I was a little worried going into Doctor Strange. The MCU has had a pretty wild run on origin films and the most recent before this (Ant-Man) left a bad taste in the mouth. I enjoyed it though. While it does fall into the same basic trappings of Ant-Man (thin plot and under-developed villain) the world of Doctor Strange just felt a lot more interesting and visually inventive. I’m also a huge Cumberbatch fan (just not of the accent) so was excited when his casting was announced. When do we get a scene of him and Martin Freeman sharing an awkward moment in an Avengers film? See you on the other side!

Doctor Strange fell into the same trappings as Ant-Man although I’m inclined to be a little more generous as Doctor Strange seemed to know what it was whereas Ant-Man just lazily jerked from one plot point to the next. More than an origin story for the titular hero, this film was setting up the mystical universe portion of the MCU. It can’t just be “magic” but drawing on powers from the multiverse for use in our own. I’m not sure how closely this hews to the comics, but I would not be surprised if the films were trying to ground it slightly more in reality.

In that vein, Doctor Strange isn’t so much a character as the tool to tell the story. He’s a barely sketched character who is given an archetype in lieu of a backstory. We all know the arrogant, brash surgeon from a slew of medical dramas. The film relies on the audience to fill in his character rather than spend any time developing him. His fateful car crash is less than 15 minutes into the film. Cumberbatch does his best, but saddled with a horrible accent, he can’t really convey more than the script gives him and that’s barely anything.

There was strong potential here. A man of science forced to expand the horizons of his mind in desperate search for a cure when science fails him. That’s a powerful story and if we weren’t rushing to Infinity War, perhaps they could have spent more time on that. But the plot is thin for a reason. The purpose was not to give us a Doctor Strange origin story per se but to give us the penultimate Infinity Stone and introduce this new world for us to explore.

The visuals are fantastic. Also, like Ant-Man, this film feels most alive when it’s imagining Inception-like, reality-bending environments for our characters to flail about it. The physical action however is some of the most basic and lackluster in the entire MCU. Sure an astral projection fight looks cool but why are the initiates trained in combat if they just randomly punch one another?

The cast is very hit and miss. The jewel of course is Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One. The running joke in Hollywood being that she is so otherworldly makes her casting here almost pitch perfect (aside from the claims of whitewashing). She provides an ethereal quality to a role that really boils down to just being a mentor giving sage advice and passing the torch. Even her greatest sin is glossed over in just a few minutes. Mads Mikkelsen brings a touch of humor to a role that was never intended to be anything more than the plot required. Benedict Wong provides the most amusement with his stoic, ambivalent demeanor and hopefully any future films will delve more into the relationship between him and Strange. At least they share some chemistry.

Which is more than you can say for Rachel McAdams who is practically wasted in her role as the love interest all these films need to have. I will say I liked how the film tried to grow their bond before just having them fall in love. I blame the lack of her seeing Cumberbatch’s abs as the reason all he gets is a peck on the cheek. Inherent in the schizophrenic nature of the script, these are either two characters who were previously in love or just fuck buddies. Strange says it’s practically the latter however he has an expensive, engraved watch that says “All my love” that he clearly cherishes.

The reveal of the infinity stone is not overly surprising but it was not as shoe-horned into the plot as in previous films. This stone works a lot more interesting that just as a power source for weapons, destroying the universe, etc. I really liked the time reverse final battle and that this film tried hard to avoid the typical ending where the hero faces off against an army and engaged in a battle of wills with the ultimate big bad. It all seems a little too simplistic but I’m willing to give credit for trying to break new ground as most of these origin story films cover the same exact ground.

I will say that I am not a fan of post-credit scenes that are just bits from the next film. It’s obvious and seems to be done merely to check a box rather than give the audience one last treat. Also bad: throwing away an entire film’s worth of potential character development just to establish the villain for the sequel. Mordo’s change to villain had shades of Green Lantern’s Sinestro. Just as arbitrary and random. Unlike that film, I’m sure a Doctor Strange sequel will actually happen though.

I’m going to give Doctor Strange a 6/10. As I said, I’m willing to be more generous as the film falls into the same traps but seems to do so knowingly which allows them to be incorporated into the film better. Great visuals (I actually wish I had seen this one in 3-D) are really the only highlight but the film never lags and tries to break from the mold for the standard origin story. Maybe after another rewatch this one will drop for me like Thor: The Dark World did but for now I’m still a fan. Here’s hoping the good doctor fares better in Infinity War than he did in Thor: Ragnarok!

Current Rankings:
1) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2) Iron Man
3) The Avengers
4) Captain America: Civil War
5) Guardians of the Galaxy
6) The Incredible Hulk
7) Black Panther
8) Avengers: Age of Ultron
9) Iron Man 3
10) Captain America: The First Avenger
11) Doctor Strange
12) Ant-Man
13) Thor: The Dark World
14) Thor
15) Iron Man 2

Man, this rewatch has NOT been good for my appreciation of the MCU. Many more movies have dropped in my estimation than have risen.

So, Doctor Strange.

The pros:

+ The visual effects. The effects house that worked on Doctor Strange deserves credit for making this film watchable. The movie is a visual feast. The psychodelic imagery, the Inception-esque city blocks folding in on themselves, the orange, sparking projections -- it's all great. Furthermore, it makes the next pro even better...

+The action. The choreography and composition of the action is nothing special, but the visualization of action in a world of magic-users comes across effectively. Gravity shifts, buildings split in half, Doctor Strange runs down a hallway that stretches out beneath his feat. It's all very amusing and clever.

+ Tilda Swinton. Most of the performances in Doctor Strange are just fine, but Swinton's is in a different league. It's a subtle, nuanced portrayal of an ancient being who is simultaneously generous, kind, violent, and dangerous. "She was complicated," says Strange, and we believe it.

+ The ending. No blue sky laser. No downtown rumble between super-powered monsters. Rather, a clever bout where Doctor Strange's intelligence wins the day. Love it.

The cons:

- The story. This is bland, cliched storytelling. It's an origin story that's part Iron Man, part Batman Begins, without the former's wit or the latter's subtext.

- The character development. There isn't much. The star of the movie, Doctor Strange is, for the majority of the picture, uncharismatic and unsympathetic. We don't get enough time seeing him reaching a place of humility and learning lessons, which leads to the next con...

-The pacing. Rarely do I say this about any movie -- much less a superhero movie -- but Doctor Strange is too short. It rushes to get Doctor Strange into the cloak and then it rushes to the end. We needed 15 more minutes with Strange in Kamar-Taj, watching him hit rock bottom and build himself back up. Without those scenes, Doctor Strange's newfound powers don't feel earned. 

- The humor. Ugh. We go from Civil War, a movie that banks on character-driven humor, to Doctor Strange, a film that has no characters so it relies on Beyonce jokes, physical hijinks, and bathos.

5/10

Updated rankings:

OUTSTANDING
1) Captain America: Civil War

GREAT
2) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3) Iron Man

GOOD
4) Guardians of the Galaxy
5) The Avengers
6) Iron Man 3

DECENT
7) Black Panther
8) Captain America
9) The Incredible Hulk
10) Avengers: Age of Ultron

MEDIOCRE
11) Doctor Strange
12) Ant-Man
13) Iron Man 2

POOR
14) Thor
15) Thor: The Dark World

Hi all - sorry, I hope it's ok to jump in late here. I own a number of these on bluray (the ones I rated at least an 8), and I watch each one at least a couple times a year. So here is my ranking:

• The Avengers - 10
• Guardians of the Galaxy - 10
• Thor: Ragnarok - 10
• Iron Man - 10
• Captain America - 10
• Captain America: Civil War - 10
• Captain America: Winter Soldier - 10
• Spider-Man - 9
• Ant Man - 9 (yes Phil Rudd fan here)
• Guardians 2 - 8
• Avengers: Ultron - 8
• Thor - 7
• Black Panther - 6
• Doctor Strange - 6
• Incredible Hulk - 6
• Iron Man 3 - 5 (still pissed about how they ruined the Mandarin)
• Thor: Dark World - 5 (dark elves or dork elves?)
• Iron Man 2 - 4

Thanks, great thread! Can't wait for Infinity War!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - 9/10

Yeah, sticking with this. the characters were just as good in the first one, and the themes of family paired with the genuine emotion means this movie was just amazing.

It admittedly felt like it was a lower stakes movie, but it's totally not!

LOVED this movie. Genuinely not sure if I like this one or the first one more

so yeah, 9/10

Well something always has to be at the bottom of any list and for the Netflix/Marvel series (not the MCU as a whole, that’s coming soon), it’s going to be Iron Fist. As I said before, I actually liked it at the beginning. I went in with super low expectations because of the mediocre reviews so that certainly helped. The plot does get more convoluted as the season wears on. Sadly, this is the plot that bogged down Daredevil in its second season and I believe is the focus of Defenders. But the pilot is still an enjoyable hour that sets up its premise.

If you take out all the larger machinations going on, Iron Fist is really about family. Danny Rand, the son of a wealthy businessman returns home after somehow surviving a plane crash that killed his parents to find the children of his father’s business partner running the Rand Corporation. He’s met with resistance from both however they differ in their approach. Joy, is somewhat wistful and curious, while Ward, is openly hostile and dismissive. The acting I think elevates rather poor writing and the characters do deepen as the series goes on.

Unfortunately I think Iron Fist also has the worst lead of a Netflix/Marvel series as well. Finn Jones is not very charismatic and that was needed to give Danny a little more depth. He comes off a lot like a petulant child and that may be intentional given how he grew up, but after 13 episodes, it becomes rather grating. It doesn’t help that the supporting cast all seem to be acting circles around him, particularly the women. Rosario Dawson returns as Claire Temple (the gem of all these series) to continue her arc. Jessica Stroup plays Joy’s torn loyalties ably and Jessica Henwick is also good as the badass, Colleen Wing.

If you were going to skip a Netflix/Marvel series, sadly, this would be it. I’ve read that Jones is better presented in The Defenders but cannot confirm (yet). If you enjoyed the plot of the second half of Daredevil’s second season, you’ll get more out of Iron Fist’s second half of the season. If not, and you’re being a completist, just try to go in with low expectations. Sad, but true. That wraps up my coverage of the Netflix/Marvel series. I have one more MCU series I can comment on before the rewatch ends. Stay tuned!

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Big fat juicy *spoilers* below, so don't read if you haven't seen the movie yet.


Pluses:

I like this overall approach to Spider-Man.  This movie is extremely fun and funny.  They found a new take on Spider-Man (high school) that still feels true to the character.  Also Spider-Man now feels like a part of the MCU which is extremely cool.  As much as I loved the first two Sam Raimi films, the biggest thing that felt missing was that Spider-Man never interacted with another Marvel hero.  If I had a dollar for every time Spider-Man encountered another hero in a comic book, then I'd be as rich as Stan Lee.  Well now Spidey is doing it with Iron Man his mentor, and Cap on a video and references to Avengers and Civil War and so on.  It's great!

Lot's of great characters.  Tom Holland does a great job as Spider-Man.  I especially love the opening sequence where we see Civil War from his perspective.  He has great chemistry with Ned and Tony Stark and Happy and so on.  Great chemistry all around.

Michael Keaton is a very badass Vulture.  In fact out of Spider-Man's huge rogues' gallery from the comics, Vulture is normally the lamest one.  Michael Keaton totally turns this around.  He may be Marvel's best villain yet.  He's not a generic super villain either.  He's human and very believable and still very scary.  He's a perfect villain.

(Spoiler warning again)
I love the reveal that Vulture is Liz's dad.  The first time I saw this movie, I didn't see this coming at all.  At the same time it totally fits a Spider-Man story, since Spidey often finds that people close to him are really super villains.  Also, Tom Holland did a great job here, since I could feel the huge tension during this scene and the car ride scene.


Minuses:

It is hard not to compare this film to the Sam Raimi/Tobey McGuire films, which are amazing films (the first two anyway).  Tobey McGuire does such a fantastic job as Peter Parker, and those films have such an emotional weight, that it makes Spider-Man: Homecoming seem a little trivial by comparison.  This comparison is probably not fair, but it's unavoidable at the same time.


In conclusion, Spider-Man: Homecoming is an extremely entertaining film that makes Spidey finally feel 100% part of the MCU.  Tom Holland is an excellent Spider-Man and Michael Keaton is perhaps the best MCU villain yet.  At the same time it doesn't quite have the emotional weight of the Sam Raimi films.

8/10

Just watched Spider-Man Homecoming

8/10

First few times I Watched it I liked it a lot, but it was missing something. Now that I'm watching all of the movies in sequence, it fits a lot better and is a lovely palate cleanser in between the heavier and more bombastic entries of Doctor Strange, Guardians 2, Thor: Ragnarok, and Black Panther.

Spider-Man Homecoming has a lot of the well done elements that have been pretty consistent throughout the entire MCU thus far, such as the humor, heart, character depth and interaction, enjoyable heroes, a lovely sense of grandeur linked to a larger world, and the great action sequences, but Spider Man has something more:

A great Villain.

Vulture MIGHT be the best villain in the MCU to date. He's sympathetic, menacing, intelligent, reasonable, and fun to watch. HE interacts with peter and the other 'villains' throughout the movie with charm, he's respectful of Peter when he finds out who PEter is, throughout the movie he clearly doesn't want to stir shit up but just wants to make a living without raising too much of a fuss, and the man truly does care for his family.

And as far as character work goes, that scene in the car before homecoming dance where Vulture figures out and reveals that he knows that PEter is Spider Man has to be one of the best scenes in the entire MCU. It's scary in many ways, it's gut wrenching, and it really puts the final piece of the puzzle into the character, as he makes it clear that he doesn't want conflict, he wants his daughter to be happy. He knows who Spider-Man is, but doesn't do anything about it even when it would be beneficial to him (See: End credits).

yeah, there are some stuff in the film I am not entirely sold on, such as Peter's super advanced suit or how Happy Hogan keeps dismissing him even when something serious is going down, or why Iron Man didn't interfere given the context of the story and how they met, but overall I think it's still another outstanding MCU film.

I do thnk that the first two Sam Raimi films are marginally better, but there's just so much here to like! Great villain, great rendition of Peter AND spider-Man (probably the best of the three 'franchises'), great world building, etc.

8/10

Scores updated.

Hard to believe we're only two weeks away from Infinity War...

Just beat my game so I can finally get to GotG2.

I was super excited for this one in theaters, after the funny and fresh first installment.

I left pretty disappointed.

Hopefully, this rewatch will elevate the movie for me. I'm tired of scores dropping on repeat viewings...