Tag: Tom Hiddleston

Loki: Season Two (2023) | REVIEW

Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. © 2023 MARVEL.

It’s no secret that since the launch of Disney+ required Marvel Studios to produce a litany of superhero series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in a bit of an identity crisis, which is also partly due to how the Marvel films in the post-Avengers: Endgame era haven’t always felt like they were pushing the overarching story forward in exciting ways that also spoke to its characters and their growth. There are always exceptions — like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on the film side or Wandavision on the streaming series side — but Marvel Studios has lately been feeling like it’s been stuck in mud, with the release of the star-studded but already forgotten Secret Invasion, which crash-landed, being a notable attempt that failed to really find an audience or audience excitement. Because of all of this it feels really good to be able to say that Loki: Season 2 is a return to form for Marvel — it’s a great show and one of the very best things that’s been put out by Marvel Studios since the release of the outstanding Avengers: Endgame.

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REVIEWS: MCU Series on Disney+ – Year One (2021): ‘WandaVision,’ ‘Loki,’ ‘Hawkeye,’ and More

Paul Bettany as Vision in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION, exclusively on Disney+. — Photo: Disney+ / Marvel Studios.

Disney’s Marvel Studios — the masterminds and architects of the global cinematic sensation, the Marvel Cinematic Universe — now also spends a lot of time on TV/Streaming shows due to the arrival of the streaming service Disney+, which Disney knows can thrive on several shows aimed at the Marvel and Star Wars fandoms. In the first year with MCU content straight-to-Disney+, Disney and Marvel Studios gave us four live-action series and one premier animated show. In this article, I’ll take a look at each of the ‘first-year’ shows in bite-sized reviews.

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Feige Announces MCU Phase Four at San Diego Comic-Con – Special Features #54

Some people in the industry may have been questioning the future viability of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe after the incredible infinity saga came to an end recently. If Spider-Man: Far From Home didn’t convince the naysayers, then what Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios announced last night certainly did. Today, let’s talk about the Marvel Studios announcements at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. Continue reading “Feige Announces MCU Phase Four at San Diego Comic-Con – Special Features #54” →

REVIEW: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

US Theatrical Release Poster – Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The following is a review of Thor: Ragnarok – Directed by Taika Waititi

Are you the kind of person whose idea of a good time is watching a Norse God beat up countless of faceless goons on a rainbow bridge while Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song plays? If that is a ‘yes,’ then there is a pretty good chance that you are going to fall in love with Thor: Ragnarok, which also includes a scene where the Hulk fights a supersized wolf. It sounds too good to be true. It isn’t. Continue reading “REVIEW: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)” →

TRAILER RECAP: Thor: Ragnarok – Teaser Trailer

Thor: Ragnarok is one of the most intriguing superhero films this year. It’s being directed by Taika Waititi, who is primarily known for What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The two previous Thor films were directed by, first, a fantastic Shakespearian actor-director and, then, a TV director most known for his work on Game of Thrones and The Sopranos. Based on this trailer, Waititi’s version may not take itself as seriously as one might’ve feared.
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REVIEW: Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Release Poster – Warner Bros. Pictures

The following is a review of Kong: Skull Island – Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

In 2014, no film disappointed me more than Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. It’s not a bad film, per se – and I do think Gareth Edwards is a talented director – but it remains one of the biggest movie disappointments over the last few years, for me. Therefore, I was, obviously, apprehensive about the next film in Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment’s monster movie cinematic universe.

My main issues with Godzilla were that Godzilla, essentially, had a story that was populated with mostly uninteresting characters, and that I also felt the marketing had promised me much more of both Bryan Cranston and the titular monster than we were given. Does Kong: Skull Island share those issues? Well. Yes and no. Continue reading “REVIEW: Kong: Skull Island (2017)” →

Top Ten Movie Villains of 2011

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two' Warner Bros.
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two’ Warner Bros.

The following list contains spoilers for films from 2011.

It’s week two of the Heroes and Villains period of Top Ten Tuesday, and that brings us to 2011. Do note that these characters aren’t solely ranked on how evil their actions are. Without further ado, here are the top ten movie villains of 2011.
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REVIEW: The Night Manager (2016 – Mini-Series)

The Night Manager Reviewed

The following is a review of the BBC/AMC mini-series The Night Manager, directed by Susanne Bier.

Strictly scheduled mini-series don’t always land with me at the right moment. I latch onto longer television shows or movies much easier, but once in a while some mini-series will pop up on my radar, and some aspect of it will pull me in. In 2015, Show Me A Hero was the mini-series for me, and Oscar Isaac was the main reason why I gave the HBO mini-series a chance. Now, I have found a mini-series that is exactly what I need. BBC’s The Night Manager is pretty great. Continue reading “REVIEW: The Night Manager (2016 – Mini-Series)” →

REVIEW: Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)

Marvel's The Avengers - Poster
Release Poster – Marvel Studios – Disney

The following is a spoiler review of Marvel’s The Avengers, a Joss Whedon film. This review was written in early 2016.

Marvel’s The Avengers was and is a very special movie. For many this film was not unlike a religious experience. You finally saw that these mega-movie events were possible, and Marvel Studios had finally proven that their cinematic universe was built on solid ground, with a fantastically entertaining team at the center of it.

But there are some very noticeable problems with one of Marvel Studios’s very best films, and some of those problems really annoyed me when I rewatched it a third or fourth time. So, in this review I will be brutally honest, and therefore the review does include some spoilers. You have been warned.

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REVIEW: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Theatrical Release Poster – Marvel Studios

The following is a review of Thor: The Dark World.

Thor: The Dark World is the sequel to what I believe is one of the most underrated superhero films of the 21st Century: Kenneth Branagh’s Thor. I never expected for this sequel to be as great as the first Thor (especially not when I heard that Kenneth Branagh wasn’t returning), but I expected a good movie. In the end, I was left with one of the most disappointing films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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