SEPTEMBER 5 — It is no secret that Hollywood is currently suffering from a severe case of acute franchise exhaustion.
We live in a cinematic landscape dominated by board approved IP, multi-phase universe building, and an unrelenting, assembly line brand of nostalgia that usually feels more like a cold corporate strategy than actual art.
Which is why walking into the cinema expecting the worst, only to walk out genuinely affected by the craft on display, remains one of the purest joys of a film lover.
I’ve been a bit busy the past few weeks, but as usual I’ll always try to cram a few movies into my schedule, even if sometimes that means I’ll be catching them a bit later than the usual movie crowd.
On paper, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and David Robert Mitchell’s The End Of Oak Street have very little in common.
Yet both films manage to stand out in a remarkably crowded summer season by daring to prioritise atmosphere, character, and genuine cinematic craft over mere spectacle.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
When it comes to everyone’s favourite neighbourhood web slinger, audiences have been treated to a dizzying array of iterations over the last two decades.
We’ve had the excellently operatic Sam Raimi years, the misplaced gritty reboot energy of the Marc Webb films, and the multiverse-hopping, Easter egg heavy extravaganzas that defined Tom Holland’s initial trilogy.
Which brings us to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and I am happy to report that this is, without a doubt, my favourite Tom Holland Spider-Man film so far.
Having been erased from the memories of everyone he loves, Peter Parker finds himself completely isolated in a cold, vast New York City, a young man hiding from the world in a tiny, depressing apartment.
By stripping away the universe saving stakes, the film pivots from being a typical superhero movie to a remarkably tender, melancholic coming of age story.
We watch Peter process grief, loneliness, and the harsh realisation that growing up often means making choices that hurt.
Holland gives his finest performance in the suit to date, playing Peter not as the wide-eyed kid eager to join the Avengers, but as a worn-down young adult navigating the messy, unglamorous realities of adulthood.
It is a grounding, deeply emotional entry that proves superhero cinema can still hit hard when it focuses on the human underneath the mask.
The End Of Oak Street
If Brand New Day succeeds by shrinking its scale, David Robert Mitchell’s The End Of Oak Street succeeds by taking a high concept premise and treating it with skilful cinematic elegance.
Mitchell, who previously proved his mastery of dread and spatial awareness with It Follows and the delightfully bizarre noir Under the Silver Lake, takes a major leap into big budget studio territory here.
The narrative setup — a quiet, suburban 1980s cul-de-sac suddenly torn from reality — could easily have devolved into a messy, CGI-heavy creature feature. Instead, Mitchell delivers a masterclass in tension.
What makes The End Of Oak Street work so well is its brilliant synthesis of influences.
On one hand, Mitchell leans heavily into the cozy, golden-hued 80s nostalgia of Steven Spielberg and his iconic Amblin imprint.
The neighbourhood feels lived-in, the suburban kids on their bicycles feel authentic, and the score hits all the right emotional chords.
But where lesser filmmakers would settle for cheap nostalgia bait, Mitchell weaponises that sense of comfort.
He injects the narrative with his signature, slow burn suspense. Using fluid tracking shots and incredible set-piece construction, he slowly ratchets up the dread until the suburban haven becomes a playground of survival.
The thrill of the set-pieces doesn’t come from relentless action, but from Mitchell’s expert pacing, knowing exactly when to hold a frame, when to hide the danger in the background, and when to let loose.
It is a gorgeous, thrilling piece of genre filmmaking that hits the rare, sweet spot between nostalgic warmth and edge-of-your-seat horror.
It is easy to get cynical about mainstream cinema these days, especially when multiplexes are routinely flooded with uninspired studio products.
Yet, both Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The End Of Oak Street serve as vital reminders of what happens when talented directors are allowed to bring a distinct visual language and emotional weight to large scale genre cinema.
Whether you are looking for a grounded, intimate study on maturity or an impeccably crafted, thrilling ride through 80s suburbia, both films offer a glorious night out at the movies.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
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