Movie Review: Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Spider-Man Far From Home (FFH) is a light summer snack. It's funny, has great supporting characters and a terrific soundtrack, and the CGI is phenomenal. However, IMO the hero and the villain are weak. Overall, Spidey's latest adventure is sure to satisfy his fans, and, as is obligatory for an MCU movie, increases anticipation for the next one.

FFH shows viewers the fallout from Thanos' actions in the last two Avengers movies, and follows Peter Parker (Tom Holland) on his class science trip to Europe. Trouble also shadows the young superhero, in the form of elemental monsters. Fortunately, another superpowered person shows up to fight the villains: the dome-headed Mysterio, played by an excellent Jake Gyllenhaal.

"But Fragrant Elephant," you protest, "you said the hero and the villain are weak! Y u praise Donnie Darko?"

Because, my love, Jake is great but Mysterio is lame. He's so obviously the bad guy, as any comics fan will know. While the reveal of how he does what he does is impressive, his motivation is small-time. Which, I suppose, is in keeping with Peter's own modest ambitions to enjoy his trip and get with MJ (Zendaya).

Speaking of, she and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are highlights in this film. They're both adorable, as is newcomer Brad (Remy Hii), whose backstory is the best. As for the adults, Happy (Jon Favreau) has his sights set on Hot Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), and teachers Mr. Harrington (Martin Starr) and Mr. Dell (JB Smoove) are utterly hopeless. Alas, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is mostly relegated to comic relief, although that's likely because, in fact, [REDACTED].

My biggest complaint with the movie is how much of a wet blanket Peter is in Spider-Man Far From Home. He's so reluctant to step up after his mentor's death that he makes a series of poor decisions. It's difficult to reconcile whiny Peter with the solid, reliable Spider-Man from Avengers Civil War, Spider-Man Homecoming, and Avengers Infinity War. The contrast between Peter's wish for a normal life and his responsibilities as Spider-Man makes for a key theme in this movie, but it's a jarring contrast from his characterization thus far, which painted him as a kid who will always do the right thing, no matter the cost to himself.

Anyway! My bellyaching aside, FFH offers plenty to enjoy for casual Spidey fans and stans alike, so by all means, give Marvel more of your money, and chuckle at the teenage shenanigans!

TL;DR: MJ rules!!!

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This post brought to you by mysterious tea! Ah, if only my kanji skills were higher than toddler level!

Movie Review: Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018)

Ant-Man and The Wasp has a lot of heart. It's a fun little adventure that scales back the stakes, but not the action or the laughs. Overall, it's a great antidote to the grimness of Avengers: Infinity War.

The cast is easily the best part of the film. The gang from Ant-Man is back, and everyone shines: Paul Rudd is earnest and goofy as Scott Lang; Evangeline Lilly remains hyper-competent as Hope van Dyne; Michael Douglas' Hank Pym is brilliant and driven; and Michael Peña is a scene-stealer as the chatty Luis. Any interaction involving Scott's daughter Cassie (Abby Rider) is adorable. There are several new high-profile additions in the sequel, and every one of them is *Italian chef kiss*

The plot is equally enjoyable. There are a number of intertwined threads, but for the most part it's a straightforward proposition: our heroes want to enter the quantum realm and retrieve [SPOILER]. Appropriately enough for its micro-protagonists, this movie dodges the thematic weight of, say, the last two Captain America films. This is very much a family movie, as in the overriding theme is family: the one you're born into, and the one you create through shared experiences and goals.

Watching Ant-Man and The Wasp overcome obstacles is exceedingly entertaining. The CGI during fight scenes is very well done, with slo-mo being used sparingly but to hilarious effect. The soundtrack is high octane from the get-go. And the villains are interesting! Ant-Man and The Wasp face off against two sets of antagonists who want the same thing. One pair has surprising depth, while the other group, despite not being terribly formidable, is certainly persistent.

Also: The Wasp has her hair in a ponytail when she's fighting! This alone almost makes up for the movie not passing the Bechdel test. Soon, Marvel, soon you will be less sausage-y and more...y'know, I'm just going to leave this at: Black Widow movie, woo-hoo!!!

In closing, since this is a Marvel movie, there are two end credit scenes: one after the principal cast list, and another at the very end. Stay and watch, and marvel at Marvel's ability to link its movies!

TL;DR: Fun, brisk, and moving. 

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This post brought to you by summer showers!

Movie Review: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers: Infinity War is dark, raises the stakes, has music that is on point, frenetic action, and it features a competent villain. This movie assumes knowledge of every single MCU movie and thus doesn't bother to introduce any of the superheroes. Instead, from the very beginning it powers viewers through a helluva ride.

The newcomer here is Thanos, so we get to know his abilities and motivations. The "Mad Titan" wants to accessorize his Infinity Gauntlet with all six Infinity Stones. Thanos' goal is to wipe out half of the universe because overpopulation! It destroyed his homeworld!

*** SPOILERS FOLLOW ***

Apart from his convictions, different aspects of Thanos are revealed over the course of the movie. Initially, he's terrifyingly powerful, defeating the Hulk with ease. Then he's cunning, predicting Gamora's moves and laying two traps to extract her knowledge of the Soul Stone. Then he's surprisingly tender--y'know, before he hurls her into the abyss for what he sees as the greater good. And finally, he's effective--he gets what he wants! Behold:

1. Power Stone: Taken from Nova Prime
2. Space Stone: RIP Asgardians...and Loki (?) 
3. Reality Stone: RIP Knowhere Inhabitants...and The Collector (?) 
4. Soul Stone: GAMORAAAAAAA NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
5. Time Stone: Star Lord, you #$%$^$%!!!
6. Mind Stone: RIP Vision! Also, half the universe!

I mean, that is just breathtaking hyper-competence right there. And did I mention he's a single dad? (swoon)

While the film puts Thanos front and center, plenty of other elements make this movie shine. For one, the action is spectacular and practically nonstop. Again, a list:

• Thanos fights the Hulk; 
• Ebony Maw and Black Dwarf fight Dr. Strange, Iron Man, and Spider-Man;
• Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive fight Vision and the Scarlet Witch;
• Thor fights a star;
• Thanos fights Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Star Lord, Drax, Mantis, and Nebula.

There are a lot of crowd-pleasing last-minute saves in the action scenes, with the "Avengers" theme thundering in on cue. The battle in Wakanda during the third act is especially nuts, with awesome sequences like Bucky and Rocket becoming a murder merry-go-round, the Scarlet Witch finally taking the field ("Why was she up there this whole time?" Okoye exclaims), and Thor making a grand entrance.

In place of character building, the theme of choice and sacrifice is highlighted throughout Infinity War. "The hardest choices require the strongest will," Thanos declares, proving himself equal to the task at Vormir as he offers his beloved daughter in exchange for the Soul Stone. Meanwhile, Captain America is adamantly against sacrificing even one life to save countless others: "We don't trade lives," he says, a sentiment echoed by Vision, the would-be sacrifice.

Speaking of dialogue, there's plenty of humor to offset the darkness of the film. The music immediately becomes light when the Guardians of the Galaxy first come on screen, a parallel to their offbeat family dynamic. Among them, Thor continues his comic streak from Thor: Ragnarok, although the magnitude of all his losses finally hits him when he has a heart-to-heart with Rocket (whom he calls "rabbit" throughout the entire movie). Spider-Man is as endearingly clueless as ever, Drax even more so, and Mantis' "mean face" was the first LOL moment for Fragrant Husband.

Yet despite all the the fighting and the occasional laughs, the movie ends with Thanos' triumph, earning him an idyllic sunrise view, while our surviving heroes take in the enormity of their failure. I was particularly touched by Peter Parker's pleading as he fades away--"I don't want to go, please, I don't want to go, Mr. Stark." ;_;

***

"I finally saw Infinity War and now I am sad," I texted my dad.

"Why?" he replied. I was rendered speechless for a minute.

As it turns out, he was not indifferent to the fate of the unlucky half of the universe--he was simply convinced that they're all in an alternate reality--"otherwise the movie makers will get lynched."

I also believe that this is all part of Dr. Strange's long game--the one future where they win over Thanos. And it sure looked to me like Shuri did...something to Vision's synapses when her lab came under attack.

I'm so pumped for the next movie, because Captain America, Black Widow, and Okoye barely did anything in Infinity War except be badass, which means they get more screen time in the next movie!

In the meantime, Marvel fans have Ant-Man and the Wasp and Captain Marvel to tide us over. And Deadpool 2 just came out! What a time to be alive!

***

TL;DR: Can't wait for part two of this tragedy!

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This post brought to you by WHY IS STILL SO COLD???

Movie Review: Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther is beautiful. The story is elegantly told, the characters are phenomenal, the action is intense, and the music is fierce. It's so good that it doesn't feel like a two-hour movie. Overall, it's a powerful and refreshingly different entry into the Marvel cinematic universe.

T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), who lost his father in Captain America: Civil War, is next in line for the throne of the isolationist nation of Wakanda. His ascent is marked by physical challenges (ritual combat) as well as increasing pressure against tradition, notably by his ex, the spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), who argues that Wakanda's immense power should be used for good, rather than hidden from the world. Meanwhile, Ulysess Klaue (Andy Serkis), a ballsy thief and the only person who knows about Wakanda's reserves of the invaluable metal vibranium, pops up on the radar of General Okoye (Danai Gurira). T'Challa, Okoye, and Nakia set off in pursuit, which leads them to cross paths with the formidable Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan).

Speaking of formidable, Okoye kicks so much butt that she would easily be the MVP of this movie, if it weren't for the numerous other fabulous supporting characters. Nakia can throw down as well, but she also has a strong moral compass, and is interested in fighting for the oppressed rather than just against her nation's enemies. Shuri (Letitia Wright), T'Challa's younger sister, is a tech prodigy and the source of most of the film's humor ("WHAT ARE THOOOOOSE?" is a moment I would watch on loop). Finally, M'Baku (Winston Duke) is a scene stealer. And of course, Angela Bassett automatically makes every scene 100% better.

There are several impressive fights in Black Panther, all of which are driven by the story or the characters. My favorite is the final battle that pits Wakandans against each other, because that's when the Dora Milaje display their fluidity as a combat unit. Plus: armored rhinos!!! Vibranium capes!!! M'Baku!!! Okoye single-handedly stopping the nonsense!!! My least favorite fight is the heavily-CGI underground mano a mano between the Black Panther and Killmonger. It was hard to follow, and there was far less tension than the battle royale on the fields.

A minor digression--the chase scene (featured in the trailers) is significant not just for the inventive choreography and unexpected hilarity, but also because, according to my husband, it's when Black Panther passes the Bechdel test. I think that's true?

Anyway, as visionary as this film is, it still follows a familiar formula: the noble king triumphs against the hateful usurper. What makes this particular trope worth watching is the depth given to both hero and villain; it's made clear that Killmonger is motivated by a sense of thwarted justice, and his desire to use Wakanda to give power to the powerless is undermined by his methods. The final moment between the two rivals is both touching and inevitable.

In the end, Black Panther offers something new, both in-universe and to us in the audience: Wakanda, a black nation untarnished by colonialism. Its existence is realized onscreen with such beauty and reverence, and it's thanks to director Ryan Coogler, cinematographer Rachel Morrison, costume designer Ruth Carter, and production designer Hannah Beachler. In fact, the focus on Wakanda leads to my only teeny-tiny beef, which is that there's a musical cue for establishing shots of Wakanda instead of a soaring Black Panther theme (y'know, like Captain America and Iron Man have their own themes). Maybe that's on purpose? Unless--"Bagbak" is the Black Panther theme? If so, I withdraw my objection. Because "Bagbak" is dope.

TL;DR: Spectacular. Watch now.

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This post brought to you by spring weather in February!

Movie Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Thor: Ragnarok is a rollicking prelude to Asgard's end times. Headlined by the power antlers of Hela (Cate Blanchett), goddess of death, utter destruction has never been so appealing. In his third movie, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is determined to stop her and save his people...because that's what heroes do.

Humor is the standout in Thor: Ragnarok. There are so many quotable lines ("I have been falling for thirty minutes!"), absurd exchanges, and just plain goofy moments, like Thor's attempt to smash a window with an exercise ball. Jeff Goldblum is a riot as the Grandmaster, and Korg (Taika Waititi) is ridiculous. Even Hela will pause her murder spree long enough to make a dry observation. This movie is lighthearted despite its high stakes, and a lot of that is because of its lead.

Thor is uncomplicated. He's Odinson, the god of thunder, next in line to the throne, and a hero. He's sure of himself and his place in the world, and is as swaggeringly confident here as he was in his first movie. He is single-minded in purpose; the many beatings he receives only strengthen his resolve to save Asgard. He's a lovable lunk who's worth rooting for.

The supporting characters are similarly stellar. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is up to his old tricks, and he's such a fun character because the tiny bit of goodness and decency he still has sometimes makes his actions difficult to predict. Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is, as always, a formidable ally. And Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) is a welcome addition to the team. Her memories of Hela's defeat of her sisters comprise the most gorgeous scene in the film:

A number of themes from Thor are present in Thor: Ragnarok: family, secrets, ambition, responsibility, and the use/abuse of power. But this time around, Thor's nemesis is seemingly undefeatable -- how do you win against the goddess of death? Especially when she's played with gusto by a scenery-chewing Cate Blanchett and her eyeliner? The answer makes sense, and now other parts of the Marvel universe will be embroiled in the consequences.

TL;DR: Thor: Ragnarok is fun! Highly recommended, 3D optional.

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This post brought to you by what feels like an early winter!

Movie Review: Spider-man Homecoming (2017)

Hot take: Tobey Maguire is the best Spider-man. That (correct) opinion does nothing to detract from the long list of things that Spider-man Homecoming gets right, including the villain, music, cameos, humor, and most importantly, the portrayal of Peter Parker.

Like Ant-man, this latest entry into Marvel's increasingly enormous cinematic universe stays well within the protagonist's home turf. All the action takes place in New York, as Spider-man stumbles into a group manufacturing and selling alien-based weapons, a group led by the Vulture (Michael Keaton).

As noted above, probably the main strength of the film is how Peter (Tom Holland) is so consistent as a character. He's a high school kid who is so pumped about possibly becoming an Avenger that he lets his promising academic career slide. His budding social life also becomes compromised by his commitment to "being there for the small guy." He's a good kid, and a smart kid, and he will always do what's right in spite of the consequences to himself. It's never explicitly stated, but Peter is an eager beaver because his credo is, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Meanwhile, his antagonist, the Vulture, is fearsome to look at and equally determined, for the opposite reasons. His motivation stems from powerful people taking things from him -- if he had made different choices, he might have been one of the "little guys" that Spider-man would save. Instead, he and his henchmen provide Spider-man with his first real challenge since the superhero brawl back in Avengers Civil War. Keaton's performance adds a bit of gravitas to a film that mostly focuses on the breathless antics of its young hero, and he's menacing without being over the top.

The writing is very much geared toward general audiences. There are plenty of light moments in Spider-man Homecoming, coming from so many different sources: Peter himself, Ned, (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), Stan Lee, Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), Tony Stark (Iron Man), Coach Wilson (Hannibal Buress), and even a small-time criminal played by Donald Glover. Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) gets the last laugh in the theater with her final line. (If you stayed through all the credits, someone else gets another laugh.)

As for the music, the movie opens with a fun rendition of the Spider-man theme, and the rest of the tracks are suitably epic. There's a lot of love for this movie's soundtrack, as evidenced by overwhelmingly positive comments on YouTube (!).

Overall, Spider-man Homecoming is a thoroughly enjoyable summer movie with a hero you can't help but root for and a satisfying ending that ties up a loose end from a previous Marvel movie.

TL;DR: Instant blockbuster, just add Michael Keaton!

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This post brought to you by Kona Golden Ale!