Xixax Film Forum

I watched the premiere of Falcon and the Winter Soldier a few weeks ago, and I just could not conjure the interest to continue. It bored me to tears.

I really miss Wandavision. Was the finale disappointing? Sure. But ultimately I put it in the same category as Westworld. It's imperfect but has a creative vitality that we can end up taking for granted.

I'm not watching, but it feels as if nobody else is watching, too, or maybe people got exhausted after Wandavision and its very noisy reception?

Episodes 2 and 3 of Falcon + TWS were all right, on par with the Netflix marvel shows at least. But the villain/antagonism iz near nonexistent. Works best when its a buddy show about Falcon + Bucky's disparaging ideas/ideals regarding Steve. Episode 4's finale caps off the penultimate hour with a mature beat - but nothing that's breaking ground.

https://twitter.com/TheOnion/status/1384733666790809602

I only watched Ep 1 of F&TWS but have continued consuming spoiler podcasts, and this is definitely in reference to F&TWS, which like the Cap movies seems to have politics baked into its very premise.

I will say, though, that the bank loan scene in the premiere was so ridiculous to me as to be world-breaking, and even moreso when I learned that scene was approved at the highest levels by Marvel's Council of Elders (which is actually called the "parliament").

In that episode you had Falcon executing special ops of the highest level for the U.S. military, and he is a widely-renowned superhero... why would he need to apply for a loan ever? Are the Avengers and/or the government paying him minimum wage? Are there not foundations? What is Tony Stark's money doing? Is Pepper Potts viciously hoarding wealth? The only possible explanation I can come up with is that Falcon refuses to take any money for the work he does. And if that's the case, he's just an idiot.

BTW I hope the new thread title is sufficiently evocative and triggering.

LOL

I know this series has a more serious tone than Wandavision, but I still consider them both essentially children's television; even if the demo iz Tweens + Teens and not anyone younger than 11. Its logic iz mechanical, and never true critique. They're looking to make a multi-quadrant hit for the platform with Mandalorian's weight that translates what Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely brought to Winter Soldier and Civil War. But at least Mando admits it's better off with less dialogue. 

Here the buddy action comedy that Could Have Been finds itself stifled with "realism." Its mechanics beholden to some sorta low-risk neoliberal tightrope act.

Iz any depiction of "Captain America" free from the reality of the Amerivan government's history? A homegrown Steve that leaves the army Skeptical? Perhaps even leaves the super serum program with resentment for the country that's abandoned the ideals which brought him and Bucky together?

I've only read Bendis' run of Avengers characters, usually I stick to X-Men or ish like SNOTGIRL/TRANSMETROPOLITAN -- but I wonder if the comics have ever attempted an inversion of Superman: Red Son within Marvel. Maybe Vyce iz right and that character just can't ever really be liberated from the corporate hegemony around them.

https://twitter.com/MinovskyArticle/status/1387452550157410308

 :doh:

shoutout to marketing disguised as sincerity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BBfryg7YYE

Loki's score is simply on another level. Natalie Holt is a composer to watch. Just incredible stuff throughout.

Anyway, this ended up being a very fun and essential show. I still prefer Wandavision, though.

One complaint about the finale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Krla_UxRg

This one's a yes from me.

Call me insane, but I'm a fan of what they're doing since Endgame. I haven't seen No Way Home yet, but I hope they go crazy with all this Multiverse stuff, especially in Raimi's Dr. Strange. The new Thor sounds promising as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gim2kprjL50

YIKES

Come for the Shrek-level animation, stay for the gender stereotype jokes.

It looks so bad... Like, it has a bit more life to it than the recent Star Wars series, but it seems so uninspired.

Take Marvel around back like Old Yeller and put them out of their misery

Wandavision and Loki look like anomalies at this point

Quote from: Jeremy Blackman on January 18, 2022, 02:47:29 AMThis one's a yes from me.

Update: haven't watched.

The thought of ever watching another Marvel movie or series fills me with exhaustion on such a deep, existential level. I can't even bear the idea of watching the good ones, much less some sitcom-frivolous Ally McBeal reboot that forgot to update the gender politics from mid-90s standards.

Having rather enjoyed the first two seasons of THE BOYS, I must admit I'm curious about the upcoming Season 03--but literally nothing else in Superhero World holds any interest for me.