Ranking the Franchise - Thor

I just rewatched all the “Thor” movies. And although it’s not one of the most consistent Marvel franchises, it is spectacular and memorable. This franchise is not finished yet, so I will probably ‘rerank’ this series when “Thor: Love and Thunder” is released. But for now, here is my ranking of the three “Thor” movies we already have.

3. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
There is enough to enjoy in this sequel, but in general it’s a bit bland. And the villain, Malekith, isn’t very interesting and we don’t really get to know much about him. Chris Hemsworth does feel more comfortable in his role and the final confrontation is pretty cool.

2. Thor (2011)
A film like this makes or breaks with its leading man. And with Chris Hemsworth they got the perfect guy. Not only is her one of the most beautiful people Hollywood has to offer, but he’s also charismatic and can easily carry a film this big. “Thor” is a great first film in a series.

1. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
When a sequel disappoints, it’s a very bold step to add another sequel and totally spin it around. That’s what director Taika Waititi did for “Thor: Ragnarok”. And I think all the Gods for bringing him in, because he dared to takes risks, add humor and self-mockery and make it a more colorful world. “Thor: Ragnarok” isn’t only the best movie centering its hero, but it’s also one of the best MCU movies to date. And are we lucky to have Waititi back for “Thor: Love and Thunder”.

Movies I Watched for My Challenge (April 2014)

This month had one movie that really stood out, one surprisingly good film and the others where average or above average. But I had to make a top 5 and I managed. Here are my favorites for this month.

5. Dolphin Tale
Okay, it's not a good movie, but I liked that this movie has heart. It targets a certain audience and it manages to do that well. I highly enojyed it and I can't wait to see its sequel.

4. Thor: The Dark World
Not as good as the first, but still a joy to watch. It was very well done, I especially liked the connection between Thor and his brother Loki.

3. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
This movie was made with a lot of love and showed us the very interesting story of the life of Nelson Mandela, one of my personal heroes.

2. Warm Bodies
As Graham Norton once said on his show, this is a zomromcom. Translation: it's a zombie romantic comedy! This was a very entertaining movie, I didn't expect that at all. It was really funny and it's hard to find a movie to compare this too.

1. About Time
I loved every minute of this film. It's not another time travel movie, it's so much more then that. This movie is very Original, fresh and filled with actors who make their characters super likeable.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Springbreakers

DVD Collection Update (14)

A very big DVD update this time! Eight new ones in my collection. So lets get started!

I also own the first film, which I prefer a bit over this one, but "Thor: The Dark World" is also a great movie experience. And off course Chris Hemsworth.... just perfect.

I waited a long time to get this, but I finally bought it. Season 3 of "The Walking Dead". It's one of my favorite shows of the moment and it's just awesome. In this season they find the prison.

I got this on the day it was released. "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is just a must have. Like the first DVD, it's a special edition with a lot of extras and five cool postcards. I think this movie is better then the first, and I already loved that one!

Okay, I can already see you roling your eyes. "Jaws" is awesome, directed by Steven Spielberg and the best shark movie ever made. Any other shark movie is just crap. Just watch this video from Cinemassacre.com: Top 40 Shitty Shark Movies. That's true, but I just felt like watching "Jaws 2" so I thought I would look nice on my shelve next to "Jaws". I know it's not that great, but it's still entertaining.

Back to more serious stuff. Nelson Mandela is a man I have idolized for as long as I know him. I just had to see this. It wasn't perfect, but it shows how great of a man he was, so "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" is worth your time.

There are many films about time travelling, but this is just such a heart-warming tale. "About Time" was just great, I immediately wanted to rewatch it. I just love this movie, to me it was perfect. The subtle humor and the great acting by Rachel McAdams, Domhnall Gleeson and especially Bill Nighy.

I just realized I bought a lot of sequels. "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" is another sequel. Again this was better then the first. I especially loved the moment where Bilbo first meets Smaug, who was perfectly voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. I like Hobbits, there are adorable! Martin Freeman is adorable!

Finding "Pulp Fiction" for only 3 euro's was just damn luck. I always wanted this in my collection and I just bumped into it. I didn't even plan to buy a DVD that day. I don't have many lucky moments, but I treasure it when I do! For a movie nerd like me, this is a happy moment!

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 48: Thor: The Dark World

Director: Alan Taylor
Genre: Action/ Fantasy/ Adventure
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Renee Russo, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård

Description: When Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is possessed by a great power, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must protect her from a new threat of old times: the Dark Elves.

Review: A year after the happenings in “The Avengers”, Thor has to face a new enemy: Malekith. He’s the leader of the Dark Elves and out for revenge.
“Thor” was in 2011 a pleasant surprise and the superhero got even more popular after “The Avengers”. Alan Taylor took over the role as director from Kenneth Branagh. Taylor keeps the balance between action, drama and humor, but you also feel it all could have been a bit better.
The main antagonist, Malekith, doesn’t really shine and you hardly learn anything about the Dark Elves. Only the confrontation between him and Thor is a spectacle to look forward too.
Chris Hemsworth is starting to feel more comfortable as Thor. He really manages to shine and he’s a joy to watch in every sense of the word. His chemistry with Natalie Portman is still there, I like them together. And Tom Hiddleston, as Loki, does a solid job as well.
“Thor: The Dark World” is, like part one, a good Marvel film. Very entertaining and enough to keep me quiet for two hours.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (83)

here are this weeks trailers.

Thor: The Dark World
Description: Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fights to restore order across the cosmos...but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
Director: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano, Jaimie Alexander, Rene Russo, Anthony Hopkins
Trailer: Trailer "Thor: The Dark World"
Comment: The first movie was surprisingly good, so looking forward to see Chris Hemsworth as Thor again.

Mr. Pip
Description: In 1991, a war over a copper mining in the South Pacific tore the island of Bougainville apart. In 14 year-old Matilda's tiny village, the reclusive Popeye (Hugh Laurie) offers the children escape into Dickens' "Great Expectations." But on an island at war, fiction can have dangerous consequences.
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Hugh Laurie, Xzannjah, Healesville Joel, Eka Darville
Trailer: Trailer "Mr. Pip"
Comment: I heard about the book from a friend, who recommended it and a couple of days after I saw this trailer. I picked up the book the minute I saw the trailer.

Prince Avalanche
Description: An odd couple of sorts, meditative and stern Alvin and his girlfriend�s brother, Lance, dopey and insecure, leave the city behind to spend the summer in solitude repainting traffic lines down the center of a country highway ravaged by wildfire. As they sink into their job in the remarkable landscape, they learn more than they want to about each other and their own limitations. An unlikely friendship develops through humor and nasty exchanges, leading to surprising affection. Adapted from Icelandic film "Either Way," "Prince Avalanche" is driven by wonderful performances by Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch, and Lance LeGault. Writer/director David Gordon Green gets back to his independent roots with this character study, which shows his knack for realistically capturing people and finding meaning in their lives and dreams. With a soundtrack by Explosions in the Sky and David Wingo and gorgeous cinematography by Tim Orr, "Prince Avalanche" bucks convention by exploring male bonding in a refreshingly genuine way.
Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch, Lance LeGault, Joyce Payne, Gina Grande, Lynn Shelton
Trailer: Trailer "Prince Avalanche"

The Purge
Description: If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? We follow one family over the course of a single night, four people will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home.
Director: James DeMonaco
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Adelaide Kane, Max Burkholder
Trailer: Trailer "The Purge"
Comment: Strange concept, but the trailer looks good.

See Girl Run
Description: When Emmie (Robin Tunney) starts to think that her current relationship isn't enough, she can�t stop wondering about her high school sweetheart, Jason (Adam Scott), who stills lives in their coastal hometown of Maine. On a whim, she throws caution to the wind and goes home to discover if he could be what she needs to reignite her life.
Director: Nate Meyer
Starring: Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Larry Pine, Josh Hamilton
Trailer: Trailer "See Girl Run"
Comment: I love movies like this