Tommy

“*I put a tracker on someone, he’s a bad guy.*” Really been enjoying this Spidey marathon the past couple of days. Something about this movie is weirdly nostalgic to me, maybe I just miss this era of the MCU. Which is funny because I feel like most of the problems I have with this movie have to do with Spider-Man now being a part of the MCU.  There’s definitely a lot here that’s easy to nitpick. Such as the suit being pretty overpowered, or Iron Man’s involvement as a whole, but I think I just enjoy Robert Downey Jr. a little too much to care. Honestly my biggest gripe comes not from anything the movie did wrong, but for what could it have done instead. Take the final fight on Coney Island for example. Imagine if instead of a simple back and forth on the beach they made use of the boardwalk, having Spider-Man have to balance his fight with Vulture with keeping people safe in vulnerable places such as the ferris wheel. Hell I’d even be more satisfied if they just had a few more swinging scenes. There’s such a lack of swinging scenes not just in this film, but in seemingly any of Jon Watts *Spider-Man *films.  Overall though I find this film is way to much fun to really care to much about any gripes. It’s very consistently funny and has a great set of performances from pretty much everyone, but especially Holland and Keaton. I really enjoy Keaton’s portrayal, as well as his characters motivations. Everything about him, except for the whole flying wing suit thing, feels realistic, and his scene with Peter in the car manages to be super tense. Tom Holland is similarly great, he’s still not my favorite spidey of the bunch but it honestly feels like a part he was born to play, especially with his gymnast background. He’s charismatic and fun, which is obviously important but also proves to still be able to deliver when things get real.  I can’t wait to see Ned turn into the Hobgoblin. 7.5/10

Still holds up as the classic I was utterly obsessed with growing up but just like *The Amazing Spider-Man *the flaws are a little more bothersome after all these years. For the most part though this thing is still pretty damn great. They nail the origin story, and I never get tired of seeing the wrestling scene. The villain in William Dafoe’s Green Goblin is rightfully iconic and is possibly the best part of this movie for me. I also love seeing Sam Rani’s style in this, especially the almost body horror elements he ties in with the spider bite and Green Goblin transformation. It’s honestly a toss up between which movie looks better for me, but this one does have the more distinct style. The cinematography here is also so colorful and nostalgic, especially when we’re in the city. So overall the visuals tend to be pretty consistent, besides the occasional dated cgi scenes.  I still don’t think Tobey Maguire is my favorite spidey of the bunch but I’d be lying if I said he doesn’t do a great job. Bro really was the blueprint. I love his version of Peter especially, and I feel like he really nails the nerdy personality in a way the other two don’t. Especially Garfield’s, whose biggest criticism is usually being to cool of a Peter Parker. It makes sense why this version of Pete is bullied I just find Maguire brings this nerdy energy to spidey to, which I don’t like quite as much. I’ve also never been a big fan of his voice-over work in these movies either. William Dafoe just being an absolute goat doesn’t necessarily help him either as he definitely out acts Tobey in a handful of scenes. There performances are both similarly a little campy and over the top, I just think Dafoe is way better at selling it.  I didn’t remember just how brutal that final fight scene between Goblin and Spider-Man was until now. The absence of music in that moment really helps with making us feel the impact of each blow. This scene, the carnival, and the bridge standout as my favorite moments of the movie. Followed close behind by the awkward Thanksgiving dinner.  Starting this *Spider-Man *marathon has been a blast so far and I can’t wait to continue on. Especially excited for *Spider-Man 2*, as it’s definitely the one I remember the least about. Fun to take this trip down memory lane. 7.5/10

I’m definitely biased but Andrew Garfield has always been my favorite Spider-Man out of the three. Despite his movies not necessarily being the best out of the bunch. It’s been years since the last time I’ve seen this movie and while its flaws are a little easier to spot more, I still had a great time with this.  I think the biggest thing that holds *The Amazing Spider-Man* back from living up to its name is its lackluster script. Not only is it quite corny at times but it also takes to long to get into its action for my liking. The beginning is really just quite messy, and I don’t love them showing so much with Peter’s actual parents either. Peter’s parents straight up don’t matter and I don’t like how not just this film but the second one as well try’s to make it so they do. Once the film settles in though, and Peter’s powers are fully realized it gains a much needed second wind. The Lizard is a great villain and his design is the perfect mix of goofy and disturbing. I love their fighting scenes, especially the one in the high-school. This movie just looks awesome as well. The suit design is fantastic, as is the cinematography. All that said by far the most enjoyable part of this film for me is the relationship between Peter and Gwen. Most of the heavy lifting is done by Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield who push their way through this somewhat mediocre script and showcase a relationship you can’t help but root for. They really have great chemistry.  I guess I’m slightly disappointed I didn’t love this as much as I remembered but I still had a good time and I’m excited to revisit the sequel. 7/10

“*I don’t know what kind of cream there putting on you down at the morgue but I want some.”* It’s taken far too long for me to get to what many consider to be Wes Anderson’s best film, *The Grand Budapest Hotel*. Anyways I’m happy to report that this film is in fact the masterpiece I was expecting, and while it’s not quite at the levels as *Fantastic Mr. Fox* it slots on comfortably as number two. The overall look of the movie is obviously phenomenal, whether it’s exterior shots of the hotel, the interior walls and corridors, or the prison, everything is top notch. When you add the gorgeous cinematography and pair it with the 4:3 aspect ratio it’s just a chefs kiss.  We are carried through this intriguing story by an incredibly charming and hilarious performance from Ralph Fiennes. It’s probably my favorite performance of his, at least thus far. The supporting cast is similarly stacked as well, but none of them get a tone of screen time. That’s not really a problem though as everyone still gets their moment to shine, and it allows the film to keep its tight pacing, which is another strength it has.  Really have nothing but positives to say about this thing. The plot is super engaging, it has a world I could spend hours in, the dialogue is witty and hilarious, and it manages to  balance its tones and be hilarious yet more dark than I was expecting as well. This is quite possibly Anderson’s best script and I can’t wait to be able to rewatch this. 9.5/10