Captain America : The First Avenger

Everything just seems less silly in comic books. Be it wearing your undies on the outside of a tight fitting brightly colored suit or wearing a flag around or you know, masquerading as an animal.

The first of the Avengers, yet ironically the last of the Avengers to arrive on the silver screen. I guess it is indeed hard to come up with a proper Cap'n movie as they are so many elements that they can screw up with. The suit, the symbol it stands for and of course, the right actor to portray the character. For the sharp non-geek movie lovers who finds the protagonist highly familiar in a super hero setting, your hunch is right, he is the very same guy who is the hot(literally) Human Torch/Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four movies. Forget about the existence of that group or any marvel superhero/es movies for Marvel is now trying to create a single universe where different super heroes from different stories might bump into each other in the supermarket. 

All doubts of Chris not fitting into the role well by becoming Captain Torch or Human American is out when I am rooting for tiny scrawny Steve Rogers, created wonderfully with the wonders of technology. Tiny Steve really steals the show and makes audiences support this scrawny underdog with a good heart.

Not too subtle about his future weapon of choice

The only time it comes close to the aforementioned to that is during this scene(or any scenes involving fire). But nope, he never really caught on fire.

Scrawny Steve is seen working really hard while holding on to his principles of never giving up and being a true blue( and red and white) patriot. 

His weakling days are over when he is injected with the Super-Soldier serum and becomes......

a delicious piece of man-meat which ladies now would wanna sink their teeth into.


There are many things that the studio did things right in this movie without making it feel unnatural and weird.


First, it tries to incorporate multiple storyline elements from Thor and Iron Man into the movie without feeling too forced. Set in the 1940s, you do not see much of the war nor vintage stuff, yet the movie still manage to (somehow) remind you that it's set in the 1940s despite the high tech machinery and soldiers. 

One of the "believables", nah~

Second, the love between Steve and the lovely Peggy Carters (Haley Atwell) is not sudden adoration that makes no sense. 

It's not you, it's me

Third, the all reliable and ever menacing-looking Hugo Weaving as the main antagonist. He is always a safe choice as a villain or any character that have the word 'fierce' in their description. Even his smile might make me children scared.

 Finally~ I solved my Rubik's Cube

Of course, the suit. Marvel really succeeded in creating a Captain America suit without looking too silly and fitting in it's backdrop. Great. 

Overall, as a superhero film, it is really high enjoyable. Nevermind some of the underdeveloped supporting characters(save for Tommy Lee Jones delivering some of the best laughs in the film), the main star is the guy wearing and throwing the star.

Score: 3.75/5.0

Ok, they do force you to do one thing, and that is to watch the ending credits to see a short clip of the build up to "The Avengers" and also, the trailer for it.

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Transformers : Dark of The Moon

"Transformers, more than meets the eye~". Anyone who watched any of the Transformers cartoon series, or came into contact with it in someway, should have heard of this tagline. Anthropomorphic alien robots who shapeshifts into vehicles and back to robot form, hence the name Transformers. It's history dates back to the 1980s, and the popular franchise movie is now in it's third and final(?) installation. Michael Bay is now trying to set things right with fans and critics alike from the widely hated Revenge of the Fallen, is he going to?


Before anything, I will say this, unless watching a film in 3D causes you direct bodily harm, watch this movie in 3D.  It was filmed with 3D cameras much like how Avatar is, with 3D in mind, not like some movies filmed with the conventional cameras and then converted to 3D just to cash in on the hype. The 3D is especially stunning when showcasing cybertronian technologies and the flying squirrel scene. For those who are watching it in IMAX 3D, try to sit at the last few rows or you will feel like you are too "into" the movie itself, often turning your head to scan the screen. But I think it is a general rule to sit near in the back rows to enjoy 3D.


Transformers : Dark of the Moon is anything but subtle, I hate spoilers, but what can you do if the title of the movie is already telling you 80% of the plot? Using the first human landing in 1969 on the *Spoiler alert* moon as the backdrop of the story, where humans found an alien spaceship (guess  which race of aliens it belongs to?). The story here, as said by lead actor Shia Labeouf in his interviews is smooth, IF this is a standalone movie. In reference to the previous 2 movies, it makes it seem like there are quite some plot holes. Seriously, I am not looking for plot holes, nor expecting a deep and enriching story here, neither should any of you who haven't watch the movie(if the previous 2 movies were any indication).


Much of the casting returns in this franchise. Shia LaBeouf is still the main character, who turns from an sudden hero-->unwilling hero-->whiny hero-wannabe in the course of 3 movies.

Run~Forrest~Run~! 

Sam's lover is transformed from dark hair Megan Fox to blondie, ex-Victoria's Secret Model and Brit  Rosie Hungtington Whiteley. This change(according to rumors) is due to Megan Fox being  disrespectful to director Bay, and is a pain to work with? The movie just goes to says she dumps him with no reason given. But no matter what it is, their role does not see much change. The job of Rosie in Transformers DOTM is simple : to hug and kiss Sam, to run around with him and surviving the destruction (in heels OMG), to shout the name "SAM~~~" numerous times in a shrill voice and to look like this for about 9 whole seconds in slow-mo.

What the ......

The explosions doesn't disappoint and is both spectacular and loud in the awesome Michael Bay-way. Some of the fight scenes are awesome but some of it really fall flat and ends so fast if you so decide to rub your tired eyes due to the drawn-out story in the middle. There are a bunch of robots that are either nameless, added in suddenly or very briefly mentioned which only the hard core fans can identify. My greatest peeve has got to be that, as awesome as the destruction scenes may be, Optimus is just not as Optimus-y and should  kick much more ass IMO. I need my Optimus to be an ass kicking leader of the Autobots.

                           

Check out that ass~

This movie is drawn out way~ too long in the middle, trying to give us an alternative history lesson on top of the original history lesson which could probably be explained in 10 minutes? To fully enjoy this movie, pay a few bucks more for the 3D, enter the theatre with a light mood, have ample sleep prior, ask no questions to the story (as much as the plot holes are as numerous as the craters of the moon) and have fun!


Score : 3.4/5.0

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X-Men : First Class

I must admit, as much as I like my superheroes, I don't like Marvel's X-Men much. Reason? The X-Men's name is almost synonymous to  Wolverine to many, so much so that it's too trite to bear. Wolverine is like the Bumblebee of the Transformers movie and Pikachu of Pokemon, overexposed. Just how much of fast healing hairy grumpy man with claws who looks like he's constipated can you take before you are sick of him? It's interesting to note that Bumblebee, Wolverine(comics) and Pikachu are all yellow.

Back to the topic, due to the previous 3 movies or 4 ( counting in the Wolverine movie -_-), I was really apprehensive about X-Men : First Class, but the thought of not seeing wolverine makes it a much better idea(to my dismay). But I went to see it nonetheless, regret I did not.

I'll try my best not to spoil anything as I'm one who hates to be spoilt. It is again a "beginnings" movie, of how Professor X and Magneto met, of when they were young and introduces a load of mutants who were pretty low profile in the comics.

As with every show, there's a show stealer, in this we have 2. First, Emma Frost(portrayed by January Jones). She's a mind reader just like the prof, with diamond skin. Cosmetics companies should really consider using her as their cover model, it's diamond skin! But her primary power is not what I've just described, but this!

Clothed in as little cloth as possible, 20th Century Fox really am pushing her charms to cater to the male audience. Beyond that though, the character barely contributes to anything much.


Enter Professor X, an academic specialising in human mutation is chatty, humorous and surprisingly flirty. The complete opposite of the monk we know him in the traditional X-men.

Argh~ Gimme some Panadol

In his younger days, Charles 'X' Xavier is still able to walk with hair on his scalp. Never would I actually expect most of the funny moments to come from him. Professor X is the most lovable character during the 2 hrs, next to Emma Frost for some, for entirely different reasons.

Of course, we'll get to see how Magneto becomes more magnetic, and the source of his headgear choice. In this movie, Both Charles and Erik(Magneto) are best friends, and this movie tries to show us how they eventually broke off and start the X-Men and the brotherhood of mutants.
The other supporting mutants are largely silent from the antagonist camp, appearing only to wreak some havoc(coincidentally one of the mutants is called Havok).

Reach out for the stars~

Overall, X-Men First Class is indeed first class, but is it because it's a beginnings movie, hence it's ease of translation onto the silver screen. Besides the silent mutants on the side, the overall movie is fun, and that's the main charm of superhero/es movies. We've seen so many "beginnings" superhero movie which are very enjoyable, how they got their powers, their sense of fashion and a moral lesson they learn. This recipe seems to work, the hard part is how to stay on the bar or above it. (Look at Iron Man 2)

With such reviews around and $ making potential in a sequel/s, I'm sure a X-Men Second Class and for that matter, Third Class is in the planning and works. Let's just hope the quality of the sequel doesn't become second class and third class as it goes. If you haven't seen it, hurry! Before the other upcoming summer blockbusters reduces  your chance of catching it in the theatres.



Score : 4/5

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