Truth, Justice, and the American Way
I'm raving about the new Superman flick, catching up on other films, and grappling with the state of journalism.
The new Superman film is opening in theaters this weekend, with screenings starting today. I saw the film on Monday night and I have to say that it’s already one of my favorite films of the year. You can read my review here.
It has been a long time since I genuinely looked forward to a new film about Kal-El. Obviously, there was the 2006 sequel starring Brandon Routh and then we had to wait a few more years before DC rebooted the franchise. I never joined that whole cult but I just didn’t have the same satisfaction, let alone obsession, with those versions of Superman. The only joy that really came for me during those years as being able to see Gal Gadot shine as Wonder Woman.
Kal-El is the creation of writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, both Cleveland-based sons of Jewish immigrants. That the actor playing him—David Corenswet—comes from a Jewish family just made it all the more anticipated on this end, especially at a time where I’m taking Jewish joy wherever I can!
But even before the film is opening in theaters, it’s already being attacked by the right-wing. Not so much for what the film is actually about, but because of a quote made by filmmaker James Gunn. Here’s the sad part: the quote isn’t even offensive. If someone finds themselves offended by what Gunn had to say, that says more about them than anything else. It’s no joke to say that we are living in very divisive times. But also, the right-wing is more xenophobic than ever. Nothing about that is an American value or does it represent the American Way.
Here’s what I wrote about his comments in my review:
As James Gunn put it the other day, “Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.” That framing couldn’t be more relevant in today’s climate, where immigrants—including those with no criminal record—are once again being rounded up and sent to detention centers that some are calling American concentration camps. This Superman arrives at just the right time. Superman stands for truth, justice, and the American way. Xenophobia is not the American way.
Outside of Superman, I’ve been using this week to catch up on films and documentaries that I missed during the first half. It’s why I haven’t published my mid-year awards, as I usually do at the start of July. Expect those to run during the All-Star break next week.
Next up in the first-half catchup is watching My Mother Jayne on HBO Max. Tuesday was more or less a writing day so I didn’t get around to watching anything then. In the evening, I had an opportunity to attend a local Democratic ward event as they were hosting their latest candidate in the Meet the U.S. Senate Candidates Series. This time around, the candidate was Illinois Lt. Gov Juliana Stratton. I had missed the previous event as it took place on Shabbos.
In watching the Barbara Walters documentary, it really shined a light on why so much sensational stories took over broadcast journalism during the 1990s and early 2000s. There was also the internal ABC News rivalry between Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters and the documentary put quite a bit of focus on that. Sawyer didn’t participate but I’d be interested in hearing what she had to say. But anyway, the primetime newsmagazines lost popularity and many of them ended up being cancelled, especially those that aired during the week.
It’s not an understatement to say that journalism isn’t the same. Executives are still after the big advertising dollars, although broadcast networks are also capitulating to the convicted felon and settling lawsuits that they would have definitely won if you ask me. There’s an overall attack on the free press and it’s incredibly scary. Nothing about this is normal.
Beyond the current attacks on the press, I feel like more journalists are going independent and starting their own newsletters rather than work for news organizations. Many of which are understandably paywalling their content. I don’t place mine behind a paywall but paid subscriptions go a long way in showing support for my work, especially during the months in which SATM doesn’t bring in enough revenue. Sadly, this has happened more often than not after October 7.
What does not help at the moment is how Google throttles readership (and revenue) through leaning into AI overviews in searches. Even when I cover something that I think will get traffic, it ends up not getting much traffic, if it all. Because of this, I’m really pushing paid subscriptions for Solzy on Buttondown, aiming to get to at least 50 paid monthly subscribers by the end of July. Ideally, I would love to get to at least 100-200 paid monthly subscribers, although this is easier said than done as it’s extremely tough to exist as a Jew in any space right now.