The Marvel, comic book, superhero, blockbuster, and all-around geekdom blocs got a hell of a start to this week when the first trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home–a movie so overtaken or months (maybe even a year) now by feverish swirls of rumors and speculation that it sometimes felt as if the actual movie might end up an afterthought to fans’ build-up–finally arrived on Monday. And it sure is a doozy, ain’t it?
Honestly, though, my feelings after the first time seeing the trailer were on the more subdued side. A big part of that is due to being overall lukewarm on the prior two Marvel Cinematic Universe “Home Trilogy” movies thus far; I wasn’t that impressed with Homecoming, and though Far From Home was better, it was far from the greatest that past movies from both Spider-Man and the MCU have offered. Thus, I’m virtually certain that I was bringing much of that prior baggage into the trailer for the third Home movie.
My wife, however, who’s a big Spider-Man fan and is especially fond of the Tobey Maguire-Sam Raimi films, and who’s also similarly tepid on the Tom Holland films up to now, couldn’t help but be excited. And seeing it just again this very moment, trying to get one of them stills for the thumbnail? I’m starting to feel it, too. There’s no denying it, I’m a simpleton who’s big on the Sam Raimi Spider-Mans who’d find it dope that their Doctor Octopus is returning to the big screen! More fundamentally exciting to me than that, there’s apparently going to be some substantial amount of Doctor Strange in this story, and that rules! The movie Doctor Strange was great! And his appearances as ensemble members and crossover guests–shout-out to Thor: Ragnarok–have also been consistently great!
With factors like that at play, it makes me want to have hope that this is the Tom Holland Spider-Man film that finally goes from merely decent to the big leagues. We both like Tom Holland as Peter Parker! He serves to have a classic to his name!
Today’s questions:
- Did it take you less time in life than the nearly three decades it took for me to fully recognize and internalize the hyphen in Spider-Man? Like seriously!!! What’s up with that?!! Batman has no hyphens! Superman has no hyphens! Iron Man has no stinkin’ hyphens! They all staked a clear-cut, unambiguous position–either make your name a full-on compound word or separate them into two words–instead of going down the wishy-washy road of indecision!
- What’s been your feelings on the Spider-Man MCU Home Trilogy thus far? And how does it compare to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s cinematic tenures as the iconic superhero?
- What’s your level of hype or anti-hype for Far From Home?
- Meanwhile, in the games space, Psychonauts 2 is finally upon us!! I’ve never played it myself, but there’s so much love for the first game as a cult classic and the new one sounds like it might be the rare revival (spiritual or literal, as is the case here) that genuinely and fully delivers on what made the first game so beloved. Any of you going to play? And if you already have gotten some time into it, how are you liking it?
And, as always, Talk Amongst Yourselves!
Today’s Morning Jam:
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