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Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Please note that there are spoilers in this review!

One of the biggest releases of the year was undoubtedly Spider-Man: No Way Home. Marking the last installment of the latest Spider-Man trilogy, we get to see Tom Holland make another great outing as everybody’s favourite neighbourhood superhero, Spider-Man. The film follows the aftermath of Spider-Man’s identity becoming known to the world following the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home and Peter Parker’s attempt to rectify the situation after his life and the lives of those he loves most including girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) as the trio are rejected from every college they applied for due to Peter’s notoriety. Inspired by previous events within the MCU, Parker seeks help from the reclusive Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to fix the situation but the spell goes awry and the multiverse is opened, bringing in previous villains from other Spider-Man films including Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Lizard (Rhys Ifans). The villains’ inclusion was known from the outset, but there was been a lot of speculation in the lead-up to the film’s release as there were rumours that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were due to join forces with Holland in order to fight the group which was in fact true and the result is a fantastic battle.

Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Jon Watts returning to direct following his previous efforts on Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home and is written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Where some franchises within the Marvel Universe can become inconsistent, especially when the teams behind the camera are changed on a regular basis but it feels that Sony and Marvel have done a great job ensuring that this Spider-Man trilogy is not only consistent, but shows growth and character development in a way that is slow-burning and believable meaning that watching them on release ensures that nothing feels too different from the preceding film while watching the three films together will clearly show Peter’s maturity develop and allowing the audience to see clearly differences between Peter at the start of Spider-Man: Homecoming and the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Tom Holland is just as likeable as ever and in a film littered with even more stars from the Spider-Man universe, he is able to maintain his standing as the leading man with ease and hold his own against Macguire and Garfield’s Parker. What is great about Holland’s performance is that we see a more mature Peter compared to the previous installments while also capturing that glimpse of naivety that teenagers have during times of trouble. It’s a balanced performance that shows Holland capable of presenting us with a protagonist who finds that what is right and what is moral can be conflicting and the results of which can be devastating. His chemistry with Zendaya is also undeniable and the relationship between Peter and MJ feels as though it has grown so much since Spider-Man: Homecoming adding yet another layer to his performance as Peter.

As one of a couple female characters in the film, Zendaya is fantastic as MJ. MJ is not simply identifiable as Peter’s girlfriend but is defined by her intelligence and personality which shines through and the writing and Zendaya’s fearless performance ensure that MJ is an active part of the plan to defeat the villains. Where in the other Spider-Man films (as in Maguire and Garfield’s run), Mary Jane and Gwen were often reduced to the damsel in distress and used as a ploy for villains to get Spider-Man to fight them, MJ is never put in that box and consistently comes up with solutions for Peter to follow, despite not having the powers that he does.

The main event of the film was undoubtedly the return of Maguire and Garfield who bring their interpretations of Spider-Man to the film and the results are fantastic. Rather than just turning up at the final fight, Garfield and Maguire turn up around halfway through which gives plenty of time for the three Peters to become acquainted with each other and build a rapport that is enjoyable to watch and makes for one of the year’s best teams on film. It’s clear that each actor is having a blast with the role and that radiates from their performances. The writing picks up on the differences between each Spider-Man’s universe and includes jokes and comments such as Maguire’s Peter having no idea who the Avengers are while Garfield’s Spider-Man reflects on the loss of Gwen Stacy (which happened in The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

When it comes to the villain performances, the highlights are Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus and Jamie Foxx as Electro. Doctor Octopus is initially seen as an unofficial leader of the group and Molina can always be counted on to provide a brilliant performance. Molina’s performance as Doctor Octopus is gripping from the outset as he has to deal with the confusion of being in an alternative universe while also encountering figures from his past who he believed had died. Spider-Man: No Way Home does a great job at blurring the lines between superhero and villain and this allows Molina to delve even deeper with Doctor Octopus’ character than ever before. Jamie Foxx is another highlight but in a different way. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 did not give Electro’s character the development and nuance needed for Foxx to really shine while the writing in this film does and Electro proves to be one of the best villain characters in the entire film thanks to his sharp wit and strong power that makes him incredibly hard to defeat. It’s clear that Foxx is even more comfortable and confident in the role in this film and the writing also helps to make Electro’s interactions with others feel more natural and believable when compared to his appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

On the surface, it can seem that there is too much going on in Spider-Man: No Way Home but the pacing of the film is perfectly done while still giving plenty of character development for the returning faces which makes it a fantastic watch. Being able to do justice for an interesting character like Electro who wan’t given much in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was nice to see as well as allowing Holland, Maguire and Garfield to have plenty of fun as a team which makes the fight sequences incredibly fun to watch.

What did you think of Spider-Man: No Way Home? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Spider-Man: No Way Home is available to view in cinemas now!

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Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)

Tick, Tick… Boom! is one of many film adaptations inspired by musicals and this one sheds light on the creative process and its struggles of the musical’s writer and subject, Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield). Larson was known for writing the musical Rent which is one of the most popular and loved by people across the world. What people may not know is how Larson struggled to make it big in the musical theatre world which is what Tick, Tick… Boom! explores. The musical follows Larson who is trying to get his new musical approved and funded by respected members in the Broadway community including figures like Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford). The musical in itself is brilliant and acts as a fantastic tribute to the world of musical theatre and the people who helped build it to what it is now.

When deciding to adapt the musical, it seems only natural that Netflix would choose someone who is just as prolific in the musical theatre world and who else to choose than the incredibly talented Lin-Manuel Miranda. The mind behind In the Heights and Hamilton and songwriter for Moana and Encanto, Tick, Tick… Boom! marks Miranda’s directorial debut and he delivers, marking his talent behind the camera with a stunning debut. Miranda’s passion for the musical and its subject is evident and it comes across in how he captures Larson’s perspective of the world and the magic and imagination of musical theatre with contrasts of the reality that Larson is living as he struggles to afford his rent and bills and is losing friends to HIV and AIDS amidst the epidemic. Miranda transports us to early 1990s New York and combines the original musical format that sees Larson and his costars perform onstage and recite the stories in a traditional setting with stagings of the events to keep it equally gripping.

There is no doubt that this film belongs to Andrew Garfield who is captivating and perfect for the role of Larson. Arguably Garfield’s career best performance and one that is sure to bring him a lot of attention this award’s season, his portrayal of Larson feels well-rounded and fully realised. He doesn’t always make the smart choices but his intentions are pure as his passion for music and musical theatre thwarts his love for everything else and we get to see the rewards and consequences of this. We feel the elation as Larson gets closer to achieving his goals such as his promising interactions with Stephen Sondheim while also witnessing the losses and downfalls as he comes to terms with the deaths of his friends with scenes such as his emotional encounter with best friend Michael (Robin de Jesús) who has recently discovered that he is HIV-positive. Garfield is magnetic from the first shot to the last and makes use of every scene in between. Not only does he pull off the performance fantastically but his singing voice is brilliant as well which makes it a great watch.

Alexandra Shipp plays Jonathan’s girlfriend, Susan, who is a dancer looking for a stable job following an injury that has put a spanner in her career. It is clear that Susan loves Jonathan and appreciates his talent but when Jonathan begins to neglect Susan and disregard her needs and the decision regarding her offer to teach full-time which would result moving out of state. Where Garfield’s performance sees Jonathan’s head in the clouds, Shipp’s performance weighs him back down to reality which makes their pairing a perfect match. The scene in which Jonathan imagines Susan singing “Come to Your Senses” and Shipp’s performance perfectly conveys the pain that her character feels as she had no choice but to follow her path despite her love for Jonathan.

There are plenty of great supporting performances that allow Garfield to shine even more. These include Vanessa Hudgens as Jonathan’s costar and actress, Karessa, who has the role as the female protagonist in Larson’s musical, Superbia, that he is trying to get funded. Hudgens doesn’t have a lot of screentime but she makes the most of the time she does have. Her performance of “Come to Your Senses” which plays alongside Shipp’s is beautiful and although it plays up the performative aspect of the number more than Shipp’s which leans more into the emotion, it shows the ability that the song has to exist both as a tribute to Susan as a character and as a musical number.

Since the film is a musical, it is important to talk about the music. As expected with a Larson production, the musical numbers are fantastic and filled with plenty of nuance and emotion. Tick, Tick… Boom! not only includes songs about Jonathan’s perspective and struggles to write a song but there are also a couple of songs included from the musical that he is trying to complete within the film. The songs are mainly sung by Jonathan but there are plenty of numbers that incorporate other cast members. One such highlight is “Sunday” which sees Jonathan escape his job for a moment as he imagines a life where he can mingle among Broadway stars. Jonathan sings in the diner as the patrons are all Broadway stars, many who Miranda has previously worked with before such as Phillipa Soo and Renée Elise Goldsberry, and other Broadway heavyweights including Phylicia Rashad, and Bernadette Peters. Not only is this number filled with stars but the performance itself is packed full of passion as it laments on the dreaming a life that is worlds apart from the one that Jonathan leads.

In a year that has seen a lot of musical film adaptations released, Tick, Tick… Boom! does a great job of standing out from the crowd. This film marks Garfield stepping out of his usual dramatic comfort zone and shows that he can lead a musical while Miranda shows his talents as director as his vision has been perfectly realised. Miranda merges reality with fantasy as Larson’s world begins to turn and transform to the world inside his mind. With scenes like “Sunday”, this is a film that demands multiple viewings and shows Larson’s talent as a pioneering figure in musical figure and the interesting portrayal of himself including his flaws.

What did you think of Tick, Tick… Boom!? Let me know in the comments below!

Tick, Tick… Boom! is available to stream on Netflix now!

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Top 5 Andrew Garfield Performances

Andrew Garfield is one of the most exciting millennial actors out there with a huge resume under his belt that boasts film, theatre and television. Since his breakout role in David Fincher’s The Social Network, Garfield’s talents have gone from strength to strength and his career has brought him an Academy Award nomination, two BAFTA nominations and a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway production of Angels in America. He’s a fearless actor and clearly wants to stretch himself and show off the range he has.

His filmography isn’t as extensive as his television and stage work but this proves the care that he takes in selecting his roles. One his earlier roles that I absolutely adore is The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) which in true Terry Gilliam style is utterly bonkers but Garfield is wonderful as troupe member, Anton. The fact that that performance doesn’t even make the top 5 just shows his skill as an actor.

Without further ado, here are my top 5 Andrew Garfield performances in chronological order:

The Social Network (2010)

The one that gave him his big breakout into the mainstream, Garfield plays Harvard student, Eduardo Saverin a seed investor for Thefacebook, a website created by fellow student and friend, Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). In this biopic following the founding of the world’s biggest social media platform, we see Garfield in a significant supporting role in which sees him as a crucial part of Facebook’s inception and then ultimately his ownership is reduced and his profit is minimal. Bolstered by a stellar script by Aaron Sorkin and brilliant direction by Fincher, the part of Saverin is already a meaty role but Garfield goes the extra mile and makes the most of his limited screen time. Even when he is not on the screen, his impact is felt throughout the film. It shows that even at the early stages of his film career, Garfield is looking for risky roles. Not to mention the perfect delivery of the line: Sorry! My Prada’s at the cleaners! Along with my hoodie and my ‘fuck you’ flip-flops, you pretentious douchebag!

Never Let Me Go (2010)

Based on the novel of the same name by Nobel prize winner Kazao Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go is a nostalgic dystopic story about unknowing clones who are raised and brought up to be harvested for their organs. Following the three protagonists Kathy H (Carey Mulligan), Ruth C (Keira Knightley) and Tommy D (Garfield) who are three donors. We watch their journey from their innocent childhood to fully aware adults and the deterioration of their friendships and their lives as they are forced to donate their organs and start dying in the process. Garfield holds his own against this starry cast which also features Charlotte Rampling and Sally Hawkins to name a few. Tommy D is such a complex character as he begins to express his feelings through art in the hope that this will save him and Kathy H. At the start of the film, Tommy is an angry young boy who doesn’t know where to project his frustration but the adult Tommy is more restrained. You can see the tension bubbling to the service with Garfield’s performance and the climactic scene in which he breaks down is heart-breaking to watch. Watching the desperation as Tommy accumulates years and years of art in which his love is expressed and ultimately rejected makes for one of the best performances of the year that was sadly overlooked.

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99 Homes (2014)

Now for my favourite Garfield performance. Fresh off the back from starring as Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man and it’s subsequent sequel, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Garfield would be starring in blockbuster after blockbuster. However, he not only starred but also co-produced his next film 99 Homes, an indie following construction worker, Dennis Nash (Garfield) and his struggle to keep a job which leads to his family being evicted from their home. The eviction is led by the ruthless Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) who Nash starts to work for and begins to be led down a rabbit hole of corruption and deceit. It shows the desperation to survive in a failing climate and what people will do in the pursuit of security. Nash commits awful criminal and moral activities but we don’t judge him for it because we know the background behind this and the intentions. When Dennis is forced to carry out an eviction, his reaction is the complete opposite to Rick’s emotionless demeanor. Whereas Shannon thrives portraying impenetrable characters, Garfield’s characters always wear their heart on their sleeve and none more so than Dennis Nash. Shannon definitely dominates the film as a whole and also provides one of his own career bests but Garfield’s performance should not be overlooked because of this. Seeing him play a young, struggling father who is also tasked with taking care of his mother (Laura Dern) demonstrates his range and versatility.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

The biggest performance of his career so far and one that cemented him as a reliable leading man, Garfield leads this biopic about Desmond Doss, a pacifist soldier who acts as a doctor during the Battle of Okinawa at Hacksaw Ridge. Doss refuses to engage in any violent act and even goes into battle without a weapon to protect himself. He was renowned for savings the lives of countless soldiers on both sides. The film itself was a bit overrated as a whole in my opinion (it felt like an imitation of Full Metal Jacket in the first half and is overall an oddly paced film) but Garfield shines in the lead role. There are some unbelievably brilliant scenes such as the climb up the Ridge when the soldiers realise that the rope ladders is soaked with blood. The film is definitely worth a watch just for Garfield’s performance alone and was well worth the Oscar nomination it received. The film was met with controversy thanks to Mel Gibson’s involvement as director and his subsequent awards attention. In my opinion, however, I find his direction a bit too indulgent in this film and not one of the highlights. This is a film that Garfield alone elevates, telling the story of a peacemaker’s experience in the eye of a bloody war.

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Silence (2016)

2016 was unarguably a brilliant year for Garfield. His second feature of the year sees him working with Martin Scorsese in an adaptation of Silence as Father Sebastião Rodrigues, a Portuguese priest who ventures to Edo era Japan to seek out fellow priest Cristóvão Ferreira (Liam Neeson). The film is set during the Shimabara Rebellion that sees Christianity outlawed and anyone who refuses to denounce Christ tortured or killed. Accompanied by Father Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver), Sebastião’s faith is tried and tested throughout as this 3 hour epic follows the trials and tribulations of a suppressed community in a land where they are outsiders. The film is a slow burner but it is a deeply layered film with rewardingly textured performances. Both 2016 films see Garfield play devout Christians in war-torn Japan at different eras but the performances couldn’t be further apart. The psychological effects of torture that Sebastião is forced to endure is shown perfectly by Garfield. We feel Sebastião’s inner turmoil as his reluctance to denounce Christ harms not only himself but others around him.

It’s exciting to see an actor unafraid to showcase a diverse range in a multitude of mediums. He has achieved a lot in a relatively short amount of time and it’s exciting to see what projects he takes on next.

Which Andrew Garfield performance is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!