Superman

Superman has quickly become one of my favorite comfort movies. i’ve seen it 3 times in the span of 2 months and i still love it to death. i could nitpick it a bit, but this movie means the world to me. not only does it perfectly capture everything i love about Superman, but also everything i love about cbms. i could gush about this movie all day long, but what i really want to focus on in this review is James Gunn’s direction. James has quickly become one of my favorite directors, and that’s because he makes cbms (a very big passion of mine) with an extraordinary vision. his style is so unique and fits perfectly with every project he does. everything is directed in a different way, but it all feels very “James Gunn.” i’ll focus on his DC stuff for right now. in The Suicide Squad, James uses a lot of whip pans and shaky cam to emphasize the team dynamic and it’s crazy cast of characters. it’s shot extremely energeticly, the camera is almost always moving. in Peacemaker, it’s shot almost like a documentary. from what i can tell, it’s almost entirely shot handheld. i love this because it’s taking us into the everyday life of Chris after his days as a Suicide Squad. there’s also a lack of score throughout most scenes, and if there is score, it’s almost never in your face. its very quiet, which helps emphasize the documentary feel. i’m obsessed with how Peacemaker is shot and directed. it feels so personal which fits the series extremely well. With Superman, James actually shoots it very still. the camera, and least during dialogue scenes, doesn’t really move a lot, which i believe to emphasize the stoic and confident nature of Superman. he’s a very strong and powerful figure, the camera being still on him is almost like his feet being firm on the ground. if you tried to push him he wouldn’t budge, so neither does the camera. during the action scenes, however, the camera moves A LOT, and it’s glorious. but it’s not shaky, still emphasizing the confidence and firmness Superman has. when he soars through the air, the camera will follow him calmly and collectively. but sometimes, it’s as if Superman moved so fast the camera operator didn’t notice, so now has to catch up to him. that’s not to say it’s all like this though. one of my favorite shots in the whole film is when a determined Superman races to the fortress to save Krypto. He’s frantically trying his best, going as fast as he can to reach Krypto in time, and the camera is struggling to follow him. it loses him for a second or two, but manages to keep up. it’s shot so wildly and crazily, giving the urgency needed. i am in love with how James Gunn directed Superman. it’s one of the best directed cbms in my opinion. i know none of this is a revelation to anyone, im just thinking aloud. i wanted to yap about how much i love James’ direction in this amazing movie. wonderful wonderful wonderful