Top 5 Films of 2018

End of the year already? Well, now we have a chance to look back on all the greatness the last year has offered us in terms of film. 2018 has been a terrific year. Despite trying to visit the cinema less frequently due to exams, I have managed to see 24 films. Even though there have been that many, I'm still sticking with a Top 5 because that way you can tell I'm talking about the very best. Also, there are only 3 films this year that I'd feel comfortable labeling as 'bad', so a 5 worst films of the year is not something I think I'll bother doing. Also, this is just my opinion, so it's fine if you disagree. You should also know that these are the films I enjoyed the most and not necessarily which ones I think are the best. So, let's have a look at my best films of the year!

5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 

Animated films used to be the main thing I saw in the cinema, but this year it is evident that that is no longer apparent. That said, the animated films I've seen this year have all been really good. However, the best one came out in the last month of the year, and it was well worth waiting for it for so long. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse delivers some top-notch action, fun and entertaining characters, along with some strong and powerful depth and heart, all wrapped up in visually-sumptuous, dazzling animation. I really enjoyed this film and it succeeded in all the ways a great animated film, superhero movie, and film in general, should. I advise you try to see this while it's still in cinemas, especially as it's sadly drifting out of the Top 10.

4. Mary Poppins Returns 

Probably the most anomalous film on this list as it's not an action / superhero film nor something you'd typically find me talking about. But that doesn't mean it can't be one of the best films of the whole year. Mary Poppins Returns, despite being a bit derivative when compared to the predecessor as well as not seeming nearly as iconic, is still an uplifting, jolly film that has some brilliant performances, excellent and catchy songs accompanied by mesmeric choreography, beautiful visuals, especially with the usage of 2D animation, and enough elements to be both a worthy sequel and its own thing. This is a film that upon second viewing still managed to give me the same rush of happiness and euphoria that the first did, so much so that my cheeks began to ache from smiling. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for it to be released on DVD so I can continuously be entertained by this spoonful of joy.

3. Deadpool 2 

Well, it hasn't moved an inch since July. Deadpool 2 is the perfect comedy in my eyes. Some hilarious and meta humour, equally entertaining performances, and some truly engaging action scenes to keep the film from feeling boring or lifeless. I don't really have that much to say other than this is one of the funniest films of the year, and one of the rare sequels to be better than the original. Because of how good this film is, the first Deadpool is now just seen as plainly good by me. So, I hope we get more comedic masterpieces like this in 2019, especially with the release of Kingsman 3 in November, which is another action franchise stuffed with great, gory action and a charming sense of humour. 

2. Ready Player One 

If you saw my best films of 2018 so far back in July, you may be wondering why this film is now at number 2. Well, I'll elaborate when I talk about number 1. As for this, I still absolutely love this film. Ready Player One is such a great concept and the way it was translated from page to screen is in a form which I can only say is the best that it possibly could've been. This was a tricky task, and the fact that they managed to keep to overall story structure and feel of the novel in this film is commendable. On top of that, it delivers some really inventive and exciting popcorn action along with some good performances too. I didn't mention this before but upon third and fourth viewing, I really began to appreciate the score too, which boasts some really exhilarating tunes as well as some nice subtle callbacks to other franchises like Back to the Future. This is overall a really good and really fun film. I think it delivers in many great ways and though there are some flaws with the storytelling and character developing, what works is more than enough to make up. 

1. Avengers: Infinity War 

Surprised? Me neither. When I did my 'so far' list in July, I'd only seen Infinity War once, and was basing what I said off what I remembered from that one viewing, most of my experience in which was skewed because the ending shocked me so much to the point where that was most if not all I could think about. However, upon second viewing, this all changed. As much as I love Ready Player One and Deadpool 2, upon re-watching there is always one little thing which bugs me. With the former, I find myself wondering how certain things in the world of the film work, and with the latter, I find myself not bursting with laughter, but lightly exhaling. With this film, I have barely any issues to mention when I re-watch it. All I get is the excitement from the action, I feel the tension of the stakes, I'm struck by the power of the emotions, I laugh at the jokes, I'm shokced by the twists despite knowing they're coming, and so much more. I almost considered boosting this film from an E to an EE. The only thing problematic about this film is that I can't recommend it on its own as it is essential for the viewer to have seen 18 other films. That said, my family all enjoyed it and they're almost alien to the MCU. With 2019 looking like it could be the most defining chapter for this franchise, I can't wait to continue watching and loving this film until the outcome arrives. This is why this film is my favourite film of the year, it's perfectly balanced, as all things should be...

So, with those 5 gems now behind us, what is there to come? Well there's a lot I need to highlight so stay tuned for my most anticipated films of 2019 which should hopefully be out soon. But until then, Happy New Year!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Movie Review

This film is a PG, was released on December 12th 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS

Introduction 

We're nearly at the end of 2018, and looking back on the year, superhero movies have been some of the highlights for me. There have been many ups, a fair share of downs, but overall it had been an impressive year and I'm pleased with how many of the films turned out. But, when we thought we were done with this genre, there's just one more.

Thoughts Going In 

I love superhero movies and I love animated movies, so in theory, this should be a match made in heaven for me. Well, there's a bit more to it. The trailers for this film had me conflicted. I was definitely going to see this film but I was concerned about it. The first two trailers were really fascinating, some terrific animation and some potential heart / depth. But, the third trailer made me think this film would be overstuffed with nonsensical plots, needlessly convoluted events, and comic relief characters. But, then the overwhelmingly positive reviews came out. Could I able able to put my concerns aside? Well, there was only one way to find out...

The Story 

Miles Morales lives in one of many versions of Brooklyn. In his one, he's an awkward teen who can't seem to fit in at a new school, has a crush on a girl, and doesn't get along well with his father. One day, he's bitten by a radioactive spider. This leads to him experiencing many odd body / personality changes. He then realizes that he is turning into Spider-Man. Coincidentally, he runs into the real Spider-Man who is in the middle of a showdown at a huge machine which brings together multiple universes. Suddenly, many versions of the Web-Slinger turn up. An alternate version of Peter Parker, who is fat, old and tired, Gwen-Stacey / Spider-Woman, Spider-Noir, Peni Parker and Spider-Ham. Soon, they have to all get home before the universes collide and cataclysmic events ensue. 

What I Liked 

The most astonishing thing about this film is the animation. My goodness, this is by far the best looking animated film of the year, and that's saying something because this year, we've had Isle of Dogs. The style is completely made to resemble a comic book, and it beautifully succeeds. But, it isn't the great big flashes and such which impressed me, it was the little things such as dividing the screen to show multiple angles of / reactions to the same event, thought boxes popping up whenever a character is literally thinking out loud, the attention to detail with the dots and scratches on the screen, much like that which you'd see on the printed page of comic strip, or the coloured outlines around a character when they're out of focus, or the additions of onomatopoeia during action scenes. All of these elements of the animation made this a great viewing experience. The character animation was also tremendous. It reminded me of the recent Lego movies, very frantic and kinetic action which is very fast paced and bonkers. And if you know me, you know I love bonkers. The animation in this film is definitive wonder, Pixar finally has some genuine competition.

The jokes are brilliant. It's absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. This is interesting considering it's from Sony Pictures Animation, who only make an occasionally funny film. It doesn't rely on stupid kids' humour to make the audience laugh, it's so much more clever than that. But, the best jokes were about the character of Spider-Man himself. Every time a new Spidey character is introduced to us, it is done in the exact same way and does the exact same things but specific for that character. I'm not sure if this was intentional, but this seemed like the studio was implicitly joking about how we've seen so many versions of this character that hit the same beats, it was a really fun recurring gag. There are plenty of other jokes linked to Spider-Man's history, referencing the original comics, the various other films such as Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland, and so much more. I'm so happy I found this film as entertaining as I did. It felt a lot like The Lego Batman Movie but for Spider-Man.

But, what impressed me most, was that the story was very focused on its protagonist. It has so much going on both visually and plot-wise, but the story of Miles and his struggles of becoming Spider-Man on top of the rest of his life is always front and centre. It has a surprising amount of depth for an animated superhero movie. But not only does it work on an emotional level, but it is also really tense. You're so invested with this central character because of a really well drawn out relationship with his father and his peers, and when his life goes crazy as presented, the tension and excitement is present. What's also good is that it feels like things actually have consequences. As much as I enjoy the colossal conflicts in the MCU films, there is generally a lack of tension as we experience huge things happening with characters acting like it was nothing extraordinary. Well, it felt that way before we got to films like Civil War or Infinity War. Here, Miles is just a teen, that makes him so much more vulnerable than your average Marvel superhero. While he goes through all the events in the film, people get hurt, people think about how dangerous or scary certain things might be for him, some people even die. Even when things get a bit ludicrous towards the third act, you still feel something because of what you've seen this character go through and because of what we know about him. I was happy with this because it made me feel something more than just 'wow' or 'haha'. This is always an element that animated films struggle to achieve, because they tend to be too uncomfortable or unwilling to explore darker / more mature themes, and I'm glad this film was able to show it. 

What I Didn't Like 

Much like Sony's other recent Marvel outing, Venom, this film IS ALSO VERY LOUD!!!! But to be fair, it is justified here due to the stakes presented and the events occurring, so I can't get too annoyed, but I do prefer my films to not be like I'm being shouted at for 90 minutes. 

Another complaint is also something that isn't necessarily bad about the film, but the frantic nature is best in smaller doses. I loved the speed that the gags and action moved at, but sometimes it can be a bit of an overload. Either too much going on on screen that it is actually hard to find something to focus on, or there's a joke that doesn't land. The latter is less of a problem because many unfunny jokes don't have time to have an effect on the audience because a funnier one will most likely pop up immediately after wards, but it's only when an elongated joke is unfunny, which is rare. It can also be a bit hard to follow at points, but that's probably just me. That's really my only main issue, the film can sometimes get a little bit carried away and deliver a bit too much despite doing just fine. 

Conclusion 

I thought Isle of Dogs would be the best animated film of the year, then I thought it'd be Incredibles 2, and then I thought it'd be Ralph Breaks the Internet. But in the very last month, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse claimed that title, in typical saving the best until last fashion. This film has the best, most visually sumptuous animation of the year, some really clever and well-thought out jokes, and a story which has proper heart, depth and tension all because of such a well-executed main character. I really enjoyed this film. Despite being a little bit overloaded with gags and visuals, which is a very minor thing, it's still satisfying on a narrative, humour and visual level. It's the best Sony Pictures Animation film since Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, which makes sense as it has Phil Lord and Chris Miller behind the scenes. So, if you were worried there wouldn't be enough quality entertainment this Christmas, this film further proves how much choice we have.

I'm going to give Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse an S  

Mary Poppins Returns - Movie Review

This film is a U, will be released on December 21st 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

Before I begin, I'd like to point out that I was lucky enough to see this film at the European Premiere in London's Royal Albert Hall. It was such a wonderful night and atmosphere. Thank you to everyone who made it possible! Especially my Mum and Dad!

Introduction 

Mary Poppins from 1964 is undeniably a classic. That film is so joyous and uplifting and still holds up to this day. It is probably one of Disney's better live-action films of the 20th Century. However, it didn't immediately seem like it needed a sequel. There were many places that the story could go, but it had to be just right if it wanted to live up to the success of the original. Well, 54 years later, here we are.

Thoughts Going In 

Aside from the fact I was attending my first ever film premiere, I was very excited. You may find this surprising based off what I've mostly been reviewing / talking about recently, but I love musicals. The whole concept of suddenly bursting into catchy songs accompanied by frantic dancing is an idea I've always liked. And, with recent musicals like The Greatest Showman and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, both of which I really enjoyed and had me singing away, my excitement only got amplified. That and I love a lot of members of this cast. Emily Blunt, Ben Whishaw, Colin Firth and so many more. So, I had very high expectations and hoped it wouldn't all come crashing down and disappoint.

The Story 

Years after the original, Micheal Banks now has his own family with three cheeky children of his own. However, his wife passed away recently and he is going to lose his house due to financial reasons. Whilst he and his sister, Jane, look for a certificate of shares, the children stumble across Mary Poppins whilst flying an old kite. She has come to look after them and hopefully teach them a few things while their father sorts out his issues. Accompanying them is Jack, a rugged, but jolly, lamp-lighter. From then, the five of them go on many adventures.

What I Liked 

The thing I appreciated most about Mary Poppins Returns is that it got the perfect balance that any sequel should. Typically, sequels, especially ones made a long time after the original, tend to offer little to no new material and simply retread the same beats as its predecessor. This is because the sequel is being made to satisfy the audience that were captivated the first time round, and it'll appeal to them if they're reminded of the film they fell in love with. This film gets the right balance between respecting and paying tribute to the first film whilst also bringing plenty of new elements to the table, in a similar way to 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The tribute comes in the form of iconic imagery from the original, recurring gags and the general structure of the story. The new elements include new songs, actors doing their own variations of classic performances, and the message of the film. I am very happy this film got the balance so right because this means the film will both appeal to fans of the original as well as potentially bringing in new fans and audiences, especially children who weren't around when the first one came out.

The performances are some of the best of the year. Of course, the star of the show is Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins. What I find so amazing about Blunt as an actress is that she is so versatile. She can go from gritty action like Edge of Tomorrow or Sicario, to nail-biting horror like A Quiet Place, and then to universal and upbeat fun like this. She plays Poppins quite differently to Julie Andrews, but she is essentially the same personality-wise. Strict and uppity, but overall jolly and good-hearted. Additionally, she is a fabulous singer. The other stand out was Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack, who is clearly adding some of his Hamilton-esque Broadway flair to Dick Van Dyke's classic role. He's charming, very likeable, and actually has a good cockney accent! Everyone else has their moment to shine and are just as good as you'd expect, especially the now 93 year-old Dick Van Dyke himself, who is still able to jump on a desk and do a little dance!

The musical numbers were my favourite parts of the film. What surprised me most was that  there was an absence of the classic songs like A Spoonful of Sugar and Let's Go Fly a Kite. However I am glad about this because it means we have more space for some new, equally as catchy, ones. They surely won't be replacing the originals, but they're such a joy to listen to that it had me smiling. The stand-outs for me were "Lovely London Sky", "A Cover is Not the Book" and "Trip a Little Light Fantastic". On top of this, what was happening in the film was also brilliant. The choreography of the dancing was my favourite kind, in which everything moves just like clockwork - perfectly in time and and synchronized. All of the songs gained a huge applause afterwords, and rightfully so. 

The last noteworthy thing, for me, is one sequence in particular. If you've seen the first Mary Poppins, you'll know there's an excellent scene which involves the characters entering a 2D animated world. Here, thank goodness, there is another one. What was so brilliant was the fact that they kept it as 2D animation. I'm so relieved they didn't just fully modernize it and make it all CGI. This is a true sign that the people behind the scenes of this film have huge amounts of fondness for the original and didn't want to ruin what made it special. I think we can all agree that the last thing Mary Poppins needs is CGI penguins. That and the sequence is really creative, it takes place on a ceramic bowl instead of a chalk painting and so the characters must be careful to not fall off the edge. The way it was executed was a lot of fun, and my favourite segment of the film. 

What I Didn't Like 

Oh, must I really find something to dislike? Well, in all fairness, Mary Poppins Returns is by no means a perfect movie. If I had to point out one issue that I had, it's that there are some scenes which are either elongated, unnecessary, or both. One or two of the musical numbers didn't serve much of a purpose and some scenes can occasionally be a bit too dragged out and perhaps longer than they should've been. But, despite these criticisms, any scenes that do drag on only do so because it is necessary. 

Another issue is one that didn't bug me personally, but I feel may irritate others. As much as I did praise this film for getting the perfect balance, there are times when the film can echo the original in not so subtle ways. The general structure is very similar and it does hit many of the same beats as the first. Sometimes it is more obvious than others, but I won't give any examples because you'll know for sure when you see the film. 

Conclusion 

Mary Poppins Returns is simply Supercalifragilisticexpilalidocious. I adore this film. I'm not just saying that because my experience watching it was amazing. I'm saying so because this film has wonderful performances, mesmerizing and catchy musical numbers, another creative 2D animated sequence, and it pays just the right amount of respect to its predecessor while bringing lots of new things to the table. But above all, it made me happy. And if a film can do that, then that is more than enough to satisfy me. I highly recommend you see this film as it is the perfect Christmas treat for the entire family and I'm sure it will become a classic in a few decades time, and while it may not live up to the magic of the original, it's still an absolute joy to watch. 

I'm going to give Mary Poppins Returns an E

Ralph Breaks the Internet - Movie Review

This film is a PG, was released on November 30th 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS

Introduction 

Ever since Disney Animation converted from hand-drawn animation to CGI, they have chain produced some fantastic films. From the subversive and clever princess movie Tangled, the action-packed adventure Big Hero 6, the extremely clever and well-written story Zootopia / Zootropolis, and the visually dazzling musical Moana. All of them have been brilliant, except Frozen, which was way too overrated.

However, out of all of them, Wreck-it Ralph is by far the best. It's not just a terrific animated film from Disney or the 2010s, but it is one of my favourite films ever, and is heads and shoulders above everything Pixar has made this decade except Toy Story 3. The extremely genius and inventive world building, insane visuals and action, and the creative characters all made that film terrific. But, given how open ended the story seemed for potential expansions, a sequel seemed like it'd eventually exist. 

Thoughts Going In 

As I said, I adore the original Wreck-it Ralph and hold it very close to my heart. So, I was a little bit nervous about the follow up when the trailers were released. The whole concept of hopping between different video games in the original is so much more wacky compared to the idea of doing such but in the internet. That and I had my concerns that Disney would use this as an excuse to promote all their owned properties such as Marvel and Star Wars as well as popular internet apps / websites such as Snapchat, YouTube and Amazon. Also, internet culture moves faster than the speed of light and so any references they made to popular trends at the time of making the film would most likely be long outdated by the time of its release. But, the positive reviews had me thinking slightly otherwise. So I had my concerns, but regardless, I was still very excited.

The Story 

6 years after the events if the first film, the steering wheel on the Sugar Rush arcade game breaks, and consequently, the game is unplugged. Because of this, Vanellope is left without a game. However, a Wi-Fi router has just been plugged into the extension lead with all the games, so Ralph gets the ideas to travel into the internet and buy a new steering wheel from Ebay. But, it'll have to be paid for. So the two then try various methods to gain enough cash to save the game in time. 

What I Liked 

My favourite thing about Ralph Breaks the Internet was all the jokes they made about the internet. From pop-up adverts, to auto-fill, the dark-net, viruses, viral videos, comments, and so much more. However, the thing that I enjoyed most among these jokes were the meta Disney references. You've probably seen some of this in the trailer but so many Disney characters make cameos. The princesses, as I'm sure you know, but also Buzz Lightyear, Baby Groot, Stormtroopers, and even an animated Stan Lee. This was such a fun sequence and the self-referential humour made it all funnier. I'm glad this was only one scene because I didn't want an overload of this.

Another plus side was the fact that the film didn't rely on popular icons to make its story. There are some references to online sites and such but they are more blink and you'll miss it and don't weigh down the film. Much like the first which only briefly showed popular video game characters and spent most time in the fictional games, this only briefly showed well-known websites and spent most time in fictional ones, except for Ebay. I am happy the film wasn't just an advert for the app store.

The animation was also brilliant. The visual style of the internet is so fascinating. This was so dazzling to watch because so many things are happening at once. There's always people running around, vehicles whizzing all over the place, and pixels flashing. But, what's good is that all this remained in the background, allowing for the main story to always be front and centre and not letting the visuals distract. I appreciate that because it could've been so easy for this film to end up as just an array of literal flashy computer graphics. I'm glad that the animation was so strong, and that it was the right amount of mesmerizing. 

This film has a strong message. It's about accepting your friends having different dreams / ambitions to you. This is applied to the film because while in the internet, Vanellope begins to take a liking towards a new game called Slaughter Race, which has a similar concept to her game, Sugar Rush, but nobody is controlling her nor is it as predictable. But Ralph doesn't want Vanellope to stay because he wants the two of them to remain best friends. This leads to the climax where Ralph must come to the realization that he might have to let her go. This gives the film a very powerful and relatable message and it works naturally in the context of the story, and isn't just shoved in there for no reason.

What I Didn't Like 

There wasn't much I didn't like about this. The main issue that I had was that I just didn't enjoy the aesthetic of the internet as opposed to the arcade games. Something about going in and out of game worlds was so much more interesting than this. I don't think it is anything to do with the film making or anything but more just because it was cooler. Just because I saw Wreck-it Ralph as a young child and so I was mesmerized by everything about it, more so than I was about this. 

The film also suffers from being extremely predictable. This is usually an issue with many sequels as once the characters and their traits have been established in the previous movie, we can most likely find it easier to predict how they'll act in a certain scenario in the next one. However, this film has major issues with this. Ralph is still lovably dimwitted and you can guess how he'll respond to things easily. Vanellope is still a smart talking misfit and you can't really be surprised by much of what she does. This also means that major plot-points in general are easy to predict. It makes the viewing experience much less satisfying as you spend time waiting for your prediction to occur. It's even worse when you notice how the film hits many of the same beats the first one did, and only cements your guesses as certain. 

Conclusion 

Well, I am very happy with Ralph Breaks the Internet. It's a follow-up to one of my favourite films that has a powerful message with just the right amount of self-referential Disney and general internet humour which doesn't distract from the main focus of the story, all coated with some terrific animation. Despite this, it is certainly in the shadow of its predecessor just because it was less predictable as well as an overall more interesting, original concept. But in terms of this year, it is probably the best animated film I've seen so far. It's a much better sequel than Incredibles 2 simply because I'm more fond of Wreck-it Ralph than I ever was of The Incredibles. That said, I haven't seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse just yet, so lets not say anything is for sure...

I'm going to give Ralph Breaks the Internet an S

Avengers: Endgame - Trailer Thoughts

I never thought that I'd make a post in the style of this, mostly because I really don't like film trailers. They just tend to give away far too much and spoil the overall experience. However, when a new trailer for Avengers 4 came out, how on earth could I resist. That's right, I saw the thumbnail in the YouTube video and I couldn't resist, because I was convinced I'd go a bit mental if I didn't see it. However, that'll be the only time I see it. Not again. Probably. Maybe. Not really. Hopefully.

So, I don't think I need to explain where I stand regarding the end of Avengers: Infinity War because everything that I have to say has already been said. But if there is one thing that I want to point out, it's that it was the only film that ended on a cliffhanger that genuinely had me unsure as to what'd happen next. It all seemed pretty hopeless and I guessed that this would be of a similar tone. Well, now that Marvel has finally had the guts to release any form of footage from this upcoming film, what do we have? Well at least we have a proper title now.

Here are my thoughts:

Well, the start with Tony explaining his current situation in the form of a voice message that'll hopefully end up with Pepper, was really interesting. Tony was one of the two people on Titan who survived the snap. The other being Nebula. I don't know whether Nebula is on the ship too, but I think he said he was alone so I doubt it. I don't know what they're planning to do with Tony, perhaps he'll die on that ship. Although, that'd be the biggest anti-climax ever, considering where his character has been over the past 10 years. 

Regarding the rest of the characters, it was interesting that we only saw the original 6 Avengers (mostly). Tony, as I mentioned, Thor and Bruce Banner briefly, but mostly Cap and Natasha. It was also really nice to see Hawkeye is back! I was wondering whether he was alive or not. I can't say whether he'll be a huge help or not, but his presence is largely welcome. It was interesting to see that Ant-Man has made it out of the Quantum Realm, I guess that isn't a huge plot-point, but I am curious as to what he'll be able to do in the film, I have enjoyed every appearance of his prior to this. It was also interesting to see some absences. Not only are Rocket, War Machine and Okoye nowhere to be seen, but Captain Marvel is also out of the picture. This was a surprise because I, and presumably many others, thought she'd be the saving grace of this story, if the post-credits scene was anything to go by. But perhaps they're just keeping her out of the marketing for now until we've seen her actual film.

The aesthetic of the trailer seemed quite ordinary. The scene with Tony was thematically different and looked quite dark, but the rest of the trailer just seems to be as normal as ever. Not exactly a disappointment, but intriguing considering that half of humanity all died out, I thought earth would be a bit more of a wasteland. 

Regarding the title, Endgame, it was not a surprise. All the suspected titles like 'The Last Avenger' or 'Annihilation' seemed reasonable but are generally not as appropriate. I only say this because this title now clears up a lot. It means that what is happening in this movie, combined with the last 20 minutes of Infinity War, are what Doctor Strange saw as the only outcome in which the Avengers would come out on top. This is because after he sacrificed the time stone to Thanos, despite claiming he would always value its safety over that of Tony or any of the other characters, shows that he probably saw this outcome and knew he'd have to give him the stone to achieve victory. He also stated "We're in the endgame now" which implies that they were entering the time in which they'd reach their eventual triumph. So, a great title choice in my opinion. Plus it just sounds awesome. 

As a whole, I am super duper excited for this film now. Having seen this 2 minutes and 26 seconds worth of footage has enforced just how exciting the next chapter of the MCU will be. All I need to do now is not watch it again nor any other trailers or clips until the 26th of April. How hard can it be? 

"Part of the journey is the end..."