Movie Trailer: Captain America - The Winter Soldier

If this rather excellent Captain America trailer isn't enough for you you could click HERE and see 10 seconds worth of Days of Future Past footage from the trailer that drops next week. That's on you though.

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#TheWinterSoldier Teaser Poster

When referring to PCB News, one refers to integrity.  When Trehern is reporting news, though, you're probably referring to his LACK of integrity.  That's why I cannot help but mention that Captain America: The Winter Soldier (or Cap2ain America) has a new teaser poster!

Take it in folks... I can almost see the plot!  Winter Soldier has attacked Cap with a huge barrel of paint thinner, and when Cap's shield loses its paint job, it loses everything!  Except the part that still makes it a shield and it can still do most shield-y things, paint or no paint.  So as far as creativity, I'd give it 2/10 Stan Lee's.  Next time though, let's add some pizzazz; snowflakes or something!

Sources:
[1] MARVEL DEBUTS "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER" TEASER POSTER

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Marvel's The Avengers Trailer!

It has arrived!!!!

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DVD/Blu-ray Review: Four MGM Cult Classics

It's an interesting bunch this go around.  Three blu-ray releases and a Limited Edition DVD on Demand release.

Three good movies and one horrible movie.

Should I just get the bad one out of the way?

Yeah?

I thought so.

Yeah, it's finally available for purchase if you are so inclined in a "Re-Released 1992 Edition" as opposed to I guess the actually good 2011 edition that is an entirely different movie.

The film is just as bad as you think it is.  Hokey, cheesy, poorly acted and supplemented with ZERO special features, assuming you might want any to begin with make this a no brainer to not buy.  Of course, if you are curious to see it or just want something to sit around and laugh at with your friends that this might just fit the bill perfectly.

Personally, I was just bored by the whole thing.  This film is a relic from a time before comic book movies were a Hollywood cash cow and it reflects just how poorly the properties were treated back then.   Rumor of a director's cut blu-ray are floating around lately.  I can't really see what possibly could make this any better.

The picture is barely better than a VHS and the lack of any supplements just  really makes this one you can pass on.  Especially with its $17.95 price tag.

Captain America (1992)

2/10

Let's just get away from this one and move on to the good stuff, shall we?

The Coen Brothers have a pretty interesting track record for me.  I know some people love everything they've ever done and probably will love everything else they ever do.  Personally, they're much more hit or miss.  If I sat down and really thought about it they might end up being more miss to be honest.  with Blood Simple, it's a bit middle of the road.  I don't dislike it but I don't exactly love it either.

I know this movie is 26 years old at this point but I'll still do my best to avoid spoilers.  The story has a man putting a hit on his cheating wife and her boyfriend.  There's a private detective and money and double crossing and scratch your head what the hell just happened moments that all add up to a tense but muddled film.

It's hard to tell just what exactly is going on half the time but despite that I still enjoyed the film.  I don't know that I loved it or would call it among my favorite Coen Bros. film (The Big Lebowski of course) but it was an interesting watch.

The film is shot wonderfully.   There are some great shots that really amp up the noirish feeling.  I especially got a kick out of the scene near the end when well, just wait for the guy to reach out the bathroom window.

The cast are all wonderful, especially Frances McDormand who was a lot more...delicate than I am used to seeing her.   Really interesting performance from her.

As for the disc itself, the blu-ray looks great.  Really nice color and sound.  I didn't notice any real issues with the picture and the transfer looked pretty good.  The special features on the other hand are less than stellar.  We get only a trailer and a commentary from Kenneth Loring of Forever Young Films.

Worth your money and worth your time, Blood Simple might not be simple at all but it makes for a good evening at home.

Blood Simple 

7/10

Next up is the Sam Peckinpah classic and recently remade Straw Dogs.  I had never seen this one before and in fact wasn't sure what it was.  I've heard people talk about it but never really got around to seeing it until now.  

It's funny, I posted on facebook asking if this is what happened after they got off the bus in The Graduate.  After seeing it, I hope not.

The story follows Dustin Hoffman Susan George as a newlywed couple who have moved into her fathers farm in a small Irish (I think?) village.  Once there they begin to get terrorized by her old friends.

Dustin Hoffman plays a pretty nerdy guy and you get the feeling that there is more to him, something kind of sinister under the surface that never really gets explored.    Eventually, he has to man up and defend his home, and a creepy guy he hits with his car, from the townspeople.

It's a strange journey with some fascinating moments and at the same time a couple extremely uncomfortable ones.  I'm not really sure how different the remake is from the original but I'm curious how they will handle some of the subject matter here.

The blu-ray is really well done.  The picture is crystal clear.  It's really a great transfer.  Were it not for the clothes and a young Dustin Hoffman it could have been shot a year ago instead of 40.

Unfortunately, this disc is also woefully short on special features.  We only get a trailer and TV spots.  You might have to look for the Criterion Edition if you are interested in special features.  This one is sadly without them.

Still, the film is really interesting to watch and see how this mild mannered man must ratchet up his capacity for violence to protect his home and his wife and a man who is for all intents and purposes a stranger, even if he may be in the wrong for doing so.  With some brilliant performances and really tense scenes, Straw Dogs is worthy of your attention.

Straw Dogs

8/10

Lastly, but certainly not least, is the thriller classic from Brian De Palma Dressed To Kill which inexplicably stars Michael Caine and Angie Dickinson.  This is a pretty crazy film in which women in contact with Caine find themselves at the business end of a razor stolen from his office.

If you don't already know the shock of this movie, I won't spoil it for you suffice it to say you probably won't see it coming.  This is clearly an homage to an earlier film that I can't name because in doing so it will reveal the secret of this movie.  Once you see Dressed To Kill you'll know exactly what I am talking about.  The follow the same exact formula almost to a fault.

I gotta give mention to Nancy Allen who definitely holds her own in this movie.  She plays a smart and tough as nails escort who gets caught up in this situation after witnessing a rather gruesome murder.  She ends up doing the police detectives (Dennis Franz) job and even used for bate to catch a sexually charged killer who's having a bit too much fun of the slice and dice variety.

It's a pretty decent thriller and if the ending is intact for you, you'll get an extra kick out of it.  The kill scenes are pretty cringe worthy and the acting top notch.  With a cast like this would you expect any less?

I'm not the biggest De Palma fan but I'll admit I enjoyed this one.  It has its camp moments and it has its good scares so it adds up to a fun watch for me.

Thankfully, MGM did not skimp on the extras for this one.   We get a making of documentary featuring interviews with the cast and director, a comparison of the three different versions of the film (Unrated, R-Rated and TV rated (?) versions of the film (the unrated film is featured on this release),a few other featurettes, photos, and a trailer.   I'm curious why they added features to this release but not to the more well prestigious ones we covered earlier.  Maybe a rights thing?

Aside from the features, MGM has given us a really great transfer free of any imperfections (at least that I noticed).  It's a really nice picture.  Maybe a little too nice at times which you'll see once you watch it.  I think you might be able to see things a little too clearly which might give one pause to think about what it is they are actually seeing.  If I say any more it'll ruin it!

Anyway, Dressed To Kill is a good watch for horror/thriller fans.  It has a great twist at the end and some good gore if that's what you're after.  It's also fun to see how the movie changes after the first few minutes.  It's sort of head spinning.

Dressed To Kill

8/10

Captain America, Dressed To Kill, Straw Dogs and Blood Simple are available now!

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Movie Review: "Captain America: The First Avenger"

Remember when it only cost a dime to see a movie? When your mom would cool her homemade apple pies on the kitchen window sill? Or when it felt good to say the pledge of allegiance instead of something your teacher made you do?

Well I don't remember those things either, but after seeing "Captain America: The First Avenger" I kinda wish I did.

Comic book movies have been everywhere this summer and thanks to the meticulous attention to detail by Director Joe Johnston (The Rocketeer, October Sky, Jurassic Park III) it is safe to say that in 2011 Marvel is batting 1000!

Johnson, along with screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (The Chronicles of Narnia films), have finally given comic book gurus a perfect action-adventure movie from start to finish. It's all killer and no filler. Set in war torn 1942 you immediately know who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. The cast is filled with A-listers including Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Hayley Atwell (good guys) along with Hugo Weaving and Toby Jones (bad guys).

Donning the iconic mask and shield is actor Chris Evans. Evans is no stranger to the comic book movies and this is actually his 4th. Evans has been good in many of those subpar films ("Fantastic Four" anyone?). But this is without a doubt his best performance in the genre. The character of Steve Rogers becomes a "super soldier" and Chris Evans becomes a bonafide movie star.

Chris Evans' performance as Steve Rogers is the core of the film -- a skinny, frail young man with the heart of a fighter who's only goal is to join the army and fight for his country. That's what his parents did and to him that's what Americans do. This film is not a political film by any stretch of the word and yet, as you sit there watching this boy physically become a man while retaining his "do the right thing" attitude, you can't help but feel a little patriotic.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" is fun, thrilling and epic in a way that hasn't been seen since "Raiders Of The Lost Ark."

If you're looking for the dark gritty despair of "The Dark Knight" or the cynical sarcastic world of "Iron Man" you won't find it here. That's not what this movie or this character is about. Still, "Captain America: The First Avenger" is every bit as good as those previously mentioned films.

Drumroll please… 10 out of 10 shields!!

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Comic Book Rumor Time!

Some interested rumors are popping up today.

Let's start with The Dark Knight sequel.

We've all heard the talk of Penguin and The Riddler appearing in the next Batman flick. In fact, The Penguin rumor has been around since 2006.

Recently, however, Michael Caine himself commented on this stating he heard from a Warner exec that Johnny Depp is go for Riddler and Phillip Seymour Hoffman is going to be The Penguin.

Grain of salt time.

This may come from Sir Michael Caine's mouth but who knows if its true or not. There is even talk that Christopher Nolan isn't coming back for the third film.

The other interesting rumor comes from another actor, this time Derek Luke, who says that the roll of Captain America has been offered to...

wait for it...

Will Smith.

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He's Baa-aack. Comic News

Marvel has announced that Captain America will be back as of Captain America #34 debuting in January. As indicated in the photos, he will be sporting a new costume designed by none other than Alex Ross. Your eyes do not deceive you. He is carrying a gun. And knife. So who is it under the mask? Marvels not talking. Ed Brubaker isn't talking.

My money is on Hawkeye taking the gig. Maybe Winter Soldier.

We'll find out in January.

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Pull the fork out of this one?

Alex Ross is coming back to Marvel Comics and Newsarama has a very interesting interview for your reading pleasure.

More mysterious, is this:



Looks as though Alex Ross is going to have something to do with a potential resurrection of Captain America. Ross states he is going to be designer, cover artist, co-storyteller with Jim Krueger on this project but stops short of admitting that it IS the return of Cap. He comes close enough though, even going so far as to say it is in-continuity.

After the disaster that was Civil War, killing Captain America seemed to be a last ditch effort to save the storyline (even though it took places AFTER Civil Wars main books ended)despite claims that is was preplanned. Hopefully, Alex Ross and Jim Krueger can bring a triumphant return for Cap rather than just a mediocre expected resurrection.

Something tells me with Ross involved we shouldn't be too worried.

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HULK STAMP!

The USPS has put their second line of super hero postage stamps for sale, this time featuring Marvel Universe characters.

If you still live in the archaic world of snail mail, or just a die hard collector, these are definitely worth the trouble of waiting in those long lines at the post office.

Happy Mailing!

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