Road to Infinity War - Phase 1 - The Incredible Hulk (2008)

One forgets that The Incredible Hulk came out a mere 6 weeks after Iron Man. The MCU were either very, VERY keen to build on the success OR that is what happens when you were dealing with multiple distributors on your films (until Disney bought Marvel Studios, Paramount were releasing the Iron Man, Cap and Thor movies while Universal still had Hulk. Actually even to this day which is why you don't see a solo Hulk movie).
Incredible Hulk is viewed by many as bottom tier Marvel. It is not a bad film. It's certainly a hell of a lot better than Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk with the mutant poodles!
It is just not as good or as slick and polished as the rest of their catalogue. Indeed, the MCU was clearly still finding its feet here as evidenced by Thunderbolt Ross's references to the Super Soldier plan not tying in perfectly with Captain America: The First Avenger.
Also, they seemed a little bit unsure of themselves and had the post-credit sting of Tony Stark telling Ross that they were putting a team together before the credits.
To think this is the same studio that gave us the troll-heavy Captain America sting at the end of Spider-Man Homecoming.

The Incredible Hulk always seems slightly out of place in the MCU and is mostly remembered for their handling of Edward Norton who did no publicity for the film after they rejected his 3 hour cut that was more of a Jekyll and Hyde character study in favour of retooling it as a two hour "Hulk Smash" action film.
The effects never really worked as the CGI Hulk never really felt like Norton's Banner. Something that would be fixed when Mark Ruffalo would be cast and did performance capture as the Hulk. Although it was nice to see Lou Ferrigno provide the voice and make a cameo.
It certainly wasn't all bad and there are some really lovely, fun moments such as Banner getting "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry" wrong in Portuguese or stopping himself from getting intimate with Betty Ross because his heart rate is getting too high and fearful he may Hulk out, or Craig Armstrong (delivering one of the strongest MCU scores) using the "sad walking away" music from the TV show.
In terms of references and world building, there is a nod to the Ultimates series of comics where they drop Banner out of a helicopter at an enemy to induce a change. This is also the series that introduced the Samuel L. Jackson version of Nick Fury and so gave comic fans an idea of where the over-arching story might be going.

Infinity Stone Counter: Still zero!

Birdman - review

Much of the marketing of Birdman has focused on the meta-casting of Batman Michael Keaton in the role of Riggan Thomson, a washed up actor most famous for playing a superhero called Birdman, who attempts a comeback by writing, directing and starring in a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story.

Yes, there is a critique of the current superhero boom (when needing a replacement for an actor, Riggan lists off a few names but is told they are all busy filming comic book movies) but in fact it is a much darker look at the current trend of Hollywood actors, or as one critic derisory calls them "celebrities", trying to legitimise their careers by having a crack at theatre on Broadway or the West End.

Currently finishing up runs on Broadway are Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon) and Birdman co-star Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy) and the last couple of years in London has seen the likes of James McAvoy (Charles Xavier) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) tread the boards when they are not part of the Marvel Universe.

A star name can help boost ticket sales and generate publicity for a show but it can come at a cost and that can be the feeling of resentment from old school thespians and theatre audiences who are unwilling to accept the baggage that can come with that type of celebrity and it is something that the film addresses head on as Riggan starts to unravel as he heads towards opening night.

Having put everything he has on the line to put on the show, the pressure builds and not only is he put under pressure by his obnoxious, pretentious co-star Mike Shiner (a hilariously pompous Edward Norton), his former-junkie daughter who he is trying to reconnect with (Emma Stone) and the voice in his head... Birdman (Keaton's own voice played with a Christian Bale's gravely growl).

Oscar nominations could be in store for Keaton's regenerative performance as well as Norton's (literally) scene-stealing turn but if there is one guaranteed Oscar destined to come Birdman's way it will be award to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (which would be a back-to-back win after Gravity).

When you become aware of the cinematography and editing and start wondering just how they did it, it can sometimes take you out of the film but what is amazing about following Chris Haarhoff's steadicam around the backstage corridors of the St. James Theatre in one seemingly continuous take is that it gives this sense of immediacy and realism that instead creates the feeling that you are watching a play (within a play/film).

And in a film featuring one "single" extended shot, it is the final shot that will leave audiences filled with that genuine sense of wonder because they have indeed witnessed something super.

There is a saying in the entertainment world - "Theatre is life, film is art and television is furniture" and Birdman beautifully blurs the lines between life and art, cinema and the theatre, creating an experience that truly soars.

5 stars