#and be like luis recaps from mcu

[review-anon]

The Valentine's Day Review isn't on the ASOOT Writings Tab

//I was busy doing resizing so I didn't have time to update the blog themes.

//I have not only added the Valentine's Day Review on the writing tabs but I also gave some progress on what I'm doing rn and added the April Fools Sketch to the Sketches tab.

//Y'know if you wanted see Hajime get roasted for his subpar video making skills.

[funnyincorrectmcu]

Happy FFWF

Who is your favorite Avenger out of the guys? Whose your favorite out of the girls? who is your favorite supporting civilian and whose your favorite villian?

Happy FFWF! 

(I think this was technically from last week, but whatever. It’s FFWF again, so here we are. XD) 

Honestly, these are easy. XD 

Favorite Male Avenger? 

No contest. 

None. 

Peter Parker is a close second, but nobody will ever beat Tony Stark. 

The complexities to his character, and how much he grows over all twenty-three movies, is amazing. Plus, Robert Downey Jr. was seriously the best choice to play him, and he nails the charm, humor, and charisma while also hitting all of the emotional subtleties and I love it. 

Plus, he’s the one that started it all and ended it all. (And yes, I’m still sobbing over that. :’( :’( :’( :’( )

I just love him so much. <3 <3 

Favorite Female Avenger? 

Again, no contest. And, again, perfect casting on the MCU’s part with Scarlett Johansson. She nails the bada**ery and emotional turmoil in every scene she does, and I love it. 

Speaking of, this is another character that grows so much over the twenty-three movie-long Infinity Saga, eventually sacrificing herself for her found family and the world to make it a better place. 

Yeah. I really miss her too. And no, I will never be over that death or that scene. :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

Natasha Romanoff will always be an amazing role model. <3 

Favorite Civilian? 

Okay, admittedly, this one’s a little harder, because I also adore Ned Leeds with every fiber of my being, but I really do have to give this one to Luis. He honestly makes the Ant-Man movies with his comedy and fun. 

Plus, he is way smarter than he gets credit for, and I really love that he knows it and doesn’t really care if other people know it. He’s just not afraid to be himself and have fun, and I love it. On top of that, his friendship with Scott is the best. 

Seriously: missed opportunity to have Luis do an MCU recap for us right before Endgame. 

Ya know, he still could before the rest of Marvel Phase 4 comes out. XD <3 

And finally...

Favorite Villain? 

I mean, I already answered this one for you with your other ask, but I am happy to answer it again, because, come on...is this really a question? 

Loki has such a sad backstory, and it honestly makes a lot of his actions feel more justified, which I really appreciate in a villain. On top of that, he has charm, humor, and charisma--another thing I love, in case you haven’t picked up on the trend--and it makes his character fun and likable, no matter what he does to harm others. 

Plus, I mean, just look at Tom Hiddleston: amazing acting and amazing looks? Yeah. Another amazing casting choice. 

I love the God of Mischief. <3 

Thanks so much for asking this! I love questions like this! :D <3 

[some-lists]

Marvel Side Characters I Want to See More Of

Here’s a list of side characters I’d like to see more of in the MCU. These are characters that have mostly been in the background and have not gotten the screen time they deserve.

This does not include characters about to get their own Disney Plus series (no Bucky, Vision, etc.), because we will be seeing more of them.

10. Sif

Sif was a great side character and a strong female warrior. The Dark World hinted at a love triangle between her, Thor, and Jane Foster. Then she disappeared and was never heard of again. I don’t miss the potential love triangle, but she was a cool character back when the only other female fighter was Black Widow. It would be nice to know what became of her. Valkyrie ultimately replaced her, but who says we can only have one strong female warrior per movie? It’s a stupid rule and I think she needs a comeback in the MCU. (Personally, I would’ve preferred her for a female Thor instead of Jane Foster.)

9. Nakia

I didn’t want to include love interests on this list, but now due to the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, we don’t know what will happen to Nakia. She was absent in Infinity War and Endgame, and I would’ve loved to see her fight in the big battle scenes. Will she appear in Black Panther 2? I hope they do not write her out along with T’Challa (assuming they don’t replace him with a new actor).

8. Bill Foster

Bill Foster is far more likable than Hank Pym, IMO. He’s a fellow genius and a good man, who is occasionally willing to do morally ambiguous things to help someone he cares about. It’s actually a great parallel to Ant-Man himself. Laurence Fishburne was a welcome addition to the Ant-Man cast. The fools at The Matrix didn’t ask him back, and I hope Marvel doesn’t make the same mistake. More Laurence Fishburne in everything, please.

7. Maria Hill

I seriously need to see more Maria Hill. She was great in The Avengers and The Winter Soldier, but we didn’t see her again until the end credits scene in Infinity War. That’s a huge gap! She never got a chance to show us what she’s got. Personally, I kinda wish they used her instead of Sharon Carter in Civil War (minus the weird kissing scene). She’s way cool, has played an important part in previous films, and I just felt more invested in her than Sharon. Now that Samuel L. Jackson has returned to the MCU after a long absence, I’d like to see Maria Hill return too. Not just a brief cameo here or there, but with a real job to do.

6. Ned

Ned is Peter Parker’s loyal best friend. Jacob Batalon and Tom Holland have great chemistry together, and he’s super funny. Ned’s in on Peter’s secret identity and it makes it even funnier when has he has to cover for him. His one line in Infinity War is hilarious. I want to see more goofy buddy moments between Ned and Peter in future movies.

5. The Grandmaster

The Grandmaster made his appearance in Thor: Ragnarok and I need to see more of him. Taika Waititi geniusly got Jeff Goldblum to essentially be himself, and it’s glorious. I don’t know if we’ll ever see him again, but he’s way too entertaining for just a one time appearance.

4. Luis

I mentioned before that Drax was the funniest character in the MCU, but I might have to take that back. There isn’t a moment with Luis that isn’t absolutely hilarious. He asked Hope for a suit in Ant-Man and the Wasp and I think he should get one. Someone get this man a suit. Promote him. Just more screen time for this awesome character, please. Honestly, I think it would’ve been great if he had rescued Scott Lang from the Quantum Realm instead of some dumb rat. Can you imagine the 5 year recap he would’ve given Scott? Talk about perfect for this pandemic. It would’ve been too good.

3. Mantis

I love Mantis. She’s such a unique and interesting character. She’s unlike anyone else in the MCU. She’s wonderfully weird, awkward, funny, and adorable. Her relationship with Drax is both hilarious and sweet. James Gunn has said he wants a Drax and Mantis Disney Plus series, and so do I. Those two are too interesting to toss aside. Especially since Mantis has only been in two films, there’s still so much room for her to grow. I’d like to see her awkwardly learn more about emotions and social interactions. Mostly, I’d like to see her feel her own emotions instead on feeling through another person. How would she handle her own feelings of sadness or anger? And how would her powers grow as well? Will she learn to use them more aggressively? There’s so much potential here.

2. Wong

Wong is seriously underrated. He has the same awesome sorcery powers as Dr. Strange. Unfortunately, he’s stuck in a stoic Asian monk stereotype. He’s been sidelined in every film so far, and he deserves better. With Wanda scheduled to star in Doctor Strange 2, I fear Wong will be sidelined yet again. Benedict Wong is an incredible actor capable of so much more than what he’s been given. If you need proof, check out his performance as Kublai Khan in Marco Polo on Netflix. This guy should have Emmys. He has great chemistry with Benedict Cumberbatch and is funny in his brief moments. I think Wong deserves the chance to be fleshed out as a character instead of being designated the token Asian sidekick.

1. M’Baku

Endgame left a lot of my questions about Wakanda post-Thanos’ snap unanswered. I wanted to know who took over while T’Challa was gone. We saw in Infinity War that both Okoye and M’Baku survived. I hoped it meant we’d be seeing more of them as they stepped up in his absence (perhaps that was the plan for Black Panther 2?). I was disappointed that neither had much of a presence in Endgame. M’Baku was a delightful surprise in Black Panther. He’s a formidable opponent to T’Challa, a powerful leader and warrior, but also crazy funny! I hope he has a much larger role in Black Panther 2.

Again, I don’t know what’s going to happen with that film now. It’s a sensitive subject at this time. I hope M’Baku will be utilized to preserve the traditions of Wakanda after whatever changes are made in that film. Especially since T’Challa was such an important, positive male figure for the black community, I hope M’Baku can rise up to fill that need as well.

[geeky-nightphilosopher]

Am I the only one who thinks Marvel is missing an opportunity on having Luis (from Ant-Man) have his own Disney+ show where all he does is recap the entire MCU movies and TV shows?

At the end of every episode (except for the season finale) Scott comes in and is all like; "No. That is not how Tony Stark took down an angry Russian." Or "How do you know that Thor fought his sister with a spaceship for love making? You weren't there." Scott always leaves with a irritated huff and a sigh.

And like at the end of the season they could have Fury or Hill come to his door and say "Sir you'll have to come with us."

And they take him to a SHIELD black site, because the man knows way too much for a regular civilian.

[bighound-littlebird]

Luis from the MCU recapping Sandor's Journey

So anyway, this one starts working for Joffrey. And that’s when he met Sansa. And Sansa’s all like, “I want nothing to do with you. Look at my hairdo. I’m all business.”

And then Sandor’s like, “You know what, girl? My heart’s all broken, and I’ll probably never find love. But man, I want to kiss you.”

But then fast-forward, and they’re all like into each other, right? And then Sandor’s like, “You know what, I can’t tell you this, but I’m gonna go trashing an inn with Arya!”

Then she said, “I can’t believe you split like that. Smell you later, dummy!”

So Sandor goes to the Quiet Isle, and he won’t admit it, but his heart’s all like, “Man, I thought Sansa couldn’ve been my new true partner. But I blew it!”

But fate brought them back together, and then Sansa’s heart is all, “I’m worried that I can’t trust him. And he’s gonna screw up again and ruin everything.”

And in my heart, it’s all like, “That fancy raspberry filling represents the army of the dead. And we’re days away from the War for the Dawn! Oooh!!”"

[werenotourmasks]

Ant-Man and the Wasp Review

JUST SAW ANT-MAN AND THE WASP I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS *I’ll try to be vague but potential spoilers*

- Scott Lang is the hero we all deserve he’s so sweet with Cassie and actually owns up to his mistakes plus he’s funny as hell

- Speaking of Cassie she’s so precious yet also so badass PROTECT THIS CHILD

- I think I’m in love with Hope Van Dyne everything she does is a power move??? She had a lot more development and personality in this one rather than the first and I don’t see how anyone could dislike her now. And as far as I can think of she’s the first female hero to appear in the title of a marvel movie I stan a badass queen

- LUIS. Oh my god. Such a scene stealer and his story was pure gold. Can Marvel release, like, a recap of the entire MCU so far narrated by him because 10/10 would watch obsessively

- Speaking of scene stealers Woo was hilarious. No hate for him at all he was just trying to do his job the guy needs a win already. And him trying to learn magic and basically asking Scott on a date at the end? The movie was already great but he made it *that* much better

- Hank was great as well his comments on Scott and Hope staring/daydreaming about each other were so funny and his dedication to his family was beautiful. I also love how the movie acknowledged his flaws, mainly ego, and incorporated that into the story

- Speaking of which Ghost is one of the best and most complex Marvel villains of all time, her motivation and backstory were compelling and I felt more sorry for her than anything despite some of her actions. In a similar vein, Bill’s motivations and moral dilemma that came with helping her were well-executed and his criticisms of Hank were honestly valid. I love the way their story turned out and I hope to see more of them in future movies, maybe as allies?

- If one character fell a bit flat for me it was Janet. Maybe it was just the lack of screentime and development for her but the only weight to her character was her connection with Hank and Hope. While incredibly touching, it wasn’t quite enough to get me really invested and there were too many things about her time in the quantum realm and the qualities she had afterward (trying to keep it vague sorry) that went unexplained. However the lack of development obviously made sense and my opinion could easily change in future movies if certain things were to happen

- I love love love how positively Scott’s relationship with Maggie and Paxton was portrayed. They all care abt Cassie and each other without any bitterness between them plus Paxton hugging Scott was A+ comedy

- Speaking of the comedy I was going to list the best funny parts but there’s so many it’s impossible, I think this movie may be the funniest besides Ragnarok. Let’s just say every joke was executed perfectly and a lot of them were really clever

-The action scenes were creative, compelling, and well-shot. The implications of being able to shrink and grow yourself and anything around you were explored to maximum potential and the result was just really freaking cool

-SCOTT AND HOPE ARE SO CUTE ASDFGHJKL. I liked them together well enough in the first movie but now I’m complete trash. The chemistry between Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly is fantastic and the dynamic between them is well balanced, not to mention the banter

- Speaking of Scott and Hope the last scene with them and Cassie in the car was so sweet I can’t deal

- THE MID-CREDIT SCENE HAS ME SHOOK. Yes it was kind of necessary to show the scope of impact infinity war had but at the same time was it really necessary? Just when I had fallen in love with certain characters too I mean c’mon marvel

- I can’t believe I waited ten minutes to see an ant playing drums

- THE QUESTION MARK CAN FIGHT ME OK

- Overall I think the first Ant-Man was a bit more cohesive plot-wise but the characterization in this one was better plus it was funnier and just a more enjoyable movie. Because of that I would rank amatw slightly above the first. As for the MCU as a whole, I had more fun watching this than any other movie besides Ragnarok and I loved it but it doesn’t quite rank in my top 5. However it was a brilliant movie overall and apart from the credit scene a perfect breather after infinity war. These characters are some of my favorites and I hope to see more ant-man movies. Amatw is definitely worth your time, go see it if you haven’t yet :)

[aj-allen97]

Can Marvel Stuidos already just give us a tv series staring Luis and it’s him recapping/reacting to all the bullshits that’s been happening in the MCU?

Well all the Bullshit he as a normal civilian would have knowledge to as a bystander/friend to a hero.

Like he’s doing a podcast (or something) and we are basically watching him make this podcast so we get to see his recap story mode that we saw in Ant Man (with him voicing everyone) - it would be hilarious.

Each episode is it’s own movie/tv series with one episode being dedicated to multiple movies/tv series because most of its bull shit happen behind the scenes/away from people with camera or people in general - but the aftermath or one fight scene did happen in populated areas so that’s what Luis is focusing on and speculating on.

Luis recapping Infinity Wars with the help of Scott Lang - Recapping what we saw in Falcon and the Winter Solider (his reaction to John Walker killing a man in broad day light) - reacting to that squid monster in Dr Strange 2 - to WandaVision - to that bus fight scene in Shang Chi - to the giant hand now sticking out of the earths core - to the star completely rearranging themselves in Moonknight etc.

[taaroko]

Post-IW MCU Rewatch: Ant-Man

Yay, time for Ant-Man! This one has rather grown on me over the last couple of viewings (not that I ever didn’t like it).  

Hi middle-aged Peggy! (Isn’t it great how many times Hayley Atwell managed to get herself into these movies beyond what the original plan was, out of sheer enthusiasm? Yeah, I’m still bitter Agent Carter got cancelled.)

The music for the logo is awesome.

My killjoy brother says the main reason he dislikes this movie is that he doesn’t think it makes sense that Hank would ever trust some stranger (Scott) with his tech. Um. Hank has been protective of the tech because he doesn’t want it to be abused. But Scott proved he wasn’t a corporate goon by going to prison for screwing over a corrupt corporation. He’s proven himself. Also he doesn’t have the knowledge to make more of the particles, so he can’t steal any of the secrets himself. 

Luis is probably my favorite sidekick in the whole MCU. He’s irrepressibly cheerful, he compulsively makes delicious-looking waffles, he’s a refined wine man and fan of neo-cubism yet also steals two smoothie machines, and when he goes into ramble mode it’s the greatest thing ever.

Anyone who has ever worked food service has met an idiot like Scott’s customer. Also his boss is basically David Brent. Trying way too hard to be cool, but kind of a git and a coward.

Scott’s attitude is super endearing. Very chill, understated reactions to things that annoy him. You get the impression that it’s not so much that he’s a very patient man as that he’s just so used to stuff like Luis’s antics that he’s become kind of inured to it. He’s also able to roll with the punches. Getting fired from Baskin Robbins could’ve made him bitter and angry, but instead he just kind of shrugs and takes that Mango Fruit Blast. He’s not prideful at all. 

I called the tank being real by the second time the keychain appeared onscreen. Chekhov’s Tank!

Hello, Darren Cross, dude who is only not the worst MCU villain because Malekith exists. (How did Malekith manage to have less of a personality than Darren? It’s absurd.)

The ad video for the Yellowjacket is horrifying. Do people actually make ad videos for advanced weaponry? Do they narrate them with movie narrator voices and tidy up the diction to make them sound like wonderful good pieces of technology, but in a not-entirely-convincing way?

How is a hand on a shoulder such a sinister and obvious sign of impending murder?

Cassie is the most adorable little girl ever, and the kid playing her is a really good actress. I love that Scott is a dad. It makes him much more interesting. (Also is he the only divorcé in the entire MCU? Wait no, May is too. I think he’s the only one in the movies, though.)

“He’s so ugly! I LOVE HIM!” AAAAGH. SO CUTE.

I love that all the little details keep coming back. (The tank, the “La Cucaracha” horn.” Just lots of really good callbacks. It’s hard to believe this movie had production issues with changing directors.)

The way Darren kills that guy by shrinking him, and then wipes him up and flushes him, is ridiculously horrific. And the way he looks in the mirror after that is probably the most interesting he ever is in the movie. He knows the path he’s going down, and he’s not stopping.

So it’s not entirely clear. Is Hope dating Darren? Are they living together? Or are they just business partners? I’m confused.

YES LUIS STORY TIME. This is like Kid History, and it’s my favorite thing. Please please please make an MCU recap narrated by Luis, Marvel.

This music is weird and fun. I love it.

Scott parkouring is great. I wonder why he developed that skillset when he was just an electrical engineer. Has he been doing it since he was a kid?

Scott is like the midpoint between Tony Stark and Peter Quill in almost every way. Good at outside-the-box solutions, has engineering skills (but not at Tony’s level), a sense of humor that’s more self-deprecating than Tony’s but less wide-eyed dorky than Peter’s, etc. That’s awesome.

Could you be more transparently evil than using a bleating white lamb for your ill-fated lab experiments?

Huh. There’s a moment where Scott looks in the mirror too. Is that meant to be a contrast with when Darren does it? For Scott, it’s a moment where he resigns himself to failing, even though he caved and did the burglary. I don’t really see the connection, emotionally, to the way Darren looked in the mirror, but I guess one of them is the apprentice Hank rejected, and the other is the apprentice he ultimately chose. *shrug*

Ant-Man perspective is great. The encounter with the rat is terrifying.

You broke Scott’s chill, Hank!

Okay, so Scott’s actual superpower is changing his clothes at the speed of light. It was entirely unnecessary for them to give him such a small interval of time to get the suit on.

“What happens if I throw up in this helmet?”

There were zero bullet ants on the floor in the initial wide shot of the room. Also in the second wide shot. Which takes place two seconds before Scott tries to put his foot on the floor. Did they...forget to render ants in those shots? Or did they forget there were going to be ants there when they filmed from that angle? Gonna count that one as a mistake, because they could not have gotten all over the floor that fast.

They really needed to do more to explain about Darren’s brain chemistry getting messed up by the particles, because as far as I can tell, the first time he ever shrinks himself is on the helicopter at the end. How do these particles make him evil/crazy, exactly? What was he like before? What have the particles done to Hank?

Also they shouldn’t have explained the particles as changing “atomic relative distance” without also explaining that the suit allows you to control your weight relative to size. Because sometimes Ant-Man appears to weigh as much as he looks like he should, but the rest of the time, he’s clearly still 180 lbs in that tiny space (with the reverse problem when he becomes Giant-Man). If he always weighed 180 lbs while being the size of an ant, he would constantly punch through surfaces by walking on them, and if he was always the weight of an ant, he’d be powerless to do anything except be sneaky.

The montages in this movie are great.

Scott uses Hope’s move later. :D And she was totally checking him out.

Huh. Hope and Scott’s conversation in the car happens exactly halfway through the movie, and it’s the turning point. This is when they start being on the same team.

Hank’s revelation about Janet comes rather out of nowhere. I feel like they could’ve woven that in more effectively. It’s also a little exposition-heavy to entirely work on the emotional level.

This gesture by Scott is one of the best things.

I love the crossovers. Crossovers forever! (Seriously, put Thor cameos in future GotG movies and Loki cameos in future Doctor Strange movies. No, I don’t for a second believe Loki is really dead.)

Poor Sam. He missed out on Sokovia just to get trolled by this rando in a shrinking suit.

Hope saw Scott use her move! Hee!

Sinister hand on shoulder!

Okay, Hope’s “I’m at home” line is why I was confused about whether she and Darren were dating and living together. But it occurs to me now that there’s not really an implication that it’s his home too. So I think they’re just business partners. Good. Because Darren being double-crossed by his girlfriend and failing to react on that level would have made him a much worse character than he already was.

Seriously love Luis, and the other two guys are great too. Excellent crew of wombats.

I love the wallpaper in Hank’s house. Also, just, all of Hank’s house. It’s so pretty.

Okay I absolutely believe that Luis was the only guy to ever knock out that huge dude from the prison. He’s been knocking people out with single punches left and right on this job so far. I love him even more now! That’s such a cool little bit of consistency for him.

Is it true that cops use Crown Victorias as their undercover cars most often? Because I’ve kind of assimilated that as real-life trivia ever since theaters.

What was the point of frying the servers if they were just going to shrink the building to nothing anyway?

Kurt and Tip are hilarious. “There was a black guy who looked exactly like me who attacked us and put us in the back of this disgusting van!”

So if the Avengers have spent the last year taking down Hydra facilities, how are there still people in Hydra who can spend billions for Yellowjacket suits?

I thought Hank was going to die the first time I saw this. Now I’m betting this will be a How to Train Your Dragon situation with Ant-Man and the Wasp, where not long after we discover the long-lost mom, the dad gets killed.

Darren’s villain music is the best thing about him. It’s very unnerving.

All the fights while Scott’s in the suit are so much fun to watch.

“Are we the good guys? Feels kinda weird.”

I don’t like that the chain attachment on the tank also gets huge. And how does a tank cushion a three-storey drop?

That Darren is able to shoot ants is very silly and weird. Would’ve worked better if there was buckshot or something. But still. This movie made me care about an ant dying.

Dangit, Darren, you just killed everyone else in the chopper. You suck.

Briefcase fight! I remember how hard everyone laughed when “Disintegration” started playing in theaters. So great.

All the abrupt cuts from epic to insignificantly small are what make these fights so funny and awesome.

Bug zapper! I watched this with my dad recently (his first time seeing it) and he laughed so hard at the bug zapper.

Another tased Avenger!

So I thought this movie was going to be stupid, right up until the trailer got to the bit with Thomas the Tank Engine. Then I knew it was going to be amazing. It’s still probably my favorite moment in the whole movie.

They kinda overdid it with the “back it up” bit.

Giant ant! Poor Paxton.

Did anyone not see it coming from the moment Hank talked about going sub-atomic that Scott was going to have to do it at the end?

The infinite shrink is mesmerizing to look at. I bet this movie was cool in 3-D. (I have glasses, so 3-D is not so fun.)

Hi Janet!

The bottom half of that face in the photo actually looks kinda like Michelle Pfeiffer’s face. Nice work!

Hahaha, I love that Cassie kept the ant as a dog.

MORE STORIES FROM LUIS! The way he blinks too many times after he finishes is what really clinches it.

So yeah, I like me a heist movie, and it was definitely a brilliant decision on Marvel’s part to go small (figuratively and literally) with the next movie after Ultron. It is a mistake to think you always have to escalate your threats in a series. That was the problem for a while with Supernatural, and it’s definitely a problem in shows like Dragonball Z and Naruto too. Ant-Man was the perfect way to scale back and remind us that these movies are a ton of fun. I’m so glad that they did the same thing with the scheduling of Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp, and I can’t wait for July 6.

I really hope Ant-Man and the Wasp does the same thing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 did, and goes deeper with the characters instead of just getting bigger in scope. Because Ant-Man is one of the more surface-level movies in the MCU. Scott doesn’t really carry a lot of angst, so even though his arc is about proving he can be the hero Cassie sees him as, it’s pretty chill, with just a couple of moments where he loses...hope...(dang it) in his ability to make this work and be the dad he wants to be.

The bigger emotional arc was Hank and Hope, because Hope absolutely carries her angst and bitterness in a big way. They’re kind of a representation of what Scott and Cassie could end up being if Scott doesn’t get his crap together. And Darren is an evil parallel for Scott, obviously. All of the different arcs probably would’ve worked better if they’d spent enough time and effort on Darren to make him interesting. But the lack of depth in all of the arcs doesn’t ruin the movie because it’s a comedy. This is deliberately a light, fun comedy action movie, and it’s great.

Also it has a good and memorable soundtrack, so bonus points.

[aion-rsa]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Sam Wilson Avengers and MCU History Recap

https://ift.tt/3cB4KHG

Disney+’s Marvel Phase 4 bombardment continues this week with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. While it probably won’t have the mind-bending weirdness of WandaVision, it hopes to make up for it with exciting action. Also, while WandaVision was focused on two characters who never truly got the spotlight in previous movies, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier goes a step further by delving into the absence of one of Marvel’s top names.

In the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, Chris Evans has finished up his role as Captain America and Steve Rogers has been given his much-needed retirement. Now there is a void, which can hopefully be filled in by his two best friends.

Sam Wilson, the titular Falcon (played by Anthony Mackie), has been in six movies as of this point. Not everyone can check out every MCU flick, so a refresher course is in order on who Sam is and why he’s been hand-picked to be the next Captain America.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

Sam Wilson was once part of the United States Air Force, acting as a pararescueman. He and his partner Riley used high-tech wingsuits in their missions, but after Riley’s death, a distraught Wilson left the Air Force. He remained in Washington DC, helping fellow veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and helping ease them into getting used to living civilian lives.

One day when out running, he found himself repeatedly lapped by Steve Rogers, who kept annoying Wilson with a courteous, “On your left,” as he ran past. Wilson knew of Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America. The scientifically enhanced super soldier helped fight the forces of HYDRA back in World War II, only to be frozen for decades before resurfacing in the present.

After the workout, the two bonded. As it turned out, Wilson’s familiarity with PTSD jibed well with Rogers’ confused and tragic situation as a man out of time. While a fellow veteran, Rogers had finally made a friend who wasn’t tied to his role in the Avengers or SHIELD.

Captain America and his fellow Avenger/SHIELD operative Black Widow discovered that for years, SHIELD had been infiltrated by HYDRA agents and there was seemingly nobody they could trust. The two went to Wilson’s home and told him that everyone was out to kill them. Wilson let them in while assuring them, “Not everyone.”

Revealing that he still had his cybernetic wing apparatus, the EXO-7 Falcon, Sam readily joined the fight against HYDRA and their ultimate assassin the Winter Soldier. During a mission to kidnap the double-agent Jasper Sitwell, the heroes were attacked by the Winter Soldier and it soon became apparent that the mysterious assassin was in fact Bucky Barnes, Captain America’s lifelong best friend who seemingly died during World War II, only to be taken in and brainwashed by HYDRA.

Read more

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Does a Chris Evans Captain America Return Undermine the Avengers: Endgame Finale?

By Mike Cecchini

HYDRA’s plot involved arming and programming three Helicarriers (airborne aircraft carriers) to track down and snipe any and all potential threats to “freedom” using a special algorithm. Sam pulled his weight in helping put an end to the Helicarrier threats thanks to his EXO-7 Falcon wings. Once those were damaged, he ended up in the SHIELD HQ building, where he took on the corrupt soldier Brock Rumlow. Although Sam couldn’t overpower him, he was able to see a malfunctioning Hellicarrier drifting into the building before Rumlow did and was able to escape the damage far more unscathed.

As for Captain America, he had another confrontation with the Winter Soldier, but was able to get through to him and get him to remember enough of their relationship. An unconscious Cap was knocked out of a crashing Hellicarrier and landed in a nearby body of water. He would have died had he not been saved at the last second by a confused Winter Soldier, who wandered off to figure out his own identity.

Sam was there to greet the injured Steve when he woke up in the hospital. Shortly after, they met with Nick Fury about the status of what was left of HYDRA. Fury offered Sam a spot in helping him destroy the lats remnants of the terrorist organization, but Sam instead chose to join Steve in searching for the whereabouts of the Winter Soldier.

“You don’t have to come with me.”

“I know. When do we start?”

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

The Avengers banded together for what seemed like one last run in order to overwhelm the last major HYDRA stronghold and obtain a powerful scepter once wielded by the villain Loki. In the aftermath, the team held a big farewell party. Sam showed up as a friend of Captain America’s, but admitted that this Avengers lifestyle wasn’t for him.

For whatever reason, Sam left the party early, leaving the other superheroes to lounge around and playfully see who could lift Thor’s enchanted hammer. The corrupted AI Ultron made himself known during the incident and attacked the heroes.

By the time Ultron’s plot to “save” humanity through global cataclysm was foiled, the Avengers line-up had been tremendously altered. Iron Man had been trying to step down from the superhero lifestyle (hence the creation of Ultron in the first place), Thor left Earth to seek out the Infinity Stones, Hulk left out of shame for the damage he caused during a rampage, and Hawkeye retired to be with his family.

Figuring that there still needed to be an Avengers line-up, Captain America and Black Widow started fresh with Falcon being brought into the fold, alongside War Machine, Wanda Maximoff, and the Vision.

ANT-MAN

Ex-con and master thief Scott Lang became the second Ant-Man, mentored by his predecessor Hank Pym. With the ability to shrink himself while retaining his normal-sized strength, as well as being able to communicate with ants, Ant-Man was tasked with stopping Pym’s former protégé Darren Cross from recreating the shrinking technology and selling it to the highest bidder.

Ant-Man needed a special device to help with his adventure and he didn’t realize until too late that it was held at Avengers HQ. Ant-Man came across Falcon, who considered him a potential enemy despite his aloof and straightforward nature. The two ended up fighting it out with Ant-Man escaping with the necessary device.

Disgruntled and embarrassed, Falcon asked Black Widow to make sure Captain America was not made aware of this incident.

After Ant-Man foiled Cross’ plans, his friend Luis told him that the impressed Falcon was looking for information on where to find Scott.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

The Avengers took part in a mission in Lagos, Nigeria to prevent a horribly burned Brock Rumlow from stealing biological weapons. Falcon was involved, using his new pet drone Redwing. While Rumlow was defeated, he attempted to blow himself up and take Captain America out with him. Wanda Maximoff used her telekinesis to try and remove Crossbones from the area, only for him to explode by a nearby building, taking out dozens of innocent civilians.

The governments of the world decided they were done with letting the Avengers run free to do whatever they wanted. They introduced the Sokovia Accords, which insisted that the heroes either had to work with government oversight, retire, or get arrested. This caused a major rift in the Avengers with Sam agreeing with Captain America that the concept, while well-meaning, was a bad idea. Due to his refusal to sign with the Accords, Sam was given an honorable discharge.

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At the signing of the Accords, a bomb went off, killing King T’Chaka of Wakanda. Evidence pointed at the Winter Soldier’s involvement, though it was really the work of Helmut Zemo, a man driven to revenge against the Avengers due to his family being killed during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Captain America refused to believe Bucky was behind it and successfully tracked him down, only to then fight off the authorities who were out to apprehend Bucky.

Cap, Bucky, and Falcon were also attacked by Black Panther, T’Chaka’s furious son T’Challa, who wanted revenge for his father’s death. Ultimately, the four of them were captured by the authorities and War Machine.

Zemo infiltrated where Bucky was being held captive and read off a series of words that would trigger him into once again being a brainwashed killing machine. In the chaos, Cap and Falcon were able to subdue Bucky and escape. Initially, they figured Zemo’s plot had to do with unleashing other Winter Soldier counterparts, all frozen and awaiting orders in a secret facility.

Also, it was established that not only did Sam not trust Bucky, but the two of them genuinely did not like each other and only played nice due to their mutual friendship with Steve.

Knowing that Iron Man and the other pro-Accords heroes would oppose them, Cap’s side brought in Hawkeye, Wanda Maximoff, and Ant-Man to help even the odds, while Agent Sharon Carter was able to get access to Cap’s shield and Falcon’s wings. Cap’s faction took on Iron Man, War Machine, Black Widow, Vision, Black Panther, and Spider-Man.

While Cap and Bucky were able to successfully escape the situation, the rest of the team gradually took the loss. As Iron Man and War Machine attempted to intercept Cap’s aircraft, Falcon created a diversion. Vision fired a laser beam at him, only to miss and hit War Machine. Despite Falcon’s efforts to save him, War Machine crashed into the ground. A horrified Falcon apologized, only to be blasted into unconsciousness by Iron Man.

Sam, Hawkeye, Wanda, and Ant-Man all ended up locked up in the island prison known as the Raft. Iron Man visited and assured Sam that War Machine was still alive, albeit paralyzed. He understood what they were up against with the army of Winter Soldiers, but needed Sam to tell him where to go to help Cap and Bucky. Sam reluctantly gave up the information.

As it turned out, the Winter Soldiers plot was a red herring and Zemo only wanted to gather Captain America, Bucky, and Iron Man for the sake of revealing that the Winter Soldier was the one who killed Tony Stark’s parents. Despite brainwashing being involved, Iron Man went into a frenzy and the following battle tore apart what was left of the Avengers. Cap won the fight, but left his shield behind as a sign of respect to Tony.

Sometime after, Captain America infiltrated the Raft in order to break out his allies.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

While Bucky was getting mental treatment in Wakanda, Cap led a team of Secret Avengers with Black Widow and Falcon, righting wrongs from the shadows against the government’s wishes. Bruce Banner reached out to Cap to warn him about the coming of Thanos, an intergalactic warlord obsessed with gathering the six Infinity Stones and gaining ultimate power. Since Vision had one of the Stones in his forehead, he was an obvious target.

The Secret Avengers helped protect Wanda and Vision from Thanos’ top soldiers, the Black Order. They then visited Avengers HQ to bring in Banner and War Machine, who openly refused to acknowledge the Sokovian Accords’ bureaucracy in the face of this cosmic threat they were up against. They went to Wakanda, hoping their scientists could remove the Mind Stone from Vision’s skull without killing him.

Thanos’ forces invaded Wakanda and Falcon took part in the massive battle. Eventually, Thanos arrived, having been fitted with the other five Infinity Stones. Despite Falcon’s efforts, Thanos easily bypassed him. He was able to obtain the Mind Stone and snapped his fingers, finally achieving his twisted goal of removing 50% of all life from the universe and preventing overpopulation.

Sam Wilson was one of the many casualties. Alone and unseen laying in the grass, he started turning to dust. After he faded away, War Machine wandered into the area, calling for him.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

It took five years, but due to lots of traveling through time and space, the Avengers were able to assemble the Infinity Stones and bring back everyone who vanished. Before they could see the scope of those actions, Thanos attacked. The team of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor fought him, but ultimately lost.

A hurt Captain America, armed with a broken shield and Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, readied himself to fight not only Thanos, but his entire army of invaders. Then, he heard a crackle in his earpiece.

“Cap, do you read me? Cap, it’s Sam. On your left.”

Magic portals opened up, bringing in heroes and warriors from all over the universe. Falcon flew out of the portal from Wakanda, showing Steve that he wasn’t alone. Once again armed with Mjolnir, Cap rallied the Avengers into battle and, in the end, Thanos and his armies were reduced to dust.

Falcon appeared with the other heroes at Tony Stark’s private funeral. Afterwards, he, Bucky, and Hulk joined to watch Steve gather Mjolnir and the Infinity Stones onto their time machine. To tie up loose ends with their time travel adventure, Cap had to return all the objects back to where and when they were removed. To everyone’s confusion, Cap didn’t reappear on the platform once he was finished.

Bucky and Sam then saw an old man on a bench, sitting peacefully in the distance. Sam discovered an elderly Steve Rogers, who admitted that after returning the Stones and hammer, he decided to live his own life. Without telling the details, he spent his days in a timeline where he married his World War II love interest Peggy Carter. Now too old to be Captain America, he revealed the trademark vibranium shield (fully restored) and handed it to Sam, insisting it was his turn.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

“That’s why it’s yours.”

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That catches us up. Now Sam Wilson, another man out of time, is the hero wielding the shield. What does that mean for his future and the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We’ll find out on Friday, March 19 when The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premieres.

The post The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Sam Wilson Avengers and MCU History Recap appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[takaraphoenix]

Okay but like THIS would have been a cool MCU tie-in TV show. One season, 20 episodes. Each episode is Luis recapping one MCU movie for the audience. Voice-over from Luis over scenes from the actual movies. I’d watch that.

GIVE THIS TO ME NOW, MARVEL!