'Loki' Is Sheer Delight

The MCU has been knocking it out of the park with its TV shows.  Each new one ends up being better than the last, with Loki being the best so far.  However, I was honestly not very excited for Loki at first.  When I saw the trailer, it didn’t appeal to me.  It felt “off.”  The tone and aesthetics, especially those coming off the TVA, felt like it was forcibly trying to channel Doctor Who even though this doesn’t match the MCU style.  Thankfully, I was wrong with this notion.  The Doctor Who-esque feel actually worked.  It was just perfect.

ScarJo Slays as Usual, but It's Florence Pugh Who Steals the Show in 'Black Widow'

Black Widow’s solo film came a tad few years too tale.  But it’s nevertheless a welcome addition to the MCU.  Further peeling off the layers of one of the MCU’s most beloved heroines, it finally allows us to learn in detail of Natasha’s dark past as a KGB spook – the “red in her ledger” that has been alluded to before.

'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Is Triumphant in Upholding the Legacy of the 'Captain America' Films

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier picks up one of the potential plot threads left by Avengers: Endgame, which is, of course, when wizened Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans) passed the torch – or rather, shield – to Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon (Anthony Mackie).  This TV show exists for the purpose of telling the story of Sam’s transformation into Captain America.  For even though Steve himself already chose him as successor, Sam was apparently unconvinced of the idea when he received the shield.  Thus, he needed to get a character arc where he would learn to embrace the role, which this six-episode miniseries provides.

'WandaVision' Is Alright

WandaVision is arguably the first MCU TV show ever.  Sure, there have been Marvel TV shows before from ABC (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Inhumans), Netflix (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, The Punisher), and others (Runaways, Cloak & Dagger) that claimed to be set in the MCU –  some of which even featured characters and elements that were introduced in the films.  However, the MCU films have never really acknowledged them in a meaningful or official capacity.  And thus, no matter how much these TV shows insist that they are also set in the MCU, their supposed link to the MCU totally feels non-canon.  WandaVision is surely the first true MCU TV series, because its MCU identity and association are instantly unquestionable.

'Dark Phoenix' Is Undoubtedly the Worst 'X-Men' Movie Ever

When it was announced that Disney was acquiring Fox, it immediately made Dark Phoenix, which was in production then, meaningless.  It didn’t matter anymore since X-Men is going to be rebooted for the Marvel Cinematic Universe anyway.  Most fans (me included) were already looking forward to that, and just wanted to get it over with Dark Phoenix already.

Thus, from the get go, Dark Phoenix had this going against it.  With the status of being Fox’s last X-Men installment (as far as the series is concerned.  Spin-offs don’t count; New Mutants is still slated for next year) forced upon it, it couldn’t afford to be mediocre or even just good.  In order to be relevant and overcome that general sentiment of apathy that the Disney-Fox merger set for it, it needed to leave a mark – to be unforgettable.

And it indeed succeeded in being unforgettable – in distinguishing itself from all of the other movies in the franchise.  But for all the wrong reasons.  Dark Phoenix leaves a lasting mark by being the worst X-Men movie ever made.

'Spider-Man: Far From Home' Is Beyond Amazing and Spectacular

If Spider-Man: Homecoming is amazing and spectacular, then the sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home must be beyond so, for it’s definitely a step up.  It’s a movie that only gets better and better as it progresses.  I had quite a blast with it; there was no moment in it that I didn’t like.

Some More Thoughts on 'Avengers: Endgame'

I still have a couple of scattered thoughts about Avengers: Endgame that I wasn’t able to address in my review for it.  I will lay them down here in this blog post.  Spoilers ahead.

‘Avengers: Endgame’ Is a Sublime, Poignant Epic

(This is a spoiler-free review.)

There’s probably no other film that has been hyped more than Avengers: Endgame.  Nevertheless, one would likely discover after watching it that it isn’t in the danger of getting overhyped.  It’s deserving of all the hype.

More than being the sequel to Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame functions as a fitting culmination of an era.  Sure, we can expect for more Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films in the future, but Endgame is clearly constructed to serve as the stupendous finale for this ambitious, groundbreaking cinematic saga that was started by Iron Man in 2008.

A Terrific Plot Twist and a Strong Third Act Save 'Captain Marvel' from Total Mediocrity

Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel – ever since the time she was still going by the name of Ms. Marvel – has always been one of my most favorite female fictional characters ever (I actually like her more than Wonder Woman).  Thus, Captain Marvel was a film I had looked forward to for a very long time.  And back when there wasn’t any official announcement for such a movie, I was among those who called for one to be made.

With that in mind, you can see that I had high hopes for Captain Marvel.  Unfortunately,  it disappointed me.  Not only because there are specific things that I wanted to see from it (e.g. Carol Danvers wearing the iconic Ms. Marvel costume at one point) but didn’t, but because it’s essentially underwhelming and lacks depth.  It’s not bad at all, but I don’t think it’s the best Captain Marvel film adaptation that could have been made.  I certainly extremely wish it has been much better.  At the very least, it should have measured up to Wonder Woman.

'Once Upon a Deadpool' Didn't Deserve a Theatrical Release

Deadpool 2 has had three cuts at this point: the theatrical cut, the “Super Duper” cut (which has a few additional scenes – most notably a post-credit scene in which Deadpool tries to murder a baby Hitler – and some alternate gags), and Once Upon a Deadpool, a PG-13 cut that was released in theaters.  I’ve just seen the last one, and it’s essentially Deadpool 2, just with the blood, gore, and most of the profanities edited out.  And since I already reviewed Deadpool 2, there’s really no need to make a thorough review of Once Upon a Deadpool.

'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Is Amazing and Spectacular

The title of this review is the same as the title that I gave my review for Spider-Man: Homecoming.  It’s because Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is also worthy of being described with those two adjectives that have been forever attached to the iconic comic book character.  In fact, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is much better than Spider-Man: Homecoming.

As Expected, I Disliked 'Venom'

As a huge fan of Venom, there are certain elements that I strongly prefer a film adaptation for the character to have.  The most vital of which is the connection to Spider-Man.  And since Spider-Man is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this means that, if there’s going to be a Venom film, it should be set in the MCU.  Not only do I like this to be so because it would mean the character gets to participate in an already realized universe inhabited by other Marvel characters (i.e. potential crossovers!), but most importantly, it would mean that the character is going to be handled by Marvel Studios, which know what they are doing when it comes to translating Marvel comic book characters into the big screen properly.  Anything less would frustrate me.

'Cloak & Dagger' Is Such a Chore to Watch

Cloak and Dagger are among my most favorite duos in fiction.  So when a live-action TV adaptation was announced, I began to highly anticipate for it.  Unfortunately, once it aired this year, it never truly gripped me.  In fact, I was bored at most parts during its ten-episode debut season.  I was probably hoping much that it would reflect closely the Cloak and Dagger that I became familiar with in the comics.  And this TV series, in my opinion, does not.

'Ant-Man and the Wasp' Isn't Really an MCU Standout, but It Delights Nonetheless

Objectively, Ant-Man and the Wasp is not as good as Ant-Man.  It’s definitely enjoyable, but it plays safe and delivers itself as a predictable superhero caper.  In fact, down the line, I believe it’ll probably end up as one of the lesser entries on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Nevertheless, because of its strategic release date, it also comes off as very refreshing.  For its light-hearted touch is a welcome offset to the sense of bleakness left by Avengers: Infinity War.

'Deadpool 2' Doubles Down

Deadpool 2 is the much awaited sequel to the groundbreaking R-rated comedy superhero film Deadpool.  This time, Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool a.k.a. the Merc with a Mouth (Ryan Reynolds) is up against Thanos Cable (Josh Brolin), a cyborg super soldier from the future who is determined to assassinate a young mutant named Russell Collins (Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Julian Dennison).

'Avengers: Infinity War' Epitomizes the Cinematic “Comic Book Event”

What Marvel Studios has accomplished is revolutionary.  They didn’t necessarily invent the concept of serialized storytelling and “shared universes” for cinema.  But the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been such a visionary, unique creation that it’s just like they did invent it.  How so?  By adopting the comic book publishing approach into franchise filmmaking.

'The Gifted' Triumphs as an 'X-Men' TV Series

Like with Legion, I was turned off by the trailer for The Gifted.  Based on that, I thought it was going to suck.  But when it finally arrived late last year, the general buzz was that it was actually quite good (Fox should replace whoever is making their trailers).  Thus, my interest was piqued.  But I was already juggling a lot of shows to watch that time, so I only got to see the pilot – which I thought was pretty solid – with the intention of watching the rest of the season once it finished and when I finally got the time.  Now, if I had decided to weekly follow the series then, it would have definitely made my list for top 20 TV shows of 2017.

The New 'Spider-Man' Animated Series Spins the Mythos with Mixed Results

The Spectacular Spider-Man was an awesome show.  From 2008 to 2009, it ran for two seasons before being abruptly cancelled, breaking the hearts of its viewers.  For many, it’s the pinnacle of Spider-Man cartoons.  It’s smart, sentimental, and exciting; and despite being primarily kid-oriented, it succeeded in being universally appealing to Spidey fans of all ages.  In my mind, the 90’s animated series is slightly better, but it’s most likely due to nostalgia and the fact that, among all Spidey cartoons, it was the closest to reflect the comic books.  However, as a show per se, The Spectacular Spider-Man has the superior quality.   It’s for that reason that, since a season 3 is looking to be impossible, it’s my benchmark to whatever new Spidey cartoon is out there.

I didn’t like and follow Ultimate Spider-Man because: a.) it was crafted to exclusively entertain kids, and thus, it was too goofy and juvenile; and b.) it was the show that was made in order to replace The Spectacular Spider-Man.  However, the subsequent Spidey cartoon caught my interest.

'Black Panther' Has a Sense of Gravitas That I've Never Seen Before in an MCU Movie

Isolated and maintaining no trade relationships, Wakanda is seen by other countries as a poor, backward Third World nation.  However, in truth, Wakanda is rich, self-sufficient, and technologically advanced due to their possession of a special metal called vibranium.  But this is a secret they have successfully kept for centuries from the rest of the world.

Ever since the Wakandan tribes united, the country has been ruled by a long lineage of Black Panthers.  And with the recent death of his father (during the events of Captain America: Civil War), the latest Black Panther, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), takes his rightful place as king.  However, his reign quickly faces a serious complication in Erik “Killmonger” Stevens (Michael B. Jordan), a dangerous enemy who has a lifelong grudge against Wakanda.

'Runaways' Isn't Excellent Yet, but It's Treading on a Promising Direction

Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona in the 2000’s, the Runaways comic book series might have introduced the most groundbreaking concept for a young superhero team since the X-Men debuted in the 60’s.  It’s about six kids who discovered that their parents were secretly super villains – mob bosses, time travelers, mutants, mad scientists, dark wizards, and aliens – and their charity annual event was actually a guise for their meeting as “The Pride”, a criminal organization that reigned over Los Angeles’ underworld.  Armed with the skills and powers they inherited from their parents, they banded together to fight their parents.

Their unique origin and their initial arc made them one of my favorite ensembles.  And I’ve always thought that adapting them and their story into live-action would be awesome.  I would have preferred an MCU feature film.  But if a TV series on Hulu is the best Marvel can offer, then I’ll take it.  It turned out being good anyway.