Ant-Man: Big Fun in a Tiny Package

Nobody was more skeptical about the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe than me. Way back when Iron Man first hit and everyone loved how fun it was and it had that post credit scene, I was the cranky bastard saying "Meh." And it's not like I'm all in or anything, but the big surprise for me in all of this is that Marvel has managed to keep the individual films relatively self contained. It's not really one long narrative that you must watch all of in order to understand, even though that is totally happening also. So the further we've gotten into this, the whole bigger picture is more of a back drop. And, right now Ant-Man is the best example of how that works. It's a fun a movie that happens to take place in this universe using some concepts established in previous films, but you don't need any of that to get this movie.

I could go into a whole geek exploration about the Easter eggs in this movie. Well, I couldn't, but someone who really knows Ant-Man could (and they have). There are a few I caught and most I didn't. They're there (their?) and that's fine, because they don't detract. We still get charmed by Paul Rudd's Scott Lang. We still believe Michael Douglas's Hank Pym is weary and burdened with guilt and that he had many adventures. We still thrill at the action - both life size and sometimes comically miniature. And that comedy is what really sets this apart from not just the other Marvel films, but from other superhero films in general. This is quite possibly the most fun superhero movie I can remember seeing. Even more so than Guardians of the Galaxy, but that's really a Sci Fi movie anyway. But here, the balance is just right. It gets completely silly at times, but somehow it's in a good way because it just makes the whole thing that much more relatable.

I've had this nightmare.

Here we have a guy that's a true underdog, chosen to save the world while he tries to redeem himself for his daughter. This is not an asshole billionaire in an iron suit who, let's face it, comes across as a douchebag most of the time, making everyone else look stupid. This is not a white bread heart of gold scrawny kid who gets thrust into being a hero because he's determined to be one and ends up setting an ideal that is impossible for anyone to achieve. This is a flawed human being, who's been on the wrong side of the law, doesn't know what he's doing and is funny in a self deprecating way. He's smart, but he's no genius. He just wants to be able to spend time with his daughter and be respected by his ex and her fiance. In short, this is a guy I can really root for in a way I can't for Tony Stark or even Steve Rogers. 

Oceans 3

And the ride we take with him, although it could be argued is just basic formula, is one I'd gladly take again. Or some other version of it with more characters like this in this universe. If this Marvel thing is going to continue, this variety of tone they've been unafraid of needs to continue and expand. They are clearly not afraid of going gritty, as the Daredevil series demonstrates. They have what is basically a 70's style political spy thriller on their resume with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The Avengers films are giant blockbuster action extravaganzas. And, as I mentioned before, they have a straight up Sci Fi space opera. Ant-Man fits into this as a sort of light heist comedy that feels like the perfect refreshment in a world where the other studio is about to give us what looks like Batman and Superman frowning at each other for 3 hours while every other superhero in that universe stands in the background, grinding their teeth and posing. 

So, yeah, I really liked this movie a lot. It's hard to say which is my favorite Marvel movie so far, because at the end of the day, no matter how good they are, I am still a little worn out with the whole superhero thing. But if you asked me right now, just a few hours after having seen it, I might say it's Ant-Man. It just feels different enough from the rest of it to stand out. In a good way. 

Avengers - Earth's Mightiest Superhero Movie

I couldn't have planned this any better. My 100th post and it's about The Avengers movie. Anyway.. . .

I was probably one of the only people that wasn't too excited about the movie at any point. I liked Iron Man. I didn't like Iron Man 2. I liked Thor. I liked Captain America. I'm one of the only people who actually liked both Hulk movies. But I didn't LOVE any of them. So the idea of putting all these characters in one giant movie, seemed to me like it could only end in Awesome or Crap. There would be no middle ground, and in my mind, it would be much harder to pull off Awesome. Then Joss Whedon was announced as director, and I'm not really a big fan of his, so the equation didn't change either way for me. Another big worry was that we were just seeing too much before the movie opened. If there's one thing that I am nostalgic for (and I hate nostalgia) it's the days when you didn't know every single detail of a movie before a single frame has even been shot. I miss going to the movies and not knowing what I'm about to see, at all. I can't be certain, but I'm sure no one knew who Luke's father was until that scene came up (although, "Darth Vader?" How did we NOT see that coming?). Imagine the Internets blowing up with spoilers telling the world "Rosebud was his sled!!" But today, it seems like spoilers are how movies are marketed. It's almost like the old essay writing tip about telling them what your going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them. The last part might be what I'm doing now, so I guess I'm participating in the cultural essay about The Avengers. But I'm getting ahead of myself. so I'll bury the lead at the end of this paragraph and say, yes, I liked the movie. A lot.

And what's not to like? Unless you come to this movie expecting The Godfather with capes, you know what this is. It's big. . . no, huge. . . no, enormous. . . no, I don't think there's a word for this, yet. Blockbuster movies were pretty much invented by Spielberg's Jaws and have just gotten bigger and bigger and, lately, dumber and dumber (Thank you, Michael Bay). But this is gigantic and not dumb. What it is, is fun, pure and simple. And the strategy of having the solo films lead up to this is part of the reason why it works so well. Sure, you don't need to have seen any of the previous movies to enjoy this, at all. You could easily come into this blind (if that's even possible) and totally be on board. But, if you did see even some of the previous movies, you have an understanding of the characters that will give this movie a depth that the big action would seem to contradict. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking high drama here. It's not Masterpiece Theater, but it is good storytelling. And it's Comics, with a capital C. It's what those of us that love the medium of comics, not just superhero comics, but all sequential, serialized comics, love. It's like each movie was one issue in this comic book series, and this was the big climax to this particular story arc. More than any set of sequels, I think that the Marvel movies capture that idea, without being obvious about it. It just sort of flows in that way, organically, and I'm not sure if it was done intentionally that way, or if it's just that Marvel approached it this way because it's the only way they know. Either way, that's the crowning achievement here and I hope it gets recognized as such. And I hope it brings readers back to comics.

So, what exactly was great about the movie? The action was fantastic, for sure. The effects were everything they needed to be and more. The banter was excellent. There was enough going on with every character to keep them on your mind. But the clear winner here is Hulk, though. As I said, I liked both Hulk movies. They were different takes on the character, and I'm OK with that. But I'd love to see this Hulk get his own movie now. He was scary and lovable and funny and menacing and the strongest there is. And Ruffalo gave us a Banner that I could totally believe as a tortured genius with a guilt trip, without being a whinny old man. And you know who else should get a movie? Black Widow. Badass, brave, almost to the point of stupidity, and bearing the guilt of a cloudy past, Scarlett Johansson gave her a depth that I didn't think would be there in this testosterone fest. For that, I think we can all agree, Whedon is to be thanked, given his record with female characters. I want to see more complex female heroes like this in the future. The potential for more is there with the addition of Maria Hill to the mix, who will hopefully be further developed as well.

I could go on, but I'd really rather not spoil anything. There's a lot of comic book movies coming. I don't like to compare too much, so I can't say this will be the best one or not. The fact is, the other movies that are coming are doing very different things. The Amazing Spider-Man looks like it's something I'm going to like as well, but it's a beginning. The Dark Knight Rises is going to be grim and gritty and it's a clear ending. But as far as Summer Blockbuster movies, this is not just winning the Season, it's (hopefully) redefining what the blockbuster movie is going to be from now on. It's certainly opening a lot of doors for more comic book movies, but that's not necessarily a good thing. I just hope the makers of future superhero movies take note of the details here, and not just the broad strokes. This took careful planning to pull off and it shows. Man, I want to see this movie again now, which says a lot, because I don't normally want to do that.

Comics of the Week - Not So Much

I wasn't blown away by anything this week. There were some solid books, but nothing that necessarily inspires me to write. That said, FF #16 works well as an epilogue and set up for the next Fantastic Four arc. I've read that Jonathan Hickman will be off both titles in October and I say "NOOOOO!!!!" What he seems to be setting up next seems just as great as what we've seen so far from him. But, we'll see who takes over next. Azzarello and Risso's Spaceman is a strange book. I think I want to like it more than I actually do. Ultimately, what I loved so much about the first issue, the language, is probably what I find troubling now. I just can't find a way into the story in a compelling way. Although, this issue was better than the last couple and I plan on finishing the whole miniseries, I'm just not sure where it's going and not in a good way.

Anyway, since there's not much to say about the comics I read, I'll instead talk about why I'm not going to read Avengers vs. X-Men. The short answer is I don't care. I'm just not too interested in these characters to begin with. I'm also not interested in big events anymore. But ultimately, I think the reason I am not reading it is because I'm tired of continuity. My approach to comics is that what "matters" is what I read. If I don't read it, then it doesn't "matter." Very simple. For example, I read two Batman books. Anything that happens in the other books, I don't care. From the looks of things, the Batman in the Justice League book is not the same as the Batman I read in Snyder's Batman or Tomasi's Batman and Robin. Does that upset me? No. Doesn't matter to me what happens in Justice League because I don't read it.

An event like AvX is basically about reinforcing continuity and making it seem like all the books should "matter." In other words, it's about selling books. It's about getting you to buy books you don't normally read. But then, once the event is over (and sometimes even during the event) you'll find that the continuity that the publisher is trying to reinforce, falls apart and just doesn't make sense. So, I say screw continuity. Let each book, each story, stand on its own. If they happen to cross over in a more organic way, that's fine, but you should still be able to pick and choose and still get a complete story. And while an event doesn't really take away your ability to pick and choose, I've seen enough of these now to know that, particularly with Marvel, the wrong choice of book means you really will miss key elements of the story. I'm not taking that gamble anymore.

Another reason I'm not reading it is because how often will Marvel's heroes get into these all out wars before the rest of the world decides it's had enough? Why does Marvel even need villains anymore?

Comic of the Week - Shhhhh Don't Tell Anyone

About a year ago, I started reading Uncanny X-Force because I'd read good reviews about it. Those reviews quickly turned into my reviews as I was totally sucked in by what Rick Remender was doing. The series managed to bring me back into the world of the X-Men. Now, Remender is going to be on Secret Avengers, and this week brought us #21.1, as a sort of set up/jumping on point for the series. I had to see if this would do for Avengers what X-Force did for X-Men, so I picked it up. The similarities in concept between X-Force and Secret Avengers are a good sign that this will work for me. Like Wolverine's hit squad, the Secret Avengers (as the name bluntly states) are a covert team. Their mission is simply stated on the first page: "Run the mission. Don't get seen. Save the world." Unlike X-Force, though, this team does not kill targets. Instead, it's heavy on the covert spy action.

For all intents and purposes, I am a new reader when it comes to the Avengers side of Marvel. I've read some issues and minis here and there, back during Civil War, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign, but after a while it just seemed like there were too many Avengers teams and everyone was an Avenger. It just never clicked with me. So, coming in to this issue, the question is whether or not the .1 did what it was supposed to do and make it new reader friendly. My answer is yes and no. I never felt lost as to what was going on. Then again, I'm not coming in completely fresh. I know who Hawkeye and Captain America are and have a basic grasp of their relationships, so when Cap pushes Hawkeye by challenging his motivations, I understood where it was coming from. But, as someone who hasn't necessarily been invested in these characters, I'm not sure the surrogate father and son dynamic between them had as much impact on me. And maybe that's OK, since this is just an introduction to the series, but I wonder if someone coming in with no knowledge of the characters at all, would find anything to grab onto.

Where I think the series grabs me, for at least the next issue, is in the promise of more covert action. It's a little ridiculous to watch Captain America and Hawkeye swinging over (incredibly high) rooftops of a country run by criminals, in costume, then dive onto a balcony, unseen, while activating holographic tuxedos, and just get handed drinks as if they had been there all along, but that's also pretty awesome. A huge part of what made that work is Patrick Zircher's art. I am not familiar with his work, but I like what I saw in this issue. Every sequence made sense, no matter how insane. His use of perspective really gave me a sense of altitude in the opening scenes, leaving me with a real feeling of these character's skill and lack of fear as they deftly jump around on skyscrapers. There was a small moment, when they change into the tuxes that I wasn't sure who was who, but I quickly realized it was my own lack of familiarity with the characters and was able to figure it out right away.

All in all, I want to see what Remender does with the next issue. In X-Force, he has so far given us one epic story that built from the very first issue. Will he go for a long form arc here as well? Or will it be more episodic? With the Avengers v. X-Men event coming, I wonder if the two teams will face off. And who would win that face off? My money's on X-Force, but at this point, I don't even who else is on the Secret Avengers, so I'll just have to wait and see.

Captain America - Heart of a Hero

Much like X-Men First Class, the main thing Captain America has going for it is heart. The story of the 90 pound weakling, who never gives up, getting to be a superhero is the epitome of geek fantasy. Steve Rogers is a symbol for everyone that was ever put down by forces he couldn't fight. It's old school comics in its purest form, and for this reason it's appropriate for the move to take place during War World II with clear lines drawn between good and evil. This was an origin tale done in proper context.

Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers just right. At no point do you feel sorry for the scrawny Steve, even as he is getting pounded in a back alley by some bully. The thing about Steve Rogers, no matter what size, is that he'll be alright. He can handle himself and he's not going to get all weepy and pitiful. No, he's going to pick himself up and try again. It would have been very easy for Evans to give us a depressive little guy, but he doesn't do it. You root for him, but you never feel sorry for him. He's already a hero before he's Captain America, and that's what Dr. Erskine, played brilliantly by Stanley Tucci, saw in him.

If Steve Rogers is a hero before he's Cap, then Johann Schmitt is the devil. Hugo Weaving proves here that he has been wasted in previous villain roles (I'm looking at you The Matrix!!)  The Red Skull is so evil, even Hitler has turned his back on him. And really, that's as it should be. This is not a character that should be ambiguous in any way. My only problem with the movie might be that, while Weaving's performance is right on, he's not really given enough to do to show just how evil he is. I feel like a punch or two was pulled here in order to make the movie more kid friendly, and that's a shame.

As will always be the case, there are a few changes to details of the story from the comics. And this instance really stands out as a prime example of why that has to happen, since 70 years is a long time to be frozen in ice. However, this brings up another nitpicky problem with the movie. By putting Howard Stark in there, I think the math might create some problems. How old, exactly, are the Starks during these movies? But, this is minor. The real problem with trying to connect the Marvel movies is that I think in this case, they robbed Captain America of a proper ending. Previous movies wrapped up the stories without making it feel like the movie had just been a prequel to The Avengers. In this case, the last 5 minutes should have been cut, or at least changed somehow. After everything we saw Steve go through, we should have had some kind of closure at the end of it, beyond just having him run through Times Square, only to very quickly accept what Samuel Jackson tells him.


All in all, I would put this up there with X-Men First Class for the year. I'm not sure which of the two is better as they cover different ground. But both have heart and that's important. I'm a little worried that The Avengers movie will be more in Iron Man 2 territory, lots of flash, not much else. But we'll see next year.