Movie fans have had a little while to ponder the emerging elements that occurred with Avengers: Endgame, but now it’s time for a new beginning. Spider-man: Far from Home is the start to that. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-man performance tops those of both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield on multiple levels. Holland has the voice, the personality, and the humor of how Peter Parker/Spider-man is meant to be. Holland provides the ideal introduction to the new conflicts and scenarios in the next phase of the new universe. I will not explain what is new because that is something that viewers need to see for themselves in Spider-man: Far from Home.

In the film, our hero Peter wants a break from saving people to enjoy a summer trip overseas with his school friends. During this time frame, people associated with him know he is Spider-man and expect him to fulfill his duties of saving people and the world. Even his Aunt May (played by Marisa Tomei) is relying on him to be a hero when he is needed to be. As soon as Peter departs for his trip, new threats begin to evolve, and his trip goes awry. Agents Nick Fury and Happy Hogan (Samuel L. Jackson and Jon Favreau) step in to help Peter to get into the habit of being Spider-man and stop the new threats that abound. Also, there is another hero in the mix, Quentin Beck who is referred to as Mysterio (played by Jake Gyllenhaal). He is a hero that Peter believes he can be friends with but proves to be untrustworthy.

What is most attention-grabbing in Spider-man: Far from Home is how this movie is taken to a whole different level after Spider-man: Homecoming (2017). That film was a basic introduction to how Holland’s role of Spider-man plays an important part in the Avengers universe. The film was still good, but Far from Home is filled with more action, new beginnings, and exciting hidden secrets that viewers will not want to miss. The film is one to see in premium formats. I feel that the best experience is to see this one in Dolby Digital at select AMC locations because the seats vibrate. By combining the vibration of the seats with the clear sound, viewers feel they are flying with Spider-man as he swings through the cities and streets of New York and the other locations overseas. It is a ride that will build fans’ anticipation for what is coming next after the outcome of Avengers: Endgame and what may happen after Spider-man: Far from Home.

I give Spider-man: Far from Home three and a half stars. It is a film that is worthy and is the best of the summer so far. Luckily, this summer’s movies have been on a roll so far, but Spider-man: Far from Home is one that superhero fans cannot miss. And, a final clue for fans who want to know what lies ahead… remember to stay during and after the move credits for insights into what might come next.

Jim Gaffigan is not only one of the best comics around today, but he is also one of the best independent movie actors. Being Frank is an entertaining movie to watch. However, for Gaffigan it is a challenge to see him play the charming, yet dishonest father. Being Frank fits him because his character still talks how he does in real-life. With Gaffigan’s dialogue he uses connections and quirky observations.  Being Frank features those elements throughout the movie, and that is why it is fun to watch.

The plot gears on a boy named Philip (played by Logan Miller) who is a kid who feels he cannot live up to his father’s educational expectations.  His father is Frank (Gaffigan). Frank sets tons of rules for Philip and at times Philip is slightly rebellious, but not anywhere close to a terrible troublemaker. He is just someone who wants to feel supported in his educational choices and be trusted to go to school in another state which his father is against. While Philip is annoyed, he finds some comfort when his father supposedly goes to Japan for a week a month or so. However, Philip’s world is turned upside down when he comes to realize that his father is not in Japan at all but is instead visiting his other family. Frank says he goes to Japan to be able to cover his tracks. Once he learns the truth, Philip invites himself into the life of his father’s second family where he notices some disconnects and multiple exceptions in terms of money and privileges. That is because his father does not want Philip to rat him out to his mother. The film then turns into a cat and mouse game between father and son.

The portions of Being Frank that are most enthralling are when Philip realizes what his dad does with his whole other family. He takes his other set of kids fishing, has certain traditions, and has spent more money on them than him. This leaves Philip feeling left out because he feels that his dad has made his second family a much bigger priority. Throughout Being Frank many emotions emerge around what is fair and unfair in Philip’s life and the life of his dad’s second family. These conflicts create a rollercoaster ride of mixed feelings, but some have positive outcomes.

I did enjoy Being Frank. The plot is structured, and the film is not offensive. It has some moments of uncomfortable scenarios, but the conflicts support the storyline. Gaffigan is top-notch in this movie. Also, hearing Gaffigan talk throughout the movie was what made it quite captivating as his voice is what makes the movie entertaining. Three stars.

I thought that the Toy Story franchise had wrapped up with Toy Story 3 back in 2010, and I was a bit iffy but also excited when I found out about Toy Story 4 being released. I asked myself many times what more is there to Toy Story?  The story felt like it was over for fans after Andy went off to college in Toy Story 3. However, Toy Story 4 is not a waste of time.  In fact, it is charming, funny, positive, and will leave viewers laughing one moment and in tears the next. The gang we love including Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz (voiced by Tim Allen), and Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) are all back for another amusing adventure that fans and family will enjoy for years to come. The song, You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman (which was released in 1995 the year the first Toy Story released), brings back the nostalgic feelings of the previous adventures and memories from the other Toy Story movies when viewers are reunited with the characters they love. These same warm feelings came to me starting with Toy Story 2 back in 1999 and then again eleven years later with Toy Story 3 in 2010, and now with Toy Story 4.

The plot of this Toy Story movie involves Woody, Buzz, and all the other toy characters we know ending up on a road trip to visit the child Bonnie (voiced by Madeleine McGraw). A stick figure toy comes into the story named Forky (voiced by Tony Hale). They expect the trip to be a positive experience, however, for Woody the trip becomes a nightmare. Woody comes face to face with his friend that he has been out of touch with for a while and that character is Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts). She was the one in the previous films who was part of Andy’s world that they all lived in, and she would always try to convince Woody to have a positive attitude in his moments of agitation or frustration. She was in the first and second film, but absent from the third one. The trip has some crazy disasters, and other toy problems that make this movie a rollercoaster ride of laughs. However, for Woody and Bo they come to realize they are from two completely different worlds in terms of being toys. Through their experiences, they find out that the world is bigger and more stressful than believed it to be.

What I love about the Toy Story movies is how the toy characters learn that there are situations in life they need to live with even though it might not always be fair. In the first Toy Story, Woody was jealous that Buzz came into the picture, because he felt that Andy would lose interest in him. After that, Woody saved Buzz from the bully Sid and they have been good buds since. In Toy Story 2, Woody ended up meeting Jessie and she was someone who was alone, so he let her into his environment with the toy characters he had lived with for ages. When Toy Story 3 came around, Andy went off to college and the main toys in his life felt they were not going to be in a safe environment, but they ended up finding a new home in a different child’s life. Now with Toy Story 4 there are new positive elements that fans will love. However, they need watch this for themselves to see.

The Toy Story movies are special because there are so many moments in the films where there are silver linings waiting to be discovered. Even in the saddest of times, positive messages come through.  I admire how the goal of the Toy Story movies is to make people feel encouraged and happy by the end.  I absolutely love every Toy Story movie, and this is one of the best films of the summer. Four stars.