Top 12 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies: Part 1

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU for short, continues to expand with the addition of Age of Ultron and Ant-Man earlier this year, so it is time again to rank all of the MCU movies from worst to first!

Marvel has revolutionized the film industry with the concept of a shared universe with characters from one film appearing in another, to the point where supporting even received their own television series! Ever since The Avengers swept the planet with its success, every other studio rushed to make their own cinematic universe and no other franchise is even close to Marvel's financial and critical success. In fact, the idea of a shared universe is essentially bringing the idea of the comics to the film medium. One key factor in the MCU's success is that there has yet to be a truly bad film. Not all of them have been great, but with two exceptions, the MCU is consistently high quality. The films establish these characters and the various films allow the audience to watch them grow and change throughout the course of several films. Now, without further ado, let's get this started.

Note: If you read my previous list, my thoughts on the films released before Age of Ultron are essentially the same.

12: The Incredible Hulk

The black sheep of the MCU, The Incredible Hulk has faded into obscurity almost to the point where it is barely considered canon. Sure, it is occasionally referred, but many aspects of the film just do not fit with the rest of the MCU. Part of this is due to Edward Norton not returning in The Avengers, which led to Mark Ruffalo redefining the film version of the Hulk/Banner to astounding success.

As for the film itself, The Incredible Hulk is a fun film. Nothing about it is remarkable, but it tells a classic Hulk story of Banner running from them military. For the type of on-the-run Banner that the film required, Edward Norton did a fine job in the role. Unfortunately, the film starts to fall apart towards end with the introduction of Major Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination. The final battle between the two is entertaining for some CGI Hulk smashing, but that is about it. The other issue is that the budget and technology at the time could not create a Hulk comparable to the one in the comics. Overall though, it is a solid comic book flick.

11: Iron Man 2

Receiving more hate that it ever deserved, Iron Man 2 is very much a mixed bag. Certain elements are fantastic, while other aspects disappoint. The film tries to use the palladium poisoning as a substitute for Stark's alcoholism arc from the comics. While a few parts of that story as Tony tries to discover what is truly important is effective, it is ultimately buried by uneven pacing and too many subplots. Thankfully, Robert Downey jr. being himself is always a pleasure to watch, and his ad libbed banter keeps things interesting. 

The most notable criticism is that Iron Man 2 tries to be the bridge that sets up for The Avengers, and at the time, the executives at Marvel still had yet to figure out exactly how everything would come together, which is apparent in the film. The building blocks are there, but it is not integrated with the any form of subtlety like later the films. However, it is a necessary evil of sorts for use to get us to the ultimate payoff that is The Avengers. Oddly enough, I basically agreed with the majority that it was a disappointment upon my first viewing of the film (before I became a critic). However, after multiple viewing, its importance in the overall road to The Avengers and Downey's innate charm made me like the movie so much more the second and third times around, despite the messy narrative and apparent flaws.

10: Thor

Of all the Phase 1 films, Thor had the most potential for disaster! In fact, before watching the film, I feared that there would be no way that a Thor film could work in live-action. Thankfully, to my surprise, Thor turned out to be one of the films in a long line of Marvel productions that defy expectations against all odds.

Kenneth Branagh's Shakespearean background lent itself well to the film's theatrical family drama and archaic dialogue, which were one of the film's strongest aspects. The "fish-out-of-water" comedy with Thor is full of unforgettable lines that I still quote today, and the Final Act brought Thor’s character arc full circle. Branagh did use a few too many dutch angles for some reason. But as a whole, he managed to capture Thor and the world of Asgard in a satisfying manor!

9: Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is distinctly different than the other Marvel films in both tone and style. Director, Joe Johnston, gave the film a retro period look that is reminiscent of older serials, while still being serious. The blend of styles works for the most part. However, the standout is Chris Evans as Captain America himself. As a Captain America fan since childhood, there was no character that I wanted to see done right on the big screen more. However, when Evans was cast, I was confused. He was a decent funny guy in Fantastic Four, but could he play Cap? And the answer was an astounding yes! The First Avenger was far from his best work as the character, but he really nailed the physicality and heroic personality that the character required.

In retrospect, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter turned out to be pitch perfect casting with her spinoff series, Agent Carter, being one of Marvel's best works to date. Actually, if I were to rank Agent Carter versus the films, it would probably be number five (unless Daredevil counts).

8: Thor: The Dark World

Despite Thor being the titular character, we all know that The Dark World is the Tom Hiddleston show, as he steals every second of his screentime. Sure, his screentime may be limited to the first two Acts, but he eats it up.

However, of all the MCU movies, I have the least to say about The Dark World. There is nothing controversial or world shattering; it is a straightforward and entertaining adventure. The best aspect is the brotherly interaction between Thor and Loki, and visually interesting Asgardian world. I would say that it is about tied with Captain America and Thor on the list with Hiddleston's performance being the thing that barely edges the other two out, although could change upon later viewings. The Dark World place in the grand scheme of the Marvel universe has yet to be seen with the film's final twist setting up for Thor: Ragnarok in 2017.

7: Iron Man 3

Easily the most divisive of Marvel films, Iron Man 3 continues to leave the community split. Some continue to say that the film is a failure, while others, like myself, say that it is an excellent character study of Tony Stark, despite a few nagging issues.

However, the main point of contention is the big twist *Major Spoilers* that the Mandarin is a fake. Many viewers were sorely disappointed that Ben Kingsley's long anticipated role was all just a facade created by the trailers. For me, and a few others, the deception is one the best twists that I have seen in cinema. Right up until the release, the whole thing was kept underwraps; it is a real feat in today's world of trailers that spoil major plot points (*coughTerminatorcough*). For the first time, I was truly shocked by the turn of events, and for someone that often predicts what is going to happen next, it was a real pleasure to be genuinely surprised.

However, the Third Act suffers from a lack of a great antagonist. A better way to do the twist would have been to replace Guy Pearce with a Chinese actor, so that when he says "I am the Mandarin" the dragon tattoos and other things all make sense. However, considering the latest Marvel One-Shot about the Mandarin, there is a real one out there that we might see in the future. *End Spoilers*

As for the movie itself, Shane Black's witty script and Downey’s brilliant delivery make for an exceptional combination. Even if the plot is not as well crafted as the first film, the interaction, character development, and pure entertainment make it one of the most fun Marvel films to watch.

Thanks for reading this first part everyone! Check back soon for the second and final part.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 10 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies: Part 3

My list of the MCU movies continues with the final part of the list. 

At this point in the list, numbers two, three, and four could easily be interchangeable. These are the top tier of the Marvel films, and they fully deserving of the title "Earth's Mightiest Heroes." 

Click on the following links if you missed the first two parts of the list: Part 1 and Part 2.

4: Iron Man

Before The Avengers, Thor, and Captain America, Marvel studios made a film that would be the foundation for all other Marvel movies to build on in the future, and they could not have kicked off the franchise any better than with Iron Man.

Casting veteran actor Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Tony Stark remains the best casting decision ever for any comic book film. From his chemistry with Paltrow to the adlibbed dialogue, Iron Man elevated every aspect of the film. Even after re-watching at least eight times, the movie never gets old, and that’s largely thanks to Downey.

Words cannot even express what it felt like to see Nick Fury stepping forward to say, “I am here to talk to you about the Avengers initiative.” At the time, it was only something that I could have dreamed about, and as a geek, it was about as good as it gets. To this day, it remains one of the defining moments of my movie watching experience.

3: Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy defied all expectations. Not only did it become highest grossing film of the year domestically, it shocked both fan and critic alike with its complete disregard of the conventional.

James Gunn's writing and direction is bold. He did not care about what audiences expected or even wanted. He told us exactly we wanted, and we all loved every minute of it. His style is in-your-face and unforgivingly his own, and that is my type of filmmaking!

Thanks to the stellar chemistry between the cast and Chris Pratt's innate goofball charm, GotG assembles a team of misfits unlike any other. It is like a combination of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Mass Effect, and Firefly, packed full of 80s references, action, and absurdly lovable characters. Even if you have never seen a Marvel film, there is so little connection to the main universe that it does not matter, yet there are still plenty of Easter Eggs for the fans.

Guardians of the Galaxy is bold and audacious filmmaking at its finest with James Gunn's complete disregard of typical genre conventions that care more about making a unique film than a generic crowd pleaser, yet it surely does please. GotG is like a cult classic with lovable quirky characters and endlessly quotable dialogue, except with box office success and a big budget; what more could you ask for?!

However, I feel as though I need to watch it yet another time before ranking it at number two, which could very well happen in the near future.

2: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier truly took me by surprise. I expected a fun action packed adventure with my favorite comic book character; what I actually got was something far superior.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a thematically strong film loaded with meaningful social commentary on the various aspects of politics, freedom, and government control. It uses the fact that Captain America is an unwavering force of freedom to convey the themes without ever coming off as pretentious. Everything expressed in the film is a core aspect of Cap's character, and that is exactly why it works so well.

Upon my second viewing, I watched the film with the intent of finding something wrong with the film, and yet I could not find a single noteworthy flaw. Of course, no film is absolutely perfect, but it is one of the most well crafted films that I have ever. Each scene flows into the next effortlessly. It takes big risks, and yet never falters. The plot functions like a well oiled machine, and yet it has an emotional core. While I am sad to see Joss Whedon not directing Avengers: Infinity War, the film is left in good hands with the Russo Brothers.

1: The Avengers

Could there be any other? Joss Whedon accomplished the impossible with The Avengers and that makes him mighty (Firefly reference). Never before has a comic book film been so bold and unforgiving in the fact that it is based on a comic book. It perfectly captures the spirit of the comic, while still being easily accessible to the general public, an impressive feat in and of itself.

Somehow every character is given their moment to shine, and Whedon's expertly written banter is pure perfection. Among the previously established characters, Whedon even managed to build Black Widow into a far more fascinating character than anyone could have ever realized, and The Hulk, who, at the time, never received a proper film adaptation, nearly stole the show.

The Avengers could have easily been a disaster if left in less competent hands. Behind all of the spectacle and humor, ultimately, the film has heart; that's the real reason The Avengers is a classic that will go down in history as one of the defining films of the our generation. Will Age of Ultron be able to best it....

What do you think of choices? Please comment below and let me know!

P.S. As before, please do not post spoilers or even opinions about Age of Ultron, or at least use a *Spoiler* tag first. If you have not seen the film, do not read comments by "MarvelFan4Ever," he/she is the spoiling the film in the comments, and how the person seems to be using anonymous comments to spoil the film. 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 10 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies: Part 2

My Top 10 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies list continues with Part 2. If you missed the first part, you can click here to read it.

8: Thor

Of all the Phase 1 films, Thor had the most potential for disaster! In fact, before watching the film, I feared that there would be no way that a Thor film could work in live-action. Thankfully, to my surprise, Thor turned out to be one of the films in a long line of Marvel productions that defy expectations against all odds.

Kenneth Branagh's Shakespearean background lent itself well to the film's theatrical family drama and archaic dialogue, which were one of the film's strongest aspects. The "fish-out-of-water" comedy with Thor is full of unforgettable lines that I still quote today, and the Final Act brought Thor’s character arc full circle. Branagh did use a few too many dutch angles for some reason. But as a whole, he managed to capture Thor and the world of Asgard in a satisfying manor!

7: Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is distinctly different than the other Marvel films in both tone and style. Director, Joe Johnston, gave the film a retro period look that is reminiscent of older serials, while still being serious. The blend of styles works for the most part. However, the standout is Chris Evans as Captain America himself. As a Captain America fan since childhood, there was no character that I wanted to see done right on the big screen more. However, when Evans was cast, I was confused. He was a decent funny guy in Fantastic Four, but could he play Cap? And the answer was an astounding yes! The First Avenger was far from his best work as the character, but he really nailed the physicality and heroic personality that the character required.

In retrospect, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter turned out to be pitch perfect casting with her spinoff series, Agent Carter, being one of Marvel's best works to date. Actually, if I were to rank Agent Carter versus the films, it would probably be number five (unless Daredevil counts).

6: Thor: The Dark World

Despite Thor being the titular character, we all know that The Dark World is the Tom Hiddleston show, as he steals every second of his screentime. Sure, his screentime may be limited to the first two Acts, but he eats it up.

However, of all the MCU movies, I have the least to say about The Dark World. There is nothing controversial or world shattering; it is a straightforward and entertaining adventure. The best aspect is the brotherly interaction between Thor and Loki, and visually interesting Asgardian world. I would say that it is about tied with Captain America and Thor on the list with Hiddleston's performance being the thing that barely edges the other two out, although could change upon later viewings. The Dark World place in the grand scheme of the Marvel universe has yet to be seen with the film's final twist setting up for Thor: Ragnarok in 2017.

5: Iron Man 3

Easily the most divisive of Marvel films, Iron Man 3 continues to leave the community split. Some continue to say that the film is a failure, while others, like myself, say that it is an excellent character study of Tony Stark, despite a few nagging issues.

However, the main point of contention is the big twist *Major Spoilers* that the Mandarin is a fake. Many viewers were sorely disappointed that Ben Kingsley's long anticipated role was all just a facade created by the trailers. For me, and a few others, the deception is one the best twists that I have seen in cinema. Right up until the release, the whole thing was kept underwraps; it is a real feat in today's world of trailers that spoil major plot points (*coughTerminatorcough*). For the first time, I was truly shocked by the turn of events, and for someone that often predicts what is going to happen next, it was a real pleasure to be genuinely surprised.

However, the Third Act suffers from a lack of a great antagonist. A better way to do the twist would have been to replace Guy Pearce with a Chinese actor, so that when he says "I am the Mandarin" the dragon tattoos and other things all make sense. However, considering the latest Marvel One-Shot about the Mandarin, there is a real one out there that we might see in the future. *End Spoilers*

As for the movie itself, Shane Black's witty script and Downey’s brilliant delivery make for an exceptional combination. Even if the plot is not as well crafted as the first film, the interaction, character development, and pure entertainment make it one of the most fun Marvel films to watch.

What do you think of my choices? Please comment below, let me know, and check back tomorrow for the final part of the list.

As before, please do not post spoilers or even opinions about Age of Ultron, or at least use a *Spoiler* tag first. If you have not seen the film, do not read comments by "MarvelFan4Ever," he/she is the spoiling the film in the comments.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 10 Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies: Part 1

With Avengers: Age of Ultron right around the corner and Marvel's Phase 2 coming to a close, it seemed like no better time than the present to rank the Best and Worst films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 

Marvel has revolutionized the film industry with the concept of a shared universe with characters from one film appearing in another, to the point where supporting even received their own television series! Ever since The Avengers swept the planet with its success, every other studio rushed to make their own cinematic universe and no other franchise is even close to Marvel's financial and critical success. In fact, the idea of a shared universe is essentially bringing the idea of the comics to the visual media. One key factor in the MCU's success is that there has yet to be a bad film. Not all of them have been great, but with two exceptions (both are below), the MCU is consistently high quality. The films establish these characters and the various films allow the audience to watch them grow and change throughout the course of several films. Now, without further ado, let's get this started.

10: The Incredible Hulk

The black sheep of the MCU, The Incredible Hulk has faded into obscurity almost to the point where it is barely considered canon. Sure, it is occasionally referred, but many aspects of the film just do not fit with the rest of the MCU. Part of this is due to Edward Norton not returning in The Avengers, which led to Mark Ruffalo redefining the film version of the Hulk/Banner to astounding success.

As for the film itself, The Incredible Hulk is a fun film. Nothing about it is remarkable, but it tells a classic Hulk story of Banner running from them military. For the type of on-the-run Banner that the film required, Edward Norton did a fine job in the role. Unfortunately, the film starts to fall apart towards end with the introduction of Major Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination. The final battle between the two is entertaining for some CGI Hulk smashing, but that is about it. The other issue is that the budget and technology at the time could not create a Hulk comparable to the one in the comics. Overall though, it is a solid comic book flick.

9: Iron Man 2

Receiving more hate that it ever deserved, Iron Man 2 is very much a mixed bag. Certain elements are fantastic, while other aspects disappoint. The film tries to use the palladium poisoning as a substitute for Stark's alcoholism arc from the comics. While a few parts of that story as Tony tries to discover what is truly important is effective, it is ultimately buried by uneven pacing and too many subplots. Thankfully, Robert Downey jr. being himself is always a pleasure to watch, and his ad libbed banter keeps things interesting. 

The most notable criticism is that Iron Man 2 tries to be the bridge that sets up for The Avengers, and at the time, the executives at Marvel still had yet to figure out exactly how everything would come together, which is apparent in the film. The building blocks are there, but it is not integrated with the any form of subtlety like later the films. However, it is a necessary evil of sorts for use to get us to the ultimate payoff that is The Avengers. Oddly enough, I basically agreed with the majority that it was a disappointment upon my first viewing of the film (before I became a critic). However, after multiple viewing, its importance in the overall road to The Avengers and Downey's innate charm made me like the movie so much more the second and third times around, despite the messy narrative and apparent flaws.

What do you think of my picks thus far? Please comment below and let me know. 

Also, please do not post spoilers or even opinions about Age of Ultron. Some guy has already spammed this website with spoilers that I had to remove, and while I managed to avoid most parts, what he revealed really made me angry. So, please no spoilers, or at least post a *Spoiler* tag first. If you have not seen the film, do not read comments by "MarvelFan4Ever," he/she is the spoiling the film in the comments.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Lady Sif on Agents of SHIELD

On the upcoming fifteenth episode of Agents of SHIELD Jaimie Alexander will reprise her of Lady Sif from the Thor films. Now Agents of SHIELD might finally deliver on the massive crossover potential that we expected from the series from the start. Hopefully she will not be a just quick cameo, but rather a central aspect of the story. So, if Sif sees Coulson and tells Thor that he is not dead, I wonder what will Thor's reaction be, although Sif has probably never heard of Coulson before. Hopefully the Lady Sif costume that Jaimie Alexander wore in Thor: The Dark World will be used again, because the props used in the show thus far have been terrible, particularly the Berserker Staff from last Asgardian crossover. Regardless, Lady Sif is the first step in the right direction that Agents of SHIELD needs to take if it wants to be successful, but it might be too little too late. What do you think of this news? Please comment below, and check back tomorrow for my review of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Thor: The Dark World After Credits Scene Explained

If you have not seen Thor: The Dark World, go watch it right now and then return and read this post. 

Now that you have seen Thor: The Dark World, you may have been confused by the after credits scene since even hardcore fans like myself had to think about what exactly we just saw. The weird looking alien guy played by Benicio del Toro is The Collector. The Collector will be featured in upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy film and the after credits scene was actually filmed by Guardians director, James Gunn. The Collector is one the Elders of the Universe, a group of cosmic entities that are the last remaining survivors from each of their respective race. He is virtually immortal and is much older than the Asgardian realms itself; he also has limited precognitive ability. As the Collector's name implies, he collects powerful objects and different races from the galaxy so that he can repopulate the universe if a cataclysmic event happens. While the Collector is not necessarily evil, he has fought the Avengers and other heroes when he attempted to collect them. In the comics, he and the other members of the Elders of the Universe were each given an Infinity gem (or stone) to prevent Thanos or any other bean from using the stones. Although not exact, the films appear to be following the Thanos storyline with the Collector obtaining the Infinity gems, which is confirmed when he states, "One down, five to go." At this point, whether or not the Collector is aiding Thanos or working against him is unknown. My guess is that the Guardians of the Galaxy happen upon one of the Infinity Stones and the Collector and other possibly other parties, want the stone for themselves. Below are a few pictures of Oscar winning actor, Benicio del Toro, as The Collector and below that is a picture of the Collector from the comics and del Toro. As for the after credits scene itself, the tone and look was kind of odd, but I am hopeful that the Guardians of the Galaxy will bring something entirely new and unique to comic book movies. 

For more information on the Collector and the after credits scene, watch the video below.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Thor: The Dark World Review

Thoughts: Thor: The Dark World, the highly anticipated follow-up to The Avengers and the first Thor film. Can Marvel Phase 2 continue to deliver high quality entertainment and story with The Dark World? Oh yes, Thor: The Dark World delivers everything one could want in a Thor film and then some. If you have not already seen The Dark World, go see it in theaters right now.
The film opens similarly to the first Thor with a flashback to an ancient time when Odin's father fought Malekith, narrated epically by Anthony Hopkins, and the main conflict of the plot is setup in a very Lord of the Rings style opening battle.
My expectations for the film were relatively high, but at the same time I had no idea what to expect because the trailer fortunately gave away very little of the actual plot. Thor: The Dark World surprised me on so many levels. The humor was spot on, the action was the best since The Avengers, and the film had a surprising amount of emotional weight. Alan Taylor's direction was absolutely perfect, and his Game of Thrones background is clearly visible. Asgard looks immaculate, less animated than the first Thor and more realistic fantasy like The Lord of the Rings. In general, the setting and the tone of The Dark World was a unique blend of fantasy with a heavy sci-fi angle, particularly with the Dark Elves, who were more alien than fantasy, which was cool.
Now let's move on to possibly the best part of the entire movie, Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Yes, Hiddleston is back and better than ever. As expected, he killed it in the film and his scenes are among the most fun and memorable. The bickering and witty comments between him and Thor were absolutely perfect. The whole brother conflict is one of the best and most relatable aspects of the Thor films and The Dark World really capitalizes on it. That aspect of the film is very compelling and added the seriousness needed.
Of Marvel's films to date, Thor: The Dark World is the most like The Avengers in terms of both tone and overall style. While The Dark World is not on the same level of The Avengers' virtual cinematic perfection, it contains many aspects which made The Avengers amazing. The humor, action, and emotional weight really took The Dark World to the next level.

My only minor complaints are that Kat Dennings as Darcy was overused. While some of her humorous scenes made me laugh (a lot), her character was not entirely unnecessary and her scenes later in the film were particularly superfluous. The other minor flaw is that Christopher Eccleston as Malekith was not the most compelling villain. His motives were convincing, although his character was mostly there to deliver the conflict and character drama between the main cast, which he did well. However, his giant henchman, Kurse, was very imposing and menacing.

Directed by: Alan Taylor
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Comic Book, Action Adventure,
Release Date: November 8, 2013
Running Time: 111 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Tom Hiddleston is freaking awesome, Unexpected plot twists, Tons of action, Impressive special effects, Hilarious cameo, Brotherly conflict, Intriguing after credit scenes, Hilarious jokes throughout, Cool villain, Surprising emotional weight, Character development, Inventive action scenes, Natalie Portman is actually useful in the plot, Several unexpected twists, Reminded me of The Avengers, Alan Taylor's perfect direction, Mostly well executed humor, Brian Tyler's epic score, Improved romantic element, Effective Avengers tie-in, Epic scale, Excellent mix of sci-fi and fantasy, Asgard is stunning,

The Bad:


Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
Eons ago, Bor, the father of Odin, clashes with the Dark Elf Malekith, who seeks to destroy the universe using a weapon known as the Aether. After conquering Malekith's forces, including enhanced warriors called the Kursed, on their home world of Svartalfheim, Bor safeguards the Aether within a stone column. Unbeknownst to him, Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and a handful of Dark Elves escape into suspended animation.
In present-day Asgard, Loki stands imprisoned for his war crimes on Earth. Meanwhile, Thor, alongside warriors Fandral, Volstagg and Sif repel marauders on Vanaheim, home of their comrade Hogun; it is the final battle in a war to pacify the Nine Realms following the reconstruction of Bifröst, the "Rainbow Bridge" between realms, which had been destroyed two years earlier. In London, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster's intern, Darcy Lewis, now with her own intern, Ian, takes Jane to an abandoned factory where objects have begun to disobey the laws of physics and disappear into thin air. Separating from the group, Jane is teleported to another world, where she is infected by the Aether.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 9.8/10- Every plot point made sense void of any major logical flaws and the character development of Thor and Loki was handled excellently. Thor: The Dark World is a very character driven story, which is exactly why the film works so well. The plot makes good use of Portman's character, Jane Foster, and actually provides a reason why she needs to be in the film other than being a romantic interest, and that brings me to the romance, which is much improved over the previous Thor film with a more believable story and chemistry. Thor's character is much more of a bada** warrior this time around as he smashes guys, breaking necks, and generally killing any enemy combatant that stands in his way. The dialogue is clever and well written with occasional witty and humorous lines along with the great Asgardian dialect. Somehow, the pacing manages to throw a ton of action into the mix, yet never allowing the action to overpower the story, like another superhero flick earlier this year. There was never a dull moment at any point of the film. Also, I liked how the movie did not question the audience's intelligence add unnecessary exposition and explanation, which reminded me of the original Star Wars films.

Action: 10/10- Wow, the action in Thor: The Dark World is incredible. Alan Taylor apparently knows how to direct an epic battle scene because there were so many throughout the film. Not since The Avengers have I seen action scenes this well directed and filmed. From spaceship like chases to epic fantasy battles, The Dark World has it all. The final fight in particular was extremely inventive and actually showed me something that I have never seen before, which is quite an accomplishment. Every shot was framed with skill and the choreography is well executed.

Acting: 9.9/10- Chris Hemsworth owns the role of Thor. He really embodies everything that Thor needs to be with his charisma and wit. Tom Hiddleston returns as fan-favorite Loki and of course steals the show. His performance is so amazing and compelling; he has made Loki into such a great character. While Hiddleston is in the film quite a bit, he never overshadows Thor. Natalie Portman as Dr. Jane Foster does a much better job in the movie than she does in the previous film and her chemistry with Hemsworth is much more believable than before. Anthony Hopkins as Odin again brings the theatrical gravitas that compliments the Asgardian setting. Christopher Eccleston gives a "Fantastic!" performance as Malekith and his performance speaking the Dark Elven language was surprisingly believable. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis was fun, but a little overused, and Stellan Skarsgård as Dr. Erik Selvig was hilarious in his role. Rene Russo as Frigga is surprisingly fantastic in her role. The rest of the cast does an admirable job in their roles, particularly Idris Elba.

Special effects: 10/10- As with any Marvel film, the special effects are absolutely stunning. Asgard's visuals are amazing and more realistic than our last endeavor to the realm. At least from what it would appear, a surprising amount of practical effects were used, which added more realism to the film.

Soundtrack: 9.8/10- Brian Tyler does it again with another epic score. While Patrick Doyle's score from the first Thor is magnificent, Tyler's score better suited The Dark World's darker fantasy/science-fiction setting.

Comedy: 9.9/10- Thor: The Dark World had me laughing so hard during some scenes, it was absurd. Aside from the overuse of Kat Denning's humor, basically all of the humor was well placed and worked. The humor was well balanced with the serious scenes. One cameo in particular (not Stan Lee) nearly killed me; never before have I laughed so hard or loud in a theater.

Would I Watch This Again: Thor: The Dark World is a film that I will surely watch and rewatch multiple times just like The Avengers. This is a must own on Blu-Ray and one that I will be pre-ordering.

Overall: 9.9/10- Overall, Thor: The Dark World is everything that a great film should be with a great sense of fun along with surprising character moments and compelling storytelling.

Closing comments: While I may be a little bias, The Dark World is an absolute must see in the theaters, you will not regret it. Also check back tomorrow for an explanation of the Mid-Credits Scene.

Recommended for: Everyone, Action fans, Fantasy fans, Sci-Fi fans, Comic Book fans, Action Adventure fans,

Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Marvel Logo Opening

Watching Thor: The Dark World or a recent Agents of SHIELD episode, you may have noticed that Marvel has a new logo preceding the other logos. Head of Marvel, Kevin Feige, commented on the change by saying they wanted something new since the old flip Marvel logo has been around for elven since the first Spider-Man. While the nostalgia side of me still loves the old logo since I can still remember seeing it for the first time while watching Spider-Man in theaters, this new one is quite good. Brian Tyler's, who composed the scores for Iron Man 3 and The Dark World, fanfare suits Marvel's new image nicely. Overall, good job Marvel. This will become a classic just like 20th Century Fox's logo. On other Marvel news, my review of Thor: The Dark World will be up tomorrow morning around 6:00am Eastern time. Following that, I have a few spoiler discussions, one of which explains the potentially confusing after credit scene. Additionally, sorry everyone if I have not commented on your Thor: The Dark World review, having now seen the film I will be trying to catch up this week and comment again on the ones that I have commented on before with my new thoughts. What do you think of the new Marvel logo? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for my review of The Dark World.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Thor: The Dark World Review Coming and Blogger Problems

Blogger is continuing to give my problems with my posts not showing up on the dashboard until hours after I actually post them. Because of this, I will be posting a link to my review of Thor: The Dark World to this post and the others I have planned since I hope they will appear on the dashboard at the correct time. Additionally, I did not get to see Thor: The Dark World last night due to some unfortunate circumstances, however I will be seeing it tonight unless something major happens. My review for the film is likely to be posted tomorrow morning and links to the review will be on these posts. Please check back on J and J Productions by 8:00am Eastern time tomorrow morning for my review.

Update: Unfortunately, I have gotten sick, so I can't go see the movie yet. Hopefully sickness and other things will not interfere in my viewing of the movie again.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Thor: The Dark World: Reader Reviewers

Here are the Reader Reviews for Thor: The Dark World. If you have reviewed the film and would like me to add a link to your review on the link, please comment with a link to your review along with a short summary of your review (please don't forget this part) and I will post it. Also the order of the links are random because I copied the links from the Dashboard.

Thor: The Dark World Review by Jordan: 8.5/10- "Thor: The Dark World officially marks the halfway point for Phase 2 and so far we are 2 for 2 with fantastic iterations. With the Captain America trailer looking incredible and news from the set that Guardians of the Galaxy will be a blast, we could truly be in for a perfect Phase 2. And then hopefully another perfect Avengers movie. No pressure, Joss. No pressure." 

Short, Spoiler-Free Thoughts on The Dark World by Jamie: "This was easily a huge step-up from the first Thor film. Pretty much everything I was needing to see happen, happened in a way that fulfilled me. It didn't disappoint and went beyond my expectations in many ways! Five stars for Thunder Boy and his Mischievous Little Brother!"

MOVIE REVIEW THOR: THE DARK WORLD by Daniel: B+: "Issues aside there is plenty to enjoy for the devout fanboys (Marvel cameos and post credit scenes) and causal fan alike. In the end, it delivers the kind of spectacle, action while maintaining a strong sense of fun."

Thor: The Dark World (2013) by Hayden: "So, what were my overall thoughts? I did really like it. I loved that we got to see more of Asgard- it was stunning on the huge theater screen."


Cindy Prascik’s review of Thor: The Dark World: 8/9: "Thor: The Dark World is everything I want in a superhero flick. The action and effects are huge and the cast has great chemistry, just a great time all around."

Depending upon when I get to see The Dark World, the following is subject to change.
Here is the tentative posting schedule:
Monday: New Trailer
Tuesday: Agents of SHIELD: F.Z.Z.T. Review
Wednesday: Walking Dead: Season 1 Review
Thursday: Top 10 Movie Battles: Part 3: 5-1
Friday: Interstella 5555 Review

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Happy Thorsday! (and AOS Full Episode)

Happy Thorsday fellow mortals! Tonight Thor: The Dark World will be releasing in North America and to celebrate Thorsday I have some hilarious Thor and Loki related videos and pictures. Below is Tom Hiddleston asking children, "Who's Better: Thor or Loki?" and we get to see some hilarious results. Also I have new main theme of The Dark World along with some festive Thorsday funny pictures.

This video ads reason to Tom Hiddleston's long list of why he is awesome! He is so hilarious in this video, I wish I knew where I could watch the entire Comedy Central segment.

While I will have to watch the movie before making a final judgement of the soundtrack, I like what I hear, but it is not as good as the first Thor's score. Unfortunately, Patrick Doyle did not return to score the film, however Brian Taylor did do a fantastic job with Iron Man 3's score, making it one of my personal favorites, so I expect something great from the soundtrack as a whole.

It's Thorsday! Let's get hammered by some hilarious pictures!

Because what is more random than Thor riding Nyan Cat

No, Loki riding an evil Nyan Cat is definitely more random

Sorry if you were expecting the post I intended to post today, however this whole dashboard debacle has really screwed my schedule up, plus how could I pass up celebrating Thorsday? 

And if you have yet to watch it, here is the full recent episode of Agents of SHIELD

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.