Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" was the 11th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by which time the franchise was picking up pop cultural steam.  While not the best movie, it was the best movie I saw in theatre in 2015.

Movie poster for "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015)

My wife and I saw "The Avengers" in 2012 with friends from work (we went to Quatrefoil for dinner, beforehand).  It was a wonderful evening, and if not for "John Carter" would have been my pick for favourite film experience of 2012.

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" had more of an international feel, with locales including north-western Italy (standing in for the fictional Eastern European country of Sokovia), Johannesburg in South Africa, and Seoul in South Korea.

Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch first appeared in early issues of "The Uncanny X-Men".  Back in the 1980s, it was revealed that Magneto was their father, although their true parentage has been revised a couple of times, since then.

I was impressed with the diorama featured during the end credits of the film (the story of its creation is an interesting one).  It evoked for me the realization that the Marvel Universe has become the mythology of our times.

Of course, I saw "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018, (its conclusion felt reminiscent of the United States presidential election in 2016).  "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019 would turn out to be the last big movie event for some time.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

My wife and I got into the Marvel Cinematic Universe a bit after "Iron Man" was released (we saw it on DVD).  She was instantly hooked.  It's incredible how far the films have come in terms of their popularity, since then.

Movie poster for "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014)

"Guardians of the Galaxy" turned out to be the first MCU film that I saw in theatre with my son.  It was a rare, carefree summer afternoon, and it had just rained.  The pavement in the parking lot of the theatre was still wet, but the sun had come out.

While most of the early MCU installments featured popular Marvel characters, "Guardians of the Galaxy" was a bit of a gamble, and an unexpected surprise.  The characters are original and compelling, and there's an undeniable chemistry between the group.

Seeing the film was like finding a new title in the spinner rack, when collecting comics in the 1980s.  Marvel's cosmic characters have a particular look and style.  Kudos to Kevin Feige for having the intuition to see this movie through.

Like most people my age who have seen the film, Peter Quill's "mix tape" of popular songs from the 1970s was pure nostalgia (there were always plenty of cultural references in Marvel comics).  It almost felt like being transported back in time.

I'm really glad that the success of the earlier MCU films means that we got "Guardians of the Galaxy".  It's a film that holds to repeat viewings (although I didn't like the sequel as much).  Will be interested to see "Volume 3" when it comes out.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

I was excited to see "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" with my son, back in 2012.  I had read him "The Hobbit" as a bedtime story, and each Christmas, we looked forward to seeing the next instalment.

Movie poster for "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013)

While I had some issues with the first film, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" was better (the wild barrel ride of the dwarves, escaping the wood-elves while simultaneously being attacked by orcs, was on its own worth the price of admission).

The Lake-town sequences were atmospheric and memorable.  (I love the Lake-town theme, and can listen to it for hours).  Steven Colbert's cameo was also fun, (although I didn't know who he was at the time).

In fact, I enjoyed the movie so much, I saw it a second time with my wife.  There was a widespread power outage that year, so we stopped at the theatre on our way home from dropping the kids off at my parents' house, who still had power.

Ed Sheeran's "I See Fire", which plays during the film's end credits (immediately following a smash to black), is a moving and evocative song.  (I like to listen to it, late at night, when I'm in a particular mood.)

Even though "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" failed to capture the spirit of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" we've watched the films a couple more times.  There's apparently a fan version, which condenses the trilogy, which I've yet to see.

John Carter (2012)

As a fan of all things Edgar Rice Burroughs, I looked forward to the release of "John Carter of Mars" with great anticipation (becoming worried and confused when Disney dropped the "of Mars").  While not perfect, it was a much better film than most realize.

Movie poster for "John Carter" (2012)

I saw a midnight showing on the Thursday before opening night (I called a few friends, but only my cousin Jim was game).  We saw it at Cineplex Cinemas on the Queensway, having dinner at Montana's beforehand (quite appropriately).

While a really enjoyable film, Taylor Kitsch was miscast as John Carter (which needed somebody like Henry Cavill to carry the role).  On the other hand, Lynn Collins was excellent as Dejah Thoris (they should have renamed it "A Princess of Mars").

Disney's abysmal marketing campaign makes more sense, when one realizes that the studio acquired the Star Wars franchise while "John Carter" was in production, thereby losing all interest in the century-old tale that inspired Star Wars in the first place.

The details are captured in Michael Sellers' excellent book "John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood".  Sellers also created some awe-inspiring fan trailers for the movie, (very much worth watching, in case you haven't seen them).

For my kids, who were underwhelmed with the original Star Wars trilogy, "John Carter" is their Star Wars.  They've seen the movie several times, and my son still has a "John Carter" poster in his room.  Hopefully, one day we'll be able to go back to Barsoom.