I really like The Evens.

Why so quick to dismiss the fight scenes? The fight scenes aren't just filler--they are some of the smartest scenes in the movie. They NEED to fight. That's always been the great paradox that motivates so much of the moral tension in superhero narratives. There's always a fight--that's the whole point of the line "the secret is that I'm always angry." Loki is just an externalization of the internal baggage we carry--jealousy, grudges, insecurity, etc--and what makes that final fight scene so incredible is how Whedon choreographs it to enact an emotional (not physical) battle. Think about it: the the moment the portal (the great wound) is closed, the gray aliens collapse. It also completes Iron Man's battle with interiority, the first time being when he goes right through the whale, like Jonah (this kind of journey goes back to our most ancient narratives). Your observation regarding Hulk's roar is terrific but note that in these scenes Hulk fights quite a bit indoors, in the kind of spaces where he most fears a Hulk out. So it's no coincidence that in the end, Iron Man and Hulk revive each other, so to speak.

1. My most memorable vacation is always my most recent one, this time to Tel Aviv with my husband and our (then) ten-month old. Lots of fatigue, especially that first week of jet lag and adjusting to travel with baby, but we were in an apartment with a direct view of the sea. A window was always open so there was always the scent of salt water and sand. 2. I'd love to bottle of salt, sand and jasmine. I'm lucky that many summer fragrances do this already--I'm enjoying Jennifer Aniston for this reason, I must say. But I'd add to it hints of coffee and red wine--what fortified us when our days and nights were confused!

Mie, so glad to hear that you, Aila and the family are doing so well after a difficult birth. Kudos to your friends and family for create a loving and safe network for you in the days afterwards. Welcome, Aila!