Rated: Marvel Cinematic Universe (up to Ant Man & The Wasp)

Rated: Marvel Cinematic Universe (up to Ant Man & The Wasp)

by Phil Hobden A Blog

RATED looks at EVERY Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film and gives a QuickReview as well as putting them in order of BEST to Iron Man 2.!  Updated as and when a new Marvel (Studios) film is released…

(Note scores reflect my original IMDB ratings)

Best: Captain America Winter Solider

A cold war thriller with Robert Redford and a mini Avengers team up.  Add in the always awesome Frank Grillo and a genuinely interesting script and you have Marvel’s strongest cinematic outing.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy

Massively far out of Marvel’s usual comfort zone, Guardian’s introduced spaceships, talking racoons and a giant tree person. Cracking script, expert action and a heap of fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

3. Iron Man 3

The Iron Man film that broke a lot of Marvel fans, Shane Black took the playbook and ripped it up.  Twists, turns and a cute central relationships made this a different take on the norm and was all the better for it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Well this was a bundle of fun.  The previous Thor films have been okay but Ragnarok delivered a brilliant romp which dragged in The Hulk, a handful of memorable new characters (Korg!)  and some great set pieces to end up being one of Marvel’s best films yet.

★★★★★★★★★★

 ——

5. Marvel’s The Avengers 

All the groundwork paid off as Marvel delivered it’s first ever super hero team up.  The Hulk was back (and done right this time), Hawkeye and Black Widow joined the team and director Joss Whedon delivered the goods.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

6. Spider-Man Homecoming 

Funny, charming, with Marvels best villain and best Spiderman (yup sorry Andrew Garfield) Homecoming is a joy of a film that is by far the closest to what the comic book Peter Parker is.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

7. Avengers: Infinity War

Shocking, well paced and with one of Marvel’s greatest screen villains Avengers Infinity War ALMOST delivered on it’s considerable promise.  Almost.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

8. Iron Man

The Film that started it all… Iron Man was a rock n roll action movie with an unlikely lead, an even more unlikely director and enough balls out moments to wow.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

9. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

Loud, silly and funny as heck, Vol. 2 isn’t quite the tight film that it’s 2014 original is but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.  Add in an amazing cast (including Stallone, Hasselhoff and Russell) and you have another winner from Marvel…

★★★★★★★★★★

——

10. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is a heist movie. With Ants.  And fights on toy trains.  It’s crazy but it’s also full of charm, humour and fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

11. Black Panther 

Black Panther takes a different approach to the usual Marvel film, yet falls into a lot of the same traps of relying a bit too much on visual effects at times.  That said it’s one of Marvel’s most intimate stories and whilst not perfect is a really strong entry into the increasingly bigger MCU.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

12. Ant-Man & The Wasp

Ant-Man & The Wasp is GREAT fun.  It’s also totally forgettable and delivers what is possibly Marvel’s weakest villain to date.  Not bad by any stretch just off pace of the original.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

13. Doctor Strange

Off the big screen Doctor Strange looses a little but this visually stunning film shows that marvel are still interested in pushing the envelope as far as you can in mainstream blockbusters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

14. Captain America: The First Avenger 

Solid, fun and well done, whilst it has little rewatch appeal Captain America again took a different approach and gave us a couple of Marvel’s most enduring characters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

15. Captain America: Civil War

It’s not bad.  It just didn’t gel with me as much as it did others. Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot to like and again it plays with the expected formula, but ultimately i’m just not that keen to go back to it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

16. Thor: The Dark World

I liked The Dark world MUCH more than others.  Okay so it’s flawed for sure but it’s crazy fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

17. Thor

Thor was a sold film, tasked with the near impossible job of making a god fit in a world of men.  It does it well but not one you’ll rewatch much.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

18. Avengers Age Of Ultron

Marvel’s first disappointment, Age Of Ultron was all show and little else.  Too big, too dumb and too long.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

19. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

It has charm and the casting works well but ultimately The Incredible Hulk (whilst FAR better than the Ang Lee version) just doesn’t have enough to recommend it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

Worst : Iron Man 2

The idea was fine but sadly most of the film misses.  Even Mickey Rourke (yes one of the oddest Marvel villains ever) can’t save this.

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Aquaman (2018) – A Quick Capsule Review

Aquaman (2018) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Aquaman is not going to convert naysayers of the DC extended universe movies into putting aside past failures and embracing a new world.  It’s a hot mess of a film that is far too heavy on FX and far too light on comprehensible story.  But when it hits (which it does about 30% of the time) it’s a bombastic, crazy, inventive and frankly insane mix of Thor, Star Wars, The Karate Kid (yes really) and The Matrix.  Momoa does a good enough job but is sidelined for a lot of the film and the support cast range from bored (Kidman) to confused (Heard) to ;God have I really landed a role in this film; (Dolph!).  With very few mentions of the extended Universe this feels like a stand alone film and is probably the better for it but much like Cyborg you end up with the feeling that less is very much more with Aquaman and he shines far better in a support role alongside more established heroes.  See in the cinema but check brain at the door.

Best Bit: Dolph!

Cinema, Stream, Avoid: Cinema

If You Liked this Try: Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man Of Steel, Thor: Ragnarok 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Grosse Point Geek: The Marvel MCU Best To Worst (to Ant-Man & The Wasp)

Grosse Point Geek: The Marvel MCU Best To Worst (to Ant-Man & The Wasp)

by Will Strong A Blog Grosse Point Geek The Blogs

Phil’s Quick Review’s own master blogger Grosse Point Geek takes a look at the ENTIRE Marvel MCU to rate films os far from BEST to The Incredible Hulk… get ready for a few surprises (Yes he really does rate Iron Man 3 that low!!)

Updated as and when a new film arrives…

  1. Avengers Assemble
  2.  Thor Ragnarok
  3. Guardians of The Galaxy
  4. Avengers infinity War
  5. Captain America: Winter Soldier
  6. Thor
  7. Spider-Man homecoming
  8. Iron Man
  9. Captain America: Civil War
  10. Ant man
  11. Thor The Dark World
  12. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
  13. Antman and The Wasp
  14. Captain America
  15. Dr Strange
  16. Iron Man 3
  17. Black Panther
  18. Avengers Age Of Ultron
  19. Iron Man 2
  20. The Incredible Hulk

 

Click HERE for related content 

Phil’s Best To Worst: Marvel Cinematic Universe (inc. Ant-Man And The Wasp )

Phil’s Best To Worst: Marvel Cinematic Universe (inc. Ant-Man And The Wasp )

by Phil's Quick Review Best... Other Cr*p

Our ongoing look at the Best To Worst of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films!  Updated as and when a new Marvel (Studios) film is released…  Note scores reflect my original IMDB ratings.

[divider]

Best: Captain America Winter Solider

A cold war thriller with Robert Redford and a mini Avengers team up.  Add in the always awesome Frank Grillo and a genuinely interesting script and you have Marvel’s strongest cinematic outing.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy

Massively far out of Marvel’s usual comfort zone, Guardian’s introduced spaceships, talking racoons and a giant tree person. Cracking script, expert action and a heap of fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

3. Iron Man 3

The Iron Man film that broke a lot of Marvel fans, Shane Black took the playbook and ripped it up.  Twists, turns and a cute central relationships made this a different take on the norm and was all the better for it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Well this was a bundle of fun.  The previous Thor films have been okay but Ragnarok delivered a brilliant romp which dragged in The Hulk, a handful of memorable new characters (Korg!)  and some great set pieces to end up being one of Marvel’s best films yet.

★★★★★★★★★★

 ——

5. Marvel’s The Avengers 

All the groundwork paid off as Marvel delivered it’s first ever super hero team up.  The Hulk was back (and done right this time), Hawkeye and Black Widow joined the team and director Joss Whedon delivered the goods.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

6. Spider-Man Homecoming 

Funny, charming, with Marvels best villain and best Spiderman (yup sorry Andrew Garfield) Homecoming is a joy of a film that is by far the closest to what the comic book Peter Parker is.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

6. Avengers: Infinity War

Shocking, well paced and with one of Marvel’s greatest screen villains Avengers Infinity War ALMOST delivered on it’s considerable promise.  Almost.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

8. Iron Man

The Film that started it all… Iron Man was a rock n roll action movie with an unlikely lead, an even more unlikely director and enough balls out moments to wow.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

9. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

Loud, silly and funny as heck, Vol. 2 isn’t quite the tight film that it’s 2014 original is but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.  Add in an amazing cast (including Stallone, Hasselhoff and Russell) and you have another winner from Marvel…

★★★★★★★★★★

——

10. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is a heist movie. With Ants.  And fights on toy trains.  It’s crazy but it’s also full of charm, humour and fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

11. Black Panther 

Black Panther takes a different approach to the usual Marvel film, yet falls into a lot of the same traps of relying a bit too much on visual effects at times.  That said it’s one of Marvel’s most intimate stories and whilst not perfect is a really strong entry into the increasingly bigger MCU.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

12. Ant-Man & The Wasp

Ant-Man & The Wasp is GREAT fun.  It’s also totally forgettable and delivers what is possibly Marvel’s weakest villain to date.  Not bad by any stretch just off pace of the original.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

13. Doctor Strange

Off the big screen Doctor Strange looses a little but this visually stunning film shows that marvel are still interested in pushing the envelope as far as you can in mainstream blockbusters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

14. Captain America: The First Avenger 

Solid, fun and well done, whilst it has little rewatch appeal Captain America again took a different approach and gave us a couple of Marvel’s most enduring characters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

15. Captain America: Civil War

It’s not bad.  It just didn’t gel with me as much as it did others. Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot to like and again it plays with the expected formula, but ultimately i’m just not that keen to go back to it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

16. Thor: The Dark World

I liked The Dark world MUCH more than others.  Okay so it’s flawed for sure but it’s crazy fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

17. Thor

Thor was a sold film, tasked with the near impossible job of making a god fit in a world of men.  It does it well but not one you’ll rewatch much.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

18. Avengers Age Of Ultron

Marvel’s first disappointment, Age Of Ultron was all show and little else.  Too big, too dumb and too long.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

19. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

It has charm and the casting works well but ultimately The Incredible Hulk (whilst FAR better than the Ang Lee version) just doesn’t have enough to recommend it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

Worst : Iron Man 2

The idea was fine but sadly most of the film misses.  Even Mickey Rourke (yes one of the oddest Marvel villains ever) can’t save this.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

Click here for related content

Phil’s Best To Worst: Marvel Films! (Updated – with Avengers Infinity War )

Phil’s Best To Worst: Marvel Films! (Updated – with Avengers Infinity War )

by Phil's Quick Review Best... Other Cr*p

In our latest regular feature, coming out the first Friday of each month, Phil (of Phil’s Quick Capsule Review) breaks down a film related subject in order of his own personal enjoyment from Best To Worst.  This time out: Marvel Cinematic Universe films!

Note scores reflect my original IMDB ratings.

[divider]

Best: Captain America Winter Solider

A cold war thriller with Robert Redford and a mini Avengers team up.  Add in the always awesome Frank Grillo and a genuinely interesting script and you have Marvel’s strongest cinematic outing.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy

Massively far out of Marvel’s usual comfort zone, Guardian’s introduced spaceships, talking racoons and a giant tree person. Cracking script, expert action and a heap of fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

3. Iron Man 3

The Iron Man film that broke a lot of Marvel fans, Shane Black took the playbook and ripped it up.  Twists, turns and a cute central relationships made this a different take on the norm and was all the better for it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Well this was a bundle of fun.  The previous Thor films have been okay but Ragnarok delivered a brilliant romp which dragged in The Hulk, a handful of memorable new characters (Korg!)  and some great set pieces to end up being one of Marvel’s best films yet.

★★★★★★★★★★

 ——

5. Marvel’s The Avengers 

All the groundwork paid off as Marvel delivered it’s first ever super hero team up.  The Hulk was back (and done right this time), Hawkeye and Black Widow joined the team and director Joss Whedon delivered the goods.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

6. Spider-Man Homecoming 

Funny, charming, with Marvels best villain and best Spiderman (yup sorry Andrew Garfield) Homecoming is a joy of a film that is by far the closest to what the comic book Peter Parker is.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

6. Avengers: Infinity War

Shocking, well paced and with one of Marvel’s greatest screen villains Avengers Infinity War ALMOST delivered on it’s considerable promise.  Almost.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

8. Iron Man

The Film that started it all… Iron Man was a rock n roll action movie with an unlikely lead, an even more unlikely director and enough balls out moments to wow.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

9. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

Loud, silly and funny as heck, Vol. 2 isn’t quite the tight film that it’s 2014 original is but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.  Add in an amazing cast (including Stallone, Hasselhoff and Russell) and you have another winner from Marvel…

★★★★★★★★★★

——

10. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is a heist movie. With Ants.  And fights on toy trains.  It’s crazy but it’s also full of charm, humour and fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

11. Black Panther 

Black Panther takes a different approach to the usual Marvel film, yet falls into a lot of the same traps of relying a bit too much on visual effects at times.  That said it’s one of Marvel’s most intimate stories and whilst not perfect is a really strong entry into the increasingly bigger MCU.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

12. Doctor Strange

Off the big screen Doctor Strange looses a little but this visually stunning film shows that marvel are still interested in pushing the envelope as far as you can in mainstream blockbusters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

13. Captain America: The First Avenger 

Solid, fun and well done, whilst it has little rewatch appeal Captain America again took a different approach and gave us a couple of Marvel’s most enduring characters.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

14. Captain America: Civil War

It’s not bad.  It just didn’t gel with me as much as it did others. Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot to like and again it plays with the expected formula, but ultimately i’m just not that keen to go back to it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

15. Thor: The Dark World

I liked The Dark world MUCH more than others.  Okay so it’s flawed for sure but it’s crazy fun.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

16. Thor

Thor was a sold film, tasked with the near impossible job of making a god fit in a world of men.  It does it well but not one you’ll rewatch much.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

17. Avengers Age Of Ultron

Marvel’s first disappointment, Age Of Ultron was all show and little else.  Too big, too dumb and too long.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

18. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

It has charm and the casting works well but ultimately The Incredible Hulk (whilst FAR better than the Ang Lee version) just doesn’t have enough to recommend it.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

 

Worst : Iron Man 2

The idea was fine but sadly most of the film misses.  Even Mickey Rourke (yes one of the oddest Marvel villains ever) can’t save this.

★★★★★★★★★★

——

Phil’s Top 5… Comic Book Movie Villains

Phil’s Top 5… Comic Book Movie Villains

by Phil Hobden Other Cr*p Top 5

Each week Phil, from Phil’s Quick Capsule Review, takes a look at a different movie or TV related Top Five.  This time out: Comic Book Movie Villains

 

Close but no cigar: The Joker (Batman), Loki (Thor),Magneto (X-Men), The Joker (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm), The Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Lex Luthor (Superman)

 

5 – General Zod (Superman 2)
Zod had menace, power and proved to be more than a match for Reeves Superman.

 

4 – Erik Killmonger (Black Panther)
Tough as nails, driven and deadly Killmonger is yet another layered villain in the Marvel cinematic universe.

 

3 – Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)
Thanos is a layered villain with menace.  But combined with a believable agenda and a measured performance by Brolin, Thanos is by far one of Marvel’s best.

 

2 – Catwoman (Batman Returns)
Sexy, mysterious, deadly and seductive Michelle Pfeiffer steals the show from both DeVito’s The Penguin and Keaton’s Batman.

 

1 – The Joker (The Dark Knight)
Simply the best. Menacing, cerebral, unpredictable – Heath Ledger’s Joker is without a doubt teh best Superhero Comic Book Movie Villain ever.

 

 

Avengers Week: Thor The Dark World : A (Not So) Quick Capsule Review

Avengers Week: Thor The Dark World : A (Not So) Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

With Avengers: Infinity War opening this week, Phil’s Quick Capsule Review will be rerunning the reviews of some of our favourite Marvel Films!

The Review: For me the original Thor film was my second , least favourite Marvel adaptation after Captain America (sorry Capt.).  It wasn’t bad but it always felt like it was missing something special.  Now, two years later and bolstered by an appearance alongside his Avengers buddies, the Blonde, buff god returns in what is a far more well rounded and successful movie.

The Story: Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Firstly let’s get this out the way.  Thor 2 is actually really good.  Excellent in fact.  Of all the Avengers films, it’s probably the most ‘together ‘ .  It has a simple story, which moves at pace, with action and drama but keeping it tight enough to come in at under 2 hours.  It even manages to get around (at least MOSTLY get around) the standard CGI monster fighting CGI good guy trope that has hobbled the end of every Avengers film since Iron Man.

A large reason why the film works so well is the sublime decision to once again sit an unlikely candidate in the director’s chair.   Be it Jon Favreau for Iron Man or James Gunn for the upcoming Guardians Of The Galaxy, Marvel have a knack of picking the right man for the job.  This time out respected TV and Game Of Thrones director Alan Taylor brings a more even vision to the film, much more suited to the material than Kenneth Branagh, and obviously revels in having a larger that his usual budget to play with.   The action is clean and well shot, and best of all you can see every punch, every explosion and every insane flying spaceship moment.

Oh and talking of flying Spaceship moments… director Taylor is obviously a fan of 80’s cheese fest Flash Gordon, being that he borrows a considerable part of the films finale for the attack on Asgard.  Not that I’m complaining as the mix of sci-fi, Norse legend, super hero and action make for a pleasant change form the usual Earth bound Marvel world.

Hemsworth once again proves he is a man of considerable talent, delivering action alongside comedy and the occasional pathos.  Naturally Natalie Portman has little to do (as is the female role generally in a Marvel film) but she remains a welcome addition, as does the returning Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston (once again a stand out as Loki) and Anthony Hopkins (as his most gravelly).  Rene Russo even gets to kick arse, which is nice.  As for former Dr Who and professional grump Christopher Eccleston he does good with his limited bad guy role, but in reality with the added make up and FX it could have been anyone as Dark Elf leader Malekif.

In truth the film has little against it, other than maybe an element of familiarity, and ends up being one of the best blockbusters of the year.  Maybe not as good overall as Iron Man 3, but certainly more fun. For the most part.

So overall a good script, great characters and some snappy dialogue alongside standout action sequences and a fast pace mean that deservedly Thor The Dark World will be another hit for Marvel.  Truly a studio that cant seem to get it wrong.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★

 

 

Avengers: Infinity War – Review Round Up

Avengers: Infinity War – Review Round Up

by Phil Hobden All Things Film Blog The Blogs

Want to know what the critics think of the latest hot releases but don’t want to have to search for them?  Well look no further as we round up the reviews from 5 of the most influential sources for the latest BIG RELEASE movie.

This time out: Avengers: Infinity War


Overall Critics Say:

 

 

 


“Making good on Nick Fury’s promise from 10 years ago, Infinity War is fun, thrilling, and emotional.”- 9.0

 

” The Avengers latest stand feels well worth the wait. It’s not perfect, but it goes to a place most tentpole movies wouldn’t dream of, while retaining the scale, excitement, and humour you’ve come to demand from an MCU movie.” – 5/5

 

 

” Marvel has solved their third-act problem and villain problem and then some. However prepared you feel, you are not ready for Thanos. But then, neither are our heroes.” – 5/5

 

“A knowingly overstuffed Marvel mashup turns out to be bedazzling fun, despite the fact that this many superheroes means they’re all less special”


“Like an event comic, Avengers: Infinity War is epic and operatic, with scope and ambition. It’ll leave you simultaneously breathless and emotionally devastated – and when you’ve pulled yourself together, you’ll want to do it all over again. ” -5/5

 

 

Full credit to original sources.  Links to websites provided. 

Avengers Week: Thor Ragnarok – A Quick Capsule Review

Avengers Week: Thor Ragnarok – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

With Avengers: Infinity War opening this week, Phil’s Quick Capsule Review will be rerunning the reviews of some of our favourite Marvel Films! 

 

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Thor: Ragnarok does almost EVERYTHING right as Marvel finishes off 2017 with 3 out of 3 for it’s output this year (commercially and critically). Taika Waititi may have been an odd choice on paper to helm a multi million dollar Thor film, even after some smallish but well received independent movies but Marvel again proves it has an eye for talent as he delivers what is what of the most bat shit mental Marvel films yet.  Add in some great action, a laugh out loud script and Korg… you have what is one of the top draw Marvel films. Oh and the cast – Hiddleston, Blanchett, Urban,  Elba,  Hopkins. Goldblum and many more.  It’s such fun.  Thor: Ragnarok  demands to be seen on the big screen. 

Best Bit: Korg.  Hands down one of THE best Marvel film characters.  And THOSE cameos.

Cinema, Stream, Avoid: Cinema

If You Liked this Try: Guardians of The Galaxy, Doctor Strange, The Avengers

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★

 

Author: Phil Hobden

Black Panther – A Quick Capsule Review

Black Panther – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Black Panther is good.  It’s not quite on par with Marvel’s impressive 2017 output but it’s good fun, add’s new depth to the ever expanding Marvel universe and gives us one of Marvel’s more intimate stories.  Even if it does throw in these standard amount of things blowing up in the pot for good measure.  It has issues – the middle Korean action sequence needed better FX and the film does feel very Thor like at times but yet again Marvel deliver a film that will make a lot of money alongside receiving considerable positive fan and media notes.

Best Bit: Rhinos!

Cinema, Stream, Avoid: Cinema

If You Liked this Try: Thor: Ragnarok, Thor, Spiderman: Homecoming 

IMDB Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★

 

Author: Phil Hobden