Movie Review : The Amazing Spider-Man

Director: Marc Webb

Cast: Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Stan Lee, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Chris Zylka, C. Thomas Howell, Sally Field, Embeth Davidtz, Denis Leary, Irrfan, Kelsey Chow, Annie Parisse, Campbell Scott, Michael Massee

Rating: ****

First, the bad news: The Amazing Spider-Man contains a majority of the elements found in the Sam Raimi film – Peter Parker is a loser school kid in NY, Peter has the hots for his classmate, Peter gets bitten, Peter becomes Spidey, Peter overcomes the school bully, Peter loses his uncle, and Peter fights crime. There is precious little that the reboot brings to the table, some of which includes a glimpse of his parents. The good news is that The Amazing Spider-Man works despite the constant sense of deja vu.

That slightly-okay story finds a young Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) being hurriedly placed by his parents in the care of Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). Cut to a grown up Peter working with his late father’s old colleague Doctor Connors (Rhys Ifans) and finding love and a pesky reptilian ruffian with a master plan. The bulk of the film then becomes a series of action scenes and romantic cutaways in which Peter and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) effortlessly make us forget the lame melodrama between Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

There is no upside down kiss under the rain, but there is an unexpected moment under a starlit balcony and a finale that puts a big twist on the bittersweet climax of the 2002 movie. Despite some clunky dialogue, the melodrama and romance here actually works — thanks mainly to director Mark Webb who brings the matured, assured handling of emotions from his (500) Days of Summer and makes his actors believable. Unlike the case in Spider-Man 3, Webb keeps The Amazing Spider-Man from becoming a string of hastily glued together boring ‘emo’ bits.

Best, however, is the charming Andrew Garfield in the title role —even though he looks hilariously old for a school kid. Garfield is the perfect leading man and has a sunny, winning charisma that audiences (mostly girls) can cheer for.

Peter here is faced with more heartbreak and trauma than in all three previous films put together, yet Spidey is more of the sarcastic wisecracking punk here — it makes for a nice change. Emma Stone is jaw-droppingly gorgeous to look at, and her Gwen is rather courageous instead of ditsy. Sheen and Field here are the Hollywood versions of Alok Nath and Farida Jalal, and they even have those overtly dramatic facial expressions and cringe-inducing lines. Irrfan plays the Token Black Guy of the movie.

Mark Webb seems to understand why we have put on the 3D glasses, and he offers enough immersive scenery to keep us wowed. When Spider-Man swings, he takes you along with him. The downside is that there simply aren’t enough of those scenes. There are some brilliant sequences, including one in a sewer that lasts quite a few minutes. One little scene at Peter’s school where a certain someone makes a cameo is probably the film’s best moment. There is also a 3D jump scare that might scare the hell out of you.

The Lizard is menacing, and very intricately designed but frustratingly there aren’t enough still moments to make us appreciate the work that was put in to create the motion capture GI beastie. When the action isn’t happening, Webb brings in his years of music video experience and throws in some rock music montage, but it sadly makes us yearn for Danny Elfman’s score from the Raimi movies.  

By santabanta

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man: First Look

Credits

Director: Marc Webb
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, Sally Field
Genre: Action
Release Date: July 6, 2012


Synopsis

The Amazing Spider-Man is back on the big screen, for the first time in 3D. The film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the Marvel Entertainment production for Columbia Pictures.

Sam Raimi to remake "The Evil Dead"

A still from "The Evil Dead"

Filmmaker Sam Raimi is going to remake horror movie " The Evil Dead", his first big directorial hit.

The " Spider-Man" director rose to fame with the horror film in 1981 which unfolds the story of a group of friends who head to a forest cabin and unleash a group of evil demons, reports contactmusic.com.

Bruce Campbell, who played lead character Ash Williams in the original movie and its follow ups "Evil Dead II" and "Army of Darkness", confirmed the news via micro-blogging site Twitter.

"Believe in the remake, dawg! The project is real. In the works. Cool as hell. Scary as hell.(sic)" Campbell posted.

Raimi is now heading to Detroit, US, to begin work on the project, which will have a small budget and a similar feel to the original movie.

"Evil Dead" has made approximately $29 million since its release, with funds of just $400,000.

Kelly Osbourne bitten by spider

Singer Kelly Osbourne is nursing a swollen eye after she was bitten on the face by a spider.

The daughter of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne paid a visit to her doctor after her cheek swelled up, leaving her looking fearful, reports contactmusic.

"I got bit by what my doctor thinks is a spider under my eye and I look like I got punched... I spent all day with my dad feeling all sorry for myself looking like Quasimodo! On the plus side we a had family dinner tonight. We have not all been in the same room since xmas except without fighting (sic)," Osbourne posted on her Twitter page.

New Superman Henry Cavill is delighted to be latest British star to land role as iconic hero

They are America's three most famous superheroes - but now Superman, Batman and Spider-Man are all flying the flag for Britain.

Henry Cavill was yesterday unveiled as the latest to don the red cape of Superman, following Christian Bale as Batman and Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man.

Scots comic genius Mark Millar hailed the trio as the vanguard of a super-powered generation of British actors.

Jersey-born Cavill was the shock announcement to play the alien good-guy in Superman: Man of Steel.

Tom Welling, who plays the character on television's Smallville, True Blood star Joe Manganiello and Mad Men's John Hamm were all tipped for the role.

Kick-Ass and Wanted creator Millar - who has written comic books on Superman and Spider-Man - admitted that many people in the industry can't believe the big three superhero roles are all being played by Brits.

Yesterday, he told the Daily Record: "You always define superheroes with America but something weird is happening with this generation.

"It just feels like suddenly there's an opportunity for anyone. Having the three is a bizarre coincidence.

"What we maybe have is a great new wave of British actors.

"It happened in the Sixties with Sean Connery and Michael Caine and maybe it's happening now.

"The other actor people haven't thought about is James McAvoy, who is the lead in the new X-Men movie "So the idea of having a Scottish guy in it is even better than an English guy. I love it.

"Hopefully it will only be a matter of time before we get a Scottish Batman or a Glaswegian Wonder Woman."

However, Mark said he's not sure how the American public will take to the news that Superman is a Brit.

Mark, who made Superman Russian in his 2003 comic book Red Son, said: "One of my friends who works in the industry asked, 'Can you really have someone who is English playing the part of America's greatest icon?'

"I said you've got to remember Superman is Kryptonian. He's not really American. You guys just adopted him."

But as the new Superman, Cavill has to uphold "truth, justice and the American way".

The relatively unknown 27-year-old will also have to slip into blue tights and a red cape, although he has worn tights previously in his role as Charles Brandon in The Tudors.

Cavill was once dubbed "the unluckiest man in Hollywood" by Empire magazine, after missing out on several of the biggest roles of the past decade.

Cavill was beaten by Daniel Craig to the role of James Bond in Casino Royale after being deemed too young for the part. He was also said to have auditioned for the title role in Batman Begins.

Cavill was also a leading contender for the part when directors Brett Ratner and McG were attached to direct Superman Returns, which Bryan Singer ended up directing.

Brandon Routh beat him to the Superman role in 2006 movie, Superman Returns.

He also missed out on playing Edward Cullen in the Twilight films despite author Stephenie Meyer wanting him for the part. Instead the role went to Robert Pattinson.

No wonder Cavill admitted he is thrilled to take on the coveted role.

"In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognised and revered character of all time," he said. "I am honoured to be a part of his return to the big screen."

The new Superman will be directed by Zack Snyder, who has previously directed 300 and Watchmen.

Speaking about the appointment of Cavill, a Warner Brothers source said: "He's got an amazing quality.

"He doesn't look too much like Reeve and Routh but he's big and strong and he has a very modern feel."

In the new film, which is set for a December 2012 release, fans will be treated to some spectacular special effects in a very modern version of the original story.

Cavill joins a long line of actors to play the famous man in tights.

Kirk Alyn was the first actor to play him on screen in the 1948 film serial Superman and its 1950 sequel, Atom Man Vs Superman.

George Reeves played Superman in the first film, 1951's Superman And The Mole Men and the following television series Adventures of Superman.

The most famous screen Superman was Christopher Reeve, who played the mild-mannered newshound Clark Kent and Superman in four films, Superman: The Movie (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).

A horse-riding accident in 1995 left the actor paralysed from the neck down and he later died of a cardiac arrest in 2004 at the age of 52.

During the Nineties, Dean Cain played the Man of Steel in the television series The New Adventures of Superman, while Tom Welling has played a young version of Superman in Smallville since 2001.

Many fans will be disappointed Brandon Routh didn't get another chance at the part.

But Cavill will have a fight on his hands to beat Batman and Spider-Man to box office gold.

The new look Spider-Man will see Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker developing his abilities in high school. Emma Stone plays Parker's first love Gwen Stacy, while Rhys Ifans takes on the role of the Lizard. Martin Sheen and Sally Field will play Parker's uncle and aunt.

To make Spidey's aerial acrobatics even more impressive, the film will be released in 3D and is scheduled to be released on July 3, 2012.

Meanwhile Batman: The Dark Knight Rises will see the return of Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne's alter ego, Michael Caine as Alfred and Gary Oldman as cop Jim Gordon.

Opening after Spider-Man in the UK on July 20, 2012, the inclusion of big names will once again attract fans.

Anne Hathaway will play Catwoman and love interest Selina Kyle, Tom Hardy will play super-strong baddie Bane and there are rumours that Robin Williams will play evil scientist Dr Hugo Strange.

Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. Let the battle begin.

Christian Bale

Batman

The 37-year-old father of one from Wales became a star at 13 when he featured in Steven Spielberg's Empire Of The Sun.

He later starred alongside Ewan McGregor in 1997's Velvet Goldmine and played a serial killer in American Psycho.

Batman first appeared in 1939. Bruce Wayne, a millionaire from Gotham City swore to wipe out crime and created an armoury of gadgets and weapons, donning a bat suit to keep his identity secret.

Andrew Garfield

Spider-Man

The 27-year old was born in California to a British mother and an American father, but was raised in Surrey. He made his telly debut in 2005 in Channel 4's Sugar Rush.

He won a BAFTA for best actor for A Boy and TV trilogy Red Riding followed. Hollywood took notice last year in his role in The Social Network.

Spider-Man first appeared in 1962 when teen Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and given the power to walk up walls and create webs.

Spiderman Lands In India

Popular superhero Spiderman has come to India on a five city trip. According to reports in the media, Spiderman will be touring the cities of Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad before he starts on his journey back to the United States. American cable channel Disney XD is to be credited for bringing the US superhero to India.

According to the latest reports, Spiderman has already wowed the crowd of Mumbai yesterday afternoon. In the late hours of Thursday afternoon, the huge crowds in the Prabhadevi road area of Mumbai were pleasantly surprised to see Spiderman dangling from the 33rd floor of the Beau Monde Towers building of the city. And like a true superhero, Spiderman made sure to show some of his stunts to the admiring people who were watching with eyes full of interest and happiness. In fact, the scene almost reminded us of the Hollywood Spiderman movies, where the superhero more often than not has to fly from one wall to another, while acting the savior.

Spiderman was accompanied by most of his crew members who looked after the different segments of photography, stunts and music. And Peter Parker surely did not disappoint. Not only was Spiderman seen doing stunts, he also bid farewell to the crowd by folding his hands in a ‘namaste’. Now that is what we call a real superhero! The Disney XD crew will proceed to the other Indian cities from Mumbai.