Posts Tagged ‘Marvel’

Short Take: Full of action and fun to watch, but not exceptional

Director: Joe Johnston

Screenwriters: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Cast: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci

Length: 2h 4m

Synopsis: The year is 1942 and America is on the verge of militarily entering WWII. Brooklyn native Steve Rogers (Evans) has been applying to join the service but keeps getting denied. Nevertheless, he refuses to give up, and on his fifth attempt he is pulled aside and offered an opportunity to enlist after convincing the recruiters he is looking to fight for freedom, not just looking for a reason to fight. Across the Atlantic the dastardly Red Skull (Weaving), an ex-Nazi, has found the Cosmic Cube, a source of immeasurable energy which he plans to use to take over the world one country at a time. To combat his efforts the U.S. military authorizes Rogers to be a guinea pig for a new Super Soldier serum, which gives him great strength and speed. With his newfound abilities he becomes Captain America, and fulfills his dreams by doing his part to protect the innocent. But even for him, defeating Red Skull will be a tall order.

Read the rest of this entry »

Short Take: Action packed and emotionally arresting. Rivals "X2" for best of the series.

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Screenwriters: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn – Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer (story)

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, January Jones

Length: 2h 12m

Synopsis: It is 1963 and the world is still largely unaware of the presence of mutants. This is not to say that they are few in number, but most are still very much in the closet. There are a few, however, that are not shy about their abilities. Sebastian Shaw (Bacon), an ex-Nazi who ran the concentration camp where Erik Lehnsherr (Fassbender) was separated from his family, is a mutant who is trying to manipulate the American and Soviet governments into nuclear war. Meanwhile, mutants Charles Xavier (McAvoy) and Lehnsherr are attempting to recruit a special team of fellow gifted individuals to stop Shaw before it’s too late. But while Xavier is determined to avoid violent methods whenever possible, Erik is looking to get revenge on his former captor by any means necessary. How their battle concludes will not only affect how mutants will be looked at for years to come – as friends or foes – but whether humans will continue to outnumber mutants across the world.

Read the rest of this entry »

Short Take: Exceeds expectations by balancing action and story

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Screenwriters: J. Michael Staczynski and Mark Protosevich (story), Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne (screenplay)

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston

Length: 1h 55m

Synopsis: King Odin (Hopkins) of Asgard was looking to pass down the crown to his son Thor (Hemsworth), but before that would happen the sophomoric son went on a foolish and dangerous errand that could potentially rekindle a war between Asgard and their olden enemies the Frost Giants. For such recklessness Thor is exiled to Earth where he shall be powerless until he proves himself worthy to return. While gone, Odin’s adopted son Loki (Hiddleston) carries out plans to usurp the throne and compromise Asgard for the Frost Giants. With the help of several humans trying to understand Thor’s plight, the most empathetic of which is an astrophysicist named Jane (Portman), the God of Thunder must mature in time to save his kingdom.

Read the rest of this entry »

Short Take: Shows more promise in future Marvel films than in itself. Entertaining, but disjointed.

Director: Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Elf)

Screenwriter: Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, Tropic Thunder), Don Cheadle (Brooklyn’s Finest, Hotel Rwanda, Ocean’s 11), Gwyneth Paltrow (Two Lovers, Iron Man), Scarlett Johansson (He’s Just Not That Into You, The Spirit, Vicky Christina Barcelona), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Domino, Sin City), Sam Rockwell (Everybody’s Fine, Moon, Frost/Nixon)

Length: 2 hours 4 minutes

Synopsis: Picking up where the last film left off, the film follows Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) as he struggles to overcome a number of obstacles after revealing he is Iron Man.  Stark fights to keep the U.S. government from taking the Iron Man technology while also competing with fellow arms businessman Justin Hammer (Rockwell).  However, Stark has bigger problems like Ivan Vanko (Rourke), an angry nemesis out for revenge against the Stark family, as well as the threat that the piece of machinery keeping him alive may also be slowly killing him.  On top of all this, Stark tries to cultivate his budding romance with Pepper Potts (Paltrow) while also flirting with his mysterious new personal assistant Natalie (Johansson). Read the rest of this entry »

Venom

Screenwriter Gary Ross, whom is currently working on the script for Spider-Man 4 (set to begin production next year) has also been hired by Columbia Pictures to write the script for and possibly direct Venom, a spinoff from the Spider-Man franchise. Ross aims to make Venom an anti-hero, defending the innocent. Topher Grace, who just signed on to Robert Rodriguez’s Predators, is not expected to reprise his role as Venom from Spider-Man 3.

Related: Disney, who now owns the rights to Spider-Man and the rest of the Marvel universe, reportedly plans to make another Ghost Rider film, as well as Silver Surfer (a spinoff from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer).

Writer Jamie Vanderbilt is currently working for Columbia to write the 5th and 6th Spider-Man movies. Director Sam Raimi is so far not attached to them.

Sources: Variety, Hollywood Reporter

According to CEO of Disney Bob Iger the company’s buying of Marvel Entertainment was the latest step in their plans to reformulate the quality of their products, aiming to appeal to wider audiences and earn better returns.

In an article from Variety.com, Disney’s plans are candidly explained regarding how the entertainment powerhouse plans on dealing with the recession, as well as a recent string of unsuccessful films (Race to Witch Mountain, Bedtime Stories, Confessions of a Shopaholic).

The article goes into great detail, at length, providing enough information about Disney’s upcoming plans that a comprehensive calender could be constructed if one was so inclined to record one. All in all it is very informative and illustrates a relatively clear picture of what audiences and fans can expect from the “Mouse House” in the immediate and intermediate future.