Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Year: 2018

Directors: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Zoe Kravitz, Chris Pine, Liev Schreiber, Nicolas Cage, and John Mulaney
Tagline: Enter a universe where more than one wears the mask.

Synopsis: Miles Morales finds himself as the new Spider-Man.  With the help of other Spider-People from other dimensions, Miles fights to save his world and all the others.

Review

I'm not sure how to go about this review.  Rotten Tomatoes has this film at 97% fresh.  A few people I've talked to have called it the best Spider-Man movie yet.  It just won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture -- Animated.  It's a well made, boundary pushing movie.

I didn't like it.

I acknowledge that it is a good movie.  The action is impressive.  The voice cast fits.  The animation is new and bold.  And the story went in all sorts of new directions.

For one thing, I only sorta liked the animation.  It did feel like a comic book (graphic novel, whatever).  But I didn't like that it was sometimes blurry or fuzzy in places.  And at times there was simply too much going on.  In a comic book, you are limited to one page at a time and can absorb it at your own pace.  This was too much, too quickly, and all over the place at times.  Not all the time.  But sometimes.

The film is certainly funny.  I liked the initial voice-over intro by Spider-Man which acknowledges and pays tribute to the various previous film incarnations (including the infamous emo walk in Spider-Man 3).  There are lots of other funny lines and moments.  Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Ham are interesting and amusing characters based on their very existence.  But again, they just seemed like too much.

Which leads to the main reason I personally didn't like it.  I just don't like all the multi-universe, multi-dimension stuff.  It's why I don't actually like comic books.  I prefer straightforward stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end (like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Christopher Nolan's Batman movies).  For me, there is only one Spider-Man, and that's Peter Parker.  That's me and my preferences.  For a long time I wasn't even going to see Into the Spider-Verse, but it got such good reviews I thought I'd give it a try.  I enjoyed elements, but on the whole I just didn't like it.

That's probably not a very helpful review.  If you love comic books and love Spider-Man, you will probably enjoy it.  Like I said, it's a good movie, although not without some plot holes.

The film is rated PG and has typical superhero violence including the deaths of various characters.

*** Spoiler Section ***

Everyone in the city finds out that Peter Parker was Spider-Man.  Which means they also know that Aunt May was his aunt.  So whether Miles was tracked or not, it makes sense for the bad guys to go straight for Aunt May's house.  Also, how in the world did they build that underground lab without any of the neighbors noticing?  And could they really afford that off of Spidey's merchandising?

Another thing that bothered me was how Miles felt guilt for his Uncle Aaron's death.  His uncle was the Prowler, a villain subordinate of Kingpin.  We saw two entire scenes where the Prowler was bent on killing Spider-Man (both of them, any of them?).  And he goes about it in a way that shows this isn't his first time.  Of course Miles feels sorrow for his uncle's death.  Of course he still loves his uncle.  But Aaron's death came at the hands of Kingpin and because he made choices that led him down a dangerous and deadly path.  Maybe Miles could have helped him back to the light.  Maybe.  But clearly Aaron was in too deep and Kingpin didn't hesitate when Aaron did.  None of that is on Miles.

I don't know much about the villain Kingpin, but I was under the impression he is a pretty smart guy.  His plot in the film is not very smart.  Yes, it is driven by emotion and loss.  But is he really so grief-stricken that he thinks he can rip his other dimensional wife and son from their own dimension and somehow make them happy in his own?  Does he think that somehow this time he could hide who he really is from them?  It seems like someone who has gone that far down the mental rabbit hole would not be able to keep up appearances in the rest of his life.  But maybe that is simply the Kingpin character.

Lastly, although it works for the scene, I'd think it would be emotionally difficult for Mary Jane to be in a room with so many people dressed as her recently deceased husband, tribute or not.

Quotable Quotes

• "Hey, fellas."  "Is he in black and white?"  "Where is that wind coming from?  We're in a basement."  "Wherever I go, the wind follows." -- Spider-Man Noir, Miles, and Peter
• "Do animals talk in this dimension? 'Cause I don't wanna freak anyone out." -- Spider-Ham
• "With great power comes great --"  "Don't you dare finish that sentence!  Don't do it.  I'm sick of it." -- Miles and Peter
• "I have an excellent theme song and a so-so popsicle." -- Peter

Aquaman

Year: 2018

Director: James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Tagline: Home is calling

Synopsis: Arthur Curry is half human and half Atlantean.  When both worlds are in danger, he must find his path as hero and king.

Review

Arthur Curry (aka Aquaman) was one of the best parts in Justice League, so I was pleased but hesitant when I saw that he was getting a solo film.  Is it perfect?  Nah.  Is it a whole lot of fun?  You betcha!  Unlike the Batman and Superman films of the DCEU (DC comics extended universe), Aquaman is fun, bright, and wise enough to never take itself too seriously.

One thing the DCEU has struggled with has been the "grim dark" nature of the Batman and Superman led films.  Wonder Woman went against that trend and was a terrific movie.  Aquaman followed the same path.  The visuals are bright, colorful, and unlike any movies I can recall seeing.  Atlantis is stunning to behold.  It's also neat to see underwater fights.  I'm not sure how believable those fights are, but then nothing in this film really tries to be too believable.

And that's part of what makes Aquaman so enjoyable.  It's fun.  It's funny.  It doesn't go into the territory of campiness.  It's not a parody.  But the film does recognize this is a movie about a hero who can talk to fish.  So it rolls with that.  The closest it comes to being over the top is right before a dramatic duel in the Ring of Fire (<insert Finding Nemo joke here>).  As you might expect, a big  ceremonial duel for the throne is accompanied by ceremonial drums.  And those drums are played by a very large octopus.  Because why not?  It's a quick, "wait, did I really see that" moment that doesn't overstay its welcome.

Arthur and Mera are also great with the one liners and have a good banter.

I liked the various characters.  Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry) proves he is a big enough personality to helm his own film.  Amber Heard (Mera) is a fitting partner for him, and it is fun to see her character as a fish out of water.  Orm (Arthur's half brother) is a pretty standard villain, but he does have reasonable cause to dislike us surface dwellers.  Black Manta is the other villain and he is a formidable foe indeed.  I also liked Tom Curry and Atlanna and their relationship.

Oddly enough, this is the second movie during the holiday season that featured actor Dolph Lundgren.  In Aquaman he plays King Nereus.  In the Rocky/Creed movies he is Ivan Drago.

The film also features one of my new favorite cameos.  It's uncredited, and if I hadn't known who it was beforehand, I might not have picked it up.  But since I did know, I could hear the real voice within the highly edited ("monsterized") voice of the Karathen.  Who voices the enormous, tentacled sea monster?  That would be none other than Julie Andrews.  And it works.  It works so well.

As for the story, it is the typical superhero origin movie.  I felt there were enough new elements to keep it fresh though.  And, despite some plot holes, the story works fairly well.

Lastly, I enjoyed the music.  The soundtrack was good.  It was a little different, but it totally fit the tone of the film.  And there were a few well-placed songs.

Aquaman is visually spectacular and a fun time at the movies.  So grab some popcorn and hang on for the underwater ride.  Be sure to stay for a mid-credits scene.

The film is rated PG-13 for typical superhero violence and a number of s-words and a-words.

*** Spoiler Section ***

The final battle is pretty epic.  I'm trying to think of another movie with a great undersea battle.  Nothing is coming to mind.  But Aquaman has people, aquatic ships, sea creatures, sea animals, and a Karathen all going at it.  Again, the characters are wholly invested in the battle.  But the movie itself acknowledges its own silliness.  Name one other movie where someone gets skewered by a narwhal.

I would also like to point out that it sure is lucky nobody ever knocked over or damaged that statue of Romulus over the course of hundreds of years.  All the others seemed to have fared poorly, but good old Romulus was preserved.

Quotable Quotes

• "I am Atlanna, Queen of Atlantis." "I am Thomas, keeper of lighthouse." -- Atlanna and Tom
• "Bogey at six o'clock!" "What does that even mean?" "Enemy behind us!" "Why didn't you just say so?" -- Arthur and Mera
• "Wait!  Shouldn't we have written it down?"  "I memorized it.  Didn't you?"  "Uh, yeah."  "What did it say?"  "Something something trident." -- Arthur and Mera
• "You based our escape on a children's book [Pinocchio]?" "It's a book?  No, I based it on the movie." -- Mera and Arthur
• "Atlantis has always had a king.  Now it needs something more." "What could be greater than a king?" "A hero." "A king fights for his own people.  A hero fights for everyone." -- Mera, Arthur, and Atlanna

Mary Poppins Returns

Year: 2018

Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, and Angela Lansbury
Tagline: When you lose your way, just remember the magic always returns

Synopsis: Mary Poppins returns to 17 Cherry Tree Lane, this time to help the grown up Jane and Michael.

Review

As I'm sure was the case for many, I grew up watching Mary Poppins on VHS.  When I heard they were making a sequel 50+ years later, I was dubious.  So, how is Mary Poppins Returns?  My takeaway is it is a fun-filled adventure worth seeing, even if it isn't as practically perfect as the original.

You simply can't watch Mary Poppins Returns without comparing it to its predecessor in two ways: the titular character and the story itself.

Emily Blunt is fantastic as the magical nanny.  She fills the role perfectly.  She doesn't pretend to be the Julie Andrews version.  She is her own version.  And both versions are wonderful.

As for the story, it is fun and magical.  But it rides a bit too carefully on the coattails of the original.  We hit all the same plot points: the introduction to magic, a scene with live action and animation intermixed, the visit to an eccentric relative, a mishap at the bank, a rousing song-and-dance number, and an uplifting ending.  While most of those things work within the story and are indeed fun, it means the film doesn't bring much that is new.

What is new, however, is the addition of a villain and the ticking clock cliche.  Again, neither is bad and both serve the story as it is.  But the original film was able to pack an emotional punch and wrap up satisfactorily without either of those things.

I've already raved about Emily Blunt.  The rest of the cast also do a good job.  Lin-Manuel Miranda's Jack (a lamplighter) is charming through and through.  Ben Whishaw brings the grown Michael Banks to life and takes a character that could have been too sentimental and keeps him grounded.  Emily Mortimer is a believable grown up Jane.  Julie Walters is excellent as Ellen the housekeeper (the same housekeeper character as in the original).  Colin Firth and Meryl Streep both look like they are having a marvelous time in their respective roles.  The kids do a good job, especially since I read that this was the youngest's first acting role.

Two other returning characters are Admiral Boom and his first mate, Mr. Binnacle.  The admiral's little side story made me happy.

But what made me the happiest in the entire film was when Dick Van Dyke showed up for the climax.  I could not suppress the grin on my face seeing him as Mr. Dawes Jr. (originally he was Mr. Dawes Sr.).  Equally smile-worthy was seeing Angela Lansbury as the Balloon Lady in the finale.  Seeing two Disney legends (and stars from my childhood) was fantastic.

As you would expect from the House of Mouse, the production values are top notch throughout.  The costumes, the sets, the choreography, and all else are spot on.  And the animated sequences are beautiful.  I'm so glad the director insisted on using traditional, hand drawn animation, in keeping with the original.  The colors are vibrant and the interaction with the live action characters is seamless.

And that leaves only the music.  Most of the songs are indeed catchy (and may well get stuck in your head).  But for me, most of the songs weren't as good or as truly memorable as those from the original.  Those songs have become classics.  These songs are nice.  My personal favorites are "A Conversation," "Can You Imagine That?," and "The Place Where Lost Things Go."  Still, it was when motifs from the original songs were interwoven into the score that I got most excited.

All told, Mary Poppins Returns is a worthy sequel.  The film is full of wonderful small moments, some endearing songs, and plenty of nostalgia.  Emily Blunt is terrific.  I recommend taking yourself and your family to "trip a little light fantastic" with Mary Poppins, Jack, and all the others.

The film is rated PG for some mild peril.

*** Spoiler Section ***

As emotionally satisfying as the climax is, the deus ex machina doesn't really work when you think about it.  Having Dawes Jr. explain how the tuppence from the first film are now rescuing them financially in this film is a lovely twist.  But let's face it, even over 20 years with the wisest of investments, there's no way that tuppence (two pennies) are going to have grown into a substantial sum of money.  That's not realistic during the best of economic times.  And the film takes place during the early 1930s, i.e., anything but the best of economic times.

But why should logic and realism get in the way of a satisfying ending?

Seriously, though, it made me so happy when Admiral Boom and Big Ben were back in sync.

Quotable Quotes

• "I was flying a kite and it got caught on a nanny!" -- Georgie
• "Close your mouth, please, Michael.  We are still not a codfish." -- Mary Poppins
• "She did come all this way on a kite." -- Michael to Jane
• "Cleaning is not a spectator sport." -- Mary Poppins
• "That's an interesting accent you've got.  Where're you from?" "It's a long story --" "No one knows." -- Jack, Cousin Topsy, and Mary Poppins

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