Action/Adventure – Best Case Reviews.

The Last of Us – Episode 1: “When You’re Lost in the Darkness”

When you’re lost in the darkness look for the light

The Last of Us Official Trailer HBO

When it was announced that Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us was going to be adapted for the silver screen, fans of the game were simultaneously overjoyed and worried. There is a long-standing “curse of the video game adaptation” where fans have been let down over and over again by adaptations of their favorite video games. Luckily for us fans, that unease can be laid to rest, as Neil Druckmann (Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, The Last of Us: Part I & II) and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, The Hangover Part II & III) have delivered in every possible way. The Last of Us follows Joel, a black-market smuggler living in the Boston QZ (quarantine zone) and Ellie, a young girl with a shocking secret, through a post-apocalyptic America that has been overrun by a Cordyceps outbreak. Cordyceps, a real fungus that infects ant populations, has somehow transmitted to human beings decimating the entire world, and those who are left live in an dystopic world void of all humanity.

There were several elements of the game, all equally important, that were key in bringing this story to life in a multi-episode format. The Last of Us is a sprawling narrative, which unfolds throughout several different locations and seasons across America, is easily one of the best video game stories ever written. In order to bring that to life, the writing, aesthetic, sound design, and performances all had to be on point. Rest assured, all of them hit the mark, if not exceeded it. Druckmann and Mazin have beautifully adapted this story which encompasses everything from tragedy and horror to comedy and poignancy. While certain story elements have been added or altered, so far, the show has followed the game’s storyline closely, which is crucial when dealing with such a revered work of art. It is clear that Mazin is a fan of the game and Druckmann has put his whole faith into their combined effort to bring the game to life.

The aesthetic of The Last of Us is so good because of its’ delicate balance between the destruction of the old world and the oddly beautiful way that nature has retaken its’ claim over the landscape. One of the most impressive shots of the first episode comes near the very end when we see the characters move forward into the desolate wasteland as lightning strikes, revealing two skyscrapers that have collapsed into one another, which the VFX team brought to life. Ksenia Sereda (Chernobyl: Abyss, Beanpole), the cinematographer and the art department, led by Nicolas Lepage (300, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell) have brought this world to life, and I am so excited to watch the show to see how they bring more of the game to life. There were so many times I looked at my wife and excitedly said, “That shot was in the game!”. While she is probably sick of it, it’s undoubtedly one of the best visual adaptations I have ever watched.

No matter how good any film or series looks, without sound it is worthless. Luckily the sound design has also been adapted gracefully from the game, which boasted some of the greatest dialogue, action sequences, and creature FX in recent memory. Chris Terhune (The Batman, Prey) has seamlessly integrated some of the more memorable SFX from the game into this adaptation. Having experienced the gameplay experience through countless replays of the game(s), I am truly looking forward to some of the SFX that will undoubtedly surface, including the sound design of the Clickers, a version of the Infected that hunt by sound and make blood-curdling clicking sounds and other things that go bump in the night that I’d rather not spoil.

*Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in a promotional image for ‘The Last of Us’ (photo: HBO)*

While I understand the viewpoint of critics who don’t love film scores, I heartily disagree with them. The Last of Us game had an outstanding score from Gustavo Santaolalla (Babel, Biutiful). It was gritty, raw, and features easily the best main theme of any video game I have ever played. It was a gift that he was able to recreate his score for the series as well. The combination of acoustics and synths in his score compliment the scenes so beautifully, whether it is a moment of utter tragedy, beauty, or horror. Paired with the stunning cinematography and sound design, Santaolalla’s score brings to life one of the most important parts of the game(s).

Last (of Us), but not least are the performances. The thing that most people really latched onto with the game were the incredible voice performances level-set by Troy Baker (Uncharted series, Batman: Arkham Knight), Ashley Johnson (The Avengers, Fast Food Nation), & Jeffrey Pierce (Call of Duty: WWII, Bosch). I could go on and on, as all of the performances from the game were outstanding, but it is a true testament to the casting director, Victoria Thomas (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Django Unchained) that she was able to carefully select the cast of the series to portray some of the most enduring characters in video game history.

The show stars Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Hilda) as the main protagonists Joel & Ellie. Rounding out the cast are Nico Parker (Dumbo, Reminiscence) as Joel’s daughter Sarah, Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Joel’s rambunctious brother Tommy, Anna Torv (Mindhunters, Fringe) as Joel’s smuggling partner in the fallen world, and Merle Dandridge (Half-Life 2, The Last of Us) who reprises her role of Marlene, leader of the revolutionary Fireflies from the game. All of the cast brought their A-game to bring these fantastic characters to life. One of the shining moments from episode 1 is Joel and Sarah’s beautiful father-daughter relationship, which I can relate to as a (fairly) new father. Their relationship made the utter collapse of the world into disarray that much more poignant and tragic.

In addition to everything I have touched on, the show also boasts a brilliantly done opening titles sequence, which HBO is now known for, as well as some other really cool moments for fans of the game. Whether it was completely new additions, like the 1968 prologue, which sets the tone for the show, or subversions of sequences fans of the game expected to see play out, The Last of Us is a brilliant adaptation for longtime fans and newcomers alike. I expect great things from the rest of this series based on how strong the first episode was. All this talk of The Last of Us has really made me hungry for another replay of the games, so I think I will go ahead and excuse myself to go replay The Last of Us: Part I.

‘The Last of Us’ – “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” Review by Alex Ledebuhr

MPAA Rating: Rated TV-MA for sex & nudity, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs & smoking, and Violence & Gore, Profanity, Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking and frightening & intense scenes
Runtime: 1h 21m
Produced by: HBO & Naughty Dog

Godzilla: King of the Monsters Review

Godzilla Proves To Be The King of the Big Screen!

After the disappointment of the 2014 Godzilla reboot, which was directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Monsters), and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Godzilla), Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla, MCU), and Bryan Cranston (Argo, Breaking Bad), I’m sure fans were skeptical when news of a King Kong reboot was on the way in 2017. Luckily, audiences got the spectacular Vietnam-period piece which was Kong: Skull Island. So, when word that a straight up sequel to Godzilla was coming with an entirely (mostly) new cast, my ears perked up. Then the first trailer was released, and I’ll never forget the feeling of utter thrill and joy I felt when it ended with Godzilla and King Ghidora running at each other at full speed. As the next trailer started in the theater, I looked over at my girlfriend, heart beating out of my chest, and I saw the same look of excitement on her face. The film lives up to the incredibly well-done set of trailers that were released, and the reason why is that the filmmakers knew exactly what they were making: a monster film.

The first attempt at Godzilla was bogged down by the human factor. While Bryan Cranston’s storyline was ultimately tragic in nature, the major draw of a monster movie should not be the human element. We didn’t even get to see a full image of Godzilla until the third act. Even though it was a bearable film, I haven’t watched it again, yet. That says something right there. King of the Monsters on the other hand is absolutely rewatchable. The film begins during Godzilla’s battle in San Francisco from the point of view of Kyle Chandler’s (Argo, Friday Night Lights) character, Mark Russel, and his family. Suffering a tragic loss, the film then jumps ahead to present time. The Russel family is split up and they are dealing with the loss in different ways. Mark is off doing his own thing, upset at the “monsters” as he calls Godzilla, while his wife, Dr. Emma Russell, played by Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Up in the Air), and daughter Madison, played by Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland), are working for Monarch on some unknown mission.

Emma creates a device that can essentially communicate with the monsters by the use of “Alpha” channels, which they test out on a larva version of Mothra. When Mothra is woken up she is NOT happy, but Emma’s device works and Madison gets to go pet the docile thirty story creature. Enter our villain, Alan Jonah, played by Charles Dance (Last Action Hero, Game of Thrones), an eco-terrorist who plans to use Emma’s device to wake the other Titans (AKA Monsters/Kaiju) so that they can bring the world back to a purer, more basic state of affairs. The only problem with his plan are the millions and potentially billions of innocent people who would become collateral damage. Jonah absconds with Emma, Madison, and the device, while Mothra goes into cocoon.

Sally Hawkins (Godzilla, The Shape of Water) and Ken Watanabe (Inception, The Last Samurai) revisit their characters from the first Godzilla as scientists who urge Congress to embrace Godzilla, rather than treat him as an enemy, on the behalf of Monarch, the secret organization which monitors the activity of Godzilla and the Titans via bases situated throughout the world. They also have a few new team members in the form of Thomas Middleditch’s (The Wolf of Wall Street, Silicon Valley) Sam Coleman and Bradley Whitford’s (Get Out, Cabin in the Woods) Dr. Rick Stanton who has some of the films’ best one-liners. Once word of Emma and Madison’s kidnapping reaches them, they team up with Mark and a special ops team led by Colonel Diane Foster, played by Aisha Hinds (Assault on Precinct 13, 9-1-1) and Chief Warrant Officer Barnes, played by O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton, Den of Thieves), to try and get them back before any real damage can be done. Unfortunately, they are unsuccessful and Ghidora is woken up, which causes a whole bevvy of other problems.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is successful because Michael Dougherty (Trick ‘r Treat, Krampus) is at the helm. Dougherty has referred to his movie as “the Aliens to Gareth’s Alien.” He is of course referring to the drastically different tones of those two classic films. Dougherty embraces the sort of quirky humor Aliens embraced when following up the ultra-dark sci-fi horror gem, Alien, directed by master director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator). It’s clear that all of the projects he has worked on thus far have led him to this point. He is fantastic at creating genre pieces, as Trick ‘r Treatredefined the horror genre and his screenplay for X2: X-Men United produced easily the best X-Men live action film. Dougherty is the perfect choice for this film, looking back, and I’m glad the studios made the right call this time around.

This film embraces the true nature of monster/Kaiju movies, which is the monsters themselves. It also does away with the ultra-realism the first film had. In this film, the technology is inexplicably updated to the point that some of Monarch’s gear/weaponry/planes are extremely sci-fi. I’m so glad the makers of this film had the good sense to know what to make of importance. Obviously, the technology and human element (for the most part, there is still some good old’ fashioned human drama in play) aren’t nearly as important as the look, feel, and especially sound of these magnificent creatures. Godzilla hasn’t sounded this much like himself since 1954 and King Ghidora’s intense scream is so exhilarating. Each of the different Titans has a different and unique sound, so don’t worry about the potential for confusion when all hell is breaking loose. The choreography (if you want to call it that) of the Titan battles is never out of control to the point that it is confusing.

Bear McCreary (The Walking Dead, 10 Cloverfield Lane) composed the music for this film, and it is yet another reason why the film is so good. The Walking Dead has definitely prepared him for this film, with subject matter that is totally unrealistic, yet dramatic at the same time. In the smaller, more delicate scenes, soft strings play soothing sounds of regret, hope, and wonder, whereas the big battle scenes boast blaring horns. McCreary also utilizes some of the original soundtrack, such as Godzilla’s theme, to great effect. We saw the film in Dolby Atmos, which really goes above and beyond with the sound/speakers in the theater. When Godzilla is rearing up to do battle and his theme song played, everyone cheered.

I recommend seeing this film in the best theater you can, whether it is Dolby Atmos or IMAX. Monsters as tall as skyscrapers deserve to be seen on the biggest and best screen possible. If you can’t, I still recommend seeing it on any big screen, as there is something fun about watching a bunch of giant monsters laying waste to Boston. Talk about some kahma (Go Blues!). The filmmakers behind these “Monarch” films have really outdone themselves this time, and it’s exhilarating and exciting that this cinematic universe is continuing so well. Let’s just say that the bar is set very high for the next major monster film in the series, because Godzilla: King of the Monsters was a smashing success!

Gotta Catch ‘Em All… Well, Most of ‘Em, That is.

Detective Pikachu Review

Detective Pikachu is the first live-action Pokémon movie, and naturally there were lofty expectations, and for the most part these expectations were met. Directed by Rob Letterman (Monsters vs. Aliens, Goosebumps), Detective Pikachu instantly captures the spirit of the Pokémon universe with a thrilling action sequence involving Mewtwo, followed up by an adorable attempt by Justice Smith’s (Paper Towns, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) character, Tim Goodman, to catch a Cubone. With inside jokes about Cubone’s motherly issues, I instantly recalled the episode in the popular cartoon series when Ash finds out why Cubone cries and I was drawn into the film.

Although the story hitches at times, overall it is well done. Tim is notified of his father’s death and must meet with Ken Watanabe’s (The Last Samurai, Godzilla Reboot Franchise) Lieutenant Hide Yoshida in which Tim finds out his father had a pet/partner Pikachu. Upon looking through his father’s apartment Tim meets the aforementioned Pikachu, voiced hilariously by Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool Series, Waiting), and realizes he can understand him! Once the two team up to figure out Harry’s (Tim’s father) death, they begin to unravel an insidious mystery, which follows the classic tropes of film noir. With the help of a perky news intern named Lucy Stevens, played by Kathryn Newton (Supernatural, Big Little Lies), they are determined to get to the bottom of it for various reasons. Add in Bill Nighy (Hot Fuzz, Rango) as the aging head of the news organization Lucy works for and his greedy, ruthless son, played by Chris Geere (Modern Family, You’re the Worst), and the classic Team Rocket-esque conspiracy unfolds delightfully under the scribes Dan Hernandez/Ben Samit (The Tick, One Day at a Time), Rob Letterman, and Derek Connolly (Safety Not Guaranteed, Jurassic World).

While I, and I am sure plenty of other fans, was disappointed that the traditional Pokémon theme song wasn’t utilized, I must say that Henry Jackman (Kingsman films, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End) did a bang-up job with composing the score. It isn’t easy to follow up arguably one of the most well-known scores in videogame/cartoon history and Jackman’s bold decisions make it clear why he is one of the most sought-after composers today. With slight hints to the cartoon/videogame’s music, Jackman’s score is purely original with notes of film noir-ism as well as excitement during some of the film’s more intense action scenes. Jackman’s score is worth a listen or two, as are most of his scores, which are reminiscent of the great composer, Alan Silvestri’s amazing body of work.

One of the biggest concerns for fans was that live-action Pokémon would, plainly said, look weird as hell. Luckily, for the most part, the Pokémon are extremely well done. Instead of landing somewhere within the uncanny valley, the Pokémon are legitimately cute and adorable. Many times, during our screening, I looked over in glee at my girlfriend due to the instant callbacks to my childhood. Whether it was a marching troupe of Bulbasaur (s?) or the firemen Squirtle’s (you read that correctly), it was truly tear-jerking to see so many Pokémon brought to life in Ryme City, where the film is based. I have to say, I think Psyduck may have stolen the show from Ryan Reynold’s adorable Pikachu, which brings me to my next point: how the Pokémon sounded. The sound team did a spectacular job with the unique voices of the respective Pokémon, which proves the hard work/research that went into it. While there wasn’t nearly as much fan service as in Avengers: Endgame, which you can read about in my spoiler-free Endgame review, the team behind Detective Pikachu clearly made this movie for the fans.

All in all, Detective Pikachu was a pretty alright first live-action outing for the Pokémon universe. The story was decent, the performances, especially the Pokémon’, were great, and the instant callbacks to a childhood in the 90’s were superb. Of course, I wish we could have heard the OG Pokémon Theme Song, but maybe we will hear it in another live-action Pokémon movie one day. As a Pokémon fan, I felt that the film was pretty good, but could have been better. Hopefully Pokémon series creator, Satoshi Tajiri, is proud, but perhaps nothing will top the original creativity of the Blue/Red and the cartoon series. Only time will tell.

John Wick 3: Parabellum, a Brilliant Entry in an Already Cult-Classic Series

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum Review

Chad Stahelski (John Wick Series, the upcoming Highlander) and Keanu Reeves (John Wick Series, The Matrix Trilogy) have created one of the coolest characters of all time, not to mention the ridiculously deep world building that has been done over the course of three films. John Wick introduced us to the retired assassin, played by Keanu Reeves (Speed, The Matrix Trilogy). The reluctant assassin, who was mourning the loss of his wife, was brought back into the fold when the punk son of a Russian mobster kills his dog and steals his car. After killing all the people responsible John adopts a new puppy and he retrieves his car in John Wick: Chapter 2.

Having buried his life as an assassin once again, John is instantly pulled back into the fold when he is presented with a marker by Santino D’Antonio, played by Riccardo Scamarcio (Master of None, The Ruthless), which is essentially a blood oath to do a favor. Unfortunately, Santino double crosses John and places a bounty on his head. John survives and after killing all of Santino’s henchmen, with the help of Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix Trilogy, Black-ish), who plays the Bowery King, yet another sect of assassins who pretend to be homeless beggars and communicate via pigeons. Santino finds sanctuary in the New York Continental, the hotel for all the assassins, in which no “business” can be done. After goading John about this fact, John promptly shoots Santino in the head, instantly forfeiting his good standing with the Continental.

Chapter 2 ends with Winston, played by Ian McShane (Deadwood, Game of Thrones), who is the manager of the NY Continental, informing John that he will be “excommunicado” after an hours’ time, which essentially means John is cut off from any facilities related to the Continental, including medical assistance, weapons, and allies. This all while the 7-million-dollar bounty on John’s head is doubled to 14 million by the High Table, which control the world John Wick lives in. At the end of the film, John is running through Central Park with his dog, nervously watching all the people around him picking up their phones, unsure of who is trying to kill him or not.

Parabellum opens seconds after Chapter 2 ends with John running away with his dog. After sending his dog to the NY Continental’s concierge, Charon, played by Lance Reddick (The Wire, John Wick Series) John heads to the NY Public Library to pick up some supplies, where he is brutally attacked by a giant assassin, played by NBA star Boban Marjanovic. After dispatching him, John continues to run through New York, being relentlessly pursued by all sorts of assassins. The film is a non-stop action-packed thriller with arguably the best fighting choreography of all time. John must figure out a way to right his wrong with the help of old friends, Sofia, played by Halle Berry (X-Men Series, Swordfish) and Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family, The Life Aquatic) who is a mysterious ally who reveals some of John’s background. On another front, an Adjudicator, played by Asia Kate Dillon (Orange is the New Black, Billions), is going throughout New York finding any and all people who have helped John and serving out exacting punishments straight from the High Table.

Parabellum is a bit larger in scope than the previous outing, but what really makes it a success is how utterly intense it is. Chad Stahelski, a former stuntman himself and the director of the John Wick movies, creates some of the most exciting fight scenes in cinematic history. Being the ultimate assassin he is, John goes about killing in all sorts of ways, using knives, swords, and even horses to kill his enemies, and that requires master direction to deter the fighting from getting stale. The writing of Derek Kolstad (John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2), who is also a former stuntman, helps Chad and Keanu come up with all the thrilling fight scenes. This time around there are motorcycle samurais, highly trained attack dogs, and high-speed horse chases, oh my!

The John Wick movies also work so well due to the excellent music composed by Tyler Bates (John Wick Series, Atomic Blonde) and Joel J. Richard (John Wick Series, Triple Threat). As the movies continue to evolve, so does the musical score, which is gritty and intense. Bates brings the dark guitar sounds from his time of touring with Marilyn Manson which, in combination with the electronic score, combine to make one of the more memorable movie compositions in recent history. Excommunicado, Tick Tock Mr. Wick, and Winter at the Continental really stand out as interesting twists from the music these two composers have already created in John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2.

John Wick: Parabellum is a rare example of a sequel which is better than its’ predecessor. In fact, the entire series just seems to be getting better and better as the movies continue to come out. Keanu Reeves perfectly embodies John Wick and since Parabellum made more money than its’ predecessor in less than 10 days and John Wick: Chapter 4 has already been greenlit; it seems audiences will be able to see more John Wick for the foreseeable future. The only question is how will Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves keep raising the stakes? I’m sure it will be interesting to say the least.

Avengers: Endgame Review

Spoiler-Free Review

Avengers: Endgame Review

The MCU, or Marvel Cinematic Universe, has been building to this moment for a decade over the course of 21 interconnected films. If that statement doesn’t make your jaw drop, I honestly don’t know what will. Against all odds, the MCU has created a cohesive universe of films, which will undoubtedly be taught in history classes in the years to come. Endgame has also broken all sorts of box office records, making it the 2^nd All Time Domestic/Worldwide Release (at the time of this writing). Not only is it a financial success, it is also a critical success, with a 94% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Endgame is the culmination of the MCU, which has been split into three different “Phases” of films thus far. Spiderman: Far from Home will complete the third phase of the MCU, with all three phases being dubbed the “Infinity Saga.”

The Russo Brothers have had experience making Marvel movies. They have directed some of the best in the franchise, starting with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The scope of Endgame is quite daunting, as the bar was raised to incredible heights with the release of Avengers: Infinity War. Somehow the Russo Brothers manage to top it. They coherently balance the many different character and action beats into a story, which is impressive to say the least. Without giving too much away, the movie picks up directly where Infinity War left off. Thanos’ (played by Josh Brolin) snap has successfully destroyed 50% of the life in the entire universe, leaving the Avengers struggling with the fact that they lost. Each character deals with this loss in their own way, which is an interesting approach to a Marvel film. While these characters are superheroes, the film perfectly depicts how human beings deal with grief and loss in a multitude of ways.

Without spoiling anything (although, if you haven’t seen it by now you should probably slap yourself), Endgame pays off in huge dividends. If there were one word to describe this movie, it would have to be: fan service… anybody want a peanut? The Princess Bride jokes aside, the film manages to throw in as many cool moments as it can, including my personal favorite iteration of the Hulk (played by Mark Ruffalo) yet. The best way to experience the film had to be seeing it on opening night when all the super fans came out in droves. We cheered at moments in the film so many times I lost count. Endgame was able to balance the lightheartedness and seriousness masterfully. While there are plenty of laugh out loud moments, especially with Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth), the film doesn’t shy away from its’ serious subject matter of mass genocide. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the Avengers assemble to undo Thanos’ snap.

The performances in the film were absolutely the best in the MCU movies to date. Robert Downey Jr., whose portrayal of Iron Man kicked off the MCU 11 years ago, gives a powerful, heartfelt performance. Chris Evans completely embodies the role of Captain America and Chris Hemsworth turns in a truly hysterical performance as Thor. Jeremy Renner finally gets some screen time as a broken Hawkeye who has turned to a life of vigilantism under the guise, Ronin. His character is involved in one of the coolest long-take action sequences I’ve ever seen. Marvel has also strongly embraced its’ female characters with Scarlet Johannson (Black Widow), Karen Gillan (Nebula), and Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) giving incredibly strong performances. Brie Larson also returns as the truly overpowered Captain Marvel. Bradley Cooper continues to impress as the voice of Rocket, who is the only surviving member of the Guardians of the Galaxy (not including Nebula).

Alan Silvestri (Back to the Future, Predator) returns to compose the now iconic music that the Avengers movies have to offer. He composed the music for the first Avengers film as well as Infinity War. Given the plot of the film, Silvestri had his hands full with all the different musical cues going on and he did NOT disappoint. The music never overtakes what’s happening, it just does a fantastic job of enhancing everything on screen. Thanos’ theme is as dark as ever, while the Avengers theme is sure to go down as one of the best superhero themes ever created. Silvestri likes to use lots of brass instruments to emphasize despair and it was interesting to hear musical cues that reminded me of the original Predator score. Silvestri does a fine job of combining some of the music from most of the MCU films to date.

Endgame is a strong film through and through and will be a lot of people’s favorite Marvel film, even though it does run at just over three hours long. The film had so many cheer-worthy moments that fans couldn’t help but be overcome with emotion as this chapter of the MCU ends, even though technically Spiderman: Far from Home is the end of this phase/saga. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the MCU and how on Earth-66 Kevin Feige will top this film. Kevin Feige has been the executive producer of the majority of the MCU films and has been the mastermind behind the cohesiveness of all these films. But of course, none of these movies would exist without the great Stan Lee. Rumored to be his last cameo in the Marvel films, everyone in the theater cheered when Stan made his heavily awaited appearance in Endgame. Stan Lee, of course, is the creator of many of the Marvel characters and he passed away in November 2018 before he was able to see Endgame. I’m sure he was watching up in Heaven and had one word to say about it: Excelsior!