Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger Directed by: Joe Johnston
Cast: Chris Evans as Captain America / Steve Rogers
Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter
Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Chester Phillips
Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt / Red Skull
Stanley Tucci as Dr. Abraham Erskine

Rated PG-13

*The following may contain spoilers*

Here we are; the final movie before The Avengers. As a stereotypical nerd boy, Captain America is quite the milestone for me. But, not just as a springboard for the greatest superhero movie ever. No, Old Cap returning to theaters is a big step for a lot of reasons.

See, Captain America is kind of the Superman of the Marvel universe, a Superman without powers. Cap was introduced simply to boost the American morale. He was supposed to be the American hero that everyone wanted 9hence the name). He was the ordinary guy that could save the world.

Captain America was first brought to life in the 1940’s in the middle of World War II. Steve Rogers was just an American kid; scrawny and weak, yet he never ran from a fight. Despite his size, Steve was courageous and brave and wanted nothing more than to serve his country. According to the movie, Steve tried and failed to get into the army five times before one Dr. Abraham Erskine discovered him. Dr. Erskine was a scientist who had the idea for a formula that would amplify every characteristic of the human body; cells, muscles, heart rate, metabolism, everything was amplified… including your basic human characteristics. This is why Steve was chosen. The man who always lost, but never ran. The man who did not accept defeat and whose patriotism never faltered. Steve Rogers became the patriot with a shield that America needed. He became Captain America.

What I Liked:

Captain America was just an amazing movie. From the graphics to comic homage to the sheer wit in some of the lines, Marvel did everything perfectly. Originally, I had my doubts about it being set in the 1940’s as I wasn’t really sure how they would make the transition, but they pulled it off beautifully.

As I said, there was a lot of tribute paid to the comics, and that’s always really nice to see. Much like the original comics in the 40’s, the movie focused on Stan Lee’s created villain Hydra. Hydra represents a big villain element in most of the Marvel comic worlds and it makes sense that they may show up in The Avengers; if not in the upcoming one, then very soon. The point of this tangent is that Hydra was handled very well. Like in the comics, Hydra uses very advanced technology that takes you out of the era. Despite being in the past, the technology used makes you feel like you’re watching a comic book and that’s really a fun thing to experience. Especially since all of the technology is purposefully campy with a very 40’s comedy style.
It also helps take away from the dark element of World War II, which is what Cap’s creators always intended to do. He was made to lift the spirits of the country, not depress them with seriousness and the movie handles this very well. Despite the serious threat that Hydra presented, you can’t help but have fun on Cap’s adventure. 

Marvel always does a great job of tying their movies together, especially in this giant launching pad they’re building. And Captain America was no exception. Since this particular chapter was set in the past, the references were fewer but they still got them in there. My personal favorite was getting to see Mr. Howard Stark (Tony Stark/Iron Man’s dad) in action. Showcasing all of the charm, wit and suave audiences have come to expect from the Stark family, it was easy to see where Tony got it.
 

I also really loved the (SPOILER ALERT) plot immersion of the Cosmic Cube, last seen in Thor. Despite its inclusion in the hidden cut scene after Thor’s credits, I wasn’t completely sure how prominent a part it would play in The Avengers. Captain America confirmed that it will be a crucial element and, just from what we saw in the last two movies, Joss the Boss’ possibilities with it are endless.

Another personal favorite is the now standard way that Marvel pokes fun at itself, particularly their original costumes. Captain America was no different, using his original costume to promote sales of war bonds. It’s just tiny details like these that satisfy the nerd in me.  

What I Didn’t Like:

Much like Harry Potter, there was nothing in Captain America that I couldn’t look past. 

However, that will not stop me from whining about them in this section.

I mentioned above that Cap sells war bonds in the movie. That’s fine and good, provides comic relief and all that, but it went on for 20 minutes. I was over it in about five. Let’s go kill some Nazi’s already!

Also, there was a general feeling of hurriedness in the middle, particularly in a montage of Cap blowing up Hydra bases and I would have just liked to have spent a little more time on that.

Finally, I almost wish that they had started the whole thing differently. Without giving anything major away, the beginning kind of sets up that Cap will not have a happy ending. And, even though I knew how Cap made it to the present, I would have liked a surprise element, and I’m sure the non-obsessed people of the world would have too. It also would have made the ending a lot more tense and suspenseful which never hurts.

Final Thoughts:

Captain America was incredible. Touching on every point that made Iron Man great, Marvel has hit their stride. Captain America was amazing on its own, but as a springboard tie-in, it was mind-blowing. Chris Evans makes a fantastic Captain and he will make a fine addition to the team. However, no matter how great these movies get, I can’t help just wanting moreTony Stark. Hurry up, 2012. I’m ready to assemble.

When Should You See It?
If you're into the Marvel movies at all, go see this immediately. It's beautiful.
If you're not, well then it's pretty good for a weekend outing.


Personal Rating: 8 of 10
Plot: 8 of 10
Drugs/Alcohol: 1 of 10
Steve and his friends go to a bar and are shown drinking beer. Steve once attempts to get drunk but reveals that, thanks to the serum, he cannot.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Directed by: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort
Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape
Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom
Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
Rated PG-13


*The following may contain spoilers*
Monumental. That is the only word that can accurately describe the Harry Potter franchise. Shaping a generation, it seems as though the last fifteen years have been filled with Potter-fever, with first the books and then the movie adaptions. Now, it all comes to an end.

Sure, the final book came out several years ago, but the movies were still there, offering the promise of seeing our imaginations come to life. No, none of them were perfect but they never disappointed either. And now, they are gone. As I sat in the theater, watching the eighth movie finishing the events of book seven I couldn't help thinking that this is the end. After this, Harry Potter will be no more. It's a harsh thing to consider after the ten years of cinema, but the tagline for Part 2 holds true: "It All Ends" when the credits roll.

(*EDITORS NOTE* I'm going to write this review as if the readers know something or everything about Harry Potter up until this point. If you know nothing, go get the books. Or, here's the Wikipedia link.)

What I Liked:
As I said, none of these movies were perfect, seeing as how perfectly adapting a novel as epic and encompassing as any of the Harry Potter novels is a task made impossible unless each film is four hours long.
However, Part 2 gives the most room for creative liberty as the whole thing is essentially a giant battle sequence and the director did a great job. From the giant magic shield to the stone knight army, the added sequences only increased the action and greatness.

The script writers also did a great job, adapting some of the dialogue to allow some of the "smaller" movie characters there time in the spotlight. Professor McGonagall specifically comes to mind. One of my favorite characters in the book, i was always bummed that she didn't have more screen time. Part 2 really helps her shine though, allowing her to show off her skills with a wand, humor and gives a nod to the closer relationship she and harry had in the books.
There were also several subtle final moments with beloved characters that I felt went a long way for the fans. it was nice to see their deaths treated with the respect they deserved instead of being gruesome and vile for the sake of blood.
Credit is also due to Ms. J.K. Rowling herself as the original plot called for characters such as Neville Longbottom to finally rise to glory.

The visuals throughout were also great as a whole. The destruction of Horcruxes was particularly impressive as each time we saw a piece of Voldemort die. That was a lot cooler to me than just having the item shrivel; having it react and be as frightening as Voldemort himself was a nice element.
Like most fans of the book, I really enjoyed the addition of a physical scene in the Chamber of Secrets. It helped to tie all of the movies together and the kiss was long overdue.

Finally, you just can't deny the emotional ties that were in there. Whether it was seeing the book come to life or the final meeting with the characters I love so much or a combination of both, I cried inside the theater. I'll admit it. The sheer euphoric joy I felt as the battle began filled my eyes with tears of happiness, which quickly turned to sobs of mourning. Definitely some high emotions in this thing.

What I Didn't Like:
I'm going to be honest here. There is literally nothing I can hold against this movie. Of course, I have several fan complaints, but I won't get into that (but seriously, we could have fixed his wand). Instead, I'm focusing on the positives, seeing it for what it is: a great book adaption with stunning visuals and amazing use of creative freedom.


Final Thoughts: 
As I said, I loved this movie with my entire being. However, seeing it and then writing this review is bittersweet. While i am so very much in love with it, this movie really does mark the end of an era. As the credits rolled and Harry's theme played for the final time, I realized that it was over, for good.

You will be missed, Harry Potter, though I look forward to reading and watching you repeatedly for the rest of days. Goodbye, my friend. May you never be forgotten.

When Should You See It?
If you're reading this, you've already seen it, so go again.

Personal Rating: 9 of 10
Plot:10 of 10
Spiritual Aspects: 2 of 10




Oh, and for all you fans out there, here's a little brain explosion for you: the real story of the Deathly Hallows.

Larry Crowne

Larry Crowne
Directed by: Tom Hanks
Cast: Tom Hanks as Larry Crowne
Julia Roberts as Mercedes Taniot
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Talia
Cedric The Entertainer as Lamar
Wilmer Valderrama as Dell Gordo
Bryan Cranston as Dean Tainot
George Takei as Dr. Matsutani
Rated PG-13

*The following may contain spoilers*

Life is hectic. No matter how many plans we have or goals we set, life has a way of rewriting and redirecting our paths. And with these changes come decisions; the decision of how to handle the strife that comes your way. Consistently, there are only two choices. You can choose to find the bright side in life, or choose to focus on the negatives. It is these choices that make us human, through these decisions, we bare our soul. They are the essence of humanity and Larry Crowne showcases them beautifully.

Directed by Tom Hanks himself, Larry Crowne tells the story of man of the same name. When we first meet Larry, he has one passion: customer service. He takes his job at the Wal-Mart type store very seriously. Great to customers, everyone loves Larry and everyone expects him to make employee of the month once again. However, life hits in the form of the corporate heads firing Larry due to his lack of a college degree.
After a brief spiral into the black hole of unemployment, Larry chooses to see the positives and decides to return to college and get his degree, as well as beginning the journey to better himself.

Enter Mercedes Tainot, not "tie-not" but "tay-know", an English professor at the local community college. Mercedes is stuck in a rut, teaching passionless students the very thing she used to have a passion for. Mrs. Tainot goes through her day just trying to avoid the horrors of her classes, counting students to make sure there are enough to even justify the class. After school, she returns home to a deadbeat husband and the highlight of her day: a margarita.
Mercedes' life has not turned out the way she wanted it to and she has chosen to focus on the negatives. Thankfully, one particular student named Larry Crowne is about to change her outlook on life.

What I Liked: 
In case you couldn't tell already, I took a slightly deeper meaning away from Larry Crowne. With the all-too-regular occurrences of unemployment and foreclosures in the world today, Larry Crowne offers a brighter, achievable reality. When the credits roll, the Larry we see is not the Larry we met; the change in him is evident, and even for the better. He's confident, on a new track and out of debt. And these did not occur through some Hollywood plot device. It is all because of his outlook and this fact offers something for everyone to take away.
While all of your problems may not disappear overnight, life does become considerably easier when you choose to focus on the good. The world just seems a little bit brighter.

On top of the inspiring plot, the cast is really what brings the film together. As you may have noticed at the top of the article, this film is pretty heavily star-studded. Each cast member plays their part perfectly, bringing a life and character to them so strong that it's easy forget that they are just acting.
The combination of all these different characters really create the perfect storm of ordinary, each bringing a different stereotype to the mix. While simplistic in theory, the execution turned out really well and the whole film came together in a way that felt real.
George Takei (the original Star Trek Sulu) and Wilmer Valderrama (Fez from That's 70's Show) deserve special mention, as each steal the scene every time they come on screen. Takei is hysterical as the slightly-crazy Economics professor and Valderrama is simply amazing as the jealous boyfriend that walks in at the wrong time. If you're fans of either of these actors, they alone make it worth your time.

These two things, the cast and the plot, is really all there is to Larry Crowne. There are no special effects or unnecessary and pathetic attempts at comedy. That alone puts it above most of the other movies out right now.


What I Didn't Like: 
I really did love this movie and almost everything about it. There were just two hiccups in the whole thing that I felt could have been smoother.

*SPOILER ALERT* Mercedes and Larry kind of get together in the end of it. Kind of could have seen that coming.
Anyways, the first thing kind of bothered me was that their "relationship" felt really sudden and somewhat forced. I would have preferred a little more obvious chemistry between the two before the first kiss, or maybe just no cliche get together at all.

The second thing was the character of Mercedes. I love Julia Roberts and she did an amazing job, but the footage the movie had her transition from grouch to sunflower pretty quickly. Once again, it just felt a little awkward that she changed so quickly. I feel that the whole thing could have been fixed with one or two more scenes of her dealing with her private life.

Final Thoughts:
Those really are my only two issues with the entire film. The whole thing is just a beautiful piece of movie magic that gets back to the basics of what film making should be. Relying on the talent of your cast instead of effects really does wonders for the quality of movie, in my humble opinion. The whole thing was genuine and heartfelt throughout, never missing a beat in it's subtle reflection on the hardships that we all face at some point in our lives. For the first time in a while, you can take something home from the movie that isn't an over priced snack. Thank you, Larry Crowne.

When Should You See It?
If you thought anything in this review or description was interesting, go see it. It's worth your time and money in every way.

Personal Rating: 8 of 10
Plot: 7 of 10
Sexuality/Sensuality: 3 of 10
Mercedes' husband is once seen looking at pictures of bikini-clad women on his computer and Mercedes references his "sitting at home and watching porn" all day. Mercedes also thinks that Larry and his 20-something friend, Talia are sleeping together.

Drugs/Alcohol: 2 of 10

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo
Directed by: Thomas Bezucha
Cast: Selena Gomez as Grace / Cordelia Winthrop Scott
Katie Cassidy as Emma
Leighton Meester as Meg
Cory Monteith as Owen
Catherine Tate as Alicia Winthrop Scott




Rated PG


*The following may contain spoilers*
Every once in a while, there's a movie that just looks too cute to be bad. You see the commercial and smile from the simplistic premise of it all. Monte Carlo is that movie for the summer. Well, Monte Carlo and Winnie the Pooh.

Monte Carlo is about a girl named Grace. Desperate to escape her small Texas town, Grace has been planning and saving for a trip to Europe throughout high school. With graduation over, Grace, accompanied by her best friend Emma and stepsister Meg head out on their tour of France.

Things don't go according to plan however and before long, the girls have been abandoned by their tour while seeing the Eiffel Tower. Lost and wet in the convenient rainstorm, the girls duck into the lobby of a fancy hotel where Grace is mistaken for a British heiress, Cordelia Winthrop Scott and is rushed to her suite. After a night in a massive room and fluffy bed, the girls decide to take Cordelia's place at a charity event that weekend in Monte Carlo. Let the adventures begin!


What I Liked: 
Selena Gomez first came onto the scene in Wizards of Waverly Place, Disney's attempt at Harry Potter. Despite Selena's natural talent, the show constricts her. Mostly because it's Disney. Anyways, I really liked seeing her come alive in this movie. She really does a great job portraying both characters; the sweet and sensitive Grace, as well as the snobby and spoiled Cordelia. It was just really fun to see her getting to stretch her wings and show off her talent.
While Selena shined, credit cannot be denied from her supporting cast. Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy have great chemistry with Selena and each other, even though they're supposed to hate each other. The three of them work really well together and held the whole film together.

Despite the unoriginal plot, Monte Carlo did a good job with keeping it real and fresh. The characters grow and learn things from the experience. It added a good element to the whole film and left you happy with the characters once it's over.

What I Didn't Like: 
As I said in the opening, this movie really was too adorable to be bad. There are the obvious flaws, but most can be overlooked. The only thing that really bothered me would the lack of more Cordelia. Selena really did a great job with that character and it was so out of her normal range that I would have loved to see her in a more prominent role.
The only other thing would be the stress factor. Maybe I just get too into the movies I see, but Monte Carlo really stressed me out. All of the conflict came in about five minutes and just kept escalating. It wasn't done badly, it was just so sudden and slightly intense that I kind of freaked out. No big deal.

Final Thoughts:
Monte Carlo is not a complicated film. Simplistic and fun in both content and execution, there is not a lot to get from it. It will not win any awards or get very high ratings, but they're not going for that. Monte Carlo is simple, summer fun that entertains and pleases and that's really all there is to it.

When Should You See It?
If you're looking for something fun and clean in the theaters, Monte Carlo is perfect and you should go now.
If you have no interest at all, you're okay to wait for the DVD.


Personal Rating: 7 of 10
Plot: 4 of 7

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Directed by: Michael Bay
Cast: Shia LeBeouf as Sam Witwicky
Josh Duhamel as Commander Lennox
John Turturro as Simmons
Tyrese Gibson as Epps
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Carly
Patrick Dempsey as Dylan

Rated PG 13

*The following may contain spoilers*
The Transformers franchise is kind of the "black sheep" of my DVD collection. I was never a huge fan of the action figures growing up and by the time I got around to watching Michael Bay's renditions, the hype was dying down, so I was never enamored by them. Sure, the first two were entertaining, but I have to admit, I was never excited for the third one. Revenge of the Fallen lacked the integrity of the first and just felt like it was trying too hard and I didn't feel like it deserved a sequel.
However, once I saw the trailer, I was pretty pumped to see the graphics. So, like every other fanboy, I saw it opening weekend. I probably could have waited.

Dark of the Moon begins about two years after Revenge of the Fallen. Sam Witwicky has been honored as a hero and received a medal from Obama. Now, after breaking up with Mikayla (their lame excuse to write out Megan Fox), Sam is sitting around, mooching off his new girlfriend and wishing he was someone important, not unlike Shia LaBeouf's real life.

Wait, he might be homeless.

Meanwhile, in the world of the things I payed to see and actually care about, the Autobots have discovered a lost and ancient warship on the dark side of the moon.Of course, it contains some type of weapon that the Decepticons want too, so they all start this massive race to the moon and it's only a matter of minutes before things start exploding. Kind of like the 60's.

Thank you, Simon

What I Liked: 
Say what you want about the rest of the movie (and believe me, I will), but the effects were outstanding. I've got a weakness for giant robots fighting through the streets of Washington while lightning fires into the sky behind them.
The plot for Dark of the Moon was also good, and definitely a lot better than I expected. Somehow, they managed to stay original after three movies and you've always got to respect that.
 
What I Didn't Like: 
Unfortunately, my good thoughts are overshadowed by the bad ones.
Let's start with the length of the movie. Two and a half hour movies are only allowed for those that are clearly epic, such as Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. These franchises deserve two and a half hours of my time. However, when the movie is out to fill a time limit when they're first writing it, it just doesn't work. This is how Dark of the Moon felt. Instead of being 150 minutes of enthralling awesomeness, it was 150 minutes of up-and-down plot that went from awesome robot battles to Sam's relationship issues and I found myself growing bored to the point where I just wanted it to be over by the time the climax rolled around. I feel like the whole thing could have been a lot more enjoyable if they had kept it to 2 hours or less.

Next, let's discuss Sam's relationship issues, as I mentioned above. I personally felt that Megan Fox contributed something to the first two movies; she saved the day in the first one by dragging Bumblebee around and, even though she was more of a token hot girl in the second, you still got the feeling that she didn't need Sam and she could take care of her self. This new chick, Carly, is literally just there to look pretty.

She probably can't beat you up.

Carly spends the entire movie in a skintight outfit and sitting kidnapped in the bad guy's office. That's right; she's the damsel in distress and is the reason that Sam goes to ground zero. It was pathetic. It gets worse when, after running through ash, soot and bullets, Carly is unscathed, hair and make-up perfectly arranged.  Carly seriously had no point in this movie.
On the same, but a weaker note, I can kind of understand Sam landing Megan Fox; she's kind of naturally attractive and, you know, it's Hollywood. Carly though looks like, dresses like and apparently has the money of a supermodel. How did Shia LaBeouf of all people manage to pull that off?! Make's no sense. At all.


As I said in my intro, I really wasn't expecting much plot-wise and really only paid to see the giant robot fights and sexy cars. Frankly, there were not enough of those. The plot focused too much on Sam's emotional drama and quest to be somebody and not on the Transformers. Last I checked, I paid $7.00 to see TRANSFORMERS: Dark of the Moon, not How Shia LaBeouf Made Something of His Life. Which is good, because that would have been false advertising.


Final Thoughts:
My friend once gave me his theory on Michael Bay movies: "The first one is great, the second one is terrible but the third one will always have great graphics." You were almost right, dude. I just wish the graphics would have been a little more frequent in this one. Overall, I didn't hate the film and found it entertaining. However, it could have been something great if we had less emotional crap and more robot battles over a shorter period of time. That's it. Easy enough.

When Should You See It?
It already made 372 million dollars last weekend. Does Michael Bay really need more of your money? Just wait for the DVD.

Personal Rating: 4 of 10
Plot: 4 of 10
Sexuality/Sensuality: 2 of 10

Drugs/Alcohol: 1 of 10