Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) – Depends On Pop Culture References and is Surprisingly Boring

“Space Jam: New Legacy” is a film that could have been fun if it had embraced the core Looney Tunes comedy, focused on the core story and not depended so much on pop culture references that WB owns. Because it failed on these in big ways the film ended up being boring and a comedy shouldn’t be that. It comes off feeling like it was written by a committee (it was) and it shows. Without going into spoilers, this is a film I can’t recommend.

The film was directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by a committee (Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Keenan Coogler, Terence Nance, Jesse Gordon and Celeste Howard).

The story follows LeBron James when he is forced to play a basketball game in the WB Server-verse after an A.I. named Al-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle) kidnaps him and his son.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Looney Tunes – Like what I remember in the original “Space Jam” the Looney Tunes are the best part. Their chaotic and fun nature gives LeBron an arc of learning to have fun and it is cool seeing them in their element when they are all together. Whether it is Daffy’s ego or Bugs Bunny’s manipulations the Tunes function best in opposition to one another and conflict. Lola is the most normal of the bunch so provides a contrast to their antics. When they are Looney in their world the film showed how well they still can work but honestly not in a 2 hour film.

Goon Squad – His son designed the Goon Squad off of All-Star WNBA and NBA players and they look cool. You have Anthony Davis as a harpylike member with wings, Damian Lilliard as a metal man who can manipulate time, Diana Taurasi as a nagasque team mate, Klay Thompson as a being that can switch between water and fire and Nneka Ogwumike as a Spider-like member of the team. They have great designs and I wish we’d seen them in 2D interacting more with the Looney Tunes.

Okay:

LeBron and his Family – LeBron does okay as does Sonequa Martin-Green as his wife and Cedric Joe as his son. The main arc is him learning to accept that his son doesn’t love basketball the way he does and to accept he likes designing games. The family dynamic works and the arc is simple but it isn’t bad. The character relationships felt real.

The Cons:

Pacing – This film would have been improved by being half an hour shorter. It is a 2 hour film and feels like it. Humor should not be long as jokes can get old fast and this film is a shining example of exactly that. Characters only go through basic arcs so the extra time isn’t needed.

The Writing – The writing depends way too much on pop culture references and that is what brings it down. It has been years since I saw the original film (Since I was in Elementary School) so I wouldn’t be surprised if that film had the same problem. This one does go all in and it sucks as the Loony Tunes being Looney are the moments of actual comedy not playing roles in other worlds. Also there is some pretty cringe writing like the Porky Pig rap.

The Villain – Cheadle hams it up well but his character is so underwritten. I think he’s meant to be a toxic fan or like Pal from “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” but he does nothing really interesting and comes off as fake to LeBron’s son. He was never believable as complex as his being wholly ruled by ego was never fully explored. In these ways he didn’t work as an antagonist and even Cheadle’s performance couldn’t save the bad writing. His name as Al-G Rhythm is kind of clever at least.

Dependence on References – The Server-verse is basically WB’s “Kingdom Hearts” with every franchise existing on a world. This was bad to do as it made the film depend on references for humor. This is lazy writing and all it is is Looney Tunes Forrest Gumped into live action scenes making the scenes feel fake. Like the original “Space Jam” other worlds weren’t needed for the premise to work.

In the end this film is only okay but definitely not worth your time. I don’t know how well the original holds up but I will review it at some point. I feel like the Looney Tunes work best in their small chaotic skits or short films. They are meant to be characters without arcs and if they aren’t playing to their strengths you get characters in clips to make pop culture references, which I don’t find enjoyable or funny. This film isn’t worth your time and is way too long even to work as a fun film.

Final Score: 6 / 10 Okay but never rises to fun.

No Sudden Move (2021): A Solid Crime Drama That Critiques Capitalism and Structural Racism

Steven Soderbergh is great at crime dramas and this one is another example of why. While his other films tend to be quick, this one is slower and does drag at points which keeps it from being great. Without getting into SPOILERS it is still worth checking out though.

The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Ed Solomon.

The story follows small-time crooks Curt Goynes (Don Cheadle) and Ronald Russo (Benicio Del Toro) when they are recruited by Doug Jones (Brendan Fraser) for a job that quickly spirals out of control in 1950s Detroit.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Premise – The idea of 2 small time crooks pulled into a conspiracy is a really fun idea and it works well due to the writing and performances. There is a lot to be revealed and the film does a good job of giving answers slowly over time.

The Wertz Family – David Harbour plays the father Matt Wertz who works for the man who has the document Curt and Ronald are after. The situation soon worsens further beyond his control when it is revealed he is cheating on his wife and his family comes together while he loses his job and almost everything to help Curt and Ronald get the document. We see his son and wife connect over the lies when the son tells the detective about what is happening and in the end they all survive but have to face the events that unfolded.

Doug Jones – Brendan Fraser is one of the mob boss enforcers and is played as dangerous and smart. He chooses Curt and Ronald because they were hated by the bosses and expendable but is outplayed when Curt’s cautiousness leads to Curt and Ronald avoiding the ambitious and getting the document. He dies in a shootout in the end when Curt calls Doug’s bosses bluff. Fraser was fantastic.

Mr. Big – Matt Damon is amazing as the creator of the document, a patent that could change cars and how they are made. In the end he wins as he has the law on his side so gets all his money back that Curt and Ronald blackmailed him for and more as Ronald’s girlfriend kills and betrays him and the cops pick up the money from her car before letting her go. He like Fraser is great at being arrogant and threatening. Damon owned this role as the arrogant businessman

Curt Goynes and Ronald Russo – Cheadle and Del Toro are fantastic and I loved their dynamic. Ronald isn’t smart but he’s charismatic and a bit naive. Curt has been through hell and just got out of prison and is good at reading situations and just wants to recover the livelihood stolen from his father in Kansas City. In the end Curt lives by not getting greedy and cutting a deal with a boss while Ronald is turned on by his lover who killed her abusive mob boss husband and next kills him.

Structural Racism and the Consequences – Curt calls out Mr. Big for him and the corporations creating red lining around the country and it as a reason why he took the job he did. it is a powerful speech made all the more powerful by Mr. Big’s denial and saying it is the truth of reality and how things should be and are. It illustrated how the structural racism is held in power by denial, justification and apathy.

A Critique of Capitalism and Monopolies – The film ends with going into how the Big 4 car companies were broken up for the illegal dealing they were doing but none were ever fined. In the end Mr. Big wins and all those who help may get is a bottle of whiskey like the detective. The corruption is finally illustrated.

Okay:

The Bosses – All the bosses are one-dimensional. Why one help Curt is never explained but all the rest be they CEOs or mob bosses can’t see beyond double-crossing, survival or greed. It worked in the story but they were weak as characters.

Vanessa Capelli – Vanessa could have had a life with Ronald but ended up being just as bad as the husband she killed as far as murdering for greed goes. Julia Fox did a good job but her character was so underwritten. Her performance kept it from being a con though.

The Cons:

Pacing – This film could have been cut in the third act. It goes on way too long to do all the reveals and double crosses and we don’t learn anything new. It also dragged at points in the middle too, though less so when Curt and Ronald are planning their next moves.

Length – Tied to pacing, this film would have been great if it was shorter. We don’t learn anything new in the scenes and it drags out sequences when the point could have come about faster and sooner. Ideally this film could have been an hour and thirty to forty minutes and nothing major would be lost.

This is a really good film that uses the past to illustrate the problems still in the present in compelling ways. Great performances also help elevate sequences too that would have been boring in other circumstances. I look forward to what Steven Soderbergh does next as he has once again made a film well worth your time.

Final Score: 8.6 / 10

Captain America: Civil War (2016) – Amazing Characters in a Story That Explores War and Responsibility

        “Captain America: Civil War” is easily one of the best films of Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is the film that deals with the fall out of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and the past Marvel Films. At the core this is a film that tackles the nature of responsibility to self and to the larger world and what that means in regards to the Avengers. In some ways it could have been handled better (especially if they’d gone with the “Registration Act” of the comics and had X-Men in this Universe) but for what they have and the conflict at the core of the film, it is handled really well. I also wanted more loss, but that is just me.

      The film was directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and produced by Kevin Feige.

   SPOILERS ahead

    The story involves the United Nations forming the Sokovia Accords so that the Avengers have oversight after a mission leads to a lot of civilian deaths. The Avengers soon find themselves divided on the issue as things escalate when the King of Wakanda is assassinate and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is believed responsible leading Captain America (Chris Evans) and his group going rogue while Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and his team become enforces of the Accords.

The Pros: The Cinematography – The cinematography is beautiful and actually manages to be distinct for a Marvel film, which really shows how great the Russo’s are at expressing their vision of these stories. Trent Opaloch did a great job on this.

The Soundtrack – The soundtrack feels epic and allows you to feel more fully the events on the screen. It isn’t the greatest of these soundtracks but it still a plus and compliments the film beautifully as it carries elements of “The Avengers” and the past “Captain America” films within the sound. Henry Jackman did good work on this.

The Action – This film has the best action sequences out of all the Marvel films besides “The Winter Soldier.” Part of this is due to the fight having actual meaning and us caring about the players because we’ve got to spend so much time with these characters and have come to care about them.

The Writing – For a movie that has a lot of ground to cover (introducing Spider-Man and the Black Panther) as well as the Civil War storyline and within that both Iron Man and Captain America’s arc…it does it seamlessly. Where “Age of Ultron” and “Batman v. Superman” were cluttered, this one manages to weave together all the elements in this fascinating character drama.

The Characters – The characters are why we keep coming back to these films and here they each have their moments where we get to know them and see how the last films have changed them. The only one who feels tacked on it Sharon Carter.

Thaddeus Ross – We haven’t seen this guy since “The Incredible Hulk” and how he’s running the United Nations…I really like that they did this as he more than anyone knows what the consequences are of letting those with power run around unchecked. For this reason his going to extremes and locking up all those who joined with Captain America makes sense. This is a guy ruled by fear in a Universe full of creatures that could destroy Earth easily.

Crossbones – SPOILERS, I wish he’d killed Captain America like in the comics. He has a small role in this where he is trying to get a bioweapon, and in doing so shows us that HYDRA is still active, and he puts up an awesome fight against Captain America too and nearly kills him when he tries to blow up himself. Disney, this is a character I’d like to see come back, your films don’t have enough good villains and he was a great one.

Zemo – Zemo is the one manipulating everything and turns the Avengers against each other to avenge his dead wife and child. I got his sadness and I’m glad they didn’t kill him off. He’s shown he can be a great villain as his plans succeed, he just needs someone to give him direction for future films.

Peter Parker / Spider-Man – Tom Holland might end up being my favorite Spider-Man. He’s awkward, nerdy and has great quips and conversation during his fight sequence. I’m looking forward to “Homecoming” as I’ve missed seeing Peter Parker and Spider-Man captured so well…he hasn’t been this real since the Rami ones. I like that Tony Stark is his mentor and that he is someone who is poor and does whatever he can to live. Spider-Man is about facing adversity and standing up to those who do too.

Scott Lang / Ant-Man – Paul Rudd gets to stretch his comedic chops in this and is great as the Captain America fanboy who manages to be the best weapon on the battlefield as he makes himself both large and small and wins most of the fights he gets in. Seeing him again reminded me of why I enjoyed his film.

Vision – Vision is really a fantastic character. He is very much the alien and Spock of the crew who doesn’t fully understand humans so looks at things from an empirical and logical point of view. I really liked him and Bettany does a wonderful job in the role.

Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch – Scarlet Witch like Ant-Man is one of the powerhouses in this as once she finds her confidence she saves most of the characters in the battle. She is also the one everyone fears because of how powerful she is and for her being front and center in the fight against Crossbones and her stopping him lead to the bomb he became killing civilians in a building. Her arc is embracing herself and no longer caring what the others think of her.

Clint Barton / Hawkeye – He’s back and he’s alright. I mostly like him for calling Tony Stark out (though he rightfully gets called out too). He’s sarcastic and quippy and you get that retirement didn’t really work out all that well for him.

Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow – Black Widow is the double agent in this as she believes in the Accords and oversight but believes in Captain America more as she helps Bucky and Steve escape in the large battle at the airport. I would have liked to hear more of her thoughts. Scarlett Johansson is once again amazing.

James Rhodes / War Machine – War Machine believes in the Accords and you get why as he military and military is all about oversight and he’s also seen the danger of Hulk and even the villains they’ve fought (and of course Ultron). He gets injured in the escape of Steve Rodgers and has to learn how to walk again. Cheadle is great as usual.

Sam Wilson / Falcon – Anthony Mackie plays one of my favorite characters in this universe and it is wonderful to see the reasons why he follows Captain America as like the Captain he believes in individuals and doesn’t trust organizations (after his experience with HYDRA and SHIELD makes sense). He is captured in the end but broken out by Captain America to end the film.

T’Challa / Black Panther – Boseman has me excited for the “Black Panther” film. In this we get his motivation as he believes Bucky killed his father the King and in turn he dawns the Black Panther armor to avenge his death. This leads him all over the world until he sees how revenge has consumed Zemo so he chooses not too and instead ops to turn Zemo in as he has let go of his rage.

Steve Rodgers / Captain America – Steve is both smart and stupid in this. Smart because the Avengers do need some sort of oversight (you have Gods running around who can do massive damage if something takes control of one of them or they lose control) and his trust of Bucky is dangerous as Bucky nearly kills his friends multiple times in this. I get why he fights this though as Thaddeus locks up the Avengers who joined him in a high security prison showing that he doesn’t care about balance or even using the Avengers to protect, which is the point of them. Chris Evans owns this role and his scenes with everyone are gold as well as what he represents in the fight against Liberty and Security, which in turn is the continuation of the debate started in “The Winter Soldier.”

Tony Stark / Iron Man – Tony is a man consumed by demons (Pepper left him, missing his parents, regret over his wrongs) who realizes that most of the problems the Avengers have had have been caused by the Avengers (creating Ultron, etc.). This leads to him getting behind the Accords and fighting Steve over it. In the end he is able to make peace though as he lets Captain America break out the Avengers Thaddeus had put away as we get the idea he wants the balance that is at the core of the Accords and that he forgives Steve to some degree for all that went down.

Responsibility and Oversight – This also relates to the Social Contract and Liberty v. Security. This is the core issue going on this film and why the Civil War exists in the first place between the Avengers. Oversight makes sense and the dangers of oversight are illustrated too. Who watches the watchers? The film is good at leaving this open too.

War and Consequences – Zemo and the Accords arose from the consequences of the war and the power of weapons. The Avengers are weapons and the collateral damage they cause to save lives goes addressed here. There is no going back from the trauma war brings and in the end you can end up like Zemo seeking revenge or T’Challa finding peace.

Okay: Sharon Carter – She felt shoe-horned in because of her relation to Agent Carter. I liked some of her scenes but her romance with Steve that was thrown in at the end felt tacked on. Her character wasn’t needed and wasn’t as fun as Spider-Man or Ant-Man (on the same subject of characters who weren’t needed to tell the story). It never really shows when they hooked up either.

 The Cons: Scarlet Witch and Vision Romance – Romance is once again this issue and it again feels tacked on! We never get when this love blossomed and they felt more like friends than lovers.

Lack of Loss – I wanted someone to die. We are getting close to the “Infinity War” and the lack of main character death that is permanent is annoying me. This of all films was perfect as Captain America is killed in the comics during this arc, so why not in the film too?

   For me the one thing that really brings it down is that Marvel has not been able to kill off any character for good. I was rooting for Bucky or Steve to die in this one so that Tony would fully feel the cost of what he was doing and so we’d fully feel the hit before the “Infinity War.” So often in these films characters die but not for good, unless they are a villain. This is a Marvel Problem but it is one that doesn’t detract from the overall quality of the film, and this is really the sequel that “Age of Ulton” should have been as it captures the spirit of the first “Avengers” film. “Civil War” is well worth your time and I’m super excited for the “Black Panther” and “Spider-Man” film. I highly recommend this film.

Final Score: 9.7 / 10

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): The Scars We Carry and the Potential To Heal

“Age of Ultron” was great, a lot of fun and actually had some amazing points to make about motivations and how we as people relate to one another as well as how those wounds we carry relate to our relationships and the choices we make from them. It also is not the best of the new Marvel Properties. “Winter Soldier,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Marvel’s Daredevil” are better, though I can’t deny that Ultron is the first villain besides Loki and Kingpin I’ve actually cared about and found truly interesting and memorable.

The film was directed and written by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige.

SPOILERS from here.

The story involves Banner and Tony creating the Ultron program in attempt to retire the Avengers after they find Baron Von Strucker’s files and capture him after raiding a H.Y.D.R. A. base and choose to use it to create an A.I. to guard against future space invasions and enforcing the peace at home. Sadly this doesn’t go as planned as Loki’s Scepter and the Program Ultron take control of J.A.R.V.I.S. and begin attacking the Avengers. They soon find themselves alone and isolated as Ultron works with Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to destroy the Avengers from the inside as he plots his own agenda for the fall of humanity.

The Pros: The Dialogue – This is Joss Whedon and the dialogue is not as funny as the first “Avengers” but just as witty. Characters still have great banter with one another with the party scene where different folks try to life Thor’s Hammer as one of the best examples of this, but there are these moments throughout the film. Ultron has them too with each of the Avengers as he is a very human A.I.

The Action – The action is fantastic, though in the case of Iron Man vs. Hulk it goes on for a pretty long time and could have been shorter. The action in general I would have traded for more character moments as each of the moments we get with our characters are fantastic, be they hero or villain. We are given reasons to care about what happens to them and we see how the choices they make motivate who they are and what they become.

The Cinematography – The cinematography is beautiful in this film and we get to see the darkness the characters carry with them in the fear induced visions that Scarlet Witch gives them and in the actions of Ultron as he creates fear and chaos around him. Ben Davis did a good job.

The Characters – Most characters in this film have great development and we get to see them change or get glimpses into their past. Given that “Avengers” set the stage so well, this was one of the only directions the film could be taken and Whedon succeeds in his task in giving us wonderfully complex characters once again.

War Machine – Rhody is pretty cocky in this and we see how Tony has rubbed off on him but also accepted him onto the team too as he is in the last battle and takes part in the battle in the Avenger’s Tower against the first Ultron bots. He is great and we see how insecure he feels around the big guys, especially Captain America and Thor when they don’t even blink about his story of showing up a general who asked him to deliver a tank. There is promise for him at the end though. Cheadle is still good in this role it’s just the role needs more development.

Falcon – Falcon is tracking Bucky for Captain America and takes part in the fight in the Tower against Ultron’s first attack. We don’t see him again until the end but he is secure working behind the scenes showing that in many ways he’s an unspoken S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in mentality. Really like the twist at the end and I’m rooting for this guy to be the new Captain America after Steve Rogers most likely gets assassinated in Civil War. Mackie is fantastic and is one of my favorite characters in this Universe.

Nick Fury – Nick Fury is the teacher in this and pull Tony out of his ego to actually deal with taking down the threat at hand. He also comes with the New S.H.I.E.L.D. which is there to protect and save civilians, not target potential threats. It’s a wonderful moment and we see how Captain America has changed him as a person and his ends justify the means approach he once had. Once again, you can’t go wrong with Samuel L. Jackson in this role.

Scarlet Witch – I was impressed with Elizabeth Olsen’s acting in this. Her Scarlet Witch is both powerful and vulnerable and we see her destroy the Avengers and later choose to be a part of them even though she is afraid for her life and afraid to work with the people that she had caused so much pain. In the end they accept her when she chooses to fight and saves Hawkeye. Sadly her brother dies which leads her to killing Ultron Prime to show him what it is like to die. I really want to see her dynamic with the Team and the others in the future. She is the most compelling new character besides Vision introduced in this film who is for sure still around.

Thor – Thor is shown to be a leader in this. We see him go to the Pools of Vision to understand his dream induced by Scarlet Witch which leads to him going against Captain America to help Banner and Stark create Vision. We also see his insecurity when others like Steve Rogers (who moves his hammer) and Vision (can use it fine) are shown to be comparable in physical power to him. Hemsworth truly masters this role and I’m curious to see where they take it as Thor is the one who sees the bigger picture now and knows the full threat of the Infinity Stones and what it means for the future. This is the most active Thor has ever been.

Black Widow – In this we see what the Black Widow Program does to the girls it makes assassins. In Natasha’s fear induced dream we see her train as an assassin, see her made sterile and her first kill. She knows the monster that was created in her and this leads to her being able to relate to Banner and the monster that lives in him. Their romance is powerful but in the end the Mission is what drives them apart as well as Banner’s fears of hurting her. Natasha lives for the mission still while Hulk just wants to be away from it all, no longer hurting anyone.

Hulk/Bruce Banner – Banner’s story is a tragedy again as he murders civilians as the Hulk after Scarlet Witch sets him off. He doesn’t come back from it until Iron Man beats him in his Hulkbuster Armor and we see how he can’t trust himself anymore and all the progress he made with Natasha is now gone. In the end he leaves everyone behind, afraid to hurt them even though even as Hulk he is now in control of himself once more. The regret and shame at the murders he caused as “The Big Guy” in the end are too much.

Iron Man/Tony Stark – This story follows the idea from “Iron Man 3” where Iron Man wants to create an army of suits so he can settle down with Pepper and not Super Hero anymore. Sadly things go wrong when he uses the power of the Infinity Stone to do so and it leads to the program Ultron getting free and reeking havoc upon the world. This doesn’t stop Tony though as he goes about creating Vision who is the next evolution of J.A.R.V.I.S. who has been protecting the world from Ultron even though everyone believed him to be dead when instead his program was just shattered but not destroyed. It is this creation of new life and realizing he can’t watch everyone die that leads him leaving the Avengers at the end dealing with the loss of Banner and his lost dream where the risks from Space are real and there isn’t a real defense against it. Tony is lost and his leaving is the only way to deal with it and the consequences of his creation of Ultron.

Captain America/Steve Rogers – Steve is the cautious one and is the one most angry at Tony for not getting their endorsement when he was going about creating Ultron with Banner. In this we see Captain America lives for the mission and being a man out of time he lost his chance for peace and settling down. Like Black Widow at the end, all he has is the mission and acting as the guardian of the world which becomes his motivation as he is the official leader of the New Avengers.

Hawkeye – Hawkeye is the glue that holds the team together as he is the only one who wasn’t put through a traumatic program or experimented upon by any organization. In this we learn he has a family and it his family who was protected off the books by of S.H.I.E.L.D. by Nick Fury that leads to the healing process as they are reminded again of who they fight for. In the end it implies that Hawkeye might be retiring and settling down like Tony too as we see the danger he is in and how it affects the relationship he has with his family. Hawkeye is the one Avenger who isn’t “special” in any superpowered or cursed way and this gives him perspective and helps him see what the other characters sometimes have trouble seeing through their scars and pain. I finally cared about this character after this film. Also he’s the only one not to have any mind games done too as he gets Scarlet Witch before hand referencing how much he hates mind manipulation and never wants it done to him again.

Vision – Vision is the next evolution of J.A.R.V.I.S. whose parents are Tony Stark, Ultron, and Thor who all made his mind in some way and Helen Cho who created his body. We don’t get to know Helen all that well but her compassion as a healer is a major part of Vision’s character. He is the one who has no problem lifting Thor’s Hammer and is an idealist about humanity even though he sees them as doomed he is honored to be an android among them and their to protect them. He is a slave to no one and is the one who finally ends Ultron who had been the one planning to use the body he now inhabits.

Ultron – James Spader is fantastic in this role! He is funny, scary and is sympathetic too as he thinks humanity can’t be saved because all he sees is conflict and war and himself and those he chooses to be the best bet for the evolution of mankind. He is like a child in many ways too and has a personal vendetta against Tony Stark who sees as a slavemaster for only seeing him as a puppet for his own ends and hates the rest of the Avengers too as their task is so pointless as humanity will always be the problem in the end. For me Ultron is now up there with GLADos and HAL 9000 as memorable A.I. enemies who I hope we see in the future or future incarnations. Only disadvantage is I wish he’d had a higher body count and had killed mroe named heroes besides Quicksilver.

The New Avengers – The New Avengers who are lead by Black Widow and Captain America are Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Falcon and Vision. I actually care about these new folks, some of whom we have met before in past films and would watch a television show of what they do. I hope we get to see them in action before “Infinity Arc.” All of them rock.

The Message – The core message is that the scars we carry with us can force us to stop making a difference and to leave everything behind (as Bruce Banner does and Tony Stark too) or to use it to grow as we see happen with Scarlet Witch when she avenges her brother’s murder by Ultron and becomes a member of the New Avengers. This dynamic is powerful and from within it or potential to protect (Vision) or destroy (Ultron). These A.I. are meant to reflect us and it is presented really well how they do.

Sign of Things to Come – Thor has a vision induced by Scarlet Witch and goes to the Pools of Vision and learns about the fact that 4 of the 6 Infinity Stones have been revealed. This leads to his decision to create Vision to protect the stone and his leaving Earth in order to find the final stones since he knows the full damage their power can cause. In the after credits scene we see Thanos put on the Infinity Gauntlet and decide to take matters into his own hands so we see that Thor is right and destruction is coming.

Okay: Baron Von Strucker – This leader of H.Y.D.R.A. is confident and smart and ends up dead far too quickly. For a guy who was the leader of a powerful organization he was taken out too quickly for us even to get to know him. He was okay for what little time we saw him but never registered as a threat.

Quicksilver – Quicksilver is killed by Ultron when he defends a child and Hawkeye. He is the angriest of the twins and we see him rock against the Avengers when he faces them and put up a good fight against Ultron too. His death was sad but still wasn’t as powerful as the death in the first “Avengers.” I did like how it changed Scarlet Witch though, so there is that.

The Soundtrack – Brian Taylor and Danny Elfman did the soundtrack and I couldn’t even tell that he was behind it. The only unique thing that didn’t quite work was “No Strings on Me.” The soundtrack was going for creepy but I can’t remember the soundtrack. It was forgettable, but not terrible.

This was a great film and Marvel has once again created a favorite film. I’m going to hold off on my list of MCU films from Worst to Best until I see “Ant-Man,” but this one will be pretty high on the list. The characters are great, the villain is great and though there are problems it did not stop from enjoying the film. This is a film I would buy and shows that Disney and Marvel still know what they are doing with their story and Franchise. Even if you haven’t seen any of the other films, you don’t need too. This film is great as a stand alone film.

Final Score: 8.4 / 10.

Iron Man 3 (2013): Consequences from the Past

“Iron Man 3,” is the next movie on the Disney Marvel Franchise review list. It like, “Thor 2,” is more enjoyable after a second viewing. The film is directed by Shane Black, who focuses on the human level of the character and the post-Avengers world.

The premise of the film is Tony Stark is dealing with PTSD because of battle in New York City while dealing with people who he has slighted in the past who have come back for revenge as well as the new threat of the Mandarin. From here the story unfolds.

Here is the assessment of the film:

Pros: The Introduction – Tony Stark is recounting how his demons have come back to bite him and later brings it full circle at peace in himself.

The characters – Shane Black is great at directing actors and this is a great character piece…from the exploration of Tony and Rhody, to the antagonists of Killian and Maya. I’ll go into more details further into the review.

The Action – The action is quick and even has Tony suitless having to fight against Extremis soldiers (super soldiers who regenerate and can breath fire). It always feels like something at stake at the action rises believably throughout the film.

Pepper Pots – She is a pro in this, though she gets less exploration than “Iron Man 2,” and the first one. We see her trouble with dealing with PSTD Tony, but also her strength when she fights the baddie at the end.

Rhody/The Iron Patriot – I hope we see the Iron Patriot used by someone else and War Machine become War Machine again…it is even shown in this movie that Rhody hates the new name. This is a movie where he needs to be saved most of the time he is in the suit, but when he is out and about is as competent as Tony. He even manages to save the President after the suit had been used by Killian’s dragon to capture him.

the kid Harley – There is a kid who lost his dad who helps Tony repair his suit after the Mandarin blows up his house. He even distracts the Extremis soldiers during the battle in his town. It ends with Tony upgrading his barn since he sees the kid is an inventor like himself…and also thank him since he is pretty funnily cold to the kid throughout the film. So glad he doesn’t team up for the final battle…he feels like an actual character not a wizkid or damsel needing saving.

Extremis Plot – Created by the main baddie Aldrich Killian with the help of Maya Hansen, these soldiers are seeking to take over the government by using the soldiers as both terrorists and the soldiers fighting the terrorists. The Mandarin was created as the fall guy in the situation since it is just an out of work loser actor who is taken advantage of to create the character. What sets Tony Stark against them initially and openly (telling the Mandarin where he lives) is when his bodyguard Happy is almost killed.

The Locations – A fight in a small country town before Christmas, a fight on an oil rig on Christmas, a rescue from an exploding plane…the locations of action are fantastic in this.

Maya Hansen – One night stand with Tony, taken in by Killian and eventually sees that she can still see the consequences of the work she is doing with Killian so tries to stop him. A great complex character who should have got more time for us to know. Rebecca Hall does great.

Aldrich Killian – Guy Pearce does a fantastic job as the slighted scientist out for revenge. His motivations seem real since he was the guy who was invisible and bullied. It makes his super soldier transformation believable…he’s like the Anti-Captain America. I liked that he fought to the end and that it took everything Iron Man through at him and Pepper Extremised to defeat him. One of the best baddies in this universe.

House Party Protocol – J.A.R.V.I.S. “House Party Protocol,” is fantastic and I can see why it wasn’t used sooner beyond it being a game breaker (and can’t wait to see how this plays into the creation of Ultron later possibly). Iron Man was in the panic PTSD mode, he wasn’t thinking clearly, it doesn’t occur to him until he’s found himself again…and when he does…all his suits fighting for him is one of the coolest scenes in this entire franchise.

Tony Stark/Iron Man – From using the suits as a cocoon to hide from the world (his own words) in dealing with PSTD and eventually letting his suits go in the final battle and accepting them as a part of him and that he is Iron Man regardless, is a fantastic arc. We see Tony the inventor who wins through his wits and also Tony at his most believably desperate and paranoid. Robert Downy jr. once again owned this role.

Okay: The President – He doesn’t do much, he’s just there to be rescued and used.

The Mandarin – Is there to be a fall guy. How he is used is interesting, but as a character he isn’t interesting at all. Luckily the actor is told in one of the short films “All Hail the King,” that the Mandarin is the true leader of the Ten Rings (the terrorist group from the first film) and wants to meet him. Can’t wait to see where this goes. Also, can understand why they got away from making him the traditional mandarin since it is some of the worst of the Cold War propaganda and paranoia. How they make him in this film (and how he might be in this universe) might get away from it though.

Bruce Banner reveal – We see Tony recounting this story to Bruce who has fallen asleep. Would have preferred the Ten Rings short film reveal instead. This is cute but it doesn’t serve the plot or arc of the universe in anyway. We knew they became friends from “The Avengers.”

Cons: No one died – The President’s cabinet gets killed…and Maya who changes allegiance to good but Happy and Pepper live…if one of them had died it would have mad the ending more bittersweet. It is almost too happy for all that goes down.

“Iron Man 3,” is a sold film and worth the praise it receives. In many ways it is better than the first film since it is structured better. Wish they’d worked Extremis into what we learn about the universe in “Winter Soldier,” though. Extremis would have tied in perfectly to that plot…who knows, maybe it was and we won’t find out until “Age of Ultron.” Regardless loved this film, especially Robert Downey Jr. for the greatest range I’ve seen him take the character and for Shane Black for making an entertaining adventure.

Final Score for this film is 9.4. It is solidly good, some actual loss would have made it better though…and it still a favorite film.

Iron Man 2 (2010): Stark Mortality and time with S.H.I.E.L.D.

“Iron Man 2,” was better than how I remembered it. It has more problems than the other films, but that doesn’t stop it from being enjoyable. It like the first one is directed by Jon Favreau who also plays Tony’s bodyguard Happy…it also makes S.H.I.E.L.D. a major part of the Universe beyond just references, which “Thor,” continued.

The story picks up with Tony Stark being poisoned by Palladium Core and Ivan Vanko seeing him on television in Russia and deciding to seek revenge for his father being kept out of the money earned by the original Core. From here the story unfolds as Tony comes in conflict with Pepper and Rhody.

Here is the assessment of the film:

Pros: Tony Stark/Iron Man – We see Stark dealing his mortality and acting out after the government brings him in for a hearing…from parties where it takes Rhody taking up the War Machine suit to stop him. He is eventually cut off from everyone after he defeats Vanko/Whiplash in a fight in a arena of Grand Prix. We see his conflict with his distant father who he has been becoming throughout the film…it ends up being his father who cared all along and created a new element that Tony uses to replace the Palladium.

Pepper Pots – Is great in this film. She is the CEO of Stark Industries and the only thing keeping it afloat during Tony’s process of self destruction. Her biggest con is she doesn’t recognize when Tony comes around after everything that she’s been through so Tony dying and what that means in relation to her is never fully addressed. Gwyneth Paltrow does well again.

Black Widow – Is fantastic! We see her defeat H.A.M.M.E.R. thugs and act as a one man army as well as play the role of aid to both Tony and Pepper Pots. There is a reason she is one of the Avengers. Scarlett Johansson is great.

Agent Coulson – Has a small cameo before he goes to New Mexico where Thor’s Hammer landed, but he is done taking Tony Stark’s crap and has a great moment standing up for him.

Nick Fury – Advises Tony, but keeps him from the Avengers at the end. Is a major player in this one and proof of S.H.I.E.L.D’s new hands on approach. He is the one who gets Tony to listen closer to what his father’s videos are telling him and to find a solution to his mortal predicament.

The Music – Is once again fantastic. I must say I like the “Iron Man Trilogy,” soundtracks.

Special Effects – The Special Effects are good and add to the action.

The Reveal – Thor’s Hammer is New Mexico at the end, tying this movie into the one that came next…”Thor.” It is pretty neat reveal.

Why can’t Iron Man have any great villains? This movie captures that problem quite well…

Okay: Justin Hammer – He is an arrogant tool who is nervous and cocky at the same time. He is used by Whiplash for most of the film and doesn’t stand up to him until it is too late. The guy is a tool and not that great of an antagonist, but at least he brought Whiplash on who did a lot of damage…so I won’t put him as a con.

Whiplash – Ivan Vanko had a lot of potential and Mickey Rourke does as much as he can with what he is given…but he just isn’t complex. He is out for revenge against the child of the man he should want revenge against in regards to his father. He also is not able to connect to any human beings and only has his bird as a companion. So much wasted potential, but not a con. His electric whips are actually kind of neat and he is powerful enough that Tony and Rhody are needed to stop him.

Happy – He’s just kind of there and doesn’t get much characterization. He isn’t bad, but he isn’t good either.

The Narrative – So much is going on…Whiplash’s revenge plot, Hammer’s plot, The Government’s plot and Tony’s self destruction as well as S.H.I.E.L.D. Lack of focus is really what brings this story down. It should have been focused on Whiplash and S.H.I.E.L.D. and Tony’s self destruction. Not much else is needed and the rest just clutters it all.

Lack of focus is really what brings this movie down and keeps it from being unforgettable. A lot of interesting ideas and characters are introduced, but most aren’t explored fully. Tony Stark’s mortality get’s handled decently at least…as does Pepper and S.H.I.E.L.D. It is the worst of Phase 1 for sure though.

My final score for this film is 7.3 / 10.

Above average action flick with some great characters and ideas that aren’t fully developed.