2004 was also the year of the superhero renaissance. Spider-Man 2 (released June 30, 2004) is widely considered the greatest superhero movie ever made. But beneath the Doc Ock tentacles lies a deep theological metaphor:
What separates Saved! from other teen comedies of its era is its refusal to mock faith itself. Instead, it targets the performative and exclusionary nature of religious fundamentalism. The film balances its biting wit with a sincere look at what it means to actually live out the "love thy neighbor" philosophy. saved -2004-
Mary (Malone) faces a crisis of faith after being shunned by the school’s "queen bee," Hilary Faye (Moore). She finds an unlikely chosen family in the school's misfits: the rebellious Cassandra (Eva Amurri) and Hilary Faye’s cynical, wheelchair-bound brother Roland (Culkin). 2004 was also the year of the superhero renaissance
The story centers on Mary (played by Jena Malone), a devout student at American Eagle Christian High School. Her world is upended when her boyfriend, Dean, confesses he might be gay. Driven by a desire to "save" him, Mary has a vision of Jesus that leads her to offer her virginity to Dean in a misguided attempt to "turn him straight". from other teen comedies of its era is
In 2004, we thought we were being saved from the outside world. In reality, we were learning to save ourselves.