The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – Spotlight Podcast 5:18

Andrew Garfield (left) and Dane DeHaan are but two flies trapped in the tangled web that is THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.
Andrew Garfield (left) and Dane DeHaan are but two flies trapped in the tangled web that is THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.

To be perfectly blunt about it, big studio blockbuster releases typically don’t fail as spectacularly as THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2. Oh they can be bad, but a comforting buffer of test screenings, focus groups, top-level executive intervention, and directorial and editorial wisdom tend to at least modulate them into some form of narrative coherence. Watching them isn’t akin to witnessing a trained chimpanzee trying to explain quantum physics.
Between the two super-villains, the romantic troubles between conflicted super-hero Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and his ambitious girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), the ongoing corporate espionage/missing parents story-arc, a new will-Spidey-share-his-blood-for-a-dangerous-but-possibly-lifesaving-procedure subplot, the ever-present exploration of the with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility theme (featuring a guest appearance by Denis Leary as Dolefully Glowering Ghost), Paul Giamatti in a tragically wasted role, and somewhere on the order of 23 discreet endings, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is one astoundingly awful mess. This is BATMAN AND ROBIN-grade disaster, so stunningly bad that the Cinefantastique Online team of Steve Biodrowski, Lawrence French, and Dan Persons get a little giddy trying to suss out what went wrong. Click on the player to hear the show.

THE CROODS & A RESURRECTION: CFQ Spotlight Podcast 4:12.1

Higglety Pigglety Pop!: Or There Must Be More to Life Than Living in a Cave: Emma Stone seeks broader horizons in THE CROODS.
Higglety Pigglety Pop!: Or There Must Be More to Life Than Living in a Cave: Emma Stone seeks broader horizons in THE CROODS.

We should be grateful that mainstream entertainment has evolved enough for an animated tale of a prehistoric family not to be solely defined by how many times the work “rock” is prefixed to other nouns. The new DreamWorks film, THE CROODS, is about a primitive clan — led by cautious father Nicolas Cage — facing their own evolutionary upheavals, including a rebellious teen daughter (Emma Stone), a brainy stranger — he’s got shoes! (Ryan Reynolds), and a little thing called the continental drift. Cinefantastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski, Lawrence French, and Dan Persons saw this fanciful tale of survival, and got together to discuss the awesome production design, the occasionally-serviceable, occasionally-better comedy, and when we’ll see it’s-all-about-family plotting finally collapse from total exhaustion.
Plus: Dan discusses the low-budget horror film, A RESURRECTION; what’s coming to theaters; and Steve vanishes into a temporal rift, only to emerge later in the week for a Laserblast episode.

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THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN; SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE; & ADVENTURE TIME

Respinning the Web: Andrew Garfiled dons the spandex for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.
Respinning the Web: Andrew Garfiled dons the spandex for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.

Nothing like using the patriotic holiday of the Fourth of July to re-introduce the U.S. to a beloved New York Commie liberal. Or THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, if you will: Big Apple native and irradiated-arachnid-bit crime fighter. Sony has decided to punch the reboot button for what is actually the fourth installment of the franchise (but should we start counting from one again?). Gone is the post-college, working-joe Peter Parker; the revenge-obsessed Harry Osborne; and romantic shuttlecock Mary Jane. Here instead is Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), humble high-school student; big bad villain, the Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and alt love-interest Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Plus the wrinkle of a whole new conspiracy theory added to the tragic death of Parker’s parents and his eventual transformation into the cocky web-slinger.
Come join Cinefantastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski, Lawrence French, and Dan Persons as they determine whether going back to square one was worth the effort, how director Marc Webb’s approach to the legend varies from Sam Raimi’s, and whether there are limits to Chekov’s observations on introducing a gun in the first act. Then, Dan will give his takes on the indie horror comedy SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE, and the cult animated kids show, ADVENTURE TIME: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. Plus: What’s coming to theaters next week.

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1st Pic of Garfield as Peter Parker

Emma Stone & Andrew GarfieldJustJared is featuring a gallery of pictures from a location shoot of the new SPIDER-MAN film, giving us the first look at Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.
Taken January 4th in the bleachers of a football stadium in Los Angeles, the scene features Parker and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) sharing a kiss.
The fashion choices for Garfield as Peter Parker give him a rather funkier haircut and style than I would think of for the  nerdy, clean-cut bookworm of the comics. Possibly this Peter has a bit more edge than traditionally depicted.

Emma Stone & Andrew Garfield
Click to Enlarge

Still no title announced for the Columbia Pictures reboot of the franchise. See ten more pictures at the link above.

via BleedingCool

Denis Leary to join 'Spider-Man'?

Leary_rescueMEAccording to The Hollywood Reporter,  Denis Leary (RESCUE ME) is in talks to play Captain George Stacy, the policeman father of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) love interest.
In the comic books, Capt. Stacy deduces Peter Parker is Spider-Man, but keeps the knowledge to himself, tacitly approving his activities.  He dies after being hit by falling bricks during a battle between Spider-Man and Doc Ock — an accident Gwen blames on the web-slinger. This of course complicates her relationship with Peter, leading to a temporary break-up.
It’s unknown if the script by  James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent of the as-yet-untitled movie will feature any of these incidents, or variations thereof.

Spider-Man Villain to be Lizard?

According to The Wrap , the villain that Rhys Ifans will be playing in Sony/Columbia’s SPIDER-MAN reboot is Dr. Curt Connors — The Lizard.
Dylan Baker played Dr. Connors in SPIDER-MAN 2 and 3, as a sympathetic professor to Peter Parker, presumably before his experiments to regrow his missing arm.
In the original comics, Spider-Man discovers the Lizard in Florida when Peter Parker goes to investigate the case for The Daily Bugle. He uses Connors’ notes to affect an at least temporary cure for the condition, though he would sometime relapse back into his bipedal reptile form.

rhys_ifans
Rhys Ifans

Amazing Spider-Man #6
Amazing Spider-Man #6

Spider-Man Casting: Ryhs Ifans

rhys_ifansAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Welsh actor Rhys Ifans (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS) will play the un-named villain, opposite Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker) and Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy), in the as-yet-untitled Spider-Man reboot.
 The annoumcement came from Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures.
 Tolmach is quoted as saying the following:

 “We have been very fortunate to attract some of the best actors working today to play the villains in the SPIDER-MAN movies, and it is exciting to see that trend continue with Rhys Ifans. After seeing his performance in our upcoming film ANONYMOUS, we’re in awe of his talent and think he’s the perfect choice to take on this role.”

The new movie, to be directed by Marc Webb from a script by James Vanderbilt and produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin,  is set to begin production in December, with a July 3rd, 2012 release in mind.

Emma Stone to play Gwen Stacy

emma_stone_ZombielandUPDATED: According to Sony Pictures Studio,  Emma Stone (ZOMBIELAND) has been cast in the  the role of Gwen Stacy, not  Mary Jane Watson in the Spider-Man reboot.
 
Deadline.com and other online sources previously indicated that Stone had been cast as Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) later girlfriend and future wife Mary Jane, rather than the (in the comics) ill-fated Gwen Stacy, his first major love interest. 
Betty Brant (JJJ’s secretary) and schoolmate Liz Allen also had an interest in Peter Parker.

For a bookworm, young Peter did pretty well with the ladies...
For a bookworm, young Peter did pretty well with the ladies...

Mary Jane Cast in Spider-man Reboot?

emma_stone_ZombielandAccording to Deadline,  Columbia is offering Emma Stone (ZOMBIELAND) the role of Mary Jane Watson in the Spider-Man reboot.
 
Peter Parker’s first major girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, will also be in the film.  Dianna Agron (GLEE), Dominique McElligott (MOON),  Georgina Haig (ROADKILL) and Mia Wasikowska (ALICE IN WONDERLAND) are said to be under consideration for the role.