Davis Guggenheim puts a human face on an unwieldy, seemingly unsolvable problem - the wretched state of America's public schools - in his latest documentary, "Waiting for 'Superman.'"

As the most patently American of all the comic book superheroes — more American, even, than Captain America — Superman offers an interesting opportunity for cultural self-analysis. To wit: Why do Americans like him so much? Is it his integrity? His power? The none-so-subtle swell of patriotic flavor inspired by his humanity-redeeming handiwork?

The new documentary “Waiting for Superman” is causing a stir in the education world as filmmaker Davis Guggenheim makes the case that American public schools are failing and puts much of the blame on unions, tenure policies that protect poor teachers, and expensive, lumbering bureaucracies that are resistant to change. The film follows the plight of a handful of inner-city children trapped in failing schools by poverty and circumstance, and focuses on a handful of successful charter schools as the potential savior for these kids.

Fred Greenspan recalls the day he was leaving his New York offices in 2001 when a truck filled with 1,000 teddy bears pulled down the street.

Summit School of Ahwatukee is hosting a free showing of "Waiting for Superman" on Wednesday, Feb. 23, followed by a brief discussion led by Summit's Head of School, Patrick O'Brien.

LOS ANGELES - A woman claims in a lawsuit that "Superman Returns" producer Jon Peters sexually harassed her and exposed himself to her and her 3-year-old daughter while she worked as his personal assistant.

With each passing school year, expectations are raised, the work gets tougher and the amount presented to students grows.

Some people did the right thing for me a few days ago. None of them had to do it; in fact, they could quite easily have decided to never have even met me.

LOS ANGELES - Johnny Depp's boozy, woozy buccaneer Jack Sparrow has plundered the box office, with "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" taking in a record $132 million in its first three days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Students, teachers, professors, administrators and parents came together Tuesday night at Mesa Community College to view a 2009 documentary on the stress and over-testing of K-12 students and participate in a panel discussion on the issues that schools, students and families face.

Although the entertainment industry doesn't generally support conservative causes, Hollywood seems to be caught up in the human drama of the school reform movement. The 2010 movie "Waiting for Superman" explored the heart-wrenching experience of inner-city parents whose children's future hung in the balance as they sweated out the lottery for admission into a high-performing charter school. "Won't Back Down" (which I haven't seen yet), released last month, depicts a concerned parent and principal who team together to take control of a failing school using the new parent-trigger law.

He is a man of many nicknames. The Diesel. Superman. The Big Aristotle. Or just plain Shaq. fans of the Phoenix Suns have long lamented that the team has never had a legitimate force at center.

Great, another Chosen One. The action tale "I Am Number Four" is mostly familiar stuff, presenting the latest teen outsider coming into possession of his latent superpowers just in time to battle evil forces intent on world chaos.

He took part in his first Suns practice Monday, and first practice anywhere in almost a month. And while Shaquille O’Neal said he was happy with the progress of his injured hip, his conditioning may keep him on the sidelines until the team returns from the All-Star break next week.

There are American music icons, and then there is Willie Nelson. A hall of fame singer and songwriter who has published more than 2,500 songs, earned several Grammys and acted in many films — most recently playing Uncle Jesse in the remake of the '70s TV hit “The Dukes of Hazzard” — the 72-year-old Nelson practically bleeds red, white and blue, and the singer/songwriter delivered a performance at the sold-out Dodge Theatre Friday night that was as American as hot dogs and apple pie.

Last year, I thought about putting my kids in a charter school.

Who doesn’t remember their first bike? Perhaps it was a trusty hand-medown or brand new with a banana seat and streamers you found under the tree Christmas morning. Bikes continue to evolve in the years since Frenchman Ernest Michaux introduced the modern bicycle in 1861. Technology has made bikes lighter and faster, but the memory of that fi rst bike remains the same.

What a difference a year makes for Raja Bell. Last season, the Suns guard was nearly a Darth Vader-like villain, suspended for a critical playoff game for his infamous clothesline hit on Kobe Bryant.

What a difference a year makes for Raja Bell. Last season, the Suns guard was nearly a Darth Vader-like villain, suspended for a critical playoff game for his infamous clothesline hit on Kobe Bryant.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a wonderful day this is going to be! My comics are back.”

Before Garth Brooks began using pyrotechnics in concert and flying over his screaming audiences like a cowboyhatted Superman, country singers pretty much stood in front of a mike and sang of lost loves, cheatin’ and drinkin.’

NEW DELHI - Tens of thousands of Indians waving black and white flags and chanting "Death to Bush!" rallied Wednesday in New Delhi to protest a visit by President Bush.