On May 3, 2002, one of Marvel Comics’ most popular superheroes graced the silver screen in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s young aspiring scientist imbued with superhuman abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. Since then, we’ve gone through three men wearing the outfit and two reboots, making the character progressively younger. With the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home, I thought it would be a good time to rank the web-slinger’s big screen adventures.
Similar to Ant-Man and The Wasp, this MCU adventure had to follow up to a massive ensemble Avengers event. While it wasn’t the best adventure, it was entertaining to hold fans until Endgame. After Avengers: Endgame, where does one of the most beloved and youngest MCU go from here? Vacation.
But when you are an Avenger, there is no such thing as a quiet getaway.
June 30, 2019. This day means we are somehow halfway through 2019. Where does the time go? Instead of waiting to make an End of Year Top 10 list, I wanted to look back at my favorites of the year so far.
I’ll admit that the original Child’s Play scared me as a child. As a guy with a younger sister who had many dolls around, you can imagine why. I blame my active imagination. However, times have changed and Chucky has changed with them. The original incarnation of our favorite murder doll was possessed with the soul of a serial killer, but maybe the filmmakers of this reboot realized voodoo magic is too much cultural appropriation in these modern times.
So what do you turn to besides magic? Science and smart-home technology to make a hilarious miniature killer.
“He thinks he’s the black James Bond.”
It’s a line from the movie that’s actually true when you think about it. While James Bond was the international spy called on to save the world, Shaft became the answer for African-Americans. While he wasn’t out to save the world, the private detective’s small scale missions on the streets of New York were just as important.
While his current assignment remained the same in this sequel, the action could have been executed better.
In 1995, Toy Story changed the animation game as we embarked on the adventures of Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Andy’s toys as he worried that his owner was leaving the cowboy behind. This dark premonition came to pass in 2010’s Toy Story 3. Andy, now an adult, hands his childhood pals to a preschooler named Bonnie. While the ending is bittersweet, it is happy enough to bring tears to moviegoers.
While Toy Story 4 is rediscovering lost friends, one’s purpose, and listening to your inner voice, is it really necessary?
Out of Netflix’s hit or miss original movie, it seems to get romantic comedies just right. The considerably entertaining Set It Up is an example of rom-com success. Netflix’s romantic comedy about two estranged best friends getting a second chance to rekindle an old flame that blends comedy, culture, and social commentary continues that run.
The Sun rising over the Pride Lands of Africa is one of the most iconic beginnings of a film — animated or live-action — in history. When you see that shot, you know what movie you are about to see. It might be hard to believe that a quarter of a century has passed since The Lion King hit the big screen for the first time on June 15, 1994. It holds a special place in my heart as one of the first films I watched in a theater. After all this time, it’s still worth talking about.
Disney is releasing a CGI remake version of this family-favorite this summer, which will bring old and new fans into the reclining seats. As Disney moves out with the animated old and in with the computer generated new, it seems that the circle of life is still in motion. With the July 19th release date approaching and fter reading a retrospective from Movie Babble, it feels like the perfect time for an affectionate look back at one of my favorite films of all time.
In the 1990’s, I grew up watching X-Men: The Animated Series. I ran around my parents’ living room, emulating my favorite character, Wolverine, as I immersed myself into the colorful world of these individuals and their adventures. Although I was very young, the show taught me that it was okay to be different and we should accept others, no matter the contrasts between myself and them. I never thought I’d see this team – this family – of heroes on the big screen.
In 2000, that – and the superhero genre – were changed forever.
After 19 years, 12 films, 2 Phoenix saga-focused films, and 1 franchise-binding Wolverine, the X-Men franchise is over. Dark Phoenix wraps up the X-Men prequel films and franchise before the inevitable Disney/MCU reboot switch is turned on. After an established history, I couldn’t see this franchise ending with anything less than an applause. It is heartbreaking to see it wane with a finale as hollow as Dark Phoenix.
