MOVIE REVIEW: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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As a very casual comic book fan and very large superhero movie fan, I sometimes have to make sure I don't walk out of movies like this one with the "pizza review." That is to say, not just loving it because it's a superhero comic book movie and so even a bad one (like bad pizza) is still a superhero comic book movie...get it?

While that might be the case for a lot of early generation comic book adaptations, that certainly isn't the case for Marvel's latest here! Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the sequel to the 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger we all were hoping for...and have come to expect in Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In that vein, it's just as much a sequel to the first Cap movie as it is to The Avengers, but still very much in the context of Steve Rogers.

-----MINOR SPOILERS-----

So without rambling on and on about the details of the film I'm going to try and keep it brief with these two statements: Winter Soldier has non-stop action and awesome plot. Done! That's the gist of why this movie is so awesome! You have a major character from the Avengers universe die, a huge secret concerning the inner-workings of S.H.I.E.L.D. revealed, characters you thought were dead are still very much alive...sort of, and we get to meet some new heroes that are definitely here to stay for future films! If you're a die hard fan of the comics, there's plenty to get your nerd heard thumping, but if you're just a casual watcher of the films there's still plenty of badassery to be had also! 

With all that said, I feel one of the best parts of Winter Soldier was that it solidified Cap as probably the most badass Avenger we have. Yeah sure we knew he was awesome from the first movie and he kicked tons of Chitauri butt in The Avengers, but I never really saw him as more than a patriotic soldier who believed in his duty and doing good until this film. Stark is a rich, funny, genius; Thor is a god; Banner is a hard hitting genius; Black Widow is sexy, sexy, and kicks tons of butt; and Hawkeye is Hawkeye, but now I view the Cap as really the embodiment of all those things now...just think about it and comment below!

RATING: 5/5

STINGER: Well, it's a Marvel film so I shouldn't have to tell you that YES there's a stinger...two in fact! The post-credits (second) stinger directly relates to the ending of the movie and is definitely worth sticking around for but really doesn't require any explanation. The in-credits (first) stinger is the one that will make your nerd heart flutter, even if you don't understand it all. It relates to the MCU as a whole and ties more directly to the story going into Avengers: Age of Ultron (due out 2015). As I said before, I am only a casual comic book fan so I didn't entirely understand all that was shown...especially the very last scene. However, luckily our friends over at IGN have some nerds that have done their homework and can enlighten us! I will warn you though, it has some minor potential spoilers for the plot directions of the MCU and even for X-Men: Days of Future Past...do I have your attention yet?! Good! Now enjoy:

One last thing (because I feel it's so relevant to this franchise and so impressive at this same time) is how the movie performed, according to ComingSoon.net it set a new record for the month of April by grossing $96.2 million through it's opening weekend. That breaks the previous record held my Fast Five and makes it the fifth highest opening for a Marvel film. Needless to say, I think Marvel is going to have enough money in the coffers to continue with Phase Two and beyond!

MOVIE REVIEW: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Full Disclosure: I have a tattoo of the One Ring's inscription running down my side, I've read LotR and The Hobbit multiple times, and J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson are probably my favorite writer and filmmaker, respectively. For many reasons I will stand by the statement that Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies are some of the best modern movies in existence; a statement I make for reasons beyond the source material being so amazing. PJ, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro in this case are not just good and transferring the word's of Tolkien onto the silver screen, they are masters at connecting us the audience to these characters on screen so that we feel like we're on an adventure with them...call it escapism if you will.

--NO SPOILERS--

The best way to describe the DoS I'm finding is to start by comparing it to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. This seems to be the litmus test everyone is using and for good reason. DoS should be measured not only as a single film but also as a sequel and a prequel to LotR. In terms of pacing, action, and visuals the DoS totally trumps AUJ almost consistently, but that's expected. We already have the setup and most of the characters' back stories, so that's almost a given...not to mention you have a Benedict Cumberbatch dragon to spice things up. Getting past that, you have to get to the real money which is the story. We get exposed to a lot more of the Necromancer plot and by extension we see how The Hobbit as a trilogy is truly setting the groundwork for the LotR trilogy, as it should. These latest films are very exciting, and you naturally expect the latest movies in a franchise to be the biggest and best, but the truth is The Hobbit is really only the setup story for the big events of The Lord of the Rings which reshapes Middle Earth and all the races within it. Anyway, I digress! The DoS also drops some little references to characters and places that are part of LotR and therefore further sets the relationship with those films and I feel helps in immersing you deeper in this one, a theme that lies at the heart of the DoS' genius.

Immersion! From the Mirkwood forest to Beorn's house to Laketown to Erebor and the Lonely Mountain, the DoS pulls off immersion in such a fantastic way. That's really what makes this film feel so much more like the LotR than AUJ did. As the company gets closer and closer to the Lonely Mountain you feel like you're beginning to taste it with them. Of note, the barrel riding scene was so flawlessly executed and exciting I would see the movie a third time just for that! (Truth be told I'll probably see it a third time because I haven't caught it in HFR yet...but that discussion is for another day).

As far as characters and plot not included in the original The Hobbit, I believe everything worked. The biggest of these additions that seems to have purists climbing trees is Tauriel, played by Evangeline Lilly. I'll admit I was a little skeptical of PJ and the crew throwing in this she-elf, but after seeing the movie I agree with the decision. The story arc she's involved with borders on unnecessary in my eyes, but still sneaks in and doesn't ruin the flow or overall story for me. Also, critics of the screenplay who argue "that wasn't in the book" left and right should stop and read The Hobbit again (or for the first time) and also take a peek at Tolkien's Unfinished Tales because I've been finding that people do not realize how much of the story is actually directly from Tolkien.

To wrap it up, Smaug was flawless! I am a huge fan of Benedict Cumberbatch and so the voice work alone made me jump with fanboy delight; however, the design of Smaugh and the articulation of his face and body are all that we have come to expect and love from motion capture and Peter Jackson...so enjoy!

Where the movie ends is unexpected but excellent none the less. No more on that subject as this is a spoiler-free review! Oh, and it goes without saying but the 3D is unmatched in these films...nothing changed there.

STINGER: none (but Ed Sheeran's "I See Fire" is worth staying through)

RATING: 5/5

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3D...you'll see it!

So in case you didn't know, you can now pre-order your tickets to see Star Wars Ep I in 3D on February 10. While I don't think it's necessary to pre-order, I think it's necessary to get excited...at least I am. Of course if Star Wars isn't your thing, that's cool. However, for the so-called "fans" you should be excited because the lore is on the big screen in 3D. If you don't think Ep I is the best, you're right...it's certainly sub-par compared to the OT, but it's not bad as a movie and story so stop bandwagoning with the hate.

On that note, I don't understand where all the hate towards the franchise has come from recently. Of wait, that's right...I do. HIPSTERS! So Lucas tinkered with the blu-ray...get over it! The changes weren't excessive and no one is breaking into your house to splice new footage into your VHS collection. No one forced you to buy the re-releases, but you did anyway...just like you will pay to see Ep I in 3D (as you should...it will be great). Somewhere in the middle of all that drama surrounding a few 1080p changes you all started hating on the franchise because I guess it became cool? Star Wars was here before you hipsters started trying to hate on something you've never seen...the OT before it was remastered. I am also too young to have seen the OT in theaters, but I saw it re-released when it was remastered the first time and I'll pay to see it next month and in the coming years when it's updated again...because I'm a fan who loves the universe Lucas created. I can watch any version I would like at any time and look forward to the story being adapted through time.

May the Force be with you...hipsters!