Tag: MCU

Saturday Night at the Movies #1

At the end of the year the Book God and I reinstated Saturday Night is Movie Night chez Bride, and there are many good movies that for various reasons I haven’t talked about here as yet, but that’s all going to change with what I hope will become a regular monthly movie update.

DUNE Part 1 – 2021 * 2h 35m * Denis Villeneuve

Beyond fear, destiny awaits

I actually quite enjoyed the David Lynch version of Dune despite its occasional silliness and terrible ending, but I was very excited when I heard that Denis Villeneuve was going to direct a new versions, and I wasn’t disappointed. Such a great cast, stunning visuals and a fairly faithful representation of the story made this a real pleasure to watch. If you like beautiful, intelligent science fiction then this is for you, but let me warn you, its a long one…..

ETERNALS – 2021 * 2h 36m *Chloe Zhao

In the beginning…

… were the Eternals, immortal beings planted on Earth for reasons we don’t find out for ages, influencing humans, being celebrated in myth and legend and coming together after many years apart because the bad guys turn up and cause havoc. They are a nicely diverse bunch with different powers who have fractured as a group over time but are determined to save humanity from the nasties. Doesn’t turn out to be quite that simple. Cue two and a half hours of enjoyable shenanigans I didn’t know much about this aspect of the MCU before going in but I managed to keep up and it was certainly a spectacular film, though perhaps a tad too long. I’m, sure I’ll watch it again, especially given that one of the Eternals is very, very Scottish, which I appreciate. And my girl crush on Angelina Jolie remains intact.

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE – 2004 * 2h 9m * Jonathan Demme

Everything is under control

Towards the end of last year I finally got around to watching the 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate, based on Richard Condon’s novel and starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey & Angela Lansbury. I enjoyed it, although it was very much of its time. I decided that I would like to watch the remake where Sinatra becomes Denzel Washington, Harvey is Live Schreiber & Meryl Streep is the new Angela Lansbury, and the setting is moved from the Cold War to the aftermath of the first Gulf War, but the story is still the same – a group of soldiers is kidnapped and brainwashed to nefarious ends. Having watched them both I think I favour the 2004 version; there’s a feeling of dread and paranoia that’s missing from the original. Well worth a watch.

Catching up – February movies

Spider-Man: Far From Home [2109]

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.

I am very much a fan of and adherent to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which often pains me as before all of these movies hit the screen way back when I had been staunchly a DC girl. Of the Marvel heroes Spider-Man was probably the one I knew best, and I have watched most of the Toby Maguire, all of the Andrew Garfield and the first Tom Holland films. It’s taken me a while to get to this latest one but I’m pleased to say that it was great fun, especially for a London-based viewer who enjoys trying to work out how they think the city works. Elevated by the presence of Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio and featuring the best Tower Bridge action since Northing Important Happened Today by Will Carver. Good Saturday night movie.

Directed by Jon Watts, SM: FFH is 2h 9 and rated 12A.

News of the World [2020]

A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home.

I have a complicated relationship with Westerns because my late Dad was a huge fan and I was brought up on a diet of John Wayne, Audie Murphy, Randolph Scott et al and I was burned out at a relatively early age. But the Western has changed and I am back in the fold. Cue Tom Hanks as a veteran of the Civil War who has seen A Lot and travels the West bringing news to isolated communities. He comes across a young girl and agrees (well, is kind of forced) to reunite her with her family, but of course that isn’t easy and there are some nasty folks out there. Elegiac and more violent than I expected from a Tom Hanks movie, I thought this was very well done and the ending in particular worked well. I may have shouted “GO BACK” at one point, and he must have heard me because he did.

Directed by Paul Greengrass, News of the World is 1h 58 and rated 12A

Wind River [2017]

A veteran hunter helps an FBI agent investigate the murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation.

I have reservations about Jeremy Renner; I just do not warm to him at all though I have enjoyed several of the films in which he has appeared. Having said that I thought he was really good in Wind River, a film I missed first time out and came to now because of my girl crush on Elizabeth Olsen.

I really admire Taylor Sheridan having loved both Sicario and Hell or High Water so this is a hidden gem as far as I’m concerned. Will watch again.

Directed by Taylor SheridanWind River is 1h 47 long and rated 15

Movie Round Up – The MCU Mini Review

This will be a mini-review simply because everything that needs to be said about both of these films (mainly that they are awesome) has been said better by others but, as a completist, I have to throw in my tuppence worth! This will be a mini-review simply because everything that needs to be said about both of these films (mainly that they are awesome) has been said better by others, but as a completist I have to throw in my tuppence worth!

Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse

Teen Miles Morales becomes Spider-Man of his reality, crossing his path with five counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities.

Such an exciting film in terms of animation design and story. I loved all the versions of Spiderman that appeared, the dynamic that Miles has with his family and the amazing voice cast. I was sad to have missed it at the cinema where I’m sure it looked amazing, but it’s still pretty cool on our big TV screen 🙂

Avengers: Endgame

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe.

A worthy sequel/part two to Avengers: Infinity War. It’s great to see such a large ensemble cast being handled so well in a film which not only delivered in terms of action but actually had a plot that made sense, at least as much sense as any time travel based plot ever makes sense.
I was sad at the characters that did not make it to the end (not naming them because spoilers, of course), mildly annoyed at a couple who survived but shouldn’t, and really pleased at how funny it managed to be while still dramatic and sad and moving. Yes, I cried both times and yes that means I’ve already seen it twice. Shouts out (shout outs?) to the character design for Thor, the presence of so many excellent female characters, and Karen Gillan’s Nebula in particular. It’s a classic, what else can I say?

Captain Marvel

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Captain Marvel  was one of the films I was most looking forward to in 2019. But what’s it all about, you ask, next to the rock from under which you have just crawled.

Well, according to IMDb:

Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.

Does she though? I mean, at the start of the film she is already one of the universe’s most powerful heroes and her connection to Earth is tenuous at best. But I quibble, of course, because that’s what I do.

So, I went into this film with high expectations which were not only met but exceeded. I wish films like this had been around when I was a girl (which was a very long time ago let me tell you) but I am so very glad they’re here now.

This is an origin story with a twist. As I mentioned above, Carole Danvers is already hugely powerful but is living under the impression that she is something she is not. When the events of the film bring her to Earth and cut her off from her team, she teams up with Nick Fury (for it is he) and slowly begins to piece together her past, what happened to her and that rather than being supported, she is being held back by the race she has inadvertently become a part of. The relationships in this story are hugely important, not only with Fury but with her best friend Maria and Maria’s daughter Monica, and those relationships which give her the means to get to the bottom of what’s going on.

Oh, and there is Goose; a very, very special cat.

Brie Larson is excellent in the lead role, with just the right balance of vulnerability and strength. The special effects are of course really well done, especially the process used to make Samuel L Jackson and Clark Gregg younger versions of themselves, the aliens are all brilliant and there is added Annette Bening, which is always a good thing.

Ignore the small group of haters on social media; I love this, and can’t wait to see Captain Marvel in the new Avengers movie. Not long now 😀

Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck | 2h 3m running time | 12A for moderate fantasy violence and implied strong language.

 

 

September Movie Round-up

fullsizeoutput_8aeCatching up with my backlog of posts, here we have the films I watched (to be accurate, mostly re-watched) in September

Avengers: Infinity War

Seems fitting to be revisiting the Avengers in the week that we lost Stan Lee. I enjoyed this movie very much in the cinema but didn’t really review it properly; I’m ready to put that right. Given this is a story with eleventy-billion characters which brings to a partial climax a story that’s been told over the previous 10 years worth of movies, this is surprisingly well put together.

It’s fair to say that it probably works best for fans than it does for the casual viewer But sometimes that needs to be done – focus on the audience that will definitely be attending. The best bits for me (and for many others I’m sure) are where members of the Marvel Universe who haven’t come across each other before meet up and build new alliances; my particular favourite being of course Thor, Rocket & Groot. Very excited to see the follow-up next year.

The House with a Clock in its Walls

A young orphan named Lewis Barnavelt aids his magical uncle in locating a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world.

I’ve never read the book but was drawn into this film having seen the trailer on previous cinema visits. I liked it. It’s not a great film – it seems very much like a lot of others I’ve seen before, but the cast is engaging – I really like the way Cate Blanchett and Jack Black spar with each other and the actor playing young Lewis is very sweet and not at all annoying. It is quite an old-fashioned film

I still want to call it the Clock with a House in its Walls though…..

Deadpool 2

This was a re-watch on the arrival of the DVD. My original review is here; laughed like a drain second time around, but with a better appreciation of the various cameos. So much fun.