Anna Ford, Assistant Culture Editor
• May 13, 2023
In a bittersweet and satisfying conclusion to the beloved trilogy, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (“Vol. 3”) follows the events of "Thor: Love and Thunder" as Peter Quill (Chris Pratt)—a.k.a “Star-Lord”—and the rest of the team race to save Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) life and come to terms with their ever-shifting group dynamics.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” kicks off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with a zany tale of fatherhood, revolution and giant ants. Starring Paul Rudd as Ant-Man and Evangeline...
After hitting theaters on Friday, Nov. 11, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” proves an instant success for the MCU franchise. An unsurprising verdict, the sequel follows the fan-favorite “Black Panther,” which broke theaters in 2018 with its very-needed inclusion of an African MCU superhero. “Wakanda Forever” now pays tribute to late actor Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa) whilst introducing a new Black Panther in his place.
Disney+’s Marvel shows have so far proven to be strong additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the movies give us the epic narratives factoring into a larger story arc, the shows give more personable stories. Ones like “Hawkeye,” “WandaVision” and “Loki” give us introspective looks into central characters that the films can’t always allot within a two-hour runtime. “Moon Knight,” the latest series, stands out for being the first Disney+ series to adapt a new hero to headline their own show. Its first episode out of six shows promise in the series being a mind-bending and exhilarating thrill-ride unlike anything Marvel’s done before.
With the success the MCU is accustomed to, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” could have been a throw-away, fan-serving flick. Instead, it is a mature and entertaining film that fans of both the MCU and Spider-Man will not only love but respect. There is excellence in every moment of this film—its choices are deliberate, and it takes bold risks. It is the tribute that the beloved superhero deserves and speaks to the future of the character in the most encouraging sense.
The film follows Shang-Chi, played by actor Simu Liu, on an adventure that forces him to confront the dark past that he has been trying to forget. His ordinary life in San Francisco is interrupted by the presence of the Ten Rings, the peace-destroying organization that was first introduced in “Iron Man." The organization’s leader, and Shang-Chi’s father Wenwu, played by Tony Leung, intends to enlist Shang-Chi for a supernatural task that may hold dire consequences for the entire world.
Audiences have been clamoring for years to see a major blockbuster female-led superhero movie. DC won that race in 2017 with the release of “Wonder Woman,” which lived up to all of the hype surrounding...
