The Amazing Spiderman

What can I say about the Amazing Spiderman movie - it’s amazing but then again I’m a geek according to my friend.

“Most of my friends are geeks,” she said. “They all like Sci-Fi and I hate it.”

Sci-fi and fantasy movies are my favourite movies. My husband and I have lined up outside in a snowstorm to see “B” Sci-fi. There must be a lot of geeks ‘cause certainly the quality of these movies has improved.

Most of my life, I’ve blamed my Grade 12 teacher, Mrs. Stewart for loving Sci-Fi. She suggested that we should read a Sci-Fi book.

“No way. I read everything but not Sci-Fi.”

So she decided we’d read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. As an avid reader, the burning of books horrified me yet at the same time provoked thought. I loved the book. So I began embracing my so-called geek side. It’s interesting that Ray Bradbury’s book Zen in the Art of Writing: Release the Creative Genius within You brought me back to my childhood, my secret past and a light bulb moment.

Bradbury enjoyed Sci-Fi when he became hooked on the Dick Tracey comics. His love of Sci-fi led him to write it.

With five kids, books were considered a luxury item in our family. All my life my prized possessions were my books. As a child I could afford comic books at least twice a month. I spent at least an hour at the corner convenience store selecting my new comic book. I read Superman, Spiderman, The Avengers, The Hulk, and X Men. But Spiderman aka Peter Parker became my favourite. We even named Parker, one of our rescued cats after him. Parker, our cat, climbed up the brick to our second story window.)

But I never shared my love of comic books with anyone. The teachers frowned on them and they weren’t exactly literary. But they were definitely fun to read. I couldn’t wait for the new comic books. They always left you in suspense.

On May 10, 2002, I watched the first Spiderman movie and all three of them became my favourite movies. I hate to admit it but it’s been a long time since I’ve held a Spiderman comic book or any other comic. While watching The Avengers, when The Hulk, started smashing things, I had a flashback of an Avenger comic book cover with The Hulk on the cover. I’d forgotten it.

Ten years later and five years since the last Spiderman movie, how could Andrew Garfield ever replace Toby McGuire? To me, McGuire was Spiderman incarnated. It would be impossible to replace him. The Spiderman that I’d envisioned so long ago. And would there be anything new in this movie?

Andrew Garfield like Toby McGuire plays a perfect Spiderman. The one I’d visualized so long ago. I couldn’t help thinking that possibly in the ‘50’s kids needed a hero. And we could sympathize with him. We’d all been bullied before either by our parents, teachers or peer group. He overcame his disability and even acquired super powers.

As a kid, I would have given anything to have his super powers.

This movie felt more like the comic books that I remembered. From the first moment of the movie I was hooked and enthralled to the very end. The story line felt more personal and left me begging for answers.

Just exactly why did Spiderman live with his uncle and aunt? What happened to his parents? Where’s Mary-Jane?

Watching Andrew Garfield aka Spiderman become a hero I couldn’t help but think in my childhood I longed for a hero. Somebody to stand up for me or to save me. At the end of the movie watching Spiderman swing through New York I couldn’t help but think, we all need a hero. Where are all the heroes?

For just a moment, in the theatre, I could rejoice in the goodness of mankind. It definitely was worth the price of the movie even and just for a moment I thought about writing Sci-Fi.

Like the nerds in The Big Bang Theory I enjoyed Stan Lee’s movie presence. And I liked the strong female character Gwen.

When they didn’t dim the lights I waited. There’s a small surprise. So don’t leave the theatre. Most of the people must have known about it ‘cause the majority of the people stayed in their seats.

And when I reminded my friend that people who love Sci-Fi are supposed to be more intelligent and imaginative (and creative), she said, “Imagine how much smarter I’d be if I liked Sci-Fi?”

I don’t think she was impressed.

P.S. I’ve decided that I like the spelling of Spiderman like this. Who knows maybe I’ll start a trend.