Ms. Marvel (2022)

[Greg]

Planning out my summer viewing.

[Drunk Monk]

I’ve met Aramis several times in the Badlands. He gives props to Bryan Cartago as his stunt double. I know Bryan very well - he was a wushu champ and we’ve hung out after many tournaments.

[Greg]

The new trailer does not inspire me to see this.

[Drunk Monk]

too inclusive?

I'm looking forward to this...

[Drunk Monk]

That...


...was freakin fun. 

I loved the style of it, the blending of graffiti and texting - sure it's been done but it was a nice device - and the color schemes and music were vibrant. The integration of animated fantasies (also been done) worked well for me. 

It was a solid twist on the MCU tropes with plenty of easter eggs and humor. The Avenger-con - that needs to become a real thing. 

It was also a refreshing creation story with a new take on some cliches, just enough to keep it fresh. The high school nerd outsider is so overdone but here it feels heartfelt. 

Iman was putting out some heavy Hailee vibes, which was a wise play given the success of Hawkeye. Although Kamala is someone completely new, she's already familiar and charming. I'm now following her IG. 

I'm into the Muslim/Pakistani take which seems long overdue. I don't know the comic at all. 

I'm all in. Let's see where this goes. I'm ready for some villains and fight scenes.

My one complaint is the same as I had with Emily in Paris. The blog should be extra content true to what's shown on the show, not just more clips from the show. Sloth Baby Productions should be like the DVD extras. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC875kkt...A/featured

[Greg]

As I pointed out to the Queen after this episode, I'm finding it harder and harder to relate to the problems of a 16 year old Pakistani Girl. That being said, I did enjoy Ep01 of Ms. Marvel for many of the same reasons DM listed above. I thought the text conversation was really clever. I laughed at the costumes mom made. It has a lot of the same beats as Turning Red.

And there is a tie-in to the latest Spider-Man movie.

[Drunk Monk]

Harder and harder? Exactly how many times have you had to relate to a 16 year old Paki girl? 

Personally, I like examinations of issues of others. I don't need conflicts I can relate to - if I wanted that, I could just look in a mirror. I want to see other people's problems to expand my understanding of other, or rather, to escape my own. 

I've been trying to remember where I saw that texting conversation done before. I want to say Scott Pilgrim vs the World but I think that's a false memory. 

I'm thinking there's an emerging sameness for all MCU teenage girls now - Iman here, Hailee in Hawkeye, Xochitl in Dr. Strange 2. It's one of those MCU formulas but it's still working for me.

[Greg]

The way the joke works is the juxtaposition between my old cranky whiteness and the young female person of color.

I did find it skewed younger. For me, I just can't get too invested in stories about High School problems.

[Drunk Monk]

I suppose it's fresher for me because of Tara. High school was just a half decade ago for her as a young female person of color. And I'm not an asshole Brit...um I mean a old cranky white dude. 

I do like the mother and father in this. It's almost tiger mom, panda dad, which I can totally relate to as well.  

I'm looking forward to Aramis' appearances in this. I hope he's the villain. I think he'd make a good villain. That's kinda how Badlands went. He has that same smouldering angst that Hayden had.

[Greg]

The whole family dynamic was fun. The costumes! Even the brother.

As a lapsed catholic with a knowledge of muslim culture at close to zero, I wondered why more of the female members of the family didn't wear Hijabs?

[Drunk Monk]

Agreed. The family chemistry is spot on. 

Hijabs customs vary depending on sect and devotion - they aren't required to be worn in front of close family or other women. I was schooled in some of it when I solomnized the wedding of a dear friend who was Muslim (read the whole Quran for that and it didn't understand it at all). She didn't observe hijabs. Also was schooled in it when some Wushu athletes petitioned to wear them in competition in defiance of uniform restrictions (they won that quickly) and when a kickboxing friend was leading a kickboxing class that was exclusively for muslim women. She too was catholic although not as lapsed - did the ash thing on that Wednesday. I remember she confided in me after dropping one of her encouragement lines in that class 'More burpees for that bikini body'. She was so embarrased after saying that.

Oooooh 'lapsed catholic' 
that sounds like...

[Greg]

There was the one girl at the High School wearing a head covering. I'm just wondering how crazy this is driving the Fan Bros? Although it is all right of the source material. I am happy for all the inclusivity. It was eye opening to see people in interviews excited that they were seeing their own representation up on the screen. Although, can we see a little less of Simu Liu at the moment? That man is everywhere.

[Drunk Monk]

Although, can we see a little less of Simu Liu at the moment? That man is everywhere.

Did you see the SNL sketch he did with Bowen? That nailed it.

[Greg]

This old white guy spiel I'm running is really holding me back.

[Drunk Monk]

Ha. Did you ever watch Kim's Convenience? http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=5923

Both KB & I give it the thumbs up. I wonder if you could relate...