Movie Review: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2
Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Sally Field, Paul Giamatti, B.J. Novack, Campbell Scott, Denis Leary, Chris Cooper

With the multitude of comic book movies released every year, the bar has been set pretty high with Marvel’s The Avengers and The Dark Knight trilogy. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the sequel to the reboot and technically the fifth Spidey tale since the release of 2002’s Spider-Man. Have I confused you yet? When we last saw our web-slinging hero, Captain Stacy (Leary) admits to Peter Parker (Garfield) that there is a need for Spider-Man but pleads with him to keep his daughter, Gwen (Stone), safe and out of danger. The responsibilities that come with being the city’s hero while attempting to keep the vow to her father puts a massive strain on his relationship with Gwen. Throughout all of this, Peter is attempting to get to the bottom of his parent’s death.

Back at OsCorp, CEO Norman Osborne (Cooper) is dying and leaves behind his life’s work in the hands of his son, Harry (DeHaan). Harry and Peter are best friends but haven’t seen each for years until Harry shows up to be with his father. Things become even worse for OsCorp when Max Dillon, an electrical engineer, falls into a vat of electric eels. Instead of dying like a normal person, he mutates into Electro becoming a human energy source with enough electricity flowing through his body to take out all of Times Square. Harry falls ill with the same disease his father died of and turns to Spider-Man for the use of his blood in order to live longer. Unaware of the effects his blood would have on Harry, he refuses setting Harry off into a destructive path transforming himself into the Green Goblin to seek revenge on Spider-Man.

If you feel like there seems to be a lot going on for a superhero movie, you are correct in your assessment. For a film that is nearly two and a half hours, the screenwriting team of Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, and Jeff Pinkner got far too excited when mapping out this story and forgot to keep an eye on focus and editing. There are scenes that drag on for too long, and there are characters that seem unnecessary. There is so much going on that I never really felt that they had a handle of what the point of this sequel was going to be. It’s not uncommon to have two villains in a superhero movie. This film kicks it up a notch by having THREE villains. However, in order for this to work, the writing of these characters has to be top notch. The only villain that works entirely here is Harry Osborne/Green Goblin. He remains an interesting character before and after his transformation into the Green Goblin. Jamie Foxx's Electro falls in the middle of the spectrum. I liked the concept of Max Dillon being this nerdy nobody engineer who is obsessed with Spider-Man. Once he becomes Electro, he lost that edge that any great villain should have. I blame this on all of the CGI work done on the character. I felt the same way toward Lizard in the last movie. Let’s not forget about Paul Giamatti who we see at the beginning of the film as Aleksei Sysevich and then disappears until the very ending when he reappears as Rhino. This second ending acts as a coda to the film but feels completely unnecessary. Are we to assume that Giamatti will come back for The Amazing Spider-Man 3 or is this the only glimpse of Rhino that we’ll see? Frankly, I could have done without Electro and just had Rhino and the Green Goblin as the two villains. They each retain their human aspects without turning into a CGI character.

The film works far better in the non-action sequences when we get down to the core relationships Peter has in his life. As Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have a natural infectious chemistry due to their real-life relationship. They make for a far more believable couple than Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst did in the Sam Raimi trilogy. Sally Field returns to the series as the darling Aunt May who has raised Peter since he was a child. There is warmth and care to their scenes together, which are some of my favorite scenes in the whole movie. Field always carries with her a maternal instinct that works so well with Aunt May, especially when she gets so flabbergasted with Peter. As Harry Osborne, Dane DeHaan brings an untrustworthy quality too him early on. Peter and Harry are supposed to be best friends, but the writers could have done a better job at building up their friendship. I’ve spoken about Dane DeHaan (The Place Beyond the Pines, Lawless, Chronicle) numerous times on my site as he always shines and leaves a lasting impression on me. He is a young talent than should and will become an A-lister within the next few years.

Director Marc Webb is back after helming the reboot, but he has not quite hit the bullseye yet. I felt lukewarm regarding The Amazing Spider-Man, and this is a hair better. I think the screenwriters got a bit carried away with the idea of making a “bigger and better” type sequel, and in turn, added too many characters instead of fleshing out and digging deeper into the core characters in Peter’s life. It makes me wonder if more was written for Chris Cooper, B.J. Novak, and Paul Giamatti, but then cut down in the editing room. They are all great actors whose characters seem to have more going on than what their limited screen time may suggest. Shailene Woodley (Divergent) shot scenes as Mary Jane Watson, but those were left out early on as well. When it comes to the core characters, Webb executes those intimate scenes quite well, which makes the movie enjoyable. I cannot forget to mention composer Hans Zimmer. He seems to be the go-to guy to score superhero movies after having worked on The Dark Knight trilogy and Man of Steel. His score has that grand throwback feel reminiscent of John Williams’ classic score to Superman. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is not a bad movie, but it is not nearly as good as it could have been. I like this cast better than those in the Sam Raimi trilogy, but I like those movies better. If only we could get this cast under Sam Raimi’s vision, we’d have one hell of a Spider-Man movie.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? The chemistry of the cast makes the movie enjoyable despite the lack of focus in the directing and writing.

RATING: 3 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Review: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Director: John Wells
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper, Margo Martindale, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Dermot Mulroney, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sam Shepard

Did you have some family drama over the holidays? People acting crazy around the dinner table? Just wait until you meet the Weston family. Your family will seem a whole heck of a lot more normal after you spend a few hours with the Westons. Patriarch Beverly (Shepard) is an alcoholic and former poet who can no longer tolerate his marriage to Violet (Streep). After thirty plus years and three daughters, the love they once had for each other has vanished. Violet is suffering from mouth cancer and has become addicted to her pain pills and chain smoking. The audience knows from the very first scene the kind of woman, wife, and mother that Violet has become. The word "filter" does not apply to her as she has no judgment on the things that come out of her mouth. She has a loud, brash, tells it like it is mentality no matter who is on the receiving end of her tirade.

After Beverly's sudden disappearance, their family is reunited in their home in Osage County, Oklahoma. Their eldest daughter Barbara (Roberts) returns home with her husband Bill (McGregor) and daughter Jean (Breslin). Barbara is a bit of a control freak even though she watches her marriage fall apart and has to put up with mother's awful behavior and attitude toward her. Violet lays down huge guilt trips to her and has no qualms about telling her how Beverly was always disappointed her in. Barbara has a strained relationship with her two sisters Ivy (Nicholson) and Karen (Lewis). Violet's sister Mattie Fae (Martindale) and her husband (Cooper) and son (Cumberbatch) arrive with their own family dynamic. Once the whole Weston clan is united under the one roof in the hot summer Oklahoma heat, Violet unleashes a fury of "truth-telling" as various family secrets are unleashed leaving no one untouched and unaccounted for.

Playwright Tracy Letts (Bug, Killer Joe) has adapted the screenplay from his own highly successful play. I have seen the staged version, so it is a bit tough going into the movie without instantly drawing comparisons to that version. The dense play is a three and half hour meaty piece that, for obvious reasons, had to be severely cut down and edited to make it work as a movie. Letts is able to keep the integrity and heart of these characters in place without having to sacrifice the supporting characters or their story lines. The piece itself is a very heightened and intense look into this family. I do not know any family like this one that has so many problems with each person. Some of the story gets very dramatic and heavy in the way of the dysfunctional character development which works well on stage as you sit on the edge of your seat watching and hearing these massive family fights. I think director John Wells tried so hard at minimizing that tone to a more naturalistic feel to fit the screen that there is an element that gets lost in translation here. This is only the second movie John Wells directed and it feels a bit out of his comfort zone. He seems unsure of how to play out the tone and pacing of the piece and which characters should be in focus.

Wells has an overall brilliant cast of actors that have been given great material to work with due to Letts' meaty and complex screenplay. The casting of the family is important to the dynamic of this story. No matter how big or small their parts are, the majority of them are able to give strong performances and have a good familial chemistry to feel like they are all family. Julia Roberts gives one of the best performances of her career as it is stripped down and natural type of character that does not rely on her playing another gorgeous romantic lead living some glamorous life. It is quite fun to see her go up against Streep in some epic mother/daughter battles. Thank God she is finally in a good movie again. I HATED Mirror Mirror and Eat, Pray, Love. Ewan McGregor seems oddly miscast as Robert's philandering husband. He is not a bad actor, but does not seem like the right match to be Robert's husband. That may be the point, but I still want to believe they were a healthy couple at some point. Julianne Nicholson and Juliette Lewis are also wonderful as the two other sisters. Even though this is a strong ensemble film, there is no denying that this is Meryl Streep's movie. She is as brilliant as ever as a vial and wretched mother who has destroyed her family. She may be showy and intense in one scene depending on Violet's motivation and beg for sympathy in the next. Streep is always on and present and you cannot take your eyes off of her no matter how deplorable she acts towards her family. She is so unbelievable that it is quite fun watching her plays these mind games and tricks with her family. As Violet states, "Nobody slips anything by me."

Stage to screen adaptations are very tricky no matter if they are coming from plays or musicals. The world of the piece is typically opened up, characters are added, it takes place in numerous settings, scenes and musical numbers may be cut or added. This is the third screenplay Letts has adapted from one of his plays, which helps in creating it for a new medium. The entire play takes place in the Weston house. The majority of the film takes place in the house as well, but Letts and Wells still offer us glimpses of the Oklahoma setting which is vital to Letts' world. If you have seen the play, you might not be able to enjoy the movie as much. Letts' darkly funny script and these strong capable actors make the film work to an extent. I just wish Wells would have pushed them a bit further and made this even more of the elevated and heightened level that it is instead of taking the more natural and realistic take on it.

RATING: ***1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Trailer: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2
Director: Mark Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, Dane DeHaan, Chris Cooper, Sally Field, Denis Leary

The 2012 reboot The Amazing Spider-Man seemed a bit too soon to revitalize a franchise with a brand new cast. While I did not think the film was that strong overall, director Mark Webb and his cast did a decent job at setting the groundwork for some exciting new Spidey stories.

The new teaser trailer has been released and naturally is long enough and filled with enough footage that it feels like your standard trailer. The new film brings in Chris Cooper and Dane DeHaan as father/son duo Norman and Harry Osborn. Our villains this time around include Jamie Foxx as Electro and Paul Giamatti as Rhino. There also seems to be a glimpse of Green Goblin as well! From the look of this “teaser”, it will sure be one massive, high-octane, action packed adventure that will be huge at the box office

What are you first impressions? Feel free to sound off in the comments below!

Release Date: May 2, 2014

Movie Trailer: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Director: John Wells
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Ewan McGregor, Dermot Mulroney, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepard, Margo Martindale, Benedict Cumberbatch



When I first heard that Goddess Meryl Streep had been cast as Violet, the pill-popping matriarch of the Weston family, I thought of no one better that could play that role for the big screen adaptation of the Tracy Letts play. After Violet's husband Beverly (Shepard) goes missing, the whole family gathers together in the house they grew up in order to find him. To call this family dynamic dysfunctional would be an understatement.

Movies adapted from stage plays can be tricky and hit-or-miss. Most of the time the casting is way off and the tension and themes of the play get lost in translation. I have seen the stage play, and I hope the movie comes close to portraying these character relationships that are vital to the story. The trailer seems a little light hearted for the first look into the film. The play is so heavy and dramatic but that does not quite come across in the trailer. Letts wrote the screenplay and with this A-List cast I have faith the final product will have the attitude, sharp dialogue, and crazy moments the play is known for having. If it gets good buzz, it could garner some Oscar buzz for Streep, Martindale, and even Roberts.

Release Date: November 8, 2013

Here's the trailer: