"Spider-Man: No Way Home"

⭐⭐⭐⭐½💖

The wait is finally over! Since I rarely watch movies in theaters, I am just now getting to experience "Spider-Man: No Way Home" on DVD. Since Sony, and not Disney, owns the rights to this movie, it will not be streaming on Disney+ anytime soon, if at all. Booooo!!! The good news I read, though, is that Sony and Disney came to an agreement and all such movies that are released in 2022 onward will stream on Disney+. Yay!!!

Watching "No Way Home" was like coming home. This is the first Avengers movies we've had in a while that isn't an origin movie (plus "Eternals"). It was good to see both Spidey and Doctor Strange again. I'm a huge fan of all of the live-action Spidey movies and I also am a fan of Doctor Strange.

"No Way Home" picks up precisely where "Far From Home" left off. While the first twenty minutes were slow for me, the rest of the movie had me on the edge of my seat and my eyes glued to the television. I think some of the scenes in the first twenty minutes could have been shorted or even deleted, hence the 4 and a half star rating, rather than a full five. However, that was a minor inconvenience. 

This movie surprised me in so many ways. First, the title. I was expecting this to be a movie about how Spidey gets stuck somewhere and can't find his way home, but it was much, much more than that. I can't say too much without giving away spoilers (though I do allow them in comments, so I advise you not read the comments if you haven't seen the movie yet), but let me assure you, you will be amazed and surprised. In my opinion, this is one of the best movies in the MCU. It has everything Avengers fans have come to love in the live action movies - heart, humor, and high-flying action scenes. Some of the surprises could have simply been gimmicks, but that was not the case. Everything serves a purpose. It's a roller coaster of emotions filled with despair, followed by hope. Sometimes the hope isn't plain to see, but if look for it, you just might see it.

Like most MCU movies, "No Way Home" left me wanting more. I cannot wait to see "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness". The title alone intrigues me, especially knowing how "No Way Home" unfolded. Interestingly, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" releases in theaters on Star Wars Day, May the fourth. This means I'll most likely watch it this summer when it is streaming on Disney+. I have a feeling it will be worth the wait.