Luke Cage character breakdown!

Luke Cage:  Has become one of my favorite characters.  He debuted in 1972 in Luke Cage: Hero for Hire, but was retitled to Power Man for issue #17.  Luke was one of the first anti-heroes in the Marvel.  The first concept for Cage was as a super hero who would do good things only if he was paid for it.  The running gag became that he would be offered a certain amount of money for a heroic act, only to deny it for the sake of "justice being served".  He gained his popular in the 70's within the Blaxploitation genre of comics.  Once the popularity of the genre faded, Cage became unable to hold a solo series and was teamed with another hero in with a declining popularity genre, the master martial artist, Iron Fist.  The two would go on to team up for a decent run from 1978 to 1986.

The 90's would see an upgrade for Luke Cage along with a new solo series titled simply CAGE.  Gone was the old uniform of yellow shirt, metallic headband, dark pants, and the old Blaxploitation catch phrase "Sweet Christmas!”  Luke's popularity grew and he would go on to appear with and then lead such teams as The Thunderbolts and The New Avengers.  From there he would be handed the reigns of a brand new Avengers team from Captain America.

Luke Cage has maintained his "street level" reputation all while gaining more respect and quite a reputation within the superhero community.  What I like the most about the use of all these characters is that they all "grew up" together in the comic books.  Power Man and Iron Fist was one of the first comic books I ever read, he frequently teamed up with Daredevil even before they were both Avengers, AND he's married to Jessica Jones!

His powers include superhuman strength and stamina, as well as unbreakable skin.  He gained these abilities during an experiment in cellular regeneration, a second experiment would grant him the enhanced strength and stamina and a sped up healing factor.  Luke Cage is an exceptional street fighter and was a gifted athlete before receiving superhuman abilities. He has also studied martial arts under Iron Fist's instruction, learning how to couple leverage with his strength in order to increase his combat effectiveness against more powerful opponents.

Luke Cage will be played by Mike Colter.

Up next:  Iron Fist!

Daredevil Character breakdown!

On April 10th, Marvel releases a new TV series on Netflix and will introduce Daredevil into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  This is the first of 5 shows produced by Netflix to be released.  After Daredevil, we will see a private eye style show titles A.K.A. Jessica Jones, which then will be followed by Luke Cage.  Right after that Iron Fist will follow.  All of these shows will feature 13 one hour long episode seasons culminating in a mini-series of sorts called The Defenders.

We're still a couple of months away, but casting announcements are being made and folks are confused as to who these characters are.  Before I get into the descriptions though, I'd just like to talk about what these releases mean to comic fans.

At this point I'm sure everyone who's been reading this blog is familiar with the current MCU.  We have heroes such as Iron Man, Captain American, Thor, the Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk; also Guardians of the Galaxy, but they're way out in space and won't affect Earth for some time.  All of these characters have been developed over a series of solo films and the first Avengers movie and Guardians movie.  So Marvel has been able to build themselves quite a solid universe.  Along with the movies, they've produced Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (AoS) a TV show on ABC to expand their movie universe.  It's worked very well so far, with certain episodes of AoS tying directly to a movie that was released the week before the episode airs.  With the release of Daredevil in April, Netflix will help expand the MCU even further than before.  It also allows Marvel to get a little darker with the content of the show.  Netflix doesn't have to go by any of the rules basic cable channels do, so we could in theory see HBO style content.

Anyway, onto the characters.

Daredevil:  probably the most well-known of the new characters to be introduced.  His real name is Matt Murdock, and as Murdock he works as a defense attorney in New York City's Hell's Kitchen.  When Matt was a kid, he was blinded by a radioactive substance.  Although he was blind, the radiation caused Murdock's other senses to heighten to superhuman levels.  Few villains know that he is blind, as Daredevil has been able to develop a radar sense similar to echolocation.  His senses are so sharp that he is able to read a book (without braille) simply by running his fingers over the ink; he can hear someone's heartbeat so clearly that he can act as a human lie detector.  As strong as his senses are, they are also his greatest weakness.  A powerful odor or strong sound can distract or disorient him from his radar sense and be used to immobilize him.  Daredevil is also a master of martial arts, having mastered several styles all while making full use of his superior gymnastic skills.

He does carry a weapon.  A billy club of his own design that looks like a blind man's cane during the day, but doubles as a multi-functioning club that holds 30 feet of aircraft control cable connected to a case hardened grapnel.  He uses this to travel through NYC as well as fight off enemies. He is also a skilled detective, tracker, interrogation expert, as well as an expert marksman.

Daredevil has had many adventures over the years, and has proven to be one of the most well written Marvel Characters of all time as well as one of the most popular.  He's teamed up with Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, and over the last few years was asked to become a member of The Avengers.

Daredevil is, what is referred to in the comic book world, a "street level" hero.  Which means his crime fighting focus is very specific to a certain location.  He shares this branding with the other heroes being brought to Netflix.  All operate out of NYC and most specifically in Hell's Kitchen.

I am very excited for Daredevil to premiere April 10th.  I am positive that the writers and actors have something really special and fun in store for us.  He's such an awesome character with so much potential for the future.

Daredevil with be played by Charlie Cox.

Up Next:  Luke Cage!

Both sides of the Man of Steel Argument

I was going to start this post by warning those who have not seen the movie to not read, but forget it.  If you haven’t seen Man of Steell by now, well too bad.  ENJOY!

So back in 2013, Warner Brothers released the latest addition to the Superman franchise and the first step into creating a shared universe for their DC Comics Cinematics Universe (henceforth known as the DCCCU).  It was met with mostly mixed reviews (but strong box office numbers), as director Zack Snyder made some origin and character changes that fans freaked out over.  Today I bring you both sides to that argument.  In BOLD is the main argument against the movie, then the ITALICS is the argument for the movie, and finally there’s my two cents on why fans like me are “outraged” over the changes Snyder made. **As part of the argument for Man of Steel I used pieces of an article previously posted on comicbook.com by Dennis Upkins. Entitled In Defense of Man of Steel.  You can view the article in it's entirety here.

1.) This Superman Destroyed An American City!

Clark isn't guilty of destroying much of Metropolis. He is guilty of stopping Zod's forces from destroying the entire planet.

Supes may be in fact defending a city against an alien invasion, but he does not at any point take a look around and seem to notice or care about this city he's helping to destroy!  Fans of Superman are used to him loving Metropolis and especially Smallville, and yet he seems to have no regard for the lives he’s endangering or the buildings he’s destroying.  He’s lived most of his life in his hometown in Kansas, and yet meets Zod’s henchmen face to face on Main Street Smallville.  It looks like a showdown in a western for crying out loud!  I mean, it looks awesome, as all of the explosions and action does in the movie; but by the end of the movie everyone is like, “alright already”.
As inexperienced with his power set as he is, Superman still is far more aware of his abilities than Zod.  He admits to being 33 years old in this movie, and we see that his powers started to manifest when he was a little kid; so wouldn't that mean that he's had 25 plus years of experience in mastering those powers?  Admittedly, he only realized his full potential as an adult, but I would think that this fact would only make him MORE aware of how capable he is of such devastating damage.

2.) This Superman Was Reckless!

Inexperienced, no question. But also heroic. With no formal training and little knowledge of his powers and origins, Clark was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice if necessary to protect Earth while being targeted by the U.S. government and Zod alike.

I'll give you the heroic part; yes, he saved some lives, but he most absolutely WAS RECKLESS!!!  Every move Superman makes in his fight with Zod and the other Kryptonians put humans in danger.  EVERY MOVE!  He never planned on taking the fight elsewhere, he never HAD a plan!  The very definition of reckless!

3) They Made This Superman A Murderer!

Regarding Zod’s death, what else was Clark supposed to do? Clark had him in a full nelson while pleading for Zod to stop the bloodshed. All the while, Zod was still trying to use his heat vision to murder innocent people while vowing to make it his mission to destroy Clark and his adopted planet.
Zod had already been imprisoned to be rehabilitated. That didn’t take. Even as Clark begged him to stop, Zod vowed he would keep coming and keep plotting to destroy the Earth.
Additionally, Superman has killed previously in the comics. It’s very rare and only as an absolute last resort when every other possible option has been exhausted as was the case in Man of Steel. Murder is usually premeditated and avoidable.

I actually agree with this one.  Superman really did not have much choice.  Taking into account his inexperience, and what he was facing at the moment.  Killing Zod was the right thing to do here.  It also helps develop his character.  He obviously had a problem with it, and I believe that decision will be a factor in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Even though I agree with this point, Superman has always portrayed himself as above killing.  He HAS killed before (in the comics) but he has always been presented as the Boy Scout, the ultimate good guy, and the guy who always does what's best for everyone else.

4) This Superman Movie Is Too Dark!

On this charge, agreed. However, in this case Snyder, DC/Warner and the other Man of Steel shot callers are not to blame. If anything, they're guilty of trying to meet public demand.
For years the general public and a good portion of fandom alike have complained about Superman being too boring and too much of a boy scout and isn't "cool" like Batman.
In fact, more edge and more action were the charges against Superman Returns.
Now many of the same critics have attacked Man of Steel for being too dark and this Superman crosses the line. We got the do-gooder in Superman Returns and the masses complained endlessly.  Man of Steel was the attempt to address that. Whether or not the film succeeded is certainly open to debate. So to the general public who wanted "an edgier and cooler" Superman film, you got it.

Yes, we did want a darker Superman.  The younger audience members and even fans of the character wanted to see something more than the boy scout persona.  Personally, the number 1 thing I wanted out of Man of Steel was to see Superman punch someone.  And I got it.  Boy did I get it.  Basically the entire 2nd half of the movie is Superman punching someone or something.  Visually, it looked awesome and was exactly what I wanted.  But there was something else about this version of the Last Son of Krypton that didn't sit right.  Zach Snyder shot this movie to give it a dark and gritty feel, and in the process sucked the color and the life out of this new world.  When I was a kid, and even to this day, I loved the whole aspect of Superman with the symbolic "S" along with the red, blue and yellow soaring through the sky to fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way.  Zack Snyder took all of that away to give us a more "realistic" feel.

There is a line in the movie that sticks out like a sore thumb to me.

Lois Lane: What's the 'S' stand for?
Superman: It's not an 'S.' On my world it means 'hope.

This is the first and LAST time this is mentioned.  There is nothing in the rest of the movie that would make the people of Earth believe that Superman stood for “hope”.  He just helps to destroy nearly everything he touches.
Gone is also any kind of good nature, the movie is nearly devoid of any sense of humor.  I know that Zack Snyder and Warner Brothers are trying for an obvious difference from the Marvel movies, but come on...no joking around?  Ok, yes it doesn't really fit the character, but even the characters written to alleviate some of the tension with humor weren't funny.  It IS a comic book movie; we could all do with a little more laughter in our lives.
AND you cannot argue that because of Superman Returns, we got these creative choices in Man of Steel!  Superman Returns was AWFUL, plain and simple.  It paid homage to the Christopher Reeve run of the franchise, but did not promote the character nor create a want for another Superman movie.  This is why we have 7 years in between films.

My conclusion is this.  I actually really enjoyed Man of Steel.  Yes I had a lot of problems with it, and each time I watch it I find more things that make me go "hmmm".
Why argue against the movie though?
Well, because I am such an enormous fan of the character, there are certain aspects of this character that I hold dear.  I (along with most fans) grew up with Superman, and to see such changes made to this icon causes a visceral reaction.
It also makes me weary of future movies inside the DCCCU.  Batman v. Superman will be historic and probably break some attendance records, but from what we’ve seen in Man of Steel, the quality of BvS is highly in doubt.
However, I am interested in each artist’s interpretation of Superman, and I look forward to the universe that Zack Snyder is building.  This movie was flawed, but no movie is perfect.  Well except for Marvel’s The Avengers.  When the helicarrier lifts out of the water, I literally yelled, “HAHA, IT’S PERFECT AND GLORIOUS!”

Who wants an INCREDIBLE HULK movie? Here's the thing...

Everybody loves The Incredible Hulk!  Who can't appreciate a character who is immeasurably strong, nearly indestructible, gets stronger the angrier he gets, and SMASHES EVERYTHING in sight?  After meeting mediocre success at the box office with 2 solo films, The Hulk stole the show in the first Avengers movie.

So what is our reaction to such a strong showing of the Hulk in a major movie?  WE WANT MORE!!  Of course we do! Why wouldn't we!?  He's so much fun to watch, so come on Marvel, why aren't there any plans for a new Hulk movie?

Well, I'll tell you why.  The Hulk is actually a tremendously difficult character to make into a hero.  There are only so many ways to create heroics out of themes of anger and destruction (just read some of the comments about Man of Steel).  In both movies, Bruce Banner (the Hulk's alter ego) is on the run, pushed into stressful situations that force him to change into the Hulk, and then pursued by the Army.  Also, in both movies we find out that the Army is hunting him because of how dangerous he is and the destruction he causes.  You could argue that the Hulk wouldn't cause so much destruction if he wasn't hunted by the Army all the time. Am I wrong?  How many times can they tell us this story.  I, for one, don't want to hear it anymore.  The same way I don't want to hear about Batman's origins anymore, but then I'm forced to see it in every Batman franchise ever made.

So how do we get by this plot problem? How do we avoid a situation where the Hulk fights a hulked up poodle?  Well we need 3 things to happen:

1. We need for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to expand to a cosmic level.
1. Check.  We got this with Guardians of the Galaxy and the Thor movies.
2. Get the rights to the Silver Surfer back from Fox.
1. No check. (this is up in the air at the moment, and I think will depend on the success of another reboot Fox is releasing in August, The Fantastic Four.  Since this hinges on two companies making a deal I have no control over, I'm not going to mention The Silver Surfer anymore during this post).
3. We also need to introduce the real world to Marvel's Illuminati.  The Illuminati, in the Marvel COMICS Universe, is a group of big time super heroes that gather secretly to discuss ways to help the world.  Each member represents a different section of the Universe.  The members include: Iron Man, Reed Richards, Professor X, Namor the Sub Mariner, Black Bolt of the Inhumans, and Doctor Strange.
1. Partial check, but we're getting there.  Black Bolt and the Inhumans will have their own movie in 2018, and so will Doctor Strange in 2017.  We're not likely to see Reed Richards (at least not while Fox owns the rights to the Fantastic Four) or Namor.  Marvel owns the rights to Namor, but hasn't made any moves to use the character in anything...yet.  And Professor X is planted firmly within Fox along with the X-Men franchise.  Of course there are ways around this, like substituting for the characters Marvel doesn't own or leaving them out completely (I'm looking at you Prof. X).  The point is, this powerful group that represents the collective super heroes of the Marvel Universe need to be established before we even talk about a new Hulk movie.                
   

Why?

Well, because the Illuminati are the people that are responsible for making The Hulk angrier than he has ever been before.

All of this character development is the precursor to "Planet Hulk".  In this story, the Illuminati determine that the Hulk is just too darn dangerous to keep on planet Earth and devise a way to get him off.  Despite being friends with Bruce Banner and teammates with The Hulk, the Illuminati trick Banner into boarding a shuttle and shoot him into space.  They tell him he's being sent to fight a S.H.I.E.L.D. satellite that's gone rogue (whatever that means, but he falls for it), and only the Hulk can stop it.  Once in space, a prerecorded message plays telling The Hulk what the Illuminati has decided and that he's being sent to a deserted planet where he can't smash anything or hurt anyone anymore.  They say they're trying to help both The Hulk and the planet, by giving both peace.

However, this wouldn't be a story worth telling if it all went according to plan.  So, of course, the trajectory of the shuttle gets messed up and Hulk is shot through an inter-dimensional portal where he is weakened a bit.  He awakens on Sakaar, a war planet teeming with life and ruled by the psychotic Red King; where, in the Hulk's weakened state, he is taken captive and implanted with an obedience disk that will explode if he doesn't comply.  Here, The Hulk is forced into a gladiator pit to fight for his life.

He meets and befriends several other gladiators, they dub themselves "the Warbound" and are inseparable for the rest of the story.  Together with his Warbound, Hulk breaks free of his bonds, frees the other slaves and fights for the freedom of the planet.  He becomes their new King and leads the planet into an era of peace and prosperity.  Along the way he falls in love and takes a Queen to rule with him.  His subjects love him and worship him, and they all live happily ever after.

UNTIL...BUM BUM BUUUUUUMMMMMM

The shuttle that brought the Hulk to Sakaar is being made into a memorial.  During the construction, the shuttle's autodestruct sequence is triggered and the comic-book-science made engine explodes, killing many innocent people.  Including the Hulk's Queen.  Hulk blames the Illuminati and immediately plans to return to Earth to confront the men who destroyed his life.  The final page of this awesome book is The Hulk mounted on the hood of a space ship, hurtling through space at unknown speeds, ready for war with the words underneath him.  Next:  WORLD WAR HULK!!

BOOM! How does that sound for a movie?! Huh?!  AND A DEFINITE SEQUEL?!  Sign me up!!!

Now, do you see the difference between the first 2 Hulk movies and this idea? Writer Greg Pak is able to keep the themes we all know and love, the unchecked rage and destruction, but make The Hulk look heroic while he fights giant monsters and armies, and smashes everything.  He's given Hulk a reason to fight and smash things.  A really good reason too.  He's fighting against tyranny and for freedom, things that everyone can get behind.  Gone are the almost mindless chase scenes where the Army sends everything it can at the Hulk only for him to destroy them and get away.  NOW we've got a motley crew of gladiator heroes led by The Hulk vs. an army led by the genocidal Red King that deserves the fate that awaits them.

Why can't we see this as a movie and it's sequel?  I think people would freak out over a movie like this that led to The Hulk squaring off against his former friends!  Marvel has produced and released an animated version of Planet Hulk, but there are certain details that are changed which makes a significant difference in the storyline.  I suppose this would  be an extremely expensive movie to make, and as I said before, the MCU needs to expand a bit more.

Who knows though, we might hear about a new Hulk movie sooner than we think.  I'm already hearing rumblings over a 4th Iron Man movie, so why not a Hulk movie too?

This was just one way Marvel could go.  They could adapt this story differently and still make an amazing movie.  But just imagine the Incredible Hulk fighting armies and monsters, and then flying through space to take on Black Bolt and the Inhumans and Iron Man and the Avengers!!!! I'd be first on line to see that!!!!

Who the heck is Ant-Man?

During last night's premier of Agent Carter, we caught the next dose of Marvel marketing in the newest Ant-Man teaser.  A few days ago, Marvel released the same teaser but literally ant sized.  This regular human sized trailer gave us our first look at Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas as Scott Lang and Hank Pym.  Who are these guys?  Well, both characters have a rich history in the Marvel Universe, and I'm actually a bit surprised that at least the name, Hank Pym, hasn't been mentioned before.

So let's start with a little history of Ant-Man, and that starts with Dr. Jonathon Henry Pym.  He debuted 1962, as a biochemist with a genius level intelligence; one day discovers an unusual set of sub-atomic particles he calls "Pym Particles".  Using sciencey stuff on these particles allows him to create a size-altering formula that he, of course, tests on himself.  To his horror, Dr. Pym finds that the formula is stronger than he anticipated, and he shrinks to the size of an insect.  After a terrifying incident in an anthill, Pym returns to normal size and decides to study ants.  He builds a cybernetic helmet that allows him to communicate with and control ants.  With this new technology, he becomes the super hero Ant-Man.

Several adventures later, Pym works with and falls in love with Janet Van Dyne (to be played by Evangeline Lilly in the movie).  He reveals his secret identity to Janet, then using his Pym Particles to shrink her, Pym also grafts wasp wings to her shoulders that appear when she shrinks.  Janet also then becomes a super hero, using the alias The Wasp.  Together with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and The Hulk they formed the original Avengers.  The Wasp is actually the first one to refer to the group by the name 'The Avengers'.

The next adventure (and the next issue) for The Avengers would show them change their roster around a bit, and give Hank Pym another persona.  How do you replace someone like The Hulk?  How about a giant man over 100 feet tall! He again went to his Pym Particles, but instead of using them to shrink in size, he used them to grow.  This time reaching heights of 100 feet, he called himself Giant Man (These names!  Am I right?) and then Goliath.  Later, some heroes would say the change was made because Pym felt inadequate as an Avenger around heroes like Thor, and Iron Man.  He went on to be a mainstay member of the Avengers for years to come.

Another big moment in Pym's career is his bout with schizophrenia, during which time he develops a cocky persona called Yellow Jacket.  I believe the movie's villain is Yellow Jacket played by Corey Stoll.

One of the major highlights though, and possibly part of the plot to the new Avengers movie, is Pym's creation of a peacekeeping android he calls Ultron. Ultron would go on to be one of the Avenger's most dangerous arch enemies.

Dr. Pym would go on to be featured as a major player in the Marvel Universe.  Sharing a big part of Marvel's Civil War (more on this another time) with Iron Man and Mister Fantastic aka Reed Richards.

So there's a brief history of Hank Pym.  So then who is Scott Lang, the guy Paul Rudd is playing?  Well, Lang is ALSO Ant-Man.

In March 1979, Scott Lang was introduced to the Marvel Universe.  After his career as an electronics expert failed, Lang turned to burglary in order to support his family.  Well he wasn't very good at that either because he got busted; he was paroled after 3 years and got a job at Stark Industries, where he helped to design the new security system for Avengers Mansion.

Then Lang's daughter got sick, and he was forced into a life a burglary once again.  This time he would have an advantage.  He breaks into Hank Pym's lab  and steals his Ant-Man costume and shrinking formula.  After securing his daughter's health, Scott Lang would go on to a full time super hero career as Ant-Man, and become a full fledged member of the Avengers on his own merit.

These are not characters to take lightly, and I doubt the creators of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will.  Hank Pym is way too important of a character for a single appearance in the movie, I believe we will actually see him pop up elsewhere to possibly further the plot of either Avengers: Age of Ultron and/or Ant-Man the movie.  His appearances could be in either one of the 8 episodes of  Agent Carter or more likely in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Either of these possibilities could lend a big clue to the plots of Avengers or Ant-Man, and give either show a shot of excitement as well as ratings.

So if you hear someone talking smack about Marvel releasing Ant-Man, you can tell them that it's actually about damn time they did so.  Then you can tell them why and give them a link to my blog and we'll all have a happy day.

Upcoming blockbusters

I'm going to rate these by excitement level.  1 star = not excited 5 stars = I'll bite off a finger to see it!
(All synopses are taken directly from www.imdb.com)

Jupiter Ascending - In the future, a young destitute human woman gets targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe, and begins her destiny to finish the Queen's reign.  Directed by: Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski.  Stars: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, and Eddie Redmayne.  Thoughts on the trailer:  This looks really cool.  It's a tried and true storyline of "hero of a thousand faces", main character is unaware of true destiny kind of movie on an intergalactic scale.  The CGI looks fantastic, the actors are solid, and the story seems strong enough to warrant a trip to the theater.  I also like Mila Kunis, and Channing Tatum and it stars Sean Bean who is a real life bad ass!  I'd see him in anything.  This is also a big one on the wife's list, so we're totally seeing this. Opens Feb. 6th
Excitement level: 1 star, not really excited, but I think I'll enjoy it.

Kingsmen: The Secret Service - The story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius. Directed by: Matthew Vaughn. Stars: Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, and Taron Egerton.  Thoughts:  This looks great!  It has a great comic book feel to it (it's based on comic book: The Secret Service), with Colin Firth in a role I never would have imagined him in.  The action looks really awesome, with lots of hand to hand combat sequences.  Opens Feb. 13.
Excitment level: 3 Stars! 

Jurassic World - Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park (1993), Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.  Directed by:  Colin Trevorrow. Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard  Thoughts on trailer:  Wow!  Like most sequels, expectations are not very high, but this movie looks awesome!  I was a huge fan of the first Jurassic Park movie, I also enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd movies.  This is a great idea though, 22 years after the first movie with a fully functional park!  It also stars Chris Pratt, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors to watch.  The CGI looks great, the story is rock solid, I'm excited to see John Hammond's vision come to life, the drama and thrills look as if they could rival the first movie, and the final sequence in the trailer shows Chris Pratt (who plays a Raptor Wrangler) riding a motorcycle surrounded by the Raptors he trains!!!! Opens June 15th. 
Excitement Level:  5 Stars!!!!!  So pumped for this!

Terminator: Genisys - After finding himself in a new time-line, Kyle Reese teams up with John Connor's mother Sarah and an aging terminator to try and stop the one thing that the future fears, "Judgement Day".  Directed by: Alan Taylor  Stars:  Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, and of course Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Thoughts on trailer: I like that this is a fresh take on the Terminator story, revisiting events that happened in the first movie and adding the effects of time travel.  So, in essence, it's a brand new story; which is great!  Bringing Arnold back as an aging Terminator fighting against the younger Terminator is great idea, and I am always in support of a strong female role.  This looks like it could be a lot of fun and very exciting. Opens July 1st.  Excitement Level:  3 Stars!!!

Avengers: Age of Ultron - When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.  Directed by:  Joss Whedon.  Stars:  Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo.  Thoughts on trailer:  I have never been more excited for a sequel except for The Dark Knight; Avengers 2 is the sequel to what I think was the PERFECT super hero movie!!!  I've watched this trailer maybe 50-100 times, and there are so many things that make me excited (I'm only going to mention a couple).  First of all we get a glimpse of The Hulk rampaging through the streets of an unknown city, and who should show up to stop him, but Iron Man.  BUT it's Iron Man in his HULKBUSTER armor (that's a suped up armor specifically designed to take on the Hulk)!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOW WOW WOW!!!!  We also get our first look at Ultron, one of the Avengers' most dangerous arch enemies.  He gives a monologue that makes Pinocchio seem more terrifying than when the little wooden boy turned into a donkey on Fantasy Island!!  I can't even describe how much I'm looking forward to this movie!  Excitement Level:  10 stars!!!!!!! I WILL BITE OFF ALL THE FINGERS!!!

The Hobbit Movies were good because of the extra nonsense.

Last night, my wife and I saw the final installment of The Hobbit Trilogy by Peter Jackson.  This trilogy has been met with much ridicule from moviegoers. Mainly because Mr. Jackson continued his style of "EPIC" film making he got super famous for with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and brought it to The Hobbit.  The problem is that the Lord of the Rings spanned 3 separate novels and warranted three 3 hour long movies.  The Hobbit is based on 1 book and yet still was made into three 3 hour long movies as well.

Jackson was able to accomplish this feat by including lots of extra scenes that were not included in the book.  This is essentially what the critics of the movies had the biggest problem with.  In my opinion, the extra "nonsense" scenes is what made the movies as fun and entertaining as my wife and I found them to be.

What was great about the Lord of the Rings movies, was how strong the story was.  The Hobbit started with a great story, but by the time we got to a 3rd film, the story had burned out and we're left with fight after fight after fight.  Now don't get me wrong, these were EPIC battles, truly worth the watch on the big screen.  That's where this film was entertaining.  The first Hobbit film was great!  The story was great and familiar (having read it in High School), everything looked great, the acting was spot on, the action sequences were fantastic, and the characters were fun to watch.  The 2nd one, The Desolation of Smaug, was just as good if not better than the first movie!  We started to see more of the story fall away and more "nonsense" come in, but it was wonderful "nonsense"!  For instance, the heroes escape from the Woodland Elves via empty barrels dumped into a river that happens to flow in the perfect direction that they're headed.  During that escape, they fight off the Orcs that are trying to kill them; all while still in the barrels!  It's ridiculous and fantastic, and just so much fun.

 That's basically all the 3rd movie is, really.  The cliffhanger with the dragon, Smaug, is wrapped up within the first 20 or so minutes, and the rest of the movie is repartee and action sequences.  I can understand why people have a problem with this, because this is what happens when you make a 2.5 hour movie based on 7 pages of a novel.  I really enjoyed it, though, and if you just let yourself just sink in and get taken away, it's an thoroughly enjoyable movie.  I recommend seeing it on the big screen if you have the chance.