Now that is how you do a super hero movie.

For anyone that’s somehow missed it, Captain America is the story about how a little guy from Brooklyn with a heart of gold and a steadfast determination to serve his country in World War II gets just that chance: taking a super soldier serum to get buff, becomes a showgirl for a while (because of course), fights Nazis, and gets frozen in the ice.

It’s an absolutely rediculous plot, but it’s by far one of the best straight out good versus evil / good will win out because it’s good / let’s punch Nazis stories out there.

And man does Chris Evans sell that role. The CGI that makes him a shrimpy little guy at the beginning is awesome, but Evans just exudes Big Traditional American Hero and a need to do the right thing (even if that right thing at the moment is dancing around in a tights). Now that we’re a few years on, man it’s hard to believe that he’s moving on from the role, even if in the end it’s probably the right option.

And that’s not even all. They continue the excellent casting with strong supporting roles by Stanley Tucci as the German scientist/mentor, Tommy Lee Jones as the hardened Colonel in charge, and Hugo Weaving as the over the top baddy (another super soldier, because of course in the MCU each hero has to fight someone with the same powers).

We also have the introduction of what will become recurring characters in Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter (a show that ended too soon) and Sebastian Stan (one of the craziest is he a hero/is he a villain plots in the MCU thus far).

I’m just constantly amazed at how well cast most of these movies are.

In any case, Captain America: The First Avenger is by a decent margin my favorite Avengers movie thus far. While I do think that Iron Man may feel slightly more ‘real’ at times (Cap is just too good), sometimes, you just need a hero.

For me… this takes the top spot for the year.