SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

     Fun Fact: since the Marvel Cinematic Universe started in 2008 with Iron Man, there has not been a director to fully complete a trilogy in the enormous franchise.  Jon Favreau directed the first two Iron Man movies, with Shane Black taking over the third one.  The Russo Brothers took the reins away from Joe Johnston and Joss Whedon and made the final two Captain America and Avengers films respectively.  And Thor…well, let’s say it’s a surprise to see Taika Waiti returning for the next installment.  Spider-Man: No Way Home concludes the Home trilogy, and Jon Watts managed to direct all three.  A big congrats are in order for him.  Not just for his dedication to the franchise, but for making one of the best superhero movies of all time.
     Everyone loves Spider-Man.  A good reason for this is his relatability.  He’s a superhero that has to keep his grades up, pay bills, deal with bullies, face hardship and heartbreak.  A lot of people feel like they could be Spider-Man because we all get down on our luck sometimes, yet we push on through because we have responsibilities to uphold.  In Spidey’s latest big screen outing, things haven’t changed much for the wall-crawler. He's preparing to head off to college, but the public hates him for the events of the previous movie. Just another day in the life of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!  And after a failed attempt to manipulate reality to fix Peter's life via Doctor Strange, chaos erupts, and it's up to webhead and his friends to ensure the universe doesn't collapse. There's more to it than this that carries a lot of emotion and heart, but to say more would be a disservice to you. All I can say is this is one of my favorite Marvel films to date. Everything we love about the character and his stories is fully embraced here, and it's a thrilling and heartfelt ride from start to finish.
     What I can talk about are the actors, and with an A-list cast that features Tom Holland, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Benedict Cumberbatch, and many others, it's no surprise we get some amazing performances. This is probably the most heavy and emotionally intense Spidey film since Spider-Man 2, and everyone knocked it out of the park. Just about every joke landed successfully, but at the same time, the cast managed to get the audience I was with both cheering and weeping. Seriously, this is a great movie, and it's because of the spectacular performances that the story works so well.
     Another element that worked very well was the special effects. Spider-Man was one of the earliest examples of how special effects could bring comic book adventures to life, and Spidey's cinematic exploits continue to push computers to their breaking points. Sure, a lot of the swinging and spellcasting is merely animated, but with well-done choreography and camerawork, it's a blast. In fact, there are some moments that are actually aesthetically pleasing. There's one particular shot of Spidey swinging at sunset that is wallpaper worthy. Also, most movies have a definitive shot that is the best of them all--the "money shot." Honestly though, Watts and his team were so creative and had so much fun putting this crazy thing together that I'm not sure which is the money shot. There are so many to choose from! A lot of passion went into the visuals of this, which results in an artistic movie that oozes with creativity.
     From the script to the technical prowess, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a success. It's a movie that celebrates the character's legacy while also paving the way for a new era of super-heroic adventures. Ultimately, this is an amazing fantasy that will continue to capture the hearts of audiences for generations to come.