Spider-Man: Far From Home – My restrained views.

It is so difficult to write about Marvel films without letting out a spoiler. Especially in the second installment of this franchise.

It is a fun film. As usual. Since it gives you a very teenage kind of feeling, everything is really advanced, rapid and modern. I loved Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers‘s script, having just the right amount of everything. The story put through is obviously the next chapter, post Avengers: End Game and explains casually, how Peter Parker is affected, after the sad demise of Tony Stark (Iron Man).

The direction (by Jon Watts – who also directed the first part) is great. The technological/graphical parts of the film [which is most of the film] will impress you. A lot. It is really mind blowing what all you can create by just putting green screens everywhere around the actors and letting a computer do it’s part. Undoubtedly, the graphic and/or VFX (visual effects) designers do most of it.

One thing I couldn’t understand is that how Mary Jane’s (MJ) character has completely taken a turn from what we had witnessed in the Tobey Maguire‘s Spider-Man series. Herein, MJ (played by Zendaya) is completely obsessed with Peter Parker [and weirdly stalks him too] since the first part, Spider-Man: Homecoming. It was a complete different scenario in Sam Raimi‘s directed Spider-Man franchise.

It is rejuvenating to have a new character, Jake Gyllenhaal (as Mysterio) who actually enhanced the film. He is truly a brilliant actor. Sober, yet effective. The twists and turns in this sequel, along with great suspenseful moments will keep surprising you every now and then. The comedy portion is a little less, however present, compared to other Marvel films.

Everything has changed, ever since the brilliant Tom Holland (as Peter Parker/Spider-Man) has taken over. The costumes, the actors, the names, the villains. For the most basic examples, Aunt May/May Parker’s character is now played by the sizzling Marisa Tomei or Peter Parker has a best friend, Ned Leeds (played by Jacob Batalon). Beginning from 2002, what Spider-Man (played by Tobey Maguire) used to be and what it is now. How the characters revolving around him have altered. How Spider-Man got involved with Avengers. The inclusion of Tony Stark/Iron Man in his life. I have accepted it. It’s great. Yet, deep down somewhere in my heart, I will always miss Tobey Maguire. What he created on the screen was something else. Unspeakable. Magic.

4/5

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Is WhatsApp a lifeline today?

I tried this for ten odd days when I had given my phone for repair and didn’t have a backup phone. I said to myself, “Let’s try living in a world without WhatsApp.”

I put my sim card in a feature phone – which doesn’t have a capability of installation and usage of social media applications and messengers. I had a little bit of ego growing inside of me. Whoever wants to contact me, shall do it in any way. There are other mediums too. They could call me? Or text me. Just like the olden times. The era of late nineties and most of 2000’s.

Most of my contacts didn’t realize that I am off WhatsApp. Well, I had put it on my story. Didn’t they see it? I used to log in on my Facebook account, once in a while, through my laptop to check if it really was the “other” medium of communication. But, I found my inbox empty.

I really didn’t bother so much about my friends and family trying to connect with me or contacting through this application. Because I knew they would do it through any medium, if they really needed me. Whom I got worried about, were my clients. Some of which contacted me ONLY through WhatsApp to place orders. And when finally I made a rough decision of buying a low-budget backup phone and appeared again on WhatsApp, there really was a message from one of my clients {along with hundred other group chat messages and personal messages from friends} and he did give me a couple of orders. If I would have been a week late, I might have not gotten that order.

I really feel that most of us humans have become so dependent on WhatsApp. Probably chained and locked to it. Gone are the days where we used to be without smartphones. Gone are the days where there used to be so much of letter writing. Gone are the days where there used to be one-to-one, face-to-face, real conversations. Hence, I want to ask you this question. Do you really think business should be done on these social messengers? Isn’t electronic mail a better option? Doesn’t it feel more professional? Can WhatsApp and other social messengers be neglected? Just for a little bit of peace, perhaps?

Avengers: End Game – No spoilers inside.

Over the decades, we were made to believe that superheroes always save the day and it always ends on the note of happily ever after. Post Avengers: Infinity War, the directors (Anthony & Joe) took the Avengers series to the next level. It had grown older. It had bigger wings. It had a more realistic and a mature approach. It has reached beyond the point where the graphical representation, the actors’ performances or even the photographic work are being praised. We are way past that. Hence, it is the plot or script where it must actually flourish.

Admitting, that this one had a mediocre start. A little laid back. Possibly more practical. More human-like. The most longed-for film is huge, yet, it is not what I wanted it to be, or as per my assumption and what many of the moviegoers [especially Marvel fans] might have wanted it to be. However, it makes you run through a lot of emotions. It is inclusive of a few applause-worthy and whistle-worthy scenes. Avengers: End Game has explained the term C’est La Vie, very conspicuously. Two factors which were supported and displayed in a crystal manner, were feminism and racism. In my opinion, these factors are supposed to be conveyed very indirectly. Furthermore, this motion picture is running for twenty four hours in a few parts of the world. It has already made double of it’s investment, in the matter of two days. Fans have watched it five to six times already. That is something!

It is beautiful how Anthony and Joe Russo stitched the ten years of films of the MCU along with the End Game, combining the past, the present and the future and gave it a sense of completion. The appreciable factor is that the audience were kind and lived up to Russo brothers’ expectations and made sure to follow their appeal. Moreover, it is also important that you know that if you are expecting any after credit scenes [which Marvel fans usually do; even I did], there aren’t any. And a more pressing matter is that if you haven’t been following all the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks, you WILL not understand the details of the characters and the film.

If I talk any more about the flick, the chances of a disclosure is very high.

3.5/5