Please do not read this review of ‘Man of Steel’ if you have not seen the film. This will be a spoiler heavy discussion of the movie, and I really don’t want to ruin anything for people looking forward to Superman’s latest outing. You have been warned.

I have issues with this movie. This team of creatives, Goyer, Nolan, Snyder, get so much right, yet they manage to stumble on a few key character and story points. You leave the endeavor feeling deflated. It’s so close to being perfect that it soured me even more when that perfection wasn’t realized.

I love this cast. Each of the actors picked was an inspired casting decision. Amy Adams is a capable Lois. She’s brave and smart. Laurence Fishburne is appropriate for Perry. I love seeing actors like Harry Lennix, Richard Schiff, Christopher Meloni, and Tahmoh Penikett show up. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane make for great foster parents, and Russell Crowe is dynamic as Jor-El. Even our team of baddy Kryptonians led by Michael Shannon’s Zod were all interesting.

The problem with an origins story, which Man of Steel is, these characters are given very little to do.

I have a tricky relationship with musicals. I find it somewhat difficult to maintain my suspension of disbelief under the best of circumstances. The somewhat schizophrenic aesthetic of most movie musicals usually shatters my ability to embrace the fantasy.

I was intrigued by the concept of a crowd-funded indie musical. Indie film is often marked by some form of restriction on production and that restriction is often budget. The notion of producing a low budget indie musical crested "ambitious" and veered on the precipice of "audacious". Original music. Choreographed dance numbers. Theatrical lighting and sound. Spectacle doesn’t come cheap, and a hell of a lot of sweat equity is required to make up any deficit in your budget.

How Do You Write a Joe Schermann Song tells the story of Joe (Joe Schermann), a struggling musician in New York waiting for his big break. He’s waiting for the perfect show to arrive which will celebrate his unique musical genius. His live-in girlfriend Evey (Christina Rose) is an aspiring actress toiling through the competitive and brutal theatrical audition scene.

Joe is a fanatic about his craft, and when his friend Gunther (Mark DiConzo) presents him with an opportunity to write the music for an upcoming Off-Broadway show it would seem to be a perfect fit for his girlfriend. Unfortunately Joe has recently been "inspired" by sultry songstress Summer (Debbie Williams), and he's starting to use her as his muse instead of Evey. 

What follows is an excellent examination of the conflict between relationship, commercialism, and artistic integrity.

HDYWAJSS is creative, fresh, and inventive. It understands its limitations, but it never loses sight of its goal. There’s a story here which is deeply personal, and is identifiable to any who toyed with the idea of becoming a performer. You’ll get a glimpse of the struggle, the desire, the shallowness, and the celebration of capturing a perfect performance moment. Those moments you live for. The moments which make all the rest of the crap you deal with worthwhile. The desire to create those moments.

It’s clear Writer & Director Gary King has bared a small part of his own soul in writing these characters, and he crafts an effective ensemble. In producing this original piece, he’s chosen a smart path in bringing it to life, namely our journey through a Movie Musical focusing on people trying to produce a Stage Musical. With so much of the film featuring the audition and rehearsal process, it tremendously helps the audience overlook any small flaws.

Many in the production were responsible for multiple jobs in bringing this film to light. Christina Rose is vivacious as Evey, and she does a phenomenal job as the film’s lead choreographer. Her dance numbers are fun to watch. Joe has moments of genius superiority with light sprinklings of Woody Allen-isms. He was also responsible for the film’s music and lyrics. It makes his portrayal of “Fictional Joe” all the more interesting to watch. He demonstrates a young man at a turning point. He could become a Mozart or end up a Salieri.

The cinematography is capable, though I find it does suffer from a bit too much of that indie "absurdly-shallow-depth-of-field" which drifts in and out of focus. In personal scenes, quiet moments between characters, we’ll unnecessarily transition from steady shots on tripods to floating camera work. I feel an opportunity was lost here to make a choice. That “Real Life” could be steady and “Musical Life” could float.

Near the middle of the film however, when Joe delivers a series of searing musical tributes, we’re presented production value which rivals many better financed films.

That’s maybe what helps HDYWAJSS rise above. Not only do you see practically every penny of the $50,000 it raised on Kickstarter up on the screen, but you also see the collective blood, sweat, tears, and love of a dedicated ensemble (many wearing multiple hats) filling in the gaps. It's no surprise that the film and Gary King have already won a number of festival awards for this endeavor. 

Returning to my opening point, there’s just something really ballsy about producing a musical on a shoestring budget. All the more satisfying that it genuinely works as well as it does. For those that appreciate the intimacy, the “warts and all” approach of films like Once, and those who enjoy a little Broadway, How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song is one I would certainly add to the queue.  

How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song on Amazon VOD

Summer makes us think of sports so the logical question would be:

What is your favorite sports movie?

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"Weeee are the champions, my friends."

In 1997, in an issue of Backwoods Home Magazine the following ad ran in the classifieds:

"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 322, Oakview, CA 93022 You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before."

How funny. How Strange. What if we made a movie about the writer of this ad? What if the writer of this ad were serious?

Darius (Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Recreation) is a young woman interning at a magazine. In true indie film fashion, she's adorable, a tad awkward, and more than a little directionless. She's searching for something, but she doesn't yet know what it is she's looking for. 

While pitching stories for the magazine, her boss Jeff (Jake M. Johnson from 'The New Girl') suggests a follow up to a recent classified ad asking for a time travel companion. Jeff drafts Darius and nerdy intern Arnau (Karan Soni) for a trip to investigate the classified ad's writer. 

After staking out the P.O. Box listed, we're introduced to Kenneth (Mark Duplass). Ken is socially awkward, a tad adorable, a bit directionless, and is intensely looking for something, namely a companion to join him on his time travel adventures. 

Jeff's newspaper personality is too slick, but Darius' awkward charm wins Ken over quickly, and the two begin training for their trip to the past. 

Everything about this film is charming. 

There's a fun offbeat sensibility permeating the tone of this film. Plaza does a fantastic job of establishing Darius as a savvy, intelligent young woman though she doesn't seem to fit in her surroundings. 

The film is never cuter than when Darius and Ken are on screen together. Even in IndieFilmLand, characters like these can often become caricatures, but SNG maintains a earnestness which keeps this premise grounded. 

We're not asked to struggle with philosophical or temporal quandaries, instead we're along for a sweet character study, and for a "fish-es out of water" story it's surprisingly fresh. Derek Connolly has delivered an efficient screenplay which doesn't belabor its premise and bases its comedy in an accesable genuine-ness.

Director Colin Trevorrow laregely succeeds in harnessing this charming energy. One could get the sense that we're paying homage to Wes Anderson or Hal Ashby, and we get to loosely examine the human condition through very unique eyes. 

Of course, we also have to mention the influence of the Duplass Brothers, Mark starring as Ken, and both Mark and Jay credited as Executive Producers. I've enjoyed this duo's work since stumbling on the flick 'Baghead', and they don't disappoint here either. Though it should be said this film is far more mumblecore than science fiction. 

Those looking for a time travel film might be a touch disappointed, but aside from upsetting the science fiction aficionados, I think most audiences will be in for a treat. A damn charming treat.

Now if you'll excuse me.

I need to finish writing my romantic comedy screenplay about a quirky yet gorgeous young woman investigating the strange phenomenon of the Toynbee Tiles...

It's that time again! The DVD/Blu-Ray/Streaming business always seems to be in flux, so we wondered:

What is the last movie you paid to own?

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 Let's hear it!