The Amazing Spider-Man 2

I remember an article I read about George Clooney a few years ago and he said something that struck me as sort of genius. I don't remember the exact phrasing, but it was something along the lines of this: You can make a bad movie from a good script, but you can't make a good movie from a bad script. This seems like the sort of easy, simple advise that every young actor or actress should be following. Still, somehow, a movie as big budgeted as The Amazing Spider-Man 2 somehow falls into the latter category - an atrocious, messy, terrible script. Now, all of the actors involved in this movie are great and more than up to the challenge, so they sort of help make the movie raise to a level of mediocrity, but mostly this is a mess of a movie.

The good news is, director Marc Webb seems more up for the challenge this time around. I genuinely liked his first take on the film and although it was a retread of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film from less than a decade earlier, I thought everything about Webb's version was superior. However, it seemed like he was in over his head. And why wouldn't he be? Before that, he'd only directed a quirky little indie romance movie (500 Days of Summer). This time around, you get the idea that he knows what he's doing. The action sequences, especially the opening flashback to the last moments in the lives of Peter Parker's parents, are fresher and more exciting to watch. But, of course, Webb is much more comfortable with the romance aspects of the movie and if you have chemistry between your leads the way this movie does, you should exploit it as much as humanly possible. Unfortunately, Andrew Garfield's Peter / Spider-Man and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy spend most of the movie apart. The film opens with Spidey running late for his high school graduation. It seems he is fighting the forces of the Russian mob, led by Paul Giamatti, who will return later in the film. When he finally gets to the graduation, we are allowed only glimpses of the absolute, almost too much to handle adorableness of Garfield and Stone before they call it quits.

Next, we enter into a little superhero movie problem called TOO MANY VILLAINS. There is the aforementioned Giamatti, who will return as Rhino. Then there is Jamie Foxx and his take on Max Dillon turned Electro. Now, there was a lot I didn't necessarily like about this performance, including but not limited to the decision to have a sort of heavy metal demon sounding voice eminating from the heavens whenever Electro thinks or talks or whatever. I am assuming this is a comic book reference, or at least, I hope to God it is, because if not, it's a pretty stupid decision. However, I do find myself relating more to this character than a care to admit - an absolute nobody, invisible, forgotten, ignored and unloved. The man who has no power whatsoever suddenly blessed with all the power in the entire world and what does he do? He lets his anger get the best of him. And who can blame him really? I always liked that aspect of Spider-Man villains, the way they all just seem to be misunderstood. What I don't like is that they all seem to have a grudge against Spider-Man personally. Why not just fight because you are a villain and his is a hero? It doesn't always have to be, "That damn Spider-Man... I'll get him because he didn't remember my name and he was mean to me!"

And then there's the saving grace of this giant mess of a film. And, no, I'm not talking about the chemistry between Garfield and Stone, although that is out of this world. I'm talking about Dane DeHaan and his take on Harry Osborn / Green Goblin. Yes, another villain. But DeHaan isn't just another actor. He reminds me so much of Leonardo DiCaprio and not just because he looks like a young Leo. It has to do with the searing star-making intensity that DiCaprio had in those early roles in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and This Boy's Life. DeHaan has the same thing and he steals every single scene that he is in, and he almost makes this whole, big, giant mess worth watching. Of course, you have to wait about an hour before his privileged rich brat shows up, but once he does, it almost makes it all worth it. It almost makes up for the terrible dialogue and the messy sub plots and the ridiculous "Because Science!" reasoning behind everything. It almost makes up for me sitting through this mess in 3D, because, you know, if there ever was a superhero movie that should be in 3D it's Spider-Man. But very few movies actually need to be watched in 3D (exceptions: Life of Pi, Hugo, Gravity). DeHaan is brilliant as Osborn and even though this movie is already way too over stuffed and way too long, I wanted more of him. In the first trilogy, they spent three movies tracing the complicated friendship between Peter and Harry. Here it is all boiled down to three rushed scenes.

The final act sort of tries to turn things around. The last big fight scene in the clock tower is pretty spectacular and Webb really does a great job with it. Even the things that happen that I won't spoil are totally effective and well done. But, really, it's too little, too late. DeHaan is great. The chemistry between Garfield and Stone is great. But the rest is all mediocre.

Grade: C

The Place Beyond the Pines

This isn't going to be a very long review. I feel like the less you know about The Place Beyond the Pines, the better. I read a review in Entertainment Weekly before seeing the film and I wish I hadn't. It sort of ruined a few plot points for me and I wouldn't want to do the same. I will say that I think The Place Beyond the Pines is a flawed masterpiece. It's fearless filmmaking, although, at times, it is on the frustrating side. Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance reteams with his star Ryan Gosling for this film about a carnival stunt man who takes to robbing banks in order to support a son he was unaware of until very recently. And that's all I'm going to say about the plot. Like I said, the less you know, the better.

One thing I will talk about are the great performances. Ryan Gosling is electrifying. He is raw and intense and it is an absolute joy to watch him command the screen in this gritty drama. Dane DeHaan, who is one of my very favorite new actors, shares Gosling's electricity, although his role is more moody and angsty. Even Eva Mendes, who I don't think is the greatest actress, shines as Gosling's baby mama. The real scene stealer, for me, was Ben Mendelsohn, who all but stole the whole movie away from Gosling and DeHaan. Is it too early to start a Best Supporting Actor Oscar campaign for him? Because he is that good. He is all weird ticks and subtle emotions. As someone who pretty much worships the ground he walks on since discovering him in Animal Kingdom, I love seeing him making interesting decisions and stealing movies from more famous co-stars (see also: Killing Me Softly). Unfortunately, then there is Bradley Cooper. I think Cooper is a good actor (although, like Jude Law, I never fully trust him in any thing, even if he is playing the nicest guy ever), but unfortunately he is stuck with the most bland story line in the film. I'm not saying his scenes are bad or terrible. It's just that compared to his co-stars who light up the screen, he sort of fades into the background.

And thus concludes my second shortest review of all time. (The shortest went a little something like, "My mama always said if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." It was about the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie). The Place Beyond the Pines is definitely a great movie, and more than worth checking out. It's the first truly good movie of 2013. Thank God. I was getting worried.

Grade: A-