Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama 2023 - Update #60

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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NEWS:

KANG - From THR:  Marvel Studios has dropped actor Jonathan Majors from its roster of stars after the actor was convicted by a New York City jury of reckless assault in the third degree and also of harassment.  Majors had played "Kang the Conqueror" in two seasons of the Disney+ series, "Loki," and in the movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

BLACK PANTHER - From ComicBook:  Disney+ has announced a new animated series, "Eyes of Wakanda," set in the world of his film, Black Panther.  It is scheduled to debut sometime in 2024.

THOR - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Taika Waititi said that he had not interest in directing "Thor: Ragnarok," but did so because he was poor and had a second child to feed.

AVENGERS - From Deadline:  According to the site, Michael Waldron, who created the Disney+ "Loki" series and served as its showrunner for Season 1, has been tapped to write the upcoming film, "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty." Waldron is already penning the sequel, '"Avengers: Secret Wars."

FANTASTIC FOUR - From Deadline:  Word is that actor Pedro Pascal will portray Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in Marvel Studios' planned "Fantastic Four" film.

AVENGERS - From Deadline:  Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director, Destin Daniel Cretton, is stepping away from the directors chair of "Avengers: The Kang Chronicles."  He will continue to oversee the Disney+/Marvel Studios series, "Wonder Man," and will also continue to develop a "Shang-Chi" sequel.

THOR 5 - From Variety:  If there is really going to be a "Thor 5," Taika Waititi, who directed the previous two "Thor" films (Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder), says that he won't be the film's director. He says he is working on other non-Marvel films and is still developing his "Star Wars" films.

THE MARVELS - From BoxOfficePro:  "The Marvels" tops the 11/10 to 11/12/2023 weekend box office.

From Here:  A review of "The Marvels" by Leroy Douresseaux.

RELEASE DATES - From Deadline:  Disney is changing the release dates for Marvel Studios films again.  "Deadpool 3" moves to July 26, 2024.  "Captain America: Brave New World" moves to February 14, 2025.  "Blade" is not scheduled for November 7, 2025.

BLADE - From Deadline:  In an interview about his short film, "Dammi," director Yann Demange says that his Marvel Studios' film, "Blade" (starring Mahershala Ali) will be rated "R."

OBIT - From Variety:  Movie stuntman, Taraja Ramsess, has died at the age of 41, Tuesday, October 31, 2023.  Ramsess and two of his daughters were killed in a car crash on Halloween night.  Among his 94 screen credits was stunt work on Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Panther.

FRANCHISE - From Variety:  Crisis at Marvel Studios? Inside the Jonathan Majors/"Kang" scandal and other things exciting the gossipy press.

DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN - From THR:  Screenwriter Dario Scardapane will be the showrunner for Disney+.Marvel Studios' "Daredevil: Born Again."  Scardapane will write the remainder of the episodes that will comprise Season One of the series, as well as commit any other writing.  "Loki" Season 2 helmers, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead, will direct the remaining episodes.

From THR:  Marvel Studios is "retooling" its Disney+ series, "Daredevil: Born Again."  It is looking for new directors and writers after firing the current staff.

X-MEN - From Deadline:  In an exclusive story, "Deadline" is reporting that Marvel Studios will start meeting with writers later this Fall 2023 to hear pitches for the X-Men movie.

DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN - From Variety:  Steven DeKnight, the showrunner for the first season of Netflix/Marvel's "Daredevil" says that Disney is running a scam by renaming the series "Daredevil: Born Again."  The scam is that Disney is slightly renaming the series to set contract terms back to the first season." Read to hear his explanation and complaints.

DISNEY+ - From Variety:  Disney+ has shifted the release dates of some of its upcoming series due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.  Season 2 of "What If?..." has been delayed.  "Echo" and the animated "X-Men '97" have been moved from Nov. 29th to Jan. 2024.  The "WandaVision" spinoff, "Agatha," has been moved over year away to Fall 2024.

LABOR - From Variety:  A super-majority of Marvel Studios' more than 50-worker visual effects (VFX) crew has voted to unionize, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) announced on Mon., Aug. 7th.

IRON MAN - From CBR:   In an interview, "Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan calls the casting of Robert Downey, Jr. (who stars in "Oppenheimer") one of the greatest casting decisions ever made.

THE MARVELS - From EW:  Marvel Studios' upcoming film, "The Marvels," is the "cover feature" at EW ("Entertainment Weekly), feature an exclusive behind-the-scenes look and new images from the film.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - From Deadline:  "Guardians of the Galaxy 3" will make its Disney+ debut on August 2nd, 2023.

MS MARVEL - From CBR:  The Disney+/Marvel Studios series, "Ms. Marvel," will be the first Marvel Studios series to make it to broadcast television.  The series will debut on ABC, Saturday, August 5th, 2023 with three episodes, and the remaining three will debut the following week, Sat. August 12th.

DEADPOOL - From THR:  The site is reporting that Jennifer Garner will once again play the role of anti-hero and Marvel Comics assassin, "Elektra," in the upcoming Marvel Studios' film, "Deadpool 3."  Garner originally played the role in 20th Century Fox's "Daredevil" (2003) and "Elektra" (2005).

SECRET INVASION - From Polygon:  The opening credits scenes for the new Marvel Studios' Disney+ series, "Secret Invasion," used art generated by an artificial intelligence.  Yes, AI art is here to stay, but Marvel's move has generated some ill will.

HULK - From Deadline:  The rights issues have cleared.  The second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), 2008's "The Incredible Hulk," is now streaming on Disney+.

CAPTAIN AMERICA 4 - From Variety:  "Captain America: New World Order" is now "Captain America: Brave New World."  Plus, the film has dropped a first-look photo of Harrison Ford and Anthony Mackie ("Captain America") sharing a laugh on the set of the film.

THOR - From Deadline:  Irish actor Ray Stevenson, has died at the age of 58, May 22, 2023.  He played the character "Volstagg," in Marvel Studios' "Thor" (2011), "Thor: The Dark World" (2013), and "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017).  He also played "Frank Castle/The Punisher" in Lionsgate's 2008 Marvel Comics' film, "Punisher: War Zone."

DEADPOOL 3 - From Deadline:  Actresses Brianna Hildebrand will return as the character "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" and Shioli Kutsuna will return as Negasonic's girlfriend, Yukio, in Marvel Studios' "Deadpool 3."

LOKI - From Deadline:  Marvel Studios' Disney+ series, Loki Season 2, will arrive October 6th.  New episodes will arrive weekly.

ECHO - From Deadline:  Every episode of Marvel Studios' Disney+ series, "Echo," will drop on November 29th.  The series focuses on "Maya Lopez," a deaf Native American superhero.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - From Variety:  "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3" opens with a domestic box office gross estimated at 114 million dollars.  It added 168 million dollars in 52 international markets for an estimated worldwide total of 282 million dollars.

From GamesRadar:  Vin Diesel breaks his silence on his character, Groot's final line in the film. The reason why we (the audience) and new Gamorra could understand that line is that after spending so much time alongside Groot, we can understand him.

From THR:  This is an article about, among other things, how Chris Pratt and his "Guardians of the Galaxy" rescued their director James Gunn after his (unjust) firing by Disney.

From Deadline:  "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" does 14 million dollars in Thursday night's preview shows.

From The AVClub:  What does "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" mean for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

DAREDEVIL - From CBR:  Actor Vincent D'Onofrio says that the Disney+/Marvel Studios series, "Daredevil: Born Again," will not be like Netflix's "Daredevil" series.  He says that all he can say is "we are not bored."

VICTORIA ALONSO - From Deadline:  Disney has settled with former Marvel Studios VFX chief Victoria Alonso after abruptly firing her in March.  The terms are confidential, but the settlement is said to be a multimillion dollar compensation package.

JEREMY RENNER - From People:  Actor Jeremy Renner said that during his recovery from serious injuries he sustained due to a Jan 1st snowplow accident, fellow actor Anthony Mackie was at his bedside.  Renner and Mackie both starred in the Oscar-winning "The Hurt Locker" (2009) and both are among the Marvel Cinematic Universes biggest stars.

ANT-MAN - From Forbes:  Disney reveals that its spent 193.2 million dollars on pre-production and filming of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."

CAPTAIN AMERICA - From THR:  Liv Tyler, who played "Betty Ross" in Universal Pictures and Marvel Studios' "The Incredible Hulk" (2008), will return as the character in "Captain America: New World Order." Anthony Mackie will headline the film as Sam Wilson/Captain America.

From TheAVClub: Actor Carl Lumbly, who played the super-soldier, "Isaiah Bradley" in the Disney+ series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" will reprise the role in "Captain America 4," which is currently titled "Captain America: New World Order."

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - From Deadline:  Director James Gunn talks about the runtime of "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3" (about two and a half hours) and says that not a second of the film is wasted.

EXECUTIVE SUITE - From THR:  Victoria Alonso, the president of physical and postproduction, visual effects and animation production at Marvel Studios, has reportedly left the company.

IRONHEART - From GameRant:  Iconic voice performer, Cree Summer, who has performed voice roles in numerous animated films and television series, has joined the Disney+/Marvel Studios' series, "Ironheart," in an undisclosed role.

WOLVERINE - From Variety:  Hugh Jackman is bulking up to play "Wolverine" again, this time, in the upcoming "Deadpool 3."  He is eating 8000 calories a day.

DAREDEVIL - From THR:  Actor John Bernthal will return to play Frank Castle/The Punisher in Disney+/Marvel Studios' "Daredevil: Born Again."  Bernthal played the character in Season 2 of Marvel/Netflix's "Daredevil" and in his own series, "The Punisher," for two seasons (2017-19).

WAKANDA FOREVER - From Deadline:  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" topped the U.S. streaming charts the week of its debut, 1/30 to 2/5/2023, with 2.3 billion viewing minutes.  That is also the third highest debut ever, behind Netflix "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" and Disney+'s "Hocus Pocus 2."

ANT-MAN/WASP - From Variety:  Actor Jonathan Majors, who played "Kang," and screenwriter Jeff Loveness confront the bad reviews that "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" in different ways.

From Deadline:  "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" star Evangeline Lilly says she once turned down Hugh Jackman's request that she appear in an "X-Men" film."

THE MARVELS - From THR:  "The Marvels" release date has been moved July 28th to Nov. 10th.  Disney's "Haunted Mansion" will take the July 28th release date.

KEVIN FEIGE - From EW:  Marvel Studios boss, Kevin Feige, gives a wide-ranging interview to "Entertainment Weekly" about Marvel's movies, including discussions on Phase 5, "Kang," and the future of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

OSCARS - From Marvel:  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" has received 5 nominations at the 2023 / 95th Academy Awards.  The nominations came in the following categories: "Best Supporting Actress," "Best Costume Design," "Best Original Song," "Best Visual Effects," and "Best Makeup and Hairstyling."  The winners will be announced Sunday, March 12, 2023.

DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN - From Deadline:  Nikki M. James has joined the cast of the Disney+/Marvel Studios series, "Daredevil: Born Again."  Her role is unknown.

ANGELA BASSETT - From Variety:  “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star Angela Bassett made superhero cinema history on Tuesday as the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Marvel Studios actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for their performance in a comic book adaptation. 

From Variety:  With her "Best Supporting Actress" win for her performance in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (as "Queen Ramonda") at the 80th Golden Globes, Angela Bassett becomes the first actor in a Marvel Studios film to win a major acting award.  She was part of the cast that won "Best Ensemble" for "Black Panther" at the 2019 SAG Awards.

AGATHA - From Deadline:  Kathryn Hahn, the star of the Disney+ "WandaVision" spinoff, "Agatha: Coven of Chaos," hints that there may a song or two in the new series.  The series is apparently due this year.

BLACK PANTHER - From Deadline:  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is among the ten nominees in the category of "Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures" at the 2023 / 34th Annual Producers Guild of America Awards.  Winners will be announced Sat., Feb. 25th, 2023.

DON CHEADLE - From Variety:  Oscar-nominated actor, Don Cheadle, says in an interview that Marvel Studios gave him two hours to decide if he wanted to join "Iron Man 2" and sign a six-movie contract with them.  Cheadle would go on to play James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine in six films.

WAKANDA FOREVER - From THR:  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" cinematographer, Durald Arkapaw, reflects on “one of the most beautiful endings”

TEASERS & TRAILERS:

From Deadline:  This is second trailer for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," which made it debut during Super Bowl LVII (Feb. 12th).  The film debuts May 5th, 2023.

From YouTube:  This is the second trailer for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," which was released Jan. 9th.  The film is due in theaters February 17, 2023.

From YouTube: This is the first trailer for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," which is due in theaters February 17, 2023.

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MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Review: Iron Man (2008)

Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Review: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Review: Thor (2011)

Review:  Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Review:  Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Review: Iron Man 3 (2013)

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Review:  Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Review: Ant-Man (2015)

Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Review:  Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Review:  Black Panther (2018)

Review:  Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Review:  Captain Marvel (2019)

Review: Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Review:  Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Review: Black Widow (2021)

Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Review: Eternals (2021)

Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Review: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)

Review: The Marvels (2023)

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Click here for the 2022 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2021 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2020 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2019 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2018 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

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Review: "THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER" is Full of Love and Thunder

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 42 of 2022 (No. 1854) by Leroy Douresseaux

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material and partial nudity
DIRECTOR:  Taika Waititi
WRITERS: Taiki Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson; from a story by Taika Waititi (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Barry Idoine (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Peter S. Elliot, Tim Roche, Matthew Schmidt, and Jennifer Vecchiarello
COMPOSERS:  Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi (voice) Jaimie Alexander, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel (voice), Bradley Cooper (voice), Kieron L. Dyer, Idris Elba, Brett Goldstein, and Russell Crowe and Natalie Portman

Thor: Love and Thunder is a 2022 superhero fantasy and action-comedy directed by Taika Waititi and produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.  It is the fourth film in Marvel's Thor film series, which began with Thor (2011).  Thor is a Marvel Comics character that first appeared in the comic book, Journey into Mystery #83 (cover dated: August 1962), and is based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name.  In Love and Thunder, Thor reunites with his ex-girlfriend to fight a being who plans to make the gods extinct.

Thor: Love and Thunder finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth), using his second enchanted hammer, “Stormbreaker,” is fighting the bad guys of the galaxy with the Guardians of the Galaxy:  Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), and Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper).  Thor is at a crossroads in his life and is unsure of what to do next.

Back on Earth, Thor's ex-girlfriend, the astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), is battling stage four cancer.  Seeking medical treatment, Jane travels to New Asgard.  There, she has a strange encounter with Thor's broken hammer, Mjolnir.

Meanwhile, Thor has answered a distress signal from one of Asgard's warriors, Sif (Jaimie Alexander).  She warns him of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a being who possesses the god-killing weapon, “the Necrosword.”  When Gorr attacks New Asgard, Thor returns to join the battle.  Much to his shock, he discovers that Mjolnir has reforged and bonded with Jane Foster, transforming her into another Thor.

Now, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), King of Asgard, and Korg (voice of Taika Waititi), the rocky Kronan warrior, join Thor and Thor on a journey to fight Gorr.  But are they enough to fight a being that has already killed many gods?

The last year's worth of Marvel Studios films, five including Thor: Love and Thunder, have been different, even offbeat, much to the chagrin of some critics and fans.  People complained that Marvel's films were too much alike, and now that the studio has given us five films that are quite different from the first 11 years of films, they still aren't happy.

Anyway, I want to make it clear that there is plenty of “thunder” in Thor: Love and Thunder.  Director Taika Waititi offers some action set pieces that are either unusual or have an unusual angle to them.  As Gorr, Christian Bale gives a multi-layered performance full of pathos, humor, and maniacal glee.  It is a seemingly effortless performance from one of the best actors of the last quarter-century.  So, this superhero movie has a great villain, one who can match both Thors and is genuinely vengeful, a vengeance grounded in love.

Still, Waititi wants Thor to be something really different.  The films trades in themes of love, death, and change.  Thor Odinson and Jane Foster-Thor are both in crisis.  The Odinson is having a sort of mid-life crisis.  If he is no longer the rascally young heir to the throne of Asgard or the Avenger's lightning, thunder, and muscle, then, what is he?  Jane Foster is facing an existential crisis; her cancer is really terminal.  Should she quietly accept her fate or should she go out with a bang and some thunder as Thor, fighting their enemy to death, if need be?

Thor: Love and Thunder is a perfect film for this time.  It chooses love over despair.  It is a post-breakup movie in which Thor and Jane Foster find their way back to one another.  Although death is an end, it can also mean change, and that is what can be in store for Thor and Thor and for King Valkyrie, Korg, and a few other characters.

I love what director Taika Waititi has created in his two Thor films, this and the earlier Thor: Ragnarok (2017).  Thor: Love and Thunder finds the humor in every situation, even the dark and dangerous ones, which might put off some of its audience.  However, I like that Thor: Love and Thunder is a film made of joy, color, and wonder that travels across the galaxy and into different realms.  But no matter where it goes, Thor: Love and Thunder full of thunderous sounds and furious love.

[This film as two scenes that occur during the credits, one in the middle and one at the end.]

8 of 10
A
★★★★ out of 4 stars

Friday, July 8, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "What We Do in the Shadows" Does It Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 41 of 2022 (No. 1853) by Leroy Douresseaux

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Running time:  86 minutes (1 hour, 26 minutes)
MPAA – R for bloody violent content, some sexual material and language
WRITERS/DIRECTORS:  Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi
PRODUCERS:  Emanuel Michael, Taika Waititi, and Chelsea Winstanley
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Richard Bluck and D.J. Stipsen
EDITORS:  Tom Eagles, Yana Gorskaya, and Jonathan Woodford-Robinson
COMPOSER:  Plan 9

COMEDY/FANTASY

Starring:  Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Jonny Brugh, Stu Rutherford, Ben Fransham, Jackie Van Beek, and Elena Stejko

What We Do in the Shadows is a 2014 New Zealand comic vampire film and mockumentary (mock documentary) written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.  The film focuses on three vampires who live together in a flat while trying to deal with the mundane aspects of modern life in Wellington, New Zealand.

What We Do in the Shadows introduces four vampires living as housemates in a flat in a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.  They are 379-year-old Viago (Taika Waititi), 862-year-old Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), 183-year-old Deacon (Jonny Brugh), and 8000-year-old Petyr (Ben Fransham).  A documentary film crew follows them as they prepare for “the Unholy Masquerade,” a ball held by some of the monster secret societies of Wellington.

The vampires struggle with the ordinary aspects of modern life:  overcoming flatmate conflicts, keeping up with chores, dealing with demanding familiars (human servants), etc.  Most of all they struggle to navigate the city's nightclub scene where they hunt for human victims who will become their food.  One of their victims-to-be is Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer), the ex-boyfriend of Deacon's familiar, Jackie (Jackie Van Beek).  Nick is unexpectedly turned into a vampire, and the new bloodsucker brings complications into the older vampires' lives.  Nick even brings his human friend, Stu (Stu Rutherford), whom everyone wants to eat, but likes too much to eat, into the vampire world.

Plus, they still have to attend “the Unholy Masquerade” where they will meet “the Beast.”

The most famous example of a mockumentary and perhaps, the most beloved is director Rob Reiner's 1984 film, This is Spinal Tap.  With the exception of that film, I am usually bored of mockumentaries by the second half of such films.  I was surprised to discover that except for a few places, I found myself thoroughly engaged with What We Do in the Shadows.

I think the combination of the script and the acting really brings the film to life.  The actors seem to create fully functioning people by emphasizing the ordinary aspects of the human character and personality.  Although the film's leads are vampires, they manage to be only a little special, amazing, horrible, and fantastic.  They are interesting and lovable by being only a little above ordinary.  They are not too bright, not smart enough to be conniving, and rather short-sighted, and that all makes them endearing to me.

I also like that What We Do in the Shadows quotes from or references a number of vampire films, including the Blade film series, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Interview with the Vampire, and Twilight, to name a few.  That helps to make it feel like a genuine vampire film, rather than being only a documentary and horror comedy.  I actually started watching (on and off) the FX cable television series, also titled “What We Do in the Shadows,” that is based on the film.  Truthfully, the film is such a delight, it feels like something that has a lot more to offer, so we are lucky to have a TV series.

I would not recommend What We Do in the Shadows to everyone who enjoys the mainstream work of the film's co-writer and co-director, Taika Waititi, such as his Thor films for Disney/Marvel Studios.  I will recommend it to film audiences who are always searching for something different, offbeat, and/or daring in modern independent and foreign films.  For being another in a long, long line of vampire films, What We Do in the Shadows manages to be fresh blood.

7 of 10
A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars

Thursday, July 7, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "LIGHTYEAR" Works Hard, But the Robot Cat Steals the Show

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 37 of 2022 (No. 1849) by Leroy Douresseaux

Lightyear (2022)
Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA –  PG for action/peril
DIRECTOR:  Angus MacLane
WRITERS:  Angus MacLane and Jason Headley; from a story by Angus MacLane, Matthew Aldrich, and Jason Headley
PRODUCER:  Galyn Susman
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Jeremy Lasky (D.o.P.) and Ian Megibben (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Anthony J. Greenberg
COMPOSER: Michael Giacchino

ANIMATION/SCI-FI/ACTION and FANTASY/ADVENTURE/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Chris Evans, Peter Sohn, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Dale Soules, Uzo Aduba, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., Angus MacLane, Bill Hader, Efren Ramirez, Keira Hairston, and James Brolin

Lightyear is a 2022 computer-animated, science fiction, action-adventure film directed by Angus MacLane, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.  The film is based on the character and story surrounding the character, Buzz Lightyear, that first appeared in the 1995 film, Toy Story.  Lightyear focuses on a marooned space ranger who takes on an army of robots with only an inexperienced group of recruits to help him.

In 1995, a young Andy Davis (of Toy Story) saw the film that inspired the “Buzz Lightyear” toy line that he loves so much.  Lightyear is that film.

Lightyear introduces Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans), a “Space Ranger” in Star Command and the pilot of “the Turnip,” a space exploration vessel.  Buzz and his commanding officer, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), are exploring the habitable planet, Tikana Prime, when a series of accidents occur.  Now, the Turnip is stranded on Tikana, marooning the entire crew.

Lightyear spends the next several decades experimenting with hyperspace crystalline fuel in a bid to get the marooned crew off the planet.  Eventually, he is mostly a forgotten outcast, with only SOX (Peter Sohn), his robotic cat his only companion.  Buzz meets another group of misfits:  Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer), Alisha's granddaughter; Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi), a clumsy recruit in the colonial defense forces; and Darby Steel (Dale Soules), an elderly paroled convict conscripted into the defense forces.  Together, they will take on a ruthless army of robots and their mysterious leader, Emperor Zurg (James Brolin), who has a shocking connection to Buzz Lightyear.

Lightyear is the first Pixar Animation Studios film to receive a wide theatrical release in North America in over two years, the last being 2020's Oscar-nominated Onward.  In that time, among the Pixar films that Disney released on its streaming service, Disney+, is one almost perfect Pixar film, Soul (2020), and one perfect film, Luca (2021).

Lightyear is a good, but not great Pixar film.  Yes, it follows the formula of Pixar films of having likable and lovable characters with engaging story arcs.  The characters have to overcome flaws, such as Buzz's insistence that he go-it-alone; Izzy's determination to be just like her grandmother; and Mo's clumsiness that is always endangering the mission and his compatriots.  Like many Pixar films, Lightyear has a last act filled with peril and near-disaster, if not near-death.  That is the problem with Lightyear, however; it is simply too formulaic.

Lightyear is not a particularly imaginative science fiction film.  Tikana Prime's aggressive plant vines and killer bugs are generic elements that can be found in American comic books, Japanese manga, sci-fi cartoons, etc.  Lightyear does have one great character, the robotic cat, Sox, who is in the great tradition of both Walt Disney and Pixar's memorable and lovable animal and animal-like sidekicks.  Sox is the reason that Lightyear does not fall into mediocrity.  Also, Peter Sohn, the actor who voices Sox, sounds like actor Jason Bateman (which is a good thing), at least, to me.

After seeing it, I realize that Lightyear is the kind of animated film that I usually wait to watch via the home media release instead of going to a movie theater to see it.  But Sox makes the trip to the theater worth it, and he is the reason for the grade I am giving the film.  While the last act is a nice reward for watching the entire film, Lightyear is not a Disney “instant classic,” and that's all there is to it.

7 of 10
B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars

[This film has three post-credit scenes.]

Friday, June 17, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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TRAILER: The First Official Teaser Trailer for "THOR: Love and Thunder" is Here

The first official teaser for Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER has arrived.  The film reportedly finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced — a quest for inner peace.  However, his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods.  To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who — to Thor’s surprise — inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. 

Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale. Directed by Taika Waititi. In theaters July 8, 2022.

The teaser trailer is below:

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Review: Idris Elba Drives James Gunn's "THE SUICIDE SQUAD"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 49 of 2021 (No. 1787) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Suicide Squad (2021)
Running time:  132 minutes (2 hours, 12 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity
DIRECTOR:  James Gunn
WRITER:  James Gunn (based on characters appearing in DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven and Peter Safran
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Henry Braham (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Fred Raskin and Christian Wagner
COMPOSER:  John Murphy

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, Storm Reid, Sylvester Stallone (voice), Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney, Nathan Fillion, Flula Borg, Mayling Ng, Pete Davidson, Sean Gunn, Peter Capaldi, Juan Diego Botto, Joaquin Cosio, Lynne Ashe, Taika Waititi, and Viola Davis

[Overview:  Yes, The Suicide Squad 2021 is the entertaining film that Suicide Squad 2016 should have been, but was not.  And that has as much to do with star Idris Elba as it does with writer-director James Gunn.]

The Suicide Squad is a 2021 superhero and action-fantasy film from writer-director James Gunn.  It is a sequel to the 2016 film, Suicide Squad, and is based on the DC Comics team of antiheroes, Suicide Squad.  The Suicide Squad the film focuses on a team of imprisoned super-villains who are forced to invade a South American island where a deadly creature supposedly resides.

As The Suicide Squad opens, intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has activated her “Task Force X,” a team composed of dangerous criminals.  Imprisoned in Louisiana's Belle Reve penitentiary, these individuals either possess super-powers, have special abilities, or are some kind of meta-human, humanoid, animal hybrid, or mutant.  All of them are “super-villains.”  Waller chooses thirteen of these inmates and divides them into two teams (unbeknownst to the inmates) and sends them to the small island nation of Corto Maltese, off the coast of South America.

The first team is led by Army Special Forces Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and is comprised of  former psychiatrist and Joker boy toy, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie); Australian thief and super-boomerang thrower, Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney); animal hybrid and child killer, Weasel (James Gunn), meta-human, T.D.K. (Nathan Fillion); long-haired computer hacker, Savant (Michael Rooker); overeager mercenary, Blackguard (Pete Davidson); possessor of a special javelin ... Javelin (Flula Borg); and the alien warrior, Mongal (Mayling Ng).

The second more serious team is comprised of five super-villains.  It is lead by a mercenary and hit man with an advanced technological suit and weapons, Bloodsport (Idris Elba), and is comprised of the former military officer who kills for peace, Peacemaker (John Cena); a man who can emit polka-dots, Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian); a female thief who controls rats, Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior); and a man-eating, human-shark hybrid, Nanaue a.k.a. “King Shark” (Sylvester Stallone).

Once on Corto Maltese, Task Force X has to reach a structure called “Jötunheim.”  It houses a laboratory built on the island decades ago by exiled Nazi scientists so that they could continue their monstrous experiments.  Now, Jötunheim apparently houses a secret program known as “Project Starfish.”  At the heart of this project is something referred to as “the beast,” and to destroy this project, the members of this squad will show why the nickname for Task Force X is “The Suicide Squad.”

First, I can say that The Suicide Squad is a much better film than its predecessor, Suicide Squad (2016), which was probably made problematic by Warner Bros. Pictures executives making bad decisions about it.  In The Suicide Squad, writer-director James Gunn offer his audience gleeful and extreme violence, insane set pieces, and snappy dialogue.  However, Gunn is also very good at creating engaging character drama that allows even the most troubling characters to have a journey in which he or she experiences a poignant or uplifting heroic arc.  In this case, Bloodsport (kinda) transforms from selfish, killer asshole into an anti-hero who cares … about a few things and people … and a rat.

Other characters more or less have a similar arc, although Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is as crazy, as homicidal, and as sweet as ever.  Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag, a holdover from the first film, is a much more interesting and likable character.  Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is darker, maybe even more … evil than ever, and Storm Reid delivers a surprisingly deft turn in a small role as Tyla, Bloodsport's daughter, who appears in two scenes.  David Dastmalchian steals a few scenes as the surprisingly endearing Polka-Dot Man.  Overall, the characters are both more interesting and much more appealing and fun than the characters in the first film.  I say that although in the new film, the Suicide Squad is much more homicidal.

Gunn makes sure The Suicide Squad feels irreverent and outrageous and pours on the ultra-violence, and most of the time, it works.  Sometimes, however, it feels like Gunn is trying too hard, and the violence is either gross or is so over the top as to come across as lame.  Gunn is known for writing and directing Disney/Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy films.  However, I think Gunn was trying to make The Suicide Squad like 20th Century Fox's Deadpool films, which are gleefully violent and shameless and infused with droll humor.  However, the Deadpool movies have Ryan Reynolds, who has mastered his own brand of (sometimes) endearing comedy that is witty, sarcastic, sardonic, silly, and stupid.  There is no Ryan Reynolds om The Suicide Squad, so the film can seem a little desperate in its bid to be crazy and cool.

However, The Suicide Squad does have Idris Elba, and if not for him, James Gunn would have ended up with a Suicide Squad film that works about as well as David Ayers' Suicide Squad film.  Elba, as the world-weary, but supernaturally skilled killer, Bloodsport, plays the complicated anti-hero turned action hero with his usual understated grace and commanding screen presence.  The Suicide Squad is bonkers, inventive, and imaginative – thanks to James Gunn.  However, it is a superhero fantasy and action thrill machine because of Idris Elba.

7 of 10
A-

Friday, August 6, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama - 2020 - Update #110

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TRAILERS, TEASES, and TV SPOTS:

From Marvel:   A first look at Disney+ series, "Loki" (Thurs., Dec. 10th, 2020)

From Marvel:   A first look at "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" (Thurs., Dec. 10th, 2020)

From Marvel:   A first look at Marvel Studios' "What If ... ?" (Thurs., Dec. 10th, 2020)

From YouTube:  The official trailer for the Disney+ series, "WandaVision." (released, Sun., Sept. 20, 2020)

From YouTube:  The "final trailer" for "Black Widow" (released Mon., March 9, 2020).

From Newsarama:  This Disney+ Super Bowl TV spot focuses on the upcoming Marvel Studios TV series, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," "WandaVision," and "Loki."

From Newsarama:  Here is the 30-second TV spot for "Black Widow" that was shown during Super Bowl LIV (Sun., Feb. 2nd, 2020).

From EW:  Here is the special look at "Black Widow" shown during the "College Football Playoff" Championship game between LSU (winner) and Clemson (Mon., Jan. 13th, 2020).

From Marvel:  See first official teaser trailer for Marvel Studios' "Black Widow" (Tues., Ded. 3, 2019).
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NEWS:

FRANCHISE - From WeGotThisCovered:   Rumors suggest that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige wants most Marvel heroes to be women and people of color going forward.

WHAT IF...? - From YahooEntertainment:   Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has confirmed that the late actor, Chadwick Boseman ("Black Panther") recorded a number of voice performances for Marvel's upcoming animated series, "What If...?"

DAREDEVIL - From WeGotThisCovered:   Rumors suggest that Marvel Studios will produce a "Daredevil" TV series in the vein of the one that streamed on Netflix - meaning it will be adult oriented.  Actor Charlie Cox, who played Matt Murdoch/Daredevil on the Netflix series, would return to the role.

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER - From Marvel:  Oscar-winning actor, Christian Bale, is joining "Thor: Love and Thunder" as "Gorr the God Butcher."  The film is due May 6, 2022.

HAWKEYE - From Marvel:  Marvel Studios has announced that Oscar-nominated actress, Hailee Steinfeld, is joining the Disney+ series, "Hawkeye," as the character "Kate Bishop."

BLACK PANTHER 2 - From TheVerge:   Marvel Studios will not recast the role of T'Challa in the wake of the death of Chadwick Boseman who played T'Challa/Black Panther.  The sequel, "Black Panther 2," will begin shooting next year for a July 2022 release date.  It will focus on the other characters in the world of Wakanda.

FANTASTIC FOUR - From io9:   Marvel Studios makes it official and are rebooting the "Fantastic Four," with Jon Watts (Marvel's "Spider-Man" films) will direct.

CAPTAIN MARVEL 2 - From WeGotThisCovered:  According to an (alleged) Marvel Studios insider, actress Brie Larson is set to make a minimum of 15 million dollars for starring in "Captain Marvel 2."

SPIDER-MAN 3 - From MurphysMultiverse:   Reportedly, actor Charlie Cox, who played Matt Murdoch/Daredevil in Netflix/Marvel's "Daredevil" series will reprise the role in Sony/Marvel's third "Spider-Man" film.

SPIDER-MAN 3 - From Variety:   Actor Alfred Molina is apparently reprising his role as "Dr. Octopus" from "Spider-Man 2" (2004) for the third Sony/Marvel Studios "Spider-Man" film.

BLACK PANTHER - From BET:   To honor Chadwick Boseman, Disney has added new opening credits to the Disney+ streaming version of the Oscar-winning, 2018 film, "Black Panther."

BLACK PANTHER 2 - From THR:   "Black Panther 2" will begin shooting in July 2021, with the character "Shuri" (Black Panther's sister) having a larger role.  The actor Tenoch Huerta will reportedly play one of the film's villains.

DEADPOOL 3 - From Deadline:  Marvel Studios and Deadpool star, Ryan Reynolds, have chosen the Emmy-winning sisters, Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin ("Bob's Burgers"), to pen the script for "Deadpool 3."  The film is in early development and will be Marvel's first shot at the character since the Disney-Fox merger brought the character to Marvel.

WANDAVISION - From GamesRadar:   "WandaVision" is currently scheduled to hit Disney+ January 15, 2021.

WANDAVISION - From IndieWire:   "WandaVision" filmed in front of a live audience and director Matt Shakman and Marvel boss Kevin Feige even consulted classic sitcom actor, Dick Van Dyke ("The Dick Van Dyke Show") - in order to capture the feel of a TV situation comedy (sitcom).

SPIDER-MAN 3 - From TheWrap:   First set photo from the third Sony/Marvel "Spider Man" movie reveals Tom Holland wearing two masks.

MOON KNIGHT - From Deadline:  Oscar Isaac (Star Wars' "Poe Dameron") is reportedly in negotiations to play the title character in Disney+/Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight," based on the comic book character.

BLADE - From THR:   In this article about studios hiring "diverse voices" in their filmmaking process, there is some "Blade" news.

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 -From Deadline:  Actress Xochitl Gomez ("The Baby-Sitters Club") will reportedly join Marvel Studios' sequel film, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."

MARVEL SPIDER-MAN 3 - From THR:  Sources tell the news site that Benedict Cumberbatch will appear as "Doctor Strange" in Sony/Marvel's third "Spider-Man" film.

MARVEL SPIDER-MAN 3 - From THR:   Sources say that Jamie Foxx, who played "Electro," a villain in 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," is in negotiations to return as the character in the third Sony/Marvel Studios "Spider-Man" film.

MS. MARVEL - From Deadline:   According to sources, Marvel Studios has chosen newcomer Iman Vellani to play "Ms. Marvel"/"Kamala Kahn" in the "Ms. Marvel" Disney+ series.

NICK FURY - From Variety:  Sources have told the venerable Hollywood news site that Disney is developing a "Nick Fury" TV series with Samuel L. Jackson for Disney+.

WANDAVISION - From Deadline:   Disney+/Marvel's "WandaVision" trailer draws 53 million views online in the 24 hours afters its debut during the 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards.

BLACK PANTHER - From Variety:   Disneyland unveils a "Black Panther" mural featuring the late actor Chadwick Boseman in its "Downtown Disney" shopping district.

SHE-HULK - From Deadline:  Sources tell the site that Tatiana Maslany ("Orphan Black") will star in Marvel's "She-Hulk" series for Disney+.

WANDAVISION - From ComicBook:  Apparently, Marvel Studios' "WandaVision" will make it to Disney+ this year.

ANT-MAN 3 - From Deadline:  Actor Jonathan Majors ("Lovecraft Country," "The Last Black Man in San Francisco") will play the super-villain "Kang the Conqueror" in the next "Ant-Man" movie... according to sources.

CHADWICK BOSEMAN - From Variety:  The actor Chadwick Boseman has died at the age of 43, Friday, August 27, 2020, after a four-year battle with cancel.  Boseman was best known for playing T'Challa/Black Panther in Marvel Studios' 2018, Oscar-winning, recording-setting film, "Black Panther."  Boseman also appeared in a number of biopics:  Jackie Robinson in "42" (2013); James Brown in "Get on Up" (2014), and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in "Marshall" (2017).

From THR:   Disney Grapples With How to Proceed on "Black Panther" Without Chadwick Boseman

From BET:   Chadwick Boseman's "Black Panther" co-stars react to his passing.

From Variety:  What Chadwick Boseman's "Black Panther" legacy mean.

From YahooEntertainment:  The Future of ‘Black Panther': What Can Disney Do to Continue the Franchise.
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BLACK PANTHER 2 - From YahooEntertainment:  The delays in film production caused by COVID-19 might decide who will be the cinematographer on "Black Panther 2."

CAPTAIN MARVEL 2 - From Deadline:  The site reports that it is "hearing" that Nia DaCosta, who directed the new "Candyman" film that COVID-19 is keeping out of theaters, will be the director of Marvel Studio's sequel to its 2019 billion-dollar hit, "Captain Marvel."  Disney and Marvel Studios had no comment on that for Deadline.

HAWKEYE - From YahooEntertainment: Andy Park, director of visual development at Marvel Studios, shared artwork on Twitter from the Disney+ series, "Hawkeye," featuring the character, "Kate Bishop."

DOCTOR STRANGE - From MarvelEntertainment:  "Doctor Strange" star, Benedict Cumberbatch, wanders into a comic book store... dressed as Doctor Strange!

FUTURE - From Epicstream:  A rumor:  Marvel is considering Emmy-nominated actor, Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon of "The Mandalorian") to play the iconic Marvel Comics villain, Doctor Doom.

HELSTROM - From BleedingCool:  Cast and creatives of the new Hulu/Marvel Studios' series, "Hellstrom," talk about the show, which is due to debut October 16th, 2020.  There is also a new teaser trailer.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline:  Sony Pictures moves its sequel to "Spider-Man: Far From Home" (a co-production with Disney/Marvel) to December 17, 2021.

FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER - From Variety:  Marvel Studios/Disney+'s "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will not make its August 2020 release date.  The production remains shutdown because of COVID-19.

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 - From YahooEntertainment:  Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played "Karl Mordo" in the film, "Doctor Strange," says that Sam Raimi is perfect to direct the planned sequel.

ANTHONY MACKIE - From CinemaBlend:  Anthony Mackie ("Falcon") gives his honest (and blunt) assessment on Marvel Studios' lack of diversity.

ANTHONY MACKIE - From YahooEntertainment:  Twitter loves the interview MCU star, Anthony Mackie, gave when he appeared in "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Thurs., June 11th.

WANDAVISION - From MurphysMultiverse:  Evan Peters, who played "Quicksilver" in Fox's "X-Men" movies signed on to play a mystery role in "WandaVision," and he has apparently already filmed his scenes.  Could he be playing Quicksilver again?

SPIDER-MAN - From EW:  J.K. Simmons says that he has signed on to reprise the role of "Spider-Man" character, "J. Jonah Jameson," hot-tempered editor of "The Daily Bugle."  When and where will he appear? Time will tell.

CAPTAIN AMERICA - From THR:  While promoting his Apple+ miniseries, "Defending Jacob," Chris Evan stated that he initially kept saying "No!" to the part of Steve Rogers/Captain America.

OBIT - From Variety:  Leslie A. Pope, the set decorator for "Avengers: Endgame," has died at the age of 65, Wednesday, May 6, 2020.  Pope had received an Oscar nomination for her work on 2003's "Seabiscuit" ("Best Art Direction," which she shared with Jeannine Oppewall).

IRON MAN 2 - From YahooUK:  What went wrong with "Iron Man 2" (2010), Marvel Studios most troubled production?

FALCON-WINTER SOLDIER - From THR:  Sebastian Stan talks about his latest film, "Endings, Beginnings," and his role as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier in Marvel Studios' "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier."

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 - From Variety:  "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" gets another release date change, March 25, 2022.

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 - From ComingSoon:  Director Sam Raimi seems to officially confirm that he is directing the Marvel Studios film, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."

THOR 4 - From Deadline:  Director Taika Waititi and star Tessa Thompson tease the upcoming "Thor" sequel, "Thor: Love & Thunder."

GUARDIAN GALAXY 3 - From GamesRadar:  Director James Gunn teases that "Rocket" is a big part of what happens next for the "Guardians of the Galaxy."

ANT-MAN 3 - From THR:  Writer Jeff Loveness has been hired to write a draft of "Ant-Man 3."  Loveness is known for being a writer and producer on Cartoon Network's popular "Rick and Morty" animated series.  Loveness has also written issues of Marvel Comics' "Groot" and "Nova" comic book series.  Peyton Reed, the director of the first two "Ant-Man" films, has been signed to return for the third film.

FUTURE - From Variety:  Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Walt Disney has changed the release dates of several of its films, including a big shift for all Marvel Studios films through 2022.

BLACK WIDOW - From FilmMusicReporter:  Lorne Balfe is composing music for the "Black Widow" film.  There isn't any word on the music already composed for the film by Oscar-winner Alexandre Desplat.

COVID-19 - From BusinessInsider:  In an opinion piece, the article says that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) faces a big test as shifting movie release dates challenges its meticulous story planning.  The release of "Black Widow" has already been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak.

THOR: THE DARK WORLD - From IndieWire:  Director Patty Jenkins explains why she left "Thor: The Dark World."  [It wasn't a big loss - Ed.]

LOKI - From DiscussingFilm:  Actor Richard E. Grant, who recently appeared in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," has joined Disney+/Marvel Studios TV series, "Loki," in a secret role.

FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER - From Deadline:  Shooting on Disney+'s "The Falcon & the Winter Soldier" in the city of Prague has shut down over coronavirus concerns.  The series is due to debut August 2020.

WHAT IF - From Variety:  Marvel Studios has picked the Quebec, Canada-based animation studio, "Squeeze," to create five episodes of its "What If...?" series.

BLACK WIDOW - From EW:  Scarlett Johansson talks about the "closure" of appearing in the standalone "Black Widow" film.  This article includes a video interview.

THOR 4 - From ETOnline:  Tessa Thompson ("Valkyrie") says that Christina Bale will play the villain in 2021's "Thor: Love & Thunder."

From CinemaBlend:  Vin Diesel says that the "Guardians of the Galaxy" will appear in "Thor: Love & Thunder."  Diesel voices the GotG character, "Groot."

FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER - From Newsarama:  "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" star Anthony Mackie says the Disney+ shows are shot completely differently from the Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

HAWKEYE - From BleedingCool:  Jeremy Renner talks about working out for the Disney+ "Hawkeye" series.  This suggests that the rumors that the series was being cancelled or that Renner was being replaced are not true...

ETERNALS - From Newsarama:  Kumail Nanjiani says that the character he plays in Marvel's "The Eternals" is the "biggest Bollywood star."

SHE-HULK - From ComicBook:  Mark Ruffalo says that he has had some preliminary talks to reprise his role as Bruce Banner/Hulk in the planned Disney+ series, "She-Hulk."

FALCON & WINTER SOLDIER - From Deadline:  Actor Carl Lumbly ("Supergirl") has reportedly joined the cast of Disney+'s "The Falcon & the Winter Soldier."

ETERNALS - From NewNowNext:  Actor Haaz Sleiman says that he will be the husband of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first openly gay superhero in "The Eternals."  He says that the film will feature the first "gay kiss."

LOKI - From Variety:  The actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw has been cast in Disney+/Marvel Studios' "Loki."

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER - From Variety:  Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is reportedly joining recent Oscar winner, Taika Waititi, to writer "Thor: Love and Thunder."

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 - From Variety:   Sam Raimi is in talks to direct "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."  Raimi previously directed Sony's original "Spider-Man" trilogy.

FUTURE - From THR:  Including the upcoming "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," "WandaVision," and "Loki," Disney CEO Bob Iger says that there are seven other Marvel TV series in various stages of development.

DISNEY+ - From Newsarama:  There are new synopses for Disney+/Marvel Studios' TV series, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," "WandaVision," and "Loki."

BLACK WIDOW - From Newsarama:  There are new character posters for "Black Widow," and a new story synopsis.

LOKI - From ComicBook:  Actor Owen Wilson has signed on for a major, but unknown role in Disney+/Marvel Studios' "Loki."

CAPTAIN MARVEL - From ShowbizCheatSheet:  Rumors suggest that "Captain Marvel" might lead two super-teams.

FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER - From Deadline:  Actor Noah Mills (NBC's "The Enemy Within") is joining "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" in an unnamed role.

FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER - From GamesRadar:  An alleged leaked photo from the set of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" Disney+ series may include a reference to the world of the "X-Men" comic books.

THE ETERNALS - From GamesRadar:  Leaked set photos from "The Eternals" shows what is supposed to be the character, "Ikaris," in flight.

CAPTAIN MARVEL 2 - From THR:  A sequel to the billion-dollar film, "Captain Marvel," is apparently in the works.  Megan McDonnell, writer of Disney+/Marvel's "WandaVision," is in talks to pen the script.

FUTURE - From GamesRadar:  Sir Patrick Stewart, who played Professor X in several of Fox's "X-Men" movies, says that he has he recently met with Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige, to "talk shop."  Stewart said that Professor X came up in the conversation, but also said that he is through with the character.

FALCON AND WINTER SOLIDER - From TheWrap:  Here is a first look at actor Wyatt Russell as "John Walker/U.S. Agent" in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier."

RED SKULL - From YahooMoviesUK:  Hugo Weaving said that he did not reprise his role as "the Red Skull" in "Avengers: Endgame" because Marvel was impossible to deal with.

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 - From Newsarama:  The film industry site, "Backsgate," may have the synopsis for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

BLACK WIDOW - From Newsarama:  There is a video "featurette" that delves into Black Widow's history.

ETERNALS - From Newsarama:  A new synopsis of Marvel's "The Eternals" reveals story details.  The film also ties into "Avengers: Endgame" and seems to borrow plot elements from Neil Gaiman's 2008 "Eternals" comic book series.

FALCON & WINTER SOLDIER - From Variety:  Production has been delayed on "Falcon & Winter Soldier" due to the Jan. 7th and Jan. 11th earthquakes in Puerto Rico.

KEVIN FEIGE - From ScreenRant:  Managing Marvel Comics may prove to be quite a challenge for Marvel Studios' boss, Kevin Feige.

SHANG-CHI - From Newsarama:  Who is Shang-Chi? And what are the "10 rings?"

NEW MUTANTS? - From Newsarama:  D23, the official Disney fan club, seems to think that, "The New Mutants," the X-Men film that Disney inherited after buying 20th Century Fox, is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  The MCU is comprised of films produced by Marvel Studios.

FRANCHISE - From YahooMovies:  Why you'll never see James Dean (or any other dead actor) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

DOCTOR STRANGE - From Deadline:   Director Scott Derrickson has left "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" due to "creative differences."  Derrickson directed the 2016 original film.

ABC - From Deadline:  The ABC Network is in talks with Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige about Marvel developing a new TV series for the network.  The net's long-running "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." is coming to an end.

BLADE - From Newsarama:  Stephen Dorff played the villain, "Deacon Frost," in the original "Blade" film from 1998.  He said that he wouldn't mind reprising the role in the planned new Blade films starring his pal, Mahershala Ali."

THOR: LOVE & THUNDER - From THR:  Oscar-winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter) is in talks to join "Thor: Love & Thunder."

THOR: LOVE & THUNDER - From Gamespot:  Director Taika Watiti says that "Thor: Love & Thunder" is scheduled to begin shooting in Australia in August 2020.

SHANG-CHI - From THR:  Director Destin Daniel Cretton talks about moving from directing his current drama, "Just Mercy," to his next film, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

THE ETERNALS - From YahooEntertainment:   Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has revealed that Marvel's first transgender character will appear in "The Eternals," which is due November 2020.

WANDAVISION - From Newsarama:  Disney has moved the release date for the Disney+/Marvel Studios' series, "WandaVision" to 2020 from 2021.

DOCTOR STRANGE 2 - From Collider:  Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige says that "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" is not "exactly a horror movie," although it will have scary scenes.

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Click here for the 2019 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2018 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Review: "Thor: Ragnarok" Strikes an Odd, Pleasant Note

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This movie review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Running time:  130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive material
DIRECTOR:  Taika Waititi
WRITERS: Eric Pearson and Christopher L. Yost and Craig Kyle (based on the comic book and characters created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCERS:  Kevin Feige p.g.a
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Javier Aguirresarobe, ASC (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Zene Baker and Joel Negron
COMPOSER:  Mark Mothersbaugh
NAACP Image Award winner

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Taika Waititi (voice), and Clancy Brown (voice) with Stan Lee

Thor: Ragnarok is a 2017 superhero movie from Marvel Studios, directed by Taika Waititi.  It is the third film in Marvel's Thor film series, following Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013).  Thor is a Marvel Comics character that first appeared in the comic book, Journey into Mystery #83 (cover dated: August 1962).  Created by artist Jack Kirby and writers (and siblings) Stan Lee and Larry Leiber, Thor is based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name.  Thor: Ragnarok finds the Norse god of thunder a slave on an alien world while his home of Asgard is controlled by the goddess of death.

Thor: Ragnarok opens two years after the battle of Sokovia (as seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron).  Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned by the fire demon, Surtur (voice of Clancy Brown), who reveals that Thor's father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), is no longer on the realm of Asgard.  Surtur explains that he himself will destroy the realm by uniting his crown with the “Eternal Flame” that burns in Odin's vault, thus initiating the prophesied end-times, “Ragnarök.”  Thor frees himself and defeats Surtur, and he takes Surtur's crown, believing that he has prevented Ragnarök.

The threats to Asgard have not ended.  Thor's estranged brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), is posing as Odin, but Thor and Loki eventually find Odin in Norway.  Odin explains to his sons that he is dying and that his death will free his firstborn child, Hela (Cate Blanchett), from a prison where he sealed her long ago.  When Hela is freed, Ragnarök is imminent.  But before Thor can stop Hela and save Asgard, he must escape from his own imprisonment, the garbage planet, Sakaar, where he is an enslaved gladiator.  And Thor's greatest opponent turns out to be an old friend.

Thor: Ragnarok plays out as one would expect.  Thor saves the day with a lot of help from friends old and new and from adversaries-turned-allies old and new.  What makes this film different and so very endearing is the work of director Taika Waititi, the New Zealand-born director whose films (such as 2014's What We Do in the Shadows) are known for the both the originality of execution and their offbeat sensibilities.  That that originality and sensibility show in Thor: Ragnarok's color palette, its costume designs, sets and art direction.  Some critics and fans have claimed that all Marvel Studios' films look alike, which is certainly not true.  In fact, no superhero movie looks like Thor: Ragnarok, and Mark Mothersbaugh's fantastic, glorious, ear-candy musical score is the finishing touch that makes Thor: Ragnarok stand out from any pack.

Waititi and his cast make the most of Eric Pearson and Christopher L. Yost and Craig Kyle's screenplay.  The pace and acting is lively, wry, spry, and witty, and, in fact, Thor: Ragnarok is, to date, the film that makes the best use of Chris Hemsworth's droll sense of humor.  The film is a bit soft in the middle, but its unique visual appearance keeps the film from going dry.

Some time ago, I read that Marvel Studios had been trying to find the right balance of superhero fantasy, action, and humor in the Thor films, but believed that they had not quite done so in the first two films.  The third time is the charm.  Thor: Ragnarok is the best film in the Thor series, and it is the kind of superhero film that will appeal to movie audiences that don't normally watch superhero movies.

8 of 10
A

Friday, February 21, 2020


NOTES:
2018 Black Reel Awards:  1 nomination: “Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture” (Tessa Thompson)

2018 Image Awards (NAACP):  1 winner: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Idris Elba); 1 nomination: “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Tessa Thompson)


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.


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