Ant-Man Review

Ant-Man, Marvel and Disney's latest effort to introduce audiences to yet another new and relatively unknown hero.

Of all the Marvel films of late, Ant-Man is the one that had the highest chance of failing. After fan favorite director, Edgar Wright, left the project over "creative differences" after working on the film for nearly seven years, Marvel had to scramble to find another director to replace Wright. So, does Ant-Man turn out to the failure that some predicted? Or is Marvel still the unstoppable force that we all expect them to be? Let's find out!

Directed by: Peyton Reed

Genre: Heist, Superhero, Comic Book, Sci-Fi, Action

Release Date: July 17, 2015

Running Time: 117 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Original concept for a superhero flick, Inventive action sequences, Stellar shrinking special effects, Paul Rudd is a likable lead, Michael Douglas is excellent, Surprisingly emotional moments, Divorced family dynamic adds emotional investment, Entertaining throughout, Fun cameos and references, Inventive heist sequences, Genuinely funny,

The Bad: A few awkward dialogue sequences, Occasional overly goofy moments, Weak and forgettable villain

Plot Summary: Ant-Man's story plays out like a classic heist film with the protagonist, Scott Lang, being hired by Hank Pym, creator of the Ant-Man suit and shrinking ability, to steal technology from Pym's protégé, Darren Cross, before it can be used for nefarious purposes.

Plot: 8.5/10- Ant-Man's heist premise makes it different than previous superhero flicks, and it revives a genre that has been essentially dormant for years, so it not only feels fresh for a superhero film, it feels fresh in general! While the film is an origin story, it is one of the best superhero origins since Iron Man. The reason for Scott becoming Ant-Man ties into the central plot more organically than other origins. Despite the inventive setup, the final act does fall into a more typical superhero formula with a weak and forgettable villain. 

Even though Edgar Wright left the project, his witty script and dialogue is still present, although it comes off as unnecessarily goofy at times, although that depends on the viewer’s taste. There are a few minor gaps in logic, like someone saying they have "days not months" to prepare for the job and yet the montage feels more like a couple of weeks have passed. Otherwise, the plot is fast and fun!

Characterization: 9.0/10- As expected, Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man, is a likable hero with a unique backstory for a superhero. He is a former burglar, who has just gotten out of prison, and a divorcee, which is a new concept for a superhero flick. This central idea of Scott’s motivations is for his daughter's sake adds another layer of emotional investment to the film's conflicts. Scott acts like a real person that made a few mistakes in his life, but he owns his mistakes and has paid for his previous crimes. Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, is another main character, and his role is surprisingly well developed. He plays somewhat of a mentor to Scott, and yet he is different from the typical trope. The character is so well executed; one scene about something between and his daughter almost had me tear up a bit. Pym's daughter, Hope van Dyne, receives enough screen time to development the father/daughter drama between her and Hank, which mirrors Scott's character arc.

Unfortunately, the supporting cast is a little weaker. The central antagonist, who is obvious from the trailers, although I will not name him, is one of Marvel's weakest to date. His motivations are logical, yet he is thinly defined as a character, and ultimately does a few villainy things because he’s crazy. Thankfully, the real antagonist is the heist itself. As for the other supporting cast, Scott's fellow thieves add humor to the film, although some might find them annoying. There is a clever Avengers' cameo, and it is as cool as you might imagine.

Direction: 9.4/10- Despite minimal experience outside of forgettable comedies, Peyton Reed actually does a fine job as director. The strongest aspect is the use of the shrinking special effects during the heist and action sequences, and it creates excellent moments of comedy. Ant-Man's power is one of the most unique and interesting to watch of any superhero in recent years, and his powers are exceptionally well realized.

While I am not sure how much, if any, is directed by Edgar Wright, Peyton manages to capture elements of his style during the early parts of the film. However, if you are familiar with Wright's work, you can tell that Peyton’s attempt to copy it is not as successful as Wright’s actual work. My guess is that Peyton's direction of the actors is the cause for the occasional awkward delivery of Wright’s distinct dialogue, and as a whole, his direction feels a tad too safe during the non-action sequences.

Acting: 8.8/10- Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas are excellent as the leads with Rudd's comedic acting playing off of Douglas' years of experience to great effect. Evangeline Lilly, as Hope, is solid in the role, and Michael Peña positively hilarious, as he manages to ride the fine line between annoying and humorous. Corey Stoll is decent in his role, but his material is the weakest of the cast. Lastly, Abby Ryder Fortson as Scott's 6 year old daughter, Cassie, makes the character so likable and sweet, which is difficult for child actors to pull off.

Special effects: 9.9/10- Even though not everything looks perfect, the shrinking effects are extraordinary! The film takes us to places where we have never been before with high quality effects that sell the small scale action set pieces brilliantly. My only small issue is that some parts are noticeably CGI at times, but that is a very minor complaint.

Soundtrack: 8.3/10- Christophe Beck's score is reminiscent of recent Marvel films with an upbeat tone and classic orchestral cues. The use of licensed music and quirky beats adds to the fun feel of the film as well.

Humor: 9.1/10- After Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man is Marvel’s funniest film to date. Not all the humor hits the mark with some of it feeling a little too kid friendly, but the use of Ant-Man's powers creates many laugh-out-loud worthy gags, along with Peña’s great gags.

Entertainment Value: 10/10- From beginning to end, finally seeing the Ant-Man character fully realized is absurdly fun to watch! Throw in the great heist action, geeky references, and likable characters, and you have one of the most entertaining movies of the year.

Overall: 9.0/10- With entertaining thrills and a solid emotional core, Ant-Man takes the superhero genre is a new direction with its heist caper concept, dazzling special effects, and inventive action sequences, which makes up for the lackluster villain and occasional tonal missteps.

Closing comments: Ant-Man might not be on the same level as some of Marvel's recent films like the Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, but it is certainly on par with their other origin films with its different take on the superhero genre, even if it is overly simplistic at times. On a general note, despite my complaints about the goofy moments, it really was not that much of an issue for me as it may sound in my review.

Recommended for: Everyone, Marvel fans, Heist fans, Action fans, Sci-Fi fans,

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Captain America: Civil War - Teams Revealed in Concept Art!

New concept art for Captain America: Civil War reveals Cap and Iron Man's new teams! And several of the choices are surprising. Captain America's team features Hawkeye, Falcon, Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, and Sharon Carter, aka Agent 13. On the other side, Iron Man's team includes War Machine, Vision, Black Panther, and Black Widow.

At first glance, Iron Man's team definitely has the strength advantage. Aside from Cap and the Winter Soldier, his team is entirely normal humans with tech. Vision is nearly Thor or Hulk level strength, so Cap is clearly the underdog, which should make for some interesting set pieces. Of course, characters like Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch are not present in these concept art pieces and being concept art, not everything is finalized, but it is certainly interesting. Please comment below with your thoughts! And check back later this week for my extremely late review of Ant-Man, which I will hopefully see soon.

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Captain America: Civil Wars Set Photos

While filming on location, photos from Captain America: Civil War have been released, and they give us our first look at the new (or not so new) costumes for Cap and Falcon, as well as the our first look at Crossbones.

From first appearances, Cap's costumes is essentially the same one from Age of Ultron. Considering that it looked great in the movie, I do not mind that they are keeping it. However, my theory is that this is only for the opening scenes of the film before something happens, thus setting off the Civil War.

Falcon's costume appears to be the same one that was briefly revealed at the *Spoilers* end of Age of Ultron, so again, nothing new. *End Spoiler*

Crossbones actually looks really cool in this costume. For those that no do want to know the identity of Crossbones spoiled, do not continue reading and move to the comments, although I am sure it will not be important. Frank Grillo returns to play Brock Rumlow, aka Crossbones. After being burnt at the end of The Winter Soldier, Brock returns in his new costume. There is also video of the action sequence between Crossbones and Captain America.

What do you think? Please comment below and let me know. Also, I am sorry for the delay in comment replying. I am working on some posts, so hopefully I can get some quality content out next week.

Source: IGN.com

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Avengers: Age of Ultron - Podcast Part 2

Our second part of the Avengers: Age of Ultron Spoiler podcast where we talk about more characters like Hawkeye, Nick Fury, and our thoughts on Captain America: Civil War. As before, you can listen to the podcast below or download it for mobile devices. Please let us know what you thought of the podcast in the comments, and if you missed the first part, you can click here to listen to it.

Right click and "save as" to download.

Host: James the Reviewer from J and J Productions 1809
Co-Host: Jamie from Through Two Blue Eyes

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Avengers: Age of Ultron - Podcast Part 1

On today's podcast, Jamie and I discuss our thoughts on Avengers: Age of Ultron with an in-depth discussion on the various aspects of the film. We start off with our spoiler-free thoughts of the film, and then we go into a full spoiler discussion. 

Unlike my other podcasts, this one was somewhat of an impromptu recording since we were going to talk about the movie away. On the plus side, our conversation is more nature and hopefully humorous, but we lack focus on the topic like my other podcasts. Also, please excuse my voice; I had a cold at the time, so I sound strange. Anyway, I hope you enjoy our spoiler rambling, and you can download the podcast by right clicking on the link below or listen to it on YouTube or the other audio player.

Right click and "save as" to download.

Host: James the Reviewer from J and J Productions 1809
Co-Host: Jamie from Through Two Blue Eyes

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Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

Avengers: Age of Ultron, the most anticipated movie of the summer; does it disappoint?

Opening with The Avengers attacking a HYDRA base, Age of Ultron is about the creation of a new foe, Ultron, and if you want to know what happens next, go see the film.

As you all know, I tried to avoid spoilers and reviews of the film in the general. While I did hear some whispers that Age of Ultron was not quite on par with the other films, I did not know what to expect, and thankfully, the film does not disappoint!

Directed by: Joss Whedon

Genre: Comic Book, Action, Sci-Fi,

Release Date: May 1, 2015

Running Time: 141 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Strong character depth, Understandable motivations, Many mind-blowing scenes, Hawkeye is humanized, Ultron's wit, James Spader is expectedly amazing, The Vision is perfect, Captain America maintains his values, Black Widow depth, Balanced dark and light tone, Stunning special effects, Incredible action sequences, Superb direction, Mindbender dreams, Varied and fitting score, Avengers' comradery, Classic Whedon wit, Stan Lee cameo might be the best yet, 

The Bad: A few minor narrative missteps,

Plot: 9.6/10- Avengers: Age of Ultron is a perfectly paced film. Each scene flows into the next without lingering too long on any one point. The slower scenes serve to flesh out the characters, while the faster pace ones provide the needed excitement. Tonally and thematically, Age of Ultron manages to balance the darker elements with Whedon's classic wit, and the results are superbly entertaining. 

Age of Ultron's narrative is the only notable flaw. Ultron's creation is a tad rushed, yet not in a way that is noticeable until after watching. Thor's side plot feels a bit odd, and while it ties into the main plot, it does not quite fit. *Potential Spoiler* The events in the film do not seem to change the status quo enough, or at least we do not see it yet. *End Spoiler* Lastly, the film might seem slightly too similar to the first film, but that’s debatable. With all that said, these flaws are ultimately minor compared to how much the plot does right.

Characterization: 10/10- Age of Ultron introduces us to a few new characters, as well as fleshing out characters from the previous film. With such a large cast, balancing the personalities is difficult, and even though one character is not particularly prominent, everyone gets their time in the spotlight. 

As expected from a Whedon film, the character interaction and chemistry are some of the best parts. He understands these characters better than just about anyone, and it shows in his writing. Whedon take on each character is almost the best version of said character, except for maybe Cap, although Whedon gave the Russo Brothers an excellent starting point for the Winter Soldier. 

Character motivations are crucial, and every single character has a reason for their actions, and it is easy to see without the viewer having to question their actions. I know that some people had a problem with a shift in motivation of a particularly, but if look at what said characters are fighting in the first place, it makes sense. Motivations also play a role in the well setup conflict and the in-fighting within the team. 

However, the best aspect is the darker drama and inner conflict of each main character. You understand their fears, their regrets, and what drives them. In such a short amount of time, you get a deeper understanding of each character's dark side, and it adds more effective thematic depth, which many viewers are not necessarily going to see without further exploration.

Honestly, even though one or two of the characters could have been slightly better realized, I almost want to give the "Characterization" rating higher than a 10/10. The characters are that are executed right are done so well that they are better just about any other movie in recent memory, even better than the first Avengers.

Since my original breakdown of each character was in excess of 1000 words on its own, those thoughts will be saved for a later post with a spoiler discussion. However, I will say that Cap and Iron Man are exactly as you would hope they would be, Hawkeye is further humanized and receives his day in the sun, and The Vision steals the show, but I will leave you with my thoughts on Ultron.

Ultron is a dynamic villain. He combines a menacing present with a surprisingly hilarious sense of humor that never undermines his villainy. His motivations, while simple, make sense from the logical standpoint of an AI and personality. Compared to other MCU villains, he would at least rank as the third best.

Action/Direction: 10/10- Joss Whedon has fully mastered the art of blockbuster filmmaking with his flawlessly executed direction of every single aspect of the film. Each camera angle is framed perfectly to capture the action. He even manages to give the film a darker visual tone without removing his trademark wit and humor.

As for the action, it is among the best that you will ever see. The opening action sequence is amazing, aside from a few CGI hiccups, and the various other sequences are simply stunning. You always know what exactly what is going on, and there are even some interesting close-up shots that give you a different perspective on the action. Thankfully, the action is never repetitive or dull thanks to the perfectly edited scenes of dialogue, plot, and saving civilians.

If you are a fan, you are going to be freaking out like me when you see some of the jaw-dropping moments in the film. However, my only slight issue is that certain elements of the action are a bit too similar to what we have seen in the first Avengers, so I hope the next film will be able to mix things up.

Acting: 10/10- Everyone from the other films are at the top of their game complete with unrivaled chemistry. Compared to the first film, it certain seems that all of the major stars are on set at the same time, which adds more to the effectiveness of their performances.

Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's foreign accents are a pleasant surprise, and Paul Bettany knocks it out of the park in his limited role. All of the supporting actors do an excellent job with a few surprising appearances.

James Spader plays Raymond Reddington, oh, I mean Ultron in the film, and, as expected, he is a pleasure to watch. At first, I thought that he might be a little too similar to his role in the The Blacklist TV series. However, after coming home from the theater, I watch the latest episode of The Blacklist, and while Spader's distinct voice is present, there is a definitive difference between the roles.

Special effects: 9.9/10- Except for a few mistakes in the opening sequence, which I assume looked better in 3D, and one scene with the Hulk, Age of Ultron's special effects are virtually flawless. The motion captured used for Ultron face truly brings out Spader's innate charm and personality.

Soundtrack: 9.9/10- Alan Silvestri's score for the original film is one of the most underrated, and thankfully Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman bring back the best elements of all the previous scores, as well as the original theme. In addition, the music reflexes each of the varied locations used, which add a nuanced cultural flare.

Humor: 9.8/10- Whedon does it yet again with a witty script that delivers plenty of unforgettable lines. Despite the darker tone, he manages to hit every single comedic note without a hitch.

Entertainment Value: 10/10- How could an Avengers film not be the most entertaining thing that you will ever see!? From beginning to end, the film's constant stream of humor, thoughtful drama, and insane action sequences will have your eyes glued to the screen!

Overall: 10/10- Aside from a few inconsequential narrative flaws, Avengers: Age of Ultron's strong focus on the deeper characterization, subtle themes, and absurd amounts of geeky comic book entertainment make it one of the most enjoyable experiences that I have since the first Avengers.

Closing comments: I am struggling with my rating of the film. Compared to my previous ratings, it should receive a 10/10, although a "lower" 10/10 than the original Avengers and much lower than something like The Empire Strikes Back. That's the one problem 10/10 rating system, because there is a different between the Top 10 all-time and 11 through 20. I have only given 14 films a 10/10, and Age of Ultron might not be perfect, but its strong grasp of the characters and the insane entertainment value drives it well above most other films. 

Marvel, please release the original 3+ hour cut of the film! It would sell like crazy!

Recommended for: Everyone, 

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Ant-Man Trailer 2

The first full trailer for Ant-Man is here, and it reveals a lot more about the plot. The best aspect of this trailer is how well the special effects work. Ant-Man's abilities seem as though they are going to be amazing to watch on the big screen. However, considering how few lines Paul Rudd has in the trailer makes me question whether or not he can pull off the dramatic scenes, because all of his lines in the trailer are comedic, which we know he is great at. The antagonist, Yellowjacket, looks a lot like Ultron in design. It makes me wonder if Ultron is going to have a connection to the film or that all of Marvel's robotic suits are based on Iron Man. Michael Douglas is excellent as expected, and Evangeline Lilly looks like she is going to be fun to watch, except that her hair looks strange. Also, the train gag at the end is genuinely funny, so good job. While some might say that Ant-Man is going to be Marvel's first failure, until I see the film for myself, I am still confident that Ant-Man will at least be a fun film. What do you think of the trailer? Please comment below, and let me know what you think of my screenshot album below, and whether or not you rather see them in the post or in gallery format (please let me know if it does not work). 

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

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Ant-Man Trailer Review

The first Ant-Man trailer is here, the full sized one this time, and it appears to have the makings of yet another excellent Marvel film. The teaser does not show much of the film at all, and even the effects are not particularly shown in detail, so we still do not know much about the film. With that said, Paul Rudd looks great in the role, and hopefully the father-daughter relationship will add the needed heart to the film, which no other superhero flick has done before. However, with Edgar Wright off the project, I am a bit worried that the movie will not turn out as well as the other Marvel flicks. Regardless, until Marvel fails, I will not doubt that any of their movies will turn out great. However, of the upcoming Marvel films, Ant-Man has the most potential for not being as amazing as the previous Marvel films. From this trailer, I am excited. My only problem is that the film is taking quite a departure from the source material, granted, not many people actually know much about Ant-Man, so hopefully it will work out in the end. What do you think of the trailer? Please comment below and let me know.

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Ant-Man Teaser Trailer Teaser

Yet another teaser to a teaser trailer has been released, but this Ant-Man one has a twist: the video is Ant-Sized. Seriously, the video is so tiny that you can barely see it; however, Marvel has released a full-sized version of the teaser, which I posted below. I do have to say that this Ant-Sized teaser is a hilarious idea! And normally, I would not post a teaser to a trailer, but this was funny. To see the full trailer, watch Agent Carter tonight, and I might review the first episode of Agent Carter as well, so look for that next week.

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Marvel Phase 3 Breakdown: Part 3

The third and final part of my Marvel Phase 3 is here.

Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1: May 4, 2018

Joss Whedon and The Avengers are going big with a massive two part story. For one, a two part structure is a bit odd to me. Previous films with two part narratives like the Deathly Hallows have suffered in the storytelling department due to the lack of a conclusion in the first half. However, Avengers: Infinity War has one large advantage; it does not have to follow any specific source material. From the title, one can speculate that the film will deal with both Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet storyline and the resolution to the Civil War storyline. My theory is that the first half will focus more on the Civil War story, while the second half will focus on Thanos and the Infinity War. However, all of this is just my fan speculation. Until the next Avengers and the rest of the sole films, we will not know anything for certain; however, maybe some characters like Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and even the Guardians will make an appearance in one of the films.  

Captain Marvel: July 6, 2018

Captain Marvel will be Marvel's first film starring female lead. Captain Marvel is a character with a rather diverse and complex history in the comics. For one, the original Captain Marvel is actually a guy. In the original comic book story, Captain Marvel (real name Mar-Vell), is a Kree spy, Ronan the Accuser's race, sent to earth. After betraying the Kree, Captain Mar-Vell becomes a hero that often joins forces with the Avengers and other cosmic teams. However, the Captain Marvel that the film will focus on is Carol Danvers, a United States Air Force officer, who is caught in the explosion of a Kree device while working with the original Captain Marvel. She later gains some of Captain Marvel's powers and becomes Ms. Marvel. 

Throughout the years, Carol Danvers has had many different names for her superpowered alterego, including Binary, Warbird, and, in the current comics run, Danvers has taken the mantle of Captain Marvel. With the heavy cosmic influence of the Kree in her origin story, the film is likely to feature a Guardians of the Galaxy like setting for at least a portion of the film. Also, I am curious as to how the creators are going to work the film's story in-between the events of the Infinity War story. Another theory is that she will also join the Guardians of the Galaxy at some point. Being so far away, anything could happen between now and 2018; however, a non-powered Carol Danvers is likely to show up in one of the upcoming films (maybe Rhodey's friend).

The Inhumans: November 2, 2018

The Inhumans is yet another cosmic story that is also connected to the Kree race. Many years ago, the Kree experimented on humans to create genetically altered super-soldiers. However, after a prophecy, the Kree abandon the Inhumans, which leads them to create their own kingdom secluded from the rest of the world.

The Inhumans are similar to the X-Men's mutant in that they are born with powers; however, the key difference is that the Inhumans' powers only come after being exposed to the Terrigen Mist. The Inhuman society is setup in a strict caste system with royal bloodlines and a person's position in society is determined by before you are born. Being a genetically different race than humanity, the Inhumans often do not trust outsiders, and, occasion, clash with humanity. The comic is often compared to Game of Thrones with the royal intrigue and such. More details about the Inhumans' origin and backstory can be found in the video below.

Currently, Marvel might already be sowing the seeds of the Inhumans. Since Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in Age of Ultron cannot be referred to as Mutants, the rumor is that they are Inhumans. Another connection is with Agents of SHIELD, *Agents of SHIELD Spoilers* because, as recent episodes have alluded, Skye might actually an Inhuman or at least a Kree. *End Spoiler* Yet another theory is that the Inhumans will connect to the Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel in some way due to their cosmic origins.

Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2: May 3, 2019

Last, but not least, is Part 2 of Avengers: Infinity War. Well, there is not much to be said that I did not already say about the first part, except that it is going to be amazing. 

What do you think of the upcoming films? Please comment below and let me know.

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Avengers: Age of Ultron Official Clip

If you missed it during the Agents of SHIELD episode, here is the official clip from Avengers: Age of Ultron. Generally, I do not watch clips, but I made an exception, and thankfully it does not spoil anything. Seeing the Avengers hanging out at Avengers Tower trying to lift Thor's hammer is exactly the reason why the Avengers worked so well, the character dynamic and interaction are stellar. My only minor complaint with the clip is that even though the hammer moves a bit when Cap tries to lift it, Cap should be able to lift, unless this is a setup for him lifting it later in the film. On the subject of Thor's hammer, theoretically robots can lift Mjölnir, but not use its power. Also, James Spader is still positively amazing as Ultron. Other than that, this clip is a really fun teaser for Age of Ultron. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know what you think of it.

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Avengers: Age of Ultron Full Trailer

After the teaser trailer a couple of weeks ago, Marvel releases the full version of the trailer. Of course, this is an extended version of the first teaser, so there is not a ton of new footage, but yeah, I am still ridiculously hyped for Age of Ultron! One interesting development is that we finally see the face of the mystery woman at the party, but who is she? All we can tell is that she is Asian, and I cannot think of any Asian characters that she could be playing. Other new clips from the trailer that includes a better look at Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's powers. James Spader continues to blow my mind as Ultron. Maybe he will end up being the best villain since Darth Vader even!

P.S. Sorry everyone for not replying to comments. As before, the nerve damage in my arm is still a problem, but thanks for the good wishes and prayers; at least I have been able to get these short posts written one handed.

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Marvel Phase 3 Breakdown: Part 2

My breakdown of Marvel Phase 3 continues with a look Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thor: Ragnarok, and Black Panther.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2: May 5, 2017

After James Gunn hit it out of the park with the first Guardians of the Galaxy being the highest grossing film at the US box office, it should be no surprise that Guardians of the Galaxy 2 will be released during the early May spot that Marvel has taken for years to come. Unlike the rest of the Phase 3 sequels, Guardians is going for the simple numerical addition to the title, instead of something like "Civil War" or "Ragnarok." Considering Guardians' heavy 1980's influence, going with the numerical title seems to fit. Rumors abound about of the film's plot ranging from new additions to the team including Adam Warlock or even Iron Man! While adding Iron Man to the team is a bit farfetched, other possible additions could include Angela, who started on the pages of Image Comics’ Spawn franchise. However, in comics, Angela has been introduced in the current Marvel universe as Thor's long lost sister and current member of the Guardians in the comics. Personally, I believe there is little need of additions to the Guardians team, since they all worked so brilliantly in the film.

With Thanos and the Infinity Saga looming closer, Guardians plot is likely to more directly involve Thanos and the search for Star Lord's father. With the Avengers film being titled "Infinity War" there is even a possibility that the Guardians will team up with the Avengers at some point to stop Thanos. 

Thor: Ragnarok: July 28, 2017

For those not familiar with the mythology or comics, Ragnarok refers to two different things. The original meaning of Ragnarok refers to the Asgardian apocalypse, where all things come to an end, which is started by Loki in the comics. However, in the comics, Ragnarok also refers to the cyborg/clone of Thor, which goes rogue. My theory is that Ultron might create a cyborg/clone of Thor, which will be revealed at the end of the film, and thus, the cyborg, with Loki at the throne of Asgard, will begin the apocalyptic Ragnarok cycle. Another theory is that the story will center around a more classic interpretation of the Ragnarok cycle with Asgard coming to an end. Currently, no director is attached, but anything involving Tom Hiddleston is never a bad thing.

Black Panther: November 3, 2017

Marvel will be bringing us the first superhero film to star a black lead with Black Panther. In fact, the original Black Panther comic was the first mainstream comic book to feature a black superhero, so it is fitting that he also becomes the first character to receive a big screen adaptation.

Also, the character is set to make his debut in Captain America: Civil War, and I have a theory about when and how. The original comic followed T'Challa, the King of the fictional country of Wakanda, who takes up the mantle of the Black Panther, protector of his people. Due to a meteorite made of the metal vibranium, the substance that Cap's shield is made of, Wakanda is a highly advanced country, but it is also closed off from the rest of the world to protect its valuable resources. My theory about T'Challa's role in Captain America: Civil War is that he will repair Cap's broken shield, which you can see broken in the Age of Ultron trailer, since that has happened several times in the comics. As for the Black Panther film, Andy Serkis is seen in the Age of Ultron trailer with a look that is surprisingly similar to the Black Panther's first adversary, Ulysses Klaw, who will probably be working for HYDRA in the film. Of course, this is only a theory.

Chadwick Boseman is set to play the title character, and since Idris Elba already plays Heimdall in the Thor films, Boseman was my personal favorite for the role. Marvel does it again; they please the fan with every decision made. Boseman's performance in 42 last year proved to me that he definitely has the acting ability to play the role, providing he can pull off the educated South Africa/British like accent. 

Black Panther is a character that I have been hoping to see on the big screen for quite some time now, and it is great to see Marvel moving forward with his character.

Official Concept Art

What do you think of these three upcoming Marvel films? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for the continuation of my Top 100 Movies of All-Time list. Also, if you missed the first part of this series, please click here.

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