Avengers Infinity War

Forgot to make a post about seeing this film, so here goes.

WARNING! - I may write something spoiler-y. I'll try not to go into details or specifics, but just in case you don't want to hear anything related to the film, just in case, turn away now.



When Infinity War came out, I put myself on a social media hiatus to avoid any sort of spoilers that may be posted. But the hype was fierce. I was panicking, reading stories of sold out cinema tickets, and was worried that going to see it on the Saturday morning would be impossible. That we would be queuing out the cinema in a line that went on for miles, only to be told that there wasn't any seats available until the afternoon. Wednesday afternoon...

But all that worry was for nothing, as there were ample seats in our local cinema. I guess it's not as crazy as American cinemas, or maybe everyone were just not early risers.

And so, on to the movie...

It was EPIC!

That word gets thrown around a lot, but this film really does justify that moniker. It was great seeing all these characters coming together and interacting. Thanos was well developed, and looked great! The performance capture was really good, and you forgot he is this mammoth purple CG Titan, and just believe he is another actor in this film.

With a film as big as this, there was a worry it would feel rushed, or too much crammed in. True, the time flew by, but just because of how good it was! All the characters 'felt' like the characters from their respective films. There were good action scenes, although, the fight scenes weren't as good as Civil War, or as spectacular as Guardians of the Galaxy 2.

It was however, nice to be very surprised by this movie. With how often things are spoilt with set photos leaking, or critics posting anything spoilerific, I was amazed at how much I didn't really expect from the story. The way the film ends, wow!

And the after credits scene, actually feeling significant rather than just a throwaway...goosebumps.

via GIPHY

Right now, I can't imagine where this story will go. I can throw up theories, but how do they top this? How do they make another two and a half hour epic like this to conclude this story? I haven't read any of the comics that inspired the movie, which, judging by some comments is a good thing as they do give away a lot of the shocking elements in this film, but the 2019 release is looking so so far away.

5/5

Cute Avengers Framed

Signed and framed for sale especially for the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Show tomorrow.

Avengers Assemble

Some cute Avengers fan-art.

Started as a sketch of Captain America while at a crafts fair while I was bored. Went to another crafts fair, and drew Iron Man and Thor. Then Hulk and Black Widow the next day. And so it ended up with this.

All traditional pencils. Didn't use any reference as I wasn't too picky about it.

Hope y'all like anyway.

Games: Rhino Reveal Trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man

Games: Rhino Reveal Trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man

Spider-Man costume looks rather odd doesnt it? Its like the movie version, but also looks more like the traditional costume, which is weird for a game based on a film license. Could it be hinting at a costume change for spidey? Why does he have a physical belt? Hmmmmmm....

More The Amazing Spider%2DMan Videos

The Tourist Review - Plot Twist

Firstly, can I say this 'review' will contain spoilers, only to highlight my disappointment in the film and the absurd nature of the storyline. Yes, I did indeed watch 'The Tourist', and I expected a bad, horrible movie, but what I got was something I did no quite expect...

Ok, surprise number 1 while watching the movie, was that sure, its abit silly, but I didnt think it was truly awful. It just had silly moments in, wasnt a great story, but it was fun. The the climatic end of the movie came...and it destroyed the whole film. The walls of the story began collapsing down on itself, sucking any logic from the narrative like a super massive plot hole.

I couldn't believe it. I was confused. Angry. I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about this ending, and then going through the film and how none of it made any sense. In essence, this horrible ending made me watch the film again in my head, where on second viewing the film is just stupid beyond belief. It's like it came to the end of the film and they just snorted some drugs and filmed whatever incomprehensible drivel that poured out of their high induced, empty minds.


***********

So here is the low down.
Angelina Jolie is the wife of this wanted man. Since Paul Bettany and his police don't know his whereabouts yet have extensive detail on him, they monitor her in hope they make contact. Jolie gets a note from her man and the adventure starts. As Jolie walks off, a man watching her and the police following her smiles as he walks away. Hmmm....her lover perhaps?

Anyway, Jolie boards a train. The note told her to mislead the police by finding a random guy around his height and build into thinking she is with her lover. Insert Johnny Depp, sitting in 2nd class all alone. He is flabbergasted that Jolie sits with him and he seems a nervous wreck. The converse, we find out Depp is a math teacher who's wife left him. Paul Bettany's spies are on the train and get a picture of Depp. They think he is their man! We fear for Depp!

Wait, false alarm. Police records show Depp is just a maths teacher whose wife died in a car accident. Kinda sad. He probably didnt tell Jolie because its sort of awkward.

Fastforward to Venice. Depp is just a tourist out of his depths, looking at his map confused. Jolie pulls up with a boat and offers him a ride, taking him to her hotel. Seems like theres a connection there from their train talk. His vulnerability has softened her heart and seems like she is fallen for him despite her love for her other man. However, when they check into the hotel, we see that mysterious man, watching her again, smiling as the two walk past him. Has her lover really set all this up?

Insert gangsters. Seems like this man stole alot of money from his boss who wants it back. The boss was like a father to him, so feels even more betrayed. They see Depp in Jolies hotel room and have their target.

Meanwhile Depp and Jolie and flirting. Jolie is stripping in the bedroom while Depp is on the other side of the door, longing to enter. The room I mean, but I guess metaphorically. Anyway, after Jolie telling him he should be more forceful in trying to get what he wants, he gives in and sleeps on the couch. She seems disappointed. Then suddenly he bursts in the room and kisses her passionately. But its a dream this time. Nuts. And that mysterious man left flowers for Jolie too, constantly reminded us and Depp she has another man. Poor Johnny.

Anyway, Jolie has left and gangsters are after him in the hotel room. A chase ensues only for Depp to get arrested, but at least he is safe from gangsters. As he explains the crazy story to the police, they lock him up, but at night, the police realize he isnt safe and tries to get him out. but poor Johnny, its a trap as he has a reward on his head. Luckily Jolie saves him, and boat chase later, everything is fine.

Jolie gives him money to get out of venice and leaves him. She then goes to Paul Bettany's police HQ revealing she is an undercover cop who has been caught up in this affair because she fell in love with that mysterious man who stole money from the gangsters and owes loads of tax. She says she will finally give Bettany her man because she is afraid Johnny Depp is in danger caught in the middle of all this.

So cut to a Ball where Jolie is to meet her fella and Bettany is waiting to swoop. The man gives Jolie a note where to meet him then wriggles away through the crowd. As Jolie pursuits, she is stopped by Depp. He didnt leave her and wants to dance with her, proving he can be the man she wants him to be. Eventually Jolie goes after her man saying she still loves him, and Paul Bettany apprehends Depp.

Jolie goes to meet her man at the safe, but he isnt there. However, the gangsters are! They figure if they threaten her, then they will get their man eventually. Meanwhile Bettany and Depp are forced to watch, waiting for this man to arrive. But he aint coming, and things are getting nasty, looks like the gangsters are going to kill Jolie. But Bettany is obsessed about getting his man. However, Depp cannot wait no longer for the Police to intervene and does so himself.

The gangster boss, who was like a father to him, obviously doesnt recognize him. Depp says he had surgery, but the boss still isnt convinced, everything is wrong. Jolie is adamant Depp is crazy and should leave not to get involved. Depp offers to open the safe if the boss lets Jolie go. Suicide! He doesnt know the code! And everyone knows it, as he calls his bluff and says open the safe or you both die.

Cue an agonizing long and slow walk towards the safe. Cue looks of worry from Jolie. Cue Bettany still waiting for his man to eventually walk through that door.

...

Then his supervisor enters, tells the snipers to fire, and kills the baddies!

HURRAY!

Phew, close call!

Paul Bettany is gutted the guy never came. Jolie and Depp embrace and are left alone. Johnny Depp then opens the safe.

WTF?!

Cut to outside, and Paul Bettany has caught his man! The mysterious guy giving messages to Jolie has finally been caught. But he says he was paid to fly around the world following Jolie to give her messages.

WTF!?

The police return to the safe to find a cheque for all the tax they are owned. Supervisor is pleased, case closed. Paul Bettany is stumped as he tries putting the pieces of the puzzle together. His expression reads...


WTF!?

Final scene Depp and Jolie riding off in a boat. Jolie mocking Depp's surgery.

WTF!?

The End.

WTF?!

Seriously.

Now none of that made sense. Reread that whole entire movie knowing what you know now. It makes no sense. Unless these people are incredible actors that act when no one is watching them, then seriously...WTF?!

Lets go back.

Why did Depp make up a story about his wife, and why do the police have a record of him with information about his wife dying? Why do we see him lost and confused in Venice? Why didnt he burst through the door and embrace Jolie at the hotel? Why did he have a dream about her wishing he wasnt so pathetic? Why is he just a bumbling nervous wreck throughout the film?

Now you could say maybe its all an act, afterall, she is an undercover cop, and they would be worried of constant surveillance. But then Jolie telling Depp to leave and giving up the man to Bettany made no sense. Especially for Depp just to surprise her at the Ball.

Alternatively, Jolie didnt know any of this, and Depp was testing her love for him (her mysterious lover the police wanted). So Depp is just a liar and manipulative, which Jolie admitting thats what she hated about lover. Still, it doesnt explain the odd couple of scenes from franks point of view by himself out of his depth, uneasy, unprepared, daunted etc.

Another idea is that Johnny Depp lied. He is still the tourist, and the mysterious man gave him the safe code. He tested Jolie's love and let her go off with Depp, rewarding her for sticking by him...seemingly, even though they didnt see each other for ages and she ran off with all his money.

See? You try finding solutions to the twist and you cant get an answer that makes sense.

WTF?!

Anyone who has any opinions and solutions, enlighten me.

Thor Movie Review

Finally got around to seeing Thor on the bank holiday in glorious, revolutionary 2D! Well, with it being made 3D in post-production, I thought it would be a waste of money, and usually dulls the colour and detail making it a bit blurry anyway.

So Thor may not be the most well known superhero to Joe Public. Thor isn't really a comic favourite of mine and I personally enjoy seeing him as part of a team, and with the Avengers movie lined up in 2012, you would be mistaken in thinking this is a cheap rushed movie to get audiences aware of the character before the huge marvel movie event next year.

Thor deserves to stand alone in it's own right as a good marvel film. It sets up it's own unique universe and feels like it's own movie. There are nods to the marvel universe, but it doesn't feel as heavily drilled down the throats of an Avengers prequel as Iron Man 2 was.

Asgard looks great and so are the effects. Well I wasn't first convinced with Thor's costume in the promo pictures, it works in the film. Chris Hemsworth makes a good Thor, and Tom Hiddleston is a good Loki. It does seem odd why he auditioned for the part of Thor though, but in general the cast are good. I thought Natalie Portman would be distracting and out of place in a movie like this, but she had a character with substance and fitted in well.

Thor has everything to make it a blockbuster success. A good looking cast, big hollywood names, big special effects, action galore, very funny moments, and finally a heart. It feels like a Marvel movie, and while I am unsure whether Thor will personally get a sequel, I can't wait to see him in the Avengers.

Rating 4 / 5

Avengers Movie Concept Art

So Marvel have released images of concept art for Captain America and Thor revealing what will more than likely be their movie costumes, so I thought I put put all the Avengers movie characters (sort of) together to get a feel of the big screen super team.

When I first saw the Cap design, I wasn't feeling it. I mean, it looks cool and has an Ultimates sort of feel to it, but look at the design of the armour, the feel of the costume. It doesnt seem like something made in World War 2, it looks like an armour for modern times, more akin to the Avengers than the actual Captain America movie. Why go through the hassle of this design when the comics nailed a real life WW2 Cap right here.

As for Thor, I was never happy when they released the promo photos, and seeing this full design looks even worse. I understand ancient Asgardian Thor may not work on screen, and they dont want to go down the Ultimates route to avoid annoying the hardcore Marvel fans. So instead it looked like the costume was inspired by this. What is awful however is everything. The rubber armour arms to hide the fact that the actor is not very muscular. The rubber chestplate. Its all very reminiscent of Power Rangers and Batman Forever. While I can understand that the same chainmail type armour effect may look really camp on the legs, its stupid to mix and match costumes and just give him leather trousers and weird alien looking boots. Seriously, who designs all these costumes in the world they live in as they are all ultra modern, sleek designs that only a art design graduate could produce.

The team do work well together, but is that the downfall? I am really looking forward to every film, but are they trying to make these characters live in Iron Man's universe instead of standing alone in their own right, in their own designs. Thats the beauty of crossovers, the mix of visuals, but when you start making everything look the same, it loses abit of what makes them special.

Anyway, I am excited for these films and I hope they look better on the screen than what they do as these concept designs. Marvel are hitting home runs with their films and having a huge say in what goes on, so I have faith in them and that if they are going to approve it, then it must be pretty decent. Only time will tell.

Until then, Make Mine Marvel!

Leigh

Celebrity Caricatures

Been a while since I updated the ol' blog. I really do prefer posting on deviantArt since its a community and you get feedback,

Anyway, started my Masters Degree in Animation, and the project was to draw a caricature of myself, but my tutor also suggested having a go drawing celebrities.

So here is my first attempt at drawing some celebs. Faces are my weakness, so I wasn't looking forward to this project, but it was quite fun actually.

'Real' Frieza

I saw some cool videos on youtube of people making 'realistic' versions of cartoon characters, so I wanted to try it out myself. So here is my photo-manipulation of Dragonball z villain Frieza. I haven't really done photo-manipulation before, so I liked how it came out.