I think it’s safe to say “Avengers: Endgame” is officially a global phenomenon. With a $1.2 billion opening the movie has shattered more records than I could possibly list. It turned out to be a fitting and incredibly satisfying final chapter to a decade-long MCU adventure.

A movie of its enormous size and scope certainly has given fans a ton to think about and discuss. Monday I posted my spoiler-free review praising the film as a major cinematic accomplishment while criticizing its handling of some pretty major characters. But now I’ve seen it a second time and some of my earlier issues aren’t as big now while others still stand out. 

So how about some SPOILER TALK. It’s where I make 10 observations about some of the film’s biggest shocks and surprises.

LAST WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

1. Where the heck is Mjolnir? Cap took it with him when returning the Infinity Stones. I think the assumption is he made a quick stop in Asgard to return it. You would think they might mention that though. I would like to think the Thor from the past is still roaming around Asgard looking for his hammer? If so I bet he’s blaming Loki.

2. Speaking of Loki, where did the god of mischief disappear to? Him taking off through time is an absolutely brilliant twist and probably sets up his upcoming Disney streaming service television series. More Loki, more Hiddleston…I’m in!

3. Nick Fury only gets one scene in the entire film? A five second shot with no dialogue and no interaction with other characters. This is the guy who put together the Avengers. He was the glue and often the brains. It was Fury who first went to Tony Stark in the 2008 “Iron Man” film. He also worked side-by-side for so long with Black Widow. I know there have been some tension between Nick and some Avengers, but I can’t help feeling he deserved a bigger moment.

4. Of all the people to shoot into space to get the Soul Stone from Vormir they send the two with no super powers, power armor, etc. out of the group. Really? Doesn’t seem like the smartest decision to me. Obviously it’s needed for storytelling reasons but in terms of common sense, not so much. With all of those great minds no one thought about that?

5. It’s been interesting to see how many interpret the ‘Fat Thor’ gag. While I was initially really put off by it, a second viewing made it a little easier to digest. Still he feels terribly inconsistent. Many have defended it a serious representation of depression. I could buy that if he wasn’t also a punchline in numerous scenes. The film wants us to sympathize with him in one scene only to poke fun at him, his weight, his appearance, his alcoholism the next. A deeper look at depression would have been fascinating, but apparently the “Ragnarok” allure was too strong.

6. What the heck were those lazy men doing during that big ‘women of the MCU’ moment? Now before you jump down my throat, I do think it’s a cool scene featuring female characters some of which are among my very favorites in the MCU. But it was pretty on-the-nose. Even my daughter asked “Did all the guys just take a break?”

7. So I guess killing your past self doesn’t wipe out your future self? That sure wasn’t the case for Nebula but you would think it would be. This time travel stuff is fun but so confusing.

8. So Bruce Banner has figured out how to coexist with Hulk. And how do we find out? Do we get to see this major character development? Nope. Instead it’s relayed through a couple of lines of dialogue. I wanted HULK. In “Endgame” (aside from one big scene) he’s basically reserved for quoting scientific equations and holding up debris in the final battle. The ONLY possible way any of it works for me is if this is the end of his story arc. But even then he should have had more impact in the finale.

9. At the very end did you notice how the time machine didn’t pull Steve back on the platform? Instead he was sitting on a bench by the lake. Probably want to get that fixed. Wouldn’t want to drop people off at some truly terrible location – the middle of New York City traffic, on a train track, at a Justin Bieber concert. Jokes aside, it didn’t actually pull him back at all though, right?

10. Before Cap takes off through time it’s clear to me that he told Bucky he would be staying with Peggy. Watching a second time made it crystal clear. The exchange between Bucky and Steve was telling but watching his reactions when Cap didn’t reappear drove it home. Bucky knew and its great that the long-time friends shared such a special moment like that even if it was off camera.

The Good vs. The Bad is a simple concept. I take a particular film, franchise, or potentially any movie-related subject and break down the three best things about it (the good) and the three worst (the bad). Like I said, simple but hopefully fun.

With “Avengers: Endgame” fresh on everyone’s mind and still blistering the box office I thought it to be the perfect time to kick off the GvB series. Today I’m looking at the best and worst of the MCU villains. You could argue that Marvel has had a tough time giving us good worthwhile antagonists. But there are a couple of instances where they definitely got it right (I should mention that Winter Soldier would without question be among the best, but there’s a little too much gray area with him). So let’s get going.

THE GOOD

1. Loki

He’s been around for a while now, but the mischievous Loki has never worn out his welcome. What makes Loki such a great villain is his utter unpredictability. One minute he sickens you with his sneaky, vile and self-serving acts. The next minute he’s standing side-by-side with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. It also helps that he was played to perfection by Tom Hiddleston. I love me some Loki.

2. Thanos

I still get tickled at seeing Josh Brolin’s face among the heavy prosthetics and CGI. But there is no denying the impression Thanos has left on the MCU. Hints of Thanos have been tossed out for years but in “Infinity War” and “Endgame” he shows up in full force. He’s a fascinating character who I think is best described as a megalomaniacal idealist. He’s far from shallow and he is certainly unforgettable.

3. Killmonger

“Black Panther” can be praised for a number of things. High on that list would be Michael B. Jordan as Erik “Killmonger” Stevens. He’s not a galactic threat nor does he seek universal domination. His motivations are emotionally grounded and deeply personal which makes him all the more compelling. It also helps that Jordan gives such a strong performance.

THE BAD

1. Aldrich Killian

“Iron Man 3” had a number of issues but none were bigger than its villain. Things looked promising out of the gate with the casting of the always good Guy Pearce. But director Shane Black makes some bizarre choices in regards to his antagonist. He destroys a classic Marvel villain and exchanges him for a jacked-up, fire-breathing Killian. Such a disappointing misdirection resulting in an utterly ridiculous bad guy.

2. Yellowjacket

Here’s another case of a good actor giving a good performance but the material just isn’t there. The first “Ant-Man” was full of weird decisions that veered far away from the comics, but their version of Yellowjacket was probably the biggest. It looks really cool and Cory Stoll gives it his all, but you can only do so much with a villain who militarizes a suit of armor and offers to sell it to terrorists for what amounts to nothing more than daddy issues.

3. Ronan the Accuser

Ronan is a really cool Marvel baddie who was terribly shortchanged in 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”. In fact, it’s funny how many people can’t even remember the villain from that film. Actor Lee Pace is a good fit for the role (notice the trend) but he’s mostly just an aimless bad guy with a personal axe to ground. There is still hope for Ronan. This year’s hit “Captain Marvel” seems to indicate that the MCU isn’t quite done with him yet. Fingers crossed.

The long-time gamer in me cant help but be at least a little intrigued by the new trailer for “Sonic the Hedgehog”. The video game debuted way back in 1991 on the Sega Genesis and I played it for countless hours. Since then there have been numerous sequels, comics, and several animated series. But now we have a live-action movie and it looks……bizarre.

To be clear I’m not sure if it’s bizarre in a good way or bad. But it looks completely ludicrous which is kinda what you need it to be. And who is the ringleader of the nuttiness – Jim Carrey playing Sonic’s nemesis Dr. Robotnik and he is in full 90’s Carrey mode. Again, whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen. But so far…I’m curious enough to give it a look.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” speeds into theaters on November 8th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or giving it a pass.

Somehow between “Black Panther” and his several appearances in the “Avengers” films Chadwick Boseman found time to make “21 Bridges”, a hard-boiled crime thriller which is co-produced by Marvel’s Russo brothers. The trailer dropped today and the film looks tough, gritty and sports a pretty interesting cast. In addition to Boseman we get J.K. Simmons, Sienna Miller and Stephan James among others.

The film follows a New York police detective (Boseman) who shuts down the 21 bridges in and out of Manhattan in order to catch a group of cop killers. But as he gets deeper into the manhunt he learns that (surprise) not everything is quite as it seems. There looks to be plenty of action and so far I’m liking the old-school police drama vibe.

“21 Bridges” hits theaters on July 12th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or giving it a pass.

I’m sure the mere mention of a new Ang Lee film starring Will Smith is enough to stoke the excitement of many movie lovers. Personally I’ve always found both Lee and Smith to be pretty hit-or-miss. But while the premise of “Gemini Man” may seem a little familiar on the surface, the first trailer gives just enough to at least tickle my interest.

From what I understand Smith plays an assassin looking to get out of the business. But retirement proves to be difficult when a visibly younger clone of himself shows up and throws a wrench in things. The trailer shows off a pretty interesting supporting cast of characters including Clive Owen and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Both the action and the setting look cool and the science fiction element has real potential.

“Gemini Man” doesn’t hit theaters until October 11th but you can check out the trailer below. Give it a look and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or giving it a pass.

I can’t say I’m all that familiar with author Shirley Jackson’s work but her final novel is now being adapted to the big screen. The trailer for “We Have Always Lived in a Castle” has dropped with an intriguing premise and starring two impressive young actresses, Taissa Farmiga and Alexandra Daddario.

The film looks to be a rather twisted thriller set mostly in an remote family estate in New England. The Blackwood family has been stricken with tragedy and there is no shortage of talk coming from the judgmental local townsfolk. But their isolation is threatened when a peculiar cousin (Sebastian Stan) pops up. Let’s just say weird stuff ensues.

I like the vibe it gives off and the tone is both eerie and a bit off-kilter. It looks promising. “We Have Always Lived in a Castle” opens May 17th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or giving it a pass.