So, the last two days of my Blog Party crashed and burned.
I feel so sad! I had a fan video for Iron Man that I was going to post on Day Six but that didn't quite go as planned. I seriously hated how the video was turning out so I decided not to post it.
Then I tried to write a review. And I had a long, in depth post written out which was very detailed.
Like, it had character analysis and everything!
Then, unfortunately, I confused deletewith publish and well....
No more review.
I decided this was actually an okay thing. Instead of doing a giant, serious review I think I'm just going to lay out all my favorite scenes, everything I loved, and what made me the most emotional.
For Instance...
Le Tony being a freaking broken mess and needing a hug, and maybe a health check-up. Yes? Tony?
That scene with Bucky and the Helicopter and Steve.
Bros!
THAT SCENE WITH SAM AND BUCKY IN THE CAR.
Whatever you say about Civil War, that scene was gold.
Steve being a sad potato.
Bucky trying so hard to be good, and basically being one of the saddest character in the MCU.
Steve Rodgers being the most protective best friend on earth.
THE PARALLELS WERE SO STRONG.
Yas Steve! Protect Bucky!!
Tony trying to keep everyone safe.
Tony wanting his makeshift family to stay together.
Tony being a sad potato.
THE PART WITH TONY WHEN HE TRIES TO MAKE STEVE STAND DOWN AND COME WITH THEM, BECAUSE IT WAS THEM. AND HE SAID "COME ON..." AND LOOKED ALL SAD, LIKE GUYS HE DIDN'T WANT TO FIGHT.
Daaaaang Steve. I love it when you throw yourself in front of Bucky like a big brother bear!!!
BUCKY DID YOU JUST FREAKING USE THE STAIR RAILINGS AS A ROPE SWING TO THE FLOOR???
Bucky is so cool. 8-D
When Bucky bought plums.
That scene was so precious. There was something very sweet about Bucky buying plums and talking in Romanian and just existing in general.
And he is all "Thank you," and smiling and stuff.
Pluuuuuuuuums!!! (On a side note, I loved this scene, but Bucky Fans have to stop analyzing everything to death. It was cute. He bought plums. He was hungry. We don't need to get all weird and in-depth.)
Sam and Bucky being actual bros.
Steve and Bucky being actual bros.
When Tony showed up at the end, and he and Steve tried to be bros again.
Just Spidey's scenes in general. I'd actually watch a new Spidey movie because Tom Holland did such a good job with that character. He was sweet like Tobey Maguire, but he was also super smart and geeky and actually little. He was so great!
When Tony went to help Steve even though they disagreed, because Steve was his friend.
Natasha helping Steve even though she's Team Iron Man.
Peggy's funeral. That thing hurt bad.
"We could really use a Hulk about now. Any chance?" - And Natasha being all sad and like, "No. Do you really think he'd be on our side?"
Bucky Barnes in red. Yaaaaaas.
THE WHOLE SCENE IN THE AT THE END WITH HOWARD. NOOOOOOOO. TONY.
I knew it was coming the second I saw "December 1991" at the beginning of the movie. But still! HOWARD! (Why didn't they use Dominic Cooper??? I don't like the old guy!)
When Tony and Sam both dove for Rhodey but he crashed anyway. *Ooooooouch.*
When Bucky tried to punch his way out of the horrible glass cage because Trigger. Words.
When Zemo triggered Bucky.
Rhodey being paralyzed and Tony helping him limp around. Such bros. <3
Also, Stan Lee's Cameo.
I really loved that Rhodey got Tony to laugh when Tony was obviously so upset.
That whole freaking last battle where Tony and Steve practically killed each other!!!! (This was especially horrible because Tony and Steve were ready to call a truce, and actually working together, but then Zemo showed Howard and Maria's death, and things got seriously out of hand.)
#Stopfighting
"He killed my Mom."
"Do you even remember them?" "I remember all of them."
"He's my friend." - "So was I."
That letter at the end where Steve apologizes.
When Steve goes to break #TeamCap out of prison, and Tony turns a blind eye. (Cause deep down they were still bros. Broken Bros that need healing, but bros all the same.)
When Bucky chose to go back into Cryo!!!! (WE NEED TO FIX BUCKY GUYS.)
Bucky is such a sad potato.
This was such a good freaking movie!!!! My advice to all of you?? GO SEE IT! Even if you already have, just go see it again! It's even better the second time!!! The conflict is intense, the sides are very evenly balanced and justified, the scenes are tight and clear, the plot is excellent, and the characters are amazing! It is a serious movie, but it is balanced with comedy and lighter scenes, and it is just really fantastic. Go watch it! GO NOW. GO NOW AND LEAVE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeee.
This is the end. This was tons of fun, and I hope the rest of you had as much of a blast as I did. Thank you to everyone who took part in my blog party! And I'm sorry I was so late finishing.
I've wanted to do this post ever since I saw The Winter Soldier, but I was trying to be good and nice and let a different sister do it, because she really, really wanted to. But then she told me she didn't think she'd have time and to go ahead and do it. By this time I didn't know if I should anymore; I knew a few other people who were doing similar posts and I didn't want the whole Winter Soldier thing to get old. But finally my dear friend told me to go ahead and post it anyway cause she loves my reviews. So I decided I would.
THIS POST WILL NOT BE SPOILER FREE!!!
The Winter Soldier is, without a doubt, one of the best movies I have ever seen. I think its right up there with The Avengers and maybe even better than Thor 2. (which was brilliant, By the way!!) There was so much about it that I absolutely loved. It was intense and heart wrenching but it also had a touch of comedy to relieve the crushing amount of feels. And they had Sam who also helped soften all the BUCKY!!!! pain. I found myself liking Sam a lot more than I thought I would. He was really nice and funny and I liked how he and Steve became friends. I mean, he isn't Bucky or anything, but he's pretty cool all the same. AND I LOVE HIS WINGS!!
Steve is so cute :) Seriously, Why doesn't Steve have more fans??? I mean, he is everything you want in a guy! He's decent and kind and funny. He's very brave and loyal. He has a strong character and will fight for what he believes in no matter what he hears or what others think. He isn't easily swayed or made to back down. And he's just an amazing person. Even before he is the war hero Steve is wonderful. And I think that is a big thing - that you fall in love with the Kid from Brooklyn before he is the big man in a suit. That is important. And it reflects on just how much Steve is really worth.
I've heard people call Steve a 'wet blanket' a 'fuddy duddy' or simply 'too good to be true.' They also call him bland and boring because he has no character.
WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT???
Steve has plenty of character people. The problem is he also has morals. I know!! You'd think having morals would be a plus, but for most people morals = Boring. Which is so wrong on so many levels. Having morals doesn't make you boring. It makes you a good man. Who actually has good values and style. And who know how to laugh at himself.
I love that, even after becoming the Super-soldier, Steve still keeps hold of his charm. He doesn't let 'being a hero' go to his head. He's still just Steve; a bit naïve, a bit reckless and wild and with a good sense of humor. He doesn't pretend to be smarter than he is or to understand what he doesn't. He's a very forward, very honest type of guy, and that doesn't change when he becomes the hero.
For all of his charisma and personality, Steve has been pushed to the side as a 'minor' Avenger. He's usually people's least favorite superhero. Most people favor Tony or Hawkeye, or even Thor. Which I completely don't understand. He is my favorite Avenger; well, he is tied with Tony for favorite. (because Tony is special to me) I don't understand how people can see a man so selfless, so brave and honest, and say "No, he just doesn't do it for me." WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD???
This brings me to Steve and Bucky. The Steve and Bucky storyline has had a massive effect on me. And it's not just recently either. From the beginning, when I watched the first Captain America movie, I loved Steve and Bucky. I loved that Bucky took care of Steve and looked out for him. I loved that he was trying to keep him safe so he wouldn't be killed in war. I loved that he was basically the protective big brother who was incredibly proud of his younger brother and believed in him even when he was four foot nothing with zero muscle.
I knew that loving Bucky was a really bad idea because he was going to die. I knew what happens to Steve, how he becomes an avenger, and how, because of his travel through time, everyone he had known would end up dead. Including his best friend. And I didn't think I'd want the emotional trauma that would come with loving Bucky. But I couldn't help it. The first time you see him he come barging into a back alley and save Steve from a first-class bully. And then he isn't angry with Steve for nearly getting himself beat up or for not backing down, he just laughs and teases him and tries to cheer him up. Right there I decided I had given my heart to Bucky Barnes and there was no going back. I wasn't going to even attempt not liking him. That would be impossible.
The surprising thing is, for a story that has given me so much emotional after-affect, there really isn't much THERE. Steve and Bucky don't have all that much footage together, not really. I think we have a grand total of twenty minutes with the two of them in the first Captain America. Yet somehow Bucky has won you over a thousand times and again before that is over.
This scene means so much to me. Bucky knows how much Steve wanted to fight, to serve his country, to do the right thing. He has always believed in Steve and he is just so proud of his friend to have come so far and shown the world what he can do. Bucky knows how much he deserves to be recognized and now he finally can be. Bucky is so proud. But at the same time he's upset. He's seen the horrors of war and he hates that Steve has been dragged in to it. He's the brother-figure, the one who is suppose to make sure Steve is always safe. And now he is always going to be in danger. So Bucky decides to do the only thing he can - follow him everywhere, even into any battle, and do his best to make sure he's okay.
This is about where I start dumping feels on you. Lots and lots of feels. Cause see, Bucky Barnes was about everything you wanted in a best friend. He was brave. He was strong. He was Steve's equal in just about everything (except for the super-soldier bit) and they were as close as brothers. That much is very clear. Steve is obviously the little brother for whom Bucky feels very responsible for. And Steve looks to Bucky as his mentor as well as his friend. He admires and respects Bucky, and he would follow Bucky into anything, be it on earth or on the moon. Which is why it is so incredibly painful when Steve loses him.
The first time around Bucky's death hurt me deep, deep in my soul. I didn't expect to SEE him die. I thought at the end of Captain America Steve would some how end up in 2013 and you would realize everyone he used to know was gone. But I never dreamt we'd see the death. And I didn't expect it to be that terrible. I didn't stop crying until Peggy was talking to Steve afterward and telling him not to blame himself. I didn't think it could ever get worse than that first time watching Bucky fall to his death with Steve shouting his name and feeling like a failure for letting his best friend die.
I was so wrong. I was so, so wrong. Because if there is anything worse than watching Bucky Barnes die, its seeing what happens to him after he survives. I would rather him be dead than survive like that.
When I first heard Bucky was coming back for the Winter Soldier, I think I knew right off that he was going to be a bad guy. I had heard it, either on Pinterest or from a friend - somehow I knew Bucky would be the villain. And I balked at that. Bucky was Steve's BEST FRIEND. He couldn't be the villain. They could not make Steve fight Bucky. THEY COULDN'T DO IT! They couldn't make Bucky evil! Bucky isn't evil!!! Why bring him back at all if he wouldn't even be Bucky??
I sulked for quite some time after learning this. I knew that The Winter Soldier was going to be both painful and terrible and I almost didn't want to watch it. Almost. But I love Steve so I had to. And I also had this wild hope that maybe, just maybe, Steve would save Bucky. Maybe Bucky's was being controlled or something. I JUST WANTED BUCKY BACK, OKAY??!!!!
Even with this mindset, what happened in the theatre was so much worse than anything I could have prepared myself for. I was right about one thing; It wasn't Bucky. Not really. None of what happened was Bucky's fault. He didn't have a choice. He wasn't in control. And it freakin' broke my heart.
The part where Steve finds out that the Winter Soldier is in fact Bucky was one of the most heart breaking moments of all. Seriously. Steve seeing Bucky without the mask HURT. The absolute shock in his eyes, the confusion as he faces his friend..... Because he knows its impossible - how can Bucky be here? How can he here?? he died. He fell and it was Steve's fault. He can't be here. But he is. And something like hope sparks in Steve, even in the confusion. He hardly dares to believe it as he says his friends name. And then we get the knives-in-your-heart reply that made everyone want to cry and scream and bury themselves in a blanket.
Steve realizes that, not only is friend alive but he also has no idea they are friends and he has become one of the greatest assassins in history. And even though I knew before this scene, watching Steve find out made it all the more terrible. His friend may be alive, but this, this isn't Bucky. This is the Winter Soldier. And he has no idea who Steve is or why he knows him.
That one little moment on the bridge changes everything.
This scene was the worst. And that includes the 'end of the line' moment. Its when you realize just how much Bucky has been through. He has been beaten down and tortured for SEVENTY YEARS! He's been stripped of identity and control. HYDRA has taken him and turned him into a weapon and he never even had a chance to stop it. They brainwashed and froze him and locked him up like an animal, only releasing him when they had someone to kill. AND EVERY TIME HE TRIED TO FIGHT BACK THEY WOULD WIPE HIM AGAIN!!! Yes I know this. Because Bucky knows what's coming!!! When he says "I knew him," and he's trying so hard to remember who Steve was, what he meant to him, and that HORRIBLE JERK FACE PIERCE SAYS TO WIPE HIM, He knows what's coming! and he knows he can't stop it!! He's probably tried before and he knows by now its no use. They have broken him so much he can't even fight back.
BUCKY!!!!
I am not ashamed to say I cried in the theater. I don't think I realized how dear Bucky was to me until I saw him so changed and destroyed. I hate HYDRA for what he did to Bucky. I hate Jerk Face who hurt and manipulated Bucky without blinking an eye. And I hate those horrible men for finding him in the snow and ripping him away from everything he had known just so they could have a weapon. How dare they?? How could they be so horrible? How could they do this to Bucky??? How could they torture and wipe him and make him forget who he is? WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO DO THIS TO BUCKY???
From that point on I needed all of them to die painfully and I hoped Steve would killed. They were deserve it, the horrible men.
The rest of the movie was really hard for me to watch. Because every time I saw Bucky I was in pain. And every time I saw Steve I was in pain. The only reason I kept my sanity was because the writers were clever enough to add in some comedy so you could have something besides BUCKY!!!!!! running through your mind. Of course, that doesn't mean the bad bits hurt any less. There was this one part especially where Steve has a flash-back to when he and Bucky were quite a bit younger and he's upset and sad and Bucky tell him he's not alone.
I choked up and wanted to yell at Steve that he could still save Bucky. That's the only time I was upset with Sam. Sam tells Steve that the guy Bucky is now... he isn't the kind you save, he's the kind you stop. And then I wanted to yell at Sam. I know Sam was just trying to protect Steve because Steve was his friend, but I still wanted to shout at him. "NO! Steve has to save Bucky! Shut up!!" And then I remembered why I love Steve so much. STEVE DOESN'T GIVE UP. He knows Bucky is dangerous, that he doesn't remember who he used to be, that he's been brainwashed and made into this new man. But he doesn't care. He needs to believe that somewhere Bucky is still THERE. That somehow in this soldier his best friend will be able to hear him. Because he still blames himself for what happened to Bucky. And losing him again is unthinkable. Not when there is a chance that he could be saved. So he still fights for Bucky. He doesn't stop. And I think he was incredibly brave.
Though the bit where Bucky begins to remember was the hardest on me, the scene at the end where Steve has his last battle against Bucky is a very close second. I was gripping the chair and trying hard not to sob and scream BUCKY! over and over. I don't understand how someone with such little screen time can cause me so much pain, but he did. Because at this point Bucky has been wiped and he shouldn't remember seeing Steve on the bridge or anything else about him. But he does. You can tell that Bucky knows Steve. Or.... he remembers knowing Steve. The fact is, he hasn't felt in so long that feeling at all confuses and frightens him. It makes him doubt himself. It makes him think. and he doesn't like it. Because it hurts too much. So he tries to remember the mission. Steve is his mission; Steve needs to be STOPPED. But even when Bucky is trying to kill him, Steve doesn't give up. Steve doesn't stop hoping that maybe he can reach his friend, that somehow he can break him out of this thing he has been trapped in.
This whole time I was crying and whispering 'remember, remember, remember....' over and over. My feels had reached their max and I was having trouble breathing. And then Steve..... Steve. Steve saves him, just like I knew he would. "I'm with you till the end of the line." I loved that it was that line that finally reached Bucky. That made him stop and remember. To realize this was Steve Rodgers and he was about to kill him. And he might not understand completely, but he know enough. He remembers. All because Steve repeated the promise Bucky had made to him so long ago. "I'm with you till the end of the line, pal." How could he have forgotten?
BUCKY WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? DON'T WALK AWAY! BUCKY NO! STAY! YOU NEED TO STAY!! WHY ARE YOU WALKING AWAY?????? NONONONO!!!!
BUCKY!!!
The Official Ending leaves you feeling a little Melancholy. I loved that Bucky remembered and saved Steve. I loved that in the end he was Bucky. Because I don't think anyone can say that the man who saved Steve is the Winter Soldier. Because he's not. That is Bucky Barnes, a soldier who has been beaten and broken and manipulated and used, and has overcome all the brainwashing because his best friend wouldn't give up on him. The man who walks away at the end of this film is James Buchanan Barnes. And nothing you say will tell me otherwise. But ..... he does just walk away. And that was highly upsetting. Because the one person who can help him he leaves lying on the shore, all alone. However, because my family are hardcore Marvel Geeks, we stayed till the VERY END of the credits and were rewarded for our patience with the best ten seconds of the film. Ten seconds that give you hope. Ten seconds that make you think just maybe it will be okay.
He's trying to remember!! He wants to remember! HE WANTS TO BE BUCKY AGAIN!!!!
I was extremely hyper after this. All of us were. We had such a high scale of feels that the second we were in the car we broke into fangirl screaming and waving and OHMYGOSHSTEVEBUCKYIKNEWHIMIWON'TFIGHTYOUENDOFTHELINEI'MGONNADIE!!!
Then we went home and did it again. And we lay awake ranting and giggling and screaming in a whisper "BUCKY!!!' I didn't sleep much that night. I was too consumed by feels. I still am. I don't think I'll ever stop having feels. The minute I think I'm passed my Winter-Soldier-Pain point, I see another gif or another picture and immediately I'm flailing and weeping and venting and just .....
BUCKY!!!!
This was trying to be a review and it has turned into an "ALLMYFEELS!!!" post. I hope you don't mind. I have been suffering Post-Winter-Soldier-Depression for a good four weeks and I needed to vent. I actually feel a lot better now that I've shared my pain. I think it did me a lot of good. And even though this isn't a very professional review (if a review at all) I hope you enjoyed it anyway. I know I enjoyed writing it.
I leave you with my Ultimate Steve & Bucky song. It give me so many Winter Soldier feels!
Rescue me! Show me who I am! 'Cause I can't believe, This is how the
story ends Fight for me! If it's not too late; help me breathe
again No, this can't be how the story ends
