The King's Man (2021) - 1/5

This movie has some gorgeous visuals and solid fight choreography, but the message is so aggressively detestable and pushed so continually that it makes the entire film vomit-inducingly unwatchable. It goes on and on about how terrible it is to lay down one’s life for family, friends, and country, making a big deal about how foolish and counterproductive everyone in the military is. The movie seems to think it’s terribly clever for making every capable, forthright character a woman and every man a sniveling, useless imbecile (except for the one black man of course). It’s so far up it’s own ass it could swallow itself twice, and seems completely unaware of its internal circular logic.

Closest comparison: It’s like Downton Abbey by way of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, with a bit of 1917 thrown in.

Setting: Adventure
Plot: Espionage
Tone: Action Comedy

Spider-Man: No Way Home - 4/5

This movie is attempting to be a love-letter to Spider-Man fans and MCU fans alike, and in many ways it succeeds. There’s much better character development here than in the previous two Spider-Man movies, and the main cast rises to the challenge with superb acting. The fight scenes are much better than Far From Home, both in conception and execution. That being said, the first half hour is pretty painful in its attempts at humor and there are a few throw-away lines that are cringey attempts at being ‘woke’. At this point in the MCU every film is carrying a lot of baggage, and how this one hits any given audience member will only vary more and more, this film very much included.

Closest comparison: It’s like Spider-Man: Far From Home by way of Doctor Strange (2016).

Setting: Super Hero
Plot: Sci-Fi
Tone: Comedy