Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Prepare to be astounded: The Winter Soldier is the sequel to end all sequels.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 2014. PG-13. 136 minutes. Starring Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan. Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo and Joss Whedon.

Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier. [IMDb]

Nicole: Oh, man, my Fangirl is in overdrive! I can’t believe I’m going to say this but Captain America: The Winter Soldier was actually better than The Avengers. (No! Did she just…? No, she couldn’t possibly have said it, but – oh, yes – she did.) From the second this sequel starts, you better buckle up – ‘cause you’re in for one hell of a ride.

elizabeth: Well, I have never been a fangirl of any of these types of movies. I just don’t get them blowing up everything and calling it acting. Was there any acting or just men in tights (and I am a fangirl of this look).

Nicole: It's escapism, Cassidy. Acting in action movies is technically acting. It may not be Shakespeare, but... Here’s the thing, so much inconceivable, mythology-altering, mind-blowing stuff happens in this movie that I can’t even discuss the plot except in the vaguest of terms – else I’ll ruin it for everyone. Just know that everything you thought you ever knew about the Marvel universe as it relates to S.H.I.E.L.D. will be irrevocably altered. And, this affects EVERYTHING going forward, which includes The Avengers: Age of Ultron, the planned (but as of yet unscripted) Black Widow movie, and the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. What I can tell you is that we come to find Cap, post-Avengers New York, living and working in Washington D.C. under Nick Fury and on assignment with Natasha (aka Black Widow). That’s all I’m gonna say – 'cause everything other than that is a spoiler. I’m not kidding. That’s how much groundwork this movie lays and then works to destroy—dramatically.

elizabeth: Nick Fury? That is right up there with Radcliffe and Mr. Darcy. I know I almost broke down and went to see this flick to show that I am open-minded, but then I had a book to read instead. So I spent my limited hours feeding my brain cells and not piercing my eardrums.

Nicole: These movies are based on books...comic books...but, I digress. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) is crazy-good, and certainly can fill out his trademark suit – wink, wink. His action sequences are mind-boggling. I can’t even begin to comprehend how they were staged. But, he’s equaled in skill and intensity by this sequel’s villain, The Winter Soldier (played by Sebastian Stan), who can single-handedly destroy everything and everyone who crosses his path. Cap’s sidekicks Black Widow (Johansson) and Falcon (Mackie) offer up a whole can of whoop-ass, but are no match for the evil powers that be (and you’ll soon learn no one can or should be trusted). You will also witness Samuel L. Jackson as the take-no-crap Nick Fury tested and stretched to his limit--and end up as you never thought he would.

elizabeth: I have never seen you so excited about any movie before. And the Winter Soldier has nothing on some of the bosses I used to have to toil under. I would be curious to see if their names come up in the credits.

Nicole: Visually, this movie is astounding. The special effects are outrageous. And, diehard fans will appreciate all the inside jokes and references – not to mention one of Stan Lee’s best cameos to date. All I can say is run, don’t walk, to see this movie. I promise you will not be disappointed. And do stay around until the credits officially end – by now no one should be leaving any Marvel movie until the lights come up. Let that be a lesson to ya.

elizabeth: I see that you are giving Captain America four stilettos. Let me just say that I would rather give this movie the boot. I would really like to see intelligent and well-written movies come out of Hollywood. But money talks so I might just get myself a Kindle...and a man in tights.

         The Film Fatales give CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER