"Captain America: Civil War" Review

I'm going to give my SPOILER ALERT early, because any information can ruin a movie - something I wish I remembered before devouring every sneak peek I could find for Captain America: Civil War. If you sneak too many peeks, you gain a pretty good grasp of the whole without even seeing it. You can predict the plot.

Strangely, a fan like me often wants to predict the plot, which is why there are so many web sites and podcasts and YouTube channels specifically dedicated to that purpose. Like an appetizer, it tides you over while increasing your appetite, and all the while, you just assume the filmmakers are still going to surprise you.

And then they don't.

It's not their fault. Not entirely. Sure, sometimes formulaic writing and genre tropes are to blame; but again, if I watched every Captain America: Civil War trailer, tv spot, and clip leading up to the film's release, why am I surprised by the lack of surprise?

(Knowing this was another Russo movie, I even watched Community for the first time - every single episode! - because that's how eager I was for more of their work. At least now I notice the cameos.)

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't agree with a lot of the hype surrounding Civil War - specifically that it's the best superhero movie ever, or even within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For me, Winter Soldier still holds that title. Repeat viewings might cause a change of heart, but like they say, you can't un-ring a bell, and I can't undo all my sneak peeking. My sons and I walked out of Ant-Man gushing pleasant surprise because we walked in knowing very little. We walked out of this...divided. Given its theme, maybe that was appropriate!

However, it seems like I only muster the energy for a review when I'm disappointed by a movie, which is kind of sad and not entirely fair. After all, I only see them and write about them because, under all the nitpicking, I do enjoy them. So as I delve into details, I'm going to try a binary approach and balance all my complaints with sincere praise. I know that's a bit ironic, given this movie largely resists binary, black-or-white interpretations, but whatever.

I'm going to call these warring sides "Team Obvious" (led by Captain Obvious, obviously) and "Team Other Hand."

Angles on Ultron

It has been over two weeks since I saw Avengers: Age of Ultron with my brother and two sons. We made a celebration of it, as it was also Free Comic Book Day. (You can still see the pictures I tweeted on the right.) By now it's a bit late for a review. I've read a number of other people's, though, and here are some of my favorite angles. Beware major spoilers.

Where it Fits in the MCU

Emily Asher-Perrin (Tor.com) reviews the movie "as a piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe jigsaw puzzle" because it's more successful that way. That's how I've invested since the post-credits scene of Iron Man, which I saw late, after Iron Man 2 was on its way to officially, maybe awkwardly announce the MCU. The first one I saw in the theater was Avengers because the individual characters' stories hadn't won me over yet. (With the exception of Iron Man 3, I've attended every Phase Two theatrical release.) For me, the serial continuity is what's fun, so all the Easter Eggs and fan service are easy bait.

Like Asher-Perrin, I'm hopeful that we might actually get an extended cut of AoU to redeem those moments that feel tacked on. The Maximoff twins are force-fit and Quicksilver's death completely hollow. (And unnecessary? I need to see it again, but couldn't he have just rushed Hawkeye and the kid out of harm's way instead of intercepting the bullets? I guess he was fridged for Wanda's development, which at least flips the common trope.) Thor's subplot is even less coherent, and I understand that Joss Whedon was forced by Marvel to include it. Again, I like when one MCU film sets up future ones, but hopefully not by sacrificing itself. I find AoU more guilty of that than IM2. Even the closing shots of the New Avengers (Falcon, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Vision) struck me as cheesier than I would have hoped. Was Wanda flying, though?

Ninja Turtles and Other Mutants: An Illustrated History

teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com

Egyptian Gods. Fairy tale creatures. Mickey Mouse. Animals have always been used to tell stories, but in these cases - and many, many others - they don't just talk, as in, say, The Jungle Book or Finding Nemo. They also stand upright, wear clothing, and generally behave like humans. They are anthropomorphic (anthro, "human being" + morphe, "form").

In these past two weeks, two blockbusters featuring humanoid animals were released: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy with Rocket Raccoon, and the rebooted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Critics loved the first and hated the second. Neither quite lived up to my expectations. Admittedly, the hype itself was more entertaining in both cases, allowing me to revisit my longstanding love of "mutant" characters and how they have fueled my own imagination. So I give you my TMNT review by way of this lengthy illustrated history!

"Guardians of the Galaxy" Review

marvel.com/guardians

Background: I didn't have any. I knew Guardians of the Galaxy was the 10th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and enjoyed the first trailer so much I showed it to my college students.

The Good: For me, most everything in this category is showcased in the various trailers -- upbeat music, witty one-liners, self-parody, colorful mutant characters, etc. Extra:

• The 1988 prologue shows hero Peter Quill about as old as I was then. Thus begins the long series of fun 80s references. Bonus: His emotional attachment is more than just nostalgia.
• Dave Bautista's character Drax ("the Destroyer!" my boys quickly reminded me, informed by the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes video game) struck me as boring in the trailers, especially alongside the goofy Rocket, Groot, and Star-Lord. Turns out he's funny, too.
• I'd counted on my boys loving Groot. He doesn't disappoint, especially in his final scenes.

What Does Disappoint (some spoilers):

• Underuse of the bad guys, most of whom are whiny and boring (although I still liked Karen Gillan's Nebula). Lee Pace's black face lingerie is weird. And in case anyone's counting, this is the second Thanos tease telling us how scary he is without showing us. What does he do when Ronan betrays him? Nothin'. Granted, they have shown us the power of the Infinity Stones (here and in Thor: The Dark World), and imply that he is strong enough to wield them. I expect this to pay off eventually.
• Very predictable and forgettable plot, like an afterthought.
• For introducing entire new worlds to the MCU, it is surprisingly short on "world-building." You just sort of have to accept that all this is going on outside Earth's knowing, even though Earth culture and dialect is prevalent throughout. It's like Star Trek without the lens flare.
• Scenery is a bit claustrophobic and dull. I actually kind of missed the Star Trek lens flare.
• Worst post-credit scene of all the MCU. Isn't the point of these to show how the different installments are connected? Instead we get a cameo from a goofy character most people don't know belongs to Marvel. (Thanks again to LEGO Marvel, my boys were happily in-the-know.)

Conclusion: Win for my boys! What else matters?

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" Review

I don't worry much about film adaptations staying loyal to their literary origins. Resemblance is one thing, but too literal translations strike me as boring and somewhat pointless. However, I do have a strange obsession with internal continuity.

Last November I reacted to a Days of Future Past announcement by listing ten (or X -- get it?) X-Men film franchise continuity problems and how they might try to fix them. My anticipation continued to build until the movie's release, and all the positive reviews that came out last week led me to believe my expectations would be fulfilled. Was I right? See the updated tables below (which contain spoilers).

But in the spirit of not obsessing over little things like continuity, here are the things I really liked about Days of Future Past (again, beware of spoilers):

1. Singer's signature style (opening and closing monologues, Magneto prison break, Mystique being awesome, etc.).
2. Quicksilver.
3. The joke implying Magneto is Quicksilver's father (per the comics).
4. The homage to Magneto ripping out Wolverine's adamantium in the comics.
5. The futuristic frame story as a "ticking clock" device for conflict and tension.
6. Blink. Well, pretty much all the future team members who die twice. But especially Blink.
7. The fact that Anna Paquin's Rogue has only a very small cameo. (She was my favorite character as a kid but the movie version doesn't do her justice.)
8. The return of James Marsden's Cyclops! (I'll admit I like the actor more than the character.)

A few things I didn't like:

1. No return of Moira from First Class.
2. We wait seven films for an actual fight with the Sentinels (the homage in Last Stand doesn't count) and Wolverine is stuck with lousy bone claws!
3. The strange ending with Mystique as Stryker. What in the world was that about?
4. The disappointingly cryptic post-credits Apocalypse teaser.
5. And, of course, the continuity stuff...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Today the first trailer for the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was released:



I sort of get all the fans' fear and loathing about this one. Michael Bay producing, Megan Fox as April, Shredder has been whitewashed, etc. The current Nickelodeon cartoon is a lot of fun (my six-year-old and I have followed it faithfully) and it's a little odd that its live-action counterpart is not really its counterpart -- i.e., they look nothing alike. True, the movies never have been faithful to any of the animated series, but at least they were to each other; even the 2007 CGI movie was intended as a loose installment in that series (the fourth). This, however, is the only TMNT film not connected to the others, causing worry (fueled by early comments from Michael Bay about aliens and stuff) that it will try to be too different.

At the same time, I don't get all the fuss. Every film in that series was tonally different than the others, and if you ask me, a reboot can't do any worse. It may even do better. Remember Vanilla Ice? Super Shredder? Time travel? Leonardo trains in Central America in the same film in which ancient Aztec warriors try to take over New York...and there's absolutely zero connection? And that's just the movies. My point is, the Turtles have seen a lot of incarnations, from comic to cartoon to toy to video game to film, and all of them have been just a little bit stupid nuts...because this is the Ninja Turtles we're talking about! I loved all that cheesy, crazy, not-to-be-taken-too-seriously stuff as a kid, and my own kid does now. (A recent episode involved a mutation between a cat and...ice cream. Michelangelo could both pet and lick it. Seriously.) So when we finally see this new movie -- as we inevitably will -- will I be worried about how it validates my childhood, or my son's?

Yes, I hope that "Eric Sachs" -- this movie's Oroku Saki/Shredder -- is some sort of red herring. Yes, I wish they had gone with a tall Splinter a la the current cartoon (instead, he's played by Danny Woodburn). Yes, I wish April was more interesting. But these are all details, and when it comes to a Turtles movie, the biggest thing that matters is the Turtles themselves. Unlike most reactions I've seen, I actually like the CGI redesign. A human-sized turtle really should be big and bulky, because...shells! I enjoyed the lean, more "teenaged" look in the animated film, but I'm intrigued by these grittier designs, and I expect the action will be a lot of fun.

And Michelangelo's gag at the end? You can't tell me you didn't laugh at that!

Batman: Arkham Knight

batmanarkhamknight.com

Two days ago, when Rocksteady suddenly revealed their next and last installment in the Arkham video game series with a four minute story trailer, I didn't have time to react properly. Which is to say, I freaked out, watched it several times in a row, shared it on social media with the caption "You're welcome" (as if I had something to do with it), and got back to grading papers.



Now that grading is momentarily caught up, I feel the need to explore my reaction more thoroughly. I think it might be therapeutic. Though it releases this October, the game is next-gen only, so it will be much longer before I actually get to play it. Rather than bottle up and carry all this enthusiasm around for the next months/years/however-long-before-my-wife-lets-me-buy-a-PS4, I'll dump it off here. (That's what blogs are for, right? I'm still not sure.)

Superman vs. Batman

The DC fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us premiered April 16th after a three-month-long online promotional tournament that ended in a fight between Batman and Superman. The fan-chosen champion? Batman.

This isn’t the first time, either. Batman has defeated Superman on multiple occasions in past comics and cartoons, most notably in Frank Miller’s graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns and its 2013 animated movie adaptation.

What does this mean for this week’s Man of Steel, which is following in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy and is already down to 65% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this post? Would more people prefer Nolan to direct another Batman movie than produce a Superman reboot?

The Conference I Remember Best

...Or at least one I remember well. This was the theme of a series of Deseret News articles running this week in anticipation of the 183rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (broadcasting worldwide this Saturday and Sunday). My short contribution came out today.

See, I write about more than just superheroes. Then again, to Latter-day Saints, that's pretty much exactly what prophets and apostles are!

No Justice for Young Justice

It came out today that the two animated series currently filling Cartoon Network's DC Nation block - namely Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Young Justice: Invasion - are not being renewed for the 2013-2014 broadcast year. This has been feared for a while, particularly in regard to Young Justice, which will become yet another excellent Greg Weisman series canceled too soon - or should I say too Young?

I mention this here because something else Young Justice-related came out today. I've started writing a few product descriptions for the web site nerdywithchildren.com, and today they released my endorsement of Young Justice: Season 1 - Volumes 1, 2, & 3. I originally wanted to spotlight the recent release of Season 2 Part 1, but they asked me to do this instead. I was happy to oblige and to take time out of my day to explain why I think this series deserves to stay on the air.

Also, here's the first time I ever lauded Young Justice. It's ironic that it was about "The staying powers of superhero shows." Sigh...

UPDATE: Here's a petition you can sign: http://www.change.org/petitions/cartoon-network-warner-bros-bring-back-young-justice-and-green-lantern-the-animated-series

Why I Believe in 'The Dark Knight Rises'

I didn't realize it until today, but an article I wrote in anticipation of the upcoming Batman film was published three days ago at ksl.com.  Click the image and head on over to read why I believe in The Dark Knight Rises!

The Staying Powers of Superhero Shows

This article was edited and accepted by Deseret News a week ago, but as it has yet to appear online or in print, and as the subject is somewhat time-sensitive, I'm posting a slightly updated version here.  It reflects standard AP style (i.e., titles of films are in quotation marks instead of the usual italics).

Last November I wrote an article for the Deseret News about “The staying powers of superhero shows,” highlighting Cartoon Network’s then-new or returning animated television series “Young Justice,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “ThunderCats.” Of these revamped characters and continuities, I argued that older audiences just might appreciate them more than newer generations — or at least differently.

By way of update, Cartoon Network recently launched a special Saturday morning block for DC’s animated counterparts—what they’re calling “DC Nation.” Preceding DC Nation is the returning season of “ThunderCats,” a show that continues to take an independent detour from the cartoon it's based on.

I previously commented on the more mature nature of the plot, which holds true. One episode told the backstory of the cast’s comic relief siblings Wilykit and Wilykat, proving even their past is fraught with realistic tragedy. As predicted, my 6-year-old treasures a plastic Sword of Omens but can’t seem to stay interested in the show itself, which progresses somewhat slowly.

This has also been true of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” which finished its fourth season in March. Viewers familiar with the Episode 1 prequel film may have (may have) gone giddy over the return of Darth Maul, previously supposed dead, but my kids had no clue who he was and couldn’t have cared less. As far as CGI goes, they prefer “Green Lantern” (which, in my opinion, is a very similar space opera) or “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness,” a far more comical show airing on Nickelodeon.

“Young Justice” has the edge over them all. Though filled with as many twists and turns as the TV show “Lost” and combining continuity from a variety of heroes’ backgrounds, the result is satisfying to adults and children alike.

We all cheered during the first season finale, “Auld Acquaintance,” when Robin and Batman faced off in a mind-controlled duel, Superboy and Superman reconciled their differences and all the guy-girl pairs stole a New Year Eve kiss. The show’s mixture of action and complexity is to thank. The questions I field from my sons lead to discussions as rich, even profound, as the ones we share while hiking through the hills near our home. Fortunately, the new season, subtitled “Invasion,” already premiered two weeks ago.  While my kids and I are baffled by the five-year leap forward, we're also loving the debuts of additional teen heroes like Batgirl and Beast Boy (both alluded to in the first season).

But what’s new to this discussion comes by way of comparison to other franchises. Over at Disney XD, Marvel has responded with the return of “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and the series premiere of “Ultimate Spider-Man,” which boasts writing by Paul Dini and its own supporting cast of teenage superheroes. This is an interesting switch-up because Greg Weisman, who brought us the last and possibly best Spider-Man cartoon (“The Spectacular Spider-Man”), moved on to co-create the tightly written and mostly serious “Young Justice,” while Paul Dini, best known for his work on the famously dark “Batman: The Animated Series” and the wildly successful video games “Arkham Asylum” and “Arkham City,” has traded over to Spider-Man.

It’s arguable that even Dini won’t be able to pull off a group dynamic for the hero known to work alone — that he’d have been wiser to get in on “Young Justice,” which, in all honesty, is doing just brilliantly without him. Now with several successful cartoon series under his belt, Weisman is becoming the man to beat.

But any competition between DC and Marvel is probably more fan-based than otherwise. More than a few comic creators have worked for both companies, and crossover undoubtedly occurs among their fans as well.

In an interview for the documentary “Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story,” Marvel mogul Stan Lee reminisces about going with the Batman creator to the 1989 motion picture premiere and laments that he didn’t live long enough to witness the big-screen success of “Spider-Man” in 2002. As for Dini and Weisman, they both wrote episodes to “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” with Dini penning last fall's self-aware, franchise-parodying (albeit praising his own contributions) series finale.

Superhero fanatics may follow all of the above shows with equal adoration, especially with the aid of a DVR. They may even add Nickelodeon’s new “Legend of Korra” to that schedule — and should, because the follow-up to “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is just as spectacular and perhaps slightly more geared for adults, having grown with its fans.

But while that latter series’ embarrassing movie adaptation never should have been made, this year’s superhero theatrical line-up has generated so much hype that fans can’t help but get caught up in passionate debates. When it was announced that the newest trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises" would be attached to the release of "The Avengers," most commentators seemed to agree that the pairing constitutes an event you won’t want to miss.

Then there’s me, who at first admitted that the greater draw was that Batman trailer. Christopher Nolan showcased new footage recently at CinemaCon 2012, and according to Batman-News.com, one viewer Tweeted, “Avengers, you got nothing on this.”  But Warner Bros. made sure you don't have to see "The Avengers" to catch the trailer by releasing it online as part of their infamous viral marketing campaign.  I appreciated the separation.  Although I wore a Batman t-shirt to "The Avengers" last night, I still got caught up in the Marvel hype when the title appeared on screen and everyone cheered.  It was like ante-up time in a poker game: everyone wanted in.


And, if you ask me, they won their bets.  I'm a latecomer to Joss Whedon admiration, but in preparation for "The Avengers" I decided to sample his short-lived cult series "Firefly" on Netflix.  His trademarks are instantly recognizable: deft handling of an ensemble cast and well-timed combining of action and humor.  While this almost makes his plots too clean, too predictable ("Ah, hear that reference?  Hear that joke?  That's going to be important later."), it certainly doesn't take away from an entertaining movie-watching experience.  "The Avengers" is easily the best in the Marvel Universe franchise because this guy knows how to handle his heroes' strengths and weaknesses; the result is something real and even emotional but perfectly true to its comic book origins.


In the end, then, I'd say neither side in the Marvel vs. DC debate has gained any ground — or in other words, that your loyalties will lie with which heroes you like best.  This is a credit to the films because it means they bring out the best in what they have to work with.

The phrase “It’s just good business” comes to mind. Whatever the differences in characters and comic universes, it’s clear that the companies feed off each other. Nolan’s Batman franchise may have set a new standard in superhero films, but these would not have been possible without “X-Men” in 2000. And so on.

Now in one summer we’re getting new adaptations of the Avengers, Spider-Man, and Batman, with the rebooted Superman movie only a year away. In that case, maybe the question we should be debating is not which franchise is better, but whether any other genre will ever attain such staying power.