So I just saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier
And it was pretty awesome.
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just want to get one thing off my chest right away: I want to read a fanfic where post movie Natasha crashes at Clint's place and they begin working on finding SHIELD's lost artifacts (Loki's Staff being one of them - because Clint firmly believes that it shouldn't be floating around after what it was able to do to him), Steve and Sam go about finding Bucky, and Bucky goes about finding himself. They all end up coming back together because Bucky and Natasha did have a romance at one point, but Bucky didn't remember it when he shot through her because of his numerous brainwashing sessions between missions. Natasha just figured because they were on opposing sides now that all bets were off and she respected him for that because she would have done the same. I believe this is what Robert Redford's character was referring to when he talked about her secrets becoming exposed - her history with the winter soldier. No only that, but Natasha had some pretty interesting facial expressions whenever Bucky came up as the winter soldier, so, yeah. So, eventual tension between Clint/Natasha/Bucky - yay! Also, Bucky is gonna have some issues when he regains himself and also all he's done under brainwashing. Major issues. Like, he can't face Steve he's got so many issues. Steve was the good guy through and through and Bucky not so much. Bucky is the one friend and link to the past that it is possible to have a future with so he's not going to let go of that; omg, how much angst for Peggy to still be alive and in the mild-moderate stages of dementia? That scene hit home for me. Eventually, the cast will assemble together because Clint and Natasha have found Loki's Staff, Bucky has found Natasha, and Steve and Sam have found Bucky. Aaaaaaaaaaaand then everything goes dark for our heroes when Natasha takes the staff and Hydra is like - WTF? Enter Loki. He's all, "Hello, you have something that belongs to me" and BAM, there goes Hydra. He's been keeping an eye (get it, as Odin, only one eye? hehe.) on our heroes because he's going to allow them to do the legwork in finding that Staff because I believe it holds a gem that goes to the infinity gauntlet and Loki wants his hands on that before Mr. I'm in love with Lady Death. I imagine him remarking of each of the heroes something he finds in common with himself as an additional reason not to kill them beyond their own usefulness to his future purposes. Sam lives because Loki also knows what it is to fly with wings, he is the Skywalker after all. Clint lives because of this skills with a bow and where would Loki be without an archer to shoot mistletoe? Bucky lives because Loki knows what it is like to be brainwashed (being raised as Odin's son for a purpose) and the slow realization that he is a monster once he comprehends the entirety of his true self. Steve lives for a myriad of reasons that Loki stumbles over because he has Steve Feels (because I ship them): Steve almost always being out of place and rarely fitting in, Steve's history of never giving up no matter how many times he's failed, Steve as Dr. Erskine's foundling, Steve using his head instead of just his might, etc. And finally I see Loki smiling as he comes to Natasha because he has always had a penchant for spiders. Then he leaves a fake staff when he takes the real one with him back to the treasure room. When our heroes wake up all they remember is a flash of light when they retrieved the Staff and they come to think that the energy burst has destroyed Hydra while leaving them intact...rather like the Staff knowing its owner and choosing it over all others (as Hydra did not earn the Staff in battle while the Avengers did) and Steve doesn't get the Harry Potter reference because he hasn't read the books yet. The fake staff is then placed in the safe keeping of Tony Stark and Clint will make a Raiders of the Lost Ark reference that Steve won't get...and then the fic will end with my favorite Avengers trope: (an Indiana Jones) Movie Marathon at Tony Stark's (and I guarantee there will be arguments over the 4th film and whether or not it counts).
Now that I have dispensed with that, the film was an utter joy to experience. I was a few steps ahead of most people in the audience. I knew right away that Fury faked his own death, that Robert Redford was the bad guy, that the winter soldier was Bucky, that Mara Hill was going to mount a rescue mission at a crucial moment - I called her as soon as she tasered the guy next to her in the transport, etc.
Pleasant surprises included Hydra infiltrating SHIELD before there was a SHIELD - that was an awesome surprise. Did not see that one coming.
I liked how Natasha kept trying to play matchmaker with Steve, although I was hoping her own history with the Winter Solider would have surfaced, but maybe that will be explored in BLACK WIDOW'S SOLO MOVIE. Yes. I am hoping Natasha/Bucky is a thing in the movieverse.
The Steve/Peggy scene in the nursing home was heartbreaking, damn, but Chris Evans had his finest moment of acting in that scene. HIS FINEST ACTING.
The Bucky/Steve flashback put the slash goggles on for me. The slash is strong with this pairing.
Speaking of Star Wars references, I kept waiting for Robert Redford to announce "Your friends have failed, now witness the firepower of these fully armed and operational hellacarriers (I know its helicarriers)!" I was like, any minute, oh - now's a god opportunity, oh - saving it for last! But it never happened. It was okay though, 'cause I kept thinking about it. This film just had a real Star Wars original trilogy feel about it to me. Did anyone else feel it too?
The brief moment this film lingered on how PTSD manifests in life after war was dignified. I liked that. It felt real, neither over nor under sensationalized, but treated with sense and sensibility.
Speaking of romance, I thought for sure that the reason why Black Widow was so weeping willowie in the film poster was an indication that she was going to have was more romance attached to her in this film. i kept waiting for her past with Bucky to be revealed, but it never came. However I will say that Natasha was definitely more emotional in that she showed true emotion and true trust - especially with Steve. I love how BFF those two are; totes adorbs. So, the poster wasn't misleading - I was right in that there would be emotion with Natasha - I just didn't guess the right kind. But I love that her and Steve are totally friends. Love it!
I wonder if the creepy Hydra guy was referencing the journalist from Tony Stark's films as his sweet young thing on the side. Lots of asides and references to the other films and characters. :)
Also, we got our first look at Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Two trailers: Days of Future Past and Guardians of the Galaxy really expanded on the experience - what with the Collector connection and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch being Magneto's children. Rather like reading a chapter in an epic saga. I can't wait for Quicksilver to be running past Steve and saying in passing, "On your left," and then Sam can say, "See? How do you like it?" :)
So, I am super excited for what is coming next. 8D
And another thing...I kept having mild freakouts about where Clint was the whole time. I know he and Natasha are not joined at the hip, but to not have them together was like a Reese's peanutbutter cup with no chocolate.
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just want to get one thing off my chest right away: I want to read a fanfic where post movie Natasha crashes at Clint's place and they begin working on finding SHIELD's lost artifacts (Loki's Staff being one of them - because Clint firmly believes that it shouldn't be floating around after what it was able to do to him), Steve and Sam go about finding Bucky, and Bucky goes about finding himself. They all end up coming back together because Bucky and Natasha did have a romance at one point, but Bucky didn't remember it when he shot through her because of his numerous brainwashing sessions between missions. Natasha just figured because they were on opposing sides now that all bets were off and she respected him for that because she would have done the same. I believe this is what Robert Redford's character was referring to when he talked about her secrets becoming exposed - her history with the winter soldier. No only that, but Natasha had some pretty interesting facial expressions whenever Bucky came up as the winter soldier, so, yeah. So, eventual tension between Clint/Natasha/Bucky - yay! Also, Bucky is gonna have some issues when he regains himself and also all he's done under brainwashing. Major issues. Like, he can't face Steve he's got so many issues. Steve was the good guy through and through and Bucky not so much. Bucky is the one friend and link to the past that it is possible to have a future with so he's not going to let go of that; omg, how much angst for Peggy to still be alive and in the mild-moderate stages of dementia? That scene hit home for me. Eventually, the cast will assemble together because Clint and Natasha have found Loki's Staff, Bucky has found Natasha, and Steve and Sam have found Bucky. Aaaaaaaaaaaand then everything goes dark for our heroes when Natasha takes the staff and Hydra is like - WTF? Enter Loki. He's all, "Hello, you have something that belongs to me" and BAM, there goes Hydra. He's been keeping an eye (get it, as Odin, only one eye? hehe.) on our heroes because he's going to allow them to do the legwork in finding that Staff because I believe it holds a gem that goes to the infinity gauntlet and Loki wants his hands on that before Mr. I'm in love with Lady Death. I imagine him remarking of each of the heroes something he finds in common with himself as an additional reason not to kill them beyond their own usefulness to his future purposes. Sam lives because Loki also knows what it is to fly with wings, he is the Skywalker after all. Clint lives because of this skills with a bow and where would Loki be without an archer to shoot mistletoe? Bucky lives because Loki knows what it is like to be brainwashed (being raised as Odin's son for a purpose) and the slow realization that he is a monster once he comprehends the entirety of his true self. Steve lives for a myriad of reasons that Loki stumbles over because he has Steve Feels (because I ship them): Steve almost always being out of place and rarely fitting in, Steve's history of never giving up no matter how many times he's failed, Steve as Dr. Erskine's foundling, Steve using his head instead of just his might, etc. And finally I see Loki smiling as he comes to Natasha because he has always had a penchant for spiders. Then he leaves a fake staff when he takes the real one with him back to the treasure room. When our heroes wake up all they remember is a flash of light when they retrieved the Staff and they come to think that the energy burst has destroyed Hydra while leaving them intact...rather like the Staff knowing its owner and choosing it over all others (as Hydra did not earn the Staff in battle while the Avengers did) and Steve doesn't get the Harry Potter reference because he hasn't read the books yet. The fake staff is then placed in the safe keeping of Tony Stark and Clint will make a Raiders of the Lost Ark reference that Steve won't get...and then the fic will end with my favorite Avengers trope: (an Indiana Jones) Movie Marathon at Tony Stark's (and I guarantee there will be arguments over the 4th film and whether or not it counts).
Now that I have dispensed with that, the film was an utter joy to experience. I was a few steps ahead of most people in the audience. I knew right away that Fury faked his own death, that Robert Redford was the bad guy, that the winter soldier was Bucky, that Mara Hill was going to mount a rescue mission at a crucial moment - I called her as soon as she tasered the guy next to her in the transport, etc.
Pleasant surprises included Hydra infiltrating SHIELD before there was a SHIELD - that was an awesome surprise. Did not see that one coming.
I liked how Natasha kept trying to play matchmaker with Steve, although I was hoping her own history with the Winter Solider would have surfaced, but maybe that will be explored in BLACK WIDOW'S SOLO MOVIE. Yes. I am hoping Natasha/Bucky is a thing in the movieverse.
The Steve/Peggy scene in the nursing home was heartbreaking, damn, but Chris Evans had his finest moment of acting in that scene. HIS FINEST ACTING.
The Bucky/Steve flashback put the slash goggles on for me. The slash is strong with this pairing.
Speaking of Star Wars references, I kept waiting for Robert Redford to announce "Your friends have failed, now witness the firepower of these fully armed and operational hellacarriers (I know its helicarriers)!" I was like, any minute, oh - now's a god opportunity, oh - saving it for last! But it never happened. It was okay though, 'cause I kept thinking about it. This film just had a real Star Wars original trilogy feel about it to me. Did anyone else feel it too?
The brief moment this film lingered on how PTSD manifests in life after war was dignified. I liked that. It felt real, neither over nor under sensationalized, but treated with sense and sensibility.
Speaking of romance, I thought for sure that the reason why Black Widow was so weeping willowie in the film poster was an indication that she was going to have was more romance attached to her in this film. i kept waiting for her past with Bucky to be revealed, but it never came. However I will say that Natasha was definitely more emotional in that she showed true emotion and true trust - especially with Steve. I love how BFF those two are; totes adorbs. So, the poster wasn't misleading - I was right in that there would be emotion with Natasha - I just didn't guess the right kind. But I love that her and Steve are totally friends. Love it!
I wonder if the creepy Hydra guy was referencing the journalist from Tony Stark's films as his sweet young thing on the side. Lots of asides and references to the other films and characters. :)
Also, we got our first look at Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Two trailers: Days of Future Past and Guardians of the Galaxy really expanded on the experience - what with the Collector connection and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch being Magneto's children. Rather like reading a chapter in an epic saga. I can't wait for Quicksilver to be running past Steve and saying in passing, "On your left," and then Sam can say, "See? How do you like it?" :)
So, I am super excited for what is coming next. 8D
And another thing...I kept having mild freakouts about where Clint was the whole time. I know he and Natasha are not joined at the hip, but to not have them together was like a Reese's peanutbutter cup with no chocolate.