‘Hawkeye’ Concludes with Action and Holiday Cheer
By Janie Walenda
The Hawkeye finale marks the last MCU release of 2021. In my opinion, “Hawkeye” was one of the best MCU Disney+ shows of the year. By going back to the incredible Matt Fraction Hawkeye comic run, the show breathed new life into one of the least popular Avengers. It balanced character development with amazing action scenes and had the most satisfying conclusions to each of its plot points.
Here’s hoping for a season two so we get more of Clint and Kate’s ...
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Is A Spider-Fan’s Paradise
By Sam Acosta
[Editor’s Note: This review most definitely contains spoilers.]
The amount of hype surrounding the release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” rivals that surrounding "Endgame.” Rumors and theories ran rampant as to what this final installment of the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy would bring to the table, especially after trailers revealed the return of villains from previous cinematic iterations of the character. Yet, with expectations so high for the film, the question had to ...
Full of Christmas Cheer, ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 4 Refines Both Heroes and Villains
By Janie Walenda
Part of Hawkeye’s appeal has always been Clint and Kate’s human-ness. Despite being highly skilled heros, they are prone to get injured after fights and live in regular apartments. The duality of “Hawkeye,” at least so far, has been displaying this normalcy while still elevating the character, proving why Hawkeye deserves to be an Avenger. While this week’s episode, “Partners, Am I Right,” is a little slower than previous episodes, it has a purpose. It solidifies ...
The Making of a Franchise: Why Some Succeed Where Others Fail
by Janie Walenda
It feels like everything is a franchise nowadays. Every movie sets up a sequel, and more often than not, it gets one. Few franchises, however, are truly successful. Most fizzle out thanks to underwhelming sequels that drag on far beyond where they should.
What about those few franchises that are both long-lasting and successful overall? What makes them succeed where so many fail?
First and foremost, the movies are usually connected. Though seemingly obvious, ...
Disney+ and Spiderman and Ghostbusters! Oh My!
By Janie Walenda
It is nearly impossible to keep up with movies and TV shows nowadays, so let me help by recapping the past few weeks of Hollywood news, including the latest box office figures, “Spiderman: No Way Home” leaks, recent casting announcements, and Disney+ Day.
While the box office is still nowhere close to the state it was in 2019, it is gradually returning back to normal. After just two weekends, “Eternals” has already earned 118.7 million dollars, surpassing “Dune. ...
‘Eternals’ is Simultaneously Compelling and Dull
By Janie Walenda
Editors Note: [The first half of this review is spoiler-free; however, the second half contains spoilers for Marvel’s “Eternals”]
“Eternals” has been surrounded by quite the firestorm of press. While the MCU’s latest project totes the franchise’s lowest critic scores, it’s backed with strong opening box office numbers, audience scores, and support for the diverse cast. Ultimately, enjoyment of the “Eternals” is going to come down to personal taste. ...
Like Its Anti-Hero, ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ is Chaotic, Violent and Better Than You’d Expect
By Chris Karenbauer
[Editor’s Note: This review contains mild spoilers]
“Eddie, you feel like home to me. Like family,” said Cletus Kasidy, the main antagonist in “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.” It embodies the relationship between Kasidy and Eddie Brock as well as between Brock and Venom.
Venom is one of Spider-Man’s most well-known adversaries. The creature Venom is an alien who finds a symbiotic host in Eddie Brock.
It’s been a while since the first movie’s release ...
‘What If…?’ Sticks the Landing to Deliver An Epic Finale
By Janie Walenda
In true MCU fashion, “What If… The Watcher Broke His Oath?” is not only a continuation of last week’s episode, but it also brings in characters from each of the previous episodes for an epic team-up.
Similar to the zombie episode, the best part of this episode is the team. The Guardians of the Multiverse have great comedic and dramatic chemistry, and I would love to see them team up again in the future. The initial team that the Watcher and Strange Supreme put ...
‘What If…?’ Retrospective: Episode Three Tells a Dark but Hopeful Tale
by Noah Tang
The third episode of “What If…?” pivots from the relatively light and cheerful tone of the first two episodes. It tells the story of how five of the six original Avengers are brutally murdered during the events of Fury’s Big Week, the seven-day period in which the films “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “The Incredible Hulk” all take place. In the original timeline, this week was crucial in that it encompassed the formation of the Avengers.
However, this alternate ...
‘What If…?’ Retrospective: Episode Two Honors Chadwick Boseman’s Legacy
By Noah Tang
Episode two achieves a pleasantly surprising mixture of the “Black Panther” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchises, exploring what would have happened if T’Challa became Star-Lord instead of Peter Quill. In this timeline, Yondu Udonta delegates the task of finding Peter Quill to Kraglin and Taserface, who botch the job and take a young T’Challa by mistake. Surprisingly, the young Wakandan prince is not at all frightened by this experience and takes up Yondu’s offer ...
