Marvel Movie Minute • Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Minute Thirty-Five: From a Missing Constellation to a Missing Patient‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard joins us for the last time to discuss Jane, Erik and Darcy realizing that Thor is basically a spaceman, as well as Thor’s escape from the hospital.In the thirty-fifth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• Jane and Erik continue their conversation about how our constellations are missing and seem to have been replaced with different constellations. They’re getting closer – but aren’t there quite yet – to realizing that Thor is a spaceman.
• Darcy calls them over to point out the obvious-to-us but apparently-not-obvious-to-them-until-just-this-moment shape of a man in the atmospheric disturbance. Jane realizes finally that the man they hit with the Pinzgauer is, in fact, a spaceman.
• But how do they get photos of the stars during the atmospheric disturbance? It’s awfully bright.
• Regardless, we love how Branagh and his editors chose to edit from the shot of the shape of a man in the sky to the overhead shot of Thor strapped to the bed.

Meanwhile, back with the other spaceman and his wife in Asgard.

• Odin fumes on his balcony. Frigga enters, upset that Odin’s banished her son. She’s Frigga’n furious.
• Again, Anthony Hopkins just rules in this role.
• Rene Russo delivers a great accent that doesn’t distract at all.
• Their age difference does distract a bit though.
• We look at Odin’s armor. He only has four discs on his. Does that change our thoughts about these as rankings?
• Odin says Thor pushed them to the brink of war. Was he not there when Laufey pretty much said war has begun?
• And Frigga references mortals again. So are they immortal?
• This scene largely feels superfluous so we’re glad they cut it. Plus, it wouldn’t allow for the fantastic transition from the last scene to the next one.

And we now find our spaceman tied to a hospital bed.

• Did you notice the red crocs at the end of his bed?
• Chris Hemsworth handles his bewilderment at his lack of strength perfectly. This is why he’s perfect for this role.
• But damn those eyebrows! They practically disappear on his face in this location!
• #theeyebrowcut. We want it, Feige!
• Thor’s yellow wristband says he’s a fall risk. Would something else have made more sense?
• We couldn’t figure out the information on his wristband other than his name. Maybe his age? Are they estimating him to be 38 years old?
• Thor can’t break out so he slips his hand out. This feels like a move he would have pulled from his brother Loki. WWLD?

Gotta get that spaceman!

• Jane, Erik and Darcy run back into the hospital to find Thor, now that they know he’s essentially a spaceman.
• Nurse Rob and Nurse Terry talk to security about what happened the night before. Erik realizes what this means and they put it in high gear.
• Unfortunately, all they find is an empty hospital bed.

We have a great chat about Jane’s spaceman in this minute. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

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• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Poster artwork
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• ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard at MCU:Location Scout and Retrozap

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Minute Thirty-Four: From a Cameo to a Day Off‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard digs around in the impact crater with us in this minute as we talk about wormholes and Puente Antiguo.In the thirty-fourth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• The townie who finds the impact crater turns out to be none other than J. Michael Straczynski. The connections are strong with this one as they relate to the Thor comics, Babylon 5, and more.
• We also talk about the nature of comic book creator cameos and how it’s nice to see. (We don’t get into the issues that these creators are having with Marvel over their creator rights, which is a huge topic for another day.)
• He runs down to the base of the impact crater and finds Mjølnir embedded in what looks like a block of cement. We debate the look of this prop because on the one hand, it allows the people interacting with it to really struggle but on the other hand, it looks manmade, not like something that would happen naturally from impact.
• To that end, it does allow for comparisons with the sword in the stone and the fact that no one can pull it free.
• But then we also now can judge each of these people trying to lift Mjølnir. Apparently, this town ain’t worthy.
• As Straczynski tries to lift Mjølnir, the sound design kicks in with that sound we’ve come to know and love that we hear when Thor wields the hammer. But is it diagetic? Is this townie hearing the ringing sound too?
• We leave our time with the townie as he gives us a little ‘huh,’ which is played so well. Kudos, Straczynski!

Welcome to Puente Antiguo. Finally.

• As we bid adieu to the townie and Mjølnir for now, we find ourselves in the small town of Puente Antiguo, which means ‘old bridge’ in Spanish. Turns out, they named it this because of how it works as a reflective opposite of Asgard.
• They built this town of Puente Antiguo at the Cerro Pelon Ranch, aka Cooks Ranch Filming Studio in Galisteo, NM. Turns out Tom Ford owns it and if you’re on the market for your own movie ranch, you can buy it from him right now!
• The elevation of Puente Antiguo matches that of Galisteo. That doesn’t track at all based on the mileage from Albuquerque we saw in the One-Shot A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer.
• The population of Puente Antiguo doesn’t make sense at all either. It’s over 2000 people which, for this small a town, makes no sense. Even Galisteo only has a population just over 200 people. Where do all these people live? Were they just trying to make it seem like more lives were in danger here in Puente Antiguo when the Destroyer arrives?

Hey, they've got at least one big chain!

• The town is big enough to have a 7-11, but it really feels like a Flying J would make more sense. Then again, why would people drive here? It feels so isolated.
• We point out the newsstand, the liquor store, and a very prominent billboard advertising the great state of New Mexico while also dropping another comic reference.
• And of course Smith Motors stands at the end of the main drag, essentially filling in for Valaskjalf in this small town. It’s a fantastic design as a defunct car dealership here in Puente Antiguo with a star on top. We love it!
• The billboard looks like some information has been redacted. Was that left accidentally as something they forgot to clean up? Or was it intentional and meant to be something perhaps graffitied on there?

Jane, Erik and Darcy busy themselves in Smith Motors at the end of Puente Antiguo’s main street.

• We join them here where clearly Jane has made her temporary workspace. But is that a crew person in a hammock we see in the next building over?
• Darcy works overtime in this scene as our audience surrogate because Jane and Erik talk about the possibility of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, or a wormhole. Erik explains to her what that means, so he’s essentially explaining it to us.
• Are superhero films science fiction? Or are they their own genre that happen to be pulling science fiction elements in to enhance the story?
• The dialogue here feels like the screenwriters had some scientific conversations with people who understand this stuff far better than we do to make sure it sounded somewhat accurate and possible.

We talk about impact craters, Straczynski, Puente Antiguo, Einstein-Rosen Bridges, and more in this minute. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Poster artwork
• Original Material
• ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard at MCU:Location Scout and Retrozap

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Minute Thirty-Three: From Triage to Townie‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard from the MCU: Location Scout joins us again to discuss Thor destroying the Triage Bay and a townie discovering Mjølnir’s impact crater.In the thirty-third minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• Nurse Terry kicks things off as he tries to draw blood from Thor. Thor will have none of it and proceeds to tear the Triage Bay apart, along with all the nurses, orderlies, security guards, and patients as well.
• Who styled Thor’s hair so perfectly?
• Terry Dale Parks plays Nurse Terry. We run through the IMDb Game with him. Great face here, particularly from that worm’s eye view shot we get. Parks likely lives and works in New Mexico, and we bet is not a utility stunt player as he pretty much avoids the action and stays at the back of the Triage Bay while Thor takes on the medical staff.

We love Nurse Terry, but Nurse Rob just might be working for the Time-Keepers.

• Rob Mars just may be one of our new favorite stunt workers. He not only works hard to tackle Thor in this scene but he plays Ray Stevenson’s stunt double as Volstagg in the film! That means we likely saw him already on Jotunheim.
• Rob has been a utility stunt player in so many of the MCU films but has also performed in small roles in some of the films and TV shows that we’ve seen him enough times to be convinced he perhaps works for the Time-Keepers.

Thor doesn’t have his powers but he’s still powerful as he tears the Triage Bay apart. Until he’s taken down with the same gag.

• We struggle with picturing Thor with no strength considering the body he has. Muscles and fighter tactics are still part of his everyday life. Odin only stripped his Asgardian powers from him after all.
• Considering the damage during this fight, we believe more strongly that this is a soundstage they’ve built for this fight. Plus, it likely made it easier for them when they did the original single long shot of the fight before it was cut down for the edit.
• Did you catch Thor’s reference to his comic book title? He nearly calls himself ‘The Mighty Thor.’
• Chris Hemsworth plays the dumb oaf so well here. He also slides down glass like no one else in the MCU.
• Why does it work so well to have Thor taken down using essentially the same gag we just saw a few minutes ago? We revel in how well this still works.
• To that end, if you count him getting hit in the parking lot in a few minutes, they’re doing their comedy in threes which has always been known to work.
• Thor calls them savages and demands healing stones in the extended version of this scene. Branagh's decision makes sense as perhaps in a world of super-science, healing stones seem too magical.

We leave the Triage Bay and join a townie on a drive to an impact crater.

• As Thor gets tranqed in the Triage Bay, we leave him to follow a townie in a red Dodge pickup driving over a rise where we see an impact crater.
• We can tell that this is where Mjølnir landed, but our townie either heard it the night before and investigates or just happens upon it here. Who knows which?
• Why does he drive all the way around to the far side of it though? It’s not really clear.
• We discuss a bit about how this could’ve been CG but with all the work that’s going to happen here in the next act of the film, we figure it was actually dug out to look this way.
• Not only does this location not look like the same flat area Jane and her team were driving on last night, but also it turns out it wasn’t even the same state where they filmed. Jane, Erik and Darcy crashed into Thor in New Mexico. They filmed this impact crater, while meant to be close by, in the Santa Clarita valley in California.
• To that end, did Odin specifically select this place for Mjølnir to land? Perhaps he wanted it close enough to Thor so he can find it but not too close? Or as we surmised a few minutes ago, Mjølnir perhaps slipped out of the Bifrost on its way down.

From destroying the Triage Bay and everyone in it to a mysterious townie finding Mjølnir’s impact crater, we fill this conversation with all sorts of juicy tidbits. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Poster artwork
• Original Material
• ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard at MCU:Location Scout and Retrozap

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Minute Thirty-Two: From Tasers to TriageBack with us to discuss Darcy’s Taser and Kat Dennings’ awesomeness, plus a sweet but ditsy admissions nurse, is ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard from MCU: Location Scout.In the thirty-second minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• Thor tries to figure out what Realm he’s in, but he goes with Alfheim and Nornheim first, neither of which is populated with human-looking beings. Why start with those?
• This raises an interesting question for us – are we meant to believe that this is Thor’s first time to Midgard? Based on conversations he has in later films, it’s clear he’s been to other Realms but perhaps not here?
• Is this how myths perpetuate? The Asgardians came down in 965 A.D. and then not since, leaving the stories to get passed down to create those myths?
• And it certainly seems more logical now for them to have cut the representatives from the Nine Realms from Thor’s coronation scene. That would have raised so many more questions.

Darcy pulls out her taser and she’s not afraid to use it.

• It makes total sense to us that Darcy carries a taser.
• Which kind of taser is this? There are a good number of them, and the kind with the wires that hit the victim like this? They’re not just for police.
• Thor’s reaction to Darcy’s taser shows that he still has no idea he has no powers anymore. This is something he’ll have to learn the hard way over the next few minutes.
• Darcy’s reaction to Erik and Jane after she’s tased Thor is classic. “What? He was freaking me out!” Such classic Darcy.
• Jane’s complete and utter shock leaves her with her jaw practically on the ground. It’s a great moment if you catch it.

Jane decides to join them. But not until they've loaded the post-tasered Thor into her Pinzgauer.

• It’s a bit odd because in the last scene, she told them to go and that she would stay.
• There’s a scripted line that Erik has telling Jane that he won’t leave her behind in the desert at night. Which is smart. Did they need that? Maybe not. But it does seem a bit like a change of heart on Jane’s part.
• What’s funny is that she doesn’t help them at all get the post-tasered Thor into the Pinzgauer.

It’s Hammer Time!

• As they drive away, we see Mjølnir fall from the sky. But the Bifrost doesn’t act the same way as it comes down. Why is that? Perhaps Mjølnir fell out of the Bifrost on its way down? Another reason it ends up in a different spot? It’s hard to be sure.
• We debate about why they don’t turn when it comes through the sky because it’s quite the site. Maybe it’s because they’re looking forward, not back, as they drive.
• To that end, we describe Mjølnir as a gutter ball. Odin didn’t get quite the right spin on it as he sent it into the Bifrost and so as it got close to Midgard, it landed in the gutter.

Off to the County Hospital!

• Having shot Thor with the taser, they decide to take him to the hospital. As it turns out, this location is one that Jay found for his site and was the first person to pinpoint it online.
• It’s actually a government building called the Toney Anaya Building in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• This hospital looks particularly great with Branagh’s and his cinematographer’s dutch angles. It has a great comic book look but also allows for more of the location to show up.
• We see the hosed-down parking lot as they pull in with their Pinzgauer. We talked about this filmmaking technique the last few seasons and see they’re still using it here.

Let’s talk about Dawn the Admissions Nurse.

• Before we get to Dawn, just another note about how much we love Darcy. Her “Yes I did,” line about having shot Thor with the taser is so perfect here, and it still allows her to have a unique character. We really want the Wu and Darcy show now. And all of this really started with Agent Coulson back in Iron Man.
• Juliet Lopez plays Dawn the Admissions Nurse. No fault of hers, but why did they go this ditzy angle? It makes so much sense why they cut the scene down so drastically.
• Perhaps they wanted to show this hospital dealing with so many people from rural New Mexico to be a place populated by employees who weren’t that smart?
• We do play the IMDb game with Juliet to see what they list as what she’s known for. One of them is Breaking Bad. Makes sense for New Mexico.

We end with Nurse Terry preparing to draw blood from Thor.

• We don’t see much here. Just a hint, but we find it intriguing that Branagh chose to film this from Thor’s POV as he comes to and finds himself in the hospital.

Thor gets tasered and taken to a hospital. it’s a busy minute and ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard is here to chat about all of it with us. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
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• ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard at MCU:Location Scout and Retrozap

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Minute Thirty-One: From Post-Collision to Hospital DecisionWe have a great guest joining us to discuss a seemingly drunk Thor and his bleached eyebrows, the runes on the ground, and the Rom-Com nature of Thor’s time on Earth. It’s ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard from MCU: Location Scout!In the thirty-first minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• Revisiting the crash may have been compressed, but the time with Thor isn’t. In fact, we get more of it and it’s better lit.
• And that’s quite the look that Thor and Jane share. Maybe she’s just staring at his eyebrows?
• We’re ready for the #theeyebrowcut, Feige!
• But seriously, this look is about 14 seconds of this minute with just the two of them starting into each other’s eyes, not to mention the six seconds before that when Jane’s looking at the unconscious Thor.

Jane’s vehicle is a Pinzgauer. It doesn't have bleached eyebrows.

• We dig into Jane’s Pinzgauer a bit. These are great Austrian high-clearance vehicles often used by the military.
• This is likely a 1971 and has seriously been retrofit by Jane for her scientific use.
• Why hasn’t this inspired people to modify their own Pinzgauers to take to various ComiCons and the like?

Darcy is just the best. She doesn't have bleached eyebrows.

• She’s easily one of our favorite things in this movie.
• Every line she has here is comic gold.
• She plays the audience surrogate so perfectly.
• Whether it’s offering CPR to the ridiculously hot guy passed out on the ground in a rune circle, or throwing her offhand comments at him about how she can tell he’s hammered, Kat Dennings delivers her lines to a T.
• We love how the screenwriters here and throughout the MCU work to develop these side characters into characters we’d like to see continue. Darcy was such a pleasant surprise in WandaVision and we certainly hope we get more of her.

Now this is a Shakespearean love story. Neither Romeo nor Juliet had bleached eyebrows.

• The heightened drama we have between these two people is so big and over the top that it’s hard not to go back to comparing it to the Bard.
• And to a certain extent, it’s a Rom-Com. This is a great meet cute we have here with Jane hitting Thor with her Pinzgauer.
• Jane even has the stereotypical quirky best friend in Darcy. Well, she’s her intern, but it’s the equivalent.
• Thor also is in the ‘fish out of water’ story, something else which can very much be part of that Rom-Com.
• Thor passes out and the connection is lost. Jane wonders where he’s from and then she notices the circle of runes on the ground.

They each have their own motivation. And I bet those bleached eyebrows have their own motivation, though I wouldn't want to know what it is.

• Jane’s science-mind goes immediately to the science and studying these runes.
• Erik has largely seemed confused pretty much since he joined Jane and Darcy. Could that be because he’s having flashbacks to stories from his childhood?
• Thor likely is dazed because he’s lost his powers and was just hit by a car, likely hurting him more than he’s been hurt before.
• To that end, what’s the history of people in history being cast out of their own society? Surely, it was a lot more involved. Thor’s banishment happens so suddenly that it’s likely he is still just beginning to process everything.

From the Pinzgauer to Thor’s drunken wandering and mumbling, it’s a great minute to discuss with Jay. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
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• Original Material
• ‘Jovial’ Jay Shepard at MCU:Location Scout and Retrozap

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Minute Thirty: From Asgard to MidgardThis is our last day of individual guests for each day, but it’s a great way to finish it off as we have Justin Jaeger from TruStory FM’s Trailer Rewind podcast to talk with us about Thor’s banishment from Asgard to Midgard.In the thirtieth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• The jerk finally realizes he’s been a jerk. This is really a big comeuppance for Thor here.
• Once again, the conversation turns back to Thor’s eyebrows. They’re really bad here. It was great to be on Jotunheim for a while where his eyebrows actually had more of a semblance of normalcy.
• There have been quite a range of emotions going across Thor’s face in the last few minutes. We love how shocked and vulnerable he suddenly looks here.
• It’s clear he never had any idea there might be consequences for this. And that’s after bringing up again that Sif told him this was forbidden.
• Is it Frigga who had spoiled him too much? We certainly get that sense when reflecting on the coronation scene earlier in the film.
• Odin has such a great dramatic pause here as he locks down what he wants to do. He’s processing a lot in this small moment. And had he already whittled Thor’s punishment down to this final banishment? If Thor had shown remorse, would Odin have gone so far? Was he thinking sending Thor from Asgard to Midgard would be good punishment?
• When Odin references ‘loved ones’ that Thor has betrayed, is he meaning just the family? Or all of Asgard?
• Loki has such a great tennis match moment here as he watches this fight. Is he sad at all that his actions have brought this all down on Thor? Or just shocked that Odin has taken it to this point? Or is he really just biting his lip with glee?

We try to figure out the lore and history of Mjølnir.

• Odin not only takes Mjølnir from Thor but he uses it to strip the armor from Thor’s arms. He then uses it to banish Thor, blasting him back into the Bifrost to cast him out. It says a lot that Odin uses Thor’s own weapon to cast him out. It’s a shame, though, that we don’t get more pointed moments later in the franchise that point out the specifics of Thor’s armor and rank.
• But what’s interesting is that Odin then whispers what seems to be a spell into Mjølnir – a line of text that had been written on it in the comics – “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” So it seems that in the MCU at least, this is the moment when only those who are worthy can wield Mjølnir. This is certainly different from mythology.
• Is it also a part of fact that Mjølnir, like Gungnir, is made of Uru that allows it to be enchanted thus?
• There’s also that ‘he’ in that spell. It just feels dated now. With Taika Waititi behind the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, we sort of expect that he’s going to find a way to deal with that. Kinda like that moment in Star Trek 6.
• Does it matter that Odin says ‘hold’ versus ‘lift’? It seems a bit like a semantic battle, eh?

So Odin banishes Thor from Asgard to Midgard. And it's incredibly dramatic.

• As far as sending Thor through the Bifrost then Mjølnir through immediately afterward, the scene construction is a bit wonky as we do cross the line, making it appear as if Odin sends the hammer in the complete opposite direction of Thor. Is that just meant to show us that it’s not going to land directly on top of Thor? Is it just planetary rotation?
• To that end, how does he actually operate the Bifrost and Heimdall’s Observatory with Gungnir? Is there a mental connection?
• Again, Loki gives great stone faces through all of this.
• Thor’s trip through the Bifrost looks so much rougher than his earlier journey. Was that because he had Mjølnir? Or more because of his intentionality on that journey as opposed to this one where he’s thrown into it?
• Or is this because Odin operates it with Gungnir, not Heimdall with Hofund?

And we’re back on Earth. I mean, Midgard. Well, you know what we mean.

• Thor lands and we have several shorthand shots to put us back into that moment when they drive into the atmospheric disturbance (aka the Bifrost) then crash into Thor.
• It’s the exact same shot that we saw back in minute 3, but here it’s clear they haven’t manipulated the lighting so we can now actually see they crash into Thor as opposed to some shadowy figure.
• Meanwhile in the MCU, we learn that Thor’s coronation, the attack on Odin’s vault, and Thor’s journey with his friends to Jotunheim all happened on May 30th. Interestingly, they actually return on the 31st of May so somewhere in there, there may be a time zone they crossed.
• So Thor lands on Midgard, aka Earth, on May 31st, 2010, the same day that General Ross battles Hulk at Culver University, Tony Stark battles Ivan Vanko, aka Whiplash, at the Stark Expo, and that Agent Phil Coulson stops several robbers from holding up a small gas station in the deserts of New Mexico.

From Thor’s banishment from Asgrd to Midgard, to Odin’s spell on Mjølnir, to Loki’s reaction, to the rough trip through the Bifrost, to Thor getting hit by a car, we cover a lot with JJ. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Poster artwork
• Original Material
• TruStory FM’s Trailer Rewind

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Minute 29: From Old Man to UnworthyWe have a special Shakespearean expert joining us for this minute of royal family drama. Dr. Jeff Wilson from the Harvard College Writing Program talks with us about Thor’s Shakespearean connections and why it makes so much sense for Branagh to be directing.In the twenty-ninth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• We dig into the Shakespearean elements that Branagh saw in this story that drew him in, notably the story of Prince Hal in the first part of Henry IV. That totally makes sense as his draw to this, not to mention some of the people he cast like Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston.
• Dr. Wilson felt that Branagh pulled it off and also heard that the actors and director walked around talking in Shakespearean shorthand on the set (which surely frustrated anyone not as familiar with the Bard and his stories).

We discuss comparisons with Shakespeare's Prince Hal.

• Dr. Wilson also breaks down the story of Prince Hal, part of one of Shakespeare’s two tetralogies, and explains the similarities for us in it.
• And apparently, Branagh gave Chris Hemsworth at one point the St. Crispin’s Day speech and told him to come to set with it prepared to read. How amazing would that be to watch?
• When Hopkins and Hemsworth deliver their biting comments at one another, the Shakespearean training shines through as the lines are full of heightened and grand language. It’s like verbal acid they’re throwing at one another.
• What’s amazing here, however, is how Hopkins pivots when Thor calls him old and foolish. The way he drops the anger and becomes almost pensive and thoughtful reflects the wisdom that comes with age.
• And isn’t it funny that so many superhero films boil down to the Spider-Man theme – with great power comes great responsibility.
• Dr. Wilson schools us on the Mirrors for Magistrates as a genre in which leaders (usually princes) learn how to lead responsibly. And to that end, it also fits Screenwriting 101 as a character has to learn and grow over the course of a film.

We discuss comparisons with Shakespeare's King Lear.

• We find out that Hopkins had approached the moment when he realizes his errors in raising Thor as a King Lear moment. So far, two Shakespeare references playing out in this scene!
• Loki’s attempt at interrupting the fight brings up more Shakespearean references. Hiddleston’s just so good in this role as he clearly is gaming things right now.
• We also find out that Hiddleston actually thinned down for this part to look more lean and hungry-looking, taking cues from Cassius in Shakespeare’s stories.

We even bring up Shakespeare's Iago.

• There’s also references to Iago. Seriously, this is a very Shakespearean minute.
• This really isn’t so much a battle between the old ways and the new ways as it is between wisdom and youthful eagerness. Thor may see it as the old and the new, but that’s the view from youth.
• Thor finally pushes Odin to the brink and Odin begins stripping Thor of his ranks, telling him he’s unworthy. This is a big minute.
• Odin calls Thor vain, greedy, and cruel. He’ll call him arrogant and stupid. It seems Odin really has let things build up a bit too much, eh?

Look at that! We bring up the film The Life of Emile Zola, definitely not Shakespeare.

• Branagh referenced the Dreyfus Affair from the film The Life of Emile Zola as a point of how a soldier gets stripped of his ranks. It’s quite a ritual in that film. Not so much here, but certainly still involving a lot for Odin to have to take from Thor.
• To that end, it really seems more like an emotional beat (and to that end Shakespearean?) to have Odin make his decision and take action right here instead of bringing Thor back to Valaskjalf to strip him of his ranks in front of all the Asgardians, the Einherjar and more.
• It also is more Shakespearean to have this scene set on this threshold here as a key point between worlds.

Inevitably, we bring it back around to Prince Hal.

• Dr. Wilson does point out how it’s interesting how this story flips Hal’s story on its head – here, it’s Asgard where Thor goes to get his education. In Shakespeare’s play, it’s the reverse as he returns to the palace for his own education. And that comparison of Asgard as a pub kinda makes sense, right?
• The first thing Odin removes from Thor’s armor are the top two discs of the six on Thor’s chest plate. It’s interesting to learn from this that these discs are actually part of the rankings, and now we want to keep our eyes out for other armor designs to see what sort of rankings we may be able to pinpoint.
• Dr. Wilson points out sumptuary laws that had existed in England at one point (as well as other parts of the world) that kept certain classes from wearing clothing or outfits from other classes.
• He also points out the fun that Joss Whedon was having with Branagh by throwing his ‘Shakespeare in the Park’ reference in The Avengers that Tony uses to insult Thor. So great.
• And, of course, since it is Thorsday, we ask Dr. Wilson what his favorite moment is with Thor in all the films. It may involve essentially a play within a play.

It’s an intense minute of Shakespearean family drama, and Dr. Jeff Wilson’s here to walk us through all of it. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

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Minute Twenty-Eight: From War and Death to Pride and VanityIt’s a special week with a new guest each day! Today’s guest is Pete Wright from TruStory FM and The Next Reel film podcast. He joins us to talk about the departure from Jotunheim, the disappearance of Sleipnir, and the fight between Odin and Thor.In the twenty-eighth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• Where the hell does Sleipnir go? Is there a separate Bifrost for horses that sends them straight to the pasture? And to that end, where are the horses of Thor and his friends? Shouldn’t they still be standing in front of the Himinbjorg?
• It’s so great watching Loki through this movie now having had so much growth over the rest of the films and his show. His performance is quiet but so fascinating.

Laufey and Odin have a very kingly agreement for war. At least that's how it seems.

• Laufey and Odin finish their conversation. Thor had broken the detente (if you can call it that) that had existed for so long and now Laufey really has every right to war, right? It seems like Odin is doing his best to smooth things over but pretty much knows it’s over.
• These two are so kingly here the way Laufey waits to strike until Odin essentially agrees by saying, “So be it.”
• In Laufey’s defense, Odin’s argument that ‘boys will be boys’ essentially is pretty weak. Dozens if not hundreds of Jotuns dead. The Jotun Beast dead. A giant chasm spreading from the central plaza at Utgardhall all the way to Bifrost Junction. It’s hard to imagine really that Odin would ask Laufey to just dismiss this so readily.
• Odin does really seem weaker here and it’s great how Laufey can really read this. Of course, it doesn’t actually help him as it turns out.
• What’s great, though, about Laufey waiting to strike at Odin until Odin essentially gives the go-ahead is that it gives him a sense of nobility. Again, very kingly. And it makes us wonder if he actually would be considered worthy by Mjølnir?

Laufey attacks. Odin's ready and raises Gungnir from the back of Sleipnir.

• When Laufey attacks, Odin raises Gungnir and blasts energy out, knocking Laufey nearly off the cliff. It’s a bit odd that the Bifrost opens at exactly that same moment to pull the Asgardians home. Did Odin plan it that way with Heimdall? He must have... right? And as a reminder, Odin was still astride Sleipnir. Just want to get that out there.
• To that end, the Bifrost is gorgeous in the dark Jotunheim skies.
• Laufey somehow is now standing in front of his troops again. No idea how he moved that quickly, but there he is. And he’s fuming. He’s definitely got a ‘this isn’t over’ look on his face.
• We go back to talk about the moment early when Odin stops his attack on Laufey. It really is like the moment he finally learns this lesson that he’s trying to teach Thor here.

Back to Heimdall’s Observatory and in the middle of a family squabble to boot! But whither Sleipnir?

• The exterior of the Himinbjorg looks pretty CG in this moment.
• We cut into the argument midstream. Were they even arguing in the Bifrost?
• There’s so much movement here and the argument is so intense that we actually have to slow down to figure out who’s who and lock down where everyone is. Maybe that's why no one notices that Sleipnir is gone. Where the hell does an eight-legged horse go?
• Why does Odin toss Hofund – Heimdall’s sword – to Heimdall so recklessly? Heimdall has to catch it bare-handed by the blade! Is this some other power of Heimdall? It’s nuts.
• No longer remembering that he and his friends were cornered and likely about to be killed, Thor is now in angry son mode again as he verbally attacks Odin. He’s very much focused on his dad being too old and his ways are defunct now.
• Odin clearly has much more wisdom in his speech. Thor is full of the folly of youth. And wow – Odin sure realizes it and likely here realizes what he has to do.

Does Odin remember that Loki is even here? (Maybe he thinks he took Sleipnir to the pasture?)

• It’s interesting that this largely is an argument between Thor and Odin. Why didn’t he have Loki leave? Is it just purely for story purposes? Seems that a bit. Then again, it’s possible Loki’s slipperiness works to his advantage here as perhaps they don’t realize he’s still here.
• We debate about the wheels spinning in Loki’s head. He really has such great shots as he watches essentially this tennis match.
• Heimdall’s Observatory just looks so cool. We celebrate Bo Welch and his amazing work here.
• Is there a Gungnir slot in the stairs for Odin to rest his staff in? Or did he slam it down so hard that he implanted it there? Wow.
• Thor continues spewing venom at his father. Seriously, this is one of the best scenes in the film. How much of this is because of the way his father told him to be silent in the last minute? That was one hell of a delivery, Sir Hopkins!

It’s an intense minute as war is essentially declared and we get to witness the start of the fight between Odin and Thor. So much family drama! Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

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Minute Twenty-Seven: From Laufey’s Attack to Laufey’s DeclarationIt’s a special week with a new guest each day! Today’s guest is Steve Sarmento from TruStory FM’s Trailer Rewind podcast. He joins us to talk about the arrival of Odin on Sleipnir and Odin’s discussion with Laufey.In the twenty-seventh minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• We wonder what’s going through Sif’s and Loki’s heads as we see those closeups of them looking at the Frost Giants.
• Branagh uses yet another god’s eye view shot to great effect as he shows the Frost Giant army start moving in on the six Asgardians. But we see them stop when a light comes down from the sky.
• So how does Odin know that this is the right moment to arrive? Is Heimdall watching and telling him the right moment to go? And why does he get to bring his horse Sleipnir but Thor and his friends couldn’t?

Odin arrives on the back of Sleipnir, and there's plenty to talk about with this horse.

• Speaking of Sleipnir, we talk about the complexities of an eight-legged horse and try to figure out how it would move. We also laugh about his crazy origin stories, one of which includes Loki and a horse... you know...
• As for Odin’s arrival on the Bifrost, we’ve decided that Heimdall leaves the Bifrost on just a few extra seconds because Odin loves the backlit rainbow look it gives him. Such a dramatic entrance and we’re here for it 100%.
• So Thor – with his back to the Frost Giants – shouts to his father that they’ll finish them together. Does anybody else thinks this perhaps isn’t the best strategy? Especially because Odin’s arrival is the moment that finally spurs the Frost Giants to start forming their ice weapons.
• Odin clearly has had some parenting issues with Thor, but his “Silence” he whispers to Thor is such a great moment that truly shuts Thor up and starts the doubt and confusion in his mind. Plus, he's way up on Sleipnir on a bluff, so he really towers over Thor.
• This moment gives us a surprising opportunity to reference The Godfather as Odin silences Thor.
• Odin also carries such a great angry shot on his face, while Loki again does a great job of being stone-faced.

Laufey uses his ice magic to get up to Odin's level on the back of Sleipnir, and the kings debate.

• Laufey uses a surprising Iceman-ish move as he makes an ice riser for himself to get up to Odin’s level. Perhaps this technique of theirs is how they got down here to the cliff so quickly from Utgardhall?
• This is a great moment to really get a sense of perspective of the Frost Giants and the Asgardians. They actually look so much bigger here, which often doesn’t work quite as well. Seriously, he's taller than Odin on Sleipnir!
• It’s great seeing Laufey and Odin together. Laufey may be emaciated but he still looks strong. Odin does look weary as Laufey points out.
• Laufey calls Odin ‘Allfather.’ Is that just as a sign of respect? He certainly has a lot to be upset about at this moment.

Odin's like the dad trying to make up for his son who crashed their car into the neighbor's house.

• Odin acts like his son’s just a little rapscallion and tries to get him out of trouble, but it doesn’t work. Laufey’s been pushed too far. I mean, he essentially started war here.
• It does seem like if there’s a time for Laufey to take action, this is it. His planet is dying, after all.
• Is there anything Odin could have said to prevent war? What would’ve happened if he hadn’t arrived? It seems to us that war is the inevitable conclusion here. That being said, it’s a bit odd that later in the film, Laufey doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it.
• With all of that, we’ve decided that we want Marvel to make a movie about the battle between Odin and Laufey. They’re just so incredibly compelling.
• “Don’t let the Bifrost hit you on your way out!”

It’s a great minute with eight-legged Sleipnir and the start of some intense family drama, not to mention the brink of war. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

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Minute Twenty-Six: From an Upside-Down Jotun Beast to a Right-Side Up Jotun ArmyIt’s a special week with a new guest each day! Today’s guest is Will Freeland from the Hype is my Superpower podcast. He’s here to talk about the fate of the Jotun Beast with us as well as our first view of Thor’s flight. But how does he do a midair turn?In the twenty-sixth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• The Jotun Beast continues running along the ceiling of the crust of the surface as the ground gives way. How it does this we have no idea.
• But we also don’t really understand how such a thin surface stays up to begin with. Is it the chemical makeup of the ice on Jotunheim? We just have to write it off as something cool to look at but nonsense when you think about it too much.
• Kenneth Branagh directs the action really well, using all sorts of dutch angles, dark shots, god’s eye views, and more and has stayed consistent throughout this film. To that end, we’re okay with some of the nonsense of the Jotun Beast on the ceiling because the scene plays so well.
• We had never seen it before, but when Branagh cuts to the overhead of Sif running across the crumbling ice, you can actually see the Jotun Beast dart past her on the underside of the ice surface.

We're calling this Bifrost Junction. It's the only logical name for it.

• The three of us debate about the spot where the Asgardians stop. It’s a cliff edge. Andy’s assumed it’s the spot where they arrived via the Bifrost. Why else would the filmmakers make it another cliff edge? Will debates that it’s likely just a distant spot where Heimdall will answer them when they call for him thinking they’re far enough from the danger, but it’s really hard to gauge.
• The runes aren’t here from the Bifrost, which we’ve seen on Midgard. Is that just a Midgard thing? or did it perhaps get covered up with snow? We’ll have to keep our eyes open for future Bifrost trips.
• We also debate about who actually calls for Heimdall. Is it Thor? He’s pretty far... We settle on it being Volstagg.
• Will and Matthew struggle with the accent they gave Hogun.
• Heimdall doesn’t answer but the Jotun Beast does. Apparently, the cave system leads to an exit on the cliff face? We’re not really sure.

Wow. We were going to have a moment of frosty breath stopping the Asgardians.

• The script originally had all the Frost Giants breathing out an Icy Fog. This fog keeps the Asgardians from seeing where they’re going and Thor has Loki use his magic to clear it out. It’s a very different scene.
• With that, however, are we meant to assume that Frost Giants are magic?
• And Will points out that if they had included this scene instead of the Jotun Beast, it would’ve given Thor moments of teamwork and leadership, which he doesn’t have in the Jotun Beast version. This makes a lot more sense for the film and Thor’s character arc.
• Is the Jotun Beast actually bigger now? It’s hard to tell from this perspective.

Thor takes flight by swinging his hammer. But how does he do a midair turn?

• We cut to Thor when the Jotun Beast shows up in front of his friends. Does this imply he sees it? Or hears it? Does Thor have Heimdall-level eyesight? This is a bit confusing.
• What’s more confusing is how Thor flies off. We debate if Thor is flying toward his friends or away. Matthew thought he was flying away to get essentially a running start but after chatting about it, we feel pretty confident we landed on him flying toward them. Still, it’s a bit odd how that shot is constructed.
• And how does Thor turn midair when he’s throwing himself around using Mjølnir?

Thor takes out the Jotun Beast. By flying through its head. Then lands perfectly after another (unseen) midair turn. Or several?

• But how does he keep himself so clean after flying through the back of the Jotun Beast’s throat? And was it just one midair turn he had to make before landing or was it more a loop-de-loop?
• We debate about Marvel’s depiction of violence and how they decided to show the killing of the Jotun Beast.
• Great design work on the Jotun Beast. Turns out, Matthew was right that the Rancor was part of its reference.
• We love how Thor lands with such a cocky and arrogant smile on his face, only to realize all the Frost Giants are behind him and his friends, essentially surrounding them. It’s a great moment.
• When he’s flying down here, we see the crumbled ground through Utgard, so how did Laufey and the Frost Giants get here so quickly?
• And we struggle a bit with the eye lines here when the Frost Giants arrive. It doesn’t quite seem like they’re actually taller than the Asgardians.

It’s a fun minute with Thor performing midair turn after midair turn, and of course the sad death of the Jotun Beast. Tune in!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film Sundries

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