Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015) - Movie Review

Art from: Avengers: Age Of Ultron!

One thing that I have noticed as time has gone on, that it seems like most production houses generally tend to require that their sequels be bigger, more explosions, more A-list actors, etc... That is a huge mistake!

The reason being is, like the old saying goes... "Bigger is not always better"... And that saying is still true today! What I mean by this in relation to sequels, is that something is always lost in the story line!

Marvel seems to almost always do this for some reason... For example: Iron Man (2008) was a fantastic movie that really helped jump start the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe,) but, Iron Man 2 (2010)... There was bigger special effects, and a bigger cast... But something was lost in the story, and ended up making the movie suck... Fortunately they made up for that in a major way with, Iron Man 3 (2013)!

Iron Man 2... A dud, only made right by, 'Iron Man 3'! 

And unfortunately a lot of that is the reason, Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015) was still fun... But not as good as the original Avengers was!

Written by: Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), and Directed by: Joss Whedon. Starring: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Scarlett Johansson (Lucy), Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island), Jeremy Renner (Dahmer) & James Spader (Stargate).

"If he can wield the Hammer, he can keep the Stone." - Thor (Chris Hemsworth - A quote from: Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015).) 

This movie tells the story of how a more formed Avengers team, having reformed up after the battle of New York from the first movie are setting high on their laurels... S.H.I.E.L.D. maybe mostly gone, and Nick Fury maybe retired, but under Tony Stark (Played by: Robert Downey Jr.), the team (being aided by a group of robotic, 'Iron Men') are really kicking butt!

The Avengers kicking Hydra's butt! 

Well something interesting has happened... You see, after a grueling fight, in which the team had gone to war with Hydra, in an effort to reacquire Loki's scepter, Tony Stark (Played by: Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Played by: Mark Ruffalo,) are working on creating a new AI (when will they ever learn... Am I right?)

Anyway, this AI (which goes by the name of, 'Ultron' (Voiced by: James Spader)) ends up coming online and decides his programming in an effort to help the planet, is to eradicate mankind and start fresh!

So Ultron ends up taking over the Iron Men that Tony Stark had created, and as Ultron begins to build up his forces, it will be up to the Avengers to assemble again in an effort to save the world from a threat that one of their own created!

Ultron as he begins life as a broken, 'Iron Legion' unit! 

In the end, the truth is, is this movie is fun... Despite the frustrating over indulgence in to the special effects and what not and some of the loss in story line/quality of story... This movie does have some amazing battle scenes, and fun story arcs...

The other problems that I had with this movie is the fact that Black Widow and Bruce Banner keep whining about there stupid romance, and it seems like almost threatening the audience to run away together at the end of the world!

The last thing that I have to say is that having Quicksilver (Played by: Anthony Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Played by: Elizabeth Olsen) in this movie is wrong, for many reasons that fans of the comics will understand... But as for the movies... Well... I mean Quicksilver is already a part of the X-Men franchise and is played by some one else in that series!

I guess what I am saying is that it is certainly worth watching, but is just not as good as the first one! 

Tweet

Chris Hemsworth... An Unstoppable Power House

[caption id="attachment_2363" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Chris Hemsworth in the role that made him a super star![/caption]

You know, one of the things that I have learned about the entertainment industry as time has gone on, and the further and further away that I get from those entertainers that I watched growing up, go from being the hottest new artist in their respective industries, to being the seasoned veterans (and sadly a few of them beginning that slow decent toward retirement), that the entertainment industry is a revolving door for artists...

A great example of this for me is the heavy metal band, 'Metallica'... Now I have absolutely loved their music since I was in High School (they are personally my favorite band of all time!) But to me, with all of the images I have seen of them, they have always looked... well not always like they were in their 20s or anything, but they never looked like truly aged... And I happened to see a picture of them recently... And they didn't looks like really old or anything, but they no longer looked like youngish head bangers, but like older seasoned musicians!

With that said though, since the new millennium I have seen a lot of actors and actresses come in and replace those that were the hot new actors and actresses in Hollywood... And a lot of them have been pretty good... Their have also been a few that I will admit that have been pretty awful... But the problem is that non of them have struck me as truly spectacular... Until now!

[caption id="attachment_2364" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Chris Hemsworth as, 'Thor' with Robert Downey Jr. as, 'Iron Man' in, 'The Avengers'... A good example of an actor who got his start in the 80s and another in the new millennium...[/caption]

Chris Hemsworth (Thor)... The truth is, is one for one every movie I have ever seen of his, I have absolutely always loved... Rather it be, Thor (2011), or even, The Cabin In The Woods (2011), I have found that everything that he has done has been truly a powerhouse performance!

Now the truth is, is when I first saw, Thor, I wasn't a huge fan of the movie... But that wasn't because of his role in the movie, no in this case I found that Mr. Hemsworth really lead a very commanding performance in the role.. And I found him really believable as the sorta of rich kid... 'God' that kind of took his role as the heir to, 'Asgard' and his path from that in to the responsible eventual leader!

And I found that he has held a very commanding leadership role in almost all of the films that I had seen him in... And the truth is, is at one point I began to wonder if he could only do well in a leadership role, but then I saw, The Avengers (2012)... And boy was I wrong!

[caption id="attachment_2365" align="aligncenter" width="640"] 'Thor' (Chris Hemsworth' with some of the other, 'Avengers'[/caption]

You know I thought because he was only in those leadership roles, that he might end up either intentionally or unintentionally stealing the show, or stepping on the other casts toes... (so to speak), but the truth is, is I found that he did not do that at all, and that he worked very well in a role where there really was not a primary role, but that all of the main cast was as important as the other... And he really proved himself in that capacity as well!

So in the end, I have to say that I was absolutely truly impressed with this powerhouse actor, and if you haven't seen any of his work yet, then why not check it out, I found him to be a fun actor, and if you check out his work, then you might find the same thing as well!
For more information on his work, please enjoy these trailers:

http://youtu.be/NsIilFNNmkY

http://youtu.be/UGWhXL-ADGY

http://youtu.be/UoqlBHSePw0

Star Trek (2009) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

Being a huge Star Trek fan I was saddened when I heard that after the failures of the last 2 Star Trek The Next Generation movies and the failure of, 'Enterprise' that Paramount was putting a moratorium on any future Star Trek show (A moratorium being a hold on any future Star Trek TV project,) and that with the disaster that was, Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), that there was going to be nothing more from Star Trek...

The reason for this is that not only did they deprive the world of some truly awesome entertainment, but Star Trek has always stood for the idea that instead of only being able to see the problems that mankind faces, and will face in the future, it put forth the idea of what life could be like if mankind is able to get past it's petty squabbles...

But there was light at the end of the tunnel for us Star Trek fans out there... That light being when they release the re-booted series by going back to the beginning with Star Trek (2009)!

[caption id="attachment_2103" align="aligncenter" width="450"] A scene from, 'Star Trek' (2009)![/caption]

Directed by: J.J. Abrams (Super 8) and Starring: Chris Pine (This Means War), Zachary Quinto (Heroes), Simon Pegg (Shaun Of The Dead), Leonard Nimoy (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers), Eric Bana (Hulk), Bruce Greenwood (Double Jeopardy), Karl Urban (Dredd), Zoe Saldana (Colombiana), John Cho (American Pie), Anton Yelchin (Fright Night) & Chris Hemsworth (Thor).

Now I could tell you that the acting was great... (It was!), I could tell you that the Sound Effects were spectacular (they were), but the truth is, is my favorite thing about this movie is the story!

You see this story is truly an interesting twist on rebooting a franchise right! What I mean by this is that instead of the classic remake that would have inevitably butchered the series they took the story in a whole different direction...

In this movie, on the day that the future Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is born... As a matter of fact while his mother is giving birth to him... The U.S.S. Kelvin is confronted with a Romulan ship that has just traveled to the past from the future... A ship that is being commanded by Captain Nero (Eric Bana)...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="512"] The ship that changed the future of, 'James T. Kirk'![/caption]

You see Captain Nero is looking for Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) who had ended up going back through time to the past (At this point in the Star Trek Universe, everything is moving the way it would have through out all of the previous movies and TV shows.)

Anyway Nero pushes to try and find Spock, but when he realizes that he went to far back in time, he ends up destroying the Kelvin... Fortunately just about everyone (including the newborn Jim Kirk and his mother Winona) escape the ships destruction... The only problem is that the only one left is the new born Jim Kirk's dad (who ended up saving the Kelvin survivors from Nero...

Now things are different, instead of young Kirk working his way to becoming the legend that he would have eventually become, he is a drunk, and a looser... That is until Kirk is confronted by a friend of his father's by the name of Captain Christopher Pike (Greenwood), who convinces him to at least give him a try.

During his initial run at Starfleet Academy, Vulcan is being attacked by Nero... Who has hatched a master plan that would eventual destroy the Federation of the past (A.K.A. the world of today.)

And now it will be up to the, until recently Jim Kirk that would not become the legend that he would have been in the previous time line, to finally own up to the man he was always meant to be and along with the crew oft he U.S.S. Enterprise, stop Nero, before Nero destroys the Federation!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Kirk & McCoy as they head toward their, 'destiny'...[/caption]

Really my main problem (and I know from talking to to other Trekkies out there that I am not the only one who thinks this), but the problem is, is that as good as this story is, it does have some disjointed continuity errors (well I won't bore you with the details, but if you are a trekkie, you probably will know which ones that I am talking about.)

But regardless, this movie is a fun one, and I thought it was well worth it, and if you give it a try, you might find the same thing as well!

http://youtu.be/SyJszxnJydA

Thor (2011) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

These days have to be a pretty exciting time for Marvel... I mean with the mega success of, The Avengers (2012), and their equally successful individual movies based on the Heroes that make up, 'The Avengers'... And with the slow resurrection of the series that helped Marvel really catapult in to the world of movies permanently... You just have to be impressed!

Now before I go on I should be honest and say that growing up I was a comic book fan... But the truth is, is if I had to choose between, 'The Avengers' or, 'The X-Men', I would have to say that, 'The X-Men' were always my favorite... But I will say that, 'The Avengers' were always pretty bad ass as well, (with, 'Thor' and, 'The Hulk' being 2 of my favorite characters...)

And that is why I was surprised the first time I saw, Thor (2011)... I don't know, I mean maybe it was because the movie took a decidedly different turn then the comic, I'm not really sure, but for whatever reason I just have to admit that I was very... 'meh', about the whole thing, that was until I saw the movie for the second time!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] 'Thor' (Chris Hemsworth) with his father, 'Odin' (Anthony Hopkins) in, 'Asgard'![/caption]

You see this movie, which was written by: Ashley Edward Miller (X-Men: First Class),  Zack Stentz (Agent Cody Banks), Don Payne (Thor: The Dark World) & Directed by: Kenneth Brannaugh (Hamlet), Joss Whedon (Angel). Starring: Chris Hemsworth (The Avengers), Natalie Portman (Star Wars: - Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace), Tom Hiddleston (Crimson Peak), Anthony Hopkins (Silence Of The Lambs), Stellan Skarsgård (The Glass House), Kat Dennings (Day One), Clark Gregg (Marvel's: Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Colm Feore (The Chronicles Of Riddick) & Idris Elba (Prometheus), tells the story of how a young and some what arrogant, 'Thor' (Chris Hemsworth), ends up going on a quest to the, 'Frost Giant' planet of, 'Jotunheim' after the Frost Giants attempt to breach, 'Asgard' and steal back the, 'Casket Of Ancient Winters' (an artifact of great power and importance to the Frost Giants...)

Well after the massive defeat that Thor and his soldiers suffered there, Thor and his soldiers end up going back to Asgard only after, 'Odin' comes to their rescue... Because of this, Odin ends up banishing Thor out of Asgard and down to Earth along with his hammer... (But powerless.) While he is there of course, he is seriously out of place... That is until he meets, 'Jane Foster' (Natalie Portman), and her research staff... And starts to learn how to fit in...

[caption id="attachment_2012" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Thor as he is trying to get his hammer away from the, 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' agents that are studying it![/caption]

During this time though, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) decides to seize the throne of, 'Asgard' when Odin goes in to his sleep, and when he learns that he is actually the son of the King of the Frost Giants and not Odin's son, Loki adopts a plan that will not only destroy his true home world, but would also destroy the brother he was so envious of, and hopefully gain the love and affection that he always wanted from, 'Odin'.

I mentioned earlier that this movie for me was better the second time, well the truth is, is if you are like me, then you like special effects movies, but are not a fan of movies that are just butchered with to much CGI.  The truth is, is when I first saw this movie I couldn't see past that, but when I saw this for the second time, I found that in truth that this movie truly was a fun one, and well worth it, and in all honesty I guess really my main critique on this movie is just how much they changed the story between the movie and the comics!

In the end though, if you haven't already checked this movie out yet, then I would say, 'give it a try', you may end up having a better experience then I did the first and the second time!

http://youtu.be/JOddp-nlNvQ

The Avengers (2012) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_415" align="alignright" width="300"] Official Score = 4 Devils[/caption]

Remember when you were a kid, the joy of collecting and trading comic books and (well if you were a kid in the 90s) trading comic book cards? I do, I used to love all that stuff!

Now I always loved comics and comic book cards that DC produced, but my favorite always had to be.... You guessed it! MARVEL!

Rather it be reading the gritty adventures of, 'Cable', or reading about the, 'X-Men' battling the latest threat to the world, or for that matter any of the other super hero's or super hero teams that fought the forces of darkness!

So it delighted me to discover a lot of my favorite costumed heroes from the Marvel Universe were being turned in to movies! Including, the X-Men series, the Spider-Man series, the Iron Man series, to name a few...

And of course the most recent Super Hero movie was great as well, The Avengers!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The Avengers as they are about to assemble![/caption]

Written by: Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), and Zack Penn (The Incredible Hulk) and Directed by: Joss Whedon. Starring: Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac), Chris Hemsworth (The Cabin In The Woods), Chris Evans (Fantastic Four), Scarlett Johansson (Eight Legged Freaks), Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island), Tom Hiddleston (Thor), Jeremy Renner (Dahmer), Samuel L. Jackson (Deep Blue Sea), and Colbie Smulders (Andromeda).

The Avengers tells the story of how, after Loki's (Hiddleston) defeat on Asgard in the movie, Thor (2011), by his brother Thor (Hemsworth). Loki retreats to the vastness of space. During this time he comes across a race that has offered to fight for Loki, when Loki decides to take over the Earth!

So after stealing an item called, 'The Tesseract' (an item that can draw power from space), from a S.H.I.E.L.D. run research facility, and taking over the free will of a Doctor, and an Agent by the name of, 'Clint Barton' (Renner), Loki takes off with his new soldiers in an effort to create a portal from Earth to the planet where his army is currently waiting on!

With the world now threatened by Loki and his minions, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Jackson) calls on: Iron Man (Downey Jr.), The Black Widow (Johansson), The Hulk (Ruffalo), Captain America (Evans), (and later Thor and Hawkeye join as well), to combat the threat posed by Loki, and save the Human Race as, 'The Avengers'!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="460"] 'The Avengers' assembled going to war![/caption]

Now as an interesting side note, this movie is the culmination of past super hero movies such as, Thor (2011), the Iron Man series and, The Incredible Hulk series as well!

In my opinion, with this movie being the perfect blending of, 'Science Ficition' and, 'Action' this movie may actually be the best Super Hero movie to come out since the first X-Men movie (A personal fav of mine).

Now before I get in to why I think this movie is so awesome, I should probably tell you a little bit of history and how The Avengers came to life...

The Avengers came in to being through the creative inspiration of comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and had their debut in September of 1963... Since then, 'The Avengers' and the team members that make up, 'The Avengers' has become an international sensation amongst the legions of , 'Avengers' comic book fans, 'Avengers' movie aficionados and even , 'Avengers', video game fans around the world! And being a fan of, 'The Avengers' in all 3 of those categories, it kind of goes without saying that I would be a fan of this movie as well!

But besides that, the truth is, is that carry overs from their original movies, 'i,e. Tom Hiddleston as (Loki), or Robert Downey Jr. as, (Iron Man)' continue to do an amazing job portraying the characters they portrayed in the other movies... So much so that it was great to see Robert Downey Jr. reprise his role as, 'Iron Man', Chis Hemworth reprise his role as, 'Thor' as they both match pretty closely to what I would have thought the characters from the comics would have looked like in real life!

http://youtu.be/1hPpG4s3-O4