The worst kind of movies are these...

The worst movies, hands down, are those that fail to illicit a reaction in you. You couldn't care less what happens to anyone in the film, even the central character. An hour or less into it, you're yearning for it to end and wish you could get that time back.

Such was the case over the weekend when, at a friend's behest, I watched "Man of Steel." Since we plan to watch "Batman v Superman" together, which is slated for a March 25 release in the U.S., he thought it imperative that I watch this one first in order to get some background on the origins of Superman.

The movie was completely devoid of any plot or character development. It was laden with special effects, yes, but I had a hard time grasping what was going on and why characters were doing certain things at different points. Special effects are certainly neat, and they help enhance a movie. But to me, at least, they are no substitute for a trite script and lousy acting.

I was expecting the movie to be more along the lines of "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." Also directed by Christopher Nolan, the acting in those movies was nothing short of masterful and the story lines top-notch. You also learned valuable lessons along the way.

For example, in "Batman Begins," Rachel Dawes, who was played convincingly by Katie Holmes, utters one of the most memorable lines in the entire trilogy: "It's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you." Unfortunately, the final installment of the Batman trilogy, "The Dark Knight Rises," left a lot to be desired.

In sum, a trite plot and poor character development will always drag a movie down. I hope that "Batman v Superman" will live up to the hoopla it's getting, because "Man of Steel" certainly fell short.

Comments

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

An important note to women about men and attraction

I was raised by my mom, grandma, and two older sisters. Growing up, never did I ever take any interest in the girls at school who tended toward exposing more skin. I always treated them as I would my female family members -- with the utmost courtesy and respect. And anytime I suspected that a male friend or acquaintance of mine adopted a hump-and-dump attitude toward women, I nixed them from my life. I held men who treated women as objects in very low regard, and still do to this day. If women feel empowered to show off their bodies because they love and work hard on their physique, more power to them. In other words, if they're doing it to please THEMSELVES and no one else, good for them. However, those who do it specifically to curry men's favor are making a big mistake. It sends the wrong signals and actually makes it less likely that a man will want to stick around for a committed relationship (if that's what you want as anyway). Granted, if you're not lookin...

How To Understand People

Search This Blog