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Well, you asked for it:
My Love Affair With Spiderman 2
@0013, I could literally talk about this film for hours on end. It is my favorite superhero film of all time, and I have had a great love for it ever since I saw it as a young boy where it filled my mind with imagination. The tale of rising, falling, and picking up the mantle of the hero again is an awe inspiring one. The film has a great many lessons, from never hiding who you truly are, always keeping a great sense of responsibility, to never forgetting who and what made you who you are and to never give up in your duty no matter what.
The themes of the film are immaculate, giving us not only a tense superhero fight with Spiderman facing off against Doc Ock, but also going deeper and examining Peter, his doubts in himself and his own losses in life and love. We get to connect more deeply than ever to Peter, Aunt May, Mary Jane, Harry and all the characters in this film to a satisfying degree. The whole film you are pulling for Peter, even when he gives up being Spiderman when he losses the ability to continue. The film is full of Peter dealing with the mantle of Spiderman, and how he has to hide who he is from those he loves. We see his heart break when he knows Aunt May isn't on financial firm footing, and when he sees Mary Jane moving on without him, not willing to wait any longer for whatever they may have had. We also see his best friend Harry tear himself apart over his plans of revenge for Spiderman, not knowing that he is calling for Peter's blood too in that search for vengeance.
Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' is a heavy feature in the film, both because Mary Jane is cast in this play in the film, but also because the events of the play have a deep thematic connection to the film itself. You see, "The Importance of Being Earnest" is at its heart about a man who is hiding his true identity from the woman he loves and wishes to be with. Spiderman 2 is partly the story of just that, where Peter is trying to be with MJ while hiding who he is behind the guise of Spiderman. Earnest and his friend Algernon in the play use things called "Bunburys", which are essentially fake people/excuses they use to get out of their appointments and meetings. In the story they make up a fake brother that they say is "ill" and mentioned that they must go and see him to get out of prior engagements that are rather unsavory. So Peter's Bunbury is Spiderman, his created identity that keeps him busy and late to engagements of his own like seeing MJ on stage.
Struggles are also a big part of this film. Peter's conflicts in the film all deal with himself lying to those he loves, and it gets to the point where every single person he cares for from MJ to Harry to Aunt May and Octavius discover his true identity by the film's end. In an especially memorable and touching scene we also see him confess to Aunt May that he is responsible for Uncle Ben's death because of his lies, and there is a further push and pull between Peter trying to be honest with those he loves most while salvaging crumbling relations. Because of all this there is a great push and pull between Peter realizing that maybe he can only be Peter Parker or only Spiderman, not both. While he is taking his hiatus from being Spiderman he tries to pick up the pieces of his life, even trying to get in touch with Mary Jane, someone who he loves and would do anything for, yet knows that he can't risk being with for fear that his enemies will use her as leverage against him. Though his life is calmer out of the suit, we see that the moment his loved ones are threatened Peter regains his strength, resolve and confidence. As he returns to use his powers for good and fights once again to save the city he so loves he realizes that he can be both Peter Parker AND Spiderman.
Peter finally recognizes his importance and duty as Spiderman in a touching scene with Aunt May, where during a yard sale she gives him one of the most immaculate speeches in film history:
She tells him that all people need a hero, someone to set the right examples for those they protect, and goes on to tell him that to be a hero once must sometimes give up the thing they love the most, even their dreams (like Peter's dreams of being with Mary Jane). It is at this moment that Peter is able to finally see that the world needs Spiderman, and he won't allow the city to die while he stands on the sidelines.
What follows is a true hero's journey, where we see a fallen Peter Parker gain back what we thought he lost and return greater than ever, being self sacrificing and never losing his determination to keep New York, his fellow citizens and loved ones safe from harm. He is able to take Doc Ock head on, saving dozens on the dangerous subway ride. As Peter risks life and limb to stop the train, literally exhausting himself to the point that he passes out after stopping the train but feet from going over the rails, we see not only see the strength in his duty to protect those of New York, but also the strength in the duty that New York has to protect him. The citizens aboard the train pulls Peter into the subway where he lays unmasked in the car, with Doc Ock coming to claim him for Harry. Though those in the train now know his identity, they swear to never expose him (showing a respect for the hero that Aunt May relates), and they all stand against Octavius, blocking him from reaching Peter as he enters the train. This again harkens back to Aunt May's speech that there is a hero in all of us. The citizens on the subway were all normal people and had no powers whatsoever, yet they all found the courage to stand against evil as one collective unit.
Later, when Peter is taken bound in wire to Harry and unmasked, we see him deal with the fact that his best friend now thinks he is responsible for the death of his father. Though Peter wants to speak with Harry and resolve their grievances, he says the city comes first, showing the true mark of the hero by putting his people before his own personal problems. He thens swings away to save MJ and the city from annihilation, doing as we have come to expect of him. As the city is near destruction Peter is able to get Octavius to see the horrors that he has caused, and as the chip fries he regains the mind he once had, able to realize that he must die with his machine. Octavius must give up his dreams of continuing to innovate in the sciences to save the day, dying honorably for the cause. As Peter runs to save her, MJ finally sees that Peter and Spiderman are one and the same, something we expected she was suspicious/aware of judging by the ending of the first film where she felt something familiar in Peter's kiss.
At the end of the film's climax we realize what it costs to be the hero, and what dreams are lost when you put on the mask. Though Peter has saved the day, he must tell MJ that they can't ever be together, though she still loves him and knows deep down inside that Peter is the man for her. He has also lost his trust and love with his best friend, as Harry unmasks him and holds Peter responsible for his father's death. As Peter sits in his apartment at the end of the film, we feel his pain, we feel the sacrifice that being a hero takes. After risking it all for the city he is idle while the woman he loves more than life itself is getting married to another man... Or so he thinks. In what is one of the greatest film endings ever, MJ goes to Peter, the man she knows she wants to be with, running in her white dress from the church and landing at his doorstep. Though Peter is hesitant to agree to a romantic relationship with her, MJ shushes him, accepting his role as Spiderman and the risk that comes with it, realizing that he is the one man that has always been there for him both as Peter and Spiderman. We end with Peter again being called to action by his scanner, and as he suits up and swings away to fulfill his duty of the hero, MJ shouts at him "Go get 'em, Tiger!" As she gazes out the window and watches him going off to fight for New York's well being, we see on her face a mix of emotions: Happiness that she is with Peter, fear for his safety and of what the future will bring for them, but also a sense of pride that what he is doing is the right thing, though it means there will always be risks for both of them.
For all these reasons and more, Spiderman 2 is not only a welcome addition in my Favorite Films list, but more deserving than most I could think of. I would go so far as to say that I would sooner watch it with more joy than any of the others listed above, no matter how classic Casablanca is or how poetic The Dark Knight remains. Spiderman 2's timeless lessons, gorgeous writing and thematic quality make it so much more than just a superhero film, but a satisfying tale of the hero's journey with all the bells and whistles you could ever wish for in a classic film. Every time I go back to it I get a greater sense of what it means to do the right thing, and for that I am grateful to everyone involved in making this masterpiece possible.
-Inglourious Basterds
-Pulp Fiction
-The Departed
-Fargo
-Punch Drunk Love
Top favorite filmmakers
-Quentin Tarantino
-Coen Brothers
-Paul Thomas Anderson
-Kim Ji-woon
-James Cameron (pre1996)
I feel like I'm missing someone here, it will come to me. Honorable Mention is my new favorite screenwriter Michael Arndt
Top movies that I love (seen a million times over), though I don't cite as my favorites
-Ghostbusters
-Rocky
-Leon
-Nikita
-Casino Royale
-I Saw The Devil
-Terminator 2
American Beauty
There Will Be Blood
A Streetcar Named Desire
The Godfather
The Dark Knight/The Dark Knight Rises
Honorable Mentions:
Inglorious Basterds
Casino Royale
Skyfall
The Breakfast Club
Road to Perdition
A Clockwork Orange
What a wonderful list. Been years since I've seen 'American Beauty,' but it's some very fine work.
1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ( it just doesn't get any better than this)
2. Some like it hot (it just doesn't get any better than this ;) )
3. Point Blank (mind you,the one starring Lee Marvin). Now that is what i call a Parker Movie!
4. Silence of the lambs
5. The Man who would be King
Although I'm a fan of Statham (I think he's made some fun action movies) his new Parker movie does look pretty terrible. And I've only read one of the books.
Anyway, what I was going to ask was, do you know why they didn't call the main character Parker in this or the Mel Gibson flick?
As far as i know Richard Stark, aka Donald E Westlake, was always hoping for someone to make a series from the Books, so he refused to sell the Name along with The rights to Film the Book.
There is a very informative Website dedicated to this unique and REALLY ruthless creation called "the violent World of Parker". Very well done! Check it Out someday!
Great Gangster Movie, but lacking in the "Brilliant and Genius Département" compared to Point Blank which is Full of very unique shots and scenes. Just my opinion, though ...
*runs outta here quick*
1. Die Hard
2. The Dark Knight
3. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
4. The Bourne Ultamanium
5. Goldfinger
Drama
1.The Shawshank Redemption
2. The Departed
3. Saving Private Ryan
4. Forrest Gump
5. Moneyball
Action
1.The Dark Knight
2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
3. Terminator 2
4. X2
5. Spider-Man 2
Comedy
1. The Producers (05)
2. Blazing Saddles
3. Austin Powers series
4. Get Smart
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshell
Horror
1. Pshyco
2. Paranormal Activity
3. Saw
4. Saw 2
5. Scream
:-\"
@bondbat007, 'Saw' and 'Saw 2' were the only truly enjoyable ones out of the series. The twists were mindblowing. Have you seen 'The Thing'? That's definitely my favorite horror film of all time, and I know 'The Descent' and 'Insidious' would be on there, as well.
@chrisisall. Very respectable opinion but I disagree. Both films to me offer the best of the best when it comes to those characters. Also as I list them under "action" films, the action is top notch in both
'Insidious' seems to be hit and miss for some, but I thought it was one of the creepiest, non-cliched horror movies I've seen in a good while. If you also enjoy strong female leads and good scares, check out 'The Descent.' It's sequel wasn't as great, but the horror film, along with my first viewing of it, made it just as enjoyable to return to, and is still scary to this day.
My girlfriend and I picked up the first five Saw films through some cheap DVD pack at a pawn shop for $5, and we picked up the sixth film separately and watched the seventh one on Netflix Play Now throughout the entirety of the weekend, and honestly, the whole series was much more enjoyable seeing it back-to-back like that, taking in all the details and not really forgetting anything. Just makes that final, albeit obvious, twist ending in the final film that much more outstanding.
But, as I said, nothing can beat the twist in the initial 'Saw' film. I was in awe and just totally blown away in those few final moments. So simple, so amazing.
Oh and yes of course I'm talking about the Kurt Russel film I heard nothing but bad things about the 2011 version
If you could somehow get your hand on all of the films at once like I did, give a huge 'Saw' marathon a shot. I really enjoyed myself. I actually think I hadn't even seen either the fifth or sixth; somehow skipped them, yet managed to view the final one in theaters.
And yes, everything you've heard about it is true. Terrible movie.
Please see it as soon as possible and let me know your thoughts. I love that movie - and 'Halloween,' too.
Thanks for appreciating my opinion. Yeah thats why there my favourite movies.
:-?