Author: Dan Cameron

In Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015 Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron. Things go horribly wrong and it’s up to Earth’s mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.

‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ screens all the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Avengers: Age of Ultron at the Australian Cinémathèque. This is a great opportunity to see the films then the never-before-seen set pieces which have inspired the exhibition.

‘Everyone creates the thing they dread. Men of peace create engines of war. Invaders create avengers. People create… smaller people? Children! I lost the word there. Children, designed to supplant them.’

Ultron

In Joss Whedon’s second outing at the helm of the world’s most fractious Super Hero team, the Avengers retrieve Loki’s sceptre from a Hydra base in Eastern Europe’s Sokovia, where they also encounter two new entities, superfast Pietro Maximoff–Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his psychic twin Wanda, the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). The yellow Infinity Stone in the sceptre lets Tony Stark complete his secret global security project, Ultron. When the project turns sentient, it concludes that only wiping out humanity, starting with the Avengers, will save the Earth.

In the culmination of the threads of the Cinematic Universe that have touched on the heroes’ unrestrained power, the code underlying Stark’s loyal A.I. assistant, JARVIS, comes into the third dimension as Vision (Paul Bettany), animated by the Mind Stone and taking on a Vibranium body. The expanded Avengers may ‘win’ the battle in Sokovia, but at what cost?

DELVE DEEPER INTO THE AVENGERS AND THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Go behind the scenes to experience more than 500 unique objects seen in your favourite films which offer a glimpse into the work of production designers, storyboarding and pre‑visualisation artists, costume and prop designers, and visual effects artists alongside the original comic books which introduced the characters and influenced the films.

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Film notes by Dan Cameron
Feature image: Installation view of the ‘Alternate dimensions’ room, ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA

In Guardians of the Galaxy 2014 a group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe. Take the rare opportunity to see all the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe during ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ and view never-before-seen set pieces from your favourite films.

James Gunn’s rollicking cosmic shenanigans find orphaned Earth boy Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) summoned into space, where he grows into a pan-galactic treasure hunter and legend in his own mind. He falls in (to space prison) with trigger happy raccoon-like Rocket (Bradley Cooper), sentient tree Groot (Vin Diesel), the extremely literal Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Gamora (Zoe Saldana), adopted daughter of arch-villain Thanos (Josh Brolin). These ‘Guardians’ must contend with Quill’s murderous mentor Yondu (Michael Rooker) and the genocidal Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), who seeks the purple Power Stone — the third of the Infinity Stones — on behalf of Thanos.

‘I’m a warrior, an assassin. I don’t dance.’
‘Really? Well, on my planet, we have a legend about people like you. It’s called ‘Footloose’. And in it, a great hero, named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that, dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is.’

Gamora and Peter Quill

With its ‘Awesome Mix Vol. 1’ soundtrack — in the film, a gift to Quill from his dying mother — Guardians of the Galaxy revels in far-out locations and high-impact space battles, and brings Thanos to the fore as the manipulator behind the greater machinations of the Cinematic Universe.

DELVE DEEPER INTO guardians of the galaxy AND THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Go behind the scenes to experience more than 500 unique objects including iconic objects which offer a glimpse into the work of production designers, storyboarding and pre‑visualisation artists, costume and prop designers, and visual effects artists alongside the original comic books which introduced the characters and influenced the films.

TICKETS CINEMA | EXHIBITION | UP LATE / BUY THE PUBLICATION

Film notes by Dan Cameron
Feature image: Installation view of the ‘Alternate dimensions’ room, ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA

If you’re a fan of Marvel, head to ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, at the Gallery of Modern Art where the Australian Cinémathèque is screening all the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Captain America: The Winter Soldier 2014. This is a great opportunity to see the films and never-before-seen set pieces which have inspired the exhibition.

‘This isn’t freedom, this is fear.’
‘S.H.I.E.L.D. takes the world as it is, not as we’d like it to be. And it’s getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap.’

Steve Rogers (‘Cap’) and Nick Fury

In Captain America: The Winter Soldier Anthony and Joe Russo deliver visceral action and sophisticated plotting inspired by spy thrillers. After the events of the Battle of New York, Steve Rogers is getting up to speed with the modern world. On a hostage rescue with Black Widow, he finds she has been given a clandestine objective to reveal disloyal elements within S.H.I.E.L.D. — and that the agency is developing advanced surveillance technology at odds with his ideas of freedom. Steve goes off the grid, trusting only Black Widow and kindred spirit Sam Wilson – Falcon (Anthony Mackie). The Winter Soldier’s close-quarters combat sequences ground the film in reality, and its hero’s perspective on the layered conspiracies elevate its ‘man-out-of-time’ story to be a sharp take on spy and Super Hero alike.

DELVE DEEPER INTO CAPTAIN AMERICA AND the MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Go behind the scenes to experience more than 500 unique objects seen in your favourite films, including Captain America’s various suits and shields, and iconic objects which offer a glimpse into the work of production designers, storyboarding and pre‑visualisation artists, costume and prop designers, and visual effects artists alongside the original comic books which introduced the characters and influenced the films.

TICKETS CINEMA | EXHIBITION | UP LATE / BUY THE PUBLICATION

Purchase tickets for ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe‘ in advance online or at the GOMA exhibition ticket desk during the exhibition period. Tickets available onsite between 10.00am and 4.00pm daily, and until 8.00pm Wednesday. ‘Marvel’ film screenings and ‘Marvel’ Up Late are separate ticketed events.

Film notes by Dan Cameron
Feature image: Installation view of Captain America’s suit and shield, ‘Captain America: Living legend’ room, ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA

Thor and his allies have all but brought peace to the Nine Realms, but the God of Thunder still yearns for Jane Foster. As a Convergence of the realms approaches, Foster, discovering its Earthly manifestation, is infused with the entropic power of the Aether, one of the Infinity Stones. This cross-dimensional chaos awakens Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), a malevolent Dark Elf thought destroyed by Thor’s grandfather and whose desire for revenge knows no bounds. Loki, imprisoned for his role in the Battle of New York, is freed by Thor to help him escape a locked-down Asgard for the Dark World using the Aether-infused Foster as bait. Director Alan Taylor, a veteran of television, reaches for the cosmic end of the spectrum with this multidimensional narrative.

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During the exhibition ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, the Gallery of Modern Art’s Australian Cinémathèque screens all the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Thor: The Dark World 2013. This is a great opportunity to see the films then the never-before-seen set pieces which have inspired the exhibition.

‘There’s nothing more reassuring than realising the world is crazier than you are.’ Dr Erik Selvig

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Film notes by Dan Cameron

Feature image: Installation view of the ‘Asgard: Protector of the Nine Realms’ room and costumes from the upcoming Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok 2017, ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA

#Marvel #QAGOMA

During the exhibition ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, the Gallery of Modern Art’s Australian Cinémathèque screens all the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Iron Man 3 2013. This is a great opportunity to see the films then the never-before-seen set pieces which have inspired the exhibition.

Following the Battle of New York, Tony Stark (Iron Man) struggles with anxiety and insomnia. His relationship with Pepper Potts shaky, he retreats to his lab, building better versions of his suit, even as confidante James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes, in War Machine armour, flies against the emerging threat of global terrorist The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). However, a series of attacks will soon force him out of the lab and back into the action.

‘You can take away my house, all my tricks and toys, but one thing you can’t take away — I am Iron Man.’

Tony Stark

Based on 2004’s acclaimed ‘Extremis’ comic arc by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov, Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 reimagines Stark following the epic destruction of Marvel’s The Avengers 2012 — the heroes still operate in their own realms and cannot escape the power of their actions. A chance encounter with an unsupervised ten-year-old boy puts a disarmed Tony in the unexpected position of father figure, acknowledging the influence of his absentee parent Howard Stark.

DELVE DEEPER INTO IRON MAN AND MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Go behind the scenes to experience more than 500 unique objects from your favourite films, including Iron Man’s suit of armour, Tony Stark racing suit and helmet, Stark racing car, and iconic objects which offer a glimpse into the work of production designers, storyboarding and pre‑visualisation artists, costume and prop designers, and visual effects artists alongside the original comic books which introduced the characters and influenced the films.

TICKETS CINEMA | EXHIBITION | UP LATE / BUY THE PUBLICATION

Purchase tickets for ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe‘ online or at the GOMA ticket desk 10.00am – 4.00pm daily, and until 8.00pm Wednesday. ‘Marvel’ film screenings and ‘Marvel’ Up Late are separate ticketed events.

Film notes by Dan Cameron
Feature image: Installation view of Mandarin costumes worn by Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3 2013, ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / © 2017 MARVEL / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA

‎Facing an extra-dimensional threat, S.H.I.E.L.D. calls together its high-powered heroes, assembled under writer–director Joss Whedon, to counter power-hungry Loki’s bid to steal the Tesseract. Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, retrieves erstwhile Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) from India, cynical Tony Stark is brought in, and recently awakened Steve Rogers is given his first contemporary mission, while Thor arrives from Asgard to subdue his errant brother. Loki, doing the bidding of the distant titan Thanos, summons a swarm of alien Chitauri to Manhattan. The ensuing Battle of New York, and the resulting destruction, reverberates around the world and affects the heroes’ psyches irrevocably.

During the exhibition ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, the Gallery of Modern Art’s Australian Cinémathèque screens all the films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Marvel’s The Avengers 2012. This is a great opportunity to see the films then the never-before-seen set pieces which have inspired the exhibition.

‘What have I to fear?’
‘The Avengers. That’s what we call ourselves; we’re sort of like a team. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes-type thing.’

Loki and Tony Stark

DELVE DEEPER INTO THE EXHIBITION AND THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Go behind the scenes to experience more than 500 unique objects from your favourite films, including Thor’s hammer, Iron Man’s suit of armour, Captain America’s shield, and never-before-seen iconic objects which offer a glimpse into the work of production designers, storyboarding and pre‑visualisation artists, costume and prop designers, and visual effects artists alongside the original comic books which introduced the characters and influenced the films.

TICKETS: CINEMA | EXHIBITION | UP LATE / BUY THE PUBLICATION

Purchase tickets for ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe‘ in advance online or at the GOMA exhibition ticket desk during the exhibition period. Tickets available onsite between 10.00am and 4.00pm daily, and until 8.00pm Wednesday. ‘Marvel’ film screenings and ‘Marvel’ Up Late are separate ticketed events.

Film notes by Dan Cameron
Feature image: Installation view of ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA