The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Glad to see you re-evaluated Iron Man 2. It's a film that, almost because it's so unfocused, really rewards repeat viewings as when it came out on DVD I found myself definitely finding elements in it that I hadn't previously noticed. It's got a lot going on, thematically, I find.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2

I actually liked both a lot. Neither did it for me when I saw them for the first time last year, but they really clicked tonight. TIH I liked as a sorta B-action movie. I didn't connect the dots on the director having done films for Luc Besson. That won it some points. And I liked how the film was orchestrated so to speak. For me it worked tremendously well as comic book fun. I really liked Norton in it. Physically he seems so much more right to me than Bana or Ruffalo as the other two are bigger guys and the contrast is greater with Norton. I'd cast a really scrawny actor for Banner.

Last year I thought TIH was just MARVEL making a Hulk movie to tick off that box before THE AVENGERS. Maybe it is, but the movie works well for me. It does what it says on the tin. Of course, Bill Hurt's moustache and Liv Tyler can't match moustache's Sam Elliott and Jennifer Connelly.

IM2 didn't seem scattershot this time. I was totally entertained the whole way through. It didn't seem as slavish to THE AVENGERS to me as it did last year. And Rockwell rocks well.

MARVEL

1. IRON MAN 2
2. THE INCREDIBLE HULK
3. IRON MAN
4. SPIDER-MAN 2
5. SPIDER-MAN
6. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
7. SPIDER-MAN 3

It may seem odd to put TIH over IM1, but I enjoyed it more consistently.

The Incredible Hulk is actually my favourite of the Marvel franchise, I though Norton was pitch perfect easily the best of the Banners, although I do wish Connelly had been tempted back for Betty, Liv Tylers lips are just too distracting. The slug-fest at the end is one of the very few times I didn't mind that it was mostly CGI (though the final kick toward Ross lets the side down somewhat giving the impression Abomination is gelatinous)), The film is kinda epic yet still personal enough to care without the mindless gung-ho mentality that I think blights so much of the rest of this series. I don't find any of the Avengers Phase 1 titles in the same league as Spiderman 2 mind....and both franchises desperately need Danny Elfman to score for them in the future!

Thor

Last year it was my favorite MCU movie. Not anymore, but I like that it didn't shy away from it's outlandish source material. It just told a fecking story. I wish more comic book films would just tell a good story and not worry about making it realistic. *cough* Mr. Nolan. *COUGH* If you tell an engaging story you can get away with pretty much anything. Like a magic rainbow bridge between interdimensional realms connecting the Magic Kingdom, the ice people, and New Mexico, guarded by a black man in gold armor.

I do wish a different director had headed this. What is with the dutch angles? Seriously. If you can't think up a good shot, quit directing. Don't just put the camera on it's side.

But the story is pretty good. The stakes feel a little low. That's my main problem with it. I like the cast. I think some of the scenes and moments really work well. It has a nice idea of Thor becoming wiser. But the stakes feel low.

Kat Dennings is incredibly distracting. And overdressed. That must be how they made Thor's romance with Portman work, they found all available clothes and squeezed them all on Dennings.

1. IRON MAN 2
2. THE INCREDIBLE HULK
3. IRON MAN
4. THOR
5. SPIDER-MAN 2
6. SPIDER-MAN
7. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
8. SPIDER-MAN 3

Yeah its New Mexico in May, why is she wearing two sweaters, a coat and a toque??

But even her character's personality is way hotter than Portman's. Portman leaves me totally cold.

I have never understood the appeal. I remember all my little Star Wars geek buddies having such a huge crush on her in junior high and I didnt get it even then. I get Keira Knightley even less. She's like the no name store brand knock off of Natalie Portman.

She has a nice face and voice and projects intelligence.

Kat Dennings has other projections.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I wish more comic book films would just tell a good story and not worry about making it realistic. *cough* Mr. Nolan. *COUGH*

In the aftermath of BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN & ROBIN, Nolan's hype-real approach was pretty much the only way the series could survive with any degree of credibility.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I wish more comic book films would just tell a good story and not worry about making it realistic. *cough* Mr. Nolan. *COUGH*

In the aftermath of BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN & ROBIN, Nolan's hype-real approach was pretty much the only way the series could survive with any degree of credibility.

Equally I would suggest that a hyper real approach is sufficiently in tune with the Bat to still be valid, the real issue arises in the way other film makers have come to cite it as a broad brush approach for comic-books when it really only suits a particular subset (and often one that exists in isolation).

http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-version-of-iron-man-3-2013-5

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

I wish more comic book films would just tell a good story and not worry about making it realistic. *cough* Mr. Nolan. *COUGH*

In the aftermath of BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN & ROBIN, Nolan's hype-real approach was pretty much the only way the series could survive with any degree of credibility.

But at the same time it makes the action on the screen less believable to me. Because it invites analysis. I still think there is a healthy medium to achieved with a near-reality that allows for the colorful aspects of Batman to be used, and it would actually be easier (in my opinion) to get into the story that way. Because the viewer can focus on the story instead of thinking, "So how did the Army not recognize the Tumbler? And why didn't any cameras in the city see where the Tumbler goes every night?"

Captain America: The First Avenger

This one went up for me. I didn't mind the montage in the second half this time. Terrific cast, great look, heroic spirit. I do wish you could show an American flag in a major movie these days. I guess the studios don't want to piss off foreign markets because they think everyone outside the US hates America.

1. IRON MAN 2
2. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
3. THE INCREDIBLE HULK
4. IRON MAN
5. THOR
6. SPIDER-MAN 2
7. SPIDER-MAN
8. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
9. SPIDER-MAN 3

I guess I'll rank it there. I like the action in TIH more, but CA feels like it has more going on. I like the recurring idea of sacrifice. They build it up well for the finale. I think that if one of the Avengers has to die in a future movie, and I'd support that, I'd vote for Captain America. But I'd have him actually die for good. In AVENGERS 2 or something.

One thing I liked about Avengers was the way the inter-team conflict arose naturally from their established personalities instead of through contrivance. Such as Cap's belief in self-sacrifice vs Tony's selfishness.

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

One thing I liked about Avengers was the way the inter-team conflict arose naturally from their established personalities instead of through contrivance. Such as Cap's belief in self-sacrifice vs Tony's selfishness.

I think the biggest strength of THE AVENGERS was that Joss Whedon was smart enough to recognise that the audience knew the ending was a foregone conclusion. So many films that centre on an alien invasion tend to have the humans emerge victorious, and they try to present it as a huge surprise that humanity won. But no-one is going to watch a film where humanity is driven to extinction or enslavement, because it's depressing.

Whedon knew that whatever happened, the Avengers had to win. And as soon as he came to that conclusion, the focus of the film shifted. It stopped being (if it ever was) about how the Avengers ended the alien threat, and it became a film about how they could get to the point where they could end the threat, with the final fight being the pay-off for all that work.

The Avengers

I did like it more this time, but I became less interested as it went on. I'll be able to say more later.

1. IRON MAN 2
2. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
3. THE AVENGERS
4. THE INCREDIBLE HULK
5. IRON MAN
6. THOR
7. SPIDER-MAN 2
8. SPIDER-MAN
9. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
10. SPIDER-MAN 3

I guess I'd put it there.

The next Avengers film is titled AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.

Interesting choice. Age of Ultron is only a fairly recent storyline, whereas Marvel has largely tried to adapt some of the better-known storylines within the cinematic universe, like Demon in a Bottle and The Winter Soldier. But Age of Ultron only wrapped up a month ago.

It's especially interesting, since The Avengers ended with the reveal of Thanos in the post-credits scene. But I suppose that since the film use elements that had been introduced in the other films, then things introduced in The Avengers could come up in the next round of stand-alone films. I imagine Thor: The Dark World would be a suitable place for Thanos to re-emerge.

It's already known that Thanos is going to come into play in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

I missed out the first film in theaters, but I'll definitely see this one. I hope some of the humor is retained, it looks like it, though most of the trailer seems to be in "SERIOUS" mode.

Yeah but Iron Man 3 had an uber serious trailer too and then was probably the most "lololol" movie of the whole trilogy.

True.

Of all the upcoming Marvel flicks, I'm still eager for ANT-MAN and GUARDIANS, though I suppose many would feel that way since they'll be the first non-sequel MCUs made in awhile.

I'm interested in Ant-Man, because of Edgar Wright and because the hero's concept seems ridiculous (fun). The visuals in that Thor film look far better than in the last one, but I don't much care for Chris Hemsworth. Don't think I'll be seeing it.

Not a post here since August, guess I'll break that.

My last viewing tonight was IRON MAN 2. Bought the blu-ray for that, so far the only Iron Man title I actually purchased. Something about it drew me in. I already rented 3 twice and that kind of dropped for me, and I feel confident enough over how I feel about the first one (I think it's overrated, entertaining, but I don't get the love). I guess that means I'm with FS on 2 being the most rewarding. It has a lot to offer and doesn't feel as sabotaged by the planning of Avengers like I always hear. I'm curious to know what kind of interference got in the way, aside from Disney not wanting to have Tony be an alcoholic (cause, Disney image).