Spider-Man 3 and the trailers before it.

Spider-man_3

I saw the first showing. I saw it on 42nd street in NYC. I got there at 10AM, an hour before the showing,  and the line to get in was already halfway down the block--literally. The first showing must had been sold out or close to it. Some of the later shows already were sold out through advanced ticket sales.

How was it? It was excellent! I don't know if it was the best of the three, but it was as good as any of the three, and that's good enough for me.

I was concerned, for reasons listed below, and because I read some negative reviews before hand. Oner said that there is a lot of crying in the movie. There is, but it isn't because Spidey got a paper cut or something. It because the scene called for it.

I won't spoil the plot for you, but everything you may have read or figured out in the trailers is in the movie plus a whole lot more. It's a 2 and a half hour movie (although it doesn't seem it). There are a lot of twists and turns.

Great acting all around. Although, for some, like Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy and James Cromwell as Captain George Stacy, they have one or two pivotal moments in this movie but it seems like they are just setting the stage for a bigger role for the characters in a sequel.

But good acting from all the prinicples. And it was good to see that all the actors from previous installments returned again. Elizabeth Banks plays Betty Brant in all three. This is a small supporting role and she is on the verge of becoming a leading lady.She has grown out of the supporting role stage of her career, but she came back. This might be due to contractual obligation. But I'd like to think it is more by choice.  

As for a sequel, they have left it open, but if this is the last one, it has a nice sense of closure.

I also had the joy of seeing it in a NYC theater. Which means that anytime action slowed, some members of the audience thought that it meant that it was their time to talk. But it also means some scenes that were meant to have an impact had a big one. Needless to say, I am probably going to see it again tonight or tomorrow at a quieter, local theater.

Now the previews. The was no offical FF trailer, which I thought was odd. There was an "inside look" before the previews, which looked really cool, but no actual trailer.

 

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: A longer trailer explain more of the story. This is the one volume I had yet to read. Seems much darker.
• Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End: Same preview I saw before. Kinda balsy to advertise what could be the one of the biggest movies of the summer before another contender for the biggest movie of the summer.
• Rescue Dawn: Based on a true story, Christian Bale stars as a pilot shot down in Laos who makes a daring escape. Steve Zahn plays against type as a fellow prisioner who Bale tries to save. Don't know how this played to the audience. It looked good (although I'm not a fan of military prison escape movies) but I don't think it was up the audiences alley.
• Bourne Ultimatum: I liked the Bourne Identity, and have yet to see the Bourne Supremacy, but this movie looks good. I have a soft spot for any movie that can convince me Matt Damon is a badass.
• Across the Universe: This is a musical featuring the music of the Beatles. Weird trailer. Well, to begin with, it looks like the plot is forced to make use of the music. It's a love story! It's a turbulent tale of the sixties! It's a portrait of an artist! And then. seemingly out of nowhere, it turns into a trippy psychedelic movie. Part of me is interested in this, but then again I am interested in car wrecks. Do I really want to see my favorite Beatles songs with a bad film running in my mind every time I hear them? BTW, Michael Jackson (or whoever gave up the rights) should be shot. Not just for this instance of the abuse of the Beatles music, but for all of them.
• Surf's Up: I am almost reaching my saturation point with penguins. I loved March of the Penguins, really liked Happy Feet, but this one kinda makes me want to say "enough". Surfing penguins? Come on. I only hope this trend continues long enough for a Opus movie. And then stops.