Spider-Man: No Way Home (Jon Watts, December 17, 2021) Movie • Page 75

I don't completely disagree with this take as I've been a fan since a midnight showing with my pals of Iron Man 1.

it's just getting harder to appreciate each new MCU film as it all looks so bland, dark and feels repetitive.

 

ASM2 has my favorite Spidey visuals in a live action film.

Which, I word that specific way because the Raimi films are on average the visually strongest Spider-Man films, and moments in ASM2 really don't look great. But, the strongest moments in ASM2 are the best any film has done to capture that comic book superhero in the medium of live action film... even though, in reality, some of those moments are 100% CGI, but whatever, lol. You surely get what I mean.

It's not only the digital parts of the movie anyways. Andrew Garfield's physicality and what they're all doing together works really well. Great costume. Great physical comedy. Bright colors. Complimented with some good music. Just, a lot of very strong work "wasted" on a movie that really needed tightened on the script and editing fronts. (Though, I famously dig the movie a ton in spite of its major flaws!)

ASM isn't as successful as its sequel in this regard, but it's got a lot that's visually better than much of the MCU as well. Like, that first proper Spidey sequence where he stops a criminal and is chased by the cops is maybe my favorite Spidey action sequence set at night? I could be forgetting something obvious, but I feel like that's the one that used "Spider-Man at night" to its advantage.

 

I mean, when the player is as big and dominates the game as much as Marvel Studios, I feel like we gotta accept that they're doing a lot to define the parameters of the game. Which means, yeah, a lot of that can be held against them.

There's obviously a lot of factors in the mix. Like, that Disney corporation owning so many pop culture behemoths simultaneously is very bad, and that wouldn't become much healthier if the boundaries of what those things can be (creatively, etc.) doubled overnight. And, that's in turn related to the laws here in America that allowed this to happen and allow it to continue. And, that intersects with all sorts of cultural and ideological issues. It's not as simple as "that wicked Kevin Feige swooped in and destroyed cinema, and you should feel bad if you like anything he does!"

But, it's terribly wrong to assume, because these other factors exist, Marvel Studios isn't responsible for their monstrous and ever-growing role in the cinema equation.

 

Thinking about that is bumming me out, and I don't have the power to change it at this moment (what am I gonna do? spend my Rust Belt dollars on a single Nightmare Alley or West Side Story ticket instead of that single ticket to see Spider-Man with my siblings and nephews? vote for Joe Biden?) which is bumming me out further...

At least we had a nice little conversation about a Scorsese film in a Spidey thread opening weekend!

Anyways, I love this Evanescence song that Webb directed the video for:

 

I hate the player (Disney/Marvel Studios) and the game (capitalism)

 

It is concerning that one corporation is able to tilt the sails in their favorable direction through the ownership of so many pop culture behemoths. That criticism/worry I something I’m on board with. With it, there can be moments where it’s much more the power of the studio than the power of choice through consumers (Disney harassing theaters into playing their films longer). Using what is a cultural phenomenon is a powerful agent for Disney to tower their influence across the entire cinematic experience. It’s very much a shame that these icons we all have emotional value tied to are being put in the front lines against our own self interests at the same exact moments that we go to them for relief.

My main point was that, imo, the entire coexistence of “cinema” and “worldwide audiovisual entertainment” should be decided by audiences, as that’s what both should be aiming to capture. There’s an entire argument on how to manage that in a world full of industrial corporate mingling.

Do I have a great thought out argument on how to manage that with Disney steering the boat? No, and I don’t think I have as much insight on it as others. I only am able to focus myself in the end means of the creative absorption between both “cinema” and “worldwide audiovisual entertainment” and how I see both should have the same goals towards the audience.

In my post, the “nature of the game” was meant to represent the audience. What the audience seeks out and what they are able to get out of both “cinema” and “worldwide audiovisual entertainment.” If “cinema” isn’t giving the audiences something to cling to then it will lose the game/audience interest. It can’t be both niche and adaptable.

 

I disagree with that quote above. Not in the theory, but that people are only being given one thing and that’s Marvel superhero films. While I expressed examples of concern that Disney can harass theaters into playing their films longer, audiences still have a massive market of diversity to choose from.

I feel my first post on this explains why audiences choose superhero films. It’s giving them long and endearing entertainment through an on-screen relationship of watching characters develop over time.

Harry Potter and the Hunger Games also gained popularity due to this and they managed it through a different medium. Audiences loved growing with these characters as they are also growing themselves. In those instances above it was through books. In Marvel films, it’s the tension, drama, laughs, entertainment in an audiovisual medium that “cinema” should be aiming for, but through many characters.

Does it feel that Marvel has a sorta “patent” for this type of successful cinematic story telling through the power of corporation? I’d be interested in exploring that. I, however, do not believe a lot of it doesn’t come down to both “cinema” and Marvel films having the same goals and that one just resonates with more people. Just look at the post numbers in Marvel threads compared to other more “cinema” films on this site.

 

Side note: I didn’t know Webb was responsible for the aesthetic appeal partly responsible for my teenage identity. That’s pretty neat.

 

The other day I realized that YouTube channels covering superhero movies, Star Wars, etc., are probably the modern equivalent of Siskel and Ebert.

And, while my personal interest in movies came late and didn’t involve them, that thought still really bummed me out.

 

Man I really would love to see this again but there are so many movies coming out/going wider to see in the next few weeks (Matrix, King’s Man, C’mon C’mon, Macbeth, Red Rocket, Lost Daughter, etc.) that I can’t justify it.

 

I feel this. There are a handful of Marvel films I can’t get into and I certainly don’t appreciate them all (sorry Ant-Man 1), although some of my friends also don’t appreciate all of the Marvel films I do.

I, myself, also can’t escape from the memories created by enjoying these films with friends on opening night. There’s just something magical about the hype and talking about the film after we see it as a group. These films offer great “buddy-talk” commentary. One of my buddies and I also had a “bromance” involved with watching each Twilight film at premiere, so who knows. Maybe those emotions have just molded themselves into part of the overall experience.

 

And the new Wes Anderson film

 

Excited for Matrix. Very eager for Licorice Pizza to get here. Interested in Red Rocket.

I’m on the fence about West Side Story because of Ansel Elgort, but some of the praise I’ve seen makes me think it’ll be a really good theater trip.

 

Matrix is at the top of my list. I wouldn’t think I’d be so excited for a Matrix film in 2021 mainly due to be being gone from the franchise for so long, but Wachowski’s passion for it is as great of advertisement as any. From what I’ve gathered it seems that she has something to say through it. I hope it does well just for the sake of it seeming like it was created as an emotional emergency outlet.

 

that probably won’t be out until summer sadly

The French Dispatch IS coming out in blu ray the 28th though. Can’t wait to see that again.

 

Licorice Pizza best film of 2021, make sure y’all go see it when you can

 

Ah, here in Taiwan that’s the big film everyone was watching at the theater before NWH. I guess it had a delayed release.

 

Drive My Car!

 

I mean, my car’s not doing well, so sure, I’ll drive yours.

…oh, you mean a movie! Ok.


(Really, though, with this current conversation, I thought about tagging you to ask if anything’s on your radar I should know about, lol. Is this something I’m capable of watching in Western Pennsylvania?)

 

Check your closest independent or arthouse theater, I’m not sure. It comes out in Michigan in January

 

Once it’s nominated for foreign language feature maybe it’ll be more accessible

 

oh my bad I didn’t realize you meant French Dispatch! Yeah make sure you see it when you can, loved it

 

I also saw Nightmare Alley the night before I saw this so I for one didn’t solely contribute to the Marvel Epidemic™ this weekend (although those dollars did also go to Disney technically)

 

https://deadline.com/2021/12/spider...e-for-sony-100m-friday-likely-1234898486/amp/

$253 million domestic weekend. 3rd highest all time behind Infinity War and Endgame.

$587 million worldwide opening. Also 3rd highest all time.