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hafitalThat was a fun ride!
I have been looking forward to this movie for ages now, ever since I learned they brought in Taika Waititi to direct it. Firstly, because his career until now has existed outside of the hollywood machinery. Secondly, because of his wacky sense of humor from What We Do In The Shadows and he hails from that whole Flight of the Conchords school of funny (i'm still laughing at "I go for a look which says 'dead but delicious', I'm sure it's a Jemaine Clement ad-lib but still). Thirdly, because Hunt for the Wilderpeople, his other feature, is a beautiful, heartwarming and inspiring film that everyone should watch. Fourthly, Hunt for the Wilderpeople proves he's a director that understands character development in film, and for that alone, I could cry with relief.
I wish we could retroactively have Taika Waititi for the other Thor films, like a Waititi retcon or something haha.
So, needless to say, I was EXCITED.
Thor: Ragnarok
Aside from the Cap 2 and Cap 3, this is the first MCU movie that I immediately wanted to watch again.
Things I loved:
~ VALKYRIE. Holy what. She was awesome. End of story. SHE RODE A WINGED HORSE. I mean. There is no way I cannot love her unconditionally from now till eternity. From the moment we see her catching Thor till the very end when she faces off with Hela, I was captivated. She has now joined Peggy and Natasha in my growing collection of MCU girlfriends. (I love Wanda, too)
~ Hela. Okay, the women in the film were all frighteningly amazing. But the way Hela moved. Like that one bit where she's walking toward I think it's Thor and her hips snaked toward him????? What the hell. I was mesmerized, which I am sure was the point. Full points to Cate, because she owned that role, and it could have soooo easily gone sideways. It's the definition of OTT (the whole film is really) and in a lesser actor's hands, it would have been painful. But it was masterful! She might not get the award recognition for something like this, which is fine because there's no academy award category for 'best acting in a ridiculous ott film and coming out of it without egg on your face'. But there should be! It's a true talent.
~(only because Cate is such a superb actress do I not wish that Hela had a bit more depth to her, but this is always my thought with 100% unredeemable characters. Unless they're hitler, I don't see the point. Give me someone less 2 dimensional please)
~ my asgardian boyfriend Thor! My heart burst with love for him. Quick comment on the writing, which was at times a bit too broad probably (maybe, second viewing needed), but I want to kiss the writers and whomever else is responsible for FINALLY FINALLY allowing Thor to talk like a normal person but still Thor-like enough. THANK YOU. Like, seriously. In universe, I take it that his time onEarth Midgard and traveling around the universe and whatnot broke him of that longwinded formal way of talking. Hope we see this in Thor dialogue in fic too.
~ The Thor & Bruce/Hulk friendship, which I am a-okay slashing. Frankly, I am of the opinion that Thor should be slashed or paired with everyone on the Avengers team. But, in this film specifically, how much did I love that they got so much time together?! That's one of the things I miss from the big team films -- not enough time with each other, platonically or otherwise, so I can see the individual relationships for more than a 30 second (badly written, i'm looking at you JW specifically) spot squeezed in between plot. This speaks to character development, which for the most part the MCU actually does better than other big actiony films, so I'm not complaining about the franchise so much as just loving that we got so much of it in this film. Because with good filmmaking you get action AND character development done at the same time! Who knew.
~(as an aside to the above, it was nice that we actually got to know the Hulk more. He's always been just around for the smashy smashy parts, and everything else is mainly Bruce, which no complaints I love Bruce. But the Hulk is so much more than just Hulk Smash. So yay Hulk character development!)
~ Leave it to Taika Waititi to include a naked Hulk scene haha. I'm gonna assume that was his idea.
~ Don't know what to feel about the Hulk possibly sticking around permanently. I mean, if so, that's like a character death for Bruce. :( I'm going to assume that's not actually going to happen, but still. I did love that Bruce didn't hesitate to hulk out to help save the day. He is an avenger after all. And as i've written it in my stories -- he is by far the bravest of them, imo. I love him. He better not be permanently gone! *wibble*
~ Everything I've ever known and heard about Jeff Goldblum is that he's basically just like the Grandmaster. So I guess A+ casting right there. He definitely looked like he was having the time of his life. He's a pretty odd character. eta: oh hey I just read that The Grandmaster is The Collector's brother and wow does that make so much sense lol.
~ It's not a Thor movie unless Heimdall is in it and proving he's the real hero. When we saw him crawl up to the bifrost chamber, I let out a relieved sigh.
~ I loved the actual plot/story and the world building and all that, and the Asgardian stuff, and the parallels with real world. I point to other peoples posts, mainlydestina, who said more and whom I totally agree with. I confess a lot of the big meta stuff goes over my head. I'm looking mostly at character when I watch these films.
~ Not sure how I feel about Asgard going bye-bye. Mostly I was like, AGAIN? I mean, the world-exploding thing seems to be a repeated theme in a lot of films these days. But I kind of love the whole 'on a boat, heading forearth midgard' ending. *points to Immigrant Song*
Things I didn't like, a short list:
1. I wish we got to learn what Valkyrie's name was. I assume it's not actually Valkyrie.
2. While not sad that there was no Jane in this, I cringe when they exit a rather pivotal character, especially when they were a love interest, with a throwaway line. Even when that scene was pretty funny.
3. Same on the Warriors 3, not so much for their deaths which didn't bother me as much as it seems to have bothered a lot of other people, but if you're going to go through the trouble of establishing their importance, then there should be at least a scene with Thor hearing of their passing, and having a moment to mourn. Doesn't have to be a big moment, but something at least. Honestly, having Lady Sif just be absent without a mention at all is kind preferable, imo.
4. My above mention of Hela and her unredeemable evilness. I don't need her to be redeemable so much as it would have been nice for more of a reason of why she's so evil. That fits the films.
5. eta: forgot to mention Thor's eye. Which I don't so much not like as am kind of ignoring lol.
Things that made me like that I previously didn't like:
a. Not sure I can forgive for making me like Loki.
b. Not sure I can forgive for making me like Dr. Strange. Actually, I had no problem with Dr. Strange, the character or his movie, but Thor Ragnarok did more in one scene making Strange a real believable sorcerer than all 2 plus hours of the Dr. Strange movie.
c. Karl Urban. okay, this is unfair of me, but honestly, I want to like KU. I really really do, and I go into one of his films expecting that I will, and then I don't. I don't know. *shrug* But, I actually had no idea he was in this film at all until he appeared, and then i was like, oh great him again why is he everywhere, but then I believed Skurge's change of heart. So, there ya go. Maybe it's because he actually got some character development this time.
Things that made me tilt my head:
i. How long was Heimdall in exile that his hair grew that much??
ii. So, like, if you're raised on Asgard, and you wear green and black (not just any green, but that particularly hard acid green), and you like horns, we should all be worried, I guess. I'm just saying. On a costume level, I laughed almost every time Hela's headdress appeared because it was so ott but like in a way that made me think there's a horn to evilness ratio. Loki only has 2 horns, so he's just mostly evil but not all the way evil, but Hela has like I don't know 10? 13? horns. She's really truly extra especially evil.
edit iii. I still have no idea what relation Asgard has to the rest of the universe, in time and space. if it's another dimension, then how can they get on a boat and fly to earth?
I have been looking forward to this movie for ages now, ever since I learned they brought in Taika Waititi to direct it. Firstly, because his career until now has existed outside of the hollywood machinery. Secondly, because of his wacky sense of humor from What We Do In The Shadows and he hails from that whole Flight of the Conchords school of funny (i'm still laughing at "I go for a look which says 'dead but delicious', I'm sure it's a Jemaine Clement ad-lib but still). Thirdly, because Hunt for the Wilderpeople, his other feature, is a beautiful, heartwarming and inspiring film that everyone should watch. Fourthly, Hunt for the Wilderpeople proves he's a director that understands character development in film, and for that alone, I could cry with relief.
I wish we could retroactively have Taika Waititi for the other Thor films, like a Waititi retcon or something haha.
So, needless to say, I was EXCITED.
Thor: Ragnarok
Aside from the Cap 2 and Cap 3, this is the first MCU movie that I immediately wanted to watch again.
Things I loved:
~ VALKYRIE. Holy what. She was awesome. End of story. SHE RODE A WINGED HORSE. I mean. There is no way I cannot love her unconditionally from now till eternity. From the moment we see her catching Thor till the very end when she faces off with Hela, I was captivated. She has now joined Peggy and Natasha in my growing collection of MCU girlfriends. (I love Wanda, too)
~ Hela. Okay, the women in the film were all frighteningly amazing. But the way Hela moved. Like that one bit where she's walking toward I think it's Thor and her hips snaked toward him????? What the hell. I was mesmerized, which I am sure was the point. Full points to Cate, because she owned that role, and it could have soooo easily gone sideways. It's the definition of OTT (the whole film is really) and in a lesser actor's hands, it would have been painful. But it was masterful! She might not get the award recognition for something like this, which is fine because there's no academy award category for 'best acting in a ridiculous ott film and coming out of it without egg on your face'. But there should be! It's a true talent.
~(only because Cate is such a superb actress do I not wish that Hela had a bit more depth to her, but this is always my thought with 100% unredeemable characters. Unless they're hitler, I don't see the point. Give me someone less 2 dimensional please)
~ my asgardian boyfriend Thor! My heart burst with love for him. Quick comment on the writing, which was at times a bit too broad probably (maybe, second viewing needed), but I want to kiss the writers and whomever else is responsible for FINALLY FINALLY allowing Thor to talk like a normal person but still Thor-like enough. THANK YOU. Like, seriously. In universe, I take it that his time on
~ The Thor & Bruce/Hulk friendship, which I am a-okay slashing. Frankly, I am of the opinion that Thor should be slashed or paired with everyone on the Avengers team. But, in this film specifically, how much did I love that they got so much time together?! That's one of the things I miss from the big team films -- not enough time with each other, platonically or otherwise, so I can see the individual relationships for more than a 30 second (badly written, i'm looking at you JW specifically) spot squeezed in between plot. This speaks to character development, which for the most part the MCU actually does better than other big actiony films, so I'm not complaining about the franchise so much as just loving that we got so much of it in this film. Because with good filmmaking you get action AND character development done at the same time! Who knew.
~(as an aside to the above, it was nice that we actually got to know the Hulk more. He's always been just around for the smashy smashy parts, and everything else is mainly Bruce, which no complaints I love Bruce. But the Hulk is so much more than just Hulk Smash. So yay Hulk character development!)
~ Leave it to Taika Waititi to include a naked Hulk scene haha. I'm gonna assume that was his idea.
~ Don't know what to feel about the Hulk possibly sticking around permanently. I mean, if so, that's like a character death for Bruce. :( I'm going to assume that's not actually going to happen, but still. I did love that Bruce didn't hesitate to hulk out to help save the day. He is an avenger after all. And as i've written it in my stories -- he is by far the bravest of them, imo. I love him. He better not be permanently gone! *wibble*
~ Everything I've ever known and heard about Jeff Goldblum is that he's basically just like the Grandmaster. So I guess A+ casting right there. He definitely looked like he was having the time of his life. He's a pretty odd character. eta: oh hey I just read that The Grandmaster is The Collector's brother and wow does that make so much sense lol.
~ It's not a Thor movie unless Heimdall is in it and proving he's the real hero. When we saw him crawl up to the bifrost chamber, I let out a relieved sigh.
~ I loved the actual plot/story and the world building and all that, and the Asgardian stuff, and the parallels with real world. I point to other peoples posts, mainly
destina, who said more and whom I totally agree with. I confess a lot of the big meta stuff goes over my head. I'm looking mostly at character when I watch these films. ~ Not sure how I feel about Asgard going bye-bye. Mostly I was like, AGAIN? I mean, the world-exploding thing seems to be a repeated theme in a lot of films these days. But I kind of love the whole 'on a boat, heading for
Things I didn't like, a short list:
1. I wish we got to learn what Valkyrie's name was. I assume it's not actually Valkyrie.
2. While not sad that there was no Jane in this, I cringe when they exit a rather pivotal character, especially when they were a love interest, with a throwaway line. Even when that scene was pretty funny.
3. Same on the Warriors 3, not so much for their deaths which didn't bother me as much as it seems to have bothered a lot of other people, but if you're going to go through the trouble of establishing their importance, then there should be at least a scene with Thor hearing of their passing, and having a moment to mourn. Doesn't have to be a big moment, but something at least. Honestly, having Lady Sif just be absent without a mention at all is kind preferable, imo.
4. My above mention of Hela and her unredeemable evilness. I don't need her to be redeemable so much as it would have been nice for more of a reason of why she's so evil. That fits the films.
5. eta: forgot to mention Thor's eye. Which I don't so much not like as am kind of ignoring lol.
Things that made me like that I previously didn't like:
a. Not sure I can forgive for making me like Loki.
b. Not sure I can forgive for making me like Dr. Strange. Actually, I had no problem with Dr. Strange, the character or his movie, but Thor Ragnarok did more in one scene making Strange a real believable sorcerer than all 2 plus hours of the Dr. Strange movie.
c. Karl Urban. okay, this is unfair of me, but honestly, I want to like KU. I really really do, and I go into one of his films expecting that I will, and then I don't. I don't know. *shrug* But, I actually had no idea he was in this film at all until he appeared, and then i was like, oh great him again why is he everywhere, but then I believed Skurge's change of heart. So, there ya go. Maybe it's because he actually got some character development this time.
Things that made me tilt my head:
i. How long was Heimdall in exile that his hair grew that much??
ii. So, like, if you're raised on Asgard, and you wear green and black (not just any green, but that particularly hard acid green), and you like horns, we should all be worried, I guess. I'm just saying. On a costume level, I laughed almost every time Hela's headdress appeared because it was so ott but like in a way that made me think there's a horn to evilness ratio. Loki only has 2 horns, so he's just mostly evil but not all the way evil, but Hela has like I don't know 10? 13? horns. She's really truly extra especially evil.
edit iii. I still have no idea what relation Asgard has to the rest of the universe, in time and space. if it's another dimension, then how can they get on a boat and fly to earth?
