In Theaters: ****Men in Black International (2019)

****Men in Black International (2019)  this is a fun movie.  Agent M (Tessa Thompson) has been looking for MIB her entire life, since the memory of her parents was erased after an event.  When she finds them she is in for more than she bargains.  She convinces the head of recruitment, Agent O (Emma Thompson) to give her a chance.  Although in training, she latches onto Agent H (Chris Hemsworth).  Agent H is notable because he saved the universe a few years before with Agent High T (Liam Neeson), who is the director of the British office.  There is a weapon of unlimited potential.  Agent H,  Agent O and Pawny (Kumail Nanjiani), who has sworn allegiance to Agent O after his own queen had been killed, are sworn to guard the weapon.  Of course there are some evil aliens out to get the weapon for the Hoard, who want to conquer the universe.  I had a good time with this movie.  Lots of tricky devices, and lots of fun. 

In Theaters: Avengers: *****End Game (2019)

Avengers: End Game:  This is the most anticipated movie in some time; and it more than lives up to all the hype.  From Thanos’ “I am inevitable” to “I am Iron Man” and all the ride along the way, this movie is great.  Of course the thing about this movie is having all the characters together.  There is too much here to give a plot summary, but suffice it to say this movie entertains and appeals to Avenger fans, as well as Guardians of the Galaxy and Dr. Strange.  It has all the characters taking part in their turn.  There is a part during the major battle where all the women are going to protect the glove and it just seemed to miss as tried to make a politically correct statement.  And then of course the fumbled the glove anyway as Thanos had said, :He is inevitable.”  However that is my only complaint.  A couple of our major Avenger friends will not be coming back it appears, but there are plenty others who are ready for the continued Avenger Universe, including Peter parker and Spider man later this year.  This is a must see.  In fact it warrants going back and seeing all the Avenger movies.

Robert Downey Jr.     Tony Stark/ Iron Man
Chris Evans                Steve Rogers/ Captain America
Mark Ruffalo               Bruce Banner / Hulk
Chris Hemsworth        Thor
Scarlett Johansson     Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
Jeremy Renner            Clint Barton / Hawkeye
Paul Rudd                   Scott Lang / Ant-Man
Benedict Cumberbatch  Doctor Strange
Chadwick Boseman    T'Challa / Black Panther
Brie Larson                  Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel
Tom Holland                Peter Parker / Spider-Man
Karen Gillan                 Nebula
Zoe Saldana                Gamora
and many more
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Movie Review: ****Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Here is a movie that combines two film dynasties, the Avengers and Defenders of the Galaxy.  Even with their combined strength, they still are a bit inadequate to confront Thanos (Josh Brolin voice) and his hoards.  Thanos is on a quest to retrieve the five stones with which he will have all power: The Power Stone, The Reality Stone, The Space Stone, The Time Stone and The Mind Stone.  He destroys Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) hammer in retrieving the Space Stone.  He is successful in getting three stones, but the Mind Stone is in Vision’s (Paul Bettany) forehead, and the Time Stone is kept safe by Dr. Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) deceptions.  Thanos is gathering the stones to complete his life-long task of killing half the people in the universe, and thereby eliminating hardship and hunger.    Thanos is the father of Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillam).  Gamora and Dr. Strange have the best chance of stopping Thanos.  There is a confrontation with Thanos on his home world with Iron Man ((Robert Downey Jr.), Spider Man (Tom Holland),  Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff),  At the same time Thor is off to forge a new hammer.  He travels with Groot (Vin Diesel voice), and Rocket (Bradley Cooper voice).  Others prepare for a confrontation on the Black Panther world of Wakanda.  They are joined by many as the attempt to destroy the Mind Stone without killing Vision.  These are: Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Chris Evans as Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Don Cheadle-War Machine, Chadwick Boseman-Black Panther, Elizabeth Olsen-Scarlet Witch, Anthony Mackie-Falcon, Sebastian Stan-Winter Soldier.  There are many more in this epic battle.  I must admit, the ending of this movie left me with a bad feeling of despair.  Thor battles hard, but with all five stones in place, Thanos has unlimited power.

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Movie Review: ****^Thor Ragnarok (2017)

Lots of interesting action in this movie, and lots of heroes.  Hela (Cate Blanchett) is back.  She is the oldest daughter of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), and served at his side during Odin's warring period.  However as Odin became more peaceful, and Hela wished to continue warring, she was confined.  Now she is back, and the first thing she does is destroy Thor's hammer and then banish Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to a throw away world.  There Loki takes up politics, and Thor becomes a gladiator and set to face The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).  The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) of the games likes his champion and makes sure Hulk wins.  But the Hulk takes Thor to his room, where Thor plans his escape with Hulk and Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) his captor, who is also from Asgard.  They refuse, but he leaves anyway, towards Hulk's space ship to get off the planet.  Hulk follows him.  Hulk has been the Hulk steady for over two years, but in the spacecraft he hears the voice of Natasha Romanoff, and converts to Bruce Banner.  Then Loki and Valkyrie also show up, but they need a better vessel to get through a worm hole, and Loki helps them steal a vessel, but he has turning over Thor on his mind.  This is thwarted, and he is left with the escaping slaves of the planet.  Thor makes it back to Asgard, just in time, as Hela has control, and is about to wrest the sword controlling the bridge from Heimdall (Idris Elba).  This paves the way to a great struggle.  Hela is just too powerful, except for maybe against, Surtur, who according to prophesy will destroy Asgard.
This movie takes a plot change at the end, and desperate measure are needed to rescue the people of Asgard.
Tony and I saw this, and we had a good time.  Loved the action, and the characters, and also the banter between Thor and Hulk.

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Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Marvel Comics is out with another Avengers, and this is as exciting as the first.  I thought I might hit overload with all the action taking place.  However this movie also has some humor and some drama mixed in.  We discover that Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has a family.  The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is still caught up with "I can't trust myself," and Iron Man (Robert Downing Jr.) is not willing to listen to anyone's advise, which gets him in  trouble as Ultron (James Spader) is born.  Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is in love with the Hulk, and using this love to control him, at times.  We learn more about all of the Avengers, (other than Hawkeye) when they are put under mind control by a new nemesis, Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).  Another nemesis is the the witch's twin, Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who has incredible speed.  Thor (Chris Hemsworth) also deals with past issues so he is more effective in the present.  Captain America (Chris Evans) is everyone's favorite leader.  He too deals with issues of having outlived his time.  We are also introduced to a new character, Vision (Paul Bettany) who is the physical version of Iron man's computer, Jarvis.  Fury (Samuel Jackson) also shows up, and his support is needed in the end.  This movie is lots of fun as our heroes try to save the world with as little collateral damage as possible.

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Movie Review: ***Thor: The Dark World (2013)

This is the second movie based on the character Thor (Chris Hemsworth) not included "The Avengers."  This movie is two years after the original Thor.  Thor has not been back to see his love interest, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).  She has been sad.  However, when she sees what appears to be a break through in astro-physics, some strange phenomenon, she decides to investigate.  She gets pulled into some kind of a vortex, and in doing so a strange power of the dark elves enters her.  She also makes it to Aasgard, where she is considered an enemy because she possesses this weapon.
The dark elves feel she has stolen their power, and are determined to capture her.  They attack Aasgard, which is almost successful except for the queen, who sacrifices herself to save Foster.  Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's adopted brother, provided key information to the attackers.
However it is Loki who holds the key to success when Thor, Foster and Loki go to confront the dark elves.  Loki appears to have sacrificed himself for Thor's benefit.  The fight ends up on earth, because of the alignment of the planets.  Foster and her astro-physics friends find a way to send the dark elves back to where they came from.  Thor has a big battle with the lead elf.
This movie is not my favorite in the Avenger series.  The astro-physics stuff is over my head.  The filming of battle scenes in the dark world were too dark to know what was happening.  In the end, most of it was a convoluted mess.  Even thought Tony likes most of the Avengers, he was not interested in Thor saying he doesn't like Thor.  After watching I can understand why.  However the first we saw at the theater, and it was more enjoyable.

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Movie Review: ****Snow White and the Huntsman

I didn't realize this was a Kristen Stewart movie before going, but was pleasantly glad it was.   Again we have Kristen dying and coming back to life, just like Twilight.  This movie is Snow White with motivation and characterization.  The black forest is scary, which makes it not good for kids but it is very entertaining for adults.  The mean witch/queen (Charlize Theron)  is very eery as well.  I really like the hunts man, (Chris Hemsworth) and the dukes son creating a three way relationship.  My son didn't like the faerie scene, but I did.  The white stag was incredible.  And the arrow was so unexpected.  This is a movie with a strong female lead, almost Joan of Arc feel.

I would recommend this movie to those who want a good time.

Movie Review: ****^The Avengers

The Avengers in 3-D is a fun movie.  I had seen Iron Man I and II, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America.  This show adds the Black Widow and Hawkeye as well as the organizer, manipulator Nick Fury.  All of these stories come together with the brother of Thor, adopted, coming to earth with the hopes of conquest, and making people bow to him.  Of course Thor comes to stop him.  The brother has a source of mind control and takes over the mind of one of Avengers, Hawkeye, who shots arrows.

The theme of the show is you are more together than just a sum of the parts.  Each of these super heroes has a big ego, and it takes a lot for them to com together.  Bickering and fighting, they finally join together to save the world from an alien invasion.  The robot monsters are cool, especially the worm like space ships.  But cooler are the skills of the Avengers, and the Hulk tackling one of those worms is too much.  This movie was a good ride and kept me on the edge of my seat.  It was almost too much action non stop at one point, but that is just me.

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Movie Review: ***^ Thor

"Thor" was entertaining.  It is interesting how the conflict in the world of Thor spills over to the rural community on Earth.  Chris Hemsworth stars as Thor, and Natalie Portman as the scientist who falls in love with him.  It is sad how he lost his girl in the end.  But wasn't that hammer something great.  I still am not sure if the brother was all evil or misguided or what.  Also the play of fish out of water, (Thor is cast out of Aasgard to Earth) and encountering the new fish was very entertaining.  Natalie Portman is always beautiful.

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