'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' Review

Below is my review of ‘The Amazing Spider Man 2’. Don’t worry if you have not seen the movie, there are no spoilers.

What I liked about the film

• Visually great/Good action- This was the best aspect of the film. All of the action sequences are beautifully shot and the effects looked great. The way they visualized Spider-Man swinging around New York City and fighting, was something that the first Spiderman Trilogy never really gave us. I never read the comic books, but it looked like this movie was jumping straight out of a Spider-Man issue. I didn’t feel like it was corny, and it definitely could have been. Even the sequences with Electro, there were some great shots and stunning visual effects.  I caught myself saying in my head many times, “shit, that was pretty awesome” and it takes something pretty stunning to make me say that to myself.

• Relationships – This was a big key to the movie and definitely one of the strongest parts of the film. This movie was very relationship driven, and as audience member, I really felt that their connections were real. Once again, this is something that could easily be seen as corny and forced (ex. Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway). However, each interaction made sense and made the story interesting. Whether it was Peter Parker and Gwen Stacey, Peter Parker and Harry Osborne, Harry Osborn and Electro, Peter Parker and Aunt Mae, Spider-Man and Electro… there were so many important relationships, yet each one of them worked. Which is huge tip of the cap to the actors…and on that point…
  

• The acting- Now looking at the cast list, you could assume that this movie would be well acted. However, everything doesn’t always turn out that way. With what the actors were given, they really embodied their characters and drew you in. They really brought out the emotions of the audience in some scenes, a.k.a. good acting. Also, I really enjoyed the take on Peter Parker and Gwen Stacey that was created in the first film and continued into this one. Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker seems a lot more grounded in reality, and is way more relatable. On that same note, Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacey is a well done female character who isn’t just clueless damsel in distress. She’s very intellectual and actually plays a legitimate role in the film. With that being said, the new additions to the franchise were great as well. Jamie Foxx was great as Electro (I could do without the voice) but he convinced me that a bumbling nerd could turn into this angry, misunderstood villain. [side note: I thought Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon was hilarious, some reviews did not feel the same way, but I thought it was funny] Then there’s Dane Dehaan, who kills it in this movie. Even though his character was a little misused (I get into that later) he really took the role on and did a good job.

• Spider-Man- I feel like they nailed the character of Spider-Man in this movie. He’s very confident and loves being Spider-Man. From what I know about Spider-Man (mainly from that awesome 90’s morning cartoon show), he is cocky, funny, but actually does his job well. That’s what they portrayed in this movie, which really worked and it made the movie more enjoyable. He would be making fun of the villains, cracking jokes, goofing around, and still kicking people’s ass. I thought it was fun and helps separate Spider-Man from the crowded genre he’s in.

What I didn’t like about the film

• Overcrowded- Once again a Spider-Man movie suffers from trying to pack too much into the script. Now this movie was nowhere near as poorly done as Sam Remy’s Spider-Man 3, but many things did seem similar. There were too many sub-plots in this movie, and it was just jumping around from issue to issue. It never gave the audience member sufficient time to really dive deep into the main plot of the story. There were definitely storylines in this movie that were not needed, and it seemed like this movie is was just a set-up movie for future films (Sinister Six), which is disappointing. They tried to fit in too much and it just came out too hectic and not very focused.

• Tone- I am conflicted on this subject because I liked the tones they used in the movie, but they should’ve just picked one. The movie starts out with this ‘comic-book’ style movie, that’s very fun and entertaining, and I liked that. Yet throughout the movie, they intertwined that tone of the film with a lot of dark elements and realism. I like that take on a super hero as well, because it grounds it in reality and make its more relatable. However, they needed to pick one or the other! I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel about the film because it kept changing tones throughout the movie. It made the film very uneven and if they would’ve stayed with one style, it would’ve been a lot better I feel. A movie can have light tones and still have a sense of realism (ex. The Avengers), but this movie made the transitions very drastic, and made it pretty obvious.

• Music- This is a little ‘nitpicky’, but it is worth mentioning. Music in a movie should not take you away from what’s happening on screen, and I feel like that’s what happened a few times during this movie. For those who have seen the movie, when peter is listening to Phillip Phillips in his room…terrible. However, don’t get this confused with the score of the film. The score was fine, and I actually like that Electro had his own music whenever he fought. Yet there were a few moments in the film that really turned me off because of the music that was chosen (almost like ‘The Great Gatsby’). 
  

• Misuse of Characters- Minor Spoiler Warning: I will try and not to ruin too much, but if you have seen any of the marketing for this movie, this won’t be that big of a surprise. Harry Osborn. There were definitely some plot stretches in this movie (little boy standing in the street at the end) but none worse than the use of Harry Osborn at the end. I loved what Dane Dehaan did with Harry throughout the film, and his relationship with peter was great. I even bought into the reason why he became angry and evil. However, everything did not need to be seen in this movie. All of a sudden he’s on the brink of death, and can immediately fly this hovercraft with no training at all? Once again I feel like they just pushed storylines that didn’t need to happen. The Green Goblin was not needed at the end of the film, and they just rushed the character. It seems the writers wanted us to just assume a lot of things during the movie, and that’s not good story telling. Most aspects of a film should be explained and have a purpose. I felt like the creators of this movie glossed over that detail in the film. Also, Rhino was just terrible.

Overall, I did enjoy watching ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’. I recommend seeing the movie, especially in the theatres. I was definitely entertained and it was a good super hero movie. However, it does not cross that line into a good movie outside of the genre. There is a lot of missing pieces and it some cases too many pieces, which definitely hurt the movie. This film had all of the elements to be an even better movie, but they tried to fit too much into the script, and it seemed to fall short on making an impact. All in all, it is a fun superhero movie with great visuals and good acting. The average movie go-er will enjoy it, or at least I did.

Score: 6/10

Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

Hello everyone, 2014 is here and we have whole new year of movies ahead of us. I wanted to take some time and help educate/get you excited for what you can expect coming soon in the world of film. So without further ado, here is the list for my Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2014:

 *Trailers Included

Honorable Mentions

The Hobbit: There and Back Again

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Dumb and Dumber To

Horrible Bosses 2

10. 22 Jump Street

Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum

Release Date: June 12, 2014

You get it? It's the sequel to 21 Jump Street! Sadly, I think this will be a down year for comedies, but this movie looks to be promising. I didn't originally like the first film, but after watching it a few more times, it grew on me. I hope the sequel keeps the same type of vibe, but changes the plot dramatically. Unfortunately after looking at the trailer, I don't think that is the case. The plot seems to be exactly the same, but they're just in college this time. I have complete faith that there will be some laugh-out-loud moments, but I just hope this doesn’t turn into a ‘Hangover 2’ type of sequel. Seeing them in college though could be funny, and I always love seeing “College douche-bags” in films and we're almost bound to see one in this movie.

9. 300: Rise of an Empire

Starring:  Sullivan Stapleton,  Lena Headey, Eva Green

Release Date: March 7, 2014

Epic! This is the type of sequel where I don't care if it is the same exact plot as the first movie. As long as it's as badass as the first, then this should be a good movie. I really liked the first 300, and I'm assuming that this one will keep the same type of action, but just on an even bigger scale. A lot of the cast members returned and so did Zack Snyder as Producer, who was the director of original.

8. A Million Ways to Die in the West

Starring: Seth McFarland, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson

Release Date: May 30, 2014

We're at #8 and we've already reached the highest ranked comedy on the list. Like I said before, this will be a down year for comedies but hopefully this movie will fill the void. The main reason this makes my top ten is because of the cast, and because it's a Seth McFarland movie. Although I'm not a big of him being an actor in the film, I am a huge fan of Seth McFarland's type of comedy. I thought Ted was hilarious, and I’m sure this movie will have that same type of humor. Also, it revolves around how messed up the old west was, so it could be a very funny combination.

7. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan

Release Date: April 3, 2014

2014 will be another year where super hero movies thrive and kill at the box office. Can Marvel do no wrong? It's almost disgusting how much money their movies make and how almost every one of them is good. The first Captain America was definitely the weaker of the first phase movies that came from Marvel, however it was still a solid film. I have no doubt that this one will be even better, because they have already have confirmed a third movie. As long as Marvel keeps putting these types of quality movies out, I will keep seeing them.

6. X-Men: Days of Future Past

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Lawrence, Peter Dinklage

Release Date: May 23, 2014

And the super hero movies continue... I'm not the biggest fan of the X-Men movies. I haven't even seen all of them, but this one looks very good. This might have been one of the best trailers that I've so far this year. The concept of this movie is super interesting because they are combining the characters from the original X-men movies with the prequel movies they made. I'm always a sucker for time travel movies, and the cast they assembled is mind-boggling. I’d be very surprised if this movie turn out to be a bust.

5. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Starring: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell

Release Date: May 23, 2014

Another sequel! This seems to be the year of the sequels, and I still have one more to go on my list. However unlike 300, I hope this movie takes another angle on the overall story, which it seems like it will. The movie takes place years after the events from the first film, and the plague has already came and gone. The remaining survivors are at an all-out war with Ceaser and his army of monkeys. What else would you want? This origin story of the ‘Planet of the Apes’ really fascinates me, and I think they are taking a very dark and in-depth approach to it, which I like. This movie will grow from the great platform the first film provided, and will become a fully entertaining thriller. Also, just watch the trailer and try not to get excited over that.

4. The Amazing Spider Man 2

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, Dane Deehan, Paul Giamatti

Release Date: May 2, 2014

When Sony decided to reboot the Spider Man property so soon after the first trilogy, I wasn’t that excited about it. However, I really enjoyed the first ‘Amazing Spider Man’ movie and especially Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. I liked how they modernized the characters and the story to make it seem like it could fit in today’s world. My anticipation for this movie keeps rising as we get closer to the release date and learn more about this movie. Many critics having been raving about this film and one in particular has said that this could be the ‘Dark Knight’ of this franchise. Which obviously gets me excited because ‘The Dark Knight’ is one of my favorite movies and is no doubt the movie that put Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy as one of the best of all time. As for Spider Man, that is some pretty high praise for a movie that hasn’t been released yet, but after thinking about it, I can totally see that. One of the main reasons ‘The Dark Knight’ is so good, is because the villain drives the film and I feel that is how this Spider Man sequel will be. The villains are the characters who make the hero, and are usually the most intriguing. In ‘The Amazing Spider Man 2’ we are getting three doses of villains. Also, since the origin story of Spider Man has already been told, they can dive deeper into the villains’ backgrounds. Jamie Foxx (Electro) and Dane Deehan (Harry Osbourn/Green Goblin) are phenomenal actors and I feel will they will steal the show in this movie, which is a good thing.  Sony has already confirmed two more Spider Man movies, a ‘Sinister Six’ and ‘Venom’ movies to follow. They obviously have faith in their villains, and that is great to hear.

3. Interstellar

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

Release Date: November 7, 2014

I know less about this movie than any other movie on this list, but I don’t care. I am giving this a favorable position mainly because of two people, Chirstopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey. Nolan is one of my favorite directors, and Matthew Mcconaughey is having the year of his life. Ever since he graced the screen with his portrayal of Wooderson in ‘Dazed and Confused’, I have loved McConaughey as an actor. I am glad now he has gotten some great roles and is getting the respect/attention he deserves. This movie has a phenomenal actor, a phenomenal director and movie plot that reads, “A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage”. Uhhh…yes please. Until I hear anything more, this movie is right up my alley.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Benicio Tel Toro, Lee Pace

Release Date: August 1, 2014

Who? Those were my thoughts exactly. Marvel is taking a risk and rolling out one of their most unknown properties onto the big screen, and I am super excited. Here’s a quick bio of the group (they explain more in the trailer); they are a group of intergalactic misfit warriors who come together to help protect an orb that can destroy (you guessed it) the universe. They’re like the Avenger’s B team, but in space. Sounds pretty dumb right? Oh, and I forgot to mention there’s also a gun wielding, talking raccoon, and a walking tree in the group. Still with me? So before we go any further, I want to state that I have never read a comic book or even knew who this group was before this movie was announced. However after learning more about the movie these past few months, I have become overly intrigued with this film. This is mainly because I can’t wait to see how these characters fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man, Captain America and the rest of the crew. This movie will be different from every other Marvel film that we’ve seen, and I’m excited to see something new. This film will have a lot of comedic elements to it, and having Chris Pratt (from Parks n Rec) as a ‘Han Solo type’ lead character is going to be great. However, there will still be a lot of action as well because these characters are real super heroes who can kick some ass. For example, one of them is called Drax ‘The Destroyer’ and the only female, Gamora, is known as “The most dangerous women in the universe” (#nerdalert). Finally, they have a great cast behind this movie. Chris Pratt is hilarious and is becoming an established movie star; Zoe Saldana was great in Avatar, Star Trek, etc.; and Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel voice Rocket and Groot respectively. It’s hard for me to give this movie justice, but just watch the trailer and you will understand what I mean. Uga-Uga-Uga-chaka!

1. Godzilla

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen 

Release Date: May 16, 2014

Godzilla is back, and it is legit. Get that 1998 version out of your head, because it looks like this one will be done right. This is a dark, terrifying take on the story, and I’m enthralled with this idea. Yes the premise is that a large creature surfaces onto a city, but it looks like this movie is more than that. There seems to be a certain realistic take on this story that doesn’t make the premise look so absurd. It almost has a “Rise of the Planet of Apes” or “Walking Dead” feel to it where the situation is unfathomable, but it sucks you into this world and makes you feel like this could really happen. Then on top of that, it takes that apocalyptic idea and raises it to a whole new level. I have complete faith that this movie will engage me immediately and keep me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire film. Also, they have assembled a great cast that is led by Bryan Cranston. From what he has shown on Breaking Bad, Cranston can go through an array of emotions and really capture your attention. Even in the trailer you can see the emotion he gives and it makes you believe that he can’t fathom what is happening to his world at that moment. Once I saw the teaser and the full length trailer, I was completely sold on this movie and it confirmed everything I hoped for. The trailer also hints at other monsters appearing and has a nice homage to the original Godzilla. I believe this will be a breathtaking and thrilling movie that will please many movie going audiences, and it is my most anticipated movie of 2014.

Sincerely,

The Beef