Spiderman Homecoming offers a fresh twist on a Marvel fan favorite

Movie Title:  Spider-Man: Homecoming

Grade: A-

Rating: PG-13,

In a Nutshell:  Another Spider-Man?  Really?  I rolled my eyes when I saw that yet one more Spider-Man origin movie was being made...6 movies in 15 years with 3 different lead actors.  BUT, this isn’t exactly an origin movie and it offers some fresh new takes on the story that you just might get a kick out of. 

Complete with a dental retainer, Spanish quiz, and best-friend secret handshake, Peter Parker is a goofy teenager who struggles with the “Training Wheel Protocol” as he learns how to become a true superhero and Avenger.  With plenty of action and humor, this is another effective arrow in Marvel’s growing cinematic quiver.

This new version of Spider-Man, directed by Jon Watts, really captures the innocence, naivete, and adolescence of everyday teenage life.  It offers an impressive balance between superhero and high schooler. One of the movie posters does a great job of illustrating that.

Uplifting theme:   

• “Times are changing.  It’s time we change too.” – Adrian Toomes  (This idea also explains the existence of this new Spider-man remake)
•  Take time to figure out who you are.
• Service, love, friendship, family.

Things I liked:

• Tom Holland has the 15 year old personality to offer a unique perspective on this young superhero, as well as the 6-pack abs to make you believe he can be a powerful Avenger.
• I love Michael Keaton in anything he does.  He had to get a kick out of playing this flying role as The Vulture, after winning awards for his quasi superhero character in Birdman.  They did a great job with creating a backstory and motivation for The Vulture.  He’s a scavenger, which is what vultures do.
• I loved all of the different features on Spiderman’s enhanced suit given to him by the tech genius Tony Stark.  “Enhanced Interrogation Protocol.”   Ha ha
• Spider drone.  I hate spiders, but that drone was pretty cool.
• Peter Parker says to his Spanish teacher, “Me gusta hacer la tarea.”  There aren’t any subtitles, so I thought you might like to know what he said.  “I like to do homework.”   Ha ha
• There’s a short clip from Marvel's Captain America: Civil War to remind you where we first saw this new Tom Holland version of Spider-man.
• The 3D really pays off during the Washington, DC scenes, as well as any time Peter Parker is scaling buildings.
• Is the US Academic Decathlon a real thing?  Yes, it is!  www.usad.org
• Check out the dramatic backsplash in Adrian Toomes’ kitchen.  It doesn’t have anything to do with the story; I just thought it was interesting.
• Cool cloaking feature on Tony Stark’s plane.
• I love that Marvel always includes a cameo performance by creator Stan Lee.  I get a kick out of seeing what oddball lines they choose to give him.  In this film, he says, “Don’t make me come down there, you punk!” ha ha   Speaking of Stan Lee, he has always said that people relate so much to Spiderman, because he’s just a normal kid with normal problems.  That’s exactly what makes this new version of Spiderman so likeable.
• Was the National Monument really built by slaves as Michelle suggests?  While there is no definite evidence that proves she's right, there are quite a few other national monuments and famous buildings in Washington, D.C. that were.  The guard at the monument gives a "so-so" hand gesture, which is actually a good answer to the question.
• Keep watching during the rolling credits for a little hint at the next film in the series.  Keep watching until the VERY end of all of the credits for a funny PSA announcement from Captain America.  I love that Marvel includes those funny clips at the end of their movies.  By the way, the entire movie is filled with funny PSA announcements by Captain America.  Love him.
• I love the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off  so I got a kick out of the scene when Peter Parker is running through a bunch of people’s yards and then you actually see that movie clip playing on someone’s TV inside their house. ha ha  I like that there are times when Spider-man doesn’t have any buildings to swing around on to travel.  What's a superhero to do?  Instead, he has to run!  Ha ha
• Tons of Easter Eggs for true comic book fans.
  
• Jacob Batalan makes for a great best friend and provides some great interaction and dialogue for Peter Parker.
• Cameo by Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts.

Things I didn’t like:

• The movie starts with a shaky cam technique which made me immediately worry that this was how the entire movie was going to be.  Thankfully, it only lasts a couple of minutes and exists to show you that Peter Park is just an awkward teenager who keeps a video diary and is eager to learn everything and prove himself.
• A lot of Spider-man’s powers come from Tony Stark’s high tech suit that was gifted to Peter Parker, and not his actual “spidey sense.”  Don't get me wrong, the new suit is awesome.
• What’s up with Aunt May’s high-waisted pants?  Is that back in fashion now?  Are they trying to make the hot actress, Marisa Tomei, look frumpy or something?
• There is a LOT of Audi product placement in this movie.

Funny lines:

• “Wow, their lair is in a gas station.  That’s so lame.” – Spider-man
• “Can’t bear to lose a student on a school field trip…not again.” – teacher
• “But we have a Spanish quiz.” – Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon)
• “Deactivating Instant Kill.” – “Suit Lady” (voiced by the lovely Jennifer Connelly)
• “That’s awesome!” –Peter Parker/Spider-man says this about a million times.  It’s endearing because it reminds you that he’s just a teenager and has that same awe of superheroes that we do.
• “I’m just going to be myself.” – Peter Parker

“Nobody wants that.” – Ned

“Can’t you just be a friendly, neighborhood Spiderman?” – Tony Stark/Iron Man  (the always entertaining Robert Downey Jr.)

Interesting lines:

• “I’m just trying to be like you.” – Spider-Man

“I want you to be better.” – Tony Stark/Iron Man

• “The only way to really be cool is to obey the rules.” – Captain America

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity.
• Lots of violence and destruction.
• Ned tells a teacher he’s looking at porn.  It’s supposed to be funny.  It’s not.  The writers couldn’t think of anything clever for him to say?
• The movie takes its time to develop characters, so little kids might actually get bored. 

@trinaboice 

Avengers: Age of Ultron is a fun addition to the Marvel movie franchise

Movie:   Marvel's The Avengers: Age Of Ultron

PG-13, 2 hours 21 minutes

Grade:  A-

In a Nutshell:   Bring on the summer popcorn blockbuster movies!  Packed full of action, impressive special effects, cool futuristic  technology that no one really understands, romance, and a powerful villain, this Avengers flick is a nice addition to the Marvel movie franchise. Welcome back to some of our favorite superheroes:

Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr.

Captain America – Chris Evans

Thor - Chris Hemsworth

The Hulk – Mark Ruffalo

Black Widow – Scarlett Johansson

Hawkeye – Jeremy Renner

Nick Fury – Samuel L. Jackson

Uplifting Theme:

·          “Ultron thinks we’re monsters, that we’re what’s wrong with the world.  This isn’t just about beating him.  It’s about whether he’s right.” – Captain America

·         Flesh is better than metal.

·         It doesn’t matter what you were, you can be a hero now.

Things I liked:

·         There are plenty of high octane action scenes, but just enough slower ones to build interesting back stories that enhance the human drama of it all.

·         I love seeing how each of the Marvel movies chooses to use Stan Lee in a cameo.  This one is pretty funny.

·         I love Paul Bettany in anything, even if he’s a red robot (the Vision).

·         I wondered if Iron Man’s “Jarvis is my co-pilot” bumper sticker would catch on and sure enough, you can get it on a T-shirt.

                                     

·         I wish I had their 3D computer monitors.

·         You’re probably going to want to watch this on DVD again later so that you can push the pause button and really see everything that’s going on in each frame.  

·         Marvel seems to have learned from the highly successful Guardians of the Galaxy movie that a frequent spattering of humor makes a fun flick even better.

·         Semi-SPOILER ALERT: Who knew one of the Avengers had a wife and kids and did odd jobs around the house? 

·         Ever wonder what a feature film all about Black Widow would be like?  Check out this funny Saturday Night Live clip: 

Fans of Scarlett Johansson will be happy to know that a REAL Black Widow movie IS coming out next year!

Things I didn’t like:

·         I thought it was ironic and funny that Ultron, who was designed to create world peace, has such a menacing voice, thanks to the voice talents of James Spader.

·         It’s annoying how the evil Ultron quotes scripture.

·         If you haven’t seen any of the Avengers movies, don’t start with this one or you’ll be a little lost.  Even more important, you won’t appreciate the greatness of our superpowers, as this film focuses on their character flaws and inner demons.  For a review of the latest Avenger movie, check out my movie review before watching this sequel.

Funny lines:

·         “Unlike you, I don’t have a lot of time for parties…..will Thor be there?” – Dr. Helen Cho (Claudia Kim)

·         “You’re not the director of me.” – Iron Man

·         “You know, I really miss the days when the weirdest thing created by science was me.” – Captain America

·         “Come here to confess your sins? – Ultron

“I don’t know.  How much time you got?” – Iron Man

“More than you.” – Ultron

·         “As the world’s leading author on waiting…don’t.” – Captain America on love

·         “Our job is IF.” – Iron Man

·         “I am Thor, son of Odin.  As long as their life in my breast, I….I’m running out of things to say.” – Thor

·         “At long last is lasting a little long, boys!” – Black Widow

·         “No surrender!  I’m going to surrender…” – Baron Wolfgang von Strucker

·         “He’s fast, she’s weird.” – Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders from the funny hit How I Met Your Mother: Season 5 ) talking about the twins and their special powers

·         “You’re unbearably naiive.” – Ultron

“Well, I was born yesterday.” - Vision

Interesting lines:

·         “Did you know that this church is in the exact center of this city?  The Elders decreed it so that everyone would be equally close to God.  I like that… geometry of belief.”  - Ultron

·         “Everyone creates the thing they dread.  Men of peace create engines of war, invaders create avengers, people create smaller people…uh, children.” - Ultron

·         “You’re not going anywhere!” – Iron Man

“Of course not.  I’m already there.  You’ll catch up.” – Ultron

·         “Every time people try to win a war before it starts, innocent people die.  Every time.” – Captain America

·         Tips for Parents:            

Some profanity, but one of the running gags is how Captain America tries to clean up everyone’s language
The body count is high...well if you count humans AND robots.

Other fun Avenger movies you'll enjoy:

   

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a superhero movie MARVEL

Movie Title:   Captain America: The Winter Soldier [HD]

Grade:   A-

In a Nutshell:   

A great marvel!  This mile-a-minute action flick is the second installment in the Captain America franchise and a terrific stand-alone story that is compelling and complex.  Sequels are notorious for not being as good, but this gritty one is winning high praises from Marvel fans and newbies alike.  It’s a smart political thriller that makes you feel like you just saw a real movie.  It’s brave enough to tackle serious issues such as national security, government surveillance and the price of freedom.

Marvel is really doing it right, pumping out one fun flick after another.  The Amazing Spider-Man , X-Men: Days of Future Past , and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers hit the big screen in just weeks!  It’s a little bit helpful to have seen the first Captain America film, but if not, don’t worry…you’ll catch on quickly.

Uplifting theme:  Wouldn’t it be great if American patriotism were cool again?

Things I liked:

• The Winter Soldier is an interesting villain.
• Three Days of the Condor [HD] star Robert Redford reminds us how cool those 1970s espionage movies were.
• I love clever banter between fun characters.  Scarlett Johansson plays Natasha Romanoff who steals scenes with Rogers (Captain America), played by the impressively buff Chris Evans.  You’ll most likely see a trailer before this movie that features Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming film that looks like it has some good potential: Lucy
• I love Sam Wilson’s evolution into a superhero with the aid of his uber-awesome jet-powered wings.
• The opening scene with Chris Evans in an Under Armour shirt…wow.  My kids gross out whenever I talk about male actors like that, but hey, I’m not dead.
• Scenes where everyone points a gun at everyone else in a stand-off always crack me up.
• I’m glad we get to see the man behind the mask.  The Winter Soldier’s mask gets knocked off fairly early in the film and we learn more about him as the film develops.
• The CGI was great and believable. 
• I thought the slow-motion scene toward the end was great.
• I thought the list of things Captain America made of things he needed to catch up on was pretty cute.  It included Tai food, Disco, Moon landing, and Marvin Gaye.
• I LOVED the finale of How I Met Your Mother: The Complete Series , so I enjoyed seeing Cobie Smulders again.
• I love it when Stan Lee makes his cameo performance.  His big line in this installment of his Marvel character movies is “Oh man!  I am so fired.”  Ha ha
• I loved watching a middle-aged woman in a dress suit kick bad-guy butt.

Things I didn’t like:

• It didn’t have as much humor as The Avengers or Iron Man movies.
• Some people may criticize the movie for being unrealistic.  Well, duh…it’s a superhero movie.

(PHOTO ON LEFT:  One of our pastry students at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School, where I teach, designed a special sugar structure to celebrate Captain America!  Everything in her design is edible!)

Funny lines:

• Nick Fury says “We’re gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen.”  Captain America replies “I thought the punishment came after the crime.”
• Natasha asks “Hey fellas, either one of you know where the Smithsonian is?   I’m here to pick up a fossil.”  Captain America says “That’s hilarious” as he gets in her car.
• Falcon yells “How do we know the good guys from the bad guys?”  Captain America yells back as they run towards danger “If they’re shooting at you, they’re bad!”
• Natasha asks “You doing anything fun Saturday night?”  Captain America answers “Well, all the guys in my barbershop quartet are dead…so, no, not really.”
• Captain America says “You don’t have to come with me.”  Falcon replies “I know.  When do we start?”
• Falcon says to the Cap “You know you’re a lot heavier than you look.”  Captain America chirps back “I had a big breakfast.”
• A soldier on a plane that Captain America jumps out of says to another soldier “Was he wearing a parachute?”  “No, no he wasn’t.”
• “Secure the engine room.  Then find me a date.”  - Captain America
• “You’re wrong about me.  I do share.  I’m nice like that.” – Agent Nick Fury
• “I do what he does, just slower.”  - Falcon, referring to Captain America.

Did you know?

• The Avengers was almost a rated R movie.   Some of the violence was a bit too much, so the directors had to tone it down and resubmit it.  There is LOT of violence in Captain America: The Winter Soldier [HD] , but they tried hard to not get an R rating so that kids could watch it.  Parents, be prepared for lots of shooting, explosions, and collateral damage.
• Robert Downey Jr. has already convinced us how cool he is, but he took it up another notch when he invited 20 kids to join him at his house to watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier [HD] .  He posted this note on his Facebook page “What better way to spend my birthday than recognizing the cosmic miracle of Captain America 2 opening the same day.”  Nice.
• Agent Nick Fury trades in his eye patch for a set of cool shades.  You even get to see what’s underneath his patch.
• If you’re currently watching the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show, see this movie first, and then continue watching the TV series.
• Keep watching after the credits roll for a teaser.
• If you liked the Trouble Man song from the movie, check out the entire Marvin Gaye album:

Tips for parents:  Try having a conversation with your kids about which is more important: freedom or security.  I liked the line Captain America said “Soldiers trust each other.  That’s what makes it an Army.”  Have your kids write some letters of encouragement to some soldiers who are willing to give their lives to protect our country and you.

Video Gamers Will Feel At Home Watching Robocop

Movie Title:   Robocop

Grade:   B-

In a Nutshell:   Wow, a cop movie and not a single donut in the entire movie.  (wink) 

I saw this on an IMAX screen which provided rumbling so loud that you could FEEL the airplanes buzzing above your head and the robots pounding on the ground.  Guys who love video games will think this movie is cool and fun.  It feels like a shooter game.  It even looks like a video game when you see all of the data that Robocop is seeing in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, like threats, criminal databases, etc.  I laughed out loud when Robocop sees a suspect and the data reveals “Totally stoned.”  Another read-out says “Violence imminent” when someone finds out who one of the bad guys is.

My youngest son wants to be a robotic engineer when he grows up (he’s 13), so he has introduced me to the amazing world of animatronics and robotics.  I thought the whole idea of an organic creature INSIDE a mechanical creation was fascinating.  The company says they spent $2.6 billion dollars to make him.  Wow, and we thought the Six Million Dollar Man was a big deal.  (I used to love that TV show.)

I never saw the original, so I can’t compare the source material with this remake.  I’d love to hear what YOU think!

Uplifting theme:   I loved the scene where a patient is trying to learn how to use his new robotic fingers to play the guitar.  In the movie, emotion gets in the way of controlling the robotic movement, so the patient admits to the doctor in a frustrating truth “I need emotion to play.”  The themes about what makes us human and the power of free will come out loud and clear.  An interesting dinner table conversation could be to discuss why humanity should be valued over computerized efficiency in today’s world of technology.

Things I liked:

•  Pat Novak mentioned his web site www.NovakElement.com  For kicks, I thought I’d check it out to see what’s there.  It takes you to Omnicorp’s web site where you can learn about all of the cool weapons they “make”.  I wish our TV shows had the cool green screen graphics that he used on his show.
• Abbie Cornish has the most perfect nose, don’t you think?  I didn’t like her hair styles in the movie, but I loved her cute black striped jacket and pretty scarf.
• I liked Robocop’s mechanical abs.
• There were several scenes that showed Alex Murphy without all of the Robocop parts on his body after the accident.  Without a spoiler alert, it was pretty amazing CGI.  His throat was perfect, showing him swallow with perfect timing to his mouth’s movements.
• I thought they did a great job creating some hatred for the Rick Mattox character who kept calling Robocop “Tin Man.”  It was a nice touch to play the Tin Man song from the original Wizard of Oz during the first test after Robocop’s surgery.
• Robocop can pick up a weapon and lift the prints off to scan his criminal database.  That sure would be handy.

Things I didn’t like:

•  Big corporations are always the bad guys.  All of their employees are evil, greedy, and selfish.
• Quick tip: Don’t sit too close to the screen.
• Almost all of the CGI was amazing, but I thought the car bomb flames looked super fake.
• I thought it was pretty doggone convenient that Alex Murphy’s face wasn’t hurt at all in the car bomb.
• It always bugs me when Hollywood shows protestors who are intolerant religious fanatics.
• Predictable plot. 

Funny lines & moments:  

• Robocop doesn’t have the quit wit and playfulness that Iron Man has, but there are still some humorous moments.
• I thought the imagery was hilarious when the TV reporter at the beginning of the movie was in Tehran, talking about how safe the children were on the streets with everyone living in perfect harmony while the gigantic robot tanks rolled past on the road and innocent civilians were targeted by Droids for threat evaluation. 
• “Why are Americans so robophobic?”  - Pat Novak
• As the company was looking at potential candidates for their Robocop technology, they saw a picture of a military Sergeant who was touted as “masculinity incarnate” because he was such a studmuffin.
• When Norton operates on Robocop’s brain, Alex Murphy says “It tastes like peanut butter.”
• I thought it was hilarious that the company did focus group studies for market research on two groups: prisoners and kids.
• “I say we go on 3.  3.”  - Rick Mattox
• “Hey Dr, what happens if I taze an exoskeleton with a little A-hole inside?” – Robocop
• “If I had a pulse, mine would be racing.”  - Robocop when he sees his wife for the first time after his surgery
• “At least I know you’re the right color now.” – Alex Murphy’s black partner
• “Has the U.S. Senate become pro-crime?”  - Pat Novak  (Based on the decades of unscrupulous behavior of Senators, I thought that was an ironic question.)

Interesting lines:

• “Americans don’t want a machine.  They want a product with a conscience.”  - Raymond Sellars
• “They fear what they don’t understand.” – Pat Novak
• “Your body may be gone, but you’re still here.”  - Norton   (That’s what I tell myself every morning when I look in the mirror.)
• “People don’t know what they want most of the time until you show it to them.” – Raymond Sellars
• “It’s the illusion of free will.” – Raymond Sellars  (That’s how I feel when chocolate is near me.)
• I thought it was interesting that Liz Kline’s character who counsels the company’s robot program was quite robotic herself.  Intentional?
• “What’s bigger than a hero?  A dead hero.”   - Converation with Raymond Sellars

Things to look for:

• What is that center picture hanging in Raymond Sellars’ office?  It looks like a red, chocolate flower.  There I go again…me and chocolate…
• I wonder how much Bing paid to have their search engine featured on the computer when Robocop was gathering data.
• Nice rod-iron spindles on Alex Murphy’s stairs in his home.  I wish I had them.
• Who would win a battle:  Will Smith’s I, Robot or Robocop?  Just wondering.

Tips for parents:   Prepare for lots and lots of shooting (mostly bloodless), shattered glass, explosions, and cool weapons.  Samuel L. Jackson swears a couple of times at the end during his TV show, but he gets bleeped out.

 

If you're interested in watching more Robocop, there are several versions to choose from.

Pacific Rim floods senses with special effects

 
Transformers meet Godzilla with an inspiring speech worthy of Independence Day.  There, now you know the whole plot of Pacific Rim, the summer’s latest popcorn blockbuster.  My movie buff son absolutely loved it and said “I’d give it a TEN and see it AGAIN!”  This is one that movie goers will line up for again and again.

My son who is currently an animation student in college said it included all of his favorite things: giant robots kicking alien butt in the Lovecraft genre style of horror, complete with lots of explosions, a cute Asian girl, Japanese references, Director Guillermo del Toro, and amazing CGI.  He even got a kick out of hearing the same actress who voices the popular video game “Portal.”  He said the only thing he thought the movie lacked was Liam Neeson.  Ha ha

You probably won’t recognize a lot of the actors, such as big screen newbies Charlie Hunnam and Diego Klattenhoff, who play brothers whose minds become linked when fighting inside a giant robot called a Jaeger, designed to fight cool alien creatures from the sea.  The actors actually look alike, as does Burn Gorman, another Jaeger fighter who tries to save the world from threatening monsters.  You will, however, get a kick out of seeing Hellboy’s Ron Perlman, who plays Hannibal Chau, named after his favorite historical figure and second-favorite restaurant in Brooklyn.  Director Guillermo del Toro admitted that if he could ever form a neural handshake with anyone that it would be Ron Perlman.  Yeah.  Ron Perlman has been in every single one of Guillermo del Toro’s movies.

The movie has that “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots” feel to it and is even a little comic book clichéd, but it has enough incredible CGI special effects to fill the Pacific Ocean.   Watching it in 3D will keep you right inside the action, but if you’re sitting too close to an IMAX screen you will get swallowed up by it. 

Unlike some alien movies, you get to see a LOT of these creatures up close.  They’re super cool-looking, scary, and even have some pretty Avatar blue streaks and ooze.  Director Guillermo del Toro includes a whirling mixture of digital, analog, complicated mechanisms, iconic big Russians, funky science with alien body parts, Iron Man mobility, and Steam Punk.  The sound effects are beyond big and cool.  Rinko Kikuchi as a little girl is the cutest thing ever.

Idris Elba’s delightful accent underscores the movies theme that it takes the whole world’s efforts to save itself.   The “drift” introduces the idea of two people’s minds united in a common cause.  Who would YOU want to join with in the “drift”?  No spoiler alert here: the world is saved and you’ll leave the theater with a silly grin on your face.

Two fun quotes from the flick that show how it doesn’t take itself too seriously:

“We can either sit here and do nothing or we can grab those flare guns and go out there and do something really stupid.”  (Herc Hansen)

“Today, at the edge of our hope, at the end of our time, we have chosen not only to believe in ourselves, but in each other.  Today we face the monsters that are at our door.  Today we are canceling the apocalypse!”   (Stacker Pentecost)

Grade:  A-