CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR - review

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Director: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Daniel Brühl, Martin Freeman, Emily VanCamp

Synopsis: With many people fearing the actions of super heroes, the government decides to push for the Anit-Hero Registration Act, a law that limits a heroes actions. This results in a division in the Avengers. Iron Man stands with this Act, claiming that their actions must be kept in check otherwise cities will continue to be destroyed, but Captain America feels that saving the world is daring enough and that they cannot rely on the government to protect the world. This escalates into an all-out war between Team Iron Man (Iron Man, Black Panther, Vision, Black Widow, War Machine and Spider-Man) and Team Captain America (Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Falcon, Sharon Carter, Scarlett Witch, Hawkeye and Ant Man) while a new villain emerges.

In line with tradition, the Red Haired Amazona, The Bear, the Sons of a Gun and I toddled off on opening weekend to see the latest instalment in the Marvel Universe, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. Normally on a Saturday night you can find us curled up on the couch with the boys tucked into bed, with a classic film, a cup of tea and our crochet, but this Saturday night we bundled up into the car and toddled off to the Sun Theatre for a night of cinema viewing (crochet in hand of course). Packed into a sold out session, we sat with our popcorn, choc tops and sodas settled in for a night of sheer viewing pleasure. We are superhero fans and general fantasy geeks, and this has been instilled into the minds of the little 'uns who love a superhero film as much as we do. Needless to say, we loved the film, and not just because we're all biased. It was actually bloody good. So good in fact that the Amazona did not even manage to get her crochet out of her bag *gasp*.

Anthony and Joe Russo have gathered together almost the same cast from THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, for this latest instalment of Marvel goodness, with some wonderful additions - Ant Man, Black Panther and Spider-Man. Yet again the Avengers must bad together to defeat evil, however this time their not-so-petty disagreement about accountability and who should be in charge of what they do with their powers tears them apart, leaving them not fighting their enemy, but each other. It's taken some time, but finally the idea of accountability for the destruction these heroes cause is coming to light. The countless lives lost, the buildings and cities destroyed all in the name of the greater good. Governments world wide have had enough and band together with the United Nations to put in place an agreement that no super heroes should act without the sanction of the UN. Of course this tears the Avengers apart - those who think it's a bloody great idea and those who think it's the worst idea they've ever heard. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) leads camp great idea, and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) leads camp worst idea ever. To make things even more interesting, they're all on the hunt for Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Steve's best friend and world-wide suspected terrorist.

Are you team Captain America or Team Iron Man?

Image via Marvel

I know what you're thinking - who needs lecturing on the evils of vigilantism? Blah blah blah, pessimism, pessimism, pessimism, who cares, just blow stuff up already!! But never fear, the dialogue surrounding this is actually really well written, and it's nice to see these guys do a bit of solid acting. To me it serves to make the characters a bit more well-rounded and whole. They didn't go to the BATMAN V SUPERMAN extremes where the whole concept was just so damn depressing, but they touched on it enough to carry the underlying story of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the division on team Avengers through. It also gave us some really beautiful moments like the one between Vision (Paul Bettany) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), where he tries to cook her a dish from her homeland. Seriously sweet you guys, and did I mention I love Paul Bettany? *sigh*  Such a dream....anyway, I digress. The script has got some serious meat for the actors to sink their teeth into, along with the witty one liners and general comic relief we are so accustomed to in a Marvel film, although Stark did turn it down a notch in this film.

And action, well, let me tell you there is action a plenty in CIVIL WAR. I mean as the name suggests, it is a war after all. Both sides make some good points, but the Avengers choose sides, and then the really good bit happens - they recruit some new members!! Boo yah!! Black Panther and Spider-Man make their entrance into the universe joining Team Iron Man and Hawkeye comes out of retirement to join Team Captain America, and they recruit possible my favourite Avenger - Ant Man (Paul Rudd) - who has a serious fanboy moment when he meets the Cap. It's about time that Marvel had control of Spider-Man, and in my humble opinion, they've really nailed it with this version of Spidey!!

Hello Spidey - you're my favourite Spidey ever

Welcome to the Avengers Black Panther

Images via Marvel

To be fair, everything I know about the Marvel Universe is what I've learnt from the films, plus a few bits here and there from Sonofagun #1 who chimes in with some observations every one and then when he pops out of his own teenage universe. What that means, is I actually don't have a clue whether they've done a good job according to the comics. Some die hard, purist fans might have something different to say about it, but I loved it as did the Amazona, Bear and the kidlets. In fact, I think I enjoyed this more than AGE OF ULTRON *gasp*. It wasn't completely bogged down in action, there was a solid story line and some pretty decent acting.

If you're a fan of the Marvel Universe and you've been keeping up to date with the films, then I don't think you'll be disappointed. I certainly wasn't and it's definitely worth the 20-something dollars to go see this on the big screen. In fact I'm going to go back and see it a second time round with the SO, who couldn't make it last weekend and was a little disappointed I went without him! But you know, tradition is tradition and we go to the new Marvel film on opening weekend. Anyway, do it, it's totally worth it, both for the film itself and (at the risk of sounding objectifying) for the hunky spunks that feature in the film!

4 out of 5
Xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS - review

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg, Rebecca Ferguson

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer despite having a terrible singing voice. 

Well, wasn't this a delightful little piece of cinema? If you like Meryl, and you don't mind your ears bleeding for a while then you'll seriously enjoy this film. Based on the true story of one Madame Florence Foster Jenkins, patron of the arts, music lover and all round inspiration. Jenkins (Meryl Streep) has spent her life bringing music and theatre to life, funding clubs and performances all throughout New York. With a personality made for the stage Jenkins unfortunately doesn't have the voice to go with it and her truly dedicated (yet adulterous) husband St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) has spent 25 years orchestrating performances and shows full of people who will not mock or scoff her. He has created a truly magical world in which Florence resides.

McMoon, Bayfield, Jenkins and Edwards rehearsing for her first concert

image via Paramount Pictures

The story of Jenkins has been played out before in the theatre, but I this version screenwriter Nicholas Martin focuses on the events in her life in 1944. After seeing a magical operatic performance, Jenkins decides she'd like to put on a concert for herself. With the help of her husband, she gets lessons from a renowned vocal coach and conductor Carlo Edwards (David Haig), hires a pianist named Cosme McMoon (Simon Helberg) and begins to prepare for the concert of a life time. After a sell out show with stellar reviews, Bayfield takes a weekend off chaperoning his darling wife to spend some quality time with his girlfriend (unconventional though their marriage may have been, Jenkins and Bayfield loved each other dearly), Jenkins arranges her own performance at Carneigie Hall playing for the first time to a public audience.

Jenkins convincing Bayfield to support her dream of singing on stage at Carneigie Hall

Image via Paramount Pictures

Jenkins gives away 1000 tickets to returned service men, and the audience burst out laughing within about 12 seconds of her opening number. Put smartly back in their place by an obnoxious show girl type, the audience sits through her horrendous performance (and yes, it is horrendous, and yes your ears will bleed), and gives her raucous applause and a standing ovation. Sadly there are some reviews that are not that nice to put it politely, or pretty bloody savage to put it truthfully, and as hard as Cosme and Bayfield try they are unable to shield Jenkins from them. In her fragile health, it sends her into an horrific downward spiral. I would have liked to have seen more if of this, Jenkins suffered from syhpilis for nearly 50 years, and it is touched on just lightly, but I can't help but wonder if the diseased messed with her sanity slightly and could explain her eccentricities. It would have been good to delve into that a little more.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that Streep does an incredible job in this film, we may laugh at her as the incredibly off-key Jenkins, but it takes some serious talent to suck that badly. She has clearly done her research on Jenkins and gets her ear-piercing, glass shattering shrieks down to a tee. There's no Oscar winning hutzpah here, more of a farcical fun times performance, but the ever talented Streep pulls it off without a hitch. Hugh Grant has his moments in this film, he really is devoted and darling when it comes to his wife, but he's a bit, well he's a bit Hugh Grant. A little stiff or stuffy or something at times. The real winner here for me was Simon Helberg as the magical Cosme McMoon. Relying mostly on facial expressions, his face transports you through a serious range of emotions, disbelief, confusion, anxiety, delight, sadness, love, with barely a word spoken. I was really pleased to see Helberg shine in this role.

Jenkins and McMoon recording their first album

Image via Paramount

The script is a little clunky at times, and the jokes rely on farcical timing and facial expressions top work. This musical tragicomedy falls a little flat at times, there's not a lot of pizzaz in the staging or direction, but that being said, it really is a sweet piece of cinema. I think once word of mouth gets out there, people will start heading off to see it (my session only had about 4 people in it this morning and I was sure it was going to be packed), it is a genuine crowd pleaser. If you're a Meryl or indeed a Hugh fan, then I would definitely recommend paying the 20-something dollars to go see it. Take the ladies, take your mum, take your gran or great aunt, you'll have a ball. If it's your choice for date night, take your boyfriend, pretty sure it's not one he'd pick, but he might be surprised by it.

3 out of 5
Xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell