Deadpool: Quick-Fire Review

Check out my Quick-Fire Review of Deadpool, starring Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, Gina Carano and T.J. Miller.

Make sure you subscribe to my channel for more Quick-Fire Reviews!

Four More Ant-Man Clips Pave The Way For Release

Just as I brought to you a bunch of clips in anticipation for next Monday's home entertainment release of Marvel's Ant-Man, another four clips arrive, each carrying their little piece of magic and fun that represents the movie brilliantly. 

While you arrange your pre-order and gear yourself up with a Phase 3 recap, watch all the clips below.. 

Ant-Man is available on Blu-Ray and DVD on Monday 30th November. 

Celebrate The Upcoming Ant-Man Release With 3 Clips!

It's just a week to go now until Marvel's smallest but mightiest hero reaches our home entertainment systems, as the Avengers' latest recruit introduces himself to the world.

Very much another stellar Marvel hit, Ant-Man tells the tale of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a cat thief suddenly finding himself embroiled in a world where he becomes the smallest of heroes. Led and tutored by Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter (Evangeline Lilly), Scott must put aside his past and use his grit and determination to show the world he can make a difference.

The only problem is that one man stands in his way; Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, who has produced his own powered suit to rival that of the newly crowned Ant-Man. 

To celebrate the upcoming home entertainment release of the movie, you can watch three great clips to whet your appetite and ensure this Christmas period is filled with laughter and action aplenty.

Ant-Man Blu-Ray & DVD Release Details

Very much continuing the humourous side of the Marvel universe, Ant-Man promised a new age of superheroes as this current Phase looks to evolve the Avengers into something completely new.

Spearheaded by Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas, this was a surprise of a movie from the hugely accomplished Marvel Studios and once again showed they are far from finished in their dominant stage.

As the 30th November draws in the DVD and Blu-Ray release for the film, you can trawl through all the details below.

BONUS CONTENT – Blu-ray™ and Itunes

 

Making Of An Ant-Sized Heist: a How-To Guide

Set your watch and count down the action in this fast-paced behind-the-scenes look at how to pull off a heist movie, including Scott Lang’s hilarious heist “family,” Ant-Man’s costume, plus amazing stunts and effects.

Let’s Go To The Macroverse

Shrink down to size in this fascinating look at creating the world from Ant-Man’s perspective, from macro photography through to the subatomic.

WHIH NewsFront

A hard-hitting collection of content, including a glimpse at the future of Pym Technologies with Darren Cross, anchor Christine Everhart’s interview with soon-to-be-released prisoner Scott Lang on his notorious VistaCorp heist, and more.

Deleted & Extended Scenes

Gag Reel

Audio Commentary By Peyton Reed And Paul Rudd

DVD

No bonus

PRODUCT DETAILS:

 

FEATURE RUN TIME:       117min

 

RATING:                               12

 

ASPECT RATIO:                  Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ & DVD

 

LANGUAGES:                     DVD: English, English Audio Description, Hindi, Spanish (Castilian)

                                                BLU-RAY: English, English Audio Description, Turkish, French, German

SUBTITLES:                          DVD: English SDH, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish (Castilian), Swedish

                                                BLU-RAY: English SDH, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish

Avengers: Age Of Ultron Review

Source: Wikipedia

The last time we saw the collective band of heroes that make up the Avengers it involved a hell of a lot of shawarma. It's fair to say that, since their toast of success following defeat of the Chitauri, a lot has happened for our team. For instance, Tony Stark looked to have called it a day, while Captain America and Black Widow uncovered some truths about S.H.I.E.L.D. that sent more than enough ripples through the ranks. So where do Earth's Mightiest Heroes go from here? Joss Whedon answers just that with Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

The Avengers have banded together once again as Loki's sceptor has surfaced and is in the possession of Baron von Strucker (Thomas Kretchsmann), a man whose HYDRA connection sees him looking to eventually utilise twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

Showing their enemies what a well-oiled unit can do, the team soon retrieve the sceptor and head back to Tony Stark's newly-built headquarters to kick back. Unfortunately, the party atmosphere is soon interrupted as Stark and Bruce Banner's experimental AI, Ultron (James Spader), finds a lease of life and a new mission is spawned. With Ultron intent on making the human race extinct, and the twins in tow, Earth's Mightiest Heroes have one hell of a task this time around.

Joss Whedon is a maestro in forging adventures that offer just as many thrills and spills as they do quick-fire laughs, and Age Of Ultron is no different. Looking to build upon the success of his mammoth box office smash, the Buffy and Firefly alumni smashes through the barriers at breakneck speed as he looks to grasp the audience in his palm and never let them go.

It all begins with a fist-pumping foray of money-shot moments and visual splendour as our famed team literally look to storm the castle, in this case, a HYDRA base. Having already established the team itself, the director immediately bypasses any re-introductions as the action takes centre stage. Heroes collaborating with their signature weapons, a slow motion leap of brilliance, and some creative camera flurries; this is what we pay for in a blockbuster and it paves the way for the rest of the film.

From then on, Ultron is dominated by the familiar wisecracks, some extra depth to some of the lesser vibrant characters and packed to the rafters with ample opportunity for the fans to descend into a rapturous state as comic book craziness takes over. The issue, albeit a slight one, is that this is a sequel that never quite hits above its predecessor, only matching the majesty of the first film.
For all the incredibly exceptional moments of heroic showcase, none ever quite feel beyond the reach of the finale set piece in the previous film, and often there is so much going on that there is a slight feel of over-exertion creeping in. True, Ultron is a job done fantastically in terms of fitting in a huge wealth of Marvel characters, it's just that it sometimes feels a tad overwhelming, especially in the big set pieces.

That said, the sequel does add further depth in the key areas; most notably in evolving team relationships and giving the smaller players their fair share of the cake. That couldn't be applied more to Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, moving from the sidelines to become a pivotal force this time around. His background uncovered and nailing some great lines, this is more of the Hawkeye we require. The same can be applied to Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), her past endeavours teased and a simmering tension between her and Banner providing some of the strongest components of the film.

A film with such an ensemble, of course, requires great balance with its characters and Whedon manages to finely tune his use of each and every hero (and villain). The likes of Downey Jr., Evans and Hemsworth are still evidently having fun, while the addition of Spader to mix things up is inspired. The combination of Olsen and Taylor-Johnson also adds a great new dynamic to the series, as their brother-sister relationship is a strong bond that sees them as individuals who have plenty of say in events. As of others, let's just say some familiar faces may show up on the journey...

Avengers: Age Of Ultron is a fantastic and finely balanced blockbuster that copes incredibly well with a growing roster. Some of the creases from the first film are certainly ironed out, but at times it does feel a tad overwhelming in its scope, especially with an even bigger picture on the horizon. Needless to say, this is a mammoth picture that demands attention and once again ensures Marvel are at the top of their game and will be for some years to come yet.

5 Reasons Why The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Is Worth Your Attention

Of all the comic book properties to hit the big screen it seems that a critical eye heads towards Spider-Man more often than not in recent times. Marc Webb's reincarnation of Peter Parker's webbed wonder was criticised for its 'recycled' elements and a villain whose appearance and presence were less than favourable.

Enter The Amazing Spider-Man 2, a chance at redemption and to iron out the creases in that unitard and seal the deal for an ever-expanding universe. Still subject to some critical response, the sequel, set for its DVD and Blu-Ray release, possesses plenty to shout about. 

Don't believe me? Then enjoy five reasons why I think it could catch you in its glorious web.

Out of the darkness into the light

Unlike its predecessor, TASM2 boasts a largely colourful tone, sticking faithful to its comic book origins with a resplendent foray of bright and bold animations that feel all so true to its origins. With Spider-Man himself improved visually, plus Jamie Foxx's Electro sending volts of energy and visual flair to the film, it's hard to deny this is one of the most vibrant and true to its source comic book outing.

Spider-Man humours us

Humour is a big part of Spider-Man's personality and we finally witnessed this as the one-liners and visual comedy came flying at us at a pace that even Our Spidey sense would have struggled with. From an opening chase scene littered with hilarious gags aimed towards Paul Giamatti's Aleksei Sytsevich, to subtle exchanges between Peter and Gwendoline, this saw an exit from the darkness of the previous film into much more illustrated territory.

A love that lights up the screen

If there's one thing that can be said for Marc Webb is that he knows how to nail an on-screen relationship, namely Peter and Gwendoline. Admittedly aided by their real-life partnership, this is a love that blossoms with every frame and fills our hearts with warmth. The awkwardness that oozes charm, the simmering tension and the constant reminder that they simply cannot be without one another, this is a love story that demands your support and certainly grips you with both hands and never let's go. 

Fears of villain overload quelled

Spider-Man 3 saw a barrage of complaints over its over-indulgence in villains and a failure to execute them sufficiently and that fear extended to this sequel. Indeed, how could Electro, Rhino, Green Goblin and an inclusion of Sinister Six rumblings co-exist? Thankfully, Webb was not ready to take that pitfall and balanced his tyrannical figures with great ease, neither rushing their progression nor over-elaborate in their presentation. Electro sizzled, Green Goblin teased greater dangers and the Sinister Six were poised for birth...

Zimmer excels yet again

It's easy for many to forget the impact of personnel on films whose involvement is for no-one to see. Nevertheless, one man who guarantees he will be heard is Hans Zimmer, and once again the man himself produces an exceptional soundtrack worthy of plaudits. From the game-changing use of dubstep to hammer home the appearance of Electro, to the softer tender musical accompaniment to Peter and Gwen's scenes, Zimmer and his ensemble prove the perfect individuals to add that extra spark to an already electrifying movie.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from 1st September.

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen Join 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Now usually I don't post many news stories on the site but this was one that could not be ignored purely for the fact that A) The follow-up to X-Men: First Class is one that just cannot be ignored and B) Two men who helped make the X-Men films such a global phenomenon are returning in roles that they made their own.

That's right, Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart will be returning to the X-Men foray as Magneto and Professor X, respectively for Bryan Singer's X-Men: Days Of Future Past. This is the news that we had somewhat been waiting for and now Bryan Singer has confirmed this exciting development via his Twitter account.

The acquisition of the two legends of film means that Days Of Future Past looks set to bring us the famous comic story arc that sees future member of the X-Men Kitty Pride sent back to the past to warn the younger versions of the team that an apocalyptic future dawns upon them. In the future world, following the assassination of a huge political figure, war has been declared on the mutants and giant robots by the name of Sentinels roam to eliminate all mutants in existence. 

Despite a story that could prove a complicated one to transfer on screen, there is no doubt that this will be the most ambitious and heavyweight outing yet. With Bryan Singer back in the director's chair for a franchise he started, it certainly looks promising for a return to form and with The Wolverine also set for the near future things are looking good for those X-Men. Now all we need is a decent Gambit...

Source: Filmoria

Cinema Review - The Amazing Spider-Man

It was always going to be a tough year for Spider-Man to re-enter the superhero fray what with Avengers Assemble conquering the global box office and The Dark Knight Rises appearing as the most anticipated film of the year. After all, Spider-Man 3 was a blasphemous outing for the web-slinger and the idea of a reboot re-telling Peter Parker's past almost seemed a redundant idea.


Nevertheless, Sony Pictures proceeded with giving ol' Spidey the reboot treatment under the watchful eye of director Marc Webb (500 Days Of Summer) and placing Andrew Garfield in the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.A decision that undoubtedly pays off in The Amazing Spider-Man.


Abandoned by his parents at a young age to live with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, Peter Parker remains clueless as to why his parents left him before their demise in a plane crash. As a teenager reaching the end of his school years, Parker is an independent and cool geek-chic figure, a guy who is happy to help out those in need and close to his aunt and uncle.


When Parker finds a briefcase of his father's containing possible leads to his sudden exit in his youth, he heads to Oscorp Industries to find a man that worked with his father very closely, Dr Curtis Connors (Rhys Ifans). Whilst exploring the various laboratories in the building, Parker is bitten by a genetically modified spider, an event that will change his life forever.

Working at Oscorp is Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), a strong and intelligent pupil whom Peter has a crush on. As their relationship blossoms, so too does Peter's with Connors, the pair looking further into research to re-grow the scientist's missing arm. When Connors and Parker come up with a formula that could well be the answer, Connors steps ahead to human testing, but things don't go to plan. The dose transforms the scientist into The Lizard and a path of rage and destruction begins.


Peter, now gracing the powers from the spider bite, becomes Spider-Man and is the only thing that can save the city from the evils of The Lizard.


A revisit to the origins of Spider-Man may have proved to be a huge fail but Marc Webb creates a new entry into the saga that is both strong in character and ultimately excites viewers. In Peter Parker we now have a cool kid who is confident enough to fight his own battles and attracts the hottest girl in school. Andrew Garfield adds a new definition to Peter Parker and in transforming to Spider-Man also breathes a new life into the hero, at times cocky and funny, but also a beacon of hope and respect. 

Coupled with Garfield, Emma Stone is just as strong in her role as Gwent Stacy. Erasing all memory of the constant droning of Mary Jane Watson, Stone's blonde-haired Stacy kicks her predecessor into touch and even jumps in to help our hero on occasion. Such a strong female is a joy to behold and the chemistry between the two sizzles beautifully. With Garfield and Stone outstanding, the inclusion of veterans Martin Sheen and Sally Field is unsurprisingly graceful, the aunt and uncle combination offering wisdom and solidness.


It is Rhys Ifans' The Lizard that slightly lets the side down, more so in the CGI stakes. Admittedly, Ifans offers his best evil act in the slow transformation of Connors but once we catch a look at The Lizard, the excitement somewhat falters. The CGI is shabby and at no point does it look as though Spidey's enemy will ever forge an upper hand against his foe, despite some wonderfully shot action sequences. 


The Lizard aside, The Amazing Spider-Man is a reboot to saviour for the web-slinger. Garfield and Stone are on sizzling hot form, the action (and even the 3D) mightily impressive and even Stan Lee's cameo is the best so far. If Webb keeps up this form with the franchise the Avengers may well come a calling!


Film rating: 4 F's out of 5

Cinema Review - Avengers Assemble

It's been four years in the making, and after six films of build-up, Avengers Assemble has finally hit cinemas. Undoubtedly this has been one of the most talked about films for 2012, and months of build-up has culminated to the main event. With expectation levels at their highest peak and director Joss Whedon in place to tackle what is one of film's biggest tasks, does Avengers Assemble deliver in aces? Unsurprisingly, it's an astounding yes.


Following on from the events in the most recently released Marvel films, Captain America and Thor, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is in possession of the Tesseract, a powerful cosmic cube that, if put in the wrong hands, could mean the end of the world as we know it. When Loki (Tom Hiddleston) infiltrates the S.H.I.E.L.D. base of operations and steals the cube, Fury has no option but to reignite the 'Avengers Initiative' and bring together the world's most mightiest heroes in a fight to save mankind. With Loki banding together an invasion army, it's up to Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow to prevent the imminent threat.


With such a heavy burden put on his shoulders, Joss Whedon could have easily crumbled and dashed any hopes of a superhero-ensemble ever working to its full potential; fortunately the man knows his stuff and shows here why he is such an icon. Avengers Assemble is a film that appeals to comic book fans, film fanatics and, basically, people of all ages.


It's without any hesitation that it should be said that Whedon has carefully considered every aspect of the film in order to provide for the masses. With perfectly flowing dialogue as well as action sequences that are nothing short of near perfection, Avengers Assemble wipes the floor with those films Marvel have previously released. It’s testament to Whedon’s directing ability that he is able to conjure up so many memorable moments of sheer humour combined with an impressive character development process and some hard-hitting, pulsating action sequences.

For a film littered with so many high-end stars (as well as characters) the end result could have been a pure mish-mash of personalities that clash rather than accentuate, but the cast all-round is solid as Thor's hammer. Whilst Chris' Evans and Hemsworth continue their sharp performances similar to those in their first outings in costume, it is Robert Downey Jr and newbie Mark Ruffalo who steal the show as Tony Stark/Iron Man and Dr David Banner/Hulk respectively. Downey Jr continues to inject his one-of-a-kind charm and wit to the Tony Stark character, whilst Ruffalo's take on Banner is one of great presence, clearly indicating a man who is still attempting to embrace 'the other guy' in his life. On villain duties, Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki and furthers his performance in Thor in leaps and bounds. Cutting a dark and evil figure, Hiddleston escalates in providing a truly worthy opponent for our heroes and lays the foundations for villains in years to come.

With an impressive showing from all involved, Whedon had to get it spot on with the action sequences and in maintaining pin-point pacing to the film, the anticipation levels heighten with the film's duration, leading to the grand finale battle. Whilst some may cast similarities with the climax of Transformers, Whedon's final battle shys away from the off-putting shaky cam and produces action of such fluidity and grace it wipes the floor with many blockbusters seen previously. Focusing on each character's fight in equal measure, the director teases and taunts with some run-of-the-mill action before unleashing a storm of superb shots involving the heroes banding together throughout the city. 


Avengers Assemble could have easily been a disaster. With a massive audience following and expectations possibly higher than any film before, Joss Whedon and his team had a mountain to climb. Fortunately the man knows what the people want and provides with a well-presented and ultimately astonishing superhero ensemble piece. Heading to the peak and vastly improving on its predecessors that led to this big event, Avengers is a movie experience not to be forgotten and sets the bar for blockbusters to come in 2012.


Film Rating: 5 out of 5 F's

Marvel Films: A Fanatical Film Focus Part Three

For the final part of the Fanatical Film focus on the world of Marvel movies it is only fair to look to the bright future and ponder the possibilities of sequels and new heroes to be brought to the fray.


Firstly let us begin with those Marvel heroes who are guaranteed future outings.

One hugely anticipated reboot is The Amazing Spider-Man. Suiting Andrew Garfield as the new webslinger is a real catch; a young actor who is set for big things and who I personally believe will usurp Maguire and unleash a new lease of life for the franchise. 
Add in the star quality of the irresistible Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans finally bringing inevitable villain Lizard to battle our hero and you have the ingredients for a winning formula. 


Also confirmed for further outings in the near future are 2011's go-to heroes in the form of the X Men, Thor and Captain America. With their respective films gaining recognition it is no surprise audiences are demanding more. 

Talking of demand, after years of comic book fans screaming for an ensemble movie we finally get The Avengers this year, and what an event it will be. The mouth-watering prospect of a team-up including Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow will no doubt draw in the masses. Possibly more intriguing will be the evolution as Loki as a villain, joined by another nemesis likely to be between either Red Skull or the Skrulls. It's safe to say this WILL be the most popular Marvel film of our generation and could raise the expectation bar even higher for future outings.


Swaying away from confirmed future releases there are a number of characters we could (and should) see on the big screen.

A Deadpool movie is a certainty at some point. With Ryan Reynolds stealing the show in Wolverine it's clear he can take on the role of everyone's favourite anti-hero. As one of the very sought after Marvel creations this has the potential to result in one of the best origin films to reach us film fans. 


In addition, a huge amount of speculation regarding an Edgar Wright-directed Ant-Man film have circulated for so long now that it is hard to believe this cannot be anything but true. Bringing the likes of the lesser known heroes will be intriguing and the names of Iron Fist, Black Panther and Dr Strange are all possible heroes we could be seeing in years to come.


One thing you can guarantee is that the machine that is Marvel will continue its current reign as comic book movie powerhouse and we have many more years of heroes on the big screen to come.


What Marvel characters do you want to see on the big screen? Let us know!

Marvel Films: A Fanatical Film Focus Part Two

So in the previous article we touched upon the best and worst Marvel movies and looked back at a fabulous 2011 the company is experiencing. Now, stepping into new territory we look at the best and worst villains that have graced our screens, do you agree? Don't forget to leave your comments, I would love to get all your thoughts!


Once again *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*!!


Best Villains
Superhero nemesis' are just important to the films as the heroes themselves and despite a majority of villains portrayed on screen not quite living up to their comic book reputation there have been a few to stand above the rest.


Despite a third film littered with terrible villains, Spider-Man 1 & 2 brought to us two of Marvel's best on-screen villains in the form of Green Goblin and Dr Octopus. Willem Dafoe's Goblin was a fitting character to introduce for the first Spider-Man movie, with Gobby being the one Spidey villain that the majority of viewers had heard of. Admittedly the costume could have been rendered slightly but that aside Dafoe filled the role with poise and utter evil. Grasping the character's evil streak and madness was essential and he personified the fall of Norman Osborn's sanity with ultimate ease. 


Following Dafoe's villain would be a tough task but Alfred Molina brought to screen yet another superb Spidey villain in the form of Dr Otto Octavius, a multi-mechanical limbed scientist who fell victim to his own experimental madness. Once again a mad scientist brought to life came to haunt Peter Parker and yet again delivered. Alfred Molina brought not just evil to the role but also a sense of vulnerability with Octavius mourning the death of his wife. And also who can forget that exceptional train fight scene!

Finally a villain who may top them all. A man who truly cannot be forgotten in Marvel's villain list; Magneto. There can be no doubt that a performer such as Sir Ian McKellen is tough to topple as the best on-screen Marvel villain so far. McKellen's Magneto is evil without overstating it, cunning and a great word-smith. It's rare to find such a villain so high up not being played as too evil or sadistic but Magneto on-screen is the perfect nemesis in the X Men saga. His relationship with Professor Xavier is a war of words as opposed to direct action against each other and McKellen's personification of the character gives you a sense of a brilliant minded character whose path has been directed toward the darker side. 


With the rebirth of the X Men franchise seemingly in full flow its hard not to mention Michael Fassbender's Magneto. Following McKellen is one of the toughest roles for an actor but Fassbender brings his own unique twist on Magneto without veering to far from the original concept. Showcasing Eric Lensherr's fall from good to evil was a task that Fassbender took to like a duck to water and with the conclusion of First Class resulting in Magneto turning against the X Men we can only hugely anticipate his role as a fully fledged villain in the next film.


Ones to watch - Loki and Red Skull - We all know Loki will return in The Avengers so expect a bigger part from Asgard's most evil and no doubt Tom Hiddlestone will bring the pain with another fantastic performance. Also we can't forget to give a mention to Hugo Weaving's Red Skull who showed us Nazi's are still out there in film land and no doubt we will see him return in a further Captain America adventure in the future. 


Worst Villains
Trudging through all the villains that underwhelmed in the Marvel films and picking out a few is difficult as there have been some real clangers. Through the litter here's my picks for the worst.


Now we all know that X Men 3 was utterly dreadful, with a terrible plot, a mixed bag of characters and way too much going on but there was one thing that ruined it the most: Juggernaut. Played by Vinny Jones in possibly the worst role of his life the unstoppable force looked puny and as if he had a boulder moulded onto his head. Look-wise he was shocking and with dialogue such as "I'm the Juggernaut bitch!" he was never going to get a good reception.

Carrying on the lacklustre trend come not one but two villains from the poor Fantastic Four flicks, Dr Doom and Galactus. Doom was present in both the films and failed to make a big impression in either despite being such a huge enemy for the foursome. Julian McMahon attempted to get that evil streak to the character but it never felt genuine and with little in actions from Doom we were left wanting so much more. 


Lucky for Doom he wasn't the only poor showing and was clearly usurped for the crown for worst villain in the Fantastic Four films by the planet eater Galactus. Supposedly one of the most evil and relentless forces in the galaxy for the superheroes ended up being a CLOUD.....   Enough said!

For my final terrible villain I have what for me was the biggest Marvel big bad flop they could have ever brought to screen, Venom. More iconic than any Spidey villain Venom was reduced to little more than the final third of Spidey's third film and was utterly mis-used. Playing second fiddle to Sandman and Goblin 2 was a mistake for a start and Venom's demise came just as quick as his introduction. If Marvel want to do Venom he must be in a full film as the main threat, not as just a ploy to get the audience to see the film. Biggest waste of a Marvel villain ever. 





Special thanks to Twitter folk @LastFilmSeen, @sonicsentry, @FistyFisterson, @Zinematic

Marvel Films: A Fanatical Film Focus Part One

With the Marvel machine seemingly in overdrive with the anticipation of next year's Avengers I thought it was the best time to look back at the evolution of the Marvel universe on the big screen and cast my views. Please bare in mind I am not a big comic book reader so if some of my views do not couple with those regarding the comics I apologise in advance!
Please note: SPOILER ALERTS!!!


Best Marvel films so far - This is a tricky subject, with plenty of stand-out movies spawning from the Marvel world onto the big screen. Since Marvel Studios came into existence, a rise in the superhero genre emerged, with Marvel characters to date appearing in over 20 movies since 1998's Blade. With the majority of the films aiming at a family-friendly market, one could argue that amongst these Blade may be a standout from the crowd simply down to its more grown up attitude and an impressive depiction of the vampire sub-genre.

My personal opinion is that Marvel's finest have come in the form of Iron Man and X2. Iron Man's success is purely down to the duo of Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jnr. Favreau's fantastic direction and clear love for the character helped to bring to screen a thoroughly entertaining and noteworthy superhero to the foray. With regards to X2, the exploration of X Men's finest Wolverine's past was the perfect driving force for the second instalment to couple with the addition of further characters from the comics. Brian Cox as Stryker was a revalation and Jackman's performance clearly shows he was born to play the rabid Wolverine.


Worst Marvel films - Despite a large majority of the Marvel films proving successful there are some that have fallen rightly to the wayside. Most notably Elektra, Punisher: Warzone and X Men: The Last Stand.
Admittedly Daredevil wasn't the greatest film but the spin-off Elektra just showed Marvel how blind they could be, with a lacklustre plot, a flat performance from Jennifer Garner and a character nobody was even interested in.
Punisher: Warzone suffers an ill fate for many different reasons, most notably the loss of its original figure Thomas Jane, who, despite a less than satisfactory script in the first film, fit the boots of Frank Castle reasonably well. In an attempt to appeal to an older audience the film amped up on the violence and bloodshed but rather than impress through this it actually resulted in a lot of unintentional humour.

Possibly most disappointing of all would have to be X Men: The Last Stand. Building from the finale of X2, Last Stand featured the famous Phoenix story arc, with Jean Grey turning to evil and representing herself alongside Magneto and the Brotherhood. With such a well-known story to fans, expectations were high and, with Brett Ratner behind the camera, all expectations were shattered. Killing off Professor X early in the proceedings provided the first major flaw and this only furthered with some truly awful film-making. Phoenix, a supposedly unstoppable force appears very feeble and is a far cry from what was expected. Couple that with the mutant cure coming into play and some poorly executed action scenes, and you have X Men's worst outing (yes even worse than Wolverine in my opinion!)

2011, an impressive year for Marvel - I think you would have to be a fool to say that Marvel have not excelled with their films this year. With Thor, Captain America and X Men: First Class all presenting themselves in this successful movie year we were witness to the final jigsaw pieces for the Avengers ensemble and a well-timed rebirth of the X Men Franchise.


Thor's success came through a slight doubt cast over Kenneth Branagh's part as director. Judgemental eyes were cast upon this man who had only previously covered historical and Shakespearian pieces but it turned out to be a very bold move from Marvel and paid off kindly. Thor succeeded in bringing the viewer a great insight into the alternate realities of the Thor mythology coupled with some breathtaking scenery. We became immediately accustomed with the main characters and Branagh brought to screen a great relationship struggle between Thor and brother Loki.


Captain America took a slightly different route, with our hero appearing only for the last half of the movie allowing us to get to know Steve Rogers well and like him before he 'suited up' This technique worked well for the Cap and with a villain in Red Skull played by the ever fabulous Hugo Weaving you had a winning combination. With huge emphasis put on the upcoming Avengers movie, Captain America was the final film to bridge the gap to the anticipated ensemble movie of 2012 and did so in a natural and exciting fashion.


It wouldn't be the same for 2011 if X Men: First Class wasn't mentioned. With the X Men franchise flailing after the failures of both the third instalment and the Wolverine movie, a big shift had to be made and thankfully a reboot paid off hugely. Tasking James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender with bringing a young Xavier and Lensherr to screen was a big ask but they passed with flying colours. With all the charisma and acting ability required, the pairing created a truly memorable Marvel movie with a strong supporting cast bringing extra zest to the proceedings. This was the X Men film the fans were waiting for and without doubt it has revitalised the franchise and ensured the X Men won't be leaving the big screen any time soon.


So there you have it, part one of the Marvel film focus. Be sure to check back very soon for part two where I will be talking best and worst characters and future Marvel films.


Special thanks to @Zinematic, @LastFilmSeen, @CharlieDerry and @FilmSamurai for their suggestions on Twitter.

Trailer Breakdown - The Avengers

It's the trailer that all true movie fans have been waiting for and one that will keep the fanboys waiting with even more anticipation. That's right the trailer for Joss Whedon's The Avengers has arrived. Here's my breakdown of interesting points in the trailer or some you may just have missed.

No it's not Michael Bay enjoying another movie shoot, there truly will be carnage unleashed upon Earth in the Avenger as this shot shows. Looks like we are gonna have some immense set pieces on show.

With the planet under attack following the escape of the evil Loki, Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) has only one thing to do, assemble the greatest superhero ensemble ever to grace our screens.

Hawkeye is in. Tooling up with his trusty bow, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), first seen in a cameo in Thor, will get more coverage in The Avengers, but the question is how much?

Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) also returns following her stint in Iron Man 2. In the trailer we once again see her showcasing her agility and acrobatic fighting skills. How much of her will we see?

A sneak peak of Hulk is revealed at the end of our trailer with Edward Norton replace by Mark Ruffalo. Whereas Hulk is looking as impressive as ever through motion capture it will be interesting to see if Ruffalo can match his predecessor.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans) enter the fray once again. Judging by this shot there's a big threat above them, but what or who could it be?

Could it be this? A spaceship it certainly is but who or what is navigating? Could it be the long rumoured Skrulls attacking Earth and joining forces with Loki?

Rest assured one man who will be willing to find out and 'avenge' the planet is Iron Man (Robert Downing Jr). As usual, Tony Stark looks to be his sarcastic self but will this bode well with the other heroes? As he says in the trailer, "I don't play well with others."

Finally a shot that we all weren't expecting, that's right, a smackdown between Thor and Captain America?! It certainly looks as though its not Iron Man who doesn't play with others. This will be an interesting scenario when it comes to play!

Well there you have it folks just some interesting shots from the trailer for the most anticipating blockbuster of 2012. If that has whet your appetite then just check out the full trailer below.

Cinema Review - Captain America: The First Avenger

So, we've had two shots of Iron Man and Hulk, a recent outing with Thor and cameos from Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye, and the final piece of the jigsaw has finally entered the foray. That's right, one of the most significant characters in the Marvel Universe, Captain Amerixa finally has arrived on the big screen. Possibly one of the toughest heroes to bring to the film stage, the Cap is a big favourite in the Marvel universe and his entrance was one hugely anticipated by fanboys. But was his transfer to cinema a successful one?

It's 1942 and the Nazis are in full force trying to take over the world under the orders of one Adolf Hitler. But secretly there is another notorious villain looking to seize power, Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull (Hugo Weaving in his familiar evil persona) has assembled his own army, under the organisational name Hydra. Redeeming a powerful blue cube, Schmidt suddenly possesses an immense power, one that could end the war with one sudden attack. 


Luckily for the Americans they have their own plan in action, involving a very familiar name of Howard Stark, who has had a hand in creating a super soldier serum for one lucky applicant. That man happens to be the puniest possible soldier but one who has the determination and honour to match 1000 men, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). Once injected with the serum Rogers becomes a one man wrecking machine, ripped, incredibly agile and extraordinarily more powerful than any other man. 


At first, Rogers is seemingly unappreciated by those around him and is just cast off, only to tour as costumed hero Captain America, with his job being to rally the troops and ensure that their spirits are kept to the highest possible degree. Eventually love interest Peggy Carter and Stark come to realise that the Cap is needed to lead the forces from the front and take down Red skull for good. The Cap soon assembles his team, including Dum Dum Dugan, and heads to infiltrate the HYDRA base. It is a race in time to stop Red Skull before he unleashes the full potential of the crystal, can the Cap prevent the impending armageddon or will they all perish?


At first glance, Chris Evans seemed a little bit of a sceptical choice for Marvel's First Avenger but once on the big screen and fully into the boots of Steve Rogers it seems odd not to have him in the famous outfit. Commanding and ultimately believable, he brings a great charisma to the character and works remarkably well with his co-stars, especially in the film's first act where we first experience the Cap's origins. In addition, the supporting cast are to die for, with the likes of Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper and an outstanding Tommy Lee Jones (delivering perfect one liners throughout) all playing their parts with ease. 


Ultimately, with several references to the extended Marvel universe, this specifically is the film that sets up the impending Avengers movie and this is possibly where the film lacks slightly. With a villain in possession of the power cube featured in Thor it feels as though the Cap's battle with nemesis Red Skull is only a miniscule thought in the mind compared to setting up a pathway to enter into the world of Nick Fury and his team of incredibles. Maybe a little more effort into the main story of HYDRA and Cap's battle with red Skull wouldn't have gone amiss but essentially this is a summer blockbuster worthy of your attention. 


Film rating: 4 out of 5 stars


The lowdown: The Cap's introduction into the Marvel film franchise is a welcome one and with performances of a high calibre and plenty of action to keep you awake this is a success story, albeit not to the standard of say, Iron Man. Good summer fun and a brilliant set-up for 2012's Avengers.