Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

OK, can we just pause and appreciate the fact that no matter what we think of this particular movie, that we live in a world where we can watch a film called Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Like, honestly, that’s just crazy. If you are a comic book fan, it’s something to be excited about, not because Ant-Man or the Wasp are the best characters ever, but because it means that really maybe any comic character you like could eventually become a movie. Maybe someday I’ll see a live-action feature film called Mister Miracle or The Sword of the Atom or The Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga.

Movies on a Plane: Goofy espionage, light filmmaking fantasy, arctic monsters, and romance everywhere

Hey, guess what? I went on an international flight for the first time in about three years. And that means it’s been the first time in a long time that I’ve watched a bunch of movies on a plane!

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday [50 New-Old Movies for the 51st Year #39]

Mid-last year, I turned 50 years old!  And to add to all the real life goals and challenges that that brings, I’ve created at least one as it relates to movies and this blog–watch a film I’ve never seen before which came out in each year of my life (thus the “Old-New” terminology), and then write a bit about it.  This is Post #39.  Spoilers ahead.  

Ranking the Theatrical Batman Movies

Not long ago, I participated in a little online vote on a blog that I follow, ScreenAge Wasteland.  The idea was to rank the eleven theatrical Batman “solo” movies, and make a short comment to justify our rankings.  Then, points were assigned and collated, and a definitive list was created.

Grease 2 (…what, really?)

So, let’s get it out there straight away…I recently watched Grease 2.  The notoriously criticized movie from 1982 (a sequel to the popular and successful 1978 musical) was on my radar really just because it was the first starring role for a young Michelle Pfeiffer.  I had never seen it, but there it was, beckoning me on Netflix to dive into its silly plot and sillier characters, and somehow, I got drawn in.  The question one wonders is whether it will really be as bad as all that? And the answer is yes.  Yes it is.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

With Ant-Man and the Wasp, the MCU hits 20 films, with no real signs of slowing down.

I have at least one friend who thinks this a terrible, with superhero films being a dark blight on the landscape.  And we’ve also read interviews with Hollywood bigwigs about  “superhero fatigue”, as if the popularity of the genre were crushing all creativity out of movies.  This is an overreaction, of course–it seems asilly to not recognize that the whole idea of “summer blockbusters” and “tentpole franchises” have been threatening the same thing for decades. But somehow, cinema survives.

For me, I like superheroes, of course, and as long as a company like Marvel can continue to produce palatable material, then I say it’s fine, go for your life.  And Ant-Man and the Wasp is at least palatable, if not a fully enjoyable summer snack.

Weekly Geeky Question #11: Settlers of Catan

Every week in 2018, the plan is that my friend Rod is going to ask me some geeky question that will answer in a post. This week is Week #11, and this week’s questions is…

How would I make a movie based on the game Settlers of Catan?