Iron Man.  The Hulk.  Thor.  After years of lackluster superhero movies (Daredevil, anyone?  Anyone?), Marvel turned the knob up to eleven the past few years, and has kept it there with a string of well thought out films that weave together a shared mythology as well as an ever-growing fan base.  Captain America: The First Avenger builds up that positive momentum and whips it into a frenzy of action, adventure and plain-old fun.

Pity poor Steve Rodgers.  He’s the 98-pound-weakling that the weaklings in the old Atlas ads used to beat up for lunch money.  With a string of health problems as long as his skinny little arm, there’s no way any recruiter during World War II would ever sign him up; Uncle Sam Wants…somebody else.  That doesn’t keep Steve from trying though, and one night he’s overheard talking to his friend Bucky (a Greatest Generation stud muffin in a sharply tailored Army uniform) about how he wants to help fight the good fight.  The man that overhears him is a scientist for the Army, a scientist that is working on a way to create a better, faster, stronger soldier.  You know where this is going, right?  Of course you do.  Soon, Steve is no longer a weakling, but the All-American hero, six-pack abs and all (pity his chinos stretched out along with him.  Where do transforming superheroes shop, Hulk’s Magic Pantsland?)  But — and there’s always a but in the Marvel universe — the scientist’s first attempt at creating the best and brightest is on the side of the Nazis.  And he’s got much more than the Final Solution on his mind.  Da Duuuuuuum!

Captain America: The First Avenger throws everything on the burner, and damn if it doesn’t work beautifully.  It’s got the feel of an old WWII-era USA propaganda film, all rah-rah and red white and blue.  In today’s hipster culture, all the flag waving might have come off as trite or cheesy.  But in Captain America it’s just fuel for the fire, giving the film a fist-pumping shot of adrenaline that propels the movie from scene to scene with a breathless, roller-coaster pace that grabs viewers and doesn’t let go.

Chris Evans, ala The Human Torch from the Fantastic Four films, plays Steve Rodgers as an earnest fella who may not have the strength, but has a whole lotta heart.  When Steve becomes the Captain, it all comes together, and he’s the embodiment of WWII can-do idealism, something that seems all but gone in today’s America (home of the ironic and world-weary).  Hayley Atwell holds her own as gal pal/eye candy Peggy, a gal that can knock a man out with a tight red dress or a killer right hook.  Though the sidekick trophy should really go to Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, I couldn’t help but root for “Dum Dum” Dugan, played by Band of Brothers star Neal MacDonough.  What can I say, I love a man in a bowler.  I also loved Dominic Cooper as a young Howard Stark, every inch the playboy genius his son would ultimately become.

The BFF award in this film goes to Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci as Colonel Chester Philips and Dr. Abraham Erskine.  Jones, as always, plays military men with a good dash of bootstrap-pulling, and Tucci’s German ex-pat scientist is the perfect foil for all that macho.  The scenes where they butt heads are hilarious, and come thisclose to stealing the movie away from the main action.  As far as the Big Bad goes, Hugo Weaving (Lord of the Rings) plays Red Skull with appropriate mustache-twirling intensity. Y’know, if a skull actually had a moustache.  He’s a touch too intense at times; at the big reveal I couldn’t help but wonder if Jim Carrey would pop out with a “Ssssssssmokin’!”

Are there fanboy/girl moments in this film?  You betcha.  My favorite?  Bucky grabbing Cap’s shield to deflect bullets when the Cap is, well, indisposed.  That’s right up there with the scene in Iron Man when Rhodes looks at the Iron Man suit….  And though Stan “The Man” Lee wasn’t in X-Men: First Class, never fear; you can play Spot The Stan during Captain America.  He’s in here.

Here’s a money-saving tip from me to you; with Captain America: The First Avenger, you can skip the 3D.  The movie is enough of a treat that 3D is guilding the lily, and there aren’t many moments of things flying out at’cha, if you’re trying to decide between bumping up to 3D or upgrading to a large popcorn.  The real jaw-droppers here is the special effects magic from Lola Visual Effects that changes Chris Evans from modern-day stud to 1940’s shrimp, and the amazing battle scenes.  There’s a lot of ‘sploding going on, and it’s visual effects/motion graphis at it’s best.  Shout out to explosives engineer Charles Adcock and pyrotechnician David J. Barker, who really deliver the goods.

As with the other Avengers-related films that have gone before, there’s a post-credits scene at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger that not only hints at The Avengers, it gives viewers a tiny peek behind Nick Fury’s curtain.  It’s a perfect cherry on top of this patriotic superhero confection.  Enjoy!

Today at Comic-Con saw less news, but much more high-profile announcements. Most of the action took place in Hall H, which was bogged down with some serious line management problems, but we’ve got it all summed up right here for you.

The first big presentation of the day was from Warner Bros. First, the first footage from Green Lantern was screened. Although nothing spectacular, the fans enjoyed it overall, but were disappointed with the lack of Reynolds in the suit. This only confirms the fact that the suit is a work-in-progress. Still, I am looking forward to this film and hope that it can be a simple, fun superhero origin story, which we haven’t seen a lot of recently. Also, I’m looking forward to the more fantastical elements of the hero. Producer Donald DeLine said that many other Green Lanterns are featured and that the movie is part space opera, which is a good sign that they’re not ignoring that area of the Green Lantern mythos. And although the Green Lantern announcements are cool, DC has really not stepped up their game to challenge Marvel’s cinematic dominance. Geoff Johns is now in charge of their creative decisions moving forward, which is a great move, but the company has not centralized their film properties as Marvel has to such enormous success. Also, there was no word on Batman, which was a huge missed opportunity. Still, I’m hoping that after Green Lantern DC gets their act together and makes something great, maybe a Justice League movie? (Although I’m torn on whether or not Chris Nolan’s Batman should be a part of anything like that.) After a short Harry Potter trailer and panel, Zack Snyder came onstage for Sucker Punch. This new movie is based on his idea and stars an ensemble cast of women who are breaking out of a mental institution and includes Carla Gugino, Jamie Chung, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone and Emily Browning. I’m not sure what to think about this movie, but the footage got a fantastic reception and it sounds truly unique. Hopefully the trailer gets released online soon so we all can see it.

Let Me In, the American remake of the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, has had an enormous 360 when it comes to the public’s view. After a period of resenting the fact that such a movie was being remade, it seems like every detractor has been shut up by footage from the upcoming movie. I know I wasn’t too excited for this, but now its definitely on my radar. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), from what I can tell, is doing a fantastic job helming the movie. He talked about how Steven Spielberg gave him tips for interacting with young actors, and that is what has me most excited for this film. Both Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Chloe Grace Moretz ((500) Days of Summer, Kick-Ass) have a lot of potential to give amazing performances and I hope they both pull it off. Check out this trailer for the film:

At this point, Hall H screeched to a halt after a fight broke out. It’s still unclear what actually happened, but the prevailing rumor is that someone asked another guy to move and when he didn’t, he stabbed him in the face with a pen. That’s speculation, but the scene was pretty grisly with blood everywhere and the victim being taken out on a stretcher, all with 8 or 9 cops in the vicinity.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost then introduced their new film, Paul. In the movie, the duo travel to Comic-Con and then embark on a road trip to Roswell, New Mexico. On the way they meet an alien named Paul, who is voiced by Seth Rogen. Paul is directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) and the supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Bateman, and Jeffrey Tambor. I am really looking forward to this movie as Pegg and Frost are consistently hilarious and the story is pretty original. Paul is not your typical alien – he basically thinks of himself as an everyday Joe. Road trips are always pretty fun so having one with this trio of comedians and an alien should be awesome.

Once again Jon Favreau showed his skill at captivating the geek demographic by creating huge anticipation for Cowboys & Aliens, his new movie starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell. Although the idea is great, it takes skill to blend such two very different genres, but Favreau is going for a very Western feel. After explaining that he is trying to emulate the Sergio Leone/John Ford films of the 40s and 50s, while using practical effects from the 80s as well as CGI for the aliens, he decided to just screen some early footage. Although the crew has only been shooting for three weeks, attendees were very impressed by the scene. In a surprise appearance, Harrison Ford was brought on stage in handcuffs by two security guards. It was his first appearance at the convention and the crowd went nuts. This a natural reaction, of course, to the man who played Han Solo and Indiana Jones, as well as many other awesome characters. I hope Favreau can really nail the Western feel and deliver a really fun, interesting film due out next summer, July 29th.

Now the presentation you’ve all been waiting for: Marvel. What Marvel is doing with their properties on film is incredible. By going independent and forming Marvel Studios where writers can collaborate and come up with great, interlocking stories for all of their superheroes, the company shows that it knows what its doing. Hopefully the result will be incredible, but there are a lot of moving parts, and all of them must come together perfectly. Captain America was first, as a short teaser showed Chris Evans in full costume throwing the iconic shield at the camera. After some discussion, the filmmakers actually had some footage to show which involved Hugo Weaving as Red Skull searching for an artifact that has something to do with Odin. I really like the Indiana Jones/World War II period piece vibe I’m getting for this movie. I hope Joe Johnston can create a very good atmosphere and seeing Cap killing Nazis is going to be sweet. Next up was Thor, which is much farther into production. A lot of footage was shown, and I can’t wait to see the trailer. Apparently the costumes are not nearly as cheesy as they looked in the first images we were shown. Reactions were very positive, which is a relief. Finally, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige brought on The Avengers. After years of rumors, this movie is finally actually happening. The final lineup was announced: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman/Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Donald Blake/Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk (see the full cast in the photo from the event). It’s going to be insane seeing so many heroes on screen at the same time. I hope Joss Whedon can bring together all of this madness and deliver an amazing film.

Behold the cast of "The Avengers"

Well that was a very big day at Comic-Con, and while we knew most of this going in, it was still awesome to see all of these projects materializing before our eyes. Its going to hard, but we can’t fuel the hype too much. I’m looking forward to all of these films as much as anyone, but I’m not going to let the anticipation ruin my enjoyment of the movies as movies.

On Friday, Hitflix reported that Marvel would not be calling Ed Norton to play Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers. After giving it a few days, this news is definitely confirmed. Unfortunately, Norton is definitely out.

Let’s start at the beginning. Friday, Hitflix broke the story that Marvel would not be asking Edward Norton to return as The Hulk. On the surface it sounded as if the much-publicized disagreements between Norton and Marvel over The Incredible Hulk had continued, and that creative differences had led to the split. However, this was definitely not the case. Norton was very interested in returning for The Avengers, had been approached by Marvel, and was in the process of civil negotiations. He had even met with Joss Whedon, and everything was going smoothly until seemingly out-of-the-blue Marvel decided to “go in another direction.”

The next day, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige confirmed the news with this statement:

“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

Norton’s agent Brian Swardstrom, responded with:

“This offensive statement from Kevin Feige at Marvel is a purposefully misleading, inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light. Here are the facts: two months ago, Kevin called me and said he wanted Edward to reprise the role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. He told me it would be his fantasy to bring Edward on stage with the rest of the cast at ComiCon and make it the event of the convention. When I said that Edward was definitely open to this idea, Kevin was very excited and we agreed that Edward should meet with Joss Whedon to discuss the project. Edward and Joss had a very good meeting (confirmed by Feige to me) at which Edward said he was enthusiastic at the prospect of being a part of the ensemble cast. Marvel subsequently made him a financial offer to be in the film and both sides started negotiating in good faith. This past Wednesday, after several weeks of civil, uncontentious discussions, but before we had come to terms on a deal, a representative from Marvel called to say they had decided to go in another direction with the part. This seemed to us to be a financial decision but, whatever the case, it is completely their prerogative, and we accepted their decision with no hard feelings.”

This led to a very vocal backlash at Marvel. Passing over Norton, a great actor who obviously loves the character, was bad enough. But the way they did it was even worse. I mean, Marvel has the opportunity to make the biggest geek movie ever and they’re dropping the ball. They already know that this movie is guaranteed to make a killing at the box office, but that doesn’t give them an excuse to forget their fanbase.

This whole ordeal just goes to show that Marvel isn’t as concerned with making a seamless bridge from their individual superheroes to The Avengers as we were led to believe. I’m sure that the movie will still be amazing to watch, but that break in continuity will hurt a little.

Yesterday, Norton released a statement of his own on his official Facebook page:

“As most of you know, I don’t like to talk much about the business of making movies because it means a lot to me to protect the audience’s fullest enjoyment of the ‘magic’ that films can have. But I am so appreciative of the outpouring of support from the fans of the Hulk and the Avengers that I feel it would be rude not to respond. So here goes: It seems it won’t work out for me to continue playing Bruce Banner for Marvel in The Avengers. I sincerely hoped it could happen and be great for everyone, but it hasn’t turned out as we all hoped. I know this is disappointing to many people and that makes me sad. But I am very sincerely grateful to Marvel for extending the offer and even more so for giving me the chance to be a part of the Hulk’s long and excellent history. And I really can’t thank the fans enough for how much enthusiasm you’ve sent my way about what Louis and I tried to do in our turn with the legend. It means a lot to me. I grew up with Banner and Hulk and have been a fan of every incarnation. I’m really proud, and very blessed, to have been one of them and will be thrilled to see him live on through other actors. Hulk is bigger than all of us, that’s why we love him, right?

So, Norton bows out with class. Still, this whole story is very disappointing. I’m curious to see who will be chosen to replace him. CHUD posted a rumor that Joaquin Phoenix was approached for the role but that has not been confirmed. Presumably, we will have an announcement at Comic-Con next weekend.

Hugo Weaving, best known for his work in the Lord of the Rings and Matrix trilogies, not to mention V for Vendetta, will play the villainous Red Skull in Captain America:  The First Avenger, according to a press release from Marvel Studios.

Weaving had been in talks to play Red Skull, aka Johann Schmidt, since March. Schmidt is a Nazi military genius whose preferred weapon is his “Dust of Death,” which kills in seconds and leaves victims with a shriveled red skull. Schmidt kills to the music of Chopin’s funeral march. However, the character will be updated for this version of the tale.

Chris Evans is slated to play titular Captain America, and Hayley Atwell will play Peggy Carter, Captain America’s wartime love interest.

Captain America:  The First Avenger will be directed by Joe Johnson with a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios) will produce, and comic-book genius Stan Lee is on board as one of the executive producers.

The story will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. The First Avenger is scheduled for release on July 22, 2011 and will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Chris Evans will reprise his role as Captain America in Marvel Studios’ The Avengers, set to be released on May 4, 2012.

How you feel walking out Sylvain White’s ‘The Losers’ is going to depend a lot on what you went in expecting. A light-weight, energetic and cheerfully dumb action movie, it surges forward confidently down a well worn path of macho swagger, jarring explosions and snarky quipping. The plot is a model of simplicity and efficiency. Right off the bat, you get your super secret military squad betrayed by a mysterious superior, and a scene where innocents are demolished and the good guys have a vendetta, and finally there’s all that follows with the team in hiding, seeking out their revenge.

You know the drill, could jot down the finer points of the story during the opening credits, and you would be mostly right. Take one look at the roster for the team and you’ll see the usual lot of oddball characters being played by a game cast of second tier stars who have all the talent and then some of the A-list. What works with The Losers is that it understands exactly what it is, and has a firm and able grasp on the comic book origins of its story.

Last week’s Kick Ass was a slick and mean slice of cynical geek catering, always trying terribly hard to remind its numbed audience of its edgy graphic novel pedigree. The Losers is a far more cheerful affair and it doesn’t make any apologies or expect special privileges for being adapted from a funny book. The action is crisp and clear, with a welcome lack of dizzy camera work and seizure inducing editing that looks like an explosion at the Photoshop filters factory. To be sure, there’s some stylistic underpinning that works in the same way that some panels in a comic book do, livening up the action and the narrative with a little well placed, creative pizzazz.

There is an amazing amount of explosions in The Losers and I’m not sure I’ve seen as many automatic weapons or tracking shots of bullets since the late 90s. I enjoyed the action though, and while it dominates most of the movie, it feels perfectly appropriate for one with a title such as this. The revenge drama at the story’s center isn’t much, but when the bad guy is played by Jason Patric, there’s about as much reason as you need.  Patric, for his part, struts around the movie like some kind of odd hybrid of peacock, cobra and jackass.

The rest of the actors, led by the charming unmade bed that is Jeffrey Dean Morgan, give the picture much needed spice; they don’t try to retread 80’s movie action clichés as much as they seem to be performing the comic improv version of them.  Morgan’s Clay is the rascally, dare-devil leader of The Losers and it’s he who has moved them into exile after their alleged ‘death’. Morgan is a versatile and dependable actor and his turns on Supernatural and in last year’s Watchmen have the air of forethought and inspiration. In the latter case, he was easily the best thing about the movie. However, there’s no rich or nuanced shading to Clay.

This is Morgan on vacation, but not in a dead-eyed, ‘give me the paycheck’ Nic Cage sort of way. He’s having fun, fully relaxed, and as a result, we can see more of the latent charm that he buried under damaged men in those previously mentioned films. You can see his comic stand-up roots showing through, and he’s helped out with the funny by future Captain America, Chris Evans, who’s the most endearingly nerdy member of the team. It isn’t always immediately evident, but Evans has a real knack for adding flavor and variation to throwaway secondary roles. I’m looking forward to what he brings to the table as Steve Rodgers.

Zoe Saldana has been on a roll lately. In both Avatar and Star Trek, she showed she could hold her own in the deep dark geek jungle, and indeed she’s been playing strong, defiant and radiant females for years now. Off the top of my head, I remember her as a feisty lady pirate next to Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack in that first Pirates film. Here, she’s the mystery woman who beats up Morgan, burns down a hotel and reveals that she not only knows the identity of their mutual nemesis, but where he can be found. In the all guy ensemble of The Losers, she’s a welcome beauty who doesn’t need stubble or sneers to demonstrate that she’s not someone to be toyed with. There’s a kind of grace she brings to the film, whether it’s firing off a rocket launcher or sparring with Morgan, and I think she’s growing as a warm and likable presence with each new role. The Losers would be a less vibrant and endearing affair without her.

At the end of the day, this is what is. In a few months, we are getting The A Team and The Expendables, which look more or less like the same movie as this one. The former has the big budget and the latter the big muscles, but The Losers doesn’t seem too intimidated. After all, it made it out of the gate first, and as a prep for big summer fun, it does the job. There’s not much here, but the cast is all smiles and laughs and White’s direction has a no nonsense, workman’s charm. The Losers doesn’t want to assault you, or dramatically unhinge you, it just wants to hang out, catch a beer, and shoot the breeze, cinematically speaking. Everything about it suggests that all involved set out to make a good old fashioned, Friday night action flick. Mission accomplished.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Earlier this month, IESB reported that the geek legend was the front-runner for the job (and that was later confirmed), but now, according to Deadline, Marvel Studios is in final negotiations for Joss Whedon to direct The Avengers.

This is very surprising, considering Whedon’s previous work. While he’s proven to be a very talented writer and become extremely popular in the geek realm, let’s just say Mr. Whedon has never been a commercially viable filmmaker. However, his credits are extensive and consistently solid. His work has included Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Toy Story (for which he won an Oscar), Alien Resurrection, Titan A.E., and Speed, as well as a very successful run penning The Astonishing X-Men comic book. Clearly, he is a great writer, but his directorial talents have yet to be thoroughly tested. The only feature film he has directed was Serenity, based on his own show.

Marvel is proving to be very ahead of the game when it comes to movies. First they go independent, so they can make their films the way they, and the fans, want. Then they hire a team of writers to brainstorm full-time on their properties. Now, the company has enough faith to give Whedon their most important upcoming movie. The studio is putting everything they have into this franchise, and a success could have huge consequences for the comic-book movie genre.

Personally, I can’t wait to see what he does with the film. The Avengers is shaping up to be the ultimate geek event of the decade. I mean, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and The Hulk in the same movie! Amazing. Cinematical’s Erik Davis sums it up quite nicely:

“If you’re 16 and read a lot of comics, then this film could be the equivalent of losing your virginity to a Playboy model on top of a champagne waterfall.”

Discuss: Does Whedon directing make you more nervous for the movie, or more excited?

After a lengthy and unusually public search, the role of Captain America has finally been cast. Chris Evans has agreed to lead Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

Evans is not new to the world of superheroes, having already played The Human Torch in the Fantastic Four series. His other films include Not Another Teen Movie, Push and the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

Marvel’s search for the Star-Spangled Avenger was put into the public eye last month when a short list for the role was revealed online. That list included John Krasinski (Jim on The Office), Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights) Michael Cassidy (Smallville) and Garret Hedlund (Tron Legacy), but not Chris Evans. A similar situation occurred during the search for Thor. Chris Hemsworth, who eventually got the job, was not on the list to be screen-tested.

A few days ago, it was reported that Evans had been offered the role, but had not made a decision yet. The deal comes with options for nine films, including possible Captain America sequels and The Avengers, and a relatively meager salary of $300,000. Now THR reports that Evans has all but signed the deal.

Evans is a good choice for the role. He’s built for it, but he can also act. He could definitely pull off a serious Captain America. Many fans were worried after Krasinski was screen-tested, but apparently Marvel has chosen to go a different route.

The way Marvel is going about this multiple-film crossover with the upcoming Avengers film is very interesting. After introducing Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury after the credits of Iron Man, the seed was planted. Now, with the Thor and Cap movies in the works, we should be seeing the Avengers movie in 2012.

It has been a struggle worthy of the funny books. The casting search for the next Captain America has been well documented the web over, including right here at AP. At one point our little geek hearts leapt up when Jensen Ackles was briefly mentioned, or Chris Pine looked poised to grab the mask and shield. That’s all behind us now, though.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Chris Evans (Push, The Fantastic Four) has been offered the role of Captain America in Joe Johnston’s big screen adaptation of the beloved character. Evans has a couple of projects currently lined up, including one just wrapped called Puncture, and there’s the possibility that if he takes the Captain gig, some of those that have yet to film might fall by the wayside. Let’s not forget that America comes with a deal for 9 options. Pretty heavy.

As for the specifics of the offer and Evans’ response, publicists for both Chris and Marvel have not offered up comment. Something tells me we will hear soon, though.

Evans, best known as The Human Torch in the silly and tepid Fantastic Four films is actually a better and stronger actor than his resume would let on. He may not have hit any particularly resonant notes in last year’s sci-fi trash Push, but check out something like Sunshine or The Perfect Score to see the man supporting a film with all his might.

Captain America seems like a great opportunity for him, and I’m now curious about what he could do with the role given the right script and direction. Better yet, playing Cap will help wash away the taste of those dreadful FF movies, of which he was the best thing.

How about all of you? Does Evans as Captain America tickle your fancy?

Let’s hear your thoughts on this.