Category: Features

Ranking Marvel Studios’ Series Finales

The Hawkeye finale marks the end of Marvel Studios’ first year of Disney+ series and the conclusion of the fifth installment to date. From WandaVision to What If…?, Marvel Studios showcased its ability to pull off a wide range of stories and styles. Still, it pulled off some better than others, and we now rank the finales of all of the Disney+ series below.

There’s something about TFATWS, other than its horrible title, that tends to land it at the bottom of lists. The series finale wasn’t bad and it wasn’t riddled with flaws. In fact, it was quite comforting, and there’s something about a straightforward series focused almost exclusively on already-established characters that is satisfying. Unfortunately, even a satisfying finale can be completely forgotten and left behind when it’s entirely bland. Even with Sam’s triumphant claim of the Captain America mantle, not much else propped the finale up.

What If… ? will always be at a disadvantage if it has little connection to the Sacred Timeline as we know it. But it was particularly disappointing that the finale did not feature any connection whatsoever, even if that’s an unfair desire given the premise of the series. It also felt like a bit of a letdown by not capitalizing on the strong momentum that the penultimate episode had and ultimately being pretty forgettable instead. It did have the Guardians of the Multiverse, including Party Thor and Doctor Strange Supreme, up against Infinity Ultron, which was great. The pure absurdity of the situation makes it a unique and fun addition to the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.

The ending of WandaVision got a little murky due to wild speculations built up over the two-month-long run. While it will go down in history as not having Mephisto in it, it honestly was a good finale. It brought the series’ eccentric and creative storyline to a proper close and featured arguably one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most emotional moments. It also brought with it Wanda’s formal transition into the Scarlet Witch, which was a long-awaited moment after her introduction in 2015.

While the resolution of the series’ plot left plenty to be desired, the Hawkeye finale was easily one of the most–if not the most–enjoyable finales that Marvel Studios has delivered. All of the things that the series did well, the finale did even better. It was funny, the character dynamics were on point, and the action finally arrived. The inclusion of Kingpin was very exciting, but it can’t really compete with Loki.

The season finale of Loki will surely always be iconic, and long after the series itself is forgotten, this episode will be remembered. Of course, the actual opening of the multiverse was stunning and marked an exciting and dramatic new chapter for the MCU, and the fact that it happened on Disney+ rather than on the big screen makes it even more interesting. The He Who Remains reveal was on another level thanks to an amazing performance by Jonathan Majors. And who can forget the opening where the entirety of the MCU was dramatically condensed into the glowing Sacred Timeline?

December 22, 2021
‘Hawkeye’ Finale Primer

The latest episode of Hawkeye was the most revealing one yet. Kate and Yelena had a great girls’ night leading to Kate finding out that Yelena was hired to kill Clint…but by who? This question is answered in the final minute of the show: Eleanor Bishop! Clint reveals to Maya that he is Ronin and that he was tipped off by an informant, hired by her boss, who was revealed to be Kingpin. The informant is no other than Kazi. Maya learns this quickly and this might result in a fight in this last episode.

Some of the biggest things that haveto happen in this next episode are Kate confronting her mom about being essentially the bad guy in this whole thing. And then we have the Kingpin issue at hand; he is obviously going to be a problem for Maya. We also still have Yelena coming after Clint. And he has to get home for Christmas. All of these things have to wrap up seeing that this is the last episode.

Arlyn’s Assumptions

At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we see Peter swinging over the Rink at Rockefeller Center, the location where the big, final fight is supposed to happen in Hawkeye. As cool as it would be to see Spidey join the fight, if he is in the show for too long it would take the focus off of Clint and Kate’s stories. Now that Maya knows that Kazi helped get her father killed, she’ll be looking to put a hurting on him. She will also want to get back at Kingpin, but I don’t think that Kingpin is going to make too big of an impact in the finale because the last thing he wants to do is be openly associated with criminals. I think he’ll be back in a bigger role in another series. Eleanor is going to end up in jail leaving Kate all by herself and, after everything Kate has done for Clint, I think she’ll be joining him as he makes it home just in time for the Barton family Christmas.

The final episode of Hawkeye streams tomorrow!

December 21, 2021
How the ‘Hawkeye’ Finale Could Set Up a Second Season

There are no rules for which Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series will get a second season or not. As the big Hawkeye finale draws closer, it’s beginning to feel like there may be too many loose strings left to tie in only a single episode. A startling cliffhanger in this week’s penultimate adventure opened yet another door for the series to explore. Kate Bishop’s mother Eleanor was revealed as a confidant for the infamous Wilson Fisk and the latest employer of Florence Pugh‘s Black Widow. With this new information in mind, it seems more likely than ever that the show could be headed towards a surprise renewal in the same vein as fellow MCU series, Loki. If that happens, it looks like the seeds could have already been planted for the plot to end up resembling a continuation of the My Life as a Weapon comics, as it already borrows much of its story from.

In the comic continuation, Clint and Kate’s New York City exploits are followed by a period in which Bishop switches coasts for a dalliance with her own independence. The younger Hawkeye moves to Los Angeles after a falling out with Clint, where she’s cut off from her family’s wealth and begins living a brand-new lifestyle as a “half-superhero, half-private eye”. While living on the West Coast, Kate comes into contact with the villainous Madame Masque, who is attempting to expose the sins of Barton’s past via possession of a scandalous videotape. Now, it may currently seem like a stretch for Hawkeye to set this entire plotline up in only a single remaining episode, but one could argue it’s already done most of the leg work throughout its first season.

Last year, we got hints that Hawkeye would feature Madame Masque in some capacity. At this point in time, the scoop seems to have proven false. However, it would only take one revelatory scene in the finale to surprise fans and divulge that the comic villain has actually been in the series all along. Eleanor Bishop checks a lot of the boxes when it comes to Masque’s background in the comics. Much like Whitney Frost, Vera Farmiga plays an intelligent, attractive socialite who becomes engaged to a charming and well-liked man of high regard. Also, like Frost, Eleanor is apparently the secret brains behind a criminal conspiracy that wants Clint Barton dead. A simple accident or fight-gone-wrong would take only a moment of the show’s time, and could quickly give Farmiga‘s character the facial scarring and identifying golden mask that the Madame is so well known for.

If her mother were to go full-on supervillain, it would only be logical for Kate to cut things off and leave the city with her dog to take some distance from her mother’s activity. There, without her family’s wealth or influence, she could be forced to make do with the two talents we’ve seen her use the most throughout the first season of Hawkeye: her skill with a bow and her knack for private investigation. The hypothetical second season of the series could then follow a similar story as the comics. Kate is running across the country to Los Angeles with a chip on her shoulder and the goal of bringing down Madame Masque. With the way the current episodes are trending, the videotape from the pages of Fraction and Aja‘s comics could even come into play. Perhaps Eleanor comes into possession of footage that proves Clint’s history as Ronin, giving both Kate and Clint extra reason to take her down.

Moving Kate to L.A. would also bring her closer to Cassie Lang, her comic book friend and Young Avengers teammate based in San Francisco. Recent rumors have claimed Bishop might even be in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and this potential development might give her a reason to be in the neighborhood. Clint’s identity as Ronin being exposed and any additional threats to his family could also be a reason for him to uproot and head towards the West Coast, enabling him to appear in the second season and possibly set up a fan-favorite Avengers plotline that Jeremy Renner himself has expressed interest in adapting. All will be revealed when the final episode of Hawkeye drops on December 22nd.

Source: The DisInsider

December 21, 2021
Peter Parker Paid the Ultimate Price in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

Spider-Man No Way Home was an epic movie that oozed emotion, stakes, and fan service. The cameos – especially the appearances of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire – took us all the way back to the beginning. It felt gratifying, satisfying, and like a warm blanket to the current cold world. However, going into this movie a question could be posited. Was Tom Holland’s Peter Parker given a proper story arc in this nostalgia-driven spectacle?

The ending of Far From Home was the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. Peter Parker’s identity was exposed by Mysterio to the world and he’s left dealing with the consequences. A story like that could’ve gone so many directions. They even had plans at one point to make this about him being hunted by Kraven the Hunter. They could’ve had a rematch with the Vulture, as Scorpion joins the fray. Those would’ve been fun to see, and Peter’s story could be told in a much more straightforward manner. Make no mistake, No Way Home is a yeoman’s effort. It massages our curiosity but when it’s all said and done the mission is to remind us why we love Spider-Man.

This trilogy has been about Peter Parker understanding what it means to be a superhero. In Homecoming, it’s about wanting it all too quickly after tussling with the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War. He causes a calamity and realizes he’s better off staying close to home. In Far From Home, he wants to take a break. It’s certainly understandable after fighting Thanos and losing his mentor figure with the death of Tony Stark. He skirts his responsibility and pays the price as Quentin Beck betrays him. It’s those words though. The price. Peter Parker pays the ultimate price in No Way Home.

The distress of seeing what his identity reveals does to the people around him, specifically MJ and Ned, drives Peter to find a quick fix. He goes to Dr. Strange who’s all too happy to help. The young hero believes that everyone should forget he’s Spider-Man. Of course, then realizing that it shouldn’t be everyone. In trying to tweak the spell, Peter and Strange end up breaking the multiverse wide open. This isn’t some simple mistake, in fact it’s the mistake that turns out to be the final journey of the Peter we’ve come to know and love across his journey in the MCU.

In trying to hastily fix things instead of facing them head-on Peter loses. It’s such a Peter Parker story, and it’s why we relate to the character. He is us. It’s totally human to want a life with the girl he loves and his best friend. Yet, at the same time, he’s more than that. He is Spider-Man.

Later, as all the villains from Spider-Man’s cinematic past come through, it almost feels like a ghosts from Christmas past story. These villains are here to show him the way in a metaphorical sense. His first instinct, and the one echoed by Strange, is the logical thing to do, send them back to their world. In dealing with Norman Osborn, Aunt May contends that Peter must help them. What then ensues is the push and pull between doing the right thing and the practical thing. Especially once reality sinks in that their fate’s back at home isn’t going to end nicely.

When Peter attempts to heal the villains, it does feel like the right thing to do, especially in how it stands in contrast to Dr. Strange’s view on the matter. We live in a world where there are plenty of people who end up on a dark path but there’s always a reason for it. Circumstances dictate things sometimes as much if not even more than a person’s nature. That nuance gets lost in the conversation. Yet, Peter sees exactly that but ends up paying the ultimate price.

Green Goblin turns on him as Norman succumbs to his dark passenger. Tragically, Aunt May dies as she has lived, trying to help people and do the right thing. It is in this lesson for Peter that he receives the words the character is most famous for: “With great power comes great responsibility.” There is no easy answer, but you have to try. At this moment Peter gains wisdom and knowledge but he loses his innocence. It is gone, and he’ll never be the same.

By the end of the film, we see that price. The attempt to kill Norman Osborn will stick with him. This time around, he’s not to one giving help but receiving it. He’s pulled out of the darkness to embrace the right choice. Yet, he once again has to pay a price and unlike before, this time it is by choice. Peter convinces Strange to make the world forget he ever existed, even if it means he’ll lose everything and everyone. MJ and Ned will forget him. Happy forgets him. Aunt May is gone. His ties to the Avengers and kindred spirits will be severed. The anguish on Peter’s face when he decides not to reveal himself again to MJ or Ned is heartbreaking. There is no turning back here. It is a cold lesson, and one he must learn alone.

Now that this price has been paid, Peter must live on. He must move on. It is the bridge that he must cross alone. As he goes forward, there will be a better understanding of the choices previously made. Peter Parker is one of us, but he’s not. He’s Spider-Man, and with being Spider-Man, it comes with a price. May the payments for Peter Parker going forward be more peaceful.

December 20, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Harris Dickinson and Gemma Arterton Describe ‘The King’s Man’ As An ‘Anti-War’ Film

The Kingsman movies have never slouched when it comes to their action choreography. Director Matthew Vaughn is known for his energetic sequences, and his new franchise prequel is no exception. The difference this time around is that some of those sequences take place in an actual historical war.

We recently had a chance to sit down with The King’s Man stars Harris Dickinson and Gemma Arterton. During the interview, I was able to ask if this setting impacted the theme of the movie. When I brought up the phrase “anti-war,” breakout lead Dickinson responded surprisingly. For Dickinson, his character is keen to show there are other ways to solve issues rather than going to war.

Yeah, no, I think that’s an astute point. I think that’s what’s so interesting about Ralph’s character…The point he’s trying to prove essentially is that there’s better ways to solve conflicts. Whether that’s directly linked to the point in question of war or whether it’s all conflicts in general. We’ve had a terrible history of wars and the human cost of it has been devastating. So, yeah.
Harris Dickinson

Arterton gave her own thoughts soon after Dickinson. For her, she feels Vaughn is commenting on the opposition of using violence to prevent violence.

Yeah, I think you’re right. I think it is a message that Matthew wanted to convey, and I think he believes that very strongly. This Kingsman agency, having been created so that, y’know – the inevitability is that there will always be conflict. There will always be people disagreeing, and potentially wars breaking out. So, Kingsman being created to kind of protect and try to prevent that from happening. I guess it’s sort of a peaceful organization that uses, like, guns and violence and knives and stuff to stop these things from happening. So yeah…it’s the message of the film.
Gemma Arterton

As The King’s Man readies to hit theaters, a third Kingsman film is finally confirmed to be in the works with production kicking off in Sept. 2022. Vaughn, who confirmed the news, returns as the director. As it stands, no further details are currently available.

The King’s Man hits theaters on December 22nd.

December 20, 2021
A Brief History of Denials by Marvel Studios Actors, V2

Charlie Cox

After reports of his return to the role of Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home began to circulate, Charlie Cox was peppered with questions for nearly a year. Steadfast in his denial at first (“My answer is no comment; I don’t know what’s going to happen. I genuinely don’t know.“), Cox softened over time. Cox made a brief but memorable cameo in No Way Home and is expected to show up again in She-Hulk.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Back in 2014, Benedict Cumberbatch spoke to MTV about the possibilities of him portraying Doctor Strange and he mentioned that at the time, it couldn’t work out because he was doing a little play called ‘Hamlet’ in London. “So I don’t think I could even if that was in the cards. It sounds like a fantastic project. It’s a shame if I miss out, but who knows?” Of course, Cumberbatch has already portrayed the character 6 times and just completed reshoots on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where he’ll be playing multiple versions of the character in his 7th MCU appearance.

Andrew Garfield

After more substantial rumors about his return as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home began to show up online, Garfied began to feel the heat. When asked about his potential reprisal in the Spring, Garfield said, “They might be doing something, but ain’t like I ain’t got a call.” To his credit, he kept up the lie up until the film’s release, telling Wired, “No, I’m not. I’m not! Crying out loud. But I’m really excited to see what they’re gonna do with the next movie because I just love them,” just a week before the film’s release.

Tom Holland

Unfortunately for Holland, nobody was forced to lie more about the returns of previous Spider-Man Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. The denials are too numerous to list here, but the poor guy has to be feeling relieved now.

Brie Larson

Larson was revealed as Captain Marvel at SDCC ’16 but rumors of her involvement pre-dated that by quite a bit. In a 2015 interview with MTV, Larson did less denying and more playing dumb when asked about the character:

So would I be playing a man? This is interesting, I’m kind of into it… I thought I was always forever going to be stuck playing female roles but I’m down to play Chris Evans. Oh wait no, Chris Evans is Captain America. Who’s Captain Marvel? I have no idea what I’m talking about. But people want me to play this? OK good to know. I guess I gotta start reading the comic book.

Larson finally appeared as Carol Danvers in 2019’s Captain Marvel and recently completed filming on The Marvels after making a cameo in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings and is expected to be a Marvel Studios mainstay over the next decade.

Evangeline Lilly

Taking the lead from her Ant-Man co-star, Evangeline Lilly denied the rumors of her being the female lead in Ant-Man back in 2014. She stated back then that “No, I can’t. I don’t know anything about those rumors.” Lilly’s character became the first female MCU title character and joins Rudd in returning for the third Ant-Man film.

Jonathan Majors

After Jonathan Majors was cast as Kang the Conqueror, rumors surfaced that the character would first appear in Loki. Given the timing of his casting, the rumors made a lot of sense, but Majors went on record denying the rumors saying, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” To be fair, the rumors weren’t entirely accurate as he portrayed He Who Remains, technically a Variant of Kang, so Majors might have some wiggle room.

Tatiana Maslany

Just a month after a trade reported that Maslany had signed on for the role of Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, the actress went into full denial mode, saying:

That actually isn’t a real thing and it’s like a press release that’s gotten out of hand. I’ve been connected to these things in the past and press has gotten onto it, but it’s not actually a thing, unfortunately. I don’t know how these things get – I don’t know, I don’t know. You know better; I have no idea.

Trade reports are about as good as it gets in terms of accuracy and this one hit the mark as well. Maslany will be seen in She-Hulk sometime in 2022.

Jeremy Renner

Even an original core member of the Avengers had denied he was cast. Back in 2010, Jeremy Renner stated that the Hawkeye rumor was “just one of those things that got blown way out of proportion. It was an idea…So there’s truth that we talked about it, but there’s no truth to me doing it. “ The actor first popped up for a cameo in Thor and now Renner has been an MCU mainstay, finally leading his own project and potentially moving into a second decade of work as the Avenging Archer.

Paul Rudd

Let’s all go back to a simpler time, 2013. Paul Rudd is fresh off production from Anchorman 2. By that time, Variety had released a report saying that Rudd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were the frontrunners to portray Ant-Man in the MCU. When asked about the subject, Rudd stated said “It’s all rumor, man!”. Rumor indeed, Paul! Rudd just completed principal photography on Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which will be the 7th time he has portrayed the character he was only rumored to portray, including voicing him in What If…?.

At this point, it’s modus operandi for Marvel Studios but it truly serves no purpose other than to create a sense of mistrust in the actors. However, it is unlikely to change, so we’ll just keep updating this list.

December 20, 2021
‘Hawkeye’ From Page to Screen: Episode 5
The Hawkeye series finally introduced none other than Kingpin at the very end of its penultimate episode, after quite some time teasing the villain’s introduction. While Kingpin did not play a particularly central role in the Matt Fraction and David Aja My Life as a Weapon comic, it’s clear that his role in both the comics and show has some major overlaps worth exploring. Is the Kingpin, better known as Wilson Fisk, just the man behind the curtain, or is he more involved than it seems?

In the comic he is heavily involved in three major areas of interest: (1) he’s at the top of the Tracksuit Mafia food chain; (2) he was at a black-market auction to buy incriminating evidence on Clint Barton; and (3) he was involved in hiring an assassin to kill Clint Barton. This article will explore each of these elements in turn and how they relate to the Hawkeye series.

The Guy Clint’s Been Worried About
- Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 5
- Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 5
One thing we know about Kingpin in every adaptation is that he is at the top of the New York City criminal organization pyramid. We know little so far from the Hawkeye series, but in the comics, Kingpin is a general presence that overshadows much of the crime syndicates below him. In both the series and the comic, Clint is hesitant to work with Kate or go about his general business, not because of the Tracksuit Mafia, but because of who they work for. In the series, Clint tells Kate that they do not want to get too involved, because they could run into the “Big Guy”. In the comics, Kingpin delivers a speech to a cohort of villains that “Clint Barton must die,” for interfering with their plans. The Tracksuit Mafia makes it pretty clear the Clint that they work for someone much more powerful. Later on, it’s obvious that Fisk is at least one of who they are referring to. As seen below, the comics make it much more explicit than the Disney+ series does.

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

‘Hawkeye’ #8 (2013)

The Auction

Curiously, both the comics and the series feature a black market auction for Barton and Avengers-related items. In the series, of course, we see people bid on the Ronin sword, but the Tracksuit Mafia break into the event to grab the still-mysterious Avengers-related watch before it goes up for sale. While Clint tells Kate that the watch could blow the cover of his friend, in the comics a tape of Clint assassinating targets on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. goes up for auction. Kate manages to buy the tape – in disguise as Madame Masque – and, you can guess, Kingpin is not too happy.

‘Hawkeye’ #4 (2012)
- ‘Hawkeye’ #4 (2012)
In the series, the first episode shows Jack and Armand Duquesne at the said auction that featured several items found from the destroyed Avengers compounds, including Ronin’s sword, suit, and the mysterious watch. While we did not see Kingpin physically at the auction, we know the Tracksuit Mafia—that he controls—broke in to steal the watch. As little as we know about the watch, it’s clear it might have the same effect on the owner and Clint’s tape in the comics did on him.

‘Hawkeye’ #4 (2012)

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 1

The Assassin
- ‘Hawkeye’ #9 (2013)
- Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 4
In the comics, Kingpin is one member of a group, including the Tracksuit Mafia, that decides to hire an assassin to kill Clint Barton. He hires Kazimierz Kazimierczak in the comics, who is otherwise known as the Clown. The Kazi in the series definitely strays from the Kazimierz in the comics, so we have not seen any elements of the “Clown” at this point. But in the series, Episode 5 tells us that Kate’s mother Eleanor hired Yelena Belova to kill Clint. Shortly after, we find out that Eleanor appears to be working with Kingpin, begging the question as to whether he was involved in the live-action scheme to take down Clint Barton.

While Kingpin’s introduction was fairly small in Hawkeye Episode 5, it’s worth noting the connections he has to the Fraction-Aja comics. We’ll find out more about Kingpin’s involvement in the Hawkeye finale on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, when it airs on Disney+.
December 20, 2021
Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 11: Reviewing ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

Anthony Canton III

Spider-Man: No Way Home is the epitome of what an epic superhero film should be. It’s attention to the history of Spider-Man films is in some ways so on point it’s jarring. Emotionally it’s gut wrenching and heartbreaking, yet hopeful. Tom Holland is a superstar of the highest order. It’s a satisfying conclusion to a wonderful trilogy yet it leaves something on the table for the future. It enters my top 5 MCU films as even with its long awaited hype and knowledge, it still delivers. There are character performances from many that are excellent and full of depth. Willem Dafoe specifically delivers a performance the likes of which we might never see again. The theater experience was at Infinity War/Endgame levels. They have a tough act to follow to top this film, but I’ll be happy to see them try. The opportunity to tell new stories will be excellent for the franchise going forward.

Filip Manka

Wow, they made it. After all the misgivings, disastrous leaks, and promotional material, I got a really good and coherent Peter Parker/ Spider-Man story. It’s not a perfect movie. There’s a lot of bad editing and scripted scenes, the visuals and CGI are miserable for the most part, and the dialogue in many scenes leaves a lot to be desired. However, the amount of heart, the understanding of this character, the world with really surprising interactions, and the meta layers were something really good. It was an amazing experience, a fan event that did a great job of embracing a large amount of fan service emotionally.
I had a great time. There was a lot of emotion, laughter, and at times embarrassment, but I’m happy that underneath all that content, we got a good conclusion to the trilogy. The future promises to be wonderful!

Hunter Radesi

I’ve been disappointed in this Spider-Man for months. I never wanted this movie to tackle the multiverse, and I definitely didn’t want what felt like a clear trajectory for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker to be sidetracked by studio-driven money grab. This is why, against all odds, it brings me great joy to say I actually really liked No Way Home. I suppose what I wasn’t expecting was for the film to be so aggressively Spider-Man in nearly every way. Holland’s Peter gets an arc that works with his previous story, while propelling him forward into his next era. As much as I wanted to see new villains close out this trilogy, I could not contain my nerdy excitement when personal favorites like Willem Dafoe and Andrew Garfield showed their faces again. And boy, did they show them. Absolute top tier performances from the duo, as well as Holland and Zendaya. While I did miss the lower-level, high school hijinks of the previous installments, there’s just something about a theater going insane together that can’t be beat.

John Sabato

Spider-Man: No Way Home is an incredible closing film of the Homecoming trilogy. While the film’s biggest fault is the spell plot, it makes up for it with brilliant character work and performances from everyone. Tom Holland shines in this film, truly his best performance as Spidey: he’s giving it everything he’s got. Willem Dafoe is another standout here; his return is unhinged and wildly unpredictably, the way he’s able to just turn it on and off is what makes him so interesting, and almost sympathize with him. The end of the film is what really seals the deal and promises an interesting path forward and will surely give the fans everything they’ve wanted with MCU Spider-Man in the next trilogy.

Mary Maerz

I thought No Way Home was wonderfuI was impressed that it managed to be a great movie and experience despite the ridiculous build up to it. It somehow delivered on all of its “promises” but yet the movie didn’t really suffer from the “it’s trying to do too much” plague that caused plenty of other comic book movies to not be successful, including past installments of Sony’s Spider-Man franchise. While Tom Holland’s Peter Parker definitely got a genuinely emotional and strong story, the best parts of the movie (to me, by far) were still the Sony crossovers. The dialogue and character interactions were very strong, especially considering how forced the situations in which the characters found themselves in actually were. I do not truly understand the Endgame comparisons–yes, it was a very ambitious crossover and finale-type event, but Endgame was a culmination of 22 movies worth of essentially the same story, whereas No Way Home was more of a celebration of the three live-action eras of Spider-Man within Holland’s third solo movie. So No Way Home is no doubt one of the biggest solo movies of all time, but it didn’t hit anywhere near as hard as Endgame did for me. Because of how much it relied on the Sony crossovers, I am curious to see how this movie ages once the novelty wears off. Last but not least, No Way Home’s plot really made no sense and there are countless plot holes or at least major questions that the movie just completely ignores. To be fair, No Way Home was great even with that caveat, but I’m always going to be frustrated by that.

Charles Murphy

The most comic booky Marvel Studios movie to date. The most Spider-Man Spider-Man movie to date. The most Peter Parker Spider-Man movie to date. Spider-Man: No Way Home is all these things. Emotionally, this film is on par with Infinity War and Endgame. And while part of that comes from Tom Holland, who has delivered on these scenes time and time again, there’s no doubt that the return of Andrew Garfield, whose masterful understanding of the character was enhanced by his turn here as an older, embittered Spider-Man, caused an emotional overload. Peter has been put through the ringer during his first few years as Spider-Man and No Way Home boldly tackled those themes and allowed Holland’s Peter to learn the true cost of being Spider-Man. Parker Luck was on full display. The returning characters served the story well and their arcs show that both Spider-Man and the Marvel Studios crew have grown in the way they deal with and treat villains. Helping people is what Spider-Man is supposed to do and, at the end of the day, that’s what happened here. Easily the best movie of the year and the best live-action Spider-Man film to date.

Megan Murphy

Spider-Man: No Way Home has got to be the best Marvel Studios production yet. Differing from other Marvel movies, I never had a moment to blink or a hint of boredom. This movie had such an intriguing plot that never skipped a beat. The incorporation of both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield has opened up a whole new world for Marvel (literally and metaphorically). Although characters from other universes have shown up in Loki , What If?, and Into the Spider-Verse, this movie by far takes the cake on opening new opportunities. With Spider-Man being such a popular character and the popularity the Spider-Man movies have gained, I think that the true idea of the multiverse will be able to come to light after Spider-Man: No Way Home. Marvel Studios will now have so many opportunities to introduce new characters and the audience will have a better understanding of the multiverse and its extremities. In the end, this movie was one of the best ever Marvel movies with many to choose from.

December 19, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Rhys Ifans Discusses “Larger Than Life” Portrayal of Rasputin

Every movie has that stand-out character you keep thinking about after the film is over. If the marketing for The King’s Man is any indication, it may be Rhys Ifans‘ Rasputin that takes the cake there.

During a recent interview with the Welsh actor to promote The King’s Man, I was able to ask about his unrecognizable portrayal of the famed Russian mystic. After I mentioned the actor typically played more subdued characters, he seemingly agreed. For Ifans, everything he’s done before is “subdued” when coming those roles to the likes of Rasputin. As he puts it, there’s a certain “Matthew Vaughn-ness” to the character.

I think everything is subdued compared to what I do in this. What was required of me in this movie – I think Rasputin has to be, in this manifestation, in this movie…a weather system. When he arrives, he can’t be ‘Rasputin’ he has to be ‘RASPUTIN’. It has to have that Matthew Vaughn-ness.
Rhys Ifans

Ifans continued, discussing the actual Rasputin’s influence on his performance:

Although, the real Rasputin was very much larger than life. He was referred to as the ‘Mad Monk’. He was impossible to kill. He had a huge physical presence. It was great fun to play. Characters like that lend themselves well to franchises like this where you can bend the rules and magnify moments in time. I had so much fun working on it…It’s as extreme as it gets.
Rhys Ifans

Grigori Rasputin is a renowned historical figure, best known for being a wildly influential holy man in his native country. In the film, he’s one of the many villains going up against Ralph Fiennes and his fellow heroes.

The King’s Man opens nationwide in theaters on Dec. 22nd.

December 19, 2021
The Pulse: Collecting the Biggest News of the Week of December 12th-18th

One of the biggest movies in the biggest film franchise of all time makes a lot of money.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was greeted with an enthusiasm from audiences all around the world that we probably haven’t seen since Avengers: Endgame. That led to it surpassing expectations in what regards its domestic debut. The incredible reviews it got, coupled with the passionate word of mouth, seems to hint at its box office tally continued growth at a steady rhythm in the coming weeks.

New characters added to ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

726 variants of Mephisto are set to debut on the Doctor Strange sequel that’s set to premiere next year. We’ll get Grumpy Mephisto, Sleepy Mephisto, Dopey, Sneezy, and several more. According to a trade report, the movie will be setting up the Multiverse as the MCU takes a deep dive into the concept, after only tip-toeing through it in the more recent projects.

Spider-M4n is a go

The worst best-kept secret in Hollywood outside of everything regarding Spider-Man: No Way Home has been finally made public. Spider-Man 4 is confirmed to be in active development over at Marvel Studios meaning the web-slinger will continue his cinematic journey alongside, should we say, much more likable, powerful and overall heroic characters. Hopefully, this fourth solo outing, that may or may not evolve into a new trilogy (it depends if fans finally start connecting with such an obnoxious and awkward character), will focus more on a struggling Parker as he leaves his vigilante days behind him and gets a real job for once.

Karate Kid spin-off² goes back to where it all started.

Xolo Maridueña is set to become the superhero his Cobra Kai days have shown he always had the potential to be. His debut in the upcoming Blue Beetle has now moved from being an HBO Max exclusive to a full-fledged theatrical release. Hopefully, this not only hints at a hopeful future in what the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, with audiences back in theaters but at a worthy final product that’ll justify the push to the big screen where expectations are bound to increase. Now just cast Elisabeth Shue as La Dama.

‘Hawkeye’ finale being an hour long screws even more healthy sleeping schedules.

This is a bit of news that will probably anger east-coast fans as next Thursday’s productivity might be at an all-time low. For everybody else, besides being cool that we’ll be having more minutes to enjoy, it seems to hint that Hawkeye might actually resolve most of its storylines. The plot twist will probably be that the show will use those extra minutes to develop a few more unresolved storylines and have the MCU never address them ever again.

Jim Mickle is set to adapt one of the best movies you haven’t watched yet.

There’s this guy working at Marvel Comics who, ever since starting at the company, has written some of the most absurdly awesome storylines ever put to paper this century. From Doctor Strange to the Silver Surfer, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Venom, there’s hardly a character he has touched that didn’t instantly become a must-read series. But before all of this he wrote God Country, over at Image Comics. His name is Donny Cates, and he is working on the adaptation that Legendary is putting together, alongside Jim Mickle. Mickle also adapted the iconic comic series Sweet Tooth for Netflix, a series that didn’t get enough attention as it probably was in the top 5 of comic book adaptations in 2021. Meaning he should be good at his job. So being, God Country is on the right path to become a huge disappointment as it seems to have nowhere to go but down, given the quality of the source material and the talent already attached to it.

December 18, 2021