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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.
  
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Russ Troutt (291 KP) rated The Many Saints of Newark (2021) in Movies

Oct 4, 2021 (Updated Oct 4, 2021)  
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
2021 | Crime, Drama
2
5.5 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The Many Saints of Newark is the many scenes of pointlessness. Easily the biggest movie letdown of the year for me so far. Let's start with letting you know this is not an origin story of Tony Soprano, although it was marketed as such. I love that they casted James Gandolfini's son in the role of young Tony, but his role was small and you could remove him from the movie altogether and it wouldn't have changed anything about the movie. Actually, you could remove just about any character in this movie and it wouldn't matter because there was no real story happening!

It felt like someone stumbled upon a shitty script that partly involved a mafia family and they were like, let's slap Soprano's characters names on these characters and call it a origin story for The Soprano's. The movie is all over the place with a bunch of pointless scenes edited together with characters that aren't developed that ultimately lead nowhere of importance because, as mentioned above, there's no real story here. So sad to see such a great cast wasted on this movie. And sadly, it's so bad it probably ruins the chance of a follow-up movie that could be what this movie should've been. Big pinky finger down for me for The Many Saints of Newark.
  
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure
Marvel does Mystical Martial Arts
Marvel (the film branch) is mainly known for its superhero movies.

We've had Origin stories (upon origin story upon origins story ...)

We've had 'fish out of water' comedies (see: Thor)

We've had outright sci-fi/sci-fantasy (see: Guardians of the Galaxy)

We've had political thrillers (see: Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

We've had team-up (see: The Avengers)

We've had crime capers (See: Ant-man)

Up until now, we've had no Martial Arts movies (sorry, Netflix's 'Iron Fist': you don't count as a movie).

We've also had no movies with a mainly Asian cast. Until now.

This also brings back the 10 Rings organisation (first name-dropped all the way back in 2008's 'Iron Man'), with the plot outline of the movie actually quite different than what I expected - lots of Martial Arts sequences (the fight on the bamboo scaffolding is a high-light), the usual Marvel musings on family, and one or two character inclusions that I wasn't expecting (but really should have been) ...
  
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Pretty much everything! (0 more)
(Spoiler) Didn’t explain why Chewie didn’t go with his tribe after the spice mines (0 more)
Another side story winner!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Wow. Just wow. I was so worried for this being bad after so many reviews saying it was a let down but how wrong they were.

A lot of nods to other characters and story arcs as well as a string link to Star Wars Rebels (the animated series) of which I also loved.

It was good to see how the Millennium Falcon got its iconic shape and how it was won.

Oh and of course the origin of the 12 parsecs run!

Go watch it now!!
  
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Erika (17788 KP) rated Venom (2018) in Movies

Oct 7, 2018  
Venom (2018)
Venom (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Tom Hardy (0 more)
Michelle Williams (0 more)
So, I've now seen this movie twice, once in 3D and once in 2D. Honestly, it doesn't need to be seen in 3D.
I know the critics panned this film, but I found it incredibly likeable. Tom Hardy made this film, he was Venom and Eddie Brock. The accent was whack, but that's his thing. The story was a standard origin story, and mostly predictable, it doesn't re-invent the wheel or anything.
 I'm not sure how/why Michelle Williams was cast in the girlfriend role, but I found her completely annoying. But, I'm not a fan of Michelle Williams at all.
  
Joker (2019)
Joker (2019)
2019 | Crime, Drama
Acting, story, cast (0 more)
? (0 more)
Joker begins
Contains spoilers, click to show
Arthur fleck is a struggling comedian with history of depression and a medical condition which causes him to laugh when in physical or mental pain. (Makes sense given the character being portrayed).

Finally being pushed over the edge of his own sanity & idolized by the people of Gotham who feel forgotten & pushed aside, Arthur dons the name 'Joker' & decides to take matters into his own hands by violently retaliating against the wealthy.

Joaquin Phoenix is fantastic and plays the Role brilliantly bringing a dark, intense character to the silver screen in an origin story that is a must see.....knock knock.......
  
Silver Surfer: Rebith of Thanos
Silver Surfer: Rebith of Thanos
Jim Starlin | 2012 | Comics & Graphic Novels
7
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The origin of the infinity stones
A few half-decent linked Silver Surfer stories accompany "Thanos Quest", where the tyrant gathers together the infinity stones. This story shows that Thanos is actually already powerful, clever and tactical, and has the abilities to plan out and execute his strategy against a range of opponents. This sews the seed for the Infinity Gauntlet story arc, and the notion that Thanos is both obsessed with "Death", and also that he is totally egotistical and won't use his powers if he thinks he can do something with his natural abilities.
While the story was not quite as enjoyable as that in the Infinity War film, it gives a good background for the conflict to follow and has improved my re-reading of Infinity Gauntlet.