The Avengers - 2012

Marvel Studios, Paramount Pictures, Albuquerque Studios

Directed by Joss Whedon

Cast:

• Tony Stark / Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr.
• Steve Rogers / Captain America – Chris Evans
• Thor – Chris Hemsworth
• Bruce Banner / Hulk – Mark Ruffalo
• Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow – Scarlett Johansson
• Clint Barton / Hawkeye – Jeremy Renner
• Loki – Tom Hiddleston
• Nick Fury – Samuel L. Jackson
• Agent Phil Coulson – Clark Gregg
• Agent Maria Hill – Cobie Smulders
• Pepper Potts – Gwyneth Paltrow
• Professor Eric Selvig – Stellan Skarsgard
• Jarvis – Paul Bettany (voice)

Story: Loki, the half-brother of Thor, has teamed up with an alien race to conquer and enslave the Earth. In exchange, he must provide the aliens with the Tesseract, the ancient cube of power once hidden on Earth by Odin, later discovered by the Red Skull to power his evil weapons, and now in the hands of SHIELD, thanks to the efforts of Howard Stark, Tony's father. He steals the Tesseract, and uses its power to gain control of Professor Selvig, who is experimenting with it, and Hawkeye, who is assigned to protect it. When Loki steals the Tesseract, Nick Fury reaches out to assemble the team of superheroes to retrieve it, but he faces an uphill battle from the Commission and the Superheroes themselves. Will the Avengers Initiative fail, or will the superheroes conquer the aliens?

Review: Yahoo! The legacy lives on and the story is great! I know there were some concerns out there regarding the former creator of Buffy and Angel doing the screenplay and directing, and there were also a few eyebrows raised when Disney took over the Marvel brand. But everyone can relax, because this flag is up the pole, and everyone is saluting.
Robert Downey Jr. is especially his arrogant self as Tony Stark, and I loved the scenes where he and Gwyneth Paltrow are acting like a couple. His interactions with Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo set the stage for the internal conflicts with each other and Samuel L. Jackson. The dynamics of the characters could not have been any better.
And speaking of the newest member of the Marvel character crew, hats off to Mark Ruffalo who took a role once played, poorly, by Eric Bana, and somewhat better by Ed Norton, and not only made it his own, but made Bruce Banner come to life in realistic ways. His persona as the more aggressive scientist with self control and determination lends to the idea such a being might be controlled, or at least directed.
Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston play beautifully off one another, which gives us the impression of the Asgardian egos and the depths to which they extend. Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner are perfect as the bodyguards nee assassins who are as courageous as they are talented. And Clark Gregg reprises his role from Iron Man and Thor to remind us there are always dedicated men who are simply trying to do their job, in spite of extraordinary circumstances.
The story is fast paced, and wastes little time in exposition, with smidgens of personal lives and assignments interspersed in the film. Overall, the cinematography is exceptional, the graphics are phenomenal, and the entire film has the flow and character of the Comic Books (okay, Graphic Novels) of our misspent youth. I went in expecting an epic, and was not disappointed. Rated PG-13 for violence and a mild reference to drugs, anyone who ever read the stories and those of us who love the prequels (let's face it, folks, Iron Man, Thor, etc. were all prequels to this event) will love this film. I've already reserved a copy for my collection, and you should, too.

The Last Castle - 2001

DreamWorks SKG, Robert Lawrence Productions

Directed by Rod Lurie

Cast:

• Lt. Gen. Eugene Irwin – Robert Redford
• Col. Winter – James Gandolfini
• Yates – Mark Ruffalo
• Capt. Peretz – Steve Burton
• Gen. Wheeler – Delroy Lindo
• Dellwo – Paul Calderon
• Cpl. Ramon Aguilar – Clifton Collins Jr.
• Beaupre – Brian Goodman
• Doc Lee Bernard – Frank Military

Story: A respected and illustrious General pleads guilty to a charge of disobeying a direct order from the President of the United States that results in the loss of several men. He is sentenced to spend ten years in “The Castle”, a military prison. The warden, Col. Winter, is a fan of sorts, and a collector of civil war memorabilia. Upon his arrival, the Gen. Irwin is escorted to the warden's office and given his initial interview. Upon being asked what he expects of his time at the prison, he answers “To do my time and go home.” The warden appears satisfied with this answer, and asks the General if he would autograph a copy of a book he wrote on military tactics. While the warden is looking for the book, he overhears the General commenting negatively on the Colonel's collection. This incident sets the tone for the remainder of the story, where the Colonel uses sadistic treatment of the men to provoke an incident to have the General removed to a different facility. But the Colonel underestimates the loyalty of the General's friends and the willingness of men who are being mistreated to rise to a higher level, once true leadership is given.

Review: Despite the setting, this movie has little to do with prisons. Rod Lurie's vision, combined with the extraordinary talents of Robert Redford and James Gandolfini, is a morality play set in the most unlikely of locations. We have a man who has risen to the height of his potential, the Colonel, who will never advance above that rank, and is bitter with his role in life. He is an administrator among soldiers who wanted to be a soldier and was instead given the task of maintaining order at a prison. That he could show leadership by helping these men to regain their self respect and dignity has escaped him, and he is content to amuse himself by creating situations which lead to the prisoners becoming the animals he believes them to be. When the General comes to his prison, he thinks he has found a kindred spirit who can appreciate his manipulation of the men. To his disappointment, he finds the General a thoughtful and honorable soldier who has chosen to accept his punishment without excuse or explanation. While the Colonel must fight to maintain control, his methods and his intellect lack humanity and understanding. The General is given control by the prisoners because of his intellect and understanding. He offers the prisoners the one thing the warden cannot, dignity. Rated R for language and violence, this film is not for everyone, and certainly not for the very young. It is, however, an essential element in the creation of a leader, and should be seen by anyone who aspires to lead.

Collateral - 2004

Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Parkes/MacDonald Productions

Directed by Michael Mann

Cast:

• Max Durocher – Jamie Foxx
• Vincent – Tom Cruise
• Annie – Jada Pinkett Smith
• Fanning – Mark Ruffalo
• Richard Weidner – Peter Berg
• Pedrosa – Bruce McGill
• Ida – Irma P. Hall
• Daniel – Barry Shabaka Henley
• Felix – Javier Bardem

Story: LA cab driver Max Durocher picks up a woman heading downtown to the federal building. On the way, there they have a wonderful conversation about her job, his dreams, and at the end of the ride he has made such a good impression she gives him her card. A man outside the federal building in a gray suit starts to take the next cab, but Max is first in line and tells him, “I'll take you.” The man tells Max an address, compliments him on the cleanliness of his cab, and asks how long it will take to get there. Max says seven minutes, and explains the route. When he gets to the destination, the man introduces himself as Vincent and explains he has several stops to make and offers Max $600.00 plus an extra $100.00 if he gets back to the airport after the trip and doesn't have to run for the plane. Max reluctantly agrees and pulls in the alley behind Vincent's first stop to wait for him. But as he is waiting, a body falls from the apartment onto the cab. Max soon realizes Vincent is the killer, but Vincent corrects him. “I just shot him...the bullets and the fall killed him. At gunpoint, Vincent explains he is on a route to kill several witnesses and Vincent will be his ride.

Review: I don't believe I will ever tire of Michael Mann's perspective on the human race. Cruise is the assassin, a cold, relentless killer without remorse, fulfilling a contract as quickly and efficiently as possible. Jada Pinkett Smith is the doer, an assistant federal prosecutor who is focused and dedicated to making the world a safer place by making sure the criminals end up behind bars. Jamie Foxx is an everyman caught up in a situation he cannot control trying to survive. He is a cabbie with dreams of becoming a limo service owner, and like most of us, lacks the ambition to follow it through. The way his life is going, he will end up driving a cab for the rest of his life. The polarized characters in this drama make for more than just a crime story. It is the battle we all face everyday, the battle of our ambitions and goals being quelled by complacency and routine. It is the battle most of us lose, unless we are fortunate enough to find an epiphany that changes our lives. For two hours, Mann escorts us through the battle in a unique and singular perspective that only he can manage, and this film keeps you on the edge of your seat as Max reaches that epiphany and develops into the everyman who can attain a higher plain. Rated R for violence and language, the sheer integrity, and power of this film make it collectible as one of Mann's best pieces. The performances are brilliant, the photography and setting is superb, and the film concludes with a resolution that will bring you to a realization of just how meaningful life can be.