Spiderman: Homecoming, Smallville Alums
*Can you tell this isn’t the actual poster?
“Spiderman: Homecoming” is my 3rd favorite Marvel universe film right behind “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War”, and it is by far the best “Spiderman” film. It was wonderful to see a superhero film that was fun and funny with medium stakes and more focused on characters than advancing a plotline for a movie that will be coming two years afterwards.
Tom Holland (“The Impossible”) to the role originated in “Captain America: Civil War” as Peter Parker who after being recruited by Tony Stark/Ironman to help battle Team!Cap in “…Civil War”
is back in Brooklyn, impatiently cooling his heels hoping for the call from Tony to join the Avengers.
Peter has one foot in his old life as he juggles the debate team, his crush on debate team leader Liz (Laura Harrier, “One Life to Live”), maintaining his friendship with best friend Ned (Jacob Batalan, “North Woods”),
keeping his secret identity from his Aunt May and being the friendly neighborhood Spiderman.
Wishing for a bigger task like the battle with Team Cap, Peter gets his wish when a criminal emerges: the Vulture who plans to take his dirty dealings beyond Brooklyn.
Everything worked in this film. The humor, the heart, the acting. I’m not a Spiderman expert at all and it was accessible to a non-fan like me, but going back and reading up about the Easter eggs in the film I realized it’s also a complete fanservice to the fans and it’s gorgeous because Marvel fans have been calling for Sony to just give the rights back to Marvel so that Disney can do Spiderman correctly, but this film shows that Sony has a bead on this character now and Spidey in great hands.
Like I really hate that I loved this film because one of the writing teams (there were six scribes) was the team of Jonathan Goldenstein and John Francis Daley(Sweets, “Bones”, “Freaks and Geeks”). I actively hate their work their “Vacation” reboot and the “Incredible Burt Wonderstone” were criminal acts, just terrible.
The film also stars my dude Logan Marshall-Green (late of “Quarry”)
And Bookeem Woodbine, and appearances by Martin Starr, and Donald Glover (another Easter egg)
*There are people who have seen the film and really walked away thinking Marshall-Green was Tom Hardy.
Someone said he should change his name to Tom Hardly
Adding to the confusion for some was the news that Tom Hardy has been cast as Venom, a Spiderman villain so people assumed “…Homecoming” was an introduction to the character.
Tom wearing his Venom shirt proudly
On the heels of this happy casting news, was the sad news that the Hardy family suffered a loss. Tom’s dog Woodchuck “Woody” Hardy passed away.
Tom’s eulogizes Woody in the way only Tom can
Never 5Get
~Like Tom Welling who is posting pictures on Instagram with the frequency of Haley’s Comet.
I’ll still take it
Take that, swarthy basic cable actors: you will one day become a silver fox like Tom Welling.
You hear that, Matthew Daddario?
”Supergirl”s Tyler Hoechlin’s well on his way
With Ryan Kelley (Ryan, “Smallville”)
*Who is returning for “Teen Wolf”s upcoming final season.
~Speaking of “Supergirl” there has been a recast. Out is Laura Benanti (“Go On”, “Nashville”) and in is Erica Durance!!!!! Durance is the new Alura Zor-El, Supergirl’s mother.
Durance’s casting is only the latest Superman universe casting the series has done since it began. Original Film’verse Supergirl Helen Slater plays the adoptive mother of Supergirl, Dean Cain plays her husband and Teri Hatcher Queen Rhea, the mother of Mon-El (Chris Wood).
Teri and Dean in Sydney for a convention
~Cassidy Freeman was on the recently cancelled CBS legal series “Doubt”, which I had no idea she was on. Kristin Kreuk will be the lead of an upcoming legal series titled “Burden of Proof” which is slated to air in 2018. However the show’s two showrunners have left the production and a replacement has not been named yet.
~The upcoming ABC Marvel series “Inhumans” will give us two “Smallville” alums for the price of one. Anson Mount who played Dr. Helen Bryce’s stalker boyfriend and Serinda Swan who was the lovely Zatana Zatara stars in the series alongside Iwan Rheon (“Game of Thrones”).
Marvel (heh) at the trailer that gives us Iwan still sounding Welsh despite speaking with an American accent and Serinda Swan’s struggle Party City wig and lycra dress.
Click to view~Lucas Luthor or Paul Wesley if you want to be factual about it, cut his teeth directing on “The Vampire Diaries” but now he’s branched out. Wesley directed an upcoming episode of Freeform’s “Shadowhunter” (whose showrunners are “Smallville” Eps Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer).
~Metallo Brian Austin Green has three youn’uns with Megan Fox but never forget his first born, Kassius with “General Hospital”s Vanessa Marcil. Kass is little no more.
Brian and Kass: Then
Brian and Kass: Now
Vanessa keeping him humble
~Justin Hartley’s not content with just starring on the only hit series NBC has he’s going to the big screen as well. Justin’s putting his best foot and other things on full display in the sequel to “Bad Moms” titled “Bad Moms’ Christmas”.
~He’s also being kindly towards the lesser Green Arrow and lesser Amell, Stephen.
Stephen’s a fan
~Speaking of “This is Us” I attended the first season finale screening at the DGA back in March.
*I may have posted this because I can't tell since all of my posts are bollocked due to Photobucket.
NBC and their jokes
*Despite the show being a bit of a tearfest during that season the finale wasn’t emotional in that sense. Everyone was hyped thinking it would be the episode where we find out how Milo Ventimarzipan’s Jack died but that didn’t happen.
After the screening and Q&A was a reception where I had a chance to talk to this guy:
~Now if I’m going to speak to an actor I don’t ask for a picture afterwards because it feels like I’m buttering them up. So I waited out his huge crowd because everyone was chatting him up and taking pictures and I’m standing close waiting for a chance to swoop in, while trying to take stealth pics off the side. I get my chance and congratulate him for the success of the show and told him how I was a “Smallville” fan and loved the episodes he wrote (“Sacrifice)” and directed (“Dominion” )
You remember, the episode Zod hornily sqirms in his Iron Throne as he makes Oliver and Clark fight
He seemed surprised and said, “Oh! I appreciate that.” He waited a bit like he was waiting for me to ask for a picture because I stood there for a very long time leading up to this convo so we stood there for a beat just looking at each other and I said, “Well, I just wanted to say congratulations.” He thanked me again and shook my hand….
…and then I saw an acquaintance who marched me right back over to Justin so that I can take his picture with Justin. So after all of that “I just want to say hello” I was back again to take a picture.
The same happened with Susan Keletchi Watson who I spoke to just to say how much I loved the relationship between her character and Sterling K. Brown and I had to return to take the picture for my friend like seconds later. I explained, “I’m his photographer.”
Then I just became the photographer for my friend and a coworker.
The pic I took of one of them with Chrissy Metz
Of Chris Sullivan
*I told him how much I love not only his character on “This is Us” but on “The Knick” and how they are two completely different personalities but great characters. He said he’s so lucky to have the chance to play these characters. He loved/loves both.
Evenyounger!Kate, Randall and Kevin
I took this one of young!Randall and young!Kevin and young!Kevin’s friend because the little boy attempting to take a picture is evenyounger!Kevin
Now this one isn’t my picture but my coworkers. She left her phone with her friend so she can take pictures so I took pictures of her with the cast on my phone. She returns to her friend disappointed because she hadn’t seen Mandy Moore or Milo and the friend explains that Milo is nearby and she had just taken a picture with him and she gasps and realizes Milo still had her phone. My coworker starts calling out to Milo as he’s heading to the front door to leave and he stops and looks down at the phone in his hand. Still with his back turned he angles it up for a selfie and my coworker and her friend run up to him to get in the shot.
Bits from the Q&A
*Milo talked about he and Mandy doing a scene while Chrissy, Susan and Sterling watched from the sides, but Sterling was so intrigued that he followed them from set to set just barely out of the camera’s sight.
*It’s pointed out that Randall and Beth are the present day version of Jack and Kate.
Kitt/Natalie: Ron, you’ve been an actor for so long now, to get a part like this with an incredible cast and be on this journey with them; what is it like?
Ron: It’s special. Very special. It’s almost like a dream. You wait a long time to get a role like this, but to get a role with the writers and the way they write and the cast-how we respect each other and we respect each other’s work…It’s hard to explain.
(Kitt/Natalie about fan reaction).
Kitt/NatalieChrissy: Yeah, I needed stuff for my bathroom I was like ‘I guess I’ll go to Bed, Bath and Beyond” and a gentleman approached me-- as many people have and I’m so grateful for it because I would never have that interaction if it wasn’t for the show. And people that you would never have anything remotely to relate to and it’s so much more than acting at point. The guy wanted to make Snapchat video with me and it was fun.
(Kitt/Natalie says that one of Mandy’s favorite scene is Justin’s painting scene and how it was a breakout moment for him).
Justin: Such beautiful work these writer are doing; the whole team. The words are beautiful and the story is beautiful and the way in which it is told is beautiful. For me, reading that monologue.. I remember thinking, “so he’s going up there to explain things to these two young girls what the painting is all about and in the process of that he’s figuring out as he’s talking.” It was a beautiful way you guys approach the story and the way you write it. It makes our jobs so much easier, to be honest. It’s a great thing…one of the great things…two things, is being part of an ensemble and you can watch parts of the show that I’m a fan of and I’m not in …you can watch scenes you’re not in and watch it as a fan. Watching you two (Mandy and Milo) work tonight…some of the best acting I’ve seen in my whole damn life and I’m kinda a TV junkie. I’ve watched a lot of TV in my life. And the other thing..I forgot.
Kitt/Natalie: (to Justin): You’re scene with Randall when you go to your brother…ugh (every applauds)
Chris: Yeah!
Susan: Oh lord!
Justin Again. It’s a moment that’s written that you. (remembering his previous thought) I know where it was!
Kitt/Natalie: We got you!
Justin: You see! Found out. One of the things about being an actor is that sometimes you agree… Look sometimes you take jobs, and you have to pay bills and you read things and you think (reading a script, incredulous) “How…HOW? How am I going to save this?” And it’s horrifying. It’s completely horrifying. But almost more horrifying is when you read something and you’re like, “this is so..I don’t think I’m good enough.” And this what you (the writers) all do. And somehow it all works out.
Milo: And Justin, you step up to the plate and you deliver.
Justin: My dad.
It was a definite love fest between the cast but the MVP was Milo Ventimochacholatte..
On Kate and Toby’s relationship
Chris: They (the writers) given us a great relationship to be a part of. If only you had TV writers writing your (real life) relationship…it’s great.. it’s an honor to portray two vulnerable, honest people who are not only sharing their joy but sharing their pain. The only way to true connection is through that second part. There’s not much to learn from joy---you just experience joy.
Chrissy: True intimacy is trust and that’s what you develop-obviously as characters, but in friendships and relationships.
Chris: I think they’re coming down from the dopamine, serotonin festival of falling in love.
Natalie: Now reality is setting in…
Chris: It’s about to get real.
Natalie: We’re trying to figure out how Jack died and Kate has something to do with it.
Chrissy: (shocked) That’s what I heard! I think it’s Hannah (the actress who plays teen!Kate). Sorry.
Natalie: Is there guilt? Are you feeling guilty?
Chrissy: Oh, gosh. I don’t necessarily feel guilty because people make their own decisions-sorry Pop…
Chrissy: Our choices affect…they have repercussions and ripple effects throughout many, many years of our lives ::sighs::
Milo: (clipped) No, it’s fine.
Kit: I know you’re not going to tell us…
Natalie: I asked today who (of the cast) will be the weak link to say how Jack dies.
Kit: The kids
Milo: They don’t know, they’ don’t know….(warningly) Parker, put your….Parker, you put your hand down. Parker!
Chrissy: He doesn’t know.
Chris: If we stretch the reveal out for seven or eight seasons like that Neil Patrick Harris show and we can call it, “How I Killed Your Father”
Milo: Look, I get the question alllll the time. People are like, “Please don’t let it be this week. I’ve gotten into the habit of telling people, “Listen, let’s not focus on how he died or when he died let’s focus on how he lived.” (Susan exclaims in awe) That’s the most important lesson out of anything.
Natalie: But if we did focus on how-what is the craziest fan theory out there.
Justin: Colonel Mustard in the library with a hammer. Colonel Miguel in the library with a hammer.
Kit: Poor Miguel!
Justin: I know…poor Jon Huertas is not even here to defend himself.
Natalie: I like Miguel!
Chris: Nobody likes Miguel.
Justin: I don’t not like Miguel.
Mandy: Jon Huertas is such a good sport.
(They ask if Mandy will sing again on the show. She says she doesn’t know. The writers talk about how they Googled songs about moons and “Moonshadow” came up and didn’t know Mandy had a cover of it on one of her albums. Natalie/Kit said they wanted to hear Chrissy sing. Chrissy sings, “I got it from my mama.” They talk about where Beth may go in S2 with some suggestions that she Randall becomes a Mr. Mom character. The cast says they have blueprints for S2 but nothing concrete to their knowledge. Milo praised Peter Onarati who plays his father.)
Mandy: We’re walking and I apologize to Sterling’s character Randall---we’re shooting outside which you already know…they’re eight of us so wrangling all of us and there were ambulances and helicopters and dogs barking and neighbors getting upset so it was already like argh! It was this really emotional, pivotal scene so I couldn’t even hang out and laugh with you guys. I’m just in the corner listening to music and completely in my own headspace. We’re finally filming this scene with Sterling and we’re wearing these plastic hats and I’m in the middle of crying and Sterling, so lovely and he gently takes my hand, “Hold on, everything’s okay, it’s okay. I just want to let you know that a bird defecated on your head.”
Justin: “A bird. Released. on your hat.”
Chrissy: Who says released?
Mandy: “Released on your head. And I just want to check with camera. Camera, can you see it?” And camera and the whole crew was like (miming laughing).
Chrissy: And you can hear it being released.
Mandy: He was so kind. He took my hand in the sweet way he does and gently told me. I wiped it off and we started again.
Chrissy: He was like (miming the way Sterling clasps his hands together in thought) “Ummm.I gotta tell you something.”
Natalie: Too bad Sterling’s not here.
Ron: He’s the man.
The man was off shooting “The Predator” reboot getting his body nice and tight
Natalie: Can he really cry out of whichever eye? I heard if you say, “right eye a tear” or “left eye”…You guys told me.
Susan: He got the Denzel Washington “Glory” tear going.
Milo: Is his tear going to get a card like an opening title? Left tear, right tear?
Natalie: You have a nickname for Jack…for Milo.
Susan: I do have a nickname for you, Milo. Spoiler alert: it’s Papa Bear.
Natalie: But tell him why.
Susan: Because Milo takes care of us, man. (Justin laughs and says, “oh, no.”). He’s so caring and…
Mandy: I call him our department head because he kinda is. If anybody has a question they’re like, “I don’t know, but Milo…Milo will know. Ask Milo.
Chrissy: Text Milo.
Susan: And he’ll get it done.
Justin: He’ll like, loan you money…
Chrissy: Get you out of jail…
Susan: And he’ll follow up on it even if he didn’t have a chance to help you in that moment he’ll get back to you and say, “Hey, did anybody get that for you?:” Or did anybody see that through? And he knows everyone’s name.
Chrissy: That to me is like.…
Mandy: But day two on set!! I thought I was a nice person until I met Milo, I did. I was like, “I feel like I treat people well.” Milo’s day two is like, “Hey, John. Hey, Bill”. Like he knew every crewmember’s name.
Chris: (to the audience): He knows *your* names.
Milo: But it is an easy and enjoyable thing to be good and look out for the people that I know are looking out for 1) one another, and looking out for me and the greater process of making a great show that everyone can enjoy. You know, it’s…I don’t know, I come to work with a full tank specifically for this group. I got my own tanks for other parts of my life but I mean…yeah thank you. (looks in Susan’s direction) I hope I’ll always be “papa bear”.
(Kit or Natalie says it’s not normal for cast to love each other this much and that they’ve asked the cast what the key to the show’s success is and they say the writers; and the writers say the cast.
They go on to talk about the tone of S2 and the writers agree they want to make a balance and make it lighter. They talked about how they are neighbors to show’s creator Dan Fogleman’s other show “Pitch” and they’re in the writing room crying when the “Pitch” writers walk past their doors excitedly on their way to a Dodger’s game.
They congratulated Chrissy on her Harper’s Bazaar photoshoot.
Chrissy: First of all, this is so embarrassing! It was just incredible to be a part of that because size doesn’t equate beauty and (it was) redefining what beauty is. (they ask if a weight loss arc is planned for Kate and Chrissy hopes to explore that through this character) Chrissy: (sings) All my dreams are coming true! It’s amazing!
Natalie: And Justin is going to be cast in a Ron Howard movie, I’m supposing (his character, Kevin).
Justin: I’m going to hold him to that. (People laugh). No..I..I’m really going to hold him to that.
(Natalie and Kitt ask Ron about his daughter. He proudly outlines his daughter’s work. She is one of the “sisters” in “Hamilton”, she appeared in “Girls” and did a Noah Bumbauch film. He spoke of her singing at the Super Bowl. He called her the light of his life and Kit and Natalie mentioned they talked to Ron at length about his character on “This is Us” and the show itself but he only got emotional when they showed a clip of his daughter. He called her the ’the light of his life”.
~I’m not alone in my thinking that Milo and Susan would make a great couple.
*I know Milo has a killer butt from seeing him fill out tighty-whities in “That’s My Boy” and from the first episode of “This is Us” but he seemingly has nice pits.
~I’m going to take this detour to salute Armie Hammer for being one of the over 700 various guild members to be invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Other invitees includes Armie’s “The Birth of a Nation” costar Colman Domingo (“Fear the Walking Dead”), John Cho, Jordan Peele, Keegan Michael-Key, Riz Ahmed, Gal Gadot, Fan Bing Bing, Betty White, and a slew of others.
Okay, the real intent of this detour is to salute his thirst-trapping ways on social media.
By now we know the things he fave and likes online
He liked this tweet about his likes
But Armie knows how to keep his social engagements happy, even if the missus isn’t thrilled about it.
Like those of us who have a thing for his feet
Or like his almost “Justice League” costar DJ Cotrona who loves Armie’s flying pants.
If I had known how into Armie’s crotch DJ is I would’ve bonded over it with him when I met him at the “Sin City: A Dame to Die For” premiere!!
I admit during his “Free Fire” Q&A I was enrapted by his feet and thighs
Another Armie fan? His “Man from U.N.C.L.E” costar Henry “Hank” Cavill.
Armie uses Instagram wisely.
