The New Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield, Has Won My Heart

First of all, I happen to like his looks.

He's lanky, with large features--saucer eyes, bulbous nose, juicy lips--and the camera adores him, making him come off dreamy and boyish yet offbeat in a young Anthony Perkinsy kind of way (but not as creepy).

And he's ideal for the role's gangliness, earnestness, and nervousness while also filling the spider suit in a lanky, dreamy way.

As Peter Parker, Garfield's angst over his father issues, his burning desire to please his aunt and uncle (Sally Field and Martin Sheen), and his awkward lust for Emma Stone are all engagingly portrayed, as is his kickass transformation into a lizard-taunting arachnid.

Some Marvel nuts are not overly enthused about the action element of the movie--the lizard villain is even kitschier than the script thinks he is--but the young-guy-getting-through-it-all themes are well carried out, with Garfield a winning replacement for Tobey Maguire (who's moved on to going up against Baz Luhrmann).

And so, while I'm very happy for Emma Stone, I've been starting to think of her as a giant lizard I'm going to have to mess with.