So. Superman Returns.

(Uh, do I have to say, spoilers?)

Hollywoodland was trailered before the film. If you haven’t heard of it, Adrien Brody looks into the alleged suicide of George Reeves (played by Ben Affleck). George Reeves? Why does that name sound familiar? Because he played Superman in a tv show many decades ago. I’d like to see this.

Y’know what would be nice? If Hunt Valley Regal had shaded parking. My car was like an oven — no scratch that, my car was an oven. The theater was nice and empty — maybe half a dozen people showed up to see the movie. It wasn’t bad, although I don’t think I’d say it was great. A great effort was made to give this film the same as the 1977 film — the title sequence had the same special effects for the opening credits, and John William’s classic score was once again used.

Ok — what was up with when the old lady is dying and all those cars circa 1950 are parked outside her house? Kumar! Dog eat dog - literally! Poker Posey is such a sellout. “I did Superman”, yeah, Lois, we noticed when your kid threw the piano.

It was well worth my time. I wish they’d found a chance for Clark to do his changing thing in the revolving doors at the Daily Planet.

As reported by TVShowsonDVD.com, the last Star Trek property to get a DVD release, Star Trek: The Animated Series will street November 21st, with all 22 episodes on a four disc set.

I’m very excited by this, possibly because I’m a huge dork.

Oh, and for those of you who noticed that the Enterprise on the box art is the wrong one …

… DORK!

I’m going to the 11:30 showing of Superman Returns at Hunt Valley Regal. Have fun in your cubicles.

(Seriously, though, $7 for a matinee ticket? I remember when evening showings were $7. Broadsheet’s got a point!)

My dad is not a fan of surprises. And despite what he said to me, Sunday was not “just another day”. In point of fact, it was his sixtieth birthday, giving new meaning to the term “old man.” So between turning sixty and not liking surprises, Sunday just sucked.

My dad has season tickets to the Orioles. Not for every game, mind you, just home games on Sunday, in the upper deck. It just so happens that a home game was scheduled for his birthday against the Texas Rangers, and my dad was expecting to go with my sister, then have a quiet dinner at home.

I got down to my parents’ house shortly after he and Emily had already left. Mom and I drove into Baltimore, found parking, and made our way up into the stands. We were going to surprise him, but they’d moved seats and were looking at us immediately as we emerged from the concrete pillbox into the seats. They was some laughter and chuckling, but I don’t think he really understood the full scope of the surprise.

And then the next door neighbors showed up. Then family friends from Silver Spring, Pennsylvannia and other locales in Maryland I’m not certain of. During their staggered arrivals, my dad turned to me and said, “How many people did your mother invite?” The real icing on the cake was the arrival of a dude in a blue shirt with a Boston Red-Sox shirt on. He later joked, “I bet you dad was like, ‘damn, another Sox fan in this row.’” It was my Uncle Bill (the other one), with his wife Anne (my mom’s sister), and two cousins, who’d driven down from Connecticut all special for the surprise. My Uncle Bill (the other one, my dad’s brother) couldn’t make it, but they’d just seen each other Friday and since Bill is the older of the two, I’m sure he said something about how sixty isn’t old blah-blah because that old(er) man is incapable of saying, “Love ya’, bro.” Or at least, saying it that directly.

I am not a huge fan of baseball, or, for that matter, many sports. I surprised myself by being involved in the game and following what was going on. This was the first O’s game I’ve been to in several years. Two baseball bats broke — I didn’t think baseball bats breaking was a common occurance. And as it worked out, I eventually stopped paying attention to the game because I was catching up with people I hadn’t seen in years. (I’m pretty sure the O’s won).

The View! (about an hour before gametime)