Alfred Molina and More to Return for next Spider-Man film

I thought that it would take us a few more years until we would get a crossover film on the level of Into the Spiderverse or Avengers: Endgame. As it turns out, though, we may be getting it as soon as the end of next year. With the MCU gearing up for a delayed start to its Phase 4 in 2021, Marvel is going in strong. And it’s going to be bringing back a fan-favorite villain.

For some time now, it’s been rumored that many castmembers from the previous live-action iterations of Spider-Man would be making a return of some kind in the next Spider-Man MCU film. Today, Spider-Fans got a big treat when the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Alfred Molina will be returning to play his role as Dr. Octopus. In addition, rumors have circulated that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will make an appearance in the next Spidey film. And that a lot of the cast from their films will also return.

I’M FREAKING OUT HERE!

My reaction to all this news:

For my generation, Tobey Maguire was the Spider-Man. He’s who introduced us to the Wall-Crawler! And while I think Tom Holland captures the youthful energy better, Tobey still holds a place in my heart. The fact that he may return as Spider-Man is huge.

Andrew Garfield, on the other hand…

I never saw The Amazing Spider-Man films, so I have no right to judge. However, I just didn’t like how they looked for some reason. If you have a problem, sue me.

This is all coming on the heels of rumors that the next Spider-Man film will involve Dr. Strange and some Multiverse Hijinks. If they’re really going to connect the MCU to a greater multiverse with the Sam Raimi and Andrew Garfield films, the implications are huge for the MCU’s future. A whole new world of stories to be had. Limitless ideas to be found! I can’t wait!

Let me know what your thoughts are on this, though!

My Top Ten Favorite Movies of 2019

It feels fitting that the final year of the 2010s gave us some of the biggest films of the decade. I’m working on a list of my favorite movies of the decade, and a lot came of them came out in 2019. Thus, in the spirit of the New Year, I decided to look at my favorite films of the year. Without further ado, here are my picks for my favorite movies of 2019.

However, let it be noted that some of my picks are films I reviewed in the past. As such, I will keep my writing as brief as possible. In addition, I won’t be counting entries like the Invader Zim and Rocko specials.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly (Jan.)

Since his debut in the DBZ films, Broly’s been the enemy fans wanted to see join the canon. In other words, seeing him join the canon story felt like a dream come true. However, the film got marred by controversy when Broly’s VA Vic Mignogna got fired over sexual harassment allegations. Given that most of Broly’s lines consist of screaming, though, and that they got Johnny Yong Bosch to replace Vic, I don’t see it as a big loss.

Captain Marvel (March)

In my review of this film, I called Captain Marvel the final piece of the MCU’s puzzle for the Infinity Saga. After all, I had a feeling that Captain Marvel would play a major role in the final battle against Thanos. As such, I was eager to learn her MCU origins and the origins of Nick Fury. While I wish they had included more references to 90s culture, I think this movie did a solid job of getting us pumped for Endgame.

Shazam! (April)

The next entry the DC Extended Universe, Shazam! tells the story of Billy Batson, an orphaned teenager who only wants to find his long-lost mom. However, he ends up being tapped by an ancient wizard with magic superpowers that turn him into a full-grown man. As a result, he has to save the world from an evil bald guy obsessed with that same power due to his childhood insecurities.

The plot of Shazam! seems cliche and unoriginal, but I wound up enjoying it. It’s lighthearted, yet knows when to be serious. More importantly, though, it moved away from Zack Snyder’s terrible taste in colors and attempts to overly serious. If DC had done this since the start, then maybe they wouldn’t be playing catch up to Marvel. That’s right, I said it; not sorry.

Avengers: Endgame (April)

This film was the big one for 2019; the box office records say so! Considering how it was the culmination of eleven years of films, Endgame had a lot riding on it. Thankfully, Marvel knew what it was doing and gave the fans a story for the ages. While the three hour run-time can be a little much for some, it’s justified with how much story they pack into it. In addition, the climax of the film ends up being one of the greatest moments in cinema history. I still remember how every cheered in the theater.

Detective Pikachu (May)

Welcome to Ryme City, a place where humans and Pokemon live together in harmony. Everyone except for Tim Goodman, who comes to town after learning his Detective dad disappeared. Depsite not wanting anything to do with Pokemon, he ends up teaming up with his Dad’s Pikachu, who he can somehow understand. Together, the two uncover a conspiracy that threatens all of Ryme city.

I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t the only one who got worried about a live action Pokemon film. After all, films based on video games have bad track records. However, to my delight, I discovered that Detective Pikachu knock it out of the park. They faithfully adapt the beloved world of Pokemon into live-action. In addition, Ryan Reynolds owns it as Pikachu!

Toy Story 4 (June)

When I heard that there would be a Toy Story 4, I got worried it was a cash grab by Disney and Pixar. Thankfully, I was happy to learn that it wasn’t. While the ending’s bittersweet, as many good stories are, and I felt many of the veteran castmembers got neglected, I still liked this film. It felt good to say that Pixar could do more with the franchise that gave them their big break.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (July)

After the whirlwind of events in Avengers: Endgame, I got worried about the future of the MCU. What could they do that could top the Infinity. Fortunately, Marvel showed us the future in Spider-Man: Far from Home, and its bright. The entire film centers on passing the torch from the original actors to the next generation as the MCU prepares for its future. As long as Disney and Sony keep their acts together, I think the MCU will be seeing a future led

Steven Universe: The Movie (September)

I know this was a TV-based movie, but if you read both of my reviews for the film, then you know I don’t care. Set after the events of the original show, Steven Universe: The Movie shows an older Steven dealing with a new threat. At the same time, he tries to come to terms with the fact that no matter how good things get, there may always be problems to solve. In my opinion, Rebecca Sugar gave us an animated Broadway Musical, and it is glorious.

Joker (October)

After all these years, we finally have another actor worthy of playing the Clown Prince of Crime. In this standalone DC film, Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a mistreated soul with mental issues in a city that doesn’t care about him. With one tragic act, Arthur’s life spirals out of control until he transforms into one of the greatest villains mankind’s ever dreamt up.

This film’s rightfully deserving of his status as the highest-grossing R-rated film in history. While it’s a slow burn, Joker gives us a very realistic look at how a real life version of the Clown Prince could be created. As dark and depressing as it was, I loved the movie. In addition, I now consider Joaquin Phoenix as one of the rare few worthy of playing the Joker. He deserves all the praise in the world.

Klaus (November)

This film came out on Netflix less than a month ago, yet it’s one of the best Christmas movies I’ve seen in years. Set on an Arctic island in the 18th century, Klaus tells the story of Jesper, a lazy and unmotivated postman tasked with setting up an office in the most unfriendly town on Earth. Then one day, he runs into a reclusive toymaker named Klaus, and offers to help deliver the toys he makes to the children in town. As a result, this unlikely pair gives birth to the legend of the jolly man himself, Santa Claus.

The brainchild of Depsicable Me creator Sergio Pablos, Klaus gives us a return to the traditionally animation style of old. The result is a breath-taking, colorful, and heartwarming story about how an act of kindness can change the world for the better. It’s honestly one of the best Christmas films I’ve seen in years, and I hope it goes down as holiday classic.

Happy New Year

Agree with my picks? What movies were your favorite in 2019? Let me know in the comments below.

Click here to see more stuff recapping past years.

Click here to see my reviews for various films.

My Reaction to the News about Sony-Disney Spider-Man Partnership Breaking down

True believers, if you haven’t been on Twitter in the last few days, then you made a smart decision. People are fighting another flame war over Donald Trump’s latest remarks. Wildfires have been burning the Amazon Rainforest for three weeks, and I only learned of it now. I think Marvel Fans have gotten hit the hardest, though. In a recent article published by Deadline, it’s been revealed that Disney and Sony failed to reach a deal regarding the use o Spider-Man in future MCU films. As such, Spider-Man’s out of the MCU.

I still don’t entirely understand the reasons why, but I believe it comes down to money. Sony’s owned the film rights to Spider-Man for years. As part of the deal that brought the webhead into the MCU, they got most of the profits from Spidey’s solo films. With the MCU moving forward in a post-Endgame world, Disney wanted to change that, so they split the profits 50/50. Sony turned them down, and here we are.

Too Much Cheese for the Mouse

I’ve been keeping a close eye on Twitter, and lines are already being drawn in the sand. Almost everyone’s upset over the news; it’s just a matter of who’s to blame for this. On one side, we have those blaming Disney. They think the house of Mouse got too greedy. They may not be wrong, though.

While I’m happy that Disney buying Fix means the X-Men and Fantastic Four are under Marvel’s banner, that’s the only good thing I could think of. Disney’s getting a little too dominant in the entertainment industry for my tastes. Besides, does Disney need the money? They already have multiple channels under their belt. They own several streaming services and will their super streaming service. A good portion of this decade’s best cartoons has been Disney made. I can go on, but in my opinion, I don’t think Disney needed the money.

Sony’s Thoughts.

On Camp Sony’s side, they have a good track record with Spider-Man on their own. The first two Sam Raimi Spider-Man films were monumentally successful and helped shape the modern superhero movie. The original Spider-Man film’s what introduced me to the character.

Then we got Spider-Man 3, and that EMO Peter doing an SNL fever strut. And don’t even get me started on The Amazing Spider-Man. On the other hand, last year gave Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. If you read my review of the film, then you know I consider it to be a love letter to Spider-Man. Plus, Sony has the Spider-Man game for PS4, which is now the bestselling superhero game ever.

The problem I see with Sony going it alone from here on out, though, is the limited pool of characters they have to draw from. Far less than what the MCU has now. That means unless they get creative, they’ll run out of ideas faster. And since Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is firmly rooted in the MCU, it will make it harder to avoid referencing it in future movies.

I Play the Blame Game From Both Sides

Now that I’ve looked at all the facts, I should make my opinion on the matter clear: I blame both parties right now. I blame Disney for trying to get more money right out of the gate when they didn’t need it. At the same time, I’m mad at Sony for their decision. I want to be able to see more of Spider-Man in the MCU and let’s be honest; Tom Holland does it better than anyone.

The worst part of this mess is how it’s divided the fans on the issue. Lines are being drawn in the sand, and people are taking sides. People are arguing over who’s in the right, and it’s not limited to the fans. Celebrities with connections to Marvel are weighing in. Jeremy Renner and Ryan Reynolds, aka Hawkeye and Deadpool, have thrown their support behind Disney’s side. Meanwhile, Joan Lee, daughter of the late Stan Lee, the co-creator of Spider-Man, is backing Sony on this. It’s like watching a civil war.

What’s Best for Spider-Man

I don’t know who’s in the right here, people. What I do know is that unless a deal can be reached, the fans are going to suffer. Perhaps this fight was inevitable, though. Two companies can’t own Spider-Man at once, and deep down, I think I knew this deal wouldn’t last forever. I only wish that it didn’t have to happen now when the MCU’s looking to its next phase.

As to how I think this will end, I think it comes down to how badly Disney wants Spider-Man to stay in the MCU. Sony holds the bargaining power right now, giving them an advantage. Whatever happens, I just want what’s best for Spider-Man. That, and I want Tom Holland to keep playing Spider-Man as long as possible.

Click Here to See my Review of Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse.

Spider-Man: Far From Home Review

Well, true believers, we’ve reached the end of an era for the MCU. The Infinity Saga that it’s been building up to since the beginning is over, and so are the Stan Lee cameos. The only question now is how Marvel will be able to top something as massive Avengers: Endgame? I’m worried about the MCU’s future, but after seeing Spider-Man: Far From Home, I realized that even as the old cast exits, the movies are in good hands.

Spoilers for Endgame are to follow.

Quick Plot

It’s been eight months since the events of Avengers: Endgame, and Earth’s trying to adjust to having half its population return, all while asking who will take Tony Stark’s place as its greatest hero. All eyes seem to think Spider-Man’s the next Iron Man, but after everything he’s been through, all Peter wants to do is take a vacation. No matter how hard Peter tries, though, trouble seems to find him. Next thing he knows, his summer trip to Europe’s been hijacked by Nick Fury and a man named Mysterio as a new threat emerges. Now he has to save the world, all while dealing with typical teen angst like telling MJ he likes her. So much for summer vacation.

A Hilarious Epilogue

This film is essentially an epilogue to the universe-shaking events of Endgame, and I cannot thank Marvel for doing this for us. After dealing with the highest-grossing superhero film of all time, fans needed a chance to unwind and relax. Granted, this is a superhero movie, but Far From Home’s as close as we’re going to get to a relaxing story.

Like Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home’s as much of a comedy as it is a superhero movie. Most of the characters give us moments that make us want to laugh that include classic scenarios such as:

• Walking in on something at the worst possible time and misunderstanding the situation
• Dorky/useless teachers
• Awkward confessions when everyone thinks they’re about to die (“I’m in love with Spider-Man’s aunt.)
• Awkward Teen Romance
• And More!

After seeing Endgame, this film’s what we needed: a good, long laugh. The kind that we can count on Spider-Man giving us.

Legacies and Next Generation

A significant part of the film’s plot is dealing with the aftermath of Endgame and Iron Man’s passing. After giving his life to save the universe, Earth considers Tony Stark, the greatest hero of all time. Everywhere you look in the film; you see images of Tony. There’s graffiti art, tribute videos, and photos. I think I saw a documentary or movie about his life. It’s both annoying and heart-warming to see how everyone almost everyone loves Tony Stark now. I say annoying because I know that if he were still alive, it would inflate Tony’s already massive ego.

All joking aside, this film’s about dealing with the loss of the character who started the MCU, and figuring out who will take his place. Everyone, both in film and in real life, hopes that Spider-Man will be Iron Man’s successor. I do, too; Spidey is Marvel’s poster boy. Nick Fury even gives Peter the proverbial keys to the armory: a set of glasses with one of Tony’s AI’s that gives him access to the Stark satellite network. The AI’s also named EDITH: Even Dead, I‘m The Hero. Classic Tony.

A New Hero

As the film makes visible, though, Peter doesn’t think he’s ready or able to be Iron Man’s successor. He’s still a teenager, and he’s being thrown into the deep end without any floaties. He even tries to pass on EDITH to someone else, only for it to nearly end in disaster.

What Peter learns in the movie, though, is that he doesn’t have to be like Tony Stark. No one can replace Tony Stark. Instead of focusing on living up to Iron Man’s legacy, Peter learns that he needs to be the hero only he can be. When he learns to stop living in his late mentor’s shadow, we see he’s more than capable of being Tony’s successor. In a particularly touching moment before the final battle, we see Peter hard at work on a new suit in a moment that mirrors that of Tony Stark. That’s the moment I knew the MCU was in good hands.

Plus, it helped that Happy put on “Back in Black” by AC/DC. That’s a callback to the very first scene in Iron Man.

Conclusion

I’m still worried about the future of the MCU, but after watching this film, I can tell that it still has plenty of fire left in it. The story of the Avengers may be over for now, but there are plenty of other stories waiting to be told. If anything, I think Spider-Man: Far From Home has shown me that the MCU’s in good hands. Tom Holland’s still my favorite Spider-Man, and I hope that he has the time of his life playing him for years to come.

This film’s a fun story that bids goodbye to the Infinity Saga and paves the way for the next stage in the MCU. I can see it becoming a must-see film for the Summer of 2019. So, get ready for plenty of action, teen drama, and laughs with Spider-Man: Far From Home, now in theaters.

I Give Spider-Man: Far From Home a 4.5/5.

In a few days, I will be talling about the post-credit scenes for Far From Home. Check back soon.

By the way, I TOTALLY CALLED IT ABOUT MYSTERIO!

Click here to see my reviews for various films.

All right, if you are here, then that means that one of two things: you’ve seen Spider-Man: Far From Home, or don’t care about spoilers.

Now that’s that out of the way, I want to look at the what that big mid-credits scene from Spider-Man: Far From Home.

A Secret Is Out

One of the basic tenets to Spider-Man is that he goes out of his way to keep his civilian identity a secret. He lacks the resources that Iron Man has to keep thugs away. While his many incarnations have done a good job of keeping his identity as Peter Parker a secret, the MCU changed everything.

After Mysterio’s defeat in London, one of his associates escaped with a flash drive. That drive contained edited footage that made it look like the Elementals were real. Worse, it showed Spider-Man murdering Mysterio to get control of Stark’s arsenal.

To top this conga line of lies off, Mysterio revealed Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker to the entire world, and J Jonah Jameson’s the one who reported it to the world.

Plus side: JK Simmons came back to play J Jonah Jameson again!

What Happens Now?

The way I see it, there are currently two options for Peter Parker at this point.

First option: he’s going to have to go on the run and live as a fugitive from authorities. He won’t be able to go to school anymore. At the least, Aunt May will need to go into hiding.

Second option, and I hope this will be what ends up happening: Peter uses EDITH. Think about it: EDITH can hack into any computer in the world. She could easily get onto the Internet and erase all traces of Mysterio’s video. Without that, there would be no evidence to back up these claims, and Peter could deny them. It’s not like anyone else has seen him without him mask.

If I know the people from How It Should Have Ended, then I think they’ll end up doing just that.

Everything Changes

No matter how you look at this, this changes everything. More than anyone, Spider-Man has fought to keep his identity a secret. The one time he did reveal it during the Civil War event, it ended in disaster. Now that it’s been revealed in the MCU, Peter’s life will get much harder.

Yet, this could end up being a new opportunity. The MCU looks like it’s going to use Spider-Man as its flagship character going forward. Having his identity know could be an interesting angle to work with. I’d be interested in seeing how that turns out.

For now though, the MCU’s on vacation until 2020. They’ll need to come up with a new overarching story soon if they want to keep people interested. Right now, my money’s on Dr. Doom or Kang the Conquerer.

To read my review for the film, click this link.

Avengers: Endgame Review

If someone had told me back in 2008 that the movie Iron Man was going to start something unheard of, I’d call them crazy. A lot of us would have. A shared universe of superheroes and interconnected stories had worked in comic books. It had even done well in cartoons with the DC and Marvel Animated Universes of the 90s and 2000s. But movies? No one had tried it; people may have thought it was impossible.

Yet Marvel did it; Iron Man was only the start of a larger universe. Eleven years and twenty-two movies (and several shows) later, the MCU rules pop culture. Now the first chapter to this incredible universe comes to a head in Avengers: Endgame, which has already broken the global box office record.

I told you guys in my last post about how I saw the first Avengers movie with my dad opening weekend. Now, I am proud to say that I got to do the same thing for Avengers: Endgame on Friday, April 26th, 2019. After giving myself a day to process everything, I want to give you guys my review for the movie everyone’s talking about. There will be some mild spoilers here, but nothing that will ruin the plot.

The film starts three weeks after the events of Infinity War, and the universe is working to pick up the pieces. Tony and Nebula get stranded in space like we see in the trailer, but thanks to Captain Marvel, they get rescued and get home. While Tony recuperates, everyone else goes after Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet. To their horror, though, they find that the Stones are gone. Thanos destroyed them so that a) the Decimation couldn’t be undone, and b) he wouldn’t go mad with power with them. So it looks like the Avenger have lost in every sense.

Time passes, and everyone deals with the effects in their own way, some better than others. Thor took it the worst, though; here’s an out-of-context photo that should give you a hint what’s happened to him:

Use your imagination for the rest. Then suddenly, Scott Lang comes back from the Quantum Realm. He had been trapped in there since the Pyms got dusted. The thing is, while it’s been years for others, it was only a few hours for him. Time doesn’t work the same in the Quantum Realm. Piggy backing off that discovery, the Avengers form a plan to undo Thanos’ actions. Using the Quantum Realm, they will travel back to various moments in the past, grab the Infinity Stones from then, and use them in the present to bring back everyone.

So I guess How it Should Have Ended got it partially right with the time travel part. As for me, what did I think about it? I think that it was a very convoluted plan, and if it sounds like Back to the Future, you’re not alone. Tony Stark even calls everyone out by saying “your plan is Back to the Future?” It was a crazy plan, and by all means, it shouldn’t work. To be honest, though, this wasn’t the first time Marvel’s used time travel; it’s happened in the comics.

I don’t want to give away what happens here, but the second part’s basically revisiting past moments from the movies and stealing the stones. I have to agree with Andy Epsilantis from Pop Culture Uncovered on this one: it was fun, but made for a weak story. It did give us some pretty good moments, though. A few of the characters were even able to get some closure to certain events in their past.

Letting the characters see themselves in the past, though, was pretty fun. For example, remember the scene at the start of Guardians where Quill’s singing to “Come and get your Love”? To everyone else, he looks like a dork singing in an empty room, and it is hilarious. The time heist doesn’t go off without a hitch, though. Thanos learns what the heroes are doing, and becomes determined to keep his work from being undone.

While I admit that in Infinity War, Thanos’ goals, while misguided, were to help the universe. That made him relatable as a villain and even, in some way, respect him for actually winning. In Endgame, though, Thanos becomes a straight-up villain. He vows to destroy Earth for its inhabitants constant interference in his plans. Then he’ll remake the universe with himself as a god. That’s pretty evil! And while I did enjoy how complex Thanos was (and still is), having a straight-up evil goal helped watching the Avengers fight him feel great.

What did I think of how it ended? First, I’m just going to come out and say it: THERE IS NO MID OR POST-CREDITS SCENE! The end credits are still epic, but don’t waste your time.

Second, while a three hour movie is pushing it for me, I walked away utterly satisfied. This film’s basically a love letter to what the MCU’s done and how far its come. It’s got humor, action, drama, genuine loss, and the geeky fan service. It is the perfect cap-off to this story that’s been building for eleven years. If it or any of the people involved in it don’t win an Oscar next year, I will be disappointed.
Third, and finally, I like how this movie has Stan Lee’s final cameo before his passing. Best part is that you won’t even realize it’s him at first glance. Having one of the men who made Marvel appear in the final chapter to one of its biggest stories gives it a form of closure.

In short, I thought that this movie was the best, and not just because of nostalgia bait. I highly recommend that you go see it in theaters while you can.

I Give “Avengers: Endgame” a 5/5. Excelsior!

One problem, though: where do they go from here?

Click here to see my reviews for various films.

MCU Favorite Moments Countdown #3- Peter Digs Himself Out of Rubble, Spider-Man: Homecoming

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has proven that they can make movies about superheroes other than Spider-Man and get people to want to watch them. Even so, the MCU didn’t feel complete without Marvel’s poster-boy, so everyone was elated when the web-head made his debut in Captain America: Civil War. Then that elation doubled with his stand-alone film, tSpider-Man: Homecoming.

Near the film’s climax, Spider-Man confronts the movie’s villain, Adrian Toomes, aka the Vulture. Despite his best efforts, Spidey fails to catch the bad guy and ends up trapped under several tons of rubble as Vulture escapes. Just when he’s ready to give up, he remembers what Tony Stark told him earlier and realizes that he’s still a hero even without a fancy suit. In an impressive display of strength and will, Spider-Man then manages to lift the rubble off of him and freeing himself.

There’s a reason why Spider-Man is considered to be Marvel’s greatest creation. He may not be the smartest or the most powerful of all the heroes, and he has to do with a lot of problems most heroes don’t, yet he’s Marvel’s greatest hero. Because few other heroes in fiction have his strength of heart.

The best part to this scene, though, is that it’s actually a callback to what many consider to be Spider-Man’s greatest moment. All the way back in the 60s, Spider-Man battled the evil Dr. Octopus in order to retrieve a medicine needed to save the life of his Aunt May, only to be trapped underneath rubble in the same manner. Despite the overwhelming pain from lifting the debris, Spider-Man’s desire to save his Aunt May let him do the impossible and free himself.

The best part is that this moment in film is a tribute to the man who came up with this legendary scene: Spider-Man Co-Creator Steve Dikto. This is one of my all time favorite moments in the MCU, and a worthy addition to my top five.