We are living in a golden age of superhero movies. So how come no one can get Superman right?

We're nearly two decades into this and yet, somehow, Richard Donner's 1978 film is still the best Superman movie ever made, and, honestly, the best way to watch that movie is to turn it off halfway through.

But at lease Donner seemed to get the Superman mythos. For example:

In the most recent Superman film, Pa Kent sacrifices himself to protect his son's secret. The end message is that Superman is different — an all powerful alien who is so powerful, so unlike us, that his adoptive father has to die to protect him.

In the 1978 Superman film, Superman's father dies from a heart attack. The end message is that for all his powers, Clark is still human. Still flawed and imperfect. No matter what he does, Superman cannot save everyone.

When we were young, we dreamed of this day. We hoped against hope for a future where our favorite heroes would be appreciated by everyone. If you had told us, way back then, that characters such as Green Arrow, Kitty Pryde, Thor, heck, even Rocket Raccoon would be huge cinematic stars, we'd have fallen on our knees and praised the many gods of geekdom. But to get all those right and still have nothing but Supermediocrity for the original super man?

That's just fucked up.