"This isn't Freedom... This is Fear."

Captain America: The Winter Solider, released Friday April 4th and this just seemed like a good movie to bring my blog back to life. This film is fantastic for the genre it is a part of, aka: The Superhero Movie. It is one of the better superhero action movies I've seen in a while. I really enjoyed Thor 2: The Dark World but I think I like this one a little more.

The first Captain America, which was released in 2011, in my opinion, was a decent film. However, I will say it was not my favorite superhero movie, but hey it showed promised. I think one reason I am sort of biased toward these movies is because I love Captain American. Let's be honest, he is one of the best superheros around. Yes, he has powers but at the same time he is a regular guy. He is easy to relate to and he's honest. He stands for truth, justice, and freedom. The thing I love about these movies is the fact that the creators don't take that away from him. If they ever corrupt him I will be so pissed because we need more classic heroes in movies today.

Chris Evans makes the perfect Captain, I don't care what anyone else says. He looks the part; he is straight up, "classic American". In this film you can see that Chris put on double the muscle mass, so he looked so massive, which helped with the fight scenes in this film. They made Captain America pretty BA. His fight scenes are amazing. They really let him show off and they show how awesome he really is, which I love. It's good to see some solid combat scenes as well. I mean I love Iron Man as much as the next girl, but these close combat fights were so intense it was a nice change. Let's not forget Black Widow, played by the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. She was stunning as usual and her fight scenes are just as awesome as in the movies before.

Samuel L. Jackson, reprising his role as Nick Fury was hilarious as usual. That man has so much sass I cannot take it. He as quite a few one liners that are so funny you will laugh at them throughout the whole film. Other characters have good one liners as well, but Fury is just one of my favorite characters so I was glad he was in this film. Anthony Mackie also co-stars in this film playing Sam Wilson and he does a great job. I don't want to ruin the purpose of his character for those who do not know the story, but his character's plot takes a fun little twist that is enjoyable to watch.

The best part of this film was the mystery. The plot in this film far exceeds the plot of the first Captain America. The first one was literally 90% exposition. In this film, they jump right into the action. From the beginning of the movie you are trying to find out exactly where the story is going. The writers keep you in your seat, that much is true. The Winter Solider in this movie is a great opponent for Captain America. Their fight scenes are some of the best scenes in the whole film. They are both fast, strong, and smart; all this together creates so much tension that you might catch yourself with sweaty palms. The special effects in this movie are also really good. It is a pretty action movie in the sense that even though jank is blowing up all around the characters, you can still see the art in what the effects team is creating. The movie works however, because there is a happy marriage between effects and a good plot.

Overall, I give this film a solid A. It was a good action film and does justice to the Marvel Universe. It will be interesting to see where the Marvel Universe goes from here. Also stick around after the credits to watch the special scene. I had no idea what that scene meant but I'm excited to find out. So when you have time go see Captain America face his greatest challenge yet, in theaters now.

- Megan O'Neal

"What kind of monster are you?" "The Wolverine!"

So sorry this review is coming so late.. But lets talk about "The Wolverine". Let me start off by saying I saw this movie 2 times within the first week of it being released. Safe to say this was a well made movie and got me even more pumped for the new X-Men: First Class Movie.

I don't honestly think I need to say it, but I will for emphasis: Hugh Jackman was Amazing!!! I honestly do not think anyone else could be Wolverine. I mean honestly he is Logan. This film far exceeded my expectations. Hugh, as usual, dedicated himself to the role by sculpting his body to the role. His acting was very good (as always). Logan is different then he has been in the other films. He has always been a 'tragic hero' type. He has always been a little broken and a sort of somber character. However, in this film he has reached his lowest point. This movie picks up after X-Men: The Last Stand. Logan is being haunted by Jean after killing her months or years prior. And the movie is kind of an evolution of Logan, showing if he will be the guy he was or become something completely different.

This movie takes a lot of twist and turns and the ending will take you by surprise. The major plot is something happens to Wolverine that makes him lose his ability to heal quickly. He still is able to heal faster than normal people but not nearly as fast as he always does, which makes him vulnerable and weaker. However, he still finds himself protecting someone ( as usual) and that opens his heart to other things (yes to love friends)

The action in this movie is really really awesome!! There is a ninja/karate element that is just great. It's fun to watch. And the actors they picked to join Jackman in this film are very talented. Especially, Rila Fukushima, who plays Yukio. She looks after Logan and kicks some serious butt!! She was one of my favorite characters in the whole film. Her acting isn't the best, but you her fighting is amazing and that's good enough.

The end of this movie is what was soooo surprising to me and I didn't see it coming at all!! If you haven't seen it yet, I can not prepare you for what happens... sorry If you have seen it click the spoiler box!!

So when Logan gets his claws cut!!! WHAT!!! I legit screamed when I saw that. The writers did a great job of shocking me through out the film, but that was just a lot. I'm still confused as to what that means for Wolverine in the new X-Men movie coming out.. but I guess we'll see. Does anyone have any theories on how he will get his claws back?

 When viewing this movie you will be on your toes; it has its funny moments and a few moments of roromance but mostly its ACTION!! Which is what I want from my well... action movies! If you are weary about seeing this movie because Wolverine: Origins was kinda a flop, don't worry this movie makes up for that one and X-Men: The Last Stand (which isn't my fav). And stay tuned after the credits, trust me you will wanna see the clip afterwards. The Wolverine is out on DVD now so go rent or buy it now!! Enjoy!

- Megan O'Neal

"Tonight we are cancelling the apocalypse!"

Pacific Rim, released July 2013, is a whole new spin on the alien apocalypse. The story follows the idea that an alien species called the Kaiju, are trying to take over our world. The movie does have some good action scenes and some intense moments. However, the writing, in my opinion is not the best. This movie is predictable in many cases and the acting was decent at best. Overall I would give this film a C. The action was good and I would probably see it again but I wouldn't actually buy it.

The special effects in this film were the best part of this movie. The Kaiju look real and are designed in a cool way. They are neon sea creatures that are actually pretty frightening. This film does present a new way to look at aliens and that is refreshing considering all the apocalyptic films that have been coming out lately. The robots in this film are cool as well. The robots, which are called Jaegers, are the soul of this film. They way they operate is that two pilots are connected in one robot and together, with their minds linked, they control the Jaegers. With the mix of the Jaegers and giant sea aliens, some pretty awesome fight scenes are created.

To me this movie was just okay because I was not very impressed with the writing. It was easy for me to figure out exactly what was going to happen. I prefer when movies have some twist and turns that catch me off guard. Or the film at least has really good writing that help the actors shine, so that even if I can figure out whats going to happen next, I am still impressed with the performance. The acting was okay, nobody was a bad actor but the script didn't really give many opportunities for them to shine. I must say though, I do like Charlie Hunnam. I do see some potential in his acting skills. I have never watched Sons of Anarchy but I hear he is pretty good, plus, he isn't bad to look at either. Also there is some romance in this movie, so guys if you thought you could escape that, well you're wrong. Honestly, I kinda wish there was no love interest in this film because I don't think the movie really needed it. I think that the character Marko, played by Rinko Kikuchi, should still be in the movie, but she didn't necessarily need to be a love interest.

This movie did have some funny moments, however. I found myself laughing more then I expected. Granted, sometimes I was laughing because some of it was so cheesy, and I love cheesy things. Most of the funny moments were due to Charlie Day, one of the stars from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He is just a really funny guy so most of the time when he was on screen, he was cracking me up, even if he wasn't trying to. I actually really enjoyed the funny moments because I wasn't expecting them.

Overall, this movie is a total "Dude Flick". And I love action and "guy" movies as much as the next person, but this one was not one of my favorites. But that being said, I know that many guys will enjoy this movie. I mean robots fighting aliens; those are two of guys favorite things. Honestly, if it were me I would wait for this movie to hit the dollar theater or rent it. But if you want to have an action movie night, this movie isn't a total waste. Enjoy the movies, until next time...

 - Megan O'Neal

"Most people don't believe something can happen until it already has. That's not stupidity or weakness, that's just human nature."

Zombies!! Zombies!!! Zombies!!! Honestly, what's better than zombies? World War Z, released June 21, 2013 starring Brad Pitt is a film all about, well the Zombie Apocalypse of course! It's safe to say that the idea of this movie is appealing in its own right. The movie is based on the critically acclaimed book written by Max Brooks, in which an Ex-Untied Nations worker has to help save his family and the planet during a "zombie" outbreak. This film is intense, fast moving, and takes several different turns. Overall I would give it an A for amazing!! No plus or minus, just a solid A.

Brad Pitt played Gerry Lane in the film and was excellent, as usual. But instead of playing the sexy stud that fights the bad guy and saves the girl, he plays a stay-home-dad (who just happens to be ex-military for the United Nations) that would do anything to protect his family. This isn't necessarily a new role for Brad but it is a little different and refreshing! Karin Lane played by Mireille Enos is the mother and wife in this film and she was great. Why? Because she played a wife and mother the way a real wife/mother would act in a high pressure/danger situation. AKA: She protected her kids!!! I'm so sick of movies where women, especially mothers, are so terrified by fear they can’t even protect their own children. That's just dumb and disrespectful to good moms everywhere. If your child is in danger, you protect them at all cost. In the film Gerry did everything to protect his family, but Karin did everything to save her children, even if that meant running ahead with the kids, leaving Gerry to fight off the zombies alone. That doesn’t mean she didn’t love Gerry, she just trusted him to get his job done so she could get her job done.

Family is the core dynamic of this film and that's what makes this film good, in my opinion. This movie contains a good strong family. The kids listened to their parents. Even when they were scared and didn't know what to do, they ran when their parents told them to run. And they all loved each other. It was so nice to see an on screen family that was happy and tried to stay positive, despite the circumstances (I mean it’s the end of the world and these people try to keep their heads up. They deserve some props). It actually helped me connect to the characters more because, though all characters have their flaws, none of them were particularly selfish and their motives were pure. They did things to protect the people they love and that is great to see.

Now let’s get to the good part... ZOMBIES!!! The zombies in this film are crazy cool. The whole idea of the film is not the classic "zombies are the undead, gross, and need human brains to survive.” Instead, it goes more of the direction that the zombies came from some sort of unknown virus. Obviously, this movie isn't the first thing to put that twist on a zombie movie, but it still works. The zombies themselves look awesome. They are haunting and creepy but they are not gross looking, necessarily. The way the zombies move is what makes them sooooo crazy looking. It's one of those things you will just have to see for yourself. And as always, the zombies do provide some funny moments. For example, when they randomly bang their head into a wall, you cant help but laugh.

This movie is a high tension film. You will be at the edge of your seat for sure. I got so worked up when I first saw it that I gasp so loud, I scared a lady one row down from me (mission accomplished). Everyone in the theater will be on edge until the credits start to roll. Speaking of credits, the end is not what you would expect out of a movie like this, but it is a great ending to the story. I like the way it ended because it leaves you feeling like all your questions are answered, but at the same time you are still pondering certain things. It’s a good film that shows how a good family core relates to human nature, and how human nature reacts to Mother Nature: a true serial killer. Have a good night at the movies folks!

- Megan O'Neal

"I have no idea what I'm suppose to do. I only know what I can do."

Star Trek: Into Darkness was released in early May was one of the best movies released this summer. I saw the first Star Trek and was sort of  impressed, but the sequel was amazing!! I felt every emotion in one 2 hour period. I left in awe and pleasantly surprised. If you haven't seen this movie in theaters yet you need to get a move on before it leaves theaters. You don't want to wait for this movie to come out on DVD because it will feel like an eternity.

To start off, the cast of this movie is simply fantastic. Zoe Saldana is simply breath taking and kicks some butt which is always great. And Zachary Quinto was simply fantastic in this film. The first movie he was pretty good, but this one he crossed a new level. He is so funny in this movie, which took me by surprise. He is sarcastic and witty and really helps make the movie better. Everyone in the cast is great and you get attached to every single character. But let's not forget Captain Kirk, played by the sexy and talented Chris Pine. Chris is exceptional in this movie. He is a good actor and I'm enjoying watching him grow as an actor. You root for him the entire time, even when he is being stupid and prideful, you cant help but love him. But even though Kirk can act stupid sometimes he redeems himself in the film. He is an amazing leader and loves his crew like family. It's nice to see a movie with a leader who puts his team before himself and his desires.

Now let's not look over Benedict Cumberbatch playing Khan! He was a great and that's all I can tell you. You will love to hate him, that's pretty much all I can say about him. On a random side note, I heard Cumberbatch is going to play Smaug in the new upcoming Hobbit movie, and I am sooooo excited about that. Even though we wont see Cumberbatch's face, he is still a major part of Smaug character and I just know he will make the character come to life. Speaking of the characters, Cumberbatch and Pine do a great job of using their facial expressions to convey their emotions. Both have such powerful facial expressions that one stare in the camera can make the audience feel so many emotions. When you see this movie, pay attention to what these actors do what their stories and their script.

This movie takes many unexpected turns. They threw me for a loop 20 times. I was curled up in a ball for most of the film, wondering how everything was going to turn out. This movie is fun, upbeat, intense, heartfelt, and just an overall good movie. The writing is very good. The plot is solid and keeps you guessing. And J.J. Abrams is a great director. He is smart and a beautiful director. He makes space look so vast but at the same time he makes us relate to the characters and their environments. ( I cant wait for J.J. to do Star Wars, I'm sure he will make them fantastic)

Do Not Miss one of the best films released this summer. Get to a theater and prepare to be amazed. Every one of my friends I've talked to all love this movie. I cant wait til it comes out on DVD cause I really want to buy it. So if you have a boring day or a rainy day, hit your local theater and see a movie you know will be good, and honestly how often does that happen. Enjoy!!

- Megan O'Neal

"Danger is very real. But fear is a choice"

After Earth was released this May and it actually wasn't a bad film. It was pretty easy to figure out, and the acting performance by Jaden Smith wasn't overly impressive, but the movie wasn't that bad. Overall I would give it a solid C.

Now I love Will Smith. He is an exceptional actor and he is just a good guy. He was pretty good in this movie. I think it is hard for Will to completely fail at any role. He played a non-expressive and distant father. Based on what I know about Will, he is not like that at all and he played the part very convincing so I think he played the role well. His son, however, still has a lot of work to do. I believe he could be a decent actor but he is in that awkward middle school stage, or his voice sounds like it. Basically whenever he gets mad he screams; then comes his squeaky voice . His weird puberty voice causes the audience to laugh taking us out of the moment. I'm still holding out hope for Jaden, I think he has a bright future, I just hope his acting skills catch up to the huge expectations that lie in front of him.

The movie was unpredictable at times. I caught myself short of breath wondering what was going to happen next. Yet, the overall plot and the ending itself is very predicable. Somehow this movie is very predictable with very few moments of unpredictability. I will say that there is one monologue in this film that is very good. The monologue focused on the idea of fear and how it is a choice. I fully believe in this idea. The rest of the speech discusses how fear is not real, instead it is something we form in our heads. It's a great speech. Honestly, if you don't wanna watch the movie, at least look up the speech on Youtube or something, its really good.

This movie is a B. I would not see it in theaters unless it was dollar theater. Definitely save it for RedBox. But if you wanna see it on the big screen it won't be a complete waste. But lastly I will say again, look up the speech because it is very true. We need to stop letting fear stop us from accomplishing things and becoming the people we want to be. After Earth will be in theaters a little while longer, until it hits dollar theaters and then the DVD racks.

- Megan O'Neal