BACK WITH A VENGEANCE IN LOCAL MULTIPLEXES
Avengers’ return highlights week’s offerings in Pop Forecast
MOVIES
Big release May 1: Avengers: Age of Ultron Big picture: A hulking love affair (apparently Black Widow has a thing for guys with anger-management issues). A hulking ego that almost leads to the destruction of humanity. Killer robots. Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen — the Olsen that got all the family acting genes — as villains-and-Avengers-to-be Vision and Scarlet Witch? What’s not to like about this superhero sequel?
The only problem with a film about The Avengers is coming up with a believable enemy — most threats seem pretty lame when your team’s weapons include an indestructible green beast, an actual Norse god and Robert Downey Jr.’s megawatt smile. In order to make The Avengers “avenging” realistically last longer than five minutes, director Joss Whedon needed to up the ante on the enemy front. Enter the all-powerful artificial intelligence, Ultron.
The arrogant Tony Stark’s (Iron Man) robotic Frankenstein monster, Ultron, was created to protect humanity but then decided to destroy it. Forecast: Avenger fans assemble. James Spader’s silky voice will bring real life to the robotic villain, but Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk/ Bruce Banner will play scenestealer again. He’ll have the best lines and best punches — and now he’s been gifted with sexual tension with Scarlett Johansson. I’ve got a few suggestions for mammoth obstacles the team can overcome in their next film. Either ridding the world of Justin Bieber fans or ending global warming. “Hulk smash greenhouse gas emissions!” If only it were that easy.
TV
Big event: The Casual Vacancy (HBO, April 29) Big picture: Wait a minute? J.K. Rowling has a best-selling novel that isn’t about a wizard named Harry? Just to confuse you, this miniseries even co-stars Dumbledore Michael Gambon — and it might even feature a ghost. But it’s mostly about ugly politics. When a beloved parish councillor dies, his family, friends and former allies divide into factions to battle for his all-important seat. It’s all about class warfare, family warfare, political warfare and the skeletons that dance in just about everyone’s closet. After a two-part debut, the final episode airs April 30. Forecast: It’s Harry Potter for adults — who happen to also hate Harry Potter.
MUSIC
Big release April 28: Blur (The Magic Whip) Big picture: Since reuniting six years ago, the champions of ’90s British rock have released only three songs — until now. Their onetime heated rivalry with Oasis is long behind them and they have nothing left to prove. Frontman Damon Albarn and guitarist Graham Coxon are one of the best creative duos in recent rock history. Given this unexpected, accidental album was apparently born out of jam sessions, it makes you wonder what they could pull off if they were actually trying. Forecast: Sure, the album title sounds like it could be Thor’s backup weapon when he misplaces his hammer, but there’s nothing hazy about the quality of this new Blur effort. Am I the only one who would love to see Blur and Oasis form an Avengers-like supergroup — equally racked by tension and resentments? Bloa? Ursis? OK, that was painful. I’ll let them come up with the name.