Deeper than Memory
"'What's not damaged?'"
Joe and Anthony Russo's Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Points
for Reflection
Joe and Anthony Russo's Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- How does use of a 2.39:1 aspect ratio shape the shooting of the film’s many action scenes?
- Steve and Sam obviously occupy different planes of existence when it comes to exercise. Why do they end up bonding?
- Sam recommends Marvin Gaye’s album Trouble Man (1972), “Everything you missed jammed into one album.” What topics does this album address?
- On whose territory is the Lemurian Star trespassing in the Indian Ocean?
- Is Black Widow’s charm--her allure--a factor in her effectiveness as an agent?
- What leads to an argument between Steve Rogers and Natasha on board the Lemurian Star?
- Why is Steve Rogers so upset with Nick Fury?
- How does the deceased grandfather Nick describes during an elevator trip relate to the project he’s about to reveal to Steve?
- Steve keeps on expressing concern with others’ actions and motivations, including when first introduced to Project Insight. Why does Nick Fury’s secret project upset Steve so thoroughly, and how does Fury defend his actions?
- Why does Steve walk into the Smithsonian exhibition outfitted in civilian attire instead of his costume?
- Why does Steve open up about his current moral quandary with Peggy? Does she provide helpful advice?
- What triggers Nick’s concern about Project Insight and his desire to delay its implementation?
- As revealed during his conversation with Steve at the VA, what are the two reasons Sam stepped back from active duty?
- Does this Marvel film present a post-racial, colorblind narrative, or do issues of race play a role in character, dialogue, and/or plot?
- What does Fury ask the officers who pull up next to him, and why? “Want to see my lease?”
- What are the limits and capabilities of the A.I. in Fury’s car?
- What choices do the filmmakers make to cast the many hostiles on the street in as ominous a light as possible?
- Does Nick Fury evince greater care for bystanders than do those attacking him?
- Does the car chase contain any shots made with a fixed, unmoving camera?
- How do the Russo brothers create maximum dramatic impact during a collision between a truck and two cars?
- Does Winter Soldier equally menacing when compared to the film’s other villains?
- What do the books on Steve’s shelf suggest about his current preoccupations?
- What is so ironic about the message Fury types and shows Steve on his cell phone?
- Where does Steve hold his shield when he takes off in pursuit of a sniper?
- How does Steve round corners when running at high speed?
- Who is most visibly distressed in the hospital scene, and why?
- Who is present at the hospital scene?
- Why does Steve withhold information from Natasha?
- What reasons does Pierce provide for his deep trust in Nick Fury?
- When does Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) resemble a traditional hero, and in what ways does she not fit the mold?
- What was Black Widow doing when she was shot in the side a few years earlier?
- On what key issue to Pierce and the World Security Council committee appear to disagree following the death of one of Pierce’s friends?
- What narrative purpose does the ongoing discussion of Steve’s love life, spurred by Natasha’s relentless questioning, serve?
- Are we supposed to view Natasha’s moral flexibility as a strength?
- At what point does Steve finally trust Natasha?
- Are Steve’s deductive and sleuthing powers equal to Natasha’s?
- What ‘80s film does Natasha jokingly quote, and why does this matter?
- How did HYDRA survive the end of WWII?
- Watch carefully as the computer program speaks to Natasha and Steve. What do the images which accompany the computer’s words suggest about the reach of HYDRA?
- How long do the Russo Brothers withhold the first, non-combatant character reveal?
- Why is Natasha so shaken by the revelation in Wheaton, New Jersey?
- How do the Russo Brothers methodically undercut any grace we might extend to the villains, to HYDRA?
- What does the list of potential HYDRA targets tell us about their agenda?
- What about Winter Soldier’s fighting style makes him a cut above his opponents?
- Does this tale underscore the vulnerability of the human body more than it emphasizes its resilience?
- What rhetoric is used to help control Winter Soldier, besides the psychological conditioning her undergoes?
- Does Nick Fury have good reason to distrust others?
- What does Steve’s flashback, alone on the bridge, tell us about his most precious friendship?
- What does the film ultimately suggest about brainwashing?
- Which do the Russo Brother’s editors rely on more, j-cuts or l-cuts?
Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)
one poster from original film release
Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu
