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National Observer
18 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- National Observer
MOVIES: The summer's biggest film (probably) and a couple of small heartfelt gems
For weeks, it's been at the top of the list of films people are most anxious to see this summer. Now that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is here, its studio has a chance to do two things. Marvel can battle back against its rival, DC Studios and their big hit Superman. The other they'll deem more crucial: to dispel the charge that their movies have become repetitive and always the same. Even the fans are feeling Marvel fatigue according to many articles and much online chatter. My thoughts on the movie are below. Before that, notice two other new films: Samia and Oh, Hi. Both worth your attention. And also notice that three films that got high praise when they first came out have just started streaming on CRAVE. American Fiction is a satirical look at racial attitudes in the American literary scene. Hereditary is a spooky film starring Tony Collette and made by Ari Aster, whose new one, Eddington, is in theaters right now. And out of season there's The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a very funny family film about a scramble to put on the show and fight prejudice. And new in theaters, we have … The Fantastic Four: First Steps: 3 stars Samia: 4 Oh, Hi: 3 ½ THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS: I didn't read the comic books, but I understand they were groundbreaking when they started back in 1961. The characters argued, didn't just push a truth, justice and the American way ethos and even wrestled with the problems of celebrity. They didn't conceal their identity and had avid fans both inside their stories and among the readers. This is the fourth try at making a movie about them, after three weak efforts, one of which wasn't even officially released. This, finally, is a good one and honours them by going back to a simpler time. There's no politics or social change intruding, although it seems to be set in the 1960s and one cryptic comment may be about climate change. The action never gets overblown and frantic and the film plays comfortably with a retro feel. A quick crowded montage at the start sets up the situation. The four were flown into outer space and came back with their DNA rearranged and bearing alter egos. Reed Richards (by the very busy actor Pedro Pascal) is now also Mister Fantastic. Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) is also Invisible Woman, alongside Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). They argue like a family but also save the world when needed, which has to happen again when Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) arrives to announce that the earth is about to be 'swallowed' by the 'The Devourer', also known as Galactus. The team has to go back to space to look for him, even though Sue Storm is pregnant and gives birth along the way. Galactus demands the baby be given to him (something to do with one part of his plot). He's refused, and the child becomes a lure to get him to come down to earth for a final battle among New York skyscrapers, which he is as tall as. There's not much suspense to speak of, but easy-to-take action and a sunny mood from director Matt Shakman, who the fans will remember for Wanda Vision, the Marvel TV series he made. (In theaters everywhere) 3 out of 5 SAMIA: A repressive society. A woman determined to disobey the rules imposed on her. We've seen that story before, and will again, but here's a particularly good version of it. And it's all true, as far as we know, anyway. It comes from a true-life novel about a real person: Samia Yusuf Omar, who lived in the African nation of Somalia and dreamed of being a champion runner. 'I'll be the fastest runner in the world,' she says in the movie. We see her trying hard, running in the streets of Mogidishu as a small girl, then as a teen and then grown up and played by llham Mohamed Osman. Along with her story, we get a good history lesson about her country. She's warned it's dangerous out there and advised to stay home and 'stop being stupid.' She defies the rules, by running for one thing, by refusing to wear a veil for another. She is confronted by militia soldiers now and then with proclamations that wearing shorts and a tee-shirt is a sin. She kept at it though, secretly training at night, with a brother as coach and her father's encouragement. She got on to the national Olympics team, competed in Beijing and through most of the film is trying to get ready for the London Olympics. But there are setbacks and tragedies. She pays human traffickers to get her to Europe and that's a harrowing trip. She dies. How isn't exactly known, but based on the book by Giuseppe Catozzella we get a possible idea. (People in Vancouver might remember he came to the writer's festival there when he wrote the book). The film doesn't have her complete story, but it does give a very moving view of her willpower and bravery. It's sharply directed by Yasemin Samdereli. She's German, and the film is a co-production along with Belgium and Italy. It's powerful. (In theaters: Toronto now, Ottawa next week, Vancouver and Victoria soon) 4 out of 5 OH, HI: Romantic comedies are a mixed genre, but check this one out. It's not like the usual; it's innovative, takes chances and comes off very funny and smart. I have a few small caveats. They don't harm it though. A couple go off on a romantic weekend to a country house they've rented and things go off pretty fast. They find a set of bondage handcuffs and decide to play kinky, first with her (Molly Gordon) chained to the bed while he (Logan Lerman) comes on to her. Then the reverse. While he's chained, he tactlessly admits he's not looking for a lasting relationship. She's shocked. Feels rejected, leaves him chained up and gives him 12 hours to change his mind. Whenever she's out of the room, he strains to reach the key lying just out of reach. She, meanwhile, has invited a couple of friends (Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds) and plays good host all the while hiding from them what's going on. The story isn't that special, but it is workable. What makes it shine is the dialogue that Gordon has co-written with the director, Sophie Brooks. The couple dole out what they want from each other. They ask each other about their early lives (a little too much because you'd think they'd already explored that since they've been dating for four months). They relish the similarities they turn up and suffer with the misunderstandings. He gets fed up and angry. Says he's been kidnapped and will report it to the police when he gets free. That just makes her resent him more. She accuses him of pursuing her in the first place. 'You made me like you,' she says. What women need in a relationship comes up when she talks with her friend, as do more erudite matters like evolution. A detour into the subject of witchcraft is out of place, but the rest of the film is a smart contemplation of dating and male-female relations today. Both Gordon and Lerman are terrific as the characters they play. (In theaters) 3 ½ out of 5
Pink Villa
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
The Fantastic Four First Steps X Reviews: Fans Laud Pedro Pascal Starrer's Visual Grandeur, ‘The Best Looking MCU Film'
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has hit the screens, and the Marvel fans are enjoying every bit of it. With the movie being dropped in cinema halls, it marks the entry of Marvel's first family into the franchise. Ever since the film's announcement, fans have been excited to see Pascal as Reed Richards in the MCU. Moreover, the audience was also excited to witness the reboot of the 2005 film unfold a decade later. The Marvel fans took to their X accounts to share their thoughts on t he Pedro Pascal-Vanessa Kirby starrer. Fan X reactions to The Fantastic Four: First Steps Lauding the cast and crew's work in the Matt Shakman directorial, one of the fans wrote, "While Superman had all the media hype, F4 delivered the better movie! The best-looking MCU film. The cast was awesome! The 60s future vibe hits! Finally some characters we get attached w. I can definitely see them as the new faces of the MCU." Another user shared online, 'Fantastic Four is downright fantastic. Lovely family dynamic where each member shines. Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm is the grounding force. Incredible visuals & VFX. Glorious Giacchino score. Refreshing, straightforward screenplay. Vast sense of scale. The retro futurism is exquisite.' Additionally, an MCU fan stated that the latest Marvel release is a visually stunning piece. They claimed, 'Fantastic Four is a visually stunning, intense movie elevated with a beautiful score, terrifying villain & some great performances.' A netizen shared, 'There's a lot to like with Fantastic Four, even love at times. The cast is remarkable and you feel that family bond that I needed them to pull off. It gets very cosmic and crazy and surprisingly opts to show our heroes solving problems with their minds more often than their brawn.' What is The Fantastic Four: First Steps about? The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a reboot of the 2005 film, starring Chris Evans. The film revolves around Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm, Human Torch, and The Thing, who get together to fight the evil of Galactus. According to the official synopsis, 'Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and the Thing face their most daunting challenge yet as they defend Earth from Galactus and Silver Surfer.' For the cast of the film, Pascal and Kirby are joined by Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is running successfully in theaters.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vanessa Kirby Says Playing Pregnant Sue Storm ‘Changed' Her
The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Vanessa Kirby recently opened up about how playing a pregnant Sue Storm in the superhero film changed her. In the movie, Kirby's Storm is pregnant with her and Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards' son Franklin. The character's pregnancy is echoed in real life, as the actress herself is pregnant with her and boyfriend Paul Rabil's first child. Vanessa Kirby talks about playing pregnant Sue Storm In a recent interview, Vanessa Kirby opened up about Sue Storm's character arc in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. 'Sue was never sat down,' the Napoleon actress told PEOPLE. 'She was never huffing and puffing about it.' Kirby stressed that the character's pregnancy 'didn't define' the latter. 'She was absolutely a mother, and of course, in the comics, that's so definitively her,' she added. 'But she's also been a team member that defends, that goes up against great threats.' Kirby explained that she 'had the lived experience of somebody who was doing this incredibly sacred thing and fulfilling what she needed to do at the same time as a woman and a team member.' The 37-year-old noted that this experience 'changed' her. The Pieces of a Woman star revealed she is expecting her first child in May 2025, while attending a CCXPMX Film Festival panel in Mexico City. Moreover, in June, the actress shared a post on Instagram, where she said she learned a lot about being a first-time mother from playing Sue Storm. The Fantastic Four: First Steps launches in theaters across the United States on July 25, 2025. Matt Shakman, who previously directed episodes of WandaVision, helmed the film. Ian Springer, Jeff Kaplan, Eric Pearson, and Josh Friedman worked on the screenplay. The former three also developed the film's story. The film currently has an 88% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is much higher than the scores of previous Fantastic Four film adaptations. Besides Kirby, the film also stars Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, and Sarah Niles. The post Vanessa Kirby Says Playing Pregnant Sue Storm 'Changed' Her appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Fantastic Four': Sue Storm's biggest power isn't what you'd expect in Marvel movie
Sue Storm's pregnancy and parenthood is the emotional core of this retro-futuristic Marvel movie As we enter Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (in theatres July 25) puts the bond of a family at the centre of its storytelling. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Julia Garner, it's the power of motherhood that becomes the greatest asset for these superheroes. "It always seemed to me kind of revolutionary to have this mother at the centre of this family, but also be absolutely part of the team. Never left at home on her own," Kirby told reporters ahead of the film's release. "And then when I met [director Matt Shakman] and [president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige] for the first time and started talking about Sue, I was already so passionate about her, but it was so exciting to me, this idea of having this pregnant superhero, this working mother, and even in the shooting of it, it was surreal. "I was so included in everything. ... Matt and Kevin were such huge champions of having her be ... as complex and as fierce and as loving and warm and all the things they think feminine really is. ... It was very daunting. I really cared, and it's been a great honour to play her." What is 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' about? In a stand-alone story in the MCU, Fantastic Four sets up the story of four astronauts who return from space with altered DNA due to a cosmic storm, leaving them with superpowers. Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pascal) can stretch to incredible lengths, while his wife Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Kirby) can generate powerful force fields and has the ability to make herself invisible, as her name suggests. Sue's brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Quinn) can make himself engulfed in flames, fly and shoot out fire, while Ben Grimm/The Thing's (Moss-Bachrach) body transformed into rock form, giving him super strength. Early in the film we see Sue tell Reed that she's pregnant, something that they've struggled to achieve for some time. But Reed, the supremely intelligent but anxious scientist that he is, wants to make the world as safe for his son as possible. He also has concerns about whether their superpowers will impact their child's DNA. "The one thing that I found was kind of anchoring was that somebody that is this smart strangely makes him kind of an innocent when it comes to human interactions and relationships, and either saying the wrong thing or reading the room incorrectly, or finally finding a way to express the thing that burdens him," Pascal said. "And just sort of perplexed a little by the fact that people aren't catching up as quickly as he would, as his mind works." "That was really, really fun to kind of create idiosyncratic behaviour around that. But really at the core for me ... is that he's an incredible codependent, and without them, he doesn't know how to function, and he's lost to his own brain. His identity is related utterly to his family and his position in the family, and protecting them and being protected by them." The Fantastic Four family gets an unexpected visit from the Silver Surfer (Garner), who zooms down to Earth and announces in the middle of Times Square that the planet will be consumed by Galactus (Ralph Ineson). Interestingly, that was Garner's first day of work, and she was "terrified." "It was probably the craziest first day I've ever had on a job," Garner said. "It was 30 feet in the air. There was a construction crane, at night, an earpiece, taking direction with Matt and hearing Vanessa's line. It was wild." The Fantastic Four have to jump into action to try to stop Galactus, but the risk to Sue and Reed's infant son Franklin is something the family has to navigate. New 'Fantastic Four' review: Family dramedy with more VFX than most An appealing and refreshing take on a superhero story, Fantastic Four gives its characters time to sit in more intimate and emotional moments, and that's what makes the film compelling. For Kirby and Pascal's characters, that largely has to do with personal discussions about being parents, balancing their parental responsibilities with, literally, saving Earth. For Ben Grimm, those intimate story elements come through with a flirtatious relationship he has with Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne), a similar arc to Johnny's interactions with the Silver Surfer. While Fantastic Four has all the spectacle of every other superhero movie, it's really a family dramedy with more visual effects than most. But the strongest story element in the film is this focus on how, despite all their extraordinary powers, Sue is supreme as the biggest superpower is being a mom, fiercely protective of her child. It's absolutely a cliché, but one that lends itself to the more grounded, humanizing narrative of Fantastic Four. The movie is a pleasing journey, an engaging ride that blends sarcastic humour with deeply emotional moments. The 1960s retro-future aesthetic is particularly appealing, and creates interesting dimensions with the heavy CGI that comes with a superhero film. But while Fantastic Four is an enjoyable watch, it feels more like setup for future storytelling. It is in fact a film that you can watch on its own and have a great time with, but it lacks a bit of excitement because you feel like there is so much more story to tell. Mid- and post-credit scenes in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' While we won't spoil exactly what these scenes hold, we will advise that there is both a mid-credits scene and post-credits scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and they are important, so make sure you stay until the end.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Robert Downey Jr returns as Doctor Doom in Marvel's Fantastic Four post-credits scene
Marvel's First Family has officially landed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it's who arrives after the credits roll that's turning heads. The Fantastic Four : First Steps, which opens wide Friday, introduces audiences to Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) in a retrofuturistic, alternate-Earth story. The film marks the kickoff of Marvel's Phase 6 and teases the beginning of its next big bad: Doctor Doom. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MCA Cybersecurity Healthcare Technology PGDM Data Analytics Product Management Leadership Degree Public Policy Management Design Thinking MBA Data Science Data Science Operations Management Digital Marketing Others Project Management Finance Artificial Intelligence CXO healthcare others Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details The post-credits moment in question unfolds quietly. It's four years after the team's climactic showdown with Galactus. Sue Storm is reading to her young son, Franklin Richards. As she steps away to grab another book, something feels off. When she returns, she finds a mysterious cloaked figure beside Franklin holding a metallic mask. Marvel veterans didn't need a face reveal as the green cloak said it all. Doctor Doom has entered the MCU This marks the character's first formal appearance in Marvel Studios ' continuity, and his entrance is a personal one, not with armies or threats, but a silent encounter with a child who might be one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. Live Events Fans of the comics will know Franklin Richards is no ordinary kid. Born to cosmic-powered parents, Franklin has been known to reshape reality itself. Which may explain Doom's interest. The arrival of Doom also signals a major pivot. Originally, Kang the Conqueror was slated to be the saga's central threat. But after actor Jonathan Majors was convicted in 2023, Marvel shifted focus, choosing to introduce Doom as the looming force behind the upcoming multiversal saga. In a bold casting choice, Robert Downey Jr ., once Iron Man himself, now returns to the franchise, not as a hero, but as Victor Von Doom. Vanessa Kirby recently praised Downey's transformation: 'It's some of the most amazing work I've seen. He lifts everyone around him.' Joseph Quinn echoed that sentiment, calling Downey 'deep, kind, and a real leader on set.' Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for December 18, 2026, is already filming in the UK under Joe and Anthony Russo. Kevin Feige recently confirmed that the film is being rewritten and refined daily. Before Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel will debut Wonder Man on Disney+ in December and release Spider-Man: Brand New Day in July 2026.
