A Late Monday Movie Mania - Captain America: Brave New World

DH and I went to see Captain America: Brave New World over President's Day Weekend. I wanted to go see it when it came out on Valentine's Day, but we had a series of ice storms. As much as I love the MCU, I'm not risking my life because other people won't treat ice with respect.

Now here's my lecture:

Okay, kids. You can't tell me the latest Captain America isn't being sunk by the current fascists in our country because he's Black, one of his sidekicks is Jewish, and the other is Mexican-American. I've been a comics reader for nearly sixty years. Sam Wilson has been Captain America off and on for a few decades, mainly on for the last ten years. Just like at various times Storm and Rogue, along with Jane Porter, have been the official Asgardian God of Thunder. The douchebros telling you otherwise are lying.

I was hoping Sam would take over as Cap in the MCU, too. When Anthony Mackie first appeared on screen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I knew he'd make an awesome Falcon, and an even more awesome Captain America. It was even more special when Steve handed over the mantle, ur, rather the shield, to Sam at the end of Avengers:Endgame because he lived by the same values espoused by the Greatest Generation.

So here's the rest of my thoughts on Captain America: Brave New World:


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SPOILERS!!

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PROS
1) I'll say this again, Anthony Mackie is the perfect guy to play Sam Wilson/Captain America. He conveys that Sam has the same resolute sense of right and wrong as Steve, but he's got communication skills that Steve didn't quite master, which is why I loved this movie. He used his non-superhero counseling skills on two fellow service members in bad situations which makes Sam even more of a hero in my book.

2) My first point segues into this: There's more than one way to "win". Sometimes, saving the "bad guy" from himself is more important than beating the crap out of him.

3) Harrison Ford did a nice job of replacing General, now President, Thaddeus Ross. While I miss William Hurt in the role, Ford's version actually showed regret for what Ross did to his daughter in The Incredible Hulk. Even more tragic, Ross doesn't turn into the Red Hulk by his own volition as in the comics. He's slowly being poisoned by The Leader in revenge for keeping him enslaved for nearly two decades.

4) Point 3 leads to the delightful return of Tim Blake Nelson. Marvel teased that Nelson's character Samuel Sterns would become The Leader shortly before the climatic battle in The Incredible Hulk. Although he's never addressed as The Leader here, Sterns' revenge plot to turn Ross into exactly what he hates the most makes an appropriate twist on the original stories.

5) The first appearance of Sabra! Instead of being a former Mossad agent, the movie execs made the character a former Widow. I understand the change considering the current Gaza War, but that didn't stop anti-semites from blasting her appearance. Personally, I would have rather seen a story where she and Cap are working together against a global threat with her actual comic power set. However, that would have been difficult under the current storylines since Ruth Bat-Seraph (Sabra) is a mutant (and the MCU just introduced adamantium). I still think Shira Haas did a wonderful job, and I hope we see her again!

6) This flick also introduces the new Falcon. (Sorry, folks! We ain't going backward!) Joaquin Torres is simply adorable as the gung-ho Air Force Lt. Danny Ramirez who is dying to become the new Falcon. He reminds me of the new recruits my own son taught at one of the bases where he was posted.

7) My favorite part was  Liv Taylor back as Betty Ross. I wish they hadn't cut so many of her scenes. I think it would have added to poignancy to Ford's performance. However it was nice they've tied up the ends to The Incredible Hulk original storyline.


CONS
1) My only gripe is that a superb actor like Giancarlo Esposito was wasted in this movie. Giancarlo has excelled as a baddie in so many different projects. His Sidewinder and the Serpent Society would have been better as a solo antagonist(s) to Captain America.


Overall, this is my favorite Captain America movie. I give it 10 stars out of 10.

It's Been a Busy Monday and I Can't Shut Off My Mind

I know, I know. Monday is usually Movie Mania Day, but DH and I haven't gone to the theater in a while. That will probably change after the Super Bowl. We're cutting out a streaming service.(We've already axed Apple+.) Plus, we've got the monthly deal at our local AMC theater. The subscription pays for itself in just two movies, and there's a few new flicks coming out this month I absolutely want to see. (Hint: Captain America 4 starts to lay the groundwork for the X-men to join the MCU.)

Our 2024 returns were electronically filed tonight. Seriously, this is the earliest I've ever had my taxes done, but dammit, I want my refund before a certain douche bro raids the IRS.

After I dropped off the check for out new CPA, I finish the first draft of Feline Navidad this afternoon in a rush of mad typing at Starbucks.

Tonight, I worked on Death Goddess Fighting while sprinting with gal pals in Idaho.

So, tomorrow will be my breather day. A day between writing and editing where I work on some other creative things. I sorted through dolls and came across some original Jem & the Holograms dolls.

These figures were the reason I started into repainting and rerooting dolls. These poor toys were ones I'd stripped for clothing and accessories I was missing from my collection. I couldn't throw them away or resell them. The animated show meant too much to me.

As I was working, I got to thinking. It's been ten years since the disastrous Jon Chu big screen adaption failed on its first week in theaters. Seriously, when DH and I walked out of Wicked two and a half months ago, he asked me what I thought.

The first thing out of my mouth: "At least, Jon Chu didn't fuck up this one."

I can't blame everything on Mr. Chu. Hasbro threw an easy nine figures to do decent versions of Transformers and G.I. Joe, but only threw a measly $5M into the Jem production.

Anyway, Jem & the Hologram's fortieth anniversary is this year. I think it's time to give the girls a makeover.

And that, gentlefolk, is the hamster wheel of my mind.

Monday Movie Mania - Captain America: Civil War

When you tell a story, you need to tell a complete story that makes sense within that world. I think that's what a lot of movie makers forget.

Out of all the blockbuster movies I've seen in the last six months, only two movies hit all the right notes: Deadpool and this one. Whereas, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice left out a few parts to make the whole cohesive.

Frankly, I want to go see Civil War again to pick up all the things I know I missed.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) While even I've been making cracks about Civil War being Avengers 2.5, this is most definitely a sequel to Captain America: Winter Soldier. And this isn't so much a Steve Rogers story as a Bucky Barnes story. While the main story is roughly analogous to the comics mini-series Civil War, the addition of the U.N. hunting down Bucky gives the story more heft than the philosophical debate of safety versus freedom the comics got bogged down in.

2) General Ross, now Secretary of Defense Ross, is finally back, his first appearance since 2008's The Incredible Hulk. It's just a pity they couldn't use him more, but this thing clocks in at two and a half hours. (Bathroom break before claiming a seat and no liquids during are a definite must!)

3) The writers did the right thing by inserting T'Challa/Black Panther's origin story here. No need to waste time when the Black Panther movie comes out. A pity Marvel doesn't have film rights to the X-Men because I would love to see Storm guest-star in in his flick.

4) The Vision/Scarlet Witch romance is being left in though it hits a major bump here. Yay!

5) The consequences were a little more realistic for Cap's team than they were in the comics.

6) I absolutely LOVE how they inserted Redwing into the movie!

7) ALL the character arcs made sense. Usually someone gets left out, but all twelve super-heroes were accounted for.


CONS
1) This is my vanity speaking, but Marisa Tomei is my age. SHE IS TOO FUCKING YOUNG TO BE PLAYING AUNT MAY!!!


This is a definite 10 out of 10 stars! So go see it!

Second Most Anticipated Movie of 2016

Okay, I'll give you folks a Deadpool break. The other movie I'm looking forward to is Avengers 2.5.

Monday Movie Mania - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

I wasn't that cracked about the first Captain America movie, but the sequel more than made up for it. The juxtaposition of someone from the Greatest Generation dealing with the fucked up world we have today made Steve Rogers shine.

*** SPOILERS***

Oh Goddess, where do I start?

1) I think in my secret heart-of-hearts I hoped Marvel Studios would tap the Winter Soldier storyline. Sebastian Stan did a delicious job as James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes in the first Captain America movie. In this case, making Bucky the same age as Cap instead of his junior sidekick, as well as having the two of them being childhood friends, twisted the knife even more cruelly when Steve discovers what has been done to Bucky.

2) Two sidekicks in one movie! Just as Bucky had been Cap's sidekick in the '40's comics, Falcon filled that role in the '70's, aka my childhood. I'm thankful that the writers turned Sam Wilson back to his social services roots (as a returning veterans counselor in the movie) as opposed to the pimp/drug dealer an asshole comic writer retconned Sam into when I was a kid. (The retcon in the book seriously pissed me off even as a kid. Heaven forbid a black man be a respectable citizen!)

3) Black Widow kicking ass. 'Nuff said.

4) Yeesh! The effects this movie will have Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s storyline! I'm a little upset about Sitwell, and I'll be even more upset if May follows in his footsteps, which seems to be where the storyline is going. But the rest of the season should be very interesting!

5) Chris Evans has finally found his happy place as Cap. Over Christmas, I re-watched Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers. I'm more aware of how stiff Chris was in the first movie. I'm not sure how much was the directing and how much was him, but I think that's what contributing to my dissatisfaction with the first movie. In The Avengers, I think working with RDJ made Chris step up his game. In this one, he obviously feels a lot more comfortable donning the star-spangled suit.

6) The "ripped from the headlines" story was a pleasant surprise. The writers did an incredible job of adapting the Snowden incident to the Marvel world with the correspondingly devastating ramifications.


Overall, I'd give this movie a 9 out of 10.

And If I See Thor. . .

. . .then I have to watch Cap.