Today is Thursday, August 21, 2025. Today I finally saw James Gunn’s new version of Superman at the local Midway Theatre at 3. Elliot eschewed seeing the film since the DC character is not his bag. I saw the film with my Austin Street Diner friend “Jerry.”

For those who haven’t seen it yet, I won’t give away the plot that much here. In the title role, Gunn cast David Corenswet who was seen earlier in Pearl and Twisters and he cast the star of television’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Rachel Brosnahan, as Superman’s earthly squeeze, Lois Lane. In this latest incarnation of the 87-year-old superhero, there is less emphasis on the origins of Superman. It’s suggested in flashbacks and a few scenes in which his adopted parents, Ma and Pa Kent, are seen onscreen. They are the most homespun couple you will ever see on the screen and they are played by Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as Martha Kent.

All in all, I enjoyed this newest version of Superman in that the principal character is seen more vulnerable and getting his ass kicked by many of his adversaries in the film. I believe Corenswet brings all the charm, sincerity, and strength to the role of Superman. The same goes for Rachel Brosnahan who brings a modern take on the Daily Planet’s star reporter, Lois Lane. In the film, she’s been seeing Clark Kent/Superman for three months but has her doubts about continuing the otherworldly relationship.

The film opens with an extended fight sequence pitting Superman against The Hammer of Boravia which leaves him on the ropes. This adversary comes to Metropolis looking for Superman after he has involved himself in an invasion between neighboring countries Boravia and Jarhanpur. While Superman and The Hammer square off against one another, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) works on his own plan to subvert the public perception’s of Superman in order to conquer him once and for all.

The movie gets bogged down a bit with extensive CGI usage and the emergence of another squad of heroes, the Justice Gang, fronted by Guy Gardner as Green Lantern, (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), who are brought in to pick up the pieces when Superman is sometimes injured in battles with his foes.

All of the main characters are acted quite well in the film. However, the film did seem overlong and too jumbled, with the over-reliance on pocket universes and other scientific mumbo-jumbo. The characters of Perry White (who is Black here) and Jimmy Olsen were underutilized as well as Superman’s adoptive parents. However, Superman’s dog, Krypto, is featured prominently in many scenes here. The CGI incarnation of the superhero’s dog seemed quite realistic, I must say.

My friend Jerry was more disillusioned with this Superman because he didn’t enjoy the overuse of CGI in the production. I can sympathize with him, but I did enjoy it overall. Here Hoult as Luther is not as humorous and clownish as he was portrayed by Gene Hackman back in 1978. He’s more ruthless and envious of Superman’s popularity which fuels his smear campaign against him throughout the movie.

All of social media and its toxicity is brought to the fore of this modern retelling of the comics legend. This is revealed as Luther carries out a misinformation campaign against Superman with the aid of social media. Also, the country of Boravia could then be compared, possibly, to Russia and Jarhanpur could be viewed as Ukraine according to today’s headlines. It is soon learned that Luther is secretly helping Boravia in its conflict against its neighboring country.

When the film ended, I called Elliot to meet us downstairs so that we could drive to Diner Bar for dinner. I lucked out in finding a spot around the corner and put in money for 40 minutes on the meter.

It was a nice day, despite the cool weather where I wore a jacket for the first time in August as well as jeans. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to be warmer, with temperatures in the 80s. I prefer this to an early fall in August.

Well, it’s late here and I cannot force myself to parrot the news of the day after seeing this paean to kindness, civility, and morality, all of it sorely lacking in this country at the moment!

And so it went!