Marvel did it again with Ant-Man and the Wasp, taking two lesser known comic characters and delivering a rousing and at times, heartfelt, adventure last summer. It’s finally coming out for home release so fans can watch it as many times as they want and to celebrate, we want to do a giveaway.

One lucky reader will win a blu-ray of the film, and entering to win is incredibly easy! All you have to do is send an email with ANT-MAN AND THE WASP in the subject line to ADAM@BIGSHINYROBOT.COM along with your mailing address (no PO Boxes, and in the U.S. only, please), and that’s it! If you repost this contest on Facebook and Twitter, you will get a bonus entry for each site you share it on; just be sure to let me know in the email which ones you posted it to. The contest will run until Friday, September 28, and the winner will be notified shortly thereafter.

Ant-Man and the Wasp will be available on blu-ray and 4K October 16 and digitally on October 2.

“But wait?” the average reader might be thinking right now, “didn’t Big Shiny already post a review for Infinity War?” Why yes, we most certainly did, and if you haven’t read Bryan’s awesome review, you can check it out right here. But  considering this is the culmination of 10 years worth of movie making and nearly 20 films, we figured a multi-prong approach would be the best here and will be publishing various takes and critiques of the film.

So if you want to spend a more leisurely time strolling through the Infinity War garden, check me out on the Bored as Hell Podcast while I sit down with Andy, and we spend a good 40 minutes or so on a deep dive into the film and themes. And it’s as spoiler-free as possible, but we will discuss plot revealed in the trailers, so if you want to go in as blind as possible, maybe wait until after the movie.

You can find the podcast here, or check us out on iTunes and Stitcher!

There is a moment early on in Iron Man 2 which serves as a crystallization of exactly why the film, despite all of the things it has going for it, doesn’t work. It is just after Mickey Rourke’s character of Ivan Vanko has busted onto the track of the Monaco Historic Grand Prix and attacked several cars with his electronic whips, including Tony Stark’s own. Stark crashes and emerges from the wreckage, just in time to see it. The cars coming up behind Vanko on the track swerve, desperately trying not to hit him, and crash into one another. The result is a giant, fiery explosion right behind Vanko as he walks towards Stark.

This moment is entirely superfluous in every way, in a manner that is not dissimilar to the work of Michael Bay. The explosion exists simply because someone thought it would be cool to have a shot of Vanko walking away from an explosion in this scene, possibly even mirroring Stark’s own walk-away from an explosion in the first film. But the explosion is an act of entirely passive storytelling. Vanko does not whip one of the oncoming cars, causing the explosion. The cars themselves should not be exploding in the first place, even if they crash, the cars Vanko whipped with untold amounts of energy didn’t explode. If they do explode, with how close they are to Vanko, they should do some damage to him. But perhaps most importantly, the death of these drivers are never addressed again. They did not matter to the story, the explosion did not matter to the story, and no one who is involved with the story was affected by this moment in any way, shape, or form.

Iron Man 2 was released in 2010, just as Marvel Studios was really starting to gear up on the road to The Avengers. The film is often pointed to as a weak spot in Marvel’s ever-expanding catalog and this is essentially the reason why. Many people, Favreau included, said the film did not work because it was simply too busy doing the heavy-lifting of laying the groundwork for the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But that’s really not true.

Sure, it features the Stark Expo which would later be seen in Captain America: The First Avenger, and it introduces us to Romanoff as Black Widow, who would go on to be featured in countless other Marvel films. Aside from that, we get some S.H.I.E.L.D. references and appearances here and there, a weirdly-placed Captain America’s shield cameo, a namedrop of the Avengers Initiative, and a nod to Phil Coulson’s involvement in New Mexico with Thor’s hammer. But none of these things are what makes Iron Man 2 a weak film. These are integral to the film at their best and simply superfluous at their worst, but none of them take up enough time in the film to ruin it.

So then, what does derail Iron Man 2? It’s a sequel to a smash success, starring an incredibly likable and talented cast, directed by a visionary and extremely capable director, and featuring some sleek action sequences and imagery, so what went wrong? Well, at its most basic level, the writing. But more so than that, it is the fact that all of Iron Man 2’s storytelling is done passively.

The difference between active and passive storytelling is as simple as the difference between someone saying to you ‘I damaged your car’, instead of, ‘Your car was damaged’. The second sentence is a restating of what happened, without any implication of responsibility. In the world of passive storytelling, things just happen without cause, without reason, and without motivation. And this is exactly the problem that Iron Man 2 runs into again and again.

Even looking at the larger picture, the structure of Iron Man 2 itself is entirely passive. Essentially the film spends its run time hopping from one subplot to the next, until its reached feature-length and can just cue up the big third act battle. It starts as a film about Tony and Vanko’s history, before becoming a film about the government trying to ascertain the Iron Man tech from Tony, before becoming a film about Tony’s failings at Stark industries leading to him appointing Pepper as the new CEO, before becoming a film about Tony’s arc reactor slowly killing him and the depressed binge it sends him on, before becoming a film about S.H.I.E.L.D. putting Stark on lock down, before becoming about Justin Hammer, Ivan Vanko, and a bird.

If there is a central storyline here, it is that of Tony having to atone for the sins of his father and come to terms with his own history. Vanko is the son of a man who worked alongside Howard Stark in the creation of the original arc reactor and has now come to claim what he feels is rightfully his. Tony is putting on the Stark Expo, deliberately following in his father’s footsteps. But even this is fumbled, the thread lost over the course of the film. By the time Tony is watching some of Howard’s old reels of footage and Howard turns to Tony and tells him “What is, and always will be, my greatest creation… is you”, it feels completely unearned. The film has done little to nothing to actually explore the relationship between these two men other than to have Tony say that Howard never openly showed him love. Instead of showing us their relationship, at all, the film opts to tell us about it briefly and figures that will be enough.

The script itself cannot commit to actively telling or choosing a story, so instead it tries to tell multiple and loses what should have been its own beating heart in the process.

Even the film’s most essential and supposedly plot-progressing moments are completely undermined by their passive nature. Hammer breaks Vanko out of prison without either one of them ever even forming a semblance of a plan or even having a conversation, it just happens. Rhodey takes an Iron Man suit from Tony to give to the military, and Tony neither stops him nor cares, despite firmly stating up front that he doesn’t want his tech to be weaponized ever again. The cure for Tony’s sickness is literally given to him by his father in a film reel hand-selected for him by S.H.I.E.L.D. Vanko’s goal throughout the entire film is to kill Stark but then he seems perfectly content to just sit around Hammer’s workshop talking about nothing of any importance for the majority of the final two acts simply because the film needs to stall him until its third act finale time.

The end of the film even sees Pepper and Tony finally getting together as a romantic couple, but there has been literally zero development between the two of them over the course of the film. Tony makes her CEO to pass off all of his paperwork to her and then buys her strawberries as a gift, which she is allergic to. There is no reason for the two of them to feel romantically close or involved, it just happens. Throughout the film, Tony doesn’t learn any lessons or even really do anything for himself. From the revelation about how to cure his illness, to the victory over Vanko, to his relationship with Pepper, everything is just given to him.

Iron Man 2 is made up of a lot of interesting parts, all of which could and should have added up to something more. But with a script that remains firmly locked into passive storytelling mode for the entirety of its run time, the film comes off as completely limp and ultimately inconsequential.

With all the films that Marvel is planning for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe none of them give The Hulk the chance to stand in the spotlight in his own film. Despite many fans saying they want one, Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk) and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studio executive) have shot that hope down and said that there wont be one made anytime soon.

Don’t start smashing stuff yet though Hulk fans because there is still hope for an awesome Hulk story. In a recent interview with Cinemablend Ruffalo talked about plans for The Hulk to get his own story arc told over the course of three movies starting with Thor: Ragnarok.

Ruffalo said “So basically, Kevin [Feige] pulled me aside before this, and said, ‘If you were gonna do a… if we were going to do a standalone Hulk movie, what would it be?’ And I said, ‘I think it should be this, this, this, and this and this, and ends up like this.’ And he’s like, ‘I love that. Why don’t we do that in the next three movies, starting with Thor 3 and then we go into Avengers 3 and 4.’ And I was like, ‘That sounds great!’ And so we are at the beginning of this arc.”

Though not very detailed for obvious reasons it’s exciting to know that we will be able to learn more about the Jade Giant and what makes him smash. Even though we don’t know what the overall arc will be we can make an educated comic book geek guess.

The first clue comes from Thor: Ragnarok itself. We know the film will be about the Asgardian apocalypse and use material from the comic of the same name. However like the MCU does, it will likely also be using material from another comic story called Planet Hulk.

In a nutshell Planet Hulk has The Illumanti (a secret group of Marvel heroes) send Banner off planet because he’s too dangerous to keep on Earth. Though they mean to send him to a planet with no intelligent life, things go wrong and Hulk ends up on the planet Sakaar. While there, he becomes champion of the gladiatorial games, overthrows the evil emperor and is hailed as the mythical hero of the planet who would save them all known as “The Sakaarson.”

It’s very doubtful we will see this story in Thor but Sakaar will be where Hulk and Thor are reunited in the gladiatorial games. Hulk is even wearing his gladiator armor from the comics so that’s at least one easter eggs for the fans. If we get even a piece of the story line with Hulk and Thor shutting down the games for good it’ll be enough.

What about Avengers 3 and Avengers 4 though? Well, if we follow the same comic book storyline of Planet Hulk, things go downhill for Hulk, quickly. After restoring peace to the planet, becoming King, and even getting married; the rocket that Hulk came to the planet in explodes. The explosion destroys everything and almost everyone on it Sakaar, including to the best of Hulk’s knowledge, his wife and unborn child. This mass destruction sends Hulk into a rage that will only be calmed by war. Enter the major Marvel Comics event World War Hulk.

Hulk returns to Earth at the head of The Warbound, a group of warriors that survived Sakaar’s destruction, they have one purpose and that is to punish the heroes that banished Hulk in the first place. Given the changes that the MCU has already made it’s not hard to imagine a storyline where Thanos uses the infinity gems to alter Banner’s state of mind sending him on a warpath against the other heroes. We’ve already seen Hulk loose control in Avengers: Age of Ultron because of Scarlett Witch’s powers, which she got because of experiments from the scepter, which held the Mind stone by the way. So, with all of the stones under his control, it’s feasible that Thanos might have similar plans in mind.

Personally, as a huge fan of both Planet Hulk and World War Hulk, I would love to see Thanos put Hulk into a alternative state of mind where he thinks the events of Planet Hulk actually happened right down to losing his wife and child. It would be a great nod to the comics and add depth to the character that so often gets lost because most people think of Hulk as a thoughtless smashing machine.

That depth is the heart of what makes Planet Hulk and World War Hulk must-reads. They dive into the relationship that Banner and the Hulk actually have. If you’ve read the comics than you are familiar with what I’m talking about. If you haven’t read them I can’t recommend them enough and you should try and read at least Planet Hulk before you see Thor: Ragnarok later this year.

Give them a read and see if you come to same conclusions that I have on where a Hulk storyline in the MCU could lead. Will we go even further down the comic book story line and meet Skaar, Hulk’s son in phase four? I doubt it. But wouldn’t it be fun?

Thor: Ragnarok his theaters on November 3^, 2017. Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018. Followed by Avengers 4 on May 3, 2019.

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.  Directed by Jon Watts; Written by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers; Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Laura Harrier, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover; Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments; Running time 133 minutes; In wide release July 7, 2017.

Does the newest Spider-Man movie do whatever a spider can? Just as our friendly neighborhood Spidey can’t do this movie alone, we needed to assemble our own Mighty Marvel Team-Up to share our thoughts. 

Andy: So in this situation, does that make me Peter Parker? Or Tony Stark? I think I’m more of a Happy Hogan sort of guy. 

Adam: I’ll call Aunt May. She gets my favorite line in the movie.

Andy: I larb her. I can see that. Or maybe I’m Ned. Maybe we’re both Ned. 

Adam: Second thought, I’ll be Ned right there with you because he’s pretty much me if I found out my best friend was Spider-Man.

Andy: Totally. 

Adam: But let’s talk about this movie because I’m really excited to dive in. To put it simply, this is the Spider-Man movie I’ve waited my whole life to see. And that’s not downplaying the excellent Spider-Man 2 which still ranks up there as one of the best superhero movies of all time. But as much as I love that and Tobey Maguire’s take on the character (except three, we just forget that one exists), no one has been able to more perfectly nail the Spider-Man and Peter Parker until now. Tom Holland embodies the role in a way we haven’t seen since Robert Downey Jr. took on the mantle of Tony Stark. Holland is obviously a talented actor, but it most likely helps that he’s so much closer in age to Peter Parker than either Maguire or Garfield were. Peter Parker was always likeable but never so much as he is now. He acts exactly how a kid would if they got super powers and were trying to fit into the adult world of being an Avenger despite the fact he’s got homework and trying to figure out girls he’s crushing on. In fact, it’s a wonderful example of adolescence in general as it shows him trying to balance out being a kid and maturing into an adult. As much as people have been joking that this is Spider-Man meets Breakfast Club, there are a lot of similarities to it and other John Hughes classics. 

Andy: The simple fact that there are two very obvious homages to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (at basically the same time) tells you that’s exactly what they’re going for. And they nail it. I can’t decide if this is a reason I dislike the film or that I like it so much, but it’s that it’s so full of teen angst. Instead of this being about fighting a galactic menace, he’s focused on the people robbing the ATM in his neighborhood with these funky weapons the Vulture made. He’s that “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” that Stark asks him to be. But, like any teenager, he’s trying to prove himself and that he’s ready to be an adult– but he really isn’t. This Peter Parker is kind of a screw-up, and it’s fun to watch. But one of the best things they did right in this movie is what they don’t do. There’s no origin story of being bitten by a radioactive spider. No Uncle Ben. And while I kind of wanted to see Spidey being motivated by his great power and great responsibility, this just isn’t that story. This is the teenager who wants to grow up too fast. And that’s a bold move for a superhero genre movie to stray so far from the formula of what we expect in a reboot. 

Adam: It’s also wonderful to see what they’ve been able to do by including the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper. Happy Hogan, Avenger’s Tower, Iron Man, Cap and more all make their presence known, but it’s never overbearing. Yes, this is definitely a world where Spider-Man and the Avengers coexist, but it’s still very much set in the Spider-Man universe. And that’s good to see because this easily could have become a film where Marvel tried to shoehorn in as much of their properties as possible just to show that they are better at making these kinds of movies than Sony, but they wisely restrained themselves and let it all play out much more organically. 

Andy: But the Cap moments. . .  those worked so well for me. This was nice, though, because just like with Guardians of the Galaxy, you can seen how they fit in the same universe, but the tone is so different that you get that this is its own thing. I’m glad to see Sony take that step with the webslinger, because Spider-Man should be more quippy, more angsty. And I like that they keep the action for the most part in Queens, as opposed to Manhattan. That’s the Avengers’ territory– this is yours. It threads the needle perfectly of being both in the MCU and also its own thing.

Adam: And can we talk about the Vulture for a second? I’ve never been a fan of that character, so I’ll be the first to admit how surprised I am that they actually made him cool and menacing! Michael Keaton is fantastic in the role and makes him not just a potent villain but also one that we can identify with. He’s not out to destroy the galaxy or take over the world. No, he was just a little guy who got screwed over and is doing whatever it takes to provide for his family. Of course once he assumes more power and money it corrupts him, but even then he still had honor and wasn’t the bad guy for the sole sake of being evil. 

Andy: BIRDMAN!!!! Yes, so amazing. I think other than Loki he’s my favorite MCU villain– because he’s not a bad guy. He’s a normal guy who gets stepped on and decides to use stolen space technology to provide for his family. Even his name makes sense– the Vulture– because he’s picking the scraps off of whatever fight The Avengers and SHIELD just had. And despite his bluster about being against the 1%– let’s be super real, here. We find out he’s doing just fine financially. Yes, he’s worried about providing for his family, but he provides for them in a pretty upper-middle-class way. There’s something to be said here about the rise of the Trump voter and the fear of loss of privilege. . .  but I’ll save that diatribe until more people have had a chance to see the movie and can discuss this in more depth with spoilers.

Adam: So yes, this was just overall a fantastic film, and one that I immediately went out and got tickets to see it again as soon as possible. Tom Holland is the best part of the movie, and I’m not sure if we will ever get a better portrayal of the character. Everything moved along nicely and balanced drama, action, comedy and even some touching moments between Peter and May. And I’ll say it again because it bears repeating — they made the Vulture cool! I know Sony has been talking about not making their Venom and other spinoff movies part of the MCU, so I’m really hoping this one blows up with other critics and at the box office to make them change their minds. Working with Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal has done wonders for this property, and Sony would be fools if they didn’t collaborate on all future films. 10 out of 10.

Andy: Whoa, slow down there– a perfect 10? It’s great, but I don’t think it’s quite there. This is incredibly funny and definitely one of the best Spider-Man movies and of the MCU. But this is Spider-Man with his “training wheels” on (*wink wink*). Let’s see what Sony can do without input from Feige and Co and if they can fly equally as high. But this is still amazing, and the title Homecoming couldn’t be more appropriate. Welcome back,.Parker. 8.5 out of 10.

Well, it’s finally here. The follow up to the wildly successful and endearing Guardians of the Galaxy is splashing up on the big screen, and to say that expectations are high would be an understatement. Guardians 2 strives to be bigger and better than the original, and with a movie this huge, it’s gonna take more than one person to review it. Bryan and Adam got a chance to see it earlier this week, so they are going to team up and take on this team of A-holes together!

Oh, and we’re going to keep it as spoiler free as possible, so read on without fear!

Adam: The first Guardians sits as one of my favorite Marvel movies of all time. In fact, it switches back and forth between one, two and three with Winter Soldier and Civil War depending on my mood. James Gunn is also near and dear to my heart, so to be honest, I was a bit worried that this couldn’t live up to the hype in my head. Well, I shouldn’t have. While you really can’t compare the Guardians movies because they are such completely different animals in terms of tone, story and character development, this one is every bit as good in its own right as what came before. It’s a movie that demands a rewatch because so much unfolds so quickly that people are going to miss a lot their first time through. And that’s a good thing! Too often, films are kind of a “one and done” type deal, and it’s enjoyable to have something to look forward to seeing again. It’s also one of the few films that I had to stay up and ponder for hours after I got out of it. I was up with friends until 3 AM discussing not only some of the cool filmmaking aspects of it but also just the sheer joy we had of experiencing it together. Again, this is a sentiment not felt as often as it should in modern cinema.

Bryan: This is definitely a fun film, but I wonder about how much rewatchability there is to the Marvel films. This movie is great, and I loved it as much as the original Guardians film, but I haven’t felt the need to revisit that film since my third viewing in the theater either. It’s a very well-made popcorn film and it fills in a lot of great Marvel mythology and stands up as one of the better Marvel films, but it’s still, ultimately, a bit of disposable entertainment.

Adam: And see, I watch Guardians at least once a month and will always stop and finish it if it pops up while i’m channel surfing. It’s one of the rare films that I can’t get sick of. I’m also quite happy that Gunn and company decided to make this a standalone film, separate from the rest of the MCU because the character development and narration would have suffered had they tried to shoehorn in Avengers stuff.

Bryan: Structurally, the film feels refreshing because it’s such a departure from how the normal Marvel films go. That, along with the comedy, is probably the film’s greatest strength. That and the cast. The cast is really what sings here. Michael Rooker as Yondu gives a surprisingly soulful performance and the combined work of Sean Gunn, Bradley Cooper, and the FX houses for Rocket Raccoon is incredible. Chris Pratt feels like he’s on autopilot, even though he seemed to be having a lot of fun.

Adam: Chris Pratt as Star-Lord feels like Chris Pratt just being himself. Not nearly as much as Tony Stark has essentially become Robert Downey Jr. but it’s close. Everyone gets their moment to shine, but it really is Rocket and surprisingly Yondu who become the heart of this movie. If you would have told me that a minor character I really didn’t care about in the previous movie would move me to tears in this one, I would have laughed in your face, but that’s exactly what happened. And this is almost much more Rocket’s film than anyone else’s. Out of everyone, he has the most distinct and widest character arc and is really a much different character by the end than he was in the beginning.

Bryan: See, now I think Robert Downey, Jr. created a persona for Tony Stark that is distinct from himself, or, say, his role in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, or Chaplin. But the standout, for me, was Kurt Russell. He was enjoying himself in a way I almost haven’t seen since his original days as a Disney star. It’s fitting to see him come home, in a tangential sort of way at least. There was a glee to him as Ego that is infectious for audiences. And when the film takes you through the reality of his character, he gets even more delicious in his play-acting.

Adam: Kurt Russell was definitely having the most fun in the whole thing. And I will give major props to the people behind the trailers because as much as is revealed in them, no one really has any idea of the actual plot or how things will play out. Even though I’ve seen them countless times, I was still fully surprised by pretty much everything that happened in the film. Granted, there was some obvious foreshadowing regarding some things, but considering how Marvel has thrown us red herrings before (as in Age of Ultron), it still didn’t change the impact of what happened despite my already knowing it would.

Oh and we haven’t even talked about the soundtrack. When Gunn first released the list of songs for Awesome Mix vol. 2, I’ll admit I was a little worried. The songs were much deeper cuts than what we were used to from the first one, and I wasn’t quite sure how they were going to fit into the narrative. Well, they’re used to much greater effect than before, and each is now indelibly etched in my memory along with the scene they were paired with.

Bryan: Overall, I think this was a refreshing film in these dark times and we have another heroic story of people, even selfish people, willing to sacrifice their lives in order to save the galaxy. And that’s the sort of hope we need right now. Selfless acts are in short supply and maybe movies like this will encourage more of them. Technically, the story was well-told and had enough context for fans new and old alike to find different levels of enjoyment. It will definitely make a lot of money and is a great example of a popcorn film done right. 8 out of 10.

Adam: A beacon of light in these dark times. That’s exactly what this is and why I just absolutely loved it so much. James Gunn obviously adores these characters and the universe he brings them to life in is ripe for the audience to just sit back and bask in it all. As I said at the beginning, I geeked out with friends for nearly three times as long as the movie is because there was so much there to talk about and be excited for. There are so many easter eggs and nods to classic Marvel that I doubt even the most hardcore fans will ever find them all. And from just a filmmaking standpoint it’s wonderful shot and directed with a punched up funny and poignant script and has some jaw dropping cinematography. I wouldn’t change a thing, and I can’t wait to go back and see it again. 10 out of 10

DOCTOR STRANGE Directed by Scott Derickson; Written by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill; Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen and Rachel McAdams; Running time 115 minutes, Rated PG-13 for action violence and some frightening images; In wide release November 4, 2016.

“Doctor Strange” is the fourteenth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has has now stretched for nearly a decade. Once again, Marvel has taken a character few outside of geek culture will recognize and given him the big screen treatment.

Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brilliant and egotistical neurosurgeon who is world renowned for the near miracles he can perform on the operating table. A near-fatal car crash however leaves him with permanent nerve damage in his hands which means that he can barely write his name let alone perform surgery for the rest of his life. After wasting his fortune on experimental treatments that do nothing to restore his hands, he travels to Nepal to find Kamar-Taj where it is rumored he can find someone to at last heal him. He is taken in by The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and her acolytes Wong (Benedict Wong) and Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who show him that there is more to this world than the book studies he has come to rely on. Opening up his mind to the mysteries of the universe, Stephen Strange studies the forgotten arts and must decide to use his powers to save himself or possibly all of mankind.

There is a lot more to talk about here, but we want to save the events of the movie for everyone to experience for themselves. A few of us here at BSR did get a chance to see it at an advance screening, so we wanted to band together to share our thoughts in a spoiler-free review for everyone to enjoy.

Adam: So I’ll be the first to admit that I had very little knowledge of the character going in. In fact, before doing a little bit of research by reading the graphic novel “The Oath”, most of what I learned had come from the trailers of the movie itself. What the movie accomplishes so well is not only introducing Stephen Strange to a broader and possibly unaware audience but also telling his backstory in such a way that it stays interesting and engaging throughout. Yes, some originitis does slightly set in, but it never lingers in one place too long so that boredom rears its ugly head. Not only does the plot progress quickly, but we are taken to intriguing locales along the way. From New York to Nepal and then the Astral Plane, we whiz along with Strange learning the intricacies of magic and the multiverse along with him. Just as Tony Stark had to broaden his mind by accepting the existence of aliens in “Iron Man 3”, so too does Stephen Strange have to accept that there is more to this world than all the book studies he has committed to memory. There is much that the physical mind cannot comprehend, and we get to experience that first glimpse through the keyhole with him in an extraordinary way.

Andy: Ditto. I knew about Doctor Strange only from his roles in major Marvel crossover events and basic familiarity with his backstory and rogues’ gallery. What is most impressive here is that it stands on its own. You could walk into this movie having read zero comics ever and having seen no other Marvel movie just to see the visuals and the performances by Cumberbatch and Swinton (which is really what you should come for) and walk away immersed in this world. That’s no small feat.

Bryan: Doctor Strange has been a favorite of mine as far back as I can remember and I’ve read many of his comics, but that’s almost irrelevant in trying to judge this film as it stands on its own in the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’m happy to report that it does. As Adam referred to the “Originitis,” I would disagree. This film had to be an origin story because it needed to introduce us to ideas we’ve never before seen in the Marvel Universe. Where “Guardians of the Galaxy” gave us a window into the inner-workings of the universe in the MCU, “Doctor Strange” showed us the multiverse and showing us the rules of how to do that and how our hero will need to navigate it took time. And Stephen Strange’s origin is one of the most fascinating. Thankfully, the filmmakers kept that part of the film cooking and it never once, at least for me, felt tedious.

Adam: I didn’t mean it as a slight against the film by saying it has “originitis.” I’m with you in that you have to have that to explain just how nuanced and layered the character is. Especially since so few will have an understanding of Doctor Strange right out of the gate. This is an origin story that other movies should wisely take heed of and learn from.

Andy: That being said, it felt a little formulaic. We’ve seen this before — largely because Marvel has perfected this formula — but it’s a little bit like complaining that your perfectly-cooked porterhouse steak is “too beefy.” Yup, that’s what you ordered, and it’s what was called for. But it is an origin story and treads over the same ground that Marvel Phase I stories did. At least his story is a little bit … err … strange because that helps keep it moving along.

Bryan: One thing I loved about the film is that it’s rooted in the bizarre, surreal imagery that Steve Ditko brought to the original book. The look of it is completely bonkers and following it with any sort of logic seems impossible. 

Adam: Ditko is present as well as Escher. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this in any movie that has come before. Sure, many were saying this is Marvel’s “Inception”, but what takes place in that film pales in comparison to the wonders to behold here. Mind boggling is almost an understatement. 

Andy: Comparing this movie to “Inception” or “The Matrix” feels kind of like comparing those films to 1960s sci-fi movies. The visuals are taken to the next level, creating that otherworldly sense that Ditko and other artists have brought to comics. Layered on top of the visuals is the first truly memorable score in a Marvel movie since “The Avengers”, courtesy Michael Giacchino. He incorporates eastern instruments without it ever feeling like a cheesy kung-fu movie. The song that plays over the denouement, appropriately titled “The Master of the Mystic End Credits,” successfully incorporates a flanged electric guitar, sitar, harpsichord, asian-inspired strings, and a 1960’s soul/r&b-inspired electric piano into one of the most original sounding songs in a movie in years.

Bryan: I would never compare a great movie like this to a bad movie like “The Matrix” or a good but overwrought movie like “Inception.” Overall, the film plays it safe to what makes Doctor Strange such an enduring character and Cumberbatch inhabits the role with aplomb. He’s obviously having a good time in the part, even when his character is being awful. That’s part of what makes the movie fun. I didn’t expect a Doctor Strange film to be so “fun,” but this really switched that particular knob past eleven.

Adam: Right? There were so many fun and funny moments that help break up the drama and keep the audience engaged without wearing them out. Cumberbatch is fantastic. Hell, everyone does an amazing job! Tilda Swinton is magnificent as The Ancient One and Mads Mikkelsen is malevolent and downright creepy as the antagonist. Everyone brought their A game.

Andy: I was worried with Cumberbatch that I’d spend the movie watching Benedict Cumberbatch acting! And instead he completely disappears into this role in a way not seen in almost any other Marvel movie. RDJ, Evans, Hemsworth, Pratt command their movies, but there’s a lot of themselves in playing Stark, Rogers, Thor, and Starlord. Here the actor completely disappears and there is no artifice to the performance. And Swinton brings a heart to this film I didn’t think possible in the role of the wise old sensei who trains their pupil. She also delivers a clear, compelling message that is so important for all of us to hear, especially this weekend. I always try to ask of a film, “What is this saying about where we are right now?” Iron Man taught us to own up to our mistakes, Cap to stand up to bullies, and Guardians to “give a shit” about the universe. Doctor Strange gives us a message that is undeniable and, in America at least, a prescient warning about narcissism and arrogance.

Bryan: There’s a particular moment in the climax, the way Strange ends up defeating the big bad guy, that put a smile on my face from ear to ear and is the sort of thing I needed in a Doctor Strange film. This really is one of the comics come to life, and it’s the thing that makes Marvel’s films work. They improve on what made the comic great, rather than try to switch the formula too much.

Adam: Bryan, I’ve come to bargain.

Andy: It was great. And you have a hero who is a doctor who takes his oath to “first, do no harm” seriously — for whom the idea of taking a life is anathema. And he finds a way out, using his intellect, his magic, his willpower rather than just beating people up into submission. It’s the exact palate cleanser we need after “Civil War.”

Bryan: Because of the incredible action sequences, well-thought out characters and situations, how smart the script was, and just how fun it was, this ranks as one of the best of the Marvel films. I’m giving it a solid 9 out of 10. We need more like this, please.

Adam: I can’t think of anything the film could have done differently that would have improved it. The story is wonderful and engaging, the acting top notch and it’s one of the most visually stunning things I’ve ever seen. Marvel has done it again, and I can’t wait to see “Doctor Strange” again and also to see what the company has up their sleeve for future endeavors. 10 out of 10

Andy: As impressed as I am with this and the visuals and the performances, I’ve seen other, (slightly) better films from Marvel. It is an origin story and so suffers from having to spend so long setting the table. Even as well-paced and fun to watch as it is, it can’t match some of its peers like “Winter Soldier”, “Civil War” or “Guardians of the Galaxy”, which managed to be an origin story that never felt like an origin story. But, it is both the most visually stunning AND best acted of any of the Marvel films, as well as a fantastic, original sounding score. And so for that I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not as familiar with Doctor Strange as the rest of the Marvel universe. I’ve only really gotten to know him from the “Secret Wars” run, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve come across so far. Now, with the trailer for the upcoming movie, I’m all in, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Check it out below!

The geek world has been waiting with baited breath over the last few months ever since it was announced that Spider-Man would finally be making appearances in the MCU. Now that Sony and Marvel have decided to play nice, the two studios joined together in searching for the right actor to portray the web slinger in both the MCU and upcoming Sony films. Speculation ran rampant, but today the studios formally announced who will be portraying the character going forward.

Tom Holland, a 19 year-old actor from the UK will be playing the part of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the new film which opens in theaters July 28, 2017. Holland is mainly known for his role in the TV mini series “Wolf Hall”, but American audiences might recognize him from his work in “The Impossible” and also a brief cameo as a voiceover in “Locke.” 

Looks like he could easily pull off Peter Parker in high school.

Keeping in line with Marvel’s habit of utilizing lesser-known filmmakers, Sony has chosen Jon Watts — whose film “Cop Car” debuted at the Sundance Film Festival — to direct.

No word yet whether or not Holland will actually make his movie debut in “Captain America: Civil War”, but it is expected Spider-Man will at least briefly show up since he plays such a critical role in the story.

Source: Marvel.com