Avengers Age of Ultron is a compelling follow-up to the original team-up movie, yet the distinct voice of the writer/director overshadows it. — There is no question that 2012’s Avengers movie was a triumph in every sense of the term, and much of its success was due to writer and director Joss Whedon’s efforts. Throughout his career, Whedon employed a distinct style and voice. One so clear even casual fans could identify which…

One of the directors who helped bring Marvel to the big screen returns to helm the most comic-booky and daring (in franchise terms) films yet. (Spoiler-free) — Over a decade into the dominance of Marvel Studios films as both blockbuster and superhero films, some still actively resist the idea that these movies are comic books come to life. The history of Hollywood hating on comic book stories is long and continues to this day, from folks like…

The first Avengers movie seemed like one that was doomed to fail. Instead, it’s the start of the most ambitious serial cinema storytelling endeavor of all time. — Some years ago, when I was revisiting the Marvel Studios films in advance of Avengers: Endgame, I wrote about how 2012’s Avengers defied all of my expectations. On the 10th anniversary of this film’s release, the mythos around this film has changed (mostly because of behind-the-scenes revelations) but its impact…

It’s a bold new era for Star Trek on Paramount+ and with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds we finally get something perfectly familiar. A little more than a dozen years ago, J.J. Abrams told the world he was going to be taking his talents to Star Trek. It had been…

Netflix’s first subscriber decline in a decade sent shockwaves through the marketplace, but how did no one see this coming? Just a few months ago, Netflix quietly celebrated the 10th anniversary of its first original streaming series. Starring The Sopranos alum and E Street Band legend Stevie Van Zandt as…

We were told to “never forget,” but we forgot almost everything except the fear and the inevitable rage that follows it. “The towers are gone now, reduced to bloody rubble, along with all hopes for Peace in Our Time, in the United States or any other country. Make no mistake…