Favorite Superhero Movies, No. 30

 


Throughout 2023 I'll be sharing my favorite Superhero Films each Saturday, counting down from 50 to 1. Check back each week throughout the year for the next installment. Agree? Disagree? What to share a favorite? Post it in the comments.

May Parker: He knows a hero when he sees one. Too few characters out there, flying around like that, saving old girls like me. And Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people. Setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, and Alfred Molina
Director: Sam Raimi
About: I'm in the midst of a string of sequels in this countdown. Last week it was Christopher Reeve as Superman and today it's Maguire as Spider-Man. This is the second of the six standalone Spider-Man films in this countdown, and it's closely placed next to the first outing from Maguire. The films are both good but I've always enjoyed this follow up just a little more. I like the exploration of what it means to be Spider-Man. I like the back-and-forth with MJ (Dunst) in this film. And I like Molina as Doc Ock, the primary antagonist. This one is a little bigger is scope and is a lot of fun. Unfortunately the film that followed wasn't as strong. But I have always enjoyed Maguire's take on this role and for me, this is his best outing in the past.

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