Avengers: End Game: The end of an era.

The last 11 years has been leading up to this. Twenty-one movies lead us to Avengers: End Game, which wraps up what Kevin Feige calls, “THE INFINITY SAGA.” It is closure for the original six Avengers.

It truly is a culmination of the last twenty-one films.

Over the last 11 years Marvel has introduced us to characters that many of us grew up with in the comics. We literally saw the pages of the comics come to life on the big screen. We’ve spent the last 11 years getting to know our favorite heroes even better. Following their journey, feeling their pain right along with them, crying with them, celebrating victories with them and feeling a sense of pride…because after all Marvel fans are the best fans in the world.

Avengers: End Game is an emotional roller coaster of joy, pain, laughter and victory.

With Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has just concluded its Infinity Saga, a 22-movie-long epic spanning 11 years that is one of the most impressive cinematic achievements of the modern movie era. It is a satisfying end, to some, while on the other hand, it is very heartbreaking to see our heroes that we have fallen in love with over the last 11 years make this film their final bow.

 I am very surprised more people aren't giving the masterminds behind the MCU more credit. This film is basically all of the previous films rolled into one giant love letter to the fans. To talk about this film, you have to talk about the past films. This universe would not have been possible if Robert Downey Jr’s portrayal of Iron Man and Tony Stark would not have worked. He IS the grandfather of the MCU.

One of the most talked about and Oscar deserving scenes in the movie is when Tony is reunited with Steve Rogers. The chemistry that all of the actors have together is just incredible.

Going into this film, you have to expect the unexpected. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the film. You watch with anticipation and you get what you think and then some and then not.

With so many of the characters from Infinity War gone, you wonder how the dusted ones come back, and you spend most of the film wondering when are they coming back and how? But the way it all plays out, is so telling and well put together. The storyline pulls you in. The visual effects are amazing and all of the CGI is phenomenal.

There are moments that make you think back to previous films. There are moments that take you back to previous films. The time travel scenes are so well done and so well thought out, and at the same time, make you think that there could be more to those somewhere down the line. Our heroes had to go back in time to get the Infinity Stones to stop Thanos from getting them. One scene in particular including Loki was a good example. When Tony, Steve, Bruce and Scott travel to 2012 to the battle of New York, we see scenes from the first Avengers movie and some scenes that bring in some familiar faces. Which add to the whole MCU timeline continuity. Loki, gets the Tesseract at one point and vanishes. This is before Thor takes him to that final scene in the Avengers where they head back to Asgard. You’re sitting there saying, “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?” In the end it all works out…or does it….? If you’ve seen the film you know the answer.

One other scene stands out to me as a comic fan, the final battle scene. That whole sequence is so comic book. It’s great! I mean I literally sat there and watched the comics come to life. It was amazing. Every character used, every little thing in the movie was crucial to what happened. I can’t imagine it being done any different. From the travel back to Camp Lehigh, to stealing the Orb on Morag before Star Lord gets it, to seeing Thor get to see his mother one more time, and then she discovers he is from the future. To describe the whole film scene by scene or favorite scene, we would be here all day.

In the months leading up to End Game, everyone speculated on who would be the one to reverse the snap. Who would be the hero of the movie? Who would have to die to save the world? The answer to both of those questions is Hulk and Tony Stark. Hulk wields the newly designed gauntlet with the stones taken from the past. He snaps and reverses what Thanos did. To win the whole battle at the end and save humanity, Tony Stark gets the stones from Thanos again and wields a very Iron Man-ish gauntlet, snaps and dusted all of Thanos’s army and Thanos himself. Therefore, leaving our favorite Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist grasping for life. It is one of the moments in the film that you hear an entire theater of fans sobbing and crying. This is the person that started it all and now we are seeing our favorite hero at the end of the road. It was a very sad moment and one that still gets me to even think about. Tony saves it all. His final act of his final movie. His phrase he coined with his own children, that was used in the movie…I LOVE YOU 3000, will be one that Marvel fans will use forever.

Avengers: End Game will go down in history as one of the best movies of all time. It brings 11 years’ worth of films to a close. The MCU is far from done, but the Infinity Saga will be one that the Marvel fans will cherish forever. You will watch all of the movies leading up to this with such reverence and new feelings. As I write this, I’m even tearing up thinking about the future of the MCU. We move on without Iron Man/Tony Stark. We move on without the butt kicking Natasha Romanoff. We now have to live in a universe without Steve Rogers as Captain America. Notice I said, Steve Rogers as Captain America. We saw at the end, Steve passing on the shield. The MCU definitely won’t be the same without them. But Marvel has never steered us wrong and has satisfied fans for 11 years. I have a feeling the next 11 years will be just as epic as the last 11 years. Who knows where the next phase of movies will take us, but rest assured the INFINITY SAGA will go down as one of the best 11 years of this Marvel fans life.

Wonder Woman/Captain America Similarities

Superhero movies have become quite the popular pop-culture trend in the last 9 years. Since the release of Iron Man in 2008, both Marvel and DC Comics have been building a Cinematic Universe that is still going strong. Well...one of them at least for now. It's taken DC some time to catch up to their competition, and is yet to be seen, in my opinion. With the start of the DCEU Man of Steel, didn't quite live up to it's potential, followed by a less than received Batman vs Superman, then followed by an even worse film, that of Suicide Squad.
Now I am not here to bash DC whatsoever. Both Marvel and DC have kept the fans intrigued with the fims and so many more are on the way. And both deserve to have great films. The fans want them, they are rooting for their team, but if Marvel has taught us anything, it's they know how to run a tight, smooth operation with their films. For DC, they still haven't quite found their nitch. However, with their latest contribution to the DCEU, it seems as if though they may have created something good with the female led Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman for me, was just an O.K. backstory film, that gives the story of Diana Prince and how she becomes the hero, Wonder Woman. Though she is never actually called that in the movie, so it leaves you wondering...where did she get the name Wonder Woman? There were things in the film, that just reminded me alot of Captain America: The First Avenger. There was the guy named Steve...he fights alongside her. Towards the end of the movie, he manages to get aboard a giant aircraft, that is headed to destroy the world, he takes it and it is destroyed with him in it. Similiar to Captain America, except it's reversed. I will say it didn't carry the darker tone that DC is known for, but still had it's problem points. The film was mostly set in WWI. It is the Captain America of the DCEU. I had a problem with that statement, til I saw the movie and now I understand why. In some ways, I sat there thinking, "wow they ripped this whole story idea from Captain America..." I know it wasn't the same, but reminded me so much of the storyline and some elements used.

I think the reason it did so good at the box office, was because number one, DC fans were hoping for a homerun with this one...I think it may have gotten to at least 2nd base...but not a homerun. Second, there were alot of females that had been waiting for a female led superhero movie and the majority of movie-goers to this particular film, was females. We've had so many male led movies, this was the one they had been waiting for.

Rotten Tomatoes is a site I watch very closely, and many DC fans despise Rotten Tomatoes, however it held onto a high "FRESH" status and still does. I think if DC/Warner Brothers continued with their movies, and kept the same quality as Wonder Woman, they might have a fighting chance. It remains to be seen. And time will tell.

OK that's my take on it! See you at the movies!

The Tangled Web of Our New Spider-Man

Marvel fans were sitting on the edge of their seat last year, when our friendly webbed-hero swung into action in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR! It was a dream come true. Spidey had finally been moved into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was an Avenger in the comics and we finally got to see him take his first steps into the world of the Avengers on screen. After 5 other movies under the Sony umbrella, we were wondering if it would ever happen. 

Funny we had to endure the Toby McGuire films, then the two Andrew Garfield films, which really to me weren't that bad. But now casting has brought us Tom Holland, who did a fantastic job in Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming looks to be just as epic and MARVEL-ous as any of the other films in the MCU. Along for the ride will be our favorite armored hero, Iron Man and the return of Happy Hogan and rumor of Pepper Potts? That's what they say. But with movie rumors flying around all the time, you never really know what to believe or expect.

Now we are hearing that even after all the deals and contracts have been signed and all the years of waiting to get Spidey in the MCU, there are stories out there that after the Homecoming sequel, Spider-Man will be leaving the MCU and Sony will "do" their own universe. WHAT??!! Why work so hard to get him in there, and then contract him out? We were finally gonna see Spider-Man in his rightful place. Alongside the Avengers.

I wish Marvel had enough money, to buy back ALL their characters, so we could have ONE BIG universe. WE will never get to see Hugh Jackman's "Wolverine" with the Avengers, still up in the air about the Fantastic Four and now they wanna take Spidey back? I just don't get it. I guess time will tell what will all eventually happen. But for now, at least we got Spidey and we might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Why do we love superheroes so much? Is is the tights...the capes...the toys...the backstories? I don't guess we will ever really know. All I know for the last 9 years since I have been a Marvel superhero fan, those are the only movies I look forward to and the comics I love to read. But why are they so addicting? How come we have fallen in love with all these different characters...that aren't real, but live in the imagination of our mind and spirit? We may never know the real reason, but I do know that with each hero or villain...inside of us there is that one little trait of our favorite characters that we seem to identify with and almost wish it could be us scaling that mountain, or flying over that horizon or putting the bad guys in their place.

Little boys growing up, always look up to someone. They have that "hero" in their life that makes them want to achieve something greater. They want to grow up to be somebody and make a difference. There has always been "heroes" of some sorts. It goes all the way back to Errol Flynn and Robin Hood, the Three Musketeers and then eventually into the world of "superheroes." That list is too long for this blog. I think back to the WW2 days when Stan Lee created Captain America. I can just imagine every little boy in the world wanting to be Captain America and fight the bad guys and beat up Adolf Hitler and be the hero that everybody looked up to.

There's something about "saving the day." Who doesn't want to do that?! Everybody likes to get the girl, and save the day and be the "hero" and have everybody love them! I think the little kid in us, just longs to be just like our favorite hero. To do what they do...act like they act...live like they live.

I grew up liking Batman, Robin, Superman, The Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, etc etc...it actually was not til 2008 that I even heard of Iron Man believe it or not. I never got into comics when I was little. I read a few, but didn't collect them, and I look back and can say...I HATE IT that I didn't. I missed out on the golden age of comics when heroes were cool...though we are definitely coming into what I call the second golden age of comics. The heroes are cool again! In all my years of pretending to be Batman when I was little, doesn't even compare to all the hype, the dressing up, the cosplay, the toys, the collectibles...nothing compares to now. This is a very cool time to be a comicbook, hero loving, nerd, geek...whatever they call us.

In 2012 when I first saw Iron Man, I was hooked. Watched all of the Marvel Phase 1 movies. One right after the other to prepare for The Avengers. There was something about Tony Stark and Iron Man that captured my attention. It mesmerized me. I was glued to the TV and that still remains one of my favorite movies of all time. Tony's life was changed after being captured by the Ten Rings. He found out his real purpose in life. To help people. He took the tragedy of the cave and turned it into something that would eventually help people. PLUS being a genius, helped him as well. The fact he created his own hero, his own suits, his own legacy....that was something I could identify with. That's what pulled me in. I'm sure we each have our own story of what hero changed us. How we wish we could fly, or bounce bullets off our chest or stand up to a bad guy and say, "NO WAY BUB"

All in all...it's a good time to be a geek. Superheroes will be around for a long time. They're pretty much a way of life. After all, with great power, comes responsibility.

Marvel Marches On...The Guardians Step Up. AGAIN.

OK...it's been awhile since my last post. Several Marvel movies have been released and many, many more are in the making. Thought it was time I catch up a bit.

Marvel never seems to disappoint their fans when it comes to releasing the next chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At least they never disappoint me! The excitement behind every film, gets bigger and bigger with each movie and they only seem to get better and better.

The next one to be released is no different! The second chapter in the Guardians Of The Galaxy franchise is set to be released on May 5th of this year. Volume 2 will be released in select cities as a double feature in RealD and 3D. Marvel fans will have the opportunity to see both films back to back on Thursday May 4th at 4:30pm. This type of screening always gets me excited. When I hear of a Marvel movie marathon, I scour the internet to see if it's showing in my city! I am excited to say, this one is! The last time my city held any kind of Marathon for the Marvel franchise was back in 2012 for the Ultimate Avengers Movie Marathon. This was when all movies in Phase 1 were shown, all in one day leading up to the first Avengers movie. This double feature won't be quite as long, but still worth almost 5 hours of Marvel goodness! 

I always say before going to see a new Marvel movie, I have this plan to go back to the very beginning and watch all the movies up to date to the one in the theater. At current standing, if you were to do just that...it would take you 29 hours and 22 minutes. Starting with Iron Man and watching all the way through to and including Doctor Strange. A daunting task, but if you have the time, the patience and plenty of rest...I say go for it!  A true Marvel fan is die-hard and committed to their movies. (well at least this Marvel fan is!) 

The double feature comes with a pretty neat package! All that Guardians is all well and good, but those who buy tickets will also receive some sweet movie swag. Attendees will get an exclusive poster and a souvenir collectible button set. That Marvel fans is worth it, just for that! Sure you could stay home, watch the first one, then come to the theater, but why miss out on cool movie swag and all the fun?!! 

If nothing else, this double feature should play very smoothly. Vol. 2 takes place just a few months after the events of the first Guardians Of The Galaxy as the former criminals turned protectors are still settling into their new roles. However, events lead some of them to question their new lot in life, while Star-Lord finally learns the truth about his parentage. The film is written and directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and Kurt Russell.

Guardians Of The Galaxy opens on May 5th, 2017. While the double feature screenings are on Thursday May 4th, 2017. (Star Wars Day) And it's Free Comic Book Day Weekend! Make a weekend of it and have fun!

K, that's my take, I will see you at the movies!

Avengers: Age Of Ultron - Marvel's BEST to date.

I'm like a little kid at Christmas when it comes to the anticipation and the arrival of a new Marvel movie. I'm 43 years old and it never ceases to amaze me the excitement level and the energy of a little kid when it comes to these movies! It doesn't seem like 3 years since the last Avengers movie, but alas time has flown by....OK maybe not. It's been a LONG 3 years and the wait has come to an end.

I always prepare myself for a new Marvel movie by number 1: scouring the Internet to find out all about the new movie. Scoops...early reviews...interviews...what's next etc etc. Number 2: I acquire the soundtrack to the movie to get myself ready for the movie. Avengers: Age Of Ultron...of which we call it AOU from here out...the soundtrack is phenomenal! Definitely ramped my excitement and anticipation for the most anticipated movie of the year. Watching the early box office stats, this movie has already broke every record in the book I believe. It's already over $255 million and it opens today (May 1st at this writing). It is expected to rake in over $230 million in the US this weekend! Cannot wait to see the results come Monday morning.

I am calling this Avengers week-weekend...I plan to see the movie everyday this weekend if at all possible. I saw the early screening last night, and I was completely blown away. I am not sure what movie some of the early reviewers saw...but this movie topped every Marvel movie to date. I don't know how they do it. They top every one of their movies! It is unbelievable that Rotten Tomatoes only has AOU at a 76% and the audience rating is a 89%. I think we need to retire some movie critics and bring in a new generation of hip and knowledgeable movie goers to change up the atmosphere and mood in Hollywood. 76%...really?? I read all of the early reviews and have to be honest...I was quite scared and worried about the movie. Me being a complete Marvel geek...I was actually worried. Well...I am not worried anymore. AOU totally blew my mind. Yes, it's a darker movie...yes it's different...hello! Joss Whedon did an incredible job. Marvel and Disney will have a good weekend.

The movie opens with the Avengers doing what the Avengers do best...winning and working together. The wit is still there and it intertwines through the whole movie. You laugh...you gasp...you say YES! This movie definitely has it all. Drama...action...romance...comedy...suspense. Wonderful writing, acting, directing. Awesome. The newcomers were a awesome addition to the MCU. Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor Johnson did a tremendous job. So many of the critics were comparing his Quicksilver to X-Men's DOFP Quicksilver. Get over it...it worked. The dream sequences were well played out. Many of the reviews I read said that they were drawn out and boring. I thought they flowed very well. They were darker in nature, but it helped with the storyline and the plot very well. I was disappointed that Tom Hiddleston's "Loki" did not make the final cut. He was listed on IMDB in the movie as well as confirmed by Idris Elba he filmed a scene with Hiddleston. But, sadly, it was cut. Hopefully a scene we get to see on Bluray.

As long as the movie was..at the end...you were wanting more. I was discouraged at the mid-credits scene..it was Thanos and his Infinity glove, but he had one line. That was it! NO END CREDITS SCENE. THE MOST DISAPPOINTING thing about AOU. It does pave the way for Captain America: Civil War as well as leave it open ended for Avengers: Infinity War. Lots of questions at the end...what happens to Banner...Thor just up and leaves...Hawkeye goes back home to his wife. Hmmmmmmm.

I am interested in how Ant-Man will play into the whole MCU. Why bring him in now. Will he be in Civil War? Avengers: Infinity War? Because after Ant-Man we do not get another MCU til May 6th 2016. That's a LONG wait Marvel fans. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. I will give a more in depth review after the weekend is up. I am still taking it all in and compiling notes and thoughts to write a good, complete review. So, until then...that's my side of it. See you at the movies!

Movie Pass...Pass or Plus?

Over the last few years movie ticket prices have skyrocketed as well as concession prices. You almost have to take out a small loan to go see a movie these days. With tickets ranging everywhere from $10 to $15 a ticket and a small drink and popcorn ranging from $4 to $8 a piece...you figure for say a family of four to go see ONE movie, you need the help of ol' Benjamin himself. A $100 dollar movie trip...YIKES! Can't do that very often. Now for a single person, even still...you're looking at the very least $40 for one trip to the movies. Now I know, I could go into the whole reason why ticket prices have skyrocketed...pirating...downloading illegally...yada...yada...yada...but that's a whole nother article in itself.

There is a relatively new service out there called MoviePass. It allows you to see an unlimited amount of movies every month, for a monthly fee. So with the $10 to $15 ticket price in mind, if you see 2 to 3 movies a month, you have paid for the service. A little help at the theater goes a long way. Without paying for that ticket, you save the money for the concession snacks! Now, with any services there are limitations. MoviePass is no exception. They say unlimited, however, after researching and digging for info, I have found that you can see ONE movie within a 24 hour period. I also discovered that you cannot see the same movie twice. I plan to research and find out more, as I have just joined the service and will see what I like or dislike about it. But let's say you go to see The Avengers: Age Of Ultron one day at noon. You cannot see another movie til noon the next day. You can't catch the early matinee, you have to wait til noon. You cannot see the Avengers again with MoviePass. That would come out of your pocket to see it again. Now...I am unsure of whether or not you could see the Avengers the following month with MoviePass. I still have some digging and findings to do. There is a huge downfall...if you terminate your membership early or in  a what they call trial period...they charge you a $75 early termination fee.

The service is $30 a month and they say that is for "unlimited" movies. Yeah, you could go to the movies everyday I suppose, but there are only a certain amount of movies in a theater, you would run out of movies in 18 days or so or less for some theaters. They send you a MoviePass card with a member number, and you MUST have a smartphone to use the app along with the card.
When you arrive at the theater, you login in the app, you check in on the app, choose your movie, and it adds money to your card. You can ONLY see the movie you check in for when you purchase your ticket. You cannot check in to Paul Blart, and then see The Avengers. Very straight forward. The card only works for you. You cannot buy a ticket for a friend etc...etc...unless they have a MoviePass membership too.

If you are a movie buff and you do enjoy movies, or you may be a reviewer, or movie critic, or whatever, this service is perfect for those individuals. If you see one or two movies a month, this service may not be for you. I have suggested to the people at MoviePass to allow to see the same movie more than once, I think it would be very appealing to an avid movie lover to have that knowing, that you are paying $30 a month and can go see as many movies as you want. We will see what happens. Until next time, that's my side of it, and I will see you at the movies!

Movie Pass