The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Coen Brothers' latest movie is a Western anthology. Comprised of six stories of varying length and depth. They are all humorous in one way or another. Some end happily, some don't. But all are entertaining. The stories have little to do with each other, sharing only the wild west theme. There is quite a decent amount of singing too--you never quite know what to expect. I must admit I did not understand the last story, but after reading more about it online, I realized juts how creepily dark and brilliant it is. Even if you're not into Westerns, it is worthwhile viewing.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I think I'll always be partial to Tobey Maguire. He was just the kind of nerdy awkward that Spider-man should be. Tom Holland is maybe more age appropriate for the character, but he's not the right kind of awkward. He's just being a charming kid that strangely calls Aunt May just May. And we see a good portion of his high school life. I really like his Filipino friend Ned. The two of them are believable best friends. The casting diversity is praiseworthy. Spider-man is from Queens after all, the most diverse place on the planet. I appreciate that Peter's love interest (and future love interest?) is African American. And there's a great twist/reveal that screams this-is-a-modern-spider-man.

I don't really appreciate all the Marvel tie-ins. I think it cheapens Spider-Man, who is a standalone character that can pull his own weight without the help of Ironman and the Avengers. I understand that they're playing up the whole kid thing, but I don't see the Avengers taking a backseat in the inevitable sequel. Captain America pulled a cheap trick on us after the credits, with a fake scene. There's also the placement of big enough names in deceptively small roles that I just have this sinking feeling we'll see returning. For example, Donald Glover has only a few lines, but we know he'll be back even though his character is seemingly unimportant.