Movie review: Ant-Man and the Wasp

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a film that is supposed to sustain MCU fans till Avengers 4. This is Ant-Man and the Wasp!

IMDb summary: As Scott Lang balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.

As per usual, just before we start, these are my previous MCU reviews: Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Civil War, Doctor Strange, The Winter Soldier, Age of Ultron, Guardians 1and 2, Infinity War, and, of course, the original Ant-Man.

Writing

Ant-Man and the Wasp was written by a whole bunch of writers: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (who both have worked on The Lego Batman, Spider-Man and Jumanji before), the star of the film – Paul Rudd, and Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (another writing duo that doesn’t have a lot of credits on IMDb yet ). I thought that they did a good job with the script. The film had a good opening to catch the viewer up on the previous events and this film’s place in the timeline. It was also rooted in MCU lore but accessible enough for the newcomers. It was also a good sequel as it took Scott Lang’s story further and forwards.

It was also nice to see a female character getting at least half of a solo movie in MCU (finally!). The superhero-couple idea was also neat and was probably the best romantic plotline in MCU (Hulk/Black Widow didn’t really work, Gamora/Starlord always felt rushed, and only Vision/Wanda is/was a neat pairing, just wish it had more screen time). It was also nice to see the idea of the generations of superheroes in the film and the passing of the mantle between the heroes – that happens in the comics all the time but hasn’t really been touched upon in the movies before. The picture’s villain wasn’t the best but also wasn’t bad. Her intentions seemed valid and believable. The movie was also quite chucklesome if not laugh out loud funny. Overall, while I didn’t think that Ant-Man and the Wasp was one of the staple/must-watch MCU films, it was thoroughly enjoyable and a well-written summer actioner.

Directing

Peyton Reed, who directed some amount of the first film (remember that Edgar Wright debacle?), helmed the second film and did a neat job. The pacing was good and the narrative was translated to the screen cohesively. The shrinking action was also inventive and fun to watch.

Mid/Post-credits scenes

The film had two scenes at the end. The mid-credits scene acted as a follow-up to Avengers: Infinity Warand was a continuation of that heartbreak. It also raised some questions about the character’s potential comeback in the 4th Avengersfilm. The post-credits scene was fun but kinda a let-down and not really necessary.

Acting

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne / Wasp were both great – likable and believable. Their chemistry worked too. Michael Peña (The Martian, Collateral Beauty, 12 Strong, A Wrinkle in Time) had a couple of great scenes that have become signature of his character’s Luis. Walton Goggins (The Death Cure, The Hateful Eight, Tomb Raider) was good as another slightly off-putting and potentially crazy villain Sonny Burch. Hannah John-Kamen was also good as Ava Starr / Ghost. It was nice to see Michelle Pfeiffer (mother!) as Janet van Dyne, though she wasn’t in the movie much. Laurence Fishburne (John Wick 2) jumped shipped from DCEU to MCU to portray Bill Foster, a former colleague of Hank Pym’s, played superbly, once again, by Michael Douglas.

In short, Ant-Man and the Wasp was a tasty treat for all MCU fans, broken after Infinity War.

Rate: 4.3/5

Trailer: Ant-Man and the Wasp trailer

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Movie review: Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a sequel that I did not think Hollywood would make but I’m so glad they did. This is Sicario 2 or Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

IMDb summary: The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.

Writing

Sicario 2 was written by Taylor Sheridan – the same screenwriter who wrote the first Sicario as well as such great pictures as Hell or High Water and Wind River. I thought that the writing for the sequel was quite spectacular for the most part. I highly appreciated how topical the movie was, tackling topics that one sees on the news daily. I also loved the ambiguity in the script: the film didn’t have the clear ‘good side’ and it also did not have a conclusion or a clear ‘winning side’. No real happy ending in the film as in life.

The narrative was a bit convoluted and murky at times but I thought that was an accurate representation of the modern warfare. Plans rarely go as planned, layers of authority make decisions impossible to make, and various actors have their own agendas I also really loved how the movie touched upon the ideas of performance within warfare. It was also interesting to see the movie trying to deal with more personal stuff within a context of war.

My only gripe with the film was that I did not think its 3rd act was as strong as the first two. The intensity dropped, the story stopped, and the movie finished a bit of an underwhelming fashion. It tried setting up a sequel which is never an easy way to finish a picture.

Directing

Stefano Sollima, an Italian director, took over the reins of the now-franchise from Denis Villeneuve and crafted an intense and cohesive film, definitely worthy of the first one. The sequel was violent but maybe not as shocking as the first picture. The intensity was still palpable, though. The instrumental score, full of deep and low sounds could be felt in one’s body (if your cinema has a good sound system). The cinematography was great too – static continuous shots of Mexico’s landscape made nature seem both gorgeous and threatening/mysterious.

Acting

Soldado’s cast consisted of Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Jeffrey Donovan reprising their roles, with Isabela Moner, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Elijah Rodriguez and Catherine Keener joining the film. I feel kinda bad for Emily Blunt, as she was sort of the star of the previous film but didn’t/couldn’t return (wasn’t asked to return?) for the sequel. Del Toro killed it in the role again and Brolin (Only the Brave, Hail, Caesar!, Everest) was amazing too (I loved the last shot of him in the hellicopter and just that tiny hint of emotion in his eyes due to the loss of his comrade). I do love the range of the two actors – from The Collector/a smuggler in the Star Wars Universe and Thanos/Cable to the characters in Soldado! Moner was able to showcase her acting abilities so much better in this film than in Transformers 6. It was also nice to see the movie showcasing some Mexican talent – another group of performers that goes underappreciated and underexposed so often in Hollywood.

In short, Sicario 2: Day of the Soldado is a great-looking and smart sequel that will definitely keep you glued to the edge of your seat for at least 2/3 of the film.

Rate: 3.9/5

Trailer: Sicario: Day of the Soldado

5 ideas about a movie: Tag

Hello!

And welcome to the review of Tag, or what Hawkeye was doing instead of fighting Thanos!

IMDb summary: A small group of former classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some to travel all over the country.

1. Tag was written by Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen (two fairly unknown writers), based on a true story about 5 friends, who have been playing tag for 3 decades. A lot of the developments in the story were embellished and exaggerated for the movie, however, a lot of the core elements o the narrative were actually true as the real footage during the credits proves. You know what else felt real about this comedy? Its sincere message.
2. I loved the focus on adult friendship in the film and the message that growing up doesn’t have to mean losing the fun in life or growing apart. I highly appreciated that misquoted quote “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” too (I do love cheesy words of wisdom, have a whole board o them on my wall). In addition to a nice message, the film’s humor also worked mostly because it also felt real – the banter between the friends, the inside jokes, the blasts from the past were all familiar and relatable elements for the audience.
3. Jeff Tomsic directed Tag and did a great job with his cinematic debut (his previous work has mostly been TV related). Tag had a weird ‘we are taking this way too seriously’ tone that was self-referential and tongue-in-cheek rather than annoying or cringe-y. The style o the action scenes, which were exciting and entertaining, was also very fitting and displayed a good usage of slow-mo and voice-over combination.
4. A big reason why this movie worked was its cast and the chemistry between them. Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress made characters with little development be seen as three-dimensional humans. This was probably Helms best performance I have seen in a couple of years, while Renner (MI5, Wind River, Arrival) seemed like he was having so much fun with the role (way more than he appears to have when he is playing Hawkeye). Hamm’s (Baby Driver) and Johnson’s (The Mummy) characters worked well as competitors of sorts, while Buress (Blockers) commentary was top-notch.
5. On the supporting/female front we had Annabelle Wallis (The Mummy) as the clear-headed outsider (I liked that she wasn’t portrayed as too serious or judgemental) and Isla Fisher (who was a bit crazy but so much fun. Her comedic chops should definitely be appreciated more than they are).

In short, Tag is an entertaining and sincere comedy that might not be a must-watch but makes for a great time.

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Tag trailer

Movie review: Ocean’s 8

Hello!

And welcome back to the sporadic AF movie reviews. Ocean’s 8 is the topic for today.

IMDb summary: Debbie Ocean gathers an all-female crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City’s yearly Met Gala.

Writing

Ocean’s 8 – a spin-off of the original trilogy rather than its reboot (this is no Ghostbusters) – was written by the director of the film Gary Ross and Olivia Milch (she is writing a Barbie movie next, don’t know how to react to that). There was a lot to like in the script. To begin with, I liked how this action film was kept feminine with the focus on the MetGala and diamonds. A decision to make women steal diamonds might be seen as playing into stereotypes. However, I’d argue that by keeping a feminine focus, Ocean’s 8 fights the stereotype that strong women, especially female action stars, have to be masculine. Some of them might be masculine, while others might prefer femininity (or a mixture of the two). And Ocean’s 8 showcases that by having a variety of women of different colors/shapes/sizes/styles as the core characters. While the character development isn’t plentiful, there is enough of it to make each character necessary and at least a tiny bit interesting.

Additionally, while Ocean’s 8 stands on the shoulders of the original Ocean’s trilogy, it doesn’t lean on them too hard, meaning that one can go into this movie not knowing anything of the first 3 films and completely get the plot of this one. As I wasn’t a fan of the original films, I also didn’t mind some of the developments/reveals about the original characters in this film (some fans might actually be legitimately annoyed by them). Personally, my main problem with this movie was its structure. I loved the first two acts – the pre-heist set-up and the actual heist. However, I feel like the whole 3rd act, rather than being a big finale, was a boring wrap-up that dragged immensely. The investigation and the reveals felt both rushed and like the movie was overstaying its welcome.

Directing

Gary Ross (of the first Hunger Games film and Free State of Jones) directed Ocean’s 8, while Steven Soderbergh – the director behind Ocean’s 11,12, and 13 – stayed on as a producer. I thought that Ross handled the material well, the narrative made sense and was intense for the most part. Pacing had some issues, especially the pacing of the aforementioned third act. The glitz and the glamours of the MetGala were realized accurately.

Acting

Undeniably, the best part about Ocean’s 8 was its cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. I adored the female solidarity and friendship on display. Cate Blanchett (Thor 3, Cinderella, Carol) was my absolute favorite – I loved her character’s outfits, charisma, and just effortless coolness. I also enjoyed seeing Hathaway (Alice 2) playing the gossip sites’ version of herself. I also loved seeing Bullock, back on screen in a lead role as I feel I haven’t seen her in a big movie in ages (since Gravity). Kaling (A Wrinkle in Time) and Paulson (The Post) were also really fun to see. I loved the uber contemporary vibes that Awkwafina brought to the film and I loved seeing Rihanna actually having a character to play rather than just being there to look pretty (*cough, cough*, Valerian. BTW, I’ve been to her concert some years before and wrote about that). Bonham Carter (Suffragette) was also good in the film, though I feel like she played her typical, slightly awkward and over-the-top type of a personality.

Ocean’s 8 also featured some cool celebrity cameos, some neat cameos by the original cast, and a short appearance by James Corden (Peter Rabbit), who is always a delight to see.

In short, Ocean’s 8 was a great all-female thriller. It might not please everyone, but then again, why does it have too?

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Ocean’s 8 trailer

 

Movie review: Deadpool 2

Hello!

Welcome to a review of Deadpool 2. Took me absolutely forever (4 weeks and 3 screenings) to finally write it.

IMDb summary: Foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (AKA. Deadpool), brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy with supernatural abilities from the brutal, time-traveling cyborg, Cable.

Writing

The Deadpool sequel was written by the same duo that wrote the first film – Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, however, this time around, the star of the movie – Ryan Reynolds – also got a writing credit. I thought that the second film’s writing was fairly similar to the first one’s writing in that, the screenwriters took a familiar plot and packaged it in new and exciting ways. While the first film was an origin story of sorts, the sequel did the typical superhero sequel thing and took away the familiar things from the hero, taught him a lesson, and expanded the universe. And yet, while we all have seen these elements before, they still felt fresh because they were accompanied by that unique to Deadpool tone: humor, references to the real world, the 4th wall breaks, etc. The Easter Eggs were plentiful and I don’t know if any one person can actually get all of them, I certainly didn’t. The Mid-Credits scenes contained the best jokes so make sure you wait for them! (Although you have probably already seen the movie as I’m so late with this review).

And yet, while Deadpool 2 was similar to the first film in a lot of ways, it also felt different because it came across as more sincere – seriously emotional (this come from the loss and the lesson elements in the picture). It also felt very comic-book and had an ending that combined Logan’s and Doctor Strange’s 3rd acts (save a kid + play with time). Cable worked well in the story, though his first appearance felt a bit out of nowhere. In general, this picture engrained itself more into the X-Men lore but in true Deadpool fashion, did not fully commit.

Directing

David Leitch – the one half of the directing duo behind John Wick and the director of Atomic Blonde – helmed Deadpool 2 and did a spectacular job. The hand to hand combat was good and the bigger budget was well utilized on the bigger explosive action scenes. The pacing worked well too and the emotional core of the movie was also handled well. The soundtrack was fun too (what’s dubstep tho?:D).

Acting

Ryan Reynolds pulled double duty as both Wade Wilson / Deadpool and Juggernaut and was absolutely incredible. Nobody can deny that he was born to be Deadpool, not just play the role but fully embody it. Josh Brolin was amazing as Cable and topped his very recent performance as Thanos! Morena Baccarin returned as Vanessa and had some neat scenes. Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Julian Dennison joined the cast as Russell Collins / Firefist alongside another newcomer Zazie Beetz as Domino. Both of them were great and I can’t wait to see more of them in X-Force (potentially/probably). T.J. Miller (Ready Player One) also appeared in a film and in a significantly reduced role, probably because of all the legal issues that surround him. Brianna Hildebrand returned as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, while Deadpool’s BFF Colossus was again voiced by Stefan Kapičić. The movie also featured some fun cameos by Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgård, Rob Delaney, Brad Pitt, Alan Tudyk, and Matt Damon.

In short, Deadpool 2 is similar to the first film but also tops it with a stronger emotional core and more expensive action!

Rate: 4.5/5

Trailer: Deadpool 2 trailer

 

Movie review: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a movie that nobody really asked for and not a lot of people are going out to see. This is Solo: A Star Wars Story!

IMDb summary: During an adventure into the criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.

Before going to see the film, I had my own reservations. I wasn’t a 100 percent on board with the casting choices. The behind-the-scenes drama and the changing directors also shook up my already weak confidence in this movie. And yet, I tried going in with an open mind and I’m glad to say that I did have fun with this movie, despite its flaws. Let’s discuss!

Writing

Solo was written by a father and son duo, Lawrence Kasdan (writer of Episodes 5,6, and 7) and Jonathan Kasdan (TV writer and actor). I have mixed feelings about the script that they penned for this movie. Solo was truly an origin film that showcased the origins of every single aspect relating to Han Solo. I wasn’t really sure whether we needed to see everything: how he got his name, blaster, costume, sidekick, favorite supporting character, taste in women, and a cynical attitude. And yet, every time the references came up, I geeked out internally. The Chewie and Lando meetings were some of the best scenes and I really loved seeing the beginning of those relationships. The taste in women part annoyed me a bit, mainly because I felt like Han’s relationship to Qi’ra undermined his later relationship with Leia and made it less special (there wasn’t a lot of difference between Qi’ra and Leia).

The cynical attitude of Han’s mostly formed during the 3rd act of this film. He did seem way more hopeful and sincere in the first two acts than I expected him to be. However, the multiple twists and turns and betrayals in the 3rd act, while not really working that well for the actual narrative of the film, did work well as steps of Han’s character development. Also, I did like how, despite all the hardships that he went through, the script underscored that he was a good guy, as that goes well with his choice of a side in the original trilogy.

Solo not only referenced the original trilogy but also tied itself to the prequels and the animated TV shows. That was quite an unexpected choice. Does that mean that they are gonna bring back some of the characters from this movie in the later projects? I feel like I preferred Rogue One’s type of an ending better – more standalone-ish rather than with a promise of a continuation.

Directing

Ron Howard (Inferno, In The Heart of The Sea) directed the film, while the original Solo’s directors – Philip A. Lord and Christopher Miller (of The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street) got executive producer credits. I thought that Howard did a good job. The picture was certainly competently made and looked and felt appropriately grim, dirty and grounded. And yet, the Star Wars space opera feeling was also there, especially in the choice of locations and background characters (the movie was grounded but cosmic too). The pacing worked for me too – the movie was quite action-packed, so I don’t understand how the critics are saying that they had pacing issues. The movie also had an opening crawl but not in the typical style of Star Wars which seemed like an odd choice. If you have an opening crawl, why not make it like the rest?

Acting

Solo’s cast’s acting started off a bit shaky and wooden but got better as the movie progresses. Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!) was my biggest question mark going into the film and he impressed me a lot. The character of Han had such an infectious excitement about just being Han and I feel like that was Alden’s own excitement about playing this role. Woody Harrelson (War of Apes, Three Billboards, The Glass Castle, Now You See Me, THG), Emilia Clarke (Terminator 5, Me Before You), and Donald Glover (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Martian) especially were all also really good in the film. It was fun to see Westworld’s Thandie Newton (Gringo) and Paul Bettany (Infinity War) too. Phoebe Waller-Bridge was an absolute scene stealer as Lando’s droid. Joonas Suotamo did a fine job as Chewbacca too.

In short, Solo: A Star Wars Story was a good space adventure that wasn’t necessary for the Star Wars Universe but did no damage to it either (well, except financially, probably).

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer 

5 ideas about a movie: Beast

Hello!

The only movie that is daring to play as counterprogramming to Avengers: Infinity War in the UK cinemas is a small British movie Beast. As it will certainly be overlooked by a lot of people, I decided to give it a chance.

IMDb summary: A troubled woman living in an isolated community finds herself pulled between the control of her oppressive family and the allure of a secretive outsider suspected of a series of brutal murders.

1. Beast was written and directed by Michael Pearce, who has mostly directed short films before, making this movie his feature debut. Beast was certainly a peculiar story but in the best way possible. I have seen some describing it as a modern fairytale. I guess that’s the case if we are replacing princes and princesses with criminals and psychopaths?
2. Beast’s writing was really great. The set-up of an oppressive, damaging, and not very loving family was very clear and made the viewers instantly feel for the character. The will they/won’t they romance (more like is he the killer or isn’t he?) mystery also worked. I wasn’t entirely sure about the ending, whether the blind love was in any way a good message or whether that finale was a celebration of female empowerment or a celebration of a psychopath as bad as the initial murderer? Is she the titular Beast or was he? Or was it both of them? Or is it all humans, as we are, in one way or the other, deeply flawed creatures?
3. The closed off island and a tight-knit privileged community made for a great setting for this mystery thriller (recently, another English Channel island got spotlighted – Guernsey – but in a completely different type of a film). Just the views of the island itself were really pretty and calming in contrast to the story. It was also interesting to see movie constructing the class difference as a defining factor in how one is going to be perceived a.k.a. painted as the villain. But as it turned out to be the truth, doesn’t that make the movie’s message that lower class individuals more likely to be criminals?
4. From the directing point of view, the movie was slowish but suspenseful and I did like very real and raw visuals. The diegetic noises – the breathing sounds or the sound of crunching grass/dirt – added a lot of ambiance to the movie. The camera work was neat too.
5. The two leads were played by Jessie Buckley (British TV and theatre actress) and Johnny Flynn (TV actor and musician). I was completely unfamiliar with both of the actors but I thought that they did a spectacular job. The performances were believable, relatable, but also slightly off to always keep the viewer on edge.

In short, Beast was a great psychological thriller that left me with a lot of questions to ponder over.

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Beast trailer

 

 

5 ideas about a movie: Every Day

Hello!

Before watching Avengers: Infinity War, I checked out a smaller YA movie, so that my series of recent YA reviews could continue. This is Every Day!

IMDb summary: A shy teenager falls for someone who transforms into another person every day.

Previous recent YA movies I’ve discussed are linked here: Status Update, Love, Simon, Midnight Sun, Blockers.

1. After watching a fair few of YA movies recently, I’ve sort of realized that they don’t deserve all of the bad-ish rap that they are getting. Not all YA movies are created equal, similarly to how all other films, which aren’t overtly targeted to a specific demographic, are not all good. And while Every Day isn’t the best picture out there, it is certainly not bad and has some new and modern concepts to offer.
2. Every Day was written by Jesse Andrews (the author of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), based on the book of the same name by a well known YA writer David Levithan, and directed by Michael Sucsy (who did 2012’s Rachel McAdams romantic drama The Vow). Its premise was either stupid or genius: stupid in that one needed a lot of suspension of disbelief to take the movie seriously but genius because it led to some neat and very 21st-century topics.
3. I adored Every Day’s take on the trope of the romantic lead and how they could be literally anyone in this movie. Flipped the genre on its head (do any of my readers listen to The Weekly Planet? If yes, I sincerely hope you got that reference). Anyways, I loved how the movie portrayed both identity and sexuality as fluid and asked whether one falls in love with the inner or outer identity.
4. From the directing standpoint, the movie was fine. It was slow like the majority of romantic dramas and had some neat pop songs like a lot of young adult teen movies do.
5. The lead of the film was played by Angourie Rice, who some of you may know from an underappreciated comedy The Nice Guys or Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled. The different romantic interests were played by a whole bunch of actors, some better known than others, like Spider-Man Homecoming’s Jacob Batalon and Paper Towns’ Justice Smith. Debby Ryan also appeared as a sister of the main character – haven’t seen that actress in a project since forever.

In short, Every Day is a very contemporary YA picture that should be given at least a chance.

Rate: 3.5/5

Trailer: Every Day trailer

Movie review: Avengers: Infinity War

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a movie that requires no introduction – Avengers: Infinity War!

IMDb summary: The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

As per usual, just before we start, these are my previous MCU reviews: Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Civil War, Doctor Strange, The Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Age of Ultron, Guardians 1and 2.

Also, since #ThanosDemandsYourSilence, I’m keeping this review spoiler free!

Writing

Infinity War was written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (the duo who wrote all the Captain America movie and The Chronicles of Narniacinematic adaptations). There were so many things to love in the script. Firstly, the screenwriters did an amazing job handling the plethora of characters that they had to work with. They didn’t have time to develop any of them really so you do kinda need to have seen at least some of the previous movies to really enjoy this one (but then again, if you are watching Infinity War, you have seen some of the previous 18 films for sure). What the screenwriters did manage very successfully was to give each of the characters some meaningful moments that were either emotional and weighty or funny and entertaining. The different scenes of the various characters meeting each other and interacting were just brilliant. The deep cuts to the MCU lore (cameos and tiny plot elements from other films) were also greatly appreciated. I also liked the fact that script fast-tracked over some meetings and explanations, as that made sure that the movie’s pace stayed top-notch. Secondly, they did an amazing job developing the character of Thanos and explaining his motivations and point of view. Marvel officially doesn’t have a problem with villains no more. Thirdly, the movie did a good job of picking a theme – sacrifice – a sticking to it, through and through.

Fourthly, the script delivered on the unexpected twists and the consequences a.k.a. characters we didn’t forsee died, both throughout the film and in the third act. Every one of those deaths meant something and was felt by every fan in the screening. I’m incredibly interested to see how will these consequences be dealt with in the next film: whether Marvel is gonna go back on some of them or all of them. I would love to see a lot of these characters back but I would also love to see them making the ballsiest move in cinema and not bringing any of them back. The film’s post-credits scene – only one but worth the wait – hints at how the universe will move forward and solve the problem, like Thanos (I wrote that in a ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria’ singing voice).

Directing

After nailing the unique political thriller vibes with The Winter Soldier and after managing to work with a massive cast in Civil War, Anthony Russo and Joe Russo were trusted with the biggest Marvel movie yet and they did an excellent job. They made it feel like an event and not just a movie. The vibes this time were cosmic and so so so Marvel Comics-like. The massive group of characters was even bigger this time and all of them were accounted for. The action was epic and explosive and there were so many amazing team-ups and groups during the fight scenes (especially one great episode with my favorite female characters). The quips during the fighting felt very Marvel but not cheesy or annoying. The editing was also clear and seamless.

Acting

Infinity War had an awesome display of that perfect Marvel casting and just listing the whole cast is gonna take forever but here we go: Robert Downey Jr. (his new armor is lit), Chris Hemswort (Thor has a great arc), Mark Ruffalo (interesting things happen with Hulk), Chris Evans (still Cap even if not of America), Scarlett Johansson (loved the new look), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange has really come into his own), Tom Holland (still a teenager), Chadwick Boseman (still the king), Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen (some great stuff involving the two of them), Anthony Mackie and Don Cheadle (have some great ‘the team-ups of the sidekicks’ moments), Sebastian Stan (also known as a L’Oreal model), Tom Hiddleston (his arc picks up where Ragnarok left off), Idris Elba (his arc might anger some fans/theorists), Benedict Wong (has no cash), Chris Pratt (has a great gag about voice), Pom Klementieff (surprisingly important), Karen Gillan (has a great visual scene), Dave Bautista (the funniest of the cast), Zoe Saldana (Gamora has a briliant arc), Danai Gurira (still a bad-ass), and Letitia Wright (the third member of the science bross) are all back and better than they have ever been.

From the newbies, Peter Dinklage has a gigantic cameo, while Josh Brolin does a great job with the motion capture. Thanos’ pawns are voiced/captured by Terry Notary (mocap performer in Apes, Warcraft, and Kong), Tom Vaughan-Lawlo (little-known actor), Carrie Coon (Fargo season 3), and Michael James Shaw (TV actor).

In short, Avengers: Infinity War is the movie event of the year that has to be watched multiple times to truly be appreciated. My next screening is on Monday, when’s yours?

Rate: 4.5/5

Trailer: Avengers: Infinity War trailer

5 ideas about a movie: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Hello!

Welcome to a review of a movie with a mouthful of a title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Yup, you’ve read that right.

IMDb summary: A writer forms an unexpected bond with the residents of Guernsey Island in the aftermath of World War II, when she decides to write a book about their experiences during the war.

1. The Guernsey movie was written by Don Roos (has worked on female-centric dramas before) and Tom Bezucha (wrote and directed Monte Carlo), based on the novel of the same name by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The film’s writing was extensive: it covered a lot of my personal topics of interest. First, it had a different approach to WW2 and provided the viewers with yet another personal take on a global event. Second, it told a story about creativity and writing (I’m an English major, so that’s a perfect topic for me). Third, it had a romantic plotline and love is a borderline universal topic. Lastly, it was overtly and undeniably a British movie and I do like those quite a lot.
2. The structure of the movie was good and clear: a lot of explanatory flashbacks were included but they seemed to fit organically. The 4 aforementioned thematic aspects were combined to explore issues of gender and specifically female creativity, class/lifestyle difference, and stereotyping based on nationality. The story also had a mystical element to it, thus, the viewer was constantly engaged and was looking/waiting for answers.
3. Mike Newell (whose filmography is quite diverse and includes Harry Potter 4, literary adaptations like Love in the Time of Cholera and Great Expectations, and even video game movies – Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) directed the film and did a good job. The film was a bit long and cringe-y at times but it also had an adorable and quirky vibe. The voiceover over the credits was also such a unique and appropriate choice. In general, this film reminded me a lot of another WW2 movie that was also about romance and creativity (in a film business in contrast to the novel writing one) – Their Finest.
4. The film had a lot of characters, so there wasn’t really much time or space to give them all appropriate development. However, the things that were there weren’t bad. Coincidentally, the majority of the character were brought to life by the Downton Abbey alumni: Lily James (Cinderella, Darkest Hour, Baby Driver), Jessica Brown Findlay, Matthew Goode (Allied), and Penelope Wilton (The BFG).
5. Other roles were portrayed by Michiel Huisman (Game of Thrones), Glen Powell (Sand Castle, Hidden Figures, Everybody Wants Some), Katherine Parkinson, and Tom Courtenay (45 Years). Overall, the acting in the movie was good but felt a bit stiff at times.

In short, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was a cute picture that appealed to me for personal reasons but is probably not worthy of the attention of the mainstream audiences.

Rate: 3.2/5

Trailer: The Guernsey trailer