This week I had fun with the newest Marvel movie and I learned the real story behind a spectacular film failure.

In theaters: Antman

As a kid, I never thought much about the comic book hero Antman. A guy who could shrink to ant size and talk to them just didn’t make it for me.

I was surprised the folks at Marvel Studios chose that character to be the subject of a film and I was equally surprised at just how good it was.

The Marvel films have fallen into the single character films and the epics and of the single character films my favorites have been the two Captain America films. They have been well acted and directed and, most importantly, have been about something besides the hero chasing some villain.

I found the same qualities in this new film. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is a scientist and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who walked away from the job when he believed the secret behind his ability to shrink was going to be compromised. He has lost control of his technology company but his discovery is still the center of the attention of his former protégée who has developed a similar technology he intends to sell to the highest bidder as a weapon.

Antman must return and Pym, now in his seventies,  selects an ex-con seeking redemption (Paul Rudd) as the new Antman. The result is a fast-paced film with a few hints of welcomed comedy that highlights some very enjoyable performances.

Rudd is known for his comic roles and although he brings his comedic sensibilities to his role, he also makes for a credible hero. Douglas is fine as the embittered and guarded Pym.

Naturally this film is destined to tie itself into the Marvel cinematic universe – an Avenger makes a guest appearance and two after-credit sequences point to future adventures. Regardless of the role “Antman” will play in the Marvel franchise, this film stands very well on its own and is a great summer movie.

On Blu-Ray and streaming: Lost Soul: the Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau

Imagine you’re a director with two low budget successes under your belt and you have attracted enough attention in the industry to land a studio film with a cast that includes Marlon Brando.

The subject of the film is a classic science fiction novel that you’ve loved since childhood and you’ve dreamed of making it into a film for years.

The experience though ruins your career and sends you practically into hiding for years.

That’s the story of Richard Stanley and the 1996 version of the H.G. Well’s classic “The Island of Dr. Moreau.” This new documentary shows how the young director lost control of the project, was replaced by another director who produced what many have seen as a train wreck of a film.

Director David Gregory paints a fascinating picture of the politics of movie making and how a slightly odd but talented director was quickly overwhelmed by it.

If you don’t recall the film immediately it was the version that starred Brando as Moreau and Val Kilmer as his assistant. The talented and under-used actress Fairuza Balk co-starred as one of Moreau’s most successful creations.

A remote location, budget concerns and especially the two stars contributed to Stanley’s downfall. Brando comes across as a performer who had abandoned any notions of being a professional and tortured the two directors with ridiculous ideas. Kilmer, by all accounts, was a prima donna of the worst kind.

Through interviews and behind the scenes footage, Gregory recreates the chaos in which the production descended.

There are some great twists and turns in this story and for movie buffs this documentary should make for some great viewing. It almost made me want to sit through “Island” again – almost.