My Thoughts On Something {I Thought} I Didn't Like

To say the least, sometimes I surprise myself.

I literally do not watch superhero movies. Ever.
It's just NOT my thing at all. I've tried to watch them before and ended up hating them. (Captain America.... *cough*)
This being the case, I was indifferent when my mom suggested watching "The first Spiderman" last weekend. (This is the original one from 2002 where Peter Parker first becomes Spiderman.)
Anyways, I was like "Ok, sure, fine, whatever." I really didn't care what we watched, and I wasn't planning on watching it anyways, but instead I wanted to do some crafts while the rest of my family watched.
"I'll only watch until the part where he becomes Spiderman." I said.

From the looks of this post, you can guess that I did end up watching the ENTIRE thing, because partway through I decided that I wanted to finish it.
And guess what.
I LIKED IT.
(SURPRISE!)

No, I'm not going to be joining the "Marvel Fandom" anytime soon. No, you can not expect to see half a dozen "Superhero Posts" on the blog every week.  (Heaven forbid that!)
But I did have some interesting thoughts on this movie and I wanted to share them. 
I have to say though: this review is so different from what I usually post that it's weird. Like, you'll see my pretty sidebar and pictures of flowers and "Period dramas" and "Old Movies" and Random Prettiness and then...
A Spiderman post. XD
What is my life. 
 I mean, I guess you don't have to read it if you don't want to. It's all good with me. :)

I mentioned this is the movie where Peter Parker becomes "Spiderman". Keep in mind that I know nothing about the original comic stories so forgive me if my ignorance rears it's ugly head in this post as I attempt to discuss something which I know little about. *clears throat* Now let me get into all that I had planned to say.

So, this guy Peter Parker (played by Tobey Maguire, who did a really good job with the part- in my opinion) is an awkward bullied weakling at his high school. The only thing he's got going for him is that he has ONE solitary friend who always sticks by him. 
He also has a tremendous crush on a girl that he would never dream of trying to impress. After all, she has a boyfriend, and is popular and well-liked, so how could he possible ever ask her to go out with him? Alas, there are too many things in his way, too many things to hold him back. Plus he's really shy.

Need I say more?

The setup for the movie is really just a big cliche if you think about it. He lives with his aunt and uncle (no parents in the picture...), he's a dramatically unpopular science and photography nerd with glasses and a not-very-interesting persona.

Hmm. Where have I seen this scenario before? Try EVERY movie EVER. (Well not exactly. But you get what I'm saying.) 

Anyways. 

Peter's school goes on a field trip to a science lab (of sorts) when a genetically modified spider drops by (uninvited) and surprise! Bites him. 

Well, he heads home and falls into some sort of stupor from the poison.When he wakes up, he realizes that he feels different...somehow.
He no longer needs glasses. In fact, he can see just fine. He has a strange ability to acutely detect the smallest movement or change of atmosphere around him. And his once wimpy sort of body is now stronger with the strength to scale walls and is also (need I say it?) more attractive. The funny thing is that he figures out all this stuff at the WRONG TIMES. Please, watch this 3 minute clip from the movie. You'll see what I mean. XD

 Oh, and his hands are sticky and able to cling to any surface. He can even spin webs with them. Imagine that. :)
Slowly, he makes himself accustomed to his new skills. This part of the movie probably has the funniest moments, as he begins to slowly change from regular life to the new superhero life. He's gotta protect his identity, figure himself out, and all that. It's quite funny, sometimes. I mean look at this and how cute and amusing it is. XD

Let's just say now our unpopular little friend has a very interesting way to spend his free time. His "buddies" at high school are noticing that he has changed (somewhat) for the better, and they stop bullying him as they realize that he is no longer the weak pushover her once was.

Don't mind me. Just goin' down my aunt and uncle's staircase. 

The public is beginning to notice him too, as he saves people from house fires and burglaries and such. He even gets himself a super spide-y suit! The best thing is, his crush notices he's different too, and likes it. Sadly, he still doesn't have the nerve to ask her out. (*sigh* Isn't that sad?)

Her face tho.

But things aren't all on the rosy side. A company owner (who happens to be the father of Peter's only best friend), desperate to save his dying industry and impress his investors, does something drastic to himself, accidentally turning himself into a super-villain (which is so totally NOT cliche).
On top of that, someone in Peter's family is killed in an accident, and it's (coincidentally) Peter's fault.
So now he's got a cheesy villain guy who's trying to kill him, and Peter has to protect the only family he has left. And maybe, just MAYBE, protect the girl he loves.

To whom it may concern, this is the guy who plays the voice of Gill in "Finding Nemo". Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I would LIKE to tell you more of the story, but I don't wanna spoil it for you.
In spite of Peter's scenario being a cliche, I feel like his character arc was written pretty well. I always like it when a character is different from who they were at the beginning. In the end Peter Parker has changed so much (and for the better) that you just love him because it's realistic.
The best part is, his crush LIKES him that way too. :)
She did a good job in this movie as well, by the way. I was quite impressed with the red hair. :)
(On a side note, I just found out that this is the same girl who plays Marie Antoinette from this movie.)

Lemme tell you why I tend to like 'older' action/superhero movies better than more recent ones. Because the new ones are seriously violent. I feel like the more we go through the 2010s, superhero movies get more violent and less meaningful. I mentioned that I didn't like the Captain America movies. Specifically, the FIRST one. Why, you ask? It was so violent (and the violence wasn't even that bad, just shooting and punching and stuff like that, but it was so OFTEN) that I didn't have time to enjoy Steve. The movie was too fast-paced, and I was swept along from one (violent) event to the next, and here is Steve who's TRYING at least to do the right thing for his country (I mean, he's Captain America...), but we hardly ever got to spend quality time with him and see his true character.
And I wasn't enjoying that.
So I turned the movie off.

When a movie is violent so often that I can't even get to know the characters or appreciate what they're going through, then I an forced to deem that movie unworthy of my time, and, sadly, it gets turned off and snubbed at. I'm pretty tired of movies like that.
It's what Hollywood is dishing out to us, it's what we have to deal with, and it's JUST SO DUMB.

Why can't they make superhero movies so that even peace-loving people like me can enjoy them?!
But no! Being on the explosions, they say!!!

Geez!

* * * * * 

Now that THAT rant is over with, let me get back to Spider-Man.
I do have to say a few things I liked about Peter (at least THIS Peter, meaning the Maguire Peter):

1. He wasn't pretentious.
2. He cried sometimes.
3. He was adorable and funny and the cutest moron ever. Without trying to be.
4. He wanted to do the right thing.
5. He was sorry for his mistakes.

You see, I like to watch characters who give me GOOD REASONS to like them as a person.
And I will therefore cheer them on as they do their thing, and enjoy their movies immensely, because hey! This character is worth my precious time! 

Yes those are pizza boxes. Don't ask. XD

THE BOTTOM LINE IS:
(Now that I have finally REACHED the bottom line...)
For all the reasons I mentioned above, even though I am an avid hater (well, "hater" sounds too harsh. Let's call me a "disliker") of all things Marvel, I really liked Spider-Man (2002). There wasn't a ton of violence (except for a LITTLE), there wasn't a ton of sexy things (except for a TINY BIT), and there wasn't a ton of cuss words (except for a FEW).
It was adorable and a little cheesy and a little dated, but BY GOLLY I LOVED IT.

There you go.
NOW DON'T MAKE FUN OF ME. *covers face in defense*

P.S. The best thing about seeing this movie is I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THIS GIF. And believe me, it's funny!

Bye now!