PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 12, 2021 REVIEW: WandaVision, Marvel’s latest, tells un-herolike story, wows anyway By TJ REID For the Keizertimes Here’s a not-so-fun fact for you: Thanks to some stupid virus that you’ve most like- ly heard of by now, 2020 was the fi rst year since 2009 to not have a new Marvel Cinemat- ic Universe property released. At this point it feels like the heat death of the (real life) universe will happen before we get to see the perennially delayed Black Widow, and that’s being generous. With theaters shuttered and the box offi ce on life support, we depend even more on streaming services these days for our entertain- ment, and wouldn’t you know it, but Disney and Marvel had just the thing lined up to en- sure small screen dominance: a plethora of cinematic-quality miniseries that tie into their big-screen juggernauts in ways that previous Marvel shows could only dream of. WandaVision, a nine-ep- isode explosion of style and weirdness featuring the per- petually second-string Aveng- ers Scarlet Witch and Vision, is the fi rst of these miniseries, and it is a home run. If the words I just wrote mean very little to you, then you’re probably not a fan of the MCU (or baseball, if “home run” was tripping you up) and probably won’t ap- preciate the show as much as your nerdy brethren. But even without the sense of duty that many of us have to in- gest everything this universe has to offer, the show shines. Creatively shot and brilliantly acted, WandaVision manag- es to capture the feel of nu- merous sitcoms (why? I feel like that might be a spoiler…) while simultaneously fi tting in quite well with the movies and comics that have come before it. Elizabeth Olsen in particu- lar is quite stunning, seamlessly fi tting in with each era of tele- vision with an ease that makes you think she has been doing KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff) and Paul Bettany (Vision) star in Disney+ fi rst addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and set a high bar for everything to come. each “show” for hundreds of episodes already. Another clear standout is Kathryn Hahn as Wanda and Vision’s neighbor Agnes, who… well, let’s not get into that right now. There is an inherent catch to this authentic fl avoring, however; if you are not a fan of certain eras of television and sitcoms in general, some moments might be a bit of a chore to get through. I found the fi rst couple of episodes in particular a bit slow, as the dark mystery that makes up the bulk of the story takes a while to make itself known. But just when I was starting to get bored of 1950s and ‘60s sitcom antics, something creepy and weird would happen, which drew me right back in. And by the time I was on episode three, I was fully invested, pur- posefully lame sitcom jokes or not. Kevin Feige, the master- mind behind the MCU, has insisted that the Disney+ miniseries will not be required watching for future movies and vice versa, and it will be inter- esting to see how they pull this off. Because WandaVision feels pretty dang important to what will happen next, and it has already been said that it feeds into both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I guess what I’m saying is, don’t trust Kevin. Assume this show is important to the MCU just in case, and by the time you’re fi nished watching you’ll at the very least get some good in- sights into a couple of Aveng- ers who have been playing second fi ddle for far too long. Excelsior. All nine episodes of Wan- daVision are now available on Disney+. MCFD1, continued from Page A1 cardiac arrest or death. That is why response times are so important,” McMann said. “There is a lot of risk for poor outcomes right now.” From 2016 until 2020, the district received an option levy of $0.71 per $1,000 of assessed property value. After their levy renewal was rejected in November, MCFD1 will be back on the ballot for the May 2021 election. This time they will be asking voters approval for a lesser amount — $0.59 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The funding would be used to hire back nine full-time fi refi ghters/paramedics and would increase the number of responding units from three to four, including a dedicated three-person engine company. “We are creating a liability for our citizens right now because we sometimes have no units available to respond to a call. But we are also putting our own workers at risk who might need backup during certain situations,” McMann said. “When we were deciding how we could better protect our citizens but also mitigate our own risk, we determined that it would take $0.59 (per $1,000) to pay for a dedicated engine that would always be available.” If the levy is approved, the district would receive funding for fi ve years, beginning on July 1. The dedicated engine would be placed at the district’s Middle Grove location, which is centrally located and is one of MCFD1’s busiest locations. “We understand that it is tight for people right now, but we believe that it is important to staff this and keep people safe,” McMann said. “We are taking it down to the bare bones. That is what we are asking the voters.” If the levy fails, McMann says that there will be even more of an increase in delays in services and will further limit the district’s ability to respond to every call — call volumes have increased by nearly 50% since 2013. “If the levy fails, response times will continue to increase and there will be delays in service, which could continue to cause a decrease in morale among our workers and might make them want to search for other jobs,” McMann said. “At the end of the day, we are just trying to be transparent with the community. We are doing the best we can, but we need some help.” Those with questions about the levy can email McMann at kylem@mcfd1.com or call 503-588-6535. “If people don’t understand, we are here to answer their questions,” McMann said. “But no matter what happens, we will be here serving the people to the best of our ability.” SUBSCRIBE A YEAR’S WORTH OF KEIZER NEWS DELIVERED FOR ONLY $35 CALL 503-390-1051 FOLLOW THE KEIZERTIMES ON: crossword KEIZER CLASSIFIEDS RECREATIONAL VEHICLES WE BUY RVs WE COME TO YOU! 503-689-0669 LICENDED, BONDED, INSURED. 0409 GENERAC Standby Generators. The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be prepared for power outages. FREE 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!) Schedule your FREE in-home assessment today. Call 1-877-557- 1912 Special fi nancing for qualifi ed customers. ONAC DIRECTV NOW. No Satellite Needed. $40/month. 65 Channels. Stream Breaking News, Live Events, Sports & On Demand Titles. No Annual Contract. No Commitment. CALL 1-833-600-6659. ONAC DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 procedures. Call 1-844-239- 9335 for details. www.dental50plus. com/256118-0219. ONAC Wesley Financial Group, LLC. Timeshare Cancellation Experts Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-385- 4473. ONAC SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS Become a published author! Publications sold at all major secular & specialty Christian bookstores. CALL Christian Faith Publishing for your FREE author submission kit. 1-855-407-5056. ONAC DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT TO HERITAGE FOR THE BLIND. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-533-9173. ONAC DIVORCE $130. Complete preparation. Includes children, custody, support, property and bills division. No court appearances. Divorced in 1-5 weeks possible. 503-772-5295. www. paralegalalternatives.com legalalt@ msn.com ONAC Applying for Social Security Disability or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc., Social Security Disability Attorneys, 1-855-548- 1237! FREE Consultations. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Offi ce: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)].. ONAC The Generac PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-844-989-2328. ONAC Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long- lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-839-0752. ONAC DIRECTV - Every live football game, every Sunday - anywhere - on your favorite device. Restrictions apply. Call IVS - 1-877-441-1933 ONAC DONATE YOUR CAR TO UNITED BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION! Your donation helps education, prevention & support programs. FAST FREE PICKUP - 24 HR RESPONSE - TAX DEDUCTION. 1-855-252-2579. ONAC Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-536-8838. ONAC DISH Network. $64.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100 Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1-866-373-9175. ONAC HughesNet Satellite Internet - 25mbps starting at $49.99/mo! Get More Data FREE Off-Peak Data. FAST download speeds. WiFi built in! FREE Standard Installation for lease customers! Limited Time, Call 1-888-849-2601. ONAC Earthlink High Speed Internet. As Low As $14.95/month (for the fi rst 3 months.) Reliable High Speed Fiber Optic Technology. Stream Videos, Music and More! Call Earthlink Today 1-855-977-9436. ONAC