Review: Captain America - The First Avenger

Directed By: Joe Johnston

Produced By: Kevin Feige

Written By: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Hayley Atwell

Edited By: Robert Dalva, Jeffery Ford

Music By: Alan Silvestri

Distributed By: Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios

Runtime: 124 minutes

Budget: $140 million

The final setup before The Avengers releases next summer, viewers know by now what to expect when they go to the theater. Captain America, like Thor, isn't here to win awards or make a billion dollars. It's here to entertain while introducing us to a character that will feature prominently in a future film that has the potential to be very awesome or very complicated. America succeeds at both, giving us another fun summer blockbuster with plenty of action, comedy, and romance to satisfy. WARNING: MIDLEVEL SPOILERS!

Too much Product Placement?

Ever since watching Thor and discussing the over use of product placement I can not help but notice every little trademark, logo, or label in anything I watch. The whole reason that I hated Thor was that I believe the over use of product placement was insulting. I felt like they did not want to tell me a story (the whole point of a film) and just wanted to sell me everything thing they could. But now that I have notice product placement in just about everything I see I have to ask the question. Where is the line when it comes to product placement?

Marvelous Money

This, like just about every summer for the past several years, will be a summer filled with comic book movies. Thor was released in theaters a few days ago and the Captain America is set to come out in a few months. With Marvel pumping out a minimum of comic book movies every year showing that there is a audience for these types of movies one must ask the question, what is the real point to a comic book movie?

HTTPreview: Thor

Rating: 7/10

Directed By: Kenneth Branagh

Produced By: Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios)

Written By: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins

Edited By: Paul Rubell

Music By: Patrick Doyle

Distributed By: Paramount Pictures

Runtime: 114 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for "sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence"

Setting up another character for the upcoming epic The Avengers, Thor not only successfully establishes the mythicism of Asgard but does it within the realm of the Marvel movie universe, reminding us that hundreds of miles away Stark, Banner, Rogers, and others are but waiting to join forces. In the meantime, we're treated to a visually and emotionally entertaining joy ride split between two worlds that leaves you wanting more, and knowing Marvel will soon deliver.

Check out our in-depth review after the break; BEWARE MINOR SPOILERS!