Episode 22 – Ant-Man and the Wasp & Captain Marvel Review

After the chaos of Infinity War, Libby continues her first-ever journey through the MCU with two movies that surprised us more than we expected.

First, we break down Ant-Man and the Wasp, discussing why it's a huge improvement over the first Ant-Man, whether Ghost is one of Marvel's most underrated villains, why Hank Pym might secretly be the problem, and how the Quantum Realm sets up what's coming next.

Then we dive into Captain Marvel, a movie that gets far more hate than we think it deserves. We talk about the Skrull twist, young Nick Fury, Goose the Flerken, Captain Marvel's powers, and whether the criticism surrounding the film is actually justified.

Topics include:

• Is Ant-Man and the Wasp underrated?
• Why Ghost works as a villain
• Hank Pym's questionable decisions
• The Quantum Realm and Endgame setup
• Why Captain Marvel surprised us
• The Skrull and Kree twist
• Young Nick Fury & Coulson
• Goose the Flerken
• MCU Easter Eggs and hidden details
• Our final ratings

Will these movies change Libby's MCU rankings before Avengers: Endgame?

🎙️ Forget The Critics — where we defend what everyone hates and roast what everyone loves.

Source transcript:

00:00 Introduction
00:17 Ant-Man and the Wasp First Impressions
02:00 Better Than The First Ant-Man?
04:00 Ghost & The Villain Twist
05:18 Is Hank Pym Actually The Problem?
09:24 Janet, The Quantum Realm & Theories
12:07 Best & Worst Humor Moments
15:12 Are They Making Ant-Man A Joke?
20:00 Sonny Burch & Weak Antagonists
24:00 The Wasp Steals The Show
25:15 Critic Debate: Ghost, Underrated MCU Movie & Hank Pym
29:15 Easter Eggs & Endgame Setup
33:00 Ant-Man and the Wasp Final Rating
35:20 Captain Marvel Review Begins
36:28 Why We Liked Captain Marvel
38:00 Nick Fury & Captain Marvel Team-Up
39:02 Skrulls vs Kree Twist
41:15 Young Nick Fury & Coulson
43:30 Goose The Flerken
45:00 Captain Marvel's Powers Explained
46:15 What Didn't Work For Us
48:20 Final Battle Discussion
50:04 Fury & Captain Marvel Dynamic
52:15 Does Captain Marvel Advance The MCU?
56:08 Captain Marvel Easter Eggs
End Final Thoughts & Ratings

Forget The Critics Ep. 21: Libby finally watched Avengers: Infinity War for the first time and we have a LOT to talk about.

Was Infinity War the best MCU movie we've seen so far? Did Star-Lord really cost the Avengers everything? Was Thor the MVP? And is Thanos the greatest Marvel villain ever?

Then we switch gears and review Backrooms, the new A24 horror movie that has everyone debating online. We break down our biggest criticisms, favorite theories, hidden details, and whether the movie lived up to the hype.

👇 Let us know in the comments:

Is Infinity War the BEST MCU movie?
Did Backrooms live up to the hype?

🎬 Movies Reviewed:
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
• Backrooms (2026)

Subscribe for more movie reviews, first-time reactions, Marvel content, and Libby's Marvel Journey as we work toward Avengers: Doomsday.

#Marvel #InfinityWar #Backrooms #A24 #MovieReview #MCU #Avengers

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 Infinity War Review
17:50 Did Star-Lord Ruin Everything?
31:40 Critics Debate
34:35 Easter Eggs
39:25 Backrooms Review
59:20 Best Backrooms Theory
1:06:00 Backrooms Facts & Easter Eggs
1:19:10 Final Ratings

In this episode of Forget The Critics, we review The Mandalorian & Grogu and Black Panther!

We talk about why Star Wars might finally be BACK, our thoughts on Grogu’s future, and why we want to see more of Yoda in his prime. Then we jump into Black Panther and debate one of the biggest moral questions in the MCU… was T’Chaka actually wrong for killing his brother and abandoning Killmonger? 👀

Plus:

• Our favorite moments from both movies
• Marvel & Star Wars debates
• Easter eggs and hidden details
• Libby’s reactions and hot takes
• Why these stories still hit years later

If you love honest movie conversations, first-time reactions, and fun debates without the film-school nonsense, this episode is for you.

Forget The Critics Ep. 19: Libby finally watched Spider-Man: Homecoming for the FIRST time… and her reaction was NOT what Aaron expected.

In this episode of Forget The Critics, we break down:

• Why Spider-Man Homecoming feels so different
• The biggest problems with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man
• Whether Tony Stark helped or HURT Peter Parker
• Vulture’s shocking twist
• Hidden MCU easter eggs most fans missed
• Marvel fan criticisms we actually agree with

Was Spider-Man Homecoming overhyped… or underrated?

Comment your MCU ranking below and let us know whose side you’re on 👀

🎬 Subscribe for Libby’s full Marvel first-watch journey every week!

#SpiderManHomecoming #Marvel #SpiderMan #MCU #TomHolland #MarvelPodcast #MovieReview #ForgetTheCritics

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
00:39 Spider-Man Homecoming Review
11:24 Why Spider-Man Works
21:10 Vulture Twist Discussion
24:06 Critics Debate Segment
26:51 Easter Eggs You Missed
30:42 Final Ratings + Outro

In Forget The Critics Ep. 18: Libby watches Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 for the FIRST TIME… and we have a lot to talk about. 👀

Was Guardians Vol. 2 a letdown compared to the first movie? We break down:

Yondu’s emotional story
Ego as a Marvel villain
the soundtrack
the humor
common fan criticisms
hidden Easter eggs most people missed

Plus, we finish the episode with Marvel Phase 1 & Phase 2 trivia… and things get VERY competitive. 😭

If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to like, subscribe, and let us know your Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 rating in the comments!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:27 Yondu STEALS the Movie
11:21 Guardians Vol. 2 Critics Debate
18:21 Easter Eggs You Missed
25:20 Marvel Trivia Gets HEATED

The conversation delves into the complexity of character perspectives and the moral ambiguity present in the movie. It explores the conflict of perspectives, impact of past events, and the complexity of moral dilemmas. The role of Bucky in the conflict, revelations, and emotional impact are also discussed. Additionally, the debate on the movie's title and the introduction of new characters are highlighted, along with negative aspects and the discussion on missing characters. The conversation covers the reliance of the villain's plan on luck in Captain America: Civil War, the impact of the airport scene on tension, screen time distribution, and character development in Doctor Strange.

Takeaways

• Complexity of character perspectives
• Moral ambiguity in the movie Villain's plan relies heavily on luck
• Screen time distribution in Captain America: Civil War
• Airport scene and its impact on tension
• Character development in Doctor Strange

Chapters

• 00:00 Debate on the Movie's Title
• 45:02 Character Development in Doctor Strange

Aaron and Libby close out Phase 2 with Ant-Man — and for the first time, Libby is genuinely disappointed by a Marvel movie. They break down what works, what doesn't, and why the MCU villain formula is getting old. Then they rank all six Phase 2 films and debate the best heroes, villains, and moments of the phase. Phase 3 starts next week with Captain America: Civil War.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

0:51 – Ant-Man ties into the MCU

2:28 – Ant-Man vs Falcon scene

4:33 – The story & second chances

5:08 – Why Libby didn't like this movie

10:23 – The humor

15:34 – Overused villain formula rant

18:10 – Common Criticism: Yellow Jacket

20:02 – Is Ant-Man a filler movie?

22:51 – Phase 2 Full Rankings (worst to best)

34:01 – Favorite hero, villain & moments of Phase 2

40:50 – What's next: Phase 3 begins with Civil War

In this conversation, we explore the refreshing humor and character dynamics in the movie 'Guardians of the Galaxy.' We delve into the unique mix of humor and action, the dynamic of the Guardians, the comic relief provided by Groot and Rocket, the importance of the Guardians in the MCU, and a debate on movie criticisms. The conversation concludes with closing thoughts and audience engagement. The conversation delves into the dynamics of teamwork and unity among the Avengers, the divide among the team, the final battle and sacrifices, Tony Stark's decision-making, his intelligence and responsibility, the role of Nick Fury, Ultron as a villain, the battle scene and character contributions, criticism and defense of the movie, and Marvel's Phase Three and beyond.

Takeaways

• Refreshing humor
• Character dynamics Teamwork and unity in Avengers
• Character development and screen time
• Criticism of Ultron's portrayal

Chapters

• 00:00 Debating Movie Criticisms
• 36:41 Closing Thoughts and Audience Engagement
• 01:06:21 Marvel's Phase Three and Beyond

In this episode, Aaron and Libby discuss their thoughts on the movie 'Thor: The Dark World' and debate various aspects of the film. They explore the characters, plot, and overall impact of the movie, sharing their personal opinions and insights. The conversation delves into the themes of patriotism, political intrigue, character dynamics, and the role of supporting characters. It also explores the balance between politics and action in the film, as well as the significance of the Winter Soldier's mysterious persona. The review concludes with a comparison of the movie's quality to other Marvel films and a discussion about the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

Takeaways

• Character Development
• Villain Analysis Patriotism and Political Intrigue
• Character Dynamics and Supporting Characters
• The Winter Soldier's Mysterious Persona
• Balancing Politics and Action
• Comparative Movie Quality and Upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Film

Chapters

• 00:00 Upcoming Movie Review: Captain America, The Winter Soldier
• 01:15:20 Comparative Movie Quality and Upcoming Films

The conversation covers the hype and expectations surrounding the movie, the introduction of the character Rocky, the emotional impact and scientific analysis, the visuals and cinematography, and the forced coma and character justification. Additionally, the discussion includes an analysis of the characters and their impact on the overall movie experience. The conversation delves into a comparison between Interstellar and Project Hail Mary, exploring character development and relationships, visual aesthetics and suit design, and narrative structure and time frames. The discussion highlights the unique aspects of each movie and the impact they have on the viewer. Iron Man 3 is a film that delves into Tony Stark's character development, showcasing his brilliance and resourcefulness without relying heavily on the Iron Man suit. The portrayal of anxiety, PTSD, and human vulnerability adds depth and relatability to the superhero narrative, making it a standout in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Takeaways

• Movie Hype
• Character Analysis Interstellar vs. Project Hail Mary
• Character Development and Relationships
• Visual Aesthetics and Suit Design
• Narrative Structure and Time Frames Iron Man 3 showcases Tony Stark's brilliance and character development without relying heavily on the Iron Man suit.
• The portrayal of anxiety, PTSD, and human vulnerability in a superhero context adds depth and relatability to the character.

Chapters

• 00:00 Hype and Expectations
• 12:00 Rocky's Character and Humor
• 17:36 Emotional Impact and Scientific Analysis
• 25:46 Visuals and Cinematography
• 56:00 Narrative Structure and Time Frames
• 01:03:47 The Mandarin Controversy
• 01:15:30 Robert Downey Jr.'s Portrayal of Tony Stark