Captain America: The First Avenger Review

I really enjoyed Captain America.  It was a lot of fun, and after a summer stuffed with comic book movies that ranged from the very decent (Thor) surprisingly cool (X-Men: First Class) and hugely disappointing (Green Lantern) I can think of no better way to end the summer superhero movie slug fest.

Chris Evans gave an impressive performance as CGI enhanced skinny Steve Rogers and super soldier Captain America.  Give Evans credit.  Here's a guy who's most notable role was playing a cocky womanizing pretty boy as the Human Tourch/Johnny Storm in the last two Fantastic Four movies, yet with the help of computer magic is completely believable as a 90 pound weakling who would give anything to serve his country during a war, but doesn't have the courage to ask a girl to dance.

Any doubts that Evans would be hindered by the fact that many would not be able to look past the fact that he was the Human Tourch and many would just see him as Johnny Storm in a Captain America suit can be thrown out.  Evans makes the role his own and is completely believable as the First Avenger.

The movie packs plenty of action with some intense scenes involving Cap and the Howling Commandos (who were fun to watch for what little time they were in the film).  Cap's shield itself could be considered a co-star as it had moments of it's own as it's thrown at bad guys and also used to pummel them, not just deflect bullets.

Tommy Lee Jones played a tough (and funny) Colonel Chester Phillips.  Tommy Lee is pretty much the same guy in every movie now (When he was Two-Face in Batman Forever, he was basically two versions of Tommy Lee Jones), but he's earned that right.

I must give Hayley Atwell props.  She's much hotter than I gave her credit for.  I hadn't really seen her in anything else and when I saw her in the Cap trailer I wasn't ranting and raving, but she turned in a well done performance as Peggy Carter (Cap's girlfriend) and had strong chemistry with Evans.  And as I mentioned, she's pretty hot.  Supposedly she beat out Keira Knightly and Alice Eve for the role.  A wonderful casting choice by director Joe Johnston.

Speaking of Johnston, he directed one of my favorite movies as a kid (The Rocketeer) which also happened to be a war time era movie.  What can I say, the guys good at taking you back in the day.  Captain America was like The Rocketeer enhanced with super soldier serum.

Why I am just now realizing this woman exists is beyond me.

My favorite aspect of the movie was the relationship between Captain America and his best friend James Buchanan Barnes (Bucky).  Their relationship is tweaked somewhat from the comic book, but it works in the movie.  I didn't realize it when I saw the trailer, but the soldier talking to skinny Steve Rogers at the beginning telling him that war is something serious, that's Bucky.  He's already enlisted and ready to go to war.  So imagine Bucky's surprise when his skinny best friend is now the US Army's most gifted fighting machine.

The costume designers did a good job with Bucky's uniform which obviously was influenced by his look in the comics.  The only thing missing is a domino mask, which I wish they would have added.

Sidekicks aren't something that are really around anymore.  They were a gimmick used back in the old days to lure kids to comics.  My favorite comic book character of all time (Robin The Boy Wonder) happens to be a sidekick, so I've always had a soft spot for them.  And I've always thought Bucky was cool.

The movie does well in establishing Cap and Bucky's initial friendship and eventual partnership.  This is something I wasn't expecting as Bucky's character is not one that they decided to promote, but I'm glad it made it in the film.

Bucky?  A sniper?  Hmmm.  Real fans know this could mean something.

Ovearall, a solid movie.  I actually wouldn't mind seeing it again, and so far only X-Men: First Class has made me feel that way.  I think this movie is actually a little better than First Class.  I give it eight power rings out of ten.  It's worth the money to see.

New Amazing Spider-Man Movie Pics

The latest issue of Entertainment has an up close look at The Amazing Spider-Man (the Spidey movie reboot).  The pics are pretty cool.  I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a big fan of the new Spidey costume, but it's growing on me slowly.  The first three Spider-Man movies were some of the few comic book movies to make the costume an almost exact replica from the comic books.  That doesn't happen much in comic book movies.  But there's nothing wrong with having a new look for the wall crawler.

I've got to admit, you can't tell much about a movie from photos, but I like the casting.  Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben, Sally Field as Aunt May and of course Andrew Garfied and Emma Stone as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy.  The pics look good and Garfied and Stone are already giving off ten times more on screen chemistry than Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst did (could it be because they're better looking?)

Here are the pics.

The Dark Knight Rises Teaser Trailer Finally Rises

The Dark Knight Rises teaser trailer finally debuted with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 (which was great by the way) and I am furious!  Did I not like the teaser?  No, it was fine.  Actually it was pretty revealing considering the last teaser was just Michael Caine (Alfred) talking over a bat logo and the first soundbite of Heath Ledger as the Joker.  What I'm furious about is that I went to see HP7.2 in Georgetown and The Dark Knight Rises teaser trailer was not connected with the film.

Meanwhile, my sister Bianca contacts me from Arizona to tell me that she "didn't understand the Dark Knight Rises trailer" when she saw HP7.2 and as I sent out messages letting friends know that the trailer was online, they responded back saying they'd seen it when they saw Harry.  So what's up with my movie theatre in Georgetown apparently being the only place in America that didn't show TDKR trailer with Harry Potter?  I was quite peeved about this.

Well I finally saw it today and I must say, it's intense.  Half of it is just clips from Batman Begins with a voice over from Liam Neeson's Ra's Al Ghul, but what little is revealed is deep.  Take a look for yourself below.

Boy somebody sure jacked Commissioner Gordon up.  Is he sick or has he just been thrown all over the place by Bane.  And speaking of Bane, how about that clip at the very end of the teaser?  Bane walking up steps heading towards Batman, slowly, but confidently, while Batman is stepping back, gasping for air, with barely enough strength to keep his fists up in a defensive position (great acting by Bale there, but hey the guy did just win an Oscar).

The biggest tidbit to take away from the teaser is what Gordon says from his hospital bed to an unidentified visitor who has his hand placed on the bed.  Here's what was said.

Gordon:  We were in this together.  And then you were gone.  And now there's evil rising.  The Batman has to come back.

Voice:  What if he (Batman) doesn't exist anymore?

Gordon:  He must.  He must.

Talk about deep.  Now I've read tons of commentary on the trailer, a lot of it stuff linked from Batman on Film (one of my favorite sites as I have listed on the home page), and everyone says it's Gordon talking to Bruce Wayne because he's figured out that Bruce and Batman are the same person.  I've watched/listened to this trailer at least 30 times in the last couple of hours and I'm not so sure.  I think that's what Nolan wants us to think.  I think it's possible it could be Gordon talking to Joseph Gordon Levitt's character John Blake (who remember in TDKR will be a Gotham beat cop on special assignment from Jim Gordon).  Now there are some fans who say they know Gordon is talking to Bruce because of spoilers revealed online from people seeing a certain scene filmed that would lead to believe the Commish knows Bruce's secret.  But we'll see.  With Christopher Nolan, nothing is EVER as it seems.

The reason people think it's Bruce Wayne's voice is because he's whispering and not using the froggy Batman voice, but if you listen hard enough, it's possible it could be the voice of Gordon-Levitt.  Why do I think I can recognize Gordon-Levitt's voice?  Well I just bought 500 Days of Summer on Blu-Ray the other day and I'm telling you, it's possible it could be him.  Why did I buy 500 Days of Summer?  One, the scene with Minka Kelly at the end is well, she looks amazing, so much so you want to give Derek Jeter a flying high five if you ever see him.  Two, the scene were Gordon-Levitt's character finally get's laid by Summer, and he proceeds to walk out of the apartment feeling like the king of the world, is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.  Don't believe me?  Take a look, the part where he's checking his reflection and Han Solo is looking back at him is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.  And then the UCLA marching band comes in for good measure.   For the record I only break out in song on the street and sing to cartoon birds if it's an international woman involved.  Otherwise why bother?

In summary, the trailer revealed a lot and nothing at all.  And remember, nothing is every what you think it is in a Nolan film.  Now if you'll excuse me I need to see if my quarter is still spinning, otherwise that teaser trailer didn't really happen.

New Mission Impossible Trailer

The new Mission Impossible trailer is out and man is it cool.  When's the last time you said that about a Tom Cruise movie? (MI3 now that I think about it)  It makes perfect sense that if there's anything that can save the career of Cruise and get him back to the A-List, it's this franchise.

It's not an all Cruise show however as you would expect.  Tom Wilkinson and Jeremy Renner (whom you can see in the trailer) are also along for the impossible ride.

Pulling a card from the Mission Impossible 2 deck, Cruise recruits yet another bi-racial beauty in Paula Patton (Robin Thicke's wife) to be a part of his team.  Patton, like Thandie Newton in MI2, looks great and is all the reason I need to head out and see this film this December.  This is a huge role for her, not that she hasn't been in big movies before, but nothing like this one.

Proof positive of why we should all just get along.

Pretty mixed girls aside though, the film looks great.  I love the use of Eminem's "Won't Back Down" song featuring Pink, from his Recovery album.  The beat of the song goes along perfect with the action in the trailer until the transition into the forever cool Mission Impossible theme music.

This looks like a hit.  One Cruise needs desperately to make us forget about all the weird stuff.

New Spidey Costume

Nothing like a brand spanking new costume to help you get over the loss of one of your favorite comic book characters.  I don't like that Peter Parker is gone from the Ultimate Marvel universe, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love the costume of the new Ultimate Spider-Man that will debut this September.

More than likely catching a glimpse of himself in the reflection of one of the buildings.

This thing is sweet!  All black with red webbing and white lenses on the mask.  Most costume changes end up being lame and spark a demand to go back to the original.  This costume is swinging for the future.  We still don't know who it is under the mask and we won't know until the series begins, but whoever it is, they're web slinging in style.

Ultimate Spider-Man #160: The Death of Spider-Man Review

I have so many mixed emotions about the death of Ultimate Spider-Man.  I picked up issue number 160 after I read that it was indeed true that Marvel was going to knock off their kid Spider-Man seemingly for good (although in comics you never know, but this has a feel of being permanent).  Truth be told, I'm very sad about this.

This one is personal for me.  Ultimate Spider-Man is the title that got me back into reading comics when I was in college.  I'd been at school over a year, when I walked to the local comic shop in Radford, Va. and asked the owner what was a good title for someone to read who was looking to get back into comics.  The owner, an older guy, pointed to an issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, which at that point had reached it's second issue.  I asked the owner if he had the first issue.

"Nope," he said.  "Sold out quick."

I didn't understand the process of a Spider-Man comic selling out.  Especially a new series.  The continuity in Spider-Man was such a jumbled up mess that I'd given up on it back in high school.  But that was the point the owner of the shop was making to me.  This was a fresh start, a new universe within Marvel called the "Ultimate universe" which was giving Marvel a chance to give modern updates to their classic characters.  Case in point, in this "Ultimate universe" Peter Parker is a young high school kid.  I liked that and decided to give it a shot, especially when I saw that it was being drawn by Mark Bagley, my favorite Spider-Man artist.

I had no idea who Brian Michael Bendis was at the time, but little did I know that I was about to start reading a series written by someone who continues to be considered one of the best writers in the business.  Bendis' take on Spider-Man was new, refreshing and original with slight tributes to the many Spidey stories that had come before.

I would go on to read Ultimate Spider-Man for the next four years, never missing an issue.  I eventually stopped around the 50th issue, but even when I was no longer picking up the title every month, I'd still take peaks at what was going on if I saw an issue on the stands.  That was how much I cared for the character.

Bendis' take on Peter Parker in Ultimate Spider-Man is one for the ages.  It may not be Marvel's real universe, but this version of Peter is one that would be required reading for anyone I was trying to introduce to Spider-Man.  And that's why it sucks so much that he's gone, but he does go out with a bang, and of course, saves lives in the process.

As for the comic itself, Peter takes a bullet to the body protecting Captain America (doesn't he have a shield for these types of situations?).  Wounded he must then take on a suped up Green Goblin (who in the Ultimate universe is a mutated monster, not a guy in a suit).  Normon Osborn, who has escaped maximum security and turned into the Goblin is determined to bring Peter to his end.  Peter, with a bullet in his side no less, makes sure that none of his loved ones are hurt as Osborn attacks.

Peter takes a truck (that Mary Jane had somehow driven into the Goblin) lifts it above his head and smashes it into the Goblin multiple times until he knocks him out.  But then the truck explodes, knocking him into the air.  He lands on the ground with not much life left.  In the most touching scene in the issue, Peter tells his Aunt May that while he was always haunted by the fact that he could never save his uncle Ben, he's happy that he was able to save her.  Those are his last words and he dies in Mary Jane's arms.

Deep.  Tragic.  Sad.  Well done by Bendis (who I am proud to say I interviewed about Ultimate Spider-Man during my time at The Washington Post) who himself admitted he got teary eyed writing this issue. Of course it is now known that there will be a new Ultimate Spider-Man beginning in September, but Marvel isn't revealing who's behind the mask.  Whoever it is, one things for certain.

They're no Peter Parker.

Will Green Lantern 2 get Green Lit?

While I've made it clear that I was somewhat disappointed with Green Lantern (six out of ten power rings rating) I also made it clear that I'd love for a sequel to be made.  Despite the weak script, Ryan Reynolds makes a great Green Lantern/Hal Jordon and Mark Strong IS Sinestro.  It's Sinestro's (warning spoiler) embracing of the yellow ring at the end of the movie that let's you know what direction Warner Bros. is planning on going with in the future with Green Lantern.  And that direction is Sinestro vs. the Green Lantern Corps.  And who doesn't want to see that?

Blake?  Blake?  Wake up!  We're filming!

Problem is, Green Lantern didn't open with the $60 million plus opening weekend that studio execs were planning for (instead opening to $52.7 million).  Add less than stellar reviews from critics and many were wondering if Warner Bros. was going to move forward with this franchise.

But then, The Hollywood Reporter came out with this story on June 26, saying that the big wigs at Warner Bros. were indeed going to move forward with a sequel.

So Green Lantern fans dodged a bullet right?  The movie was weak enough that making a sequel was in doubt, but they got the confirmation they wanted that the franchise would move forward.

The very next day however, The Hollywood Reporter ran this story, and all of a sudden there are once again doubts as to whether a sequel would see the light of day (granted it was an analysis).

So which one is it?

It's hard to tell.  I honestly don't understand why THR would run a story saying a sequel is a go if they were just going to write another story the next day saying a sequel could still be in doubt.  My gut says Warner Bros. has to take a chance and move ahead with Green Lantern 2.  The right pieces are there, especially Strong as Sinestro.  With this character Warner Bros./DC Entertainment have the chance to showcase their best on screen villain since Heath Ledger's Joker.  It would be a shame to let that go to waste.

Not only that, but with the Harry Potter franchise finally coming to an end on July 15, Warner Bros. needs a new franchise and they need Green Lantern to be successful so that DC Entertainment knows that they can go into their vault and make movies from characters not named Batman or Superman.

The bolder move would be to get rid of director Martin Campbell who was clearly in over his head with this comic book/sci-fi/CGI loaded universe.  Re-loading James Bond is one thing, and Campbell did that magnificently with Casino Royale, but this is a different game over here with GL.  Kenneth Branagh did a fairly good job with directing Thor and he's not coming back.  Campbell did not do a good job with Green Lantern and Warner Bros. should bring in someone else who will make a stronger, slightly even darker movie.

Sinestro vs. the GL Corps is something that every fanboy would love to see on the screen.  Here's hoping the sequel gets approved, but here's also hoping they do it right this time.

Thor 2 to Hit Theaters July 2013

According to The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision blog (which is awesome in case you're not reading it), Thor 2 will arrive in theaters July 26, 2013.

Chris Hemsworth will of course be back as Thor.  One interesting tidbit is that director Kenneth Branagh will not return to direct, but will instead stay on as a producer.  Branagh had an option to return as director, but he and Marvel Studios decided on a mutual split.

You dare give me, Thor, a new director?

Branagh not being in the directors chair isn't nearly as dramatic if say, Christopher Nolan decided not to direct The Dark Knight Rises.  He did a good job of introducing Thor to the big screen, but if Marvel studios wants a slightly different approach, I'm not upset about that.

Thor was a great movie that I enjoyed back in May as it began the summer superhero season, but it wasn't so great that I think it's above a different set of eyes.  Now that the foundation has been laid out, perhaps a new view from the directors chair will make it even better.

Of course we'll next see Hemsworth in the summer of 2012 reprising his role as Thor in The Avengers.  And just in case you didn't know Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki in Thor, will reprise that role as the bad guy in The Avengers.

The Next Spidey Girl

Great write up in the latest issue of Vanity Fair (which yes I do read from time to time) on Emma Stone.  Who's Emma Stone you ask?  Only one of the top up and coming young actresses in Hollywood who just happens to be playing Gwen Stacy in next years Spidey reboot The Amazing Spider-Man.

In the article, Stone reveals one of the lowest moments in her life as the time she found out that she had lost out on the role of the cheerleader in Heroes to Hayden Panettiere.  I've got to be honest, I'm one of the biggest fanboys on earth, but I never got in to Heroes.  It never drew me in and when it got cancelled I wasn't surprised.

Needless to say, Stone came out the winner in this one.  She's got new movies on tap (by the way if you haven't seen her in Easy A, check it out, great performance) and by next summer once Andrew Garfield starts catching her in mid air in his Spidey suit, she'll be a household name.

When word got out that Stone was cast in The Amazing Spider-Man, everyone assumed she'd be playing Mary Jane Watson, for no other reason than she's a pretty red head.  But nope, a quick hair color change and bam, instant Gwen Stacy.  Why do they keep doing this with Spidey movies by the way?  Casting blondes to be Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) and casting red heads for Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard, Stone).

Stone as Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man

Looks like the sky is the limit for Stone.  I'm pretty sure she's gotten over the cheerleader thing by now.  Looking forward to her becoming a part of the next great Spider-Man movie (of which there hasn't been one since Spider-Man 2).

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review

It was better than the last one.  And really, isn't that all we can ask for?

Although for the most part Transformers: Dark of the Moon follows the same robot wars template as the previous two installments, you're not left with the stench that was blatantly apparent after the the second (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen).

Yes a lot of the reviews weren't great, but Dark of the Moon is pulling in a massive amount of cash that proves that people don't care about reviews, they just wanted to see the Transformers again and they didn't want it to suck like the second one did.  The movie succeeds in that regard.

Optimus?  Is this going to suck?  No Sam.  Not like the last time.

If you're looking for depth or a deep emotional connect, you're seeing the wrong movie.  Transformers 3 is like the most beautiful girl you've ever seen in your life who brings absolutely nothing else to the table other than her beauty.  She can't hold a conversation.  She has no life goals.  Probably hasn't talked to her father in years, but who cares?  Why?  Because she's the most beautiful girl you've ever seen.  You're going to stick around and see what happens and not let a little thing called depth of character get in the way.  And you'll keep coming back, until she know longer wants you or Rosario Dawson calls.  Whichever happens first.  Long story short, the move looks great and is worth a viewing.

And speaking of beautiful girls, kudos to director Michael Bay for not making us give a crap that Megan Fox isn't in the movie.  Apparently she pissed off Bay and Steven Spielberg and was told to kick rocks.  Enter Rose Huntington Whitely, a Victoria Secret supermodel who I'm assuming Bay met when he directed a Victoria Secret commercial (Sidenote: Nice life huh?  Excuse me, I'm gonna take a break from blowing stuff up in my movies to go film a Vicky Secret commercial of girls running around in their underwear).

I was very skeptical of this move from the beginning.  Thinking that Victoria Secret models make good actresses is exactly why we have The Tyra Banks show.  While I'm on that subject, having one of the world's nicest set of natural breast and nice eyes doesn't mean you're the next Oprah, especially if every time you try to help someone, you end up talking about yourself.  Ok, back to the review.

I went into this movie thinking Huntington Whitely would be nothing more than eye candy, and even though she was, she came off as very likable and actually did a fairly decent job acting.  But make no mistake, she's the eye candy.  Her introduction scene will go down as one of my all-time favorite intros for a female lead in a movie.  Kudos to Bay for that camera work.

As for Huntington Whitely's boy toy Sam (Shia LeBeouf), well he's recovering just fine from a break up with Megan Fox's character (whatever her name was in the movie) and is now dating Huntington Whitely (whatever her name is in the movie).  He's saved the world twice and is hoping to find a job before his parents get into town (apparently they're still spending government hush money and traveling the world in a big bus).  I will say, the relationship between Sam and his parents has always provided the funniest moments for this franchise and this time is no different.  When Sam starts having girl trouble again his mother tells him he'd better get it together because he'd be a fool to think he'll be able to bag a hot girl for a third time in a row.  Funny stuff this scene, I won't ruin the rest.

The bots?  I can honestly say I enjoyed every second they were on screen.  Both Autobots and Decepticons.  Whether they were discussing tactics or blowing each other to pieces.  Prime and Bumblebee leading the way for the good guys and Megatron and Starscream at each others throats as always (I am glad they picked up this part of their relationship from the cartoon).  Shockwave came off as the closest thing to a robot on steroids and just the fact that Laserbeak was in the movie at all was a huge treat for all the Soundwave fans out there (yes he's back to, and boy does he do a good job of spying as always).

Overall?  I enjoyed it.  It wasn't perfect.  It won't leave you speechless.  But it's enjoyable.  And if a movie is going to be over two and a half hours long, it had better be that.  Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to saving for my Camaro.  I give it eight power rings out of ten.