cricketbat

Superman and the Mole Men is the first feature film based on any DC Comics character, so it deserves some respect for that. However, it's not that good. Even though this movie is less than an hour long, it feels longer. The plot drags on and it doesn't really feel like a Superman-level threat. George Reeves does a great job as both Clark Kent and the Man of Steel, though. Plus, despite the limited technology of visual effects in 1951, they still manage to make you believe a man can fly. I am glad I watched Superman and the Mole Men, from a historical perspective, but I doubt I will ever watch it again.

Even as a kid, I knew that Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was not a great movie, but I still liked it because I was a kid. I've grown up now and, despite my childhood nostalgia, the weaknesses are impossible to ignore. The budget cuts are apparent from the very beginning. Even though this was released almost a decade after the first Superman movie, the visual effects look worse. And the feeble script, the terrible dialogue, and the corny overacting don't do this sequel any favors. It's not really surprising that, after Superman IV, the Man of Steel took a cinematic break for around 20 years.

Catchy songs. Interesting animation. Clever story. There's not much to dislike about KPop Demon Hunters. To be honest, this movie wasn't really on my radar, but my kids were all asking to watch it, so we gave it a shot. I'm glad we did. Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo give vocal performances that really bring their characters to life, and it's enhanced by the animators having a great time with their facial expressions. The message of the movie gets a little muddled, and the ending left some loose ends, but I would gladly watch KPop Demon Hunters again and I'll give the soundtrack a listen, too.