MOVIES IN REVIEW

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This is the movie I picked to go see as part of my birthday present from my wonderful boyfriend. I'm crazy about Marvel Movies; I love superheroes. This was no disappointment. It was not only a great story but packed full of action packed scenes that had me cringing down in my seat and holding my breath. Of course it was even intensified in 3D.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) brings us back to the life of Steve Rogers, the super soldier "Cap". After a mission he's uncomfortable with the grey areas. It seems that Steve knows right from wrong and it is plain as day to him - you don't lie, you tell the truth, and you keep integrity when serving the country that he has fought long and hard for. But, all this comes into question when S.H.I.E.L.D is compromised and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is attacked and dies in the ER. Something I really enjoyed watching was Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow and Steve's relationship. How she - unbeknownst to him - is flirting. She's a master manipulator, he can't tell a lie. Together, they're a perfect duo to get the jobs done. I think they keep each other in check too. They both save each other from themselves. Because the Black Widow is a master assassin, she seems at times to be a couple steps ahead of Steve - not by much though - but she works well with him and helps him through the twisted web of deceit he has to deal with... and of course - to save the world.

While the team is still in mourning over Nick Fury's death, the head of S.H.I.E.L.D Alexander Pierce (portrayed by the iconic Robert Redford) calls in the Captain and asks him why Nick Fury went to him (Steve Rogers) before he died. What the director doesn't know is that Nick gave Steve a hard drive with the key to what's really going on and possibly who is responsible for Fury's death. But, Captain seemingly had put the drive in a safe place (a vending machine behind a row of bubble gum). After his visit with the director, Steve knows he's now a target. There are some great scenes of his escape from S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. When Steve goes to retrieve the drive, the entire row of gum is gone, including his drive! This was a great scene because as he's starring into the machine, through the class you can see Natasha (The Black Widow) behind him popping a bubble of gum. She one-upped him and they decide to work together to find out who killed Nick.

They are disguised and in a mall attempting to locate a source that they can figure out what is on the drive that Nick gave to Steve. They're in some sort of computer store and they know they have only minutes when they click the drive in before they're surrounded by The Strike Force. There is another great scene when an employee asks them if there is anything they need. Natasha teases and says how the employee could be twins with Steve, which they're nothing a like and the employee jokes about that. She's able to locate the source and they disconnect and head out. They notice strike force everywhere. Natasha helps Steve escape by showing him how to be 'normal' and even with some pda (public display of affection) which she explains makes people uncomfortable (so they'll look away). They're able to sneak out and start toward New Jersey - where the source of the drive is. 

To complicate matters Natasha tells Steve about The Winter Soldier, a soviet assassin who's never been identified. However, when Steve finally comes face to face with the assassin he's shocked - it's his life long friend Bucky Barnes. This sends The Winter Soldier into a state of confusion. But, who's in control of the soviet assassin but the director, Alexander Pierce. It's unveiled that S.H.I.E.L.D has actually been a cover form the new Hydra! Now, Steve is questioning everything. Not only that but his old friend is bionic with a super strength mechanical arm, and is now a super soldier himself. 

However, Agent Hill is in play as well and she saves them after capture and delivers them to a secret location. Nick Fury shows back up, he wasn't dead, but he needed S.H.I.E.L.D to believe he had died. He had originally asked the director to hold off on a project where they have continuous aircraft in the air, armed and dangerous. They also have an algorithm where they can use technology to find supposed threats. Now the entire project is compromised because instead of protecting the people, Hydra wants to use it to control the world.  

This movie also introduces us to The Falcon who is Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). He's home from two tours overseas and connects with Steve Rogers. The beginning scene of the movie is Steve running circles around Sam, always saying "on the left" as he runs by him. So it was suiting that at the end of the movie, when Sam has been by Steve's side through out the rough battle and they both survived - when Steve wakes up he says "on the left". I don't know what's going to happen with Steve's old time friend Bucky - but Sam seems to be a great wing man (pun totally intended). The Falcon has an ultimate set of wings that are fully functional and attached to an advanced jet pack. This enables Sam to manipulate flight so that he can be Cap's air force.

Overall I give this movie two thumbs up, a must see. I loved the 3D too (I'm such a sucker for 3D). If you love superhero movies than put going to see the movie on your to do list. At the end of the first set of credits we get to see Bucky Barnes go to the Captain America display and he's now learning who he was. How will this affect the his future... guess we'll have to wait and see... unless you've read the comics or Wiki and already know. After the second set of titles they give us the gem of unveiling 'the twins' in the Marvel Universe they are known as The Apocalypse Twins which I believe will come into play along with Ultron...