Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) ***½ /5: An improvement on the original and a fitting film in the post-Endgame era.

(photo courtesy of polygon.com)

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) is a notable improvement on its predecessor, Homecoming, and provides a good update on the post-Endgame scenario in the MCU. The story itself is very much tied to the fallout from Endgame where there is now a world without Tony Stark/Ironman, the linchpin of the MCU since 2008. Who will rise to take his place? This is the central question of Far From Home particularly as it is expected that that person is the humble Peter parker from Queens who happens to be Spider-Man. Mixed in with the legacy discussion is the school trip which happens to be a European tour. It is actually a refreshing break from the American scene and the villain, Mysterio, cuts an interesting figure. The trailers originally suggested that he would be an ally but never indicated how he would become a villain. The film addresses that as well and it is also bundled with the legacy question.  As teenage hormones surge so do the elementals as everyone knows by now is a concoction contributing to the grandmaster plan. You know there must be a big hole in the MCU when the Avengers are not drawn to such a crisis and it is left solely to Peter Parker and his allies.

This film sees the return of the Homecoming cast led by Tom Holland as Spider-Man with the introduction of Jake Gyllenhall as Quentin Beck/Mysterio and a first time appearance alongside Spider-Man for another MCU linchpin, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

Positives

The primary positive was the legacy questions. In some instances it can be overwhelming but it is a primary feature of the plot. There are those that are a part of the legacy and those shunned by it. Obviously the villain and his crew were those shunned by the great MCU/Stark legacy and are making one great attempt to be a part of it although it’s not their right.  Peter Parker is given the task to continue the great Stark legacy. Obviously at his age that is a big issue to confront especially when you’re more concerned with impressing the girl of your dreams on a European tour with your high school peers. Obviously, how he deals with it leads to major consequences with Quentin Beck/Mysterio. At first when watching the film I thought that Parker appeared so naïve and predictable but upon more reflection I realize that was to be expected of his immaturity. There is a great divide between the adult and teen perspectives that is very well portrayed here particularly how an adult can take advantage of a teen’s naivete. So the adults are thrusting this pressure on Parker not realizing that he has a teenage life to complete.  Obviously this burden is lessened as the other supporting characters start to play important roles, especially MJ. Going forward it is possible that Parker will build his a team in the real sense that makes him a better spider-man now that he has embraced these legacy issues. Obviously the 1^st post credit scene is a great tease  and ties back to the 1^st Iron Man but with a twist. Tony Stark might have boldly proclaimed his identity but  the revelation of Parker’s identity is thrust upon him in a nefarious way. The Spider-Man series is expanding nicely and after this maybe we will get a better sense of who Spider-Man is as a hero now that the legacy questions with Stark, and the associated mishaps, are somewhat out of the way.

The other impressive bit was the chronicling of teenage life and experiences post-decimation. The teenage interpretation of events is refreshing as well as their attitudes to romance. Ned’s take on the life of a bachelor, to being tied down with a woman, to being single again was hilarious and a great example of a supporting character in this genre. These elements are embedded into the plot seamlessly along with Peter’s travails concerning MJ.

The action was pretty good particularly when considering the unique challenge posed by Mysterio. Sometimes with the best villains it’s not just about coming to blows or a general fistfight.

The film gives a good sense of where the MCU is at the moment.

Negatives

The primary negative is the overwhelming issue of legacy to the point where it doesn’t feel like a Spider-Man movie. The legacy questions could have been sidelined without taking over the film. I understand the succession elements involved but there were many moments when it did not give Spider-Man his own moments. Mysterio could still have been a great villain without the Stark element. In a sense if Spider-Man is to stand on his own his universe needs to shine through beyond the teenage circuit. This is why I am looking forward to the third film in the series. Maybe as the series continues to expand and Parker fully embraces the role then we will get a full Spider-Man experience. Until then the films in this series will not fully standout especially as the position is considered an inferior one from the teenage perspective. There was a delightful scene where parker took MJ web slinging and shows the potential inherent in the series to be a distinct and fun with a more adult perspective. At the rate the series is going we will not get to see an adult Spider-Man in full swing.

Toy Story 4 (2019) ****/5: Not much of a step forward from earlier films in the saga but still very rewarding by the end. This is clearly the end of a wonderful franchise.

I have now watched all Toy Story films in the cinema. I will never forget my first experience with this franchise when the computer based animation of Pixar was not exactly mainstream. Now, the Pixar way is the standard for all to follow. While the Toy Story franchise hasn’t been exactly crowded out it did have to make room for other top notch Pixar productions. With Toy Story 4  the saga  clearly has reasserted its importance with the usual high quality production of the Pixar team. Despite not being wholly original or inventive in terms of its presentation it does manage to keep us engaged with a very resonant emotional story.

The film brings back the old crew with Tom Hanks as the voice of the ever loyal Woody and Buzz Lightyear voiced by Tim Allen along with some characters we thought we would never hear from again such as Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts). The most important new character is Forky (Tony Hale)-Bonnie’s new darling self made Toy- who is guided by Woody in learning the value of being a toy instead of trash. Woody reconnects with Bo who has been living a ownerless life and the differences between the two seem irreconcilable with Woody as the ever loyal toy. Woody must  come to terms with his own value as a toy and why some times it is better to let go and start a new chapter in life.  

Positives

The primary positive is the emotional resonant story. While the elements of the story related to what it means to be a toy are not necessarily groundbreaking they are necessary. This film is all about the pain of separation and starting anew and this is why the character of Bo Peep is crucial based on her own experiences as an ownerless toy. Woody seems ever more loyal than ever to his new owner Bonnie , even when she discards him and even when she creates a new toy called Forky. Despite this he has to come to terms with his irrelevance or that it is time to find a new path. The loyalty displayed by Woody however blinds him to the truth about his own situation: that he is unable to let go and his loyalty can become a serious hindrance to others who don’t share his passion. Bo Peep is such an important character and her disappearance and then later reemergence in this film does serve to give the saga,  as a whole, some real heft. It does make the entire saga worth watching. There is established a real divide between those toys who desire ownership or some sense of belonging to validate their self-worth and those who wish to be ownerless. It is an important distinction that has not been fully explored in the saga until now. Previously, we used to see toys discarded with no idea of their final destination, or how they carried on after, but now we do thanks to Bo Peep who is now world weary and more cynical but not without longing.

The overall usual plot devices and supporting cast are important to drive the story forward but does not necessarily take away from the overall purpose of the film. There are some lovely shots in this film particularly in amusement park setting. Those bright lights in a particular scene convey a lot in terms of the abstraction and anonymity of particular characters but this makes the pain of separation bearable and one of acceptance. It was certainly a Spielbergian moment. It is also testament to the brilliance of the animation in the film which is second to none in the Pixar roster.

Negatives

The only real negative with this film is that it can seem like a retread of familiar themes throughout the series. The discussion regarding the value of a toy to its owner is not entirely amazing and I thought it would go in new directions particularly when considering the digital age and the impact of smart phones, tablets etc. Instead it relies primarily on familiar themes established since the first. While this is important for world building one hopes that this is truly the end unless they embrace a new set of characters apart from the usual suspects. Even the neophyte, Forky, is simply meandering as he is instilled with certain toy ownership values. He only provides and initial lift but then fades to the background. Everything is a bit too familiar which is why the reintroduction of Bo Peep saved this film from being mediocre. Without Bo Peep this would possibly be the worst film in the saga but her presence elevates it. This goes to show the familiarity surrounding the x-factor of Bo Peep as we arrive at the conclusion. Without Bo Peep many would be questioning the sense of yet another Toy Story film. With Bo Peep, loose strands can be wrapped up and the conclusion can be final.

Hopefully this is the end of the saga as we know it especially after all the emotions on display. It was a fitting end but one can see Pixar be tempted, because of box office success, to add yet another entry. If they do I hope it is with a new generation of toys branched from the original characters.

John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum (2019) ****/5: This represents a peak for the series but there are no real emotional stakes; just the matter of John Wick's survival .

John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum is the best in the series if over the top action is your thing. The filmmakers don’t exactly shirk from the fact that the action is the main driver of this series. The action is inventive and mesmerizing at times; but as they say, sometimes there is too much of a good thing. The original connection to the puppy and the wife is lost here yet at the same time there is expansion in the seedy world of assassins and high table overlords. As the title suggests this may just be the beginning of a long struggle and there is no real finality provided and so with John Wick 3 it is possible that the series has reached a peak. There is just too much of a good thing.

John Wick: Chapter 3 stars Keanu Reeves, reprising his role as the titular character on the run from the High table following the murder of one of their members, Santino, in the previous installment. In this chapter,  he meets new allies (some from a long time ago) but loses key ones and new enemies emerge out of the shadows, particularly those close to home, as he searches for a way out. Halle Berry also features as Sofia.

Positives

The main positive is obviously the action. The variety of set pieces on display is impressive at times and there are moments when the action is simply mesmerizing. The best in the series so far. At times, it was video gameesque and the audience members were simply in awe with the brutality on display. There are clearly many ways to get killed; a book perhaps.  As I mentioned in my review of John Wick 2, there should be a video game based on the adventures of John Wick and, if well made, it should do well in terms of sales.  It is clear that the filmmakers were indulgent (video game style maybe), and clearly there are implausible moments where John Wick should have realistically met his end, but for the most part the suspension of reality is convincing.

The impressive world building continues from John Wick 2. The seedy world of assassins and High table overlords is expanded here and we even reach as far as Morocco (Casablanca). It goes to show that the established rules are filtered down in a highly centralized manner. Everyone knows their place and if one steps out of line then some form of blood must be shed. The world building does extend as far as the high table and beyond but it is still mysterious apart from the emissary, the adjudicator (Asia kate Dillon), and one gets a sense that with the expected part 4 in the series the mystery will be unraveled.

Although there aren’t much emotional stakes in this film, apart from maybe Sofia, clearly there is intrigue which fans of the series will appreciate. This has a lot to do with the world building on show since part 1 in the series and how things clearly turn on their head. One wonders when Wick will be able to stand tall and be in a position to dictate his own terms. There are glimpses of it here but at times his character is diminished. If this film is about parabellum then the next installment is clearly all out war. Hopefully by then the action won’t seem too exhaustive.

Negatives

The primary negative is that there is too much of a good thing here. The indulgent action by the end seemed to serve no purpose. The stakes were lowered by the end because there was no sense of finality and the fancy latin word in the title was a mask for all this. The film clearly never intended to resolve much here apart from the preparation for all out war. This means that there is a strong possibility that the beloved action moments of the series will eventually run its course and become exhaustive. This film clearly represents a peak for the series and this probably means that decline is inevitable. They will not be able to sustain the thrill of action if they continue to elude the finality that John Wick’s story clearly craves.  The days of the puppy and wife are mostly lost here with bloodshed the only joy to marvel at. There are flashes where they try and reestablish the emotional connection to the original story but this is fleeting and certainly not consistent. All the action we just witnessed was merely preparation for all out war and so what will that mean for the follow up of all out war. Is the character John Wick going to get some mystical powers? He already seems very resilient to the grasp of death. Maybe they will surprise us even further but for the time being the only stakes seem to be John Wick’s survival. It is pretty clear that he is more than capable of surviving. Surviving is normally the basest of instincts hence why there should be greater stakes at least; stakes that will allow the character’s influence to filter through the fantastic, seedy underworld.

Time and time again we see him evade death and eventually that’s all there is. The supporting characters need more heft and meaning in order to up the stakes and clear objectives need to be established in order to get some finality. With John Wick always on the run there must be a time where we can see him take charge and not just be a meandering character simply reacting. Then again, how much of this will be out of character. The emotional stakes will have to be raised and they should be wary of caricaturizing the character and his supporting cast ‘What do you need John?’ ‘Guns, lots of guns.’

Avengers: Endgame (2019) ****½/5: Engrossing final chapter for the MCU infinity saga but i have a few issues about its standalone qualities and some of the more manipulative moments which were too predictable.

Avengers: Endgame is the engrossing final chapter in marvel’s lengthy infinity saga (22 films). The infinity saga began 11 years ago with the superb Iron Man (2008) and never looked back. With Endgame we’re now at the end of it all and Tony Stark/Iron Man is still as important as ever as the practical linchpin of the marvel universe. No, Endgame did not make me cry at all but there were moments which gave me chills and made me reflective. For Endgame to make me cry it would have to be a serious dramatic film although it does have its moments. In acting terms the real standout is Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man although I was impressed with the story arcs of Captain America, Thor and the Hulk.  For the first time I could watch Captain America onscreen and not call him a “idiot” or “a naïve representative of American interests”; I had to be respectful this time.  Marvel must be commended for a job well done with the infinity saga although I do have my issues with Endgame particularly the manipulative moments to elicit some response from moviegoers. It still makes you question if this is a great film or if there is just a great mix of characters onscreen. While there were surprises in store I could see some moments coming from a mile away and that goes back to the manipulative moments in the film. I’m a seasoned moviegoer; I have watched all the marvel films and I know a thing or two about movie finales such as The Return of the King (2003) so I was not perturbed or overawed by Endgame in some respects. Despite this one must admit that this is truly the end of an era and the time for new beginnings is long overdue. In terms of MCU filmmaking quality Black Panther is still the leader.

The Avengers, or what’s left of them, must do their best to correct the fallout from the universal decimation which came about as a result of the snap by Thanos in Infinity War. With half of the living population in the universe gone do they just move on or find a way to make things right. Obviously they choose to make things right and led again by the brilliance of Tony Stark/IronMan (Robert Downey Jr.) and the dogged Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans),  with an important contribution from Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), they do find a way to make it work. This all leads to an epic confrontation with the almighty Thanos and his armies.  

Positives

The primary positive is that Endgame represents the end of the monumental infinity saga and so character arcs finally come full circle. The main standouts are clearly Tony Stark/ Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) also goes through a tough time in this film. The cosmic appeal of Captain Marvel also comes into play strongly in this film. If they stick to her cosmic appeal she should have a fine series of films going forward.  Everything comes full circle with Tony Stark as the man who began it all and Robert Downey Jr. delivers a fantastic acting performance in this film. The main surprise with Endgame was that for long stretches it was very reflective. I was not moved to cry at any point during the film because I have long lamented that the transition to the next generation of heroes is long overdue. I also thought that the episodic quality of these films has actually drawn out the infinity saga unnecessarily. Despite these concerns Endgame did manage to make me reflect on all that has passed since 2008 and a lot of it had to do with the character of Tony Stark/Iron-Man, the brains behind it all. When I first went to watch Iron Man no one expected that it would eventually lead to an Endgame scenario. The Endgame scenario really began to take shape with the first Avengers film (2012) where there was the epic Thanos reveal. These are ways that Endgame gets you to consider all that has passed; particularly as it is in this film we finally get a sense of a transition to a new generation. Characters that were young have now grown up and are ready to take up the mantle of leadership; characters that were once sidekicks now have to make the important calls. This is clearly not the end of Marvel following the acquisition of Fox properties by Disney which include top franchises such as the X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

Endgame means the end of characters that have comprised the Infinity saga that deals a lot in infinity stones. Endgame embodies the essence of the infinity saga very well because everything has to do with the stones; how they are acquired and used. In Infinity War characters started to come to a realization of how important these stones were when combined but in Endgame everyone is fully aware of their importance. The time travel element is important based on how the Avengers are able to collect all the stones in order to undo the decimation caused by Thanos. It’s all about the stones and they hold no more mysteries to us.

The time travel element does lead to new possibilities or alternate realities for the MCU. It occurred to me that Endgame might actually be one of the great time travel films alongside Back to the Future and the rest.  Endgame seeks to address some of the deficiencies of time travel films before. One cannot really blame the Avengers for using time travel especially as Thanos, in Infinity War, used it shamelessly to bring back Vision in order to retrieve the mind stone from his head.

There were a lot of crowd pleasing moments in this film and for the last hour it felt like I was at a concert based on the amount of cheering in the cinema. Although in some sense a lot of it can be labeled as fan service one must bear in mind the negative feelings that came with Infinity War. The cheering from the audience felt more like a positive catharsis; a massive sense of relief. There are some moments in the last hour that did give me chills and the power of characters such as Captain Marvel was on full display.

Thanos also demonstrated, yet again, why he is the ultimate villain of the MCU so far and going forward it is clear that his actions will not be forgotten for some time to come with his name becoming a part of the daily lexicon. Those who remembered the snap certainly will not forget and the final battle just goes to show that the Earth has finally assumed a certain stature in the universe whereas before it was perceived as a very backward planet, a shithole. Thanos has found a way to become a major part of pop culture outside of the comic book world and that is a major achievement for the MCU. Regardless of his actions one cannot deny that he was the best test faced by the Avengers on earth and the universe in question. His very strong challenge was crucial especially as many movie goers were clearly looking forward to see how he would be defeated. He played a crucial role in the MCU as the major villain and going forward it should be interesting to see who will take his place. Thanos has set a very high standard.

The film moves pretty quickly for a 3 hour runtime.

Negatives

The primary negative of this film is that as a standalone it is not necessarily as great without contemplating the entire infinity saga. Would it have been as resonant if it wasn’t for the 21 films which came before?  There is a clear structure to the film itself and some of the surprises in store were not as effective as thought originally based on the no spoiler campaign. In one or 2 instances marvel looked cheap despite amassing billions at the box office. If it wasn’t cheap then it was tongue in cheek.  The final battle was clearly a major moment but it was a massive 21 film call up as promised in the trailers and there are clearly some manipulative moments that were seen coming from a mile away and this moment was clearly a marvel event.  Once you’ve watched most of the marvel films then you shouldn’t be truly surprised. Also the time travel factor was a bit expected although it wasn’t exactly clear how they would do it. It came across as a simple response to the challenges involved although it did serve its purpose in the long run to set up some interesting sequences.  The dramatic moments involve more the arcs of some major characters which began years ago but not necessarily the MCU as a whole. If one takes into consideration the episodic quality of the MCU then it’s more about the characters as opposed to the individual film under review.

The climactic battle also lost some steam towards the end particularly when there were several moments deliberately designed to elicit cheers. In this sense fan service can be seen as a drawback because the moments tend to lose their impact.

I was not moved to tears primarily because this end to the infinity saga was long overdue. Marvel tried to give itself too much to do in the end and so the impact of the 21 films before was lost hence why we had to be reminded via time travel. It’s also not clear how the timeline created new alternatives that would have undone what came before. So for me the impact was not felt to such a great deal because of my misgiving about the episodic nature of the MCU. Marvel never set up the infinity saga effectively from the beginning and if it wasn’t for the Thanos snap in Infinity War there would have been no real stakes in this film. Only now are we being made aware that there was supposed to be an infinity saga from the beginning.  So for me the MCU has itself to blame if some people are not necessarily able to get up to speed with the stakes involved or if people like myself are weary of it all. In one instance the final hour can seem like too much but yet not enough to capture all that has been done 21 films before.

Overall I was impressed by the effort to get so much done in this one film to end the infinity saga. The snap has still altered for the long term the direction taken by the MCU but we will have to wait for phase 4 to learn more. I still have reservations about the film’s quality as a standalone feature but it did put me in a reflective mood when considering the 21 films before. Without the 21 films before it could be viewed as yet another episode but we do have our farewells to make to some characters but not necessarily the MCU.