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the-shared-brain-in-retrograde · 3 years

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Captain America The Winter Soldier

A joint review...

After a hard day of following screaming orbs round London and combing through bludgeoning rocks in the Pinetum we settled down for Captain America The Winter Soldier. @becksxoxo has seen this film A LOT, which is probably for the best because the notes written for this watch through were not great (yeah that's right, we make notes for this shit, like we are trying our hardest guys...) I think its also safe to say @cassandrafey hasn't seen it half as much, but has a new found vigour for some of the characters within, so enjoyed it more this time round. So for anyone what cares here's what we thought:

Is that a wig, or did you grow that out for the part?

This is Cass' question in most media she consumes, as she's a fan of the lengthier hair look. There are 3 people we questioned this of in the film, and also one notable hair mention.

The Winter Solider - Did Sebastian grow this out for the role? Cass has a deep admiration of those who put time and effort into growing their hair, and when asked for further reasoning mumbled off about people going about their business with long hair and then got all flustered. #hairlust

Natasha Romanoff - On the flip side of the coin, we admire Nat's hair, and Becks wondered if Scarlett had been blessed with thick flowing locks irl, or if extra pieces had been added. She'd love to have hair that flipped about and was just reet good. #hairenvy

Alexander Pierce - Is that a toupee? Its got a lot of volume. I don't want to touch it. #nothankyou

Honourable hair mention - when Steve takes his helmet off to fight George Batroc on the boat, he has adorable hat hair and we both enjoyed it. He looked proper baby, but did make his point with his fists so there was that.

Rate that Roll

Have you ever seen so many unnecessary forward roles in one film? We have not, but we enjoyed them none the less. Join us now as we rate all the flamboyant gymnastics we saw...

6). Coming in at number 6 is Steve's forward roll when having the fight with Georges Batroc. The roll itself is fine and passable, but Georges really outshines him with his entire floor routine. Imagine just being able to fling yourself about like that.

5). Number 5 is Sam's contribution to the roll. Its a fine roll, well executed but he didn't manage the exit, landing in a front flop. Points were deducted for this. He did recover well and take to the skies though, which we love to see.

4). Natasha began the film with her forward roll, which was pleasing. Its always reassuring to know a film will include a forward roll, so she put us at ease with hers. We enjoy the violence that immediately followed her roll. Some may say the two shouldn't mix, but we were into it.

3). This could have scored higher, but as we have pointed out there are many fine forward rolls in this film to choose from. This roll was a combination move with 2 forms of apparatus, very modern. We are of course talking about Steve flipping from the motorcycle into a forward roll to take him over to the plane. Good use of space, strong execution and linked the moves well.

2). In second place, the only roll (technically a doubler) that takes place in the dark (oooh spooky). During the fine chase scene between Steve and Bucky, they both land their leaps across the roof tops with a forward roll, and they were both good. This was one example of the necessary forward roll, but both contestants really made it their own and added style and flair to the move, including both the shield throw and shield catch, a lovely linking choice there boys. And what's that? Could it be... is that man wearing EYELINER? It certainly stopped Steve in his tracks, and we should all be pleased that he'd kept the mask on otherwise it might have become all too powerful.

1). And in first place is Steve Roger's completely unnecessary forward roll in the knife fight with the Winter Solider. It’s a very quick move, and there is absolutely no call for it, but the commitment to include a forward roll when there no need what so ever for one is what has won Steve the gold this year. Cass was so moved by it she proceeded to perform her own roll across the living room.

It’s a difficult job ranking forward rolls, because we all know in our hearts they're all 10/10. They're good rolls Brent...

Team Cap: Meet the gang

To address the snake in my boot, Cass is really trying her hardest (or so she says) to be less mean regarding Steve, mainly to save Becks' feelings, which sometimes leads to that old adage, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all, so some of her notes are slightly lacking re Captain Rogers. Becks has enough to make up for it though so let's get into this.

We've previously discussed the bad relationships the Avengers have with each other, but this film does seem to combat this quite a bit, with one of the big themes being trust and friendship, so here's our take on Team Cap.

Steve Rogers / Captain America

No one can tell me that Steve had a fun time of it Avengers Assemble, but it was all action and there's wasn't much time really for thinking. There is plenty of time to think and process in this film, as we see Steve try and adapt to the modern world, with a little help from his new found friends. He starts off the film a little standoffish, detached from Sam and Nat as they try and break him down. He's clearly hurt by the deception of Nat and Nick on the ship mission, and he's particularly salty to Sharron when their meet cute turned out to be a little more planned than he thought. But he does start to thaw and build those relationships with his new pals Sam and Nat, we can tell this because only good friends kick men off roofs and then go on road trips together, ain't that true @cassandrafey?

Cass: Oh Becks you are a lark! On an unrelated note, do you remember that time we talked about how there were some things about our lives you shouldn’t mention on the internet?

Becks: oh shit, yeh, sorry...

Along side coming to terms with being in the here and now, and not the then and gone, he's got that internal sadness of missing those that meant the most to him. Peggy is there, but it can't be the same as it was, and the one guy he'd relied on his entire life had been left behind. I won't talk about it much because I sort of go into it later, but I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to see your best friend who you believed was dead, because of you, running about and to not have it consume your every waking moment. My fave moments of Steve being all consumed with getting his Buck back include:

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."

When Sam tells Steve that Bucky isn't the kind of guy you save but stop, Steve's face clearly says no, and then he runs off to steal the outfit that Bucky was so keen he kept in the First Avenger.

His determination that Bucky is still in there, and refuses to fight him at the end, that he would rather die that carry on without him again.

Sam Wilson: runner, maverick, bird lover.

We love the introduction to Sam with him being bothered by Steve whilst just trying to go for a quiet morning jog (ewww says Becks to the jogging, and Cass to the concept of doing so at dawn). We both commented that if we'd been Sam, Steve would have ended up in that lake at one point or another, so it just goes to show Sam Wilson is a better person than either of us. It's hard to be objective with Sam purely based on this film, as we've seen into the future, and it is good, but Sam does come across as a very well rounded character. He has sadness, but he is also doing his best for himself and those that need him. As Becks has been moved to tell Anthony Mackie (in inebriated moments we have previously discussed...) he's a good egg, and a very handsome one at that. He's cool as hell with his wings, and it is canon that he drinks Irn Bru, so how could you not love him.

Sam feels like the first person that Steve has a proper connection to, outside of work, in the modern world. They have shared experiences, of being in active combat, of losing their best friend, and of struggling to return to life afterwards. Cass has just added that its good to base friendship off of shared experiences, like the two of us surviving the bookshop together. We'd like to point out that we're not wanting to liken customer service trauma to PTSD, but Christmas in retail is Hell. One day we'll have to tell you the time we were stuck in a sardine can of a shop window for four hours putting up a Christmas Tree, but we digress.

Sam sticks with Steve. He fights alongside Steve because it is the right thing to do, he sits with Steve at the hospital so that he is not alone, and he is willing to stay and hunt down Bucky with him, because it is important to his friend. He did also get a good ogle in of Bucky in his uniform, and we don't like to say that this was the entire reasoning behind his choice, but Cass noted down that it was at this point he became very keen on helping. We don't blame you Sam, we'd hunt for him too.

Natasha Romanoff

We love Nat, she's a great complex character, and we love to see a strong female role in such a male dominated franchise. It’s still a shame she's written by men, but there was a definite improvement from Iron Man 2.

We really enjoyed her undercover schooling of Steve, and felt she could have left some tips for Sam because its an area we feel he could improve on in TFATWS. Seeing them both in muggle clothes does feel weird though, also high heeled trainers were an abomination and again made clear that a man's influence was involved.

Nat is also trying to be a good friend to Steve, which must be a change of pace for her too given her own background. She tries to get Steve to participate in the modern world, rather than being a passive observer. She also teases him mercilessly and it’s cute to watch their interactions during the between times.

It’s sad to watch her have a crisis of confidence when she is confused as to who she is now working for, with SHIELD being compromised, but it’s good to see both Steve and Sam rally around her.

Also props to her for having to take on the flack and the press by herself at the end. She's a strong badass and we love her.

The Winter Soldier/ Bucky Barnes

It’s difficult to remember being introduced to the Winter Soldier for the first time, and then realising who he is and the impact of all of it, after knowing the film inside out. But it doesn't stop the interactions between him and Steve being any less heart breaking.

He's definitely an imposing figure when you're first introduced to him, veiled by the mask, arm glinting in the sun, hair flowing in the breeze, but it’s the moments when that is all taken away that are the most impactful. The mind wipe and flashbacks, these snippets of him being human are so terribly sad. Memories seeping through as traumatic flashes do make your heart break, especially when it’s clear that he is so confused by them himself.

Steve and Bucky's friendship fills Becks with a great amount of feelings, and they’re feelings we don't always agree on as a shared brain, which is a difficulty, so I'll keep it brief (but know this, it means more to me than you'll ever know...😉). Steve is blinded when it comes to Bucky, and those feelings are clearly mutual as they are strong enough to burn through decades of mind control. Because their friendship is the basis of all three Captain America films, but at times it gets over Hollywooded; by action scenes, explosions and the romantic relationship with Peggy, as though platonic love is not enough to motivate and certainly not between men. It breaks Steve's world a little when he first realises his best friend his alive, and Bucky knew that man on the bridge.

Some of our favourite moments of the film are interactions between these two besties.

Cass adores the eye acting when Steve says to Bucky, 'Then end it, cos I'm with you til the end of the line.' The fear and realisation that hits Bucky in that moment is beautifully encompassed in the actual growth of his eyes. He goes full blown anime, and Cass is lost within his pupils.

Becks made a note regarding the fight scene between Steve and Bucky on the final flying ship, "best friend or no I would shout at you if you shot me in the arse." But it does feel like a best friend thing to do in a fight, like you know how to push each other to the extreme as besties and I think arse shooting is a perfect example of this.

The Hydra Lads

Bloody Robert Redford. You cannot look at that man and not see a baddie. Which is correct for the role, but still distressing. He's a nasty man, and we did not like it when he backhanded Bucky across the face. We do not understand how Fury has been friends with him for so long and not realised he’s a wrong ‘un, get it together Nicholas.

At one point in this film Brock Rumlow calls Sam Wilson 'Kid' and we were both scandalised by this. What sort of authority does he have to do that? Why did he do that? Neither of them look older or younger than the other. It felt both factually incorrect and disrespectful and we hated it.

Nick Fury and SHIELD (or is it HYDRA?)

What the fuck was Nicholas Joseph Fury playing at? We had a deep respect for Fury in Captain Marvel and Iron Man 2 but he has really dropped the ball, taken his last working eye off the game as it were. SHAME. Who in SHIELD isn't HYDRA at this point? And how is it a shock to him when he realises? How have you got to the point where you can sleep at night, thinking you're the goodies, when you're developing flying death machines. "We're gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen." That's bullshit, and you should look ashamed when this is spelled out to you. Also, you should have taken a moment to check yourself when you were working out of an underground lair. Zola was deep underground and no one was thinking, oh there goes a good chap. WAKE UP.

We also noted that SHIELD had gone to the trouble of installing chairs for holograms, which Cass thinks shows that you’ve got to a point where you have more money than sense and it’s likely all downhill from here. HR were probably playing ping pong or table football or something when they should have been properly vetting new employees for prior villainous acts and Nazi tendencies. Fucking start ups.

A quick shout out to Maria Hill. The most capable and level headed person in the entirety of the MCU. Someone should put Maria in charge, she'd make sure they weren't hiring HYDRA left, right and centre, and also wouldn't be sticking giant flying murder ships in the sky.

We did however, like to see that Fury had once again secured himself a nice little car chase scene. The inclusion of a giant battering ram was enjoyable, as was whatever tool he used to slither into the sewers. He caught sight of Bucky coming towards him, though fuck me and was out of there. Coincidentally, we also think that when we see our Buck, but for other reasons...

Our favourite scenes:

The Corridor Chase - Is Steve the most extra he's ever been in this scene? Yes. Were any of those parkour moves along the walls and the smashing holes into walls necessary? No. Did Bucky give as much theatrics in his spinning and catching of the shield? DAMN RIGHT. Also there were the forward rolls, so obvs we loved it.

The Elevator Fight - We love a scrap in a lift, its really good, and we both got on board. At one point Becks' notes just read KICK HIM IN THE BALLS. Cass also recently read a fan-fiction that involved those magnetic cuffs, but I'm guessing Steve wasn't there, and I don't think we need to go into it any further. (Cass here: It didn’t involve Steve, but if anyone’s interested chime off in the comments and I’ll see if I can hook you up with a link 😉). What I will say is that all the baddies in that lift were brunettes, and I feel like there is some any dark hair propaganda going on here that I will not stand for. However, Becks did also say she'd like to kick a guy off a roof at one point, so perhaps it is fair representation.

The Winter Soldier Vs Team Cap Fight Scene - Everything about this scene is brilliant, its a tonne of fun but also hella important. Particular points we love during this scene are: The ingenuity to think of wrenching out the steering wheel to stop them from getting away; The three of them crouched on the car door as it falls through the sky; A fine showing of both the Bucky Boot and also highlighting that Bucky is in fact the only person in both HYDRA and SHIELD (although now we know they're one and the same) who can shoot and hit a target, what a competent old man; Nat fooling said old man with a voice note hidden behind a car; Bucky stomping down off that car; Hell, Bucky walking in general (the financial implications...); Bucky flexing his arm (again, our finances...); And finally, the fight between Steve and Bucky where the mask is flung off and we get the eternal lines, "Bucky?" "Who the hell is Bucky?!" It is at this stage that our Let’s Get Wrecked a with The Winter Soldier drinking game may commence.

Steve trying to get through to his friend

Steve: You know me!

Bucky: No, I don't!

Steve: Bucky. you've known me your entire life. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes...

Bucky: SHUT UP!

Steve: I'm not gonna fight you. You're my friend.

Bucky: You're my mission! YOU ARE MY MISSION!

Steve: Then finish it. 'Cause I'm with you 'til the end of the line.

*Becks weeping behind her hair silently*

What a whirlwind. Of emotions, and of gymnastic abilities. At times it was like we had travelled back a fortnight and were watching the Olympics again. Perhaps knife fighting could be suggested as a new sport ahead of Paris?

We are now at least half way into Phase 2, and still enjoying ourselves immensely. It is pleasing to have an excuse for spending so much time on all of our little thoughts and feelings. We have now watched two Cap films and an Avengers, and Cass is still struggling to see Steve in the same way that Becks does (always a source of amazement and concern for both of us) but luckily it didn’t impact her enjoyment of the film as much as one might assume. If anything, Becks’ high emotions probably put her off the action more. [It's true, I started crying at one point and it wasn't even an emotional bit, can someone spare some serotonin?]

Which is why we are grateful to be introduced to some new characters next week to give a little pause in the emotional onslaught. Indeed, next week sees the arrival of a character Cass dislikes far more than poor Steve, so get ready for some hot takes folks as we prepare for a light hearted and musical romp with the Guardians of The Galaxy 🤘

Love Cass and Becks xoxo

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