The bright gem of Spider-Man 2 (Part 2)

I love the film “Spider-Man 2”.  Last time, I began detailing why.  Let’s get right back to it.

Compassionate Speech

Peter is as lost as ever.  He has tried to shirk his responsibilities as Spider-Man, but he still wants to protect others.  He gets the help he needs in one of my favorite scenes of the film.  Aunt May is moving.  And she, along with a boy named Henry, are working hard at organizing everything and putting them into boxes.  Henry brings up Spider-Man, and Aunt May chimes in on his absence of his picture in the papers.  The subject then turns to Henry himself, and how he actually wants to be Spider-Man one day.  When Peter asks why, his aunt replies with a touching speech:

“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 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 did that for Henry, and he wondered where’s he’s gone.  He needs him.”

These words inspire Peter to choose the hard life of Spider-Man again.  This is the moment he chose Spider-Man in his heart and soul.

Complete Surprise

One of the more intriguing aspects of “Spider-Man 2” is the Peter and Mary Jane relationship.  The ‘will they/won’t they’ storyline is something I find quite fascinating.  Remember it was Peter’s decision to protect MJ from his dangerous life that drove her into the arms of John Jameson in the first place; when she accepted John’s hand in marriage, Peter’s future with MJ looked very bleak.  But, at this point in the film, some dramatic surprises regarding her relationship with Peter begin to occur.  First off, Peter is surprised when MJ contacts him and asks him meet her in a local café.

Mary Jane had previously realized that maybe she didn’t really love John Jameson, and her heart lies elsewhere.  Thus, the surprise invitation.  At the café, there was another surprise: she boldly asks Peter if he loves her.  In another desperate attempt to protect her, Peter lies, and says he doesn’t.  Undeterred, she asks Peter to kiss her, because she “needs to know something.”  But Doctor Octopus appears, (after Peter, in a dazzling cinematic moment, saves them both from a car Ock had tossed at them).  Doc Ock demands that Peter find Spider-Man, and he kidnaps Mary Jane for good measure.  This sets the stage for more surprises in the next act of the film.

Crazy good sequence

After Peter takes back his Spider-Man suit that his boss, J. Jonah Jameson, had displayed on the wall in his office, he immediately goes after Ock.  Their fight ends up landing them both on a train.  I could go on and on with the breathtaking moments that occur in the entire marvelous scene, but I want to focus on Doctor Octopus’ speeding up the train, and cutting the brakes, forcing Spider-Man to stop it before the train falls off the unfinished bridge.  There’s a you tube video where someone details this entire train scene; he comments:

“This decision may seem out of place, but when you think about it, it’s actually a brilliant move on Octavius’ part.  He’s fully confident that Spider-Man will stop this train.  After all, he has a deal with Harry Osborn to trade Spider-Man for the fusion material.  He has no reason to kill Spider-Man at this point; meaning, it’s all done to tire him out as much as possible, since he knows he’ll always find a way to keep chasing him.  No better way to tire a superhero than forcing them into a life and death scenario.”

Ultimately, he does stop the train, inches before everyone would have fallen off the unfinished tracks.  But Peter is so exhausted that he has no strength left; he loses consciousness, and would have actually fallen to his death, had the passengers of the train not caught him.  This same you tube video continues: “In “Spider-Man 2”, the scene is executed gracefully by having the passengers pull Peter up into the train, in a Christ-like manner.”  Then Ock returns, easily subdues Spider-Man, and takes him to Harry Osborn.

(Source: “Spider-Man 2: The beauty of the train scene” by Core Ideas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4_mJiROoQo)

In conclusion, great superhero films inspire, and this film inspires me.  Many lessons to draw out, but let me focus on just one today.  This movie teaches me that even if I’m down, I don’t have to be out.  I can get up and keep fighting the good fight.  Peter picks up the mantle of Spider-Man again, knowing the cost of doing so.  

To be continued!

Kevin

Spider-Man 2: The brightest gem of a superhero film (Part 1)

The 2004 movie “Spider-Man 2” is a film that is close to my heart.  When I decided to undertake the project of articulating why I love it, I quickly realized that I could go on and on.  I will try to cover it all in 2 parts, but to adequately capture it, it may actually be 3.  To begin, I’m going to present this in sections, each beginning with the same letters.  First off, we need to think about the context.  Or what I’m going to call…

Continuing Story

At the very end of 2002’s “Spider-Man” Peter left Mary Jane in tears, not to mention broke his own heart.  He chose to not reciprocate the feelings MJ had declared she had for him.  The film ends with Peter choosing responsibility over heart.  It’s a noble, inspiring end to the film, for sure.  But what are the ramifications of Peter’s decision?  “Spider-Man 2” gives us the answer.

Consistent Suffering

Act one of the film shows that nothing is going right in Peter’s life.  He is so strapped for cash that he takes a second job as a pizza deliveryman, which he loses because he was late (again) in delivering it.  Why?  Because he was saving lives as Spider-Man.  His grades are slipping; he is late to classes.  Why?  Because of his duties as Spider-Man.  His relationship with Mary Jane deteriorates from her longing glances at him in the beginning of the film, to her referring to him as “a great big jerk” towards the end.  Why?  Because he was stopping crime as Spider-Man, which caused him to be late to MJ’s play.  Peter’s life is falling apart, because of Spider-Man.

Compelling Super-villain

“Spider-Man 2” has an intriguing, menacing villain.  Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus is a formidable foe.  But when we first meet him, he is Otto Octavius.  He just wants to benefit mankind by realizing his dream of creating renewable, sustainable, energy.  Otto quickly befriends Peter.  Both he, his wife Rosie, and Peter chat at length the night before Otto’s big demonstration.  Ultimately, his experiment fails; four mechanical arms are welded to his body.  Quickly it becomes apparent that Doctor Octopus, or Doc Ock, is a physical threat.  Director Sam Raimi does a great job of capturing this when the camera literally shakes as Doc Ock is off-screen, but approaching.

Complex Situation

Another fascinating aspect of “Spider-Man 2” is the storyline when Peter begins to lose his spider powers.  When I was younger, I didn’t understand why this was happening, but I get it now.  This was a case of “mind over matter.”  There are buried emotions at work here, manifesting in the loss of his powers.  Primarily he is heartsick over a sad development regarding Mary Jane; and it’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back.  But let me back up.

There’s a vitally important scene where Peter is devastated to learn that Mary Jane had accepted John Jameson’s marriage proposal.  In the next scene, Spidey goes from web slinging, to losing his powers yet again.  Further, in that previous scene, where Peter are Otto are chatting the night before the experiment, Otto had stated that love should never be kept a secret.  “If you keep something as complicated as love inside,” he continued, “It’ll make you sick.”  Also when Peter goes to a doctor to see what’s wrong with him, the doctor flat-out tells him he is fine; it is all in his mind.  He asks if Peter had gone through heartbreak or bad dreams.  Peter focuses on the bad dreams example, but it’s heartbreak.

Cinematic Shock

Peter states that he is Spider-Man “in his dreams”, but he keeps losing his powers and falling off a wall.  The well-meaning doctor suggests that maybe he doesn’t need to be Spider-Man.  “You always have a choice, Peter,” the doctor says.  Those words lead to Peter having a chat with Uncle Ben in a daydream of sorts.  He tells Ben that he wants a life of his own.   And he resolutely declares, “I’m Spider-Man no more.”  He throws his Spidey suit into a trash can.  I’ve called this cinematic shock because very rarely do you see this decision made by the protagonist in a superhero film.

In conclusion, someone is wondering: what’s the relevance of digging into “Spiderman 2” in 2022?  Quite a lot.  First, while I dislike the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished”, it seems to fit Peter in this movie.  Whatever good he does just results in him getting kicked in the teeth.  Can’t we all relate to this on some level?  I know I can.  Secondly, I’m leaving this on a bit of a cliffhanger, but obviously there’s more to come.  And I submit that Peter’s example in this film inspires me, even to this very day.  He teaches us that the cost for doing the right thing is high – perhaps higher than ever before – but it’s still so worth it.

To be continued!

Kevin

Harpooned

Rob Petrie, in a particularly riveting episode of the iconic program “The Dick Van Dyke show” began receiving a barrage of insults from others after not being as proficient in self-defense as his wife.  I could go on and on about this episode, but for today, my point is Rob eventually likens the emotional damage he feels from the words as “another harpoon” (if you’re interested, I’m referencing an episode titled “My mother can beat up my father”).  I’ve began using that analogy because it’s a vivid word picture.

Candidly, I’ve been at the receiving end of unkind words from others in recent days.  I have been hurt unexpectedly; to use Rob’s word, I’ve been harpooned.  And this has happened on more than one occasion.  I don’t think it would be all that helpful to describe these episodes in detail.  Suffice to say, they made me angry; actually, that’s not strong enough: they made my blood boil.  But if you live on this planet, you’ll be hurt by others.  It’s inevitable.  Therefore, if that’s true, what is the remedy for this?  The remedy, in a word, is forgiveness.  I’m not saying it’s an easy remedy; in fact, forgiveness seems like the last thing we should do, but I can tell you from firsthand experience the only way to heal is to forgive.

Recently, I had this thought: if someone were to ask me to present one last blog installment, and then retire from writing them altogether, what would my last, all-important blog be about?  Of course, I would have great difficulty with such a task.  Perhaps I would condense it into a bullet point format or something.  But, without a doubt, somewhere in that blog I would state this: if you and I want to live a life of happiness and peace, we must choose to forgive when others hurt us.  I’ve experienced the power of forgiveness, and I thank God for it.  Without it, I don’t know where I would be. 

In Matthew 6, Jesus gives His disciples a sample prayer, commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”, He gives these words: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (verse 12; NKJV).  I’ve heard this prayer recited in groups, and sometimes the phrase is “forgive us our transgressions, as we forgive those who transgress against us.”  I like that rendering too.  Further, in Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother.  Up to seven times?  Peter had to be surprised when Jesus answered, “seventy times seven” (verse 22).  Essentially, what Jesus was saying is there’s no limit; keep on forgiving.    

Ephesians 4:30 states to not “grieve the Holy Spirit of God”, and the next verse admonishes, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you.”  Well, okay, how does one get rid of all of these things?  Verse 32 of Ephesians 4: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”  That last phrase is very important.  When I consider the massive debt of sin that I accrued, and how Jesus paid off that debt with His blood, I’m inspired to turn around and forgive others with the same mercy that I’ve been given by God.

In conclusion, forgiveness is powerful, but it can be misunderstood.  So let me hit and run on a few instances to clarify.  This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, but it’s a start.  First off, “forgive and forget” is not found in the Bible.  I can choose to forgive, but I may never actually forget.  Secondly, forgiving yourself is vitally important.  Since God forgave me, I can choose to forgive myself too.  Thirdly, forgiveness isn’t dependent on the other person apologizing.  They may never apologize.  Reconciliation may not occur.  So be it.

Furthermore, forgiving someone doesn’t imply that you are now okay with what they did; it means you are letting God be the judge of the situation.  Fifthly, forgiveness doesn’t mean you are a doormat who stays in a bad situation.  Similarly, forgiveness doesn’t suggest you now trust the person; trust has to be earned.  Sixthly and finally, forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling.  You may not feel like you’ve forgiven, but your emotions will eventually catch up to the decision of your will.

Kevin

Coming soon in September

Back in July, I composed a blog that was basically just a teaser of blogs I was going to write later on that month.  I’ve decided to do that again today.  One of the reasons I wrote in that way then is the same reason I am doing so now: I was tired.  I had no energy other than to just give a preview.  Plus, writing in this way also gets it out of my head (the plight of someone who loves to write; it floats around in the brain).  So here I am.

First of all, not long ago, I was going to present a collection of blogs.  Initially, I was actually going to have it be a trilogy; then it soon became apparent that a 4th blog was necessary.  While I’ve already revised the trilogy angle, the subject matter is an important one. 

I was going to begin it with this question: if I had the opportunity to convey just one thing to you, before retiring from writing, what would it be?  Understand that would be impossible for me.  And if I were asked such a question, I would probably be like being the person who, upon finding a genie, wished for more than 3 wishes; in other words, I would ask for several blogs, not just one.  But even still, you get the point.  This is an extremely important subject matter that would certainly make my list, if I were asked to give just one last blog. 

Further, as I was preparing all of this in my head, a few noteworthy episodes in my life occurred; as matter of fact, one of them was as recent as today.  It became a confirmation of sorts that God was saying I need to go down this road.  I know, without any context, you can’t really resonate. But maybe it serves as an effective teaser for what I hope to present soon.

Secondly, and in conclusion for today, after I finally get all that presented, I would love to write on something that is long overdue.  I’ve repeatedly stated that 2004’s “Spider-Man 2” is the best superhero film ever made.  But in 11 years of this blog, I’ve never composed why I believe this.  Therefore, after singing the praises of 2002’s “Spider-Man” back in July; as well as the considerable space I’ve given to 2007’s “Spider-Man 3” over the years; and even a few blogs devoted to the Maguire-led “Spider-Man 4” (I am hoping on that film happening one day).  After all of that, an exploration on “Spider-Man 2” seems very much in order.  And, once again, long overdue.

To be continued!

Kevin      

"Spider-Man 4" - Is it possible?

Once upon a time, after “Spider-Man 3” was released, “Spider-Man 4” was green-lighted and confirmed.  The cast and crew were all ready to return.  It was slated for a 2011 release; work went into the production for years.  But it was eventually cancelled, ushering in the Andrew Garfield era.  However, due to recent events, “Spider-Man 4” is apparently a possibility.  Let me organize my thoughts in this way.  To begin…

“Spider-Man 4” – How?

How is this possible?  Well, it gets complicated and involved.  I don’t want to get bogged down in all the details today.  It is sufficient to say, because of recent Marvel stories that were told, the door has been opened back up for a chance – remote as it may be – for “Spider-Man 4”.  Sam Raimi is willing to direct the film; Tobey Maguire is on board; and Kirstin Dunst has also expressed she would be available to reprise her role.

“Spider-Man 4” – Why?

Some wonder why a 4th movie would need to be made in the first place.  After all, the trilogy concluded back in 2007, and it ended on the hopeful note – Peter and Mary Jane choosing to forgive and reconcile.  So, why go down the road of a 4th Spider-Man film?  Well, even after all these years, I and many other fans, think another film is warranted.  There were enough minor loose ends that I would love to see tied up.

For example, in “Spider-Man 3” one of the storylines is Peter’s wedding proposal to Mary Jane.  But due to numerous obstacles that were thrown at them, this never happened.  I would love to see “Spider-Man 4” for several reasons, but one of my burning desires is to see Peter and MJ as a married couple.  These two have endured so much adversity; to see their proposal, engagement, and wedding (or even just to have it referenced in the film) warms my heart to contemplate. 

Other questions abound in my mind.  For instance, what kind of effect has carrying Peter’s secret identity all these years had on MJ?  Would they have questioned whether they should start a family at all, due to Peter’s secret identity?  Would they have children by now?  Would their children have spider-powers?  In short, this is not just a nostalgic wish to bring the gang all back together; there is a compelling story for “Spider-Man 4” just waiting to be told.

“Spider-Man 4” – What?

What kind of story might there be in this next Spider-Man film?  Of course, no one knows at this point.  But there is an intriguing story that appeared in the comics that might tie in well with the film.  In the comics, Peter and MJ had a daughter named May “Mayday” Parker.  May didn’t appear to have any spider-powers, until the age of 15.  But, like Peter, she used her powers for the benefit of others.  Ultimately, she sewed her own costume and dubbed herself “Spider-Girl”.  I was also fascinated to read that May or “Spider-Girl” even battled Hobgoblin; which would go well with Sam Raimi’s Goblin-themed villains. 

(By the way, I read the details of this storyline at this link; there’s a lot I omitted for the sake of brevity - https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/May_Parker_).     

“Spider-Man 4” – When?

When might this next film be happening?  Sony Pictures has been tight-lipped on this.  I suppose one just needs to stay tuned.  Right now, it’s just a wildly popular online rumor.  If someone were to ask me whether I think it will happen or not, I would submit that Raimi and Maguire’s “Spider-Man 4” probably won’t be made.  Even with all dominos that fell into place to get the possibility this far down the track, I don’t foresee it ever making it to the big screen.  I hope it is made. To see this 4th film would make me cry tears of joy right at the opening credits.  Yet to have the remote chance again, all these years later, makes me happy.

Kevin

"Life is a very precious gift"

There was a fun and memorable episode from the TV show “Lois and Clark” that started with a heavy tone.  A man with a colorful name – William Wallace Webster Waldecker – is completely overwhelmed with the issues in his life.  Waldecker attempts suicide, but Superman swoops in and stops him.  I love the words that Superman says to him: “Sir, please, life is a very precious gift.  Every day we’re alive is another chance for us to be the best we can be.”  Not many has the credibility to deliver these words of wisdom; no wonder Superman is sometimes referred to as a Boy Scout. 

In the process of saving Waldecker, some of the Man of Steel’s powers were actually transferred to Waldecker.  This development inspires the man to take on the role of a superhero – he gives himself the name Resplendent Man.  However, his actions are hardly heroic; he charges money for the “service” of saving people’s lives; he uses his x-ray vision to look at women in a locker room, and he basically only thinks of himself.  However, when Waldecker’s sister is kidnapped, as well as Lois, Resplendent Man saves everyone, including Superman himself.  Ultimately, he sacrifices the powers, as they are transferred back to Superman. 

Waldecker’s takeaway from the whole experience is priceless.  He says, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of this, it’s that life really is worth living for as long as you get to.  Because you never know what’s going to happen next.”  I can relate to that sentiment.  I could write a blog on just instances of that fact in my own life.  Instead let me return to Superman’s words.  He said, “Life is a very precious gift.”

Furthermore, I submit to you that life is a gift from God Himself.  He is the One who holds our breath (Daniel 5:23); keeps our hearts beating (Psalm 139:13); and sustains us while we sleep (Psalm 3:5).  In fact, the Bible declares, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

Yes, life is a gift.  But it is equally true that life can hurt us deeply.  Life can be full of troubling challenges.  As I was putting all of this together, I watched a film titled “The Christmas Chalet” primarily because it stars Erica Durance, who was an excellent Lois Lane in the TV show “Smallville”. 

The film centered around how a chalet (which, I learned from viewing this, is sort of like a cabin) was double-booked.  One party is Grace Mitchum (Durance), her daughter, Lexi, and Grace’s mother, Helen.  The other party is Jack Manning (played by Robin Dunne), a popular writer of fiction novels; he booked the chalet to write.  One scene in particular caught my attention.  Lexi, an aspiring writer herself, asks Jack where he gets his inspiration.  His surprising answer is from pain.

“When you think about it,” Jack continues, “What do you really know about yourself unless you’ve been through something dark?  That’s what it means to be human; that’s storytelling.”  They go on to talk about some of the difficulties they each have faced in their lives.  A little later on in the scene, Jack gives these profound words: “What’s out there [in the real world] is messy, and complicated, and painful, and beautiful.  If you have the courage to embrace that amazing chaos, that’s going to elevate your writing.”    

Let me conclude with this.  Matt Redman, who has written dozens of memorable worship songs such as “Blessed be Your name” “Heart of worship” and “10,000 reasons” wrote an excellent book back in 2001 titled “The unquenchable worshipper”.  His words put a nice bow on my thoughts today.  He writes this in chapter 1:

“There is a kind of worshipper who “always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:7), and who goes through the storms of life with a heart still blazing [for God].  Sometimes it comes down to a simple choice.  We may be hard-pressed on every side, weary and not able to sense God.  But then a choice faces us – to fix our eyes on the circumstances or to cling to God and choose to worship Him, even when it hurts.”

Kevin

"Held by Your love, I sing alleluia"

Let me begin with a quote; I’ve used it before, but it’s profound, specifically when you consider the source.  In an episode of the 90’s animated cartoon of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood wall crawler says, “Life is a like a thunderstorm; it’s unpredictable, uncontrollable, sometimes even dangerous.  We like to think we have a handle of life, that we’re in charge.  Then, without warning, we find out how wrong we really are.”

 
Maybe you don’t love superheroes like I do, and you just tolerate when I compose blogs like I presented recently, the one where I gush over a 20-year old movie.  But, even still, can you relate to the above quote?  The world is filled with heartache, suffering, and trouble.  “Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7).  Many of us know the truth of those words; we’ve experienced the anguish firsthand.  I know for myself it’s been rather difficult to relay the episodes of loss I’ve articulated here; because I re-live them, and I feel the pain and grief all over again.

James MacDonald in his marvelous book “Gripped by the greatness of God” writes, “As you go through a painful circumstance, you either get closer to the Lord or further away.  Trials will always push you.  Either they wedge between you and God, pushing you from Him, or the weight of those same burdens drives you closer to Him…you have a choice.  You can harden your heart and refuse the sovereign purposes of God…or you can run to Him.”

Earlier this month, I shared that Rebecca St. James is one of my heroes.  The fact is, Rebecca also knows suffering.  I appreciate the raw, authentic worship in the title track of her new project “Dawn”.  But it adds even more emotional depth to hear her explain the story behind the song.  She states that it is “tied to a season of winter” when she and her husband endured not just one, but two miscarriages, as well as other challenges. 

(Information can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tQhIxwL90I

With that in mind, here’s a sampling of the song “Dawn”: “Water the garden of my life with every sorrow, every tear that I’ve cried.  Redeem this winter for Your good.  Lord, show Your power as only You could.  Help me hold on; cling to You ‘til I see the sun.  [Chorus] Held by Your love, I sing alleluia; You’re lifting my heart as I lift my hands.  Safe in Your love, I sing alleluia; You’re healing my heart as I lift my hands." [The bridge of this song might be my favorite part] “Even in the darkness, even when it’s hardest, You are faithful and You bring the dawn.  On every mountain, I’ll sing it even louder, You are faithful and You bring the dawn.”

Let me conclude with this.  Recently I was so blessed by a Crosswalk.com devotional – written by Aaron Berry – on Jesus’ words in John 16:33 (“In this world, you will have trouble.  But take heart; I have overcome the world”) that I decided to include a paragraph of encouragement from it with you.  

(By the way, I’d love to could quote more, but the full devotional link can be found here – https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/jesus-promise-in-this-word-you-will-have-trouble-john-1633.html

“In this verse, we see two realities: 1) The followers of Jesus will suffer distress, and 2) Jesus has already won the victory…Following Christ is difficult and there will be opposition.  Yet, the reality of Christ’s victory over sin and death via his own death and resurrection provides peace and courage in the midst of that opposition.”  A little later on Berry writes: “Anyone who claims that believing in Jesus brings financial prosperity, physical health, and perfect relationships hasn’t read his Bible.  Life is tough and the Christian life is tougher…instead of promising to eliminate trouble from our lives, Jesus instead promises to give peace and comfort in the midst of trouble.”

Kevin