All posts by Engagingculture

I'm a normal guy who watches a lot of movies. I love to compare techniques, cinematography, and acting, but I'm really amazed at what makes movies successful. Why does one film make piles of money while another falls flat on its face? I hope to help other normal people enjoy more good movies and avoid the garbage.
2010s, Longform

Avengers: Infinity War Through Thanos’ Eyes

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Spoilers, Obviously!

I found myself trying to tell someone what Avengers: Infinity War was all about but with so many great characters that we have grown to know and love I can’t just sum it up in a couple of tight sentences. So I’m going to go scene by scene with the characters as we meet them in the film and take you through the character’s actions and motivations.

Let’s start with the big bad. I feel like this is really Thanos’ movie. He is given humanity and realistic motivations. He’s not just some impersonal CGI creation bent on world domination. We come to feel for him and even empathize with him at times. We’ve seen him a couple of times in the previous movies but really haven’t had an opportunity to learn much about him besides the fact that he makes lots of people nervous and that he is Gamora’s dad and killed Drax’s wife and daughter.

Thanos’ Journey

I don’t know why people get so upset about my plan. I am trying to make sure that there are enough resources to go around. All of these mouths to feed are taking a toll on our universe. It can’t be allowed to continue unchecked. My plan will eliminate poverty, hunger, war, and so much more. I’m not looking for supreme power or domination, I just want to rest and let the universe thank me for their newfound peace and prosperity.

It is an unfortunate consequence that half of all life must be eliminated for my plan to work, but you know what they say about making omelettes and breaking eggs. When I get all of the Infinity Stones, I will be able to take care of this problem instantly. They won’t feel a thing, it will be as if they never even existed.

Asgard

I’ve sent several other people to try and collect these stones for me and they continue to fail me. I’m finally just taking matters into my own hands. First, I went over to Zandar and got the Power Stone from the puny Nova Corps. Then I planned to go to Asgard but when I showed up, the planet had just exploded and I got the drop on them. I had heard about this God of Thunder and I was surprised how easily he was subdued.

His slimy brother Loki failed me before and I wasn’t about to trust him again. He had some kind of failed science experiment sucker punch me. He wasn’t much of a Hulk if you ask me. That creepy orange-eyed guy used some kind of magic to make the green guy disappear, so I killed him. Finally, that liar Loki fessed up that he had the Space Stone. I took it from him to add to my collection and then after he tried to sweet talk and stab me, I killed him and left his brother for dead while I told my children to fetch the two stones from Earth while I went to Knowhere to get another stone.

Knowhere

After easily getting the Reality Stone from this freaky guy they call the Collector, I decided to use it to set a trap for my daughter, Gamora. She knows where the Soul Stone is located, it is the one that I still haven’t found, so I need her to tell me. I knew that as soon as she heard that I was collecting the stones she would come looking for me. I might not have been the dad of the year, but I taught her to be an amazingly strong and powerful warrior and even though she hates me and wants to kill me, I’m proud of her and want her with me.

My trap works perfectly and Gamora shows up. They think they are getting the drop on me and I let her think that she killed me. As if it would be that easy. She also brought along her boyfriend who calls himself Starman or something like that, he’s very confident and it seems like she genuinely cares for him. After I pulled back the curtain to let them know that I had fooled them, she revealed that she trusted him to kill her if it got to this point. I wanted to see what the boyfriend would do, and after a little prodding, he finally pulled the trigger. I used my cool new stone to make bubbles come out of the blaster. I love bubbles. Starman seems like a good guy. I hope he doesn’t vanish once I snap my fingers.

I take Gamora back to my ship and remind her how I chose her out of all the people on her planet to be my child. How I turned her burned out husk of a planet into a paradise. I asked her to join me in my plan but she is holding onto a big grudge about her childhood. She’s refused to tell me where the Soul Stone is located, so I took her in to visit her sister who was foolish enough to sneak onto my ship. I thought that Gamora hated me, but Nebula almost killed me so I have her trapped here. Nebula’s video recorders already confirmed my suspicion that Gamora has the information that I need.

Formir

I’m done with Nebula and should have killed her for betraying me with that traitor Ronan. But I’m hoping that I can use Gamora’s sympathy for my advantage. I only have to turn the screws on Nebula for a few moments before Gamora caves and tells me that she found out that the Soul Stone is hidden on Formir. It’s not going to take my children long to retrieve the stones from those weaklings on Earth, so I take Gamora with me to Formir so she can show me where the stone is located.

When we get to the mountain where Gamora says the stone is located, we meet a mysteriously cloaked man who has a red head. He’s not a ginger, his skin and whole head is bright red. I’m not sure if that happened when he got rejected by the stone or what, but he tells us that he’s cursed to guard the Soul Stone but can never wear it himself. To get the stone I have to sacrifice something I really love…

This is hard. There is only one beautiful little girl that comes to my mind. I wanted to train her to rule by my side and to eventually take my place, but I can’t let some pesky emotions get in the way of my goal. She fought me and will probably never forgive me, but with a tear in my eye I throw her off the cliff and as she careens towards the rocks below, I blink and find myself lying in a pool at the base of the mountain. I open my hand and the Soul Stone is in my grasp.

Titan

I told my Children that I would meet them back on Titan to get the other two stones from Earth. When I arrived, the place was deserted and I met a wizard from Earth who apparently crashed Ebony Maw’s spaceship there. Pretty soon, I realize that this is a trap and there are half a dozen people fighting me all at once trying to get my glove off. Everything is a blur, but a remember that the wizard was with the boyfriend, the genius in the suit of armor, the obnoxious kid in the red and blue outfit, a creepy looking girl with antennae, and some shirtless guy who screamed a lot.

At one point they actually got me pinned down after I pulled a moon out of orbit and sent it crashing onto the planet. I expected that to kill all of these annoyances but they worked well as a team and the creepy girl was able to jump on top of me and tried to put me to sleep. I remember taking that moment to remember Gamora and her sweet face. Maybe I should have taken a few minutes to breathe and mourn before I came here. She was so innocent when I met her all those years ago. I taught her everything I knew and all of these emotions came crashing down as they were forcing me to rest.

I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear the boyfriend asking about Gamora. I could hear that he cared for her and was just as upset as I am. If he hadn’t gotten so angry, they would have probably gotten the gauntlet. I don’t know what might have happened then, but the creepy girl broke her sleeper hold on me for a second and I was able to break free again. And somehow, Nebula was there! How the hell did she get off my ship? I wish it could have been her instead of Gamora.

After their sneak attack failed, they all took turns fighting me but I was able to fight them off and I stabbed the man in the metal suit with a sword that he was fighting me with. As he was dying in front of me, the wizard offered me a deal. He gave me the Time Stone and made me promise not to kill him. I figured he would die pretty soon anyway so I took the stone and used the Space Stone to go to Earth to find out what is taking so long with the other stone.

Earth

I arrive on earth to find that Proxima and Corvus have come up against a battle in Wakanda. I’ve heard about this place and their amazing technology. I had even wondered if the Soul Stone might be located there, but their fighters have actually managed to not only kill my Children but have been able to fend off my Outriders as well.

All of the warriors begin attacking me right out of the gate. There were several versions of the metal armor of Tony Stark’s that I fought on Titan, a man in a cat costume, a woman with bright white hair, a mutant raccoon and a living tree. I never knew Earth was such a colorful place, and I have to hand it to those humans, they are stronger than I thought, one of the fighters got in a couple punches and even held me off for a moment before I knocked him out cold.

My goal was to get to the android who has the Mind Stone embedded in his forehead. When I got to him, his girlfriend was attacking the stone and fighting me off all at once. Her ferocity reminds me of Gamora. As she destroys the stone and he is decimated along with it, she collapses to the ground in tears. I confess to her that today has been a difficult one but that time heals all wounds. Using the Time Stone, I rewind until the Mind Stone is back in one piece. Shocked, his girlfriend stares on in horror as I pluck the stone from his forehead and cast his faded out husk into the dust.

Victory

Finally, they are all mine. Power, Space, Reality, Soul, Time, and Mind. But before I can do anything, that irritating God of Thunder is back. Somehow he survived and he’s got a very large ax headed my way.

AAARGH!!

Thor has shoved this ax right into my body and now he is seething about the death of his brother and is pushing the ax deeper still. But I realize that I still have control of my hand. I say, “You should have aimed for the head,” before I snap my fingers.

For a moment, I see my daughter in a lonesome place where the sun is setting. She asks if I did it and I confirm that it is finished. She asks what it cost, and I explain as I choke back a tear that it cost everything. Thor asks what I did and I open up a portal and go home.

I have accomplished what I set out to do. As the sun sets, I sit on my front steps. The gauntlet looks terrible like the power it took to carry out my command has permanently damaged it. I take a deep breath and rest knowing that my plan is being carried out and that soon the cries of a thankful universe will be lifted up. You are welcome, my Children. You are welcome.

Did I miss anything? How did this movie make you feel about Thanos? I think it was a great accomplishment on the part of the Artists, Josh Brolin, and the writers to bring this Eternal to life and make him someone that we can shed a tear for. Which character’s journey would you like to hear next? I’m hoping to do at least 12 of the main characters. Maybe I’ll release one every month to keep the story fresh in my mind until we get the next chapter in the saga in 2019.

2010s, Coming Soon, Lists, Trailers

Ten Indie Movies to Watch this Summer

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You’ve probably already seen my regular Summer Movie Preview. That’s the one with Star Wars and Superhero movies. This is not that list. My favorite movies are usually indie films with a lower budget, a great story to tell, or a unique perspective or spin on things. This is a list of 10 of those movies that are coming soon. I actually have eleven on the list, but don’t worry, I won’t charge you extra.

The dates I have listed are their “limited release” dates. Unfortunately, they may not all reach you on those dates. If you are blessed to be in a primary or secondary market, you have a pretty good shot of seeing these indies. But these look like they will be worth keeping your ear to the ground and maybe even talking to your local theater manager about programming.

Tully – May 4

The third collaboration between writer Diablo Cody and Director Jason Reitman, after Juno and Young Adult. This film tackles motherhood and post-partum depression. Mackenzie Davis shows up like a adult version of Mary Poppins and Charlize Theron somehow makes herself look average. That should win an Oscar for best makeup.

First Reformed – May 18

Paul Schrader (The guy who wrote Taxi Driver) is directing this film and it has me very excited. I love Ethan Hawke’s acting abilities in the first place, but cast him as a disaffected minister struggling with anger and depression and you have me hook line and sinker. I have loved movies like Calvary and Doubt, but they have focused more on the Catholic side of the world of Christian ministry.

How to Talk to Girls at Parties – May 18

I’ve been a big fan of Elle Fanning since I saw her angelic face in Super 8. Now this year she is in this film about a group of aliens who descend on 1970’s London and get caught up in punk rock culture. It looks like a fun version of Under the Skin. She is also starring as the Frankenstein author Mary Shelley in a biopic. How to Talk to Girls at Parties has all the makings of an awesome indie cult favorite. It’s directed by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and was written by Neil Gaiman. This should be a lot of fun.

Upgrade – June 1

Warning: language and graphic violence in the trailer. No, that’s not Tom Hardy in the lead role, it’s Logan Marshall-Green. I will be surprised if this isn’t a huge hit this summer. Essentially, this guy becomes a cyborg John Wick going on a rampage taking out the guys that killed his wife. The action looks crazy, the banter between the AI chip and the guy is solid, and the social media presence is already pretty high. This won’t win any Oscars, but it will make way more money than it cost to produce and even without a big name attached it will put butts in seats at the theater, count on it.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor – June 8

I want to be his neighbor! We live in a world full of people that hate each other. Blacks vs. Whites, Democrats vs. Republicans, Rich vs. Poor. It is time for the amazing philosophy of Fred Rogers to make a comeback. It is a pure and powerful look at Mr. Rogers as a force for good in the world. He welcomed us to his neighborhood the year my father graduated from high school in 1968 and finally said a tear-filled goodbye the year I graduated from high school in 2001. I hope that this vision of kindness and love takes hold and inspires others to this simple mission of showing unconditional love to everyone.

Under the Silver Lake – June 22

From the mind of David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) comes a crazy looking neo-noir crime thriller. With Andrew Garfield in the lead this looks like it could be an early Oscar contender. The trailer reminds me of Chinatown, Mulholland Drive, and L.A. Confidential all at once and there is nothing bad about that.

Leave No Trace – June 29

It’s really exciting to see Debra Granik get back behind the camera for a feature film. You may not recognize her name, but she is the director of one of the best films of 2010, Winter’s Bone. Making her directorial debut in that film, she wowed critics, earned 4 Oscar nominations and launched the career of a young girl named Jennifer Lawrence. Now, 8 years later, she is back and she has Ben Foster (who I have loved in everything he’s done since 2016’s Hell or High Water) and another relative newcomer (Thomasin McKenzie) who could take off just like J. Law did.

Sorry To Bother You – July 6

I’ve had my eyes on Lakeith Stanfield since 2013’s Short Term 12. You’ll probably recognize him from Get Out or TV’s Atlanta. This film was written and directed by first time movie maker and music front man named Boots Riley. It has the potential to be this year’s Get Out, a film that makes a social commentary in a subversively entertaining way. The trailer is very busy, so I hope they don’t go too far down the rabbit hole, but what a great premise.

Eighth Grade – July 13

Stand-up comedian Bo Burnham makes his directing debut helming a film about the life of a quirky 8th grade girl named Kayla played by Elsie Fisher who previously voiced Agnes in the Despicable Me franchise. I have an eighth grader, it is awkward, but these awkward situations and feelings aren’t unique to this time of our life. They are universal. I feel out of place and goofy every day of my life, the challenge is learning to embrace it, knowing that the things that make us different are the things that make us great.

Blindspotting – July 20

I just watched Fruitvale Station and I’m dying for more of this type of storytelling. Daveed Diggs plays a man who is almost completed with his parole. He’s just a few days away and his plans get interrupted by a life changing event. It looks like it might have a good touch of humor but also just some rich storytelling about race relations and the criminal justice system.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post – August 3

No trailer for this one yet, but it won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance. Essentially, Cameron Post (Chloe Grace Moretz) is in a physical relationship with her best friend. She’s caught having sex in the car at their homecoming dance, and her guardians freak out. The first twist is that her best friend is a girl and Cameron is gay. Her guardians send her off to a Christian conversion therapy camp/school. Ironically, she meets other queer teens and they form a sort of support group to get through the brainwashing.

The subject matter might be a bit risque for Christians but I’m not afraid of hearing those stereotypes. It helps me to be able to go against them and I can’t really blame people for making fun of some religious people.

So, what do you think? Are you going to add any of these to your watchlist? Which ones look the best to you? Tell me in the comments below or reach out to me on social media. See you at the movies!

 

 

2010s, Coming Soon, Lists, Trailers

Ten Movies to Watch this Summer Besides Infinity War

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Summer came early this year with Marvel unleashing their biggest film ever. This one was 10 years and 18 films in the making. Infinity War was great, but was that the best thing that we’re gonna see this summer? I’ll bet you anything, we won’t see any blockbuster come close to doing what Infinity War did at the box office, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t see some great movies released between now and August.

I could waste a lot of time giving you a list of every movie coming out between now and then, but you could just head over to IMDb if you wanted that. Instead, I want to let you know about 10 movies that have me excited this summer other than Infinity War. That doesn’t count because it was on the top of my list and it met and exceeded my expectations.

Deadpool 2 – May 18

Come on… Do I have to explain this one? It’s Ryan Reynolds back in the role that he was designed by our good Lord to play. I hope it can live up to the hype despite some production woes. It will be weird seeing Josh Brolin play another villain so soon after he tore my heart out as Thanos.

Solo: A Star Wars Movie – May 25

I’m not nearly as excited about this one. It looks pretty entertaining and from the brief bits of dialogue in the trailer it seems like Alden Ehrenreich is doing a passable job imitating Harrison Ford. I know all the fanboys will turn out in droves, but I think that the average moviegoer isn’t going to rush out to watch this scruffy looking nerf-herder.

Hereditary – June 8

Excuse me while I go change my pants. This trailer gives me nightmares. I’m not sure what the movie is going to do. I don’t know much about the first time director Ari Aster, except that he looks like he’s 14 and just learned that he can grow hair on his face. This doesn’t look like your normal style of horror movie, I’m hoping it follows in the footsteps of The Witch and The Babadook and does something different.

Oceans 8 – June 8

All female heist film by Steven Soderbergh. I don’t think it needed to be tied to the Ocean’s franchise, but I guess that makes it more bankable. I hope it’s good. The cast looks great. But it could end up being like the Ghostbusters remake if they aren’t careful.

Incredibles 2 – June 15

Finally! A sequel to my favorite Pixar movie. Forget Toy Story 4 and all that garbage. This thing has been cooking for 14 years and finally Brad Bird is delivering what looks like an impressive follow-up. I’ve already heard complaints that no one has aged, that he’s not bringing us to the present or at least giving us teenage Jack-Jack but at this point, I trust Pixar as a whole and Brad Bird specifically and I will be at the front of the line for this one.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado – June 29

Continuing the year of Josh Brolin, we get the follow-up to 2015’s Breakout hit Sicario. The first was directed by Denis Villeneuve who has now launched into the stratosphere with movies like Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival under his belt. At first I was worried, but then I saw that Taylor Sheridan is back in the writer’s chair and he was hesitant to even call it a sequel. Hopes are tentatively high that this can be added to the flawless list on Sheridan’s resume.

Uncle Drew – June 29

I will be completely transparent. This movie is not made for me. I’m whiter than Nick Kroll (oh wait…), but even with that handicap, I still think this looks funny. Tiffany Haddish and the pure joy of watching some basketball superstars donning white hair and beards. This is going to make more money than Tyler Perry dressing in drag, and you can take that to the hoop.

Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6

We pick up with Ant-Man after the events of Captain America: Civil War and apparently he is on some type of house arrest. Hank Pym outfits a partner for him and we get lots of stuff getting smaller than normal and other things getting comically large. This should be a nice exhale after Marvel has been punching us in the gut with Black Panther and Infinity War, and who knows maybe we’ll get another piece of the Avengers 4 puzzle.

Mission Impossible: Fallout – July 27

Unpopular opinion: The Mission: Impossible franchise is more entertaining than James Bond or Jason Bourne. I can’t wait to watch Tom Cruise break his ankle in that scene from the trailer where he jumps from one building to another and shorts it. They take it to the next level and the touches of humor from Simon Pegg are great. Christopher McQuarrie has directed Tom Cruise excellently in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation as well as the original Jack Reacher film. I have no reason to doubt that this will not be a kick-ass ride.

The Darkest Minds – August 3

It’s not the New Mutants X-Men movie that I’ve been hoping for, but close enough. In essence, these teenagers are held captive by the government because they begin to develop powers. Some of them break out to form a resistance group to fight their oppressors. It is based on a YA novel by the same name written by Alexandra Bracken and directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson who previously directed The two Kung Fu Panda sequels.

What about you? Are you surprised by any of these? Do you have one that you are just dying to see? Did I leave something off? Let me know if the comments below or hit me up on social media.