There can be no doubt that the summer of 2008 stands as a high-water mark for superheroes. But in the wake of a superhero renaissance and the growing cultural legitimacy of the genre, the question must be posed: Has the superhero genre evolved beyond the comics medium?
Oddly enough, while the major studios continue scratching their heads over how to sell yet another new format (Blu-ray) to disinterested consumers, several outside distributors made sure that this would be a digital year to remember.
Kath and Kim revolves around the banal suburban lives of the title characters, a clueless mother and daughter possessed of prodigious vanity and stupidity.
Because Morgan Freeman is so good at such voiceovers, in which he patiently explains the good intentions of "humans" (usually white humans) who make terrible mistakes and hurt one another, the role is the one he seems destined to play -- for the rest of his life.
The audio commentary featuring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Luketic demonstrates the leading lady to be much more thoughtful and subdued than her typical roles might suggest.
While such a fantastic love-love-love, all-pleasure-all-the-time scenario hardly seems likely in our near future, A Dirty Shame remains hopeful and even sweet.
