Captain America: Civil War

**Spoiler Alert**

Directors: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo/Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Don Cheadle, William Hurt, Daniel Bruhl, Marisa Tomei, Tom Holland and Frank Grillo

Geez, the cast list alone for Captain America: Civil War could almost be a posting in itself. It's fairly impressive. All those bodies have to share screen-time, which makes the film's 146 running time an imperative.

Watching the latest Captain America movie, the audience might be deceived into thinking the latest Avengers was playing instead. If I'm not mistaken, more superheroes have been assembled for CA: CW than all other Marvel adaptations, including the X-Men movies--and I'm not even factoring in Thor and Hulk, who are absent from this story. No fewer than twelve superheroes fill the screen for directors Anthony and Joe Russo's dizzying but entertaining action extravaganza.

In the opening scenes, we find Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Secretary of State, Vision (Paul Bettany) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) gathered at the Avengers complex to listen to Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) discuss the issue of vigilantism. As Ross explains, the U.S. government and world leaders are concerned The Avengers have become a destructive force operating without oversight and without restraint. Citing The Avenger's operation in Sokovia (remember The Avengers battle with Ultron?), which caused untold carnage and death, Ross proposes the crime fighters deploy only with UN consent; an idea Iron Man and most of the gathering are receptive to with the exception of Captain America, who finds the proposal unreasonable. The plan is formalized in what Ross explains is the Sokovia Accords; a proposal that grants the UN the control they seek, thus preventing unnecessary destruction and loss of life. Following Ross' departure, the members discuss the issue further as Iron Man and Captain America lock horns in a disagreement over whether the Avengers will cede control of their organization.

During the Sokovia Accords, which take place in Vienna, the King of Wakanda addresses a gathering of world leaders. Unbeknownst to the attendees, a terrorist act takes place outside the building, which comes to the attention of the King's son; T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman). Powerless to stop the bomb detonation, the blast destroys much of the building and takes the life of T'Challa's father. Blame for the blast is assigned to Captain America's old friend; Bucky Barnes or as he is commonly known; The Winter Soldier; a Soviet-trained assassin and soldier. Aware of the shoot-to-kill order issued in the manhunt, Captain America finds his friend; hoping to save his life. After a scuffle, The Winter Soldier loses his friend on a motorcycle chase through the city streets. As Captain America follows in hot pursuit, he finds someone else has joined the hunt; a character known as Black Panther; T'Challa's alter-ego, who wants nothing more than to kill Winter Soldier to avenge his father's death. The violent chase, which takes place on the city street, is kind of an all-against-all fight; each party trying to stop or destroy the other.

But Captain America's effort to save his friend is complicated by the Accords he has violated, which make him an international criminal in the eyes of the law and the other Avengers. Shortly thereafter, Iron Man manages to catch up with Captain America with the intent of bringing his friend to justice. Iron Man finds the plan is easier to conceive than execute.

Another party interested in Bucky's capture is a shadowy figure by the name of Zemo (Daniel Bruhl); who is after information regarding Winter Soldier's training; a special project conducted by the Russians in the early 1990s'. How and why the project is of interest to Zemo is revealed later.

Before long, tensions between Captain America and Iron Man escalate, which draws Avengers members loyal to each side into a war of sorts. Black Panther joins the fray on Iron Man's side; his commitment to the Accords his father helped establish being one of his motivations. A surprise visit to Queens by Tony Stark brings another fledgling superhero into the fray while Ant Man (Paul Rudd), is brought into the fight on Captain America/Steve Roger's side. The ensuing battle is a carnival of mayhem as a dozen superheroes unleash their powers, weapons and martial arts skills on one another in exciting and sometimes humorous ways.

In time we learn Zemo has been searching for the location of five other Winter Soldiers; a secret he manages to pry from Bucky. We also learn of his culpability in framing Bucky for the Accords bombing.

A showdown with Zemo and a brutal battle between Iron Man and Captain America makes up the film's third act. The end doesn't come with a neat resolution but minor dissent within the hero ranks. No rapprochement but no permanent split either.

Amid all the noise and destruction and the film's breakneck pace is the issue concerning the moral and ethical applications of power and how its unbridled use can be as pernicious to the world and society as the destruction unleashed by criminals. The film's perspective on this issue is hardly black and white. Various shades come into play as Stark realizes power cannot always be contained and can be a detriment even in the service of good while Rogers sees the the application of power as a positive absolute if used for the greater good. Stark has firmer argumentative grounds. Early in the film, he meets a mother whose done died in the Sokovia operation; a loss for which she holds The Avengers culpable. The Sokovia incident is also the catalyst for Zemo's wrath, for he too blames the costumed crime fighters for the destruction visited upon his country.

Captain America: Civil War is an entertaining movie and a comic book geek's delight. Crowding the screen with superhero bodies is a great way to keep the fans turned on and a sly way of introducing characters who are sure to have franchises of their own, like Black Panther.

The story isn't bad and action is guaranteed every few frames so there isn't much to gripe about, though there isn't much that resonates either. What more can one say about a Marvel movie? It delivers what we've come to expect and leaves room for more, which is sure to come.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Joss Whedon/Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, James Spader (Voice), Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders and Peggy Carter

Crash! Bang! Smash! Crack! Pow!--have I overlooked any other sound effect? With Avengers: The Age of Ultron, you get that and more. What carnage! What destruction! And unbelievable mayhem! And oh, yeah; the world somehow emerges intact though the real Marvel is how the world's greatest crime fighters manage to leave the rest of the planet rubble-free.

Joss Whedon is back with a super-hero assemblage whose popularity may soon eclipse the X-Men's. Though I've come to expect over-the-top, CGI wreckage and ear-punishing noise in the Summer blockbuster season, I find Whedon's variety to be quite fun. Of course it helps to have the Ministry of Mayhem: Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Nastasha Romanoff/Black Widow (the sensuous Scarlett Johansson) dispensing it in highly entertaining ways. But the group's peacetime bonding proves to be as entertaining as their violent outings.

It also helps that the cast has presence; a very necessary and indispensable super-hero quality, which helps sell the story and keep our eyes glued to the screen.

The film also has its share of funny banter, which ensures the movie doesn't stray too close to the too-serious, too-earnest precipice.

The new movie doesn't waste a breath plunging the audience into action as the Avengers find themselves assaulting a fortress where the baddie Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) hides out with two of his genetically-engineered creations; the super-powered twins Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Strucker is in possession of Loki's staff; a powerful and dangerous item Thor intends to return to Asgard; home of the Norse gods. Of course we get to see the Avengers wield their distinctive powers as they pummel and brush aside soldiers en route to the fortress. And as they enter the compound, we also see what the evil twins Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver can do. Scarlet Witch's ability to use people's greatest fears against them and Quicksilver's light-speed kineticism present considerable problems for the Avengers but though they present a formidable defense, the Avengers manage to retrieve the staff and escape to their Tony Stark-designed headquarters in New York City.

The Avengers previous battle with aliens (see the first film) inspires Tony Stark to employ the staff's dark power--very ill-advised--to impart artificial intelligence to a robotic unit he intends to use to defend Earth from another threat of an alien invasion. Stark shares his idea only with Dr. Banner; thus circumventing team oversight. Before he can complete a prototype for his new project, the unit assumes control of his own creation and in doing so, a malevolent entity is formed: Ultron. Before it can be stopped, it destroys Stark's hyper-advanced cyber-assistant Jarvis and escapes. When the Avengers team learn Stark is behind its creation, they are more than a little furious. Stark's brainchild, though altruistically conceived, unleashes yet another danger they must overcome.

Whedon's film keeps a feverish pace; we barely have enough time to process expository information before more comes our way. Though its hyper-active, the film's break-neck speed manages to be bracing.

The Avengers find themselves racing around the globe to thwart Ultron's quest to upgrade himself and achieve invincibility; a goal partly realized when he seizes a supply of Vibranium; the strongest metal known to man (and the key material in Captain America's shield); whose indestructible quality he manages to harness for his robotic frame. Ultron, with the help of Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver (the twins' beef with the Avengers has its origins in the destruction of their village; an unexploded missile bearing Stark Industries name killed their family), manage to fight off the Avengers and in the process, the Scarlett Witch is able to play on their respective fears. Another indignity is visited on the team when Ultron steals Loki's staff.

As the Avengers lick their wounds, they find themselves hiding out in Hawkeye's secluded, country home (after Ultron's violent renovation of the Avengers Mansion) to rest and plan their next attack.

Here the film takes a more tender turn (believe it or not) as we--and the Avengers--learn of Hawkeyes' family and his expectant wife. A taste of Hawkeye's domestic bliss makes some of the other members wonder if they'll ever enjoy the same arrangement. But inter-member romance is also in the air, as Black Widow and Dr. Banner/Hulk show signs of mutual attraction though he is quick to warn her that his condition makes a relationship impossible.

Before the team (and the audience) is allowed further inertia, the heroes are off again, this time to South Korea, where they learn Ultron is intent on creating a new version of himself. The would-be Ultron; a synthetic/organic hybrid, will only render him more dangerous and deadly. As Ultron loads his consciousness into his new self, the Scarlet Witch penetrates its mind and discovers what Ultron has planned for the human race: complete and utter destruction. Horrified, the twins turn against him while the Avengers arrive to steal the new entity before Ultron can complete the transfer.

After more car-crashes and building demolition, the Avengers manage to escape with Ultron's creation and in doing so, they find themselves with a new ally and superhero.

The film's final battle pits the Avengers, the Maximoff twins and the new super-hero against Ultron and his robotic minions, as he sets his apocalyptic plan into action.

There is much to like about Whedon's film. I liked the sequence where the Hulk runs amok; an issue Stark must address with his super version of Iron Man. I also liked the movie's human dimension; family, romance, etc, which the film sorely needs.

What meaning we can glean from the Summer's first blockbuster may lie in its cynical view of technology. The idea of its application causing as much harm as good is eloquently expressed as we see Ultron vent his wrath on the planet. It is also very interesting to see Tony Stark/Iron Man become a villain in his own right as he conceals his Ultron project from the Avengers before nearly becoming an agent in mankind's destruction. Very nice twist.

I do have one question for Whedon: how can so much destruction not affect city and town infrastructures and do the Avengers foot the bill for it all? Just wondering.

Whedon's film is just the beginning of movie Summer's CGI extravaganzas and though we may be sick to death of it all come August, at least here it serves a story and doesn't entirely overwhelm the human element. The final battle left me a little weary of the chaos; just when I thought all of Ultron's robots had been vanquished, more appeared to be torn apart. It was an unnecessary prolongation but the producers (All thirteen of them! Yes, they outnumber the Avengers) may have felt another pause in the action may have caused a riot in the theater.

My summation: The Avengers: Age of Ultron is great fun. And if you're wondering (anyone who has seen the series won't) whether the film sets up the next iteration, have no fear. Can this franchise stand five films? If they can entertain like Whedon's latest, why not?

Will Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk and Hawkeye return? We'll find out in two years time. See you there.

Note to viewers: you may not want to wait for the end credits to pass as has become the custom with Marvel adaptations; the next antagonist makes an appearance after the main action.

The Judge

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: David Dobkin/Starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester and Dax Shepard

The Judge is thoroughly Hollywood; which is to say that it has a gimmicky premise, formulaic plot and it's limited ambitions make it excellent content for a flat screen T.V. rather than compelling cinema. There is very little here that doesn't fit into some neat narrative box and though it would like to be a moving drama, it's more a flavorless, toothless, snooze smorgasbord with marquee actors.

Robert Downey Jr. could play Hank Palmer in a coma. Palmer is a brilliant defense attorney practicing in Chicago who can keep the most vile creep from serious jail-time and/or jail. Downey specializes in portraying arrogant jerks. Hank Palmer is Tony Stark without the playful sense of humor and limitless ingenuity.

We first see Palmer discussing a particular case with his opponent in a men's room--that reliable zone of neutrality where attorneys cross verbal sabers. He seems well on his way to successfully defending another low-life without a twinge of regret or a wound to his conscience.

We also see what Palmer's unfortunate home-life is like; an imminent divorce and a semi-neglected child who he loves and hopes to connect with in time.

Palmer receives a call during the trial which necessitates a return to his hometown of Carlinville, Indiana. He is more than happy to leave his wife but is pained by the idea of having to take leave of his daughter.

Carlinville is Hollywood's every-smalltown U.S.A; the mythical, Elysian burg that exists only in the imagination of filmmakers who think people who leave such places are jerks and those who seek a more stimulating urban life are suckers. Palmer is one of those characters that mainstream movies love to pillory; the individual who hates his small town origins and has become something monstrous by embracing big city life. We've seen this con job countless times in cinema; the metropolitan professional needs to return to his smalltown roots to realize what a jackass he or she has been. It's a musty, rusty story device studio heads and producers never seem to discard.

We learn Palmer has returned to his hometown for his mother's funeral but also to reunite with his family, particularly his father Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall), with whom he shares an acrimonious relationship. His father also happens to a judge of 42 years and a crochety one at that.

But Joseph is only one of a pool of skeletons with whom Hank must contend in his hometown: an older brother Glen (Vincent D'Onofrio) whose professional baseball prospects were cut short when a car Hank was driving crashed, permanently injuring his hand and a former girlfriend Samantha Powell (Vera Farmiga), who still carries a torch for him and whose daughter may or may not be his. But his main adversary is Joseph, who can't share a cubic inch of breathable air with his son without figurative blades being drawn.

If Joseph's wife's death weren't enough, Hank learns his father has terminal cancer, which awakens some sympathy in him. And if that also weren't enough for a family to endure, Joseph takes his car out one night and either deliberately or inadvertantly runs a man riding his bike off the road, which results in the cyclist's death. The victim turns out to be a murderer Joseph once judged leniently, and who has just been released from prison. The suspicion of Joseph intentionally assaulting the man to right a wrong becomes a bone of legal contention.

Doesn't this all sound like a desperate attempt to make formula edgy and weighty? And just how dusty are the plot developments and characters? Are we surprised to find an estranged father, a pining former love and a sibling with a serious grievance all waiting for Hank in his hometown? Once the trial begins and Hank becomes his father's lawyer, the prosecuting attorney Dwight Dickham (and just how subtle is that villainous name, eh? Poor Billy Bob Thornton) is yet another character who has some issue with Hank. We learn Hank represented another social dreg in the past who Dickham wanted to put away but escaped a serious conviction. Dickham is out to even the score by proving Hank's father is a killer.

How much would one wager that the father/son conflict will be ironed out after the son tries to prove his father's innocence in court? And will Samantha and Hank mend their frayed relationship? Will Glen forgive Hank for his disabled hand and an aborted baseball career? The director and screenwriter aren't daring enough to leave any loose ends untied.

The film has a few moments that almost spark. Duvall and Downey Jr. share a few scenes where their mutual animosity takes leave of the mapped script to portray something life-like.

The court case also manages one surprise while the verdict is a win/lose outcome that brings little satisfaction to the Palmer family and to an audience expecting something more devastating.

Why the film had to be so slavishly predictable, canned and stubbornly cliched is a puzzle. Just because the story is gimmicky, doesn't mean it has to be dull. Given the exciting previews for films like Interstellar, Birdman, Inherent Vice and Fury, The Judge comes off as something grandma once stitched on a doily. It's old fashioned and offers noone in the cast a nuanced character or dialogue worth uttering. I can't imagine what Duvall and Downey found challenging about the script. Maybe both had cost-prohibitive, home improvement projects their movie salaries addressed nicely.

Of the ten or so patrons in the audience, someone actually clapped afterward. I was tempted to ask the person if the applause was sincere or sarcastic. It could have also been a case of erratic motor activity. But then again, it could have been real. If so, it might be fascinating to learn just what the person found engaging about the movie.

Nah.

Chef

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Jon Favreau Starring: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannevale, Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey Jr., Oliver Platt and Emjay Anthony

Directed and scripted by Jon Favreau, Chef is a likeable movie about a chef named Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) who loses his prestigious position in a successful L.A. restaurant after inadvertantly tweeting an angry response to a negative review, which goes viral. The fallout from the angry, crude, tweet leads to a confrontation with the restaurant owner Riva (Dustin Hoffman), who rebuffs Carl's attempt to rework the menu to show the critic Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt) he is better than the staid fare that has remained virtually unchanged for years. Carl quits on the night the reviewer returns; leaving his loyal allies in the kitchen to take over. Still incensed over the critic's scathing review, Carl returns to the restaurant to confront Michel and in doing so, vents his rage in an explosive manner that also goes viral; reducing him to a hero/fool figure on the web.

If jeopardizing his reputation and career isn't enough, Carl has to deal with his diminished role as father in his son's life. His son (a charming Emjay Anthony) Percy contends with his parent's divorce as he longs to spend more time with his father, who always seems to have restaurant-related matters pending. Carl maintains a very friendly relationship with his ex-wife Inez (played by the ravishing Sofia Vergara), who is very supportive of Carl but recogizes his sometimes negligent approach to fatherhood. Though Carl and Inez are divorced, there remains a flicker of rapprochement in their relationship

Carl finds very few job offers in unemployment and his frayed relationship with his son doesn't help. Inspired by his ex-wife's repeated exhortations to buy a food truck, which she believes would help Carl establish his culinary freedom, Inez suggests he approach her ex-ex-husband Marvin (Robert Downey Jr.) in Florida for financial backing--an awkward proposition at best.

Looking to form a stronger bond with his son and secure financial backing for his new venture, Carl flies to Miami with Inez and Percy in tow. The trip is also an opportunity for Inez to return to her Cuban roots and also visit her father.

During a dinner with Inez's father over Cuban sandwiches, the idea to serve Cuban food from his truck is hatched. Following a strange meeting with Inez's other ex-husband Marvin, which stokes jealous fires in Carl, he comes away with the backing he needs and in doing so, buys a truck he and his son refurbish.

The scenes where the truck undergoes cosmetic and interior changes show the ever-emerging bond between Carl and Percy. Carl learns to be more patient with his son while also teaching him food preparation basics. Because Percy is on school-break, he is allowed to accompany his father on the return journey to L.A. in the food truck. Joining them is Martin (John Leguizamo), who served faithfully on Carl's staff in the restaurant. The three make for a fun, lively trio as they stop in various towns and cities en route to L.A. With Carl's fame/infamy in the cyberworld, and Percy's savvy social media skills, the truck and the crew attract crowds wherever they stop. Even a cop who asks them to move the truck recognizes Carl, which leads to a celebrity-like request for photos.

Of course the father/son relationship is mended and in the process, Carl is able to communicate his passion for food and how it touches people's lives after a scene where Percy carelessly burns a sandwich.

The film's direction and how we get there aren't revelations but Favreau's characters are magnetic; they make for excellent company. The story is pretty wispy; the crises seem to be milder than they appear and a happy ending is never in doubt. Still, one can never underestimate Favreau's charm. He is so likeable, it would be impossible not to sympathize with any character he plays. If Favreau played Joseph Stalin, we might reconsider the tyrant's historical reputation and think his crimes against humanity minor peccadilloes. I would have liked to have seen more of the incredible cast Favreau assembled but it's his movie though we are treated to the likes of Vergara and Leguizamo for generous chunks of screentime.

I would also have liked the film to be funnier but its laid-back approach to finding humor in situations does quite nicely too. Of course a movie that deals with food must consider anything edible as a character. Chef succeeds ably in that department. I would advise anyone to avoid eating until after a screening. I made the mistake watching the film on a full stomach and wasn't able to fully enjoy the mouth-watering food on display. Succulent meats, sandwiches dripping with melted cheeses, buttery breads, beignets from the world-famous Cafe du Monde in New Orleans and even a tantalizing grilled cheese sandwich Carl fashions for his son rouse the salivary gland.

Chef is a fun trifle; an enjoyable romp that melds two disparate genres we may not have seen onscreen before; a food film and road movie. The film is as substantial as mist but it satisifies--like something savory from a food-truck grill.