WandaVision - Walk Across The Bridge With Me

***WARNING: Have you watched WandaVision yet? If not, there are spoilers ahead, so if you don't want to be spoiled, hold off on reading! And what are you waiting for? Get Disney+ and watch WandaVision. If you're an MCU fan, it's a must!***

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By Source, Fair use, WandaVision Logo

I'm going to be brief with this post, so no over-analyzing everything! I know, that's super tough since I'm always so long-winded. Let's see what I can do. ;)

First, I have to say that I was thrilled when WandaVision finally aired. Too long of a dry spell for new MCU movies! We'd started re-watching some of the movies at one point because we were craving more Marvel. And overall, for the first Disney+ MCU series, I thought it was great.

I know some people felt the series started off too slowly, but I actually enjoyed that slow build. Just a little bit of weirdness in each episode to pull me along. I mean, if you're an MCU fan and have seen most of the movies, you know something is clearly wrong here when Wanda and Vision are in a sitcom. And magic is the logical answer. I mean, Vision is dead, right? Right? OK, OK, comic fans know better. Is anyone ever really dead?

WandaVision sets up a lot to be explored in future movies and series. Because of that, it's really a bridge series. Yes, it still has a story with a full arc of Wanda dealing with her grief. Honestly, though, it felt more like a vehicle to line things up for things like Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness as well as establishing S.W.O.R.D. and Monica Rambeau. That's probably the series' biggest flaw, in my opinion. Not a huge one, by any means.

Along with Wanda, I enjoyed reminiscing over the different style sitcoms. I grew up on sitcoms, too, pretty much, so I recognized so many references. I'm sure I missed some, too!

One of the biggest pluses of this being a TV series instead of a movie is the room to breathe and build the world and characters. It didn't feel like I was being info-dumped on (maybe a little in the "Previously On" episode, but it added so many layers to Wanda, that it's easily forgiven). I'm looking forward to the other series ahead, especially Loki. I think TV series sometimes do better than movies since there's so much more time to explore different paths.

Finally, I love the design of the MCU Scarlet Witch costume! I totally want to be Scarlet Witch for Halloween.

Look, I kept that a bit shorter than usual, didn't I? Lol. I know I didn't delve into much, but I can emphatically say that I enjoyed the series, and I'm looking forward to more Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

If you've watched WandaVision, what do you think? Do you agree it feels like a bridge? Did you love it, hate it, or are you somewhere in between?

Spider-Man: Far From Home - MJ Rocks

***WARNING: Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen Spider-Man: Far From Home you may not want to read ahead. Per usual, there are spoilers. I know, you may think nothing can top Avengers: End-Game, but if you're looking for some humor and a lighter story, just go watch Spider-Man already.***

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Spider-Man: Far From Home Movie Poster

With every new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, I seem to have a harder time gathering my thoughts and writing up my opinions. This may mainly be because I go into them now with the pure intent to have fun, relax, and enjoy myself. So, being critical can be hard!

What am I getting at? You're probably not going to see a lot of critical commentary here on Spider-Man: Far From Home. I stepped into the theater expecting a fun, humorous superhero flick, and that's exactly what I got. It's actually kind of awesome how even though the MCU movies are all connected, you can head into one knowing what kind of mood to expect depending on what the focus is -- not every MCU title has the same mood. Spider-Man lends to humor, teen angst, and action. It really does tickle my funny bone, and I love that.

Also, as a side note, I have not yet seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I've been meaning to, and I'm excited to watch it, but just haven't found the time. So, no comparisons between that and Far From Home in this post!

I guess I should start talking about the movie, right?

Hands down, my favorite character was MJ. I mean, are you all that surprised? If you've read any of my past posts about MCU movies, you shouldn't be. Anyway, I know some purists want the "typical" MJ, but I'm definitely a big fan of this version. She's not the damsel in distress that's been so overdone. She's smart (yes, she figured out Peter was Spider-Man), headstrong, and willing to defend herself if need be (she grabs a freaking morning star!). And then at the end, it's not Peter rushing to check if she's all right. Nope. MJ runs to check if Peter's all right. I really loved that switch.

Though MJ wasn't what you'd normally find in the comics, Mysterio's fish bowl helmet was plucked straight from the pages, which made a lot of people happy. I'd never read anything with Mysterio before this, but his extravagant costume does lend to his pompous personality in the movie, so it fits. And everybody knew Mysterio wasn't a good guy, no matter how much they wanted us to believe it with the previews. Right when Peter was handing over the glasses, I screamed, "No! You're in idiot! Don't do that!" inside. It was kind of fun how Mysterio created such an elaborate plan to trick Peter -- he not only created illusions with tech, but with his story as well.

I also found myself thinking "Poor, Peter," quite often. All he wanted to do was have a nice, normal school trip. And then we get the mid-credit scene. His life will never be normal again! That will be awesome to see unfold.

But what about the end-credit scene? I know some people missed it! I think it left far more questions, though. My biggest question is how did Talos and Soren play Fury and Hill so well? To a tee! And for how long have they been doing it? But I did catch the hint drop earlier in the movie when Fury said not to invoke Captain Marvel's name -- I found it odd phrasing and wanted an explanation. Well, I got it. Totally makes sense that Talos would say something like that. So, it's when he briefly slipped out of Fury's character.

Honestly, I don't have tons to pick on about the movie. Was it perfect? No. Did I have loads of fun watching it? Yes. And for me, that was my main goal. I was a little disappointed that we didn't get the multiverse payoff, though.

I will say, after all the new announcements about Phase 4 of the MCU, I'm really excited for The Eternals and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Especially the latter one. ;)

Spider-Man: Homecoming - Lots of Laughs

WARNING: You know the drill. Spoilers ahead! Oh, man, the spoilers. Avert your eyes and run away if you don't want stuff ruined for you regarding Spider-Man: Homecoming. Please go see it, for a hearty laugh at the very least. And if you don't laugh at this movie, I have to wonder where you hid your sense of humor.

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Spider-Man: Homecoming Movie Poster

I know, I know, it's another reboot of Spider-Man. Many people are not fans of another reboot of this franchise. However, I think it's the best of the most recent movies. And I am thrilled it has been integrated into the MCU (quite well, I might add).

First, I have to admit that I didn't read the comics way back when. I didn't have enough disposable income for tons of comics and I was mainly fascinated with X-Men (which I also only nabbed a couple spinoffs of - Gambit and Rogue pretty much). So, my first big exposure to Spider-Man was the movies with Peter Parker in the role. Those movies were pretty serious. Which is why when I caught my kids watching some superhero show, I was shocked to see the Spider-Man in that joking, light, and acting like a kid. My husband promptly informed me that this cartoon version was closer to the comics. I thought it was great. (Not that I didn't enjoy the Perter Parker Spider-Man movies.)

The Andrew Garfield Spider-Man attempted to add more of the humor, but it still was pretty serious, in my opinion.

Spider-Man: Homecoming though hit that humor nail on the head. I loved it. I was constantly laughing. It was great to have this teen bumbling around and trying to be a superhero (plus we didn't have to grit our teeth through another origin story). When he took the "training wheels" off his suit, it was hilarious. It also gave us insight into his character -- he didn't want to kill anyone, and that sat right and made sense with who he is, at least in my mind. Even at the end, though he was trying to stop Vulture, he refused to let him die. He saved him. Awesome character development for Peter Parker.

The villain was wonderfully layered in this movie as well. Out of the destruction of New York (from The Avengers) a man who wants to provide for his family emerges and takes advantage of all of the alien tech that's left lying around. Of course, he turns into what he hates, though he doesn't see it himself.

Now, I usually see things coming, but I have to admit I had a hand-over-my-mouth moment when Peter opened the door to find that Liz's father was vulture. I know, I know, the last two movies have surprised me -- guess I'm losing my touch. ;) That whole awkward scene in Vulture's house was great, and I know some people might think it was too convenient, but I loved it.

While I enjoyed the movie for the most part, I wasn't a huge fan of Liz. At least this pretty girl was a smart, pretty girl... I guess. She didn't seem well rounded to me, honestly.

I did love Michelle, and wished we would have seen more of her. For the little she was in it, her character came completely alive for me, right down to the middle finger she gave Peter at the dance. And I of course loved the reveal at the end. "My friends call me MJ." OK, this isn't in line with the comics at all. The movie took liberties and clearly intends to change how things work and who MJ is. Purists cry foul over such things. But I think it's wonderful that they're willing to make characters their own and change them to improve upon old stories. I look forward to seeing more of this MJ in the next movie (and I'll be super disappointed if it doesn't happen).

So, those are my thoughts on Spider-Man: Homecoming. Did you find it as funny as I did? Have anything to rave about or quibble over? I'd love to hear your reaction to the movie!

Logan

WARNING: Spoilers! If you haven't seen Logan yet and don't want things spoiled for you, click away now and come back here once you've seen the movie. But if you're the type that enjoys having everything spoiled, by all means, read on! You should still see the movie, though. It's a must, in my opinion, if you like character-driven fantasy.

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Logan Movie Poster

I know, you're thinking I'm losing my touch when it comes to titling my blog posts. The thing is, when it comes to Logan, I think the title of the movie itself does it enough justice because just that one word is so powerful for me and it sums up the movie to a tee.

Now, if you're a fan of superhero movies and walk into Logan expecting a true superhero movie, you're likely to walk out sorely disappointed. There's no aim to save the world, no team banding together to protect the innocent. It's a story about a single man, a reluctant hero, an anti-hero in many respects. No, this isn't a superhero movie at all. It's a gritty, dark urban fantasy. One that's character-driven.

In other words, it was right up my alley. While I do love true superhero movies, my heart will always be much closer to the darkness in a story and in a character.

And since we have this central character in Logan, you don't have other characters fighting for equal screen time, so Logan is developed wonderfully well. In his actions, you see how much Logan cares for Charles. Even though he no longer wants to be part of the world, he refuses to leave Charles behind.

Just because the movie is character-driven, doesn't mean there isn't a lot of action. Looking for a high death count? Yup, plenty of that. You see Wolverine's claws going through lots of heads, among other things.

But the deaths aren't limited to the bad guys. And this is what truly makes it a dark fantasy. Honestly, I knew it was all coming. Charles had the target on his head from the beginning, and I also knew this was the last chapter for Logan. That didn't make those deaths any less heart-wrenching.

Is it hard to tell what I felt about the movie? I know I'm not fan girling, nor am I heaping praise or tearing it down. It's so hard to communicate my feelings about it because it's just that powerful of a movie. My mere words can't do justice to the story that unfolds.

If you like powerful, character-driven movies, you should see it, and let the movie speak for itself.

Not much more to say, but I did want to touch on the ending briefly. I felt a bit cheated after Laura buried Logan, and the kids walked off, disappearing into the trees (I love it that she turned the cross on the grave into an X). We never do find out if Eden actually existed or if it was just a tale. That was my initial gut reaction. But when I thought about it more, it made sense. This wasn't Laura's story. She was simply part of Logan's story, and his story ended at that grave. It wouldn't have made sense to follow her to Eden.

Of course, that doesn't mean we'll never find out. Logan might be gone, but Laura, X-23, is very much alive. And you never know if another movie will come along to continue her story!