Man of Steel Review (SPOILERS AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES!)

Superman. Superman I feel is suppose to be the epitome of superheroes. The kind of superhero that other superheroes look up to, to become better than themselves and become an example for others to follow. With Zack Synder's recent film Man of Steel, I feel that Superman loses that idealism of that legendary hero. Yes, the action is packed, the effects are special, but the pacing and the characters, especially Superman, feel like they themselves have been affected by Kryptonite; stalled, fallen, and leaving them to suffer.


I must have to say that the ending is what change my opinion of the movie from a relatively okay, action movie with little substance to just poorly constructed overall. And it wasn't just the ending but the conflict and climax that led to the crudely decided resolution. I feel that the monstrosity began with the conflict with Zod in his spaceship traveling to the world machine devised to change the Earth into Krypton. Also traveling along with him in his alien spacecraft are the Kryptonian babies in the Matrix sacks being prepared to be birthed. Zod's flying over Metropolis which is quickly being demolished, preparing to shoot at a military flying thing that is aimed to destroy the Kryptonian world machine when, bap-bada-da, Superman flies in to stop him. Superman slices through Zod's command chair and is about to decimate the entire ship until Zod chimes in and says "If you destroy this ship, you destroy Krypton." Now, I understand that it is Zod's intention is human genocide and the reign of a new Krypton but I would say that this is the beginning of Superman's ill-suited and perhaps unjust acts. Instead of finding a possibly harmonious solution to this situation, he states that "Krypton had its chance" and lasers through the ship that smashes into several buildings, sending Zod to the ground, and disrupting permanently the birthing process of the unborn, matrix Kryptonians.


With this, I'd like to quote back to Mr. Jor-El at the beginning of the film stating to Zod, "And who will decide which bloodlines survive, Zod? You?"..."You've taken up the sword against your own people. I will honour the man you once were, Zod. Not this monster you've become." In an odd sense, Superman unknowingly disregards this concept in the movie initially directed at Zod, THE VILLAIN, and commits an unusual form of genocide towards his own people; the Kryptonians. It's also a dastardly act towards Superman fans where Zack Synder in a way took up a sword to his own people and just sliced away their hopes of a good Superman movie.This is the first of a certain number of stages where I feel Superman slowly transforms into something he shouldn't: a villain and not just any villain either: ZOD. Zod having strong intentions of annihilating the human race is later replaced with Superman's unlawful actions of destroying the Kryptonians and sending them to die in the ruins of his adopted planet.


After the reaction of the phantom-drives colliding as a result of the military's help, Zod is left without purpose. It is established that he is a warrior class Kryptonian with ever intention to sustain and keep Krypton alive. Superman destroyed his ideals and initiative and Zod, hitting rock-bottom, sets out to destroy Superman and the human races he holds so dear. To be honest, in these moments where Zod loses pretty much everything, I can feel for him; his depression, his confusion, and especially his anger. It comes to me as understandable for a character like Zod and perhaps even human. It is possibly the most intriguing moment and gives a great opportunity for real development for this character...but is later disregarded through Superman's cliche line "You're a monster Zod, and I'm going to stop you" and the fight between the two last sons of Krypton commences; the moment simply lost.


I would like to take a sidenote for a moment to talk about the characters. Before the fight we have Superman and Lois engage in a sweet, romantic kiss; however, it seemed forced. That's when I realized that these characters: Perry, Martha Kent, Lois, even Superman, aren't really characters but rather homages to the original source material simply placed into the DC universe to make a subtle nod to the comic fanatics; attempting to show that "Hey, we read comics, too. *Wink Wink" but not really. It just seems that the simply look at the comic panels rather than actually READING the comic books. The characters are also used to properly move the main character any help with whatever plot is happening. For instance, Zod has Lois aboard his ship with Superman. Why? BLAH, that's why. The real reason she's on there is so that she can use the Kryptonian USB, talk to Jor-El, and tell Superman how to destroy the world machine. There's no greater purpose. Any other instance would be when she's on the military aircraft on route to the world machine. Why is she on there? PFFT. She's only there because when the aircraft crashes, Superman has a reason to come and rescue her. And do any of these militaristic actions of finding the enemies weak points spark any romance in your hearts? Of course not. Superman isn't Aladdin showing her a whole new world; he's destroying it before her very eyes like some mongrel you adopted from the pen that destroyed your backyard and trashed about a squirrel. We don't properly understand why the characters are in the movie aside from bringing in simple conflicts to make the main conflict more tense, to move the main character along through the story, or remind audience that, "Hey, there are humans in this, too." Anyways, I digress. Back to the fighting!


The fight as an action scene is very much entertaining and I'll admit that when watching these two marvels duke it out through Metropolis, my man-brain was pumping with adrenaline and thirsty for more; picturing my own personal jabs to the maniacal Zod. I don't think that there's any kind of objection to that this was possibly the most entertaining fight scenes with live-action Superman ever regardless of its repetition. But with this, there is a blatantly ironic problem that I see important in mentioning.


 First, that before the story acknowledges that Zod is alive from his fall to Earth, a Jenny chimes in to say that Superman saved them. Who's Jenny? She was that girl trapped in the rubble that no one really cared about. Anyways in a way, I would totally agree with female Jimmy Olson replacement. If it were not for Superman destroying part of the "World Machine" that Metropolis and the entire world would be doomed. Fair enough. My problem is that a now partially decimated Metropolis with what I could imagine to be several casualties with many wounded civilians and a plethora of destroyed buildings that, I felt, reminded us of the treacherous acts of 9/11, is being trounced further into the dirt and the dust caused by the conflict between these two Kryptonian titans. At no point does Superman think about the civilians or the city during his confrontation with Zod presenting this type of disregard or lack of an obligation to protect the citizens of Metropolis once again. Instead he smashes through building after building potentially harming more humans; those who he has committed genocide to protect. Maybe this disregard and destruction of human property was foreshadowed from when Superman drove the large logs through the grab-assing hick's truck near the beginning of the film. Also, perhaps instead of simply saying "He saved us" it would be better suited to say, "He saved the rest of us...oh wait, maybe not, hang on."


 Part way through the destruction of Metropolis, Zod announced a particular statement to the man of steel. "Either you die, or I do." Words of a classic villain blinded by anger and revenge. Words that resonate the cold, black and white perspective of Zod. It was at this moment that I believed that Superman would prove Zod wrong, showing that not all things have to result in such violent acts and resolving the conflict with Zod in a way that proves harmonious and hopeful for the future like most would believe Superman would do. Or perhaps, show that Zod has much more to live for and find his own purpose only for Zod to arrogantly reject and fall under his on actions. Superman would show that it doesn't always go for the way of the monster. I was proven wrong. Regardless of Christopher Nolan's thoughts on the matter, it was decided that Superman would enforce his own justice and brutality. After much smashing and bashing that one would think would be better suited for another Hulk reboot, the two Kryptonians crash into what looks like a large train station that closely resembles that of Grand Central Station in New York City.


Superman has Zod in a kind of "Sleeper hold" that incapacitates that unfortunate general; however, this would not stop the monster completely. Zod begins to force Superman's hand (puns all intended) but setting his heat vision on a trapped and defenseless family. This apparently leaves Superman to do what audience members believed, and hoped, Superman would never do: he killed Zod. Before Zod could toast the adorable, nuclear family, Superman grabs hold of Zod's head and neck and twists to snap his head leaving him limp and dead on the ruined floor of this once-was building. I don't think anyone saw this coming and I think it was because it was never hinted, foreshadowed, or followed any of the themes or concepts established throughout the film. Not only that, he proves Zod right; he gave into the polarity of the situation that Zod proposed that would inevitably result in someone's death. And further more, showing little remorse for his violent and life-changing action. The idea of "a good death is its own reward" seemed to be a subtle theme adopted late into the film but this is not a good or honourable death and there certainly is no reward.


After he twists the neck of Zod and is on the floor described as if written by Natalie Imbrulia, Superman screams and cries and later comforted by Lois Lane for no more than a minute on screen until it is abruptly cut to a different scene all together where he shows no sadness, no depression, nothing. Instead, we are invited to a scene where Superman has a chat with General Swanwick (who? UGH, that's who. Who are these characters even?) about his whereabouts to which addresses a bucket of another set of problems I feel fitting to make another sidenote. General Swanwick is asking Superman a rather pressing question about whether or not the United States can trust him. To counter this argument Superman replies by saying, "I grew up in Kansas, General. I'm about as American as it gets. Look, I'm here to help but it has to be on my own terms." What. The. HELL?! Not only is this argument not sound but he implies that you just have to trust that whatever he does is to help. I think I can rattle off a couple of Americans that didn't have America's best interest at heart. Like, really?! After he just committed genocide to an alien race and partly demolished a heavily populated city. That doesn't exactly exude confidence in the superman. Not only that, but we have to simply obey him, his will be done if you will. Goddamn, if I were the general there, some big red flags would be waving furiously in my head. Isn't this also the type of tyrannical thinking General Zod would have come up with to control the masses.? We have a god amongst us and now we have to deal with the consequences.


With the inevitable sequel, I see no reason that Lex Luthor denounce Superman and want him gone. Of course, all of these issues are forgotten after the attractive female soldier says how Superman is "kinda hot" making the cheap seats chuckle and the rest have feelings of nausea. We end the film with Lois meeting with Clarke, disguised, at the Daily Planet and Lois saying "Welcome to the planet." Appropriate to the alien being from a distant planet; however, it's seems apparent that not all humans are happy to have the new man in blue on the silver screen. Superman doesn't come off as some guardian angel at all to this as he should or some space messiah from way on high but rather a harbinger of death or a horsemen of the apocalypse. Now that's some biblical action I can get behind...just not for Superman. And that brings me to my last sidenote.


For a character that had a strong Christ-like motif throughout the film, I found it unusual that he would commit such an act. Coming from a "miracle birth" that I'm still having some trouble understanding, traveling around the world, performing his own "miracles," and making a trip to church clearly establish this prominent resemblance with the saviour of the Christian religion. This is also clearly shown when Lois is in danger and Superman leaves space from a spaceship, arms stretched, legs together, clearly resembling a crucified christ-like figure. I just don't really remember the gospel story of when Jesus went out to Jerusalem, thrashed about a couple of temples, and choked out Pontius Pilate only to skip away after and have make-out sessions with Mary Magdalene from my days as a boy going to church on Sundays. To get to the point, it's just out of character and out of sync with the rest of the film.


To attempt to make a long story short, Superman destroys the villain's family, duty, and "soul" and then later kills Zod with his bare hands. It was at this moment where I thought that Zod won in a weird sense of the idea. No, Earth is not Krypton but his ideals and actions are repeated through the man of steel. Perhaps that's why Zod was smiling just before his demise; he knew Superman was done and become the new threat: General Kal, the last being of the destroyed planet of Krypton.


Just for fun, to possibly prevent Superman's rise of rank, I will now purpose my solution to the Zod calamity:


When Zod's about to zap away the picture-perfect screaming family, have Superman fly up into the sky (a typical move for Superman), choke Zod out (the movie made it apparent that his vision was reliant on Earth's atmosphere), and take him back to your fortress of solitude where that open Kryptonian capsule is that is likely to be a Easter Egg for a Supergirl appearance...or maybe Krypto the superdog. Who knows. That or before all that nonsense have the Kryptonians make another Krypton on Venus, Mercury, or any other planet aside from Earth. Traveling to Earth wasn't so hard; what's another couple miles?


The idea of Superman he that he is a super man; a man that is super. Superman is suppose to be more than a man, better than a man, but through this murder he shows that he's no better than an animal. For the superhero that is to be a personification of good, it's just so disappointing and saddening to see such an optimistic character fall to the temptation he's been raised to deny try and solve the conflict using his mind rather than his muscles and aggression like your typical douchebag who didn't get any pussy on Friday night. I don't mean to sound like an old man but what kind of example does this show to kids? I know I held Superman in a certain light; trying to be rational and making the best resolution without having to resort to violence. But now we have another simple alpha male flexing and punching (and snapping necks) to remove his problems. To quote Jor-El again, "You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards." I understand that it is important to fight for what you believe and love but an ideal that involves genocide, destruction, and cold-blooded murder don't come off as some sort of wonders I would hope to accomplish.


 For a simple action movie with special effects and cool, alien costuming, it does what it set out to do. But when it comes to the story, the characters, and the morality and justice and is related so closely with Superman, it falls short as if smashed to the ground by the Kryptonian world machine. The film comes off as a series of quick winks to the comic fans, quickly thought out conflicts, and a controversial ending that was not properly thought out. When Jor-El said, "They'll race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall, but in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal" that it was more in a literal sense of the idea that, when we join Superman in the sun, you feel burned, hurt, and regret about why you followed him in the first place.

Canadian Sculpture Centre and a Website

I'm showing my work "Battle Damage" at the Canadian Sculpture Centre from June 8th to July 8th for the 16th Annual Juried Graduating Sculpture Student Exhibiton. The Show is fantastic showing other work from other key graduate artists around Ontario. Below are the poster/postcard they used. They used one of my photographs for it, to which I am grateful.





Also I have my own website now so check it out at www.billygarland.com. Later Internet lovers!

To catch you up

Alright, I've been very busy this year with a number of things so I am going to quickly sum up the past year in this one post in point form. Here goes.

- I was the President of the Visual Arts Students Association (VASA) at the university I was attending

- Curated, along with VASA, the show "We are here to" at the Twist Gallery in March 2011

- Grew a beard

- Worked as a sculpture studio monitor for plaster, wood, and metal

- Finished teachers college

- Graduated with a BFA and BEd

- Presented old and new works in various galleries in Toronto (Resistor, Gales, Special Projects, etc.)

- Working on my own type of autobiographical comic book

- Made a new intense sculptural work called "Battle Damage" (more on the piece next post!)

- Showed my new sculptural with select artists at the show Parallax in May at 85 Bedford in Toronto

- Nominated for the BMO First Art Award for my new sculptural piece

- Met Brendan Tang (Really cool guy and amazing artwork)

- Selected to show my work in the Sculptor Society of Canada's 16th Annual Sculptors Society of Canada's 16th Annual Juried Graduating Sculpture Student Exhibition from June 8th to July 8th. Reception/Awards Ceremony is at 500 Church Street, Toronto on June 9th at 6:30pm

- Moved back to my hometown

So things are looking up and I am dreadfully sorry for not being better with my blog. Sorry blog, it'll never happen again. And to you all you Internet Enthusiasts, I hope you enjoy this post. More drawings, sculptures, and other artworks soon to follow!

Summer's almost gone, here's some art

Here's some art I did over the summer. I've also decided to make a graphic novel based on my life and have planned out an entire chapter/intro/prologue. More on that later. Other than that, I'm going to be starting school soon, work on my gods series, make some more paper sculptures (gods, goddesses, and possibly a life-size t-rex skeleton), and possibly some more tv and computer work like you see here. Anyways, hope the Internet and the arts are treating everyone well and you are all having a wonderful summer.

Long time, no posts...

Title of the post says it all. I've been busy. Here's some art to compensate for ignoring you art and Internet enthusiasts.

Sneak Peek

Hey,

Just wanted to show you Art and Internet enthusiasts a sneak peak into what I'm working on. I've been bad and focusing more on my studies than my artwork right now so you're gonna have to bite the bullet here. Anyways, small sneak peak into my god drawings.

Pics from Paper Bones Show

Hey!

Here are some pics from my first solo show at what's called the Brief Gallery (established by Robert Clements). Most interesting show I've been a part of especially with regards to the audience and the relational aspects to the show. Anyways, enough typing, here's some pics! Enjoy!

Q: Two shows this week? A: Hell yes

Hey Internet and Art enthusiasts,

I have two shows this week at York University. One is a group show with a bunch of super talented drawing students that are pushing the boundaries of drawing itself! The other is a bit more "out there" where I will be putting in my paper skeleton into a study room of the scott library for a short period of time. I think this should be really awesome on account the art is in a section of the campus not occasionally open to this type of art work. Should be a good time. Anyways, the drawing show will be open all week in the Gales Gallery and my library show known as Paper Bones will be happening Wednesday the 10th from 12PM to 2:30PM (you can only book off these study rooms for so long). Well, hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Billy

the reception photos

Here are some pics of the Los Rechazados show I was in last week with Anahita Loghmanifar, Samantha Madonik, Joshua Vettivelu, and Andrea White. Also, just wanna say thanks to all who came out. Really appreciate it, thanks again

Some news and a paper hand

Hello Interneters,

I'll be setting up my group show "Los Rechazados" come this Sunday and hope to see a lot of people there. I also engaged in a 24 hour workshop (12 hours each day) to produce some artwork so I made a paper hand and put it into a gallery with several other works. Here are some pics of the hand:






I've also gotten back into drawing (havent been drawing as much because of classes and whatnot) but it will take some time to finish them due to the amount of detail. I'll show some "in progress" photos later on.

Anyways, Los Rechazados reception will be at Gales Gallery at York, this Thursday from 6-9PM. See you there!

skeleton and los rechazados

Hey Guys,
Haven't posted in a while. Here are two pics of a piece I've been working on for a long while. It is a skeleton I have constructed completely out of paper and masking tape. It'll be in a group show called "Los Rechazados" with four other emerging artists. For more information, contact me via gmail or by any other means. Cheers!

five-person show

I'm going to be in a five-person group show in late January (25th - 29th). I'm showing with several other emerging artists of different mediums and standpoints. I imagine the reception would be on the Thursday so, if you have time, come down. More information later or if you want to know more comment or contact me.

december now...

New post and it has been a while. School has been a little hectic but here I am and I have pictures. For the past little while I have been occupied with studio classes and other classes mainly focusing my time in foundry and in video. For foundry, I have been working on a bronze apple. It's really surprising that I spent perhaps three months on something that's as big as my fist. I've also been working on some absurd videos. The last one I did was, more or less, a modern take on Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. If you're interesting in seeing it or perhaps buying it, contact me via email. I will have pictures and possibly the video uploaded soon but no promises on the video. I might just take some screenshots of it. Anyways, here are some pics of the paper version of myself I entitled "Big Dummy"





Copyright Billy Garland 2009

interesting developments...

Dear Internet,

How are you? I am fine. Just thought I should let you know what's been going on as of late. Well, if you might have noticed, I have added some links of other artist friends that I like so you can investigate their artworks and that. The works range all over the place: drawing, painting, photo, sculpture, miniatures, and computer art.

I would like to add as well that I will be having an upcoming group show in the Gales Gallery of York University in January 2010. I am planning to have a sculpture in the show and one to three drawings. More details to come. Thanks for listening Internet. You're pretty cool.

Sincerely,

Billy

'nother gallery

Alright, so I have another gallery show in the Eleanors Winters Art Gallery. Different show, same awesomeness. The show is called "SHOW OFF" and I will be showing with many other great emerging artists like myself. In this show, I will be putting in one of my sculptures that is a 3D version of myself composed entirely out of paper. Here's a sneak peak of the sculpture:


Now the show starts Monday September 28th and the reception is October 1st from 6:30PM to 8:30PM so if you have some time to eat some food, drink some wine, and appreciate some good art, you should definitely come down and check it out.

Self Portrait

Hey, I just did a self portrait for some education course. Although it is for an odd class, I still put the effort in and I think I did a pretty good job. Haven't drawn a real self portrait in a while. Here it is!


The quality of the photo isn't that great and will be trying to find a way to scan certain drawings in the near future.

So it's been a while...

Thought it was too long since I last posted so I am diligently posting now to make up for lost time. Now, to bring you back up to speed. I'm taking a bunch of courses at the moment hence my lack of posting. I'm taking video art and just finished making an uncut one minute short video on the question "what am I doing here?" so I naturally based my video on procrastination.

I'm taking another studio as well; foundry. Getting to play with wax, bronze, and aluminum so that should be fun. I already have a couple ideas and I'll reveal them all in due time.

I'm also in the middle of a large drawing 22" x 30" and will speak more about as time goes on.

Alright, I have a gallery reception coming up on Thursday from 630 to 830PM so if you want to come check out some art or just want to get your fill of free cheese and that come on down to Winters College at York University. That's all for now.

Back to school, a gallery, and twitter

Alright so I'm going back to school tomorrow. Not terribly excited about it but I think I'll be ok.

Anyways, I will be having two of my works put into the Eleanor Winters Art Gallery of York University. The gallery showings are from 14th to the 25th of September and the gallery is open from 12 to 4PM, I think. I believe the reception is on the 24th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM. This is a group show where the theme is based around comics so I'm submitting my "Prime" TV and the dinosaur/robot painting that I have just recently finished. OK, so if you want to check out my work, see me, or just have some free food at the reception, I would definitely suggest coming down.

I would also like to add that I have just recently made a twitter account for those you like twitter. I update it when I can so for those who are interested in what I'm doing when I'm not blogging my twitter site is http://twitter.com/billygarland. Simple as that. Alright, that's it, hope everyone enjoys their last days of summer.

monitors and screens

In the past little while, I have been collecting old television screens and computer monitors. I find something very interesting about these things like they hold so many connotations and whatnot, it's crazy. Anyways, I've stacked four computer monitors on top of one another and contemplating about painting a self portrait of myself (a portrait of myself around the same time when the internet started becoming really popular).


Just some thoughts. Some other ideas involve the idea of the "ghost in the machine" and a possible computer monitor "totem pole." I've already made an artwork with an old television set. Some play on mythology, technology, pop culture and seizures. I had it in a gallery downtown earlier this year in the Whippersnapper with some other artists. I'd turn on the TV to an epileptic type of static for an emphasis on seizures or a religious ecstasy (similar to what you would see in some Renaissance paintings). I'm still not sure what to call it but, for now, I'm calling it "Prime."

hometown

So I went back to my hometown to see my family before I go back into school. While I was down in there, I happened to come across some old fancy photos of landscapes and that that looked straight out of Value Village so I brought them back to Toronto with me and thinking about adding some crazy monsters and robots into them. I'm thinking I'll have to use mylar because they're photos and the paint might not stay on very well. Anyways, that is what's goin' on. Still working on my dinosaur/robot painting and keep you updated when I think it looks awesome enough.