Does this guy have an actual career anywhere?:
Well, here's a sign that Thor could be really, really good: they fired Stuart Townsend from it. You'll remember that Townsend also got sacked from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, where he had actually played Aragorn for a couple of days of shooting. That fantasy film went on to be pretty darn good, so maybe Thor will be just as good.The official story is that Townsend left over creative differences, but how different could his creative take be on one of the members of The Warriors Three, a truly tertiary group of Thor characters? Ain't It Cool says that Townsend got fired after arriving to a screen test late. SIX HOURS late. Yeah, that'll do it.
The official story is that Townsend left over creative differences, but how different could his creative take be on one of the members of The Warriors Three, a truly tertiary group of Thor characters? Ain't It Cool says that Townsend got fired after arriving to a screen test late. SIX HOURS late. Yeah, that'll do it.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 11 January 2010 15:26 (fourteen years ago) link
btw Brian Blessed appears to be playing neither Odin (Anthony Hopkins) nor Volstagg (Ray Stevenson). I don't know if I can deal with a Blessedless THOR ;_;
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Monday, 11 January 2010 15:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Serious director is serious:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0131100482ed970c-600wi
"It's going very, very well," Branagh said Wednesday. "We're in New Meixco now where we have a contemporary Earth part of our story. I guess we're two-thirds of the way through the story and at this stage of the game what's surprising and delighting me is the way the cast, the ensemble, has fused together. It's kind of an interesting combination of very young and very experienced people and the double-up of that, it seems to me, is there is a lot of fire in the movie. It doesn't take itself too seriously, it doesn't try to be too solemn."
Uh-huh.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 1 April 2010 19:23 (fourteen years ago) link
And to answer Jel's question a while back:
"Growing up, my single comic book passion was Thor," says the 49-year-old actor and filmmaker who surprised many industry observers by taking on the director's job on the big-budget adaptation of the Marvel Comics thunder god. "From my time in Belfast as a kid, that's the first time I came across that comic, really, exclusively, I don't know why, but it struck a chord. I was drawn to it. I liked all the dynastic drama."
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 1 April 2010 19:26 (fourteen years ago) link
well that's encouraging I guess
not setting my hopes too high. Kirby-era Thor is some of my favorite stuff ever tho
― Kaleidoscope Funk Network (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 1 April 2010 19:29 (fourteen years ago) link
oh, it's gonna be awesome, like transformers 2.
― hey it's (jel --), Thursday, 1 April 2010 22:11 (fourteen years ago) link
If there's Kirby-style Fafnir in this I will be so happy.
― Astley Hunchings (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 1 April 2010 22:17 (fourteen years ago) link
The passion. Or not. (I vote not.)
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 30 April 2010 15:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Hammertime
― mdskltr (blueski), Friday, 30 April 2010 15:52 (thirteen years ago) link
Dear me:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0134856c4cac970c-600wi
Branagh continues to burble:
On Saturday, July 24 , Marvel Studios has the final studio presentation in the expo's biggest room, Hall H, and "Thor" director Kenneth Branagh will use that climactic slot not just to introduce some of his cast -- a cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins, but its unlikely that all three will be in San Diego -- but also to persuade skeptical fans that 3-D will add new dimensions to the 2011 blockbuster, and not just in the obvious way."We came to feel that in our case 3-D could be the very good friend of story and character for a different kind of experience," Branagh said, taking a break from post-production. The filmmaker said the terminology of the 3-D process initially made him cringe -- at first, it was "math and physics and way over my head," he said with a chuckle -- but then he started to pulse with the unexpected artistic opportunities."It's another draft of the story that can reveal itself in a different way," he said. "I had a healthy degree of skepticism up front ... I've become somebody extremely excited about working with possibilities of doing it this way."
"We came to feel that in our case 3-D could be the very good friend of story and character for a different kind of experience," Branagh said, taking a break from post-production. The filmmaker said the terminology of the 3-D process initially made him cringe -- at first, it was "math and physics and way over my head," he said with a chuckle -- but then he started to pulse with the unexpected artistic opportunities.
"It's another draft of the story that can reveal itself in a different way," he said. "I had a healthy degree of skepticism up front ... I've become somebody extremely excited about working with possibilities of doing it this way."
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 14:43 (thirteen years ago) link
not diggin the look
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Is the picture meant to be hilarious?
― ô_o (Nicole), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:12 (thirteen years ago) link
It's Branagh, who the hell knows.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:13 (thirteen years ago) link
That looks more like Star Trek than Thor, pretty awful!
Who's the big bad in this movie? Are they gonna do Surtur, or just Loki?
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:11 (thirteen years ago) link
I know someone who is playing "Pet Store Clerk" in this film. They did a big open casting for extra's here too (NM).
― Ryan, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:32 (thirteen years ago) link
Pet Store Clerk is def Thor's most fearsome antagonist.
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:38 (thirteen years ago) link
what the (re: the pic)
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:38 (thirteen years ago) link
Do you not appreciate his mighty hammer there?
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:40 (thirteen years ago) link
grey is not a good color scheme for Thor
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:42 (thirteen years ago) link
would assume they're just doing Loki (that's him on the right, yeah?) Surtur would be kinda ridiculous/too obscure
Yup, that is Loki. Hurrah sidelong glances.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:43 (thirteen years ago) link
I can't tell if they are about to make out or if they're both checking out Odin's ass
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:44 (thirteen years ago) link
"They call him One-Eye."
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:46 (thirteen years ago) link
was Thor's winged helmet deemed too gay or waht
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:50 (thirteen years ago) link
this looks like it's based on Marvel Ultimate Thor rather than classic Marvel 616 Thor
god why do I know these things
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:51 (thirteen years ago) link
xp He doesn't wear it inside!
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:52 (thirteen years ago) link
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3554/3615798499_551b6b3766.jpg
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:53 (thirteen years ago) link
I see Hulk Hogan is back on the steroids.
― ô_o (Nicole), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:56 (thirteen years ago) link
really missed a trick not casting Kevin McKidd
― orakle-krake (Gukbe), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 17:58 (thirteen years ago) link
why does that statue of Thor include Capt America's shield...?
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:10 (thirteen years ago) link
Ultimate Thor is this dude who may be the son of Odin and may actually be completely insane. IIRC, at one point he beats up both Iron Man and Captain America.
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:11 (thirteen years ago) link
for some reason i'd got the idea idris elba was playing thor
― thomp, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:21 (thirteen years ago) link
"We came to feel that in our case 3-D could be the very good friend of story and character for a different kind of experience,which way the wind was blowing," Branagh said, taking a break from post-production.
― les yeux sans aerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:24 (thirteen years ago) link
I wouldn't say Surtur is "too obscure", he's the main villain in the best known Thor story arc there is. He isn't any more obscure than Dr. Octopus or whoever the villains in the the two Iron Man movies were.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:35 (thirteen years ago) link
I'd say Enchantress would make a lot more sense
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:36 (thirteen years ago) link
I wouldn't say Surtur is "too obscure", he's the main villain in the best known Thor story arc there is
lol Tuomas - anybody who's never read a Thor comic has no idea who Surtur is. Loki is at least a more commonly known mythological figure and also traditional Thor's arch nemesis.
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:44 (thirteen years ago) link
In related news, the new Incredible Hulk to be...
http://www.deadline.com/2010/07/mark-ruffalo-in-late-stage-talks-to-be-marvels-new-hulk-in-the-avengers/
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:48 (thirteen years ago) link
haha waht
― Fee Fie Fo, FUNFNFUINFLFF! (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 18:48 (thirteen years ago) link
I thought he was dead
― mayor jingleberries, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:16 (thirteen years ago) link
lol Tuomas - anybody who's never read a Thor comic has no idea who Surtur is.
Well yeah, but the same applied to almost all superhero villains (except maybe The Joker and Lex Luthor) before they appeared in movies.
And Loki is more than just "traditional Thor's arch nemesis". He's the trickster god, in Norse mythology he sometimes sides with the Æsir, and sometimes goes against them. Marvel changed him into a more pure villain, though I liked how Simonson handled him in the Surtur saga: we see him both scheming against Thor and taking his side in the battle with Surtur. IMO that's much more in line with the traditional depiction of Loki.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:17 (thirteen years ago) link
Well yeah, but the same applied to almost all superhero villains
most of Spiderman's rouge's gallery has appeared in every Saturday morning cartoon about him; you could actually argue because of this that, while Green Goblin is his traditional nemesis from a storyline standpoint, Doctor Octopus is the villain most people would associate with him
― Hot Tub Fellatio Machine (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:20 (thirteen years ago) link
lolwut
― ô_o (Nicole), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:50 (thirteen years ago) link
maybe if it was an inverse-Hulk, where some huge dude got hit by radiation and now whenever he gets angry, he becomes really skinny and frail
― Hot Tub Fellatio Machine (HI DERE), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:52 (thirteen years ago) link
oh man plz plz plz give it to the Ruff
hough I liked how Simonson handled him in the Surtur saga: we see him both scheming against Thor and taking his side in the battle with Surtur. IMO that's much more in line with the traditional depiction of Loki.
this is more in line with Kirby's depiction actually
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:54 (thirteen years ago) link
I am seriously struggling to avoid actual LOLs here:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef013485894ab0970c-600wi
Here's a first-look image of the majestic throne of Odin (Anthony Hopkins) in the city of Asgard, where Thor (Chris Hemsworth) kneels before his father in the 2011 film from Disney's Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures....I talked to "Thor" director Kenneth Branagh not long ago and he was genuinely excited about his first trip to Comic-Con and the chance to stand up into front of the Hall H audience as part of the Marvel program. "Because of what I've heard, I can't wait... the celebration and the incredible energy and enthusiasm and knowledge and passion for everything that goes on there. I'm excited to be part of that and I feel privileged to be able to go and take look. I'm keen to see that passion and enthusiasm."With tongue-in-cheek -- at least I think it was tongue-in-cheek -- Feige said he might hit the stage with a sartorial nod to the Con's cosplay traditions. "I'm looking forward to seeing how people are dressed... Kevin and I are not prepared to reveal what costume we'll be wearing but obviously I've insisted that we all must wear one."
...
I talked to "Thor" director Kenneth Branagh not long ago and he was genuinely excited about his first trip to Comic-Con and the chance to stand up into front of the Hall H audience as part of the Marvel program. "Because of what I've heard, I can't wait... the celebration and the incredible energy and enthusiasm and knowledge and passion for everything that goes on there. I'm excited to be part of that and I feel privileged to be able to go and take look. I'm keen to see that passion and enthusiasm."
With tongue-in-cheek -- at least I think it was tongue-in-cheek -- Feige said he might hit the stage with a sartorial nod to the Con's cosplay traditions. "I'm looking forward to seeing how people are dressed... Kevin and I are not prepared to reveal what costume we'll be wearing but obviously I've insisted that we all must wear one."
Help.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 19 July 2010 16:07 (thirteen years ago) link
Anyway, nice to know that Asgard can be found on the Strip near the Bellagio.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 19 July 2010 16:10 (thirteen years ago) link
color scheme is all wrong
― Major Lolzer (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 19 July 2010 16:10 (thirteen years ago) link
Also, great shoulder pads there.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 19 July 2010 16:11 (thirteen years ago) link
why does this whole thing look like a Met opera
― HI DERE, Monday, 19 July 2010 16:13 (thirteen years ago) link
As a friend of mine just said: "Daaaaamn. I bet they have low riders in the carriage area, too."
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 19 July 2010 16:24 (thirteen years ago) link
one thing i want to add is that over the end credits there's the most terrible generic alt-rock song and i had to find out who performed it so I could hate them, and it was the Foo Fighters. They are really that bad.
Since it doesn't have its own thread, I want to also say I mostly liked the 2008 Hulk film, a solid 6/10 movie with a nice amount of pacing and a very wise decision to begin the film in medias res (probably because we'd already had Ang Lee/Eric Bana Hulk a few years before.) The stakes were extremely low and I can't decide whether or not it was a good narrative decision. Not much happened in the film and I'd have bought the Tim Roth role more if he wasn't just a random amoral black-ops soldier type. That said, I liked him.
I couldn't stop looking at William Hurt's mustache though, I think it was stolen from the set of Gettysburg.
― omar little, Monday, 7 May 2018 20:23 (five years ago) link
been watching these movies since i liked wandavision and loki
this one was dire
― mookieproof, Sunday, 18 July 2021 13:02 (two years ago) link
It's pretty dull. They hadn't quite figured everything out yet, with Thor himself the biggest oversight. The Dark World might not be anyone's fave, but at least he'd moved beyond Space Tarzan.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:04 (two years ago) link
Ragnarok is top two marvel efforts tho
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:12 (two years ago) link
Exactly. If it took Thor one to get to Thor 3, it was all worth it. There are definitely sequels better than the original, but how often is the third one significantly better than both of them?
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:16 (two years ago) link
Besides Godfather 3 and Jaws 3, of course.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:17 (two years ago) link
Significantly is prob tbh underselling it!
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:17 (two years ago) link
First two Thors are the only og core Avengers solo flix I don't rate very highly (I even prefer Iron Man 2, and yes I know that everyone thinks I'm an idiot on that count and likely many other counts).
― Marty J. Bilge (Old Lunch), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:20 (two years ago) link
Iron Man 2 suuuuuuucks. It might be the only MCU movie that is outright bad, imo. Looks bad, written bad, over stuffed and under stuffed.
xpost Well, like, a lot of people like Toy Story 3 a lot and think it's the best. I personally don't, but even so, no sane person that would call it significantly better than Toy Story 3. So Thor 3 is not just better, it's *significantly*, dramatically better than the other two.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:21 (two years ago) link
(And yes, I even rate Norton Hulk higher, bring it bruh.)Obviously the presence of Hemsworth and Hiddleston elevates the material considerably but they're pretty saggy affairs otherwise.
― Marty J. Bilge (Old Lunch), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:21 (two years ago) link
Iron man 2 is certainly better than thor 1
Iron man 2 may be better than the two endgames and black panther tbh
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:24 (two years ago) link
Oof. When my kid and I rewatched them all over the last year Iron Man 2 was the only one we kind of looked at each other after and agreed, well, that was pretty shitty. I want to say I liked Thor more the second time. And Dark World remained fine to me.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:32 (two years ago) link
Dr strange woeful
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:38 (two years ago) link
Anyways, thor 1 no good, back on topic
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:39 (two years ago) link
Dr. Strange, like Thor, often felt like it had just a couple of sets and tried to make those two sets look like lots of sets, but I wasn't fooled.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:44 (two years ago) link
Didn’t like Thor 1 the first time I watched it but it really grew on me after the second viewing - it’s kinda lovably goofy. And I’ve said it before but so glad they cast Chris and not Liam Hemsworth as Thor.
Thor 2 is forgettable, Iron Man 2 is outright bad - those two, along with Dr Strange and Avengers: Age of Ultron, are solidly bottom tier MCU.
― Roz, Sunday, 18 July 2021 18:58 (two years ago) link
I feel like this is a fair compromise position from which to bring in the endgames and black panther and i look fwd to the next round of talks
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 19:09 (two years ago) link
i've only seen the first four, to which i say
iron man 1 >>>>>>>>>>>> iron man 2 > hulk >>>>>>>>>>>> thor 1
probably only because of downey tho. and paltrow is the best of the ladies so far
idris elba is the only good part of thor (although hemsworth is indeed quite a physical specimen)
― mookieproof, Sunday, 18 July 2021 21:08 (two years ago) link
I don't even remember the baddy in Iron Man 2. I know it's sometimes Mickey Rourke, but other than him, there's some other shit going on that I just totally blank on. Which is crazy for a film with soooooo much going on (literally; the movie otherwise has nothing going on).
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 18 July 2021 21:42 (two years ago) link
Mockey rourke and sam rockwell put it well out of the mire tbh
Now that's as entertainment, if there are metrics under which those guys' performances actually bring what is held to be a decent movie down then they are imo nonsense metrics because nothing in that movie besides is worth a look
― fix up luke shawp (darraghmac), Sunday, 18 July 2021 22:23 (two years ago) link
I believe tombot had views as to the pinpoint accuracy of Sam Rockwell's performance as an non-military contractor pitching for military contracts. I don't have any views on that, I don't have access to that metric and I don't feel that I should have. It might be "a good civil servant's film" is what I'm saying.
― Andrew Farrell, Sunday, 18 July 2021 23:19 (two years ago) link
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, July 18, 2021 2:44 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
this always stuck out to me about thor 1, the scenes that took place on earth looked incredibly cheap. like they were filmed on a theme park wild west shootout show set
― ✖, Monday, 19 July 2021 00:05 (two years ago) link
Thor 1 was great
― Karl Havoc (DJP), Monday, 19 July 2021 11:13 (two years ago) link
I love the first Thor. To me it is a very well-working mix between sword-and-sorcery fantasy & contemporary MCU real-world stuff. I find Loki done particularly well, I also think the Warriors Three and Lady Sif are nicely distinguished enriching extras.
I remember hoping to love the second Thor as much but coming out of the cinema quite disappointed. However, when I rewatched it later, I enjoyed it immensely.
I personally don't think any of the MCU movies has been below average-to-good. My least favourite has always been Iron Man II as well, but I thought it was enjoyable enough. It has been a while since the last time I watched it, I wonder if I like it better now as with The Dark World.
― Valentijn, Monday, 19 July 2021 11:48 (two years ago) link
I personally don't think any of the MCU movies has been below average-to-good.
― Marty J. Bilge (Old Lunch), Monday, 19 July 2021 11:56 (two years ago) link
Thor 2 had the business with the portals at the end, which was quite fun for an MCU boss battle
otherwise pretty worthless iirc
― Number None, Monday, 19 July 2021 13:04 (two years ago) link
Except that Thor himself is more fun, too, and Darcy is a funny character as well.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 19 July 2021 13:12 (two years ago) link
ragnarok used hemsworth so perfectly that it made you wonder why it took so long for the creative team to realize that thor should be a total goofball. ragnarok and infinity war did a good job of indulging in that side of him while also remembering why he's a noble hammer-wielding hero. endgame went a little too far in the goofy direction, imo, tho who wouldn't want to sit around and play video games all day with korg.
― bart harley-jarvis cocker (voodoo chili), Monday, 19 July 2021 15:10 (two years ago) link