Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

When it comes to romantic comedies, they just don't make them like they used to.

I usually hate that phrase. It's usually uttered by middle-aged men who complain that no music since the Beatles has been any good. WRONG!

But in the area of romantic comedies, it's true. I've only seen two true romantic comedies made after 1990 that have really pleased me enough to warrant a second look.

The first one is "Notting Hill", and the second is the s-korean romantic comedy "My Sassy Girl" (soon to be remade in Hollywood starring....Elisha Cuthbert...bleeeh). Of course, a lot of films have been either romantic or comedies, or had some element of each, that have been excellent, such as "About a Boy" or "Love Actually". I even have a soft spot for "Clueless". For me though, none of these count as true romantic comedies.

The dreck that is offered as romantic comedy today is stuff like "Failure to Launch". Give me a second while I vomit into my sleeve.

However, if you go back aways in time, you'll find about a million of 'em. Completely loveable, genuine and poignant romantic comedies. They both delight and set the heart a flutter. The thing about romantic comedies is that the formula is well established. They're never (almost never) very original. They don't have to be. The guy/girl either

a) ends up with the guy/girl, or
b) doesn't end up with the guy/girl, but realizes that it:
a) wasn't meant to be, and/or:
b) ends up with someone else who was the right guy/girl.

The magic is in the moments and performances. And golly, that's what lacking in today's films. I'm sorry, but whoever decided that Sandra Bullock and Matthew McConaughey had the charisma to rival the royalty of old Hollywood was WRONG.

Let's look back.

Cary Grant is THE KING of romantic comedies. He was not only incredibly handsome and fun to look at, but he was truly a terrific actor who knew what he could do, and what he couldn't. He stretched, but never further than he knew he was capable of. He wasn't above making fun of himself, but never tastelessly. There isn't a single embarrassing moment in his whole career. And it was a long one. He was never very young, but he never grew very old either. He aged gracefully and bowed out of the spotlight with his image still intact.

Notable films include:
The Philadelphia Story (with Katherine Hepburn, THE QUEEN of romantic comedies..more in a bit)
His Girl Friday
Bringing Up Baby
My Favorite Wife
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

and a great many more. Many of these are considered (and rightfully so) to be among the best romantic comedies of all time.

Katherine Hepburn is THE QUEEN of romantic comedies. Not only is she generally considered to be one of the finest actresses of all time (nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning 3). Made 9 films with the love of her life, Spencer Tracy, almost all of them excellent.

Notable films include:
The Philadelphia Story
Woman of the Year
Adam's Rib
Bringing Up Baby

Let's not forget THE PRINCESS of romantic comedies, the love of my life (outside my wife of course), Audrey Hepburn.
Beautiful, serene, delicate and a truly incredible actress.

Notable films are:
A Roman Holiday
Paris when it Sizzles
Sabrina
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Charade (with Cary Grant..but of course)

And not a single one of these films is made after 1964. How about that?

If somebody can point out a true romantic comedy that has not been mentioned in this article and is made more recently, I would be grateful. And please, don't give me "When Harry Met Sally" or "Sleepless in Seattle", 'cause that's not gonna fly.

Otherwise, I'm going to conclude that the sixties was the last decade that yielded any real results in this genre. And that's a shame, because if there is one thing I absolutely adore, it is a good romantic comedy.

Thou art more fair and more temperate

So...Superman Returns

I don't think I've ever seen such a big, expensive movie that is as far from being a crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster as this one.

When walking out, I heard snippets...."boooooring. Two hours of drama, and only a half hour of action"..."It was so LONG"...."Wow, that was gay"

This will probably be the general concensus.

However, the movie is brilliant. In my own humble opinion anyway.

The thing is, it's really a very adult film. Always a dangerous proposition when the vast majority of the film-going population breathes through the mouth. The film is issue laden and relies much more on mood and character building moments than on the next big action scene. Not to say that there aren't any, just that the film doesn't fall back on them because it doesn't have anything to say.

Far from it, it has a lot to say. It deals with abandonment, owning up to your mistakes, facing the past, doing your own part in bettering the world whether you have superpowers or not. And most of all, it deals with loneliness.

Superman is ALWAYS alone. He's the last of his kind. He'll never fit in anywhere. Despite the adoration of millions, his innate desire to do good, to be the shining light for mankind he was meant to be, he can never truly connect with anyone. They'll always be in danger, and more than that, no matter what he tries, he'll always be an alien. An outsider.

Lex Luthor quips in the film that Superman is a selfish god, one with both power and technology he isn't prepared to share with the world. However, it's painfully obvious that mankind isn't prepared for that kind of power and technology. It has to be earned, and cannot....should not....be given. That's one of the things that sets Superman apart. The painful realization that he has to make a judgement call on the whole of humanity. Be the judge of what they are capable of.

The film is big and filled with iconic imagery. Shots that are just lyrical and beautiful and poignant. However, it's also one of the most intimate films I've seen this year, and one of the most personal. It never feels to me that Singer is making the film for a huge audience. It always feels that he is making it for himself. As all art should be made, it's made from the desire of one man to express himself. To make a statement about something. To tell the world how he feels.

Superman Returns makes a statement. Unfortunately, it's not the one that people want to hear right now. I suspect that it will take many years until people slowly begin to realize the subtle genius of this film. It is this years Blade Runner.

In conclusion, I can only say...."KNEEL BEFORE ZOD". Kneel indeed.