Agent Coulson: Good luck! We need you!
Tony Stark: More than you know.
Agent Coulson: Not that much!
Showing posts with label Iron Man. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iron Man. Show all posts
Friday, December 3, 2010
Iron Man 2
Agent Coulson: Good luck! We need you!
Tony Stark: More than you know.
Agent Coulson: Not that much!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Iron Man
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Iron Man 2
I love this movie. I love Robert Downey Jr. I love Jon Favreau. I think this film is an amazing follow-up to the original, and I am excited to see where Marvel goes from here.
Soon I will be getting my Joss Whedon fix in the form of The Avengers. Can’t wait.
Tony Stark: My bond is with the people, and I will serve this great nation at the pleasure of myself. If there's one thing I've proven it's that you can count on me to pleasure myself.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Iron Man 2
For those of you counting, this would be my third review of Iron Man 2. Even though I say the movie three times in three days I decided it would be best to space out the reviews so not to bore you. This time I’d like to talk about Scarlett Johansson.
A few years ago Ms. Johansson started to annoy me. I thought she was good actress, but she was falling into that typical trap of the young Hollywood sexpot – she was playing the same character in every movie. She’d show up in films as the hot young thing, that usually fell for the married man or man that was really bad for her, plenty of skin would be shown, her character would be pretensions and pretty girl vapid behavior wrapped into an “original” seeming character and at the end of the movie she’d usually end up scorned by love and worse off. It got old.
You can see why I was a bit worried when she was cast as Black Widow in Iron Man 2. I didn’t want to see yet another role where Johansson would seduce a man, then be left burnt. Thank God that didn’t happen. For the first time in years, I feel like Johansson had a somewhat original and fun character, and as an added bonus she kicked enough butt to make Sydney Bristow proud. If the trailer is any indication, there are probably a few things deleted from the film with her, that make her perhaps a more sultry character but the point is that they didn’t make it into the film – as such they are not a part of her final character. Amen. Great directing choice.
I am aching to see this film again, so you will probably be getting more reviews before Iron Man 2 leaves the theatre. Sorry. It’s just how I role. With each film and viewing I am becoming a bigger Favreau fan, and I think he’s a great dude to model my career after. I have to say the next film I am getting more and more excited about would have to be Cowboys & Aliens and I know that’s because of Favreau…
Tony: Who is she?
Pepper: She is from legal and she is potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that.
A few years ago Ms. Johansson started to annoy me. I thought she was good actress, but she was falling into that typical trap of the young Hollywood sexpot – she was playing the same character in every movie. She’d show up in films as the hot young thing, that usually fell for the married man or man that was really bad for her, plenty of skin would be shown, her character would be pretensions and pretty girl vapid behavior wrapped into an “original” seeming character and at the end of the movie she’d usually end up scorned by love and worse off. It got old.
You can see why I was a bit worried when she was cast as Black Widow in Iron Man 2. I didn’t want to see yet another role where Johansson would seduce a man, then be left burnt. Thank God that didn’t happen. For the first time in years, I feel like Johansson had a somewhat original and fun character, and as an added bonus she kicked enough butt to make Sydney Bristow proud. If the trailer is any indication, there are probably a few things deleted from the film with her, that make her perhaps a more sultry character but the point is that they didn’t make it into the film – as such they are not a part of her final character. Amen. Great directing choice.
I am aching to see this film again, so you will probably be getting more reviews before Iron Man 2 leaves the theatre. Sorry. It’s just how I role. With each film and viewing I am becoming a bigger Favreau fan, and I think he’s a great dude to model my career after. I have to say the next film I am getting more and more excited about would have to be Cowboys & Aliens and I know that’s because of Favreau…
Tony: Who is she?
Pepper: She is from legal and she is potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Iron Man
As I stated before, I was able to take part in the promotion Paramount did for the release of Iron Man 2 and see a double feature – watching Iron Man before experiencing the new adventures of Tony Stark.
What I love so much about Iron Man - the first and second, is Tony Stark. I remember reading an interview with Jon Favreau where he talked about Stark; he realizes that unlike Superman or Batman, what has made Iron Man such an enduring character and book for years isn’t that he has a great villain like Joker or Lex Luthor, it’s the man – Tony Stark himself. All of the best known Iron Man series have been the ones where the story centers more around Tony’s own troubles than his villains (Demon in a Bottle) – Jon Favreau makes this translate so well on screen and that is what makes Iron Man so incredible a character piece, and vehicle for Robert Downey Jr.
I was afraid going into Iron Man 2 that somehow it would dampen my enthusiasm of the first installment (think The Matrix and it’s sequels, I have to ignore their existence to enjoy the original), but thankfully this did not happen. I’ve gotta give Superman the Favreau treatment one day…
What I love so much about Iron Man - the first and second, is Tony Stark. I remember reading an interview with Jon Favreau where he talked about Stark; he realizes that unlike Superman or Batman, what has made Iron Man such an enduring character and book for years isn’t that he has a great villain like Joker or Lex Luthor, it’s the man – Tony Stark himself. All of the best known Iron Man series have been the ones where the story centers more around Tony’s own troubles than his villains (Demon in a Bottle) – Jon Favreau makes this translate so well on screen and that is what makes Iron Man so incredible a character piece, and vehicle for Robert Downey Jr.
I was afraid going into Iron Man 2 that somehow it would dampen my enthusiasm of the first installment (think The Matrix and it’s sequels, I have to ignore their existence to enjoy the original), but thankfully this did not happen. I’ve gotta give Superman the Favreau treatment one day…
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Iron Man 2
As promise I saw Iron Man 2 a lot this weekend. I like to see movies multiple times, at least good ones.
I honestly think Iron Man 2 improves on repeat viewings. The first film is pretty simple in terms of plot – Tony Stark is captured in Afghanistan, has a change of heart about his life, creates Iron Man & comes home to skeptics while still trying to save the day. Iron Man 2 becomes much more complex.
In this film Tony isn’t recovering from PTSD, he’s suffering from something else entirely – his ego. Tony is no longer just a billionaire playboy, he’s internationally famous for being Iron Man and his ego can’t be checked by any of his friends. Pepper is trying to run Stark Industries, but all she does is put out Iron Man’s media fires, and Rhodes is feeling the pain of being part of the military until that wants nothing more than to pry the Iron Man technology from Tony for use in the military. As if those character archs weren’t enough you have Justin Hammer, a business rival to Tony that is trying to take his place in the the government arms race and Ivan Vanko who places all of his families misfortune on Tony. Then there’s SHIELD who is torn between recruiting Tony for the Avenger Initiative and keeping a close eye on his reckless behavior.
Nick Fury finally gets a decent amount of screen time in this film and I am already loving Samuel L. Jackson’s turn as the head Avenger. If it’s possible for a man to be sassy and masculine, I’d say that word fits Nick Fury. He is a dangerous man with attitude and Jackson holds his own nicely against Downey.
The film goes out of IMAX soon, so I am debating seeing Iron Man 2 a fourth time within the next week…
I honestly think Iron Man 2 improves on repeat viewings. The first film is pretty simple in terms of plot – Tony Stark is captured in Afghanistan, has a change of heart about his life, creates Iron Man & comes home to skeptics while still trying to save the day. Iron Man 2 becomes much more complex.
In this film Tony isn’t recovering from PTSD, he’s suffering from something else entirely – his ego. Tony is no longer just a billionaire playboy, he’s internationally famous for being Iron Man and his ego can’t be checked by any of his friends. Pepper is trying to run Stark Industries, but all she does is put out Iron Man’s media fires, and Rhodes is feeling the pain of being part of the military until that wants nothing more than to pry the Iron Man technology from Tony for use in the military. As if those character archs weren’t enough you have Justin Hammer, a business rival to Tony that is trying to take his place in the the government arms race and Ivan Vanko who places all of his families misfortune on Tony. Then there’s SHIELD who is torn between recruiting Tony for the Avenger Initiative and keeping a close eye on his reckless behavior.
Nick Fury finally gets a decent amount of screen time in this film and I am already loving Samuel L. Jackson’s turn as the head Avenger. If it’s possible for a man to be sassy and masculine, I’d say that word fits Nick Fury. He is a dangerous man with attitude and Jackson holds his own nicely against Downey.
The film goes out of IMAX soon, so I am debating seeing Iron Man 2 a fourth time within the next week…
Friday, May 7, 2010
Iron Man 2
Six months after Tony Stark revealed his alter ego to the world, he is more famous and more alone than ever. His party-boy lifestyle enhanced by his new fame, Tony finds little time for the running of Stark Industries and turns the empire over to Pepper, and takes on a new assistant named Natalie. However, this new level of fame comes with consequences – the government wants to take the Iron Man weapon away, Rhoadie is pulled between friend & country, rival Justin Hammer is the new government weapons man and an old secret from the Stark family past surfaces in the form of Ivan Vanko. Vanko is set on proving Tony Stark is a fraud and invents a rival technology and alter ego bent on destroying Iron Man & Tony Stark.
Jon Favreau has done it. He’s proven that he and his franchise have the stuff; he’s turned out a quality movie that isn’t just a great sequel to a fantastic first part, but it’s a great movie on its own. Iron Man 2 is a sequel that lives up to its original and helps to make what we love about that world even better than it was before.
One of the elements that makes Iron Man 2 such a spectacular film is that while being a summer blockbuster, and an action film Favreau and writer Justin Theroux managed to remember that the effects and action are meaningless unless there is a story behind all of it. There is a story in Iron Man 2, a great one and what makes it great it exactly what made Iron Man great – it’s story about a flawed man that decides to do better.
Tony Stark is and always will be an amazing character, and in Iron Man 2 Stark ends up on a free fall, rushing towards rock bottom as he deals with fame, life and the monster in himself. Stark has the entire world at his fingertips and yet he is living completely out of control, drunk on power and fame. Robert Downey Jr. again takes a powerful turn as Stark and lends the role great gravitas, centering Tony’s arch which is one that is eerily similar to a spiral he was on earlier in his life.
Don Cheedle is also notable as Col. Rhodes and had one of the hardest parts in the film as he took the role over from the ousted Terrence Howard. However, by the end of Cheedle’s first scene you will forget Howard completely and be glad for the grounded air Cheedle gives Rhodes and his relationship torn between his country and Stark.
Perhaps what is the most comforting about Iron Man 2 is the obvious care shown throughout the film to create the Marvel Universe. This is a film about Tony Stark, but woven throughout the film are subtle hints that perhaps there are other things going on there as well, things that Nick Fury & SHIELD aren’t telling Stark or any of us.
This is a movie that will be seen multiple times by most audience members, and I urge you that when you go, especially if you are a fan of the Marvel Universe – stay until the end of the credits.
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Justin Threoux
Tony Stark: Robert Downey Jr.
Rhodey: Don Cheedle
Natalie Rushman: Scarlett Johansson
Pepper: Gwyneth Paltrow
Ivan Vanko: Mickey Rourke
Nick Fury: Samuel L. Jackson
Agent Coulson: Clark Gregg
Howard Stark: John Slattery
Happy Hogan: Jon Favreau
Jarvis: Paul Bettany
Ivan Vanko: If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him. There will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come. All I have to do is sit here and watch, as the world will consume you.
Jon Favreau has done it. He’s proven that he and his franchise have the stuff; he’s turned out a quality movie that isn’t just a great sequel to a fantastic first part, but it’s a great movie on its own. Iron Man 2 is a sequel that lives up to its original and helps to make what we love about that world even better than it was before.
One of the elements that makes Iron Man 2 such a spectacular film is that while being a summer blockbuster, and an action film Favreau and writer Justin Theroux managed to remember that the effects and action are meaningless unless there is a story behind all of it. There is a story in Iron Man 2, a great one and what makes it great it exactly what made Iron Man great – it’s story about a flawed man that decides to do better.
Tony Stark is and always will be an amazing character, and in Iron Man 2 Stark ends up on a free fall, rushing towards rock bottom as he deals with fame, life and the monster in himself. Stark has the entire world at his fingertips and yet he is living completely out of control, drunk on power and fame. Robert Downey Jr. again takes a powerful turn as Stark and lends the role great gravitas, centering Tony’s arch which is one that is eerily similar to a spiral he was on earlier in his life.
Don Cheedle is also notable as Col. Rhodes and had one of the hardest parts in the film as he took the role over from the ousted Terrence Howard. However, by the end of Cheedle’s first scene you will forget Howard completely and be glad for the grounded air Cheedle gives Rhodes and his relationship torn between his country and Stark.
Perhaps what is the most comforting about Iron Man 2 is the obvious care shown throughout the film to create the Marvel Universe. This is a film about Tony Stark, but woven throughout the film are subtle hints that perhaps there are other things going on there as well, things that Nick Fury & SHIELD aren’t telling Stark or any of us.
This is a movie that will be seen multiple times by most audience members, and I urge you that when you go, especially if you are a fan of the Marvel Universe – stay until the end of the credits.
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Justin Threoux
Tony Stark: Robert Downey Jr.
Rhodey: Don Cheedle
Natalie Rushman: Scarlett Johansson
Pepper: Gwyneth Paltrow
Ivan Vanko: Mickey Rourke
Nick Fury: Samuel L. Jackson
Agent Coulson: Clark Gregg
Howard Stark: John Slattery
Happy Hogan: Jon Favreau
Jarvis: Paul Bettany
Ivan Vanko: If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him. There will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come. All I have to do is sit here and watch, as the world will consume you.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Iron Man
That’s right. The day has come.
I am seeing Iron Man 2 at midnight, and in a special stroke of brilliance Paramount is playing Iron Man at select theatres at 9 pm so you can see both.
The best double feature since GrindHouse.
Of course this didn’t keep me from watching it again on my own last week. I love this movie and I am far too excited about being invited back into Tony Starks world.
Pepper: Agent Couslon, I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help.
Agent Coulson: That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us.
Pepper: From the Strategic Homeland...
Agent Coulson: Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.
I am seeing Iron Man 2 at midnight, and in a special stroke of brilliance Paramount is playing Iron Man at select theatres at 9 pm so you can see both.
The best double feature since GrindHouse.
Of course this didn’t keep me from watching it again on my own last week. I love this movie and I am far too excited about being invited back into Tony Starks world.
Pepper: Agent Couslon, I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help.
Agent Coulson: That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us.
Pepper: From the Strategic Homeland...
Agent Coulson: Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Iron Man
Tony sees the post-it labeled “from Pepper” and removes it from the package to which it’s attached. Curious he rips off the brown paper and lifts up the glas display case to inspect the Mark I chest piece Pepper has had professionally displayed. A smile flashes across Tony’s face as he reads the inscription around the chest piece – “Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart”.This scene comes around the middle of Iron Man and if you’ve seen the film you’re familiar with it. As I view Jon Favreau’s film I love the story of Tony Stark more and more because he’s a character that not only develops a conscious, but he develops a heart – a heart for the people that are hurting and a world that he thinks he’s helped be the cause of. In several significant scenes, like the one I described above, Favreau and writers actually wrote this directly into the film and slowly but surely the chest piece becomes not the power generator helping to keep Tony alive, but symbolic of his heart.
I’ve probably lost a lot of people that didn’t enjoy breaking down literature in class, or didn’t go to film school. Bear with me, I can prove it I promise. Hades, if I was still in school I could write an entire paper on the symbology of the chest piece and get a few pages out of it but this blog will not be that long or detailed.
If you want more examples why I think the chest piece is the heart of Tony Stark I can point you right back to more scenes in Iron Man. We can start with early in the film when he’s being held captive by the Ten Rings. Yensin has made a primitive form of the chest piece, hooked up to a car battery; Tony is hopeless and his world is being shattered and Yensin is literally trying to pour into Tony some of his hope and beliefs, but it’s borrowed from Yensin and Tony isn’t grasping the possibility of hope as he drags around that clunky battery. However, when Yensin finally breaks through to Tony, finally convinces him that he has a chance and can fight, that’s the first time Tony sees a chance to change what these terrorists are doing in his name, and he responds by building the Mark I chest piece and replacing Yensin’s battery with something he has created – the sparks of a plan, the start of hope.
The only other scene I’ll bring up here is a scene near the end of the film, when Tony is attacked and his Mark III chest piece is stolen, literally ripped out of his chest. This sends Tony into a spiral because not only will this removal physically disable him, but he finally learns the identity and true nature of his enemy and this emotionally cripples him as well. In order to bounce back from this “broken heart” Tony has to push past it and remember his original mission to do more good than harm and protect the people, and he literally has to retrieve the Mark I chest piece in order to save the day.
One of the reasons I love Iron Man is that it’s a movie that’s not just a summber blockbuster, or a big budget popcorn flick. This is a film that tool the time to be well rounded in all areas, the most important of which is to make sure they had a good story and a character as dynamic and interesting as his existing fans know he is and new fans would want him to be.
Iron Man is one of my favorite films of the last decade and I again implore you to see it if you have been living in a bubble and missed it.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Iron Man
I don’t get tired of talking about movies I love; when a movie resonates with you it deserves to be loved and praised and hopefully you can make others watch it. I am hoping that people love Iron Man as much as I do and that at some point through the course of my raving about it through this blog that perhaps if you hadn’t seen it, you went out and saw it.
Part of why the story of Iron Man resonates with me so much is that it hits all the story points I love. You have a flawed character, one that has all the potential in him to be so much more, an insurmountable obstacle that pops up, and the character learns the error of his ways and finds a way to redeem and conquer. When you combine that kind of story with the visuals and heart of Iron Man it’s no wonder I fell in love. This is the kind of movie magic that I fell for as a child, the kind that makes me want to make movies.
I have never been a Marvel girl per say, I was born and raised on the heroes of DC, but with the exception of the Nolan Batman films Marvel is definitely winning the movie war.
Christine Everheart: You've been called the Da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?
Tony Stark: Absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint.
Christine Everheart: And what do you say to your other nickname, the Merchant of Death?
Tony Stark: That's not bad.
Part of why the story of Iron Man resonates with me so much is that it hits all the story points I love. You have a flawed character, one that has all the potential in him to be so much more, an insurmountable obstacle that pops up, and the character learns the error of his ways and finds a way to redeem and conquer. When you combine that kind of story with the visuals and heart of Iron Man it’s no wonder I fell in love. This is the kind of movie magic that I fell for as a child, the kind that makes me want to make movies.
I have never been a Marvel girl per say, I was born and raised on the heroes of DC, but with the exception of the Nolan Batman films Marvel is definitely winning the movie war.
Christine Everheart: You've been called the Da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?
Tony Stark: Absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint.
Christine Everheart: And what do you say to your other nickname, the Merchant of Death?
Tony Stark: That's not bad.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Iron Man
Iron Man is one of those movies that I can throw into my DVD player no matter what mood I am in and I know I will enjoy it and be entertained. However, I sill haven’t seen Captain America’s shield in Tony’s workshop! If you know where it is please tell me!I know I watch this movie a lot, but I have to say that I don’t care. I really watch a lot of movies – as should be obvious to the people that read this blog. So it’s not like I watch this movie every night and am absolutely obsessed with it. This weekend alone I watched three movies in the theatre…so I guess what I am trying to say is that you just have to put up with it – I’m going to keep watch Iron Man.
Tony: I just want you to reach in, and you're just gonna gently lift the wire out.
Pepper: Is it safe?
Tony: Yeah, it should be fine. It's like Operation. You just don't let it touch the socket wall or it goes "beep."
Pepper: What do you mean, "Operation"?
Tony: It's just a game, never mind.
Monday, August 3, 2009
The Dark Knight
Every time I watch The Dark Knight it holds up. It is just as tense, thrilling and masterful as the first time. What I have to compliment Nolan and crew on most of all is how well they stayed to the mythos behind Bruce Wayne & the Joker while making the story their own. They spent the time alluding to enough of the comic book cannon that fans feel vindicated and honored rather than ignored; it’s something that only Christopher Nolan and Jon Favreau have done with the characters they’ve been given. No one has ever done this with Superman, and only slightly so with Spiderman, and a whole slew of other characters.
I hope Gary Oldman was not guessing at Comic-Con when he said the third film would begin filming next year. I want them to make a movie as great as the first two but I am quite anxious to see Bruce Wayne on screen again.
Harvey Dent: The famous Bruce Wayne. Rachel's told me everything about you.
Bruce Wayne: I certainly hope not.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Iron Man
Making a great film is like capturing lightning in a bottle, and I truly think Favreau & co. captured something with Iron Man. As great as many other comic book films are Favreau and his team managed to do what so few comic book films have – he captured the essence and story of the characters without being so literal that the non-geeks were bored.
While I am a geek, I am a prime example of the demographics they managed to snag – not only am I a female, but I am a DC girl not a Marvel one. I knew nothing about the Marvel-verse until Iron Man, since then I’ve become so interested in the characters that I’ve been learning about them and at Con I bought the Civil War trade paperback as I have an inclining that this might be where the Marvel movie franchise is going, plus the idea of the Super-hero registration act is pretty dang compelling.
I still hold that getting Iron Man 4-5 films into his career is a great thing for Jon favreau, and I would love to be in his position one day – just in the DC universe…
Agent Coulson: I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Pepper: That's quite a mouthful.
Agent Coulson: I know. We're working on it.
While I am a geek, I am a prime example of the demographics they managed to snag – not only am I a female, but I am a DC girl not a Marvel one. I knew nothing about the Marvel-verse until Iron Man, since then I’ve become so interested in the characters that I’ve been learning about them and at Con I bought the Civil War trade paperback as I have an inclining that this might be where the Marvel movie franchise is going, plus the idea of the Super-hero registration act is pretty dang compelling.
I still hold that getting Iron Man 4-5 films into his career is a great thing for Jon favreau, and I would love to be in his position one day – just in the DC universe…
Agent Coulson: I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Pepper: That's quite a mouthful.
Agent Coulson: I know. We're working on it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Iron Man
You have no idea how badly I have wanted to be on the set of Iron Man 2 and the fact that I have been able to keep tabs on the production through Jon Favreau’s Twitter hasn’t helped. I love Iron Man and watching it a few dozen times has not diminished the fact that I think it is one of the best films of 2008 and one of the best comic book movies to date.
I don’t think I have paid enough credit to Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts. Pepper is a fantastic modern girl Friday. When I was in high school Paltrow was what every popular girl tried to model herself as – feminine, trendy, chique, and classy. She was the ideal. I never really understood the appeal of Paltrow even though I respected her talent, but in Iron Man I finally saw something in her that I look for in all the female actors I admire – strength. Pepper is a character that is going to do what is right no matter what and be fiercely loyal to anyone that she cares about, and she gets the best one liners.
Iron Man 2 wraps on Friday and I am far too envious for my own good. I can’t wait to see what Favreau pulled together for us all come May 2010.
Tony: Where'd you get that dress?
Pepper: It was a birthday present... from you, actually.
Tony: I got great taste, don't I?
I don’t think I have paid enough credit to Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts. Pepper is a fantastic modern girl Friday. When I was in high school Paltrow was what every popular girl tried to model herself as – feminine, trendy, chique, and classy. She was the ideal. I never really understood the appeal of Paltrow even though I respected her talent, but in Iron Man I finally saw something in her that I look for in all the female actors I admire – strength. Pepper is a character that is going to do what is right no matter what and be fiercely loyal to anyone that she cares about, and she gets the best one liners.
Iron Man 2 wraps on Friday and I am far too envious for my own good. I can’t wait to see what Favreau pulled together for us all come May 2010.
Tony: Where'd you get that dress?
Pepper: It was a birthday present... from you, actually.
Tony: I got great taste, don't I?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Zathura
Young siblings Danny, Walter & Lisa are learning to cope with their newly divorced parents; like any typical teen Lisa is very self-involved and doesn’t want anything to do with her siblings or parents, but Danny & Walter are not coping with the divorce well. On a trip to Dad’s the boys vie for their father’s attention and this causes them to argue the whole time. When their dad has to leave for a meeting Danny tries everything he can to get Walter to pay attention to him and he finds Zathura, an ancient board game in the house. Danny starts the game and the house and the three siblings are pulled into a space adventure that cannot stop until they reach the end of the game.
I loved Jumanji when I was a teen and when Zathura hit the theatres I refused to see it because I couldn’t understand why the films were so similar – why make the movie twice. Little did I know that four years down the line I’d be a huge fan of Jon Favreau & Zathura would be on my list of films I had to see.
Zathura was the film Favreau directed right before getting Iron Man and I must say the film had to teach him a lot of the skills he needed for Iron Man. This is an effect driven picture with explosions, aliens, stunts and on top of that it’s a character driven piece. Favreau managed to take a film which should have been about the effects and make it a film about his characters, the same thing he did with Iron Man.
What had to be the toughest thing about this movie is the fact that all the lead characters are children; this puts so many restrictions on what you can and can’t do that it becomes a nightmare to shoot. On top of that a lot of child actors are difficult to work with. Watching Zathura you never see any of the difficulty. Perhaps this is because Favreau is an actor and a father so he could relate to the kids as actors, or perhaps he’s just that good.
Zathura pleasantly surprised me. I did not expect to enjoy the film, but was very glad to find that not only is it as good as Jumanji but it’s an enjoyable film in its own right.
Director: Jon Favreau
Writers: David Koepp & John Kamps
Danny: Jonah Bobo
Walter: Josh Hutcherson
Artronaut: Dax Shepard
Lisa: Kristen Stewart
Dad: Tim Robbins
Walter: Zathura. Attention space adventurers, Zathura awaits. Do you have what it takes to navigate the galaxy? It's not for the faint of heart, for once you embark upon your journey there's no turning back until Zathura's reached. Pieces reset at the end of each game. Play again and again for differnt adventures.
I loved Jumanji when I was a teen and when Zathura hit the theatres I refused to see it because I couldn’t understand why the films were so similar – why make the movie twice. Little did I know that four years down the line I’d be a huge fan of Jon Favreau & Zathura would be on my list of films I had to see.
Zathura was the film Favreau directed right before getting Iron Man and I must say the film had to teach him a lot of the skills he needed for Iron Man. This is an effect driven picture with explosions, aliens, stunts and on top of that it’s a character driven piece. Favreau managed to take a film which should have been about the effects and make it a film about his characters, the same thing he did with Iron Man.
What had to be the toughest thing about this movie is the fact that all the lead characters are children; this puts so many restrictions on what you can and can’t do that it becomes a nightmare to shoot. On top of that a lot of child actors are difficult to work with. Watching Zathura you never see any of the difficulty. Perhaps this is because Favreau is an actor and a father so he could relate to the kids as actors, or perhaps he’s just that good.
Zathura pleasantly surprised me. I did not expect to enjoy the film, but was very glad to find that not only is it as good as Jumanji but it’s an enjoyable film in its own right.
Director: Jon Favreau
Writers: David Koepp & John Kamps
Danny: Jonah Bobo
Walter: Josh Hutcherson
Artronaut: Dax Shepard
Lisa: Kristen Stewart
Dad: Tim Robbins
Walter: Zathura. Attention space adventurers, Zathura awaits. Do you have what it takes to navigate the galaxy? It's not for the faint of heart, for once you embark upon your journey there's no turning back until Zathura's reached. Pieces reset at the end of each game. Play again and again for differnt adventures.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
X-Men
X-Men is a tale everyone is pretty familiar with now. In a near future mutants have started to become a part of society and like any deviation from the standard this has begun to make the public uncomfortable; the mutants are viewed as “others” that cannot be controlled and are probably dangerous. The government is working to pass legislation that will force mutants to register, and this makes mutant leader Magneto and his minions take action against the public. The only ones who can stop them are the X-men, the students of another mutant Professor Charles Xavier.When X-Men was released it was truly the beginning of the contemporary comic book film. We would not have The Dark Knight, Spider Man, or Iron Man the way we have them now if it wasn’t for this film and the film is an excellent movie. That being said, X-Men is nowhere near the level of comic book movie that the fans expect nowadays it is not nearly faithful enough to the source material. I won’t bore you all with the details but the major issues are Rouge being a teen and the absence of mutants like Gambit & most importantly Beast.
What is great about this movie is Bryan Singer. Singer gets X-Men on top of being a fantastic director; many people have speculated that because Singer is an “other” himself he could identify with these characters. Singer himself has admitted that he doesn’t know or read comic books; this didn’t seem to be a problem when he directed his X-Men movies, but it did become a problem when he made Superman Returns.
Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Tom DeSanto
Wolderine: Hugh Jackman
Professor X: Patrick Stewart
Magneto: Ian McKellen
Jean Grey: Famke Janssen
Cyclops: James marsden
Storm: Halle Berry
Rogue: Anna Paquin
Dr. Jean Grey: Ladies and gentlemen, we are now seeing the beginnings of another stage of human evolution. These mutations manifest at puberty, and are often triggered by periods of heightened emotional stress.
Senator Kelly: Thank you, Miss Grey! That was-quite educational. However it fails to address the issue which is the focus of this hearing. Three words: are mutants dangerous
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Iron Man
Don’t kill me. Iron Man 2 starts shooting tomorrow and I’m jealous.I’m actually perusing the work of Jon Favreau, as an actor and a director. Let me tell you, the man is rapidly rising on my list of Hollywood celebrities that I completely respect. Why? He delivers.
There is a reason that Jon Favreau’s fourth directorial project was one of the biggest hits of last summer – Favreau is smart and he know’s what he’s doing. Iron Man is the perfect example of that.
Anyone that has avoided seeing the movie because it’s a “summer movie”, or “it’s gotten too much hype” just needs to get the DVD and experience what I’ve been raving about for almost a year now. While you won’t have the same adrenaline rush that the film provided on the big screen it will still completely and totally entertain you, and I can nearly guarantee you that you will begin to be a tad envious of Jon Favreau too.
Scientist: Sir, the technology doesn't exist. Honestly, it's impossible.
Obadiah Stane: Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!
Scientist Well, I'm sorry. I'm not Tony Stark.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Iron Man
Iron Man 2 is about to begin principal photography…and so I watched Iron Man again. When I watch Iron Man I kind of get the same feeling about Iron Man 2 that I got when I would think about what the sequal to Batman Begins would be – that I don’t think there is any way the second part of the franchise can be bad.
Jon Favreau put together an incredibly tight, thought out movie in Iron Man and if he commits as much to Iron Man 2 as he did to the first part then I’ll probably have another favorite movie on my hands in 2010.
Agent Phil Coulson: I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Virginia 'Pepper' Potts: That's quite a mouthful.
Agent Phil Coulson: I know. We're working on it.
Jon Favreau put together an incredibly tight, thought out movie in Iron Man and if he commits as much to Iron Man 2 as he did to the first part then I’ll probably have another favorite movie on my hands in 2010.
Agent Phil Coulson: I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Virginia 'Pepper' Potts: That's quite a mouthful.
Agent Phil Coulson: I know. We're working on it.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Defiance
The Oscar nominations are coming out tomorrow and though at one time I wanted Defiance to be on the list of nominees now that I have seen it I can safely say that the only nominations I truly would enjoy Defiance receiving are for Daniel Craig & Liev Schreiber. Not that Defiance is a bad movie, but in a year that had movies like Iron Man, Slumdog Millionaire, The Dark Knight & In Bruges a movie like Defiance has its flaws pointed out instead of ignored.
What is truly remarkable is the story of Defiance; it is about a group of Jews at the outbreak of Hitler’s Germany and genocide that manage to evade capture by the Nazi’s by creating a settlement in the forests of Belarussia. It begins with four brothers and near the end of the war has grown to over 1,200 Jewish refugees. There story is awe inspiring, perhaps only equal to the likes of Oskar Schindler.
What is wrong with Defiance is the fact that parts of the story seem to be missing – it is as if the director trusted his audience to put two & two together too often, or that there were merely scenes still on the editing room floor waiting to be inserted into the film. A prim example of this is the romance between Tuvia & Lilka; she comes to the otriad, throws Tuvia a few meaningful looks and suddenly an ancillary character informs Tuvia that everyone knows that Lilka is hands-off. While not a killing point to the film, the leaps in story telling that occur do make Defiance slightly less than it could have been.
Defiance is an entertaining movie, but not a great one. I do believe that perhaps the film might have been helped if it was released in summer instead of Oscar season, but perhaps I can hold out hope for Craig or Schreiber getting an Oscar nomination.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writers: Clayton Frohman & Edward Zwick
Tuvia Beilski: Daniel Craig
Zus Bielski: Liev Schreiber
Asael Bielski: Jamie Bell
Aron Bielski: George MacKay
Lilka Ticktin: Alexa Davalos
Gramov: How come it's so f---ing hard to like Jews?
Tuvia Bielski: Try being one.
What is truly remarkable is the story of Defiance; it is about a group of Jews at the outbreak of Hitler’s Germany and genocide that manage to evade capture by the Nazi’s by creating a settlement in the forests of Belarussia. It begins with four brothers and near the end of the war has grown to over 1,200 Jewish refugees. There story is awe inspiring, perhaps only equal to the likes of Oskar Schindler.
What is wrong with Defiance is the fact that parts of the story seem to be missing – it is as if the director trusted his audience to put two & two together too often, or that there were merely scenes still on the editing room floor waiting to be inserted into the film. A prim example of this is the romance between Tuvia & Lilka; she comes to the otriad, throws Tuvia a few meaningful looks and suddenly an ancillary character informs Tuvia that everyone knows that Lilka is hands-off. While not a killing point to the film, the leaps in story telling that occur do make Defiance slightly less than it could have been.
Defiance is an entertaining movie, but not a great one. I do believe that perhaps the film might have been helped if it was released in summer instead of Oscar season, but perhaps I can hold out hope for Craig or Schreiber getting an Oscar nomination.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writers: Clayton Frohman & Edward Zwick
Tuvia Beilski: Daniel Craig
Zus Bielski: Liev Schreiber
Asael Bielski: Jamie Bell
Aron Bielski: George MacKay
Lilka Ticktin: Alexa Davalos
Gramov: How come it's so f---ing hard to like Jews?
Tuvia Bielski: Try being one.
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