Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) — All The Eye-Popping Spectacle You Want, No Strings Attached

But of course this is a Marvel Studios film, and ALL strings are attached, but does Avengers: Age of Ultron surpass the original? Luke Miksa reviews:

Avengers-Age-of-Ultron-bann

Avengers: Age of Ultron is a movie that genuinely needs no introduction. If you are not familiar with billionaire philanthropist Tony Stark (aka Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.), Asgardian prince Thor (Chris Hemsworth), or time-displaced World War II super-soldier Steve Rogers (aka Captain America, Chris Evans), then perhaps you have been in suspended animation the last eight years. Avengers: Age of Ultron is the sequel to the 2012 superhero team-up film The Avengers and the 11th film in the interconnected Marvel Cinematic Universe. This time, the Avengers must again team up to fight a power of their own creation, the sentient artificial intelligence known as Ultron (James Spader), a being with the intent of cleansing the world of humanity.

The boys are back (plus a girl or two, I guess).

The movie opens right in the thick of The Avengers raiding the Hydra base of Baron von Strucker to regain the sceptre seen in previous films. Director/screenwriter Joss Whedon doesn’t bother with building up the opening — we have seen this before — so jumping straight into the action from the get-go is the perfect way to establish what this movie is all about: all action, all the time. This opening scene in particular features a wonderful long tracking shot following all the characters battling the Hydra army, with many insta-iconic imagery coming from just this single scene; welcome back, everyone!

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by Luke Miksa on May 2, 2015 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged Age of Ultron, Captain America, Comic Book Movies, Film Reviews, Iron Man, Joss Whedon, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sci-Fi, The Avengers, Thor

Posted by Luke Miksa on May 2, 2015

https://sorryimlate.com/2015/05/02/review-avengers-age-of-ultron-2015-all-the-eye-popping-spectacle-you-want-no-strings-attached/

The Best Films of 2014

It’s time to list my favourite films from 2014, a year that was… actually not quite as disappointing as previous years. 2014 was a year where a larger than usual percentage of blockbusters were above average, and some were even great! Of course, it wasn’t all terrific, but I definitely enjoyed more movies than I hated this year, and that makes me one happy film-going guy!

Obvious caveat: I’m a human, and being a human means that I can’t see every movie, so this list features only movies I saw last year. If I saw Whiplash, maybe Whiplash would be on this list. Same goes for Boyhood and Under the Skin. I did see Birdman (it was great), but Birdman didn’t come out in Australia until 2015, so it saw the bin on a technicality.

You got really close: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The LEGO Movie, Jodorowsky’s Dune, The Skeleton Twins, 22 Jump Street, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Blue Ruin.

Let’s start at 10 with a controversial choice:

10. They Came Together

The funniest comedy of the year. Director David Wain‘s style is not for everybody, but this was undoubtedly the one movie that made me laugh more than any other. The joke-per-minute ratio is outstanding, but They Came Together makes the cut for being a hilariously clever spoof of the romantic comedy genre. While I was certainly a fan of how much fun 22 Jump Street had with subverting cinematic tropes (Plainview Red Herrings is my favourite gag of the year), and 22 Jump Street was close to taking this spot, but I give the nod to They Came Together simply for the audacity to be as silly as it is.

9. John Wick

May I follow up a controversial choice with another? On paper, John Wick does not deserve to be on any ‘Best Of’ lists. The logline basically reads, ‘Top hitman Keanu Reeves comes out of retirement to avenge the death of his beloved dog.’ That is a silly premise, but the film is so visually kinetic and self-aware that it was a pure, genuine joy to watch. Against the grain of similar films of previous years, the action is grounded in reality, featuring a lot of close-quarters combat (so many head-shots!), mixed martial arts, and inventive gunplay. First time director Chad Stahelski — a former stunt-man by trade — successfully transforms Keanu Reeves a legitimate badass for the first time in his career, and man, it’s a thing of beauty.

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by Luke Miksa on February 23, 2015 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews, Lists

Tagged Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Edge of Tomorrow, Gone Girl, Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick, Nightcrawler, Predestination, Snowpiercer, The Babadook, They Came Together

Posted by Luke Miksa on February 23, 2015

https://sorryimlate.com/2015/02/23/the-best-films-of-2014/

Five Favourite Birthday Episodes

To commemorate the creators birthday earlier in the week, and by the creator I mean the high overload of Sorry I’m Late, please enjoy this quick list of of the best birthday episodes in some of his favourite shows. Happy Birthday!

#1. The Simpsons – Stark Raving Dad

When you think of The Simpsons and birthday episodes, the honorary mention will always fall on this memorable episode. While admitted to a mental hospital because of another one of Bart’s shenanigans, Homer befriends Leon Kompowsky who believes he is Michael Jackson incarnate. Leon inevitably helps Bart with a birthday present for Lisa that will last through the ages.

#2. Futurama – I Second That Emotion

Leila and the gang throw a birthday party for the five year old Nibbler, but a resenting Bender flushes Nibbler down the toilet. A distraught Leila and an emotionally crippled Bender swap emotions in order to enlighten Bender on the horrible thing he has done. Caving under the pressure of emotions, Bender goes after Nibbler where we are first introduced to the underground sewer mutants. Enter El Chupanibre.

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by Elisa Iannunzio on November 30, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Guest Blog: The Urban Sombrero, Lists, TV Talk

Tagged Community, Futurama, Seinfeld, South Park, The Simpsons

Posted by Elisa Iannunzio on November 30, 2014

https://sorryimlate.com/2014/11/30/five-favourite-birthday-episodes/

6 Classic TV Characters Who Should Have Stayed Dead

As you may or may not have heard, there’s a rumour doing the rounds on the mill that the presumed dead father of the incest twins and grand papi to the King, Tywin Lannister, may make an epic comeback in season five of Game of Thrones. Whether or not Tywin’s role in the upcoming season will be a resurrection or only in a flashback capacity has yet to be confirmed. In light of this new information, I thought it was fitting to revisit some of those classic TV characters who just should have stayed dead. In case you haven’t already guessed the following has MAJOR SPOILERS from a whole lot of TV shows, so proceed with caution:

6. Lex Luther – Smallville

The dramatic death of Lex Luthor at the end of season seven in Smallville should have been the last hoorah for Lex and Clark. Instead, the series that believe it or not went so far down hill it fell on it rested gently at the bottom after the death of iconic villain Lex Luther and decided, ‘Hey, let’s give him another shot.’ Then after almost three seasons they slowly re-integrated Lex back in to the last season, desperately manipulating a story that would seem only slightly legitimate in explaining Lex’s comeback. This resulted in arguably the worst season of Smallville. Firstly, he should have quit while they were ahead, and secondly, if they didn’t devote the whole season to some convoluted Lex resurrection, it could have actually been a great end to an awesome series.

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by Elisa Iannunzio on September 29, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Guest Blog: The Urban Sombrero, Lists, TV Talk

Tagged Agents of SHIELD, Avengers, Buffy, Phil Coulson, Prison Break, Smallville, Supernatural, TV Dead, Veronica Mars

Posted by Elisa Iannunzio on September 29, 2014

https://sorryimlate.com/2014/09/29/6-classic-tv-characters-who-should-have-stayed-dead/

TV Review: Fargo Season 1 (2014) — The Small-Screen Adaptation of the Coens Classic is a Worthy Successor

“This is a true story. The events depicted took place in Minnesota in 2006. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred.”

That looks familiar doesn’t it? The fictional disclaimer which opened the 1996 Coens Brothers classic film Fargo also appears in the TV series that bears the same name, not following the same characters from the quirky crime classic, but instead a similar tone in the recognisable, snow-covered landscape of the mid-American USA/Canada border.

Key and Peele! Inspired casting!

In theory, a TV spin-off of the seminal Fargo is a terrible idea with impossible standards to live up to. What kind of arrogance makes a person believe they can adapt the perfect blend of whimsical characters and chilling violence? A film that exposed the vile underbelly of seemingly normal people in small towns? But showrunner and writer Noah Hawley did the impossible; not only did he create a show that is loyal in spirit and tone, but he created a stand-out TV show in what is currently a golden era of magnificent TV drama.

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by Luke Miksa on September 24, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in TV Talk

Tagged Billy Bob Thornton, Coen Brothers, Fargo, FX, Martin Freeman, TV

Posted by Luke Miksa on September 24, 2014

https://sorryimlate.com/2014/09/24/tv-review-fargo-season-1-2014-the-small-screen-adaptation-of-the-coens-classic-is-a-worthy-successor/

‘Nobody Likes a Blonde in a Hamster Ball’ – My Veronica Mars Odyssey: Season Two

Come to find out if Veronica Mars season two was as good as the first? The short answer, no. If you want to find out why read on.

Since my viewing of season one of Veronica Mars, it’s safe to say I got hooked! I ran out to get season two and began watching straight away. But alas, episode after episode my excitement slowly dwindled. Don’t get me wrong, this season had the same charm and wit that made the first season so memorable, just with a few changes. Instead of watching semi-sophisticated writing and plots come to life, what it turned in to was less on the side of sophistication and more on the side of trashy teen drama.

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