The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Year: 2015

Director: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alica Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, and Hugh Grant
Tagline: Saving the world never goes out of style
Synopsis: When a criminal organization gets its hands on a atomic bomb, CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin must team up to stop them.

Review

Although I watched many a 60s TV show as a kid, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was not one of them.  I'd heard of it.  That is all.  So I went into the film with no preconceived notions.

It is unfortunate that The Man from U.N.C.L.E. came out on the heels of Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.  It thus fell under the radar and has fallen victim to comparison.  Of the two, M:I5 wins. Hands down.  No question.  But that doesn't make U.N.C.L.E. any less fun to watch.

One of the best things The Man from U.N.C.L.E. has going for it is its setting.  Rather than contemporize it, the film takes place in the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War.  The nostalgic, retro feel helps set it apart from all the other spy movies this year.  It also necessitates that the film not rely heavily on the espionage trope of gadgets.  There is probably more technological wizardry in 5 minutes of M:I5 than in all of U.N.C.L.E.  As much as I love geek-out gadgets, it is a welcome change to see special agents not relying on them.

Although not as edge of your seat as M:I5, U.N.C.L.E. does deliver in the thrills department, with all the requisite car chases, shootouts, and explosions.  Much of the film is also set against the gorgeous backdrop of Italy.  Director Guy Ritchie has a very visual style.  If you've seen either of his Sherlock Holmes films, you know what I mean.  It's hard to describe, but quite fun to watch.

As stylish as the movie is, there's not a lot beneath it.  The plot could well be an extended TV episode.  It brings nothing new to the espionage table.  And all the style in the world can't cover the plot holes.  Style is great, but there should be more substance to go with it.

The two main characters are Napoleon Solo of the CIA and Illya Kuryakin of the KGB (or "Cowboy" and "Red Peril" as they dub each other).  The two are complete opposites and thus make for an enjoyable duo to watch.  Solo is a dashing, suave, womanizing, semi-reformed thief (basically the 60s spy version of Neal Caffrey from TV's White Collar).  Kuryakin is quiet, stern, intense, and given to lashing out when provoked.  Watching the two of them go from foes to reluctant partners to allies is one of the most fun parts of the film.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. has a good share of humor, though some of it is a darker humor than you'd find in Mission:Impossible.  U.N.C.L.E. is also a bit risque.  As mentioned, Solo is a womanizer.  I haven't seen a James Bond film in a very long time, so I can't compare.  If you've seen other Guy Ritchie films, you can probably guess the level of risque, and also the level of violence.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is by no means a film for everyone, due to some of its darker elements.  But I found it to be a very fun, very stylish film.  It's too bad it favors style over substance.  If you want to see a first rate spy film, see Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.  If you want to also see a second rate but still fun spy film, see The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Quotable Quotes

• "For a special agent, you're not having a very special day, are you?" -- Waverly
• "What does that [a statement in Russian] mean?"  "He said, 'Don't kill your new partner on the first day.'"  "I know what he said.  What does it mean?" -- Napoleon Solo and Sanders
• "Did you disable the alarm?"  "There's no alarm on [this model of safe]." [An alarm starts to blare]  "Loving your work, Cowboy." -- Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo

ISFS

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Year: 2015

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, and Sean Harris
Tagline: Desperate Times.  Desperate Measures
Synopsis: When the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) is disbanded, Ethan Hunt and a few loyal colleagues are left on their own to bring down a deadly rogue organization known as the Syndicate.

Review

Hands down, Rogue Nation is the best action movie I've seen in quite a while.  It is certainly the best I've seen this year (sorry Marvel).  From start to finish, all I could think was, "Wow."  It's everything I want in an action movie.

The highly publicized airplane stunt -- where Tom Cruise is hanging from an airplane that is taking off and flying away -- is how the movie starts.  And the action and thrills don't let up from there.  The pacing is terrific, giving the audience just enough time to catch their breaths and keep up with where the plot is headed before the next heart-thumping action sequence kicks into gear.  I don't want to give anything away; it's just too much fun.

If there were plot holes, I didn't notice them.  I was having too much fun keeping up with where things were going, who was loyal to whom, what was actually going on, and how on earth they were going to set everything right by the end.  I love a film that can keep me guessing.  It's one thing to be on the edge of your seat for the action.  It's another to be on the edge of your seat for the story.  It's an exciting ride when you get both.

I really like Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise's character).  He's an incredible spy who does things no normal person would even think of doing (like hanging from a plane that is taking off).  But unlike a certain other spy who always seems so suave and stoic, Ethan feels more relatable.  More often than not he has his back against the wall and you can see the flash of panic as he tries to figure out what to do.  He's about to dive into a swirling vortex of potential death, and for one brief moment you can see the "what the heck am I about to do?" look in his eyes.  Plus, Ethan is loads more fun and has infinitely higher moral standards than that other spy.

There's one bit of cleverness I'd like to point out.  One sequence of the film takes place during a performance of Puccini's opera Turandot.  That story features riddles to be solved and the final act has a "ticking clock" where one character must figure out the identity of another character before sunrise.  The well-known song from Turandot is "Nessun Dorma," which means "none shall sleep."  All of that is very apropos for a spy film and this film in particular.

On top of all its action, plot twisting, and geek-out gadgetry, Rogue Nation is also humorous.  And it's the best kind of humorous, the kind that comes naturally from the characters and the situations.  Saving the world from the Syndicate is serious business.  But that's no reason to take everything so straight-faced and dour.  By all means, poke fun at the fact you brought a huge four-wheel drive vehicle to a motorcycle chase through a city with narrow streets.

The violence in Rogue Nation is similar to the previous installment.  There's a lot of punching and shooting.  But there is almost no blood.  There might have been some mild language; at this point I don't recall.  There was one mildly risque moment.  But it is risque by Mission: Impossible standards.  I've seen movie trailers for that other spy that were more risque than this film.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go see Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.  If you enjoy pulse-pounding action, incredible stunts, and spiffy spy gadgetry, you won't be disappointed.  This review will [likely not] self-destruct in five seconds ...

*** Spoiler Section ***

The whole sequence with Director Hunley and the British prime minister was simply well played.  Bravo IMF.  Bravo.

That's as spoilery as I'm going to get.  Just see the film.

Quotable Quotes

• "I can neither confirm nor deny any details about any operation without the permission of the Secretary." -- William Brandt (repeated line)
• "Join IMF they said.  See the world....  On a screen.  In a closet." -- Benji Dunn
• "Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Are you sure you wanna drive?  A minute ago you were dead."  "What are you talking about?"  "This isn't gonna end well." -- Benji Dunn and Ethan Hunt

ISFS

Ant-Man

Year: 2015

Director: Peyton Reed

Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, and lots and lots of CGI ants
Tagline: This July, heroes don't come any bigger.
Synopsis: With dangerous technology about to be in the wrong hands, Dr. Hank Pym enlists semi-reformed cat-burglar Scott Lang to become the Ant-Man.

Review

If I had to sum Marvel's Ant-Man up in one word, it would be "refreshing."  I wasn't particularly excited for this film.  And frankly, a bit of superhero ennui has been setting in.  Ant-Man was just what the proverbial doctor ordered.

First up, the movie is simply fun.  There were plenty of witty moments and chuckle-worthy gags throughout the film.  Paul Rudd has great charisma.  The whole thing was a joy to watch.

Second, appropriately for a movie about a hero who can shrink to the size of an ant, Ant-Man is a welcome change of scope.  Recent films like Age of Ultron or Guardians of the Galaxy have the superheros saving entire cities and worlds.  Everything is on a massive scale.  Ant-Man features a (terrific) fight in a briefcase that then ends in the suburbs.  Yes, the stakes are high.  But it manages to be more personal because it is scaled back.  We are allowed to feel more invested in Scott's character and his relationship with his daughter (and Hank's relationship with his daughter).

Third, the visuals are fantastic as always.  So many of the Marvel heroes either punch or throw things as their skill.  Yes, Ant-Man punches, but he does so in a visually new way as he bounces back and forth between normal and ant-sized.  It's different.  And different is good.  Oh, and did I mention he rides on ants, including a flying ant he dubs "Antony"?  One of the most visually impressive parts of the film is Ant-Man riding Antony through an exploding server room.

From beginning to end (and post-credits end), Ant-Man makes sure you know this film is in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  There are a few subtle references and some not-so-subtle references.  And there are a handful of well-placed cameos as well.

Is Ant-Man brilliant cinema?  Well, no.  But it is one of the most fun and enjoyable films I've seen this year.  It really was refreshing, even more so because it was unexpected.  If you haven't taken the time to see it yet, I highly recommend Ant-Man.

Quotable Quotes

• "Baskin-Robbins always finds out." -- Baskin-Robbins Manager
• "It's not about saving our world.  It's about saving theirs." -- Dr. Hank Pym
• "I just ruined the moment, didn't I?"  "Yes, you did." -- Scott Lang and Dr. Hank Pym
• "It's not a keychain." -- Dr. Hank Pym
• "We've got multiple shots fired.... And there's a tank." -- Paxton

ISFS

Inside Out

Year: 2015

Director: Pete Doctor & Ronaldo Del Carmen

Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, and Richard Kind
Tagline: Meet the little voices inside your head.
Synopsis: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger are 11-year-old Riley's emotions.  Their job is to keep Riley going, a job that gets more difficult when she and her family move from Minnesota to San Francisco.

Review

Before I dive into Inside Out, I should mention the short film that precedes it: "Lava."  The short film tells the story of a volcanic island that just wants someone to "lava" (wordplay on "love").  It's a nice little story with the beautiful animation we've come to expect from Pixar.  The song the volcano sings is also lovely ("lavaly"?).  It's a nice short, though perhaps not the brilliance of "Geri's Game" or "Boundin'."

On to our feature presentation ...

Inside Out is fantastic!  I've liked their last few films, but this is truly a return to the Pixar we know and love.  It's such a crazy idea that could only be brought to life through animation.  Much of the movie takes place inside Riley's brain, which is the most colorful, zany, and yet psychologically sound place you could imagine.  The world the animators have created is so rich and detailed, you'll likely be finding new things on the 5th and 10th viewings (and it is worth that many viewings).  And longtime Pixar collaborator Michael Giacchino does his usual fabulous job with the score.

Pixar is known for being outstanding in its animation.  And Inside Out lives up to that.  It is visually stunning.  If you look at the different emotions, they appear sort of fuzzy.  They are described as being made up of energy, which gives them a fun and unique look that totally works for personified emotions.

While Pixar always excels visually, what makes Pixar Pixar is its dedication to story, stories that are honest, humorous, and heartfelt.  Inside Out is pure Pixar.  This isn't a story about the goofy antics of personified emotions interacting, although there is plenty of that.  This is a film that has the courage to say emotions can be good, they can be bad, they are sometimes hard, but they are always necessary.  When's the last time a movie or television show -- aimed at kids or adults -- showed the importance and need for sadness in our lives?  Beneath all the sight gags and stunning visuals, Inside Out is about what it means to be human and what it means to grow up.

There is no villain in Inside Out, which in and of itself is unusual for a movie aimed at children.  Although the five emotions are very different, they work together.  None of the emotions are presented as negative.  They each have a purpose in Riley's life.  We tend to view fear and anger as negative things that are bad.  But those emotions really do have purposes in our lives and the task of life is to bridle them, not pretend they don't exist.  As the story shows, while feeling certain emotions is hard and unpleasant, it is far worse to feel nothing.  Numbness is worse than any emotion.

Fear, as shown in the movie, is tasked with keeping Riley safe.  Fear is the voice saying, "Wear your seatbelt because you never know what might happen."  A little fear is good, unless you let it paralyze you.  Likewise, Anger is all about what is right and fair.  Anger is the one saying, "That's not how things should be" or "I should stand up for myself."  It's when anger consumes that it becomes bad.  Disgust is important too ... but I haven't figured that one out as much.  But she'll save you from broccoli pizza.

The film is primarily about Joy and Sadness, both as characters and emotions.  Disgust is green with green eyes and green hair.  Fear is purple with purple eyes.  Anger is red with red eyes.  And Sadness is blue with blue eyes and blue hair.  But Joy is yellow with blue eyes and blue hair.  Those features may in part be because it makes for a stunning contrast (and they didn't want her to look jaundiced), but it also visually shows the connection between Joy and Sadness.  That connection is at the heart of the story.  That connection is what makes Inside Out not only an excellent film, but also an important film.

Joy just wants Riley to be happy, so she doesn't understand Sadness or her purpose.  She doesn't understand that you can't have one without the other.  You can't understand one without the other.  Learning the interwoven balance between joy and sadness is a fundamental part of life.  Yes, "men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25).  But that very same chapter states that there must be "opposition in all things" (2 Nephi 2:11).  During His life, Jesus Christ had perfect faith and a perfect perspective, so we might think He was perfectly happy.  Yet He is described as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3).  There are times for joy and there are times for sadness.  And there are times for both, because we're human and wonderfully complicated like that.

Did I mention that Inside Out is also incredibly funny?  Because it is.

If you haven't already seen Inside Out, go see it.  If you have seen it, go see it again.  I plan to.  And I expect to find even more brilliant nuances and insights.

Quotable Quotes

• "We did not die today.  I call that an unqualified success!" -- Fear
• "Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems." -- Sadness
• "Well, I just saved our lives.  Yeah, you're welcome." -- Disgust (after "saving" Riley from broccoli)
• "Oooh airplane.  We've got an airplane, everybody." -- Anger
• "Can I say that curse word now?" -- Anger

*** Spoiler Section ***

I put things in the spoiler section hoping you won't read them until after you've seen the film.  Obviously whether or not you follow that is your decision.  But in this instance, I strongly encourage seeing the film first (I even moved this section below the quotes to avoid accidental reading).  What follows isn't some huge plot twist a la The Sixth Sense.  But it is a pretty touching point in the film.  It gave me a case of the sniffles.  And I heard the adult behind me in the theater get a case of the sniffles too.

When Bing Bong and Joy are trying to escape from the Memory Dump, I was surprised they didn't make it the first time.  And then they failed again and I was wondering if there was something more for Joy to learn before they could reach the surface again.  And then on the third time Bing Bong jumped quietly out of the rocket and my heart kinda broke.

It's not that Bing Bong is the most brilliant character ever* whom we absolutely adored (like Ellie in Up).  What makes his sacrifice and fading from memory sad is what he represents.  He's not just an imaginary friend, he's a part of childhood: a goofy and joyous innocence.  Bing Bong fading away isn't painful because it is unexpected.  It's painful because as an adult looking back, I realize it was inevitable.  Imaginary friends are ephemeral by nature.  And some aspects of childhood are simply lost as we grow up.  It's a little heartbreaking, looking back and realizing what we lose as we grow up, or what our children lose as they grow up.

I may also have gotten a bit choked up when that first new mixed memory rolled out.  It wasn't yellow; it wasn't blue.  It was both.  It was both sadness and joy together, which rings so emotionally true.

* In retrospect, my fondness for Bing Bong has grown incredibly.  Initially I distrusted him in the film (which was the filmmakers' intention).  I wondered if this was another Stinky Pete or Lotso who would do anything to forward his own agenda.  Once he loses his sled and has his moment with Sadness, I knew Bing Bong was trustworthy.  And now, as I look at all he represents -- childhood, innocence, imagination, dreams -- I think he is one of the great characters in Pixar's who's who.  So thank you, Bing Bong, for loving Riley enough.  "Take her to the moon for me, Joy."

ISFS

Far from the Madding Crowd

Year: 2015

Director: Thomas Vinterberg

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge, and Michael Sheen
Synopsis: Bathsheba Everdene is a young, independent, and headstrong woman courted by three very different men as she faces not only choices but the consequences of her actions.

Review

I happened to see a trailer for Far from the Madding Crowd and was intrigued.  It was not one of the Thomas Hardy novels I'd read either in high school or college.  But the reviews were positive and I thought I'd give it a chance.  I'm very glad I did, as I enjoyed the film even more than expected.

AP English was my favorite high school class, and I was an English minor at BYU, so it was quite enjoyable to get in touch with that literary side again.  While superhero movies are fun, they don't often deal with matters of consequence: issues faced by normal, non-super people.  Far from the Madding Crowd is a love story.  But it also deals with matters like bad luck and good fortune, and how we deal with each.  It is about the choices we make and the consequences of making them flippantly.

Hardy -- at least in this novel -- carefully chose his characters' names.  Protagonist Bathsheba Everdene's three suitors are Sgt. Francis Troy, Mr. Boldwood, and Gabriel Oak.  I don't know if it was Hardy's intent, but Sgt. Troy reminds me of the Greek Troy, or more specifically, the Trojan Horse.  He's dashing and flashy on the outside, but full of deceit and misery.  Mr. Boldwood is a more mature gentleman, safe, secure, and deep-rooted.  He is also quite bold in his ardor.

And then there is Gabriel Oak, who is as good as his name implies.  "Gabriel" means "God is my strength."  While religion isn't prominent in the film, Gabriel is nonetheless a good, upright, honest, and kindhearted man.  He is also like an oak: steadfast, sturdy, and strong.  He takes all his setbacks in stride, relying on hard work and doing the right thing because it is right.  Seriously, he could give Mr. Darcy a run for his money in terms of most eligible literary bachelor.

Bathsheba's circumstances are to a degree similar to the Bible narrative in that she is married to one man and pursued by another.  And it gets messy.  That is the extent of the the similarities.  But the name also has an exotic flare to it, which suits the strong-willed, independent Miss Everdene (and yes, she is apparently the namesake of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games).  Unlike the Bible Bathsheba, Bathsheba Everdene is in part to blame for some of her misfortunes and struggles.  On more than one occasion, she acts unwisely, with no thought of consequences.  With Troy she follows passion rather than reason.  With Boldwood she acts flippantly then indecisively, further leading him on.

Despite her faults, Bathsheba is a sympathetic, understandable, and even admirable character.  She learns from her follies.  And though she is often slow to take counsel or advice, she does eventually take it.  The same stubborn, strong-willed spirit that gets her into trouble also makes her an excellent mistress of the farm she inherits.  She's not content to sit in her study or let others oversee things.  She manages the farm herself, rolls up her sleeves and works alongside her hired hands, and stands up for herself as a woman in a man's world of commerce.

Among other things, it was immensely refreshing to watch a movie with virtually no visual effects (which made for surprisingly short credits).  I read that 2/3 of the film is shot outdoors, on location in England.  And that is one of the film's greatest strengths.  It's not about a bunch of people talking indoors.  It's people going about real life and real work in the great outdoors.  And it just so happens that those great outdoors are absolutely gorgeous.

The music for the film is also beautiful and well suited.  Carey Mulligan and Martin Sheen even sing a duet at one point, a melancholy English folk song called "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme."  It works perfectly within the story.

The only criticism I have of the film is that it at times felt condensed.  Some scenes felt like they were part of a slightly longer story, and we were getting the abbreviated version.  I was left wondering what additional material was in the novel.  That's not necessarily a bad thing.  It wasn't that anything felt particularly missing or that parts didn't make sense.  But it felt like there was more to it and the film didn't have time to go into those details.  Such is the nature of cinema.

Sadly, this film was only in limited release.  So you may have to wait and hunt it down on Netflix or Redbox.  But I highly recommend it.  Far from the Madding Crowd is a beautiful and worthwhile film.

*** Spoiler Section ***

Poor Mr. Boldwood.  He's a very likable fellow.  But he plays David to this Bathsheba and lets his ardor turn to obsession and finally to a fit of insanity and rage.  In the end, I felt more pity than anything else for him.  Michael Sheen does an excellent job portraying the layered gentleman.

I even felt a little bad for Sgt. Troy.  He's not a villain.  He's kind of a jerk and a greedy player.  But he genuinely loves (and mourns) Fanny.  The scene where he is outside swordfighting a post and then chasing chickens tells a lot about the man.  He doesn't know how to do anything but be a soldier.  What's more, he has realized he's made a mistake and will never find happiness on the path he has chosen.

My two favorite scenes both involve Gabriel.  The first is when, after having just fired him, Bathsheba realizes Gabriel is the only one who can save her sheep from sickness.  She sends for him, but he makes her swallow her pride and come ask him herself.  She had it coming.

The other moment is when Gabriel must (again) swallow his own disappointment.  Bathsheba (whom he loves) has just married Troy and on the night of their wedding celebration the farm is threatened by a storm.  When Gabriel asks for a few men to help cover and protect the grain harvest, Troy rebuffs him and refuses.  Gabriel has every reason in the world to throw his hands up in the air and get drunk like all the other men on the farm.  Instead, he goes out alone and starts covering the grain stacks by himself before the rain hits.  Seriously, such a good guy.

Quotable Quotes

• "Miss Bathsheba Everdeen, I have brought you a lamb." -- Gabriel
• "I intend to astonish you." -- Bathsheba
• "He said you'd say that.  His reply is: 'Beggars can't be choosers.'" -- Joseph, relaying Gabriel's message to Bathsheba

ISFS

Tomorrowland

Year: 2015

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Raffey Cassidy, and Hugh Laurie
Tagline: Remember the Future
Synopsis: An optimistic teenager teams up with a jaded former boy-genius in order to find Tomorrowland and save the future.

Review

I wanted to like this movie.  I really, really, really wanted to like this movie.  It's directed by Brad Bird.  It's original.  It's visually stunning.  It's buoyantly optimistic.  It's ... kind of a mess.

The plot starts out like a mystery, as we follow Casey who finds a pin that "transports" her to Tomorrowland, a place where anything is possible.  But what she sees is only a sort of vision, and eventually the timer runs out.  Casey, and the audience, are then left to unravel where the pin came from, why, and how to get to Tomorrowland.  As a mystery, it does a relatively good job.  But then things start to fall apart.

The more we learn the more questions arise, many of which are simply never answered.  What really happened to Tomorrowland?  Where did all the robots come from?  Are there other people living in Tomorrowland, or is Governor Nix there by himself with a few guards that may or may not have been robots?  And those are just a few questions that don't spoil anything.

Also, why do all the robots in the film have such violent self-destruct protocols?  Once they are damaged to a certain degree ... BOOM!  I understand not wanting to leave behind evidence or sensitive information.  But why do they have to turn into bombs capable of leveling a building?

The framing device used at the start and end of the movie is also a bit problematic.  Yes, framing scenes can be a fun way to tell a story.  But in this case, it eliminated any actual worry about the main characters.  No matter what peril they were in, we already knew they'd survive to the end because they were telling the story.

I could have been more forgiving of the various plot holes had the characters been more likable.  Frank -- both old and young -- is likable and relatable enough.  But the rest of the characters were rather bland.  Athena was too distant and ... well, robotic.  Casey was just shy of being annoying.  Yes, she's optimistic.  But she's rather arrogant in her tactics.  She's like the film itself: heavy-handed.

I will say this, the visuals for Tomorrowland are superb.  And the world that is shown to Casey when she touches the pin is richly imagined and beautifully detailed.  The actual Tomorrowland Casey visits is a far cry from that utopia.  That was the problem with the film itself: big, beautiful promises but a disappointing, bland reality.

I didn't hate Tomorrowland.  It's not a bad movie.  But I had such high hopes and expectations for it, and it failed to deliver.  The visuals are terrific.  And it is imaginative.  My recommendation would be to give it a chance once it comes to Redbox or Netflix.

*** Spoiler Section ***

I'm still not entirely sure what Governor Nix was doing to "feed the wrong wolf."  Supposedly Frank was the only person in the real world who knew about and was watching the clock tick down until doomsday.  Was the tachyon machine thinger somehow going to cause the end of the world?  Seriously, I'm so confused.

Nix himself is confusing.  In the real world, various robots have been authorized by Nix to kill Frank and destroy Athena.  Yet when Frank, Casey, and Athena arrive in Tomorrowland, Nix greets them civilly, listens to them (well, kind of), and then offers to banish them with a cheery "good to see you."  It doesn't mesh.

While I'm still puzzling over how Frank had the "Edison tube" in his possession, watching the Eiffel Tower move apart to make way for a rocket was pretty darn cool.  Just how were they going to explain that in the real world?

One more nitpick.  Did Frank really spend the rest of his life pining over his childhood crush on a robot?

Quotable Quotes

• "All around you the coal mine canaries are dropping dead and you won't take the hint!" -- Governor Nix
• "Dreamers need to stick together." -- Athena
• "There are two wolves who are always fighting.  One is darkness and despair.  The other is light and hope.  The question is ... which wolf wins?"  "The one you feed." -- Casey and her father

ISFS

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Year: 2015

Director: Joss Whedon

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Bettany, James Spader, etc.
Tagline: A new age begins.
Synopsis: In an attempt to create a peace-keeping robot, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner accidentally create a murder-bot: Ultron.  Mayhem and robot-smashing ensues.

Review

Blockbuster season has arrived, and with it, the latest Marvel film.  The season certainly starts off with a bang.  Age of Ultron is a fun movie.  It's got amazing visuals, more witty banter and one-liners than I could possibly include in my quotes section, and all the action and explosions you'd expect in a superhero movie.  It's a fun movie.  Is it a good film?  Well, no.  Not really.

The more I think about the movie, the more disappointed I feel.  The story just wasn't strong and the pieces felt cobbled together.  As fun, witty, and action packed as it was, Age of Ultron sort of feels like what would happen if a 9-year-old playing with their action figures was given a few hundred million dollars and told to come up with a story.  The climax features all the heroes together in one place fighting against all the robots.  There is much smashing of robots.  Civilians are jeopardized and saved.  There's even a great deus ex machina save at one point.

There are also a number of elements that just don't quite make sense.  Thor has a side story that was whittled down to the bare minimum.  What remains is solely to help tie the Marvel Cinematic Universe together.  They wouldn't want us to forget about all those Infinity Stones on the loose in every other film.

The film does do some things right.  Vision is a fascinating new character who I look forward to seeing more of.  And Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are also nice additions to the lineup.  Until now, the Avengers were mostly good at shooting things, throwing things, or hitting things.  Having characters with completely different abilities is a welcome change.  For one thing, they bring new visual elements to the story.

One of the early trailers for the film shows the various Avengers trying -- unsuccessfully -- to lift Thor's hammer.  It's a fun, laid back scene in and of itself.  But it works even better within the story because there is a payoff later in the film.  It wasn't just there for fun, it became interwoven into the plot.  I only wish more elements were so well done.

I also appreciated how many of the characters were at a place they ought to be, psychologically, by this film.  Tony Stark is still shell-shocked from the first Avengers story line and wants to be able to "go home" and not always have to be a superhero.  That is why he creates Ultron ... which is, of course, an epic fail.  Maria Hill (who I always wish got more screen time) is clearly doing her somewhat frazzled best to keep everything together in a post-S.H.I.E.L.D. world.  Black Widow is trying to figure out her place in life.  And Nick Fury clearly can't give up his love for making a good entrance.

The best part of the film, though, was Ultron himself.  James Spader does a fantastic job as the voice of Ultron.  As much as I enjoy Loki, Ultron feels like a much stronger villain.  He's intelligent yet somehow lacks understanding.  He feels very broken, in a way, which makes him almost sympathetic until you realize how completely insane he is.

Everything else will have to go in the spoiler section.

I really, really wanted to love Avengers: Age of Ultron.  I certainly enjoyed the movie.  I laughed, or at least chuckled, quite frequently.  And I marveled at the visual effects and the fun action scenes.  It's a lot like cotton candy: colorful and fun, but lacking any real substance.

*** Spoiler Section ***

I'm not opposed to the budding romance between Bruce Banner and Natasha (aka Black Widow).  But it felt like it came out of nowhere.  Maybe I need to go back to the first Avengers movie and see if they did something to lay the groundwork.  But it just felt a bit thrown together.

I do have to give Marvel kudos for one thing though.  The big reveal for Black Widow is that as part of her assassin training program she was sterilized.  This is shown to be a pretty big deal for her.  By this time in her life, she mourns the fact she cannot be a mother.  I never thought I'd see the importance of family and motherhood stressed in a live action* superhero movie. The terrific irony is that Scarlett Johansson, the actress who plays Black Widow, was actually pregnant during filming.

There have been rumors for quite a while that someone would die in this movie: and actually stay dead (as opposed to Agent Coulson, Loki, or Nick Fury).  Hawkeye (aka Clint Barton) was certainly one of the most obvious choices.  The film proceeds to throw out every typical setup that he's going to be killed: he has a wife, she's pregnant and worried for his safety, he's got all these remodeling plans for when he comes home.  It was such a blatant, heavy-handed setup that I knew it had to be a bluff, which it was.  Right when you think Hawkeye is done for (saving a child no less), Quicksilver comes to the rescue and is killed instead.  While I didn't quite see that coming, it still failed emotionally.  After all the buildup, all I felt was "ha, I knew it was a bluff" rather than "gah, they killed the interesting new guy."

*But thank you The Incredibles.

Quotable Quotes

• "The most powerful element on earth ... and they used it to make a Frisbee." -- Ultron, talking about vibranium which was used to make Captain America's shield
• "All set up boss."  "Actually he's the boss.  I just pay for everything.  And design everything.  And make everyone look cooler."  Maria Hill and Tony Stark (who indicates Steve Rogers is the "boss")
• "Please be a secret door.  Please be a secret door.  Please be a secret door. [Finds a secret door.] Yay." -- Tony Stark
• "The city is flying.  We're fighting an army of robots.  And I have a bow and arrow.  Nothing makes sense." -- Clint Barton
• "You're unbelievably naive."  "Well, I was born yesterday." -- Ultron and Vision

ISFS