Free Guy, Shang-Chi, Spider-Man: No Way Home

 Visual effects categories can be hit or miss, but each one of these films were a pleasure to watch!

FREE GUY

Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis and Dan Sudick

Free Guy is one fun and innovative film.  Guy lives in the (SPOILER ALERT) world of a video game, just dreaming of buying a pair of fancy shoes, and connecting with a woman who he can never quite meet.  He has a best friend, and is generally contented, even unbothered by the random acts of violence and crime which seem to constantly happen around him.  Meanwhile in the real world, a greedy video game empire owner has stolen the tech of the woman and her ex-boyfriend, and Guy becomes the hero that millions of players can love and support.  I loved this film, I found it very funny and entertaining, and would love to watch it again!

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver

Shang-Chi has leapt into second place for me when it comes to favorite Marvel Comics Universe films.  The visual effects were stunning, the supporting cast was remarkable, and like most films from the MCU, it had the right balance of funny and action-packed.  Shang-Chi is struggling in New York City when his past comes back to haunt him.  His father seeks out world domination and opening a kind of hell mouth to gain control of the world.  Shang-Chi will be damned if he lets that happen, and especially won't allow his father to tarnish the memory of his beloved mother.  I'm rarely a fan of the fight scenes in any of these films, but this was the rare exception to that rule.  More choreography than fighting, the film is stunning.

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick

Everyone has discovered Spiderman's identity and he can't get away from the attacks.  He goes to Dr. Strange and asks the doctor to erase this information from the minds of everyone in the world, but as Strange conducts the spell, the universe goes horribly wrong.  Suddenly, the multiverse has opened and (SPOILER ALERT) every bad guy from prior films and prior Spidermen have appeared in Parker's world all ready to fight.  The twists and turns and surprises in this film were especially delightful to me, as I had not heard any of the big reveals prior to seeing the movie (and there are others which I have still not mentioned), but suffice it to say that during the movie I yelled out loud (uncontrollably, please don't talk during the movie), "NO FUCKING WAY."  It was my absolute favorite of all the Spiderman films.