Superman - A Cultural Icon

Superman, although not originally created as a hero, has grown to become a part of our culture. We can see not only Superman movies and series, but nowadays movies themselves refer to Superman. We hear songs referring to Superman. We very easily recognize the combination of the red and blue colours and the S shield has no other significance than... Superman. Superman has even become a part of our language - I am not a Superman - we often argue. Indeed, Superman has become a part of our culture.

What values, then, does the Man of Steel represent? Well, only few people know that the original creation of the comics character was one of a bald, rough villain. It was soon to be changed into what was to become the most iconic character ever. And the character has grown to represent the values of morality, goodness, righteousness, virtue, justice, honesty. He became a symbol of fight of good against the evil. This is the ethical level.

Through the character of Superman the humans were to recognize the polarity of human nature - there is inherent good in us, but so is evil. Perhaps, it is the environment we grow up in that makes the crucial decision, however, the message of Superman is - we can fight the evil.

Yet another side of Superman is that of metaphysics. On a metaphysical level, Superman, being from another planet, gives the human race a chance to step "outside" for a moment and enter a contemplative state, a state of self-reflection, and ask those fundamental questions - Who are we? Where did we come from and where are we going? Are we alone? Why are we so self-destructive? Why is there no peace? This is the philosophical level.

Finally, Superman, being a part of culture, and representing the values stated here, has a psychological effect. This can be seen in children. Children who possess a Superman action figure can be observed to develop the values that Superman represents. They are growing with the distinction between the good and the evil and a clear inclination towards the good, they, very early, develop the sense of morality, honesty, bravery. A simple toy - Superman action figure - can have a tremendous effect on a child.

To sum up, Superman has become a cultural icon. We can see Superman references on TV, radio, and in daily lives. The character has come to represent good human values on ethical level, metaphysical level, and psychological level. It is through this psychological level that Superman - as a toy - Superman action figure- can have a significant effect on a child's growth and its future.

Copyright © Tibor Morvay 2010

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The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker shows us what it is like to be up close and personal with danger, with an unseen enemy who speaks a foreign tongue. It shows us what it is like to be afraid of dying every day or what it is like to eradicate all fear from your body and face that enemy with the utmost confidence. The Hurt Locker is the story of a group of three Army bomb squad soldiers, young men, who have seen the worst in the Iraq War, yet try to face each day with a strong mind. However, with each day comes new challenges.

The three main characters are actors whom I have not seen before, and if I have, I don't remember them, though with their performances in this movie, I'm sure I will in the future. The movie's star is Jeremy Renner. He plays the central character Staff Sergeant William James - the seasoned, arrogant bomb-tech who joins the squad early on when their team leader dies. He doesn't like to play by the rules and is disliked right away by Sergeant JT Sanborn, played by Anthony Mackie. Sanborn is the soldier who tries to keep the squad on their feet, primed for action. The third soldier is played brilliantly by Brian Geraghty. He is specialist Owen Eldridge - the soldier who is trying to overcome great fears about death. With constant meetings with his doctor, to talk about his fears, he repeats at different times, "Be all that you can be," the Army's slogan. "What if all I can be is dead on the side of an Iraqi road?" he questions.

The Hurt Locker is also a study of human emotion. All three of these soldiers represent different types of soldiers and, perhaps, different emotions evident in just one soldier whilst in the field of battle. James represents confidence and/or arrogance, Sanborn represents strength-under-pressure, and Eldridge - fear.

If you're looking for a storyline, this movie has no official one. Essentially, it is the everyday life of three Army bomb squad soldiers in the Iraq War. Not to say that isn't fascinating. Every new task is riveting. My heart was pounding over the legal limit for at least ten different scenes.

Every so often a caption will appear on the screen telling how many days are left in their one year deployment. It creates a feeling of anxiety and longing in the viewer. We want these men to succeed and make it out alive. But do they want to? The movie's opening quote says differently. "The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug."

The movie is directed by top-notch director Kathryn Bigelow, who also directed the fantastic futuristic James Cameron-written thriller Strange Days (1995) starring Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes also shows up in this film along with other big-names Guy Pearce and David Morse. Their scenes are scattered throughout the movie and only last for a few minutes, Morse's for only a few seconds - which was a bit confusing to me. Why not utilize these actors' talents in bigger roles?

Overall, The Hurt Locker breathes new life into a somewhat tired war genre. This is by far the best Iraq War movie I have seen in recent years, if not the best war movie of the decade. The intense nail-biting scenes and the overall pro-war message of the film hopefully will leave a lasting impact in you as it did me.

Luke Berg has been writing reviews about movies like The Hurt Locker for many years. He currently writes for online entertainment website, Altered Eagle.

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As Good As Dead

Movie Reviews this week looks at the dark drama As Good As Dead. This is a very surreal movie starring Cary Elwes (Liar Liar) and the much loved Andie Macdowell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) as Ethan Belfrage and Helen Kalahan respectively, it also stars the stalwart Brian Cox (X-Men 2) as Reverend Kalahan.

We join the movie as Reverend Kalahan preaches to his congregation, at first glance it seems just like a normal church service, with the preacher speaking to his congregation about becoming shepherds, but as the camera pans across the audience and the surroundings in the church, you notice Swastikas, and Nazi symbols, not to mention some of the congregation could easily be taken for Neo-Nazis. As Kalahan continues to preach, it pans to his wife, who is looking on admirably, as Kalahan speaks; a member of the congregation gets up, as if the words of Kalahan had triggered something in him, we find out later that he went off and killed several immigrants in a bus, in an unprovoked rampage before shooting himself.

We move forward several years, to Ethan who is entertaining his lovely daughter Sarah played by the adorable Emma Kantor; before being whisked away by her mother Kate, played by Nicole Ansari-Cox. Ethan is facing some problems with his landlord who is trying to evict him, so he can build a new lucrative residential property, but Ethan is determined not to move, and he is prepared for any tactic his landlord will try. Soon after the initial confrontation with his landlord he is paid a visit by two men, he assumes they are with his landlord and doesn't open the door, they come back later and trap Ethan in his flat. They proceed to torture him, while asking him to confess, he desperately tells them he doesn't know what they are talking about, all the while he assumes that his landlord had sent them to force him to relinquish his flat, but it turns out Kalahan, the preacher at the beginning had been killed, soon after the unprovoked rampage by a member of his flock, and these two men; one Jake played by Matt Dallas (The Indian) and the other Aaron (played brilliantly even down to the Southern accent) by Frank Whaley (Swimming with Sharks); are out for revenge, ordered so by Helen, who joins all of them later on.

Ethan is adamant he doesn't know what they are talking about and despite their torture he doesn't deviate from his story, the audience will no doubt feel this is a case of mistaken identity that is about to go horribly wrong, especially when Ethan's lovely next door neighbour Amy played by Jess Weixler is equally bundled in to the shenanigans, and is used as a guinea pig to get Ethan to confess to all that his torturers would like him to confess to, while frighteningly for Ethan his wife and daughter are wondering why he hasn't showed up and may just come to his flat to investigate.

As Good As Dead is a very dark movie, and many will be impressed by the acting abilities of all involved.

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Striker

Virginia Woolf, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth Century, explored extensively on the non-linear narrative technique which happens to be the way of telling narrative in the Chandan Arora Directed Striker. Thus the events in the movie are not in exact chronological order and we have continuous switch in years from 1992 to 1977, 1992 to 1988, and back to 1992. The innocent intentions of the director are hampered by a confusing script that is written by him where he doesn't know what does he want to achieve with this project.

The film set in the late 70's and 80's in a Malvani, a claustrophobic ghetto in Mumbai which is also termed as the unknown place in the city by its protagonist Surya (Siddharth). The film starts off its journey on a high note but the director fails to keep the energy levels high throughout the film. So, the viewer has every right to feel disappointed from the film which had the potential and could have been a path breaking film of its time.

It's a different film genre where there are no usual song and dance sequences, a claustrophobic ghetto and a believable setting attributing to a realistic flavor of the movie. The story is also not that of rags to success of its protagonist but a complex one where the chief character Surya is either black or grey but seldom white in nature. The performances by Siddharth, Aditya Pancholi, and Anupam Kher deserve praise but the surprise package here is Ankur Vikal (Maman of Slumdog Millionaire) who plays a grinning opportunistic friend to Surya (Zaid) with amazing conviction.

Siddharth makes a comeback to Bollywood as Surya who moves to a claustrophobic Malvani in his early years and his only dreams are for a better life for himself and his family. He has a special talent in playing carom (a junior champion in it) which he has to utilize to earn a living after all his efforts to go to Dubai for a better job turn futile. Come Jaleel Bhai (Aditya Pancholi) who runs illegal gambling in the area. So he makes money with the game and betting but also lands up in trouble with his immoral ways. Eventually he has to face ire from both Jaleel Bhai and Cops. The film shifts back and forth to find solutions to Surya's problems but ends rather abruptly.

In Siddharth we witness a new actor emerging as angry young man when we see him exasperating with his brother (played by Anoop Soni) who urges him to take a decent but a low paying job. We see him indulging in raping the girl (obviously in swoon) whom he could have fallen in love, although he is married to her in the end. His sister (Vidya Malvade) also looks real with typical women traits, who can empathize with her brother but cannot help or speak up for him. His opportunistic and optimistic friend Zaid who is an associate to Jaleel Bhai also appears to be the manager of Surya and a drug-dealer lends life to the film.

The direction is also good in portraying the communal harmony of Malvani and its subsequent breaking down after communal tension but it is left un-explored by the director. Surya restores the harmony but fails to save the film which appears to be long than its actual duration because of a good script. The non-linear narrative doesn't add more to the story and the continuous appearance of carom games and deals do not please the eyes. The two romantic affairs of Surya are not well developed and are among the serious drawbacks of the film. On a whole the film deserves a watch for its nice performances, good direction and its appeal. Not a bad one but could have been great.

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From Paris With Love

John Travolta, Jonathon Rhys Meyers
Runtime: 92 minutes Rating: R

Borderline crap-fest. John Travolta and Jonathon Rhys Meyers star in what's supposed to be an action-comedy. Directed by Pierre Morel (Taken), Meyers plays a spy named James Reese, who wants more work in the field. He finally gets it when he's partnered up with the flashy and dangerous Charlie Wax (Travolta). I did enjoy watching Travolta chew up the scenery with his bad-ass persona, but he's usually better at this sort of stuff with John Woo behind the camera. Rhys on the other hand seemed to be struggling. The man CAN act, just not in this movie.

The plot isn't very interesting. As the film progresses, we begin to realize that there is a method to Wax's madness. He is hunting down terrorists in Paris, and is using a "by any means necessary" kind of approach. There is of course, a love interest involved, which is Reese's fiance, played by Kasia Smutniak. I found their relationship to be extremely annoying. However, I did really enjoy how their relationship played out in the end.

When it comes to the action and comedy, the film fails. More so with the comedy than with the action. I can't even remember the amount of jokes that fall flat. I'm talking about back to back bad jokes, nestled in between, and during several action scenes. This action flick has the standard amount of explosions, shootouts, and car chases. However, Morel never achieved the level of intensity he crafted in Taken. I understand he was going for a different type of action in this film, but the attempt resulted in standard run of the mill action sequences. If only the executive producer, Luc Besson would have directed this. I'm sure we would have seen something really cool. I truly miss his work.

Grade: C

Written By: Devin Clark

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