Spider-Man, Ant-Man, The Hulk, The Winter Soldier, & The Black Widow (...Walk Into A Bar In NY)

[redbrunja]

Okay, so I saw The Amazing Spider-Man. I'd give it a B. Maybe a B-.



The good:

–Andrew Garfield was AMAZING. Seriously, he was a fantastic Peter Parker. I loved his kind of manic energy and the way that he'd try to say something and just be unable to spit it out. The casting in general was excellent - I loved the chemistry between him and Emma Stone (even if the writing was pretty weak for some of their relationship). I liked that Peter's beginning as a superhero was very much motivated by revenge and I actually do think it was a nice touch that he never got to confront the guy who'd killed Uncle Ben. Also, he looked nice beat up. (Sidenote, since we had one shot of Spider-man doing the thigh-grab-throw that Black Widow does, I kind of wanted to see those two fight. Especially because they both have Spider secret identities.)

–I know it was a little cheesy, but I really loved the scene where the construction workers swing all the crane out so that Spider-man can have a clear run at Oscorp Tower.

What wasn't good:

–Oh my god, was this movie so freaking long. And I am SO damn sick of origin stories. We all know how Peter Parker gets his powers, okay? We know. And for all the trailer acted like we might get more with this his parents... we didn't, really. Lame. Like Captain America, this is a movie where I think the sequel will be better than the first one, for pretty much the exact same reasons. (Well, actually, not quite, but I'll get to that later in the post.)

–WTF was up with that stinger? It made no sense.

–I liked Gwen, but she was very firmly in the girlfriend role in this, and I hated the whole 'promise' thing with Peter and her dad.



Now let me be a touch more coherent about the Winter Soldier movie.



Reasons I am excited for this movie: I approve of amnesic, assassin spies, I think the Winter Soldier arc was set up beautifully, and since logically, it's going to be set in the present day, whatever hack was doing hair and make up for Captain America 1 has hopefully been fired.

Let me explain. Excluding Chris Evans (who, with the Captain America haircut and that white t-shirt of 'excuse me, my panties just caught fire' has never been hotter) (and who they unglify for half of the movie via CGI just to destroy my soul), the people doing hair and makeup made the cast of Captain America approximately 85% less hot than they are typically. Don't believe me? Think about the supporting cast of Captain America... and then look at this. It's particularly egregious with Haley Atwell, who looks like this and this and this when competent people are doing her makeup and hair. And also Sebastian Stan who looks like this and this. The movie being set in the 1940s is NO EXCUSE.

The other reason that I've excited is that in the comics version of the Winter Soldier arc, Natasha is intrinsically woven into the story (especially the backstory) and completely badass. AND I AM TERRIFIED. I feel like the options for how that could play out are a.) they ruin her character b.) they write her out c.) they cast someone who is not Scarlett Johanssen and the internet spews more bile at ScarJo, or d.) options a and c.

HOPING FOR ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST ASKING FOR CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT.

Also, apparently Marvel also greenlit Ant-Man? Whatever. That is a terrible choice. Ant-Man is like Bruce Banner minus actual consequences and plus wife-beating. And I am not even convinced that Bruce Banner is a character who can successfully carry a movie (discussion welcome).

Comments

[aj.livejournal.com]

It's weird that I only find Sebastian Stan attractive AS Bucky, isn't it? Because I really don't get it unless he's in the CA movie.

Also re: Winter Solder: YES.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It's weird that I only find Sebastian Stan attractive AS Bucky, isn't it?

To me, yes. But different stokes, etc, etc.

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

I do not understand the Antman movie decision at all. Like, that ship has SAILED, Marvel., You made the decision to not use him in the Avengers and you used other characters in instead. Now you have to stick by that. Why are you going back and starting another branch instead of already playing on the built-in audience for Hawkeye and Black Widow? For that matter, why are you presumably going to focus a movie on Nick Fury, instead of just going general SHIELD with it? It doesn't make financial sense to me. I suspect that the guys involved with Ant Man have a sentimental attachment and are determined to make it happen, regardless, except no one except diehard Avengers comic fans are going to give a shit. And I say that as a diehard Avengers comic fan. Former, anyway.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

You made the decision to not use him in the Avengers and you used other characters in instead. Now you have to stick by that. Why are you going back and starting another branch instead of already playing on the built-in audience for Hawkeye and Black Widow?

Exactly! Especially when those characters are SOOOOOO much more interesting than Ant-Man.

I actually understand a Nick Fury movie, considering the Samuel L. Jackson factor.

I suspect that the guys involved with Ant Man have a sentimental attachment and are determined to make it happen, regardless, except no one except diehard Avengers comic fans are going to give a shit.

Which is fine! But I don't like how their stupid sentimental attachment is keeping movies I actually WANT to see from being made. Why can't Marvel just give them the rights and have them make that movie on their own, and then have Marvel studios do a SHIELD movie?

[nenena.livejournal.com]

Ant-Man is like Bruce Banner minus actual consequences and plus wife-beating

uuuuuuuh whut?

I don't even like the guy, but yeah this is really inaccurate. And he deals with freaky consequences of using his powers all the time.

I agree that the Ant-Man movie sounds like a giant snore (like wow Marvel do we really need ANOTHER Avengers character who's a super-scientist?!), but I'm still holding out a bit of hope that it might be awesome. Especially if they incorporate Janet into it. Or hell even Cassie (although that's just a pipe dream). And minus the boring character and boring backstory, Ant-Man's powers are actually pretty freaking awesome.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Ant-Man's powers are actually pretty freaking awesome.

I kind of disagree. Everything I've seen him do or heard about him do seems like of lame to me. Or at least very unappealing.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Nat will be in Cap 2 because of the Winter Soldier - she is not part of the original finding of Bucky, of the initial unraveling of the Winter Soldier's story.

Ah, okay. I've been reading some of the later Winter Soldier stuff - if Nat wasn't around for Steve first finding Bucky, that actually is... weirdly reassuring? Because I am SO terrified of them butchering her character.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Ha!

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Andrew is just so so so so so good. Gah. He blows me away in everything he's in. And he and Emma are adorable together.

I know it was a little cheesy, but I really loved the scene where the construction workers swing all the crane out so that Spider-man can have a clear run at Oscorp Tower

I loved it, too. I don't think there's anything wrong with a little cheese now and then.

I hated the whole 'promise' thing with Peter and her dad

I totally get what you're saying, but I felt like they totally undermined it in that last scene, and I loved that. I felt like it was included specifically to be subverted, and so I was okay with it since the movie clearly thought it was stupid, too.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I felt like it was included specifically to be subverted, and so I was okay with it since the movie clearly thought it was stupid, too.

Hmmm. I wouldn't go quite that far. While they DID undermine it at the end, I thought the last scene with Captain Stacy and the scene with Gwen on the porch were played pretty straight, you know?

[mollivanders.livejournal.com]

Where is everyone getting this information about Winter Soldier from? I AM EXCITE BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.

You make me more optimistic than I was for the Spider Man movie, tbh.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Fandom osmosis and wikipedia, mainly.

[mistaria.livejournal.com]

Totally agree that green lighting Ant-Man is a terrible idea.

Also off topic but if you're on FB make sure you check out the Once pics from comic con. Or you can probs find them not on FB. Regina in chariot looks fierce and awesome.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Regina in a chariot? Sounds BADASS.

[scorpiod1.livejournal.com]

Agree with all your Spiderman thoughts, I loved Andrew and I loved Gwen but I really wish the relationship had better development and Gwen had a bigger role.

Also yeah I agree, I'm not sure Bruce Banner can carry a whole movie, since the first two Hulk movies didn't do that well, and I think the Hulk worked best for me in The Avengers. I don't know much about Ant-Man, but I'm kinda miffed we're getting an ant-man movie and not a Black Widow one. I am glad Winter Soldier is actually happening though (mostly for Sebastian Stan reasons, since I don't actually know much about the arc except Russian spies with amnesia?)

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Also yeah I agree, I'm not sure Bruce Banner can carry a whole movie, since the first two Hulk movies didn't do that well, and I think the Hulk worked best for me in The Avengers. I

*nods* Like, I think there were some basic reasons for why the second Hulk movie didn't do well, but the fact that it failed TWICE makes me wonder if it's just not a character who works well solo.

(mostly for Sebastian Stan reasons, since I don't actually know much about the arc except Russian spies with amnesia?)

What besides Russian spies with amnesia do you need to know, really? (p.s. There is also brainwashing.)

[freneticfloetry.livejournal.com]

The other reason that I've excited is that in the comics version of the Winter Soldier arc, Natasha is intrinsically woven into the story (especially the backstory) and completely badass. AND I AM TERRIFIED. I feel like the options for how that could play out are a.) they ruin her character b.) they write her out c.) they cast someone who is not Scarlett Johanssen and the internet spews more bile at ScarJo, or d.) options a and c.

ScarJo (same as Samuel L. Jackson) is contracted for nearly twice the number of movies as most of the other Avengers. Presumably, that's because she needs to be involved in Cap canon as well.

Between the Winter Soldier storyline and the addition of Anthony Mackie as Sam, I am more excited than ever for the sequel.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

ScarJo (same as Samuel L. Jackson) is contracted for nearly twice the number of movies as most of the other Avengers.

REALLY? Now that is very, very interesting. Fingers crossed that that means that she will be in the CA movies and then (maybe please) get a solo film.