Joss Whedon was on a high after The Avengers. The first full MCU crossover grossed an astonishing $1.5 billion at the box office and cemented Marvel Studios as one of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster factories. After this, signing up Whedon for its sequel, 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron was a no-brainer.
Sadly things didn’t quite work out. While the movie did gross $1.4 billion, many consider it a missed opportunity and a low point for the MCU. Whedon ended up in a conflict with Kevin Feige about the direction of the movie, which was followed by him parting ways with the studio.
But now, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness resolving Wanda Maximoff’s story, fans are reappraising Age of Ultron.
Some are saying it just gets overshadowed by better movies:
Age Of Ultron honestly isn’t even bad, it just gets overshadowed by the other 3 imo… pic.twitter.com/lyEeRgdNQf
I'm one of those fans that don't get why Age of Ultron is hated, I guess it might be the writing decisions because the movie is pretty dang good in making me invested.
— MarcKingGrant (18+) (@MarcKingGrant) May 12, 2022
A few are even ready to look past Whedon’s well-chronicled history of misogynistic behaviour.
I still think that Avengers: Age of Ultron is good, regardless of who directed it.
— แอปเปิ้ลวันโอวัน~ (@appleonezeroone) May 4, 2022
But the overwhelming consensus is that Age of Ultron falls far short of MCU’s usual parameters of greatness.
Age of Ultron really sucks, it broke my heart that we never got the chance to see the original team together in a good movie after The Avengers (2012) but that's my opinion. Thor (2011) is really boring, I get sleepy everytime I try to see it, Shang-Chi at least gets my attention
And many simply can’t get past the fact that it was Whedon’s creation.
I remember when Age of Ultron came out and I really liked it. Now…it’s my least-favourite MCU film. Its flaws become so obvious when better movies are released with actual characterizations and no one falling into breasts for comedic effect. Seriously…fuck you Joss Whedon.
Let’s face it, while Age of Ultron isn’t a complete cinematic disaster — there are a couple of good scenes, James Spader is a commendable villain, and the dream sequences are quite fun — there is no denying that some truly cringy moments involving Black Widow have aged terribly.
In case, you are planning to add your input to the debate above, you can refresh your memories by watching Avengers: Age of Ultron, which is available to stream on Disney Plus.
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Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
John Krasinski made a shocking appearance as Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange 2, for which screenwriter Michael Waldron partially credits legendary comic book writer Jonathan Hickman.
In an interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Waldron shouted out Hickman, saying that the top-secret guest star’s Doctor Strange 2 character arc was derived from his comics – specifically, the stories “of the Illuminati and how they dealt with Incursions.”
He also mentioned how Hickman’s work impacted – at least on an indirect level – how Krasinski approached the role.
“I still have to be deliberately cagey for one more weekend about the specifics about these actors and everything, but it was really trying to draw on that Hickman version of that, of the Illuminati and how they dealt with Incursions. That specific character I love, deeply and was excited to collaborate with that actor on and how to bring him to life.”
Despite admitting that he’d drawn plenty of influence and inspiration from the printed page when it came to introducing and establishing Kraskinski’s version of Reed Richards, Waldron claims he has no idea what the future holds for the stretchy superhero, who was of course turned into spaghetti by the Scarlet Witch before having his head popped in brutal fashion, saying that it was “a question for someone else”.
Fans had endorsed Krasinski as their number one choice for the part years ago, so it would be an understatement to say the house was brought down when The Office and A Quiet Place alum dropped by unexpectedly to give the people exactly what they were clamoring to see, even if it didn’t turn out like anyone was expecting.
Until that very important question gets answered, then, you can check out Krasinski’s Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange 2, which is playing in theaters everywhere.
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When Sam Raimi signed up for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness many worried his signature style would be left by the wayside. After all, he was coming to a film already deep into pre-production, Marvel Studios are known for encouraging directors to work within their house style, and Raimi himself said “the job is to complete mile 16 of a bridge that had been under construction for 15 years.”
All those fears proved baseless, with the final product so much of a Sam Raimi movie that many fans even dubbed it the real Evil Dead 4. Now writer Michael Waldron, during a chat with Entertainment Weekly, has given us a better idea of the production process and how Raimi’s input helped steer the tone of the movie as well as broke many ‘rules’ of the MCU.
“Yeah, and that’s all Sam and Kevin. I had the freedom to write crazy s— because I knew that Sam was gonna do it, and it’d look awesome. So much of the crazy, awesome stuff in the movie isn’t even stuff that I wrote. It’s just stuff that Sam did and found on the day. It was my job to give him a blueprint, and that’s all he needed.”
Multiverse of Madness will likely see a home release sometime in late June/early July and we’re hoping for some BTS information showing us what happened during the shift between directors. It’s notable that there doesn’t seem to be any bad blood between Marvel Studios and original director Scott Derrickson, so we may see him turn up to talk about why they abandoned his vision for the sequel.
But the real meat will be in Raimi’s contributions, especially how he managed to squeeze so much of his distinctive horror style into the movie. It’s difficult to imagine the “Dreamwalking” sequence, or the zombie Strange scene being half as good without his input, so him talking us through these particularly spectacular moments would be a treat.
More on the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness home release as we hear it, but right now the movie is still available for viewing in theaters.
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Check here WAS vs NOR Dream11 Team Predictions and hints for the County Championship 2022 match between Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. Also, check the schedule of the Warwickshire vs Northamptonshire match.
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Check here NWW vs NK Dream11 Team Predictions and hints for the Ireland Inter-Provincial ODD 2022 match between North Western Warriors and Northern Knights. Also, check the schedule of the North Western Warriors vs Northern Knights match.
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Lynn, who has played 18 T20Is and four ODIs, scored a total of 3,005 BBL runs at a strike-rate of 148.83 and average of 34.54, with one century to his name
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This article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness brought Wanda Maximoff’s MCU arc to an end. Since her debut in Age of Ultron, she’s been one of the most volatile heroes, beginning her tenure as a villain, then partially responsible for the Sokovia Accords at the heart of Civil War, and being forced to make an absolutely brutal choice in Avengers: Infinity War.
Wanda didn’t cope with this well, enslaving a town in WandaVision to let her live out her fantasy life, then going completely off the deep end in Multiverse of Madness trying to get it back. The film ends with her apparent death, though tellingly we never see a body.
This has fans hoping that one day we’ll see one of her most notorious comics arcs come to the big screen: ‘House of M’. In this, Wanda suffers yet another catastrophic mental breakdown as she tries to screw with reality to recreate her lost children. At the end of the story, she utters the iconic words “No more mutants”, instantly stripping the majority of the world’s mutants of their powers.
While some are on board:
I hope they make a House of M adaptation in the MCU
Imagine if we got a House of M #MCU movie i would cry yc
— Hi Pot I'm Kettle //// (@dkenpachi246) May 8, 2022
Most are saying that Kevin Feige should avoid adapting it at all costs:
Keep her and Feige and the MCU away from House of M, which is a horrifically shit storyline.
— I will devour your eyes like marshmallows (@HologramBones) May 10, 2022
House of M will go down in history as that REALLY shit comic people who dont read comics will praise because a mediocre actress who also didn't read it said it was good. https://t.co/9TEWQz0Myg
i can't understand where exactly most mcu viewers and actresses find something "badass" in house of m. really. because i started to think that we are talking about very different comics. this is what and most of the real comic readers and i understand from HoM; pic.twitter.com/Hal5hqKQeF
— That’s Ms. Maximoff to you (@Chaos_and_0rder) May 10, 2022
Others say it’s just known because of that one memorable line:
adapting house of M would literally undo wanda’s entire WV to MoM arc. Many people just want it just because of the “no more mutants” line and it shows.
Please for the love of God stop recommending House of M to people who want to read about Wanda. She is barely even in it and is basically just a plot point instead of a character. https://t.co/zk4P41DgpV
— Eric is back on his Dragon Age Bullshit (@EricjustasonSub) May 10, 2022
We have to agree. Much of this storyline has already been (sort of) covered in WandaVision. Anyway, one of the key factors behind the storyline is that the Marvel Comics universe was over-stuffed with mutants and editorial decided they needed a clear out. The MCU hasn’t even introduced the X-Men yet, so Wanda immediately getting rid of them just doesn’t make sense.
But hey, we’re sure she’ll be back before too long. Maybe she can finally end up on the side of a lunchbox again?
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theaters.
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Along the way, there were some seriously violent deaths and gross imagery, with fans praising Raimi for going right to the limit of what can be shown in a PG-13 movie. With Multiverse of Madness still fresh in their minds, Fim Twitter has been discussing other moments that pushed the boundaries.
Warning that some gross images follow.
Will Mavity of Maverick’s Movies was first to kick off the discussion with examples from Casino Royale, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and The Mummy.
Apropos of the "oooh Doctor Strange is such a hard PG-13" discourse, what's the gnarliest thing you've seen in a PG-13 movie? pic.twitter.com/ZR0BbAcxQq
Several people also named Andy Serkis getting eaten by bugs in Peter Jackson’s King Kong, with some saying they can’t rewatch the movie because of this one scene.
I can't ever watch this movie again because of this scene. I respect the hell out of Peter Jackson's dedication to the original that he'd make this scene based on the lost spider pit sequence, but I can't do it. I can just barely watch the Shelob scenes in LotR
All are very fun watches, then, with a common thread that one mark of a good director is to skate as close to the edge of R as possible. The trick for many of these is to imply violence rather than show it, while being careful not include too much actual blood onscreen at any one time.
Here’s hoping Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness isn’t the last time Marvel Studios works with Sam Raimi, as it seems that the two mesh very well together.
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It’s darkly funny that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hit theaters over Mother’s Day weekend. Without spoiling too much, the driving force of the movie is Elizabeth Olsen/Scarlet Witch’s grief after the events of WandaVision and the lengths she’ll go to be a mom to her kids Billy and Tommy.
This leads her to some very dark places, not that you’d think so in this adorable (but also slightly creepy) picture posted by Billy actor Julian Hilliard:
Anyone who’s seen the movie will know that Wanda takes the concept of family very seriously, with the streak of blood down her face here adding a very creepy element to the image. Hilliard (and Tommy actor Jett Klyne) are great in the movie as Wanda’s kids, particularly when they start to realize their beloved mom might not be quite who they think during the “dreamwalking” sequence.
It’s unknown whether Billy and Tommy will reappear in the MCU. While their comics counterparts Wiccan and Speed have gone on to have long superhero careers, the events of the film may relegate them to alternate dimensions rather than the core MCU.
Then again, in the comics, Billy and Tommy have a very complicated magical backstory and have been deleted and brought back into existence a couple of times over the years. Plus, with the MCU now full of multiple afterlives, evil books, and various kinds of crazy magic, the possibilities are open for pretty much anything.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theaters.
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New Zealand head coach Gary Stead, revealed that Henry Nicholl batting stalwart had sustained the injury to his right leg at the pre-tour camp in Mount Maunganui
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2001’s Spy Kids is a low-key classic. Prior to this, director Robert Rodriguez was known for his violent action movies, but somehow he managed to maintain his distinctive style even when making a movie for kids. Now the first movie is getting a moment in the sun on social media, with a short clip picking up a ton of praise.
This is the flashback to Antonio Banderas’ Gregory and Carla Gugino’s Ingrid falling in love and getting married, which basically crams a whole damn rom-com into two minutes (plus a helicopter action scene!). It’s a masterclass of quick storytelling, editing, and acting. Check it out:
Fortunately for all the nostalgic fans, Spy Kids will return soon. In March, we learned that Netflix is teaming up with Skydance and Robert Rodriguez for a reimagined new entry. The last entry was 2011’s Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, which didn’t live up to the quality of the original movies. However, things improved with Netflix’s 2018 animated show Spy Kids: Mission Critical, which bodes well for the future.
Here’s hoping the new version comes back with a bang and that Rodriguez can capture the same magic that made the original so special.
Spy Kids is available to stream at the usual places. More on the new entry as we hear it.
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Boucher, a former wicketkeeper batter, was charged with racist behaviour and also faced possible sacking from the coaching post, after he was accused by ex-South Africa teammate Paul Adams of singing a song which had racially derogatory wording in meetings after matches in their playing days.
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In Everything Everywhere All At Once, we follow Chinese-American laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, who is recruited to save the universe from an incoming multiversal threat. As she leans into the power and skills of her alternate self from other dimensions, she learns more about herself and her family. The chaotic genre-jumping spectacle manages to pull a wide range of elements together around a powerful emotional core, delivering a hilarious and deeply affecting two hours.
This film is built around two phenomenal performances from Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn, and Stephanie Hsu as her daughter Joy. Yeoh shows an incredible amount of range, and while we’re used to seeing her as a badass fighter in shows like Star Trek: Discovery or her many martial arts movie appearances, it’s rarer (especially in her Western work) for her to be able to show real vulnerability.
She also feels remarkably normal, in that you completely buy she’s only just about making it through life, with the biggest threat she faces being the IRS. Still, she owns the action hero moments as she embraces her newfound abilities, but it’s nonetheless a gradual process where the badassery feels earned – when she punches someone in the face, she still winces at the impact.
Image via A24
The counterpoint to Yeoh’s strained restraint is Hsu, who gets to be cool in a different way. As the reality-hopping shenanigans occur, she gets some incredible outfits designed by Shirley Kurata, carrying them with confidence and presence. At the same time, the moments where she’s desperately trying to connect with her mother (a distance in part caused by the family’s homophobia), are deeply emotionally affecting. The pain she exudes throughout is palpable, even just in the tone of her voice as she tries over and over to get her mother to listen.
When the pair are together on screen, it’s like all the chaos slips away, and you’re focused solely on the struggle of their strained relationship at the heart of the picture. Other performers also do great jobs, most notably Ke Huy Quan as Evelyn’s endearing, bumbling, but good-hearted husband Waymond. The combination of his performance and the script give the role a surprising amount of depth – particularly in the back half. Jamie Lee Curtis also gives a drily fun turn as a scene-stealing auditor, while the broader ensemble all play their bit-parts with just the right amount of heightened, light-hearted silliness to make it work.
Everything’s irreverent humour continues in the incredibly imaginative conception of what can be done with the boundless possibilities of infinite parallel worlds. There are very outlandish universes like the already-famous one where humans evolved to have hot dog fingers, and while this is played largely for laughs, these worlds get a deeper exploration than you would expect.
Image via A24
Writers and directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, additionally provide some striking homages to other works, particularly Wong Kar Wai’s sweeping romances and traditional martial arts cinema. Somehow, these wildly different styles are executed sharply by director of photography Larkin Seiple, with the aspect ratios and color grading being manipulated to make this work. It’s as if they took the lovingly-crafted pastiche style that the likes of Edgar Wright and Quentin Tarantino specialize in, but gave it a beating heart.
In spite of all the constantly-moving insanity, there’s still an impressively persistent emotional core to everything that unfolds and remains continually reinforced, particularly in relation to the lead performers. This is a film about finding love and connection when you’ve been ground down. Even the bizarre hot dog-handed world gets to have its own deep moments that will likely make you cry. At times, it can feel a little too eager to tie up its own loose ends without giving the invocation of heavier subject matter time to breathe, particularly surrounding the family’s alienation of the queer daughter. However, there’s an earnestness which means that even the oversimplified emotional beats hit hard.
Everything Everywhere All At Once understands that the world is infinitely big and scary, and that we often feel like we are the worst versions of ourselves. And yet, it manages to effectively advocate for us to keep going, to seek the connections and moments that make life worth it. From the irreverent humour to homages via several standout performances, we are reminded that in a world where it feels like nothing matters – we have to find those little moments to live for.
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Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh praised Mumbai Indians for showing faith in the young talents in Tilak Varma and South African Dewald Brevis who are showing glimpses of greatness.
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Xochitl Gomez has just made her MCU debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The young actor has brought America Chavez to life, holding her own in scenes opposite stars like Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen. But with fame inevitably comes the haters, with many stooping to making fun of her first name.
Xochitl (pronounced SOH-cheel) is a name taken from the Nahuatl (also known as Aztec or Mexicano) language spoken in Central Mexico. The name literally means “flower,” but Xochitl is also a day in the sacred Aztec calendar set aside for reflection, creation, and pleasure.
There’s a lot of indigenous pride in this, so those on social media are kicking back against any mockery. For example, one points out the double-standard of accepting a name like Schwarzenegger and not Xochitl:
Bring able to pronounce Schwarzenegger and having a mental break down at the name Xochitl seems racist.
After this role, Gomez is likely going to go on to a long and successful career in the MCU and elsewhere. Judging by what she delivered in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness she’s a fine actor, so if you’re unfamiliar with her name now you’re going to have to get used to it very soon.
As for Gomez herself, she brushes off low blows by saying she’s all about positivity and doesn’t pay too much attention to what’s being said on social media. Seems like a smart move.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theaters.
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The Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in July-August this year, with the series being a part of the 2021/2023 ICC World Test Championship. The final dates of the tour are yet to be finalised
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Disney CEO Bob Chapek has raised eyebrows with a decidedly odd speech in which he compared himself to Iron Man and got the mottos to Disneyland and Disney World mixed up. He made the remarks at his alma mater the University of Indiana, delivering a commencement in which he said (via Deadline):
“[The University of Indiana] was my ticket to a new life…I was kind of desperate. Desperate to demonstrate my worthiness and desperate not to waste a dime of my parents’ money on a school that was frankly testing my limits at the time. But that desperation turned to determination and my dream of defying expectations and the odds took over. And just like Iron Man draws his energy from that Arc Reactor, I get a thump from my drive to prove myself every single day. It’s a lifetime power supply that pushes me through doubts, difficulties, and around those who underestimate kids from the region.”
He then went on to dub Walt Disney World “the Happiest Place on Earth”, when any self-respecting Disney exec should know that the Florida resort’s motto is “the Most Magical Place on Earth”.
Taken alone, these aren’t exactly career-ending goofs, though criticism of Chapek has been building over the past year. Perhaps the most high-profile controversy came when Scarlet Johansson launched legal action over Black Widow going direct to Disney Plus. The corporation was forced to settle and faced a torrent of bad press over the issue.
That was followed by Chapek’s inept response to Florida’s homophobic ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. Though Chapek eventually came out against it, it took a while and the delay saw Disney employees protesting to express their disappointment with the company. Chapek was also shown up by former Disney CEO Bob Iger, who tweeted that the bill will put young LGBTQ+ people “in jeopardy”.
Chapek has also been accused of presiding over the “fiasco” of Disney moving their headquarters from California to Florida, which saw many experienced hands choose to retire or resign rather than relocate, with many of their LGBTQ+ California employees understandably upset about being required to move to a state with anti-gay laws.
Here’s hoping the Disney ship rights itself soon, as one of the biggest entertainment corporations on the planet absolutely needs a steady hand on the tiller.
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