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Date: 3/13/2019
What I’m watching: the new superhero movie from Marvel and an intriguing series on Netflix.
In theaters: Captain Marvel
Much has been made that it has taken this long in the Marvel cinematic universe that a female superhero is the lead of a movie. Also much as been made in the hype leading to the opening of this film that finally, there is a superhero movie with a female lead.
“Wonder Woman,” anyone?
I’m sure there are plenty of people on the Internet who are comparing the two films and I’m doing my best to avoid them. Frankly the argument about Team Marvel or Team DC is pretty tiring to me.
The fact is “Wonder Woman” was a solid film, popular with audiences, with its biggest weakness being yet another villain presented in CGI.
puzzle piece in the Marvel universe. It really didn’t move me, though, like the two “Captain America” films, which had themes that transcended the conventions of the superhero films.
Full disclosure: Even though I’m a comic book fan, I had never been a “Captain Marvel” reader, so I approached the film with no particular fan boy prejudices or knowledge. For the uninitiated, there have been several characters published by Marvel with the name – stolen from the venerable superhero character from the 1940s and ’50s.
In this movie Brie Larson plays a member of the Kree, an alien race in galaxy far away from Earth who is in the midst of a long war with another alien race, the shape-shifting Skrull. She has memory flashbacks, which she doesn’t understand, that hint to a previous life on a planet other the one she is on.
In an effort to fight the Skrull she winds up on earth in 1995, where her appearance draws the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. and an agent named Nick Fury, played, of course, by Samuel L. Jackson.
The film then becomes a journey of discovery for her, as she discovers her memories are based on a life on earth.
Lawson carries the film admirably and her character is immediately likable. She’s an eager underdog who becomes a champion.
The rest of the cast – including Jude Law, Annette Benning and Clark Gregg – take their roles seriously and the result is a serviceable, but not necessarily a truly memorable film.
Yes, I know I’m going against the critical status quo again. The film has made a ton of dough in its opening weekend.
I will readily admit it was fun seeing Jackson portray a younger Nick Fury and I loved Goose the cat – if you see the film you’ll understand why. The relationship between Fury and Marvel is perhaps the best element of the film, providing humor and humanity.
Be aware there are two scenes in the credits for which you’ll want to stay.
On Netflix: Russian Doll
This new mini-series is a remarkably entertaining blend of “Ground Hog Day” and “The Twilight Zone.”
Staring Natasha Lyonne – who also helped create and write the show – the story revolves around Nadia, a woman celebrating her 36th birthday and is a computer programmer. She is also a pretty wild child – smoking, drinking and drugging through her life, which is also filled with casual sex.
The show opens with her leaving her birthday party only to get hit by a car and die. The next thing she knows she is back at the party, specifically in her host’s bathroom.
She starts the evening again, only to die once more, a situation which happens over and over. She realizes that something os wrong as she realizes she is some sort of time loop that ends with her death.
When she meets another person, a young man named Alan (Charlie Barnett) who is suffering the same kind of time loop, they try to help each other figure out why this is happening and if there is any way to stop it.
The show is well written and was worthy of binging as neither my wife not I could figure where the show is going.
With sharp performances of off-kilter characters set in New York City, “Russian Doll” is well worth your time.