Thursday, May 01, 2008

Summer starts early with "Iron Man" tonight!

If you don't care at all about "Iron Man," which opens tonight, than please accept my sincere apology; with my 10:30 tonight ticket in hand, it's all that's on my mind right now, so you'll just have to deal with it.

Besides, blockbuster summer starts today, so what else would there be to talk about? Well, The Coens just a bit later, but in a shameless plug for "Iron Man" (as if it needs it), here's why I'm sure it will just kick all kinds of ass:

Casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark was the perfect move for starters, because the best superheroes always come the most flawed kinds of human beings. Call him an "anti-hero" if you have to, but he should just be fun to watch. Add to that Gwyneth Paltrow (remember her?) as his loyal assistant, Pepper Potts, Terrence Howard as fighter pilot Jim Rhodes and finally Jeff Bridges as industrialist-turned-really-evil-dude Obadiah Stane, and you've definitely got my attention (and my $8.)

Plus, as everyone probably sort of knows already, Iron Man isn't just some hero who cries a lot because he was bitten by a radioactive spider (man, did "Spider-Man 3" just suck). He made his suit of iron, with the help of fellow prisoner Yin Sen, after receiving a piece of shrapnel in his heart behind enemy lines. Maybe it's just me, but I'd much rather have a self-made badass than an accidental one any day.

And finally, because it simply has to. Let's face it, and I know I've said it here plenty of times before, but most of the movies so far this year have been pretty darn bad. Kicking off the summer is a big burden, but all reports have it so far that director Jon Favreau and his co-horts have delivered just the right kind of spectacle. Here's hoping I find out so - and that they play the new "Dark Knight" trailer too - tonight.

And now, in closing, here's a first look of sorts at the the Coen brothers' "Burn After Reading," one of the flicks I'm definitely jazzed for for the end of the year. The CIA comedy starring Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, George Clooney and an apparently manic John Malkovich is set to kick off the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 27 before playing everywhere a bit later, and here, courtesy of FirstShowing.net, are four stills from the flick. Enjoy, and please feel free to check back tomorrow for my opinion about "Iron Man." Peace out.




6 comments:

Unknown said...

Looking forward to your review!

I too am excited about this one - although the new "Batman" is probably my most looked forward to movie at the moment as I thing Heath Ledger's Joker will be something really special. While I like Robert Downey Junior he's been in so many films, with rather a lot of his overly familiar mannerisms and speech, that I'm not sure I'm ever going to buy into him as Tony Stark. Ledger, on the other hand, has a chameleon-like quality that means he can be pretty much anyone he wants to be.

Reel Fanatic said...

I'm definitely with you on "The Dark Knight," Ian .. There isn't any movie I'm looking forward to more this summer, both for Ledger's performance and because Christopher Nolan just keeps getting better and better as a director

Jim Marquis said...

Man, you're spot on about this having been a dog movie year so far. It seems like even the previews are boring.

My favorite flick so far this year would probably be "Smart People" with Dennis Quaid and Thomas Haden Church. Lots of nice moments.

I'm really looking forward to Iron Man and The Happening too.

Reel Fanatic said...

I was sure I would go see anything with Ellen Page in it, J Marquis, but the previews and reviews for "Smart People" just looked so boring that I skipped it ... With your recommendation, I'll definitely give it a second chance on DVD (since it leaves our multiplexes after tonight) .. and I'm really hoping that M. Night comes back with a winner "The happening" too

Terence Towles Canote said...

I am definitely seeing Iron Man this weekend. Besides reading the comic books as a kid, my best friend and I were talking about how in some ways Iron Man is a more interesting character than Spider-Man. Let's face it, once Spidey got out of his awkward teenager stage, he was just another superhero. But Iron Man was a guy with problems. Tony Stark could die at any moment because of the metal lodged near his heart. He is a an alcoholic. And he's the billionaire head of a a weapons company. There's a lot there to work with.

And I have to say, I hope I get to see The Dark Knight trailer this weekend too!

Chalupa said...

I got to see Iron Man at 8:00 last night. It was pretty awesome. I think Obadiah Stane is the best comic book movie villain I've seen and the best villain I've seen so far in 2008.