Kenneth Branagh did NOT direct the post credit scene after Thor

Slashfilm posted something really interesting today.  By now this shouldn't be a spoiler to anyone.  But in case you haven't seen the movie, or stuck around for the post-credits... SPOILER ALERT!!!!

We know Kenneth Branagh directed Thor, and did a damn good job of it too.  But what we didn't know was Joss Whedon, director of the upcoming The Avengers directed the post credit scene.  One of the actors in the scene gave some insight into when it was filmed, just a few months ago.  It's nice to see Whedon getting so entrenched in the universe and helping out anyway he can with the films.  Can't wait to see his vision come to life with The Avengers. 

Thor review... expect to be delighted

For months I have been hesitant towards Thor.  I didn't know what to expect out of an unknown lead (Chris Hemsworth) and a Shakespearean actor turned director (Kenneth Branagh).  Sure there were Oscar winners in the film (Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins), but that doesn't guarantee a good film.  So the Summer movie season has kicked off in full swing.  I skipped on Fast Five last week and watched Thor instead, let's get it started in here.

What I liked about the movie:
The Storytelling, director
Branagh is a wonderful actor.  His work has been solid for well over a decade... as an actor.  Why elect him to direct a big budget Summer film?  Well, here's my two cents.  He was perfect in his storytelling.  He understood how to divide the story between Asgard and Earth.  He made Asgard a grand, mythical place while keeping it believable.  The parts on Earth were tastefully done and grounded in reality.  It was just the right tone and pacing necessary for a something as mythical as Thor.  He knew how to direct Hemsworth, and in turn got a wonderful performance out of him.  The editing was solid as well.  The only thing I would critic Branagh for was his lighting, which I'll explain later.

The acting

Hemsworth gives a wonderful performance.  He has a commanding presence, a swagger if you will.  While in Asgard, he is a cocky, arrogant man who feels entitled to his father's throne.  When he is banished to Earth, he plays the "fish out of water" very sincerely.  It's always a risk casting a relative unknown for a movie of this size and scope, but this was perfect casting.  Hemsworth got so unbelievable big for this movie, he was physically believable as Thor.  The long hair and beard were spot on to what I felt Thor should look like on the big screen.  The accent was perfect as well.  Because we're dealing with the Norse God of Thunder, there has to be a sense of grandeur, and Hemsworth nailed it.  

Thor's father, Odin, is played by the masterful Anthony Hopkins.  He is the stern father figure we would expect Odin to be, but has a sensibility that any good father must posses.  The primary villain in the film is Thor's half-brother Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston.  Hiddleston nails it!  I loved his performance in this film.  He is vengeful and sinister.  The only thing I didn't like was the "turn".  We get to see Loki's motivation for turning on his family, but it would have been nice to dig deeper; especially considering it has been officially announced that Loki will be the primary villain for The Avengers film. 

Natalie Portman does well as an astrophysicist.  She plays the character as genuinely as we would hope.  Her side kick is played by Kat Dennings; who despite all the hate online, I thought was blessed with some of the best one-liners in the film.  Portman's mentor is played by the great Stellan Skarsgard who did great with what little screen time he had.

The Visual Effects

This is a Marvel film, so we shouldn't expect any less out of a big, blockbuster film.  The visual effects both on Asgard as well as on Earth were awesome.  I couldn't tell where some of the special effects blended with the practical effects, and that's what we really want as an audience, we shouldn't be able to tell.  Thumbs up to Marvel for spending the money necessary to make the worlds look real. 


What I didn't like about the movie:
The lighting, cinematography

This was a major, major issue for me.  I endlessly complain about 3D (I saw it in 2D mind you), but the lighting in this film was so bad it was unbearable at times.  All the scenes featuring our hero on "Jotunheim" were so dark and difficult to see.  I don't know if this was a poor print at the theater I went to or if it were intended that way, but nonetheless, it was tough to watch and understand what was happening.


The verdict:
Satisfying to all

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.  Goes to show you, yet again, never judge a film by its trailer.  I was not impressed with the trailers leading up to the release of this film, but gave it a chance and enjoyed myself.  I will say it is very kid friendly at times, a darker version would be nice, but then again I'm a 30 year old man, not a 12 year old child.  I think Marvel realized they spent too much time during Iron Man 2 setting up The Avengers, they didn't do that so much in this film.  But they did set up the villain.  Loki and his powers should be a worthy opponent of the superhero team. 

Hiddleston did very well and has made me a fan.  Good job to everyone involved, I really liked Thor and would recommend it to anyone who wants to see a good action film to kick off the Summer season!

Thor trailer #2, action packed!

Check out the second trailer to this Summer's Thor.  There is a ton of action and a lot more scenes between Thor and Odin.  There is also a lot more Natalie Portman in this trailer, I'm assuming its because of all the Oscar buzz she's receiving of late.  Enjoy!

Our favorite Super Bowl movie trailers

The Super Bowl came and went, and my boy Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers did NOT disappoint!  The Super Bowl isn't just for the game anymore, it's the movie trailers as well!  And below, you'll see our favorites and why, check it out!

Captain America

This list isn't necessarily in any order, but the Captain America: The First Avenger, was by FAR my favorite of the day!  We got to see Chris Evans as a scrawny, short soldier who could never be the 'Cap.  We see him enter the serum process and come out as ripped as I've ever seen Evans.  Equally as awesome, albeit a half second, was Hugo Weaving as Red Skull, awesome!  Never was a fan of the 'Cap when it came to the comics, but I'm really getting pumped for this movie.  Click the jump to see the trailer for the film as well as the other trailers we fell in love with during the Super Bowl.

Thor

I gotta say, I was a little disappointed... just a little.  There was indeed new footage in this trailer, especially of Thor on Earth, and that is a good thing.  I am not as anxious to see this one as I am 'Captain', but I will give director Kenneth Branagh credit for creating a world for Thor to exist.  Great special effects and the stunningly beautiful Natalie Portman... I'm sold!

Transformers

It is absolutely no secret to anyone who reads this blog how much Matt and I hated Revenge of the Suck.  The fact that a franchise could be tainted by the crap they called a film, is unforgivable.  I'm serious by the way... unforgivable.  I will not go see this in the theater as a personal boycott against making sequels just for the sake of making sequels.  Michael Bay has so much to learn, he should take a lesson from Christopher Nolan; if you don't have any idea how to improve on the predecessor, don't make it!  I will tell you the trailer is kick ass, and that is all.

Fast Five

I put up the poster a few days ago and spoke about how much I enjoyed the previous 'Fast and the Furious' film.  With the original cast returning, this trailer looks awesome!  I will tell you this; the filmmakers don't seem to be focusing so much on the car upgrades as much as they did in the previous films.  Which is ok by me.  I love the action in this trailer, check out the jump featuring Paul Walker and Vin Diesel, awesome!  I also think Dwayne Johnson will be playing his old self, as a bad ass FBI agent.  Enjoy this one.

Cowboys & Aliens

I'm gonna come off as a jerk... not impressed.  Matt loved it so I told him I'd post it.  To me, it's ho-hum.  Nothing really stood out as 'different' from anything I'd ever seen before.  It visually looks like I've seen it before and there is not a sign of real acting going on.  After the world premier trailer, I was really disappointed.  So I was looking forward to this trailer, but no... nothing.  I may not even see this in theaters.  Just sayin'. 

Kung Fu Panda 2

I absolutely loved the first Kung Fu Panda!  I didn't see it in theaters, and I didn't see it when it first came out on DVD.  But boy oh boy when it hit the premium cable channels.  I couldn't get enough of it.  I would finish it whenever I caught it while flipping through the channels.  Check out the sequel, same tone, same characters, same laughs.  Dreamworks has stepped up its game the last few years, it really has.  Remember the days of Shrek 3, as well as A Shark's Tale?  They've come a long way since those disasters.  How to Train Your Dragon is nominated for an Oscar, as was the first Kung Fu Panda.  As much as people hate Jack Black's acting, they can't deny his voice over skills.  Enjoy!

And that's all for now kids.  Another year, another awesome Super Bowl filled with a movie lovers dream.  There were of course more trailers, but to me, these stood out.  Check out the Super 8 trailer too, it was interesting to say the least. 

Henry Cavill's long journey to playing Superman

So yesterday the internet was a buzz with the news that British actor Henry Cavill was cast as the Man of Steel, Superman.  It turns out he has a pretty interesting story.  He was already cast as Superman before!  Check out this article from 2004 on MovieWeb.  He was cast when McG was set to direct.  That film (totally separate from Superman Returns) died out, and Bryan Singer took over the reigns.  Singer cast Brandon Routh and the rest was history.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as Batman!  Turns out he was on Christopher Nolan's short list before ultimately casting Christian Bale.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as James Bond, but lost the role to Daniel Craig.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as Edward in the Twilight Saga.  That went to the douche bag of a generation, Robert Pattinson.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as the Green Lantern, but lost the role to Ryan Reynolds.

Holy mother of wow this guy's been through a lot.  I mean those are four bonafide franchises the man lost out on.  I almost feel bad being so disappointed in the casting, but I don't.  I knew they wanted a relative unknown, so I can't say I was TOTALLY surprised by Cavill's casting.  I wanted someone who was more famous, but then I read an article in the LA Times. 

The article shares an obvious point... now Superman, Batman (Christian Bale, Welsh), Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield, UK), will all be played by British actors.  Not counting Thor (Chris Hemsworth, Australian), and Green Lantern (Ryan Reynolds, Canadian).  The article makes valid points as to why Directors cast the actors they do.  Also, it looks at why the "charismatic" American actors, don't always do well, ala George Clooney's Batman.  It's an interesting article, check it out.  For now, I still don't like Cavill's casting and can only hope Producer Nolan and director Zack Snyder make me eat my words.

"Thor" Trailer Premier and New Poster

Chris Hemsworth is the hammer yielding God. I don't want to waste any time... here is Thor. Click the jump to watch the trailer and read below for my comments.

So what did you think? Let down? Cluttered? Choppy? Unorganized? All of the above? I have to say, this did less for me than the stills I've seen over the past few months. I've been on the fence about Thor since I heard it was being made. It's almost TOO different from Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Yeah yeah, I know it has to be different to stand on its own two feet, but this is waaaay different. So, who's going to go see it? I still might, but definitely not in 3D the way they're flaunting it. Nope! Good 'ol 2D will do it for me. Hey, that rhymes. Cool.

Quickie: "Thor's" "Empire"

The mighty Thor makes the cover of Empire this week, actually holding his hammer in full costume. The movie is looking really good and generating buzz after Comic-Con, but for some reason a lot of the web-surfing community thinks it's going to tank. The negative feedback is kind of surprising. This is solely based on comments and questions on other blogs, but still, I thought people were still high on the idea of Thor in theaters. Guess not... but I am.

"Thor" Trailer... Enjoy!

This is the trailer that premiered at Comic-Con, it's about five minutes. It's a bit choppy in that it's unorganized, but still worth seeing Thor in action for the first time! Enjoy.

First Picture of Thor and His Hammer

This comes to us via USAToday.com. The movie is Thor, starring the ridiculously ripped Chris Hemsworth, directed by Kenneth Branagh. Read the story if you'd like, but it's really more about Comic-Con which begins this Thursday in San Diego. I will be there making frequent updates at Twitter. So "follow" me on Twitter for all the up-to-the-minute news.

Thor, Captain America Concept Art

Enjoy

"Thor" Official Photo of Anthony Hopkins as Odin!

Is it me, or is it getting more and more exciting with every released photo of this film!? Anthony Hopkins as Odin in the Marvel Comics Thor! Sick!! Courtesy of the LA Times.

Got so excited about the photo I forgot to mention that both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger will be in 3D. Marvel is cashing in! I don't really care about announcements like this, I expect it for every future tent-pole movie. I actually could see 3D working for these superhero films more so than other movies that have been presented in 3D.

We know Thor wasn't shot in 3D, so it's up to the Captain film and then The Avengers to be shot in 3D. When will this stupid gimmick go away!?

Quickie: Thor concept art has been released

Collider posted some awesome concept art for the upcoming Thor! Click on the link to see the rest!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Thor!!!

This is somewhat "old news" (it was released yesterday); but I need to share it with as many people as possible! This is the first look at Chris Hemsworth as the mighty Thor. Thor is not due out for another year, but Marvel has just released the first photo. The movie is directed by Kenneth Branagh and has been under tight wraps for the past few months.

I have a confession to make. I was SO skeptical that Marvel and Branagh could pull it off. Now, I know that it's way too early to tell, but this-looks-awesome! I can only hope that the rest of the production will follow the style of this costume.

We're excited about it, what do you guys think? Leave comments below. I know we get a lot of hits everyday (I can see the stats). But leave comments so we can see what our readers think.

Quickie: Avengers movie to start filming next February!

iesb.net broke the news via an interview with Samuel L. Jackson. He gave details into the Avengers movie: it's start date, the new director (Joss Whedon), cameos, etc. Just in time for the 2012 release date.

Jackson mentioned he will NOT be in Thor, but WILL be in The First Avenger: Captain America. Jackson also comments on how the Avengers will be the launch pad for his character of "Nick Fury".

Thus far it's been recorded cameo here and there (Iron Man 1 and 2). Jackson signed a 9 picture deal, so I can see how he's going to be in a bunch of the Marvel Universe. Speaking of the Marvel Universe; do you think they've done a good job keeping all the characters in the same "world"? Let us know what you think.

Anthony Hopkins cast as Odin in Thor film?

Yep, just as the title asks... SIR Anthony Hopkins is in talks to play Thor's "father", Odin. The casting news was announced via The Hollywood Reporter and this comic book geek is a very happy man. It's not confirmed, but once it is, I'm throwing a party.

Anthony Hopkins is simply brilliant, he commands attention in every role. Check out Fracture and see what you think. For now, it's a rumor, but when its fact, we'll let you know!

Quickie: Thor casting additions

Jaimie Alexander of "Kyle XY" TV fame, has joined the cast of Kenneth Branagh's Thor. She will play the love interest of Thor, Sif. She's a warrior beauty who can keep up with Thor.

Colm Feore of "24", has also joined the cast. Unlike Alexander, his character has NOT been revealed. In fact, the studio wont even send him a script, he has to come read it. All we know is, its a villain of some sort.

We've had very little detail to report on Thor; other than when Natalie Portman was cast earlier in the summer. Chris Hemsworth, Kirk in the latest Star Trek, will play Thor. Tom Hiddleston will play Thor's half-brother and arch nemesis, Loki. Anthony Hopkins plays Thor's father, Odin; and Natalie Portman plays Thor’s human love interest, Jane Foster. Keep it here for more Thor news.

Disney Buys Marvel for $4 Billion

The title says it all I think. The Disney Company has just purchased Marvel for the tune of $4 billion. Ok so we could give you numbers and figures, and stock prices jumps and dives... forget all that nonsense. What does this purchase mean to the fans?! If you work for Marvel OR Disney, we know and understand your concerns are elsewhere. But what happens to the movies? The licensing? Who gets to make what movie? Ok, let's break it down studio by studio.

Disney: Gets control of thousands of characters, within the comics, merchandising and most future films.

Fox: Retains control of the X-Men universe including X-Men: First Class, X-Men Origins: Magneto, X-Men Origins: Deadpool and a possible X-Men Origins: Gambit. Fox also holds the rights to the Fantastic Four (which we just blogged about today), as well as the Silver Surfer solo project.

Sony: Retains control of Spider-Man 4, 5, 6. They've already began one phase or another of all three movies.

Paramount: Will still distribute Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers... BUT! BUT! Disney will carry on producing the movies... i.e. Writing, filming, editing.

All studios who are not Disney: When your current agreements are up... Disney's taking control back of the properties, deal with it.


Whoa... that was information overload. But that is the current news as of now. We'll update you as things come up. What do you think about this merger of sorts?

Quickie: Thor casting news

/film has reported Natalie Portman has signed on to co-star in the Comic book movie, Thor. This is very exciting news for me personally because I'm a huge fan of the Marvel Comic movie genre and know they would not allow anything less than stellar performances. She will play Jane Foster, opposite Thor's human alter ego. I loved Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and those were both produced and released by Marvel. Portman has seriously managed a great career so far. The Professional was ground break and controversial, and an instant classic! We'll give you the news as soon as we get it.