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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' knows how to party By Christopher Lawrence The Las Vegas Review-Journal MailTribune.com By Christopher Lawrence The Las Vegas Review-Journal Posted May. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Christopher Lawrence The Las Vegas Review-Journal Posted May. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 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" --> We already know, since Marvel announced its schedule for the next decade or two, that the third “Avengers” installment will be subtitled “Infinity War — Part One.” But it would be just as crowd-pleasing — not to mention $200 million or so cheaper — if the studio instead went with “The Avengers: After Dark,” “The Avengers: House Party” or even “The Avengers: Pajama Jammy Jam.” That’s because, despite the many, many (perhaps too many) action scenes, there’s simply nothing as entertaining anywhere in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” as seeing these characters we’ve gotten to know over the course of nine blockbusters as they take time to relax and unwind. For a party at Avengers Tower, no one’s in costume. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) might as well be wearing a smoking jacket. It’s just this dysfunctional work family, including Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), and their friends — ranging from War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) to random World War II veterans befriended by Captain America (Chris Evans) — drinking, flirting and goofing on each other. And it’s terrific. Although because this isn’t every other episode of “Entourage,” returning writer-director Joss Whedon decided there needed to be a plot. “Age of Ultron” wastes about 10 seconds before the first full-on battle, with all six Avengers taking on HYDRA agents in the woods of the Eastern European nation of Sokovia. Their teamwork has improved quite a bit since we last saw them. Most noticeably, Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) has become more comfortable Hulking out, and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) has developed a way to soothe the savage beast. It’s our first glance at their developing romance. (While he’s Banner, that is. The alternative would be, well, ouch.) That battle is also our first look at the Maximoff twins, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), aka Scarlet Witch, and Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), aka Quicksilver, whose parents were killed when Stark Industries bombs destroyed their village. They’ve both been “enhanced,” in keeping with Marvel’s inability to utter the word “mutant,” which is wrapped up in Fox’s “X-Men” rights. Although, because of a loophole, both franchises were able to use the speedy Quicksilver. He was cooler in “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” but more integral here. Scarlet Witch, meanwhile, is able to get inside people’s minds and make them hallucinate their worst fears. Take away her telekinesis and she just as easily could have been code-named Brown Acid. By capturing the HYDRA research facility, the Avengers regain possession of Loki’s scepter, which Stark and Banner secretly use to jump-start the peacekeeping plan known as Ultron. “I see a suit of armor around the world,” Stark says of his program that would protect the planet from further alien invasions. Things do not go well. The artificial intelligence “escapes” almost instantaneously, builds himself a body out of spare robot parts and, through the smug vocal stylings of James Spader, declares war on the Avengers. The only way to protect Earth, Ultron reasons, is to rid it of superheroes. From Stark’s Hulkbuster suit to a Wakanda shout-out, there’s plenty in “Age of Ultron” for die-hards to geek out over. After a rash of movies where entire cities were devastated with zero regard for the human toll, it’s refreshing to see the Avengers focus on saving people one or two at a time while the fate of the world is once again at stake. But the overstuffed finished product feels like the result of too many plot threads left on the cutting room floor. (Some reports claimed Whedon’s first cut was more than an hour longer.) And, with the exception of one brief slow-motion scene, in which eleventy-something heroes take on four times that many robots, the big action set pieces are too jumbled to work. They’re technically proficient, but I couldn’t recall much about them on the ride home. Thankfully, though, there are more than enough character moments to compensate. As usual, Downey’s Stark saves the day with his flurries of asides and bons mots. But everyone involved in “Age of Ultron” earns a couple of solid laughs. Captain America’s earnest squareness continues to make him the butt of jokes. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is more down to Earth, literally and figuratively. And Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is finally fleshed out, even earning the chance to acknowledge the ridiculousness of his trying to save the planet — alongside a man in a flying metal suit, an alien god and a giant, green monster — armed with only a bow and arrow. The Avengers, we’re told, are greater than the sum of their parts. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is not. But it still boasts some pretty incredible parts. And one heck of a party. Review: “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” 141 minutes. PG-13; intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments. Grade: B-. By Christopher Lawrence The Las Vegas Review-Journal MailTribune.com By Christopher Lawrence The Las Vegas Review-Journal Posted May. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 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. 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