Movie Preview: Avengers: Age of Ultron

     We weren't supposed to see the preview or any footage until this upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode but there are those who will go out of their way to spoil surprises and cause chaos where there was originally order.

     Thanks to a grainy trailer that was leaked out onto the internet, Marvel decided to toss those "best laid plans" and release the first official trailer that will bring Earth's Mightest Heroes back to the silver screen.

     Here is the official first trailer to Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron

     After S.H.I.E.L.D. has been dismantled after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Avengers have been stopping threats but are in need of a break. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) attempts to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program with Ultron (voiced by James Spader), a self-aware, self-teaching, artificial intelligence. When Ultron decides that humans are the main enemy and sets his sights on destroying Earth, it is up to the Avengers. Along the way, they encounter the gifted twins, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen).

     From looking at the preview, there is definitely a sense of dread and hopelessness as our heroes seem to have met their match in Ultron. We see Thor drop his hammer, a glimpse of Cap's broken shield, and Bruce Banner not only looking lost physically but looks to be dealing with an internal battle when we see him on a plane with his teammates.

     This movie seems to be more globe-spanning instead of focusing on a major city. We see snowy mountain tops to city streets, this battle will take the Avengers all over our planet.

     One of the big things we see...The Hulkbuster armor as Iron Man and The Hulk go one-on-one! We aren't completely sure why but it looks as though this fight will happen.

     And we can see that with Thor grabbing Tony by the throat and by the synopsis, this is all Tony's fault.

     Avengers: Age of Ultron comes to theaters May 1, 2015.

Movie Review: Denzel delivers calm and chilling justice as "The Equalizer"

     My friends, it has been a little while but you all know how life gets in the way. During the fall season, good movies can be few and far between with a few possible Oscar movies or performances sprinkled in. While The Equalizer doesn't fall into that rare category, it is a good film powered by a film star's staying power.

   
     The Equalizer stars Denzel Washington (Flight) as Robert McCall, a quiet man living in Boston, Massachusetts and works at a Home Mart hardware store. He is friendly to his co-workers and tries to help a security guard trainee Ralphie pass his qualification exam. Beyond that, he keeps to himself by living alone and sticking to a routine. One night during his visit to a late-night local diner, he befriends a teenager, Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a victim of sex trafficking and forced into prostitution.

     When he sees her end up in the hospital after being brutally beaten, Robert promises to save her and enters the restaurant owned by the Russian Mafia to buy her freedom. When her pimp Slavi (David Meunier) refuse his offer to buy her freedom, Robert systematically takes out Slavi and his men. In retaliation, Robert is forced to go up against the enforcer of the Mob, Teddy (Marton Csokas) and return to a life that he promised never to return to.

     While it might not be his best acted roles in the vein of Malcolm X and American Gangster, Denzel Washington brings his own energy to the action hero role, playing the character of a man trying to tow the line between his promise and protecting the innocent. Washington perfectly acted the struggle of his character before McCall completely crosses over the line to do what is right to him. Seeing McCall in action, his calmness in executing strikes against the mob was exciting, bringing in memories of the first Taken film.

     The film is more stylishly violent than meaningful although it had potential to be. As a whole, the movie delivers with Antoine Fuqua behind the camera. The team of Fuqua and Washington again delivers in their first film together since Training Day. While up to that level, it shows that this duo can make an average gritty film appealing to audiences. It certainly speaks to Denzel Washington's star power and that he can still bring audiences to theaters to see his films.