Superman (1978)

Every actor brings something to Superman, but the lead performance is genuinely extraordinary. The subtlety involved, the way the character changes without announcing it — it's a masterclass.

Superman commits to a conclusion that not everyone will appreciate. I found it perfectly right — it refuses easy comfort. If you want tidy resolution you may be frustrated. If you want truth, it delivers.

Superman ended and I sat with it for weeks. The power wielded responsibly theme kept circling back. I'd be doing something mundane and the reveal of Superman would pop into my head. That kind of resonance is rare.

I didn't expect Superman to affect me so deeply. The way Richard Donner handles truth justice and the American way is unlike anything I'd seen before. I came out of it looking at the world differently.

I liked Superman when I first saw it, but the second viewing is where it clicked. Once you notice how Richard Donner plants every detail early on, the whole film transforms. Layers everywhere.

Superman deals with truth justice and the American way in a way that's genuinely uncomfortable at times. But that discomfort is the point. Richard Donner never lets you look away, and the film is better for it.