Winter Soldier

Before football I saw:

Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)

I remember the first time I saw Chris Evans in a film. It was Cellular and I it was one of the movies in the video store I worked in. It was a movie that in the first few minutes I was thinking "I don't think I like this actor or the character" and by the end I was buying in to both. He seemed like a steriotype of a douchey guy but that characteristic became important to the plot, and the decisions his character made. I think that kind of image of Chris Evans is what makes him able to portray Captain America, the one Marvel character that is singled out for having no personality beyond being "perfect". He's able to make those strengths be a little awkward and humorous.

I'm not sure why but this viewing had the movie seem especially good. I know all the twists and turns and action scenes to anticipate from previous viewings but it has a lot to appreciate. Any hand to hand action scenes in the movie are especially interesting to watch, really creating the foundation of superhero ability without looking too CG or the result of wire work. Black Widow's action in all of that character's appearances through the MCU are also especially eye catching and that is the result of Scarlett Johansson's amazing stunt woman who I believe was highlighted in a behind the scenes featurette in Iron Man 2.

I find that I like a lot of the movies that I have been seeing this year. I don't think it's a coincidence. I think there's a few of factors that lead to that. The first is that I feel like I'm pretty good at seeing what a movie will be about, a trailer, or some press on it to tell if a movie will be especially bad. This kind of contradicts itself with the next point: very often when I'm going into a movie I'm excited to be watching something and I will give a movie the benefit of the doubt. Confirmation bias. If I want something to be good I'll be looking for good things, good scenes, something interesting in the movie that I'm watching that will expand my view of the whole movie as being very good even if it's not quite up to par... or down to par... depending on what style of game of golf you are playing. Case in point: I enjoy John Carter even though the names and the languages used in the movie are too silly, but the action, and cinematography make it a fun movie with a fun narative.

If I'm in a bad frame of mind a movie will be less good. I very much did not like The Dark Knight Rises seeing it opening night at midnight. I was way too tired when the movie started, I was a little annoyed my friend was late picking me up, and I was unnerved there was extra security in the theater for what seemed like no reason. The reason was that that night there was the theater shooting in Colorado at a screening of the same film that started just an hour earlier at another AMC Theater. I don't think there was any kind of dark pall over the film that had me on edge, I think it's just the general anxiety of a police presense.

I also tend to watch movies I know I like, favorite movies, and movies that fall within framework that I know I like. I know I like superhero movies, science fiction, comedy, and movies by great directors. I know what I'm getting into and that either lets me relive positive experiences or butters me up for a positive experience for a movie.

One movie I'm already buttered up for in the MCU is the next Thor movie. I read today on screenrant that it is being directed by Taika Waititi. He may not have the most recognizable name in directing and his movies Eagle vs. Shark and What We Do in the Shaddows might not be very recognizable but they are incredibly funny movies. Marvel has been very interesting in their decisions of directors of their movies chosing funny people to direct their movies over people with big resumes of big budget movies. This Captain America movie was directed by the Russo brothers whose main credit before joining marvel, and taking over for Joss Whedon in organizing the creative process of the MCU, was directing the TV show Community. I like the decisions being made over at Marvel and Disney and I think there's a lot of good movie watching to look forward to in the future.