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Everything Coming to iTunes & the Apple TV App in May 2019[teaser]Check out all the new digital titles coming to the iTunes library and Apple TV App in May.[/teaser] Apple has revealed its May lineup of iTunes movies and TV shows. The collection includes films like Apollo 11, The Upside, Everybody Knows, Climax, Slaughterhouse Rulez, The Kid, Five Feet Apart, and more. And beyond iTunes, Apple has also compiled a list of May streaming titles set to be available via the Apple TV App on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices. The Apple TV App allows users to browse through content from over 60 video services without switching from one app to the next, including titles from Amazon Prime Video, HBO Now, Showtime, CBS All Access, Hulu, and many other pay-TV subscriptions. Here's a full rundown of May iTunes and Apple TV app titles per Apple: iTunes Movies 5/7 Everybody Knows 5/7 Peel 5/7 Birds of Passage 5/7 Bundy and the Green River Killer 5/7 Climax 5/7 Everything That Glitters 5/7 High Moon 5/7 Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection 5/10 The Professor and the Madman day+date 5/14 Apollo 11 5/14 Never Look Away 5/14 Slaughterhouse Rulez 5/14 Greta 5/14 Unbanned 5/14 Upside 5/14 WWE: Wrestlemania 35 5/14 Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 5/17 The Professor day+date 5/17 Aniara day+date 5/17 Charlie Says day+date 5/17 My Days of Mercy day+date 5/17 All Creatures Here Below day+date 5/17 We Have Always Lived in the Castle day+date 5/17 A Violent Separation day+date 5/21 Tyler Perry’s Madea Family Funeral 5/21 The Kid 5/21 Ruben Brandt, Collector 5/21 Beserk 5/21 Gloria Bell 5/21 Avengement 5/21 Run the Race 5/24 Five Feet Apart 5/24 The Poison Rose day+date 5/24 Funny Story day+date 5/24 Isabelle day+date 5/28 Shed of the Dead 5/28 The Waldheim Waltz 5/28 Santana Live at the US Festival 5/28 The Mustang 5/31 Domino day+date Apple TV App 5/1 Ladies Night - Season 1 (BET) 5/3 iZombie - Season 5 (CW) 5/3 At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal - Documentary (HBO) 5/3 Suspiria - Movie (Prime Video) 5/4 The Predator - Movie (HBO) 5/4 Kentucky Derby (NBC) 5/5 The Spanish Princess - Season 3 (Starz) 5/6 Chernobyl - Miniseries (HBO) 5/6 The Real Housewives of Potomac - Season 4 (Bravo) 5/8 Texicanas - Season 1 (Bravo) 5/9 State of the Union - Season 1 (Sundance) 5/9 The Employables - Season 1 (A&E) 5/10 Paradise Hotel - Season 1 (Fox) 5/10 Klepper - Season 1 (Comedy Central) 5/10 Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men - Miniseries (Showtime) 5/10 Sneaky Pete - Season 3 (Prime Video) 5/11 Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Season 6 (ABC) 5/11 What Would You Do? - Season 14 (ABC) 5/12 Veep - Series Finale (HBO) 5/14 The Bachelorette - Season 15 (ABC) 5/15 Good Bones - Season 4 (HGTV) 5/16 Wahlburgers - Season 10 (A&E) 5/16 Southern Charm - Season 6 (Bravo) 5/16 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black (TNT/CBS All Access) 5/17 Catch 22 - Miniseries (Hulu) 5/17 Fleabag - Season 2 (Hulu) 5/17 Big Bang Series Finale (CBS) 5/19 Game of Thrones - Series Finale (HBO) 5/20 Liberty’s People - Movie (HBO) 5/21 Beat Shazam - Season 3 (Fox) 5/21 Blood and Treasure - Season 1 (CBS) 5/23 Vida - Season 2 (Starz) 5/23 Name of The Rose (Sundance) 5/24 Elementary - Season 7 (CBS) 5/26 Game of Thrones: The Last Watch (HBO) 5/29 America’s Got Talent - Season 14 (NBC) 5/29 Songland - Season 1 (NBC) 5/29 Animal Kingdom - Season 4 (TNT) 5/29 The Radkes - Season 1 (USA) 5/29 Chrisley Knows Best - Season 7 (USA) 5/30 Archer: 1999 - Season 10 (FX) 5/30 American Ninja Warrior - Season 11 (NBC) 5/30 Property Brothers: Forever Home (HGTV) 5/30 MasterChef - Season 10 (Fox) 5/30 The InBetween - Season 1 (NBC) 5/31 Deadwood - Movie (HBO) 5/31 Good Omens - Season 1 (Prime Video) Source: iTunesPosted Wed May 1, 2019 at 08:05 PM PDT by: -
Netflix Launches High-Quality Audio Support with Increased Bitrates[teaser]The streaming service now supports higher bitrate audio playback.[/teaser] Netflix has announced the launch of High-Quality Audio support, offering sound performance that comes a bit closer to matching the studio master. The feature is now available for 5.1 and Dolby Atmos titles. The impetus for the audio quality upgrade came during the mixing process of Stranger Things: Season Two. When reviewing the streaming tracks for the opening car chase scene of episode one, The Duffer Brothers noticed that the audio quality wasn't as crisp as it was on the mixing stage. Hoping to provide a better experience closer to the studio master, Scott Kramer, Netflix's Production Sound Technology Manager, and Sean Sharma, Netflix's Engineering Director, developed a method to provide higher bitrate audio playback for the show. And now that feature is being employed across even more content. Netflix's High-Quality Audio feature is available for 5.1 and Dolby Atmos tracks, offering adaptive support for higher bitrates. This means, that even if a user has bandwidth or device limitations, the sound quality will be able to scale to offer the best streaming audio performance that a customer's setup is capable of. Similar adaptive quality streaming is also used for the platform's video playback. With all that said, even with the new increased quality, Netflix's streaming bitrates still can't match the quality of lossless audio mixes found on discs with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio. Here's a full rundown of the new audio bitrate ranges now available per Netflix: 5.1: From 192 kbps (good) up to 640 kbps (great/perceptually transparent) Dolby Atmos: From 448 kbps up to 768 kbps (Dolby Atmos is available for members subscribed to the Premium plan) In addition, the company plans to offer even higher bitrates in the future as encoding tech improves. A current Netflix subscription starts at $13 per month for HD streaming and $16 per month for Ultra HD streaming. Source: NetflixPosted Wed May 1, 2019 at 01:23 PM PDT by: -
Jordan Peele's US 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The horror flick is now up for pre-order on both formats at Amazon and arrives on home video in June. [/teaser] As previously reported, Universal is working on Us for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray later this year, and now the official release date is June 18. A 4K SteelBook will be exclusively available at Best Buy. Academy Award-winning visionary Jordan Peele returns with another original nightmare, pitting an endearing American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: doppelgängers of themselves. Adelaide Wilson (Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o) returns to her beachside childhood home with her husband (Winston Duke, Black Panther) and their two children for an idyllic summer getaway. After spending a tense beach day with their friends, and haunted by an unexplainable and unresolved trauma from her past, compounded by a string of eerie coincidences, Adelaide feels her paranoia elevate to high-alert as she grows increasingly certain that something bad is going to befall her family. Both releases will feature a Dolby Atmos soundtrack with Dolby Vision/HDR10 on the 4K UHD and supplements will include: Scene Explorations – The making of three iconic scenes from the film including the Tyler house massacre, Jason's abduction and Adelaide's underground flashback. The Duality of US – Jordan Peele goes in-depth on some of the key themes and imagery in US– including Doppelgängers, Hands Across America, The Nutcracker dance scene, rabbits and the infamous 11:11 coincidence. The Monsters Within US – Examine how the great cast were able to find their characters, whether they were playing one of the Wilsons or their sinister doppelgängers. Tethered Together: Making US Twice – Making of a movie is hard. Making a movie where all the main cast play dual roles can be downright mind-bending. In this piece, filmmakers, cast, and crew discuss some of the technical challenges to making the film, as well as some of the design choices for the characters. Redefining a Genre: Jordan Peele's Brand of Horror – In the space of two films, Jordan Peele has set himself apart as an invaluable artistic voice. Hear cast and filmmakers highlight what makes him so unique, as well as Jordan's own thoughts on his inspirations and the relationship between horror and comedy. Becoming Red – Using behind-the-scenes footage from between takes, we take a closer look at Lupita Nyong'o's intense and mesmerizing performance as "Red." Deleted Scenes We're All Dying – Hilarious outtakes from the conversation between Winston Duke and Tim Heidecker on the beach. As Above, So Below: Grand Pas de Deux – An extended version of the dance sequence from the film, cutting between adolescent Adelaide at her recital to Red in the Underpass. You can find the latest specs for Us linked from our 4K and Blu-ray Release Schedules, where it is indexed under June 18. Order the 4K Blu-ray Order the Blu-rayPosted Wed May 1, 2019 at 08:26 AM PDT by: -
APOCALYPSE NOW: 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Incoming for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]Francis Ford Coppola's classic 1979 war film is getting a 4K Dolby Vision/HDR10 upgrade in August. [/teaser] Lionsgate is preparing Apocalypse Now: 40th Anniversary Edition for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on August 27. Restored from the original negative for the first time ever, Apocalypse Now Final Cut is Coppola's most realized version of the film, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, won three Golden Globes (Best Original Score, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, 1980), and is one of AFI's top 100 films. Starring Academy Award winner Marlon Brando (1972, Best Actor, The Godfather), Academy Award winner Robert Duvall (1983, Best Actor, Tender Mercies), Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen (2001, Best Actor – TV Series, "The West Wing"), Academy Award nominee Dennis Hopper (1986, Best Supporting Actor, Hoosiers), Academy Award® nominee Laurence Fishburne (1993, Best Actor, What's Love Got to Do with It), and Academy Award nominee Harrison Ford (1985, Best Actor, Witness), experience Coppola's spectacular cinematic masterpiece the way it was intended. Francis Ford Coppola's stunning vision of "The Heart of Darkness" in all of us remains a classic and compelling Vietnam War epic. Martin Sheen stars as Army Captain Willard, a troubled man sent on a dangerous and mesmerizing odyssey into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade American colonel named Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has succumbed to the horrors of war and barricaded himself in a remote outpost. The release will feature a NEW 4K RESTORATION of the film from the original camera negative, DOLBY VISION HDR presentation of the film, DOLBY ATMOS TRACK/Sensual Sound enhanced, plus three versions of the film: The Final Cut (183 Minutes), Redux Extended Cut (202 Minutes), and Theatrical Version (153 Minutes). Supplements include: DISC ONE Audio Commentary by Director Francis Ford CoppolaDISC TWO An Interview with John Milius A Conversation with Martin Sheen and Francis Ford Coppola "Fred Roos: Casting Apocalypse" Featurette The Mercury Theatre on the Air: Heart of Darkness – November 6, 1938 "The Hollow Men" Featurette Monkey Sampan "Lost Scene" Additional Scenes "Destruction of the Kurtz Compound" End Credits (with Non-Optional Audio Commentary by Francis Ford Coppola) "The Birth of 5.1 Sound" Featurette "Ghost Helicopter Flyover" Sound Effects Demonstration "The Synthesizer Soundtrack" Article by Bob Moog "A Million Feet of Film: The Editing of Apocalypse Now" Featurette "Heard Any Good Movies Lately? The Sound Design of Apocalypse Now" Featurette "The Final Mix" Featurette "2001 Cannes Film Festival: Francis Ford Coppola" Featurette "PBR Streetgang" Featurette "The Color Palette of Apocalypse Now" Featurette Disc CreditsDISC THREE NEW: Tribeca Film Festival Q&A with Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Soderbergh NEW: Never-Before-Seen B-Roll Footage Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (with Optional Audio Commentary by Francis and Eleanor Coppola) John Milius Script Excerpt with Francis Coppola Notes (Still Gallery) Storyboard Collection Photo Archive Unit Photography Mary Ellen Mark Photography Marketing Archive 1979 Teaser Trailer 1979 Theatrical Trailer 1979 Radio Spots 1979 Theatrical Program Lobby Card and Press Kit Photos Poster Gallery Apocalypse Now Redux Trailer You can find the latest specs for Apocalypse Now: 40th Anniversary Edition - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray linked from our 4K Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under August 27.Posted Tue Apr 30, 2019 at 08:56 AM PDT by: -
Oliver Stone's THE DOORS & Ang Lee's HULK Rumored for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]Both titles are expected sometime around July. [/teaser] According to The Digital Bits, Lionsgate is preparing The Doors and Universal is working on Hulk for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray this summer. The Doors - Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer), one of the most sensual and exciting figures in the history of rock and roll, explodes on the screen in The Doors, the electrifying movie about a time called the sixties and a legendary outlaw who rocked America's consciousness -- forever. Hulk - Bruce Banner (Eric Bana), a genetics researcher with a tragic past, suffers an accident that causes him to transform into a raging green monster when he gets angry. You can find the latest specs for The Doors and Hulk linked from our 4K Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under PENDING.Posted Mon Apr 29, 2019 at 08:55 AM PDT by: -
Zhang Yimou's SHADOW Headed for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]The 4K release of the action-drama will be available in stores this August. [/teaser] Well Go USA is set to release their first 4K title with Shadow on August 13. With Shadow, director Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers, Hero) once again pushes the boundaries of wuxia action to create a film like no other, masterfully painting a canvas of inky blacks and greys punctuated with bursts of color from the blood of the defeated. In a kingdom ruled by a young and unpredictable king, the military commander has a secret weapon: a "shadow", a look-alike who can fool both his enemies and the King himself. Now he must use this weapon in an intricate plan that will lead his people to victory in a war that the King does not want. The film hits theaters on May 3. You can find the latest specs for Shadow - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray linked from our 4K Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under August 13. Order the 4K Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 29, 2019 at 08:07 AM PDT by: -
Coming Soon to Streaming: CATCH-22, SNEAKY PETE, and More[teaser]Check out our latest roundup of streaming trailers.[/teaser] Hulu, Netflix, DC Universe, and Amazon Prime Video have all released new previews and info for several of their upcoming series and films. Here's a full rundown of streaming titles scheduled to arrive on each service: Into the Dark: All That We Destroy (Hulu, May 3) - A geneticist who fears that her son may be becoming a serial killer, creates a group of clones in an attempt to cure him of his psychopathic tendencies by allowing him to relive the murder of his first victim. Catch-22 (Hulu, May 17) - Christopher Abbott is Yossarian, a bombardier, whose frantic obsession every time he goes up on a mission is “to come down alive”. His odds of success at such a simple aim keep getting worse, because Colonel Cathcart (Kyle Chandler) keeps raising the number of missions the men have to fly. More than the retreating Germans, the real enemy for Yossarian and his rag-tag bunch of friends is the bureaucracy of the military, inverting logic at every turn. The pinnacle of this is Catch-22, a military by-law which states that if you fly your missions, you’re crazy, and don’t have to fly them; all you have to do is ask. But if you as not to, then you’re sane, and so you have to fly them. Sneaky Pete Season 3 (Amazon Prime Video, May 10) - Who is Marius Josipovic? Marius himself would like to know. He's feeling a pull toward the Bernhardt family. But he's not part of the family. He's a con-man. The chance to become more like a normal human being is enticing. It also scares him to death. This season all the members of the Sneaky Pete family explore their identity. It's a dangerous journey. They could lose themselves or their lives. BONDiNG (Netflix, April 24) - Chains, whips and hilarious quips! For grad student/dominatrix Tiff (Zoe Levin) and her cash-strapped gay best friend Pete (Brendan Scannell), S&M is a business, not a pleasure. Well, maybe there’s a little pleasure. Their professional relationship redefines their friendship, but more importantly helps them find themselves. ReMastered: Devil at the Crossroads (Netflix, April 26) - The Music You Know. The Stories You Don't. Netflix's Original Documentary Series, ReMastered, investigates high-profile events affecting some of the most legendary names in music presenting groundbreaking discoveries and insights beyond what’s been previously reported Knock Down The House (Netflix, May 1) -Winner of the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary and the Festival Favorite Award at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Knock Down the House joins these extraordinary women on the campaign trail as they mobilize their bases, engage voters, and build a movement during a time of historic volatility in American politics. Tuca & Bertie (Netflix, May 3) - An animated comedy series about the friendship between two 30-year-old bird women who live in the same apartment building: Tuca (Tiffany Haddish), a cocky, care-free toucan, and Bertie (Ali Wong), an anxious, daydreaming songbird. Lucifer: Season 4 (Netflix, May 8) - Reeling from the aftermath of Chloe seeing his devil face, Lucifer faces a new challenge: Eve, the original sinner herself, is back. Does she want revenge for when he tempted her out of Eden oh so many years ago… or something else entirely? Easy: Season 3 (Netflix, May 17) - Creator Joe Swanberg’s Easy returns for a third and final season, featuring some new faces as well as many returning fan favorite characters, all of whom are navigating the modern maze of love, sex, technology, and culture in Chicago. The Rain: Season 2 (Netflix, May 17) - The world as we know it has ended. Six years after a brutal virus carried by the rain wipes out almost all humans in Scandinavia, two Danish siblings emerge from the safety of their bunker to find all remnants of civilization gone. Soon they join a group of young survivors and together set out on a danger-filled quest through an abandoned Scandinavia, searching for any sign of life. What/If (Netflix, May 24) - Neo-noir social thriller WHAT/IF explores the ripple effects of what happens when acceptable people start doing unacceptable things. The first season of the Netflix original series focuses on a mysterious woman's lucrative, but dubious offer to a cash-strapped pair of San Francisco newlyweds. Starring Renée Zellweger. Dark: Season 2 (Netflix, June 21) - A family saga with a supernatural twist, is set in a German town in present day where the disappearance of two young children exposes the double lives and fractured relationships among four families. Swamp Thing (DC Universe, May 31) - Follows Abby Arcane as she investigates what seems to be a deadly swamp-born virus in a small town in Louisiana but soon discovers that the swamp holds mystical and terrifying secrets. When unexplainable and chilling horrors emerge from the murky marsh, no one is safe. Based on the DC characters originally written and drawn by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. - A current Netflix subscription starts at $13 per month for HD streaming and $16 per month for Ultra HD streaming. - A current Hulu subscription starts at $6 per month with commercials. In addition, ad-free playback is available for $12 per month and Live TV bundle is available for $45. - A current Amazon Prime subscription costs $119 per year or $13 per month. Likewise, Prime Instant Video is available as a standalone service for $9 per month. - A current DC Universe subscription costs $8 per month or $75 per year. Sources: Hulu (YouTube), Netflix(YouTube), Amazon (YouTube), DC (YouTube)Posted Fri Apr 26, 2019 at 08:45 AM PDT by: -
New MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL Trailer Promises Plenty of Sci-Fi Action & Comedy[teaser]The Men in Black will return in June.[/teaser] Sony has released a second trailer for Men in Black: International, offering fans a better look at the flick's story and new characters. The latest entry in the sci-fi action/comedy series will hit theaters on June 14, 2019. The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization. Check out the new trailer below! The movie stars Chris Hemsworth (Avengers: Infinity War) as Agent H, Tessa Thompson (Thor Ragnarok) as Agent M, Emma Thompson (Love Actually) as Agent O, and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) as Pawny, along with Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible - Fallout), Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Liam Neeson (Taken), Larry Bourgeois (Breaking Through), and Laurent Bourgeois (Breaking Through). F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious, Straight Outta Compton) directs from a script written by Matt Holloway & Art Marcum (Iron Man) based on the Malibu Comic created by Lowell Cunningham. Men in Black: International will be the fourth installment in the franchise, following Men in Black (1997), Men in Black II (2002), and Men in Black 3 (2012) starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. All three previous movies were directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, who now serves as an executive producer for this new entry. In addition, Steven Spielberg and E. Bennett Walsh are also on board as executive producers. Meanwhile, Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are attached as producers. Source: Sony (YouTube)Posted Thu Apr 25, 2019 at 04:25 AM PDT by: -
New BOND 25 Details Set to Be Revealed During Special Live-Stream Event Tomorrow[teaser]New info about 007's latest big-screen adventure will be unveiled tomorrow morning.[/teaser] According to a recent social media post on the official James Bond (@007) Twitter account, the curtain is about to be peeled back on Bond 25. A special live-stream event is scheduled for tomorrow, April 25, at 5:10AM PT / 8:10AM ET to reveal new details about the upcoming film. Though it's not yet clear exactly what will be announced, the press notice mentions cast news and a Q&A session. In addition, it's also likely that the film's official title will be confirmed. The event will held at "one of 007's most iconic locations" and viewers can tune in via YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Likewise, posts on Good Morning America's Twitter account seem to indicate that the news will also be broadcast on the show. Check out the @007 announcement tweet below! Coming tomorrow at 13:10 BST/05:10 PST, the #BOND25 Live Reveal from an iconic 007 location. Ask the cast a question using #BOND25 pic.twitter.com/OwfjrRYZQd — James Bond (@007) April 24, 2019 Bond 25 is currently set for release on April 8, 2020. Star Daniel Craig will once again reprise his role as James Bond, marking his fifth appearance as 007 on the big screen following his previous turns in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Meanwhile, Cary Joji Fukunaga is on board to the direct the film. Fukunaga is best known for directing the first season of HBO's True Detective starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and Netflix's Beasts of No Nation starring Idris Elba. Likewise, he also directed the recent Netflix series Maniac starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, and is credited as one of the writers on Andy Muschietti's It. Fukunaga will be the first American born director to helm a James Bond movie. He replaces filmmaker Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) who was previously attached to direct the movie before departing the project over creative differences. Plot details are unknown at this time, and it's not quite clear who is handling scripting duties, though writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are expected to be involved. In addition, reports also indicate that Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) has been brought on to tweak the screenplay. MGM will distribute the movie in the US while Universal will handle international duties. Sources: @007 (Twitter), Entertainment WeeklyPosted Wed Apr 24, 2019 at 04:30 PM PDT by: -
Marvel Movies Ranked: Worst to First[Teaser]With the release of Avengers: Endgame, I needed to put this final film in our ever-updating list of favorite MCU films. I'm quite shocked where it ended up on the scale here. I've already talked about each character in the MCU, which you can see HERE.[/Teaser] With Avengers: Endgame taking over cinemas this week, it's time to return to the time-honored tradition of figure out where this new flick ranks among our personal favorites in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before we get into talking about the films, I'd like to say that I have enjoyed every single film in the MCU thus far, but when asked to rank them, this is how they'd be listed. There are a ton of great moments in each film, with brilliant lines of dialogue, engaging story arcs that provide great continuity, as well as some very funny moments throughout. We originally published this list almost a year ago. Since then, a few more MCU films have come out in theaters and on Blu-ray/4K UHD. Over the past couple months, I re-watched every MCU film, in order, from Iron Man all the way up to Avengers: Endgame. I must say, revisiting some of these again, some hold up more for me, and some less. Coming at this again without the MCU goggles on in ultra fan-guy mode, I've re-ranked a few of the films. It's nice to revisit movies ever-so-often because I do believe our taste changes and we see things we necessarily didn't see before. Without any further delay, here is our list of Marvel Cinematic Univesre movies ranked from bottom to top. I hope you all enjoy. Please do chime in with your rankings in the comments below! THOR: THE DARK WORLD (November 8, 2013 - Dir. Alan Taylor) Several years ago, Hollywood was obsessed with adding a darker tone to every film. We had Star Trek Into Darkness and The Dark Knight Rises to mention a couple, but Marvel decided to get in on the action with Thor: The Dark World. This is by far the worst Marvel film because not even Tom Hiddleston as Loki or Chris Hemsworth as Thor could save this film. Sure, there are some fun moments with Loki as the comedic element, but a movie that replicates bad aspects of Lord of the Rings with dark elves, the fate of the universe left in a bored looking Thor, a lot of walking, and a possessed Natalie Portman made this MCU film too silly to be taken seriously with an all too dark tone. In fact, I'm willing to bet very few have seen this film since it was released on Blu-ray years ago. This was a paint-by-the-numbers movie that failed to entertain, despite the background of the nine realms and Infinity Stones. INCREDIBLE HULK (June 13, 2008 - Dir. Louis Leterrier) Hulk is such a great character, but with this Incredible Hulk film along with Ang Lee's version of Hulk a few years earlier, it's difficult to see Hulk working as a solo spinoff film. The film itself here is often bland and downright upsetting. When we have Bruce Banner on-screen, he is such a depressing character that isn't fully fleshed out. It's only when he turns into the big green machine that the film starts to feel like an actual, entertaining Marvel movie. Mark Ruffalo finally made the character relatable, funny, and intense, where poor Edward Norton did better work in Death To Smoochy. Since this was so early on in the MCU franchise of films, I don't think Marvel knew exactly what kind of character they had in Banner/Hulk until Avengers, and we paid the price for it. THOR (May 6, 2011 - Dir. Kenneth Branagh) The only God of the Avengers team had a rough start early on in the MCU. I'm a fan of Kenneth Branagh's work, but his story wasn't all that great in Thor. At least he had the ability to see just how amazing Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth were in casting them as Loki and Thor, because I firmly believe that these actors bring so much to the table in regards to the MCU, that this Marvel film franchise wouldn't be as good as it is without them. That being said, in Thor, Branagh showed the powers of Thor for the first couple of minutes, then sent him to Earth without any powers for the rest of the movie. Sure, it was fun to see Thor eat in a diner and try to buy a horse at a pet store, but that's as far as this movie goes. It wasn't until much later on where we get some great Thor moments and his more entertaining identity. CAPTAIN MARVEL (March 8, 2019 - Dir. Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck) Captain Marvel blasts onto the big screen in a very flawed way. The first 35-45 minutes are a complete mess that is loathsome to get through. With terrible editing, the same set of sequences and storylines we've seen 20 times before it, and an actress trying to navigate the internal struggles of one of the most powerful characters, but not succeeding until the final act, it was tough to get through. Fortunately though, in the final 30 or so minutes of the film, Captain Marvel and Brie Larson find their footing and the movie shows us a glimpse of what it could aspire to, even though poor musical choices and sub-par CGI make the film laughable (and not in a good way). Luckily, we get a subplot within Captain Marvel featuring Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury character, which is a delight to see in 1995. He's happy, smiling, and even singing soul music. It was a delight, for sure. Additionally, I do believe Larson can pull this off in future films, but this Captain Marvel origin story was real rough around the edges. IRON MAN 2 (May 7, 2010 - Dir. Jon Favreau) Remember how excited we all were when Samuel L Jackson appeared in Tony Stark's house and said he's putting a team together? Then we got Iron Man 2 and that excitement fell off a cliff and died. Despite some very cool action sequences and that one scene where Tony Stark turned into Iron Man from his work briefcase, this movie just loses all control of story and character from the get-go. In fact, they took the best character in the film (Sam Rockwell) and made him a side-note. Instead, we got Mickey Rourke as a Russian with no real motive, a bad accent, and a poor performance, which was upsetting, because he was so good in The Wrestler prior to this. With a terrible villain and Iron Man finding the one thing that can save him in an old desk drawer, this sequel seemed rushed and bloated. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (July 5th, 2018 - Dir. Peyton Reed) The sequel to Ant-Man, simply titled Ant-Man and the Wasp was released at a bad time, which was right after Avengers: Infinity War, although this sequel takes place prior to that movie, it just felt unnecessary, which is a good way to describe this film despite it's charm. Ant-Man and the Wasp is the easy-going Marvel movie with almost nothing at stake, which is good and bad. It doesn't really further anything in the MCU, however we get more time with Paul Rudd as Scott Land, which is just a slice of heaven. The technology used in the movie is great, but its main villain is the worst villain in any comic book movie, including the DCU. That being said, it's nice to have a breather from the rest of the Marvel films that put millions of lives at risk in addition to the entire galaxy. This movie is non-sense, but it's fun non-sense. ANT-MAN (July 17, 2015 - Dir. Peyton Reed) While Ant-Man was good, it definitely shouldn't have been this good by any means, given its crazy production story. Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead) had worked on this film for Marvel for years, only to leave, because they didn't trust Wright's vision. Instead, they hired the Bring It On director Peyton Reed, which lead to a wonky execution that didn't seem to fit together in one movie. Not only that, this became not a superhero or Avengers film really, but more of a different genre of movie altogether, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The one saving grace of this film is Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, who might be the most relatable character in all of the Avengers. This movie lives solely on Rudd's performance because the story was lackluster and the villain was one of the worst in the entire MCU. Despite a good backstory with Rudd, the action sequences and furthering the MCU Universe still wasn't on par with any of the other films. DOCTOR STRANGE (November 4, 2016 - Dir. Scott Derrickson) The cast is incredible, but it's largely wasted in this movie on drab interactions and a slow-moving pace. There are a few good aspects to the film though, being Strange's transformation from a terrible person into a good person, sacrificing himself literally to save the universe, and a great climactic battle scene in reverse. Other than that and, of course, Wong, the film isn't as good as it should've been. The whole Inception visuals and arc wasn't executed well and the fine line they walked with the magic and sorcery angle could have been handled better. At the end of the day, this is one Marvel film that didn't need a sequel to it, although Strange's small cameo in Thor: Ragnarok was excellent. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (July 7, 2017 - Dir. Jon Watts) As a superhero, Tom Holland and this version of Spider-Man is the best we've seen yet. He's funny, great in action sequences, and has a lot of charm that the previous two incarnations didn't bring to the table. Also, Homecoming kept it light-hearted and friendly, like some versions of Spider-Man are in the comic series. There's a lot to like here, however, nothing ever felt suspenseful or with great conflict. It played out like a Gilmore Girls episode, but with some action sequences. That's fine and all, but there really isn't anything involving to do with the Avengers storyline as a whole here, other than introducing Spider-Man. In fact, there aren't any risky moves here at all. Uncle Ben isn't even mentioned, which is a shame. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (May 5, 2017 - Dir. James Gunn) Don't get me wrong. I really love this film a lot. There's so much good here, however, it lacks plot and feels quite bloated. In addition, the cast is split up on different worlds for most of the film. What this movie lacks in plot, it makes up for in developing each character, which is just fantastic. There are some amazing moments, but the story/plot has no real place in the film other than to showcase character backgrounds and bring the message of family and loyalty once again, which is great. I just don't see why this film fits in the whole MCU other than to quickly show a few items that will come to fruition a bit later. IRON MAN 3 (May 3, 2013 - Dir. Shane Black) While I love that Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) got the chance to make Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr., there are a couple of major flaws at work in this film. Before that, let me say that I dearly love this movie because we get to see Tony Stark be a superhero without any of the technology. In fact, he starts from ground zero all over again in a run-down garage, which was great to see how well his mind works when he's put to the test. On the other hand, there were about 115 villains in this movie that Iron Man had to fight, which just became over-populated and downright silly at times. This has happened many times before in superhero films, and it always brings down the movie. Despite some great sequences, here, Iron Man 3 wasn't at the top of its game. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (May 1, 2015 - Dir. Joss Whedon) This was a great film, but it has a couple of problems with it. One of the bigger problems with the film was Ultron himself, but that wasn't the main point of the movie. I think the main point of the movie was to show the start of Civil War with the Avengers coming head-to-head early on. Ultron was a robot both literally and personality wise, who didn't have any real backstory or sympathy. He was a weak character for the most part, even though James Spader did a great job with his voice. Still, we get a ton of great moments, both quiet and action-packed with each character. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (July 22, 2011 - Dir. Joe Johnston) Marvel's best origin story to date. The way Johnston told Steve Rogers' story and how he became Captain America was fantastic, despite some slower moments. The fact that we get to see Steve Rogers as this little runt with so much heart that is bigger than his body is brilliant, with the added Bucky Barnes friendship. Once the serum is added to Rogers, we see him keep his morals and values even though he's a superhero now and quite possibly the best definition of a hero if there ever was one. I love that most of the film is set during WWII, which gives the good Captain a ton of background. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (April 4, 2014 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) This film is just as good if not better than its previous installment. Here, we see Captain America truly shine in the best ways, while never failing to go down a wrong path and always keeping loyal to his friends and country. In The Winter Soldier, Rogers just wants the world to be at peace and to save his friend, Bucky Barnes. The action sequences are top notch, specifically the scene in the elevator, as is every character-developing scene with Rogers, which highlights his best qualities throughout. BLACK PANTHER (February 16, 2018 - Dir. Ryan Coogler) As the years have passed, watching a Marvel movie can be something tedious, even though most of the films are fun and enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, Marvel has done a great job with each and every film they’ve put out, but it was starting to seem like we’d seen almost everything, where every action scene is something recycled from the previous, whether it be superheroes jumping from car to car during car chases or aliens coming out of the sky and destroying the planet. Luckily for all of us, Black Panther breathes new and creative life into a somewhat stale film series in the best ways possible. The character development is amazing and the villain is among the best in the MCU. In fact, everything about this film was amazing, with both smart dialogue and fantastic action sequences. (Even though it still has superheroes jumping from car to car.) IRON MAN (May 2, 2008 - Dir. Jon Favreau) The whole MCU depended on this first film -- how well it was received and how much money it made. Of course, it did amazingly well, both critically and financially, and we are now 18 movies into the MCU some ten years later. Favreau did a fantastic job with casting Robert Downey Jr. to play Tony Stark/Iron Man who just embodies the role and concept of the character and even the MCU. Even though the villain here was sub-par, we got everything we wanted in a superhero film made by a comic book company and it worked and continues to work. Iron Man not only shows some excellent action sequences, but also tells an emotional and important story with these characters that we can relate to still today. MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS (May 4, 2012 - Dir. Joss Whedon) Our first look at the entire Avengers team was simply phenomenal. It was the biggest threat we had ever seen in the MCU, with beings from another world that seemed hell-bent on destroying Earth, and we had our team of superheroes come together to save the day. The perfect balance between character, drama, and action sequences was top notch on all levels. Seeing this team side by side for the first time was nothing short of spectacular and it continues to be that way some 10 years later. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (August 1, 2014 - Dir. James Gunn) Nobody thought that the Guardians would be a part of the MCU, given that the comic book series was nowhere near as popular or mainstream as the main Avengers storylines. Little did we all know that they would be instantly loved by everyone in movie form due to the different take on the MCU with these oddball characters. Guardians of the Galaxy was so different in style, tone, and character than what we've seen before, it gave the MCU a much-needed breath of invigorating life that was charming, action-packed, and completely funny. Not only that, but it touched on an excellent message -- sticking by your family. THOR: RAGNAROK (November 3, 2017 - Dir. Taika Waititi) Finally, someone made a super fun and entertaining Thor film that showcased the genuine sibling rivalry between Loki and Thor as well as Thor and Hulk's funnier sides. Not only that, the visual style is pitch perfect, which I hope future MCU films adopt. There's a lot to love here, but most of it just feels silly for the only point of being silly and different. Add in one of the worst villains with Thor and Loki's long-lost sister and you have yourself a terrible conflict at hand due to her nature and one-note performance. Things seemed good early on in the film, but by the end, the story and characters had to play catch up in a matter of seconds to end the film. Despite it being a ton of fun to watch, there are real problems at bay with Ragnarok. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (May 6, 2016 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) The Civil War storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the better storylines in recent memory in all of Marvel. It pitted your favorite superheroes against each other and caused some real havoc, before taking on a much bigger enemy. It introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU as well, but the storytelling -- how the government wanted to interfere with the Avengers and why or why not these superheroes wanted to remain anonymous -- brought us one of the best and most fun battles between all of the superheroes at an airport. It's simply amazing on both a grand and small scale. If you're looking at big, blockbuster movies, Captain America: Civil War is how you do it right. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (April 27, 2018 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) It was all leading up to this since 2008. Ten years later, we have all of our heroes we've met in the MCU thus far fight the big bad Thanos. This is easily one of the best Marvel films to date because just about everything is perfect about it. We get a ton of time spent with each of our favorite characters and there is a solid story arc that never allows itself to follow any side tangents. You just don't want the movie to end. The film is equally emotional as it is funny with some excellent team-ups and witty dialogue. The action sequences are top notch with a ton of surprises in what might be the darkest Marvel movie of them all, but also the best so far... well, it was, until I saw its second half: AVENGERS: ENDGAME (April 27, 2019 - Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo) This is the culmination of every MCU film over the past decade. Every character. Every storyline. All of it in play. It's a three-hour film that is the perfect sendoff for the biggest franchise in history (you know, until the next chapter of adventures). It's rich with character, high emotions, and some amazingly-placed comedy. The action and thrills are at an all-time high, including some moments that make you want to stand on your feet, applaud, and cheer out loud. There were a couple of those moments in Infinity War, of course, but here they are amplified by 10,000. Not only that, we finally get to see the transformation and growth of each character that we've come to know, and it feels wonderful. Avengers: Endgame is not only here to entertain and enjoy, but it is a testament to an impossible 10-year filmmaking odyssey that has been accomplished with integrity and fun. In my humblest opinion, Endgame is not only one of the best superhero films ever made, but it is also one of the best films to ever grace the big screen.Posted Wed Apr 24, 2019 at 10:20 AM PDT by:
