SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

 Tom Holland     Zendaya     Benedict Cumberbatch     Jon Favreau     Marisa Tomei

Jacob Batalon     Alfred Molina     Willem Dafoe     J. K. Simmons     Jamie Foxx

This edition is most remarkable for cleverly integrating past Spider-Man movies and their characters into Spider-Man:  No Way Home.  If a viewer has not seen or can’t remember the past versions, it is easy enough to follow the plot.  However, a much richer experience will be had by those who have kept up with all the versions through the years and recognize all the past characters referenced and the actors who play them.  

The story opens with the chaos caused when Spider-Man’s identity is revealed to be Peter Parker (Holland).  The star broadcaster J. Jonah James (Simmons) at the Daily Fix has seen to that.  The item surfaced when the criminal illusionist Mysterio in his dying breath revealed the identity of Spider-Man, who had just killed him in the previous Spider-Man:  Far From Home (2019).  But now, Mysterio is being made a hero, and Spider-Man  as the presumed villain has to deal with the public rancor that ensues, along with monsters that are suddenly showing up mysteriously on earth.

Peter has sought the help of Dr. Strange (Cumberbatch), who condescendingly agrees to help, but is super-annoyed when Peter keeps interrupting the spell with conditions he thinks of while the spell is being produced.  This has consequences, the extent of which Peter only realizes later, making this something of a coming-of-age story.  It’s going to come home to Peter that gifts he has received come with responsibilities, and the process of learning that is repeated throughout this story line. 

Production of this version of Spider-Man directed by John Watts is engaging in its special effects and script by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, based on the Marvel comic by Stan Lee and Steve Ditka.  The cast realizes the action by numerous talented actors:  Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, J. K. Simmons, and others.  All are top-notch.  

Like many films nowadays, judicious editing could have improved the production and reduced it a half-hour to a two-hour limit.  The story bogs down in the middle when one super-human sequence follows another, with technological aspects of filming taking precedence over story and characters.  I’m compelled to reiterate my usual irritation with these movies inevitably ending with a fist fight between two characters followed by tender, emotional scenes meant to pull on the heartstrings.  I like the latter, but why the fist fights when the characters have access to all kinds of technological tools?

 

With such a clever script, this is probably a true gem for Spider-Man and Marvel Comics fans.  For others, it can be mostly entertaining, except for the length.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

DUNE

Timothee Chalamet     Rebecca Ferguson     Oscar Isaac     Zendaya     Jason Momoa

Stellen Skarsgard     Stephen McKinley Henderson     Javier Bardem     Chen Chang

Sharon Duncan-Brewster     Dave Bautista     Charlotte Rampling

            I would say it’s just glorious to be enthralled by the sensory extravaganza that Dune presents.  The vistas and patterns of shimmering sand in the desert (Greig Fraser, Cinematographer), the elegance of the aircraft, the fascinating production design (Patrice Vermette), the eeriness of the music (Hans Zimmer) and sound effects—Denis Villeneuve and his collaborating filmmakers mesh together so well, the film is like a living tapestry that is spellbinding.  

            And the cast!  Beginning with Chalamet as an ideal Paul Atreides, a duke’s son trained in a comprehensive framework of arms, politics and government, and prophecy.  His eyes, his bearing, his obvious sincerity all convey a special person—let alone his handsome looks.  All the casting choices are spot on.  We get Oscar Isaac as Paul’s father and Duke of Atreides cynically awarded a planet in the Imperium by jealous calculating emperor Shaddam.  He portrays nobility and a genuine sense of fairness in the universe. Rebecca Ferguson as Paul’s mother sees that he is physically/mentally/emotionally prepared for an expected destiny.  She demonstrates the power of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood which is intimidating physically and emotionally and keenly perceptive.  Jason Momoa as Duncan the Atreides’ swordmaster, Josh Brolin as the Atreides’ weapons expert, and Javier Bardem as Stilgar the leader of the desert Fremen all demonstrate their characters’ particular skills and their mentoring attachment to Paul.  Sharon Duncan-Brewster as the ecology-aware Dr. Liet Kynes; and Charlotte Rampling as the Reverend Mother Mohiam, from the exclusive sisterhood Bene Gesserit aptly fill out a stellar cast.  In a departure from the book, Dr. Kynes (played by Sharon Duncan-Brewster) is a female, presumably a nod to contemporary times.

            For those not familiar with the story, the universe consists of a number of planets, each with its own head.  Over all is the emperor of the conglomerate, the Imperium, which has a huge army, the Sardauker.  In the mix is the planet Arrakis, which is extremely valuable for its “spice” found in the sands of its desert.  This spice, mélange, promotes youth, vitality, and lifespan, is a valuable resource.  Planet Harkonnen has held its sway on Arrakis for years, exploiting the crop of spice for its own benefit, along with cooking the books to favor itself.  Now, the emperor is not only worried about his revenue from this planet, but he is jealous of Lord Atreides of Caladan.  

            Thinking he will win by pitting the two against each other, the emperor appoints Lord Atreides to the Arrakis planet in direct opposition to Harkonnen.  (The fact that he will eventually favor Harkonnen over Atreides is part of the story.)  But he hasn’t taken into account the Atreides’ humanitarian bent.  The Duke is committed to good governance, which includes diplomatically engaging the Fremen, masters of the desert, whom the Harkonnens have mistreated.

            This account of Dune ends with Paul and his mother Lady Jessica being rescued from the desert by the Fremen who are wondering if he is their messiah.  This is Villeneuve’s Part One; Part Two is planned for a later release.

 

Thrill to the story of interplanetary competition mixed in with mystical realism in an epochal battle for the good.

 

Grade:  A                              By Donna R. Copeland 

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

Tom Holland    Zendaya    Jon Favreau    Jake Gyllenhaal    Samuel L. Jackson

 Marissa Tomei     Cobie Smulders     Jacob Batalon     Angourie Rice

     At first, it looked like this, the seventh rendition of Spider-Man as the central figure, was going to have a clever twist, and it did for a while, but the follow-through was less inspired. Nevertheless, the action is captivating as usual (except when the battles go on too long), and the special effects are especially grand.  Peter Parker has always been a kind of “aw, shucks” kind of guy, but that trait is more emphasized here—perhaps because he has been charged with an assignment he is not quite ready for, at least in terms of self-confidence and other concerns.  That tendency wears thin over time.

     Peter (Holland) has a burning love interest, and he is beside himself with anticipation for the science trip his class is scheduled to take in Europe, when he plans to romance and declare his feelings for Michelle Jones (“MJ”) (Zendaya). So like many teenagers called to duty, when Nick Fury (Jackson) needs Spider-Man asap, Peter stalls, trying to get out of serving.  

     Hearing more, his enthusiasm for the task waxes and wanes, depending on who is talking to him, and although Fury goes with Peter’s resistance, he has a way of inserting his will at strategic times.  One of the incentives Peter is given is a set of special eyeglasses from Tony Stark that gives him access to technology that he can summon at any time without regard to cost.  Of course, Peter is thrilled; this is something he was yearning for in 2017’s Spider-Man Homecoming, to be Stark’s successor. But, curiously, deep down Peter now feels unworthy of the inheritance.  

     That, coupled with his adolescent passions, causes him to make a decision, the implications of which he is completely unaware.  Until later.

     Peter is far from home, jaunting off to Venice, Italy, the Austrian Alps, Berlin, and London.  With filming taking place in all those sites, the visuals are heightened.   But Peter will not be on a sightseeing tour; danger and intrigue erupts at every stop.  He is relieved to find a potential ally in one of the heroes from another dimension named Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Gyllenhaal), who suddenly appears on the scene and who is able to thwart a huge new shape-shifting “elemental” threat that creates tornados and earthquakes on earth.  Gyllenhaal and Parker have a natural chemistry that charges up every scene they’re in together.  In all the goings on, Peter is caught up in complexities that take a while for him to figure out.

     Interestingly, beginning with the 2017 film when Peter’s friend Ned (Batalon) learns about his identity, MCU has decided in this version to be more public about who he is.  This makes for charming interchanges between Peter and MJ.  Zendaya’s character is so interesting in her deadpan expressions; and their pairing is a delightful part of the story.

Except for one new element, Far from Home resembles previous versions; but for Spider-Man fans, this one is likely to be fun and exciting.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Hugh Jackman     Michelle Williams     Zac Efron     Rebecca Ferguson     Paul Sparks     Zendaya

    This is about P.T. Barnum’s early years in the beginnings of his productions.  It shows him as a young underprivileged boy needing to scramble even to feed himself, but with such an optimistic outlook, you know that in the glory days of 19^th Century America, he is likely to succeed.  He’s even able to win the heart of Charity Hallett (Williams), to the horror of her wealthy parents. 

    As an entrepaneur, Barnum (Jackman) starts with purchasing a wax museum of historical figures, but moves on to real people who are distinguished by their unusual appearance (height, weight, etc.) or identity (gender race), then adds live performances, and eventually renames his production a circus.  Barnum is an open-minded, accepting person and is shocked when the circus elicits strong criticism and outright demonstrations from the public, some objecting on the basis of exploitation of the performers, and some because of frank prejudice against them. 

     But with the help of his production manager Phillip Carlyle (Efron), Barnum perseveres, and even engages the legendary Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson), known for having “the voice of a nightingale” for a contracted number of appearances.  The production becomes a huge success, and by this time, he lives with his wife and two daughters in a mansion.  Trouble begins to appear when he makes plans to go on tour, but he doesn’t anticipate the furor in mainstream America against what they would call “freaks”, the downturn in the economy, and disagreements with Lind.  Soon, Barnum is in the deepest trouble he has ever been in.

     This is a musical with lyric tunes and choreographed dancing.  The stars Jackman, Williams, Efron and Ferguson have beautiful voices, and the music is lyrical with catchy tunes by John Debney, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Joseph Trapanese, two of whom (Pasek and Paul) composed the lyrics for La La Land.  Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams are accomplished actors who manage their roles very well, as do Zac Efron and Rebecca Ferguson.

     The production has been criticized for giving a rather white-washed view of Barnum.  I gather from a cursory reading on the internet that he was a very complex person with both an admirable and questionable history.  He was a talented, convincing salesman—as depicted in the film—but sometimes went beyond strict truthfulness.  Business and making money seemed of paramount importance, and he was successful in this; but he was also an author, publisher, and philanthropist, giving large donations to Tufts University, property for a city park, and while mayor of Bridgeport, CT, he helped to improve the water supply and install gas lights in the streets.  In defense of his heavy-handed marketing, he said, “I don’t believe in duping the public, but I believe in first attracting then pleasing them.”  Although he did use black-faced minstrels in his shows—not uncommon for the time—while he was in the Connecticut legislature, he defended the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution and advocated politically against slavery. 

     I think critics should keep in mind that The Greatest Showman is not intended to be a comprehensive look at P. T. Barnum’s life, but to offer an uplifting musical that highlights his positive attitude and showmanship, and his exemplification of the American spirit and ingenuity.

A musical account of the birth of showmanship in the form of P. T. Barnum.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING

Tom Holland   Michael Keaton   Robert Downey, Jr.   Marisa Tomei   Jon Favreau  

Jacob Batalon   Zendaya   Laura Harrier   Donald Glover   voice of Jennifer Connelly

      The Spider-Man series is a mixed bag, but manages to be the tenth highest grossing film franchise in history.  Homecoming is the sixth titled work after Spider-Man (2002, 2004, 2007); The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, (2014).  But beyond these, Spider-Man has been a character in nine live-action films.  In the most recent, Captain America, Spider-Man assumes prominence and recognition from Tony Stark.  Homecoming is something of a follow-up story, with Peter Parker (Holland) being a nerd-like teenager who, as Spider-Man, has aspirations of becoming Stark’s (Downey) right-hand super-hero.  In this film, he has to prove himself against the doubts of Stark and his agent Happy Hogan (Favreau).  To his chagrin, he is sent back to his Queens high school and advised to stay away from heroics.

    This rendition has Peter as an annoying teenager who has little recognition of his limitations but great confidence in his abilities.  While praising and even idolizing his mentors Happy Hogan and Stark, he thinks he is “good to go” in seeking out the crooks, specifically, The Vulture (Keaton), despite the cautions of Hogan and Stark.  It’s something like a coming-of-age story in which the incorrigible Parker gradually learns through his headstrong mistakes. 

    Homecoming is different from previous versions in Peter’s divulging his Spider-Man identity to his nerdy close friend Ned (Batalon) who is so blown away impressed, he can’t keep a secret either, creating more complications.  The villain in this production is Adrian Toomes, aka The Vulture (Keaton).  Toomes owns a salvage company that does not always stay within the law, and he is furious that Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) has edged him out of a lucrative job.  As he goes about his criminal activities, his path crosses that of Parker, who cannot resist getting involved, despite the warnings he’s been given.  There is a spectacular scene on the Staten Island Ferry, which is shown in the previews.

     Tom Holland puts in a forcible performance as Parker/Spider-Man, doing as many of the stunts as he could, although he was hampered by a broken leg after a fall down stairs at home.  Director Jon Watts has joked that Holland was as excited about landing the role as his character is in getting to be Spider-Man, and it shows in his performance.  Since he is a former gymnast, he can impress with feats like back-flips on command. 

     Michael Keaton, Robert Downey, Jr., Jon Favreau, and Marisa Tomei are their usual pro-selves, convincing in every way.  I understand that Keaton particularly enjoyed being the baddest villain he could be.  Younger Jacob Batalon and Zendaya bring fresh spirit and talent to the group.

     Jon Watts has achieved something many thought was undoable in resurrecting Spider-Man in a way that is engaging, entertaining, and sometimes surprising.  The last act has a very nice shocker in it.  Music by Michael Giacchino expertly and lyrically hits the right notes in every scene. 

     The movie is well done; I personally tired of seeing what I thought was much the same story in every previous rendition of Spider-Man.

An enthusiastic teen challenges Tony Stark’s patience with his gutsiness and impresses The Vulture with his nerve.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland