Spidey really did come home for me

Before I met Shawn, there were a lot of things I wasn't into that he brought to my life. I really wasn't into a comic book heroes and the movies about them.

All these years later, I'm all about superheroes and sci-fi. I've gone with him to midnight releases of many a movie. Now, we are a bit older and too tired to stay up that late, but we wouldn't miss the opening weekend for the world....unless it's one we're not that excited about (ahem...DC pics...ahem).

This weekend we saw "Spider-Man: Homecoming". I loved it. It's my favorite version of "Spider-Man" in movies and my favorite portrayal of him. It's now one of my top picks of any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. It was entertaining. That word really fits. There was humor and drama and action.

One of the things I loved the most about this movie is truly human aspect of this superhero. For me, this movie was about a teenage boy, Peter Parker. Yes, he is Spider-Man and, in this movie's depiction, the boy isn't separate from the hero. Tom Holland gives a perfect performance representing a teenage boy; a teenage boy who wants desperately to be a superhero like his hero, Tony Stark/Iron Man and the Avengers; who wants to be Spider-MAN! 

I've heard some reviews talking about the teenagers in the film being John Hughes-esque. I can see this. There's awkward crushes, school competitions, assholes, and a dance. All of these things, however, aren't how Peter Parker's adolescence really reveals itself.

I suppose "Spider-Teen" doesn't evoke much fear from his enemies. This teenage superhero has that teenage sense of immortality, the "it'll never happen to me" kind of worldview. Peter wants desperately to be independent. He wants to prove his worthiness to Tony Stark, his mentor, to join the Avengers, but he doesn't really want to follow "rules" to get there. We all know, to teens, rules doesn't apply because they knows it all. His recklessness gets him into trouble, as it does with most teens. Seriously, I'm not pulling out stereotypes, these are adolescent behaviors and that's what makes Peter Parker a great character. The 15-year-old Parker IS a 15-year-old Spider-Man and that's right where he's meant to be right now.