G Pother Illowhite

A WONDERFUL Superman film. A solid film regardless. Well-crafted, entertaining, poignant, cheery & dark, w/ plot twists & varying degrees of alagory to interpret or ignore. Oh, its live-action Krypto worked out really well, IMO. The 2025 Superman film's comic book world was both spectacular & grounded, emotionally genuine & occasionally funny, w/ some real-world complexity. Above all, this film had heart, the heart of Supes. I believe Christopher Reeve (my childhood Superman), would be proud of what his legacy inspired w/ this film. Don't get me wrong, the other live-action Supes movies have their merits, but wow, 2025 Superman captured some of the Reeve / Donner magic the other movies didn't. Gunn & Corenswet not only showed Superman's powers, his limitations, & more of his comic book elements, they also showed the man behind the super. They did it better than ANY previous Supes film did, IMO, save maybe the Reeve / Donner originals. Perhaps the key is to embrace Superman's naïve sense of righteousness, to portray him as a beacon of light, even when that light is seen as "uncool". Supes saved in classic fashion, yet it was included as part of the action, fitting rather nicely. That said, the film wasn't ALL about Supes. Despite its big cast of characters, the film never felt messy or particularly shallow. Lane & Olsen actually did some journalism that was integral to the plot. Also, Lane was more than just a stereotypical love interest, & Olsen was not the dweeby guy he's often portrayed as like his previous live-action counterparts. The superhero team in the film was a neat crew who experienced some personal growth. They even got their days in the sun, too, some more than others. There were so many other characters, but again, none of them felt like they overstayed their welcome, or that they didn't contribute in some important way. Of course, a superhero movie likely wouldn't be good w/ out its main villian. Well, Nicholas Hoult's Lex was a masterfully done POS, an excellent foil for Supes. Lex's henchmen were quite formidable, too. I'm not a Supes fanboy, but he has been a huge influence throughout my life, apparently even before I can remember. But I haven't watched a ton of superhero movies, whether DC or Marvel, so I'm neither jaded about the ones I have seen, or experienced enough to really compare 2025 Superman w/ the plethora of other superhero movies. Out of the few superhero movies I have seen, though, I highly recommend the 2025 Superman film. The familiar theme music was nice, nostalgic & tugged at my heartstrings. Still, I wish they would've introduced a new theme. Oh well, maybe next time. The paragon of good. An inspiration to do good. A modern savior. The century-old template of the superhero. Superman is back in 2025! & in the most comic book adaptation yet seen in live-action.

Familiar & fresh, GitS: SAC is certainly back. The chemistry, the original voices, the humor, the tech, the action, the artillery, the political intrigue, its future...is all present ;) ...& w/ a welcome refresh. (There are a few big changes I'd rather not spoil.) Alas, I wish the philosophy aspect was as prominent as its predecessors (excluding maybe one entry in the franchise). At least Season 1 seems to be laying the groundwork for more exposition in Season 2. Hopefully its philosophical themes will offer new insights to old theories; or at least reiterate the old in a neat & prominent GitS package. I'm also not a fan of 3D animation, unless as a tool to enhance certain camera angles, or to differentiate cyberspace & the like; then again, CGI is apropos to the series. *shrugs* While I am disappointed 2D animation is absent (save for the closing credits), I did find the 3D animation to be fluid & I even noticed some realistic quirks as a result of the mo-cap. I was relatively immersed after the first or second episode. But everyone's faces were a bit wooden, their lack of expression & plastic skin weakened my immersion factor, as did the outdoor nature scenes. Despite 2045's flaws, its familiarity & fresh touches are done well, IMO. It's a worthy entry to the franchise. As w/ any story, the plot & writing are vital, & 2045 hooked me. I am eagerly anticipating Season 2.