Page 30 - aruba-today-20190629

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 29 June 2019

‘Spider-Man’ swings again with a successful sequel

By MARK KENNEDY matter of time before Park- know what happened.
Associated Press er’s European school trip Plus, it might be a school
Peter Parker might be for- is interrupted by mayhem night, but don’t even think
given for craving a vaca- that requires a webslinger. about leaving the theater
tion as “Spider-Man: Far We’re just glad the film- before catching the two
From Home” begins. After makers didn’t also take a post-film codas.
an emotional and strenu- vacation as well. Director Jon Watts returns,
ous last few movies with the In this ambitious and ulti- adding to the great work
Avengers, a break sounds mately successful sequel to he did in the first film, and
nice. “I didn’t think I had “Spider-Man: Homecom- screenwriters Chris McK-
to save the world this sum- ing,” Parker trades New enna and Erik Sommers,
mer,” he complains. York’s Coney Island and who helped write “Home-
But, you know the drill: With the Staten Island ferry for coming,” make their own
great power comes great such iconic cities as Ven- homecoming. So does Jon
responsibility. So it’s just a ice, Berlin, London and Favreau playing Happy Ho-
This image released by Sony Pictures shows, from left, Numan gan, Marisa Tomei as Aunt
Acar, Tom Holland and Jacky Gyllenhaal in a scene from May and Jacob Batalon as
“Spider-Man: Far From Home.” Parker’s best pal, who this
Associated Press time ditches the nerdiness
Prague. Seeing him swing up a few gears, turning into to show off a man-of-the-
from ancient bell towers a kind of commentary on world Ned.
instead of Manhattan sky- filmmaking illusion itself. It Borrowed from elsewhere in
scrapers is weirdly thrilling. goes from sunny pop to the Marvel Universe are Co-
The first half of “Spider-Man: acid jazz, from “Saved By bie Smulders as S.H.I.E.L.D.
Far From Home “ could the Bell” to “The Matrix.” agent Maria Hill and a
stand alone — Parker jug- Speaking of school, view- snarling Samuel L. Jackson
gles trying to romance the ers who haven’t yet seen as Nick Fury. Spider-Man
tough-but-vulnerable MJ “Avengers: Endgame” gets to play this time with a
(the always welcome Ze- have some homework to pair of high-tech eyeglass-
ndaya) while also fighting do before watching Tom es that are an advanced
giant monsters beside a Holland pull on the red- tactical intelligence sys-
ragtag group of superhe- and-blue suit this time. “Far tem, much like he interact-
roes. Perhaps it’s a little un- From Home” takes place ed last time with his suit’s
derwhelming, but it’s solid. immediately after the me- computer, Karen. (Alas, no
Just stick around: Things ta-conclusion of all 22 films cameo this time from Stan
get positively bizarre in the in the Marvel Cinematic Lee, the Marvel icon who
second half as the film shifts Universe and assumes you died in 2018).q

South Korea’s ‘Song-Song’ couple seek

divorce, stunning fans

South Korea’s entertain-
ment world.
A law firm representing
Song Joong-ki confirmed
that he was taking legal
steps to divorce actress
Song Hye-kyo.
The 33-year-old actor of-
fered an apology to his fans
because he had to deliver
“not good news,” accord-
ing to the Seoul-based Lee
& Ko law firm.
Song Hye-kyo’s manage-
ment agency, the United
Artists Agency, said “a per-
In this June 3, 2016 file photo, South Korean actress Song Hye- sonality difference” is the
kyo, right, and actor Song Joong-ki pose as they arrive for the reason for the divorce.
Baeksang Arts Awards in Seoul, South Korea. “Song Hye-kyo is taking
Associated Press steps for divorce after cau-
Associated Press couple,” both have huge tious considerations with
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) followings across Asia and her husband,” the compa-
— South Korean superstar elsewhere. They married ny said, according to Yon-
couple Song Joong-ki and in October 2017 after fall- hap news agency. “The
Song Hye-kyo are seeking ing in love while co-starring reason is a personality dif-
a divorce to end their ce- in the mega-hit TV drama, ference, and the two sides
lebrity marriage of less than “Descendants of the Sun.” inevitably made this deci-
two years. They are one of the high- sion, unable to overcome
Dubbed as “Song-Song est-profile star couples in their differences.” q