Avengers: Infinity War – 2018

Score: 10/10

I mean, seriously, I don’t even know where to start. It’s mind-blowing, it’s amazing, it’s perfect, it’s by far the best movie of 2018. Avengers: Infinity War is exactly what I expected it to be, a rollercoaster of emotion and a powerful example of what a carefully constructed multiverse can offer when it fully comes into force. It’s a brilliant movie and it offers you emotion after emotion. You can’t watch this without getting hyped and you will not feel the minutes going by. It’s long at 149 minutes but my God I wanted more, I wanted much more… I have praised Marvel movies in the past but this one is simply the icing on the cake. It’s a perfect movie from start to finish and you cannot afford to miss it!

The story is amazing. All of the little clues and post credits scenes from previous movies have paid off. It has heart, it is powerful, it has emotion, amazing music, one liners, everything that you could want from a superhero movie. You are engaged from the very first second and everything has an air of grandiose stakes. The world is coming to an end and the heroes that we grew up with are trying to save it. Amazing!

The characters are the ones we love and they are all showing us their best. I mean there is really no point talking about it more. It’s a stellar cast, like, all the huge names are here, they all pour their hearts on screen, they click, it’s simply amazing and it’s the coronation of the MCU and the previous 18 movies. Amazing and it will be long, but I have to praise Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Peter Dinklage, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson for their performances. I mean seriously, look at this list of names… Marvel, OMG!!!!

Thanos! Like I can’t believe that in a movie like this, where you have ALL the heroes, my favorite character was the bad guy. I mean honestly, Josh Brolin’s performance is brilliant and every single act of the villain makes sense. He is correct in everything that he says, he evolves, he has emotion, he is all powerful, like, it’s simply the best villain I have ever seen in any superhero movie until now. I actually rooted for him towards the end and I wanted him to win, and considering that he was going against some of my favorite superheroes off all time, I am truly impressed that the movie made me feel this way. Thanos rules! Thanos forever! 🙂

This is how you do an ensemble cast movie. I mean we have here everyone from the Marvel universe, and by everyone I truly mean everyone. You get all the big superheroes in one movie, superheroes that each got their own movies before this, superheroes that all have sideline stories, love interests, agenda’s, everything comes together. And yet, like magic, everything fits. Every actor gets some share of the spotlight without making the movie feel weird and too complex. The action flows and you get to recognize each hero’s trademarks. This is an amazing feat and anyone planning to do movies with multiple protagonists should learn from this one. Marvel, there are no words to describe how great you are!

In conclusion, Avengers: Infinity War is THE MOVIE. For superhero fans, for movie fans, for anybody. If you live on this planet, you have to watch this film. And if you want the experience to be complete, before you watch this, take all the movies that have previously appeared in the MCU and watch them. You will understand everything that is going on and you will be amazed at the details and hidden meanings that fill up this universe. This one will remain in history as one of the best, if not the best, superhero movies of all time. I can’t wait for the sequel on May 3 2019 and I can only hope it will be as good as this one… I would say I want it to be better but frankly at this point I can’t see how that would be possible… So surprise me Marvel, if anyone can do it, you can…

My Little Pony: The Movie – 2017

Score: 6/10

You know, there are movies and movies and depending on their target audiences, I feel you should adapt your critics accordingly. This is what I am going to do with My Little Pony: The Movie. It is so obvious that this is one of those films that are marketed almost exclusively towards children, that I am just going to channel my inner toddler and try to write about it through his eyes. And I recommend to all of you to try and watch this in the same way, because then, it actually becomes enjoyable and fun.

The story is simple, direct, and formulaic. You have the good guys that are happy and are having a party, and then you have the bad guy that is intent on destroying this party. Nothing special, nothing fancy, just a simple fairy tale that is perfectly adapted for the target audience. You know what will happen, you know that good will triumph in the end. It is not much and it can get too predictable at times, but in the end, it is what children like to see and, it is actually not so bad. I managed to enjoy aspects of the story and if you want to look deeper, there are some bigger themes tackled there, however briefly.

The characters are the ones we are all familiar with from the TV series. You have all the princesses and they can captivate you. Some of them are actually well developed and I managed to relate to more than one. The voice caption is done very good and the actors put in a lot of effort. They gel well together and offer the viewers a thrilling and engaging experience. It is very interesting that we get to see the series regulars that we have grown accustomed too. Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain and Cathy Weseluck are well known from the TV show and we welcome their presence here. Special mentions for their performances as new comers to this universe go to Emily Blunt, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña, Sia, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana. I want to see them in the TV series as well, and I bet I am not the only one.

The music is unfortunately one of the weak parts of the movie. Almost every song seemed forced to me and out of place. I know it is a trademark of the show, but on the big screen, almost all of them seemed to lack the usual fun and energy. There were also a lot of clichés, some of them going really over the top and hurting the overall quality of the film. Even if made for children, some of the scenes were a little bit on the nose, but hey, that’s what happens in a pony universe filled with princesses I suppose…

The animation is interesting, a little bit different from what we are used to see from this genre, but considering it manages to stick very well to the tone of the series, I will consider it appropriate and well chosen. You are immersed in this universe and you can relate to its characters, at times even feeling a little bit of tension. I did not expect to be engaged in the action but I have to say it had its moments, especially when Pinkie Pie, the party obsessed pony, is on screen. I mean seriously, I want that, I want it now!

In conclusion, My Little Pony: The Movie is a fun movie, a novel one. It has a lot of appeal for children, as it should have, but I truly believe it can please even older audiences. And if that does not convince you, try to think about this film as the perfect stoner flick of 2017. As is the case with the TV show, watching this while stoned is almost a psychedelic experience… or so I’ve heard… I mean seriously, just try saying Princess Twilight Sparkle out loud without smiling… I dare you…

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – 2017

Score: 8/10

The Guardians series is the most funny of the Marvel Universe and you go into volume 2 expecting that. And yes, you receive it in droves, as this movie tries to go even farther than its predecessor in the humor department. You are laughing all the way, and it is relaxing to see a movie of such magnitude not taking itself to serious. It makes the viewing experience more enjoyable and its success is what prompted Marvel to include more humor in Thor: Ragnarok and I guess in every single entrance of the multiverse which will follow. We like our superhero movies to be lighthearted and funny and this will not change.

The action is interesting, the special effects are amazing, and the characters are developed even further than in the first one. You learn a lot of backstory that helps define each character and you start to discover the red line of their past that makes them act the way they do. The cast is stellar, and when you have Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell all in one movie, nothing can go wrong. Every single actor delivers an amazing performance and you can see they had so much fun doing this film, which gives it an extra layer of likeability. Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer is simply amazing, and almost steals the movie with his rough humor and absurd lines. You find yourself laughing out loud in the theater and enjoying every second of it.

The story is good, a little bit convoluted in points, but streamlined quite well in the final act. The CGI is good, the grand action scenes offer enough awe to justify them, and all in all the conflict manages to keep you involved until the end. Also, speaking of action scenes, Yondu’s arrow massacre is one of the best action scenes I have ever seen in a movie, making you laugh and leaving you speechless at the same time. The action in the movie is superb and right up there with what Marvel has offered us across the years.

The movie is a little bit too long at 136 minutes and its 4 post credits scenes are starting to push the limit a little bit, especially since one of them is another useless cameo from Stan Lee. 2 post credits scenes are ok, but going past that for me is just fanboying for the sake of fanboying and nothing more. The music is good, a nice selection of songs, although I feel that they are not as fresh as the ones from the first movie.

And this brings me to my only criticism of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, that it is far too similar in my mind with the first one. It simply does not have the same wow factor and you kind of feel like you have already been there and done that. This takes away a little bit from the overall enjoyment, although it did not have an effect on the box office results, with Vol. 2 earning more than the original. I just hope that for volume 3, which is slated for a 2020 release, Marvel will change the formula a little bit and shake things up.

In conclusion, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a very good movie, which I recommend to any comic book fan. A great installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a worthy successor to the first Guardians movie. Oh, and the smaller dumber Groot is by far the best plant I ever saw in a movie. 😛