'Avengers: Infinity War' Review

Sorry that I wasn't able to share this review as soon as I would have liked, but I had finals to worry about and that took precedence over writing this review. However, that did enable me to see the film a second time after my last final and the poll I put out on Twitter indicated my followers would rather wait to read my thoughts after two viewings rather than my initial take on it. This review will in-fact be spoiler-free so I'm taking great care not to discuss plot points in detail and remain as vague as I possibly can while providing my opinion. Now with all that out of the way, let's get going.

'Avengers: Infinity War' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects. 

Avengers: Infinity War follows the Mad Titan Thanos as he and his henchman, the Black Order, seek out the six Infinity Stones in order to fully assemble the Infinity Gauntlet. Once the gauntlet is complete, it can grant the wielder control over all space, time, reality, mind, soul, and power, giving Thanos the means to bring balance to the universe as he sees fit. With the universe at stake, the Avengers must reunite and ally themselves with the likes of Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and the Guardians of the Galaxy if they're to have any chance at stopping Thanos.

At long last, the decade long Marvel journey has brought us to this moment... Avengers: Infinity War is an unprecedented cinematic event that has truly been ten years in the making thanks to an interconnected series of of eighteen films preceding it. The history of what's come before only enabled directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to hit the ground running at a breakneck pace because all the pieces were already in place for this cinematic culmination. While longtime Marvel fans who've diligently kept up with the films in the franchise won't take issue with this, I imagine someone who's only seen a few Marvel movies or none at all would be fairly lost. This isn't to say you "have" to go marathon them all beforehand, but the dramatic weight of it all desperately depends on a familiarity with the universe so seeing the others first will only enhance your experience. Otherwise, you may be a bit confused as to why everyone else is crying and cheering around you.

On that note, it's almost impossible to go into Infinity War without a certain set of expectations because it's meant to be the pay-off for watching ten years worth of Marvel movies. After The Avengers, the door was blown wide open for these characters to come together so, naturally, fans have been antsy to see certain characters interact as Marvel expanded its universe. Being a fan myself, I was incredibly excited for Infinity War. However, accompanying my immense expectations were a few concerns. First of which was wondering how in the world were the Russos, Markus, and McFeely going to balance an ensemble of over twenty heroes while adapting such beloved source material?

 

Well, I don't know how they did it, but they pulled it off... Not every character has a complete character arc per-say, but they all get their moment in the spotlight and that was more than enough for me. Infinity War also gets a lot of mileage out of bringing many of these characters together for the first time as it's remarkably entertaining. This film's nearly three hours long, but I've found myself invested from start-to-finish both times I've seen it because it's such an emotionally-charged experience. When leaving the theater, you may not quite know how you're supposed to feel because there will be so many complex emotions for you to unpack thanks to an insane ending.

Visually, the film's chocked full of stunning spectacle with illustrious cinematography, outstanding visual effects, and action that's both epic and engaging. And I'd be remiss not to mention the costuming, production design, or editing, which are also quite impressive. To make matters even better, Alan Silvestri returned to score the flick with a compilation of sweeping, grandiose compositions that further bestow gravitas to the proceeding events. 

Which leads to my other concern... Marvel doesn't have the greatest track record with its villains, so while recent Phase 3 installments have turned that around, I was still anxious that Thanos may not live up to his comic-book depiction or the hype built up around him, and I couldn't have possibly been more wrong... At the end of the day, Josh Brolin steals the show as Thanos and proves to be one of the best comic book antagonists put to screen yet. Thanos isn't really "relatable," but his twisted methodology is understandable while his conviction is respectable. Thanos is a being who's willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal and that makes him quite intimidating as he leaves a terrible trail of death and destruction in his wake. Nevertheless, Brolin brought a layer of humanity to the Mad Titan that caught me totally off-guard and made me somewhat sympathetic to his cause. Additionally, Thanos is one of the best examples of motion-capture done right in a mainstream blockbuster. Brolin's performance shines through the visual effects wizardry in such a way that the intergalactic tyrant feels grounded and real as opposed to over-the-top and cartoonish.

Filling out his Black Order are Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Terry Notary, Carrie Coon, and Michael James Shaw as Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Proxima Midnight, and Corvus Glaive respectively. Each proves to be a worthy adversary for the Avengers, but they're ultimately lackeys for Thanos. Ebony Maw definitely stood apart from the others though.

In regards to the immense ensemble, almost every living Marvel character makes their way into the cast of characters, so I could go on all day if I were to list every character since they're each perfectly cast to begin with. Instead, I'm going to simply spotlight the standout heroes in no particular order. First up, there's the grouping of Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Holland as Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, and Peter Parker (or Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man if you want to use their "made-up names"). These three made for a fascinating trio who exhibit some extraordinary acting chops with a great group dynamic amongst themselves. 

It should then come as no surprise that I'd bring up Chris Evans' performance considering Captain America is my favorite Marvel character, but Evans does a swell job returning to the role once more as he brings a new spin on the character to show how he's changed as a result of the events in Captain America: Civil War.

Others I feel obligated to mention are Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen in the roles of Vision and Scarlet Witch. It may seem odd, but the romantic relationship that's been developed between them really takes off as one of many emotional tethering points spread throughout the film thanks to a believable chemistry between Olsen and Bettany. 

Perhaps the most surprising standout for me though was Chris Hemsworth's Thor. Till Thor: Ragnarok, I never really cared much for Thor as a character and found him to be one of the least interesting Avengers. However, I'm really liking the recent progression of his character and the Russos, Markus, and McFeely did a marvelous job furthering his arc after all that happened to him in Ragnarok. Hemsworth seriously steals the show with some of the best moments of action and humor while his rapport with Rocket and Groot was delightful to say the least. 

Lastly, Gamora plays a pivotal role as a daughter of Thanos, and Zoe Saldana really steps up to the plate. Gamora proves to be one of the significant emotional lynch-pins of the film due to her relationship with Thanos. The dynamic between Saldana and Brolin really sells that complicated connection in ways one wouldn't really expect. 

In summation, Avengers: Infinity War doesn't simply throw down the Infinity Gauntlet for contention as Marvel's best film yet. It does so much more. The Russo brothers slam the gauntlet down and assert the film's irrefutable dominance over all that's come before it. I never thought I'd say this, but the preceding Marvel films look cute in comparison. 

Film Assessment: A+ A-

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-

'Captain America: Civil War' Review

Captain America: Civil War is an adaptation of the beloved comic series of the same title that's been modified to conform to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I've been very excited for this film since the moment it was announced, and it's honestly the most excited I've ever been for a comic book film. The promise of a showdown not only between Captain America and Iron Man but also the rest of the Avengers alone made me giddy. Not to mention when it was announced that Sony Pictures would be collaborating with Marvel Studios to bring Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I fortunately got the opportunity to see the film Tuesday at an early screening. On the flip side, I had a terrible seat that slightly soured the experience as being that close to an IMAX 3-D screen hurt my eyes during action sequences. Due to that slightly soured experience and the fact I've been extremely busy all week, I figured it'd be best to wait and write my review after my second viewing Thursday night. Also, I'm not sure when this will be completed and apologize if it's published a little late.

'Captain America: Civil War' Review

Captain America: Civil War is the thirteenth Marvel Cinematic Universe film, the conclusion to the Captain America Trilogy (composed of Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier), and the kick-off point for Marvel's Phase 3. Captain America: Civil War finds the United Nations looking to instate oversight on the Avengers with the Sokovia Accords, a result of the events that befell in Avengers: Age Of Ultron. Naturally, the Avengers are split on the Accords and end up falling in one of two camps; Those opposed (Team Cap) and those in support (Team Iron Man). I won't go much further to avoid spoiling anything but many of you are probably wondering right now, "Does the movie live up to the hype?" Why, yes it does. I've seen the film twice at this point and can say it has an amazing re-watchability that made my second viewing all the more enjoyable.

Joe and Anthony Russo return to the directors chair hot off of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and hit another home run. The Russo Brothers and the screenwriting duo of Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus manage to balance a large ensemble quite well, ensuring every character's intentions and motivations are crystal clear. They explicitly lay out the viewpoints of each character and the two opposing sides of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Obviously, I went in purely Team Cap and some of you may want to know if I swapped sides during the movie. While I clearly saw both sides and the pros and cons of each side, I didn't ever swap sides. In essence, this is what makes the film so brilliant.

Another excellent aspect of Civil War is the incredible action and visual effects work. The Russo Brothers and the stunt team managed to up the ante in every way imaginable. The action ranges from a tactile Avengers mission in Lagos, a rampant chase in Berlin, an INCREDIBLE airport fight sequence (I'll touch on this a bit more in a moment), and the emotional third act finale that intensified the conflict even more than I thought possible.

If you need just one reason to see Civil War, it's without a doubt the airport fight scene. The airport fight sequence has been largely teased at in the marketing material but the marketing team wisely kept the best footage for the film itself and oh, boy is it good. The airport scene is about twenty minutes of twelve superheroes fighting each other and its amazing. My jaw was agape for a majority of it, when I wasn't laughing of course. It's not just great to see hero vs. hero, it's amazing because each hero fights the other at some point in the sequence bringing every comic book geek's hero matchup fantasies to the big screen. I'd daresay it's without a doubt the best action sequence I've ever seen in a comic book movie and even go as far to maybe even expand that to film in general as the fight is truly spectacular.

After the political thriller subgenera of The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War went for a psychological thriller subgenera. Psychological thrillers dive into the unstable emotional and psychological states of its characters, which Civil War handles brilliantly. Really, when it comes down to it, every character was terrific and enjoyable. Do remember this is a CAPTAIN AMERICA movie though, not an AVENGERS sequel. Therefore most of the Avengers drama is a secondary plot line, and not the primary focus of the film. One thing I liked was that each character had a reason and purpose to be involved in the conflict, no character felt shoehorned in. Now, I'm not going to go super specific as to each character and performance but I'll definitely touch on the major players.

Chris Evans reprises the role of Captain America for the fifth time (sixth if you include his Thor: The Dark World cameo), and seems snug in the role at this point, understanding the character Steve Rogers inside and out. And Evans ensures he doesn't get too comfortable as he continually pushes himself in this film, allowing for some terrific tension between Rogers and Stark. Evans is clearly the definite Captain America at this point and I can't see a replacement in the foreseeable future.

Robert Downey Jr. gives his best turn as Tony Stark yet. Downey puts his A-game forth as he gives the most emotionally-grounded performance thus far. Trust me, in the pivotal third act Downey doesn't hold back, and unleashes his gravitas in an emotionally fueled fight between Captain America and Iron Man that will put every audience member on the edge of their seat.

Downey's snarky humor is downplayed here, but very evident when acting alongside Tom Holland so it's no surprise he's been added to Spider-Man: Homecoming as the dynamic between the two was definitely a highlight of the film. Downey, like Evans, would be impossible to replace, so here's to hoping he'll stick around in the MCU.

Sebastian Stan's back as the Winter Soldier and is provided the opportunity to really dive into Bucky's psyche following the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Stan gives a tortured performance as Bucky that reveals his situation's much more incredibly complex than it looks at first glance. The film really makes his friendship with Steve a focal point of the story and ongoing conflict that's a satisfying payoff to those who have kept up with this arc through the Captain America trilogy.

Scarlett Johansson returns as the shifty Black Widow and her history as a double agent certainly makes her role in the film incredibly interesting.

Anthony Mackie recurs as Sam Wilson, and Falcon's at the height of his coolness this time around as the creative team found really interesting uses for his wings with a few nods to the comics (i.e. Redwing). It'd also be unfair to remiss the great moments between Bucky, Falcon, and Captain America, as there's one bro-moment that will leave you dying of laughter.

Don Cheadle is back as James Rhodes, and has an extremely important role to play amidst the conflict. I liked the upgraded War Machine armor, and thought it looked awesome onscreen (the same can be said for Iron Man's armor as well).

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bethany are back as Scarlet Witch and Vision following their onscreen debut in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and they have an small subplot that definitely hints towards interesting things in their future. Both are phenomenal and my favorite moments of theirs were their scenes together, as the chemistry is perfect!

There are even a few smaller scale MCU characters brought in the conflict in Hawkeye and Ant-Man that allow for some levity to the seriousness of the situation. Jeremy Renner's proven that Hawkeye is a cool character at this point, and has some terrific action sequences/cool moments that were very enjoyable to watch. Paul Rudd returns after his MCU debut in Ant-Man as Scott Lang, and gets the opportunity to be a part of a few moments that will make fans squeal or laugh uncontrollably. 

As for the new characters, this film introduces two huge superheroes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther and Spider-Man. Chadwick Boseman was a perfect choice as T'Challa, the prince of Wakanda, a.k.a. the Black Panther. Boseman uses a very authentic fictional accent that he and his dialect coach spent a great deal of time researching that works incredibly well. Boseman has a very personal stake in the conflict but is unique being very distanced from both sides' viewpoints with his own agenda and definitely expresses that in his dramatic turn. Black Panther is awesome in the film and is given some of the coolest action and stunt work.

Tom Holland is unique in the sense of getting to play Peter Parker at the actual age of a High Schooler in comparison to previous incarnations. Holland makes it abundantly clear this is a young Spider-Man in the conflict and that's what's so fascinating about it. It was incredible to see Spider-Man swing around and quip with all our other favorite Marvel characters. Spidey/Peter Parker has about 30 minutes of screen time, and I can say based on what I've seen I loved this interpretation of Spider-Man, as it's very different to anything we've seen before. I can't quite go far enough to say it's the best because honestly I haven't seen enough to actually compare Holland to Maguire or Garfield. I can say that he has potential to be the best incarnation of the web-head though. On another note, both character's costumes looks exceptional, and I can't wait for both of these characters' upcoming respective standalone movies! 

Emily VanCamp has a relatively small role in comparison to all the heroes running around, but an important one nonetheless as Sharon Carter. Martin Freeman has a minuscule role in the film as Everett Ross, but I'm hoping to see him pop up in Black Panther down the line as his role is very Agent Coulson-esque, and I've definitely missed Coulson in the films. 

Believe it or not, there are actually one or two villains in the movie. But don't worry, none of it detracts from the main ideological conflict between the star spangled man and the armored avenger. Daniel Brühl is an interesting case as Zemo. I can't discuss too much of his role but I'll say he's malicious and genius. His evil plan relies on a few coincidences and seems a bit odd at first but once all is revealed, everything fits together perfectly. I can say he's certainly the most successful Marvel villain and definitely one of the most evil, but he's nowhere near as compelling as Loki. Brühl's performance is terrific and his plan is brilliant. For some reason I didn't find myself engaged in the character himself, but who knows, that could certainly change if he returns later down the line. 

Frank Grillo has a relatively small, yet pivotal role in the film that continues his arc from The Winter Solider as he returns as Brock Rumlow, now dubbed Crossbones. Unfortunately, he doesn't get the opportunity to leave too much of a lasting mark, only appearing in the opening action sequence, but he was fine in the capacity used. Certainly not a standout Marvel villain, or anything along those lines. I would also be remised not to inform you that there's two post credits scenes so stay all the way through the credits as they're worth the wait. Although you may need to do a bit of research afterwards to understand if you aren't familiar with these characters. 

In reality, many will obviously compare Civil War to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and it's almost impossible not to given the many similarities. And with that being said, Captain America: Civil War is everything Batman v Superman should have been, considering it actually had a backbone with a pre-existing universe. What makes Civil War so rewarding is that it's lain on the foundation of twelve previous films in this cinematic universe that has brought each of these characters to this very point. I can't praise the film highly enough and you should definitely see it.

If you're still unfamiliar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and feel the need to catch up, I can say that Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age Of Ultron are the only films truly necessary to jump in. If you want to understand all the references I'd recommend watching these select eight Marvel films in the order of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and Ant-Man (all the blue text found in this review are hyperlinks to my reviews of the perspective film).

After my second viewing, Civil War cemented itself as my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe film to date, and Captain America: Civil War in my opinion is the greatest comic book film since The Dark Knight. Captain America: Civil War is unique and proves that the comic book genre can be transcended to become something even greater than just an enjoyable film-going experience.

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 Heroes

Given that Avengers: Age Of Ultron is only five 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 heroes of the MCU. I decided to rank heroes because the roster off Avengers is expanding and several heroes are joining the MCU between now and Avengers: Infinity War. I'm only including heroes that have been introduced prior to Avengers: Age of Ultron. I'm ranking them based off of their performances, development, and how heroic these heroes really were. If a hero isn't on here that you enjoy on screen doesn't mean I dislike the character they just didn't make my list. 

10. Hawkeye- Hawkeye is tenth on my list because we may not have seen him do much prior to Avengers: Age of Ultron, but seems intentional on doing the right thing and saving people and is very accurate with a bow. I consider him more heroic than a majority of the Guardians because they are borderline good since they steal, etc.

9. Black Widow- Black Widow is specialized and can deal with many threats, and Black Widow has good intentions trying to clear her past. But she still has a dark past which explains her position on the list.

8. Hulk- While Hulk may be powerful and can be very heroic/ helpful, there's always the chance he could lose control and hurt several people which is why he isn't higher up on this list. 

7. Daredevil- matt Murdock has the right intentions of saving his city, and think that Daredevil has a cool power set. However sometimes Daredvil is really in the grey area in terms of fighting crime.

6. Groot- groot is probably the purest of the Guardians because he is powerful, has good intentions and even sacrificed himself to save the others. Groot is the kindest of the bunch but still somewhat bad since he is a bounty hunter, etc.

5. War Machine- War Machine is a good hero because he is reliable but I ranked him fourth because he isn't quite as adapted to the suit as Tony and works for the Airforce so if the government asks him to do something they feel is right that is actually wrong he doesn't really have much of a choice.

4. Falcon- Falcon is fourth because he is loyal to Cap, and has really cool wing apparatus and willing to help where he can. 

3. Thor- Thor is probably the most powerful Avenger, has good intentions but sometimes his arrogance comes over him and makes him cocky. 

2. Iron Man- Tony Stark has good intentions but not the best moral structure due to his past. however Tony wants to help and is very powerful in armor. Iron Man 3 also proved that he is very smart and resourceful without the suit. 

1. Captain America- Captain America is first on my list because he is a good leader, has a great moral structure, and can coordinate an attack. Cap knows how to stop the enemy with the least possible casualties. Cap is also very powerful because he has taken out an elevator full of Hydra ops, a quinjet, and held his own against certain super powered villains.