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I'm excited by Justice League, but not by Thor: Ragnarok. The word 'bloated' came up in a description of the MCU franchise in a review last year (or possibly this year, when comparing Wonder Woman with the current crop of superhero movies) and 'bloated' perfectly describes the trailer of Thor: Ragnarok.
Spiderman: Homecoming has good enough reviews that I might actually watch it (sometime), and I will be there to watch Black Panther with BELLS ON. But I might pass Thor: Ragnarok in much the same way that I passed on Thor:When Dark Elves Attack The Dark World. I eventually watched it and enjoyed it, but it wasn't All That. (Then again, I feel like the Thor franchise is one of the weakest ones in the MCU storyline.)
I haven't even looked at the trailer for Stargate: Origins, although if it's Catherine Langford's story, I will almost certainly give a looksee.
Spiderman: Homecoming has good enough reviews that I might actually watch it (sometime), and I will be there to watch Black Panther with BELLS ON. But I might pass Thor: Ragnarok in much the same way that I passed on Thor:
I haven't even looked at the trailer for Stargate: Origins, although if it's Catherine Langford's story, I will almost certainly give a looksee.
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(AND NO BLACK WIDOW MOVIE APPARENTLY EVER?
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They need to develop a female hero who hasn't yet been developed in the MCU (and given that it looks like Captain Marvel is going to be "time-frozen" from the 90s, they need a woman who was born this side of the 80s).
Hope Van Dyne as Wasp might do it, but I heard that she's confined to the Ant-Man line of movies because someone doesn't want to share rights?
Wanda could do it, if they could stop painting her in the victim/perpetratro dichotomy.
And yeah, they cut off a lot of avenues by making all the 'new' superheroes guys, with nary a female-coded one in sight. But I feel like adding to what Natasha has only exacerbates the problem of Only One Good Woman Who Is Also Real And Rounded, Okay That's Enough which we've had for the last five years in the MCU (Wanda joining the roster helped, but her storyline in CW didn't).
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HA HA HA HA //cries
Hope Van Dyne as Wasp might do it, but I heard that she's confined to the Ant-Man line of movies because someone doesn't want to share rights?
Oh JFC, probably. On the other hand, supposedly Michelle Pfeiffer is going to be Jan, and she is RIGHT in that timeline (fifty-nine!) and if it's a movie about Hope rescuing Jan, I will be there with fucking bells on. Especially if Jan then joins the Avengers (probably not, but....fanfic?). I do like Hope. Paul Rudd's Ant-Man turned me right off, though.
Wanda could do it, if they could stop painting her in the victim/perpetratro dichotomy.
Oh my God, I can't even deal with MCU Wanda. She was cast wrong and written wrong and just....is so wrong. Comics Wanda basically got ruined (altho I liked her new recent series, even if it was by a dude) and MCU Wanda is pretty much an overpowered battle prop/pretty little innocent girl. Nothankyou.
And yeah, they cut off a lot of avenues by making all the 'new' superheroes guys, with nary a female-coded one in sight.
That's a really good point, especially since there have been new female superheroes in the comics for years now. And a lot of them are even associated WITH Spiderman (or Spiderman even is Miles! I like Miles). It's that old Four Guys and One Chick cliche (which the new Thor movie neatly falls into, judging from the trailer: Thor, Loki, Bruce/Hulk, and Valkyrie). It's 2017! Can't there be more than one woman? What are they afraid of, that we'll asexually reproduce or something?
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They are TERRIFIED that women are taking over. And I think the irony is that it's because such assholes know how they've treated women all these years, and they think that women would treat them the same if they had the power (which, chances are, yes we would, because: human). And yet all we're asking for is simple representation - the chance to dream that we might be people...
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....okay Cate Blanchette as Queen of Hell looks pretty awesome. But she'll probably just get defeated in the end. And the Valkyries look neat. But no Jane, Sif, or Warriors Three? Boo. Also, I think I am the one person in the world who detests MCU Loki. MCU Thor is OK, and I like the take in comics where he gets turned into a frog, but Loki is close to my heart and I don't like the way they write him or how Hiddles plays him. I actually like the first two Thor movies -- they're gorgeous, I wish I'd seen them in the theatre -- the first one is predictable but moving, and the second one is fun even if Jane gets turned into a sexy darkmatter lamp and why the HELL did they bury Eccleston in all that makeup. I certainly enjoyed them more than AoU or Civil War. But this just looks....goofy.
We saw the Valerian trailer after that and pretty much the same consensus: movie looks very pretty, also like the dialogue and acting's gonna suck, you should see it on the big screen if you're going to see it, but turn your brain off. I kinda hate watching movies like that because it buys into the idea they're just mindless spectacle. I might see Valerian because apparently Luc Besson bet his fucking entire indie production company on it, the dumb sweet auteur. Consensus was "At least that looks better than the Thor movie." Oh dear.
The scuttlebutt I heard is that they did JL reshoots to include more Diana after WW took off which is FINE BY ME. Also, Batman's superpower being his wealth is very amusing. Also also, wet Jason Momoa.
BLACK PANTHER BLACK PANTHER BLACK PANTHER ahem. BLACK PAAAAAAAANTHER CANNOT WAIT CANNOT FUCKING WAIT
....altho I heard the Captain Marvel movie is going to be set in the 90s and she'll be fighting Skrulls. Wha? Why? Where's my tough as boots alcoholic Colonel who's overcome the demons in her life and has cosmic adventures and is Jessica's Best Bitch Forever and inspired me even when I was a kid and her costume was a glorified Sports Illustrated swimsuit?
Fortunately I think they're leaving that rape-and-baby storyline the fuck alone. They better leave it alone for Sharon too. Man, there were a lot of rape-and-lost-baby storylines in Marvel.
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Actually, I've just realised what's bugging me about the Battleworld thing. IT'S BASICALLY CIVIL WAR: THE MISSING ONES. Line up the missing two Avengers, set them against each other forthelolz, and then go find some plot (very very small plot).
I have to say Cate Blanchett looks like she's going to choke on all that scenery she's chewing in the trailer, I mean, it looks like it's going to be damned impressive scenery (Cate Blanchett does Large Ham with beautiful presence; I think she actually likes playing the dramatically evil bitch - see Indiana Jones And The Movie They Really Didn't Need To Make But Shia La Boeuf Was Famous At The Time).
Honestly, I'd have looked forward to Hel And Loki Take Over Asgard And Their Hordes Of Darkness Are Fought By A Small But Spunky Group Including Thor, Sif, Heimdall, The Warriors Three, Two Astrophysicists, One Former Deputy Director Of SHIELD, And Darcy Lewis (Since We Can't Seem To Be Rid Of Her And The American Twentysomething Women Like Having Their Self-Insert).
*sigh*
Waitwhat? Captain Marvel in the 90s? Wuhbuhguh WHY? I mean, the plus side is that by this time - the 00s, she'll be a fiftysomething woman with a will of steel, on the minus side is WHY AREN'T THEY WRITING THE STORY ABOUT THE FIFTYSOMETHING WOMAN WHO'S COME THROUGH THE SHIT AND MADE IT OUT THE OTHER SIDE? Yes, I know, fiftysomething women aren't sexy to teenaged boys and adolescently-minded men blah blah blah blah. But then you have Iron Man and the Avengers and Captain America happening and...she doesn't turn up for any of it? Because...she's married and having babies and fiftysomething women with superpowers don't go out and fight they stay home and keep house? IDEK but it makes NO SENSE.
Valerian is the new Luc Besson, right? I read an article that talked about The Fifth Element and how it was a great piece of sci-fi over the weekend, and never really thought about it that way before...
BLACK PANTHER BLACK PANTHER BLACK PANTHER
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Oh, that's a very good description, yeah. The humour especially. It just felt....dumb. I mean there are people who call these movies big dumb summer funfests, but I don't enjoy that kind of movie and I think the MCU's risen above the genre quite a few times.
Then again, Thor has an element of 'adolescent boy' to him - very much in the first Thor movie, although much less in Thor:TDW. This may actually be why I liked Thor:TDW a lot more than the original Thor movie.
I wanted older battle-weary yet resilient Thor! Facing the ultimate betrayal with Loki having KILLED both mum and dad, or is the movie just expecting us to forget that part? WTF? And I know she's not a fan favourite but I just don't like Thor without Jane. I loved their dynamic in the first movie, I loved how she was a nerd with dirty dishes in her cupboards, all that. I'm not interested in Thor and Hulk trading bro jokes. If Thor does that it should be with his three buddies.
Actually, I've just realised what's bugging me about the Battleworld thing. IT'S BASICALLY CIVIL WAR: THE MISSING ONES.
Did you see those "what they were doing while CW was going on" joke trailers? It looks a LOT like that, except with more special effects! This movie also looks a lot like GotG2, and I don't know if it looks like Dr Strange, but I'm not loving the New Cosmic MCU CGI. The first Guardians was gorgeous, but I hated the second one.
it looks like it's going to be damned impressive scenery (Cate Blanchett does Large Ham with beautiful presence; I think she actually likes playing the dramatically evil bitch
I AM HERE FOR THAT
Honestly, I'd have looked forward to Hel And Loki Take Over Asgard And Their Hordes Of Darkness Are Fought By A Small But Spunky Group Including Thor, Sif, Heimdall, The Warriors Three, Two Astrophysicists, One Former Deputy Director Of SHIELD, And Darcy Lewis (Since We Can't Seem To Be Rid Of Her And The American Twentysomething Women Like Having Their Self-Insert).
//cries
//really cries
Waitwhat? Captain Marvel in the 90s?
YUP
FEIGE ANNOUNCED IT WITH GREAT FANFARE
Wuhbuhguh WHY?
FEIGE WANTED IT
I never ever forgot that story the writers of the Cap movies told when they were working on the third CAP MOVIE and he walked in, said "Civil War," and walked out. What he wants in MCU, he gets.
I mean, the plus side is that by this time - the 00s, she'll be a fiftysomething woman with a will of steel
Iiiiii don't think so, she's still gonna be Brie Larson so she will be wispy and cute in the future movies.
on the minus side is WHY AREN'T THEY WRITING THE STORY ABOUT THE FIFTYSOMETHING WOMAN WHO'S COME THROUGH THE SHIT AND MADE IT OUT THE OTHER SIDE?
I KNOW, RIGHT
she doesn't turn up for any of it? Because...she's married and having babies and fiftysomething women with superpowers don't go out and fight they stay home and keep house? IDEK but it makes NO SENSE.
I think they're going to have her out in space. Possibly not aging. I'm not sure that's confirmed, but it would make sense casting such a YOUNG actress so far back in the timeline.
Valerian is the new Luc Besson, right? I read an article that talked about The Fifth Element and how it was a great piece of sci-fi over the weekend, and never really thought about it that way before...
Yeah, and I adore Fifth Element (except for the soupy "I don't know how to love" bit at the end, altho T likes it, heh) and I liked Lucy even so I want him to be able to go on directing movies! And not tank his own production company! But....those actors....look so bad. The script sounds so bad. And the through line is going to be yet another battle, Even More Shit Blows Up Pretty In Space, and I'm just so tired of the CGI-driven stories. I like stories with people in.
BLACK PANTHER BLACK PANTHER BLACK PANTHER
SPEAKING OF STORIES WITH PEOPLE IN EVERY SINGLE FUCKING THING ABOUT THAT LOOKS AMAZING
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UGH. DIAF Feige!
And the through line is going to be yet another battle, Even More Shit Blows Up Pretty In Space, and I'm just so tired of the CGI-driven stories. I like stories with people in.
Stories with people in - honestly, we went through this in the 00s with the SW prequels: they got all hung up on LOOK! LOOK AT THE CGI! And forgot that the things that made the original SW movies great was that it was a story about people fighting for a cause they believed in and struggling with who they were and who they wanted to be. That's the core of human stories.
Hell, Yoda said it best: War Not Make One Great. That applies to movies as well as people...
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FUCKING SERIOUSLY
I'M GOING TO MAKE A POPPET AND STICK PINS IN IT
Stories with people in - honestly, we went through this in the 00s with the SW prequels: they got all hung up on LOOK! LOOK AT THE CGI! And forgot that the things that made the original SW movies great was that it was a story about people fighting for a cause they believed in and struggling with who they were and who they wanted to be. That's the core of human stories.
Oh Jesus, did they ever. And then Lucas went back and smeared CGI all over the original trilogy too, altho at least he couldn't cut all the characterization out of it. Same thing with James Cameron and Avatar. Titanic was kinda soppy and predictable, but it also had all those human dramas playing out and that's a big part of why it keeps being retold, IMHO, viewers are fascinated by the people in those dire cirumstances.
Hell, Yoda said it best: War Not Make One Great. That applies to movies as well as people...
Scifi just does SO MUCH MORE than just war, but it seems like the mainstream scifi cinema is either all about wars or mano a mano manly fights. (And then Civil War was both. LOL.) That was another part of what I really liked about GotG -- there was Thanos, yeah, but the focus was on saving Nova Prime and the people there and on the connections the crew managed to forge with each other. And the fights had real emotional punch to them. So to speak.
(I have to say I am less than apathetic about Thanos being the centerpiece of these last two big movies in the sequence. He strikes me as a terrible fanboy creation -- an ALL-POWERFUL PURPLE GUY, whose love is DEATH!!! -- and I cannot stand the way he looks. He reminds me of claymation made out of used Hubba Bubble grape chewing gum.)
I am also a sucker for extremely different people all flung together as a crew and they have to make it work and in the end they'd wind up dying for each other but they still fight all the time. I think a big reason why I loved GotG was it reminded me of my beloved Farscape. Before it went off the rails with the pregnancy crap, sigh.
That reminds me, I was meaning to type up my impressions of the latest Dark Matter, which is a bit like Farscape. But more diverse, typically, which is nice.
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You've reminded me that I have at least one friend I should contact about going to see the WW movie (she always sees them late, and we usually go to the superhero ones together). If she hasn't already...
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Plus, though, that may only matter to me, they're the only comedy-centric films in the Avengers-verse (I know technically Guardians of the Galaxy is connected to it, but for all intents and purposes they don't count).
Of course, their diversity isn't the best, though this one at least has Tessa Thompson, and the plot, like you say, isn't exactly the rocket science Jane practices...
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Thor felt like it was either too much movie or not enough - there didn't feel like there was room for both the casting out and the redeeming back. He didn't earn his redemption - sacrificing his life for Jane didn't quite seem sufficient to be worthy again.
I would have preferred to meet Thor in the middle of his time as "Dr. Donald Blake", fighting wars against medical science that he knows can be beaten (in Asgard) but which he can't win (on Earth) while flashing back to what he did to get cast out of Asgard. And then he meets an astrophysicist and her enthusiasm for the universe, and starts sparking that enthusiasm because it brings back a bit of the joy he had as a princely godling, before his sins come back to haunt him in Loki - brother and goad and ally and enemy.
And yeah, that doesn't leave time for 'comedy', per se, but the kind of comedy that I appreciate in the GotG movies is the situational/commentary comedy: Peter Quill: "Oh, like that would ever happen!" [next scene, that thing is so totally happening] Rocket: "STOP SAYING IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN!" And there's always time for that in movies. One line here and there does beautifully when correctly set up.
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I would have preferred to meet Thor in the middle of his time as "Dr. Donald Blake", fighting wars against medical science that he knows can be beaten (in Asgard) but which he can't win (on Earth) while flashing back to what he did to get cast out of Asgard. And then he meets an astrophysicist and her enthusiasm for the universe, and starts sparking that enthusiasm because it brings back a bit of the joy he had as a princely godling, before his sins come back to haunt him in Loki - brother and goad and ally and enemy.
STOP BREAKING MY HEART, MAN
That sounds a lot more like the comics, too, from what I know of them -- he does spend time as a doctor altho he meets Jane as a nurse (LOL), and I love those kinds of stories where someone's undercover in a "normal" life but happy there too and then their old life comes up and wham. -- Selvig also really needs some Loki closure, I am just saying.
the kind of comedy that I appreciate in the GotG movies is the situational/commentary comedy: Peter Quill: "Oh, like that would ever happen!" [next scene, that thing is so totally happening] Rocket: "STOP SAYING IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN!" And there's always time for that in movies. One line here and there does beautifully when correctly set up.
The comedy in GotG was awesome for me because it was so rooted in the characters -- Yondu bragging about not letting his crew eat Peter, how Groot helpfully goes and gets the battery out of the guard tower, Peter trying to be slick when he first meets Gamora and how she totally kicks his ass, Rocket being a jerk (if you listen you can hear him crack up on "And I need that guy's leg"), and more and better examples I can't think of right now. (Must take pills.) The lulzy dialogue in the Thor trailer could have been between any two guys, really. -- And I think that and the delayed-effect kind of punchline you're talking about both depend on really good writing, and....and. sigh.
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I love those kinds of stories where someone's undercover in a "normal" life but happy there too and then their old life comes up and wham.
I never thought about it like that, but ohboy YES. (Possibly one of the reasons I rather liked the Jason Bourne trilogy, even if they fridged Marie in the 2nd movie
and fridged Nicky in the 4th movie WHICH NEVER HAPPENED augh why.)Oh, yes, in-character humour, juxtaposition, 'brick-dropping', and situational hilarity - those are my jam when we're talking things that will make me laugh. But it's all in the setup - the 'cleverness' if you will.
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Tessa Thompson leading the valkyrie charge did look really neat. But also like the opening of WW, only I doubt it'll last that long or be that important to the movie, sadly.
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I'm on the fence about the new crop of MCUness. Mostly because they screwed up some of my favorite franchises and I've never been that into Thor. I'll wait until I see.
I can't see the Netflix shows at this point (not in budget), so more new shows that don't go on Hulu just means I'm falling more and more behind on all the canon.
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