The Incredible Hulk (part 1)

Happy Monday lovers! I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter and Passover weekend. Now that lent is over I'm back to blogging and back to life. During my mini break from the internet I've had a lot of time to pray, reflect, and watch movies of course!

The Avengers franchise is the most successful superhero franchise in history, not to mention one of my favorites. (go Captain America) and I'd seen all the movies except one. I finally got around to watching it and fell in love. So for today's Monday movie I've chosen The Incredible Hulk.

We all (hopefully) know the story of Dr. Bruce Banner, the brilliant scientist who turns into a big, green rage machine when his pulse gets too high. In this adaptation we find Edward Norton as doctor Banner, living on the outskirts in Peru, seeking solidarity and validation while desperately attempting to find an antidote for his "condition" so he can return to his life and his love Betsy Ross (beautifully played by Liv Tyler). However, he is captured by General "Thunderbolt" Ross, and his worst nightmare is reincarnated when power-hungry soldier Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) becomes a similar, more evil version of himself. Check out the trailer for The Incredible Hulk below:



As I was growing up, I remember my dad being enamored with the Incredible Hulk, but after the 2003 film I was only left disappointed and longing for more. The CGI was just awful, I didn't care for Eric Bana's Hulk at all, and the movie was just downright a depressing snoozefest. This reboot brought The Hulk back to life for me. I much prefer Edward Norton (although Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers was even better) to Eric Bana and the adaptation of The Abomination made me squeal. Tim Roth was absolutely perfect for the role of the classic supervillian.

Norton's take on Banner was an excellent installment of just one superhero film in what was to become The Avengers. Even with the seriousness of his character he was still able to throw in some witty one-liners that made me giggle and lightened the tone of the movie a bit. In my opinion he brought a little humanity to the monster and paved the way for Ruffalo to make even better Hulk movies in the future.

The Incredible Hulk is now available on blu-ray and DVD, and as always don't forget to check back on Thursday for part two of this post.

P.S. Go see Captain America: The Winter soldier in theaters now! It's truly the best Marvel sequel ever. 

Captain America (part 1)

Good morning and happy Monday beautiful people of the internet! And a happy Earth Day to those of us here in America. Today is a beautiful day to get out and do something wonderful with nature. Plant some seeds, help clean up litter, or maybe even just spend the day in the park admiring the beautiful scenery Mother Nature has blessed us with. Today is going to be a wonderful and special day, I can just feel it.

Movie poster courtesy of IMP Awards.

I was feeling a little patriotic today, so for today's Monday movie I've chosen one of my favorite superhero comics, Captain America. Captain America: The First Avenger is the fifth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

It's March of 1942 and we're at the height of World War II and all Steve Rogers wants to do is serve his country by enlisting. But in addition to being short and skinny he's got a plethora of health issues including asthma and scarlet fever, which obviously deems him unfit for service. 

However, as with anyone who is truly determined to live out their dreams, this doesn't stop him from trying to enlist several more times in various cities using different names. It's during his fifth failed physical examination in the Bronx that he meets Dr. Erskine, a physician and scientist who sees Rogers's whole-heartedness and potential. He signs the boy up for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, the world's first superhero. 

Now bigger and stronger, Captain America is on the hunt for Johann Schmidt, the head of Hitler's advanced weapory division who is bent on world domination of his own. Check out the trailer for Captain America: The First Avenger below:

Captain America's patriotism, love and integrity really started my love affair with this country from an early age. He's been one of my favorite superheros since I was a child, and I think this updated rendition of a comic star and true American hero did the Cap justice. Starring some of my favorite people including Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Hugo Weaving and the hunky Chris Evans as the title star himself, Captain America is not a movie to be missed. After seeing this I guarantee you'll be just as pumped for The Winter Soldier as I am.

Captain America: The First Avenger is now available on blu ray and DVD.

P.S. Wanna know why there's a part 1 attached to this post? Check back on Thursday for a special surprise.