"THE AVENGERS" - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from The Avengers

Marvel's The Avengers carries the weight of the World - both literally and figuratively - but does it meet the demands of Moviegoers and Comic Fans alike? You bet. Director/Writer Joss Whedon (Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) knows exactly what Fans of the Genre want and delivers item-by-item like a Grocery Checklist.  It's funny, it's intense, it's thrilling and every bit a masterfully-interwoven Spectacle.

The $220-million Blockbuster via Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) brings together Superheroes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans) and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).  These Superheroes are united by one great Cause to save the Earth from Thor's Brother, the ruthless Supervillain Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and his catastrophic Army, in his quest for endless Power and Domination.

The problem with Films boasting All-Star Casts is that Story Lines and Character Development often are skimpy, but impressively Whedon manages to tell each Superhero's Story clearly and concisely, with our attentions focused always on the Mission at-hand.  Anyone walking into Marvel's The Avengers without a clue would be able to enjoy the Film sans confusion amidst all the Sci-Fi jargon.  The beauty is that you don't need to see it in 3-D necessarily to enjoy it - it stands on its own in 2-D glory.  My only concern though is that v. integral The Hulk's Story Line is given the least detail here and perhaps more could have been done to build-up the excitement for his awaited massive transformation.

INTERVIEW: MARK RUFFALO & COBIE SMULDERS ON "THE AVENGERS"

Mark Ruffalo & Cobie Smulders in Toronto - April 2012

Toronto was lucky enough to host the Canadian Premiere for Marvel's The Avengers and after doing a busy day of Press, Stars Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk/Bruce Banner) and Cobie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill) graced a Fan and Media-lined Red Carpet at Scotiabank Theatre.

Despite running a bit behind, Oscar-nominated Ruffalo navigated the Carpet with great prowess, balancing his time between Outlets and Fans, spending a gracious amount of time signing Autographs and posing for Photos. Dressed a perfectly-tailored Suit and looking in fine form, the Actor is embracing his increasingly-distinguished looks, sporting a few new gray hairs since I last met him in 2008 at TIFF.  

For the first-time ever on-screen, Marvel's The Avengers brings together Superheroes The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth), joining them as one force in a fight to save Earth from the ruthless Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Although at this time I am unable to post a Review of the Film, I can say that Joss Whedon masterfully interweaves several complex Superheroes' stories here in an explosive Spectacle.

With the likes of Lou Ferrigno, Eric Bana and Edward Norton having once filled the role of iconic (and destructive) Superhero The Hulk, I asked Ruffalo what unique traits he will be bringing to the table in Marvel's The Avengers. "I'm not sure", he tells me humbly.  "The one advantage I have is that I am the first Actor to play both Bruce Banner and The Hulk, so I hope that brings him alive in ways which CGI alone couldn't.". 

MARK RUFFALO & COBIE SMULDERS IN TORONTO FOR "THE AVENGERS" | SIGNED PHOTO SET GIVEAWAY

Mark Ruffalo & Cobie Smulders in Toronto - April 2012

Hot on the heels of it grossing a whopping $185.1 million overseas this weekend, Marvel's The Avengers Stars Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk/Bruce Banner) and Cobie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill) are bringing the action north of the Border for the Canadian Premiere of the Action-Blockbuster. If you think that's impressive, consider that it has only thus far opened in 70% of Overseas markets and furthermore, has yet to even open in North America!

Ruffalo and Smulders joined forces for an appearance on CityTV's Breakfast Television. Ruffalo who made his first appearance in Toronto since TIFF 2008, revealed that in addition to slimming down on a strict Regimen for his dual role, he also faced some great challenges. "I enjoy working with Actors" he says, explaining that it was a great challenge filming fight scenes before a Green Screen on his own.

Vancouver Native Smulders made a welcome return her Homeland, ensuring to grab a Tim Hortons Coffee first thing today. The Actress who has gained much popularity for her work on CBS Series How I Met Your Mother as Robin Scherbatsky, praises Ruffalo for giving The Hulk a comedic spin, yet remaining v. human. She also expressed excitement at being able to do her own stunts in some of her more physical scenes in the Joss Whedon Film

The Avengers sees a Team of Superheroes - including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) - assembled to fight the evil Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and his Army from destroying the Earth. 

Marvel's The Avengers hits theatres in North America Friday, May 4, 2012.

To enter to win a Signed Photo Set from Ruffalo and Smulders, click "like" on this Post at Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven on Facebook. You must also be following on Twitter also. Your deadline is June 4, 2012.  Good luck!

More to come...

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

WATCH: 60-SECOND "THE AVENGERS" PREVIEW

The Avengers

For those of you who missed it lats night during the Super Bowl, here's the full 60-second Preview of Marvel's The Avengers in anticipation of its May 4, 2012 release.  Are you ready for the most epic battle ever to have been captured on camera?  Iron Man, Black Widow, The Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor.  Together at last.

Watch the 60-second Preview of The Avengers below:

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada)

CHAT WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF "THE AVENGERS" ON JANUARY 31, 2012

Still from The Avengers

Great news for fans of The Avengers!  The eagerly-awaited Action-Adventure won't be hitting theatres till May 4, 2012, but Fans in the meantime will have a chance to chat with Writer/Director Joss Whedon, Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg much sooner.  For the first time ever on the Big Screen, we'll be seeing Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow on-screen together.

Marvel Studios will be sponsoring a 30-minute Live Chat on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 2:00 PM EST and to participate, you can follow @Avengers on Twitter and Tweet with the Hashtag #Avengers. During the Chat, Fans will have a chance to answer Avengers Trivia and win Prize Packs too!

  A 30-second TV Spot will be airing also during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012 on NBC. Stay tuned.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

MARK RUFFALO TAKES LEAD IN RYAN MURPHY'S "THE NORMAL HEART": JULIA ROBERTS, JIM PARSONS, ALEC BALDWIN & MATT BOMER ALSO ADDED

Mark Ruffalo at TIFF 2008

2012 will be the start of Mark Ruffalo's long-overdue rise as a bona fide Leading Man in Hollywood.  The Actor has been confirmed to take the lead in Glee/American Horror Story Creator Ryan Murphy's new Film, The Normal Heart.  The HIV/AIDs Drama is based upon a TONY Award-winning Play of the same title and centers on Ned Weeks, who is one of the first Advocates in New York to raise awareness about the disease.  Written by Activist/Writer Larry Kramer, the Play largely is autobiographical.

The Cast for The Normal Heart is rather impressive including Julia Roberts, who last teamed with Murphy on 2010's Eat, Pray, Love.  She will be playing a wheelchair-bound Doctor who also is among the first to raise concern about HIV/AIDs.  Matt Bomer, whose star dramatically is on the rise, takes the role of Weeks' Boyfriend contracting the Disease, while another openly-Gay Actor Jim Parsons will tackle the role of an Activist from the South.  Alec Baldwin also has been named to play the Lawyer Brother of Weeks, struggling to cope with the sexuality of Ruffalo's character.

Ruffalo currently is filming Now You See Me, a Bank Heist Thriller which has the FBI circling a team of Illusionists who rob banks as part of their act, rewarding their audiences with money; Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg star. His upcoming Drama Thanks for Sharing has him alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, P!nk, Tim Robbins and Joely Richardson, about three Sex Addicts on the road to recovery.  His marquee release however is Disney's all-star The Avengers, in theatres May 4, 2012 which has him starring in what is said to be an important role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS SOCIETY WINNERS ANNOUNCED - "THE SOCIAL NETWORK" CONTINUES TO DOMINATE

Still from The Social Network

One of the more important precursors to the Oscars is the New York Film Critics’ Circle Awards just held earlier today. In what’s looking more and more like a shoe-in for Best Picture next February is David Fincher’s The Social Network, which won top honour of Best Film; Fincher also nabbed Best Director.  But get this though - The Social Network this weekend was also awarded Best Film unilaterally by the Los Angeles Film Critics Assocation, the Boston Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics Online. 

Surprisingly, Best Actress was handed to Annette Bening for The Kids are All Right over Natalie Portman in Black Swan, while Best Actor honours went according to plan with Colin Firth, winning in that category for The King’s Speech.  Black Swan won for Best Cinematography possibly due to a local bias seeing that much of the Film was shot in Brooklyn.

Melissa Leo, just in Toronto this past weekend, won Best Supporting Actress for The Fighter, yet another trophy in her cabinet after just receiving an award for that same performance, from the Boston Society of Film Critics too. Mark Ruffalo won for Best Supporting Actor in The Kids are All Right and it would be amazing to see him rewarded with an Oscar nomination next year for the first time.

Click here to read about more of the Winners.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures)

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, CO-FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF "THE HUFFINGTON POST" IN TORONTO

Arianna Huffington & Mr. Will-W.

Arianna Huffington née Arianna Stassinopoulos needs no introduction to those of you who follow widely-read website The Huffington Post, known most for its Liberal perspective on Politics.  The website is so popular that many Celebrities have Guest Blogged on it including the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis, Ashley Judd, Paul Reiser and Mark Ruffalo.  In addition to being a respected Commentator, Editor and Co-founder of that prolific website, Huffington was ranked as Forbes Magazine's twelfth Most Influencial Woman in Media in 2009.  It is expected that this result will not be dissimilar when 2010's tally is published.

The gorgeous and poised Huffington arrived in Toronto Sunday night to promote her latest book Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream.  Among other appearances, she was slated to visit Global Television and CBC.  Huffington's book critiques how Americans have destroyed their own ideal of the American Dream, yet also offers insights on how to correct these problems.  She also was to serve as a Keynote Speaker at the Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards Summit & Gala on Monday night to be held at Allstream Centre.  Surely she would have a lot to say about WikiLeaks' recent publishing of raw and confidential government documents in the tens of thousands.  To bring yourself up to speed on that, click here.