Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Joss Whedon

Country

USA

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson, Thomas Kretschmann, Claudia Kim, Andy Serkis, Linda Cardellini, Julie Delpy, Stan Lee

Plot

When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for a global adventure.

Opinion

I used to think making a better film than the Avengers was quite impossible, but Joss Whedon did it!

Avengers: Age of Ultron is a dream come true, the sequel all the fans were waiting for, and inarguably one of the best Marvel films to date - not better than Guardians of the Galaxy though. 
The film still has all the elements of the first film, but it makes a huge step forward in the action - the 3D vision is totally worthy - dialogue and character. However, the main difference is the villain: James Spader's Ultron is marvelous.

The talk about artificial intelligence is very fascinating, both conceptually and cinematically. The storyline is far from the cliché superhero story. The script is great and amusing. The direction of Joss Whedon is flawless.

There is a great balance within the Avengers, where the superiority of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Hulk is perfectly balanced with the more active roles of Black Widow and Hawkeye - I would have loved to see more Falcon though. I loved what they did with The Vision, The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

All the actors gave a fantastic performance. Robert Downey Jr. keeps on playing the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist in a way nobody else could. Chris Evans always brings a sense of honor to his character. Scarlett Johansson really surprised me. Great performances also from Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders and Paul Bettany. Elizabeth Olsen gives one of the best new character portrayals in recent years - I really want to see more of her Scarlet Witch. However, James Spader totally steals the scene: he is perfect.

Quotes

Steve Rogers/Captain America: I'm sick of watching people pay for our mistakes.

Nick Fury: Here we all are, with nothing but our wit and our will to save the world! So stand and fight!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Directors

Anthony Russo | Joe Russo

Country

United States

Cast

Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson, Toby Jones, Maximiliano Hernández, Garry Shandling, Georges St-Pierre, Callan Mulvey, Chin Han, Jenny Agutter, Alan Dale, Bernard White, Danny Pudi, DC Pierson, Gary Sinise, Ed Brubaker, Stan Lee, Thomas Kretschmann, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Plot

As Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, learns that the S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised and a Soviet assassin known as The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) will stop at nothing to kill Captain America. To battle the new threats, he teams up with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie).

Opinion

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a brilliant, exciting and thrilling film, unarguably the best of Avengers franchise. The superheroes is what we pay for and what we want to see, but this film is beyond that: it is also a great political thriller.

The action scenes, ranging from fightings, shootings and  chasings, are great, natural, and almost real.

Chris Evans seems more natural and comfortable in Captain America's shoes that he was before. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury gains importance. Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, along with Anthony Mackie's Falcon, has a decisive role in the film, as she will help Captain America survive. Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier is completely different that Bucky, but, at the end, proves to have a heart. Still great, Robert Redford's Alexander Pierce is the real villain.

Quotes

Steve Rogers: You know me.

The Winter Soldier: No, I don't!

Steve Rogers: Bucky. you've known me your entire life. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes...

The Winter Soldier: SHUT UP!

Steve Rogers: I'm not gonna fight you. You're my friend.

The Winter Soldier: You're my mission! YOU ARE MY MISSION!

Steve Rogers: Then finish it. 'Cause I'm with you 'til the end of the line.

Rating

9.0/10

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Alan Taylor

Country

United States

Cast

Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano, Jaimie Alexander, Rene Russo, Alice Krige, Chris O'Dowd, Benicio del Toro, Ophelia Lovibond, Jonathan Howard, Tony Curran, Clive Russell, Richard Brake, Chris Evans, Stan Lee

Plot

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fights to restore order across the cosmos, but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Opinion

Finally Thor has the same importance of the others Marvel superheroes. Thor: The Dark World, not only exceeded my expectations, but is spectacular. The special effects are exceptional; the action scenes are great; the setting, which mostly takes place on Asgard, is fantastic and certainly more realistic than it was in Thor. 

Lady Sif, Heimdall and Volstagg have a more important role, and their impact in the storyline is decisive.

Chris Hemsworth is great, and even more convincing as the God of Thunder, more mature and responsible than he previously was. Tom Hiddleston seems born to be Loki: he looks like him and he acts perfectly like him. Christopher Eccleston is great as Malekith, although I would have preferred a stronger villain. Natalie Portman does not have much chemistry with Chris Hemsworth.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Loki: Well done, you just decapitated your grandfather!

Loki: I think you missed a column.

Dr. Erik Selvig: Your brother isn't coming, is he?

Thor: Loki is dead.

Dr. Erik Selvig: Thank God... I'm so sorry.

Rating

8.0/10

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Shane Black

Country

United States

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley, Paul Bettany, Ty Simpkins, Ashley Hamilton, William Sadler, Miguel Ferrer, Adam Pally, Shaun Toub, Stan Lee, Dale Dickey, Wang Xueqi, Mark Ruffalo

Plot

When Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Opinion

While Iron Man 2 was not very good, Iron Man 3 is back to Iron Man’s level. Iron Man 3 is a great film, different from the previous films of the trilogy mostly because of the increasing thrill. The awesome action is worth a watch. Director Shane Black, who replaced Jon Favreau, does an excellent work. The visual effects are great; Brian Tyler’s music is good, but not as good as AC/DC in the previous films.

Robert Downey Jr. is good as usual as Tony Stark/Iron Man; Gwyneth Paltrow, which has a more important role in this film, does a great job; Guy Pearce is an excellent villain. 

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Tony Stark: [narrates] My armor was never a distraction or a hobby, it was a cocoon, and now I'm a changed man. You can take away my house, all my tricks and toys, but one thing you can't take away - I am Iron Man.

Rating

8.2/10

The Avengers (2012)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Joss Whedon

Country

United States

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Maximiliano Hernández, Paul Bettany, Alexis Denisof, Damion Poitier, Powers Boothe, Jenny Agutter, Stan Lee, Harry Dean Stanton, Jerzy Skolimowski, Georgi Luchkov

Plot

As Loki (Tom Hiddleston) comes to Earth to retrieve  the Tesseract and subjugate the human race, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster: the Avengers, featuring Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

Opinion

The Avengers is maybe the best comic book-film ever. The action is certainly not lacking, there are lots of explosions and it is plenty of fun. The special effects are impressive.

The film is mostly focused on the characters; in fact none of them is ignored and they are consistent with what has been seen in previous films: Steve Rogers / Captain American still acts as a soldier, Tony Stark is brilliant as usual, Loki is still evil. Nick Fury is finally more than the guy making appearances, and Agent Coulson returns.

The cast is great: Tom Hiddleston's Loki is amazingly scary. I was missing Edward Norton, but I gotta say Mark Ruffalo isn't that bad after all.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Loki: Enough! You are, all of you are beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by...

Hulk flattens Loki with repeated smashes into the floor

Hulk: Puny god.

Rating

8.6/10

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Joe Johnston

Country

United States

Cast

Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Choi, Bruno Ricci, JJ Feild, Toby Jones, Richard Armitage, Natalie Dormer, Samuel L. Jackson, Stan Lee

Plot

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a sickly man from Brooklyn, is rejected for World War II military recruitment. While attending an exhibition of future technologies with his friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), he again attempts to enlist, and he is chosen for the super-soldier experiment. Transformed into Captain American, Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), Adolf Hitler's head of weaponry and leader of Hydra organization that intends to use the Tesseract as a source for world domination.

Opinion

I wasn't exactly excited about this film, but Captain America: The First Avenger is a good film after all; I'd rather say a very good and accurate adaptation of Marvel's comic book.

For the most part, this film is focused on the origins of an extraordinary soldier, who just wants to do his part for his country.

The special effects are well made, in particular Captain America's skills. Also the playback of the key characters is accurate. Red Skull is certainly the character that impressed me the most: he was well played by Hugo Weaving, and the makeup was amazing. Chris Evans pulled off the modesty needed for the role.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Abraham Erskine: Whatever happens tomorrow you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.

Rating

8.0/10

Thor (2011)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Kenneth Branagh

Country

United States

Cast

Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Kat Dennings, Rene Russo, Anthony Hopkins, Tadanobu Asano, Joshua Dallas, Jaimie Alexander, Clark Gregg, Adriana Barraza, Maximiliano Hernández, Joseph Gatt, Joshua Cox, Douglas Tait, Stan Lee, Michael Straczynski, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner

Plot

Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard, but is interrupted when Frost Giants attempt to retrieve the Casket.
Against Odin's order, Thor travels to Jotunheim to confront Laufey (Colm Feore), accompanied by his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), childhood friend Sif (Jaimie Alexander) and the Warriors Three: Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Fandral (Joshua Dallas), and Hogun (Tadanobu Asano). A battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races.
As a result, Thor is banished to Earth where he is forced to live among humans. When Loki sends its darkest forces to invade Earth, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero.

Opinion

Thor is good adaptation of Marvel's comic book. There is lack of depth in some characters, especially in Loki, but the story is good and there is no lack of action.
The contrast between right and wrong is the main theme of the film, even though in the heart of the characters there is always a glimmer of goodness.
The special effects are well used; the photography is wonderful.
Chris Hemsworth gives Thor everything he needs and Tom Hiddleston as his villainous brother, Loki, shows off his acting ability. 

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Loki: I never wanted the throne, I only ever wanted to be your equal!

Rating

7.5/10

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Jon Favreau

Country

United States

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Favreau, Clark Gregg, Leslie Bibb, John Slattery, Garry Shandling, Paul Bettany, Olivia Munn, Stan Lee

Plot

With the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military.
Meanwhile, rogue Russian scientist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) has developed the same technology and built weapons of his own in order to pursue a vendetta against the Stark family, in the process joining forces with Stark's business rival, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell).

Opinion

Iron Man 2 is not as much fun as its predecessor. The previous four screenwriters, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, have been replaced by Justin Theroux, and the result is not good: many subplots are not brilliant, many dialogues are not great and there is lack of action.
There are multiple villains: in addition to Vanko, Stark-Inventor's arch nemesis, there is Justin Hammer, Stark-Entrepreneur's arch nemesis.
The cast is good - Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko is brilliant - for the exception of Scarlett Johansson.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

It's not the armor that makes the hero, but the man inside.

Rating

7.0/10

Iron Man (2008)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Jon Favreau

Country

United States

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir, Sayed Badreya, Leslie Bibb, Clark Gregg, Bill Smitrovich, Jon Favreau, Samuel L. Jackson, Stan Lee, Tim Griffin

Plot

Afghanistan. Genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who was there to demonstrate the new "Jericho" missile, is captured and imprisoned in a cave by the terrorist group the Ten Rings: their leader, Raza (Faran Tahir), offers Stark freedom in exchange for building a Jericho missile for the group. Tony, with the help of Yinsen (Shaun Toub), builds the Mark I, a weaponized suit of armor. Back in the US, this leads him to conflict within his own company. 

Opinion

Iron Man, from the legendary comics to this terrific film. Director Jon Favreau - also starring as Happy Hogan, Tony's bodyguard and chauffeur - and Robert Downey Jr. made a high impact superhero film, and even non-comics fans can enjoy. Robert Downey Jr. perfectly fits the role, and I couldn't think of a better Tony Stark than him. There are few differences with the comics, but nothing important. The visual effects are amazing.
I end the review with this line: true Marvel fans always wait for the end-credit scene.

Quotes

Yinsen: Don't waste it... don't waste your life, Stark.

Tony Stark: The truth is... I am Iron Man.

Rating

8.0/10

New BTS Video And The New Extended Trailer For AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

Take a look at the new extended trailer for Joss Whedon's AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON which features some new shots AND a cool 2 minute Behind The Scenes (BTS) video of the massive production.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the production value in this thing. There's nothing like a huge budget movie delivering the goods on the screen and with the confidence that Marvel has with it's franchise pedigrees I can see ULTRON topping the original both critically and financially.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
Marvel Studios presents AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Marvel’s AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963. Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee and Jon Favreau serve as executive producers.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is due to hit theaters on May 1, 2015.

Post by Tony Stark Sincero.
 

Via /Film

MUST WATCH: THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer Leaked !! WHOA Updated With Official HD Version !!

Hello there, sublime trailer! Have a look at the brand new trailer for THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (while you can). Looks AMAZING!!

We expected to see this trailer during AGENTS OF SHIELD on ABC next week, but the Internet delivers!!

THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON arrives in theaters May 1, 2015.

It's JUSTICE LEAGUE Vs THE AVENGERS 2!! Huge Faceoff In '15!!!

Summer releases? Could be! Warner Bros. is planning on unleashing their dark and mature JUSTICE LEAGUE in 2015 which just so happens to be Marvel's planned THE AVENGERS 2 release year.

Think this is a minor deal? Think again. THE AVENGERS made $1.5 BILLION at the bank thus far and are now cashing in on disc sales heading into Black Friday territory and Christmas. Christopher Nolan is producing Zack Snyder's MAN OF STEEL as well as relishing in the success of this summer's THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Think there isn't any bad taste in Joss Whedon's mouth after Pfister ridiculous comments recently?

So why isn't Nolan taking part in this battle of cinematic proportions? Perhaps it's because Warner Bros. really needs JUSTICE LEAGUE to be in 3D and the Nolan/Pfister combo can't quite bite into it. Yet. I can't imagine WB allowing JUSTICE LEAGUE to suffer from a 2D only release while THE AVENGERS 2 rakes in another one and a half billion dollars.

So who will WB bring in to helm the awesome emsemble? Not Ben Affleck apparently. So who? Regardless, 2015 looks to be a stellar year.




Source: LATimes

*Sigh* Wally Pfister Calls THE AVENGERS Appalling And Illogical

Surprise, surprise. Wally Pfister, the outspoken anti-3D cinematographer for Christopher Nolan has well, spoken out once again. Embarrassingly so in my books. I was trying to keep Pfister out of my editorials because it's the professional thing to do. He's anti-3D. So what? While he's a dying breed he is entitled to his opinion after all. I truly believe that. However...

Pfister told the Sarasota Herald Tribune in response to their question "What's most important when shooting a movie?":

"What’s really important is storytelling. None of it matters if it doesn’t support the story. I thought The Avengers was an appalling film. They’d shoot from some odd angle and I’d think, why is the camera there? Oh, I see, because they spent half a million on the set and they have to show it off. It took me completely out of the movie. I was driven bonkers by that illogical form of storytelling."

It is my personal belief (shared by many others) that Pfister is way outside the bounds of professionalism by speaking out like this. Sure his THE DARK KNIGHT RISES work behind the camera is great, but petty words like this only cause people to imagine that he is deeply jealous of THE AVENGERS box office success and that the world has lovingly embraced 3D. AVATAR is number one. TITANIC (now with a 3D re-release) is number 2. THE AVENGERS is number 3. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 is number 4. TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON is number 5. All 3D. It's fact.

Dare I say THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY surpasses Jackson's other LOTR works? Moves into top 5 all time? Potentially. And yes, another 3D movie.

But it's not just Pfister's stance on 3D that's upsetting. He is bad-mouthing another learned cinematographer in Seamus McGarvey (and director Joss Whedon as well). McGarvey's list of achievements is amazing. Here's his background as taken from Wikipedia: 

[McGarvey] is an Irish cinematographer who began his career as a still photographer before attending film school at the University of Westminster in London. Upon graduating in 1988 he began shooting short films and documentaries, including Skin, which was nominated for a Royal Television Society Cinematography Award, and Atlantic, directed by Sam Taylor-Wood, nominated for the 1998 Turner Prize. He also photographed and directed over 100 music videos, for such artists as U2, The Rolling Stones, PJ Harvey, Robbie Williams, Sir Paul McCartney, Dusty Springfield and Coldplay. In 1998, the British Society of Cinematographers invited McGarvey to join. In 2004 he was awarded the Royal Photographic Society's prestigious Lumiere medal for contributions to the art of cinematography. His credits as a cinematographer include Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center, starring Nicolas Cage, The Hours, directed by Stephen Daldry, starring Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore, for which he earned the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Technical/Artistic Achievement; the action-adventure film Sahara, starring Matthew McConaughey and Penélope Cruz, for which he won the Irish Film and Television Award for Best Cinematography; Along Came Polly, starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston; High Fidelity, directed by Stephen Frears, starring John Cusack; Wit, starring Emma Thompson, directed by Mike Nichols; Enigma, directed by Michael Apted; The War Zone; Butterfly Kiss; The Winter Guest; The Actors; A Map of the World; Charlotte's Web...

Atonement, for which he has received an Academy Award nomination (2008), a BAFTA nomination (2008) and the Technical Achievement award in the Evening Standard British Film Awards for 2007 and won the 2008 Irish Film and Television Award for Best Cinematography; A 2007 television advert for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle campaign; and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency directed by Anthony Minghella. In 2008 he shot The Soloist for director Joe Wright in Los Angeles. He shot "Nowhere Boy" for director Sam Taylor-Wood and reunited with director Joe Wright for the short film Cut. He shot the acclaimed Lynne Ramsay's We Need to Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton, in New York and Connecticut for which he won the 2012 Irish Film and Television Award for Best Cinematography. He shot The Avengers for director Joss Whedon which is the third biggest grossing movie of all time. He recently shot Anna Karenina for Joe Wright.

...And Pfister thinks McGarvey's highest grossing work is appalling and illogical. Right. Personally I think Pfister should take a long dark stare into a mirror before saying things like this - then again, that mirror may remind him of 3D camera rigs.

All this flying in the face of die-hard Marvel fans and the millions upon millions who paid to see THE AVENGERS in the theater. We all loved an appalling movie it seems. Illogical. Think about Marvel and Disney who have to put up with his comments just as their AVENGERS discs have gone on sale in advance of the upcoming holidays. Warner Bros. should step in here and settle this man down. Poor taste, Mr. Pfister. Very poor taste.

Sources: Sarasota Herald Tribune | Box Office Mojo | Wikipedia
 

Joss Whedon Is In! Marvel Locks Up Sought After Director For THE AVENGERS 2!!

It's official folks so it's time to take a collective sigh of relief. Joss Whedon, the helm of the $1.5 BILLION juggernaut known as THE AVENGERS has signed on to direct THE AVENGERS 2 for Marvel.

Says Disney: "Joss Whedon has signed an exclusive deal with Marvel Studios for film and television through the end of June 2015. As part of that deal, Whedon will write and direct Marvel's The Avengers 2 as well as help develop a new live action series for Marvel Television at ABC. He will also contribute creatively to the next phase of Marvel's cinematic universe."

There's talk of THE AVENGERS 2 getting a release in the already very exciting year of 2015 (AVATAR 2, PROMETHEUS 2 may be lining up too) so be prepared for that possible eventuality.

More info when we get it!

via Variety

Marvel Update: New Logos For Franchise Sequels And The Trailer For The 10 Disc AVENGERS ASSEMBLED Blu-ray Set

Click to enlarge

As if we really needed further validation after Marvel's THE AVENGERS moved into third position on the all time worldwide box office, but here it is: The movie has now claimed third spot on the domestic North American market as well.

Here are the accumulated stats as of June 27, 2012:

Domestic Box Office: $601,215,735
Foreign Box Office: $837,900,000
Worldwide Total: $1,439,115,735 

Approaching one and a half BILLION dollars. I think we all knew that the ensemble movie had the capability of being a huge success, but #3 all time is a HUGE leap to make. I remember claiming when the movie was in production that THE AVENGERS had a legitimate chance of catching and passing THE DARK KNIGHT as the top superhero movie of all time, but wow. Almost $1.5b.

And Marvel is not resting on it's laurels either. Onward and upward. We've got their official branding ready (top photo) for their upcoming sequels in the Marvel universe, though I would wager that the titles may be augmented somewhat from simple numbers. The shots are from Ciné 2012.

To Cap (pun intended) it all off, Marvel has unveiled their new AVENGERS ASSEMBLED 10 disc blu-ray set that we spoke of before. You can order it from the official website at $189.99 or you can order from Amazon for an even lower $152.99.

Here's what's included:
• Marvel’s The Avengers (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray) 
• Captain America: The First Avenger (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray) 
• Thor (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray) 
• Iron Man 2 (Blu-ray) 
• The Incredible Hulk (Blu-ray) 
• Iron Man (Blu-ray) 
• Bonus Disc - “The Phase One Archives” (Blu-ray) 
• Collectible packaging with exclusive memorabilia from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Check out the trailer!

 

Happy Marvel endings to you all... Bring on IRON MAN 3!

Sources: Logos via BadTaste | Trailer via Marvel

DC Comics Ready A "Dark And Mature" JUSTICE LEAGUE To Counter Marvel's THE AVENGERS

I don't know why DC Comics has denied having JUSTICE LEAGUE in development for so long. It doesn't make sense really. You WANT to build excitement for what should be one of the culminating comic book adaptations of all time - right up there with Marvel's THE AVENGERS, now the #3 movie of ALL TIME.

If you step back and envision an intelligent, dark and mature JUSTICE LEAGUE along the lines of THE DARK KNIGHT, and then throw in Batman (Bruce Wayne) of course, Superman (Kal-El / Clark Kent), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Flash (Barry Allen), Wonder Woman (Diana Prince), Aquaman (Orin / Arthur Curry) and Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz / John Jones) you could see how darn appealing it would be (original members listed here).

Now throw in Mark Millar's grapevine comments on the subject (he's a comic book writer - KICK-ASS, WANTED and ULTIMATE AVENGERS and a filmmaker) from his own website MillarWorld:

"A pal of mine is good friends with the new Justice League screenwriter and said his take on the team is incredible. Very real-world and not at all what you might expect. WB has a chequered history with their superhero characters. They're great with their boy wizards, but less consistent with their DC stable. But my chum said that this could be a thing of beauty and has been in the works for a little while now, not just an avengers knock-off. Best of luck to them. The tidbits I heard sound quite dark and mature, which isn't what I expected. But word on Gangster Squad is great too so I feel this is in really good hands." http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/170953-warner-bros-makes-justice-league-plans

MM

PS Thanks for the sell-out on Supercrooks #3. 2nd printing on the way."

Voila. Dark and mature. That's music to my ears that Warner Bros. is stepping up to this thing in a big way. They had better. Marvel has been kicking. Their. Butts. And it won't be an AVENGERS knock off - very important. 

I am very concerned that the other major characters of the Justice League have not been rebooted in some fashion like Marvel has done very well for Cap and Thor. Where the heck is FLASH? He is such an iconic character and nothing! And if Marvel can effectively bring a theatrical Captain America front and center, then you would think that DC could overcome the memories of the TV version and reboot Wonder Woman. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the TV version when I was a kid, but it begs to be modernized. 

Nothing has been said about JUSTICE LEAGUE being a 3D movie but with the success of THE AVENGERS you KNOW it will be. In fact, they could further differentiate themselves from Marvel's sometimes comedic 3D conversion but not only having their ensemble movie dark and mature, but shoot it in native 3D as well. Hmmmm. Interesting.

You know what I really want? And I know it's pie in the sky, but imagine a Marvel vs. DC universe movie. THE AVENGERS VS. JUSTICE LEAGUE. With today's visual effects it's more than possible but it would be an intellectual property rights battle to share the spoils of that behemoth of a movie. But oh - it would be Hollywood at it's best would it not?

via CBM

Rumor Confirmed! 10 Disc AVENGERS ASSEMBLED Blu-ray Collectors Set Being Prepped!

Remember that rumor about a 10 disc blu-ray collection for THE AVENGERS that was being bounced around a couple of weeks ago? DONE DEAL.

According to Amazon, the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled (10-Disc Limited Edition Six-Movie Collector's Set) will have the most recent 6 movies from Marvel and 3 of those movies will also have the 3D discs for those of you with 3D TVs at home. Namely, THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and THE AVENGERS.

Here's what's included in the limited edition collection:


• Marvel’s The Avengers (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
• Thor (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
• Iron Man 2 (Blu-ray)
• The Incredible Hulk (Blu-ray)
• Iron Man (Blu-ray)
• Bonus Disc - “The Phase One Archives” (Blu-ray)
• Collectible packaging with exclusive memorabilia from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The AVENGERS ASSEMBLED 10 disc set does not have pricing yet, but I will let you know when that drops on July 15.

via /Film

Marvel's THE AVENGERS: May 4, 2012!! Mark Ruffalo Is THE HULK!

YES! This is the news we have been waiting for (other than official confirmation that THE AVENGERS will be shot in native 3D)! Today at Comic-Con, director Joss Whedon walked on stage at the tail end of the CAPTAIN AMERICA and THOR panel with the entire top line cast for THE AVENGERS armed with a release date - May 4, 2012!!

Who are THE AVENGERS? Robert Downey Jr. as IRON MAN, Mark Ruffalo as THE HULK, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Chris Evans as CAPTAIN AMERICA, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as THOR, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye and Clark Gregg as Coulson.

I don't have to say that this movie has the potential to be the all time greatest comic adaption. Better than SPIDER-MAN (my personal fav). Better than BATMAN (Ok, maybe not TDK!). Better than SUPERMAN. What a cast!

I have a few requests for Marvel and I would like to hear yours too! First, native 3D. Second, I want to see the Hulkbuster Iron Man armor. Third, make the darn thing LEGENDARY. How about you?

Photo courtesy of FirstShowing