Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

[Boundary]

Nope, but it's [The Winter Soldier] definitely one of Marvel's best films.

 

The best, in my opinion.

 

Which makes me think about Cap 3 way earlier than I should. The set up for Civil War was clear in this movie but I really have to wonder, with Cap seemingly so popular and well liked, who'd be on Iron Man's side? War Machine, obviously. Maybe Hulk, Vision and Maria Hill? Everyone else is on Cap's orbit: Widow, Falcon, Sharon Carter, Scarlet Witch (it'd be weird for her to swing to Iron Man's side, talk about whiplash). Hawkeye and Thor are toss ups. Further out in the MCU beyond this movie: Daredevil (and the rest of the Defenders?) and Spider Man would be on Cap's side too. Quake's treatment by SHIELD would move her to Cap's side as well. The way it's set up, it won't be much of a civil war if one side has so few players.

 

Disclaimer: I have not read any comics and base this purely on the movies and tv shows, so I could be way off.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Boundary

[Sakura12]

I liked it, it wasn't great like the first Avengers or Winter Solider. But it was enjoyable and action packed. However the people one liked and the other two thought it was boring. 

 

Cap's such a boyscout that while everyone was dealing with their traumas from the Scarlet Witch, the Cap's upset about missing his dance with Peggy (Carter's awesome, so I completely understand) I also think seeing the Black Widow program a little more in depth on Agent Carter helps with understanding what Black Widow went through.

 

I liked that Barton didn't get brainwashed again and was prepared for her. Since he spent the last movie as a zombie I was happy that he had more to do. The wife and kids was surprise, but it's nice that his kids know Aunt Nat. The Banner/Natasha romance was a little strange, but it was well acted by ScarJo and Ruffalo. 

 

Agreed with most people Elizabeth Olsen was the stand out. I loved Scarlet Witch and can't wait to see more of her in Civil War. I also see Whedon is still using his one casualty rule with Quicksilver's death. 

[TigerLynx]

I like that Stark keeps talking Banner into doing things.  I did not like that Banner left on his own.  The ending of the last movie where Stark and Banner drive off together was better.

 

RDJ and James Spader snark was good.  So was the running language joke.

 

I thought Cap could lift the hammer, but chose not to.  It looked like the hammer moved.

[AimingforYoko]

Nobody's mentioned the best line in the movie:

Laura Barton: Honey, you know I totally support your avenging.

I'm not really sure what to make of Hulk's exit has he just gone off to somewhere deserted?  I can't imagine that he killed himself though.

He can't kill himself. He mentioned in the first Avengers movie that he tried and 'The Other Guy' showed up and spit out the bullets.

 

[Raja]

The best, in my opinion.

 

Which makes me think about Cap 3 way earlier than I should. The set up for Civil War was clear in this movie but I really have to wonder, with Cap seemingly so popular and well liked, who'd be on Iron Man's side? War Machine, obviously. Maybe Hulk, Vision and Maria Hill? Everyone else is on Cap's orbit: Widow, Falcon, Sharon Carter, Scarlet Witch (it'd be weird for her to swing to Iron Man's side, talk about whiplash). Hawkeye and Thor are toss ups. Further out in the MCU beyond this movie: Daredevil (and the rest of the Defenders?) and Spider Man would be on Cap's side too. Quake's treatment by SHIELD would move her to Cap's side as well. The way it's set up, it won't be much of a civil war if one side has so few players.

 

Disclaimer: I have not read any comics and base this purely on the movies and tv shows, so I could be way off.

You're way off ;)

[Bruinsfan]

It definitely made a shifting sound when Steve tried, and my impression was that it moved a bit. My personal headcanon is that making the attempt for bragging rights rather than out of real need may have been the only thing preventing him from lifting it easily.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure that the team chose Natasha for the role as much as Banner's own feelings chose her. It may well be that Nat is the only Avenger who can get that close to the Hulk without precipitating another fight. It's hard to know.

Based on the end of the last movie I would think that Steve could also talk to the Hulk in a friendly manner and get him to calm down. Maybe Tony too if he weren't in an Iron Man suit and being antagonistic, but that would be a big risk to take when one impulsive flip remark could be the difference between life and death. I suppose Thor could try, but his efforts didn't do much good in the previous movie and he doesn't have the longest fuse himself when being thrown through walls and such. And a Hulk vs. Thor fight probably causes a LOT more collateral damage than the Hulk rampaging alone.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Bruinsfan

[Jediknight]

Based on the end of the last movie I would think that Steve could also talk to the Hulk in a friendly manner and get him to calm down.

No doubt, The Hulk had no problem listening to Steve in the last movie, and Banner immediately respected Steve.  Of course it's Captain America, and he can talk to anyone to get them to calm down.

 

I also enjoyed the bromance Stark and Steve had in this movie.  Yeah they clashed, but they're friends and Stark even said Steve was the leader.  Howard Stark would love that his hero and his son have become friends.

[benteen]

The best, in my opinion.

 

Which makes me think about Cap 3 way earlier than I should. The set up for Civil War was clear in this movie but I really have to wonder, with Cap seemingly so popular and well liked, who'd be on Iron Man's side? War Machine, obviously. Maybe Hulk, Vision and Maria Hill? Everyone else is on Cap's orbit: Widow, Falcon, Sharon Carter, Scarlet Witch (it'd be weird for her to swing to Iron Man's side, talk about whiplash). Hawkeye and Thor are toss ups. Further out in the MCU beyond this movie: Daredevil (and the rest of the Defenders?) and Spider Man would be on Cap's side too. Quake's treatment by SHIELD would move her to Cap's side as well. The way it's set up, it won't be much of a civil war if one side has so few players.

 

Disclaimer: I have not read any comics and base this purely on the movies and tv shows, so I could be way off.

 

Daredevil is an attorney so I think he'd be on Cap's side.  Thor would side with Cap too given his issues with Stark (those two have had issues going back to the original Avengers comics).

 

Someone mentioned this before but this would be a great jumping off point for Planet Hulk.  Though they can't make a Hulk solo film.

Edited May 2, 2015 by benteen

[stealinghome]

It definitely made a shifting sound when Steve tried, and my impression was that it moved a bit. My personal headcanon is that making the attempt for bragging rights rather than out of real need may have been the only thing preventing him from lifting it easily.

Oh, the hammer DEFINITELY moved a little bit when Steve tried lifting it--that's why Thor looked so panicked in the background (seriously, great reaction shots from Chris Hemsworth).

 

I too am headcanoning that the hammer wouldn't fully lift for Steve because they were screwing around and turned lifting it into a pissing contest. I'm thinking that when Steve goes to lift it in earnest, in battle, he'll be able to do so. Though it was also interesting to me that Natasha didn't even try. Didn't she lift the hammer relatively recently in the comics? Her lack of trying might also have been a tease for the future....

 

ETA: Watch a truncated (I think) version of the clip here--Steve moves the hammer at about the 29 second mark.

Edited May 2, 2015 by stealinghome

[AimingforYoko]

Though it was also interesting to me that Natasha didn't even try.

I thought the point of her not trying was she knew a dick-measuring contest when she saw one. What was her line? "That's a question I don't need answered."

[Capricasix]

Having just rewatched Winter Soldier before heading to the theater, I was happy to see the same tech who refused to launch the three helicarriers even though Brock Rumlow had a gun to his head show up on Fury's mothballed helicarrier trying to explain that the shuttles were filling up with people. If I am wrong about it being the same actor, someone correct me! .

Yes, that was him. When I first saw Winter Soldier, I remember thinking that I was pretty sure he was on Joan of Arcadia back in the day, and he was - I think he played either a friend, or a boyfriend, of Joan.

[ChelseaNH]

what do we even know about Hawkeye in these movies the assume anything about him?

 

We know what he does, and the world he inhabits.  Having a family is such an incredible risk for him, and managing to keep it a secret is a miracle.

 

while everyone was dealing with their traumas from the Scarlet Witch, the Cap's upset about missing his dance with Peggy

 

Steve's greatest trauma is probably being a man out of his time.  But yeah, he's more at peace with himself than the others.  Being a goody-two-shoes is its own reward...

 

ETA: Chris Marquette was Adam on Joan of Arcadia, but he doesn't have either Avengers movie listed in his IMDB credits.

Edited May 2, 2015 by ChelseaNH

[Rick Kitchen]

My favorite moment?  They named Baby Barton Nathaniel Pietro Barton.  Though I don't recall that they ever mentioned Pietro and Wanda's names throughout the movie.

[Jazzy24]

I just saw it and I loved it.

Things I loved

-I loved seeing the Avengers back again, Captain, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Natasha, and Hawkeye plus Fury all together again will never not be the best thing ever!!

-I loved the twins. Auicksilver and SW are great additions to the team I loved it. This Quicksilver is my favorite I liked him better than DOFP QS. And I'm not okay with him dying I know death has to mean something but this is a comic book movie and people come back so I want him to come back. I liked Wanda's outfit at the end

-I didn't cafe for Hawkeye's family it was cute but I didn't care for it but it added layers to the character and I'm glad he got more focus this movie.

-Captain is still my favorite Avengers him and Thor tag teaming throughout the movie was awesome.

-I loved Bruce and Natasha sad he left her and what happened to her was horrific I hate the Black Widow program even more.

-I love Thor that is all

-I liked Ultron and he made me sad when the twins left him, he was also funny.

-Vision was cool.

-Bruce and Tony owning being mad scientists was fun

I didn't care for War Machine, Falcon and Vison becoming Avengers.

I'm also glad that Tony and Steve left on good terms, Im not looking forward for them to go head to head in Civil War, I'm tired of the constant conflict between the Avengers.

It was a good movie cause I got to see my Avengers again.

My favorite moment? They named Baby Barton Nathaniel Pietro Barton. Though I don't recall that they ever mentioned Pietro and Wanda's names throughout the movie.

They did after they got back from retrieving Loki's staff, Agent Hill showed Captain a video of them on an iPad and said their names, I think. Edited May 3, 2015 by Jazzy24

[TigerLynx]

I thought it was funny when Tony said Steve was the leader, he just paid for everything, and made everyone look cooler.

 

I've never read the comics, but I don't want to see the Avengers go to war with each other.  I like that they have differences, but still work together against common enemies.

[scarynikki12]

Having a family is such an incredible risk for him, and managing to keep it a secret is a miracle.

 

It also was a testiment to Barton's relationship with both Natasha and Fury.  I'm not suggesting that anyone doubted it but Fury setting it up for him and Natasha being known as Aunt Nat was a great way to show how much Barton trusts both of them (and that they've proven they deserve that trust).  The Hawkeye and Black Widow friendship is one of my favorite parts of these movies. 

[Raja]

Yes, that was him. When I first saw Winter Soldier, I remember thinking that I was pretty sure he was on Joan of Arcadia back in the day, and he was - I think he played either a friend, or a boyfriend, of Joan.

He (Aaron Himelstein) played Friedman the best friend of, Joan's little brother Luke.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Raja

[joanne3482]

So remembering last Avengers movie (and I think all of the others), I sat through the ridiculously long credits for the very end of credits scene. I was so mad that there was no very end of the credits scene. (Ok there was but the phrase "The Avengers Will Return didn't work for me)

 

Loved Elizabeth Olsen. She is really an interesting actress. She played that damaged girl quite well.

[GHScorpiosRule]

So remembering last Avengers movie (and I think all of the others), I sat through the ridiculously long credits for the very end of credits scene. I was so mad that there was no very end of the credits scene. (Ok there was but the phrase "The Avengers Will Return didn't work for me)

 

Loved Elizabeth Olsen. She is really an interesting actress. She played that damaged girl quite well.

 

Unless you stayed away from all the articles, and teases, you would expect a scene post credits. I think I saw two articles in my Yahoo feed about how there wasn't going to be one, but we'd get one in the middle, which we did, of Thanos.

 

Personally, I always stick around for the end credits, because I like to read them.

 

What is getting increasingly frustrating and irksome, is the number of previews before the movie actually starts. I counted two commercials and 8 previews before the movie started.  If I hadn't been worried about finding parking and a good seat, I would have shown up at the theatre at the actual time the movie started, which would have left plenty of time for me to buy my popcorn, icee and candy, and not have eaten half of it, before the movie started.

Edited May 3, 2015 by GHScorpiosRule

[Rick Kitchen]

So remembering last Avengers movie (and I think all of the others), I sat through the ridiculously long credits for the very end of credits scene. I was so mad that there was no very end of the credits scene. (Ok there was but the phrase "The Avengers Will Return didn't work for me)

 

 

 

Joss Whedon said there wouldn't be one.

 

But I stayed anyway.

[Raja]

Unless you stayed away from all the articles, and teases, you would expect a scene post credits. I think I saw two articles in my Yahoo feed about how there wasn't going to be one, but we'd get one in the middle, which we did, of Thanos.

 

Personally, I always stick around for the end credits, because I like to read them.

 

What is getting increasingly frustrating and irksome, is the number of previews before the movie actually starts. I counted two commercials and 8 previews before the movie started.  If I hadn't been worried about finding parking and a good seat, I would have shown up at the theatre at the actual time the movie started, which would have left plenty of time for me to buy my popcorn, icee and candy, and not have eaten half of it, before the movie started.

I was really irked at the plot point the Terminator trailer gave away. It wasn't like I could avoid it or even figure out from the visual. they just straight out threw it out.

 

At this point it doesn't seem fair for any Marvel not movie to have the end credit stinger since as a series it has been established. I understand a retiring director didn't care about the future but it seemed like a FU move.

[Advance35]

Got to see the movie today and I really liked it.   I think all of the actors did a good job and I really thought everyone served a purpose which was a surprise considering there were so many characters in this movie.

 

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch made very good antagonist and I liked that even after they switched sides Tony and Bruce seemed to have an aversion to them.  It fits with not everyone being a soldier and being able to table something to a more appropriate time.

 

LOVED the Tony/Bruce friendship,  I know Steve/Tony interaction/antagonism is a hallmark of the comics AND the movies but I really like the Mad Scientist.   Tony's clearly the (for lack of a better term) Alpha in the friendship but Bruce frequently throws back a witty if dry rejoinder.   I like that Bruce's desire to avoid conflict irritates Tony, his going on at Bruce about how if anybody growls, Bruce will roll over and show his belly.    And totally believable that Tony would enlist Bruce to help him design both Ultron and Vision.   Tony wanting to wrap the world in armor and Bruce saying it sounds like a very "cold world" was a very good scene and gave an understanding about the characters and how they relate to each other.  I like to think that Bruce will keep in touch with Tony, wherever he goes.   But I think they need to get off this retirement kick they have going for everyone.   Wasn't Tony retiring from the Ironman business at the end of Ironman 3?   

 

I didn't MIND the Bruce/Natasha romance and I think that has more to do with the actors.   Both Mark and Scarlett did a really good job at breathing life into it.    Both Hulk/Bruce and Black Widow are dark characters so I can see why they might be drawn together.   The flashes we saw with regards to Natasha's past were especially morbid.   Natasha bowing out of the espionage game is HUGE so I was a little sad that it didn't work out for them but I liked that it was her choice in a way.   Natasha is a mission kind of girl.   A career girl at heart if you will.

 

Also really liked how we left off with Natasha.  It looks like a SHEILD type agency is being formed and Natasha will be working with Captain America.   I thought the Marvel U established a very nice friendship between the two in Winter Soldier and I liked that when Natasha was alone and kind of mourning a lost opportunity, it was Steve that came and got her back into the swing of things.   They work really well together and now I figure Natasha will DEFINITELY be in Captain America 3.  

 

I ended up liking Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch and I was sorry about what happened to him.   I think Scarlet Witch will be a good addition to the Marvel Canvas.  Liked her final moment with Ultron.   Him saying if she stayed she'd die and her reply that she already did (when she felt Piertro die) and that she wanted him to see what it was like.

 

Favorite Marvel Movies in Order, Winter Soldier, Avengers, Age of Ultron ties with Guardians of the Galaxy for Third Place.

[joanne3482]

Unless you stayed away from all the articles, and teases, you would expect a scene post credits. I think I saw two articles in my Yahoo feed about how there wasn't going to be one, but we'd get one in the middle, which we did, of Thanos.

I confess I don't actually read articles about movies. I go and watch the movie and that's about it. I may obsessively rewatch the movie many times but rarely read articles about movies.  Based on the 1/2 theater full of people with me, none of them did either. :)

[AzureOwl]

Agreed with most people Elizabeth Olsen was the stand out. I loved Scarlet Witch and can't wait to see more of her in Civil War.

 

One thing that I hope they touch upon in Civil War is the fact that Wanda became what she hated in more ways than one.

 

Besides being now an Avenger, she also unleashed a weapon of mass destruction upon an innocent city. I want to see a Johannesburger get in her face about being buried in rubble for days after the Hulk’s rampage.

[VCRTracking]

Going on Tumblr you'd think Joss Whedon made Natasha run off with Loki like Thomas Harris had Clarice Sterling run off with Hannibal Lecter. "He ruined her character!"  So she's supposed to be proud of being made into a remorseless assassin. James Bond had a choice, she didn't. People hate that she was just a "love interest" but the romance was mostly from her POV! I think because the Hulk is more famous and is considered more of a 'lead' character than the Black Widow, she would be seen as his paramour like Pepper or Jane Foster but within the actual story they're both pretty much equal.

[missbonnie]

The best, in my opinion.

I can't choose between WS and GotG, both were flat out awesome to me for different reasons.

[missbonnie]

So remembering last Avengers movie (and I think all of the others), I sat through the ridiculously long credits for the very end of credits scene. I was so mad that there was no very end of the credits scene. (Ok there was but the phrase "The Avengers Will Return didn't work for me)

I make it a point to check in advance after the stupid end of credits scene from Guardians of the Galaxy. This is a good place to check.

http://aftercredits.com

[benteen]

Going on Tumblr you'd think Joss Whedon made Natasha run off with Loki like Thomas Harris had Clarice Sterling run off with Hannibal Lecter. "He ruined her character!"  So she's supposed to be proud of being made into a remorseless assassin. James Bond had a choice, she didn't. People hate that she was just a "love interest" but the romance was mostly from her POV! I think because the Hulk is more famous and is considered more of a 'lead' character than the Black Widow, she would be seen as his paramour like Pepper or Jane Foster but within the actual story they're both pretty much equal.

 

Yeah, I don't get how this hurt Natasha's character at all.    Banner was more her love interest than the other way around.

 

Besides, this is the fourth movie the character has been in and isn't ScarJo signed for another five more?  Did they really think that they wouldn't give Natasha a legit love interest in one of them?

[Raja]

Yeah, I don't get how this hurt Natasha's character at all.    Banner was more her love interest than the other way around.

 

Besides, this is the fourth movie the character has been in and isn't ScarJo signed for another five more?  Did they really think that they wouldn't give Natasha a legit love interest in one of them?

Its a gender politics issue. It is not that she has a love interest, but rather since she is not the star with a Black Widow or other female name plated movie the political thought that she is only good as the lover of a man, or considering her Red Room training a current standards a woman.

[Bruinsfan]

It fits with not everyone being a soldier and being able to table something to a more appropriate time.

Aside from being soldiers, Steve and Thor are also noble figures who don't seem to have much in the way of inner demons - their regrets and worries are mostly about things external to them. Whereas Tony and Bruce are more flawed people whose own hubris is responsible for their worst traumas. I'd have been interested to see Natasha interact with Wanda afterwards - she's been a straight up murderer in the past and was raised to be such from childhood, which makes all the guys' moral lapses and secrets pale in comparison.

[Advance35]

I also couldn't help but notice that it seems for THOR, Jane Foster is still in the picture.   Maybe Marvel and Natalie Portman worked something out to the point where it is very likely she'll appear in future installments.    I know in some places the character is very unpopular but I like her.

[Amethyst]

I loved it.  There were definitely some shaky parts, but I loved that they just jumped in and got things going.  You can tell Joss felt bad for Hawkeye getting screwed the first time, because wow, he got a whole family in this movie!  LOL. 

 

LOVED:
Thor and Steve being buddies and also just having fun.  Seeing them chill out at the party was one of the best scenes.  And we got our Stan Lee cameo!  Nice.

 

Hulkbuster.  Actually that whole scene with Hulk was awesome.

 

The characterization between Steve, Thor, and Tony.  Glad that Joss spread some of the funny around, because the first time, Tony got all the best funny lines.  The running joke with Steve and the foul language really worked.

 

Ultron.  Spader was a great villain.  

 

Vision.  Great use of Bettany.

 

MEH: 

Black Widow and Hulk.  Scarlett and Mark really gave it their all, but it felt so shoehorned in to give them something to do.  Natasha in particular seemed very OOC with this relationship.  I just couldn't buy her going all in, especially with Bruce.

 

Thor's vision.  Everyone else's made sense, but I couldn't make heads or tails from his.  I didn't see why Thor needed to find Selvig and go to some random cave.  However, we got shirtless Hemsworth out of it, so I can't complain too much.  

But in all seriousness, it was a very disjointed subplot and you can tell some things were left on the cutting room floor.  The vision looked like an Asgardian orgy that was getting out of control.  They could be prophesying the events in Ragnarok, especially if Loki was the hooded figure.  Joss confirmed that there was a Loki scene that was cut, so I'm assuming it was this one.

 

Quicksilver's death.  He had less to do than Wanda so I figured he wasn't long for this world, but I was expecting Helen to use her tissue re-generator to heal him.  And his death was just glossed over like "Oh, he's gone?  OK."

 

That post-credits scene sucked.  That was what they came up with?  They just re-hashed the scene from Avengers.

[VCRTracking]

 

 

Quicksilver's death.  He had less to do than Wanda so I figured he wasn't long for this world, but I was expecting Helen to use her tissue re-generator to heal him.  And his death was just glossed over like "Oh, he's gone?  OK."

Clint named his newborn son Nathanial Pietro Barton. That's a pretty big deal.

 

 

[KatWay]

I think the main point of why I'm okay with the Natasha/Banner romance (and why I would have been okay with Natasha/Clint) is that they're more or less on equal standing as characters, with Natasha actually being slightly more present/important/major or whatever.

 

That's a big difference compared to them potentially hooking her up with Steve, Tony or Thor, who are more the big three, the ones with the trilogy solo movies. Then she'd be the love interest. With Banner, he was hers as much as she was his, if not more, and that was well done.

 

Forgot to mention I also love the Tony/Steve interaction, they rile each other up and have different views on lots of things, but you can tell they still genuinely like each other and seek each other out. I love that. Not looking forward to everything going to bust in Civil War.

 

Re: Civil War - I don't know if we can really know who will fight for who, because it will likely depend on what issue they are actually fighting over. They are all close and friends but excepting Natasha/Clint who have a longstanding bond and maaybeee Tony/Bruce, because they seem to agree on lots of stuff and Bruce is a pushover, I'm not sure any of them would automatically support one over the other. It will depend on their personal feelings on the matter.

 

I can't see the issue being registration. MCU Tony Stark dislikes and distrusts the government and has an uneasy relationship with SHIELD at best. So they'll have to diverge from comic canon and so we don't actually know what will bring things to blows. I just hope the movie doesn't sour me on the awesome team interactions I've come to enjoy so much.

[Boundary]

I also couldn't help but notice that it seems for THOR, Jane Foster is still in the picture.   Maybe Marvel and Natalie Portman worked something out to the point where it is very likely she'll appear in future installments.    I know in some places the character is very unpopular but I like her.

 

I was surprised too. Somehow I expected an off screen death for Foster, possibly at the hands of Ultron, giving Thor a legitimate motivation but I must say I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. I used to like like Jane, now I don't mind her even though I ship Thor with Lady Sif more. 

[Spartan Girl]

I like Jane too. One person on Tumblr thought it was sexist that Thor and Tony were using their girlfriends' successes to compete with each other, but I thought it was hilarious...and it's better to brag about their smarts than than their physical attributes. Cracked up at Maria's "TESTOSTERONE!" cough and Thor's "Jane is still better." Oh Thor...

[JessePinkman]

I so wish I could be invested in Black Widow but SJ is such distractingly bad actress that I just don't care. Her delivery is consistently flat and unfortunately they saddled her with a story that brought the movie to a screeching halt every time it came on screen.

Needed to get that out of the way because other than that I loved it! The only thing is that I wish they'd had more time to invest in establishing Ultron and his worldview, his creation came about very quickly. As did The Vision's. The movie could've used another hour and I wouldn't have minded at all. I think it flew by actually. I want to see the director's cut.

Oh and if they hadn't introduced Haweye's family I would have been so for them killing him off and not just because Renner is a repulsive human being. I think Quicksilver has so much potential (you guys he's such an asshole, it's awesome) and he has strong ties to the Inhumans and frankly we didn't get enough time with him to make his death truly impactful.

But like I said I loved it, it so felt like a comic book come to life. All of the battle scenes lived up to the promise of that oner from the first Avengers.

[Raja]

I so wish I could be invested in Black Widow but SJ is such distractingly bad actress that I just don't care. Her delivery is consistently flat and unfortunately they saddled her with a story that brought the movie to a screeching halt every time it came on screen.

Needed to get that out of the way because other than that I loved it! The only thing is that I wish they'd had more time to invest in establishing Ultron and his worldview, his creation came about very quickly. As did The Vision's. The movie could've used another hour and I wouldn't have minded at all. I think it flew by actually. I want to see the director's cut.

 I wouldn't say bad, but when you buy her you get her. Sort of like Bill Murray who was the star of her breakout film. For her jaded infiltrator assassin role I like how she plays.

 

They have leaked the existence of the cutting room floor and know there is money to be made on the blueray for a Director's Cut. I will just have to be patient,.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Raja

[VCRTracking]

 

I'm someone who liked just hearing Scarjo's voice as a computer in HER and found her charming. I think she sells Natasha's vulnerability especially in the scene at the bar with Bruce. She's not seducing Bruce the way she would some rogue general. She's as I said before putting herself out there. As Steve said it was not her usual flirting. She seems more insecure and not as confident in terms of her personal life in AoU is which is probably why Widow fans hate her characterization in the movie. They want the sassy, trolling Nat from CA:TWS. The one who took the flashdrive out of the vending machine where Steve hid it and shows up behind him popping gum. That's fine. I like that Natasha too, but her world was pretty much shattered in that movie and it had to have affected her and I think we see that in this movie.

 

 

[BatmanBeatles]

Happy Joss? You got to kill a main character.

[JessePinkman]

 I wouldn't say bad, but when you buy her you get her. Sort of like Bill Murray who was the star of her breakout film. For her jaded infiltrator assassin role I like how she plays.

 

They have leaked the existence of the cutting room floor and know there is money to be made on the blueray for a Director's Cut. I will just have to be patient,.

 

Her is the only movie I've ever liked her in! And I think it's because she had to actually enunciate for the role and I'm sure they did a litany of takes, I'm not sure they did more than one of each scene in this movie.

 

I loved Elizabeth Olsen as SW and I did not expect to because she does not align with my vision of the character. But she was great and I loved how immediately they setup Vision/Scarlett Witch. They're such a tragic pairing in the comics, I wonder how the movies will handle them.

 

This movie and GOTG have really set the Marvel universe onto a fantastical course, I hope the non-comic book loving audience is willing to go along with the ride. It seems they are so I hope Marvel really, truly goes there. Ultron is tracking just behind the first movie in BO office receipts and that makes sense, the public knows this is just one movie in a huge series. Infinity War Part II is gonna destroy BO records...in 5 years lol. Marvel has positioned these movies as the most expensive TV series in history. I think the Avengers movies are going to play infinitely better (not that they don't play well now) when we're able to view them as a whole. That's why the glimpses of Thanos really don't bother me.

 

I saw the movie with an audience in Brooklyn and they cracked up as Steve's joke about Brooklyn being expensive. And we had a long laugh at Vision picking up Thor's hammer, that was so fantastic. My theory is that mjolnir is stubborn as hell and likes who she likes and unfortunately she only likes Steve a little bit.

Edited May 3, 2015 by JessePinkman

[wlk68]

Happy Joss? You got to kill a main character.

Meh, I doubt it will stick. Aaron is signed for multiple pictures. 

 

I think it's funny how everyone always blames Joss. Yes, he has that reputation but Marvel/Disney has final say and if they weren't okay with it, it never would've made it on screen. 

[JessePinkman]

I hope this isn't the petty Marvel fanboy side of me but I almost felt as though watching the Avengers actively try to save civilians during the destruction of Sokovia/attack on Wakanda was a direct response to Man of Steel. I think we had more people being saved in this one than the last and it was so deliberate. Tony saying that he needed to get the Hulk out of the city and Cap and Thor teaming up to save one person. It was so great to see heroes acting like heroes.

[VCRTracking]

 Black Widow finally gets a solo movie! Unfortunately it's a romcom from the writer of 27 Dresses. From last night's SNL, Black Widow: Age of Me:

Also I never realized how much Scarlet looks like Keira Knightley when she smiles.

 

 

 

[TigerLynx]

I cracked up at Thor and Vision discussing Mjolnir's balance, and Thor explaining how that affects the swinging ability.

 

Bruce daring the Scarlett Witch to piss him off was funny to.

 

I missed Fury's leather coat.

[wlk68]

I hope this isn't the petty Marvel fanboy side of me but I almost felt as though watching the Avengers actively try to save civilians during the destruction of Sokovia/attack on Wakanda was a direct response to Man of Steel. I think we had more people being saved in this one than the last and it was so deliberate. Tony saying that he needed to get the Hulk out of the city and Cap and Thor teaming up to save one person. It was so great to see heroes acting like heroes.

After his fight with Hulk, Tony also asked Maria about sending the Stark Foundation to South Africa. They took responsibility for the mess they'd made and were intent on making good. I liked that. 

Edited May 3, 2015 by wlk68

[VCRTracking]

 

Devin Faraci from Birth.Movies.Death(formerly Badass Digest) tweeted in a discussion about how how Black Widow was handled in the movie.

Devin Faraci
‏@devincf

@MildlyAmused she was only damseled bc ScarJo got pregnant and they needed to cut her days. Original script had no kidnapping.

 

 

 

 

[JessePinkman]

That's kind of (?) good to hear, although they could have handled it better. Bruce just waltzed in and freed her, it was odd.

[benteen]

Minor thing I liked...the Iron Legion.  Just thought that was one of those fun ideas.

 

I agree that after Man of Steel, I think the movie took more steps to show the heroes trying to save the people who get caught up in those fights.  I liked the Man of Steel (sue me!) but I always found that to be a legitimate criticism of it.

[Dandesun]

I actually love Scarlett's Black Widow. I think she's been handled well and I felt that her wanting to run away was in reaction to the raging mind fuck she got from Scarlet Witch... because that was hard to watch. The thing that struck me was that it wasn't necessarily Wanda that was screwing them... she just made it so their own minds worked against them which is exactly what happened to all of them. That bit where Natasha was firing at the target and then it turned into a bound man with a bag over his head? That creeped me right the fuck out... and all the stuff with her in surgery. A part of me was wondering if they were augmenting her like she was in the comics... sterilization, sure, but I can see left overs from Zola's work... work that was done on Bucky... being put to her as well.

 

I feel like the relationships and threads are being respected throughout the movies. Steve and Nat became very much a team during Winter Soldier and I really liked how it was him recognizing (and approving) of Natasha's interest in Bruce but also being the one to go to her at the end to work on the new Avengers.

 

As to that, it makes total sense to me. The comics have a consistently shifting roster of Avengers (much like the X-Men or Justice League or anything that involves a team) so I can see that Bruce, Clint and Tony all leaving while Thor goes back to Asgard (given that shit ain't right and the whole mess with the Infinity Stones has him rightly concerned) so, for me, I really liked how they handled that. Now they've got Falcon, War Machine, Scarlet Witch and Vision to bolster their ranks and, if the future plans are anything to go by, we might very well see Captain Marvel, Black Panther and Dr. Strange in there, too.

 

The Steve/Tony shippers are probably going nuts over this movie. I mean, Tony's big fear about losing his friends and being the only one left was powered through with Steve telling him that Tony could have saved them all. Plus, you had the moment at the end where Natasha ribbed Steve for him and Tony 'gazing into each others' eyes.'

 

And then there's the Science Bros! Tony and Bruce working together on various projects is a delight. But they are also two very different men with two very different experiences. Bruce became the Hulk by trying to replicate the Super Soldier Serum that made Steve into Captain America... there's a certain amount of hubris there when it comes down to it. And the result has been horrifying. And Bruce seeing what the Witch mindfuck resulted in... basically leveling a significant portion of another city... I understand his despair because he's clearly been heavily involved in the lullaby that allows him to shift back to Banner as well as "Veronica" the Hulkbuster and neither of them are definite. Nor is attempting suicide. Bruce is stuck. It's all well and good for Tony to tell him to 'strut' or whatever but Tony was able to remove the shrapnel from his chest (Iron Man 3) and take the arc reactor out of his body. It's obvious that no one has figured out how to take the Hulk out of Bruce so Tony getting on his high horse about Bruce showing his belly is.. unworthy.

 

And when it came down to it, Natasha looked him in the eyes and said "I adore you" -- and I absolutely believe she meant it -- but then shoved him off the ledge in order to bring Hulk out because that's what was needed. It was pragmatic and it many ways the necessary and right thing to do... but it also made it even more understandable that Bruce didn't come back.

 

There were a ton of things I geeked out about in this movie. The Infinity Stone in Loki's spear. Everything about Cap. The Hellicarrier rising from the ashes of SHIELD with Nick, Maria and, yes, the "Captain's Orders' guy from Winter Soldier. The mention of Wakanda... see, I love that they throw Easter Eggs around like that. Sure, they could have not mentioned any nation in particular but they ARE doing a Black Panther movie and Wakanda is where the vibranium is and Steve and Tony having that very quick conversation the second Bruce mentioned Wakanda about Howard getting the last of it before trade was cut off. This Marvel nerd loved it... because it's yet another thread going into a full tapestry.

 

Cap's alleged non-existent dark side... was anyone else disturbed by his particular mind fuck? I found it immensely sad. Yes, he got to dance with Peggy... but I think that particular dream made specific things about Cap clear. He's still needed. Yes, World War II is over but when you see things shift in that dream, of men celebrating, laughing maniacally while bleeding from wounds... A war is over... but the battle continues. Ultron pinged him for being unable to exist without a war and that's probably the biggest tragedy about Steve. He wanted to be of use in a time of dire need... but the need is still there and he's still able to provide something. If he wanted to step away and retire all those years ago after the war was won... well, who would he do that with now? Not to mention that his search for Bucky continues because that part of his life isn't dealt with yet. (I loved Sam's comment about that at the party.)

 

Also loved all the World War II vets at the party. You know they were there because of Steve and I just want to know the story of him going to a gathering of those vets. I would just love that.

 

I could go on and on... and will probably add more. I loved this movie. It kept replaying in my head all day. I expect I will see it more in the theaters and, of course, will buy it when it comes out.