What I Watched in May

Just one trip to the theater last month but it was to see the biggest hit of Summer 2012 so far. THE AVENGERS is a damned good film and easily one of the best comic book movies of the latest crop of slick, fan boy satisfying, big budget, pleasure center stroking geek-fests. This is the big cinematic Super Hero film that every fantasizing little boy has dreamed of for decades and its served up with everything in its proper place.  It even has plenty of small in-jokes for the knowledgeable fanboys to smile and titter over as they revel in the joy of being 'in the know' when the 'Johnny Come Latelys' ask silly mundane questions about the details of the story, dialog and just who the Hell that was onscreen right before the end credits rolled. In other words, I loved every testosterone filled, smart-assed minute of this thing!

That's not to say its a perfect movie. It starts off a bit too slow, feeling more like a SHIELD film than the great team action extravaganza we came to see. I did feel that after four or five lead-in movies it was long past time to get the group in place, get the bad guys in motion and start the bass-assery ASAP but once the story began to take shape all was forgiven. Actually, the scene in which The Black Widow took out a room full of mafia goons with her hands literally tied behind her back was the moment I lost most of my doubts about the film. From there on it felt a lot like watching a classic Avengers multi-issue storyline being put onscreen. I would have loved to see more characters (Giant Man, The Wasp, Black Panther, etc.) but the group assembled here is quite satisfying. Now I want my Hawkeye and Black Widow film!

Oh! And the less said about the long awaited THE WICKER TREE the better. 'Bad' barely covers it. 

GUNN (1967)- 6

THE WICKER TREE (2011)- 3

THE FIFTH CORD (1971)- 8 (well shot, well crafted mystery with Franco Nero)

SISTERS (1971) - 7 (rewatch)

SUCKER PUNCH (extended cut) - 8 (same rating)

THE AVENGERS (2012)- 9

THE DEVIL WITHIN HER (1975)- 6 (possessed baby vs. Joan Collins)

LOCKOUT (2012)- 5 (not terrible but dumb as a bag of hammers)

THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE (2009)- 9 (fantastic romantic tale)

THE GIRL IN ROOM 2A (1974)- 6 (interesting horror mystery)

DOOMSDAY (2008) - 7 (rewatch) (completely derivative, trashy fun)

LICANTROPO (1996)- 5 (last Daninsky film is not a complete disaster)

HUNTER PREY (2010)- 7 (solid, low budget science fiction film)

HAVANA WIDOWS (1933)- 7 (fast, funny Pre-Code comedy)

THE LONE WOLF TAKES A CHANCE (1941)- 6 (good programmer thriller)