Superman Never Made Any Money?
A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed Thunderbirds and lamented that lately, there had been a glut of superhero movies. I remember reading that it wasn't just the ultimate escapism yearned for by a society no longer able to deal with ... well; society; it went deeper. We needed simple plotlines for a couple of generations with declining reading skills. We didn't want nuance; we wanted a guy on a white horse, squaring off against a guy with a black hat. Simple narrative, good versus evil, throw in a little teenage angst (with great power comes great responsibility) and there you have it. That may all be true, but a simpler explanation might be that Hollywood producers will keep making the same shit over and over until they stop making money. Movies are risky, and EPs want to avoid betting on having a great new idea. The best script in the world might not click with the public that year? They are fine with not winning awards if they can invest a hundred million in a movie with great special effects, and not worry about scripts or actors.
So, the modern genre really started when the special effects boys (ya, I said it) could make you believe a man could fly. That line was actually in the trailer, and it was a revelation. Christopher Reeves as Superman came out in 1978. Slowly, the genre momentum builds. Eleven years pass, and we get Batman in 1989. Twelve more years ... The Matrix, Avatar, X-Men. In 2016, we got the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history. Deadpool. All fantastic movies. To those, I would round out my list with perhaps My Ex-Super Girlfriend and Hancock. That's it. Great superhero movies with something new to say over nearly fifty years. Guess how many we actually got? I was shocked:
#1. Superman: The Movie (Dec 1978)
#2. Superman II (June 1981)
#3. Swamp Thing (Feb 1982)
#4. Superman III (June 1983)
#5. Supergirl (Nov 1984)
#6. Howard the Duck (Aug 1986)
#7. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (July 1987)
#8. The Return of Swamp Thing (May 1989)
#9. Batman (June 1989)
#10. Batman Returns (June 1992)
#11. Batman Forever (June 1995)
#11b. Lois & Clark (Dec 1996)
#12. Batman & Robin (June 1997)
#13. Steel (Aug 1997)
#14. Blade (Aug 1998)
#15. X-Men (July 2000)
#16. Blade II (March 2002)
#17. Spider-Man (May 2002)
#18. Daredevil (Feb 2003)
#19. X2: X-Men United (May 2003)
#20. Hulk (June 2003)
#21. The Punisher (April 2004)
#22. Spider-Man 2 (June 2004)
#23. Catwoman (July 2004)
#24. Blade: Trinity (Dec 2004)
#25. Elektra (Jan 2005)
#26. Constantine (Feb 2005)
#27. Batman Begins (June 2005)
#28. Fantastic Four (July 2005)
#29. X-Men: The Last Stand (May 2006)
#30. Superman Returns (June 2006)
#31. Ghost Rider (Feb 2007)
#32. Spider-Man 3 (May 2007)
#33. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (June 2007)
#34. Iron Man (May 2008)
#35. The Incredible Hulk (June 2008)
#36. The Dark Knight (July 2008)
#37. Punisher: War Zone (Dec 2008)
#38. Watchmen (March 2009)
#39. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 2009)
#40. Iron Man 2 (May 2010)
#41. Jonah Hex (June 2010)
#42. Thor (May 2011)
#43. X-Men: First Class (June 3, 2011)
#44. Green Lantern (June 17, 2011)
#45. Captain America: The First Avenger (July 2011)
#46. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (Feb 2012)
#47. The Avengers (May 2012)
#48. The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3, 2012)
#49. The Dark Knight Rises (July 20, 2012)
#50. Iron Man 3 (May 2013)
#51. Man of Steel (June 2013)
#52. The Wolverine (July 2013)
#53. Thor: The Dark World (Nov 2013)
#54. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 2014)
#55. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2, 2014)
#56. X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, 2014)
#57. Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug 1, 2014)
#57b. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Aug 8, 2014)
#58. Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 2015)
#59. Ant-Man (July 2015)
#60. The Fantastic Four (Aug 2015)
#61. Deadpool (Feb 2016)
#62. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 2016)
#63. Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
#64. X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27, 2016)
#65. Suicide Squad (Aug 2016)
#66. Doctor Strange (Nov 2016)
#67. Logan (March 2017)
#68. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 (May 2017)
#69. Wonder Woman (June 2017)
#70. Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 2017)
#70b. Inhumans (Sept-Nov 2017)
#71. Thor: Ragnarok (Nov 3, 2017)
#72. Justice League (Nov 17, 2017)
#73. Black Panther (Feb 2018)
#74. Avengers: Infinity War (April 2018)
#75. Deadpool 2 (May 2018)
#76. Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 2018)
#77. Venom (Oct 2018)
#78. Aquaman (Dec 2018)
#79. Captain Marvel (March 2019)
#80. Shazam! (April 5, 2019)
#81. Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
#82. Dark Phoenix (June 2019)
#83. Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2019)
#84. Joker (Oct 2019)
#85. Birds of Prey (Feb 2020)
#86. The New Mutants (Aug 2020)
#87. Wonder Woman 1984 (Dec 2020)
#87b. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (March 2021)
#88. Black Widow (July 2021)
#89. The Suicide Squad (Aug 2021)
#90. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Sept 2021)
#91. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Oct 2021)
#92. Eternals (Nov 2021)
#93. Spider-Man: No Way Home (Dec 2021)
#94. The Batman (March 2022)
#95. Morbius (April 2022)
#96. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 2022)
#97. Thor: Love and Thunder (July 2022)
#98. Black Adam (Oct 2022)
#99. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Nov 2022)
#100. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Feb 2023)
#101. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 2023)
#102. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 (May 2023)
#103. The Flash (June 16, 2023)
#104. Blue Beetle (Aug 18, 2023)
#105. The Marvels (Nov 10, 2023)
#106. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (Dec 20, 2023)
#107. Madame Web (Feb 14, 2024)
#108. Deadpool 3 (May 3, 2024)
#109. Venom 3 (July 12, 2024)
#110. Captain America: Brave New World (July 26, 2024)
#111. Kraven the Hunter (Aug 30, 2024)
#112. Joker: Folie à Deux (Oct 4, 2024)
#113. Untitled Sony/Marvel movie (Nov 8, 2024)
#114. Thunderbolts (Dec 20, 2024)
#115. Blade (Feb 14, 2025)
#116. Fantastic Four (May 2, 2025)
#117. Untitled Sony/Marvel movie (June 27, 2025)
#118. Superman: Legacy (July 11, 2025)
#119. The Batman Part II (Oct 3, 2025)
#120. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (May 1, 2026)
#121. Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027)
There were seven in 2023? Eight in 2024? I have stopped watching. One article I read made this suggestion: Before the big three religions all proclaimed there was ONE GOD ... we were a pretty polytheistic bunch. The Egyptians, the Romans, the Greeks. Every ancient society had a plethora of Gods to worship. One for each emotion, one for the sea, one for weather, one threw lightning bolts, etc. etc. Maybe we just missed them so much that we brought them back and put them in Spandex? Worship away if you must, but I have had enough. BTW, Batman is not a superhero.
Next week, you will get my Mitchz Kitchen Best Picture Winners 1957 - 2025. I am thinking only one movie from the above list makes the grade.
The Dead Zone
I seem to get a sense, long before it happens, that an otherwise successful restaurant or business is circling the drain. There was a bar across from Angel's Diner (Tailgate Charlie's maybe?), and I was in for lunch instead of the occasional dust-up after work. Food sucked, service sucked, and it had this funeral feel. I said to my companion what I was thinking, and she said, "this place packs em in at night!" I was not feeling it. A year later, out of the blue ... closed. That was twenty years ago. Since then, dog groomers, Pennywhistle, the Jamaican patty place downtown, Sun Sun, Squirrel Tooth Alice's, David's Tea, Jose's Noodle Factory. It's like that face-melting mirror scene from Poltergeist? Staff just have a look about them. I assume it's because "the writing is on the wall" ... in the staff bathroom.
Anyway, my spidey sense went off last Saturday at the Rona on Dawson. Rona carries a downspout connector that I needed for a project, but online showed none at our store. Because of that, you could not place an online order, so I drove over just before lunch. I had the part number, SKU number, a a screenshot, you know, everything. There were only two, count em, two cars in the parking lot. There were two cashiers when you walked in. I spotted a lady standing over in the paint department and three guys at the service desk. "Can we help you, sir? Yup, I'd like two of these (pointing to my screenshot). Your site says you don't have any. Could it be wrong? Nope, we don't stock that item. That's fine. I completely understand. Could you order me two? Nope, that company is not one we can source from directly. Could you get the stores in Kitchener or Cambridge (who both have dozens of these in stock), to send two over? Nope, those are Rona Plus stores, and we are not really affiliated with them. Sorry about that, sir. Drop in again when you need a product that is listed on our website. Have a nice day."
Now, I avoid Homeless Depot like the plague. The CEO gave millions to elect the Fondling Father, but I drove up to see what they might have. The place was mobbed. Same bat time. Same bat channel ... and there is a Princess Auto being built just up the road! You heard it here first. Rona in Guelph. Bye Bye.
My Optimum Week
I was shaking my head as I read the flyer. Some great deals on the first page, then kinda sorta nothing? When I got onto the Optimum site to look at my offers, same thing. Then I saw they were having a rare Zehr's Bonus Redemption Event. When they are giving you bonus points at Zehr's instead of Shoppers, I think they figure we have done enough? What I might suggest is we take them at their word? The mid-level redemption looks about right. I gave you a short list with just the great deals, and that should leave you some headroom for your fridge list. There are some new ribs to try, and my favourite cut of chicken (boneless skinless thighs) is half price! I would throw just over the $175 in my cart, drop the 150K in points and walk out for free. Try not to spend too many points on full-price items. Here is your list:
What I'm Reading
Greg Bear
We Are Watching
Season 2 of Karen Pirie - They came back with a great sophomore season of this fresh new detective drama from across the pond. Lauren Lyle is following in the footsteps of Nicola Walker who we hear is getting a North American crime drama! Well worth your time.
... and finally
It's funny how that food you reviled as a child (see how I did that) suddenly becomes your gourmet "go-to" as an old man. I like them blanched for five minutes in heavily salted water, then drain and carefully cut them in half. Fry them face down in butter until golden, then toss them with a a pinch of the herb of your choice, salt and Parmesan cheese. I think I gave you recipe before? This is new. Frog Balls! Apparently, the frogs can hop further once the procedure is done? I can't predict when bs's might go on sale, but I will put this recipe up again when it happens. I'm going to make a bunch. I think they will be great on the plate (did it again) next winter when all I have is Spam and soda crackers for my Ploughman's Lunch.
Elle
IBAT and my movie list next week.
Mitch and Maddie