Much Ado About Nothing (2013)

It's a testament to Joss Whedon's flexibility that, while on break from The Avengers (2012), he created the antithesis to that box office behemoth. In just two weeks he assembled a slew of actors from his past shows and films, tweaked a well-loved William Shakespeare play and shot it in crisp black-and-white. The result is Much Ado About Nothing (2013), an enjoyably off-beat take on Shakespeare's best comedy.

Returned from "the wars," Don Pedro (Reed Diamond), Claudio (Fran Kranz) and Benedict (Alexis Denisof) visit the home of local Duke Leonato (Clark Gregg). Claudio instantly grows smitten with beautiful Hero (Jillian Morgese) while Benedict resumes a long-running feud with Beatrice (Amy Acker) - a feud which masks deep-seated affection. While friends and family connive to unite the feuding couple, Pedro's brother Don John (Sean Maher) has more malign plans. Along with partners Borachio (Spencer Treat Clark) and Conrade (Riki Lindhorne), he schemes to separate Claudio and Hero. Things go awry, relying on bumbling Constable Dogberry (Nathan Fillion) to set things right.

This blogger always found Much Ado easier-going than Shakespeare's other comedies. It lacks the overdone plot of Twelfth Night, the implausibility of Merchant of Venice, the repulsive sexual politics of Taming of the Shrew. The story's pretty flimsy but Shakespeare's witty lovers Beatrice and Benedict mouth some of the English language's best comic writing. Kenneth Branagh's splashy 1993 version holds up well, despite some egregious stunt casting (Michael Keaton and Keanu Reeves?); it's hard to imagine a better screen couple than Branagh and Emma Thompson. 

Whedon conjures a straight modern dress adaptation, with modern affectations that emphasize the story's ridiculousness. Dogberry comes on like a sad, RayBan-wearing Dirty Harry wannabe, viciously interrogating Borachio and Conrade like serial killers. Benedict ponders the horrors of marriage while sitting next to a dollhouse; Beatrice trips over her laundry while overhearing her maids' conversation. Yet Whedon smartly allows the text, and more importantly the cast, to carry the show. He's helped by Jay Hunter's unfussy black and white photography, with only a few flourishes (flashbacks, a dreamlike masquerade ball) to fill in story gaps.

Practically every actor's a veteran of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse or The Avengers. Alexis Denisof dives whole hog into Benedict, whether mouthing Shakespeare's "oyster" soliloquy or performing push-ups for a bemused Beatrice. Amy Acker proves equally appealing, dispatching her barbs with wit and self-possession. Jillian Morgese makes a likeable Hero while Reed Diamond and Frank Kranz have fun with characters usually played as wet blankets. As Don John, Sean Maher at least purges memories of Keanu Reeves's dude-tastic turn. Clark Gregg overdoes Leonato's mugging, but he's such an agreeable presence it seems mean to criticize.

Much Ado About Nothing is a refreshing experience. In this summer's sea of sequels, superheroes and general junk, it provides a beacon of wit for those demanding more than explosions.

The Avengers

I was skeptical of The Avengers, which could have gone wrong in a million different ways. But Joss Whedon delivers the goods, resulting in the best blockbuster film in years.

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) arrives on Earth to retrieve the Tesseract, which will give him control of the universe or something. SHIELD Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) renews the "Avenger Initiative," assembling the superheroes we've met before: Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Also thrown in are assassins Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who have a shared past. The heroes have a hard time getting along but must come together to defeat Loki and his alien army.

The Avengers risks being top-heavy with so many protagonists crammed into one film. Amazingly, Whedon pulls it off, delivering an immensely enjoyable film. Every Marvel fan has their childhood dream come true, but even comic heathens like myself can appreciate this well-crafted thrill ride.

Whedon's contribution can't be overstated. He builds on the protagonists' previous incarnations while believably developing them. His knack for snappy dialogue provides much-needed humor and pathos. Whedon also scores with small moments: the elderly German defying Loki, Agent Coulson's (Clark Gregg) hero worship of Rogers, Banner's explanation for his self-control, Stark reminding Loki of "one more guy" he pissed off.

Then there's the cool factor of four superheroes in one movie. Whedon balances them perfectly, giving each protagonist ample screen time and great interplay. The foursome don't really like each other and several even come to blows. The best dynamic is between the rakish Stark and straight-arrow Rogers. Just seeing this disparate team come together is enough to sell the film, making the payoff extremely effective. Even with a slew of supporting characters the movie never feels clunky or overstuffed.

Avengers delivers equally on its second promise: lots of action. Whedon's action scenes are large-scale and thrilling, admirably free of handheld camera and lens flares. The two big set pieces - the battle aboard SHIELD's mobile headquarters and an epic rumble in New York - are very long but never grow exhausting like Return of the King. Ubiquitous CGI aside, they set the standard for blockbuster excitement.

Some reviews critique the film's simplicity but so what? Nobody's coming into this for penetrating insight into the human condition. They want to see Hulk and Thor smash things. The "dark superhero" genre has been exhausted anyway, and I far prefer well-made, unpretentious fun to insufferable self-importance (Watchmen I'm looking at you). On the former score, The Avengers is faultless.

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth build on their previous appearances and mesh together perfectly. Mark Ruffalo stands out, his awkward, self-effacing Banner far superior to his Hulk predecessors. Scarlett Johansson gets a well-realized character but Jeremy Renner is underused. Tom Hiddleston's Loki is more overtly malicious than before. Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson relish expanded roles as SHIELD agents and Harry Dean Stanton has a hilarious cameo.

The Avengers is probably the best superhero film ever. I'm willing to forfeit my cinema snob cred by proclaiming: it's fucking awesome.