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The Avengers: Assemble For Awesomeness

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:23:37 PDT

Ensemble romantic comedies are a dime a dozen these days, and let's face it: most of those star-studded flicks aren't even that good. But an ensemble superhero movie? Now that's an idea I can get behind. The Avengers rounds up an all-star group of comic book heroes who must get over their inflated egos and differences to take down a villain and save the world. It's a simple enough concept, and the combination of eye-popping special effects, humor, and a stellar cast makes for one hell of a blockbuster movie.

The cast of characters - and each one is very much a character in their own right - is mostly composed of people you've seen before and are happy to welcome back. There's Chris Evans as Captain America, whose situation as a '50s guy living in a 2012 world is funny to the audience, if not to him. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Iron Man, and his wisecracks and borderline obnoxious behavior carry the film and much of the dialogue; Chris Hemsworth is back as demigod Thor, though his role feels a bit downplayed in the midst of the rest of the hubbub. Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner return as Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who kick butt but are never really as much fun as their power-wielding cohorts. The only guy who's new to the group is Mark Ruffalo, who takes on the role of Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk) for the first time, and Ruffalo's so quietly engaging that you won't even remember Eric Bana or Edward Norton in the role.

To see what else is great about The Avengers, just

Taking on this team of good guys is Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's maniacal brother who's literally plotting world domination. His quick wit and completely deluded view of the world make him a layered villain who's incredibly fun to hate. The fun doesn't even stop there: the film is chock-full of cameos and appearances from characters from The Avengers prequels, which is an added bonus for fans that have been following The Avengers since the beginning. You don't need to be a fanatic to enjoy the movie though; the film has nods to the previous films but it still makes for a nice introduction to each of the characters as they're rounded up one by one.

Writer/director Joss Whedon goes from Buffy to the big leagues here, and he masterfully puts together a film that goes big, but doesn't let action overshadow the script. The dialogue is packed with so many one-liners that you'll likely miss half of them because the audience is still laughing at the most recent joke. Though the humor pretty much writes itself with characters like these, Whedon is wise to make it obvious that the film doesn't take itself too seriously.

The action sequences are also handled with care; the fight scenes don't linger too long, and most of the scenes showcase each of the Avengers, which helps keep the pace moving right along. I'm not usually one to gush over special effects, but I literally gasped when Mark Ruffalo transforms into The Hulk for the first time. The scene, in a way, is like the film's secret weapon. The first transformation is teased throughout most of the movie, and the suspense builds to a moment that feels perfectly constructed to grab the audience by the throat.

The only downside to The Avengers is that with so many characters, you just wish you could spend a little more time with each of your favorites. The good news is that we'll probably be hanging out with them in many sequels to come.

Photos courtesy of Disney

See the Avengers' Non-Superhero Movie Collaborations

Maggie Pehanick — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:18:20 PDT

With so many A-list actors in one action-packed movie, it's no shock that some of the stars of The Avengers have crossed paths before. However, we were surprised at how many times the stars have appeared onscreen together in the past. It's no wonder they all seem so chummy off set! Take a look at the famous (and not so famous) movies the heroes have been in before!

Mark Ruffalo Talks About His "Dope" Hulk Transformation in The Avengers

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:05:00 PDT

In addition to playing a superhero in The Avengers, Mark Ruffalo had an extra challenge: he's the only newcomer to the core cast. I sat down with him at the press day for the film, where Ruffalo talked about how he grew up with the Hulk and why he was nervous to take on the role. He also mentioned how excited he was to see himself transform on the big screen, though his daughter was a bit frightened to watch her dad turn into the big green guy.

The Avengers Take Europe as They Look Forward to a Super Opening Weekend

Lindsay Miller — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:54:52 PDT

Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson, and Mark Ruffalo were at Rome's De Russie Hotel on Saturday for a stop on The Avengers press tour before the guys headed to Germany, sans Scarlett, for yet another photocall today. The foursome traveled abroad to promote the superhero movie all last week, kicking things off with an appearance in Moscow before moving onto London and then Italy together. The Marvel movie is expected to enjoy a big debut at the box office. Early reviews for The Avengers have been overwhelmingly positive and the movie is estimated to earn as much as The Dark Knight and The Hunger Games each did in their opening weekends. That could easily make The Avengers the biggest first-weekend earner among superhero movies to date when it hits theaters on May 4.

Scarlett Johansson Takes a Plunge For the Moscow Avengers Premeire

Katie Henry — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:10:38 PDT

Scarlett Johansson was joined by her sexy costars Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Mark Ruffalo for yesterday's Moscow premiere of The Avengers. Scarlett wore a low-cut Nina Ricci dress and continued her trend of LBD looks on the red carpet, having worn Versace for last week's LA Avengers premiere.

The cast is making their way around the globe prior to the May 4 US release of the film, though Gwyneth Paltrow, who makes a small cameo as Pepper Potts, has sat out this round of promotional events. In addition to chatting up the Marvel film, some of the acts have gotten personal in recent interviews. RDJ shared cute stories about his newborn son Exton in the latest issue of Esquire, and Scarlett's touched on her "devastating" divorce from Ryan Reynolds in Vogue.

Scarlett, RDJ, and Their Superhero Crew Step Out For The Avengers Premiere

Lindsay Miller — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:38:04 PDT

A Versace-clad Scarlett Johansson joined Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson, and several other big superhero names at last night's premiere of The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. We were live on the red carpet, bringing you our interviews with the heroes of the new Marvel movie and capturing all the star-studded arrivals. The film's boldfaced cast also includes Mark Ruffalo, who had his lovely wife Sunrise Coigney on his arm at the debut, Tom Hiddleston, and Jeremy Renner, to name just a few. Stellan Skarsgård, who has a small role in the film, was also in attendance with his son Alexander Skarsgård close by.

On the carpet, Scarlett told us that if she had her character Black Widow's powers of interrogation, she'd probably use her skills to grill George Clooney for all his secrets. Meanwhile, new dad Robert Downey Jr., who was there with his wife Susan Downey, spoke about feeling great since the birth of their son Exton earlier this year. Stay tuned for today's PopSugar Rush to catch our interviews with Scarlett and RDJ, and for any others you may have missed!

The Avengers is one of the most anticipated movies of 2012, but the year's biggest box office hit - The Hunger Games - came up several times during the evening. Chris Hemsworth spoke about his little brother Liam Hemsworth's success with the blockbuster, and Jeremy Renner - whose character Hawkeye is an expert with the bow and arrow - told us he thinks he'd easily take Katniss in an archery competition.

Florence Welch, Rosario Dawson Team Up With Kiehl's to Make Recycling Easier

Jaime Richards — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 03:02:13 PDT

Over the past four years, bighearted beauty brand Kiehl's has been partnering with various charitable organizations in honor of Earth Month. And for 2012, the company is linking up with Recycle Across America (RAA), a nonprofit that works to make recycling easier for the masses. In fact, 100 percent of the profits (up to $100,000) from the sale of its limited-edition Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masques ($23) will go to RAA so that select schools throughout the US can strengthen their recycling programs.

Better yet, four stars - Florence Welch, Rosario Dawson, Mark Ruffalo, and Spike Lee - have designed earth-inspired packaging for these masks, made with fair-traded Amazonian white clay. Like what you hear? You'll like these celebrities' do-good artwork, too. See it in detail now.

Check Out the Latest Trailer For The Avengers!

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:47:06 PST

The Super Bowl wouldn't be complete without some blockbuster movie trailers, and this year's big game came complete with a fresh look at The Avengers. This spot is short and sweet, mostly focusing on seeing the team assemble and prepare for epic battling. Though the first Avengers trailer is more satisfying and in-depth, this little teaser is keeping us excited for the film's Summer release. Plus, we get a much better look at The Hulk (who actually looks pretty similar to the big green guy we saw in the Ed Norton movie.)

Take a peek at the new preview when you

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Sarah Jessica Parker Gets Into the Winter Groove at UNICEF's Ball

Allie Merriam — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:10:17 PST

Sarah Jessica Parker seemed to take the snow theme to heart last night when she attended UNICEF's Snowflake ball in a pouffy Louis Vuitton number. She attended the gala at Cipriani 42nd Street with other stars like Zoe Kravitz, Uma Thurman, Adrien Brody, and Mark Ruffalo. Zoe made the rounds inside while decked out in a Chanel ensemble that had feathery details just like SJP's.

Sarah Jessica and her family are home in the Big Apple again after spending Thanksgiving with Matthew's sister in New Jersey. SJP and Matthew attended a mass at Morristown's St. Peter's Episcopal Church, where his sister is a pastor. Their son, James Wilkie, had a lesson on the organ, then over 20 members of their extended family sat down to enjoy a 27-pound turkey!

Gwyneth Paltrow Smiles and Shows Off Her Fitness on Set

Lauren Turner — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:15:00 PDT

Gwyneth Paltrow hopped on a bike to film Thanks For Sharing in NYC this afternoon. She changed into a black Stand Up 2 Cancer shirt for another scene with costar Mark Ruffalo after the duo started working together on set this week. Gwyneth made the trip to the East Coast from the UK on Sunday, and she was spotted at the airport with pal Cameron Diaz. The stylish girlfriends partied at The Arts Club and celebrated pal Stella McCartney's birthday during their time in London. Gwyneth may be back to work, but it looks like she's having a great time on set since she tweeted "Shooting in sunny central park. Reminds me of my youth." and was also spotted sharing a laugh with Mark. He's a little more serious in the new trailer for The Avengers, which gives fans a quick glimpse of him in character as The Hulk.