Currently viewing the tag: "chris evans"

Captain America Review

By On · 663 Comments · In Review, TV & Movies

Taking a break from a lot of visually stunning effects for blockbuster offerings, Captain America will bring you back to the 1940s. Setting a very nostalgic mood, during the time of World War 2 and the Nazi camps. The film is rich in emotional story telling which is evident in Chris Evans performance as Steve Rogers / Captain America.

You have to give it to the CGI people. To make Chris Evans, who has one of the leanest and nicest bods i’ve seen into this scrawny kid with no muscle and an loads of health issues, i’m just amazed! Plus he looks so short! The only thing that maybe didn’t gel, was for a person with such a scrawny look he had the manliest voice – deep and gruff.

 

Things I’m Crazy bout the film

I absolutely love how Evans character, Rogers is so intent on serving his country. He’s willing to offer his life for the sake of duty.It’s very admirable when you see passion like that, despite the fact that he’s so skinny and weak in health. Poor kid , cause he’s always bullied and that could’ve also been another reason he was so set on joining the army, to prove himself a man. There’s a scene where Rogers asked Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), why was he chosen to enter the army and given the serum to make him a super soldier – despite him being physically weak. The Dr replies with an encouraging line…

“..because a strong man who has no power over his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man, knows the value of strength and knows compassion.”

Here he is! Yet another Marvel character brought to life. Captain America.. it just looks so epic! Paramount pictures and Marvel, you’re making some great stuff! When he comes out in the full suit it was exhilarating to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Chris Evans performance as Captain America and i think he’s perfect for the role.

I’ve never really read the Captain America comics, but from my understanding of the character, the captain has an honourable, commanding presence and yet he still has that all america-boy-next-door attribute. Which personally i think Chris pulled off, and i love how you could see the progression of his character a meek fellow who couldn’t really talk to girls.. slowly evolved into a heroic persona. Awesome stuff!
Really how can you complain about that bod of his! Granted i think he’s become a bit too bulky for my liking, but i believe it’s required for the role of the captain. Whom if you notice in the comics is pretty chunky and yet still well defined. When he became the super soldier, and he was chasing a villain on the street. My first thought was, seriously how is he going to run with all that muscle!!! haha.
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger

And the shield, wow, you could get goosebumps when you first see it in its original metal form, before the big red, blue and big white star is painted on. Then your heart will skip a beat when you see him fling the infamous Captain America shield… Woowwww!!! I love how the director took  a lot of posy shots where you see Captain America in an action shot.

Since the story is set in the 1940s during World War 2, Joe does a fantastic job in creating a nostalgic feel to the film.
Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Chester Phillips. I always enjoy all of Tommy’s performances and in this movie it’s no different. His role is spot on as the commanding authoritative figure that  wants to build real “men” to serve the country. Funny enough though, all i see is Agent K from MIB lol.
Let’s talk a bit on the romance in the film. Steve has never been with a girl before or let alone talk to one for more than a couple of minutes maybe. I love the chemistry that takes place between Chris and Hayley for the characters respectively. Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) who plays the feminine yet tough lady of that period, shows compassion to Steve, sides with him and is drawn to his passionate personality for his country and friends. Oh gosh, the scene where they  part because he has to sacrifice himself is just heartbreaking. LOVE IT! You would almost think it’s a Pearl Harbour moment.


Dominic Cooper  stars as Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger. Not to be mistaken for Tony Stark!

Hugo Weaving stars as the Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger. The thing you have to love about Hugo Weaving, is that he always plays one of the best villains.

 

Sebastian Stan stars as Bucky Barnes.
The HYDRA army in Captain America: The First Avenger! Kill one and two more will take its place.. (just like the greek myth). Wow what an army and what a tagline for the army. Don’t mess with them.. unless you are Captain America :P

Visual effects were good and it wasn’t overly done. There was enough action in the film to make you go whoaa.. or oohh sh** .

Accompanied by an awesome soundtrack by phenomenal composer Alan Silvestri’s -  his dramatic, richly textured, anthemic and lyrical score further elevates the storyline in evoking the many emotional moods, and situations for the periodic atmosphere. Just listen to it.. it’s so heroic! I just wanna cry when i hear the song…

The dramatic fast tons were great in building actions scenes. Where as the eloquent string motifs and majestic orchestral score that’s played during Steve’s tender moments with Dr. Erskine, Bucky, and Peggy would just make your heart burst. The score conveys the essence of this film with a big heart, very much like its central character.

My Conclusion

I’m now making this my movie of the year! I don’t have anything bad to say about the film. i loved it! Visually it was entertaining, story had a good pace. the performance of the actors were great and action scenes.. were kapow! Striking visual effects sure, but with less emphasis on that. Instead it drew on characters with emotional depth, intricate character driven narratives, set among symbolic portrayals of good and evil.

It just shows that it doesn’t matter how powerful you are, whether you are bigger than others. It just shows how, everyday people can be heroes, by making a stand in what they believe in. About integrity, moral and where strength comes the virtuosity of one’s heart. Yes I’m deeply moved by the film ^_~

Now head to the cinema and watch it!

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Street Kings

By On · 3 Comments · In Uncategorized
Just came back from GSC cinemas yesterday night, which I have to say is  fast becoming one of my favourite cinemas. Or rather the Pavillion in KL is becoming one of my favourite malls right after KLCC. What I love is the ease of the lift going straight up from the basement parking lot, instead of having to go through a number of escalators like KLCC. Went there to watch “Street Kings”, which is about a cop, Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) who takes out the bad guys in a manner that is not exactly highly looked upon. Because of the ways of his Unit, Internal Affairs are on his tail. Things get even more complicated for him after his ex-cop partner on the street, Washington (Terry Crews – remember the guy from White Chicks who sang ‘A Thousand Miles’? ^_^), is murdered in cold blood, with Tom first on the scene of the crime, which makes him a suspect. Tom who tries to get even fro his friend, winds up getting into more trouble and realises that he can’t trust the people whom he once called his colleagues. Since the end of the last installment of The Matrix, we haven’t seen much of the actor for a bit. First thing that striked me though was how much meat Keanu has pilled on. His arms are a lot meatier, but at the same time you can tell he’s got a bit of unwanted fat here and there. Which suited his character really, as he had to come off as an alcoholic that is trying to get over the death of his wife. Tom, usually depends a lot on his boss, Commander Wander (Forest Whitaker) to clean up after him, once he’s finished a mission. Wander usually orders him to wipe out everyone on the scene, even if the bad guys didn’t shoot first and this is where the trouble starts.Girls will be pleasantly surprised that Chris Evans (Flash=The Torch from Fantastic 4) is acting in the movie, as rookie detective, Paul Diskant, whom Tom loves to nickname Disco. Along the way, Disco becomes a trustworthy friend of Tom and good ally.For TV show fans, you guys – like me- will be ecstatic to see Hugh Laurie (House), playing the quick witted and cunning, Captain Biggs from Internal Affairs, who tries to take down Tom. The movie was flooded with lines of cussing ever few minutes. Not that i had a problem there, but the censorship board was really irritating me. First of they didn’t censor it properly, the editing came out as really choppy and half the time I couldn’t really get what the characters were saying other then “Hey you piece of m*tut*  – cut – f*tut – cut swine”. Yeah real great for watching a movie. Plus, after a while I think the movie was swearing so much the censorship people, must’ve gotten tired and let a few cusses get away. There were just to many for them to handle ^_P. They could’ve just not censored at all. Sheesh! It’s yet another cop movie where the audience is brought with terms that bribery, and political corruption is prominent within a system that is meant to keep you safe. Overall the movie was, good but a bit confusing, as they characters jumped from one crime to another (which was actually all still within the same chase to find Washington’s killers). You have to put in a bit of concentration for it and I’m glad the cop movies of today that are shown in the movies are not like the days of Sylvester Stallone and Jean Claude Van Dam which were just a bunch of cops running around killing people. We find that the cop movies we see now, turn out more to be a system that is filled with deceit, corruption and a lot of puppeteer work. There were also a number of lines, that were meant to be taken seriously, but one just can’t help but burst out laughing. Hmmm.. what does that say about the audience? We like dark humour? I quite pity Tom Ludlow, as he was used quite a bit in the film. Like a dog on a leash. Go watch it and you’ll see what I mean. I’m giving it a 7.5 /10. ^_^