Monday, May 9, 2011

Movie Mania Monday

Currently reading - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (MMPB)

My Mother's Day present was a trip to the local cineplex to see Thor.  OMFGoddess!  Kenneth Branaugh hit all the right notes.  If you don't know a damn thing about Marvel's version of the Norse god of thunder, STOP READING!  Go see it!  NOW!  (Especially if you're a hetero gal or a gay guy.  Delicious eye candy, people!)

***SPOILERS***

I'm glad to see Chris Hemsworth in a starring role.  The man had charisma out the wazoo in Star Trek (2009) as George Kirk, and any doubts about him pulling off Thor are officially laid to rest.

Never had any doubts about Anthony Hopkins, and Tom Hiddleston played the Lord of Lies to perfection.

Frankly, I'm glad they skipped the whole Donald Blake, M.D., crap as part of the origin story.  It never really worked in the comic, which is why Marvel writers quickly abandoned it early in Thor's comic run.  The movie writers did give an appropriate nod to the history.  Of course, the shirtless scene made the nod even funnier.

Updating Natalie Portman's Jane Foster from a nurse to a physicist gave more oomph to the character. 

Others may find the casting of Idris Elba as the far-seeing Heimdall controversial, but Brannaugh definitely made the right choice.  The rest of the cast members caught the personalities of Sif and the Warriors Three.  My only real disappointment was that Rene Russo didn't get enough screen time as Frigga.

The plot was fairly simplistic--Thor gets kicked out of Asgard for acting stupid, saves Midgard from killer Asgardian robot and stops Loki from stealing the throne of Asgard.  Nothing really new as far as story goes, but the personalites and visuals kept the audience distracted for the whole two hours.

Watch for Stan Lee as a good ole' boy pick-up truck driver.  And make sure you stay until the end of the credits for Sam Jackson's requisite Col. Fury cameo.

Oh, and keep an eye out for an Avenger cameo.  He's not one of the original four from the comics version of the Avengers.  The first person to name him in the comments will get a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card.

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