Thunderbolts* (2025)

I had to once again force myself to be optimistic when I prepared to watch the latest entry in the ever-expanding MCU. It wasn't too difficult though. The trailer looked decent, I liked the cast, and this felt like something a bit more fun, in the right ways, when compared to the few other Marvel movies that we've had over the past few years. I hoped to be distracted and entertained. I didn't expect to find myself enjoying something that so deftly blended fun, action, and some interesting exploration of depression and/or addiction.

Here's the very basic summary. Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), and Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) end up teaming up on a mission that has them encountering the mighty . . . Bob (Lewis Pullman). Bob is someone of great interest to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss), the director of the CIA who wants to gain more power, maintain control, and avoid an ongoing pesky potential impeachment.

Perhaps this is the result of assembling an equally eclectic team behind the camera, but Thunderbolts* feels like the proper breath of fresh air that the MCU was so desperately in need of. Despite most of these main characters being featured in previous movies or shows, throwing them together, and developing the narrative and team dynamic in a way that feels natural and well-handled, leads to a great result. Writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo use the main characters well, and without really changing them too much to fit into their new roles (reluctant heroes), while Jake Schreier shows a real knack for delivering hugely satisfying moments of cinematic joy in the midst of something that still feels more personal and smaller in scale than many of the features that preceded it.

Pugh is the nominal lead, and this is made clear in a witty and impressive opening sequence, but most of the other cast members get a chance to shine (perhaps John-Kamen being the exception there, due to being the only one who has the super-power of phasing through objects, making her inherently less present than the others). Everyone certainly does enough to warrant their inclusion though, and it's great to watch them be misfits who also happen to have some well-honed skills. Stan gets to look tough, and has the coolest moment in the entire movie, Russell continues to be a great fit for a slightly more complex character than expected, and Harbour delivers a lot of the laughs. Pullman is a wonderful addition, especially in the moments that show him stuck within his own darkness and bad memories, and both Louis-Dreyfuss and Geraldine Viswanathan (playing her assistant) bring their usual level of excellence.

This is what we've been missing from Marvel for a little while now. It's blockbuster entertainment with a mix of characters that you care about, enough spectacle to make it feel well worth seeing on the big screen, and an exploration of themes that feel like more than just set-up and pay-off for the rest of the movies. I'm sure I missed some references and Easter eggs here, but I was consistently entertained, as well as being very impressed by the way the screenplay gave us quite a literal look at the mindset of someone who has spent a long time burying their soul within an deepening and darkening abyss of self-loathing and self-harm. 

Maybe I'm being too kind to something that just feels even better in comparison to a whole lot of inferior features, but there's a chance that Thunderbolts* is just actually that good. I'll lean towards the latter idea, of course, but am happy if people consider the former option. This doesn't feel cheap, it doesn't feel like a temporary place-holder, and it doesn't feel anywhere close to what would be considered lower-tier MCU fare.

8/10

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Robot & Frank (2012)

An affecting drama with just a dash of sci-fi in the mix, Robot & Frank is a great little film that manages to impress viewers without the need for any unnecessary frills. Of course, Frank Langella being fantastic in the main role is a huge plus.

Langella plays Frank, a man who used to be a jewel thief but who now has to get used to the quiet life. Well, that's what his son (James Marsden) and daughter (Liv Tyler) are hoping for. His son even gives him a gift, a robot butler, to both help him around the house and keep him company. But it's not long until Frank realises that the robot may be able to give him a second shot at his favourite, though illegal, career.

Written by Christopher D. Ford, this is a beautiful little film, one that mixes in a few great characters with a small amount of humour and a story arc that viewers will genuinely care about as things play out. It's a seemingly simple drama that's freshened up slightly thanks to the small sci-fi touches throughout, and also thanks to the great cast. As well as Langella, Marsden and Tyler (who isn't onscreen for very long at all), there are also decent turns from Susan Sarandon (a real highlight in her relatively small role), Peter Sarsgaard and Jeremy Sisto, among others.

Director Jake Schreier does well by the material, never overdoing the emotional button-pushing until a final 10-15 minutes that really earns the right to tug at the heartstrings of anyone watching. There are one or two surprises, but none of them will leave viewers feeling cheated.

It's a shame that, perhaps, some people may avoid this because the word "robot" is in the title, while others may seek it out expecting something more sleek and shiny. It's a drama, first and foremost, about aspects of the human condition (growing old, becoming vulnerable, etc.), but it also uses the near-future world that it presents to highlight just how so much can stay the same while so much else changes.

Almost a dictionary definition of the word "unassuming", Robot & Frank might just end up impressing you as much as it impressed me. It's sweet without being sickly, moving without being TOO heavy-handed, and simply entertaining from beginning to end.

8/10

http://www.amazon.com/Robot-Frank-Langella/dp/B00AENNHOE/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1398298580&sr=1-2&keywords=robot+and+frank