Day: August 1, 2026

I watched it.

I am happy to report that they have openly proven me wrong about basically every expectation I’ve had about the film and about the MCU itself (save one) in this single film. I was openly expecting them to pursue a comic-accurate vision that follows a clear (and old) line of comics dating back before my childhood. They aren’t doing that. Instead we are seeing a revision of the MCU that feels familiar and at the same time continues to march forward leaving space for the creativity of those who are writing in this occasionally brave new world.

The Punisher kinda sealed it. His portrayal continues to be fun and energetic, mixing the idea of vigilante with honorable man. Watch it for the dynamics between him and the other characters. He’s a real one in this. As is the Peter Parker side of the story, which dominates the tale. The only space where the movie fell flat was… okay well there were two spaces. Sadie Sink was solid in the first half and began to sharply decline post reveal. She is better left in mystery, because when revealed the expectation ran headlong into her possibly career long problem–she’s still acting and being portrayed pretty much exactly like her Stranger Things character. If she cannot separate the two in a meaningful way–be it through mannerisms or what have you–you’re gonna struggle watching her act out a character that allegedly isn’t that.

The other big problem… The hulk. More on that tomorrow…

Some Thoughts:

1. Absolutely Bonkers Headline of the Day: “TSA finds stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger’s suitcase at an Alabama airport“ Plural. That’s gotta be over 50 lbs, my guy.
2. Apparently the 5yr cap isn’t going to be a hard cap. Players are already suing and winning for their 5th year–in spite of being over the age in question.

I’ve done pretty well avoiding the media. No social media (easy), no newsfeed (HARD)… well mostly no newsfeed. There’s always a front pager that pops up and it gets noticed. Like the bonkers situation with 60,000 immigrants streaming over the Spanish border. I didn’t actually read it so I don’t know the details. Tomorrow. Crazy that I chose to eschew news in order to avoid being spoiled over a movie. Yet that is the reality in which I sit. I’m not sad about it. The world news is heavy and I don’t know that I need to hear it every day. Not so much because of the heavy, but more because of the settling. The rapid-fire pace of our reality is a bit much. We all should slow down and try to digest what is going on around us. We all need to think about the reality we are shaping and allowing to be shaped.

Today my reality was a bit altered. I discovered a very cool beach called Witty’s Lagoon. I’m a 11 AM beach kind of guy, but by then I’ve already begun to lose the best part of the lagoon. So, when we return it will be earlier. Interestingly enough, it also hosts a nude section. We discovered this purely through seeing nudies strolling along parts of the beach. I was just talking to the Lady Talis about how prude and buttoned up we are as a country. Topless bathing is really not much of an issue in Spain and allegedly in other countries. A person nude on the beach is fully clothed a block over in the city and everything is fine. Yet we are really messed up about sex in the USA. It feels like Canada (at least BC) is a lot more chill about it. Or at least about the nudity part. I grew up watching a lot of things I wasn’t supposed to way early, so my exposure to nudity happened much too early. I suppose that plays a role in how I see others as prude.

To be fair, we didn’t go over there. I’m not much for the being nude around other people. My body issues couldn’t stand it. That’s less prude than non-confidant about my body.

Some Thoughts:

1. Expectation: This is going to be the best Marvel Movie in YEARS
2. Proclamation: This is going to be the last really good Marvel storytelling for a while…