“A thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts.” That quote comes from the under-loved Avengers: Age of Ultron. Upon its 2015 release, we were 11 films deep and there were two schools of thought about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a sprawling epic of interconnectivity. Eager nerds like myself were excited. Comic book creators and imagination machines like Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Steve Ditko used these characters, perhaps unwittingly, as a kind of modern mythology. There were lessons of tolerance, justice, decency. You could take something of real value away from the adventures of a bunch of... Read More

I know all of you who clicked on this link are desperate to know about my morning routine leading up to the writing of this review. Happy to oblige! I got out of bed wearing 1 pair of red moose-print pajama bottoms and 1 Prefontaine t-shirt. Teeth were brushed thoroughly (47.2% of Americans suffer from periodontal disease!), and I gave my dog a brisk morning walk. Next, dog and cats were fed, I made breakfast for myself (Cheat day! Woo-hoo!), and checked Facebook (Friends bought a new home in Tacoma! Congratulations!) while I ate. I hung out a bit with my wife and son (Quality time is family time!)... Read More