Review PLUS: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

Up to the point of Thor: The Dark World, the current incarnation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been, almost entirely, pop entertainment. Awesome pop entertainment, yes, with some wonderful character arcs and relationships, but anything that transcends beyond? Not much. 

The one aspect of the series that has been challenging with regards to modern society and politics has been S.H.I.E.L.D. - the organization that out NSA's the NSA. The organization's director, Nick Fury, is so shadowy and ethically questionable, he rides the fascism line HARD. Dealing with such a group must be a trial even for someone as strong as The Hulk.

The star spangled hero Captain America, a man left over from the WW2 generation, is especially uneasy with this group, and even more so with a world that accepts it as necessary. THIS is what he fought for?

In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Cap has reluctantly joined with Fury's team with the goal of serving his country (when life throws a lemon...). He has concerns, but swallows them for the greater good - this struggle is read not just on his face, but in the way he walks when not on the job. The dejected disappointment and tragic trudge of someone who is basically superhuman makes for quite a performance, and Chris Evans gives it his all.

Soon, a conspiracy within the ranks confirms and exceeds Cap's suspicions. Instead of spoiling what happens, here's a quote from William Burroughs:

You see control can never be a means to any practical end. ... Control can never be a means to anything but more control ... like junk.

The transcendence of this movie comes from the deeper questions posed by the villains. It's a statement on where we've been, where we are now and where we could end up. Government surveillance, preemptive strikes, borderless wars, and even hacktivism are covered. In The Dark Knight, Batman was presented as being forced to use super surveillance tech to capture a mad man. If seen as commentary, you could take it as the U.S. "not wanting" to do this, but having "no choice", which is B.S. In The Winter Soldier, Captain does an epic amount of dismantling, which some real life politicians might call treasonous. Talk about REALLY having "no choice".

Part of accomplishing this progressive move was the choice of filmmakers. The Russo Brothers were previously known for directing TV shows and You, Me and Dupree. To perfectly tackle the feat of a comic book movie with an espionage thriller edge and non intrusive direction was a happy surprise to see from this duo. There's a confident command going on here, without the need to show boat - very much in common with Captain America himself. Simple execution but not generically textbook. And the one element executed expertly? Suspense.

Tension is thick here. The dilemma and crisis Captain confronts might be the strongest a superhero has faced since The Dark Knight. In that movie, it was Batman's personal code and soul at stake. In The Winter Soldier, it's what the Captain represents - the high standard that he has put on himself, for his country and fellow man. Both conflicts were traumatic turning points for these characters, and the conclusions are more bittersweet than anything. The difference between the two? Captain has no time for brooding and self doubt - there's a mission to accomplish.

Marvel's Phase 1 was pop, and Phase 2 has been a time of change - not just for The Avengers but the creative talents picked to helm these projects. Many chances are being taken, and rightfully so. This is a sequel that, I hope, will be copied and piggy backed for years to come. Hail MCU.

5 / 5 *s

PLUS - When Simple Beat Style: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" vs. "Man of Steel"

An article on ScreenCrush came to my attention recently. In it, the author made the argument that it was only after watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier that his opinion on the handling of Superman in Man of Steel went sour. It came down to Captain *spoiler* choosing not to finish off Bucky vs. Superman snapping Zod's neck. One was an affirmation of a character's code, and the other an out of place moment.

While I still contend that Man of Steel was a good take on Superman (though I might knock a star off in hindsight), the article's comparison made me think about what else The Winter Soldier may have done better - this time, with the language of cinema. I submit to you the following examples:

Superman = Jesus

There are two "infamous" shots in Man of Steel that floored many a critic, and made many an audience member laugh. The first was in a church, where Clark Kent seeks advice from a young priest. It's a well written scene, and makes sense for the character to reach out in this manner, considering the problem he faces. However, our hero is framed in front of a glass portrait of Jesus Christ. THIS IS TOO OBVIOUS. It's almost film school level framing, actually. Now, looking more closely at it, it seems that Jesus is on his knees in that portrait, meaning to express Clark's doubt in a deeper way. That spec of detail almost forgives the childish attempt at depth, until...

... Superman floats away from the Kryptonian ship, arms extended from his sides, with music playing that makes you think about church. This character has always been compared to Jesus and other religious figures, and there's nothing wrong with that. What IS wrong is BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA. There are other ways to get across this similarity than the superficial.

Captain America and his feelings

In the review above, I touched on the performance of Chris Evans, and how, early on, he carried on his shoulders the weight on Captain America's emotions, all without moping. There was some great body language, sure, but there was more at play here to establish tone, atmosphere and feeling - all to connect us with our hero.

For starters, the sequel feels far different from the first movie. The First Avenger was stylistically designed to have classic cinematography and color schemes. No matter what we all thought of the overall film, the mood was set to give us an old school FEEL. In The Winter Soldier, we have some very modern camera movements and colors to match what's happening in the portion of the story we're watching. Ironically, this too is film school like, but appropriately so. It's textbook in technique, but creative in execution.

There is a feeling of cold detachment to the first act, which makes sense because of Captain's thoughts on the world at the time. He feels alone, so the environment should reflect that to make us experience that. His apartment looks sterile, clean and clear, so we FEEL that way too. His trip to a museum exhibit on his past exploits is shot in a sweeping and slow manner, giving us time to absorb the images, think on them and FEEL what they mean. And, by feeling, we understand without having to be beaten over the head.

What does the tone and atmosphere say about a film? How about of the filmmakers? In Man of Steel's case, it tells me that it's a bit impatient to get information across, slightly clumsy and that Zack Snyder gets lost when trying too hard (despite being a tad restrained). In Captain America: The Winter Soldier's case, it tells me that underestimating the audience's intelligence is wrong, cinema is a universal language that ALL can UNDERSTAND, and The Russo Brothers know how to engage without being obnoxious.

So, in this way, yes, Captain America beat Superman. And he didn't have to snap a neck to do so ;)

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Review: "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"

There is much I can (and have already) said about America's post 9/11 attitude towards global politics. Despite term limits and all, Dick Cheney's empirical plan for perpetual war appears to still be in effect, and worst of all, wholeheartedly believed in and endorsed by a populace frightened over another attack. Through all of the preemptive bravado and violent rhetoric (and bombs), there was a sliver of time when fighting felt, gasp, like the right thing to do.

In Hollywood's latest prequel/continuation/reboot/re imagining, this gung ho spirit is infectiously presented and executed.


Jack Ryan - portrayed previously by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck, now Chris Pine - was one of many young men and women to witness the 9/11 attacks, and decide to enlist as soon as possible. Some time later, he is injured in combat, and sent to rehab. His feelings toward this hospital stint are painted on his body; he was told to rehab, but all he heard was he'd be unable to serve his country. Every painful walking attempt is filled with defeat and anger.

At the right moment, CIA official Kevin Costner offers him a new way to help... as a covert analyst. I don't recall the details of Ryan's job in previous adaptations, but in this contemporary setting, being "covert" says so much. He's told not to tell anyone of his position, which places him as a data decoder (or analyst) in a financial firm, but what does it matter? Couldn't he work for a contracted think tank, or in an actual agency facility? Why play this game? Are we doing it for defense, or self fulfilling purpose?

Just brush these questions and concerns away, as the movie doesn't care, and may even be an unaware victim of this psychological syndrome.

For example: Jack uncovers a terrorist plot that he is 100% sure of (and correct about) by having read a series of transaction data. Normally, this information would just be pondered over as some kind of business world conspiracy, and lead to something bigger. Instead, it's taken by Jack's boss as spot on. Is it sweet or sickening witnessing such naivety? Even our villain, Russian Kenneth Branagh, has his intellect hijacked by an unquestioning and idealistically loyal sense of nationalism.

A deeper statement about the state of the War on Terror, by showing how blindfolded all the players are, would've been a brilliant turn. But that's not what is happening. What we have is the origin story of a clean cut American, almost boy scout even, who uncovers information and foils plans with effortless efficiency and wide eyed pride, in a scenario with no double crosses, trickery or ulterior motives. Maybe Branagh (who directed this) thought he was making another Marvel film - this time, Captain America.

It's this flag saluting spirit and appealing idealism that saves this otherwise generic and awfully simple film from being another January throwaway. In fact, it might be a perfect example of the "shut your brain off and enjoy" movie. This approach also describes how best to view current global politics - if you want to live stress and care free, that is. For your family, your community and your country.

3/5 *s

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Review: "The Purge"

One night of unrestrained, perfectly legal violence. For this future version of America, this Purge is a Holiday in the vein of the 4th of July. We faced the collapse of our country, and our leaders "solved" it all - by allowing us to bludgeon each other during a 12 hour period once a year. Low unemployment, low crime, no government debt. Clearly, this works.

The Purge is not about how this night came to be, who implemented it or how it should be taken down, but instead what could potentially happen during it. A well off white family attempts to go through the night, guarded with what has been billed as a tight security system, in peace. Unfortunately, the young son lets a poor black man, who is being chased by psychopathic hunters, in. The hunters threaten the family, causing them to confront the morality of the nights events directly.


These hunters are young, also white and also well off. They firmly believe in the principles of this night, and will go to great lengths to kill one man, despite the fact that they could just leave their safe / guarded neighborhood and go to the other side of town. An across the board license to kill goes both ways, and by leaving the area of privilege would actually (gasp) put them in the real world, where they aren't really safe. Hunting for game in your backyard doesn't make you a badass, but as long as you can pretend like one with your prep school friends...

On the surface, the movie is about our violent tendencies and "need" to let it out. In the world these characters inhabit, this is how the government marketed the plan to its citizens. How can one 12 hour period of violence create economic stability for a nation? Population control and literal class warfare, it seems. Those who are well off can afford to protect themselves and live in the neighborhoods that don't see most of the violence. Those who are the neediest are left to fight off anyone and everyone who believes they caused the near destruction of America years before.

Remember that argument about teachers making SOOOO much money from taxpayers, implying that they ALONE were causing our downfall? Or how about organizations like ACORN being demonized, only to be vindicated after the fact? But those wars we spent all of your money on? No, those were necessary. We couldn't spend it on health care for all or education - things that could pull a nation out of despair - not while dirty looking foreigners worship falsely. No, the REAL problem is that you need release. Enough to make you forget. BIG TIME. Either the New Founding Fathers were evil men covering their butts, or just backward thinking dummies. Which is worse?

One of the silliest movies of the year is also one of the more surprising ones. An exaggerated yet prophetic horror film for liberals, a home invasion thriller for everyone else. I understand it is getting a sequel. More violence will be had, but hopefully they'll sneak in some of the elements that made the first one a tad thoughtful. A tad, mind you. Can have us thinking too hard...

2/5 *s (though, 3/5 feels right as well)

Review: "Zero Dark Thirty"

Just the other night, I watched the ending of "Inglourious Basterds". While it was a television edit, it was still pretty graphic: people burning to death, Hitler getting machine gunned to pieces, a movie theater exploding, etc. My dad channel surfed to it, but kept searching as he didn't like the violence in it (this coming from a guy who would go to sleep while watching "Red Dragon"). However, my father is in the minority, as most people really got a kick out of this rewriting of history. In real life, Hitler committed suicide, thus robbing the world of inflicting brutality on him. How unfair.

It's not enough that this monster is dead; he MUST be killed Charles Bronson style, and we MUST be able to experience that. I'm not suggesting that Tarantino made his film solely to cater to our lust for satisfying revenge, but we do eat up that kind of stuff, whether it's reality or a movie. It's like addictive fast food; catharsis on demand!

I got to see "Zero Dark Thirty" recently. You want to revel in some sweet payback? Wait for "Inglourious Basterds" to come back on.

Unlike what happened with Hitler, we actually got to kill bin Laden. And, of course, a movie would be made about the operation. I thought about a WWE Studios flick, where pro wrestlers would star in an 80's throwback men on a mission style story. Don't judge me for going primal... I know you wanted to see his death, even if its just a recreation. The movie Kathryn Bigelow gave us - a based on actual events style retelling of the hunt for the most wanted man in the world -  works as an indictment of us wanting to cum to a climax. Any climax. Wow, did I just type that? Yes, and I don't regret it.

The story takes place over the course of a decade, following the character of Maya, a CIA agent promoted to this investigation. Played with a stone cold determination to close the case by Jessica Chastain, our protagonist is wanting that climax as much as us. But, as the movie progresses, I wonder if Maya is capable of achieving satisfaction. She is a pale skinned loner, with nothing known about her other than her job. A desktop wallpaper on her computer shows an image of her with a child, but it is so distorted and blurry. We never learn her last name, and it's possible she is working under an alias. Does she have a personal reason for finding bin Laden, like a family member who died in 9/11 or something? All we know is that this is her task, and she must complete it.

At one point, a superior tells her that she is "chasing a ghost". I think that Maya is, herself, a ghost. Not literally, but she certainly acts like a spirit doomed to walk the planet until her purpose is fulfilled. When her job is done, she boards a plane as the only passenger. When asked where she would like to go, she has no answer. With a moment to herself, she sheds a tear, but I don't think it is from exhaustion or happiness; she has no one left to chase, and is finished. The fact that she got her target isn't enough; what's next?

Now, our hero didn't get that tingling sensation from the conclusion - what about us?

The raid sequence is dark, quiet and full of unparalleled tension. But, much like the style of the film, it is presented with no fanfare. Don't expect slo mo shots of bin Laden getting shot or superimposed images of American flags; it goes off in a straight forward procedural manner. The highly anticipated moment comes and goes in a flash. The seals execute their job and leave, almost as if they weren't even around. Kinda like a ghost.

The protagonist, her investigation, the raid itself and even the torture bits - which are not shown in a positive light, but rather used to establish our governments' wanting of revenge as extended to interrogation tactics (quite a mouthful) - all point to exposing and questioning our individual and collective craving for catharsis, no matter the cost. To do such a thing through such a high profile movie is nothing short of bold.

I ought to get around to reviewing Tarantino's latest, "Django Unchained". In it, we get revenge on slave owners. "RoboCop" style blood spurts are plentiful. Did your pants just get tighter?

5/5 *'s

For Your Consideration

In the midst of preparing this blog, I came across an old essay I wrote a few years ago, but for some reason left it unpublished. So, in lieu of a first "official" entry, I give to you what I consider to be a prologue of sorts for this blog:

Phone calls. Handshakes. Gift Baskets. Screener copies. "Good" reviews.

Almost like clockwork, awards season brings with it a wave of wanting. "For Your Consideration" notices plague websites, blogs, insider magazines, newspapers and so on. But, out of all the people fighting for a chance to at least be rumored to be getting an Oscar nomination, only a select few will actually go all the way.

I, for one, am not well known or important enough to be bribed with decorative soaps and expensive chocolate(or straight up cash, which I prefer), but I DO have a keyboard. And with that alone, I would like to formally ask for the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences to consider, for the Best Supporting Actor category...Joe Fleishaker.
 

Image via Wikipedia

 Call it a longshot, call it a darkhorse, I call it deserving. Though, it might be more deserving for Troma Studios than anyone, but since there is no Best Casting award...Not to say that Joe's performance in Troma's Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (3-Disc Collector's Edition) doesn't warrant recognition - it is one of the single funniest performances I've ever seen on film.

And Director Lloyd Kaufman knows funny. "I like fat people more than I like thin people, things are always a lot more funnier when they happen to fat people" He has said, and if there is ONE thing that Joe Fleishaker IS, it's a funny fat man.

Look at the brief scene under consideration: Jared(Joe Fleishaker) has pain in his stomach(hunger and intestinal problem). Refusing to let his food wait, He takes his tray with him to the toilet. While eating, He shits out(what we assume is) a baby chicken zombie, which promptly flies back up into his ass, causing poor Jared to not only shit like an Rhinoceros, but to stop eating.

When I first watched this, I felt myself almost tear up in excitement and laughter at this mass exodus of excrement, as I had once as a kid tried to set up a similar special effect for a video. The scene is believable enough in it's disgusting propulsion of poop, but what sends it over the top is Joe Fleishaker's screams of confusion, fear, pain and then joy - it is revealed that the shitting was so powerful, He shit himself skinny!

Ok, so maybe this is, indeed, a longshot for an Oscar nomination, or even to be rumored in the running for a nomination. But to all the voters out there, keep this in mind; is there ANY movie in the past year that has featured a scene as funny as or one that so exemplifies Americans image issues and relationship with fast food(and Americans in general) than an obese man literally shitting himself inside out, then running away in joy, leaving a poor fast food worker to clean it all up? For Your Consideration...

A short entry, yes. I hope it serves well as a preview. 
Image via Wikipedia