Pledge Allegiance to Captain America, Chris Evans

I recently spoke with both Captain America's director Joe Johnston, who directed a teenage favorite of mine, The Rocketeer, and star, Chris Evans, but here's a taste of pure Evans...

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"The Losers" Kick Summer Movie Season Off with a Bang

After the trailer for “The Losers” debuted at the end of January, it picked up a new title in certain circles: “The A-Team That Isn’t Going to Suck.” Only time will tell which film is victorious at the box office but, rest assured, this summer promises to have to least one enjoyable movie about a crack team of former government operatives who, finding themselves on the wrong side of the law, are forced on missions anyone else would see as suicidal while the government tries to put them away. Phew, that’s a mouthful. (That’s what she said.)

Based on the graphic novel of the same name, “The Losers” combines over-the-top visceral action with humor and swagger. Bookended by cartoonish elements borrowed from the source material, the film’s tone is well established, but perhaps the best homage to the original novel is a no-hold-barred brawl between mysterious operative Aisha (2009 “It Girl” Zoe Saldana) and the leader of The Losers, Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan finally getting the leading role he deserves), that ends with a hotel room engulfed in flames. Yes, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is just that hot.


But I digress.


“The Losers” begins with a search-and-destroy mission deep in the Bolivian jungle that turns into a double-cross which kills 25 innocent children. Presumed dead, the only thing left for the band of rogues is to go deep undercover, find their betrayer and exact revenge. That’s where the real fun kicks in as Jason Patric turns in one of the most delightfully diabolic onscreen evil geniuses since Gerard Butler in last year’s “Law Abiding Citizen.”


On board with Aisha and Clay is his wing man Roque (the always enjoyable Idris Elba), tech whiz Jensen (Captain America himself, Chris Evans, looking like he got beat with the ugly stick), sniper Cougar (a near mute but compelling Oscar Jaenada), and Pooch (surprisingly enjoyable and charismatic Columbus Short) the man who can captain anything with an engine.


“The Losers” is a pop-y, pulp-y tongue-in-cheek wink at the action genre that’s full of flash and fun, priming audience for Summer Blockbuster Season where your brain gets some time off and movie theaters are flooded with mindless, explosive, rollicking glee.

Joss Whedon Takes Control of "The Avengers"

Who’s ready for a big ol’ helping of awesome?

Joss Whedon has signed on to direct "The Avengers." Stand back. It’s a geekgasm.

You can almost hear the sound of fanboys across this great nation busting out a Balki-style Dance of Joy.

If there was ever any doubt about the potential of The Avengers, it just spontaneously combusted, along with half a dozen Firefly fanatics. With Whedon, who brought us "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Dollhouse" and, of course, "Dr. Horrible," at the helm, "The Avengers" rockets to the top of many must see lists, including ours.

Sadly, the waiting game is now in effect until the first weekend of May 2012 when the film is set for release. In the meantime, the Avengers team, an all-star Marvel posse, will be frequenting your local megaplex as "Iron Man 2" opens in May, "Thor," starring Chris Hemsworth is currently in production, and "Captain America," starring Chris Evans, begins shooting in Europe this summer.

Depending on the success of "The Avengers," audiences might finally be able to see Whedon lens the Wonder Woman script he’s been trying to get off the ground for several years and we have a sneaky suspicion Nathan Fillion will finally get the leading man role so many fans have been dying to see him in. Fingers crossed that Eliza Dushka doesn’t wiggle her way in and louse everything up.