Billy Elliot the Forum

It wasn’t until Tom started playing Billy Elliot [on stage] that it occurred to me, “Bloody hell, he’s more successful than me!”’ says Dominic, who’s had a creditable career since winning a Perrier award in 1993 but who’d be the first to admit he’s hardly a household name. ‘With Spider-Man, the eclipse is in — I’m not going to emerge from this shadow. But it’s a very happy shadow, it’s not a rancorous one!’

https://www.metro.news/my-son-may-be-sp ... ng/663737/

Before landing his buzzed-about role as the crime-fighting webslinger in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Tom Holland faced his fair share of adversaries. But instead of supervillains, Holland had to deal with real-life bullies.

“I had my rough patches,” Holland, 21, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.

As a talented young dancer (he played the title role in a London run of Billy Elliot the Musical at age 12), Holland fielded harassment from peers throughout his younger years.

“There was times when I was bullied about dancing and stuff,” he says. “But you couldn’t hit me hard enough to stop me from doing it.”

http://people.com/movies/spider-man-hom ... g-bullied/

“There was times when I was bullied about dancing and stuff,” he says. “But you couldn’t hit me hard enough to stop me from doing it.”

I love this quote!

Just seen Spiderman Homecomming. It's very amusing in parts, it's rightly effects driven, but mainly real Tom throughout, including a few minutes of low-key selfie-video footage by Peter Parker/Spiderman, to really connect you to Tom. (c.f The Impossible) I'll leave the propper reviewing to others, but don't miss it preferably in top quality 3D. Obviously the "High School (not Musical)" bit of the plot will work best for the 12-25's, but the action is great to draw anyone in. It's a lot lighter and faster than many of the Avengers' movies. There are two post credit scenes, so be patient

Tom Holland is the latest actor to play the iconic role of Spider-Man in the new film Spider-Man: Homecoming, in theatres July 7. But did you know he was a child star of Billy Elliot in London's West End?

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BW ... T-20170705

I knew he looked familiar from somewhere !

Check out @abouttomholland's Tweet: https://twitter.com/abouttomholland/sta ... 84928?s=09

A plethora of plaudits:

Holland is a hurricane of fresh air as the new Spider-Man. He moves like the dancer who made his name on stage as Billy Elliot. Even while down in the teenage doldrums he never loses that “let’s do the show right here” zip. This is Spider-Man being taken back to his friendly, neighbourhood, roots, and what a refreshing change that makes from the usual superhero navel-gazing. On the evidence of this outing, the kid can swing by again.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents ... oming__12A_/

Tom Holland’s Gymnastics & Dance Background: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

https://heavy.com/movies/2017/07/tom-ho ... ly-elliot/

The role of Peter Parker, formerly assigned to Tobey Maguire and, later, Andrew Garfield (who always looked a little moist-eyed, as if someone had zipped him up too tight around the cephalothorax), goes to the young British actor Tom Holland. (He is all of twenty-one, but his character, we are informed, is a stripling of fifteen.) With his ebullient demeanor and elastic moves, he brings to mind the Jamie Bell who brought such verve to “Billy Elliot” onscreen; and, indeed, Holland himself has played Billy onstage. He has also played Spider-Man before, in last year’s “Captain America: Civil War,” but that was a teaser, and he was one fresh face in a flock of superheroes. Now he is the main event, and he pretty much has the place to himself.

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultur ... -innocence

Watch Tom Holland Audition for Spider-Man...as Batman

http://www.eonline.com/news/865268/watc ... -as-batman

Here's the New York Times' review of the movie. Interesingly, it almost forgets to mention Tom at all, preferring to focus its comments about characters on Michael Keaton's performance as the Vulture instead.

Review: Spider-Man (Again) and All That Sticky Kid Stuff https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/movi ... eview.html

I saw the first showing of this film in my Maine community. The theatre in question was full. Not an empty seat. The same was true of another screen in the same theatre: sold out. All ages were present: 3 - 80. The hubbub during the previews was loud. There was a buzz in the house I have not observed in some time. The excitement was palpable.

The film: I had not realized that Tom Holland would be in almost every scene of the film. He is the central character (whatever the NYT review might indicate) and his performance was excellent. I am not a huge fan of Marvel Comic's films, but this had enough of normal human interaction to compensate for the (sometimes hurried) computer-generated scenes. They seem almost secondary to the human drama unfolded by Tom and the rest of the cast' Teenage angst almost overruled the super powers. Clearly, Tom's Spider-Man is an adolescent striving for adulthood. The ending demonstrated just how far Peter Parker progressed. Tom nailed it. Great supporting performance from Keaton, Downey Jr and the others.

For adults dragged along to accompany their wide-eyed children, all was made worthwhile in the last millisecond of the film, which I will not give away. Leave it like this: the entire packed cinema roared with approval, and then laughed as they left the theatre. It is a brilliant ending - and a perfect link to the next in this franchise. For there will be more.

I cautioned some friends with tween-age daughters that the name Tom Holland will eclipse Bieber, et al, in their children's lives. At least Tom seems to be a decent lad with his head firmly screwed on. Perhaps that is some good news for beleaguered parents....