Captain America: The First Avenger ***

Director: Joe Johnston

Cast: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones

Hayley Atwell, Neal McDonough, Dominic Cooper

Hugo Weaving, Derek Luke, Stanley Tucci

Out of the large universe of Marvel superheroes, Captain America has always been one of the strangest because unlike say, Spider-Man or Hulk, despite their US headquarters, he doesn't really represent a global cause. The stars and spangles on his uniform appeal specifically to Americans and no, the rest of the world does not consider the US of A to be its savior. In fact it's essentially intriguing to ask oneself why would a studio bother in making and distributing a film about such a specifically American icon when the country has unarguably been losing more and more prestige as a mediator of nations. Oh wait, there we have the answer...

In reality this film isn't so much a prequel to The Avengers or yet another money making blockbuster, it's basically a propagandistic piece that tries to recover the very American idea which says that the prouder you are of the USA, the more you will make foreigners admire you.

This sounds like a tough sell after the disastrous international consequences brought about by the Bush administration and the mixture of antipathy and pity brought on by the inefficient Obama government.

Each of these factors make Captain America: The First Avenger a complex beast because it's meant precisely to work as the sort of nationalistic fluff made during the war, designed to attract young men to enlist and young women to drool over their efforts. So, what's the best way to convey this without getting flack from liberals and extremist praise from conservatives? You make the movie an homage to the lost art of propaganda, you set it during the era when it thrived, you bash in the method's techniques and surreal patriotism and you get to have your cake and eat it too.

This is precisely what director Johnston does for this film, he borrows the retro aesthetics of his superb The Rocketeer, throws in some modern quips to satisfy comic book fans and even casts non-distinctive actors (can anyone tell the difference between Atwell, Sienna Miller and Claire Danes?) to fulfill the promise that anyone can become Captain America.

Chris Evans pulls off the all-American handsome blue eyed, blonde hair look as super soldier Steve Rogers, who starts out as a Benjamin Button-ized skinny young man with good intentions who catches the eye of a Nazi-escapee scientist (the always wonderful Tucci) who realizes he's the best subject for his new program. Rogers then is injected with a serum that - in the best fairy tale way - creates a physical manifestation of his inner values. Therefore the meek Rogers who hates bullies and never says no to a good cause turns into the obscenely muscular version of Evans we already know. Problem is that before he escaped Germany, the good scientist also conducted the experiment on the insane Dr. Schmidt (Weaving) who turned into a supervillain trying to destroy the world by means of Nordic god weaponry.

The film then becomes a brisk adventure that recalls 30s and 40s serials, the film exudes a lovely Indiana Jones spirit and the art design and costumes are spot on. The film is often at its best when it inadvertently gives us glimpses of the futuristic views of the past. Cooper is a scene-stealer as crazily seductive engineer Howard Stark (Iron Man's dad) and he shows absolute joy in a manic Howard Hughes inspired way. Gotta love that he gets to pull off the mustache now favored by hipsters the world over, while staying true to the aesthetics and customs of the era he's in.

For all its talk of American pride and honor, the film can get quite sneaky at times and you might find yourself rooting for the Captain's illegal operations. Perhaps all changes in times of war but to justify invasion in this day and era feels like an ethical conundrum, even in the name of blockbuster joys. Best of all is that Johnston never denies his intentions, at one point Dr. Schmidt reminds the Cap that he's not an emblem of nations, that his cause is in the name of one particular country. Of course he ignores him and despite our best efforts to keep neautral, we keep on cheering for him until the very end.

Style Sunday.

See, I always wonder how the hell does Kate Middleton find normal looking Alexander McQueen

dresses, she always looks stunning but goes for the blandest designs by the iconic house. Now here we have Annie doing the best of both worlds: the black part of the dress is cocktail style at its classiest but the top (which Anna Paquin has tried before) is ALL McQueen.

Oh Emma. This Dior is perfection. Sigh.

What do you think of these two? Cuckoo over Emma's flapper redux?

Sheet-y Saturday.

Where we take a look at posters for upcoming features.

I don't know how I feel about the idea of the movie itself but I am digging their use of the iconic logo, also using the song as tagline is genius, which only makes me wonder...if they're relying on the original one's elements so much, why the hell was an update even necessary?

I would give my arm to see this movie ASAP! I've heard only wonderful things about it and this Chungking Express inspired poster just makes me want to hug the idea of watching it!

Can this movie please open today? Got to love how well they're using the floating heads to show us the range of emotions the actors will provide (this is an entire FYC campaign in the making!).

The use of colors is remarkable and it reveals a bit how the film isn't a full on drama. Extra points for Jodie's faces. That smile is still as captivating as it was in 1976.

So, dying to cut loose some carnage this weekend? (Hardy har har) No really, which of these posters make you go gaga?

I Did It All for the Nucky.

Last year like everyone else I was thrilled when it was announced that Marty was directing the pilot for a new HBO show. When said show arrived I gave it a try once and never bothered to return. As it's tradition, the Golden Globes showered the new kid in town with awards and so did the SAG eventually. Then a few weeks ago when Emmy nods were announced, Boardwalk Empire led the way. I couldn't help but wonder what was I missing on that everyone else loved so much.

Unlike a show like Game of Thrones for example that got me so hooked I devoured the whole first season in a day, this one did nothing for me. At the insistence of my buddy Andrew (who recently got me hooked to Parks and Recreation like a crack whore, on well, crack) I got my little hands on the entire first season and recently made my way through every single ep.

If there's something I pride myself in is my ethics when it comes to discussing popular media. I refuse to discuss something I haven't seen in its totality, so I held my peace and now can talk freely about the show.

I guess one of the main reasons why the show never truly clicked with me is because I've never been much into the crime and gangster genre, I respect but don't love The Godfather for example, but hold your breath, so I had a slight bias when watching this show. I was pleasantly surprised by the way in which the writers create some fascinating characters like the one played by Jack Huston (pictured above). I of course loved, loved, loved when they link his character to The Wizard of Oz (the book, not the movie obviously) and for all his precision as a cold blooded murderer, there's a sense of possibility in his story.

Of course I loved Kelly Macdonald's Margaret, as the soul of the show she has the difficult task of being both a symbol and a human but there's nothing this woman can't do. This could've been another take of her troubled wife from No Country for Old Men but she turns her into something more, something that tempts me to come back next season.

Also, I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent.

Now most of what bugs me about the show is how uneven it is and how it relies so much on mediocre actors to carry, take Paz de la Huerta for example, sure she has amazing boobs and is quite hot but I felt her Lucy lacked the slutty selfawareness of someone who uses her looks to get ahead. Same goes for Michael Pitt, who as Andrew himself said is just a poor man's version of Leonardo di Caprio. Those two are the weakest links in a truly outstanding ensemble that somehow never really shines as a coherent whole. The best scenes are always the one in which Macdonald interacts with others.

Oh and Michael Shannon is all sorts of terrific as a slightly psychotic bureau agent trying to get his hands on the mob. I love his character and therefore I was surprised when this happened:

One of my favorite characters doing my least favorite character and then leading to something that promises to tie the characters closer together next season...I have a full month to decide if I wanna invest more time with these characters (new season begins September 25th)

Oh and as far as my blasphemy goes, I much prefer Tim Van Patten's directorial work in Game of Thrones than Marty's in this.

Where do you stand on Boardwalk Empire? Care to convince me to like it or do you support my cause?

The Conspirator **½

Director: Robert Redford

Cast: James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Justin Long

Evan Rachel Wood, Johnny Simmons, Toby Kebbell

Tom Wilkinson, Norman Reedus, Alexis Bledel

Kevin Kline, Danny Huston

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was undoubtedly one of the seminal events of the nineteenth century and history has made sure that we learn as much about Honest Abe as we can. His life has been the center of books, films and urban legends all of which culminate in the night where he was murdered by actor John Wilkes Booth.

Very few times have we been informed of what came to be afterwards and how one story in particular would shape the way of legal battles up to this very day. That story would be Mary Surratt's, played with fierce serenity by Robin Wright, a woman who was tried for conspiring in the assassination of President Lincoln.

While the story is supposed to concentrate on Surratt, director Robert Redford takes a more didactic approach and centers on her defending lawyer Fredrick Aiken (McAvoy), a Civil War veteran who's appointed by the army to defend someone everyone thinks is guilty.

The film deftly deals with the way in which public opinion can shape the outcome of a trial but more than that it leads us to wonder when and where is it right to bend the law, or if we even should consider doing it at all.

Redford, always the political instructor, makes the film about the way in which the army shattered the law in order to put on a charade to find themselves a scapegoat, Mary's guilt or innocence are never really on trial in the film (anyone watching the movie will think something entirely different) what the movie examines is the inconsistency with which governments provide so-called justice.

Unlike most of the films directed by Redford this one conceals its liberal agenda under a more restrained, almost theatrical style that might appeal those from dissenting political parties, as such it's a movie much more entertaining than say the disastrous Lions for Lambs however in delivering his essay Redofrd has once again forgotten to make his characters human.

He uses them to portray archetypes, we have the heroic Aiken, the villainous prosecutor (Huston) and he even gives Aiken a virginal love interest (Bledel of course) who juxtaposed with Surratt's more vamp-like daughter (none other than Wood) act like the angel and devil figures on the good lawyer's shoulders.

Props should be given to the always fascinating Wright who infuses Mary with a serene knowledge the rest of the film lacks. Redford doesn't give her character much to do but Wright taps into something primal and by the end of the film has evoked maternal love, demonic possession and manipulation with elegance and grace. Watch the way in which she can break your heart by remaining silent or the hatred she can invoke to her eyes. She makes us wish the rest of the movie lived up to her brilliant portrayal.

Natural Born Genius.

Head over to PopMatters where we're discussing 100 Essential Film directors.

In this installment I talk Fellini! So go read and come here to comment!

Style Sunday.

Mila Kunis rocks this Cacharel mini in completely unexpected ways. Gotta love how the print goes straight to the sleeves creating a sense of continuity that reminds us why fashion can be pure art sometimes. Paired with simple white pumps and loose hair she's a poster girl for effortless sexiness.

Gotta love how the delicate lace details in this Emilio Pucci dress make the wholesome Jessica Chastain have more of an edge.

Enjoying Mila's amazing fashion streak as of late?

Sheet-y Saturday.

Where we take a look at posters for upcoming features.

Unlike the rest of the planet I don't want to have Ryan Gosling's babies but I'm loving the old-school masculinity he brings to this new poster for Drive.

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn who won the mise-en-scene prize at Cannes the film is a throwback to B movies and macho films so the poster embodies this effectively. Gotta love the unashamedly tacky pink font and Gosling's dirty look. I wasn't a fan of Refn's last film but this one seems quite promising.

Is this really the best they could come up with? They should've at least tried to do something like the cup and two faces psych trick. This is just so blah.

Kudos to whoever decided Keira Knightley's delicate frame looked so big it seems she can kick Viggo and Fassy's asses.

What's your take on these? Crazy to see Keira kick some Freudian ass?