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Thor (2011)
Thor (2011)
2011 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Chris Hemsworth as Thor Tom Hiddleston as Loki The Action sequences The score Kenneth Branagh's direction (0 more)
Natalie Portman as Jane Thor and Jane's romance Darcy( The jar jar binks of the MCU) (0 more)
Two worlds, One hero
Thor is presented with a difficult challenge - believably incorporating a god into the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has already been established. This task falls to director Kenneth Branagh, who devotes sufficient time to both Asgard, Thor's (Chris Hemsworth) home realm, and Earth, where he is exiled to. Asgard is depicted through a heavy use of special effects which creates a sense of wonder, but the story is steeped in relatable familial issues. When Thor disobeys his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), he is cast to Earth as a mortal. His hammer, Mjolnir, is the source of his powers, and it is also sent to Earth to await someone worthy enough to wield such power.

Most superhero movies spend a large amount of time introducing their hero to their superpower, and then invest yet more time discovering the full potential of this power. In the case of Thor, this is reversed. He begins the film a powerful god and is then stripped of such a gift, forced to learn to live without such capabilities. It is here that the film really shines, as Thor attempts to adapt to life on Earth. He is not accustomed to human ways, and this fish out of water scenario is wisely played for laughs.

Of course, this being a superhero movie means a love interest is required to be drafted in. Enter Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), an astrophysicist who discovers Thor. She is accompanied by her mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), and her assistant, Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings). They all become entangled with S.H.I.E.L.D, who have previously been glimpsed in Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and Iron Man 2 (2010). Throughout this series of films it has been evident that there is something larger at play, and with Thor this bigger picture begins to come into sharper focus.

Thor's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is presented as the villain, but he mostly stays in the shadows and pulls the strings of others to do his fighting. This results in less CGI-laden battles but a stronger character-based story. Thor strikes a pleasing balance between plot and spectacle, effectively setting up a likeable hero and an interesting big bad. However, with most of the Earth-based action set in a small town in New Mexico, the threat never feels particularly palpable.

I was skeptical but intrigued by Thor, and Branagh does do a marvellous job of incorporating myth and legend into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I would have liked to see Kat Dennings given a meatier role to play, but that minor quibble aside Thor is a highly enjoyable superhero movie. Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor, delivering in both the heroics and comedy and Loki played by Tom Hiddelston is a fantastic villian. Sadly, the film doesn't quite rise to the bar set by Iron Man, but it does come impressively close.
  
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
With the news that Disney and Sony will no longer co-produce Spider-Man films, it seems apt that the teen web-slinger headed off on a European vacation to get away from it all. A chance to chill out and take in the sights after the traumatic events of Avengers: Endgame.

For Peter Parker (Tom Holland), coming to terms with the loss of his mentor Tony Stark has been an emotional rollercoaster. Add to that the pressure for him to carry the mantle of Iron Man would be too much for any teenager to bear, let alone a quietly spoken superhero. But back in the halls of high-school with his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and eyes still firmly fixed on MJ (Zendaya), Peter feels that life might be calming down – even deciding to leave his iconic suit behind, much to the dismay of his Aunt (Marisa Tomei).

When Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) finally gets through after being ghosted a number of times on the phone, he informs Peter that a new force called the ‘Elementals’ has been leaving a trail of destruction across the world. As luck would have it a new superhero called Mysterio has arrived at just the right time to save the day, albeit it conveniently.

The action is loud, explosive and very impressive giving our friendly neighbourhood ‘on tour’ Spider-Man the chance to flip and twist his way through a number of European locations.

Peter comes face to face with Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) aka Mysterio. In Beck, Parker has found someone who sympathises with his problems and straight away sees him as a knee jerk replacement to Stark. Confiding in Beck, as well as handing him a pair of billionaire-dollar high-tech sunglasses which, has the ability to connect to various satellites and weapons, Peter is able to shift responsibility and concentrate on being just your regular love-struck teen.

The action is loud, explosive and very impressive, giving our friendly neighbourhood ‘on tour’ Spider-Man the chance to flip and twist his way through a number of European locations in spectacular fashion. As Spider-Man and Mysterio combine forces to defeat the extraterrestrial Elementals there is something more disturbing about the goldfish-bowl wearing crime fighter.

Spider-Man: Far From Home keeps the humour trickling along and a number of romantic narratives spin-off from the main story. There is the awkward love interest between Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) and Aunt May, with the former looking to fill the void left by his long-time companion, while Ned is also struck by cupid’s arrow. However, it is Peter and MJ’s on-screen romance that shines through, giving fans what they have wanted since Homecoming.

As to where this leaves the franchise given the recent split by the studios is anyone’s guess. Spider-Man is firmly entrenched in the Marvel Universe and any crossovers with other Marvel characters would probably not be allowed. Could this leave a tantalizing match-up between Spidey and Tom Hardy’s Venom, which despite some harsh criticism was a box office success?
  
Avengers West Coast: Darker than Scarlet
Avengers West Coast: Darker than Scarlet
John Byrne | 2008
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I took advantage of some great Marvel sales on Comixology the end of last month. It was a great opportunity to revisit HOUSE OF M (which I had own the TPB of it when still owned the physical copies, instead of the digital ones I now favor). I bought that one, WCA: DARKER THAN SCARLET, X-MEN: DECIMATION - SON OF M, DECIMATION: HOUSE OF M - THE DAY AFTER, and AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE. I started WCA: DTS the end of last week, finishing it up today.

First, I just want to open with what a refreshing breath it was to return to late 1989 for this read. It was a simpler time, in which you could tell the villains from the heroes, where heroes actually did <b>good things</b> on account of, you know, them being heroes and all, and where villains committed actual <i>dirty deeds</i>! And it was also a time when Marvel still understood that publishing good comic books didn't mean dovetailing each and every event into another event six months later, followed by *another* event six months <after> the first two!

One of the big draws for this trade was getting to see John Byrne back when he was totally on his game (not that he has ever been off his game). Seriously, it was worth it just to see him draw the 'M' fam again: Magneto, Scarlet With and Quicksilver! So, so good! And best of all? The art was actually drawn on paper, with inks, no computer aiding at that point in comic publishing!

And while his style was somewhat different that Byrne's, Paul Ryan did an equally great job as the penciller for the remainder of the story's last three issues. I had forgotten how I much I had liked his art back in the day, stirring up fond memories of his run as penciller on IRON MAN, also in the late 80s. #goodtimes

In addition to handling the art chores, Byrne also provided the writing. Equally admirable is the way Roy Thomas, and his wife Dann, took over the writing beginning with Issue #60, providing a seamless transition from Byrne. Both writers provided a fun sense, even when the danger was mounting against them, of the Avengers.

So, as much as I loved this trade, I also feel the need to let you all know the dialogue at points felt a little clunky, maybe a little dated. However, it was nothing that took away from my overall enjoyment of this volume. At points where the dialogue didn't feel all that good, I just went and re-read it with names, or words, that fit better. Again, nothing that should diminish the fun factor here, unless you are one of <i>those kind</i> of comic readers!

In concluding, I just want to say this was a good read. It is especially important, perhaps even so far as dubbing it "required reading", before starting HOUSE OF M. In an age where the fun has diminished greatly in the superhero comics, it is good to have something like this to read, which helps us escape the "doom 'n goom" of this so un-fun era!
  
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Ross (3284 KP) rated Domino Strays in Books

Sep 3, 2020 (Updated Sep 3, 2020)  
Domino Strays
Domino Strays
Tristan Palmgren | 2020 | Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Great comic novel
I received an advance copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit to being a little disappointed when I realised this was an actual novel rather than a graphic novel. It had been filed as a graphic novel on netgalley and I was looking forward to my first reading of a Domino comic. However, once I started this disappointment evaporated. This is a wonderfully told and thrilling, charming book.
The story switches from different times through Domino's life so is very much an origin story. We have when Domino was growing up in a variation of Wolverine's Weapon X programme, as Project Armageddon sought to create the perfect soldier. Domino was one output from that programme, as she developed the mutant ability to have luck on her side. Then we have her time in an orphanage, having escaped the programme. Then her mission to track down the person who might have been responsible for her upbringing and finally her present mission, to rescue two adolescents who have been brainwashed by a cult leader. These different time periods are covered throughout the book, layering up her back story as we follow her on her current mission. This is superbly woven together, and we have almost parallel storylines near the end, her infiltrating Project Armageddon and her sneaking into the cult's base. A few times this got a little muddled in my head, but served to wonderfully draw a parallel between her upbringing and that of the non-mutant, more traditional cult.
Domino is accompanied on her later mission by Black Widow amongst others (the characters' real names are generally used, so it was fun to try and track down which Marvel characters they actually were), but she is very much the leader of her merc crew.
The storyline is good, combining plenty of backstory and exciting missions, with excellently narrated action sequences. I don't tend to like first person books as much as third person, but this angle gave Domino a much more likable personality, having a fair chunk of her friend Deadpool's humour, mixed with Rogue's childhood trauma and Wolverine's anger at experimentation.
As noted in Deadpool 2, having luck on your side isn't a superpower, and it isn't very cinematic. Domino's power is not overly laboured in the book, and it isn't used to make her seen completely invulnerable to injury. She uses it sparingly because luck going her way in a fight (bullets being deflected etc) can have adverse consequences for those around her. It was used when absolutely needed, but she has so many capabilities that she barely did.
This is a really great book that gives so much more backstory to a lesser-known Marvel character than could have been achieved in a graphic novel. A very strong female cast of role models.
The only downside was the overuse of footnotes which didn't tend to add much to the story, other than witty asides, and are quite frustrating on a kindle.
  
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
2016 | Action, Sci-Fi
Everything! (0 more)
In my top 5 Marvel movies
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because I did not care for the Baron Zemo angle. His reason for revenge was related to his family getting killed due to the actions of the Avengers. In the comics Zemo was a power and despot that was on the same level as Captain America when it comes to battle. This story was similar to the story arc in the Civil War comics. The government wants to control heroes because innocent people get killed in their battles trying to save mankind. The last battle they had with Ultron was the catalyst for the Sokovia accords. Oversight by the allied nations. We finally see Cap and Bucky reunited as friends but it is a little tricky at first. Bucky gets blamed for a terrorist action that he is innocent of. Zemo gets a hold of a old Hydra book that was used to brainwash Bucky and he uses it again on Bucky to carry out his plan. The "Civil War" begins when Tony agrees with oversight from the UN and Cap disagrees. The highligjt for me is seeing Spider-Man finally in the MCU. The action was great, the story was great and it had a profound impact on the MCU. It ended with Tony and Steve not being the best of friends and you see that affect in Infinity War. This movie is highly recommended by me
  
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies

May 24, 2019 (Updated May 24, 2019)  
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Comic book perfection
It's a moment all comic movie fans have been waiting for - all these beloved characters in one film - and Infinity War delivers on so many levels.

With such a huge roster of well established characters, being played by so many A-List actors, it's an absolute marvel (excuse the pun) how the Russo Brothers manage to pull it off with such aplomb, with every hero being on screen for the right amount of time - it's quite incredible.

On top of all of the reliable heroes throughout, IW also properly introduces us to Thanos, who has been teased several times in the past, and he is a incredibly well realised big villain - you see where he's coming from, he's relatable, and still utterly terrifying and ruthless in how he relentlessly chases what he wants, no matter how much he loses in the process.
The CGI and motion capture used to create him is pretty flawless, and Josh Brolins booming voice completes the package.

The battle scenes are slick and tight and flow smoothly with the rest of the film - the humour is on point throughout - the scenes shared between members of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are so so great - it's hard to think of anything I didn't love about IW.

And just to top it all off, IW delivers an absolute gut punch of an ending, delivering the single biggest disaster to happen so far in the MCU.

As far as comic book movies go, I can't think how this will ever be beaten. A true epic.
  
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Steph Freeman (26 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies

Feb 21, 2018 (Updated Feb 21, 2018)  
Black Panther (2018)
Black Panther (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Excellent character development within the movie. (3 more)
No need to be a comic book "nerd", this story has something for everyone.
Accuracy in the culture (as much as can be expected for the genre).
Cinematography and costumes were superb.
The creators pandered to the 3D audience, which resulted in a dizzying experience in 2D. (0 more)
Not Just Another Origin Story
As someone who knew nothing about comic books, their stories, and their characters prior to the last 15 year influx of Marvel and DC movies, I love the origin stories. It allows me to learn about the character, the world, and the connections between them without having to figure it out between punches or laser beams. This story delivered all of the above, with a fair amount of ass kicking in the meantime.

Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Gurira were an amazing protagonist team, with Martin Freeman and Michael B. Jordan rounding out the character archetypes beautifully. The costumes, make up, and cinematography were gorgeous, but the real star of the movie for me was Letitia Wright. Her comedic timing and her elegance made Shuri the best supporting role I have watched in a long time.


I don't know a lot about the culture in Africa, a terrible oversight of my American education, but I do have friends from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo who were very excited to see their culture represented in such a blockbuster film. It was refreshing to see something so beautiful that will hopefully inspire young Americans to learn about a culture outside of our borders.
  
Marvel Strike Force
Marvel Strike Force
Comics, Games
8
7.2 (17 Ratings)
App Rating
I really enjoy this game (and not because I'm a Marvel geek). It's basically a turn-based RPG, but instead of leveling up from battles, your characters increase skill and power from "character shards," which are also used to recruit characters, and by equipping gear that you often need to craft. You get equipment from battles and from spheres that are also acquired through combat.

There are many aspects to the game: the blitz competition allows you to compete against other players for a particular set of shards. These campaigns go on for about a week. There are also special events, which are stories that take place outside of the regular campaign. These special events usually result in a new character. The arena is exactly what it sounds like, and you get in-game currency to buy shards or equipment. There are daily challenges that award you special prizes, and then there is the main campaign. Each character belongs to a certain class and has certain skills. The trick is creating a team that is well-balanced enough to win against other players and in the campaign. There are so many ways to play that you can open it several times a day and play for a good twenty minutes before your resources ("energy") is depleted. There's very low pressure to buy anything with actual currency, which is nice. However, if you went that route, the prices are hideously expensive and often pretty useless (hence the 8/10 rating).

It's a fun diversion, and I highly recommend checking it out!
  
Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary (2018)
2018 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
I'm going to piss people off with this one! (Nothing personal)
I will agree with some who have said either this film is weird, not for everyone or horror is a tough genre to get correct. I felt kind of like I was watching Drag Me To Hell or even Suspiria toward the end of this creepy thriller/horror film, but I was along for the ride.

I will say now more than ever in the world of no opening credits anymore Marvel/Disney CGI Conjuring/Insidious universe modern horror movie crap, this film is a standout above most of those for sure. I am not sure why people can't let a story unfold and be in the mood for a gradual buildup of tension rather than stupid jump scare movies or some random computer-generated pukefest.

If you don't like slow build movies (which they don't make much anymore because of modern moviegoer attention spans) then make sure you don't watch Jaws, Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, E.T. or even The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby because you will be thoroughly bored.

I'm certainly not saying Hereditary is the best of its genre, but it is certainly unconventional and keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. Toni Collette is really good playing a nutty mother whose family is continually torn apart and I feel the screenplay has enough interesting elements to make this a thoroughly entertaining film.

So there! I still love you all. :)

  
    Sleep Songs

    Sleep Songs

    Medical and Music

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    Sleep Songs offers 12 STUDIO QUALITY, lossless instrumental song tracks to put you in a relaxed...