The Amazing Spider-Man.

In August 2011 it was exactly 50 years ago that Spider-Man made his first ever appearance in a Marvel comic and by the look of his latest reincarnation in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) he’ll still be going strong in nine years time when he’s entitled to claim the American equivalent of his Bus Pass!

The Sam Raimi trilogy (2002 – 2007) was to be followed by Spider 4 but the studio decided to reboot the complete franchise, starting with the origins of the character and set at the time of Peter Parker’s High School days. Rooky director Marc Webb was brought in following the success of his 2009 debut feature film, the relationship drama (500) Days of Summer, although many Spider fans did not see him as the ideal person to handle the comic book adaptation, but fortunately their worries were unfounded.

Peter Parker with his first love Gwen Stacy.

In this latest version we also have a new actor in the main role, a great new villain, and a new love interest. Andrew Garfield (The Social Network 2010) although a little old for the part at 29, makes a reasonable job of the Peter Parker/Spider-Man character, Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy, Parkers classmate and first love and the film’s villain is British actor Rhys Ifans (Anonymous 2011) who plays the one armed Curt Conners, a mad scientist with a Jekyll and Hyde complex. 

Doctor Curt Conners.

I would say that it was not quite up to the standard of the Marvel Cinematic Universes latest picture Avengers Assemble (2012) but its still a well-acted, exciting and fun film for all age groups to enjoy. 

Anonymous.

I did write the plays, i don't care what Looney said!!!

And now for something completely different, or so John Orloff would have us believe. A certain Elizabethan playwright who went by the name of William Shakespeare did not actually write the plays and sonnets he had been credited with, instead the speculation our American screenwriter would have us believe is that they were written by the Lord Great Chamberlain Edward de Vere 17^th Earl of Oxford. A theory originally put forward in 1920’s by the aptly named John Thomas Looney, an English schoolteacher in his book Shakespeare Identified. The idea of someone else writing these works probably stems from the belief that a working class jobbing actor whose parents were illiterate would not have the where be all to write such prolific works, but a well educated courtier, playwright and poet would have been far more likely to have turned out the 38 plays, 154 sonnets and a couple of narrative poems!!!

German film director Roland Emmerich, best known for disaster, or should I say disastrous movies, has taken Orloff’s screenplay and turned out a very entertainingly absorbing historical thriller! Anonymous (2011) as well as questioning Shakespeare’s right to claim authorship, deals with the political and sexual intrigue in the Elizabethan court and who would succeed the Queen for the crown of England upon her death.

These things never end well!

The film, without doubt, raises interesting questions about the Bard’s identity and succeeds in bringing history to life and even makes his plays seem relevant. Produced with a combination of CGI and sets, including the glorious Rose Theatre and surrounding London Streets, purpose built at Berlins Babelsberg Studios were Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will (1935) was made. Emmerich film has a first class British cast that adds gravitas to the story. Rhys Ifans shines as the Earl of Oxford as does Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Elizabeth with her own daughter Joely Richardson playing the younger Elizabeth. Other actors of note involved in this bizarre twist of history include David Thewlis, Rafe Spall and Mark Rylance. Not the turkey the critics would have us believe.

Whose a naughty girl then?