Cindy Prascik's Review of The Huntsman: Winter’s War

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Last night I did that rarest of things for people my age, I made plans to be out on a work night. On my agenda: Marquee Cinemas' sneak-peek of The Huntsman: Winter's War.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

I enjoyed Snow White and the Huntsman, but confess I was underwhelmed by the idea of a sequel. In the four years since the original was released, I've even convinced myself it only seemed good due to being released in close proximity to the unfortunate Mirror Mirror, which did such an awful job of (re)telling the same story. However, I have good news for you, dear reader(s): This sequel does NOT suck!

 

The Huntsman gets off to a bit of a slow start, but once it gets rolling, it doesn't stop. The movie's not going to land on anyone's Academy Awards shortlist, but a good cast, nice special effects, and great fight choreography help the thin storyline earn its two-hour runtime. 

 

Chris Hemsworth is charming and easy on the eyes, and Charlize Theoron, though too little used this go-round, is the highlight of the movie as she reprises her evil queen role with wicked relish. Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain are troopers despite seeming weirdly miscast, and supporting players Nick Frost, Rob Brydon, and Sheridan Smith are especially entertaining in smaller roles. 

 

There are some dodgy Scottish accents to work around, but the players are otherwise more than solid. A fantastic score by James Newton Howard, some very pretty sets and locations, and an ever-changing assortment of stunning evil-queen dresses all help make The Huntsman worth your movie dollar.

 

The Huntsman: Winter's War clocks in at 114 minutes and is rated PG13 for "fantasy action violence and some sensuality."

 

It's not buzzy, nor is it the sort of picture you won't be able to stop talking or thinking about, but if you're looking for an entertaining couple hours filled with action and eye candy, The Huntsman is well worth your time. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Huntsman: Winter's War gets six.

 

Until next time...

 

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Suffragette & In the Heart of the Sea

Dearest Blog: yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a double-feature of Suffragette and In the Heart of the Sea, or, as I like to call it, the Ben Whishaw Film Festival. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 Yesterday's opening act: Suffragette. The war for equal voting rights has a great personal cost for the women fighting it. Regular reader(s) will be well aware that Suffragette is hardly my kind of movie. 

It's about women. It stars Carey Mulligan, whom I loathe. No cities get crushed by aliens or giant robots...and I don't even know what the filmmakers were thinking there, as surely giant robots could have facilitated voting rights much more quickly than a few rocks through windows! 

At any rate, it's awards season and we all must make sacrifices, so, Suffragette it was. I'm pleased to report I didn't hate it. The bad news is, obviously, Carey Mulligan. If the woman were any more bland she'd be invisible, and, since she's the primary star of the film, it's a little hard to get around that. 

The good news is, she's surrounded by people who do a pretty good job of getting around it, including Helena Bonham-Carter, my beloved Ben Whishaw, the brilliant Brendan Gleeson, Romola Garai, and Meryl Streep, doing her very best impersonation of Mother Nature in A Year Without a Santa Claus. 

All in all, it's pretty easy to forget about Mulligan, which is probably not what the "star" of any movie wants to hear. In typical British fashion, Suffragette understatedly tackles an epic story; no one will be unaware that this fight was eventually won, but the movie plays out the victory sans the fireworks and trumpet fanfare that surely would have concluded an American telling of the tale. 

Finally, though it's mostly talkey rather than actioney, the film moves at a good clip and is smart enough not to bog down and wear out its welcome. Suffragette runs 106 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some intense violence, thematic elements, brief strong language, and partial nudity." 

Suffragette is a well-paced, finely-acted reminder of the cost of standing up for what matters, and why it's worth it. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Suffragette gets five and a half. 

Yesterday's headliner: In the Heart of the Sea. The kinda-sorta true story of the kinda-sorta true story that inspired the classic novel Moby Dick. 

By now anyone reading this likely will have heard that In the Heart of the Sea is being pummeled by critics and sinking at the box office (see what I did there?), the second "serious" project fronted by Chris Hemsworth to achieve these dubious honors. 

Hemsworth isn't a terrible actor, though his accent is all over the place, but I think perception of him is a big part of In the Heart of the Sea's biggest problem, that is: the movie just doesn't know what it's supposed to be. Inspired by a literary legend and dropped smack-dab into the middle of awards season, the supporting cast is littered with some of moviedom's most talented actors, but in the end it can't help itself being a big-budget actioner with a Marvel hero front and center. 

It's a little like that Benghazi trailer, which looks serious as a heart attack until it says "Directed by Michael Bay," and then you chuckle quietly and check your phone one last time before the feature begins. Brendan Gleeson, who deserved an Oscar last year for Calvary (still holding a grudge, thank you), is (again) nothing short of brilliant, as is the always-stellar Cillian Murphy. 

Ben Whishaw is terrific, because Ben Whishaw is always terrific, though this role hardly stretches his abilities. I'm also delighted to see that Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (which, for the record, I loved) hasn't killed Benjamin Walker's career, though it looks like he's gonna give career-suicide another go with that Nicholas Sparks movie next year. 

*sigh* I saw In the Heart of the Sea in 2D, and, outside of a bit of wonky green screen, it looks great, but I didn't notice anything that would be appreciably better for seeing it in 3D. In the Heart of the Sea isn’t short on superficial assets--great water and disaster effects, nice cinematography, stupidly handsome principals--but under the surface there's little to get or hold your attention. 

The unfortunate truth is the film is rather dull. In the Heart of the Sea clocks in at 121 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of action and peril, brief startling violence, and thematic material." 

If there's one thing a movie about a boatload of hot dudes getting attacked by a giant whale should never be, it's boring; sadly, that's exactly what In the Heart of the Sea is. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, In the Heart of the Sea gets five. 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: IN THE HEART OF THE SEA,

Director: Ron Howard     

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw, Tom Holland

Release Date: Dec 11, 2015 RealD 3D    

Rated PG-13 for intense Sequences of Peril, Intense Sequences of Action, Brief Startling Violence 

and Thematic Material.    

Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.    

Genres: Action/Adventure    

Review:

In the Heart of the Sea is a serviceable film that sadly never achieves the epic scope it aspires to.  Ron Howard, workman as always, diligently directs his film with a clear earnestness which shines through the filming.  It’s a fine looking film, occasionally bogged down by some shoddy looking CGI, that does nearly everything we ask from our films but it just seems to be missing something.  The characters and tension is poorly drawn with little to no depth on either end.  Chris Hemsworth looks the part but his character, the proto Ahab, isn’t very compelling or interesting.  The supporting characters is a venerable whose who of strong actors and all of them end up in thankless roles, particularly Brendan Gleeson and Cillian Murphy.  The film does perk up a bit during the pivotal whale act which is much more thrilling than the rest of the film combined. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

Joss Whedon returns to write and direct the follow-up to the ultra successful Joss Whedon film. The picture completes Marvel Studios' Phase 2 films, which includes Joss Whedon, Joss Whedon, Joss Whedon, and Joss Whedon. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Joss Whedon  

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson

Release Date: May 01, 2015

Rated PG-13 for intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Sction, Violence and Destruction, and Some Suggestive 

Comments 

Runtime: 2 hr. 21 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy 

Review:

Avengers: Age of Ultron is successful enough to keep the status quo established by the first team up film.  It doesn’t do anything spectacularly more impressive that its predecessor and some of the beats and moments feel similar for good reason.  The old saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is incredibly fitting.  The new characters add a smattering of freshness to it but all of them feel as underdeveloped as Elizabeth Olsen’s variable accent.  Ultron is an interesting villain but I couldn’t help feeling his characterization was rather rushed throughout.  James Spader does a fine job of keeping the character interesting even if he’s not as devilishly charismatic as Loki.  The main cast of characters all slip into their roles easily and honestly by this point it’s old hat.  Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo share some of the film’s quieter moments which also deliver the biggest emotional impact.  Jeremy Renner gets a deeper back story and some of the film’s best lines; one can’t help but wonder if Joss Whedon was making up for his limited role in the first film.  As for Whedon, you can’t help but admire the guy’s dexterity at keeping most of the ball in the air all throughout.  It’s not perfect and you can’t help but feel like some subplots got left on the cutting room floor, even then the film’s a tad overlong.  Still, it’s an enjoyable Marvel superhero film which does everything you want from a solid blockbuster.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Avengers: Age of Ultron

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the cinema for THE FIRST TIME IN A MONTH. I know, right? Nearly forgot what the place looked like. At any rate, a new superhero blockbuster was just the ticket for drawing me out of retirement, so I ditched the office a bit early to see Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Spoiler level here will be mild, unless you consider starry-eyed, non-plot-related commentary on Jeremy Renner's arms, wardrobe, and screen time spoilerey. If that's the case, then read no more 'til you've seen the movie!

Earth's mightiest protectors face their most frightful foe yet. (I should just save that synopsis for every super-hero review ever.)

I presently harbor a simmering resentment towards Marvel for extorting fans into watching their crap product (*cough* Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. *cough*) just to be sure we can keep up with their good product (pretty much everything else...so far).

Having said that, nobody enjoys a dude in a cape quite like I do, so I don't think that had undue influence on my opinion of Ultron.

What does negatively impact the movie right out of the box is some ridiculously terrible CGI in the opening sequence.

For such a big-budget picture, it would have been inexcusable wherever it fell, but when it's the first thing you see it doesn't set a very good tone.

The movie also overstays its welcome by a good 20-30 minutes, and feels every minute of WAY TOO LONG. Having said that, it rebounds rather nicely from a sketchy start, spelling great action with some quieter personal moments among the heroes. If the wisecracking wears a bit thin, it also made me laugh out loud at times.

New good guys and new bad guys and new somewhere-in-betweens are smartly cast and fit well enough that you almost forget they ever WEREN'T there. As is always the case with a cast this size, some are a bit underused, but since it's not Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) this time, I'll not be complaining!

And how about Hawkeye? The only Avenger who didn't get a Doritos flavor OR a Dr. Pepper can in the promo buildup is actually sort-of featured this go-round, and even gets a back-story. A BACK STORY! Concerns about the new costume proved unfounded, as his lovely arms are frequently on display. The Renner prominence more than made up for any small disappointments I had with the picture.

The rest of the cast is expectedly terrific and, by this point, feels like a bunch of old friends. Various folks from the stand-alone movies turn up in what amount to little more than cameos, but it's still great to see them. Even with a bunch of Oscar nominees among the primary cast, though, there's no one else who is even in James Spader's orbit.

One of only two actors who has ever made me stand up and applaud in my own living room (the other is Peter MacNicol if anyone's asking...and I'm pretty sure they're not), the guy is simply incomparable. Ultron is a good enough movie, but overall nothing special; Spader makes it great.

Avengers: Age of Ultron clocks in at a bloated 141 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence, and destruction, and for some suggestive comments.

A big, loud, fun bit of brain candy, it's the perfect kickoff to summer blockbuster season.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Avengers: Age of Ultron gets seven and a half.

Until the Hawkeye standalone movie...erm...I mean, until next time...

[Official Trailer] The Avengers: Age of Ultron

Check out the first look at the Avengers sequel, hurry up since this will probably be taken down soon....


Will update with the official trailer once it's released....

UPDATED OFFICIAL TRAILER 8:50PM CST 10/22/14

Cindy Prascik’s review of Thor: The Dark World

Dearest Blog, yesterday I was off to the cinema with the masses to worship at the altar of the mighty Thor.
Spoiler level here will be mild, almost nothing you didn't see in a trailer somewhere.

Disclaimer: This review is being written through a haze of cold meds...and I think I accidentally may have taken the nighttime stuff instead of the daytime stuff. (Didn't the nighttime stuff used to be green??) Reader discretion is advised.
As the Nine Realms align, they are threatened by an enemy so powerful that Thor must make an unlikely alliance to save them.

Getting the requisite shallowness out of the way, the first thing you'll notice about Thor is that it looks terrific, and I mean across the board. The sets and effects are spectacular, the costumes are gorgeous, and most of the cast is hurt-your-eyes good looking. (Tiny spoiler alert) Chris Hemsworth has an early shirtless scene and the reaction across my theatre was so ridiculous it was like when an extra-hot person walks into a sitcom.

If the Marvel cinematic universe is noted for being a good time, in my opinion, the two Thor films represent the best time of all the Marvel properties. The Dark World does, of course, have its serious moments (with the universe at risk and all!), but there are one-liners aplenty, and almost all of them hit their marks. The action is huge and keeps things moving along nicely, though I did feel the first hour maybe could have been trimmed a bit. Performances are terrific across the board, with Tom Hiddleston's Loki again the standout.

I ended up in a 3D showing because I'm apparently too chemically addled to correctly read movie listings, and I wouldn't say the 3D was worth much. There's maybe a bit of added depth here and there, but Idris Elba never actually landed in my lap, so I'd suggest you go ahead and hang onto that extra three bucks.

Thor: The Dark World is everything I want in a superhero flick. The action and effects are huge and the cast has great chemistry, just a great time all around.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Thor: The Dark World gets eight.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns to do battle with Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), the vengeful leader of a primordial race that seeks to destroy the Nine Realms, in this big-budget comic-book adventure set after the events of Marvel's The Avengers. With even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) unable to protect Asgard from the approaching darkness, the god of thunder reunites with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save the world from certain destruction. Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, and Tadanobu Asano co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Alan Taylor

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins

Release Date: Nov 08, 2013

Rated PG-13 for some Suggestive Content and Intense Sci-Fi Action/Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 51 min.

Genres: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Thor: The Dark World is a strong sequel that expands the scope of everything while bringing a slightly different flavor than the original. Alan Taylor takes over the directing reigns from Kenneth Branagan, delivering a grittier and occasionally darker take on this character and his world. It’s a welcome change of pace, aided by some incredibly choreographed actions sequences, the final act being the most fun, which really up the spectacle quotient. Some of these sequences feels more like a Star Wars prequel/sequel, one you’d actually want to watch, than the original’s straightforward fantasy slant. Thor: The Dark World hop scotches across from genres, moving freely between fantasy, sci-fi and back to superhero. The strange thing is that these changes are rarely jarring with the film hitting its mark more times than not. There are a few minor quibbles though. The film occasionally gets bogged down with its plot, giving us too much exposition when it isn’t needed, killing some of its forward momentum. Those moments pale in comparison to the Earth based scenes which stick out even more than they did the first time around. Natalie Portman still feels terribly out of place and her obnoxious plucky character is mostly obnoxiously plucky. Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgård are given very little to do in supporting roles, mostly serving as comic relief. Thankfully Hemsworth and Hiddleston once again deliver the goods. Hemsworth was born to play a superhero and here he’s given just enough meat to make his performance interesting. Hiddleston deftly moves back into Loki’s skin giving us another taste of his dynamic and multifaceted frienemy. Christopher Eccleston is underused and underwritten as the primary villain. He isn’t given much to work with; his character is nothing more than a plot device and a forgettable one at that. Issues aside there is plenty to enjoy for the devout fanboys (Marvel cameos and post credit scenes) and causal fan (Chris Hemsworth without a shirt in 3D) alike. In the end, it delivers the kind of spectacle, action while maintaining a strong sense of fun.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW RUSH

Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl star as legendary Formula One drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda respectively in this biographical drama set during the 1970s, at the peak of their heated rivalry. Both on the track and off, Hunt (Hemsworth) and Lauda (Bruhl) couldn't have been more different. Yet as much as Englishman Hunt's showy public persona clashed with Lauda's reputation for tightly-controlled perfectionism, both men remained bound together by one undeniable fact -- they were both among the best drivers ever to grace the racetrack. Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara co-star in a film directed by Academy Award-winner Ron Howard, and penned by Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, Hereafter). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Ron Howard

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde.

Release Date: Sep 20, 2013

Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language, some disturbing images and brief drug use

Runtime: 2 hr. 3 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

People that know me know I love my sports. I’m a fan of pretty much any and every sport but I’ve never been a fan of sports movies because they all have the same trajectory and beats. That being said it takes alot for a sports movie to capture my attention the way Rush did. Ron Howard’s love of the subject matter is readily apparent from the get go. He directs the racing sequences with a white knuckled ferocity that delivers the most visceral experience I’ve ever had in a movie about racing. His film does dip in some of the non racing sequences mainly because the script lacks subtly, beating themes into your head instead of letting them flow organically. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl both impress in their roles as Hunt and Lauda. Hemsworth’s natural on screen charisma is perfect for the role. Hemsworth is believable and likeable even though the character is a bit of a jerk. Brühl is given the meatier part of Lauda and he’s easily the most interesting thing onscreen, outside of Hemsworth’s unnaturally chiseled body. Brühl performance is measured but on point, don’t be surprised if his name comes up during awards season. Sadly the characters don’t feel tactile, mostly because of the script. They are types more than they are real life people and while it’s not a sin it would have been nice to get inside the heads of both characters a bit more. Something the wonderful documentary Senna did so well. Still, Rush is a quality “prestige” film which may get some nods come awards season.

A-

[Trailer] Thor: The Dark World

The full trailer for the Thor sequel is out and it shows off plenty of new footage, so bask in all the flowing capes and hammer throwing!

The first teaser gave the impression that’d we’d be mostly off world in the sequel but this trailer hint that we’ll be bouncing back and forth to a certain extent.

[Trailer] Thor 2: The Dark World

[Trailer] Thor 2: The Dark World

Iron Man 3 is getting ready to screen in a little under a week and a half and with it Marvel’s Phase 2 of their cinematic universe. The trailer for the 2nd Thor film has been released and it looks like it’ll take the action off world instead of keeping it focused on Earth which I consider a good thing.

Things look grittier and less glossy this time around which could be a good thing. The original Thor was a big question mark for me originally, mainly because I thought it looked silly, but it made me a fan. Here’s to hoping the 2nd film continues to deliver the goods….






Release Date: Nov 08, 2013

MOVIE REVIEW: THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

ON VIDEO

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS



Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard team up for this bloody horror satire that offers an inventive twist on the familiar stranded-in-the-woods sub-genre. ~ Rovi

Director: Drew Goddard

Cast: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Richard Jenkins

Release Date: Apr 13, 2012

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, language, drug use and some
sexuality/nudity

Runtime: 1 hr. 45 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Cabin in the Woods is a Meta film on steroids. The characters as written are archetypes and played as such just like the usual tropes of any generic horror film. Joss Whedon’s film is full of clever twist and nods throughout even though it thinks it’s a lot cleverer than it actually is. As a film, it’s a mash up of the underrated sci-fi horror film Cube and Wes Craven’s A New Nightmare. It’s an interesting and fun little ride that takes itself less and less seriously as the film moves on. Director Drew Goddard gets what Whedon is going for and they both hit the marks they are looking for. Someone looking for a scary movie though won’t find it here, outside of a few jump scares, it’s never really unsettling. More than anything it’s a love letter to movie fans and horror fans in particular. In the process Whedon turns the mirror back on us as viewers of the horror genre, poking plenty of fun at it to, but pointing out all the tropes we’ve become so accustomed to over the years. It all works fairly well even if it’s not perfect or totally original.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

IN THEATERS

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN



The enchanting Snow White (Kristen Stewart) joins forces with the fierce Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), who was recruited by the diabolical Queen (Charlize Theron) to kill the fair beauty, and together they fight to rid their kingdom of evil in this bold new take on the fairy-tale classic from commercial director Rupert Sanders. Obsessed with being the fairest woman in the land, the Queen learns that Snow White will soon surpass her in beauty, and seeks to achieve immortality by consuming the young girl's heart. But the Huntsman is the only one capable of braving the dark forest to seek out Snow White. Threatened with death should he refuse to follow his order, the Huntsman finds Snow White, and begins training her for the arduous battle ahead. Meanwhile, a handsome prince (Sam Claflin) falls hopelessly under Snow White's spell. Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Eddie Izzard, Bob Hoskins, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, and Stephen Graham co-star as the seven dwarfs. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Directed by Rupert Sanders

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane

Release Date: Jun 01, 2012

Rated: Intense Sequences of Action, Brief Sensuality and Intense Sequences of Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 7 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Rupert Sanders showy, visually opulent freshman film is occasionally impressive. Sanders knows how to shoot impressive visuals and does so quite a few times, letting you savor the set design and fabulous costuming at work. Unfortunately, his inexperience shows in various ways. The film lacks any sort of dramatic and thematic flow through leaving you emotionally detached as sequences pass by. Even though you are exposed to a few characters, you never really make any connection to any of them. Kristen Stewart, she of the mopiest face around, is blank barely registering throughout the film’s run time. Her acting is terribly underwhelming and the character is strangely underwritten. Chris Hemsworth gets by, play a Thor-lite character, on general screen presence and charisma. Charlize Theron should have just killed this role but instead is allowed to embellish in the worst kind of over the top performance imaginable. Being a fan of hers, it was tough watch her scream insanely throughout the better part of the film. Subtly is entirely thrown out the window, it’s a massive misstep considering she could have nailed this role had she attacked it with more tact. Some strong character actors are used for the dwarfs even if they appear primarily in the 3rd act. A few well directed, if derivative, round out a film which is watch able but never as impressive as it looks.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: THE AVENGERS

IN THEATERS

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS 3D



Marvel Studios delivers the ultimate comic-book film, which ties together such characters as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) for a big-screen franchise team-up like no other. Taking center stage this time is Nick Fury (played once again by the note-perfect Samuel L. Jackson), leader of the peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury, along with former Russian spy Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), recruits a super team to combat Thor's ever-deceptive brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) after he brainwashes ace archer Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) while stealing a cosmic cube from an underground base. Thus the heroes must learn to work together alongside outlaw scientist Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), who can track down the artifact's gamma signals when he's not hulking out into a giant green monster. Show runner Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) adapted and helmed the script by Zak Penn. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Joss Whedon

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson.

Release Date: May 04, 2012

Rated PG-13 Intense Sci-Fi Action/Violence and A Mild Drug Reference

Runtime: 2 hr. 23 min.Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

Marvel’s huge gambit started with Iron Man’s post credit scene and went on from there. It was a terribly risky and ambitious. Once all the stand alone films were done Joss Whedon was tasked with the incredibly difficult task of putting it all together and giving each character its due while creating a story that would justify these characters coming together. Whedon, to his massive credit, delivered a spectacle which will be remembered by children for years to come. Whedon’s love of the characters and genre is readily apparent in the ever single frame of the film. Whedon knows his audience and delivers the kind of film that fans want. Massive action set pieces that give each character a time to shine as the film goes along, leading up to a an insane climatic battle that gives us more destruction than Transformers Dark of the Moon. It would have been easy for Whedon to just deliver an endless battle royale but he gives his film time and allows each character to have simpler quieter moments that let you into their head and motivations. The cast is on target throughout and while it would have been easy for Robert Downey Jr. to have run the show, he’s kept in check and gives the other actors room to breathe and shine. Mark Ruffalo’s take of Bruce Banner is impressive, so much so that I’d say we finally have a definitive film version of the character. Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner do as much as they can with less screen time than the other stalwarts. Tom Hiddleston provides a great villain for the super group to fight, sadly he only lacked a long twirly mustache. 2 post credit scenes provide more fun to ease you off your high. The first sets up a sequel and latter is a wonderful moment showcasing Whedon and the cast. A perfectly fitting end to a film that’s blockbuster filmmaking at it’s finest.

A

[Trailer] The Cabin in the Woods

The long gestating Joss Whedon produced horror project recently got a release date and the trailer has come out.

I’ll admit I only knew a little about the actual film but after watching the trailer I’m a lot more interested than before as it hints to some fun genre bending intrigue.

By the time it hits the screen it’ll be 3 years since it wrapped filming, maybe it’ll be worth the wait.

[Trailer] Snow White and the Huntsman

While I have to say I’ve been hearing about this for a good while, my interest was pretty damn low.

This trailer hits me as a bit of a surprise, looks impressively dark and epic. Still don’t care for Kristen Stewart but Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth make up for it, looking forward this now…..