Film: The Avengers - Age of Ultron (2015)

This past weekend marked the theatrical opening of The Avengers: The Age of Ultron, the second live-action installment in the Marvel super-team and the eleventh overall film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Given all that, if you expect this one-hundred and forty-one minute installment to be jam-packed, you are right on the money! Come on - just look at that movie poster to the left! This is one big blockbuster.

Film: The Avengers (2012)

Last night, the family went out to see The Avengers at the local movie complex. Even a week after the American debut, the theatre was packed. They actually had to ask people to shift over seats before the film started. That's a good thing.

The Avengers, of course, was the culimination of a number of Marvel movie franchises and featured an all-star cast. We got Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (the Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (the Black Widow) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) as the heroes. Tom Hiddleston returned to play the villain of the piece (Loki), and we had a health dose of S.H.I.E.L.D. as well (Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Nick Fury, Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Colson, and Cobie Smulders as Agent Marie Hill).

And, of course, we have the screenplay and direction done by none other than the legendary Joss Whedon, the ultimate in fan-favorites.

Did I love it? Read on (warning - there will be Spoilers)...

Film Review: Thor (2011)

We just got back from seeing Thor in the theatres. And, for those concerned, this will be a spoiler-free review (I don't like ruining films for others).

Let me preface by saying that I never was a huge fan of Thor comics. Yes, I am very familiar with the character, his origin, his supporting cast, villains, etc. I got a lot of this from the cartoons in the 60's (taken directly from the comics - remember those Marvel 'toons? Classic.). I also got a lot from Thor's appearances in Avengers which I did love - I always felt he made for an interesting team member.

So, going into this movie I was not going to be a stickler on continuity. Granted, for super-hero movies I never am. I always feel these films need to stand on their own - that they take place in an alternate universe. That way they live and die on their own merits.

Given all that, I must say I enjoyed Thor quite a bit. I was impressed with the acting, the special effects, the plot. It all worked together to tell a good story - amid the backdrop of the bigger shared film continuity that the recent Marvel films have been doing. All the elements of the comics I would have expected were there - Thor's coming to Earth, Asgard, Odin, Loki, his allies, Jane Foster. They managed to fit all of this in, give a solid origin, tell a good story and do it all without getting boring or feeling rushed. I never once looked at my watch. I was thoroughly entertained!

Now, my only suggestion - if you want to save a little green, forgo the 3D. While the 3D doesn't hurt the film, I don't think it needed it. If I had the choice (which I didn't really - outvoted 1 to 2 in our household) I would have gone to see the 2D version and would have been perfectly satisfied.

Oh, and stay through the credits for the "final scene". It is small but revealing.

I definitely give this one a big "thumbs up" and recommend you see it on the big screen if you can. An action film like this one warrants seeing in the theatres.