The Avengers (2012)- Review

Release Date: May 04, 2012; Genre: Action/Adventure; With: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson; Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

Joss Whedon's action packed Marvel adventure The Avengers is a success in almost every way possible. With such a big cast and many important characters, juggling them all would be something hard to accomplish, making sure they all get their screen time and we get to see their point of view, but for Whedon, making such movies to their fullest potential seems to be in his nature.

The best part about The Avengers is that Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) are all apart of this one (very best) Marvel blockbuster. Each with their own unique introduction (and all giving exceptional performances), you get the chills every time one is introduced and they continue throughout the movie.

The Avengers initiative was something introduced to us in Iron Man 2 with our first look at Black Widow and Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it wasn't ever forced until needed. Now that Loki, the god of mischief (brother of Thor, god of thunder) made Nick Fury very desperate, he has no choice but to initiate The Avengers. What brings Loki back? He still doesn't sit well with his adoptive bother having all of his glory with being king of Asgard and plans to destroy the world by stealing the Tesseract (a cosmic cube that can open a portal to another planet) and  with his army of aliens.

The Avengers is taken at a steady pace, focusing on the heroes themselves and their relationships with each other developing (they don't like one another at first). While this goes on with the most necessary humor (I'm not being sarcastic) and some action between them we learn more about how Loki's plan is working with getting captured and unleashing his army and how The Avengers work together.

From beginning to end The Avengers is one of the most successful action packed comic book adaptations ever. You couldn't ask for more with everything it serves to fans of all ages. The visual effects are great as expected, and the action is the best I've seen. This was also the first time I could say that the Hulk was portrayed successfully in a way I'm sure almost everyone enjoyed. A-

Cabin in the Woods (2012)- Review

Release Date: Apr 13, 2012; Rated: R; Length: 95 Minutes; Genres: Horror, Thriller; With: Chris Hemworth, Richard Jenkins; Distributor: Lionsgate

Right off the bat you are introduced to a scene that makes you ask yourself if you're in the right theater. With what seems to be a joke at first, ends up being more than the horror movie they led you to believe it is and more than anyone would expect it to be with an inventive story that drives the entire movie. That's exactly what makes Cabin in the Woods a one-of-a-kind.

Five friends head off on a vacation to non other than a cabin in the woods. How did they discover this cabin? Its supposedly Curt's (Chris Hemsworth) cousin's who recently bought it. On their way they encounter an old strange man who somewhat warns them of what happens at the residence with his best attempt to be creepy. without suspecting anything, they head off to the cabin anyways and have a good time. After watching them have a good time the only way college students know how to have a good time, we are then introduced creatively to what sets this movie off into its horror, all hell breaks loose and we are able to put the pieces together as we watch the thrilling and funny horror movie we don't get too often.

Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon are geniuses. Cabin in the Woods (Goddard's directorial debut) is wildly original from beginning to end. What seems to be the typical horror movie you may have been expecting, takes everything to another level with nothing you have ever seen before and real humor, which is exactly what horror movies lack. I think we've seen enough of daring teenagers getting slaughtered for whatever reason. Cabin in the Woods is a fresh new look on what more can be done with movies. B