Skip to main content

A Review of 'Endgame' - The Russo Brothers Do Not Disappoint

In all my years of movie-watching, I had only seen one Marvel film and it was because I was writing a story about one of the cast members. But that changed when last year, I was a recipient of a grant from the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum to finish my documentary film, Return to Lucania. When I realized how much Joe and Anthony Russo give back to the Italian American community, I thought the least I could do is support their films. I went out right away and saw The Avengers and was blown away by the combination of a beautiful, dramatic story and mind-blowing CGI. So when Endgame was released, I waited until the weekend had passed and caught a weekday matinee. Having just read an insightful review that my friend Curt Markham posted on Facebook, I was very eager to see the film. After seeing it, I can say that I agree with just about everything he wrote in his review and as I have been encouraging him to get his work published beyond Facebook, I thought I'd take the liberty and do it right here. I would just like to add that the last scene and song, as the Russo brothers and I are the same age, gave me the chills and felt like a nostalgic tribute to our grandparents' generation. It was the perfect sentimental ending to a strong powerful film.

So with this review of Endgame, I am officially designating Curt Markham our guest blogger.

As someone who's only been a casual (and sometimes skeptical) follower of the Marvel films, I have to say - if there is not serious Oscar buzz over this one next year then there ain't no justice.

Let's start with the acting. For a crowd-pleasing special effects action epic, this film's early scenes are a very restrained depiction of a CHILDREN OF MEN-like world of people struggling to cope with grief and loss. This is actually one of the most adult films I've seen in a good long while. All of the main actors would be guaranteed Academy Award (or at least Independent Spirit) nominations if they gave these exact performances in a more realistic drama.

But of course the gloom eventually starts to lift, as the heroes who survived the infamous climax of the previous film hatch a daring plan. That's when the film switches to the STAR TREK IV "We'll divide into teams" multiple-storyline structure that I'm an absolute sucker for.

And of course it goes without saying that there is an epic battle at the end. People who appreciate tastefully acted explorations of loss and mortality may not also be the audience for mind-bogglingly vast fight sequences featuring 22 films' worth of heroes and villains. But if you *are* in both camps, then boy has your ship come in.

Obviously this film has been in theaters for a little while, and I saw it at a neighborhood theater with a not particularly large audience. But that modest crowd went 1970s-Times-Square-grindhouse / seeing-Yoda-draw-a-lightsaber-for-the-first-time berserk once the climactic battle went into full gear. And I'm pretty sure I heard real crying at the end too.

I hope to God this film finally drives a stake through the heart of "I hate CGI" attitudes. Not only is there image after image that would have been impossible (or prohibitively expensive) without it, but Thanos and the Hulk are the two most soulful performances I've ever seen from computer-generated characters.

After a certain point I thought "Who the f*** directed this? Because this is some next-level artistry." It turns out the maestros behind this are Joe and Anthony Russo, aka the Russo Brothers, whose previous credits include some of the previous Marvel films as well as a lot of TV including ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT and COMMUNITY. Whenever there is a flashback sequence to one of the previous Marvel films, the contrast makes immediately clear how far the Russos have raised the bar.

It's also impressive just how very many big-name actors have parts both large and small in this movie. It's a tribute to the affection and loyalty that this film series has inspired in its cast, that so many of them have stayed in the fold after all this time.

I'm actually somewhat shell-shocked at what a great movie this was. The other Marvel films that stood apart from the pack for me were the outrageously wacky comedic ones: THOR RAGNAROK and the two ANT-MANs. By contrast, this one blew me away with its dramatic seriousness, while still delivering epic spectacle and the occasional good joke.

The irony is that this is the superhero film to show to people who don't believe the genre can be art, and yet they wouldn't understand a word of it because they wouldn't have seen any of the setup in the previous films. But maybe they don't need to - there were some references that I didn't completely get, to previous films that I have already somewhat forgotten, and I still thought this was one hell of a movie.

Check out the 5-minute extended trailer....



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait  “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann.  Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Sweetness and Genius of Giulietta Masina

Fellini and Masina on the set of "La Strada" As open-hearted and sunny as Federico Fellini was dark and complex, they were perfect counterpoints during a half-century of marriage and professional collaboration.  Nicknamed a  “female Chaplin” and described by Chaplin himself as  the actress who moved him most,  Giulietta Masina confronted the tragedy of her characters with an eternal innocence and enthusiasm that gave Italians hope in the most challenging of times.  Born in 1921 in San Giorgio di Piano, a commune north of Bologna, Masina was the oldest of four children born to a father who was a music professor and violinist and a mother who was a grade-school teacher. Her parents sent her as a child to live in Rome with her widowed aunt while she attended school there. As Masina took an early interest in gymnastics, her aunt saw in her a passion for performing and encouraged her to pursue acting. So after high school, Masina attended Rome’s La...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Extraordinary Career and Legacy of Dino De Laurentiis

Producer Dino De Laurentiis was one of the most prolific filmmakers ever, having produced or co-produced more than 600 films during a career that spanned seven decades. His legacy continues not only through the work of his children and grandchildren but also through a new generation of filmmakers in his Italian hometown. De Laurentiis was born in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius on Aug. 8, 1919, in the city of Torre Annunziata, located just minutes from the ruins of Pompeii. As a child, he worked at a local pasta factory owned and operated by his father. That experience had a profound effect on him, shaping a lifelong passion for food and an appreciation for business. At the age of 17, he decided to leave home for the big city. He arrived in Rome and enrolled in the prestigious film school, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. After attending the school for about a year, he managed to produce one film in 1940, The Last Combat , before having to leave Rome temporarily for m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty.  He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence.  Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Conversation with Actor Mirko Frezza of David di Donatello Winner "Il più grande sogno"

The 2017 David di Donatello award show, which took place on Monday, was an exciting event that celebrated many great contemporary talents of Italian cinema.  I was fortunate to have seen most of the nominees.  Among my personal favorites  is Michele Vannucci's  Il più grande sogno  simply because it is based on one of the most inspiring, beautiful stories I've ever  heard, and the person behind that story is as authentic and down-to-earth as they come. The film won the 3 Future Award, which is determined by the public. With Director Michele Vannucci and Actor Mirko Frezza I first saw  Il più grande sogno last September when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival. I didn't make it to Venice, but thanks to a great online platform called Festival Scope , which offers a handful of premieres to be screened on the web, I felt like I was there. The film itself blew me away, and then when I realized it was based on a true story, I knew t...
Post a Comment
Read more