Thursday, March 15, 2012

You be a Superhero, I'll be a Superhero

"I do not have any super powers. Doing super deeds; that's what makes you a superhero." 
- Superheroes: A Documentary

I know some of you gave me some great ideas for blogs posts, thank you! I'm going to address those, promise. But I saw a movie this week and it's been nudging at me to share it.

If you haven't seen Superheroes, please put it in your rental queue tonight! This documentary was one of the most intriguing, warm, thought provoking, and inspiring films I've seen in a long time. The film features regular people (some far more eccentric than others, some more serious, some more doddering) who have been so inspired by the comic book heroes of our time, they have chosen to emulate them - donning costumes, learning combat and self defense, so that they can help to protect folks like you and me. We venture insides the lives of these men and women who hide in the margins, who give up their free time (and risk their lives) to make the world a better place, who face our ridicule even when their motivations are so lion-hearted: to do what they can, when they can, to stop violence and help those in need.
For any of you who are feeling doom and gloom lately, this should certainly cheer you up: Of course superheroes come in all sorts of costumes - doctors, nurses, firemen, policemen, and at our house, UPS and FedEx men. (We get an awful lot of packages.) But there are sweet, dedicated civilians out there, watching over us too. The film reminded me to keep an eye out for the many superheroes I may encounter on a daily basis, in whatever form they come, and it's also a moving testament to the power of story - these men and women have been so deeply influenced in such a positive way by the stories sketched out in the decades of our country's comic books. We need reminders, from time to time, about the vast importance the role of creativity can have upon a culture- and here's just such a nudge. This documentary truly reaffirms the powerful connections that can be forged between art and "real" life.