Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) (Movie Review)

 

  Superhero movies come out all the time these days … but only a handful actually feel like events. For me, the 2021 sequel “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the only live-action superhero movie from the first half of the 2020 decade that really felt like a special event and still holds up as one of my new favorite comic book movies. This was of course one of the first live-action films to utilize a “Multi-Verse” concept as a means to have a stand-alone film series crossover with other unrelated movies, which was certainly a novelty with this first outing, but quickly got repetitive with follow-up comic book movies like “The Flash” and “Deadpool & Wolverine”. While post “No Way Home” “Multi-Verse” films were enjoyable on some surface level, I feel “Spider-Man: No Way Home” goes beyond being a novelty item and can still be viewed as a great superhero movie, with emotional beats, meaningful character arcs and a proper use of fan service that’s abundant … without distracting from what really makes this film shine. In case you care, spoiler warnings ahead!

  Following immediately after the events of the 2019 sequel “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, Spider-Mans enemy Mysterio was defeated, but before his death, he revealed to the whole world that Peter Parker is his identity behind the mask, and also that Spider-Man’s a criminal responsible for murder and theft of weapons technology. 

Thus, for the first time ever in the Spider-Man franchise, we get the novelty of seeing the whole world aware of Spider-Man’s secret identity, with masses of people split on how to view him, which puts immense pressure on both his normal life, and the lives of his friends. This set-up alone would have been enough to sustain a whole film, but things take a wild turn when Peter approaches the mystical wizard Doctor Strange for help and see if he can return things back to the way they were before Mysterio revealed his big secret. The spell goes wrong, and suddenly both villains and heroes from other Spider-Man universes (specifically from previous movies) arrive in this Peters reality. Naturally, everyone needs to be returned to their respected universes, kicking off a venture to find and collect all the newly arrived villains. Further conflicts arise when this realities Peter discovers that most of the villains die in their worlds, and thus, our hero aims to help them with their mutations and prevent them from dying before they can be sent back home ... a decision that will have devastating repercussions on our web-swinging hero.   

  I knew I was in good hands when the marketing held-back on showing off most of the big crossover characters and focused mostly on our main hero and his struggles. Thankfully, that’s just the movie I got, because it takes a while for any big universe characters to appear, and I didn’t feel their absence once, because the main characters from this series more than hold their own. Right from the opening, this movie is bursting with energy and excitement, and that momentum is still felt when these characters have quiet moments to talk and reflect. For my money, Tom Halland as Peter Parker/ Spider-Man, Jacob Batalon as best friend Ned Leeds, and Zendaya as girlfriend “MJ” are my three favorite leading characters from any of the Spider-Man films, and I loved watching how they each grew, changed and bonded leading to this film, in which these characters are at their peak. After appearing in six films, this is when Tom Halland really felt like he’d grown into a “man” and was ready to take on the responsibility his superhero life required.  

 The villains need no introduction, and for the most part, it was extraordinary to see so many great actors back in their signature villain roles. Aside from the returning cast, it was just cool to see these villains together and interacting with each other in a live action film. 

Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus was always my favorite Spider-Man movie villain, and in this film, it was like time never passed, because he was just as awesome as ever. Jamie Foxx is given a little more to do as Electro than he did in his previous film, and his yellow suit redesign, while brief, was still better than his initial blue movie design. Both Rhys Ifans and Thomas Haden Church return to voice the characters of The Lizard and The Sandman, which is cool, although the Sandman is easily the most inconsistent character without any clear motivations and randomly flip flops between being a friend and adversary.

 However, for me, all the shortcomings with the Sandman are easily balanced out with the return of Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin, who absolutely steels the show, and more than ever earns his status as Spider-Mans greatest enemy. 

While Willem Dafoe was always great in this portrayal, I feel this film gave him even more to work with, including more creepy faces that aren’t buried under a silly looking mask. He also plays up a sympathetic side to his alter ego Norman Osborn and subsequently made his character more interesting than he was in the original. All these villains together almost make a perfect Sinister Six, but there’s still one missing, which brings me to Venom. Prior to the release of this film, I didn’t watch the 2021 film “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” and was unaware that movie ended with a set-up of Tom Hardy’s Venom arriving in Tom Hollands Spider-Man universe, so I personally wasn’t put off by him being reduced to a mid-credit cameo. That being said, I wouldn’t blame anyone else for being upset with this, and while I certainly would have liked to see Venom get a big role in this movie, I also couldn’t imagine him working with all the other characters present.        

 Of course, once Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield arrive on the scene as their respected versions of Spider-Man, the film shoots through the roof and builds on an already strong foundation, without feeling like cheap fan serves. 

The film is also very clever in bringing subtle closure to both the previous franchises, without taking too much attention away from Tom Halland's Peter Parker and his narrative. The love that our first meeting between these three is a subtle and emotional bonding sequence that’s very well acted, and afterwords, we get the fun quippy interactions and thrilling action one would hope for. The three also have extraordinary chemistry with each other and feel like three lost brothers who just found each other. My favorite detail of all is seeing Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man rescue MJ from falling to her death, giving him emotional finality to where his story left off. Again, this big crossover is saved for the final act, delivers everything I could want in this short window, and isn’t the driving force of the film, as there’s still other great character arcs and strengths in the film to focus on.  

  Marisa Tomei returns for a third time as Aunt May Parker, and this is unmistakably her movie to shine. While she’d been an okay presence beforehand, this is when she becomes a meaningful character in Peter’s journey, conveying the morals he needs that will shape him into the man he becomes, and her surprising death at the end gives the film an emotional anchor that’s very much earned. 

Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Doctor Strange, and has his own subtle arc, as he gradually learns to care for Peter, despite all the problems he caused, and so much of it is conveyed through Cumberbatch’s performance. All the other holdover characters, and crossover characters again do their part, without overstaying their welcome. It’s wonderful to see J. K. Simmons back as J. Jonah Jameson, although I wish he could have interacted with more of the characters. Charlie Cox cameo reprise of Matt Murdock was outstanding and gives me hope for a potential Daredevil and Spider-Man movie.

 The action scenes are extraordinary, bursting with energy and imaginative creativity. While Spider-Man has had fights on a bridge with cars hanging over the side, his bridge battle with Doctor Octopus still feels fresh, featuring two characters with four mechanical limbs in combat, and it’s awesome. Spider-Man also gets into a memorable fight with Doctor Strange in a mirror universe and has to use his mathematics and intellect to win. I also like that it's a battle of ethics and ideology laced with the action, as Doctor Strange doesn't want to risk changing fate, while Spider-Man believes he has a responsibility to help his enemies, and make their worlds better. The scene also features the most striking visuals and is arguably the reason this film was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Special Effects … but understandably lost to “Dune”. 

 Speaking of noteworthy action, it’s hard to top a final battle with three live action Spider-Men on the scene fighting multiple villains at once. I will admit, I didn’t care for the yellow, nighttime presentation of this climax, but the battle itself is still a sensational way to close out the film. The real meat of this conflict is Tom Halland’s Spider-Man versus the Green Goblin, as we really see our hero being pushed into a dark place. When Tobey Maguire arrives on the scene to set things right, it leads to some of the best acting I’ve ever seen in a superhero movie, as the silent stare down between the two Spider-Men says more than words ever could.   

 While the weakest part of the film is the initial wizard spell going wrong, the payoff at the ending I feel makes up for it, as there’s no happy or predictable reset button, and while our hero saves the day, Spider-Man himself still faces some emotional repercussions. 

He succeeds in curing the villains and sending everyone home, but in order for everything to get set right, the world has to forget who Peter Parker and Spider-Man are, leaving our hero more alone than he’s ever been in this whole franchise. It’s also a great book end to where the film started, in which he was branded the most popular person on the planet. 

The touching goodbye at the end is perfect, and even when presented with an opportunity to reunite with his friends, he chooses to be content on his own. The final scene of him swinging off into the snowy night is outstanding and is the first time this version of the character really felt like a man. Before I forget, there was a special extended cut of the film, which was released in cinema for a short time, and is available on streaming, but just like with the previous "Spider-Man: Far From Home", it's hard to find this special cut on physical media. It's not required viewing over the theatrical cut, but it's nice to see select conversations and action scenes playout all the way through, without anything missing. It's certainly satisfying to see the final battle in full, but then there's extended high school scenes that hurt the pacing, so you can either enjoy the extended cut for what it is, or stick with the original presentation, either way, you get a great film.    

 In the end, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was personally my favorite movie going experience of 2021, and I was ready to sing the films praises right out the gate. However, I wanted to give it time and see if my feelings were still the same after the novelty and hype began too subtle down. 

Five years later, this film still holds up as one of my favorite superhero movies, and as one of Spider-Mans absolute best films … top three easy! While the novelty of the Crossover Universe characters is a big draw for the film, I feel there’s so much more to it than just the fan serves. There are thoughtful character arcs, engaging on screen chemistry, emotional highlights, high stakes, sensational action and the courage to go all the way with ideas and consequences. I can’t make any argument that it’s a perfect movie all around, as there are still details to pick at … but for me, the positives far outshine the negatives, and unlike so many other franchise universe crossover movies, I feel this film has so much more to offer then simply it’s cool fan service.  

Thanks for reading my review of the 2021 Superhero movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!     

 

The Blob (1958) (Movie Review)

 I’ve loved Science Fiction Cinima for as long as I can remember, and as such, I have a soft spot for genera pictures from the 1950’s. It was a special time in which B-Movies stole the spotlight, and some of which could be regarded as good movies in their own right, despite featuring monsters or outlandish experiments. Movies like “Them!” and “The Incredible Shrinking Man” for example went that extra mile, balancing the campy with quality, and are regarded as classics. 

For today, I wanted to look back on the 1958 Sci-Fi picture “The Blob”, which certainly sounds like your typical disposable double feature picture of the time. In fact, it was released as such, a double feature alongside a movie called “I Married a Monster from Outer Space”. However, unlike its partner, “The Blob” escaped the bottom of the barrel, took on a life of its own, and is now viewed by many as a minor classic of the genera. While personally not one of my absolute favorite Sci-Fi pictures, I’ve always retained fondness for the original movie and view it as a perfect example of how a B-Monster flick can offer a little more than what its generic title would suggest.

  Set in a small Pennsylvania town, a young teenager named Steve is out for a romantic night under the stars with his girlfriend Jane. Things take a turn when a shooting star overhead is actually a meteor, containing a mysterious liquid substance inside. The first person to come in contact with the alien slime is an old man, who’s quicky rushed to a nearby hospital. Through some very well paced build-up, we discover that this slimy entity consumes organic life, increasing its size in the prosses, and growing more red. As it gradually snatches more victims, it continues to grow in size and strength … but it’s also very good at disappearing, as it can slip through any small crack, vent shaft or bottom door space. As such, it’s tricky to convince the police of this slimy threat, when it constantly vanishes from each crime scene, without a trace of its presence. With no options left, Steve and Jane set off into the night, recruiting other teenage friends, and aim to find and destroy the alien substance before their little town becomes its menu.

 Right from the opening title card, paired with its corny “Blob” theme song, this movie sets up a tone and personality different from most other creature features of its time. The movie also draws attention to its 1950’s look and setting, which certainly adds to the film’s appeal. Everything from the vintage clothing and vehicles on display makes this picture an obvious, yet delightful time-capsule of its age. I also like the midnight theater experience on display, with characters watching older horror movies. One very amusing background detail is a poster of the 1956 classic “Forbidden Planet” … except it’s retitled “The Vampire and the Robot”.  

 On a side note, I love that the narrative is set entirely at nighttime, with the final closing shot being the only daytime frame of the film. For me, monster movies are always the most fun when set at night. Despite that, the film is still very colorful and features memorable imagery. Obviously, the effects are dated, and the miniatures couldn’t be more noticeable if they were labeled, and yet … there is a delightful, old-school charm and appeal to these effects. Even though our titular blob doesn’t have any distinct features, and is a rather simplistic design, it still somehow manages to convey a personality all its own. It also shines in a number of highlights, including an encounter in a convenient store, and of course the most memorable scene of all is when the blob attacks the movie theater.    

 This was also one of the first creature-features to have teenage characters as the main heroes, which would eventually become commonplace in the 1980’s. The characters are all basic, but likable, with our lead teen Steve played by Steve McQueen in his very first leading role. He’d of course go on to great success in classic movies like “Bullet” and “The Great Escape”, so it’s fun to see where his career really kicked off. Outside of the novelty, Steve McQueen brings a real charm and likability to what could have easily been a one note performance. Actress Aneta Corseaut, from “The Andy Griffith Show” played girlfriend Jane and is just likable enough … although, she’s victim to some predictable tropes, like tripping over objects so boyfriend Steve can carry her over the threshold.   

 The one aspect of this film that really tries my patience is it’s “Boy Cried Wolf” formula. We see in the opening that our teen heroes get themselves into mischief all the time and aren’t on best terms with the local police. Naturally, they don’t believe their story of a monster from space on the loose, and every time our teen heroes try to convince them of the truth, it goes through the lengthy and predictable motions of the authority figures not believing them. I’ve never been fond of this convention, and it’s generally been overplayed in monster movies, but this movie especially plays a tediously long game of these teens trying to convince the police, only for it to go nowhere.

 Fortunately, things do level out with a decent ending, in which our leads get trapped at a diner. Outside, all the members of this small community band together to rescue them and stop the monster once and for all. Typically, you’d see military forces come in for the climactic showdown, but instead it’s just these local civilians all coming together to save the day, and it’s great. After discovering that heat and electricity have no effect, they discover that cold is the monsters one weakness. Thus, through the combined forces of the town, they encase the Blob in a block of ice and later have it dopped off in Antarctica. We close on one of those cheesy “The End … or is it?” cards that were commonplace of the time.

 There was a sequel over a decade later in 1972, but the less said about that one the better. I do enjoy the 1988 remake of “The Blob”, which had more detailed effects, a faster pace, and is generally more fun to watch. That said, it still doesn’t have the same charm or likable leads of the original, but it’s nice to have both films as options. All that being said, I know “The Blob” is more of an acquired taste, and won’t be for everyone, but I don’t think it should be dismissed as a disposable product of the time. There is satisfaction to be found in the films thrills, it characters and more than anything else, it highlights that simplicity goes a long way in making a good monster movie.

Thanks for reading my review of the 1958 Sci-Fi picture “The Blob” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!       

  

The Jurassic Park Movies Ranked

 Back when I was a kid, I was obsessed with Dinosaurs and had to check out any movie I could featuring them. As an adult, that fondness still remains with me, and even when they’re not featured in a great movie, they can still make the experience worthwhile on some surface level appeal. 

With the long running “Jurassic Park” franchise, I love the classic original but have never considered any of the sequels or spin-offs on par with the same level of quality. That being said, I’ve always been able to enjoy these franchise instalments as either okay to re-watch once in a while, or safe one and done experiences without being too upset. So, with the series continuing this year, I thought it would be fun to stop and rank all the “Jurassic Park” movies on my own personal scale of most favorite to least favorite … let’s do this.   

 

#1 “Jurassic Park” (1993)

No sense beating around the bush, my favorite movie in this franchise, and by extent, one of my personal favorite movies is the 1993 blockbuster classic that pushed the boundaries of special effects for its time and delivered the best and most real looking dinosaurs caught on film … which as far as I’m concerned still haven’t been surpassed. Based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name, “Jurassic Park” tells the story of what happens when man messes with nature. Thanks to cloning, scientists are able to bring back the dinosaurs and aim to present them to the world in a big theme park extravaganza. 

Things go south, and a small team of visitors find themselves at the mercy of a hungry T-Rex and a savage group of Raptors. Along with the likes of “Star Wars” and “The Wizard of Oz”, “Jurassic Park” was one of those childhood experiences that helped shape my overall love for movies. While the dinosaurs themselves were a big draw to the film, I’m also very fond of the human cast, with Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum leading the charge. 

Also, Steven Spielberg’s cinematic direction and John Williams iconic music score gives the film a sense of “movie magic” that goes beyond impressive dinosaur encounters. I could talk about this movie all day, but there’s still several more films to mention, so I’ll simplify things by saying the original “Jurassic Park” goes above a fun action adventure … it’s an experience, with brilliant film-making techniques on display, rich themes, and great characters to boot.   

 

#2 “Jurassic World” (2015)

While there’s never been a “Jurassic” sequel or spin-off that’s matched my feelings for the original, I found the 2015 reboot “Jurassic World” to be the most fun and enjoyable. This time we focus on a fully functional Dinosaur theme park, which people visit in droves. However, a mutated dinosaur experiment goes rabid, gets loose, and plunges the park into cause. 

This was a fun premise, which has the build-up, the wonder, and once the action goes down … it’s a fast-moving adventure, with some highly exciting sequences. The new main characters are also charming, with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard delivering the human anchor required to sustain the experience. The weakest elements are subplots involving human villains aiming to weaponize dinos, and a pair of siblings who occasionally derail the momentum. 

Regardless, this film delivers the highlights … like seeing dinos break loose in a populated park, as well as Chris Pratt riding a motorcycle with a pack of raptors, and a top-tier monster brawl ending with the T-Rex battling the new mutated carnivore. While this reboot lacks the meaningful themes of the original, the film still works as a simple, fun outing in its own right.    

#3 “Jurassic World: Rebirth” (2025)

This entry opens with the majority of remaining Dinosaurs isolated to a chain of islands, and a team set-out to collect various DNA samples, which could be beneficial to human healthcare. It's a dangerous but exciting venture, as our new team collect their samples ... unfortunately, the last stop is an abandoned sight for creating mutant dinosaur monsters, lorded over by the new creature dubbed "The D-Rex". While I'm sure many fans were indifferent to this outing, I'm partial to "JP" films that introduce new main characters, as opposed to constantly relying on familiar faces. 

Not that I don't enjoy seeing hold-over characters, but the experience always feels most fresh to me with new characters experiencing everything. Both Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali are credible talents, who can give one-note characters some needed screen appeal. While this movie has its short comings, including a weak first act, and unnecessary mutant monsters, I still felt this film tried harder to balance a colorful and wonderous experience, with its action and thrills. It was certainly a nice return to old-school adventure films, with a mysterious island setting, MacGuffin's for the heroes to collect, and fun dino themed set-pieces along the way … including a memorable new river raft chase, which was admirably lifted from the original book. 

While the effects were a little dogy, Gareth Edwards direction certainly gave the film a sense of grandeur and spectacle that was well worth experiencing in the theater. All around, this entry didn't accomplish anything extraordinary, but I felt it had its own distinct voice and personality to stand out in this ever-growing series.   

 

#4 “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (1997)

Following after the events of the original first film, Ian Malcolm (played again by Jeff Goldblum) ventures to the island breading ground of the dinosaurs … but this time, there are no fences, no park, and just nature, with the most dangerous beasts on the loose. On top of that, a group of human villains aim to round up the dinos and make a new park on the mainland. Kind of a “HOT-TAKE” on my part, but I wish director Steven Spielberg made a movie based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel “The Lost World”, featuring those characters, and that narrative, as opposed to Michael Crichton’s sequel novel. 

That way, this film could be regarded as a spiritual successor to “Jurassic Park”, with similar dino effects, but could stand on its own, as opposed to being an actual sequel. Also, it would have given Dinosaurs in general more of an identity at the movies, as opposed to mostly being relegated to this franchise. This film also characterized most of the instalments moving forward, with darker tones and more action, but less wonder and magic, which elevated the original. Viewed on its own, this film is simply okay … with Steven Spielberg’s stamp of direction on display, as well as the best Dinosaur effects, which got less impressive afterward. There are also memorable highlights, with the cliffside trailer incident, and a “King Kong” inspired third act with a T-Rex loose in a big city standing out as two of the franchises best set-pieces. 

The downside is how this film overstays it’s welcome, has a clunky narrative, lacks consistent momentum and features a cast of boring human characters, who’ve never won me over … although Jeff Goldblum is at least a welcome presence in the lead role, and Pete Postlethwaite brings dimension to the films antagonistic hunter Roland. All around, this is not a terrible sequel by any means, but even when I watched this as a kid, it never surpassed my feelings of just being OK.   

#5 “Jurassic Park 3” (2001)

After a kid is accidently stranded on a dangerous island full of Dinosaurs, the parents scam doctor Alan Grant (the lead from the first movie) to join on a mission to rescue their son and then get off the island safely before the dangerous new Spinosaurus can make a meal of them. From this point, every instalment works as basic surface level enjoyment, and it’s just a matter of how much each film can appeal to me on that level. 

In many respects, “Jurassic Park 3” is the most straightforward and simple of all the films, with an easy narrative, and set pieces that excite in the moment. The highlight being when the characters are trapped in a bird cage battling the winged Pteranodon’s. This film also dismisses any sense of wonder in favor of more horror elements and action, and as far as that’s concerned … this film is serviceable. 

The biggest strength of the film is Sam Neill back in the lead role of Alan Grant, if it weren’t for him, this would have been a forgotten instalment. Also, the giant Spinosaurus helps give this sequel an identity over the others, and it’s great to have an actual dinosaur as the main threat, versus the overplayed mutated carnivores of the long running “Jurassic World” follow-ups. Admittedly, this is a “so, so” outing, but inoffensive and never overstays it’s welcome.  

 

#6 “Jurassic World: Dominion” (2022)

Following after the events of the movie “Fallen Kingdom”, Dinosaurs have been set loose across the world, and as this film opens, we see various human characters either trying to cope with the change or find a way to set things back to normal. This leads to scientists unleashing mutated insects onto the world, which pose an even greater threat than the dinosaurs, and the only way to stop them is the genes of a cloned child. 

At this point in my ranking, these instalments are safe one-and-done experiences … satisfying to view in the theater, but I’ve never felt any need to rewatch them a second time. It’s a shame for “Dominion”, because this film had the potential to be one of the most fun of the whole series. Personally, I feel the premise of Dinosaurs running rampant around the world would have been more than enough to sustain this film, but unfortunately, it’s bogged down with this messy plot involving clones and mutant insects. 

Still, the film delivers its global excitement, with some cool set pieces involving Dinosaurs on the loose, and I’ll give credit to some peaceful moments of wonder and beauty. Also, there’s certainly a novelty in seeing the original cast crossover with the “Jurassic World” cast. I’d say “Dominion” is the most enjoyable of the C-Tier instalments of this franchise … so take that for what it’s worth.  

 

#7 “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” (2018)

Set some time after the events of the first “Jurassic World”, the park remains abandoned, save for the dinosaurs … who are now at the mercy of a raging volcano, which is threatening to make all the dinosaurs go extinct once again. Thus, the race is on between our heroes rescuing them, by putting them on a different island, and a group of bad guys who want to capture them and sell them off as weapons. 

While there isn’t a “Jurassic Park” instalment that I flat out hate, the 2018 sequel “Fallen Kingdom” is the one that left the smallest impression on me. To put it bluntly, I remember the experience passing for a fine little diversion at the theater, but nothing meaningful stuck with me afterward, and I didn’t give the film much thought again until I put this list together. 

The set-up in the first act with the volcano is okay, but once we segue into the films second narrative, set in the confines of a mansion, with all our dinos being caged and auctioned off … the film all but loses its intrigue and momentum. While there are some fun “spooky house” images on display, the plot also gets a little too messy, with the introduction of cloned humans, and more mutated dino-monsters. For me, this is when the “Jurassic World” spin-off series lost its steam … but I wouldn’t call it completely devoid of entertainment either.   

 Thus, we conclude my ranking, and who knows how many more “Jurassic Park” movies are still to come. I doubt there will ever be one to match my feelings for the first, but I honestly don’t need another one that good again when the original still holds up so well all these years later. As such, I’m always open for a new “JP” adventure, and content to simply enjoy them for the simple escapist fun they are.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!