Archive for May, 2012

The Avengers: An expanded reaction

May 6th, 2012 by Susie

 

I saw the Avengers  yesterday, and yep, I loved it!  It was everything I’ve come to expect of Joss.  There was action, witty dialogue, and one or more gut wrenching deaths.  I’ll go into detail under the jump.

Warning: Here be spoilers!

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The Avengers: A Reaction

May 5th, 2012 by Susie

Weeeeee!

(More to come)

I’ve seen the Avengers, now what do I watch?

May 4th, 2012 by Susie

 

Disclaimer:  If you reading this prior to Saturday afternoon, I haven’t seen the movie yet, but am expecting to love it.  I have great faith in Joss
It’s Avengers opening day!  Some of you may have already seen it, maybe even at a midnight showing.  And after months of anticipation you might feel like there’s nothing left to watch to get excited about.  Or you loved the movie so much you want other movies and shows that capture the same feeling.  Well lucky you, I’ve got a few suggestions!  Whether you’re craving more funny, more superheroes, or just more epic Jossness, no worries, I’ve got you covered.
1) the Cabin in the Woods.  It’s still in theaters so it’s a perfect fix if you’re craving more of that communal adrenaline rush.
Why will it appeal to Avengers fans?  Well it features Chris Hemsworth, aka Thor.  And it is a humorous take on horror movies while still delivering actual scares.  Much the way I predict the Avengers will deliver everything you want out of a super hero movie, while having fun with the genre (though I suspect it won’t be quite as meta as Cabin in the Woods).  And it was cowritten by some dude with a familiar sounding name, rhymes with bleedin’.  Even if you hate horror movies (I must raise my hand here) there is a lot to enjoy about this flick.
2) Firefly and Serenity.  Serenity is Joss’ big screen debut, and while it’s possible to enjoy Serenity, without having seen any episodes of Firefly, the television show that preceded it, once you see Serenity, you’ll want to see everything involving Mal and the crew.  You might as well do it in order.  It’s only twelve episodes, not too much of a time commitment.
Why will it appeal to Avengers fans? Once again we’ve got the Joss factor.  But it is also really exciting, with a twisty plot, and intriguing, quippy, sometimes mysterious, characters.  Plus you want to see River Tam kick butt.  Trust me on that.
3)The Incredibles. The movie that solidified Pixar as one of the best companies currently making films, not just the best making kid’s films. Why will it appeal to Avengers fans? Superheroes, of course.  But also it blends top notch action with compelling character arcs.  You’ve got a guy who feels trapped in his unsatisfying job.  A marriage under extreme pressure.  A teenager who wants to blend into the crowd.  And a sociopath who would destroy a city, just so he can be the one to save it.
3) Dr. Horrible’s Singalong Blog.  Another unconventional take on superheroes.  This time focussing on a wannabe super villain.  Plus musical numbers!
Why will it appeal to Avengers fans? Again it’s the brainchild of Joss, along with his talented brothers and sister in-law.  And Nathan Fillion’s Captain Hammer  is at least as arrogant as Robert Downey Jr’s Ironman (though not as endearing).
4) The Specials.  It might not have the production values of the Avengers, it’s a worthy entry into the super team oeuvre (which is pretty small at least in feature films).
Why will it appeal to Avengers fans? The Avengers are Earth’s mightiest heroes.  The Specials–not so much.  They are the superhero community’s version of the D list.  There isn’t much action in the movie, but anyone familiar with super teams will appreciate the humor.  Plus it features Rob Lowe in a comedy before the world at large realized how funny he is.
And a few things to look forward to. Joss’ next movie is Much Ado About Nothing.  It’s a modern set interpretation of the Shakespeare comedy (my favorite of the comedies).  It was filmed in a month and entirely in his house.  It features many actors he’s worked with in the past, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisoff, Fran Kranz, etc.  It’s unclear when it’s coming out, or if it will get a theatrical release, but I’m excited to see it.
And also coming soon is the Amazing Spider-man.  I’m not sure Spider-man was in need of a reboot so soon, but Spidey is a great character.  I’m interested to see what Andrew Garfield brings to the role.