I’ll admit it, I’m a closet superhero freak and it was all too apparent when I bought the early bird tickets to the latest Wolverine movie and stood in line for almost two hours to get the best seats. I’d like to say it’s because I grew up with four older brothers; they’re the reason I’m obsessed with the Spiderman’s and Batman’s of the world…but regardless, in line with all the other X-Men groupies, stood a 5’10, long blond haired, smiling tomboy eager to be let into the theater.

But, honestly, what is it that we love about superheroes anyway? When you think about Michelle Pfeiffer as Cat Woman, old-school Wonder Woman played by Lynda Carter, Halle Berry as Storm, Jennifer Gardner as Elektra, Jessica Alba dressed up as Sue Storm in Fantastic Four and, the ultimate, Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, you can’t tell me you don’t think they’re rock stars. I’d give my left pinky to be any of them for a day, so what is it about them that makes them so incredible?

Honestly, I think we as humans know our limitations and love to fantasize about a world in which we can fly, read people’s minds, become invisible or beat up a guy who’s ten times our size in a perfectly choreographed fight scene. We want to be bad asses at heart, at least I do. For most people, our biggest fear is being ordinary, mediocre, or Simon Cowell’s biggest insult, “forgettable.”

However, my greatest epiphany recently was that we DO get to be superheroes and we DO get to have super powers, if we so choose. Now maybe they aren’t the cliché super human strength, the ability to move at the speed of light, or invisibility cloaks, but they are equally powerful. This lifetime is never about wishing for something you don’t have, but rather seeing what tools you can find to stick in your belt along the way.

For me, I realized that my life experiences have gifted me with incredible opportunities to pick up priceless tools: the work ethic I gained in grad school, the faith I gained when I lost a dear friend in car accident, the resilience I gained hiking Everest, the determination I gained on Survivor, the compassion I gained in working with underprivileged girls in Cambodia, and the appreciation I gained after witnessing poverty in Brazil. You see, in the real world, the intangibles we gain along our journey are where the real power hides.

I think with every experience we have, there is this opportunity to pick up another gift, another shade of color we can add to our pallet and another tool for our life’s tool belt. Regardless of the situation, whether happy or sad, terrifying of joyfully overflowing there is a kernel of truth that awaits you. In order to best navigate through the jungle of life, it’s in our best interest to gather as many things as possible to help  along the journey.

I may not be able to make things move with my mind, but I confidently know I have the work ethic to build a powerful company; I may never be able to fly, but I know I have the compassion to inspire a young girl to dream big; and Lord knows I’ll never read minds (though with the last guy I had a crush on it would have been uber helpful), but I know I have the resilience to pursue my passion in the face of adversity.

We all have the potential to be superheroes, to leave this world better than we found it, to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves and to be extraordinary, magnificent and truly unforgettable. Now, all we have to do is a get a costume, slap on a mask, and I have no doubt we’d give Cat Woman and the other hero babes a run for their money.

angelina jolie, batman, brazil, cambodia, halle berry, hero, jennifer gardner, jessica alba, lynda carter, michelle pfeiffer, simon cowell, spiderman, superhero, survivor, wolverine, wonder woman Hide

The beginning of May typically marks the start of summer tent-pole season at the box office and Wolverine kicks off this summer as the first blockbuster out of the gate.  In this origin story, Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine, a mutant who possesses superhero strength, retractable claws and enhanced healing capabilities.  A prequel to the three other films in the X-Men franchise, the X-Men Origins stories are meant to delve into the back story of the popular X-Men comic book characters.  In this first installment, we are given a glimpse into the tumultuous past of Wolverine and his troubled relationship with his brother, Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber).  We also learn about Wolverine’s transformation, previously only revealed in flashbacks, and several other mutants are introduced as Wolverine searches for Creed and uncovers the Weapon X Program.

Now I will admit to being a total sucker for big-budget event movies and I’m just as much a geek about comic book flicks as any red-blooded American boy. In fact, I’m a big fan of this franchise and the first two films in particular, which is probably why I found this film so disappointing.  While it was somewhat entertaining to watch this conflicted hero’s back story unfold onscreen, it is by no means quality entertainment. The plot is full of holes and for a film that is meant to explain the origins of a character, there were certainly quite a lot of questions left unanswered.  Most notably, the explanation of why Wolverine changed his name from Jimmy to Logan, which bothered me throughout the entire film. I know many would argue that story may not be the strength of most comic book movies, but I would at least expect there to be some spectacular special effects.  Unfortunately Wolverine doesn’t deliver on this front either; the effects in this film are horrible and the entire movie looks like it was shot on a green screen and computer-generated in the editing room.

That Girl says: Leave it!  Wolverine is a disappointing prequel to the franchise and first installment in the X-Men Origins series.  With a plot that lacks continuity and special effects that are far from impressive, the film is only mildly entertaining.  Even the usually charismatic Hugh Jackman, doesn’t shine on screen, though Ryan Reynolds delivers a standout performance as Deadpool.

Release Date:  May 1st, 2009 (Wide Release)
Running Time: 107 minutes
Rated:  PG-13
Company:  Twentieth Century Fox
Cast:  Hugh Jackman – Logan / Wolverine
Liev Schreiber – Victor Creed / Sabretooth
Danny Huston – William Stryker
Dominic Monaghan – Chris Bradley / Bolt
Ryan Reynolds – Wade Wilson / Deadpool
Taylor Kitsch – Remy LeBeau / Gambit
Will i Am – John Wraith
Lynn Collins – Kayla Silverfox
Kevin Durand – Frederick J. Dukes / The Blob
Daniel Henney – David North / Agent Zero
Director:  Gavin Hood
Official Site:  http://www.x-menorigins.com/

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