I can definitely relate with how she got swarmed by the toxic MCU fanboys who seem to believe Feige can do no wrong and will murder (figuratively?) anyone who says otherwise, just for expressing a negative opinion.
"Anyone can win a fight when the odds are easy! It's when the going's tough - when there seems to be no chance - that's when it counts!" - Spider-Man
Yeah, that bothered me too. Like what does Ramones' BLITZKRIEG BOP have to do with Spider-Man in the 2010s?
The movies have posturings about teenage life today but as she says, it's very much a grown-up talking down to kids approach behind the scenes and in front of the camera.
It's definitely obvious when you compare it to ITSV, where Miles Morales has an authentic teenage sensibility.
As a teenager with plenty of teenage friends, I don't know anyone who regularly listens to music from before like the late 2000s unless it's a specific throwback playlist. Anecdotal evidence, is just that, anedcotal. While people may have different taste and that's fine, I don't think you can deny that the current vibes amongst teenagers/youth are not Pink Floyd or whoever, it's mainly like hip hop. TBH the Black Panther movie had a way more contemporary soundtrack than any MCU Spider-Man movies. Although I wouldn't really use that as a major criticism of the movies myself. I hadn't even considered the fact that it could be viewed as the directors "looking down" on younger people.
Last edited by Conn Seanery; 04-07-2020 at 04:18 AM.
"Anyone can win a fight when the odds are easy! It's when the going's tough - when there seems to be no chance - that's when it counts!" - Spider-Man
Last edited by Prof. Warren; 04-06-2020 at 09:39 PM.
Yeah, I think with Watts going for a John Hughes vibe you kind of get this retro sense of what teenagers are supposed to be like from adults who watched old teen films.
ITSV definitely felt a little more like it was writing or depicting genuine teenagers and their dynamics.
MCU Spiderman brought nothing new to the table for Spiderman films. You can take a look back at something new the other films brought to Spiderman. MCU Spiderman is an extension of the horrible ways Disney makes movies. This is not cinema, its an easy cash grab for beloved comic book characters without wanting to do any hardwork. In itself, the wrong use of Tony Stark as a father figure makes the character a victim as much as Spiderman is himself of bad cash grab conceptions masquerading itself as a full on film.
I've seen some dumb takes on MCU Spider-Man but the idea that the music choices is the director talking down to the audience really takes the cake.
I'm also surprised how quickly people are siding with Simone. I was under the impression that Peter being a loser in his personal life was something we were getting sick of.
Like what?
I don't think people are saying it's talking down to the audience, but rather debating whether it fits the age group the movie is supposedly featuring.
I think the issue isn't Peter "the loser" but Peter being a tad milquetoast both in and out of costume, when that shouldn't be the case.I'm also surprised how quickly people are siding with Simone. I was under the impression that Peter being a loser in his personal life was something we were getting sick of.
"Anyone can win a fight when the odds are easy! It's when the going's tough - when there seems to be no chance - that's when it counts!" - Spider-Man
Except Blitzkrieg Bop is early 70s American punk music, rather than 80s music of the kind associated with those John Hughes movies.
It doesn't seem to fit or make real sense in terms of aesthetic, setting, style. For instance, Sam Raimi in his Spider-Man movies was going for a kind of careful anachronism, where without going full period, he overlays the culture of the 50s and 60s...so you have swing and jazz music, "Raindrops are falling on my head" in that scene in Spider-man 2 and other slight touches - like Peter's high school feels very Grease (Flash Thompson especially) which works because you have older actors playing high school kids for the most part. None of the characters use the internet (so for instance, Peter when looking for ways to make money sees a Yellow Pages for information on the underground wrestling club). It's all done deftly, unlike say Tim Burton's Batman which is basically an invented fantastic Gotham.
In the case of Watts' movies, there doesn't seem any real thought put into it. It's supposed to be high school today, but you don't get the subtle atavism to the '80s. The music choices are all over the map, and not tied to anything from teen movies of the time. It doesn't seem to mean anything.
Simone's points are all good ones, but it made me wonder if she's ever watched one of those Disney made-for-TV movies. The MCU Spider-Man movies follow the same formula to a "T." Disney just followed their somewhat safe version of tried and true.
Every day is a gift, not a given right.