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Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
The best Spider-Man so far?
Let's face it, Spider-Man has been through it over the years in his various incarnations, and Marvel had a tough job ahead of them to bring him into the Marvel universe. Whilst they managed this pretty well in Captain America and Homecoming, it's only in Far From Home that Spidey truly shines in his own right.

For starters, this is a very fun and entertaining film and makes for a refreshing antidote to the rather heavy and sad Endgame. It of course has references to the events of Endgame, but fortunately doesn't go too heavy on the weepy bits. I wouldn't have been able to cope if they had! Instead this has a lot of fun humour and a fairly adorable romantic plot with two very awkward teenagers, which is still entertaining even if we do all know how it'll turn out. Tom Holland is by far the best Spider-Man we've ever had and he suits this role perfectly. Finally a Spider-Man that looks and sounds like a teenager (even if Tom Holland technically isn't...)! Jake Gyllenhaal isnt someone you'd expect to see in a superhero film, but I actually think he was marvellous as Mysterio, especially towards the second half of the film- no spoilers! I'm also so glad that Happy is back, I know Jon Favreau has been off directing etc but I do wish Happy was around more in some of the Marvel films as he's great for the comedy and I loved him in this.

My only criticism is it felt like it dragged a little in parts. That's actually the only bad thing I have to say about it. Even the end credit scenes were a bit more exciting than some have been in the past, especially the mid credits which has a very welcome cameo.

This is by far the best Spider-Man film we've seen, and I can't wait to see what they do next.
  
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure
Women: Be the Best Version of Yourselves!
So, after much brouhaha and trolling – probably mostly from woman-hating teenage nerds who can’t get laid – Brie Larson‘s hyper-hero barrels onto our cinema screens.

Stan Lee tribute.
First off, what a Marvel-lous idea to pay tribute to Stan Lee in the Marvel production logo for this film. Michael Giacchino‘s rousing Marvel anthem leads to a simple title card: “Thanks Stan”. Poignant and touching.

Lee makes another cameo in this film. I wonder how many more of these they have in the can? Will they “do a Princess Leia” in future films and CGI in his cameos? I’m not a great fan of this, but he’s such a staple part of the show that – with his family’s permission of course – I would actually welcome having that happen in this specific case.

The Plot.
The movie opens on the Kree home world of Hala where Vers, a member of Starforce (“a race of noble warrior heroes”), is being put through her paces by her mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law). But she is one mixed up lady, having some exceptional powers but no memory of her past. As an example of this, when she communes with the ‘Supreme Intelligence’ (who looks different to everyone) she sees a woman (Annette Bening) who she clearly admires but she has no idea why.

The Kree are at war against the race of terrorist thugs known as the Skrulls. (Their name reminds me of a classic Mitchell and Webb Nazi SS sketch – “We have skulls on our caps…. does that mean we’re the baddies?”). After a Skrull ambush and some judicious brain-delving, Vers surfaces memories that leads her back to the Terran home world and a past that is set to redefine her future.

What’s good.
A lot. I really enjoyed this Marvel outing. With all the nay-sayers, I went in with low expectations, but the story actually built well and Brie Larson makes the role her own. It goes without saying that she looks gorgeous and fills out that costume very nicely! (The zero gravity ‘hair scene’ is spectacular). But she manages to convey with that style superhero grit with an essence of quirky humour running underneath it. In doing so she holds the whole film together.

Also spectacular were the ‘youngified’ Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) and Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). The effect could have been ‘uncanny valley’ with knobs on, but is actually done so well I didn’t even notice. The chemistry between Jackson and Larson is great.

In the strong supporting cast Annette Bening is pure class, and a well-toned Jude Law seems to be having enormous fun. Elsewhere, Ben Mendelsohn (of “Rogue One” fame) is the leader of the Krulls and “Goose” is played by Reggie, Gonzo, Archie and Rizzo! (Flerkin hell!)

 The Marvel/DC Laff-ometer.
A key characteristic of the Marvel/DC films is the humour injected (more it has to be said in Marvel than DC), and in terms of the Marvel/DC-laffometer, this film probably lies fairly in the middle of the range. It’s not the snort-fest of Ragnarok or GotG, but neither is it at the po-faced Man of Steel end. Much fun is made of the 1995 setting with gags from Arnie in “True Lies” to computer loading times being well-exploited.

There are also lots of great Marvel in-jokes, not least of which is the story behind Fury losing his eye: hilarious!

What’s not so good.
The problem I have with “Transformers” films is that there is little tension for me in seeing robots hitting ten-bells out of each other. I’ve similarly commented that many superhero movies have the same flaw that (Thanos aside, as things stand) they are pretty much indestructible and there is little threat implied. Captain Marvel however takes this to entirely different levels: the Hulk smash is a mere gnat-bite compared to what Carol Danvers can deliver; storming through planet-busting nuclear weapons and starships without a scratch. It’s so over-the-top that a showdown scene in the finale, although played for a laugh, also becomes laughable in the wrong way.

The film also ladles on female empowerment as if it was gravy in an Australian chip shop! (I bet Theresa May has the film on permanent loop in the Downing Street home cinema). Don’t get me wrong, I am a big supporter of #MeToo (and indeed #SheDo), but the film is a bit too heavy handed in its messaging in this area.

A troop of monkeys.
There are two extra scenes in the end titles (“monkeys“) and they are both corkers. The first bridges directly from “Infinity War” to “Endgame”, picking up (literally) that pager that Nick Fury was no longer able to hang onto; the second a nice sight gag featuring Goose that links the end of this film to the “monkey” at the end of Thor! Well worth waiting for!

Final Thoughts.
This was a Marvel film I really enjoyed, and which I would definitely re-watch. It’s been written and directed by ‘indie’ writing duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (with Geneva Robertson-Dworet also contributing to the screenplay), and very well done it is in my view. Not everyone seems to have liked it: but I did!

On April 25th, the Danvers vs Thanos match is going to be a bout that will be worth buying tickets to see!
  
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
2016 | Action, Sci-Fi
Mini Avengers, Assemble
Is anyone else getting bored of superhero films? Nope? Just me then. We’re not even halfway through 2016 and there have been three of them. In February, there was Deadpool, a film that despite all the odds, turned out to be smashing – despite its generic finale.

Then, DC tried to compete with Marvel in March with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It was fine, if far too long and lacking in any real drama. Now, Marvel is back with Captain America: Civil War. But can it break the superhero tedium that has started to settle in?

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is back and he is not happy. The titular hero, and the rest of our beloved Avengers clan, are asked to sign up to a UN treaty, designed to reign in their unsupervised power after a dramatic and deadly battle against terrorists in Nigeria. It turns out the Avengers lost the PR war and countries across the globe want blood – well them to back off a little at least.

Most of the fan favourites return in Civil War, with Robert Downey Jr proving once again why he was cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man all those years ago. He is a commanding presence and brings to the table some of the best one-liners outside a fully-fledged Iron Man film.

Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Paul Bettany (Vision) all return and despite the increasing number of characters all make their presence felt throughout the course of the film – something Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to do.

However, the film belongs to the characters that join the film and the Marvel Universe. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes a truly exceptional appearance and features in Civil War’s most memorable scene – a brilliantly choreographed battle between two sides in a deserted airport.

And, the long-awaited “homecoming” of Spider-Man to the MCU is thankfully worth the wait. He’s been teased in the trailers and I’m pleased to say his screen-time is far greater than anyone could have imagined. Young Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker may need some time to settle in, we have a Spider-Man reboot to look forward to in 2018, but he makes a cracking first impression.

So, with all those characters it’s fair to say that Civil War should be renamed “Mini Avengers Assemble” as there’s far more at stake here than a simple Captain America movie. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have created the film that Age of Ultron should have been and it’s a slight disservice to their incredible work that the film isn’t labelled as a full Avengers feature, despite the lack of Thor and Hulk.

The action is beautifully filmed and the locations are fabulous. From Africa to America and from Germany to London, nearly every inch of the world is touched upon in some way – yet it doesn’t feel disjointed.

But what makes Civil War stand out from all the rest is its human side. This isn’t a superhero movie that ends in a climactic battle against a faceless army, it explores the human impact of our characters’ actions and the emotion radiates from its heart.

Yes, it’s 20 minutes too long but apart from that, I can’t think of a bad word to say. It has reinvigorated a genre that was starting to turn a little stale. Bringing together a set of characters that against all the odds gel together so well makes it feel as fresh as Iron Man did way back in 2008.

If this is the magic the Russo brothers can work at Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War should be something truly special indeed. X-Men: Apocalypse, you have your work cut out.

Oh, and wait right up until the end credits for something very special indeed.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/05/01/mini-avengers-assemble-captain-america-civil-war-review/
  
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure
Pretty good origin story
I am fairly new to the Marvel world knowing more via the movies than the comics compared to diehard fans. While I only know the basics about Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel, this movie was a good origin story for me to learn more. Or at least the more the MCU wants us to know.

Carol has no memories of her past, only flashes when she goes to the supreme intelligence. The woman she sees was apparently important to her but she can't remember why. When she gets kidnapped by Skrulls and her memories cut into she sets out to find out where she came from.

Finding herself on Earth she meets up with Nick Fury and together they try to find out about her past. Fighting off Skrull invaders has Carol and Nick on the run along with Goose the cat. Carol comes to realize all she has been told about her past has been a lie manipulated by the Kree. She then takes on the role her mentor Mar-vell had of protecting the Skrulls.

She leave Nick Fury and Earth with a way to contact her in the future if needed. And Nick comes up with the Avengers initiative based on her call name of "Avenger".

It was a typical origin story, though knowing or thinking she was going to be an important part of the Avenger storyline had me looking for more action I guess. Will have to wait to see how she figures into the MCU future phases and Endgame.
  
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure
New Vibes, New Dopeness
When I first saw that Sony was playing nice with Disney/Marvel, I almost lost it when I saw that Spider-Man would make an appearance in Captain America: Civil War. Nerd Moment: I’ve always thought that all of the Marvel properties belonged together and this was a step in the right direction. It’s been amazing what’s happened since. In this third reboot since the new century, Spider-Man: Homecoming is the story of a young Peter Parker handling his role as a teenager and a webslinging superhero.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 7

Characters: 7
Peter (Tom Holland) is a lovable kid surrounded by a fun cast of friends and foes. They took a different and, in my opinion, smarter route by making Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) younger and more relatable. Not only did it pay off but it helped contribute to side jokes in the story involving Happy (Jon Favreau) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Yes, there are so many characters to love here, both familiar and new…that is until we get to the villain played by one of my favorite actors Michael Keaton. Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t horrible, I just couldn’t buy his motivation which made it hard at times to connect to the overall story and conflict.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Watching some of these scenes play out seriously made me wish I was Spider-Man. The aerial combat and clever use of webs is such a treat to watch and experience, both at home. and in the theater. Marvel hit another home run here with cinematic perfection that stretches all over the great city of New York.

Conflict: 10
The conflict isn’t just about Spider-Man fighting bad guys. Rather it’s about having to do all of this and be a kid at the same time…and impress Tony Stark…and get used to his new suit…and keep all of this a secret from his caretaker. So many things wrapped into one makes this such a fun ride. Yes, there is plenty of spider fights to enjoy, but there is so much more to love about the movie as a whole.

Entertainment Value: 9

Memorability: 8

Pace: 10

Plot: 9
Really enjoyed the story and how it plays into the Marvel universe as a whole. A few twists here and there keep things interesting. Again there is so much driving conflict here and character growth that it’s easy to miss the complexities of everything involved in the story. Again, not in love with Vulture’s motivation, but it doesn’t diminish things too badly.

Resolution: 10

Overall: 90
The difficulty of Peter trying to get used to his new suit alone was enough to keep me beaming watching this movie. Marvel movies are known for packing a mega punch and Spider-Man: Homecoming definitely stands up there as one of the stronger ones. Great movie.
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of LEGO Marvel's Avengers in Video Games

Jun 19, 2019  
LEGO Marvel's Avengers
LEGO Marvel's Avengers
Action/Adventure
In case you have not been paying attention, superhero movies have become all the rage at the box office the last several years in an unprecedented run of success. While the gaming based exploits of superhero franchises have not fared as well as their celluloid brethren there is still have been plenty of great offerings for fans to enjoy. Warner Bros. and Lego have created Lego Marvel Avengers which allows fans to not only re-create some of the best moments of the two avengers films, but explore beyond the films with over 100 Marevl based characters.

 

The game opens where “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”, began with the heroic forces attacking the evil Hydra in the snow-covered locales of a Hydra base. Hawkeye, Black Widow, The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America all came and play early in the game with players having the ability to move between characters based on their situational needs. For example, should you need to fly over an object a flight based character is definitely your way to go whereas the Hulk would be ideal for brute strength and whatever tactics would require a battering ram against the enemy.

 

It can take a little bit to get used to each character’s abilities as while the controls are for the most part universal; figuring out which combination can unleash which functions from the various characters may take a bit of patience. That is why I highly recommend if at all possible playing the game with a partner as a co-op mode does make the game much more enjoyable.

 

If you are not familiar with the Lego game, you will want to make sure to have a bit of patience as often figuring out the correct way to manipulate or destroy an object is key to being able to advance and only certain characters are functional in various situations. Iron Man’s lasers do a much better job sealing a control panel then would Hawkeye’s arrows or Black Widow’s pistols. It is discovering which character is needed when and which ability to use that really makes for a fun challenge.

 

No should players not want to take the campaign on; there is a free roam ability that allows players to have a great time going through several iconic locales. The real joy here is that you can unlock new characters as you go and according to an interview we did with the game designers at San Diego Comic Con, more characters will be made available in the future via DLC.

 

The game has solid graphics and for the most part smooth gameplay although there have been reports of some freeze ups occurring with the PS3 and other versions of the game. I played the game on the PS4 and aside from some frustrations with some puzzles and learning character controls; we had a very smooth and enjoyable experience throughout.

 

The combat system is much better than just repetitive button pressing although as I mentioned earlier you do need to get accustomed to what buttons to use for which characters and their abilities as with 100+ options patience is going to be required.

 

For those thinking the game is just a rehash of the two Avenger movies, your behalf you know that there are locales from other Marvel films including the two prior Captain America films and the trademark humor that is been the staple of the Lego series of games.

 

What I find most appealing about the game is that it works so well for gamers of all ages and abilities as well as those who want something they can play with their children and still be actively engaged in the game.

 

As such Lego Marvel Avengers is a solid effort that should appease fans both new and old of Marvel by giving them a fun, action-packed, and diverse gaming experience with a new level of immersion in the Marvel Universe.

http://sknr.net/2016/02/17/lego-marvel-avengers/
  
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
2019 | Sci-Fi, Thriller
Almost everything (0 more)
Saying 'goodbye' (0 more)
A Sufficient ENDing For This Phase
Contains spoilers, click to show
Even though I've seen all of the MCU movies to date, I wouldn't say that I was obsessed, but I AM a completionist, so I felt like I had to see it through... With that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, despite the sad goodbyes. Also, even though it was amusing, I didn't like the prolonged gag of Thor being overweight and out of shape. Aside from those two things, though, I thought it was really good. The pacing was excellent, and it didn't even "feel" like 3 hours. I was also satisfied with the amount of time each character got...with the exception of Captain Marvel; I would liked to have seen a bit more of her. In addition, I felt like the mix of humor and seriousness was spot-on. As to the story and resolution from the previous film, I thought it made sense, and it wasn't too difficult to follow, so I was happy with that aspect, too.
  
The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers (2012)
2012 | Action, Sci-Fi
Known in the UK as 'Avenger's Assemble' (to avoid confusion with the other Avengers film!), this was the first of the MCUs big-screen cross-overs, bringing Captain America, Tony Stark/Iron Man, Bruce Banner/The Hulk (here played by Mark Ruffalo instead of Ed Norton), Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye (and not forgetting Agent Coulson, pre TVs Agents of SHIELD!) all together for the very first time to face off against Thor's brother Loki, returned from the (supposed) dead and at the head of an army of Chitauri - with the post-credit sting revealing, for the very first time, just how is the 'big bad' behind the entire thing!

That 'Battle of New York' at the end of the film would have further ramifications down the line in both the movie and TV side of things for Marvel, with the (not shown here) clean up activities afterwards even providing the impetus for one of the newer (at the time of writing) releases, in Phase III's Spiderman: Homecoming