Midnight showing of Captain America - The First Avenger

[RustyStaple]

Saw it tonite . I liked it alot. More importantly, people I saw it with liked it alot too, and they are not comic book/superhero fans at all. A whole lot of fun

 

Exactly what a good popcorn flick should be.

I enjoyed it a lot and was better than what I expected.

[nochips]

Loved it, no real complaints, good comic book entertainment.....

[AGGIEZ]

Just got back from my 3D viewing. LOVED IT!!!

 

The lead in to the super soldier serum was genius. The Benjamin Button Steve Rogers was flawless. I think the movie was executed brilliantly and the casting was GREAT! They couldn't have picked a better Red Skull than Hugo Weaving.

 

A++++++

 

 

 

[Boba]

Gonna go tomorrow

[KingOfRulers]

Since I do not post very often my post and what I say in my post carry more weight.

 

So KOR is toast because of my post.

 

 

And you've got a Cap #1. I don't.

 

 

 

I maintain that comics are for kids -- or should be for kids (at least Marvel & DC super-hero books). In other words, I really don't care for Spawn.

 

 

I disagree. Comics are for everyone. Veggie Tales are for kids. Winnie the Pooh is for kids. If I wanted to see a kids movie I'd search for one of those titles on Netflix. Just because something is published in a comic book doesn't mean that only 10-year olds and younger are the primary audience. We will never agree solely based on conceptual and fundamental differences.

 

If you like "fantasy and fairytale", it's a wonder that you were not a lifelong DC fan. Those books are full of that type of stuff. Batman picking cabbage in a vegetable garden with Robin. Yeah, what a great storyline that is.

 

Spawn doesn't suck because it's for mature audiences. Spawn sucks for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't say that it sucks because it's for mature audiences.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

While I'm cutting back on my time here, I thought the movie deserves a little review, Jive-style. So, read on, brave adventurers, if you dare:

 

 

 

 

The Good (pretty much everything):

 

- Chris Evans was the perfect young Captain America. All the intangible qualities that make Cap who he is were accentuated perfectly in the movie. He really did a convincing portrayal of the First Avenger, including his willingness at the end to make the Ultimate Sacrifice for his country. The origin of Captain America as a war bond hawking cartoon character of the time was also great...loved it.

 

- The Easter Eggs and tributes to Cap's comic history were plentiful and well placed in the movie. Phineas Horton and his android at the World's Fair. The Howling Commandoes (Wahoo!). The Stacks of Captain America # 1. Cap's original Shield. There were a few, and they made a cool movie even cooler.

 

- Another obvious plus in the movie was the deep sense of nostalgia and patriotism. Even beyond Steve Rogers and his embodiment of Greatest Generation values, there were several instances that immediately connected at least this viewer to the WW2 era (the newsreel footage at the beginning, the World's Fair, the New York City chase scene, even the closing credits with all the iconic propaganda imagery). A wonderful way to introduce the newest generation to the world their grandparents and great grandparents fought so hard to protect.

 

- And lastly, of all the recent Marvel movies, this one had the most "Heart". It's hard to describe unless you sat through it, but its probably why so many of us looked beyond its obvious flaws and still gave it a glowing review. The film also had several laugh out loud moments for the audience, including a number of deadpan zingers by the Tommy Lee Jones character, which added to everyone's enjoyment of the movie.

 

The Bad:

 

- Hyrda/Red Skull/Nazi's with Lasers: Okay, this part was dumb. Sure, if I were an 8-year old, it would be cool, but it really didn't make any sense. So a not-so-secret (the Americans seemed to have lots of Intelligence on them) Nazi deep science division has access to portable particle beam weaponry that can disintergrate an opponent, but its really just used to guard their many weapons installations (which don't actually produce weapons used for the war effort)? While I understand the decision to make the Nazi's one-dimensional cardboard cutouts, I think an opportunity was missed to make a very good film possibly great. Even Weaving's Red Skull, while decent, remained largely two dimensional with questionable motivations. It would've made for a better movie if the Cosmic Cube was utilized in an ultimate weapon scenario akin to, but even more powerful then, a nuclear bomb. Instead, they create all of this great Buck Rogers type of advanced weaponry that apparently plays no part in the outcome of the war. Again, dumb.

 

Nazi's make terrifying villains, not because of laser guns or Ancient Norse artifacts, but because they represent the worst elements of (in)humanity. That part was largely underplayed. If the entire movie was nothing more then Cap being the only "advanced" weapon on the battlefield, with everything else being authentic to the era, it would've still been a good flick, better even. But then, and I have to keep this in perspective, there were plenty of "death ray" devices on all those Alex Schomburg WW2 covers that depicted the enemy as little more then inhuman monsters wielding fantastic weapons well beyond the capabilities of the day. In that sense, the movie was very authentic to the original source material.

 

The Ugly:

 

- Nothing really. The Special effects and sets I thought were mostly very good and convincing, though there were a few moments where the CGI lagged. The action scenes were okay, but nothing special. There were never any "Whoa!" moments, like, say, in 300, when there was that long stop-frame fight sequence with a couple of Spartans battling a host of Persians. As for the commentary on why it wasn't a gritty and realistic portrayal of war, like a Band of Brothers, its pretty clear that wouldn't fit in at all with what it was intended to be: a summer popcorn flick meant for a wider audience. I don't think it would have any hopes of hitting summer Blockbuster status if little Johnny had to attend therapy because he saw a G.I. disembowled by an artillery shell, or another walking around in shock searching for his shot-off arm. Expecting otherwise would be as nonsensical as Nazi's with lasers (sigh).

 

I rate this movie just below Iron Man and X-Men First Class, and slightly ahead of Thor and Iron Man 2 in terms of enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

[chromium]

 

I'm sorry you didn't like the movie pal but I think these movies should be fun, not mature. Or fun first, mature second.

 

I maintain that comics are for kids -- or should be for kids (at least Marvel & DC super-hero books)..

 

 

[TupennyConan]

I disagree. Comics are for everyone. Veggie Tales are for kids. Winnie the Pooh is for kids. If I wanted to see a kids movie I'd search for one of those titles on Netflix. Just because something is published in a comic book doesn't mean that only 10-year olds and younger are the primary audience. We will never agree solely based on conceptual and fundamental differences.

 

If you like "fantasy and fairytale", it's a wonder that you were not a lifelong DC fan. Those books are full of that type of stuff. Batman picking cabbage in a vegetable garden with Robin. Yeah, what a great storyline that is.

 

Spawn doesn't suck because it's for mature audiences. Spawn sucks for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't say that it sucks because it's for mature audiences.

 

I've never read Spawn. I thought the HBO cartoon was great. I used it as a shoot from the hip message board example. I'm pretty sure the Spawn comic is full of pretty extreme gore, f-bombs, & T&A. That's fine for Spawn's audience. I just don't think it is the right way to go for the Marvel audience.

 

It isn't that you're wrong, KoR. This is just what I think. This is a matter of taste to a large degree. Comics have been written for all variety of audiences. My examples are dated but they help make the point: MAUS, underground comix, Watchmen.

 

The kind of books I wanted to read at 9, 10, 11 years of age weren't what I wanted to read when I was 14, 15, 16 years of age.

 

Marvel can do for mature audiences only books with its heroes, has done them & has done them well. I don't object to that in totality.

 

I do object to writing Marvel core titles for the adult audience, with adult themes of violence, sexuality, politics, & the like. I think that that isn't helpful for the future of the medium. I might be wrong.

 

To say that something is for kids, or isn't mature, or isn't written for an adult audience doesn't mean that it isn't literary, or sophisticated, or unworthy of an adult readership.

 

Jack London, Mark Twain, & many many many others come to mind. I haven't read them but perhaps the Harry Potter books would fit. Personally, I think REH's Conan is for the 14, 15, 16 year old reader. However, I read through REH's Conan, Bran Mak Morn, & Solomon Kane books/stories about 5 years ago & loved them. I hadn't looked at them since I was a teenager.

 

Now, I'm gonna go tie a red towel around my neck & pick me some cabbage in the backyard.

[Comicopolis]

I disagree. Comics are for everyone. Veggie Tales are for kids. Winnie the Pooh is for kids. If I wanted to see a kids movie I'd search for one of those titles on Netflix. Just because something is published in a comic book doesn't mean that only 10-year olds and younger are the primary audience. We will never agree solely based on conceptual and fundamental differences.

 

If you like "fantasy and fairytale", it's a wonder that you were not a lifelong DC fan. Those books are full of that type of stuff. Batman picking cabbage in a vegetable garden with Robin. Yeah, what a great storyline that is.

 

Spawn doesn't suck because it's for mature audiences. Spawn sucks for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't say that it sucks because it's for mature audiences.

 

I've never read Spawn. I thought the HBO cartoon was great. I used it as a shoot from the hip message board example. I'm pretty sure the Spawn comic is full of pretty extreme gore, f-bombs, & T&A. That's fine for Spawn's audience. I just don't think it is the right way to go for the Marvel audience.

 

It isn't that you're wrong, KoR. This is just what I think. This is a matter of taste to a large degree. Comics have been written for all variety of audiences. My examples are dated but they help make the point: MAUS, underground comix, Watchmen.

 

The kind of books I wanted to read at 9, 10, 11 years of age weren't what I wanted to read when I was 14, 15, 16 years of age.

 

Marvel can do for mature audiences only books with its heroes, has done them & has done them well. I don't object to that in totality.

 

I do object to writing Marvel core titles for the adult audience, with adult themes of violence, sexuality, politics, & the like. I think that that isn't helpful for the future of the medium. I might be wrong.

 

To say that something is for kids, or isn't mature, or isn't written for an adult audience doesn't mean that it isn't literary, or sophisticated, or unworthy of an adult readership.

 

Jack London, Mark Twain, & many many many others come to mind. I haven't read them but perhaps the Harry Potter books would fit. Personally, I think REH's Conan is for the 14, 15, 16 year old reader. However, I read through REH's Conan, Bran Mak Morn, & Solomon Kane books/stories about 5 years ago & loved them. I hadn't looked at them since I was a teenager.

 

Now, I'm gonna go tie a red towel around my neck & pick me some cabbage in the backyard.

 

Post of the Year.

[chromium]

I disagree. Comics are for everyone. Veggie Tales are for kids. Winnie the Pooh is for kids. If I wanted to see a kids movie I'd search for one of those titles on Netflix. Just because something is published in a comic book doesn't mean that only 10-year olds and younger are the primary audience. We will never agree solely based on conceptual and fundamental differences.

 

If you like "fantasy and fairytale", it's a wonder that you were not a lifelong DC fan. Those books are full of that type of stuff. Batman picking cabbage in a vegetable garden with Robin. Yeah, what a great storyline that is.

 

Spawn doesn't suck because it's for mature audiences. Spawn sucks for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't say that it sucks because it's for mature audiences.

 

I've never read Spawn. I thought the HBO cartoon was great. I used it as a shoot from the hip message board example. I'm pretty sure the Spawn comic is full of pretty extreme gore, f-bombs, & T&A. That's fine for Spawn's audience. I just don't think it is the right way to go for the Marvel audience.

 

It isn't that you're wrong, KoR. This is just what I think. This is a matter of taste to a large degree. Comics have been written for all variety of audiences. My examples are dated but they help make the point: MAUS, underground comix, Watchmen.

 

The kind of books I wanted to read at 9, 10, 11 years of age weren't what I wanted to read when I was 14, 15, 16 years of age.

 

Marvel can do for mature audiences only books with its heroes, has done them & has done them well. I don't object to that in totality.

 

I do object to writing Marvel core titles for the adult audience, with adult themes of violence, sexuality, politics, & the like. I think that that isn't helpful for the future of the medium. I might be wrong.

 

To say that something is for kids, or isn't mature, or isn't written for an adult audience doesn't mean that it isn't literary, or sophisticated, or unworthy of an adult readership.

 

Jack London, Mark Twain, & many many many others come to mind. I haven't read them but perhaps the Harry Potter books would fit. Personally, I think REH's Conan is for the 14, 15, 16 year old reader. However, I read through REH's Conan, Bran Mak Morn, & Solomon Kane books/stories about 5 years ago & loved them. I hadn't looked at them since I was a teenager.

 

Now, I'm gonna go tie a red towel around my neck & pick me some cabbage in the backyard.

 

Post of the Year.

 

I tend to agree...while I'm picking myself up from the floor considering who wrote it

I also dislike T&A, swearing, politics, extreme violence, and too much of the real world creeping into mainstream comics...I guess I still consider them a kid's medium.

I would happily let an 8-year old read 90% of my Silver Age books, moderns not so much.

[Annihilus]

I disagree. Comics are for everyone. Veggie Tales are for kids. Winnie the Pooh is for kids. If I wanted to see a kids movie I'd search for one of those titles on Netflix. Just because something is published in a comic book doesn't mean that only 10-year olds and younger are the primary audience. We will never agree solely based on conceptual and fundamental differences.

 

If you like "fantasy and fairytale", it's a wonder that you were not a lifelong DC fan. Those books are full of that type of stuff. Batman picking cabbage in a vegetable garden with Robin. Yeah, what a great storyline that is.

 

Spawn doesn't suck because it's for mature audiences. Spawn sucks for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't say that it sucks because it's for mature audiences.

 

I've never read Spawn. I thought the HBO cartoon was great. I used it as a shoot from the hip message board example. I'm pretty sure the Spawn comic is full of pretty extreme gore, f-bombs, & T&A. That's fine for Spawn's audience. I just don't think it is the right way to go for the Marvel audience.

 

It isn't that you're wrong, KoR. This is just what I think. This is a matter of taste to a large degree. Comics have been written for all variety of audiences. My examples are dated but they help make the point: MAUS, underground comix, Watchmen.

 

The kind of books I wanted to read at 9, 10, 11 years of age weren't what I wanted to read when I was 14, 15, 16 years of age.

 

Marvel can do for mature audiences only books with its heroes, has done them & has done them well. I don't object to that in totality.

 

I do object to writing Marvel core titles for the adult audience, with adult themes of violence, sexuality, politics, & the like. I think that that isn't helpful for the future of the medium. I might be wrong.

 

To say that something is for kids, or isn't mature, or isn't written for an adult audience doesn't mean that it isn't literary, or sophisticated, or unworthy of an adult readership.

 

Jack London, Mark Twain, & many many many others come to mind. I haven't read them but perhaps the Harry Potter books would fit. Personally, I think REH's Conan is for the 14, 15, 16 year old reader. However, I read through REH's Conan, Bran Mak Morn, & Solomon Kane books/stories about 5 years ago & loved them. I hadn't looked at them since I was a teenager.

 

Now, I'm gonna go tie a red towel around my neck & pick me some cabbage in the backyard.

 

Great post, and I largely agree.

 

I loved the Cap movie - I thought it was a bit corny in spots, but made for a great general 'all audiences' movie, which I think is exactly what they were going for. Yeah, they could have gone 'grittier and darker' and it probably would have still been an excellent move - just in a different way. I think it's refreshing that they made it the way that they did and were able to pull off a fun and entertaining experience. I can't wait to see how Cap transitions into the Avengers flick.

[KingOfRulers]

I disagree. Comics are for everyone. Veggie Tales are for kids. Winnie the Pooh is for kids. If I wanted to see a kids movie I'd search for one of those titles on Netflix. Just because something is published in a comic book doesn't mean that only 10-year olds and younger are the primary audience. We will never agree solely based on conceptual and fundamental differences.

 

If you like "fantasy and fairytale", it's a wonder that you were not a lifelong DC fan. Those books are full of that type of stuff. Batman picking cabbage in a vegetable garden with Robin. Yeah, what a great storyline that is.

 

Spawn doesn't suck because it's for mature audiences. Spawn sucks for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't say that it sucks because it's for mature audiences.

 

 

I do object to writing Marvel core titles for the adult audience, with adult themes of violence, sexuality, politics, & the like. I think that that isn't helpful for the future of the medium. I might be wrong.

 

 

Iron Man had all of those elements. Do you object to that Marvel movie?

[joeypost]

Saw it tonite . I liked it alot. More importantly, people I saw it with liked it alot too, and they are not comic book/superhero fans at all. A whole lot of fun

 

Exactly what a good popcorn flick should be.

I enjoyed it a lot and was better than what I expected.

 

Saw it last night and enjoyed it very much. Having had numerous conversations with Uncles of mine that fought in WW II I found the technology aspect to be a bit over the top (but hey it's a comic book movie) and the intertwined love story, from their accounts was spot on.

[Cat-Man_America]

Haven't seen the movie yet (too busy here at SDCC), but from the various opinions expressed I can pretty much gauge where I'll be when I finally get around to catching a screening and posting my own views here.

 

I suspect that I'll like the movie, but hate the re-envisioned costume too much to rave about it.

 

My take on Cap has always been from the comics themselves; I can understand the producers shying away from the Simon & Kirby or Alex Schomburg vision because the costume is difficult to believeably recreate in a live action movie and the gruesomeness that some of the 1940's era Timely work embodies might be too much for kiddies, ...but I always hoped.

 

I will take this film on it's own merits, not expecting that much, and hope to be pleasingly surprised. (thumbs u

[TupennyConan]

Iron Man had all of those elements. Do you object to that Marvel movie?

 

You mean as in the movie beginning with our hero the arms dealer trying to steady his cocktail? Neh.

 

The movie had the right balance. If it were a comic, I’d say about it that the editor made appropriate choices. The producers were reaching out to a mainstream all ages audience & making an obvious but shrewd business decision to appeal to pre-teens.

 

You're right to go to a specific, though. I was speaking in generalities & that can only take an argument so far. The flipside to my post would be Corben & Azzarello's BANNER. It treats Banner as a man out to stop the Hulk's mass murderous rampages by committing suicide. It is a sweet, sweet Hulk narrative. I forgive that story because it is a 'What if" type treatment & not a core title. Editors can’t allow Marvel comics to read like that in the mainstream & expect to draw in children.

 

Without children reading comics, comics will go away or will only be for adults. I hope that doesn’t happen. I’d hate for these characters to belong only to Hollywood & grownups.

 

I'll tell you what I object to, Iron Man II sucking as badly as it did.

 

[DiceX]

The three problems I had with the movie were...

 

 

1) Red Skull needed to be more of a villain. He was cool, but he wasn't...bad. He was going to do this, that, and the other, but you had to take their word on the fact that he was "bad." (yawn)

 

2) The blue-stuff space-aged weapons. Really? (yawn)

 

3) Cap never did anything that made you say "Wow!" It was like his superpower was the fact that he used to be a small guy, but now he's a big guy. In Spider-Man, when he started climbing walls and swinging on webs, you said "Wow!" In Hulk, when he transformed into Hulk and started smashing mess, you said "Wow!" In Iron Man, when he put the suit on and kicked everyone's THEN started flying, you said "Wow!" What was Cap's super-thing, again? Oh yeah...he used to be a little guy and now he's a big guy. (yawn)

 

 

Good popcorn movie, but not very...superheroish. (yawn)

 

 

[The Silver-Age]

As you can see from my avatar, I am a HUGE Cap fan. That being said, I was very disappointed in this film. Such a deep personable character should be a very easy film to make into a huge hit. Joe Johnston failed completely on this.

 

I compare this movie to a mix between Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Starship Troopers.

 

This would have been an epic film if this had been made and released in during the Korean War.

 

When is Marvel going to realize that fans don't want campy comic movies anymore. Why cant they remember The Dark Night!? Super dark, super epic, super successful.

 

Tommy Lee Jones was the only good thing about this film.

 

I think Marvel is just throwing all these hero films out there to get people interested in The Avengers. Almost like they don't care about the quality of the film, so long as that caharacter has now been introduced to the general public......My

[Annihilus]

 

When is Marvel going to realize that fans don't want campy comic movies anymore. Why cant they remember The Dark Night!? Super dark, super epic, super successful.

 

I disagree with you about being 'campy'. It was light-hearted in some places, but those bits were done to perfection, IMO, and a long ways from 'camp'.

 

But to answer your question....they will quit making movies like this as soon as people quit going. (Which I hope will be a long time from now).

 

Box Office: 'Captain America' strong-arms 'Harry Potter'

 

Capt "Captain America: The First Avenger" proved its strength at the box office this weekend, facing off against the powerful force that is "Harry Potter" and coming out on top.

 

The 3-D film starring Chris Evans, which was the fourth and final big-budget superhero movie to be released this summer, collected a solid $65.8 million this weekend, according to an estimate from distributor Paramount Pictures.

 

That's not to compare the box office numbers between these two films...but Cap did very well, all things considered. I think that Marvel and most fans consider this a win.

 

 

[Comicopolis]

A few people have accused the film of being camp. I assume that the term means something different in the US than it does in the UK.

[Cosmic Boy]

A few people have accused the film of being camp. I assume that the term means something different in the US than it does in the UK.

 

No, it means the same thing. Those people just don't know what camp is.