223 replies to this topic

[Sanjay]

After seeing the amount of hype around it; in her office, in reviews and from me, my GF now wanted to see it - so I've seen 3 screenings of it now. She quite enjoyed it (she had a few questions though ...I explained Thanos, which was an amusing conversation)

Takings are going to hit insane money - especially when our Colonial brothers and sisters get it. And it's a good thing as Hollywood usually tries to emulate success with more of the same and hopefully* they'll look at the great work this film had within it that made it a monster hit.






*I say hopefully, I've worked in the biz long enough to not be completely naive!

[steveuk]

Is that supposed to reference something from Iron Man 2, or her comics history? It seemed to come from nowhere. Or that line about Budapest? Is that supposed to mean anything to the audience? These things bothered me a little bit.

It's a joke.

Characters in movies have those kind of exchanges, "This is like that time in 'Nam, you remember that buddy??" Normally they then have a moment of bonding about something they both went through. Watch 'Predator' it has a few of those conversations.

Whedon turns it upside down with Hawkeye replying, "You and I remember Budapest very differently!"

Overall, I liked it. Some of the banter was a bit unnecessary to me personally, and some of the actors were somewhat unconvincing, but it's not a big problem. I think the movie could have been even better if they'd allowed Iron Man to die in the end, or have his fate left uncertain with the possibility that he is a prisoner of Thanos or the Chitauri, but that's of course an impossibility with Iron Man 3 announced.

I don't think it would be better. It would've been darker, but that's not always better for me.

[Steve Sensible]

Seeing it again this evening. Hopefully in 2D this time.

[Eduardo]

It seems the rumours of a second post credits scene are being confirmed... but luckily it is a just a small joke:

http://forums.superh...ad.php?t=382893

Spoiler

After the battle, the Avengers team sitting quietly with no dialogue eating shwarma. Stark was not in his suit. Banner wasn't Hulked out

Pic?
http://magycorbett.t...ing-joss-did-an

[Arjan Dirkse]

I think that one of the main problems I had with the movie is the heavy tranquilizers everybody from SHIELD seems to be on. Nick Fury especially seems utterly unexcited by everything that is going on, when a space God from the other side of the universe pops up from his alternative energy generator he almost falls asleep right where he stands. Cobie Smulders walks through the helicarrier like a zombie and Coulson...well, I don't know what he was doing in this movie except dying.

I had more problems...it seems Whedon assumed everybody was familiar with the characters already from having seen the other Marvel movies, which bugged me. I was probably a bigger geek than 95 % in the audience that saw the movie with me, so I can't imagine how anyone who hadn't ever read a Marvel comic in their life and who hadn't seen most of the previous Marvel movies reacted to Thor and Loki just popping into the movie and starting to do their stuff without any sort of in-movie explanation.

Hulk and Iron Man were great on the other hand. But the one thing that saves everything is that they finally got the big climactic action scene right, and it was really perfect.

[garjones]

My wife had never seen Thor or Captain America and thought the film was great.

I sometimes feel we overthink these things, when Jaws appears in a James Bond film we don't know anything about him, he's the creepy bad guy. Sometimes being the geek creates problems that aren't really there for most of the audience. A classic example was X-3 where fans complained of too many characters, because they wanted those characters fleshed out and explained as they were in the comics but to the average viewer they are happy with it being a random guy that has a fancy power and demands no further explanation.

I think you do need to know Cap's story, it informs why he's the natural leader and the man out of time, and they flashbacked that when he first appeared.

[Arjan Dirkse]

Characters in movies have those kind of exchanges, "This is like that time in 'Nam, you remember that buddy??" Normally they then have a moment of bonding about something they both went through. Watch 'Predator' it has a few of those conversations.

Whedon turns it upside down with Hawkeye replying, "You and I remember Budapest very differently!"

But without a clue what happened in Budapest it really falls flat I think...maybe Hawkeye doesn't like goulash?

[Eduardo]

But without a clue what happened in Budapest it really falls flat I think...maybe Hawkeye doesn't like goulash?

Nah. That's like the "Bounty hunter in Ord Mantell" from Star Wars.

BTW, Budapest, I don't remember, but the footage from Widow & Hawkeye fighting together that appears when they are tracking down Hawkeye was from it?

[steveuk]

But without a clue what happened in Budapest it really falls flat I think...maybe Hawkeye doesn't like goulash?

It's about undercutting the expectation. Jokes work by leading you in one direction then going off in another one at the last minute. That's the punchline.

'Die Hard' has a similar moment;



Lousy quality, but the best I could find.

See,it's true, nothing is funny when its repeated and explained.

[Arjan Dirkse]

yes, but at least you know what the dude means when he says "WOOOOO just like Saigon!"

We know about 'Nam. When it's referred to in a movie we know it's about the Vietnam war...in the case of Budapest...not so much. They're not even old enough to have been in Junior High during the student riots in Budapest in 1956...

Anyway, it's just one line. There is plenty of good stuff to make up for it.

Edited by Arjan Dirkse, 02 May 2012 - 03:05 PM.

[Steve Sensible]

We know about 'Nam. When it's referred to in a movie we know it's about the Vietnam war...in the case of Budapest...not so much. They're not old enough to have been present during the student riots in Budapest in 1956.

You don't need to know - the joke doesn't depend on it. It was just an experience they shared that tells us they have a history together.

[Arjan Dirkse]

mm. OK.

I'll try to like it more next time I hear the line.

[Steve Sensible]

I'll try to like it more next time I hear the line.

See that you do!

[Jacowboy (Jonathan)]

I think that one of the main problems I had with the movie is the heavy tranquilizers everybody from SHIELD seems to be on. Nick Fury especially seems utterly unexcited by everything that is going on, when a space God from the other side of the universe pops up from his alternative energy generator he almost falls asleep right where he stands. Cobie Smulders walks through the helicarrier like a zombie and Coulson...well, I don't know what he was doing in this movie except dying.

Well it's not that different from the usual red shirts in Star Trek and what not. Also, the movie is called Avengers, not SHIELD... And Whedon already had quite a lot of characters to juggle with... I didn't mind SHIELD guys being just background expositionary characters...

I had more problems...it seems Whedon assumed everybody was familiar with the characters already from having seen the other Marvel movies, which bugged me. I was probably a bigger geek than 95 % in the audience that saw the movie with me, so I can't imagine how anyone who hadn't ever read a Marvel comic in their life and who hadn't seen most of the previous Marvel movies reacted to Thor and Loki just popping into the movie and starting to do their stuff without any sort of in-movie explanation.

Yeah but it was kind of the point of the movie that you had to see the other movies before to have a complete picture... It's not necessary, but Whedon did work under that principle... Also, the movies that are more essential to the plot are Ironman and Thor, which were the more popular of the bunch... But aside from that you get a re-introduction to Loki at the begining, and later on to Thor... They just pop into the movie, but they explain where they come from and who they are...

Hulk and Iron Man were great on the other hand. But the one thing that saves everything is that they finally got the big climactic action scene right, and it was really perfect.

I think they were all very good... Even the Black Widow had 3 very powerful and great scenes and also Barton had his moments... he was probably the least explored but he did come across as a cool character with his scenes in the big fight.

[Adam Balson]

We know about 'Nam. When it's referred to in a movie we know it's about the Vietnam war...in the case of Budapest...not so much. They're not even old enough to have been in Junior High during the student riots in Budapest in 1956...

You're not supposed to know dude! they're S.H.I.E.L.D. Black Ops, you'd be dead if you knew! Count yourself lucky.

After seeing the amount of hype around it; in her office, in reviews and from me, my GF now wanted to see it - so I've seen 3 screenings of it now. She quite enjoyed it (she had a few questions though ...I explained Thanos, which was an amusing conversation)

Takings are going to hit insane money - especially when our Colonial brothers and sisters get it. And it's a good thing as Hollywood usually tries to emulate success with more of the same and hopefully* they'll look at the great work this film had within it that made it a monster hit.

How does it hold up after seeing it more than once? That's my only worry about it, loved it at the time but I have no idea how seeing it again would effect the experience.
And I'm glad it'll make so much money. Everyone who worked on it earner and deserves it. Such a great film, can't fault it.

[John Mosby]

How does it hold up after seeing it more than once? That's my only worry about it, loved it at the time but I have no idea how seeing it again would effect the experience.
And I'm glad it'll make so much money. Everyone who worked on it earner and deserves it. Such a great film, can't fault it.

I've seen it twice. It definitely holds up - plus you WILL catch things you missed first time around.

[Ben the Obiwomble]

To me, Budapest sounds like when Hawkeye tracked down and brought Widow in, hence the different takes.

[Adam Balson]

I've seen it twice. It definitely holds up - plus you WILL catch things you missed first time around.

That's awesome to know, cheers!

And I've got some fan-boy speculation about Avengers 2:
Wasp and Giant/Ant Man are brought in from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s science/space division to help plan for the coming cosmic threat as they need to use their heads just as much as if not more than their fists for this one.
And if it isn't dealt with in the Hulk film, I would love to see Grey Hulk on screen. It would make sense since Banner clearly doesn't want to be totally free from Hulk but would prefer control and as I said, they'd need their biggest brains on the films. If the Pym's get brought in the could help him with the change, maybe even bringing in Blonsky for samples on regaining Banner's mental function. It's something we haven't seen yet either.
Hopefully Iron Man 3 resolves the dangling plot point of War Machine a bit more too, like Rhodey being strictly kept to U.S. Military missions and not allowed to interfere with Avengers/S.H.I.E.L.D. business.

Obviously I'm most likely 100% wrong but that'd be my ideal Avengers/Hulk sequel.

[steveuk]

To me, Budapest sounds like when Hawkeye tracked down and brought Widow in, hence the different takes.

It's just a joke Ben, really. She could've said Shanghai, Sydney or Sidcup!

Whedon was having fun with a cliche.

[craggy]

wouldn't she be talking to Thor about Sidcup though?