RE-Cycle: An Evening Tryst

Friday, April 11, 2014

An Evening Tryst

Arrived home last night greeted at the door with Angi dressed up, lovely, in her casuals with hair in a towel and a bright "hello". Curiosity peeked, but knowing well enough not to question the goings on, as I know when she has something up her sleeve she doesn't want me to try too hard to figure out and ruin the surprise. After the usual kiddo greetings, I shambled into the bedroom, sore from the day, to discover my clothes laid out on the bed in neat fashion. She wasn't trying to hard to disguise her intentions. Given her casual attire and the fact that she had chosen one of my better "Fanboy" T-Shirts, it was rather apparent we were going to the movies. And what movie would we be going to see? Well Captain America of course! Her treat!
CAUTION: MINOR SPOILER ALERTS!
Yes, as the movie still shows in the theatres, I am not going to ruin it, merely give my impressions.
In a word. COLOSSAL!! Oh, you want more?
Well, in the past many voiced their incredulity regarding whether or not the star spangled Avenger could carry a flick.
Heh.
HE CAN!
Oh...how to talk bout this flick and NOT spoil it?
OK, Cap, still not acclimating to well to the new generation he was thrust into, discovers through a series of events that he doesn't know who to trust in his dealings with espionage and action. I enjoyed how they intertwined our history with theirs. At the end of WWII (in our reality) Both Russia and America worked feverishly in conquered Germany to recruit and spirit away former Nazi scientists, soldiers and spies, integrated them into their respective societies and give them gainful employment. This is how, in our country, we got among other things, NASA and the CIA. Well, in Marvels world that also meant "S.H.I.E.L.D", and as in Marvels world (at least the movie version of their reality?) Nazi's were not as big a threat as HYDRA....?
Oh yes...you see where I'm going with this?
The story, while thoroughly engaging, is not as complex as some of the more elaborate spy thrillers, being somewhat predictable at points, but it serves itself very well.
What I ALWAYS love to look for in a Marvel flick is, a) Stan Lee Appearance. And this one is cute. b) the hidden ending(s) (which, once again, the majority of the audience left even before seeing them! IDIOTS!) and c) Easter eggs! (hidden little one-offs, in jokes, and the like) This time two of the insiders had me whooping in the theatre! (a theatre once again comprised of people that just don't get it!) The first is when two names are mentioned as targets of HYDRA in the same breath, Bruce Banner and Stephen Strange! Yes, by now you all should know Bruce is really the HULK, but the sly reference to Stephen Strange aka. Doctor Strange! Oh yea, I am SOOOOO looking forward to THAT movie! What I found interesting, and none of the other sites I checked this morning mentions it, but was the deliberate mentioning of both Dr Strange and the Hulk in one breath. See, One of the slated projects from Marvel to come out in the next decade is "The Defenders", one of the lesser known ensemble "group" books, featuring some relative "B" heroes from Marvel. Well...The Hulk and Dr. Strange were founding members! And the one that got my biggest applause was the non-Marvel related egg in the form of an inscription on Nick Fury's tombstone " The Path of a Righteous Man..."
NOBODY in that theatre got it! A TRUE film buff would KNOW that passage is the beginning of Ezekiel 25:17. The very same passage that was recited by the hit man Jules Winnfield, brilliantly portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in Quinton Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction"!
OKAY, Okay...I've shown off enough...sorry.
But there are many other eggs that were SO cool!
One in particular is the BIGGEST one of all, generating a serious debate between Angi and I at the end of the flick. I could go into great depth, but I will avoid really spilling the beans and ruining it for everyone.  It would seem to me, if they combine the "comic" histories with the movie histories of some of these characters that one of Marvels more "fringe" heroes "Nomad" might be getting set up for his own flick, if not a prominent place in the pantheon. To try and quantify the rather complex comic history of both the Captain and Bucky, would take WAY to much space, suffice to say "Bucky and Nomad" have gone through many incarnations (check out Wikpedia for a breakdown of that mess!) and I see a real chance that the regenerated "Winter Soldier", now separated from the "mind wipes" may in fact seek retribution, and become the "Nomadic" hero.
OK, so now on to gripes. There ain't many. Okay...there's one.
Just how much continuous action can go on before our heads implode?
Every flick like this endeavors to deliver "bigger and badder bang for your buck!" while trying to maintain a story. They do it here rather well, but at times the frenetic speed at which it is delivered is mind numbingly head spinning, and I'm sure we missed a few things. But it does set up a huge surge in DVD sales! I have a theory here, though, so bear with me. Back in the fifties some theatres toyed, briefly, with a new way of movie watching. Special films were created that were "interactive". The theatre was equipped with special remotes at each seat and when a certain points in the film was reached the audience was prompted to "vote" on the movies progression. Majority ruled.  Say a character had a choice to go left or right.  The audience voted and determined which way they went, thus the movie would change it's direction, thereby having a different outcome. Obviously, this didn't last. But nowadays, I think they are preparing this generation for the next inevitable wave of interactive entertainment. Angi turned me onto this latest technology (google 7D entertainment) that actually recreates lifelike images surrounding you. You are THERE! It's hard to describe, but you interact with the environment. Think Star Trek "Holodeck's" but without the physical contact (yet). The stimulus of such an experience, especially if it was somehow programed to recognize you there? whoa.... Given the available sensors for a Wi or X-Box video game?   whoa....
I'm just postulating. But you think this generation is addicted to technology now?   Imagine being able to conjure up any environment, or situation you could imagine, then live it? I wonder if anyone would ever leave?
Scary.
ANYWHO!
WOW! I sure took a sharp right hand turn down Digression Highway there!
In short, this flick is definitely another Marvel Milestone!
ON TO WORK!
Had another very productive day yesterday, beating Wednesday's output by one. That' right, SIX newbies for your approval! And we got PLENTY more to go! Also, going to do a wee bit of reorganizing around here! Taking out a couple of racks to make room for more rides. Yea, the handlebars and forks are being pulled into the back room so it's not so cluttered in here. I'm just holding off until I can get Elijah up here to do the heavy lifting. Hey, he's gotta earn his keep somehow!
SOOOOO, with that,I'd best get a move on!