THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME when I worked out at the fitness center and did not witness incredible human feats. I am not talking about the individuals who lift massive amounts of weights or are running on a treadmill for lengthy times; I am referring to those individuals who are working out with a prosthetic limb or while sitting in a wheelchair. When such an individual is in my line of sight, I pay attention to what they are doing and am always impressed by their dedication. There is one person I see almost every time I am at the center who is confined to a wheelchair. He goes through an almost complete circuit of weight machines. For each one, he must line up his wheelchair just right, lock the wheels, hoist himself up using only his arms while grabbing onto something sturdy on each machine. He then does something like a pirouette that will place him in position to fall back onto the machine’s seat. At his age he is not out to lift heavy weights; he simply wants to maintain good muscle tone, especially in his arms since they do the heavy lifting for him instead of his legs. When I look at him, I am reminded of something I would share with all my yoga classes: women have more lower body strength while men have more upper body strength. Of course, this was said just before we were going into a pose that would tax the upper body, but I would ask the class to think about how we get out of a chair when we are in our 80’s. We use our arms to push ourselves up which is why I am focusing on upper body poses.      PERIODICALLY I SEE A MAN AT the fitness center whose leg is amputated at the knee. Where the previous person I was talking about did a pirouette, this individual lifts himself out of his chair and hops on one leg to get over to the seat or bench of a weight machine. He is younger so he is able to achieve this hopping movement confidently. It is amazing to watch him on a rowing machine. With one leg he still works himself up to a steady sweat. As I said earlier, I always see someone doing something incredible who despite their ailment or circumstances continues to work out and maintain a healthy lifestyle. A woman who either had a stroke or has a debilitating disease spends at least 45 minutes walking the track. One arm hangs loosely down which makes me assume it is non-functioning, and she has a severe limp. Yet, she keeps a steady pace until she completes her time or number of laps. It truly is inspirational, and I admire each one of them. I had the same feelings watching this heartfelt, beautiful biographical documentary.     FROM BEING THE FIRST SUPERHERO IN modern times, to a different kind of superhero, Christopher Reeve never stopped pursuing justice for all. Written by Otto Burnham (Atomic People, Right to Fight), and directed and written by Ian Bonhote (Alleycats, Rising Phoenix) and Peter Ettedgui (McQueen, Rising Phoenix); this movie lovingly follows Christopher through the stages of his life, including the stages of his family’s lives. The mix of archival footage and friends and family interviews painted a well-rounded picture of Christopher. I did feel that the powers that be kept more to an upbeat story instead of sinking into despair. I had forgotten what a big deal it was when the first Superman movie debuted; everyone assumed Christopher was his character. What made it more convincing was the fact the CGI effects were not as advanced as they are now. The overall feeling I had while watching this film was that it was an honest portrayal of everyone. From the various family members to the celebrity interviews of Susan Sarandon, Glen Close, Jeff Daniels and John Kerry. Despite the hardships, Christopher remained a fighter and tried to make the world a better place for all. This film does him justice. 

3 ½ stars