Spider-Man: No Way Home — Opening night review
Why I love going to the movies
If you like any of the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies, go see Spider-Man: No Way Home. It was fun, it had thrills, and there was an emotional through line.
No Spoilers.
I missed the movies.
I missed those moments when you’re there with the crowd and the movie takes you away. You forget about your worries and you feel caught up in this other world where the hero’s fears and problems are suddenly your own.
I saw The Blair Witch Project when no one knew what it was. The guys who worked at the theater banged on the doors at a couple key moments and the entire theater rippled with fear. When we left the theater we saw the seats were surrounded with bundles of sticks. We had a collective experience and we were all freaked out.
I remember being in a crowded 300 seat theater watching Avengers Endgame and Captain America caught Mjolnir. The crowd erupted with excitement.
Usually I’m a home body and I don’t like being around a lot of people but when it’s an opening night and the movie is doing what it’s supposed to do (taking the audience on a journey) I love feeling the audience reaction. When the movies get those moments right and you can’t experience them at home.
When a horror movie does it right — like Midsommar (directed by Ari Aster) — during a few gruesome moments between beautiful shots — or Audition (directed by Takashi Miike) — in the moments you hope it’s just a movie. You feel that collective dread. You’re afraid for the protagonist as much as you are afraid for yourself. When a horror movie doesn’t get those moments right the wide audience thinks the filmmakers are joshing them. But when it works — like when I saw the Sixth Sense with a couple friends before anyone knew what it was — I was there with the gasps of shock and horror of the audience as the movie played out.
I really missed the movies.
I think Tenet was the first movie I saw after the pandemic hit. There was a small crowd and it didn’t feel the same. I chased opening nights after that feeling — No Time To Die (decent actioner but no “hell yeah” moments) — the much lauded Dune (the audience didn’t know what to feel) — Eternals (Audience no longer phased by the potential end of the world).
The movies were good. They were well made but there were none of those euphoric moments. We didn’t get what we paid for when we bought our tickets. They were good but we didn’t get lost in the story.
Spider-Man: No Way Home was the first time since the pandemic that I felt those collective moments again. The crowd erupted in those moments. It connected with all of us. We were riding those feelings. It makes me emotional remembering back on it.
This is why I love the movies. This is why I love making movies and telling stories. You get lost in the narrative. You get lost in the story. You forget your troubles for as long as the movie is doing what it’s supposed to do. We are feeling machines and some movies turn those keys. Spider-Man: No Way Home made us feel those emotional highs. Hell yeah.
Final Thoughts — A look ahead
My work as a filmmaker is taking a new direction in 2022. I have written a slate of horror film scripts. I plan on producing a micro horror short, a short horror film, and a horror / thriller feature film. Starting January 2022 I will be posting weekly with updates about those projects, sharing my process, and providing insight I have learned while screenwriting and filmmaking. I look forward to getting back on set next year and Spider-Man: No Way Home has reminded me why I love being on set.
If you have any questions about filmmaking, you can reach me at: info[at]bridgeportfilmclub[dot]com.
If you liked this article, please consider sharing it with a friend.
If you would like to support my work, I made a Christmas tree documentary, check out: Mouina’s Tree
You can check out my previous article here: Make your short film Now!
