The Lunch Table: Chris Evans as Captain America? I like it!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Chris Evans as Captain America? I like it!

- Posted by Rusty

Source: HitFIx

For anyone who might have followed this, the Captain America casting was a whirlwind of news for the last few weeks. Everyone from The Office’s John Krasinski (an interesting choice, even if it didn’t pan out) to Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford (no comment) were brought in for screen tests and auditions. I can understand that, for, after all, this was a monumentally tricky piece of casting. The man chosen to don the red-and-blue tights and shield doesn’t just have to carry his own franchise, but will eventually have to lead Marvels superhero team-up, The Avengers, in 2012. So, we’re looking for someone with a great deal of charm and screen presence, as well as some substantial talent to back that up if he’s expected to hold any authority over the likes of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. Well, lo and behold, the part ended up going to comic-book-movie vet and one of my favorite rising stars, Chris Evans. Job well done, Marvel; I think this casting is spot-on. [more thoughts after the jump]

You probably know Chris Evans best as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch from the Fantastic Four movies (where he was easily the best thing about both films, especially the terrible first one), and he has another comic-book stint coming up as a mercenary in April’s adaptation of the graphic novel, The Losers. Evans also showed impressive dramatic chops in Danny Boyle’s Sunshine, and even brought some believability to the goofy premise of Cellular and the cop cliché overload of Street Kings. The guy has talent and charisma to burn (by all means, he was even good in the flawed superhero-wannabe, Push, opposite Dakota Fanning), and, more than anything, I could see him holding his own against Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Edward Norton’s Hulk (presuming Norton could work out his creative issues with Marvel).

As for the superhero himself, that’s where I’ll turn to you guys. My entire knowledge of Captain America comes from a few episodes of the 1990’s Spider-Man cartoon series and a lengthy Wikipedia search. A brief summary: Steve Rogers, an enthusiastic army weakling, signs up for the hush-hush Super Solider experiment (it was a notable plot point in Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk), thereby transforming himself into the perfect soldier, and an enduring superhero favorite. I know there are many fans of the comic (I just spoke to this great, geeky guy I know the other day about Cap), and the character is certainly regarded as more than the boring, patriotic do-gooder that he might come across as. The armor is definitely iconic (even comic-book newbies like me could recognize him), and I’m mighty curious to see a WWII period superhero film, as this one promises to be. It sounds like a strong package; complete with Evans in the lead, Hugo Weaving (The Matrix's Agent Smith and Elrond from The Lord of the Rings!) on bad guy duty as Cap’s nemesis, The Nazi-affiliated Red Skull, and director Joe Johnston behind the camera (let’s ignore his Wolfman remake, since he also made the great October Sky and Viggo Mortensen-starrer, Hidalgo), this could be the perfect launching pad for both an interesting new franchise and Marvel’s epic crossover plans.

Bring on the Avengers in 2012!

What do you guys think? Any Captain America fans out there? Is Chris Evans a suitable choice to wear the flag-decorated armor?

Images courtesy of Marvel Comics.

3 comments:

AnonymousMarch 31, 2010 at 4:38 PM
Yes
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ChosenChoApril 2, 2010 at 10:20 AM
jim from the office tried out for the part?!!!
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RustyApril 2, 2010 at 12:41 PM
I know, right?! Who would have thought? I love Jim from The Office--I think he's a great actor on top of being such a lovable, goofy guy. I'm not sure if he would've been right for a superhero...but that's still a really interesting idea, right? I'm glad they considered him at the very least.
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WELCOME to The Lunch Table

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Yea, we said it... just humor us.

So you're back in high school sitting in history class diligently taking notes, but if you're anything like us, you're doodling in the margins. The clock strikes 12 o'clock and... RIIIING!

The lunching hour begins... you look around the cafeteria, lost in the vast array of cliques and crews claiming their own tables. The jocks and cheerleaders immediately mark their territory and gather around three tables; the drama nerds and Goths have their respective corners; and the student council, dressed in their perfect Abercrombie & Fitch polos, cheerfully greet each other with their perfect smiles and share their perfect sacked lunches together ... so where do YOU fit in???

Okay... so maybe you didn't go to that high school, but who cares? Let's fast forward to real life:

Lunch - the highlight of our day, every day. Whether you're working the daily 9-to-5 grind, or still in school, there's nothing like a midday break, when you have time to yourself to eat, relax, take a nap, or enjoy the company of friends and co-workers... and that's basically where our story begins.

The three of us work together. Now, we're not at liberty to say exactly where we work, or what we do (because if we did, we may have to kill you... JUST KIDDING... er... not really), but let's just say that what we do isn't exactly the most exciting line of work (and it's irrelevant to the story... so stop asking!) Like we were saying, we work together and like all friendships, our bond was built subtly and slowly. The first encounters were awkward -- the occasional, "Hey," as we passed each other in the hallways, the uncomfortable silences in the snack room, and then eventually, the customary small talk.

Then one day, one of us got bold. One of us decided to send emails with the simple subject line that read: "LUNCH?"

The first meeting was weird. We were all pensive. What are we gonna talk about? Was it just gonna be an hour of awkward silence? Were we just gonna sit there and stare at each other's lunches, wondering what the hell the other person was eating? (Let's be honest, what does a Russian-Jew, a Mexican-Jewish hybrid, and a Korean have in common?)

The weather - always a reliable conversation starter. "Crazy weather we're having aren't we?"
"Oh yeah." And then silence.

Sports - The default topic of conversation for guys. "So... how 'bout them Lakers?"
Not everyone followed.

"Did you guys see that new Christian Bale movie?..."
And it was like someone opened the floodgates. The rest of the hour was spent chatting about how ridiculous Christian Bale's voice was in that one movie. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Which brings us to today. You've probably figured out by now that our blog has nothing to do with lunch, or food for that matter (And if you didn't -- our blog has nothing to do with lunch or food. Sorry). The reason we're starting this up is simple: we love movies, and consequently, we love to talk about movies. Almost on a daily basis, the only things we spend our lunch hour talking about are movies, but the hour never seems long enough. Granted, we come from different walks of life -- different backgrounds, cultures, tastes, and levels of fanaticism (some of us like to indulge our inner geek more than others), and we sure as hell don't always love the same movies, but that's just part of the fun. And regardless, our friendship is grounded in our shared appreciation for movies. So we're here to bring the spirit of our daily lunches to you, our readers because, like we said, the one hour a day between the three of us just isn't enough! That being said, we'd like to extend to you, the same invitation that was extended to us on that fateful day. So forget about the cliques, the crews, or the exclusive clubs from back in the day, and stop worrying about if you're gonna fit in. It doesn't matter if you're an aspiring filmmaker, an avid fanboy/girl, or just a casual moviegoer, just take a break from the mundane and join us at The Lunch Table.

And on that note, please allow ourselves to introduce... ourselves...

Rusty - "The Crazy Russian"
Of the three of us here at The Lunch Table, I’m the only one not born in the U.S. So, yes, my first exposure to American movies was badly dubbed cartoons, particularly a very Russian Optimus Prime. And I was hooked even then. But love of movies aside, what do I have to contribute that’s so special? Well, simply put, I’m the Analyst—I love to be entertained, but I still crave some substance from my movies. I can dig a good action scene, but what I go for are the details. For me, it’s the characters, the relationships, the emotions that truly make movies work, and that’s exactly what I look for. More so than that, I love digging into a movie, discovering themes, nuances, subtle character traits, and all the like. I was a crazy little Russian watching “Transformeri”. Sure, I’m now older, taller, and lankier …but I’m still that same Crazy Russian, eagerly waiting to dig into a great, new movie.

Luke - "The Mexi-CAN"
I’m the type of guy who is interested in a variety of things. One of my deepest loves, second only to my beautiful future wife Kristin Kreuk, is the wonderful world of cinema. I adore all types of films – as long as they are well-crafted and trigger something meaningful in the audience. While I can enjoy the usual summer blockbusters that involve blowing stuff up, I really look forward to the fall when the true Oscar contenders reach the theaters. Perhaps some people would say I’m into the fine details of cinema, and I guess that is correct. I like reflecting on the camera shots, camera movement, and the deeper meaning of film. I enjoy endless discussions of such masterpieces as Chinatown and 400 Blows to 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, do not get me wrong: I can always watch a raunchy flick like 40-Year-Old-Virgin or the wonderfully sentimental Love, Actually. Of course, I’m not claiming to be the next A.O Scott or God’s gift to cinema. In the end, films are just fiction, but they can capture and inspire the viewer.

Ace - "The Average Asian"
I like to consider myself a simple man who finds enjoyment in the simple things in life—hot girls in bikinis, sports, fast cars, and dudes taking shots to the nuts. So when it comes to movies, my philosophy is this: let’s just keep it simple. I’m not an analyst, or technician by any means, I just like to go to the movies, eat my popcorn, drink my icee and have a good time. Why do I need to pay attention to different camera angles, and subtle nuances? If a movie can get me to laugh out loud, sit on the edge of my seat, or dare I say it... cry, then I think the movie has done its job. Why overcomplicate a perfectly good movie with all that other film jargon? So, think of me as your Everyman, your everyday Average Joe, who just needs to be mildly entertained for, give or take, two hours.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Chris Evans as Captain America? I like it!

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