Avengers: Infinity War

10 years for the carnage to be unleashed.

A couple of posts ago (three actually) I said how tired I was of seeing great ideas being tossed into the garbage bin like a cheap forgotten McDonald's burger. Obviously, I was referring to the overnight success of Comic Book films these days. In addition, I was disappointed with what Rian "Dick" Johnson had done with The Last Jedi, and yet here you have me writing about another superhero film...

Avengers: Infinity War as a standalone film, would obviously fail in so many levels, that I'd put right next to the many other films I think are just fucking cash grabs. However, seeing this film marks the 10th anniversary of what humbly started in 2008 with Iron Man, and went on for another 9 years that will surely go on for another decade. 

Avengers forever!

I don't think so.

Plot wise we get a very simple story: Thanos, the powerful space overlord has built an "Infinity Gauntlet" (the actual name of the classic comic book, you posers) that allows him to wage the powerful weight of the six infinity stones. Predictably, friends and foes from all corners of the universe have decided it is time to do something before it's too late for the whole universal existence. 

The movie benefits a lot from its prequels, where most of the characters' personalities were introduced and developed vastly enough to make us care for each of them. Nevertheless, the film does take its time to tell us who Thanos really is, and what he is actually looking for once he gets all the six precious stones. For a CGI guy, I can say he's OK but not the best villain seen in years as many are calling him all over the internet. The fact that he wants to destroy everything because he's a bad guy, seems dated, childish and plane stupid. 

Infinity War does require you to have seen some or most of the MCU in order to fully enjoy its moments, which are many. I'd say you'd have to watch the Captain America trilogy, Thor 2 & 3, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1, the first Avengers film and Doctor Strange and then, you'll be all set for an entertaining ride. 

Girl power!

Unusual team of heroes.

Directed by the Russo brothers, who also directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier & Captain America: Civil War, the film is a celebration of ten years of entertainment and overall fun. While the film does struggle with some tonal shifts during the first act, its brilliant action scenes and clever dialogue more than make up for these shortcomings. The film's ending will be overwhelming to some and most likely will divide fans over how it is executed. The directors do a superb job developing Thanos' personality outside of simply wanting universal domination. His motivations feel somewhat morally ambiguous and at times even make him seem sympathetic. Despite the film's darker tone, there are still some hilarious scenes of banter among the heroes, particularly between Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Steven Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). 

I was so ready to tear this down - 19th MCU film, too many stars, bloated CGI, first of a two parter, and so on and so on...

Yet, this is so much fun. Pure popcorn...now in the dictionary under "popcorn film" is just the poster for this film. Somehow, the Russo Brothers have juggled all the parts to give everyone some time in the sun. They are helped immensely by two things: the premise is so pure Mcguffin that you just watch Thanos look for Infinity Stones which gives a primal momentum and that the film's stars/characters are looking to move on - that means, actual stakes for once as people could really die and not just comic book dying either.

Never upset an X-Men!

So, it's that bad again Cap,. right?

The DC people must be kicking themselves. The lightness and comedic touches are brilliant. You are laughing out loud, comedy level, but at totally organic character humor. It means you are so entertained throughout its rather long running time.

The other big surprise is Thanos himself. Normally, I hate CGI characters but somehow they have made Thanos and Josh Brolin work enough to give the character an actual arc. This is one of the better MCU villains and I never thought I would write that. In addition, and considering the massive amount of characters this film has, I was surprised to see the Russo brothers were careful enough to give key characters, enough on screen time, to show them doing their thing. Moreover, some characters were even upgraded to the legendary status they have in their respective comic books. For example, and this is not a spoiler, so rest easy, Doctor Strange shows us why he is the real master of mystic arts, and not someone to mess off with. Also, the Mighty Thor (yeah, one of my favorite superheroes of all time) recovers is God-like status, so he's not fucking around when you see him take the lead. I guess, this comes directly as a result of the wonderful Thor Ragnarok movie. In addition, Captain America and his bad-ass team have one of the coolest introduction scenes in the film. 

Not on our watch!

Space Ego V/S Tech Ego.

On the other hand, the female characters feel like they're on a "side quest" rather than part of the big fight. A disappointment considering how many fans these characters have. There's not a single scene (save for one but, nope, not spoiling it here) where they feel truly relevant. Also, I couldn't believe the scene where Black Widow returns to the screen is actually by walking towards a background showing her perfect rounded ass (I mean, isn't that sexist for today's standards?). Same thing happens with Scarlet Witch's breasts here and there.  In addition, the excessive amount of "fan service" feels a bit too much at times. Another minor issue I had, was the fact that some characters personalities were changed in order to fit into the bigger picture when there was no need in doing so. Moreover, the exhausting use of CGI goes entirely against the "painful and dramatic" motif the film has been drawing us into from start to finish. Do computers cry?.

Also, the climax feels a bit too much on the side of the old exploitation tricks 70's films relied on to keep their fans entertained. If you're a comic book reader, you know that nothing is sacred, and that nothing is impossible so, the cliffhanger was a big meh, because you know what will inevitably happen in the sequel. Cheap trick Marvel!, cheap trick.

I could use a hand.

The new Guardians of the Galaxy?

And last but not least, a couple of big downers the film had:
 

How powerful are Thanos abilites? because in one scene he fucking beats the crap out of one of the most powerful MCU characters and later he's punching and kicking far weaker characters that don't seem to be that hurt and disabled after the fight.

And one example of stupidity: When the antagonist is almost beaten, the most stupid thing takes place in order to serve an onion thick plot, and well, now I fucking hate that character.

If I was to rate the film I'd say an 8/10 if watched as it should be: a part of a bigger film collection, and a 5/10 as a standalone film due to the lack of a great many things and a gigantic CGI overuse and video-game like sequences. If I had to rate purely for fun, I'd say the film is a bold 10/10 and probably the film of 2018.  

The film in a single sentence? "Genocide is a good thing".

Here's the movie trailer collection:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #1:

And the red carpet show:

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

They're back with great music from the past!

If you had to choose the finest MCU films I'm sure the answer would be the Captain America trilogy & the Guardians of the Galaxy, in no particular order whatsoever. While the Cap movies are all serious, the Guardians are all about having fun while saving the day. I have to admit that when the first film came out, I was exhausted of watching superhero films, I had this feeling of "everything's been done before" and/or "every superhero film is derivative" So my expectations were pretty low, and biased by my bad mood. In fact, I had to re watch Guardians of the Galaxy 3 times until I finally came out of my fanboy state to see that I was in front of one of the finest MCU films ever made, so why so serious?

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, is a two hour & fourteen minute roller-coaster ride that bounces up & down among action, drama, jokes and a few surprises.

James Gunn takes us on a thrilling action adventure that is as humorous as it is exciting. You should approach the film expecting to be constantly laughing through almost every, if not every single scene. And you will also be surprised not to come short on the more alternate of emotions as well, as this turns into one of Marvels most emotionally breathtaking films to date. This riveting sequel is not one to leave it's fans walking out of the cinema with their heads hanging down in disappointment. But rather left glued to their seats wanting more, even after the commencement of the five post-credit scenes.

Starlord returns.

So does Rocket Racoon.

Plotwise, the long-awaited continuation of the Awesome Mix Vol 1. regroups us with The Guardians of the Galaxy, who survive by doing some good, some bad and a bit of both throughout the universes. On their journey through space they help others out of trouble and more often than not, work themselves into trouble. When they are met by Ego, a mysterious and powerful being, the future of this unlikely bunch of misfits is all but certain. What purpose does Ego have in mind for our beloved Star- Lord? What will become of the Guardians? How does an iconic 80's action movie- star have a place in this film? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. will provide overall satisfying answers.

The tone and humor which got so many people hooked on the original, is preserved for its sequel. Thank Gunn for that! James Gunn managed to recapture that tone and sense of humor almost perfectly a second time over. All of the Guardians have their distinct personalities and fitting sense of humor but are given a lot more character development in Volume 2. The characters Gunn chose to reintroduce, are interesting due to compelling backstories and some creative, touching and funny character moments. Watching action scenes featuring characters you love and care about, adds so much drama and weight to the action and makes the movie all the more enjoyable. The action itself is creative, fun and often times hilariously over the top. 

Are you sure you wanna meet your dad?

So that's how I escaped marriage.

With any great superhero film, there comes the need for a compelling villain. MARVEL doesn't have an amazing track record as far as villains go. Remember the villain of Thor: The Dark World, or his plan? No, me neither... Or what about the incredible emotional depth that was given to that bald guy from Ant-Man... Oh wait. With great relief I can say that the Guardians face off against a much more compelling and interesting villain in Vol 2. than in the original. His plan and motivation could be considered abstract and pretty vague. But to its credit, the movie does take its time to set up the big bad plan reveal and by that point you're on board with it. Volume 2 takes a lot of time to develop a lot of characters. All this time and effort pays off at the end with an incredible final act and an emotional ending which left me in tears.

Finally, a special mention needs to be made for Baby Groot, who steals every scene he's in. He's adorable, funny, bad-ass and oh so very charming! An absolute fan favorite and a toy-seller for sure. Also, Yondu gets some genuine great development. His character arch is so touching, so unexpected and emotional. It elevated the entire film.

As far as the actual Awesome Mix Vol 2. goes, I can happily say it's amazing! With a lot of upbeat classics and heartwarming ballads, this soundtrack is a must-own.

Baby Groot!

Sister love.

One of the reasons Guardians of the Galaxy is so beloved is because of its tight story. It is based in the same universe as The Avengers and its heroes but didn't need to tie in to the other films so firmly. Just an infinity stone and a cameo by Thanos were enough to establish the connection. What we got was a solid stand-alone film that had a compact story with colorful characters that didn't need to set up six other films. Can you name another MARVEL film that had the exact same advantage? Because of the fact that Volume 2 pays so much attention to character development for a lot more characters than just the Guardians, the story loses focus and a firm grip on the plot. Although the backstories given to our characters, are pretty cool and interesting, it's the way they are conveyed that makes the film lose some steam. There's a lot of exposition and not all of it through well written dialogue. I would've preferred some tight flashback scenes. A lot more "Show", a lot less "Tell".

Then there's the unfortunate need to set up plot-points and characters for future Guardians- films. All this makes for a bit of a messy film with some pacing issues. Gunn clearly tried to balance all these character and plot-points and hasn't come unscathed out of the ordeal. It's weird he went down this route because story-wise, this film is even more disconnected from the Infinity War than the fist one. So setting up so much material for a sequel, is an odd choice because it feels so unnecessary. 

New family members.

An odd couple.

The climax battle is huge! a whole planet on peril, the Guardians outnumbered, and  a collection of explosions and super powers that will give you the thrills! The sad part is that not everyone will survive, yet the sacrifice will expand the GOTG universe for a third part for sure. 

The 5 after credit scenes (yes, five ) are hilarious and I won't say anything else in order to avoid spoiling them for you. There are also some very unexpected cameos, and I'm sure one will be freaking loved by 80's pop culture fans. Coincidentally, the film solves a fan theory mystery, that's been around for quite some time but, I won't spoil that either. Also, I loved Drax in the sequel, his one liners are excellent and had me laughing the most!

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, slightly bends under the weight of its predecessor but still manages to deliver a fun Space adventure and some much appreciated character development. Even though Gunn and his gang, incorporated a lot more exposition and sequel setups, Volume 2 is still an Awesome Mix of fun, action, drama and colorful characters. With a fantastic ending, I can't wait to see the Guardians return! 

Here's the movie trailer:

Guardians Of The Galaxy

1940's Serials are back.

Guardians of the Galaxy is the latest entry into what is known as the Marvel Comics Cinematic Universe. Based upon the characters from the same comic book, the film was perhaps the least expected out of what's Marvel has been doing lately. Let's face it, who out of the many comic book readers around the globe has the Guardians as they're favorite read? Not many, I'm sure. Nevertheless, Marvel Studios are an experienced team and they knew this 80's obscure comic book would suit perfectly in a motion picture version, let's just remember this is not the first time Marvel Studios thinks of a second/third class comic book character. They already did it before in 2008 with Ironman. Yes, you read that right, I wrote Ironman. 

Connoisseurs of the comic book scene do know that Ironman was never Marvel's finest. Their top of the line heroes had always been Spiderman, Captain America, X-Men, Hulk & The Fantastic 4. Of course that was until the release of the first Ironman film, who not only positioned the character into the spotlight of films but it also allow to grow in its original source. Hell, not even the Avengers were so relevant before these films happened!

it's so dark in here.

Now, what does all this jibber jabber have to do with the Guardians of the Galaxy? 

The answer is: everything! as Marvel learned they could use the cinematic universe to foster their products characters, they would have no issues presenting a film with unfamiliar characters. Would DC Comics have the balls to do the same? Time will tell.

The real Guardians of the Galaxy.

The motion picture Guardians of the Galaxy.

One writer from IMDB said that Marvel could have "played it safe, but went into a bold new direction".
 
Well I don't know about you, but filling a movie with pop culture references to grab your attention and money, in what is quite literally "just another sci-fi adventure", is NOT taking a risk by any means. Maybe the IMDB reviewer meant "taking a risk" as releasing a film with unfamiliar characters for the poser nation of comic book film lovers, I repeat comic book film lovers, not comic book lovers, there is a huge difference there.

Some have compared this movie to Star Wars (father, forgive them for they have sinned), and even while that film was derivative of Saturday morning serials and classic science fiction films and TV, what made Star Wars unique is the creative ways it tips it's hat at the genre, and more specifically how hard everyone worked to make it their own. There was more depth to it, and it left you wondering, "didn't we see that in something else"? However Guardians Of The Galaxy embellishes with pop culture, very much like the roller-coaster ride operator who turns on the top 40 or R&B station while he locks you in your seat. That's not creating something unique, it's hopping on the back of something that's previously established, and it takes no effort to do so, only money (our money).

The bad guys.

The worse guy.

But don't take my word for it, see for yourself. Checking reviews for the film in IMDB and other highly respected Blogs, on almost every page someone writes their summary quoting the "Hooked on a Feeling" song. I know I've said this too many times before, people can think whatever they want BUT it's really weird that everyone is talking this film as an original piece that had never been seen before in theaters. That is a mere lie, bloody lie chums. Perhaps this film works wonders with children and teenagers who still have a world to experience, but to us, adults, the film does not offer anything we haven't seen before, and state of the art CGI do not make a film good just because.

I DID like Guardians of the Galaxy for it's art design, effects, stunts, sound design, and the battered underscore by Tyler Bates which was brilliant. But with scenes in which we have Chris Pratt making Kevin Bacon sound like a universal liberator of man during a romantic scene with Zoe Saldana, (and who references his name later in the film like a punch line) this movie is the epitome of that age old prediction, "Pop Will Eat Itself".

Rocket Raccoon.

a talking raccoon and a tree.

This movie is a mess of the worst kind: a never-ending cascade of contrivance after contrivance.

The plot, if it could be called so, is kickstarted by the theft of a magical plot device that evil people want. This also happens in The Avengers and Man of Steel, and it's not getting any more creative. The evil people fight the good guys, there's explosions and snarky humor everywhere, and it never rises above the level of an excuse plot. Characters get beaten close to death so the movie can have a sad moment before they get revived - all the protagonists are invincible. There's one particularly shameful scene where a character gets cast out into space and another character risks death to save them. But surprise! Somehow, a fleet of spaceships somewhere managed to find their exact location and arrive to save both within a minute! See, friendship saves the day again!

The dialog is just as useless as the plot: the characters either make juvenile jokes, exposit once again that they need to bring the magical plot device somewhere in order to prevent genocide by the evil guy (in case the audience forgot), have ham-fisted discussions about the value of friendship and overcoming adversity with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop, or explain completely obvious things. The worst of this is when a character steps out into a visibly darkened corridor and comments on how dark it is.

Avatar?

Howard the Duck will be back.

I watched this movie only because my brother was so looking forward to it that I downloaded it for himself and watched it together (hell, a movie ticket is way too expensive to waste on a film like this). The film was highly anticipated, compared to blockbusters and boom! the hype around it was so damn bing that everyone wanted to see it. Today's film in review, The Guardians of the Galaxy is not a film, it's a product. Every bombastic special effect and every cardboard cutout character reek of a movie trying to sell itself and its tie-in action figures and comic books to 12-year old kids. The humor is juvenile, the plot and characters are shallow and facile, explosions and fighting are shoehorned in at every turn... there is no natural characterization, no genuine emotion, and no signs of intelligence. This movie is junk food cinema at its worst. We deserve better. 

Either way, since this is obviously the first in a new franchise, I'm sure we will find out what Marvel's priorities are in the next installment. Let's hope it's not just "The next Empire Strikes Back". 

Here's the movie trailer:

And here one of my favorite YouTube channels, Cinema Sins, with their signature "Everything wrong with..." video about GOTG:

 

And since GOTG is so over rated, let's add another great video courtesy of the "How it should have ended" Youtube team: