My 500th Post // Thoughts on + Mini Reviews of More Movies I've Seen in the Theater

Happy June! How's it going, bloggers and readers alike? I've been done with school for almost completely three weeks now, but the last two weeks have been...more school. Summer school. Which has been so fascinating, but also makes me feel like a combination of Stitch and Wanda about everything (i. e. either I'm super groggy or lack motivation).

Today is a big day because this is my 500th post! I thought I would hit that mark back in January, but...school. So, here we are! I used to do Top 10 posts to celebrate, but now that that's my common form of blogging I thought I should shake it up. Back for my 200th Post in 2018 I talked about Movies I Saw in the Theater. Because that was almost 5 years ago (how did I get to 200 posts in just over 2 years and now it's taken 5 years to get to 300 more? Life, I guess) I've seen some more in the theater, so I thought I'd talk about them!

Last time I just kind of...listed them out? All the previous 25? That's boring. Today I'm going to give a few thoughts on either the movie itself or the experience of seeing it in the theater. Some of these I actually reviewed in days gone by, so if you want those full thoughts, they will be the titles linked in blue.

These are all without spoilers for the movies. I repeat, there are no spoilers.

Robin Hood (2018)

This was the emptiest I've ever seen a theater. It was just me, my mom, and my older sister. I thought Jamie Foxx was so cool and the action was pretty epic, but the story? Meh. It was more about "look how cool we can be breaking the law" instead of talking about WHY the law was unjust? And I didn't like the forced triangle and position that Robin and Marian were put in. But it was one of the first stories one of my roommates and I bonded over, so I'm grateful for that!

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)

My sisters and I went to see this on the very last day before they started showing Aquaman. It opens with an owl flying over whatever city it's supposed to be; that was magical to see in the theater. Especially the theater that I usually go to. In my home town there is only one screen so they only play one movie (usually for two weeks) but it's a BIG screen. Really cool.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

My mom, sisters, and I went to see this before I went on a retreat. I had been sick and on top of that had gotten my wisdom teeth out a week before. This was such a balm. I had nonstop fun (okaaaaaay, not nonstop because I was crying, too) and it is to date one of my favorite sequels. I loved getting to see all the surprises with my mom.

How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World (2019)

My older sister and I had just earned money from dog sitting and went to see this. Again, any movies with flying are worth the entrance fee for movie theaters. It was EPIC. Even though this stinking movie messed with me with the score. It wouldn't play what I wanted it to play, but kept faking me out. Then it finally did it and I bawled. My sister didn't catch any of that. I just rewatched the first for the millionth time, so I should check this one out again...

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

I'm pretty sure I've told this story many times; after digging I found when and where I told the story, but apparently it's only been once? Weird. Anyway, link HERE (it's at the end of that post).

TL;DR: My Spanish teacher made this possible for me by getting me a DVD copy of Infinity War.

Let's see what new things I can add about the experience:

-This is to date the only movie that I've seen in a theater that didn't have any ads. They jumped right in, which was cool but also very shocking. Especially because it starts with my favorite character.

-My younger sister had basically NO CLUE what was going on because she had only seen: Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, and Infinity War. So I was whispering to her throughout (*gasps* Oh the horror!) things like "That's Scott Lang, he's Ant-man." She LOVED it even for not knowing anyone.

-Something really big happens in this movie (if you know you know) and for a reaction, some guy behind us said, "Well, that sucks" which nearly made me start laughing. Which is definitely not appropriate.

Aladdin (2019)

In which I was so relieved there wasn't a snake. My older sister and I went and were quoting the Genie for days. This is one of my favorite live-action remakes because it is so colorful and full of life. The direction is punchy, the costumes are to die for, and the humor is right up my alley. Mena Massoud just IS Aladdin.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

My dad came with my sisters and I for this one. Even though he hadn't seen any others, we let him. My younger sister watched Homecoming for the first time on the same day, so she was very full of Spider-man. If I remember correctly, due to when I ranked the MCU movies, it's pretty high on my list! The conflict in this movie is what solidified most teenagers in the opinion that this version of Peter was one of us.

Who knows how many times I've seen it since then? I don't think I've watched the whole thing in one sitting since then, but I've seen lots of bits and pieces.

STAR WARS IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

The only movie that I saw MORE THAN ONCE in the theater. I saw it twice. It was grand. I haven't seen it since Jan. 2020, but I now own a DVD copy mwahaha, so one of these days!

The summer before I had been working and thought of the best way this sequel trilogy could end. And then that IS how it ended. The most satisfying thing in my life. Is this movie perfect? No. There was a lot of sidetracking as people tried to "fix" what wasn't broken, but it means A LOT to me. 

Little Women (2019)

This movie is still as near and dear to my heart as it was that day. Maybe even more so. I should've waited to go with my younger sister, and I'm sorry about that.

This movie is part of my soul. My sister and I started off the year with watching this and the 1994 almost back to back, and guys *whispers* I like this one better. *yells* I LOVE THIS MOVIE. I also cried the whole way through. I'm not kidding. Starting when John Brooke makes some goofy joke about the "lovely greenhouses" I burst into laughter which then turned into sobbing and it. never. stopped. Good times. But I've already defended it a lot, so just go read the review.

Knives Out (2019)

In which my sister totally called what was going to happen. This was a fun one to see in the theater because I usually go for more action-oriented movies. And this one is mystery...if it must be put in one genre. I don't know another movie like it and dig it muchly. And have talked about it enough on this blog so I'm trying to hold it together like Marta is after telling lies...

Moonfall (2022)

Yes, the first after the big time gap. This started the trend of going to movies paid for by my college and I love this. It should be a tradition still. This featured one of the professors giving a talk beforehand all about astronomy and what would make the moon fall. Watching the movie we all felt so smart because we knew what all the technical terms meant. And, this was my first experience with that professor, but he is now one of my FAVORITES and I'm so stoked to be in his department because he makes life worth living.

The friend I went with couldn't believe that I cried during this movie, but yeah, I'm a crier.

Death on the Nile (2022)

I had been waiting YEARS. Years, people. So when my grandma said we should see it over my spring break I was so down.

And it shocked my system to the core.

I loved it. It took a very different perspective that the book does, meaning what it highlighted to be the message, and yet it felt so in character for Branagh's Poirot. I have read the book twice and they really kept me on my feet by changing details! Which I used to be really picky about but now I love when movies are different from books because I get two versions of something I love? 

Father Stu (2022)

I think it's a bit hyped up. So many people I know seem to think it's the best religious movie ever, and I have seen many that I personally have enjoyed much more. This one just seems very aggressive? The experience was really cool, though, because I went with the girl who would become my roommate and it was our first event together!

Mother Teresa: No Greater Love (2022)

Okay, okay, this is a documentary, but I still went to it in the theater (something I had never done before!) so it counts. I also went with the biggest group, so that was exciting? The story of Mother Teresa is so inspiring.

El buen patron (The Good Boss) (2022)

Milestone: my first foreign language film in theater! I drug my roommate to this. I wasn't completely proud of that because I was NOT fan of this movie, but oh well.

Smile (2022)

I'm still not pleased with this movie so I'm still not putting an image. No thank you. I'm just really mad at it because you can scare me all you like, but you should have a BLOOMING POINT. *sulks* This didn't. And that's a real shame if you're creating a story.

But, I guess I'm glad I went? Had free tickets. If you were ever going to watch a horror movie, I would recommend seeing it in a theater with a lot of people because the collective crowd reactions are the best part. It's really uniting? I didn't go with anyone but ended finding an acquaintance there and sitting next to her, which worked out because whenever one of us had our eyes closed, we could whisper "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?". Also, according to her, I'm not so much of a screamer (it FELT like I was screaming a lot...) but I say "Oh no, oh no, oh no" a lot.

Living (2022)

First movie in a theater in 2023! This movie is so pure. It lifts you up and inspires you. It has a kind of typical premise that is handled magnificently. Needless to say, my roommate and I both loved this! It was a nice treat after just getting back into school for the new semester. And I think it subconsciously powered me through the semester.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

(I was going to keep this short and snappy like all the other thoughts, but well, that failed.)

I went to this with my roommate, and y'all, this is probably going to be one of my favorite movies for the year. Which is strange considering I do not like Chris Pine as an actor and almost always think he's annoying. Here he didn't annoy me once! The movie was rollicking good fun. ROLLICKING. I can't stress how much I loved it. All the humor was exactly up my alley, the plot was so creative (which is hard when it comes to fantasy because most feel like they are copying something) and the character dynamics? We need to talk about the character dynamics. I don't know the last time I was so impressed with such a healthy found family. I really appreciated that there was no forced romance (just Simon trying with Doric which was more hilarious than anything, but no pressure). I mean, the friendships in this movie?? My favorite is between Edgin and Holga. It was so refreshing and now everything I want in life is a friend like they are to each other (note, with NO ROMANCE. GIVE ME MORE).

Also, I probably shouldn't like Sofina, and I didn't like her character, but can we talk about how gorgeous Daisy Head is? An absolute queen who can pull off a shaved head like no one else. Both her and Regé-Jean Page we absolutely stunning. Though, the character Xenk owned all of my heart because he is so pure, regal, and noble. Usually characters who don't get sarcasm or jokes are there for laughs in contrast (see Malvolio in Twelfth Night) but there was nothing to laugh about him. He added a great balance and was the perfect character to give Edgin a push to his arc.

The plot was so well set up, too. Man, I wish I could make a story with such good foreshadowing.

Ahem. Anyone have any questions or have I established what I can in a "mini-review"?

The Little Mermaid (2023)

Is this the whole reason I started this list? Oh yeah. My mom and I went to this together and we hadn't been to a movie just the two of us since Incredibles 2! The best movies to see in a HUGE theater are those in the air or in the water. And this happily checks the last box. It's where you feel such a part of the movie with every swish of the water. So much that you get a headache but in the best way.

I am not a fan of the animated Little Mermaid, but I had so much fun with this! It fixed many of my complaints about the original 1989 film, so I applaud their good work there. The actors were all perfect for their roles and the new songs were fun (which I'll probably sing a lot in the future). I'm excited to see it again!

There you have it, the 19 movies I've seen since December 2018. I don't know how I've accomplished that AND 300 more posts in the same time? I couldn't do the posts all without the support of my readers, so thank you!!

And because it's June, I made a new header!

Which we have to throw up here just for posterity. So in the future I'll know when I switched it.

How have you guys been? What have you done the first week of June? I'm trying to make some more videos for my YouTube channel but someone *glares at reflection* can't make decisions of what to cut to make it the right length. Look for that in the future, though!

What are some of your favorite movies you've seen in theater? Craziest experience? Best? I hope the best is yet to come, so what are some upcoming movies you're looking forward to?

Chloe the MovieCritic

Ten of My (Current) Favorite Fictional Male Characters

Hello, everyone!

Today is the start of the blogathon that Miss Megan (of The Pen and the Cross) and Irene and Anna (of Horseback to Byzantium) are hosting: The Thank Goodness For Good Men Blogathon! Because 2020-2021 is a year dedicated to St. Joseph, the girls wanted to host something to celebrate characters we can look up to!

Now, I had every intention of being early to this party. I had plans to write up my post weeks in advance and post it as soon as dawn had broken. I had one slight problem to that plan: I couldnʼt decide what to talk about! I have been flying by the seat of my pants just trying to chose from the plethora of topics. This morning I had enough of that and decided that I had to stop this.

Iʼm taking some inspiration from Hamlette, and therefore, Iʼm talking about Ten of My Current Favorite Fictional Male Characters! You may notice that I donʼt say my Top Ten and that the word Current is in there. Here comes that indecision again, but there are too many wonderful characters to pick ten for certain! I had to narrow my list down so far to make it ten, yet I love all of the other characters that I left out that I will do another post with them in the future. See, all Lord of the Rings characters are missing so I have to do another one someday! I would include them all right now, but I think ten is a reasonable number to limit myself to because or else Iʼll be here all. day. long. (edit from hours later: Which I did all the same even with my limit...)

Note that I made the executive decision to leave out any character played by James Stewart. He is my favorite actor of all time and if I included him it would all be him. Instead, Iʼll save a separate list for him for another day. But know that he plays my TOP FAVORITE male fictional character of all time. Any guesses of who that is?

I also decided to leave out young (under 20) guy characters because that would be a whole different list. I had to do what I could to make this resemble some kind of order! I was going to say only book characters vs. only movie characters, but I couldnʼt decide on that so you get a combination. They are listed alphabetically (by first name) because trying to rank them would break my heart. A quick disclaimer is that while I am likely to say that I love all of these characters (because that's the truth!), it's not in a googly eyes way. These characters are all my family!

I would love to rant about every detail of why I love these characters, but Iʼm going to keep it spoiler-free for your enjoyment! Feel free to read through without any worries that I will spoil the plot or character arcs for these people. One day maybe Iʼll devote a whole post to each of these characters. Maybe I already have...

The first person we have up is...

Arthur Pendragon from Merlin (2008-2012)

Iʼm technically cheating by talking about him because I havenʼt seen the whole show (Iʼm only in the fourth season) but Iʼm going to do it anyhow. Heʼs not going to get any worse, is he? Well, now Iʼm genuinely worried... I was going to write a post solely about him for this blogathon, but well, I havenʼt finished the show yet so Iʼm not qualified...

The truth of the matter is that Arthur is a dollop-head (Merlinʼs word, not mine). He is an absolute jerk sometimes, especially to his poor servant Merlin. Which is weird that I LOVE THIS KID SO MUCH. When we first see him he is mean, selfish, and spoiled. Hardly what you would call regal material for the most well known king of all time. But then again, heʼs just a prince so we figure he has time to grow. And he doesnʼt disappoint! I was already starting to love him by the end of season 1, but in season 2 he stepped it up a notch. He realized what an idiot he was being (thanks to someone who had the guts to tell him off) and started being kinder. I love how he goes out of his way for the smallest things.

The poor baby feels so much pressure to look and act a certain way to be what the people are expecting. My sister can tell you, while watching the show I yell, “Poor baby!” more times that you can count each episode. Which annoys her because Merlin is her favorite whereas all I can do is talk about Arthur. Why? Because he cares about his people. He cares about commoners and servants (except Merlin. Merlin is target and battering practice). He respects his father when basically no one else in the kingdom does. He is chivalrous and doesnʼt walk by someone in need. He is Courage. He becomes the best knight that he can be and his hard work pays off time and again, and at the same time respects people who can best him. He has a cool head (except when he takes things out on Merlin by making him do a million things) and is always willing to discuss a disturbance first without fighting. Which doesnʼt always work when people are trying to kill him, but thatʼs where his training (and Merlin) come in handy. While he tries to hide it with bluster, he has a heart of gold underneath and is willing to do anything to serve his people. Even when that takes away what he most wants.

Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird (book by Harper Lee, movie from 1962)

"There are some men in this world who are born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them."

How could I not talk about Atticus? Itʼs been a few years since I read the book so Gregory Peckʼs performance is more vivid in my mind, but I donʼt mind that because I love that portrayal. Without a doubt he deserved that Oscar he earned for this role.

What can I say about Atticus that hasnʼt been said before? More eloquent people that me have said a lot so Iʼll try to keep this short. Atticus is so kind and JUST. It makes sense that he would be just because he is a lawyer, but where he works not everyone is like that. He is incredibly smart and gets to the bottom of things. He is a shining beacon for his children, Jem and Scout, and he wants them to live life kindly but without pain.

 "There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son, and I wish that I could keep 'em all away from you."

Him and Scout together are so adorable!

He is a respected citizen of the community but besides that he is brave. He can use a gun and is one of the best shots around but discourages it because he thinks there is a different way. He stands up to wrongs and teaches his children so much by example. I canʼt stress how much I love him.

"Stand up, Scout. Your father's passing."

Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility (book by Jane Austen, movie from 1995 and miniseries from 2008)

Alan Rickman in the 1995 movie spurred my love for this character and Jane Austen! He is so steadfast and gentle. He knows when his company isnʼt wanted (which is always absurd because why would you not want to talk to him??) yet is incredibly helpful. The way he says, “Give me an occupation.” melts my heart every time. He is patient and caring, and will love people with unrequited love no matter what happens to them.

He is honorable, and with David Morrissey's performance in the 2008 miniseries, gives killer glares.

He is my favorite Jane Austen hero. I canʼt believe I just said that, but itʼs true. As much as I love Darcy, he wonʼt have the softness and warmth that radiates from Brandonʼs quiet soul.

Edward Bloom from Big Fish (2003)

If any of you havenʼt seen this movie then you are missing out on a magical ride because it is one of my favorite movies of all time. It was the fault of this movie that made me take so long to decide on a topic, because a review of it was a big contender. All for the wonderful man who is Edward Bloom!

Edward Bloom (played magnificently by both Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney) is not afraid of anything. And while he has good reason for that, he was brave before that and it just keeps growing. He received a special gift and used it to itʼs full potential unlike so many of us who would worry and fret. He is ambitious and works hard. When he sees something he wants, he goes and gets it! This movie is full of so many challenges that he overcomes through his grit and determination. Through all of that he is the kindest and most considerate person! He sees people who might be “unwanted” and just sees the best. He helps them! He is faithful and true and overall amazing.

Have you ever been asked the question, “If you could bring fictional characters to a dinner party, who would you bring?” Well, I have and I was always stumped when trying to come up with an answer. That is, until I watched this movie. I would love to go some where with Edward Bloom and listen to his stories! He has a gift for storytelling like no other. Granted, sometimes he might turn those true stories into tall tales, but that is part of the whimsical wonder of it all.

Plus he has an adorable Southern accent. Which isnʼt a factor, but I still wanted to mention it.

(And I'm still not picking favorites, but if I absolutely had to pick from everyone on this list, Edward would be on top.)

Prince Kit from Cinderella (2015)

While nostalgic, the biggest complaint about the original 1950 Cinderella is that “Prince Charming” didnʼt quite live up to his name because he was lacking in character. The 2015 remake made up for that by casting Richard Madden as Prince Kit. The rest is history!

What strikes me most about Kit is how good of a listener he is. He listens to Ella and that is the greatest gift he could give because it is rare when people give an ear to what she has to say. He sees her shimmering kindness and wants to be like her.

"She isn't just a pretty girl! I mean, she is a pretty girl, but there is so much more."

He listens to the Grand Duke and his father, respects them, then still decides what he thinks is best. His father doesnʼt know how much Kit loves him. Their scenes together are some of my favorite in the entire movie.

He is a sweetheart and has a sense of humor. His friendship with the Captain of the guards and their back and forth makes me smile from ear to ear.

Konstantin “Kostya” Dmitrievitch Levin from Anna Karenina - by Leo Tolstoy

When my dad bought me a copy of Anna Karenina I was doubtful to say the least. I knew a lot about it and was sure that I was going to hate it. I wasnʼt expecting it to zoom to my top ten books of all time. I wasnʼt expecting that all to be because of Levin.

This guy seriously needs a hug! He is so depressed and doesnʼt realize that he is the best character of the whole book. My sisters can tell you how all I did while reading this book was talk about how fabulous Levin is. I was a little obnoxious, just saying his name repeatedly. I got so grumpy whenever we went to someone elseʼs point of view (like the title character...). He is a farmer and simply grand. He has to put up with family members in tough spots and heartache and through it all he just wants to breathe the fresh air and find the meaning in life. He doesnʼt think he will find it and you just want to hold him tight and tell him to keep going.

I FELT FOR HIM. So much! He would be in so much turmoil then would wander his fields and work hard and I could feel his stress being put to the side momentarily. Tolstoyʼs writing captured his emotions and anxietyʼs so well. I would gladly read this book continuously over and over again merely for his sake.

Luke Skywalker from STAR WARS

Why, look, I already wrote a huge post about how much I am like him HERE, so Iʼll keep this section shorter.

When we are introduced to this scrawny kid on Tatooine we didnʼt think we would love him so much. At least, I didnʼt. He seemed like someone who was always looking into the future, into the sunset, and never in the moment. Luke continues to look forward, but now I love him as the wonderful person he is. The person who will not let people go and sees the good in them. His heart is gigantic and he loves his friends more than anything. He has plenty of flaws, but his belief that people can be better fuel him. I canʼt really say too much without spoilers, so if youʼve seen the movies go read my post for more thoughts. It might be shallow of me to say one of the reasons I love him so much is because he is so much like me, but that's the truth of it.

Robin Hood from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) and the BBC TV show (2006-2009) and various legends and adaptations.

Is anyone surprised by this? The legends of Robin Hood are one of my obsessions that Iʼm always excited to talk about and that is all because of the character of Robin himself! I plan to talk and rank all of the versions that Iʼve seen one day, but for now Iʼll talk about some of the basics.

My first experience of Robin was Errol Flynnʼs portrayal from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). His kindness is his biggest quality. He cares about the people whether they are Saxon or Norman. He sees tyranny and injustice and will fight against it with every breath. He is a little hot headed at times, but he has a wit sharp as a knife.

Within the first few minutes of seeing Robin of Locksley, portrayed by Jonas Armstrong, we roll our eyes. This guy has a lot of work to do to become a hero. He goes through rough patches, but he is always there. He will always be both a kind master and servant to his people. He listens to anyone who has a complaint and will rush off to help them at a momentʼs notice. He keeps his gang lively and leads them in the best way. He has seen the horrors of war but want to forget them and he does that by helping people.

A good version of Robin Hood needs to be selfless above all things, because thatʼs one of the reasons I love the character.

Sherlock Holmes from Enola Holmes (2020)

I have seen and read countless versions of Sherlock Holmes (I mean, I could probably count them if I really tried, but that takes all of the drama out of my statement...) and Iʼve always been neutral towards his character. I liked Robert Downey Jr. playing him, and Benedict Cumberbatch was fun to watch, but he didnʼt rank higher than “nice” in my list of characters. Sure, heʼs a really smart guy who can observe the utmost details out of the smallest things. He knows heʼs smart and can be a little full of himself sometimes. I didnʼt really get what all of the fuss was about.

Until I saw him played by Henry Cavil in Enola Holmes (2020). I had heard that Henry Cavil was going to play him and I was doubtful. I could only think of him as either Albert Mondego, Superman, or Napoleon Solo. How was he going to pull off a famous detective?

I shouldnʼt have doubted him, friends.

“Youʼre being emotional. Itʼs understandable but unnecessary.”

Here he is quiet and observant and through that you sense that he sees EVERYTHING. It might seem like he doesnʼt have feelings, but he is fascinated by his sister Enola, who he hasnʼt seen in years and wants to do whatʼs best for her. Heʼs used to being ordered around by his brother Mycroft but he has a bigger grasp on the situation than he lets on. He has a poker face, but it's a smile and you feel like so much more is going on in his head.

I relate to him more than any other version of Sherlock that Iʼve seen. He feels so much more human and able to make mistakes but is truly brilliant at the same time. I donʼt want to say too much, but guys, I adore this guy.

TʼChalla aka Black Panther from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

TʼChalla is actually only my third favorite character from the MCU, but he seemed like the best fit for this blogathon. I already talked about him a bit HERE, but nothing is too much for this character.

TʼChalla is regal in all of his actions. He learns a lot, and most of it is about mercy. His compassion and strength in forgiveness cuts me to the core. People wrong him all the time and he is willing to pardon and even help them. He wonʼt let revenge eat away his heart because he has seen what it can do. He becomes his own person who is not shaped by any mistakes of his ancestors. He loves his family and country deeply, and wants to share that love with the world.

It could be argued, and in fact Iʼm making that argument right now, that TʼChalla is the most generous and perfect of all of the Marvel characters. I have a deep love for characters who are broken and suffering and TʼChalla has had his fair share of that. He pushes through it and wonʼt let it define him.

“Wakanda forever!”

I have been at this for hours now and could go on for hours more, but Iʼm going to stop for the night. Check out all of the other participants in the blog party HERE and HERE! Thanks to Miss Megan and Irene and Anna for hosting! As you now know, I love to talk about characters and am thrilled to have an opportunity.

Thanks to all of you for reading! Do you know any of these characters? What do you think of them? Have I convinced you to watch or read any of these stories? Do you want me to do a full post about any of these characters? Letʼs talk all about it! I want to do a list sometime like this all about female characters, so let me know if you want to see that!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Hello, movie fans!

Are any of you in the mood to talk about superhero movies? I always am, so today I am continuing my goal of reviewing as many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films as I can in 2021!

Time sure moves quickly. While I wasn’t part of the fandom for the MCU yet, I remember when this movie came out. Now that was 6 years ago!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This review is completely spoiler free for this film and for all others in the franchise. Because it is such a complicated “universe” of films and so much happens, I will be more vague with each coming review. I want you to experience all the twists and turns for yourself without worry that I’m telling you too much!

I’m here to help you get the best experience, so do as I say and not as I do. With so many movies there has to be a way to organize them, right? Well, there is! There are two ways in fact of watching. They are:

In the order which they were made:

Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014), Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Dr. Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), & Spider-man: Far From Home (2019).

Or chronological order:

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain Marvel (2019), Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Dr. Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnorok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), & Spider-man: Far From Home (2019).

If you have never seen a Marvel movie, then this one probably isn’t the best to start with. At the very least it is best to see The Avengers (2012) first, as this is the second on in that series. It isn’t vital, but nice addition to that to know some backstory from characters that I listed above. Enjoy!

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015):

Based on: The Avengers comics - by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

“No matter who wins or loses, trouble always comes around.”

The Avengers have stepped into a rhythm of keeping the earth save. On one mission they run into a strange duo: a boy breaking the possibilities of speed and a girl who’s strange power puts foreboding thoughts into ones mind. Or are they visions of the future? Scared, one of the Avengers decides to build peace keeping technology that would work as a shield around the entire world, named Ultron. With something of that big a magnitude, something is likely to go wrong. This protector revolts, becoming a weapon with a mind of its own. The Avengers face a never before seen threat: a robot that can replicate itself, move around the globe in seconds, and wants to destroy the world instead of saving it. Ultron joins up with the super siblings and each Avenger has nightmares put in their heads from the girl and are now afraid of losing everything. How will they beat this trio in addition to the hundreds of new robots Ultron created? Will making a new piece of technology strengthen their chances or only weaken them?

‘“No way we all get through this...”

“I got no plans tomorrow night.”’

Genres: Superhero, Action, Science-Fiction.

Length: approx. 141 minutes.

Script: 7. There is an amount of swearing and name calling. But, I am a lot like Captain America who is always telling everyone not to swear. It backfires a few times which is funny. I appreciate the effort of course!

“Whoa ho ho! You kiss your mother with that mouth?”

Crew: Directed by: Josh Whedon. Written by: Josh Whedon.

Starring:

I’m not going to tell you everyone who is starring in this movie because there are so many spoilers. I’ll only name a few and you’ll have to guess the rest by pictures and be surprised by others.

James Spader as Ultron. “It is fortunate because I am mighty.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro Maximoff.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff.

Paul Bettany as J.A.R.V.I.S..

Linda Cardellini as Laura.

Claudia Kim as Helen Cho.

Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue.

Idris Elba as Heimdall.

Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig.

Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill.

Costumes: 8. Average, I would say. Nothing bad and people have really cool costumes/suits that go with their capabilities as superheroes.

Cinematography: 8. I get a little annoyed with how much CGI there is, but that is a minor quibble when there are so many neat things! I especially like how the scenes with the Maximoffs are done.

Cinematography by: Ben Davis.

Music: 8. It has the classic Avengers theme, of course, which makes me very happy whenever I hear it. The rest seems more dramatic than dynamic, but that’s no a bad thing.

Music by: Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman.

Notes: A fun fact is that this is the second most expensive film ever made! The production cost clocked in around 365 million dollars.

Quotability: 9. No one can deny Marvel’s knack for amazing lines! There is so much I quote from this movie especially that I could write a whole post about everything that Clint ever says.

“You didn’t see that coming?”

Content: 7. There is violent fighting, with people getting hurt and killed. In addition to that there is one or two fairly suggestive lines. I didn’t appreciate one comment about “multiplying faster that a Catholic rabbit”, but that’s just me. Ultron feels like he is a “god” so there is a lot of discussion around that. It really depends on the day how I feel about that. Sometimes I feel that it’s well done when with others I think it’s overdone. It has great messages, I just want you guys to be aware of that stuff.

“You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed... walk it off.”

Originality: 10. Fighting robots is classic sci-fi, but this took it up a level! I love the introduction of new characters as well as the simple camaraderie between the avengers. This movie is an excellent example of character driven stories! Everything is fueled by the characters. They make mistakes then try to fix them. It’s the human condition and it’s what I love to see!

Good For: Anyone who loves characters with fantastic arcs, anyone who likes superhero movies, anyone who likes found families, anyone who loves stories where characters sacrifice a lot.

Age Range: This is PG-13 and I agree with that. It is very intense with the fighting, but I would actually say it isn’t as extreme as others because it is fighting against robots and not humans. This could be fine for kids younger than that because of how it’s all handled, though the machines themselves are terrifying. It all depends on the tolerability of the person watching.

Overall Score: 8!

Worth watching?: Yes! These characters mean so much to me and this is a fabulous step in all of their arcs. It gives such a dark view of humanity from Ultron’s perspective but our brave heroes fight against it showing how much people matter. I love it! The first time I watched it I was recovering from having my wisdom teeth pulled and it was perfect to captivate me.

Will I watch again?: Yes, yes, yes! Watching Marvel movies is a big commitment because once you see one you want to watch all other 22, but regardless of knowing that I want to see this again soon. I always get something new out of it.

Bonus thoughts:

“Already tried the mind-control thing. Not a fan.”

This movie somehow takes something seemingly ridiculous and makes it a complex problem to solve. This is said to be one of the least liked films in the franchise, yet the majority of people I talk to about it love it. Why? Because you are so attached to the characters. Each has morals, goals, while fighting fears--even about themselves--and you want them to win so badly. Do they? You’ll have to find out for yourself. Granted, it took a twist with a character that no one was prepared for. Some people don't like it, and I don't blame them as I was surprised, but it's my favorite character so I can't bring myself to have any problems with it. In hindsight it was a brilliant addition!

I am a sucker for sacrifice for the sake of a cause or person, so this film has some of my favorite moments in the universe. It’s obviously not for everyone, but I would say it’s well worth a chance.

Thanks for reading, everyone! Tell me where you are on the spectrum of liking this movie? Let’s talk about all things Marvel! I have a lot of posts planned for the end of this month, participating in several blog parties, so stay tuned for that!

MovieCritic