My new column is up on the Maisonneuve’s new website. (I’m not a fan of the redesign, but whatever.) I wrote about all of the superhero movies this summer: Batman Begins, Fantastic Four, and Sky High. I have a weakness (or affliction) for superheroes–even the Invisible Woman, even with Jessica Alba playing her–so I had a great time at the movies over the last couple months. Coincidentally, I’m selling all of my comic books on eBay. Not because I don’t love my superheroes anymore. But I don’t need to keep around copies of Power Pack and West Coast Avengers to prove my love. I will, however, never part with my copy of X-Men #137 — the final chapter of “The Phoenix Saga.” I scrimped and saved and bought it when I was 11. It’s close to my heart. I was, to say the least, flabbergasted and flumoxed when Seth didn’t bat an eye when Zach brought his copy of #137 to a charity auction. (Ya know, on The O.C.) He just gave it away. I screeched when I saw that. By the way, I also screeched when I saw Chris Evans in Fantastic Four. Mmm.

These pictures have nothing to do with the fact that my review of “Cinderella Man” is up. I mean, except for the fact that Russell Crowe is in “Cinderella Man” and Russell Crowe is hot, hot, hot. Anyway, please read my column. Thanks!

(And yes, I got these pics from “The Sum of Us” from a naughty site. Click it to get a bigger version.)

I really wanted to like “Fever Pitch,” but…well…the headline of my new column will tell you a lot: “No Joy in Hackville: Fever Pitch Fouls One Off.” Here’s an excerpt:

But if watching the Final Four is heroin, then watching Hoosiers is methadone. I get my fix by watching sports movies. And I love sports movies, whether they’re about sports—All the Rights Moves—“sports”—The Cutting Edge—or something else entirely that is treated as a sport—8 Mile, Flashdance or The Big Tease. I identify with the hero, because he or she is almost always the underdog or becomes the underdog at some point in the movie. I love that bizarre empathy I feel for those brats in The Mighty Ducks or for Torrance in Bring It On. It’s a form of cheer sex, I think.

Now, would you please read the whole thing? Thanks.