Deadpool 2 is over-the-top with surprising depth

Movie Title:       Deadpool 2

Grade:   B+

Rating: R, 119 minutes

In a Nutshell:   Marvel is on a roll.  The X-Force team assembles under the guidance of the most disrespectful, irreverent superhero ever, Deadpool, played expertly by Ryan Reynolds.

As Ryan Reynolds says in the movie, “The Academy’s watching.”  The sequel is definitely bigger....is it better than the first?  Umm....probably not.  Did it make me laugh?  Definitely.  

                                    

Tips for parents: 

• Deadpool says in the beginning, “Believe it or not, Deadpool 2 is a family movie.”  Nope.  Not true.  This is a true rated R movie.  If you set filters on VidAngel to delete profanity, violence and gore, this would be a 20 minute movie. 
• Crude language and TONS of F-bombs.  I hate it when kids swear especially, which Julian Dennison does as Russell.
• Scoutmaster pervert joke.  Ouch.  I have 4 sons.
• Lots of severed limbs and brutal, gory deaths.
• Lesbians
• You see a bottomless little kid’s junk full Winnie the Pooh style and a man’s naked rear end.
• Super high body count, destruction, violence, crude gestures.
• Guns.
• Some fun music, but other songs with very crude lyrics.

Uplifting theme: 

• “We all need that sense of belonging.  We all need a genuine sense of home.” – Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds)
• “Kids – they give us a chance to be better than we are…better than we use to be.” – Vanessa (the beautiful Morena Baccarin)  
• Family
• Sacrifice for others
• “Pain teaches us who we are.” – Blind Al (Leslie Uggams)
• “No child is hopeless.” - Blind Al

Things I liked:

• The trailer was hilarious. I loved the crack about Superman’s mustache in the trailer, referring to when DC had to use CGI to remove Henry Cavill's mustache in the movie Justice League.   
• I got a kick out of the opening credits.  Most of the time, we just ignore them, but read them this time!
• This is the year of Josh Brolin as the evil villain.  He voices a fantastic Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War
• Great action sequences.  As Deadpool says, “Big CGI fight coming up.”  Yep, LOTS of them.
• Tons of fun jokes and visual gags, all lightning fast.  You’ll have to see the movie again in order to catch everything.
• We learn a lot more about Wade Wilson, making his character development more deep and grounded.
• You’re going to get a kick out of some new twists.
• Keep watching after the credits for a couple more fun scenes, but there’s nothing at the very, very end of the music.
• The Logan music box in the very beginning scene got the audience I sat with to immediately start laughing.  There is a running gag about Logan during the entire movie.  So funny.  For example, both films played the same music during the death scenes.  Ha ha
• Tony Robbins.  Love that guy.
• Wade and his girlfriend watch the movie Yentl  I always loved that movie and the music.  Deadpool points out that the song, “Papa, can you hear me?” is the same tune as Frozen’s “Do you want to build a snowman?” I never noticed that!
• X-Men – trainee!  Ha ha
• I like Dub Step too.  Ha ha
• Several Canadian jokes.  A lot of locations in Vancouver were actually used in the movie. 
• At the end of the movie, it says that 15,000 jobs were created to make the movie.  The stunt work was amazing.  Sadly a stunt woman, Joi Harris, died while filming one of the stunts on a motorcycle. Production stopped for two days.
• Tons of fun Easter eggs.  For example, Deadpool refers to Cable, played by Josh Brolin, as "One Eyed Willy", which was a character in the 1985 movie The Goonies which starred Josh Brolin.
• Tons of movie, song, and pop culture references.  One of the movie posters shows Deadpool in a Flashdance pose on a chair with bullets raining down on him.  He definitely takes a beating in this film.

                                                      

Things I didn’t like:

• This is the first Marvel film to NOT give Stan Lee a cameo performance!  Drats!  I always look forward to those little moments.  Instead, you can see him in a quick picture montage.  Definitely not as good.
• Sometimes trailers are deceiving.  In an earlier trailer for DEADPOOL 2, Deadpool says, "Pump the hate brakes, Thanos," referencing Josh Brolin's role as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but in the actual movie, he's talking to two lesbians and he says, "Pump the hate brakes, Fox and Friends."
• I don't read the comic books, but Domino's character and alliances are much different there than in this movie, as well as her color and eye circle.  It certainly didn't bother me, but some fans might be annoyed.  Zazie Beetz did a fantastic job.
• SPOILER:  Have you seen The Terminator?  Yeah, that's this plot.

Funny lines:

• “Forgive me for being late.  I was busy gathering all the gluten in the world so it can not NOT hurt us.” – Deadpool
• “That is why the man bun is just the Millennial mullet.” – Deadpool
• “So dark.  Are you sure you’re not from the DC Universe?” – Deadpool
• “Mission accomplished?” – Dopinder (Karan Soni)

“Well, in a George W. sort of way.” – Deadpool

• “Every family film starts with a vicious murder…Bambi. Lion King. Saw 7.” – Deadpool
• “It’s time to get back on LinkedIn.” – Weasel (T.J. Miller)
• Vanisher….ha ha  IMDB shows his face listed as Brad Pitt!  The studio actually wanted Brad Pitt to play Cable, but he had to decline that role due to scheduling conflicts.
• “Never underestimate a man with a mustache.” – Deadpool
• “I have no idea what’s happening.” –  Blind Al

“It’s probably best.” - Deadpool

Interesting lines:

• “Family was always an F word for me.” - Deadpool
• “You are not your father.” – Vanessa
• “I fight for what’s right.” – Deadpool

                                           

                                           @trinaboice

Avengers: Infinity War packs a punch in Marvel's longest movie to date

Movie Title:    Avengers: Infinity War

Grade:  A

Rating: PG-13, 156 minutes  (the longest Marvel film to date)

In a Nutshell:  Starring…well….EVERYONE!  All of your favorite Marvel superheroes get spotlighted, a difficult task that the Russo brothers capably tackled.

As the 19^th film released by Marvel Studios in the past 10 years or so, with more to hit the Big Screen next month and into the summer of 2018, clearly, Marvel is the big boy at the Box Office.

I've been looking forward to this movie for a long time and I don't want to include a bunch of spoilers here, so this review will be, surprisingly, quite short!  I want you to be able to experience all of the fun excitement and heartbreaking drama for yourself. 

The one word that truly describes this movie is EPIC.

                                            

Uplifting theme: 

·    Hope and desperation

• Sacrifice for others
• Revenge
• Love
• The price of war
• Friendship, forgiveness, mending old wounds
• Genocide

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity, but no F-bombs.
• LOTS of violence, sometimes with bloody, brutal deaths.  Super high dead body count.   
• LOTS of destruction and people in perilous situations.
• Some characters we have come to know and love actually die in this movie.  Your heart will break.  It’s a bit surprising and especially sad for people who really love these characters.
• Some creepy, scary monsters and characters.

                                                         

Things I liked:

• I loved it when the superheroes met each other for the very first time. The audience I watched the movie with especially howled with laughter when the Guardians of the Galaxy (my favorite Marvel characters) meet Thor.
• Josh Brolin as Thanos is awesome.  Thanos is a truly evil villain because of his motivation.
• The humor is perfect.  The characters play off each other really well with extremely entertaining banter.
• I’m not a fan of the “shaky cam” technique, so I was grateful that the Russo brothers were careful not to use it much.  There is, however, a LOT of action, so you'll want to sit towards the back of the theater in order to see it all without getting dizzy.
• Marvel’s storytelling has an unpredictability to it that makes it even more fun for viewers and fans. You just can't always predict what's going to happen.  
• Keep watching after the rolling credits for a final scene that hints at what’s to come.  The good news is that there is more to come! 
• I love it when Marvel gives Stan Lee a cameo spot.  It’s always so fun to see where they put him in the movies.
• Iron Man’s new nano-tech uniform was super cool.
• I adore Paul Betany and loved seeing him “not” red for a short time.
•  Fantastic fight and action sequences.
• Impressive CGI.  It's truly amazing what they can do in film nowadays.

Things I didn’t like:

• When you mix that many bigger-than-life characters, the film is bound to be crowded, busy, and uneven in tone.
• The ending is a bit vague and unfinished.  We don’t quite know what happened, but one thing is certain…there will be a grand finale!  It kind of feels like the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which was good, but somewhat unsatisfying because you knew you’d have to wait another year for the rest of the story.
• Quite a few Avenger-related characters were not present.
•  You really need to have seen all of the recent Marvel movies in order to understand the back stories of the characters and appreciate the many Easter eggs and jokes.

Funny lines:

• “Fun isn’t something one considers when balancing the universe, but this does put a smile on my face.” – Thanos (Josh Brolin
• “Hunk a Hulk of burning love is our favorite.” – Wong (Benedict Wong)
• He’s not a dude.  You’re a dude.  He’s a man.  A muscular man.” – Drax (Dave Bautista) talking about Thor.
• “It’s like a pirate had a baby with a angel.” – Drax talking about Thor
• Kevin Bacon joke.  Ha ha Love it.
• “I seriously don’t know how you fit your head into that helmet.” – Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to Ironman (Robert Downey Jr.)
• “You speak Groot?” – Rocket (Bradley Cooper)

“Yes, they taught it on Asgard.  It was an elective.” – Thor (Chris Hemsworth)

• “We do not want another single pop culture reference out of you during this trip.” – Ironman to Spiderman

Interesting lines:

• Why would I lie?” – The Collector (Benicio Del Toro)

“I imagine it’s like breathing for you.” – Thanos

• “Reality is often disappointing.” – Thanos
• “You’ve got some nerve.” – Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt)

“You could use some of that right now.” – Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson)

• “If life is left unchecked, life will cease to exist. It needs correction.” – Thanos
• “The hardest choices require the strongest will.” - Thanos

Movies you need to see to better understand this one:

      

                                                           

                                           @trinaboice

Thor hammers into our hearts with entertaining humor and action

Movie Title:
  Thor: Ragnarok

Grade:  A

Rating: PG-13, 130 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Count them…17!  Thor: Ragnarok is the 17^th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  New Zealand director Taika Waititi directs this super colorful, funny superhero movie presented by Walt Disney Pictures.  He also voices the lovable character Korg.

It’s fresh and fun family entertainment that makes us love Thor even more.

Uplifting theme: 

• Brother’s keeper
• Forgiveness
• People are more important than places.
• Teamwork, unity
• Love, service to others
• “A wise king must never seek out war, but must always be ready for it.” – Thor
• “I choose to run towards my problems and not away, because that’s what heroes do.” - Thor

Things I liked:

• Chris Hemsworth is awesome, but everyone else in the cast also steals the show.  It’s a collection of fantastic actors who each contribute unique, entertaining characters to the story.
• Tom Hiddleston is a better Loki we’re learning to love.
• I have adored the talented, beautiful Cate Blanchett for many years.  How is it that she never ages, but I do?  She makes a fantastic villain.
• Anthony Hopkins is always epic.
• Awwww, Benedict Cumberbatch.  Doctor Strange has an amusing visit with Thor.
• Mark Ruffalo spends more time being The Incredible Hulk, but Hulk is really endearing in this film.
• Jeff Goldblum is hilarious.  I love him in everything he does.
• Fun surprise cameo towards the very beginning of the movie.  No spoilers!
• It appears that Marvel has finally learned that audiences love fun, funny, irreverent, out-of-the box thinking superhero movies.  Ever since the first Guardians of the Galaxy (Plus Bonus Features)thrilled audiences, superhero movies have lightened up a lot more, don’t you think?
• Female fans get to see Chris Hemsworth with his shirt off.  Wow, those arms are the size of tree trunks!  For those who love his long, golden locks, you’re in for a surprise.
• I love that Marvel puts Stan Lee in every movie. I always look forward to seeing what funny line they give him.
• Stay until the end of the first set of credits to see more.  Then, stay until the very, very end of all the credits to see another funny scene with the Grandmaster.
• In an interview, Taika Waititi said that 80% of the movie was improvised.  What?  That’s crazy and amazing!
• Led Zepplin’s Immigrant Song really rocks the final battle scene.
• The Gladiator scene with Thor and Hulk in the arena was extremely entertaining.
• Some new creatures and characters fill the Marvel Universe with even more creativity and fantasy.
• Energizing soundtrack: Thor: Ragnarok 

Things I didn’t like:

·    Some fake video-game looking fight scenes.

• Some of the jokes don’t quite get the reaction I’m sure the director hoped they would.
• It helps to have seen Thor and  Thor: The Dark World and know the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  You'll enjoy the movie more.

Funny lines:

• “Yes!  We know each other!  He’s a friend from work.” – Thor talking about when he first sees Hulk in the arena
• "I have been falling for 30 minutes!" - Loki

Tips for parents: 

• Superhero violence and destruction.
• You see the naked backside of Hulk.
• Some profanity
• Young children may be frightened by a big, fiery monster

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice 

Spiderman Homecoming offers a fresh twist on a Marvel fan favorite

Movie Title:  Spider-Man: Homecoming

Grade: A-

Rating: PG-13,

In a Nutshell:  Another Spider-Man?  Really?  I rolled my eyes when I saw that yet one more Spider-Man origin movie was being made...6 movies in 15 years with 3 different lead actors.  BUT, this isn’t exactly an origin movie and it offers some fresh new takes on the story that you just might get a kick out of. 

Complete with a dental retainer, Spanish quiz, and best-friend secret handshake, Peter Parker is a goofy teenager who struggles with the “Training Wheel Protocol” as he learns how to become a true superhero and Avenger.  With plenty of action and humor, this is another effective arrow in Marvel’s growing cinematic quiver.

This new version of Spider-Man, directed by Jon Watts, really captures the innocence, naivete, and adolescence of everyday teenage life.  It offers an impressive balance between superhero and high schooler. One of the movie posters does a great job of illustrating that.

Uplifting theme:   

• “Times are changing.  It’s time we change too.” – Adrian Toomes  (This idea also explains the existence of this new Spider-man remake)
•  Take time to figure out who you are.
• Service, love, friendship, family.

Things I liked:

• Tom Holland has the 15 year old personality to offer a unique perspective on this young superhero, as well as the 6-pack abs to make you believe he can be a powerful Avenger.
• I love Michael Keaton in anything he does.  He had to get a kick out of playing this flying role as The Vulture, after winning awards for his quasi superhero character in Birdman.  They did a great job with creating a backstory and motivation for The Vulture.  He’s a scavenger, which is what vultures do.
• I loved all of the different features on Spiderman’s enhanced suit given to him by the tech genius Tony Stark.  “Enhanced Interrogation Protocol.”   Ha ha
• Spider drone.  I hate spiders, but that drone was pretty cool.
• Peter Parker says to his Spanish teacher, “Me gusta hacer la tarea.”  There aren’t any subtitles, so I thought you might like to know what he said.  “I like to do homework.”   Ha ha
• There’s a short clip from Marvel's Captain America: Civil War to remind you where we first saw this new Tom Holland version of Spider-man.
• The 3D really pays off during the Washington, DC scenes, as well as any time Peter Parker is scaling buildings.
• Is the US Academic Decathlon a real thing?  Yes, it is!  www.usad.org
• Check out the dramatic backsplash in Adrian Toomes’ kitchen.  It doesn’t have anything to do with the story; I just thought it was interesting.
• Cool cloaking feature on Tony Stark’s plane.
• I love that Marvel always includes a cameo performance by creator Stan Lee.  I get a kick out of seeing what oddball lines they choose to give him.  In this film, he says, “Don’t make me come down there, you punk!” ha ha   Speaking of Stan Lee, he has always said that people relate so much to Spiderman, because he’s just a normal kid with normal problems.  That’s exactly what makes this new version of Spiderman so likeable.
• Was the National Monument really built by slaves as Michelle suggests?  While there is no definite evidence that proves she's right, there are quite a few other national monuments and famous buildings in Washington, D.C. that were.  The guard at the monument gives a "so-so" hand gesture, which is actually a good answer to the question.
• Keep watching during the rolling credits for a little hint at the next film in the series.  Keep watching until the VERY end of all of the credits for a funny PSA announcement from Captain America.  I love that Marvel includes those funny clips at the end of their movies.  By the way, the entire movie is filled with funny PSA announcements by Captain America.  Love him.
• I love the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off  so I got a kick out of the scene when Peter Parker is running through a bunch of people’s yards and then you actually see that movie clip playing on someone’s TV inside their house. ha ha  I like that there are times when Spider-man doesn’t have any buildings to swing around on to travel.  What's a superhero to do?  Instead, he has to run!  Ha ha
• Tons of Easter Eggs for true comic book fans.
  
• Jacob Batalan makes for a great best friend and provides some great interaction and dialogue for Peter Parker.
• Cameo by Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts.

Things I didn’t like:

• The movie starts with a shaky cam technique which made me immediately worry that this was how the entire movie was going to be.  Thankfully, it only lasts a couple of minutes and exists to show you that Peter Park is just an awkward teenager who keeps a video diary and is eager to learn everything and prove himself.
• A lot of Spider-man’s powers come from Tony Stark’s high tech suit that was gifted to Peter Parker, and not his actual “spidey sense.”  Don't get me wrong, the new suit is awesome.
• What’s up with Aunt May’s high-waisted pants?  Is that back in fashion now?  Are they trying to make the hot actress, Marisa Tomei, look frumpy or something?
• There is a LOT of Audi product placement in this movie.

Funny lines:

• “Wow, their lair is in a gas station.  That’s so lame.” – Spider-man
• “Can’t bear to lose a student on a school field trip…not again.” – teacher
• “But we have a Spanish quiz.” – Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon)
• “Deactivating Instant Kill.” – “Suit Lady” (voiced by the lovely Jennifer Connelly)
• “That’s awesome!” –Peter Parker/Spider-man says this about a million times.  It’s endearing because it reminds you that he’s just a teenager and has that same awe of superheroes that we do.
• “I’m just going to be myself.” – Peter Parker

“Nobody wants that.” – Ned

“Can’t you just be a friendly, neighborhood Spiderman?” – Tony Stark/Iron Man  (the always entertaining Robert Downey Jr.)

Interesting lines:

• “I’m just trying to be like you.” – Spider-Man

“I want you to be better.” – Tony Stark/Iron Man

• “The only way to really be cool is to obey the rules.” – Captain America

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity.
• Lots of violence and destruction.
• Ned tells a teacher he’s looking at porn.  It’s supposed to be funny.  It’s not.  The writers couldn’t think of anything clever for him to say?
• The movie takes its time to develop characters, so little kids might actually get bored. 

@trinaboice 

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 entertains fans with more silly fun and incredible special effects

Movie Title:  Guardians Of The Galaxy 2

Grade:  A

Rating:   PG-13, 137 minutes

In a Nutshell: I loved the first Guardians Of The Galaxy and have been sooo excited to see this next one!

I wasn’t disappointed.  James Gunn's Volume 2 sequel is creative, fun, wacky, action-packed, and extremely entertaining.   

Because it's Volume 2, there are 2 times the action, 2 times the explosions, 2 times the gags and laughs.  One of the planets in the movie was created with a trillion polygons, the biggest special effect ever made to date.  Double wow.  It's also the first film to be shot in 8K (Red Weapon camera system).

As Groot says, “Welcome to the frickin Guardians Of The Galaxy!” (Although he didn’t use the word “frickin”.)

Uplifting theme: 

• “There are 2 kinds of beings in the universe: those who dance and those who do not.” – Drax (Dave Bautista)
• “I wanted more.  I desired meaning.” – Ego (Kurt Russell)
• You need to dance more.
• Family isn’t always just what you are born into.
• Friendship, sacrifice
• “Sometimes the thing that you’re searching for your whole life is right there by your side all along and you don’t even know it.” - Peter Quill/Star-lord (Chris Pratt) 

Things I liked:

• The opening credits alone were awesome and hilarious.  That’s what I’m talking about!  What a way to start the ride.
• Groot!  Oh my gosh, he’s soooooo awesome!
• Chris Pratt sure has come a long way since his flubby days on Parks and Recreation: The Complete Series.   Female fans even get to enjoy his new six-pack abs when he takes his shirt off. He lost 60 pounds for the original movie and has kept in shape ever since.  
• Kurt Russell!  Nice job on the scenes in the opening of the movie when he was younger.
• Harpulary Batteries.  Ha ha  We learn so much more about Rocket and his motivations in this one.
• Sylvester Stallone! 
• The music soundtrack Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is a lot of fun and plays an important role in the story, like in the first flick.
• As expected, a lot of slow motion shots.  Hilarious.  Epic.
• Talk about a sister feud.  Jeez.
• I love that Marvel always puts Stan Lee in their movies.  He actually shows up twice this time in Volume 2.
• Really great special effects.
• The talented cast includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker, and Kurt Russell.
• Taserface.  Ha ha
• There was actually a lot of character development and backstory information about our heroes and even some of the villains.  It really adds depth to the movie and care even more.  Chris Pratt's own father died and he said that making this movie helped him deal with that trauma better.
• In the last movie, Kevin Bacon got some funny shout-outs.  This time it's David Hasselhoff.  Ha ha
• Zune.  300 songs.  Ha ha
• Keep watching after the credits start to roll at the end and stay seated until the very, very end.  There are quite a few scenes to watch.

Things I didn’t like:

• A lot of inappropriate jokes.
• Some of the lines and scenes in the trailer are different from the actual movie.  That always bugs me.
•  To truly appreciate it, you need to have seen the first Guardians Of The Galaxy.
• The "gold" people look cool, but I didn't quite get into what they were all about.
• As much as I enjoyed it, it's still not as good or fresh as the original.  Sequels rarely are, right?

Interesting lines:

• “All you do is yell at each other.  You’re not friends.” – Nebula (Karen Gillan)

“You’re right.  We’re family.” – Drax

• “When you’re ugly and someone loves you, you know they love you for who you are.  Beautiful people never know who they can trust.” – Drax  (In the first movie, it took up to 4 hours to apply his make-up, but they got it down to only 90 minutes in the making of the sequel.)

Funny lines:

• “So, we’re really saving the galaxy again?” – Rocket (Bradley Cooper)

“I guess!” – Peter Quill/Star-Lord

“Awesome!  We’re really going to be able to jack up our prices for 2 times galaxy savers!” – Rocket

• “Yes, I prefer to make people the old-fashioned way.” – Peter Quill/Star-Lord
• “I’m sorry.  I’m using the wrong eye again.  That was supposed to be behind your back.” – Rocket after calling the high priestess a douche-bag and then winking.
• “Don’t call me a raccoon!” – Rocket

“I’m sorry.  I took it too far.  Trash Panda.” – Peter Quill/Star-Lord

• “Like they say, you’re out of luck until you go duck.” – Howard the Duck (He made a surprise and funny appearance at the very end of the first movie, voiced by Seth Green.) 
• “Ha ha.  You look like Mary Poppins.” – Peter Quill/Star-Lord

“Is he cool?” – Yondu (Michael Rooker

            (Standee advertisement at my local Regal theater)

Tips for parents:

• There is a lot of crude humor.
• Some profanity.
• Lots of violence.
• SPOILER ALERT:  You’ll laugh out loud and be able to relate to the teenage Groot at the very end.  Ha ha   Loved it.

Doctor Strange works magic at the box office

Movie Title:     Doctor Strange

  

Grade: A

Rating:  PG-13, 130 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Cheers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for introducing another interesting superhero to the Big Screen. I had never read the comic books, so I was curious to learn what Doctor Strange was all about.  I'm now a fan.

This fun origin movie plays with the space/time continuum and other dimensions that will blow your mind and entertain you long enough to help you forget this election season that has just as many punches and blows.

Uplifting theme: 

• Physical body vs. spirit.
• “Who are you in this vast multiverse?” – The Ancient One
• “It’s not about you.” – The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton)
• “Death is what gives life meaning, to know your days are numbered…your time is short.” – The Ancient One
• Giving up the things of this small-minded, self-centered world for a better one.

Things I liked:

• Benedict Cumberbatch.  Boom.  I love that his character is passionate about learning and improving himself. Cumberbatch offers the perfect mixture of arrogance, intelligence, physicality, and humor.
• I love that Stan Lee is in every Marvel movie.  If you blink, you’ll miss him in this one.  He’s sitting in a bus reading a comic book and says, “That is hilarious!”  ha ha
• If you really want to get the most out of this movie, you need to see it in 3D.
• Fun visual gags and a good amount of cheeky humor show that Marvel has learned to poke fun at itself.  
• Cool, glowing weapons made out of fiery energy fibers.  Awesome.
• Impressive slow-mo car accident.
• I broke my fingers and knuckles several years ago and could relate to Doctor Strange’s pains in his hands.  Sometimes I still feel it.
• They did a great job on scars and wounds on people’s bodies.  Everything looked realistic, not like movie make-up.
• I loved the Marvel label intro with all of the characters at the very beginning of the movie. This is already one of the Marvel movies I'm going to need to see again.
• As an author, I thought the bookshelf  where they stored the special books was really interesting.  
• “Feel so Good” by Chuck Mangioni in 1977.  I used to love that song.  There is other good music in the movie too.
• Interesting fight sequences like you’ve never seen before.  Think Avengers meets a Salvador Dali painting with elements of the movie "Inception" and "The Matrix." 
• Tilda Swinton looks amazing and is perfect as The Ancient One.  Using a woman to play this role, which is a departure from the source material, was controversial, but she is fantastic.
• The Cape of Levitation is its own character that seems self-aware.  Excellent.
• You HAVE to keep watching after the final credits roll.
• I love Rachel McAdams in everything she does.
• There are some extremely picturesque set pieces and real life locations.
• Fantastic movie poster and trailers.

Things I didn’t like:

• Sometimes the CGI looks like a video game.
• There is a lot of grumbling, so you can’t always understand what everyone says.
• I’ve never taken drugs, but this trippy film kind of makes me feel like I have. 
• I wish the training sequences had lasted longer.
• Most of the humor works, some not so much.

Funny lines:

• “People used to think I was funny.” – Doctor Strange

“Did they work for you?” – Wong

• “Have you seen that before in a gift shop?” –The Ancient One
• “Just how experimental is your treatment?” – Doctor Strange

“Quite.” – The Ancient One

• “Doctor.” – Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen)

“It’s Strange.” – Doctor Strange

“Maybe.  Who am I to judge?” – Kaecilius

• “What’s this?” – Doctor Strange

“The WiFi password.  We’re not savages.” – Baron Mordo

Interesting lines:

•  “You want to know what I see in your future?  Possibility.” – The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton)
• “Why are you doing this?” – Stephen Vincent Strange

“There are other ways to save lives... so much you don’t know.” – The Ancient One

“Teach me!” – Stephen

• “Stephen Strange.  Might I offer you some advice?  Forget everything that you think you know.” – Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor)
• “You’re a man looking at the world through a keyhole.  You’ve spent your life trying to widen it.  Your work saved the lives of thousands.  What if I told you that reality is one of many?” – The Ancient One
• “This doesn’t make sense.” – Doctor Strange

“Not everything does.  Not everything has to.” The Ancient One

• “There’s a strength to him, but is he ready?” – Baron Mordo
• “We never defeat our demons, Mordo.  We only learn to live above them.” – The Ancient One
• “What is real?  What lies beneath your senses?” – The Ancient One
• “Some things just can’t be fixed.” – The Ancient One
• “The cost there is high.” – Kaecilius

“How much?” – Doctor Strange

“I’m not talking about money.” – Kaecilius

• “Time is what enslaves us.” – Kaecilius

Tips for parents: 

• Violence, fighting, some scary images.
• Ask your kids if they can explain the significance and symbolism of Doctor Strange's wristwatch.
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For the fans: