Everything That Dies, Some Day Comes Back

Somewhat to my surprise, with this film Marvel manages to deliver a very satisfying climax to the whole "Infinity Saga".  The most unexpected thing to me, and it goes a long way to explaining my enjoyment, is that until the climactic battle-to-end-all-battles there are virtually no CGI action sequences.  Instead we get an absorbing story as first the surviving superheroes try to come to terms with their defeat at the hands (or should that be fingers?) of Thanos, and the ensuing deaths of half the universe's population and then t here emerges a chance to reverse all of that, involving time travel. It all depends on Iron Man being persuaded to leave his life of domestic bliss.  Thankfully he can, and off our heroes go back in time, on separate missions to retrieve the Stones.  There are some amusing sideswipes at 'Back to the Future' and the idea that history can simply be rewritten.  Instead we get a nice scene between Bruce Banner and the Ancient One which neatl...

I enjoyed the first two Captain America films, the first Iron Man film, and the first Avengers film, but after that I progressively lost interest in the seemingly never-ending MCU story arc.  But in all fairness this film (the first of a two-part conclusion to the whole shebang) is pretty good.  Although (to be absolutely clear) it cannot hold a candle to such classics as the 1978  Superman film, the first two Spiderman films, or 'The Dark Knight'. Anyhow, t here are lots of things to enjoy here.   Not the most important thing granted, but Hawkeye, Falcon and War Machine are scarcely to be seen. Hurrah! There are very clear stakes: Thanos, a most impressive villain, is doing a good job of gathering up all six Infinity Stones, and unless he is stopped, 50% of all life in the universe will be wiped out (gulp). The inevitable CGI action sequences are kept at bay pretty much until the end, and when they do arrive I found them more exciting than usual, as the superhe...

This, my first Godzilla film, is so good maybe I should try some others?  Probably not - I suspect this one is unusual in that the marauding monster plays second fiddle to a compelling human drama. That drama concerns Shikishima , a WW2  kamikaze pilot who at the start of the film is on a remote island, pretending that his aircraft has mechanical problems in order to shirk his duty. To add further shame he panics and fails to shoot when Godzilla appears,  thereby contributing to the death of nearly everyone in the garrison. Returning home after the war he learns that his parents are dead.  Things are bleak but life must go on - Shikishima meets Noriko, who is also an orphan, and a baby she has rescued, and together they try to scratch out an existence.  The relationship between   Shikishima  and Noriko, two lost souls, is a touching one. Meanwhile Godzilla has not gone away.  In fact it has become even more powerful thanks to the US nuclear tests ...

I think of this as more of an Avengers outing than as a solo Cap effort, given that we get a bucketload of MCU superheroes here (although not Thor and Hulk), and given that I'm not very invested in Cap's friendship with Bucky. As such it's a whole lot better than its predecessor, 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', although that's not saying much. It has a more coherent story, and it has an idea at its centre - whether it's OK for superheroes to go wherever, and do whatever, they please, no matter the collateral destruction and loss of innocent life.  This idea resonated with me, as someone who feels uncomfortable whenever a CGI building gets destroyed.    Unfortunately the issues raised don't get much thoughtful reflection from the superheroes in question, it just forms the pretext for a contrived 'civil war'.  Never mind, we do at least get a fun action sequence at a deserted airport where the two warring groups go head-to-head. I liked that the 'vi...

The Critics' Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads as follows: " The deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei helps to elevate  My Cousin Vinny 's predictable script, and the result is a sharp, hilarious courtroom comedy." Not a bad summary, although (and this may say more about me than about the film)  I found it amusing rather than hilarious.    I found a lot of the humour rather too predictable.   Vinny, a New York personal injury lawyer who is newly qualified after multiple failed attempts and who has no trial experience, is in Alabama to defend his cousin Bill (and Bill's friend Stan) in a murder trial.    Cue the expected laughs as Vinny tries to get up to speed with the whole business of disclosure, pleas, cross-examination etc (has he never watched any John Grisham adaptations?) whilst also getting to grips with Southern culture (grits anyone?).  I could have done without making fun of the stammering public defender. But i...