MCU

Defending Characters We’re Told to Hate -Or- Were Gaston and John Walker Really That Bad?

Anyone who knows me and/or my books knows that I do love me some villains and antagonists. They are, after all, the most important part of traditional storytelling. Sure, heroes are who people cheer for. But for the bulk of storytelling, it’s the villains who set the stage, move the plot, and create the tension. The right villain makes the heroic victory, or heroic sacrifice, all the sweeter. And without the villains, all those purported “heroes” would just be standing around the farm, living in the Shire, swimming under the sea, or looking for power converters at Tosche Station with metaphorical thumbs in their butts.

Trust me, all the destiny in the universe can’t cure thumb-butt.

However, I will not stand by and allow the good name of villain be besmirched by pretenders to the title. I refuse to blindly boo and gnash my teeth at someone who is presented as “Here’s your villain! Hate them!”

So, with my tongue firmly in my cheek, I will attempt to exonerate two such “bad guys.”  John Walker, the New Captain America/US Agent from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.

First up, John Walker

Image from Disney/MCU

Image from Disney/MCU

So, remember at the end of  Falcon And The Winter Soldier ep 1 when John Walker was introduced? When Sam, and we the viewers, saw that knock-off standing there and smugly smiling at the camera, holding Steve Rodgers’ shield? Remember? Yeah you do. And you know for damn sure the internet remembers.

Even I wasn’t immune to that punchable face, just smirking at me. I couldn’t wait to hate that guy. But then from ep 2 onward, I felt … regret for my initial reaction. Remorse.

The show, and the internet, went to great lengths to paint MCU John Walker as a villainous tool. But was he? The Wrap referred to John Walker as the “Toxic Masculinity Captain America” and an “Incel.” According to Epic Stream, the actor Wyatt Russell purportedly got death threats for his character, and was referred to as “{…} one of the most despised villains in the franchise.”

Despised? Really? Why? What did he do besides having the audacity of NOT being Steve Rodgers? Did he deserve the acrimony? Let’s see. He

  • Was given the shield that we the audience believed should (and knew eventually would) end up in Sam Wilson’s hands.

  • He admitted to his wife/best friend that he wasn’t sure he was good enough.

  • Expressed humility on Good Morning America by flat-out saying that while he was not Steve, he would do his best.

  • Showed up to help Sam/Bucky on the trucks and then admitted that he wasn’t who Sam thought should have the shield.

  • Asked for Sam/Bucky’s help multiple times. (FYI: referring to someone in the military as a wingman, especially in Air Force culture, is NOT an insult. It is the person you literally trust to have your 6 when things go Tango Uniform. Something Sam, an Air Force vet and later contractor, should have known. And frankly, the writers should have known that as well.)

  • Bailed them out of trouble in Baltimore.

  • Refused to be called a hero for his Medals of Honor because of the cost to human life it took to get them, referring to it as “the worst day of my life.”

  • Got his ass beat by the Dora Milaje for plot reasons and laughed at by Sam/Bucky.

  • And frankly, just did his best despite clearly having CTE (note how he was always touching his head as if in pain, or shaking his head to “clear the cobwebs.”) This man’s government trained him and said “Go forth.” He did, and was punished for it. They turned their back on him. Did he go evil? No. When he came for revenge against Karly, he instead dropped his shield and saved the busload of people. The people that Karly, our propped-up-by-plot pandering rebellion leader, was actively trying to kill. You know … like a sociopathic murderer.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know: He *finger quotes*  killed a guy by bashing him to death with the shield. C’mon, who hasn’t? We’ve all played some kind of RPG. Besides, Walker was fighting a wanted criminal who was, despite said criminal’s speech in that episode to make him empathetic, part of a group that was trying to kill him in addition to being culpable in the multiple murders committed by Flag Shamshers leader, Karli Morgenthau. And after the shield bash, in the next ep, Walker was emotionally wrecked. Just like sad-sack Bucky had been the entire season. Just like every rational, redeemable person would be.  

But ya know who’s never showed an ounce of remorse for the people he’s whacked? MCU’s Sam Wilson. That dude killed several dudes in the first episode alone by kicking them out of helicopters, blowing up the helicopters, or dropping them to their deaths over those canyons. And he did it with quips and without an ounce of remorse. But he’s the “hero,” right? So he gets a pass, I guess.

Sorry internet, you lose. Walker was never a villain. He was just a guy you were told to hate and you did. Because that’s what sheep do. They follow the commands of any barking dog. :)



Image from Disney

Now, onto a tougher challenge--defending good ol’ Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. Woof. Okay, let’s give this a shot. Ahem. *affects a comically bad southern drawl*

Your honor, I’m not a big city lawyer. I’m just a country boy from a small county, which one we might call a province. And our “provincial life” is a little slower, sure. But we have good people, with good hearts, who are full of pride in their community. And you know who hates people like us? Belle. How did she refer to people like us in her famous song? “Little town full of little people?” Well, politely fuck you very much, Ms. Belle.

Now fair being fair, the townsfolk of 1700’s Villeneuve, France did despise Belle so much that they secretly choreographed an entire song and dance number to express how much of a stuck-up b-word they thought Belle to be.

So anyway, your honor, Belle makes it clear she wants more than a provincial life. And like all “Disney Princesses,” she is meant for more than being an object of beauty. She wants, and deserves, agency, adventure, and to be in charge of her own destiny. In fact, she tells the bookseller that her favorite book had far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, and … a prince in disguise?

Wait, what? I’m sure that’s nothing. Romance is natural for young folk, after all. But a few lines later she says that her favorite part of the book was when the heroine meets Prince Charming. Oh, no, say it isn’t so! Prince fucking Charming? If we skip to the end, we see Ms. Belle hook up with a guy with money and become a princess in a castle, with all the traditional, anti-feminist feminist trappings that go with it. Seems like Belle didn’t want to leave the provincial life; she wanted to be a white woman of privilege.

Go get her, hard left-leaning Twitter. I’ll wait.  

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Now now, I’m sure the defense is thinking that I’m just badgering the witness. That I’m spitefully nit-picking, straw manning, gaslighting, and looking for holes to tear Belle down to exonerate my client, Mr. Gaston. And they’d be right.

I’m of course being obtuse and hyperbolic. It’s clear to anyone who’s seen the movie that Belle is more than a few out-of-context lines and a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. We’re meant to look past those things about her and see that there is something deeper to her. That the country life and repetitive nature of that time and place was trapping her.

We’re to understand that the depths of Belle’s being and the quality of her character allows her to see that Beast is more than the self-absorbed douchebag whose actions and vile core cursed not only him, but also the lives of his servants to an existence of cutlery, crockery, furniture, and at least one who had to have been a toilet. Through patience and understanding Beast is capable of learning from his mistakes, seeing his prideful ways, and come out a better person with the help of the right guide. Hell, I’d like to spend time with that shaggy bastard myself.

But what happens when we apply that line of thinking to my defendant, Mr. Gaston? Well, the movie doesn’t want you to do that. Why? Because Disney Writer Linda Woolverton wrote Belle to be liberated and reportedly redesigned the new character of Gaston to resemble her own ex-boyfriends: the epitome of toxic masculinity. An arrogant, brash, self-absorbed braggart who sees others as objects.

You know … just like Beast in first half of the movie. But unlike Beast, the defendant, Mr. Gaston, doesn’t get plot time to step out of the stereotype. He’s saddled with being the hyper-macho prick who selects Belle to woo because she’s the prettiest girl in the village.

But what if he wasn’t? I know, I know, your honor; that’s hogwash. But we do live in an era of revisionist history, where movies like Maleficent and Cruella exist to paint the villain in a new light despite the intent of the original creator (or the desire to skin and wear puppies as a coat.) We already learned that Gaston was not an original character and that Belle’s sisters were the ones who screwed her over in the classic fairy tale. C’mon Disney +, where’s Gaston’s redemption prequel movie?

So let’s examine the clues in the movies and piece together a plausible story. Perhaps Gaston sees something special in Belle that he doesn’t see in others. Not as a hunter’s challenge, but as something more? What if all the bravado is an act? The three blondes in the bar clearly wanna do some nasty, PornHub-premium-level sinning with Gaston. But he rejects them. Why? He’s a caricature, after all. Is there any reason that a walking mountain of Klingon testosterone would reject three thirsty hot blondes?

Image from Disney

Image from Disney

Well, that’s easy. My defendant, Mr. Gaston, likes the girl who likes books. But he doesn’t know how to say that.

Gaston reaches out to Belle--blustering, of course. Because all he knows is what that society has taught him. Yet he does it anyway. Bucking tradition of seeing the father first, he proposes and is promptly rejected. Naturally, he is upset. Because perhaps Gaston was seeking to step out of his assigned societal role and was seeking a kindred soul. Someone who will see him not as how the village sees him, but for who he is. That’s almost romantic, isn’t it? Remember the song and dance number? This town hates Belle. Yet Gaston refuses to bend to popular opinion and grows to care for Belle, the misfit of Villeneuve and daughter of crazy old Maurice. If anyone could understand being more than what people see, it would be her. But that’s not in the script for Gaston.

Belle refuses to use that depth of personal character that she uses to see the real Beast in order to see Gaston as more than the stereotypical douche. And that’s fine. That’s the story. Just like in real life, no person is ever obligated to reciprocate the feelings of another.

So yeah, at the end of the day I can’t really defend my client’s actions. Regardless of what could have been, Mr. Gaston chose to be a jealous, scornful asshole who even tried to emotionally blackmail a distraught young woman into marrying him or else send her father to a mental institution. But the question is, would he have been such a prick if someone, anyone, took the time to try and know the person and not the package? If recent shows like 13 Reasons Why have taught us anything, then being cognizant of our actions, or inactions, towards others could save lives.

Alas, Gaston will likely always be seen as a villain. An oddly beloved one at that.

So the defense rests. 1 for 2 in defending a couple of villains. But let me leave the jury with this: when it comes to our media villains, just like people in real life, we need to not simply accept what we’re presented. We need to be better. We need to ask questions. Imagine a world where we give others the same benefit of the doubt that we think we’re owed. Imagine the pain and loss that could be avoided if we take the time to listen to others and understand them as people instead of assuming their nature.

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Just a thought at the end of a silly blog that tried to apply humor to a couple of Disney “villains.”

Scorsese Doubts Marvel Movies as Cinema? -or- Hating Popular Things to Sound Cool

An old adage of mine is simple and goes something like this: “Are you being critical, or are you just an asshole?” And I recently added the follow-on caveat of: “And if so, are you one of those assholes who hates things just because they’re popular?”

Image from Know Your Meme

Image from Know Your Meme

Recently, acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese came out against the wave of comic movies, citing Marvel in particular, as not being “cinema” (HERE). The legendary filmmaker went so far as to refer to the genre as being “theme parks”, as they (Marvel Movies) are not “the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

Wow. Those are some weighted and profound words. And If I were to be a touch catty, I would ask: was it cinema when he directed Jonah Hill to simulate jerking-off a prosthetic penis to (presented as a sex object) Margo Robbie in The Wolf of Wall Street? You know, the same movie that opens with DiCaprio snorting cocaine off a hookers ass, enjoys a nice round “dwarf-bowling”, and flaunts Caligula levels of kinky sex.

And yes . . . I own this movie :)

Image from Imgur.com

Image from Imgur.com

Full disclosure, I like the MCU/comic genre of movies and Scorsese’s words rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t like all comic flicks, and I also like/love some of Scorsese’s movies (Gangs of New York being one of my all time favorite movies) . . . but not all of them.

So when (some of) the internet balked at Scorsese’s comments, he doubled down a few days later. (HERE). On the back of that, celebrities like Jennifer Aniston have purportedly claimed that Marvel movies (and I assume the genre) have diminished what is available in terms of acting projects. But hey, that Netflix rom-com murder mystery movie is getting a sequel, so good for her.

But what really struck me as interesting was the wave of vocal supporters for the Goodfellas director. Not because of what he said, the man has a right to his opinion. After all, he’s been been involved with bringing movies to the silver screen since 1959. He’s earned his opinion. (One which is not new) No, what struck me as odd was the vitriol at which some people railed against the Disney-owned Marvel. The venom they spewed was hateful, cruel, and barbaric.

Basically how everyone who is not a New England Patriots fan reacted when The Pat’s won their last Superbowl. … But seriously NE people, y’all are really freaking annoying. You know that right? You are the definition of Sore Winners. There’s a reason people don’t cheer for you.

Image form Golf Digest

Image form Golf Digest

As all this went on, pop-culture websites and YouTube channels did as they do, covered the nothing-burger in order to gain clicks and views. Some called the situation a case of old man yelling at clouds. Some said Scorsese was trolling, or that he was jealous of MCU’s success. And as I ingested these comments and views, I started to believe that this wasn’t just an old school movie maker attacking modern trends. I think there are two issues at play.

The first, and actually least important, is: The Natural Reaction to Popular Things.

I’ve always been interested in the phenomena of why people hate on popular things. What is it that makes us, as humans, balk against whatever is popular? I think we’ve all heard, or said, something akin to:

  • That’s not real music!

  • You call that art?

  • You’re so basic!

  • You eat what? Do you even know what good food is?

  • That show is so overrated!

  • The book was better!

  • Pumpkin spice?!

But why do we do that over something subjective? What is it about things that are beloved by the populace, or at least perceived to be loved, that makes some people so angry? There is a term in psychology called normative social influence (HERE) that basically says that there is an effect due to inherent tribalism that makes people “go with the flow” even if they don’t like something. A communal sense of belonging. In other words, conformity. Another aspect is the mere-exposure effect (or familiarity principle) which as the name suggests, is the more one is exposed to a thing, the more comfortable and accepting they are of it.

Conversely, Rebellion in Group (HERE) is also natural. The thought that rebellion is a strategy of social action to overthrow the group's status quo or to adamantly oppose its revision. Beyond simple rebellion, is the iconoclast. Or, those who feel it is their imperative to tear down idols and to attack cherished beliefs or institutions. 

You know . . . like assholes.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. The need to challenge the status quo is a necessity for change, good or bad, to occur. And such actions, leaders, and thinkers are a vital part of society. That being said, lifting something up doesn’t mean you have to push something down.  

Another way of thinking about it is: sometimes you have to burn down the old to make way for the new. Conversely, some people just want to see the world burn.

Image from Know Your Meme

Image from Know Your Meme

When the MCU began with Iron Man, people were skeptical. As the movies grew and became interconnected, people smiled. As they grew further into overlapping properties and team-up movies, they broke bank records and people cheered. But as the juggernaut continued to dominate and grow, that’s when the caution flags started going up. Bitter words were spoken. And then tribalism reared its ugly head.

Looking back on Scorsese’s comments, I honestly don’t think folks are trying to argue that comic movies/MCU are “high art”. I think people were balking at the dismissive, pejorative manner in which Scorsese’s words came across. But, I don’t think his comments fall into the natural rebellion model--while the jabbering squawks of the MCU haters and trolls do. No, I think there is more to it. Something deeper.

This brings me to the second part: Fear of Change.

In 2017, at the MCM London Comic Con, Anthony Mackie, “Falcon” in the MCU, was interviewed on a panel. During the interview (HERE), I think he hit the nail on the head. He said: “People used to go see the Stallone movie. People used to go see the Schwarzenegger the movie. Now they go see “X-Men”. The evolution of the superhero has meant the death of the movie star. And that’s the fear now.” Further in the interview, Mackie admits that the cost of the theater experience has gone up, while home theater technology has gone down. Coupled with other forces, that creates a disinterest to going to the movies. Or, as some think-pieces have said, the death of the cinema. Many of which would like to lay the blame at feet of superhero movies.

Perhaps these factors were what Mr. Scorsese was getting at. The fear of a named franchise destroying the implied artistic standard? A model which has been prevalent since the beginnings of the superstore overtaking “Mom and Pop Shops”. I’ve briefly written about the subject before (HERE). I was warned when I started writing books that stand alone novels were nice, but people came back for the franchises. Recognition and familiarity of characters were what made people come back. And let’s be honest, short of James Bond or Star Wars, no one else has built a franchise in name and scope quite like the MCU.

When it comes to our preferred entertainment, and the perceived value they bring, the result is almost always the same. Some may see the work as less, while others might see it as more. Inspiration comes from many places. Often in the most unique and bizarre ways. Sure, the comic genre might be a CGI nightmare of spandex and punching to some, but others might see the struggle of a hero an be inspired.

So, long story short, are the MCU movies cinema? Well, in the film-studies major, self-professed prestige-piece aficionado, tiny fedora-wearing sense . . . likely not.

Image from MeMe

Image from MeMe

But, do they “convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being”? For some, without a doubt. For others, no, they’re just fun. The level of which comes down to human subjectivity vice a standard metric.

So, I end this rambling pseudo-intellectual think piece with this, as I often do: like what you like, love (who) what you love, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. Those who try and shit on what you like, instead of just minding their own business and just liking what they like, are as I said earlier: assholes.

Image from NME.com

Image from NME.com

My Marvel Movie Rankings . . . Because . . . Why Not?

Yeah, this sure is original. Yup. Because no one else ranks the Marvel movies. (read: sarcasm ;-) ) But, thanks to THIS QUIZ (which I took while bored), it made it fun an easy. So without further ado, here it is, Gib’s Woefully-Behind-The-Times Marvel Movie List.

Note 1 - The app I used asked “Which would you like to watch RIGHT NOW”. So when compiled I agreed that #23 - #16 were tedious to watch. #15 - #11 were “oh, that’s on? I’ll watch it”. And #10 - #1 are the ones I get a excited to watch again.

Note 2 - All my comments are just my opinions. If you take them negatively then . . . they’re a joke? :)

Note 3 - All images from Marvel

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#23 T

he Incredible Hulk -

No one’s favorite. Well, except maybe that one weird friend likes to be a contrarian a-hole.

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#22 Ant-Man - Sorry, the Baskin Robbins joke/Louis Pena didn’t make me laugh. Maybe I’m dead inside. But to me, Paul Rudd is as exciting as getting a new towel set. He’s fine/funny in the bigger ensemble movies though. Small roles . . . because he’s Ant-Man.

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#21 Iron Man 2 - I hated the bird. I hated the plot. Seriously, dying of ARC reactor poisoning is a 3rd movie plot, not a 2nd! RDJ is charismatic, so, that was fun at least.

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#20 Thor: The Dark World - Higher than the others? Yeah, I know this flick isn’t good. But Loki/Thor are charming and Thor was my fav growing up.

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#19 Ant-Man & The Wasp - The team-up was more fun this time around. But, again, It’s the Paul Rudd towel set analogy. But now with matching washcloths. But hey, at least Wasp was better than Ant-Man in every way.

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#18 Black Panther - Aside from cultural impact, the movie, to me, was a paint-by-numbers story. And, if I’m honest, it fell short of what it could have been. Especially when considering Coogler/MBJ’s other collaborations.

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#17

Captain Marvel - My review (CLICK HERE) sums up my feelings on this movie. I felt that it reached for greatness, but didn’t have a seasoned hand to get it there. But, there a certain charm to Superhero movie: The Movie.

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#16 Spider Man: Far From Home - What? Middle of the pack? Yeah. I was honestly bored through some of it. The teen drama was like a not funny Eurotrip. The movie had its moments, but nothing that made it exceptional. The growing out of (and into?) Tony’s shadow was touching though.

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#15 Thor - As I mentioned earlier, growing up, Thor was my fav. And I was stoked for this flick. And . . . it was fine. That’s it.

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#14 Iron Man 3 - This movie, sigh. It breaks so much established continuity. Ran out of power? What does that thing in his chest do then?! Anyway, I liked the comedy & action. Mandarin twist was fine.

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#13 Avengers: Age of Ultron - I kinda liked this flick. I liked the banter. I liked the action. I liked the Scarlet Witch a lot. Some folks give it crap, but there is a good chance they’re a-holes. :)

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#12 Doctor Strange - Goatee? Arrogant? Yes. Tony? No. Something about this generic-yet-trippy origin story makes me smile. Maybe because he’s a chump through most of it? Sadly, Rachel McAdams was wasted

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#11 Iron Man - Not in the top 10?! Sorry? Blame the app I used. I do love this movie. The entire MCU is the Ballad of Tony Stark. But, come on, it’s a guy in a suit punching a villain in a similar suit. But, it was funny and had great action!

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#10 Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - I love me an ensemble, and the Guardians are great. Now, full disclosure, I didn’t care about Ego/Peter’s arc. But, it got me to Rocket/Yondu & Peter/Yondu. And THAT hit me in the feels. Which is why it cracks the top 10.

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#9 Avengers: Endgame - What is there to say? I HATED the plot. But I LOVED the emotional payoffs. And as the final note of The Ballad of Tony Stark played, I nodded. You can rest now Tony . . . sniff.

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#8 - Thor: Ragnarok - What a remarkable tonal shift. I laughed. I had fun. I threw up the devil horns to Immigrant’s Song . . . both times. There were some dumb things, and it broke continuity. But man, it was pure fun.

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#7 Spider-Man: Homecoming - Hands down, full stop: best (live-action) Spider-Man movie ever. (Spiderverse was awesome!) Keaton’s Vulture might be the best villain in the MCU.

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#6 Avengers - Still, one of the best MCU flicks with great team chemistry, dialogue, action, humor and heart. And, without a doubt, the WORST Captain America uniform. See there in the poster how they hide him behind Thor?

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#5 Avengers: Infinity War - The Empire Strikes Back of the MCU. Not only a great job juggling so many characters, but great drama and fun to watch. Sure, Pete dissolving is sad. But RDJ wiping the Spider-dust away was a metaphor for all Stark’s goals and efforts. A man seeing ultimate failure. Bravo.

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#4 Captain America: The First Avenger - No, I’m not crazy. I love this movie. Growing up, I hated Cap. And in no way expected the jock with a banana in his ass from Not Another Teen Movie to impress me. I was wrong. Evan’s earnest portrayal won me over. And, the good guy kinda loses in this one.

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#3 Captain America: Civil War - Some would call this Avengers 2.5. I call it awesome. Zemo and his personal revenge plan was the cornerstone for a personal story. Both Cap and Tony’s. Bonus in that this was the best portrayal of Black Panther.

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#2 Guardians of the Galaxy - As you can see by now, personal stories hit home with me. And when this movie was pitched, folks scoffed. When it opened with a dying mom, they gasped. The comedic flow from broken person to broken person captivated me. And ending in a dance off? Well, it won me, and most of the world, over.

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#1 Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Wow. To think the directors of this movie used to make Community episodes. This flick is an amazing call back to the classic spy thriller. But, amid the cat and mouse games, the human element was always there, keeping things personal, grounded, and in short: the BEST (imo) MCU movie to date.