Look What We Can Do

From Boston to my beloved Texas, tragedy, shock, and terror seem to rule.  There is much I am concerned about. There is much I could be truly upset about. But I've come to understand that I'm evolving into a serial positivist (is that even a word?).

My immediate reaction after shock and horror is to seek out those things that are positive. Like how the Boston Marathon already had many paramedics and police in place. Like how West and surrounding areas in that area of Texas has some of the best firefighters and medical teams already there. Like how beyond the tragedy, the people rise up, they help each other, they work to make things better almost immediately. The resilience is evident and overpowers the terror. It shows me the light of humanity and it makes me proud to be a part of it.

I'm probably the biggest Superman fan you'll ever meet. So much so that I can't talk about it sometimes. It was Richard Donner's original SUPERMAN THE MOVIE that really inspired me to be a filmmaker when I was so young. The site of Christopher Reeve flying in the suit gives me chills and hearing John Williams amazing score inspires my soul. It really affected me.

The Man Of Steel trailer premiered this week. I've been anxious about really seeing it and even more anxious to hear Hans Zimmer's take on the score. I mean how can you top John Williams?

There are no words to describe how this trailer and how Hans Zimmer's work has affected me. It was not only, for me, a perfect trailer, but it feels and looks like an excellent execution of a true cinematic Superman. The original SUPERMAN THE MOVIE was an inspiration to me and always will be, but THE MAN OF STEEL looks to be a TRUE CINEMATIC EVENT. It feels like what all movies should strive to be, more than a film, an experience to behold.

For me it was the perfect light to shine through the darkness of this week. The symbol of Superman has always been an example of resilience and courage. He becomes the character that human's look to, to strive to be. And with that, this trailer is an example of the power of the movies.

I believe in the power of movies. I believe a great movie can lift your spirits and elevate your soul. I believe it can inspire you to do great things. That's something we can use now more than ever and it's why I strive to be a better moviemaker.

It makes me think of a line from the original SUPERMAN THE MOVIE. Jor-El says:.
They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way.

I disagree. As humans I believe there is much we may lack, but light is not one of them. I've seen more than one example of the light we can shine as a people this week. Maybe even more than the power of cinema, I believe in the power of people. We are capable of creating art that inspires and capable of helping and healing each other in times of tragedy. We are capable of creating and becoming that great experience to behold.

More than fear, this week, I've seen light and inspiration. We're not men of steel. We're beings of light and hope.

And I'm proud to be one.

To borrow a line from my favorite episode of Aaron Sorkin's SPORTS NIGHT. "Look what we can do."

Art by Alex Ross