"Sorry To Disappoint, But I Actually Really Loved Avengers: Age of Ultron" is a perfect headline for a review.

but I absolutely understand why people are reading it the other way.

Yeah, I meant to say that, but apparently I forgot.

Well, and that's just it; even if we find something problematic, it doesn't have to overwhelm the rest of how we feel about the entire work.

I gave the movie pretty high reviews, because it kept me engaged and didn't make me feel like it was a 2-1/2 hour movie. I didn't cotton to Wanda and Pietro at first, but once it was put in the context of people will do anything to save their country/family in a time of war, as Steve so correctly pointed out, it made sense for their choice and I started liking them better. By the end of the movie the scene of Pietro dying to save Hawekeye and the little boy left me completely in tears. I think that is some pretty stellar writing, problematic writing in places or not.

To be clear, I didn't hate it. I found it to be uneven, and only connected with it emotionally for a couple of things OMG SHEILD TECH I LOVE YOU!!!! HEARTEYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! which means I watched the whole thing through my analytical lens instead of my squee and whee lens.

Did I mention my Shallow Feelings here? I had a few. you know, that was a dimly lit and disappointing bit of Wet Thor there, and Hemsworth's not even my flavor of beefcake. Also, HOLY CRAP, FARMHOUSE NICK FURY HOW ARE YOU SO HOT IN THAT GREY THING AND WOW, YES PLEASE. There was a sad lack of totally gratuitous and lovingly-framed shots of Chris Evans' ass. After Avengers and CA:TWS, this makes me very sad. I mean, that scene in CA:TWS where Steve's confronting Nick, and you can't really focus on Nick's face while he's talking, because the stealth suit clad buttcheeks of freedom are right there in the frame? Come on, that little thing is a national treasure, so show it some love. Also, Scarlett really looked radiant. She's a very glowy pregnant person.

Oh, I found Pietro annoying, and yet his death totally got me, because sibling stuff is my damn kryptonite. (To the point where it even gave me a moment where I unreservedly liked Pierce in Community.)

Well, and that's just it; even if we find something problematic, it doesn't have to overwhelm the rest of how we feel about the entire work.

See also, "Blurred Lines" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside," both of which I love even though they're creepy and rapey.

Plei, on Tony Stark's line, I mostly thought, "Oh, gross and uncool, man."

I startle-laughed, because it was so out of place! But very not cool.

I liked the movie. But it did feel like it ignored every Marvel movie that had been released in the wake of Avengers.

In line with Plei's Shallow Feelings: DUDE, the scene of shirtless Thor in the pool of visions was poorly lit and made me miffed. You've got Hemsworth! Shirtless! Wet! C'mon, give us some fanservice.

So, funny thing about Pietro I was at one of the many CA:TWS showings I went to, and I'd dragged Parker and Jilli with me, and we were talking about the tag, as you do, and being concerned about the Barefoot Waif Thing and Wanda, and talking about how Wanda as a character really doesn't deserve to have that whole Joss thing (thankfully, she didn't), and I joked that Pietro did, because it's Pietro, and he's an annoying douche who I really only like in Avengers Academy. AND NOW I TOTALLY TAKE THAT BACK. This Pietro was way less annoying, damn it.

And, okay, I know it never ends well, and they really didn't have actual interaction in the film, but I still ship the crap out of Wanda and the Vision. Damn it. (Not just because Billy and Tommy are the fucking bomb.)

I didn't cotton to Wanda and Pietro at first

I think that is some pretty stellar writing, problematic writing in places or not.

I was so ready to talk about how they were underdeveloped, and now I have all these Maximoffs feels and nowhere to put them. I'm not sure when the shift happened, but the scene you mentioned is one. I also loved when Wanda realized Ultron's mission was not THEIR mission, and quietly betrayed him. A nice reminder that she's actually more powerful than him, too.

Also THREE CHEERS FOR HELEN CHO.

See also, "Blurred Lines" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside," both of which I love even though they're creepy and rapey.

Oh oh oh am I allowed to like "Blurred Lines" because that is a damn catchy song.

The more I think about it the more I feel what I didn't like about the film was that it felt like a lot of set up that went nowhere.

I mean Ultron is this super powerful force who is in the internet and can upgrade and replicate himself, and all they have to do to defeat him is kill all of his robots? Really? I felt it should have been more complicated than that.

sj, I think that's why my friends found him kinda boring. It was hard to take him seriously. But we did get Vision out of the deal, so the build up was worth it to me. And I'm not that familiar with the comics, but I loved the look of Vision. Especially when he saw Thor's cape and added one to his costume.