Recollection Reflection Review: 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'

Sorry for the delay, but I had computer troubles that prevented me from completing this review any earlier. Anyways, Avengers: Infinity War is only a few days away, so it only seems right that I'd take a look back at Age of Ultron.

For those confused, this review format enables me to essentially re-review a film and share my updated thoughts. I try to write them sparingly so you may have never read one before, but I have quite a few of them planned in the coming months. Anyways, the idea is that I share my Recollection (initial review), my Reflection (more on what my opinion used to be and how it's changed), and then my Review (a standard review for the film). I enjoy writing these types of reviews because I think they demonstrate how much I've grown as a writer and it's always fun to revisit films that I may have changed my tune on. Lastly, just be aware I may casually discuss spoiler-related topics from time-to-time since the film's almost been out for three years at this point. With the spoiler warning out of the way, let's dig in!

'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Review

Recollection- Avengers: Age Of Ultron Review

Reflection- Avengers: Age of Ultron is a curious MCU entry for me. At the time of its release, I was absolutely engrossed with it and even declared it to be my favorite Marvel film. However, I find myself torn between loving it and passively enjoying it with each rewatch. There aren't many things that I legitimately "hate" about Age of Ultron, but I like it a little less each time I sit down to watch it. I think there are a lot of reasons behind this, but I'll dive into those in a second. At the time of release, I could hardly contain my excitement for this film as the trailers has already won me over and I simply couldn't wait for the sequel to one of my favorite superhero movies. It felt like a cinematic blockbuster event just like the first. However, the film failed to outgross the original and didn't receive as splendid of a critical reception. It even managed to divide many MCU fans. Not nearly to the degree that Star Wars: The Last Jedi did, but it was divisive nonetheless. It was actually a very similar reaction to the one Iron Man 3 received two years prior and I find it funny that I had the opposite experience with that film, as I appreciate it more and more with each viewing.

Review- At the onset of Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Avengers are a fully-functioning team mopping up the remnants of Hydra. After an assault on Hydra's elusive base of operations bodes well, the team retrieve Loki's scepter. Upon analysis, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner discover the scepter's gem could be the key to creating an artificial intelligence capable of operating a global peacekeeping initiative. The two scientists work to reconfigure the matrix, but their experiment soon goes awry when the Ultron A.I. becomes self-aware and plots to destroy the planet. Earth's Mightiest Heroes are then tasked with reassembling in hopes of preventing the maniacal Ultron from enacting his evil scheme.

After knocking the ball out of the park with The Avengers, Joss Whedon returned to write and direct Avengers: Age of Ultron with the end goal of making a worthy superhero sequel. However, as I alluded to earlier, the sequel wasn't as warmly received as its predecessor. While it was by no means a failure (earning over a billion dollars in box office receipts and debuting to favorable reviews), it didn't quite reach the heights of the first film. Whedon himself has spoken out on numerous occasions to say that the project was a stressful undertaking and cite creative differences as a source of the film's lukewarm reception. Upon further analysis, I believe the film was overcrowded, plain-and-simple.

It's actually not that difficult to tell what plot-points were studio-mandated and which ideas stemmed from Whedon when you examine Age of Ultron in relation to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's crystal clear that Whedon was asked to lay groundwork for Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and, of course, Avengers: Infinity War. Some of this set-up comes naturally within Whedon's narrative, but occasionally these plot elements feel like side-quests. Thor takes a bath to showcase Chris Hemsworth's abs and provide Thor with the necessary knowledge to educate his fellow Avengers about the Infinity Stones. Meanwhile, Whedon appeared to be much more interested with fleshing out these heroes and their team dynamic. In short, the burden of paving the way for future MCU entries proved detrimental to the film as a whole due to the sequel's imbalance of plot points. 

Putting that aside, there's an immense ensemble Whedon had to work with, and introducing four important new characters didn't do the man any favors. It's a daunting task to balance all those characters in a way that everyone can contribute to the story at hand, so the results were mixed to say the least. While characters like Hawkeye and Hulk finally get their due after noticeable absences from Marvel's preceding Phase 2 films, Captain America and Thor essentially become background players in comparison. This isn't to say they don't have a role in the Avengers' second outing, but neither character has a substantial arc in the context of this film itself. The outcomes contribute more to their overarching development than their growth throughout this film. Whedon just had a lot on his plate, and sadly, it shows.

While some elements in Age of Ultron may be a bit problematic, there's certainly grace in Whedon's failures. I find it hard to fault the guy for what happened because it's challenging to capture lightning in a bottle a second time, even if you happen to have the God of Thunder at your disposal. Regardless, there are many things I greatly appreciate every time I watch Age of Ultron. The team dynamic continues to delight, the action sequences are entertaining, and there are plenty of fascinating concepts which Whedon toys around with. It's just a shame not all met their full potential. 

Age of Ultron is a prime example of a Hollywood product plagued with "sequelitis." There was clearly an effort to make the sequel bigger and better than the first wherever possible. While that idea in-of-itself isn't harmful, great ambition doesn't always pan out when all is said-and-done. What audiences are then left with is a blockbuster that prioritized spectacle over story. Again, this isn't necessarily a "bad" thing... However, it has only made it easier for me to look beneath the visual noise and notice underlying issues with each successive viewing. Maybe Age of Ultron was initially my favorite MCU film because of the "newness" of it. Perhaps, it was because my anticipation shot through the roof. Whatever the case may be, I've reevaluated it all and none of it really holds up quite as well as The Avengers has.

The action delivers in regards to entertainment value, but is almost instantly forgettable. There aren't many stand-out moments because it feels like every moment of action is meant to be a stand-out moment. Instead, it's digested as empty spectacle because it doesn't feel as rewarding to see these characters fight together when the whole film's been littered with that. The visual effects are also inconsistent as a vast majority of the action beats were clearly computer-generated. If you disagree, I understand where they're coming from because I once thought as you did. I'm not trying to convince you that you're wrong. I'm just elaborating as to why Age of Ultron hasn't held up for me as much as I'd have liked it to. Anyways, at this point you're probably sick of reading my gripes, so let's dive into my positives.

Across the board, the ensemble brought their A-game. There's not a weak link to be found in terms of performances as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner each offer ideal embodiments of their characters and spout Whedon's quippy one-liners to great effect. Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, and Anthony Mackie also appear in varying capacities to the delight of many Marvel fans.

Meanwhile, MCU newcomers Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen proved to be great additions as the super-powered twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch respectively. Unfortunately, Taylor-Johnson's time is short lived due to Quicksilver's sacrifice, but it serves as a meaningful contribution to the story and his sister's arc.

Then, Paul Bettany finally physically manifests as the Vision after having served as the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. for five films. The android falls somewhere in-between the extremes of a well-intentioned robot and an enigmatic risk for the team, but Bettany plays the part well and bestows a great deal of depth in a short amount of time.

Last, but certainly not least is James Spader in the role of the rampant robot Ultron. Spader's voice and motion-capture performances lend themselves well to the psychotic, yet somewhat sarcastic bot and I find Ultron's sadistic sense of humor to be a highlight of his personality becasue it stems from his creator. My main issue with Ultron isn't so much with his depiction as it is his rushed development. After a minute long montage, Ultron's created and he upgrades himself so often that the upgrades don't really feel like subtle progressions of his pre-existing design. Each upgrade is a drastic change from the last so the evolution of his aesthetic doesn't quite feel natural. 

All in all, Avengers: Age of Ultron is an entertaining, albeit overstuffed superhero affair that also serves as a sufficient sequel to a landmark crossover. However, it has failed to stand out as a unique entry in the ever-expanding genre of comic-book movies so its reputation wears thinner with successive viewings as a result. 

Film Assessment: B-

'X-Men: Apocalypse' Review

Wednesday evening I attended an early screening of X-Men: Apocalypse and I'm just now publishing my review for a few reasons: first off, it will likely get the most attention today, secondly yesterday I was focused on a barrage of reviews for Alice in Wonderland, X-Men: First Class, and X-Men Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut, and last but not least I had more time to reflect on the film to give a fairer review. Anyways, I've been looking forward to this film ever since watching the post credits scene of X-Men: Days of Future Past and so I've had about two years for my anticipation to build. Naturally this would mean my expectations were pretty high. Keep that in mind as you're reading my review because if you have tempered expectations this movie will probably be awesome in your eyes. 

'X-Men: Apocalypse' Review

When the early screening of X-Men: Apocalypse I attended Wednesday night ended, I found myself a bit underwhelmed. Therefore, I think it was for the best that I waited to review this film and let my opinion of it settle in. By no means is X-Men: Apocalypse a "bad movie", rather along the lines of underwhelming. X-Men: Apocalypse just wasn't able to measure up to it's predecessors in the young X-Men Trilogy (I'm not sure if there's an actual name for these or not but I'm referring to X-Men: First Class and X-Men Days of Future Past). 

Bryan Singer returns to helm his sequel to Days of Future Past, the first time he's directed two consecutive X-Men flicks since X-Men and X2, and X-Men: Apocalypse picks up a decade after Days of Future Past allowing Singer to tackle the 80's, something reflected in the believable hair, costume, and production design. 

There's actually a brief Star Wars reference where the characters discuss trilogies and Singer effectively takes a jab at X-Men: The Last Stand. Too bad the joke held true for this installment in comparison to First Class and Days of Future Past. It's a hilarious moment that Star Wars fans will definitely appreciate that takes full advantage of the 80's setting. 

Singer sizes down the scale of the film as there's no time travel elements to be found, but the stakes have never been higher for the X-Men as global destruction is certainly possible thanks to Apocalypse. The screenplay penned by Simon Kinberg finds itself muddled as there are just too many characters and storylines to properly service. The film tasked itself with not only continuing the saga of a younger Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Quicksilver, and Beast, but also introducing a new baddie in Apocalypse, his subservient horseman, and younger versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler. I can confidently say that Kinberg pulls most of it off. 

I say "most" as I found the creative team did a wonderful job depicting Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler and even continuing the ongoing arc from all the way back to First Class, but failed to give many of the characters the time and attention they deserved. For example, two of Apocalypse's horseman had no more than five lines of dialogue, with Storm having scarcely more than that to say. 

The Horsemen were basically around to give the X-Men someone to fight other than just Apocalypse and as fan service, not to say I didn't find the horseman cool just that some were underused. The makeup, costuming, and visual effects have never been better in the X-Men films as is to be expected with today's marvelous technology and modern filmmaking. However, there were a few spots here and there were some of the CGI looked a little fake. 

The film doesn't disappoint with it's action though, as there's one sequence featuring Magneto that's just heart wrenching, two showstopper sequences from Quicksilver that actually managed to top his incredible sequence in Days of Future Past, the action packed third act finale, and of course a cameo appearance from a fan favorite mutant in a gruesome sequence that will probably make any comic book fan a little giddy. If you've seen the final trailer you probably know who I'm referring to. 

So you're probably wondering if there's more to the movie than just spectacle to which I'll say there's a terrific cast amassed, whoever cast the new young mutants deserves a pat on the back. James McAvoy's back as a more seasoned Charles Xavier that I feel can finally adopt the monicker Professor X. 

Michael Fassbender gets a fresh arc for Magneto where he gets to really show off his dramatic acting chops and emotional gravitas that ties up his character arc in a satisfying manner (I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back in a future X-Men film though). 

Jennifer Lawrence's performance is quite bland as Mystique. It's difficult to tell if she really wants to be a part of this franchise anymore given her voiced complaints about Mystique's makeup and the franchise in general but it seems like she mailed this performance in due to contractual obligations. She's only in the Mystique guise when she's forced to be and just serves as an inspiration to the other mutants. Lawrence isn't terrible but her performance is certainly lacking compared to her previous turns as Mystique. 

Nicholas Hoult sadly is given very little to do as Hank McCoy, but if you want to get the most out of his performance I'd recommend watching both X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut. He gets some awesome fight scenes as Beast in the third act and I can't praise the makeup work for his look as Beast enough. 

Evan Peters' Quicksilver is given significantly more to do as a result of the positive response to his turn in Days of Future Past. Quicksilver has a more emotional arc once he learns of his parentage, but that doesn't stop the speedster from having fun along the way. 

Newcomers, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, and Kodi Smit-McPhee are all delightful as Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler. I particularly took a shine to Smit-McPhee's Nightcrawler and he's definitely my favorite character in this franchise after seeing him steal just about every scene he's apart of. 

The film also brings back Rose Byrne's Moira Mactaggert and Alex Till's Havok from First Class who I don't feel were vital to the film's story but had some great moments nonetheless. 

Oscar Isaac gets to go full baddie as Apocalypse, and I've got to say he was terrifying so I was satisfied with his portrayal. One little nitpick regarding Apocalypse was that his motive wasn't convincing and Apocalypse was evil for the sake of being evil and wanting power, etc. 

Under Apocalypse's control we find the four horseman, Magneto, Storm, Archangel, and Psylocke. Alexandra Shipp is serviceable as Storm but I don't think she's the definitive version like Turner's Jean Grey, Sheridan's Cyclops, and McPhee's Nightcrawler. Storm was cool in the action sequences she partook in but she didn't get enough development in my opinion. It's not like Berry's Storm was that developed either though. Ben Hardy's Angel/Archangel and Olivia Munn's Psylocke have virtually nothing to do as they're purely around for spectacle in the third act finale. 

When it comes down to it, there's enjoyment to be had and the film is fairly good. but just didn't meet my expectations. I can say that it excites me to think of the possibility of a 90's followup featuring the same cast but it's a shame that X-Men: Apocalypse just ultimately serves to setup that potential sequel rather than stand on it's own. Longtime fans of the X-Men movies should have a good time as it's shameless entertainment, but just be aware that the film ultimately feels like hollow spectacle and is missing the heart and care given to First Class and Days of Future Past.

Film Assessment: C+

Alternate Cut Review: 'X-Men Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut'

Today, I'm introducing a new type of review called an Alternate Cut Review. The name is simple and pretty self-explanatory but the premise behind it is that I will review the director's cut of a film (Not always called the director's cut but that's basically what these are). The format for the reviews will be similar to my triple-R reviews where I include a link to my initial review, which will likely be the theatrical cut, and then write a review of the alternate cut of the film and even compare them to a degree. I figured this would be appropriate time to start with X-Men: Apocalypse releasing this weekend. I was originally going to do a Triple-R review over X-Men: Days of Future Past but decided that this would be more interesting. For one, it gave me a chance to finally sit down and watch The Rogue Cut, something I'd been meaning to do and it also is a new review format I hope to continue. Also my Triple-R reviews are intended for me to re-review films that I don't feel I did justice to in my older reviews as it's clear that my reviews have gotten much more analytical and more involved in comparison to when I began the blog. I've decided not to completely re-review these movies entirely by just scrapping the old review. I feel that leaving them on my blog shows the progress I've made and I don't want to delete my work since I'm still proud of them regardless. My next planned Alternate Cut Review will likely be Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's Ultimate Edition when it's released on Blu-Ray. This will be a great opportunity to revisit it sooner as my opinion of it has slightly diminished and I feel that the score I gave it was a tad too high based on the preemptive excitement after seeing it for the first time. 

'X-Men Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut' Review

Nominated for: Best Visual Effects.

Theatrical Cut Review- X-Men: Days of Future Past Review

"The Rogue Cut" Review- X-Men: Days of Future Past marks Bryan Singer's return to the franchise, his last installment being X2 and effectively wiping out what can widely be regarded as everyone's least favorite X-Men films, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, from the X-Men timeline. 

Singer brought it upon himself to not only adapt a beloved comic arc but also unite the cast from his X-Men Trilogy (He didn't make the third but you know what I mean) and X-Men: First Class through the means of time travel. Time travel, when ill-used, can be confusing but Simon Kinberg's screenplay clears up all confusion thanks to limiting the time travel capabilities and some proper explanation through clever expository dialogue. The time travel also provides some meaningful opportunities for some really awesome paralleled editing between the future and past timelines that is amplified a bit in The Rogue Cut, a very welcome change. 

The Rogue Cut doesn't change the story so much as add to it in some meaningful ways. The most significant change is the addition of Rogue in the future portion of the film, an addition I prefer as it provides more plot in the future timeline rather than just waiting around for Logan to change the timeline and the Sentinels to arrive. This allows for a rescue that provides a more meaningful death to a certain character than his end in the theatrical cut and a chance for McKellen's Magneto to shine some more with an awesome sequence cutting between him and Fassbender's Magneto in the past that's appropriately intense and carries plenty of dramatic gravitas. 

There's also a subplot picked up from X-Men: First Class focusing on the relationship between Mystique and Beast that remained untouched and practically ignored in the theatrical cut that really amplifies Mystique's character arc, providing further explanation to her actions. Other than that, the changes from the theatrical release seem fairly minuscule with a few scenes roped in and slight differentiations in dialogue and some cases where and when the said dialogue is delivered. To be fair, I haven't watched the theatrical version in about two years, but still feel confident I was able to derive where The Rogue Cut diverged. 

As for the film itself, Singer's direction is subtle yet brilliant. Singer manages to effectively craft multiple environments for multiple points in time and stay true to all of them based on what's presented. Singer takes the screenplay and runs through events smoothly with engaging action visual effects spectacle, some nicely choreographed fight scenes, and integral character drama. The franchise's visual aesthetic is seemingly at it's peak with this installment where the costuming, visual effects, production design, and cinematography are top notch. In particular, I felt the collaboration of makeup, costuming, and visual effects make all the mutants look remarkable, especially Mystique and Beast. 

In regards to action, the film delivers with a number of entertaining action sequences including the fights against the Sentinels in the bleak dystopian future, any fight scene with Mystique where she utilizes tactile efficiency disposing of her enemies, and the third act finale where Magneto lifts an entire ball park stadium and drops it on the White House Lawn controlling the 70's sentinels amidst the chaos, talk about spectacle! The standout sequence that will be revered for many years to come though is without a doubt the Quicksilver sequence. 

Watching him speed about mischievously to "Time in a Bottle" with all the surrounding action in slow motion was just glorious! 

What elevates X-Men: Days of Future Past above most superhero fare (Not all, just a majority) is it's deluxe treatment for it's main characters and the excellent performances amassed by combining two casts into one full length epic crossover of sorts. 

Hugh Jackman rightfully earns top billing for his turn as Wolverine, at this point it's nearly impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. Jackman gets to be a bit more levelheaded than seen previously as he has to be the voice of reason to convince the 70's mutants that their future is in peril. 

James McAvoy gets a more interesting arc as a disillusioned Charles Xavier this time around. Micheal Fassbender is much more villainous and unpredictable with even more motive behind his actions as malevolent Magneto. These two keep up the great work they started in X-Men: First Class further building on that strained relationship and in one sequence it totally pays off as the two verbally hash it out in an intense scene onboard a private jet, each with some valid arguments at their disposal. 

Jennifer Lawrence gives her best turn yet as the lovely but dangerous Mystique. The war for Mystique's soul continues to rage on between Magneto's militaristic view and Xavier's serene sentiment but Mystique manages to carve out her own stake in the matter, somewhere in the middle ground, allowing for some terrific moments between all three actors as they attempt to convince each other that their way is best. 

Nicholas Hoult gets more screen time than his limited portrayal in X-Men: First Class and brings a conflicted Hank McCoy to the fray. McCoy struggles to determine whether his mutation is a blessing or a curse, repressing both his and Charles with a formula that keeps him human and helps Xavier's legs function, and I felt that his scenes focusing on his mutation elicited some memorable moments from Hoult.

Rounding out the 70's characters is Evan Peters' mischievous speed demon, Quicksilver. Like I said earlier, Peters steals just about every scene he's in and his action sequence is incredible. A huge surprise as I lacked confidence in his portrayal in my initial viewing due to his wacko costume, needless to say never judge a book by it's cover.

For our antagonist in the past and in a manner of speaking the future, we have Peter Dinklage's Bolivar Trask, a scientist whose ill feelings towards mutants aren't quite fleshed out enough to agree with. Dinklage is fine in the manner used but had potential to be a great villain.

Meanwhile in the future many of the core cast members from the X-Men Trilogy are brought back including Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, Halle Berry's Storm, Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde, Shawn Ashmore's Iceman, Daniel Cudmore's Colossus, and Anna Paquin's Rogue (In The Rogue Cut that is).

In the future, many new mutants are to be found in the form of Omar Sy's Bishop, Chinese actress Bingbing Fan's Blink, Adan Canto's Sunspot, and Booboo Stewart's Warpath. All the mutants mentioned in the future have their moments to shine fighting the sentinels. And there's a few surprise cameos which I won't spoil for those who have yet to watch X-Men: Days of Future Past.

In conclusion, X-Men: Days of Future Past is the complete X-Men movie package with incredible cast members present from both the X-Men trilogy and X-Men: First Class  memorable epic action sequences, a refined visual aesthetic, and a satisfying story that ties it all together and essentially erases the worst X-Men films from existence.

If you have yet to add X-Men: Days of Future Past to your Blu-Ray collection, I advise that The Rogue Cut is the way to go, since it includes both "The Rogue Cut" and the Theatrical Cut, so even if you don't take a liking to the lengthy The Rogue Cut you still have the more condensed version to watch. X-Men: Days of Future Past remains to be my favorite X-Men film (This includes Deadpool), and I think that The Rogue Cut actually improves on the theatrical cut in some areas, making for a more complete viewing experience that draws little more on it's predecessor, X-Men: First Class.

Film Assessment: A+

'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' Review

Avengers: Age Of Ultron is a blast. I can guarantee that you will have a very fun experience watching this film. The film starts with a bang and the momentum never drops. I of course am a big Marvel fan, but I was blown away literally every 5 minutes or so with humorous dialogue, character development, or a mindboggling action sequence. Avengers Age Of Ultron is in fact a very light hearted film just like the original despite the very dark foreboding trailers. I was laughing and enjoying myself quite often throughout the movie and for parents reading this review the only thing that I think is potentially scary for young children is Ultron and there is relatively little language that actually becomes a hilarious gag throughout the film. I have noticed prior to domestic release that this film had very mixed positive reviews and I think I can acknowledge the reasons why reactions are mixed but some of the reviews have stated that the film wasn't able to capture the magic of The Avengers, but I really disagree because the magic is captured in the opening scene of the film sure this one doesn't have the build up to the team because they are already a team functioning and working together.The highlights of this film are really the character relationships and development, the stunning visual effects, the intelligent screenwriting, the acting and the mindblowing action. Joss Whedon really is quite gifted in that he can assemble a large ensemble cast, develop all their characters and even establish very fun and inventive character relationships. One aspect of the character relationships and development that I really enjoyed was seeing all of these characters interact once they are adjusted to this new team dynamic. Joss Whedon truly knows how to handle all of these characters so I'm sad to hear he is leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe but I think he deserves to take a break after all of the time he as put into The Avengers and Phase 2. The acting in the film is incredible and readers of this review may be surprised to hear that Hawkeye has a much larger role in this film and I must say the Jeremy Renner really managed to step up to the task and gave an incredible performance. But, regardless of that this is still "everyone's movie," each of the Avenger are given their own moments to shine in the spotlight and there is no character that is placed into the shadows because of it. Robert Downey Jr. is as charming and enjoyable as ever in the role of Tony Stark, Chris Evans continues to really embody Steve Rogers onscreen, and Chris Hemsworth gives what may be his best acting yet but that wasn't a surprise because of their solo films. Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson who also like Jeremy Renner didn't receive a solo film are also given quite a bit of screen time together and I really like the chemistry between their characters. The new additions are welcomed with open arms as Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson both provide great performances as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver but Paul Bettany was amazing as the Vision. This came as a surprise to me because I was aware Vision would be a difficult character to transfer from the comic books to the movies. Another incredible performance was of course James Spader's motion capture and voice performance for Ultron. He embodied what I'm sure many will consider Marvel's best villain yet. The standout action scenes were the Hulkbuster fight and the climactic fight towards the end of the film but all other action sequences are great and very fun as well. Also there's a few brief appearances from supporting characters in Marvel's earlier films. This film certainly sets the roots for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has the most enjoyable Stan Lee cameo yet and the best post credits scene yet. I can say with confidence that my initial reaction was the best I have ever had for a Marvel film so I deem that this is definitely the best Marvel film yet.

Ranking of Marvel Cinematic Universe Top 10 Post Credits Scenes

Given that Avengers: Age Of Ultron is only two days away from release and it is one of my most anticipated movies this year, I thought I would make a series of Top 10 lists and this list will rank the top 10 post credits scenes from the MCU. I decided to rank the post credit scenesbecause they are some of the little things every MCU film has. I'm only including scenes prior to Avengers: Age of Ultron. I'm ranking them based off of humor and clever placement. If a scene isn't on here that you enjoy on screen doesn't mean I dislike the scene it just didn't make my list. 

1. Thanos (The Avengers)

2. Shawarma (The Avengers)

3. The Avengers Initiative (Iron Man)

4. Baby Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy)

5. The Twins (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

6. Infinity Stones (Thor: The Dark World)

7. Tesseract (Thor)

8. Thor's Hammer (Iron Man 2)

9. Stark visits Ross (The Incredible Hulk)

10. Howard The Duck (Guardians of the Galaxy)