Sentinels - This Should Be Good!

If you stuck around after the credits at the new Wolverine movie, this will be old news to you, but this photo, tweeted by Bryan Singer the director of the upcoming movie X-Men: Days of Future Past, confirms that Trask Industries will feature prominently in the plot of the new film. For those of you who haven't read the comic books, the CEO of Trask Industries: Bolivar Trask is the creator of the Sentinels. Giant mutant hunting robots that pack an incredible arsenal of weaponry, and have the ability to adapt and neutralize most mutant powers, various incarnations of the sentinels have been a staple villain in the comic books for years. With any luck, the film, which features some returning members of both casts of X-Men: First Class, and the original X-Men trilogy, will stay fairly true to the Days of Future Past, comic book plot line. Which I will keep to myself, so as to not spoil anything.
Here's a gratuitous photo of Hugh Jackman on set because Wolverine is my favourite. X-Men: Days of Future Past is scheduled for release May 23rd, 2014. It will be worth the wait!

Ben Affleck will play Batman in the Man of Steel sequel

The interweb went crazy yesterday when Warner Bros. announced that Ben Affleck would don the cowl as the caped crusader in the 2015 sequel to The Man of Steel. Alot of fanboys are hating on Affleck, labeling him 'too vanilla' to play the Dark Knight.

Personally, I am intrigued by the casting choice. Affleck has the suave, cool grace to pull off Bruce Wayne, and the physical size to be a very imposing figure in the cowl. If I met that square jaw dressed as Batman in a dark alley, I would think twice before I picked a fight.
For all the fanboys who think Affleck will just be another George Clooney, or Val Kilmer...I would ask, did you expect genius out of Heath Ledger in the role of the joker? He shocked the acting world with this dark portrayal, even winning the Oscar for best actor posthumously. I know I didn't certainly expect that out of the star of 10 Things I Hate About You. My point, leave the guy alone, and wait to pass judgment on his performance until after he has actually had a chance to give it. You never know, he may surprise you. The as of yet untitled sequel is scheduled to hit theatres in July of 2015.

The Wolverine - Movie Review

I just got back from an early release screening of The Wolverine, and I couldn't be happier. For the most part, they got it right. Hugh Jackman reprises the role of the adamantium clawed title character once again, and he is simply awesome as Logan. I really believe that Jackman has become the heart of the X-Men franchise for Marvel, as his all of his appearances throughout 6 feature films have been fantastic. The guy looks the part, and his depth of range, adds a credibility to the character that draws the audience into the story. Logan is an enigma that we can't help wanting to more about. For once, this film chooses to focus on what lies ahead for Wolverine, as opposed to his past. The first Origin movie made the mistake of trying to tie up his origin story with a pretty little bow, and wound uo being campy and over the top, where as most of this film doesn't feel like a super hero movie. And, as much as I love the genre, that is a good thing.

The story begins with Wolverine in a Japanese POW camp during World War 2 where he saves the life of a Japanese Officer, Yashida. Flash Forward to present day. Wolverine is living like a hermit in the mountains, with a Mountain Man beard and wild hairdo. We soon learn that these events are taking place after the death of Jean Gray, so after X-Men: The Last Stand, which is important an important factor. Logan is still haunted by the death of Jean, and has chosen to remove himself from society, rather than be forced to continue a struggle for which he has lost his heart.
He is soon tracked down by agents of Yashida, who is now on his death bed and finds himself whisked off to Japan to pay his final respects. I was honestly expecting a lot more focus on the samurai code of honour that Wolverine follows, but instead the film bypassed that in favour of getting right down to the meat of the plot. Yashida's grand daughter, Mariko, is being threatened by the Yakuza, and Yashida himself wants to offer Logan a deal that seems to good to be true.

The action scenes in this film are fast paced, brutal and gritty. Wolerine isn't afraid to pop his claws and fricassee his opponents. After all, he is the best there is at what he does, and what he does isn't very nice.
There are a couple of sub plots that nicely tie together the uniqueness of Japanese culture, and the whole mutant influence factor, all of which lead back to the central focus, which while easily mistaken for the relationship of Logan and Mariko, is actually Logan's struggle with himself, and his acceptance of the great responsibility that comes with his particular gifts.
. I was actually kind of surprised at how little combat there was in the movie, typically wolverine is on the front lines slugging it out with the baddies, but in this film, due to certain circumstances, Jackman doesn't have the same kind of violent drive that has characterized his appearances in the other X-Men films. Don't get me wrong, there are some great fight scene, it just isn't as big a hack and slash film as I was expecting.
I was happy that The Silver Samurai made an appearance, even if I wasn't entirely thrilled with exactly how he was dealt with... I really don't want to give away too many spoilers, but I can't help myself from saying that fans of the series will need to stick around for the teaser scene buried in the credits. It is a real gem, and it gives away some key information for the Upcoming X-Men film Days of Future Past which hits theaters next season. There is one revelation in particular that will make fans of the series VERY Happy. Let the count down begin!

Man of Steel

When it comes to superheroes, no one is more iconic than Superman. People around the world recognize his blue suit, red cape, and the stylized "S" that adorns his chest. And, in a summer movie market awash with comic book movies, none have been as highly anticipated as Man of Steel, which opened last night in theatres in North America.

However, as with any beloved icon, this new depiction is going to come under tremendous scrutiny from the fans. Directed by Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen), under the watchfull eye of Producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) this film has all of the ingredients necessary to be a huge summer blockbuster.
Henry Cavill leads a star studded cast in the title role as Superman, and I thoroughly enjoyed him in the role. He is just reminiscent enough of a young Christopher Reeve, to trigger my nostalgia for the original films, while being ripped enough to make me forget the poor effeminate bastard that they had in the role for Superman Returns (Which was an absolute atrocity of a film by the way, and I move that it should be forever stricken from the cannon, and banished to the Phantom Zone forever). The ladies that attended the screening with me last night shared my opinion: Superman should look like a man! Cavill achieves this, and brings a bright, fresh energy to the conflicted central role.
The supporting cast is equally dynamic. Russell Crowe achieves a precise level of distinction in the role of Jor'El, Superman's Kryptonian father, while Kevin Costner's humble strength is quietly brilliant in the role of Jonathon Kent, Clark's adoptive father. Lawrence Fishburne takes a reflective approach to Perry White, the Editor in Chief of The Daily Planet, and Amy Adams is a pert, perky Lois Lane. I found the Lois/Clark dynamic to be one of the biggest changes to this franchise reboot. Gone is playful game of cat and mouse between Lois & Superman/Clark. Lois discovers Clark's secret immediately, and chooses to help him maintain his anonymity. It's more than a little disconcerting. Michael Shannon's portrayal of General Zod was the only character that I found lacking, but more because of the writing than anything he did with the role.
I loved the cinematography of this film. It was filled with quiet reflective moments of peaceful imagery of life on earth, rain drops falling in a bucket filled with clothes pegs, a butterfly resting on a split rail fence, a dog cavorting in a field of wheat, all images that evoked quiet moments of solace during Clark's early time here on Earth. I felt that these images, used as they were in conjunction with flashbacks to tell Clark's earthly back story invoked a sense of appreciation of the simple pleasures that had shaped Clark into the caring benevolent benefactor that he becomes. When combined with the stunning, lightning fast action sequences, of which there are many, the film takes on a certain duality that lends itself well to the content.
Of the many action sequences in this film, two stood out as remarkably impressive. The first is a fire on an offshore oil rig where Clark saves the day with a miraculous feat of strength. The second is during a conflict between Superman and Zod's Kryptonian warriors, a female Kryptonian scythes through an entire squad of Army Rangers, as though they were stalks of wheat. Her superior speed and strength are showcased at an incredible frame rate, leaving the viewer with no doubt that the humans in this film are far outclassed by their adversaries, which is why Superman's arrival on scene is equally dynamic. I also need to mention that Superman's flights in this film feel fantastic in 3D. Each time Superman breaks the sound barrier it just feels right.
If I had a complaint about the film, it would be that the filmmakers choose to focus too much on the sci-fi element of Clark's alien origins, especially where General Zod and this platoon of Kryptonian warriors come into play. In my opinion, the Kryptionian's don't need battle armor, fancy weaponry, and gunships to achieve total domination over Earth, but the second half of the movie is full of these images, which feels like overkill. The fear inspired by Zod in Superman II, is caused because he can, at a whim, destroy anything in his path, using only the same abilities granted to Kal'El by our planet's yellow sun.
While I did enjoy the film, certain elements of this movie do feel rushed, and glossed over. The whole Clark/Lois relationship for one. Also, while there were a number of wonderful scenes from Clark's childhood in Kansas, the one scene that was oddly missing was his actual discovery by Jonathon & Martha Kent. I really wanted to see that moment, and the instantaneous bond that formed between Clark and his adoptive parents. There are other things as well, but these are the big ones for me. While not everyone will enjoy the liberties that have been taken with this origin story, I feel confident that it will do well at the Box Office, and I discovered this morning that a sequel is already in development. I look forward to the sequel, hoping for a more human driven story line, hopefully with the introduction of Clark's true nemesis, Lex Luthor.

Star Trek - Into Darkness

Last night I attended an Opening Night screening of Star Trek Into Darkness with a few friends. This is another one of the block buster summer movie offerings that alot of people have been waiting for, and it lives up to the hype.
The theatre was packed with an eclectic mix from all walks of life, not just the sterio-typical, socially awkward young men that often get tied to "trekkie" fandom. Nope, these day this franchise has a little something for everyone.
The cast is stellar, lead by Chris Pine in the role of James Tiberius Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, and Benedict Cumberpatch as the shadowy villan, this epic action movie has alot of depth. The characters are all still recognizable from the original series, but with the help of the writers, this generation of actors lends them a remarkable realism. The multi-faceted relationships that emerge between characters are honest and natural.
The Plot is solid, with Benedict Cumberpatch anchoring the forces of Darkness against the crew of the Enterprise. The true identity of Cumberpatch's villain is one of the best kept secrets of the film, so far from it to be my job to ruin the reveal for anyone. There are also a couple of solid twists that keep the movie moving at a lightning pace.
As in any movie of this nature, the special effects are what bring people in, and this film is a shining example of the levels of integration that can now be achieved using computer generated imaging. The futuristic cityscapes of earth look and feel incredible, and the ships look fantastic. When the Enterprise jumps to warp speed you can feel it in your soul.
This franchise has always attempted to expand the human experience by challenging us to boldly go where no man has gone before, striving to explore new horizon's, and pursue new discoveries. This film once again embodies that idealism and also reminds us that with great power comes great responsibility.
With all of these elements combining to create a Dreadnaught Class juggernaught, this block buster is not to be missed.

Iron Man 3 - Review

I got the opportunity to see Iron Man three tonight before it's midnight release and I have to say, I was really impressed. It was not what I was expecting. It was actually so much more, that its going to be hard to discuss without spoilers. The story is impressive, with a lot of blindsides that you won't see coming. The special effects are over the top in the best possible way, in 3D everything is crystal clear, and moves at a lightning pace. The cast are tremendous. Once again Robert Downey Jr. shines in the role of Tony Stark. The depth of character that they get into is surprising, and greatly appreciated. No longer is Stark just the "man in the can". He a actually spends most of the movie out of the infamous suit. The quips and wise cracks fly fast and furious, and many will leave you speechless. Best piece of dialogue of the film - spoken to a 12 year old child: "It happens. Dad's leave. No need to be a pussy about it.". It is so inappropriate, and so perfectly suited to Starks character that it got a round of applause in my viewing. So, go see this film, contribute to the Marvel money making machine, and be sure to stick around post credits for a very fun little scene featuring Stark and his Avengers team mate Dr. Bruce Banner.

Christmas Vacation: A Remarkable Discovery

Since the Holiday Season is upon us, I sat down recently to indulge in a little Christmas tradition of mine that has gone by the wayside the last few years. Of course, I mean a Yuletide viewing of that most beloved of Christmas movies: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. This has been my favourite holiday movie ever since it was first released in 1989. For those of you keeping track, I would have been 10 years old at the time. Chevy Chase and a stellar ensemble cast lead us on a fun and frantic festive romp that never fails to fill me with holiday cheer. The adventures of Clark Griswold and his wacky extended family tend to put everything in perspective for me. While much of the holiday trouble they encounter is self inflicted, they always persevere and manage to find the silver lining in every situation. Some of my favourite moments include: The remarkable Christmas light display that Clark creates for his family, Cousin Eddie's trademark holiday tag line as he empties his RV's septic tank into the storm sewer "Merry Christmas, Shitter was full." Clark's pool side fantasy, the Swat Team Invasion, and of course who could forget the squirrel in the Christmas Tree. These and many other moments in this film have always made me laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of the whole scenario, and having seen it as often as I have, I was under the impression that there were no surprises left in this movie for me. This last viewing proved me wrong. Right from the start of the movie, as the Griswold's are driving the family station wagon out into the country to obtain the perfect tree, I noticed something for the very first time. The young son Rusty looked very familiar. I suddenly knew that I recognized him from somewhere, but it took a moment before it dawned on me. I will admit that regardless of how many times I had seen this film, I had never thought to take note of the name of the young actor playing Rusty, as at the time, he wasn't immediately recognizable as someone I was familiar with from other roles. Fast forward 23 years and that has changed dramatically. I had to check the final credits to be certain, but Rusty is played by none other than Johnny Galecki. Okay, so that name may not mean a whole lot to some of you, but I guarantee that you will recognize the name Leonard Hofstadter, from The Big Bang Theory. This revelation floored me! Here was someone that I have I enjoyed watching every week on one of the top rated comedy sitcoms on TV, and while I knew he had appeared on Roseanne as Darlene's boyfriend, David, I had no idea that I had been enjoying his work for over 20 years. Galecki's current work with the ensemble of Big Bang Theory is hands down some of the funniest stuff on TV right now, and the Leonard/Penny/Sheldon dynamic is simply pure genius. This little discovery really made my day so I thought I should share. Merry Christmas.

Iron Man 3 Trailer

I found this super sexy new trailer for the latest installment of the Iron Man franchise this morning and thought I would share.

I really enjoy Robert Downey Jr. in the role, and I think the potential for the this to be another fantastic comic book super hero movie is pretty high.

The comic book nerd in me wonders where it will fall into the whole Avengers timeline.
And who the villain will be this time around. Looks like the Mandarin will at least make an appearance. Check it out here.http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=5EjG-1U3wqA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5EjG-1U3wqA

Total Recall - A Re-Imagining

Got out last night with some good friends to see Total Recall starring Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, and Kate Beckinsale.
A re-imagining of the 1990 film featuring everybody's favourite Governator, this remake has alot going for it. 

I still find it hard to believe that the first film came out 22 years ago!

The nostalgia factor is very high on this film, alot of people of my generation saw the original, and while it may have been far from brilliant, the special effects were certainly ahead of their time.  The story was also pretty solid, with some pretty cool plot twists.

Special Effects on the remake of the film are really incredible.  The amount of cg work that has gone into all of the sunning  environments is pretty remarkable.  Both the United Federation of Britain and The Colony featured in the film look ultra realistic and are seamlessly integrated with the real world locations featured in the film.  The cybernetic law enforcement agents also look great.  By far the most interesting scenes of the film are all CG, these being the slick hover car chase, and the reversed gravity shoot out on "the fall".

The cast is also solid, with Farrell, Biel, and Beckinsale turning in great action hero performances.  Farrel is actually more convincing than Arnold ever was in the role.  Don't get me wrong, there is all most no depth here, but really you shouldn't be expecting any!  Kudos also go to the team of stunt doubles that actually make all of the stunt work look and feel effortless.

Where this movie suffers is story.  While the writers have kept some of the key elements of the original, gone are the mutants and alien technology of the first film.  Now the plot centers on the the aquistion of habitable living space after global biochemical war. 
Farrell's character is essentially the same as Arnie's...a super spy with a wiped memory, placed in protective custody with no knowledge of his former self.Stuck in a dead end job, he is tempted to make a trip to Rekall, a memory enhancement service, to escape from his dreary daily grind.  Keep in mind that he thinks he's married to sexy Kate Beckinsale, so life can't be all that bad...

When his memory enhancement is cut short by a squad of shoot first ask questions storm troopers, Farrell goes on the run, unravelling his foggy past with the help of his old girlfriend. Enter Biel, and the Resistance, a group of freedom fighters who want the Colony to Succeed from the UFB.  Biel is super sexy as always, and full kudos should go to her wardrobe designer for making her look uber hot in urban combat attire.

I actually recently saw a interview with Biel where she compared this film to the treatment that the Batman franchise recently got from Christopher Nolan, which seems like a bit of a stretch to me...yes they are both re-imaginings of an original, but where the new Batman trilogy was a triumph, this film seems destined to be forgotten about in about 6 months time.  It just doesn't have the staying power of the original.

However, as a summer action movie, it is a solid offering, with lots of shiny CGI, big ka-booms, and copious amounts of eye candy for everyone.

The Watch: Summer Fluff

Got out last night to see a couple of new movies...and The Watch was by far the better movie of the night.  Sadly this isn't saying much.

The cast is rock solid: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Richard Ayoade, make up the members of the watch team.

The plot is a little out there:
Stiller, the manager of the local Costco and his quirky band of co-stars form a community watch club to help protect their small suburban community from the individual who murdered one of Stiller's employees.  The local police have no leads, and are incredibly inept.

What they don't know is that the murder was committed by a ravening alien, one of many who recently crash landed in their quiet home town, and who are now stealing their victims skins in order blend into the local population.

Keep in mind that this film is a comedy.  Despite the blood and gore, the cast ensure that things never get too dark.  Most of the comedy in the piece can be found in the relationships and interactions of the Watch members. Stiller, Vaughn, Hill, and Ayoade turn in fun, fresh performances that keep the movie light-hearted and fun.

Vaughn's struggles with his hot to trot teenage daughter, and Hill's short scene with his mother top the list for scenes that ring with everyday truth, and genuine comedy.

They also attempt to inject some heart into the film through Stiller's strained relationship with his wife, a sub-plot that feels a little strained throughout.

Comic Highlights:
Ayoade's speech concerning his reasons for joining the watch.
Hill's lovable militant misfit's storming into his own home to secure a hidden weapons cache.
Vaughn and Hill spying on Vaughn's daughter at an oversexed teenage pool party.
Stiller and Ayoade invading a suspected Alien hive in the basement of Stiller's neighbours home.

The mandatory double-tap scene featured in the previews is also pretty funny, but certainly not unexpected.

For a piece of Summer fluff, on a cheap night, it was worth the price, but generally speaking The Watch is a solid rental.

TED: Fail!

Right off the top I want to say that I was dissapointed with Ted.
However, the reason for my disappointment stems from the fact that I didn't find the movie anywhere near as offensive (read: funny) as I had been lead to believe.  With Seth McFarlane at the helm, I had been hoping for something that explored the extreme edges of dark comedy, broke established bounderies, while offering scathing pop culture quips.  What I got instead, was a dumbed down full length version of a family guy episode, with an alcoholic, slacker, talking  stuffed bear taking the place of the alcoholic, slacker, talking animated dog.
An R rated comedy about an anthropomorphic Teddy bear from Seth McFarlane, creator of Family Guy, and featuring some big name Hollywood celebrities: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and Giovanni Robisi, Ted simply does not live up to expectations.
Sure there are some laugh out loud moments, most of which feature Ted's bizarre sex life, but for the most part, this movie is just full of tired old jokes.
The one exception: the brawl between Ted and Whalberg in a seedy hotel room was pretty god damn funny, because of how violent it was. 
Wahlberg, who also produced the film, doesn't have much to work with when it comes to character or plot.  His character comes across as the biggest looser (read: pussy) in Boston, still needing his Teddy bear to get through thunderstorms in his mid 30's.
Mila Kunis has almost nothing to do...other than look incredibly hot, which she does remarkably well, as always.
McFarlane, voicing the role of the title character comes across exactly as he does in everything he has ever appeared in.  There is no variety, which leads to a very dissapointing character.
Giovanni Robisi, adds little to the plot with his nut case role, but of the entire cast, he looks the most like he is having a good time on camera.
Ryan Reynolds earns full points however for the movies best cameo.
In short, if you love Family Guy, this movie will be for you.  If you were hoping that McFarlane's first full length feature film would step up and raise the bar...you will be sadly dissapointed. 

The Amazing Spider-Man

I have always been a fan of Super Hero movies, especially the big, blockbuster films featuring what I think of as The Big 3 (Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man).  Theses were the heroes of my childhood, and the way that they have been depicted over the years has always been an important factor in shaping my sense of pop culture.

Sadly all of these franchises have had their low points over the years. Superman 4, Bad. Superman Returns, Painful. Batman and Robin, Awful. Spider- Man 3, Garbage.  In each of these cases it wasn't long before the studios rebooted the series with fresh talent and direction in an effort to revive the franchise.

Spider-Man is the latest series to receive this treatment, and the timing couldn't be better.  It has only been 5 years since Spiderman 3 disapointed audiences around the world.  Despite introducing a much anticipated villan in Venom, the film was a hot mess.  Fans of Spidey wanted more, but they didn't want it to be in any way influenced by the failings of the last film.

The Amazing Spiderman opened on Tuesday with a slight revision on the origin story, a new leading man, Andrew Garfield in the role of Peter Parker, and a new Director, Marc Webb.  It was certainly one of the most anticipated movies of the Summer, right up there with The Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rising. ( How cool is it that the 3 biggest movies of the summer are all Super Hero flicks!).

Marc Webb's new reboot of the Spiderman Franchise lives up to the hype.  Earning 59.3 Million dollars in its first two days, it immedietly catpulted to the #2 position for biggest 4th of July Opening ever (Transformers still holds that coveted #1 spot).

This is a leaner, meaner Spider-Man than what you are used to from poor, down trodden, love struck Tobey McGuire.  In this film, Spidey is still in high school when he gets bit by his radio-active spider.  He has a skateboard, he has a cell phone, most importantly, he has DEPTH.  While he is definitely not one of the cool kids, Andrew Garfield portrays him with an assurance and self-confidence that has been missing from the previous series.  He comes across as a little shy and quirky when first dealing with his love interest Gwen Stacy, played by Garfield's current real life girlfriend Emma Stone, but gone is the sad, lost, little puppy. Good riddance.

Speaking of Emma Stone, the two have some pretty great chemistry on screen.  When they do flirt, or when eventually things turn serious, nothing seems forced or false.  Anyone who has seen Christian Bale and Katie Holmes in Batman Begins (Great movie, terrible chemistry) can attest to how important good chemistry between a hero and his love interest is to a story line.

Point of fact, this time around, they also highlight the fact that Parker has an advanced technological mind through various inventions he has created around his Aunt and Uncle's home, including the eventual creation of his web slinger technology.  Fans of the comics should enjoy this montage after all the bad press the first series got for simply explaining these away as a by product of Parker's spider bite.

As with any super hero movie, special effects play a huge role with this film.  Spidey's trade mark acrobatics and web slinging are beautifully rendered throughout.  Just slow enough to follow with the naked eye, but quick enough to look effortless and fluid, Webb allows the audience to track Spider-Man in a manner that lets the audience feel like they are in on the action.  A couple of times, he even incorporates a Point of View perspective that lets the audience experience Spidey's acrobatic feats first hand.  FUN! Especially in Imax 3D.

The villan of the movie is also very well executed.  Dr. Curtis Connors, played by Rhys Ifans, is a brillaint bio-engineer / herpetologist toiling away at Oscorp, looking for what basicially amounts to the key to human regeneration (Think Wolverine's healing factor mixed with a healthy dose of the Gieco gecko). When the suits at Oscorp threaten to pull the plug on his research, Connors injects himself with his serum, transforming him into The Lizard.  Big, mean, and able to actually act through the CG animation, unlike poor William Dafoe in that stupid Green Goblin mask from the first film, the Lizard is an interesting and engaging nemisis for Spider-Man to tangle with.

The big surprise for me is actually how much time Spidey spends with his mask off.  This is not a hero traditionally known for hanging around with his face visable and identity exposed to the general public, but this time around there are plenty of scenes where Garfield spends time in the suit without the mask.

Of course it is impossible not to mention the suit.  Spidey's red and blue spandex is one of the most recognizable costumes out there, and the design team once again does a brilliant job rendering him in vivid, textured detail.  As always, my only complaint about the suit is that poor Peter Parker hypotheticially created it himself from scratch, something that a wardrobe designer friend of mine tells me is not nearly as easy as it looks! That aside, in the suit Andrew Garfield, and all of his stunt doubles, certainly look like Spider-Man.

Spider-Man co-creator and Marvel comics icon, Stan Lee makes his mandatory appearance in the fim (his 17th appearance in films featuring his characters for those of you keeping track).  As always, Stan's quick cameo acts as a fun-filled wink at the real fanboys in the audience, you know who you are.

Those same fans will be happy to hear that this film has officially been confirmed as the first in a new trilogy of movies featuring Spider-man.  For insight on who will menace Spidey in the next film, be sure to stick around through the credits after the movie.  As always with a Marvel film, there is a short teaser scene that introduces us to someone very important in the Spider-Man mythos.