Confessions of a Superhero (2007) Reviews

• Superheroes come in all different packages

  adamdonaghey2007-04-29

  Confessions of a Superhero, directed by Matt Ogens, documents four celebrity or, in this case, comic-book character, impersonators, who work everyday on Hollywood Boulevard, in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, meeting tourists and taking pictures with them. Interpolated with amazing stills, the documentary is well put together and really shows the depressing struggle for famedom. The characters go out everyday, hoping to make ends meet by accepting tips in exchange for taking pictures with tourists; and, at the same time, work constantly, striving for a breakthrough in the film industry. All of the characters seem to have a certain sense of humor with regards to themselves and their careers--or lack thereof. And yet they are still driven, and find import in what they do on a daily basis. The film chronicles the daily activities of these four characters; we see them getting dressed to hit the boulevard, visiting their therapists and in their personal relationships. We see that the real heroes are not really the costumes at all--but the people inside. Following is those people inside the costumes. Superman, played by Christopher Lloyd Dennis, is the veteran of the group. Doing this for over thirteen years, he's respected by many of the character actors, the locals, and apparently the authorities (he's never had a complaint, to date). Throughout the film, he forces me to like him: he's very warm-hearted, seemingly selfless and humble. We see him propose to his current wife (obviously, she says "yes") and she's so in love with him and charmed by him, the viewer can't help but fall in love as well. Dennis will admit himself that he's obsessed with Superman--he's got a collection any fanboy would drool over (he boasts spending over $90,000). He drinks out of the milk carton and always has a cigarette in his mouth--unless he's working, or in costume out of his house. What kind of message would that send? Sure, Dennis has a few quarks, but so did Clark Kent (of which he reminds me a great deal). But if anyone's gonna portray Superman, and put that costume on, I'd like to think it'd be Christopher Lloyd Dennis. Wonder Woman, played by Jennifer Gehrt, is the token prom queen from the country. She grew up in middle America, was miss... well, everything, in high school; and probably should have married the popular high school jock and settled down, only to play housewife and pop out kids for the rest of her life, never realizing her true dreams and desires. But instead, she suddenly decides to hop on a plane--with the help of her optimistic mother--and get the hell to Los Angeles. Now she's mostly-happy, recently divorced and hopefully energetic about the future. Sure, she holds her belt up with paperclips and says things like "a doctor may save your life, but will you remember him?" but all-in-all, she's a likable character, who has a lot of fun with her character and is driven to succeed. I wish her the best of luck and by the way, I'd be her Wonder Man any day. Batman, played by Maxwell Allen, opens up quite a bit during the documentary. He shares with us what he shares with his psychiatrist (in costume of course): his violent past. Part curiously creepy and part wishful thinking, Allen's death dealings may all be a kind of fiction; but that makes him all the more intriguing. Why choose Batman? Well, the man looks a great deal like George Clooney--in fact, he was actually a stand-in for him in Batman Forever. Apparently a black belt in several Karate styles--though, you can't tell in the film--Allen's somewhat of a dangerous guy. A quick Google search will prove, at least in part, his shady dealings on the Boulevard. He's heckled many tourists and never hesitates to remind them that he "works for tips!" But despite his many faults, he really does look like Batman. And that's really all that matters--just make sure you tip him, damnit! The Incredible Hulk, played by Joe McQueen, sold his Super Nintendo so he could afford to catch a train out to L.A.; only to arrive just after the Rodney King riots. He played it smart and headed for the Hollywood Hills, he says, thus living a homeless existence for quite a number of years. In the film, McQueen goes back to his sleeping spot and reminisces briefly about being homeless for several years. He really is the kind of guy who's been knocked down so many times, he has no where else to go but back up. And he'll fight for it, until he makes it. The Hulk and I shared a few words the night prior to the opening and what really touched me about his character was what happened after the film. I walked up to shake both his and Superman's hand, and as I shook his hand I reminded him of our meeting. With tears in his eyes, he nodded his head, assuring me he remembered me and thanking me profusely for attending the screening. That sort of genuine humanity should be the earmark of what makes a person successful. Unfortunately, Hollywood may not be ready for someone that real. A lot of people say these guys are nothing more than "costumed panhandlers." I agree with the first part: they are costumed. Costumed superheros.

• A glimpse of a VERY different world (+ some additional viewing recs)

  prettyh2011-12-14

  I rented this doc after reading about it on the blog of a former Hollywood Blvd "character" (you can catch a glimpse of her as "Fiona," the princess from "Shrek," early in the film). This woman made life on the strip sound bizarre, fun, surreal, heartbreaking, beautiful, life-changing, dramatic...and this film backed up her claims. Most of us, as tourists, don't give a second thought to the costumed characters who pose for photos in the hope of getting tips, but once you see this film, that will change. As the other reviews indicate, the main thrust of the story here centres around four of the most popular characters that haunt the Mann: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Hulk. Among the many things I wasn't expecting was how well these four performers seem to know each other; I guess I hadn't thought about how much bonding goes on when you're braving the crowds of tourists for several hours a day. It's interesting to see the filmmaker allow each performer to opine about the others, in addition to providing their own backstory and their reasons for how and why they ended up in a superhero costume. The film is funny, touching, sad and eye-opening. I can't think of any demographic who wouldn't find these people and their lives - so different from what most of us know! - interesting to watch. The fact that the viewer gets emotionally invested in these characters' stories is a testament not only to the film but to the people themselves. There are also some genuine surprises about the off-the-street lives of the four players, ranging from Superman's story about his movie star mom to the sordid pasts (violence, drug use, marital trouble, homelessness and more) they're all trying to escape. It's equal parts tragic and hopeful. If you enjoyed this one, the same blog source who alerted me to its existence also recommended two others: "The Reinactors" (dir. David Markey), and "The Ambassadors Of Hollywood" (dir. Archie Gips & Matthew Hunt). Both apparently feature more of the Superman we met in "Confessions..." and also revisit the others, as well as introducing us to a few (like Jack Sparrow, Chewbacca and Elmo) of whom we only caught a glimpse this time around. I'm keeping an eye out for both documentaries, as "Confessions..." was decidedly compelling enough to make me want to know more about the folks behind the masks. See it for yourself and I suspect you'll agree.

• Very weird but very memorable

  MartinHafer2008-07-21

  This documentary is about four people who have moved to Los Angeles in hopes of becoming professional actors. However, they are still struggling and so they make ends meet by parading up and down Hollywood Boulevard in superhero costumes--making money posing with tourists who want a photo. The four all have very different personalities and are quite captivating as they tell their stories. "Superman" Christopher Dennis is by far the most dedicated to his role--eating, drinking and thinking like the Man of Steel. It is not just acting for this man but he IS Superman, as he won't smoke in costume in front of people (though oddly he will in front of the camera)and goads other characters along the strip to not smoke in front of the fans. His apartment is covered in Superman memorabilia and all his energy is devoted to being the character. While all say they want to get more lucrative jobs in Hollywood, this guy seems most content to be exactly who he is now--and he's done so for many years. He is probably the most fascinating of the four mostly because he's so obsessed. He's also interesting because he claims to be the son of actress Sandy Dennis, though her family is adamant that he is NOT! He seems like a heck of a nice guy--though, of course, strange! "Batman" Maxwell Allen is probably the most interesting psychologically. While Christopher is very, very obsessed and odd, Maxwell seems to be on the verge of killing someone or at least making others think he will--as he's filled with hostility, loves guns, and talks about how many people "need a beat down". He also seems to be a very unreliable historian when recounting his life. He talks about having had "special forces training" as well as alludes to working for the mob, having killed someone and having black belts in several martial arts--though even his wife admits that "only about 50% of what he says is true". When he shows up in the film at a psychiatrist's office to discuss his anger, he appears in costume--and, interestingly, the therapist seems non-plussed. "Wonderwoman" Jennifer Wenger seems like she's the most likely to have a career in film, as her tryouts go well and she has the looks to make it. Her life in rural Tennessee is discussed and unlike the other three, you get to see her parents and they get to talk a bit on film. Her marriage is also shown--as apparently the two videotaped the engagement and marriage in Vegas. While this may sound rather cold, it seemed pretty obvious that the marriage was doomed--as her fiancé just seemed rather immature and, at times, surly. "The Incredible Hulk" Joseph McQueen is very unusual in that once he came to California, he really, really struggled--so much so that he was living on the streets. This is very sad but fortunately by the time the film is complete, there is some hope that Joseph will make it--though it's still a long road. He seemed to have far less screen time than the others. While all these people were struggling, they also had very interesting stories to tell. And, like most good documentaries, the film makers just let them talk--without narration. The film was very poignant, as I found myself being emotionally pulled into their stories--and this surprised me. Some of this was probably due to their vulnerability, some because I wanted to see if Batman was put in jail or hospitalized and part of it because the film really managed to make seemingly dull people interesting. I teach psychology and history at an arts school and am strongly considering using it as a teaching aid for my psyc class AND to warn the many budding actors I teach about the dedication and sacrifices they'll need to make if they choose a career in acting. I strongly recommend that documentary lovers see this film. It's well constructed, interesting and hard to forget. About the only negative is that when the film ends, you really want to hear more about them. I would love to see an update sometime--perhaps they can do a sequel or some special features on a DVD about this.

• Lifestyles of the Self-Obsessed and Delusional

  efitness2010-01-01

  Just Fascinating! Like watching a train wreck…I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. This documentary put me through at least seven levels of humiliation and shame on behalf of the four profiled "subjects." Not since "The Day of The Locust" have I seen such a painful exploration of the dark underside of pursuing the Hollywood Dream. "Confessions of a Superhero" profiles four struggling, wannabe Hollywood actors who work as costumed street performers while they wait for their big break. As an indictment of America's obsession with fame over talent, this documentary should be required viewing for everyone raised in the post-"American Idol" era where it matters less if you study, train, or even have respect for your craft; all that matters is that you have a "dream." First we have Superman. A nice guy to be sure, but creepily delusional, obsessive and downright odd. What charm he may possess as an obviously psychologically and drug damaged soul is mitigated by his living in a virtual fantasy world 24 / 7. This is no judgment, because Lord knows, he should be applauded for channeling his mental illness into such a harmless outlet. But a fleeting resemblance to Christopher Reeve has been blown up out of all proportion to the extent that the film is actually wince-inducing whenever we see him interacting with real people (that is, anyone who exists outside of the world he inhabits inside his head) or hear of his hopes of making it as leading man. Were this fellow working in something like an office, someone certainly would have suggested psychiatric help long ago (don't even get me started on his inamorata). Unfortunately, the allure of the Hollywood dream machine is such that wacko fantasies and actual, I-want-to-work hard-to-be-a-good-actor-not-necessarily-a-star, ambitions all look the same. Next there is Wonder Woman, a small town girl of average beauty and a straight-to-video level of acting talent, whose life reads like a cautionary blueprint for every dreamy-eyed teen who ever starred in a high-school play. She seems sweet and sane (one of the few) but is wholly unremarkable and more than a little ordinary. Your heart aches when, as she describes her youth, it becomes painfully obvious why she clung to dreams to survive. Equally touching is The Hulk, an average type of guy who really seems like he "gets it" and doesn't think his sidewalk panhandling is a way of being discovered by producers and directors. But he too is following a dream attached to making it big rather than a dream of actually being good at something first. It's a recurring motif in this film that everybody is married to the idea of luck and chance catapulting them to fame. No one seems too interested in the avant-garde notion that fame may be the result of excelling at their craft and distinguishing themselves through the development of their talent. No, these folks (like many) think that just wanting to be famous is enough of a dream and should be respected. God forbid someone should ask them if they even DESERVE fame. Narcissisism makes its own rules. Lastly, and most entertainingly, is Batman, a character you couldn't make up. A scary, overaged wannabe actor with real anger issues, and signs of being a pathological liar and probable mental case. He is everything that is wrong with wanting to be famous yet not being particularly good at anything. To listen to him INSIST that he looks like George Clooney (if Clooney was a debauched, crazy eyed nutcase) while recounting his dubious history of mob violence is to really dance with the devil by the pale moonlight. "Confessions of a Superhero" is not a deep documentary, but I think, in this age of reality shows and the current public mania to be seen, noticed, appreciated...FAMOUS at any cost, it at least poses the question: Is a dream unsupported by intelligence, aptitude and study, anything but fantasy?

• Of interest to observers of the human condition...

  MrGKB2009-11-09

  ...and probably not the majority of IMDb denizens, "Confessions of a Superhero" is nonetheless remarkably entertaining for what it is: a peek into the lives of four earnest souls struggling to find their place in the grand scheme of things. The hook? They're all glorified panhandlers on Hollywood Boulevard, earning a living (and apparently viable ones) by dressing up as various well-known comic book characters and soliciting tips for posing with starry-eyed tourists with cameras. Only in America, Constant Reader, and only in Hollywood... The film's quartet of subjects--an impulsive, naive homecoming queen from a backwater Tennessee town ("Wonder Woman"), an earnest young black man scraping his way out from the bottom of society's barrel ("The Incredible Hulk"), a self-absorbed borderline sociopath with anger management issues ("Batman"), and an equally narcissistic but utterly harmless obsessive ("Superman")--serve to illustrate documentarian Matthew Ogens' non-judgmental look at some of the seamier aspects of the uniquely American cult of personality and the attendant pursuit of that ever-elusive Warholian fifteen minutes of fame. Each are endearing in their own way, with the possible exception of "Batman," and even he provides an opportunity for empathy and understanding, thanks to Ogens' reasonably evenhanded impartiality. All of them are people who will remind the viewer of "characters" they know in his or her own life. This is not a "great" documentary by any means, but it's still more than watchable (read: entertaining), and offers up no small slice of insight into the human condition. We're all deeply flawed creatures, and by and large all yearn to transcend our imperfections. Some succeed, and many fail, and none of us ought feel superior to others for having tried and fallen short. I finished this film wishing all of its participants well, even "Batman." As the saying goes, there but for the grace of God go I. Definitely worth a watch, though not really a keeper, "Confessions of a Superhero" reminds all of us that feet of clay cannot truly prevent any of us from aspiring to soar among the clouds.