Avengers: Infinity War

"I hope they remember you"

     Here we are everyone: after 18 films over the course of 10 years, we've finally come to the climax of what is arguably the biggest cinematic event ever. I was never one for these types of movies, which are diluting the industry with computer graphics and mindless popcorn entertainment. But goddamn what fun they are to watch, and with characters that are so well developed it's more or less an obligation to keep up with them to see where they're going and where they'll end up. Avengers: Infinity War continues this tradition of well orchestrated action sequences, fun, naturally driven characters, and most important of all, introduces some serious world changing consequences to the MCU after the movies elaborate, but smooth 2 and half hour run time.

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     I'll do my best to keep this spoiler-free, as I am slightly behind in the MCU lore. I have yet to see Thor: Ragnarok, where Infinity War picks up at its end. However I didn't feel as if I missed out on anything, since it all feels like its own present story here. If you're hesitant on seeing this because you feel you're behind on the MCU, I wouldn't worry about it. And this is my favorite part about Infinity War: there is no rehashing on who's who, who's been up to what, and what anyone's motivations are. The movie kicks off right out of the gate. These are characters we've come to know for some time, so to review on who everyone is at this point would be extremely redundant and tiring since there are so many characters. Thankfully none of that is to be found. Instead we get what we were promised: the culmination and combined efforts of Earths (and the Galaxies) Mightiest Heroes, all in an effort to stop the Mad Titan known as Thanos.

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     If you haven't been keeping up with the MCU (or have had no interest in it until now) I'll give a brief overview: Thanos and his army were introduced in the first Avengers, invading New York City in an effort to suss what he was up against in his quest for power. Throughout the MCU we've been given glimpses of what are known as Infinity Stones, particular cosmic gems that control certain aspects of the universe: time and space, power, reality, and so on. With Infinity War, Thanos has had enough with sitting around and waiting. As the saying goes, the only way to get anything done right is to do it yourself, and so embarks on a personal quest to gather all 6 stones to achieve universe crippling power.

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     This is the first real amount of screen time Thanos (Josh Brolin) has gotten other than quick brief shots to reinforce his presence, the boogeyman hiding in the shadows. And the mo-cap tech, combined with Josh Brolins performance, allows for a truly believable, almost tragic character. He is someone who oozes self confidence and reassurance to the point of insanity, but not without realizing the levity of what he seeks, and carries with him a power that has yet to be truly witnessed by our heroes. Along with him he brings his henchmen The Children of Thanos, who predictably serve their purposes as henchmen, never being fully fleshed out, but a specific mention to Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), who could be the creepier twin brother of Voldemort.

     Speaking of heroes, boy oh boy are there a lot of them: Tony Stark (Robert Downy jr.), Nomad (aka Captain America aka Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth ), Black Widow (Scarlet Johanson),

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Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesal), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Bucky (Sebastian Stan), Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and Shuri (Letitia Wright). Despite some obvious absences (Ant-Man? Hawkeye?) everyones front and center here, major or minor, spanning across the entire MCU.

     The movie handles the pressure well of juggling everyone by splitting the movie into two separate fronts: on Team Earth, we have Nomad, Bucky, Black Widow, Hulk, War Machine, Falcon, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Black Panther along with his people of Wakanda in their preparations for Thanos arrival. On Team Space we have Iron-Man, Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Star-Lord, Drax and Mantis, who devise a plan to take on Thanos head on. Rocket, Thor and Groot set off on their own adventure to help Thor forge a new weapon, but are just as much part of the conflict as everyone else.

     What makes this great is that we have characters being paired with others whom they've never met. And with each one being so well developed, their interactions feel genuine. This leads to a lot of the humorous moments that are gingerly sprinkled throughout (something else the MCU is known for) which feel so authentic to each personality that its almost like their real people. There isn't a line wasted or too much or too little screen time wasted on any particular group. Everyone gets in on the spotlight.

     On the action side of things, as I stated above, this movie goes right into it from the very beginning, the pacing reflecting the plots sense of urgency. Each sequence smoothly leads to the other without feeling like they were crafted for that purpose. Whether its Iron-Man and Dr. Strange taking on Thanos' goons, or the climatic Battle of Wakanda, the stakes have never been higher, and each sequence reinforces the dire situation that our heroes find themselves in. Thankfully the trailers as much as they showed didn't give too much away, and there's a twist during the Battle of Wakanda that I'm glad they didn't disclose.

Source: CNET

     Overall this was everything I was expecting it to be, the schlobber-knocker of everything we've been shown so far, and there's still more to come. We get our usual post-credit scene to wet our whistles in anticipation for Avengers 4, and I believe we still have one more Marvel film this year with Ant-Man and the Wasp. And with Captain Marvel due next year before Avengers 4, as usual we still have more world building before the ultimate climax.

9 infinity stones out of 10

But that's just my opinion. What do you think? Comment below and be part of the conversation!

Isle of Dogs

"I've got to find my dog"

     I've been a long time fan of stop-motion animation. Since the first episode of Adult Swims Robot Chicken, the concept of bringing toys and figurines to life has always blown my mind. With the right story, the medium can tell truly captivating and emotionally profound stories, some which that resonate far better than films utilizing the emergence of 3D technology, motion capture and enhanced computer graphics. That being said, with the development of the industry I feel as though stop-motion animation is seldom seen in these modern times, a dying art form. It has been slowly creeping back into the spotlight however. In 2015 we had Anomalisa, a beautiful story about love and identity. 2016 brought us Kubo and the Two Strings, a mesmerizing tale of Kubo the young street performer going on a quest of self-discovery. This year brings us Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson's newest stop-motion piece, a whimsical tale of loyalty, friendship, and a heckload of good dogs.

     Wes Anderson's work has grown on me with each film of his that I've seen. In 2009 he released Fantastic Mr. Fox, his first stop-motion adventure, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's story of a scheming fox taking on three nasty farmhands. I was young at the time, and only appreciated the animation production aspect, not picking up on the directing or writing subtleties. Then there's 2012's Moonrise Kingdom, a coming of age love story of two runaway kids finding themselves through each other in the woods, and the first movie of his I truly appreciated. And with 2014's emmy nominated Grand Budapest Motel, a quirky mystery tale during World War 1, I finally started to understand his craft. Throughout these movies his style is easily recognizable and easy to digest, heavily detailed set pieces and symmetrical cinematography, all supported by strong casts and witty dialogue. He has a knack for telling charming, eccentric, even refreshing tales, and Isle of Dogs is no different.

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     It begins with a prologue, recounting the history and legend of the dog race and its conflict with the cat loving Kobayashi clan, briefly foreshadowing the main conflict of the rest of the film. Fast forward 20 years into the future, and Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) declares the Japanese archipelago of Megasaki overrun with an epidemic of dog flu due to a canine overpopulation. With the decree that all dogs be sent to garbage island, a self-explanatory isle off the coast, Mayor Kobayashi banishes his young wards security dog Spots (Liev Schreiber) as the first dog banished to garbage island. Fast forward another six months (yea, I know, we’ll get to that) and we arrive at the plot of the film.

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   We’re introduced to the indestructible alpha dog pack: Rex (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban), Duke (Jeff Goldblum), Boss (Bill Murray) and Chief (Bryan Cranston). While scavenging for food they witness a bi-plane crash land on the island, and discover the pilot, Mayor Kobayashi’s young ward Atari (Koyu Rankin) in search of his beloved dog Spots. They oblige to help him, or at least, mutually vote to help. While back in Megasaki, a pro-dog movement spearheaded by a spunky American exchange student (Lady Birds Greta Gerwig) begins to unravel a rather totalitarian type of conspiracy led by the cat loving administration.

          Like the films of his I’ve seen, it’s packed with a whole lot, and all at one time: huge elaborate set pieces, nonlinear storytelling (similar with Grand Budapest Motel, which is slightly Meta in its plot setup) and highly expressive dialogue a la Quentin Tarantino, minus the slow burn. Yet his movies are crafted in such a way where none of it feels overwhelming, and before you know it you’re sucked into the world by the rhythm of what’s being thrown at you, making it all the more believable. A voice over narration provides a lot of context during the quick expositional segments, while not bogging down on the forward momentum. Flashbacks are included as well (again, nonlinear), but are included neatly into the overall package.

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          The dogs of course are the stars of the film, and that’s reflected cheekily (one of the dog flu symptoms being an adorable sneeze; and a cute disclaimer at the beginning states that while none of the human language is supported unless through in-movie aid via translators and tech, all dog barks have been “translated into English"). And while every dog doesn’t get as much screen time as the main pack, they’re all written as truly developed living things. They all had lives before being exiled, even careers and aspirations. Rex is the sarcastic voice of reason in the bunch. Duke is the group gossip (“You heard the rumor?”) while Chief is the "lone wolf" of the pack, being a stray and all. It's Chief and Atari who end up bonding more than the others, being that, similar to Andersons work in Moonrise Kingdom, both are lost creatures, looking for something more, and are tested about the meaning of loyalty versus friendship. To say anymore would ruin the surprises of the rather mature story and subject matter.

          Oh, and the production value. Of course, this movie is simply beautiful. Stretches of scenery, each varying in color palette and construction, showcase the many different landmarks of the island. Megasaki, in its synergistic construction through its many corresponding scenes, is an intricate capital, with colorful bars, lavish theatres, and busy command centers and schools. His approach with symmetry, where every frame is filled with activity, is playfully portrayed in a couple scenes I won’t dive into detail about. The soundtrack too gives everything a nice oomph, with a traditional sounding Japanese score to more contemporary style songs highlighting the packs journey.

          If you genuinely love animation, see this movie. If you love dogs, see this movie. If you’re looking for something new to see, go see this movie. It’s going to have something that you’ll love about it, and hopefully will inspire you to explore Andersons work in the way that seeing Moonrise Kingdom inspired me.

10 good dogs out of 10

But that’s just my opinion. What do you think? Comment below and be part of the conversation!