Thor: The Dark World

SCI-FI/FANTASY, ACTION/ADVENTURE

The Nine Realms

8.25 out of 10 | MOVIE and DVD

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Rated: PG-13  Intense sci-fi action and violence and some suggestive content
Release Date: November 8, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 51 minutes

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Director: Alan Taylor
Writers: Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Don Payne, Robert Rodat, based on the character created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Jaimie Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard

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SYNOPSIS:  Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

REVIEW: Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor takes his drama and fantasy small screen experience to the big screen as he tackles the return of the Norse gods in the Marvel universe. Written by experienced Marvel writer Christopher Yost, Captain America: The First Avenger scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely from a story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat from the original creation by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Thor must sacrifice everything for the kingdom he serves and the woman he loves.

Millennium ago, before the light over the Nine Realms was formed, Dark Elves ruled. When light came to the worlds the Dark Elves fought to keep it at bay. Eventually the Asgardians, led by Bor, beat the elves back into annihilation and kept their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) from releasing the Aether that would bring darkness back to all the realms. Now, as the Nine Realms move into alignment known as a Convergence the physics and separation between realms becomes thin and unpredictable. After the events of the alien invasion in New York Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has been busy with quelling marauders and warring factions across the worlds. When his love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) comes in contact with the Aether, Thor takes her from Midgard to Asgard for treatment. Sensing that the Aether has returned, The Dark Elf king awakes from his slumber to retrieve it and finish plunging the realms back into darkness. Thor and his imprisonment brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) must go against Odin (Anthony Hopkins) in an attempt to save Jane, destroy the Aether, and ultimately defeat the Dark Elves.

The battle for New York is over, and the Avengers have disbanded to return to their own lives. Tony Stark has rebuilt Stark Tower and deal with the menace of Pierce and the Mandarin. Thor returns to Asgard to defend both his kingdom and the other worlds from the chaos that has erupted. And soon Steve Rogers will have to deal with patriotic nostalgic notions set against a more violent and covert modern world. While some say that no single hero film will top what the Avengers and Joss Whedon brought to life in the summer of 2012, both Ironman and Thor have returned to deal with their own single adventures. After Thor's origin story and his stint in the Avengers, The Dark World opens up the character and mythos and brings to life a tale of tragedy, loss, humor, action, redemption and action.

Taking a page directly from Norse mythology, the Dark Elves are an integral parts of viking lore. Malekith and his elf brothers add another formidable menace to Thor's rich history. Also, each realm brings to life a unique mesh of mechanics, sorcery, religion and technology. For the Dark Elves their battleships are reminiscence of those of the necromancers from The Chronicles of Riddick. The elves are both elegant and utterly dangerous.

The god of thunder, as mighty as he is with his hammer, is still most interesting when humanized. He surrounds himself with his friends Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Hogan Tadanobu Asano), Fandral (Zachery Levi), and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson). Thor struggles with his responsibility as heir to the kingdom of Asgard. He battles against the "wisdom "of his father Odin, and he yearns for a return to Jane in Midgard. But aside from his worries and responsibilities, this tale is made most interesting by his relationship with his brother Loki who was the engineer of the alien invasion in New York City.

Hiddleston's Loki always steals every scene with his conniving tricks. Played to perfection, Loki is at the same time earnest and power-hungry. Hemsworth's Thor may be muscle bound but his strength doesn't keep him from the worries of his responsibility to his kingdom and his love. Kat Dennings' unpaid intern Darcy provides plenty of one-liner laughs, as well as Stellan Skarsgard's Dr. Eric Selvig running around through half the film in some form of undress. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster is more developed and in more jeopardy in this film, serving as a focal points to the events that unfold. And you can't discount Anthony Hopkins' always Shakespearean turn as the All-father Odin.

Thor wields his mighty hammer Mjolnir to wrestle with both the safety and security of Asgard, Midgard and of the rest of the Nine Realms. Thor: The Dark World is a well-paced fantasy adventure tale perfect to follow up both the original film and The Avengers, filled with action, romance and dire consequence. This time around the god of thunder truly brings the boom.

Note: Remember to stay for both the mid end credits and after the end credits for scenes that foreshadows events in future feature films and a bit of closure for this film.

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The Avengers 3D

Some Assembly Required

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Rated: PG-13 Intense Sci-fi action/violence and a mild drug reference
Release Date: May 4, 2012
Runtime:  2 hrs 23 mins

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Director: Joss Whedon
Writers: Zak Penn, Joss Whedon, based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany

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SYNOPSIS: Mischievous Norse god Loki takes control of the cosmically powerful Tesseract in an attempt to portal from the far end of the universe an alien army to defeat Earth and serve as ruler. Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, must bring together a band of heroes to thwart the invasion.

REVIEW: Joss Whedon, director and director of such genre-loved classics as Buffy - The Vampire Slayer and Firefly, works with co-writer comic book adapter Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk, X-Men: The Last Stand, Elektra) to bring to screen the long-awaited Marvel superhero ensemble film that comic book fans have been dreaming about since cracking open their first Avengers tale.

When an unexpected surge of power starts to emanate from the Tesseract retrieved by Howard Stark in the 1940s and experimented on in the present day by the scientists of SHIELD, the result is the opening of a portal and the return of Loki (Tom Hiddleston, War Horse) to the earthly plane. Escaping with the powerful cosmic energy source, Director Nick Fury of SHIELD is forced to bring together the various powerful men and women who he had slated for the now defunct Avengers Initiative. He enlists the help of the former Russian assassin turned SHIELD agent Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson, We Bought a Zoo), code named Black Widow, to bring in Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo, Shutter Island) from abroad to hunt down the cube with the hopes that the Hulk will be kept under wraps. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr., Due Date) is sought after for his brilliance and technology. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, What's Your Number?) is a super soldier who needs to get back into the world to serve his country in the best way possible. Fury hopes that self-proclaimed protector of earth Thor (Chris Hemsworth, The Cabin in the Woods) will fulfill his promise to defeat the earth. And archer Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol) is the resident bolt loading marksman whose skills as a trained assassin is only matched by Romanoff. Loki's master plan is unknown to the heroes, other than the fact that he plans to bring to earth an alien armada to decimate the earth and put himself as king of the planet. The only force with any chance to stop his evil plans is the Avengers - but only if they can come together as a true team.

Jon Favreau hinted at a possibility of an Avengers movie with Samuel L. Jackson's utterance of a "...bigger universe..." and "...The Avengers Initiative". He may have added the end scene to the first Robert Downey, Jr. Iron Man as a cool lark and easter egg, but that scene started to slowly galvanize a spark of an idea that continued through four other films, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, and culminates in an already franchised powerhouse and anticipated film with this summer's The Avengers. With five films put together as an ultra long set of origin stories, The Avengers is freed from the shackles of usually necessary back story to get right into the heart of a new story.

Coming in at two hours twenty-three minutes, you would think that this epic superhero story would drag its feet for a bit until the momentum started to build. But from the moment that the Tesseract starts to pulse and the godling Loki steps back into the world, the only slow point is Fury looking to assemble his team to combat the immediate threat to the planet. Each member of the rag-tag team is acquired in thoughtful and funny ways, gathering them together to take on Loki. At each step of the way, the fanboys and fangirls are treated to inspired nerdgasms that keeps the grins on the face and glint in the eyes. For instance, with any major superhero team-up there is usually a misunderstanding between heroes that results in a all-out brawl. We are treated to more than one! The classic nerd dilemma - who would win in a fight - Thor or the Hulk? Captain America or Thor? Iron Man or Captain America? Black Widow or Hawkeye? The story is so well laid off that every fan would be satisfied with the outcome. And once the heroes stop fighting each other, they get to take on an entire alien army with abandon.

With an ensemble picture, it is difficult to focus any long attention on any one character. And that's fine. Each hero gets enough of a spotlight to appeal to anyone who did not take the precious time to watch all of the first five aforementioned films in one sitting (hey, it wasn't me!) to have a refresher going into this film. And we do learn just enough to add a little depth and new knowledge about the characters to carry us through. I could wax nostalgically about the lose that Steve Rogers feels about being a man out of time, or that Tony Stark's cavalier pursuit of his own aspirations portrays him in a poor light, or that the intense training that Nastasha endured at a young age by the Russian government as left her emotionally scarred. But in reality, all we want is to see the most powerful heroes of the Marvel Universe kick some serious butt!

Whedon and Penn bring to life a story that filled with phenomenal action, great humor, and a story with enough heart to get the audience to applaud during the film! Clark Gregg's (Iron Man)  Agent Coulson,  brings the same straight man laughs to his government role that he entertained us with in the earlier films. Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill (How I Met Your Mother) seemed under worked in her first appearance as a SHIELD agent, playing a simple second fiddle to Jackson's Fury. She does has a strong action sequence early on, and does smolder a bit in the eyes, but I hope to see more of the Hill character evolve in future franchise entries. Everyone else puts on their characters as if slipping into a fitted jacket, knowing what the character is about and how to get a little more out of them.

As a true 'Make Mine Marvel' fan, The Avengers gave me everything I could have asked for, and more.  It met and exceeded all of my expectations. Some may point out that the story was a little weak in spots, or certain characters were underused, but the fact that I can't really give an example of any of that is a testament to the the film as a whole experience. With dazzling effects, superior action, a cool story that crosses fandom  to mainstream lines, it is little wonder that The Avengers is poised to break $500M on an international stage. With these individual heroes there may be some assembly required, but once they come together there seems to be no stopping them! Avengers Assemble!!

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WORTH:  Friday Night and BluRay

The Avengers Trailer

Avengers Assemble

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Rated: PG-13
Release Date: May 4, 2012
Runtime: TBD

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Director:  Joss Whedon

Writers: Joss Whedon
Cast:  Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Samual L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Cobie Smulders, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg

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SYNOPSIS:  Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his mischief.

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War Horse

Be Brave, Be Brave

★ ★ ★ ★ out of 5 buckets | Matinee and BluRay

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Rated: PG-13 Intense sequences of war violence
Release Date: December 25, 2011
Runtime: 2 hrs 26 min

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Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Lee Hall, Richard Curtis, novel by Michael Morpurgo
Cast: Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Jeremy Irvine, Tom Hiddleston, David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch

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SYNOPSIS: At the onset of the First World War, a man sells and enlisted a horse into the British army to save his farm, breaking the heart of his son and wife. As the war rages on, the horse Joey works for both the British and German armies, encountering many soldiers and families ravaged by the wheels of war.

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REVIEW: Steven Spielberg, acclaimed director of Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, and Jaws, brings to the silver screen a story of a horse. Based on the 1982 novel by Michael Morpurgo and the instantly successful Nick Stafford play that followed, screenwriters Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) and Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Notting Hill) adapt War Horse into an epic film centered around the English countryside, the First World War, a young man and a horse named Joey.

Starting as a just born fold, a thoroughbred horse comes of age and readied for auction. Drunkard and war vet Ted Narracott (Peter Mullan, Braveheart) goes to market in search of a strong plow horse, but fancies the thoroughbred so much that he spends more than he had to buy the horse. Facing the loss of his farm and the wrath of his wife Rose (Emily Watson, Angela's Ashes), Ted tasks his son Albert (Jeremy Irvine, Life Bites) to break in the untested but feisty steed. When the landowner Lyons (David Thewlis, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2) comes to collect the farm's rent, he gives the Narracott family enough time to prove that the horse can actually plow the lower fields and prepare for planting. All the while, Albert and Joey, the name he gives to the horse, become fast and close friends. When the Narracott family faces more bad luck, Ted is forced to sell the animal into the service of an British cavalry captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston, Thor) at the start of the Great War in order to play the rent and save the farm for another season. Upon their departure, Albert and Rose are furious at the way Ted handled himself, but understood why he make the decision he did. From that point forward, Joey plays a central role to a cavalcade of officers and soldiers on both sides of the war, as well as others along the way.

From veterans like Emily Watson and Peter Mullan to the up and comers like Jeremy Irvine and David Kross, a fine cast is assembled to bring War Horse to life. The formerly mischievous and currently dashing and proper Tom Hiddleston brings a quiet aplomb to his role as Captain Nicholls, even as he and Joey take on Benedict Cumberbatch's (Atonement) competitive and cocky Major Stewart and his massive black horse. But through all of the impressive acting, Joey himself is the center of the story and deserves all the attention. Fiery and rebellious, but loyal and fearless, the animal makes the movie the epic it deserves to be - just like the puppetry that dazzles on stage in Manhattan, Toronto and London.

War Horse is simply a magnificent beast. Joey is strong and true through every landscape, from the lush rolling green fields of the British countryside, filled with rocks and harsh planting fields, to the golden hues of the tall dry grasses prior the war's first battle, to the overcast barbed wire laden cratered fields of battle. With strong silhouettes and colors, Spielberg adds motion and emotion to the film's palette. At times, the film looks as if it is painted and set on a play stage. Other times its scope is reminiscent of classic films like Gone With The Wind. If you close your eyes for a moment and enjoy the scores of longtime colleague and composer John Williams, the symphony will lift your spirits and break your heart in equal measure. Open your eyes, add in the breathtaking scenery and ageless tale of faith and perseverance, and you have a superior film in the long tradition of Spielberg.

I was distracted by the altered lighting of some of the re-shoots scenes edited into the originally shot film, but only for a moment. And the speech that Major Stewart gives his cavalry before charging into battle against the Germans seems to carry more weight in the trailer than it does in the final film.

Spielberg is respectful of both the life and death that the subject matter in War Horse touches on. Interspersed in the story's serious and dramatic tones are little gems of humor and good well that keep the 146 minute film fresh, entertaining and engrossing. Laughs snuck out unexpectedly, tears fell down my cheek, and I yearned for the innocence and faith of a boy and wept for the innocence lost of that boy as he becomes a man hardened on the fields of war.

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WORTH: Matinee and DVD

NYCC: The Avengers

New York Comic Con
The Avengers 

Director: Joss Whedon

Writers: Zak Penn, Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Mark Ruffalo, Clark Gregg

NYCC: In the IGN Theatre of the Jacobs Javitz Convention Center, anticipation mounted throughout the day. As the day turned into evening, the crowd - mostly individuals and groups who had camped out since the presentation of Shawn West and Maggie Q for Nikita - started getting restless for the Avengers panel to get underway.

Producer Kevin Feige came out on stage for a rabid round of applause, the entire crowd beyond ready to see trailers, possible film sequences, surprises, and the actors and actresses who were destined to play the characters who would become Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Following the film's producer out onto stage came Clark Gregg (Agent Phil Coulson), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America). As each member of the team emerged from the wings, the applause and roar from the crowd escalated. But, as the first surprise, another member of the team was called out... Mark Ruffalo! It was pandemonium throughout the IGN Theater.

A lively discussion ensued with Tom and Chris talking about how the costumes, although brilliantly designed, did not allow for easy relief (all pun intended). Chris mentioned that he was happy to share the misery of costumed bathroom breaks with his costars. Cobie and Clark gushed geekness about the first time they opened the doors to the command center of the Avenger helicarrier to see all of the Avengers in their full regalia. Clark even graced the audience with his death metal and original lyrics for the Avengers theme.

We got to watch the Avengers trailer that was released to the world mere days before. But we got to see the trailer on the big IGN projection screens! Hooting and hollering ensued again! Afterward questions and answers started from the moderator, then from the audience. The Q&A could have been called the Tom Hiddleston show. Ovaries burst with every british word he spoke, eloquent and clever, smart and knowledgeable about comics, his character, and the Marvel Universe. Clark provided plenty of levity, Cobie added a first-time convention lover's geekgasms, and Mark Ruffalo ruffa-fied the entire panel - and a bonus clip that Whedon and the studio assembled just for the NYCC.

Midnight in Paris

Surreal Realizations

Director: Woody Allen

Writers: Woody Allen

Stars: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen, Corey Stoll, Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard

SYNOPSIS: On a trip to Paris with his fiancee, Gil begins to question his life decisions as he wanders around beautiful city at night and meeting an interesting host of characters.

REVIEW: Woody Allen writes and directs Midnight in Paris, a film that defies Allen's recent works and defines many of Allen's works. From Sleeper where the protagonist is revived in the future to fight an oppressive government, to Play It Again, Sam where a film critic tries to return to the dating scene with help from an alter ego in the form of Humphrey Bogart, to any one in a laundry list of visual and deeply meaningful films, whether the backdrop is New York City or abroad. Filled with dialogue that is anything but empty, Midnight in Paris is at once transcendent, beautiful, quirky and meaningful.

Considered to be a romantic comedy, Midnight in Paris is more Gil's (Owen Wilson) romance of Paris and the images it invokes than a romance of his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams). Gil is an in-demand Hollywood screenwriter, but aspiring novelist who wonders if his earlier decision years previous to move out of the French capital in favor of the California Sun Coast. He romanticizes the "Golden Age" of art and literature of 1920s Paris and yearns to use present day Paris to inspire and help him succeed in finishing a book worthy of those earlier masters.

One night as his fiancee wants to go out dancing with a friend Paul (Michael Sheen), a tipsy Gil wanders the Paris streets to clear his head and take in the nuances of each cobblestone road and centuries old corridor. At the strike of midnight, a 1920s era Puegot pulls up and beckons Gil to come for a ride with them. Little does be realize, but Gil has travels to the 1920s era to mean and interact with the likes of F. SCott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston from Thor), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll from Salt), Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) and the enigmatic Adriana (Marion Cotillard). First Gil is doubtful but then embraces each midnight rendezvous with his literary and artist idols, even bold enough to ask for help with his relationship and manuscript.

The story is filled with the glorious beauty that is Paris, from the Eiffel Tower to a forgotten alleyway. Allen takes the most mundane event of Gil, Inez and her mother hailing a taxi in the starts of a rain shower and fills the backdrop with a cathedral's dome and terraced landscapes. Gil's nostalgia of 1920s Paris is felt when a cafe where he meets Ernest Hemingway disappears in the blink of an eye and is replaced with a modern day laundromat. Allen even captured the nuances of French life when Inez's father John (Kurt Fuller), at the restaurant where they met for lunch, keeps glancing behind him because of a man with a dog sitting at the table. Anyone who has experienced Paris firsthand can appreciate the culture, the city and the romance it commands.

Owen Wilson is his typical roguish, self-effacing self as Gil, excited for the city and what it holds, but differential to the wants and demands of his fiancee Inez. Marion Cotillard, most recently from Inception, plays Adriana with a wisp of artist's muse and a wistful passion for the nostalgia that both she and Gil long for. Among the colorful characters from Gil's past, most notable are Stoll's Ernest Hemingway as his courageous and poignant prose smoothly comes through Allen's script, Adrien Brody's cameo as Salvador Dali who when Gil meets him is obsessed with rhinoceros, and Vinccint Menjou Cortes's quiet lonesome portrayal of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Any Woody Allen enthusiast, any creative individual, or any fan of quirky romantic comedic misadventures will appreciate Midnight in Paris. Some people may look only to the future with no regard for the past or present, and others may only long back to an age that cannot exist in the present, know that there is both beauty and substance in the here and now.

WORTH: Matinee or DVD

Thor 3D

Thunderous!

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Writer: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Protosevich

Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Ray Stevenson

RANT: What happens when the studios offer so many versions of a film? Not only has Paramount released Thor for normal theatrical 2D viewing, but also released the film in Real D 3D and IMAX 3D. Are the studios offering enough choices that appeal to all audiences and their wallets, or simply deluding and desensitizing the masses?

SYNOPSIS: Powerful but arrogant Norse thunder god warrior Thor is banished to Earth from Asgard by the AllFather Odin, forced to learn humility as a mortal.

Kenneth Branagh, no stranger to classical tales in front and behind the camera, takes on one of the strongest and mythical characters in the Marvel Comics canon. Hulk may be the strongest when the green goliath is engaged, and Captain America may be the conscience and heart of the Marvel universe, but Thor is the regal mix of the two.

Based on a story crafted by Mark Protosevich and J. Michael Straczynski, a screenplay written by Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz and Don Payne from the Marvel Comics source material from Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Branagh brings to life the Mjölnir hammer-wielding Asgardian thunder god Thor. Part original origin, part modern reclaiming of the hammer, Thor has a something for every fan and newcomers alike.

Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek reboot) bulks up to embody the arrogant young god Thor. Banished from the realm of Asgard by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins), Thor is striped of his powers and sent through a wormhole to New Mexico, USA, Earth. Found by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Thor must find his destiny in order to regain his powers and favor from Odin. Along the way, Thor's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) looks to destroy the inhabitants of the planet and SHIELD director Nick Fury and agent Coulson try to determine the secret of the Mjölnir hammer fused to the New Mexico desert landscape.

Marvel Studios Films Thor brings to life the most important aspects of the Norse thunder god. Gone are Dr. Donald Blake and his walking stick, which when struck to the ground transforms the doctor into Thor. In the 1960s, Blake was perfect as the weakling foil to the nigh-powerful god. In the 21st century, audiences can adjust to a more rich mythical Asgardian origin story.

A perfect mix of a mythical other-realm fantasy and a earth bound Arthurian coming of age drama, Branagh brings us a difficult tale to show on the silver screen. How does one present Asgard? How will the Rainbow Bridge translate to film? The makers of Thor give us a kingdom worthy of of Middle Earth, steeped in magic and gold. In stark contrast, the New Mexico desert paints the somber sandy setting fit for a banished pre-king and god of Asgard.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor is perfectly arrogant as a brash spoiled reckless prince of the realm and decidedly filled with regret and loss once in exile on Earth - all the emotion seering into us from his piercing blue eyes. And while Natalie Portman as Jane Foster is similarly driven in her pursuits of science, along with her colleagues Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), her chemistry is more felt from Thor's heart. Joining Thor in his pre-exile escapades are Ray Steven as the younger LOTR Gimly-esque Volstagg, Josh Dallas as the swashbuckling Princess Bride clone Fandral, Jaimie Alexander as the severe but gorgeous warrior Lady Sif, and Tadanobu Asano as Hogun. Tim Hiddleston as Loki is picture perfect, feigning innocence and compassion while he plots much magical mischief against his brother Thor and his father, Odin.

Thor is not the typical super hero film fare. Branagh brings a dramatic shakespearean tragic feel to the realm of Asgard and its neo-norse robed inhabitants. Back on Earth, Thor must endure an exiled existence where he is not worthy to pull the proverbial sword from the stone, namely the Mjölnir hammer from the New Mexico rock bed where it is fused. The feel of the film is alternately filled with levity, drama, action and heart. Some may not be able to rectify the stark (not an Iron Man reference, I assure you) contrast between Thor's time in Asgard and on Earth, but every swing and throw of his hammer against the Destroyer, a legion of Frost Giants, or against his traitorous brother did bring the thunder and lightning for me!

As with every Marvel superhero flick of recent age, stay to the end of the credits for another easter egg for hints for upcoming films. And unless you are a 3D nut, you can pass the 3D in favor of the 2D screening.

WORTH: Friday Night Opening and Blu-Ray