Summer Movies: Avengers

"So Nick Fury is like 'We need a team of the most brightly colored bullseyes we can find!'"
- Bum Reviews, TGWG (Um, beware some language, if you go looking for it.)  

So. This was my first review of Avengers:

OHMYGOSHAVENGERS.

That was it. And honestly, that still pretty much sums it up.

If you don't see this movies in theatres, you're missing out. This is one of the few movies I will tell you go spend your money. Give them your money. (I almost mistyped there and wrote "monkey." I doubt they want your monkey. I doubt you have a monkey.) Seriously, they have done so well with everything and all the movies leading up to this and all the build up, that you should go give them your money and support this. And because it's just that good. Sure, they've already made a billion dollars. But folks, in this case, there's a reason why.

Also you should go see it in theatres because you will be sad if you rent it first. This movie is huge. This movie needs to be experienced on the big screen. (I have now seen it in both 2D and 3D and I can assure you you're not missing out on anything without the 3D action.)

I can't rave about this movie enough. The characters, the action sequences, the dialogue, the story, everything. It is the ultimate superhero movie. Just go see it. I plan to go see it at least one more time in theaters, even if its at the dollar movie, just to get one more experience on the big screen. But if you're going, you should call me because I'll go anyway.

I've had a lot of people ask me if this is family friendly. You're going to run into some language, but other than that, I don't think you'll have any problems - especially with older kids. With younger kids - while there are a lot of very very funny moments that will be right up their alley - there's also a lot of seriousness too and it may not hold their attention as well at the first. I think that just entirely depends on your kid. Outside of one scene where a very sharp object gets implanted on someone's face, there's no action or fighting that's gory. (And really, it reads worse than it actually appears onscreen. No blood or anything shown.) It's very much clean fighting.

This is a great movie. I can't say anything else about it. If we haven't talked about it yet, you should mention your thoughts in the comments because I would love to read them. (Beware: Potential spoilers in the comments.)

Next up: Hunger Games.

A trailer full of awesome.

Cannot. Wait. 




(But I do still miss Edward Norton.)

Summer Movies: Captain & Cowboys

No movie spoilers anywhere in this post.

I actually posted several days ago about my final thoughts on the first season of LOST. But blogger decided to eat that post and I was miffed enough that I haven't rewritten it. Mrr.

Instead, since I just returned from Cowboys & Aliens, you're getting a different review. This was the closing movie of the summer for me - sure, there may be others I see, but this was the last big summer blockbuster I was looking forward to in a season that was full of them.

But wait, I skipped Cap! We have to rewind.

First off, can we just say that both these movies had an awesome looking poster?





I mean, really. Those are awesome.

Okay, here we go.

Captain America: The First Avenger
Solid. That's the best word for this movie. This was a very solid movie.

It's very good - I wouldn't change a thing - and I really enjoyed it. Somehow, though, it still felt slightly...formulaic. Like Marvel has figured out the best way to make a comic book movie and just did their thing. Or maybe it's simply we've watched so many superhero movies now that you already know the pattern - the hero has to start out weak, gain his powers, learn to use them, grow into them, and become his fully fledged self. That's just how it goes.

I don't know. It just didn't feel quite as fresh as some of the others, somehow.

That being said - again, I wouldn't change a thing. The ending was beautiful, there were some really lovely bits of humor, the acting was totally top notch (Chris Evans as Rogers is fantastic) and the storyline was great. The 40's feel to the movie was brilliant. Go see this movie. I'm just saying - for some reason- it just didn't feel quite as, well, fresh as the others.

I liked it, it's just not my favorite.

And the after-the-credits scene in this one? Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

Cowboys & Aliens
(I have no comparison to the comic book with this movie. Until a few days ago when Brad told me it was originally a comic book, I had no idea. So this is strictly movie based alone.)

Ha. Oh, this movie. This movie drew many different responses from us and they're all totally understandable.

This is what I wanted: I wanted to watch Daniel Craig beat up some aliens. That's all I wanted out of this movie. If Harrison Ford beat up some as well, even better. Enough of a plot to carry the movie, some great western scenes and cowboys taking out the aliens. That's it.

So, for the most part, I enjoyed it.

Truthfully, I don't have much interest in alien premises - I'll wave aside most movies that include them - the idea of "are we alone" is interesting, but that's about it. It's kind of like zombies for me - I'm not that interested in zombies. Sure, there are a few movies I won't mind seeing that include them, but I'm certainly not going out looking for them. There's just no desire there. But I wanted to see this one because it seemed like such a fun mashup. Cowboys versus aliens? Yes, please.

First off, this movie has some beautiful scenic shots and an even more perfect soundtrack. I loved the music for this movie. (Apparently the music was composed by the guy who did Narnia's soundtrack, which was also amazing. Good memory, Holly!)
Secondly, you're going to see western cliches. Its stylized that way.
Thirdly....sigh. There is a point in the movie - about halfway in - that may make or break it for you. I was sooo disappointed for about twenty minutes and ready to give up on it, when it went back to the original alien/cowboy showdown and I was content again. But at that point, blah. Blah blah blah.
Not to mention we were all sick of the trailer. Eric & I made the same joke at two separate times - at least in going to see the actual movie, we wouldn't have to sit through the trailer for it.

If you came out of this movie hating it, I wouldn't even have to ask you why. I would already understand. You may be better off renting it or finding it at a local dollar theatre. As for me, this was my summer action flick. Had it continued down the path I thought it was going to push, I would've been done with it. But it did right itself for me after that twenty minutes.

So the biggest factor on your enjoyment level all depends on what you're going in for.

Tbat's the last of my summer blockbusters! What a great year. We do still have an incredibly promising next season: 2012 brings about both The Avengers and Dark Knight Rises. Those two movies alone carry the whole waiting period.

Summer Movies: Goodbye Harry.

There are major spoilers ALL OVER this post. I assume by this point most people reading this have read the books. Also, there's movie spoilers as well, so tread lightly if you don't want to know.

I came into the series a little over its halfway point. Book 5 had just come out the summer before and Holly had finally convinced me to give them a try. And so began "Mr. & Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive..."

It feels so strange to look at that sentence knowing where it eventually ends up.

I was not sold on the first book. I thought the end was crazy and creepy and great, but I wasn't sold. But I read Chamber of Secrets anyway, and then what really hooked me was Book 3 - Prisoner of Azkaban.
It was not only a great read, but it also brought along Sirius Black. Who I ended up loving dearly.

And then Goblet of Fire was amazing and wonderfully wild. I couldn't imagine being a reader having to wait years in between the two books - I couldn't imagine the return of Voldemort without being able to immediately pick up the next one. I read through 4 & 5 voraciously.

But then I reached the end of Book 5.
I remember mentally watching Sirius Black fall through the veil as I scanned the pages. Devastation. I had just proclaimed to Holly how Sirius had become my favorite, even throughout the solemness of Book 5. It was actually really late when I reached that point - probably 2:30 in the morning - and I remember running the few steps down to her door, seeing the light still on and busting in demanding answers. She merely sent me back to reading. Sob. Sirius. This could not be.
This continued the unfortunate recurrence of all my favorite characters dying. That spell has since been broken - also by Harry Potter - but I still get leery.

(Later, I would find a shirt online that I bought and still enjoy: In Sirius Denial. True.)

Then it was my first wait. And began the heavy theorizing with friends. And curiosity. The checking of Mugglenet daily waiting on news of the next book.

I'll be honest - I don't actually remember how I bought book 6. I just remember when the cover was first revealed and Holly & I discussing what it could possibly be. Besides the Birdbath of Doom.

My favorite memory of Book 6 is actually how I finished reading it. Holly & I were at our apartment and she had finished it a few hours beforehand. I was sucked into the final few chapters and had read all night. The sunrise was just beginning to peek out, so I went for some fresh air. And happened to be sitting by the pool in the morning light while reading the chapter about Dumbledore & Harry get attacked by the creatures in the water at the cave.
I don't recommend reading that chapter by a body of water.

Book 6 was okay. It was not my favorite, but we felt like it was necessary. We figured it had to be a slower book to make way for the finale. We waited.
And waited.
And obsessed. And theorized.
And waited.
And checked her website.
And waited.

And was at the midnight release party at the local Waldenbooks with Holly & Brad, in line, having ordered our copies weeks before. This was it. Although there were still a few movies to come out at this point, the wait would essentially be over. One way or another we would know how it was going to end after all our discussion.

I have to be honest: I was pretty bitterly disappointed.

In truth, I would like to go back and reread the series again. I feel like now that I know where its going and without the years of waiting and wondering and questioning, that I would probably like it a lot better. I just expected so much more than chapter after chapter of walking through the woods. There were some great elements - my favorites include the entire scene at Godrics Hollow where Harry finds his parents graves, in the forest where his family walks him to his death, Neville having his moment, etc. It just wasn't what I expected at the time.

All that being said, I loved the seventh movie(s). Really. Sure, I can nitpick it, but don't misinterpret that as disliking it. I felt like they handled the final battle really well- for the most part, you got to actually see all the action instead of being forced to watch fast cut sequences of battle. The moment in the cemetery and the moment in the forest with his family are both incredibly lovely.

This is one of the few occurrences where I will tell you I feel like the movie served the story better than the book. But again - I haven't read it since that first time and I know I do need to go back and reread it. I know several people who love the last book. I'm totally willing to give it another chance without all the hype.

There are two things I really missed. One, I wish they would have left Neville's moment alone. Sure, he does eventually kill Nagini. But by stretching it out and not giving it to him at the moment where he's just had his throwdown with Voldemort I felt kind of took away from it. He was equally my favorite character throughout the books alongside Sirius (and Luna slighly underneath them) and I was so thrilled to see that moment in Book 7.
And for a brief moment in the movie I thought they were actually going to give that moment to one of the others and I was going to be ticked.
The other thing is actually not one of my favorite moments in the book, but I know it is to a lot of the fandom and I feel they did it a disservice. Molly's "Not my daughter" went by so quickly that I didn't even realize Bellatrix was fighting Ginny until Molly flipped around. They should have given that moment some more weight. It simply went by too quickly.

Outside of those two things, the only thing I really missed was one tiny detail from the final battle. And that was Trelawney throwing her crystal balls in the fray. I know it wouldn't have fit the feel of the film, but that was my favorite part of the final battle in the book. :)

One of my favorite moments of the movie, however, (outside of those just mentioned) had to be when the professors were beginning to lay down the defenses for the school. I just loved the visuals. I loved watching the professors getting to do their thing. I loved seeing them work together. And I loved McGonagall's "I've always wanted to do that spell!" :)
(Also, riding the dragon out of Gringotts was pretty cool.)

But I was not a fan of the epilogue. Again. Both in book and movie, I'm just not a fan of that. I've invested myself into your world and attached myself to your characters for seven books...for what? A four page epilogue? That's all I get about how all this ends? (I don't actually remember if it was only four pages. It felt like only four pages.)

After downing the seventh book so much I feel I need to add a disclaimer: I still love Harry Potter. When the dust settles from this final film, and whenever I'm caught up on books, I do want to go back and rediscover its magic and all the beautiful world and characters. Its still one of my favorites. I just felt like it went way too far off track from how it had been set up at the time.

And truth be told, I'm glad to see the final film. I know it means its over, but that's okay. It feels like the end of something special, something a lot of people worldwide enjoyed as one and now its come to a rest.

So farewell Harry Potter. I'm glad I met you at your height. I'm glad I joined the fray. I'm really grateful for all those long nights up talking with friends about how you might end or who might make it even if that means you drove me crazy some of the time. I wouldn't have traded it.

And thanks J.K Rowling for letting Neville live. Because by that point I was really beginning to develop a complex.

Lots of love.

Summer Movies: X-Men First Class

I'll be the first to admit I know very little about the X-Men. While I'm beginning to enjoy the deep history X-Men provides - as well as their rich slate of characters - I'm still at the phase where I'm putting characters, timelines and stories into place. There's so much to untangle. And mostly the only energy I put into discovering it is piecing it together from friends conversations.

That being said though, I was really looking forward to this movie (and very sad I had to opt out of the midnight showing). I have no idea if I ever saw X1. I don't really remember it. X2 I enjoyed quite a bit (of course, it had Nightcrawler) and X3 confused the life out of me.
(From what I gather, X3 did that to most people anyway.)

So speaking as someone who really doesn't know anything:
I loved First Class! It was so well done. The acting was fantastic, I was intrigued the whole way through and loved watching these well-known characters come to life from the start. (And I loved James Mcavoy as Xavier. He was my favorite, with Beast as a close second.) I felt they managed to give enough time to each character so you could invest in them - and not just have name after name thrown at you. Which is what I felt the first three were missing to an extent.

What a great battle scene. The opening scene was fantastic. The closing scenes were fantastic. Heartbreaking.

And while we're on the topic of summer movies, have you looked at this years lineup?

Let's start at the beginning. Movies I want(ed) to see.
Thor
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides
X Men: First Class
Green Lantern
Harry Potter 7: Part 2
Cowboys & Aliens
Captain America: The First Avenger

And thaaaaat's just the summer.

And then there's some sprinkled in there that I wouldn't mind seeing, but not necessarily sold on either. And I may have missed some.

And, of course, James Bond.

Summer Movies: "Mermaids, Jack."

This post has started out in many ways.

First off, it was going to be all about Pirates 4: On Stranger Tides which I just saw tonight. So let's start with that.

When I first heard they were going to make a fourth Pirates, I thought "You have got to be kidding me. This is ridiculous. I'm done."
Fast forward: somehow I end up watching it on opening night in 3D Imax? (Sigh. Trailers. You can get me every time.)

That being said, it's fun. Its a standard Pirates movie. Action-adventure, quips, lots of sword fighting. I enjoyed it. And the visual effects are really outstanding - the Fountain itself & the mermaids are top notch.

Which is also what drew me in. Mermaids.

Its still not too far off the mark sometimes, but when I was little I was obsessed with fantastical. Girly fantastical. My playhouse was lined in unicorn wallpaper. Fairies conspired in trees. And when I grew up I wanted to be a mermaid. Now unicorns are still beautiful and fairies are still things of wonder - but mermaids, ah. Mermaids are still my deep-seated favorite fantastical creature. Good, evil - whether being lovely or dragging men to the bottom of the sea, somehow they still capture my attention. And I was glad to see them used in the Pirates lore and handled so well.
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By the way, I think its terrible to have the headline Spiderman Writer signs on for Carrie remake on Playbill and not have it be referencing the musical version. That's unfair.

Apparently, there's a movie remake of Carrie in the works. Sigh.

Also, aren't the Tonys sometime soon? Anyone know anything about them this year? All my knowledge includes is that The Book of Mormon gathered the highest praises and most noms. Anything else?
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And then: such excitement.

(Note: Potential spoilers included in the link.)

I settled in at the house for a standard flip through the web. Email. Facebook. CNN. Superherohy--.

FIRST LOOK AT TOM HARDY AS BANE?! Whaaaaaaaaaaat??

I mean, we've been getting lots of news. They announced more casting tonight and that production had officially begun. The first photos of filming have been leaked.
But this? This is a whole another level of awesome. I wasn't expecting to see this yet. I couldn't believe I had missed this until midnight.
(I'm just now beginning to think I might get some sleep tonight.)

So its good to know the viral campaigning for the final movie looks to be as awesome and spot on as the first two. I can't wait for July 20, 2012. I'm hoping to relish all the tidbits they drop throughout the year.

And its also good to know my happy dance still involves lots of bouncing up and down. Because happy dances can evolve over the years and you never know until you have need for one.

Summer Movies: "I need a horse."

Thor is quite possibly my favorite Marvel film to date, although Incredible Hulk still might edge it out simply because of Edward Norton. I'll have to watch them all again to be sure. I don't think that will be a problem.
But in all seriousness, Thor is really well done and really funny. You should go see it. (and if you need someone to go with, call me.) Be sure to stay after the credits.

Grandma and I had a great weekend. Saturday was beautiful - and free - so while I wasn't too excited initially about mowing the lawn I'm really glad its done with. Especially since at the very end our mower was making very strange, probably very bad, noises and we barely came in under the wire before it sounded downright terrible. I suspect its merely that the fuel is old, since we finally got it fixed not that long ago. Oh well. At least the yards are finished for right now. Everything else looks good to go.

This past Friday was also Amy & Ashlyn's piano recital. Their playing was quite beautiful, they looked beautiful and they made it through the whole recital beautifully (it was long.) Quite proud of all four girls.

No, seriously. Call me if you go see Thor.

"Ashlyn, you look gorgeous!"
"I know. That's why I play the piano."