Highbrow Magazine - doctor strange https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/doctor-strange en ‘Doctor Strange’ Brings Lots of Flash but Little Substance https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19946-doctor-strange-brings-lots-flash-little-substance <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 05/20/2022 - 18:50</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1drstrange.jpg?itok=XkPftVRS"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1drstrange.jpg?itok=XkPftVRS" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When superhero fatigue starts to hit, you need something out of the ordinary to shake you up. <em>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</em> has the ingredients to jolt someone awake from their coma, but it doesn’t quite get there in its execution. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Following the concepts in <em>Spider-Man: No Way Home</em>, this movie uses the multiverse as a central plot device and how tampering with it brings chaos. Things come to a head and Doctor Strange enters a conflict with Scarlet Witch, a.k.a. Wanda Maximoff, who is now a powerful villain in the Marvel storyline. Unfortunately, as interesting as the concepts are, their execution of them isn’t clean and lacks the great character work that <em>No Way Home</em> had.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">One new character, America Chavez, is central to the plot because she can open paths to the multiverse. The problem is that amidst all the chaos of the movie, her character doesn’t get a chance to develop, and she ends up feeling like a human MacGuffin. Wanda also lacks character, which is a shame because the whole point of the show <em>Wandavision</em> was to develop her as a sympathetic character as we saw her transition into being a villain. Her motivation is understandable, and the audience is familiar with her but she doesn’t click as well as she should. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2drstrange.jpg" style="height:600px; width:405px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even without strong characters, the film is still a visual feast for the eyes. Whenever Doctor Strange is involved in a Marvel plot, you can count on spectacular set-pieces and mind-bending visual design. This movie definitely doesn't fail in that regard, as it’s full of impressive fight scenes and impossible geometry that draw the eye like nothing else. Even some of the villain designs look more interesting than usual, which is likely due to Sam Raimi’s vision as director. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When Disney began promoting the film, there were some who thought it would have a horror edge to it and that idea was only emboldened when Raimi was announced as the director. While Raimi’s unique touch is visible in various parts of the film, I wouldn’t say it goes far enough to truly separate it from all the Marvel movies. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3drstrange.jpg" style="height:340px; width:605px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">At this point in the Marvel cycle, there should be more chances being taken, not just with the plot but with the whole tone and dialogue of the movies. Multiverses, alternate realities, and changing timelines are high-concept ideas that artificially raise the stakes of the plot, but it still feels too similar to what came before. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Viewers who have been hardcore Marvel fans will most likely enjoy this especially because of what future projects are teased in this movie, but those who feel fatigued or jaded might come away feeling indifferent. It’s got plenty of eye candy, but the character work that Marvel is known for falls short.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ulises Duenas is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/doctor-strange-multiverse-madness" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">doctor strange in the multiverse of madness</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/doctor-strange" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">doctor strange</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sam-raimi" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sam raimi</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/marvel" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marvel</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/benedict-cumberbatch" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">benedict cumberbatch</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/marvel-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">marvel movies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/wandavision" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">wandavision</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/wanda-maximoff" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">wanda maximoff</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 20 May 2022 22:50:07 +0000 tara 11100 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19946-doctor-strange-brings-lots-flash-little-substance#comments ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Lives Up to the Hype https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19070-spider-man-no-way-home-lives-hype <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 12/31/2021 - 11:46</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1spiderman.jpg?itok=d5BbUoGC"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1spiderman.jpg?itok=d5BbUoGC" width="480" height="253" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It would be almost impossible to talk about this movie without some light spoilers, nothing you wouldn’t see in a trailer though, but be forewarned. After all the anticipation, the third Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man film is here, and it’s arguably not just the best of the trilogy, but the best in the entire franchise. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>Spider-Man: No Way Home</em> takes risks with its wide cast and somewhat convoluted plot, but they all pay off to make for a great superhero flick.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">After Peter Parker’s secret identity as Spider-Man is revealed, he becomes desperate to protect his loved ones from the attention and danger it brings. He asks Doctor Strange to cast a spell on the whole that would undo it, but it gets interrupted and ends up dragging people from different realities into theirs. The current Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland) is then tasked with curing the various villains of their ailments before returning them to their proper realities.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2spiderman.jpg" style="height:600px; width:315px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Returning villains like Doc Ock and Green Goblin all retain their original actors, but Alfred Molina as Doc and Willam Dafoe as the Goblin almost steal the show. Past Spider-Men, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, also put in great performances and in addition to Tom Holland, they make a trio that plays really well off one another. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Like <em>Avengers: Infinity War</em> and <em>Endgame</em> before it, this movie does a great job of juggling all its characters, while also giving them a good amount of development. Past villains are humanized more and given their own arcs and their interactions with past Spider-Men is highly entertaining. Holland’s performance cements him as the best Spider of the bunch, so it’s a shame that he doesn’t want to return to the role anytime soon. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Disney is in the middle of changing the fabric of their Marvel Universe, and concepts like time travel and multiverses will become more prevalent in their shows and movies. They’ve fallen into some confusing pitfalls and contrivances on the way, but the highs, like this movie, have been worth it. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3spiderman.jpg" style="height:281px; width:500px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">However, this film isn’t free of plot holes --  which isn’t surprising considering the concepts it’s dealing with. So while parts of it bothered me, it definitely didn’t ruin what is definitely a great film with a considerable amount of heart.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">You would have a hard time finding another movie that has so much fanservice in it. Even then, it doesn’t feel like it’s insulting the audience’s intelligence or using past characters to cover up a bad script or lack of depth. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Disney will have a hard time topping this one, but it’s not a bad problem to have.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ulises Duenas is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/spider-man-no-way-home" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Spider-Man: No Way Home</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tom-holland" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Tom Holland</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/andrew-garfield" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">andrew garfield</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/marvel-comics" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">marvel comics</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/doctor-strange" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">doctor strange</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/peter-parker" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">peter parker</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new films</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/comic-book-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">comic book films</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 31 Dec 2021 16:46:13 +0000 tara 10826 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19070-spider-man-no-way-home-lives-hype#comments