Recap!

Last week my daughter Tessa and I began running through our opinions on the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We have been watching them all in chronological order and I thought it would be fun to share the differences and similarities from the point of view of a teenage girl and her dad on these, the movies that are essentially the mythology of our time. Or something like that.

Anyhoo, the rating systems are as follows. I rate the movies on my usual scale of up to 5 Daves (5 being the best) and Tessa rates on a scale of up to 5 Y’s (Y standing for yaaaaaas!).

Buckle up y’all, we’re back with the second half of our Marvel movie breakdown. Spoilers lie ahead so proceed with caution.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

Tessa: Just like the first Guardians movie, I like this one a lot. The soundtrack still slaps, and the storyline is great. I like that we get to see more of Peter Quill’s past. I like the first one better, but I still enjoy this one, and I know that it’s hard to make a sequel that lives up to the first one when the first one was that good.

Dave: Don’t you think they missed a great opportunity by not naming it “Guardians 2: The SeQuill?”

T: I did not think about that, but yes.

D: Word. Anyway, I agree with your review. I think they relied a little too heavily on some of the same basic jokes for the characters, but it was still quite enjoyable. Also, Kurt Russell stars in this movie and I like pretty much anything he does, so that’s like an extra half point in and of itself.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (3.5 Daves, 3 Y’s)

T: I like this movie, but it’s not one that stands out in my mind. While rewatching it, I realized that it was a better movie than I’d originally remembered, but still not my favorite. But I do like the fact that Wanda was introduced, and I almost cried when Pietro died. It’s a good movie and pretty important, but I feel it deserves 3 Y’s.

D: Once again, it’s a little dense (Marvel are good at trying to put too much stuff into one film), and kind of slow in places. However it is an important movie in that it really helps move the characters along, both individually and in the ways they function (or sometimes don’t) as a team. So it’s worth seeing, but it’s not one I will watch repeatedly.

ANT MAN (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: I like this movie a lot. Scott Lang is a great protagonist, and it has just the right amount of humor in it, proving once again that the MCU does comedy well. And Ant Man is a great hero and an asset to the Avengers later on.

D: Ant Man is regarded as a lesser hero, and maybe he is, but I really like Paul Rudd’s take on the character, and this movie is highly entertaining. It also doesn’t require as much knowledge of previous movies as some of the others, so it’s a good stand alone film for MCU fans and casual viewers as well.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: This movie is amazing. Not only is it important to the timeline of the MCU, it shows that the Avengers aren’t perfect. They aren’t these amazing heroes who do no wrong and never disagree. This movie shows the tension between each and every Avenger, and how little some of them know each other. It’s refreshing to see a team of superheroes that don’t work together well, or whose plans don’t all go off perfectly. And this is the first time we meet Peter Parker, which I love. Also, BUCKY!!!!

D: One of the very best entries. There are so many great action scenes, and the character development for both Iron Man and Captain America is possibly the best there is in the entire MCU. The events occurring in this film affect everything that comes after it, right up until the last movie. I wish that this would have been released as an Avengers movie, or perhaps just as “Marvel: Civil War” since nearly all major characters are affected by the plot, not just Cap. This is a small quibble however, and does not affect my enjoyment of this film one bit.

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (4 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: Maybe it’s the fact that this was the first Marvel movie I ever watched, maybe it’s because I love Peter, MJ, and Ned so much, maybe it’s because I have a shirt that has Peter’s high school logo on it, but I love this movie! It brings back so many good memories, and every time I even see Peter I start smiling. Honestly, this is my favorite MCU movie (tied with CA:TWS obviously), and I was so excited to rewatch it. If it was on Disney+, I would watch it everyday.

D: That’s why we have a Blu-Ray player, Tess. Okay, honesty time: Spider-Man has traditionally been one of my least favorite characters, (I know, sorry) and when I heard how young the character would be in this version I was prepared to really dislike this film. But you know, Marvel Studios did it again, this film is really well done and I like it a lot.

DOCTOR STRANGE (4.5 Daves, 3 Y’s)

T: Similar to what I said about Thor: Dark World, this movie is important because it sets up the time stone and everything, but I don’t really like it. Maybe I was used to the comical or action filled movies, and since this had little of either, it wasn’t my favorite. However, I am looking forward to the next Doctor Strange movie, because Strange and Wanda together are a force to be reckoned with.

D: I quite enjoyed this movie. Tessa’s right in saying that it’s not a traditional super hero type movie, but that’s one of the reasons why I like it. I believe there is more action and humor than she claims, but it’s a different style and perhaps a bit more subtle. The film’s take on the mystic arts is quite interesting and though it is an effects-heavy film, the cast is very good.

BLACK PANTHER (4.5 Daves, 4Y’s)

T: I enjoyed this movie. Around this period is when Marvel started churning out solo movies for heroes we’ve never/barely met before, and they don’t always work, but I think this one does. It’s fun to see a new little corner of the MCU with the Wakandans, and they play a big role in the rest of the series. My favorite character is definitely Shuri, and I can’t wait to see what part she plays in the upcoming movies. All in all, this is a great movie by itself, and a great addition to the universe.

D: I like this one a lot, too. I remember seeing this one in the theater and being almost taken aback by how much I felt it. Upon further viewings there are a few plot issues and character choices I’m not so sure about, but that feeling is there. It comes down to a well executed movie, and top notch acting from an actor who left us far too soon.

THOR: RAGNAROK (3.5 Daves, 4.5 Y’s)

T: I gave this 4.5 Y’s (or Thor point five, lol), and I think it deserves that. I’m proud to award it with funniest MCU movie. Every time I watch this movie, I laugh so hard and fall in love with the characters all over again. I’ve kind of been mean to the previous Thor movies, but this one is definitely a lot better. Its another MCU classic for all generations.

D: Okay, so I have a hard time with this one. It is undeniably good, and an important movie for Thor’s character and in fact all of Asgard. It is hysterically funny…and that’s the issue. I feel it relies too much on humor when a little more pathos would have been more true to the characters. However, there are some great set pieces, and it’s probably the Hulk’s finest hour. Also, you can’t do better than the “get help” scene. So I’m torn, but I do like it.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: Dude, this one makes me cry. I might be biased, but it’s probably the best cliffhanger in cinematic history. Thanos is such an unlikeable villain that it makes what he did even worse. If you haven’t seen it or haven’t had it spoiled to you yet; it does not end well for our heroes. Watching my favorite characters turn to dust right before my eyes was scarring (this is the part where I cry). Peter’s iconic “I don’t feel good, Mr. Stark” is forever ingrained in my head as the saddest line ever. But even though it makes me uncontrollably sob, I give it a 5 because its an amazing movie because of the ending.

D: This is one of my favorite movies. Period. Thanos is such an interesting villain to me because yes, he does terrible things, but he has a reason. Though that reasoning may be flawed, it does have a certain twisted logic to it and like all madmen and most politicians he is doing what he believes to be right while being very wrong. Watching this epic story unfold and going through the sacrifices and losses suffered by these characters is viscerally exciting. The ending leaves you breathless in the most unexpected way. So good.

ANT MAN AND THE WASP (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: Similar to the first one, this movie is incredibly funny while also being action packed. It dives deeper into each character’s backstory, and Hope gets a new haircut which we all enjoyed. I love seeing Cassie and Scott’s father-daughter relationship, along with Hope and Janet’s mother-daughter relationship. There is an underlying theme of parenthood in this movie, and that makes me smile.

D: Pretty much what Tessa said. Good as a stand alone movie, and excellent as a pallet cleanser after Infinity War. That credit scene though…

AVENGERS: ENDGAME (4.5 Daves 5 Y’s)

T: Dude, this one makes me cry. The finale fight scene is both brutal and beautiful, and the ultimate sacrifice that had to be made, was made. I cry at least three times throughout this movie. I saw it in theaters twice, and everybody in the movie theater was sobbing. We got everyone back, but somehow it feels like we lost everything again. And seeing the impact of what happened on the characters shows that even though they had their faults and disagreements, they stood by each other in the end. The time travel aspect was actually done pretty well, and while human Hulk kinda creeps me out, he played a big part in bringing everyone back as well. On second thought, I give it 10 out of 5 Y’s, would recommend.

D: It was all leading up to this, and the movie delivers. There are lots of emotional scenes that deepen our love of these characters, and it does give a satisfying conclusion to the story ark of both Iron Man and Captain America. The only thing keeping me from giving this the full 5 Daves is that I am just so not a fan of time travel, and I felt a little cheated that the plan to save everything revolved around that. To be fair though, I’m not sure how it could have happened any other way. The time travel thing does open up a few questions and possible holes in the story, but Marvel seem to be addressing those in their shows and future movies, so that’s alright. All in all though, a great movie and excellent ending to the story line.

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (4 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: Dude, this movie also makes me cry! It’s like all I do these days is cry! But seriously, let’s talk about this amazing movie. You probably saw my rating and said But Tessa! You give every movie with Spiderman in it a 5! And you are correct. But this movie really deserves this. Peter was one of the people most affected by one of Endgame’s major losses, and this movies dives into how he handles it. He’s already upset because he was gone for five years, and now that he’s back his father figure dies. FFH shows Peter’s insecurity in himself and his ability to quickly trust others at the same time, and it elaborates on his character so much, which is what we’ve been asking for. But aside from all the deep feels, this movie is really funny and adds the ever so loved romance aspect. I will always and forever love this movie.

D: I view this movie as an epilogue to the connected storyline, and a little bit of a bridge to the next phase of Marvel movies. It is the first movie to deal with life “post blip” (something the tv shows are doing well) and that is an interesting aspect. This is a fun movie and definitely worth viewing.

Alright, we did it, True Believers. 23 movies in 2 posts. Thanks to Tessa for her contributions, we just might have to do this again when the next movie comes out. See you next week for more MonDAVEs.

Excelsior!

Our family has a movie night once a week. Usually we take turns picking a movie, enabling everyone in the family to share their favorites and for us all to discover something new. It (mostly) works quite well and is something we all look forward to.

Over the past few months we completed all of the Marvel movies, official MCU only, in chronological order. Now, you can watch the movies in any order you choose. Some prefer the order of release, some go the chronological route, some focus only on one character or sets of characters, some just go random. But since the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe is connected via an overarching storyline, this was a fun way to do it. It’s also helped a lot when watching the three new Marvel series on Disney+, also related, but that’s a topic for another day.

Since these movies are all still pretty fresh in our heads, I thought it would be fun to run through them, in order, and give quick reviews. To assist me here, I have recruited my oldest daughter, Tessa, to give her opinions with me. She is every bit the fan of these movies as I am if not more, so this should be fun. We will try to keep this spoiler free, but come on y’all, it’s been ten plus years that these films have been out, so no blaming us if you are not up to speed. We will present this in two separate posts so that a.) you don’t get too bored and b.) we don’t get too bored.

Rating system is as follows. I will rate on my standard scale of up to 5 Daves, and Tessa will rate up to 5 Y’s. Y’s, of course, standing for Yaaaaaas! Anyway…

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (4.5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

Tessa: I like this one because it sets up Cap’s character really well, it shows off his priorities and good motives that are important throughout the rest of the MCU. It also sets up Bucky and Peggy, two of my favorite characters.

Dave: Captain America rules. Red Skull rules. End of story.

T: Facts.

CAPTAIN MARVEL (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: I like Captain Marvel because it’s the MCU’s first female lead movie, and it doesn’t have a cheap love story or anything, it focuses on her journey as a superhero and they treat it like they would if it were a man’s story. Also I like Goose. It does cause one or two minor plot holes with Nick Fury, but all in all I like it.

D: This gets a lot of hate from the online fanboy community, and I’m not sure why. Intimidated by a strong female character, are we? Grow up. I think this is a very entertaining entry, and I believe it will set up some storylines for the next phase of movies, which is cool. Contrary to popular opinion I think Brie Larson did a great job, and I am looking forward to the next film.

IRON MAN (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: I think Iron Man sets up the MCU very well. It shows Tony Stark’s growth as a character and introduces us to very important characters (Tony, Pepper, Happy, etc.) Tony is a very important character, and you can tell right from the beginning of his story that he’s going to be the one who takes charge of the MCU and makes it what it is now.

D: One of the best movies to watch as a stand alone. I don’t think the Marvel people were 100% committed to the “it’s all connected” theory yet and that Nick Fury’s appearance in the post credit scene was more of a giant “easter egg” for fans of the comics, but boy did it take off from there! Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast.

IRON MAN 2 (3.5 Daves, 3Y’s)

T: This movie was good, and dove further into Tony’s character, but it was somewhat forgettable. There were some important things that happened, like the introduction of Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), the formal introduction of Fury, and a tease at Thor’s hammer, but ultimately this isn’t one that stays in my head as a monumental Marvel movie, ya know?

D: I like this one a little better than some, but I think it’s a little overly complex for what it is. It’s not as much fun as the first one, but it moves the character along nicely.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2.5 Daves, 2 Y’s)

T: I didn’t really like it, and it’s not Mark Ruffalo so what’s the point?

D: This is Marvel’s biggest miss in my opinion. I love Edward Norton as an actor, I think he is one of our finest. However, he is just completely and utterly miscast here as Bruce Banner. The rest of the movie is fine. Not great but not bad, it’s just that Norton is so wrong for this character it brings the whole thing down.

THOR (4 Daves, 3.5 Y’s)

T: I liked this movie. I did not like Thor’s haircut, which is why it’s a 3.5 and not a 4. I think it was a good way to set up Thor, and set up the side characters really well too. Darcy and Loki will always be my favorite characters in the Thor series, and I’m excited to see Jane again in the next Thor movie.

D: I like this movie a lot, both visually and from a world building point of view. It was directed by Kenneth Branagh, a favorite actor and director of mine, who thinks everything he does is Shakespeare. So it’s a little overly dramatic and heavy handed, but that works well for me when we’re talking about an epic film filled with Norse Gods.

THE AVENGERS (AKA AVENGERS ASSEMBLE) (4 Daves, 4.5 Y’s)

T: This is such an iconic MCU movie. I’ve talked a lot about setting up characters and the MCU, but I’m going to talk about it again. This movie did set up the Avengers, something so important to every following movie and the MCU as a whole. The only reason it’s not a full 5 is that it was kind of long, and even though they had a lot to do in one movie, it felt like it was a bit too long.

D: This is a good movie, and it’s a lot of fun to see all the heroes together for the first time. The downside here is that the film makers tried to put a little too much into the story, which is excusable since a lot of people would be watching this one that did not see anything leading up to it. So I feel it’s a little complicated for the casual viewer and a simplified version may have worked better. On the other hand, it really does put the overarching story into motion, and the begins to develop the working relationships between all of the major characters. It’s also where the MCU began to really start finding its style.

IRON MAN 3 (3 Daves, 3 Y’s)

T: There was a lot I liked about this movie. I loved the introduction of Harley, and even though he never made a large appearance after this movie, it was nice to see the way Harley intertwined into Tony’s character. I think having that person who looked up to you that you could mentor and teach was good for Tony. And that helped him as he later went on to do the same with Peter Parker, Morgan, and even Nebula in a way. And I liked when Pepper used Tony’s suit, because it foreshadowed her getting her own suit in Endgame. But just like Iron Man 2, even though there were a lot of good things, it stayed forgettable, other than one or two details.

D: The good: Everything without the kid in it. The bad: everything with the kid in it.

T: 😦

THOR: THE DARK WORLD (4 Daves, 3Y’s)

T: This movie is important and all, since it sets up the reality stone and stuff, but it’s boring. Loki and Darcy again stepped in to steal the show, and they were the only real good things about this movie in my opinion. Forgettable, yet watchable enough to deserve 3 Y’s.

D: Incorrect, Tessa. This movie is unfairly underrated by many. It has more humor than the first Thor film, though not as much as later entries. The stakes are much higher from a storytelling point of view, I like the character development between Thor and Loki, and I especially enjoy where they went with Dr. Selvig’s character. I admittedly had jumped on the bandwagon of this being a miss of a movie but after the recent viewing I have changed my mind and stand happily corrected.

T: Incorrect, Dad. A lot of what you said was true, about the humor and character development and all that jazz. But it wasn’t enough to save the movie for me. I low key (see what I did there) almost fell asleep. I do not like this movie.

D: Whatevs. Moving on.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER (4.5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: I love this movie! When we watched it as a family, that’s when I was finally hooked on the MCU. Without this movie, I would not be the fan that I am today. This movie is well written, did a great job at bringing back Bucky, introduces Sam, and dives deep into almost every Cap character’s backstory. This is my comfort movie. I’ll put it on whenever I’m bored or want to watch an MCU movie but don’t know which one to pick. It may be because of my love of Bucky Barnes, but I love this movie very much.

D: Another strong showing from Cap and friends. It introduces the Winter Soldier storyline, and is the first appearance of The Falcon. I grew up reading Captain America and Falcon comics, so this made me happy. Lots of cool S.H.I.E.L.D./Hydra stuff too.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (4.5 Daves, 4.5 Y’s)

T: Guardians was the first movie that was intentionally comical, and it really payed off well. The MCU showed that it can do a funny movie, that also expands the universe and adds more depth to what we already know. I love Groot and Rocket, and Drax never fails to make me laugh. All in all, this is a great movie, and one I definitely will watch just on a random Tuesday if I feel bored. A *classic* to be honest.

D: Total winner. Apart from being hilarious, this movie does have some great action sequences as well, a really great soundtrack, and gives us interesting new characters. Although we caught a glimpse of Thanos’s power in the Avengers movie, here is where his character starts to earn his “big bad” status, and he’s not even in the film much at all. Marvel really knocked it out of the park with this one. Also, Howard The Duck makes an appearance and that makes me so happy I can’t even tell you.

Okay, that’s it for this post. See you next week for another MonDAVE.

Tessa will return.