‘The Wolverine’ Is a Stranger in a Strange Land
James Mangold's The Wolverine taps into Western tropes and Samurai aesthetics to deliver a more thoughtful, soulful comic book film… until the climax.
Michael Curley
Michael Curley is a full-time high school teacher and part-time film aficionado based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Although he is a fan of films of all kinds, he has a particular soft spot for major Hollywood blockbusters done well. Michael's film essays are currently exclusive to PopMatters.com. He can be reached @MCurleyfries on Twitter.
‘Iron Man 3’ Finds Its Hero in Crisis
Marvel Studios launched its second phase of films with Iron Man 3, a film filled with bold storytelling choices and irreverent humour that would become hallmarks of the MCU.
Joss Whedon’s ‘The Avengers’ Blasts Away All Other Comic Book Films
By perfecting the comic book superhero formula and creating the first big-budget shared universe with The Avengers in 2012, Joss Whedon and Marvel Studios came to define this decade of blockbuster filmmaking.
Kinetic Directing Failed to Improve ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’
Flashy directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor attempted to make Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance more exciting than its predecessor, but their style sapped the energy that fueled the flame.
‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ Stands Out in a Glut of Comic Book Films
Marvel Studios recognized that by mining other genres through the superhero lens, it could continue to keep comic book films fresh and entertaining to audiences and sidestep the constant predictions of imminent superhero fatigue.
‘Thor’ Blasted the Comic Book Superhero Genre Away from Earth
Kenneth Branagh's Thor (2011) took the largely Earth-based, sci-fi genre into the realm of supernatural space fantasy, leading the way for a wider array of comic book superhero films.
How Jon Favreau’s ‘Iron Man 2’ Peaks — Then Crashes
Tony spends the first half of the film worrying about his legacy but also trying to have fun with the time he has left. It's rather like MCU's superhero film challenges of the time.
‘The Incredible Hulk’ Is the Black Sheep of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Marvel Studios' goal with The Incredible Hulk was to rehabilitate the Hulk in the minds of moviegoers after a disappointing 2003 film, and also reimagine him as a more heroic character that would fit within the larger universe it was crafting.