DID YOU KNOW...
The Movie Column
Three Times A Charm The Washington Street Mall has been dedicated three times. The most recent occurred in 2008, after the three-block shopping district was renovated from the ground up. The concrete walkways, fencing and trees and flowers were all replaced. The first two dedications are the most interesting because they’ve been a bone of contention between different groups for decades. The discrepancy goes to the heart of the battle between preservation and urban renewal. The only thing both groups were able to agree upon was that the mall was a great idea for the city. Prior to construction, Mayor Frank Gauvry had faced opposition from nearly every direction. The official dedication was in June of 1971, by Mayor Gauvry. After preservationist leader Bruce Minnix became mayor in 1972, he made some changes to the mall and held a second dedication, complete with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. — Ben Miller
By Mal Knapp, of Cape May Film Society
O
f all the comic book characters, I’ve always liked Captain America the most. Why? Well, all of them have their virtues (some of them vices for sure), but Captain America embraces and embodies the spirit of what I want America to be. We start with a regular guy named Steve Rogers who believes in truth, integrity and freedom and he’s willing to put his life on the line to protect them. No compromises, no inner angst, and no secret identity. In The Winter Soldier, Captain America, as he was in The Avengers, is a World War II super-soldier living in today’s world, having been in a sort of frozen suspended animation for about 70 years. As the movie opens, Captain America is sent to rescue a merchant vessel that’s been captured by pirates. On the mission, he teams up with the Black Widow (another Marvel superhero) and the pirates are in very serious trouble. We quickly learn that SHIELD agents, the good guys, may have been infiltrated by
Chris Evans puts in a heroic shift as Captain America in The Winter Soldier
bad guys — and the fun begins. This movie asks how much we are willing to sacrifice our freedom to ensure our safety, a pretty timely topic. An action movie that makes you think a little? Sounds strange, but it works. The movie gives a clear nod to the 1970s spy films that ask who the good guys really are, such as 1975’s Three Days of the Condor. That excellent film, by the way, starred
Robert Redford, who also appears in The Winter Soldier. The acting is very good, especially how Chris Evans plays Captain America very earnestly and very believably. The Black Widow is played by Scarlett Johansson who I have yet to see make a mistake. She gets a lot of screen time in The Winter Soldier, and the film is better for it. The film has a great look, mostly set in Washington DC, where the street scenes were very realistic, particularly in comparison to other movies that supposedly took place there. I also have to note that part of the movie takes place in New Jersey, which is always a plus. The directors used less CGI, and that gave the movie a more realistic feel. Finally, if you see it, stay through the credits — ALL the credits. Trust me. One last comment about Captain America... I once had the honor of working for a US Navy Admiral who had his qualities, and I’d have followed him anywhere. It may seem like so much stuff to you as you sit and read this, but I’ve been there and I can tell you it’s real.
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April 24-May 7, 2014 EXIT ZERO Page 91