What was the last movie you watched?

[Pak-Man]

I thought everyone thought that?

Also, Marvel seem likely to continue bucking the third film trend with Avengers 3 too - I can't imagine it not being better than the first two.

Actually, it seems like their troubles are with second films. With the exception of Captain America, their second films are always the worst in the series, yeah?

Guardians 2 was rock solid. Although I was afraid everyone was gonna hate it because of its much more trippy/surreal tone. Turns out audiences are surprisingly on-board with the trippy/surreal side of the Marvel Universe.

[Darth Geek]

I thought everyone thought that?

Also, Marvel seem likely to continue bucking the third film trend with Avengers 3 too - I can't imagine it not being better than the first two.

Actually, it seems like their troubles are with second films. With the exception of Captain America, their second films are always the worst in the series, yeah?

Guardians 2 was rock solid. Although I was afraid everyone was gonna hate it because of its much more trippy/surreal tone. Turns out audiences are surprisingly on-board with the trippy/surreal side of the Marvel Universe.

We are now that the MCU has built up to it. And that effects technology are up to the task of showing it well.
For comparison, they tried to do some trippy stuff in the 70s Doctor Strange TV movie and it looked awful. (although I think there is one shot in the 2016 movie that is made to look like a shot in the TV movie as a reference)

[Edward J Grug III]

I thought everyone thought that?

Also, Marvel seem likely to continue bucking the third film trend with Avengers 3 too - I can't imagine it not being better than the first two.

Actually, it seems like their troubles are with second films. With the exception of Captain America, their second films are always the worst in the series, yeah?

Guardians 2 was rock solid. Although I was afraid everyone was gonna hate it because of its much more trippy/surreal tone. Turns out audiences are surprisingly on-board with the trippy/surreal side of the Marvel Universe.

GotG2 is great, but it's less great than the first one (IMO, anyway) so it still fits.

[The Lurker]

I thought everyone thought that?

Also, Marvel seem likely to continue bucking the third film trend with Avengers 3 too - I can't imagine it not being better than the first two.

Actually, it seems like their troubles are with second films. With the exception of Captain America, their second films are always the worst in the series, yeah?

Guardians 2 was rock solid. Although I was afraid everyone was gonna hate it because of its much more trippy/surreal tone. Turns out audiences are surprisingly on-board with the trippy/surreal side of the Marvel Universe.

GotG2 is great, but it's less great than the first one (IMO, anyway) so it still fits.

I dunno.  I do feel it has moments that edge it out over the previous, mainly the villain and a few of the character moments (like Yoondu's big scene at the end).  Also, it seems like they did more with Gamora this time around, who was kinda underwritten in the first.

[Edward J Grug III]

Hey, it's close enough that I can understand someone liking 2 better. I give GotG half a star more when rating them.

[Cupcake]

I think a problem with second movies is that there's been a trend for a long time that tries to make the second film much darker. Sometimes, they hit it perfectly, a la Winter Soldier, and sometimes they miss, like Thor the Dark World

[Johnny Unusual]

I'd say Marvel does have a villain problem, but they've had some solid ones that I think people forget about.  Kurt Russel was great as Ego and rewatching The Winter Soldier, Robert Redford is pretty good as the villain.  The latter is easier to forget since he's a pretty human villain with not a lot of flash and is pretty toned down.  It's also perfect casting, taking a guy who starred in  Three Days of the Condor, one of the political conspiracy thrillers that inspired.  Anyway, I think the villain thing is a problem Marvel is overcoming but thinking back on it, I think there are more solid villains than people remember (in my opinion).  It's just that too many, sadly, are just plot advancers, like Ronan and Malekith (the latter probably being the biggest offender and a big waste of Christopher Eccelston).

But yeah, for one's I think are on the better end (that aren't Loki, obviously), you have Obediah Stane, Justin Hammer (granted, more for comedy value, since he's comically inept as a foil for Stark), Red Skull (sure, it's broad and cartoonish, but it's perfect for the movie's retro tone), Ultron, and the aforementioned Ego and Alexander Pierce (though I can easily see people disagreeing with me on that one).  I'll also admit I might be a bit more generous with some simply because they aren't as bland as the others so far.

I will also say that Mad Mikkelson's is fairly forgettable but I think the actor gooses the character a little to make him slightly better.  I really need to get around to Hannibal.

[Edward J Grug III]

I'd say Marvel does have a villain problem, but they've had some solid ones that I think people forget about.  Kurt Russel was great as Ego and rewatching The Winter Soldier, Robert Redford is pretty good as the villain.  The latter is easier to forget since he's a pretty human villain with not a lot of flash and is pretty toned down.  It's also perfect casting, taking a guy who starred in  Three Days of the Condor, one of the political conspiracy thrillers that inspired.  Anyway, I think the villain thing is a problem Marvel is overcoming but thinking back on it, I think there are more solid villains than people remember (in my opinion).  It's just that too many, sadly, are just plot advancers, like Ronan and Malekith (the latter probably being the biggest offender and a big waste of Christopher Eccelston).

But yeah, for one's I think are on the better end (that aren't Loki, obviously), you have Obediah Stane, Justin Hammer (granted, more for comedy value, since he's comically inept as a foil for Stark), Red Skull (sure, it's broad and cartoonish, but it's perfect for the movie's retro tone), Ultron, and the aforementioned Ego and Alexander Pierce (though I can easily see people disagreeing with me on that one).  I'll also admit I might be a bit more generous with some simply because they aren't as bland as the others so far.

I will also say that Mad Mikkelson's is fairly forgettable but I think the actor gooses the character a little to make him slightly better.  I really need to get around to Hannibal.

Baron Zemo in Civil War is fantastic too!

[Johnny Unusual]

I need to rewatch that (and probably will since I just watched the first two Cap movies).  I don't remember how well the plan holds up under scrutiny but I like that it a was a much sadder villain character than we usually see in these movies.  I mean, a lot of villains are tragic, but the dude plays the loss he feels quite well.  I guess the actor is actually a big star in Germany or something.

[RoninFox]

I've heard a lot of hate for Iron Man 3 because of the twist, but that was my favorite element in it. I mean, I was sold on the movie by the trailer amping me up for a badass culty Ben Kingsley, but the reveal had me laughing in a good way for most of the rest of the movie.

[Edward J Grug III]

I've heard a lot of hate for Iron Man 3 because of the twist, but that was my favorite element in it. I mean, I was sold on the movie by the trailer amping me up for a badass culty Ben Kingsley, but the reveal had me laughing in a good way for most of the rest of the movie.

Yeah, I liked it too. Not to mention it made a racist character usable.

[Edward J Grug III]

I need to rewatch that (and probably will since I just watched the first two Cap movies).  I don't remember how well the plan holds up under scrutiny but I like that it a was a much sadder villain character than we usually see in these movies.  I mean, a lot of villains are tragic, but the dude plays the loss he feels quite well.  I guess the actor is actually a big star in Germany or something.

He's in the (sadly) poorly received Cloverfield Paradox.

[Cupcake]

I'd say Marvel does have a villain problem, but they've had some solid ones that I think people forget about.  Kurt Russel was great as Ego and rewatching The Winter Soldier, Robert Redford is pretty good as the villain.  The latter is easier to forget since he's a pretty human villain with not a lot of flash and is pretty toned down.  It's also perfect casting, taking a guy who starred in  Three Days of the Condor, one of the political conspiracy thrillers that inspired.  Anyway, I think the villain thing is a problem Marvel is overcoming but thinking back on it, I think there are more solid villains than people remember (in my opinion).  It's just that too many, sadly, are just plot advancers, like Ronan and Malekith (the latter probably being the biggest offender and a big waste of Christopher Eccelston).

But yeah, for one's I think are on the better end (that aren't Loki, obviously), you have Obediah Stane, Justin Hammer (granted, more for comedy value, since he's comically inept as a foil for Stark), Red Skull (sure, it's broad and cartoonish, but it's perfect for the movie's retro tone), Ultron, and the aforementioned Ego and Alexander Pierce (though I can easily see people disagreeing with me on that one).  I'll also admit I might be a bit more generous with some simply because they aren't as bland as the others so far.

I will also say that Mad Mikkelson's is fairly forgettable but I think the actor gooses the character a little to make him slightly better.  I really need to get around to Hannibal.

I actively have to force myself to remember that Ronin is the villain in Guardians 1, I can't even remember the name of the villain in Thor 2, Iron Man 2's main villain in Whiplash or whatever he was meant to be wasn't great, Abomination was just a tan Hulk, I can't remember the name of the villain from Antman, either.

The thing is, though, except in notable exceptions, usually where they're adding overarching story rather than the just one shot villain, the point of the villains isn't to be an interesting character. They're meant to be an obstacle that the hero has to overcome. The Red Skull was important to set up Hydra as a major player in universe, Loki has been dicking over everyone since Thor, and Thanos is meant to be the puppet master pulling all the strings. Meanwhile, most of the other villains character can be summed up with "That's a shiny thing. Better take it" or "REVENGE!" It's not necessarily bad, because they're not really characters, just story devices that make the heroes look badass.

All that said, Thor: Ragnarok gave me a need to call sexy edgy Cate Blanchett "Mommy"

[NRRork]

I think Iron Man 3's biggest accomplishment is they paired Tony Stark with a kid and it WORKED.

I remember when I went and saw that movie and the kid shows up and I just immediately died a little inside because that's always DOOM! Immediately in my mind it's "Yippie!" "Are you an angel?" "But master Qui Gon, what ARE midichlorians?" Okay, that's enough.

Point is it wasn't that, it worked great, the kid was pretty normal and not all pwecious, and Stark just stayed a loveable asshole. It worked. ^_^

[Darth Geek]

Winchester - Terrible. Just a huge waste of amazing sets, good acting, excellent cinematography, all for nothing but a bunch of cheap jump scares. The Spiereg brothers are much better than this.