Keith and Dominic celebrate the extended Star Wars holiday weekend by reviewing the next batch of Andor episodes, aka Lucasfilm presents “Les Mis in Space France.” Then, they discuss what did and didn’t work for them in the latest MCU offering, Thunderbolts*. All this and more on a new episode of Hard NOC Life,
I’d like to start out by saying I’m an MCU believer. The rest of the world may be done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and with just cause after misses like Quantumania, She-Hulk, and Secret Invasion, or even after mid-tier products like Brave New World or Multiverse of Madness. However, I got into Marvel Comics in 1991, and here I am 34 years later, and I still buy them, love them, and get excited whenever a new MCU film is announced or is released.
Continue reading “Why ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Might Work Out After All”
Marvel is no stranger to mental health and trauma when it comes to their heroes and villains. Many of their greatest heroes have been in a place of uncertainty – Thor losing himself (and gaining weight) after Infinity War; Rocket Raccoon’s past trauma and found family; Wanda’s grief overtaking an entire town; and many other heroes dealing with post-traumatic stress disorders. Yet, as the heroes in the story, they persevered while saving many lives.
Continue reading “Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ Proves Anyone Can Be a Hero, Says Director Jake Schreier and Cast”
Superheroes have trauma. That’s not an original idea. However, what happens when these superheroes have to face something more real and unsolvable than saving the world, such as actual depression and mental health issues? You get something greater than your average superhero popcorn blockbuster. That’s where Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* truly excels.
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Thunderbolts*’ is Marvel at its Most Mature and Emotionally Complex”
On a new episode of Hard NOC Life, Keith and Dominic break down the recent trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps and Pedro Pascal’s penchant for playing paternal characters in Last of Us and The Mandalorian. Then they review the first season of Daredevil: Born Again before recapping some news from Star Wars Celebration in Japan.
Prepare yourselves because Galactus is coming! The herald of Galactus has come to this world to inform us that tonight, the role will be played by an actual purple planet-eating humanoid Goliath and not a storm cloud of nothing. More than that, they brought the official trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps with them, and boy, it looks phenomenal!
Continue reading “A New Silver Surfer Arrives with a New Trailer for ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’”
Hard NOC Life returns as Keith and Dominic catch up on the big CinemaCon announcements for Superman and Spider-Man and look back at the Avengers: Doomsday casting teaser and the first half of Daredevil: Born Again.
We are only a little over a year until Avengers: Doomsday hits, and fans have been getting anxious about any sort of confirmed announcement about the tentpole, beyond the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, and the Russo Brothers directing. Well today, we finally got something pretty big, as the full confirmed cast was revealed via livestream, ending months of speculation on which MCU A-Listers would be joining the fun!
Continue reading “Marvel Studios Confirms Full Cast of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’”
Even as a Marvel fan, I’ll be the first to admit that not all of the MCU’s Disney+ shows have worked. I really didn’t care for Secret Invasion or She-Hulk. However, when they’ve hit, such as X-Men ’97, WandaVision, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and Loki, they’ve hit hard. And that brings us to one of the hardest hitters of all: Daredevil: Born Again.
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ is Marvel Television at Its Peak”
MCU directors don’t get more prolific than Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson. They may not be household names to the extent of The Russo Brothers. However, given their stellar work on Moon Knight and Loki Season 2, they are quickly becoming the premiere duo behind some of the MCU’s best works in recent years.
Continue reading “Directing ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ with Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson”
Marvel history doesn’t get much more storied than the work of Sana Amanat and Dario Scardapane. From their work on the comics and shows, they’ve firmly established their place as legends within the Marvel Universe. Today these two giants are teaming up to bring back one of the best Marvel shows, with one of the best Marvel heroes in the MCU with Daredevil: Born Again. And we were able to speak to both of them recently in honor of the show’s debut on Disney+ March 4.
Continue reading “Producers Dario Scardapane and Sana Amanat on ‘Daredevil: Born Again’”
We’re so back! It’s been a long wait for fans of Daredevil. Back when the first series was cancelled on Netflix after three seasons, fans rallied and cried to bring it back with the #SaveDaredevil campaign. Little did we know that seven years later, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen would be saved, hallway fighting back to our screens under Marvel Studios. His epic return in the new series Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ March 4. And we were able to sit with the stars of the show, Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk themselves, Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio!
Continue reading “Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio On Power and Violence in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’”
Sam Wilson is Captain America. He’s been Captain America for four years in the MCU, and 10 years in the comics. As a VA PTSD counselor, and a loyal partner to Team Cap, he was always the worthiest successor to take on the shield, whether folks want to admit it or not. And yet, audiences still have trouble accepting it. However, with Captain America: Brave New World hitting theaters February 14, all that should and will soon change!
Continue reading “Welcoming Sam Wilson as Captain America at the ‘Brave New World’ Press Conference”
“The Forgotten Captain America.” It is perhaps the most tragic title to bestow any character in the MCU. Not just from a narrative standpoint, but also because of the historical implications behind what America has done to forget about its veterans, especially its POC ones. The aforementioned title belongs to Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley, who returns in Captain America: Brave New World on February 14.
Continue reading “‘Brave New World’ Star Carl Lumbly on the Forgotten Captain America”
To all those who’d ground him, take a message back from me: Sam Wilson is flying high, defying gravity! Wait. Wrong movie. However, it’s no less true! Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is Captain America, and Captain America: Brave New World proves it unequivocally!
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Soars with Solid Superheroics”
It’s time to head into a Brave New World, as the next Captain America epic soars into theaters this Friday, February 14. To celebrate the latest MCU chapter, we were fortunate enough to get to chat with Captain America himself, Anthony Mackie.
Continue reading “A Conversation with ‘Captain America’ Himself, Anthony Mackie”
At long last, we have our first trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps! It had been a long time coming, but Marvel’s first family is officially here!
Continue reading “The Teaser Trailer for ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Launches”
Corruption and politics go hand in hand. Just look at the upcoming state of the presidency and the current state of the Supreme Court. And it’s an issue that the MCU is tackling in Daredevil: Born Again! “Devil’s Reign” is coming, and the only one who can stop Wilson Fisk’s rise to power as Mayor of New York City is the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, himself: Matt Murdock! If only Daredevil existed in our world today.
Continue reading “Matt Murdock Takes on Corrupt Politicians in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Trailer”
With apologies to Dua Lipa, 2025 ought to be a good year to assess the state of superhero movie fatigue and/or fervor in our pop culture landscape. After all, there’s a new Superman film coming out, and he’s pretty central to the whole concept, que no? With my personal queasy feeling about 2025 noted for the record, let’s start this escapism-focused listicle with the question of Anthony Mackie’s America:
Continue reading “10 Future Nostalgic Marvel/DC-Movie-Related Questions For 2025”
Once more into the breach, as we ponder the question one final time. The final season of What If… is officially debuting on Disney+ tonight, with an eight-night event gifting us an episode per day.
Continue reading “NOC Review: A Somewhat Satisfying Send-Off for Marvel’s ‘What If…’”
Leslie Uggams portrays Blind Al in Deadpool & Wolverine, which begins streaming today on Disney+. The film is currently available at digital retailers and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD.
Continue reading “Leslie Uggams on Joining the MCU with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’”
Uatu The Watcher is back, bringing us one last season of multiversal madness. The third and final season of What If… is coming this December, and today we got our first look at the epic conclusion to the stunning animated series.
Continue reading “Ponder the Question ‘What If…’ For One Final Watch”
On your left! This weekend D23 Brazil celebrated Marvel Studios with some early looks at their upcoming 2025 slate, and chief among them was the latest trailer for Captain America: Brave New World!
Continue reading “New Trailer for ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Flies in from Brazil”