Spider-Man: No Way Home - The scoop and digest

Jon Watts returns as director to complete 'Home' trilogy.

Tom Holland - Peter Parker/Spider-Man

Zendaya - MJ

Benedict Cumberbatch - Doctor Strange

Jacob Batalon - Ned Leeds

Jon Favreau - Happy Hogan

Summary

Following the aftermath of Far From Home, Peter Parker is declared public enemy number 1.

Doctor Strange agrees to help by casting spell to make people forget about his identity.  But due to Parker constantly requesting alterations, it goes tits up.

Botch job allows unwanted multiverse visitors to wreak havoc.

When Ned brings other 'Spider-Men' into the fray, they decide to develop a serum, to cure rather than kill villains. 

However, Green Goblin's persona taking over Norman Osbourn complicates matters.

Wee lad must step up and discover what it really means to be Spider-Man.

Mid-credits

At a bar in Mexico, a drunk Eddie Brock chats shit about Hulk and Thanos.

Soon after, Strange's spell kicks in.

Even with part of symbiote left on counter, the prospect of Venom joining the MCU remains inconclusive.

Post-credits

Like Venom teased Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, we get a brief taste of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Swinging success

Hugely enjoyable, but not without issues.

Concept smacks of Doctor Who special The Day of the Doctor, but this probably owes more to 2010 video game Shattered Dimensions, which inspired the Spider-Verse storyline.

Anyway.

Chemistry and humour between web-slinging warriors was brilliant and action sequences are largely spectacular.

Having that, composition and scale at the Statue of Liberty felt weird.

Performances get a huge thumbs-up, particularly from Holland and Dafoe, who's a right bastard btw.

Cumberbatch's arrogance continues to evolve and a de-aged Alfred Molina is also good value, but I didn't like Electro and co.

Sandman does something really DUMB.

At first, dude wants to be cured so he can see his daughter, but when Osbourn turns nasty, mindset bizarrely changes and never mentions sibling again.

It makes no fucking sense.

Also, I couldn't help comparing giant face to The Mummy (1999).

Charlie Cox's unexpected cameo suggests Daredevil may return to Hell's Kitchen.

I remain cautiously optimistic.

The Essential Selection - Chapter Two

Ready for another round?

Sure you are.

2000

Super SWIV (known as Firepower 2000 in North America) is the console sequel to home computer original SWIV, the pseudo sequel Silkworm.

SNES game was ported to the Mega Drive as Mega SWIV.

Although Chessmaster began in 1986, the first in long-running franchise was bizarrely called The Chessmaster 2000.

Ignoring yearly updates of licensed sport games, others include:

Dune 2000

Bassmasters 2000

Faceball 2000

Defender 2000

Beach Head 2000

Final Lap 2000

Tempest 2000

Battlezone 2000

SimCity 2000

Films

Blues Brothers 2000

Cherry 2000

Fantasia 2000

TC 2000

Dracula 2000 is not a sequel to anything and unlike others listed, is set during year quoted in title.

3000

Butler 3000 - Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! (Me, Myself, and A.I.)

Cassius 3000 - Psycho Goreman

Dreadbot 3000 - Static Shock

Gerty 3000 - Moon

Kringle 3000 - Elf

PATBOT 3000 - Postman Pat: The Movie

PluckMaster 3000 - ThanksKilling 3

Stompybot 3000 - Donkey Kong Country Returns

Ultrahouse 3000 - The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror XII (House of Whacks short)

Bust-A-Move 3000 is the North American title for the Gamecube port of Super Puzzle Bobble.

5000

Beerbot 5000 - Thor: Ragnarok

Deborahbot 5000 - The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Sun Block 5000 - Robocop 2

The first live-action adaptation of Resi Evil had Alice and co flee the Hive on the Alexi-5000 (based on Resident Evil 2's Galaxie-5000).

Powerman 5000 is a metal band and before the lads head to Malia in The Inbetweeners Movie, Jay warns Simon the penalty for mentioning the Moanatronic 5000 (Carli) is a slap to the balls.

Ouch.

10,000

10,000 BC - film

10,000 Bullets - video game

10,000 Days - Tool album

10,000 Maniacs - band

And.

Splatterhouse (2010)
End boss the Corrupted is composed of 10,000 sacrifices.

Things aren't about to get brilliant, fantastic or even superb.

Nope, just Ace.

Ace Attorney and Ace Combat are hugely successful video game franchises.

Not that I'm a fan, but Ace Ventura: Pet Detective launched Jim Carrey's career.

And there's more.

Ace Johnson - Lesbian Zombies from Outer Space - comic

Ace Lightning - TV series

Space Ace - Kimmy calls better half Dexter Ace.

Viz's thirsty family man is referred to as either called Eight or 8 Ace.

Ace Rimmer - Red Dwarf IV (debuted in Dimension Jump).

What's this?

The hero of 16-bit versions of Rubicon steals signature catchphrase:
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast...

Honestly, the shit you learn from me.

Setting sail

The ocean can be a cruel mistress, but stick with me and you'll be alright.

Where known, names will be disclosed.

Film

Argonautica - Deep Rising

Orpheus - Dead Calm

Death Ship

HMS Prince - Master and Commander: Far Side of the World

Orca - Jaws

Rec⁴

African Queen - The African Queen (1951)

Angela Gail - The Perfect Storm

SS Poseidon - The Poseidon Adventure

Titanic - Titanic (1997)

Antonia Graza - Ghost Ship (2002)

Lazarus - Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Inferno - The Goonies

Cyclops - Ghost Ship (1952)

Multiples

Aeolus

The Boat¹

Triangle (2009)

¹Feature length version of 2016 short Head.

SS Venture

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Which is likely a reference to:

King Kong (1933)

Video games

HMS Prince - Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Eastern Spirit - Cold Fear

Orpheus - Echo Night

Flying Dutchman - Alone in the Dark 2

Lady Crithania - SOS

Little Baroness - Silent Hill: The Arcade

Ourang Medan - The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan

Sea Monkey - The Secret of Monkey Island

The King of Red Lions - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Resident Evil

Capcom's love affair with floating vessels began with an ambitious B.O.W. on the Game Boy Color.

Starlight - Gaiden

But I have a question.

Why the fuck did Barry dye hair and beard red?

Anyway.

Spencer Rain - Dead Aim

Queen Zenobia - Revelations

LNG Tanker Annabelle features in Resi Evil VII: Biohazard.

Finally, Japanese light novel Biohazard: To the Liberty is set aboard the Liberty.

Until next time.