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Reviews
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Amazing, Spectacular & Ultimate Spider-man movie!
With great power comes great responsibility, Marvel, Disney and Sony have delivered quite possibly the pinnacle of superhero movies simply by following this mantra, pooling all of their vast resources into one, working together without ego proving that the power of 3 can truly be a wonderful thing....
I loved this movie, for the first time since the (covid) blip my local picture house was sold out, not only were there no empty seats but there were no dry eyes and no unsatisfied customers either.
Not since Cap lifted Mjiolnir and assembled the Avengers have I heard a room erupt with such rousing aplomb, which was only enhanced by the gasps, shocks and tears that sped the plot along from the opening scene to the closing shot.... quite simply a 'perfect' movie, not in the Schindlers List or Shawshank way but the way Back to the Future, Ghostbusters or Die Hard are 'perfect', they tick every box, they stand the test of time, they are simply classics and I have no doubt that No Way Home will be a welcome addition to the club. See it for yourselves, you will not be disspointed.
Loki (2021)
Hooked, but needs to be careful not to rely on the past...
Huge MCU fan, huge Loki fan, not dissapointed. Marvel keeps delivering the goods and maintains its standard and quality with its small screen efforts previously seen in Wandavision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
1917 (2019)
An unbelievable achievement.
This movie deserves every accolade heading its way. Sam Mendes has delivered not only one of the best war movies ever but one of the best movies full stop. The first act is one seamlessly put together tracking shot that builds serious tension while throwing in a few uppercuts that really catch you off guard, the second half is nothing short of sublime. Beautifully terrifying, sensationally upsetting, heartbreaking and thrilling it doesnt let up right to the end credits. The performances from the leads are incredible and are soundly backed up by the wider cast and when paired with the most amazing cinematography means I have no criticisms at all to say about this film. See it, absorb it, remember the bravery of our elders ...then see it again.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
I could watch this all day!
Let me start this review by stating that I fully admit being 100% in awe of the MCU and everything it has achieved and am completely biased in my opinion.
Now, on to the movie, it is simply perfection. My anticipation going into this film was off the scale, after being invested in this franchise for over a decade and being a massive fan of the larger Marvel universe for most of my life I can guarantee that if you are a fan, you will not leave the cinema dissapointed. Action, humour, romance, drama, tension, horror.... this movie has it all, it fills you with joy and a sense of hope one minute then rips through you with fear and loss the next, it is the ultimate roller coaster filled with so many twists and turns that you will be gasping for breath on the (bleeding) edge of your seat, it is the most fitting conclusion to an epic tale but also a fitting beginning to a continuing story.
Stunning effects, outstanding script, enthralling storyline and above all superbly acted by a cast that truly appear to believe in their characters and understand their audience like never before (Hawkeye anyone!!!). I cannot stress enough how much love and care has gone into creating this epic masterpiece and do not say lightly that I hope the academy takes note come awards season.
The Russo brothers deserve huge praise, along with the rest of the crew, the way they have taken this franchise and crafted it into a sublime piece of pop culture that will go down in history as one of the greats is not to be sniffed at, my only hope is that the next 10 years expand and enhance it even further.
I wish I could keep the feeling of watching it for the first time forever, what an experience, what a movie, what a time to be a fan!
Loved it 3000.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Dont listen to the haters....
I loved this movie! I dont understand all the 1 star reviews on here, if your not a fan of this kind of thing then just dont watch them?!? I am a fan. A fan of Marvel, of DC, of comics, of movies.... of pop culture in general. Im not a fan of classical music so I wouldnt go to the opera, if I did, id probably review it as a 1 star show! Thats not to say its a bad show, but I simply wouldnt get it.
What Marvel/Disney have achieved is nothing short of epic. 10 years, 20+ movies, billions of pounds at the box office... epic! Ant Man and the Wasp, not epic. Not 'the biggest movie ever made'. Not going to change the course of cinema.... it is however, the most fun ive had in the cinema all year. Its funnier than Deadpool 1, its visually more stunning than Dr Strange, its pluckier than Homecoming and what makes it so special... family. The threat in this film isnt world ending, theres nothing to avenge, guard or defend that is going to affect the big picture and as a result its all the better for it, these heroes and even the 'villain(s)' are only fighting for what they love, there not being asked to protect everyone and everything, they are simply doing what all of us would do to protect our family... but with superpowers! I highly recommend it, if your a fan. If not, Im sure Andre Rieu is playing a show somewhere....
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Absolutely Sensational.
SENSATIONAL, FUNNY, HEARTBREAKING, AWESOME! ILOVED this movie!!!
Now that's out the bag, let me get down to the grit.
After 10 years and 18 movies, finally, the War is here! As a spectacle summer popcorn movie this has no equal, as a technical achievement, there is no better, as a moving relationship drama with real depth and threat, The only other time I have experienced anything close was the LOTR trilogy... its that good!
Yes, its safe to assume that I am a Marvel fan-boy and may be just a tad biased in my opinions, however, I always try to go into MCU movies with an open mind, never expecting what happens on screen to rival the many stories I have consumed over the decades in the books. This does, in every possible way.
Less politically relevant than Black Panther but with ten times more heart, as funny as Ragnarok but with a million times the threat this is the culmination of thousands of hours of hard work and devotion from a studio who not only know what they are doing but also clearly love what they do too, and it shows In every beautifully framed shot, every character interaction and every emotional death scene, right up to the cliffhanger to rival that of the first Matrix.
The biggest surprise to me was Thanos. A genuine force of nature. The biggest bad in the MCU. The Mad Titan himself.... a loving father with a complicated back story and impossible decisions to make whilst carrying the fate of the universe on his vast shoulders! This is no doubt, 100% HIS movie. Brolin nails it, with the assistance of the best mo-cap in cinema history, he is able to convey a tortured, moving performance that resonates with the audience who can not help but almost agree with his logic, you almost want him to win!
The rest of the ensemble cast are great as usual, the dynamics between the team-ups are superbly handled, especially the scenes with the Guardians, who, thanks to Drax, inject most of the humour. The Tony Stark/Peter Parker relationship also expands on the groundwork laid in Civil War and continued in Homecoming, to great effect. Tony, more than ever truly cares for Pete and as such feels a greater sense of responsibility than ever. With great power, right? Furthermore, the Wanda/Vision, Quill/Gamora, Rocket/Groot, relationships are all dealt with incredibly well, with heartfelt emotion and genuine love for each other. Trust me, there will be lumps in throats! on the flip side is Thor and Cap, who are both dealing with loss, Thor dealing with the destruction of Asgard and Steve with the state of the fractured Avengers, they are very much the 'solo' heroes, both with nothing to lose, both at their most dangerous. Dr Strange also plays a huge part in the narrative of the film, however, alongside Hulk, Black Widow, War Machine, Falcon, Winter Soldier and Black Panther, they are very much the window dressing to fill the gaps between the main event.
The pacing of the movie is spot on, it really never felt like 2 and a half hour film and had Avengers 4 started right after I could have probably sat (on the edge of my seat) through that too!
If I had to find a negative it would probably be Hulk shaped, but that's really clutching at straws, this is an outstanding achievement and a milestone in cinema. Go see it. Go see it again, you will not be disappointed. I'm off to catch viewing number 3.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Great re-boot, however traditionalist spider-fans may be upset with all the changes!
As a long time spidey fan and huge admirer of the MCU films I went into this with massive expectations.
I wasn't disappointed.
Like many others I did find myself questioning the need to change the race of some of the supporting characters purely to show diversity in Hollywood, but after lengthy internal arguments I have concluded that the film actually benefits from breaking the mould and setting the scene in an all new friendly neighborhood.
Tom Holland is an incredible Peter Parker/spider-man, he nails every scene be it down to his comedic timing, gymnastic athleticism or touching moments opposite Aunt May or best friend Ned Leeds, who is arguably the greatest sidekick ever!
Tony Stark's father figure, Happy Hogan's 'big brother', Flash Thompson's jealous rival, 'love interest' Liz & Michelle's 'quirky friend' all add to the mix and provide chemistry to help develop Peters character to a level never experienced in a spider-movie before and it is a refreshing change from the uncle Ben/Norman Osborn stuff we have seen before.
The rest supporting cast is also great, with a shout out for Micheal Keatons -Vulture/Adrian Toomes who brings the exact mix of desperation and fear to the role and adds another terrific villain to Marvels cinematic rouges gallery.
As the story unfolds and we learn of Liz's parentage, the tone of the film shifts from 'high school coming of age comedy' to 'full on action heroics'...the scene where Spidey is trapped under the warehouse roof and he has to find within himself the will to keep pushing is something I have wanted to see since a similar story from the comics in the 60's, its a real 'spidey-moment' where he realises that even without Stark's new suit and gadgets - he is Spider-Man! From then on the final battle against the Vulture on/above/around an invisible Stark jet is simply sensational.
To compare this film to the Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire movies is unfair, and to compare to the original stories from the comics is impossible, people should remember that when Stan Lee created these characters the world was a completely different place than it is today!
This version stands its ground and isn't afraid to mix things up in order to remain fresh but keeps enough of the classic stuff to feel familiar.
Personally I loved this film and cant wait for the 'inevitable' sequels.