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Marvel Cinematic Tuesday: What’s Next???

Welcome to Marvel Cinematic Tuesday, where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Infinity War is all over the place. But, I’m going to wait one more week before I dive into that movie. I watched it this past weekend and it left me SHOOK!! But what’s next for the Marvel Cinematic world? Where do we go after Infinity War? Let’s explore this.

Ant-Man and Wasp

This summer, Ant-Man returns. Truthfully, I’m not looking forward to it. Of all the characters in the MCU, Ant-Man is my least favorite. Peyton Reed is returning as the director. One can only hope that they either write better jokes. Paul Rudd needs to take notes from Ryan Reynolds when he plays Deadpool in how to deliver jokes.

Captain Marvel

I am really looking forward to Captain Marvel! First, I love Brie Larson. I loved her as Envy in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. She is also in the United States of Tara. I’m excited to see how they integrate Captain Marvel into the story, especially after the events of Civil War. And as you have probably guessed, I love strong female characters.

Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Ummmm…okay. I’m going to just leave this alone for the moment.

Avengers 4

With everything that occurred in Infinity War, I’m curious to see how they are going to top that. Incredible things happen every time they put the band together. They are bringing the Russo brothers back for number four. I swear those two are raking in all the dough. I checked the IMDb and I saw some interesting names in the cast. It makes me wonder what is in store for the gang this time around.

Next Week

Okay friends, I’ve given you plenty of time to get your life and go see Infinity War. Next week, we talk about it. I want to warn you now just in case you want to catch it before the talk. We are going to dig deep into this exciting and shocking flick.

Wrapping it Up

Well, that’s it for today! On Thursday, I will leave the new anime alone and discuss a show that is ongoing. Sharpen your knives and get your herbs and spices together because it is time for the Shokugeki! That’s right. We are talking Food Wars. It’s not going to be a review because I absolutely love Food Wars. But I do want to dish about it (get it). See ya then!

MC Tuesday: Black Panther

Hi everybody! Welcome to the MC Tuesday, where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We finally made it to the end of the MCU (for the moment). Near the end of the journey lies Wakanda, home of Black Panther. Friends, I’ve been looking forward to this conversation so let’s dive into it! But, before we do, the movie is directed and written by Ryan Coogler, director of Creed and Fruitvale Station. He works with Michael B. Jordan quite a bit. Are they cousins? Enough banter. Off we go to Wakanda! Spoilers guys!

The Cast

This is by far my favorite cast in any Marvel movie. First, we have our main character T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman. Besides Black Panther, he played Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get on Up, and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall. Talking about a resume! His bae in Black Panther is Nakia, played by the amazing Lupita Nyongo. His general is played by Machonne herself Danai Gurira. Micahel B. Jordan plays Killmonger. I could go on and on. Angela Bassett is there, along with Forest Whitaker, Daniel Kaluua, Martin Freeman, and, my personal favorite, Letitia Write. This is an amazing cast of outstanding actors. This is the type of cast you want to bring a Marvel movie to life.

Black Girl Magic

If you have followed me throughout my MCU journey, you will see that I always shout-out the strong women of the MCU (Black Widow, Pepper, etc.). Black Panther takes it to another level. I am dark skinned woman seeing other dark skinned women on the screen playing warriors and scientists. This did something to my soul. And in the Wakandan society, these warriors and scientists are revered. That’s even more thrilling.

Killmonger

Killmonger is an interesting villain. Though he goes about it the wrong way, his goal is kind of noble. Think about it: Loki wanted to rule Asgard and take over the earth, Hydra wants to rule the world, Falcon wants to make money, most of Tony Stark’s enemies wanted to destroy Stark Industries. Killmonger wants to help a people that he feels is oppressed. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not the worst motive. Plus, it kind of leads to a breakthrough for T’Challa.

Success and Society

I went back and forth with myself in addressing some things. However, I feel like I should because (1) it is important to me, and (2) it an important part of the Marvel and Black Panther story. With this movie, you have a mostly black cast, with a black director, breaking box office records. You have Kendrick Lamar, a Grammy award-winning and now Pulitzer Prize-winning Hip Hop heavyweight creating the soundtrack. You have men and women sitting together in Saudi Arabia for the first time in 35 years to watch Black Panther. These are not small feats and are a testament to black excellence.

With that being said, there are some white people that did not understand the excitement African Americans felt about the movie, even with all the milestones I mentioned above. Now, I’m not talking about racists. They weren’t going to like it anyway. I’m talking about a group of people that I saw throughout my personal Facebook timeline. I don’t know if they realize it, but their microaggressions are hanging out all over the place.

I have a theory about this. I think they believe that black people celebrating black excellence is meant to be spiteful towards non-people-of-color. They say stuff like, “I don’t understand the big deal. White men came up with the comic. Why aren’t Stan Lee and Jack Kirby getting props?”. I think this speaks volumes about the divisive times we live in. Listen, the black community celebrating black achievements is uplifting to the community, not to spite non-black folks. I’m going to step off my soapbox now.

The Stingers

The first stinger show T’Challa addressing the United Nations on the existence of Wakanda. In the second stinger, we see my girl Zuri talking to someone. It is the one and only Bucky Barnes, the infamous Winter Soldier. This harkens back to Captain America: Civil War when Cap leaves him there to recover.

Wrapping It Up

Well, this ran a little long. I may wait a while before I discuss Infinity War, considering that it is still a little new. So, next Tuesday I will give you my thoughts on upcoming MCU movies like Ant-Man & Wasp and Captain Marvel. Until then, join me this Thursday for Batman Ninja!

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MC Tuesday: Thor: Ragnarok

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday, where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Have you seen Infinity War yet? I’m going this weekend. But for now, let’s talk about 2017″s Thor: Ragnarok. Like Spider-man: Homecoming, this was my first time watching it. The movie is directed by Taika Waititi. I’m not familiar with his body of work, except that he did some episodes of The Inbetweeners. This makes sense, considering there’s so much humor in the movie. Okay, let’s get into Thor: Ragnarok.

The Tone-down is an Upgrade

By far, this is my favorite version of Thor (Chris Hemsworth). This version also seems appropriate for this part of the timeline. At the moment, Thor has had a lot of interaction with the humans of earth. The result is a more toned-down behavior. He is less Shakespeare in the Park and more homeboy down the street. I thought this is a refreshing change to the stuffy Thor I’m used to. I’m living for “’round the way boy” Thor.

Hulk

Besides the cooler Thor, we encounter Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in this movie. If you recall, Hulk has been on the planet Sakaar for two years. While there, he serves as the Grandmaster’s (the brilliant Jeff Goldblum) champion. In this two years, he has not been the sulky Banner, but Hulk. I love the conversations between Hulk and Thor. They are so childish!!!

Siblings

Is it just me, or does Thor have the worst siblings ever? We all know that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is an overly ambitious backstabber. This movie is no exception. He is also the most unlucky, lucky bastard I have ever watched. He is supposed to be stuck on Sakaar but still manages to return to Aasgard.

Just when you think you cannot get worse than Loki, here comes Hela, Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett). Hela is Thor’s older, very bitter sister. This woman has serious daddy issues, but she can fight. Actually, I cannot blame her too much for her daddy issues, Odin did lock her away. But jeez woman! Do some yoga, see a therapist, do anything but destroy Aasgard. When it comes to siblings, Thor lost the lottery.

Valkyrie

Speaking of kickass females, Thor runs into a former Valkyrie on Sakaar. Valkyrie is played by Tessa Thompson. I know she is on Westworld and as one of Janelle Monae’s love interests in the Dirty Computer video (by the way, that album is amazing!). But I completely forgot that she was also in part of a season of Veronica Mars. At any rate, she is awesome in this movie. I love the female warriors in the MCU. They are always so strong, but vulnerable.

Strange and Stinger

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) makes an appearance in this one. My fangirl radar went berserk when I saw the address of the New York sanctum. If you missed it, it was 177a Bleaker Street. I see what you did there movie! If you have no idea what I’m talking about, comment down below, I’ll fill you in.

The first stinger of the movie shows Thor and Loki going back to Earth in a spaceship when they encounter a larger spaceship (I’m assuming this has something to do with Infinity War. NO SPOILERS). The second stinger is a funny moment where the Grandmaster tries to talk himself out of getting killed by a bunch of rebels.

Wrapping it Up

Well, that’s it for Thor: Ragnarok. Next time, we finally go to Wakanda with Black Panther. Yay! I am excited to share my thoughts with you about the movie! Until then, be sure to join me for Anime Thursday, where we talk about Hinamatsuri.

MC Tuesday: Spider-Man: Homecoming

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday where we talk about a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Infinity War premieres this weekend. Are you going to see it? As I said in a previous post, I usually do not go to the movies on opening weekend. That’s fine because it will be a few weeks before Infinity War is on the list. But enough about the future, let’s talk about the present. Today’s movie is Spider-Man: Homecoming. The 2017 feature is directed by John Watts. I looked at his directing credits and thought to myself, “How did this guy get the gig? I’ve never heard of anything else he has done”. But, that’s neither here nor there. Let’s talk about our new Peter Parker.

Fresh-faced Peter

This was my first time watching Spider-Man: Homecoming. I have seen the previous live-action Spider-Man movies, but they are not as good as this one. Our new Spidey is played by Tom Holland. Holland encapsulates what I want to see in Spider-Man. He gives me a teenager who happens to be a superhero, not a superhero who happens in to be a teenager like in the 2002 version. Holland’s Spider-Man is smart but very irresponsible, naive, angst-ridden, and sees Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) as a mentor. He is your typical teenage boy that happens to have extraordinary power. The 2002 version played by Toby McGuire did not have the growing pains that you would expect from a teenager.

Oh! That MJ!

I did not understand why such a big deal was made about Zendaya being in the movie. Sure, she is a recognizable Disney face but her role as the smart and cynical Michelle is downplayed. I thought that maybe they were trying to draw in the Disney tweens by having the girl from KC Undercover. It wasn’t until the end of the movie that I understood Michelle’s position in Peter’s life and in the franchise. She is MJ. MJ is usually Mary Jane, Peter’s love interest. Now, it’s Michelle. This was a fun surprise at the end of the movie.

The Villian

I hated Vulture (Micahel Keaton). He is right up there with the villains from the Iron Man franchise (with the exception of Ivan Vanko from Iron Man 2). I don’t know if it was poorly written or poorly acted. Either way, the character is lack-luster. I did like the twist of the villain is the father of Peter’s crush. Other than that, Vulture fell flat.

My Favorite Character

Peter’s friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) gives this movie life. That kid is funny. Sometimes, the teenager best friend role is a little slapstick and obnoxious, making him/her the most annoying character on the screen. Ned is not like this. He is dorky but funny and endearing. I hope we get to see more of him in the sequel.

The Stingers

The first stinger shows Vulture locked up, walking down the hall. There, he runs into another prisoner. This guy was captured early in the movie trying to buy weapons that have alien technology. That guy asks Vulture about the identity of Spider-Man, but Vulture is not spilling the tea. I suspect this will be important in a later movie. The second stinger shows Captain American (Chris Evans) in another PSA (we see Cap a few times during the movie via PSA videos). It’s supposed to be a wink at the audience for staying to the end of the credits with no payoff. Very funny movie, very freaking funny!

Wrapping it Up

Well, that’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Overall, not my favorite movie, but not bad. Next week it’s Thor: Ragnarok. I guess the only Marvel movie I saw in 2017 was Guardians of the Galaxy 2 because I have yet to watch this one. Really Marvel? Three movies in one year? Until then, I will see you on Anime Thursday for Butlers x Battlers. Hit me up on social media!!!

MC Tuesday: Doctor Strange

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday, where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before we dive in, let me say that this is a lot of fun. As someone who is not a Marvel-maniac, it has been awesome going back through these movies and putting pieces together week by week. I notice things I did not notice before, and I view every stinger for clues. I pay attention to directors and writers and recall certain behaviors of the characters. This has been an interesting exploration of storytelling and moviemaking, and how beloved characters come to life on the big screen.

Now let’s get into today’s movie. It’s a good one! Ladies and gentlemen, I bring to you the sorcery slickster Doctor Strange. The 2016 movie was directed by Scott Derrickson. He’s done a lot of creepy movies like Sinister and the Exorcism of Emily Rose. Alrighty, let’s get strange!

Paging Doctor Sherlock Strange

I did not know where to begin writing this one. So let’s start with how one of my favorite actors plays Dr. Stephen Strange, the one, and only Benedict Cumberbatch. How awesome that Sherlock and Watson are in Marvel movies. Cumberbatch plays Sherlock and Martin Freeman plays Watson. Freeman appears in both Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther as Everett Ross.

Sherlock and Watson aside, let’s talk about Stephen Strange. You can make a couple of comparisons between Strange and Tony Stark. Tony Stark is an egomaniacal, snarky brilliant guy that became a hero after a near-death experience. Dr. Stephen Strange is an egomaniacal, snarky yet brilliant guy with a dope watch collection, that becomes a hero after a texting and driving-style incident. Now, he does what I like to call ninja-vogueing while wearing a cape that has a sassy personality.

Hey! It’s That Evil Guy!

The bad guy in this movie is Kaecilius. Kaecillius is played by Mads Mikkelsen. This is perfect casting. That guy has one of the most sinister-looking faces in the history of movies. He also plays Hannibal Lecter and the bad guy in Casino Royale. It’s like the casting director for Doctor Strange said, “Who can we find with a sinister-looking face that we can slap a symbol on his forehead to make him extra scary? Let’s call Mads!”. His name is Mads for Pete’s sake.

The Visuals

This movie has outstanding visual effects. The scene where The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) knocks him into the multiverse is a beautiful scene. And the scenes where they fight in the mirror dimension is interesting. How the dimension movement is combined with the fighting and running looks fantastic. There’s so much for your eyeholes to absorb throughout the movie.

The Avenger’s Connection

So where the heck was Thor (Chris Hemsworth) during Civil War? Perhaps he was in New York recruiting the assistance of one Stephen Strange. Our boy Thor is in the stinger, enjoying an endless mug of beer. We also see the appearance of another infinity stone during the movie.

Wrapping it Up

Well, that’s it for Doctor Strange. Next week we see more of our sweet baby Peter Parker in Spiderman: Homecoming. I have yet to watch this one, but I heard it is good. We are creeping closer and closer to Infinity War. Be on the lookout on my Facebook page for a special mini-blog, where we will connect some more dots…or should I say stones? Until then, I will see you on Anime Thursday where we talk about Magical Girl Site.

MC Tuesday: Captain America: Civil War

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on Megalobox. Today’s movie is Captain America: Civil War. But before we talk Marvel, I just want to to thank everyone. Yesterday, I received my 500th likes on Couch Cruisin. Thank you so much for reading, liking, sharing, acknowledging my blog. I hope to keep growing and (hopefully) entertaining you with my musings.

Now that I’m out of my feels, let’s talk Civil War. This 2016 blockbuster sees the return of the Russo Bros. as the directors. I kind of wish their names were Mario and Luigi instead of Anthony and Joe. Wouldn’t it be cool if Mario and Luigi were responsible for Civil War? Anyway, let’s get into it.

So Much Action!!!

Since I have seen the movie before, I thought that I could watch the movie and do other things. I was wrong. The action scenes are incredible. It is hard to focus on anything else. The first action sequence with Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johannsson), Falcon (Anthony Macke), and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olson) was good, but not that distracting. The scene the shuts down everything is when Cap, Falcon, and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) are chasing the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). From there, I am completely captivated. And don’t get me started on the airport scene.

The Debate

Here’s where the division lies. Do the Avengers need oversight? The UN wants to determine when and where the Avengers are utilized. They are causing too much damage. Stark says yes, in his feels about collateral damage. Cap says no. I’m on Team Cap. The Avengers know where the Avengers stand. They want to protect the world from evil. You never know where a government stands. If I’m not mistaken, S.H.I.E.L.D had government oversight, and Hyrda was all up in that piece.

Peter and T’Challa

Civil War is our first look at our sweet baby Peter Parker (Tom Holland), aka Spider-Man (in this universe. I know there have been other Spider-Man movies with 40-year-old high school students). This is how you want Spider-Man to behave. If we are dealing with teenage Spider-Man, we want to see him as a teenager, not a man-baby. We want to see him in awe of these heroes, but still kicking butt. It was refreshing and entertaining.

This movie, we are also introduced to T’Challa, Black Panther. We heard of Vibranium and Wakanda in other movies, but this is our first look at Black Panther. We watch him fight and we marvel (ha!) at his Vibranium suit. We were so innocent back then. We did not know what we were in for a few years later when Black Panther will snatch our wigs.

The Stingers

There were two stingers in this movie. The first shows them putting Bucky back on ice…in Wakanda. This is my first time watching this stinger and my eyeballs grew three sizes this day. The second stinger shows Spiderman lying to his auntie about his injuries.

Wrapping it up

Well, that’s it for Civil War. It’s amazing how things come together when you are watching each movie that leads up to Infinity War. Next week is Doctor Strange. I lost my mind when I found out Benedict Cumberbatch was the lead. He’s one of my favorites. Until then, make sure you join me this Thursday for the sugary goodness known as Magical Girl Ore.

By the way…are you Team Cap or Team Iron Man? Let me know!

MC Tuesday: Ant Man

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday, where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I know I’ve been gone for a while. Sorry about that. I had some school work to do. Did you miss me? I missed you! Happy April by the way. If you celebrate Easter, I hope you enjoyed yourself.

Today’s Marvel movie is (sigh) 2015’s Ant Man. Out of all the movies in the MCU, this is my least favorite flick. As a matter of fact, if this movie has a face, I would punch it, just like Michael Douglas punches that guy. This garbage movie is directed by Peyton Reed. He’s also doing the sequel to Ant Man, oh boy. Well, it is with a great deal of trepidation and annoyance that we start.

Is this supposed to be funny?

What in the world? This movie is riddled with corny jokes. I don’t know who is supposed to be the “funny guy” on the writing team, but they are an epic failure. They made the Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) character look like a clown. In the other Marvel movies, jokes are used to make the characters feel more identifiable. Here, the character is already an identifiable character, you don’t need to throw a whole bunch of lame jokes into the mix. That makes him annoying.

The Dumbest Scene in the MCU

I hate what happens when Scott Lang puts on the suit for the first time. If you do not recall, let me remind you. He puts on the suit. He shrinks. Scott hears Dr. Pym (Michael Douglas) telling him this is a “test”. Scott winds up getting flushed down the shower drain by his friend Luis (Michael Pena). He winds up in an afternoon rave. He then falls in a crack or something and winds up in a vacuum cleaner. There’s also a rat that looks like a dog because he is so little. By this time, I’m like “okay movie! He’s little! We get it!”. It is just too much.

Not Likeable

I forgot to mention that I hate nearly every character in the movie. The bad guy Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) is despicable. It’s not exactly clear why he is doing what he is doing. Is it for Dr. Pym’s approval? Or, is it for money? Or, is it for superiority? There is no solid reason for the audience to grasp, so it feels like he’s bad for bad’s sake–and not in a cool Joker way. If you are going to have him sacrificing a lamb, you better give me a decent reason.

All the other characters felt dry. Hope (Evangeline Lily) has no personality. Dr. Pym is boring. The mom (Judy Greer) and the stepdad/cop (Bobby Cannavale) are lackluster. I did like Cassie (Abby Ryder Forster), Scott’s daughter. She is cute and gives the movie a little energy. I also loved Antony, Ant Man’s flying ant/transportation. He reminds me of Anty from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

Wrap it up

Well, that’s it! Frankly, I’m glad it’s over. Next Tuesday, we jump back into good movies with Captain America: Civil War. I’m excited about anime Thursday so be sure you join me. Until then, let me know your thoughts on stupid Ant Man!

MC Tuesday: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday, where we watch a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Today’s film is 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. The gang is together again folks. I did not remember how much I like this movie. It is like visiting an old friend. By the way, it’s written and directed by my hero Joss freaking Whedon. He did the first Avengers movie. Let’s get into it! *I just looked at my notes and they are all over the place. Yikes!*

Banner loves Natasha

I think I want to get the moments I like the least out of the way. The “romance” between Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson) and “sad panda” face Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is extremely corny. That little hand stroke that she does to get Banner to de-hulk cracks me up. Thier whole conversation about being sterile is another moment I can do without. I do not feel any real chemistry. It feels forced. What are you trying to sell me, movie? Forbidden passion? A commonality that breeds romance? What?

Fangirl for Ultron!

Now that we have gotten that mess out of the way, let’s talk villain. Let me begin by saying I love James Spader. He always sounds sinister, like he tortures evil-doers in his basement in real-life. He is suitable as the misguided Ultron. Ultron is a product of resident “bro” Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) gigantic ego. You have an awesome A.I. in Jarvis, but you need to have better A.I. You claim it’s a way to eradicate the need for the Avengers. Okay, dude…okay. At any rate, Ultron delivers excellent lines throughout the movie. One thing that sticks with me is when he tells Iron Man (I think), “I think you confuse peace with quiet”. That’s real gangster Ultron.

The moments

What I love about Joss Whedon’s work is that he creates moments that stick with you. For instance, in the first episode of Firefly when Mal kicks the bad guy into the propellers of Serenity (his ship). That moment is so epic, it made me a life-long fan of the series. Ultron is no different. That first battle sequence through the trees is awesome. Not to mention near the end when the Avengers are fighting to protect the bomb. My personal favorite is the scene when they are all at Stark’s party trying to pick up Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) hammer. At that moment, you forget they are world-saving heroes and are just a bunch of competitive friends hanging out.

Tying it together

What Ultron accomplishes so effortlessly is tying in elements from future Marvel movies into this one. Unlike the Banner/Widow relationship, it does not feel forced. They mention Wakanda and vibranium, preparing us for Black Panther. Even the terrible Ulysses Kaue (Andy Serkis) pops up. They infinity stones make an appearance, and Thanos is in the stinger, setting up Infinity War.

Honorable Mentions

I do not want to dwell on some things but I think they are worth mentioning. Ultron introduces us to the twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olson). Enough about that. There’s quite a bit of Hawkeye in this movie. He is set up as the “heart” of the team. We go to his house and meet his family. It is all very heart-warming. Jarvis (Paul Bettany) is made flesh and is rocking a stone in his forehead. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think it is the knowledge stone.

Wrapping it up

Well, there you have it! Age of Ultron is a fun movie and I’m glad to watch it again. Next week is (sigh) Ant-Man. After that, it is all awesome movies. Until then, I will see you on anime Thursday.

MC Tuesday: Guardians of the Galaxy 2

Hi everybody! Welcome to MC Tuesday, where we discuss a movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My friends, I am glad to think about anything other than school work. So, it is with great relief that I bring to you 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy 2. I enjoyed this movie. It isn’t as good as the first movie but it is still entertaining. I like that they bring back the director from the first Guardians, James Gunn. It makes it feel like a continuation instead of a separate movie. That is what is wrong with the Iron Man movies. Iron Man and Iron Man 2 are by one director, and Iron Man 3 has a different director. So, now that that’s out of the way, let’s hang out with the Guardians.

The Visuals

This movie is visually stunning. You can pause parts of the movie and stick it in a picture frame. The colors look like they have a smell. Take the meeting with the gold lady, that scene looks like it smells like blueberry and chocolate. The world where Star Lord’s whore of a dad lives is amazing. I think they invented colors specifically for that movie. It’s amazing how it is only three years between the first and second Guardians and the advancements in technology makes the sequel more visually striking.

Favorite Characters

Unlike the first movie, I have a favorite character from the second. Let’s start with the runner-up. The runner-up is…drumroll…Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel). Did you think that Baby Groot is number one? Not quite. Baby Groot is adorable. Do you ever watch the show on Animal Planet called Too Cute? Basically, you’re watching puppies and kittens from the moment they’re born until they are about a year old. Baby Groot should be on Too Cute. Every time Baby Groot is on the screen my head tilts the side and I say “awwww”. Even when he’s in warrior mode, he is absolutely adorable.

As cute as Baby Groot is, he is not my favorite character. My favorite character is…drumroll…Drax (Dave Bautista). I’m glad that we see more of Drax in Guardians 2. He is hilarious. I like that he speaks his mind and is clueless about what is socially acceptable rhetoric. I’m still here for Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper). But for me, Drax stole the show.

The Credits

The credits for Guardians 2 are something else. There is so much going on, they could have been their own movie. There are a few stingers during the credits. My personal favorite is when Star-Lord tells Groot to clean his room. That is a cute exchange.

Wrapping it up…

Well, that’s it for Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Great visuals, great characters, excellent use of popular music, and killer credits. Next Tuesday is Avengers: Age of Ultron. Until then, be sure to join me for Anime Thursday. This Thursday I’m going to let fellow ani-bloggers do the talking via our Facebook group Anime Blogging Party. Make sure you join me Thursday and see what your faves have to say about Sword Art Online.

Sunday Drama: I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper eps 10 & 11

Hi everybody! Welcome to Sunday Drama. Today, we will conclude the emotional journey that is I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper. They should call it “I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper That Will Get Your Life Together”. These are the final two regular episodes. They have a special but it is just highlights from the show. I like last week’s format of just speaking generally of the show. So let’s wrap it up!

Momma Mita

The kids ask Mita to be their mother. She agrees to do so. When she takes on this role, she becomes a completely different person. She becomes a strict matriarch. The big, beautiful meals they are used to become meager. She does not have time for whining or spoiled behavior from the kids. She even registers to marry Keiichi. Be careful what you wish for kids!

The kids are miserable. They turn to the one person they think can help them, their auntie Urara. So they go to the chapel where Urara is about to marry she does not love and pleads for her help. Urara leaves the wedding (which is fine because the dude didn’t want to marry her anyway) and goes to the house. Mita makes the kids choose…either Urara goes or Mita goes. The kids choose Urara to stay.

Man-up, Urara!

As Mita leaves the house, Urara chases her down the street. Mita starts slapping her over and over. Urara finally gets mad and tackles Mita. Mita tells her that she should express those emotions. Get angry, cry when you feel like it, and smile when you’re happy. You see, Urara is used to running around with a fake, goofy smile on her face. Mita essentially tells her to stop being fake and mentor the kids. Yes, Mita! Get that girl together!

Mita Changes Too!

Throughout the show, Mita helps this family recover from the devastating loss of the children’s mother. Now Keiichi, the kids, Urara, and the kids’ grandfather are now one big happy family. Even the awful woman next door changes for the better due to Mita’s influence. But, the growth goes both ways. If you recall, Mita blames herself for the death of her husband and son, hence never smiling. But, after she announces that she is moving to Okinawa, Keiichi gives her one final order, to smile. She smiles, as each child shows their gratitude to Mita by saying they will be there for her if she needs them. I guess it is impossible for me to go a whole episode without crying. Anyway, it is indeed a beautiful moment.

Themes

This show tackles some important issues. The biggest issue is suicide and its effect on those left behind. Everyone blamed themselves for the mother’s suicide, including the mistress. The family went through life pretending like everything is okay when there is a significant amount of pain. The grief is nearly unbearable.

In the midst of this darkness comes another important theme, the strength of family. Not only did Mita save this family, this family saved each other. The pain of loss in this family is healed by the love and support they have for one another. This love and support extend to Mita, who is like family.

If you are going through something, I hope you will reach out to someone. They may not be Mita, but there are people there to support you, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). We all feel overwhelmed sometimes. It is okay to reach out for help.

Wrap it up

Well, that’s it for I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper. This is a good show (except for the actress that plays Yui cannot fake cry. It gets on my nerves). Next week, we will watch a movie. I’m not sure which movie so I’m open to suggestions. Until then, I will see you for MC Tuesday where we are back with the Guardians!

Ant-Man and Wasp

Captain Marvel

Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Avengers 4

Next Week

Wrapping it Up

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The Cast

Black Girl Magic

Killmonger

Success and Society

The Stingers

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The Tone-down is an Upgrade

Hulk

Siblings

Valkyrie

Strange and Stinger

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Fresh-faced Peter

Oh! That MJ!

The Villian

My Favorite Character

The Stingers

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Paging Doctor Sherlock Strange

Hey! It’s That Evil Guy!

The Visuals

The Avenger’s Connection

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So Much Action!!!

The Debate

Peter and T’Challa

The Stingers

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Is this supposed to be funny?

The Dumbest Scene in the MCU

Not Likeable

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Banner loves Natasha

Fangirl for Ultron!

The moments

Tying it together

Honorable Mentions

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The Visuals

Favorite Characters

The Credits

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Momma Mita

Man-up, Urara!

Mita Changes Too!

Themes

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