Film Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

When Joss Whedon's first Avengers film landed in 2012, it was the end result of several years of calculated, but very real, risks. Marvel had embarked on a seemingly foolhardy quest to create a cinematic version of their comic universe, one in which dozens of superheroes existed simultaneously, had their own solo adventures, then teamed up when needed. It paid off in a huge way, not merely because The Avengers became a massive hit, but because all the subsequent Marvel films that followed were given a boost as well, and formerly marginalised characters like Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and especially Captain America (Chris Evans) are now pretty much household names. Yet success has boxed the series into a corner.

Shot/Reverse Shot: Episode 93 - Avengers: Age of Ultron

Now that Avengers: Age of Ultron has been unleashed upon the world and is destroying the box office like The Hulk in a built-up area, it seems like the perfect time to discuss what will likely become one of the biggest films of all time, and check in on the health of Marvel's mega-franchise. Matt and I discuss our feelings about the film, how it compares to the first film, and offer our live reaction to the unveiling of the first cast photo from Suicide Squad, an event which derails the entire last five minutes or so of the podcast.

Spoiler Warning: We discuss events in the Civil War comics which may (or may not) become part of the forthcoming Civil War film, so if you want to avoid them then please skip the discussion from 31:30 to 33:00.

Film Review: The Avengers (2012)

Over the past four years, Marvel Studios have slowly been putting together the pieces to form The Avengers, a film version of the comic series that brings some of the studio's most powerful heroes together. The ambition of the project cannot be overstated: over five films, the studio have constructed an approximation of their comic universe that remained faithful to its origins without ever producing films that were only aimed at the converted, even if sometimes, as in the case of The Incredible Hulk, only the converted showed up. Considering the risk involved - the very real possibility that, had any of the films faltered badly in the early going, the whole thing could have fallen apart - the build-up to The Avengers alone is something quite remarkable, maybe unprecedented.

Film Review: The Cabin In The Woods (2011)

The Cabin In The Woods, the directorial debut of Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard, which was co-written by Buffy creator and all-round geek idol Joss Whedon, is great. It's genuinely fantastic. It's a thrilling, wildly inventive horror film that plays beautifully off genre cliches whilst also managing to make those cliches work in its own interests. It's a horror comedy which is both scary and uproariously funny, and I would be very surprised if there is a better mainstream American film released this year. If it isn't in my Top Ten at the end of this year, then there must be some damn great films ahead of us, because I can't imagine it being easily dislodged from that spot.

Unfortunately, it's also the sort of film that cannot be discussed without ruining all the fun. It's not that it is a film that hinges on a twist which, if revealed, would completely suck all the joy out of the experience, but the various turns it takes are so much fun that they are best enjoyed with as clear a mind as possible.

To that end, I am going to say right now that this review will contains no major spoilers, so reading it won't ruin any of its surprises. However, if you don't want to know anything going in, stop reading now. If you're wondering if you should see The Cabin In The Woods, then take this as a hearty recommendation that you should because you will not regret it. Heck, I'll save you the effort of scrolling down to the bottom of the page to see the grade. This is a solid, unqualified A. You will have a blast.

Now that is out of the way, let's delve into why The Cabin In The Woods is such fun.