Review: ‘Thunderbolts’ has a superhuman ability to connect with audiences
‘Thunderbolts’ unites a team of outcasts who decide to put their super abilities to better use by saving the world instead of covering up corruption.
Avengers
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Review: ‘Black Widow’ fulfills expectations in spite of setbacks
After an extensive wait for the film and then further delays for the release, ‘Black Widow’ is finally here to deliver everything one expects from a Marvel picture… but perhaps a touch too late.
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Review: ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ spins a web of action-packed fun (Includes first-hand account)
Since Marvel came back into the fold, Spider-Man has flourished. No longer an emo man-child, he exudes youth and teenage sarcasm in a manner inherit to the character. In other words, Peter Parker really looks and feels like the boy next door now. Moreover, bringing him back into the greater MCU allowed for more interesting storylines as he built a paternal bond with the ever-aloof Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). If you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame, then you really should before watching this picture because it opens with a major spoiler (which also can’t/won’t be avoided for the remainder of this review — fair warning). Having announced this movie would close out Marvel Studios‘ phase three rather than Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home took the baton and slung away.
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Review: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ makes a big and powerful statement (Includes first-hand account)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been laying the groundwork for this epic crossover for years. First, post-credit sequences included unrelated characters; then they began to interact with individuals from other storylines; and finally, those characters began to appear in each other’s narratives, including a movie featuring unparalleled in-fighting. Now, all of this preparation is culminating in possibly the greatest — and most ambitious — superhero movie to date. A villain that’s lurked on the periphery for some time is ready to make his big move in Avengers: Infinity War and it’s going to take everyone in the MCU to stop him.
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Review: ‘Captain America: Civil War’ delivers on the big things (Includes first-hand account)
Even though the team found a way to put their differences aside, cracks in The Avengers‘ armour began to show in the last ensemble film. Superheroes no longer exist in a world in which there are no consequences for their actions — Batman v Superman recently dealt with similar themes. But who gets to decide when and where they’re deployed? And if they disagree, whose decision has greater authority? There’s a fine line between regulation and control; and while one may appear essential to co-existence, the other is a significant and probable risk. Captain America: Civil War addresses these questions, dividing The Avengers into opposing factions.
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Review: ‘Ant-Man’ isn’t your typical big screen superhero (Includes first-hand account)
If there’s something Marvel Studios has proven good at, it’s generating a world in which there is a small degree of separation between characters even though they don’t appear together on screen. The Marvel Universe is an intricately weaved space in which fans can be delighted, but not surprised, when storylines from other movies leak into a new picture. It’s a vital ingredient to their success and all part of the magic that audiences have come to expect. Though Ant-Man is not one of their most popular comic book characters, he is seamlessly incorporated into the thriving realm of admired superheroes while differentiating himself from the pack.
