Movie Review: "The Raid 2" Has Revolutionized The Action Genre Forever.

The Raid 2

Director: Gareth Evans
Cast: Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Yayan Ruhian, Julie Estelle, and Tio Pakusodewo.
Rated R for sequences of strong bloody violence throughout, sexuality, and language.

The Raid 2 (along with its predecessor, The Raid) is an Indonesian action film that the majority of the general movie-going public has never heard of, and will likely never see. That is a shame, but this is a movie that only certain film fans will enjoy. Action and martial arts aficionados will eat these movies up. So, if you're a fan of brutal, bloody, and intense action, then The Raid 2 will knock you the eff out! It's been a couple days now since I saw it, and I cannot get it out of my head and that's a good thing; it blew me away!

Movie Review: Marvel Delivers The Best Standalone Movie Yet With "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo
Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Robert Redford.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, gunplay, and action throughout.

It's no secret to those who know me that I am a BIG fan of comic book movies. I never got into the actual comics themselves, but I familiarize myself with these characters through my own research and from my experiences watching all the cartoons as a child. What Marvel Studios has done with their cinematic universe is something I would have never thought possible. Phase 1 consisted of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, all leading up to their big team-up in The Avengers. Phase 2 officially began with Iron Man 3, which disappointed me immensely. Thor: The Dark World brought some fun action, and it's always great to see Loki again, but I had yet to see anything as good as the Phase 1 films. Luckily, Phase 2 has found its Holy Grail in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.