Monthly Archives: July 2015
Happy Throwback Thursday!
Watching my 8-year old nephew read his favorite book series with excitement and dedication (anywhere and everywhere) is a wonderful sight. The fact that he willingly takes long breaks from the intoxicating glow and varied selection of high-definition electronics at his disposal is a genuine flashback to the days when my friends and I chose books over Nintendo (for at least a couple weeks).
The bookstore > Media Play (there’s a blast from the past!)
The greatest book series when I was his age was Goosebumps by scare master R.L. Stine. He was the best at sparking imaginations to run wild in suspense and mystery. His creative elasticity to write so many books is impressive and his legacy endures to this day.
Need proof?
We all know a book/book series isn’t truly worthy until Hollywood projects it on the big screen. From books to TV to the silver screen, R.L. Stine’s next chapter will be coming to a theater near you, with Jack Black portraying the famous author.
Goosebumps comes alive this October.
Welcome to Stine’s House.
Dream, Try, Do Good
Is 30 the new 25? 26? 27…?
How did this happen!? I turned (gulp) 30 this morning. This day always seemed so far off on the horizon that it was barely visible. The past few days, weeks and months have been increasingly overwhelming. To say it’s been like an out-of-body experience would be pretty accurate.
Now I know how a new ghost feels.
We all have goals we strive to achieve by certain ages in our lives, yet it’s interesting how quickly we forget how old we are when we reach these milestones or have a special, serendipitous moment. Everything else loses focus. It’s a little bit of a phenomenon. 30 is 30, which is just a number, except that’s it’s the most introspective number of them all. This is a transitional age that has the power to turn us on a dime and that’s a good thing. The next chapter always needs to be written with the same enthusiasm and unexpected expectations as the last with each new challenge, opportunity and chase towards a dream.
Saying goodbye to your 20s and welcoming your 30s, it feels a lot like this.
Boy Meets World for the win.
He’s Just Starting to Fly
(Man of Steel — Official Movie Website)
“There’s plenty of time for individual Superman sequels. He’s a tough character to tell. People like the darker vigilante. I think it speaks to the human psyche more easily rather than the god-like being that we can’t really understand. Once we have a more expansive universe we can delve more into the character of Superman and hopefully tell more stories”
–Henry Cavill (Superman)
This is a nice early birthday present from Henry Cavill. At least future separate movies for the greatest superhero ever created are part of the DC Comics master plan.
Thank goodness.
Following the origin story of Man of Steel (set in a natural environment with gritty roots), it seemed plausible that it would mirror the remarkable Dark Knight trilogy. Even though executive producer Christopher Nolan insisted it was Zack Snyder’s movie and that it would not be the same template as Batman, the tone and build-up was undoubtedly similar. Opportunity for another legendary standalone DC Comics trilogy was there for the taking. Instead, it was declared that the “sequel” would be Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The enormous universe would be greatly expanded from its many clever clues sprinkled throughout Man of Steel.
The quote above, in the very least, allows a deep breath to be taken by fans who are still wary of seeing a new Batman so soon after Christian Bale’s defining and iconic portrayal (ie– Ben Affleck) and believe that Superman could have seen Dark Knight-like success in its story arc, excellent writing, casting and character development with an isolated trilogy. Plans to weave Superman-centric sequels amongst The Justice League and other solo movies will hopefully succeed in elevating (no pun intended) the Last Son of Krypton to a level not seen since Christopher Reeve. The world wants to see Clark Kent at The Daily Planet, as well as the romantic chemistry between Clark/Superman and Lois Lane.
The time is now to capitalize on superheroes in popular culture, but Nolan and Co. proved that patience and the highest cinematic quality in writing, casting, acting, directing and consequential musical scoring is of paramount importance. There are many profound reasons why men in capes have sustained as important figures in our societies for decades upon decades and the greatest favor a filmmaker can do for these characters is to take them seriously and discover what makes them tick, why they’re eternally relevant and why they’re needed today.
Why put superheroes on the silver screen in the modern era? What’s the reason?
Fortunately, this new Superman is rooted in hope.
Happy Monday!
(Credit Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA Today Sports, via Reuters)
The Americans proved revenge is best served with a 5-2 win in the 2015 World Cup Final.
For the third time in their storied history, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) lifted the most coveted trophy in their sport: the World Cup. The Americans absolutely blitzed the Japanese from kickoff with four goals in the first 16 minutes of action, including Carli Lloyd’s hat trick. This shocking start was sublime for fans of the red, white and blue. Two-nil is firmly established as the worst lead in soccer, but the USWNT only gave their opponents a nine minute window to respond, which they dominated with superior possession, defensive prowess and more sensational goals. By the time you caught your breath, another highlight sequence ended up in the back of Japan’s net. And this game proved there was no shot too far-fetched, as Lloyd demonstrated in the 16th minute with a goal from half-field!
The 2015 World Cup Final was an amazing showcase for an American side visibly motivated to avenge their loss to Japan in the championship game four years earlier. Winning their first World Cup in 16 years in the shining sun of Vancouver was a fantastic sight for the USWNT, its coaches and fans. This generation of champions has inspired the next generation of soccer players with an unforgettable performance.
This game was the final big event of the 4th of July weekend and it was the perfect ending to our celebration of our nation’s declaration of independence 239 years ago and our relentless belief that anything is possible, which is a quintessential characteristic of the United States of America.
Have a Championship-Caliber Week!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 