Summer is here. And while that means scorching heat, humidity enough to bathe in, bad moods, worse allergies and an assortment of virals where I come from, it has special significance in that place called Hollywood...
Summer is when the stars come out to play... Superheroes jostle arch enemies (and ALWAYS win)... Blockbusters create history by breaking records created by prior blockbusters... A small budget film comes along out of nowhere and creates its own little record of sorts... Basically, the studios make the moolah!
Do I sound like I’m cynical about the whole thing? Well, I guess I am in a way, because people (or creatures as I like to call them) like Megan Fox become stars for no apparent reason except for their potty mouth’s and ‘I dress like a stripper because I want to’ act, thanks to a Spielberg movie that would create records with or without them in it... But sometimes that one exception comes along which makes it all OK.
Anyone reading this (and I know you are out there) would think this was another Harry Potter tribute... But it isn’t. This is about Iron Man... And now, Iron Man 2!
Actually, I guess it is a tribute to Jon Favreau. And of course, the great great Robert Downey, Jr.
I saw Iron Man 2 a little over 12 hours ago. And it rocks! It’s got enough star power to create a mini galaxy, with the likes of the delectable Sam Rockwell and the brooding Mickey Rourke as the baddies combating the amazing amazing Downey, Jr.
I always thought Rockwell hadn’t got his due, or hadn’t done enough, after a memorable ‘Charlie’s Angels’ performance and some praiseworthy work in ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind’. He’s hilarious as the unoriginal, unabashed and ever-bullshitting ‘Justin Hammer’, the wannabe alter ego of the businessman ‘Tony Stark’.
Mickey Rourke has carved a bit of a niche for himself, what with the comeback and all that Oscar glory, and he doesn’t disappoint! ‘You lose...’ he states flatly, as numerous Iron Man clones light up around him waiting to explode... Classic Hollywood! And the accent adds the perfect touch...
Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, all add to the roster and do their cute small bits. Being a non-comic book junkie, I had to ‘wiki’ The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D, Black Widow and Nick Fury to understand their context in the movie, but I’m guessing most American audiences won’t have a problem with that. Adds to the fun, I say! Gwyneth Paltrow though is a little jaded, and I wish the kissing scene between her and Downey, Jr. was slightly more exciting...
And now comes my favorite part, the praise for Robert Downey, Jr... He really struck a chord with me years ago when I watched him court Marissa Tomei in ‘Only You’... Man, can that guy make making out look yummy on screen!!! Uhmm... OK, I’m digressing...
Anyways... I have to say that the sequel doesn’t give him the opportunity to shine the way he did in the first movie... Even so, WOW! He’s witty, sad, adorable and infuriating... Not to mention, arrogant, brash and super cool! He just gets it right every time... Watch the movie for him and the rest will be a throw in. And did I mention he was amazing???
And as for Jon Favreau... He hasn’t surpassed the original, which was several notches above most Hollywood superhero films in general, but he manages to create something that definitely is ‘up there’ with the memorable ones. And don’t miss him being adorably self-deprecating in a scene as Stark’s chauffeur who kicks a guy’s ass, only to look up and notice that Scarlett has got about a dozen of them down in the meantime... Plus, its just hilarious when the director of a movie looks at a female star in costume and asks ‘What are you wearing???’
Tongue in cheek humour, a fab star cast, and the ever dependable and wonderful leading man make this a sweeeeet weekend fest... As the Chick’s on Flicks would say, ‘Catch it’! And while you are at it, rent a couple of Downey, Jr. movies and catch Iron Man on HBO...
Summer is when the stars come out to play... Superheroes jostle arch enemies (and ALWAYS win)... Blockbusters create history by breaking records created by prior blockbusters... A small budget film comes along out of nowhere and creates its own little record of sorts... Basically, the studios make the moolah!
Do I sound like I’m cynical about the whole thing? Well, I guess I am in a way, because people (or creatures as I like to call them) like Megan Fox become stars for no apparent reason except for their potty mouth’s and ‘I dress like a stripper because I want to’ act, thanks to a Spielberg movie that would create records with or without them in it... But sometimes that one exception comes along which makes it all OK.
Anyone reading this (and I know you are out there) would think this was another Harry Potter tribute... But it isn’t. This is about Iron Man... And now, Iron Man 2!
Actually, I guess it is a tribute to Jon Favreau. And of course, the great great Robert Downey, Jr.
I saw Iron Man 2 a little over 12 hours ago. And it rocks! It’s got enough star power to create a mini galaxy, with the likes of the delectable Sam Rockwell and the brooding Mickey Rourke as the baddies combating the amazing amazing Downey, Jr.
I always thought Rockwell hadn’t got his due, or hadn’t done enough, after a memorable ‘Charlie’s Angels’ performance and some praiseworthy work in ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind’. He’s hilarious as the unoriginal, unabashed and ever-bullshitting ‘Justin Hammer’, the wannabe alter ego of the businessman ‘Tony Stark’.
Mickey Rourke has carved a bit of a niche for himself, what with the comeback and all that Oscar glory, and he doesn’t disappoint! ‘You lose...’ he states flatly, as numerous Iron Man clones light up around him waiting to explode... Classic Hollywood! And the accent adds the perfect touch...
Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, all add to the roster and do their cute small bits. Being a non-comic book junkie, I had to ‘wiki’ The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D, Black Widow and Nick Fury to understand their context in the movie, but I’m guessing most American audiences won’t have a problem with that. Adds to the fun, I say! Gwyneth Paltrow though is a little jaded, and I wish the kissing scene between her and Downey, Jr. was slightly more exciting...
And now comes my favorite part, the praise for Robert Downey, Jr... He really struck a chord with me years ago when I watched him court Marissa Tomei in ‘Only You’... Man, can that guy make making out look yummy on screen!!! Uhmm... OK, I’m digressing...
Anyways... I have to say that the sequel doesn’t give him the opportunity to shine the way he did in the first movie... Even so, WOW! He’s witty, sad, adorable and infuriating... Not to mention, arrogant, brash and super cool! He just gets it right every time... Watch the movie for him and the rest will be a throw in. And did I mention he was amazing???
And as for Jon Favreau... He hasn’t surpassed the original, which was several notches above most Hollywood superhero films in general, but he manages to create something that definitely is ‘up there’ with the memorable ones. And don’t miss him being adorably self-deprecating in a scene as Stark’s chauffeur who kicks a guy’s ass, only to look up and notice that Scarlett has got about a dozen of them down in the meantime... Plus, its just hilarious when the director of a movie looks at a female star in costume and asks ‘What are you wearing???’
Tongue in cheek humour, a fab star cast, and the ever dependable and wonderful leading man make this a sweeeeet weekend fest... As the Chick’s on Flicks would say, ‘Catch it’! And while you are at it, rent a couple of Downey, Jr. movies and catch Iron Man on HBO...
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