Once Upon a Superhero

Once Upon a Superhero is the darkest ,grittiest movie I have seen in a long time and yet surprising tender. Take what is great about any superhero and twist it around the backstreets and alleys of Hollywood then add a dog - and you have OUSH. The acting was spot on, the cinematography was breathtakingly beautiful. It's not for kids or the faint of heart but it's a movie you'll be talking about long after you leave the theater. Could be Oscar worthy...

I'm more than familiar with the shortcomings of low budget cinema. I went in with those expectations. But, damn! I thought it was high grade and high octane! Sophisticated and stylish employment of cinematic language. Great acting and atmosphere. Creative and ambitious cinematography. Really nice use of out of focus street light spheres as graphic elements. The application of splitting frames as reference to comic book panels was nicely handled, and often visually compelling by sliding and expanding boxes. The scene of Solar prostrate on the sidewalk gradually being divided up in a series of small rectangles was inspired. Great representation of passing time and expressive of jumbled dream thoughts. The editing was excellent, with plenty of beats and rhythms that kept everything flowing nicely. Certain allusions to Man Who Fell to Earth dissolution came to mind.

The soundtrack and atonal effects were evocative and accentuated the film with nuances that pushed the weirdness vibe.

The costume is really great. I love how the molded 6-pack abs of the clean new outfit become a smooth and paunched pouch of the soiled supersuit. The crotch-cup coin purse is hilarious.

The cavalcade of characters were rich and amusing. Adam Marcinowski really handled it, coming across as totally in it. Nice doubling of Yvette Monreal as the celestial princess and the street performer cowgirl. Loved super dog's leg trick.

The animated bits were right on and added to the off kilter aura. The graphic style contrasts nicely and stands out for extra oddness.

I very much enjoyed the film..

In a world over saturated with super-powered content, it takes a work of tremendous heart to truly stand apart from such a crowd. Enter Solar Flare, star of John M. Kline's ONCE UPON A SUPERHERO to get this specialty job done. OUAS is a thought provoking indie feature that utilizes multiple mediums of visual storytelling to get its solemn and rather shocking narrative across to an audience. The story of a man trapped among an unfamiliar landscape, doing his best to do not only what he believes is right, but doing so against the grain of social norm. It's a tale all too close to many of us in one way or another. Sure, he's a superhero trying to prove his origins & existence within a crowd of Hollywood's professional impersonators, but this only aids in the plight crashing down upon him. In the end, this is a story reflecting the notions of vice, perseverance, mental health and at times, even parallels to the modern immigrant oppression crisis. This is a movie both ahead of its time and right where it needs to be all in one beautifully shot package. With a great soundtrack, wonderfully rendered illustrated segments and a absolutely outstanding performance by lead Adam Marcinowski, Once Upon a Superhero is a movie you cannot forget post-viewing and one that needs to be seen by many audiences over.

I saw this movie at a sold-out screening at the Vista in Hollywood. Perfect location! The trailer gave me a little insight for the ride I'd be on but I was not prepared for the amazing adventure I actually went on.

John Kline put together a movie like none you'll see in theaters. Basically take everything you know about Darren Aronofsky or Andrei Tarkovsky and give it another ten pumps of awesome juice. A pure trippy ride at times and very well executed. The animated sequences were where I was really sold and settled into my seat to enjoy the flick.

The lead actor Adam Marcinowski did a great job of becoming Solar Flare a drifter of the streets that we more often than not never get a chance to connect with because we think they're crazy or mentally disabled. It's a sad fact of human existence and Mr. Marcinowski made me empathize and think twice before I walk past another life that I may think is lost. His performance gives an honest grim reality of the flip side for what most of us take for granted.

The score in the film was amazing and really tied everything together.

The movie in the end had a great message and I enjoyed the dark, atmospheric ride that I went on to get there. I could see A24 distributing this film. Must see! Hopefully it'll be streaming soon. I'd probably suggest having a glass of wine or a cordial before or during this film! It's a ride of epic proportions!

As a friend of one of the folks involved with bringing Solar Flare to life; I went in to support him....

However, I left in amazement as the movie had all I love to see in movies - A strong story line, wrapped around a dark love story.... Complete with sex, drugs and the occasional spats of violence....

Cap't Blvd. adds in a comedic, yet eerily familiar sense of humility that captures you and takes you through your own trials and tribulations.... I say this as I sense that anyone sitting for this movie has some level of darkness to them.....

I will admit to being a fan of the Marvel series of movies and don't mind paying to see them - However, DC and Hollywood on the whole can learn a tremendous amount from OUSH; about creativity, raw story lines that allow for though of the end plot and all else that used to be beautiful about going to the movies....

OUSH is certainly not a re-boot and if there is a sequel; I will not attend, on principal...

A must see, in my honest opinion....

Long Live, Solar Flare.....

HighFive and Go Cubbies