Despicable Me 3

Many franchises fall into the same trap when they come to the third movie, where some are great (Toy Story 3, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, The Dark Knight Rises), others are fail miserably (Shrek The Third, Hangover Part III, Spiderman 3, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) and more are split (Terminator: Rise of the Machines, Back to the Future Part III, The Godfather Part III, Iron Man 3). After two fun family films and a – actually nice – spin-off in "Minions," "Despicable Me 3" comes with some surprising satisfaction that it ended June off right, after what was a pretty dry blockbuster month (Baywatch, The Mummy, Transformers: The Last Knight) after opening with a smash in "Wonder Woman." 

The story starts with Gru and Lucy as they work as agents for the AVL (Anti-Vilian League) but the two get fired by their new boss (Jenny Slate), after the previous one (Steve Coogan) retires, after being tricked by '80s child star turned completely retro villain Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker). With nothing they can do, Gru, Lucy and the three adopted daughters get some surprising news when Gru is told he has a long-lost twin brother Dru, also voiced by Steve Carell, who lives a very affluent life but has inner desires of his own that may make Gru return to being a villain. 

Jack Bottomley stated in his review, "The core concept is certainly a familiar one and the film does bare some of the faults present in sequels but Coffin and Balda’s movie completely avoids franchise fatigue and the convention of its ‘long lost family member concept’ thanks to constant entertainment and numerous stand out moments that actually make it the series’ most consistently enjoyable offering." It is nice that the film showed you 90% of what the trailers showed you in the first 10-15 minutes, making the remainder of the movie mostly a surprise. Even though the plot may not be completely original it tells the story with a few bad jokes of inspired visual looks and bizarrily brilliant ideas. 

Bottomley stated, "Gru and Dru are a warm double act, thanks to the diverse vocal work of Carell, allowing Gru to remain on a good balance between wholesome and mischievous, Dru however borders entirely on the latter but not at the expense of likability (save for the odd moment where he broaches annoyance but the script never stays still long enough to allow that to happen). Wiig as Lucy also gets an arc of her own, as she tries to connect with the girls as a mother and it is nice to see matriarchal struggle given some focus, over the usual daddy issue plots that populate animation/live-action." Even the sisters get their own arcs, with Agnes (now voiced by Nev Scharrel) in search of a Unicorn, Edith helping Agnes and Margo shoving off a boy (Adrian Ciscato) who apparently, she married after a cheese serving. 

Even though you might have come because you're a fan of Gru, you will watch this for two very different reasons. Bottomley said, "However, while you may come to see Gru, you will stay for two very different reasons. Firstly, after their own movie, The Minions (Pierre Coffin) get the best comedic moments in the entire film, with hilarious musical sequences and slapstick, headlined by a gut grabbing rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Modern Major General”." The second reason is Balthazar Bratt, who is a hysterical creation, which is done by Trey Parker from the hit cartoon, "South Park." Bratt has got to be the franchises best villain and is better developed than many of the movie's superhero movie antagonists. Bottomley said, "Giddily gimmick based, with a zany backstory, a cool and unusual array of ‘80s adoring weaponry/gadgets and Parker’s goofy voice work combining to create a dancing, narcissistic, fallen kids TV star antagonist that feels fresh and oh so bad in the best possible way! In fact he reminds a touch of the Babydoll character in Batman: The Animated Series...anyone? No? Just us then." 

From the amazing opening to the climatic finale and returning characters (one temporarily written out in a cleverly right way) to new song-and-dance moments (literally), "Despicable Me 3" is one of the most family (and fan) pleasing enjoyment. Bottomley ended his review by stating, "The narrative structure hardly reeks of freshness and not every joke is on target but the tomfoolery is infectious, the Minions continue to steal spotlights, the sugar rush action engages and Trey Parker’s moustachioed megalomaniac is a scene stealing blast!" 

If you love this series, like I do, then you should definitely see this movie. I went alone and saw this movie on opening day, which was not a disappointment at all. If you were not fond of the "Minions" spin-off, then this movie you will like. Don't worry, take the whole family to the theater to see this, they will love it.  It might be the best in the series.

Thank you for joining in on "Despicable Me Month." I hope everyone enjoyed my reviews. Stay tuned next month for a series of reviews that I am really looking forward to.

Minions

If the banana looking characters from the “Despicable Me” series made you roll on the floor laughing, you’ll find no break in “Minions,” released in 2015, the third chapter in the series. Gru and his three adopted daughters are not in the film, nor does Pharrell Williams’ sing the soundtrack. Instead, Gru’s loyal Minions are our protagonist, highlighted by a 60s era, Beatles-heavy soundtrack that must have had some copyright permissions. Odie Henderson stated in the review, “Guided (and voiced) by co-director Pierre Coffin, the minion species earns an origin story that begins in the primordial soup and ends 42 years B.G. (Before Gru).” Since “Minions” doesn’t have the emotional moments of this series, you would think that it is just a movie made to make some money by the cheapskates at Universal. That thinking is wrong, because this movie isn’t in that vain.

However, “Minions” is harsh and in multiple ways. It’s harsh in how it shows the slapstick-filled hijinks that will keep your children’s eyes on the screen. Henderson noted, “Then, sensing the duress that parents were under when their aforementioned crumbsnatchers demanded to see it, the film relentlessly throws every single oldies station pop and rock song it can find at the speakers. “Minions” opens with The Turtles’ “Happy Together,” ends post-credits with The Beatles’ “Revolution” and finds time for a number from “Hair” that threatens to end the way Act 1 of that musical did.” If that wasn’t enough, the cast includes the great Jon Hamm from “Mad Men,” Michael Keaton and Sandra Bullock as Gru’s predecessor to villainy, the beautifully named Scarlett Overkill.

Before I talk about Scarlett Overkill, our narrator, done by the great Geoffrey Rush, tells us about the evolution of the minion. They walked out of their caves to serve T-Rexes, pharaohs and even Napoleon, who banished them to Antarctica after a mistake in the cannon accident. Tired with their cold cave, minion leader Kevin leaves to find a new master for his members. He asks for volunteers and gets one-eyed Stuart and the littlest comic Bon, who is small even by minion standards.

On their mission, this funny trio once in a while sing a song, singing in their hilarious Minion language that no one can understand. (Henderson admitted, “I understood some of their dialogue, which scared the heck out of me.”) Not being able to understand a word they are saying might be one reason “Minions” will be successful abroad. This is a film where foreign countries will not need to dub over them. This is also why, out of all the “Despicable Me” films, “Minions” is targeted towards the youngest of movie audiences.

The minion mission is to reach the 1968 Villain-Con conference, where they can find a new villain masters. Their first stop is the biggest attraction in USA, New York City. From there, they get a ride to Orlando with a family of bank robbers led by Michael Keaton and Alison Janney. They really do a lot of their short screen time, bringing a funny delivery to their lines before the film unleashes a hilarious clothing sight gag. Keaton and Janney are a lot more fun than Scarlett Overkill, who also wants to steal but more of royal objects.

When it comes to talking characteristics, Overkill could have used more of her family name. Other than a great entrance that showcases Bullock’s best line reading in the film, she’s not a memorable villain. Henderson mentioned, “Her reputation precedes her—she’s touted as the ne plus ultra of villainy—but all she seems to do is yell.” Since the minions’ main reason in life is to serve the world’s most evil villains, Scarlett seems to be the right one. She’s looking for new minions to help her steal the crown jewels and become Queen of England, so Kevin and his friends are tempted to sign up for the audition.

Unfortunately for Kevin and the Minions,, Queen Elizabeth II won’t be an easy target. Henderson noted, “She’s a lot more spry in 1968 than she’ll be in 2015.” She beats up the minions in their first encounter. Henderson said, “The Queen also comes off as more Swingin’ Sixties babe than the Oscar-winning Helen Mirren portrayal, though I suppose she could be channeling the 1968 version of Helen Mirren.” In the role, Jennifer Saunders is absolutely phenomenal. Along with its polychromatic attentions to its famous locations, she’s the movie’s saving grace. Henderson said, “I can only imagine how the second half jabs at all things British will play in the U.K., but like everything else in “Minions,” they come as a fast and furious series of non-stop gags.”

Henderson noted, “The film ends with the appearance of a famous character from the series, which can be read as either the biggest fan pander or the set-up for yet another prequel that will bridge the gap between “Minions” and “Despicable Me.” I’d like to see that movie. In fact, that story should have been the plot of this movie.”

Who cares, we must work with what we see on screen. The greedy desire to please originating from the screen is, quite obviously, tiring. Henderson noted, ““Minions” is a big, slobbery dog who licks your face, brings your slippers and humps your leg before turning into an adorable kitten with big eyes and a soulful mew. And, so help me, I couldn’t stay mad at it for long. Every time it got aggravating, it would immediately do something that made me smile and forgive it. Bear in mind that, as my "Despicable Me 2" review mentioned, I’m a big minions fan. Fandom is a pre-requisite for this movie, and if you’re not a fan, your kids probably are.” Smile and deal with it for them, because like the Pharrell song from the last movie, “Minions” is probably going to be inevitable.

In all honesty, as a prequel, I didn’t really like this as much as the original movies. That is actually an obvious reaction when watching it because any prequel hasn’t been better than the original movie. I can’t think of any that was better, but this one isn’t bad. It’s actually very funny and your kids will definitely be engaged while watching it. Definitely check it out if you’re a Minion fan because you will be laughing from first minute to last.

Check in next week for the finale in “Despicable Me Month” where I talk about the latest installment, that I saw on opening day.

Despicable Me 2

Odie Henderson started his review out by saying, “I enjoyed 2010's "Despicable Me" immensely, so I approached "Despicable Me 2" with a wary eye.” “Despicable Me” told a funny, nice, independent story about a man named Gru who steps down as a villain and decides to become an adopted father. The ending did not leave audiences on a cliffhanger that noted there would be a sequel. Henderson admitted, “Satisfied viewers like me sang "So Long, Farewell" to Gru and his crew.” Reps at Universal looked at "Despicable Me's" $251 million dollar domestic box office gross and sang "Never Can Say Goodbye."” Here we have another summer sequel.

“Despicable Me 2,” released in 2013, is as passable as it is superfluous. Henderson admitted, “Therein lies the rub for me. Here I sit on the fence between 2-1/2 and 3 stars, unsure of where I will fall.” The bad news is that it’s disappointing to see the returning protagonist who is not as good as his original creation. He’s fixed by the one thing that made “Despicable Me’s” ending so great. The good news is that there are an onslaught of amazing touches made with care and attention by cast and crew. Henderson stated, “These moments are so good I almost feel despicable for being undecided. So this review is a battle between Evil Film Critic Odie and Emotional Moviegoer Odie. You have a luxury I currently do not: You can look at the star rating above and see who won.”

The start of “Despicable Me 2” is what shows some great intelligence. An entire smart team and their station is attacked by a huge horseshoe magnet right out of the Warner Bros. cartoon subordinate, The Acme Company. Almost everyone and everything is hilariously taken to the sky and relocated, except for a port-a-potty and the scared person inside of it. This kind of villainy is what gets the attention of the AVI, an organization that finds and reports this deadly attack Gru did when he was in “Despicable Me.” The AVI sends out agent Lucy, voiced by Kristen Wiig, to ask Gru to use his skills of antagonist deduction to find out who’s behind the attacks of magnetic character. Lucy thinks she’ll ask nicely by electrocuting Gru with a “lipstick taser” before throwing him into the trunk of her high-tech car/plane/boat.

Before he meets up with Lucy, Gru was living a boring, house-trained life. Now retired, the only despicable thing he is committing on society is tasting jams and jellies. This makes his colleague Dr. Nefario to resign and goes to work for a new villain. Gru’s new project will help his undercover case as a vendor at the local mall. Lucy believes the intelligence AVI wants one of the other store owners at the mall. Henderson noted, “Suspects include a hairdresser, whose appearance conjures up images of "Shampoo" recast with Paul Williams, and an extremely masculine Mexican restaurant owner whom Gru thinks bears strong resemblance to a bad guy named "El Macho." Since El Macho es muerte (his death scene will put hair on your chest), Gru is immediately suspicious.”

Henderson noted, “Al Pacino was supposed to play Eduardo, the guy Gru thinks is El Macho. Al left the movie, but his accent apparently remained. Benjamin Bratt picks up the most over-the-top Hispanic accent since Tony Montana and runs a marathon with it. His line readings are a blast, though some viewers might find Eduardo somewhat politically incorrect. Whether Eduardo is El Macho isn't important; he brings much needed spark to "Despicable Me 2," upstaging Gru at every turn. In fact, until the climax, everyone upstages Gru. Carrell's accented line readings are still a pleasure, but I wanted more of the old Gru's scheming.”

Henderson goes on to say, “"Despicable Me 2" does offer a few flashes of what endeared me to its hero in the first place.” Gru’s suspicions about Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt) is more when the eldest adopted daughter Margo falls in love with Eduardo’s teenage son Antonio (Moises Arias). Gru’s hilarious unsuccessful (and otherwise cruel) attempts to keep Margo from growing up will relate to dads who are raising a daughter. Gru even brings his freeze gun out of retirement to cool Antonio’s growth spurs, however he points it at the wrong parts of this lover.

While Gru stresses about Margo falling in love, she and her sisters Agnes and Edith worry about his, even setting him up on one of those dating sites. When Agnes sees Lucy, she rightfully hooks that Gru has a crush on her. This potential subplot of is made to insert emotion into “Despicable Me 2.” Henderson admitted, “While it works for the most part (Agnes' big, expression-filled eyes are the animators' most glorious creations), nothing in the sequel comes as close to yanking my heartstrings as the moment when Gru, literally caught between the moon and New York City in the original, sees that pink ballet recital ticket floating in space.”

Henderson admitted, “"Despicable Me 2" lags on occasion, but every time I found my attention waning, the filmmakers did something wicked to goose me. Many of these moments involve my second favorite thing about "Despicable Me," Gru's minions. The cheerful little yellow creatures with overalls become integral plot points this time, undergoing a Gremlins-style metamorphosis to the dark side courtesy of our mystery villain. This leads to a nod to Philip Kaufman's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" that, dare I say, is worth the price of admission. The minions also figure in the second dressed-in-all-white homage to '90s music to appear in a 2013 summer film. I laughed so hard I almost spat out my soda. It was at that moment that I found myself torn about my star rating.”

This is where the viewers enter. Henderson said, “While I remain disappointed that the sequel gives me a subdued Gru and an uneven pace, I keep remembering things about "Despicable Me 2" that make me smile.” For every shoulder-shrug moment, there’s almost 2 well-done joke or lines. The voice talent is still brilliant, with Wiig, Bratt, Steve Coogan and the returning Russell Brand as stand-outs. Henderson noted, “The 3-D, as far as I can tell, is quite good, especially during the closing credits. (Full disclosure: like some of Gru's minions, I've only got one working eye, which turns 3-D into 2.25-D.) Some of the minor plot points pay off big time. I'm as enamored of the Pharrell Williams songs in this one as I was in the first film (and they're well used).” Directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, and screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul insert a few sweet moments of honest emotional weight from the relationship between Gru and his kids.

Henderson ended his review by saying, “With all that in mind, I have decided to award three stars to "Despicable Me 2." Besides, the Evil Film Critic has to win sometimes.”

With all of this said, I actually thought this movie was funnier than the first one. If you liked the first one and were thoroughly entertained by it, then this one is for you. We didn’t see this in theaters, although I was telling everyone let’s go see this one, along with “Monsters University.” However, when I rented this from the library, I found myself laughing more at this then the first one. I say to check this one out.

Check in next week for the spin-off of the series in “Despicable Me Month.”

Cars 3

Today, my brother and I went to see "Cars 3," which came out last month, and now I'll let you know what I thought about it. 

When "Cars 2" came out in 2011, Pixar was actually a rare studio that was releasing sequels that were better than the originals ("Toy Story 3" had become the third animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar). However, "Cars 2" didn't have the nice calmness of the first film and instead had some James Bond elements, which people didn't like at all, and it didn't seem to spark interest when it came to continuing the story of our favorite characters and added new characters just to sell toys to their highest selling merchandise. ("Cars 2" was the rare Pixar film that wasn't nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar). When a third film was announced, audiences felt like it wasn't going to be anywhere near watchable, and I can understand why. It will be hard to wash the bad taste of the second film. Drew Taylor stated in his review, "Thankfully “Cars 3” is a welcome return to form that makes you appreciate what made the first, woefully underappreciated film so special and pushes the series into some unexpected places." This is actually an enjoyable time to watch throughout. 

At the start of "Cars 3," famous racecar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) who notices that he is the only old racer that is being competed against the new breed of rookies, the main one being Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), a self-centered, integrated speedster. After Lightning's new sponsor Sterling, voiced by Nathan Fillion, offers to give him some of the new school training, he avoids the traditional style and instead decides to train the same way his mentor Doc Hudson (Paul Newman, in some previously recorded audio) followed. Along with energetic trainer Cruz (Cristela Alonzo), Lightning drives to demolition derbies racing against Miss Fritter (Lea DeLaria) and eventually goes to meet Smokey (Chris Cooper), one of the old school racers and Doc's former teacher. Eventually, as predicted, Lightning gets back his vibe and competes in the Florida race. 

One of the most appealing parts of "Cars 3" is just how opposite of "Cars 2" it is. Unlike "Cars 2," which crammed in so many new characters and people complained about the action, "Cars 3" is nicely paced, introduced only a handful of nicely done characters and focuses more on the central group of characters from the first film (Mater, the lovably annoying tow truck that was the central focus of the second film, reprised by Larry the Cable Guy, thankfully is back as a side character). Taylor stated, "The sequel was a technical achievement, for sure (the amount of stuff in that movie is dizzying), but what made the first film so special was its measured narrative (director John Lasseter admitted to it being a loving Hayao Miyazaki homage), melancholic nostalgia and emphasis on atmosphere over action. “Cars 3” is all about returning to the fundamentals that made Lightning such a strong racer in the first place and “Cars 3,” as a movie does just that – it does away with the unnecessary ornamentation of the sequel and focuses on what really matters (much credit should be given to director Brian Fee, who was a story artist on the first two films and makes his feature debut here, and co-writer Mike Rich, who has a strong grip on sports narrative conventions thanks to his work on “The Rookie,” “Miracle” and “Secretariat“)." 

Taylor goes on to say, "When “The Good Dinosaur” was finally released back in the fall of 2015 it introduced an unheard of level of realism into the Pixar sandbox, exemplified by that film’s naturalistic backgrounds that felt like something out of a Terrence Malick film." "Cars 3" does that type of level of detail and visual composure and pushes it so far. You will never see anything as amazing looking as this. There's a part early in the film where Lightning trains on a beach and you could probably feel the wave of the cool water on your face as he drives by. Taylor noted, "While this additional detail gives the racing sequences some added oomph (sparks fly, rubber pebbles bounce along the track, oil gushes), it also gives the entire movie an extra layer of complexity, since the cartoony characters, set against almost photo-real backdrops, lends everything a gentle surrealism. Oftentimes watching these cars against the most realistic looking mud, sand, or dirt, you’ve ever seen in an animated film, comes across as downright trippy." 

The essential part you'll get from "Cars 3" is enjoyment. This is Pixar at its most brilliant and playful. Taylor noted, "Lightning is a surprisingly complex character and the filmmakers have described the three films as a single arc, as the racecar goes from hotshot upstart to seasoned pro to worn out veteran (again: thank Rich)." It's been a little over a decade since the first film and I like seeing the filmmakers give that time with respect and dignity. One of the lessons Smokey mentions is the decency of aging and the accomplishment that comes from allowing a younger person have the spotlight (Taylor said, "it’s hard not to see this as a metaphor for Lasseter letting Fee take over the series’ directorial duties"). I don't think this will be the last of the "Cars" franchise, but if it is, then "Cars 3" makes sure that the series at least ended on a beautiful, hopeful note. Taylor ended his review by saying, "As the old saying goes, it’s not the years it’s the mileage and “Cars 3” makes that metaphor beautifully literal." 

If you didn't like "Cars 2," then "Cars 3" will wash that bad taste out of your mouth. I didn't hate "Cars 2," as I thought that was still watchable, but I do understand the problems that people have with it, as I stated in my review. My thing is I understand why they shouldn't have made Mater the central focus, seeing how I do not like Southern-style comedy, but thankfully this movie resolved that. There are some parts that forced some emotion and others that are predictable, but overall, this was a fun time. It's still not as good as the first one, even though I acknowledge that the first movie wasn't one of Pixar's best, but it was still one of their good ones. I consider this to be a passable, serviceable, watchable, harmless film. Don't worry, you can go to the theaters to see it. I personally would have liked it to see Lightning move forward with the romance they portrayed in the first one with Sally, reprised by Bonnie Hunt, but they never did. Still, if anyone has sons, you can take them to see this because they will like it a lot. 

Thank you for joining in on my review, stay tuned this Friday for the continuation of "Despicable Me Month."

Spider-Man Homecoming

How many Spider-Man reboots do we really need? I’m serious about this, since everyone is asking this. Sam Machkovech stated in his review, “The comic series often hinges on "boy-becomes-man" plot devices, so you don't want someone portraying Peter Parker who reaches 90210 levels of aging out. But the Menudo method of revolving-door casting can get exhausting with feature-length films.”

In order to not look completely like a reboot, “Spider-Man Homecoming,” which came out tonight, had so much expectations leading up to the release. Machkovech stated, “Thankfully, its every element, including one of the best "teen" actor ensembles I've ever seen, spins enough taut, sky-high webbing to leap it handily.”

We got our first look at Tom Holland playing Spider-Man in last year’s “Captain America: Civil War,” and “Spider-Man Homecoming” starts exactly where that left off. Peter is ready to join the Avengers team, but Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) doesn’t have the time to mentor Parker because Stark is off handling other business (the Sokovia Accord, a displeased Steve Rogers (Chris Evans in cameo appearances), a destroyed Avengers headquarters, etc.). Parker gets Stark’s word that he will be in touch when he needs Parker. At first, he’s excited and can hardly wait. This kid is so euphoric about being on the Avengers, he excitedly asks, “I can keep the suit!?”

However, this annoying enthusiasm (which is seen in the hilarious-but-aggravating “I record myself doing everything” beginning) quickly diminishes. We skip two months after what occurred in “Captain America: Civil War,” where Parker continuously texts Happy Hogan, reprised by Jon Favreau, asking when is the next mission, but doesn’t get a call back. Instead, Parker has been sneaking out after school and doing some minimal superhero tasks. It doesn’t take long for Spider-Man’s presence to get boring, with missing classes, infuriating friends (Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Isabella Amara, Jorge Lendeborg Jr, J.J. Totah, Abraham Attach, Tiffany Espensen, Angourie Rice, Michael Barbieri and Ethan Dizon), and worrying Aunt May, reprised by Marisa Tomei.

In other areas of New York, Adrian Toomes, played by Michael Keaton, sees his construction team deteriorating, somewhat due to Stark Enterprises. Toomes’ final assignment involves some Ultron-like weapons, which he decides to keep and use wrongly. This starts his black-market weapons practice and constant run-ins and fights with Parker.

Machkovech mentioned, “The first thing that stood out for me is how Spider-Man and Toomes (who flies around as the villain Vulture) get tangled up in a slow-burning, didn't-see-that-coming sequence of events.” “Spider-Man Homecoming” strays away from the usual, clichéd action-film archetypes when it needs to, and Parker’s youth and inexperience gradually differentiates the plot points. Holland kills it and showing just how cocky he is at being a superhero. Spider-Man’s learning process and improvements never completely turns into “I’m the best ever!” remarks. Even in the film’s final action sequence, he succeeds in heart and effort, not just a spur-of-the-moment mastery. Even more, he’s succeeded with more than one serious trait on his superhero career path. Parker’s work has paid off.

Holland succeeds with every weight of vulnerable-but-excited look. Machkovech admitted, “Bashful stuttering here, laugh-out-loud comedic timing there: I was watching the next coming of Michael J. Fox.” He definitely wins from the film’s huge cast. Machkovech credited, “Scene-stealing teen sidekick Jacob Batalon nails every hilarious line he's given, and his comedic blunders move the plot along without feeling like obnoxious, Hobbit-caliber mess-ups.” The rest of the student cast thankfully has a script that avoids so many things, one of them is making damsel in distresses in their female teen actresses (Laura Harrier, Zendaya).

The adults casted in the film (Tomei, Martin Starr, Hannibal Buress, Donald Glover and Jennifer Connelly as the voice of the A.I. in Spider-Man’s suit) have so much laughs with their less-is-more scripts, as well. (Particularly, Buress has a lot of fun in doing some hilarious “public service announcement” videos.) Machkovech admitted, “I found myself laughing pretty much the entire film through, and I'm curious how much of the hilarity can be blamed on script co-writer John Francis Daley, whom you may know as the youngest of the breakout Freaks & Geeks cast. That may also be why SMH has such a jones for geekdom, with a major plot point revolving around a national Academic Decathlon competition (and one funny hack sequence relying on a TI-86 graphing calculator).”

Spider-Man has got to be the most “Marvel” franchise that the comics business has done, when it comes to impatient, original attitude along with pretentious action scenes, and “Spider-Man Homecoming” really hits a homerun. Humor rightly finds its way in just about all the action scenes, whether it’s because of the spoken jokes or fascinating humor. Machkovech credited, “The biggest surprise in terms of this reboot's humorous action comes from the Tony Stark-ening of Parker's suit, which he and his sidekick eventually hack into to unlock new, confusing powers. Kind of like the time Bart Simpson drove a car over a North Pole elf, only multiplied by a thousand.”

“Spider-Man Homecoming” could have taken off 5 to 10 minutes without anyone looking away, but overall, the two-hour length didn’t feel long, boring or tedious. Machkovech admitted, “It has been a while since I've seen a comic book film declare that its hero "will return" and internally squee in response.” “Spider-Man Homecoming” is both faithful and innovative, hilarious and focused. Machkovech ended his review by stating, “With this film, Marvel Studios was able to shift its action-movie gears to make its first true "teen comedy" film, shamelessly lifting from the best of the John Hughes era, and the filmmakers here pull it off to nifty effect. The result is the first action film in years that I would recommend everyone I know go see.”

Spoiler alert: in the mid-credits scene, Toomes meets with Gargan, played by Michael Mando, in prison about joining a team that wants to defeat Spider-Man, but Toomes is not interested and doesn't reveal Spider-Man's identity. In the post-credits scene, Captain America appears to do a PSA, which is actually pretty funny.

In the end, I can’t recall the last time I saw a comic book movie on opening day. It must have been a while, I can tell you that. However, this movie has got to be the best “Spider-Man” movie I have seen since the second one directed by Sam Raimi. "Spider-Man Homecoming" becomes the best “Spider-Man” movie ever. This is another one of my favorite comic book movies. This was action-packed, hilarious, humanizing and had some really good legitimate drama. I liked how they showed how a kid becoming a superhero can make them feel cocky and want to rush into doing everything quick, which is correctly portrayed here. Tom Holland succeeded in this role, and I’m looking forward to seeing him in future Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Also, if Michael Keaton could pull off playing a superhero twice, you know he can play a super villain, and he plays it perfectly. If you want to see this movie in theaters, I can assure you that you will thoroughly enjoy this and will definitely get your money’s worth out of the ticket. Don’t worry, you can go to the theaters and you won’t feel like you have been ripped-off.

Thank you for joining in on my review of “Spider-Man Homecoming,” Stay tuned next week for the continuation of “Despicable Me Month.”