This is where the Conservatives Lose me

Since Superman Returns has been the subject of much interest this week at our place, some posts about it over at Pandagon stood out when I surfing per my usual.

There's the first one. There's the second one. Oh, those are also not very spoiler safe.

Wha-ha? Okay, okay, wait, maybe I can figure this out.

So, Superman is technically a conservative icon because he's fighting for the whole "truth, justice, and other stuff" etc. on behalf of the government. And conservatives are all like "The government knows best," yeah? But they can't decide if Superman Returns supports that or not. Because it seems like it does, since Superman gets to be Jesus and he says the world needs him, and apparently it does, so, yes, Superman Returns confirms the fact that Superman is the conservative hero, or something.

But then again, there's all the elements of nonconservative behaviors going on in the movie... And suddenly Superman's not so good. Lois is a slut, Superman is teh gay (because his costume is darker red, thus more in vogue, and vogue = teh Gay), and because he's in touch with his feelings, he's a gay, too (because real men don't have feelings).

I'm confused. I couldn't figure it out.

Mamma Mia

Just came back from Mamma Mia. This is the second time I've seen it, so the rather thin plot was a tad grating. I still love the music to pieces, and you have to physically restrain my sisters and I (all of whom were in attendance) from singing along, but I dunno. It felt a tad flat until the end where they bust out the shiny outfits and sing for real.

One thing I noticed? Musical theater conventions really grate on me. Number One offender with a bullet: the seranade made as an aside. You know what I mean, even if I can't dredge up the technical term. Basically, where two people are prominent onstage, and one freezes out of the spotlight while the other sings about them and twirls around them as they don't react to it. That's getting really old. I think it would be more character dynamic if the other person, you know, reacted. But I suppose it would muck up the last-act turnaround if feelings were out in the open from the outset, wot?