The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Director:

Louis Leterrier

Starring:

Edward Norton

Liv Tyler

Tim Roth

William Hurt

Tim Black Nelson

Plot:

Bruce Banner, a scientist on the run from the U.S. Government, must find a cure for the monster he turns into, whenever he loses his temper.

Review:

The second movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is incredibly different from the first. I understand why they made The Incredible Hulk, of the original Avengers movies The Hulk, probably, had the most name recognition. However, I think this movie took too much inspiration from the Ang Lee Hulk film.

Norton plays a more broody and dark version of Bruce Banner than Mark Ruffalo. His focus is on keeping his heart rate down because that is what he believes sets him off. His entire existence is finding a cure so that he can get rid of The Hulk and is living in Brazil working in a bottling company while he talks on an encrypted channel to Mr. Blue, Tim Blake Nelson. Eventually he has to come to NY, because everything always happens there, so that he can finally be cured.

During all of this you discover that General Ross, William Hurt, has been trying to find him so that he can recreate The Hulk. He’s desperate for that ability and ends up giving power to someone who is clearly too attracted to violence.

Great big violent battle, lots of destruction, and Bruce Banner/The Hulks situation doesn’t change.

This movie isn’t shot like what I’ve come to expect from superhero movies. It is much more of an action thriller and has probably the best shot action scenes in the entire MCU. There’s no shaky cam and very few quick cuts, even with the large amounts of CG that was used. It was impressive.

Story wise, the movie only makes a passing reference to S.H.I.E.L.D. and doesn’t mention Iron Man at all until the credits scene (which is not at the end) when Tony appears. Bruce believes he changes because of his heartrate and not just because of rage, which I don’t believe is brought up again. Betty, Liv Tyler, makes no future appearances even though they act like she’s the love of his life. Blonsky, Tim Roth, is captured, but not killed, and Mr. Blue is exposed to Bruce’s blood and starts to change. To my memory none of this is referenced in further movies.

The Incredible Hulk is like the relative that people prefer not to talk about at family reunions. It seems to be largely ignored in the greater story and, thankfully, is not used as a style inspiration for future movies. Though, maybe Thor: Dark World could be explained that way…

Clearly, you don’t have to watch The Incredible Hulk to enjoy the MCU, but it is interesting to see what could have been. What if, instead of bombing financially, making less than half what Iron Man did, the roles had been reversed? How would that have changed the franchises future?

3/5

Iron Man (2008)

iron-man.jpg

Iron Man (2008)

Director:

Jon Favreau

Starring:

Robert Downey Jr.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Terrance Howard

Plot:

After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.

Review:

It’s been a few years since I’ve watched the movie that started it all. I’ve seen it more than a few times, but rewatching movies is not something I have much time for right now. However, with Endgame coming up SyFyfangrrls decided to rewatch everything and I decided to try as well. So here goes!

Iron Man has aged surprisingly well. It is kind of crazy to think that when this movie came out Bush was still in office and the housing market hadn’t quiet yet crashed so the Great Recession hadn’t happened. All of that really explains the opening scene. The world was a different place.

I’m not normally a fan of showing something super exciting and then flashing back for setup, but in this case it sets the mood well and there’s still a lot of even more exciting stuff to come.

The stripper flight attendants, Tony sleeping with the reporter, the Trans joke Tony makes to Rhodes are all things I feel like haven’t aged well, but the CG looks great.

Tony, Robert Downey Jr., needs someone to push him to be better. He’s very much an entitled male billionaire. He could have very well died in that cave if it wasn’t for Yinsen, Shaun Toub. After making his dramatic declaration he would have forgotten all about it if Obadiah, Jeff Bridges, hadn’t challenged him. He’s not a bad person, he’s just a dick.

I honestly wondered if I would even like the movie anymore since I’m not a big fan of Iron Man and pretty much hate him now, but I still do. I think enough time has passed that there is a tiny smidge of nostalgia, but mostly it’s just a damn good movie, and a great start to one of my favorite franchises.

4/5

Side Note:

The only inconsistency that I really found was that S.H.I.E.L.D. was often referred to with it’s full name and not just Shield and we learned in Captain Marvel that’s not accurate. Other than that everything else seems to hold up, which is kind of amazing.

Second Act (2018)

Second Act

Second Act (2018)

Director:

Peter Segal

Starring:

Jennifer Lopez

Vanessa Hudgens

Leah Remini

Plot:

A big box store worker reinvents her life and her life-story and shows Madison Avenue what street smarts can do.

Review:

Second Act reminded me of Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead in that we had someone conning their way into a job they weren’t qualified for, but actually it turned out that they were. There were fewer moments of Lopez’s character floundering, which felt a bit unrealistic. The fact that the only person that suspected she was inexperienced and lying was her enemy was a bit contrived. I did like the fact that she made a very public reveal because it meant that she kept all the power and not her enemy.

There was some Working Girl vibes as well here, but Working Girl did it much better. The addition of Hudgens character being her daughter that she had to give up was too much for me. It made everything too pat and I could have done without it.

All in all Second Act was an entertaining movie with an overall premise I enjoyed that just needed a little editing.

3/5

Single AF

Single AF

Single AF (Social Experiment #1) By: Sherelle Green

Plot:

SINGLE: Unmarried or not involved in a stable relationship.

MEEKA
The pure term ‘being single’ makes me want to gag every time I hear it. To me, the worst part is the fact that you’re constantly reminded of your status. Like, do you really think I can forget I’m single? I’ve dated more Mr. Wrong’s than I can count, and now, the network that I work for wants me to share my messed up dating history with the world. To make matters more humiliating, my arch nemesis — aka Mr. Missed Opportunity — has a front row seat to my walking, talking mistakes.

TONE
To say working with Meeka on this assignment is bound to go badly, would be an understatement. We’ve never gotten along, and I have a good reason for staying clear. Everything about her screams … extra! So, of course when our network needs me to assist her with her project, I’m intrigued to hear what her exes have to say about their past relationship. Maybe I’ll get some insight into her character or validate my assumptions. Or unbeknownst to me, I might just find myself connecting with this loud, crazy woman more than I ever thought I would. They say don’t mix business with pleasure. Funny, I never liked that rule.

Review:

This book is worth reading for the first chapter alone. It’s freaking hilarious! I actually found it because Alyssa Cole tweeted about the first sentence and that sold me.

Meeka was…honestly people kept calling her crazy but she was not at all. She was a planner and a dreamer and I related to her a lot. She was maybe a bit too eager at times, but I loved her. Her ratchet rhymes had me laughing so hard.

Tone was HOT. Incredibly attractive inside and out and a worthy match to Meeka. I loved that he was willing to fight for her, not just take on an evil ex, but when she learned something that he should have told her earlier he wasn’t just going to let their new relationship drop. He was also willing to give her space to process and was just all around perfect. It was wonderful especially after seeing the losers she’d dated. She deserved to find a prince.

My only real complaint with the book was that it moved really fast and I wished the ex-boyfriends had been fleshed out more and there’d been more of them. It was over way too fast, but I’ve already got another book by Green purchased and ready on my kindle, so at least I’ve got that to look forward too.

4.5/5

Of Blood and Bone

Of Blood and Bone

Of Blood and Bone (Chronicles of the One #2) By: Nora Roberts

Plot:

They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed.

Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before—the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted—and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden.

In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

Review:

So, I wasn’t a fan of the last book, but it properly set my expectations so I knew what I was getting into with the second. Of Blood and Bone is still much darker than I’m used to with Nora Roberts, but there is a lot more light too.

Fallon is young, just 12 when it starts out, but her true training begins shortly after her 13th birthday. For two years she is taught and excels, and passes test after test, until she’s done. The entire book is getting to know her, her strengths and weaknesses. The world has already been created, and the setting feels mostly built, this book was about introducing us to The One.

She loves her family, she’s smart and analytical, but she doesn’t ignore her emotions. I liked that, I liked that going cold and logical wasn’t her goal, and while she could be passionate she wasn’t always hot-headed.

The side characters from the previous book weren’t ignored, we got glimpses into their lives. A lot has happened for them since we left, and thankfully, most of it was good. People are thriving. The world is different, but there is still a lot of darkness and unrest and basically anarchy in most places. It’s not a pretty place, but there are bubbles where it isn’t bad, yet.

If this was any other Nora Roberts book I would assume that Deacon is Fallon’s fated love, and it really does look like that will happen, but I can’t say I’m much of a fan of his. He’s fine, but their relationship is imbalanced. They’re both powerful, magically, though Fallen is definitely stronger. My problem is that he is a year older than Fallon and already has quite a bit of experience with sex. She doesn’t, which is fine, but I don’t want her to be this virginal prize for him. I’m not a fan of that trope.

We’ll see what happens. The book ends with a minor battle. Some people die, but no one you’re really attached too, but it means something to the characters. Deacon says some thoughtless things, but they seem to make up, and he goes off because he can’t be near her. Fallon is left with her family and to raise an army.

I am more excited for the next book than I am for this, but I’m also cautious because I’m afraid of what Roberts will do. We’ll see.

3.5/5