I’ve got a massive backlog of movies/shows that I’ve been wanting to review. Let’s see how much I remember of some of these.
Agatha All Along
I think this is the first MCU show that I haven’t watched as it came out on a week-to-week basis. I had little interest in Agatha as a character, even with the wonderful Kathryn Hahn in the lead role. (“Poncho!”)
I binged this with my wife while on vacation over three nights. Thoughts:
What I liked:
Patti LuPone. I know her as Broadway royalty, though I haven’t seen her in anything. She’s wonderful here, and her spotlight episode is the best part of the show. Her character arc is the most compelling, and it ends with a satisfying poignancy.
The Salem Seven. At least with how creepily they were portrayed. Horror-lite, which is the best way I like my horror. (I’m a wimp.) They were handled way too easily. Negative satisfaction on that front.
I’m looking at the cast pics for the Salem Seven, and they’re all gorgeous model-types. Why??? They were cloaked and masked in black the whole time.
The first performance of The Witches’ Road. Haunting with lovely harmonies.
Agatha’s relationship w/ her son. Because I’m a parent and a sucker for these kinds of things now.
Sasheer Zamata. “Isn’t that the person from SNL??” Did not expect to see her in a dramatic role, but she acquitted herself nicely.
Aubrey Plaza. She always plays Aubrey Plaza. But in the right roles, that’s all that’s needed.
Between Billy, Agatha, and Rio, this is the most LGBTQ representation I’ve ever seen in the MCU. I hope they keep going in this direction.
What I didn’t like
Not a fan of Joe Locke’s performance as Teen. He annoyed me for most of the show, until his origin story in the penultimate episode. He got a lot better after I understood his motivation. Though I wish they spent more time w/ how traumatic it is to be a 13-year old trapped in the body of a 16-year old. (And he started out as a 10-year old! How is he making it through school? He’s making out w/ a 16-year kid! It’s Big all over again!)
The Wiccan costume did not translate well to the screen. Looked like bad cosplay.
Hahn is generally wonderful, and the campiness is intentional. But sometimes it was too much for me.
Debra Jo Rupp. Will always love her for Friends, but she annoyed the crap out of me here.
I don’t buy the team up at the end. It wrapped things up too easily.
I was never entertained, but I will never want to watch this again. (Maybe the Lilia episode.) I don’t need a second season, but I’d be happy enough to see Wiccan and his found-brother in a Young Avengers movie/show.
Worth watching: Yes
Would watch again: No
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Fine
Updated MCU TV rankings
Hawkeye
She-Hulk
Wandavision
Ms Marvel
Falcon/Winter Soldier
Loki
Agatha All Along
Echo
Moon Knight
Secret Invasion
Acolyte
Things I liked:
Manny Jacinto. By far the best part of the show. I want a show with him as the main character, going around the universe corrupting the good and kicking ass.
The lightsaber battles were super tight.
Wookie jedi!
Carrie-Anne Moss as a Jedi. She’s so badass, I wanted more of her in action.
Ahmed Best. So good to see him back in the Star Wars universe. Hopefully it was a better experience this time around. I don’t blame him at all for Jar-Jar.
Things I didn’t like:
Lee Jung-jae. I haven’t seen Squid Game, so this is my first exposure to him. I found him to be wooden and didn’t sympathize with him at all. Didn’t buy him as a Jedi master.
The twin protagonists. Didn’t care about either of them at all.
The story wasn’t interesting enough to warrant the Rashomon format. This wasn’t worth watching once, let along multiple times.
So much of this series was filler. It could have been cut down to half its length and still served its purpose.
I’m not sorry this was cancelled, but I am sad we may never see Jacinto wield a lightsaber again.
Worth watching: Yes (barely)
Would watch again: No (except for the fight scene on Youtube)
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Didn’t suck
Deadpool & Wolverine
Things I liked (this is off the top of my head 6 months after seeing it)
Hugh Jackman. He will always be great in this role, selling the humor, the action, and the pathos. The guy can do it all.
All of the Wolverine variants. Loved.
Ryan Reynolds. As perfect for Deadpool as Jackman is for Wolverine. Period.
All the cameos. X-23, Blade, Gambit, Elektra, Torch, Yukio! - every single one of them elicited a joyful clap of the hands.
Emma Corrin. One of the best MCU villains I’ve seen, she was genuinely scary. (Those fingers in the brain!) Corrin oozed charisma, and I would love for her to be the overarching big bad in the upcoming X-Men movies. (Would never happen, though)
The humor was what I expected, and I laughed through most of this.
Perfect post-credits tag.
Things I didn’t like
This movie ruined “Like a Prayer” for me. I love that song, and I can’t hear it w/out thinking of this film anymore.
The movie runs out of steam. I was ready to tap out by the time the Deadpool army showed up.
This needs a rewatch, but I still have pleasant memories of this film.
Worth watching: Yes
Would watch again: Yes
Would buy on DVD: No
Rating: Pretty good
Updated MCU rankings
Avengers: Endgame
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Winter Soldier
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Avengers: Infinity War
Shang-Chi
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Ant-Man/Wasp
Avengers
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Captain America
Dr Strange 2
Thor: Love and Thunder
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Iron Man 2
Black Widow
Black Panther
Iron Man
Ant-Man
Dr Strange
Deadpool & Wolverine
Iron Man 3
Thor 3
Captain Marvel
Thor
Thor 2
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Hulk
Eternals
Ant-Man/Wasp: Quantumania
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