Avengers: Infinity War.

Review #1079: Avengers: Infinity War.

Cast: 
Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / Hulk), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers / Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Don Cheadle (James Rhodes / War Machine), Tom Holland (Peter Parker / Spider-Man), Chadwick Boseman (T'Challa / Black Panther), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Paul Bettany (Vision), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson / Falcon), Sebastian Stan (James "Bucky" Barnes / Winter Soldier), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Peter Dinklage (Eitri), Benedict Wong (Wong), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Vin Diesel (Groot), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Benicio del Toro (Taneleer Tivan / The Collector), Josh Brolin (Thanos), and Chris Pratt (Peter Quill / Star-Lord) Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (#571 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier and #796 - Captain America: Civil War)

Review: 
On May 2, 2008, Iron Man (#135) was released into theaters, being the first film in what has become known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has served to try and tell stories of entertainment with adaptations of characters from all-throughout its numerous comic book series. Eighteen films later, here we are with Avengers: Infinity War, picking up plot points from numerous movies such as the first two Avengers installments (#312 and #706) but also Guardians of the Galaxy (#626 and #932) and Doctor Strange (#874) among others. It is obvious to see the amount of effort (and money) utilized to try and make something that achieves its goal of great spectacle. As such, the film is successful in being good entertainment. While it can be argued that it may be a bit overstuffed for its own good (in numerous categories), it will ultimately prove satisfying for people invested in what it is trying to showcase, as is the case for this series in other films, which have had their own range of success. It might not go down as the best in this series or even the best comic book film ever, but it will serve as solid joyfulness for its viewers.

This is a film with a large scale and large importance to what matters, but it is the parts involving its main villain that ultimately tie the film best. For a series that likes to show off its heroes and their abilities, their depiction of villains have generally not always been their highlight, but I think that it works here because of the conviction taken to give Brolin's character a level of importance and depth, which Brolin does a good job in making entertaining and prime for what you would expect. The film manages to take what could've been unwieldy with having such a large cast and having to balance each out and makes it work just enough to keep its plots going with enough energy and commitment. It never spends too much time on one thing without sacrificing the other parts of the plot to its detriment. If you have spent time watching these characters (or care about them), you will find a good deal to appreciate in seeing certain people interact with each other, such as Downey and Cumberbatch, or Hemsworth and Cooper, filled with its moments of fun quips. The film can't be faulted for being murky with its effects or its costume look since it manages to not blur the line between wonderful and cut-scene. The action sequences are executed as you'd expect, accompanying the film with good craft and energy. The film and its impact will differ from person to person, but I found the film to be at the very least successful with telling its story without becoming a crammed exercise in over-indulgence, but I can't say that I am a staunch defender of what it does. At 149 minutes, it may prove a bit of overkill for some while being just the right kind of length for others in the mood for what it tries to sell. Its climax is fairly satisfactory, with enough pull and punch to make something worth going home to without feeling cheated or feeling sick.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Black Panther.

Review #1050: Black Panther.

Cast: 
Chadwick Boseman (T'Challa / Black Panther), Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Martin Freeman (Everett K. Ross), Daniel Kaluuya (W'Kabi), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Winston Duke (M'Baku), Sterling K. Brown (N'Jobu), Angela Bassett (Ramonda), Forest Whitaker (Zuri), Andy Serkis (Ulysses Klaue), Florence Kasumba (Ayo), and John Kani (T'Chaka) Directed by Ryan Coogler (#760 - Creed)

Review: 
The Marvel Cinematic Universe films have had a scope and quality to them that make for a consistently entertaining series of movies, and it is hard to believe that it has been ten years since the release of the film that started it all, Iron Man (#135). While it can be argued that these comic book films do tend fall along traditional formulas, it is the tweaking of certain aspects that make for the successes that have occurred, whether with a tinge of humor or with a tinge of humanity to it. After all, this is the 18th film in the franchise, and while you could equate them to products in a line, at least they are fairly solid products. In the case of Black Panther, this is a good movie that pushes most of the right buttons to make for a solid winner. The best quote that can be said about the movie comes from itself: "Just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be improved".

As mentioned in my review for Blade (1998), the film had originally been slated for development with Wesley Snipes in mind in the 1990s, although it languished in development for two decades, with Chadwick Boseman eventually being cast in the role in 2014. Black Panther (based off the comic book series of the same name that was originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) had already been showed on the big screen prior to his own film, as he was introduced in Captain America: Civil War (#796) two years ago, and I remember he had made a fine impression on me. Obviously this film gives Boseman more time to show his character off, and he excels, managing to be an interesting hero with enough gravitas that manages to holds his own in a cast with a good deal of variety. Jordan does a great job, managing to show a good deal of charisma along with fury that makes for an interesting villain that stands out, particularly for a film universe that has not had the best of villain portrayals. Nyong'o and Gurira manage to provide capable performances that are fairly strong along with interesting to watch on screen, each having their own respective moments to shine. Freeman doesn't have much time on screen, but he does provide a satisfactory enough performance. Kaluuya doesn't have a lot to do with his character, but he does the best of what he can. Wright does a fine performance, having some clever charm along with characteristics reminding me of "Q" from the James Bond series while also having some amusing scenes with Boseman. Serkis manages to have a good scenery chewing time, for the time that he gets on screen anyway. The rest of the cast do a fine job in their respective roles and functions, such as Duke and his adversarial but crucial role or Whitaker and his mystical nature.

The themes of the film work to the film's advantage, presenting its arguments without being ham-handed in approach. There are other things deserving praise, such as Rachel Morrison and her cinematography and Ruth E. Carter's costume design, both working fairly well to complement the film, making for a worthy atmosphere to watch. The action sequences are fairly hit and miss; while I do appreciate some of the fight sequences, there are times when it feels a bit too standardized, with the climax serving as mild entertainment when not utilizing too much effects, and the resolution to the film is fairly satisfactory, with its 134 minute run-time being acceptable enough for me. I do appreciate that the movie doesn't try to tie itself to other films of the comic franchise too much (aside from a flashback or so), being a film that is interesting in just showing itself off without lingering too much on little details. Ultimately, this is a film that is a pretty good success, achieving its goals well without betraying its principles.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Captain America: Civil War.

Review #796: Captain America: Civil War.

Cast
Chris Evans (Steve Rogers / Captain America), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson / Falcon), Don Cheadle (James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton / Hawkeye), Chadwick Boseman (T'Challa / Black Panther), Paul Bettany (Vision), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man), Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter), Tom Holland (Peter Parker / Spider-Man), Frank Grillo (Brock Rumlow / Crossbones), William Hurt (Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross), Daniel Brühl (Helmut Zemo), and Martin Freeman (Everett K. Ross) Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (#571 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

Review
One could make the argument that you could make a guess as to what will happen in the movie given the seemingly never ending progression of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from phase to phase, year after year. But I always try to go into these movies with at least some sort of open mind and try to see if I will enjoy what are currently the best made movies of this generation. The case still stands true with Civil War. While I think that Winter Soldier was a slightly better movie in terms of plot, Civil War manages to keep the entertainment flow going with enough action, charm, and bits of interesting discussion. It is hard to not compare this with the other film (#788 - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) released earlier in the year about superheroes fighting against each other, but it is evident that this film did the better job in the departments that matter most: Setting up the conflict that leads to a fight and the actual fight itself. The progression of these films mean that one can see the layers of disagreement through the main two leads and actually emphasize with both sides (for the most part) and their viewpoints.

Sure, you can pick a side, but the movie marches on regardless, with expert juggling of all of these characters also being a key benefit. The villain this time around isn't easily apparent, but his motivations are least coherent enough, tying in well to the theme of the movie, involving the collateral damage that the Avengers leave in their battles (which while sounding like a no-brainer does make a bit of sense in the film). The usual castmates are excellent, with Evans and Downey being excellent main leads. Boseman and Holland are our new additions to the main cast, and they both make excellent impressions, with the latter (who is barely older than I am) especially standing out, with all the wise cracks one would expect from Spider-Man. Like the other Marvel movies before it, there is a certain level of fun amidst all of the mayhem, which makes up for a 2 and a half hour run time, although it certainly doesn't feel that long. Civil War manages to do its job effectively while not over-stuffing itself too much, and I certainly enjoyed it enough.

For reference, this is #23 in my (seemingly longrunning) Theater Saga, this time with friends, with this experience being pretty good.

Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 42.

Review #372: 42.

Cast
Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson), Harrison Ford (Branch Rickey), Andre Holland (Wendell Smith), Christopher Meloni (Leo Durocher), John C. McGinley (Red Barber), Lucas Black (Pee Wee Reese), Alan Tudyk (Ben Chapman), Nicole Beharie (Rachel Isum Robinson), Brett Cullen (Clay Hopper), and Ryan Merriman (Dixie Walker) Directed by Brian Helgeland.

Review
On a day like this where baseball is around to entertain us as the week begins, history is once again turned into a movie and once again I'm reviewing a film about Jackie Robinson, the first one starring himself (#365 - The Jackie Robinson Story), which wasn't bad, but not too special. This is first film reviewed here from 2013, and trust me there will be more soon enough from 2013. This film...manages to be entertaining. While it may have some inaccuracies that some have found, I don't mind. It seems sweetening and easy to figure, but it manages to capture a tone of the 1940's, which given the mood back then, makes sense, I suppose. Boseman is a surprisingly good actor for someone I haven't watched before, leaving an impression, looking the part. But the actor I think is the best out of all of them is Harrison Ford, who surprised me because he does radical change to be Rickey and does a great job, making me smile. The rest of the cast (Examples being Meloni, Holland and Beharie) do a fine job, keeping the film at pace as well. The baseball action works well, and it captures an old feel of life, baseball and more. It has its moments, and it certainly is a good biopic. Essentially, 42 hits a ball that goes deep into right field, narrowly missing the foul pole but still going fair.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.