Arts & Entertainment
Franchise fizzle?
Successful Superman reboot proves elusive with limp ‘Man of Steel’
Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Man of Steel.’ (Photo courtesy Warner Bros.)
In a 21st-century dominated by multi-dimensional heroes like Batman and Iron Man, the Superman franchise conjures up feelings of all-American nostalgia more than anything. Zack Snyder, director of “Man of Steel,” attempts to depart from this in his summer blockbuster, but does not replace it with anything more substantial leaving us essentially with another explosion extravaganza but little else.
Henry Cavill is a promising actor, but his performance as the extra-terrestrial from Krypton is not for one second believable. Cavill seems most comfortable during the beginning of the film, which due to production by Christopher Nolan (who also did the “Batman” franchise), is a lengthy and morose sequence of fragmented scenes that document Clark Kent’s self-discovery. Nolan’s influence makes Superman’s clearly demarcated sense of good and evil feel unnatural and all too simple.
Cavill brings too much rugged sex appeal to the role, making him more reminiscent of Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine in “X-Men” than of someone who would wear a red cape in all seriousness.
It’s a tough role to pull off — while Brandon Routh in 2006’s “Superman Returns” arguably captured the role better with his more innocent approach, it clearly wasn’t strong enough to have led to a successful franchise. Cavill is intriguing, dynamic and has undeniable charisma, yet it feels like he’s holding back as the script gives him little to work with in terms of characterization or complexity. While Cavill’s performance leaves some things to be desired, he isn’t ultimately to blame for the film’s shortcomings.
“Man of Steel” opens with a home-birth on Krypton as the planet is self-destructing. Russell Crowe goes through the motions as Jor-El, baby Kal-El’s father, who rockets his son to Kansas to preserve his race. General Zod (Michael Shannon) is introduced as the film’s forgettable villain as he attempts to steal Krypton’s Codex — a log of the planet’s genetic information — from Kal-El, which remains a theme for the entirety of the movie as Zod threatens to reconfigure earth into a new Krypton at humanity’s expense.
Unfortunately, the dialogue in “Man of Steel” is as melodramatic and bland on earth as it is on Krypton. (The film’s writer, David S. Goyer, clearly is not afraid of clichés.) For the first hour, scenes jump from school buses and cornfields in Kansas to Arctic tundra with little context given, and some sort of loud catastrophe quickly interrupts any conversation that seems like it will reveal something about the characters.
Diane Lane and Kevin Costner do a perfectly satisfactory job as Clark Kent’s adoptive parents. Amy Adams, however, never seems invested in her role as reporter and love interest, Lois Lane. Adams practically sleepwalks through life or death scenes, and her kiss with Clark Kent toward the end of the movie is awkward and forced. It’s not that Adams and Cavill lack the ability to portray a believable romance; they simply do not have the script to do so, even though “Man of Steel” is an origins story that should make the audience feel attached to its characters.
The majority of the film feels like a confusing dream of drawn-out action scenes. It becomes all too easy to forget who is fighting whom, and for what reason, as Cavill darts through the air. “Man of Steel’s” shining moments are the interspersed scenes of Superman’s childhood, with a young Clark Kent played by Dylan Sprayberry and Cooper Timberline. Both actors do a fine job capturing Kent’s teen angst, sense of alienation and repressed desire to use his powers for good in a world that would not accept him.
Even though “Man of Steel” is a long 143 minutes, it goes by quickly, perhaps due to Hans Zimmer’s overpowering score and the confusion caused by Snyder’s non-linear plot. In the film’s defense, it’s difficult to create a Superman story that appeals to contemporary America. Superman’s unwavering sense of right and wrong fit so well during the Cold War, but now his narrative seems naive with more widespread recognition of the country’s internal issues and fear that its global supremacy is waning.
“Man of Steel” ends with the promise of a sequel as Cavill puts on Clark Kent’s endearingly nerdy glasses. Perhaps without the need to jumble together a creation story, it’s more likely Snyder will pull off a sequel should this chapter’s box office take justify it.
History
Julius’ Bar ‘sip-in’ laid groundwork for Stonewall
Tuesday marked 60 years since four gay activists held protest
While Stonewall is widely considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S., a lesser-known protest inside a Greenwich Village bar three years earlier helped lay critical groundwork for what would follow.
Tuesday marked 60 years since the Julius’ Bar “sip in.”
On April 21, 1966, four gay rights activists — Dick Leitsch, Craig Rodwell, John Timmons, and later Randy Wicker — walked into Julius’ Bar and staged what would become known as a “sip-in” to challenge state liquor regulations on serving alcoholic beverages to gay men — with a drink.
Modeled after the sit-ins that challenged racial segregation across the American South, the protest was designed to confront discriminatory practices targeting LGBTQ patrons in public spaces.
At the time, the Mattachine Society — one of the country’s earliest gay rights groups — was actively pushing back against policies enforced by the New York State Liquor Authority. One of those policies could have resulted in the loss of liquor licenses for serving known or suspected gay men and lesbians. The participants had visited multiple establishments, openly identified themselves as homosexual, and requested a drink — with the anticipation of being denied.
Their final stop was Julius’, where reporters and a photographer had gathered to document the moment. When Leitsch declared their identity, the bartender covered their glasses and refused service, reportedly saying, “I think it’s against the law.” The next day, the New York Times ran a story with the headline, “3 Deviates Invite Exclusion by Bars,” cementing the moment in the public record.
Though initially framed with disrespect — the term “sip-in” itself was coined as a play on civil rights protests — the action marked a turning point. It brought national attention to the systemic discrimination LGBTQ people faced and helped catalyze changes in how liquor laws were enforced. In the years that followed, the protest contributed to the emergence of licensed, more openly gay-friendly bars, which became central social and organizing spaces for LGBTQ communities.
The Washington Blade originally covered when the bar was officially added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Today, historians and advocates increasingly recognize the “sip-in” as a key pre-Stonewall milestone. According to the New York City LGBTQ Historic Sites Project, the protest not only increased visibility of the early LGBTQ rights movement but also exposed widespread surveillance and entrapment tactics used against the community.
Marking the 60th anniversary of the event, commemorations have taken place in New York and across the country. Reflecting on its enduring legacy, Amanda Davis, executive director of the NYC LGBTQ Historic Sites Project, spoke about the event.
“Julius’ Bar is a place you can visit and viscerally connect with history,” said Davis. “We’re thrilled to have solidarity locations across the country join us in commemorating the ‘sip-in’’s 60th anniversary and the queer community’s First Amendment right to peaceably assemble.”
For current stewards of the historic bar, the responsibility of preserving that legacy remains front of mind.
“It’s a privilege and a responsibility to be the steward of a place so important to American and LGBTQ history,” said current owner of Julius’ Bar, Helen Buford. “The events of the 1966 Sip-In here at Julius’ resonated across the country and inspired countless others to stand proud for their rights.”
The timing couldn’t have come at a more important moment, Kymn Goldstein, executive director of the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives, explained.
“At a time when our community faces renewed challenges, coming together in resilience and solidarity reminds us of the power in our collective resistance,” Goldstein said.
The American Civil Liberties Union, an organization dedicated to defending rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, is currently tracking 519 anti-LGBTQ bills across the U.S. The majority are targeted at restricting transgender rights — particularly related to gender-affirming care, sports participation, and the use of public bathrooms.
Some additional groups and bars that held their own “sip-in” as solidarity events to uplift this historic milestone are from across the country include:
Alice Austen House at Steiny’s Pub, Staten Island, N.Y.
Bellows Falls Pride Committee at PK’s Irish Pub, Bellows Falls, Vt.
Brick Road Coffee, Mesa, Ariz.
Brick Road Coffee, Tempe, Ariz.
Dick Leitsch’s Family at Old Louisville Brewery, Louisville, Ky.
The Faerie Playhouse & LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana at Le Cabaret, New Orleans
Harlem Pride & John Reddick at L’Artista Italian Kitchen & Bar, New York
JOYR!DE KiKi at Loafers Cocktail Bar, New York
Matthew Lawrence & Jason Tranchida / Headmaster at Deadbeats Bar, Providence, R.I.
Mazer Lesbian Archives at Alana’s Coffee, Los Angeles
New Hope Celebrates at The Club Room, New Hope, Pa.
Queer Memory Project at the University of Evansville Multicultural Student Commons / Ridgway University Center, Evansville, Ind.
Sandy Jack’s Bar, Brooklyn, N.Y.
St. Louis LGBT History Project at Just John Club, St. Louis
The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch was held at Salamander Washington DC on Sunday, April 19. Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) was presented with the Allyship Award.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The umbrella LGBTQ sports organization Team D.C. held its annual Night of Champions Gala at the Georgetown Marriott on Saturday, April 18. Team D.C. presented scholarships to local student athletes and presented awards to Adam Peck, Manuel Montelongo (a.k.a. Mari Con Carne), Dr. Sara Varghai, Dan Martin and the Centaur Motorcycle Club. Sean Bartel was posthumously honored with the Most Valuable Person Award.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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