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Post by Merv on Dec 20, 2021 6:26:32 GMT 1
Coming soon to a message board near you Soon I will watch the entirety of the MCU (all stuff made by Marvel Studios) . So all movies and Disney+ shows so far when available. Eternals comes to Disney+ on January12th so the only thing I will miss will be No Way Home. So from Iron Man to Hawkeye... Be ready to take that journey once again. I'll join you. Ive been waiting to get Disney plus but this sounds like an opportune time.
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Post by Merv on Dec 29, 2021 0:35:08 GMT 1
Rewatched today as well. It holds up. Tony and Pepper had actually great chemistry, even when Pepper is feeling weird about it at the party. I liked Howard as War Machine. I don't hate the recast but Ill always be curious if Id have enjoyed Howard more in the following films. The first half feels slow because it's an origin story, despite there being plenty of action. The first moments he dons both the Mark I and Mark II are great...his scene in Gulmira was great and couldve been longer. His final fight is ok. Iron Monger isn't my favorite villain but it works here. The seeds for the future are sprinkled all over this one too. Theres a reason this movie was the launch pad for so many.
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Post by Merv on Dec 29, 2021 23:08:28 GMT 1
Incredible Hulk...Ive always really enjoyed this movie. I think mostly because the action sequences fit the Hulk fairly well. The first being cast in shadow and hiding his appearance a bit, which mimicked the Hulk film but also added an aura of fear to the character that persists into the Avengers film. The second broad daylight, first true look at this Hulk, Hulk vs Super Soldier Blonsky was such an amazing scene the first time because at that point we hadn't seen Captain America in action and that just felt like a little taste of what to expect with his movies. The final big city brawl between Blonsky as Abomination and Banner in control of Hulk. It all works very well for me as a Hulk film. It's not without its criticisms and as much as i was ok with Norton as Banner I do have to admit Ruffalo was much better. Looking back at Nortons Banner, he's far less quirky and uncomfortable in his own skin...which to me was always at the forefront of Banners personality. But Norton was still fine, as he usually is. I like all the little nods, even if the studio didn't do anything with them. The Leader and Doc Samson being the ones I always thought were very cool, and somewhat wasted potential. Not that they couldn't get them back but to do nothing with Leader outside this film seems a waste. Still both fit into this movie fairly comfortably. I also liked Hurt as Major Ross. He was spot on physically. I would love to see a Red Hulk in the MCU. He's one of my favorite, somewhat newer creations. Early on in the MCU days i had this one near the top...but im guessing as the reordering goes on it's going to be a middling one. That wouldn't be a knock on it, i can just see later entries outranking it. I still enjoy the heck out of the movie.
MCU rank: 1. Iron Man 2. The Incredible Hulk
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Post by Merv on Dec 31, 2021 0:20:02 GMT 1
Iron Man 2…I think I’ve softened a lot on this movie. My guess is at the time I wanted more world building for the mcu and less individual Iron Man storylines. This is the 3rd film in the connected universe and although it does bring Black Widow into the mix wonderfully it doesn’t do much outside of Starks smaller goings on. Anywho I actually had a blast watching it this time. Hammer was great, Pepper is one of the best supporting characters, Happy is solid comic relief and Whiplash was ok. I know it’s kind of a thing that all Iron Man’s villains are just mirror versions of him in some way, but it still feels too close to Iron Monger in the end for me to say I loved him. The kiss at the end was nice. As was the Thor’s hammer end scene.
Mcu ranking: 1. Iron Man 2. The Incredible Hulk 3. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 1, 2022 4:47:55 GMT 1
Thor....I've always enjoyed the fantasy elements in Thors stories, so i tend to prefer him out in some other realm slaying Frost Giants or whatever as opposed to on Earth defeating criminals. This movie manages to be a fairly decent combination of both, altho I couldve done with better lighting for the Frost Giant fight sequences. I know Jotunheim is lacking their power source or whatever but at certain parts it was genuinely difficult to see for me. Maybe im just getting old. I will say as far as interesting characters go this film has a pretty good depth. Jane, Selvig and Darcy all work well as the believing love interest, skeptical scientist and comic relief. Id also mention seeing Lady Sif and the Warriors Three was entertaining. Theyre all pretty great and I wish theyd done more with Sif especially. We see a lot of her in this and it doesn't really build to anything in the sequels. Heimdal was great and excellently portrayed by Stringer Bell. And of course Odin...freaking Anthony Hopkins over here! Last but certainly not least Loki, who is almost the deuteragonist of this film. His scene when he realizes he's an adopted frost giant was great, the revelation that he was already sabotaging Asgard to prop himself up as the next heir to the throne really leans into his villainy too. Oh and Chris Hemsworth is a charisma machine. You can even see it here before they fully leaned into it, but his on screen magnetism (and abs) is amazing. Overall story wise...it's fine. I think it's easily the best villain so far and the story works wonders at setting up the groundwork for future films...but it's not such a thrill ride I'll need to rewatch it often.
MCU Ranking: 1. Iron Man 2. The Incredible Hulk 3. Thor 4. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 1, 2022 11:28:33 GMT 1
Captain America the First Avenger...Im not sure what hit differently this time around but this movie is great. The first 45 minutes or so specifically are the best origin story in the mcu to this point. The balance between skinny steve, boot camp scenes, Johann Shmidt rising to power, the experiment being a success, Erskine, Colonel Phillips...it's all so fun yet feeling so ww2 that it pulled me right in. It loses a little bit of traction during the song and dance star spangled number but it makes sense and adds a lot more to the scene in Italy when he's trying to motivate soldiers who've been through hell and it just doesn't work. And the Howling Commandos aren't very fleshed out...but that's ok too because the connection between Steve and Peggy is driving this boat. They are both great. I liked watching the dynamic shift between Steve and Bucky too. The seeds are planted for future films. That end scene leads right into the Avengers, getting all the players on the table. This one surprised me this time through and jumped quite a few spots from where id have ranked it years ago. Nice.
MCU Ranking: 1. Captain America: The First Avenger 2. Iron Man 3. The Incredible Hulk 4. Thor 5. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 1, 2022 22:29:46 GMT 1
The Avengers...yea as cool as it was revisiting several of these other origin stories none of them really can beat the awesome sauce that this first Avengers is. The way they successfully manage to balance characters moments between all so that pretty much nobody feels left out. The one take during the end battle is still so great to watch. Thor is noticeably more serious in this film than in his solo film. I'm guessing they wanted to counterbalance Tony a bit. I guess it kind of makes sense too with him thinking his brother is dead and then finding out he's not. He may not be as happy go lucky. Just watching them so close together its more noticeable. All in all excellent film.
MCU Ranking: 1. The Avengers 2. Captain America: The First Avenger 3. Iron Man 4. The Incredible Hulk 5. Thor 6. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 3, 2022 0:23:25 GMT 1
Iron Man 3....I'll start by saying i find this movie enjoyable. It is entertaining and has plenty of laughs and action as well as developing Tony Stark further adding even more layers to the most developed character in the MCU at this point. However...I am not a fan at all of the subversive Mandarin twist. I bought in originally to the marketing of the Mandarin as a terrorist, potentially connecting to the villains of the first film, and I loved the way Kingsley was portraying him in the snuff videos and threats to America in the first half of this film. I liked that portrayal, while not a classic version of the Mandarin character, was an interesting adaptation that keeps the solo Iron Man movies from delving too far into the mysticism and magic of some other Marvel properties. I was ok with that. But when it comes time for that reveal and I realize he's just a joke....while certainly funny...feels like deflating a balloon. As a comic fan especially it's just hard for me to forgive this movie for that. It's up there with sewing Deadpools mouth shut as just a 'Why even include this character?' moment for me...as a comic fan. The other knock for me is not enough Tony in the suit. I completely understand a big plot of this film is Tonys insecurities and ptsd so taking him out of the suit and allowing him to feel strength as himself again is essential, it's just not my favorite type of Iron Man story. The many suits at the end was cool tho, I always like seeing the different models with different particular purposes. The fire villains are ok, albeit fairly generic but that's a pretty common problem in the MCU. Killian was fine. I like the Iron Patriot look, have since Norman Osborne first wore it in the Dark Avengers to represent both Iron Man and Captain America. Overall...entertaining...but hard to forgive.
MCU Rankings 1. The Avengers 2. Captain America: The First Avenger 3. Iron Man 4. The Incredible Hulk 5. Thor 6. Iron Man 3 7. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 3, 2022 5:02:56 GMT 1
Thor: The Dark World...Some of these rewatches have really made me aware of how our perceptions can be skewed the further we are removed from it. I remember enjoying the Dark World when it was released and then at some point in the years that followed I guess I just started to believe that the movie was the worst of the MCU or somehow not worth a rewatch. Man im glad i did because having watched the first Thor so close to it...my biggest want coming out of that movie was a more fantasy/sci fi focused adventure that spends more time with Thor off-earth battling monsters and whatnot. And this film delivers that. The beginning tale of Odins father Bors battling dark elves was fun, the early scene with Sif, the Warriors Three and Thor battling marauders on Vanaheim was a blast, any scene with Loki in it was a homerun (Hiddleson really kills this role), and the humor and drama felt fairly well balanced. Malkier and the dark elves are pretty basic in their logic but they were certainly formidable. I especially enjoyed Kurse as the brutish muscle of the group. The ending sequence was fun with the random teleporting and joining of all the worlds where gravity means nothing and beasts come out of nowhere...plus it gave me a genuine laugh out loud when Darcy and Ian are tp'd to Jane and Eric and they start saying each others names like where did you come from, then Mjolnir flies by and Darcy says 'Meowmeow?'...I legit laughed so hard at that moment. The question of what Loki did with Odin and what potential ramifications this will cause is a nice cliffhanger too. I really quite enjoyed this film. It's in the direction of the type of Thor movie i enjoy and stylistically lends itself wonderfully toward some of the future installments like GotG and its sequel Ragnarok. Now where to put it...
MCU Rankings 1. The Avengers 2. Captain America: The First Avenger 3. Iron Man 4. Thor: The Dark World 5. The Incredible Hulk 6. Thor 7. Iron Man 3 8. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 3, 2022 21:04:57 GMT 1
Captain America: The Winter Soldier...Phase 2 is where I stopped rewatching years ago and most of them ive only seen once or twice...for some reason despite loving this film initially i had still only seen it once or twice...so this rewatch felt a lot fresher than the phase one films. Kudos to the MCU for keeping this one grounded and including the players that make sense, introducing several more, and really expanding the Captain America and Shield worlds to a much greater extent while still keeping them tied to their origins. Specifically keeping Thor or Hulk or anyone like that out of this movie allowed it to feel like a straight up spy thriller and boy does it. Cap's fight scenes are fantastic. I love how the shield is incorporated. This film really presents the notion that his ideals are what drive him rather than his devotion to some higher organization. His patriotism is not blind. It's a big component of the character in comics and I think they do a great job in this film showing where Steve stands as a human. Black Widow is also slyly so developed in these films. Theres so many little scenes that add nuance to her character or mask her past in this aura of distrust and violence but she consistently does the heroic thing. She also leaned heavily into the seduction in this film, particularly with Cap, and I was all for it. Mid shootout straddling in the front seat of a car anyone? Sure. Nick Fury even got a moment of total badassery and Sam Wilson gets seemlessly introduced as becomes immediately believable as a trustworthy friend to Rogers. I forgot that he ran a counseling group for ptsd too. Makes even more sense why Cap would run a post-snap therapy group in a later film. It is really cool that they introduced several lower level players from Steves universe...Crossbones(Rumlow), Sharon Carter, Batroc the Leaper...and bringing Hydra back into the fold. Winter Soldier enters and immediately becomes probably the second coolest villain in the MCU, second to Loki. Even before you know he's Bucky he kicks so much ass and proves immediately formidable. After the reveal...its a whole can of worms. Great action sequence near the end. Overall a very well put together spy thriller. It works perfectly as that and is as much a different feeling MCU film as Thor the Dark World was. I loved it.
MCU Rankings 1. The Avengers 2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 3. Captain America: The First Avenger 4. Iron Man 5. Thor: The Dark World 6. The Incredible Hulk 7. Thor 8. Iron Man 3 9. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 3, 2022 23:22:14 GMT 1
Guardians of the Galaxy...Just magnificent. I love that out of the gate we get somber and serious tones...and then once Quill puts that walkman on it lets you know that this isn't gonna be that kind of a movie. The incorporation of music here is fantastic. This films ability to craft balanced believable characters from this film alone is a true testament to all involved. Quill, Gamora and Rocket in particular feel fully developed by films end. Groot is given some amazing moments that make you love him as a character, then his sacrifice hits so hard. But they do backtrack it a bit with his baby plant. I am much more a Groot fan than i am baby or teenage Groot, but i get it. Drax as a punch line lands. I still wish he'd have gotten noticeably stronger after taking a nap at the bottom of that celestial goo tank. The supporting cast is amazing too...in particular Ive always loved Michael Rooker, so Yondu felt so badass to me. When he finally shows off his arrow too its so good. Nebula is also a fave of mine. Love how twisted and complex her character comes across as. Her arc only gets better by Endgame. Ronan is pretty straight forward. But since our protagonists were so wacky I think the film benefited from an antagonist that felt serious and predictable. The film is beatiful...the MCU is successfully expanded without feeling out of place...this one is just a homerun all around. Ive historically had it right below the Avengers but this last rewatch I felt the 'family' vibes so much more and they land so well that....
MCU Rankings 1. Guardians of the Galaxy 2. The Avengers 3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 4. Captain America: The First Avenger 5. Iron Man 6. Thor: The Dark World 7. The Incredible Hulk 8. Thor 9. Iron Man 3 10. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 5, 2022 6:47:36 GMT 1
Avengers: Age of Ultron...A little messy at times but still a solid entry in the overall MCU. Gotta start with the great villain. Spader voicing Ultron was a homerun move. I wish he felt a little more menacing in the third act but overall I have to praise his character. Nearly every conversation he had with another character felt like it was written perfectly. I really enjoyed that he wasn't complete evil too. He had a goal and sought out to bring it to fruition. A lot more similar to another villain that makes a cameo in the postcredits. The opening action scene was fine, and gave a nice little pose shot as all the Avengers lined up for the camera. Pietro and Wanda are great. Wanda in particular is a favorite of mine from the comics and i feel they portray her wonderfully here. As for the Avengers i like the camaraderie. I enjoy Nat and Banner being a thing. It feels built on a lot of moments from the first Avengers and Cap weighing in makes sense after Winter Soldier. It gives off a nice impression of revolving relationships and really strengthens different characters bonds. It feels right that Hulk flies off at the end too. It's sad but its the right kind of sad, if that makes sense. Stark wanting a shield and building a sword is classic Stark. This villain is my favorite of the Stark foils that have been featured so far. A real standout here that I had kind of forgotten is Hawkeye. He comes across as the most mature, seasoned veteran of the group that holds them together when they are down and inspires them when they are out. It feels so read that he's gonna die and create this big emotional impact...Im very glad they didn't. Vision was cool and is immediately shown to be a heavy hitter. Ive never been all that fond of the character tho tbh. No real reason he just never does much for me. Maybe that will change throughout this rewatch but so far my feelings are the same. Also wanted to mention Andy Serkis. He will forever be Gollum to so many but I just want to say he's a fantastic character actor when he's given these smaller roles to play. He really shines in them. Overall a solid Avengers movie with a great villain. It doesn't really fail in any way but it doesn't raise the bar from the first Avengers film. Where the first Avengers feels like a leap forward this one in a lot of ways just feels like staying the course. Which again isn't bad...just not as epic.
MCU Rankings 1. Guardians of the Galaxy 2. The Avengers 3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 4. Captain America: The First Avenger 5. Avengers: Age of Ultron 6. Iron Man 7. Thor: The Dark World 8. The Incredible Hulk 9. Thor 10. Iron Man 3 11. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 5, 2022 18:47:39 GMT 1
Ant-Man...Scott is easily the most likeable Avenger. Of course he's not an Avenger yet but you know what i mean. Paul Rudd is charming af. As a movie goes...there's quite a bit of exposition. I know its a very science based story and they don't want the audience to feel lost so they want to explain whats going on, but it's noticeable in execution how much exposition there is. Still...its a lot of fun. There isn't a whole lot of tension or stress even in the climactic battle, which is actually a nice change of pace. That combined with the overall comedic timing, which the MCU has mostly nailed down by this point, makes this one an easy watch that pretty much anyone can sit down and enjoy themselves with without having to watch the previous 11 films. It helps...but isn't necessary imo. I've loved Evangeline Lilly since LOST and despite a haircut I don't find appealing she still comes across as gorgeous to me. Douglas is good as an older Hank Pym and mentor to Scott. Cross feels like a Stain clone but with even less development. His suit was cool, but he had such a mustache twirling presence that he's almost immediately forgetable in a world where we have the likes of Ultron, Winter Soldier and Loki. But Im fine with the focus being on our heroes. Pena is usually entertaining and Luis was a great best friend/side character. I forgot David Dastmalchian aka Polkadotman was in this too as Luis's russian hacker friend. The action sequences and visual effects are fantastic. I didn't cry for Antony like I did Anty in Honey I Shrunk the Kids, but i was close. Rip little buddy. Overall a fun popcorn entry into the MCU. Light hearted and entertaining.
MCU Rankings 1. Guardians of the Galaxy 2. The Avengers 3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 4. Captain America: The First Avenger 5. Avengers: Age of Ultron 6. Iron Man 7. Thor: The Dark World 8. The Incredible Hulk 9. Ant-Man 10. Thor 11. Iron Man 3 12. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 5, 2022 22:53:11 GMT 1
Captain America: Civil War...I remember thinking that this should have been Avengers 3 and I still get that feeling. It's a Cap title and he's certainly a focus but this is as much a movie about all of them as it is Steve. The tie backs to previous films feels a natural evolution of the world around the Avengers. I even had those thoughts in Age of Ultron when some buildings came down I thought...was there no other way to resolve this than to slam Hulk into an unfinished skyscraper? It also makes complete sense that Steve and friends wouldn't be on board to be on call for government officials with their own potential agendas or methods they don't agree with. I do think both sides of this coin are reasonable from the start and the timeframe of the Accords really pushes the action to the forefront rather than the conversation. It's easy to understand how this escalates. Loved the action...Crossbones sequence was solid, the Bucky chase was awesome, Black Panther looks great, The airport sequence is amazing!, bringing Spiderman in seemlessly and giving so many characters moments to shine, Ant-Man among the biggest. The third act reveal about Tonys parents and Tonys rage all hit perfectly. The soundtrack during the Cap, Bucky, Tony fight was perfect. It gave an epic sadness to the weight of the scenes. Like these friends may never recover from this. It all just feels done so perfectly to me.
MCU Rankings 1. Captain America: Civil War 2. Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The Avengers 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 5. Captain America: The First Avenger 6. Avengers: Age of Ultron 7. Iron Man 8. Thor: The Dark World 9. The Incredible Hulk 10. Ant-Man 11. Thor 12. Iron Man 3 13. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 6, 2022 6:14:27 GMT 1
Mighta found a hiccup…in The Winter Soldier, Jasper Sitwell mentions they’re monitoring anyone who may be a threat and mentions Bruce Banner and Stephen Strange. But then Doctor Strange takes place after Civil War, Strange even gets a call about an Air Force Colonel with a shattered spine (Rhodes), confirming the timeline. So Strange would’ve just been a good surgeon at the time Shield/Hydra supposedly saw him as a potential threat.
Just thought I’d point it out.
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Post by Grandmaster on Jan 6, 2022 6:25:48 GMT 1
Mighta found a hiccup…in The Winter Soldier, Jasper Sitwell mentions they’re monitoring anyone who may be a threat and mentions Bruce Banner and Stephen Strange. But then Doctor Strange takes place after Civil War, Strange even gets a call about an Air Force Colonel with a shattered spine (Rhodes), confirming the timeline. So Strange would’ve just been a good surgeon at the time Shield/Hydra supposedly saw him as a potential threat. Just thought I’d point it out. The algorithm can predict someone's future. Sitwell specificly says so. Stephen Strange was a threat even without being the scorcerer supreme. And Scott Derrickson has debunked that Rhodey theory right after the movie came out.
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Jan 6, 2022 12:11:05 GMT 1
Mighta found a hiccup…in The Winter Soldier, Jasper Sitwell mentions they’re monitoring anyone who may be a threat and mentions Bruce Banner and Stephen Strange. But then Doctor Strange takes place after Civil War, Strange even gets a call about an Air Force Colonel with a shattered spine (Rhodes), confirming the timeline. So Strange would’ve just been a good surgeon at the time Shield/Hydra supposedly saw him as a potential threat. Just thought I’d point it out. yeah that came up even at the time. The algorithm specifically predicts their future as someone who would be against them, so there’s no issue there. It’s not about his power set at all honestly.
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Post by Merv on Jan 8, 2022 0:42:20 GMT 1
Doctor Strange...Honestly, I had a bit of a rough time getting into this one. I don't know if it's fatigue in general or just the pacing in the first half of this film compared to the most recent MCU entries but I felt a bit of a slog out of the gate. Benedict is a fantastic Dr. Strange, exhibiting a lot of what makes Tony Stark such an interesting character. I have been in love with Rachel Macadams for years so she will always go over well with me. The Ancient One, Mordo and Wong were all fine. I feel like Mads Mikkelson is a little underused here. It doesn't seem like he's giving much to work with besides 'look menacing'...which he's great at but someone of his calibre shouldve been given more. I don't know if i even need to mention the effects. Visually this film is a treat and a half. I just wish there was more here for me personally. This probably feels like a hot take but Im gonna to mention that so far I haven't disliked any of these films...I just have varying degrees of like/love.
MCU Rankings
1. Captain America: Civil War 2. Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The Avengers 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 5. Captain America: The First Avenger 6. Avengers: Age of Ultron 7. Iron Man 8. Thor: The Dark World 9. The Incredible Hulk 10. Ant-Man 11. Doctor Strange 12. Thor 13. Iron Man 3 14. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 8, 2022 1:00:15 GMT 1
Guardians of the Galaxy 2...The first Guardians film really does feel like lightning in a bottle. It somehow makes you love several character without knowing much of anything about them and sells you on the idea that they are now a 'family'. This one was always gonna be an uphill climb and I don't think it ever gets better than that first film...but it's still an enjoyable ride along the way that succeeds in expanding their universe and especially several characters, to the point where you really feel it in several moments. If the first film was about them bonding then this film is about them fraying a little bit. Quill and his whole family drama actually work for me. He's a childish enough character at heart that you honestly feel happy for him when he finally gets his catch and his immediate turn to violence after finding out Ego deliberately killed his mother is about as in character a moment as I could've hoped for. You watch him bond with this father like figure throughout most of the film, realizing his potential, etc...and it's all brought down immediately once he realizes the truth and it was so satisfying that there was no hesitation there. Gamora and Nebula also evolve a lot here as a pair and i love it. Nebula is one of my favorite anti-hero/villains in the MCU and to see her make strides toward redemption or justice or whatever you want to call the horrible situation her life has been to this point, Im all in. Rocket being a dick as a defense mechanism is realistic and sad a lot of the time, but I dont remember getting those vibes in the first film. But im ok with it since it links him and Yondu as far as personalities go. The expansion of Yondus character in this film is fantastic too. The whole Ravagers stuff was interesting. Baby Groot is ok but I prefer big Groot. Drax most of the time is hilarious...there are a few moments where i kind of rolled my eyes as they felt forced but Id say most of the comedy lands where it should. Drax and Mantis especially made me laugh a lot. When she's trying to warn him in the night and his first thought is 'i tried letting you down gently but I just find you hideous' then start dry heaving...its just funny to me. Ego is fine...although he feels hamstrung power wise but I don't mind so much. The soundtrack, while good, was not as good as the first films. Also the color palettes in this film are fantastic. Visually this one was just as entertaining to me as Doctor Strange or Ant Man. Overall i think i just really love this group and the general vibe these films give off. Despite this one not raising the bar it still successfully entertains me.
MCU Rankings 1. Captain America: Civil War 2. Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The Avengers 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 5. Captain America: The First Avenger 6. Avengers: Age of Ultron 7. Iron Man 8. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 9. Thor: The Dark World 10. The Incredible Hulk 11. Ant-Man 12. Doctor Strange 13. Thor 14. Iron Man 3 15. Iron Man 2
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Jan 8, 2022 1:16:54 GMT 1
Guardians of the Galaxy 2...The first Guardians film really does feel like lightning in a bottle. It somehow makes you love several character without knowing much of anything about them and sells you on the idea that they are now a 'family'. This one was always gonna be an uphill climb and I don't think it ever gets better than that first film...but it's still an enjoyable ride along the way that succeeds in expanding their universe and especially several characters, to the point where you really feel it in several moments. If the first film was about them bonding then this film is about them fraying a little bit. Quill and his whole family drama actually work for me. He's a childish enough character at heart that you honestly feel happy for him when he finally gets his catch and his immediate turn to violence after finding out Ego deliberately killed his mother is about as in character a moment as I could've hoped for. You watch him bond with this father like figure throughout most of the film, realizing his potential, etc...and it's all brought down immediately once he realizes the truth and it was so satisfying that there was no hesitation there. Gamora and Nebula also evolve a lot here as a pair and i love it. Nebula is one of my favorite anti-hero/villains in the MCU and to see her make strides toward redemption or justice or whatever you want to call the horrible situation her life has been to this point, Im all in. Rocket being a dick as a defense mechanism is realistic and sad a lot of the time, but I dont remember getting those vibes in the first film. But im ok with it since it links him and Yondu as far as personalities go. The expansion of Yondus character in this film is fantastic too. The whole Ravagers stuff was interesting. Baby Groot is ok but I prefer big Groot. Drax most of the time is hilarious...there are a few moments where i kind of rolled my eyes as they felt forced but Id say most of the comedy lands where it should. Drax and Mantis especially made me laugh a lot. When she's trying to warn him in the night and his first thought is 'i tried letting you down gently but I just find you hideous' then start dry heaving...its just funny to me. Ego is fine...although he feels hamstrung power wise but I don't mind so much. The soundtrack, while good, was not as good as the first films. Also the color palettes in this film are fantastic. Visually this one was just as entertaining to me as Doctor Strange or Ant Man. Overall i think i just really love this group and the general vibe these films give off. Despite this one not raising the bar it still successfully entertains me. MCU Rankings 1. Captain America: Civil War 2. Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The Avengers 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 5. Captain America: The First Avenger 6. Avengers: Age of Ultron 7. Iron Man 8. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 9. Thor: The Dark World 10. The Incredible Hulk 11. Ant-Man 12. Doctor Strange 13. Thor 14. Iron Man 3 15. Iron Man 2 Loving your reviews Merv and putting Civil War up top! That’s it. That movie is absolutely top tier. It’s as good as any they’ve ever done. Love it.
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Post by Merv on Jan 8, 2022 2:02:27 GMT 1
Loving your reviews Merv and putting Civil War up top! That’s it. That movie is absolutely top tier. It’s as good as any they’ve ever done. Love it. Thank you. What's funny is before this latest rewatch my rankings would most likely be completely different. It's funny how things change over time or looking at something again gives you a different appreciation for it. It's pretty fun.
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Jan 8, 2022 2:20:36 GMT 1
Loving your reviews Merv and putting Civil War up top! That’s it. That movie is absolutely top tier. It’s as good as any they’ve ever done. Love it. Thank you. What's funny is before this latest rewatch my rankings would most likely be completely different. It's funny how things change over time or looking at something again gives you a different appreciation for it. It's pretty fun. It really is a funny effect. You have this idea you tend stick to about how good they were and then you go back and really appreciate them. That’s why I can never bring myself to rank them. It’s just an enjoyable series.
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Post by Merv on Jan 8, 2022 2:26:14 GMT 1
Thank you. What's funny is before this latest rewatch my rankings would most likely be completely different. It's funny how things change over time or looking at something again gives you a different appreciation for it. It's pretty fun. It really is a funny effect. You have this idea you tend stick to about how good they were and then you go back and really appreciate them. That’s why I can never bring myself to rank them. It’s just an enjoyable series. Yea my rankings are never really hard line. I've already in the span of a week looked at them and thought "Why did i put that one there?". I'm sure if I did a full rewatch again immediately after this one is over some titles would change just because some days maybe a heist film breads your butter and some other days maybe the realistic action thriller is what you need. It's as much about me at the time im watching it as it is about the film itself. That's why I didn't know if I was getting fatigued with Doctor Strange because I literally restarted it twice because I found myself losing interest early on. So i left it for a day or so and came back trying to see if i was just tired or what.
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Jan 8, 2022 14:27:47 GMT 1
It really is a funny effect. You have this idea you tend stick to about how good they were and then you go back and really appreciate them. That’s why I can never bring myself to rank them. It’s just an enjoyable series. Yea my rankings are never really hard line. I've already in the span of a week looked at them and thought "Why did i put that one there?". I'm sure if I did a full rewatch again immediately after this one is over some titles would change just because some days maybe a heist film breads your butter and some other days maybe the realistic action thriller is what you need. It's as much about me at the time im watching it as it is about the film itself. That's why I didn't know if I was getting fatigued with Doctor Strange because I literally restarted it twice because I found myself losing interest early on. So i left it for a day or so and came back trying to see if i was just tired or what. Great point. A lot of times I’ve said hey maybe this one is the best action, but that one is the best drama and this other one is the most epic and a forth one is the most trippy. Depends on what you’re going for but so many nail what they’re trying to be.
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Post by Merv on Jan 8, 2022 23:37:38 GMT 1
Thor: Ragnarok...Love the intro...it sets up Surtur and sets the general tone of the film. Loki on the throne is funny. He has Asgard to himself finally and all he does is put on a production about how great he is. The cameos from Matt Damon, Sam Neil and Liam Hemsworth were pretty cool too. Doctor Strange appearing was a lot of fun, and makes a lot of sense as well as establishing the idea that Strange is monitoring Earths visitors. The Odin death was really quite nice. Between the scenery and his conversation it really puts forth that man of regrets notion that is revealed even more throughout this film. Hela is perfection! I love Blanchetts appearance and balance between regality and ferocity in this role. Definitely a standout villain in the MCU. The treatment of the Warriors Three feels weak. It kind of establishes Hela as a powerhouse but I wouldve liked to see at least a little more fight from Volstagg and Fandral at least. They went down too fast. Scourge is ok. I like Urban but he feels kind of generic in this role. The Planet Hulk stuff is all great. Korg is instantly a favorite of mine. His casual demeanor and chipper line delivery got me every time...except the one at the end after Asgard gets destroyed. The Grandmaster is great. Valkyrie was great. I liked that she has chemistry and dare i say sexual tension with both Hulk/Banner and Thor. I also like that they show Thor has learned from Lokis prior trickeries. Growth is important. The final battle is pretty well done. Thor, Heimdall, Valkyrie, Loki and Hulk vs Hela, Fenris the Wolf and a large army of undead warriors....It was a lot of fun. Banner not transforming before smacking into the bridge was hilarious. Bringing Surtur back to destroy Asgard was an interesting move. It was pretty awesome...my only criticism is Korgs foundation line. It took some of the wind out of the sails for what shouldve been a pretty sad moment. Still...pretty solid ending that will lead directly into the Infinity War.
MCU Rankings 1. Captain America: Civil War 2. Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The Avengers 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 5. Thor: Ragnarok 6. Captain America: The First Avenger 7. Avengers: Age of Ultron 8. Iron Man 9. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 10. Thor: The Dark World 11. The Incredible Hulk 12. Ant-Man 13. Doctor Strange 14. Thor 15. Iron Man 3 16. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 9, 2022 23:55:48 GMT 1
You know i was watching on disney and didn't even realize they skipped the Spiderman movies.
Now i gotta figure out how to watch them. Crap.
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Post by ArArArchStanton on Jan 9, 2022 23:58:52 GMT 1
You know i was watching on disney and didn't even realize they skipped the Spiderman movies. Now i gotta figure out how to watch them. Crap. Yeah they’re definitely streaming. Netflix I believe
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Post by Merv on Jan 11, 2022 2:58:57 GMT 1
Black Panther...This one has grown on me a bit...not sure my ranking reflects that but trust me it's true. I really appreciate the rather self contained story here revolving around the leadership of Wakanda directly after their King is murdered. The cast is pretty solid...Boseman was obviously great as Tchalla, Michael B Jordan is a standout as Killmonger and you can really feel the emotion at time applied to the character. I really enjoyed his love of conflict. He seems genuinely pleased when Okoye and the ladies turned against him so that he could fight them. Speaking of, Okoye was great. I like that her loyalty was to the throne...and if Killmonger wasn't a total sh-t leader for Wakanda she probably wouldve never flipped. Shuri annoys me a bit honestly but I don't hate her. I appreciate the overall themes and messages that the film is putting forward. It was also pretty cool to see advanced technology in the form of spears and parkas and armored rhinocerii!!! The cgi gets a little off at times unfortunately but overall it's a fine flick.
MCU Rankings 1. Captain America: Civil War 2. Guardians of the Galaxy 3. The Avengers 4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 5. Thor: Ragnarok 6. Captain America: The First Avenger 7. Avengers: Age of Ultron 8. Iron Man 9. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 10. Black Panther 11. Thor: The Dark World 12. The Incredible Hulk 13. Ant-Man 14. Doctor Strange 15. Thor 16. Iron Man 3 17. Iron Man 2
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Post by Merv on Jan 11, 2022 2:59:26 GMT 1
Also ive gotta skip Homecoming for now. Ill come back to it. Its not on my netflix.
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Post by Merv on Jan 11, 2022 23:19:54 GMT 1
Avengers: Infinity War...Top notch superhero epic! A wonderfully woven tale that brings all our heroes together to face off against a truly formidable opponent. Thanos is my favorite MCU villain and it's because you can understand where he's coming from. He has logic behind his decision to slaughter half of humanity and he really leans into that. He's driven by more than just evil notions. I love the balancing again. I loved that they were able to feature so many characters and give most of them at least a moment or two to shine without any of them feeling tacked on or forced into the story. Where the characters are all makes sense. The constant dick measuring between Stark-Strange, Thor-Quill, Stark-Quill, etc. was all loads of fun too. Put all the main characters together and who's in charge? Well they all want to be, lol. The only notch against this film I have really is that everyone knew the snap would be reversed. Even if you came into this not knowing there were follow up films...to snap away so many of the newer and fresher characters and to leave alive all the original Avengers told me easily that things were gonna be reversed in the sequel...but it also sets the stakes for that movie because I also assumed that the ones who were left alive were gonna have to be the real sacrifice, at least some of them. So it works both ways I guess. Anyhow I love this film. Its probably the one, aside from the original Avengers, that ive rewatched the most at this point.
MCU Rankings 1. Avengers: Infinity War 2. Captain America: Civil War 3. Guardians of the Galaxy 4. The Avengers 5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 6. Thor: Ragnarok 7. Captain America: The First Avenger 8. Avengers: Age of Ultron 9. Iron Man 10. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 11. Black Panther 12. Thor: The Dark World 13. The Incredible Hulk 14. Ant-Man 15. Doctor Strange 16. Thor 17. Iron Man 3 18. Iron Man 2
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