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Black Widow (2021)
Black Widow (2021)
2021 | Action
A Winning Return for the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is back!

With the much delayed premiere of BLACK WIDOW, the MCU returns with a fun romp that is part family drama, part action adventure - and all MCU.

Starring Scarlett Johansson, of course, as the titular character, BLACK WIDOW takes place after CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR and before AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, teams up with her “other” family to stop a team of enemy assasins.

But, it’s not the plot that we care about in these types of movies, it’s the characters and the action. And this film brings both in abundance.

Let’s start with the characters - the 4 main “family” members - Johansson (Black Widow), Florence Pugh (Yelena), David Harbour (Alexei) and Rachel Weisz (Melina) are wonderful to spend time with. These are characters that I want to see on the screen and their interactions - though sometimes confrontational - is filled with friendship, respect and love. This is something that other “universes” don’t quite get as well as the MCU and it shows.

Johannson, of course, is terrific as Black Widow. She has this character down and if this is her last go around as this character, she’ll got out with her head held high. David Harbour (STRANGER THINGS) is the comic relief of this film as his (somewhat) overweight superhero RED GUARDIAN, tries to fit into his old costume (reminiscent of MR. INCREDIBLE) while Rachel Weisz (Oscar winner for THE CONSTANT GARDNER) is the grounding/realistic character.

But all 3 of these take a back seat to the terrific Florence Pugh (Oscar nominated for LITTLE WOMEN a few year’s back) as the “little sister” of Black Widow. She and Johannson have terrific chemistry together and the writers/directors give Pugh most of the good lines that will lead the audience to be won over by her character.

The only blemish I have in the performances of this film is Ray Winstone’s rather “average” performance as the main bad guy in this film. I don’t fault Winstone’s performance, I think that it is because the part is underwritten or, worst yet, an afterthought of the writers.

Director Cate Shortland (LORE) does a good job keeping the film moving while interspersing the family drama with the action and the humor at a brisk enough clip to keep your interest for the full 134 minutes of this film. It’s a good return to the MCU and one that will keep you coming back for more.

Which is EXACTLY what the MCU wishes you to do.

Letter Grade: A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
I usually try to stay away from books featuring short stories because usually they aren't that great. However, there was something about Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter that jumped out at me. I felt compelled to read it, and I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the short stories.

I didn't really know what to expect with Snuggle with the Strange except that the stories would be a bit out there. The first two stories gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz vibes but for adults. These stories were more paranormal/supernatural in nature, and I really enjoyed them. The next six stories were more realistic in the fact that they could actually happen to anyone (which is a scary thought!). The last story returned to being supernatural again. I loved each and every story, and I thought the pacing and world building for each was done very well. Each story has an original feel and isn't like any of the other stories in the book. Even though this is a fairly short book, all the suspense makes it seem as if time has stood still. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Strange were "Life in the Shed" and "He Looked Like My First Mistake." Although all the stories are written very well, I just loved those a little extra. Oh, and something else I loved was that the cover of the book links each of the nine stories. I thought that was very cool!

All of the characters are well fleshed out in each story. There's just enough information on each character so you can love them or love to hate them. At times, I felt like I was the main character in the story!

As this is an adult horror book, there are quite a few trigger warnings for Snuggle with the Strange which include demons, underage drug use (a few mentions of marijuana), implied rape, implied child rape, attempted rape, death, murder, violence, attempted murder, domestic abuse, child abuse, and profanity.

Overall, Snuggle with the Strange is a breath of fresh air for those who love the genre horror. With it's interesting cast of characters and original short stories, this is one book that every horror lover should read. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter for those aged 16+ who like their horror with a flair of originality instead of rehashed fiction. If that sounds like you, this is your kind of book!
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(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)