Zoom: Academy for Superheroes

[BobGreenwade]

I just watched this movie on DVD over the weekend. (In the theaters it was titled simply Zoom.) Despite reviews ranging from tepid to downright hostile, I thought it was a very fun movie, and I was particularly impressed by the chemistry between Ryan Newman (Cindy Collins) and Tim Allen. (Tim was unfairly nominated for a Razzie for his performace; Ryan was very justifiably nominated for a Young Artist Award.)

I bring it up here because I think anyone running or playing in a Champions game, especially Teen Champions, could find a fair bit of inspiration in the film. (And it does seem to bridge a gap into a possible emergence of a "Middle-Aged Champioins" trend.)

[Cold Steel]

I am seeing the dvd tonight. It is my hope that i can combine this with ideas i picked up from another good teen superhero movie, Sky High.

[Grimble]

My PCs are currently having a recruitment drive for a secondary team. They have had many app,lications from useful, but inexperienced supers. They are thinking of setting up a training center for young heroes. I'll have to take a look at Zoom. Right now they are thinking of setting up something similar to Xavier's Institute and a more supervised Teen Titans. I have seen Sky High. Their school will be much smaller.


Grimble

[Bloodstone]

It was a campy cheese fest that I got a couple of laughs out of.

It wasn't Sky High, but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen either.

Movie got me interested enough to pick up the books.

[Weldun]

I haven't seen it yet, but I think that movies like this are probably more enjoyable to use simply for the situation that Bloodstone described. If nothing else, we have an option of playing out how we would do it.

[SKJAM!]

Note that the books this movie was "inspired by" were in fact much more Harry Potterish, with some very dark moments (like Birthday Boy.) Apparently, the producers saw that Sky High was going to come out first, decided not to get too close to the same idea, and stripped it down to a star vehicle for Tim Allen. About the only things that remain from the original are a few of the names (including the teenaged girl's--she's the star of the books, with a very different powerset.)

[Yansuf]

What are the books? I don't recognize the series.

[Bloodstone]

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/authors/results.pperl?authorid=64715

[SKJAM!]

Amazing Adventures From Zoom's Academy (Paperback)
by Jason J. Lethcoe

http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Adventures-Zooms-Academy-Lethcoe/dp/1591095727/ref=sr_1_1/102-5911368-1152964?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176849317&sr=1-1

Or check the Random House link above. :dyn