The Avengers

The Avengers is a study in how a successful franchise can be put together in a relatively short amount of time and pay off big time.  With Robert Downey Jr. solidifying the success of the Iron Man movies, a good investment was obviously made.  In the midst of a mega-blockbuster hit already bursting at the seems in star power and acting talent,  in no less than what essentially amounts to 6 superheroes in a single film; it is still fascinating how Downey so seemingly effortlessly seems to nearly outshine everyone in terms of dialogue and humor.  That withstanding, The Avengers, is also brilliant in terms of how balanced an approach to the storyline was given to each character, who is an integreal part of the plot.  In terms of special effects, there is nothing very spectacular that most of us haven't seen in any of the Transformer or Spiderman movies. Take note of the cool the stealth aircraft carrier/plane and the seemless panoramic sweeping of the camera during the final city action sequence that with the use of cgi brilliantly showcase the simultaneous battles of our heroes.   It is that final sequence of the team working together that is so priceless and doesn't disappoint, not to mention the almost three way battle of Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor during the abduction of Loki.   The Avengers is great action on steroids tempered by a great story and cast.  It's culmination has thus far arguably taken the development of comic book films by leaps and bounds into a new standard.

The Amazing Spider-Man

A decade since the release of Toby Maguire's Spider-Man doesn't seem like a long time enough to plunge into making a reboot that, although creatively fresh and noticeably darker in certain plots and character storylines, is full of the lack luster, chemistry, and energy that made the first film a successful franchise.  The film starts off fresh enough, but quickly tries too hard to encompass the best elements of the previous movies and other comic book movies, into a rushed frenzy that weakens the story and character development.   The cast, although good and talented, seem more like generic cardboard cut-out replacements of their earlier film counterparts.  It's decent enough to watch, but premature in production to warrant it's own distinctive identity, even for a public with a short attention span.  Better luck with the sequel.