Reviews

I was really excited when for the first couple of episodes the show appeared to have no particular political agenda. The show felt like a raw and honest exploration of the idea of the superhero concept being something manufactured and sold as a commercial commodity to a willfully ignorant public. The show had characters that anchored the show and gave it heart with Hughie and Annie, something so important for a show to give the audience characters to rally around and draw hope from. It gets very soul draining to have shows full of characters that are morally grey, with ethics that bend to the whims of the circumstances they are presented with. It's important to have characters that draw a line in the sand, and stand for being the best and noblest they can be, even if it is a struggle.

So, everything was great with the show, until it explored the Christian festival with the character Ezekiel.

It's a funny coincidence that many supporters of President Trump are Christians and that the majority of Hollywood is deeply opposed to the President.

Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, the whole production of a popular show have a powerful tool at their disposal to share ideas to help people explore the question of humanity and look at it from many sides.

It's very saddening then that The Boys portrays the majority of Christians as being relatively brainless zealots, intolerant bigots. It's news to me that most Christians believe being Gay is wrong. I'm Christian and no one I know thinks that way. I didn't know that so many Christians felt it was there obligation to convert people of other religions so that Jesus would save them. Christians I know believe that people come voluntarily to the Lord because they're looking for something bigger than themselves. I don't believe that most Christians would worship a pseudo-savior in the form of a plastic faced fraud draped in an American flag as a substitute for the humble figure of Jesus, who, didn't need to save people by ripping their would be villains into bloody chunks of meat with casual indifference. Jesus saved people by offering them kindness, forgiveness, love, and hope. Showing Christians fawning over some fraudulent murderer is insulting.

The Boys is yet another show that makes it abundantly clear that its creators think very little of Christianity and Christians in general. It's very sad that people with the power to create shows that could equally test people and bring them together, consistently feel the need to target a specific demographic and continuously make them out to be an almost wholly irredeemable mass of mindless followers and parochial automata.

Beyond this terrible splinter in my eye, the show was very good, very well made. Great camera work. Excellent shot angles. The color palate was not overly saturated nor overly grey, it had the right look for a noir live action comic book story with strong currents of humanity shot through. The music chosen was pitch perfect and introduced and cut out with excellent timing. The development of the different characters was interesting and had enough twists to hold the attention effectively throughout the 8 episodes.

I'm glad I watched the show. It was entertaining and explored another approach to the superhero concept in a worthwhile way. I just sincerely wish 1 particular demographic, Conservative Christians, likely supporters of President Trump, weren't specifically targeted and represented as brainless sheep to be manipulated by Corporations, Preachers, Would-Be Saviors, and anyone slightly charismatic who can quote a few passages of scripture and pretend to be virtuous.

It is callous, unfair, and irresponsible to single out any one people based on their religion and race and lump them together as an example to be scorned, mocked, ridiculed and, based on Hollywood's current political trajectory, opposed.

Creative Team behind The Boys : Try to do better in Season 2. Try to tell a timeless story that doesn't stupefy an entire group of people. We're all just people, just fumbling our way through life, full of light and dark, making mistakes and enjoying triumphs. Maybe Christians can be portrayed as mostly just regular people too?

The previous episode was the poorest one in the series so far for me, but this episode was a fine return to form.

I know an episode is well done when it brings me to tears.

In Japanese Anime, the early coming of age of children is a regular theme. It's rare to see in Western media, but Carl, despite the fact he is ostensibly a child, demonstrates that all human beings have the capacity to rise up to any circumstance when they have something they love and need to protect.

Lori delivers the message of the episode when she tells Carl that he needs to do "the right thing", to do "what feels right", a lesson Rick forgot in a previous episode, and brought about the calamity which befell them all.

The easy way may is easy, but, it is never the right way. Shane never learned that lesson and his demons consumed him. It seems that Rick is primed to relearn that lesson in the cruel ways available in the world gone mad.

My question is, why do characters in horror movies have to do the prerequisite "dumb things".

For me, a horror movie is an experiment, a mental exploration of "what if" such terrible things happened, how would people handle it? I would like to see a movie which is a "serious" exploration of what normal, intelligent, people would do when confronted with a horrible situation.

When the characters in horror movies behave in a manner which is simply ridiculous for any intelligent human being to be engaging in, the mental experiment is rendered uncredible and unrewarding.

With this thought in mind, why did the 2 kids have to cross the river? The simplistic plot device of getting a picture of their mother and some personal items from home is paper-thin. If England was really a Graveyard, how could any 2 normal kids be anything but terrified of the idea of wandering around?

Now, if the psychology of the kids had been explored a bit, like they have a hard time believing the adult's stories about the infected. They aren't shown the bodies. They aren't shown film footage. They aren't shown the poor animals being experimented on to find a cure. The adults don't open up and tell their stories (truthfully) of what really happened. Kids are used to being lied to by adults, and kids are full of energy and the desire for freedom. England is their home. All of England. Being caged in a small block of it is confining and insulting to their sense of tribalistic ownership. (ah...Nationalism...the sense of "us" and "them"...source of all our problems...sigh...I hope we move beyond it soon to Humanism) Well. With this small bit of development, the audience would understand, even empathize with the kids behavior, and the spark they unwittingly lit for things to fall apart.

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Another plot point which is uncredible is a civilian having unrestricted access to a military facility.

A better strategy for the husband's infection, would have been for the woman to be kept alive. The medical staff hopes to use her to find a cure. It is deemed acceptable for her to see her husband so long as he is accompanied by military personnel and monitored. It has been established throughout the movie that the American Military is apathetic to their duties in England and starting to show lack of interest and attention. During the interview things seem to be going well. The wife is warm and comforting and the husband feels relieved of his guilt. The escort leaves the room briefly to go find the children and bring them to see their mother. The wife then shows her true anger and contempt for her husband's fear and cowardice (both understandable I say, though, terrible and lamentable...i don't know how well i would have fared though..."let he who is without sin") The psychological tension between the husband and wife confronting each other builds up to the point where she spits or bites her husband.

The husband covers up the wound or doesn't mention the spit, and leaves the compound apparently distraught and needing privacy.

This could have tied into the feeling of resentment the British have over having their home overrun by American military. The British don't trust the Americans, and so they don't communicate openly with them. This would of course relate directly to our own world, where we don't trust each other, because we are raised to believe that human beings are naturally selfish, hedonistic, egotistical creatures and you have to fight to carve out your niche in the world. Naturally this creates the underlying paranoia which infects all of our lives. The movie could play this out and show clearly what happens when a terrible crisis erupts and how the paper-thin "order" of our society has a paper-mache foundation. The only real way to build powerful connections between people is openness and honesty and the freedom to express feelings. Lies turn into Anger. Anger turns into Hate. Hate turns into Suffering.

The infection manifests itself slowly, because of the woman's immune system's ability to suppress the virus. Without her antibodies though, the virus soon awakens to its full potential. While wandering the streets, the husband becomes enraged, and begins to infect others.

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This movie does demonstrate a very important point though.

What is it?

The need for Education.

Education leads to Empathy. Empathy leads to Understanding. Understanding leads to Humanity.

I'm getting rather tired of movies where there is 1 hero, and a world full of idiotic "normal people". Or, in this movie's case, a world full of idiotic "normal people" and not 1 truly visionary person. It's rather distressing to see character after character who is weak, pathetic and uninspiring.

Movies constantly show a world of sheep, who are weak, frightened and easily manipulated. It's pretty insulting. Unfortunately, it has the unpleasant taste of truth.

Movies are telling us all something. We as a species view ourselves as weak and easily controlled. The fact that it feels true is...daunting.

The solution?

We need to begin cultivating a species that is truly strong, loving, and noble. How? Simple. Exceptional education for everyone. The freedom to express emotions openly, taught to children from their earliest memory. Equitable distribution of resources to everyone, which is a subset of exceptional education. Exceptionally educated, emotionally unrepressed people are people who will settle for nothing less than an Egalitarian society. Check that against your heart and mind. It's true. And vital, because, "Adults who do not heal a violent world, condemn their children to fighting in one."

Movies like this portray all of us as cattle. I don't like that at all. I want to start seeing movies where everyone is extraordinary, based on a real world view. It's so easy to accomplish. I look forward to seeing "those" movies soon.

DUMB "EYE-CANDY" GIRLFRIEND? NOPE. SHE GROWS TOO.

Is the "girlfriend" in the movie stupid? She starts out acting in accord with the dumb blond persona expected of her, but, she is the one who comes to realize that the reason why Jake (the hero) fights, is because, he wants to be free of the need to do so. Jake isn't the only person who becomes more than what he was over the course of this movie.

THE EMOTION CALLED : ANGER

We all deal with this emotion. It is intrinsic to a Capitalist society which demands that people "fight" and "compete" and "struggle" to succeed.

Most people would say that's the reality of things. "Survival of the Fittest". "The strong survive, the weak perish." and so forth. It is so, if that is the way we as a species choose to make it. But. It most certainly is not the way it "truly" is. Truth is ours to make.

Angry parents naturally raise angry children. The magic comes when THE CHILD IS ABLE TO BREAK THE CHAIN OF ANGER, and say no to continuing the cycle of unresolved rage that traps nearly everyone in a Capitalist society.

WHEN YOU'RE STRONG, YOU'RE NOT AFRAID ANYMORE

It's really that simple.

Why is violence so popular? Because nearly everyone's cup is overflowing with violence inside of them as a result of the daily abuse they subject their hearts and souls to. The unfulfilling existence of forcing oneself to do what one does not want to, day after day, because the alternative is ostracization, hunger, and cold, cannot do aught but fill one with anger at being born into a species which is so backward in its thinking.

Why do so many young men train themselves to be physically strong? Because that way they won't be hurt anymore, and they won't have to be afraid anymore.

The movie has true respect and insight for this fact. Jake is full of pent up anger and rage over his Father's Alcohol problem and the subsequent death it resulted in.

By making himself truly strong, by proving to himself that he could become so strong that the death of his father no longer felt like his fault, Jake found the peace in his heart that no longer required fighting to appease his feelings of guilt and shame.

THE TEACHER TEACHES THE STUDENT, AND THE STUDENT TEACHES THE TEACHER

The theme of Fathers is a vital one for most young men.

The inner peace Jake finds with the memory of his own father, inspires the teacher to seek out reconciliation as well.

It is the human connection forged between teacher and student, the bond made as a result of opening up to one another.

The student needs to acquire the knowledge the teacher needs to teach. It is a perfect relationship of "giving and taking".

Both men "cried" in front of each other in this film when they were overcome by the memories of their own personal pains. Human tears communicate the depth of human feelings in a way words simply cannot. Tears bridge gaps, words never can.

LITTLE BROTHERS

The addition of the idolizing little brother was a very nice touch to the film, giving it a wonderful additional element to add flavor to Jake's character.

Further, it was very gratifying to make the little brother unique and special in his own right, by being a tennis prodigy.

Both brothers develop themselves and make themselves stronger. That way both brothers can earn each other's respect.

GOING VIRAL : THE INFLUENCE OF VIDEO SHARING IN YOUTH CULTURE

This movie points to a phenomenon which is going to become central to humanity very, very soon.

Everyone is a celebrity. Because, everyone is so already. Unique and special. There's no need for human beings to think of other human beings as greater, or, more worthy.

The Evolution past the Celebrity culture.

Jake becomes known to all in the school instantaneously. Indeed, he is admirable and special, but, he is flesh and blood, and it is easy to go up and talk to him and see he is just a nice guy.

AN "ONION" OF A MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE

Definitely, a movie with many layers. ; D

The chemistry between Bridget Fonda and Jet Li in this film was perfect.

Jet Li portrays the noble, lonely modern day warrior perfectly, while Bridget Fonda is utterly believable as the emotionally wounded and vulnerable working girl.

The first meeting of the two is full of awkwardness on both sides, that kind of clumsiness that only arises from mutual attraction and the perceived need to resist it.

Jet Li presents the shy timidity of a well-raised Chinese man in the presence of an attractive (and taller) white woman initially and retains that polite distance throughout the movie, though it takes on shades of greater intimacy during the course of the 2 days they spend together (though never to unrealistic excess).

Here you have two people who desperately need a "human connection" to find meaning and purpose in life. They find each other.

One exchange of dialogue in particular emphasizes this point :

Jessica :" I don't trust them. I trusted you. For the first time in-- God, I don't know, forever-- I don't know why I trust someone. You promised you'd take care of her. (Jessica's daughter)"

Liu Jian : "Yes." (Liu is still the polite and soft-spoken Chinese warrior who is not given to long speeches, but he proceeds to go on a one-man tour of force through an entire police station to save Jessica's daughter,and it is not overdone or ridiculous. he does it because he has "connected" with Jessica on a human level, he cares for her, and wants to help her)

I find it amazing, that with the relatively short length of the movie, the connection between Liu Jian and Jessica is wholly believable, a testament to a sensitivity on the part of the writer, the director, and both Bridget and Jet.

ONE HUMAN GESTURE FROM THE BAD GUY

This is a feature which always elevates a film for me. The black and white simplicity of good guy / bad guy is never genuinely satisfying.

Richard, the corrupt French Inspector, takes a moment to gently caress the head of one of his fallen subordinates in an act of companionably farewell, upon finding him dead from the attack of Jet Li.

I was very happy to see this scene. It made Richard a little bit more than a cardboard cut-out character.

One of the main reasons I like Japanese Anime so much is that it is extremely prevalent for the antagonists to be complex, and, very human, characters. As a species, humanity needs to evolve beyond thinking of one another in the simplistic terms of good and evil. Such is never the case. Everyone has reasons for their behavior. "One man's villain is another man's hero."

TRANSCENDING CULTURAL BARRIERS

Jessica : "Any interest in an ex-junkie hooker... who can cook, clean, sew and who likes Chinese food?"

An attractive tall white girl can fall for a shorter reserved Chinese guy. A white girl can show a great deal of compassion for the death of an old Chinese man (the Chef whom Jet was staying with).

FROM SOLITARY PATRIOTIC SOLDIER TO A HUMANE HERO

The evolution of Jet Li's character in the course of the 2 days of the film is remarkable, yet wholly believable.

Jet Li's performance never leaves a moments doubt that he is a tremendously potent one-man army, but, that he is a sensitive human being as well, who longs to connect with someone, to have someone to care about and protect (even though he was not even aware of that need).

CLOSING SCENE

The closing scene is wholly touching, when Bridget holds Jet's hand in a vulnerable, heartfelt gesture of total gratitude at saving her daughter's life, while Jet looks back somewhat shyly, but grateful to her as well for awakening such feelings in him. sniff. sniff. : ' )

Beautiful. Such a moment brings me further hope that humanity is nearing the stage where we will be able to live together in peace and harmony. Action is great, but, not at the cost of violence and suffering.

When the movie finished, I felt like shouting for joy, I was so excited! I think that demonstrates that this was an excellent movie if it evoked such a powerful emotional reaction (at least for me).

Now, I came into it knowing that it would be about a young man (a teenager's) "Coming of Age". I also knew that if the movie was as excellent as my brother's said, I was going to delight in it, and at the same time, suffer through it. Why suffer?

REGRET

Regret over a life that feels wasted and watching a movie that feels like salt rubbed in an open wound. Such is the story of a young man raised in a Capitalist society. One, I feel, is sadly all too common.

MARTIAL ARTS BONANZA

The movie is a "fantastic" martial arts extravaganza. With enough blindingly fast action to satisfy my deepest hunger for whip-like punches and air-splitting kicks. All the actors are fantastic to watch. Michael Angarano (Jason) was especially satisfying to watch, as he likely only trained specifically for the movie, and he avails himself very well.

JASON (MICHAEL ANGARANO)

In fact, it was a very satisfying aspect of the movie, in that Jason (the white boy protagonist) does not become a Martial Arts master over the short course of the movie's story, only a promising student, who cannot but improve upon the excellent foundation laid by Jackie and Jet during their brief training together. The movie concludes with that note hanging in the air : the boy has opened a door of confidence and strength and now looks forward to a long and satisfying path towards fulfillment and maturity.

QUOTES, ANECDOTES AND Chinese WISDOM

"He who speaks, does not Know; He who Knows, does not speak. Surely you are masterful."

"If one does not attach himself to people and desires, never shall his heart be broken. But then, does he ever truly live? I would rather die a mortal, who has a care for someone, than a man free from his own death."

"Learn the form, but seek the formless. Hear the soundless. Learn it all, then forget it all. Learn The Way, then find your own way."

"You have freed me traveler, now go free yourself."

MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT

I believe that the Writer, Director, Producers, Jet and Jackie set out to do something more with this movie than just entertain people with a mindless action flick.

The movie has far too much "heart" to be easily disregarded and dismissed as just so much purposeless action.

YOUNG PEOPLE IN A CAPITALIST WASTELAND FOR THE SOUL

I'm an example of a lost young person, desperately seeking purpose in life...and losing. I do not think I am alone in this.

The prospect of becoming another adult, in whom the fire and passion of youth which once coursed through their veins, has been replaced by the icy "complacency" and "compromise" of the Capitalist deadening, fills me with horror. I refuse to be like that, and the message of this movie is in line with this feeling.

In this movie, an average boy, a dreamer, who loses himself in fantasies of being strong, of being noble and heroic, finds himself given the opportunity to do so. Through the friendship of wise and compassionate teachers, and the inspiration drawn from attraction to a beautiful girl, he taps into potential he never knew he had, and finds, that he is up to the task.

JACKIE AND JET

Both Martial Art legends are getting older and must be thinking about what kind of message to leave young people before they are no longer able to make the kind of action rich entertainment they have founded their careers upon. This movie celebrates the action of Martial Arts, the way it inspires and strengthens a young person, but, it also celebrates the maturity and depth of character, Martial Arts impart to a young person, something which both Jet and Jackie know well.

The Martial Arts are Martial, but, the heart, lies in the art. I believe, that with this movie, the 2 Martial Art greats, have left a bright gem of a story to inspire the fire that burns in young hearts to be more than what they are.

THE ACTRESSES

Both girls were very cute and very good Martial Artists.

Golden Sparrow: She should have killed you, witch! Ni Chang: Not if I kill you first, orphan bitch!

Rather funny lines which also "electrified" being delivered by two such total babes. Both girls also have such beautiful skin too. Advice. Wear Sunscreen and Shades kids. The sun will totally wrinkle your skin.

ALL YOUNG PEOPLE DESERVE SUCH TRAINING AND SUCH GUIDANCE

A movie like this presents young people with the vision to ask for more out of life.

The training sequence of young Jason is powerful. Two Masters, both deeming Jason important enough to train, important enough to squabble over who gets to train him, making Jason feel special.

Young people have always needed this kind of attention and guidance. The young people of today need this kind of attention and guidance. I need this kind of attention and guidance.

CONCLUSION

Life is a brief thing. Wasting it following the Capitalist dream is a sad, sad thing, like pouring water into a cup full of holes.

A movie like this shows what is truly valuable in life : the relationship between Teacher and Student. Friendship formed from powerful shared experiences. The foundation of attraction and love based on powerful shared experiences. Adventure. The satisfaction of growing strong.

A movie like this has a clear message for young people : grow true to yourself. grow strong.

I feel and I believe : it succeeded.

Angelina Jolie is a gorgeous woman. Her lips are just full and rich. She makes a fantastic Lara Croft. I was very impressed by all her action sequences. Particularly the bo staff training sequence with her butler at the beginning of the film. You can tell that it's Angelina doing the impressive moves with the bo staff and then the twin sticks.

Lara Croft is a character with a human touch.

I enjoyed the flirting Lara does with her Greek friends in the beginning of the film. It makes Lara out to be in control, but still very personable.

Lara Croft is still a really unique character in today's world. She is a strong woman. She is the leader among men. It makes a very enjoyable role reversal.

I really liked the scene with Lara and the Chinese family on the boat in Hong Kong. It was a very sweet moment with the little Chinese kids and the family being awe struck by having a beautiful white woman using their television to hook up high-tech gadgets and then having their cabin filled up with a 3-d image of far off Africa. Naturally it was a bit strange that with all Lara's resources she needed to resort to using a random Chinese family's television to communicate with her friends.

Another plot hole that Lara's friends were found by the bad guy. It was just something random and unexplained.

Still another plot hole was the ending of the film. Why did Lara's would be boyfriend decide that he wanted Pandora's Box so badly all of a sudden? Sadly it felt contrived, and not really fair to the character.

Overall though the film was entertaining.

I think that further focusing on Lara's strength, her total confidence, which is coupled with her sense of humanity and playfulness, perhaps more scenes with her demonstrating how much fun she is, at the same time being humane and sophisticated, would make another movie even better.

Now, speaking of humanity in a broad sense, I have the feeling that we are reaching the point where we are going to evolve beyond the need to have celebrities and heroes to look up to. Action movies with stylish heroes will become a thing of the past, because people will be living amazing, exciting lives of their own, they won't need some artificial action to substitute their genuine need for adventure in their lives.

I look forward to the day when everyone is having exciting lives and don't need to find that excitement in movies (which is a poor substitute anyways).

Still, a fairly good movie, and Angelina Jolie is gorgeous and a lot of fun!

(I think she is a caring, loving person too. I greatly admire her desire to take care of as many children as possible.)

It was a very sweet movie, and the dancing was a lot of fun, but...

*** What follows is my reaction to the movie, mixed with social commentary. Please forgive me if it is not wholly on topic. ***

Now, are we happy, as a society, with a few people, a few celebrities, having amazing lives, being celebrated, being attributed a vast quantity of our resources, so that the rest of us can...well..."worship" them.

I don't know...I believe Anybody is capable of Anything, if they are encouraged, supported, believed in and loved.

I know. I know. The protagonist here had a crappy life and she pulled herself out. But. She was hot. And. She knew it. Looks ARE really important. Plus. She had the noble memory of her dancer Mom to inspire her. The worse she was treated, the more tightly she clung to her memory.

Everybody has it tough. Everybody has a story. Maybe Mary's story wouldn't have had a happy ending? I wouldn't have wanted that for her. And. I don't want it to be the case that I live in a world where happy endings are the "exception" not the "norm" for the vast majority of people.

Come on Humanity! Every Single One Of Us Is Awesome. Let's get over this celebrity thing and make a world where everyone has an extraordinary life and deserves their own Line of Lingerie (...or...briefs...for the guys ; D).

Everyone deserves to have a beautiful romantic story that deserves to have a movie to celebrate it. Especially, "evil" Step-Mothers and Step-Sisters. Come on! We're all beautiful, sensitive human beings here. Let's evolve past the whole "evil" anybody thing.

That's why I love Anime. There is no "evil" character. Everyone has a reason for what they do. Just like reality. "Evil" is a label used when a person doesn't understand another's reasons for what they do.

I think we need to keep telling more mature stories. Go Anime!

*** Ahem... Forgive the extensive social commentary, and, the alternative media plug. ***

The main actor was a good looking young fellow, and, the the main actress was sweet, pretty and a very nice dancer.

It was a predictable plot, but, still very entertaining to watch.

What makes life meaningful? As human beings, what kinds of experiences contribute to an existence with purpose and significance? These are the kinds of questions that watching "Cloverfield" made me ponder.

It's a movie about a monster, but the monster is just the "catalyst", the "pressure", the "mover" that really tells a story about the bonds between people and those bonds being tested under great duress.

One of my fellow moviegoers told me he read some people left the theater crying after seeing the movie. I can believe it. People who knew what it was like to have truly strong bonds formed with other people. People who knew what real friendship was. People who knew what love was. People who long deeply for these things in their own lives (I would be one of them, though I did not cry, though I would have been OK with doing so. I have before. Crying feels...good.)

The movie made me think about the separation and distance we all feel between us and how powerful experiences like the one in "Cloverfield" force us together. I think we are seriously lacking these kinds of experiences in our society, the kind that prompt us to drop our barriers and connect with one another because a potent situation demands it. Now, the city we live in being attacked by a giant monster is highly unlikely (still could happen though...who knows what lies buried in the Earth's depths...), but there are plenty of powerful experiences we could make a regular part of the time we spend alive as humans. Any experience which demands that people rely on one another would do.

The movie makes me realize, keenly, I need these kinds of experiences in my life. So, was it a good movie? It made me think these kinds of deep thoughts, so I'd say : yeagh.

Oh, and "Marlena" was a great character. She represents a new kind of personality type emerging in our society. Outwardly attractive in an unconventional way with a disconcerting reservation on the surface covering a noble soul within. Her heroism struck a resonant chord in my heart. "Hudd", in his duh-ish simplicity, was attracted to a special girl. I liked that.

I am a Spider-Man fan.

I remember as a kid while at the grocery store, reading the comic where Spider-Man, wearing his black suit, was buried alive by Kraven. I've been following Spidey since then.

Spider-Man 3 completely satisfied me. The movie surpassed my expectations. Surpassed and then exceeded and then went above and beyond.

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Who is Spider-Man?

He is a hero, but he is not just any hero. He's special.

He's not the strongest. He's not the fastest.

What he is, is the most deeply feeling of all heroes. Spider-Man's feelings run deep. They run throughout his whole self. Spider-Man draws his greatest power from his feelings.

Spider-Man 3 did Spider-Man justice. He was the deeply feeling hero I have always known him to be.

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I cried. I went to eat out after the movie and people looked at me, at my red stained eyes. I wore my sunglasses because it was a beautiful afternoon and I was glad for the excuse to keep the shades on. I didn't want to show my pain. I didn't want people to see my weakness.

But I know Peter would have understood. Peter, and Harry, and Mary Jane, and Aunt May, and Flint Marko (aka Sandman), and Uncle Ben

and I know Tobey Maguire would have understood, Tobey, and James Franco, and Kirsten Dunst, and Rosemary Harris, and Thomas Haden Church, and Cliff Robertson

and I know Sam Raimi would have understood, and his brother Ted, and Bruce Campbell, and Lucy Lawless (Xena), and lots of the people who were involved in this movie.

I know they would understand why I was weeping. I know they would understand why I tried to choke back the tears. I know they would understand why I don't want to show my feelings and I know they would understand how much I need to.

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Emo. It's short for "Emotional".

Peter goes Emo in the movie. It's a look. Dark circles under the eyes. Hair slicked and combed over the forehead. Dark clothing. It's also called 'goth'.

It was really delightful to see. Peter looked so cool. He's a really good dancer. I was happy for him.

I have darkness inside of me too. "Without contrast you cannot see. Without darkness there is no light." It's OK to have it.

I was happy to see Peter 'strut'. Strutting looks like a nice feeling. You're confident. You can look at pretty girls without feeling ashamed of your appearance. You can dance in the street without feeling embarrassed, you dance just because you feel good. You can sway your hips and not feel like you're gay, because you're not, you're just : feeling good.

Feeling powerful : feels good.

What's wrong with that? Nothing, but Peter feels deeply, and he finds that when your only feeling is power you hurt those who aren't as powerful as you.

And that's something that Peter, that Spider-Man, can't do, won't do.

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Harry is a handsome guy.

Peter destroys his handsomeness. Peter directly disfigures Harry.

I know what it's like to feel ugly. If Harry wanted to kill Peter before, it's only natural he would want to tenfold after Peter ruins him.

Harry loves Mary Jane. What hope does he have of her loving him back when half his face is one twisted piece of flesh? She would be repulsed.

and yet, Harry forgives Peter. Harry finds feelings other than anger and hatred inside of him.

How? In the feelings of someone else. Just a few words from his faithful butler Bernard the most important ones being, "I loved your father just as I love you."

As Harry said near the beginning of the film about Peter and Mary Jane, "My best friends - I'd give my life for them."

I can't think of a better reason to die. For people who you give your life for. For people who weep when you die. I wish for my death to be like that.

"All we really want from life is to be remembered with love when we're dead."

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MOVIES ARE MODERN DAY BIBLES.

This movie says to the audience, "Thou shalt not condemn thyself to eternal guilt and self-loathing. Thou shalt forgive thyself and in forgiving thyself forgive others."

Spider-Man never takes life. He defends life. Innocent lives. Loved ones lives. even the lives of his enemies, all at the omnipresent potential loss of his own. He loves life and the life he sees in others and protects it with his own.

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As Emo Peter says to Eddie after Eddie publicly humiliates Spider-Man with his faked black costumed Spider-Man photo, "You want forgiveness? Get religion."

Peter mocks then, but later on he understands forgiveness. He understands something teaching him how to forgive, or more appropriately : someone.

I have always wanted forgiveness too. I have always got Spider-Man.

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P.S : The $250 million extra for special effects was worth every penny. The SFX were jaw dropping.

P.P.S : The incorporation of Venom was excellent. The Goblins and Doc Ock are classic villains from the 60's comics, while Venom is 90's. Venom adds that climatic punch to the movie at its peak, while the classic baddies gave the first two films and the majority of the third its staying power.

P.P.P.S : Sam Raimi did what Spidey does. He searched his feelings and found a manifestation of the Spider-Man legend that resonated and echoed with me and my own vision of Spider-Man : the everyday hero; the marvel universe's most powerful "feeling-hero"; your, the people's, everyone's, friendly neighberhood Spider-Man! thanks Sam.

I just wish I was eloquent enough to say how GOOD this movie is.

I...it's hard to say.

Maybe I'll just say what comes to mind.

I laughed. I really laughed. I couldn't believe it. I laughed, and, it wasn't bitter-laughter. it wasn't cynical laughter. it was the laughter that is generated by genuine joy.

joy. that's a foreign word for me. i don't feel that word often, but, i did while watching this movie.

Will. Maybe it's Will's face. He is a great human being. "Smile on my face and there's a twinkle in my eye." That line in one of Will's songs describes him perfectly. He has "joie de vivre". Trey is a lucky, lucky boy to have a daddy like Will. Jada is a lucky, lucky woman to have a husband like Will. He is someone...special.

Happy. I actually feel happy. It's a strange feeling. I don't feel this way very often. It's just so nice to see, to see...other people really happy. I mean really happy. In this movie, I did. As Will says in the movie, "Maybe I'm not happy with just 'fine', maybe I want 'extraordinary." You know, watching this movie made me think: so do I.

Fun. Being yourself. We all know we're supposed to be ourselves, but, it feels like we're punished if we do so. Maybe it has to be earned. Maybe it's something that we show after having not been ourselves for a long time. That's why I just loved the ending. Will, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valleta, Julie Ann emery all dancing at the wedding. Dancing without inhibitions. NO THEY WE'RE NOT DRUNK! except, on actually being happy. I can understand that, at least, I think I can (at least, I enjoyed seeing them happy, really happy).

Women and Men. I don't know anything about relationships, but, I do feel. Watching this movie I feel like connecting with someone, striving, pushing, wanting to be with someone. It seems to make life...something else entirely. I don't really know. I'm just guessing. but, I felt something, watching this movie. I felt like, that connection, must be...must make, life worthwhile.

That's the kind of movie this is. It's FUNNY. It's CLEVER. It's TENDER. It evokes feeling. It made me think, that maybe, just maybe, life is, truly is, a wonderful thing.

Want to LAUGH? Want to FEEL REALLY GOOD! Want to GET SOME ANSWERS ABOUT GIRLS (and Girls, answers about Guys)? Watch Hitch. YOU-WILL-GET-IT-ALL!!!

GO WILL!!! You are a great human being.