'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-

'Rampage' (2018) Review

Rampage follows Davis Okoye, a proficient primatologist who prefers the company of animals and shares an unshakable bond with an intelligent albino gorilla named George. When a genetic experiment soon goes awry, three animals (including George) are infected with a dangerous pathogen that causes them to mutate into ferocious creatures of enormous size. It's then up to Okoye and geneticist Kate Caldwell to secure an antidote and prevent the mutated monsters from destroying Chicago in hopes saving not only the world, but to cure George as well.

Rampage is the first feature-length film adaptation of an '80s arcade game which was directed by Brad Peyton and features a screenplay written by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse, Ryan J. Condal, and Adam Sztykiel. To quickly summarize my thoughts on it, Rampage is absurdly stupid. Frankly, I thought I was going to lose a few brain cells by the time it was over. So if you're hoping intellectually-stimulating experience, you're looking in the wrong place. With that out of the way, I'll say I had difficulty writing anything afterwards because one does not simply watch Rampage and find something profound to say about it. That would invalidate the experience of this mindless monster movie.

I could sit here and list out all the reasons why Rampage is a dumb popcorn flick, but I think there's only one scene description that truly does it justice. So, for whatever reason, Okoye ("The Rock") and Caldwell (Naomie Harris) are arrested by the Department of Homeland Security after George is tranquilized. I don't believe the film ever bothers to provide a legitimate explanation as to why they're arrested. It just happens. Beyond that gaping plothole, you'll notice that Okoye's hands are zip-tied together. So are Caldwell's. I watched in complete confusion as I questioned why the Department of Homeland Security would zip-tie someone they took into custody. Now, this wouldn't bother me if they were taken hostage by some low-level thugs or a criminal organization. However, this is the United States Department of Homeland Security we're talking about... I find it hard to believe a government organization would have any reason to use zip-ties over hand-cuffs. Maybe, there were budget cuts within the world of Rampage. Who knows... However, the film definitely had the budget for fake hand-cuffs at a production cost of a whopping $120 M. That's for sure!

So anyways, this question was eating me alive as I wonder why in the world zip-ties were used over actual hand-cuffs. It was perhaps ten-to-twenty minutes later when I got my answer. All of a sudden, "The Rock" breaks the zip-ties with his barehands to escape a perilous situation that only further reminded me of last year's reboot of The Mummy. Of course... It all made sense. It was merely another ego-boost for the bankable actor. As if "The Rock" needed more validation... I bring this up not only to articulate Rampage's lacking IQ, but to stress that you must turn your brain off to enjoy this movie. Otherwise, you'll find yourself bothered by such things as zip-ties like myself.

When I wasn't concerning myself with trivial subject matter, I was pummeled with an onslaught of dull expositional dialogue or some over-the-top, passively entertaining action sequences. The thought of sleeping in a theater hardly ever crosses my mind, but I found myself nodding off on numerous occasions... And trust me when I say I had plenty of sleep the night before... While even I can admit to enjoying the last twenty minutes to a slight degree, I'll say there simply wasn't entertainment value overall for this film to warrant a recommendation from me. The visual effects from WETA are okay, but nothing in comparison to what WETA has done in the recent Planet of the Apes installments. 

Now, I realize this was a slight departure from my regular review format and I could truly go on and on about the dreadful dialogue, superfluous story, paper-thin characters, and pathetic performances found in Rampage, but Rampage really doesn't deserve extensive discourse and I'm sure there's no changing your mind. If you're set on seeing Rampage, you'll probably see it and enjoy it for the senseless spectacle it aspires to be. Otherwise, you definitely shouldn't stampede into the cinema. Save your money and see Avengers: Infinity War next weekend. 

If there's one thing to be said about Rampage, it's that the movie's well aware of what it is. Rampage proudly beats its chest and parades around the multiplex as a big, dumb action movie. If that's all you're hoping to see, then by all means, go watch Rampage. You know whether this flick is meant for you or not. It's certainly the brazenly brain-dead blockbuster it is being advertised as. All I can say is that it's too bad that I wasn't able to go bananas for Rampage.

Film Assessment: D

Throwback Thursday Review: 'The Avengers'

Sorry for the lack of Throwback Thursday Reviews recently, as well as the delay on this review, but I'm finding it increasingly more difficult to set aside time to write these in the final weeks of my spring semester as assignments, projects, and exams head my way. If you'd like to have an idea of upcoming content for the blog, read the next few paragraphs. Otherwise, go ahead and skip past to read my review of The Avengers.

I mentioned this in my last Throwback Thursday Review, but all my finals are scheduled the same week Avengers: Infinity War will be released, so there won't be any Throwback Thursdays for the remainder of this month. Reviews you can expect for the remainder of April include my thoughts on Rampage and Avengers: Infinity War, and I'll be writing a Triple-R for Avengers: Age of Ultron next week instead of a Throwback Thursday Review to tie into the Marvel motif. 

Speaking of which, I began my Marvel marathon to prepare myself for Infinity War and successfully watched all of Phase One last weekend (this means Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and, of course, The Avengers). I hope to watch all the Phase Two this weekend and get through Phase Three next weekend. I won't be re-reviewing all of them because that's a daunting task to complete before April 27th, but it's been a while since I last shared my MCU ranking so I'm reranking the films as I watch them to share my most accurate ranking with you all. However, I'm going to hold off till Ant-Man and the Wasp is released in July since that will be the twentieth installment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and I like the idea of rounding out my list by ranking twenty rather than nineteen. I'll also have a better idea of where Infinity War fits by then, so it's truly for the best.

'The Avengers' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects.

When Thor's mischievous, evil brother Loki gains control of the mystical, all powerful Tesseract, Earth is threatened by the prospect of alien invasion. In response, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury implements the Avengers Initiative and calls upon Earth's mightiest heroes to come together and learn to fight as a team to defeat this unprecedented threat. 

Believe it or not, but The Avengers is somehow the one entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that I have yet to review. I wasn't blogging at the time and hardly had any online presence aside from perhaps... Facebook? I was barely a freshman in high school and I'm now about to enter my Senior year of college. Nevertheless, I can remember my initial experience and anticipation going into the film vividly. This was among one of my first experiences watching a blockbuster that felt like a genuine event. It was the culmination of six other films that brought together characters on a scale never before seen or attempted for that matter. Sure, there have been other feature length crossovers before The Avengers, but never one that was THIS grand. It was like a comic-book crossover, but on the big screen. 

Comic-book movies had made big bucks before, but this was the first one to really break the bank as it emerged to be the third highest grossing film of all time worldwide with the highest opening weekend of all time at the time of release. It's since fallen to fifth highest grossing worldwide with the fourth highest opening weekend, but that's an impressive hold considering those above it are established franchises. I say all this not simply to tell you the film was successful, as you probably already know that, but to stress its importance as an instant worldwide phenomenon. B/C-list comic-book characters became easily recognizable and an integral part of modern pop culture in almost an instant. Anyways, enough about my attachment to The Avengers and its major success. You came here to read a review, didn't you?

The Avengers was written and directed by Joss Whedon, with Zak Penn co-credited for the feature's story. Say what you will about the man for his work on Justice League, but that was hardly his fault and there's no denying Whedon's got geek-cred when you look at his long list of writing credits. In fact, Whedon's ability to write quippy one-liners is undoubtedly his strongest asset as a filmmaker. I say this not because the lines are funny, but because they're genuinely quotable. I can recite an embarrassing amount of dialogue from The Avengers off the top of my head, and it's not just because I've seen the film countless times. It's because those lines are memorable and stuck with me through thick-and-thin for the last six years. While it may be a bit too early to cement The Avengers as a classic blockbuster, it's undeniably become a significant cornerstone of pop culture in the years since its release.

When you zero in on what Whedon brought to the project as a director, you'll quickly find that he handled tone and action remarkably well. The Avengers is equal parts serious, exciting, and immensely entertaining. A sense of stakes are integrated from the outset, it's a delight to see the heroes' personalities clash as they come together in middle, and the third act never ceases to amaze as I'm subjected to an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder with each and every viewing. I'm always particularly amazed by the tracking shot spotlighting each of the Avengers as they fight amidst the Battle of New York. The action spread throughout is all great though as some of Earth's Mightiest Heroes duke it out with each other before finally coming together for the greater good. One more element that definitely deserves a mention is the score composed by Alan Silvestri. Silvestri's score is really responsible for much of the film's gravitas, but is often overlooked in favor of complementing the film's other components. 

The Avengers is also one of many Marvel productions to have been nominated for Best Visual Effects by the Academy, and it's not too hard to see why. It's been six years since its release, yet the effects haven't aged a day. Go back to other effects-heavy blockbusters released in 2012 and you'll find that's not always the case. The respective designs for Hulk and Iron Man are among the best visual renderings of those characters to this very day. The Iron Man armor doesn't look too sleek and streamlined while Hulk isn't an odd rubbery-looking shade of green. They're each just right. 

If I were to nitpick, the first act doesn't lend itself well to rewatches in comparison to the rest of the MCU. However, the build-up is necessary and still entertaining. It's just a bit tedious as I always find myself eager to see the characters meet each other again, but the wait's always worth it because the character interactions are always incredible to behold. Just about every character thrown into the mix interacts with others in one form or another (whether it be verbal sparring or a physical confrontation). Which, in and of itelf, is kinda why The Avengers is still charming.

Of course, the film needed to assemble a worthy ensemble if this was ever going to work, but Marvel's casting department thankfully hasn't let us down yet! Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner are all the spitting image of their comic-book counterparts and embody their characters in a way that I can hardly see any other actors taking over in the future. I'm not going to get into the nitty-gritty for each character because you've probably heard me praise them all in other reviews, but Ruffalo in particular was a big step-up from Edward Norton's Bruce Banner/Hulk. Not that Norton's a bad actor, but Ruffalo has a better grasp on the character in my opinion. I think Ruffalo is a more believable scientist as Banner and better communicates the character's struggle and inner darkness in ways Norton just wasn't suited for. 

As for supporting S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, and Clark Gregg are equally perfect for the respective roles of Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Phil Coulson. Jackson's got the grit for Fury, Smulders is sufficiently badass as Hill, and I can hardly end the review without taking time to spotlight Coulson. Clark Gregg was such a delightful presence in the cinematic side of things so, of course, that's how Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. came about. I really have missed the character in the films and am ecstatic about the recent news he'd be returning in Captain Marvel since that takes place in the '90s. However, I'd still like to see Coulson encounter the Avengers again sometime in the future.

Last, but certainly not least, would be the God of Mischief. To this day, I think The Avengers is Tom Hiddleston's best outing as Loki because he really gets to relish in the villainy before being relegated to an anti-hero in the next two Thor flicks. Hiddleston chews the scenery like there's no tomorrow and plays well paired against the likes of Downey, Jackson, and Johansson to name a few. All the while, Loki's end goal is maniacal, yet understandable due to his upbringing and that's why he's still one of the very best Marvel villains despite his later flirtations with the light side.

I'd daresay The Avengers is irrefutably a defining blockbuster for my generation. It exploded onto the pop-culture scene because it's epic, action-packed, and full of humor and heart. It's been six years, and I still get giddy staring at the above iconic group shot. Few frames have that effect on an individual. Much less the whole globe. 

Film Assessment: A+

Star Wars Speculation: 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Trailer Talk

Last night a new trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story was released and I immediately debated whether I should bother posting anything about it or not. On one hand, I enjoyed the trailer and I've already made it a habit to discuss new Star Wars content via this Star Wars Speculation series. However, the new footage didn't really "reveal" much in terms of plot worth analyzing so I figured calling this a "Trailer Analysis" would be a little misleading. Ultimately, I've decided to rundown my favorite things from the trailer and add some occasional context to certain scenery.

**Keep in mind that this is all my interpretation of the scenery. I could be way off mark in regards to speculation, but provided I'm correct, potential spoilers lie ahead.**

'Solo: A Star Wars Story' Trailer Talk

My favorite things (No particular order):

1. Star Destroyer under construction- I love this shot for many reasons. One, we've never seen a Star Destroyer under construction before and it looks awesome. Two, I think the positioning of the camera communicates a lot about Solo's setting. Like Rogue One, you get the sense that the Empire is a powerful force that looms over everything. With the camera looking upward from a dingy, urban setting, you also get the sense this story will be told inside the criminal underbelly of the galaxy. Something that's rarely been examined in a Star Wars movie before. On top of all that, I'm guessing this takes place on Corellia because that is Han's homeworld which is known for building Imperial starships.

2. Enfys Nest and the Cloud-Riders- In my post about the first Solo teaser, I touched on these characters still unaware of who/what they were. At the time, I wasn't even able to provide any names or information for them whatsoever. Well, since then, details have surfaced that they're a pirate gang called the Cloud-Riders who are lead by Enfys Nest. While there's still no official word on this, Enfys Nest is said to be female and she and her gang will play an important role in the story as antagonists of sorts. Although, they supposedly aren't the main villains.

I included them to update my readers with more information and because I think Enfys Nest looks awesome.

I think they may also be trying to retrieve whatever the focal point of Han's heist is as there are numerous speeders in this sequence and I spotted Nest onboard the Conveyex (the train) in the last trailer. 

3. Sabacc- I've already touched on this in a previous post as well, but I believe this will be the game of Sabacc where Han wins the Falcon from Lando. Aside from that, we get another look at the cool crustacean Therm Scissorpunch (who may just have the greatest Star Wars name of all time) and the other aliens who will be present in the scene. I'm spotlighting this because I'm excited to see this sequence play out, I'm excited to hopefully learn the mechanics of Sabacc, and I really like the creature design as they reminds me of all the aliens found in the Mos Eisley cantina. 

4. Chewie's family?- Many have pointed out this shot as possibly introducing Chewbacca's wife Malla and son Lumpy from the Star Wars Holiday Special into canon. However, it's worth mentioning that these characters have already been made canon by the recent Aftermath trilogy of Star Wars novels and this doesn't mean that the Holiday Special itself is canon. Just the existence of the characters. Anyways, this looks like it may be what Chewbacca presumes to be a final farewell as he escapes captivity thanks to Han. I presume he's promising to return one day to free the other Wookies, which we already know happens in the events of Aftermath: Life Debt after Return Of The Jedi.

5. Chewie and Han- Just seeing Han and Chewie together puts a smile on my face, and I'm getting the sense Ron Howard's captured the delightful dynamic between the two based on the banter showcased in the trailer. 

5. "You might want to buckle up, baby."- I love this line because it's classic Lando. I'd say Donald Glover seems to have captured the charming spirit of the ol' smoothie and will be a standout for sure!

6. Chewie slamming someone into the ground- Chewbacca doesn't have on his bandolier here so I presume this will be some sort of slave revolt on the spice mines of Kessel. We'll probably see how Han helps free Chewie before learning the exact circumstances behind Chewbacca's pledged Life Debt to Han. Putting all that aside, seeing Chewbacca running rampant will probably be pretty cool if this shot from the trailer is any indication.

7. Origin of Han's DL-44 blaster- Looks like the film will show us that Han's classic blaster was given to him by Beckett. I'm curious to see if there's any particular reason Han holds the blaster in high esteem. Otherwise, I hope the film doesn't go overboard in explaining the origin of all of Han's things to the point it overtakes the story. 

8. Dryden Vos- Dryden Vos is described in the trailer as big shot gangster who's putting together a crew, so it's only natural that we can assume this crew pertains to the Conveyex heist. What he's after remains to be seen, but it's worth noting that his face is visibly scarred so it may be something that could help heal his face.

This weapon he's wielding is also quite cool and I think it may be a vibroblade of some sort. 

9. Range Troopers- It's always cool to see new Stormtrooper variants introduced in every Star Wars film. I like the look of these range troopers a lot and think it's awesome that they seem to have magnetic boots as they all remained balanced on the moving Conveyex train at various angles.

10. Beckett's advice- I really like what Beckett tells Han when he says "Let me give you some advice: expect that everyone will betray you, and you will never be disappointed." I think it sets up the idea that Han will in-fact be betrayed by someone or multiple people over the course of the film and that will drastically alter his ability to trust others.

General Thoughts: Like Han said in the trailer, I've got a good feeling about this. I'm obviously excited for Solo while others still seem skeptical. I realize the production problems are troubling, but I think Ron Howard seems to have come in and course-corrected things. I'm liking the Western-gunslinger vibe because it suits Han's introduction to a life of smuggling perfectly. I've gotten good impressions from the cast so far and I think the film will be visually impressive regardless of anything else. All I'm hoping for is a fun space adventure and I remain optimistic that Solo will deliver.

-As always, May the Force be with you!