The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, this film is perhaps one of the best adaptations of Spider-Man to be released thus far. I appreciate that for the uninitiated, there seem to be far too many reboots of the character and the story, but most of these are due to the film rights being passed around from studio to studio - at a time when Marvel weren’t making their own films yet - before reverting back to Marvel Studios, allowing them to incorporate their own character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at last.

And yes, before you ask, this film is another origin story (at least we weren’t subjected to that once Spider-Man entered the MCU, I guess Marvel came to the conclusion that audiences were well aware of Peter Parker’s transformation by then). But I must say, as a long-time reader of the comics - Spider-Man is by far my favourite Marvel character, and has been since the late 1980s - this is certainly the most accurate origin story of the character. In fact, even the title of the film is testament to that: the first appearance of the character was in The Amazing Spider-Man.

Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is a high-school senior in New York. Living in Queens with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field) - since his parents died in a plane crash when he was very young) - he is your average nerd. Terrorised by the school bully, awkward around girls, especially the girl he has admired from afar for years, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), the list goes on.

Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field).

After being bitten by a genetically-enhanced spider, he begins to take on some spider-like qualities, specifically much more acute senses and an ability to climb walls. Yes, I know you probably already know this, but what you may not know is that - as far as the comics are concerned - he never had the ability to shoot webs. Rather, his webs were shot from electronics mounted to his wrists - a fact which this film has accurately portrayed.

Of course, you can’t have a Spider-Man movie without a formidable villain, and this film delivers there, too. Dr. Curtis Connors (Rhys Ifans), a researcher working in Oscorp Tower, who has been trying to crack cross-species genetics for years, comes to a breakthrough (partly with Peter’s help). Any comic readers out there can probably name the villain already. For the rest of you, it’s The Lizard, a half-man, half-lizard creature with super strength and claws that look like they would cause some pretty serious damage.

Peter’s admiration for Dr. Connors, and his hatred for The Lizard, are essentially what creates the majority of the tension in this film. The rest comes from his developing on-again, off-again relationship with Gwen Stacy (once again, they’ve nailed this; Peter’s first girlfriend in the comics was always Gwen, I’ve no idea what possessed the writers of the first Spider-Man movie to make MJ his first love).

I’ll leave the rest of the plot for you to discover for yourself, especially if you haven’t seen the film yet.

Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield).

The screenplay - by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves - is as close to perfect as a comic-book adaptation can be, certainly at the time this film was released. As I have already discussed, many of the events, characters and situations in this film are lifted straight from the pages of the original comics, much more than any other Spider-Man movie had been previously. The characters are all accurate to the books, and with plenty of additional conflicts - internal and external - thrown in to flesh out the film.

James Horner’s score is brilliantly constructed, and perfectly suited to the on-screen action throughout. It is at the same time suitably epic and also sufficiently understated when required. At no point does the music dominate or overshadow the action. As you might expect if you are familiar with Horner’s previous work, the score is exclusively orchestral, and the arrangements are very well realised.

Thanks to the cinematography of John Schwartzman, significant portions of the film look as though they have been lifted straight from the pages of a comic book. There is decent use of light and dark which, while it may not win any major awards, is certainly sufficient for the subject matter.

The performances of the cast are equally decent. While not particularly inspirational at any point, they are certainly well-suited to their respective roles. Garfield is an adequate Peter Parker (though the mantle of the best has since gone to Tom Holland of the MCU), and Stone is by far the best on-screen Gwen Stacy to date.

Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone).

The supporting cast are also adequate enough. In selecting a standout among the supporting cast, I can’t go past Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors. He brings real heart to the character and, conversely, portrays The Lizard with just the right level of impending threat.

I would certainly recommend this film to fans of Spider-Man, though I suspect finding a fan who hasn’t seen this film yet might prove difficult. I would even recommend this film to anyone who didn’t enjoy the trilogy that preceded it, asking you to give the character another chance.

Director Marc Webb has made an incredible adaptation here, one that would only be outdone by its sequel two years later (which I shall be reviewing in due course).

8 out of 10.

Last Christmas (2019)

It’s the time of year when holiday-based films come to the big screen, and this particular film has got to be one of the better ones I’ve come across in recent years.

Based on the hit song by George Michael, this film tells the story of Kate (Emilia Clarke), who works in a Christmas-themed store for her Chinese employer (Michelle Yeoh) who goes by the name Santa.

Kate has always dreamed of being a singer, since she was a child, and got to sing the solo in her childrens’ choir performance. The eldest daughter of Yugoslavian migrants, Ivan (Boris Isakovic) and Petra (Emma Thompson), and sister of Marta (Lydia Leonard), she hasn’t had her big break yet, but she keeps trying, going from one audition to another. It seems she is destined to be stuck in the same job forever though, and it isn’t a job she particularly enjoys.

During a shift at work, she spies a young man through the window, a man who seems quite taken with her. He introduces himself as Tom (Henry Golding), and begins pursuing her. She initially turns him down, but after several chance meetings throughout town over the next few days, she eventually accepts the inevitable, and the two of them become close friends.

Tom (Henry Golding) and Kate (Emilia Clarke).

He introduces her to the homeless shelter where he volunteers, shows her around his favourite hidden gems of places around London, he even teaches her to skate when she needs to learn for an upcoming audition.

All the while, she navigates her way through the increasingly strained relationships with her family, especially with her mother, who is convinced that in the current British climate, she and all the other migrants are going to be chased out of town any day now. She hates it when they call her by her real name (Katarina), but at the end of the day, they are family, and she has to live with them for a long time yet.

Relationships have been especially strained over the last year, since Kate had quite a serious health scare. It wouldn’t be quite so difficult if Kate listened to her doctor, and adopted the lifestyle and dietary changes they were suggesting, but she seems to want to keep living as she always has, being selfish and pushing people away whenever they start to get too close.

But Tom continues to push her to live a better life, and little by little, she starts to follow his advice.

'Santa' (Michelle Yeoh).

I won’t go any further in describing the plot, I think you ought to see it for yourself, and I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you.

The screenplay, written by Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings, is quite clever. The central heart of the story is incredibly sweet, and the film is full of humour. Yes, it is a Christmas film, with all the schmaltz that entails, but it is also a riotously funny comedy (something I don’t think the rest of the audience I saw the film with appreciated; I seemed to be the only person laughing at most points).

The film is reportedly based on the George Michael song of the same name, and this song features heavily in the soundtrack. In fact, the majority of the soundtrack consists of George Michael songs, all of which have been used to fit around the plot, and they all work well. There is a small amount of original score - composed by Theodore Shapiro - but not a great deal. What is there is good, but there isn’t a lot of it; the film is largely a vehicle for all those fabulous hit songs.

John Schwartzman’s cinematography is also good, with no shots or angles particularly standing out at any point. There’s nothing unique about the camerawork here, but that’s not a bad thing; it actually works well within the context of the story.

Kate (Emilia Clarke) and her mother Petra (Emma Thompson).

I do want to mention one more thing about the story, but will try not to spoil anything in doing so. As I mentioned earlier, the film is mostly a hilarious comedy, but it has a great deal of heart, too. As I sat watching it in the cinema, I didn’t think much of it to begin with; it seemed like just another romantic comedy with a whole lot of Christmas themes thrown in. But then - towards the final third of the film - something happened that absolutely took my breath away, something that elevated the film to a whole new level, making it one of the best Christmas films I have seen in a long time.

The performances of the cast are sensational, in particular Clarke and Thompson. The two of them have such brilliant comic timing in their scenes together, but they also play their roles with a lot of feeling and a deep emotional connection exists between their characters. An honourable mention must also go to Henry Golding, whose character shines through his eyes in every scene in which he appears.

Director Paul Feig has made a wonderful film here, a beautiful comedy with plenty of heart that ushers in the holiday season brilliantly. You don’t necessarily have to rush out to see it on the big screen, but you ought to see it as soon as you can; you’ll thank me for it.

8 out of 10.