Superman1978

99/100 This movie feels like what we need nowadays more than ever. In an era where cinema is plagued by insincere works scoffing at the fact they're superhero movies, this movie takes perhaps the most iconic superhero ever, and makes the bold decision to just play him straight, and weirdly enough, it works. This movie was heavily praised for its effect work when it came out, but I'm surprised at just how good the practical effects are even by today's standards. It's shocking just how well they work, especially the Superman flying effect. "You will believe a man can fly" indeed. The characters also hold up really well, particularly Christopher Reeve as Superman. While I personally liked David Corenswet more, it's close, and it's definitely not because of Superman himself. Reeve plays a great Superman, if a mediocre Clark Kent only because it feels more like Superman is the true self, which isn't my preferred interpretation. However, when he is Superman, Reeve gets to show off the true classic personality of the character. Really, this movie's got so many scenes of Superman saving people and I like all of them, as well as the emphasis placed on them. Superman is a symbol of hope first and foremost, and the film knows it. Weirdly enough, I also really liked Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. He's very different from the more serious versions we've seen later, but I think he's actually very funny with all his bits. Besides, no one can yell "Miss TESCHMACHER!" like he does. Really, this film finds strength in simplicity. In the modern era, it's easy to dismiss it as a collection of tropes, but it's what popularized those tropes in the first place, and they've rarely been done better. This is where the character of Superman really entered the public consciousness, and in my opinion, it's a masterpiece.