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Marvel Dice Throne
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In Marvel Dice Throne , you become one of eight of Marvel's most famous heroes, including Black...
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An astonishing, richly interwoven story from #1 bestselling author Joanne M. Harris (The Gospel of...
Short stories Fairy Tales Adult fiction Art Mythology Fae
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
May 9, 2019
Some assembly required
There's a lot about this movie I love (it used to be one of my favorite films to rewatch when I was a teenager), one thing that really stood out to me about watching this again for the first time in awhile, is how much Whedon understands the language of comics.
Whenever people bring that aspect up, they usually talk about the splash panel inspired sequences (the long take through the Battle of New York), but nobody tends to talk about the choices he makes with how he and Seamus McGarvey decide to shoot the smaller scale scenes like they were regular panels.
Take Loki's entrance for example; as the laser begins to open the portal, we cut above, seeing how big the room is and how long the laser is, all in a wide, beautiful shot, taken from an angel to capture the intensity of the villain's entrance, and then that's followed up with a panel inspired close up on Loki's eyes as he breaks into a grin. Or the shot of Natasha being integrated from the prospective of the mirror in the room, and we see various different treasures as it pushes away from it.
Or probably the best example of this, is Steve's introduction; repeatedly working himself up with every punch, flashing back to the events in his life that make him feel the most intense, before punching it straight off its hook, only for him to grab another one of several he has lying there.
It's little touches like this that are sprinkled throughout, making you feel like you're watching a comic book in motion without having to go full on "Scott Pilgrim", "Into The Spider-Verse", "Speed Racer", or even "Batman: The Movie", along with capturing the lavish and striking lighting and colors found within some of the best artists for them.
Plus, while Whedon's writing is known for his sense of humor (for better and worse, especially when it comes to it's impact on the rest of these films post this one), I don't think enough of us take into account how much that humor is there to service the characters, not just the viewers.
Both this and his work with Drew Goddard on "Cabin in the Woods" showcase this perfectly. When Marty in "Cabin" asks if anyone else thinks something weird is going on when Curt contradict himself by saying they should split up, he isn't just saying that for the sake of a gag, it's Whedon and Goddard's way of hinting that he knows more than the others, and establishing that he's immune from these tricks being played on them.
When Steve and Tony are arguing about who's stronger and Steve keeps saying "put on the suit!", once shit hits the fan, he says it once again, but in a way that's far more urgent and fearful, not just being there for the sake of a funny payoff, but as progression for the next series of events that need to play out.
And, man....
There's just so many great moments. Not just the action or the characters working off of each other, but little moments, like the Old Man standing up for Earth to Loki, Steve giving Fury ten bucks after seeing the Helicarrier in action, Bruce mentioning the time he figured he had enough and how he couldn't end it himself, complete with the fear trembling in his voice and facial expression, Loki saying "I'm listening" as Thor was taken away from him, or his monologue to Natasha, the entire New York battle centering around them both trying to keep the army at bay and save as many by standards as possible, just too many to name.
It's one of the most memorable and entertaining blockbusters of this decade and while it doesn't feel as special seeing all of these people in the same movie anymore, it still has them at their best and manages to do it so effortlessly. Like it's one thing that this movie exists, but the fact that it worked is something that'll never not be amazing.
What else can I say, really? It's "The Avengers". You've likely seen it, memed about it, quoted it, referenced it, it doesn't matter, it's been here for nearly ten years now and it's impact is still felt and mentioned. As well as something that's super easy to put on and rewatch, either for some lazy day entertainment, or to revisit during the lead up to their next big adventure.....
Whenever people bring that aspect up, they usually talk about the splash panel inspired sequences (the long take through the Battle of New York), but nobody tends to talk about the choices he makes with how he and Seamus McGarvey decide to shoot the smaller scale scenes like they were regular panels.
Take Loki's entrance for example; as the laser begins to open the portal, we cut above, seeing how big the room is and how long the laser is, all in a wide, beautiful shot, taken from an angel to capture the intensity of the villain's entrance, and then that's followed up with a panel inspired close up on Loki's eyes as he breaks into a grin. Or the shot of Natasha being integrated from the prospective of the mirror in the room, and we see various different treasures as it pushes away from it.
Or probably the best example of this, is Steve's introduction; repeatedly working himself up with every punch, flashing back to the events in his life that make him feel the most intense, before punching it straight off its hook, only for him to grab another one of several he has lying there.
It's little touches like this that are sprinkled throughout, making you feel like you're watching a comic book in motion without having to go full on "Scott Pilgrim", "Into The Spider-Verse", "Speed Racer", or even "Batman: The Movie", along with capturing the lavish and striking lighting and colors found within some of the best artists for them.
Plus, while Whedon's writing is known for his sense of humor (for better and worse, especially when it comes to it's impact on the rest of these films post this one), I don't think enough of us take into account how much that humor is there to service the characters, not just the viewers.
Both this and his work with Drew Goddard on "Cabin in the Woods" showcase this perfectly. When Marty in "Cabin" asks if anyone else thinks something weird is going on when Curt contradict himself by saying they should split up, he isn't just saying that for the sake of a gag, it's Whedon and Goddard's way of hinting that he knows more than the others, and establishing that he's immune from these tricks being played on them.
When Steve and Tony are arguing about who's stronger and Steve keeps saying "put on the suit!", once shit hits the fan, he says it once again, but in a way that's far more urgent and fearful, not just being there for the sake of a funny payoff, but as progression for the next series of events that need to play out.
And, man....
There's just so many great moments. Not just the action or the characters working off of each other, but little moments, like the Old Man standing up for Earth to Loki, Steve giving Fury ten bucks after seeing the Helicarrier in action, Bruce mentioning the time he figured he had enough and how he couldn't end it himself, complete with the fear trembling in his voice and facial expression, Loki saying "I'm listening" as Thor was taken away from him, or his monologue to Natasha, the entire New York battle centering around them both trying to keep the army at bay and save as many by standards as possible, just too many to name.
It's one of the most memorable and entertaining blockbusters of this decade and while it doesn't feel as special seeing all of these people in the same movie anymore, it still has them at their best and manages to do it so effortlessly. Like it's one thing that this movie exists, but the fact that it worked is something that'll never not be amazing.
What else can I say, really? It's "The Avengers". You've likely seen it, memed about it, quoted it, referenced it, it doesn't matter, it's been here for nearly ten years now and it's impact is still felt and mentioned. As well as something that's super easy to put on and rewatch, either for some lazy day entertainment, or to revisit during the lead up to their next big adventure.....
JT (287 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
As the dust settles on a film that has seriously ‘hulk smashed’ the box office its clear to see why this film has been met with such high acclaim from critics and fans alike. There is no getting away from the fact that this is one hell of a blockbuster, with more superheroes than you can cram into a S.H.I.E.L.D. meeting room and a villain that almost stole the whole show, it had pretty much everything.
The film opens as S.H.I.E.L.D. is mid evacuation after The Tesseract, an energy source of unknown potential, has activated. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has plans to take over the world with a strong army and have everyone kneel before him, he’s cunning but “lacks conviction” as is pointed out by cult fan favourite Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg).
So, Nick Fury activates the Avengers initiative, pulling resource from Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and of course Bruce Banner in order to stop the impending attack. The good thing about the Avengers is that no time needs to be spent setting the characters up, as given the previous films we know all about them and their powers. However, this gives more time for them to decipher each others egos.
Tony Stark feels like the team’s unofficial leader, brash and bold he has to contend with a number of personalities, remember he doesn’t play well with others. A great scene sees Thor, Captain America and Iron Man all come to blows but its hard to say if there was any clear winner.
Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow and Clint ‘Hawkeye’ Barton who have popped up in previous films but neither had their own title struggle at times to fit in, but they are integral to the group and plot. However if there were not part of the assemble you wouldn’t miss them too much.
As for Bruce Banner, Weadon’s Hulk is probably the most realistic CGI transformation to date. Ang Lee’s looked ridiculous and Louis Leterrier’s Hulk looked liked he’d been pumped full of steroids as opposed to gamma radiation.
Weadon though achieved a great balance and with Mark Ruffalo stepping in as the green monster the Hulk had a lot of charisma in this, even having time for some humour. T.V. original big man Lou Ferrigno provided the voice so it all seemed like the Hulk was back.
The perfect villain – Loki
Hiddleston for me though was the stand-out here, as comic book villains go he brought so much to the role. It was a dark, composed and at times sinister portrayal of a man desperate for revenge and to be worshipped like the god he feels he deserves to be.
The films action sequences are second to none, with everything from the initial opening evacuation at S.H.I.E.L.D. to the climactic ending all choreographed to perfection. The only gripe is that it boarder lines on Transformers styled destruction, in which some parts are drawn out. I mean just how many Chitauri can one group of superheroes fend off?
Another post credits scene certainly would pave the way for a sequel, and given the film’s massive haul which is well in excess of $450m no one would stand in the way. It should pretty much be a forgone conclusion that the team will at some point reunite.
The film opens as S.H.I.E.L.D. is mid evacuation after The Tesseract, an energy source of unknown potential, has activated. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has plans to take over the world with a strong army and have everyone kneel before him, he’s cunning but “lacks conviction” as is pointed out by cult fan favourite Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg).
So, Nick Fury activates the Avengers initiative, pulling resource from Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and of course Bruce Banner in order to stop the impending attack. The good thing about the Avengers is that no time needs to be spent setting the characters up, as given the previous films we know all about them and their powers. However, this gives more time for them to decipher each others egos.
Tony Stark feels like the team’s unofficial leader, brash and bold he has to contend with a number of personalities, remember he doesn’t play well with others. A great scene sees Thor, Captain America and Iron Man all come to blows but its hard to say if there was any clear winner.
Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow and Clint ‘Hawkeye’ Barton who have popped up in previous films but neither had their own title struggle at times to fit in, but they are integral to the group and plot. However if there were not part of the assemble you wouldn’t miss them too much.
As for Bruce Banner, Weadon’s Hulk is probably the most realistic CGI transformation to date. Ang Lee’s looked ridiculous and Louis Leterrier’s Hulk looked liked he’d been pumped full of steroids as opposed to gamma radiation.
Weadon though achieved a great balance and with Mark Ruffalo stepping in as the green monster the Hulk had a lot of charisma in this, even having time for some humour. T.V. original big man Lou Ferrigno provided the voice so it all seemed like the Hulk was back.
The perfect villain – Loki
Hiddleston for me though was the stand-out here, as comic book villains go he brought so much to the role. It was a dark, composed and at times sinister portrayal of a man desperate for revenge and to be worshipped like the god he feels he deserves to be.
The films action sequences are second to none, with everything from the initial opening evacuation at S.H.I.E.L.D. to the climactic ending all choreographed to perfection. The only gripe is that it boarder lines on Transformers styled destruction, in which some parts are drawn out. I mean just how many Chitauri can one group of superheroes fend off?
Another post credits scene certainly would pave the way for a sequel, and given the film’s massive haul which is well in excess of $450m no one would stand in the way. It should pretty much be a forgone conclusion that the team will at some point reunite.
The CyberHippy (15 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
Jul 17, 2017
The dynamic between The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man is hilarious! (1 more)
Comic Book action at its best
Avengers Assemble!
The Avengers or Avengers Assemble depending your country of origin is a Marvel Comics collaboration story bringing together Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Black Widow into one super-team to defend the Earth in time of crisis. Traditionally the team also includes the character HawkEye, however for the film he has been turned to the bad guys' side!
If you haven't seen the individual films for Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, then some of the early film may be a little difficult to follow. Personally, I haven't watched the Captain America film yet, so was a little unsure as to what was happening in bit that brings Captain America into the film. The villain of the film is Loki, half-brother of Thor, so again, if you haven't seen the Thor film, you won't know who he is or what his significance to the story is.
S.H.E.I.L.D. agents Coulson and Nick Fury make a reappearance this film. Agent Coulson has appeared in both the Iron Man and Thor films with S.H.E.I.L.D. head Nick Fury appearing in all the previous films.
Marvel fans will be delighted to know that in this film we get to see the flying S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters, The Helicarrier. A large portion of the film is set aboard with scenes both inside and out!
As a standalone film it is alright, however knowledge of the previous Marvel films from which the characters are taken makes it is much better and easier to follow.
If you haven't seen the individual films for Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, then some of the early film may be a little difficult to follow. Personally, I haven't watched the Captain America film yet, so was a little unsure as to what was happening in bit that brings Captain America into the film. The villain of the film is Loki, half-brother of Thor, so again, if you haven't seen the Thor film, you won't know who he is or what his significance to the story is.
S.H.E.I.L.D. agents Coulson and Nick Fury make a reappearance this film. Agent Coulson has appeared in both the Iron Man and Thor films with S.H.E.I.L.D. head Nick Fury appearing in all the previous films.
Marvel fans will be delighted to know that in this film we get to see the flying S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters, The Helicarrier. A large portion of the film is set aboard with scenes both inside and out!
As a standalone film it is alright, however knowledge of the previous Marvel films from which the characters are taken makes it is much better and easier to follow.
ClareR (5721 KP) rated Unclean Spirits (Gods and Monsters #1) in Books
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
Low down and dirty Mythology!!
Carson Cole escapes his life of servitude when a bomb destroys his boss, Mr E. Rose. Yes, if you say it quickly it sounds like Eros, and that’s because it IS Eros. Carson learns that he is embroiled in the world of the Gods from every pantheon. They have all been cast out of the heavens by ‘The Usurper’ and are having to scratch out a life on Earth. Not many of them actually like it.
Carson had lost his life five years previously to Eros’ whims, and his wife and son hate him. He goes on a journey with Frank (who is frankly, a horrific character) to find out why this is. It’s a ‘100mph’ book: non-stop action pretty much, and if you like Gods (and monsters!) you’ll like this. It has a very dark, menacing atmosphere: dirty, unclean, violent. I enjoyed it! There was a bit (a huge!) twist at the end.
I also enjoyed the short story at the end by Pat Kelleher (Drag Hunt) featuring Coyote. This story isn’t set completely in the US, but does start there and ends in London and it’s environs. Coyote has lost a rather important part of himself, and is determined to find it. A very enjoyable story, again, with a great selection of Norse, Celtic, Egyptian and other Gods that I have probably forgotten in it! I find myself very much enjoying these stories with Coyote in. He’s very much the Loki of the North American native people. Got to love a trickster!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book!
Carson had lost his life five years previously to Eros’ whims, and his wife and son hate him. He goes on a journey with Frank (who is frankly, a horrific character) to find out why this is. It’s a ‘100mph’ book: non-stop action pretty much, and if you like Gods (and monsters!) you’ll like this. It has a very dark, menacing atmosphere: dirty, unclean, violent. I enjoyed it! There was a bit (a huge!) twist at the end.
I also enjoyed the short story at the end by Pat Kelleher (Drag Hunt) featuring Coyote. This story isn’t set completely in the US, but does start there and ends in London and it’s environs. Coyote has lost a rather important part of himself, and is determined to find it. A very enjoyable story, again, with a great selection of Norse, Celtic, Egyptian and other Gods that I have probably forgotten in it! I find myself very much enjoying these stories with Coyote in. He’s very much the Loki of the North American native people. Got to love a trickster!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book!
Ghouls'n Ghosts MOBILE
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LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes
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LEGO® Marvel™ Super Heroes: Universe in Peril features an original story crossing the entire...
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, #3) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Magnus Chase: Ship of the Dead is the final book in the series that blends Norse mythology with the modern world. Rick Riordan writes in his typical humourous fashion and makes learning fun (even if its not always entirely accurate.) As this is the third and final book in the series, there isnt too much to say that wouldnt spoil the first two books if you have not read them so I would recommend doing so before reading this review. You can also read my review of the first book as it is spoiler-free.
Our heroes continue their journey to postpone Ragnarok and defeat Loki. Magnus is joined by Samirah the Valkyrie, Hearthstone the Elf, Blitzen the Dwarf and his fellow Einherjar Alex, Mallory, TJ and Halfborn. They must battle giants, outwit guardians, and save the world from utter destruction. Just your average Tuesday.
I really enjoyed how diversity was represented in this series as we have main characters with different sexualities or orientations, religions, ethnicities, and disabilities. Since I am not most of the ones that were represented in the book, I can't speak to how accurate the portrayal was but I am glad that they were included. As a casual reader, the representation felt informative and not condescending or demeaning.
Rick continues his world building by sending our heroes off on adventures in the nine realms while simultaneously teaching us a bit about Norse mythology. His books are a very approachable way to tackle the topic and perhaps foster a sense of curiosity that will lead readers to want to discover more. There isn't much else to say without spoilers, so I would recommend this series to middle grade, young adult or teen readers who enjoy fantasy. It is a fun, easy read that I hope you won't regret picking up.
Our heroes continue their journey to postpone Ragnarok and defeat Loki. Magnus is joined by Samirah the Valkyrie, Hearthstone the Elf, Blitzen the Dwarf and his fellow Einherjar Alex, Mallory, TJ and Halfborn. They must battle giants, outwit guardians, and save the world from utter destruction. Just your average Tuesday.
I really enjoyed how diversity was represented in this series as we have main characters with different sexualities or orientations, religions, ethnicities, and disabilities. Since I am not most of the ones that were represented in the book, I can't speak to how accurate the portrayal was but I am glad that they were included. As a casual reader, the representation felt informative and not condescending or demeaning.
Rick continues his world building by sending our heroes off on adventures in the nine realms while simultaneously teaching us a bit about Norse mythology. His books are a very approachable way to tackle the topic and perhaps foster a sense of curiosity that will lead readers to want to discover more. There isn't much else to say without spoilers, so I would recommend this series to middle grade, young adult or teen readers who enjoy fantasy. It is a fun, easy read that I hope you won't regret picking up.
David McK (3422 KP) rated Norse Mythology in Books
Jan 28, 2019
I have to be honest: I'm not really sure how to classify this (based on my classification system).
Mainly since I don't have a shelf for 'mythology'.
Which is what this is: a straight re-telling of various of the Norse myths by [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg], an author who is most familiar to me through his colloboration (and friendship) with the late, great, Sir [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg] in [b:Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|12067|Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1392528568s/12067.jpg|4110990], but who I am aware is famous in his own right and has written many other tales - some of which I have read (such as [b:Stardust|16793|Stardust|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459127484s/16793.jpg|3166179], [b:American Gods|30165203|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462924585s/30165203.jpg|1970226] and [b:Neverwhere|14497|Neverwhere|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348747943s/14497.jpg|16534] all spring to mind), others of which I haven't (such as his Sandman series) .
As a straight re-telling, some of these myths are already familioar as they are ingrained in our popular culture (such as Ragnarok), whereas others have become more 'popular' and familiar over the years since the inclusion of Thor (and Loki) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It is unusual, however, to find such a retelling that is aimed at an adult audience - even if, by reading some of the prose within this, you might think it was aimed at kids (until you realise what's going on)!
Mainly since I don't have a shelf for 'mythology'.
Which is what this is: a straight re-telling of various of the Norse myths by [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg], an author who is most familiar to me through his colloboration (and friendship) with the late, great, Sir [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg] in [b:Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|12067|Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1392528568s/12067.jpg|4110990], but who I am aware is famous in his own right and has written many other tales - some of which I have read (such as [b:Stardust|16793|Stardust|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459127484s/16793.jpg|3166179], [b:American Gods|30165203|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462924585s/30165203.jpg|1970226] and [b:Neverwhere|14497|Neverwhere|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348747943s/14497.jpg|16534] all spring to mind), others of which I haven't (such as his Sandman series) .
As a straight re-telling, some of these myths are already familioar as they are ingrained in our popular culture (such as Ragnarok), whereas others have become more 'popular' and familiar over the years since the inclusion of Thor (and Loki) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It is unusual, however, to find such a retelling that is aimed at an adult audience - even if, by reading some of the prose within this, you might think it was aimed at kids (until you realise what's going on)!