After it demolished box office records around the globe, we finally talk about Avengers: Endgame! Though the film has been out for more than a week, you should be aware that the discussion will be filled with spoilers throughout.
Continue reading “Hard NOC Life: We’re in the ‘Endgame’ Now”
The epic conclusion to last year’s Avengers: Infinity War is finally here. Everything that you thought was going to happen in Endgame –throw that out. This film is nothing like you expected at all. Which does not mean that it is not good. It is actually really good and will have you going through many different emotions –good and bad.
Continue reading “‘Avengers: Endgame’ is an Emotional Journey of the Past 10 Years”
“We’re in the endgame now.” The ominous words of Doctor Strange rang in everyone’s ears almost one year ago today. After months of crazy anticipation, and intense speculation by fans, we’re finally going to get closure and see what those words truly mean.
Continue reading “The Avengers Assemble for the ‘Endgame’”
Last night, CBS and Warner Brothers television released a six-and-a-half minute sizzle reel for Supergirl, this fall’s hotly anticipated entry into Greg Berlanti’s DC television dominance universe. Starring Glee alum Melissa Benoist as the eponymous hero, the preview exuded a sense of fun, joy, and lightness often missing from DC’s live action comic adaptations — not including CW’s The Flash, of course, coincidentally a show also starring another Glee alum.
But how did the internet respond?
Continue reading “If You Perceive “Girly” Superheroes as Lesser, isn’t the Problem You?”
Marvel Studios has just announced it is starting production on Captain America: Civil War, the first installment of “Phase 3” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Filming is currently commencing in Atlanta, but the production will span the globe with filming to take place in Germany, Puerto Rico, and Iceland. Since it’s also the third film in the Captain America saga — with the Russo brothers returning to direct — you would think that the film would be following up on the events of The Winter Soldier. However, the official plot synopsis and cast list make it sound more like Avengers 2.5.
This is not a complaint by the way.
Continue reading “Captain America: Civil War is the Avengers Sequel I Wanted in the First Place”
It’s been a few hours, but I’m still processing what I thought about the latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Age of Ultron. I know that my feelings and recommendations will have no bearing on whether you will go out to see this movie. It’s guaranteed to generate a couple billion dollars in box office — and that’s probably just for this weekend alone! And while I had a great time watching the thing, I couldn’t help but feel a little underwhelmed by the whole enterprise.
Needless to say, there will be spoilers ahead.
You wouldn’t know it by all the snow and freezing temperatures outside, but summer is just around the corner. And everyone knows summer starts in May nowadays because that’s when the comic book blockbusters start bringing in the butts to fill up the stadium seating at your local multiplex. And it’s safe to say that there is no movie more hotly anticipated than Avengers: Age of Ultron. So the studio obliged by dropping this beast of a trailer on the internet today and all productivity around the country came to a screeching halt for two minutes and eighteen seconds.
Continue reading “Everyone is Losing Their Minds Over The Avengers“
As our friend Angry Asian Man pointed out earlier this week, Scarlett Johansson has been offered the role of Major Motoko Kusanagi in Dreamworks’ live-action remake of Mamoru Oshii’s ground-breaking anime Ghost in the Shell. And well, she’s white. Which to many of us here certainly feels like more Hollywood whitewashing at first glance. Particularly to anyone following the on-again off-again plans for a live-action remake of Akira with an all white cast or M. Night Shymayalan’s tragic The Last Airbender.
Continue reading “Lost in Translation: Scarlett Johansson and ‘Ghost in the Shell’”
Bias Alert #1: I am a sucker for the espionage genre. After Sci-Fi, espionage and Spy-Fi is where you can find me. Favorite non-SF television shows: Spooks (BBC) and The Sandbaggers — another British show. Favorite non-SF comic book: Greg Rucka’s Queen and Country. Favorite espionage films: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Ronin, The Ipcress File, and The 39 Steps.
Bias Alert #2: I am hyper-vigilant when it comes to the portrayal of black folks on screens, especially in Sci-Fi/genre contexts. This is a trauma response induced by too many horrible portrayals.
Now that you are aware of the above biases, let’s get to it. (Minor Spoilers below.)
Continue reading “Captain America: The Winter Soldier, A Reflection”
Saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier and really have nothing bad to say at all. There were a few issues with story logic but outside of minor nitpicks, I’d have to say this is as good as The Avengers and definitely the best “solo” Marvel Cinematic Universe movie to date.
The best way to describe this movie is “balanced.” It achieved an almost perfect balance between comic book-style action, humor, character development, and story sophistication. Taking a page from the Robert Ludlum/Tom Clancy school of 1970s-era Cold War espionage pop culture storytelling, The Winter Soldier (at the very least) establishes a formula for Marvel Studios that, if used repeatedly, should guarantee the cinematic dominance of Marvel IPs for the next generation.
