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Search Results for: black widow

BLACK WIDOW Advanced Tickets and Disney+ Pre-Order Now Available

12 June 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

The latest installment in Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe is another step closer to release. Starting today, BLACK WIDOW is available for pre-order on Disney+, or for advanced purchase at local theaters.

To celebrate, the studio has released another new featurette of the film and a special message from the cast:

Those wanting to see the BLACK WIDOW on the big screen can purchase tickets online through Fandango or wherever tickets are sold.

If you can’t wait to see BLACK WIDOW on Disney+ next month, be sure to check out our other updates from the film. And be sure to stay tuned for our review of it!

Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books Tagged With: Avengers, Black Widow, black widow movie, black widow trailer, Disney, Disney Plus, Marvel, Marvel Avengers, Marvel's The Avengers, marvels avengers, scarlett johansson, The Avengers

Celebrate National Superhero Day with Marvel Studios’ BLACK WIDOW

28 April 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Celebrating National Superhero Day, Marvel Studios debuted a new featurette that looks back at the illustrious career of Natasha Romanoff. Scarlett Johansson, who reprises her role as Natasha/Black Widow in “Black Widow,” appears in the featurette to assure fans that “it’s time for her story.”

Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. Joining Johansson in the new feature film are Florence Pugh as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei/The Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz as Melina. “Black Widow”—the first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe—is directed by Cate Shortland and produced by Kevin Feige.

The action-packed spy thriller will launch simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access in most Disney+ markets on July 9, 2021.

UPDATE (05/10/21) – Marvel Studios has released new character posters for the main cast of the film, including Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh (seen right), and David Harbour.

If you’re excited about BLACK WIDOW and this new Superhero Day featurette, be sure to check out our other updates about the film.

Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movies & Books Tagged With: Avengers, Black Widow, black widow movie, black widow trailer, Marvel, Marvel Avengers, Marvel movie, natasha romanoff, scarlett johansson, superhero day

The Final Trailer for Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’ is HERE!

10 March 2020 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Marvel Studios’ Black Widow is less than two months away, in theaters on May 1! To get you hyped on the upcoming action-packed spy thriller, Marvel has released this brand new final trailer. Check it out below!

In the trailer, Yelena gives more viewers (and Natasha) insight to the mysterious Taskmaster—he controls the Red Room, the program that churns out young women into the most elite assassins. Yelena states the women are manipulated, fully conscious but no choices. Nat hints that during her time, before the Avengers, she had made mistakes and a few enemies.

Nat expresses regret that she should have come back for Yelena. In order to take down Taskmaster, they must go back to where it all began—bringing the fam back together. With Alexei and Melina, their parental figures, Nat and Yelena have a shot in ensuring Taskmaster could never harm young women again.

We look forward to seeing the movie, so be sure to come back here to check out our review when it comes out this summer.

In addition to the trailer, Black Widow also dropped the latest theatrical poster, below:

This is release was originally posted on Marvel.com

Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Official Disney Tagged With: Avengers, Black Widow, Marvel, Marvel Avengers, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel movie, Marvel Studios, scarlett johansen

Marvel Studios Releases New SHANG-CHI Featurette

30 July 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

After the recent release of Black Widow, the train to the next inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is truly rolling. Today, Marvel Studios gifted us a new featurette of the film, SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS.

In the featurette, we join producer Kevin Feige, stars Simu Liu and Awkwafina, and director Destin Daniel Cretton as they provide some of the backstory to Shang-Chi as a character.

Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization

Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS opens in U.S. theaters on September 3.

Be sure to check out our other updates on the film here.

Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Latest News Tagged With: 2021 movies, Disney, Disney movie, Disney movies, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel movie, marvel movies, Marvel Studios, marvel trailer, MCU, mcu movies, movie trailer, shang chi, shang chi and the legend of the ten rings

Marvel Studios Celebrates It’s Upcoming MCU Phase 4 Films!

3 May 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken us into the world of superheroes ever since the 2008 release of HULK. Now, we’ve been everywhere with these characters: from a neighborhood in Queens to the outer reaches of the galaxy. In this new featurette, released today, Marvel Studios celebrates the movies with a special look at the upcoming feature films in Phase 4 of the MCU.

The world may change and evolve, but the one thing that will never change: we’re all part of one big family.

The featurette details the upcoming creations from Marvel Studios, including BLACK WIDOW and SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, slated to release this year. The featurette also gives us a quick preview of new films starring our friends Doctor Strange, Thor, and Ant-Man.

If you’re excited about the future of the MCU in Phase 4, be sure to check out BLACK WIDOW when it releases on Disney+ later this year.

Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: Black Widow, Captain America, Disney, Disney movie, disney movie trailer, Hawkeye, Hulk, Iron Man, Marvel, Marvel Avengers, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel movie, marvel movies, Marvel Studios, marvel trailer, marvels avengers, shang chi, Thor, Tony Stark

REVIEW: Avengers: Endgame, a Conclusion 11 Years in the Making

23 April 2019 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Before this review gets started, I’ll say that this review, like all of my others, contains NO SPOILERS, so read away with no worries of ruining the story. These are merely my lasting impressions.

About a month ago, I wrote a pretty negative review about Captain Marvel. One of the biggest takeaways from this review was that I began to feel as if I was suffering from “Marvel Fatigue”. That is to say, I felt as if there were more Marvel movies being produced than I cared to enjoy. The majority of them were only entertaining at best, but did nothing in terms of great filmmaking. They were largely ‘popcorn films’ – something you can sit down and watch, and know you’ll have a good time watching it, even though it’s not anything groundbreaking. They all followed the same basic format, and utterly, it grew quite old to me.

That is, with one exception: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. Infinity War to me was the piéce de rèsistance of the MCU. I find myself still watching that movie over and over again, whereas I’ve still only seen most other Marvel movies one time. But I digress – point of the story is that to me, Infinity War was the climax of the series, and left me incredibly excited for Endgame. Captain Marvel just simply didn’t deliver on what I wanted from the MCU.

Endgame did.

THE NEW PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE.

Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: ENDGAME..Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.)..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

Avengers: Endgame is truly the thrilling conclusion we all signed up for back in 2008. None of us knew it back then, but this is what we were waiting for. I’ll actually keep my descriptions of it more brief than usual, since I know spoiling anything in the MCU – let alone a proper Avengers title – is basically a death sentence.

I was ultimately left speechless by this movie. Where the MCU typically left me wanting more – wishing that the stories would be developed deeper, that there was more of a richness or diversity to the arcs we saw – Endgame fulfilled tenfold.It truly was the Super Bowl of the MCU, the great single climax we’ve all been waiting for.

In my initial draft of this review, I listed my only ‘con’ as the runtime. I mentioned that at times, even though I wasn’t bored, I was wondering if this runtime was truly necessary. Now that I’ve had more time to think about it – yes, it absolutely was. Every aspect of this film was necessary, and the runtime was definitely a key player. I might even be able to say I find no ‘con’ in this movie,which is not an honor I throw around very lightly, and certainly not for a movie in the MCU.

There are moments that feel the same as when we first saw The Avengers in 2012, with all the giddy joy of seeing them come together on screen for the first time. There are moments that feel the same as Thor: Ragnarok, which was notable for its lighthearted fare and comedy throughout. And there are some moments that feel the same as Infinity War, with all of the depressing realism of coming to terms with the fact that you can’t win every fight.

If you enter Endgame seeking an end to the arc we began in Infinity War, you will find it. If you enter seeking a newer, bolder story, you will find it. If you enter wishing to reminisce on the nostalgia of all of your favorite Marvel characters, you can do so.It really is a cinematic spectacle the likes of which has never happened before, and might never happen again.

The most I’ll give away is this: pay attention to the score. It can often be overlooked in action movies, but I thought the soundtrack of Endgame was masterful. When utilized fully, the soundtrack can be the biggest single tool in the directors’ arsenal to help tell a story and create their masterpiece – Endgame definitely does this. There are actually a few times in this movie where the score is a big focus, and I don’t recall that being as much of an emotional moment at any other time in the MCU.

Now, while I did absolutely love this movie, I don’t think it’s the most amazing movie I’ve seen. I think initially I would be quite hesitant to put it at the same level as some of my favorite movies – The Favourite (2018), Birdman (2014), La La Land (2016), etc. But I also don’t think that’s what it was trying to be. It wasn’t your typical Oscar-nominated spectacle-of-theatre that you know will be looked back on as a classic. Or was it?

The performances were great. Robert Downey Jr. brought new depth to his role in this film alone unlike anything we’ve seen. And he’s not alone. Hemsworth, Evans, Ruffalo, the whole team were at an elevated level of performance. The storytelling was great. The music was great. The visual depth and experience were great. It’s not your typical Oscar selection, but I think it certainly manages to prove its worthiness as one.

What it did do was subvert every expectation I had of what an action movie could be. 11 years ago, I never thought I would care about what Thanos did, or who War Machine was. But Kevin Feige and the entire Marvel team have crafted a cultural moment unlike any other. I’ll be the first to say I haven’t enjoyed every stop along the way – like I said earlier, I got bored. Retaining the audience’s attention for this long was surely a daunting task, and it wasn’t always a successful one for me. Regardless, time after time, I showed up. And I’m very glad I did.

Endgame manages to do something right in the MCU. That is to say, it takes every boring and action-heavy flick in its roster and kicks them to the curb. Every low moment of the MCU we slogged through for the past 11 years was worth it for seeing the Avengers come to life on screen one last time in Endgame. Whatever it takes.

As a funny bonus, this movie was so engaging that my heart rate went a little crazy.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: ENDGAME..L to R: Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), War Machine/James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans)..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

To say that Endgame is a great movie is actually kind of difficult. First a different question must be answered; Is it truly great, or is it great only built off the success of the 22-film MCU?

I’m a big fan of Harry Potter. And I think that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a good movie, and ended the series off in a way that I was fine with. But you certainly could not watch ONLY Deathly Hallows Part 2. I think you might be able to watch ONLY Endgame (if you somehow hadn’t seen anything else in the MCU).

Really, I don’t think I can answer that original question. In fact I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who actually could. It seems as though the entire world has seen at least most of these movies, so it would be very difficult to find someone who will watch Endgame with absolutely zero prior knowledge. So I think that invalidates the question. To ask if Endgame is good is to, by association, assume whomever you’re asking has prior knowledge already. And that actually makes this easier to talk about.

Endgame is a great movie. It certainly doesn’t make any groundbreaking leaps or bounds in terms of cinematic filmmaking. But it does completely change film history. Never before have 22 films culminated to one thrilling, rollercoaster of a conclusion. And I think something like this may never happen again, or at least, I hope it doesn’t.

While I definitely enjoyed this wild 11 year ride, I’m ready for it to end. In a perfect world, this would be the end of the MCU, and we would be able to look back fondly on this crazy journey and reminisce the time of year a new Marvel movie would come out. Unfortunately, I know it doesn’t end here. They’ve already announced films like Spiderman: Far From Home, and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, and who knows what else is in the works.

But if I’m being honest, after Endgame, I’m actually looking forward to whatever happens next. I’m ready for it to end, but something about the masterminds at Marvel Studios has left me curious about where we go from here. So the MCU shall continue, seemingly endlessly into the horizon, as new stories are told and new heroes are born. But for now, Endgame signifies a brief moment of rest. I no longer know what the future of the MCU holds, but I’m ready for a whole new adventure to begin.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Top Stories Tagged With: Avengers, Avengers EndGame, Marvel Avengers, Marvel movie review, movie review

Avengers Fashions Assemble! Her Universe Hits Another Home Run in Marvel Fangirl Fashion

21 April 2015 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

When I saw this new line of Her Universe designs my mouth dropped and I wished I was 20 again. I may have to throw my pre-conceived fashion notions out the window for a few of these new items. They are that adorable. The Loki dress is to die for, and the Tony Stark jacket is fabulous. I love them all though! Here is the official release from Her Universe below and info on the pre-sale going on at Hot Topic now before the mid-May release of this new Marvel line. Which one is your favorite??

Fangirls assemble! In celebration of the release of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, Her Universe – the trendsetting geek girl apparel company, and Disney Consumer Products have announced a new fashion line inspired by fan-favorite Super Heroes from the Avengers films. The Marvel by Her Universe collection will be available mid-May exclusively at select Hot Topic stores and hottopic.com, with an online pre-sale starting April 21st on hottopic.com.

The Avengers-inspired line features designs by winners from the first-ever Her Universe “Geek Couture” Fashion Show held at last year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego where attendees Amy Beth Christenson and Andrew MacLaine wowed the audience with their original, handmade creations on the runway and took top honors at the event. As part of the grand prize, Christenson and MacLaine were rewarded the exciting professional opportunity to design an exclusive fashion collection with Her Universe founder, Ashley Eckstein, for pop-culture and licensed apparel destination Hot Topic. To see the making of the collection, from inspiration to sketches to fittings to ready-to-wear, visit hottopic.com/marvelbyheruniverse.

“It’s been such a pleasure to work with Amy and Andrew to create this line from their initial sketches to the final product sold in Hot Topic stores,” said Her Universe Founder Ashley Eckstein. “Geek fashion is a trend that’s here to stay. Fangirls are making a statement in the fashion community and this new Avengers collection is addressing their demand for more fashion-forward designs.”

“It’s exciting to see Marvel’s female fan base grow with the second installation of our collaboration with Her Universe, inspired by one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2015,Avengers: Age of Ultron,” said Paul Gitter, Senior Vice President, Licensing, Marvel at Disney Consumer Products. “This collection brings awareness of the emerging fangirl trend into mainstream fashion by uniting stylish designs with iconic characters to create a strong statement at retail.”

The action-packed Marvel by Her Universe collection consists of stylish dresses and jackets inspired by popular Avengers characters, available in straight and extended sizes. The six piece fashion collection for Hot Topic includes:

– Captain America Halter Dress, $59.50
– Thor Sailor Dress, $59.50
– Stark Industries Bomber Jacket, $54.50
– Black Widow Dress, $44.50
– Black Widow Belted Jacket, $64.50
– Loki Halter Dress, $59.50

Click to enlarge the photos:

Black Widow jacket
Tony Stark jacket
Black Widow dress
Thor sailor dress
Loki dress
Captain America dress

“Witnessing two talented designers who truly understand the fans and fan culture win a competition at Comic-Con 2014, and then seeing their spin on Avengers turn into real product at Hot Topic makes what we all do feel genuinely authentic – and so much fun,” said Cindy Levitt, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing at Hot Topic.

In addition to the fashion collection, Hot Topic will offer a wide range of Avengers tees, accessories, gifts and more. The Avengers return to theatres in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron onMay 1, 2015.

About Her Universe
Her Universe was launched in 2010 by actress and entrepreneur Ashley Eckstein and The Araca Group, a leading theatrical production and brand management company. Ashley and Araca created Her Universe to address the expanding market of female sci-fi and fantasy fans. They entered their first agreement with Lucas Licensing to develop and produce a line of female-centered Star Wars apparel and accessories. The success of that line was followed up with a collection for BBC Worldwide for Doctor Who, CBS Consumer Products for Star Trek, AMC for The Walking Dead, Nerdist Industries, Marvel, Hasbro for Transformers and Studio Ghibli. You can learn more about Her Universe and purchase the current line of fangirl apparel and accessories by going to  www.heruniverse.com and by following Eckstein & Her Universe on Facebook (facebook.com/HerUniverse) Twitter (twitter.com/HerUniverse), Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/heruniverse/) and YouTube(https://www.youtube.com/user/HerUniverseChannel?sub_confirmation=1).

Ashley Eckstein Fashion Show winner
Ashley Eckstein with Her Universe Fashion Show winners Amy Beth Christenson and Andrew MacLaine

Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Fan Creations, Product Reviews, Themed Merchandise, Top Stories Tagged With: Ashley Eckstein, Avengers, Avengers Assemble: Age of Ultron, Avengers fashion, Black Widow dress, Black Widow jacket, Captain America dress, fangirl, fangirl fashions, Her Universe, her universe dress, Her Universe fashion, Her Universe Hot Topic, Her Universe Marvel fashion, her universe shop, Hot Topic, Loki dress, Marvel fangirls, Marvel fashion, marvel super heroes, Super Hero fashion, Thor dress, Tony Stark jacket

Disney Princesses in Pop Culture Halloween Costumes

18 October 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I saw someone post a link to these images on Facebook, and I knew I had to share them here. I love seeing mashups of Disney icons with unexpected pairings, and this is no exception. Rapunzel as Sailor Moon? Belle as Hermione? Brilliant! And Ariel as Black Widow looks great, although I do think Merida would’ve been a more apt choice for that character. Mulan as Xena:Warrior Princess seems to be a perfect fit! The art is by Isaiah Stephens and you can see the full set of images (and more) at his tumblr (where Merida IS a character). Who is your favorite and who would you like to see in a different costume?

bellehermione

pocakatniss

rapunzelsailormoon

arielblackwidow

mulanxena

Filed Under: Fan Creations, Top Stories Tagged With: Ariel as Black Widow, Belle as Hermione, DeviantArt, Disney Halloween Princesses, Disney Princesess Halloween costumes, Disney princesses, Disney Princesses pop culture costumes, fan art. disney fan art, fanart, Isaiah Stephens, Mulan as Xena, Pocahontas as Katniss, Princesses fan art, Rapunzel as Sailor Moon, Snow White as Wonder Woman

REVIEW: Marvel’s The Avengers Lives Up to the Hype For Fans and Newbies

1 May 2012 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

I must confess, I am sort of a half-hearted comic book geek-girl. I never really got into superhero comics, but I certainly grew up reading others. My summers were filled with Archie and Jughead comics, peppered with Casper the Friendly Ghost and Donald Duck for good measure. I’ve also always enjoyed superhero movies, but never been obsessed with them as others have. The Batman series and the drama that always surrounded the new actors or directors caught my eye, but Iron Man is what really made me a fan. Robert Downey Jr. brought humanity and hilarity to that character and made the film accessible to all level of Marvel fans.

When I attended the D23 Expo last August and learned more about the Marvel history, along with pretty much the entire cast of The Avengers walking out on stage and giving us a preview of the movie (twice), my interest and excitement was piqued. Then, time got in the way and we really hadn’t seen any of the other Marvel films, aside from the first Iron Man. Knowing this screening was coming up, my husband and I went on an Avengers movie-watching spree and got caught up on the franchise. [We still have to see Hulk, but I feel like his story was the easiest to catch up on within The Avengers.]

If you need to catch up on the story behind The Avengers, here’s a featurette which will tell you more, including commentary from Joss Whedon and the actors.

In tweeting about our movie marathon, folks would reply with their favorite Avenger film, and in the case of my Avengers giveaway, everyone seems to have a different favorite character. After seeing almost all of the movies, I still cannot choose a favorite! I love Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr. and think his acerbic wit will always keep him close to my heart, but I also found myself really appreciating the story of Captain America and how his character as a man made him who he was, even before the shot of power he received. And then Thor, who doesn’t appreciate an arrogant heir apparent getting the lesson of humility and humanity (while being quite easy on the eyes at the same time)? So still, even after seeing Marvel’s The Avengers, I cannot choose a favorite character. And perhaps that is why The Avengers is such an amazing film. There truly is something for everyone, and if your favorite is in trouble, another Avenger will be there to help him (or her) out.

Marvel's The Avengers
Iron Man and Captain America are reluctant but eventual partners

 

All of my thoughts aside, I felt the best person to write this review was my husband, a true comic book geek and fan with very pronounced opinions on the subject. I will just add my own thoughts that I think Joss Whedon‘s writing is the true star. The banter and one-liners within the film are reminiscent of every show Whedon has written, and that is what has created such fanboys and girls who think he can do no wrong. I’m there with them now. I think he got it and the audience in our screening appreciated it, as did we. We learned so much more about S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers themselves and watching their alliance unfold before us was a treat. Loki is a great opponent and several times throughout the plot, just when I thought I knew what he was going to do, he surprised me. The ending battle when the Avengers had realized how powerful they were as a team, was full of non-stop action, laughs, and cheers. I left the film excited to see it again and anticipating the next Avengers installment. I cannot think of another superhero film that left me feeling that way. And now that I’ve said my piece, here are my husband, J.F. DiMarzio‘s more in-depth thoughts:

[Warning: some spoilers ahead!]

…

If you are a fan of Marvel’s Avengers you are going to have many reasons to love this movie.  If you are not a fan of Marvel’s Avengers, there are still reasons why you are going to love this movie.

MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS
Joss Whedon with Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr.

Avengers is the culmination of 5 movies worth of set up.  The Hulk, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America were all the set up for this comic book nerd’s dream. Joss Whedon was the perfect pick to helm the single most important comic book movie to date.  His use of humor fit in perfectly with the story.  Fans of Firefly or Buffy will feel right at home with the wit of Joss Whedon (there is even a subtle nod to Firefly as Black Widow swears in Chinese under her breath).

So, what makes this movie so great? This is going to be hard to answer with giving away some spoilers. Be forewarned.

Diehard comic book fans can relax, knowing that their beloved Avengers franchise was handled by someone who loves the characters and the story just as much as they do with the very opening scene. The first moments reveal a Skrull.  Joss Whedon makes it clear he knows what he is doing, by using the Skrull as the major force of evil in the movie.  The best part of using the Skrull is that he doesn’t even stop to introduce them.  For the fans this means no boring backstories to sit through. Whedon unapologetically jumps right into the Avengers’ storyline letting the 5 previous movies provide all of the setup.  The best part of this approach is that even if you do not know who the Skrull are, you do not feel left out; you quickly accept that this is “a bad guy” and you move on.

Where Whedon’s talents really shine are in how he incorporated each member of the Avengers’ abilities and was able to resolve the plot by giving each hero a specific goal to accomplish.  If each goal is not achieved, the team fails.  In this way, I cannot point to one Avenger and say “If it wasn’t for X they would have lost.”  By doing this, much of the intra-team bickering and frailty that was present in the comics is intact in the film.

Captain America
Captain America mid-battle

Going into the film, I was worried about three things; how would Captain America be handled in the present day, how would the 4th Hulk in as many films come across, and would we have to suffer through more painful Thor love story?  Two and a half out of three isn’t bad at all.

Captain America feels totally out of place, as he should.  You see that he is uncomfortable, and very much trying to find his way in a world that he is not familiar with.  Some of the funniest gaffes of the movie come from this “fish out of water” scenario.

As for the Hulk, Mark Ruffalo does the best job he can playing a character that had already be messed up by three other actors. While this is by far the BEST adaptation of Hulk, it is Whedon’s treatment of Bruce Banner that is lacking.  He is portrayed as almost savant-like and at one point even walks around wringing his hands à la Rainman.  This is, in the grand scheme of the things, a very small complaint – and the only flaw I could find with the movie.

Finally there is no Thor love story.  Rather, there is a very quick mention of Jane Foster as having been “moved to safety”.

So, how do you top a movie like this? The closing credits.  Fans of the series know that little Easter eggs lay after the credits in the previous films, and the Avengers, by far, has the best one.  If you do not want to have the secret spoiled, stop reading now.

THOR (Chris Hemsworth) (L) and CAPTAIN AMERICA (Chris Evans) (R)
Thor and Captain America prepare for battle

******

As a set up for, presumably, the next Avengers film, the credits end with the camera back on the Skrull.  This time they are talking to a new character.  Comic book fans will immediately recognize the figure and squeal with delight just as Thanos comes into frame.  Does this mean that next Avengers movie will include the Infinity Gauntlet? Will we see Doctor Strange? Silver Surfer? Spiderman? What do you think?

…

In summary, as if you needed a reminder – go see Marvel’s The Avengers. You will not be disappointed. It is as close to a perfect action film as I’ve ever seen and supporting the franchise will equal more great sequels in the future. Avengers, assemble!

Filed Under: Disney News, Guest Authors, Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Reviews Tagged With: Avengers review, Chris Evans, chris hemsworth, comic book heroes, Jeremy Renner, Joss Whedon, Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, Marvel's The Avengers, Movie Reviews, Robert Downey Jr. Scarlett Johansen, Samuel L Jackson, superheroes, superheros, The Avengers, Tom Hiddleston

#Avengers Assemble! Follow and Chat with @Avengers on Twitter

27 January 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Marvel Avengers I know a LOT of people who will be very happy about the press release that just crossed my inbox, so I had to share!

–Marvel Studios announced today that they will be sponsoring a Global Twitter Chat on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 11 a.m. (PST) with cast members and the director of their highly anticipated action-adventure “Marvel’s The Avengers,” opening in theaters on May 4, 2012. The 30-minute live tweeting event features writer/director Joss Whedon and cast members Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg.

 

Fans around the world will be able to participate in the Q&A on Twitter by using the @Avengers handle and the #Avengers hashtag. Participating fans will have the opportunity to see a 10-second tease of the 30-second Super Bowl spot that will air during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5 on NBC. They will also have a chance to answer “Avengers” trivia for a chance to win “Avengers” prize packs.

 

International fans will be able to submit questions for the talent in their native language through a global translation tool provided by Ortsbo.com. The chat will be moderated by Marvel’s @Agent_M.

 

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, NickFury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

 Marvel Avengers

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures. The film is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher, Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

 

Follow @Avengers on Twitter for more details.

Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: Avengers, Avengers twitter chat, Clark Gregg, Joss Whedon, Marvel, Marvel Avengers, Marvel Studios, Robert Downey Jr., super bowl ads, Super Bowl XLVI, Tom Hiddleston, Walt Disney Pictures

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