We've waited a while for this, but it's here!

The first teaser trailer for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" aired on the Today Show.

The film will star Megan Fox and Will Arnett along with William Fichtner who will play the villain, Shredder. 

We were told the trailer debuted at CinemaCon earlier this week to positive reception. What do you think?

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" will be in theaters August 8.

Update: Since the teaser trailer has debuted, the full-length trailer is out. Check out both below.

Fox will play reporter April O'Neil while Will Arnett will play her cameraman, Vernon Fenwick.

Here's a better look at the turtles:

And here's William Fichtner with the Shredder costume.

SEE ALSO: A new "Jupiter Ascending" trailer

Join the conversation about this story »

Christopher Nolan was in Las Vegas today to show off his latest sci-fi epic to theater owners at CinemaCon. While those in attendance expected to find out something new about the movie, the director remained tight-lipped about Interstellar and its storyline.

He did, however, issue a stern warning to those in attendance about its presentation in theaters later this year.

Paramount will release the movie on November 7th. And Christopher Nolan hopes that theaters are extremely diligent in showing the movie in the way it was meant to be seen, claiming that it's presentation will be more important than any film he has ever done.

"We shot quite a lot of the film in IMAX, more than we had ever done in the past. There will be some really beautiful IMAX film prints that will be in certain key locations. And we are really maximizing the various technical capabilities out there, particularly in the sound mix. We have very ambitious plans in how we are going to take a very big approach as to how we maximize the potential of the existing sound system in theaters...using existing equipment, you don't have to buy anything new. Really what we are attempting to do is give audiences a better experience, an immersive experience. We are looking to theatre owners to really transport us and give us the best they can in how we get that out to the public. As they say, the projectionist has the final cut. I really think on this film the technical aspect of how this film is presented is really going to be more important than on any film I've done before, so that means getting into partnership with the studios and theatres."

Christopher Nolan went onto talk about the importance of shooting on film, claiming that it was not for nostalgia reasons, and that he has not abandoned digital filmmaking.

"I am not committed to film out of nostalgia. I am in favor of any kind of technical innovation but it needs to exceed what has gone before and so far nothing has exceeded anything that's come before (meaning film)."

Interstellar will not be presented in 3D. Christopher Nolan continued his presentation, explaining why.

"It's just not right for films I want to do."

The director went onto explain his motivation behind taking on the project.

"It's been really an interesting challenge to me. I've been really enjoying it. I grew up in the era that was pretty much the golden age of the blockbuster when something being a family film could be very broad based and universal in its appeal and I feel that's something I want to see again. Something that really looks at where we are as people, where we might go, something that tries to address the human experience...For me it's really like harking back to the kinds of films I grew up with, that took me to places I could hardly imagine."

The director is still editing Interstellar, a process he calls his favorite part of filmmaking. Its his wish to keep the whole thing under wraps for now. He did praiseMatthew McConaughey's performance in the movie, calling him an 'everyman'. He promised that moviegoers will be able to see the story through his eyes. And that it was Matthew McConaughey performance in Mud that led to his casting.

About the story, he only had this to say, which is close to what we've been hearing all along.

Interstellar comes to theaters November 7th, 2014 and stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Bill Irwin, Casey Affleck, Mackenzie Foy, John Lithgow. The film is directed by Christopher Nolan.

SEE ALSO: The First Trailer For 'Interstellar'

Join the conversation about this story »

Would you go to the movies more if it were cheaper? I would. I've been and continue to be a movie fan, but in this day of digital downloads, Redbox and Netflix, I can get a pretty steady fix of great films (not to mention great television) for substantially cheaper than what it costs to go to the theater. But I still like going to the theater, so word that the National Association of Theater Owners is looking into a test to see if discounted ticket prices once a week would boost attendance piques my interest. 

THR says this move comes in the wake of declining admissions among movie-goers under the age of 50, including teens. The National Association of Theater Owners is said to be considering a plan to test discounted ticket prices one day a week. It's something that's apparently worked well in Canada and Latin America. From the sound of it, they're looking to test this out in one specific state, but they wouldn't give further details on that, as the model isn't fully developed. But it sounds like this test will happen sometime later this year and they're hoping that all theaters will participate, as their belief is that it'll work best if it's statewide. 

THR notes that movie admissions remains flat in North America, though the increased cost of going to the movies is contributing to an overall rise of box-office revenue. The MPAA's 2013 numbers say that moviegoers between the ages of 12-17 fell from 6.3 million in 2012 to 5.5 million. And the number of moviegoers ages 18-24 fell from 8.7 million to 7.2 million. The drop for people ages 25-39 was from 9.9 million to 8.2 million. The numbers were actually up for children and people over the age of 50. 

As someone who would probably go to the movies more if it wasn't so expensive, I'm hopeful this test is successful. Right now, the chain I visit only offers discounts on popcorn and candy during certain weeknights. That's a nice perk, but it's hardly an incentive to go to the movies more often. 

Here's the only issue I see with the once-a-week discount idea. Yes, it might fill moreseats during that night of the week, but how is this all that different from matinee pricing? Beyond the fact that this would discount tickets for one whole day a week as opposed to just the afternoon, it still requires people to be available and interested in seeing movies within a specific timeframe. A trip to the movies is traditionally a weekend affair. So while I think a weekly discount day on Tuesdays or whenever they decide to do it might be effective in getting people to start coming back to the theater, I'm not convinced a program like this would solve the problem completely, especially as movie fans continue to have convenient and affordable alternatives to see movies, if they're willing to wait. At the very least, I'd be more excited if theaters were willing to discount tickets for films at some point after their opening weekend.

SEE ALSO: 5 Of The Most Awesome Movie Theaters In America

Join the conversation about this story »

Being Captain America isn't easy, or apparently cheap.

According to Movieclips, the real-life cost of being the Star-Spangled Man would be somewhere around $54,609,201.60.

When adjusting variable costs for inflation — considering that Cap was frozen for 70 years — the number grows to $54,977,922.05.

That's the total for super-serum, three various red-white-and blue outfits, and his 12 lbs. vibranium shield — which at 10 grand a gram, comes out to $54,431,100 alone.

Here are the various prices that make up America's first Avenger:

The project that created Captain America (Project: Rebirth) cost $30,000 in the '40s when counting in lab equipment, serum, technicians, and research.

Captain America's uniform (belts, boots, helmet, etc.) costs around $1,000, but since there's three of them the price is $3,720.

The bike that Cap is driving around in "Captain America: The Winter Solider" is the 2014 Harley-Davidson 750 which has a retail price of $7,500.

Captain America's super-solider metabolism is four times the average human meaning he eats four times as much. That would make Steve Rogers' annual grocery bill $25,772.

All those punching bags Cap destroys in "The Avengers": $600

However, Captain America makes some money also. If he bought a typical amount of war bonds back during World War II, he would have $3,600. Also his S.H.I.E.L.D. salary is most likely around $100,000 a year.

You can watch the full video from Movieclips below: 

SEE ALSO: Marvel Is Already Working On 'Captain America 3'

Join the conversation about this story »

Noah is arguably the first hero to those who observe Judeo-Christian traditions.

When the descendants of Adam and Eve slid down that slippery slope of wickedness, God found favor in Noah.

From Genesis, chapter six (New Revised Standard Version):

⁵ The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. ⁶And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ ⁸But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.

Most people know what happened next. God told Noah that he planned to destroy everyone on earth. He then gave Noah instructions on how to build an ark, told him to fill it with his family and a pair of every animal on the planet, and then made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights.

"And the waters swelled for one hundred fifty days ... At the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated; and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat."

Everyone and everything come out of the ark, Noah builds an alter and sacrifices some animals, and God makes a rainbow.

Here's Where It Gets Weird

From Genesis, chapter nine:

²⁰ Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. ²¹He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent.

This is a detail that most children from Christian homes won't remember from Sunday school.

It gets weirder.

²²And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. ²³Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. ²⁴When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵he said,
‘Cursed be Canaan;
   lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.’
²⁶He also said,
‘Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem;
   and let Canaan be his slave.
²⁷ May God make space for^* Japheth,
   and let him live in the tents of Shem;
   and let Canaan be his slave.’

This is truly one of the oddest stories in the Bible. There are obviously a lot of details that have been excluded.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible offers some annotations based on hundreds of years of scholarly research.

22-23: Some have speculated that Ham had sex with his father, since nakedness refers to incestuous behavior in Lev. 20.17. Nevertheless, a more common expression for sexual intercourse in Leviticus is "uncover nakedness" (e.g., 18.6, 20.18) or "lie with" (e.g., 20.11-12). Moreover, the description of Ham's brothers' contrasting behavior in v. 23 (their faces were turned away) makes clear that the problem with Ham's behavior was that he did not look away.

The annotations note that passing out naked was not uncommon in the old days.

In the ancient Near East, sons were expected to protect the honor of their father through caring for him when he was drunk (with no negative judgment being attached to getting drunk). Ham here does the opposite, both looking upon his father naked and telling his brothers about it. Such behavior is an example of the same kind of breakdown of family relationships that was seen in ch 3 (see 3.8-13, 16-19n.) and ch 4 (see 4.1-15n.).

Volumes have been written about this. But we'll leave it at that.

Anyway, Darren Aronofsky's "Noah" opens today.

NOW WATCH – Neil deGrasse Tyson: I Loved 'Gravity' But Here's What The Movie Got Wrong

SEE ALSO: Here's What Neil deGrasse Tyson Thinks About The Future Of Space Travel

Join the conversation about this story »

To mark the milestone 75th anniversary of DC Comics' Batman, Warner Bros. Entertainment and DC Entertainment have revealed plans for a year-long celebration befitting the world's most popular Super Hero.

Highlights of the anniversary program, which starts today, include a new commemorative 75th anniversary Batman logo and an exclusive "Cape/Cowl/Create" art exhibit, featuring 20 contemporary artists' interpretation of The Dark Knight's iconic cowl headpiece and cape from the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight videogame. There will also be 75th anniversary-related activities across all of Warner Bros. Entertainment throughout the year.

First appearing in the comic book Detective Comics #27, which hit newsstands on March 30, 1939, featuring artwork by Bob Kane and a script by Bill Finger, Batman emerged from the shadows to become the world's most popular Super Hero and dominate all media. In feature films, TV shows, radio, video games, publishing and merchandise, this most human of Super Heroes has battled some of fiction's greatest villains using his intellect, cunning and an arsenal of gadgets to further his quest for justice.

Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara had this to say in his statement about the iconic superhero.

Batman is the single most successful Super Hero film franchise in history and there have been more theatrical movies released based on Batman than any other comic book character. In video games, the Batman Arkham franchise is also the most successful Super Hero game concept ever. Batman consistently breaks records in every incarnation of his character and remains the gold standard by which all other comic book sales are measured.

DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson had this to say in her statement.

The first published adventure of The Bat-Man (as he was then known) was in the May 1939 issue of Detective Comics #27, conceived of and drawn by a 22-year-old Bob Kane with his frequent collaborator, Bill Finger, scripting the story. The character was so successful, that one year later the first comic book devoted exclusively to the Caped Crusader's adventures, Batman #1, hit newsstands. In that issue, Batman battled The Joker and Catwoman for the first time.

Now, DC Entertainment and the Studio's various divisions, including Pictures, Television, Animation, Interactive Entertainment, Home Entertainment and Consumer Products, will mark this extraordinary 75th anniversary with a range of highly anticipated events and products.

The new commemorative logo, also released today across social media and websites, takes its cue from the famed Bat symbol, and features block-style lettering of "75 Years." The mark will be rolled out on Batman-related promotions, products and initiatives.

Key activities planned for the Batman 75th anniversary celebration include:

DC Entertainment:

DC Entertainment has an action-packed year filled with new Batman titles, commemorative issues and variant covers, including the recently released special edition of Detective Comics #27 commemorating Batman's first appearance in the book in 1939, the new weekly series Batman Eternal launching April 9, and upcoming exclusive Batman variant covers planned for San Diego Comic-Con International in July.

Batman Day:

DC Entertainment is also partnering with thousands of comic retailers, book stores and libraries for "Batman Day" on Wednesday, July 23. Each location will host a Batman 75th anniversary celebration and offer fans a free, special edition Batman comic.

Interactive Entertainment - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has invited celebrated fashion designer Asher Levine to create a cape and cowl based on the Batsuit of the recently announced Batman: Arkham Knight videogame developed by Rocksteady Studios. Favorite contemporary artists will have the opportunity to use the replicas as a blank canvas to produce their own, original interpretations of Batman's iconic attire for an all new "Cape/Cowl/Create" art exhibit that will be showcased at San Diego Comic-Con International in July.

Home Entertainment:

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will bring fans an array of new Batman titles throughout the year, including the highly anticipated release of the Batman '66 TV series for the first time ever. Other new releases include animated films Son of Batman (May 6) and Assault on Arkham (summer 2014). Additionally, a 25th Anniversary Edition ofTim Burton's Batman feature film will be released in the fall.

Animation:

Warner Bros. Animation has created two all-new Batman animated shorts set for debut in April, with fan-favorite producers Bruce W. Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) and Darwyn Cooke (Batman Beyond) each presenting a unique and familiar take on the Batman animated universe. In addition, Timm will participate in a Batman 75th all-star panel at WonderCon in Anaheim on Saturday, April 19, which will also feature an exclusive premiere of Cooke's animated short based upon Batman Beyond.

Television:

Warner Bros. Television is in production on the pilot episode of the highly anticipated Gotham, a new one-hour drama for Fox which explores the origin stories of eventual police commissioner James Gordon and the villains that made Gotham City famous. In Gotham, Detective Gordon (Ben McKenzie - Southland) will encounter a familiar cast of characters - including a young Bruce Wayne - as he fights to keep the city safe. Executive producer Bruno Heller (The Mentalist, Rome) wrote the pilot, which is being directed by executive producer Danny Cannon (CSI series, Nikita).

Pictures:

As Batman's 75th anniversary is celebrated in 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures will begin production of Zack Snyder's untitled Superman/Batman film starring Henry Cavill, who reprises his role as Superman/Clark Kent, and Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne. The film, slated for release summer 2016, will bring the two most iconic Super Heroes of all time together for the first time on the big screen.

Consumer Products:

Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered with an array of licensees to celebrate Batman's 75th Anniversary through special edition and limited-release products. From the classic 1960s TV series to modern day comics, Batman's presence will be larger than ever in celebration of his legacy through everything from toys to t-shirts.

DCComics.com:

For the latest information and exclusive content celebrating Batman's 75th anniversary, visit Batman75.com. The dedicated section on DC Comics' website launches today with the Batman 75 Sweepstakes which offers one lucky fan a one-of-a-kind prize package.

SEE ALSO: Here's the trailer for the new 'Batman: Arkham' Video Game released later this year

Join the conversation about this story »

A slew of projects are in the works at broadcast and cable networks, from Showtime's just-greenlighted hedge fund collusion drama "Billions" to CBS' untitled thriller about an Iraq vet turned hedge fund trader.

SEE ALSO: Interest In Stockbroker Jobs Spiked After 'The Wolf Of Wall Street'

Join the conversation about this story »

Arnold Schwarzenegger has a new movie out this weekend called "Sabotage" where he leads a DEA task force to take down a drug cartel.

According to reviews, the movie isn't sounding like a must-see.

The Open Road Films' release is currently sitting at 21% on film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.  

Predictions have "Sabotage" bombing with $7-8 million this weekend. The budget is estimated at $35 million.

Here are a few samples of what critics are saying: 

Film.com:

“The film’s script is so bankrupt of ideas and lacking in common sense that I couldn’t even tell you if the movie wants us to hate them or not.” 

RogerEbert.com:

"A story that focuses on DEA agents who are on the edge and which is so preposterous that no sane person could possibly celebrate it as anything other than inadvertent comedy. This could well be the single most implausible film playing at your multiplex this weekend and bear in mind, 'Mr. Peabody & Sherman' is still in release."

USA Today:

"Bloody, banal and boasting a surprisingly able clutch of stars who will soon be deleting this from their résumés, Sabotage is a 109-minute cadaver count. It's torture porn for the action set with no discernible message other than, perhaps, that friends who want to hack you and stuff your corpse in a fridge really aren't your friends."

NYT:

“Sabotage” isn’t any good, even if its jagged, jolting visual excesses and frenzied energy keep you awake, gasping and guffawing by turns. It does have one genuine surprise: the dependably watchable Olivia Williams, who shows up as Caroline, a detective who wears suits and no visible makeup and holds her ground amid the carnage and chaos as the movie’s only believably human being." 

From the minority of good reviews: 

NY Daily News: 

“With its overreliance on mood and underdeveloped plot, “Sabotage” is far too muddled to hold up to those films [“Hostel,” “Training Day,” and “End of Watch”]. But it does have a weird, boldly ugly edge that makes for unexpectedly compelling viewing.” 

Film School Rejects:

“If your sole requirement for a “good” Schwarzenegger film is bullets, blood, and cigar smoke then head out to the theater now as this is the movie for you. If you require even a little bit more than that though I suggest waiting three months for the home video.”

Vulture:  

“It’s not exactly an original idea, but for part of its running time, Sabotage distinguishes itself by staying focused on the DEA team’s banter and chemistry rather than the action.”

If you’re heading to theaters this weekend, we’d stick with “Noah” or the wide release of Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

SEE ALSO: These charts reveal the season when your favorite TV shows peaked

Join the conversation about this story »

Christopher Nolan is without question one of the biggest directors in modern Hollywood.

First breaking out at the turn of the century with Memento, the filmmaker has spent the last 14 years making epic, thought provoking movies on various scales and has earned both critical and box office love.

In addition to being a fantastic filmmaker, however, he is also a tremendously interesting individual, as I learned listening to him speak for nearly a full hour this afternoon. 

Earlier today, the filmmaker took part in a special luncheon at CinemaCon called "From Passion To The Big Screen: The Work of Christopher Nolan" where he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter’s Todd McCarthy about not only his entire body of work up to this point, but also about his upcoming science-fiction epic Interstellar. The interview was packed with all kinds of fascinating info, so read on to discover what we found out! 

Here's what you don't know about the director >

Matthew McConaughey’s performance in "Mud" was partially responsible for him being cast in "Interstellar."

In case you aren’t already aware, Matthew McConaughey is having a bit of a career resurgence right now. After years of doing nothing but crappy romantic comedies, the star has made a complete 180 and even a couple weeks ago took home his first Academy Award.

But while few would argue that his turn in Dallas Buyers Club was anything less than exceptional, it was actually a different 2013 McConaughey film – Jeff Nichol’s Mud - that led Christopher Nolan to casting him in Interstellar.

For the part, the director wanted to find an actor with an everyman quality who audiences could really understand and follow through the story. Apparently what they have worked together on is working pretty well, because Nolan says that the star’s performance is "shaping up to be something extraordinary."

They built full-on practical spaceship sets for "Interstellar."

Just like he has been doing for all of his films up to this point in his career, Christopher Nolan is trying to keep Interstellar as much as a mystery as he can, and while he wouldn’t reveal any big plot details during the luncheon, he did provide some interesting tidbits about the production.

The filmmaker discussed his preference to use large-scale practical sets instead of large amounts of CG for the space epic, and part of that involved not just the building of a spaceship interior, but also special exteriors that actors could see by looking out of the windows of the spaceship set. He believes that audiences can sense when things are actually there instead of just being all computer generated, and even likened the filmmaking experience on the set to making a documentary. 

He thinks 3D takes away from the shared cinematic experience.

Since 3D became the biggest technological fad in Hollywood, many have been very vocal about how it actually harms certain films, complaining about brightness problems, nausea, and more, but for Christopher Nolan one of the key issues is the fact that slapping on a pair of 3D glasses does its part to take away the communal experience of watching a film in a crowded cineplex - likening the situation to watching a comedy in a theater with stadium seating.

Instead of just hating on 3D, however, the filmmaker said that he does like that it offers movie-goers a certain amount of choice and even complimented the work that Baz Luhrmann did with The Great Gatsby, calling the 3D in the movie "very, very extraordinary." 

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

After mostly negative reviews, Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest movie "Sabotage" is a dud.

The Open Road Films movie made a weak debut with $5.3 million opening weekend.

That's less than the soft $7-8 million predictions the movie originally received.

This is the third straight bomb for Schwarzenegger at theaters in the U.S. after last year's "Escape Plan" and "The Last Stand" debuted to $9.9 million and $6.2 million respectively.

"Escape Plan" went on to make $137 million worldwide.

"Sabotage" cost an estimated $35 million to make and debuted in 2,486 theaters.

In comparison, Wes Anderson's film "The Grand Budapest Hotel," which had a wide release in 977 theaters this weekend, made $8.8 million.

SEE ALSO: What critics had to say about "Sabotage"

Join the conversation about this story »

Sunday, Walt Disney announced "Frozen" is now the highest-grossing animated picture ever. 

Since its November release, the film has made $1.07 billion worldwide. Previously, Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 3" held the record with $1.06 billion at theaters.

That figure made Disney's 53d animated picture one of the highest-grossing movies at the box office ever edging out "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." 

Here's a look at the highest-grossing movies ever at theaters via BoxOfficeMojo:

*Indicates films that were re-released in theaters.

SEE ALSO: Arnold Schwarzenegger's new movie "Sabotage" bombs at theaters

Join the conversation about this story »

It was announced, somewhat surprisingly, last September that J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them would be turned into a film. Now, according to a profile of Warner Bros.’s new CEO in the Times, the 42-page paperback is getting turned into three movies. That’s like… carry the one, divide by five… 14 pages of inspiration for each movie! (This is not actually how book-to-film adaptations work.)

Aside from the new fact that fans are getting three whole movies filled new Harry Potter extended canon, there’s not a whole lot new here:

Three megamovies are planned. The main character will be a “magizoologist” named Newt Scamander. The stories, neither prequels or sequels, will start in New York about seven decades before the arrival of Mr. Potter and his pals.

That’s about as much information as we were privy to before. Rowling credits Kevin Tsujihara, Warner’s CEO, as the main force in motivating her to write the movie. “When I say he made ‘Fantastic Beasts’ happen, it isn’t P.R.-speak but the literal truth,“ she said. ”We had one dinner, a follow-up telephone call, and then I got out the rough draft that I’d thought was going to be an interesting bit of memorabilia for my kids and started rewriting!”

Maybe this new trilogy will be good. Rowling is certainly an imaginative storyteller, but trilogy prequels are a tough nut to crack. Let’s just hope she doesn’t introduce her own version of Jar Jar Binks.

Warner’s plan for the new movies include tons of other revenue streams: video games, tie-ins with the series’s online community, Pottermore, consumer products (a.k.a. toys). There will probably be some sort of hashtag too, because it is 2014, and that’s just how it is now.

SEE ALSO: Harry Potter Fans Can Ride The 'Hogwarts Express' At Universal Studios This Summer

Join the conversation about this story »

How I Met Your Mother's title sequence starts with a picture of Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan) holding a disposable camera, one of those antiquated device that impoverished college students and struggling yuppies used to record memories during the early 2000s.

It’s a charmingly dated image—what 20-something would bring a disposable camera to a bar in the iPhone era? But that datedness actually fits the show perfectly. HIMYM, which will end on Monday after nine seasons on CBS, has been the old soul of network comedy for the past decade, and that’s why it’s so beloved—even if critics often scoffed at it.

Since 2005, the year HIMYM premiered, sitcoms have gotten pretty innovative. 30 Rock infused the format with unprecedented levels of snarky dialogue and clever satire. Single-camera shows like The Office and Modern Family introduced new stylistic sensibilities and satirized reality TV tropes. Non-network comedies like Louie and Girls used stark realism to achieve biting poignancy.

Viewed alongside these creative breakthroughs, the multi-camera, laugh-tracked comedy of HIMYM often seemed like a throwback to the Cheers era. Or, even more specifically, it often seemed like a faster-paced version of Friends. The premise, after all, is awfully similar: Five young New Yorkers spend an inordinate amount of time in a neighborhood bar (rather than a neighborhood coffeehouse), enjoy sleeping with one another, and engage in various shenanigans as they navigate the space between adolescence and adulthood. The primary difference between the two shows is that while Friends usually attempted to suppress the cheesier aspects of its plot, HIMYM has always been unapologetically sentimental. From its title to its overarching narrative, HIMYM offered a schmaltzy celebration of a hapless romantic and the four friends who endlessly support him in his quest to find Mrs. Right.

This was true from the inception. In the pilot episode, protagonist Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) comes to the realization that he’s not good at being single. He would rather settle down and become the head of a household, a role that he thinks will suit his dorky-dad-like qualities and his desire for the quiet life. And while ensuing seasons demonstrate that Ted is not quite as father-ready as he assumes himself to be—his character could be described as someone who really wants to be wiser than his years but isn’t quite there yet—this overt yearning to get past singledom forms the show’s thematic base.

At a time when Americans are increasingly getting hitched at later ages or avoiding nuptials altogether, the idea of an attractive 20-something living in one of the world’s most vibrant metropolises and wanting nothing more than to settle down with a wife and kids feels hopelessly old-fashioned. Yet HIMYM found nuance in the way people can still pursue a traditional vision of happiness.

The point of the show never lay in the exact machinations which led Ted to “the mother.” It lay in the events that shaped Ted into husband-worthy material. Before he could truly evolve into the dad who narrates the show, he had to learn from a slew of bad relationships with women he had little in common with, let the devastation of heartbreak mellow his overzealous soul, and stop confusing his close friendship with Robin for something more. 

The writers made the sentimentality of that conceit bearable by pairing it with ridiculous, manic, and entertaining side plots: Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) spent her youth in Canada as a Tiffany-esque teen pop star; Ted’s middle-school-classmate-turned-porn-star uses the alias Ted Mosby; Barney Stinson does Barney Stinson-esque things. 

The cast helped nail that delicate balance between sweetness and silliness. Segel brought real quirk to Marshall, a role that could have devolved into a something more conventional and less enjoyable to watch—something akin to Ross on Friends. And as Barney, whose horniness coexists with a desperate desire for meaningful friendships, Neil Patrick Harris created one of television comedy’s most indelible characters. In a subversive twist, Barney’s predilections (a love of tailored clothes and expensive drinks) and deficiencies (the inability to drive or use simple household tools like a hammer) clashed with the stereotypical masculinity he so desperately strived to project. Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, and Alyson Hannigan provided lively presences for Segel and Harris to play off.

Though HIMYM featured smarter writing and better acting than most sitcoms, it never received much critical attention. In nine seasons, the show earned only a single Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series; for the sake of comparison, Friends received six such nominations and garnered one win in that category. Since 2005, critics and awards voters have been too busy praising shows like 30 Rock and Modern Family to notice the exceptional work of Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, HIMYM’s co-creators, and the actors who have come to embody the five beloved characters. This is unfortunate. While HIMYM has certainly had creative lulls during its nine-season run, the show’s best episodes—“Ten Sessions,” “Hopeless,” “P.S. I Love You”—were as funny and touching as any produced by contemporary sitcoms.   

Perhaps HIMYM’s sentimentality is what prevented it from engendering more highbrow cred. Most cutting-edge television comedies today feature characters that the audience is meant to laugh at, rather than with. We chortle at the small-town yokels on Parks and Recreation and look forward to the weekly embarrassment of Phil Dunphy on Modern Family. Those sitcoms, while funny and creative, radiate a sly sense of superiority, since many of the laughs come from the humiliation of sad sacks.

This was never the case on HIMYM, whose unstated but understood mantra was “we’re all in this together.” Because the writers went to great lengths to humanize the principal characters—to imbue them with real ambitions, fears and shortcomings, and to put them in situations where they needed one another to pull through—they presented people with whom the audience was meant to empathize rather than mock. The best seasons revolved around friends helping coming together to resolve personal conflict: Lily and Marshall reconcile after a foolish break-up; Ted and Robin overcome the awkwardness of a past relationship; Barney connects with the father who walked out on him. It was a feel-good story about the importance of friendship and love. The earnestness of that tale can come across as maudlin nowadays, but it’s a characteristic that the current popular television landscape will be left without once HIMYM signs off forever. 

SEE ALSO: One Theory Suggests The Mother In 'How I Met Your Mother' Is Dead

Join the conversation about this story »

"Divergent" opened to a strong $56 million this weekend at theaters.

While it's the first young adult (YA) adaptation to the big screen to not totally bomb since "The Hunger Games," the movie will never gain the same status as Jennifer Lawrence's girl on fire.

Sure, the film will be a healthy franchise for Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment over the next few years, but don't count on it being the cash cow that previous YA series have been for the studios.

There are a few simple reasons "Divergent" will stay in the shadows of "The Hunger Games."

The Star Power

Simply put, Shailene Woodley is no Jennifer Lawrence.

When Jennifer Lawrence signed on to "The Hunger Games" franchise she recently came off a role in "X-Men: First Class" and was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for 2010's "Winter's Bone."

Since the film's 2012 release she won an Oscar for her performance in "Silver Linings Playbook."

Shailene Woodley is known among teens for her role on ABC Family's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" and her role in "The Descendants" alongside George Clooney.

Overall, "The Hunger Games" has a more recognizable cast than "Divergent."

"The Hunger Games"
Jennifer Lawrence
Stanley Tucci
Elizabeth Banks
Liam Hemsworth
Woody Harrelson
Donald Sutherland

"Divergent"
Shailene Woodley
Kate Winslet
Ashley Judd
Maggie Q 

"The Hunger Games" was a huge anomaly.

When the "Divergent" movie was first announced everyone — us included— automatically referred to the series as the next "Hunger Games." 

It was easy. Both series are about a dystopian future led by strong female leads. Any YA movie adaptation that follows Suzanne Collin's series obviously has some huge shoes to fill; however, it's unlikely we'll ever have another "Hunger Games" anytime soon.

"The Hunger Games" had a larger debut than the first "Harry Potter" film— and that's when inflation is accounted for as well.

Compared to other young adult movies, "The Hunger Games" has the seventh-largest opening weekend at theaters behind four superhero films ("The Avengers,""Iron Man 3,""The Dark Knight Rises," and "The Dark Knight") and the final "Harry Potter" film. 

3 films vs. 4 or 5

Unlike both "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games,""Divergent" is expected to be a three-film series. Lionsgate greenlit a sequel for next March, "Insurgent," and have another film planned for the series' third book set for 2016.

The two former franchises split their final novels across two movies giving "The Hunger Games" four movies and "Twilight" five.

In total, the "Twilight" franchise has generated more than $3.3 billion worldwide. So far, the two "Hunger Games" films have taken in about $1.6 billion at theaters.

If the studios really want to milk the "Divergent" franchise, they'll pull a "Hobbit" and break the final book into two movies to keep it around longer.

The "Divergent" series may have shot itself in the foot. 

People like happy endings and the "Divergent" series doesn't have one.

HUGE *spoiler* The lead character gets killed off as a martyr in the final novel.

How do you think people would have responded if Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in the final book (and on screen) or if Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen bit the bullet? My guess is not positively. *spoiler*

The final book in the series,  "Allegiant," received a lot of fan backlash after its release in October 2013. 

So many fans responded negatively that author Veronica Roth took to her blog to address the controversial ending.

"I’ve said before that this ending was always a part of the plan, but one thing I want to make clear is that I didn’t choose it to shock anyone, or to upset anyone," wrote Roth.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer previously told analysts he didn't think the book's outcome would hurt the series' chances at the box office. “A little controversy in terms of publicity never hurts," said Feltheimer.

While "Divergent" and "Insurgent" may do well, the final third film could be a test for Lionsgate with fans.

SEE ALSO: How much better "Divergent" performed compared to other young adult adaptations opening weekend

AND: Everything you need to know about "Divergent"

Join the conversation about this story »

It's April Fool's Day, which means keeping your eyes peeled for hoaxes, gags, lies, and fakes running wild across websites.

Netflix is playing its prank by streaming a 73-minute movie of a chicken roasting. 

The movie is, of course, a Netflix original. It's called "Rotisserie Chicken" and it's rated G.

Here's one of the best scenes:

The reviews are in. They're not real, but they're funny.

Some are good!

Some are not!

But perhaps the funniest part of the joke is that people are watching the movie.

— Eddy Gardiner (@EddyGardiner) April 1, 2014

— Tyson Jacob (@TJSchultz17) April 1, 2014

— ian (@mysteryandshade) April 1, 2014

We were first alerted to the incredible film from Twitter user @Smasey. 

The movie will be available to watch until tomorrow, so make sure you carve an hour out of your day to tune in. You don't want to be in the dark when next year's Oscars roll around.

Join the conversation about this story »

The sudden deaths of Paul Walker and Philip Seymour Hoffman took place while both were in the middle of filming upcoming projects.

As a result, upcoming films "Fast & Furious 7" and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" will use special effects to replace and recreate the actors' performances.

They're not the only two stars whose deaths forced Hollywood to use a mix of CGI and special effects to finish a film.

Laurence Olivier was dead for 15 years when he starred in 2004's "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow."

To find the perfect villain for 2004's "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" director Kerry Conran chose to use one of the most famous actors of all time, Laurence Olivier.

There was only one problem: Olivier had been dead for 15 years.

The film's star, Jude Law, told USA Today, filmmakers chose to go with Olivier because few actors — alive or dead — carried the fearsome weight of the famed British actor.

To pull this off, the production recorded new dialogue by another actor and used archive footage to create the evil hologram, Dr. Totenkopf.

Deleted scenes and a body double in bandages were used to hide Peter Seller's death in 1982's "The Trail of the Pink Panther."

For 1982's "The Trail of the Pink Panther," filmmakers had a tough decision to make.

They could either replace Peter Sellers' most-famous role of Inspector Clouseau or somehow use him for the film even though he died two years earlier. 

Filmmakers chose to use deleted scenes and archived footage from 1976's "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" to fill in where Sellers would have played the famed sleuth. They even had a body double wear bandages over his face. 

The film was ultimately dedicated to Sellers, stating, "To Peter... the one and only Inspector Clouseau."

Philip Seymour Hoffman will be digitally recreated in order to finish 2015's "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2."

Philip Seymour Hoffman's death earlier this year left "Hunger Games" fans curious about what will happen to Hoffman's scenes in 2015's "Mockingjay - Part 2."

Lionsgate plans to digitally recreate Hoffman's character, Plutarch Heavensbee, which will allow for the film to finish some key scenes.

But as veteran effects supervisor Rob Legato told The Hollywood Reporter, while today's technology makes it a lot easier to use someone's likeness, it will be very hard to replace Hoffman's acting ability.

The film will debut November 20, 2015.

The Bible has long been a rich source of story ideas for filmmakers, and recently released movies like Son of God and Noah suggest that the biblical epic genre is far from exhausted.

There are many reasons why filmmakers continue to make movies based on biblical stories. The Bible’s familiar stories feature larger-than-life characters, plenty of action, and time-tested storylines.

However, from the film producer’s perspective, the primary reason why films based on biblical stories continue to be made is that these films are consistently able to make money.

Darren Aronofsky’s interpretation of the biblical story of Noah opened last Friday with a respectable $15.2 million domestic take, according to Box Office Mojo. Son of God, a biblical drama based on the story of Jesus, raked in $25.6 million during its opening weekend in February and has grossed $56.7 million so far, per Box Office Mojo’s numbers.

However, Aronofsky’s Noah may not be the highest-grossing biblical epic of 2014. Ridley Scott, known for directing blockbusters like Alien and Gladiator, will be releasing his own biblical epic, Exodus: Gods and Kings, in December, according to IMDb. The film tells the biblical story of the Israelites’ exodus out of Egypt and stars Christian Bale as Moses.

With the recent resurgence of big-budget biblical epics, we thought this would be an opportune time to take a look at some of the most successful films in this genre.

Here is a list of the top five highest-grossing movies based on biblical stories.

5. "The Prince of Egypt" (1998)

Based on the biblical story of Moses, The Prince of Egypt was a highly-successful animated feature produced by DreamWorks Animation studio. Several prominent movie stars lent their voice talents to this film, including Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. As noted by IMDb, the film won an Oscar for Best Original Song at the 1999 Academy Awards, and it currently holds a 79 percent “Certified Fresh” rating from the critics at Rotten Tomatoes. According to Box Office Mojo, The Prince of Egypt pulled in a total unadjusted domestic gross of $101.4 million.

4. "The Passion of the Christ" (2004)

This Mel Gibson-directed film about the final hours of Jesus’s life was a major box office success with a total unadjusted domestic gross of over $370.7 million, or $498.5 million when adjusted for ticket price inflation, according to Box Office Mojo. Although sequences of graphic violence and story elements based on Catholic devotional writings made this a highly controversial film, The Passion of the Christ is widely credited with reigniting the major studios’ interest in the biblical film genre.

3. The Robe

Starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, and Michael Rennie, this Henry Koster-directed movie tells the story of a Roman soldier named Marcellus who acquires Jesus’s robe through a dice game at Jesus’s crucifixion. Like several other biblical epics, The Robe constructs a narrative around a peripheral character from a biblical story. As noted by IMDb, the film won two Academy Awards and later spawned a sequel, 1954’s Demetrius and the Gladiators. According to Box Office Mojo, The Robe brought in a total unadjusted domestic gross of $36 million, or $546.5 million in inflation-adjusted dollars.

2. Ben-Hur

This William Wyler-directed film is just one of several highly-successful biblical epics to feature Charlton Heston. Heston stars as Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who encounters Jesus. Although the story is not derived directly from the Bible, it is set in New Testament-era Jerusalem and features several scenes with Jesus, including Jesus’s crucifixion. The film was a huge box office success and garnered eleven Academy Awards. According to Box Office Mojo, Ben-Hur achieved a total unadjusted domestic gross of $74 million, or approximately $818.3 million when adjusted for ticket price inflation.

1. The Ten Commandments

The highest-grossing biblical epic of all time is also the only film on this list to crack the top-ten list of all-time highest-grossing films. Directed by the legendary Cecil B. DeMille, The Ten Commandments tells the biblical story of Moses from his birth to his death. The film features multiple Hollywood stars, including Charlton Heston as Moses, Yul Brynner as Ramses, and Anne Baxter as Nefretiri. The film was highly popular at the time of its release and pulled in $65.5 million in unadjusted gross or nearly $1.1 billion in adjusted gross. According to Box Office Mojo, The Ten Commandments is the sixth-highest-grossing movie ever when its gross is adjusted for ticket price inflation.

SEE ALSO: Here's The Story About Noah And The Ark That They Don't Teach Children In Sunday School

Join the conversation about this story »

Multi-channel networks (MCNs) are a hot commodity in Hollywood right now.

If you're unfamiliar with the term MCN, essentially they're companies that work with multiple YouTube channels that assist creators in producing and funding content, management, along with audience development. 

Last year, DreamWorks Animation paid $33 million for YouTube channel AwesomenessTV. In March, Warner Bros. invested $18 million in YouTube videogame channel Machinima. 

Most recently, Disney purchased Maker Studios for $500 million.

At this point, it's only a matter of time until another big studio announces its investing in another MCN.

We spoke with George Strompolos, the CEO of another multi-channel network Fullscreen, to find out why studios are so interested in scooping up these companies.

Founded in 2011, Fullscreen has aligned itself with popular YouTube stars and channels including DevinSuperTramp, Cyanide + Happiness, and Lindsey Stirling.

Previously, Strompolos was at YouTube, where he helped create the YouTube partnership program which allows creators to make money off their original content.

Strompolos laid out a few reasons studios may be inclined to invest in a multi-channel network like Maker.

1. Ability to reach a younger demo that TV can't.

"They tend to speak to a demographic that is increasingly spending less time on cable television and traditional media outlets. They're spending their time online and when it comes to video, they're watching YouTube and they're building strong connections with the stars on YouTube. Companies like Fullscreen, Maker, and others in the space are incubating and developing content with those next-generation stars. These stars are a source of content and they're a source of ideas and talent. They have real star power."

2. Real-time data visuals of audience reception.

"We get a lot of data around the creators that we work with. We see which of their videos are working, when they're working. We see how they're being amplified across the web. That kind of data is really valuable when making larger bets and bigger programming decisions."

3. It's a big revenue opportunity.

"You think about what's grown in the last 5 to 10 years, and basically you have video being widely available online and on mobile as well. Now, watching video online is just a normal thing," says Strompolos. "Pretty much every young person today has a smartphone and the cameras on those phones are as powerful as some television cameras were about only two decades ago."

Strompolos says the growth of online video in the past 5-10 years combined with a younger generation having easy access to smartphones with cameras is worth paying attention. 

"The combination of widespread video and widespread inexpensive production tools really help the youth become professional creators, and it's not just in Hollywood. It's happening all over the world," Strompolos tells Business Insider. "When media changes so much like that you have a new class of companies, you have a new class of stars. If you program properly you connect with a really valuable audience. That's what we're doing at Fullscreen. That's what some of our peers in the MCN space are doing. A lot of people from the outside looking in are saying, "Oh, short videos." Yeah, there's a lot of short-form videos, but it's really a massive generational shift — almost like what we saw with MTV in the early cable days. It was a movement. That's happening now as well."

"I can't speak for Maker, but Fullscreen is a strong business," adds Strompolos. "Disney recognizes that and they want to get ahead of it and there's certainly going to be a revenue opportunity there for them."

SEE ALSO: This Website Calculates How Much Of Your Lifetime You've Wasted Watching TV

Join the conversation about this story »

Whether because of meddling producers, disagreeable test audiences, or apprehensive directors with second thoughts, many movies get tweaked before we ever get a chance to see them, especially in the final act.

In fact, some of our favorite Hollywood endings could have gone in very different directions if they had followed their original trajectories.

In an alternate universe, this is how some of your favorite movies would end. 

[Spoilers ahead, obviously.]

14 movie ending do-overs »

"Pineapple Express" (2008)

How it ends: Seth Rogen and James Franco survive the big shootout and recall the whole thing over breakfast.

How it was supposed to end: Rogen and Franco stay in the warehouse to get high and end up getting shot by a "bad guy" they forgot about.

"I Am Legend" (2007)

How it ends: Will Smith's Neville blows himself and a bunch of Darkseekers up to protect his new friends and the antidote.

How it was supposed to end: Neville discovers the Darkseekers are more than just murderous zombies. They are capable of love and compassion and just want to rescue one of their own who has become Neville's test subject. Test audiences were left unsatisfied with the humanization of the "bad guys" so they went with the "blow everything up" ending.

"The Break-Up" (2006)

How it ends: With Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston randomly meeting on the street months after breaking up.

How it was supposed to end: Originally, they were just going to split and be done with it, but the movie happened to coincide with Aniston's real-life breakup with Brad Pitt after he left her for Angelina Jolie. Producers didn't want her character to get jilted on the big screen too, so they re-shot the ending to include a more ambiguous finale that suggested there was hope for reconciliation.

I was never a huge fan of the first "Captain America" film. It always felt like a necessary final stop on the "Avengers" train before assembling the entire crew on screen. The giant musical number in the middle didn't help. 

Out of all the Marvel movies released up to that point, it was probably the one I liked the least. (It's also the one that made the least money, excluding the two previous Hulk films.)

If you're hesitant about seeing the sequel, don't be. It's pretty awesome and dare I say one of the best Marvel movies made.

Business Insider attended a screening of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" Monday evening and it's an absolute thrill ride that can easily keep up with Iron Man and Thor.

Was it better than "The Avengers"? 

It’s difficult to top a billion dollar movie with so much star power — and with the absence of Tony Stark — but it comes pretty darn close.

Chris Evans returns (noticeably a bit more fit) as the First Avenger Steve Rogers. Like "Iron Man 3" and "Thor: The Dark World," the sequel shows how the Captain is coping after the events of "The Avengers" and Rogers seems to be adjusting better than the other superheroes.

He's working with S.H.I.E.L.D and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and lives in Washington, D.C. His biggest problems are catching up with decades worth of pop culture and news and finding a girlfriend.

Don't worry, unlike the first film, we're not subjected to any sing-songy montages.

Rather it's action packed from beginning to end *spoilers* following a corrupt S.H.I.E.L.D. agency overrun by Hydra (an organization that wants to rule the world) that's wants to cleanse the world of millions of people. *spoilers*

Want fight sequences, guns firing, car crashes, and explosions? You got them. (For parents planning to take their kids, it's probably the least kid-friendly of all the Marvel movies.)

Captain America steps up his game ten-fold in the sequel whether he's taking out an entire crew aboard a ship in the Indian Ocean or escaping pursurers from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. The elevator scene that’s been heavily teased in trailers is even better on screen as part of a much longer fight sequence. 

There's one more scene when Rogers confronts the Winter Soldier that really stands out. When his shield gets blocked you could literally feel the reverberation of the two forces colliding from our theater seats. 

Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury delivers one of the most heart-pounding moments of the film in a crazy car chase. Normally, popping up throughout the Marvel universe to unite the Avengers team and dish out assignments, the S.H.I.E.L.D. director never gets his hands dirty fighting the bad guys so seeing him get his own time on screen was a great surprise.

Johansson also has a much larger role as Black Widow. That makes sense since Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige hinted the character may eventually receive her own film. Widow shines showing that Rogers isn't the only one who can take down a group of villains and — at times — serves as a brief comic relief, but ultimately fills the need for a superheroine for girls to identify with.

Kids are going to want an action figure of The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) after watching him dive off buildings and soar through the skies.

Marvel fanboys will be delighted with Stan Lee's appearance in the film's final leg while "Community" fans will recognize actor Danny Pudi in a brief cameo.

The Winter Soldier — who the film revolves around — is *spoiler* not out right villainous. If you're a fan of the comics, you probably already know his real identity. Rather, he's been brain-washed and we're supposed to empathize with him.

This is one thing you need to credit Marvel and Disney for. They've been able to bring villains to the big screen who have in-depth character stories and aren't just your typical bad guy. (Look no further than Loki.)

If you've seen Disney's box-office juggernaut "Frozen," there's a scene near the end of "Captain America 2" that parallels the climactic moment in the animated film. No, no one gets "frozen" and aren't any broken hearts, but while "Frozen" places emphasis on the importance of family, "Captain America 2" reinforces the strong bond between friends. *spoiler*

My main issue with "The Winter Soldier" is one thing that always bothers me while watching any standalone Marvel movie since "The Avengers"— and that I imagine may bother other moviegoers. When there's a catastrophic event occurring none of the superheroes think to call up one of their new friends. Sure, the incidents in "Iron Man 3" and "Thor 2" are (slightly) more isolated; however, the danger in "Captain America 2" is pretty worldly. There are plenty of times Iron Man gets name dropped throughout the film and there's even a scene with someone exiting Stark Industries, but no one ever suggests consulting him.

Obviously, all of the Avengers cannot appear in every movie, but it's the one item that is repeatedly never addressed that slightly affects the fluidity of the entire series. At this point, any name drops become more of a tease than a nod to the larger Marvel universe.

Ultimately, “The Winter Soldier” is one of the most believable Marvel movies (as believable as a superhero movie is going to get). In “Iron Man 3” you get self-destructing humans injected with a top-secret serum and in “Thor 2” we follow an alien villain who wants to make the world dark for questionably unknown reasons.  Instead, we're following the politics of a corrupt secret agency.

Unlike the first the film which clearly sets the wheels in motion for "The Avengers" sequel "The Winter Soldier" is a great standalone that should easily deliver one of the top-opening weekends for the month of April.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is in theaters Friday.

Check out a trailer below:

SEE ALSO: Why "Frozen" is the biggest-animated movie of all time

Join the conversation about this story »