Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Is Not Only One Of The Best Movies Of The Year But It’s Also One Of The Best Superhero Movies Ever Made
Please excuse the hot takey headline that sounds like it was spewed by Skip Bayless' Supernerd Variant and the jumble of content at the top of the blog. I'm just trying to plug my Barstool pod like the other one million in the podcastverse (subscribe to My Mom's Basement in all of its forms today!).
But I stand by what I said. Across The Spider-Verse picks up where Into The Spider-Verse left off and created another banger of a superhero movie despite being a cartoon, which will give some people pause about seeing despite comic books being, yanno, drawings just like cartoons and the base for the entire genre.
I'm not criticizing those people either because I didn't watch Into The Spider-Verse until it was streaming and have a shitload of Star Wars animated shows like Clone Wars and Rebels to get into despite hearing nothing but rave reviews from fellow Star Warriors nerds I trust over the years.
Now despite all that, I don't truly think Across The Spider-Verse is the best superhero movie ever made considering I don't even have it as the best Spider-Verse movie ever made as I discussed with Robbie in our signature Fast Food Review of Across The Spider-Verse.
I preferred the first Spider-Verse movie despite the sequel maybe being a more well-done movie, if that makes sense. I also have massive blockbusters like Infinity War, Endgame, and The Dark Knight above it as well as my personal favorite Guardians movie, Vol. 2. But holy fuck that movie was beautiful, fun, action packed, and full of more Easter Eggs than the Roy household back when Logan tried to buy his kids' love with money. Yes, there's a full Succession finale breakdown in that My Mom's Basement episode.
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Okay enough plugging the pod. Here are some quick thoughts about a great movie for people that prefer the written word over the spoken word by two dashingly handsome young men...
- As crazy as it sounds, I feel like the Spider-Verse trilogy can at the very least be the best Spider-Man trilogy ever and at the most be the best superhero trilogy ever. Now I think you will get a ton of pushback on that considering the Nolan Batman trilogy, the Guardians trilogy, the Captain America trilogy, parts of some X-Men trilogies, along with other Spider-Man trilogies and probably a bunch of others I'm not thinking of (Avengers movies are cheating imho). But you can't deny how good the first two movies have been and how incredible their numbers will stack up to anyone else's if they can stick the landing in March.
- Speaking of which, I had noooooooooooo fucking clue that there was another Spider-Verse movie scheduled to come out next year, so I was a little grumpy about getting dickslapped with a To Be Continued... after more than 2 hours in the theater. But after letting it marinate a bit, I actually don't hate stories that take multiple movies to tell if they are done right, which this series clearly is considering they have hit 450+ foot home runs both times. I just wish I knew I was being edged
- Spot was a really fun villain that has the potential to be one of those rare fun AND super badass villains in the next movie. I don't think I'm smart enough to understand some of Jason Schwartzman's biggest movies. But I always enjoy him when I see/hear him on the screen, including his character in Fargo, which needs to come back into my life sooner rather than later.
- Lord almighty did I think I was going to hate Spider-Punk because I've never really been into the British punk scene and Lord almighty was I wrong. That dude fucking ruled and now I'm reevaluating every choice I made in my life that led me to think I wasn't going to like that guy. I may have Robbie send me a list of his favorite songs by The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and whatever other bands I didn't give a second thought to over the years.
Please don't roast me if any of these bands aren't in the right genre because I just learned I actually may like them a few days ago.
- I'm not going to say what I'm thinking about Mrs. Morales because I don't want to get bonked or internet shamed. But just know that I know that you know I am right.
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I would be a reeeeeeeeal shame if that beautiful woman became a widow (I swear to God I will murder the people who make these movies if they murder Rio Morales in any universe).
- Call me a sucker for fellow dads going through their shit, but Peter B. Parker is my favorite Spider-Man in the Spider-Verse and his daughter Mayday is my favorite character in the Spider-Verse.
- You see this? This is art.
Or at least A++++++ meme'ing.
- Miguel is so high on my sus list I'm starting to think he may actually be Mephisto.
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I rewatched this movie a second time when I took my kids and hearing Miles say "You have claws? Are you even a real Spider-Man?" hit like a ton of bricks. I'm not sure if he is a Villain of the Week, The Supervillain of the Third Movie, or the actual devil himself. But I do know he is sus af. The kids still say that, right?
- I need stats like this for every movie and especially Across The Spider-Verse.
I was impressed with enough with this movie just based on everything I saw. But I would truly be impressed if we got a breakdown on how many animations were drawn, how much memory it takes up on a hard drive, and how many cups of coffee were drank by the people that made all this.
I feel like there is so much more to cover with this movie even before the internet does its typical deep dive on all the little references we missed during our viewing(s).
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Holy shit it is soooo much easier to talk about superhero content when it is awesome. For much more on all things Spidey-Verse, check out this week's (you guessed it) My Mom's Basement!