Now that the promos for the first of the biggies are out, it's time to make the official call on which Summer of 2006 superhero movie we're looking forward to more.In the left corner, we have the third installment of Marvel's most successful superhero team. The first two movies of the series, albeit under director Bryan Singer (now the director of the competition), were major successes, and along with the Spider-Man movies helped revolutionize the superhero movie genre. In this, the third episode, we have a mutant antibody -- a "cure" for the gene that evolves humans into mutants, a human-mutant war waged by Magneto, not to mention the Dark Phoenix saga to which the former movie alluded. That's right ladies and gentleman, we have the defending champion of the superhero-team movies: X-Men III: The Last Stand!
Facing off against the Juggernaut (pun intended -- cue laughter) is the return of a series of successful and unsuccessful films from the 70s and 80s featuring the most notable superhero of all-time. The granddaddy of all superheroes. With an all new cast, but many of our same favorite characters, one of the best supervillians ever created (played by an Academy Award winner), and a mystery actor (we know his name but can he act?) playing the lead much like the man cast in the first of the series oh so long ago, we have the Number # 1-ranked challenger pitting the Man of Steel once more against his longtime nemesis Lex Luthor, the one the only: Superman Returns!
Locked in a cage here in The Realm of Possibility, only one can come out the survivor. Which of these two Colossuses (again, pun intended -- recue laughter) will reign supreme in The Realm?
You can only choose one. Which one are you going to see?
All the drama will be played out in the comments section. We have Oscar winners on both sides. The Big 2 in comic-bookdom, Marvel vs. DC. Awesome villians. The old X-Men director now directing the challenger, and the new X-Men director striving to show he can play with the big boys. Compelling heroes. Special effects buffs' delight. War and peace. Right and wrong. Truth, justice, and the American way. We have it all folks, right here in The Realm. Cast your votes and make your call the winner. Who's it going to be?
The X-Men or Superman?
Reality blogging at it's best!
8 comments:
Rich,
I am probably going to have to say Superman. Kevin Spacey is not the usual suspect I would expect for Lex, but he is perfect for the role.
Last summer, Who would have thunk that Batman Begins would have been so awesome?
In the end, you know we will see both movies. So the point is... well.... pointless.
-Doug
Alright, then it's:
1-1
because, although I do it cautiously, I probably want to see X-Men a little more. I fret about the new director and about Halle Berry asking for a bigger part, and how good the movie can be trying to include more and more mutants (although it's also part of the fun). Of course, you're right I'll see Supes as well -- and I'm dying to see Spacey's rendition of a less campy (than Gene Hackman's) Lex Luthor, but if I can only choose one, I've got to go with the X-Men. Heck, the bubbly bouncy Beast is in this one (Dr. Frasier Crane playing him... hmm...), and he might be my favorite X-Man. Hard to say.
Of course, I suppose I'm a bit farther down the evolutionary change we humans are undergoing than you are. In fact, I feel my hinney burning right now. Flame off!
Lot's more material to work with in the X-men. Superman is boring. All the different x-characters are quirky and have weaknesses. That's why I never did get into DC.
I didn't grow up reading the X-Men comics regularly. I didn't grow up reading Superman.
I did grow up reading Marvel comics, which were superior in every way to DC comics.
If I had to pick, I'd pick the X-Men movie over Superman. It's the continuation of a solid series.
The Superman movie is supposed to pick up 5 years after the end of Superman II (or so I've heard). Yet those chosen actors that would have been teenagers (especially the Kate Bosworth) five years prior for the key roles. And Superman and Superman II were campy and silly movies. They were entertainments for children.
I have great respect for Brian Singer. The Usual Suspects is a classic. His work on the first two X-Men films was very good. But I can't pick his pedigree as a director over the X-Men movie.
This is a no contest. X-Men, hands down.
3-1 X-Men so far.
Additional question: Who has the better bald guy?
Is it Xavier or Luthor?
On that, I'll have to go the other way and pick Luthor.
Luthor over Xavier. Xavier doesn't really need to be bald. In Superman mythology, Luthor MUST be bald. (Ridiculously, his baldness feeds his evil. But, hey, it was kids in a more innocent time that invented Superman and Lex Luthor and all those other characters with alliterative names.)
I don't know if anyone out there watches the Smallville show on TV. I used to tune in regularly but haven't watched it at all this year. It's pretty good though. The show has, over the years, deviated a great deal from traditional Superman mythology. But the Lex Luthor character on that show is great - the best thing about the show. He's complex and tormented in a way that few TV characters are (although his burgeoning evil side is fed by Daddy issues more than baldness).
I saw a trailer for Superman this weekend.
Spacey looks awesome and the dialog was hillarious, so I will stand alone on this. That's fine! It wouldn't be the first time.
Lex is also the better baldy.
My question is Hackman or Spacey? Kevin has some enormous shoes to fill. "Otisburgh? Otisburgh?" Come on! Gene was brilliant... in fact, he is the only thing worth seeing in the previous superman movie series.
-Doug
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