Superhero Night Lights
Posted on May 3, 2014 at 2:19 pm
I love these!
The Avengers
Posted on May 2, 2012 at 1:00 am
B+| Lowest Recommended Age: | Middle School |
| MPAA Rating: | Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout and a mild drug reference |
| Profanity: | Mild language |
| Alcohol/ Drugs: | Brief reference to "weed" |
| Violence/ Scariness: | Constant comic-book style action violence and peril, characters injured and killed |
| Diversity Issues: | Diverse characters |
| Date Released to Theaters: | May 4, 2012 |
| Date Released to DVD: | September 24, 2012 |
| Amazon.com ASIN: | B0083SBJXS |
“The Dirty Dozen.” “The Bad News Bears.” “The A-Team.” “The Expendables.” Stories about a mixed group of badass tough guys who have trouble with authority but learn to work together are second only to stories about loners taking on The Man in their enduring popularity. Writer-director Joss Whedon, who revitalized science fiction and fantasy with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly” makes “The Avengers” a smart, exciting, and engaging superhero story that deftly balances seven larger-than-life characters (some literally), their personal and inter-personal struggles and their interplanetary battles. The film does not take itself or its characters too seriously but it takes entertainment seriously, serving up plenty of popcorn pleasure. There’s a light dusting of politics (secret WMDs) and character (sibling rivalry, making peace with oneself), and some humor pixie dust to break the tension and add sparkle, but this is about fighting the bad guys, and it does that very well.
There are two super-geniuses. The enormously wealthy businessman Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) gets his super-powers mechanically. Scientist/humanitarian Dr. Bruce Banner (newcomer Mark Ruffalo taking over from Eric Bana and Edward Norton) has somehow become credentialed as a medical doctor and is providing health care to the poor while trying to maintain his equilibrium to avoid turning into an enormous green rage monster. There’s a demi-god: the Norse deity Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who swings a mighty hammer. The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is a former Russian spy and assassin. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has super-archery skills, shooting a near-endless supply of high-tech arrows with a Swiss Army knife’s worth of super functions. Super-soldier Captain America (Chris Evans) is still adjusting to modern life after having been frozen for 70 years. For him, defeating the Nazis was just months ago and the discovery that the world is still so unsettled and violent is disturbing. But he perks up at a flying monkey reference — that one he recognizes. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is the guy with the eye-patch from S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) who brings this group of “remarkable people” together, explaining that they might not be able to save the earth, but they can certainly avenge it. If they can stop fighting with each other in a sort of rock-scissors-paper that has them matching strengths and weaknesses to see whether an immortal deity outranks a guy in an iron suit that flies and which is stronger, the hammer of Asgard or a vibranium shield.
When Thor’s brother Loki (a nicely demented Tom Hiddleston, pale as a vampire) steals the tesseract (a glowing blue cube that has the kind of powers you don’t want in the hands of the wrong people), it is time for the Avengers to assemble. Only the most completist fanboys will think that they could not have cut out about 20-30 minutes of the opening sections of tracking everyone down and having them battle each other until they develop some respect and the ability to work together. Some of it is necessary as an introduction to everyone’s powers and vulnerabilities, but we all know they’re going to get on board, so it slows things down too much. Do we really need the “This is not a drill” evacuation sequence? And why must every summer action movie feature a black tie party with a string quartet?
Once everyone is on the team, though, things pick up nicely as Loki’s warriors with long, creepy teeth show up in Manhattan and there is plenty of battle to go around. The bad guys bring all kinds of nasty stuff, including enormous sea-monster-type flying ships. And we get to see each of the Avengers do what he or she does best as they struggle with their own issues to be the heroes the world needs them to be. The Hulk is not the only one who has to make peace with his darker side. “Aren’t the stars and stripes a little old-fashioned?” Captain America asks, wondering what his new uniform should look like? “People might need a little old-fashioned,” says Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), who proudly owns a near-mint (light foxing) set of Captain America trading cards. The idea of heroes sometimes seem a little old-fashioned in these cynical and compromised days, and it is good to see a story that brings that idea back.
NOTE: Stay ALL the way through the credits. It will be worth it.
DVD/Blu-Ray: There are some lovely extras including commentary by writer-director Joss Whedon, a gag real, and behind the scenes features.
Parents should know that this film has constant comic-book peril and violence, chases, explosions, characters injured and killed, and a brief joke about “weed.”
Family discussion: Why was it so hard for the Avengers to learn to work together? What was the most important thing they had in common?
If you like this, try: “Iron Man,” “Thor,” “Captain America,” the X-Men movies and the original comic books
This Week: “The Avengers” and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:02 am
Two movies are opening this week, both with all-star powerhouse ensemble casts. “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is a cheerful cozy of a film about English retirees living in India, based on the popular novel by Deborah Moggach originally titled “These Foolish Things
We also have “The Avengers,” which has already broken box office records overseas with a $178 million opening. The Avengers assembling include Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo takes over from Eric Bana and Edward Norton), Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Can this bunch of damaged loners take on the mighty villain Loki? I sure want to see it when they do! With Joss Whedon writing and directing, it is sure to be smart and innovative.
May MVP — Tom Hiddleston
Posted on May 14, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Tom Hiddleston is about to be a big star. But I can’t say too much about why.
This month alone, he plays Loki, the super-villain in Thor and he has an important part in Woody Allen’s new film, “Midnight in Paris.” Those of you who have seen “Thor” and stayed through the credits know how important Loki is. For those who have not, I will just say that when you go, watch Hiddleston. Director Kenneth Branagh made a savvy decision in casting the Cambridge-educated actor. In the middle of a superhero special effects blockbuster, Hiddleston gives a performance of grace and complexity that is exactly serves the tone of the film. I always say that superhero movies should be judged by their villains and he may be the best of all time.
I can’t give away any of the surprises of “Midnight in Paris” by even saying what part he plays. I will just say that it is a daunting challenge — some in the audience will have strong feelings about the character and others may know nothing about him and there are some complexities of tone and tempo. And Hiddleston is superb. Next, he will appear in “The War Horse,” based on a huge box office hit play in London (recently opened on Broadway) and directed by Steven Spielberg. I can’t wait to see it.
In this clip, he talks about the importance of compassion, even compassion for the characters he plays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U94cuE4f77g&feature=related
Thor
Posted on May 4, 2011 at 6:00 pm
The original Hammer is here. Thor, Norse god of thunder and lightning (and the source of the word “Thursday”), star of Marvel comics written by Stan Lee and his brother Larry Lieber and memorably illustrated by Jack Kirby, now joins his fellow Marvel superheros with his own movie franchise. Marvel pretty much has the big budget franchise assembly line working smoothly. While it does not hit the spot the way “Iron Man” did, it delivers on what it sets out to do, pleasing newcomers and fanboys as well. To say that the post-credit sequence glimpse of things to come is the best part of the film is just to say that this film meets its number one goal — to increase anticipation for next summer’s Avengers movie, where we will see the superhero all-stars working together.
Thor (Australian hunk Chris Hemsworth) is the son of Odin, King of the Gods (Anthony Hopkins in magisterial mode). In myth, Odin traded his eye for wisdom. In comic books, he lost it in battle with the Frost Giants, with whom they now have an uneasy truce. Thor has a brother named Loki. They are close, but competitive, and true to his stormy nature, Thor is impetuous and arrogant. A small incursion by the Frost Giants is squelched. Odin wants to leave it at that. Thor disobeys and takes the warriors from Asgard through a portal to fight the Frost Giants. They fight bravely, but they are overmatched, and barely rescued by Odin. Furious, Odin banishes Thor to earth, stripping him of his powers — and his mighty hammer. “That is pride and vanity talking,” he tells his son, “not leadership.”
A physicist named Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) as pretty as her name is plain, finds him as she is investigating some cosmic phenomena. As the government steps in to take over the investigation (“We’re the good guys.” “So are we.”) she begins to realize that he is more than human. And he begins to realize that the battles he left behind are following him to earth. “These are someone else’s constellations,” Jane says as she looks up at the sky.
This has all the ingredients for a superhero movie — director Kenneth Branagh (yes, that Kenneth Branagh) ably mixes the action and drama. He takes it seriously enough to satisfy the fanboys and slyly but respectfully tantalizes them with touches only they will understand — look for Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye alter ego Clint Barton and a shout-out to Tony Stark. But he makes it accessible to newcomers and adds in some humor, much of it provided by the refreshing Kat Dennings. Hemsworth has all the charm and brawn anyone could wish, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki is one of the best super-villains to hurtle through a vortex to take control of the universe. And the hammer really is extremely cool.
Stay to the very end of the credits for a glimpse of “The Avengers.” If it makes this movie feel like nothing more than a long coming attraction, it makes me glad that “Captain America” will be out soon.