Ant-Man

Ant-Man has had a whole host of problems in the run up to its creation. Not only was it one of the earlier films stated by Marvel, only now being made, it also had Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright leave the project just before production. Anybody would think that Marvel's latest would be an absolute disaster but thankfully it is not, not quite anyway...

Ant-Man follows Scott Lang, an ex-con and brilliant thief, as he is recruited by scientist Hank Pym to don the Ant-Man suit and steal back the plans from Darren Cross, who looks to turn the suit into a weapon for sale.

Paul Rudd is the hero of this film and he is supported by Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Evangeline Lily as Hope Van Dyne and Corey Stroll as Darren Cross. Nobody really stands out in the film but nobody sucks either. Paul Rudd is a pretty convincing hero but it is one of his friends and fellow crooks who steals the show, Luis, played by Michael Peña. There are also a couple of great cameos that really help make the film better. 

The best thing about this film is the shrinking action, If you didn't know already, the Ant-Man suit allows the user to shrink to the size of an ant, but still retain their strength, as well as being able to talk to fellow ants and manipulate them. It sounds stupid but director Peyton Reed really uses the ability to create some really memorable awesome looking action scenes. Reed really makes the most of the power and has the action take place in a variety of comedical, but also impressive, settings such as a briefcase and a bathtub. These are the scenes that really stood out in the film but unfortunately, there is a lack of them in the first half. For me this did make the first half of the film a bit boring as I didn't care much for what else was happening.

With a premise as difficult to pull off as Ant-Man's is, I did think the film would be funnier. There were laughs but for me the comedy didn't always work and with someone as great as Paul Rudd as the lead, I was expecting a lot more. For a film that was described as a 'heist' movie, there is only really one clever heist pulled off near the start. The main big heist isn't really that interesting or clever and didn't do anything new for the genre, apart from the fact that the main guy is very small.

This is the problem with Ant-Man, the story itself is pretty formulaic and by the numbers. Many of the Marvel origin stories have been, but thankfully they have had more interesting characters to follow throughout. Ant-Man didn't have this. I didn't care for Scott Lang, he felt like a combination of other Marvel characters with his only unique trait being that he had a daughter to care for. Hank Pym was the most interesting character in the film because we haven't really seen an old hero pass down his mantle yet in this universe. Michael Douglas also brought a lot of weight to the character that never is or was a purely good hero.

Marvel yet again suffer from lacklustre villains. I really like Corey Stroll but he plays a villain that is just evil, a reason is given but it wasn't enough for me. The fact that his powers are similar to Ant-Man's does make their fights look great but like the rest of the film, the action works and everything else is pretty forgettable. Marvel really need to sort their villains out for Phase 3.

The troubled production doesn't help and you can tell the scenes which are very Edgar Wright-y. Who knows what his film would have looked like overall! The film is not a total disaster and I would like to see a sequel now that they are more confident with the character and the world. Unfortunately the first outing is a bit messy but overall there is fun to be had, especially with the awesome shrinking action! It's not astonishing but its not rubbish either, it's a bit in the middle. I am rating Ant-Man a 2.5/5.


What did you think of Ant-Man? So far it looks like I am in the minority of people who weren't overly keen on it! Let me know where you stand in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

SDCC 2015 Thoughts #2

So a lot happened since my last post...

A lot of trailers from the con have been leaked, so I won't be linking them to my blog. However if you get chance to see one, they do look pretty sweet! One trailer that didn't leak but was posted officially to the Internet was Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. The trailer is just full of crazy fan service and really builds up the epic feel to what is probably the biggest movie event of next year. It looks amazing and Batfleck looks incredible, I am loving the suit and can't wait to see it in action. Check it out below:



Footage for Suicide Squad, Deadpool and X-Men: Apocalypse was also shown but unfortunately nothing official online. All footage was said to look amazing though and they will all no doubt do well next year.

Also announced was the title of the Green Lantern reboot, named Green Lantern Corps. Lets all keep our fingers crossed that it turns out better than the Ryan Reynolds movie...

Audiences were treated to a special screening of Syfy's new show The Expanse. The show has already been compared to Game of Thrones, however if you are a fan of the books the new show is based on then you will no it's a little bit different. Either way they are some brilliant books and the show is shaping up to be great. Check out a behind the scenes video and new trailer below that was released online for those who couldn't make it to the con.


Finally, if you are a fan of the show Arrow, it turns out that Oliver has a new costume for next season, check out the image below to get a look at his new suit. Looks pretty cool and a lot more superhero-y than previous. Hopefully the show will improve after its pretty disappointing third season.

Well that's probably it for SDCC news this year. Check back soon though and I will hopefully have a review up for Ant-Man when it comes out this week!

Thanks for reading!

My Most Anticipated Films Of 2015

Here we go, another year of great films. 2015 is going to be massive! Here are my most anticipated films of 2015:

10. Spectre (November)

I always love a good Bond film, and after the brilliant Skyfall, I can only expect the follow up to be even better. Obviously Sony had a pretty rough year in 2014 so I reckon they will be hoping to make this one as good as possible! Now, there has been a lot of negativity surrounding a leaked script for Spectre, but I imagine that this will just be great motivation for whoever is doing the rewrites to prove everyone wrong. Plus Christoph Waltz was born to play a Bond villain. Bring it on 007! 

9. Jurassic World (June)

The trailer came out to mixed reactions but I have faith that director Colin Trevorrow will do the latest instalment in the franchise justice. His previous film Safety Not Guaranteed was amazing and if he brings that kind of heart to a big blockbuster film then he will be in for a win. Also, I want to see Chris Pratt in more things, he was awesome in Guardians Of The Galaxy. I can't wait to see the Park open and back on the big screen!

8. The Good Dinosaur (November)

Pixar took a break in 2014 and they were definitely missed, so I look forward to their next project. This is the second of two films they have coming out next year and they are both original pieces! The studio is at their best when making new original stories rather than sequels and prequels. I hope The Good Dinosaur brings out the best in Pixar, their other film, Inside Out, looks and sounds great but I really like the premise of this one: 'Arlo, a 70-foot tall teenage Apatosaurus, befriends a young human boy named Spot.'

7. Midnight Special (November)

Jeff Nichols has proven himself to be one of the best directors around at the moment with Take Shelter and Mud. For that reason alone I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next. His new film follows a father and son on the run, after the dad learns his child possesses special powers. With Micheal Shannon attached, this is one is not to be missed.

6. Ant-Man (July)

The second of Marvel's two films for 2015 is Ant-Man. A troubled production may have cast a cloud over this one but I'm sure it will turn out great. Although I would have loved to have seen Edgar Wright's version of this film, I will still be turning up on day one to see if Marvel have produced another gem with Peyton Reed at the helm. Guardians Of The Galaxy proved that they could take any source material and turn it into gold and I hope that they do the same here with the relatively unknown Ant-Man.

5. The Hateful Eight (TBD)

It's always a great year when a new Quentin Tarantino film comes out. The Hateful Eight may have been in and out of development after script leaks but now it will finally be made, and I cannot wait to see what Tarnatino does with this one. His films are always a joy to watch and I imagine this one will not be an exception.

4. Silence (TBD)

Martin Scorsese is my favourite director so I am going to see whatever he makes. His latest is a passion project about two priests in the seventeenth century who travel to Japan to locate their mentor and spread the gospel of Christianity. With two brilliant actors, Andrew Garfield and Liam Neeson attached, this will surely be another awesome film added to his list.

3. That's What I'm Talking About (TBD)

For the last two years now, Richard Linklater has topped my favourite films of the year and he may do it again with his 'spiritual sequel' to Dazed And Confused. Not much is known about the film apart that it will follows the lives of college baseball students in the 80's. I have no doubt that Linklater will produce another awesome film, and because of time period it should also feature another one of his epic soundtracks! I for one cannot wait to see this.

2. Avengers: Age Of Ultron (April)

When the first Avengers film came out in 2012 I was over the moon, never did I think I would see these characters on the screen together. Joss Whedon did not disappoint and I have feeling that Avengers: Age Of Ultron will blow the first film out of the water. I cannot wait for this film, the trailer was great and Ultron is even better and more menacing than I expected. I hope this lives up to my expectations.

1. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (December)

I knew this film would be on my list but it wasn't until the awesome teaser trailer appeared that it topped it. When the Millennium Falcon appeared in all it's glory I was taken back to my childhood, watching the films, playing with the action figures and being completely obsessed with the world. From the moment that the trailer ended the excitement started and I only wish the film was coming out earlier, because the anticipation is agonising! This is definitely my most anticipated film of 2015.

2015 is going to be an awesome year for film, there are loads more that I am excited for, not just the ones above. I hope everyone has a great New Year and remember to keep up with my blog to find out what I think about these films when they come out and more!

What are you looking forward to watching? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading!

SDCC Thoughts #4

Fourth and possibly last of my post about the latest from Comic Con. Don't hold me to that but I might not get chance to do another as I am on my way to Calafornia itself tomorrow, a weekend too late however... This post features big news from Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man and Mad Max: Fury Road.

So the big panel at the con last night was Marvel's which included a first look at footage from Avengers: Age of Ultron. Unfortunately footage will not be officialy online for quite some while but here is a detailed description of it from Io9. And next to the footage in the now fully formed concept art poster of our heroes in action.

We see the Avengers sitting around trying to untangle the "whosoever is worthy" thing, regarding who gets to hold Thor's hammer. And they all think it's a trick, or a circus sideshow. "If I lift it, do I get to rule Asgard?" Tony asks. And Thor says yes. Tony says he will be fair but firm, and maybe work out the "wench clause." Tony can't lift it — even after he puts on an Iron Man glove and gets Rhodey to help him. Soon everybody is trying to lift it — including Bruce Banner, who gets kinda upset — and only Steve Rogers even comes close. Black Widow doesn't even want to try lifting it, because "That's not a question I need answering." Tony guess it's keyed to Thor's finger prints, or some other biometric, but Thor says the answer is simpler: "You're all not worthy." Then there's a ringing sound and they're all deafened, and Ultron strides into the room, with a crude Avengers logo painted on his slightly misshapen chest. "How could you be worthy? You're all killers," Ultron says. "You want to protect the world, but you don't want to it to change. There's only one path to peace: your extinction." Then a shit ton of robots burst through the wall and attack all of the Avengers, plus Maria Hill.

Then we hear Ultron's voiceover saying he had a vision of the whole world screaming for mercy, and everybody tangled in it. And we see glimpses of some city in what looks like Africa being reduced to rubble by an attack. There's a closeup of Loki's staff, and everybody looking freaked out on the Quinjet — most of all Bruce Banner, who is holding himself and shaking with a terrified look on his face. People are running everywhere, and the debris is flying like crazy. Ultron gives a menacing look, as he surveys all the destruction. Then there are some hero moments: Captain America enters a place shooting some guns. Stuff is blowing up. Banner staggers to his knees in a snowy forest, looking sickly. Thor uses his hammer to smash a tank. Black Widow is in a medical bay, reaching for some surgical tools. We glimpse Nick Fury looking the way he did at the end of Winter Soldier. And Scarlet Witch is on a bus, approaching some people at the back of the bus with magic in one hand. Tony Stark is looking forlorn and guilty. "It's the end, the end of a path I started us on," he tells Black Widow, who says everything ends. Scarlet witch sinks to her knees shouting. And there are more shots of Scarlet Witch using her powers, just quick glimpses of her projecting magical energy.

At this point, the trailer strts playing the clasic song "I've Got No Strings." Tony, in Hulbuster armor, confronts Hulk on a city street, and there are several shots of them brawling and Tony getting the shit beat out of him. Quicksilver runs through a crowded room that seems to be standing still. Captain America is fighting someone in what looks like a knock-down brawl. And because this is Joss Whedon, there's a glimpse of girls doing ballet. Then we're back to Black Widow shooting shotguns, and more of the Hulk/Hulkbuster brawl. Thor grabs Tony Stark's throat and lifts him off the ground. Captain America is riding a motorcycle and then running. Cars are tumbling in mid air. Black Widow touches her hand to the Hulk's massive green hand, like she's calming him down. We glimpse a confrontation between Black Widow and Scarlet Witch. And then Ultron finishes the song saying, "There are no strings on me," clenching a fist as he celebrates that he's no longer a puppet. And we go a shot of Captain America's shield — shattered to fragments. We pull back, and all of the Avengers are lying prone, apparently dead, in the rubble. Tony is leaning over them, and he looks totlaly horrified and ashamed.
Read more at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=104583#kHxQGzdFT5HaQiiK.99

Other big news included Josh Brolin being confirmed as Thanos and the announcemnet that Guardians Of The Galaxy will be getting a sequel in 2017!

Ant-Man confirmed that Evangaline Lily will indeed be in the film and will be the daughter of Hank Pym, Hope Van Dyne or Hope Pym if you will. Corey Stoll was also confirmed as the villain of the piece Yellow Jacket!

Finally a look at the trailer for the next installment of the Mad Max with Tom Hardy in the front seat this time. It definitely looks very cool, check it out below:

It's been a good Comic Con yet again, even if I am sitting at home experiencing it!

Thanks for reading!

SDCC 2014 Thoughts #1

Last year I did a few posts on some of the news coming out of San Diego Comic Con and my thoughts on it. Since every SDCC is like a second Christmas, full of pop culture news and announcements for us nerds, I thought I would do the same this year as well. I'll be posting all things that I think are cool from the Con so not every piece of news from every angle of the event will be reported. Man do I wish I was there...

 It may just be the first day of the con but we have already been treated to some gems, beginning with a bunch of awesome exclusive posters including The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies which can be seen below.

I especially love the Avengers ones, they are awesome! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some form of teaser trailer will be released at SDCC and then online over the weekend! In other news Warner Brothers brought the cowl and cape of Batman from Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to the show. It doesn't reveal much else to what we've already seen apart from the fact that it is dark grey and not a shade of blue that a lot of us fans would have liked to have seen. However I do still like the look they are going for with the Batfleck costume.

And if you wondering where the man himself was, well WB have just released a new official pic of The Batfleck.

Looking good! All this and it's still just Thursday, it's a good weekend to be a nerd.

Check back later for more updates on what going on at SDCC.

What do you think of all the latest SDCC news? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! 

Marvel Phase 2

Being a massive Marvel fan I thought it would be a good idea to voice my opinions on all the announcements from the San Diego Comic Con on the next phase of the Marvel cinematic universe. I didn't go to Comic Con so I am working off the stuff I have read from news sites and the fans who went there.

Iron Man 3 - 2013
The first Iron Man film is one of my favourite films of all time. Robert Downey Jr. was the perfect casting as Tony Stark and completely stole the show! Unfortunately Iron Man 2 was not that good, it has its good moments but was a disappointment compared to the first film. However I have much higher hopes for the third outing with the great playboy, philanthropist. This is mainly because Shane Black is on board as director. As much as I loved Jon Favreau, it will be great to see someone else take on Iron Man and hopefully keep the awesomeness of the first film and The Avengers. Shane Black's only other film is the incredible Kiss Kiss Bang Bang which also starred Robert Downey Jr. Black also penned the Lethal Weapon films.

At Comic Con, Marvel showed footage of the new film that is due out for release next year. the footage showed Tony Stark testing out new armour and then having his house blown up by an army, apparently run by the Mandarin played by Ben Kingsly. In the comics, Mandarin is Iron Mans greatest foe, the way Joker is to Batman. That is why this new villain could be awesome. Guy Pearce and James Badge Dale have also been added to the villain mix. Both great actors but I do hope this doesn't turn into Spider-Man 3! I have faith in this though, all we need know is the footage to creep onto the Internet, hopefully in the form of a trailer!

Thor: The Dark World - 2013
All that was announced of this project was the name. And what a cool name! It has been rumoured that in this film we are going to be exploring the darker gritty side of Asgard and this announcement sort of confirms that. Natalie Portman is back on board so we probably still get some Earth scenes but I cannot wait to see more of Asgard! Christopher Eccleston has come on as the villain but I bet a Thanos will be somewhere behind the scenes. I'm not a big fan of Christopher Eccleston but we still get Tom Hiddleston's Loki, so who cares?

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - 2014
Oh yes, you saw right! The Winter Soldier! Perhaps my favourite announcement of Comic Con is that the new Captain America movie will follow the story of the late Bucky Barnes who (SPOILER) is not dead, unless they change the story completely that is! Bucky gets brainwashed into becoming a spy for the Russians, being dosed up with anti ageing drugs and becoming just as strong as Cap. This is all speculation at the moment, but this could be awesome. Antony Mackie is also rumoured to play the Falcon, which adds another super hero to rota. The Avengers made Captain America cool so I cannot wait to see where he goes next!

Guardians of the Galaxy - 2014
This was the most disappointing news for me, although it was Marvel's worst kept secret, I was still hoping for them to announce a Black Panther movie. Instead we get this sci-fi team up of superheroes which guard the galaxy. I never really got into the comics and I dodn't know how Marvel are going to make the team work in the same universe. Hopefully it will have its own universe but either way I am interested in what comes off this, but not as much as the rest of the line up in Marvel phase 2.

Ant Man - 2014/15
I love everything that Edgar Wright has ever done and this is shaping up to stay on his record of awesome movies. Ant Man isn't my favourite Marvel character but after the reported test footage shown at Comic Con I know this will be awesome! The test footage showed off some action that was reported as a new form of fighting called size-fu. That sounds very cool! There isn't a set date but it has been rumoured it could be out as early as 2014! I look forward to casting news, which could come any day now!

The Avengers 2 - 2015/16
 It's happening! We not sure when and we don't know if Joss Whedon will direct but it is happening! The next wave of superheroes are getting ready to set it up, no solo Hulk movie yet but Mark Ruffalo is contracted to do 5 more films as Bruce Banner! Will it be as good as the first? Only time will tell, but I will be just as excited!

What are you most excited about in Marvel Phase 2? Comment below and thank you for reading!