M.M.M: Captain America: The First Avenger: That is one of the strangest shaped boomerangs I've ever seen.

One last movie before The Avengers, something that this movie will remind you of before it finishes. But for this Avenger, we're going back in time. Before The Hulk was released, before most of the Avengers were born (the exception being Thor). For this tale, we need to go back to the 1940's, we need to beet up some Nazi's as we see the story of Captain America: The First Avenger.

So the story: Steve Rodgers, like many men back then, wants to join the Army, and go fight the Nazi's in World War II. Remember, this was a time when people didn't hate war as much as they do now, and people felt that it was their duty to serve. Rodgers tries 5 separate times, but fails all of them due to the fact that genetics wasn't his friend, and he physically cannot fight due to limitations like Asthma. He was found by Dr. Abraham Erskine (aka Stanley Tucci playing a more respected role where he doesn't have to ask for semen on camera) who grants him his wish to join the war... in exchange for Rodgers to become a lab rat for the Super Soldier Serum. One hit of special steroids later and Captain America is born. After being used as a propaganda actor, The Captain undergoes a rescue operation to save 400 men from a Hydra base, where he runs into Megatr Johann Schmidt, who would soon reveal himself to be (in one of the most obvious build ups I've seen so far for this site) the Red Skull. Red Skull is using a special "Cosmic Cube" to build super weapons to take over the world.

That works better then it probably should.... 

After blowing up several Hydra Bases, kidnaping one of their greatest scientists and "loosing" one of his closest friends, the Captain finally discovers Hydra's main base, takes it over, sneaks onto Skull's plane, and is forced to crash it due to the damage done to the plane, and what it can do, even with the Cube gone. Years pass, and Rodgers is found, thawed, and the movie closes with the Avengers ready to start. While it may sound complicated, at heart, the story is " the Nazi's are evil, the Allies are good, good beats evil", and again, people hate the film, for what I think to be no reason in terms of plot. Its a refreshing change of pace to see a villain just be a villain, no complicated back story, no back stabbing, its "this guy's evil, let's stop him" which, when your setting is World War II, its not a surprise.

People hate it, but if you know the history of the comic series, then you'd know this is actually a really clever reference.

Speaking of the setting, the world does look like its the 40's... for the most part. The one exception to this is the tech, which looks like it was pulled from Star Wars. I get that Hydra has super weapons, but they're not that high tech, and would work better if they looked like they were in the 40's. Though then again, Howard Stark did show off a Hover car (again, people, the holograms were that unrealistic?). My one complaint with the CG though is, predictably, Rodgers before the Super Soldier serum. Chris Evans head on a child's body, need I say more?

Because screw 1940's tech, let's go 1940's sci-fi

I also have to give credit to the music, it stands out, unlike in the other films, and feels very 40's. But at the same time, it knows when to be loud, and it knows when to be soft, and the orchestrations are just beautiful, by far the best so far in this marathon. As for now, we return to the modern day, the call has been put out. Avengers, Assemble! See you Monday.

Stan Lee, the man who bends the fabric of time for the sake of a mandatory cameo.