5 Reasons Matt Murdock is My New Favorite

Ever since I first sat down and fell for Netflix's Daredevil back in April, I've harbored this massive obsession with the show--especially its titular hero. In fact, much as I love the Avengers, I kind of felt like Matt Murdock was my new favorite hero in the earthbound MCU.

At the time, I figured that was partially due to the fact that Daredevil was so new, and I was on a big kick. But after rewatching the series again this week, it's official: overall, Matt is my new favorite. Here's why.

1) He's a street-level hero.

While I'm all for alien attacks and rogue geniuses with state-of-the-art tech at their disposal, big-scale villains are all we've seen in the MCU so far. Compared to all that, there's something really special about Matt's quest. His battles are fought in alleys and seedy buildings, on rooftops and in old warehouses. His mission--cleaning up his childhood city--is deeply personal, and the down-to-earth nature of his objectives and methods helps ground the show. Ironically, when it's only the future of one neighborhood in the balance, the stakes in a Marvel story have never felt higher.

2) He's more human than any other hero so far.

Yeah, he's got superhuman senses. But despite that, he's still the most realistic, three-dimensional, regular-guy character Marvel's given us so far. I love his fairly realistic fighting style: an exhausted barrage of sharp, light hits till he wears his opponent (and himself) down. I love that you can see the toll each fight takes on him--how he doesn't get hurt and shake it off, but carries his stitches and limp with him for days.

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More than enhanced senses or his carefully honed fighting skills, Matt Murdock's superpower is his ragged determination. Ultimately, he feels like a person instead of a god. Then there are his character flaws, which leads me to my next point.

3) He's the most morally ambiguous hero we've seen so far.

Granted, Tony Stark isn't exactly an angel--and it's just as well we're not including the Guardians in all of this, because they're sort of thieves and outlaws. But with Daredevil, the line between hero and villain is always shifting, perpetually blurry. Sometimes, Matt's "The ends justify the means" mentality makes him look a lot like the guy he's trying to take down--and the people around him are always quick to remind him of that.

Matt's inclination towards vengeance is constantly at odds with his Catholic faith, and his tendency to put his mission before his loved ones and personal life constantly wrecks his chances of happiness.

4) He's got a complex, compelling personality.

This sort of echoes points raised in the discussion about how human he feels, but just like any person, Matt's a walking meat suit of contradictions. Thanks to flashbacks interspersed throughout the series, we have a real sense of how the things he's been through have shaped the person he's become--as well as the person he has to fight not to be.

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Matt's suffered loss after loss in his life, and he's got a dark side; sometimes he goes too far before he reigns himself back in, sometimes he's cold to the people who love him the most, and it's been questioned more than once whether he actually enjoys vigilante life a little too much. But at the end of the day, he's a decent guy trying his best in a less-than-decent world. He's reserved but charming, with a wry sense of humor and a killer sense of determination.

5) All that said, the supporting characters in his life are just as amazing--especially Jack and Foggy.

One of my favorite dynamics on the show is the one between Matt and his dad. Their bond is painted in relatively few brushstrokes, but that's all we need to understand their relationship: Matt was an impressionable young kid who idolized his dad for always getting back up when he was knocked down, and Jack was a down-to-earth dad completely dedicated to his son. As a boxer, he took home more bruises and cuts than wins, but he always returned to the ring again with this dogged determination--which is clearly one of the most important lessons Matt's ever learned.

Then there's Matt's relationship with his best friend, Foggy Nelson. These two lawyers met in their college days, interned together at a soul-sucking prestigious law firm, and ultimately decided to strike out together and create their own firm to protect the little people. Through it all, Foggy's always had Matt's back. To me, it's the little things that sell their friendship the best: times when Foggy helps the blind Matt cross a street, watch for stairs, or even when he fills him in on gestures other characters are making. When Matt lets him, Foggy also helps drag him out of his shell and make him more comfortable in new situations--usually with that easy sense of humor. In a lot of ways, their bond is the heart of the Daredevil series, reminiscent of the simple, pre-war days of the Steve-and-Bucky friendship. It's one thing I know I'll keep going back for.

There are loads of other things I love about Daredevil, but I should probably cap it off there. Out of curiosity, though, what's your favorite thing about the character? About the series? Is there a character you like more--and if so, who?

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15 Fictional Fathers We Wish Were Our Own

As we all know, Father's Day was yesterday and just like fictional mothers, there are so many good fathers or fatherly figures in fiction. We wanted to honor a few of them today. It always warms our hearts to see the love and care each of them give. There might be minor spoilers, so proceed with caution!

Jaime Heller

The King of Corona (Tangled)

Despite no spoken dialogue in the film, the King of Corona—Rapunzel’s father—is still a memorable character for me. Everything we need to know about him is revealed through his actions, facial expressions, and body language. These aspects reveal his love for his family and why he makes a good father.

The first time we see the King, he’s sitting by his wife’s bedside. She’s sick, and he is filled with grief because of it. But he doesn’t let his grief—or fear—hinder him for helping his wife. He sends guards to find a cure of some kind and when they do, he’s the one that administers it to his wife. When Rapunzel is finally born, the joy of becoming a father is evident on the King’s face. When they release a lantern in honor of her birthday, it’s easy to spot how much he loves and cares for his wife and daughter.

Later after Rapunzel’s been kidnapped and considered gone from the kingdom, the King still cares for her. This is evident by the touching moment between the king and queen before they release the lantern for their daughter’s eighteenth birthday. This moment is probably the second saddest in the film for me. I tear up every time I watch it. In addition, the fact that he takes time every single year for eighteen years to release a lantern in her memory is memorable. He still cares about his little girl.

Upon reuniting with Rapunzel, he embraces his daughter (and wife) with all the warmth and love only a caring father can give. As the movie ends, we still see glimpses of the King interacting with Rapunzel and every moment reveals his love. When Rapunzel gets married, he walks her down the aisle and stands by proudly to watch her get married—something he probably thought he’d never get to witness. The last moment we see of him he’s hugging his wife, smiling at the joy of the moment. He has his little girl back.

It’s evident the King of Corona cares deeply for his daughter and he never gave up hope of finding her again. He was relentless in his love for her, accepting in her choice of Eugene/Flynn, and continually supportive of his family. He’s definitely one father I’ve come to admire.

Hans Hubermann (The Book Thief)

While Hans Hubermann isn’t Liesel’s biological father, he provides one of the best fatherly figures I know. Hans is the first person Liesel trusts and the person she loves the most. He is a painter and an accordionist, but first and foremost, he’s Liesel’s “papa.”

Throughout The Book Thief, Hans plays an important role. He teaches Liesel how to read and write, which encourages her love for books and her thievery of books. He doesn’t agree with the Nazi Party, but he keeps up appearances (joining the party, doing what they ask, even going to war at his age) in order to keep his family—which includes Liesel—safe. Though some people call him a “Jew lover,” he does not let at sway his kind, gentle, humble character. He continues on, doing what he believe is right.

This provides a stable and secure role model in the novel. He is an artist, a protector, and an inspiration to Liesel.

He hides Max, the Jewish man, because he is loyal to his promises. He takes care of Liesel for much of the same reason. Overall, Hans embodies a careful, loving father during a harsh time. There are many reasons I cannot discuss The Book Thief still, despite having read it over two years ago. Hans Hubermann is one of these reasons.

Anna Catherine

Rilian's Father, Caspian X (The Silver Chair)

*spoilers!* We don't see much of Rilian and Caspian's father/son relationship in The Silver Chair until after Rilain goes missing. Caspian is deeply grieved by the loss of his son. Several people searched for Rilian, but all did not survive. Caspian bans all search parties because of this, almost giving up hope that his son will ever return. At the beginning of the book, Caspian goes off to the Seven Isles because Aslan has been sighted there. He hopes that Aslan will be able to tell him where Rilian is so that he may see his son before he dies of old age. Aslan turns Caspian back around, saying that his son will be waiting for him. Caspian spends his dying moments with his beloved son back in Narnia, then dies and is taken to Aslan's Country.

Simba's Father, Mufasa (The Lion King)

Mufasa is Super Dad. He spends time with his son doing things that are both important and fun, as he shows Simba around what will someday be his kingdom. He gives his son real world wisdom about not only how to be a good ruler someday, but how to have common sense. "I'm only brave when I have to be," he tells Simba. "But being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble." Also, he sets boundaries to keep his child safe. He knows that the Elephant Graveyard is dangerous, so he tells Simba not to go there. Mufasa would do anything for his son, and puts his life on the line to protect his child at all costs. He also tells Simba that no matter what, he will be with him.

Tiana's Father, James (The Princess and the Frog)

James was a hard worker, who believed that only his labor could help him pursue his dreams. Even though he was very tired whenever he came home from work, he always set aside time for his little princess. He taught Tiana how to cook, and how to dream big. "But remember, Tiana," he told her, "that little old star can only take you part of the way. You got to help it along with some hard work of your own." He fought in World War I and was even given the Distinguished Service Cross. Tiana carried her father's spirit and wisdom with her long after he was killed in combat. She remembered his words in "Almost There:" "I remember Daddy told me fairy tales can come true / But you gotta make it happen, it all depends on you! / So I work real hard each and every day / Good things are sure to come my way." Tiana always kept her father in a very special place in her heart.

Mirriam Neal

There’s a shortage of awesome fathers in today’s entertainment, which is why I’m always excited to find one I can definitively label as such. Here are a few of my favorites.

Sheriff Stilinski (Teen Wolf)

He is, without a doubt, one of my favorite parents on television. He stands out among other TV parents – he loves his son, Stiles, deeply and cares for his friends like they were his own. He’s intelligent and smart, serving as the head of Beacon Hills’s police department. He has a sense of humor that brightens dull moments, and he would do anything to protect those he loves. He provides encouragement, guidance, wisdom, and a warm heart – hugely refreshing, especially in entertainment geared toward young adults.

Thranduil (The Hobbit)

To many people, this may seem like an odd choice. Thranduil? The Ice King who rides around on a war elk and can’t see past the end of his nose? I chose him for a very specific reason – while on the surface he may seem like a terrible father, if you look deeper you see someone trying desperately to protect not only his kingdom and his people, but his son. He wants the best for Legolas, and to Thranduil, ‘the best’ means that Legolas must one day become king, and cannot be encumbered by things like love to someone whose rank may bring him down. When Legolas defends Tauriel in front of Thranduil’s soldiers, Thranduil does not fight him – he backs down. He tries to keep Legolas from the heartbreak he himself once felt. Before Legolas leaves Mirkwood, Thranduil says, “Your mother loved you…more than anything. More than life itself.” In this moment, Thranduil is telling Legolas, “I love you…more than anything. More than life itself.” On the surface, Thranduil doesn’t seem like a good father – and yet everything he does, he does for his son and his people.

Bailey Bastien

Darth Vader (Star Wars)

When thinking about on-point fatherhood and parenting, Darth Vader probably doesn’t come to mind right away. He might not come to mind at all. The whole 'Sith Lord' thing kind of ruined that one for him. However, I think there are several commendable things that Vader does in relation to his children, Luke in particular, that make him a good father in the end. The first thing being that, once it’s revealed that he’s Luke’s father, he does attempt to form a relationship with his son. He goes about it in completely the wrong way through offering world domination, but the attempt is still there. The second, and I think biggest thing he does, is ultimately rejecting the Dark Side in order to save his son. In taking on the Emperor in Return of the Jedi, Vader sacrifices not only the power and authority he had within the Empire as the Emperor’s right hand man (no pun intended), but also his own life. I think this speaks volumes about his priorities when faced with both his own death and the death of his son. He was willing to give up everything in order that his son could live and restore peace to the galaxy.

Jenna Blake Morris

Bobby Singer (Supernatural)

Throughout Supernatural, rampant daddy issues have always been a theme. John’s “parenting” style (which was basically a gaping lack thereof) went on to produce completely different effects in Sam and Dean. Conversely, discussions about absent dads provided a bonding experience for Dean and Cas back before everyone’s favorite angel officially joined Team Free Will. But just like the boys were, in fact, never homeless, they were also never without a good father figure. Tough, gruff, but never too macho to provide the boys with emotional support or let him know he loves them, Bobby’s basically the perfect dad.

Chris Argent (Teen Wolf)

Because Argent initially spends plenty of time filling the show’s antagonist role, it can be easy to think of him as more of a hunter than a dad. But as the show goes on, we see that he’s much more than that—in fact, he’s the dad John Winchester should’ve been, healthily balancing work and family legacy with parenthood and family, period. His relationship with Allison is perfect because it’s pieced together in a mosaic of snapshots: late-night grocery runs together, well-intentioned overprotectiveness, rides to and from school, hunting lessons. There are several important people in Chris’s life, but his daughter comes first: before his dad, before his wife, before the family legacy. And that shows in how much Allison cares about him, too.

Desmond Hume (Lost)

If you look at the different kind of so-called love languages, it becomes clear that Des shows his love through actions. Whether it’s helping fellow islanders or family members, Des will do anything for the people he cares about. And that’s evidenced by everything he’s done for a couple of Charlies: Charlie Pace, Desmond’s buddy from the island, and Charlie Hume, the son Des named after him. We don’t see a ton of Desmond’s time with his son, but we do see everything he sacrifices in the hope of coming home to him. Kidnapping, experiments with electromagnetism, multiple nutcases running around trying to kill him—Des faced it all, more than once, when other people would’ve crumpled. And he did it all to get back to his son.

 Sarah Munson

Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)

When I heard we were doing a post on our favorite fictional fathers, one name immediately came to my mind: Atticus Finch, attorney at law from Harper Lee’s beloved classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is one of my favorite characters of all time, and easily my favorite fictional father.

He treats his children, Jeremy and Jean Lousie Finch (a.k.a. Jem and Scout) as equals, holding intelligent discussions with them, encouraging them to ask questions, and allowing them to simply call him “Atticus.” The attorney father is laidback and reserved, and seldom loses his temper. Despite his easygoing parenting style, though, he’s far from a pushover.

Not only do Jem and Scout respect their father’s authority, they respect his integrity and character. Atticus shares his wisdom with them, yet he leads far more by example than words. He accepts his defining courtroom case not only because of his own conscience, but because of the message it will send to his children. He isn’t afraid of what the townsfolk or his own extended family will say about him. Atticus Finch knows that before you live with other people, you have to live with yourself. He passes that belief and courage to his children, teaching them how to stand up for what’s right and setting the precedence for them to follow.

Besides being upright and wise, Atticus encourages his children to reach their full potential. Scout has been reading all her life thanks to him, and Jem is just as bright. Atticus never ignores them or treats them as unintelligent. Instead, he helps them understand various concepts and challenges them to think outside the box.

For all his intelligence and inspirational quotes, though, Atticus Finch steadfastly remains one thing above all else: A loving father. He may not show much emotion, but it’s evident how profoundly he loves Scout and Jem. Through small gestures and everyday moments, Atticus establishes himself as an exemplary father. He’s certainly the best in Maycomb County, Alabama… And to my way of thinking, he’s one of the best in all of fiction.

Sky Destrian

Hershel Greene (The Walking Dead)

 

Hershel Greene is one of the most important characters on The Walking Dead. He is the conscience of the group, the moral voice of reason, and a fatherly figure to almost everyone in the group. Hershel is also a father biologically to Maggie and Beth, and throughout the seasons we see that he’d do anything for his daughters. He also becomes a fatherly figure to Glenn and even bequeaths a family watch to him. When anyone, especially Rick, in the group is upset or needs advice, Hershel is always there. He’s one of the most tender-hearted, genuinely kind characters. I’m struggling to find the words to express this, but I honestly love Hershel so much. I’d be happy to turn to him for fatherly advice any day.

Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)

Another father in The Walking Dead is obvious--Rick Grimes, the protagonist of the show. From the very beginning, we see that Rick is a family man. When he wakes up from his coma, one of his first goals is to find them. Once he’s reunited with them, he tries to take care of his wife and his son, Carl, as best he can. We see his worry over Carl at the farmhouse. Throughout the series we see he and Carl become equals, and though Carl’s relationship with his father is strained, they’ve still got each others’ backs. In addition, Rick takes care of Judith, his wife’s daughter. Though Judith might not be biologically Rick’s, Rick is still committed to raising her like she is. Rick’s grief whenever he thinks one of his family might be lost is tangible. Though Rick isn’t a perfect father, it’s clear his family is the most important thing in his life and he’d do anything to keep them safe.

Charles Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie)

When I look back on my childhood, there were a few shows that were absolute favorites in my family, and Little House on the Prairie was one of them. Throughout every episode, Charles Ingalls--better known as “Pa”--was there. He seemed to reach right through the TV screen and become Pa to all of us. His relationship to his girls, especially Laura, was incredibly touching. I still get sad when I think about the fact that Michael Landon passed away and that I won’t be able to thank him for his role as Charles Ingalls. But his legacy lives on, and I’m grateful that we got a chance to see him as one of the best fictional fathers that ever roamed the prairie.

Which fictional fathers warm your heart? Leave a comment to let us know!

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5 Films I'd Recommend to a Noir Newbie

I'm not sure what it is about film noir that appeals to me so much. But I love almost everything about it--the stark black-and-white lighting, the characters who try to get themselves out of trouble but just get pulled in deeper and deeper, the adoration of Venetian blinds and cigarette smoke and neon lights glinting off rain-slicked city streets. Plus, behind some 40s slang, the dialogue is often snappy and witty, razor-tongued.

The Third Man

The tricky thing about starting to watch noir, though, is all the drama revolving around what technically constitutes film noir. Some academics argue it's a genre; others insist it's only a style. Some scholars limit the genre to a few handfuls of films, while others insist there are hundreds.

At the end of the day, everyone can agree on this: during the 40s, the tone of many American films suddenly took a darker, more cynical turn. Instead of patriotism, optimism, and a go-for-it attitude, cinema reflected a jaded, gritty outlook--the effects of war and modernism were catching up to Hollywood. The films emphasized the natural rottenness of humanity, replacing chiseled heroes with antiheroes, many of them criminals or private eyes on the fringes of society. When French critics watched American films and noticed the darker trend, they said, "Jeez, these films are all black."

But when you're approaching a group of movies that all look pretty similar upon first glance, it raises the question: Where to start?

Detour

That's where this post comes in. It isn't even a little bit comprehensive, but it offers a range of selections that all show off different sides of film noir--and a place to start watching.

1: The Maltese Falcon

When people hear the words "film noir," this is probably the first film that comes to mind for many. The first movie to successfully translate a hardboiled detective novel of the time to the big screen, it follows Sam Spade: a street-wise, world-weary private investigator (to be fair, this could describe a ton of noir protagonists).

When a woman named Miss Wonderly approaches Spade and his partner, Archer, to help her find her sister, Spade gets tugged into a case that gets more and more complicated by the minute. Hounded by the police and a group of high-class criminals, he finds himself in a web of drama over a priceless statuette that everyone's fighting to get their hands on: the Maltese falcon.
Humphrey Bogart makes the antihero spade admirable and relatable, and his delivery of the snappy-but-cynical one-liners is perfect.

2: Double Indemnity

This film is one of the most critically acclaimed noir movies, and for good reason. The story has twists, turns, double-crosses--and one of the most noir endings out there.

When insurance agent Walter Neff becomes involved with a woman named Phyllis, she explains all about her abusive husband--and how she's afraid he'll kill her someday if she doesn't kill him first. Neff initially refuses to helping her, but once she convinces him otherwise, it's up to him to cover their trail from dogged insurance guys investigating her husband's murder.

3. Out of the Past

This was actually the first noir film I ever saw, and I'm glad for that. It set my expectations for other movies in the genre/style, and does a great job of establishing the tone, ambiguous morals, and complicated plots you'll find in these films.

Ages ago, private investigator Jeff Bailey took on a case from a slick, morally ambiguous guy named Whit: to find Whit's girlfriend, Kathie, who he claims shot him and stole $40,000 from him before running away. When Whit insists he doesn't want to hurt Kathie, just find her, Jeff goes off in search of her. But he quickly finds himself personally and emotionally entangled in the case. He tries to slip away quietly and move on with his life--but when his past catches up with him, he quickly realizes that's not an option.

4. Murder, My Sweet

In a lot of noir films centering around private eyes, a case starts out small and turns out to the loose thread that unravels into a huge, messy crime. In Murder, My Sweet, things do start small and quickly get complicated, but it goes about this in a different way: several of Philip Marlowe's small, seemingly unrelated cases turn out to be hopelessly interwoven, and quickly get out of hand.

It all starts when Marlowe agrees to help a mountain of a man named Moose find a former girlfriend. Separately, another guy hires Marlowe to act as a bodyguard when the guy attends a late-night meeting to pay up a ransom for the return of some jewels. What ends up connecting the two cases? Murder, a false identity, and some family drama. Though it deals with a lot of the same issues, Murder somehow feels much lighter than other noirs, and that and Marlowe's character are refreshing because of that.

5. Sunset Boulevard

This film doesn't deal with private detectives or petty crooks like most of its kind, but that doesn't keep it from fitting in with the rest. Instead, this story is a critical--even satirical--look at the Hollywood system and all of its moving parts, from actors to screenwriters.

When down-on-his-luck screenwriter Joe Gillis meets Norma Desmond, a silent film star who was pushed out of work and forgotten after talking pictures rolled around, he doesn't think anything of it. But the deluded Norma insists she's going to stage a comeback--by starring in a film about Salome that she's writing herself. The catch? She can't actually write. At all. So she hires Gillis to revise her mess of a script, giving him free housing in return. But after a while, his outside life begins to clash with the lavish isolation of Norma's mansion. In the end, it's going to be much harder to unravel the two than Joe bargained for.

Of course, this is just a tiny handful of noir greats--there are plenty others out there. Detour, The Killing, and Laura are a few of my favorites. Do you have any favorites? Or maybe something noir-influenced that you like, like Blade Runner or Batman: The Animated Series? Any recommendations?

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Fangirls Assemble! Avengers: Age of Ultron Review and Experience

The Fangirl Experience is a monthly column suggested by Jaime Heller, featuring contributions from both our staff and our readers. Everybody has those moments when being a fangirl feels like the world has become perfectly balanced. It's those moments when you feel a stir in your heart that maybe you've made the right decision in falling down the fandom vortex. When, in the words of my good "friend" Zachary Levi, your "unbridled passion for something, or things, defines who they are as a person without fear of other people's judgment." It's that moment you want to share with the whole world, scream to the rooftops, about what happened. Maybe it's a small moment, maybe it's a big one. But every fangirl has one--or will have one--and we would like to share ours with you. Because our Initiative would be nothing without the Experience.

This month, we asked our readers to contribute photos of their experiences seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron. You delivered! Thanks to everyone who submitted. We've also included photos of our experiences, and our overall opinion of the latest adventure in the Marvel Universe. Enjoy! (This article contains spoilers.)

Jaime Heller

*flails arms in frustration* For the past two weeks, I’ve tried to capture the thoughts zinging through my mind about this film. I’ve waded through critical comments and opinions that ripped my fangirl heart to shreds. I’ve decided dive into how I truly felt about this movie, not what others have said. I paid money to see a kick-butt superhero film, starring characters I’ve journeyed with for the past eight years and promising a brighter future. You know what I got? A fan-freaking-tastic super hero movie with characters I love even more now and the anticipation for everything that is coming next. Phase 3: I’m ready.

• Ultron was brilliant. Perfect voice cast. The “Tony-issm” in Ultron’s personality and dialogue were perfection. The entire birth, evolution, and destruction of Ultron was a marvelous story arc.

•  The build-up for this movie wasn’t as high as the first one for me because I knew they could be a team. Even so, there’s eight minds with eight different opinions fluttering around on how to stop Ultron. The best thing about the Avengers is that they all bring to the table their back stories, their pain, their imperfections, and their motivation to do things better.

• Eight heads bopping around means less screen time for each individual character, which was an initial disappointment to me (especially since I adore Steve and didn’t find he was in it as much as I would have liked) But the point of the Avengers team movies is to bring them together in order to split off for independent films (kind of how comics work). And that makes the movie all the more better: anticipation for the next Thor movie, the next Captain America movie, the next character to be introduced and brought back in, and the overall, meta-narrative story arc to continue toward the next projectile. 

• I loved the cameos of Sam Wilson/Falcon (I cheered when I saw him), Rhodey/War Machine, Heimdall, and even Andy Serkis’ part as Klaue. (Though I’d been hoping for a brief glimpse of the Winter Soldier)

• One of my favorite parts was Wanda’s projections. I loved seeing new sides to my favorite heroes. To see their fears, desires, and glimpses of their pasts. I desperately want a Black Widow movie because of the brief snippets they revealed of her training. My heart broke for Steve with his desire to be with Peggy, to be normal even (Plus I’m a sucker for the 40s-50s party vibe). I’m curious as to what Bruce saw in his vision. 

• Hawkeye. Hawkeye deserves an award for being the best. In the first movie, he was mind-controlled by Loki, so we didn’t get to see a whole lot of his character/personality. This movie gave me more than I could ever want. We learn about his family (he lives on a freaking farm and wears flannel and chops wood), we see him being BA knocking Wanda out before she can mind-control him, and of course my favorite part: “The city is flying. The city is flying and we’re fighting a robot army and I have a bow. Nothing makes sense” along with his motivational speech to Wanda to be a hero. Hawkeye is the MVP of the movie and if you don’t agree, you’re wrong. 

• The entire story flowed well with loose ends coming together (the Vision, the Twins, the Hulk), foreshadowing for future movies (Thor’s vision, the Infinity Stones), and raw emotion and risible humor. Because if you’re in the midst of world destruction, I think a little humor is good to lighten the mood.

Like I said: I paid money for a good superhero movie. I wanted to enjoy another installment in the MCU. That’s what I got. I don’t think I should expect more.

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"Best movie I have seen in a long time!!! LOVED IT!" - Cassidy B.

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Amanda Horn

This movie blew my mind. And by “blew my mind” I mean how-in-the-world-did-they-fit-so-much-awesome-into-one-movie?

Awesome:
1. CLINT. Just Clint. I mean, that man. He pretty much just stole the movie with the snark and the farm and the family. And the flannel! Obviously the flannel. But on a more serious note, I love that they made him have a family. It worked so well for his character, because honestly? He doesn’t mind just being a normal guy. He likes it, in fact.

2. HIS FAMILY. They made my heart melt. And don’t get me started on Laura. She’s so awesome and I just want to be her when I grow up. I also really appreciated the way they represented Clint and Laura’s marriage. It was so healthy.

3. Bruce and Nat. Even when I was a Clintasha shipper I saw that they had amazing chemistry. There’s something so real about them, so enduring. They have a spark that I noticed way back in the first movie. I just…I can’t. (Also, Jaime and I think they should adopt all the little orphan babies.) And just their stories in general? IT’S PAINFUL.

4. PIETRO MAXIMOFF. I didn’t know I needed this man until I saw the movie. He’s perfect and snarky and protective. He’s quick and bright and witty. It’s not just his muscles that work fast, but his brain does too. And that’s so refreshing! A lot of times people who are fast on their feet are portrayed as stupid just because they’re athletic, and that’s not okay. AND THEN HE BROKE ME BY DYING. But that didn’t happen. I’m totally not in denial.

5. Pietro and Wanda’s bro/sis relationship. I can’t. This is perfect. Siblings can totally get along! They actually remind me of my brother and me in some ways.

6. The balance of humor, serious moments and just pain. As the MCU progresses, the characters have seen more pain and become more scarred. However, Joss Whedon did not allow that to overpower the whole movie. He brought us back down to earth and allowed us to see the the funny and maybe even beautiful things behind that.

Not-as-awesome:

1. In some parts I felt like the writing was a bit awkward. What they were trying to say was good, but it sounded a bit funny at times, or maybe the timing was off.

2. At times, I felt like the pacing was a bit off. However, I’ve heard that Joss Whedon’s cut clocked in at around 3 hours, maybe 3 hours and 15 minutes, so if we get an extended cut, I think some of those issues might not be there.

In conclusion, this movie touched me in so many ways. Despite being “super” these people suffer and struggle in the same ways we do and I think we need that in our lives.

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@tfi_blog my feels died. There is much pain. I LOVE them all. It was glorious.

— Amanda Ruth Horn (@elfiedarling) May 2, 2015

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Izzy Stevenson

For me, Avengers: Age of Ultron was not nearly as good as the first Avengers film. The editing was choppy, and as a result, the film suffered by seeming somewhat disorganized.

However, I did enjoy meeting Wanda, also known as the Scarlet Witch. I really like Elizabeth Olsen in the role. And I also love her aesthetic; it’s cool that she gets to be somewhat creepy, even though she is, when it comes down to it, one of the good guys.

I’m glad we got to see more of Bruce in this film. Being an INTP myself, it’s nice seeing characters of my own personality type portrayed in major media. I also liked seeing him work closely with Tony, an ENTP. Together, they make an awesome NTP team.

I was one of the few people who was initially excited about Bruce and Natasha together. I didn’t find the idea of them falling in love with each other as odd. But once I saw the film, I was disappointed they didn’t do more with it. They started off on a negative note, as if the couple was trying to heal something that had been broken. But since we never saw the beginning of their relationship, and how it got broken to begin with, this didn’t have as much emotional impact as it could have had.


Many people have complained that the depiction of Black Widow in this movie was sexist. I didn’t see it as such. It is not antifeminist for a woman to fall in love with a man, nor to experience emotional pain when trouble arises in a romantic relationship. The most controversial line in the movie is when Natasha calls herself a “monster” after explaining she can’t have children; but I saw this as referring to the fact she was designed to be a weapon, not a claim that childless women are “monsters”. I also did not see a problem with Bruce “rescuing” Natasha; especially when you consider that Black Widow did not exactly act like a damsel in distress in that scene. She did all she could to get herself free, and it was more of a team effort between the two characters which got her free in the end. What viewers should keep in mind is good female characters are not ones that are always perfect, always strong, or always independent. A good female character is one that is portrayed humanly and honestly. And to do that, sometimes they have to be vulnerable. Sometimes they need to lean on someone else. Sometimes that “someone else” is a man. And that’s okay.

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"Note the date and time on the ticket -- that's right, be jealous!" - Rica Wiersema

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Sarah Munson

Long ago, I lost count of how many times I’ve watched the first Avengers film. So far, though, I’ve experienced the much-anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron twice. Not only is this the first time I’ve paid to see the same movie again, it’s the first time I’ve experienced a Marvel movie on the silver screen. (I know; I can’t believe it myself! What have I been doing all this time?) I’d like to watch it a third time, but I’m waiting for the DVD release to do that. In the meantime, here are a few of my thoughts after two viewings.

As soon as the Marvel credits rolled, I was entranced. The action kicks up instantly, and carries through the entire film. I’ve heard mixed things about the pacing, but I personally enjoyed it. I found the action to be spread out evenly, and there was a good deal of it. There were also slower moments, but I enjoyed those as much, if not more, because they gave me a chance to breathe and anticipate what lay ahead. Even when there’s a lull, I was anxious about all the intensity seeping through. My emotions had plenty of ups and downs, as I would go from laughing at someone’s quip to fearing for humanity.

I entered the theater, expecting Age of Ultron to be the “darkest” Marvel movie ever. I’m not sure if that was the universal expectation, or if I had just heard it from a few people, and so it was in my head. Personally, I didn’t find it much darker than the Winter Soldier, and I actually think the show series of Agent Carter is grittier and darker. That said, Age of Ultron does have a heavier tone than the first Avengers movie. It seemed appropriate, given how the storylines have matured.

Speaking of story, I was glad to see some more backstory for our old Avenger friends, and also for the newcomers. There was an eclectic blend of characters, and I enjoyed seeing them band together, even if there were a lot of people to keep up with at times. Personally, the Twins have won me over the most.

Age of Ultron isn’t by any means perfect. Some scenes felt forced, or confusing, and Ultron isn’t my first choice of villain. This may not even be my favorite Marvel movie. I need to let the dust settle and weigh it against some others to fully decide. However, I solidly enjoyed this film and as I walked out of the theater, I was already anticipating the next round for the Avengers. It’s a good time to live in the Age of Marvel!

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@tfi_blog everything hurts and nothing is okay. so good and so feelsy.

— bailey (@lia_noel) May 2, 2015

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Sky Destrian

Ever since I got into Marvel in 2012, I've been waiting for this moment. Avengers: Age of Ultron seemed so far away... and then, suddenly, it was here. I could hardly wait to see it in theaters. I ventured out with my family and as I sat in the dark theater and the opening scenes played, my eyes filled with tears. My children, my darling Avengers, were back. 

Here's what I thought of the movie as a whole, in no particular order...

Positives:

• I got to see everyone again. Not going to lie, I cried at the opening slow-mo scene of all of them and the scene in the building where they're fighting and the camera pans in slow-mo. I just love them all so much. Thor was spot-on as always and I loved his hair. Seeing Steve again is always a plus, and the blue shirt he was wearing at Stark Tower was really a great wardrobe choice. Clint was fantastic (more on that later), we got some awesome Natasha scenes, and of course, Tony, our witty and protective man-child. We also got cameos by Maria Hill, Erik Selvig, Sam Wilson, and Rhodey, among others. It was so good to see them again.

• The new characters were awesome. I love Wanda. I remember thinking she is an amazing superhero that little girls can look up to. Pietro was adorable and he was gone too soon. (I believe he'll come back, but that doesn't mean his death didn't hurt. I didn't see that coming.)

• VISION! I have mixed feelings. Vision is one of the coolest characters I've seen ever. ("Well, I was born yesterday.") However, I'm so sad to see JARVIS go. However, I do like Tony's new AI, Friday. I hope they keep her.

• Clint! I hoped beyond hope that we'd see more Clint in this new movie, and WE DID! I love his family and I really love Laura. His kids are adorable, and the farmhouse gave an element of humanity to the Avengers that I didn't know I needed. ("I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense.")

• Sam mentions a "missing persons case." Aha, I see what you did there.

• THAT. ENDING. Okay, I'm a major Sam Wilson fan, so I squealed when he showed up at Stark Tower. I squealed when Rhodey showed up in the War Machine suit. But what absolutely broke my fangirl meter was THE. ENDING. I can't believe we get New Avengers, I can't believe Rhodey and Sam are finally a part of this, I can't believe two amazing females make up the team, and I can't believe Steve and Natasha are leading them. The fact that the movie ended in the middle of Steve's sentence is still making me fangirl a week later.

Negatives:

• Some of the characterization was wonky. Tony made a joke about prima noctra that pretty much undid the positive character development we've seen him go through in the past few movies. Natasha wasn't the sassy, deadly Nat I've come to know and love. I feel some of her scenes relegated her to a damsel in distress, and I am just not here for that. If she had had another plotline in addition to the romance, might have been okay. Except, this leads me to...

• Bruce/Nat. I have mixed feelings on this. I was with them in the opening scene. I could understand it. But as it went on, I didn't like it. It seemed to come out of nowhere and I just didn't feel it.

• The fact that Clintasha was planned, and yet the plot did everything they could to erase it. I love love love Clint's family, but I don't like the way Clintasha's entire plotline was scrapped.

• The pacing. The movie had so much in it. In some ways that was awesome. There's so much to talk about. But in some ways, we didn't get to focus on some of the things I wanted to. I would have loved to see Tony's reaction to the essential death of JARVIS, for example.

• IS BRUCE OKAY?!?

In conclusion, despite all its flaws, Avengers: Age of Ultron made me laugh and made me cry. There were aspects I didn't like, but as a whole, I honestly loved it. It was a fantastic superhero flick and it allowed me to see my babies one more time. Marvel, I can't wait to see what you do next. 

And what exactly is up next? Captain America: Civil War, aka Avengers 2.5. Prepare your emotions, fangirls, this will be one wild ride.

The Civil War cast line-up is almost as expansive as this.

Jenna Blake Morris

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about Ultron. On one hand, I’ve never seen a bad Marvel movie—and realistically, some parts of AoU really shone. My sister, who’s never been a fan of Marvel, watched this one and was finally converted.

But my favorite thing about Marvel movies has always been their ability to handle serious stuff without taking themselves too seriously. The Iron Man movies (especially the first two), Guardians, the first Avengers film—they all excel at this. And it probably isn’t fair to compare AoU to any of those; after all, it had a ton of characters to juggle, all sorts of continuity ties to create for future movies, and the whole “give us a fight scene every twenty minutes” requirement to deal with.

At the same time, though, AoU just didn’t feel like it had the same joy as its predecessor. Part of the magic ofThe Avengers was just watching the characters interact with and play off each other, and we didn’t get as much of that here. It wasn’t as much fun to watch.

Then again, we got enough Hawkeye to just about make up for the utter lack of him these past several years. And a little gem named Pietro Maximoff, plus the Scarlet Witch. I’m still not sure about the romance set up between Widow and the Hulk, but you know what? It doesn’t even matter. Clint and the twins stole this show, and I enjoyed the heck out of every scene they were in. (Except for, you know, a certain soul-wrenching one. But let’s not acknowledge that. Ever.)


So…basically? Ultron may not have had as much heart as I was hoping for, but Clint and Pietro more than make up for it. Plus, the eponymous villain was weirdly fascinating—he stole all the one-liners usually reserved for Tony—and he and the Vision made compelling foils for one another. Besides all that, it was wizard to see everything unfold in non-NYC cities across the world.

If only we’d gotten that Bucky cameo.

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Meghan G. and her brother see Avengers: Age of Ultron

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Mirriam Neal

On opening night, my family and I went to the midnight showing of Age of Ultron. I was expecting the usual cocktail of Marvel brilliance – amazing characters, witty banter, action-packed fight sequences, great special effects, and for my emotions to be genuinely slaughtered. What did I get? Amazing characters, witty banter, action-packed fight sequences, great special effects, and for my emotions to be genuinely slaughtered. But not just slaughtered in an ordinary way. No; there’s a difference between the regular ‘slaughtering’ and what Age of Ultron did to me. Why? I’ll get to that, but first I’m going to gush over everything I adored.

• The Maximoff Twins. The Maximoffs are special to me, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen
were absolute perfection as Pietro and Wanda. I loved everything about them – from their complimentary color schemes to their understated accents. As much as I liked Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past (meaning he was about the only thing I DID like) Aaron’s interpretation left Evan Peters’ in the dust.

• Vision. Vision is also very special to me – with the bonus that, eventually, he ends up married to Wanda. (I loved the way they hinted at that, too, giving them a certain connection throughout the film.) Paul Bettany is always perfect in whatever role he plays, and Vision was no exception.

• There was a vague reference alluding to Bucky.

• Clint has a family, and it’s adorable. I loved the element of humanity and stability this gave the movie, and the team. Clint deserved a bigger role than he got in the Avengers #1, and in this movie he’s what really held it together. He was the glue.

• Joss Whedon has a great strength, and it lies in character interaction. The way they relate to one another, their senses of humor, the character development – this is where his real power lies, and this movie was no exception. He’s great at the little things – Tony’s ‘Yay!’ at discovering a secret door, Thor’s reaction to Cap budging Mjolnir, that Natasha has been a part of Clint’s family, that you know Clint first spoke to Natasha the way he spoke to Wanda in Sokovia, the way twins interact one another.

• The cameo appearances by Maria Hill, Falcon, Heimdal, The Brave Tech Dude from the Winter Soldier, Thanos and Rhodey were much appreciated.

• Wakanda had a decent-sized part, which was a fun nod to the upcoming Black Panther movie (I can only assume. I mean, come on).

• James Freaking Spader, everybody. I knew he was an amazing actor, thanks to my braintwin getting me hooked on Blacklist (before that, I’d only seen him in Stargate when he was the adorable and harmless nerd with allergies) – but this was mindblowing. He really brought life to Ultron (do you see what I did there) and gave him such a strong personality that he stole every scene he was in. I’ve heard excellent voice acting in my time, but James Spader brought a new level to the genre. If there were awards for voice acting, he would deserve every single one of them – because it was the best I have ever heard in my life.

And now we come to the part that ripped my heart out and crushed it.

Pietro Maximoff was killed. At first I thought it was some kind of trick. He wasn’t really…dead, was he? He couldn’t be. Not even riddled with bullets. Surely this was a mistake. It was fake, right?

No. Pietro Maximoff died saving Hawkeye’s life. Joss Whedon killed Quicksilver. I hadn’t cried up until that point – (laughed? Yes. Cried? No) – but cue the waterworks. They killed my baby. They killed one of the precious Maximoff children. As I dried my hands (and eyes) in the bathroom after the movie, Mom said, “I know what happens. He’s another level seven thing and they’ll bring him back to life in Agents of SHIELD.” 

It must be. That’s the only way to rationalize the way Joss ripped my heart out. Pietro is saved by SHIELD. It is canon until proven otherwise, because there was nothing okay about that. He died so well. He should still be alive.

I was so upset that when we got home, I stayed up until almost three in the morning finishing the drawing I’d started of him before we left. Somebody had better fix this. Fix it. There’s a hole in the universe and someone needs to patch it up. I’m looking at you, Joss Whedon. You have broken my trust and my heart and you should probably do something to mend that.

End Note: In spite of the way Marvel faked us out by having no post-credits scene at the very-very end, I have a brief open letter to Marvel moviegoers. SIT YOUR REAR BACK DOWN IN THAT CHAIR BECAUSE IT’S NOT OVER YET. Sincerely, Me.

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What did you think of Avengers: Age of Ultron? Love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments below!

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