It's about time that a 90-pound weakling got to kick sand in the face of the other heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. I'm talking Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the Brooklyn kid who tries futilely to pass a World War II Army physical that will get him up in Hitler's face. Luckily, Steve meets Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), a doctor who thinks this good-natured wimp is a perfect fit for his supersoldier experiment. A few Vita-rays later, and Steve – digital miracles have turned Evans into a convincing beanpole – pumps up into the hard-bodied Captain America, a mega fighting and propaganda machine.

Here's the funny thing: Despite all the Captain America rah-rah in costume and indestructible shield, the movie is at its best when the story sticks with skinny Steve. Evans, who played the Human Torch in two less-than-fantastic Fantastic Four films, brings such humor, heart and vigor to virtuous Steve that our rooting interest holds even when the action gets to be standard-issue, as it did in director Joe Johnston's The Rocketeer. Hayley Atwell excels as the Captain's soldier crush. And Hugo Weaving huffs and puffs mightily as the Red Skull, the rogue Nazi freak who heads the Hydra plot for world takeover. But it's Evans, playing it old-school, who has us looking forward to The Avengers next year, when the pioneering Captain leads Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk on present-day adventures. Evans makes a hell of an MVP.

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“Alison”

On Elvis Costello’s country-tinged ballad, the lyric does not get too sentimental in recalling an ex who had since been with one of the singer's "little friends" and is now married. Some believe the song is about murder, due to lines like “Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking,” "Somebody better put out the big light" and, of course, "My aim is true,” which became the title of Costello's debut album. In 2002, Costello told Rolling Stone, “It isn’t [about murder]. It’s about disappointing somebody. It’s a thin line between love and hate, as the Persuaders sang.”