Thor: Ragnarok

Well for what it's worth, Thor Ragnarok is definitely a satisfying and suitable ending when speaking of this year's MCU movies. Despite enjoying Spider-Man Homecoming a little more overall, partially because there were things I didn't like about Thor Ragnarok but there was very little I disliked about Homecoming, all in all, this film is really, really good. It's explosive and fun and colorful and enjoyable and looks terrific and exquisite all throughout. Is it overdone? You decide whether or not they overdid some things for this one. I see lots of people comparing it to Guardians of the Galaxy and while I don't fully agree, I can definitely say that there are some things that are reminiscent of the Guardians' movies, but certainly not in a bad way.

What makes this film so good is its associates. They're not out of place and they're not really forced in; like, it fits perfectly, man. Everything comes together so nicely. Take Hulk for example. I was thinking, "Hulk may or may not work in this film. Could be great, could be straight out opposite." Well, overall, I think it's a good idea that they did include Hulk - even more so when they had him appear as Bruce, rather than Hulk himself. Mark Ruffalo's Hulk is by far the best one yet. Well, to me at least. Another thing I have to include is its humor. Some say it's either a little forced or it's just simply not all that funny. Well, the moments that were funny, were funny. Not much more can be said other than the fact that yeah, some stuff had me like, "Ehh.. okay", but for the most part, there's some solid laughs here and there.

Jeff Goldblum's role was unique, to say the least - but did kind of remind me of The Collector from Guardians of the Galaxy. I don't know, he just did. Not a bad thing, but you know. If I were to comment on his character, I would have to say he's pretty good. He's not amazing, but he's an interesting part of the film and makes an okay villain (assuming you would call him that). One thing that really stood out to me and made the film even more enjoyable was its brother scenes, aka, scenes that revolve around Loki and Thor together. That was good in this film. I actually enjoyed Loki in this more than I did The Avengers. And Hemsworth is superb in the film. Not a better guy out there that could have played Thor. He was the correct, undeniable greatest choice.

There's also a very good 'cameo' like role, if you will, which does add to the movie. The film also doesn't lose its identity, meaning that even though there are other characters and whatnot, it's first and foremost a Thor film.

Here's what I didn't like (or, who I didn't like, for that matter): Hela. My reasons for disliking her character are pretty much simplistic and generic, but they're not invalid by any means- she's annoying. She's boring. That's really all I can say. I mean, there's a scene in which I do love that includes her, but it's spoiler-ish, so maybe another time...

Overall, however, a great film. Bright, colorful, funny, loads of action, good character usage, and the third act is damn good! I think this is perhaps my sixth favorite MCU film overall, overtaking Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but it is still right behind: 5- Spider-Man Homecoming, 4-The Avengers, 3-Captain America The Winter Soldier, 2-Guardians of the Galaxy and 1-Captain America Civil War. Ragnarok is a terrific film though, and it's one of this year's best.

8.5/10

After a total of seventeen films in less than ten years, it's pretty safe to say that Marvel has safely established itself as a popular, successful franchise with its own identity. Known for comedy, references to its other films and comics, and epic, fun action, every Marvel film is at least enjoyable. However, there are some that peak; some that can be included in the best Marvel films - and sometimes best films in the superhero genre. Films like this are the first Avengers, The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy - and also Thor: Ragnarok. Definitely a highlight so far in the Marvel anthology, Thor: Ragnarok is one of the best, delivering everything you want and expect with a little bit more, brimming with fun, personality and action.

Anyone who's seen director Taika Waititi's vampire-comedy mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows will likely expect his inimitable and delightful brand of humour to extend to his Marvel entry (perhaps they've learned since getting rid of Edgar Wright from Ant-Man). It's fortunate that he kept his comedy as it really delivers and fits in well with the comedic personality that Marvel has crafted itself; some of their best films are also, by no coincidence, also the funniest (something DC fails with) and Waititi has continued this trend, while keeping the laughs fresh and genuinely funny. Not that this is a out-and-out comedy - not all the jokes are intended to make you laugh out loud; but they never feel forced and all lend themselves to the personality of the film (and the franchise) and really maximise the fun we have watching the movie. After all, this is a film about a traditional Norse God as a superhero fighting alongside a big, angry, green rage monster - it's important to have fun with it!

'Fun' is certainly one of the best words to describe Thor: Ragnarok and it doesn't extend to just the laughs. Other enjoyable elements include references to the wider MCU to excite geeks and non-geeks alike. They all fit in well and seamlessly, not a shoehorned, forced reference or cameo; they all seem organic and make sense to the plot. It's delightful to see Dr Strange, even just for one scene, and to be able to spy glimpses of the Tesseract and a fake Infinity Gauntlet. These add to the rewatch value in a few years time.

The crazy, kinetic action really does extend to the whole of the film, from beginning to end, each sequence excellently choreographed. It doesn't shy away from its roots from comics as some of the fights are just as delightfully eccentric and over-the- top. Still they never cease to entertain and, more than that, some are just stunning to behold; the flashback to Valkyrie battling Hela the first time, her army atop a hoard of winged horses soaring through an orange sky only to be cut down by swords and spikes flying towards them in slow- motion. These are gorgeous scenes and Waititi and cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe should be proud; the beauty of some of Zack Snyder's superhero moments, but in a good film with much more personality.

Most of this movie's joy lies in its characters though; at the end of the day, it might be funny and the action might look cool, but if we don't love the characters, we won't love the film. Back again we get the usual ensemble of returning characters - Thor, Loki, Odin and Heimdall. All are as regal, fun and charismatic as ever, Hemsworth and Hiddleston in particular; it's wonderful to see these actors develop their characters over the last few films into lovable parts in a franchise full of heroes we already love. I feel Hopkins deserved a little more screen time and a chance to get more emotional, but, ever the professional, he makes the most with what he has (and is exceptionally good as Loki pretending to be Odin). Returning characters from elsewhere in the MCU Dr Strange and Hulk also add to the delightful ensemble; it's nice to see Strange solidifying his presence in the franchise after just one film (particularly when comparing to Tony Stark having been in six so far, not including post-credit cameos). It's a relief too to finally give Hulk a decent amount of screen time and for us to get to know him as opposed to just Banner; they're two distinct characters within each other and it's about time we get to see more of everyone's favourite rage monster.

The new characters introduced in this film are all excellent worthy additions to the Marvel roster and bring a refreshing touch with them. Tessa Thompson is excellent and charismatic as kick-ass female hero Valkyrie, able to confidently stand among Thor, Hulk and Loki. Korg may not be quite the same character he is in the comics, but Waititi takes this part (who wouldn't give themselves a minor role in the MCU if they can?!) and really makes it his own, saving lots of the quirky laughs for himself. Cate Blanchett too is a particularly fantastic villain, sure to stand amongst the best Marvel villains so far, heads and shoulders above the likes of Malekith and Ronan. She's less generic, less monologue-y and never boring; able to kick ass and be just as evilly sexy as Helena Bonham-Carter was as Bellatrix (or is that just me...?). And of course there's Jeff Goldblum who's as Jeff Goldblum as he's ever been - who doesn't love that?!

Thor proves himself to be the God of Thunder and Thor: Ragnarok proves itself to be one of the Gods of Marvel, standing proud amongst the best so far. The whole movie's an absolute blast, packed with references, gorgeous action and more genuine laughs than most comedies. An excellent film to round off Marvel in 2017 - let's hope Black Panther keeps up this level of excellence.

Greetings again from the darkness. The ultimate cinematic dilemma … how to make the next comic book movie stand out from the (many, many) others? The brilliant answer comes from director Taika Waititi and co-writers Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost – a screwball superhero action film that delivers not only the required alien war scenes, but also a campy villain for the ages in a movie that may be the funniest of the year.

For those who prefer their superheroes dark and brooding, this one will be a shock. Prepare for Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster – the most polite villain we've seen in awhile, and one who looks to be straight out of the 1960's "Batman" series. Chris Hemsworth as Thor is one of many returning actors/characters, only this time he really gets to flash his comic timing on top of his Thunder God biceps. His love- hate, trust-no trust, see-saw relationship with brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is in full force, as is the Bruce Banner banter with The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). It's certainly more in line with GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY than the previous movies for Avengers.

As much fun as Goldblum brings to the party, this is really Cate Blanchett's show. She is the frightening (with a dash of camp) Goddess of Death, and long-lost sister of Thor and Loki, and daughter of Odin (Anthony Hopkins). With a headdress that puts everyone at the Kentucky Derby to shame, Hela's enormous powers are such that she crumbles Thor's mighty hammer with little effort – just to remind everyone that big sisters are renowned for messing up younger brother's toys.

Of course, with that title, we know that the story revolves around what could be the end of Asgard. Joining in the fun are: Idris Elba who is back as Heimdall, Tessa Thompson as a master of one-liners Valkyrie, Karl Urban as Skurge - rewarded with a wonderful exit scene, Ray Stevenson returns as Volstagg, and rocky alien Korg who is voiced by director Waititi. Fans of the series will be happy to know other familiar faces pop up periodically – one especially magical sequence teaches Loki a quick lesson.

In addition to the main rescue story line, the powerful villains, and crazy aliens, there are numerous nods and tributes to previous versions (notably Planet Hulk, and Fantastic Four), and a hilarious early stage play with three cameos that make it clear, big time laughter is here to stay. It's fun to catch the reunions from such previous projects as Star Trek, JURASSIC Park and Westworld.

Special acknowledgment goes to director Taika Waititi for hilariously taking the comic book film world down a different path. He's known for his comedic projects like HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (one of my favs from 2016), WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, and his work on the brilliant but short-lived "Flight of the Conchords". It's still very much a Marvel movie, with visible fingerprints of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby. It's also a fantastic adventure film that sets the stage for next year's AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, while also featuring the best use ever of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song". So get ready to rock, roll and rollick in a film that is just about as much fun as you can have in a theatre.

The cast for Thor Ragnarok are all matched well, and the sibling chemistry between Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth is as natural as can be. Cate Blanchett as Hela, the goddess of death is frightening in her cruelty as well as physical perfection. But, the reason this movie stands alone is the multi talented Taika Waititi, the director of the film. His offbeat New Zealand style shows in every scene, humor throughout and a rocking 80s electronica soundtrack, the film will transport you as fast as Heimdall and the Bitfrost!

Thor Ragnarok leaves the bland formula from it's first two films for an exciting and self-aware redemption story, traversing through the trash heap planet Sakaar and an Asgard under siege. Sakaar was my favorite setting out of any recent Marvel films, with Jeff Goldblum giving a hilarious performance as a playful dictator and the arena-centric atmosphere providing an intriguing set piece. Blanchett plays the best villain of the Thor trilogy, Elba's character is essentially Aragon from LOTR, and Tessa Thompson and Marc Ruffalo/Hulk are respectively well- motiaved and solid comic relief.