The ‘Mendgame’

Film review: Avengers: Endgame

MANILA, Philippines — After Infinity War left half the world in tatters, and half our Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superheroes presumed expired, we all knew that the stakes placed on the concluding installment Avengers: Endgame would be sky high. Endgame would be the film where superhero survivor grief would be addressed, mending would occur, and the final answer to Thanos would be addressed. It would be the culmination of all the interconnected MCU films since Iron Man in 2008, and would spell the future of the MCU. In truth, it would be both end and beginning; and we all held our breath, waiting in anticipation.

Now that Endgame has finally arrived, it’s being asked whether the 181-minute behemoth delivers on its promise, and sets a new standard for the superhero film genre. A standard that can carry the torch that Black Panther established earlier this year, as the first superhero film included among the Oscars Best Picture nominees. If you recall, the furor started back in 2008 when The Dark Knight was snubbed as Best Picture, even if it received eight nominations, which included the Best Supporting Actor that Heath Ledger won posthumously. It’s only with last year’s Black Panther that a superhero film finally made it to the Best Picture list.

So Endgame basically picks up from where Infinity War left us. And for the first hour, we’re really talking about stages of grief, the varying reactions of the surviving superheroes and how they cope — whether with on-the-surface success, or abject futility. This is as emotional a gut punch as we can get from any film, and at times, it does look like we’ve stumbled upon a drama about despair and sublimation, rather than a comic superhero film.

With Endgame led by the acting prowess of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Chris Evans as Captain America, we are fascinated, subscribing to this film loaded with “gravitas.” For the first hour, the only shafts of humor come from Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and to a lesser degree, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd); and you’ll have to love the willingness of Hemsworth to continue to mine this comedic direction that really gave Ragnarok its special quality. He is hilarious here, and we’re thankful for the relief it provides amidst all the hand-wringing and furrowed foreheads.

After the 60-minute mark, there’s finally the semblance of an action plan for the surviving superheroes, and a wonderful plot device is set in motion; one that allows us to be treated to one cameo after another, a virtual gallery of all the major and minor characters we’ve encountered through the previous 21 MCU films. It’s nostalgia with a capital n, and you can audibly hear the exclamations of surprise and delight from the audience as this section unfolds. It’s an obvious salute to the moviegoers who count themselves among the MCU faithful and it’s great to see Marvel acknowledge this unabashedly.

At the 120-minute point, a galactic battle of epic proportions gets underway; and here, finally, is the justification for regarding this as an action film. If in the past there were films where the action bit was the letdown, here is the one that lives up to its billing. It’s been often said that Marvel films are primarily about character, plotting second, and action a close but definite third. This may still hold true for Endgame, but “coming in third” just got much stronger.

Marvel has always set its own path and direction with its films. And the really great surprise with Endgame is how it invests so much in character study and development. After all, we’ve been following some of these superheroes for a decade now, so it’s the narrative and the reactions that can catch us unaware, or bring forth a new facet of  personalities. This is as emo a superhero film as we’ll ever get, so while it may snag a Best Picture nomination in the 2020 Oscars, don’t be surprised if both Downey and Evans will also be part of the conversation when it comes to Best Actor.

Endgame is a MCU fan fantasy come true. And you’ll be left open-mouthed and in tears as mantles are passed, new storylines and partnerships established, and we’re treated to glimpses of where the MCU is headed for in the years to come.

source: philstar.com

Stan Lee, Marvel legend and father of superheroes, dies at 95

LOS ANGELES, United States  — Marvel legend Stan Lee, who revolutionized pop culture as the co-creator of iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and The Hulk who now dominate the world's movie screens, has died. He was 95 years old.

Lee, the face of comic book culture in the United States, died early Monday in Los Angeles after suffering a number of illnesses in recent years.

"With a heavy heart, we share our deepest condolences with his daughter and brother," said Marvel Comics and its owner The Walt Disney Company in a statement.


"We honor and remember the creator, voice and champion of Marvel... Every time you open a Marvel comic, Stan will be there."

The New Yorker, known for his distinctive tinted glasses and impish grin, ended up in the comics business by accident, thanks to an uncle who got him a job when he was a teenager filling artists' inkwells and fetching coffee.

"I felt someday I'd write the 'Great American Novel' and I didn't want to use my real name on these silly little comics," Lee once said, explaining why he had forsaken his given name, Stanley Lieber.

Lee rose through the ranks to become a comics writer—making millions of superhero fans dream of his fantastic universes and humans with extraordinary powers—and eventually led the Marvel empire for decades as its publisher.

From Spidey to Black Panther to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, Lee collaborated with other authors and illustrators to put his lively imagination on the page.

Iron Man, Thor and Doctor Strange would follow—and today, all three heroes have multi-film franchises that rake in hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created," said Disney CEO Bob Iger. "A superhero in his own right to Marvel fans around the world, Stan had the power to inspire, to entertain, and to connect."

'The King' and 'The Man'
Lee has appeared in cameo roles in nearly every movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—including as a bus driver in "Avengers: Infinity War," a film that united many of the indelible characters he brought to life.

"I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers," Lee said.

"And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people's lives. Without it, they might go off the deep end."

Born on December 28, 1922 to Jewish immigrants who migrated to the United States from Romania, Lee got that first assistant's job at age 17 at Timely Comics and began rising through the ranks.

After a stint in the US Army during World War II Lee returned to comics, teaming up with illustrator Jack Kirby in the 1960s to invent the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man.

It was a partnership for the ages—Kirby, the artist, was "The King" and Lee, the writer, was "The Man."

Together they would pioneer new ways to tell stories, with deeply flawed heroes and serious themes—all while maintaining the wonder of traditional superhero lore. Even villains showed complicated feelings.

"When the time came to create a teenaged hero for Marvel Comics, I decided to depict him as a bumbling real-life teenager who by some miracle had acquired a super power," Lee wrote in a 1977 column, "How I Invented Spider-Man."

"If you suddenly gained the muscle power of a hundred men and could outwrestle King Kong, it doesn't mean you still wouldn't have to worry about dandruff or acne, right?

The Marvel Universe
Lee and his collaborators churned out hit after hit and he took over at Marvel in the 1960s, creating the "Marvel Universe"—all of the heroes existed in the same time and story crossovers were frequent.

It's a model now adopted by the Hollywood producers beyond the Marvel Cinematic Universe—which releases its 21st film, "Captain Marvel," in March next year.

Lee formally left Marvel in the 1990s but remained chairman emeritus. He was the brand's most recognizable face, giving lectures and speaking at comics conventions.

"My father loved all of his fans," his daughter JC told Hollywood celebrity news portal TMZ. "He was the greatest, most decent man."

In recent years, as Lee reached his 90s, he ran into legal troubles and scandal. A massage therapist sued him for sexual assault, accusing him of inappropriate touching during two sessions in 2017. Lee denied the allegations.

There were also claims that people around the Marvel legend—who was worth tens of millions of dollars—were trying to access his wealth, and that he was the victim of elder abuse at the hands of his manager and his daughter JC.

Lee's wife of nearly 70 years, Joan, died in 2017.

Hollywood quickly took to social media to pay tribute to the late superhero of comics.

"My youth wouldn't have been the same without him. So grateful to have met the guy, and told him how thankful I was for his work," tweeted Australian filmmaker James Wan.

Edgar Wright, the British director of "Shaun of the Dead" and "Baby Driver" used Lee's catchphrase in his eulogy: "Thanks for inspiring so many of us to pick up a pen or pencil and put your dreams onto paper."

"Excelsior!"

source: philstar.com