Later in the Summer and it's still all about Bucky, with a little Natasha added in...

Seriously, I have an addictive personality.  After watching the movie "Captain America:  The Winter Soldier" a record 4 times in the theatre I got into the comics.  It was a good run.  James Buchanan Barnes gets a great story and also a romance with Natasha.  Some highlights:

The movie is different in some ways that are better. such as Steve and Bucky being childhood friends.  I think that long deep relationship is the secret to Steve getting through the programming.  However, in the movie, the writers chose to include Natasha and also a scene where the Winter Soldier chooses to go after her rather than Steve.

It would be nice if this was not just a nod to the comics, but also a hint of what might happen in the next movie.  The two of them are cut from the same cloth.  They could be good for each other.

Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers broke me

Just like Kyp Durron did in 2006 and like Supernatural did in 2008, the Winter Soldier owns my soul.  The idea that a good man is captured by the enemy and tortured and mind manipulated into an assassin for the enemy....OMG...the feels!

And Steve wanders around lost.  He's lost the two people he knew and loved the most...Bucky and Peggy.  He meets Sam, who is the perfect balance of calm and sass and he works with Natasha!  But he is really this stubborn guy with his own beliefs who will do things his way.

And they fight.  At first, Steve has no idea who he is up against.  

The Winter Soldier has all his skills and strengths.  Then he realizes...

His mind is so strong that despite the wipes he remembers his friend Steve.  But it takes more than that to release him from his conditioning.  Steve is too stubborn to let go and he makes the ultimate choice.

"I will not fight you!"

And then he remembers, and oh god the music is so heartbreaking and Steve falls to his death, but Bucky can't let that happen a second time.  Can't let someone fall, he must protect Steve....and so he plunges into the Potomac.

End credits show a free Bucky at the Smithsonian, he's trying to view himself and he looks quite pensive.

Just another misunderstood anti-hero

I saw Captain America The Winter Soldier a week ago and became somewhat obsessed with Sebastian Stan the actor who plays Bucky Barnes.  I like the idea that the character was once a totally good guy but that he got captured, tortured and brainwashed into an assassin.  I love the idea that he could be redeemed due to the love of his friend.

Anyhow, this is the repository of my geek.  So a few Winter Soldier gifs...

This is Bucky in WWII.  He's already been experimented on...but he's just an American Soldier on a mission.  Here he is shooting a sniper who had his sights on Steve.  I love that they made Steve and Bucky best friends (early comics made Bucky into a scrawny teen who adored Steve) and equals.

Here, he looks just a bit...ruthless.  His looks hint toward the man he will become:

The Winter Soldier when we first see him (standing in the street staring directly at Nick Fury).

There are a ton of fight scenes in the movie.  In fact there is a lot more shooting, punching, running, driving, then there is dialogue.  So the intensity of body language is key, especially for Sebastian Stan, who has few lines in the whole movie, yet lends a gravitas to the whole thing.

"Who the hell is Bucky?"

Everything changes when Steve realizes the Winter Soldier is his best friend.  I am a sucker for that kinda of devotion.

Steve won't kill Bucky, he wants to break through to him, have him remember the good man he once was.  Finally something does stop Bucky from delievering the killing blow.  And when Steve falls to his death in the water, you just know that Bucky will remember just enough to jump in and save him.

I love this fanart from sandara at deviantart It's called The Light Before We Land.

I'm hoping that we get to see Bucky and Captain working together in the next movie.  

Because there is never a shortage of questionable dark tortured souls to fan girl over....

His name is Loki, the god of mischief from the Norse legend.  Except he is a creation of Stan Lee and Marvel comics brought to life in the movie Thor.  He is played by the charismatic Tom Hiddleston and he is delightfully damaged!

I've seen Thor about 4 times, the Avengers and Thor the Dark World twice, yeh it's a problem.

Brothers.  Need I say more.  You know one who errors and the other who forgives, yet they would do anything for each other.  Something like that.  

I find the action figure strangely reminiscent of Kyp Durron.  Just swap out the sword for a lightsaber.

Marvel, knowing that Loki is a virtual comic cash cow, is starting Agent of Asgard in February.  Hope it's drawn well.

The cartoon was fun, but the women were too scantily clothed.  It's something I liked about the movie.  the women were all well dressed and Sif was a warrior.