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"Whistleblowing is the duty of a patriot": in Russia, chronicle of an apathetic and disillusioned people
How do you know what the Russians, who seem so apathetic about the war unleashed by their president, think? The answer is not easy. According to the latest survey of the independent institute Levada, more than 71% of them support "the special operation in Ukraine" (and 21% are against). But this type of organization solicits citizens who are suspicious of pollsters – the repressive apparatus being quick to nip the slightest opposition in the bud. As for the media, the orders, they no longer reflect the state of opinion, in a country where public debate no longer exists.
In this context, a vox pop produced by a journalist has little value. My experience has shown me that the same Russian can support the war in front of a stranger, in the street, and be very critical of power in his kitchen, surrounded by his family or his friends. In reality, the Russians are lost. Disoriented. Which makes them more apt to be manipulated. Vladimir Putin largely bases his power on the poorest populations and the elderly. The middle class has split between those considered "useless citizens" who have left the country and those who are closing ranks behind the Russian president to help him keep the system in place.
General schizophrenia
All of these pro-Putin Russians are particularly sensitive to official war propaganda. "It was you who started by making Ukraine a springboard for your offensive, which was planned for the end of February. We were ahead of you": now settled in France after fleeing Russia, Alexandra, 35, does not didn't believe her eyes when she received this message from a Muscovite aunt. Especially since this woman was, before the war, rather pro-European. "If nuclear missiles fly in our direction, then it will be bad for you. And our missiles will not hit your passport, but your faces. Your French passport will not save you", also wrote this radicalized sexagenarian to her niece.
This argument that Russia had no choice but to attack its neighbor has relieved the conscience of many Russians, who prefer to believe in this version. Why would Putin have launched a war if the risk did not exist? The logic seems implacable. "We didn't want this war, we are not barbarians," says Natacha, in her fifties. This Muscovite, met in the fall during a patriotic event on Red Square, had burst into tears in front of the foreigner that I was. Finally, she could say what was on her heart and express the schizophrenia of a population that says itself against war in general, but for this war allegedly initiated by the West.
"We always got on well with you, why are you doing this to us?" she had exclaimed, addressing herself, through me, to the Europeans. This woman knew about the war crimes perpetrated in Ukraine, but she attributed them… to the victims, the Ukrainians. We then understand that in the Russian upside-down world the horrors of war can, despite everything, affect the population. In Moscow, the psychologists are said to be overwhelmed. And the business press says antidepressants have been selling out in droves since February 2022.
Intimidating atmosphere
But another Russia suffers even more. The one who gets up every morning thinking that her country is an aggressor, without being able to do anything about it. The weight is heavy to bear. The NGO OVD-Info has counted 19,478 arrests linked to anti-war positions since February 24, 2022. Opponents of the conflict who have not left the country are, moreover, hunted down by zealous defenders of power. Olesya Krivtsova, a 19-year-old student, was denounced by her classmates to the FSB for having criticized the "special operation" in Ukraine in a private group chat. In police custody, the young girl was threatened to finish the skull smashed with a club according to the sinister method of the paramilitaries of Wagner. She faces up to ten years in prison. "Whistleblowing is a patriot's duty," officials told his mother. An atmosphere of intimidation that incites many Russians to silence.
At least 1.5 million Russians are said to have left their country in recent months. Among these exiled opponents of the war, not all adhere to the values of the West and have not necessarily fallen into its camp. Several of them have also caused a scandal by their positions. On December 6, Latvia revoked the license of Russian opposition television in exile after the channel's host, Alexei Korostelev, urged viewers to "provide basic equipment to those Russians who are on the forehead". Russia's tendency towards imperialism leads some to criticize Vladimir Putin for the military mobilization, the corruption within the army and the number of deaths due to the war… while finding perfectly legitimate the occupation of Crimea, Donbass and annexed territories of southern Ukraine. To say that people's minds are confused is an understatement.
lep-general-02
Tagged apatheticChronicledisillusionedDutyEuropepatriotpeopleRussiawhistleblowingworld


After five years as a prisoner of the Mescaleros, Maria escapes to Presidio, where she begs for work in a cantina owned by the local madam, Mama Sieta. There she meets lovable and unique characters such as Old Bac, Sheriff Tucker, and Pigtail, who is afraid of the spooky church, San Cristóbal. An Irish nun gives a few laughs and encouragement as she vies with Mama Sieta for the soul of the young girl. Wicked Juanita and curiosity are the greatest enemies to the love she has for Montana, her rugged outlaw with the gunfighter eyes, who is intent on stealing gold from another outlaw and uses some tomfoolery to reach his gold. Due to a misunderstanding, Maria is forced to play a dual role. What mystery binds her to the mission and convent of the roses, San Cristóbal, and the glowing cross? Will she ever know?


The Cornell Department of Mathematics is hosting a Women and Mathematics Ambassador Program event on Saturday, March 16, 2019. The WAM Program mission is to recruit and retain more women in Mathematics. For more information on the program go to WAM Ambassador Program.
Registration: Registration is open. Please go to https://math.cornell.edu/women-mathematics-ambassador-program-wam to register.
Housing: A block of rooms have been reserved at Best Western University Inn for those attendees who require housing. Please indicate whether you need housing when you register.
Event Schedule: Please go to https://math.cornell.edu/women-mathematics-ambassador-program-wam for the event schedule.
Lunch will be provided and a dinner banquet will be held starting at 5:30/6:00 p.m. in room 401/403 Physical Sciences Building. Registration is required for the banquet. PSB is located just a short distance behind Malott Hall.
There is a parking garage (Hoy Road Parking Garage) one block south of Malott Hall with entrances on Campus Road and Hoy Road. On the Google map, the parking garage is located between two green patches (Hoy Field and Schoellkopf Field) and will appear if you zoom in a little. About a half mile east of Malott Hall, at the intersection of Tower road and Judd Falls road, there is a metered lot.
Visitors may park in most spots on campus on the weekend with no permit, in particular in the area around Malott Hall. Be careful of the areas marked with a moon: these are restricted at all times. On weekends attendees can park at both Hoy Road Parking Garage and Forest Home Garage, which is less than a block north of Malott Hall (off Forest Home Drive).
For mobility or other accommodations, please contact Heather Peterson.
A Registration link will be posted soon.


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IJF Academy Practical Session in Istanbul, Türkiye
Istanbul is indeed one of the best centres for the IJF Academy practical sessions. 60 students from 25 countries across five continents came to the November liaison in Istanbul. Istanbul was selected because the Turkish Judo Federation is one of the most active partners of the IJF Academy. The Turkish Olympic Committee is also very supportive of our projects. Direct flights from around the world to Istanbul make the city economically feasible too.
The IJF Academy experts headed directly from Tokyo to Istanbul, after a first historic, successful week at the Kodokan (https://www.ijf.org/news/show/ijf-academy-mile-stone-course-at-the-kodokan). Students from Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Slovenia, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates and United States of America attended the sessions.
The practical sessions were conducted by Mark Huizinga, Daniela Krukower, Slavisa Bradic, Ramadan Darwish, Mesut Kapan and Kodokan experts Hiroyuki Hirano and Sanshiro Yamamoto. Dr László Tóth, President of the EJU and Vice-President of the IJF, addressed the students, emphasising the importance of close cooperation between continental unions and the IJF. The Turkish Olympic Committee General Secretary, Mrs Neşe Gündoğan and the President of the Turkish Judo Federation, Mr Sezer Huysuz, also visited the students as the IOC Olympic Solidarity programme also supports our activities.
Dr László Tóth, President of the EJU and Vice-President of the IJF, addressed the students
The final IJF Academy practical week for 2022 will be held in Dunavarsány, Hungary, at the beginning of December.
The General Secretary of the IJF has already sent out the calling notice for registering for the first course of 2023. The closing date for registration is 12th February 2023 and the Undergraduate Certificate as Judo Instructor (UCJI) course begins on 6th March 2023.
Tags IJF academy Turkish Judo Federation Türkiye
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28. Dec. 2022 / The IJF and the IJF Academy launched the first volume ...
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11. Nov. 2022 / For several years the IJF Academy has proven its effectiveness ...
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18. Sep. 2022 / In November 2013 British Judo took the bold decision ...
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Solidarity is Actually the Name of the Game
14. Aug. 2022 / Konya in Turkiye is the host city for the 2021 Islamic ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If there is a profession that works like a bridge to connect people of different countries, it has to be Medical. With NEET coaching in Singapore, students can fly high in the air to becoming one of the best doctors graduating from the top colleges of India. Medical coaching needs better understanding of each and every topic as you have to learn from the bottom. Be it Physics, Chemistry or Biology, we have some of the best faculty members for your service so that you are at comfort of being one of the most eligible candidates.
The reference materials and test papers have been designed to grab the attention of the mostly distracted minds of the teenagers. Our focus centric study programs have been beneficial for students in Singapore and other parts of the countries. With us, the success is guaranteed and you will be happy to be associated with us. Get the best institute for your help and win the world.
Atreya scored a 10 in CBSE international. We just got the results. Many thanks to Aziz, Nishant and Harishwar. Convey my regards to them. He did well in the singapore math olympiad last week. We are expecting a medal this yr. Last yr he got HM.
I would like to thank the Academics team at askiitians for their excellent quality of teaching, regular homework and in-depth problem solving classes. With askiitians classes, Atreya prepared for the CBSE Class X Boards, and now he is preparing for IITJEE as well from Singapore, and so far is at par with his peers in India who are preparing for IITJEE .This would not have been possible without askiitians support, we would need to possibly go back to India for IITJEE preparation.
Askiitians has so far provided all teachers who are themselves IITians, a promise well delivered. Special thanks to Aziz Alam, Nishant Vohra and Harishwar Reddy, Atreya's Physics, Maths and Chemistry teachers respectively. Their method of teaching is par excellence, as they don't teach by rote learning, but inculcate a sense of problem solving and curiosity in the student.
Atreya looks forward to his askiitians class every day, and is learning well. There is no stress, as the homework load is well calibrated and exercises carefully chosen, with most of the problem solving load in the week-ends.Thank you for everything askiitians.


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Elkhart Township is a township in Polk County, Iowa, United States.

History
Elkhart Township was organized in 1851. It was named by a citizen who hailed from Elkhart County, Indiana.

References

Townships in Polk County, Iowa
Townships in Iowa
1851 establishments in Iowa
Populated places established in 1851

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


In the early stages of macular degeneration, no noticeable change to vision may occur; however as macular degeneration develops, sharp and central loss of vision will result. As AMD (age-related macular degeneration) is presented in two forms, Wet and Dry AMD, the time by which the vision is compromised varies. In situations where Wet AMD occurs, loss of vision develops suddenly in both eyes. However, Dry AMD is the more gradual breaking down of the light sensitive tissues and cells located in the retina and may affect one or both eyes.
Should Wet AMD develop, immediate treatment is necessary to save any reading vision not yet claimed by advanced AMD. It is important to understand, once vision is lost, it cannot be restored, yet through treatment and the assistance of a macular degeneration aid for visual support, use of remaining vision will continue to allow elements of visual independence.
When seeking out a macular degeneration aid, consider the area of vision that is compromised. The correct macular degeneration aid will allow for additional lighting, as it is the light sensitive tissues and cells that are being broken down. Electronic low vision aids often provide features such as lighting adjustment.
Sharp vision is also damaged as a result of AMD. Features such as contrast viewing and color adjust contributes to the usefulness of the macular degeneration aid. With the ability to change from color to black and white, your eyes will be able to increase the information being gathered in more resolute definition.
Beyond magnification, image capture is also an important feature for a macular degeneration aid to possess. With the ability for a magnifier (handheld or desktop) to capture the image or text being viewed, and maintain or save the image, the individual is permitted the freedom to move the magnifier or screen (without losing the information) to a position where remaining vision is supportive. This increases the ability to use peripheral vision.
Depending on the macular degeneration aid, screen-viewing options may be available for selecting image and/or text placement. Choosing to display the information in a vertical posture (top to bottom) may avoid the area of missing vision (or dark spot), altogether.
Ultimately, the correct macular degeneration aid will provide the individual with the necessary visual support, along with structure and size requirements (including flexibility), able to best meet all the low vision needs caused by macular degeneration.


They can wriggle as much as they like!
With jersey both inside and out, this sleeping bag is warm and super-soft. And what's more, it's reversible: super practical! It opens at shoulder level with poppers and at the side with a zip.
On adore son imprimé trop mimi et ses touches de fluo !


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Symbol, Copyright, Trademark
Various symbols are used to indicate the legal status of copyrighted items and trademarks. The letters TM printed in a raised, superscript fashion after the brand name, i.e. Bubba™ indicates that the vendor asserts trademark rights in the name. It may usually be used even with a common law mark or unregistered mark; alternately for services a superscript ℠ for service-mark is sometimes used instead of TM. The R in a circle, i.e., ® means that a trademark has been registered in a trademark office—it is usually an offense to use this symbol if the mark is unregistered.
The copyright symbol, i.e., © is a notice that an author asserts copyright in the work; it is usually followed by the year of creation. The advantage of the symbol © is that it is universally recognized as asserting copyright, even in countries where the English word "copyright" would not be normal usage.


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Q: Sort an object in angularjs ng-repeat directive I have an object
Object {1: "CMAR0002", 2: "CMAR0003", 4: "CMAR0001"}

I am using this object in ng-repeat directive but i want to sort it by values. But the problem is that angular orderBy filter requires array of objects. But i have only pretty simple object here ;)
Thanks in advance

A: By Angular ng-repeat documentation:

It is possible to get ngRepeat to iterate over the properties...
However, there are a limitations compared to array iteration, like "The built-in filters orderBy and filter do not work with objects, and will throw if used with one"

If you are hitting any of these limitations, the recommended workaround is to convert your object into an array that is sorted into the order that you prefer before providing it to ngRepeat. You could do this with a filter such as toArrayFilter or implement a $watch on the object yourself.
Anyway, you can try to implement you own filter for this, but it will be pretty ugly and it will require much effort (probably for nothing).
Hope, it will help you!

A: Do this:
<li ng-repeat="(key, value) in Object | orderBy: key">
    {{ key }} - {{ value }}
</li>

Fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/oo4cb9xf/1/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The big event bring to you "RED CARPET CHRISTMAS SCHOOL BLAST 2017" first event taking place in schools in Nigeria. Its time for Nigeria artist to give back to Nigeria children who have love and supported them by watching , dancing and buying their wok with their savings starting in the month of December 8 till 22 2017.
This event is supported and powered by all media in Africa …THE BIG EVENT…..


There may be a reason why Popeye bulks up every time he stuffs himself with spinach. Researchers at the Technion-Isreal Institute of Technology at Haifa had an amazing breakthrough discovery. Using a simple membrane extract from spinach leaves, they were able to develop a cell device that produces electrical currents, oxygen, and hydrogen from water with the use of sunlight.
According to Phys.org, the bio photoelectrochemical or BPEC cell soaks the sunlight up and convert it into electrons at an absolutely effective rate. The cell's development is based on photosynthesis, which naturally happens in plants when the light triggers electrons producing chemical molecules to fuel all cell in both the animal and plant world.
In order to use photosynthesis to produce an electric current, researchers have to add an iron-based compound to the solution. The compound deals with the transfer of electrons from the biological membranes to the electrical circuit, which then enables the creation of electrical currents. This can also be directed to form hydrogen gas through the addition of electric power from a small photovoltaic cell that takes in the excess sunlight.
Science Daily also reported that this process makes it possible for solar energy to be converted into chemical energy that can be stored as hydrogen gas formed in the BPEC cell. The said energy can be changed to heat and electricity by burning the hydrogen, when necessary. It can also happen the same way hydrocarbon fuels are utilized. However, the end product of hydrogen combustion is clean water as opposed to the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels that emit greenhouse gasses in the form of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and pollute the environment.
Researchers also said that this is a closed cycle that starts and ends with water, which allows the conversion and storage of solar energy in hydrogen gas that could be a clean and sustainable substitute for hydrocarbon fuel, reported Headlines and Global News.
"The study is unique in that it combines leading experts from three different faculties, namely three disciplines: biology, chemistry, and materials engineering," said Prof. Avner Rothschild from the Faculty of Material Science and Engineering, also a member of the research team. "The combination of natural (leaves) and artificial (photovoltaic cell and electronic components), and the need to make these components communicate with each other are complex engineering challenges that required us to join forces."
It is also important to know that this discovery can pave the way for the development of new technologies to create a clean and sustainable energy from natural sources such as water and solar energy, which let's face it the planet really needs.


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PFRDA and IRDAI working to streamline issuance of annuities
Surabhi | Mumbai, September 17 | Updated on: Sep 17, 2018
The pension and insurance regulators are finalising a strategy to streamline the process for payouts under the National Pension System, including online purchase of annuities, easier KYC norms and a simplified form.
"Purchase of annuity is mandatory under the NPS. We are working on an online system where, once a person retires, he or she can place an online request with the NPS for buying an annuity and this can be forwarded to the annuity service provider of choice," said Hemant Contractor, Chairman, Pension Fund Regulator and Development Authority (PFRDA).
Sources said officials from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and PFRDA, along with executives of insurance companies, which work as annuity service providers to the NPS, met last week to discuss the proposal as well as address the problem of delay and suggest possible solutions.
Delayed annuities
While Contractor did not comment on the number of annuities that are delayed, sources said about 6,000 to 7,000 annuities are yet to be issued.
"The delay in issuance of annuities was just one of the issues discussed at the meeting. There are only a few such cases," said Contractor.
Sources said that the process for issuance of annuity will now start at least three months in advance to ensure that all details, including address, phone number and bank account details, are up to date.
NSDL, the central record-keeping agency for the NPS, will be roped in for this.
"The problem is that often the subscriber on retirement moves to his village or ancestral place, making it difficult to trace him or her," noted the source.
The regulators have also come to an agreement to use the know-your customer (KYC) done by the IRDAI for the payout, rather than by both.
Further, a new form will also be issued to the customer to fill in details.
Under the NPS, at the time of exit from the scheme, a subscriber has to purchase an annuity from an empanelled annuity provider, which gives a regular pension.
At present, there are five empanelled annuity service providers — Life Insurance Corporation of India, HDFC Standard Life Insurance, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, SBI Life Insurance and Star Union Daichi Life Insurance.


Breaking boundaries both musical and geographical, cellist, composer and multilingual vocalist Ian Maksin has created and developed his own unique genre by blending elements of different styles in a new way using his cello as the main unifying force. He sings in nearly 20 languages: Russian, Ukrainian, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Yiddish, Ladino (language of the Sephardic Jews of Spain), Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, Arabic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, and Macedonian. Ian is equally brilliant in every genre in its pure form, from classical to jazz and blues, and Latin to Balkan and Middle Eastern music. His passionate interpretations and soulful sound have generated a contagious universal and ever-growing appeal to diverse audiences across the world.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia into a multicultural family, Ian Maksin began playing cello at age six at the Special School for Gifted Children at the Leningrad Conservatory. He later continued his education at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he moved at age seventeen on his own. After many years working with several prestigious symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles in the classical realm, Ian chose a new musical path, exploring his own personal artistic voice by fusing styles from music of all sorts of genres that he listened to as a kid. Ian acquired blues and rock guitar skills along with learning the cello, which allowed him to expand the capabilities of cello in a completely new and unique direction.


Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by to see what is going on with My Life Planners. I added a Thanksgiving Planner to the Etsy shop today. Thanksgiving is a time to come together with family and friends and count our blessings.
As the holidays get closer I thought it would be a good idea to start planning ahead. On Thanksgiving Day, a kitchen can become a chaotic battle field without a plan.
I would like to elaborate on the process of how I create a planner. The first step is to determine a need for a planner and then brain storm details of what to include. Once the idea has come to life, the next step is to research and gather as much information on the subject as possible. I tend to use my own personal experiences when it comes to creating planners, especially when it comes to holidays. Every family has their own traditions and celebrates each holiday in different ways. Next up is designing how I want the form to flow with the information as well as including graphics to help add a personal touch. Once the form is created, the last step is making the form fillable. The whole process takes about one week or less to complete. Which may seem like a long time, but when you enjoy what you are doing it doesn't feel like work.
From my experience working in the Human Resource department, forms were one of the main elements of the job and I believe fillable forms are more practical and easier to use. Many people like myself, can type faster than they actually write. Additionally a typed form is easier to read rather than trying to decipher someone's handwriting. If you have the Adobe Reader on your electronic device (i.e., phone, kindle, tablet, laptop) you can actually fill in the form from your device. I love having this option as you can type everything before you print. A cheap option for turning any planner into a book is to purchase a 3-ring binder. If you get sheet protectors you can keep the forms intact and looking crisp and clean.
If you can plan ahead you can make the holiday more memorable and have the planner as a keepsake to remember the gathering. I feel that Thanksgiving is a time for everyone to be thankful for what we have in our lives. In honor of this holiday, I am thankful for the opportunity to have this business venture, my customers, readers, and supporters. I would like to challenge you to be thinking what you are thankful for, so that you can share with your family.
May you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and with the effort of planning be as smooth as pumpkin pie.


Whippleshield Books is open to submissions, but of a specific type of science fiction. We are looking for stories of between 15,000 and 30,000 words total of high literary quality but dealing with hard science fiction or space fiction topics. Short collections of linked short stories and/or novelettes which meet the above criteria are also acceptable.
To submit, send a synopsis only to editor@whippleshieldbooks.com. Don't bother to include writing credits or bio. If the synopsis appears appropriate, we may ask for the full manuscript. Do not send a synopsis unless the full manuscript is available. No multiple submissions, no simultaneous submissions - but we promise to respond to the synopsis within a week. If you send the full manuscript without being asked, we will delete it unread and not respond.
Please bear in mind that Whippleshield Books' requirements are very specific, and that we plan to publish no more than two or three books per year.


Give a personalized award to honor your dedicated achievers with the Solid Walnut Gavel and Block Gift! This large gavel is crafted from solid walnut and features a brass band to display your free engraving! Resting on a walnut and ebony block, this gift is sure to impress! Measures approximately 13 inches in length and 4 inches wide.


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Tag Archives: Mark Ruffalo
Film Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
November 12, 2021 by Talking Pulp	in Film Review, Reviews and tagged 2020s, 2021, Abomination, action, adventure, Australia, Ben Kingsley, Benedict Wong, Brie Larson, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), comics, Disney, fantasy, film, Hulk, Mark Ruffalo, martial arts, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Michelle Yeoh, Razor Fist (Marvel), review, sci-fi, Shang-Chi, superhero, The Mandarin, Tim Roth, Tony Leung	| Leave a comment
Also known as: Steamboat (working title)
Release Date: August 16th, 2021 (Hollywood premiere)
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Written by: Dave Callaham, Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham
Based on: Marvel Comics
Music by: Joel P. West
Cast: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, Tony Leung, Tim Roth (voice, uncredited), Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson
Fox Studios Australia, Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, 132 Minutes
"I was hired to play a terrorist. And then turns out they were actually terrorists, the producer got blown up by Iron Man, and I was arrested!" – Trevor Slattery
So this is now the third Marvel movie that I haven't seen in the theater following Captain Marvel and Black Widow. And like with those other two, I'm glad I didn't waste money on this because it's a so far below where the MCU was at its peak that it's almost sad to see where it's all going now.
To start, I thought Simu Liu was fine as the title character and I like Michelle Yeoh, Tony Leung and Ben Kingsley in pretty much everything but I've never seen someone suck the fucking air out of the room like awkward ass Awkwafina.
Christ, man… she's the worst actress I've seen sine Rob Zombie's wife. I also heard she's a comedian but every joke this "Asian Jeff Gordon" threw at us, landed flatter than steamrolled pancake. She just wrecks nearly every scene she is in and she is in most of them. The fact that she sounds like an 82 year-old woman is also really distracting. But let me not just single her out because she's not the only negative thing in this picture.
To start, I get that this story centers around China but the use of subtitles to open the film with all the fantastical backstory, wasn't necessary. This is an American movie and Marvel shit is heavily geared towards kids. Five year-old Timmy ain't reading that shit and no one in the theater wants to listen to his mom trying to audibly read it out loud to him and the dozen other kids. But Disney obviously did this to pander to China, who didn't even want this movie because it was "offensive", starred an "ugly" lead from their perspective, and was obvious pandering. It nearly wasn't released but once it was, it didn't do well there and Disney, as is becoming the norm lately, were left with egg on their face.
The film also suffers from trying way too hard to be cool. It starts with the shitty rap music used to introduce the main character, which just plays as a cheap attempt at old Disney execs trying to come off as hip. Then there is the friends hanging out in San Francisco sequence, which comes off as cringe CW teen drama bullshit. Then it just continues to try and double down on modern urban music over a traditional score… well, at least for the first half because the second half is almost a different movie altogether.
Getting back to pandering, the film tries to do it with the woke crowd but also fails in that regard. One thing that really sticks out is when Shang-Chi's sister talks about how her dad wouldn't let her train with the men, so she watched them and taught herself better. Then, in the next scene, she grabs her dad's shoulder and gets taken down in one fucking move. It was embarrassing (see for yourself).
So then we meet Ben Kingsley, the fake Mandarin from Iron Man 3, and the second half of the movie starts, which goes from urban kung fu flick to fantastical, mythological kung fu flick. I like the second half better and thought that the film started to pull something worthwhile together before it decided to shit all over itself, again.
To get to fantasy China, though, they had to take an ancient passageway through a magical forest. However, they had to use a BMW, in what felt like a blatant advert, to move fast enough to "stay in the pocket" of trees opening a rapidly moving, little clearing. If they didn't stay in the pocket, the trees would've apparently ate them. What's really baffling about this and, as we've seen with The Rise of Skywalker, Disney doesn't expect its audience to think about the details. But we're not all as fucktarded as the "creatives" at Disney. If we were, we might not think that this is really stupid because BMWs didn't exist in ancient China and horses wouldn't have moved fast enough to "stay in the pocket". But whatever, just watch the movie like a brainless consumer.
Once we get to fantasy China, we get lots of fancy CGI creatures that look cool but also make the film kind of overly fantastical and cartoony, after we just spent an hour watching a generic Iron Fist episode set in a realistic, urban atmosphere. It's kind of jarring to the senses but it's also where this story begins to find its own unique space within the larger MCU.
We meet Shang-Chi's aunt, Awkwafina makes more bad jokes, Ben Kingsley is just there, and they all start training for the big showdown with Shang's evil dad, who should've just been the real Mandarin operating in the shadows but he's instead just a generic Asian crime lord with fancy bracelets called the "Ten Rings" but unlike the comic, aren't actually rings, they're bracelets.
Anyway, Shang-Chi's official superhero costume looks like some club shirt he bought on Etsy for $65 that will fall apart after one rave. His sister's outfit is about the same, and everything just sort of looks generic and like a Canadian television production.
The fight breaks out, it's alright but eventually we get a big battle between two large ass dragons. So the movie has two dragons in it but neither of them are Fin Fang Foom?! Fuck you, Disney. Talk about a wasted opportunity.
So one dragon is basically Falcor from The NeverEnding Story with red streaks down its body and the other is just some generic, multi-armed abomination of a dragon that looks like it was designed by my nephew Max, who is repeating third grade this year.
The good guys win and Wong from Doctor Strange shows up to introduce them to Captain Marvel and Hulk, who is back to being Banner with no explanation, and they discover that the Ten Rings, now in Shang's possession, are sending out some beacon. Whatever. I don't care about the future of the MCU anymore.
All in all, I thought this was okay. It's better than Black Widow and Captain Marvel but it's definitely a bottom five MCU movie. It probably would've been better if Awkwafina was nowhere near this thing and if the writers actually read a comic book before "adapting" this character and this pocket of the Marvel universe.
Documentary Review: Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe (2014)
December 18, 2019 by Talking Pulp	in Documentary Review, Reviews, TV Review and tagged 2010s, 2014, Anthony Mackie, art, Avengers, Black Widow, Bobby Moynihan, Captain America, Chris Evans, Chris Hardwick, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Clark Gregg, comics, culture, Disney, documentary, Dominic Cooper, Edgar Wright, Emily VanCamp, Falcon, filmmaking, Groot, Guardians of the Galaxy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hawkeye, Hayley Atwell, history, Hulk, Iron Man, James Gunn, Jeph Loeb, Jeremy Renner, Joe Johnston, Joe Quesada, Jon Favreau, Joss Whedon, Kenneth Branagh, Loki, Louis Leterrier, Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Ming-Na Wen, Nick Fury, Peggy Carter, review, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Shane Black, Star Lord, superhero, Thor, Tom Hiddleston, TV, Vin Diesel, Winter Soldier	| Leave a comment
Music by: Brian Tyler
Cast: Hayley Atwell, Shane Black, Kenneth Branagh, Dominic Cooper, Vin Diesel, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, Clark Gregg, James Gunn, Chris Hardwick, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Joe Johnston, Louis Leterrier, Jeph Loeb, Anthony Mackie, George R.R. Martin, Tom Morello, Bobby Moynihan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pratt, Joe Quesada, Robert Redford, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Ming-Na Wen, Jed Whedon, Joss Whedon, Edgar Wright (uncredited)
ABC Studios, Disney, Marvel, 42 Minutes
After watching the beefy but solid Star Wars documentary Empire of Dreams, I noticed that Disney+ also featured a similar made-for-TV documentary about the making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I figured I'd check it out, as it originally aired in 2014, on the cusp of the MCU reaching its peak.
Unfortunately, this isn't as compelling as Empire of Dreams and it plays more like a Marvel produced production used mainly to pimp themselves out and market Captain America: Winter Solider and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show. But I get it, this played on ABC, which like Marvel, is owned by Disney.
It's still an informative piece with a lot of insight into the making of the first Iron Man movie, which opened the floodgates for the rest of the MCU.
It also expands beyond that and delves a little bit into each movie up to the then still in-production Guardians of the Galaxy. In fact, I think that this was the first real peek into the Guardians of the Galaxy production.
The best part about this short feature is the interviews with the stars and filmmakers who helped bring this universe to life. I especially liked hearing the enthusiasm that Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jon Favreau had with the early Iron Man pictures.
Overall, this isn't a must watch but it's worth your time if you are a big MCU fan.
Pairs well with: other filmmaking documentaries about blockbusters. Empire of Dreams, immediately comes to mind.
Film Review: Captain Marvel (2019)
June 14, 2019 by Talking Pulp	in Film Review, Reviews and tagged 2010s, 2019, action, adventure, Annette Bening, Avengers, Ben Mendelsohn, Black Widow, Brie Larson, Captain America, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Chris Evans, Clark Gregg, comics, Disney, Djimon Hounsou, Don Cheadle, film, Gemma Chan, Hulk, Jude Law, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Kree, Lashana Lynch, Lee Pace, Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, Mckenna Grace, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Nick Fury, review, Ronan the Accuser, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, sci-fi, Skrulls, superhero, The Supreme Intelligence, War Machine	| Leave a comment
Release Date: February 27th, 2019 (London premiere)
Directed by: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Written by: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Nicole Perlman, Meg LeFauve
Based on: Captain Marvel by Stan Lee, Gene Colan, Carol Danvers by Roy Thomas, Gene Colan
Music by: Pinar Toprak
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law, Mckenna Grace, Kelly Sue DeConnick (cameo)
Marvel Studios, Walt Disney, 124 Minutes
"You are Carol Danvers. You were the woman on that black box risking her life to do the right thing. My best friend. Who supported me as a mother and a pilot when no one else did. You were smart, and funny, and a huge pain in the ass. And you were the most powerful person I knew, way before you could shoot fire through your fists." – Maria Rambeau
This was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that I didn't see in the theater. Frankly, it looked boring and unimaginative and it really has nothing to do with the controversies surrounding the film regardless of what side of the argument your fanboy/girl heart lies on.
Seeing it now, I wasn't wrong.
This is a drab, mostly pretty boring film. Also, it looks cheap compared to other Marvel movies. This looks more like an episode of a CW superhero show than a film produced by Disney and Marvel. And it's kind of underwhelming and depressing, really. Especially since this had its fair share of outer space stuff, which Marvel has handled exceedingly well with Thor: Ragnarok and both Guardians of the Galaxy outings.
I think part of the problem is that this film had too many creatives trying to steer the ship. It had two directors and five writers. Fuck, guys… just pick a team of a few people like your best movies and let them make the magic happen. Films made by committees rarely wow anyone.
In regards to Brie Larson, she is, as I've said in reviews of other films, a charisma vacuum. She makes charismatic actors around here give uncharismatic performances. Sam Jackson and Jude Law are typically very charismatic and fun to watch. Here, they're about as entertaining as sleeping dogs.
Throughout this entire film, Brie was told that she's too emotional yet she barely shows any actual emotion and just delivers her lines with a blank face in monotone. She also does this juvenile smirk all the time that just makes her look like a middle aged soccer mom thinking that she's still youthful, cute and wishes she was still in high school so she could cozy up to the mean girls.
If this film wasn't part of the larger MCU canon, it would have come and gone and been completely forgotten already. It's not even bad to where people can talk for years about how much of a shitshow it was like Catwoman. But this is the future that Disney apparently wants and between this dead on arrival, boring ass film and the slapped together, clusterfuck that Avengers: Endgame was, makes me think that the MCU's expiration date was 2019, just a year after it celebrated it's 10th anniversary.
Usually for a film of this caliber, I'd have a lot more to say. But there isn't much to talk about with this one. It's a waste of time, it carries an obvious agenda with it and like things that are trying to be political statements, it fails at conveying that message in a meaningful or genuine way.
Plus, everyone and their mother has torn this film apart already. I don't think it's as bad as many people do but it's certainly a soulless, unemotional, pointless film more concerned with its place in history and trying to challenge societal ideals in the laziest way possible than it is trying to be a fun, escapist piece of entertainment.
But hey, this isn't as bad as Joss Whedon's Avengers: Age of Ultron, which still takes the cake as Marvel's worst. I would put this in my bottom two or three though.
Pairs well with: Everything else in the MCU, I guess.
Film Review: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
April 27, 2018 by Talking Pulp	in Film Review, Reviews and tagged 2010s, 2018, action, adventure, Alan Silvestri, Anthony Mackie, Avengers, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Benicio del Toro, Black Panther, Black Widow, Bradley Cooper, Captain America, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders, comics, Danai Gurira, Dave Bautista, Disney, Doctor Strange, Don Cheadle, Drax the Destroyer, Elizabeth Olsen, Falcon, fantasy, film, Gamora, Groot, Guardians of the Galaxy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hulk, Idris Elba, Iron Man, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Letitia Wright, Loki, Mantis (Marvel), Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Nebula, Nick Fury, Paul Bettany, Peter Dinklage, Pom Klementieff, Red Skull, review, Robert Downey Jr., Rocket Racoon, Ross Marquand, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlet Witch, Scarlett Johansson, sci-fi, Sebastian Stan, Spider-Man, Star Lord, superhero, Thanos, The Black Order, The Russo Brothers, The Vision, Thor, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Holland, Vin Diesel, War Machine, William Hurt, Winter Soldier, Zoe Saldana	| Leave a comment
Release Date: April 23rd, 2018 (Los Angeles premiere)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio del Toro, William Hurt, Cobie Smulders, Samuel L. Jackson, Ross Marquand
"In time, you will know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right. Yet to fail all the same. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives. " – Thanos
Well, this film has been ten years in the making, as it is the culmination of everything that has happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Iron Man hit theaters in May of 2008. Ten years and eighteen films later, all the carefully crafted moving parts come together to create a unified front against the greatest cinematic Marvel villain of them all, Thanos.
So cramming in all these characters is a tremendous feat. And really, I think everyone's biggest concern was how that would work. Despite my concerns and fears, I haven't anxiously anticipated the release of a film as strongly as this one since 2008's The Dark Knight.
But having now seen it, I finally know whether or not the Russos succeeded in successfully conquering such a tremendous feat. So did they succeed?
To quote Stone Cold Steve Austin, "Oh… Hell… Yeaaah!!!"
The way that the Russos balanced everything was incredible. It's as if they read a ton of major comic book crossover events in preparation for this incredible task and they sort of took their cue from them.
What I mean by that is that this film handles itself like a well written crossover mega event in the comics. It segments the heroes into different groups on different missions, all fighting for the same endgame. It's like when a crossover is spread over four different comic titles and when you read them in a collected format, you get a story where each chapter is an issue from a different comic. Like X-Cutioner's Song from the early '90s was spread over Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Men (vol. 2) and X-Force. When you read them in chronological order (or in a collected trade paperback) each issue/title focused on a specific group that was different from the previous chapter but all the stories were part of a bigger tapestry that saw everything come together. That's exactly how Avengers: Infinity War works, which is really cool to experience in a live action format.
So you have multiple groups here: one led by Captain America that goes to Wakanda, one lead by Iron Man that goes into space, the Guardians of the Galaxy split into two groups with one of them being led by Thor and then there is Thanos' story and he does get a lot of time to shine. In fact, he was handled better than every Marvel Cinematic Universe villain that isn't Loki. But who knows, Thanos may still eclipse Loki when it's all said and done.
This was a pretty long movie but it needed to be and unlike other Marvel movies that seem to run on for too long, there wasn't a single moment where I looked at my watch or felt antsy like I needed them to wrap it up. In fact, when I got to the end, I felt like I had finally exhaled and I couldn't get up out of my seat, there was a lot of amazing stuff to process and I sat there with a smile, completely and utterly impressed with how this turned out.
It's obvious that the special effects are good and some of the most impressive ever created. Marvel never disappoints in that regard.
One thing that really stood out for me much more than it ever has in any other Marvel picture was the score. This film has a very good and memorable smorgasbord of booming orchestral tunes and the Avengers theme was re-imagined in some creative ways. Alan Silvestri really came up with an incredible score that serviced not just this film but served the entire franchise well. There aren't scores like there were through the '70s, '80s and '90s but this one felt like a throwback to that superior era for movie music.
If I had to compare this to anything, it's like if someone took the best parts of both The Lord of the Rings and the original Star Wars movies and then mixed them together and replaced those films heroes and villains with Marvel characters. It truly was incredible and I can be a snobby dick that's hard to impress sometimes. I just wish the modern comic writers at Marvel would take their cue from these movies and write comics worthy of these characters once again. But as superheroes are dying in print, they are thriving on celluloid.
Simply for the fact that I haven't felt like this after seeing a movie in the theater since The Dark Knight, ten years ago, I have to give this film a perfect score. Sure, it's not the greatest movie ever made but it is a f'n clinic on how to do a massive team up movie and a film that is presented on a massive scale that doesn't lose itself and keeps you very engaged. Granted, this film also benefits from having 18 movies before it, where all of these key characters, minus Thanos, were able to be developed in preparation for this Royal Rumble of a superhero movie.
Film Review: Iron Man 3 (2013)
April 3, 2018 by Talking Pulp	in Film Review, Reviews and tagged 2010s, 2013, action, adventure, Avengers, Ben Kingsley, Bill Maher, Chris Gethard, comics, Corey Hawkins, Dale Dickey, Disney, Don Cheadle, film, Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hulk, Iron Man, Joan Rivers, Jon Favreau, Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Miguel Ferrer, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, review, Robert Downey Jr., sci-fi, superhero, The Mandarin, Ty Simpkins, War Machine, William Sadler	| Leave a comment
Also known as: Iron Man Three (original title), Caged Heat (fake working title)
Release Date: April 12th, 2013 (Munich premiere)
Written by: Drew Pearce, Shane Black
Based on: Iron Man by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Jack Kirby
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley, Paul Bettany (voice), Ty Simpkins, William Sadler, Miguel Ferrer, Dale Dickey, Corey Hawkins, Mark Ruffalo (cameo), Bill Maher (cameo), Joan Rivers (cameo), Chris Gethard (uncredited)
"A true story about fortune cookies. They look Chinese. They sound… Chinese. But they're actually an American invention. Which is why they're hollow, full of lies, and leave a bad taste in the mouth." – The Mandarin
Iron Man 3 is the third and final Iron Man movie. Granted, one could make the argument that Captain America: Civil War is also Iron Man 4. And he does continue to appear in other films that are a part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. But this is the last true solo Iron Man picture.
This is also the first film in the Iron Man pocket of the MCU to not be directed by Jon Favreau. Although, he does still appear on screen as his character Happy Hogan. He would also appear after this film too.
This chapter mostly deals with Tony Stark having to deal with his past demons and facing the consequences of certain decisions he made long before he was Iron Man. Also, it deals with anxiety and PTSD, brought on by Tony's involvement in the big battle at the end of The Avengers. It takes these things pretty seriously and doesn't pussyfoot around them. Tony Stark is very troubled and even though he's matured and grown as a person, the past is still there to haunt him and stand in his way where he needs to move forward.
Sure, Tony's personality and snarky sense of humor is still very present but you now start to see it as more of a defense mechanism against his own fears and insecurities. You also get to see him come out of his shell and embrace those he truly cares for: Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan and the young kid that becomes his sidekick in this film. Tony's personal defense is let down and he stops trying to be the coolest guy in the room and shows the world that he's a human being and not just some super powerful godlike figure.
This is the most personal Iron Man story and it succeeds because it doesn't show Tony bullshitting his way through every situation. For one, he can't bullshit his way out of this. Two, he's exhausted and emotional like he never has been before. Three, the stakes have never been higher and he's never been challenged to the core like he is here.
The film is pretty well written in regards to Tony Stark the character.
Some of the other writing is a bit shaky, especially in regards to the handling of the villain, The Mandarin. However, even though I was originally annoyed by how this part of the movie played out, it really doesn't matter to the bigger scheme of the picture's narrative.
A real threat existed, regardless. That threat had to be neutralized. But being a big fan of the comic and awaiting the eventual arrival of the Mandarin on the big screen, it was a real disappointment when the character's true identity was revealed.
Granted, I still loved Ben Kingsley's performance on both sides of the Mandarin's coin. His comedic charm makes up for the shocking twist to some degree. And in retrospect, I enjoy it much more, five years removed from my first time seeing this movie.
I generally like Guy Pearce and was excited to see him in this but as the villain, he was pretty vanilla. He had a cool backstory and they tried to humanize him but it ultimately didn't work out and he wasn't as tragic of a figure as he could have been.
Another positive though, is that we get to see Tony Stark duke it out with bad guys without the advantages of having his full armor suit. I liked this approach, it showed Tony as truly heroic and not a guy hiding behind his gadgets. It showed his intelligence, his creativity and his ability to persevere when the deck is stacked against him.
Iron Man 3 is a better movie than what a lot of its detractors would have you think and when this came out, the naysayers took to the Internet in droves. I think it also plays better know within the context of the larger MCU.
Pairs well with: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: Civil War.
Film Review: The Avengers (2012)
March 27, 2018 by Talking Pulp	in Film Review, Reviews and tagged 2010s, 2012, action, adventure, Alan Silvestri, Ashley Johnson, Avengers, Black Widow, Captain America, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, comics, Disney, film, Gwyneth Paltrow, Harry Dean Stanton, Hawkeye, Hulk, Hydra, Iron Man, Jenny Agutter, Jeremy Renner, Joss Whedon, Kenneth Tigar, Loki, Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Nick Fury, Paul Bettany, Powers Boothe, review, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, sci-fi, Stellan Skarsgård, superhero, Thor, Tom Hiddleston	| Leave a comment
Release Date: April 11th, 2012 (El Capitan Theatre premiere)
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Written by: Joss Whedon, Zak Penn
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany (voice), Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Powers Boothe, Jenny Agutter, Harry Dean Stanton, Ashley Johnson, Kenneth Tigar
Marvel Studios, Paramount, Walt Disney Studios, 143 Minutes, 173 Minutes (extended cut)
"The Tesseract has awakened. It is on a little world. A human world. They would wield its power, but our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead. And our force, our Chitauri, will follow. The world will be his. The universe yours. And the humans, what can they do but burn?" – The Other
There was a time when this was the big culmination of all of Marvel's achievements in their cinematic universe. I don't think any of us realized how small the universe was then. It felt grand but now, in 2018, things have grown to a monstrous size, to the point where it's hard to imagine how the upcoming Avengers movie is even going to work. I mean, this had six heroes in it, plus a few more characters. The next Avengers movie has to balance roughly sixty characters. It's gotten insane.
Anyway, this was the first time we saw a big group of these characters crossover.
In this film, we see Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Chris Evans' Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Mark Ruffalo replacing Ed Norton as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye. We also get Sam Jackson returning as Nick Fury, Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson and Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, all important SHIELD characters and support for the Avengers team.
On the villain side, Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki and he has an army of Chitauri aliens gifted to him by The Other, who is a minion of Thanos.
The story does a decent job of uniting these heroes against a common and very large threat. The first act of the film is very good and I enjoyed it. The final act is also better than decent, even if the aliens are generic and unexciting. The middle act is what really soured me on this picture and it brings down all of the other parts that are actually good.
The middle of the film is pretty much just the heroes hanging out and gabbing on the SHIELD Helicarrier. Some shit pops off and we get to see the Avengers go into action… to fix a damaged propeller. The fact that a gazillion dollar SHIELD helicarrier doesn't have some sort of emergency protocol for a failed or destroyed propeller is a gross mismanagement of government funds. You're going to build a vehicle that costs more than the entire GDP of most countries and you don't have emergency parachutes or balloons to guide the vehicle down to Earth? Good thing Iron Man was there to fly in circles and Captain America knew how to flip a switch.
Joss Whedon helmed this picture though and I've never been a fan, even though he is like Jesus to nerds. Does he know how to handle an ensemble cast? For the most part, but his experience is mostly in the realm of cheesy teen TV drama or the severely overrated Firefly.
While the last act of the film gets things back on track and exciting, I hate the Chitauri aliens. They're drab, boring and ride around on some flying Sea-Doos shooting shit lasers. Then there are the giant flying worm creatures that didn't do a damn thing other than chase Iron Man and crash into shit. What were they supposed to be doing? Couldn't they have had aliens on their armored hulls and been more like weaponized battleships? Kinda like living Star Destroyers? I mean, a six year-old could have made them more interesting. In the end, the aliens should have been the Skrulls or even the Kree. I know that Marvel lost the movie right to the Skrulls, at least at the time, but damn, give us something more imaginative and cool.
The Avengers has its problems and I'm spending more time pointing them out than anything else but it is still an enjoyable film. It's not as good as the best solo hero movies but it is hard to balance an ensemble and to focus on developing and enriching characters when there are so many. But that's why the solo films are better movies, as these big team-up pictures are just spectacles or special events, the Royal Rumble of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But making this work was a giant undertaking and a tough challenge. It's more positive than negative and the real highlight is seeing these characters exist in the same space at the same time.
Plus, it has Harry Dean Stanton in it.
Pairs well with: The other Phase One films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Iron Man 1 and 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger.
Film Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
April 11, 2017 by Talking Pulp	in Film Review, Reviews and tagged 2010s, 2015, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, action, adventure, Andy Serkis, Anthony Mackie, Avengers, Baron Strucker, Black Widow, Captain America, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Cobie Smulders, comics, Danny Elfman, Disney, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Falcon, film, Hawkeye, Hayley Atwell, Hulk, Hydra, Idris Elba, Iron Man, James Spader, Jeremy Renner, Joss Whedon, Linda Cardellini, Mark Ruffalo, Marvel, MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Nick Fury, Paul Bettany, Quicksilver, review, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlet Witch, Scarlett Johansson, sci-fi, Stellan Skarsgård, superhero, The Vision, Thor, Ultron, War Machine	| Leave a comment
Release Date: April 13th, 2015 (Dolby Theatre premiere)
Written by: Joss Whedon
Music by: Brian Tyler, Danny Elfman
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson
Avengers: Age of Ultron further solidified the main takeaway that I had after seeing The Avengers three years ago. A film this big, with a multitude of characters strong enough to carry their own film, is not necessarily a good formula. This wasn't a bad movie, but like the first film featuring all the Avengers, it ranks below most of the solo films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Yes, I did enjoy the movie but nowhere near as much as the recent films that preceded this one: Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: Winter Solider. I even enjoyed Thor: The Dark World more than this. The fact of the matter is, this film is just too busy.
In its busyness, Avengers: Age of Ultron lacks a good balance between the characters. There seems to be more focus on Black Widow and the Hulk, which is fine, as neither seem to be getting their own film anytime soon, but it makes things somewhat lopsided and there's just a bunch of dudes in superhero garb one-lining each other to death from start-to-finish. And while Tony Stark witticisms are funny and the camaraderie of all these actors is generally pretty great, it has gotten to the point where it is starting to feel like a caricature of itself. The joke is wearing thin and it seems less organic now. The banter has gotten too predictable and thus, somewhat mundane. Much of it seemed forced and the back-and-forth between them over their radios during big battles, didn't come off as natural. It felt like actors reading lines to a room full of strangers and a green screen.
Ultron, the main villain of the story, was created way too quickly, conveniently and easily. I feel like he should have been something brewing in Stark's lab for a very long time. Something in the shadows that had been watching this whole time. Maybe there should have been seeds planted throughout other movies. I mean, the studio had to know they were going to do a film with Ultron, right? Right?!
The execution of Ultron was half-assed and the character, in this film, just didn't feel like the unbeatable and nearly omnipotent Ultron of the comic books. Additionally, his personality was bizarre. While he was a cold and calculated killing machine, ready to wipe humanity away, he subjected himself to his own witticisms and his own weird sense of humor. Also, his powers were pretty limited compared to his comic book version, which they did because it is harder to write a story where the heroes are essentially fighting a god. That is a pretty weak cop out. Isn't Thor a god? And then you have the Scarlet Witch, Hulk and Vision, so…
In a nutshell, Ultron came across as a bulked up General Grievous. But at least Grievous had four lightsabers. Ultron just had an army of flying robots that have been used to death since the second Iron Man film, which was eight Marvel movies ago.
And what was the point of Baron Strucker? He should have been just some random unimportant Hydra commander. He was made to look extremely weak and then just brushed aside and murdered off-screen. It was a waste of an iconic character that had potential and probably should have been used as a major villain on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Also, his eye piece looked retarded.
Yay, Nick Fury shows up! And then he just talks a bunch.
The CGI at certain points in this film was just ridiculous. In the opening scene, everything felt too sped up and the movements of the Avengers came off as pretty cartoony. Call me old fashioned but what's wrong with using some practical effects? It isn't a bunch of Avatar creatures fighting a Tolkien dragon, it's a bunch of human beings in costumes. So they all move like Jedi on cocaine now? And what's the point of Quicksilver, if every other character comes off as almost that fast? The opening scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron just reminded me of that awful snow mountain sequence from last year's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Speaking of Quicksilver and while I'm at it, the Scarlet Witch, both of them had horrible accents. Sometimes it was there, sometimes it wasn't. I guess that's okay though, since Black Widow, a Russian character, sounds like she is from New York City. Also, Joss Whedon recently poked fun at how X-Men: Days of Future Past handled their version of Quicksilver. Whedon's a boring jackass, as his version was one-dimensional, uninteresting and didn't have a single moment nearly as notable as the amazing prison break scene from last year's X-Men film.
Oh yeah, and Quicksilver dies. You see, there had been a rumor around for awhile that an Avenger would be killed off in this film. A rumor that was pretty much confirmed. But what Whedon did was go the easy route. The guy who loves killing likable characters, didn't have the balls to commit this round. Maybe that was Marvel's call, maybe it was Whedon's, no one will ever really know but it was a pointless and shallow end to a pointless and shallow character.
The plot was nothing special. You can take away almost everything you need from the trailers. If you've seen the trailer, you know the set up. Essentially, bad guy is born, bad guy fucks shit up, good guys fight him and then win. There are no surprises, no big twists, nothing great and unexpected. It is a pretty straightforward story and predictable. But at least they weren't standing around talking on a Helicarrier for a third of the film like the last one. And at least the big enemy wasn't a giant propeller or generic aliens on flying jet skis.
And the big evil plan? Ultron lifts some eastern European city into the sky with underground boosters, in an attempt to drop it back down to Earth like a meteor. And people think Whedon is a genius? Ultron was mentally handicapped for a super computer but at least they explained that the giant rock wasn't crumbling as it was being lifted due to some magic magnetic field. Never mind that this super strong magnetic field wasn't stopping small pieces from crumbling off the edges during the very lengthy sequence. And I wasn't sure how the city lifting didn't turn the city itself into a crumbled mess pretty instantaneously. Were the buildings protected by the magnetic field too? And when Thor saved people falling off the floating city, why did he drop them off on the floating city destined to crash and not the fucking ground below?
And with the giant floating rock, was Whedon inspired by Superman Returns. Visually, this idea felt like a reverse of the major villainous plot from that film.
Then there was the ongoing joke of the film, that started with the first dialogue exchange. Stark says "shit" and Cap points out his potty mouth, to which every five minutes someone has to poke fun at Cap about how lame he is. Because if you forgot, he's from the World War II era and must be an old coot.
And why did Black Widow have a tactical outfit that lit up like a character from Tron? How the fuck is she supposed to sneak up on bad guys and take them out stealthily if you can see her body outline glowing in the dark? Then again, neon Scarlett Johansson boobies would probably distract anyone long enough for her to get in a punch.
As far as positives, I like the seed planted for the upcoming Black Panther film. I also like how the arms dealer, played by Andy Serkis, is Klaw. They even went as far as to make him lose an arm in the film. I also liked how they made the Hulk v. Iron Man in Hulkbuster armor battle happen. I thought it would be handled poorly and was a bullshit attempt at fan service but how they made it work in the film was pretty awesome. Granted, I don't understand why people were standing around gawking during the fight but that's Hollywood for ya.
I also like that Hawkeye actually had a presence in this movie and wasn't just some Loki zombie for 90 percent of the film. The look into his life and the fleshing out of his character was good. I liked the casting of Linda Cardellini as his wife.
I liked the tension between Captain America and Iron Man, which is a nice set up to what will happen in next year's Captain America: Civil War.
I like that the Infinity Stones were finally explained and that Thanos acquires the Infinity Gauntlet in the mid-credits scene. Although that scene was bizarre and it seemed like Thanos was breaking the fourth wall. I don't like that there wasn't a post-credits scene.
However, the greatest thing about this film was Vision (I've always hated calling him "The Vision"). Paul Bettany, who has been the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. since the first Iron Man film in 2008, was brought to life in the form of Vision. Bettany was the perfect choice and not just because his voice was Tony Stark's assistant over the years, he just had a very serious yet calming presence that made him perfect for the part.
I'm fairly excited for where this series can go but I am more optimistic about the future than the present, as the next set of Avengers films will not be helmed by Joss Whedon. To be frank, I don't understand the insane amount of fans that guy has.
Well, next up is Ant-Man. I'm hoping its smaller scale, pun intended, is a refreshing experience because this film was too large for its own good.
But what the hell do I know? Billions of fan boys will love this without question because Marvel can apparently do no wrong and Joss Whedon has a golden penis.