‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ doesn’t stray from Marvel’s Midas touch

“Spider-Man: Far from Home” – Peter Parker (Tom Holland) needs a break. This teenager fought alongside Tony Stark, became an Avenger, traveled into deep space, battled a purple-skinned, 8-foot Titan, died with half the universe’s population, and – five years later – came back to life.  If you have not seen “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), this critic will not reveal any more spoilers from that film’s colossal closing chapter on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) first 11 years. Yes, “Endgame” delivered a spectacular ending, with all the madness and pomp and…

‘Deadpool 2’ is a sugar high, and that’s good and bad

“Deadpool 2” – Have you ever eaten Pixy Stix?   They are a granular powder of sugary goodness that Nestle Global pours in a straw for children of all ages to rip open and dump the concoction down their throats.  The experience is a visceral rush of spazzy, beautiful nonsense, but 10 seconds later, you’ll want another hit….or walk away with a headache. A Pixy Stix meal seems about the best way to describe “Deadpool 2”, the sequel to the hilarious and effective original from 2016, and Ryan Reynolds triumphantly returns…

Believe the hype, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is Marvel’s crown jewel

“Avengers: Infinity War” – “What is your name?”  “What is your quest?” –  The Bridgekeeper, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975) In this classic comedy from the mid-70s, King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table set out for a most arduous and seemingly impossible adventure: to find the Holy Grail in arguably the crown jewel of the Monty Python big screen collection. For 10 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been building towards “Avengers: Infinity War”, its 19th picture in the staggeringly successful series.  After…