A Reel Review: SPIDER-MAN - BRAND NEW DAY

For nearly 20 years (!), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has been an avalanche of comic-book superhero amazement. As good as it’s been, their version of Spider-Man, perhaps due to the complicated (and annoying), partnership with Sony Pictures (who holds the rights to the character), the solo outings for our favorite web-slinger have felt a little constrained. The third and most recent film NO WAY HOME (2021), finally let loose and changed things for Spidey…and that momentum continues with BRAND NEW DAY. 

 

Set some years after the events of NO WAY HOME, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), is living in a world where no one remembers who he is, including his girlfriend M.J. (Zendaya), and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon). The stress effects Peter’s powers, just as a mysterious new threat rises. 

 

To say more of the plot would be a crime, as BRAND NEW DAY is packed with surprises, including an adversary that will be welcomed with cheers. Despite the many happenings around Spidey, BRAND NEW DAY brings things back to street-level crime. This time there are no aliens, no universe-breaking events…just Peter trying to keep it together. This is a Peter who has lost everything in his life that was vital to him; aunt, girlfriend, best friend, mentor…and he is stuck going at things alone. It’s new territory for Spidey as the film focuses on the character’s mental state. 

 

But BRAND NEW DAY does not stop there. Director Destin Daniel Cretton (who directed Marvel’s SHANG-CHI), gets the full MCU backing as Spidey deals with Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Yelena (Florence Pugh), and Scorpion (Michael Mando). When these characters come into play, Spidey has a lot to fight and align with. It’s big-time Marvel fun. The action scenes are tremendous and jaw-dropping. 

 

Tom Holland has a solid hold on his character, and sells the torment that Peter is going through. His chemistry with Zendaya is still excellent. Jon Bernthal as The Punisher is a blast. The rest of the cast is perfect. 

 

BRAND NEW DAY is a thrill ride from the first frame to the last, while taking time to make us truly care about these characters…even the mysterious adversary. And in true MCU fashion, the seeds planted here give us a lot to be excited for. Spidey may be warming up for the next 20 years. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it  

A Reel Legend: Verna Fields

A Reel Legend tells the stories of cinematic icons who are no longer with us. The actors, actresses, and directors who have shaped the silver screen as we know it

 

This month’s Reel Legend is Verna Fields. 

 

Famously known as the editor of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS, she was born in Missouri in 1918. Her father was a journalist, and moved their family to Hollywood where he became a screenwriter. Verna graduated from the University of Southern California, studying journalism. She then held several positions at 20th Century Fox, including working as an assistant sound editor on Fritz Lang’s THE WOMAN IN THE RAINBOW (1944). 

 

After working as a sound editor in television, she moved back to film and in 1962 would win the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ Golden Reel Award for her work on EL CID. Later she would work on the Disney film THE LEGEND OF THE BOY AND THE EAGLE (1967), WHAT’S UP DOC (1972), and THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971). 

 

In 1973, she would be nominated for her first Academy Award for editing, along with Marcia Lucas, for her work in George Lucas’ AMERICAN GRAFFITI. She would then edit Steven Spielberg’s first major film, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974). And then a year later, would be widely celebrated for her work as editor for JAWS, for which she would win the Oscar for Best Editing. 

 

After her success with JAWS, she accepted a position as the Feature Production Vice President with Universal, one of the first women to hold a high executive position in a major studio. 

Verna Fields died of cancer in 1982 at 64 years old. In her honor, Universal named a building at its Universal City lot the Verna Fields Building. Several annual awards have been named in her honor. 

 

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Film editing is held in high regard in the business. For 33 consecutive years (1981-2013), every Best Picture winner had also been nominated for Editing, and only 38 of the 98 Best Picture winners have also won for Best Editing. It is an art, and few editors over the years have shaped modern cinema like Verna Fields. Nicknamed the “Mother Cutter”, she brought precision, emotion, and rhythm to every project, proving that editing is far more than assembling scenes…it is the invisible art of storytelling. With JAWS, she redefined the modern blockbuster; understanding pacing, energy, and knowing that what audiences imagined was often more powerful than what they saw. Her legacy endures not only as one of the first women to make those important cuts, but one of the greatest ever to slam down a splicer. Because that’s what Legends do. 

 

A Reel Review: THE ODYSSEY

Much like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Homer’s ancient Greek poem THE ODYSSEY has long been thought to be impossible to bring to the big screen in all of its deserving epic-ness. An attempt in 1954 with Kirk Douglas fell short, and last year there was THE RETURN, which was well-received but only covered a sliver of the original text. THE LORD OF THE RINGS overcame the unfilmable by finding the right man for the job, and such is the case for Christopher Nolan and THE ODYSSEY. 

 

Years after the end of the great Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon), and his crew undergo a long and perilous journey home. Meanwhile, in his absence, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland), deal with dozens of potential suitors for Odysseus’ throne. 

 

Directed by Christopher Nolan, this version of THE ODYSSEY skillfully and thankfully avoids any cinematic cliches of there’s-no-place-like-home. Although the journey is long and dangerous, packed with encounters against gods, giants, undead, and monsters…the hook of the story is Odysseus, who isn’t even sure he wants to get home. This is a man with the shadow of the Trojan Horse and war looming over him, bringing guilt and trauma which weights heavy on his mind. It’s a powerful, and resonating look at one man’s actions during war. 

 

But where THE ODYSSEY really sails is in the telling. The bulk of the film unfolds in flashbacks; with Odysseus recounting his tale to the goddess Calypso, and Telemachus learning of his father’s actions during the war. It’s a story-within-a-story that Nolan has used before, but never before is such a grand, deep, and vast way. By the time all the storylines come together at the end, the true meaning of it all hits hard.

 

THE ODYSSEY delivers on the technical side in astounding fashion. Filmed in 70mm, the film looks gorgeous, and the practical effects are jaw-dropping. The tension during sequences such as the encounters with the monstrous Cyclops, the mysterious Sirens, and a grotesque transformation into pigs is shit-the-pants worthy. And be prepared to duck for cover during the fall of Troy. The score by Ludwig Goransson is excellent. 

 

Acting is god-like from the entire cast. Matt Damon puts in a career best, as does Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway just may take home her second Oscar. John Leguizamo nearly steals the show. The rest of the ensemble and most-impressive cast is excellent: Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, and Benny Safdie. 

 

Christopher Nolan has been criticized in the past for lacking emotion or heart in his films, and it’s been a legit gripe…but with THE ODYSSEY he makes up for it, with a third act that brings the weight of Odysseus’ journey and trauma down hard. THE ODYSSEY lives up to the original text’s scale. Nolan has used techniques here that will leave audiences wondering how it was done and scouring the internet for details for years. At long last, THE ODYSSEY has come home to the big screen properly; it just had to wait for the right man. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

 

A Reel 20: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - DEAD MAN'S CHEST

“Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?” 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST. 

 

Directed by Gore Verbinski, DEAD MAN’S CHEST was the sequel to THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003), and based on the popular Disney attraction. Set a year after the events of the first film, DEAD MAN’S CHEST follows Captain Jack Sparrow who owes a debt to Davy Jones and is marked for death and pursued by the Kraken, while Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan are blackmailed to acquire the mysterious Dead Man’s Chest. 

 

Two sequels were envisioned after the success of BLACK PEARL, with returning screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio developing a story arc that would span two films. Filming would take place in remote locations, including Palos Verdes, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and The Bahamas. It was shot back-to-back with the third film in the series. 

 

Returning to the role of the popular and iconic Captain Jack Sparrow would be Johnny Depp. Other returning actors included Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Kevin McNally, and Jonathan Pryce. Newcomers included Tom Hollander, Naomi Harris, and Stellan Skarsgard. Bill Nighy would provide motion-capture and the voice of Davy Jones. Hans Zimmer would compose the score. 

 

Upon release, DEAD MAN’S CHEST would be met with good-to-mixed reviews and be a box office smash. It would finish as the highest grossing film of 2006, and would set a record as the fastest film to cross $1 billion worldwide (63 days). It would be the highest grossing film released by Disney until it was surpassed by TOY STORY 3 in 2010. At the 79^th Academy Awards, it would be nominated for four Oscars, and win for Best Visual Effects. The next sequel, AT WORLD’S END, would arrive in 2007. 

 

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One of this Blogger’s strongest memories from the theatre came in the summer of 2006, when Jack Sparrow’s return to the big screen (by breaking out of a sea-bound coffin), was met with applause in a 600-seat theatre. That spoke to the popularity and cultural impact that the character was making. 

 

And the adventure in front of Jack and his companions and enemies would be up to the task. DEAD MAN’S CHEST is an exhilarating adventure that expands everything we loved about the first film, raising the stakes with spectacular action, stunning visual effects, and one of cinema’s greatest villains: Davy Jones. The motion-capture performance by Bill Nighy and his digitally created skin remains extraordinary. 

 

Sparrow of course is at his most unpredictable, balancing humor with desperation and make-it-up-as-we-go sailing as he tries to escape his curse. The thrilling three-way sword fight, terrifying Kraken, and the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK-type cliffhanger ending keeps viewers captivated and breathless. And the film still had one whale of a surprise to end with. Bold, ambitious, and endlessly entertaining, DEAD MAN’S CHEST remains one of the best blockbuster sequels ever to set sail. 

 

“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome…”

Sam Neill: 1947 - 2026

Actor Sam Neill has passed away at the age of 78. 

 

Born in Northern Ireland before moving to New Zealand with his family, Nigel John Dermot Neill’s first film was a New Zealand TV film THE CITY OF NO in 1971. He moved to Australia, appearing on more TV, and was the romantic lead in MY BRILLIANT CAREER (1979), with Judy Davis. 

 

In 1981, he had his first international role as Damien Thorn, son of the Devil rising in U.S. government in OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT. In 1982 he appeared in an adaption of IVANHOE, which is now traditionally aired in Sweden every New Year’s Day. In 1990, he had one of his most memorable roles, opposite Sean Connery in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER.

 

In 1993 he became a cultural and global icon when Steven Spielberg cast him in JURASSIC PARK. Neill, playing a reluctant paleontologist, would reprise the role in JURASSIC PARK III (2001), and JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION (2022). 

 

Over his five-decade career he would cross genres with ease, appearing in notable films such as the Oscar-winning THE PIANO (1993), MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN (1992), THE JUNGLE BOOK (1994), IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994), EVENT HORIZON (1997), THE HORSE WHISPERER (1998), BICENTENNIAL MAN (1999), WIMBELDON (2004), HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (2016), THOR: RAGNORAK (2017), and THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022). One of his final films will be GODZILLA X KONG: SUPERNOVA, set for release in 2027. 

 

During his career, he received nominations for three Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys, and British Academy Television Award. He was knighted in 1991. 

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Long-time Reel Speak readers know that THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER is one of this Blogger’s favorite films, and Sam Neill’s part as the second-in-command of the famed phantom Russian submarine was a big part of that. The loyal officer who had dreams of traveling through America, state-to-state, with no papers…provided the emotional hook of the film, and his character’s tragic end is a heartbreaker; right down to his perfectly delivered final words. 

 

But it all comes back to his iconic role as Dr. Alan Grant in JURASSIC PARK. It is through his eyes that we get our first good look at the re-invented dinosaurs, and his excellent acting serves as a gateway for the audience; providing awe and wonder that takes hold and never let’s go. Kids love dinosaurs, and Neill helped us all rediscover that love which has persisted to this day. So thank you Sam, for bringing the cinematic awe and wonder. 

 

A Reel Opinion: Don't Read Ahead

Next week, in what is shaping up to be the cinematic event of 2026, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY arrives in theatres. The film, which is based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic, has sparked a mad rush to bookstores (physical or virtual), to brush-up on the material. This is a common, and somewhat annoying occurrence: the desire to do homework, or to know the story in advance before seeing the film. This Blogger’s advice: Don’t. 

 

For many, reading the book (or comic, or poem), first seems like an obvious choice. But watching the film first can create a more enjoyable, and most especially, surprising experience (hello, spoilers!). Movies are made to tell stories through visuals, performances, and music. Seeing those elements without already knowing the story allows us to feel excitement, suspense, and emotion with a clean slate. 

 

Reading the book first leads to inevitable comparisons. Readers become attached to specific descriptions and scenes, making it easy to focus on things the film had changed, instead of appreciating the film as its own creative work. Viewers can (and have), hijack their own cinematic experience by picking out what wasn’t in the book. 

 

Watching the movie first clears those expectations. It allows the film to stand on its own merits. And reading the book later allows us to explore the richer and more detailed world. The book then becomes an expansion of the story instead of a checklist of missing content. 

 

So don’t read ahead. Let the cinematic experience do what it does best.