I'll bet you $200 million that you could not in fact have directed this movie and have it been a success. That's an awfully cynical outlook. Sure, it's got a built-in audience from the setup films alone, but the bottom line is that it's a good movie besides all that. A really good movie. No one anywhere is saying this…

Which is why the villains in TDK should've been Joker and the setup of Riddler for TDKR. I'm sure Bane will be enjoyable, but the fact that we'll never see a Nolan-directed Batman movie featuring Ridder as the head villain breaks my heart. It's pretty clear to me that the man loves his puzzles.

It's what you get for disparaging Sgt. Pepper, you godless piece of filth.

She was far more interesting than she needed to be. All the character really needs to do is look good and kick ass, but Whedon put some fair effort into fleshing out her character with a little backstory and depth. I appreciated that.

Meh. I thought she was as flat as the rest of her isn't.

Ruffalo was the MVP for me, but she was more than adequate. It's not easy getting screen time in the Robert Downey Jr Show, but she pulled it off. Props to Whedon for getting here there too.

Avi Arad insisted, so I think Sam got pissed and did a half-assed job so he could walk. I'd bet money on it.

I don't think it's an underdog story at all, but the fact that Joss Whedon has a box office hit as big as the last Michael Bay crapfest blows my mind. The fact that it's really fucking good too? Shiiiiiiiit.

I'm down. Throw the Hulk in there too.

@avclub-e57f718840a576abbb40a7d046c4e3b0:disqus There are jokes?

Yes and yes. Scarlett really impressed me, actually. I'd long thought she was just stunt casting to replace Emily Blunt (who I had heard was the original choice for Black Widow in Iron Man 2) but she's lived up to the role quite nicely.

Which somehow lessens my opinion of Sgt. Pepper. I see.

Oh. Right. Natalie Portman. Almost forgot.

That chick always looks like she's crying. Trudy is the perfect '60s wife.

That motherfucker could FUND Social Security.

So now you'll shut up and go back to jerking off to children?

The Hulk/jet fighter fight was seriously some of the raddest fucking shit I've ever seen. Oh, and Hulk vs. Loki. Oh, and that one long continuous shot near the end of all the Avengers kicking untold amounts of alien ass. Oh, and…

That's how most of us jerk off to her anyway. Win/win.

Bravo.

It's a fun watch for the Ford/Connery banter alone, but overall, I rank the films as they came out. Raiders first, then Temple, Last Crusade, and then Crystal Skull. I genuinely do like them all, but for very, VERY different reasons.