Top Five movies of 2012

Well, 2012 is over. Thank God, seemed all kinds of crap happened this year. Did the whole "end of the world" thing freak so many people out they decided to act like a bunch of morons? Anyway, let’s take a look back at the (hopefully) more pleasant part of the year, and that was the motion picture industry.
For starters, I was able to see -let me think for a second- a total of 17 movies in theaters this year. So, what else could I do but make a list of what I believe are the top five movies of the year?
Yes, there are other things I could do, but I can write this list. Therefore, I will.
Before I begin, I should probably say that this is merely a list derived from opinion, and not fact. Though I’m pretty certain of my choices, I kind of doubt others will completely agree with me. But if you did, I’d say you and I are in agreement on something.
Anyway, this is my official list of the tope five greatest movies of 2012. Hope you enjoy.



5. The Hunger Games

Reason(s) it should be Number One: The Hunger Games was a dangerous choice for a motion picture adaptation, as its quick rise to prominence in the literary field would mean it would have a legion of very devoted, very stubborn fans that would cry havoc on the slightest changes or deviation from the storyline. Remember, Hunger Games only came out a few years ago, 2008 I believe. When there is a shorter span of time between a franchise’s beginnings and something as major as a film adaptation, then often fans are very loyal to the source material, and a change from the original format is often unwelcome. However, what the film makers did with this movie was rather impressive, as much of Hunger Games was a spectacle for the eyes, a visual feast. Combine that with good acting from the main cast(Josh Hutcherson for one, and Jennifer Lawrence in particular), an already well-liked story, and you have a pretty good movie already. Add solid special effects, wonderful sound quality, and the movie is elevated once more.
But the defining piece of Hunger Games that places it at Number Five is its depth, an integral part of any movie, especially one such as this. Let me explain:
Most of us know the story of Hunger Games; children spanning from ages 12 to 18 are sent into an arena to fight to the death for the entertainment of the elite masses, whilst the poor are forced to suffer in horrible conditions, and forced to watch their own die.
Now take a look at our world. What are some of the most popular items in our culture? Probably, video games. And what are usually highly successful video game franchises? Right now(though I say this is due to declining quality in gaming overall more than anything), M rated games. Doom, Hitman, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Gears of War, and the list goes on. Not that I am condemning any of these games, just merely trying to make a point. I’m OK playing these games, and I’m fine with others my age or older playing these games. But every once in a while I hear of a very young child playing one of these. Examples would be a friend of mine in Junior High, his little brother(just a toddler) was an avid Halo player, a stupid judgement on the part of the parent. Heck, I was in Gamestop when an eight-year old tried to buy Mortal Kombat, one of the bloodiest gaming series of all time.
And what of other movies? Need I remind anyone of the slasher horror flicks, or mafia films? The list could go on for years.
We are a culture that breathes itself in blood. We crave it, we revere it, and we love to spill it. Yet, we are afraid to stop the tide that we have created amongst ourselves, at the expense of our unborn children that will never see the light of the sun. How much longer will it be before we are the very culture that send children to die for live entertainment?
Judging by Sandy Hook Elementary, we may already have arrived.

Reason(s) it SHOULDN’T be Number One: Hey camera guys, ever thought that maybe the camera doesn’t have to shake every two seconds? Good grief, I couldn’t concentrate on anything in this movie for more than a few seconds, the camera work was so awful. This is what happens when cameramen try to outdo themselves for that new style shot- it rarely ever works.

　
　
4: The Avengers

Reason(s) it should be Number One: Anybody who saw The Incredible Hulk knew Avengers was coming the moment Tony Stark began a discussion with General Ross, mentioning the "iced" super soldier project. Then, slowly through the next four years, the goal came to fruition: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, along with the side characters of Hawkeye and Black Widow.

We watched the sneak peeks, waited for trailers, grinding through the days that remained before the biggest superhero movie of all time arrived on the silver screen. It seemed to take eons, though it was less than a year between Cap and Avengers. But finally, The Avengers came. And holy crap, what a ride it was.
Cap led the way, Stark’s sarcastic bark hade bite, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth hammered his way into stardom, Hawkeye landed a perfect shot on an instant rise in popularity, Hulk smashed his way into awesomeness, Black Widow oozed sensual venom(perhaps awkward to some viewers, but I have to be honest here. Why else would they hire Scarlet Johansson?) and skill, Loki tricked and trapped us along the way to being a surprisingly popular villain, and Nick Fury proved he could be THE spy.
If you caught all of those awful puns, you deserve a cookie. Go grab one from your pantry and be please with yourself. Then, come back here and finish reading this article.
Perfectly mixed with humor, seriousness, talk and action, Avengers showed us just what Marvel was truly capable of, and, for those of us who bought the film with all the bonuses, revealed that they were just getting started. Believe me people, Marvel Phase One has ended, but Phase Two is set to begin. Should be one heck of a ride for the next few years.

Reason(s) it SHOULDN’T be Number One: And this is where I start getting crap from people.
Yes, Avengers is not the best movie of the year, sorry to disappoint you. Just what was the problem this film had?
Well, one little thing is Hulk’s transformation in the fight for Manhatten, as they never explained exactly how he was able to control himself, and the punch on Thor didn’t help things. A bit of poor writing in that moment, but it can be overlooked.
However, the chance for depth in this movie cannot. With all these characters together, personalities would bounce off each other worse than a pinball in a pinball machine, right? Yes, but not perfectly. Cap and Stark’s arguments bordered on annoying more than anything, and really only proved a couple things in the story. Cap was a true hero, selfless and brave. As his creator knew, a man’s true value would be exaggerated by the enhancement drug, and since Rodgers was already a good man as weakling, his goodness would only be increased.
Stark, however, was pretty much the complete opposite. Whenever he fought, it was for the most part either for survival or to save the life of Pepper Potts, his girl. Rarely did he fight to save innocents around him, only once actually. His sarcasm and benign indifference to the qualms and feelings of those around him proved to be more than irritating, driving Captain America to the point of fury. Only at the very end does Stark prove his mettle as a hero, but that’s it.
Perhaps this is a setup for more later on(Avengers 2 and Iron Man 3), but it left me rather disappointed. Oh well.

　
　
3. The Dark Knight Rises

Reason(s) it should be Number One: And here’s where I REALLY get crap from people. Marvel vs DC, in particular, Batman. Jeez, some people act like it’ll kill them if one is better than the other.
OK, I know you saw both of these movies. Face it, pretty much all of us did, unless you’re no fun and a spoilsport. But Dark Knight Rises was almost, if not moreso, as highly anticipated by moviegoers as the Avengers. Ever since we saw him running from the police at the end of The Dark Knight, fans and people across the world have been waiting for the conclusion to the Dark Knight trilogy, wondering, waiting, imagining the end of Gotham’s greatest hero.
Questions abounded for the third film in Nolan’s trilogy. Would Batman die? Would there be a Robin in the film? Would the League of Shadows return? Not even when the first teaser for the film came out, or even the first full trailer for this film, were any questions answered. All we knew was that Catwoman was in the film(though throughout the film she is simply referred to as Selina Kyle, Catwoman’s identity), and Bane was the lead villain. So little to go on in the film. Eagerly, I awaited Friday, in the hopes of discovering what lay in store for the World’s Greatest Detective.
What I got was even better than I had imagined. If it weren’t for Arkham City, this may be Batman’s greatest triumph(Yes, Dark Knight was incredible, but I’m at a loss to decide which is better than the other. Besides, Arkham City beats both of them out so it doesn’t really matter). Weaving a masterfully complex tale of darkness and savagery, heroes and sacrifice, truth and clear honest justice, The Dark Knight Rises was a fire rising in the sky, burning in Gotham and the world over, proving that great heroes are those willing to sacrifice all that they are for the sake of all, even for those that loathe them. Though an imperfect hero, Batman is the greatest superhero of all time, defying every trial to prove his worth. What a great movie.

Reason(s) it SHOULDN’T be Number One: I know what you’re probably thinking. How the heck is this not my top film if I gave it such a glowing review?
Simple. This movie took forever to get started. Man, it started off slow! Thank God it was so long, or this film would’ve flopped hard. It took its time to develop itself, almost at the cost of its success, but still...


　
2: The Hobbit

Reason(s) it should be Number One: Well, we only had to wait five years for this movie, now didn’t we?
It seemed to be a freakin’ tennis match for a while. Peter Jackson was working on the Hobbit, Peter Jackson wasn’t working on the Hobbit, he was, he wasn’t, blah blah blah blah blah! This idiot couldn’t make up his freakin’ mind! Just make the bleeping film already!
Of course, like Peter Jackson always does, he took his sweet fat time to make this film, and -of course- broke it into two movies. I was pleased, as it meant the film wouldn’t be rushed, nor would it be too long. Jackson could ensure he would have an excellent film when he was done. I felt confident.
That is, until I discovered that the Hobbit was going to be split into three movies. My excitement blew up faster than a North Korean missile launch. My primary thought was, "What are they going to add that will make this film so blasted long?" I’d read the Hobbit, and knew it wasn’t THAT long. Eventually, when it was explained that they would be following the travels of Gandalf, which peel away from Bilbo’s adventures for a time, would be explored, I felt some relief. It wasn’t going to be filler entertainment, merely expanding on the original material. I could breathe a sigh and resume being excited.
Holy crap, am I glad I did. This movie was a blast! Wonderful action, brilliant acting, genuine hilarity, and fantastic story gave life to a brand new Middle Earth trilogy, bringing the prequel to life in a way that even original LOTR fans had never experienced. Peter Jackson earned his place yet again as a gamechanger for the industry, with his exceptional storytelling, and a wonderful visual and entertainment marvel in Gollum, who looked better than I had ever seen him.
This movie wasn’t Lord of the Rings, nor should it be. The Hobbit was a unique, lighthearted tale of finding our place in the world, and discovering who we are, warts and all. Personally, I can’t wait for Part 2.

Reason(s) it SHOULDN’T be Number One:
Hopefully, I wasn’t the only one who noticed this. Did anybody besides me think the CGI was just...off?
Allow me to explain: it wasn’t bad or anything, but it seemed...lifeless, personality-less. And placed next to real characters, even moreso. It was clunky, too heavily relied upon, and didn’t breathe the life and character the suits did in the LOTR trilogy.
And can anyone explain to me what on earth was going on between Galadriel and Gandalf?

　
　
So here we are, at the number one spot. What else could be better than these fantastic films? What was truly the best film of 2012? Well, after careful consideration, I can give that distinction to one film, and one film only. The Number One greatest film of 2012 is none other than...Wreck-It Ralph.

Number One: Wreck-It Ralph

Reason(s) it should be Number One:
Quick, name me a couple video game based movies. For example, Prince of Persia, Doom, House of the Dead, Super Mario Bros.(Sshh! It was never mentioned, do you hear me? Don’t even try to think about it!). Now, how many of them were successful?
Exactly. None of them. Every video game adaption has failed miserably, even Prince of Persia, which was the best-selling video game based film ever(We all know the Missile Command movie will suck, too. And don’t even get me started on board game adaptations). They just haven’t worked, and in my opinion, will never work. Why? Because for all their skill at writing and directing, Hollywood filmmakers never understood a video game’s source material! Not once did they respect the craft that made these games a success, and therefore were destined to be doomed.
And then came Wreck-It Ralph. A video game movie, with every odd stacked against it. So what changed the game with our winner? First and foremost, the writers actually understood, respected, and admired the source material that made video games noteworthy and critical successes. This wasn’t the usual effort of Hollywood craftsmen making a movie, this was looking at what made video games great and simply giving it a different platform to show its skill.
Secondly, the creators of Wreck-It Ralph knew what a majority of their audience would be, and that would be gamers themselves, not just children. So, for the sake of pleasing the audience, the jokes were smooth, fresh, and clever. Add a couple of retro gaming characters(Holy crap it’s Qbert! AAAH!), and you got something new entirely. Plenty of the material in Wreck-It Ralph was based off old video games that every gamer has played, or atleast should have played. The gaming jokes and mannerisms were smart, and nostalgic fun for viewers. The older moviegoers enjoyed jokes that they could enjoy from childhood memory, and younger viewers were introduced to the beginning genre and wealth of the very first video games.
Then there were the voice actors themselves, all of whom were outshone by Sarah Silverman, who completely stole the show with her wit and talent. Yes, she’s usually a disgusting comedian, but she was all fun and spunk here. Her portrayal of Venelope, a young racer from a girl’s video game, was stunning and hilarious. The proper mix of sarcasm and cute.
Then there was the story of the film, which was clever and thoughtful, giving more credence to the resurrection of Disney animated filmmaking. It took them ages, but they finally seem to have returned to prominence with this movie.
But most of all, Wreck-It Ralph was still a thought-provoking movie, despite all the jokes and fun abounding. Throughout it all, the movie gave some time to develop a deep tale of morality, and the God-given desire to be more than who we are. Throughout the entire film, Ralph’s whole goal is clear in one of his first lines: "I don’t want to be the bad guy anymore!"
Even the worst men in the world, no matter who they are, will want to feel good, even if that moment of contentment is only temporary. Thanks to the whisper of God in our ears, no matter how deaf we are, every man, woman and child wants to be good. We want to be admired, loved, we want to be heroes.
Throughout it all, Wreck-It Ralph shows its excellence in every sequence, showing ingenuity and skill, fun and humor, excitement and a wonderful breath of fresh air to the animated world, which is often filled with garbage from the bottom of the barrel. With news of even more sequels from Pixar, it seemed as if the animated world was going to be pretty much doomed, as the best animated filmmaker seemed to be selling its soul for profits and losing what made it excellent in the first place.
Then came Dreamworks, with a powerful explosion of craft with How to Train Your Dragon, and then Kung Fu Panda 2, perhaps one of the greatest films ever made. It was almost a certainty Dreamworks was picking up Pixar’s mantle and taking the lead as best animated filmmaker.
But they better watch out. Cause Disney just struck gold with Wreck-It Ralph, and proven themselves as a real rival for top moviemaker.

Brave

Let me take you back to 2011, the very day that Cars 2 was released in theaters. A brand new Pixar film, having been released right after the most successful animated film of all time, and one of the most critically acclaimed films ever, Cars 2 had a massive standard to live up to. Not just because of its predecessor, but also because of the high standard of quality we expected from Pixar films.

But let’s face it: what we got was pure garbage. Cars 2 was a shameful disgrace to the name of Pixar, and became the worst-reviewed Pixar film EVER, and their least financially successful film ever as well.
Long ago, when Pixar began to discuss creating their own films, only one sequel was ever planned, and that was Toy Story 2. True, Toy Story 2 and 3 were both unbelievably successful, and garnered massive critical acclaim(in fact, two of the most critically acclaimed animated films ever), but Pixar was known for making new, original films. With Cars 2 being such a major disappointment, coupled with the fact the next Pixar film, Monsters University was to be a prequel to Monsters Inc. and even worse rumors of a Toy Story 4(I kid you not, they might seriously make another one), Pixar’s reputation was beginning to crumble.
To make matters worse for Pixar, their rival in the animated entertainment business, Dreamworks Pictures, had just released two massively popular films, How to Train your Dragon, and Kung Fu Panda 2, both films considered to be equal -or even better than- most Pixar films.
In short, things were looking bad. People began to say that Pixar had lost their touch, and were instead trying to cash in on their previous works. It seemed inevitable that the downfall of a animated monolith was to occur.
I felt uncertain and unhappy. I was a dedicated Pixar fan, and had enjoyed every Pixar film immensely up to Cars 2. Trust me, I’m being civil about that piece of crap. Can you believe I wasted nearly ten bucks on that steaming pile- anyway, I wasn’t sure what to think. I knew Pixar planned to release Monsters University in 2012, and I didn’t think for one moment Monsters Inc. needed another film in the series at all.
But then came Brave. Yes, Brave had already been announced, it had been planned to be released in 2013, but Monsters University was pushed back and Brave was put in its place.
When I saw the very first teaser trailer for Brave, I was both surprised and pleased. Pleased by the fact that Pixar seemed to have realized they had made a terrible mistake in Cars 2, and were eager to rectify the mistakes they had made. And surprised by just how dark the trailer was. If this was going to be a kid’s movie, it looked far more intense than any kid’s film I had seen.
It took some time, but more trailers and more clips of Brave poured in, and I felt myself becoming increasingly nervous as more came in. One thing I loathed about a lot of animated films was their increasingly reliance on slap-stick comedy and juvenile humor, and Brave seemed to be taking that root. And of course, because people love complaining about things and not knowing what they’re talking about, moviegoers who hadn’t even SEEN the film claimed Pixar was washed up, and they were hacks.
Now truth be told, I was pretty unsure how Brave was going to turn out. Cars 2 had left a foul taste in my mouth, and the last thing I wanted was to see Pixar make something as awful as that. So I watched Brave.
And this is exactly what Pixar needed to make. And exactly what our generation needs to hear.
　
　
The Pros:

Gorgeous environments: When I saw Kung Fu Panda 2, it was the pinnacle in animation. Beautifully crafted, it was enjoyable just to watch the environments of the film...
...But Brave completely blows it out of the water. I mean, WOW! What an unbelievably breath-taking world Pixar made for viewers, simply incredible.

Great Plot: Little to nothing in the film is unoriginal. Pixar took the film in a different direction than I had expected, and it’s a much darker film than most family fare. While I enjoyed the darkness and intensity of the film, Brave will terrify young children.

Hilariously funny: I found myself more than once howling in my seat, the wit and humor of Brave was clever, unique, and very...Scottish.

Wonderfully spot-on Scottish feel: Confession time, readers; I’m part Scotch, so I more than once found myself going red in embarrassment watching the characters go about. The Scotch humor nails the culture and personality of ancient Scotland. The worst part is I’m related to people like these guys. Makes me proud of my bloodline.

Great Moral tale: I won’t say much about this till my Last Word, but Brave again took a different route in film, and brought an important aspect of our culture, especially the culture of my generation, to light.

Unique, fun characters: One of the biggest flaws of Cars 2 was the characters weren’t fun to watch, and didn’t bring anything enjoyable to the table. In Brave, however, each character brings a critical element needed for the film to succeed.

Merida, the protagonist of the film, shows a fierce and determined spirit that seems present in nearly every teenager on earth. Desperate to change her fate, she incurs disaster on her family and her kingdom. As the film progresses, viewers see her change and these changes place Merida among the greatest protagonists Pixar’s ever made.

Fergus, the King, is a great laugh, but shows a fierce devotion to the protection and defense of his family. A bit of a klutz, but an admirable character nonetheless.

The Queen, Elinor, again brings something unique to the table. Proper, respectable, and firm, her no-nonsense nature of course disagrees with Merida’s stubborn nature, despite the fact that the Queen has Merida’s best interests at heart.

Then there’s the trouble-makers: Merida’s brothers, Hubert, Hammish, and Harris, who add some needed levity to the film, even though they don’t utter an actual word. Funny and very entertaining.

Of course, there are the side characters, but seeing as there’s dozens of them it would be hard to go through them by name, but each one brings and essential piece to the film, adding to Brave’s flair.

　

The Cons:

Some rather adult humor: Yeah, this movie’s Scottish. Some of the humor might make parents frown, but it definitely is a part of the culture at the time.

...Again, I’m really embarrassed these kinds of people are my ancestors.

Why is it most men are portrayed as bozos?: The two strongest characters in the film are women -which I’m perfectly fine with by the way- and the male characters are pretty much a bunch of idiots. Yes, they’re not complete morons, but why is it guys are so often thrown under the bus for a laugh?

Look, before I say this next complaint I have with the film, I just want to say in no way do I hate homosexuals. I, being a Christian, consider myself just as sinful as the next person, and though I do not agree with homosexuality, I will treat a gay person just as Jesus would: with love and respect. That being said...
I remember a friend of mine calling Merida a "lesbian princess", which irritated me to no end. A main focal point of the plot is that Merida doesn’t wish to marry any of her suitors, and would rather practice her shooting and horseback riding. While that’s perfectly fine, it seems our culture today has a rule for anything slightly sexual: if you’re not sleeping with a person of the opposite sex, then you absolutely HAVE TO BE a homosexual. If a girl isn’t interest in doing girly things, then she MUST be a lesbian.
Not that Brave even so much as TOUCHES the area of sexuality, but I know that people are more than ready to jump on the ‘Merida is a lesbian’ bandwagon. Seriously, please don’t. It’s annoying.
　
　
The Last Word:

Rebellion is the theme of my generation. Rebellion against parents, rebellion against the status quo, it goes on and on and on. We love rebels, girls love the bad boys, it seems the world loves it when people rebel.

Yet, not once have I seen anybody explore the consequences of rebellion. Not until Brave. The choices Merida makes, the actions she takes to have freedom have devastating consequences for her mother, her father, her family, and her kingdom. One choice, one simple choice she made, brings untold disaster on everything she loves, and all because she decided to rebel.

Forget the jokes people made about this movie, and focus on this: rebellion has a price. The choices we make, both good and bad, can have a greater effect than we ever thought possible, and the simplest action can last for generations.

Brave was what Pixar needed to return to prominence. The story was fun, an enjoyable movie, yet it all pales to the real point of the film: reckless decisions can destroy.

Score: 9.2/10

The Amazing Spider-Man

At the end of Spider-Man 3, most people left the film in one of two states: anger, or fierce disappointment. What had been hyped up to be the biggest Spider-Man film yet turned out to be a mediocre film, and a rather large middle finger to Spidey fans.

A few years later, about 2010 I believe, the talks for a fourth Spider-Man film began to surface, with the head villain being none other than the Lizard, and fans of ol’ webhead celebrated, for it seemed like Sony Pictures was trying to make up for the big mistake that was SM3.

However, things took a massive turn for the worse. The Lizard was dropped as the villain, and a lesser known villain, the Vulture, was primed to be the main villain. To add to the obscurity, an even lesser known villain(one that even *I* hadn’t heard of), the Vulturess was named to be yet another villain.
Fans of Spider-Man began to panic. A fourth film was needed to fix the damage that SM3 had dealt, but Sony seemed intent on making an even bigger mistake.
Eventually, things got so bad for SM4 that the project was dropped, and fans got pissed. No more Spider-Man?
Wrong. Not long after the cancellation of SM4, a brand new Spider-Man series was announced, with a brand new cast and a clean slate, plenty of opportunity to create a whole new Spider-Man.
The news of a reboot was met with mixed reactions; Spider-Man 3 had only been released in 2007, was a brand new Spider-Man series really necessary? Cries against Hollywood for lack of originality began to flow in, and plenty of Spidey fans thought the series was going to be a disaster.
But things began to brighten up when the Lizard was announced as the film’s first villain. To add to the good news, Andrew Garfield was cast as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and -even better news for long-time Spider-Man fans- rising Actress Emma Stone was cast as the lovely Gwen Stacy, a long-time favorite romantic interest of Peter Parker.
So, on July 3, 2012, the Amazing Spider-Man was released in theaters, garnering positive review after positive review, and thus a brand new Spider-Man was born.
So just what are my thoughts on the film? Check it out below:

　
　
The Pros

Great acting from the primary cast: Andrew Garfield has the look -and speech- of a nerd, nailing a goofy but likeable Peter Parker.
Emma Stone, without a doubt the shining star of the film in terms of acting skill, plays a wonderful Gwen Stacy, portraying a tough, yet gentle young lady.
Sally Fields\, a veteran actress in a crowd of new faces, plays a rather fierce Aunt May, bringing a bit of grit to the role. Usually, Aunt May is a rather quiet, timid character, but Field brings much needed fire to the role.

One freaky-looking Lizard: I heard so many long-time Spidey fans complain about the Lizard’s design, but I felt the designers nailed him perfectly. In the film, you recognize the Lizard as monster organism, yet at the same time you see a human expression on his face, as if Connors hasn’t fully transformed into a beast. While perhaps a completely faithful look, it makes for a unique one.

Peter’s parents: Seriously, this might be the best part of the film. For the first time in my memory, Parker’s parents play a vital role in the plot and development of the film, and obviously will play a bigger role in future Spider-Man films.

Setup for a great sequel: The film is part of a series, a fact that is easily recognized. Certain plot points are left unfinished, and it’s easy to see they’re meant to be resolved in a later film. Big things are coming for Spider-Man.

Fun Plot: While not the most original plot, the film certainly tells an enjoyable one. It may not be a masterpiece of a plot, but it certainly entertains.

More faithful to the comics: Spider-Man’s webbing was never organic, you hear me, Sam Raimi Spider-Man fans? It doesn’t come from his body, he makes it himself. In this film, he instead buys it from Oscorp. Not to mention Peter’s still in High School, which will make for a fun diversion in later films.
Parker’s character is well-developed: As the films keeps rolling, you see change after change in Parker, as he changes from goofy nerd to super-powered punk to actual hero. The changes are handled well and seem realistic to the viewer.

Stan Lee: As usual, Stan Lee makes a cameo in a Marvel film. Greatest...cameo...ever.
　
　
The Cons:

Poorly developed villain: I loved the Lizard from the Spider-Man comics. One of my favorite comic book bad guys ever. But in this...Connors simply becomes the bad guy for the sake of the plot, or atleast it seems that way to me. At one moment he’s a good guy, then next he’s trying to kill people. What gives?

Uncle Ben’s death was poorly handled: Man, was this scene rushed! It literally occurs in about five minutes, little to no effort put into it. Sure, the whole Uncle Ben thing has been done a lot, but it’s a key point in Parker’s life, atleast try a little, why don’t you!

Parker’s too...trendy: I get the whole photography thing, that’s cool. But why give Peter a skateboard?

Poor romantic setup between Peter and Gwen: Maybe it’s just me being a writer, but a romantic plot needs time to develop, and it seemed to happen in the film so quickly. But then again, it could be I’m just stupid...or something like that.

Not enough one-liners for Spider-Man: One thing that made Spider-Man different from other super-heroes was his constant taunting of his enemies, often driving them to distraction. Sure, he delivers some fantastic ones in this film, but I could’ve used a couple more.
　
　
The Last Word:

This film is just a setup. The film-makers deliberately held back, in the opinion of this critic. While a darn fun film, the real juicy part of Spider-Man will be coming from its sequels, and this was just merely a taste to whet our appetites.
I definitely had a good time with this film, but I find myself waiting in great anticipation for the next Spider-Man film. THAT’S where the great stuff’s gonna be.

Score: 8.7/10