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'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Has the Most Relatable Peter Parker
The teen-focused, John Hughes-inspired approach not only makes Spider-Man: Homecoming feel fresh in the realm of Spider-Man films, but in superhero films in general.
06 Mar 2020
Film
Cue the Music: 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'
James Gunn crafts a deeply flawed film, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which digs deep into daddy issues, is still entertaining, visually gorgeous, and likable.
21 Feb 2020
Film
'Doctor Strange': It's About Time
Scott Derrickson's Doctor Strange is a surprisingly cerebral, emotionally relatable film. It's also wrapped in some of the most exciting and unique blockbuster visuals seen in years.
21 Jan 2020
Film
Joss Whedon's '​Avengers: Age of Ultron' Ages Well
Joss Whedon defied expectations with his ambitiously muted, psychological approach to Avengers: Age of Ultron but despite his best intentions and genuinely interesting vision, this would be his only effort with Marvel Studios. It was a good effort.
02 Aug 2019
Film
'Guardians of the Galaxy' Blew the Door to Comic Book Films Wide Open
With Guardians of the Galaxy, set to the soundtrack of an Awesome Mix Vol. 1 cassette tape, Marvel Studios adapted a little-known comic book property -- with a raccoon superhero -- into a hugely successful film and launched the next wave of comic book films.
17 Jun 2019
Film
'Captain America: The Winter Soldier': A Black and White Morality in a Politically Grey Time
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is inspired by paranoid political thrillers of the '70s, making it the most radical departure from the tried-and-true MCU formula up to that point.
16 Apr 2019
Film
'Thor: The Dark World' Comes Close to Being a Viable Story
In Thor: The Dark World there's a dangerous villain, a universe-ending threat, and a star-crossed romance -- but none of it makes sense.
18 Mar 2019
Film
'Captain Marvel' Sees the MCU Through a Woman Character's Eyes
Captain Marvel is a solid start for a strong, compelling character that will grace the big screen for years to come.
07 Mar 2019
Film
'Captain Marvel' Is Predictable
Directors Boden and Fleck skimp on the character development and emphasize the action in the disappointing misfire from the MCU, Captain Marvel.
07 Mar 2019
Film
'Iron Man 3' Finds Its Hero in Crisis
Marvel Studios launched its second phase of films with Iron Man 3, a film filled with bold storytelling choices and irreverent humour that would become hallmarks of the MCU.
15 Feb 2019
Film
Joss Whedon's 'The Avengers' Blasts Away All Other Comic Book Films
By perfecting the comic book superhero formula and creating the first big-budget shared universe with The Avengers in 2012, Joss Whedon and Marvel Studios came to define this decade of blockbuster filmmaking.
01 Feb 2019
Film
How Jon Favreau's 'Iron Man 2' Peaks -- Then Crashes
Tony spends the first half of the film worrying about his legacy but also trying to have fun with the time he has left. It's rather like MCU's superhero film challenges of the time.
04 Oct 2018
Film
'The Incredible Hulk' Is the Black Sheep of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Marvel Studios' goal with The Incredible Hulk was to rehabilitate the Hulk in the minds of moviegoers after a disappointing 2003 film, and also reimagine him as a more heroic character that would fit within the larger universe it was crafting.
09 Aug 2018
Film
It All Began the Day 'Blade' Sliced Through the Silver Screen
How Blade found success out of the rubble of comic book films and Marvel's bankruptcy.
13 Jun 2017
Film
With 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' the MCU Decisively Breaks with Comics
Marvel owns characters and its profits come from comics sales, film tickets, lunch boxes, etc. As such, character identification fluctuates easily between media.
06 Jul 2014
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'Spider-Man: Far From Home' Makes the Most of Meta Commentary
Spider-Man: Far From Home ties up the themes of deception and Trump-era media manipulation and it ensures that the next Spider-Man film will be completely different from anything that came before.