August 20, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 23 Spider-Man film’s wisecracking lead is no charmer by Dennis Seuling “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (Sony), the second Spider-Man movie directed by Marc Webb, devotes con- siderable screen time to the characters: Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield); his sweetheart, Gwen (Emma Stone); Peter’s old friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan); Aunt May (Sally Field); and Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx). The scenes in which they express their emotions, fears, and resentments are far superior to the overproduced, overly long action sequences. Garfield seems to have lost a lot of the charm he brought to “The Amazing Spider-Man.” As Peter, he no longer has that goofy, endearing manner and, at 30, he no longer looks like an 18-year-old high school graduate. His Spider- Man dialogue features incessant wisecracks and jokes in the midst of life-threatening situations that undermine the action set pieces. His Spider-Man comes off as an arrogant, spoiled adolescent. DeHaan is effective as Harry, who takes over leadership of Oscorp and ponders his role in the world. With an air of prep-school entitlement, his Harry (replacing James Franco from the three Sam Raimi Spider-Man films) attempts to assert his independence from an intimidating, much older board of directors. He holds viewers’ attention in his key scenes as Harry, but becomes a laughable vision as the Green Goblin. Foxx overdoes his scenes by drawing on nerd clichés. When Max transforms into Electro, Spider-Man’s newest nemesis, he has little to say. Awesome in appearance, with a glowing blue face and hoodie, he is the centerpiece for all sorts of computer razzle-dazzle. Stone’s Gwen makes clear that she is more than Peter’s girlfriend and is not content to be second banana to Spider- Man. This presents serious relationship issues. The scenes of Spider-Man soaring through the streets of Manhattan are still impressive — maybe more so than ever, as real Spidey and CGI Spidey are seamlessly blended with exhilarating camera moves. In 3D, these sequences are especially thrilling. However, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is less interesting for its plot and effects than for its per- formances. Webb is just what a superhero franchise needs: a director whose emphasis skews to dialogue and charac- terization rather than elaborate action sequences. When the movie shifts into adrenaline-rush mode, it becomes just a routine action flick. Bonuses on the three-disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray 2D/DVD combo pack include four deleted scenes, director commen- tary, Alicia Keys’ music video, seven behind-the-scenes making-of featurettes, and a digital HD copy. There is also a three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and a single-disc DVD edition. “Y Tu Mamá También” (The Criterion Collection) is Alfonso Cuaron’s story about two buddies that was con- troversial when released theatrically 13 years ago because Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) swings into action in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2.’ of its frank depiction of drug use and sexual exploration. With their girlfriends away in Europe, Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal) and his upper-class friend Tenoch (Diego Luna) are looking forward to a summer full of drinking, drugs, and casual sex. At a wedding, they meet The Older Woman, Luisa (Maribel Verdu), 28-year-old wife of Tenoch’s writer cousin, and try to convince her to accompany them on a road trip to a made-up beach paradise the two claim is on the Mexican coast. Luisa, wanting to escape her troubles, agrees. Two days into the trip, tension builds between the two friends. Luisa has had sex with each one and now both young men are vying for her affection. Unlike countless teenage sex comedies, “Y Tu Mamá También” treats the subject realistically and matter-of- factly. Cuaron’s acknowledges that kids engage in all manner of sexual activity and he is not timid about illus- trating this graphically. The three leads are all excellent and create genuine characters. Bernal and Luna are believable as carefree pals with raging hormones out to have a wild summer of hedonism. The growing relationship among the three travelers reveals their emotional vulnerability as they engage in a journey of personal discovery. The three-disc Blu-ray/DVD Dual-Format edition con- tains interviews with the stars and director, a discussion about the film’s social and political issues, deleted scenes, the short film “You Owe Me,” and a booklet featuring a critical essay and character biographies. The new restored digital film transfer beautifully showcases Emmanuel Lubezki’s exquisite photography. “Only Lovers Left Alive” (Sony) follows vampire couple Adam and Eve (Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton), who live most of their lives on opposite sides of the world. Adam is a brooding musician living in seclusion. Eve is a woman of the world enjoying herself in the Middle East. Humans have so tainted their blood that feeding has become dangerous. Clean blood is a rare delicacy. What’s (continued on Crossword page)