Podcast Episode 55: We Assemble For AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

We're passing what feels like the halfway mark of the Marvel's grand cinematic plan and I'm happy to report that the state of the MCU is strong.

I'm a big fan of the first Avengers. It's one of those movies that my wife and I can pretty much watch at the drop of a hat, whether it be for 20 minutes for the full running time. It's light and it's fun and it's full of of these incredible moments of unbridled joy. I would caution you not to expect quite the same experience from Age Of Ultron, which isn't to say it's not an expertly crafted summer blockbuster or that it somehow lacks in entertainment value. It's just a different kind of beast. In a way, Ultron is a collection of contradictions; compared to the first Avengers, the latest entry is both darker and more exhilarating, more epic in scope yet also far more intimate in dealing with its characters. 

All your favorite Avengers are back and in fine form, but we’ve also got a host of new additions to the cast.  Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are fine as “the twins” Wanda and Pietro Maximoff (the accents are pretty hit-or-miss) but the real standouts are Paul Bettany, who absolutely kills it with only a few scenes as The Vision, and James Spader as the titular Ultron.  Spader is such a natural fit for Whedon’s trademark quippy dialogue that I can’t believe the pairing never occurred to me earlier.  It seems so obvious in retrospect.  

I just wish that, while Ultron does actually threaten to cause a global extinction level event, the action wasn't quite so contained.  With a title like Age Of Ultron, I was expecting, well, an age.  Something that redefines civilization, the kind of singular event that is spoken about in hushed tones from generation to generation, not just a week of individual battles where it feels like the villain is largely operating in the shadows.  I wanted Ultron to truly fuck up the world for a while, crashing communications networks or global finance or something.  Ultron drones descending upon major cities all across the globe.  Chaos on an epic fucking scale.  Granted this movie is certainly very globe-trotting, with major set pieces in Eastern Europe, Northern Africa, New York and South Korea, but each incident is pretty isolated and somewhat small scale.  The new status quo at the end also feels a bit too easy.  Sure, Hulk has sent himself into mysterious exile, but Thor has just gone back to Asgard while Hawkeye has retired to his family farm and Tony Stark has very politely and amicably gone into semi-retirement.  It basically feels like, while most everyone has left the Avengers, they can all come back whenever they get bored.  If you're gonna break up the band and replace them with the B-team, I'd like there to be some real dramatic obstacles to bringing everyone together again.

Since we’re dealing with a team of superheroes, it seemed only appropriate that I assemble a team of my own for this week’s podcast.  Believe it or not, our conversation actually went much, MUCH longer but, at Jamie's suggestion, I'm trying to keep the podcasts shorter than the running time of the movies we're talking about.  We tackle Joss Whedon’s propensity for killing beloved characters, the film’s tricky onscreen romance and even answer some listener questions!

As always, be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and/or on SoundCloud.

Next Week: We get classy and celebrate Orson Welles' 100th birthday with Citizen Kane!

THOR: THE DARK WORLD Is A Funny And Frenetic Course Correction

"Why are there so many shoes here?"

Flying in the face of all logic and history, the various franchises in Marvel's cinematic universe only seem to get better with each installment.  (Not counting Iron Man 2, which would easily be the weakest of the Phase One films were it not for the the lethal combination of Rockwell and Rourke.)   It's a rare sight to be sure, and if this trend continues then I suspect that by the time Avengers 3 rolls around, my head will simply explode from too much awesome.

The first Thor was problematic at best.  Bart and I talked about it while recording my second podcast episode (coming soon!) and I think it's the kind of movie that might actually hold up better on repeat viewings because you can really latch onto the stuff that works (a.k.a. most of the Asgard stuff) and then go make a sandwich during the stuff that doesn't (a.k.a. all of the Earth stuff).  But that film totally nailed the single most important thing it had to do right: Chris Hemsworth is absolutely perfect as Thor, so good that you're willing to stick with him through a middling plot on the promise that you'll get to see him in a better story somewhere down the road.  Thor: The Dark World delivers on that promise.

What's most striking is the film's easy confidence.  In his first adventure, Thor is presented as a sort of buffoonish frat boy, someone who wants all the adventure and glory of being king without the burdens of responsibility that come with the crown.  It's all about his journey from arrogant fool to wise leader, and the fact that said journey felt half-baked and played second fiddle to Agent's Coulson's New Mexico Adventure was one of my main sources of frustration.  But when we catch up with Thor here, he's not only fought off Loki's Chitauri army in New York, he's also put down chaos and uprisings across many worlds and once again brought peace to the Nine Realms.  But he no longer takes any joy from battle, recognizing it instead as a solemn duty.  Gone are the days of Thor (both the character and the franchise) rushing around haphazardly trying to find himself while learning not to be such an ass.  Instead of robbing Thor of his mighty hammer Mjolnir, this film allows him to wield it with instinctive ease, as if the hammer were truly an extension of his own body.  This Thor is a leader of men.  Nay, a leader of gods.

The story is still pretty bare bones, but at least this one has some gravitas: Malekith, leader of the Dark Elves who literally predates the universe, wants to wipe out all of existence an supplant it with his own using a swirling MacGufifn called the Aether.  He was almost successful 5,000 years ago when the Nine Realms were last in total alignment, but he was defeated by Odin's father Bor.  Now the Realms are once again about to align and Malekith is back to finish the job.  So it's your basic "stop the bad guy with the super weapon" plot, and in truth Christopher Eccleson is tragically wasted as Malekith, a villain who's virtually devoid of all personality short of pure menace.  But at least this time the fate of the entire universe hangs in the balance, which is a fair step up from the fate of Random New Mexico Town.  Not only that, but we actually get to visit at least four or five of the Nine Realms, which really broadens the scope of the story while setting the stage for some of the larger, more cosmic moves that Marvel will be making with next year's Guardians Of The Galaxy.

Whatever the story may lack in originality, it makes up in sheer execution.  In fact, I often had to remind myself that I was watching director Alan Taylor's big screen debut.  I'm a fan of his work on Game Of Thrones and that surely helped prepare him for the sort of heightened reality of a superhero franchise that largely revolves around palace intrigue.  Whereas before everyone was trying their damnedest to make everything sound Shakespearean, now they're able to breathe a bit and let the elaborate sets and costumes do the work.  Taylor absolutely runs circles around Kenneth Branagh, although it probably helps that every third shot isn't a Dutch angle.  But Taylor also manages to make the earthbound stuff interesting as well.  There's a fabulous blending of sci-fi and fantasy here, and while that concept was vaguely discussed in the first Thor, here it's actually executed with a deft touch, until you've got a bunch of physicists using homemade inventions to battle an invading force powered by an ancient mystical artifact.  That's fucking cool.  The action sequences are a huge step up both in terms of quality and quantity.  In fact, the film virtually bounces along from one set piece to the next, but each one is exceedingly well staged both physically and emotionally; every battle has clear stakes and some kind of hook or setting that sets it apart from all the rest, whether it be something simple like a throne room sword fight or something extremely elaborate, like the film's final battle that hinges upon the use of some really fun Portal-esque physics.

But it's not all just a battle royale.  For all its dour marketing, this movie is funny!  Really funny!  And I'm not even counting poor Stellan Skarsgard, who's been largely relegated to a pantsless clown here.  It helps that the cast all seems a bit more comfortable in their own skin this time around, so we can get more character based humor, as opposed to the first film's zany fish-out-of-water stuff.  One of my favorite jokes (aside from a quick but excellent cameo halfway through the film) is a simple, throwaway bit where Mjolnir is zooming around the sky trying to catch up with Thor as he's teleported from location to location.  That by itself is pretty entertaining, but at one point it whips past Kat Dennings' Darcy, (greatly improved this time around) who calls out after it and once again butchers the hammer's name.  In fact, I think she calls it "Meow Meow."  It's dumb, but it slayed me.

The Dark World has its problems to be sure, but they're mostly minor quibbles.  The Naked Selvig stuff is absurdly broad and really toes the line of annoyance.  Anthony Hopkins doesn't sleepwalk through the film so much as he just seems annoyed to be there.  It might not be quite so jarring were it not for Rene Russo, whom you'd be forgiven for having no memory of in the first film.  Last time she was essentially a grieving prop, but Russo has turned Queen Frigga into a smart, ass-kicking lady in a film full of smart, ass-kicking ladies.  We finally get a sense of what she really means to both Odin and Thor, but it's Frigga's relationship with Loki that's really heartbreaking and provides even more layers for an already complex character.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but Russo might be the sneaky star of this movie.

I can't believe I've gotten this far without talking about Loki.  Hiddleston deserves a lot of credit, as I think there was a serious danger of Loki-fatigue after his role in Avengers.  But the character is given a really wonderful arc as Thor's semi-willing partner in crime that allows him to grow a bit and perhaps even reclaim some of his soul without ever losing his trademark mischievous guile.  You never quite trust Loki, but you do empathize with him a bit.  Part of that comes from the writing, but mostly it's the quiet humanity that Hiddleston brings to the role.  There's a scene about halfway through where Thor visits him in prison and while at first Loki's cell appears immaculate and well furnished, Thor instantly realizes that it's just another one of his brother's trademark illusions and demands Loki show his true self.  The trickster does, revealing a trashed cell and the distraught demi-god lying crumpled in the corner.  It's a simple but strong moment for both characters, proving that Thor has learned from the past ("Are you ever not going to fall for that?") and that Loki might be more scared and petulant child than evil overlord.  Loki's a character that seemed destined for stagnation, but instead he's only gotten more interesting with each outing.  If Marvel announced a Loki film tomorrow...well that's a terrible idea, but I might still show up just for Hiddleston.

And then there's Lady Siff and The Warriors Three.  Aside from the brief but excellent prison break sequence in the first half, they still don't seem to know what to do with these guys.  In fact, they all disappear halfway through the film, except for Hogun who actually bows out in the first ten minutes.  It's a real shame, as they all manage to do some pretty solid work in their short screen time.  Zachary Levi is a huge swashbuckling upgrade from the wooden Josh Dallas.  It's easy to see why they wanted him the first time around and I left the theater wishing there was an Errol Flynn biopic in development somewhere.  Jaimie Alexander really connects with Hemsworth and makes Lady Siff feel more and more like the warrior woman that Thor is supposed to end up with.  In fact, I was sure they were laying the groundwork for the demise of Jane Foster late in the film.  The romance angle was pretty rushed the first time around and it's not much more fleshed out here, coasting almost entirely on the charm of Portman and Hemsworth.  At this point I think that's the best we're going to get out of this franchise.

Still, this is a vast improvement over the first Thor.  With no more Iron Man movies on the horizon and no plans for Mark Ruffalo to get a standalone Hulk film, that leaves Thor and Captain America as the only Avengers with established franchises.  Winter Soldier looks like it could be the best Marvel film yet and I expect that Cap will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting for Phase Two.  But a week ago Thor felt like simply another cog in the Marvel machine, something to tide me over until the surefire madness of Guardians Of The Galaxy.  (Wait till you get a load of that post-credit stinger!)

Now I'm genuinely excited to see where this franchise goes.




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Title: Thor: The Dark World
Director: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Rene Russo, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard, Zachary Levi, Jaimie Alexander
Year Of Release: 2013
Viewing Method: Theatrical - AMC Boston Common (2D)

"Costumed Panhandlers" Dream Of Stardom In CONFESSIONS OF A SUPERHERO

"Hollywood is a place where dreams are made and dreams are broken."

Zack Snyder's Superman reboot Man Of Steel will fly into theaters this weekend and I'm pretty damn excited about it.  I know everyone loves to hate on Superman as a character and I'll admit that his invulnerability ironically makes him an easy target, but I've loved the Big Blue Boy Scout ever since I first saw Richard Donner's film as a child.  My tickets are already purchased for the Saturday IMAX matinee (in 2D!) and my totally awesome Superman cape is at the ready.  (Yes, I have a cape and yes, I plan on wearing it.)  So this feels like an ideal time to discuss the documentary Confessions Of A Superhero, which delves into the lives of the infamous Hollywood street performers.

During my time as an L.A. security guard, I often worked at a place called Hollywood & Highland - a sort of outdoor mall located in the touristy heart of Hollywood Blvd right next to the famous Chinese Theater and the Dolby Theater (formerly Kodak Theater) where the Academy Awards are held each year.  I handled a variety of events there, from concerts to movie premieres to film shoots.  (I once spent a week trying to keep Asian tourists from blocking the sidewalks while taking pictures of Will Smith shooting a fight scene from Hancock.)  So believe me when I say that I've had a fair amount of exposure to the folks who spend their days sweating beneath the full body costumes of superheroes like Batman and Superman or famous film personas like Jack Sparrow or Marilyn Monroe.  They don't work for an agency and they don't get paid an hourly wage, just cash tips from tourists who want to their picture taken with their favorite character.  Some residents consider them to be a unique part of Hollywood legacy, while others consider them an annoyance at best and a menace at worst.  I'd even heard weird rumors, like the guy who plays Superman is secretly loaded and just dresses up as Supes for fun.

Confessions Of A Superhero is a bit of a technical mess, often looking like it was shot on a flip phone, but it's also a fascinating peek behind the psychological curtain of these costumed performers, be they lovable, psychotic or just plain odd.  Director Matthew Ogens chiefly follows four individuals: Christopher Dennis (Superman), Maxwell Allen (Batman), Jennifer Wenger (Wonder Woman), and Joe McQueen (Hulk), each of whom has a uniquely intriguing origin story and motivation for sticking with their bizarre profession, which was perfectly skewered in the new season of Arrested Development.

My favorite is easily Wenger, who makes a downright adorable Wonder Woman.  She's a small town former prom queen, the hottest fish in a Tennessee pond who moved to L.A. with dreams of stardom.  She's been plugging away at an acting career since she dropped out of college and is still searching for her big break, but she started doing the Wonder Woman thing as a way to make cash on the side.  She seems to have a good head on her shoulders and doesn't really take any of the superhero stuff too seriously.  We get a few scenes of her going to an audition and working with an acting coach and while she doesn't seem to take direction very well or have a huge emotional  range, she's actually pretty decent.  I've met plenty of would-be actors over the years that are just flat out unwatchable and don't seem to have any internal barometer about their talents.  I knew one woman who insisted that all she needed "was to get nominated," despite never having been cast in anything of note.  There's just no dealing with those people in any sort of rational way, but Wenger is attractive and self-effacing and seems to understand where her strengths lie and what kind of work she can and can't get.  Her struggle is mostly tied to her personal life, dealing with a husband she married in Vegas on the spur of the moment only to realize years later that they're not really right for each other.  But she's funny and lovable and takes everything in stride.  Much like the real Wonder Woman, she simply refuses to be knocked down.

At the exact opposite end of the spectrum is Maxwell Allen, a.k.a. Batman.  This is a guy with some dark psychological issues and a serious anger management problem.  He claims to have worked security for an organized crime family and even insists he killed a man but was never brought up on charges due to lack of evidence.  Whether that's true or not is a mystery, as even his own wife is skeptical of his shady past.  But he does train in various forms of martial arts and knows how to handle a firearm, so I certainly believe that he's capable.  Allen comes to symbolize the aggressive side of the Hollywood heroes, the ones who have repeatedly been arrested for angrily (sometimes violently) hassling tourists for not properly tipping them after photos.  These incidents happen every few months, and even prompted the characters to be banned from the streets of Hollywood for a time.  I've witnessed characters and pedestrians going at it on the sidewalk and it's always equal parts scary and amusing.  While it looks like two guys are about to come to blows over money, the fact that one is dressed as Spider-Man and wearing a fanny pack makes it hard to hold back the chuckles.  But Allen's story has an extra pathetic subplot: he too wanted to be a serious actor, but his career came to a grinding halt because the guy looks EXACTLY like a gap-toothed George Clooney - in the Batsuit, doubly so.  There are a million obstacles to overcome in the pursuit of acting success, but they all pale in comparison to being a doppelganger for one of the most recognizable and successful actor/directors in the business.

Joe McQueen, a.k.a. The Incredible Hulk is also trying to make it as an actor but he has easily the most stirring backstory: he moved to LA in the midst of the Rodney King riots and soon went broke, spending four years living on the street.  But he didn't let that deter his efforts and continued to go to auditions, carrying everything he owned in shopping bags.  That might sound insane to you, but I saw folks in a similar state of destitution at more than one of my auditions.  McQueen sees himself as a serious actor and he's got more than a little resentment towards his day job (the Hulk costume is hotter than hell) but he knows it's just a means to an end, a way for him to keep chasing his childhood dream.  McQueen's indomitable optimism is admirable and having started so low makes his minor victories seem all the more impressive.  (We see him get cast in a kung fu spoof called Finishing The Game, directed by Justin Lin before he settled in as the godfather of the Fast & Furious franchise.)  The guy is also able to maintain a terrific sense of perspective.  At one point he actually takes the camera crew to the back alley where he used to sleep and, like an ex-pat returning to his hometown, marvels at how different it all looks and just how far he's come.

And then there's Superman, a.k.a. Christopher Dennis.  He's rightly the main focus of the piece and I have to imagine that as soon as Ogens and crew stepped foot into his apartment, they knew they'd struck gold.  Every crevice of the place is overflowing with various Kal-El memorabilia, both purchased and created by Dennis himself.  The walls are completely plastered with posters and clippings, while the action figures and comic books pile up throughout the place.  I'm a Superman fan.  This guy is a Superman DISCIPLE.  More specifically, he worships at the altar of Christopher Reeve.  Dennis is very tall and downright gangly but his face is somewhat reminiscent of an anorexic Reeve, which he sees as the most important qualification for any Superman impersonator.  He goes to a Superman convention convinced he's going to win a costume contest, (he doesn't) despite the fact that his faded jumpsuit hangs limply on his rail thin frame.  Oh yeah, and he also may or may not be the son of deceased actress Sandy Dennis, best remembered as not-Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?  Dennis doesn't seem to have any other means of employment and takes his street performing the most seriously of the bunch, never unduly hassling the tourists and considering himself a legitimate ambassador of Hollywood.  And while he's very sweet, it's hard to ignore the fact that he doesn't seem to live in the same reality as the rest of us.

When it comes to film performers, there are two kinds of people: the ones who want to be actors, and the ones who want to be famous.  The first group is full of hardworking professionals focused on honing their craft in an art form they love completely.  The second group is full of attention starved crazies bordering on delusional.  Our four street walking heroes evenly split this divide.  Christopher Dennis seems just as far out there as Maxwell Allen, but their respective lunacies each appropriately mirror their costumed personas.  Where Allen/Batman is a tortured soul seemingly capable of real violence at the drop of a hat, Dennis/Superman is completely earnest and noble in his dedication to representing the Last Son of Krypton, although truth be told both seem destined for some kind of psychological break.  Meanwhile, Jennifer Wenger and Joe McQueen are both good people struggling to do their best in a very tough business with limited success.  I've been in their shoes before, discounting the quickie Vegas wedding.  After years of banging my head on the walls of Hollywood, it's little wonder that I didn't end up out in front of the Chinese Theater with them.  Wonder Woman and Hulk are both so sweet and down to earth that you totally want to see them realize their dreams of Hollywood stardom, even though you know it'll simply never happen.  But you have to respect their dedication.  No matter how many times they stumble and fall, they continue to show perseverance in the face of incredible odds.

It's goddamn heroic.


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Title: Confessions Of A Superhero
Director: Matthew Ogens
Starring: Christopher Dennis, Maxwell Allen, Jennifer Wenger, Joe McQueen
Year Of Release: 2007
Viewing Method: Netflix Instant (laptop)