Looks like as good a place as any to do the reviews, eh? I'm too tired to do that tonight, though. So the abridged: Worth price of admission, Winter Soldier and Guardians was better though.
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George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
I would put it close second to Guardians. I liked Winter Soldier but I agree with Karlina I didn't find it amazing. One thing to add, dont wait around for the very end of the credits you'll waste your time. There's a scene about midway through and thats it. Pretty much the whole theater let out a sigh when we realized it.
I would put it close second to Guardians. I liked Winter Soldier but I agree with Karlina I didn't find it amazing. One thing to add, dont wait around for the very end of the credits you'll waste your time. There's a scene about midway through and thats it. Pretty much the whole theater let out a sigh when we realized it.
Edited, May 1st 2015 3:48am by BeanX
This seems to be the "new" method. Mid-Credits, so people get up and go lol. The best is when workers of the theater come in and say there is nothing at the end (so they can start cleaning for the next showing).
Winter Soldier had the better fight choreography. Also felt like there were less cut scenes so the overall story played out better for me.
My complaints: For one, the novelty of the team up film was mostly used up with Avengers 1, so Age of Ultron doesn't really have that slight push in it's favor. And like I said, it's a good movie but it doesn't really do much different. In fact, I'd argue that instead of being an exclamation mark ending a phase it was introducing storylines for the next phase of movies. Ulysses Klaw and Wakanda, Tony and Steve's personality clashes, Banner leaving, Asgard and the Infinity Gems. The first page of a book instead of the last. Also it felt like a lot of scenes were cut that would better explain certain scenes. Thor taking a magic bath in one scene and suddenly knowing anything and everything about the Infinity Gems definitely felt off. And finally they really overdid the "duality of humanity" bit. It was okay when Natasha was talking about it with Banner, and a little of when it was used to describe Tony but they just kept saying it over and over again. He's the monster, she's the monster, we're the monster.
And finally, though not entirely limited to just Age of Ultron, but the villain just wasn't all that impressive. Ultron just didn't come off as an extinction level threat. He had the vulnerability and insecurity pretty well, but there just wasn't enough rage for my tastes. His features were too soft, and I get that he's supposed to be "Dark Tony" so some of his personality was bleeding through, but way too quippy for a genocidal machine for me. They kind of referenced the scary angry face at the end of the movie, but by then it was too late. Even the huge Hulktron didn't look like a threat with the softer, almost human facial features. It's a robot, and done in CGI. He doesn't really need a moving mouth. Rumor of rumor is it has something to do with deaf people so they can read lips or something. He also never really got his big villain moment. He spends more time getting beaten around and limping than being truly intimidating. I don't think the end fight was bad per se, but a lot of it felt too similar to the first movie's Battle of New York to really stand out.
Oh, and lack of Pym. They kind of merged his mad scientist mentality across Bruce and Tony.
I actually screamed "Fuck you" at the screen at the end. Not so much because of being disappointed, but because they set something up and totally cockteased. Also the lack of end credits scene made me feel like Pavlov's dog. Winter Soldier had both a mid and end credit scene, one with Strucker and then with Bucky at the Smithsonian. Also wasn't the Howard the Duck scene in GotG an after credits, not mid, scene too?
Things I enjoyed: The list might actually be smaller. For one, the movie didn't feel Tonycentric. I mean he was the catalyst to much of the ongoings, but it didn't feel like the movie rotated around him. If anything, I felt like the movie was more a Clint movie. And yes, he really did have some of the best lines in the movie. Especially in interacting with Pietro, and his superhero speech to Wanda. At first the relationship between Bruce and Natasha was a bit annoying, since it felt like it came out of nowhere (and, honestly, it did), but as the movie went on it worked out and their final scenes were very well done, if not heartbreaking.
I definitely enjoyed the scene I was excited for: The Hulk vs Hulkbuster. Good tension, and a few of Tony's quips definitely got laughs. ("Go to sleep go to sleep go to sleep go to sleep ...") The use of a mobile armory and modular armor is great, too. The only really bad thing about it was, like the Thor Takes A Bath scene I mentioned earlier, there seems to be a cut scene that would connect "Bruce being okay" to "Hulk going on rampage." I mean, you know why, but unlike the other characters having nightmares shown on screen, Bruce's nightmare (which, admittedly, isn't hard to guess) isn't shown to the audience.
Quicksilver was great as well, and HE'S NOT DEAD NOPE NOPE NOT DEAD LA LA LA NOT LISTENING DON'T CARE He and Clint butting heads during the final battle was definitely the best scene in the movie. Their "same line" coming up repeatedly over the movie was both funny and heartbreaking. Oh, and Pietro vs Thor was quick and had me cracking. His totally not dying felt a bit like plot fiat just to move Wanda from protecting the Doomsday Machine to move the plot along though. Speaking of, outside Clint's speech to her (another excellent scene, mind) she wasn't really much of a focal point to the movie. She felt like the Hawkeye of this movie, if that makes sense.
So the long and short of it is I'd say a solid 7~8 out of 10, and I'm happy for Jeremy Renner.
Edited, May 1st 2015 11:23am by lolgaxe
____________________________
George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
What I Enjoyed: Ultron's Origin (Dark MCU Tony as opposed to Dark 616 Pym) Vision's Origin (Jarvis with an infinity stone? Awesomeness) Hulk vs Hulkbuster (especially the end punch, obviously a throwback to Avengers when Hulk punched Thor) Hawkeye The party scene (Although Cap should have been able to pickup the hammer. The fact he didn't made Vision doing it cooler, though) Black Widow's backstory Black Widow & Banner's unrequited love. The New Avengers Thanos' Fine, I'll do it myself. Fury
Things I felt that could have been done better: Thor & his vision quest. I guess it'll get fleshed out more in the director's cut. Unlike Avengers which felt like a culmination of all of the previous flicks, while AoU was largely one story it seemed it setup more stuff for the future than it wrapped up the phase 2 flicks. Ya, they wrapped up Hydra & Loki's staff, but only so they can move onto Infinity War. What iron Man has been up to since Iron Man 3. The end of that flick had him armorless for what seemed like the foreseeable future. AoU picks up & he's got new armors. What made him change his mind? I get that why the first fight (the assault on Strucker's base) was all 3 point poses & such, but it bordered on cheesy.
Now to see it again!
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"The Rich are there to take all of the money & pay none of the taxes, the middle class is there to do all the work and pay all the taxes, and the poor are there to scare the crap out of the middle class." -George Carlin
Yeah, it definitely felt more like it was setting up the next phase a lot more than a finish to this one. I think it suffered a bit from too much pre-release hype. People, myself included, were expecting too much. Still, it's a solid movie, one of the top three MCU movies so far I'd say.
Hawkeye's line while talking to Scarlet Witch The city is flying, we're being attacked by an army of robots, and I have an bow and arrow. None of this of this makes sense! was I thought the best line in the movie, but when it came, I think I was the only one in the theater that laughed. I rather liked the interaction between Banner and Black Widow, especially the bit at the farm. But then at the end the Hulk is like ***** this, I'm out, leaving it completely open ended. Though it could be the basis for a Hulk movie that doesn't suck. But since they've planned out the next five years without one, I don't see it happening.
I rather liked the bit at the end with Thanos pulling out the Infinity Gauntlet. Not that it should have been a surprise to anyone that's been paying attention. They still have a couple more gems to bring out before Infinity War. I can see one in either Thor 3 or Guardians 2, and then the last one at the beginning of Infinity War. I don't really see one fitting in in any of the other upcoming movies.
Well that was pretty good. I'm not sure I liked it better than the first but it was definitely worth the price of admission.
What I find interesting though if that the movies seem to be getting more serious and less... fun, as time goes on. Avengers, Captain America, the second was significantly darker and more actiony. This was a good movie but it was missing some of the pure comic book fun of the first.
I also really liked the Ant-Man trailer. I been pretty meh on the idea of an Ant-Man movie until now but that preview sold me. Fantastic 4 looks stupid though, and I'm still planning to pass on Batman vs Superman.
Omegavegeta wrote:
Unlike Avengers which felt like a culmination of all of the previous flicks, while AoU was largely one story it seemed it setup more stuff for the future than it wrapped up the phase 2 flicks.
Agreed. It very much felt like it was setting up the next story arc rather than wrapping up the previous one.
I can see one in either Thor 3 or Guardians 2, and then the last one at the beginning of Infinity War. I don't really see one fitting in in any of the other upcoming movies.
I can't imagine Dr Strange not having an Infinity Gem. Presumably the Soul Gem.
____________________________
George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
Since any movie that gets someone to sperg about "Toxic Hegemonic Masculinity" has me excited to watch, I have to ask: How packed were the theaters? Should I expect to have to wait a few weeks before I can likely get a seat with no one on either side?
I went to the late Thursday night showing, which was a school night and wasn't all that packed. There were a ton of people leaving from the earlier showing though, so I imagine it just depends when you pick for the next two or three weeks.
____________________________
George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
I saw it sunday afternoon and the theater was only maybe half full. I saw the non-IMAX, non-3D one though so I don't know if those versions are more popular.
I went to a 2D showing on Saturday at 2:15pm. There was a bigger crowd than usual, but the theater was only about 1/3 full. Usually an early Saturday showing of a standard show sees about 2 dozen people? This one had maybe... 50? I didn't do a big head count, there was not a lot of people, everyone was spread out a bit.
One young girl in front of me who decided to text the whole time (apparently she was just dragged by her friends to the movie).
One older man who's cell phone rung half way through and he answered it, then spent the next 30 minutes with his phone on full brightness texting. (Off to my left, so I kept seeing a bright white light flash in my side view.
And one (stereotypical young black) man who decided to announce to the theater how well he had followed the hype and the source material.
Annoying audience member commentary (Spoilers) "OH!!!! Thor's gonna be worried!" *Guys attempt to lift Hammer, Capt budges it* "OH!!!!! He worried, He worried!"
During Vision's initial creation in the lab (Ultron and Doctor, not Thor and the gang) and the gem being put in, the guy kept saying "Vision!" over and over.
When Vision tosses the hammer to Thor. "OH!!! He Worthy!!!!"
Jokes I enjoyed. Language!
Banner and Romanoff playing "hide the zucchini"
The guys at the end arguing over whether or not Vision lifting the hammer counted. "What if you put it in an elevator?" "Elevator goes up." "Elevator's not worthy."
There are others, quite a bit with Ultron and his attitude. I really wasn't expecting him to be quite the way he was. I don't follow the comics and while I know the real basics about a handful of characters, I cannot say what Ultron's personality was supposed to be like, just that I didn't expect what was given (but I did like it)
Usually my theater experience isn't bad. There's always someone texting though. During Captain America 2, the theater was all but empty (early Saturday showing). During one of the big action scenes, I think the guy behind me turned on his phone's camera and started recording. His phone's light turned on an illuminated half the theater.
I liked the trailer for Jurassic World 2. I hadn't watched many on the internet, just the initial reveal trailers, but the one shown during the previews was an extended version. Looking forward to Ant-Man, but the trailer wasn't anything I hadn't seen before.
This article I think explains why you didnt like some of those scenes. The article is spoiler so only click if you watched he movie. http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/05/joss-whedon-avengers-marvel-cuts
Saw it. Maybe 7 out of 10. Not as much fun as the previous films and parts dragged like all the dream sequence stuff whereas other parts just jumped ahead. I'm sure some comic nerds geeked out over it or something but it was just a time filler to me. As mentioned, Ultron didn't really feel that threatening. Frankly the whole thing was somewhat fun and watchable but also just sort of a mess. Would watch it again on FX, wouldn't pay another $7 to see it again.
However unthreatening Ultron seemed, the Big Bad Guy in the stinger looks like a purple cartoon Jay Leno and is about as intimidating as a caterpillar. I don't care what comic book powers he wields, he's not even a tiny bit scary.