So, I've started my own re-watch of MCU in anticipation of Endgame. In honor of said Endgame, I'll be re-watching every movie including ones that I absolutely detest or have skipped, which includes Thor 1 and 2. As I write this, I am deep in the middle of Phase 1.
Iron Man - There's actually a lot more that I noticed and wanted to unpack more than just saying that this movie is good. It certainly is still an enjoyable, engrossing watch for me for both superficial reasons with a great emotional core. Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane is still a guilty pleasure of mine, and very few things in MCU make me as giddy as the literal evolution of Mark 1, 2 and 3. To add, there are still rad things I'm discovering about this movie after more than ten years.
Only on this rewatch I realized that Tony Stark's multiple encounters with Everhart were great markers of where he was as a character throughout the movie. His first succinctly summarized him as a brilliant womanizer, comfortable with his privileges mistaking his ignorance as strength. I do have to note however that the treatment of Everhart herself by the movie as a whole made me uncomfortable and feeling bit gross, even if I realize that it's symptomatic of the era. Both in how women are treated in general and how the script has her as a plot device (also Jesus, I just realized Stark's second meeting with Everhart was him dearly afraid that the reporter had the news that she was pregnant from their encounter.) Beyond that, the meeting does provide him with the impetus of literally taking the situation into his own hands. Rhodes wasn't at the point where he was taking Stark seriously and Stane? Man just straight up admitted he stabbed Stark in the back. Finally, at the press conference, Stark had the ability to admit to her that he was Iron Man. It's a great moment of growth where he finally had the sincerity and confidence to cut through his own sarcastic humor and declare so with informed pride. I am Iron Man.
There are quite a few things I have come to realize to be problematic in the film as I've grown older and more aware. One good thing is that it does show how far Marvel studios have come. It is a fantastic thing that the movie has steadily dropped in my personal rankings as the MCU has progressed. On a note, a few months ago someone commented here that the adlib dialogue greatly lends the movie its own feel and identity. It's a lovely observation that I agree with.
Iron Man 2 - It isn't a hard rewatch. The action scenes are heavily improved over the first, even if everything about Vanko himself was a wet fart. Mickey Rourke had a certain charisma on screen but that was all that carried him. I genuinely oscillate between asserting that this film can be skipped for the average watcher to begrudgingly acquiescing that it barely qualifies as a necessary part, if only for the bits and pieces of Stark's difficult relationship with his father. Come on, everything we need to know about Black Widow and Nick Fury is told in Avengers and everywhere else.
The Incredible Hulk - This was the first time I rewatched this movie in maybe six or seven years. I had very much enjoyed it then but wow, it dropped hard. The chemistry between Banner and Betty Ross were good. I had no problems following the plot. I actually thought the Hulk's fighting style here was fun to watch. But this movie in general is just not compelling. The whole package really lands specifically in that average section where I just don't care much to talk about it. The poster who earlier commented that it's not the best or the worst had surprising accuracy. Notably though, the Hulk in this movie is quite handsome. I'm not the only one, right? I feel like Hulk's face looks much more pleasant visually than Mark Ruffalo's Hulk.
For real though, I do think that Ed Norton's Hulk character is interesting but Ruffalo's Hulk has just gone through a much more visceral journey.
On to Thor. God, I hated Thor.
Iron Man - There's actually a lot more that I noticed and wanted to unpack more than just saying that this movie is good. It certainly is still an enjoyable, engrossing watch for me for both superficial reasons with a great emotional core. Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane is still a guilty pleasure of mine, and very few things in MCU make me as giddy as the literal evolution of Mark 1, 2 and 3. To add, there are still rad things I'm discovering about this movie after more than ten years.
Only on this rewatch I realized that Tony Stark's multiple encounters with Everhart were great markers of where he was as a character throughout the movie. His first succinctly summarized him as a brilliant womanizer, comfortable with his privileges mistaking his ignorance as strength. I do have to note however that the treatment of Everhart herself by the movie as a whole made me uncomfortable and feeling bit gross, even if I realize that it's symptomatic of the era. Both in how women are treated in general and how the script has her as a plot device (also Jesus, I just realized Stark's second meeting with Everhart was him dearly afraid that the reporter had the news that she was pregnant from their encounter.) Beyond that, the meeting does provide him with the impetus of literally taking the situation into his own hands. Rhodes wasn't at the point where he was taking Stark seriously and Stane? Man just straight up admitted he stabbed Stark in the back. Finally, at the press conference, Stark had the ability to admit to her that he was Iron Man. It's a great moment of growth where he finally had the sincerity and confidence to cut through his own sarcastic humor and declare so with informed pride. I am Iron Man.
There are quite a few things I have come to realize to be problematic in the film as I've grown older and more aware. One good thing is that it does show how far Marvel studios have come. It is a fantastic thing that the movie has steadily dropped in my personal rankings as the MCU has progressed. On a note, a few months ago someone commented here that the adlib dialogue greatly lends the movie its own feel and identity. It's a lovely observation that I agree with.
Iron Man 2 - It isn't a hard rewatch. The action scenes are heavily improved over the first, even if everything about Vanko himself was a wet fart. Mickey Rourke had a certain charisma on screen but that was all that carried him. I genuinely oscillate between asserting that this film can be skipped for the average watcher to begrudgingly acquiescing that it barely qualifies as a necessary part, if only for the bits and pieces of Stark's difficult relationship with his father. Come on, everything we need to know about Black Widow and Nick Fury is told in Avengers and everywhere else.
The Incredible Hulk - This was the first time I rewatched this movie in maybe six or seven years. I had very much enjoyed it then but wow, it dropped hard. The chemistry between Banner and Betty Ross were good. I had no problems following the plot. I actually thought the Hulk's fighting style here was fun to watch. But this movie in general is just not compelling. The whole package really lands specifically in that average section where I just don't care much to talk about it. The poster who earlier commented that it's not the best or the worst had surprising accuracy. Notably though, the Hulk in this movie is quite handsome. I'm not the only one, right? I feel like Hulk's face looks much more pleasant visually than Mark Ruffalo's Hulk.
For real though, I do think that Ed Norton's Hulk character is interesting but Ruffalo's Hulk has just gone through a much more visceral journey.
On to Thor. God, I hated Thor.
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