'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Review

Making a great and successful film even though is a great achievement brings along some challenges moving ahead, with a bar being set incredibly high for the follow-up to contain the same or better quality and gain the same or better success. Joss Whedon met this situation when The Avengers blew our minds in 2012, fast-forward to 2015 and with the sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron I believe he was able to succeeded on more time.

To begin with, Avengers: Age of Ultron was a very different film than it's predecessor, and that's why it was so effective. This sequel has a darker tone, different character dynamic, but still feels familiar; injected with that Marvel wit, action, and fun that has become synonymous with these films. With a set path in front of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one can fear that some films -especially the Avenger films- might be a risk of becoming more of a set-up to what is to come more than its own film, but Marvel has been very intelligent in that sense, making films hint subtly at the future but still holding as a single film.

Like we have seen before with these characters, the performances this time around were fantastic, from the characters/actors we already knew and from the ones we got to meet; and a special mention has to be made for Ultron, this villain has been the most menacing and effective yet. You really felt that the heroes were in real danger, you felt the despair of facing a seemingly unbeatable threat, and I found myself actually fearing for the life of every hero at some point throughout the film. On that point -BIG SPOILER AHEAD-, they were really hinting at the death of Hawkeye, and then took me by surprise by taking out Quicksilver.

The action in Avengers: Age of Ultron speaks for itself, the action sequences were amazingly put together and were visually stunning, the fight between Iron Man and Hulk and that final fight really stand out there; and getting to see Wanda and Pietro's powers in action was great. You have to wonder moving forward how in the world the action is going to get any better and/or bigger, but I'm sure Marvel has a way and it will.

I felt the film came full circle and ended nicely, when we started off the Avengers were together and by the end we find the team in a very different position; the group is evolving  as it should to move forward and keep this universe fresh. In the end, Avengers: Age of Ultron is the action-packed fun that we love on another level, and I am very much looking forward for what is to come. I will definitely be watching this film many more times.

Babble Rating: 9/10

'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Teaser Trailer

Like many others, I was patiently awaiting the reveal of the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice teaser trailer that was announced to take place on Monday, but unfortunately a low quality recorded version of trailer leaked early, forcing the hand of Warner Bros. to release the trailer online early. This teaser trailer provides us with the first look at Zack Snyder's next addition to the DC cinematic universe, pinning arguably the best superheroes ever against each other.

The look and visuals of the teaser has Zack Snyder written all over it, continuing the darkness that seems to be the tone that this universe will have moving forward. From the trailer we get a sense of the plot of the film, which appears to be that Superman has become a figure of controversy in the aftermath of Man of Steel, dividing opinions labeling him as a either a hero or a threat. As a teaser this one is successful, giving us just enough to get excited and vaguely know the plot of the film. Getting to see Batman not only in his regular new suit but also in the mechanic suit he will use to fight Superman was incredible, not to mention seeing the Batmobile and what appeared to be a Batplane in action. It might seem way too early to be teasing a film that is still a little less than a year away, but to me it was a good way to get the ball rolling and keep fans talking until we get to see something more. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Scoot McNairy, Jason Momoa, and Holly Hunter; opening in theaters on March 25, 2016. Check out the trailer below (via YouTube).

New 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Teaser Trailer

If you're a big Star Wars fan you're probably already on top of this, but if you're not as big of a follower you probably didn't know that Star Wars Celebration took place today. From this festival dedicated solely to Star Wars -as was expected or at least was hoped- came a new material from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but obviously by far the most exciting has to be the reveal of a new teaser trailer for the film.

I watched the new teaser a few times and I felt like I liked it a little more and got a little more excited every time I watched it, it was a great follow-up to the first teaser. This new teaser was amazing, not only visually but also from all the new things we got out of it. Like the first teaser, this one also just feels like Star Wars but a new Star Wars, you can tell that this is something new, but the nostalgia factor is present. The melody from the beginning just brought a smile to my face, the shot of the crashed X-Wing and Star Destroyer was beautiful, Luke's voice-over, and the Vader mask...too many things to love about it. I really enjoyed how they showed so much more this time around but were still able to keep the story concealed, we still don't really know the plot of the film, nor are we supposed to from a teaser. I'm not gonna go into too much detail about how much I loved this trailer, suffices to say that I was successfully teased. Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force wakens stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker, opening in theaters on December 18, 2015. Check out the teaser trailer below (via YouTube) and judge for yourself (if you haven't seen it yet), along with a poster of the film.

Random Babble: Top 10 Worst Practical Special Effects in Movies

As a movie fan, in more than one occasion you have probably watched a movie and saw a special effect and thought it looked incredibly fake or just plain bad. To commemorate those situations Watchmojo.com made a video of the  Top 10 Worst Practical Special Effects in Movies, you can check it out below and judge the special effects for yourself if you haven't already seen them.

Top 10 Worst Practical Special Effects in Movies

'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Final Trailer

Marvel has released the final trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron, giving us a third peek at this darker and chaotic sequel. Out of everything I have seen from this movie, this third trailer is by far what I have liked the most. Like a good trailer should do, It continues to show you everything you need to know before watching the movie and even adds new material, but without revealing too much. Until now we had only seen little of Ultron, but with this trailer he is looking more like the menacing villain we are all expecting him to be, "I was designed to save the world, people would look to the sky and see...hope. I'll take that from them first." I think that line speaks for itself. The trailer continues to make me feel like this movie will be much more dark and serious, but still gave us glimpses of the humor that Marvel movies have had so far. This trailer is great, I have gotten all that I need from it in anticipation for the film, and May 1st can't be here quick enough.

Directed by Joss Whedon, Avengers: Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and James Spader, opening in theaters on May 1st. Check out the trailer below (via YouTube).

Random Babble: 2015 Oscars/87th Academy Awards Predictions

Today is a great day, because the Oscars are taking place tonight and if you're a big movie fan and are into watching the great films of the year being recognized then you will be watching. Being that the 87th Academy Awards are today I have decided to make a post attempting to predict the winners. The list of nominees and categories is lengthy and quite honestly I don't think I can make accurate predictions on all of them, so I will only make predictions on the major categories. The format I will follow is listing the categories with the respective nominees with my prediction being highlighted in red. I hope you enjoy it and compare my prediction to your own. Here are my predictions for the 2015 Oscars/87th Academy Awards:

BEST PICTURE
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher
Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game

BEST ACTOR
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall – The Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Laura Dern – Wild
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
American Sniper – Jason Hall

The Imitation Game – Graham Moore
Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
Whiplash – Damien Chazelle

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman – Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo
Boyhood – Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher – E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler – Dan Gilroy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of Princess Kaguya

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert D. Yeoman
Ida – Ryszard Lenczweski, Lukasz Zal
Mr. Turner – Dick Pope
Unbroken – Roger Deakins

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Random Babble: How 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Should Have Ended, Everything Wrong With 'Gladiator', and Top 10 Movie Fistfights

It has been a while since my last Random Babble so it was about time I posted a new one, and of course it had to be from the popular YouTube channels I usually share videos from, How It Should Have Ended, Cinema Sins, and WatchMojo.com. The videos I am sharing today are How 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Should Have Ended, Everything Wrong With 'Gladiator', and Top 10 Movie Fistfights. I really enjoy the videos these channels post and I like sharing them with you guys, also being that they are related to movies I think it's relevant. Check out the videos below.

How 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Should Have Ended


Everything Wrong With 'Gladiator'

Top 10 Movie Fistfights

First Image of Jason Momoa as Aquaman

By now we know that Jason Momoa will be taking on the role of Aquaman in the DC cinematic universe, we also know that he will appear in Batman v. Superman in some form, and that he will be getting his own solo film in the coming future. What we didn't know was what this movie incarnation of the character would look like, but now we need not wonder any longer and can get a better idea as to what to expect. Director Zack Snyder revealed the first image of Aquaman giving us the first look at the character.

Snyder revealed the image of the King of Atlantis via his Twitter Account, accompanied by the phrase "There is only one true King". I really liked this image a lot, and think this is the most badass-looking Aquaman we could have asked for. The dark and gritty tone from the image goes along with what we have seen so far from characters like Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot); also what we are expecting from the upcoming films. The tattoos, trident, armor, and what little we can see from the pants with the logo all add a unique and great touch to the character. Some comments I have heard and read say that the look isn't all that loyal to the character because of it lacking blonde hair and the traditional orange and green colors, all of which I personally don't mind at all. The image includes the tagline "Unite the Seven", which according to popular belief  could be in reference either to the seven seas or uniting seven members of the Justice League. The question that comes up is if Zack Snyder just released this image as a simple tease or if this is the beginning of more to come, possibly of other characters like Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Flash (Ezra Miller) who have also already been cast.

Who knows what will come next, for that we will just have to wait and enjoy what we have seen until now. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice opens in theaters on March 25th, 2016. Check out the Aquaman image below.

There is only one true King. #unitetheseven pic.twitter.com/RDFG8jbuI6
— ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) February 20, 2015

New 'Pitch Perfect 2' Trailer

Universal Pictures released a new trailer for the upcoming comedy Pitch Perfect 2, Elizabeth Banks' directorial debut. This time around we find the Barden Bellas going to the World Championships of A Cappella, putting their musical talents to the test on a global competition. Much like the first trailer I also enjoyed this second one, we got to see some new joke material here and there and this new trailer remains very funny.

Pitch Perfect 2 stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Hailee Steinfeld, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, and Katey Segal, hitting theaters on May 15th. Check out the trailer below (via YouTube).

'Spider-Man' to Join Marvel Cinematic Universe

The day a lot of fans have wished for and that has recently been speculated about and rumored has arrived, Spider-Man will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was announced yesterday via a press release (via Collider) that an agreement between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures was reached that will see Spider-Man join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, first by appearing in an untitled Marvel film and then getting a solo film coming July 28th, 2017.

This is a huge move by both studios, and personally one I am very excited about. I'm sure I was not alone in wondering what a Spider-Man movie with a Marvel Studios touch would look like and seeing him alongside the Avengers, and now that day will come no too far from now. The deal will see Kevin Feige co-produce the new Spider-Man film with Amy Pascal, and open the possibility of MCU characters appearing in future Spider-Man films. It is also important to be aware that this doesn't mean that Spider-Man is going back to Marvel, Sony Pictures will still own the rights to the character and have creative and financial control over him. There is a lot to say on this, first on a jokingly note I wan't to point out the particular phrasing that Sony used in the press release that read, "Sony Pictures Entertainment Brings Marvel Studios into the Amazing World of Spider-Man". Yeah...I'm sure Marvel is delighted to be invited into the "Amazing" world of Spider-Man and not the other way around, but anyway It's not like they were going to say "Marvel Studios Revives The Incredible Character We Made a Mess Out of".

Like it was reported, Spider-Man will first appear in an untitled Marvel film and the get his own film to be released on July 28th, 2017, you probably already thought about it but the Marvel film we are all expecting Spidey to appear in is Captain America: Civil War. The announcement of the Spider-Man solo film shakes thing up a bit for the already announced future Marvel films, and on that note here are the changes that will be made:

-Thor: Ragnarok moves from 7/28/17 to 11/3/17
-Black Panther moves from 11/3/17 to 7/6/18
-Captain Marvel moves from 7/6/18 to 11/2/18
-Inhumans moves from 11/2/18 to 7/12/19

*Note: Avengers: Infinity War Part I and II will still be released on May 4th, 2018 and May 3rd, 2019, respectively.*

Another topic that comes up from all of this is casting, and there is no mention of it in the press release. But according to a report from THR, the studio is looking to recast the character with a much younger actor than 31-year-old Andrew Garfield. The report also mentions that Marc Webb will not return to direct, and a search for a new writer will also take place. This is a lot to take in and I'm sure more details will surface, we aren't even half way through the week but this will be the biggest story for sure. We will be on watch for more details.

'Magic Mike XXL' Trailer Released

Warner Bros. has released the first teaser trailer for Gregory Jacobs' upcoming sequel Magic Mike XXL, teasing a big performance from Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) and his crew. I didn't watch the first film, and to be completely honest I probably won't watch this one either. But that being said, for what it was worth I thought this trailer was very effective. The dancing choreography looks good and it looks like this time around they are going bigger on the performances, perhaps that explains the title.

Magic Mike XXL also stars Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Amber Heard, Elizabeth Banks, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, and Michael Strahan, the film hits theaters on July 1st. Check out the trailer below (via YouTube).

'Poltergeist' Reboot Images Revealed

This film has been a cause of a lot of loyal fan outrage, some are giving it a shot but still remain worried about what is to come. But whether you are on board with it or not Fox is releasing a remake of the beloved horror classic Poltergeist, and now we are getting a peek at what the film will look like through the release of some images including some comments from the people involved in making the film.

The images come from USA Today, who also shared some comments from the director of this new Poltergeist Gil Kenan. In this remake the story follows a family as they move into a new house in need of some repairs, but it turns out that the house needs some heavy spiritual cleansing even more. Like the original, television will serve as a bridge to the spirit world, but being set in a contemporary setting there are a lot more and even bigger screens. Here are some of the comments from Kenan:

 “Whenever someone approaches material that's so beloved, there's a reflexive reaction to be worried. It's a responsibility we take very seriously. We're working to make a Poltergeist film that lives up to the original's legacy. The original film commented on how we've let television get out of control, babysitting our kids. It's only gotten worse with the handheld portable devices. Screens are everywhere. The film is super-scary. And it's scary on its own terms. I am excited to finally be able to share that with the world.”

The new Poltergeist stars Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Kennedi Clements, hitting theaters on July 24th. Check the images below.

'Steve Jobs' Film Gets Release Date

Just after getting a look at Michael Fassbender and Seth Rogen on the set of Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs and the film just beginning production recently, more good news have been revealed in the form of an official release date for the upcoming biopic.

Universal announced today (via Collider) that the official release date for the Aaron Sorkin-scripted biopic will be October 9th of this year. The release date stands out because of how soon it is, the film just began shooting and the release date chosen is merely nine moths away, still I think this shouldn't be any reason whatsoever to worry about the film because of how it will be set up. From what I understand the film will be composed of three parts taking place backstage of the launch of three iconic Apple products, and I imagine some flashbacks will also be included. This unique structure is one of the reasons I am anticipating this film so much. It is also worth mentioning that Steve Jobs will now open against another film I am also anticipating very much, and that is Steven Spielberg's Cold War thriller starring Tom Hanks.

The biopic Steve Jobs will also star Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels, Katherine Waterston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sarah Snook, and Adam Saphiro, and as recently announced the film will open in theaters on October 9th.

Steve Jobs Biopic Images

Good material keeps coming forward from Universal's Steve Jobs biopic, the Aaron Sorkin-scripted and Danny Boyle-directed film has already begun filming and new images have been released from the set giving us a look at Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs and Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak. The pictures look good, but more than the pictures themselves I like that they tell that the film is moving along well and for a film that has had the issues that this one has had, that is a very good thing. Sure, the actors don't really look too much like the people they are playing but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, nit at all, I think the resemblance will come more from the performance than from makeup.

The Steve Jobs biopic will also star Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels, Katherine Waterston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sarah Snook, and Adam Saphiro. Check out the images below (via The Daily Mail).

First look: Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs on set of film about Apple co-founder's life http://t.co/nrPBu0Mj3N pic.twitter.com/0MYyj9oQKX
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) January 31, 2015

Felicity Jones In Talks to Star in 'Star Wars' Spin-Off

In case you didn't know already, apart from the regular Star Wars films that are coming our way in the near future beginning with Star Wars: The Force Awakens we are also getting spin-off films in between. The first spin-off film will be directed by Gareth Edwards with a script written by Chris Weitz, and now the big story is that The Theory of Everything star Felicity Jones is a main target to take the lead in the Star Wars spin-off.

THR reported on Jones being in talks to star in the spin-off film, with names like Rooney Mara and Tatiana Maslany also participating in readings and testings for the film. According to the report, actors Aaron Paul and Edgar Ramirez are also being eyed for a male leading role, but details of the film are being kept under wraps. Rumors going around are that the film will follow a group of bounty hunters, but take that for what it is, just a rumor at this point and with no way of confirming it.

Jones is getting a great amount of acclaim for her role in The Theory of Everything, so you have to assume people are lining up to work with her. I don't particularly see her in a film in the vein of Star Wars, but she is an incredibly talented actress so being that she gets the part I believe she will do a great job. The Star Wars spin-off is set to hit theaters on December 16th, 2016.

New 'Minions' Trailer

Yesterday we got new images giving us a look at Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock) in the upcoming animated film Minions, and now Universal has released a new trailer for the film providing a better introduction to the main supervillain. The story follows minions Kevin, Stuart, and Bob through time as they look for their next evil master and eventually find themselves in the 1960s, in the trailer we find the minion trio going to Villain-Con in pursuit of the next evil being they will serve. I liked this new trailer, specially the introduction of Scarlet Overkill, she looks like a fun character and I think she will have great dynamic with the minions.

Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, Minions stars Sandra Bullock, John Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, and Steve Coogan, the film opens in theaters on July 10th. Check Out the trailer below (via YouTube).

New 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Images

Marvel studios has released new images for Joss Whedon's upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron, building up more anticipation for this sequel. This is one of the most anticipated films of this year for plenty of people and Marvel I believe has been doing a great job to give us material to keep that momentum going. The images really aren't much more that we haven't already seen from the trailers, but I'm sure those people waiting for the film (Including myself) are happy getting material like this. The film isn't that far away if you think about it, I just hope they don't overdo it with the advertising.

Avengers: Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and James Spader, hitting theaters on May 1st. Check out the images below (via Marvel).