Captain America: One Of The Best Comic Book Movies Ever

     Let me start by saying that I loved Captain America: The First Avenger. Let me add that I am very critical of comic book movies. Whether you're a fan of the genre or not, you should see this movie. Plot, cast, character development, Easter eggs, visual appeal, and more. It is all in there and it is, make no mistake, EPIC.

  This story is all about Cap and it should be. We pick up after the Avengers and Cap is still looking for his place in this world. He is essentially a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative and is working for Nick Fury (Sam Jackson). He is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the agency's motives and ends up caught in the middle of a bigger conspiracy. He is still joined with Natasha Romanov/Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), but doesn't exactly trust her either. Labeled  a fugitive and forced to find unlikely allies, Cap must battle himself, the agency designed to protect his country, and the greatest villain he has ever faced. The Winter Soldier. The outcome will rock the existing Marvel Movie Universe.

   The casting between Jackson,Evans, and Johansson is truly special. Samuel L. Jackson is Nick Fury in every sense of the word and Scarlet Johansson balances hot with VERY believable ass kicking. It is Chris Evans that truly brings the movie to life. There were people out there who were not crazy about his performance, but he is born to be Cap. He embodies the character physically and did what Ryan Reynolds couldn't do as Green Lantern and Hannibal King. He left the idea of too much comedic silliness at home. Evans shows us Steve Roger's pain and there are times where you feel sorry for the guy. He is a man from a different time and his confusion is really fun to watch. 

   The supporting cast is possibly the best of any comic book film. Anthony Mackie is awesome and people will fall in love with The Falcon. He helps Cap find himself and becomes a really cool ally. The concept of fitting a guy with wings in the modern world is really done well and makes complete sense. His aerial attack looks fantastic and hopefully they find some room for him in the next Avengers movie. Frank Grillo doesn't disappoint as Brock Rumlow. While he doesn't don the iconic gear, sorry for the spoiler, we do see the foreshadowing and I think it will satisfy. 

  

 The story is top notch. It is a political thriller played out by comic book characters. Everything makes sense. The fight scenes are incredible! The opening battle with George St- Pierre's Batroc is a lot of fun and every fight we see with Winter Soldier is amazing. Sebastian Stan plays him like a terminator. Intense and at times looking unstoppable. He is as dark as can be and just leaps right out of the comic lore. He is a great villain and not even the biggest threat in the film. 

   The film keeps the spirit of the first one, doesn't shy from history, and paints the picture of what the film universe is becoming. It ties in with the Agents Of  S.H.I.E.L.D. show and there are plenty of character mentions from the Avengers and beyond. The scenes with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) are really touching and the wounded warrior sub plot works well. There are post credit  scenes that open up the universe even more and you get caught up in the fall out from the events here. There are little cool references to watch for, tons of action, and a strong story. It is a comic book movie that has heart and leaves it's audience hungry for Cap's next adventure. Well played Marvel. Well played.

Divergent ...Not Just Another Teen Movie?

There have been several attempts at turning books geared towards teenage girls into successful franchises. Twilight and Hunger Games were very successful. The Mortal Instruments and The Host were not.  This time around Divergent hits the big screen and it will most definitely find its audience.  It might even find its audience skews a bit older.

In Divergent, society is divided into casts, Abnegation (the selfless), Erudite (the intelligent), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Candor (the honest) make up the different groups in the world remaining after nuclear war. Children are tested to see which group they belong to. They are free to choose any group they want. Each faction has its own initiation process and anyone who fails becomes an outcast and cannot return to their origin group. Once in a while a person appears who has traits of multiple groups. These are the divergent and they are feared because they can think for themselves. Beatrice is such a person and must determine where she belongs and stop a political struggle for control.

The cast is surprisingly good.  Shailene Woodley is Tris. She has an innocent appeal and works as both versions of our heroine. Theo James might be remembered from Underworld: Awakening or Downton Abbey, but he plays the mysterious Four. Jai Courtney is Eric and he might be my favorite character. He is there to be a jerk and is really good at it. Most of the movie focuses on Tris and her attempt to become Dauntless. They are agile, strong, fearless, and tatted up.  She isn’t Katniss and doesn’t have to be. There will be comparisons, but it is a different world and she is likable hero.

The movie will not have as much mass appeal, but it is not nearly as bad as some critics are saying. The world is cool and somewhat believable and the cast meshes pretty well together. It is an introductory story and that means a lot of set up. We spend a lot of time on Dauntless and really don’t get a lot of the back story of the brewing political take over. We get hints here and there, but not enough to make you really hate any of the villains beyond Eric.  Kate Winslet isn’t a strong villain. Mekhi Phifer isn’t there enough to develop opinions. I haven’t read the book so I can only assume this will change in the next movie.

My biggest flaw with Divergent is time. It is entirely too long. The training to be Dauntless is important, but I personally would rather have seen it summed up in a long Rocky Balboa type montage. The length will deter some from really enjoying the movie. Fans will be fine, but casual movie goers will find it a little long. Not dull, but long. The sequel has already been green lit so we will see the next book come to the big screen.  It’s not as cool as Hunger Games and not as cheesy as Twilight, but all in all Divergent is worth a watch. 

Need For Speed...and a Better Movie

Need for Speed hits theaters in an attempt to fill the void left by Fast And Furious. The movie is based on a popular video game series that has been around for a while now. The game features police chases, stunts, and of course, speed.  Aaron Paul is riding his “Breaking Bad,” popularity into the starring role. There will be comparisons to the Fast Franchise, but the real question is, does Need for Speed measure up?

Toby Marshal is a country kid with a knack for racing that gets in some trouble and ends up in prison. He’s framed by a wealthy business associate and wants revenge. He gets a spectacular mustang from a hot British girl and enters a winner take all illegal street race. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as Toby tries to clear his name and save his family business.

The fans of the game will recognize a lot of the stunts and they play a little better in the game than in reality. It’s all about fast cars and illegal racing. The story is easy to follow, but it doesn’t connect as well as the fast movies do.  Things happen a little too fast and no pun is intended. The scale of the movie just feels a bit off.

The cast isn’t bad. I think we are all accustomed to Vin and the crew and this cast seems to lack a little bit of appeal in comparison. Imogene Poots is ok, but she isn’t enough to carry the movie. Michael Keaton is quirky and the rest of Paul’s team lacks the charisma of Torreto’s crew. I hate to keep comparing the two movies, but it is really hard not to do so. It has stunts, action and great looking cars, but I am not sure there’s enough gas in the tank to carry this potential franchise.

300 Rise Of A Companion Movie

   300 left a lot of people wanting more. It's visual style put Zack Snyder on the map and it is still one of the coolest looking movies of the last 10 years. 300 Rise of an Empire follows suite visually and takes us back to ancient Greece. The film isn't a sequel in the true sense. The majority of the story actually takes place during the events of 300. We get glimpses of Leonidas and are reintroduced to a few familiar faces.

      The Persian Army under the command of Xerxes marches towards Greece. While Leonidas and his 300 Spartans stand against him, another war is waged on the sea. The Democratic city of Athens, has a powerful navy, led by admiral Themistocles. Themistocles is forced to an unwilling alliance with the rival Spartans in hopes to defeat the vast Persian Army. Politics, a fractured land, and a daunting Persian commander threaten the fates of the world.

     Gerard Butler is replaced by Sulivan Stapelton, who most will not recognize. He is Themistocles and he dreams of a united Greece. His army is small, but like the 300, determined. Much of the war is fought on sea. The fight scenes are beautiful. Ballet and visual elegance. The naval battles are impressive and the way they weave together with the original story is nearly flawless. Themistocles isn't as brash as Leonidas, but he is a smart leader. He is battle tested and it is a shame we don't see them both fight side by side.

  Despite what you think, this story is about Artemesia. She is a former Greek and commander of the Persian fleet. She is cold, calculating, and responsible for Xerxes rise to power. She is the right balance of evil and like able. While Eva Green is getting older, she is aging like a fine wine. She has a commanding presence and looks great on screen.

  We do see a glimpse of how the god king is created, but this isn't really his story. He is the cause of the united Greece, but he doesn't see the majority of villain time. He looks as good as in 300, but he doesn't see much of the action in this go round.  The movie looks fantastic. The battles are fun to watch and it leaves you wanting more. Which is good because the stage is set for the inevitable third chapter.  I liked the first film better, but this is a nice compliment to the story. I would call it a sequel. It is definitely a companion.

Non Stop....Guessing Game

    It's winter which means it's time for Liam Neeson to step into the aging hero role. I don't say this as a knock. The characters that he has brought us in the last couple of years solidify him as a legit bad ass. This time around, all of the action is on a flight over the Atlantic. Neeson has become good at playing a physical, but also thinking man's hero. Non Stop is being billed as mid air thrill ride and does have some expectations to live up to.

  Liam Neeson plays Air Marshal Bill Marks who begins an investigation to find out who is putting his fellow passengers at risk. There are a series of texts that threaten lives every twenty minutes.  unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account. The situation gets worse when Neeson discovers he is being framed as a terrorist. 


  

   Julianne Moore becomes is unlikely ally and together they have to unravel the plot before their time literally runs out. The film does a great job of keeping you guessing. You know twists are coming, but you're never really sure where it will come from. You are introduced to several characters and even when you think you know who the villain is, you end up wrong. A decent concept and filled with more than a few political undertones. It definitely plays on the public fear of what may happen on planes. 

   I appreciate that they give Neeson's character real world problems. He is a troubled guy who is forced to do his job and we never really know who to trust. I wish his dialogue was bit more memorable Ala Taken, but the film works. The situation gets a little far etched towards the end, but it certainly isn't a bad watch. I will not say that Non Stop is a wall to wall thriller, but it does keep your attention. In a nut shell, interesting more than exciting. 

What's In A Word.

Words are powerful. The right ones can make you have a better day, put a smile on someone’s face, and give the world a reason to feel better about it.  The wrong words cut worse than a knife, last longer than a bruise, and can bring anyone to a new low.  One word in particular has been associated with negativity for longer than most of us have been alive. I will not type it because it isn’t one that has really ever been a part of my vocabulary.

                I am a white male and the fact that I am choosing to write about this issue might irritate some. The NFL would like to begin penalizing players for using the,”N,” word. I have heard several arguments from both sides and some are compelling. One being that it is still a place of work and respect should be shown. The other side feels they shouldn’t be told how to talk to their peers.  In most cases, it’s a discussion that we white folk shouldn’t touch. I have never been much of a rule follower.

            We give words power based on reaction to them.  I am not saying that we should ignore bad words. I am saying that we should all grow tougher skins.  This word in particular has puzzled me for a while, but here is the reality. We will never eliminate racial type slurs from society. Too many people speak without thinking and use freedom of speech as their excuse.  I do have a problem with this word more than a lot of others.  I think my biggest problem with it is actually simple.  Black people can’t seem to figure out if it is a bad word or not.  Try and follow me.

                If I as a white man use the word I am considered an offensive racist. If a black person refers to another black person by the same word, he isn’t racist or offensive. This is where the problem starts. If we are going to deem a word bad, then it should be universal.  Rappers and athletes should pick a different word to wear like a badge of honor. Most of us, the younger generation, have little concept of respect. We should all respect those who came before and appreciate the negative connotations of their struggles. In the last few days, the older generation finds the word offensive and the younger doesn’t.

                To the younger generation, regardless of skin color, I say get a clue.  Learn from what has come before and respect them by doing better. I have little sympathy for the NFL, NBA, or any professional athlete. You are blessed with the ability to attain a job that less than 7% of the world will ever attain. Like it or not, a different set of rules come with those positions.  Do it better than the other guy. You are a role model whether you would like to be or not. Period.  All of us mimicked the behavior of those around us when we were young. Lead by example. If your parents or siblings referred to people by negative words, than you most likely did the same at some point. Break the damn cycle. Accept that every work place has codes of conduct and follow them.

                The world needs a reality check.  The black community needs to figure out what’s offensive and make it universally so. We judge success based on money and not behavior. We excuse things that we shouldn’t and we have lost touch with the word respect.  I am offended when I hear that word because I think we can do better. We forget that people don’t always find the same things we do funny. The world would be an amazing place if we could just learn to respect the people around us. No matter how different they are.  I am so amazed that we still have issues based on skin color in 2014. It scares me to think that after all the struggles, strife, and victories that we haven’t really learned a thing.

Pompeii: An Eruption Of Mediocrity

    Reading the title makes you think seeing this film is a waste of time. I wouldn't go that far, but I think that it's billed to be a more epic movie than what you will get. If you went to school, you were told the story of Pompeii. A city of greed built at the base of a volcano. One day the volcano erupts and the city and it's people are destroyed. Not spoilers. Just the facts. It seems like a group of people were sitting around a table and said, "what if we put Spartacus in the middle of Pompeii?" They of course did this without the sex, gore, and character development that Spartacus offered. That being said, you get a toned down gladiator film.

   
     We are taken back to 79 A.D. and to a time of Roman dominance. Milo (Kit Harrington) watches his people massacred and is sold into slavery and eventually becomes a gladiator. He encounters the daughter of a wealthy merchant, Cassia (Emily Browning). She has been offered to a corrupt senator named Corvis (Kiefer Sutherland). He befriends another gladiator fights for his freedom and to save his love while the city literally comes down around him.

   It sounds good, but it just doesn't play as well on the screen. The love story is a little rushed. It doesn't have the epic feel that you would like. The friendship between the gladiators is fun, but in the end just doesn't come across as well as on Spartacus: Blood and Sand. I was never really swept away by Pompeii. It's a shame because I really liked all of the actors.

  Kiefer Sutherland was great as the conniving senator. He was charming and ruthless. He had a little John Kendrick mixed with Comonus and it really plays well. Sutherland is a great bad guy. He was a highlight for me. I wish the script was less rushed and we saw a bit more of his back story. He seemed like he was having fun with the movie and it was refreshing. Good villain is a requirement for me. 

  I am a fan of Game of Thrones and Kit Harrington. He doesn't do anything wrong per say. He is beyond believable as a gladiator. The fight scenes are very cool, but not quite as epic as the need to be. He is the one character who is completely understood. He lost his family, his people, and has nothing to live for. It's not a complex character, but we do see multiple sides of him.

  The destruction is there, but it wasn't as epic of a visual as I expected. I was more disturbed by the destruction of Metropolis in Man of Steel than here. The film tries to be historically accurate and while I appreciate that, I would have rather seen liberties taken. The movie borrows from Gladiator and Spartacus, but feels like a cable TV movie. It has some good moments, but it lacks enough depth to make it great. The 3D isn't necessary and in the the end Pompeii erupts with disappointment.