Endgame is Here

It's difficult to review a movie you're not allowed to talk about. It feels a bit like Fight Club. I saw this movie twice within 24 hours, so now I feel ready to talk.

What I can tell you, I will. I have no intentions of spoiling anything, but read with caution *just in case* you think knowing how the acting or directing is can spoil a movie for you.

How did this movie make me feel?
I felt so much watching Endgame. It truly was emotional completion for a lot of stories I've devoted myself to since 2008 (and before). 

Watching Endgame play out, I cried at least seven times, and all for different reasons. Sometimes I was sad, sometimes happy, and on occasion - moved to tears.

This movie is unlike anything I've seen from the Fantasy genre since Lord of the Rings Return of the King ended and I wondered what I'd do next with my life.

The biggest problem with the superhero genre is that everything becomes predictable. No matter how much I enjoy the ride, I know how the ride will end.

With Endgame, I had no idea.
Zip. Zero. Nada.

The Positives:
So many things, and without spoiling anything, let's talk about them.
The acting - on my second viewing, I was able to pick up (in a technical sense, and because I was looking for it), where the actors may not have been filmed together. So much of Endgame was a secret, that many scenes were filmed with characters in front of green screens, not even knowing who they're talking to.
That's kind of a big deal.
Especially since you can't tell when it comes to the end result. I knew what to look for, and so I could spot moments that were likely filmed separate, but on my first viewing (and even on my second), I didn't care. The acting is phenomenal. They did their job - they made me feel what they were feeling.
I want to give a special shout out to Scarlett Johanssen. She's never been my favorite actress, mainly for the parts she plays, but she had me in her grip every scene she starred in. In the end, her performance was one of - if not the - strongest in the entire film.

The directing - Infinity War had some CGI issues that felt awkward and out of sorts (I'm looking at you, Thanos, Rhodey, and Banner), and actually pulled me from the story. Because of this, I felt a bit nervous on how the Russo brothers would tell their final story.
Happily for me, whatever hiccups there were in Infinity War, they made no appearance in Endgame. This movie outdid its predecessors in scale and ambition when it came to the visual feel, and every single scene shone like diamonds. The Russos pulled out all the stops and gave the greatest work of their careers thus far. I want them to top Endgame, because I want to see more movies that make me in awe of cinema the way they did here.
As I said before, many of the actors were filmed separately from each other, but the way the Russos handled this it's only possible to tell if you know what to look for. Genius.

The story - Obviously I can't actually tell you anything about the story.
What I WILL tell you is that it's compelling, interesting, and well told. As you know, I struggled with the plot holes in Infinity War, and I feared Endgame would follow suit.
It didn't.
No plot holes.
Solid.
Clean.
Beautiful.
I haven't seen a story told this well in this genre in ages. Decades. It hit every spot it needed to. It was funny at the right moments and sad at the right moments. Serious and silly. Somber and action-packed. It does everything it needs to do to be a fulfilling and satisfying end to a 22 movie arc. 

The Negatives:
For 3 hours and 2 minutes long, I expect a lot out of each scene chosen to partake in the final story. I will say there's 1-2 scenes that feel unnecessary. They don't move the story forward. They are gratuitous (and once even acknowledged as so). Yet, for as long as the movie is, I still found myself wishing for five more minutes when it ended. That's a powerful thing.

There are no end credits scene. I REPEAT: there's nothing after initial credits or post credits. 
I don't have a problem with the movie not having them, but I do have a problem with sitting through 25 minutes of trailers, 3 hours of movie, and another 20 minutes of credits only to find out there's nothing there. I'm telling you so that YOU can get up and get your legs moving. You're not missing anything. (Except a weird tinking noise like a blacksmith at work.)

The Rating:
4.9 feathers (those gratuitous scenes lost that .1)

Final Verdict:
If you're any sort of Marvel fan, you're already planning when you're going to see this movie (if you haven't already). If you're not sure where you stand on superhero films, make sure you've seen Civil War and Infinity War before stepping into the theater (or risk being super lost).
Go see it. Just do it.