Film Review – Thor: Ragnarok

(No spoilers are contained within this review.)

Premiering in theatres last Friday, Thor: Ragnarok marks the first on-screen appearance of Thor since 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and returns Loki to an audience quite eager after a four year wait. The film also introduces us to new characters such as Valkyrie, Korg and Miek, and the delightfully over-the-top Grand Master.

The film, directed by Taika Waititi, centers around the attempts of Hela to rule over Asgard, along with Thor’s mission to stop her. Despite the obvious severity of the situation, Ragnarok thankfully manages to maintain a much lighter tone than Age of Ultron, and averts the at-times forced drama that clouded Ultron‘s already cramped plot, achieving a tone more similar to 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy than any MCU film since.

Ragnarok uses humor expertly, diffusing tense situations while still maintaining their impact. Director Waititi has stated that “probably 80 percent of the film” was improvised, which show through in the film by way of allowing the character’s conversations to appear natural and realistic. This improv also allowed for one of the most memorable lines from the film, in which Thor, upon seeing Hulk for the first time in several years, declares him to be a “friend from work.”

The film’s lack of forced conflict allows for more character development than several previous Marvel movies, while keeping the film fast-paced and engaging. Overall, Thor: Ragnarok is likely the best film to come out of the Marvel universe, and is definitely worth the 2+ hours necessary to take in it’s full run-time.

Beste Lippenstiften: Im Was Ich Spreche Deutsch

Und tag, wir nehmen ein Blick um viele Lippenstiften. Heute (und heute nur) wir sprechen Deutsch. Guten tag!

(For English, click the links. For other languages, er, I can’t help there.) (This is not intended to be part of the Final Project, I just found this in my drafts from October.)

Album Review: Sabaton-Heroes

Sabaton‘s newest album, heroes, is perhaps their best yet. Released on May 16, 2014, included the following new songs; Night Witches, No Bullets Fly, Smoking Snakes, Inmate 4859, To Hell and Back, The Ballad of Bull, Resist and Bite, Soldier of 3 Armies, Far From the Fame, and, my personal favourite, Hearts of Iron. The album also includes, as bonus tracks, a re-recorded version of 7734, and Man of War, an homage to the American metal band, ManOwaR. Several digital editions also include covers of Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, Raubtier’s En Hjältes Väg, and Battle Beast’s Out of Control.

Book Review: NPoFP

Now time for this weeks installment of “good luck explaining your internet history to your boss.” Today we will be reviewing Jon Stewart’s first book, and yes this is the real title, Naked Pictures of Famous People.  

In Which Anj Reviews Trailers

As my time in this blogging class winds down, it has come to my attention that I have still not reviewed Filth or Reservoir Dogs, despite both titles being long-time residents of my Upcoming Review list. Do to availability conflicts, I am unable to view these two titles, (all other items on the list will hopefully be completed soon) so today we will try something new. In this post I will review both of these films- but I will review them using only their trailers, general knowledge of the films from pop-cultural osmosis, and any summaries present in the Youtube description of the trailer video. I have not seen either of these films, so take these reviews with a grain of salt. (Neither TvTropes nor IMDb will be used for this, as that would very nearly equate to seeing the movie itself.)

My Favorite Movies- And Why

As anyone who has read my About page (or who’s visited this blog before) knows, I have a few (a lot) favorite movies. Today, I will explain just why I love each of these movies so much.

Without further ado, the movies, in alphabetical order;

A Long-Awaited Review: Days of Future Past

Magneto: To my mutant brothers and sisters out there, I say this. No more hiding. No more suffering. You have lived in the shadows of shame and fear for too long. Come out. Join me. Fight together in a brotherhood of our kind, a new tomorrow that starts today.

Charles Xavier: The past: a new and uncertain world. A world of endless possibilities and infinite outcomes. Countless choices define our fate: each choice, each moment, a moment in the ripple of time. Enough ripple, and you change the tide… for the future is never truly set. 

Clockwise from top left: Mystique, Wolverine, Professor X, Professor X again, Colossus, Blink, Iceman, Magneto, also Magneto, Beast, Storm.

A Study of Tone: X-Men vs. the MCU

“Sir! I’m gonna have to ask you to exit the doughnut!”- S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (MCU)

“Does it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that one day they will pass that foolish law or one just like it, and come for you? And your children?” – Brotherhood of Mutants leader Erik Lehnsherr (X-Men)

Together we’ve looked at the humor of the MCU, and read some of Marvel’s darker comics; now we will study the tonal dissonance between Marvel Studio’s MCU, and Fox Studio’s X-Men franchise, and learn why the two franchises have such different personalities.

Why Ronan Is No Loki: A Review Of ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’

What do a talking tree, a gun-wielding Raccoon, a wrestler, an assassin, and a 70’s-loving space outlaw have to do with each other?
They’re the stars of Marvel’s newest film, Guardians of the Galaxy.

Book Review #1: The She-Hulk Diaries

The She-Hulk Diaries, written by Marta Acosta, is a stand-alone novel set in the Marvel Comics universe. The novel primarily focuses on the She-Hulk herself, Jennifer Walters, and her adventures as a superhero. It also focuses on the struggles she faces as a result of being the She-Hulk, such as the inability to find apartments willing to house someone who could tear down a wall just by tapping it lightly.

Aside from the obvious action & adventure, the novel contains elements of humor, mild horror, and mystery. The book ends with a twist so shocking you’ll want to go back and search the book for foreshadowing (it’s well hidden). The books pacing is perfect, and combined with its unique humor you will be laughing in your seat, unable to put the book down.

The novel does an outstanding job of fleshing out the character of Jennifer Walters, and provides a great introduction for those who may be unfamiliar with the character. This book is a must-read for any fans of She-Hulk, and anyone who wants to become a fan.

Good night
-AnJ