He was supposed to be in "Captain America: Civil War" but got left out. Now the Incredible Hulk will team up with the thunder god in the third installment of the "Thor" series.
"The Assassin" is not going to fulfill the expectations of those following up on the marketing campaign. So it might be best to turn away from trailers before watching this film. Come to it with a willingness to explore a different world, with the patience that comes with such an objective. Let the glorious images wash over you and you will be rewarded in a manner that few other films this year can.
The first two rounds of the CONMEBOL qualifiers have come and gone with some major surprises.
From underdogs performing masterfully to dark horses making amends without top stars to heavyweights imploding, these first two rounds have been nothing short of riveting. Here are the biggest takeaways thus far.
When it was announced a few years back that the Euro 2016 would be expanded to 24 teams instead of the 16 of previous years, there was anticipation that this would allow for "lesser" European sides to get into the tournament.
In many ways "Tannhauser" provides an ideal launching point for those who want to try out Wagner but might feel daunted to do so. Unlike "The Flight Dutchman" which has no intermissions, "Tannhauser's" has two and showcases the composer's most structured work. Arias, choruses even concertato's are easily discernible throughout opera, giving audiences concrete points of reference. Throw in this terrific cast, a conductor at his very best and a production that despite its age still holds up, and you have a glorious evening for both newcomers and Wagner lovers alike.
"Miles Ahead" reaches high with its subject matter and genre subversion. However, the catharsis never comes. The sense that Davis is this revolutionary genius is never truly felt; the audience is constantly reminded of his greatness by other characters onscreen, but the sense of his artistic importance is glimpsed over in a few performances. People that are familiar with the artist will undoubtedly connect with the narrative, but those unfamiliar will come away wondering what the hype was all about.
Watching "Son of Saul" is a grueling experience on many levels. Through the subject matter (the Sonderkommando forced to aid in the extermination of their own people), the style of the film and its painful plot, the film never shies away from aims to portray the holocaust as an act of animalistic brutality and evil. Unlike other films on the subject, there is no hope at the end of the line and any glimmer of it ultimately proves false.
Colombia enjoyed a 2-0 win at home over Peru to get its World Cup qualifying campaign off to the right start. Here are some takeaways from the game for Los Cafeteros.
"Steve Jobs" is not your traditional biopic but instead an operatic "backstage" look at the life of man well-known for his work in front of the proscenium. Those looking for "historical accuracy" might as well turn to the languid "cradle to grave" "Jobs" which stars Ashton Kutcher. This film however, in its pace, its inventiveness and dynamism, is far more true to the spirit of one of the most exciting geniuses of our time.
Cristiano Ronaldo has struggled to find his form for both club and country. He has been called a "bad big game player."
He will look for redemption on Thursday when Portugal takes on Denmark in the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
It has not been a great year for Barcelona. Despite winning the treble a season ago, the team has struggled in the early going, already accruing three defeats in all competitions this season; the team has also endured two draws in all competitions and is out of first place in the Spanish League.
The team’s shaky start has only been exacerbated by injuries and none more crucial than the loss of one Lionel Messi. You might of heard of him. He is undeniably, at this moment, the most influential offensive player in the game, capable of coming off the bench and changing a game with one touch (just ask Atletico Madrid).
In his absence, which will linger for over a month, the team has looked somewhat disjointed. The reason? Other teams are more confident playing Barcelona knowing its talisman is nowhere to be seen.
Since losing Messi, teams (all three of them) have looked far more committed to attacking Blaugrana head on. Just witness how Sevilla attacked with wild abandon, allowing for a wide open counter attacking battle that could have gone either way for both teams. Bayer Leverkusen did the same exact thing in its contact, pressuring Barcelona in the midfield and launching quick strikes.
On the other end of the pitch, Barcelona has countered with five goals in three games; shockingly the team had not been that much better with Messi in the lineup to this point though there are some major ingredients that he brings that have been sorely lacking for Blaugrana.
Messi is undeniably the best dribbler in the world. The stats say it. The eye test says it. When he has the ball he forces defenders to take one of two decisions: attack him and risk being dangled about by him or sit back and give him a chance to make a pass or go right at them anyways. Messi can do either and oftentimes he has no trouble dribbling past one player without difficulty. So that requires the team to sit back and have another man waiting to provide reinforcements. Since Messi can take on two or even three men with a dribble (sometimes even five), the entire defense is forced to sit back and wait for him.
Without Messi, Barcelona has no one with that level of skill. Neymar is as close as it comes but he still falls short of Messi (Messi averages 6.5 dribbles per game while Neymar only gets 4.5 this season).
Goalscoring has been a problem for Messi in 2015-16 as he had just six through nine tilts prior to getting injured. Despite missing a number of games thus far, he is tied for the team lead with Luis Suarez who also has six goals, albeit in more matches than the Argentine.
The two superstars have done a decent job of filling in for Messi, combining on four of the five Barcelona goals scored since Messi’s injury. Neymar leads the team in key passes per game, emphasizing a strong pass first mentality from the winger. A three game sample is rather small and the games that follow the international break will surely reveal more about how much this team can play without its superstars.
The reviews thus far are mixed, but there is time to make a statement that this team does not rely on one star to make it go.
On Oct. 7, Tromba Mundi, a trumpet ensemble will make its Carnegie Hall debut and will also perform the premiere of "Swashbuckler" by Costa Rican born composer Andrés Soto.
All of the pieces of "Bridge of Spies" amount to a disjointed film that seems rather intent on its message at the cost of palpable suspense or drama. Some might be attracted to the feel-good vibes and optimism of the narrative, yet there is a lot left to desire about Spielberg and company's decision to gloss over the details in the search for explicit ideology.
