Film Review: Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse (2018)

In my lifetime I have seen six different Spider-Man films brought to life. I have seen brought to life on the big screen by three different actors (Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland). Never have I enjoyed a Spider-Man movie as much as I enjoyed this one.

The animation brilliantly moves and feels like a comic book brought to life. It visually brilliant and incredibly cool to look at. The filmmakers who brought this adaptation of Spider-Man to life are the ones who have made "The Lego Movie" (which I have not seen) and "22 Jump Street" (which I have and also enjoyed immensely).

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse" brings different spider men and women from different alternate universes into the particular universe in which Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) an Afro-Latino (!) becomes Spider-Man.

This is an original Spider-Man story and while some things are re-treads of the old films (Miles gaining his powers, learning how to use them, losing someone close to him) they are presented in a new and fresh way. As you're watching Miles go through these things it feels like you are watching Spider-Man go through these things for the first time.

Miles is plunged into the world of superheroes after he watches the classic Peter Parker (Chris Pine) die under the hands of Kingpin (Liev Schrieber). Kingpin has commissioned a team to create a machine that will open up any alternate universes in existence. Things go awry and the different spideys are taken into Miles's world including an older Peter Parker (Jake Johnson). The new Peter unwillingly begins teaching Miles all there is to know about being Spider-Man.

Joining Peter and Miles is Spider-Gwen (teenage Gwen Stacy voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Man Noir (a spider-man straight out the noir genre voiced by Nicolas Cage), Peni Parker (a girl from the future with a futuristic robot voiced Kimiko Glenn ), and Spider-Ham (a pig voiced by John Mulaney). It is especially cool to see all the ways in which they make these characters unique to their worlds. Spider-Ham can be straight out of a Looney Toons cartoon, Peni can be straight out of an anime, and Spider-Man noir has wind to billow out his coat anywhere he goes.

It is fun to see all these characters working together and clashing with one another. The entire voice cast in phenomenal as well. They inhabit these characters perfectly so you never feel as though you are hearing a celebrity simply lending their voice to a film.

Miles, Peter and the all the rest team up to bring Kingpin down and send everyone to their respective dimensions. Miles learns how to be Spider-Man and how to embrace the daunting responsibility now in his hands. All of this is done in a funny and dynamic way. Everyone knows I'm not a fan of superhero films. They are formulaic and action packed which was fun... before the world was saturated with Marvel and DC films at every turn. This was new and exciting. This had me rooting for Miles in a way I hadn't rooted for a hero in a long time. If more superhero films were like this, maybe I would be more excited to watch them.

Broadway Review: Pretty Woman: The Musical

I have personally never seen "Pretty Woman" the film. If it's anything like the musical I'm not sure I want to. "Pretty Woman" stars Samantha Barks and Andy Karl and has music written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. There's nothing else of importance worth mentioning.

It seems to follow the film almost exactly based on audience reactions. Multimillionaire Edward Lewis (Karl) gets lost on his way to his Beverly Hills Hotel and encounters prostitute Vivian Banks (Barks) and decides to take her with him. It's only supposed to be a one night deal, but Edwards pays her for a whole week's companionship teaching her in the process of a better life she could be living and she teaches him how to live in the moment.

Banks's Vivian is spunky and intelligent and it makes you wonder why she has never gotten herself out of this situation she clearly despises. There is also nothing romantic about how the two characters end up together. Still, the film is a classic and fans of the film were clearly enjoying a film they liked being brought to the stage.

The scenes between Vivian and her best friend Kit (Orfeh) are the best. Barks brings an immense likability to Vivian and it is fun to watch her. The awkward moments (besides in the way she is treated) come from the moments in which Vivian and Edward engage in sexual acts. The production team seems really intent on hammering in what they are engaging in while keeping it as PG as possible. There was no need for these moments other than to prove she's doing what she's getting paid to do I guess.

There were also moments that were completely glossed over. I guess their inclusion came from being in the film, but they are mentioned, and then quickly forgotten. There is a prostitute found dead early in action. Nothing comes of this. There is simply a dead prostitute. Being a prostitute can be a dangerous profession, but the other prostitutes are concerned for her death for a hot second and then they move on. I guess things became not so dangerous in a span of ten seconds.

The famous scene in which Edward closes the jewelry box on Vivian as she reaches for the diamond necklace is included, but so choreographed it loses all meaning. Clearly this is here simply for fans of the film who would be upset if it wasn't included. Vivian is strong and optimistic and she truly does not need a man in this adaptation. She ends up with Edward I suppose because she has to.

Karl does well in the role of Lewis, but there isn't much to him. He is money hungry in the beginning and almost instantly after meeting Vivian he is not. He is incredibly one dimensional that there is no place for him to truly develop as a character.

The entire cast though is fantastic. Barks and Karl sound great throughout. Orfeh steals the show anytime she is on stage. Leading us through the events of the story is the Happy Man (Eric Anderson). He doubles as the hotel manager and there is definitely a distinction between the two characters. He lights up the stage especially as the uptight hotel manager with a sense of humor.

The show isn't terrible. I have definitely seen worse productions on stage, but there is nothing memorable about it. It seemed to please fans of the film which is what matters I guess. The musical wasn't made for me or non fans of the film. Still I wish we could demand more. More emotional range and depth to the script. More opportunities to let these clearly talented actors showcase their skills. They seem to be having fun onstage, but I am sure they can do so much more.