What's new

A Few Words About A few words about...™ Captain America: The Winter Soldier -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

Archivist
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 8, 1999
Messages
18,310
Real Name
Robert Harris
Well, not quite yet.

I've missed enough of the Marvel films to not be up to date on what is what is who is trying to kill who, or possibly take over the world. Fortunately, my son was along for the ride to explain the details and synapses I might be missing.

While I seldom comment on theatrical releases -- one can presume that this will appear on Blu-ray in summer -- I felt the need to simply note that this film is a wonderfully loud, beautifully acted, rip-roaring way to spend a bit over two hours.

Great special effects, a story-line that works, characters for whom we care. It's all there in a summer blockbuster that's well -- an Easter blockbuster.

While screening, I was constantly thinking that this was one film that is best not seen on an iPhone.

A theatrical delight, which is the way to see it.

Highly Recommended.

RAH
 

Persianimmortal

Screenwriter
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
1,376
Location
Canberra, Australia
Real Name
Koroush Ghazi
Robert Harris said:
While screening, I was constantly thinking that this was one film that is best not seen on an iPhone.
Agreed, you definitely need the full iPad experience for this movie!

Just kidding. Although I've lost pretty much all hope that any modern movie can entice me back to the movie theater, these Marvel movies come the closest, since I was raised on a steady diet of Marvel comics.

If you haven't really jumped into the Marvel movies RAH, may I suggest viewing Iron Man and The Avengers as both are excellent. I've avoided some of these movies though, like the new Amazing Spider-Man reboot. Too far from the source material from what I can gather.

I haven't seen this latest Captain America movie, but I'll make a point of doing so when it's out on Blu. I found the first Captain America film fun, and it kept to the general spirit of the character. My only complaint is the costume, which I would have preferred to see remain true to source (despite the sniggering from adult fans who feel ashamed of it).
 

Robert Harris

Archivist
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 8, 1999
Messages
18,310
Real Name
Robert Harris
Persianimmortal said:
Agreed, you definitely need the full iPad experience for this movie!

Just kidding. Although I've lost pretty much all hope that any modern movie can entice me back to the movie theater, these Marvel movies come the closest, since I was raised on a steady diet of Marvel comics.

If you haven't really jumped into the Marvel movies RAH, may I suggest viewing Iron Man and The Avengers as both are excellent. I've avoided some of these movies though, like the new Amazing Spider-Man reboot. Too far from the source material from what I can gather.

I haven't seen this latest Captain America movie, but I'll make a point of doing so when it's out on Blu. I found the first Captain America film fun, and it kept to the general spirit of the character. My only complaint is the costume, which I would have preferred to see remain true to source (despite the sniggering from adult fans who feel ashamed of it).
I've experienced Iron Man and Iron Man 2, also Avengers. Just viewed the initial recent Captain America. Sweet film, and fun, but the experience of Winter Soldier is much like the difference between VHS and Blu-ray.

RAH
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
Robert Harris said:
Well, not quite yet.

I've missed enough of the Marvel films to not be up to date on what is what is who is trying to kill who, or possibly take over the world. Fortunately, my son was along for the ride to explain the details and synapses I might be missing.

While I seldom comment on theatrical releases -- one can presume that this will appear on Blu-ray in summer -- I felt the need to simply note that this film is a wonderfully loud, beautifully acted, rip-roaring way to spend a bit over two hours.

Great special effects, a story-line that works, characters for whom we care. It's all there in a summer blockbuster that's well -- an Easter blockbuster.

While screening, I was constantly thinking that this was one film that is best not seen on an iPhone.

A theatrical delight, which is the way to see it.

Highly Recommended.

RAH
RAH,

Your comments go back to my posted thoughts in another thread this morning about seeing films such as this one in a movie theater. I don't care how great your HT setup is, it can not replicate the total film experience you get seeing action films such as this one in a group environment. It's like you get immerse with the film you're watching, the people you're watching it with and the theater you're watching it in. Granted, that feeling can be ruin by others in your audience or a showing that's not up to snuff PQ-wise, but I've only experience such distractions only a few times in the last ten years or so. Some others might have been exposed to such things more often than I so I have sympathy for their plight in that regard.
 

Jari K

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 16, 2007
Messages
3,288
Very entertaining film with 2-3 great action sequences. And with "action" I mean more like "Metal Gear Solid meets Jason Bourne", not "let's blow up 10 skyscapers" type of thing. Capt America is my favourite Marvel character.
 

Persianimmortal

Screenwriter
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
1,376
Location
Canberra, Australia
Real Name
Koroush Ghazi
In defense of my comments regarding not being drawn to movie theaters anymore, I suppose I'm one of those people who's experienced the annoyances of theater audiences far more than the joys of them. My friends and I used to go to the movies almost every week, just for the fun of it (even though many of the movies themselves were ultimately garbage). But all of the mobile phone users, talkers, loud eaters and candy bag rustlers just ruin the immersion of a good movie for me now. I'm just not a patient man with regards to that sort of thing.

Although seeing a film on the big screen is spectacular when it's done right, I find it a far more intimate and immersive experience at home, where I can focus 100% on the movie and really savor it.
 

Robert Crawford

Crawdaddy
Moderator
Patron
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 9, 1998
Messages
67,598
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Robert
Persianimmortal said:
In defense of my comments regarding not being drawn to movie theaters anymore, I suppose I'm one of those people who's experienced the annoyances of theater audiences far more than the joys of them. My friends and I used to go to the movies almost every week, just for the fun of it (even though many of the movies themselves were ultimately garbage). But all of the mobile phone users, talkers, loud eaters and candy bag rustlers just ruin the immersion of a good movie for me now. I'm just not a patient man with regards to that sort of thing.

Although seeing a film on the big screen is spectacular when it's done right, I find it a far more intimate and immersive experience at home, where I can focus 100% on the movie and really savor it.
No defense is necessary as everybody has to do what's best for them. My only suggestion is that perhaps a movie will come along in which you might want to give the theater experience another try.
 

Robert Harris

Archivist
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 8, 1999
Messages
18,310
Real Name
Robert Harris
Persianimmortal said:
In defense of my comments regarding not being drawn to movie theaters anymore, I suppose I'm one of those people who's experienced the annoyances of theater audiences far more than the joys of them. My friends and I used to go to the movies almost every week, just for the fun of it (even though many of the movies themselves were ultimately garbage). But all of the mobile phone users, talkers, loud eaters and candy bag rustlers just ruin the immersion of a good movie for me now. I'm just not a patient man with regards to that sort of thing.Although seeing a film on the big screen is spectacular when it's done right, I find it a far more intimate and immersive experience at home, where I can focus 100% on the movie and really savor it.
Understood. The trick seems to be knowing which theatres are properly managed, and can thereby provide a high quality viewing experience. Such was my screening. No cell phones. No lit or ringing devices of any kind. They must be powered down. No incessant chatting. Stay through end credits. I like that, along with a large screen, 14 fl on screen, and superior audio.The theatres are out there. It's simply a matter of going.RAH
 

DavidJ

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2001
Messages
4,365
Real Name
David
I still regularly attend movies in the theater, but I understand where you are coming from Persianimmortal. Our screening last night was improperly framed on the screen, there were occasional phone screens to be seen (albeit not as bad as normal) and some bonehead thought he was being clever by yelling out "PLOT TWIST" at the big Winter Soldier reveal. You could tell he'd been waiting to say it and a lot of the crowd laughed, but it was just annoying to me.
 

Dick

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 22, 1999
Messages
9,913
Real Name
Rick
Robert Crawford said:
RAH,

I don't care how great your HT setup is, it can not replicate the total film experience you get seeing action films such as this one in a group environment.
Except that , in most cases, it's no longer film...
 

Brian McP

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
504
Real Name
Brian
3D is the only way to see this movie -- it is terrific, but if you've seen all the Marvel movies since "Iron Man", it does have a familiar feel to it.

Great seeing Robert Redford in such a movie, I hope I look that good, pushing 80 -- two things that come to mind seeing this movie, two excellent in-jokes that one has to have very keen eyes to pick up on, most likely to go-to scenes when this movie comes out on bluray.

At one stage Robert Redford, in his kitchen, opens his refrigerator -- if you look closely, you may see a familiar face grinning away from out of it -- there on the top shelf is a jar of Newman's Own pasta sauce.

Also in the opening scene, Captain America shows a colleague a notepad he's been keeping and taking notes on what he has to catch up on after 70 years out of action -- I'm in Australia and on the list included a number of iconic Australian items like "tim tams" and "Skippy the Bush Kangaroo" -- I don't know if the list is different from country to country, but I think it is very imaginative on the producer's part to go to this trouble -- it got a good laugh in the theatre I saw the movie at on the weekend so it was inspired thinking on their part.
 

DavidJ

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2001
Messages
4,365
Real Name
David
Brian, in one of the other threads about this movie someone (sorry, I can't remember who at the moment) posted a link to an article that said that is exactly what they did with the notebook.
 

Robert Harris

Archivist
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 8, 1999
Messages
18,310
Real Name
Robert Harris
We can't call them "flickers" either any longer, can we?

"Movies" works for me. Possibly not "film," unless one is viewing the DI. The "production" was shot with Reds and Alexa +.

RAH
 

McCrutchy

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 18, 2012
Messages
468
Location
East Coast, USA
Real Name
Sean
It's funny to see this coming from RAH, because this film was my springboard back into Marvel films, after I noted that none other than Robert Redford has a supporting role, and indeed, Mr. Redford is onscreen for a good portion of time in the film. I also noticed Jenny Augitter in a small role.

I opted to go to my local AMC Theatre for the IMAX DMR 3D screening before noon, which was $12.50. While I don't support fake IMAX, I just think of the theatre as the largest "regular" screen, and thus, the most effective presentation of the film.

So, the night before, I managed to pick up a Blu-ray copy of the first Captain America film (the Blu-ray copies of these films are still very expensive, and don't even start on the Blu-ray 3D copies) and sat down with it. I wanted to like it more than I did, with its WWII setting, but bad CGI for the smaller version of the character and what looked like bad CGI/make-up combination for Red Skull dampened my enjoyment a lot.

The second film was notably better than its predecessor, and after watching it, I went out and got Iron Man 2, The Avegers, and Iron Man 3 3D, all of which I watched to catch up on the mythos, and all of which I enjoyed more than the Captain America films. This little lot cost me almost $80, because Iron Man 3 was over $32, so I opted for the 3D edition, which was a mere $5 more. Retailers sure know where to set the prices for these things.

I don't think it's a stretch to say that superhero movies have become the widescreen epics of the early 21st century. All of them are well-made, competently acted, and offer varying amounts of stunning visuals. These are the movies to run to in theaters, and the studios definitely promote the as such. Sometimes, they even win major awards and become critical darlings.

The only thing that may ruin them for posterity is their over-reliance on digital tools and effects. I imagine all of these films will look quite quaint in twenty years time. But that is the price that the industry will pay for embracing digital, I suppose.
 

TravisR

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
42,425
Location
The basement of the FBI building
McCrutchy said:
I imagine all of these films will look quite quaint in twenty years time. But that is the price that the industry will pay for embracing digital, I suppose.
Yeah but that's always been true of any movie using special effects though. King Kong, Forbidden Planet, Star Wars all look dated today but they're good movies so modern audiences can forgive the effects. I'd imagine that people in the future will do the same with the Marvel movies.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,808
Messages
5,123,523
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top