It's That Birthday Time~
Posted 11 days agoToday's my birthday and growing closer to 'greymuzzle' status. I just want to thank the kind words, appreciated wishes, and surprises I've been receiving today. With everything going on in the world and in my life, they (as are all of you) are extremely cherished. Thank you and love you all <3
Upcoming Birthday and Blusky
Posted 18 days agoIn exactly a week's time, it will be this wolf's birthday once more, but with the future being rather uncertain as of late, it might be hard to celebrate,but I'm going to try, especially with those I love and care about, wherever they are,either close by or scattered across the net in various places.
And though I don't regularly post things here as often as I used to, FA still remains a regular spot for me, though most folks can probably find me over at Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/odinashcroft.bsky.social
And though I don't regularly post things here as often as I used to, FA still remains a regular spot for me, though most folks can probably find me over at Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/odinashcroft.bsky.social
What If…? Disney Plus MCU Theories (Spoilers!) Part 2 of 2
Posted 5 years agoIron Man (2008): What if Tony Stark didn’t have a Heart?
Without his Arc Reactor, a weakened Tony Stark dies alone as Obadiah Stane rids himself of any remaining loose ends, soon using Tony’s technology and company to rise to greater power and riches, as the threat of impending “Armor Wars” looms over head as the technology begins to spread in more and more places across the globe. But despite the would-be Iron Monger’s rise, Stane’s fall looks to come forth in the form of…Iron Man?
The Incredible Hulk (2008): What if Bruce Banner cured himself of the Hulk?
Thanks to the combined genius of Samuel Sterns and Betty Ross, Bruce Banner successfully produces an antidote which frees him of his gamma irradiated alter ego permanently. Unfortunately, that leaves General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross to deal with an ‘Abomination’ of his own making as Emil Blonksy stands unrivaled …or does he?
Iron Man 2 (2010): What If James Rhodes was Iron Man?
In a moment of crushing mortality and second thoughts, Tony Stark does NOT reveal his identity as Iron Man, instead he gives the suit to James Rhodes, begging his best friend to continue his work as the shell-headed hero. While Stark struggles to solve the Palladium Problem as well as the escalating ‘Armor Race’, Rhodes would have to face his own choices, to serve as a dedicated officer of the military or to honor his dying friend’s last request…which begs the question, will both men rise to these challenges…or will they fall?
Thor (2011): What if Loki were banished to Earth with Thor?
A brother’s love and the gift of a silver tongue, a father’s growing weakness and weary disappointment, as well as a would-be king’s arrogance and pride; All this and more leads to rash and permanent changes on The All-Father and his two sons, as Loki refuses to stand aside and be silent any further, defending Thor from both his actions on Jotunheim and the wrath of Odin. And with such open rebellion, he too is stripped of title and power alongside his brother, and banished to Midgard…Earth…but to what fate awaits them…?
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011): What if Peggy Carter was the one chosen for Project: Rebirth?
A twist of fate and a bolder assassin sees Agent Peggy Carter become the Super Soldier of World War II, with her shield bearing the Union Jack with great pride. But not to be outdone, Howard Stark and the U.S. Government unleash its own patriotic marvel, a new technological wonder upon the war and the world: The Iron Man! And who lies beneath its mask? Steve Rogers!
Marvel's The Avengers (2012): What if Captain Marvel returned during the Chitauri Invasion?
Caught within never-ending battles across the galaxy for so long, Carol Danvers has gotten a better understanding and control over her powers and yet in the process, has pulled her further and further from her birth planet. But suppose one such battle was with a different enemy on one specific day, as Carol comes across a fleet of Chitauri vessels in mid-warp gate invasion, and chooses then to intervene…and in the process, finds herself back on Earth, and encountering a group of very colorful ‘heroes’ who’ve been brought together by an old friend of hers…
Iron Man 3 (2013): What If Pepper Potts Kept Extremis?
Aldrich Killian was dead, and A.I.M. destroyed, Stark was finally ready to retire and put Iron Man behind him once and for all, just wanting to spend the rest of his life with Pepper…but even in that moment, Pepper could see that would never be the case. She loved the man beneath the armor, but knew deep down, he would always be Iron Man. So, a different choice was made that day, as Pepper embraced both worlds Stark lived in, as the world gained a new Avenger in the form of Rescue…but would the world be ready for the ultimate ‘power couple’?
Thor: The Dark World (2013): What If Frigga never died?
A grieving king’s cry for vengeance for the loss of his queen will ensure a river of his subjects’ blood. One son weeps in sorrow for not being fast or strong enough to save his mother, while another howls in guilt for his part in her death. But suppose things had gone another way? Misdirection by one son, better timing of the other and more direct intervention by the All Father, the Queen of Asgard lives...but at what cost?
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): What If Bucky never became The Winter Soldier?
How could it all have gone wrong? All he and Steve had to do was grab one little Hydra scientist, and find their final base of operation, then the war would finally be over. But plans never survive their first encounter with the enemy, and then…Bucky remembered falling, watching as Steve cried out to him, unable to grab his arm as he plummeted from the train…yet, when Bucky regained consciousness, he blearily saw Steve again, carrying him along as he slowly bled out from the stump where his arm used to be…all Bucky could remember hearing before he passed out again was Steve promising ‘I won’t leave you behind, Buck…not this time…’
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): What if the Guardians Of the Galaxy Never Formed?
It had been child’s play to obtain the orb from its housing in Morag, especially once a foolish would be thief was dispatched by Korath, his pursuer, when the thief was recovering from some head injury. The orb in his possession, he prepared to give it unto Thanos…but Thanos did not answer his beckoning, nor could the Mad Titan be found or sensed anywhere in the galaxy. It was like he had ceased to be, as did his entire massive fleet. But, all was not lost, for when the orb was opened, its true nature was revealed…and no longer would Thanos or his armies be required. For Ronan the Accuser now wields one of the legendary Infinity Stones, and with it, Xandar will burn…
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): What if Ultron never went rogue?
It was meant to be a suit of armor for the entire world from forces outside its borders, that’s what the Ultron Program was meant to be, and Tony Stark would see this project through. Bruce Banner saw what he thought was yet another failure and tried to convince Tony to leave the project for now and rejoin their friends. But parties can be rescheduled, they were on borrowed time and deep down Stark knew what that meant. He stayed…and in that split second decision, he saw the sparks of life, artificial it maybe but life never the less, spring forth…and unlike Howard, Tony would be there for his ‘son’…
Ant-Man (2015): What if Janet Van Dyne never got lost in the Quantum Realm?
In 1987, the Cold War was prevented from going red hot by the efforts of the diminutive duo of Ant-Man and the Wasp. At a great cost, which saw two heroes stories end, one lost to sub-atomic size and the other to a broken heart, but what if the sacrifice had been just as chancy yet not as costly? The day is saved, and Hank Pym remains a happily married man, and Hope Van Dyne never knows the loss of her mother. But what else could come from the continued existence of Janet Van Dyne? Could things have gone for the better…or for the worse?
Captain America: Civil War (2016): What If Wanda Maximoff tried to fix her mistakes?
Wanda had lost so much in too few years. Her parents, her homeland, her brother, all of them lost to mad men and monsters…and now she’d become a monster. Her hands ran crimson with the blood of innocence due to her actions in Lagos, Nigeria. It was too much, her guilt plaguing an already compromised heart and in her attempts to right her wrongs, she tries to give back what she took…and tapping into depths she never knew she had. Wanda forcefully rewrote reality…and succeeded…in a way she wishes she hadn’t. For the dead now live…and their hunger knows no end…
Doctor Strange (2016): What if Karl Mordo became Sorcerer Supreme?
Even the brightest of minds are often absent of common sense in the most unexpected of times, but perhaps a moment of rational thought strikes Doctor Stephen Strange on that fateful night, and he turns off his phone. And in that action, the world keeps one of its greatest neurosurgeons…a world who continues to exist blissfully unaware of a great war being waged between sorcerers and dimensions, the actions of both sides leading to great and terrible things…but always at a cost. The bill comes due. Always.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): What if Yondu delivered Peter Quill to Ego as planned?
It was just another job. A job he had done again and again, so why would this be any different? Yondu Udonta looked at the sobbing Terran child with cold indifference. A sudden thought crossed his mind, about maybe keeping this one, finally forsake his task and take this child as steps to redeem himself as a Ravager. But in that same moment, he thought of Stakar Ogord. He thought of his former mentor’s betrayal and Yondu’s banishment from the Ravagers. Whatever warm fire died suddenly and harshly in his cold, black heart as he spun away from the child he’d been about to comfort…and set course for Ego. What was one more body onto the pile? It’s not like this kid will ever matter in the long run…
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): What if Peter Parker was NEVER recruited by Tony Stark?
Peter once more wondered what he could’ve possibly have done to deserve the ‘Parker’ kind of luck he had. On the one hand, he was far from being the most popular guy in school and practically invisible to the girl he had the biggest crush on. On the other hand, he was also your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, a reputation which he was happy to have as he used his great powers responsibly. However, that might change as after the ‘Clash of the Avengers’ in Germany, and now there’s some interested parties looking for Spider-Man…and that’s not even counting some weird bank robbers using some pretty high tech gear. Days like these, make Peter wish the spider bit someone else…
Thor: Ragnarok (2017): What if Thor and Loki never ended up on Sakaar?
To Thor, Earth was a home away from home as it was filled with so many of his friends and loved ones.
To Loki, Midgard was nothing but bad memories to him, and would rather be anywhere BUT here.
To Hela, this realm meant absolutely nothing to her except as yet another world to fall to her majesty. To Doctor Stephen Strange, all three ‘gods’ were very unwelcomed guests, and frankly, he’s had a very long day…
Black Panther (2018): What if T’Chaka took Erik Killmonger to Wakanda as a child?
His claws still dripped with the blood of his own brother, T’Chaka was at a crossroads. Would he hide his crime, leave behind his brother’s now cooling body and abandon his now orphaned nephew to a culture that punishes people for the color of their skin? No. He had made a grave mistake, but he would not punish the child for the sins of the father, as well as his own sins…and yet, despite his attempt to do the right thing, he returns home to another tragedy: His own son, T’challa, was gone, somehow taken from them and though a search is made across the world, not a trace is found...On Earth, that is. A father mourns for his lost son, while a boy grieves for his dead father, but together and with their family, new bonds would be forged…yet the answers they still seek may be found in the future…and to the stars above…
Avengers: Infinity War (2018): What if it were the OTHER half of the Universe that was lost after the Snap?
Thanos has won. Grievously injured, Thanos snapped his fingers…and his greatest wish came true. Across countless worlds, horrific tragedies played out all at once. On Earth, a man out of time watches his oldest friend gasp out ‘Bucky’ before scattering into dust, as many of his allies and friends follow suit, blown away by a careless breeze. On Titan, Tony Stark collapses into Peter Parker’s arms, who watched as the light slowly goes out of Mr.Stark’s eyes, unable to say anything but “Forgive Me…” before his body began to disintegrate away...leaving a young broken man to howl in pain as he once more failed to save a life. All across the cosmos, the universe suffered. Except for one planet, whose sole resident, looked into the rising sun of a new age…and Thanos smiled.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): What if Scott Lang hadn’t returned from his FIRST trip into the Quantum Realm?
How long had it been since that night? That question plagued Scott often as he sailed adrift in the vastness of the great ‘Microverse’. The night where a crazed maniac in a power suit threatened the life of his little girl, and in one of most idiotic of decisions in a LONG Line of idiotic decisions, he disabled the regulator in his suit and shrank beyond the limits into Darren Cross’s Yellowjacket armor, destroying as much of the suit’s inner workings before he shrank so small he…ended up here. He had considered using one of the Pym Particle Disks, but it would appear in his careless haste, he had damaged the regulator beyond repair, much less use. So, he was trapped, endlessly floating in the Quantum Realm…alone. At least he thought he was alone, until a figure suddenly appeared before him, calling herself Janet Van Dyne…but then he’s probably just going crazy, right?
Captain Marvel (2019): What if Carol Danvers chose to stay on Earth?
Regaining her memories as well as embracing all that meant for her to be human as well as Kree, Carol looked to the stars and thought of all the places she could go, the people she could meet…but when she looked back, seeing her friends and family, a deep needy pang throbbed inside her, of something she hadn’t felt in so long…and with a look of regret and hopeful apology, turned to Talos and held out her hand to him. Talos, his own family in mind, understood, taking her hand (and with it, the Pager within it) and shook, knowing if they ever need her, to call her and she’d be there in a heartbeat. And so the Skrulls departed, for a new home…while Carol hoped to stay and reconnect to the home she had left behind…but would the world of her birth be ready for the new her…?
Avengers: Endgame (2019): What if the Avengers never traveled through time?
Five Years Later, and Earth, likely like many other planets in the universe, still mourned the loss of so many of its people. But, despite Thanos and his granted wish, those who remained were still fighting, still surviving, and most importantly, still living. There are those who still cling to the past, unable to let go and heal…but in time, more and more people look towards the future, and what it may bring…who will rise to meet the new challenges ahead and take lead…and who will fall and drag as many as they can with them…?
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019): What if Mysterio won?
For all of his power, Spider-Man nearly saved the day…but despite being super powered, he was but only a boy, and already bodily and emotionally compromised. Even with his new Stark toys and renewed trust in his abilities, he couldn’t see through all the illusions…and as smart as Peter Parker had been, no one can out think a bullet. Now, Quentin Beck has it all. The fame, the power, the technology! He would bask in the spotlight as the true hero and star he always knew himself to be! But despite having all this…he still didn’t realize that Peter Parker had one thing that Beck would never have: Peter Parker had friends and he had family…and both were NOT happy…
Without his Arc Reactor, a weakened Tony Stark dies alone as Obadiah Stane rids himself of any remaining loose ends, soon using Tony’s technology and company to rise to greater power and riches, as the threat of impending “Armor Wars” looms over head as the technology begins to spread in more and more places across the globe. But despite the would-be Iron Monger’s rise, Stane’s fall looks to come forth in the form of…Iron Man?
The Incredible Hulk (2008): What if Bruce Banner cured himself of the Hulk?
Thanks to the combined genius of Samuel Sterns and Betty Ross, Bruce Banner successfully produces an antidote which frees him of his gamma irradiated alter ego permanently. Unfortunately, that leaves General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross to deal with an ‘Abomination’ of his own making as Emil Blonksy stands unrivaled …or does he?
Iron Man 2 (2010): What If James Rhodes was Iron Man?
In a moment of crushing mortality and second thoughts, Tony Stark does NOT reveal his identity as Iron Man, instead he gives the suit to James Rhodes, begging his best friend to continue his work as the shell-headed hero. While Stark struggles to solve the Palladium Problem as well as the escalating ‘Armor Race’, Rhodes would have to face his own choices, to serve as a dedicated officer of the military or to honor his dying friend’s last request…which begs the question, will both men rise to these challenges…or will they fall?
Thor (2011): What if Loki were banished to Earth with Thor?
A brother’s love and the gift of a silver tongue, a father’s growing weakness and weary disappointment, as well as a would-be king’s arrogance and pride; All this and more leads to rash and permanent changes on The All-Father and his two sons, as Loki refuses to stand aside and be silent any further, defending Thor from both his actions on Jotunheim and the wrath of Odin. And with such open rebellion, he too is stripped of title and power alongside his brother, and banished to Midgard…Earth…but to what fate awaits them…?
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011): What if Peggy Carter was the one chosen for Project: Rebirth?
A twist of fate and a bolder assassin sees Agent Peggy Carter become the Super Soldier of World War II, with her shield bearing the Union Jack with great pride. But not to be outdone, Howard Stark and the U.S. Government unleash its own patriotic marvel, a new technological wonder upon the war and the world: The Iron Man! And who lies beneath its mask? Steve Rogers!
Marvel's The Avengers (2012): What if Captain Marvel returned during the Chitauri Invasion?
Caught within never-ending battles across the galaxy for so long, Carol Danvers has gotten a better understanding and control over her powers and yet in the process, has pulled her further and further from her birth planet. But suppose one such battle was with a different enemy on one specific day, as Carol comes across a fleet of Chitauri vessels in mid-warp gate invasion, and chooses then to intervene…and in the process, finds herself back on Earth, and encountering a group of very colorful ‘heroes’ who’ve been brought together by an old friend of hers…
Iron Man 3 (2013): What If Pepper Potts Kept Extremis?
Aldrich Killian was dead, and A.I.M. destroyed, Stark was finally ready to retire and put Iron Man behind him once and for all, just wanting to spend the rest of his life with Pepper…but even in that moment, Pepper could see that would never be the case. She loved the man beneath the armor, but knew deep down, he would always be Iron Man. So, a different choice was made that day, as Pepper embraced both worlds Stark lived in, as the world gained a new Avenger in the form of Rescue…but would the world be ready for the ultimate ‘power couple’?
Thor: The Dark World (2013): What If Frigga never died?
A grieving king’s cry for vengeance for the loss of his queen will ensure a river of his subjects’ blood. One son weeps in sorrow for not being fast or strong enough to save his mother, while another howls in guilt for his part in her death. But suppose things had gone another way? Misdirection by one son, better timing of the other and more direct intervention by the All Father, the Queen of Asgard lives...but at what cost?
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): What If Bucky never became The Winter Soldier?
How could it all have gone wrong? All he and Steve had to do was grab one little Hydra scientist, and find their final base of operation, then the war would finally be over. But plans never survive their first encounter with the enemy, and then…Bucky remembered falling, watching as Steve cried out to him, unable to grab his arm as he plummeted from the train…yet, when Bucky regained consciousness, he blearily saw Steve again, carrying him along as he slowly bled out from the stump where his arm used to be…all Bucky could remember hearing before he passed out again was Steve promising ‘I won’t leave you behind, Buck…not this time…’
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): What if the Guardians Of the Galaxy Never Formed?
It had been child’s play to obtain the orb from its housing in Morag, especially once a foolish would be thief was dispatched by Korath, his pursuer, when the thief was recovering from some head injury. The orb in his possession, he prepared to give it unto Thanos…but Thanos did not answer his beckoning, nor could the Mad Titan be found or sensed anywhere in the galaxy. It was like he had ceased to be, as did his entire massive fleet. But, all was not lost, for when the orb was opened, its true nature was revealed…and no longer would Thanos or his armies be required. For Ronan the Accuser now wields one of the legendary Infinity Stones, and with it, Xandar will burn…
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): What if Ultron never went rogue?
It was meant to be a suit of armor for the entire world from forces outside its borders, that’s what the Ultron Program was meant to be, and Tony Stark would see this project through. Bruce Banner saw what he thought was yet another failure and tried to convince Tony to leave the project for now and rejoin their friends. But parties can be rescheduled, they were on borrowed time and deep down Stark knew what that meant. He stayed…and in that split second decision, he saw the sparks of life, artificial it maybe but life never the less, spring forth…and unlike Howard, Tony would be there for his ‘son’…
Ant-Man (2015): What if Janet Van Dyne never got lost in the Quantum Realm?
In 1987, the Cold War was prevented from going red hot by the efforts of the diminutive duo of Ant-Man and the Wasp. At a great cost, which saw two heroes stories end, one lost to sub-atomic size and the other to a broken heart, but what if the sacrifice had been just as chancy yet not as costly? The day is saved, and Hank Pym remains a happily married man, and Hope Van Dyne never knows the loss of her mother. But what else could come from the continued existence of Janet Van Dyne? Could things have gone for the better…or for the worse?
Captain America: Civil War (2016): What If Wanda Maximoff tried to fix her mistakes?
Wanda had lost so much in too few years. Her parents, her homeland, her brother, all of them lost to mad men and monsters…and now she’d become a monster. Her hands ran crimson with the blood of innocence due to her actions in Lagos, Nigeria. It was too much, her guilt plaguing an already compromised heart and in her attempts to right her wrongs, she tries to give back what she took…and tapping into depths she never knew she had. Wanda forcefully rewrote reality…and succeeded…in a way she wishes she hadn’t. For the dead now live…and their hunger knows no end…
Doctor Strange (2016): What if Karl Mordo became Sorcerer Supreme?
Even the brightest of minds are often absent of common sense in the most unexpected of times, but perhaps a moment of rational thought strikes Doctor Stephen Strange on that fateful night, and he turns off his phone. And in that action, the world keeps one of its greatest neurosurgeons…a world who continues to exist blissfully unaware of a great war being waged between sorcerers and dimensions, the actions of both sides leading to great and terrible things…but always at a cost. The bill comes due. Always.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): What if Yondu delivered Peter Quill to Ego as planned?
It was just another job. A job he had done again and again, so why would this be any different? Yondu Udonta looked at the sobbing Terran child with cold indifference. A sudden thought crossed his mind, about maybe keeping this one, finally forsake his task and take this child as steps to redeem himself as a Ravager. But in that same moment, he thought of Stakar Ogord. He thought of his former mentor’s betrayal and Yondu’s banishment from the Ravagers. Whatever warm fire died suddenly and harshly in his cold, black heart as he spun away from the child he’d been about to comfort…and set course for Ego. What was one more body onto the pile? It’s not like this kid will ever matter in the long run…
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): What if Peter Parker was NEVER recruited by Tony Stark?
Peter once more wondered what he could’ve possibly have done to deserve the ‘Parker’ kind of luck he had. On the one hand, he was far from being the most popular guy in school and practically invisible to the girl he had the biggest crush on. On the other hand, he was also your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, a reputation which he was happy to have as he used his great powers responsibly. However, that might change as after the ‘Clash of the Avengers’ in Germany, and now there’s some interested parties looking for Spider-Man…and that’s not even counting some weird bank robbers using some pretty high tech gear. Days like these, make Peter wish the spider bit someone else…
Thor: Ragnarok (2017): What if Thor and Loki never ended up on Sakaar?
To Thor, Earth was a home away from home as it was filled with so many of his friends and loved ones.
To Loki, Midgard was nothing but bad memories to him, and would rather be anywhere BUT here.
To Hela, this realm meant absolutely nothing to her except as yet another world to fall to her majesty. To Doctor Stephen Strange, all three ‘gods’ were very unwelcomed guests, and frankly, he’s had a very long day…
Black Panther (2018): What if T’Chaka took Erik Killmonger to Wakanda as a child?
His claws still dripped with the blood of his own brother, T’Chaka was at a crossroads. Would he hide his crime, leave behind his brother’s now cooling body and abandon his now orphaned nephew to a culture that punishes people for the color of their skin? No. He had made a grave mistake, but he would not punish the child for the sins of the father, as well as his own sins…and yet, despite his attempt to do the right thing, he returns home to another tragedy: His own son, T’challa, was gone, somehow taken from them and though a search is made across the world, not a trace is found...On Earth, that is. A father mourns for his lost son, while a boy grieves for his dead father, but together and with their family, new bonds would be forged…yet the answers they still seek may be found in the future…and to the stars above…
Avengers: Infinity War (2018): What if it were the OTHER half of the Universe that was lost after the Snap?
Thanos has won. Grievously injured, Thanos snapped his fingers…and his greatest wish came true. Across countless worlds, horrific tragedies played out all at once. On Earth, a man out of time watches his oldest friend gasp out ‘Bucky’ before scattering into dust, as many of his allies and friends follow suit, blown away by a careless breeze. On Titan, Tony Stark collapses into Peter Parker’s arms, who watched as the light slowly goes out of Mr.Stark’s eyes, unable to say anything but “Forgive Me…” before his body began to disintegrate away...leaving a young broken man to howl in pain as he once more failed to save a life. All across the cosmos, the universe suffered. Except for one planet, whose sole resident, looked into the rising sun of a new age…and Thanos smiled.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): What if Scott Lang hadn’t returned from his FIRST trip into the Quantum Realm?
How long had it been since that night? That question plagued Scott often as he sailed adrift in the vastness of the great ‘Microverse’. The night where a crazed maniac in a power suit threatened the life of his little girl, and in one of most idiotic of decisions in a LONG Line of idiotic decisions, he disabled the regulator in his suit and shrank beyond the limits into Darren Cross’s Yellowjacket armor, destroying as much of the suit’s inner workings before he shrank so small he…ended up here. He had considered using one of the Pym Particle Disks, but it would appear in his careless haste, he had damaged the regulator beyond repair, much less use. So, he was trapped, endlessly floating in the Quantum Realm…alone. At least he thought he was alone, until a figure suddenly appeared before him, calling herself Janet Van Dyne…but then he’s probably just going crazy, right?
Captain Marvel (2019): What if Carol Danvers chose to stay on Earth?
Regaining her memories as well as embracing all that meant for her to be human as well as Kree, Carol looked to the stars and thought of all the places she could go, the people she could meet…but when she looked back, seeing her friends and family, a deep needy pang throbbed inside her, of something she hadn’t felt in so long…and with a look of regret and hopeful apology, turned to Talos and held out her hand to him. Talos, his own family in mind, understood, taking her hand (and with it, the Pager within it) and shook, knowing if they ever need her, to call her and she’d be there in a heartbeat. And so the Skrulls departed, for a new home…while Carol hoped to stay and reconnect to the home she had left behind…but would the world of her birth be ready for the new her…?
Avengers: Endgame (2019): What if the Avengers never traveled through time?
Five Years Later, and Earth, likely like many other planets in the universe, still mourned the loss of so many of its people. But, despite Thanos and his granted wish, those who remained were still fighting, still surviving, and most importantly, still living. There are those who still cling to the past, unable to let go and heal…but in time, more and more people look towards the future, and what it may bring…who will rise to meet the new challenges ahead and take lead…and who will fall and drag as many as they can with them…?
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019): What if Mysterio won?
For all of his power, Spider-Man nearly saved the day…but despite being super powered, he was but only a boy, and already bodily and emotionally compromised. Even with his new Stark toys and renewed trust in his abilities, he couldn’t see through all the illusions…and as smart as Peter Parker had been, no one can out think a bullet. Now, Quentin Beck has it all. The fame, the power, the technology! He would bask in the spotlight as the true hero and star he always knew himself to be! But despite having all this…he still didn’t realize that Peter Parker had one thing that Beck would never have: Peter Parker had friends and he had family…and both were NOT happy…
What If…? Disney Plus MCU Theories (Spoilers!) Part 1 of 2
Posted 5 years agoWhat started as a fun little thought experiment sort of avalanched into a big whole mess of a thing and well, I couldn’t help myself and just let the creativity and nerdy spirit flow. Now, D23 was only a few days ago and a TON of stuff got announced, especially for the Disney Plus streaming service.
Now, as a brief aside to the topic I really want to talk about, I know there are a lot of folks not entirely enthused about yet another streaming service nor are folks particularly happy with Disney due to recent decisions involving a certain web slinger. And if I were to be honest on this point, I’m falling on Sony’s side on all this, and as much as I hate to see Spidey leave, Sony has every right to pull what is still legally their character rights from a deal that isn’t at all beneficial to them nor to the people who work on these films. Disney has been particular shown a rather nasty greedy side of late, and it’s refreshing to see them not get their way for once. I’d go on, but I feel until further details come on the matter, it’s just rehashing a lot of thoughts and sentiments many people have already spoken on this matter, and in far better ways a than I could put to the subject, to which I briefly thank them for keeping folks like me and others in the loop.
Back on original topic, one of the bits of news that came out was concerning one of the MCU’s newest additions to its ever expanding shared universe, What If…? Now, What If…? The comic has always been one of my personal favorite Marvel books, as it explored ideas and creative directions writers and artists can take Marvel’s characters without ever being limited by the likes of canon or ‘outside influence’. They could do what they want and have no limitations. Sometimes ideas which started out as a What If, gets implemented further down the line in the main Marvel Universe, everything from a Hulk with Banner’s Brain, a Lady Thor, and dozens of other now familiar ideas that populate comics, TV, and movies alike, can actually be traced to a What If Comic, once upon a time.
And when it was announced Marvel was going to bring this concept to its streaming service, I was ecstatic! Of course, this was years ago now, and I’ve had to stew and wait out for any news to come out on what exactly the show intended to do…and D23 finally dropped some clues AND some images! A few scenes and hints of episodes which certainly whet my whistle as well as the introduction of Uatu The Watcher, who always served as the Rod Serling role of narrator/host of the comics, would reprise that role in the show. But the biggest news that came out was that 23 episodes would be produced (for what I hope is a first season, and the possibility for more), meaning there would be one episode per movie that now exists in MCU’s history. My mind suddenly EXPLODED with possibilities.
Now, there were at least three implied scenarios already based on what was shown in D23, as well as the likes of perhaps exploring some of the new timelines created as of the events of Endgame. Either way, my mind couldn’t contain itself and well, I had to put it to words and page. So, what follows are what I’d like to think are perhaps the What Ifs that the series will be covering…now, these are not at all confirmations or meant to be taken as guarantees, although I tried to fit in the episodes highlighted at D23 as well as in Endgame as those are strong contenders for being true but hey, we’ll see!
These are all just a fun writing exercise as well as some of my needs to theorize when it comes to where the MCU will be going, much like my thoughts and concepts when it came to Endgame, as folks saw in my long winded, multi-part review-critique of that film.
I would really love to hear whatever folks had to say on my theories/guesses pertaining to it, as well as hear their own thoughts or takes. And hey, even if I’m NO where close to where any of these episodes go, I have to also admit these were stirring a lot of ideas for writing prompts/fanfic starters because a number of these went down a number of mental paths, imagined plots and well, I tried to limit each one to a ‘next issue’ descriptor blurb that was always to be found at the end of each What If Comic, which fluctuated in styles as years went on so, wasn’t trying to write entire fics in one go. I mean, this already took me several days to edit and clean up, and I already have a couple of fanfics currently on going I NEED to work on and wrap up long before I dare tackle even more!
So please, do enjoy the next following post and whether or not it sparks any comments, debates, theories, ideas, or anything at all, please feel free to share. As I say about my current written works in progress, any comments / concerns / questions are welcomed, but most of all, I do hope folks have a good time as I did putting these together. Thanks so much for your time and hope you all have a great day!
Now, as a brief aside to the topic I really want to talk about, I know there are a lot of folks not entirely enthused about yet another streaming service nor are folks particularly happy with Disney due to recent decisions involving a certain web slinger. And if I were to be honest on this point, I’m falling on Sony’s side on all this, and as much as I hate to see Spidey leave, Sony has every right to pull what is still legally their character rights from a deal that isn’t at all beneficial to them nor to the people who work on these films. Disney has been particular shown a rather nasty greedy side of late, and it’s refreshing to see them not get their way for once. I’d go on, but I feel until further details come on the matter, it’s just rehashing a lot of thoughts and sentiments many people have already spoken on this matter, and in far better ways a than I could put to the subject, to which I briefly thank them for keeping folks like me and others in the loop.
Back on original topic, one of the bits of news that came out was concerning one of the MCU’s newest additions to its ever expanding shared universe, What If…? Now, What If…? The comic has always been one of my personal favorite Marvel books, as it explored ideas and creative directions writers and artists can take Marvel’s characters without ever being limited by the likes of canon or ‘outside influence’. They could do what they want and have no limitations. Sometimes ideas which started out as a What If, gets implemented further down the line in the main Marvel Universe, everything from a Hulk with Banner’s Brain, a Lady Thor, and dozens of other now familiar ideas that populate comics, TV, and movies alike, can actually be traced to a What If Comic, once upon a time.
And when it was announced Marvel was going to bring this concept to its streaming service, I was ecstatic! Of course, this was years ago now, and I’ve had to stew and wait out for any news to come out on what exactly the show intended to do…and D23 finally dropped some clues AND some images! A few scenes and hints of episodes which certainly whet my whistle as well as the introduction of Uatu The Watcher, who always served as the Rod Serling role of narrator/host of the comics, would reprise that role in the show. But the biggest news that came out was that 23 episodes would be produced (for what I hope is a first season, and the possibility for more), meaning there would be one episode per movie that now exists in MCU’s history. My mind suddenly EXPLODED with possibilities.
Now, there were at least three implied scenarios already based on what was shown in D23, as well as the likes of perhaps exploring some of the new timelines created as of the events of Endgame. Either way, my mind couldn’t contain itself and well, I had to put it to words and page. So, what follows are what I’d like to think are perhaps the What Ifs that the series will be covering…now, these are not at all confirmations or meant to be taken as guarantees, although I tried to fit in the episodes highlighted at D23 as well as in Endgame as those are strong contenders for being true but hey, we’ll see!
These are all just a fun writing exercise as well as some of my needs to theorize when it comes to where the MCU will be going, much like my thoughts and concepts when it came to Endgame, as folks saw in my long winded, multi-part review-critique of that film.
I would really love to hear whatever folks had to say on my theories/guesses pertaining to it, as well as hear their own thoughts or takes. And hey, even if I’m NO where close to where any of these episodes go, I have to also admit these were stirring a lot of ideas for writing prompts/fanfic starters because a number of these went down a number of mental paths, imagined plots and well, I tried to limit each one to a ‘next issue’ descriptor blurb that was always to be found at the end of each What If Comic, which fluctuated in styles as years went on so, wasn’t trying to write entire fics in one go. I mean, this already took me several days to edit and clean up, and I already have a couple of fanfics currently on going I NEED to work on and wrap up long before I dare tackle even more!
So please, do enjoy the next following post and whether or not it sparks any comments, debates, theories, ideas, or anything at all, please feel free to share. As I say about my current written works in progress, any comments / concerns / questions are welcomed, but most of all, I do hope folks have a good time as I did putting these together. Thanks so much for your time and hope you all have a great day!
So, I Wrote A Thing (Avengers : Endgame Fanfiction/Spoilers)
Posted 5 years agoI've finally finished writing up a one-shot fic I've been toying around since seeing Endgame, toying with a particular idea that popped into my mind concerning the future of the MCU as well as dealing with some of the issues I had with Endgame's ending...or at least parts of it...
It was supposed to be this little ficlet, but by the end, I wrote 11 pages worth and well, I'm happy to have gotten this out of my mind and onto paper. So, I'm sharing with you as well, I shared my Afterthoughts, I mind as well as share this story. I hope folks enjoy it!
The Avenged - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18886897 (Archive Of Our Own)
There's a couple of other fanfics I've been working on for a little while as well, though they're not MCU related, tied more with two other fandoms I'm a part of but hey, folks may get a kick out of those, especially if they're into XCOM or SVTFOE. Either way, I hope folks get a kick out of it, and for why I'm not posting the story here on FA, well...seems pretty obvious huh?
It was supposed to be this little ficlet, but by the end, I wrote 11 pages worth and well, I'm happy to have gotten this out of my mind and onto paper. So, I'm sharing with you as well, I shared my Afterthoughts, I mind as well as share this story. I hope folks enjoy it!
The Avenged - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18886897 (Archive Of Our Own)
There's a couple of other fanfics I've been working on for a little while as well, though they're not MCU related, tied more with two other fandoms I'm a part of but hey, folks may get a kick out of those, especially if they're into XCOM or SVTFOE. Either way, I hope folks get a kick out of it, and for why I'm not posting the story here on FA, well...seems pretty obvious huh?
(Spoilers)Avengers: Endgame: Afterthoughts(Spoilers) 3 Of 3
Posted 5 years agoPart 3: I Am Iron Man
I would like to start here with the very words that escaped my very lips when, in reaction to the grand gesture that both defied a would-be god and called back to one of the key defining moments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe…
“Fucking DAMMIT”
It was harshly whispered as I couldn’t bring myself to shout as my throat clenched and tears stung my eyes as I watched a man who had been through so much, who’d gone through so much loss, so much pain…and in the end, had finally gotten what he’d always wanted and frankly had long since earned : the love of his life, a family full of friends and loved ones, happiness and peace…only for him to die, to have that all taken away from him, just to keep the one nightmare that would never leave him, from hurting any of his family ever again.
I was furious; I’m STILL furious, but I understand why it had to go this way. For one, we know Robert Downey Junior was never going to play Tony Stark forever, his contract was going to end, and as much as the actor as embraced the character, and let’s face it, to a lot of people, if not everyone, RDJ is Tony Stark and Tony Stark is RDJ, his story had to come to an end. I get that, I do, but why?
WHY did it have to be Tony make the final sacrifice? Dammit Tony, why didn’t you just stay retired, stayed in the cabin with Pepper and sweet little Morgan? What about Peter, your son in all but name and blood? What about your friend, no, BROTHER Rhodey? What about Bruce, whose already lost so many friends, and despite his newfound power and fame, is lonelier then ever? What about Happy, what about everyone whose life you had a personal hand in and made so much better? How could you…?
Well, he could for the same reasons he touched so many lives, as we knew deep down that Tony couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. He knew he could lose it all, but in the end, he stepped in, stepped up and well, leave it to the billionaire to buy the world some more time. It still stings and I’m still shedding the odd tear here and there as I write this because I still feel that Tony’s death was needlessly cruel but yet, his sacrifice remains true to how Tony’s character has evolved since Iron Man 1.
For Tony, as of Endgame, couldn’t ignore the threat, the same threat he’d seen coming years ago and despite all of his efforts, he couldn’t save everyone before and it nearly destroyed him, physically and mentally as he drifted in space, slowly wasting away but even in those bleak moments, he put someone else before his own health, Nebula. Nebula, whose own story is etched in tragedy and in the shadow of a terrible father, was shown such kindness and warmth, those instances of her literally staring at Stark as if he had two heads as he’d offer the last of the food, played a game which she could win, so many small kindnesses but they meant so much. And Stark did this all smiling, trying to comfort another soul even as his ached with pain and wracked with guilt. That had been Tony throughout a LOT of these movies.
And RDJ’s performance as he SNAPS at Steve, finally getting his attention to something he’d been warning everyone for YEARS, is heart wrenching because of how weakened and near-death Tony looks…but also cathartic to watch Tony practically scream at how he’d been trying to prepare them all, to save them all, and yet no one had his back, Steve and every other founding Avenger had left him with that already crushing weight of responsibility on his shoulders alone. An already exhausted Tony took it and did as best as he could but he was but one man. An Iron Man, but still a Man, and here they were. They’d lost as Tony told them they would all these years if they were to just fight Thanos like every other threat that’d come their way, and it proved true. Costly but true. So when it was Steve’s turn to ask for help, Tony tore out his figurative heart (Arc Reactor) and gives it to him, leaving the responsibility to the ‘Avengers’ as it’d been forced upon him. That act nearly kills him but it needed to be done. Someone else needed to take the reins and let him rest. His fight was over, he’d lost nearly EVERYTHING and they expect him to do it again?
No, I wouldn’t blame Tony for a second for what he did next. He moved on. Unlike Steve and the rest of the Avengers, Tony accepted the losses, took what he had left, which thankfully mean Pepper (I mean, admitting he’d lost Peter took every ounce of strength to keep up right, if Steve had told him Pepper hadn’t made it? That would’ve done him in, and we all know it) and moved on with his life for the next five years. And it shows, in stark (heh) contrast to most of the other founding Avengers, Tony is living the dream life he’d wanted for so long…and seems to have gotten over some of his other longstanding issues, such as what is to be a good father and if it hasn’t been established by this point that I’m a sentimental softy, I had the biggest grin as I drank in every father-daughter moment Tony and Morgan had, genuinely knowing that Tony had earned his happy ending.
A simple life with the people he loves, simple cabin by the lake (okay, simple for billionaires, but come on), still tinkering away at his tech but dedicating himself to being the best man he could be for his family…Movie could’ve ended right there, barely over thirty minutes, and I’d be happy. Shortest MCU Movie ever, sure, but hey, Tony got what he’s deserved and earned many times over…and then came Scott.
At this point, where I realize I’ve recapped a bit over a half hour’s worth of the movie, I want to make something clear. Most of what I’m going to say for this portion is about Tony Stark, as far as I can tell, was one of the biggest focuses of the movie, likely its MAIN character. This was his Swan Song, and it shows, with how much is given to him, the range of emotions, the developments, it made this cinematic experience all the better than Infinity War.
Do I mean to say it’s a perfect movie?
HELL No.
It’s far from perfect, but it had so much more inside it then Infinity War, which, don’t get it twisted, I highly enjoy that movie too, but it feels like one extended action scene with very little much to develop characters outside of ‘say or do thing that moves to next scene’. There were emotional instances; there were laugh-out moments, but not to the extent shown in this movie. Endgame has its share of action scenes, definitely, but it also knows when to slow down and show some heart and emotion too. Often it works as intended, but it also does fail to land in others. So, to clarify, my focus is mainly on Tony here, with mentions to others when appropriate, though I’ll quick touch on a few things…
For one, Thor is a problematic sticking point to me. On the one hand, there was some damn good jokes involving him and his supporting cast (I’m SO happy to see Korg survived!) and astounding visuals involving Stormbreaker and Mjolnir, but on the other hand, it showcases a problem that was evident even in Infinity War, which was so much of the character development and arc Thor went through in Ragnarok was not only rolled back but then made into an absolute joke. Thor had lost EVERYTHING that had meaning in his life: His family was gone, his home was gone, he lost an eye and his hammer, he lost his whole identity for awhile…so, instead of embracing the journey of self-discovery he’d already gone through in his own movie, we reset him back and do it all again…except make him a pot-bellied depressed alcoholic laughingstock.
That’s…that’s bullshit of the highest order, is what it is, and frankly if there weren’t so many other people who have posted far longer and far better critiques on this, as well as on Hawkeye’s role and Natasha’s sacrifice in the movie, things which I don’t feel qualified to discuss on, especially as it has been so better said by others. Scott and Bruce I also feel were denied some instances in the movie, the former as a concerned father whom Tony should feel a kinship with know the importance of one’s loved ones, especially a daughter (though that goes for Hawkeye too, but Scott got relegated to butt monkey just like Thor, totally undeserved since he was the one who provided the solution to the problem after all, so come on…show a little respect here!), while the latter was well…come on, SCIENCE BROS! Throw Rocket Raccoon and Nebula in there, because if there’s anyone who can add to the combined technological brain thrust, it’s the talking raccoon and the blue cyborg from outer space!
Though, I am impressed how much Nebula and Rocket were n the movie, given how the Guardians as a whole were barely interacting with much of the Earth-based heroes in Infinity War with the exception of Thor. All while this time around, Rocket and Nebula feel like part of the team, the connections and kinship they must’ve created during the five year time jump I really hope to see play out in future films, as Rocket and Nebula know far more about Earth NOW than Starlord…which could lead to a whole number interesting scenes, especially when Rocket and Nebula can call Starlord out when he tries to make one of his ‘heroic rallying speeches’.
Could there have been more with Rocket and Nebula? Certainly, but then I don’t feel I wasn’t given ENOUGH with what I did receive, as we saw a lot of sides o the two we hadn’t had much chance to in other movies, both the good for soul (Nebula playing well with others, providing some ideas during the time heist discussion as well as provide playful snarky comments) and the bad for the heart (Rocket, after the Avengers compound collapsed, was pinned beneath so much debris as the water slowly filled the room…it really hit me hard and close how Rocket’s design has been made so emotive since his first appearance, because how terrified and in pain he looks is...mmmph, don’t like seeing that…)
Back to Professor Hulk, in which Tony I feel would’ve kept contact with Bruce, especially to congratulate him on finally reaching HIS dreams too, because like Tony and UNLIKE Thor, Bruce was able to retain the character development he’d received in Ragnarok and achieved his longtime goal of conquering his anger…by making peace with himself, accepting Hulk for who he is and well, becoming whole. The fact it all happens off screen is an amusing surprise, a bit of a disappointment, and overall, fitting. Five years is a long time, and people can change in a lot of ways, for the good and for the bad (*looks over at Thor and mmmphs*), and to see both types of changes in the following five years does feel more realistic and grounded as opposed to all going downhill for everyone...Still, despite what Bruce/Hulk got in the movie, there’s a part of me that feels there was some opportunities missed, like Morgan with her big green Uncle Bruce. Ah well, there’s always the Disney Plus for him (as well as others, while others get new movie installments…one has to wonder maybe THAT’s why so many characters get only so much screen time in this movie, with that knowledge in mind, as a lot of them still have plenty of time left in THEIR contracts…).
So many characters get their moments in this movie, and many do stand out, as some of the most hilarious, the most heartwarming, the most heart-wrenching, and of course, the most infuriating. None are more infuriating as the massive step-backward / character arc reversal as that of Captain America. Which is immensely disappointing as this is as much of Steve’s last movie as Tony, but whereas Tony’s final story helped the character reach a conclusion to a years-long running arc, Steve’s seems to go SPRINTING backward. Whereas Tony accepts the losses of Infinity War and moves on, Steve (despite preaching letting go) refuses to move forward, looking back at what he lost, not just in Infinity War, but aaallllll the way back to his first movie, to Peggy and their last dance.
Now, that isn’t something entirely out of his character, as this particular aspect of the character has made its presence known from time to time, in his own movies and in Avengers films, as Steve has never really moved on from Peggy. We’ve seen this, and even when he’d finally be able to see her in Winter Soldier, as well as go to her funeral in Civil War, moments which would help in him reaching some sort of closure, he never quite gets there, and that single torch of his remains ever burning.
His refusal to let go is also reflected once Bucky is brought back into the picture, and now looking back, I’m beginning to see a distinct pattern, as more and more of Steve’s more questionable decisions (lying to Tony about the truth of his parents, his refusal over the Accords as well the splintering of the Avengers over personal agendas, not necessarily over what was IN the Accords). With Bucky back in his life, the one living trace to the past he lost, Steve began to lose sight of the bigger picture and focused solely on the now and on his oldest friend, holding onto Bucky like he did that picture of Peggy.
Completely opposite to Tony’s evolution through the MCU Timeline, which don’t get me wrong, Tony is hardly what I’d call perfect and has made a number of BAD decisions in his life : a lot of what happened prior to Iron Man 1 for example, until you also remember that though Tony was the face and brain behind the company, Obadiah Stane was the one actually running things and manipulating from behind the scenes much of the death and crimes to which Tony would be blamed and associated with, as the so-called ‘Merchant Of Death’. And Tony would accept that blame and the guilt, even if only part of it was truly his to take. He was constantly inebriated, had plenty of long-standing mental complexes stifling his growth as a person, and likely would’ve died long before if it weren’t for those in his life who knew what good really was within him (Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, and JARVIS).
And those problems wouldn’t just go away, even once Stane was exposed and removed from the board (figuratively and literally), as Tony continued to make mistakes and fall on old bad behavior, dealing with his father’s legacy (which was both the skeletons in Howard’s closet as well as being such an arrogant prick of a father to Tony) in Iron Man 2, the PTSD and Anxiety that came from saving the world at the end of The Avengers in Iron Man 3, and the creation of Ultron as of Avengers 2, which was Tony trying to do the right thing but going about it the wrong way (not helped as he was also mind-fucked by Wanda, turned the worst aspects of his personality and mind up to 11), and now looking back at how brilliant and sharp yet scarred and fractured Tony’s mind is (even without the mind-fuckery that was Wanda’s tampering, though that has a hand in it), is it really any wonder that Ultron ended up as he did?
The intelligence he inherited from his ‘creator’ was expanded and enhanced, but so was the psychosis and neurosis that came from Tony. The hatred he had for his father, the arrogance, the paranoia, the snark wit; ALL of this and more casts a dark mirror towards Tony, who sees not only the worst parts of himself, but seeing a lot of Howard in what he has done to his ‘son’ Ultron.
This was the harsh wakeup call to make further change to himself and by the time we get to Civil War, Tony’s previously established view on authority and oversight have changed, seeing that there must be preventive measures in place to keep the world in check…something which he was trying to do in preparation of Thanos, but seeing how he couldn’t do it alone (as seen in Age of Ultron with the “Armor Around The World” idea), he knew that to save the world, the world would need to save itself, together as one. He opened his eyes to the bigger picture he’d been too wrapped up in his work to truly notice until now.
So, Tony, as time went on, became less the playboy billionaire with dozens of unhealthy coping mechanisms, and actually grew up and into the hero he felt he needed to be, that the world needed, even if deep down Tony still feels he has much to atone for. All while Steve seemed to be willing to make sacrifices that weren’t his to make, just to keep Bucky safe. Tony signs the Accords, hoping to unite everyone, not just the Avengers, to prepare for a war he knew was coming. Steve refuses, and ends up disassembling all the heroes, pitting them against another. Without a prepared united front, Thanos comes and everyone struggles to fend him off.
Tony tries to lessen the damage and takes the fight AWAY from Earth, and nearly succeeds in getting the Gauntlet off Thanos when another ‘man out of time’ (Starlord) refuses to see the bigger problem i.e. getting the Gauntlet from Thanos, and instead, ruins whatever chance the heroes have by seeking vengeance for his personal loss (which, not going to lie, Gamora kicking Starlord in the nuts not once, but twice…is pretty satisfying after how much he fucked up, even if this boneheaded action fits his character as Peter Quill has a history of handling bad news…badly. I refer to Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, with Ego. You KNOW the scene…). While back on Earth, what does Steve do? Instead of letting The Vision self-destruct and take the stone with him, he keeps him held up in Wakanda, where who knows how many people die before the invading forces, never to be brought back before Thanos ends up with the stone ANY way.
It’s rather startling to look back and see this sudden reversal take hold, but there’s no denying it that in the end, it took a man, even one of Iron, whose seen himself so flawed and so guilty for sins he long since made up for long ago, unable to see he was a hero all along, someone who craved only love and wanting to do the right thing, so blind to all the good he did for the world, for his friends and for his loved ones. He gives it all up, sacrificing not just his life but his long deserved happiness, to save not just his family, not just his friends, or even his planet. He saves the whole FUCKING UNIVERSE from absolute annihilation…and his last thoughts were doubting he’d done enough, that he still failed somehow and he was APOLOGIZING to Pepper for leaving her and Morgan, Peter, ALL of them behind…
That was the moment I openly wept, because how can this poor man punish himself like that? Even before he was Iron Man, he was constantly put down and belittled by a complete bastard of a father, a man he had the chance to tear right into in this movie, and it would’ve felt so FUCKING good to see, but instead, Tony, being the better man he is, embraces him and finally receives some much needed closure on that front. It doesn’t wipe away the past though, as that still left the scars of self-imposed loathing and guilt that he’d never meet his father’s standards…standards set by one Captain America. It’s a wonder how Tony ever grew to like Steve, but again, no matter what, Tony was the bigger, better man, forgiving Steve for his actions in the past and worked together to bring ‘everyone back’, even though he knew in the end, that something would have to give.
And lo, look at Steve. Unlike everyone in this movie, what does Steve sacrifice to achieve this happy ending of his? Nothing! Bucky’s alive and better than ever, and Sam’s back too. Steve gained everything from someone else’s sacrifice and what does he do once his task to return the Stones is complete? Does he come back to help rebuild? Does he come back to help grieving friends, to bury the dead and lost? To be a beacon of hope and light in a world that will desperately need guidance and leadership?
FUCKING NOPE.
He takes the opportunity to go back to a woman who, let’s be honest, he barely knew in the grand scheme of things (especially compared to everyone he knew in 2023!), and he stays there, abandoning the life he’d made for himself in the present and gets to live out his days, happily married with friends and family…the perfect happy ending that was meant for someone else, that was EARNED by another Avenger, not Steve.
*deep breath*
I feel I need to wrap this up, as I’m getting super worked up on a movie I saw days ago, and yet these feelings are still very raw and I need to let it go, especially as I keep going back through all these parts and keep adding more and more…it’s just so frustrating, but I’m over 16 pages at this point and I’m afraid I could keep going forever!
SO, in the final analysis, Endgame was a good movie, a great movie, but still a very flawed movie. There’s still stories to tell in this universe, and maybe context will be provided that will improve on the problems and issues this movie leaves us in future films and shows, but for now I’m left with a heavy heart, as I feel the wrong hero was rewarded, and really, I feel awful for thinking that. Captain America is deserving of happiness, as he was a hero too, just a hero that fell to vices and flaws no one thought he had, as many often thought him perfect, unbreakable. He and Peggy were given a crummy hand and deserved to at least know one another better, to see if they were truly a capable couple, but not like this, not at such a great expense.
Because it took a man whom everyone once judged as damaged goods and wasted potential, ironically played by an actor who in real life, was looked down upon in just the same way. And like Robert Downey Junior (who again, in my heart of hearts, will always be Tony Stark, because he IS Tony Stark), Tony was able to rise up, pull himself up from the inner demons that haunted him, to push himself further, to do whatever he can and however he can, no matter the cost, to do the right thing. Not the easy thing, the RIGHT thing…and sometimes the right thing comes at a price no man, rich or poor, young or old, is ever ready to pay for…but when the chips were down, Tony paid for it, in full…
Tony gave up everything so no one else had to.
This is, to me, iron-clad proof that Tony Stark had a heart, and it was just too damn big for such a frail, mortal body…
Rest in Peace Mr.Stark
We Love You 3000.
I would like to start here with the very words that escaped my very lips when, in reaction to the grand gesture that both defied a would-be god and called back to one of the key defining moments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe…
“Fucking DAMMIT”
It was harshly whispered as I couldn’t bring myself to shout as my throat clenched and tears stung my eyes as I watched a man who had been through so much, who’d gone through so much loss, so much pain…and in the end, had finally gotten what he’d always wanted and frankly had long since earned : the love of his life, a family full of friends and loved ones, happiness and peace…only for him to die, to have that all taken away from him, just to keep the one nightmare that would never leave him, from hurting any of his family ever again.
I was furious; I’m STILL furious, but I understand why it had to go this way. For one, we know Robert Downey Junior was never going to play Tony Stark forever, his contract was going to end, and as much as the actor as embraced the character, and let’s face it, to a lot of people, if not everyone, RDJ is Tony Stark and Tony Stark is RDJ, his story had to come to an end. I get that, I do, but why?
WHY did it have to be Tony make the final sacrifice? Dammit Tony, why didn’t you just stay retired, stayed in the cabin with Pepper and sweet little Morgan? What about Peter, your son in all but name and blood? What about your friend, no, BROTHER Rhodey? What about Bruce, whose already lost so many friends, and despite his newfound power and fame, is lonelier then ever? What about Happy, what about everyone whose life you had a personal hand in and made so much better? How could you…?
Well, he could for the same reasons he touched so many lives, as we knew deep down that Tony couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. He knew he could lose it all, but in the end, he stepped in, stepped up and well, leave it to the billionaire to buy the world some more time. It still stings and I’m still shedding the odd tear here and there as I write this because I still feel that Tony’s death was needlessly cruel but yet, his sacrifice remains true to how Tony’s character has evolved since Iron Man 1.
For Tony, as of Endgame, couldn’t ignore the threat, the same threat he’d seen coming years ago and despite all of his efforts, he couldn’t save everyone before and it nearly destroyed him, physically and mentally as he drifted in space, slowly wasting away but even in those bleak moments, he put someone else before his own health, Nebula. Nebula, whose own story is etched in tragedy and in the shadow of a terrible father, was shown such kindness and warmth, those instances of her literally staring at Stark as if he had two heads as he’d offer the last of the food, played a game which she could win, so many small kindnesses but they meant so much. And Stark did this all smiling, trying to comfort another soul even as his ached with pain and wracked with guilt. That had been Tony throughout a LOT of these movies.
And RDJ’s performance as he SNAPS at Steve, finally getting his attention to something he’d been warning everyone for YEARS, is heart wrenching because of how weakened and near-death Tony looks…but also cathartic to watch Tony practically scream at how he’d been trying to prepare them all, to save them all, and yet no one had his back, Steve and every other founding Avenger had left him with that already crushing weight of responsibility on his shoulders alone. An already exhausted Tony took it and did as best as he could but he was but one man. An Iron Man, but still a Man, and here they were. They’d lost as Tony told them they would all these years if they were to just fight Thanos like every other threat that’d come their way, and it proved true. Costly but true. So when it was Steve’s turn to ask for help, Tony tore out his figurative heart (Arc Reactor) and gives it to him, leaving the responsibility to the ‘Avengers’ as it’d been forced upon him. That act nearly kills him but it needed to be done. Someone else needed to take the reins and let him rest. His fight was over, he’d lost nearly EVERYTHING and they expect him to do it again?
No, I wouldn’t blame Tony for a second for what he did next. He moved on. Unlike Steve and the rest of the Avengers, Tony accepted the losses, took what he had left, which thankfully mean Pepper (I mean, admitting he’d lost Peter took every ounce of strength to keep up right, if Steve had told him Pepper hadn’t made it? That would’ve done him in, and we all know it) and moved on with his life for the next five years. And it shows, in stark (heh) contrast to most of the other founding Avengers, Tony is living the dream life he’d wanted for so long…and seems to have gotten over some of his other longstanding issues, such as what is to be a good father and if it hasn’t been established by this point that I’m a sentimental softy, I had the biggest grin as I drank in every father-daughter moment Tony and Morgan had, genuinely knowing that Tony had earned his happy ending.
A simple life with the people he loves, simple cabin by the lake (okay, simple for billionaires, but come on), still tinkering away at his tech but dedicating himself to being the best man he could be for his family…Movie could’ve ended right there, barely over thirty minutes, and I’d be happy. Shortest MCU Movie ever, sure, but hey, Tony got what he’s deserved and earned many times over…and then came Scott.
At this point, where I realize I’ve recapped a bit over a half hour’s worth of the movie, I want to make something clear. Most of what I’m going to say for this portion is about Tony Stark, as far as I can tell, was one of the biggest focuses of the movie, likely its MAIN character. This was his Swan Song, and it shows, with how much is given to him, the range of emotions, the developments, it made this cinematic experience all the better than Infinity War.
Do I mean to say it’s a perfect movie?
HELL No.
It’s far from perfect, but it had so much more inside it then Infinity War, which, don’t get it twisted, I highly enjoy that movie too, but it feels like one extended action scene with very little much to develop characters outside of ‘say or do thing that moves to next scene’. There were emotional instances; there were laugh-out moments, but not to the extent shown in this movie. Endgame has its share of action scenes, definitely, but it also knows when to slow down and show some heart and emotion too. Often it works as intended, but it also does fail to land in others. So, to clarify, my focus is mainly on Tony here, with mentions to others when appropriate, though I’ll quick touch on a few things…
For one, Thor is a problematic sticking point to me. On the one hand, there was some damn good jokes involving him and his supporting cast (I’m SO happy to see Korg survived!) and astounding visuals involving Stormbreaker and Mjolnir, but on the other hand, it showcases a problem that was evident even in Infinity War, which was so much of the character development and arc Thor went through in Ragnarok was not only rolled back but then made into an absolute joke. Thor had lost EVERYTHING that had meaning in his life: His family was gone, his home was gone, he lost an eye and his hammer, he lost his whole identity for awhile…so, instead of embracing the journey of self-discovery he’d already gone through in his own movie, we reset him back and do it all again…except make him a pot-bellied depressed alcoholic laughingstock.
That’s…that’s bullshit of the highest order, is what it is, and frankly if there weren’t so many other people who have posted far longer and far better critiques on this, as well as on Hawkeye’s role and Natasha’s sacrifice in the movie, things which I don’t feel qualified to discuss on, especially as it has been so better said by others. Scott and Bruce I also feel were denied some instances in the movie, the former as a concerned father whom Tony should feel a kinship with know the importance of one’s loved ones, especially a daughter (though that goes for Hawkeye too, but Scott got relegated to butt monkey just like Thor, totally undeserved since he was the one who provided the solution to the problem after all, so come on…show a little respect here!), while the latter was well…come on, SCIENCE BROS! Throw Rocket Raccoon and Nebula in there, because if there’s anyone who can add to the combined technological brain thrust, it’s the talking raccoon and the blue cyborg from outer space!
Though, I am impressed how much Nebula and Rocket were n the movie, given how the Guardians as a whole were barely interacting with much of the Earth-based heroes in Infinity War with the exception of Thor. All while this time around, Rocket and Nebula feel like part of the team, the connections and kinship they must’ve created during the five year time jump I really hope to see play out in future films, as Rocket and Nebula know far more about Earth NOW than Starlord…which could lead to a whole number interesting scenes, especially when Rocket and Nebula can call Starlord out when he tries to make one of his ‘heroic rallying speeches’.
Could there have been more with Rocket and Nebula? Certainly, but then I don’t feel I wasn’t given ENOUGH with what I did receive, as we saw a lot of sides o the two we hadn’t had much chance to in other movies, both the good for soul (Nebula playing well with others, providing some ideas during the time heist discussion as well as provide playful snarky comments) and the bad for the heart (Rocket, after the Avengers compound collapsed, was pinned beneath so much debris as the water slowly filled the room…it really hit me hard and close how Rocket’s design has been made so emotive since his first appearance, because how terrified and in pain he looks is...mmmph, don’t like seeing that…)
Back to Professor Hulk, in which Tony I feel would’ve kept contact with Bruce, especially to congratulate him on finally reaching HIS dreams too, because like Tony and UNLIKE Thor, Bruce was able to retain the character development he’d received in Ragnarok and achieved his longtime goal of conquering his anger…by making peace with himself, accepting Hulk for who he is and well, becoming whole. The fact it all happens off screen is an amusing surprise, a bit of a disappointment, and overall, fitting. Five years is a long time, and people can change in a lot of ways, for the good and for the bad (*looks over at Thor and mmmphs*), and to see both types of changes in the following five years does feel more realistic and grounded as opposed to all going downhill for everyone...Still, despite what Bruce/Hulk got in the movie, there’s a part of me that feels there was some opportunities missed, like Morgan with her big green Uncle Bruce. Ah well, there’s always the Disney Plus for him (as well as others, while others get new movie installments…one has to wonder maybe THAT’s why so many characters get only so much screen time in this movie, with that knowledge in mind, as a lot of them still have plenty of time left in THEIR contracts…).
So many characters get their moments in this movie, and many do stand out, as some of the most hilarious, the most heartwarming, the most heart-wrenching, and of course, the most infuriating. None are more infuriating as the massive step-backward / character arc reversal as that of Captain America. Which is immensely disappointing as this is as much of Steve’s last movie as Tony, but whereas Tony’s final story helped the character reach a conclusion to a years-long running arc, Steve’s seems to go SPRINTING backward. Whereas Tony accepts the losses of Infinity War and moves on, Steve (despite preaching letting go) refuses to move forward, looking back at what he lost, not just in Infinity War, but aaallllll the way back to his first movie, to Peggy and their last dance.
Now, that isn’t something entirely out of his character, as this particular aspect of the character has made its presence known from time to time, in his own movies and in Avengers films, as Steve has never really moved on from Peggy. We’ve seen this, and even when he’d finally be able to see her in Winter Soldier, as well as go to her funeral in Civil War, moments which would help in him reaching some sort of closure, he never quite gets there, and that single torch of his remains ever burning.
His refusal to let go is also reflected once Bucky is brought back into the picture, and now looking back, I’m beginning to see a distinct pattern, as more and more of Steve’s more questionable decisions (lying to Tony about the truth of his parents, his refusal over the Accords as well the splintering of the Avengers over personal agendas, not necessarily over what was IN the Accords). With Bucky back in his life, the one living trace to the past he lost, Steve began to lose sight of the bigger picture and focused solely on the now and on his oldest friend, holding onto Bucky like he did that picture of Peggy.
Completely opposite to Tony’s evolution through the MCU Timeline, which don’t get me wrong, Tony is hardly what I’d call perfect and has made a number of BAD decisions in his life : a lot of what happened prior to Iron Man 1 for example, until you also remember that though Tony was the face and brain behind the company, Obadiah Stane was the one actually running things and manipulating from behind the scenes much of the death and crimes to which Tony would be blamed and associated with, as the so-called ‘Merchant Of Death’. And Tony would accept that blame and the guilt, even if only part of it was truly his to take. He was constantly inebriated, had plenty of long-standing mental complexes stifling his growth as a person, and likely would’ve died long before if it weren’t for those in his life who knew what good really was within him (Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, and JARVIS).
And those problems wouldn’t just go away, even once Stane was exposed and removed from the board (figuratively and literally), as Tony continued to make mistakes and fall on old bad behavior, dealing with his father’s legacy (which was both the skeletons in Howard’s closet as well as being such an arrogant prick of a father to Tony) in Iron Man 2, the PTSD and Anxiety that came from saving the world at the end of The Avengers in Iron Man 3, and the creation of Ultron as of Avengers 2, which was Tony trying to do the right thing but going about it the wrong way (not helped as he was also mind-fucked by Wanda, turned the worst aspects of his personality and mind up to 11), and now looking back at how brilliant and sharp yet scarred and fractured Tony’s mind is (even without the mind-fuckery that was Wanda’s tampering, though that has a hand in it), is it really any wonder that Ultron ended up as he did?
The intelligence he inherited from his ‘creator’ was expanded and enhanced, but so was the psychosis and neurosis that came from Tony. The hatred he had for his father, the arrogance, the paranoia, the snark wit; ALL of this and more casts a dark mirror towards Tony, who sees not only the worst parts of himself, but seeing a lot of Howard in what he has done to his ‘son’ Ultron.
This was the harsh wakeup call to make further change to himself and by the time we get to Civil War, Tony’s previously established view on authority and oversight have changed, seeing that there must be preventive measures in place to keep the world in check…something which he was trying to do in preparation of Thanos, but seeing how he couldn’t do it alone (as seen in Age of Ultron with the “Armor Around The World” idea), he knew that to save the world, the world would need to save itself, together as one. He opened his eyes to the bigger picture he’d been too wrapped up in his work to truly notice until now.
So, Tony, as time went on, became less the playboy billionaire with dozens of unhealthy coping mechanisms, and actually grew up and into the hero he felt he needed to be, that the world needed, even if deep down Tony still feels he has much to atone for. All while Steve seemed to be willing to make sacrifices that weren’t his to make, just to keep Bucky safe. Tony signs the Accords, hoping to unite everyone, not just the Avengers, to prepare for a war he knew was coming. Steve refuses, and ends up disassembling all the heroes, pitting them against another. Without a prepared united front, Thanos comes and everyone struggles to fend him off.
Tony tries to lessen the damage and takes the fight AWAY from Earth, and nearly succeeds in getting the Gauntlet off Thanos when another ‘man out of time’ (Starlord) refuses to see the bigger problem i.e. getting the Gauntlet from Thanos, and instead, ruins whatever chance the heroes have by seeking vengeance for his personal loss (which, not going to lie, Gamora kicking Starlord in the nuts not once, but twice…is pretty satisfying after how much he fucked up, even if this boneheaded action fits his character as Peter Quill has a history of handling bad news…badly. I refer to Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, with Ego. You KNOW the scene…). While back on Earth, what does Steve do? Instead of letting The Vision self-destruct and take the stone with him, he keeps him held up in Wakanda, where who knows how many people die before the invading forces, never to be brought back before Thanos ends up with the stone ANY way.
It’s rather startling to look back and see this sudden reversal take hold, but there’s no denying it that in the end, it took a man, even one of Iron, whose seen himself so flawed and so guilty for sins he long since made up for long ago, unable to see he was a hero all along, someone who craved only love and wanting to do the right thing, so blind to all the good he did for the world, for his friends and for his loved ones. He gives it all up, sacrificing not just his life but his long deserved happiness, to save not just his family, not just his friends, or even his planet. He saves the whole FUCKING UNIVERSE from absolute annihilation…and his last thoughts were doubting he’d done enough, that he still failed somehow and he was APOLOGIZING to Pepper for leaving her and Morgan, Peter, ALL of them behind…
That was the moment I openly wept, because how can this poor man punish himself like that? Even before he was Iron Man, he was constantly put down and belittled by a complete bastard of a father, a man he had the chance to tear right into in this movie, and it would’ve felt so FUCKING good to see, but instead, Tony, being the better man he is, embraces him and finally receives some much needed closure on that front. It doesn’t wipe away the past though, as that still left the scars of self-imposed loathing and guilt that he’d never meet his father’s standards…standards set by one Captain America. It’s a wonder how Tony ever grew to like Steve, but again, no matter what, Tony was the bigger, better man, forgiving Steve for his actions in the past and worked together to bring ‘everyone back’, even though he knew in the end, that something would have to give.
And lo, look at Steve. Unlike everyone in this movie, what does Steve sacrifice to achieve this happy ending of his? Nothing! Bucky’s alive and better than ever, and Sam’s back too. Steve gained everything from someone else’s sacrifice and what does he do once his task to return the Stones is complete? Does he come back to help rebuild? Does he come back to help grieving friends, to bury the dead and lost? To be a beacon of hope and light in a world that will desperately need guidance and leadership?
FUCKING NOPE.
He takes the opportunity to go back to a woman who, let’s be honest, he barely knew in the grand scheme of things (especially compared to everyone he knew in 2023!), and he stays there, abandoning the life he’d made for himself in the present and gets to live out his days, happily married with friends and family…the perfect happy ending that was meant for someone else, that was EARNED by another Avenger, not Steve.
*deep breath*
I feel I need to wrap this up, as I’m getting super worked up on a movie I saw days ago, and yet these feelings are still very raw and I need to let it go, especially as I keep going back through all these parts and keep adding more and more…it’s just so frustrating, but I’m over 16 pages at this point and I’m afraid I could keep going forever!
SO, in the final analysis, Endgame was a good movie, a great movie, but still a very flawed movie. There’s still stories to tell in this universe, and maybe context will be provided that will improve on the problems and issues this movie leaves us in future films and shows, but for now I’m left with a heavy heart, as I feel the wrong hero was rewarded, and really, I feel awful for thinking that. Captain America is deserving of happiness, as he was a hero too, just a hero that fell to vices and flaws no one thought he had, as many often thought him perfect, unbreakable. He and Peggy were given a crummy hand and deserved to at least know one another better, to see if they were truly a capable couple, but not like this, not at such a great expense.
Because it took a man whom everyone once judged as damaged goods and wasted potential, ironically played by an actor who in real life, was looked down upon in just the same way. And like Robert Downey Junior (who again, in my heart of hearts, will always be Tony Stark, because he IS Tony Stark), Tony was able to rise up, pull himself up from the inner demons that haunted him, to push himself further, to do whatever he can and however he can, no matter the cost, to do the right thing. Not the easy thing, the RIGHT thing…and sometimes the right thing comes at a price no man, rich or poor, young or old, is ever ready to pay for…but when the chips were down, Tony paid for it, in full…
Tony gave up everything so no one else had to.
This is, to me, iron-clad proof that Tony Stark had a heart, and it was just too damn big for such a frail, mortal body…
Rest in Peace Mr.Stark
We Love You 3000.
(Spoilers)Avengers: Endgame: Afterthoughts(Spoilers) 2 Of 3
Posted 5 years agoPart 2: The Snappening…and The UN-Snappening
Okay, this is also really something that’s been low key running in my head as long back as Infinity War, but really hits it home from what we see of the world that now exists five years after half the population just collapsed into dust. That in itself, is a horrifying scenario that no one would ever want to happen, as just out of nowhere, life as you know it just changes radically as people all around just cease to be. Whether they’re total strangers, close friends, hated enemies, loved ones, just GONE. That’s terrible yes…but it gets SO MUCH WORSE when you think more on it.
Because those ‘dusted’ by the Snap come back…but there are still MILLIONS of deaths that occur as a result of the Snap that can’t be undone. I’m talking planes crashing due to pilots disappearing, car accidents as drivers vanish, and patients dying on the table or hospital beds during critical surgeries and practices as doctors and nurses cease to be. There are even WORSE circumstances to be considered, like those who couldn’t handle the stress and trauma this event would cause, commit suicide (which isn’t meant to be taken as a judgment on such an action, there’s only so much the human mind, heart and soul can take before something breaks inside and its truly a fucking tragedy when it happens).
There are countless scenarios which could, would, and should’ve occurred in the immediate moments of the Snap, and so many more after it. Thanos’ intention of removing half the population would actually likely result in far more drastic culling, as Earth’s whole ecosystem would suddenly suffer irreparable damage as endangered species would be pushed all the closer to extinction, as the evidence collected by countless interviews confirm how the Snap impacted ALL life…and from the look of New York at the start of Endgame, it becomes pretty clear that a place once considered one of the planets most active cultural melting pots in the whole world, has become a GHOST CITY.
There’s hardly any life in New York, dozen if not hundreds boats docking at Liberty Island, cars just left empty and discarded in the streets, all of it so dark and desolate, and then we see San Francisco, with Scott Lang walking through a neighborhood just full of shuttered houses and abandoned homes…and the sobering and chilling sight of the memorials dedicated to The Vanished...it becomes even more dire then that when you realize that is just San Francisco…who knows how many other memorials like these exist in other states, hell, in other places around the world.
And yet, the world seems to have adapted for the most part, in the following five years after the Snap, having NOT devolved into a full on Dystopia, likely due to the help of the remaining Avengers as well as their allies such as the remaining Guardians of the Galaxy, Okoye of Wakanda and Captain Marvel, as we do see life still goes on, as that scene with Professor Hulk being asked by fans to take pictures with him, in an active restaurant full of happy customers. Which I guess does show that humanity does have the ability to overcome and struggle through even the worst of tragedies, which says a lot for humanity as a whole. Sure, it’s also made clear that a LOT of people are still struggling to cope and deal with the tragedies in their lives, but human civilization hasn’t collapsed because of the Snap. It’s grieving but not giving up…
Some good has come from the bad (again, not a supporter of Thanos’ whole plan but pointing out some of the positive consequences), as it sounds like significantly reduced human population led to environmental improvements and recovery as formerly endangered animals populations are growing, as a throwaway line of there being a lot more whales then five years ago, not to mention that the surviving Asgardians and former Sakaar gladiators have been able to start a new life in their home of New Asgard, outside Norway, with little to no visible hostility by any native humans, which for the Marvel Universe is a big fucking deal given how so much of the public in the comic books tend to be empty headed sheeple…but we’re drifting down a longstanding issue I have.
No real threats like Thanos have arisen, again due to the new Avengers roster as well as Ronin’s efforts, which blood thirsty as they are, seems to have worked as countless criminal cartels and organizations have been apparently wiped out since he started his crusade five years prior, along with possible assistance by other Avengers-affiliated or NON-Avengers-affiliated vigilantes and heroes.
Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m now just basically recapping what folks probably know already from seeing the movie? I just wanted to establish the setting before I bring up the major concern I have on what will most likely be the current Status Quo of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from this movie onward.
Because the horrors of the Snap have now been undone, just not in the ‘Reset Button’ way a lot of folks had expected, because due the nature of time travel in this universe as well as the personal request of Tony Stark, who had a LOT to lose if they were to try and muck with time travel in the manner everyone expected. No, the Snap is undone FIVE YEARS AFTER THE FACT. Why should this matter?
Because now we have an entirely NEW set of problems to consider, as we now have TWO distinct differing groups who’ve now been brought together: The Vanished, who now return to a world five years in the future to them, a very different and much darker one then what they remember. Scott Lang is a preview to this particular type of person as he comes home to see his daughter Cassie, who, let’s remember, was a sweet little girl from Ant-Man and The Wasp, has now blossomed into a teenager, meaning that Scott (who was an ex-con remember, so he lost years of father-daughter bonding already) has lost even more precious time and missed seeing his little girl grow up. The absolute heart break you see in Scott’s eyes as this hits home drove me to tears, almost as painful as the brief panic he has when he tries to find Cassie’s name in the Vanished Memorials, and finds HIS name there.
And on the flip side, Cassie, shows you the other group: The Moved On, those who’ve had to live five years in a world where they lost loved ones, and had to adapt, had to let them go…and suddenly, here they are, the once Vanished, now returned. For Cassie, this is a blessing as she’s gotten her dad back, and I could feel the lump in my throat as they embraced and hugged, but that’s the thing, that might not be what happens for everyone. There’s a lot to consider, and a lot of it is bad. Very Bad.
For some of the once Vanished who return, they may come back to a world where their loved ones are gone, lives taken by accident or purpose, loved ones who have moved on and started new lives, new families, new relationships. Children who’ve grown up, Parents who’ve grown old, so much of this new world could be far too much for them. And the same could be said for those who stayed behind, as yet another change to the status quo may prove too much for them, as can they be expected to go back old lives after how hard they must’ve fought to overcome their traumas and tribulations to start new ones?
We’re looking at a whole new upheaval of life as we know on Earth, as there’s going to be a lot chaos and changes, and I don’t just mean on emotional level. A previously and radically reduced population of life as Earth has known for five years suddenly ‘doubles’ (well, less than double, but still substantial), which is likely to cause a number of problems in everything from food and room to matters of law and government, as how will the once Vanished be viewed in legal terms as being previously considered dead or what about students like Peter Parker, whose missing five years of his life now, how does this impact his schooling? This and likely many more problems that even I can’t see, makes me wonder If we’ll see any of this play out in the movies going forward.
Only one movie in the near future is set to take place in the new ‘present’, and that is Spider-Man : Far From Home. Most of the other movies coming out after are slated to be prequels, and likely won’t be until 2021 (our time) with the likes of Black Panther 2, Shang-Chi and Doctor Strange 2 do we really get to see how the new MCU Status Quo could grow…
But I’d like to think there is some possibilities that should not only be considered, but could very likely be the case for the future of the MCU. Now, five years have passed, and a lot has changed. There are a number of voids left in a number of circles. Good guys, bad guys, everyone suffered. And folks handle trauma and suffering in different ways, as we’ve seen in tons of Marvel movies and TV shows, this could be the basis for a number of secret origins for heroes and villains alike. Teenage heroes who would’ve been children inspired by Spider-Man five years ago likely start to spring up, all while new super villains emerge with an axe to grind at the Avengers, who (to them) failed to do their job and save someone they care about.
Mysterio in Far From Home may very well fall into one of these categories, as a very apparently powerful new player on the board doesn’t just APPEAR out of nowhere, there has to be a back story…though the irony of him just appearing and disappearing is not lost on me, given what Mysterio is normally like…
Hell, there are older heroes and villains who’d been established prior the Snap and five year jump we have NO idea what happened to them. General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross briefly appears in the end of Endgame, perhaps he’s created a new ‘Avengers’ like group in the meantime that answers to the American Government, and given the man’s ego, naming them the ‘Thunderbolts’ wouldn’t be out of the question…and to comic book fans in the audience, would know what THAT means, as now Marvel would have its own answer to DC’s Suicide Squad, especially if Zemo got recruited (which remember, he was alive at the end of Civil War).
What about the Adrian ‘Vulture’ Toomes? Last we saw of him in Spider-Man: Homecoming, he was in prison with Mac Gargan, which comic fans know is the name of Spider-Man rogue, The Scorpion. Could a Sinister Six have formed, united by a shared hatred of Spider-Man? What about Harley Keener? I know a lot of you are going to say ‘WHO?’, but for those who enjoyed and loved Iron Man 3 (such as me), will remember the kid who helped Tony during his efforts against the likes of A.I.M and Extremis-infected agents, who we saw much older at the end of Endgame.
Now, makes you wonder what plans they have for this kid, especially since so many folks don’t seem to have seen Iron Man 3 (by which I mean, correct this now because it’s a damn good movie and frankly it annoys me how many people dismiss it), but my point is, there are a lot that could’ve happened in the last five years that we’ve yet to see the ramifications of. I mean, one really BIG consequence we’ve not seen is because most of Endgame is centered solely on Earth…whereas the Snap was meant for the ENTIRE KNOWN UNIVERSE. So what I’ve talked about and implied happened to Earth? Applied EVERYWHERE ELSE in the known and unknown parts of the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means a ton of unseen changes has taken hold.
Xandar practically no longer exists as a planet much less a galactic power, as they’d been previously devastated by the Ego infection in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, further decimated by Thanos prior to the events of Infinity War, and likely whatever survivors were further halved by the Snap. Knowhere is completely wiped out, and who knows what has been going on with the Skrulls and The Kree since we’ve learned little of the former in the present era before all this, and only some minor updates of the latter in the present thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. There have likely been significant power vacuums, power struggles, just ALL sorts of power games being played, as a new war is likely being waged as many old empires fall and new ones rise.
There’s tons to be considered and likely to be explored in the future, both on and off Earth, and I’d love to hear what folks think about that as we’re drifting into unexplored territory as a saga that’d been built over a decade finally closed with Endgame…but before we go forward, I’d like to touch on the past…or in particular, the passing of one whose very existence is responsible for not only the MCU as a whole, but also for super hero movies as we now know them…
Okay, this is also really something that’s been low key running in my head as long back as Infinity War, but really hits it home from what we see of the world that now exists five years after half the population just collapsed into dust. That in itself, is a horrifying scenario that no one would ever want to happen, as just out of nowhere, life as you know it just changes radically as people all around just cease to be. Whether they’re total strangers, close friends, hated enemies, loved ones, just GONE. That’s terrible yes…but it gets SO MUCH WORSE when you think more on it.
Because those ‘dusted’ by the Snap come back…but there are still MILLIONS of deaths that occur as a result of the Snap that can’t be undone. I’m talking planes crashing due to pilots disappearing, car accidents as drivers vanish, and patients dying on the table or hospital beds during critical surgeries and practices as doctors and nurses cease to be. There are even WORSE circumstances to be considered, like those who couldn’t handle the stress and trauma this event would cause, commit suicide (which isn’t meant to be taken as a judgment on such an action, there’s only so much the human mind, heart and soul can take before something breaks inside and its truly a fucking tragedy when it happens).
There are countless scenarios which could, would, and should’ve occurred in the immediate moments of the Snap, and so many more after it. Thanos’ intention of removing half the population would actually likely result in far more drastic culling, as Earth’s whole ecosystem would suddenly suffer irreparable damage as endangered species would be pushed all the closer to extinction, as the evidence collected by countless interviews confirm how the Snap impacted ALL life…and from the look of New York at the start of Endgame, it becomes pretty clear that a place once considered one of the planets most active cultural melting pots in the whole world, has become a GHOST CITY.
There’s hardly any life in New York, dozen if not hundreds boats docking at Liberty Island, cars just left empty and discarded in the streets, all of it so dark and desolate, and then we see San Francisco, with Scott Lang walking through a neighborhood just full of shuttered houses and abandoned homes…and the sobering and chilling sight of the memorials dedicated to The Vanished...it becomes even more dire then that when you realize that is just San Francisco…who knows how many other memorials like these exist in other states, hell, in other places around the world.
And yet, the world seems to have adapted for the most part, in the following five years after the Snap, having NOT devolved into a full on Dystopia, likely due to the help of the remaining Avengers as well as their allies such as the remaining Guardians of the Galaxy, Okoye of Wakanda and Captain Marvel, as we do see life still goes on, as that scene with Professor Hulk being asked by fans to take pictures with him, in an active restaurant full of happy customers. Which I guess does show that humanity does have the ability to overcome and struggle through even the worst of tragedies, which says a lot for humanity as a whole. Sure, it’s also made clear that a LOT of people are still struggling to cope and deal with the tragedies in their lives, but human civilization hasn’t collapsed because of the Snap. It’s grieving but not giving up…
Some good has come from the bad (again, not a supporter of Thanos’ whole plan but pointing out some of the positive consequences), as it sounds like significantly reduced human population led to environmental improvements and recovery as formerly endangered animals populations are growing, as a throwaway line of there being a lot more whales then five years ago, not to mention that the surviving Asgardians and former Sakaar gladiators have been able to start a new life in their home of New Asgard, outside Norway, with little to no visible hostility by any native humans, which for the Marvel Universe is a big fucking deal given how so much of the public in the comic books tend to be empty headed sheeple…but we’re drifting down a longstanding issue I have.
No real threats like Thanos have arisen, again due to the new Avengers roster as well as Ronin’s efforts, which blood thirsty as they are, seems to have worked as countless criminal cartels and organizations have been apparently wiped out since he started his crusade five years prior, along with possible assistance by other Avengers-affiliated or NON-Avengers-affiliated vigilantes and heroes.
Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m now just basically recapping what folks probably know already from seeing the movie? I just wanted to establish the setting before I bring up the major concern I have on what will most likely be the current Status Quo of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from this movie onward.
Because the horrors of the Snap have now been undone, just not in the ‘Reset Button’ way a lot of folks had expected, because due the nature of time travel in this universe as well as the personal request of Tony Stark, who had a LOT to lose if they were to try and muck with time travel in the manner everyone expected. No, the Snap is undone FIVE YEARS AFTER THE FACT. Why should this matter?
Because now we have an entirely NEW set of problems to consider, as we now have TWO distinct differing groups who’ve now been brought together: The Vanished, who now return to a world five years in the future to them, a very different and much darker one then what they remember. Scott Lang is a preview to this particular type of person as he comes home to see his daughter Cassie, who, let’s remember, was a sweet little girl from Ant-Man and The Wasp, has now blossomed into a teenager, meaning that Scott (who was an ex-con remember, so he lost years of father-daughter bonding already) has lost even more precious time and missed seeing his little girl grow up. The absolute heart break you see in Scott’s eyes as this hits home drove me to tears, almost as painful as the brief panic he has when he tries to find Cassie’s name in the Vanished Memorials, and finds HIS name there.
And on the flip side, Cassie, shows you the other group: The Moved On, those who’ve had to live five years in a world where they lost loved ones, and had to adapt, had to let them go…and suddenly, here they are, the once Vanished, now returned. For Cassie, this is a blessing as she’s gotten her dad back, and I could feel the lump in my throat as they embraced and hugged, but that’s the thing, that might not be what happens for everyone. There’s a lot to consider, and a lot of it is bad. Very Bad.
For some of the once Vanished who return, they may come back to a world where their loved ones are gone, lives taken by accident or purpose, loved ones who have moved on and started new lives, new families, new relationships. Children who’ve grown up, Parents who’ve grown old, so much of this new world could be far too much for them. And the same could be said for those who stayed behind, as yet another change to the status quo may prove too much for them, as can they be expected to go back old lives after how hard they must’ve fought to overcome their traumas and tribulations to start new ones?
We’re looking at a whole new upheaval of life as we know on Earth, as there’s going to be a lot chaos and changes, and I don’t just mean on emotional level. A previously and radically reduced population of life as Earth has known for five years suddenly ‘doubles’ (well, less than double, but still substantial), which is likely to cause a number of problems in everything from food and room to matters of law and government, as how will the once Vanished be viewed in legal terms as being previously considered dead or what about students like Peter Parker, whose missing five years of his life now, how does this impact his schooling? This and likely many more problems that even I can’t see, makes me wonder If we’ll see any of this play out in the movies going forward.
Only one movie in the near future is set to take place in the new ‘present’, and that is Spider-Man : Far From Home. Most of the other movies coming out after are slated to be prequels, and likely won’t be until 2021 (our time) with the likes of Black Panther 2, Shang-Chi and Doctor Strange 2 do we really get to see how the new MCU Status Quo could grow…
But I’d like to think there is some possibilities that should not only be considered, but could very likely be the case for the future of the MCU. Now, five years have passed, and a lot has changed. There are a number of voids left in a number of circles. Good guys, bad guys, everyone suffered. And folks handle trauma and suffering in different ways, as we’ve seen in tons of Marvel movies and TV shows, this could be the basis for a number of secret origins for heroes and villains alike. Teenage heroes who would’ve been children inspired by Spider-Man five years ago likely start to spring up, all while new super villains emerge with an axe to grind at the Avengers, who (to them) failed to do their job and save someone they care about.
Mysterio in Far From Home may very well fall into one of these categories, as a very apparently powerful new player on the board doesn’t just APPEAR out of nowhere, there has to be a back story…though the irony of him just appearing and disappearing is not lost on me, given what Mysterio is normally like…
Hell, there are older heroes and villains who’d been established prior the Snap and five year jump we have NO idea what happened to them. General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross briefly appears in the end of Endgame, perhaps he’s created a new ‘Avengers’ like group in the meantime that answers to the American Government, and given the man’s ego, naming them the ‘Thunderbolts’ wouldn’t be out of the question…and to comic book fans in the audience, would know what THAT means, as now Marvel would have its own answer to DC’s Suicide Squad, especially if Zemo got recruited (which remember, he was alive at the end of Civil War).
What about the Adrian ‘Vulture’ Toomes? Last we saw of him in Spider-Man: Homecoming, he was in prison with Mac Gargan, which comic fans know is the name of Spider-Man rogue, The Scorpion. Could a Sinister Six have formed, united by a shared hatred of Spider-Man? What about Harley Keener? I know a lot of you are going to say ‘WHO?’, but for those who enjoyed and loved Iron Man 3 (such as me), will remember the kid who helped Tony during his efforts against the likes of A.I.M and Extremis-infected agents, who we saw much older at the end of Endgame.
Now, makes you wonder what plans they have for this kid, especially since so many folks don’t seem to have seen Iron Man 3 (by which I mean, correct this now because it’s a damn good movie and frankly it annoys me how many people dismiss it), but my point is, there are a lot that could’ve happened in the last five years that we’ve yet to see the ramifications of. I mean, one really BIG consequence we’ve not seen is because most of Endgame is centered solely on Earth…whereas the Snap was meant for the ENTIRE KNOWN UNIVERSE. So what I’ve talked about and implied happened to Earth? Applied EVERYWHERE ELSE in the known and unknown parts of the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means a ton of unseen changes has taken hold.
Xandar practically no longer exists as a planet much less a galactic power, as they’d been previously devastated by the Ego infection in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, further decimated by Thanos prior to the events of Infinity War, and likely whatever survivors were further halved by the Snap. Knowhere is completely wiped out, and who knows what has been going on with the Skrulls and The Kree since we’ve learned little of the former in the present era before all this, and only some minor updates of the latter in the present thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. There have likely been significant power vacuums, power struggles, just ALL sorts of power games being played, as a new war is likely being waged as many old empires fall and new ones rise.
There’s tons to be considered and likely to be explored in the future, both on and off Earth, and I’d love to hear what folks think about that as we’re drifting into unexplored territory as a saga that’d been built over a decade finally closed with Endgame…but before we go forward, I’d like to touch on the past…or in particular, the passing of one whose very existence is responsible for not only the MCU as a whole, but also for super hero movies as we now know them…
(Spoilers)Avengers: Endgame: Afterthoughts(Spoilers) 1 Of 3
Posted 5 years ago*Blows the dust off the journal section*
Well, it's been awhile since I did one of these, what with life having gotten in the way, and certainly left a LARGE gap between MCU movies but I'm back with more comic book nonsense and movie nerdity to expose folks to, and BOY do I have a lot to share. This has been stuck in the back of my head for days since I saw the movie, so prepare to feel the weight of my thoughts, words, and emotions~! Oh, and this is a bit of a change to the style I made in the past, which I do look back fondly but, I jut let things flow naturally here so, not too silly or meta in places but boy do I overthink and ramble...hope folks get some enjoyment out of that =D
So, Endgame has come and I have gone, and frankly, I have to say, I was emotionally exhausted by the end of it, and left with plenty of impressions and reactions, questions and concerns, and so much else. Stuff I feel I need to express, not necessarily to JUST review or critique, but also just get my thoughts and theories out there less they drive me mad. And sure, everyone has their thoughts on this film, and I’ve gotten a good grasp on a lot of folks’ opinions and views.
And the following will be my own, which I would preface all that follows by making it clear that all that follows is my own opinion and thoughts. There are views here that I know some will disagree, and there will be some who’ll wish to know my views on things I DON’T address directly or mention. Which is of course fine and I’ll be happy to give my views on those topics if politely asked. I bring this up because I’ve put a lot of thought into this, and really, there are three major topic points that stem from this movie that I want to touch on (as they refused to leave my mind) and hope folks who happen to read this can perhaps enjoy my rambles, or perhaps stir some thoughts and ideas of their own, and maybe resonate with some of the feelings I have coming out of this film. So, that said, I’ll get started with…
Part 1: Let’s Do The Time Warp Again
Now, as its been clearly stated at the beginning, to which THERE WILL BE SPOILERS, so do not I repeat, do not go any further less you wish to be spoiled by one of the major plot threads of the movie….okay? Good.
So, Time Travel.
Yes, one of the long standing theories of how Endgame was going to resolve the disastrous situation the MCU has been put in as of Infinity War, lot of folks had considered that it would be resolved by time travel, thanks to a variety of sources to help serve as evidence to that approach. From set photos of old costumes and familiar scenes of past films, the introduction of the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and The Wasp, leaked toy design, etc, it seemed like one of the most likely options that the story could take, and indeed it turned out to be the case.
Now, that said, how time travel is established and introduced proper in Endgame makes a lot of sense based on how time travel usually functions in Marvel Comic Books. Often it is dependent on the writer as some have often gone for the ‘Back To The Future’ school of thinking, but for most of ‘Established Marvel Comic Book Canon’, it functions much how the film presents it, as to work around such time travel based concepts like the Grandfather Paradox and such. That being how the past has not only been set in stone, but by all means becomes something akin to its own reality.
Whatever changes you make to it, will only result in a new branching time-line / reality. It goes to explain where DC has about 52 or so Earths in its Multiverse, Marvel’s Multiverse has something going well into the THOUSANDS of other Earths and realities, all splitting off from various points in time where things went differently. I’ll touch on that bit later, but for now, focusing entirely on Endgame.
Now, Endgame establishes its time travel rules pretty clearly and right off the bat right thanks to Professor Hulk before we even make a proper jump into the past, and does expand even further by including more ‘mystical’ interpretation of how it works thanks a certain cameo by The Ancient One (which was a damn fine cameo by the way, on a number of levels) circa New York 2012. And for the most part, everyone on Team 2012 does their best to do their job and get the respective gems without upsetting the timeline too much…but no plan ever survives the first encounter with the enemy (i.e. the past).
And through a pretty hilarious series of events (brief aside: I’ll hold a lot against the Russo Brothers on some of their creative decisions, BUT, the fact they took of one of comics most recent and REVILED character ‘twists’ and made it one of the funniest damn jokes in the whole movie, they get a cookie from me. I refer, of course, to The Elevator Scene. You Know The One), alter a particular event: Instead of being arrested and transported to Asgard, Loki escapes with the Tesseract at the end of the first Avengers film, circa 2012.
So, that’s one major divergent timeline, which we’ll label Timeline C
Now, why C? Because Timeline A I’ll state as being the timeline where Time Travel is never considered / used and the timeline continues unaltered from the 5 Year time jump in Endgame onwards, and Timeline B will be what is now likely considered the new MCU Timeline going on forward, i.e. how Endgame ended on screen. Hopefully this doesn’t get confusing.
Anyway, Timeline C I’d like to consider the least of the radically changed alternate timelines because, all Loki has at that point is the Tesseract, and theoretically, he could always just be caught and found by the Avengers again, as they’re now united as a team and no longer at each others’ throats, although some folks had theorized that the Mind Stone that Loki used in his staff not only meant he could control others but could’ve been under ITS control as well, and with his mind free of any tampering, could prove even more slippery then before. This one has too many unseen variables to consider (Loki’s state of mind and powers, other heroes and villains that hadn’t appeared just yet, other event playing out at the same time, a lot of wild cards to consider), not mentioning whether it was removed by the trip further down time stream to collect the Tesseract in the 1970s.
Team Outer Space, who is dealing with collecting the gems in 2014 and on multiple planets, result in the creation of Timeline D, which is where Thanos and all of his forces just suddenly disappear as 2014, prior to the events of the Guardians Of Galaxy Volume 1.
MAJOR change to that branch of time, as that removes Thanos and those directly tied with him (Gamora, The Black Order, etc.) from the playing field of that new timeline, especially since they were completely wiped out by Tony’s finger snap at the end of the movie (again, I did warn of spoilers). They’re permanently and irrevocably gone. Which for the most part IS good, as that means that timeline will not experience the Mad Titan’s hunt for the Stones, nor will it ever experience ‘The Snap’, except that doesn’t remove the OTHER problems it brings.
For instance, Ronan is still pursuing the Power Stone, and without the likes of Gamora and Nebula, there is no guarantee that the Guardians of the Galaxy form like as we know them, and stop Ronan from destroying Xandar and possibly countless other planets. For the most part, this removal would likely result in many direct changes, good and bad, in the greater Galaxy of the MCU, with Earth being partially affected by this, though again, there are a lot of unseen variables to consider (such as Peter Quill ever encountering his father Ego, Captain Marvel having to interfere more directly, etc etc) how really far reaching these changes can go.
The final lingering timeline alteration/paradox is at the near end of the film, as Steve Rogers (Captain America), is tasked with returning all of the items taken from time and returned to their respective points in said time, being all of the collected Stones AND Mjolnir. He does so…and fails to return within moments as was the plan. No, instead, waiting for them near the lake to which they’d set up their quantum realm apparatus, is a MUCH much older Cap, who seems to have taken the LONG WAY back.
Now, this particular paradox bothers me as, how does this work. Now, theoretically, this produces Timeline E, where Captain America succeeds in returning all of Gems to their respective points in time, as well as Mjolnir, only to go back to the love of his life, Peggy Carter, likely either at the end of the first Captain America movie or some point shortly after, as to finally get that dance. And he stayed in that timeline, which one HAS to think as an alternate timeline of its own, because how could Steve, being the character so many people (in universe and in real life) believe him to be, choose NOT to fix all sorts of problems he now has future knowledge over…
For this to be the canonical past of the MCU, Steve would have to abandon the ideals and concepts which as Captain America he’d stood for and live an otherwise normal life with Peggy, avoiding all his former friends and allies, and keep his head down as all the injustices and villainy he know is happening all around him. And from the expectations we have for Steve, he COULDN’T do that, and would likely do everything in his power to right every possible wrong, seeking out Bucky and likely averting the creation of the infamous “Winter Soldier”, preventing countless assassinations, including that of the Starks, as well as purging the infection that is Hydra before it has any chance to grow and fester. He’d likely intervene in a lot of other events, and being Captain America, a huge historically icon for what is right and wrong, would be pretty untouchable and give a LOT of weight on his words and actions…which is good and bad.
On one hand, Tony Stark would grow up with both his parents, including a father who isn’t completely obsessed with tracking down and finding Captain America, which could theoretically mean that a lot of Tony’s problems and habits later in life would not occur with a more stabilized influence of Howard and Maria Stark, along with the original human Jarvis, ‘Aunt Peggy and Uncle Steve’.
On the other hand, this means the past Captain America that remains frozen in ice may be forgotten and never sought out, and depending on if ‘Future Cap’ decides whether or not to find his counterpart at any point, may remain in the ice well until Future Cap decides to go back to HIS timeline, or worse, this timeline’s Cap is found by someone else and well…like Timelines C and D, there are tons of variables to consider (Is Hydra completely gone? What about the Russians? So many other questions), way too many for me to accurately consider as is the fickle nature of time…
That said, Timeline E has to be considered as its own branch of time thanks to Steve’s decision to come back the long way round, because the idea that he went back to the ‘canon past’ and did nothing to change it, would be such a disservice for the character of Captain America AND Steve Rogers. But then, it was immensely out-of-character selfish for him to go back and just have a normal life with the love of his life, even if he DOES create a near perfect timeline from then on by preventing all the possible bad that ever happened to him and his friends, because he used a literal Reset Button, sacrificing nothing of his own to do so, whereas EVERY OTHER AVENGER sacrificed something, LOST something and had to live with it and move on. Something that Steve preaches five years after the Snap…but immediately turns his back on, and possibly puts EVERYTHING in jeopardy by going back in time and makes a MASSIVE change to it, again…
*deep breath*
This particular line of thought will be coming up later concerning another character, but this is about the time travel and paradoxes within. So, to recap:
Timeline A – The former canon MCU Timeline Post-Snap / Five Years Later Time Jump (Unaltered) 2023 (The first hour of Endgame, onward)
Timeline B – The new Canon MCU Timeline Post - Five Years Later Time Jump / The Snap Undone 2023 (The ending of Endgame onward)
Timeline C- Loki Escapes with the Tesseract after the Invasion of New York 2012 (Post-The Avengers and onward)
Timeline D – Thanos and his forces disappear from the Universe 2014 (Pre-Guardians Of The Galaxy and onward)
Timeline E – Captain America reunites with Peggy Carter post WWII (post-The First Avenger and onward)
Now, despite a lot of things going awry throughout the various time travel instances in the movie, one would argue that there are likely even more new branches going off from the canon timeline, and well, one can’t say that isn’t the case, but there are too many unseen and unknown variables to decide if they do or do not exist. Like what if Ronan gets ahold of the Power Gem before the currently unconscious Starlord, or what if the deep cover Hydra agents that future Cap ‘revealed’ himself as a deeper cover Hydra Agent take this information and try to recruit the past Cap or even remove him much sooner as they mistake this as he knows about their operations even before encountering the Winter Soldier.
What do I think? Well, there are two lines of thoughts that stick out. The first is, the unseen ‘adventures’ that Cap goes through to return all the items throughout the timeline. We don’t know in what order he goes to return them, but he now wields all six of the Infinity Stones, as well as Mjolnir. This, and whatever upgrades he has on his persons to the Quantum armor and such, would likely give him a lot of options how to go about things. And note, all of this is conjecture, as we never see it on screen.
Cap could easily use the mind stone to wipe the minds of those he encounters to return each stone, which closes a number of possible branches, such as the Hydra agents. Given the nature of Pym particles and technology (which let’s remember, All of the Pyms are alive again so he no longer has a finite source of Pym Particles as well as any gadgets Hank, Janet, and Hope could provide, unlike whatever Scott could scrounge together), could carry the protective orb casing that held the Power Stone, so Starlord doesn’t accidently explode himself with it, and perhaps reverse process the stone extractor used on Jane by Rocket to re-insert the Aether back into her.
Again, we don’t know, all of this is speculation, but since time isn’t obviously collapsing on itself (yet), he must’ve succeeded…the only one that really sticks out in my mind though is his experience on Vormir…and his encounter with an old enemy, Red Skull. Something tells me that one was…eventful. I’m extremely frustrated we never got to see THAT. So, in theory, this would fill in all but three clearly distinct timelines have been created, FOUR if we consider that by changing the future of the timeline, we’re now following yet another timeline, as Timeline A still exists alongside Timeline B, where The Avengers never go back in time to fix things. Not exactly tidy way of fixing things, but it could’ve led to far worse and far more timelines to consider.
But, there’s also my second line of thought, which still consider all of the above of the first train of thought BUT, it takes into consideration that time travel isn’t as clearly cut and dry as established. Because how did Steve come back without coming through the Quantum Gateway that sent him in the first place? If he did come indeed the long way without any time travel assistance (I mean, theoretically, he could’ve popped up before they got started with sending THEIR Steve into the past, to which he then came back before then and wait by the lake and oh this loop is going make my brain melt), then that means that the whole idea of the time branches splitting off is complete bullshit, and they’ve now fucked up over their timeline so thoroughly, they’ve likely put into motion a much bigger problem for them in the future…which MAY be the point, as this could be the setting up of another big bad in The Avengers’ rogues gallery, Kang The Conqueror.
Those not familiar with Kang, he is THE Time Traveler of the Marvel Comic Book Universe. Most major events and storylines that delve heavily in time travel, often includes him, and by creating so many time paradoxes and timelines, they’ve likely caused so much damage to time itself, it would give Kang many reasons to come into the fold.
One theory I have personally is that the future that would’ve come to be in Timeline A if The Avengers did nothing, would lead to Kang coming to be and rising to power, conquering most of the known future …except now that timeline is no longer certain, threatened by a now greatly changed ‘past’, which threatens to erase not only his conquered kingdom and his people, but his own very existence. The irony in that and what has happened in End Game would be only fitting.
And now that Thanos is gone, Marvel would need to set up their next big threat for the next crossover event, like they do. Whichever of the two lines of thought are likely though, as the paradoxes themselves and how many there now could be is likely not a mistake the Russo Brothers or any one at Marvel didn’t do on purpose.
After all, one of the shows announced for Disney Plus is What If?, based off the long running comic book series / concept of Marvel’s which always dealt with big events in Marvel’s history and how they could have gone. And since they’ve confirmed that this animated series will have its live action MCU counterparts voice their characters, this could very well connect back to the timelines now existing, as well as set the stepping stones for Kang’s introduction into the MCU.
It is something I’d be impressed by this continued long term planning and planting the seeds of such a development if this is the case, and as a comic book fan, I do love when continuity comes back around and pulls off such a trick, and often the MCU has done that, adding the level of depth and possibilities that can be pulled off in comic books on a regular basis, but something that’s still relatively new in movies. Still, this has been one of three major things that have been stuck in my head since Endgame…what was another…? Well…
Well, it's been awhile since I did one of these, what with life having gotten in the way, and certainly left a LARGE gap between MCU movies but I'm back with more comic book nonsense and movie nerdity to expose folks to, and BOY do I have a lot to share. This has been stuck in the back of my head for days since I saw the movie, so prepare to feel the weight of my thoughts, words, and emotions~! Oh, and this is a bit of a change to the style I made in the past, which I do look back fondly but, I jut let things flow naturally here so, not too silly or meta in places but boy do I overthink and ramble...hope folks get some enjoyment out of that =D
So, Endgame has come and I have gone, and frankly, I have to say, I was emotionally exhausted by the end of it, and left with plenty of impressions and reactions, questions and concerns, and so much else. Stuff I feel I need to express, not necessarily to JUST review or critique, but also just get my thoughts and theories out there less they drive me mad. And sure, everyone has their thoughts on this film, and I’ve gotten a good grasp on a lot of folks’ opinions and views.
And the following will be my own, which I would preface all that follows by making it clear that all that follows is my own opinion and thoughts. There are views here that I know some will disagree, and there will be some who’ll wish to know my views on things I DON’T address directly or mention. Which is of course fine and I’ll be happy to give my views on those topics if politely asked. I bring this up because I’ve put a lot of thought into this, and really, there are three major topic points that stem from this movie that I want to touch on (as they refused to leave my mind) and hope folks who happen to read this can perhaps enjoy my rambles, or perhaps stir some thoughts and ideas of their own, and maybe resonate with some of the feelings I have coming out of this film. So, that said, I’ll get started with…
Part 1: Let’s Do The Time Warp Again
Now, as its been clearly stated at the beginning, to which THERE WILL BE SPOILERS, so do not I repeat, do not go any further less you wish to be spoiled by one of the major plot threads of the movie….okay? Good.
So, Time Travel.
Yes, one of the long standing theories of how Endgame was going to resolve the disastrous situation the MCU has been put in as of Infinity War, lot of folks had considered that it would be resolved by time travel, thanks to a variety of sources to help serve as evidence to that approach. From set photos of old costumes and familiar scenes of past films, the introduction of the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and The Wasp, leaked toy design, etc, it seemed like one of the most likely options that the story could take, and indeed it turned out to be the case.
Now, that said, how time travel is established and introduced proper in Endgame makes a lot of sense based on how time travel usually functions in Marvel Comic Books. Often it is dependent on the writer as some have often gone for the ‘Back To The Future’ school of thinking, but for most of ‘Established Marvel Comic Book Canon’, it functions much how the film presents it, as to work around such time travel based concepts like the Grandfather Paradox and such. That being how the past has not only been set in stone, but by all means becomes something akin to its own reality.
Whatever changes you make to it, will only result in a new branching time-line / reality. It goes to explain where DC has about 52 or so Earths in its Multiverse, Marvel’s Multiverse has something going well into the THOUSANDS of other Earths and realities, all splitting off from various points in time where things went differently. I’ll touch on that bit later, but for now, focusing entirely on Endgame.
Now, Endgame establishes its time travel rules pretty clearly and right off the bat right thanks to Professor Hulk before we even make a proper jump into the past, and does expand even further by including more ‘mystical’ interpretation of how it works thanks a certain cameo by The Ancient One (which was a damn fine cameo by the way, on a number of levels) circa New York 2012. And for the most part, everyone on Team 2012 does their best to do their job and get the respective gems without upsetting the timeline too much…but no plan ever survives the first encounter with the enemy (i.e. the past).
And through a pretty hilarious series of events (brief aside: I’ll hold a lot against the Russo Brothers on some of their creative decisions, BUT, the fact they took of one of comics most recent and REVILED character ‘twists’ and made it one of the funniest damn jokes in the whole movie, they get a cookie from me. I refer, of course, to The Elevator Scene. You Know The One), alter a particular event: Instead of being arrested and transported to Asgard, Loki escapes with the Tesseract at the end of the first Avengers film, circa 2012.
So, that’s one major divergent timeline, which we’ll label Timeline C
Now, why C? Because Timeline A I’ll state as being the timeline where Time Travel is never considered / used and the timeline continues unaltered from the 5 Year time jump in Endgame onwards, and Timeline B will be what is now likely considered the new MCU Timeline going on forward, i.e. how Endgame ended on screen. Hopefully this doesn’t get confusing.
Anyway, Timeline C I’d like to consider the least of the radically changed alternate timelines because, all Loki has at that point is the Tesseract, and theoretically, he could always just be caught and found by the Avengers again, as they’re now united as a team and no longer at each others’ throats, although some folks had theorized that the Mind Stone that Loki used in his staff not only meant he could control others but could’ve been under ITS control as well, and with his mind free of any tampering, could prove even more slippery then before. This one has too many unseen variables to consider (Loki’s state of mind and powers, other heroes and villains that hadn’t appeared just yet, other event playing out at the same time, a lot of wild cards to consider), not mentioning whether it was removed by the trip further down time stream to collect the Tesseract in the 1970s.
Team Outer Space, who is dealing with collecting the gems in 2014 and on multiple planets, result in the creation of Timeline D, which is where Thanos and all of his forces just suddenly disappear as 2014, prior to the events of the Guardians Of Galaxy Volume 1.
MAJOR change to that branch of time, as that removes Thanos and those directly tied with him (Gamora, The Black Order, etc.) from the playing field of that new timeline, especially since they were completely wiped out by Tony’s finger snap at the end of the movie (again, I did warn of spoilers). They’re permanently and irrevocably gone. Which for the most part IS good, as that means that timeline will not experience the Mad Titan’s hunt for the Stones, nor will it ever experience ‘The Snap’, except that doesn’t remove the OTHER problems it brings.
For instance, Ronan is still pursuing the Power Stone, and without the likes of Gamora and Nebula, there is no guarantee that the Guardians of the Galaxy form like as we know them, and stop Ronan from destroying Xandar and possibly countless other planets. For the most part, this removal would likely result in many direct changes, good and bad, in the greater Galaxy of the MCU, with Earth being partially affected by this, though again, there are a lot of unseen variables to consider (such as Peter Quill ever encountering his father Ego, Captain Marvel having to interfere more directly, etc etc) how really far reaching these changes can go.
The final lingering timeline alteration/paradox is at the near end of the film, as Steve Rogers (Captain America), is tasked with returning all of the items taken from time and returned to their respective points in said time, being all of the collected Stones AND Mjolnir. He does so…and fails to return within moments as was the plan. No, instead, waiting for them near the lake to which they’d set up their quantum realm apparatus, is a MUCH much older Cap, who seems to have taken the LONG WAY back.
Now, this particular paradox bothers me as, how does this work. Now, theoretically, this produces Timeline E, where Captain America succeeds in returning all of Gems to their respective points in time, as well as Mjolnir, only to go back to the love of his life, Peggy Carter, likely either at the end of the first Captain America movie or some point shortly after, as to finally get that dance. And he stayed in that timeline, which one HAS to think as an alternate timeline of its own, because how could Steve, being the character so many people (in universe and in real life) believe him to be, choose NOT to fix all sorts of problems he now has future knowledge over…
For this to be the canonical past of the MCU, Steve would have to abandon the ideals and concepts which as Captain America he’d stood for and live an otherwise normal life with Peggy, avoiding all his former friends and allies, and keep his head down as all the injustices and villainy he know is happening all around him. And from the expectations we have for Steve, he COULDN’T do that, and would likely do everything in his power to right every possible wrong, seeking out Bucky and likely averting the creation of the infamous “Winter Soldier”, preventing countless assassinations, including that of the Starks, as well as purging the infection that is Hydra before it has any chance to grow and fester. He’d likely intervene in a lot of other events, and being Captain America, a huge historically icon for what is right and wrong, would be pretty untouchable and give a LOT of weight on his words and actions…which is good and bad.
On one hand, Tony Stark would grow up with both his parents, including a father who isn’t completely obsessed with tracking down and finding Captain America, which could theoretically mean that a lot of Tony’s problems and habits later in life would not occur with a more stabilized influence of Howard and Maria Stark, along with the original human Jarvis, ‘Aunt Peggy and Uncle Steve’.
On the other hand, this means the past Captain America that remains frozen in ice may be forgotten and never sought out, and depending on if ‘Future Cap’ decides whether or not to find his counterpart at any point, may remain in the ice well until Future Cap decides to go back to HIS timeline, or worse, this timeline’s Cap is found by someone else and well…like Timelines C and D, there are tons of variables to consider (Is Hydra completely gone? What about the Russians? So many other questions), way too many for me to accurately consider as is the fickle nature of time…
That said, Timeline E has to be considered as its own branch of time thanks to Steve’s decision to come back the long way round, because the idea that he went back to the ‘canon past’ and did nothing to change it, would be such a disservice for the character of Captain America AND Steve Rogers. But then, it was immensely out-of-character selfish for him to go back and just have a normal life with the love of his life, even if he DOES create a near perfect timeline from then on by preventing all the possible bad that ever happened to him and his friends, because he used a literal Reset Button, sacrificing nothing of his own to do so, whereas EVERY OTHER AVENGER sacrificed something, LOST something and had to live with it and move on. Something that Steve preaches five years after the Snap…but immediately turns his back on, and possibly puts EVERYTHING in jeopardy by going back in time and makes a MASSIVE change to it, again…
*deep breath*
This particular line of thought will be coming up later concerning another character, but this is about the time travel and paradoxes within. So, to recap:
Timeline A – The former canon MCU Timeline Post-Snap / Five Years Later Time Jump (Unaltered) 2023 (The first hour of Endgame, onward)
Timeline B – The new Canon MCU Timeline Post - Five Years Later Time Jump / The Snap Undone 2023 (The ending of Endgame onward)
Timeline C- Loki Escapes with the Tesseract after the Invasion of New York 2012 (Post-The Avengers and onward)
Timeline D – Thanos and his forces disappear from the Universe 2014 (Pre-Guardians Of The Galaxy and onward)
Timeline E – Captain America reunites with Peggy Carter post WWII (post-The First Avenger and onward)
Now, despite a lot of things going awry throughout the various time travel instances in the movie, one would argue that there are likely even more new branches going off from the canon timeline, and well, one can’t say that isn’t the case, but there are too many unseen and unknown variables to decide if they do or do not exist. Like what if Ronan gets ahold of the Power Gem before the currently unconscious Starlord, or what if the deep cover Hydra agents that future Cap ‘revealed’ himself as a deeper cover Hydra Agent take this information and try to recruit the past Cap or even remove him much sooner as they mistake this as he knows about their operations even before encountering the Winter Soldier.
What do I think? Well, there are two lines of thoughts that stick out. The first is, the unseen ‘adventures’ that Cap goes through to return all the items throughout the timeline. We don’t know in what order he goes to return them, but he now wields all six of the Infinity Stones, as well as Mjolnir. This, and whatever upgrades he has on his persons to the Quantum armor and such, would likely give him a lot of options how to go about things. And note, all of this is conjecture, as we never see it on screen.
Cap could easily use the mind stone to wipe the minds of those he encounters to return each stone, which closes a number of possible branches, such as the Hydra agents. Given the nature of Pym particles and technology (which let’s remember, All of the Pyms are alive again so he no longer has a finite source of Pym Particles as well as any gadgets Hank, Janet, and Hope could provide, unlike whatever Scott could scrounge together), could carry the protective orb casing that held the Power Stone, so Starlord doesn’t accidently explode himself with it, and perhaps reverse process the stone extractor used on Jane by Rocket to re-insert the Aether back into her.
Again, we don’t know, all of this is speculation, but since time isn’t obviously collapsing on itself (yet), he must’ve succeeded…the only one that really sticks out in my mind though is his experience on Vormir…and his encounter with an old enemy, Red Skull. Something tells me that one was…eventful. I’m extremely frustrated we never got to see THAT. So, in theory, this would fill in all but three clearly distinct timelines have been created, FOUR if we consider that by changing the future of the timeline, we’re now following yet another timeline, as Timeline A still exists alongside Timeline B, where The Avengers never go back in time to fix things. Not exactly tidy way of fixing things, but it could’ve led to far worse and far more timelines to consider.
But, there’s also my second line of thought, which still consider all of the above of the first train of thought BUT, it takes into consideration that time travel isn’t as clearly cut and dry as established. Because how did Steve come back without coming through the Quantum Gateway that sent him in the first place? If he did come indeed the long way without any time travel assistance (I mean, theoretically, he could’ve popped up before they got started with sending THEIR Steve into the past, to which he then came back before then and wait by the lake and oh this loop is going make my brain melt), then that means that the whole idea of the time branches splitting off is complete bullshit, and they’ve now fucked up over their timeline so thoroughly, they’ve likely put into motion a much bigger problem for them in the future…which MAY be the point, as this could be the setting up of another big bad in The Avengers’ rogues gallery, Kang The Conqueror.
Those not familiar with Kang, he is THE Time Traveler of the Marvel Comic Book Universe. Most major events and storylines that delve heavily in time travel, often includes him, and by creating so many time paradoxes and timelines, they’ve likely caused so much damage to time itself, it would give Kang many reasons to come into the fold.
One theory I have personally is that the future that would’ve come to be in Timeline A if The Avengers did nothing, would lead to Kang coming to be and rising to power, conquering most of the known future …except now that timeline is no longer certain, threatened by a now greatly changed ‘past’, which threatens to erase not only his conquered kingdom and his people, but his own very existence. The irony in that and what has happened in End Game would be only fitting.
And now that Thanos is gone, Marvel would need to set up their next big threat for the next crossover event, like they do. Whichever of the two lines of thought are likely though, as the paradoxes themselves and how many there now could be is likely not a mistake the Russo Brothers or any one at Marvel didn’t do on purpose.
After all, one of the shows announced for Disney Plus is What If?, based off the long running comic book series / concept of Marvel’s which always dealt with big events in Marvel’s history and how they could have gone. And since they’ve confirmed that this animated series will have its live action MCU counterparts voice their characters, this could very well connect back to the timelines now existing, as well as set the stepping stones for Kang’s introduction into the MCU.
It is something I’d be impressed by this continued long term planning and planting the seeds of such a development if this is the case, and as a comic book fan, I do love when continuity comes back around and pulls off such a trick, and often the MCU has done that, adding the level of depth and possibilities that can be pulled off in comic books on a regular basis, but something that’s still relatively new in movies. Still, this has been one of three major things that have been stuck in my head since Endgame…what was another…? Well…
Potent Pym Particles for $200, Alex! (Ant-Man) !~SPOILERS~!
Posted 9 years ago*Darkness dims as a single lamp light illuminates a room, blinding the viewer as what sounds like choir singing fills the room...as well as a single man laughing malevolently...as a very lanky gentleman, pale almost chalky white skin as he strode in with no shirt, black pants and purple gloves. He grins with gleaming metal capped teeth here and there in his smile, manic and wide eyes staring deep into the viewer's gaze while bright green hair stands right out, cropped and cut short*
"Oh, I'm not going to kill you..."
He coos as he leans in, forcing the lamp's light further into the eye of the viewer, holding a pair of electroshock paddles in hand
"...I'm just gonna hurt you...really...REALLY bad..."
A HARSH record scratch ends the choir music and makes the green haired man yelp and drop the paddles, turning to find four new figures standing nearby, one standing in a clear stance was the leader*
"Well with scene chewing like that, Mister Leto, I imagine you will...however, I think Misters Nicholson, Hamill and Ledger would like a few words with you..." stated the leading figure as the three other gentlemen, all sporting varying suits of vivid royal purple make and cloth, from either expensive business suit cut, to rather worn and bedraggled, all three men were sporting big grins as they came upon "Mister Leto", who was no longer smiling himself, instead he looked on in horror as their hair were equally green, skin chalky white, but their eyes...oh those eyes.
And that laughter. Oh Such Laughter...well, what could be heard, with all that screaming...
"But that's enough of THAT for one night..." said the first new figure, the light revealing a familiar smirking wolf who wagged a finger to follow him.
"We've got an review to cover..."
And Fair Warning: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Oh Yes. There WILL be Spoilers. If you haven’t seen Ant-Man OR Age of Ultron, DO NOT, I REPEAT. DO NOT READ THIS YET. GO SEE ANT-MAN AND AGE OF ULTRON, THEN READ THIS. You think that's obvious, but theres always gonna be that ONE guy. DON'T. BE. THAT GUY. Just don't.
Now, with that all out of the way, welcome to my Annual Summer Superhero Review, where I dust off my FA page and actually contribute something (Though, there maybe something in the works~ but that's all you're going to get out of me right now!). Today I'll be covering Marvel's other big release for the summer (Avengers 2 : Age Of Ultron will not be getting any focus from me because everyone's done it to death already, and I do try to help give exposure to the little guys and gals...no pun intended), Ant-Man.
So we're getting the ball rolling with as per usual, the cast, and I've got to say, they really sold me in this department! Hero and Villain, Main and Side, the cast was all solid and otherwise, very easy to like (yes, even the villains had some charm to them, even if there was really only 'one' per se), so lets focus on our main protagonist, who we see in the very opening scene, Hank Pym!
...Wait a minute, no, that's not right. Wait, 1989!? Why is this set in 1989!? I thought we were taking place after Age of Ultron? Why're we in 1989!? Is that the Triskelion being built? is that Howard Star-...IS THAT PEGGY CARTER!?
Alright, let me back up a bit. So, without any sudden credits or logos, we IMMEDIATELY, after the trailers, go into a very sudden Prologue that will set up the events of the film with a furious (and surprisingly young looking, damn that is some good CGI!) Hank Pym (Played by Michael Douglas. Yes, THAT MICHAEL DOUGLAS. Seriously, Marvel, you're getting some pretty BIG names in your little movie...and no, this will most likely NOT be the last size pun in this whole review, especially if you know my character's schtick :P.) tending his resignation after Stark and SHIELD attempted to steal his life's work, Pym Particles (Which comic book fans as well as those who're into the micro/macro scene, will know that these are the special little chemicals used to make things SHRINK and GROW in the Marvel universe...9 times out of 10 when someone ends up getting bigger or smaller, these little buggers are to blame for it happening), and weaponize it into an unstoppable army of Ant-Men.
Now, two quick points. One, I know that might sound quite ridiculous, but given how the film presents it, an army of size changers would be a surprisingly effective and theoretically terrifying thing. Even in the modern age of technology and "Marvels" (heh) such as Iron Man, The Hulk, and Thor, they could be a force to truly fear. Second point, this is a very clever world building approach, as we soon learn that not only has Hank Pym been working on Pym Particles and with SHIELD since the 60s/70s (a fact that amuses me greatly as this fits with the character had been introduced and operated in the 60s and then on), but also has been doing so AS Ant-Man, cementing some pretty interesting world building that shows that even as far back as the 60s, there have been super powered, costume wearing members in the Avengers Initiative, which bears applauding as now that brings up SO many questions for future installments in both films and TV shows, as now we have Captain America: The First Avenger providing a look in the 40s, the first season of Agent Carter establishing things in the early 50s, and now a look into part of the 60s to 80s with Ant-Man. It might be me and a small group of others who might appreciate this, but Marvel is once again showing a good plan by slowly building up the world that is shared through dozens of different mediums and installments, and paving the way for future work. I hope this trend continues and is expanded on!
Now, where was I? Oh yes, Hank Pym tenders his resignation (with a good show of his violent temper...which is of course Snarked upon by Stark and Carter alike...I believe I mentioned how much I love the level of Snark that is in these films, haven't I? Cause I LOVE IT!), and that is the end of the relationship between Pym and SHIELD, as is this unexpected prologue as the opening credits truly begin, and we're now watching our REAL protagonist, Scott Lang...getting his ass KICKED.
Now, Scott Lang, is an interesting character, and certainly one who benefits from the role being played by Paul Rudd, because Scott Lang, is (like a surprising number of its heroes) a former criminal, but not a bad guy (I feel the urge to quote Wreck-It Ralph, but I'm going to be doing a number of references, so, I will manage on without it...). A former master 'burglar' (and he strives to make this distinction), a mighty claim yes but one which is quickly proven as he's clearly skilled at what he does, which we really see put to the test a number of times through out the movie, but does so without TRYING to get anyone hurt. A Modern Day Robin Hood, really. Just, with ants instead of arrows. They already have a guy who does that...actually, a lot of guys who do that. And girls. And aliens. I think I've lost track of my point.
He made some bad decisions for the right reasons, but they were still bad decisions, and so, it had gotten locked up, and away from the one thing that has a lot of meaning in his life, his daughter Cassie Lang (played by Abby Ryder Fortson), who is certainly one who raised the diabeetus level because she is adorable yet not overbearingly so, as well as being one who has a VERY different opinion on what is cute and lovable (See both Scott's first and second gifts to his daughter over the course of the movie...trust me), and certainly someone worth fighting for, as we see Scott is trying EVER so hard to do, to be the hero she believes him to be (and maybe one day, be the hero she could be. Lets face it folks, given how long these movies look to be in the making, it's not totally out of the question to see this little girl become the future Young Avenger, Stature! Like Father, Like Daughter!). So, with a little girl as motivation (well, her and Child Support Money, as Step-dad / Jerk-ass with a heart of gold cop Paxton (played by Bobby Canavale) makes fundamentally clear to Scott), our hero does his best to try and keep on the straight and narrow...and fails completely and utterly due to his past history as an ex-con always coming back and biting him RIGHT in the ass! (Baskin-Robbins always finds out)
Now, like I said, Scott Lang is a character which is constantly at odds in life due to past mistakes, and truly becomes a very sympathetic character. He's charming, he's likable (Hell, when I mentioned he was getting his ass kicked, it was only due to a very weird good bye ritual at San Quentin since Lang was getting released that day, as it appeared that ALL the inmates LOVED this guy...and did I mention it was brought on by a big black man named Peaches? Oh, by the way, he was getting knocked around by a big black man named Peaches. Just a little FYI...), and even if he does some very bad things (or very stupid, such as running that smart ass mouth of his when he shouldn't) like what got him in Prison in the first place (which was break into the computer records of a massive multi-billion dollar company he blew the whistle on for illegal acts of fraud and embezzling (which he got fired from), among other things), he always did it for the RIGHT reasons (the millions upon millions of dollars he stole from this company? Immediately redistributed to all of the people THEY had stolen from in the first place. Told you he was Robin Hood). And this is pretty faithful to the character, as Scott Lang was often forced into committing crimes only because of very good reasons (the first real outing as Ant-Man was after he stole the Ant-Man gear and chemicals from Pym so he could rescue a doctor from the clutches of Darren Cross...we'll get to him later...who would be capable of saving his daughter, Cassie). A character who doesn't necessarily fit the common mold of hero, but someone who is trying to redeem himself, especially in the eyes of his loved ones...
Which, of course, is to be applauded, but given all that's heaped upon him in his many attempts of going straight, leads him to falling back into crime, with the help of his friends. Oh, and what friends. Now, before I start in on the ensemble dark horses that are Scott Lang's "Crew", I would like to briefly talk about something that apparently seems to be a bone of contention among fans of the Marvel Movies: Humor. Now, I for one, like to think I have a good healthy....eh, maybe not 'healthy' is the right word, as I do enjoy some dark humor as well as puns ,but still, I think I enjoy a lot of folks and their attempts at humor, and Marvel, has shown a pretty impressive sense of humor and comedic timing. With the heavily snark laden humor that is filled to the brim in films like the Iron Man Series, or in the Avengers film, to equal moments of funny background events or physical humor as showcased in films like Thor or Guardians of the Galaxy, and even especially dark jokes in say, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Marvel has shown that, even in the darkest moments, in the most emotionally drive, heart tugging, and otherwise soul wrenching scenes...
*The wolf winces and takes a deep breath, eyes clearly watering a bit as he chokes* Walk it off, Pietro, WALK IT THE **** OFF!"
*Breathes raggedly for a few moments before collecting himself and clearing his throat*
...that even during all this, Marvel is able to show the lighter side of its characters and concepts, having fun and making it more then just all the darkness, all the angst, all of the SERIOUS!...Unlike OTHERS as of late...
*turns around to a massive DC icon image* What was that question you asked everyone nearly a decade ago? Oh right...
WHY SO SERIOUS!?
*Huffs and spins around*
But, THAT topic is for another day, as we have one already in progress, and one I am very happy to return to. Scott Lang's gang of 'outlaws'. Now, as far as my experience with Scott Lang as a character is concerned, the character of Luis (played by Michael Pena) , Dave (Tip Harris) and Kurt do not have a canonical counterpart in the comic books, but it isn't as hard to believe to that he would have a crew for his 'jobs' (though, I'm doubting we'll see the likes of Grizzly in this band of thieves...at least not in this movie...then again, I'm DARING Marvel to try and pull of a man in a powered Bear suit in live action and make it work...I DARE THEM), and these three were immediately liked upon first introduction, especially Luis. Now, as I touched on above, Marvel has had a great job of implementing humor but also creating new characters in their Cinematic universe who're immediately engaging, likable, and become fan favorites (Phil Coulson, Darcy Lewis, Fitz and Simmons...*stops...and eyes begin to water again* Gods ****ING DAMMIT, THAT SECOND SEASON CLIFFHANGER!), and I believe Luis is another one in this trend, and I do hope to see him pop up in the comics because of it, as a lot of the characters I've name dropped have ended up in one form or another in the comics since their introductions on the big and little screens. And Luis should be no exception, providing a bouncing, nervous energy while showing surprising layers as what appears to be at first your atypical 'racial stereotype' comic relief character, only to show a bit more depth as he dresses like "Yo Holmes" but attends wine tastings and goes to modern art exhibits (while also, you know, breaking the law), though Kurt and Dave don't get as much development as Luis (and he does, actually proving quite useful in the final big 'heist' of the film, as well as showing he's a pretty good guy despite his not so good 'career choices'), both are as equally likable and one really hopes to see these three in later films...
And so, with his three new cohorts in crime, we see a very amusing montage of them planning out the perfect robbery on a supposedly rich if reclusive old man who, thanks to a tip received by Luis, has a massive vault down in his basement which HAD to be filled with plenty of loot, and after a very impressive series of safe cracking, reveals to be...a very 'unique' motorcycle outfit and helmet as Scott observes out-loud. But, to the audience by this point, we recognize this as none other then the Ant-Man suit, and the man whose house has been broken into is none other then Hank Pym. Now, what Hank Pym's been up to in the 20 years had been provided in scenes prior to this break-in and certainly play out through the rest of the movie, but lets step back to look on what is canonically the FIRST Ant-Man of this universe...
Hank Pym, as we can see by how the film develops him, is certainly a MUCH older man then some fans have expressed would've liked, but one who I think works better in this universe then he would if he were the main protagonist as he is a very flawed man. He (like a lot of scientists and people with 'power' in this universe) keeps a lot of secrets, he's very temperamental, and there is certainly a level of skepticism of how sane he might be, as the film establishes that the constant use of Pym Particles and the related technology over the many years he's used it cause some unbalancing of brain chemistry, which Pym is aware of and seems to have more or less gotten control over. Now, though this isn't as focused as I'm presenting it, it makes a LOT more sense if one is familiar with a character. For if this was a much younger, less experienced and 'wise' Hank Pym, my money is he would be far closer to the mentally fragile and questionably sane 'mad scientist' we've seen in comics since....oooooh, for ever. Hank Pym has NEVER been the picture of mental health, and has often made HUMONGOUS mistakes and bad life choices over the course of his career, often being closer to a villain then a hero. Don't get me wrong, he IS a hero, or at least tries to be. In a way, as better showcased in the film, Pym and Lang are very similar. Both are men who're trying to redeem themselves, if not to themselves, then to those they love dearly (which ironically, are their daughters, and we'll be getting to Hope in a minute), but unlike Lang, Pym has a LOT more to answer for, and carries a lot more weight on his shoulders because he'd fell even further then Lang, or in another way, he's fallen as far as Lang is ABOUT to go if he keeps going about things like he's been up to this point, and to Pym's credit, he's trying to legitimately trying to stop someone else from making HIS mistakes, and help down the path he wished he'd taken years ago, while holding onto the faint hope of rekindling some sort of relationship with his daughter...Hope. Huh, that was unintentionally punny. Oh well, SPEAKING of Hope...
Now, those of you who have read my review from last year, may recall my disappointment with the use of the character Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, but this film hadn't only given us one surprisingly complicated, layered female character who isn't a slightly altered Black Widow Recolor, but TWO (well technically three, but Agent Carter only appears in the prologue, and doesn't necessarily count, but she IS a badass so, gonna count it). Hope Van Dyne is a very interesting choice of character to introduce in the Marvel Universe, as she would be considered one of the first characters originally made for an alternate universe series (This being Marvel Universe 2, which followed a What If Universe originally sparked by the question, "What If Spider-Man's Daughter Lived?", but focusing on Hope, she was introduced as a VILLAIN known as the Red Queen, using a dark red and black variation of the Wasp and Yellowjacket costumes, and utilizing similar powers). Now I'm going to dispel the insinuation that SHE is the villain of this story, as much as I had considered the possibility. No, she actually had gone down a dark path, due to the death of her mother Janet Van Dyne (yes, she too existed in this universe prior to the "Marvel Age") under mysterious circumstances and the VERY strained relationship between herslef and her suddenly reclusive father shortly after said death, which caused her to grow immensely bitter and resentful, causing her to side with Darren Cross (soon, soon), and booting her father from his own company before the start of the film's events. Of course, before the film's events as well, as her sudden return to her father's side, when she began to realize that Darren Cross was not only dangerously close to replicating her father's research, but she was beginning to see the monster he was becoming, planning to use the technology for the EXACT purposes her father had hid them away in an attempt to prevent from ever happening.
So, so far, we have a heroine whose not only clearly got a number of outstanding emotional issues and traumas, but then also shows she's inherited a number of her father's own intelligence as well as his fighting moves, as she would later be part of Scott Lang's grooming to be the new Ant-Man, providing impromptu lessons in a very short amount of time (I should mention there are quite a few montages in this film, but will dissect this later on), showing she could clearly handle herself in a fight...but then, this was not only appear to be an inheritance from her father, but also her mother. Again, Marvel surprises me (and I'm sure many MANY others) by once more EXPANDING more of the unseen history of this Cinematic universe that revealing not only had there been an Ant-man but also a Wasp, again tying it all back to the comics. Everything from the new and improved costume that Wasp (who we see briefly in flashback) sports is a much more improved variation of the Ant-Man costume (very similar to the comics origin) as well as showing that Janet Van Dyne was JUST as heroic and self-sacrificing as Hank Pym could ever be, as her 'death' is brought on by her breaking through the regulated size limit of the suit and shrinking further to disarm and disable a NUCLEAR ICBM that had been launched towards WASHINGTON DC...yeah, that's actually a pretty damn big (little) heroes moment right there, that apparently in Marvel's Cinematic History, Washington came close to getting nuked and NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT. All thanks to The Wasp...however, she did not 'die' in explosion, but to Hank Pym's explanation, due to her breaking the regulator, she would continue to shrink and shrink, constantly shrinking until she goes beyond our universe, going subatomic, where time and space, all that we understand it has no meaning...
Which, if anyone has EVER read a comic book, or seen a movie, or book, or ANYTHING MADE/WRITTEN EVER, clearly shows that this doesn't necessarily denote death, and there's a good chance she's out there...AND that there's a lot more to be seen in the future...*grins* Micronauts, anyone?
So, our heroes are assembled (heh), and they're planning the next big heist: Taken down Darren Cross, destroy all of the Pym Particle Research, get or destroy the Yellowjacket suit (which by the way, OH MY ZOD, that is such a great redesign of the original Yellowjacket costume...far more villainous and certainly fits within the context of the Marvel Cinematic universe), and otherwise, pull off the biggest job in Scott Lang's career. So, montages all aside, we should be right off to fight the bad guys? I mean, there isn't anyone else thats going to get in their way...right...?
...Heh...heh hehe...HEHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH! *laughs maniacally while lightning booms in the backround, going on for many minutes before a slight cough-cough from behind makes the wolf look back and see three very amused but skeptical looking clown-faced gents, dragging what looked like a very bloodied and pulped looking forth clown gent in their arms...before dragging him off screen while the wolf smiles sheepishly* aheh...
No, actually, what comes before the big main event, was a VERY unexpected cameo, but VERY well executed call backs to the fallout and ramifications of the aforementioned preceeding film, Avengers 2: Age Of Ultron. Which, I will briefly touch on as it does bear some weight in this review. Very short and to the point: I LOVED that movie. Sure, I admit its not perfect but for a sequel to one of the BIGGEST AND BEST SUPER HERO FILMS EVER MADE*cough and blush* ahem, sorry, volume control, very bad with it. Age of Ultron was an extremely enjoyable film, with a lot of great character moments for characters new and old, plenty of callbacks for past films as well as comics, great action and even greater dialogue. There was drama, there was a LOT of humor, and all around, I thought it was a very solid sequel. AGAIN, I will make it clear that I acknowledge that it wasn't a PERFECT movie, but it was still WAY better then it could've been. But, as we're on an ANT-MAN review, I should get back to my original point. One of the things implemented by the end of that film was the re designation and re-purposing of an old Stark warehouse/storage facility that been remade in the Avengers new headquarters as well as training grounds, where many of the newly reorganized Avengers are now living. Remember this.
Another thing I would like to bring up was one weak point (out of many I've seen) that folks liked to bring up with Age of Ultron was the distinct lack of one particular hero in movie that practically had EVERY hero introduced up to this point particpate in a LOT of the movies BIG DAMN HEROES scenes...and that hero was the Falcon (as played by Anthony Mackie). Now, since Winter Soldier, Falcon has steadily rose in popularity as his character was appealing both visually and characteristically, proving to be not just 'Captain America's Rhodey" but becoming his own hero and certainly proving himself agaisnt many of the same odds the Avengers often throw themselves agaisnt and overcoming every one of them. And he was regulated to just a few scenes in Avengers 2, where even Rhodey (the other black man in a super suit...hang on...)
*goes over to Nick Fury, whom glares and looks ready to kick all sorts of ass on the wolf who just walked into one of his 'super secret' hidey holes, and continues to do so while the wolf looks at him...and then a picture of the 'incredible' super hero 'Frozone'...hmmmms and mumbles*
(...Possibly OTHER other black man in a super suit...)... gets a few moments to shine in the final battle of THAT movie. Now, in terms of canon and storylines, Falcon has been rather busy hunting down the currently underground Winter Soldier, and was most likely not able to intervene in the conflicts shown in Avengers 2, but by the end of that film, he would appear to be one of the many Avengers who would end up living in the new compound. Remember THIS fact as well.
Now, to complete the final pieces of the big heist, Pym requires Lang to steal a very special signal scrambler device he'd designed that could be used in the destruction of Pym Particle data in the mainframes of Pym (soon to be Cross) Technologies, as well as help him through a rather nasty laser trap thats between him and the Yellowjacket suit. Which should be simple, as its being kept in an old Stark warehouse...
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Yeah, THAT Stark warehouse. So, not only does Lang have a rather BIG problem (among the growing list of problems he's been accruing over this plot) but the audience gets a LOT more then they paid for, as Falcon and Ant-Man provides with the most unexpected but unquestonably most entertaining fight in the film so far, as not only does it show off Falcon's new and improved suit (clearly Stark's had his hands in providing a number of new upgrades, which in turn has given Falcon a whole new array of 'powers' and capabilities), but we also get to see a much more experienced and trained Ant-Man show marked improvement from earlier, providing a fight that shows off both fighter's unique fighting styles, but also paying homage to the source material, which would be Marvel comic books (in one way, showing how ANYONE can run into ANYONE ELSE in a comic book,even if its someone NO ONE WAS EXPECTING, and in another, that a super hero MUST fight another super hero they meet for the first time, no matter how far fetched the reason is...no seriously, you have NO idea how often this happens in comics, even nowadays). This scene alone makes my purchasing of the ticket more then worth it, as I got TWO super heroes for the price of one (actually Thr- No Fo- FIV-! SIX HEROES! <,< Wait, Six? Ah, but I'm not revealing those spoilers >:3 hehehe...), but also certainly shows why Falcon didn't get that much screen time...so he can get ALL of this screen time to himself (and Scott Lang :P) in this movie!.
After that unexpected but VERY MUCH welcomed surprise, we finally move to the big finale, The Heist on Cross Technologies...but who is Darren Cross? Well, as the Main Big Bad of this movie (there really isn't necessarily another bad guy, per se, but one who MIGHT be part of bigger, badder things in the very near future...but we'll get to HIM in a minute), Darren Cross could at first be looked upon as a retread of Obidiah Stane, from waaaaaaay back in Iron Man Numero Uno, just smaller and lacking that beard (but then, Stane HAD to rock the beard because...well, It's The Dude!), but Darren Cross (who is played by Corey Stoll) is certainly more then that. Now, in the comics, he was the first real 'villainous' character that Scott Lang went up agaisnt as Ant-Man, but they'd significantly changed him for the movie, as I don't think folks would be able to take a "big giant pink-fleshy 'roided out Hulk of a man who got his powers from an experimental pacemaker...that needed to be constantly replaced with new hearts" seriously. No really, thats what he was look it up...I'll wait...
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See? I told you! Also, have I mentioned before that comics are really, REALLY freaking weird?
No, this Darren Cross was a far more...well, I guess the best way to put it, is Lex Luthor...which I know might surprise people by saying that but really, I saw a lot of Luthor-like characteristics here. A very charming public persona, a very bloodthirsty need for power and knowledge, questionable sanity slipping further and further away from stable by a source of power he has in possession, no conscience or regret when disposing of unwanted people in the most...well, very different and SURPRISINGLY efficiently clean way possible (Still gross though). He even ends up with a suit (The Yellowjacket suit) which was practically tailor made to counter and be BETTER then his 'arch nemesis'. There are a lot of Luthor parallels here and I'm actually quite impressed...especially since DC's bringing Lex Luthor back to the silver screen in its next film...played by Jesse Eisenberg. *sigh* Now, some folks may recall my comments elsewhere about this casting, as I am a fan of just as many villains as well as heroes, and Luthor is one of my favorites, so hearing Eisenberg had been casted, I've been less then whelmed (a cookie for anyone who gets that reference). Of course, the new trailer and photos have made me reconsider this stance...but again, getting off topic.
But besides all the Luthor parallels, Darren Cross was an interesting villain because he wasn't necessarily ALL about the power and money. He wasn't the Red Skull, he wasn't Thanos, he wasn't even Obidiah Stane or Justin Hammer. If anything, he's another example of another child betrayed by Hank Pym. Now, I'm not saying Pym is entirely at fault, as the movie establishes Darren Cross was could've been JUST as evil as he was in the end, but it could be seen as another one of Hank Pym's failings as a teacher, a mentor, a father, because he kept Darren in the dark almost as much as Hope, so it became very easy for the two of these spurned 'offspring' to betray the father figure that betrayed them. It was only because of Hope's stronger moral compass that saw the evil that Cross was becoming consumed by before she too could become consumed by it. If Hank Pym did more to help instead of just shutting himself off from Cross, there might've been a chance of redemption, to save Darren Cross. But in the final confrontation between the former student and mentor, it became all too clear WHY Pym ended their relationship. He saw too much of himself. Which on further consideration, is actually, pretty damn cool.
Because on looking back on both Pym and Cross, I can see just as many parallels to them as I do with Lang and Pym, but really, here, its more like they split the comic book Pym in two. Hank Pym of the Cinematic universe represented more of Pym's pure intentions, his moral compass, frayed and grayed over time but still pointing to the side of what is right. A man haunted but wizened by his past mistakes and sins. Man on the path of redemption, the hero that Hank Pym would, could, and should become. Darren Cross is the polar opposite, the Hank Pym of the comics that both comic readers, comic creators, and even other comic characters have come to loathe and despise. A man whose lost himself in the pursuit of knowledge and power. A man whose jealousy, his rage, ALL OF IT wishing to let loose upon the world and those who've wronged him. To hurt them, to destroy them. The man who will create monsters who would still pale and be dwarfed in their monstrousness and cruelty by their creator. A man who would do absolutely anything, ANYTHING to prove his worth to HIS hero. To become THAT hero, even if it means becoming the villain. It actually sends chills down my spine the more I think on this, that if this came before Avengers 2, and it was not Tony or Banner, or even like in the comics, Hank Pym himself who created Ultron...but it was Darren Cross himself, finding another hidden mistake in all of Pym's hidden work...what if Darren Cross's mind was what Ultron was based on?
*The wolf pauses in thought before scribbling down a note* A very interesting what if idea, I have to say...*snaps the notebook closed* But I drifted off topic...again...
Now, I've covered most of the characters, and a good portion of the plot, which I'm trying not to spoil ALL of (have done some good job so far, I think), before before we move to other aspects, there is but one more character to briefly turn the spotlight on, and that's Mitchell Carson (as played by Martin Donovan). Now, he's introduced in the prologue at the beginning (remember I mentioned Pym's rather 'violent' resignation? *points at this guy* This guy ****ed up. He ****ed up real bad), and appears quite often throughout the film, and really, he is a nice throwback to the Ant-Man franchise in the comics, but is actually a character from the THIRD Ant-Man's era...but, we'll keep Eric O'Grady out of this...for now. Lets just say he's former SHIELD and leave it at that (as there is a bit more to him than that, but, I've spoiled a lot already, admittedly...) . He's a character who I might admit had some of the weakest characterization out of anyone in this whole film, if only it seems he serves as either an introduction to the character who'll receive greater development and focus in later movies (though if that's the case, then they dropped the ball cause they did this SO much better in Avengers 2 with the introduction of Ulysses Klaw. Seriously, that was a FANTASTIC introduction to a new villain who'll be starring in Black Panther's movie. Lets give him a han-... a high fiv-...a thum-...er, G-Good Job, Klaw), OR he's meant to serve as a catalyst for an event or a new character as he does get away with a sample of Pym/Cross Particles during the final heist - final battle scenes of the movie, before disappearing completely. Seriously, those seem to be the only possible reasons for his being in the movie, as he had no other real impact with his character. Still, it was somehow fun to see his smug face smacked around. He just got Pym Slapped! (Copyright Odin Ashcroft, 2015) >.>
Hmmm, I'm noticing a trend from my reviews. I give a pretty glowing review to most of the movie's cast of characters and portions of the plot and developments, then proceed to rip into one character who did not meet any of my expectations or hopes...still, on the bright side, I did all that in...*looks at page count...and blushes so* Oh my, 12 pages. That's three more over last years...WELP! Better move right along!
As I do strive not to spoil ALL of the experience for folks going in or going from this movie, and since I haven't told you of ALL of the really cool stuff (and OH MY ZOD, this movie has visuals that are a FEAST FOR THE EYES), or some of the REALLY spoilery surprises and twists, I think I've spared any fools who thought reading this before the movie from ruining their experiences...though again, I want to be clear GO SEE THE MOVIE FIRST!
That fundamentally made clear, the movie's story is tight and very enjoyable, the dialogue is especially good and provides plenty of laughs as well as very good lessons and creeds (Pym pulls off quite a few memorable speeches that would make Uncle Ben and Steve Rogers stop and take notes), and as I might've mentioned, the humor is of great high quality, giving a good healthy balance of physical humor (oh the size shenanigans, SO many size shenanigans) as well as plenty of verbal jibes and snarky comebacks that I'm sure will be spawn a few memes in the coming days. Not AS dark as some earlier Marvel Films, especially Age of Ultron (DAMMIT PIETRO, I SAID WALK IT OFF T-T) but there are some genuinely good emotional and heart warming moments (Cassie Lang, you little ball of terribly sweet diabeetus, HNNNG *clutches heart*).
Not as memorable as last year's "Guardians of the Galaxy", but Ant-Man's soundtrack choices certainly caught me by surprise, and actually had a couple of big moments in the plot where they certainly stood out, perhaps a nod to how integral music played in THAT movie, seeing it was as just a big gamble for Marvel as...well, this movie! But I really gotta hit home that like last year's 'obscure hero/team' film, the CGI Magic that was used was utterly GORGEOUS. I re-iterate that I'm a pretty hardcore Practical Effects supporter but they can only go so far, and a LARGE portion of this movies eye candy (So much eye candy, SO MUCH) was entirely CGI, and it really hit home how incredible Ant-Man's powers and 'world' is as it shows how beautiful, terrifying, and all around AWE STRIKING being the size of an ant would be, and don't get me started on the Ants. The ants REALLY carried a good portion of the film (heh, pun intended here), as it showcased a variety of ants and their own unique capabilities which show how useful they really could be, and you grow attached the cute little buggers (and admittedly, I will have to shave one or two points for the clear fact they had to make them cuter cause have you SEE real life ants close up? CHEESE AND RICE, they're MONSTERS!). But like I said, their effectiveness is clearly showcased in this movie, though at times, you can't help but think that if this happened to be another film genre entirely, they would be downright HORRIFYING...and at parts, that certainly came to my mind. Just, treat your fellow insect as you would anyone else...you never know when you'll need a friend like that...
Well, that should just about cover as much my take on Ant-Man as I could without giving away ALL OF THE SPOILERS! In the final analysis, GREAT movie, another winner in my book for Marvel, which certainly helps put them even further ahead on DC...which, if you hadn't guessed by my 'opener', I'm NONE too pleased by the recent Suicide Squad movie trailer. Seriously DC, you're trying to create your own cinematic universe, but your first big movie after the first installment of your new Superman franchise is...a villain movie? Don't get me wrong, Suicide Squad is one of my favorite comics of all time, one of the best concepts, one of the best cast, etc etc. But it just...looks and feels wrong. Harley Quinn looks like (and acts) like a freaking cosplayer, Will Smith (I will NOT call this man Deadshot. I know this is awfully presumptuous and extremely diehard fanboy a response, but from what I've seen of this movie, in both trailer and photos, as well as Will Smith's record with 'comic book-esque' films, plus the fact he's only really doing this movie so his son could get cast as Static Shock (DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THIS!) , I already know he's not going to give Floyd Lawton the justice he deserves....if DC and Warner Brothers wanted him to play ball and be in one of their movies and they HAD to cast his son in it too, why not cast them as someone(s) who make sense, like Black Manta and Aquadlad II (HIS ZODDAMNED SON!). But nooooooooooo, why would they do that? Its not like they're going to have Aquaman in their movies-OHWAIT), and then theres JARED LETO!
*Three throats sound their audible need of clearing, ceasing the wolf in mid rant*
Sorry, sorry, I got a little off topic...again. Anyway, that's it for this year, no other big Marvel movies look forward to this summer...
*A poster for the Fantastic Four reboot (or as its written in the trailer, Fat4stic ...Zod thats stupid) slowly rises behind him, the wolf's eyebrow visibly twitching*
LIKE I SAID. No big REAL Marvel movies to look forward to this summer...So I will bid you all adieu for now...
*grins as he'd wield a large crowbar, thumping it in hand with a wicked smile*
Now, if you excuse me, I've got to vent some pent up nerd rage...
Thank you again for your time reading yet another one of my crazy ranting reviews and I do hope its helped either interest you in seeing the film, or provided another person's take or insight into the movie you've just seen.
This is Odin Ashcroft signing off for now...but like Jason Todd *thumps crowbar onto hand again* I'll be back...OH MR.LETO~
*walks off, chuckling to himself...which slowly grows into hysterical, maniacal laughter, which is joined by three others of unique but memorable cackles of chaotic alignment...*
"Oh, I'm not going to kill you..."
He coos as he leans in, forcing the lamp's light further into the eye of the viewer, holding a pair of electroshock paddles in hand
"...I'm just gonna hurt you...really...REALLY bad..."
A HARSH record scratch ends the choir music and makes the green haired man yelp and drop the paddles, turning to find four new figures standing nearby, one standing in a clear stance was the leader*
"Well with scene chewing like that, Mister Leto, I imagine you will...however, I think Misters Nicholson, Hamill and Ledger would like a few words with you..." stated the leading figure as the three other gentlemen, all sporting varying suits of vivid royal purple make and cloth, from either expensive business suit cut, to rather worn and bedraggled, all three men were sporting big grins as they came upon "Mister Leto", who was no longer smiling himself, instead he looked on in horror as their hair were equally green, skin chalky white, but their eyes...oh those eyes.
And that laughter. Oh Such Laughter...well, what could be heard, with all that screaming...
"But that's enough of THAT for one night..." said the first new figure, the light revealing a familiar smirking wolf who wagged a finger to follow him.
"We've got an review to cover..."
ANT-MANAnd Fair Warning: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Oh Yes. There WILL be Spoilers. If you haven’t seen Ant-Man OR Age of Ultron, DO NOT, I REPEAT. DO NOT READ THIS YET. GO SEE ANT-MAN AND AGE OF ULTRON, THEN READ THIS. You think that's obvious, but theres always gonna be that ONE guy. DON'T. BE. THAT GUY. Just don't.
Now, with that all out of the way, welcome to my Annual Summer Superhero Review, where I dust off my FA page and actually contribute something (Though, there maybe something in the works~ but that's all you're going to get out of me right now!). Today I'll be covering Marvel's other big release for the summer (Avengers 2 : Age Of Ultron will not be getting any focus from me because everyone's done it to death already, and I do try to help give exposure to the little guys and gals...no pun intended), Ant-Man.
So we're getting the ball rolling with as per usual, the cast, and I've got to say, they really sold me in this department! Hero and Villain, Main and Side, the cast was all solid and otherwise, very easy to like (yes, even the villains had some charm to them, even if there was really only 'one' per se), so lets focus on our main protagonist, who we see in the very opening scene, Hank Pym!
...Wait a minute, no, that's not right. Wait, 1989!? Why is this set in 1989!? I thought we were taking place after Age of Ultron? Why're we in 1989!? Is that the Triskelion being built? is that Howard Star-...IS THAT PEGGY CARTER!?
Alright, let me back up a bit. So, without any sudden credits or logos, we IMMEDIATELY, after the trailers, go into a very sudden Prologue that will set up the events of the film with a furious (and surprisingly young looking, damn that is some good CGI!) Hank Pym (Played by Michael Douglas. Yes, THAT MICHAEL DOUGLAS. Seriously, Marvel, you're getting some pretty BIG names in your little movie...and no, this will most likely NOT be the last size pun in this whole review, especially if you know my character's schtick :P.) tending his resignation after Stark and SHIELD attempted to steal his life's work, Pym Particles (Which comic book fans as well as those who're into the micro/macro scene, will know that these are the special little chemicals used to make things SHRINK and GROW in the Marvel universe...9 times out of 10 when someone ends up getting bigger or smaller, these little buggers are to blame for it happening), and weaponize it into an unstoppable army of Ant-Men.
Now, two quick points. One, I know that might sound quite ridiculous, but given how the film presents it, an army of size changers would be a surprisingly effective and theoretically terrifying thing. Even in the modern age of technology and "Marvels" (heh) such as Iron Man, The Hulk, and Thor, they could be a force to truly fear. Second point, this is a very clever world building approach, as we soon learn that not only has Hank Pym been working on Pym Particles and with SHIELD since the 60s/70s (a fact that amuses me greatly as this fits with the character had been introduced and operated in the 60s and then on), but also has been doing so AS Ant-Man, cementing some pretty interesting world building that shows that even as far back as the 60s, there have been super powered, costume wearing members in the Avengers Initiative, which bears applauding as now that brings up SO many questions for future installments in both films and TV shows, as now we have Captain America: The First Avenger providing a look in the 40s, the first season of Agent Carter establishing things in the early 50s, and now a look into part of the 60s to 80s with Ant-Man. It might be me and a small group of others who might appreciate this, but Marvel is once again showing a good plan by slowly building up the world that is shared through dozens of different mediums and installments, and paving the way for future work. I hope this trend continues and is expanded on!
Now, where was I? Oh yes, Hank Pym tenders his resignation (with a good show of his violent temper...which is of course Snarked upon by Stark and Carter alike...I believe I mentioned how much I love the level of Snark that is in these films, haven't I? Cause I LOVE IT!), and that is the end of the relationship between Pym and SHIELD, as is this unexpected prologue as the opening credits truly begin, and we're now watching our REAL protagonist, Scott Lang...getting his ass KICKED.
Now, Scott Lang, is an interesting character, and certainly one who benefits from the role being played by Paul Rudd, because Scott Lang, is (like a surprising number of its heroes) a former criminal, but not a bad guy (I feel the urge to quote Wreck-It Ralph, but I'm going to be doing a number of references, so, I will manage on without it...). A former master 'burglar' (and he strives to make this distinction), a mighty claim yes but one which is quickly proven as he's clearly skilled at what he does, which we really see put to the test a number of times through out the movie, but does so without TRYING to get anyone hurt. A Modern Day Robin Hood, really. Just, with ants instead of arrows. They already have a guy who does that...actually, a lot of guys who do that. And girls. And aliens. I think I've lost track of my point.
He made some bad decisions for the right reasons, but they were still bad decisions, and so, it had gotten locked up, and away from the one thing that has a lot of meaning in his life, his daughter Cassie Lang (played by Abby Ryder Fortson), who is certainly one who raised the diabeetus level because she is adorable yet not overbearingly so, as well as being one who has a VERY different opinion on what is cute and lovable (See both Scott's first and second gifts to his daughter over the course of the movie...trust me), and certainly someone worth fighting for, as we see Scott is trying EVER so hard to do, to be the hero she believes him to be (and maybe one day, be the hero she could be. Lets face it folks, given how long these movies look to be in the making, it's not totally out of the question to see this little girl become the future Young Avenger, Stature! Like Father, Like Daughter!). So, with a little girl as motivation (well, her and Child Support Money, as Step-dad / Jerk-ass with a heart of gold cop Paxton (played by Bobby Canavale) makes fundamentally clear to Scott), our hero does his best to try and keep on the straight and narrow...and fails completely and utterly due to his past history as an ex-con always coming back and biting him RIGHT in the ass! (Baskin-Robbins always finds out)
Now, like I said, Scott Lang is a character which is constantly at odds in life due to past mistakes, and truly becomes a very sympathetic character. He's charming, he's likable (Hell, when I mentioned he was getting his ass kicked, it was only due to a very weird good bye ritual at San Quentin since Lang was getting released that day, as it appeared that ALL the inmates LOVED this guy...and did I mention it was brought on by a big black man named Peaches? Oh, by the way, he was getting knocked around by a big black man named Peaches. Just a little FYI...), and even if he does some very bad things (or very stupid, such as running that smart ass mouth of his when he shouldn't) like what got him in Prison in the first place (which was break into the computer records of a massive multi-billion dollar company he blew the whistle on for illegal acts of fraud and embezzling (which he got fired from), among other things), he always did it for the RIGHT reasons (the millions upon millions of dollars he stole from this company? Immediately redistributed to all of the people THEY had stolen from in the first place. Told you he was Robin Hood). And this is pretty faithful to the character, as Scott Lang was often forced into committing crimes only because of very good reasons (the first real outing as Ant-Man was after he stole the Ant-Man gear and chemicals from Pym so he could rescue a doctor from the clutches of Darren Cross...we'll get to him later...who would be capable of saving his daughter, Cassie). A character who doesn't necessarily fit the common mold of hero, but someone who is trying to redeem himself, especially in the eyes of his loved ones...
Which, of course, is to be applauded, but given all that's heaped upon him in his many attempts of going straight, leads him to falling back into crime, with the help of his friends. Oh, and what friends. Now, before I start in on the ensemble dark horses that are Scott Lang's "Crew", I would like to briefly talk about something that apparently seems to be a bone of contention among fans of the Marvel Movies: Humor. Now, I for one, like to think I have a good healthy....eh, maybe not 'healthy' is the right word, as I do enjoy some dark humor as well as puns ,but still, I think I enjoy a lot of folks and their attempts at humor, and Marvel, has shown a pretty impressive sense of humor and comedic timing. With the heavily snark laden humor that is filled to the brim in films like the Iron Man Series, or in the Avengers film, to equal moments of funny background events or physical humor as showcased in films like Thor or Guardians of the Galaxy, and even especially dark jokes in say, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Marvel has shown that, even in the darkest moments, in the most emotionally drive, heart tugging, and otherwise soul wrenching scenes...
*The wolf winces and takes a deep breath, eyes clearly watering a bit as he chokes* Walk it off, Pietro, WALK IT THE **** OFF!"
*Breathes raggedly for a few moments before collecting himself and clearing his throat*
...that even during all this, Marvel is able to show the lighter side of its characters and concepts, having fun and making it more then just all the darkness, all the angst, all of the SERIOUS!...Unlike OTHERS as of late...
*turns around to a massive DC icon image* What was that question you asked everyone nearly a decade ago? Oh right...
WHY SO SERIOUS!?
*Huffs and spins around*
But, THAT topic is for another day, as we have one already in progress, and one I am very happy to return to. Scott Lang's gang of 'outlaws'. Now, as far as my experience with Scott Lang as a character is concerned, the character of Luis (played by Michael Pena) , Dave (Tip Harris) and Kurt do not have a canonical counterpart in the comic books, but it isn't as hard to believe to that he would have a crew for his 'jobs' (though, I'm doubting we'll see the likes of Grizzly in this band of thieves...at least not in this movie...then again, I'm DARING Marvel to try and pull of a man in a powered Bear suit in live action and make it work...I DARE THEM), and these three were immediately liked upon first introduction, especially Luis. Now, as I touched on above, Marvel has had a great job of implementing humor but also creating new characters in their Cinematic universe who're immediately engaging, likable, and become fan favorites (Phil Coulson, Darcy Lewis, Fitz and Simmons...*stops...and eyes begin to water again* Gods ****ING DAMMIT, THAT SECOND SEASON CLIFFHANGER!), and I believe Luis is another one in this trend, and I do hope to see him pop up in the comics because of it, as a lot of the characters I've name dropped have ended up in one form or another in the comics since their introductions on the big and little screens. And Luis should be no exception, providing a bouncing, nervous energy while showing surprising layers as what appears to be at first your atypical 'racial stereotype' comic relief character, only to show a bit more depth as he dresses like "Yo Holmes" but attends wine tastings and goes to modern art exhibits (while also, you know, breaking the law), though Kurt and Dave don't get as much development as Luis (and he does, actually proving quite useful in the final big 'heist' of the film, as well as showing he's a pretty good guy despite his not so good 'career choices'), both are as equally likable and one really hopes to see these three in later films...
And so, with his three new cohorts in crime, we see a very amusing montage of them planning out the perfect robbery on a supposedly rich if reclusive old man who, thanks to a tip received by Luis, has a massive vault down in his basement which HAD to be filled with plenty of loot, and after a very impressive series of safe cracking, reveals to be...a very 'unique' motorcycle outfit and helmet as Scott observes out-loud. But, to the audience by this point, we recognize this as none other then the Ant-Man suit, and the man whose house has been broken into is none other then Hank Pym. Now, what Hank Pym's been up to in the 20 years had been provided in scenes prior to this break-in and certainly play out through the rest of the movie, but lets step back to look on what is canonically the FIRST Ant-Man of this universe...
Hank Pym, as we can see by how the film develops him, is certainly a MUCH older man then some fans have expressed would've liked, but one who I think works better in this universe then he would if he were the main protagonist as he is a very flawed man. He (like a lot of scientists and people with 'power' in this universe) keeps a lot of secrets, he's very temperamental, and there is certainly a level of skepticism of how sane he might be, as the film establishes that the constant use of Pym Particles and the related technology over the many years he's used it cause some unbalancing of brain chemistry, which Pym is aware of and seems to have more or less gotten control over. Now, though this isn't as focused as I'm presenting it, it makes a LOT more sense if one is familiar with a character. For if this was a much younger, less experienced and 'wise' Hank Pym, my money is he would be far closer to the mentally fragile and questionably sane 'mad scientist' we've seen in comics since....oooooh, for ever. Hank Pym has NEVER been the picture of mental health, and has often made HUMONGOUS mistakes and bad life choices over the course of his career, often being closer to a villain then a hero. Don't get me wrong, he IS a hero, or at least tries to be. In a way, as better showcased in the film, Pym and Lang are very similar. Both are men who're trying to redeem themselves, if not to themselves, then to those they love dearly (which ironically, are their daughters, and we'll be getting to Hope in a minute), but unlike Lang, Pym has a LOT more to answer for, and carries a lot more weight on his shoulders because he'd fell even further then Lang, or in another way, he's fallen as far as Lang is ABOUT to go if he keeps going about things like he's been up to this point, and to Pym's credit, he's trying to legitimately trying to stop someone else from making HIS mistakes, and help down the path he wished he'd taken years ago, while holding onto the faint hope of rekindling some sort of relationship with his daughter...Hope. Huh, that was unintentionally punny. Oh well, SPEAKING of Hope...
Now, those of you who have read my review from last year, may recall my disappointment with the use of the character Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, but this film hadn't only given us one surprisingly complicated, layered female character who isn't a slightly altered Black Widow Recolor, but TWO (well technically three, but Agent Carter only appears in the prologue, and doesn't necessarily count, but she IS a badass so, gonna count it). Hope Van Dyne is a very interesting choice of character to introduce in the Marvel Universe, as she would be considered one of the first characters originally made for an alternate universe series (This being Marvel Universe 2, which followed a What If Universe originally sparked by the question, "What If Spider-Man's Daughter Lived?", but focusing on Hope, she was introduced as a VILLAIN known as the Red Queen, using a dark red and black variation of the Wasp and Yellowjacket costumes, and utilizing similar powers). Now I'm going to dispel the insinuation that SHE is the villain of this story, as much as I had considered the possibility. No, she actually had gone down a dark path, due to the death of her mother Janet Van Dyne (yes, she too existed in this universe prior to the "Marvel Age") under mysterious circumstances and the VERY strained relationship between herslef and her suddenly reclusive father shortly after said death, which caused her to grow immensely bitter and resentful, causing her to side with Darren Cross (soon, soon), and booting her father from his own company before the start of the film's events. Of course, before the film's events as well, as her sudden return to her father's side, when she began to realize that Darren Cross was not only dangerously close to replicating her father's research, but she was beginning to see the monster he was becoming, planning to use the technology for the EXACT purposes her father had hid them away in an attempt to prevent from ever happening.
So, so far, we have a heroine whose not only clearly got a number of outstanding emotional issues and traumas, but then also shows she's inherited a number of her father's own intelligence as well as his fighting moves, as she would later be part of Scott Lang's grooming to be the new Ant-Man, providing impromptu lessons in a very short amount of time (I should mention there are quite a few montages in this film, but will dissect this later on), showing she could clearly handle herself in a fight...but then, this was not only appear to be an inheritance from her father, but also her mother. Again, Marvel surprises me (and I'm sure many MANY others) by once more EXPANDING more of the unseen history of this Cinematic universe that revealing not only had there been an Ant-man but also a Wasp, again tying it all back to the comics. Everything from the new and improved costume that Wasp (who we see briefly in flashback) sports is a much more improved variation of the Ant-Man costume (very similar to the comics origin) as well as showing that Janet Van Dyne was JUST as heroic and self-sacrificing as Hank Pym could ever be, as her 'death' is brought on by her breaking through the regulated size limit of the suit and shrinking further to disarm and disable a NUCLEAR ICBM that had been launched towards WASHINGTON DC...yeah, that's actually a pretty damn big (little) heroes moment right there, that apparently in Marvel's Cinematic History, Washington came close to getting nuked and NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT. All thanks to The Wasp...however, she did not 'die' in explosion, but to Hank Pym's explanation, due to her breaking the regulator, she would continue to shrink and shrink, constantly shrinking until she goes beyond our universe, going subatomic, where time and space, all that we understand it has no meaning...
Which, if anyone has EVER read a comic book, or seen a movie, or book, or ANYTHING MADE/WRITTEN EVER, clearly shows that this doesn't necessarily denote death, and there's a good chance she's out there...AND that there's a lot more to be seen in the future...*grins* Micronauts, anyone?
So, our heroes are assembled (heh), and they're planning the next big heist: Taken down Darren Cross, destroy all of the Pym Particle Research, get or destroy the Yellowjacket suit (which by the way, OH MY ZOD, that is such a great redesign of the original Yellowjacket costume...far more villainous and certainly fits within the context of the Marvel Cinematic universe), and otherwise, pull off the biggest job in Scott Lang's career. So, montages all aside, we should be right off to fight the bad guys? I mean, there isn't anyone else thats going to get in their way...right...?
...Heh...heh hehe...HEHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH! *laughs maniacally while lightning booms in the backround, going on for many minutes before a slight cough-cough from behind makes the wolf look back and see three very amused but skeptical looking clown-faced gents, dragging what looked like a very bloodied and pulped looking forth clown gent in their arms...before dragging him off screen while the wolf smiles sheepishly* aheh...
No, actually, what comes before the big main event, was a VERY unexpected cameo, but VERY well executed call backs to the fallout and ramifications of the aforementioned preceeding film, Avengers 2: Age Of Ultron. Which, I will briefly touch on as it does bear some weight in this review. Very short and to the point: I LOVED that movie. Sure, I admit its not perfect but for a sequel to one of the BIGGEST AND BEST SUPER HERO FILMS EVER MADE*cough and blush* ahem, sorry, volume control, very bad with it. Age of Ultron was an extremely enjoyable film, with a lot of great character moments for characters new and old, plenty of callbacks for past films as well as comics, great action and even greater dialogue. There was drama, there was a LOT of humor, and all around, I thought it was a very solid sequel. AGAIN, I will make it clear that I acknowledge that it wasn't a PERFECT movie, but it was still WAY better then it could've been. But, as we're on an ANT-MAN review, I should get back to my original point. One of the things implemented by the end of that film was the re designation and re-purposing of an old Stark warehouse/storage facility that been remade in the Avengers new headquarters as well as training grounds, where many of the newly reorganized Avengers are now living. Remember this.
Another thing I would like to bring up was one weak point (out of many I've seen) that folks liked to bring up with Age of Ultron was the distinct lack of one particular hero in movie that practically had EVERY hero introduced up to this point particpate in a LOT of the movies BIG DAMN HEROES scenes...and that hero was the Falcon (as played by Anthony Mackie). Now, since Winter Soldier, Falcon has steadily rose in popularity as his character was appealing both visually and characteristically, proving to be not just 'Captain America's Rhodey" but becoming his own hero and certainly proving himself agaisnt many of the same odds the Avengers often throw themselves agaisnt and overcoming every one of them. And he was regulated to just a few scenes in Avengers 2, where even Rhodey (the other black man in a super suit...hang on...)
*goes over to Nick Fury, whom glares and looks ready to kick all sorts of ass on the wolf who just walked into one of his 'super secret' hidey holes, and continues to do so while the wolf looks at him...and then a picture of the 'incredible' super hero 'Frozone'...hmmmms and mumbles*
(...Possibly OTHER other black man in a super suit...)... gets a few moments to shine in the final battle of THAT movie. Now, in terms of canon and storylines, Falcon has been rather busy hunting down the currently underground Winter Soldier, and was most likely not able to intervene in the conflicts shown in Avengers 2, but by the end of that film, he would appear to be one of the many Avengers who would end up living in the new compound. Remember THIS fact as well.
Now, to complete the final pieces of the big heist, Pym requires Lang to steal a very special signal scrambler device he'd designed that could be used in the destruction of Pym Particle data in the mainframes of Pym (soon to be Cross) Technologies, as well as help him through a rather nasty laser trap thats between him and the Yellowjacket suit. Which should be simple, as its being kept in an old Stark warehouse...
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Yeah, THAT Stark warehouse. So, not only does Lang have a rather BIG problem (among the growing list of problems he's been accruing over this plot) but the audience gets a LOT more then they paid for, as Falcon and Ant-Man provides with the most unexpected but unquestonably most entertaining fight in the film so far, as not only does it show off Falcon's new and improved suit (clearly Stark's had his hands in providing a number of new upgrades, which in turn has given Falcon a whole new array of 'powers' and capabilities), but we also get to see a much more experienced and trained Ant-Man show marked improvement from earlier, providing a fight that shows off both fighter's unique fighting styles, but also paying homage to the source material, which would be Marvel comic books (in one way, showing how ANYONE can run into ANYONE ELSE in a comic book,even if its someone NO ONE WAS EXPECTING, and in another, that a super hero MUST fight another super hero they meet for the first time, no matter how far fetched the reason is...no seriously, you have NO idea how often this happens in comics, even nowadays). This scene alone makes my purchasing of the ticket more then worth it, as I got TWO super heroes for the price of one (actually Thr- No Fo- FIV-! SIX HEROES! <,< Wait, Six? Ah, but I'm not revealing those spoilers >:3 hehehe...), but also certainly shows why Falcon didn't get that much screen time...so he can get ALL of this screen time to himself (and Scott Lang :P) in this movie!.
After that unexpected but VERY MUCH welcomed surprise, we finally move to the big finale, The Heist on Cross Technologies...but who is Darren Cross? Well, as the Main Big Bad of this movie (there really isn't necessarily another bad guy, per se, but one who MIGHT be part of bigger, badder things in the very near future...but we'll get to HIM in a minute), Darren Cross could at first be looked upon as a retread of Obidiah Stane, from waaaaaaay back in Iron Man Numero Uno, just smaller and lacking that beard (but then, Stane HAD to rock the beard because...well, It's The Dude!), but Darren Cross (who is played by Corey Stoll) is certainly more then that. Now, in the comics, he was the first real 'villainous' character that Scott Lang went up agaisnt as Ant-Man, but they'd significantly changed him for the movie, as I don't think folks would be able to take a "big giant pink-fleshy 'roided out Hulk of a man who got his powers from an experimental pacemaker...that needed to be constantly replaced with new hearts" seriously. No really, thats what he was look it up...I'll wait...
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See? I told you! Also, have I mentioned before that comics are really, REALLY freaking weird?
No, this Darren Cross was a far more...well, I guess the best way to put it, is Lex Luthor...which I know might surprise people by saying that but really, I saw a lot of Luthor-like characteristics here. A very charming public persona, a very bloodthirsty need for power and knowledge, questionable sanity slipping further and further away from stable by a source of power he has in possession, no conscience or regret when disposing of unwanted people in the most...well, very different and SURPRISINGLY efficiently clean way possible (Still gross though). He even ends up with a suit (The Yellowjacket suit) which was practically tailor made to counter and be BETTER then his 'arch nemesis'. There are a lot of Luthor parallels here and I'm actually quite impressed...especially since DC's bringing Lex Luthor back to the silver screen in its next film...played by Jesse Eisenberg. *sigh* Now, some folks may recall my comments elsewhere about this casting, as I am a fan of just as many villains as well as heroes, and Luthor is one of my favorites, so hearing Eisenberg had been casted, I've been less then whelmed (a cookie for anyone who gets that reference). Of course, the new trailer and photos have made me reconsider this stance...but again, getting off topic.
But besides all the Luthor parallels, Darren Cross was an interesting villain because he wasn't necessarily ALL about the power and money. He wasn't the Red Skull, he wasn't Thanos, he wasn't even Obidiah Stane or Justin Hammer. If anything, he's another example of another child betrayed by Hank Pym. Now, I'm not saying Pym is entirely at fault, as the movie establishes Darren Cross was could've been JUST as evil as he was in the end, but it could be seen as another one of Hank Pym's failings as a teacher, a mentor, a father, because he kept Darren in the dark almost as much as Hope, so it became very easy for the two of these spurned 'offspring' to betray the father figure that betrayed them. It was only because of Hope's stronger moral compass that saw the evil that Cross was becoming consumed by before she too could become consumed by it. If Hank Pym did more to help instead of just shutting himself off from Cross, there might've been a chance of redemption, to save Darren Cross. But in the final confrontation between the former student and mentor, it became all too clear WHY Pym ended their relationship. He saw too much of himself. Which on further consideration, is actually, pretty damn cool.
Because on looking back on both Pym and Cross, I can see just as many parallels to them as I do with Lang and Pym, but really, here, its more like they split the comic book Pym in two. Hank Pym of the Cinematic universe represented more of Pym's pure intentions, his moral compass, frayed and grayed over time but still pointing to the side of what is right. A man haunted but wizened by his past mistakes and sins. Man on the path of redemption, the hero that Hank Pym would, could, and should become. Darren Cross is the polar opposite, the Hank Pym of the comics that both comic readers, comic creators, and even other comic characters have come to loathe and despise. A man whose lost himself in the pursuit of knowledge and power. A man whose jealousy, his rage, ALL OF IT wishing to let loose upon the world and those who've wronged him. To hurt them, to destroy them. The man who will create monsters who would still pale and be dwarfed in their monstrousness and cruelty by their creator. A man who would do absolutely anything, ANYTHING to prove his worth to HIS hero. To become THAT hero, even if it means becoming the villain. It actually sends chills down my spine the more I think on this, that if this came before Avengers 2, and it was not Tony or Banner, or even like in the comics, Hank Pym himself who created Ultron...but it was Darren Cross himself, finding another hidden mistake in all of Pym's hidden work...what if Darren Cross's mind was what Ultron was based on?
*The wolf pauses in thought before scribbling down a note* A very interesting what if idea, I have to say...*snaps the notebook closed* But I drifted off topic...again...
Now, I've covered most of the characters, and a good portion of the plot, which I'm trying not to spoil ALL of (have done some good job so far, I think), before before we move to other aspects, there is but one more character to briefly turn the spotlight on, and that's Mitchell Carson (as played by Martin Donovan). Now, he's introduced in the prologue at the beginning (remember I mentioned Pym's rather 'violent' resignation? *points at this guy* This guy ****ed up. He ****ed up real bad), and appears quite often throughout the film, and really, he is a nice throwback to the Ant-Man franchise in the comics, but is actually a character from the THIRD Ant-Man's era...but, we'll keep Eric O'Grady out of this...for now. Lets just say he's former SHIELD and leave it at that (as there is a bit more to him than that, but, I've spoiled a lot already, admittedly...) . He's a character who I might admit had some of the weakest characterization out of anyone in this whole film, if only it seems he serves as either an introduction to the character who'll receive greater development and focus in later movies (though if that's the case, then they dropped the ball cause they did this SO much better in Avengers 2 with the introduction of Ulysses Klaw. Seriously, that was a FANTASTIC introduction to a new villain who'll be starring in Black Panther's movie. Lets give him a han-... a high fiv-...a thum-...er, G-Good Job, Klaw), OR he's meant to serve as a catalyst for an event or a new character as he does get away with a sample of Pym/Cross Particles during the final heist - final battle scenes of the movie, before disappearing completely. Seriously, those seem to be the only possible reasons for his being in the movie, as he had no other real impact with his character. Still, it was somehow fun to see his smug face smacked around. He just got Pym Slapped! (Copyright Odin Ashcroft, 2015) >.>
Hmmm, I'm noticing a trend from my reviews. I give a pretty glowing review to most of the movie's cast of characters and portions of the plot and developments, then proceed to rip into one character who did not meet any of my expectations or hopes...still, on the bright side, I did all that in...*looks at page count...and blushes so* Oh my, 12 pages. That's three more over last years...WELP! Better move right along!
As I do strive not to spoil ALL of the experience for folks going in or going from this movie, and since I haven't told you of ALL of the really cool stuff (and OH MY ZOD, this movie has visuals that are a FEAST FOR THE EYES), or some of the REALLY spoilery surprises and twists, I think I've spared any fools who thought reading this before the movie from ruining their experiences...though again, I want to be clear GO SEE THE MOVIE FIRST!
That fundamentally made clear, the movie's story is tight and very enjoyable, the dialogue is especially good and provides plenty of laughs as well as very good lessons and creeds (Pym pulls off quite a few memorable speeches that would make Uncle Ben and Steve Rogers stop and take notes), and as I might've mentioned, the humor is of great high quality, giving a good healthy balance of physical humor (oh the size shenanigans, SO many size shenanigans) as well as plenty of verbal jibes and snarky comebacks that I'm sure will be spawn a few memes in the coming days. Not AS dark as some earlier Marvel Films, especially Age of Ultron (DAMMIT PIETRO, I SAID WALK IT OFF T-T) but there are some genuinely good emotional and heart warming moments (Cassie Lang, you little ball of terribly sweet diabeetus, HNNNG *clutches heart*).
Not as memorable as last year's "Guardians of the Galaxy", but Ant-Man's soundtrack choices certainly caught me by surprise, and actually had a couple of big moments in the plot where they certainly stood out, perhaps a nod to how integral music played in THAT movie, seeing it was as just a big gamble for Marvel as...well, this movie! But I really gotta hit home that like last year's 'obscure hero/team' film, the CGI Magic that was used was utterly GORGEOUS. I re-iterate that I'm a pretty hardcore Practical Effects supporter but they can only go so far, and a LARGE portion of this movies eye candy (So much eye candy, SO MUCH) was entirely CGI, and it really hit home how incredible Ant-Man's powers and 'world' is as it shows how beautiful, terrifying, and all around AWE STRIKING being the size of an ant would be, and don't get me started on the Ants. The ants REALLY carried a good portion of the film (heh, pun intended here), as it showcased a variety of ants and their own unique capabilities which show how useful they really could be, and you grow attached the cute little buggers (and admittedly, I will have to shave one or two points for the clear fact they had to make them cuter cause have you SEE real life ants close up? CHEESE AND RICE, they're MONSTERS!). But like I said, their effectiveness is clearly showcased in this movie, though at times, you can't help but think that if this happened to be another film genre entirely, they would be downright HORRIFYING...and at parts, that certainly came to my mind. Just, treat your fellow insect as you would anyone else...you never know when you'll need a friend like that...
Well, that should just about cover as much my take on Ant-Man as I could without giving away ALL OF THE SPOILERS! In the final analysis, GREAT movie, another winner in my book for Marvel, which certainly helps put them even further ahead on DC...which, if you hadn't guessed by my 'opener', I'm NONE too pleased by the recent Suicide Squad movie trailer. Seriously DC, you're trying to create your own cinematic universe, but your first big movie after the first installment of your new Superman franchise is...a villain movie? Don't get me wrong, Suicide Squad is one of my favorite comics of all time, one of the best concepts, one of the best cast, etc etc. But it just...looks and feels wrong. Harley Quinn looks like (and acts) like a freaking cosplayer, Will Smith (I will NOT call this man Deadshot. I know this is awfully presumptuous and extremely diehard fanboy a response, but from what I've seen of this movie, in both trailer and photos, as well as Will Smith's record with 'comic book-esque' films, plus the fact he's only really doing this movie so his son could get cast as Static Shock (DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THIS!) , I already know he's not going to give Floyd Lawton the justice he deserves....if DC and Warner Brothers wanted him to play ball and be in one of their movies and they HAD to cast his son in it too, why not cast them as someone(s) who make sense, like Black Manta and Aquadlad II (HIS ZODDAMNED SON!). But nooooooooooo, why would they do that? Its not like they're going to have Aquaman in their movies-OHWAIT), and then theres JARED LETO!
*Three throats sound their audible need of clearing, ceasing the wolf in mid rant*
Sorry, sorry, I got a little off topic...again. Anyway, that's it for this year, no other big Marvel movies look forward to this summer...
*A poster for the Fantastic Four reboot (or as its written in the trailer, Fat4stic ...Zod thats stupid) slowly rises behind him, the wolf's eyebrow visibly twitching*
LIKE I SAID. No big REAL Marvel movies to look forward to this summer...So I will bid you all adieu for now...
*grins as he'd wield a large crowbar, thumping it in hand with a wicked smile*
Now, if you excuse me, I've got to vent some pent up nerd rage...
Thank you again for your time reading yet another one of my crazy ranting reviews and I do hope its helped either interest you in seeing the film, or provided another person's take or insight into the movie you've just seen.
This is Odin Ashcroft signing off for now...but like Jason Todd *thumps crowbar onto hand again* I'll be back...OH MR.LETO~
*walks off, chuckling to himself...which slowly grows into hysterical, maniacal laughter, which is joined by three others of unique but memorable cackles of chaotic alignment...*
"What A Bunch Of A- !SPOILERS!" (Guardians Of The Galaxy)
Posted 10 years ago*Blank black screen, followed by the following words in blue text: “A Long Time Ago, In A Galaxy Far, Far Away…”*
*Sudden blast of orchestral music as STAR WA-*
*RECORD SCRAAAAAAATCH*
Hold on, hold on no no!
*The familiar face of wolf in fedora and trench coat walks in front of screen*
I apologize…it would appear the crew (of one) has gotten things confused when I explained where I would be reviewing a movie about a rag-tag group of rebellious misfits, which included a smuggler, his big alien co-pilot, and a warrior trained in the use of archaic weaponry, against an army of interstellar proportions, lead by a fanatical big bad who not only garbs himself in black armor and uses a great powerful melee weapon, but who is in possession of a powerful weapon of great destruction, as they are about to destroy an entire planet, all in the service of an even BIGGER bad, whom plots in the shadows…
…I honestly don’t know how they got that confused with Star Wars...
No, I am planning on reviewing a recently released movie produced by MARVEL, the OTHER big named company owned by Disney, an excellent movie which follows the adventures of a heroic man from the past (who occasionally works with a master archer of sorts) whom teams up with a deadly female assassin, a hulking monster with extreme emotional issues, a wisecracking and extremely snarky master machine/weapon smith, and a powerful warrior from a culture where honor and strength are held high (while social cues and metaphors are not exactly well known), against a massive cosmic army which is threatening to destroy an entire world, while being lead by a big bad whom the powerful warrior has a longstanding grudge/history with, who wields a mighty weapon which could bring the entire world to his knees, but is under the control of an even larger threat which looms waiting in the shadows…
*during this explanation, the thunderous swelling orchestral of the Avengers theme rises, as does the poster behind the wolf…whom suddenly frowns and turns…and face palms*
…
This Is the Guardians Of The Galaxy.
And Fair Warning: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Oh Yes. There WILL be Spoilers. If you haven’t seen Guardians of the Galaxy yet…
*pulls camera in and gives it once cross the cheek like a pimp*
NOW GO SEE IT.
As for those who’ve seen it…do continue on…
…
What? You saw a movie. You expecting a cookie?
ANYWAY, again SPOILERS FOLLOW FROM HERE ON IN…
Despite my playful teasing on the similarities shared between this movie and the likes of Star Wars and the Avengers, this is a VERY good movie, and extremely well executed in many ways. Everything about the movie is good. The casting fits, the pacing was fast but steady. The references, the Easter Eggs, the Soundtrack! So many good things to work from, where do I begin?
Well, as I often do in these reviews, let’s start with our cast, and work from there. And so we first begin with our protagonist (well, the first of several, but he more or less IS the central protagonist) as a young boy on 1988 Earth who is at the hospital…where his mother is currently dying of some unnamed disease…
Alright, now, I see what you’re doing, Movie, and though I can see where this might be going later, I have to say, way to go to opening your crazy space action movie with an emotionally jarring scene. But seriously, it is a terribly tragic scene, and it plays it for what it is, and plays it rather too close to home for anyone who’s ever had the misfortune to have this happen to them. It does have ramifications to our hero’s development but also adds a LOT additional context to later scenes when you look back on it, which will certainly paint those scenes (And your reactions to those scenes at that time) in a whole different light…
So, our young Peter Quill is quickly swooped up from Earth after running, weeping as his mother died before his eyes. Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m supposed to be doing a character analysis but are critiquing the first 10 or so minutes of the movie? Well, this is important because Peter Quills very character is INSTANTLY established right after, as we fast forward to a random, devastated alien world, the ruins of which is to be explored by this ‘mysterious’ figure in a long flowing leather trenchoat and glowing red eyed mask (And I shall note, that mask is inspired by Star Lord’s mask from his recent reappearance back in the early 2000s…though, far more Smuggler themed instead of (in my opinion) cooler Retro-WWI-esque Space Uniform …No no, you read that correctly. That’s what it was, and it was fantastique.
But, given the character in the movie verse, I can see that not working. Anyway, we see a slow build up of Star-Lord as apparently being this visually Han Solo-esque bad ass, while clearly channeling a more Indiana Jones feel as he delves deep into the ruins of what apparently was a vast alien metropolis (Am I saying this is Chris Pratt (Star-Lord/Peter Quill) channeling his inner Harrison Ford…maybe). But before he steps deeper into the cavern, he reaches within his inner pockets to reveal a…Sony Walkman. Slippng off his mask and slipping on the orange puffed earphones, he clicks on the player and suddenly “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone starts playing…and suddenly, the ENTIRE established tone shifts QUICKLY as Star-Lord struts his stuff across the screen, showing off his rocket boot skills here, his lizard alien mic skill there…all while the title “Guardians of the Galaxy” appears overhead
…Not ONLY does this make me smile and point at the screen saying “YOU are going to be FUN!”, but I instantly grow attached to Peter Quill. Because THIS is an everyman character which I can enjoy because frankly, he is the galaxy BIGGEST freaking nerd. He spouts off dozens upon dozens of dated but appropriate references and metaphors throughout the whole movie, and in my opinion, only helps solidify my interest and clear attachment to the character. Because here is a guy, who was going through a VERY horrible loss, and suddenly, he’s swept off to a galaxy we’ve only dreamed of through media sources like tv, comic books, and movies…and he clearly has a hell of a time, indeed Han Solo-ing it up as he sleeps with various alien babes, clearly picked up some amazing fighting moves and impressive space gun-fu. He has no innate powers, just his hard honed skills and sheer charming if again geeky charisma to get him out situations.
Well, MOST situations. For he gets his hands on the movie’s driving mcguffin / deus ex machin a in the making, and suddenly draws ALL sorts of attention, including a variety of baddies (whom we’ll touch on AFTER our heroes), but the first of which would become his crew is Gamora (as played by Zoe Saldana).
*sighs and rubs his eyes*
Oh, Gamora.
Now, I’d like to say there is more to say to this character, but she can be pretty much summed up as alien Black Widow. Now, I’m not saying it’s the exact same characterization, but to be honest, I can’t really say that there ISNT too much similarity between the two. We’ve got two women who’ve had a blood-heavy history of working for people who are NOT nice people, and have killed and tortured possibly a LONG heavily red inked list of people and worlds…but now want out of it, and are trying to atone for the sins of the past. Now, of course that said, Gamora is her own character, and unlike Black Widow, isn’t as well socially graceful (Gamora would make a better assassins, while Black Widow is hands down the much better spy). And so, we see her slowly come out of the shell of the cold faced warrior over time, and it’s done in a reasonable way, and so her character slowly evolves instead of doing a rather whiplash change of heart like other movies have done in the past, and of course, her interactions with Star-Lord (hell, his interactions with other people in general. Oh So much fun…), are certainly helpful in the development of her character, as you can see him influence her (and others) in ways I think help make them better and especially unique. Now, Gamora attempts to take back the object Star-Lord had taken, and nearly succeeds…only to be delayed by two certain figures.
Now, before I partake in a dissection of my favorite duo of the film, I should bring up the factor which brought them here. In this universe, the animated tree-like behemoth of Groot and the mouthy miniature Rocket Raccoon are bounty hunters, and have turned up on Xandar (Again, touch on that later) as to pick up a bounty of Star Lord as placed by Star Lords mentor/partner/leader of a galactic band of space pirates “The Ravagers”, Yondu. Now, I’m well used to comic book movies taking certain characters and trying to re-work them to fit the story or style of the universe they’re building. Now, sometimes, this can send me in a frothing rage because it can royally SCREW both said movieverse as well as the character whom might be beloved to certain people or a WHOLE fandom at that…
…
*Slowly turns to Wolverine : Origins, with picture of “Barakapool”*
…
*eyetwitch, takes a deep breath...*
FFFFFFFFFFFFFU-
*BZZT*
*Test Pattern – We Are Experience Technical Difficulties. We Shall Return In A Moment*
*Returns to the nerd raging wolf, whom seems somewhat calmed down, clothes askew as somewhere, someone is screaming “My Leg…MY LEG!” faintly in the background*
…ON the other hand…sometimes changes can do a character good when the setting is vastly different then what we’re normally accustomed to, and Yondu is an example of this being done right. Now, the Yondu from the comics is in fact, a founding member of the original Guardians of the Galaxy…but, they were founded in the FAR flung future of 3000 A.D. , and despite some similarity in appearance and weapon choice, I can easily theorize the much more heroic (and VASTLY larger mohawked finned) Yondu of the future is a descendant of the much more morally ambiguous (and rather realistically mohawked) Yondu of this film’s time period. Now, it also should be noted that this characters main weapon of choice is a voice controlled arrow of undetermined make, alloy, and power…which is given quite a bit of build up to…before finally paying off in one of the most memorable scenes of the movie…and normally, I do try NOT to do this in movies,but, Yondu is played by Michael Rooker…whom Walking Dead fans may remember as fan favorites Darryl Dixon’s brother Merle. Now, you, like I, or probably now picturing (or secretly hoping) that Yondu of the movieverse might have a brother whose even MORE proficient with a specially made bow and special arrows,…or maybe considering that a visit from the Guardians of the Galaxy (OF THE FUTURE!) might result in a seeing a familiar face amongst its membership…? Am I saying I want to see Darryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) as an alien archer who’d put Hawkeye to shame?
…
*Throws money at the screen* Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!
*ahem*
Anyway, so Yondu’s bounty catches the attention of our two oddball bounty hunters, and just by this intial introduction, the fact that Marvel Comics, whom has had such a time bringing to us many familiar bigger name characters over the last decade to the silver screen, while other companies, DC Comics included, have struggled to capture and recreate the success, looked at their schedule and said
“You know what? Maybe our audience is ready for a talking raccoon and his giant tree monster partner. Green light this!”
Because… it IS glorious. These two have the right chemistry as come to be expected of the pair since their re-introduction to the Marvel Universe back in the early 2000s (in fact, the whole of this entire film franchise in the making can be thanked to the MASSIVE sleeper hit success of Marvel’s OTHER big event of the early 2000s. While Earth’s super heroes were acting WAY out of character and beating the crap out of each other during “Civil War”, deep in the outer reaches of space, a FAR worse threat was coming through, covered in a series simply called “Annhilation”. It brought a massive breath of fresh air to long since stagnant and dormant alien characters and helped rework and improve them to a new audience, and MUCH of the characterization found in the movie, can be found there. Groot, Rocket, Star-Lord, Ronan, Thanos, ALL of these characters were given a much needed update and this is thanks to many MANY creative minds, including Dan Abnet ( whom Warhammer 40K fans would recognize for his many novels ) and Andy Lanning (a recurring partner of Abnets, whose worked with him during fantastic runs on DC’s Legion of Super Heroes and Wildstorm’s The Authority), whom participated in certain developments of this film, as it clearly shows in the characters, especially that of Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket Raccoon (Bradly Cooper).
Now, these two are quite the odd but very capable couple of bounty hunters, as Rocket is the brains and Groot is the brawn…but are not just held to such cliché expectations and proceed to break out in their own ways. Rocket for all his ‘big’ talk and bigger guns, is actually quite intelligent if sharp wittedly snarky (sounding very familiar to another Marvel movie character I do so thoroughly enjoy *glances to last year’s film review*) as he quickly and deftly cobbles together weapons and devices needed…while also getting a big laugh as his quirky sense of plot and inventive mind tends to put his comrades in compromising or hilariously embarrassing situations. Then again, there’s also a heart beneath that fuzzy exterior, and the hints to a horrific origin story make you sympathize with him, especially during one scene where, after imbibing plenty of Blue Space Liquor ™, he breaks down as he shows how much it tears him up inside when all his ‘life’ he’s been considered nothing more as vermin or an animal, despite the fact he is VERY clearly a sentient being, only because he happens to look like certain creatures on everyone’s home world (yes, apparently, raccoons exist on other worlds…then again, a surprising number of alien races look an awful lot like humans, you notice that?), add to that a huge case of self-loathing as well given he was MADE this way, and since there is one scene revealing what lies beneath that small jumpsuit, the implicated surgeries and torture is simply…monstrous . That said, he is a character which Marvel took a big gamble on to adapt to the big screen, and I am quite honest in saying I believe it’s going to pay off big time.
Now, the other half of this duo, Groot, does serve more or less as the Bruce Banner (okay, Hulk) to Rocket’s Tony Stark (And I will go on record and saying I want more Science Bros. Cause Banner and Stark…damn it that’s just good fun to watch), and that’s not a bad comparison to make. Like Rocket’s own deep seated pain at being thought of nothing more than a rodent which is capable of speech, Rocket is protective of Groot whom many folks react in disgust or horror at because he is so much different. And like The Hulk, Groot is very much a very emotional being, and somehow, that makes a HELL of a lot of sense of a plant-like being emotionally driven as well as empathic. Now, of course, like Hulk, he is fairly limited in his vocabulary “I Am Groot”, and only Rocket (who we can only guess how long they’d been together for him to pull this off) can understand/translate what Groot seems to be trying to say, but the way the character emotes (quite effectively, as the CGI is quite excellently done in this film) visually as he shows off a vast array of capabilities which is not only canon to the character but helps bring across how effective a creature of wood and Earth would actually be in a setting which is mainly space and machines, not to mention going back to the emotionally driven aspect, as he’s that balance of child-like innocence, a father-like need to protect, and in a few occasions, even grand-fatherly wise. Now, Vin Diesel, whose already well known as the Iron Giant, a character VERY similar in style and characterization as Groot, and well, it makes a hell of a lot of sense to have him play Groot, and it REALLY works. Cause for every moment I laughed at Rocket’s antics, I smiled and shook my head at Groot, thinking “Oh you loveable big lug. Don’t you EVER change!”. I just LOVE Rocket and Groot whenever they’re together. They’re a team which works…JUST like the Science Bros. (Seriously Marvel. More Science Bros. Chop chop.).
Now, briefly back to the story, as all of this plays out: The charismatic smuggler, the green-skinned assassin, and the oddball bounty hunters, all at odds to either take the plot device OR take in Star-Lord, all four are eventually captured by the Nova Corps. Who’re the Nova Corps, you’re probably asking. Well, in the comic books, they are more or less Marvel’s Answer to the Green Lantern Corps. No seriously, this is true. A universe wide force of super powered ‘space cops’ who access a power source called the “Nova Force” and uses these powers to patrol their sectors of the universe. Now, in the movie, they kept the Space Cop angle, but dropped the whole super powered police force idea, instead keeping the uniforms and looks, but otherwise being just a far advanced technology wise, galaxy spanning force (The Nova Force is still there, but used in a very different but clever way). Of note, they had quite an interesting bit of casting here, with Glenn Close playing a small role as Nova Prime, as well as John C. Reily as Rhomann Dey, a Nova Corps Officer whose run in with Star Lord several times before, and actually has a number of genuinely funny and warm-hearted scenes. I bring that up cause in comic canon, Rhomann Dey, much like Abin Sur, would bequeath his Nova based powers onto a brave young human (Richard Rider) as his last act before dying of his wounds…now, the fact Rhomann Dey exists, but not in the same way in the comics, is there perchance we might see a different take on an Earth Based “Nova”? Maybe. All I can say is, what is given to us, does hint to possible future things, especially if you’ve read Nova comics. Anyway, coming back from another random bit of thought, our four ‘heroes’ are sent to the Kyln, a maximum security space station of a prison and soon, pick its fifth and final member of its crew, Drax the Destroyer (as played Dave Bautista).
Now I know what you’re thinking. A big hulking rage-monster with green-like skin. Gee, I wonder who he’s supposed to be. Well, if this was the Drax the Destroyer of Pre 2000, I would agree with you. Drax for a GOOD long time was more or less a simple minded “Space” Hulk. However, again, thanks to the recreation-update of Marvel’s “space franchises”, Drax was given a LARGE reworking, downgrading some of his innate powers, and making him more…well, a space berserker. A blood thirsty Viking warrior out for vengeance and retribution which only pressing the knife to your enemy’s throat to feel their rapid pulse can only sate. So, he’s not Space Hulk. He’s Space Thor (well, technically by this universe’s logic, Thor IS an alien…but this is beside the point). Okay, okay, that’s bit of an unfair comparison. But I couldn’t help but think how much each member of the Guardians are analogs to the Avengers…BUT in a good way. It doesn’t mean they’re now recycling the same plot. No, it in fact helps us identify with (to the general audience, as opposed to the comic book readying majority…which are in fact, a minority) virtually unknown characters, helping it make it easier to get engaged with them, so they can be better developed and made into their very own characters, separate from the archetypes or analogs they represent. Drax is, like Groot, an extremely emotional figure, but unlike Groot, he’s of the OTHER end of the emotional spectrum. Rage, Fury, and Anger. He’s the fire which burns brightly and always ready to leap into a fight, and hardly ever thinks ahead OR ever changes whatever he’s set his mind on. And like Thor, he does need to learn that kind of action and lack of forethought doesn’t always work. And he does. OH lord does he. Now, I’m going to begin to drift away from the plot, coming back only in pieces because, I don’t want to spoil the film, because, it NEEDS to be seen, as stated before. So, let’s drift from the prison and the eventual but fantastic prison break that’d follow to look to the OTHER half of the cast…the villains.
Now, since my last review, there have been several other Marvel Studios films released, and as I had hoped, I loved BOTH Thor : The Dark World (Which was a very strong sequel to Thor, and had such a great sense of humor to it) and Captain America : The Winter Soldier (which was a fantastic spy-thriller set against the Marvel Movieverse backdrop, and was just as heart-wrenching at times just as Thor : The Dark World had been funny…ESPECIALLY when you have Fridge Horror moments after seeing the movie, when you realize…I’m drifting again *ahem* ), as they continued to meet the level of quality I’d hope would continue from the Marvel camp, their villains in particular have been very well done, even from the stand point of the television series “Agents of SHIELD” (started slow, admittedly, but by the second half of the season, It REALLY amped up its game big time). And though there weren’t AS many villains as there were in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (trust me on this. They knew a way to fit in a LOT of baddies…and not have it feel overcrowded), Guardians of the Galaxy had quite a few worth mentioning, especially given a certain BIGGER bad from an earlier film had finally given a bit more face time then previously…
That’s right, Death’s ever pursuing lover/stalker, Thanos, returned with not only a greater stage prescience, but also a full body appearance AND actually talks this time, instead of that smug as hell smile he shared to the audience waaaaay back at the teaser at the end of The Avengers, and this time, he has been casted and portrayed by none other than Josh Brolin…and it really FEELS quite epic and imposing when you have the biggest bad the movieverse has dealt with so far even if his moments are few and far between, but it establishes Thanos as the big baddie who’ll one day wreak havoc upon the universe (possibly thanks to the Infinity Stones ala Infinity Gauntlet…but, I’ve been wrong before…). And although his heavy shadow befalls a lot of the back-story and background, he’s not the ‘direct’ threat in this movie. No, that would go to Ronan the Accuser. With a name like that, he MUST be a people person, huh?
Ronan the Accuser (played by Lee Pace) , The SUPREME Accuser of the Kree Empire, he-…what’s that? Oh right, that’s the comic book version. Ronan the Accuser in THIS movie is different…but yet he’s not. See, the planet Xandar (home world of the Nova Corps) and Hala (home world of the Kree Empire) have a recently reached a peace treaty, thereby ending a centuries old war that had been waged between the Kree Empire, and those worlds under the protection of the Nova Corps. However, Ronan the Accuser, a man devoted to not only his position but the very lineage of his family and the ancient rites of those called “Accusers”, would have nothing of it, and breaks away from the Kree Hierarchy to seek total and utter annihilation of the Xandar way of life. That’s where the difference between Movie Ronan and Comic Ronan splits. After that, it’s pretty accurate to the comic canon. Duty bound to the point of sheer religious fervor and fanaticism, Ronan will pursue all who have broken the law ‘in his eyes’ and judge them accordingly…insert your Judge Dredd joke here. Speaking of pursuing, he’s accompanied by fellow Kree Radical, Korath the Pursuer (played by Djimon Hounsou) . If we were to compare the Kree system of justice (*snerk* Right, totally a ‘perfect’ system of law and order, that), to ours (Okay, little close to home, as not perfect either), The Accuser is to Judge as the Pursuer is to the Police Officer. So… in other words…
*Dramatic narration, as slow pull back revealing the title: “LAW & ORDER: KREE EMPIRE” *
‘In the Kree-minal Justice System, The Kree are represented by two different yet equally important groups: The Pursuers who hunt down criminals, and the Accusers who prosecute the offenders…with extreme prejudice. These Are Their Stories.’
*DUN DUN DUN*
But our villain platter is not quite finished yet, as we have our third and final member of the trinity of terror: Nebula. Played by Karen…Gilian…?
…
Oh Emma Pond, what have they done to you?
Alright, alright, nerdy humor behind us (for the moment), She plays a pretty engaging villainess here, playing up the “Sisters of Thanos” angle as Gamora was originally one of Thanos’s recruited assassins (Recruited translating, murdering her family, her entire planet, and then proceeds to endure Zod knows HOW much tortuous hours of gene and surgical manipulation to create the perfect assassin), as Nebula feels that Gamora was a traitor and will never forgive. Oh, not a traitor to Thanos’s cause, no not at all, because (*ahem* SPOILER ALERT. Seriously, I did tell you this before, right?) Ronan, once he got his hands on the plot device (which I’ll touch on very soon), pulls a double cross and plans on destroying Thanos with the very weapon HE wants after he uses it on Xandar himself, and Nebula ends up siding right with him. Her reasoning if she is what Gamora might’ve ended up as…far less an organic being and more like a mechanical machine, as despite her partial cybernetic appearance would belay, there are plenty of times during the movie which shows that beneath the blue fleshed skin, Nebula might hardly account as being a living breathing person again, and more machine then hu- er alien. No, the fact she considers Gamora is because she left her behind, leaving her to do work for Thanos, and out of all her sisters (dead, I should add), she had hated Gamora the least…well, at least until the betrayal!
Now, out of all three villains (and I guess I can label Yondu as an anti-villian, and Thanos as a villainous force in the shadows), there is one other maybe-kinda antagonist in the film who, like Thanos, was introduced in an earlier film: The Collector (Bencio Del Torro). What can I say about this character? Oh, such potential, for starters. I mean, his whole scene is…well, actually overshadowed by his Collection. No serious, the Collector’s Collection is more interesting then the Collector himself. Sure, The Collector is a fun, overtly hammy dramatic character…but when you begin to take notice of all of his exhibits: A Dark Elf from Thor: The Dark World here, a Chitauri Warrior in another, and…
Wait. Back Up.
Is that…?
No.
NO ****ING WAY
COSMO!
ITS COSMO THE SPACE DOG!
…
*notices the general audience’s lack of reaction and blank stares*
Ahem. For those who’ve read the Annihilation mini-series, and its following sequels and spin-off books who would know who this character is and what he can do, they would be losing their collective shit right about here. So, that said
*Commence Squeeing*
‘EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE’
*Squeeing Terminated*
*ahem*
Continuing on…
The Collector, a character whom would have A PRETTY BIG connection to the plot device of the movie, which indeed turns out to be an Infinity Stone, an object of power which has five other similar stones, two of which had turned out to be the sources of power to previous plot devices, such as the Tesseract and The Aether. So that brings the total of three Infinity Stones in canon, and three more to be discovered…once all six are revealed, will Thanos finally rise as the true threat to the universe? Mayhaps. Till then though, we still look to the Collector whose name derives from the fact (in the comics anyway) is he is one of the Elders of the Universe, a group of immortals who are so old and ancient, it theorized that they were once members of the first races which populated the universe after its creation, and are the last known survivors of said races, each using their vast life spans fanatically devoted to one aspect or another (yes, seriously. The Collector collects things, The Grandmaster plays games, the Gardner gardens…have I mentioned comic books are weird?).
In fact, I’d like to think that the Collector (or let’s call him what he is in this movie: Mister Exposition) still IS an Elder of the Universe seeing how he mentions a group of people once tried to harness the power of the Infinity Stones (which the Elders did, each possessing one stone each… there weren’t too man Elders of the Universe when they were introduced…) because that would explain how he would survive THE UTTER DESTRUCTION OF HIS COLLECTION HOUSE via Infinity Stone Detonation practically unscathed. Then again, I could be wrong…then ag- OH MY ZOD, IS THAT A CELESTIAL? THAT’S A ****ING CELESTIAL IN THAT FLASHBACK. Celestials are canon in this- oh Zod, but Galactus isn’t. The Fridge Horror just dawned on me. Without Galactus to help 'control’ the production of Celestials (Celestials are born by placing Celestial Embryos (think Star Child from 2001) into the core of planets, germinating the native dominant species with capable genetics to produce powers which could be used to protect the planet, thereby creating ‘anti-bodies’ which would help preserve the Celestial Egg within, until the Celestial within is born, breaking through like an egg…destroying all in the process), the Celestial would run rampant and…and…
…My Zod, I read way too many comics *shakes his head*
Anyway, in short, The Collector as a character? Not so great. The Collector’s Collection? OMZSQUEE. And on that particular note, although I’m sure you’ll do this any way because it IS a Marvel Studios film, STAY AFTER THE CREDITS. That’s all I’m going to tell you on THAT. Just do it. Do It Naow.
Well, I think that covers all the characters…and it only took me about nine pages of writing to do that…Hmmm. Well, since the majority of the movie is touched on bits and pieces of my random ramblings on characters, and I am trying my best to not spoil EVERYTHING there is to experience with this movie, cause as much as there are spoilers here, I’m trying to save as MUCH of the best and brightest of the movie for the experience of viewers. That, and I seem to heavily focus on characterizations with peppering of plot points in my reviews, you notice that? Well, seeing how the CHARACTERS are the most important seeing how you’re adapting long since established characters (and yes, these characters, though the most recent incarnations are what is being drawn from, are LONG time established characters. In fact, Groot himself is older than most of established heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe, with exception to Golden Age characters like Captain America. So, chew on that food for thought. Then again, Groot was also a bit more…verbose in earlier incarnations. NEVERTHELESS!).
Anyway, The story is very good. It has a plenty of humor,but is also balanced by surprisingly tragic and dark moments interspersed through the film. For example, remember those mix-tapes shown during the trailers? The ones which we all laughed as Star-Lord is tasered by a prison guard as he tries to get it back shouting out “That song belongs to me!” in ‘hilarious’ rage? Remember that? Those were made by his mother. His DEAD mother. The last single memory he had of Earth before being swept up into space. Congratulations, you just laughed at a man’s painful misery at the possible loss of the last thing left to him by someone he’d loved and lost…You Monster. Add to it the tragic hints of all the Guardians back stories, and you’ll realize they’re not misfits by choice, often they’re left that way because of what they’d had to survive. Its little things like that which are quite welcomed…also…the origin of Peter Quill choosing Star Lord as a name? I admit. Right in feels, as it came at the same time as ‘something’ else…but you’ll HAVE TO SEE THE MOVIE FOR THAT.
The Soundtrack is a mix of classic hits and well-orchestrated work which all comes together, heightening the physical beauty of all the sets and imagery conjured by those magical CGI artists (Now, those who know me, know I support practical effects to the death, but when you’re trying to craft an ENTIRE GALAXY out of nothing but painted images and peoples’ imagination? As much as it pains me to say, Practical Effects are not going to cut it on this one, and CGI clearly does the job when needed, as the cities, the PLANETS, all of it is beautifully rendered and quite a sight behold.), and by the way. THIS is a movie that DOES take advantage of the 3D quite effectively…but you’ll be so engrossed by the movie, you might not even care, so why worry which show you see?
So, that is my take on Guardians of the Galaxy. In the final analysis, is it a good movie? HELLS TO THE YES! Is a great summer movie to end the summer on? YES! (Well, practically, I mean, what else comes out in Augu- *looks at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Expendables 3, and Sin City: A Dame To Kill For* Oooooh… oh dear >.> ). Is it a good movie to help you gush over while waiting for the next movie in…May 2015…
…
I MUST DISCOVER A WAY TO TRAVEL THROUGH TIME.
TO THE LAB-OHR-RAH-TOHR-EE!
*Rushes off…leaving the camera on…only to sheepishly come back, adjusts clothes and clears throat*
Thank you for your time reading another one of my crazy ranting reviews and I do hope it has help you in your interest in the franchise as well as the film itself…if you had just read this before SEEING THE MOVIE…
*PIMP BACKHANDS THE CAMERA AGAIN*
What did we learn?
GO. SEE. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. NAOW!!! GO NAOW!
This is Odin Ashcroft signing off for now…but I’ll see you…IN THE FUTURE!
*Rushes off to the laboratory once more…and just as the camera feed cuts off, a familiar whirring noise is heard not too far off screen…seems like he left the parking brake on…again…*
*Sudden blast of orchestral music as STAR WA-*
*RECORD SCRAAAAAAATCH*
Hold on, hold on no no!
*The familiar face of wolf in fedora and trench coat walks in front of screen*
I apologize…it would appear the crew (of one) has gotten things confused when I explained where I would be reviewing a movie about a rag-tag group of rebellious misfits, which included a smuggler, his big alien co-pilot, and a warrior trained in the use of archaic weaponry, against an army of interstellar proportions, lead by a fanatical big bad who not only garbs himself in black armor and uses a great powerful melee weapon, but who is in possession of a powerful weapon of great destruction, as they are about to destroy an entire planet, all in the service of an even BIGGER bad, whom plots in the shadows…
…I honestly don’t know how they got that confused with Star Wars...
No, I am planning on reviewing a recently released movie produced by MARVEL, the OTHER big named company owned by Disney, an excellent movie which follows the adventures of a heroic man from the past (who occasionally works with a master archer of sorts) whom teams up with a deadly female assassin, a hulking monster with extreme emotional issues, a wisecracking and extremely snarky master machine/weapon smith, and a powerful warrior from a culture where honor and strength are held high (while social cues and metaphors are not exactly well known), against a massive cosmic army which is threatening to destroy an entire world, while being lead by a big bad whom the powerful warrior has a longstanding grudge/history with, who wields a mighty weapon which could bring the entire world to his knees, but is under the control of an even larger threat which looms waiting in the shadows…
*during this explanation, the thunderous swelling orchestral of the Avengers theme rises, as does the poster behind the wolf…whom suddenly frowns and turns…and face palms*
…
This Is the Guardians Of The Galaxy.
And Fair Warning: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Oh Yes. There WILL be Spoilers. If you haven’t seen Guardians of the Galaxy yet…
*pulls camera in and gives it once cross the cheek like a pimp*
NOW GO SEE IT.
As for those who’ve seen it…do continue on…
…
What? You saw a movie. You expecting a cookie?
ANYWAY, again SPOILERS FOLLOW FROM HERE ON IN…
Despite my playful teasing on the similarities shared between this movie and the likes of Star Wars and the Avengers, this is a VERY good movie, and extremely well executed in many ways. Everything about the movie is good. The casting fits, the pacing was fast but steady. The references, the Easter Eggs, the Soundtrack! So many good things to work from, where do I begin?
Well, as I often do in these reviews, let’s start with our cast, and work from there. And so we first begin with our protagonist (well, the first of several, but he more or less IS the central protagonist) as a young boy on 1988 Earth who is at the hospital…where his mother is currently dying of some unnamed disease…
Alright, now, I see what you’re doing, Movie, and though I can see where this might be going later, I have to say, way to go to opening your crazy space action movie with an emotionally jarring scene. But seriously, it is a terribly tragic scene, and it plays it for what it is, and plays it rather too close to home for anyone who’s ever had the misfortune to have this happen to them. It does have ramifications to our hero’s development but also adds a LOT additional context to later scenes when you look back on it, which will certainly paint those scenes (And your reactions to those scenes at that time) in a whole different light…
So, our young Peter Quill is quickly swooped up from Earth after running, weeping as his mother died before his eyes. Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m supposed to be doing a character analysis but are critiquing the first 10 or so minutes of the movie? Well, this is important because Peter Quills very character is INSTANTLY established right after, as we fast forward to a random, devastated alien world, the ruins of which is to be explored by this ‘mysterious’ figure in a long flowing leather trenchoat and glowing red eyed mask (And I shall note, that mask is inspired by Star Lord’s mask from his recent reappearance back in the early 2000s…though, far more Smuggler themed instead of (in my opinion) cooler Retro-WWI-esque Space Uniform …No no, you read that correctly. That’s what it was, and it was fantastique.
But, given the character in the movie verse, I can see that not working. Anyway, we see a slow build up of Star-Lord as apparently being this visually Han Solo-esque bad ass, while clearly channeling a more Indiana Jones feel as he delves deep into the ruins of what apparently was a vast alien metropolis (Am I saying this is Chris Pratt (Star-Lord/Peter Quill) channeling his inner Harrison Ford…maybe). But before he steps deeper into the cavern, he reaches within his inner pockets to reveal a…Sony Walkman. Slippng off his mask and slipping on the orange puffed earphones, he clicks on the player and suddenly “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone starts playing…and suddenly, the ENTIRE established tone shifts QUICKLY as Star-Lord struts his stuff across the screen, showing off his rocket boot skills here, his lizard alien mic skill there…all while the title “Guardians of the Galaxy” appears overhead
…Not ONLY does this make me smile and point at the screen saying “YOU are going to be FUN!”, but I instantly grow attached to Peter Quill. Because THIS is an everyman character which I can enjoy because frankly, he is the galaxy BIGGEST freaking nerd. He spouts off dozens upon dozens of dated but appropriate references and metaphors throughout the whole movie, and in my opinion, only helps solidify my interest and clear attachment to the character. Because here is a guy, who was going through a VERY horrible loss, and suddenly, he’s swept off to a galaxy we’ve only dreamed of through media sources like tv, comic books, and movies…and he clearly has a hell of a time, indeed Han Solo-ing it up as he sleeps with various alien babes, clearly picked up some amazing fighting moves and impressive space gun-fu. He has no innate powers, just his hard honed skills and sheer charming if again geeky charisma to get him out situations.
Well, MOST situations. For he gets his hands on the movie’s driving mcguffin / deus ex machin a in the making, and suddenly draws ALL sorts of attention, including a variety of baddies (whom we’ll touch on AFTER our heroes), but the first of which would become his crew is Gamora (as played by Zoe Saldana).
*sighs and rubs his eyes*
Oh, Gamora.
Now, I’d like to say there is more to say to this character, but she can be pretty much summed up as alien Black Widow. Now, I’m not saying it’s the exact same characterization, but to be honest, I can’t really say that there ISNT too much similarity between the two. We’ve got two women who’ve had a blood-heavy history of working for people who are NOT nice people, and have killed and tortured possibly a LONG heavily red inked list of people and worlds…but now want out of it, and are trying to atone for the sins of the past. Now, of course that said, Gamora is her own character, and unlike Black Widow, isn’t as well socially graceful (Gamora would make a better assassins, while Black Widow is hands down the much better spy). And so, we see her slowly come out of the shell of the cold faced warrior over time, and it’s done in a reasonable way, and so her character slowly evolves instead of doing a rather whiplash change of heart like other movies have done in the past, and of course, her interactions with Star-Lord (hell, his interactions with other people in general. Oh So much fun…), are certainly helpful in the development of her character, as you can see him influence her (and others) in ways I think help make them better and especially unique. Now, Gamora attempts to take back the object Star-Lord had taken, and nearly succeeds…only to be delayed by two certain figures.
Now, before I partake in a dissection of my favorite duo of the film, I should bring up the factor which brought them here. In this universe, the animated tree-like behemoth of Groot and the mouthy miniature Rocket Raccoon are bounty hunters, and have turned up on Xandar (Again, touch on that later) as to pick up a bounty of Star Lord as placed by Star Lords mentor/partner/leader of a galactic band of space pirates “The Ravagers”, Yondu. Now, I’m well used to comic book movies taking certain characters and trying to re-work them to fit the story or style of the universe they’re building. Now, sometimes, this can send me in a frothing rage because it can royally SCREW both said movieverse as well as the character whom might be beloved to certain people or a WHOLE fandom at that…
…
*Slowly turns to Wolverine : Origins, with picture of “Barakapool”*
…
*eyetwitch, takes a deep breath...*
FFFFFFFFFFFFFU-
*BZZT*
*Test Pattern – We Are Experience Technical Difficulties. We Shall Return In A Moment*
*Returns to the nerd raging wolf, whom seems somewhat calmed down, clothes askew as somewhere, someone is screaming “My Leg…MY LEG!” faintly in the background*
…ON the other hand…sometimes changes can do a character good when the setting is vastly different then what we’re normally accustomed to, and Yondu is an example of this being done right. Now, the Yondu from the comics is in fact, a founding member of the original Guardians of the Galaxy…but, they were founded in the FAR flung future of 3000 A.D. , and despite some similarity in appearance and weapon choice, I can easily theorize the much more heroic (and VASTLY larger mohawked finned) Yondu of the future is a descendant of the much more morally ambiguous (and rather realistically mohawked) Yondu of this film’s time period. Now, it also should be noted that this characters main weapon of choice is a voice controlled arrow of undetermined make, alloy, and power…which is given quite a bit of build up to…before finally paying off in one of the most memorable scenes of the movie…and normally, I do try NOT to do this in movies,but, Yondu is played by Michael Rooker…whom Walking Dead fans may remember as fan favorites Darryl Dixon’s brother Merle. Now, you, like I, or probably now picturing (or secretly hoping) that Yondu of the movieverse might have a brother whose even MORE proficient with a specially made bow and special arrows,…or maybe considering that a visit from the Guardians of the Galaxy (OF THE FUTURE!) might result in a seeing a familiar face amongst its membership…? Am I saying I want to see Darryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) as an alien archer who’d put Hawkeye to shame?
…
*Throws money at the screen* Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!
*ahem*
Anyway, so Yondu’s bounty catches the attention of our two oddball bounty hunters, and just by this intial introduction, the fact that Marvel Comics, whom has had such a time bringing to us many familiar bigger name characters over the last decade to the silver screen, while other companies, DC Comics included, have struggled to capture and recreate the success, looked at their schedule and said
“You know what? Maybe our audience is ready for a talking raccoon and his giant tree monster partner. Green light this!”
Because… it IS glorious. These two have the right chemistry as come to be expected of the pair since their re-introduction to the Marvel Universe back in the early 2000s (in fact, the whole of this entire film franchise in the making can be thanked to the MASSIVE sleeper hit success of Marvel’s OTHER big event of the early 2000s. While Earth’s super heroes were acting WAY out of character and beating the crap out of each other during “Civil War”, deep in the outer reaches of space, a FAR worse threat was coming through, covered in a series simply called “Annhilation”. It brought a massive breath of fresh air to long since stagnant and dormant alien characters and helped rework and improve them to a new audience, and MUCH of the characterization found in the movie, can be found there. Groot, Rocket, Star-Lord, Ronan, Thanos, ALL of these characters were given a much needed update and this is thanks to many MANY creative minds, including Dan Abnet ( whom Warhammer 40K fans would recognize for his many novels ) and Andy Lanning (a recurring partner of Abnets, whose worked with him during fantastic runs on DC’s Legion of Super Heroes and Wildstorm’s The Authority), whom participated in certain developments of this film, as it clearly shows in the characters, especially that of Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket Raccoon (Bradly Cooper).
Now, these two are quite the odd but very capable couple of bounty hunters, as Rocket is the brains and Groot is the brawn…but are not just held to such cliché expectations and proceed to break out in their own ways. Rocket for all his ‘big’ talk and bigger guns, is actually quite intelligent if sharp wittedly snarky (sounding very familiar to another Marvel movie character I do so thoroughly enjoy *glances to last year’s film review*) as he quickly and deftly cobbles together weapons and devices needed…while also getting a big laugh as his quirky sense of plot and inventive mind tends to put his comrades in compromising or hilariously embarrassing situations. Then again, there’s also a heart beneath that fuzzy exterior, and the hints to a horrific origin story make you sympathize with him, especially during one scene where, after imbibing plenty of Blue Space Liquor ™, he breaks down as he shows how much it tears him up inside when all his ‘life’ he’s been considered nothing more as vermin or an animal, despite the fact he is VERY clearly a sentient being, only because he happens to look like certain creatures on everyone’s home world (yes, apparently, raccoons exist on other worlds…then again, a surprising number of alien races look an awful lot like humans, you notice that?), add to that a huge case of self-loathing as well given he was MADE this way, and since there is one scene revealing what lies beneath that small jumpsuit, the implicated surgeries and torture is simply…monstrous . That said, he is a character which Marvel took a big gamble on to adapt to the big screen, and I am quite honest in saying I believe it’s going to pay off big time.
Now, the other half of this duo, Groot, does serve more or less as the Bruce Banner (okay, Hulk) to Rocket’s Tony Stark (And I will go on record and saying I want more Science Bros. Cause Banner and Stark…damn it that’s just good fun to watch), and that’s not a bad comparison to make. Like Rocket’s own deep seated pain at being thought of nothing more than a rodent which is capable of speech, Rocket is protective of Groot whom many folks react in disgust or horror at because he is so much different. And like The Hulk, Groot is very much a very emotional being, and somehow, that makes a HELL of a lot of sense of a plant-like being emotionally driven as well as empathic. Now, of course, like Hulk, he is fairly limited in his vocabulary “I Am Groot”, and only Rocket (who we can only guess how long they’d been together for him to pull this off) can understand/translate what Groot seems to be trying to say, but the way the character emotes (quite effectively, as the CGI is quite excellently done in this film) visually as he shows off a vast array of capabilities which is not only canon to the character but helps bring across how effective a creature of wood and Earth would actually be in a setting which is mainly space and machines, not to mention going back to the emotionally driven aspect, as he’s that balance of child-like innocence, a father-like need to protect, and in a few occasions, even grand-fatherly wise. Now, Vin Diesel, whose already well known as the Iron Giant, a character VERY similar in style and characterization as Groot, and well, it makes a hell of a lot of sense to have him play Groot, and it REALLY works. Cause for every moment I laughed at Rocket’s antics, I smiled and shook my head at Groot, thinking “Oh you loveable big lug. Don’t you EVER change!”. I just LOVE Rocket and Groot whenever they’re together. They’re a team which works…JUST like the Science Bros. (Seriously Marvel. More Science Bros. Chop chop.).
Now, briefly back to the story, as all of this plays out: The charismatic smuggler, the green-skinned assassin, and the oddball bounty hunters, all at odds to either take the plot device OR take in Star-Lord, all four are eventually captured by the Nova Corps. Who’re the Nova Corps, you’re probably asking. Well, in the comic books, they are more or less Marvel’s Answer to the Green Lantern Corps. No seriously, this is true. A universe wide force of super powered ‘space cops’ who access a power source called the “Nova Force” and uses these powers to patrol their sectors of the universe. Now, in the movie, they kept the Space Cop angle, but dropped the whole super powered police force idea, instead keeping the uniforms and looks, but otherwise being just a far advanced technology wise, galaxy spanning force (The Nova Force is still there, but used in a very different but clever way). Of note, they had quite an interesting bit of casting here, with Glenn Close playing a small role as Nova Prime, as well as John C. Reily as Rhomann Dey, a Nova Corps Officer whose run in with Star Lord several times before, and actually has a number of genuinely funny and warm-hearted scenes. I bring that up cause in comic canon, Rhomann Dey, much like Abin Sur, would bequeath his Nova based powers onto a brave young human (Richard Rider) as his last act before dying of his wounds…now, the fact Rhomann Dey exists, but not in the same way in the comics, is there perchance we might see a different take on an Earth Based “Nova”? Maybe. All I can say is, what is given to us, does hint to possible future things, especially if you’ve read Nova comics. Anyway, coming back from another random bit of thought, our four ‘heroes’ are sent to the Kyln, a maximum security space station of a prison and soon, pick its fifth and final member of its crew, Drax the Destroyer (as played Dave Bautista).
Now I know what you’re thinking. A big hulking rage-monster with green-like skin. Gee, I wonder who he’s supposed to be. Well, if this was the Drax the Destroyer of Pre 2000, I would agree with you. Drax for a GOOD long time was more or less a simple minded “Space” Hulk. However, again, thanks to the recreation-update of Marvel’s “space franchises”, Drax was given a LARGE reworking, downgrading some of his innate powers, and making him more…well, a space berserker. A blood thirsty Viking warrior out for vengeance and retribution which only pressing the knife to your enemy’s throat to feel their rapid pulse can only sate. So, he’s not Space Hulk. He’s Space Thor (well, technically by this universe’s logic, Thor IS an alien…but this is beside the point). Okay, okay, that’s bit of an unfair comparison. But I couldn’t help but think how much each member of the Guardians are analogs to the Avengers…BUT in a good way. It doesn’t mean they’re now recycling the same plot. No, it in fact helps us identify with (to the general audience, as opposed to the comic book readying majority…which are in fact, a minority) virtually unknown characters, helping it make it easier to get engaged with them, so they can be better developed and made into their very own characters, separate from the archetypes or analogs they represent. Drax is, like Groot, an extremely emotional figure, but unlike Groot, he’s of the OTHER end of the emotional spectrum. Rage, Fury, and Anger. He’s the fire which burns brightly and always ready to leap into a fight, and hardly ever thinks ahead OR ever changes whatever he’s set his mind on. And like Thor, he does need to learn that kind of action and lack of forethought doesn’t always work. And he does. OH lord does he. Now, I’m going to begin to drift away from the plot, coming back only in pieces because, I don’t want to spoil the film, because, it NEEDS to be seen, as stated before. So, let’s drift from the prison and the eventual but fantastic prison break that’d follow to look to the OTHER half of the cast…the villains.
Now, since my last review, there have been several other Marvel Studios films released, and as I had hoped, I loved BOTH Thor : The Dark World (Which was a very strong sequel to Thor, and had such a great sense of humor to it) and Captain America : The Winter Soldier (which was a fantastic spy-thriller set against the Marvel Movieverse backdrop, and was just as heart-wrenching at times just as Thor : The Dark World had been funny…ESPECIALLY when you have Fridge Horror moments after seeing the movie, when you realize…I’m drifting again *ahem* ), as they continued to meet the level of quality I’d hope would continue from the Marvel camp, their villains in particular have been very well done, even from the stand point of the television series “Agents of SHIELD” (started slow, admittedly, but by the second half of the season, It REALLY amped up its game big time). And though there weren’t AS many villains as there were in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (trust me on this. They knew a way to fit in a LOT of baddies…and not have it feel overcrowded), Guardians of the Galaxy had quite a few worth mentioning, especially given a certain BIGGER bad from an earlier film had finally given a bit more face time then previously…
That’s right, Death’s ever pursuing lover/stalker, Thanos, returned with not only a greater stage prescience, but also a full body appearance AND actually talks this time, instead of that smug as hell smile he shared to the audience waaaaay back at the teaser at the end of The Avengers, and this time, he has been casted and portrayed by none other than Josh Brolin…and it really FEELS quite epic and imposing when you have the biggest bad the movieverse has dealt with so far even if his moments are few and far between, but it establishes Thanos as the big baddie who’ll one day wreak havoc upon the universe (possibly thanks to the Infinity Stones ala Infinity Gauntlet…but, I’ve been wrong before…). And although his heavy shadow befalls a lot of the back-story and background, he’s not the ‘direct’ threat in this movie. No, that would go to Ronan the Accuser. With a name like that, he MUST be a people person, huh?
Ronan the Accuser (played by Lee Pace) , The SUPREME Accuser of the Kree Empire, he-…what’s that? Oh right, that’s the comic book version. Ronan the Accuser in THIS movie is different…but yet he’s not. See, the planet Xandar (home world of the Nova Corps) and Hala (home world of the Kree Empire) have a recently reached a peace treaty, thereby ending a centuries old war that had been waged between the Kree Empire, and those worlds under the protection of the Nova Corps. However, Ronan the Accuser, a man devoted to not only his position but the very lineage of his family and the ancient rites of those called “Accusers”, would have nothing of it, and breaks away from the Kree Hierarchy to seek total and utter annihilation of the Xandar way of life. That’s where the difference between Movie Ronan and Comic Ronan splits. After that, it’s pretty accurate to the comic canon. Duty bound to the point of sheer religious fervor and fanaticism, Ronan will pursue all who have broken the law ‘in his eyes’ and judge them accordingly…insert your Judge Dredd joke here. Speaking of pursuing, he’s accompanied by fellow Kree Radical, Korath the Pursuer (played by Djimon Hounsou) . If we were to compare the Kree system of justice (*snerk* Right, totally a ‘perfect’ system of law and order, that), to ours (Okay, little close to home, as not perfect either), The Accuser is to Judge as the Pursuer is to the Police Officer. So… in other words…
*Dramatic narration, as slow pull back revealing the title: “LAW & ORDER: KREE EMPIRE” *
‘In the Kree-minal Justice System, The Kree are represented by two different yet equally important groups: The Pursuers who hunt down criminals, and the Accusers who prosecute the offenders…with extreme prejudice. These Are Their Stories.’
*DUN DUN DUN*
But our villain platter is not quite finished yet, as we have our third and final member of the trinity of terror: Nebula. Played by Karen…Gilian…?
…
Oh Emma Pond, what have they done to you?
Alright, alright, nerdy humor behind us (for the moment), She plays a pretty engaging villainess here, playing up the “Sisters of Thanos” angle as Gamora was originally one of Thanos’s recruited assassins (Recruited translating, murdering her family, her entire planet, and then proceeds to endure Zod knows HOW much tortuous hours of gene and surgical manipulation to create the perfect assassin), as Nebula feels that Gamora was a traitor and will never forgive. Oh, not a traitor to Thanos’s cause, no not at all, because (*ahem* SPOILER ALERT. Seriously, I did tell you this before, right?) Ronan, once he got his hands on the plot device (which I’ll touch on very soon), pulls a double cross and plans on destroying Thanos with the very weapon HE wants after he uses it on Xandar himself, and Nebula ends up siding right with him. Her reasoning if she is what Gamora might’ve ended up as…far less an organic being and more like a mechanical machine, as despite her partial cybernetic appearance would belay, there are plenty of times during the movie which shows that beneath the blue fleshed skin, Nebula might hardly account as being a living breathing person again, and more machine then hu- er alien. No, the fact she considers Gamora is because she left her behind, leaving her to do work for Thanos, and out of all her sisters (dead, I should add), she had hated Gamora the least…well, at least until the betrayal!
Now, out of all three villains (and I guess I can label Yondu as an anti-villian, and Thanos as a villainous force in the shadows), there is one other maybe-kinda antagonist in the film who, like Thanos, was introduced in an earlier film: The Collector (Bencio Del Torro). What can I say about this character? Oh, such potential, for starters. I mean, his whole scene is…well, actually overshadowed by his Collection. No serious, the Collector’s Collection is more interesting then the Collector himself. Sure, The Collector is a fun, overtly hammy dramatic character…but when you begin to take notice of all of his exhibits: A Dark Elf from Thor: The Dark World here, a Chitauri Warrior in another, and…
Wait. Back Up.
Is that…?
No.
NO ****ING WAY
COSMO!
ITS COSMO THE SPACE DOG!
…
*notices the general audience’s lack of reaction and blank stares*
Ahem. For those who’ve read the Annihilation mini-series, and its following sequels and spin-off books who would know who this character is and what he can do, they would be losing their collective shit right about here. So, that said
*Commence Squeeing*
‘EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE’
*Squeeing Terminated*
*ahem*
Continuing on…
The Collector, a character whom would have A PRETTY BIG connection to the plot device of the movie, which indeed turns out to be an Infinity Stone, an object of power which has five other similar stones, two of which had turned out to be the sources of power to previous plot devices, such as the Tesseract and The Aether. So that brings the total of three Infinity Stones in canon, and three more to be discovered…once all six are revealed, will Thanos finally rise as the true threat to the universe? Mayhaps. Till then though, we still look to the Collector whose name derives from the fact (in the comics anyway) is he is one of the Elders of the Universe, a group of immortals who are so old and ancient, it theorized that they were once members of the first races which populated the universe after its creation, and are the last known survivors of said races, each using their vast life spans fanatically devoted to one aspect or another (yes, seriously. The Collector collects things, The Grandmaster plays games, the Gardner gardens…have I mentioned comic books are weird?).
In fact, I’d like to think that the Collector (or let’s call him what he is in this movie: Mister Exposition) still IS an Elder of the Universe seeing how he mentions a group of people once tried to harness the power of the Infinity Stones (which the Elders did, each possessing one stone each… there weren’t too man Elders of the Universe when they were introduced…) because that would explain how he would survive THE UTTER DESTRUCTION OF HIS COLLECTION HOUSE via Infinity Stone Detonation practically unscathed. Then again, I could be wrong…then ag- OH MY ZOD, IS THAT A CELESTIAL? THAT’S A ****ING CELESTIAL IN THAT FLASHBACK. Celestials are canon in this- oh Zod, but Galactus isn’t. The Fridge Horror just dawned on me. Without Galactus to help 'control’ the production of Celestials (Celestials are born by placing Celestial Embryos (think Star Child from 2001) into the core of planets, germinating the native dominant species with capable genetics to produce powers which could be used to protect the planet, thereby creating ‘anti-bodies’ which would help preserve the Celestial Egg within, until the Celestial within is born, breaking through like an egg…destroying all in the process), the Celestial would run rampant and…and…
…My Zod, I read way too many comics *shakes his head*
Anyway, in short, The Collector as a character? Not so great. The Collector’s Collection? OMZSQUEE. And on that particular note, although I’m sure you’ll do this any way because it IS a Marvel Studios film, STAY AFTER THE CREDITS. That’s all I’m going to tell you on THAT. Just do it. Do It Naow.
Well, I think that covers all the characters…and it only took me about nine pages of writing to do that…Hmmm. Well, since the majority of the movie is touched on bits and pieces of my random ramblings on characters, and I am trying my best to not spoil EVERYTHING there is to experience with this movie, cause as much as there are spoilers here, I’m trying to save as MUCH of the best and brightest of the movie for the experience of viewers. That, and I seem to heavily focus on characterizations with peppering of plot points in my reviews, you notice that? Well, seeing how the CHARACTERS are the most important seeing how you’re adapting long since established characters (and yes, these characters, though the most recent incarnations are what is being drawn from, are LONG time established characters. In fact, Groot himself is older than most of established heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe, with exception to Golden Age characters like Captain America. So, chew on that food for thought. Then again, Groot was also a bit more…verbose in earlier incarnations. NEVERTHELESS!).
Anyway, The story is very good. It has a plenty of humor,but is also balanced by surprisingly tragic and dark moments interspersed through the film. For example, remember those mix-tapes shown during the trailers? The ones which we all laughed as Star-Lord is tasered by a prison guard as he tries to get it back shouting out “That song belongs to me!” in ‘hilarious’ rage? Remember that? Those were made by his mother. His DEAD mother. The last single memory he had of Earth before being swept up into space. Congratulations, you just laughed at a man’s painful misery at the possible loss of the last thing left to him by someone he’d loved and lost…You Monster. Add to it the tragic hints of all the Guardians back stories, and you’ll realize they’re not misfits by choice, often they’re left that way because of what they’d had to survive. Its little things like that which are quite welcomed…also…the origin of Peter Quill choosing Star Lord as a name? I admit. Right in feels, as it came at the same time as ‘something’ else…but you’ll HAVE TO SEE THE MOVIE FOR THAT.
The Soundtrack is a mix of classic hits and well-orchestrated work which all comes together, heightening the physical beauty of all the sets and imagery conjured by those magical CGI artists (Now, those who know me, know I support practical effects to the death, but when you’re trying to craft an ENTIRE GALAXY out of nothing but painted images and peoples’ imagination? As much as it pains me to say, Practical Effects are not going to cut it on this one, and CGI clearly does the job when needed, as the cities, the PLANETS, all of it is beautifully rendered and quite a sight behold.), and by the way. THIS is a movie that DOES take advantage of the 3D quite effectively…but you’ll be so engrossed by the movie, you might not even care, so why worry which show you see?
So, that is my take on Guardians of the Galaxy. In the final analysis, is it a good movie? HELLS TO THE YES! Is a great summer movie to end the summer on? YES! (Well, practically, I mean, what else comes out in Augu- *looks at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Expendables 3, and Sin City: A Dame To Kill For* Oooooh… oh dear >.> ). Is it a good movie to help you gush over while waiting for the next movie in…May 2015…
…
I MUST DISCOVER A WAY TO TRAVEL THROUGH TIME.
TO THE LAB-OHR-RAH-TOHR-EE!
*Rushes off…leaving the camera on…only to sheepishly come back, adjusts clothes and clears throat*
Thank you for your time reading another one of my crazy ranting reviews and I do hope it has help you in your interest in the franchise as well as the film itself…if you had just read this before SEEING THE MOVIE…
*PIMP BACKHANDS THE CAMERA AGAIN*
What did we learn?
GO. SEE. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. NAOW!!! GO NAOW!
This is Odin Ashcroft signing off for now…but I’ll see you…IN THE FUTURE!
*Rushes off to the laboratory once more…and just as the camera feed cuts off, a familiar whirring noise is heard not too far off screen…seems like he left the parking brake on…again…*
For The Iron Man Who Has Everything...(Iron Man 3) SPOILERS!
Posted 11 years ago*Loud crackling digital static and snow, with the words "You. Are. Not. Alone." whispered/displayed on screen before a faint impression of a figure begins to introduce self*
*Only for the garbled message to be interrupted by a "test screen" and that annoying dull beep, while the warning was as follows*
*Screen clears, revealing a fairly familiar green couch, and plain, dull background...and the wolf enters, using his hat to dust off the couch, as it hadn't been used for 9 months, before putting his hat back on, and looks towards the viewers, smiling*
Welcome...for those of you who will get this reference, I will never hear the last of it, but I keep getting compared to said source, even if I do predate their video series. For those who don't, I'll be expecting your Geek Cards turned in at the end of the review. Which we shall now get into.
SO *claps hands and beams* Iron Man 3. Where to start?
Well, it is more or less the first "official" start to the summer blockbuster season, even though I think we could extend that further back to Evil Dead a month past (which I will briefly touch on and say, THAT was extremely well done, and I highly advise those who haven't seen it to do so if you can, or at least get a copy when its released to home use. Those who have seen it, I will say I will be getting myself a copy, and you should too), but anyway.
There is much to look forward this summer, and in the past I've usually saved these things to the END of summer, but seeing Iron Man 3 today, and just being...well, I'm going to blow the surprise and say it right now
Marvel finally produced a third movie in an established franchise that not only is very good, but has IMPROVED from the previous installment. And I love it to pieces.
Now, I'm going to correct a couple matters here as well. I'm not insinuating that by the time Marvel, or any comic book, or even general film reaches the third installment in its series, that they automatically suck. In fact, I've gone agaisnt the grain of most fans in the comic book fandom and stated the following:
I liked Spider-Man 3
I especially liked X-Men: The Last Stand
Hell, I enjoyed the hell out of Blade: Trinity
The problem with these three examples were, and this is exactly why I chose them, is to point out the flaws which sort of hurt them in the end, of which Iron Man 3 very narrowly avoided...and the fact that they are all Marvel Movies are not lost on me. Of course, I could apply the same logic to other third installment movies, and yes, not all third installments are created equal (*flips middle fingers to 'Scream 3' to prove this point* That ****ing twist reveal...so friggen cliche!). But there are certain problems that these three movies all share in common: Overstuffing.
Too many characters, too many plots, too much of all sorts of things. I'm more then free to admit that I LOVE Easter Eggs, Shout-Outs, Homages, the works...but there IS such things as too much of a good thing.
Spider-Man 3 had too many villains. Sandman SHOULD have been the central antagonist, with Harry perhaps having a more back seat role like he had with Doc Ock in Spider-Man, and the symbiote should have been a character obstacle that Peter had to overcome...a challenge. So, going as far as finally freeing himself from said symbote should have ended that storyline for now, with a suddenly 'normal' Spider-Man having to redeem himself from the many mistakes he made over the course of the film. THAT would've made a stronger movie. Hell, if you NEEDED to have Venom, should have had the scene with Eddie Brock in the church as the ending credits STINGER! Not shove him in the last act of the film so rushed and half-assed. I mean, there was so much that could be done with Venom if he was brought into a fourth film...and if we needed a second villian for that, then that would've been perfect to bring in Mysterio...as Played by Bruce Campbell!
...What? That role would've fit him LIKE A GLOVE, and not a single one of you can tell me he would not!
*ahem*
X-Men 3: The Last Stand had too many plots. The Dark Phoenix. Magneto's Army. The Mutant Cure. One of these could've served as a single movie's plot if done just right. Heck, I could agree two of the three could work right, but trying to shove all three in at once was not the way to go. I mean, all those mutants! So many possibilities...But this was NOT the way which to approach them. I mean, there were great nods and appearances, but to have so many that few could really get their moments to really shine...*sighs and shrugs* But, I think I more or less touched on these issues back in my X-Men: First Class review, and I probably do the same when the next X-Men movie comes out...not The Wolverine. No, that...I've seen the trailer...and I'm a little apprehensive...those who remember the LAST movie with Logan as our protagonist may recall why...
Blade : Trinity...I actually don't know why this one gets all the flack it does...sure it does have some particular odd bits ( "You Made A Goddamned Vampire POMERANIAN!?") but its a guilty pleasure, and lets face, the Blade Series is pretty much a very excellent series of popcorn action films. And bit of Nerd News to folks, but Blade movie rights have been recently taken back by Marvel Studios, as having been taken back with that of Ghost Rider, Daredevil, and The Punisher...does anyone else smell 'Marvel Knights' ala reboots in the making? Still, possibilities <3 Also, this movie is what helped instill the belief that Ryan Reynolds is and SHOULD be Deadpool...before certain movies *coughcoughcoughWolverine:X-MenOriginsCoughcoughcoughGreenLanterncoughcoughcough* Sorry about that, certain movies were made...still, could happen...
Now, side rant aside, these three examples I bring up show certain weak points a third installment can develop...something that movies like the Dark Knight Rises (as I covered LAST year) avoided for the most part and were excellent ways to end a trilogy. And these weak points were thankfully absent in Iron Man 3.
Speaking of Shellhead, for an Iron Man 3 review, we've hardly focused on the film itself. Lets correct that.
Iron Man 3 has done just as good a job wrapping up certain character arcs and ideas introduced over the course of the Movie Marvel Universe installments when it involves that of Iron Man's "corner" of the universe, as Dark Knight Rises had did for the Nolanverse...though thankfully not as DARK as said Dark Knight Rises. Now, dark does not mean bad. Far from it, but THAT worked for the Dark Knight Rises. Tony Stark is the anti-thesis to Bruce Wayne...he has his share of problems, yes, but where as Wayne's world is filled with black and white, and a HELL of a lot of grays, Stark's is extremely colorful. And though there is drama and tragedy, there is comedy and heartwarming moments as well. A very good movie, and I think a DAMN fine start to a Post-Avengers string of films, making me quite looking forward to the next Thor film.
So, getting to the film itself, I restate once more
BEWARE, FOR SPOILERS LURK HERE!
Once again beginning with the cast, we HAVE to start with the Iron Man himself, Tony Stark/Robert Downey Junior...or lets face it, and just call the man what he is. He IS Tony Stark. He epitomizes so much of the character's quirks and quips, its hard not to picture Stark without picturing Downey. But anyway, Tony Stark is not only the smartass with a heart of gold (I believe we can call him Tony Snark, and it fits to a T...as in Tony >.>) we've all come to know and love, but has actually grown up a LOT since Iron Man 2 and the Avengers. First off, though he's clearly been tinkering with the armor, he's not utterly defenseless without said armor. In fact, we see that perhaps he took Captain America's words to heart, and perhaps got in some training, cause there are some pretty impressive scenes with Tony actually being able to put up a fight...though, not exactly a "Cap" level fighter, and uses it more to get out of fights then into them, especially since he uses it more to flex his true strengths: His intelligence. Seriously, when not creating set after set of power armor, theres a whole montage of him producing these amazing weapons...out garden variety supplies and items one finds at a local Wal-Mart ('TONY STARK BUILT IT IN A CAVE...WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS' comes nostalgically to mind!). There were even a couple moments that left me rubbing my chin, where he'd pause, look at a situation, and come up with observations that surprise other characters, or provide an unexpected solution to the problem at hand...it wasn't until towards the end on the Roxxon Oil Platform (Brief Nerd Interlude: Yes, I did grin like an idiot when they brought up Roxxon...if those guys don't end up baddies or produce some baddies in the future, I will eat my hat!), when Tony does a brief scan does it hit me: Tony Stark failed a Sherlock scan-check! Those earlier moments with folks like new character the kid sidekick Harley show analytical thought and mannerisms of Sherlock Holmes...or at least, the one played by Downey! Very clever, intended or not.
But, snarkiness and cleverness aside, there was some darkness in this movie, and this struck me as one of the best way to make reference to the events in the Avengers. Sure, there were plenty of nods and references to it in this movie, yeah BUT, to have it tie in THIS way: Tony Stark having, more or less, PTSD aka Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Which entirely makes sense since, well, he practically DIED near the end, when closing the wormhole...and there are only certain kinds of people who can only imagine how much that can truly screw someone up. And Tony is very much screwed up by it all. He hardly sleeps, he has constant anxiety attacks when the "Wormhole Incident" is brought up, and is clearly causing a rift between him and a lot of his loved ones...especially Pepper. But, as he overcomes it, over the course of the movie, I noticed another evolution point that's quite subtly shown: Alcohol. Not once do you see Tony imbibe anything with liquor in it, with exception to the opening...set in 1999, so of course he was still drinking (also...freaking Eiffel 65! Seriously Marvel? Now that song is stuck in my head!) . He's seen in a bar, in a tavern, is even handed a beer can, but never drinks. For those who've seen Iron Man 2 how big of a deal this is, and to see that is another great example of character arcs and evolution when handled in such a tight continuity that this movie-verse has. I mean, to see him at his best, his worst. To see the comedy, the tragedy. Strengths, Weaknesses. Tony Stark is not a perfect man, but dammit he IS Iron Man.
Now, for the support cast, all the familiar faces came back...even if I would've found it hilarious if they replaced Don Cheadle with another actor...what? Am I the only one who would've thought that funny? Anyway, Rhodey is still Stark's Iron-Bro, and much like Tony, showcases how much of a badass he can be WITHOUT his armor,especially at the climax at the Roxxon oil platform (we'll touch more on that). And speaking of his armor...all those photos of "The Iron Patriot" floating about, confusing the hell out of folks thinking Norman Osborn, the big bad and Green Goblin of the Spider-Man franchise, was going to be in this? Nupe. Turns out its the United States government giving War Machine a new paint job and code name...like the time French Fries became Freedom Fries, briefly. Its quite groan worthy, yes, but seeing it in action is still quite a joy.
Pepper, meanwhile, continues to be the love interest, and clearly since The Avengers, her relationship to Tony has only grown closer, as she's now living with him, but his continued anxiety attacks and issues following the Wormhole Incident have began to wear thin on her, and its beginning to strain things...but there are no limit of scenes and moments where it can either warm or break your heart when you see the two together, or just one of them thinking of the other...Remember when I said comedy and tragedy? You really do end up feeling for both Tony and Pepper, whether its laughing at that repartee (Remote Controlled Mark 42 armor giving her a disapproving gaze...just...*snerk*), or seeing Tony's heart nearly shatter all over again when he sees Pepper not only captured, but also made a guinea pig for Extremis (again, touching on later). It only makes his one part hilarious, one part badass escape from enemy clutches even better (You may notice certain words and themes I use...I DID make it clear that this movie is not as "dark" as it is...wait for the final summary for reasons why *winks*). Gweneth Paltrow continues to portray Pepper just as perfectly as Downey does for Stark, and because of that, the chemistry and interactions just work so damn well.
Other 'good' side characters include the return of Jon Favereau's "Happy Hogan"...oh geeze this guy really DOES know how to play his characters, as the role has certain expanded a bit more to showcase his strengths and weaknesses, as he is an extremely loyal and extremely protective of his friends and those he cares about, even if he may come off as a bit headstrong (okay MORE then a bit, but dammit, the man cares so much X3). JARVIS is also a delight, and for being just a 'voice', the A.I. is almost as important to Tony as Rhodey and Pepper, because despite being an artificial intelligence, JARVIS seems extremely human, from clever responses to Stark's sarcasm, to saving Tony's life (which also counts as extremely heartwarming...he takes control of Tony's suit and uses one of the gauntlets to pull Tony free from rubble that is slowly killing him. THAT is not a simple machine. That is a person who cares that much for his friend! And Tony clearly sees it the same way...there is a freaking STOCKING set over the fireplace with JARVIS's name on it! (Did I mention this is set around Christmas? No...its set around Christmas >,>).
Now then, onto the bad guys! Where to start...well, we mind as well as start with the big bad himself, The Mandarin!
...
Alright, got to say, I did NOT see this coming, and good on Marvel, for this unexpected twist.
Now, here's the thing, well, two things. One, I was quite concerned on how they were going to handle such a character like the Mandarin, whom in the comics, has powers which are used via ten rings of great power. Now, problem here is, the rings are not magical, but are actually alien artifacts. Now, sure, they COULD have gone in that direction, but if they did, how would they explain it? This would be going in a direction that doesn't quite fit in the Iron Man corner of the movieverse. So, this led into the second thing. The trailers and build up introduced the Mandarin as the head of the terrorist organization known as The Ten Rings (see what they did there?). Now, here's the thing. This COULD work, and has worked in the comics, in a way too. But it doesn't exactly fit here cause well, then he'd be more of a Captain America villain...not to mention, the way it looked, especially AFTER the Dark Knight Rises came out, they more or less produced Bane, just with less muscle and more Asian Influence...
At least, that's what it appears to be.
Turns out the big bad, is in fact, NOT the big bad we're all lead to believe. In fact, looking back on a lot of moments and nuances that seemed off (the rather "proper" enunciating in the Mandarin's speeches, the look in his eyes during the execution of a Roxxon executive, HELL, the freaking speech about Fortune Cookies!), spells it out that The Mandarin that holds America in a cold, chilling grip of fear...is nothing more then an actor playing a role. Ben Kinglsey does a very unexpected 'comedic' job as Trevor Slatterly, the man chosen to be the 'figurehead' of the Mandarin. And this is extremely clever because, well, it deconstructs the very fear of this being Marvel's attempt at a "Bane" like character. A costumed villain with a ridiculous voice and theatrical flair, whom surrounds himself in followers to his cause, manipulating fear and public perception in a way of "teaching and communicating" his philosophy. Its extremely well done here...especially since unlike The Dark Knight Rises, the puppet master whose at work here doesn't find themselves diminished in presence of a more memorable, imposing villain, as Slatterly, in "real life", is a burnt out, drug addled "theater actor" versus the 'real' Mandarin...
And speaking of the 'real' Mandarin, who IS the Mandarin then? Well, remember my concerns of him being more of a Captain America villian? Well, pull back the curtain, and who is running this show? Aldrich Killian, founder of not only the Ten Rings but Advanced Idea Mechanics... that's right, AIM! Sadly, no evil Beekeepers V.V (Google A.I.M. ...er Marvel Comics A.I.M. , to avoid issues with AOL...) Still, suddenly having the big bad now more of a corporate/scientific organization with genetically altered superhumans, THEN we're back in Tony's wheelhouse then Cap's. And Killian, oh Killian. The true power behind the throne, and he knows it. In fact, he is Stark's evil counterpart, using genetic manipulation instead of power armor, uses his anonymity like Stark uses his popularity. He lives up to the 'Mandarin's' warning of "You'll Never See Me Coming" because, I expected him to be just a simple Scientist Supreme of A.I.M. , and that was the end of him, but to suddenly come out top of this particular pecking order. Its just...very well done. Especially when one looks back to the Fortune Cookie rant again. But Killian does have a much better motivation then the supposed "Mandarin" had (the cliche terrorists attacking America etc). Killian was, once upon a time, just a poor young man who had hopes to produce a think tank that could take science to whole new levels, and basically admired Tony Stark...Tony Stark circa 1999, so you can imagine how that meeting goes.
At this point, I should touch on another character introduced in this film, Maya Hansen. She is the creator of the movie's plot device, known as Extremis, an experimental treatment with incredible regenerative capabilities...practically Wolverine levels of healing, we're talking, entire limbs regrown. The problem is, though it has the intended healing factor, it also sadly has a drug-like capacity for addiction, and corrupts users to the point that if not "regulated" correctly, the subject will overheat...and explode with the power of a miniature nuke, a drawback which is used in horrifying ways in the 'Mandarin's' campaign of terror. Maya, whom was trying to create the perfect universal cure for humanity, has compromised her ethics and seems broken by what she has created and done to the pursuit of 'perfecting' Extremis...and though she has a moment of "My God, What Have I Done...?" moment, redemption would be denied...bringing us back to Killian, whose entire masterful plan spanning YEARS can all be placed up Tony Stark's shoulders.
Its quite disturbing because, it was Starks own past sins coming back to haunt him, because he not only brushed off, but got up young Killian's hopes up to the point that it was not his first instinct to go "Bwahahaha Eeeeeeeevil", but he nearly threw himself off that damned roof Tony promised to meet him...and stood him up on. What kind of life does a man have that Starks actions could push him to that kind of decision...and to know that Killian turns his life around for the very wrong reasons, to acquire power and wealth, to do EVERYTHING to wipe away that pitiful little man who nearly ended it all...there is one other character who I can recall had such an epiphany...and that's Victor Zsasz...and if it weren't for the Joker, that sick sonuvabitch would more then likely be the kind of guy that inmates at Arkham tell stories to scare each other at night...In short, Killian is a complex villain, and though he does live in the past for Tony Stark actions against him, it does him a better kind of motivation then the expected "I'm doing it JUST for the money and power", but to do it as "thanks" to Stark whom showed him the way...it just only adds to the guilt and pain Stark becomes burdened with. And that makes him a more memorable villain in terms of characterization then just visual flair...
So, thats characters and good portions of the plot touched on. What is left to say...well, the story is extremely good, and has a plenty of great moments of humor, action, drama, suspense, and really, everything. And its very well paced, not rushed. There isn't an overabundance of plot. There isn't an overabundance of villians, or any "unnecessary" characters. Its all, to be perfectly honest, quite balanced. I mean, sure, some would argue it for being too light, or too much mood whiplash, and I could see there point about that...
BUT
And this is the brilliant bit...
Now, there IS a stinger at the end of this movie. It doesn't however, give us any hints or teases of future Marvel Movies. It does have a surprise cameo by Mark Ruffalo, reprising his role as Bruce Banner (which I myself was extremely pleased to see...Ruffalo's done a great job as Banner...add in the fact Stark and Banner were practically best buds by the end of Avengers,and yay <3). And what this also does is bring up something utterly brilliant. The entire movie? It begins with Tony Stark telling Banner (but we don't know that until the stinger, but still) of his encounters of Killian and Maya back in 1999...and not once does it stop from being a story told by Tony Stark. So, the entire movie, all of its humor, its sudden changes in mood, is being told by Tony Stark to Bruce Banner (and to the audience). And given Stark's own natural characterization and behavior, it all makes sense!
But then, outside of the one-liners and sarcastic wittisms, it also once more shows Stark's evolution as a character, as he shares his weaknesses and bears his heart out, as showcased in moments of tragedy, like during the destruction of Casa Da Stark (that coastal house of his on the cliff), where he is pulled down into the watery depths below the cliff, and pinned there (which when one looks back on the scene, has the eerie similarity to starry blackness of space...and then remember the reasons behind Tony's panic attacks. Nightmare fuel, indeed!). Then there are more tender moments...like Dummy. Dummy, as those who've seen the other Iron Man movies, will remember as the robotic arm which was the source of a lot of jokes and sweet moments in the past...and to see Dummy and Dummy 2.0, holding 'hands' as they plummeted to the sea depths with the rest of Casa Da Stark, was also quite shocking...and depressing...but then, Stark, in the end, shows he never leaves friends behind, is seen taking the recovered Dummies home with him.
And speaking of the end, right before the credits, and before the stinger, Stark is truly a changed man. The shrapnel and Arc Reactor removed from his chest, he is finally free of his troubles...and it would appear that this could be the end of Iron Man himself. But then, Tony Stark is telling this story. And if I may paraphrase the main character of a long running, fan favorite science fiction series from the U.K.
"Rule One - The Mechanic Always Lies"
That said, this was such a great movie. Definitely a great first step after the Avengers movie, and here's hoping they keep up this type of quality for the next set of films. The story, the writing, the acting, the effects (both practical and cgi), all of it really came together quite perfectly, and I really have to say, its one of the best Marvel's put out so far, and I can only hope they keep getting better. Now, the only downside I could really say is that this summer has really started strong...and now one can only hope it doesnt begin to go downhill quickly when the rest of the films this summer come out...*looks warily over to Man of Steel and "The Wolverine"*
*deep sigh*
Look, I'm willing to give them both a chance, but DC has had a troubled past as of late with movies that DON'T have a caped crusader in them, and I do want this to be good, I really do, but one can only hope so much, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt until I actually see it. The Wolverine, much in the same vein, though I'm not as skeptical after seeing X-Men First Class, but the trailers coming out for it leave me a bit cold and skepticism still reigns in my heart, but, who knows? In the end, there are plenty of other movies to look forward for this summer as well, and though I might end up waiting for a few to come to home release later on, and though I might not write up a monster of a rant on them like I did (no promises!), I will share my thoughts on them when/if asked.
So, in the final analysis...
That said, I thank you for watch-....er, reading, and I do thank you for taking your time to put up with another one of my long-winded, extremely nerdy rants...*tips hat to the readers* Good Night, and to all...EXCELSIOR!
*The Video Feed Ends*
"Hello, My Name Is General Zo-*Only for the garbled message to be interrupted by a "test screen" and that annoying dull beep, while the warning was as follows*
WARNING: WHAT FOLLOWS ARE SPOILERS PERTAINING TO IRON MAN 3. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN AND INTEND TO SEE IRON MAN 3, IT IS ADVISED YOU DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS. AND IF YOU ARE NOT INTENDING TO SEE IRON MAN 3...THE **** IS WRONG WITH YOU? ANYWAY, SPOILERS, SWEETIES*Screen clears, revealing a fairly familiar green couch, and plain, dull background...and the wolf enters, using his hat to dust off the couch, as it hadn't been used for 9 months, before putting his hat back on, and looks towards the viewers, smiling*
Welcome...for those of you who will get this reference, I will never hear the last of it, but I keep getting compared to said source, even if I do predate their video series. For those who don't, I'll be expecting your Geek Cards turned in at the end of the review. Which we shall now get into.
SO *claps hands and beams* Iron Man 3. Where to start?
Well, it is more or less the first "official" start to the summer blockbuster season, even though I think we could extend that further back to Evil Dead a month past (which I will briefly touch on and say, THAT was extremely well done, and I highly advise those who haven't seen it to do so if you can, or at least get a copy when its released to home use. Those who have seen it, I will say I will be getting myself a copy, and you should too), but anyway.
There is much to look forward this summer, and in the past I've usually saved these things to the END of summer, but seeing Iron Man 3 today, and just being...well, I'm going to blow the surprise and say it right now
Marvel finally produced a third movie in an established franchise that not only is very good, but has IMPROVED from the previous installment. And I love it to pieces.
Now, I'm going to correct a couple matters here as well. I'm not insinuating that by the time Marvel, or any comic book, or even general film reaches the third installment in its series, that they automatically suck. In fact, I've gone agaisnt the grain of most fans in the comic book fandom and stated the following:
I liked Spider-Man 3
I especially liked X-Men: The Last Stand
Hell, I enjoyed the hell out of Blade: Trinity
The problem with these three examples were, and this is exactly why I chose them, is to point out the flaws which sort of hurt them in the end, of which Iron Man 3 very narrowly avoided...and the fact that they are all Marvel Movies are not lost on me. Of course, I could apply the same logic to other third installment movies, and yes, not all third installments are created equal (*flips middle fingers to 'Scream 3' to prove this point* That ****ing twist reveal...so friggen cliche!). But there are certain problems that these three movies all share in common: Overstuffing.
Too many characters, too many plots, too much of all sorts of things. I'm more then free to admit that I LOVE Easter Eggs, Shout-Outs, Homages, the works...but there IS such things as too much of a good thing.
Spider-Man 3 had too many villains. Sandman SHOULD have been the central antagonist, with Harry perhaps having a more back seat role like he had with Doc Ock in Spider-Man, and the symbiote should have been a character obstacle that Peter had to overcome...a challenge. So, going as far as finally freeing himself from said symbote should have ended that storyline for now, with a suddenly 'normal' Spider-Man having to redeem himself from the many mistakes he made over the course of the film. THAT would've made a stronger movie. Hell, if you NEEDED to have Venom, should have had the scene with Eddie Brock in the church as the ending credits STINGER! Not shove him in the last act of the film so rushed and half-assed. I mean, there was so much that could be done with Venom if he was brought into a fourth film...and if we needed a second villian for that, then that would've been perfect to bring in Mysterio...as Played by Bruce Campbell!
...What? That role would've fit him LIKE A GLOVE, and not a single one of you can tell me he would not!
*ahem*
X-Men 3: The Last Stand had too many plots. The Dark Phoenix. Magneto's Army. The Mutant Cure. One of these could've served as a single movie's plot if done just right. Heck, I could agree two of the three could work right, but trying to shove all three in at once was not the way to go. I mean, all those mutants! So many possibilities...But this was NOT the way which to approach them. I mean, there were great nods and appearances, but to have so many that few could really get their moments to really shine...*sighs and shrugs* But, I think I more or less touched on these issues back in my X-Men: First Class review, and I probably do the same when the next X-Men movie comes out...not The Wolverine. No, that...I've seen the trailer...and I'm a little apprehensive...those who remember the LAST movie with Logan as our protagonist may recall why...
Blade : Trinity...I actually don't know why this one gets all the flack it does...sure it does have some particular odd bits ( "You Made A Goddamned Vampire POMERANIAN!?") but its a guilty pleasure, and lets face, the Blade Series is pretty much a very excellent series of popcorn action films. And bit of Nerd News to folks, but Blade movie rights have been recently taken back by Marvel Studios, as having been taken back with that of Ghost Rider, Daredevil, and The Punisher...does anyone else smell 'Marvel Knights' ala reboots in the making? Still, possibilities <3 Also, this movie is what helped instill the belief that Ryan Reynolds is and SHOULD be Deadpool...before certain movies *coughcoughcoughWolverine:X-MenOriginsCoughcoughcoughGreenLanterncoughcoughcough* Sorry about that, certain movies were made...still, could happen...
Now, side rant aside, these three examples I bring up show certain weak points a third installment can develop...something that movies like the Dark Knight Rises (as I covered LAST year) avoided for the most part and were excellent ways to end a trilogy. And these weak points were thankfully absent in Iron Man 3.
Speaking of Shellhead, for an Iron Man 3 review, we've hardly focused on the film itself. Lets correct that.
Iron Man 3 has done just as good a job wrapping up certain character arcs and ideas introduced over the course of the Movie Marvel Universe installments when it involves that of Iron Man's "corner" of the universe, as Dark Knight Rises had did for the Nolanverse...though thankfully not as DARK as said Dark Knight Rises. Now, dark does not mean bad. Far from it, but THAT worked for the Dark Knight Rises. Tony Stark is the anti-thesis to Bruce Wayne...he has his share of problems, yes, but where as Wayne's world is filled with black and white, and a HELL of a lot of grays, Stark's is extremely colorful. And though there is drama and tragedy, there is comedy and heartwarming moments as well. A very good movie, and I think a DAMN fine start to a Post-Avengers string of films, making me quite looking forward to the next Thor film.
So, getting to the film itself, I restate once more
BEWARE, FOR SPOILERS LURK HERE!
Once again beginning with the cast, we HAVE to start with the Iron Man himself, Tony Stark/Robert Downey Junior...or lets face it, and just call the man what he is. He IS Tony Stark. He epitomizes so much of the character's quirks and quips, its hard not to picture Stark without picturing Downey. But anyway, Tony Stark is not only the smartass with a heart of gold (I believe we can call him Tony Snark, and it fits to a T...as in Tony >.>) we've all come to know and love, but has actually grown up a LOT since Iron Man 2 and the Avengers. First off, though he's clearly been tinkering with the armor, he's not utterly defenseless without said armor. In fact, we see that perhaps he took Captain America's words to heart, and perhaps got in some training, cause there are some pretty impressive scenes with Tony actually being able to put up a fight...though, not exactly a "Cap" level fighter, and uses it more to get out of fights then into them, especially since he uses it more to flex his true strengths: His intelligence. Seriously, when not creating set after set of power armor, theres a whole montage of him producing these amazing weapons...out garden variety supplies and items one finds at a local Wal-Mart ('TONY STARK BUILT IT IN A CAVE...WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS' comes nostalgically to mind!). There were even a couple moments that left me rubbing my chin, where he'd pause, look at a situation, and come up with observations that surprise other characters, or provide an unexpected solution to the problem at hand...it wasn't until towards the end on the Roxxon Oil Platform (Brief Nerd Interlude: Yes, I did grin like an idiot when they brought up Roxxon...if those guys don't end up baddies or produce some baddies in the future, I will eat my hat!), when Tony does a brief scan does it hit me: Tony Stark failed a Sherlock scan-check! Those earlier moments with folks like new character the kid sidekick Harley show analytical thought and mannerisms of Sherlock Holmes...or at least, the one played by Downey! Very clever, intended or not.
But, snarkiness and cleverness aside, there was some darkness in this movie, and this struck me as one of the best way to make reference to the events in the Avengers. Sure, there were plenty of nods and references to it in this movie, yeah BUT, to have it tie in THIS way: Tony Stark having, more or less, PTSD aka Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Which entirely makes sense since, well, he practically DIED near the end, when closing the wormhole...and there are only certain kinds of people who can only imagine how much that can truly screw someone up. And Tony is very much screwed up by it all. He hardly sleeps, he has constant anxiety attacks when the "Wormhole Incident" is brought up, and is clearly causing a rift between him and a lot of his loved ones...especially Pepper. But, as he overcomes it, over the course of the movie, I noticed another evolution point that's quite subtly shown: Alcohol. Not once do you see Tony imbibe anything with liquor in it, with exception to the opening...set in 1999, so of course he was still drinking (also...freaking Eiffel 65! Seriously Marvel? Now that song is stuck in my head!) . He's seen in a bar, in a tavern, is even handed a beer can, but never drinks. For those who've seen Iron Man 2 how big of a deal this is, and to see that is another great example of character arcs and evolution when handled in such a tight continuity that this movie-verse has. I mean, to see him at his best, his worst. To see the comedy, the tragedy. Strengths, Weaknesses. Tony Stark is not a perfect man, but dammit he IS Iron Man.
Now, for the support cast, all the familiar faces came back...even if I would've found it hilarious if they replaced Don Cheadle with another actor...what? Am I the only one who would've thought that funny? Anyway, Rhodey is still Stark's Iron-Bro, and much like Tony, showcases how much of a badass he can be WITHOUT his armor,especially at the climax at the Roxxon oil platform (we'll touch more on that). And speaking of his armor...all those photos of "The Iron Patriot" floating about, confusing the hell out of folks thinking Norman Osborn, the big bad and Green Goblin of the Spider-Man franchise, was going to be in this? Nupe. Turns out its the United States government giving War Machine a new paint job and code name...like the time French Fries became Freedom Fries, briefly. Its quite groan worthy, yes, but seeing it in action is still quite a joy.
Pepper, meanwhile, continues to be the love interest, and clearly since The Avengers, her relationship to Tony has only grown closer, as she's now living with him, but his continued anxiety attacks and issues following the Wormhole Incident have began to wear thin on her, and its beginning to strain things...but there are no limit of scenes and moments where it can either warm or break your heart when you see the two together, or just one of them thinking of the other...Remember when I said comedy and tragedy? You really do end up feeling for both Tony and Pepper, whether its laughing at that repartee (Remote Controlled Mark 42 armor giving her a disapproving gaze...just...*snerk*), or seeing Tony's heart nearly shatter all over again when he sees Pepper not only captured, but also made a guinea pig for Extremis (again, touching on later). It only makes his one part hilarious, one part badass escape from enemy clutches even better (You may notice certain words and themes I use...I DID make it clear that this movie is not as "dark" as it is...wait for the final summary for reasons why *winks*). Gweneth Paltrow continues to portray Pepper just as perfectly as Downey does for Stark, and because of that, the chemistry and interactions just work so damn well.
Other 'good' side characters include the return of Jon Favereau's "Happy Hogan"...oh geeze this guy really DOES know how to play his characters, as the role has certain expanded a bit more to showcase his strengths and weaknesses, as he is an extremely loyal and extremely protective of his friends and those he cares about, even if he may come off as a bit headstrong (okay MORE then a bit, but dammit, the man cares so much X3). JARVIS is also a delight, and for being just a 'voice', the A.I. is almost as important to Tony as Rhodey and Pepper, because despite being an artificial intelligence, JARVIS seems extremely human, from clever responses to Stark's sarcasm, to saving Tony's life (which also counts as extremely heartwarming...he takes control of Tony's suit and uses one of the gauntlets to pull Tony free from rubble that is slowly killing him. THAT is not a simple machine. That is a person who cares that much for his friend! And Tony clearly sees it the same way...there is a freaking STOCKING set over the fireplace with JARVIS's name on it! (Did I mention this is set around Christmas? No...its set around Christmas >,>).
Now then, onto the bad guys! Where to start...well, we mind as well as start with the big bad himself, The Mandarin!
...
Alright, got to say, I did NOT see this coming, and good on Marvel, for this unexpected twist.
Now, here's the thing, well, two things. One, I was quite concerned on how they were going to handle such a character like the Mandarin, whom in the comics, has powers which are used via ten rings of great power. Now, problem here is, the rings are not magical, but are actually alien artifacts. Now, sure, they COULD have gone in that direction, but if they did, how would they explain it? This would be going in a direction that doesn't quite fit in the Iron Man corner of the movieverse. So, this led into the second thing. The trailers and build up introduced the Mandarin as the head of the terrorist organization known as The Ten Rings (see what they did there?). Now, here's the thing. This COULD work, and has worked in the comics, in a way too. But it doesn't exactly fit here cause well, then he'd be more of a Captain America villain...not to mention, the way it looked, especially AFTER the Dark Knight Rises came out, they more or less produced Bane, just with less muscle and more Asian Influence...
At least, that's what it appears to be.
Turns out the big bad, is in fact, NOT the big bad we're all lead to believe. In fact, looking back on a lot of moments and nuances that seemed off (the rather "proper" enunciating in the Mandarin's speeches, the look in his eyes during the execution of a Roxxon executive, HELL, the freaking speech about Fortune Cookies!), spells it out that The Mandarin that holds America in a cold, chilling grip of fear...is nothing more then an actor playing a role. Ben Kinglsey does a very unexpected 'comedic' job as Trevor Slatterly, the man chosen to be the 'figurehead' of the Mandarin. And this is extremely clever because, well, it deconstructs the very fear of this being Marvel's attempt at a "Bane" like character. A costumed villain with a ridiculous voice and theatrical flair, whom surrounds himself in followers to his cause, manipulating fear and public perception in a way of "teaching and communicating" his philosophy. Its extremely well done here...especially since unlike The Dark Knight Rises, the puppet master whose at work here doesn't find themselves diminished in presence of a more memorable, imposing villain, as Slatterly, in "real life", is a burnt out, drug addled "theater actor" versus the 'real' Mandarin...
And speaking of the 'real' Mandarin, who IS the Mandarin then? Well, remember my concerns of him being more of a Captain America villian? Well, pull back the curtain, and who is running this show? Aldrich Killian, founder of not only the Ten Rings but Advanced Idea Mechanics... that's right, AIM! Sadly, no evil Beekeepers V.V (Google A.I.M. ...er Marvel Comics A.I.M. , to avoid issues with AOL...) Still, suddenly having the big bad now more of a corporate/scientific organization with genetically altered superhumans, THEN we're back in Tony's wheelhouse then Cap's. And Killian, oh Killian. The true power behind the throne, and he knows it. In fact, he is Stark's evil counterpart, using genetic manipulation instead of power armor, uses his anonymity like Stark uses his popularity. He lives up to the 'Mandarin's' warning of "You'll Never See Me Coming" because, I expected him to be just a simple Scientist Supreme of A.I.M. , and that was the end of him, but to suddenly come out top of this particular pecking order. Its just...very well done. Especially when one looks back to the Fortune Cookie rant again. But Killian does have a much better motivation then the supposed "Mandarin" had (the cliche terrorists attacking America etc). Killian was, once upon a time, just a poor young man who had hopes to produce a think tank that could take science to whole new levels, and basically admired Tony Stark...Tony Stark circa 1999, so you can imagine how that meeting goes.
At this point, I should touch on another character introduced in this film, Maya Hansen. She is the creator of the movie's plot device, known as Extremis, an experimental treatment with incredible regenerative capabilities...practically Wolverine levels of healing, we're talking, entire limbs regrown. The problem is, though it has the intended healing factor, it also sadly has a drug-like capacity for addiction, and corrupts users to the point that if not "regulated" correctly, the subject will overheat...and explode with the power of a miniature nuke, a drawback which is used in horrifying ways in the 'Mandarin's' campaign of terror. Maya, whom was trying to create the perfect universal cure for humanity, has compromised her ethics and seems broken by what she has created and done to the pursuit of 'perfecting' Extremis...and though she has a moment of "My God, What Have I Done...?" moment, redemption would be denied...bringing us back to Killian, whose entire masterful plan spanning YEARS can all be placed up Tony Stark's shoulders.
Its quite disturbing because, it was Starks own past sins coming back to haunt him, because he not only brushed off, but got up young Killian's hopes up to the point that it was not his first instinct to go "Bwahahaha Eeeeeeeevil", but he nearly threw himself off that damned roof Tony promised to meet him...and stood him up on. What kind of life does a man have that Starks actions could push him to that kind of decision...and to know that Killian turns his life around for the very wrong reasons, to acquire power and wealth, to do EVERYTHING to wipe away that pitiful little man who nearly ended it all...there is one other character who I can recall had such an epiphany...and that's Victor Zsasz...and if it weren't for the Joker, that sick sonuvabitch would more then likely be the kind of guy that inmates at Arkham tell stories to scare each other at night...In short, Killian is a complex villain, and though he does live in the past for Tony Stark actions against him, it does him a better kind of motivation then the expected "I'm doing it JUST for the money and power", but to do it as "thanks" to Stark whom showed him the way...it just only adds to the guilt and pain Stark becomes burdened with. And that makes him a more memorable villain in terms of characterization then just visual flair...
So, thats characters and good portions of the plot touched on. What is left to say...well, the story is extremely good, and has a plenty of great moments of humor, action, drama, suspense, and really, everything. And its very well paced, not rushed. There isn't an overabundance of plot. There isn't an overabundance of villians, or any "unnecessary" characters. Its all, to be perfectly honest, quite balanced. I mean, sure, some would argue it for being too light, or too much mood whiplash, and I could see there point about that...
BUT
And this is the brilliant bit...
Now, there IS a stinger at the end of this movie. It doesn't however, give us any hints or teases of future Marvel Movies. It does have a surprise cameo by Mark Ruffalo, reprising his role as Bruce Banner (which I myself was extremely pleased to see...Ruffalo's done a great job as Banner...add in the fact Stark and Banner were practically best buds by the end of Avengers,and yay <3). And what this also does is bring up something utterly brilliant. The entire movie? It begins with Tony Stark telling Banner (but we don't know that until the stinger, but still) of his encounters of Killian and Maya back in 1999...and not once does it stop from being a story told by Tony Stark. So, the entire movie, all of its humor, its sudden changes in mood, is being told by Tony Stark to Bruce Banner (and to the audience). And given Stark's own natural characterization and behavior, it all makes sense!
But then, outside of the one-liners and sarcastic wittisms, it also once more shows Stark's evolution as a character, as he shares his weaknesses and bears his heart out, as showcased in moments of tragedy, like during the destruction of Casa Da Stark (that coastal house of his on the cliff), where he is pulled down into the watery depths below the cliff, and pinned there (which when one looks back on the scene, has the eerie similarity to starry blackness of space...and then remember the reasons behind Tony's panic attacks. Nightmare fuel, indeed!). Then there are more tender moments...like Dummy. Dummy, as those who've seen the other Iron Man movies, will remember as the robotic arm which was the source of a lot of jokes and sweet moments in the past...and to see Dummy and Dummy 2.0, holding 'hands' as they plummeted to the sea depths with the rest of Casa Da Stark, was also quite shocking...and depressing...but then, Stark, in the end, shows he never leaves friends behind, is seen taking the recovered Dummies home with him.
And speaking of the end, right before the credits, and before the stinger, Stark is truly a changed man. The shrapnel and Arc Reactor removed from his chest, he is finally free of his troubles...and it would appear that this could be the end of Iron Man himself. But then, Tony Stark is telling this story. And if I may paraphrase the main character of a long running, fan favorite science fiction series from the U.K.
"Rule One - The Mechanic Always Lies"
That said, this was such a great movie. Definitely a great first step after the Avengers movie, and here's hoping they keep up this type of quality for the next set of films. The story, the writing, the acting, the effects (both practical and cgi), all of it really came together quite perfectly, and I really have to say, its one of the best Marvel's put out so far, and I can only hope they keep getting better. Now, the only downside I could really say is that this summer has really started strong...and now one can only hope it doesnt begin to go downhill quickly when the rest of the films this summer come out...*looks warily over to Man of Steel and "The Wolverine"*
*deep sigh*
Look, I'm willing to give them both a chance, but DC has had a troubled past as of late with movies that DON'T have a caped crusader in them, and I do want this to be good, I really do, but one can only hope so much, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt until I actually see it. The Wolverine, much in the same vein, though I'm not as skeptical after seeing X-Men First Class, but the trailers coming out for it leave me a bit cold and skepticism still reigns in my heart, but, who knows? In the end, there are plenty of other movies to look forward for this summer as well, and though I might end up waiting for a few to come to home release later on, and though I might not write up a monster of a rant on them like I did (no promises!), I will share my thoughts on them when/if asked.
So, in the final analysis...
GO SEE IRON MAN 3! DO IT. DO IT NAOW!That said, I thank you for watch-....er, reading, and I do thank you for taking your time to put up with another one of my long-winded, extremely nerdy rants...*tips hat to the readers* Good Night, and to all...EXCELSIOR!
*The Video Feed Ends*
And So We End A Trilogy...(The Dark Knight Rises) SPOILERS!
Posted 12 years ago(Writer's Note: Now, what will be for now, and perhaps forever associated with this movie, the tragedy at Colorado is indeed a tragedy. There have been many who have talked about this, both off and on line, both in public and in private conversation, and though my heart, condolences and sympathies go out to all the survivors, their familes, and the familes of those lost in the incident, I believe I have no right nor any say in discussion of the matter. So, this journal will only touching upon the movie itself, and not the events which spilled forth on the night of its premiere, and would please request not to be touched on in either comments or responses which may spring from this journal's entry. Thank you, and I do hope you enjoy the following ramblings of a comic nerd).
Exactly one years since my last journal post, much less my review on yet another summer blockbuster / comic book movie, and it IS the big one...
No, not Avengers (Which I loved to death and saw two times, a rarity given how rarely I go to movies these days)...
No, not the Amazing Spider-Man reboot (which I did slight in my last journal briefly, but having seen it, I'm willing to be the bigger man and say, it was much better then I was expecting, not the best, but it still had a lot more going for it than I expected, seeing how the intial trailers presented it more like Spider-Man was ripping off the Dark Knight franchise instead of copying Sam Raimi, but either way, good movie, not best, but good.)
No, I'm talking about DC's one and only ongoing series of films which has now seen its end with this installment, The Dark Knight Rises. Now, I've always been a much bigger fan of the DC Universe than of the Marvel Universe in a lot of ways, but I've found myself clearly swayed by Marvels far larger and explosive success in producing live action films with many of their properties, from the rise of the super hero movie in the late 90s/early 2000s with its many heroes handled by various studios to its rise as an indepentant studio producing its own movie universe, Marvel clearly had it all under...
*Remembers Daredevil, Elektra, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine*
...well, MOSTLY under control. But DC...oh DC. Though I may not be entirely impressed with their decisions on comic books (the reboot of DC Universe, I'm being alright with, but some of the directions taken leave me cold), live action television (**** You Smallville. Just, **** you), and many other rather...distasteful directions (Why do you keep giving Rob Liefeld work, Zod Dammit!), but they've always come out with many successes of their own, setting themselves above a LOT of Marvel's own efforts, especially when it came to films and series of the animated variety, from every series of the DC Animated Universe...
( *looks at The Zeta Project* MOST of the DC Animated Universe...)
...to such unique series like Teen Titans, Brave and the Bold, and Young Justice (yes, intially skeptical of that particular series but it really has grown on me), to their amazing animated films (Batman : Year One, (a classic comic work from the Pre-Frank Milliar Going Utterly Nucking Futs Era), Batman: Under the Red Hood, Justice League : Crisis On Two Earths, Superm Justice League: Doomed, and most recently, Superman Vs. The Elite). DC has had a really successful job producing some of the best stories, characters, and so much more from their animated efforts...
So how come these days, they can't make just as good live action films? Or at least match Marvel's own level of quality? Well, I can't blame them for not trying but sometimes, its a lot of factors. Sometimes it's direction, sometimes it's story, sometime it's casting, a LOT of things could get into the way. Superman Returns, Green Lantern...
So much potential, and yet results are either forgettable, lackluster, or just cringingly painful (and trust me when I say I REALLY wanted to like Green Lantern...but Zod Dammit...).
BUT
Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy
Say what you will about Christian Bale's "Batman Voice", everything else about these movies just felt RIGHT. Grounding it in reality where there are no men from Krypton, no women from a magical island of amazons. No super powers, no magic rings. Just a man who suffered the loss of two loving parents to the corruption and crime of a city seeping in sin and darkness, walking a path of violence and vengence, tempered by rage and a code of justice...seeking it through the use of shadows and the night, becoming said city's Dark Knight, and to paraphrase that damn fine quote from The Dark Knight
"To become the hero which Gotham deserves..."
So, with all this rambling, I've yet to really touch on the focus of this whole thing, that being well, the Dark Knight Rises. As great and well-made this series has been, it has two HUGE obstacles to get over before it even premiered on days ago: One being Marvel's record smashing, money making juggarnaut which is The Avengers, and Second, being in fact, The Dark Knight, its preceeding installment from some summers back. Both movies have set records and set the bar very VERY high for comic book movies then, now, and to come, and the Dark Knight Rises is no exception.
So, how is The Dark Knight Rises?
In Short, It was a fantastic movie, and a good way to cap the story of the "Nolanverse". Fantastic, yes. Perfect? No. Does it match the level of the Avengers or even the Dark Knight? In my opinion? No, no it does not. It falls short just barely, but its by far one of the best third installments of a comic book related property in some time (*presents Superman 3 (Richard Pryor, for god sakes!) and Spider-Man 3 (That freaking montage with Venom-Peter...) as evidence to this fact*). But let me break it down in better detail...And I will repeat once more...
BEWARE, FOR SPOILERS LURK HERE!
Starting with the Cast, we have more or less, everyone returning from the last film with obvious exceptions (Harvey Dent/Two Face having died at the very end of the Dark Knight, and well, The Joker...*sigh* Knowing what Nolan had planned for those characters, what could've been...), and they all put out fantastic performances, even Christian Bale (I may give him crap for that "Batman Voice" but despite it, he does a good job). Gary Oldman returns as Commisioner Gordon...and is still the old badass as he has been. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine produce great scenes and lines as Lucius Fox and Alfred Pennyworth respectively, and almost makes me sad to know that these three probably won't be returning to these roles ever again, but still, quite a run.
So, with that said, what about the new cast members? Well, since I'll be touching on the story later on, most of what I'll talk about here is the three bigger prescences in the film, that being Bane, Catwoman, and Officer John Blake. Who you might be asking with that last one. Well, I was scratching my head on this one character who'd been shown heavily in the trailers leading up to the film, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Was this supposed to be a brand new character? An established character, and if so who? A very young (and very slim) Harvey Bullock? Or dare I say it, Richard "Dick" Grayson aka the first Robin? That last one being a leap due to Dick's term as a police officer in Bludhaven, Gotham's Sister City. But in fact, it turns out to be not too far from the truth. Now, Christopher Nolan (director) and Christian Bale have gone on many times in interviews and questions on if Robin will ever appear in the series, and they kept it clear and said NO.
Well, this is both true...and not true.
For it turns out, Officer John Blake is in fact, neither an established character nor necesarily an "original" character. In fact, after reviewing what I learned of Mister Blake, he is more or less a combanation of three characters, all of them being the first three Robins: Dick Grayson for the aforemention history as a police officer, Jason Todd for his street urchin/orphan history and street smarts, not to mention his temper, and even Tim Drake, by using detective skills and ability to deduce that Bruce Wayne was in fact, Batman. And at the very end, we learn his full name..."Robin" John Blake. Okay, that is a liiiiittle bit forced, and I did smack my forehead at the end of movie, but given what it led to in said end, I thought it was appropriate, and a cheeky way of Nolan to slip around the fact that the Robin we were expecting was not the Robin we got...
Now, Bane and Catwoman. Both have been interpreted many times, in both live action film and animated incarnations. How were they? In Bane's case, they could've ROYALLY messed this character up, as they'd done back in Batman and Robin years back, but here? Here, I applaud Nolan for what he did. Instead of going for the big meaty Roid Rager he could've been, Nolan proceeded to follow what the character has always been: a force to be reckoned with. Not necessarily JUST a physical force, but the force of mind and will which would rival that of Batman himself. Here you have someone who not only has the brawn to carry out his plans and actions, but the mind to apply said actions to their best effect. The man who would not only BREAK the Batman (That HAS been his thing since the 90s!), but to break the city of Gotham as well, was quite applauding. BUT, despite my appreciation of the character and his loyal portrayal in the movie (especially since it turns out, much like the Bane of most recent years, DOESNT use Venom or any form of steroids, and that mask of his is actually medical device which helps control the constant pain he's in), he just doesn't stand out or make himself AS memorable as Heath Ledger's Joker.
Don't get me wrong, I think he's leagues above Ras Al Ghul (played very well by Liam Neeson) in terms of memorable villian, but the fact of the matter is, in terms of characters, The Joker will always be Batman's most memorable of foes, and Bane, despite being a far more complex character, will often be thought of as a bulked up bruiser where in fact, a brain does reside in that head. Once more, I blame Batman and Robin for this. But take into consideration Heath Ledger's portrayl of the Clown Prince of Crime, and well...Tom Hardy, you did an amazing job, but the Joker still rules the top of my Batman movie villian list.
Now, Catwoman. Oh, Catwoman Catwoman, Catwoman...*sighs fondly as he looks to Selina Kyle through the years of comic book and other media, before blushing and closing a few web windows* *ahem* NOW then. One of the things I was really worried was the addition of Catwoman to the series. Not to say they COULDN"T get it to work, but they had to find the right actress to play our favorite cat burgleress...and I just had such a hard time seeing the freaking lead actress from the Princess Diaries play Selina Kyle! *takes a breath and sighs* And, like my worries on The Human Torch playing Captain America, I was wrong to really worry. Anne Hathaway did quite a fantastic job, and really did right what Selina was all about. She was catty but sweet at the same time, she'd smile and peck at your lips while slipping away with the keys to your car, your safe, and your heart, and could clearly handle herself in a fight.
BUT...much like Bane, there was some issues I had with the character, and it might just be me but Catwoman seemed much too eager to kill or use guns. Now, Selina has NEVER had as much of a No Guns Policy as Batman, and at times, has been known to kill certain individuals, but often it only occurs to people who deserve it, but perhaps due to the more gritty real world style, it would make sense that from where this Selina Kyle grew up (and lets remember, in the comics, Selina Kyle's early years were REAL tough...she WAS a street walker at one point...), the old adage of "kill or be killed" might be held more literally, but still, I do like they kept as loyal as possible to the "international thief" portion of her backstory while hearkening back to her roots in Gotham at the same time. Its just, there are some details which could've been handled better, but like I said, you got to work with what you can in a real world setting like this movie is based in...*sighs as he can't help but imagine a live action adaptation of more "non-real world" fantastic elements which have happened to Catwoman...or that old, full body purple costume with the cat ears, and boots and...* *cough* BACK TO THE REVIEW >.>;
Characters aside, the plot of the story is well made and though there WERE moments I felt could've been tweaked or shortened, it was more or less a great story which helped make the nearly 3 hour length time fly right by. BUT, I couldn't help but think that some of these elements seemed...familiar. Well, I clearly was expecting something adapted from the comics. I mean, you had Bane coming to Gotham to "break the Batman", so clearly this was adapting Knightfall, the storyline which saw Bane take Gotham and well, shatter Batman's spine. Which he does...
But thats only HALF the story. Now, let me paint you a picture. A Gotham shattered and wrecked under a "great disaster". Cut off from the rest of the world. Gangs of ex-cons, Bane's men, and even lunatics running around and ruling over Gotham while "gangs of police officers" try their best to keep the law and protect the people of Gotham. The United States effectively putting a barricade all over Gotham and making sure no one goes IN much less comes OUT. Food and Water are becoming scarce. There is no power or electricity. Resources are pooled,and people huddle together for many months. And Batman is no where to be seen for five months. Hmmmm...
Does anyone else see something here? Cause I do, and I say "Well Holy Crap Batman, its No Man's Land!"
What Christopher Nolan has done (and I damn well DO believe he did this on purpose, and I read that book, you magnificent bastard!) has combined some of the best elements of Knightfall (i.e. those without AzBats. Don't ask) with No Man's Land, with a bit of Dark Knight Returns sprinkled here and there (which makes senses, since Batman Begins largely takes a LOT from Batman: Year One, which Frank Miller wrote, as well as Dark Knight Returns). In fact, there is a lot of things which seems to be either nods or Easter Eggs to a lot of Batman related material, from the Ballroom scene with Selina and Bruce (a la Batman Returns) to John Daggett (a crooked businessman who wants to absorb Wayne Enterprise...fans of Batman the Animated Series will clearly go "YOU!" once that smug son of a bitch appears, seeing how there was a "Roland Daggett" whom gave both Batman AND Catwoman trouble over the course of the series). Hell, I giggled at the fact that the football team of Gotham's is called the Gotham Rogues. But of the biggest nods to the franchise, I believe it was one in particular who helped steal the show, and that would be our resident expert on fear, Doctor Jonathan Crane, aka, the Scarecrow. Thats right, once again, Cillian Murphy reprises the madman, and does he steal every scene he's in! Also, loved the touch that his frayed suit seems to simulate straw *wink*
But, mythology gags and adapted material aside, the overall plot has plenty of action, drama, and clever twists which I must once more applaud everyone who worked on the film cause, towards the very end, (and fair warning, SUPER spoilery), we learn that Bane is in fact NOT the big bad in charage, but the right hand man of the true face of evil...Talia Al Ghul, whom this whole movie we'd thought was just another innocent love interest of Bruce's whom got caught in the crossfire, but was in fact orchestrating the whole thing behind the shadows, and looking back on all of her scenes, it all really clicked, and so, bravo on such a clever twist and turn. But, since it neared the end, its only befitting to touch on said ending. Before the ending, we'd seen Batman's return after an 8 year abscence (yes, the movie does take in fact, eight years after Dark Knight, Gotham seeing an unprecendanted period of peace) and Bane's initial attacks on Gotham (that scene at the stock exchange? THIS is why I think Bane is awesome. Apply both brains and brawn to the matter at hand, add some sharp and grin inducing dialogue, and he just works!), to Bane shattering Batman's body and spirit and sending him off to a fate worse then death, to No Man's Land with Gordon, Lucius, and many others trying to survive a radically different situation as those whom once protected the law were now "on the other side of it",to even the climatic battle which sees the return of Batman and round two with Bane...
Which leads to the final 20 minutes of the movie, where Talia reveals her true colors and sets off to see the whole of Gotham is reduced to ashes, and with few resources, allies, and time to stop her, Batman sees not only that Gotham survives, but Talia is stopped for good. But at a cost. For their one way to stop the bomb destroyed by Talia's many well-thought out plans, Batman carries the bomb out to sea (via "The Bat", the aerial vehicle he'd recieved in the movie...and I swear draws some inspisation to the "Batmobile" from Batman Beyond...), and therefore, goes off harmlessly without destroying Gotham...with only one casualty: Batman himself. In his death, Gotham is taken back, and knowing how much of a hero he truly was, honors his memory by producing a statue in his image.
Bruce Wayne is presumed killed during the riots, and a small private funeral is held between Gordon, Lucius, Blake, and Alfred (which I felt TERRIBLE for...I always loved the father/son dynamic Alfred and Bruce held in the comics, and though this might be my own views, but it was so sad to see Alfred break down like that, reminding me of a scene in the comics during the time which Batman was apparently killed at the end of Final Crisis, as Superman confronts Alfred, who looks mournfully at the Man of Steel who asks "Are you alright?", which Alfred replies "Am I "alright"...?" *brief pause as tears begin to flow as pain etches the old butler's face* "No, I am not. My son has died". And since I fondly remember all the times Alfred and Bruce has had scenes, not only in these films but in the comics and cartoons, even in the video games, it only makes sense that someone who has been a father to Bruce for longer then even his biological father, he'd feel a father's pain to see his son die long before his own death, especially in a way he'd believe he'd would kill him for many years and wanted him to stop...
And this is an alternate universe of which these movies exist, and in a world where real world rules apply (more or less), and I would've accepted Batman's death without question or cry out agaisnt it because, well, it was a sacrifice that time and time again, Batman would be ready to give, for he'd already given up so much, so what is life to the cause of protecting the city, HIS city as well as of innocent life and the law. I would accept this...and thats why I was somewhat disappointed to see that it wasn't the case. For in the last moments, as the lives of those touched by both Bruce Wayne and Batman are rebuilt after the crisis, as Lucius Fox decomissions the last of the armory, he is told that the ineffective autopilot system for the same line of aircraft the Bat was built from, in fact, now was operation for the past six months, immediately leading to a scene in Florence, where Alfred had mentioned he often went on vacation, and harkening back to a scene earlier in the film, looks across the resteraunt...and finds an alive and well Bruce, smiling and enjoying the company of Selina Kyle, and for a brief moment, their eyes meet...and Alfred smiles, nods and leaves. Now, I'm some what alright with this. Somewhat. And thinking about it, I can see how his survival would work, and therefore, will not cry fowl or "Freedom Fridge" on this...(Anyone whose seen Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will get the reference), it just sort of disappoints me cause, well, it would've made sense for Batman to die, just as it would made sense for him to "die" and Bruce Wayne allowed to live a life he couldn't have AS Batman. But of the two, I would rather him die literally since well, that strikes me as something Bruce would do, seeing that sure, Batman would be dead yes, but I'd see him dead instead of "faking" his death and living life as just Bruce Wayne. You don't just walk away from something like this, and keep out of it. And that leads me to very last scene.
"Robin" John Blake, having resigned from the police force due to how its rules and regulations, orders and corruption were just getting in the way of justice, was bequeathed something special in Bruce Wayne's will and after following the instructions left behind, finds his way to the Batcave...and we end on the image of him "rising" literally, as we're left to assume he will take up where Bruce left off as Gotham's protector. Not necessarily as Batman, but if they were to continue, my money would be on Nightwing. Having this legacy occur does help me see how Bruce could leave it all behind, especially when he also had a kindred spirit in Selina, who for her own reasons ,wanted to leave "Catwoman" behind and just have a life of bliss and love with Bruce without the masks, but...it still leaves me slightly unsatisfied, especially as it felt that Batman truly came to his full potential BECAUSE of what he had to get through in this film, only to leave immediately after reaching this new level. But, I digress. Its not the first time that this particular direction has gone for Bruce and Selina, especially when looks to the comic books, where the two ended up together. But, now I wonder, if the series continued from here, would we have seen the Huntress...*smirks and winks to those who'll get my drift*
Anyway, wrapping up this HUGE wall of text of rambles and review, The Dark Knight Rises is not a perfect movie, but it does a great job ending a story which Christopher Nolan and many others have worked hard to craft and tell these years and despite some small flaws, it ends on a bang and I applaud all the effort and work they put into it. The music, the special effects (both practical and cgi), camera work, acting, writing....all of it was top notch, and it shines here. And with its end, the series will hopefully be looked upon by fans past, present and future as a labor of hard work and love, and a nod to the franchise as a whole, because it certainly did its best to do something new while also honoring the characters and stories of which it used to create three examples of comic book cinema, as well as to be used as an example of how to bring Gotham City's many denizens to the silver screen...for there are works in the making for future Batman and Batman related films, and one can only hope for their quality, as well as the quality of all DC Comics based films. They CAN do it, I know it, the Dark Knight series proves it. All of Marvel's movies prove it. As much as it pains me to say it, but DC Comics and Warner Brothers, you NEED to take notes from both this film series and Marvel Studios to get your acts together, and match them. If an Avengers movie, with a number of largerly "unknown" (to the public at large) characters, can be astronomically INCREDIBLE success, so can a Justice League movie!
So, in the end, I say...
You won't regret it, and I imagine you'll find something to take from it and enjoy it ;3 Once more, thank you again for your time, and I wish you all a good night!
Exactly one years since my last journal post, much less my review on yet another summer blockbuster / comic book movie, and it IS the big one...
No, not Avengers (Which I loved to death and saw two times, a rarity given how rarely I go to movies these days)...
No, not the Amazing Spider-Man reboot (which I did slight in my last journal briefly, but having seen it, I'm willing to be the bigger man and say, it was much better then I was expecting, not the best, but it still had a lot more going for it than I expected, seeing how the intial trailers presented it more like Spider-Man was ripping off the Dark Knight franchise instead of copying Sam Raimi, but either way, good movie, not best, but good.)
No, I'm talking about DC's one and only ongoing series of films which has now seen its end with this installment, The Dark Knight Rises. Now, I've always been a much bigger fan of the DC Universe than of the Marvel Universe in a lot of ways, but I've found myself clearly swayed by Marvels far larger and explosive success in producing live action films with many of their properties, from the rise of the super hero movie in the late 90s/early 2000s with its many heroes handled by various studios to its rise as an indepentant studio producing its own movie universe, Marvel clearly had it all under...
*Remembers Daredevil, Elektra, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine*
...well, MOSTLY under control. But DC...oh DC. Though I may not be entirely impressed with their decisions on comic books (the reboot of DC Universe, I'm being alright with, but some of the directions taken leave me cold), live action television (**** You Smallville. Just, **** you), and many other rather...distasteful directions (Why do you keep giving Rob Liefeld work, Zod Dammit!), but they've always come out with many successes of their own, setting themselves above a LOT of Marvel's own efforts, especially when it came to films and series of the animated variety, from every series of the DC Animated Universe...
( *looks at The Zeta Project* MOST of the DC Animated Universe...)
...to such unique series like Teen Titans, Brave and the Bold, and Young Justice (yes, intially skeptical of that particular series but it really has grown on me), to their amazing animated films (Batman : Year One, (a classic comic work from the Pre-Frank Milliar Going Utterly Nucking Futs Era), Batman: Under the Red Hood, Justice League : Crisis On Two Earths, Superm Justice League: Doomed, and most recently, Superman Vs. The Elite). DC has had a really successful job producing some of the best stories, characters, and so much more from their animated efforts...
So how come these days, they can't make just as good live action films? Or at least match Marvel's own level of quality? Well, I can't blame them for not trying but sometimes, its a lot of factors. Sometimes it's direction, sometimes it's story, sometime it's casting, a LOT of things could get into the way. Superman Returns, Green Lantern...
So much potential, and yet results are either forgettable, lackluster, or just cringingly painful (and trust me when I say I REALLY wanted to like Green Lantern...but Zod Dammit...).
BUT
Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy
Say what you will about Christian Bale's "Batman Voice", everything else about these movies just felt RIGHT. Grounding it in reality where there are no men from Krypton, no women from a magical island of amazons. No super powers, no magic rings. Just a man who suffered the loss of two loving parents to the corruption and crime of a city seeping in sin and darkness, walking a path of violence and vengence, tempered by rage and a code of justice...seeking it through the use of shadows and the night, becoming said city's Dark Knight, and to paraphrase that damn fine quote from The Dark Knight
"To become the hero which Gotham deserves..."
So, with all this rambling, I've yet to really touch on the focus of this whole thing, that being well, the Dark Knight Rises. As great and well-made this series has been, it has two HUGE obstacles to get over before it even premiered on days ago: One being Marvel's record smashing, money making juggarnaut which is The Avengers, and Second, being in fact, The Dark Knight, its preceeding installment from some summers back. Both movies have set records and set the bar very VERY high for comic book movies then, now, and to come, and the Dark Knight Rises is no exception.
So, how is The Dark Knight Rises?
In Short, It was a fantastic movie, and a good way to cap the story of the "Nolanverse". Fantastic, yes. Perfect? No. Does it match the level of the Avengers or even the Dark Knight? In my opinion? No, no it does not. It falls short just barely, but its by far one of the best third installments of a comic book related property in some time (*presents Superman 3 (Richard Pryor, for god sakes!) and Spider-Man 3 (That freaking montage with Venom-Peter...) as evidence to this fact*). But let me break it down in better detail...And I will repeat once more...
BEWARE, FOR SPOILERS LURK HERE!
Starting with the Cast, we have more or less, everyone returning from the last film with obvious exceptions (Harvey Dent/Two Face having died at the very end of the Dark Knight, and well, The Joker...*sigh* Knowing what Nolan had planned for those characters, what could've been...), and they all put out fantastic performances, even Christian Bale (I may give him crap for that "Batman Voice" but despite it, he does a good job). Gary Oldman returns as Commisioner Gordon...and is still the old badass as he has been. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine produce great scenes and lines as Lucius Fox and Alfred Pennyworth respectively, and almost makes me sad to know that these three probably won't be returning to these roles ever again, but still, quite a run.
So, with that said, what about the new cast members? Well, since I'll be touching on the story later on, most of what I'll talk about here is the three bigger prescences in the film, that being Bane, Catwoman, and Officer John Blake. Who you might be asking with that last one. Well, I was scratching my head on this one character who'd been shown heavily in the trailers leading up to the film, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Was this supposed to be a brand new character? An established character, and if so who? A very young (and very slim) Harvey Bullock? Or dare I say it, Richard "Dick" Grayson aka the first Robin? That last one being a leap due to Dick's term as a police officer in Bludhaven, Gotham's Sister City. But in fact, it turns out to be not too far from the truth. Now, Christopher Nolan (director) and Christian Bale have gone on many times in interviews and questions on if Robin will ever appear in the series, and they kept it clear and said NO.
Well, this is both true...and not true.
For it turns out, Officer John Blake is in fact, neither an established character nor necesarily an "original" character. In fact, after reviewing what I learned of Mister Blake, he is more or less a combanation of three characters, all of them being the first three Robins: Dick Grayson for the aforemention history as a police officer, Jason Todd for his street urchin/orphan history and street smarts, not to mention his temper, and even Tim Drake, by using detective skills and ability to deduce that Bruce Wayne was in fact, Batman. And at the very end, we learn his full name..."Robin" John Blake. Okay, that is a liiiiittle bit forced, and I did smack my forehead at the end of movie, but given what it led to in said end, I thought it was appropriate, and a cheeky way of Nolan to slip around the fact that the Robin we were expecting was not the Robin we got...
Now, Bane and Catwoman. Both have been interpreted many times, in both live action film and animated incarnations. How were they? In Bane's case, they could've ROYALLY messed this character up, as they'd done back in Batman and Robin years back, but here? Here, I applaud Nolan for what he did. Instead of going for the big meaty Roid Rager he could've been, Nolan proceeded to follow what the character has always been: a force to be reckoned with. Not necessarily JUST a physical force, but the force of mind and will which would rival that of Batman himself. Here you have someone who not only has the brawn to carry out his plans and actions, but the mind to apply said actions to their best effect. The man who would not only BREAK the Batman (That HAS been his thing since the 90s!), but to break the city of Gotham as well, was quite applauding. BUT, despite my appreciation of the character and his loyal portrayal in the movie (especially since it turns out, much like the Bane of most recent years, DOESNT use Venom or any form of steroids, and that mask of his is actually medical device which helps control the constant pain he's in), he just doesn't stand out or make himself AS memorable as Heath Ledger's Joker.
Don't get me wrong, I think he's leagues above Ras Al Ghul (played very well by Liam Neeson) in terms of memorable villian, but the fact of the matter is, in terms of characters, The Joker will always be Batman's most memorable of foes, and Bane, despite being a far more complex character, will often be thought of as a bulked up bruiser where in fact, a brain does reside in that head. Once more, I blame Batman and Robin for this. But take into consideration Heath Ledger's portrayl of the Clown Prince of Crime, and well...Tom Hardy, you did an amazing job, but the Joker still rules the top of my Batman movie villian list.
Now, Catwoman. Oh, Catwoman Catwoman, Catwoman...*sighs fondly as he looks to Selina Kyle through the years of comic book and other media, before blushing and closing a few web windows* *ahem* NOW then. One of the things I was really worried was the addition of Catwoman to the series. Not to say they COULDN"T get it to work, but they had to find the right actress to play our favorite cat burgleress...and I just had such a hard time seeing the freaking lead actress from the Princess Diaries play Selina Kyle! *takes a breath and sighs* And, like my worries on The Human Torch playing Captain America, I was wrong to really worry. Anne Hathaway did quite a fantastic job, and really did right what Selina was all about. She was catty but sweet at the same time, she'd smile and peck at your lips while slipping away with the keys to your car, your safe, and your heart, and could clearly handle herself in a fight.
BUT...much like Bane, there was some issues I had with the character, and it might just be me but Catwoman seemed much too eager to kill or use guns. Now, Selina has NEVER had as much of a No Guns Policy as Batman, and at times, has been known to kill certain individuals, but often it only occurs to people who deserve it, but perhaps due to the more gritty real world style, it would make sense that from where this Selina Kyle grew up (and lets remember, in the comics, Selina Kyle's early years were REAL tough...she WAS a street walker at one point...), the old adage of "kill or be killed" might be held more literally, but still, I do like they kept as loyal as possible to the "international thief" portion of her backstory while hearkening back to her roots in Gotham at the same time. Its just, there are some details which could've been handled better, but like I said, you got to work with what you can in a real world setting like this movie is based in...*sighs as he can't help but imagine a live action adaptation of more "non-real world" fantastic elements which have happened to Catwoman...or that old, full body purple costume with the cat ears, and boots and...* *cough* BACK TO THE REVIEW >.>;
Characters aside, the plot of the story is well made and though there WERE moments I felt could've been tweaked or shortened, it was more or less a great story which helped make the nearly 3 hour length time fly right by. BUT, I couldn't help but think that some of these elements seemed...familiar. Well, I clearly was expecting something adapted from the comics. I mean, you had Bane coming to Gotham to "break the Batman", so clearly this was adapting Knightfall, the storyline which saw Bane take Gotham and well, shatter Batman's spine. Which he does...
But thats only HALF the story. Now, let me paint you a picture. A Gotham shattered and wrecked under a "great disaster". Cut off from the rest of the world. Gangs of ex-cons, Bane's men, and even lunatics running around and ruling over Gotham while "gangs of police officers" try their best to keep the law and protect the people of Gotham. The United States effectively putting a barricade all over Gotham and making sure no one goes IN much less comes OUT. Food and Water are becoming scarce. There is no power or electricity. Resources are pooled,and people huddle together for many months. And Batman is no where to be seen for five months. Hmmmm...
Does anyone else see something here? Cause I do, and I say "Well Holy Crap Batman, its No Man's Land!"
What Christopher Nolan has done (and I damn well DO believe he did this on purpose, and I read that book, you magnificent bastard!) has combined some of the best elements of Knightfall (i.e. those without AzBats. Don't ask) with No Man's Land, with a bit of Dark Knight Returns sprinkled here and there (which makes senses, since Batman Begins largely takes a LOT from Batman: Year One, which Frank Miller wrote, as well as Dark Knight Returns). In fact, there is a lot of things which seems to be either nods or Easter Eggs to a lot of Batman related material, from the Ballroom scene with Selina and Bruce (a la Batman Returns) to John Daggett (a crooked businessman who wants to absorb Wayne Enterprise...fans of Batman the Animated Series will clearly go "YOU!" once that smug son of a bitch appears, seeing how there was a "Roland Daggett" whom gave both Batman AND Catwoman trouble over the course of the series). Hell, I giggled at the fact that the football team of Gotham's is called the Gotham Rogues. But of the biggest nods to the franchise, I believe it was one in particular who helped steal the show, and that would be our resident expert on fear, Doctor Jonathan Crane, aka, the Scarecrow. Thats right, once again, Cillian Murphy reprises the madman, and does he steal every scene he's in! Also, loved the touch that his frayed suit seems to simulate straw *wink*
But, mythology gags and adapted material aside, the overall plot has plenty of action, drama, and clever twists which I must once more applaud everyone who worked on the film cause, towards the very end, (and fair warning, SUPER spoilery), we learn that Bane is in fact NOT the big bad in charage, but the right hand man of the true face of evil...Talia Al Ghul, whom this whole movie we'd thought was just another innocent love interest of Bruce's whom got caught in the crossfire, but was in fact orchestrating the whole thing behind the shadows, and looking back on all of her scenes, it all really clicked, and so, bravo on such a clever twist and turn. But, since it neared the end, its only befitting to touch on said ending. Before the ending, we'd seen Batman's return after an 8 year abscence (yes, the movie does take in fact, eight years after Dark Knight, Gotham seeing an unprecendanted period of peace) and Bane's initial attacks on Gotham (that scene at the stock exchange? THIS is why I think Bane is awesome. Apply both brains and brawn to the matter at hand, add some sharp and grin inducing dialogue, and he just works!), to Bane shattering Batman's body and spirit and sending him off to a fate worse then death, to No Man's Land with Gordon, Lucius, and many others trying to survive a radically different situation as those whom once protected the law were now "on the other side of it",to even the climatic battle which sees the return of Batman and round two with Bane...
Which leads to the final 20 minutes of the movie, where Talia reveals her true colors and sets off to see the whole of Gotham is reduced to ashes, and with few resources, allies, and time to stop her, Batman sees not only that Gotham survives, but Talia is stopped for good. But at a cost. For their one way to stop the bomb destroyed by Talia's many well-thought out plans, Batman carries the bomb out to sea (via "The Bat", the aerial vehicle he'd recieved in the movie...and I swear draws some inspisation to the "Batmobile" from Batman Beyond...), and therefore, goes off harmlessly without destroying Gotham...with only one casualty: Batman himself. In his death, Gotham is taken back, and knowing how much of a hero he truly was, honors his memory by producing a statue in his image.
Bruce Wayne is presumed killed during the riots, and a small private funeral is held between Gordon, Lucius, Blake, and Alfred (which I felt TERRIBLE for...I always loved the father/son dynamic Alfred and Bruce held in the comics, and though this might be my own views, but it was so sad to see Alfred break down like that, reminding me of a scene in the comics during the time which Batman was apparently killed at the end of Final Crisis, as Superman confronts Alfred, who looks mournfully at the Man of Steel who asks "Are you alright?", which Alfred replies "Am I "alright"...?" *brief pause as tears begin to flow as pain etches the old butler's face* "No, I am not. My son has died". And since I fondly remember all the times Alfred and Bruce has had scenes, not only in these films but in the comics and cartoons, even in the video games, it only makes sense that someone who has been a father to Bruce for longer then even his biological father, he'd feel a father's pain to see his son die long before his own death, especially in a way he'd believe he'd would kill him for many years and wanted him to stop...
And this is an alternate universe of which these movies exist, and in a world where real world rules apply (more or less), and I would've accepted Batman's death without question or cry out agaisnt it because, well, it was a sacrifice that time and time again, Batman would be ready to give, for he'd already given up so much, so what is life to the cause of protecting the city, HIS city as well as of innocent life and the law. I would accept this...and thats why I was somewhat disappointed to see that it wasn't the case. For in the last moments, as the lives of those touched by both Bruce Wayne and Batman are rebuilt after the crisis, as Lucius Fox decomissions the last of the armory, he is told that the ineffective autopilot system for the same line of aircraft the Bat was built from, in fact, now was operation for the past six months, immediately leading to a scene in Florence, where Alfred had mentioned he often went on vacation, and harkening back to a scene earlier in the film, looks across the resteraunt...and finds an alive and well Bruce, smiling and enjoying the company of Selina Kyle, and for a brief moment, their eyes meet...and Alfred smiles, nods and leaves. Now, I'm some what alright with this. Somewhat. And thinking about it, I can see how his survival would work, and therefore, will not cry fowl or "Freedom Fridge" on this...(Anyone whose seen Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will get the reference), it just sort of disappoints me cause, well, it would've made sense for Batman to die, just as it would made sense for him to "die" and Bruce Wayne allowed to live a life he couldn't have AS Batman. But of the two, I would rather him die literally since well, that strikes me as something Bruce would do, seeing that sure, Batman would be dead yes, but I'd see him dead instead of "faking" his death and living life as just Bruce Wayne. You don't just walk away from something like this, and keep out of it. And that leads me to very last scene.
"Robin" John Blake, having resigned from the police force due to how its rules and regulations, orders and corruption were just getting in the way of justice, was bequeathed something special in Bruce Wayne's will and after following the instructions left behind, finds his way to the Batcave...and we end on the image of him "rising" literally, as we're left to assume he will take up where Bruce left off as Gotham's protector. Not necessarily as Batman, but if they were to continue, my money would be on Nightwing. Having this legacy occur does help me see how Bruce could leave it all behind, especially when he also had a kindred spirit in Selina, who for her own reasons ,wanted to leave "Catwoman" behind and just have a life of bliss and love with Bruce without the masks, but...it still leaves me slightly unsatisfied, especially as it felt that Batman truly came to his full potential BECAUSE of what he had to get through in this film, only to leave immediately after reaching this new level. But, I digress. Its not the first time that this particular direction has gone for Bruce and Selina, especially when looks to the comic books, where the two ended up together. But, now I wonder, if the series continued from here, would we have seen the Huntress...*smirks and winks to those who'll get my drift*
Anyway, wrapping up this HUGE wall of text of rambles and review, The Dark Knight Rises is not a perfect movie, but it does a great job ending a story which Christopher Nolan and many others have worked hard to craft and tell these years and despite some small flaws, it ends on a bang and I applaud all the effort and work they put into it. The music, the special effects (both practical and cgi), camera work, acting, writing....all of it was top notch, and it shines here. And with its end, the series will hopefully be looked upon by fans past, present and future as a labor of hard work and love, and a nod to the franchise as a whole, because it certainly did its best to do something new while also honoring the characters and stories of which it used to create three examples of comic book cinema, as well as to be used as an example of how to bring Gotham City's many denizens to the silver screen...for there are works in the making for future Batman and Batman related films, and one can only hope for their quality, as well as the quality of all DC Comics based films. They CAN do it, I know it, the Dark Knight series proves it. All of Marvel's movies prove it. As much as it pains me to say it, but DC Comics and Warner Brothers, you NEED to take notes from both this film series and Marvel Studios to get your acts together, and match them. If an Avengers movie, with a number of largerly "unknown" (to the public at large) characters, can be astronomically INCREDIBLE success, so can a Justice League movie!
So, in the end, I say...
GO SEE THE DARK KNIGHT RISES!You won't regret it, and I imagine you'll find something to take from it and enjoy it ;3 Once more, thank you again for your time, and I wish you all a good night!
A Formal Apology
Posted 13 years agoI have mentioned in the past, that I don't normally do journals, but, I believe this is the best way to approach this matter, and I thank everyone for their time to read this. So, I shall begin.
I extend the deepest, most sincere apologies to...
Before seeing this movie, I was one of many detractors and nay-sayers, basing it all on my disappointment with the decline of the X-Men Franchise by 20th Century Fox (And I refer to X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I in fact enjoyed X-Men 3, despite the hate extended to that), much like my continued hatred towards the Spider-Man movie reboot (which I WANT to reconsider because of this movie, but...that ****ing costume!), the casting of characters and revelations of what the story may entail (Wait, Havok is in this movie? Young Adult? In The 60s?....What the ****!?), and frankly, some of the trailers. But, despite all of these factors, I was persuaded to try and come with an open mind and see this film...
...And I thank my friends with the deepest love in my heart to making me see this, because despite my extremely low expectations and hopes, THIS movie blew them out of the water completely, producing a much superior X-Men movie then I could've ever guessed. Its not a PERFECT X-Men movie, but it is far FAR leagues higher then X-Men Origins: Wolverine (though, remains overshadowed by its older installments, X-Men 1 and 2). I want to provide a better idea of why I've made a heel-face turn on my negative opinions on this movie, so I hope to get a lot more folks to see it, because really, THIS X-Men movie SHOULD be seen. I'm going to do my best not to spoil the film for everyone, though, there might be one or two things which must be pointed out, but not entirely important (Such as there is no need to stay after the movie, there is NO secret scene at the end, like the previous X-Men films. So, once the flashy credits start to roll, stick around only for the flashier bits, but otherwise, no need to stick around the whole time for an Easter Egg).
Now then, where could I possibly begin? Well, I guess I should begin with the cast, a factor which was primary in my venomous words put against this picture. I have to say, for a basically a cast of no-name actors, everyone put up a fantastic performance. Sure, one or two characters could've been developed more (like Azazel or Riptide, who I had to wait to the credits to find out his NAME, which turns out to be one of the Marauders from the 80s. X-Men fans will recognize that group), but I felt a HELL of a lot more attached to characters then I did for Wolverine: Origins. James McAvoy does a very unexpected but actually quite applaudable effort as a young Charles Xavier, a Professor X that is still very young and clearly has some development and growing up to do before becoming the Patrick Stewart Xavier we've come to love in older installments. In fact, its just this unexpected optimism and energy that McAvoy brings to Xavier which I certainly enjoyed. During the whole film, scenes with him at times made me grin broadly and think to myself "Perhaps they should have given him the codename Doctor X". I say that because, I couldn't resist thinking, wow, I don't know how long Matt Smith is planned to be the Doctor (of Doctor Who), but if they ever need a Twelfth Doctor, someone PLEASE point into this guy's direction, cause at times, it was like I was watching a Doctor Who/X-Men crossover-fic...and thats a good thing!
On the other end of the spectrum of good and evil, Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw...yes, I know, I too scratched my head and went "WTF, who thought this was a GOOD idea?", but actually, I'm GLAD they went with Bacon cause frankly, he's one of my favorite characters, and frankly, Bacon's performance shows that he was just having a blast with this role. His sheer charisma and charm also kept me grinning, even as he begins to kill people left and right with his abilities (which, again, is quite different from he comic books, but given the effects, I can accept. More on that later). Sure, he might not be the big burly, 19th Century styled Black King of the Hellfire Club, but DAMN, I will never question a role to Kevin Bacon again, cause my friends, I love his Sebastian Shaw.
Now, going to the grey area of good and evil, Michael Fassbender, aka Erik Lensherr, aka Magneto...I WOULD watch an entire movie just centered on this guy. Here comes one of the spoilerly bits, vague in detail but does occur: Before he joins Xavier and his group to stop Shaw, we watch Erik hunt down Nazis in the 60s...Seriously, name me one person in this world who would not pay CASH MONEY, to see Magneto hunting down Nazis. And let me tell you, this is a PG-13 movie, and I still squirmed in my seat with some of the downright terrifying and painful things Erik does in this film, even as a young Jewish boy at a concentration camp. If there ever would be an R-Rated Magneto movie,set during his early years like this (not going to happen, but what if), I would put my money down that it could possible out-gore something like Inglorious Basterds, but then, what would you expect with a Jewish mutant who survived the Holocaust but his family did not, to wreak his revenge on surviving Nazis? I'm just saying...if anyone had not considered this before, seeing X-Men: First Class, I bet someone's writing that screenplay RIGHT NOW. If not, DO IT!
Now, before I spend most of this apology/review on the cast alone, I'm going to breeze through a couple things before getting to plot/effects/etc. Now, the other mutants introduced into this movie are thankfully, developed for the most part, and not just introduced/dropped immediately like in X-Men Origins...for the MOST part. Yes, I've mentioned a couple dont get any development, much less speaking lines. Yes, there are one or two characters which are just there to die/switch sides. But like I said, its a hell of a lot better about this then X-Men Origins : Wolverine had. For the times where I felt characters who were not X-Men or even the same age as Erik or Charles at this time, and was just very upset to see them here, I found myself unable to feel any of that hate as I watched as each member of this group was introduced. Sure, they don't explain Havok at all in terms of background, only that his name IS Alex Summers, but actually, I'm glad they don't. Leave it to the imagination. Perhaps he's a Summers but not at all related to Scott in this universe. In fact, I look towards X-Men Evolutions for why I'm much more accepting of this, at first, random assemblage of mutants. Lets review facts from the cartoon which spun from the X-men fever of the early 2000s, as well as taking account of the continuity built from the first few X-men movies:Hank McCoy, the Beast, is significantly older then the rest of the students (as he is in the movies, point of fact, one of the X-Men's earliest members...as seen in THIS movie). But, besides trying to rectify with both logic and nerd trivia, I just began to accept these characters, because I started this part, I began to enjoy and feel for them. Some of the best scenes I can recall with this group is when they begin to train their abilities, showing both their growth, and the growth of Erik and Charles own abilities, as well as the character dynamics and relationships which would be later seen in life (I.e. earlier movies). Oh!, also, enjoy the cameos, because there are a LOT of unexpected folks popping up in this movie...including one which I will to this day, will claim is the BEST (i.e. HILARIOUS) cameo in a super hero movie yet...and it uses up the PG-13 rating allowance of one big level curse word. Trust me, if you see this movie, you will know what I mean :D
Now, for the plot, I admit, one of the factors which one of my friends persuaded me is the fact that the meat of this plot seems that it centers around the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 60s. Now, I don't know if I made this known before, but besides being a comic book nerd, I LOVE Alternative History fiction, or sometimes known as Speculative Fiction. Stories showcasing historical what-ifs, like typical ideas like "What if the Nazis won World War II" or "What if the South Won the Civil War?", so having "What If Mutants Started/Stopped the Cuban Missile Crisis" certainly had my interests, as well as how to try and work out the origins of Xavier, Lensherr, and the various other mutants. There is also the development the exposure of mutants to the world, as at this point, mutants are still unknown to the general public, and at this point, not even those in power are aware of them up until this film. So, we begin to see the fear and hatred extended towards mutants, though, not en mass like we had in the older movies. Now, having it set in the Sixties would lead to people being fearful that it'd be hard to capture the feel of the sixties...but actually, most of the time, I believed this to be so, accepting the style, the mannerism, the look, the FEEL of the sixties. Sure, at scenes, that feel did break away and fade, but I think there was more then just a solid effort put into doing this, but then, I said this is NOT A perfect movie. Still, I felt invested in it. I felt pain for characters at the losses Erik has at the very beginning, I felt rage and sinister satisfaction for later in life as he begins to exact his vengeance,and on thing I felt more then anything with this movie: Fun and Humor. I was surprised at how often I laughed and smiled as I watched this...and this time, at the INTENTIONAL humor of the movie, not at how bad it was...like X-Men Origins. And there is fun. I know I said I should have seen this with an open mind, but I still had a bit of my comic book nerd being critical as the movie began...but even that part of me enjoyed a lot of this movie. Sure, there were HUGE discrepancies from the comic book and even the established movie continuity, but, I didn't care. That's how much I enjoyed this movie. The only downside to this is, like X-Men Origin, there was too much of a good thing. The last half hour of the movie was fantastic, amazing and...too fast. I won't spoil details, but there were certain character developments which I believed happened much too fast, much too soon. I would've liked it that they saved these for the next film (yes, I looked it up, this is part of a new trilogy of movies, and X-Men First Class 2 is in production), in far greater detail and length for which to explore and expand upon. But alas, they happened at the end of this movie, and still, I feel it was a good movie, and though I would've wished things a bit different, it still could've been a HELL of a lot worse.
Special Effects for this movie? Many levels of improvement over the previous X-Men film, as I approve of both the visual beauty that was used for vehicles and buildings (Magneto is the undisputed master of magnetism for a REASON!), physical mutations (Why does Beast's transformation scene look SO much better then that of the Wolf-Man, or is that just me?), or any other of showcased mutant powers (Shaw's altered set of powers comes to mind, and remind me why HE is the big baddie of this movie). Hell, even the powers you don't have to necessarily "see" most of the time were damn enjoyable (Fans of the X-men will not be disappointed by examples of Xavier Dickery. You ALL know what I'm talking about...). In short, they clearly took their time in making sure this looks as polished and well-executed as they possibly could, because there was no point in this movie that I felt cheated out in terms of action and computer generated graphics (something I KNOW I've gone on record of being most upset about). Hell, there are some scenes which I can sight are familiar to me from other movies, but done even FAR better in this case (People who have seen M. Night's The Happening: Remember this said).
So, wrapping up this IMMENSE wall of text/apology/review, X-Men First Class is a far better movie then anything I had previously imagined, and has now become one of this summer's best comic book movies so far (in my opinion), having done the impossible, and greatly improve my negative opinion towards both the X-Men movie franchise and 20th Century Fox. At what was first believed to be 20th Century Fox's Greedy attempts of putting something together so they can retain the X-Men movie rights from being taken back by Marvel Studios (which, admittedly, I would like to happen still, as it would mean the Avengers set of films could co-exist with the X-Men universe, but I digress), but now, it turns out that 20th Century Fox still gives a damn about this film franchise, learning from the huge mistakes made in previous films and produced a far better quality film then one would expect. Now, with the various X-Men themed movies on the horizon, will they keep this positive trend up? Who knows. All I can hope is this: KEEP EVERY DAMN PERSON ATTACHED THIS MOVIE, ATTACHED TO THE NEXT TWO INSTALLMENTS. I'm not one to believe in luck so readily, but as soon as Bryan Singer jumped Marvel's ship to direct DC's Superman Returns, things began to go down hill for the X-Men. So, I believe it might be best to not let these clearly talented folks from getting away from this. But hey, that might be the wrong way to do things for this series, but frankly, when a movie can so greatly change my opinion towards it, the studio making it, and the franchise its a part of, I WANT it to keep doing it, cause I love X-Men 1 through 3, and want the series to become better again, I really do. So, let me truly end this by saying:
You won't be disappointed, trust me. The more love this movie gets, hopefully, the more it'll continue to surprise folks. Thank you for your time, and I wish you all a good night!
I extend the deepest, most sincere apologies to...
X-Men: First ClassBefore seeing this movie, I was one of many detractors and nay-sayers, basing it all on my disappointment with the decline of the X-Men Franchise by 20th Century Fox (And I refer to X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I in fact enjoyed X-Men 3, despite the hate extended to that), much like my continued hatred towards the Spider-Man movie reboot (which I WANT to reconsider because of this movie, but...that ****ing costume!), the casting of characters and revelations of what the story may entail (Wait, Havok is in this movie? Young Adult? In The 60s?....What the ****!?), and frankly, some of the trailers. But, despite all of these factors, I was persuaded to try and come with an open mind and see this film...
...And I thank my friends with the deepest love in my heart to making me see this, because despite my extremely low expectations and hopes, THIS movie blew them out of the water completely, producing a much superior X-Men movie then I could've ever guessed. Its not a PERFECT X-Men movie, but it is far FAR leagues higher then X-Men Origins: Wolverine (though, remains overshadowed by its older installments, X-Men 1 and 2). I want to provide a better idea of why I've made a heel-face turn on my negative opinions on this movie, so I hope to get a lot more folks to see it, because really, THIS X-Men movie SHOULD be seen. I'm going to do my best not to spoil the film for everyone, though, there might be one or two things which must be pointed out, but not entirely important (Such as there is no need to stay after the movie, there is NO secret scene at the end, like the previous X-Men films. So, once the flashy credits start to roll, stick around only for the flashier bits, but otherwise, no need to stick around the whole time for an Easter Egg).
Now then, where could I possibly begin? Well, I guess I should begin with the cast, a factor which was primary in my venomous words put against this picture. I have to say, for a basically a cast of no-name actors, everyone put up a fantastic performance. Sure, one or two characters could've been developed more (like Azazel or Riptide, who I had to wait to the credits to find out his NAME, which turns out to be one of the Marauders from the 80s. X-Men fans will recognize that group), but I felt a HELL of a lot more attached to characters then I did for Wolverine: Origins. James McAvoy does a very unexpected but actually quite applaudable effort as a young Charles Xavier, a Professor X that is still very young and clearly has some development and growing up to do before becoming the Patrick Stewart Xavier we've come to love in older installments. In fact, its just this unexpected optimism and energy that McAvoy brings to Xavier which I certainly enjoyed. During the whole film, scenes with him at times made me grin broadly and think to myself "Perhaps they should have given him the codename Doctor X". I say that because, I couldn't resist thinking, wow, I don't know how long Matt Smith is planned to be the Doctor (of Doctor Who), but if they ever need a Twelfth Doctor, someone PLEASE point into this guy's direction, cause at times, it was like I was watching a Doctor Who/X-Men crossover-fic...and thats a good thing!
On the other end of the spectrum of good and evil, Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw...yes, I know, I too scratched my head and went "WTF, who thought this was a GOOD idea?", but actually, I'm GLAD they went with Bacon cause frankly, he's one of my favorite characters, and frankly, Bacon's performance shows that he was just having a blast with this role. His sheer charisma and charm also kept me grinning, even as he begins to kill people left and right with his abilities (which, again, is quite different from he comic books, but given the effects, I can accept. More on that later). Sure, he might not be the big burly, 19th Century styled Black King of the Hellfire Club, but DAMN, I will never question a role to Kevin Bacon again, cause my friends, I love his Sebastian Shaw.
Now, going to the grey area of good and evil, Michael Fassbender, aka Erik Lensherr, aka Magneto...I WOULD watch an entire movie just centered on this guy. Here comes one of the spoilerly bits, vague in detail but does occur: Before he joins Xavier and his group to stop Shaw, we watch Erik hunt down Nazis in the 60s...Seriously, name me one person in this world who would not pay CASH MONEY, to see Magneto hunting down Nazis. And let me tell you, this is a PG-13 movie, and I still squirmed in my seat with some of the downright terrifying and painful things Erik does in this film, even as a young Jewish boy at a concentration camp. If there ever would be an R-Rated Magneto movie,set during his early years like this (not going to happen, but what if), I would put my money down that it could possible out-gore something like Inglorious Basterds, but then, what would you expect with a Jewish mutant who survived the Holocaust but his family did not, to wreak his revenge on surviving Nazis? I'm just saying...if anyone had not considered this before, seeing X-Men: First Class, I bet someone's writing that screenplay RIGHT NOW. If not, DO IT!
Now, before I spend most of this apology/review on the cast alone, I'm going to breeze through a couple things before getting to plot/effects/etc. Now, the other mutants introduced into this movie are thankfully, developed for the most part, and not just introduced/dropped immediately like in X-Men Origins...for the MOST part. Yes, I've mentioned a couple dont get any development, much less speaking lines. Yes, there are one or two characters which are just there to die/switch sides. But like I said, its a hell of a lot better about this then X-Men Origins : Wolverine had. For the times where I felt characters who were not X-Men or even the same age as Erik or Charles at this time, and was just very upset to see them here, I found myself unable to feel any of that hate as I watched as each member of this group was introduced. Sure, they don't explain Havok at all in terms of background, only that his name IS Alex Summers, but actually, I'm glad they don't. Leave it to the imagination. Perhaps he's a Summers but not at all related to Scott in this universe. In fact, I look towards X-Men Evolutions for why I'm much more accepting of this, at first, random assemblage of mutants. Lets review facts from the cartoon which spun from the X-men fever of the early 2000s, as well as taking account of the continuity built from the first few X-men movies:Hank McCoy, the Beast, is significantly older then the rest of the students (as he is in the movies, point of fact, one of the X-Men's earliest members...as seen in THIS movie). But, besides trying to rectify with both logic and nerd trivia, I just began to accept these characters, because I started this part, I began to enjoy and feel for them. Some of the best scenes I can recall with this group is when they begin to train their abilities, showing both their growth, and the growth of Erik and Charles own abilities, as well as the character dynamics and relationships which would be later seen in life (I.e. earlier movies). Oh!, also, enjoy the cameos, because there are a LOT of unexpected folks popping up in this movie...including one which I will to this day, will claim is the BEST (i.e. HILARIOUS) cameo in a super hero movie yet...and it uses up the PG-13 rating allowance of one big level curse word. Trust me, if you see this movie, you will know what I mean :D
Now, for the plot, I admit, one of the factors which one of my friends persuaded me is the fact that the meat of this plot seems that it centers around the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 60s. Now, I don't know if I made this known before, but besides being a comic book nerd, I LOVE Alternative History fiction, or sometimes known as Speculative Fiction. Stories showcasing historical what-ifs, like typical ideas like "What if the Nazis won World War II" or "What if the South Won the Civil War?", so having "What If Mutants Started/Stopped the Cuban Missile Crisis" certainly had my interests, as well as how to try and work out the origins of Xavier, Lensherr, and the various other mutants. There is also the development the exposure of mutants to the world, as at this point, mutants are still unknown to the general public, and at this point, not even those in power are aware of them up until this film. So, we begin to see the fear and hatred extended towards mutants, though, not en mass like we had in the older movies. Now, having it set in the Sixties would lead to people being fearful that it'd be hard to capture the feel of the sixties...but actually, most of the time, I believed this to be so, accepting the style, the mannerism, the look, the FEEL of the sixties. Sure, at scenes, that feel did break away and fade, but I think there was more then just a solid effort put into doing this, but then, I said this is NOT A perfect movie. Still, I felt invested in it. I felt pain for characters at the losses Erik has at the very beginning, I felt rage and sinister satisfaction for later in life as he begins to exact his vengeance,and on thing I felt more then anything with this movie: Fun and Humor. I was surprised at how often I laughed and smiled as I watched this...and this time, at the INTENTIONAL humor of the movie, not at how bad it was...like X-Men Origins. And there is fun. I know I said I should have seen this with an open mind, but I still had a bit of my comic book nerd being critical as the movie began...but even that part of me enjoyed a lot of this movie. Sure, there were HUGE discrepancies from the comic book and even the established movie continuity, but, I didn't care. That's how much I enjoyed this movie. The only downside to this is, like X-Men Origin, there was too much of a good thing. The last half hour of the movie was fantastic, amazing and...too fast. I won't spoil details, but there were certain character developments which I believed happened much too fast, much too soon. I would've liked it that they saved these for the next film (yes, I looked it up, this is part of a new trilogy of movies, and X-Men First Class 2 is in production), in far greater detail and length for which to explore and expand upon. But alas, they happened at the end of this movie, and still, I feel it was a good movie, and though I would've wished things a bit different, it still could've been a HELL of a lot worse.
Special Effects for this movie? Many levels of improvement over the previous X-Men film, as I approve of both the visual beauty that was used for vehicles and buildings (Magneto is the undisputed master of magnetism for a REASON!), physical mutations (Why does Beast's transformation scene look SO much better then that of the Wolf-Man, or is that just me?), or any other of showcased mutant powers (Shaw's altered set of powers comes to mind, and remind me why HE is the big baddie of this movie). Hell, even the powers you don't have to necessarily "see" most of the time were damn enjoyable (Fans of the X-men will not be disappointed by examples of Xavier Dickery. You ALL know what I'm talking about...). In short, they clearly took their time in making sure this looks as polished and well-executed as they possibly could, because there was no point in this movie that I felt cheated out in terms of action and computer generated graphics (something I KNOW I've gone on record of being most upset about). Hell, there are some scenes which I can sight are familiar to me from other movies, but done even FAR better in this case (People who have seen M. Night's The Happening: Remember this said).
So, wrapping up this IMMENSE wall of text/apology/review, X-Men First Class is a far better movie then anything I had previously imagined, and has now become one of this summer's best comic book movies so far (in my opinion), having done the impossible, and greatly improve my negative opinion towards both the X-Men movie franchise and 20th Century Fox. At what was first believed to be 20th Century Fox's Greedy attempts of putting something together so they can retain the X-Men movie rights from being taken back by Marvel Studios (which, admittedly, I would like to happen still, as it would mean the Avengers set of films could co-exist with the X-Men universe, but I digress), but now, it turns out that 20th Century Fox still gives a damn about this film franchise, learning from the huge mistakes made in previous films and produced a far better quality film then one would expect. Now, with the various X-Men themed movies on the horizon, will they keep this positive trend up? Who knows. All I can hope is this: KEEP EVERY DAMN PERSON ATTACHED THIS MOVIE, ATTACHED TO THE NEXT TWO INSTALLMENTS. I'm not one to believe in luck so readily, but as soon as Bryan Singer jumped Marvel's ship to direct DC's Superman Returns, things began to go down hill for the X-Men. So, I believe it might be best to not let these clearly talented folks from getting away from this. But hey, that might be the wrong way to do things for this series, but frankly, when a movie can so greatly change my opinion towards it, the studio making it, and the franchise its a part of, I WANT it to keep doing it, cause I love X-Men 1 through 3, and want the series to become better again, I really do. So, let me truly end this by saying:
Go See X-Men : First ClassYou won't be disappointed, trust me. The more love this movie gets, hopefully, the more it'll continue to surprise folks. Thank you for your time, and I wish you all a good night!
ANIMATION MEME!
Posted 14 years agoGot this from good friend FreshStartWithABrokenHeart
Kind of compared and contrasted the contents made in other's lists but added a few of my own. So, enjoy my newest journal entry since...last year >.> Okay, obviously I don't do these TOO often but this one did catch my eye :D
ANIMATION MEME
- X what you saw
- O what you haven't finished or saw sizable portions
- Bold what you loved
- Italize what you disliked/hated
- Leave unchanged if neutral
CLASSIC DISNEY
[x] 101 Dalmatians (1961)
[x] Alice in Wonderland (1951) [Aaaaaaaaaaaah very merry unbirthday!]
[x] Bambi (1942)
[x] Cinderella (1950)
[x] Dumbo (1941)
[x] Fantasia (1940) [Night on Bald Mountain. Nuff said]
[x] Lady and the Tramp (1955)
[x] Mary Poppins (1964)
[x] Peter Pan (1953)
[x] Pinocchio (1940)
[x] Sleeping Beauty (1959)
[x] Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
[o] Song of the South (1946)
DISNEY'S DARK AGE (This totally has a different connotation with me o-o)
[x] The Aristocats (1970)
[x] The Black Cauldron (1985)
[x] The Fox and the Hound (1981) [Quite a cute, heartwarming movie]
[x] The Great Mouse Detective (1986) [Totally underrated]
[x] The Jungle Book (1967)
[x] The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
[x]Oliver and Company (1986) [Curse you, Billy Joel and your lyrical magic!]
[x]Pete's Dragon (1977) [Quoddamapassy and Passamahoddy. Oh and I know. It's Passamashloddy! Crowd: NO, It's Passamaquoddy!]
[x] The Rescuers (1977)
[x] Robin Hood (1973)
[x] The Sword In The Stone (1963) [See? This interpretation of Arthur and Merlin? I like A LOT. Take that Ques for Camelot]
THE DISNEY RENAISSANCE (Rather presumptuous, but perhaps worth its title)
[x] Aladdin (1992) [Ah, Robin Williams. Goooood times]
[x] Beauty and the Beast (1991)
[x] A Goofy Movie (1995) [Another underrated film]
[x] Hercules (1997) [Sure it got the mythology WRONG so hard. But boy was it fun!]
[x] The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
[x] The Lion King (1994) [Come on. Can anyone argue this wasn’t one of Disney’s best? Didn’t think so]
[x] The Little Mermaid (1989)
[x] Mulan (1998) [Much better then Pocahontas in many MANY ways]
[x] Pocahontas (1995)
[x] The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
[x] Tarzan (1999) [A pretty good adaptation of the story]
DISNEY'S MODERN AGE
[x] Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) [Vinnie: Hey look, I made a bridge. And it took me like, ten seconds]
[] Bolt (2008)
[x] Brother Bear (2003) [Yay, Canadian stereotypes :D]
[x] Chicken Little (2005) [This movie deserves more credit. Quite good for a non-Pixar Disney movie]
[x] Dinosaur (2000)
[x] The Emperor's New Groove (2000) [David Spade, John Goodman, and Eartha Kitt? Much better then one could assume. Hilarious]
[o] Fantasia 2000 (2000)
[] Home on the Range (2004)
[x] Lilo & Stitch (2002) [One of the best Disney films of this age]
[x] Meet the Robinsons (2007) [Better then you’d think]
[x] Treasure Planet (2002) [Got some good scenes, but could be better in certain aspects]
PIXAR
[x] A Bug's Life (1998)
[x] Cars (2006) [An alright movie, but hate the character of Mater because how overrated and overused he’s used in my family X3 Curse you and your blue collar charm!]
[x] Finding Nemo (2003)
[x] The Incredibles (2004) [One of the best super hero movies of the decade]
[x] Monsters Inc. (2001) [Still makes a lot of my family cry. Especially the ending. But tell any of them that, AND I SHALL DENY!]
[x] Ratatouille (2007)
[x] Toy Story (1995)
[x] Toy Story 2 (1999)
[] Toy Story 3 (2010)
[x] Wall-E (2008) [I believe this is Pixar’s best. I will not be told otherwise!]
[x] Up (2009)
DON BLUTH
[x] All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) [<..< BIG LIPPED ALLIGATOR MOMENT :3 Just had too!]
[x] An American Tail (1986)
[x] An American Tail: Fieval Goes West (1991)
[x] Anastasia (1997) [Best attempt at making a non Disney, “Disney” movie]
[x] The Land Before Time (1988)
[x] The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)
[x] Rock-a-Doodle (1991)
[x] The Secret of NIMH (1982)
[x] Thumbelina (1994)
[x] Titan AE (2000)
[x] A Troll in Central Park (1994)
STOP-MOTION
[o] The Adventures of Mark Twain (1986) [Warning: The Mysterious Stranger segment of this movie, WILL get disturbing o-o]
[x] Chicken Run (2000)
[x] Corpse Bride (2005)
[x] James and the Giant Peach (1996)
[x] The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) [Great holiday movie!]
[x] Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
[x] Coraline (2009)
[x] Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) [Pretty good movie. Makes me glad to see stop-motion hasn’t died out yet. Need more!]
CGI GLUT
[x] Antz (1998) [ Wouldn’t call it cheap-ass, BUT you can’t help but compare it with Bug’s Life ]
[x] Happy Feet (2006) [ Oh, Why Robin Williams. Why?]
[x] Kung Fu Panda (2008) [ Not bad, but the action scenes are surprisingly good]
[x] Madagascar (2005) [Pretty good movie, but the Penguins and Lemurs clearly steal the show, if not the franchise]
[x] Monster House (2006) [An odd CGI animation style, BUT definitely a good film!]
[x] Over the Hedge (2006) [Oddest cast choices, but still quite good]
[] The Polar Express (2004)
[x] Shrek (2001) [Still a great movie. But not superior to the sequel following it]
[x] Shrek 2 (2004) [ ~FreshStartWithABrokenHeart - I can‘t. I really can‘t.]
[x] Shrek The Third (2007)
[] Shrek Forever After (2010) [ better than The Third, I will say that ]
[x] Monsters vs. Aliens [ B-Movie monsters versus B-Movie Aliens AND Stephen Colbert as president? Sign me up!]
[x] Megamind (2010) [One of the best 3D movies I’ve seen since this whole *expletive removed* craze started!)
IMPORTS
[o] Arabian Knight (aka The Thief and the Cobbler) (1995)
[x] The Last Unicorn (1982)
[] Light Years (1988)
[o] The Triplets of Belleville (2003) [very very odd]
[] Persepolis (2007) [but I read the graphic novel!]
[] Waltz With Bashir (2008)
[] Watership Down (1978) [read the book >..>]
[o] When the Wind Blows (1988) [Couldn’t tell this was about nuclear holocausts by the cover, huh?]
[] Yellow Submarine (1968)
[x] The Plague Dogs (1982) [Will make you despise and loath the human race. It just will]
STUDIO GHIBLI/MIYAZAKI
[] Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
[x] Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
[x] Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) [Ah, Phil Hartman. You are still missed]
[] Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
[x] Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) [LUPIN THE 3RD! **** yeah! One of my absolute favorites <3]
[] My Neighbors The Yamadas (1999)
[] My Neighbor Totoro (1993)
[] Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
[] Only Yesterday (1991)
[] Pom Poko (Tanuki War) (1994)
[] Porco Rosso (1992)
[x] Princess Mononoke (1999) [Lepers, giant wolves, and spirits of the forest! Goooood times]
[x] Spirited Away (2002) [ o-o How much acid do you need to drop to come up with this. Good movie but wow o-o]
[] Whisper of the Heart (1995)
[] Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea (2009)
SATOSHI KON
[] Millennium Actress (2001)
[] Paprika (2006)
[] Perfect Blue (1999)
[x] Tokyo Godfathers (2003) [an old homless man, teenage runaway, and an aged drag queen care for an abandoned baby. Not as many shenanigans then you’d think]
[ ] Memories - "Magnetic Rose" part (1995)
OTHER ANIME FILMS
[x] Akira (1988) [Still a great movie, even with its various dubs]
[] Appleseed (2004)
[] Appleseed: Ex Machina (2007)
[] Arcadia of My Youth (U.S. Title - Vengeance of the Space Pirate) (1982)
[x] Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2003) [Come on, its Cowboy Bebop! What’s not to like?]
[] The Dagger of Kamui (U.S. Title - Revenge of the Ninja Warrior) (1985)
[] Dirty Pair: Project Eden (1987)
[] End of Evangelion (1997)
[x] Fist of the North Star (1986) [Martial arts? Check. Mad Max overtones? Check. People exploding from being punched so **** hard? Check!]
[] Galaxy Express 999 (1979)
[x] Ghost in the Shell (1996) [Blade Runner of another generation. Fans of Blade Runner, I await your pitchforks and torches]
[] The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
[] Lensman (1984)
[] Macross: Do You Remember Love (U.S. Title - Clash of the Bionoids) (1984)
[x] Metropolis (2001) [a very beautiful film]
[] Neo-Tokyo (1986)
[o] Ninja Scroll (1993) [A very graphic movie. Doesn’t mean it isn’t good ^_^]
[] Patlabor the Movie (1989)
[] The Professional: Golgo 13 (1983)
[x] Project A-ko (1986) [Hilarious spoofs on various anime, American comic books, and other pop culture facets. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED]
[x] Robot Carnival (1987) [Star Light Angel: One of the most memorable moments of anime of my life. Beautiful <3]
[] Robotech: The Shadow Chronicle (2006)
[] Silent Möbius (1991)
[] Space Adventure Cobra (1982)
[x] Steamboy (2004) [Yay, alternative history and steampunk!]
[] Sword of the Stranger (2007)
[] Unico and the Island of Magic (1983)
[] Urotsukidoji: The Movie (1987)
[x] Vampire Hunter D (1985) [My cousin and I argue segments of this movie to this day]
[] Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust (2000)
[] Wings of Honneamise: Royal Space Force (1987)
[x] Dominion: Tank Police [This is one of the movies I’m adding to this but COME ON. Hilarious characters and unique design!]
CARTOONS FOR GROWN-UPS
[x] American Pop (1981) [Working on the Night Moves! <3)
[x] The Animatrix (2003) [Remember what I said about Plague Dogs? Seriously, we kind of deserved what was done to us >..>; ]
[x] Beavis & Butthead Do America (1996)
[x] Cool World (1992) [I still have fond memories of this movie, despite what people say]
[x] Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) [Only because of the Thriller short ^_^;]
[x] Final Fantasy: Advent Children (2005) [A mixed bag of good and bad]
[] Fire & Ice (1983)
[x] Fritz the Cat (1972) [Ah the 70s, plenty of racial stereotypes yet still entertaining]
[x] Heavy Metal (1981) [Rock music plus science fiction, horror, and comedy equals a cult favorite and guilty pleasure]
[x] Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) [More sex, drugs, and rock’n’rool. Now with 100% more Billy Idol, Michael Ironside and Lizard Men :3]
[x] Hey Good Lookin' (1982)
[x] Lady Death (2004)
[] A Scanner Darkly (2006)
[x] South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) [ Now where is that sequel…>..>]
[x] Street Fight (Coonskin) (1975)
[] Waking Life (2001)
[x] Rock and Rule [Great songs, amazing voice cast. Theres a lot to be had in this underrated movie :D]'
HOLIDAY SPECIALS
[x] The 12 Days of Christmas (1993) [HOLLYBERRY!?]
[x] Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
[x] Frosty the Snowman (1969)
[x] Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979)
[x] Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
[x] The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town (1977)
[ ] Peter and the Magic Egg (1983)
[ ] A Family Circus Easter (1982)
[ ] A Chucklewood Easter (1986)
[ ] The First Easter Rabbit (1976)
[x] Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971)
[ ] Chucklewood Critters: ‘Twas the Day Before Christmas (1993)
[ ] Chucklewood Critters: The Christmas Tree Train (1983)
[x] Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976)
[x] A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987) [Fantastic renditions of holiday music]
[x] A Claymation Easter (1989) [Whats not to like?]
[x] Claymation Comedy of Horrors [Famine, Death, War…and Bad Dentures]
[] Halloween is Grinch Night (1977)
[x] The Halloween Tree (1993)
[x] ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
[x] Raggedy Ann and Andy: The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (1979)
[x] Witch’s Night Out (1978) [catchiest openings to a special I’ve heard]
OTHER ANIMATED MOVIES
[x] Animal Farm (1954)
[x] Animalympics (1980) [ Quite memorable ]
[x] Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon The Movie (2007)
[x] Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm [Seriously, if your theatrically released animated movie is better then the live action movie at the time, you clearly backed the wrong horse! But really, AWESOME, underrated movie <3]
[x] Batman: Sub-Zero [Still better then Batman and Robin]
[x] Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker [A very nice bridge between to very excellent comic book based shows]
[x] The Brave Little Toaster (1988)
[] Bravestarr: The Movie (1988)
[x] Cats Don't Dance (1997)
[x] Care Bears: The Movie (1985) [<..< Look, I was four when I saw this. Sue me!]
[x] Charlotte's Web (1973)
[x] Discworld: Soul Music [GREAT music as well as a well-done adaptation of a great Discworld book]
[x] Discworld: Wyrd Sisters [A nice tongue in cheek spoof of Shakespeare’s work. Another Discworld adaptation done right <3]
[x] Fern Gully (1992) [ Toxic LUUUUUUUUUUUUURVE! ]
[x] G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) [COBRAAAAAAAAAAH!]
[] Gobots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986)
[] He-Man & She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword (1985)
[x] The Hobbit (1977) [Alright, impress me with a live action adaptation better then this movie, Hollywood]
[x] The Iron Giant (1999)
[x] Ice Age (2002) (Not too bad)
[x] Ice Age: The Meltdown ( 2006) (Better, but still not perfect)
[x] Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) (Best of the three thanks to Buck ^_^)
[x] Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) (A fantastic Silver Age story!)
[x] Lord of the Rings (1978) (Good in some parts, bizarre in others o-o)
[x] Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992)
[x] My Little Pony: The Movie (1986) [Same argument to the Care Bears Movie. Sue me, I was 4!]
[] Pink Floyd's The Wall (1982)
[x] The Prince of Egypt (1998) [ Huh. Who knew an animated movie based on the Bible with musical interludes could be this good? ]
[x] Powerpuff Girls: The Movie (2002) [ I was four…teen. Look, it was a good movie, Sue Me! ]
[x] Quest For Camelot (1999) [So many holes in the plot, as well as messing with the mythos!]
[] Ringing Bell (1978)
[x] The Road to El Dorado (2000) [Quite a good movie, actually]
[x] Space Jam (1996) [ Multiple viewings when I was eight. ]
[] Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)
[x] Superman: Doomsday (2007) [o0 Interesting what you can make when you can’t allow ANY of the characters introduced in the actual storyline this is based upon. But hey, James (SPIKE!) Marsters as Lex Luthor! Its coooool n.n]
[x] The Swan Princess (1994) [Not a bad franchise, actually]
[x] Transformers: The Movie (1986) [Far better then Revenge of the Fallen. Far FAR better.]
[x] Wizards (1977) [Swords and Sorcery meets Post-Apocolyptic Future]
[x] Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) [You mean you could’ve slipped these at ANY time? Roger: Only when it was funny!]
[x] Wonder Woman (2009) [An alright movie, but it IS funny to see the love interest is trying to get Wonder Woman loosened up with drinks…and failing to do so, so very VERY much]
[x] Balto (1995) [Another franchise that wasn’t too bad either]
[x] Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) [Not what I was expecting. Not too bad]
[] The Seventh Brother (1995)
[] Willy the Sparrow (1988)
[] Scamper the Penguin (1988)
...*looks up at all the movies he'd seen in his lifetime, and says with no doubt* WOW I have no life >..>;
But seriously, I'm surprised by how many of these I'd seen at one time or another. Anyway, Meme completed!
Kind of compared and contrasted the contents made in other's lists but added a few of my own. So, enjoy my newest journal entry since...last year >.> Okay, obviously I don't do these TOO often but this one did catch my eye :D
ANIMATION MEME
- X what you saw
- O what you haven't finished or saw sizable portions
- Bold what you loved
- Italize what you disliked/hated
- Leave unchanged if neutral
CLASSIC DISNEY
[x] 101 Dalmatians (1961)
[x] Alice in Wonderland (1951) [Aaaaaaaaaaaah very merry unbirthday!]
[x] Bambi (1942)
[x] Cinderella (1950)
[x] Dumbo (1941)
[x] Fantasia (1940) [Night on Bald Mountain. Nuff said]
[x] Lady and the Tramp (1955)
[x] Mary Poppins (1964)
[x] Peter Pan (1953)
[x] Pinocchio (1940)
[x] Sleeping Beauty (1959)
[x] Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
[o] Song of the South (1946)
DISNEY'S DARK AGE (This totally has a different connotation with me o-o)
[x] The Aristocats (1970)
[x] The Black Cauldron (1985)
[x] The Fox and the Hound (1981) [Quite a cute, heartwarming movie]
[x] The Great Mouse Detective (1986) [Totally underrated]
[x] The Jungle Book (1967)
[x] The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
[x]Oliver and Company (1986) [Curse you, Billy Joel and your lyrical magic!]
[x]Pete's Dragon (1977) [Quoddamapassy and Passamahoddy. Oh and I know. It's Passamashloddy! Crowd: NO, It's Passamaquoddy!]
[x] The Rescuers (1977)
[x] Robin Hood (1973)
[x] The Sword In The Stone (1963) [See? This interpretation of Arthur and Merlin? I like A LOT. Take that Ques for Camelot]
THE DISNEY RENAISSANCE (Rather presumptuous, but perhaps worth its title)
[x] Aladdin (1992) [Ah, Robin Williams. Goooood times]
[x] Beauty and the Beast (1991)
[x] A Goofy Movie (1995) [Another underrated film]
[x] Hercules (1997) [Sure it got the mythology WRONG so hard. But boy was it fun!]
[x] The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
[x] The Lion King (1994) [Come on. Can anyone argue this wasn’t one of Disney’s best? Didn’t think so]
[x] The Little Mermaid (1989)
[x] Mulan (1998) [Much better then Pocahontas in many MANY ways]
[x] Pocahontas (1995)
[x] The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
[x] Tarzan (1999) [A pretty good adaptation of the story]
DISNEY'S MODERN AGE
[x] Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) [Vinnie: Hey look, I made a bridge. And it took me like, ten seconds]
[] Bolt (2008)
[x] Brother Bear (2003) [Yay, Canadian stereotypes :D]
[x] Chicken Little (2005) [This movie deserves more credit. Quite good for a non-Pixar Disney movie]
[x] Dinosaur (2000)
[x] The Emperor's New Groove (2000) [David Spade, John Goodman, and Eartha Kitt? Much better then one could assume. Hilarious]
[o] Fantasia 2000 (2000)
[] Home on the Range (2004)
[x] Lilo & Stitch (2002) [One of the best Disney films of this age]
[x] Meet the Robinsons (2007) [Better then you’d think]
[x] Treasure Planet (2002) [Got some good scenes, but could be better in certain aspects]
PIXAR
[x] A Bug's Life (1998)
[x] Cars (2006) [An alright movie, but hate the character of Mater because how overrated and overused he’s used in my family X3 Curse you and your blue collar charm!]
[x] Finding Nemo (2003)
[x] The Incredibles (2004) [One of the best super hero movies of the decade]
[x] Monsters Inc. (2001) [Still makes a lot of my family cry. Especially the ending. But tell any of them that, AND I SHALL DENY!]
[x] Ratatouille (2007)
[x] Toy Story (1995)
[x] Toy Story 2 (1999)
[] Toy Story 3 (2010)
[x] Wall-E (2008) [I believe this is Pixar’s best. I will not be told otherwise!]
[x] Up (2009)
DON BLUTH
[x] All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) [<..< BIG LIPPED ALLIGATOR MOMENT :3 Just had too!]
[x] An American Tail (1986)
[x] An American Tail: Fieval Goes West (1991)
[x] Anastasia (1997) [Best attempt at making a non Disney, “Disney” movie]
[x] The Land Before Time (1988)
[x] The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)
[x] Rock-a-Doodle (1991)
[x] The Secret of NIMH (1982)
[x] Thumbelina (1994)
[x] Titan AE (2000)
[x] A Troll in Central Park (1994)
STOP-MOTION
[o] The Adventures of Mark Twain (1986) [Warning: The Mysterious Stranger segment of this movie, WILL get disturbing o-o]
[x] Chicken Run (2000)
[x] Corpse Bride (2005)
[x] James and the Giant Peach (1996)
[x] The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) [Great holiday movie!]
[x] Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
[x] Coraline (2009)
[x] Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) [Pretty good movie. Makes me glad to see stop-motion hasn’t died out yet. Need more!]
CGI GLUT
[x] Antz (1998) [ Wouldn’t call it cheap-ass, BUT you can’t help but compare it with Bug’s Life ]
[x] Happy Feet (2006) [ Oh, Why Robin Williams. Why?]
[x] Kung Fu Panda (2008) [ Not bad, but the action scenes are surprisingly good]
[x] Madagascar (2005) [Pretty good movie, but the Penguins and Lemurs clearly steal the show, if not the franchise]
[x] Monster House (2006) [An odd CGI animation style, BUT definitely a good film!]
[x] Over the Hedge (2006) [Oddest cast choices, but still quite good]
[] The Polar Express (2004)
[x] Shrek (2001) [Still a great movie. But not superior to the sequel following it]
[x] Shrek 2 (2004) [ ~FreshStartWithABrokenHeart - I can‘t. I really can‘t.]
[x] Shrek The Third (2007)
[] Shrek Forever After (2010) [ better than The Third, I will say that ]
[x] Monsters vs. Aliens [ B-Movie monsters versus B-Movie Aliens AND Stephen Colbert as president? Sign me up!]
[x] Megamind (2010) [One of the best 3D movies I’ve seen since this whole *expletive removed* craze started!)
IMPORTS
[o] Arabian Knight (aka The Thief and the Cobbler) (1995)
[x] The Last Unicorn (1982)
[] Light Years (1988)
[o] The Triplets of Belleville (2003) [very very odd]
[] Persepolis (2007) [but I read the graphic novel!]
[] Waltz With Bashir (2008)
[] Watership Down (1978) [read the book >..>]
[o] When the Wind Blows (1988) [Couldn’t tell this was about nuclear holocausts by the cover, huh?]
[] Yellow Submarine (1968)
[x] The Plague Dogs (1982) [Will make you despise and loath the human race. It just will]
STUDIO GHIBLI/MIYAZAKI
[] Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
[x] Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
[x] Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) [Ah, Phil Hartman. You are still missed]
[] Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
[x] Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) [LUPIN THE 3RD! **** yeah! One of my absolute favorites <3]
[] My Neighbors The Yamadas (1999)
[] My Neighbor Totoro (1993)
[] Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
[] Only Yesterday (1991)
[] Pom Poko (Tanuki War) (1994)
[] Porco Rosso (1992)
[x] Princess Mononoke (1999) [Lepers, giant wolves, and spirits of the forest! Goooood times]
[x] Spirited Away (2002) [ o-o How much acid do you need to drop to come up with this. Good movie but wow o-o]
[] Whisper of the Heart (1995)
[] Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea (2009)
SATOSHI KON
[] Millennium Actress (2001)
[] Paprika (2006)
[] Perfect Blue (1999)
[x] Tokyo Godfathers (2003) [an old homless man, teenage runaway, and an aged drag queen care for an abandoned baby. Not as many shenanigans then you’d think]
[ ] Memories - "Magnetic Rose" part (1995)
OTHER ANIME FILMS
[x] Akira (1988) [Still a great movie, even with its various dubs]
[] Appleseed (2004)
[] Appleseed: Ex Machina (2007)
[] Arcadia of My Youth (U.S. Title - Vengeance of the Space Pirate) (1982)
[x] Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2003) [Come on, its Cowboy Bebop! What’s not to like?]
[] The Dagger of Kamui (U.S. Title - Revenge of the Ninja Warrior) (1985)
[] Dirty Pair: Project Eden (1987)
[] End of Evangelion (1997)
[x] Fist of the North Star (1986) [Martial arts? Check. Mad Max overtones? Check. People exploding from being punched so **** hard? Check!]
[] Galaxy Express 999 (1979)
[x] Ghost in the Shell (1996) [Blade Runner of another generation. Fans of Blade Runner, I await your pitchforks and torches]
[] The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
[] Lensman (1984)
[] Macross: Do You Remember Love (U.S. Title - Clash of the Bionoids) (1984)
[x] Metropolis (2001) [a very beautiful film]
[] Neo-Tokyo (1986)
[o] Ninja Scroll (1993) [A very graphic movie. Doesn’t mean it isn’t good ^_^]
[] Patlabor the Movie (1989)
[] The Professional: Golgo 13 (1983)
[x] Project A-ko (1986) [Hilarious spoofs on various anime, American comic books, and other pop culture facets. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED]
[x] Robot Carnival (1987) [Star Light Angel: One of the most memorable moments of anime of my life. Beautiful <3]
[] Robotech: The Shadow Chronicle (2006)
[] Silent Möbius (1991)
[] Space Adventure Cobra (1982)
[x] Steamboy (2004) [Yay, alternative history and steampunk!]
[] Sword of the Stranger (2007)
[] Unico and the Island of Magic (1983)
[] Urotsukidoji: The Movie (1987)
[x] Vampire Hunter D (1985) [My cousin and I argue segments of this movie to this day]
[] Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust (2000)
[] Wings of Honneamise: Royal Space Force (1987)
[x] Dominion: Tank Police [This is one of the movies I’m adding to this but COME ON. Hilarious characters and unique design!]
CARTOONS FOR GROWN-UPS
[x] American Pop (1981) [Working on the Night Moves! <3)
[x] The Animatrix (2003) [Remember what I said about Plague Dogs? Seriously, we kind of deserved what was done to us >..>; ]
[x] Beavis & Butthead Do America (1996)
[x] Cool World (1992) [I still have fond memories of this movie, despite what people say]
[x] Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) [Only because of the Thriller short ^_^;]
[x] Final Fantasy: Advent Children (2005) [A mixed bag of good and bad]
[] Fire & Ice (1983)
[x] Fritz the Cat (1972) [Ah the 70s, plenty of racial stereotypes yet still entertaining]
[x] Heavy Metal (1981) [Rock music plus science fiction, horror, and comedy equals a cult favorite and guilty pleasure]
[x] Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) [More sex, drugs, and rock’n’rool. Now with 100% more Billy Idol, Michael Ironside and Lizard Men :3]
[x] Hey Good Lookin' (1982)
[x] Lady Death (2004)
[] A Scanner Darkly (2006)
[x] South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) [ Now where is that sequel…>..>]
[x] Street Fight (Coonskin) (1975)
[] Waking Life (2001)
[x] Rock and Rule [Great songs, amazing voice cast. Theres a lot to be had in this underrated movie :D]'
HOLIDAY SPECIALS
[x] The 12 Days of Christmas (1993) [HOLLYBERRY!?]
[x] Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
[x] Frosty the Snowman (1969)
[x] Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979)
[x] Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
[x] The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town (1977)
[ ] Peter and the Magic Egg (1983)
[ ] A Family Circus Easter (1982)
[ ] A Chucklewood Easter (1986)
[ ] The First Easter Rabbit (1976)
[x] Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971)
[ ] Chucklewood Critters: ‘Twas the Day Before Christmas (1993)
[ ] Chucklewood Critters: The Christmas Tree Train (1983)
[x] Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976)
[x] A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987) [Fantastic renditions of holiday music]
[x] A Claymation Easter (1989) [Whats not to like?]
[x] Claymation Comedy of Horrors [Famine, Death, War…and Bad Dentures]
[] Halloween is Grinch Night (1977)
[x] The Halloween Tree (1993)
[x] ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
[x] Raggedy Ann and Andy: The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (1979)
[x] Witch’s Night Out (1978) [catchiest openings to a special I’ve heard]
OTHER ANIMATED MOVIES
[x] Animal Farm (1954)
[x] Animalympics (1980) [ Quite memorable ]
[x] Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon The Movie (2007)
[x] Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm [Seriously, if your theatrically released animated movie is better then the live action movie at the time, you clearly backed the wrong horse! But really, AWESOME, underrated movie <3]
[x] Batman: Sub-Zero [Still better then Batman and Robin]
[x] Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker [A very nice bridge between to very excellent comic book based shows]
[x] The Brave Little Toaster (1988)
[] Bravestarr: The Movie (1988)
[x] Cats Don't Dance (1997)
[x] Care Bears: The Movie (1985) [<..< Look, I was four when I saw this. Sue me!]
[x] Charlotte's Web (1973)
[x] Discworld: Soul Music [GREAT music as well as a well-done adaptation of a great Discworld book]
[x] Discworld: Wyrd Sisters [A nice tongue in cheek spoof of Shakespeare’s work. Another Discworld adaptation done right <3]
[x] Fern Gully (1992) [ Toxic LUUUUUUUUUUUUURVE! ]
[x] G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) [COBRAAAAAAAAAAH!]
[] Gobots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986)
[] He-Man & She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword (1985)
[x] The Hobbit (1977) [Alright, impress me with a live action adaptation better then this movie, Hollywood]
[x] The Iron Giant (1999)
[x] Ice Age (2002) (Not too bad)
[x] Ice Age: The Meltdown ( 2006) (Better, but still not perfect)
[x] Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) (Best of the three thanks to Buck ^_^)
[x] Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) (A fantastic Silver Age story!)
[x] Lord of the Rings (1978) (Good in some parts, bizarre in others o-o)
[x] Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992)
[x] My Little Pony: The Movie (1986) [Same argument to the Care Bears Movie. Sue me, I was 4!]
[] Pink Floyd's The Wall (1982)
[x] The Prince of Egypt (1998) [ Huh. Who knew an animated movie based on the Bible with musical interludes could be this good? ]
[x] Powerpuff Girls: The Movie (2002) [ I was four…teen. Look, it was a good movie, Sue Me! ]
[x] Quest For Camelot (1999) [So many holes in the plot, as well as messing with the mythos!]
[] Ringing Bell (1978)
[x] The Road to El Dorado (2000) [Quite a good movie, actually]
[x] Space Jam (1996) [ Multiple viewings when I was eight. ]
[] Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)
[x] Superman: Doomsday (2007) [o0 Interesting what you can make when you can’t allow ANY of the characters introduced in the actual storyline this is based upon. But hey, James (SPIKE!) Marsters as Lex Luthor! Its coooool n.n]
[x] The Swan Princess (1994) [Not a bad franchise, actually]
[x] Transformers: The Movie (1986) [Far better then Revenge of the Fallen. Far FAR better.]
[x] Wizards (1977) [Swords and Sorcery meets Post-Apocolyptic Future]
[x] Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) [You mean you could’ve slipped these at ANY time? Roger: Only when it was funny!]
[x] Wonder Woman (2009) [An alright movie, but it IS funny to see the love interest is trying to get Wonder Woman loosened up with drinks…and failing to do so, so very VERY much]
[x] Balto (1995) [Another franchise that wasn’t too bad either]
[x] Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) [Not what I was expecting. Not too bad]
[] The Seventh Brother (1995)
[] Willy the Sparrow (1988)
[] Scamper the Penguin (1988)
...*looks up at all the movies he'd seen in his lifetime, and says with no doubt* WOW I have no life >..>;
But seriously, I'm surprised by how many of these I'd seen at one time or another. Anyway, Meme completed!
15 Things Meme
Posted 15 years ago15 Things Meme!
Well...looks like I've been tagged by SXGodzilla *rubs his rump, bandaged from the kaiju sized dart*
So, what secrets do I keep? Well, first the rules...
1- Post these rules.
2- Post 15 things about you.
3- At the end you must tag 5 people.
4- Go to their page and tell them they are tagged.
Now, about, something completely different...factoids about me.
1.) I enjoy REALLY really bad movies. No I don't just mean schlock films like Batman and Robin, or Plan 9 from Outer Space, but really obscure stuff like Street Trash or The Dead Next Door.
2.) Though I don't think myself an "otaku" or particularly obsessed with it, I do enjoy anime and mange, though preferences fall more upon older franchieses such as Lupin III or Dragonball (more the original than Z, but I digress)
3.) I worked as a gravedigger/keeper for a summer...a very WET summer...so, let me put it this way. The recently dead would need to be buried...again. Don't ask <..<
4.) Though I prefer to keep an open mind and try to be logical about all things (avoiding the need to be black and white about everything), I was raised and still am (though sort of lapsed) Catholic...I certainly have all the guilt.
5.) Much like SX, I too enjoy Alternative History...but as opposed to him, I'm not a history nut...but have found myself learning a lot more than I knew previously, when double checking what has changed...and get a big kick out of it, too!
6.) I've been partner to many a failed rpg forum/site...promising in conception, but failed in execution.
7.) I'm not addicted to smoking or drinking...but can be bit of a nervous eater, among other very odd nervous twitches (such as grinding teeth or digging at fingers).
8.) I find myself just recently enjoying many of the various fan made programs that the internet provides, hence my using three to five year old jokes and references to the web culture has longsince passed...of course, I sometimes get a laugh from it...thought more at me then with me <..<
9.) I have a large collection of VHS tapes. Yeah, I have some impulse to collect a bunch of movies on a pretty much dead format. But hey, where else can you find a copy of Psychos in Love or Zombiethon but in VHS?
10.) Am bit of a super nerd when it comes to comics. It comes to no surprise to close friends and loved ones, but I can become a bit of motormouth and more when the topic of comics come 'round, so...be careful, or you will be bombarded on the differences between Pre-Crisis DC or Post Crisis DC (Trust me o-o You have been warned o-o)
11.) I've got dozens of ideas put down to paper in notebooks, loose sheets, and notepads...but never EVER do I bother to form these notes into actual stories X3
12.) Currently in my senior year of College...and beginning to fret that I'm going in the right direction into the real world, as things grow tighter and bit bleaker, job/financial speaking...
13.)Being a native Mainer, does have a strong affinity to seafood (Mmmmm, haddock)
14.) Also, despite being a Mainer, HATES Moxie. Tastes bitter XP (Sorry Zuke)
15.) I currently serve as a voice on an online audio production company, though it'll be sometime before any of my roles will be heard <..<...
Time for the Tags!
Tagged:
Alex_Mendazi
CaitSith
The_Blue_Mage
Ilkarin
Mud
Well...looks like I've been tagged by SXGodzilla *rubs his rump, bandaged from the kaiju sized dart*
So, what secrets do I keep? Well, first the rules...
1- Post these rules.
2- Post 15 things about you.
3- At the end you must tag 5 people.
4- Go to their page and tell them they are tagged.
Now, about, something completely different...factoids about me.
1.) I enjoy REALLY really bad movies. No I don't just mean schlock films like Batman and Robin, or Plan 9 from Outer Space, but really obscure stuff like Street Trash or The Dead Next Door.
2.) Though I don't think myself an "otaku" or particularly obsessed with it, I do enjoy anime and mange, though preferences fall more upon older franchieses such as Lupin III or Dragonball (more the original than Z, but I digress)
3.) I worked as a gravedigger/keeper for a summer...a very WET summer...so, let me put it this way. The recently dead would need to be buried...again. Don't ask <..<
4.) Though I prefer to keep an open mind and try to be logical about all things (avoiding the need to be black and white about everything), I was raised and still am (though sort of lapsed) Catholic...I certainly have all the guilt.
5.) Much like SX, I too enjoy Alternative History...but as opposed to him, I'm not a history nut...but have found myself learning a lot more than I knew previously, when double checking what has changed...and get a big kick out of it, too!
6.) I've been partner to many a failed rpg forum/site...promising in conception, but failed in execution.
7.) I'm not addicted to smoking or drinking...but can be bit of a nervous eater, among other very odd nervous twitches (such as grinding teeth or digging at fingers).
8.) I find myself just recently enjoying many of the various fan made programs that the internet provides, hence my using three to five year old jokes and references to the web culture has longsince passed...of course, I sometimes get a laugh from it...thought more at me then with me <..<
9.) I have a large collection of VHS tapes. Yeah, I have some impulse to collect a bunch of movies on a pretty much dead format. But hey, where else can you find a copy of Psychos in Love or Zombiethon but in VHS?
10.) Am bit of a super nerd when it comes to comics. It comes to no surprise to close friends and loved ones, but I can become a bit of motormouth and more when the topic of comics come 'round, so...be careful, or you will be bombarded on the differences between Pre-Crisis DC or Post Crisis DC (Trust me o-o You have been warned o-o)
11.) I've got dozens of ideas put down to paper in notebooks, loose sheets, and notepads...but never EVER do I bother to form these notes into actual stories X3
12.) Currently in my senior year of College...and beginning to fret that I'm going in the right direction into the real world, as things grow tighter and bit bleaker, job/financial speaking...
13.)Being a native Mainer, does have a strong affinity to seafood (Mmmmm, haddock)
14.) Also, despite being a Mainer, HATES Moxie. Tastes bitter XP (Sorry Zuke)
15.) I currently serve as a voice on an online audio production company, though it'll be sometime before any of my roles will be heard <..<...
Time for the Tags!
Tagged:
Alex_Mendazi
CaitSith
The_Blue_Mage
Ilkarin
Mud
I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!
Posted 16 years agoNew computer, lightening work load, and new art, the wolf is returning in a big way...well, sorta. Anywho,going to spend the next few days catching up with things, but eventually segue back into normal pace of things. Anywho, hope to see and hear from everyone soon ^-^
Very Bad News...
Posted 16 years agoDue to video card failure, this wuff is out of a home computer for one to two weeks :(
I'm writing this message from a friends computer, but I want it to be known that I will be unable to participate in my normal activities due to work will be a LOT harder to accomplish without my computer, so with a heavy heart, I will not be on the IRC for this period, while I attempt to find time to keep up to date.
I know this doesn't see much of bad news, but this failure occured last night while I was in conversation with a lot of you, so, I want to take this chance to say my apologies to everyone. I really am.
ZukeZorin: I am really sorry, but there is a good chance my entry to the Easter Exchange will be late. I'm going to try and work it out differently than originally planned, but there is a strong possibility. Also, Nationstates is another promise I'm going to try to keep somehow.
Anarchteict: I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be able to make it to your "Full of Win" Event :(. I really am sorry I didn't get a chance to see it. Hope someone records or copies it. Sounded like it was going to rock...
In short, I am really sorry to let anyone down because of this. I'll be back soon...hopefully
I'm writing this message from a friends computer, but I want it to be known that I will be unable to participate in my normal activities due to work will be a LOT harder to accomplish without my computer, so with a heavy heart, I will not be on the IRC for this period, while I attempt to find time to keep up to date.
I know this doesn't see much of bad news, but this failure occured last night while I was in conversation with a lot of you, so, I want to take this chance to say my apologies to everyone. I really am.
ZukeZorin: I am really sorry, but there is a good chance my entry to the Easter Exchange will be late. I'm going to try and work it out differently than originally planned, but there is a strong possibility. Also, Nationstates is another promise I'm going to try to keep somehow.
Anarchteict: I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be able to make it to your "Full of Win" Event :(. I really am sorry I didn't get a chance to see it. Hope someone records or copies it. Sounded like it was going to rock...
In short, I am really sorry to let anyone down because of this. I'll be back soon...hopefully
No Subject
Posted 18 years agoSuggested by Ritza, who had this stolen from Wyldsyde...so, if I get charged for something, its her fault not mine...heh...
. Who are you?
. Are we friends?
. When and how did we meet?
. Would you kiss me? Where?
. Give me a nickname and explain why?
. Describe me in one word!
. What was your first impression of me?
. Do you still think the same?
. What reminds you of me?
. If you could give me anything what would it be?
. How well do you know me?
. Are you going to put this on your journal and see what i say about you?
. Would you ever meet up with me?
. Who are you?
. Are we friends?
. When and how did we meet?
. Would you kiss me? Where?
. Give me a nickname and explain why?
. Describe me in one word!
. What was your first impression of me?
. Do you still think the same?
. What reminds you of me?
. If you could give me anything what would it be?
. How well do you know me?
. Are you going to put this on your journal and see what i say about you?
. Would you ever meet up with me?
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