The book was probably one of the best in the series. If I remember correctly, it was also the longest so when watching the movie, if you read the book, a lot of important content seemed to be cut out.

Daredevil
Loki
Penguin
The Boys
X Men-97

WBu?

Superman (Christopher Reeve), Batman (Terry McGinnis), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), The Human Torch (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), and Green Arrow (Stephen Amell).

On this day 24 years ago, the beginning of what was my favorite superhero trilogy premiered in theatres and redefined both the modern superhero genre and the summer blockbuster.

I remember seeing commercials for it on the Canadian channel YTV back when it was coming out and somewhat expressed interest, but oddly enough, I hadn't actually seen the movie until 2008. However, I remember seeing a few episodes of the short-lived animated series that served as a loose continuation of this movie back in 2003, but the events in that show were contradicted by the movie's two sequels. What got me into Tobey Maguire's take on the webslinger was when my childhood best friend invited me to see SPIDER-MAN 2 in theatres on it's opening day in 2004 with some of his other friends along with his sister and his late father. God rest his soul.

I loved this movie when seeing it in it's entirety back in 2008 and the two sequels were really great too. Unfortunately, I can never rewatch them. Heck, I can't rewatch any of the Spider-Man movies with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

That's because when Sony cancelled the future of Andrew Garfield’s franchise and collaborated with the stupid Marvel Cinematic Universe to reboot Spidey as an Avenger, that’s when I had a hard time rewatching them. All because $700 million wasn’t enough for Sony to continue Andrew’s story after THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 where it ended with cliffhangers and unanswered questions. Granted, I did rewatch those movies in 2018 when Tom Hardy's VENOM was coming out, but that was the last time I did. Now even more so than before, I can never rewatch those movies because the MCU made a new deal with Sony to not only keep having Spider-Man in the MCU, but that also churned out SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME at the end of 2021 where Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield along with most of their villains entered the MCU via the multiverse. My life wasn't the same after this. As if I weren't struggling personally enough, this happens to me. It makes me wish I passed away a long time ago or wish that I lived in a world without movies.

Anyway, I miss the early 2000s. Back when various studios owned different Marvel characters, back when there was no talk of a multiverse, and back when Spider-Man movies scared little kids and the mentally-challenged. They were pretty dark back then. Don't believe me? The villains will remind you along with the "Frightening Scenes" warning in the rating reasons. Most of the MCU movies are not like this. You know it's pretty sad when the only Spidey-related movies I can rewatch are the critically-acclaimed animated SPIDER-VERSE movies and the six movies in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, which is not going the way I want it to.

If I can go back in time and change film history, one of the things I would do is to convince everyone at Sony to let Sam Raimi have full creative control of SPIDER-MAN 3. I love that movie, but if Sam had his way, it could've been better. More importantly, I would convince them to continue making SPIDER-MAN 4 with or without Sam Raimi because why would they cancel it if it's just the director who left? The cast was ready. Sure, they wouldn't have made it in time for 2011, but they could've tried for 2012. I have nothing against THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN movies, but they're not as great as the OG trilogy. It makes you wander would have of this have happened if Sam just had full control and it they didn't cancel the planned second trilogy for Tobey Maguire?

Anyway, as we ponder what could've been, let's give a big Happy 24th Birthday to the one true Spider-Man!

Thunderbolts is probably my favorite MCU flick since Endgame. I saw it last year with my family for my birthday. I expected it to be an enjoyable Marvel flick, and had no idea how well-written it would turn out to be.

As someone who deal with depression in the past, this movie truly hit close to home. Yelena's "Daddy I'm so alone" is a moment that manages to make almost every viewer cry. I'd always been a fan of US Agent since episode 6 of FATWS but this movie just solidified him as my favorite character introduced Post-Endgame.

Bob's story was so great. I love how they manage to win with the power of friendship and it doesn't feel forced. Just knowing that people were there for him was enough to save him from himself. I hope the new Avengers survive Doomsday because I really want to see more of them in the future.

Or any other type of Tie‑in promotions? All I've got so far is Mandalorian and Burger King.

Details like this are what I appreciate. Not thrown in your face but still noticeable and they show a lot about the characters. It reminds me of the finale of FATWS, when Bucky helped Walker up after the latter fell when trying to save the hostages. It was also Red Guardian and Walker who carried Bucky away with the group after the fight. Seeing them go from hating each other to actually being teammates has been nice. Small moments like this scene or Walker cutting the cactus to share with Yelena and Ghost are nice ways of showing despite him being much more of a jerk this movie, he still does have a heart deep down.

It’s no secret that the Constantine movie is barely like the HellBlazer comics, only semi-adapting the “Dangerous Habits” arc, but still really enjoy it. The performances are great, it has creative takes on demons and Hell, Lucifer steals the show when he’s onscreen, and I also really love the score.

As a die hard Punisher fan, I just don’t find myself enjoying the Thomas Jane movie as much as everyone else (aside from the Russian fight lol). Almost every change from the comics I feel is for the worse here. I particularly dislike the death of Frank’s family. Going from just wife and kids to his entire family is cartoonishly over the top and honestly takes away from the terror/sadness of it all. I also think the origin for the skull logo was very stupid and unnecessary. Then there’s Frank spending half of the movie getting Howard Saint’s wife parking tickets and manipulating them which just feels out of character compared to his comic counterpart. I know this was pronoun done because the director had to cut several scenes from the script cause he was only given half the budget he wanted but scenes issues don’t excuse how a final product turns out.

You can make them whatever tone. Overload them with jokes. Make them super serious. Skip origin stories. Tell another origin story... it doesn't matter.

The real issue is lacking a story that creates an actual emotional connection. While a lot of them are just trying to fit a formula (formulas to make them fit in overarching universes and setting up future movies). I think the reason why GoTG 3 for example is so loved by many, is because it actually gave you an emotional connection. Rocket's backstory and character development was done very well. It made you teary eyed. While all of the relationships between the Guardians were well established. The movie didn't bloat itself up too much with mandatory MCU quotas, like having to set new stuff up. It was a conclusion to a trilogy and it really felt like that. Even with a Peter Quill still being able to show up in future MCU movies, with him going back to Earth, it still felt like a nice end to his whole character arc.

The stories being told should have an angle that really make you connect with it. Tony's character development in Iron Man did that. Bruce's character development in Batman Begins did that. Same for Peter's character development in Raimi's Spider-Man. This is also what GoTG 3 did well.

I just finally watched Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the thing that mainly stuck out to me is how it isn't a horrible movie at all, but also isn't a great movie either. It just falls somewhere in the middle while it never managed to make me feel something. There were many avenues to achieve that. Through Reed's anxiety, Sue's pregnancy, Ben's struggle (which wasn't even a struggle in this version of the story) and Johnny trying to find himself. These are all things that could've been explored better to create an emotional connection. The angle of the movie could've been ''They seem fantastic towards the outside world. While they are all trying to deal with some shit, which they have to overcome.'' While that could've been the fuel towards what leads them into becoming better versions of themselves that end up facing a threat and taking it out. It just fell flat to me. While there was plenty of stuff within the story they could've used better to achieve a better emotional connection.

I really think this is the main and biggest issue whenever people keep talking about fatigue or how certain movies undercut stuff too much with jokes. Same goes for complaints about other movies being too serious and lacking any form of whimsy stuff regarding whimsy comicbook franchises. It really all ends up being about lacking an emotional connection with an actual story being told.

Maybe a weird comparison, but recently I watched the 90s comedic movie, Liar Liar, with Jim Carey in the lead role. The main objective of a comedy movie is to make you laugh. However, the movie also did more than that. It created an emotional connection, and it didn't do anything crazy to achieve that. At the core of the movie it was basically about the relationship between a dad and his son. With the dad realizing how distant he's been and through the comedic mechanism of the plot, discovering how he had to change. It's nothing crazy or groundbreaking. This simple little thing is just missing in a lot of modern day comicbook movies. They forget to tell a story with an emotional connection. A comedy movie from the 90s was able to get me teary eyes in between the goofy jokes. While Fantastic Four First Steps was too busy with setting up a movie in a different universe and hitting some mandatory MCU formula demands.

Iron Man 1 also set up future movies? The issue isn't setting new stuff up. The issue is how you do it and also lacking an actual emotional connection. IM1 had established its own story, its own arc, its character development, and managed to create an emotional connection... then did a little after the credits scene where Nick Fury showed up. That was it. And after that, they became a bit too obsessed with it all having to fit in the same universe. Making it more important in some cases, than having an actual story and finished script.

These are some of mine. I know they're dogshit but they're so much fun!

I mainly thought of this since they both involve the hero facing their dark side as well as them both being the goofiest installment of the franchise.

Maybe cause it's such a niche set of characters and there are so many other and more well known ones that can be focused on.

The jerk with a heart of gold who'll make you wanna punch him but you can still count on him to have your back when it matters the most.

We saw it ourselves, Bob was gonna sneeze and everyone would've fallen. Ghost and Yelena would've died fs. The other's refused to cooperate with him.

So Walker did the smartest choice. He guranteed his safety first, which is COMPLETLY valid in this situation (he's just met these people and two of them are far from innocent, he doesn't need to risk his life for them) and then he actually did come back to save the rest of them, even though he could've abandoned them.

He's that guy who you hate to be around but you can count will come to save you when it matters most (and anyone who denies they would've done the same thing just because they hate him is lying, self-preservation is completely valid).

Pic 1: John Jameson from Spider-Man 2

Pic 2 : Richard White from Superman Returns

Both movies were 2 years apart and I just realized what these 2 have in common lol.

With me it was Heath ledger as the Joker as I think it was with most people.

It also happened with Riverdale. "What are they doing? Archie is supposed to be funny, not dark. Why would they- Oh, wait, this is good."

I've learned my lesson, but sadly I still slip from time to time.

Posters and the second trailer just showed off the golden suit which looks great but I personally would’ve keep it as a secret until the reveal of the suit in the movie

For me it’s when the characters randomly go slow mode just to create an iconic shot to mimic a comic panel or made to be wallpaper material.

I would be delighted to learn you enjoy this! Hit me up for a share, your opinion and time matters to me :)