Spider-Man 2 (PG-13, 2004)

As this movie opens, things are not going well for Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). Along with the constant need to come to the rescue, Aunt May may lose her home, his school work is suffering, his best friend Harry (James Franco) is still angry because Peter won't tell him what really happened the night Spider-Man killed his father, and Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), the girl he loves, is giving up on him because he can't tell her who he really is or how he really feels. Harry introduces Peter to the brilliant scientist, Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), whose devotions to his wife and his work are inspiring. Harry is financing the doctor's experiments with fusion energy, so complex and dangerous that they must be conducted with tentacle-like mechanical arms that are controlled by artificial intelligence. But the experiment goes terribly, tragically wrong and the doctor's wife is killed. The four artificial arms are fused to Octavius' spine. Devastated by the loss and overtaken by the arms which move like serpents in the garden of Eden, he becomes a villain known as Doc Ock, stealing what he needs to resume his experiments. But Harry controls one of those ingredients, and he says he will give it to Doc Ock in exchange for Spider-Man.

This is why they invented movies. It's a dazzling story of love, loss, adventure, courage, heartbreak, tough choices, and tender feelings with a rescue from a burning building, a runaway train, a world-class villain, and a really great kiss. It is smart and funny and touching and exhilaratingly entertaining, a sumptuous summer treat that succeeds on many levels. Screenwriter Michael Chabon understands the mythic appeal of the comic book tradition, and his touch is evident in the story's depth, an example being Molina's brilliantly-played Doc Ock. He's a villain for the ages, a man who shows us his real face so we can feel the struggle for his soul. The comic book elements are all here, with spectacular fight scenes and teen-friendly existential themes. Peter has to struggle with feelings of isolation and not being understood or appreciated. He is aware of the irony of his working for justice for others when his own life is filled with people who judge him unfairly.

S2 has sensational special effects integrated with a first-rate script and outstanding performances to illuminate the characters and tell the story -- and to show us something about ourselves. But most of all, this is why they invented movies because director Sam Raimi knows how to make things MOVE. Few movies have so mastered motion. Spider-Man swoops through the skyscrapers. A train hurtles across a track that just abruptly stops. A car flies through the air. Raimi is all but re-inventing cinematic story-telling before our delighted eyes.