'Best On-Screen Character' for The Avengers Movie (#SPOILER WARNING)
So instead of a straight-up single Movie Review for The Avengers, I'm going to 'nominate' and 'award' a series of scenes for the movie, which in all attempts and purposes, will be **EXTREMELY SPOILERIFFIC** = SO BE WARNED!
Yesterday I awarded the 'Best On-Screen Pairing' - today here are the Short-Listed couples for 'Best On-Screen Character':
Nominee #1: "TONY STARK"
WHY: Robert Downey Jr. has really shined in his role as "Tony Stark" in his own Iron Man-movies, and this streak continues forth in The Avengers. Although I sense that he seems to be "holding back" - no doubt a balance needed amidst the roll-call of actors … Decently inspired, if not too predictable, but I am utterly okay with that.
On the other hand, it might be argued that this felt like a "phone-in performance", totally devoid of actory-skills - but hey, there are plenty of close-ups of his face while being in armor, so he can't get away with that! Also, we have become accustomed to his performance in TWO prior Marvel-movies, so naturally we all become "greedy" for more, IMHO. Will we get "more" with Iron Man 3? Without a doubt, I say!
But that lovey-dovey-situation with Pepper Potts? Sure she's hot, but keep that in the IM movies - it seemed so out of place here, IMHO.
Nominee #2: "The BLACK WIDOW"
WHY: I am torn between this nomination, and for nominating her in "Worst On-Screen Acting" - as most times she looks vacuous and frankly insipid in her delivery. But I reckon in celluloid-reality she IS such a character in the movie, amidst the testosterone and as the (near) sole lady operator in the field ('Maria Hill' sadly, does not count), the stoic personality needs to be maintain - compared to the rest of the (again frankly) slightly 'unhinged' characters populating this film! (With exception of Agent Coulson) I might have been unconvinced by her "reaction" to the fear of Dr Banner changing into the Hulk in India, but on the Heli-carrier? RUN, woman! For gawd-sakes, RUUUUUUNNNNN! LOL
Scarlett Johanssen has really been given an extremely narrow range of "acting" moods to work with here in this film, and I reckon she's done a bang-up job so far! Frankly I was not too convinced with her role, and had expected someone more "femme fatale", but compared to the long slender leggy Marias and Gwyneths, she turned out to be a swell fit and did a nice job indeed, IMHO.
WINNER for "Best On-Screen Character": HULK!
WHY: I know, I know, I am being "unfair" here - comparing "live" actors to a "CG-character", but the reality is, with his given short appearances, the HULK managed to emote a simplistic but effective range of emotions - from bewilderment, to anger & rage, to mischievousness (his grin after Cap said: "Hulk, Smash"), to being a buddy-bully (that punch that fell Thor off-screen after taking down an alien craft), to this particular scene before he uttered "Puny God" = BEST SCENE EVAH!
NOTE: The above-posted is a parody-scene, compared to the ones that have been, and will continue to be pulled. this is the actual scene, but with audio replaced. Go watch the movie itself, you will NOT be disappointed!
And oh yeah, actor Mark Ruffalo did a pretty decent bang-up job too! Sorry Edward Norton, but Mark took the role and MADE it his! (The agony was more prevalent than Edward's "angst', IMHO) And yeah, I'd watch a movie with him as Dr Bruce Banner :)
Yesterday I awarded the 'Best On-Screen Pairing' - today here are the Short-Listed couples for 'Best On-Screen Character':
Nominee #1: "TONY STARK"
WHY: Robert Downey Jr. has really shined in his role as "Tony Stark" in his own Iron Man-movies, and this streak continues forth in The Avengers. Although I sense that he seems to be "holding back" - no doubt a balance needed amidst the roll-call of actors … Decently inspired, if not too predictable, but I am utterly okay with that.
On the other hand, it might be argued that this felt like a "phone-in performance", totally devoid of actory-skills - but hey, there are plenty of close-ups of his face while being in armor, so he can't get away with that! Also, we have become accustomed to his performance in TWO prior Marvel-movies, so naturally we all become "greedy" for more, IMHO. Will we get "more" with Iron Man 3? Without a doubt, I say!
But that lovey-dovey-situation with Pepper Potts? Sure she's hot, but keep that in the IM movies - it seemed so out of place here, IMHO.
Nominee #2: "The BLACK WIDOW"
WHY: I am torn between this nomination, and for nominating her in "Worst On-Screen Acting" - as most times she looks vacuous and frankly insipid in her delivery. But I reckon in celluloid-reality she IS such a character in the movie, amidst the testosterone and as the (near) sole lady operator in the field ('Maria Hill' sadly, does not count), the stoic personality needs to be maintain - compared to the rest of the (again frankly) slightly 'unhinged' characters populating this film! (With exception of Agent Coulson) I might have been unconvinced by her "reaction" to the fear of Dr Banner changing into the Hulk in India, but on the Heli-carrier? RUN, woman! For gawd-sakes, RUUUUUUNNNNN! LOL
Scarlett Johanssen has really been given an extremely narrow range of "acting" moods to work with here in this film, and I reckon she's done a bang-up job so far! Frankly I was not too convinced with her role, and had expected someone more "femme fatale", but compared to the long slender leggy Marias and Gwyneths, she turned out to be a swell fit and did a nice job indeed, IMHO.
WINNER for "Best On-Screen Character": HULK!
WHY: I know, I know, I am being "unfair" here - comparing "live" actors to a "CG-character", but the reality is, with his given short appearances, the HULK managed to emote a simplistic but effective range of emotions - from bewilderment, to anger & rage, to mischievousness (his grin after Cap said: "Hulk, Smash"), to being a buddy-bully (that punch that fell Thor off-screen after taking down an alien craft), to this particular scene before he uttered "Puny God" = BEST SCENE EVAH!
NOTE: The above-posted is a parody-scene, compared to the ones that have been, and will continue to be pulled. this is the actual scene, but with audio replaced. Go watch the movie itself, you will NOT be disappointed!
And oh yeah, actor Mark Ruffalo did a pretty decent bang-up job too! Sorry Edward Norton, but Mark took the role and MADE it his! (The agony was more prevalent than Edward's "angst', IMHO) And yeah, I'd watch a movie with him as Dr Bruce Banner :)