Black Panther (2018)

As a collector of comic books growing up, I was familiar with the character of T'Challa, Prince of Wakanda, aka Black Panther, mostly in his role as a member of the Avengers.  (I also picked up the 1st issue of "Black Panther" in Greece).

Movie poster for "Black Panther" (2018)

By 2018, Marvel Cinematic Universe fatigue was beginning to set in.  Nevertheless, I really enjoyed "Dr. Strange" (2016) and "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017), and so went into "Black Panther" with high expectations.

I was quickly impressed with the complexity of themes the film was willing to address.  Although primarily a superhero movie, "Black Panther" is nuanced and leaves the viewer with much to think over.

The score by Ludwig Goransson is fantastic.  (Goransson researched traditional African music, and even went on tour with Senegalese musician Baaba Maal, who contributed an original song for the film.)

"Black Panther" was the first superhero movie to be nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning three (for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score).

Chadwick Boseman's unexpected passing a couple of years later due to colon cancer was truly saddening.  He was a gifted actor, and made such a tremendous impact during the time he had with us.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Ever since they were little, I would remind my kids that Wonder Woman was Greek (every chance I got).  In fact, she was the only member of the "Superfriends" who wasn't American (counting Superman as a naturalized citizen, of course).

Movie poster for "Wonder Woman" (2017)

My cousin Dina was a huge fan of the TV series starring Lynda Carter in the 1970s.  (I remember watching the pilot with my father in our living room at home.)  See also "13 Great Reasons to Watch the 1970s Wonder Woman Show - Ranked".

Finally, I was an avid collector of the 1980s run of DC's "Wonder Woman" by George Perez, which emphasized the Greek roots of the Amazon princess.  That's why I was so excited to see a big-budget Wonder Woman film.

Gal Gadot was a good choice to play Wonder Woman on the big screen (her pronunciation in the one Greek line was spot-on, by the way), and setting the action during WWII, as in the original season of the Wonder Woman TV series, was perfect.

However, the scene which really caused me to jump out of my seat?  When Steve Trevor says "British tea for the Germans, German beer for the British, and Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels for both" of course!  (You can check it out, here.)

Wonder Woman was originally created by psychologist William Moulton Marston.  I found the documentary "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women" (which I caught on a flight, pre-Covid) to be interesting, although somewhat disturbing.

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

As a lifelong fan of the character, I was excited to learn that a new Tarzan movie was in the works.  It had been over three decades since I'd seen "Greystoke" in theatre, and none of the Tarzan movies since then had been particularly good.

Movie poster for "The Legend of Tarzan" (2016)

I got back into the Tarzan novels in 2012, on the centenary of the publication of the first Tarzan story in the pulps.  I even attended the Centennial Conference at Bridgewater College in Virginia, that November.

When I learned that the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship would be holding their annual gathering in Los Angeles that year, with a special advance screening of "The Legend of Tarzan", I knew that I had to attend.

My wife and I took separate planes to LA, and I was ready and waiting in a rented jeep when she stepped out of the terminal.  We saw the movie on the Paramount lot with fellow Burroughs enthusiasts and members of the Burroughs family.

I think director David Yates did an admirable job of portraying a classic hero through a twenty-first century lens.  The music and cinematography were brilliant.  It's a shame the movie didn't do well enough to justify a sequel.

We saw "The Legend of Tarzan" three more times in theatre, including once with my friend Joe and his wife, Kim.  We've seen the film again on DVD and itunes, since then.  It never fails to bring back memories of a really special trip.

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.