Spider-Man: No Way Home

 So, movie review time (I can't make this blog all about me being sick).

 Spider-Man: No Way Home...

 I'm really undecided on this one. I mean, I think it had some interesting ideas on the "just how Meta can we make this?" front. I think I enjoyed watching it... but I'm not sure.

Here be SPOILERS... you have been warned.

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OK, so all of the different Spider-Man movie franchises (at least the live action ones) exist within the multiverse as alternate realities. Like I said, how Meta can you get? 

Seeing different heroes and villains back was definitely cool. Willem Defoe and Alfred Molina being worth the price of admission all by themselves (and frankly being the only one's I really cared about because I like the first two Toby McGuire movies). Also, can we pause a moment on Toby McGuire... or as my wife said when he appeared on screen: "Wow, that really shows how long ago those movies were." (I'm not THAT old damn, it!)

So, I thought the concept of the movie was... interesting. The contrasts between the various movies, poking a little meta-criticism about things being dark for the sake of being dark (I'm looking at you Andrew Garfield)... I liked that.

 But that's the thing... I didn't like the dark. Sure, Spidey has always, for me, been rooted in tragedy (the classic death of Uncle Ben) but despite that, its always had humor and light and joy. For me, Spider-Man liked being a super-hero and he was a good guy. Also, my Spider-Man was the super-hero who got to have a positive romantic relationship, damn it.

 So, I didn't really like the ending of the movie... OK, it was a neat, thematic way to deal with the whole Sony and Disney franchise ownership thing and delete Peter from the MCU, but was it really necessary? Did he have to lose everything and everyone? 

 I don't know... being dark and tragic for the sake of being dark and tragic (which is how this felt) really doesn't work for me (still looking at you Andrew).