Collectible Time: Diamond Select/Marvel Gallery (Gentle Giant) Doctor Strange/Benedict Cumberbatch

Donna gave me an early Valentine's gift, which complements the Laura & Logan Wolverine figures that Mel gave me for my birthday and Christmas (see Dec '23 & Jan '24 posts). It's a Benedict Cumberbatch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Diamond Select/Marvel Gallery/Gentle Giant, 10" PVC statue.

The resemblance to Cumberbatch is startling, as is the detail on Strange's costume, which includes his mind-of-its-own, levitation cape. (If only I knew the precise sculptor who rendered the exquisite details, because he/she deserves high praise.) 

The statue's translucent-orange portal-arch and smoky base not only invoke Multiverse of Madness, but any number of Strange's surreal sojourns, whether on film or the comic page. 

This wondrous submission, as with all Marvel Gallery selections, comes in a stylish box, which acts as a viable display case if one chooses to keep the Sorcerer Supreme MIB.

What a sensational, satisfying diorama! I thank my sweet wife for purchasing it for me, thus making it part of our home. It's certain to bestow us years of metaphysical enchantment!💖

An Alternate Reality: Doc Strange Meets Old Wolverine?

A new alternate-reality rumor is brewing: Wolverine, in the possible guise of Old Logan, could find his way into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. 

The question is, will Hugh Jackman reprise his legendary role, in particular as it manifested in his prior, Wolverine chapter?

Heck, if they're going to implant the novelty, why not go for broke? For better or worse, Disney now holds the reins to a number of Fox franchises, including X-Men. Perhaps it would be wise to exploit the takeover with Jackman resuming his indignant mutant, thus ushering Fox's successful series into the Avengers realm, along with a bunch of other beloved, Marvel incarnations, of course. 

There's no confirmation yet that Jackman would be the man to portray Logan (young or old), but a Jackman/Benedict Cumberbatch team-up would sure be something to see and no doubt soar the Sorcerer Supreme's sequel to mind-bending, historic heights. Fingers crossed on this one. 

Collectible Time: Doc Strange and Baby Groot Funko/Pop! Figures for my Birthday

I don't have many Funko/Pop! vinyl figures, so it's a treat when they do come my way, which just so happened this year for my birthday.

The ladies at work surprised me with two: Doctor Stephen Strange and Baby Groot!!!

The 3.75" figures are both Marvel-movie based, with Strange carrying the somber imprint of Benedict Cumberbatch. To be frank, there's no way to make the guy look cutesy (even though it appears the sculptor tried), though I'd probably be upset if someone actually managed the blasphemous feat. The Sorcerer Supreme is also represented with his lively, red cape. A real spiffy touch!!!

Baby Groot is equally neat and especially on target, with this mini version symbolizing the character as he appeared at the end of "Guardians Vol 1": potted, that is.

He's got his mischievous, little smile and sure as heck looks like he's in frozen-dance mode. He's cute as a button, just as he should be, which makes him ideal for this series. 

Glad to have both of these guys for my collection, and I thank the ladies who gifted me them for their gracious generosity!!!

I saw Thor: Ragnarok...

"Thor: Ragnarok" is a blast--a blast, that is, for its video-arcade colors and surreal structure, more a dream than other Marvel movies, with the exception of, perhaps, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1-2" and "Doctor Strange". It's also amusingly austere and damn gusty in its adult sensibilities: a commendable contrast to the competing samplings of lame, juvenile magic and bad-is-good, playset antics that Hollywood has tried to force upon us within the past year. 

This new Thor journey, directed by Taika Waititi and scripted by Eric Pearson, resumes with Tom Hiddleston's Loki disguised as Anthony Hopkins' Odin. The once-epilogue springboard doesn't last long, steering us to the real story at hand: hellish Hela, the Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchet), seizing control of Asgard; and to rid herself of the competition, she uses high-powered sorcery to dispel her foes (by accident or plan) to fight in a distant junkyard arena. Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster, a clever cross between Willie Wonka and Ming the Merciless, oversees the deadly matches, and at one point (as those who've caught the trailers know), the Mighty Thor and the Incredible Hulk go toe to toe. 

Much of the film's charm stems from the interaction between Chris Hemsworth's Thor and Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk, whether they're clobbering each other or saving each other's butts. When these titans go at it, the screen adapts a psychedelic, raucous zeal that not even the most uninhibited, freewheeling graphic novels can surpass. In fact, their contentious collaboration returns us to those glorious Marvel days when the two swapped punches without apology or threat of cry-baby critique, but not before we experience heaps of crazy glitz. 

The precise (mis)steps leading to how Thor, Hulk and (for that matter) Loki enter the Hela's imposed conflict matters little, for the circumstances are comically convenient. As an unofficial "Spartacus" derivative, it's the fighting that counts in this torrential spree, which consumes about ninety percent of the tale and projects the Norse prophesy of Ragnarok: the end to everything. But fear not: Character development bridges the mayhem. Though "Ragnarok" may look and feel like an old, violent video game, it never skimps on substance. In other words, fans of "The Matrix" sequels may not be thrilled with the results; but those who fancy "Winter Soldier" and "Logan" should be satisfied.

Perhaps more than in previous Avenger adventures, "Ragnarok" becomes Hemworth's most hammering jaunt. He carries the film with brawny deftness and humble class, making him perfect for the fair-haired god. Though his interaction with Ruffalo's Banner/Hulk is the highlight, Hemsworth's affable aura also connects with several other characters, particularly Hiddleston's Loki. 

With that said, Hiddleston once more brings a cogent mischievousness to his scenes, just as Hopkins supplies his essential air of regal wisdom as Odin. Respectful nods must also go to Idris Elba as visionary Heimdall; Karl Urban as the reluctant Executioner; and let's not overlook Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, who gives "Ragnarok" just enough manly mysticism to make his brevity important to the plot. 

Of course, the fellas aren't alone in dictating the tale's terms. Blachett's Hela is breathtaking, though rather in a dominatrix, Sarah Douglas/Ursa sort of way; and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie is an equal sight for sore eyes. Those who might object to sexy babes in tight-fitting outfits (even if they're represented as strong and/or resourceful) may take issue with "Ragnarok'"s eye candy, but for those of unpretentious, open-minded tastes, these feisty gals add to the fun in more ways than one. 

Hey, folks, this ain't Shakespeare, any more than the "Guardians" movies are; but like those wonderful, intergalactic escapades, Thor's latest, big-budget exploit hits all the rapturous marks: a good, ol' two-fisted, transcendental action flick, and as such, one of the year's irrefutable best, no matter what the comparison or category.

I saw Dr. Strange...

Steve Ditko's avenging, psychedelic sorcerer, Dr. Stephen Strange has finally entered the big-budget Marvel universe. Directed by Scott Derrickson, who also co-penned the script with C. Robert Cargill, the film forms a mystical trip of mounting discovery, matched by intersecting deception. 

In tune with the original source, the surgeon and sorcerer-to-be (Benedict Cumberbatch) damages his hands in an auto accident. In that his injuries are seemingly irreparable, he seeks to mend them through unorthodox means, traveling immense distances to locate a guru-supreme, the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). 

The starry-eyed mystic helps Strange transform in ways he could never have imagined, not so much to regain the use of his precious fingers, but to achieve full-scale, metaphysical elevation. He soon learns that he can levitate through dimensional portals via spellcasting techniques and with his sharpened senses, benefit humankind in ways that far exceed the virtues of even the most gifted surgeon.

His honorable intent meets indirect competition, however, through his teacher's former disciple, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), who for all intents and purposes acts as the film's adversary, though he's really not evil in the classical sense. Instead, he holds an ambitious, differing opinion on how to make matters eternally better for humankind: his methods more extreme than what our hero would care to implement. This makes Kaecilius more in tune with DC's Bane and Ra's al Ghul than a standard Marvel opponent. 

Naturally, we're granted the obligatory, final-reel clash of the titans, but there's a great deal of tense fun leading to that point. Just as Boris Karloff and Vincent Price battled it out (albeit comically) in "The Raven '63", so do Strange and Kaecilius. Their magical bouts crease the fabric of reality (and various time sectors linked to it), adding an unnerving splendor to the proceedings. 

The film also offers a number of interesting, supporting characters, such as the mystical duo of Wong (Benedict Wong) and Karl Mordo (Chiewetel Ejiofor); Strange's medical rival, Dr. Nicodemus West (Michael Stuhlbarg); the self-healing and inspirational Jonathan Pangborn (Benjamin Bratt); Kaecilius' faithful soldier, Lucian (Scott Adkins); and love interest, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams, who like Cumberbatch, has visited Conan Doyle cinematic territory). Each member does a fine job in broadening the doctor's personality and destiny, and thankfully when it comes to the relationship between our hero and Palmer, the romance remains underdeveloped. 

This allows the duel between the two leads to define the film, but simultaneously makes its events different than what we typically find in a Marvel movie, where the division between (or among) battling gods is blunt and clear-cut. The ambiguity of good and bad in "Strange", therefore, may prove a plus or minus depending on one's vantage. It's certainly not Ditko, though the film's mind-bending ambiance holds (for the most part) true to the creator's vision. 

With that said, as a basic, fantasy adventure, "Strange" succeeds, though more with a modern-day sensibility and structure (as opposed to a '60s, LSD-induced backdrop that old-timers might prefer). Additionally, it projects specks of the mythology's macabre atmosphere, but never dips deeply into the comic's Lovecraftian depths or the sophisticated menace of the ill-fated, CBS '78 pilot.

To the film's advantage, Cumberbatch is ideally cast as Strange, lending a faithful arrogance to the character, but in comparison to the 2007 animated feature, "Dr. Strange: the Sorcerer Supreme", his highbrow stance is quickly replaced by a stumbling through lessons, which minimizes his heroic loftiness. This deprives us from watching Strange swing realistically from emotional extremes: a missed opportunity, which would have enriched the film. (Strange's arduous training also smacks a little too much of Lamont Cranton's in Russell Mulcahy's '94 "The Shadow", which handled matters faster and with superior impact.)  

As for Strange's opposition, Mikkelsen once more proves himself an actor of impeccable range. His characterization contains the best of both good and bad (as does Ejiofor's Mordo, if one pays attention to his backstory). However, on the debatable downside, Kaecilius never becomes a full-fledged adversary to root against, his suave, exotic presence remaining as headstrong and determined as the title character's: a plot device that might be too clever for its own good, particularly when the audience is meant to choose one mystic over the other. It's only Kaecilius' vicious displays that tip the scales...perhaps. 

Unlike other Marvel/Avenger movies, "Strange" (if only due to its kaleidoscopic backdrops and interludes) acts primarily as a two-hour reverie. However, even though it skids from a linear track, its content surpasses its magical-based competition with little effort. It doesn't try to be sweet and whimsical, nor does it cater to those timid millennials who'll likely dash to the upcoming Potter prequel. It simply unfolds in the weirdest and most unapologetic of ways: the twisting and turning of images and passages mere icing on a large and tasty cake, which promises more mesmerizing adventures to come.