PODCAST: "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014) - Avengers Countdown 10 w/ Jamie & Ryan

Watched:  03/29/2019
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  Unknown.  8th?
Decade:  2010's

We get to the surprise hit of the Marvel Cinematice Universe, a story of a ragtag group of space losers, including a talking raccoon and tree. Honestly, it's just a fun time at the movies - and it's one of Jamie's favorites, so we're gonna talk about it. A lot.




Music:
"Hooked on a Feelin'" - Blue Swede, Guardians of the Galaxy OST
"Moonage Daydream" - David Bowie, Guardians of the Galaxy OST


Avengers Chronological Countdown w/ Jamie & Ryan

Marvel Watch: Captain Marvel (2019)

Watched:  03/25/2019
Format:  Alamo Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  Second
Decade:  2010's

(editor's note:  I wrote most of this post and then forgot to post it, so consider this my thoughts from a week ago or so)

Normally I wouldn't do a write-up of a movie about which I've already done a podcast, but I also know a whole bunch of you read posts and don't listen to the Marvel podcasts.  So... hey...  here we go.

Look, I'm not going to come out and say Captain Marvel (2019) is or was the *best* Marvel movie.  We are living immediately in the wake of when Black Panther just showed up at the Academy Awards for Best Picture nominee, and which may have skewed our expectations a tad.  Pretty far cry from being delighted Marvel didn't poop the bed with Iron Man.

What I will say is - I've seen a whole lot of dudes, good dudes, shrugging off Captain Marvel as muddled, not that great. And, my dudes, you don't have to like Captain Marvel, but I am going to suggest that from comments some have made in my general direction - maybe you misread the movie.

PODCAST! "Captain Marvel" (2019) - Jamie, The Dug, K and Ryan and a Not Quite Chronological Countdown

Watched:  03/09/2019
Format:  Alamo Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Jamie's brother and sister-in-law were in town, and we all saw the screen debut of Marvel's cosmic-type Avenger. Join Jamie, The Dug, K and Ryan as we share our "first reaction" takes on what happens the 90's collide with aliens, space faring adventure, Annette Benning, and Marvel's first female lead (it's about time, y'all).




Music:
Captain Marvel Theme - Pinar Toprak, Captain Marvel OST


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Avengers Chronological Countdown

Third Time Around Watch: Spider-Man - Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Watched:  03/03/2019
Format:  Alamo Slaughter
Viewing:  Third
Decade:  2010's

This was the third time.  I'm still seeing all-new things in this movie, still totally swept up in the story and characters, still getting weepy multiple times...  I love this movie so much.

In case you didn't hear - it did win

Academy Award - Best Animated Feature
Golden Globe - Best Animated Feature
Critic's Choice - Best Animated Feature
New York Film Critics Circle - Best Animated Feature
BAFTA - Best Animated Feature
PGA - Producer of the Year Award in Animated Feature

I don't care too much about awards, but there are a lot of people out there who like this movie who kinda know movies.  And I would genuinely try not to steer you wrong.

PODCAST! "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"! Avengers Chronological Countdown #09 - w/ Jamie and Ryan

Watched:  02/16/2019
Format:  Bluray
Viewing:  unknown
Decade:  2010's

We reach one of Jamie's all-time favorite movies, a tale of a handsome man who is neck-deep in issues he thought he fixed before he went down for a long nap. Cap returns in an espionage thriller, but - also - a story of friendship. And blowing things up real good. It's one of the big turning points for Marvel as they put their best foot forward with a solid story that takes things up a notch.



Music:

Avengers - Alan Silvestri, Avengers OST
Captain America - Henry Jackman, Captain America: The Winter Solider OST

Playlist

Oscar Watch: Black Panther (2018)

Watched:  01/25/2019
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  third
Decade: 2010's

Just getting in another viewing of the movie.  Still stunned by the world building, well-written characters with top-flight talent to bring them to life, and how the challenge of the "villain" informs the protagonist to be a better man and king.  First class storytelling, and in a superhero movie no less.  What it were that more of these superhero movies understood the power of a great ensemble script and cast.

As much as Star Wars or Harry Potter drops you in a universe and you fall into it immediately, so, too, does Black Panther.  Anyhoo...  here's to their chances on Oscar night, and I look forward to whatever they do next for a follow-up.

PODCAST: "Thor: The Dark World" (2013) - Avengers Chronological Countdown 8, w/ Jamie and Ryan

Watched:  01/04/2019
Format:  Amazon Streaming
Viewing:  3rd
Decade:  2010's

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Jamie and Ryan finally get to - and keep it short - as they slog through the second installment of the Thor trilogy of films "The Dark World", which we thought was "Into Darkness", which was not the only "Star Trekkian" business we saw in this mess of a film that no one remembers and fewer people care about.
 

Avengers Chronological Countdown Playlist

PODCAST! Marvel Watch! "Iron Man 3" w/ Jamie and Ryan

watched:  01/02/2019
Format:  Amazon streaming
Viewing:  5th?
Decade: 2010's


We hit the post "Avengers" doldrums with Iron Man 3, a box office smash that just sorta, kinda works. Jamie and Ryan take a look the final Iron Man stand-alone movie and talk about how it fits in, how it didn't do what they wanted it to do, and seasonal superheroics.





Avengers Chronological Countdown

Second Watch: Spider-Man - Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Watched:  12/28/2018
Format:  Alamo
Viewing:  Second
Decade:  2010's

No real write-up other than to mark that Jamie and I caught Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse a second time.  Generally prepared for what we were going to see, I think I was able to appreciate the animation far more this time, and... dang.

Marvel Watch: Spider-Man - Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Watched:  12/15/2018
Format:  Alamo Drafthouse South
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

PODCAST! AVENGERS COUNTDOWN - "AVENGERS" (2012) - Jamie and Ryan take on the great big superhero mashup

Watched:  11/02/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  Unknown.  6th or 7th.
Decade:  2010's

Jamie and Ryan return and we finally get to the big team-up movie! Which... people seem to like. We take a look at how it stacks up as part of the bigger Marvel picture, what we like, what we don't (brace yerselves), and try to sort out what Loki was actually up to in this movie.



Avengers Chronological Countdown Playlist

Stan Lee Merges with The Infinite

Excelsior!

I am, like everyone, mourning the loss of Stan Lee who passed at age 95.

But.  What a world we live in where everyone is mourning a comic book writer/ editor/ huckster!  What an amazing guy we had with us for almost a full century!

PODCAST: "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011) - Part 5 of Avengers Chronological Countdown

Watched: 09/21/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  unknown
Decade:  2010's

Ryan and Jamie talk about "Captain America: The First Avenger" - and it goes on way, way too long. We talk about why the movie felt like a risk, how it fits in with the Avengers overall mega-narrative, and how it compares to the comics. This may or may not be one of our favorite movies, so we may have shown up with multiple type-written pages of notes, ready to go.



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PODCAST! MARVELWATCH: Thor (2011) - Jamie and Ryan welcome the god of hammers to the MCU!

Watched:  08/24/2018
Format:  Amazon Streaming
Viewing:  I dunno.  Fifth?  Sixth?
Decade:  2010's


Jamie and Ryan watch the fourth Marvel Studios film, Thor! It's the first off-world excursion for Marvel, an introduction for a key Avenger, expansion of the MCU and a lot of set-ups for payoffs. And, of course, more handsome than any movie should be asked to handle. Some top flight talent joins some soon-to-be-household-names as adventure unfolds!






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MARVELWATCH PODCAST! Avengers Countdown 03 - "Iron Man 2" w/ Jamie & Ryan!

Watched: 08/010/2018
Format: Amazon Streaming
Viewing: third or fourth
Decade: 2010's

Jamie and Ryan cover "Iron Man 2", where the pieces of the Marvel U move forward, plants are placed that will pay off movies down the line, Black Widow first appears, and Tony sits in a giant donut. We also say "interesting" entirely too much. Join us as we realize we discuss how "Iron Man 2" works better now as part of the Marvel puzzle than it did when we saw it as just a sequel Marvel rushed into theaters.



For the Avengers Chronological Countdown Playlist:

MARVELWATCH PODCAST:! "Incredible Hulk" (2008) - #02 of Avengers Chronological Countdown

Watched: 08/03/2018
Format: BluRay
Viewing: unknown. 5th?
Decade: 2000's
Podcast runtime:  58 minutes

Jamie and Ryan buckle in for movie #2 - "The Incredible Hulk". Marvel grapples with the film world of 2008-ish as they adapt comics, movies and TV shows into one cinematic creature that Ryan likes, but didn't exactly take off at the time. We take a look at what Mr. Angry-Pants is all about and how it all fits in.
 

Get your audio episodes at:

• Signal Watch on Stitcher
• Signal Watch on iTunes
• Signal Watch on Soundcloud
• Signal Watch on Google Play
• Signal Watch on PocketCast

PODCAST: Iron Man (2008) - Avengers Chronological Countdown! w/ Jamie and Ryan

Watched:  07/21/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  At least the fifth
Decade:  00's

Jamie and Ryan begin a re-watch of all the Marvel movies in order of release! (We call it Chronological Countdown, but we're not doing in some willy-nilly Marvel timeframe). Join us as we consider Iron Man (2008), what it meant then and now in the Marvel Cinematic U and how it looks in 2018 in general.

PODCAST! Marvel Watch: Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

Watched:  07/15/2018
Format:  Alamo Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

It's a PODCAST!  Starring our own Jamie!  As the Ant-Man partners up with The Wasp, so we team up with our better half to talk big about getting small.  This one is a bit shorter than other podcasts at a trim 35 minutes, so jump right in to hear the good, the bad and the tiny of Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018).

Steve Ditko Merges With the Infinite

Comics creator Steve Ditko passed this weekend at the age of 90.  As you may know, Ditko co-created Spider-Man and was responsible for the art chores and certainly deserves co-writing credits with Lee on the early years of the wall-crawler's adventures.  He was behind some of my favorite Spidey villains like Sandman, The Lizard, Electro, Doctor Octopus, and - of course - Green Goblin.  Not bad. 

Comics Culture Read: Marvel Comics - The Untold Story (2013)

Author:  Sean Howe
Release:  October, 2013

The manager at my Local Comic Shoppe, Brandon, suggested Marvel Comics: The Untold Story (2013) while we were discussing some minutia around the history of Marvel Comics. 

My knowledge of Marvel history is one mostly gathered patchwork from various interviews, articles, word-of-mouth stories, etc... so I knew some broad strokes, particularly around the infamous Kirby/ Lee creator debates and the Ditko/Lee broo-haha, but after Lee left Marvel, it's all bits and pieces gleaned from Bullpen Bulletins, credits on comics while certain things were happening, and trying to piece together what the hell, exactly, was going on at Marvel at any given time.