The Marvel Studios' films, in general

[portia]

I do not recall if I have ever read a Marvel comic. But, I think they are doing a pretty good job with these movies. They are not Shakespeare,(though some of the themes are pretty thinly disguised from the Bard) but they are entertaining and funny.
I am looking forward to "Captain America/ The Winter Soldier", and I even think I will probably enjoy some of the more obscure ones coming up.

[Arlaug]

We don't get Marvel comics here so I havr never had a reading but Loki is a bit of a Shakespearean villain. And overall I liked the outcome, at least for some future dull Sundays.

[siddharth]

I haven't read any marvel comics. In fact I dont think I have read ANY superhero comics so I wouldn't know how close the films are to them.
But having seen some of the films I think they are rather okayish. I liked Iron Man, thought IM2 was terrible and IM3 was better but nothinges special. Likewise Thor was boring but Thor 2 was a good movie.
I think the Avengers is a pretty good movie but the hype surrounding it really made me distaste it.
Is Spider-Man marvel? If so, I thought the new Spiderman was a very good film.

[dr_boots]

Before working in a library, I had not read any comics or graphic novels. I had seen the X-men movies and enjoyed them. Still do, more so than the other Marvel superheroes. Guess I like my superheroes somewhat flawed and not so black and white as some of the other superheroes. Loki is a good example....good? bad? somewhere in between???? Some of the main "villains" in the Marvelverse are just as ambiguous. Few are truly evil but were often shaped and molded into what they are. Good example is the main villain of X-Men. Magneto (Erik Lesher) played by the wonderful Sir Ian, was shaped by his experiences and horrors he endured as a child in a Nazi concentration camp. In later years he is a law abiding "Hero" but over time comes to see the treatment of the mutants at the hands of the government as similar to that of the Jews, Gypsies and others at the hands of the Nazi's.

Now I order the graphic novels for the library and have become quite familiar with all them as I need to be able to discuss them with the patrons in order to know which ones to order. Still prefer the Marvel graphics and Marvel based films as opposed to the DC ones. Quite liked the first Avengers movie (partial to Hawkeye as I have a soft spot for archers). Marvel more than any other comic/graphic novel developer and publisher has always pushed the boundaries of what is considered socially acceptable for the time.

Now I am waiting to see if the new Avengers movie holds up as well as the first and am anticipating The Winter Soldier. New X-men also. My only complaint so far with the X-men movies has been not using or under using some of the more ambiguous and colorful characters from the graphic novels/comics. Sexy bad boy Gambit is a case in point.

Sidd, Spiderman is a Marvel comic.

Later
Dr. B

[Gungnir]

dr_boots - Gambit was in X-Men Origins; Wolverine. Briefly.

I'm looking forward to Winter Soldier - the trailers have a lot of elements from the excellent Ed Brubaker run on Captain America. I'm a bit more cautious about Guardians of The Galaxy though as I thought the GOTG V2 comics, which the film is based on were a bit rubbish, to be frank.

[dr_boots]

Gungnir,

Yeah, I know. I was really looking forward seeing Mr. Le Beau but as you say it was brief, way too brief. He's a much more interesting character than some they choose to spotlight in the films, in my opinion.

I saw the special on TV about the next Marvel movies and Winter Soldier looks to be pretty darned good. We had the first three volumes at my library but some villain has stolen the middle one. That's the trouble with the graphics, they are thin and easily hidden in someone's coat or bag. Our entire collection of Kirkman's Walking Dead is gone, about 16 volumes with only the very latest ones still on the shelf. The Japanese anime get the same treatment. I think much of it is kids and teens as we in the adult department have many graphics they don't have in the children's/young adult department.

Dr. B

[siddharth]

Alright, I didn't know X-Men was marvel.
I find those films highly entertaining! More so than the Avengers films.
Though, I haven't seen the latest one.

And I hear you about underusing characters. Seems like Marvel has a history of it. Gambit, Cyclops (who was present in the three X-Men
movies but did almost nothing), Venom in Spiderman 3.

I am anticipating the Amazing Spiderman 2, to be released very soon. It has awesome trailers. With villains like Electro and Rhino in it, I am already interested. Plus, I really like Andrew Garfield as Parker.

[Gungnir]

I liked Andrew Garfield as Parker as well but the rest of "Amazing Spider-Man" was average at best. The trailer for the new film looks good but I worry that they are cramming too many bad guys into it. Have none of them seen 'Spider-Man 3'?

Siddharth, there are currently three companies with the rights to make Marvel films:

Fox - they have the rights to make films based around X-Men and related characters/villains etc. They also have the rights to the Fantastic Four and related characters and also (I think) any Marvel characters who are mutants.

Sony Movies - Have the rights to Spider-Man and related characters

Marvel Studios have the rights to everything else.

Fox have "X-Men: Days of Future Past" ready to release this year. They are then getting ready to film "X-Men:Apocalypse" and a new Fantastic Four reboot film (and I think another Wolverine film) and announced last week a 'mystery Marvel-based" movie for 2017 (if memory serves) which can only be a Fantastic Four/X-Men crossover movie. (X-Men 2 already had a minor Xmen/FF crossover - Reed and Sue Richards' son Franklin, who is an extremely powerful mutant, was seen mentioned in some secret files at one point)

Sony have the new Amazing Spider-Man sequel ready to release with another one in the pipeline. They are also planning spin-off films focussing on the other Spider-Man related characters which they have the rights to, mostly villains. I'm guessing one of these films will be 'Agent Venom'. Venom, although he started out as a villain, ended up (in the comics) becoming a SHIELD agent after Eddie Brock learned how to control the alien symbiote, rather than it controlling him. However Marvel Studios have the right to SHIELD and Fox don't so they would need to change the storyline a bit.

Marvel Studios, in addition to the films, are also working on a number of related TV series based on other characters from the Marvel comics universe including Daredevil. Fox (or Sony?) had the rights to Daredevil but the rights lapsed because they did not make a sequel to the Ben Affleck Daredevil film within a specified timeframe.

Because of rights issues it is very unlikely that any of the three studios would agree to a Marvel crossover film with the characters owned by one of the other studios. One complication of this is that the ownership of some characters is a bit blurry. So Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, who are members of The Avengers in the comics will be appearing in the next Avengers film. However they are also both mutants (Magneto's son and daughter) so Fox are including Quicksilver in X-Men: Days Of Future Past, played by a different actor to the Avengers Quicksilver. The Avengers film cannot mention that Magneto was their father and I'm not even sure whether they can mention that they are mutants!

[dr_boots]

Yikes!

Sounds more complicated than trying to film LOTR and The Hobbit without mentioning anything from the 'Sil or other Tolkien works.

Glad I don't have to worry about that. Gives me a headache just thinking about it.

Dr. B

[Gungnir]

BTW, I just read that they are considering Gambit for X-Men: Apocalypse. And Nightcrawler.

[siddharth]

Thanks for all that info Gugnir!

Of the Amazing Spiderman
Garfield is better than McGuire.
The Gwen-Parker love story is waay more fresh and less syrupy than MJ.
It had far less in your face-Americanism than the earlier films.
And it also explored the more spider like qualities of Spidey than the previous films.
The only thing it lacked was a good villain. The Lizard was simply not interesting enough.
The problem with Spiderman 3 was not that of too many villains but its execution. Venom is introduced, like 20 minutes before the climax. And both of them get defeated.
If they execute it right it could be obey of the best Spidey films. The villains are certainly awesome.

I saw that Empire has publishex its review on The Winter Soldier. Got 4 stars.

[Gungnir]

If they execute it right it could be obey of the best Spidey films. The villains are certainly awesome.

It will have to be very good indeed to beat Spider-Man 2 which was fantastic.

[dr_boots]

Gungnir

Hope you're right about X-men Apocalypse. Two of my favorite characters along with Logan. Afraid if Gambit and Nightcrawler show up though it will be only as brief appearances. You would think that after X-men fans created enough uproar after they "killed off" Gambit that they brought him back, the movie makers would realize what a dynamic and popular character he was.

The previews I've seen for Winter Soldier look fantastic. But then they always show the best bits during the previews.
I thought it was interesting that they actually showed a teaser of the next X-men movie at the end of the credits for the last one - Wolverine. It was a pleasant surprise and I probably would have missed it if my cousin who was with me wasn't one of those people who stay all the way through the credits.

Have to admit that my favorite part of The Avengers (besides the archery) was the Hulk going all "Looney Tunes" on Loki

Dr. B

[siddharth]

That was the best (and the only funny bit) scene found in The Avengers.
Just one of the reasons I like Hulk more than any of the other 4 Avengers.

Gugnir - agreed on SM2. And you should consider re-watching "The Amazing Spider Man". I have seen it thrice and gave liked it better than the previous tine continually.
If anything, this new series is much more detailed scientifically.

[portia]

Really? I have other nominations from the Avengers.
Hulk's punch-out of Thor.
Thor's comment that Loki is "adopted."
Dr, Banner's whole conversation with the night watchman
Loki's conversation with Tony Stark, over a glass of. . . what? and the failure of Loki's spear to work.

[siddharth]

Oh yeah, the Hulk punch on Thor was hilarious.
The other ones, not so much.
Not sure, maybe I was in a bad mood when I saw it?

[Gungnir]

Gugnir - agreed on SM2. And you should consider re-watching "The Amazing Spider Man". I have seen it thrice and gave liked it better than the previous tine continually.

I've seen it three times as well. It was 'OK' but only because of Andrew Garfield. Take him away and it would be pretty dull. But then again, Spider-Man is not my favourite super-hero by a long way.

Saying that, the 'Superior Spider-Man' comics are absolutely fantastic - Doctor Octopus, on his death bed, transferred his mind into Peter Parker's body, vowing to be a better Spider-Man than Parker was and, arguably, doing just that. Much more interesting than the usual Spider-Man diet of teenage angst and puerile quips.

Superior Spider-Man Wikipedia entry

[siddharth]

Saying that, the 'Superior Spider-Man' comics are absolutely fantastic - Doctor Octopus, on his death bed, transferred his mind into Peter Parker's body, vowing to be a better Spider-Man than Parker was and, arguably, doing just that. Much more interesting than the usual Spider-Man diet of teenage angst and puerile quips.

Superior Spider-Man Wikipedia entry

Thanks!

While Spiderman is not my favorite Superhero, I do like him a lot. And not for the "teenage angst and puerile quips". I like him largely because Spiderman is more "humane" than most superheroes. He's practically relatable. He doesn't have a particular motive or agenda or something that drives most superheroes, he's good just for being good. Now compare him to say Tony Stark, I don't think there'd be many who could relate to some billionaire scientist. If one goes past the visual effects, I think SM has the more emotional resonance than most superhero flicks. (Oh yes, I am speaking about the movies only as I haven't read any comics).

That said, Batman has to be my favorite from the film-verse. Because of the dense, action-thriller plots and classic villains!
Next comes SM and then X-Men after. Followed by The Hulk. (Not sure if Loki ever becomes a superhero, then he'd be my 4th)

[dr_boots]

Poor Loki.....I think its that headdress . Getting through normal doors must be a chore.

I think my favorite superhero has to be Logan in both the graphics and the films. All that he has been through and how he still tries to do the right thing no matter how hard and how much it costs him and sometimes he fails....just like the rest of us poor mortals. In Logan's case his so-called "superpower" is more of a curse than a gift, causing him grief and misery. Sort of like the Hulk.

Haven't seen this last Spiderman film yet so will have to reserve judgment on it. We don't order the Spiderman series of graphic novels for the adult department though they are in the young adult section upstairs. Because of this I am not as familiar with the Spiderman graphic novels as I am with X-Men and the Avengers and other series. We do have The Incredible Hulk series though. I do like Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk better than previous actors in that role.

Dr. B

[Gungnir]

(Not sure if Loki ever becomes a superhero, then he'd be my 4th)

There is a current comic series called 'Loki, Agent of Asgard' in which, I think, he is on the side of good for a change, but I haven't read it. Might have to remedy that.

[Arlaug]

Have you guys seen the new X-Men trailer?

[Gungnir]

Yes, it looks pretty good. I wasn't impressed with the last X-Men Film, Wolverine, but X-Men: First Class was absolutely top-notch, so I'm looking forward to this immensely.

Also I enjoyed seeing the Oxford landmarks in First Class, it reminded me of TORC Oxford Moots.

[Frelga]

(Not sure if Loki ever becomes a superhero, then he'd be my 4th)

There is a current comic series called 'Loki, Agent of Asgard' in which, I think, he is on the side of good for a change, but I haven't read it. Might have to remedy that.

Does this mean that we might see a Loki-centered movie?

Millions of fangirls can't be denied!

Oh, and I would be pleased, too.

[portia]

Me, too.

[Arlaug]

x3

[Gungnir]

Got my tickets for Captain America : The Winter Soldier for tomorrow night. I have high hopes.

[Frelga]

Saw this online

[portia]

Frelga:

The item encapsulates my reluctance to join Twitter, or participate in Facebook.

[portia]

I will probably go see Captain America again. I did not have a real desire to see it, again, but I probably missed things. There was a thing on stunt people on 60 minutes on Sun.
The trailer for Guardians of the Universe didn't do anything for me, but, who knows.

[Ilyda]

Finally got around to seeing the new Captain America movie. I thought it was okay, but I was a bit underwhelmed. The reveal on the Winter Soldier wasn't fantastic. I thought it was maybe a little rushed and definitely lacked the needed impact. Part of that might be because I already knew the reveal, but I'd been pre-spoiled on the twist for Iron Man 3 and still was impressed by that. For the movie being called "The Winter Soldier," he was strangely absent from large parts of the film. The editing was a bit wonky (Wilson goes into a fight with a guy, and then we don't come back to that fight for five minutes!) Robert Redford was a great casting choice. He looked very "All the President's Men," but from the corrupt side instead of the investigative. It's too bad he seemed underused, though his reveal was well done.

On the whole, it felt like a good 2-hour set-up for Captain America 3 - the Winter Soldier and Falcon will obviously be back for that one, and I hope they take time away from smashing peoples' faces in to explore the relationship between Steve and Bucky (finally). The character development parts of the Captain America movies have been given a bit of short shrift so far. I know they're superhero action movies, but I'd like to think that a little bit of character on the side of my shiny action isn't too much to ask for.