The Amazing Spider-Man 2

So this is the start of my "new" format, that I talked all about in my previous post. From here on out the focus is on critiquing visual media. And what better time to kick that off than at the start of the Summer movie season with the sequel to one of my favorite comic book movies, The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

I went to see it last night, May 2nd, with the girlfriend for my Birthday - despite it being a few days early. We went to Outback first, then to the movie. She payed, because, in her words "I love you very, very, very, very, very, very, very much."  We also got free popcorn, so that's a plus.

 

Let's start with the basics, the plot.The film centers on the relationship between Peter and Gwen, in sort of a will they or won't they remain together. This narrative arc wraps around the development of Electro and the Green Goblin,  while also dealing albeit briefly with the mystery behind the deaths of Mary and Richard Parker, Peter's parents. Ultimately the film boils down into a simple idea, self identity. Peter and Gwen, as previously stated spend most of the film trying to figure out who they are and where they belong, this isn't particularly uncommon for comic book films, as that was the central focus of the first Iron Man and every single time the Hulk is used, that's the focus on his character. Peter knows he's Spider-Man, and damn does Garfield knock it out of the park again (but more on that later), but he doesn't know how to be both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, this is the journey he must go through, and the realization he will come to be the films end. Gwen on the other hand, is offered an interview and opening at Oxford, her decision is whether or not to take it, or remain in New York with the man she loves.

Now onto the damn good special effects. I'm normally not one to boast about how good something looks blowing up, or how nice lightning looks shooting from someone's finger tips, or how blue that guy is. But the visual effects in this film were just fantastic. They knew just when to hit the slow motion and just when to pick it back up so you weren't being bashed over the head with slow motion. If you're not sure what that's like, watch 300: Rise of an Empire, people stand still in slow motion - it's ridiculous. By the way, on a complete side note, I burnt my finger, and it hurts, that is all.

  

Zap. Zap. Zap.

 

Seriously though, Electro looks great, once he turns blue and stuff. Before that, he's just some weird guy with a comb-over. Props to Jamie Foxx though for being able to play such a convincing Spider-Man obsessed creep.  Though we are supposed to sympathize with him, he's lived his whole life as just another face in the crowd, nobody remembering his name from day to day, going so far as to make himself his own "Happy Birthday Max" card, just so someone might notice that it's his birthday. So when he's finally noticed, and put in the spotlight, only to have a heroic deed by Spider-Man take it away from him, making him yet again another overlooked face, he snaps becoming the villain and wanting Spider-Man dead.

 

I'm just going to casually flick lightning at you, no big deal.

 

I glow red when I get angry.

Electro's suit, when he gets it, is just plain awesome. Though where he gets it is totally unexplained. Does he just spontaneously make this amazing looking suit? Was there one in Ravencroft where he was being held? Did Harry make it for him? It looks nice, but it comes out of no where. Then there's Harry.

\

Sleep well, children.

Harry becomes the Green Goblin this go around as opposed to the usual Hob-Goblin, and he looks worse for the ware. Say what you will negatively about Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films, but at least the costumes there, Emo Peter Parker aside, wouldn't give children nightmares. I'm an avid Dane Dehaan fan, the kid can do no wrong in my eyes he's a brilliant actor and steals the show in literally everything he is in, this is no exception. He is the best thing about this movie, and to a lot of people (not including myself), the only good thing. So yeah, not only are the VFX top notch, that make-up department killed it with Dehaan's Goblin design.

Garfield is still the perfect Spider-Man, whether or not he's a perfect Peter Parker is another story, for another day, between people who aren't some guy and myself. He's still a better Peter than Maguire ever was, and I'll keep touting that to the grave if I have to. Perhaps it's just the better writing, and a better standard for acting in this type of film, but God, looking back the only redeemable quality of that original trilogy was Doc Ock in the second film. Many are claiming that no one can do Otto Octavius better, so I guess we'll have to wait for the Sinister Six film, or Amazing Spider-Man 3, whichever comes first. The Sinister Six, through the teaser within the credits, appear to be Rhino, Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Vulture, Kraven the Hunter, and either Mysterio, The Lizard, or Chameleon; that last one is a bit ambiguous (source).

Mini-tease confirming at least Doc Ock and Vulture.

The visuals themselves weren't all that striking. There weren't any amazing camera angles or shots that blew my mind. There weren't any crazy lighting choices or anything in the mise-en-scene that seemed peculiar or notable. Peter's scene with Gwen atop the bridge was rather beautifully shot, but it's nothing that hasn't been done before or better.

The melodrama this go around was definitely heightened, Peter's struggling with hallucinations, his relationship is on the rocks, and as stated before he suffers from an identity crisis throughout most of the film, especially in the closing ten or so minutes. I'm not going to spoil what happens for the people that actually want to see the film for themselves, but I will say that you probably already know the big spoiler from other dicks on the internet, or just by knowing the source material. 

Okay I lied, there is one sequence that was fantastic, and it was the tower sequence you can see above. The camera for the most part takes either two positions, looking up at Peter in Spider-suit, or down at Gwen. When it takes a different position, neither of them are seen in the frame. The camera, at one point focuses on Peter's web as Gwen is falling, and the end of the webbing takes on the appearance of a hand, and the camera stays on that for a decent amount of time. I just think the sequence was done masterfully.

There isn't much action in this one, and to be honest I don't think there was in the first, I can't recall just how much action there was in the first. There are three big sequences here, four if you count the last two minutes. They're spaced out quite a bit, about half an hour a piece, there's your opening sequence with Rhino, minus the suit, the first confrontation with Electro, then the battle with Electro/Green Goblin, and the final confrontation with a suited up Rhino. The action, as par for the course, was executed beautifully. The fights are choreographed well and work like a charm. And while the rest of the film for the most part is without "action" that isn't to say that nothing happens, because a lot happens in the near two and a half hours of Spidey-goodness. There just aren't that many fights.

My only real complaint of the film comes with the storyline of the parents death and research. My main issue with this stuff as it does literally nothing for the advancement of the plot, or narrative. It only serves for more melodrama and suffering on Peter's behalf. There's even a scene with Aunt May, where she tells Peter to stop caring about this stuff because it's only going to hurt your feelings and stuff. He basically tells her, "I know, but I don't care I want to know anyways." I will say, however, that the lab he finds was pretty neat, despite its being there not making much sense.

 

There was also this great scene at the start, where Peter is trying to get to his high school graduation, but he forgets to take his mask off and almost walks onto stage wearing the mask. That's about as spoilery as I plan on getting. I felt the need to mention the scene mainly because of this meme, so you can thank the meme for that little tangent there.

All in all, I'm not sure if I can say that The Amazing Spider-Man 2  was better than the first one. Rotten Tomatoes certainly doesn't think so. To be honest, I'm even having trouble deciding. There isn't much a difference in the way the two films were made for me to say one was definitely better than the other. With the other three films already telling Spider-Man's origins the first one did come off as a bit of a retelling, despite ten years separating the first films of both respective franchises (and five years separating the horrendous Spider-Man 3 from The Amazing Spider-Man). 

I'm starting to dislike giving movies a score out of ten, because the scores change over time. I could give the movie an 8/10 this week, and then after my third or fourth viewing, on Blu-Ray of course, it could be a 6,7, or 9. So where does that leave me, because I've got this whole summer season thing coming up, and everyone rates things now-a-days, how will people know that I enjoyed the film despite its minor misgivings. Maybe I should just stick with the good ol' */10 rating system and just keep my revisions to myself.

As of right now I'm going to give The Amazing Spider-Man 2 the aforementioned 8/10, which is about where I would rank it predecessor at the moment despite having initially loved the first one enough to give it a rather high ranking spot on my top ten of Summer 2012 (I believe I gave it the #1 slot actually.) To be fair I judge movies differently than I did back in 2012. Hell, I judge them differently every month, or so it seems.

So the rest of the summer holds quite a lot in store for me. I likely won't review everything that I see, but I will more than likely discuss the good stuff, or the horrendously bad if I end up seeing something that is just straight-up terrible this summer. Next week is, hopefully, Neighbors, with Godzilla following the week after. I'll see you then. Have a video.

Sorry for the Delay

Okay, I'm not really sorry. I just forgot, okay.

By the way, expect to see a lot more 60's Spider-Man memes. I've amassed a collection.

So, what is there to talk about. College is almost over - oh shit, I haven't written about how the academic dishonesty thing turned out, my bad. So, it... didn't. maybe I need to elaborate. I didn't win. It doesn't really bother me - but I do still need to figure out how to pay for the summer course I'll be taking if the bill is due before May - I should probably check that... It doesn't say. Oh, well.

So yeah, I sort of went back on my words from... two(?) weeks ago. I decided to just take an online summer course through Brockport to get it all over and done with, then possibly onto film school (New York Film Academy's online screenwriting program), eventually. With the possibility of actually going to a film school, Chicago, NYFA, Toronto in the greater future. The main reason I decided to take this route was simply that it was by far the easiest route. Going through a community college or different school I would have had to apply and wait for an acceptance letter, and I do not have time for that. Well I do, I'm just much to lazy to do so.

Speaking of lazy, I still have to read 38 pages of a children's book, Feathers, for my Children's lit class. I decided to write this instead of doing that. I'll get to that as soon as I'm done here. I promise, I just can't write this and read a book at the same time. I only have two hands, and two eyes.

I got my graduation tickets today. It's sort of hitting me slowly that one, I'm getting old, and two, college is almost over. I mean, I've had that feeling since the start of last semester, back in like August. But now, it's almost as if it's really happening (as if it hadn't been before now). There are however a few things other than school I'd like to talk about. Bear with me.

First, my girlfriend and I celebrated our five month anniversary yesterday. I honestly couldn't be happier. I know I say this in practically every blog since the end of November, but it's true. Next month is our six month. Our half a year.

 

Perhaps I do overdo, the "I love my girlfriend" stuff, but I can't help it. On now to the summer movies talk, as Summer movie season is swiftly approaching, the first of them coming at the end of next week, which honestly will be my next blog post, in the form of a rather extensive review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. I feel the need to return to form in the way I review movies. I've simplified it, and got a bit more extensive with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But nothing beats the way I reviewed M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender. Now that was extensive... I think I posted it on like Flixster, here. 

Essentially, for those who didn't click on the link, I break down my opinions on the various aspects of the film. I wrote it before I started my minor in Film Studies, I saw it around opening week, while it was still in theaters (late 2010 I believe) with a high school friend of mine, Shawn. So the film terminology and what-not would not have been with me, and the review likely doesn't sound as sophisticated as it would if I were to write it now, which I am not going to take the time to do, as it would require me to re-watch the film. Which is my only unforgivable sin.

Back to the Summer movie talk. May is a big month, let's break down the coming months of summer, talking briefly about each of the following movies, all of which will be reviewed in later blog posts.

May 2: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The sequel to my favorite of the Spider-Man films. Yes, that includes any and all of Sam Raimi's original trilogy. Yes, I personally felt as though The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) was better than Spider-Man 2 (2004). I've yet to have read any of the recent Superior Spider-Man comics, but it still holds that Spider-Man is one of my favorite heroes. I could relate to Peter Parker, and that's something that for me, the first three films lacked, I was never able to relate to Maguire's portrayal of Peter, and his portrayal of Spider-Man was horrendous (natural web shooters aside). I needed my nerd who gets super-powers and thus becomes cocky. I didn't want the boring, always for some reason out-of-touch Peter that was given to us in those first few films. Yes, Andrew Garfield does not necessarily look the part of a nerd, but so what, at least he acts the latter which is what I wanted out of the original films.

On May 9 I may see Neighbors, but I probably won't do a review of it, unless it's as amazing as Rotten Tomatoes and it's current 100% status suggest.

May 16: Godzilla

  

I'm not sure this movie could be any more hyped than it is. It's the biggest Godzilla to date, it features more than one Kaiju, and they well likely fight, and Bryan freakin' Cranston is in it. I'd be lying if I didn't say this is the movie I am most looking forward to seeing.

 

May 23: X-Men: Days of  Future Past

The Days of Future Past storyline is fantastic, and while the film, like all of the other X-Men movies have been doing, is taking liberties with it, I can't wait to see the end result. Especially considering it's setting up for the future X-Men: Apocalypse.

 

May 30:  A Million Ways to Die in the West

I'm a big fan of Seth MacFarlane, and I loved Ted. Now that MacFarlane is actually in front of the camera too, rather than just providing the voice to a character makes things more interesting. Maleficent also opens on May 30, though I don't really care much for that one, but I likely will see it at some point.

June 13: 22 Jump Street and How to Train Your Dragon 2

This day will forever be renamed the day of the sequels as I will. I repeat I WILL. Watch both of them opening night (whether I pay for both of them is another story). 21 Jump Street (2012) was and still is one of my favorite comedies, and How to Train Your Dragon (2010) is my favorite animated movie.

June 27: Transformers: Age of Extinction

Let it be known that despite my qualms with every Transformers movie after the first, that I'm actually looking forward to another one. I may not agree with Bay, or his directing style, but he knows how to get me interested and hoping that he'll do it right this time around.

 

July 11: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

The only movie I'll likely review in July, though Jupiter Ascending and The Purge: Anarchy do have my interests. The first one was excellent, and this one, judging from trailers, looks to be even better. I am sad that they've killed off James Franco's character (source) even if I get to see him die, but the rest of the cast in this is phenomenal.

 

August 1: Guardians of the Galaxy

As one of the few people that knows who these guys are I cannot possibly stress how excited I am for this movie. And considering that Gunn directed and wrote the fantastic Super, only makes me more excited for this. Also, Rocket Raccoon.

 

July 8: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Lucy

My last two-fer of the Summer. Admittedly I don't care much for the new Turtles movie, I'm still interested in seeing it. Lucy I'll likely see opening weekend. TMNT, the week after or sooner if I'm up for it.

Man, this is a long post, though I feel as though it's missing something.

 

Perfect.

Okay, now it feels complete. I'll be back in a week or so - either this weekend or next. If the latter comes first I'll have a Spider-Man review in tow. Here, have a non-Spider-Man related video.

12 Years in the Dark World : the GIFtastic Blog Post

See what I did there? With the title? I combined 12 Years a Slave with Thor: The Dark World. I bet you wish you were that clever.

Truth be told I recently watched this episode and then went right out to find this gif. Then I found this:

and then I said "this is totally going in my blog!"

So, this past weekend I saw both of these fantastic movies. Fantastic in their own merits, one was your typical Hollywood blockbuster, and as an avid comic book viewer/reader/scholar I just love these movies for all the right (wrong?) reasons. But let's discuss Thor first, and then tackle the big bad 12 Years.

Oh yeah, Spoilers.

First things first, Thor: The Dark World is the better film of the two Thor movies so far. For quite a few reasons too. Now to list them, for your viewing pleasure:

1. An increased strong female presence 
2. Not too much Loki, with the set up to a more Loki centered Thor movie, or even Loki spinoff
3. A good balance of action and comedy
4. Guardians of the Galaxy teaser

And now to tackle each of these points, one by one. First, the increased strong female presence. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, is a integral part of the narrative, and she isn't just the damsel in distress archetype or the throwaway love interest she came off as in the first film. She, like Pepper did in Iron Man 3 helps to vanquish the "big bad" in the films climax, only not actually defeating him like Pepper did. It, in my opinion, is the single strongest role a female has had in the marvel movies, let alone a comic book movie, arguably second to Black Widow. She even slaps Loki, the villain of both Thor and The Avengers.

Help, it's mesmerizing. I think this proves that slap GIF's are the best GIF's.

and now... a few more slap GIF's to prove this irrefutable fact:

Kat Denning's character from the first film also has a larger presence, though not as huge. Lady Sif (and the Warrior's Three) and Frigga even take side seats despite being the bad-asses they are, this movie is more a Jane/Thor/Loki triple feature, and I loved every minute of it. If this is any indication of the way women character are going to be treated in these movies, the future looks bright. Now if only they'll give me a female super hero movie, I fear we may never get a solo Wonder Woman picture, at least there's that Netflix series on Jessica Jones coming soon (2015 soon).

Lookie, I has a source.

Now for point two, there wasn't too much Loki in it. He wasn't overused or over done. While this may upset the fan girls/boys I have no complaints. Hell, the conclusion of the film hints that Loki may get the focus of Thor 3 or even his own Spinoff movie. A boy can dream right? The good balance of action and comedy point sort of speaks for itself, as does point four. The first post credits scene is a tease for the upcoming 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy film which is going to be amazing guys, for serious.

The final fight sequence in particular constantly flips from comedy to action, seamlessly merging the two into one sequence without one overpowering the other. Thor's Hammer, Mjölnir, is thrown at some point in the conflict and several minutes of the ensuing fight is spent thinking with portals.

Thor goes through the portal narrowly missing the hammer, transporting himself across the universe, the hammer misses the portal and chases after him through space. Thor goes through another portal back to Earth and the hammer turns back around to get to Thor. It's the perfection of comedic timing.

As far as the stuff I didn't like, and the reasons why I'm going to deduct some points. are the points where they stray too far from their source material that the Thor movie universe is too dissimilar to the (at least current) comic universe. Frigga dies in the movie, and it is assumed that Loki even kills Odin, leaving himself in charge of Asgard. In the comics Frigga, following Odin's death, takes over rule of Asgard, and Frigga is a straight up bad-ass. But they went and killed her off, leaving little to no possibility (magic aside) of her taking over Asgard. It is because the world may never know the full extent of Frigga's bad-assery that I am deducting a few points.

Thor: The Dark World gets an 8.5/10

No list for discussion on this film, not because it was a bad film, no, in no possible ways was this a bad film. It was most certainly "The best" film I've seen this year. Visually this film has no equal yet, this year. This blows Prisoners out of the water, and remember how much I loved the visual aesthetics of that film. But seriously, if 12 Years a Slave were food, I wouldn't want to share it. I wouldn't want to share it so much, I'd become Joey Tribbiani.

That's how good this movie is. The shot's in it alone are masterfully crafted. As one would come to expect from Steve McQueen, whom in my opinion is one of the world's greatest living director's. So it's no real surprise that I loved this film. There's one shot in particular that alone deserves an Oscar. Just give it to someone for Pete's sake (and he returns, damn you Pete), if this gets snubbed I will lose all faith in the academy, all my faith.

The shot occurs when the films protagonist is left hanging in a tree, with his feet touching the ground. The camera remains in one place, as he hangs there, slowly shuffling his feet and spinning ever so slightly around. All this while time elapses in the background as if nothing happens. It's so physically painful to watch.

I seriously had trouble getting comfortable watching the movie. Not because the film made me necessarily uncomfortable, but because it basically rendered me unable to move. Which is apparently a thing. It's not a bad thing mind you, it's actually a good thing if I say so myself. Really it is, I just had to wait for scene transitions in order to adjust my position because I was so damn engrossed in the text of the film, which hasn't happened in quite a long time (the last time being with Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a few years back - which reminds me, Fincher, get on board with The Girl Who Played with Fire already). I still prefer the lighting of Prisoners to the lighting of 12 Years. Prisoners visually, in a lighting manner, is superior to 12 Years, that is likely because 12 Years goes for a "natural lighting" aesthetic to add more grit to it. Prisoner's is clearly key lit, in most of it's shots, a few remain without major lighting whatsoever, but that is all for the effect of that shot. I still love you Roger Deakins, but Bobbitt (12 Years' cinematographer) and McQueen are absolute master's of the craft.

There isn't much more I can say on 12 Years because I really don't want to spoil the plot - unlike Thor which I don't really care about spoiling. The performances are excellent across the board, even the minor roles are fantastic. Go see it. Now. Go. Like seriously. Go.

12 Years a Slave gets a 10/10

So, fun story. Friday night, technically Saturday morning, after watching Thor, my suite mate - the one who plays all the call of duty, is incredibly socially awkward, and is annoying, posted the following status on his Facebook: "It's sad to say this is my last night here at the college. And I still can't bring myself to terms to tell my roommates the news..." In confusion I went to tell my other suite mate about said Facebook status, I then went to go to bed. Roughly twenty minutes later, the two of them were talking in his room (the annoying one's room), which is next to mine, and I went out to see. He apparently wasn't doing too hot, no real surprise considering all he did was play video games, but seriously, he wasted nearly two and a half years of his life - he was a Junior. How the fuck can you be so irresponsible. Honestly.

College, as far as I have experienced, is not tough. It's not challenging. Especially when you don't do the party scene like I do. He even did less than I do outside of the dorm. I mean it's general knowledge...

... that you shouldn't play video games for ten hours a day every day, adding extra hours on weekends. It's just not good for you. Sure it's fun. But it's not fucking worth it. Especially when you've just managed to accrue quite the debt, that will most likely befall on your parents, because you lack the education to get a more respectable job, and you lack the social skills to get a "lesser" job. But come on man, it's just so damn stupid, I cannot believe your mom is okay with this, and I hope you do read this because someone needs to tell you that you are making a huge fucking mistake. For all the times I was picking on you, I apologize, but know man, that you needed help and that's sort of a form of correctional education. You pick on someone for doing something until they stop doing that thing. Yes, it's bullying, yes it was done to me, yes I stopped. But man, you can't even order your own food. You can't call a goddamn pizza place, say I want a large cheese pizza, and deliver it to Town Home X, thanks, bye, click. How in the world are you going to last in the real world on your own. I'm assuming you aren't. I'm assuming that you will be living with your parents for the foreseeable future. Which is fine, as I will be doing that until I get a car, then I'm moving as soon as possible, but I'm also assuming this will be rent free. Which isn't fine.

In ways I'm glad he's gone. In others, I'm not. He still needs help with his social skills, and it's clear by the way he is, he isn't getting that from his home. But I figured that I would wake up at noon with time to say good bye to him, considering he was still awake at three in the fucking morning. But no, noon comes along and he's gone. He did leave me a bag of Salt and Vinegar chips. Which were delicious. Thank you. But still you're stupid.

I have no choice to digress or this is going to last forever. You want to ruin your life, because you don't want to do the college thing anymore, fine by me, I'm not going to stop you. I just hope you manage to develop proper social skills and do well out there. Good luck, you're going to fucking need it.

I apologize to my other two suite mates, you are not idiots. This is directed to the drop-out and the people enabling him.

Hell, I am a firm believer of live and let live, but I'll be damned before I let this slide without my opinions being put out there somewhere so that there's a chance for the immediate party to see what I have to say. But this is so fucking stupid, I can't bring myself to get over it. It's like he came here for two and a half goddamn years, just to sit on his fucking ass and do nothing, all while thinking he was just going to slide right on through college. How fucking stupid can you be. GOD. I quit. I give up. I give the fuck up.

I apologize to the haters of the word "fuck." Please understand that it is a brilliant word that can be used in so many ways. It is perhaps the most versatile word in the human language. As someone who does not subscribe you a dogma, I don't believe in the concept of "Curse Words" or "Dirty Words." 

I'm just going to end this here, because honestly if I continue, it's just going to go right on back to my rant about how stupid he was for leaving. So here's a video on the aforementioned "F" word. If it offends you, you may not want to watch it. If it doesn't, then play the fucking video for fuck's sake, what the fuck are you waiting for.