Captain America: Civil War Review

The third Captain America movie has unsurprisingly caused a division among fans, matching the rivalry between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.

Anyone who knows me, knows that Marvel is one of my hobbies, if following a franchise can be classed as a hobby? I guess what I’m trying to say is that I am very emotionally attached and I will fight for my favourite characters. Yes, I have been genuinely angry at friends who have said something negative about Bucky Barnes. 

The whole Team Cap and Team Iron Man drama was inevitable but the press tour was genius; I've never seen a cast interact with fans on such a large scale, and being a very involved Marvel fan myself, I really felt like I was a part of something.

One thing I will say is that your opinion could go one of two ways; you could go into the movie on one team, but walk out completely confused, or alternatively you go in confused and leave having decided firmly on a team. Personally, I was Team Cap right up until a very particular moment towards the end which I’m not going to mention, but if you’ve seen the movie you’ll probably work out which scene lead me to be very disappointed in Cap.

Despite my disappointment in Steve Rogers, I didn’t sway towards Team Iron Man and instead, after being presented with solid arguments on both sides and no clear right or wrong, I couldn't help but respect and appreciate both perspectives and I left the cinema feeling completely torn. 

This leads me on to one of the best aspects of the movie in terms of storytelling; the fact that neither team is shown to be right or wrong allows us to make up our own minds. It’s unbiased, something that doesn’t seem possible with a plot of this nature and the title ‘Civil War’. 

I had previously been reading that a lot of people were skeptical that Civil War would turn out to be more of an Avengers movie since it features so many of our favourite superheroes but I promise you, this is a Captain America movie through and through. 

You want to know how it’s so obvious? Steve and Bucky. Fans cling onto their relationship, and rightly so. The First Avenger is what drew us in and caused us to fall in love with them both, The Winter Soldier broke our hearts, leaving us in mourning for James Buchanan Barnes and Civil War was like a therapy session in which we were reunited with the Bucky we all know and love. 

The connection between these two men is something that we take a great interest in and their relationship is developed even further in this movie; you can really see the change in Bucky and it’s interesting to see how they interact now that he has a better grasp on reality and realises that The Winter Soldier hurt a lot of people. His character development is an extremely valuable aspect of Civil War, after all, he is the motivation behind a lot of Cap’s actions. 

I truly commend Anthony and Joe Russo for making sure that every single character had their moment to shine, but all the while still being sure that the focus is not solely on Tony and Steve's disagreement, but more on Steve's inner battle because like I said, it’s still a Captain America movie. 

I am absolutely relieved that Joss Whedon had nothing to do with this movie and especially with Bucky, the Russo Brothers did him and most of the other characters justice.

I think most fans will agree that each character worked perfectly, although we’re mutually angry that Sharon Carter aka Agent 13 is portrayed as Steve’s love interest. Number one; she deserved more screen time and number two; she deserved more, period. She is not just a love interest, she is a valuable character and one who most definitely did not need to be placed in the movie just for the benefit of Captain America himself. Despite this, she still proved herself as a complete badass. 

I really wanted to love T'Challa/Black Panther but I just didn’t. Sure, he’s great in the fight scenes and he was dealing with a lot of emotions, so I can see why others loved him, but to me, he was just sort of..there. He didn’t make any kind of an impact on me, which leads me to hope that I’ll grow attached to him further down the line.

I also wasn’t keen on Spiderman before the movie, but either Tom Holland himself or Spidey himself completely swayed me by the end. I say that maybe it was Tom Holland because I was watching the London Premiere live and I saw how enthusiastic he was to be there and my heart melted. 

Someone else who fits in perfectly is Ant Man. You would almost expect him to be a little out of his league but it just worked. He and Spiderman, along with Sam and Bucky’s interactions, brought a lot of humour to the movie, but as Chloe says “theres a good mix of humour and seriousness, it wasn't just full of sarcastic responses.”

Scarlet Witch has been in my top five from the first time we saw her, even though she started out as a villain. Her development is often overlooked but she was incredible as always in Civil War and I loved the dynamic between her and Steve with him wanting to protect her. I wish there’d been more interaction between her and Bucky because they’re actually pretty similar. 

Can we get more of Wanda and Vision please? Although God bless the Russo Brothers for not giving us another Bruce and Natasha situation. Don’t get me started on that.

Since I’m on the topic or romantic relationships (I couldn't not mention this, sorry), Sebastian Stan who plays Bucky has been hinting at a relationship between Bucky and Nat in almost every interview on the press tour, and the few scenes they share in Civil War, one in particular, are intriguing and open up the possibility. I know that Buckynat is in the comics and that the MCU is different but even so, Marvel could definitely go down that route if they wanted to (a large percentage of the fans want it, as does one of their lead actors…) 

PS hello Marvel, if you’re reading, this gives you yet another reason to give us our Black Widow solo movie (as if you even needed another). Thank you. 

In the early days, before the press tour, fans were upset over Thor and Hulk not being in Civil War but I feel like it would’ve been too much; the teams as they were, were perfectly balanced. 

In the big fight scenes, I did feel like there was often a lot going on and that I’d need to watch the movie multiple times to see everything but hey, I guess that’s what Marvel wants and it worked because I’m going again tomorrow. 

The funeral scene was handled well (I’m not telling you who dies but I think most of you will already know because it’s pretty obvious), but I almost feel like there should’ve been a little more emotion behind it all rather than just a text and a speech. It's as if the funeral happened and then that was it, no more dwelling on the huge loss. The person who died was a very important part of the two previous films and I believe they should’ve had a more heart-wrenching send off. 

One thing I think is vital to mention is that Tony Stark is not a villain which is what far too many people are saying. He's broken and emotionally damaged, as are the majority of the Avengers, and once you pay attention to his history, it’s very easy to see where he’s coming from. The same goes for Cap and Bucky and everyone else, they have their reasons which are all very respectable. 

I have to say that although I absolutely adored Civil War, it’s The Winter Soldier that still has a special place in my heart. For me, nothing can beat it but this next (and final) instalment of the Captain America trilogy comes very close. 

If you’re a diehard Marvel fan, you will not be disappointed. The cast and crew have done us proud. 

Silver Linings Playbook Review

Follow these complicated, honest and strangely lovable characters on their journey to a silver lining.

Silver Linings Playbook is David O’Russell’s risky venture into the idea of creating a comedy-drama based on characters with mental illnesses. 

If you’re reading the word ‘comedy’ and assuming that this is a lighthearted movie to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon; you’re wrong. You’re also wrong if you think that mental illness is shoved aside to make way for cliché romantic moments. Yes, the movie’s lack of innocence and naivety makes the characters seem harsh and brutal at the best of times, but it’s no wonder Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for Best Actress. 

Set in Philadelphia, Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) is on the road to recovery after a nervous breakdown. He insists that he is absolutely fine as he tackles his overbearing Mother (Jacki Weaver), who’s only flaw is that she cares too much, and his OCD-denying Father (Jack Nicholson). 

As you can imagine, for a man who has been diagnosed as bipolar and is still in therapy to control his illness, being in a household where he feels smothered is not exactly comforting. 

“O’Russell refuses to dance around the subject"

In modern society with social media playing a key role in many lives, mental illness is often romanticised but O’Russell refuses to dance around the subject and instead showcases that you have to save yourself, which is exactly what Pat sets out to do. His sole motivation is the idea of finding a silver lining, and he is utterly determined to get his pre-breakdown life back.

Denial is a key theme throughout the movie but much more so for the first part, until a widowed and emotionally-broken Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) comes into the picture and throws a barrier in Pat’s mission. 

Tiffany seemingly dominates every situation that her and Pat find themselves in and comes across as intimidating to begin with, but it’s soon discovered that it is her need to control everything after her husband’s death that is her problem. She represents an inner battle between not opening up easily at all but then unleashing her feelings out of the blue, no matter how blunt her words are. 

The biggest thing that stands out in this movie is the fact that every single character is deeply flawed. This ultimately provides viewers with comfort, safe in the knowledge that whatever issue you have, even if you think it’s all in your head, somebody out there is dealing with it too. 

This movie was released in 2012, meaning that I was only 15 years old and didn’t have as strong an understanding of mental illness. In all honesty, I only watched it as a result of my love for both Cooper and Lawrence at the time. It could be argued that the actors seem rigid and everything feels forced, at least that was fifteen-year-old-me’s opinion, but on my second viewing and after having a deeper understanding of mental illness I realised that these are purely the traits of their characters, and both lead actors actually do a phenomenal job both at representing how mental illness effects an individual and their relationships with their loved ones. 

“this is a rare gem that left me feeling oddly refreshed by the end of it"

Pat’s trigger, and the thing that takes him right back to where he was, is his wedding song. It’s not all bad and the song ends up being the turnaround for his and Tiffany’s relationship and they share a moment where it’s suddenly clear that she’s the only one who truly understands him because she’s been there too, she’s lost people and been put on medication and been judged for her illness. 

There are so many subliminal messages throughout the movie that are hard-hitting and if people pay close attention, they could learn a thing or two. The one that stood out to me was when Tiffany says “you think that i’m crazier than you”; her disgust and the huge blow-out that follows highlights that mental illness isn’t a competition. These characters are equally flawed, and at no point is one made out to be more mentally ill than the other. One person’s mental illness does not outweigh someone else’s, mental illness is not prioritised based on how severe it is or how noticeable to other people.

I am a huge lover of quotes, and they are squeezed in one after the other. Everything uttered from the mouths of Pat and Tiffany is relatable yet so far from clichè, showing writing in it’s finest form. It’s not often that I can watch a movie and cling on to every word, but this is a rare gem that left me feeling oddly refreshed by the end of it. 

Pat starts this journey to finding a silver lining as a lone wolf and when Tiffany comes along and he realises that he’s not crazy and that he’s not alone, his road to recovery heads off on a tangent. As these beautifully flawed characters developed, so did my personal sense of awareness and ability to open myself up to understand them and even myself. 

I never expected a “comedy-drama” based on mental illness to work but O’Russell, his crew and this all-star cast carry it out perfectly.

If you’re looking for a raw, emotional movie that will leave you heartbroken, angry, bitter but also uplifted, motivated and passionate, look no further; Silver Linings Playbook is the one for you.

You can buy the DVD on Amazon for £4.94! 

We Were Liars - E Lockhart (Book Review)

If you’re reading this review because you want to know about that big plot twist that everyone is talking about, this is not the place for you to be!

I read this book on a whim having read no reviews of it so I had no idea what to expect, but let me tell you, I was in for a pleasant surprise. 

We Were Liars is based on family morals, self-acceptance, young love, friendship and consequences, things that are instantly relatable to anyone. 

Cadence Sinclair Eastman is heiress to her Grandfather’s large fortune, so it’s evident that this girl’s family is wealthy to say the least. So wealthy, in fact, that they own a private island off Cape Cod, where she spends most of her summers with her Mother and two Aunts. The word ‘liars’ in the title may leave you wondering who else falls into the category; this is where Cady’s cousins, Mirren and Johnny come into play, along with family friend Gat. 

Cady suffers an unfortunate head injury during one of these blissful, picture-perfect summers, and the book takes us to the summer that this troubled girl desperately tries to piece together the memories she lost in the aftermath of her accident. 

We soon come to realise that even the most perfect of families have flaws as she battles excruciating headaches and a family who refuse to talk about the event, or rather are afraid to. Perhaps privilege comes at a price, as Cady becomes a dazed and damaged shadow of her previous self.

You spend the majority of your time reading the book with questions, the main one being why does her family insist on avoiding the topic of Cady’s accident? Why did Johnny, Mirren and Gat refuse to have anything to do with her until two years later? Why are they referred to as ‘liars’?

We are left with a multitude of questions, leaving us hooked on this nostalgic journey with a narrator who truthfully, can’t be trusted to give the full truth since she is trying to piece together this puzzle herself. 

Despite her being a privileged, spoiled and miserable, it’s easy to see how Cady can be relatable, wanting nothing more than to go back to those summers where she had no troubles at all and was blissfully unaware of the tense family dynamics. 

I read a lot of young adult books, and I find that a lot of them lack depth and are full of clichés but not this one. Family holidays are a time for spending time together and going out and exploring, right? Not for me. I spent two days holed up in our caravan, unable to put this masterpiece down unless I absolutely had to. 

We Were Liars is a haunting tale of a girl who is struggling with something that nobody her age should ever have to go through, and it’s shocking and heartbreaking at the best of times but the plot twist is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. You know when you read something that makes you stop everything sit in shock? That was me when I discovered this excruciating but beautifully written twist. 

I am going to say nothing more, other than the fact that even if the concept isn’t what you’d usually go for or you’re an adult and vow to steer clear of young adult fiction, this book is more than worth the read. It's a story that is stuck in my mind almost a year after having read the book, so if that doesn't convince you I don't know what will!

I don’t think a novel has never left me so shocked.