Every month I contribute a segment to the Cocktail Nation radio show from Australia, where I offer a brief introduction to an interesting corner of pop culture and play cuts from soundtracks. This month I decided to return to one of my top-two favorites -The Avengers- and to the world of post-war British jazz. I'm sure Spy Vibers are familiar with Laurie Johnson's theme to The Avengers TV series, which seemed to blend the Edwardian charm of John Steed with Emma Peel's mod energy, and helped to put the "swing" in Swinging London. But music from the earlier years of the series channeled a different time, when London was still buzzing to the riffs of modern jazzmen like George Webb and Trad stalwarts such as Chris Barber. Among this crowd was Johnny Dankworth, husband of Cleo Laine and leader of the first British jazz band invited to play at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1959 -incidentally, the year of Brubeck's Time Out, Ah Um by Mingus, Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, and the year Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club was founded. The late Fifties and early Sixties was an interesting transition period between the back alleys of film noir and trench-coat clad detectives to the more youthful and playful world of the spy boom. John Steed actor, Patrick Macnee, quipped the initial series was "more dirty Mac than Saville Row." Dankworth's theme to The Avengers was right on course with these trends, providing a more somber atmosphere to the first cast of characters (Steed, Dr. Keel, Cathy Gale, and singer Venus Smith). Viewers in the US didn't get to see this early period of The Avengers, but genre fans in the late Fifties would have recognized the jazz vibe from programs such as Peter Gunn and Johnny Staccato. Hear Dankworth's 1961 track in my segment on Cocktail Nation. Johnny Dankworth appeared in one of my favorite films, All Night Long (1962), a jazz interpretation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, starring Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner), Richard Attenborough (The Great Escape), Geoffrey Holder (Live and Let Die), and with appearances by Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, John Scott (The Avengers, Goldfinger, Pink Panther), and many other music talents. Dankworth also went on to score the spy movies Modesty Blaise and Fathom. Enjoy! 

Selected related posts: New Avengers comics, Avengers Blu-ray sets, Diana Rig R.I.P., Umbrella Man, Shakespeare Spies Rigg, Rigg eBook, Avengers Season 5 Titles, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Avengers Interview: Rodney Marshall I, Avengers Interview: Rodney Marshall II, Rare Avengers Scripts, Lost Avengers Released, Season 5 Blu-ray speed comparison, Jean Varon Fashion, Mini-Killers, Mrs. Peel Audio Dramas.

Are you ready for Avengers: Endgame?

All the news about the film, Avengers: Endgame.

Here's your chance to review Avengers: Endgame!

Mark Ruffalo has been playing Bruce Banner-cum-Hulk in Avengers films since 2012

Several years ago, it was all over the news. Free radicals were damaging - we all had them, and antioxidants were the solution. But what role really do free radicals play in damaging the body, and how are we supposed to best get rid of them? How do antioxidants work and what is the best way of adding them to our diet?

We continue our Xbox E3 recap by discussing most of the rest of Xbox's press conference announcements, including Bleeding Edge, Ori 2, Minecraft Dungeons, Gears 5, Blair Witch, Battletoads, and Avengers (even though that last one wasn't in the Xbox conference).

One of the most anticipated movies of the year turns out to be one of the most satisfying, thanks to a smart script and great direction from Joss Whedon.

MARVEL is on a little bit of a break at present, but many will want to catch up with the movies before the next phase begins - but how can you do it?

DC's "Joker" may have the edge on Marvel.

Viewers reacted positively to the Spider-man star's 'adorable' gesture

'Avengers: Endgame' tops 'Star Wars,' breaks previous pre-sale record originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com"Avengers: Endgame" tickets went on sale Tuesday and just like Thanos' famous snap, they were gone just like that. But way more than half.Fandango is reporting that "Endgame" has broken its pre-sale records, topping the previous holder, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."(MORE: New 'Avengers: Endgame' trailer features Captain Marvel, the battle to beat Thanos)Guess the force is strong with Earth's mightiest heroes. ...

Times critics Justin Chang and Glenn Whipp discuss Marvel's "The Avengers," winner of the #UltimateSummerMovie Showdown, Week 1.

When the "The Avengers" was released eight years ago, there was no guarantee it would be the huge hit it became and boost the Marvel franchise's fortunes.

Film critic Justin Chang hosted a live discussion of 'The Avengers,' the first film Times readers chose in the Ultimate Summer Movie Showdown series.

The Endgame is near, and we are talking quite literally here about the latest instalment in the Avengers series of superhero movies, which releases on April 26. After this week's brouhaha over Game of Thrones Season 8, it's the next big visual experience that has sent fans in a tizzy. And a pub in Khar is now hosting a pre-launch party of sorts for them, with various activities and F&B offers themed around the film.

"We have collaborated with digital community Things2doinMumbai, and brought ticket sponsors on board for the event. In terms of the activities, there are Avenger- related games and trivia, winners for which will get free tickets and discounted ones when the movie releases. We also have an array of themed cocktails in store," says Pragnesh Rai, owner of SamBar, which will host the evening, adding that there are a number of discounts on the existing menu, too, with drinks starting at Rs 39.

The cocktails include a beer-based one called black wid'wow; iron anna, which has whisky; tha end, which is vodka-based; and a super-potent Long Island iced tea that's aptly named hammered by Thor.

As for the games, these include Ant Man, where a player will be given three soda bottles and raisins. The aim is to drop these raisins from eye level into all three bottles, without bending down. Then there's Black Widow. For this, one person will hold a hula-hoop and another will have a fake spider placed on his head. The latter has to go through the hoop in the shortest possible time, without dropping the spider. All in all, it sounds like an event perfectly suited for fans of the Avengers. And even if you aren't one, you can still gain from the cheap booze, meaning it's a win-win.

ON April 18, 6.30 pm
AT SamBar Pub & Kitchen, Vora Building, 3rd Road, Khar West
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Avengers: Endgame
U/A:  Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
Rating: 

Avengers: Endgame, undoubtedly the most anticipated film of recent year's, lives up to most expectations. This film is a befitting finale for the decades-old, 21 films, Marvel Cinematic Universe that heralded the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye. Together they formed the original Avengers team while the newer allies and villains added more power to subsequent outings. This may not be a non-stop action spectacle. Instead, what we get is a well- proportioned, engagingly structured narrative that spreads out its content and thrills in momentous expansiveness, End game basically posits a finale worthy of the superhero characters it promotes. Marvel's time-travelling sci-fi adventure saga throws up a few surprises too along the way.

The story is rather basic - After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which ended with Thanos getting all of the six Infinity Stones and then using them to wipe out half of existence, including beloved heroes like Black Panther, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. The surviving heroes go through a period of self-recrimination, hopelessness, heartache and self-doubt before they take the necessary steps to reverse Thanos' actions, they're fatalism keeps us grounded.  

Also Read: Box Office report: Avengers: Endgame sells 1 million advance tickets in India

The script by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely among others, is surprisingly inventive, fraught with emotion and funny. The performances live up to the iconoclastic expectations of the fans while the CGI and effects lend whole new meaning and dimension to quantum physics and chaos theory. The film is a sort of nirvana for the thousands of people who sweated night and day to make such a unique and unprecedented experience come good. Endgame has a much slower, deliberate pace allowing for deeper character development and strong motivations while developing intensity and attachment all the way through. A major portion of the action happens only towards the last half hour of a nearly 3-hour runtime – yet, doesn't feel bloated or unnecessarily expanded.

Also read: Avengers: Endgame Box Office Prediction: Will the film open at Rs 50 crore in India?

This film incorporates beloved elements from earlier outings and recalls character beats, origins, and sub-plots while adding texture and complexity to the inter-galactic drama envisioned as homage to the never-say-die superhero spirit. Alan Silvestri's amazing background score elevates the intensity and involvement. The helming by the Russo brothers is also quite remarkable – creating a well-sprung of entreaty that is truly an event!

Also Read: Avengers Endgame release: A look at how Avengers films fared at the Indian box office

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer here:

Also Read: Critics review Avengers: Endgame, say it's 'everything you want it to be and more'

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Avengers: Endgame
U/A: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
Rating: 

How does one put together words about a film that, for all practical purposes, anything and everything you write, is likely to be misconstrued/diagnosed as a spoiler?

Suffice it to know that this expectedly dramatic conclusion of Marvel's three-part Infinity Saga is a relatively internalised, deep and sober film, concerned more with the motivations of super-heroes, the choices before them, and what they should pick, in order to take on super-villain Thanos—of course.

For one, the earth is a much quieter place, since as you're aware, its species have been annihilated, decimated by Devil Thanos, ever since he got his hands on the infinity stones, and went on to execute the bizarre plan of supposedly ethical ethnic cleansing—randomly ridding planets of half its populations, to make them more sustainable, by restoring balance of sorts, as it were.

Of course, there will be survivors. And Iron Man or Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), to start with, is thankfully rescued or reunited with the human family back home. So is Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). Both of them, like all the others, seem to be somberly dealing with the aftermath of a universal tragedy.

Surely, you have your own favourites from this cinematic universe (and how can Iron Man not top that list?). But there's something about the inherent cuteness of Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) that saves this franchise's final installment from turning into a complete depresso—left to be downed over rounds of espresso, what with the screen-time running three hours plus.

Also Read: Box Office report: Avengers: Endgame sells 1 million advance tickets in India

Indians might thank their theatres for the usually hated interval. I caught it without one, but didn't miss it either. There's enough material here to keep you engaged, even if to wonder, on occasion, if some of it makes any sense. You may or may not be impressed with the long drawn explanations, but you're only too happy to go with it.

Frankly, I'm no Marvel fanboy/fanatic—if the movie-world is indeed divided into two types, then more the DC demographic. That said, there is an infectious verve and energy that multiple super-heroes bring to this cinematic universe that is hard to not be swayed by, even if an individual or sub-set, Guardians Of Galaxy in particular, may be difficult to appreciate on their own.

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer here:

Avengers: Endgame does a fine job of navigating a reasonably cogent script without over-populating the screen. Avengers: Infinity War seemed more overwrought in comparison. I re-watched portions of the 2018 prequel on my phone (for quick revision), which of course means I didn't watch it at all.

For, at the end of the day, battle sequences and pyrotechnics is the point of it all, isn't it? Endgame, despite all the philosophy, is not an exception. It shines gloriously as 3D spectacle on the IMAX screen, ideally viewed from the third-row, from the back—and if you're not on IMAX, then the third row from the front—for a stunningly immersive experience, with such depth of field that the points where the camera focuses on a river, the ripples flowing towards you, you almost feel like you can wade through the frickin' water!

I know, don't need to put in a word (spoilers be damned). Suffice it to know that seldom has the excitement of audiences entering a theatre, matched by those exiting, after a hugely hyped pic. Endgame equals its astounding anticipation. And that's saying a whole lot!

Also read: Avengers: Endgame Box Office Prediction: Will the film open at Rs 50 crore in India?

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Sharing a throwback picture from the purple carpet premiere of 'Avengers Endgame,' actor Mark Ruffalo on Sunday said that he is feeling nostalgic as the film completed its first anniversary.

The actor took to Instagram to reminisce about the film and posted a picture of himself and a group picture of the cast of the film from the premiere.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Feeling nostalgic that it’s been a year since #AvengersEndgame was in theaters.⁣ ⁣ Thank you all for being a part of this wild journey with us 💚 #LoveYou3000

A post shared by Mark Ruffalo (@markruffalo) onApr 26, 2020 at 7:34am PDT

Decked up in a black suit, Ruffalo is seen posing at the purple carpet event in the picture.

"Feeling nostalgic that it's been a year since #AvengersEndgame was in theaters. Thank you all for being a part of this wild journey with us #LoveYou3000," he captioned the picture.

The film 'Avengers Endgame' by Marvel comics was released on April 26 last year and became a blockbuster hit within few days of hitting the screens.

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After the decision to postpone the event due to the coronavirus crisis, the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, rather, held a virtual telecast which was no short of slime and the awards.

On Saturday a virtual show was hosted by the 'Victorious' star Victoria Justice of the event, whic was originally scheduled to take place on March 22 in Los Angeles.

The star-studded awards show had specials appearances of 'The Avengers' cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner.

The team's big hit superhero film 'Avengers: Endgame' won favourite movie, and 'Spider-Man' actor Tom Holland was voted favourite superhero.

Netflix's 'Stranger Things' grabbed the favourite TV show awards, meanwhile, the young star Millie Bobby Brown took home the favourite female TV actor award for her role as Eleven.

In the music category, artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and BTS took home the glory.

Reported by Variety, the show also made USD 1 million donations to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to help end childhood hunger and support people affected by coronavirus crisis.

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This evening’s Square E3 press was…something. After more than an hour of Final Fantasy remasters, the publisher closed things out with far and away its most eagerly awaited game. Licensing some white hot IP, the RPG masters at Square are offering up their own take on Earth’s mightiest heroes. Bay Area-based Crystal Dynamics addressed what […]

They beat out Aladdin, Captain Marvel, Jumanji: The Next Level, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker for Favorite Movie at the Kids' Choice Awards.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME - WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...

Scarlett Johansson has been a fixture of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2010, when she first portrayed Natasha Romanoff aka The Black Widow in Iron Man 2.

According to a report from ComicBook.com on Monday, the writer, 49, defended the choice to have Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff go through that dramatic storyline.

Don Cheadle is slated to appear in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War movie released this week. Here's all you need to know about who he is, his age, net worth, movies and more.

Chris Hemsworth has had a great year at the box office with starring in hit films including the Men in Black reboot and the final installment of the Avengers.

The Captain America star has pledged to reunite six stars of Marvel's The Avengers and fans can win the chance of having a virtual hang-out with them.

They beat out Aladdin, Captain Marvel, Jumanji: The Next Level, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker for Favorite Movie at the Kids' Choice Awards.

टॉम हॉलैंड क्रू के सबसे युवा सदस्यों में से हैं और ऐसे में उनके साथ कई ऐसी बातें होती हैं जो उनकी सुपरहीरो इमेज से अलग है.

मॉर्वल की इस सबसे बड़ी सुपरहीरो फिल्म को भारत में शुक्रवार 26 अप्रैल को रिलीज़ किया जाएगा.

केवल रमेश बाला ही नहीं फिल्म बिजनेस पर नजर रखने वाले दूसरे एक्सपर्ट्स भी एवेंजर्स: इन्फिनिटी वॉर की धुआंधार कमाई का अंदाजा लगा रहे हैं.

'अवेंजर्स इनफिनिटी वॉर' ने फर्स्ट डे कलेक्शन के मामले में भारत में रिलीज हुई हॉलीवुड फिल्मों में 'फेट ऑफ द फ्यूरियस' और बॉलीवुड फिल्मों बागी 2 और पद्मावत को पीछे छोड़ दिया है. फिल्म को भारत में 2,000 स्क्रीन्स पर रिलीज किया गया है.

कैप्टन मार्वल के किरदार के साथ ही मार्वल यूनिवर्स के गायब हो चुके हीरोज़ की वापसी भी तय हो चुकी है क्योंकि कैप्टन मार्वल इनफिनिटी स्टोन्स का इस्तेमाल कर सकती है.

​एवेंजर्स: इन्फिनिटी वॉर से पहले ये रिकॉर्ड स्टार वॉर्स: द फोर्स अवेकन्स के नाम था.

कैप्टन मार्वल के ट्रेलर के साथ ही इन्फिनिटी वॉर-2 का काउंटडाउन भी शुरू हो गया है.

करीब एक दर्जन सुपरहीरोज़ को अपनी एक चुटकी से धूल में मिला देने वाले थानोस को चुनौती देने के लिए कैप्टन अमेरिका, ब्लैक विडो, थाॅर, हल्क और हाॅकआई जैसे सितारे एकसाथ आने वाले हैं.

Avengers End Game की भारत रिलीज़ 26 अप्रैल है और लगभग 10 दिन पहले ही इस फिल्म के कुछ दृश्य ऑनलाइन लीक हो गए हैं.

Avengers Endgame Leaked Online by Tamilrockers : एवेंजर्स एंडगेम लीक, 26 अप्रैल को रिलीज होने वाली इस फिल्म को टोरेंट की कई वेबसाईट पर रिलीज से पहले ही लीक कर दिया गया.

जहां एक तरफ लोगों को Avengers Endgame की टिकट नहीं मिल रही है वहीं दूसरी तरफ कुछ खुशनसीब ऐसे भी हैं जिन्होंने इस फिल्म को देख लिया है.

भारत में एवेंजर्स एंडगेम (Avengers Endgame) आज रिलीज हो गई है. पहले ही दिन थिएटर्स के बाहर चौंकाने वाला नजारा दिखा.

रूसो ब्रदर्स की एवेंजर्स सीरीज की आखिरी फिल्म का भारत भर में जबरदस्त क्रेज देखने को मिल रहा है. इस फिल्म ने दूसरे दिन भी कमाई के सारे रिकॉर्ड तोड़ डाले हैं.

फिल्म के टिकट को लेकर मुश्किल नहीं थी असली मुश्किल तो तब सामने आई जब लोगों ने रात के शोज की टिकट बुक की और तय समय पर पहुंचने पर भी उन्हें सिनेमा हॉल में एंट्री नहीं मिली.

एवेंजर्स एंडगेम (Avengers Endgame) ने भारत के बॉक्स ऑफिस पर 3 दिनों में ताबड़तोड़ कमाई कर ली है.

एवेंजर्स एंडगेम के लिए फैन्स के दीवानेपन की वजह से ही इस फिल्म ने 6 रिकॉर्ड बनाए हैं. कुलमिलाकर ये फिल्म अबतक की सबसे बड़ी फिल्म बन चुकी है.

भारत में 26 अप्रैल को रिलीज़ हुई इस फिल्म ने हॉलीवुड की सबसे ज्यादा कमाई करने वाली फिल्म का टैग हासिल कर लिया है. दो दिनों में 100 करोड़ रुपए बटोरने वाली इस फिल्म की कमाई ऐतिहासिक है.

'एवेंजर्स एंडगेम' (Avengers Endgame) ने कमाई के सारे रिकॉर्ड्स तोड़ डाले हैं. इस फिल्म ने 10 दिनों में 'टाइटैनिक' (Titanic) जैसी फिल्म को पछाड़ दिया है.

Apart from the really stretched action sequence in the end, there isn’t a lot to complain about in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

The creators and actors of the Avenger Short: Item 47, talk about the concept of being outside the avenger universe, yet still being apart of it.