Spider-Man: Homecoming (Spoiler Free) Review

 Spider-Man: Homecoming (Spoiler Free)

Director: Jon Watts

Writer: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley

Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier

Synopsis: Several months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City while fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

Review: The Marvel Cinematic Universe done did Spidey right! The tone of this movie is so uplifting compared to the heavy/dark comic movies we have been getting as of late. Walking out of this movie felt almost refreshing, much like how we all felt walking out of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. First things first though, I have to give a huge shout out to the writers and the director of this movie. Thank You! Thank you for not making us sit through another movie where we had to watch Uncle Ben die or Peter get bit by a spider, not even a flashback.  That time was giving a better purpose to tell this story. So again, I say thank you.

The story isn’t the only part of this movie that makes it great though, the casting for this movie was spot on. To start, Tom Holland has a very good chance at becoming the best Spider-Man ever. This has to be the closest rendition of Spider-Man to the actual comics that we have ever seen on the big screen.  To top it off the chemistry between Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau, as Happy Hogan, was great. The relationship between the three is so relatable at times that it is pretty dang hard to not get some serious feels for Peter Parker.  That being said, I am one of those people that believe the villain makes the superhero. Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes (A.K.A The Vulture) really took this character and gave it wings. Yes, I’m sure you saw what I did there. Moving on, Keaton took a villain that could have turned out to be extremely lame and made it work. Toomes perfectly fits under the classification of “The hero of his own story” and it flat out works. While there isn’t as much air time as you would expect for Tony Stark or Adrian Toomes, it really helps the story take the time to show this as a Peter Parker/Spider-Man movie.  Also, Peter’s friend Ned is a hoot and a half. Actually, in all honesty, I feel like Ned is the character that represents how we all would react in this situation, down right giddy and filled with really random questions.

All in all, this movie really is just a good time. While, I’m not ready to pick between it and Sam Raimi’s 2004 Spider-Man 2, this one definitely belongs in the conversation. Over all, the characters and the story told makes this move shine bright, nothing was held back in the fights and the emotions were real every step of the way.  It is going to be a lot of fun to watch Peter Parker grow up in this world of superheroes. This movie is absolutely a must see!

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Captain America: Civil War **Some Spoilers**

Captain America: Civil War Review

Director: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo

Writers: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely

Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland

Synopsis: Political interference in the Avengers’ activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man.

Take note future movies, it is possible to have two iconic and beloved characters square off and still make an entertaining movie. Anthony and Joe Russo pull off what Batman V Superman wishes it could have and almost makes it look easy. In the midst of setting superheroes and friends up against each other, the hardest part of the argument is the fact that both sides have valid points. The conflict between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers starts out with the Sokovia Accords, a set of internationally ratified legal documents set to be voted on that will regulate how and where the Avengers will be used to protect the world under rule of the United Nations.

In this Marvel universe where we are so use to seeing a funny and sarcastic Tony Stark, this movie does a great job of showing the weight of their actions affecting the reality of a man that feels accountable. Stark, while defending his side, adamantly states that “We need to be put in check” while showing pictures of one of their “victims” that was killed during the Avengers battle in Sokovia. Rogers, though, is completely against signing, he makes a great point stating that “the safest hands are still our own.” His strongest point is that the Avengers should not be controlled by a group of leaders with agenda’s. Probably the strongest argument, what if they wont let us go where we need to go or even send us somewhere that we don’t believe we should go too.

Its not just the dead from Sokovia that is hunting the Avengers though, Zemo played by Daniel Bruhl, finds the trigger to activate what ever the Nazis did the Bucky and sets the Winter Solder off leaving a path of destruction and dead bodies in his wake. Zemu, also, is very clever in setting Bucky up to take the blame of a bombing that happens at the United nations when they are discussing to pass the Sokovia Accords. Tony Stark and the rest of the world are quick to blame Bucky when video footage shows a man that looks like the Winter Solder setting the bomb in place. Rogers is adamant that wasn’t Bucky, but Stark refuses to listen. Poor Cap he is stuck in battle of picking sides.  The down fall for the movie, if feels like this villain takes a back seat in this movie. While he does something horrible things Bucky is the main target. He is captured in the end, which is important, but he honestly is a side story.

Thanks to the amount of superheroes in this movie, though, it would be easy to say this seems more of an Avengers 3 movie rather than a Captain America movie, but don’t get confused. This is a Captain America movie. The story clearly follows Steve and Bucky. That being said Oh My Goodness Superheroes Assemble! The two biggest additions, being the first time we have seen them in these movies, we get to meet Black Panther and Spider-Man! I was a little hesitant about Black Panther before, but now I’m excited to see this guy get his own movie. Possible the best addition though, is Spider-Man. He was on the screen for maybe 20 minutes, but I’ll be damned if Tom Holland isn’t my all time favorite Spider-Man. Thanks to the last few movies I constantly roll my eyes at the idea of another Spider-Man movie. Not anymore, Spider-Man: Homecoming is set to come out in 2017 and I can’t wait! Also side note, both of their suits are fucking amazing!!!

While things seem to jump around in the beginning, the move still makes sense, thankfully questions that form in the beginning are answered by the end of the movie. It’s amazing to see how far technology has come, seeing a young Robert Downey Jr was really trippy, while you may wonder why they’re showing a college student age Tony, by the end of the movie we get to see the mystery of how Maria and Howard Stark are killed. While it may have seemed like they were fighting at the airport, all gloves are off now and no one is pulling punches. The airport fight was the fight of the movie, every one got their moment to shine. The fight between Captain America with Bucky at his side against Iron Man was just brutal. There was a legit moment where I actually thought Cap was going to finish Tony off. That was a breath holding moment, and kudos to Robert Downey Jr. You could see the realization in his face that he thought it was all over and then to realize it wasn’t. Even more so I honestly believe there is regret there as well, Stark would have killed Cap had things been the other way around, but Cap clearly having the opportunity, was never willing to go that far.

The future looks like it will be a rocky path for the Avengers. Lets be real though, some “end of the world” event will happen and the bromance that is Steve Rogers and Tony Stark will form again, just look at the movies set to come out over the next 5 years  or so from Marvel.  Sure its going to take a lot for Tony to move pass the fact Steve knew how Mommy and Daddy Stark died, but something will bring them together. The Avengers will assemble again.

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