Actor Tobey Maguire (1975)

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), a superhero film, is based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. Following Quentin Beck’s deceitful actions, Peter Parker is wrongly accused of murder and his true identity as Spider-Man is exposed. This results in Peter, along with his girlfriend MJ, best friend Ned, and aunt May, being questioned by the Department of Damage Control. Fortunately, lawyer Matt Murdock successfully clears Peter’s name. However, the group must now deal with the consequences of their newfound notoriety. As things become increasingly ...

The film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby (2013), follows the story of World War I veteran Nick Carraway as he recounts his encounter with the enigmatic Jay Gatsby to his doctor while receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital in December 1929. Encouraged by his doctor to channel his passion for writing, Nick begins documenting the events that led him to New York seven years prior. He had moved from the Midwest and abandoned writing to rent a cottage in West Egg near Gatsby’s extravagant mansion. One evening he has dinner with his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her ...

Labor Day (2013) is an American drama film written and directed by Jason Reitman, adapted from the 2009 novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard. Set in 1987, it tells the story of Adele Wheeler, a despondent single mother living with her 13-year-old son, Henry, in a rural home. While out shopping, they encounter a man who convinces them to take him back to their house. The man is later revealed to be Frank Chambers, an escaped convict wanted by the authorities. As the film unfolds through flashbacks and imagery, we learn that Frank is a Vietnam War veteran who had married ...

Spider-Man 3 (2007) is an American superhero film based on the popular Marvel Comics character. The movie was a joint effort between Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Laura Ziskin Productions, with distribution by Sony Pictures Releasing. It was directed by Sam Raimi, who also co-wrote the script with his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. The plot follows Peter Parker as he plans to propose to Mary Jane Watson after a year since their last adventure involving the defeat of Otto Octavius. However, their peaceful moment in ...

The Good German (2006), an American neo-noir crime film, was directed by Steven Soderbergh and based on Joseph Kanon’s 2001 novel of the same name. It follows Jacob Geismer, an American war correspondent for The New Republic, as he returns to Berlin during the Potsdam negotiations after World War II in Europe (May 1945), but before the end of hostilities in Asia (August 1945). While there, he witnesses his driver Tully’s murder and discovers that Tully had been involved in black-market activities. As Geismer investigates further, he becomes entangled in the ...

Spider-Man 2 (2004) follows the story of Peter Parker, a young man who gained superhuman abilities two years prior and now goes by the name Spider-Man. Peter is currently struggling with strained relationships with both his love interest, Mary Jane Watson, and his best friend, Harry Osborn. To add to his troubles, he discovers that his Aunt May is facing eviction. In addition to these personal challenges, Peter also finds himself experiencing sudden bouts of power loss at critical moments. Meanwhile, Harry has taken over as head of Oscorp’s research division and is funding a project led by nuclear scientist Otto Octavius. Octavius soon becomes a mentor to Peter ...

Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the American superhero film Spider-Man (2002) follows high school senior Peter Parker on a school trip to a genetics laboratory at Columbia University with his friends Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson. After being bitten by a genetically engineered spider, Peter falls ill upon returning home. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn, a scientist and owner of Oscorp, is trying to secure a military contract and tests a performance-enhancing chemical on himself, resulting in him becoming insane and killing his ...

Don’s Plum (2001) is a black-and-white independent drama film helmed by R. D. Robb. Despite being blocked from release in the U.S. and Canada, due to claims from DiCaprio and Maguire that they had only agreed to star in a short film rather than a full-length feature, the movie follows a group of young male friends in their early twenties who gather at Don’s Plum, a popular Los Angeles restaurant, every Saturday night. The group enjoys bringing along new female companions they have recently met. One of the ...

In the film Wonder Boys (2000), director Curtis Hanson and writer Steve Kloves showcase the life of Grady Tripp, a creative writing professor at an unnamed Pennsylvania university. Grady is in a relationship with Sara Gaskell, the university chancellor. However, her husband Walter is also involved in their professional lives as chairman of the English department where Grady teaches. Recently, Grady’s third wife Emily has left him and he struggles to replicate the success of his first novel. Currently, he is diligently working on his second novel but cannot seem to ...

The film adaptation of John Irving’s 1985 novel, The Cider House Rules (1999), was directed by Lasse Hallström and follows the life of Homer Wells at St. Cloud’s orphanage in Maine. Under the guidance of Dr. Wilbur Larch, a kindly father figure, Homer grows up surrounded by love and respect. Despite being returned to St. Cloud’s twice by foster parents, who either found him too quiet or mistreated him, Homer finds solace in his extended family at the orphanage. With older children like Buster looking after the younger ones, including Fuzzy Stone who was ...

The film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) was released, based on Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name. The story follows Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo as they speed through the Mojave Desert in 1971. While under the influence of mescaline, Duke shares his encounters with giant bats and takes stock of their drug supply. In their rented red Chevrolet Impala convertible, they pick up a hitchhiker and reveal their assignment from a magazine to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race in Las Vegas. However, their excessive drug use causes the hitchhiker to flee on foot. Desperate to reach their destination before any ...

Deconstructing Harry (1997) is a dark comedy film from the United States that Woody Allen wrote, directed, and acted in. One evening, Lucy hails a taxi to visit Harry Block, a well-known author in Manhattan. Recently finishing his latest book, Lucy is upset to see that her own affair with Harry has been used as inspiration for the character Leslie’s affair with her sister’s husband Ken. Enraged by this public portrayal of their relationship, Lucy pulls out a gun she had concealed in her purse and threatens to take her own life. She then turns the weapon on Harry and begins shooting at him. As he runs away ...