Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services, May 3 Former San Quentin guard publishes book Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Soaring rents, stagnant wages create housing crisis Wimer's Highland Games appeal to both the kilted and kiltless Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 3 Dozens of drivers nabbed in Medford pedestrian sting Emergency services, May 2 Gold Hill man torched his foreclosed property No leads on who smashed about 20 windows in Ashland before dawn Thursday Politics and Elections BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Education More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Levy backers eye final push Two seats contested on Central Point School Board Neal Simon: This is a test Environment Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation Armed protesters gather at Medford BLM office over Sugar Pine Mine dispute Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste State News PERS ruling means tough choices for state and local lawmakers US, Canada unveil rules to boost oil train safety Cylvia Hayes public records case goes before Salem judge Fixit tag for Portland's noted Portland Building: $175 million Fee targets rail cars that haul oil, other flammables Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Tim Lawrence Yockey Penelope Catherine (Turner) Martens William "Bill" Geisslinger Alice Irenia (McFall) Calkins Dennis Dean Ekwall Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Ragan, Tornado hit way past Indians Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw North’s Folsom, South boys shine at GP Rotary Marist halts EP’s winning streak Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders' Abbott breaks 22-year-old record Dodge signs as free agent with Falcons Lockie stands out in Ducks' spring game Raiders go 1-1, advance to today Singler shines in Raider spring game Pro Sports Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw Clippers oust defending champ Spurs McIlroy, Casey fight until darkness Quarterbacks Petty, Hundley chosen on final day Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Blog: Do You Want Cheese with Your Wine? Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Comcast deal dropped along with Pac-12 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option Real Estate News Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd People In Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, May 3 Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Editorials Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Other Views: Gun-bill recalls misguided, futile Our View: Bill gives ex-convicts a glimmer of hope Our View: Medical marijuana market not at risk Our View: Don't wait on public records reform Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 3 Letters to the Editor, May 2 Letters to the Editor, May 1 Letters to the Editor, April 30 Letters to the Editor, April 29 Columns Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Michael Gerson: A pastor's faith in Baltimore Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Lifestyle Latest stories Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Bright spots in the dark Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley Columnist for a Day: 'When Harry met Shirley,' the story continues Food Andrea Honaker: Mexican-inspired dips for Cinco de Mayo Set a table from your local farmers market Let's do brunch! Page H. Onorato: Enjoying good food just for the fun of it Page H. Onorato: Food items appear in the funnies Home and Garden Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Betty Montgomery: You can have a variety of ferns in your garden Clean out household chemicals Friday and Saturday Dear Monty: 10 tips to avoid tenant complaints Home Help: Upgrade your entryway with simple DIY projects Health Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Health Watch: Pack your pantry with healthy items HealthStyle: It’s all in the family dinner 'Game changer' for heart patients Health Watch: Tips for protecting your eyes Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 picks for live entertainment Live Music in Local Clubs Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' Camelot Theatre presents 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Theater REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Thanks for the Memories stages 'Company' one night only Music Thunder's Edge, Steel Cranes tonight at Club 66 The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Live Music in Local Clubs Trio Brasileiro plays Old Siskiyou Barn Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Foreign language film festival set at SOU Movies Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ knows how to party Catching up with the Avengers Interview: Sofia Vergara talks ‘Hot Pursuit’ Quick Flicks: ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Insurgent’ and more Dining Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... Movie review: 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' has a lot going on By Ed Symkus More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am Updated May 1, 2015 at 6:15 AM By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am Updated May 1, 2015 at 6:15 AM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> There’s nothing like a great first line of dialogue in a movie. This one’s is, “We are under attack!” But, in a refreshing change of pace, it’s the good guys assaulting the bad guys, the good guys being our heroes — Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye — the bad guys being the nasties at Hydra Research who are claiming ownership of the scepter, a blue glowing object, the powers of which aren’t yet known, but are no doubt ... I guess the word would be powerful. Our heroic avengers, who are as apt to trade witty banter among themselves as to argue with each other, do a pretty good job invading Hydra, and that action, to borrow a phrase from a different movie franchise, is fast and furious. But in completely understandable defense, the bad guys “send out the twins,” the twins being Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who is blurringly fast, and his sister Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), who has the ability to really mess around with people’s minds. Despite these new adversaries, the Avengers team does indeed get the scepter, and then has to figure out what to do with it. Confused? If you’re a fan of this Marvel Comics-based series, which now has either nine or 11 entries (depending on whether you include “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the TV show “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), you shouldn’t be. But if you’re walking into this not having seen any previous installments, or even having seen only 2012’s “The Avengers,” there’s a strong chance that that you’ll be as perplexed while trying to figure out what’s going on in one of those “Transformers” movies. This much-awaited follow-up to all of the above has all sorts of things going for it: It’s big and loud and full of visual effects-heavy action; it has a prominent and snarky sense of humor; there are great heroes and great villains. It even has a few quiet moments where characters get to open up about personal feelings and hopes and dreams. Being a true ensemble film, there are lots of stories going on at once, with each plot’s focus spreading around to different characters. So we’ve got the two scientists Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) working on a secret artificial intelligence project involving a computer program (at least I think it’s a computer program) called Ultron which, if successful, will result in world peace. Banner is also caught up in wondering if he might have something going on with Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), who’s the only person who can calm him down when he goes green (and we’re not talking about environmentalism here). Both hunky Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who is from the planet Asgard, and no-nonsense Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), who is still emotionally thawing out from being frozen (you know, like Ted Williams’ head) in the 1940s, haven’t quite adjusted to life on Earth in the 21st century. And Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) ... well, hot damn! Hawkeye’s got a secret life, complete with a wife and kids! But remember, this is about villains and heroes. The Ultron experiment goes wrong. Ultron becomes a living, if not breathing thing (voice of James Spader), and has his own idea of what world peace should be, that idea being one without the presence of any Avengers or even regular people. And don’t forget about the sibling team of Pietro and Wanda, who have plenty of havoc to wreak. For anyone keeping track of these things, Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee, who’s become the king of cameos, makes one this time out at around the 25-minute mark, at a party, blathering about Omaha Beach. And good old Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), head of the now defunct superhero organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (or is it defunct?) shows up just past the one-hour point. Of the battles among friends, the best is the tumultuous one between Iron Man and Hulk. Of the constant hints that the script is pushing the film toward a blow-out confrontation, it is. Things do get very complicated, and a second viewing might be necessary for those without peripheral vision and 360-degree hearing. Things also get too big and too loud and due to the lengthy fight scenes, the film runs a little long (141 minutes, with one Easter egg in the middle of the end credits). So if you don’t enjoy onslaughts on the senses, skip it. But if you’re into an enjoyable celebration of chaos, go for it. Ed Symkus writes about movies for More Content Now. “AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON,” written and directed by Joss Whedon. Rated PG-13. With Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner. By Ed Symkus More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am Updated May 1, 2015 at 6:15 AM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501