Some super hero movies get so bogged down in cinematic effects that they lose that magic spark that makes super heroes so appealing. Luckily that is not the case for this one. First of all, there is a lot more wit and humor than is usual even for the Marvel Universe movies. Thor, as played by Chris Hemsworth is not only pleasant on the eyes ,but is quite the comedian and will have you laughing many times at the witty dialogue. His character has come a long way from that duck-out-of-water of his first movie. Yes, there are still plenty of special effects, but I didn’t mind because I was having too much fun watching. Cate Blanchett is deliciously evil as Thor’s visually striking sister, Hela, who wants to destroy Asgard. When she appears at the beginning of the movie, Thor finds himself without his hammer and ends up on a planet ruled by Jeff Goldblum playing a wacky, oh wait a minute, playing Jeff Goldblum. If you have seen any of the trailers you know that Thor and The Hulk will be forced to fight in a gladiatorial arena. Thor and Hulk eventually escape. They have to, events in Asgard are coming to war and rebellion, and there is plenty of action as Thor and his companions strive to save the real Asgard. Not sure what that means? Go see this movie and all will become clear, it’s worth it! Other standouts are Tom Hiddleston, Karl Urban, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins and Benedict Cumberbatch. Look for a fun trio of cameo appearances by Matt Damon, Sam Neill and Luke Hemsworh. Stan Lee makes his usual cameo too,and I think it is my favorite. This is an entertaining and funny movie and I think that just about everyone will find something to enjoy.
Kong: Skull Island
This was an interesting remake of the familiar Kong story. I loved how we don’t have to wait until the movie was half over to catch a glimpse of Kong, we get to see him right from the beginning. Everyone knows the basic story: people come to the mysterious Skull Island, find the legendary beast, there is a pretty girl involved, and then mayhem ensues. But this movie adds some interesting twists and avoids the classic Beauty and the Beast theme. It turns out Kong is really protecting us from some bad creatures who have the capacity to overrun the world and destroy humanity in the process. The cast is excellent. John Goodman plays Bill Randa, a scientist who believes there is ‘something’ to be found on the island, and he wants to find it, though not for the most altruistic reasons of course. Samuel L. Jackson is perfect as the too gung-ho Army officer leading the troops escorting the mission to Skull Island. Tom Hiddelston and Brie Larson really don’t have that much to do as the tracker and the photographer. Larson does get a brief scene with Kong, but it is quite different and very subdued compared to previous outings. John C. Reilly adds some comic relief as a WWII pilot who was shot down over the island and is more than ready to get back home. The special effects are pretty amazing; we saw this in 3D and so should you. If you go, stay to the very end of the movie to see a teaser for a likely sequel. By the way, any movie that features Credence Clearwater Revival singing “Run Through the Jungle” can’t be all bad.