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shadowkatA fairly productive weekend, after an extreemly tiring work week. I'm hoping after 6 more months, things will get easier, and I'll be able to focus on stuff un-work-related. At the moment however, am finding it increasingly difficult to focus on books, movies, tv shows or anything that requires concentration after my work day. I'm also discovering that I no longer appear to have the patience/tolerance/interest for heated debates regarding subjective interpretations of fictional storylines, characters, or metaphors. I don't quite know why this is so. Just that lately these discussions annoy the heck out of me.
That said, I have entertained myself this weekend, sporadically.
Saw the flick Iron Man finally. This may be the best superhero action flick that I have seen in a long time. The only other one that comes close is possibly the first Superman.
One caveat - this is not a movie for children. It is not Fantastic Four, although I wouldn't take children to that one either - but this one is more like Batman Begins, it contains adult themes and situations that are inappropriate for anyone below the age of 16. There is one scene in which the lead character is being tortured, while another depicts the potential torture of a co-prisoner. The comic itself is not for children - the story is after-all about an industrialist and weapons manufacturer, who gets injured by one of his own weapons while visiting a war zone, is subsequently captured, tortured, and escapes by building an iron man suit. I don't see anything in that storyline that should be shown to a child. I only state this because I saw toddlers in the movie theater.
The film appears to be very close to the Marvel comic book, they just update it, much like they did with Spiderman, except I think this is actually closer to the original story than both the film versions of X-Men, Dare Devil, Fantastic Four and Spiderman were.
What I liked about it -was the script, direction, and action - which were impressive. I've gotten used to busy superhero flicks like Spiderman and X-men. This movie wasn't busy. It focused on Stark, played perfectly by Robert Downey Jr. - who is amongst the few actors out there that I'd pay to watch reading the phone book. I think I've seen most of his films, including the horrible ones such as Air America. It was a stroke of genius to cast Downey Jr in this role. Paltrow, Bridges, and Terrence Howard are also superb choices. But, if the script had not been up to snuff - the movie would not have worked. The dialogue is funny. Pepper Potts, Stark's trusted personal assistant, unlike most female heroines in these films -actually is given something to do and does not play the damsel in distress. She saves her boss more than once, with ingenuity. Stark himself gets out of trouble with his brain. And Jeff Bridges manages to not ham it up as Obidah, Stark's business partner, he restrains himself and delivers a layered and somewhat interesting performance.
It is an action movie though. If you don't like superhero action flicks, you won't like this film. If you don't like stories about womanizing playboys who have epiphanies and want to help mankind? You won't like this movie.
I happen to love these things, so I adored it. Found the whole experience sort of cathartic. It had a very anti-war vibe, which I appreciated. And it was about solving a problem. Also, and most importantly, it had Robert Downey Jr as the lead...and that's never a bad thing. ;-)
If you do decide to see the flick - stay through the credits. There's a little treat after they are over that you'll kick yourself for missing.
That said, I have entertained myself this weekend, sporadically.
Saw the flick Iron Man finally. This may be the best superhero action flick that I have seen in a long time. The only other one that comes close is possibly the first Superman.
One caveat - this is not a movie for children. It is not Fantastic Four, although I wouldn't take children to that one either - but this one is more like Batman Begins, it contains adult themes and situations that are inappropriate for anyone below the age of 16. There is one scene in which the lead character is being tortured, while another depicts the potential torture of a co-prisoner. The comic itself is not for children - the story is after-all about an industrialist and weapons manufacturer, who gets injured by one of his own weapons while visiting a war zone, is subsequently captured, tortured, and escapes by building an iron man suit. I don't see anything in that storyline that should be shown to a child. I only state this because I saw toddlers in the movie theater.
The film appears to be very close to the Marvel comic book, they just update it, much like they did with Spiderman, except I think this is actually closer to the original story than both the film versions of X-Men, Dare Devil, Fantastic Four and Spiderman were.
What I liked about it -was the script, direction, and action - which were impressive. I've gotten used to busy superhero flicks like Spiderman and X-men. This movie wasn't busy. It focused on Stark, played perfectly by Robert Downey Jr. - who is amongst the few actors out there that I'd pay to watch reading the phone book. I think I've seen most of his films, including the horrible ones such as Air America. It was a stroke of genius to cast Downey Jr in this role. Paltrow, Bridges, and Terrence Howard are also superb choices. But, if the script had not been up to snuff - the movie would not have worked. The dialogue is funny. Pepper Potts, Stark's trusted personal assistant, unlike most female heroines in these films -actually is given something to do and does not play the damsel in distress. She saves her boss more than once, with ingenuity. Stark himself gets out of trouble with his brain. And Jeff Bridges manages to not ham it up as Obidah, Stark's business partner, he restrains himself and delivers a layered and somewhat interesting performance.
It is an action movie though. If you don't like superhero action flicks, you won't like this film. If you don't like stories about womanizing playboys who have epiphanies and want to help mankind? You won't like this movie.
I happen to love these things, so I adored it. Found the whole experience sort of cathartic. It had a very anti-war vibe, which I appreciated. And it was about solving a problem. Also, and most importantly, it had Robert Downey Jr as the lead...and that's never a bad thing. ;-)
If you do decide to see the flick - stay through the credits. There's a little treat after they are over that you'll kick yourself for missing.
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no subject
Date: 2008-05-12 12:00 am (UTC)I have to confess that I have my doubts too, did you see the previews for the Hulk? Ed Norton is a wonderful actor, but the big green Hulk was way too cartoony for my taste, I didn't think it was a movie I could sit through except on DVD (I only go to the theater if I really think it will be good, because otherwise I just wish I could fast forward the whole time, besides regretting the expense).
But I heard that the second Ironman movie was just green lit and they definitely have Downey & Paltrow signed for three films, so maybe that sequel isn't totally dependent upon the others...
no subject
Date: 2008-05-12 12:34 am (UTC)And oh, yeah, it was green lit.
I don't know about the Hulk. I saw the first movie - which my brother adored (he's the only person I know who loved that movie, he also love the Titantic - he likes cool visuals, comes from being a graphic artist/film school student, I think), I thought the first one was cheesy as hell. This one? eh. The Hulk is always going to look a bit cartoony, hard not too..depends on how cartoony.
But I tend to agree - movies are far too expensive to go to nowadays, without being somewhat picky. I'm sooo glad I waited to rent the third Pirates film, I fastforwarded through so much of it. And I did the same thing with Fantastic Four. Wish I'd done that with the Transformers (worse action film next to Superman Quest for Peace, which was a smidgen worse).
I've learned to trust my online flist reviewers for these flicks. Everyone online who'd seen Iron Man - loved it. Didn't see one bad review online.
The flicks I'm looking forward to that were previewed are: Indy IV (yes, I know, but it really look entertaining), Mamma Mia (Pierce Bronsan in a musical with Meryl Streep! And ABBA songs! And Christine Briniski! LOL!),
Narnia - Prince Caspian (although it is disturbing that a children's fantasy flick is this violent, but whatever, I'm not a kid and I'm not taking one to it).
I'll probably skip M. Night Shalyaman's The Happening - too creepy. Although I do like the filmmaker's work. And most likely will skip, Adam Sandler and Mike Myer's latest, although Sandler's trailer made me laugh. Myer's made me cringe - I have no idea why I find one politically incorrect humor funny and the other cringeworthy...
no subject
Date: 2008-05-12 05:30 am (UTC)Actually I loved everyone in Ironman, right from the very beginning, you could tell how good the director was from the way he immediately got me invested in all the young GIs who were all killed when Stark was kidnapped. It was very intense and a great way to raise the stakes right away.
I'm looking forward to Narnia, and I'll probably go see the Indiana Jones film for old times sake... I wasn't impressed with the previews for Shalyaman's 'The Happening', so I probably won't see that in the theater. I am influenced by friends online, if they seem to be enjoying something then I'll try harder to get out to see it too.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-12 11:36 pm (UTC)Everyone was good. The direction? fantastic, best I've seen in this sort of genre in a while. Curious to see if Christopher Nolan does quite as well with Dark Knight.
Eh, movies are too expensive now for me to go see them without quite a bit of prompting. Iron Man's the first I've seen in a theater since...Juno way back in Januaray (and I really wish I waited to rent that one - so not worth the eleven bucks I paid for it).
Iron MAn which cost 10.47 was worth it.
Agree - wasn't all that impressed with Shalyaman's The Happening either - it reminded me too much of a Stephen King horror film or Signs, both of which I've seen too many times now.