TOP 10 OF 2012

#7

A reboot, only 5 years after the third film is released? Some people say that it's "retarded" "unneeded" "too soon", and I'll admit, I was on the bandwagon. I honestly felt a reboot was too soon, but than I had a conversation with my friend MB; and they way he saw it made sense to me, and that it's a comic book film. When you adapt a comic book film, the possibilities, outcome, and diversity of a character or story is the whole point to comics. As an avid comic collector one my biggest conflicts is collecting all the series of a singular character; at one point there were Amazing, Peter Parker, Spectacular, Sensational, Web Of, Tales and  Ultimate series of a singular character, Spider-Man. And it was rare that they followed the same story. So if you look at that concept, having a different movie franchise so soon, makes sense. (You's a smart man MB). And when you release a film, that was a much more brilliant and well done film that its predecessors; than you definitely succeed overall. Yes, as a huge Spider-Man fan (comics and films) I will whole heartily say, that Amazing Spider-Man is my honest to all favorite Spider-Man flick. I loved the original trilogy (okay, loved the first 2 and enjoyed parts of the third). But when it comes to the core and concept of a Spidey story I felt that ASM did more and for that character. It had the same elements, Great Power-Great responsibility, the inner battle, the love story, the villian and the deaths that challenged characters. But it had the things that the first series missed; more comedic banter, the true loneliness and self doubt, and intelligence of Peter Parker aka WEB SHOOTERS. Things that made Spider-Man what he was in the comics. Tobey Macguire did some justice to Spider-Man, but Andrew Garfield won it as both Spidey and Peter Parker. Already a proven great actor (Social Network & Never Let Me Go), I had no doubt when he was casted, and I gleamed at the idea of Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey (even though we all know her fate in Spidey lore). I was a little intrusive with Rhys Infer as Doctor Connors/Lizard, but he proved his stature, it was just the character of Curt Connors that lost some luster for me. It wasn't an internal battle that I hoped for, but he played the part well overall. And the movie got beef for the CGI Lizard and his actual look, but a homage to the original Steve Ditko work, was a nice added touch. The rest of the added cast worked well, even thoguh Sally Field's Aunt May wasn't as prominent as that character should be, but it's only the first film. And yes, I'm excited for Amazing Spider-Man 2; even Jamie Foxx as Electro. Rewatching this film reminds me why Spider-Man is in fact my favorite hero, and why I will count the days until 2014 for part two. I can't get enough Spider-Man, and this movie definitely does it for me time after time.