo and who had attacked Doug in the Season Two finale.





4. (3.08) "Chapter 34" - When a potentially devastating hurricane threatens the East Coast, Frank faces intense pressure from FEMA, Congress, and several governors, since he had defunded the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to pay for his America Works program in the capital. Meanwhile, stress from his job as Chief of Staff and his lingering feelings for Jackie Sharp nearly pushes Remy Danton to the edge.





5. (3.06) "Chapter 32" - Frank and Claire travel to Moscow to negotiate for the release of Michael Corrigan, an American LGBT rights activist, from prison.

Monday, March 27, 2017

"HOUSE OF CARDS" Season Three (2015) Photo Gallery

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Below are images from Season Three of "HOUSE OF CARDS", Netflix's television remake of the 1990-1995 BBC miniseries trilogy that was based upon Michael Dobbs' 1989 novel. Produced and developed by Beau Willimon, the series stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright: 


"HOUSE OF CARDS" SEASON THREE (2015) Photo Gallery

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