Posts tagged The Avengers
MOVIE REVIEW: Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming counts as a clean slate for Peter Parker’s web-slinger.  Now nestled into the established Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Holland is a true teenage Spider-Man, one that was never successfully conveyed by two previous franchises and their over-aged actors.  Aiming to please and bursting with effervescent zest at every flip, swing, and turn, John Watts’ Spider-Man: Homecoming succeeds as a brand new jumping off point for a character that badly needed course correction.

Read More
MOVIE REVIEW: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2” is an brazen explosion of Crayola-sheened special effects wonder mixed with invisible grays of magnetic character growth and depth.  Just as with the first film, Marvel and company have taken a D-list roster of obscure also-rans and created new superstars and household names that you actually care about.  True to the unwritten rules of sequels, the core is bolstered and improvements have been made.

Read More
MOVIE REVIEW: Doctor Strange

Now in its third phase, Marvel continues to take C-level and D-list comic book characters and titles, breath cinematic life into them with top-notch talent in front of and behind the camera, and turn the obscure in newly minted household names and merchandising windfalls.  "Doctor Strange" continues the studio's blueprint of Midas Touch success while jubilantly kicking down the door for magic and mysticism in the MCU.  You may not know him yet, but Stephen Strange is a major player and huge addition to an already-loaded heroic panorama.

Read More
MOVIE REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

The absolute proof of the intact Marvel formula is the elevated scope and confidence given to "Captain America: Civil War."  Spinning as a dual sequel to 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and last year's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and following the darkly-operatic-yet-similarly-premised competitor "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," this film survives a few glaring imperfections and overweight ambition to maintain the Marvel flagship.  It plays it safe because it knows safe works for their brand and satisfies the masses.  They know they're getting their cash registers out and hiring extra accountants.  To others looking for more risk, you've come to the wrong place.

Read More
MOVIE REVIEW: Ant-Man

Creative differences, bad PR, and terrible marketing have sunk greater and lesser films.  "Ant-Man" survives each those kisses of death to be a fun, entertaining, and clever blockbuster.  The creativity is more than present to veer away from Marvel's usually enormous scale of worldwide crisis-aversion and give us a true small-scale (literally and figuratively) "regular guy" hero that was missing among the billionaires, scientists, soldiers, assassins, and demi-gods Marvel has elevated so far to its cinematic pedestals.   "Ant-Man" is packed with a plentiful amount of humor, spirit, and surprises that trump both the bad PR and overindulgent marketing.  It was saving some aces up its sleeve.

Read More
MOVIE REVIEW: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Raising the stakes and swinging for the fences like a good film sequel should, Joss Whedon’s latest Marvel film pays off the studio’s Phase 2 initiative with both a new level of groundbreaking effort beyond the first peak three years ago and a continued dedication to the master blueprint of a grander big picture.

Read More
EDITORIAL: My 15 most anticipated films of 2015

During the shift from December to January, I enjoy retracing what I reviewed and enjoyed from the previous year, but the trailers and previews for next year's films are starting to make an impact.  I can't help but look ahead.  Every year, I wrote an "Most Anticipated List."   2015 looks wildly loaded with must-see films.  Let's make a new list for a new year.  Here are my 15 most anticipated films of this new year.  Enjoy!

Read More
ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Speaking of poker, if "Iron Man 3" is a hefty full house and "Thor: The Dark World" is a handsome straight, then "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is a straight flush.  I will echo the early reviews coming in and say that this is arguably Marvel's best made film to date.  The movie is a kinetically smart clash of political espionage set on a superhero action stage.  There's not a wasted moment of non-importance and the twists and turns triple anything attempted by "Iron Man 3" or "Thor: The Dark World."

Read More