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The Amazing Spider-Man

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  • The Amazing Spider-Man

    Saw the movie The Amazing Spider-Man this morning at the Ward Theater. This movie is a re-telling origin movie of Spider-Man, some of the themes and plots are there but with some differences in how the story unfolds. One plot line in this movie is dealing with the issue of Peter Parker's parents and how he ended up with the his Uncle Ben and Aunt May.

    There is a scene inbetween the ending credits.

    The Stan Lee cameo in this movie was kind of funny.

  • #2
    Re: The Amazing Spider-Man

    The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
    Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Denis Leary, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Field. Directed by Marc Webb.

    I don’t mind so much that this is a reboot of a film series that to me still seems recent. I just kind of wish the origin story didn’t take up so much of the film. A lot of the retelling of Spider-Man’s origins could have been told as effectively in flashbacks, but this is a small gripe because Peter Parker’s story in general is pretty dang interesting and it’s okay with me to see a new interpretation of it. The charisma of the principal actors definitely helps.

    This Spidey is played by Andrew Garfield, who has a definite Brat Pack look and feel (I’m sure it’s coincidental that C. Thomas Howell has a small part in the film, but his presence doesn’t hurt the whole Brat Pack vibe I get), and I like him. He’s less pretty than Tobey Maguire, and some effort is made to give him a little more of an edge, less wimpy while still alienated by schoolmates for his braininess. There’s enough bad-boy in him to make it believable that Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) would at least take an interest in him.

    It might seem like a small thing, but Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben also brings a certain badness, and the way he goes down in this film gives Peter a lot more to work with in his teen angst, enough eternal guilt, probably, to last at least another two films.

    Emma Stone as Gwen is just terrific. Perhaps it is because of the grown-up misfit in me, the one who finds a lot in Peter to relate with, that Gwen’s interest in Peter really resonates with me. She should like Peter, darn it, but why the heck doesn’t that happen often enough in real life? As a viewer, I find myself caring less about the whole save-the-city plot and more about the Peter-and-Gwen romance with each passing scene, although maybe that says less about my teenagerhood than it does about my film preferences.

    Most of the action sequences, the ones in which Spider-Man is interacting with bad guys or keeping some disaster from happening, are kind of interesting if not exactly thrilling, but those scenes where Spidey is slinging his way through the city are extremely fun. I was reminded a lot of Disney’s Tarzan sliding along tree branches; there’s that same reckless sense of fun above practicality, and we’re treated to some pretty cool p.o.v. shots as Peter improvises his way through the dark city. I’ve been wondering when a film would really integrate a parkour spirit in its chase scenes (Kevin Smith’s Cop Out doesn’t count), and The Amazing Spider-Man taps into that feeling. Peter Parkour.

    It’s not a huge improvement over the Sam-Raimi-directed trilogy. It is a worthy parallel imagining, though, and you can count me in for a couple of sequels. A fun movie.

    7/10 (IMDb rating)
    75/100 (Criticker rating)
    But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
    GrouchyTeacher.com

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