Location:The call is coming from inside the house!!!!
Interests:Interesting.
Posted 27 March 2025 - 01:23 PM
You've probably seen it by now but they added almost everyone who's played an XMen character, minus Reynolds and Jackman.
MacKellen, Stewart, Marsden, Romjin, Cmming, Channing... all there
ETA found it, courtesy of Dark Horizons, bad formatting mine....
Quote
Here's the complete list:
AVENGERS
Chris Hemsworth's ThorAnthony Mackie's Sam Wilson/Captain AmericaLetitia Wright's Shuri/Black PantherPaul Rudd's Scott Lang/Ant-ManSimu Liu's Shang-ChiMCU CharactersWinston Duke's M'BakuTenoch Huerta's NamorDanny Ramirez's Joaquin Torres/FalconTom Hiddleston's LokiNon-MCU CharactersRobert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom
THUNDERBOLTS
Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes/Winter SoldierWyatt Russell's U.S. Agent/John WalkerFlorence Pugh's Yelena BelovaLewis Pullman's Bob/SentryDavid Harbour's Alexei Shostakov / Red GuardianHannah John-Kamen's Ava Starr/Ghost
FANTASTIC FOUR
Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards/Mr. FantasticVanessa Kirby's Invisible Woman/Sue StormEbon Moss-Bachrach's The Thing/Ben GrimmJoseph Quinn's Johnny Storm/Human Torch
X-MEN
Patrick Stewart's Charles XavierIan McKellen's MagnetoJames Marsden's CyclopsAlan Cumming's NightcrawlerRebecca Romijn's MystiqueKelsey Grammer's Dr. Hank McCoy/BeastChanning Tatum's Gambit
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A 'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
THUNDERBOLTS was really really good. Doesn't follow the Marvel formula really, and that was refreshing. Once again Lewis Pullman is the MVP of the thing he was in (I have loved him in everything I've seen him in, he was exquisite in this), but everyone else comes together really well, and on that front David Harbour's Red Guardian being the glue that makes every scene he's in hold together was awesome. Pugh was a great lead with a lot of deadpan delivery.
But really what this movie is....is about mental health. I was NOT expecting a an MCU movie (not directed by Gunn anyways) to be about mental health at this level. I got emotional multiple times in the story from recognizing aspects of what was being told. The denouement was tear-inducing as well.
I think this is a good sign that people behind the scenes are trying to step out from behind the MCU Formula of old.
spoilers for the rest
Spoiler
Yelena being super broken, and not really able to find purpose, only to be led to it by her dad who was so enthusiastically clinging to the things he KNEW would give not just him purpose but others, was note perfect...and for Yelena to expand that after their talk in the street where she breaks down and he's like "I'm here now, I'm sorry I was broken too, we have a fucked up life...but I'm here now" to realizing that she could help Bob/Sentry in the same fashion, by showing him that with the help of people who actually genuinely care about him around him, he can manage his depression and darkness....chefs kiss. Add in that some of her deeper trauma is from the girl she could not save in the woods...mitigating that by finally being able to save someone from a similar darkness. Perfect. I would also say that Sentry (who they have always had a tough time dealing with in the comics because of his power level) having Yelena to "talk him down" when it goes dark mirrors what her sister did as the first Black Widow with Hulk. It allows Bob to be a similar "bring him out when we need him, but otherwise make sure he doesn't let the depression get to him too deeply" stuff.
I'm also interested in the New Avengers moniker, and I feel like we will get a West Coast Avengers/East Coast Avengers split with Sam's team being in the mix, but Bucky/Yelena's team being in the old Avengers Tower.
Two best scenes in the movie that weren't about emotions or mental health were:
Bucky's arrival to save them on the road with his Terminator 2 motorcycle homage, which was dope as fuck...followed by John Walker cheering that Bucky took out the jeeps chasing them with exploding sticky mines from his launcher, only to have that cheer drop into "Yeahhhhhhhohhhhhhhshit" when Bucky lands one on the limo and explodey-flips it. Amazing comedic moment.
All in all, the best MCU content since LOKI S2 and GOTG3 for me.
This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 12 May 2025 - 01:58 PM
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
THUNDERBOLTS was really really good. Doesn't follow the Marvel formula really, and that was refreshing. Once again Lewis Pullman is the MVP of the thing he was in (I have loved him in everything I've seen him in, he was exquisite in this), but everyone else comes together really well, and on that front David Harbour's Red Guardian being the glue that makes every scene he's in hold together was awesome. Pugh was a great lead with a lot of deadpan delivery.
But really what this movie is....is about mental health. I was NOT expecting a an MCU movie (not directed by Gunn anyways) to be about mental health at this level. I got emotional multiple times in the story from recognizing aspects of what was being told. The denouement was tear-inducing as well.
I think this is a good sign that people behind the scenes are trying to step out from behind the MCU Formula of old.
spoilers for the rest
Spoiler
Yelena being super broken, and not really able to find purpose, only to be led to it by her dad who was so enthusiastically clinging to the things he KNEW would give not just him purpose but others, was note perfect...and for Yelena to expand that after their talk in the street where she breaks down and he's like "I'm here now, I'm sorry I was broken too, we have a fucked up life...but I'm here now" to realizing that she could help Bob/Sentry in the same fashion, by showing him that with the help of people who actually genuinely care about him around him, he can manage his depression and darkness....chefs kiss. Add in that some of her deeper trauma is from the girl she could not save in the woods...mitigating that by finally being able to save someone from a similar darkness. Perfect. I would also say that Sentry (who they have always had a tough time dealing with in the comics because of his power level) having Yelena to "talk him down" when it goes dark mirrors what her sister did as the first Black Widow with Hulk. It allows Bob to be a similar "bring him out when we need him, but otherwise make sure he doesn't let the depression get to him too deeply" stuff.
I'm also interested in the New Avengers moniker, and I feel like we will get a West Coast Avengers/East Coast Avengers split with Sam's team being in the mix, but Bucky/Yelena's team being in the old Avengers Tower.
Two best scenes in the movie that weren't about emotions or mental health were:
Bucky's arrival to save them on the road with his Terminator 2 motorcycle homage, which was dope as fuck...followed by John Walker cheering that Bucky took out the jeeps chasing them with exploding sticky mines from his launcher, only to have that cheer drop into "Yeahhhhhhhohhhhhhhshit" when Bucky lands one on the limo and explodey-flips it. Amazing comedic moment.
All in all, the best MCU content since LOKI S2 and GOTG3 for me.
100% on all points. The kids and I really enjoyed it.
I've always been crazy but its kept me from going insane.
Location:The call is coming from inside the house!!!!
Interests:Interesting.
Posted 29 July 2025 - 03:36 PM
FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS
Loved it. Absolutely loved it.
Nailed the esthetic, the characters, the fx, the story, all of it. Totally worth paying to see on a big screen.
Notes....
Spoiler
Sue... they absolutely NAILED Sue Storm. The power, the spirit, the competence. She stopped fucking GALACTUS in his tracks and the audience in the theater were losing their minds in the bestest way possible. Reed was perfect, they even captured an effective version of his darker elements. Nitpick we could have done a little more of the stretchy, but fx budgets are what they are and they worked well w what they had. Sue and Reed played off each other brilliantly. They are going into space, to face a planet-eater, and skip over the entirely obvious and irritating 'i want you to stay behind where it's safe' thing in favour of 'i'm in awe of you, no woman has ever done this before'... the scriptwriters just nailed beat after beat w this film. Johnny... great take on the character, kept elements of the playboy/slacker/wilddhild but downplayed them against competence and humour and will to win many comics writers haven't done as well... when Galactus hurts Sue on the spaceship, Johnny is right there hitting the big guy, and smartly goes after his equipment and hurts him, when he finds a way to reach the Surfer it totally works, and at the end "tell Franklin Uncle Johnny loved him" it's absolutely sold. Great performance by the actor, great choices by the director and script. And Ben... my minor nitpick is that the character looked more like he was rolled in cornflakes than rocks, but i got over it because he was otherwise excellent. Smart, huge heart, many great little moments like Reed calling him to deliver the baby... and i laughed at the running 'clobbering time' gag. The beard was probably the one and only bad idea in the movie. Silver Surfer/Shalla Bal, i have no complaints, the choice to go w the female version made sense when the twist w Galactus being after Franklin became clear. Galactus... very nicely done blend of the 'cosmic force beyond comprehension' and 'really big bad guy' elements. H.E.R.B.I.E. .... oh fuckit, it's Herbie, on screen, great fun.
So yeah, loved it. If this is what Marvel is doing more of going fwd, sign me up.
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A 'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
Nailed the esthetic, the characters, the fx, the story, all of it. Totally worth paying to see on a big screen.
Notes....
Spoiler
Sue... they absolutely NAILED Sue Storm. The power, the spirit, the competence. She stopped fucking GALACTUS in his tracks and the audience in the theater were losing their minds in the bestest way possible. Reed was perfect, they even captured an effective version of his darker elements. Nitpick we could have done a little more of the stretchy, but fx budgets are what they are and they worked well w what they had. Sue and Reed played off each other brilliantly. They are going into space, to face a planet-eater, and skip over the entirely obvious and irritating 'i want you to stay behind where it's safe' thing in favour of 'i'm in awe of you, no woman has ever done this before'... the scriptwriters just nailed beat after beat w this film. Johnny... great take on the character, kept elements of the playboy/slacker/wilddhild but downplayed them against competence and humour and will to win many comics writers haven't done as well... when Galactus hurts Sue on the spaceship, Johnny is right there hitting the big guy, and smartly goes after his equipment and hurts him, when he finds a way to reach the Surfer it totally works, and at the end "tell Franklin Uncle Johnny loved him" it's absolutely sold. Great performance by the actor, great choices by the director and script. And Ben... my minor nitpick is that the character looked more like he was rolled in cornflakes than rocks, but i got over it because he was otherwise excellent. Smart, huge heart, many great little moments like Reed calling him to deliver the baby... and i laughed at the running 'clobbering time' gag. The beard was probably the one and only bad idea in the movie. Silver Surfer/Shalla Bal, i have no complaints, the choice to go w the female version made sense when the twist w Galactus being after Franklin became clear. Galactus... very nicely done blend of the 'cosmic force beyond comprehension' and 'really big bad guy' elements. H.E.R.B.I.E. .... oh fuckit, it's Herbie, on screen, great fun.
So yeah, loved it. If this is what Marvel is doing more of going fwd, sign me up.
I liked it. Didn't love it. I liked parts of it (anything with Galactus or the Surfer), but found other parts boring and predictable. The retro-futuristic 60's vibe was fine and they didn't really lean into it....which was weird, and there was some incongruous modern stuff mingled in there that felt out of place for the 60's...even the 60's on another universes earth.
All the action sequences were excellent and we a highlight, but the quieter scenes suffered from the script being a bit ho hum. Maybe it's coming off the back of THUNDERBOLTS and SUPERMAN both of which leaned all the way into mental states, what it means to be human, and how emotions and mental health affect everyone....Reed and Sue felt like they were phoning that emotional part in....which is not a slouch on either actor, both are splendid on their own in this...and Johnny spends the first like hour looking and sounding a bit standoffish...which was odd for Johnny Storm who should have more swagger and verve....but after he meets Shalla Bal he gets that mojo and keeps it.
Abyss, on 29 July 2025 - 03:36 PM, said:
Spoiler
Sue... they absolutely NAILED Sue Storm. The power, the spirit, the competence. She stopped fucking GALACTUS in his tracks and the audience in the theater were losing their minds in the bestest way possible.
One of my fave bits actually. Sue storm so rarely has had a chance to show how strong she is in any of the previous films, so that was awesome.
Abyss, on 29 July 2025 - 03:36 PM, said:
Spoiler
Reed was perfect, they even captured an effective version of his darker elements. Nitpick we could have done a little more of the stretchy, but fx budgets are what they are and they worked well w what they had.
Spoiler
Actually one of my complaints is that there's simply not enough power use here...in a later film you can play about with human scenes and FF actions scenes...but for the intro into the MCU film, it felt lacking in that department. Which sucks cause the scenes they did do were awesome. The escape from Galactus Ship being a highlight....minus the hokey birth happening while Thing slinghostted them around the sun bit...
Abyss, on 29 July 2025 - 03:36 PM, said:
Spoiler
Johnny... and at the end "tell Franklin Uncle Johnny loved him" it's absolutely sold.
Spoiler
My fave moment in the whole movie actually. It's also telegraphing (along with the Future Foundation) Johnny's eventual Hickman sacrifice into the negative zone in a later film where Reed's doors are mastered...but still a wonderful moment and sold his version of Johnny to me.
Spoiler
So the one thing that stands out of to most here is that whether we want it to or not...FIRST STEPS is pretty much the exact same plot and character progression as FF: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER....down to a Sue fakeout death, and a sacrifice by the Silver Surfer against Galactus...just removing Galatcus and Doom wanting Franklin plot beat....every other plot beat is largely the same. YMMV on that, but I likes RISE so it's fine.
I will say this, aside from Johnny's almost sacrifice...I felt nothing emotionally in the film...compared to THUNDERBOLTS where I felt like every single emotional beat, scene, and moment felt intensely earned...like Reed cradling Sue....should hit me like tonne of bricks....but nada. I can't understand it, their connection didn't get to me at all.
Buried in here is a film I would have loved....but it's mired down by the more boring or predictable parts...I wish I could say otherwise, but THUNDERBOLTS is the superior Marvel film this year, and SUPERMAN is the superior Superhero movie in general this year...but leaps and bounds. I saw SUPERMAN a second time and wept again at the ending.
Anyways, liked it, didn't love it.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
I watched Moon Knight. It was pretty entertaining. It turned DARK in episode 5! I hope they build on it because the Egyptian mythology and the Oscar Isaac and the potential for
Spoiler
further alter egos
all make for engrossing lore and storytelling. But I've not heard anything of renewal and it's 3 years on so I'm doubtful...
Anyway jolly good stuff imo
A Haunting Poem
I Scream
You Scream
We all Scream
For I Scream.
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