Tag: Robert Downey Jr.

Natural Born Killers (1994) VHS Movie Review

by AnalogJonesTOF

Analog Jones continues with their TarantinOctber with Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers (1994) VHS Movie Review.




Quick Facts
Directed by Oliver Stone
Produced by Jane Hamsher, Don Murphy, and Clayton Townsend
Screenplay by Richard Rutowski, Oliver Stone, and David Veloz
Story by Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr, Tommy Lee Jones, and Tom Sizemore
Production Company: Regency Enterprises
Distributed by Warner Bros.
VHS Distributed by Vidmark (Director’s Cut)
Release Date: August 26, 1994
Budget: $34 million
Box Office: $50.3 million

Natural Born Killers (1994) VHS Movie Review | VHS Box

VHS Double Tape Description
May 1996
What you are about to see is the true version of Natural Born Killers.

When Natural Born Killers was originally released in 1994, 150 cuts were made in order to receive an R rating. Without them, the film’s impact was never fully realized. In this director’s cut, those trims have been restored, and with them, my original vision of what the film was meant to be.

Director Oliver Stone brings you a bold new look at a country seduced by fame, obsessed by crime and consumed by the media.

In the media circus of life, they were the main attraction.

Tape 1
Introduction by Oliver Stone
Director’s Cut of Natural Born Killers

Tape 2
Deleted Scenes: Ashley Judd’s shocking courtroom scene, Warden Jones’ dismembered head, Denis Leary’s never-before-seen performance, The controversial shot of reporter Downey’s hand-wound, Oliver Stone’s intense alternative ending, insightful narration by Oliver Stone and a behind-the-scenes “Making of NBK” special.

Trailers
None

Natural Born Killers (1994) VHS Movie Review

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Geekscape Movie Review: Avengers: Endgame

by MCDave

After more than a decade in the making, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) unearthed its epic finale with its 22nd feature film, Avengers: Endgame. It wasn’t always the smoothest of rides. You won’t have to look any further than Thor: The Dark World and Avengers: Age of Ultron to know that each individual installment was far from perfect. Yet, every separate chapter serves a unique purpose, highlighting the notion that the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. And with Endgame, specifically, the concluding film reinforces the phenomenal fact that, like a clutch athlete who performs best when the game is on the line, the MCU continues to shine brightest on the biggest stages.

Following Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) cataclysmic finger snap that annihilated half of all living creatures in the galaxy, the remaining Avengers are forced to deal with their failures. Yet, when Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) luckily returns from the quantum realm only to discover what had happened, he finds his superhero allies and they discover a time-traveling plan that could potentially reverse all of the destruction caused by Thanos. Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and the rest of the Avengers embark on a mission to undo the past without compromising the future.

For all its glory, Endgame stands as a monumental chapter in the MCU that opens certain doors and closes others. The film’s bulky three-hour running time proves effortless as the humor is as strong as it’s ever been and the story makes for a thrilling and engaging experience. And while I definitely applaud Endgame’s script for how it thrusts Thanos back into the heart of the story as well as other key characters that you might not expect, the film’s time travel elements are also some of its weakest. Any time you revolve a story around such a fragile and flimsy scientific idea, it becomes easy to poke holes in the many faults that surround it. However, these issues are rather minor and simple to ignore thanks to an otherwise brilliant showcase from the directing duo of Joe and Anthony Russo. Each central character that helped build the MCU becomes handled with immense care and respect, all while the story takes the audience through a trip down memory lane that’s both enjoyable to witness again and necessary to fulfill the film’s emotional climax. I was also pleased that Captain Marvel’s inevitable inclusion was not as some unstoppable saving grace to the Avengers, and rather a complementary figure to the heroes that we’ve spent a decade relying on. And although Endgame will understandably be viewed as a finale of sorts, it’s actually a bridge from the humble beginnings of the MCU to the limitless behemoth that it has evolved into. Fan theories have already begun circulating in hopes to dissect where exactly cinema’s greatest film universe will go. Yet, Endgame forces me to take a step back and appreciate everything we’ve been give. The MCU has created an expansive world unlike anything we’ve ever witnessed, and I’m convinced now more than ever that Marvel’s future is very, very bright.

GRADE: 4.5/5

For more reviews, trailers and movie lists visit MCDAVE’s host site

Heart and Souls (1993) VHS Movie Review

by AnalogJonesTOF

Heart and Souls (1993) VHS Movie Review

 

Heart and Souls was released in theaters on August 13th, 1993 on a budget of $25,000,000 and had a gross of $16,581,714.

Directed by Ron Underwood, the same guy who brought us Tremors, City Slickers, and Mighty Joe Young.

Produced by Sean Daniel, this guy is an excellent creative producer, his career spans four decades, was the youngest president of production at Universal Pictures. During his tenure, he shepherded such hits as Back to the Future, Animal House, Brazil, Sixteen Candles, The Blues Brothers and Field of Dreams.

As a producer, his films have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. They include The Mummy franchise, Dazed, and Confused and Tombstone. He helped start Mythos in 2018, a production company that just signed a mega-deal with Amazon.

Screenplay by Brent Maddock and SS Wilson, these two make another appearance on our show, the first was for Wild Wild West.

Hearts and Souls Cast
Robert Downey Jr as Thomas Reilly (Iron Man)
Eric Lloyd as 7-year-old Thomas Reilly (Santa Clause trilogy)
Kyra Sedgwick as Julia (The Closer TV series)
Alfre Woodard as Penny Washington (12 Years a Slave, Captain America: Civil War)
Tom Sizemore as Milo Peck (Saving Private Ryan, True Romance)
Charles Grodin as Harrison Winslow (George Newton in Beethoven)
Elisabeth Shue as Anne (Adventures in Babysitting, Leaving Las Vegas)
David Paymer as Hal the Bus Driver (City Slickers and Mr. Saturday Night)

In 1959 We are introduced to 4 people:
Penny, a single mother, she regrets working the night shift and leaving her three children at home.
Harrison, a would-be singer, that suffers from stage fright.
Julia, a waitress that moved to the city to experience city life and to avoid getting married to her boyfriend John.
Milo, a small-time thief and tough guy that conned a young boy out of his grandfather’s stamps. He tried to steal them back got beat up by the guy who hired him.

They all ride the same bus that night and die because their bus driver Hal can’t keep his eyes off a sexy pair of legs. The 4 souls of Penny, Harrison, Julia, and Milo all enter Thomas Reilly while he is being born in the family car. Hal for some reason gets a pass and accends to heaven.

As the years pass Thomas is the only one you can see his ghost and they all form a deep bound. As the boy ages, he has problems because people think he’s weird. Thomas’s mother and father almost have him committed but the ghosts realize they are harming his life and make themselves invisible to Thomas. The abandonment causes young Thomas to avoid close relationships for the rest of his life, fearful that they, too, will leave him.

Twenty-seven years later we meet Thomas, now a ruthless foreclosure banker who refuses to open up to his devoted girlfriend Anne and lives on his car phone. Hal returns with his trolleybus. Because his irresponsibility ended four innocent lives, Hal has been condemned to convey spirits to the next life, and he has now come for his former passengers.

They reveal themselves to Thomas and he crashes his car. He wakes up in a hospital and he attempts to check himself into a psychiatric hospital, where a schizophrenic patient can see his ghost. This convinces Thomas that the spirits are real, but he is still angry with them for their abandonment and refuses to help them. The quartet convinces him by leaping in and out of his body during an important meeting and threatening further public humiliation until Thomas reluctantly agrees to help in order to finally be rid of them.

One by one the ghosts solve their unfinished business.
1. Milo steals back the stamps and gives them to the grown-up kid. However, after the burglary, a nervous Thomas encounters a police sergeant (who is ticketing his illegally parked car) and accidentally gets himself arrested, forcing Anne to bail him out.
2. Harrison uses Thomas’s body to sing the national anthem at a B.B. King concert. Anne is in the audience and gets mad at Thomas for skipping their date.
3. After which Thomas is arrested again by the same police sergeant, who Penny suddenly recognizes as her son. Thomas tells Billy the location of his long-lost sisters, and Billy is so overcome that he lets Thomas go with a warning after hitting his car.
4. Finally, Thomas and Julia write a letter to Julia’s boyfriend John in which she confesses her love for him, only to learn that John died several years before. At the same moment, the trolleybus returns to take Julia. Thomas protests that Julia’s business is still unresolved, but Julia realizes that her true business is Thomas, who is making the same mistake with Anne that she made with John. Thomas promises her that he will tell Anne his true feelings before it is too late, allowing Julia to depart.

Thomas invites Anne back to his apartment, where he tells her his fear of abandonment and his love for her. He gives her a heart-shaped keyring containing all his personal keys. Anne takes him back, then the two of them dance under the night sky were four new stars twinkle to show that Penny, Julia, Harrison, and Milo are finally at peace.

Come back next week when we review Now and Then from 1995 to continue our ladies month!

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Geekscape Movie Review: Avengers: Infinity War

by MCDave

For more than a decade the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has branded 19 films in total that have completely merged together in what’s guaranteed to be this summer’s most lucrative blockbuster, Avengers: Infinity War. Now, we’ve been down similar roads before with Marvel’s first ambitious multi-hero collaboration, The Avengers, and with both the film’s sequel, Age of Ultron, and the third Captain America installment, Civil War.  The success of these grandiose endeavors have been met with varying levels of success, casting a huge question-mark over the MCU’s newest title. But allow me to wash away any worries you may have by fearlessly labeling Infinity War as one of the top films to-date in Marvel’s ever-expanding universe.

Despite their conflicting opinions regarding oversight of their Earth-protecting superhero group “The Avengers”, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) must put their differences aside and get the old team back together when they learn of a cosmic villain named Thanos (Josh Brolin) who’s en route to their home planet. Thanos is on a mission to collect all six infinity stones, hidden artifacts that possess unimaginable power, and he pinpoints a pair of them located on Earth where he’ll stop at nothing to acquire them and bring balance to the galaxy. And with the fate of humanity on the line, Marvel’s greatest superheroes must confront their most powerful foe yet.

Prior to Infinity War, little was known about the film’s primary antagonist, Thanos. And although this approach is a foreign concept within the familiar formulaic structure that’s helped mold the MCU into an unstoppable machine, the character of Thanos is met with bold originality that makes Infinity War “his” film. Rarely is a villain gifted such an enormous responsibility, but Thanos makes the most of his opportunity and commands the viewer’s sympathy with a unique perspective to what’s perceived by The Avengers as an evil plot. Both his character and his mission are propelled by surprising depth that will make the audience question their own ethical beliefs. With Infinity War, sibling directors Joe and Anthony Russo create a moral dilemma in which there may be no right or wrong answer, but instead resolve must come from a desperate battle for survival between Thanos and Marvel’s assorted collection of superheroes. Yet, while the film’s story is as compelling as its uptempo action and finely-tuned pacing, Infinity War does sour with overly sappy dramatics that artificially attempt to raise the emotional stakes. Nevertheless, these cheaply constructed moments take a backseat to Infinity War‘s cerebral and multi-dimensional tale that culminates with a cliff-hanging finale guaranteed to keep you longing for the next chapter in Marvel’s elaborate cinematic universe.

GRADE: 4/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: Spider-Man: Homecoming

by MCDave

While many critics and outlets constantly insist that audiences are starving for the Spider-Man film that they deserve, it feels too much like revisionist history. Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man starring Tobey McGuire in 2002 (89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 Meta-Critic score) and Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man with Andrew Garfield in 2012 (72%, 66) both opened to strong critical approval. Yet, this rapid return to the Peter Parker character is a whole new ballgame with a completely different feel and trajectory. Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU) enters the heart of its third “Phase” with a mountain of steam, but can Spider-Man: Homecoming deliver?

Set a few months after the events of Captain America:Civil War, a 15 year-old Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is operating under the watchful eye of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and his loyal assistant Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau). But as Peter tries harder and harder to impress Stark with his superhero alter ego Spider-Man, he uncovers an underground arms creator and dealer (Michael Keaton) whose powerful weaponry bridges alien technology with human machinery. Instructed by Stark to stop his pursuit of the arms dealer, Peter disobeys the orders and finds himself face to face with a nefarious foe.


Homecoming fits seamlessly into the MCU with a familiar foundation of humor and action. Built on the shoulders of an ingratiating and clumsy teenage geek, played wonderfully by rising star Tom Holland, Marvel’s latest release places the universe’s macro storyline back on course. Insane visual effects form a web-like cohesion with witty one-line zingers to help keep the action-train churning. These over-extended sequences occur frequently and dwindle in effectiveness with each recurring appearance in the film, yet they’re easily overshadowed by some clever maneuvering with the screenplay and Tom Holland’s alluring performance. And as I usually criticize the MCU for its lack of attention to its film’s central villains, Michael Keaton’s Vulture is birthed from a truly intriguing concept. Although Homecoming fails to adequately venture down that creative path, instead delving too deep into Peter’s buffoonish teenage quandaries, there’s enough meat on the bones to entertain in exactly the way a summer blockbuster should.

Grade: 3.5/5

For more reviews, trailers and movie lists visit MCDave’s host site

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Starts Filming!

by The_acz

That’s right! Even though we’re still over a year out from the end of Phase 3, Marvel has already begun filming on Avengers: Infinity War!

To celebrate, the studio has released a teaser online featuring Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, and Chris Pratt talking about the start of filming the movie. They talk about how The Avengers will finally team up with The Guardians to face off against Thanos. Kevin Feige also talks about how Thanos won’t be like previous Marvel movie villains, as he will actually pose as a major threat. The video ends with a short clip of the infinity gauntlet being revealed. Check out the video for more below!

For those impatient, just think of it this way. We only have 3 more films until Infinity War. You can wait 3 more films right? No? Me too, but we really have no other choice. Avengers: Infinity War will release on May 4th, 2018. Are you excited for the film? What upcoming phase 3 film are you most looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

 

The Vision Talks About The Mind Stone In A New Clip From ‘Captain America: Civil War’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We published our review for the film a few days back, but with just a few days to go until Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War hits theatres, the Marvel marketing machine is out in full force.

A new clip for the film has just hit the web, via Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s visit to Good Morning America. The clip has The Vision and Scarlett Witch talking all about what they don’t know about the Mind stone.

You can take a look at the clip below (along with the full Good Morning America segment), and be sure to let us know what you’re most excited to see in the film!

http://youtu.be/cKUoeK_5rzY

“Captain America: Civil War” picks up where “Avengers: Age of Ultron” left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.

Geekscape Reviews: ‘Captain America: Civil War’

by Eric Francisco

Captain America: Civil War isn’t just a refreshing change of pace from Marvel’s routine formula in its winning franchise strategy, it is simply a great movie. Though exhausting in how it juggles its staggering ensemble cast, Civil War is a thrilling, heartfelt, and often times funny smash and bash rumination on accountability and oversight in the 21st century. Though it doesn’t come away completely unscathed, when the smoke clears Civil War will be celebrated as a total victory for Marvel and the entire superhero genre.

Inevitably, no matter how close you get with co-workers, friends, and family, eventually you want to punch one of them in the face. The premise behind Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and loosely based on the 2006 comic of the same name, is of course more complex than that. But the rage is palpable for those of us without superpowers: Following another international incident that causes brutal bystander casualties, the privately-operated Avengers — led by the square jawed but complex Capt. Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans) — are coerced by the world’s governments to come under multinational oversight. Former Avenger and billionaire Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) is the right kind of type-A personality who leads several of the Marvel heroes’ support while Rogers opposes, refusing to shift blame to others. The two titans of Marvel clash, attract new superheroes to the cause — Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) — while a neutral enemy plays their card in a terribly distracted world.

The 13th film in the ever-expanding Marvel “Cinematic Universe,” Civil War is a retroactive “fix” or a sneaky jab to critics who complain these films fetishize 9/11 imagery for spectacle. Civil War re-contextualizes the sweeping victories in 2012’s The Avengers and 2014’s The Winter Soldier into something more consequential. Maybe Hulk smashing does cause real damage. After the mind-numbing death orgy of 2013’s Man of Steel and its succeeding Batman v Superman, Civil War is like a sincere apology on behalf of the genre to a weary audience. And as an apology, it presents breathtaking, incredibly choreographed action and some really knee slapping hysterics.

Of all the things to consider Civil War, one would assume “funny” could be the last adjective. But Civil War is light, very light, without treading on childish goofiness (though I personally like when superhero movies embrace that). Even in the middle of jaw-dropping action there’s time for a joke, and it’s never forced or even insincere. Step away from the politically presumptuous comic book from Mark Millar and what Civil War is is an excuse for superheroes to fight. Marvel is, always, an obscenely budgeted, delicately crafted, A-list starring version of a Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers script. And yet the magic of Marvel is that it revels in that joy without posturing, or even feeling embarrassed by its kitschy roots.

Positively, Civil War is stacked with characters. Regrettably, it juggles them so much it’s nearly tiresome. Civil War by its nature will attract fans who could tell you everything about T’Challa and Wakanda before Chadwick Boseman walks on screen (Boseman is GREAT, by the way, and the Black Panther costume is pure eye candy), but in the nearly two and a half hour running time you witness a revolving door of characters, who all come with their own arcs, backgrounds, and motivations. For so long one could skip the last Marvel movie, but Civil War will punish that. The Russos should be commended for the tight wire act they display with the film’s characters, but it’s not perfect and could never be. So those who didn’t bother with Ant-Man or, more importantly, Age of Ultron will find themselves at a loss with who’s who.

I have no where to put this sentence, but it bears mentioning: Sebastian Stan’s Bucky, a.k.a. The Winter Soldier, is very much the centerpiece of Civil War in a way he never was in the original comic book. And Stan performs reliably well as a cold (excuse the pun), detached puppet for a darker enemy. Everything extends like a web around Bucky, whose presence is very much why almost everything in Civil War works.

Speaking of “webs” and working, Civil War has introduced us to our best Spider-Man yet. Tom Holland is a real delight as the teenaged Peter Parker, considerably younger and whimsical than previous actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey McGuire, who Holland outshines. He’s charismatic but comfortable in the role, as comfortable as the bright, vibrant suit he wears as the webslinger. The film really does speed through Spider-Man’s “origin” to the point it’s almost barely mentioned — and yeah, because we know it already — but it’s there and you can bet it’ll be explored at length in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Civil War is a lot of things: Funny, tense, well-paced, exhilarating — go in to the German airport fight scene knowing nothing, it’s better that way. It also falls victim to some of the trappings of the Marvel Universe. The stakes are tangible and, most importantly, there, but they also somehow aren’t due to the inevitable sequels and bombastic Infinity War on the horizon. Still, Civil War is a real win for the summer movie season. No matter the reasons why they fight or who wins — and there is a winner! — who doesn’t relate to wanting to sock the annoying one in the car complaining about where you’re going to eat, or a co-worker being smug in the email thread or Slack channel? You don’t need superpowers to maybe think these guys are still just human.

Captain America: Civil War gets 4 1/2 out of 5.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Avengers: Age of Ultron

by MCDave

Yesterday, the calendar turned to May and the summer blockbuster season wasted no time getting started with the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron. After its 2012 origin film amassed the third largest worldwide box office total of all-time, all eyes were on Joss Whedon’s enormously anticipated sequel. Unfortunately, though, this follow-up feature falls well short of the charm and frenetic thrills evident in the first installment.

The film opens with the Avengers doing what they do best, taking down a crime syndicate with remarkable ease. That is, until a pair of “enhanced” siblings (Godzilla‘s stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen) reveal their superhuman abilities, unmatched speed and deceptive mind-control. Eventually, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) retrieves what they’re after from the mission and discovers its ability to produce highly advanced artificial intelligence. Without the approval from his team Stark creates Ultron, an experiment that goes terribly wrong. The evolved A.I. denounces his maker and joins forces with the enhanced siblings, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, to destroy the Avengers.

avengers1

Cluttered and unfocused, Age of Ultron falls apart in many different areas. Whedon and company effectively mastered the balance of a star-filled story in this film’s predecessor. However, more isn’t always better as Whedon struggles to keep things fluid with the addition of many, and I do mean many, new characters. Displaying an unnatural flow throughout the movie, things get even worse once the script takes a strange turn by diving deep into the personal stories of its characters. Where the original successfully glazes over each hero’s backstory and jumps right into the action, Age of Ultron ventures further into their psyche thanks to the Scarlet Witch’s mind tricks. With each of these developing drama-filled plot lines, the minutes continue to mount and the pacing becomes crippled.

avengers 2

In addition to an unnecessary change of course in the script and an overabundance of characters, Age of Ultron‘s action sequences are extremely drawn out and exceedingly unwarranted. If you thought 2013’s Man of Steel was flooded with obnoxiously destructive scenes, just wait until you feast your eyes on this film. The damage is beyond catastrophic and it makes the Avengers feel less like heroes and more like ticking time-bombs. And finally, Age of Ultron does a huge disservice by completely mishandling its chief villain and title character. Forced into sharing screen time with each and every main character – and there are plenty of them – Ultron becomes an overlooked antagonist who never grows into the monstrous adversary this franchise deserves. Although his mishandling isn’t as big of an abomination as Sir Ben Kingsley’s the Mandarin in Iron Man 3, it’s a lot closer than any of us would desire.

At its core, Age of Ultron attempts to stick to the same philosophy that’s been working for all of the Marvel films, tons of comedy and action. But despite achieving a good deal of laughs, albeit at a less impressive clip than the original, the film suffers in far too many areas to sustain its winning formula. With grand expectations Joss Whedon seemingly got suckered into the “bigger is better” mindset. Perhaps, Age of Ultron would have benefited more from a slightly scaled-down approach.

GRADE: 2.5/5

Visit MCDAVE’s host site for other reviews, trailers and movie lists

The Newest ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ TV Spot Will Make Your Adrenaline Pump

by Eric Francisco

We’re knee-deep in the storm that is the promotion for Avengers: Age of Ultron and I’m not complaining one bit. I’m stoked as hell and I’ll be there with the entire world at the midnight premiere. But until then I’m watching the trailers on an endless loop, and we’ve just been given another one to throw on rotation: the second TV spot that is nothing but energy and humor.

Unlike the morose, darker tone of the previous trailers complete with a haunting rendition of Pinocchio as metaphor, this one is a full-minute of action and humor with MTV-style kinetic energy. It’s the perfect wake up to that 3 PM slog you’ll have at work today. Watch this and you’ll want to run laps around the parking lot.

Loaded with new footage, the clear highlights are Thor/Cap’s impromptu t-ball with the shield and Quicksilver’s wonderfully cartoonish Russian accent. Plus, all the signature jokes you’ve come to expect by now.

Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released you know damn well when. (May 1.)

Watch The Extended Trailer For Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We all received a fantastic treat late last week when the first trailer for Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron leaked online, DAYS before it’s scheduled launch on last night’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Marvel blamed it on Hydra, which was a hilarious and lighthearted way of looking at the leak. Not wanting to leave any of us S.H.I.E.L.D. fans hanging, the studio attached a special look at the film on last night’s episode. If you we’re lucky enough to be in Hall H at SDCC this past Summer, than it’s nothing new for you, but it’s exciting to see the scene online and official.

It’s also fantastic to see the look on Thor’s face when Cap almost lifts the hammer, and now we can see it over and over and over again. The rest of the video is pretty much the trailer we’ve already seen, but I’m not going to say no to watching that one again. Take a look at the video below, and let us know if you’re excited!

Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theatres on May 1st, 2015.

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Trailer Now Online, Officially!

by Eric Francisco

LITERALLY NONE OF THESE WORDS MATTER. THESE ARE JUST WORDS. WHAT YOU WANT IS BELOW. But play along, please?

Earlier tonight the the much-anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer was leaked online. It was supposed to air during next week’s Mavel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But because this is 2014, of course it didn’t! After a pretty amusing, self-deprecating tweet, Marvel has decided “eff it, let’s just do it.” The trailer is now on their official YouTube page, in crystal clear high-definition.

The trailer has all the neat stuff I kept hearing about from San Diego Comic-Con this summer. The Hulkbuster, an Avengers party, Ultron himself. It’s all really neat.

My favorite part, though, is what James Spader’s Ultron (and it’s so unmistakably him) says in the trailer: “You want to protect the world. But you don’t want it to change.” There is an ongoing, neverending debate that I love getting into about the true nature of superheroes. As protectors of the status-quo, what is their role when the world needs changing? Not that I expect Age of Ultron to be political in any shape or form, but the movie (I hope) will continue to change the superhero genre and begin to ask questions we, the dedicated superhero nerds who hold up this art to a higher level than most, might be uncomfortable to answer.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released in 2015 and it will make so much money.

Marvel Releases Full Synopsis For ‘The Avengers: Age Of Ultron’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Following the plot details released all the way back in July, Marvel has just debuted the official, full synopsis for next year’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision. Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963. Get set for an action-packed thrill ride when The Avengers return in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015.

Getting excited? May 1st isn’t that far away! What are your thoughts on the plot revelation?

First look at Ultron on EW cover.
First look at Ultron on EW cover.

Take Your First Look At Ultron In ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: San Diego Comic-Con is fast approaching, and with it comes Entertainment Weekly’s annual Comic-Con Preview Issue.

This week’s cover features our first look at Ultron (well, Ultrons) in the film, as well as a slightly different suit for Cap. The first plot details for the film have also been revealed, so read all about Avengers: Age of Ultron via the excerpt below:

For better or worse (trust us, it’s worse), his Tony Stark has devised a plan that won’t require him to put on the Iron Man suit anymore, and should allow Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk to get some much needed R&R as well. His solution is Ultron, self-aware, self-teaching, artificial intelligence designed to help assess threats, and direct Stark’s Iron Legion of drones to battle evildoers instead.

 

The only problem? Ultron (played by James Spader through performance-capture technology) lacks the human touch, and his superior intellect quickly determines that life on Earth would go a lot smoother if he just got rid of Public Enemy No. 1: Human beings. “Ultron sees the big picture and he goes, ‘Okay, we need radical change, which will be violent and appalling, in order to make everything better’; he’s not just going ‘Muhaha, soon I’ll rule!’” Whedon says, rubbing his hands together.

So what do you think? How many minutes pass before Tony Stark is back in his suit?

Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theatres on May 1st, 2015.

Ultron2

Source: EW

More ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ Set Photos Released Care Of Mark Ruffalo, Marvel Doesn’t Like It!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Just yesterday, Robert Downey Jr. surprised us with the first official set photo from The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now, Mark Ruffalo has given us another look… and Marvel doesn’t seem too happy about it.

Here’s how things went down:

 

 

Ruffalo then apologized, which didn’t seem to phase the studio (well, maybe a little):

 

In any case, it was a cute exchange, and we sure hope that these set photos continue. None of the images have been overly exciting (thus far), but we’ll take what we can get!

Robert Downey Jr Debuts First ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ Set Photo

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: It’s not as exciting as the post-credits Captain America: The Winter Soldier tag, but it’s something.

Robert Downey Jr. has just debuted the first official set photo from the production of The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Downey and executive producer Jeremy Latcham are shown wearing reflective vests, so it’s quite possible that they’re standing amidst some set construction.

You can take a look at the image below, and be sure to let us know what you’re looking forward to most in the film. The Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theaters May 1, 2015.

Robert Downey Jr. Signs On For ‘Avengers 2 & 3’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Just because Iron Man 3 didn’t turn out as well as we’d all hoped, doesn’t mean that we wanted to see Robert Downey Jr. retire from the role. It’s been rumoured for some time that, since his contract was complete, the prominent actor would be leaving the Marvel cinematic universe.

You can put those worries to rest. Marvel just announced that Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man… at least for The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3.

That’s his whole contract. Two new Avengers films, so it looks like we won’t be seeing another solo Iron Man flick any time soon. Take a look at the press release below, and let us know how you feel about the news!

“I am Iron Man.”
 
Tony Stark’s famous closing line to the very first Iron Man film takes on new life today as Marvel is pleased to announce the signing of Robert Downey, Jr. to reprise the role of the “billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist.”
 
Under the two-picture agreement, Downey will star as Tony Stark/Iron Man in “Marvel’s The Avengers 2” and “Marvel’s The Avengers 3.” Downey is represented at CAA by Bryan Lourd, Jim Toth and Matt Leaf and by his attorneys Tom Hansen and Stewart Brookman of the firm Hansen Jacobson.
 
Downey, Jr.’s last two Marvel films, 2012’s “Marvel’s The Avengers” and this year’s “Iron Man 3,” rank as two of the top five grossing films of all time, collectively earning over $2.7 billion worldwide to date.
 
“Marvel’s The Avengers 2” is being written and directed by Joss Whedon. Featuring favorites from the first Avengers film and new Marvel characters never before seen on the big screen, “Marvel’s The Avengers 2” is slated to begin production in March 2014 and open in theaters May 1, 2015.
 
Thrilled by this mega announcement, Marvelites? Well, be sure you stay glued to Marvel.com because in the coming days and weeks and months, Marvel.com will be FIRST in the world to reveal additional casting updates, new characters coming to Marvel movies and so much more — directly from the most secret meetings at Marvel! You wouldn’t want to miss out on that now, would you?!

IronMan

Robert Downey Jr. Renegotiating Contract With Marvel

by Shawn Madden

Worried that with his contract coming to an end it would mean that Robert Downey Jr. would be hanging up his helmet? It’s definitely going to be hard to see any other actor fill the role after he finally does but don’t worry just yet. RDJ appeared on The Daily Show and revealed to the audience that he is currently renegotiating his contract at the moment with Marvel which means we may see a few more outings with him as the armored avenger in the future. Check out the interview below as well as a short clip from the film.

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Iron Man suits up on May 3, 2013

Source: The Daily Show

Seventh TV Spot Released For ‘Iron Man 3’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Another day, another new TV spot for Iron Man 3. Most of the spots feature only footage recycled from other previews, but they certainly haven’t wavered my excitement. I can’t wait to get in line for this one.

Check out the new spot below, and let us know what you think! Iron Man 3 hits North American theatres on May 3rd!

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

‘Iron Man 3’ Gets A New TV Spot!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Phase Two is nearly here!

Iron Man 3 is just 10 days away (for us North Amercans anyways), and Marvel today released a new TV spot for the highly anticipated film. The new preview features no new footage, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t excite me anyways.

Watch the new TV spot below, and let us know what you think! Iron Man 3 hits North American theatres on May 3rd. Lucky enough to see the film earlier? Let us know how it is!

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Marvel Releases Nine New ‘Iron Man 3’ Character Images

by Shawn Madden

We’re just a few weeks away from it hitting theaters and Marvel has released a batch of new character images from Shane Black’s highly-anticipated Iron Man 3. Included among these is our first official look at James Badge Dale as Eric Savin and actress Stephanie Szostak as Ellen Brandt (well, that debunks the rumor that she would be playing Janet Van Dyne in the film). Scope them out below.

tony-stark-bio

rhodes-bio

savin

pepper-bio

mandarin-bio

killian-bio

maya-bio

hogan

brandt

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters May 3, 2013

Source: Marvel

Go Behind The Scenes With Six Minutes Of B-Roll Footage For ‘Iron Man 3’

by Shawn Madden

We’re only roughly two weeks away from the release of Shane Black’s Iron Man 3. Can’t wait? Need more footage to hold you over until you can finally see the film? Well, you can go behind the scenes and watch six minutes of B-Roll footage for the film below.

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Iron Man 3 suits up on May 3, 2013

‘Iron Man 3’ Gets A New TV Spot

by Derek Kraneveldt

Phase two is nearly here! Disney has just released (another) new TV spot for the insanely anticipated Iron Man 3. This one is called ‘Life’, and features some tiny (tiny) snippets that we haven’t seen before.

This movie looks phenomenal: every trailer, clip, and image has managed to impress, and I’m sure that the feature will not disappoint. Check out the new spot below, and let us know what you think! Iron Man 3 hits theatres on May 3rd!

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3″ pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Marvel Officially Releases ‘Iron Man 3’ “Save” TV Spot

by Shawn Madden

A lower quality version of this awesome TV spot for Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 hit earlier this week and has now been officially released online. This action-packed 30 second preview is definitely one of the more exciting TV spots for the film. Check it out below.

 

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3″ pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

 

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters on May 3, 2013

Check Out Two Action-Packed Brand New ‘Iron Man 3’ TV Spots

by Shawn Madden

May 3rd is almost here and two action-packed brand new TV spot’s for Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 have been released. These spots feature plenty of new footage that is sure to get you beyond excited for the start of Marvel’s “Phase Two”.

 

 

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3″ pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

 

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters on May 3, 2013

International ‘Iron Man 3’ Trailer Released Featuring Alternate Footage

by Shawn Madden

Earlier today we saw the debut of the full-length trailer for Shane Black’s Iron Man 3, and now Marvel has released an alternate international trailer for the film. This trailer doesn’t feature a whole lot of new footage, just a few snippets here and there. But it does feature our first look at actor Wang Xueqi and actress Fan Binging in the film.

 

 

Marvel Studios’ Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

 

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters May 3rd, 2013.

Second Theatrical Trailer Released For Marvel’s ‘Iron Man 3’

by Shawn Madden

Marvel has just released the second full-length theatrical trailer for Shane Black’s highly-anticipated Iron Man 3! The trailer is jam packed full of new and exciting footage to get you even more amped up for the film’s release just under two months from now.

 


 

Marvel Studios’ Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

 

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters May 3rd, 2013.

New ‘Iron Man 3’ Image Shows A Broken And Beaten Tony Stark

by Shawn Madden

A new still image has been released from Marvel Studios highly-anticipated Iron Man 3. The images features a close-up shot of a battered and broken Tony Stark suited up, possibly taking place after a battle with one of the film’s antagonists?

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man? Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968. “Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures & DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing & Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Stephen Broussard, Victoria Alonso, Alan Fine, Charles Newirth, Stan Lee & Dan Mintz are exec producers.

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters May 3, 2013.

Watch An Alternate ‘Iron Man 3’ Trailer With New Footage!

by Shawn Madden

You want more Iron Man 3 footage? Well, here you go. Walt Disney Japan has revealed via their official YouTube a short alternate trailer for the film with all new footage for you to check out.

Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Iron Man 3 suits up in theaters May 3, 2013.

Source: Examiner

Jane Goldman To Rewrite Tim Burton’s ‘Pinocchio’ Starring Robert Downey Jr.

by Shawn Madden

The classic children’s story Pinocchio, written by Carlo Collodi in 1883, is being brought to the big screen for a live-action adaptation from Warner Bros. pictures. The film will possibly be directed by Tim Burton and star Robert Downey Jr. Apparently, Burton and Downey haven’t signed on yet, but both parties are interested and have been talking to the studio for months now. The initial draft of the script was written by Bryan Fuller and they’ve brought in Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) to rewrite it.

“Jane Goldman is in negotiations to work on the script for the project, lending considerable heat to what would see Tim Burton direct Robert Downey Jr. for the first time.”

The adaptation is being described as:

“In the version being developed at Warner Bros., Downey would play Geppetto, the woodcarver who creates a puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy and whose nose grows when he tells a lie. When Pinocchio goes missing, Geppetto embarks on a quest to reunite with his marionette.”

I cannot tell a lie. I may not be a Tim Burton fan but if Robert Downey Jr. gets on board, so will I.

Source: THR