�United 93�
On September 11, 2001, the biggest terrorist attack on American soil took place. The terrorist group know as Al-Qaeda attacked our World Trade Center and Pentagon using planes as a bomb. But one of those planes missed its target. This plane, United Airlines 93, was headed for our country�s capitol, but crashed in Pennsylvania. This is common knowledge to many Americans, but what many don�t realize is that the passengers of flight 93 had a great deal to do with the planes crash. They tried to overtake the hijackers and fly the plane to safety. We all know how it ended. The movie United 93 portrays this situation with the utmost care. The film is filmed in a documentary style, so all of the characters seem like real people. All of the actors are un-knowns, but each one of them gives a stronger performance than a big star could have done in the same role. We are not told any of the passengers names either, and that helps it seem more like we are on the flight with them. The whole beginning of the film shows the confusion we had at the airbase when the towers were attack. They scramble to get permission to shot down a passenger flight, but at the same time have their own feelings on the matter. What if this isn�t a hijacked plane? In the films final moments, as we see the passengers fighting to take back the plane, an overwhelming amount of emotion overcomes us, and as we see the plane heading straight for the ground, a sadness comes to us, the same one we had on the September morning. United 93 is the first movie ever to be made about 911, and it will remain the best. Every aspect of the movie is executed perfectly, and come time for Oscar nominations, United 93 and its director, Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday), will likely land themselves nominations and perhaps a win for a movie that is so beautifully haunting and respectful about events we all have our own feelings about.
�Superman Returns�
There were four original Superman movies, but Superman Returns ignores the crummy third and fourth movies and picks up where two left off. Superman went back to his home planet, Krypton, in Superman 2 because scientists found evidence it might still exists. They said it was destroyed, but Clark Kent has to see for himself. Now in Superman Returns, Clark has returned (hence the name) from Krypton and is now back in Metropolis. To everyone�s surprise, Lois Lane has settled down and made a family, including a young boy. She has also won the Pulitzer Prize for her article �Why the World Doesn�t Need Superman�. She is obviously angry with him. At the same time of Superman�s return, Lex Luther (who is brilliantly played by Kevin Spacey) is up to his old tricks. He has inherited a great deal of money from an old lady and now has her house and two dogs (well only one after one of the dogs eats the other). With this money, Lex makes a plot to destroy North America and become the leader with his new continent. I won�t go into detail, but the plan is great. Even if you don�t really care for Superman (myself included) this movie is still good. The film contains strong acting, great special effects, and a huge epic story line that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The direction from Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X2) is great and wonderfully handled. There is also an underlying allusion to Jesus throughout the movie, which adds more complexity to the film. There is one scene near the end that really demonstrates the power of the film. In the scene, Superman gets the crap beaten out of him by Lex and his cronies, and is very painful to watch. A movie that can make you cringe for a character you don�t usually care for has got to be a good movie.