Topic: Marvel Musings. Now with Spidey Spoilers.

[Barefoot Doctor]

I think there was a decent movie in there weighed down by an incessant desire to go for the comedy angle. Ragnarok balanced that so much better, but Love and Thunder went way too far in one direction. Visually a big fan of the black and white confrontation between Thor and Gorr.

[classycarra]

I think there was a decent movie in there weighed down by an incessant desire to go for the comedy angle. Ragnarok balanced that so much better, but Love and Thunder went way too far in one direction. Visually a big fan of the black and white confrontation between Thor and Gorr.

I agree. I don't think it's the worst of their films by any means (will agree that I find Taika very annoying these days though, after a very cool outset to his career)

Was some of the black and white moon part referencing A Trip to the Moon? (not seen it, to my shame)

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I think the "best" of the new stuff is GOTG3, which came out this year; it is *easily* in the top 10 of any MCU film, and arguably top 5 (definitely better than any film in Phase 1, other than maybe the Avengers (I think it might actually be better, but can see the other side), and better than anything in Phase 2 other than the original GOTG and Winter Soldier. 

Other than that, in Phase 4 we've had Shang Chi which I'd also put up there in the top 10-15ish films - so way better than "hovering just above the worst of the old stuff"; and equally the Spider-man: No Way Home is a great Spider-man film (I might actually put it the best of the 3 MCU Spideys).   And as I said earlier in this thread, I really loved the Marvels.

I'd say the only film which is in the bottom 5ish from the Phase 4/5 era is the Eternals; Thor Love and Thunder whilst not good, was still much (much) better than IM2/3, Thor 2 and that. 

If I compare it to Phase 2, in that phase you had 2 actively *terrible* movies which nothing in Phase 4 is as bad as (Iron Man 3, Thor 2), 1 average (Avengers 2), 1 really good (Ant Man 1), and 2 brilliant (Winter Soldier, GOTG).  So in that phase, *including* a below average Avengers film, you only had 6 films - and 3 were average or bad.  In phase 4, we've had 7 films, and 8 tv shows - and I didn't even realise that we are now technically 3 movies into "phase 5" - and there will be 7 more seasons of tv shows.   So the quality declining slightly (but not by as much as many seem to believe) could be more dilution, and more satiation, then anything.

Even I thought the Eternals was complete shite

Maddest Marvel film out there. No build up, just a billion different characters and a crap storyline to boot

[So… Howard Philips]

Even I thought the Eternals was complete shite

Maddest Marvel film out there. No build up, just a billion different characters and a crap storyline to boot

Externals was bizarrely bad.

Actually that auto correct is quite accurate.

[The G in Gerrard]

Watched Guardians of the galaxy 3 yesterday. Was excellent!

[gazzalfc]

6 years ago today, this trailer dropped

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4</a>

Absolute peak of the MCU.

[Schmidt]

I think there was a decent movie in there weighed down by an incessant desire to go for the comedy angle. Ragnarok balanced that so much better, but Love and Thunder went way too far in one direction. Visually a big fan of the black and white confrontation between Thor and Gorr.

Didn't Love and Thunder get its length cut quite dramatically in post-production? Marvel seem to have gone down the route of demanding mass changes to movies already in development and it's leading to similar issues we've seen with DC.

[Draex]

6 years ago today, this trailer dropped

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4</a>

Absolute peak of the MCU.

100%

The entire Infinity Stones saga was brilliant, everything intertwined perfectly, Thanos was impeccable as the ultimate boss.

Although my best Marvel moment is the original Avengers Assemble bit, proper goosebumps in the cinema.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBqqI6NMeaM

It was always the little subtle humour which had great affect and kept the films ticking over, Love and Thunder was just the final nail of pushing cheese overload.

[AndyMuller]

6 years ago today, this trailer dropped

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4</a>

Absolute peak of the MCU.

The best film out of the lot.

[Betty Blue]

Although my best Marvel moment is the original Avengers Assemble bit, proper goosebumps in the cinema.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBqqI6NMeaM

As a big Cap fan, this is mine -

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/EpI3x6gf2uA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/EpI3x6gf2uA</a>

[DarkOfTheManatee]

The best film out of the lot.

And actually had more interesting versions characters like Doctor Strange and Thor than their own films did.

Watching the trailer back, it really was lightning in a bottle that they'll need good half decade minimum to have any hope of capturing again: the three original heavy-hitters who had each had a trilogy of films to really establish them; Spider-Man still pretty fresh to the MCU; Black Panther only a year after the mania around his film; plus linking up the Guardians with the Earth heroes for the first time.

Who will be bringing the hype in the next Avengers? Captain Marvel isn't really popular with fans; we've not seen Shang-Chi, the Eternals or Ant-Man outside their mediocre-at-best solo films; new Captain America has barely been set up; Guardians have disbanded... Kang was their trump card and that's on a knife edge as to whether they'll be forced to recast/scrap him.

Think the only chance of them making an Avengers film that rivals Infinity War/Endgame is if they manage to ace the X-Men and Fantastic 4 reboots, and then bring them together with Spider-Man and maybe some of the OG heroes like Thor and the Guardians returning after a hiatus. And have them up against an established Doctor Doom.

[WillG.LFC]

It will be the xmen that rebuild interest. Such a good set of characters to use

[ScottScott]

As a big Cap fan, this is mine -

Cap picking up Thor's hammer in Endgame for me. Nothing will ever come close as a cinema experience, still get massive chills watching it now as well

The Infinity Saga was just perfect. Some films bombed but the over-arching story was so well done. One or two films a year introducing or expanding upon characters, then an Avengers film every few years to bring them together. All culminating in Infinity War and Endgame. I don't think they knew how right they would get it and it's that which has probably pushed them to keep going when a break and a mini reset could have worked wonders for the whole thing

Don't get me wrong, I've watched it all since and will continue to watch it all, I don't hold it to the lofty standards as some do, but I do feel a break would have been good. Let the majority of the old cast of characters go and then start fresh with X-Men and Fantastic Four. You could have always had the option for cameos but I guess when every film gets near $1bn you don't have the incentive to stop

[tubby]

Cap taking the hammer is right up there.  Thor arriving in Wakanda and Banner laughing his head off saying the bad guys are fucked now was fun too.

[Red Viper]

Cap wielding Mjolnir is never getting topped. First and only time I've ever actually jumped up and cheered in a cinema.

[Draex]

As a big Cap fan, this is mine -

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/EpI3x6gf2uA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/EpI3x6gf2uA</a>

Belter, Cap was one of my favourite characters through it all.

Love all the scenes everyones mentioned above also.

It's those little lines which made it so extra special for me as well like Thor "I knew it", "no no you have the little one".

I see a Marvel marathon coming over christmas.

[Draex]

Cap wielding Mjolnir is never getting topped. First and only time I've ever actually jumped up and cheered in a cinema.

Yoda unsheathing his light sabre to fight Palpatine

[Stockholm Syndrome]

One of my favorite moments (or two moments), which isn't even a big pop off or anything, is Peter Quill learning that Ego gave his mother cancer on purpose, and then without hesitation, without letting him say anything or monologue, just blows him away, fires everything at him. Because that's what Peter would do, that's his character.

Which then leads to the dreaded moment when the exact same thing happens with Thanos while they are trying to extract the Infinity Gauntlet from him while under hypnosis. Because that's what Peter would do, that's his character.

[Betty Blue]

Cap picking up Thor's hammer in Endgame for me. Nothing will ever come close as a cinema experience, still get massive chills watching it now as well

Inject that shit into my veins. Love watching him go toe to toe with Thanos, and it feeling for just a few seconds like he's getting the better of him through sheer skill, intelligence and control of his shield, before ultimately taking a beating. Cap had so many iconic moments. The lift fight also stands out. They really nailed everything about him. Peak level casting and characterisation, along with Iron Man and Thor. I don't know if they can ever reach those highs again.

[killer-heels]

Cap wielding Mjolnir is never getting topped. First and only time I've ever actually jumped up and cheered in a cinema.

Nerd.

[Draex]

I read Cillian Murphy for Doom, which is weird as I thought he had retired!

[mikey_LFC]

I read Cillian Murphy for Doom, which is weird as I thought he had retired!

Would be perfect casting.

[Trada]

The Hollywood Reporter

Jonathan Majors Found Guilty of Assault, Harassment

[DarkOfTheManatee]

The Hollywood Reporter

Jonathan Majors Found Guilty of Assault, Harassment

Will be interesting to see if Marvel opt to scrap Kang completely after this - it's not like the character has been well-executed so far - do a Don Cheadle-esque quiet recast, or embrace the multiverse possibilities and have him played by different actors in a couple of future appearances before getting some heavyweight to do the Avengers film (Denzel Washington, perhaps?)

Think I'd prefer the latter.

[Red Viper]

The way Loki ended they could not have Kang back quite easily.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Kang needs a reboot anyway. It's almost as if they knew this from the off. The character seems to have been handled half-hearted. Not alone in that, to be fair.

Hopefully the character will come back in a few years with a series of movies it deserves.

[John_P]

Must be almost glad of the strikes now as its only Deadpool 3 out in 2024 so they've got plenty of time to make any changes.
Think as easy as re-casting Kang could be I'm not sure if they'd want to as any current films would always be tied to Majors playing the part.

[Barefoot Doctor]

They’ve officially ditched him.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

That Echo trailer looks good, probably because it looks like Netflix Daredevil is in it.

[Livbes]

Yep. He’s gone. Didn’t hang around did they.

[gazzalfc]

Correct decision.

He won't see any jail time but he been convicted. They just don't need that

Time for Kevin Feige to have a good look in the mirror, get his team together and get the MCU reset and back on track. Theres still enough credit in bank to get past this.

[newterp]

Correct decision.

He won't see any jail time but he been convicted. They just don't need that

Time for Kevin Feige to have a good look in the mirror, get his team together and get the MCU reset and back on track. Theres still enough credit in bank to get past this.

too busy swimming in Scrooge McDuck's money bin.

[Trada]

WatchMojo have just released  a documentary they have made.

The Rise, Fall and Potential Redemption of the MCU part 1

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/kYYMj3-6VDE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/kYYMj3-6VDE</a>

The Rise, Fall and Potential Redemption of the MCU part 2

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/fgglPIti1UI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/fgglPIti1UI</a>

[Kashinoda]

6 years ago today, this trailer dropped

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/00DZ2jiSFP4</a>

Absolute peak of the MCU.

Was quite bored of the MCU before Infinity War, after watching it I ended up going back and watching everything I'd missed.

It was the absolute peak, Endgame was decent but Infinity War is one of my favourite films. An absolute thrill ride from start to finish which most films will simply struggle to match with a typical 3 act structure.

The nosedive since then is quite something.

[Nitramdorf]

Not been overly impressed with the second series of What If? but just watched episode 6 and loved it. It's a native American story.

[RedSince86]

Mads Mikkleson needs to be cast as Dr Doom.

[AndyMuller]

Echo getting decent reviews.

[[new username under construction]]

Echo getting decent reviews.

Meh, heard that before

[WillG.LFC]

Echo getting decent reviews

[Trada]

Echo getting decent reviews.

I will give it a watch over the weekend it's only 5 episodes