From July 2012.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” (+)
I normally don’t like cartoon movies, which I consider this picture to be, but I actually thought this one was interesting.
Andrew Garfield, who in real life is 28-years-old, is a little too old to play the role of Spider-Man, a high school student with a teenage girlfriend, Gwen (Emma Stone). But that doesn’t affect the movie.
The picture begins by telling the story of Peter’s early life. It focuses on his childhood when his father and mother suddenly left him in the custody of his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). It also shows Peter visiting his dad’s former laboratory partner, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), who is missing his right arm. We later learn that Peter’s father and Connors, both scientists, were hoping to discover a way for the human body to reproduce new limbs, the way some animals do, e.g. lizards.
Peter is bitten by a spider at the lab. Suddenly he is able to jump to enormous heights and hurl silk cords from wrist devices enabling him to swing through the streets of New York City. When Dr. Connors begins experimenting with drugs, the film turns into a version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He turns into a lizard when taking the drugs and reverts back to a human when he stops them. An extended fight to the death takes place between Dr. Connors as the lizard and Spider-Man.
I think you will enjoy this film. The acting is excellent and the special effects are brilliant. (I saw it in 3D). You can expect sequels.
“Savages” (-)
The script of this film, directed by Oliver Stone, is based on a book of the same title. Stone is a very talented and successful artist who has directed many wonderful movies. Two of my favorites are “Platoon” and “Wall Street.” Unfortunately, I thought “Savages” was a trashy picture not worthy of Stone’s involvement.
The plot involves two friends living in Laguna Beach, California: Chon (Taylor Kitsch), a special forces guy back from Afghanistan, and Ben (Aaron Johnson) a botanist. They grow and sell high-quality marijuana made from Afghan seeds smuggled into the United States by Chon. In addition to using the services of a “dirty” D.E.A. agent, Dennis (John Travolta), a Mexican cartel offers to partner with them. The cartel is led by Elena (Salma Hayek) whose chief enforcer is Lado (Benicio Del Toro).
The story is narrated by O (Blake Lively), with whom Chon and Ben live. Both men also share a bed with the O, short for Ophelia.
I enjoy films that contain violence, blood and gore. I’m not squeamish when watching movies like Sam Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs” or Robert Rodriquez’s “El Mariachi,” which I thought were works of art. The violence in “Savages,” however, is not only extreme but also unbelievable as presented. The movie for me was more cartoon than real.
I recently watched an interview of Stone and the principal actors on the Charlie Rose show. The cast conveyed that working with Stone was a life-changing experience. Taken by their enthusiasm and description of the movie, I decided to see it. I should have known better. What made me think the cast would tell the truth about this picture which, in my opinion, is improbable, excessive and overall a bad film.
