Biggs' Zone

A Gamer Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Category: Geek Canon Page 1 of 8

Movie Review: Thor Love and Thunder

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On September 27, 2022

In Marvel, Movies, Reviews

Thor: Love and Thunder

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale
Directed By: Taika Waititi

My Rating: ★★★★★

I finally saw the newest Thor movie (Thor Love and Thunder), but not in the theater, which I regret. Personally, I think Marvel movies are best when seen in the theater. Be that as it may, instead, we waited until it’s release on Disney+. I assume, by now, most people have seen this movie (if you’re an avid MCU fan). First a quick synopsis before I give my feedback.

Gorr (Bale) is besmirched by the gods. When he becomes in possession of the Necrosword he vows to seek revenge against all gods for their vanity and hubris. Thor comes out of retirement to battle Gorr with the help of King Valkyrie and Jane (who can now wield Mjolnir); in other words Thor teams up with Queen Padme Amidala to defeat Batman.

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Biggs On: Wandavision Part II

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On February 16, 2021

In Biggs On, Marvel

We’re now six episodes into this series; which means only three episodes remain. I began watching this series with mild interest and now I’m fully committed. I hadn’t intended on writing more about it, however the puzzle in this show is making the discussions fun so I don’t mind writing more on Wandavision. I do not like spoilers so I will provide sufficient warning or redaction when it’s needed.

The puzzle is becoming more interesting as well as a lot of the theories I’ve been reading. In fact there are so many theories and ideas I hardly know where to begin.

spoiler alert!!!

The following content contains spoilers for Wandavision.

Who Is Agnes?

I think, one of the biggest mysteries, is Kathryn Hahn‘s character. Who is Agnes? I noticed, in the first episode featuring Darcy, nobody mentions Agnes when they were assembling “the cast of character”. In fact her character is rarely, if ever, acknowledged by any member of S.W.O.R.D. Is Agnes only visible by Wanda and the other “cast members”? There are fan theories that believe she is Agatha Harkness. Agatha Harkness is a powerful witch from the Salem witch trials that mentors Wanda (aka Scarlet Witch) in real magic.

Perhaps Westview is Agatha’s “training ground” for Wanda. Listen for the pronouns. A lot of times the “cast members”, when not under the spell, refer to “her” but never Wanda by name. Could “her” actually be Agnes but S.W.O.R.D believes they mean Wanda? I realize that Wanda leaves Westview to confront S.W.O.R.D but what if that is Agnes using a veil to perpetuate the ruse?

What If It’s A.I.M?

I do like that theory but I have another one. What if it’s not just S.W.O.R.D that is watching Wanda? What if A.I.M is also watching? In fact, what if A.I.M. has people on the inside? By the way, Advanced Idea Mechanics is the evil counterpart to S.W.O.R.D. and is first mentioned in Iron Man 3. Perhaps Agnes is from AIM? In fact, what if Wanda’s “brother” is also an AIM operative? It would explain why he was “re-cast”.

Regardless, I do not think Wanda is turning into a villain. It seems that Kevin Feige is trying to lead the audience that way but I think its misdirection. I think she is dealing with her grief of not only having lost her brother but also the man she loved. I think there are nefarious forces taking advantage of her vulnerable state but to what end? Is A.I.M trying to turn her evil and weaponize her? Agatha Harkness isn’t a villain (at least not in the comics), so perhaps she’s trying to mentor Wanda amidst all of this but she doesn’t know who is trustworthy. Maybe she thinks S.W.O.R.D. is A.I.M. which is why she confronts them veiled as Wanda?

Allegedly the last three episodes are all an hour long and I think they are going to be intense. Are there any Wandavision theories you would like to share?

“When I was a kid, it was a huge insult to be a geek. Now it’s a point of pride in a weird way.” – J.J. Abrams

Biggs On: Wandavision (thus far)

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On January 19, 2021

In Geek Canon, Marvel

I’m going to take a right turn here and talk about something in the MCU. While I’m not as avid of a Marvel fan as I am a Star Wars fan, both are owned by the same parent company so their fates are partially intertwined. When Disney made the big announcement about all the new Star Wars projects, they also announced several new Marvel projects. Wandavision is the first and, apparently, the series that kicks of Phase Four of the MCU.

What Is Wandavision?

Honestly I cannot say what it is, yet. I believe the mystery is part of the premise of the show. We don’t know why Wanda (aka Scarlet Witch) and Vision are appearing in various eras of television. This takes place after the events of End Game so we know that Vision, in theory, is dead and the Mind Stone has been destroyed. Each episode ends with a cliffhanger that suggests someone is orchestrating and observing.

Since Vision is dead we have to assume Scarlet Witch is the target. Perhaps Vision has a piece of information and “they” want to know if he told Wanda. Therefore “they” are putting her through these scenarios to try to extrapolate that piece of information. The end of the second episode gives it a very “Truman Show” kind of vibe.

Classic Sitcom Nostalgia

After the first episode I felt very confused. In fact I had to go watch the trailers and even read a brief synopsis of the premise to begin to understand what is happening. After the second episode it has fully peaked my curiosity. I’ll admit that I’m not going to be flipping on the latest episode as quickly as I was watching The Mandalorian. I’m just intrigued enough, however, that I’ll be watching to see what happens next.

I’m also feeling a little nostalgic because the episodes are using familiar popular sitcoms that I grew up watching. Granted the shows were in syndication because most of them first aired long before I was born. For example (minor spoiler) the first episode takes place in the setting of the Dick Van Dyke Show. While this show was made in the 60’s (which is about 20 years before I was born) I still caught the re-runs growing up. Apparently this will happen often throughout the series, so that’s kind of neat.

My suggestion is that you should check it out. I suspect if you don’t follow along at the beginning you might miss subtle references in future movies. In my experience, those subtle references often create a more immersive viewing experience. For example, there is a character that appears in the second episode who will be in the second Captain Marvel movie. If you want to know who, select or click the following text: Monica Rambeau.

/cheers

“When I was a kid, it was a huge insult to be a geek. Now it’s a point of pride in a weird way.” – J.J. Abrams

Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984

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On January 4, 2021

In DC, Movies, Reviews

Wonder Woman 1984Wonder Woman 1984 IMDB Link

Directed By: Patty Jenkins
Starring: Gal Gadot, Kristin Wiig, Pedro Pascal

My Rating: ★★★★★

While this is my first movie review of 2021, I did not see this movie in 2021. In fact we watched this film on New Years Eve, so technically I saw this movie last year. However since it was a movie we watched in the evening, I did not have time to write up a review before 2020 ended. I think we were all ready for 2020 to be over.

The year is 1984 (obviously, by the title) and Diana is still going about her day covertly rescuing people and stopping crime. Although it’s been 40 years, she still laments the death of Steve Trevor and seems to accept the fact that she will always be alone. She befriends Barbara Minerva, a socially awkward archeologist and anthropologist who finds a particularly powerful artifact. An artifact that grants wishes, but at a terrible cost. Now she must stop The Cheetah and Max Lord from abusing the power of this “dream stone”. 

Biggs’ Review

I am really surprised to find so many low and harsh reviews of this movie. I’ll admit it isn’t as good as the first movie but I, honestly, didn’t think it was terrible. There isn’t as much action but Chris Pine provides sufficient comic relief. I really enjoyed Pedro Pascal’s (aka The Mandalorian) performance as Max Lord. Actually, if I’m being honest, Kristin Wiig is an excellent villain. I’m used to seeing her in more comedic roles (ex: Bridesmaids) so when she becomes full on Cheetah, she looks pretty damn badass.

My harshest criticism would probably be the end. The tactic Wonder Woman uses to “defeat” Max Lord is a little corny. Granted Wonder Woman’s whole philosophy is built on the power of truth (hence the “Lasso of Truth”) so it fits the character. Unfortunately human kind is not so willing to embrace truth so its difficult to believe that she can easily convince the world to “renounce their wishes”. I’m also not really sold on the way in which Max Lord “touches” millions of people via a satellite broadcast. I feel like that whole scenario wasn’t entirely thought out.

Initially I wanted to give this movie 3.5 stars but the addon only supports whole numbers. Since I would consider watching this movie again I decided to go ahead and bump it up to 4 stars. I think Patty Jenkins did the best she could with the script she was given. I’m excited to see what she does for the Rogue Squadron movie; hopefully she will have better screenplay writers.

What did you think of Wonder Woman 1984?

film_reel“The screen is a magic medium. It has such power that it can retain interest as it conveys emotions and moods that no other art form can hope to tackle.”
– Stanley Kubrick

 

Star Wars Month and the 501st

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On May 1, 2020

In Geek Canon, Star Wars

I’ve made the argument before that May should be Star Wars month. There are numerous days in May that have some kind of Star Wars relevance. Therefore most of the posts this month, if not all of them, will be Star Wars themed. There is one day this month that is a bit of an exception. May 25th is Geek Pride Day because its the anniversary of the first Star Wars movie and Towel Day.

Despite the negativity from the “so-called” fans about the sequel trilogy, I’m excited for Star Wars month. This year is particularly special because it is the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back (most common fan favorite). Today, as it turns out, is the first of the Star Wars themed days in May, the 501st day.

What Is The 501st?

Click to Enlarge ImageThe 501st Legion is a stormtrooper squad, often seen in The Clone Wars, but canonically known as “Vader’s Fist”. Outside the Star Wars Universe, the 501st is a real life organization. Fans all over the globe are apart of this group of people with a passion for Star Wars. Their mission is to help facilitate the love for the franchise through elaborate and, often times, extremely accurate and life-like costumes. In fact the stormtrooper costumes were so accurate several members of the 501st were brought in to be extras in the final two episodes of season one of The Mandalorian. The actors in the show were also impressed with the quality of craftsmanship.

I wish I had the fabrication talent these folks have for making Star Wars costumes.

In addition to all the other celebratory days, the 21st marks the 40th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back. As is my usual plan, I will be doing the first ever 11 movie re-watch during the month of May. I may also try to finish watching Rebels and Star Wars Resistance. If I finish all of that in a timely manner, I will be re-watching the first season of The Mandalorian.

It has been a challenging and tumultuous start to this year, so I’m looking forward to making this May fun and exciting. I’m going to try hard to show my Star Wars pride!

How will you spend your Star Wars month?

/MTFBWY

The Force. It calls to you. Just let it in.

 

I Still Respect the Trek

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On April 8, 2020

In Geek Canon, Geek Culture

April 5th is “First Contact Day”; for those of you unfamiliar with geek canon, First Contact Day is a Star Trek holiday. It’s the day Earth launches its first warp-capable rocket, in 2063. So the actual First Contact Day is still 43 years away. So now you’re probably wondering why I’m talking about Star Trek. I am an avid Star Wars fan after all. Despite my loyalty to “a galaxy far far away”, I still respect the Trek.

How Do I Respect the Trek?

I remember my dad introducing me to Star Wars but I can honestly say, I don’t know how or when I was introduced to Star Trek. If I had to wager a guess I probably stumbled upon an episode of The Original Series or The Next Generation while watching TV. It probably wasn’t until I met my good friend Nathan (around middle school) that I began to appreciate Star Trek more. He is the proverbial “Trekkie”. I hadn’t seen any of the movies in the theater until he and I met. After which I’m pretty sure I saw several movies starting with Star Trek Generations.

He and I were roommates in college where we often binged on Deep Space Nine. Ultimately DS9 became among my favorite of the Star Trek television series. The recent Picard series is now a close second. I own all the movies and I love the music, though I’m not as inclined to listen to it as often as I listen to a Star Wars soundtrack. I enjoy the action and adventure of Star Wars however its more about the science that I enjoy in Star Trek. Lightsabers are not scientifically possible however warp drive and even teleportation have more real life credence. I also happen to share a birthday with the late Leonard Nimoy (RIP).

While I will often wear a Jedi robe and wield a Force FX Lightsaber, just for fun, I still enjoy celebrating Star Trek. First Contact Day is one one example. I often try to squeeze in a few Trek movies, but I almost always watch First Contact (for obvious reasons).

#LLAP

“When I was a kid, it was a huge insult to be a geek. Now it’s a point of pride in a weird way.” – J.J. Abrams

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