One of the summer's biggest movies is upon us, and boy does it do exactly what it intends to do.. perfectly. As a self-professed Marvel nerd, I can say that this movie does exactly what it needs to do, and does it splendidly. It follows up to the hugely successful first installment of the Iron Man franchise while simultaneously expanding the growing Marvel Universe. (Thor comes out May 2011, followed by Captain America in July 2011 and the Avengers and Iron Man 3 in 2012) The goal of Marvel movie studios is to have these films work together to create a comprehensive universe where events impact across the board and characters interact and are aware of one another. This is an ambitious undertaking, and nothing quite like it has ever been done before. The undertaking is in capable hands. Robert Downey, Jr. is immaculate as Tony Stark, Marvel's resident genius, billionaire playboy and titular armored hero. Gwyneth Paltrow returns as Tony's assistant turned CEO of Stark Industries and sometimes love interest Pepper Potts. Mickey Rourke steps onto the scene as Ivan Vanko, the son of a disgraced Russian physicist and genius in his own right, who bears a serious grudge against our hero. Sam Rockwell is an arms manufacturing rival of Stark's, Justin Hammer, who will do anything to get the upper hand on Stark and get the desired Pentagon contract. Scarlett Johansson is added as a sexy new Stark employee who may have more going on than meets the eye... and Don Cheadle replaces Terrance Howard as Stark's loyal military liaison and friend, James "Rhodey" Rhodes. Director Jon Favreau plays Stark's loyal right-hand man, Hap "Happy" Hogan. Downey Jr. brings an irreverent sense of playful fun to the whole enterprise, and the rest of the cast just feeds off of him. Favreau smartly lets his star-studded cast have fun with material that could otherwise be stuffy or ridiculous. This film picks up where the last one left off - with the world (and Stark most of all) dealing with the ramifications of the events of the last film - with Tony Stark having made a quantum leap in technology, leaving the rest of the world scrambling to catch up. Everyone wants a piece of the Iron Man technology, from the U.S. government (primarily Senator Stern - portrayed by a very puffy Gary Shandling), to foreign nations, to his competitors. Iron Man has publicly stamped out conflict across the globe, and is serving as self-appointed protector of U.S. security and global peace, Stark is cheered everywhere he goes, and Iron Man draws adoring throngs of fans. Meanwhile, trouble awaits, as the technology he believes is 5-10 years away for anyone else to develop, the miniature "arc-reactor" that serves as the power source for the Iron Man suit, is developed independently by Vanko, and the reactor which keeps him alive is also poisoning him, a fact that is exacerbated by Stark's continued use of the Iron Man suit. While Stark's position spirals out of control due to causes both external and internal, causing those close to him to question Stark's sanity - Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. pop onto the scene with some much-needed guidance. Oh, and Jim Rhodes dons the armor and becomes War Machine - who is really awesome.
This is the perfect sequel - it does everything the original did, while expanding the story, enriching the characters and making everything just a little bigger and grander. The same sense of fun is there - and it really rewards extensive knowledge of the Marvel Universe - there is a sexy little Easter Egg post-credits that any Marvel fan won't want to miss. This is a slick little sequel - it's fast paced, fun, great to look at, well-acted and smart - and features some amazing action sequences. The re-watchability on this one is through the roof - just like the first one. Downey Jr. has created an incredibly charming and lovable Tony Stark - he needs to be the star of his own Entourage-type series. If there are any problems, it's merely that the film is too short and not everything is fully explained and expanded upon. The plot is lifted straight from the comics - and our characters grow along the way. What more could we ask for? This film is a lot of fun from start-to-finish, and is really what a comic-book movie should strive to be - there were three separate rounds of applause from Friday's sold-out crowd, and there's something to be said for that.
8.2/10 - if you liked the first one, this is an absolute must see. If you never saw the first one, go rent it, then see this one.
So I know I've been bad about posting lately... this whole blogging business will get away from you if you aren't careful. But I've got a post here that's right in my wheelhouse, so let's get back on top. I'm talking, of course, about my Summer Movie Preview. Now this is MY summer movie preview, so don't come here to hear about Shrek 4, Toy Story 3, Sex in the City 2, Twilight, or shit like that. I'm here to talk about movies I'M interested in seeing, so get on board with that, or check out MTV or Nickelodeon for your movie news.. with that brief disclaimer, let's get down to it, shall we?
Now I know a top 10 is more fun for everyone involved, but unfortunately, I couldn't decide between numbers 10 and 11, so therefore, we've got a bonus top 11 - how fun!
11. Jonah Hex Jonah Hex is a western-set rather obscure DC comic, and any excitement I have towards this one is all about the cast. Josh Brolin as the lead - a scarred badass bounty hunter full of smartass things to say? Count me in. Oh, and John Malkovich is the bad guy? I'm willing to give it a whirl. I'm a bit (well, maybe more than a bit..) concerned over the supposed re-writes and re-shoots that took place during and post-production, but I'm definitely still excited to see the trailer. Consider me a Josh Brolin fan, and I'll officially see anything he does. I heard something about the female romantic lead - what's her name? Megan something? Apparently she's quite attractive and all the rage with the kids nowadays. Jonah Hex comes out June 18. The trailer comes out April 29, I'll let you know more then - as of right now, it's too early to tell.
10. The A-Team
Now ordinarily, a cheeseball 80's remix like this would have me rolling my eyes in sarcastic "who-gives-a-shit"-ness. (Seriously, ask me how many times I saw G.I. Joe... the answer rhymes with "nero") But then they got Liam Neeson on board and cast my boy Bradley Cooper. Now I'm paying attention. I'm always game for a fun action movie... (if it's well made and well-acted), and the trailer looks kind of fun - it looks like they've got the right tone going on. I'm not going to say I'm seeing it opening night - but as long as it scores at least a 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, I'm seeing it. Oh, and if you ask me, the Rampage Jackson as B.A. casting was inspired. The A-Team opens June 11.
9. The Expendables
Stallone. Statham. Li. Rourke. Lundgren. Steve Austin. Randy Couture. Bruce Willis. The Governator. What more do you need to know? They don't really make old school fun action movies anymore, and consider me "cautiously enthusiastic" for this one. Check out that trailer.. how will it not be a blast? Rambo IV was secretly awesome, and the fact that this movie appears to have been conceived by Mac from Always Sunny is one more thing in its favor. I guarantee this one will make you feel like a man, and it will probably be a fun late night DVD watch for years to come. Is it going to be Oscar-worthy? Of course not.. but it can (and probably will) certainly be fun, and the $10 at the movie theater is cheaper than any other similar 2 hours you're going to have. So count me in. The Expendables will be released August 13.
8. Splice
Count me as an enthusiastic supporter of sci-fi in all of its various incarnations. This is a good old fashioned ethics discussion in the guise of a monster movie. A pair of genetic scientists experimenting with gene slicing decide to add human DNA to the mix - with predictably awful results. I keep hearing good things about this one, and am really looking forward to it. I think the trailer really says it all. Splice is due to be released on June 4.
7. The Other Guys
Will Ferrell's star has been fading as of late, and he's in desperate need of a hit. Count me among those hoping that this is it - and re-uniting with the director of Anchorman and a perfect cast like this could be just what the doctor ordered. That trailer made me LOL a couple of times, and the only reason I'm ranking this one this far down the list is just to temper expectations. Wahlberg has shown comedic chops from time to time, and Sam L. and the Rock are PERFECT as the badass super cops they appear to have been cast as here. I expect that this one will be a good time. Come on Will, we're rooting for you. The Other Guys opens August 6.
6. Knight and Day
Tom Cruise was once the biggest movie star on the planet - and this could be the movie that finally reminds people of why that is. He can be incredibly charming and funny when he wants to be. Cameron Diaz is one of the more likable female leads out there - throw in James Mangold, the director of 3:10 to Yuma and Walk the Line, and Peter Sarsgaard, and count me in. Despite the unfortunate use of Muse in the trailer, there's a solid chance this one will be a rip-roaring good time. This appears to be an old school 90's style tongue-in-cheek action flick - a genre that's particularly near and dear to my heart. I'm officially rooting for Tom Cruise, oddball dwarf that he is. Knight and Day is released June 25.
5. Predators
The first Predator film, for all the failings of its various sequels and incarnations/crossovers, was a badass action/horror classic. This film appears to be returning to those roots, and I am extremely excited about that. A group of humans, all deadly killers in their own right, are dropped on a planet that serves as a game preserve for Predators, and hunted. The return to the jungle needed to happen, as the Predator was much more effective in the jungle than he ever was in urban environments. The cast, while unorthodox, has promise, and talent in spades, between Adrian Brody, Lawrence Fishbourne, Danny Trejo and others - if you ask me, it's a better idea to go in a different direction with the cast than try to match the original's musclebound collection of badasses. Predators opens July 9.
4. Get Him to the Greek
A few years back, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a surprise for me, and in my book, ranks right up there with the best of the Apatow family of films. Now, the director reunites with Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, who reprise their roles from Sarah Marshall, to make what I hope will be the best comedy of the summer. Jonah Hill has 72 hours to get wild man Russell Brand from London to LA. Hijinks ensue.. count me in. Get Him to the Greek opens June 4.
3. Robin Hood
Robin Hood gets a much-needed update and revision, considering his last bigscreen treatment was the nonsensical "Prince of Thieves", in which Kevin Costner decided it was necessary to pretend that Robin Hood was from Missouri. Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe, also known as the powers that brought you "Gladiator", have reunited to bring a legendary figure to life, with a little updating and revision along the way. This is not the prankster thief of legend.. this is a full on rebel leader. Epic battles, grandiose spectacle and unbridled heroism will ensue. Count me in. Russ Crowe finally realized that he's best as a badass. Cate Blanchette as maid Marion? Awesome. The extremely underrated Marc Strong (Archie from "Rock N Rolla") as the sheriff? Awesome. In many summers, this one would be #1 on the list, but a couple of arrivals at the top make this not your average summer. Robin Hood opens May 14, and I'll be there May 14.
2. Iron Man 2
The first Iron Man was one of the all-time movie surprises. A relatively minor figure in Marvel's pantheon of heroes becomes one of the biggest films of all time. This is truly a testament to the talent involved. Favreau is more than competent behind the camera, Downey is truly immaculate as Tony Stark (I remember saying when I found out he was cast initially that he was truly perfect for the part), and the supporting players are all great. This remains the case even after Terrence Howard is replaced by Don Cheadle, as IM2 adds Mickey Rourke as the Russian whiplash, Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow, and Sam Rockwell as a rival arms manufacturer who wishes to hijack the Iron Man technology. (In case you're wondering, people trying to steal the Iron Man technology consists of about 92% of all Iron Man stories) Oh, how could I forget - War Machine (one of the biggest badasses in all of Marvel) makes his initial appearance as Rhodey dons the armor to help out his pal. I'll be there opening night, maybe even at midnight. Iron Man 2 opens May 7. Get there early, there's talk that this one might break TDK's opening weekend haul.
1. Inception
Chris Nolan is one of the few filmmakers about whom I can honestly say I'll see anything they make, no matter what. That, and the fact that he's teamed with my boy Leo for this one, make this the unquestioned number 1 of Summer 2010, despite the fact that I know very, very little about this secretive film. I do know that Leo's character is a new generation of Corporate spy in the near future who uses technology to go into people's minds in an effort to steal the contents of their minds. Other than that - I know nothing, except that this film will be stellar narratively, look amazing, and offer a whole hell of a lot more than your average summer blockbuster. Inception opens July 16, and I'll see you there.
One of the summer's biggest movies is upon us, and boy does it do exactly what it intends to do.. perfectly. As a self-professed Marvel nerd, I can say that this movie does exactly what it needs to do, and does it splendidly. It follows up to the hugely successful first installment of the Iron Man franchise while simultaneously expanding the growing Marvel Universe. (Thor comes out May 2011, followed by Captain America in July 2011 and the Avengers and Iron Man 3 in 2012) The goal of Marvel movie studios is to have these films work together to create a comprehensive universe where events impact across the board and characters interact and are aware of one another. This is an ambitious undertaking, and nothing quite like it has ever been done before. The undertaking is in capable hands. Robert Downey, Jr. is immaculate as Tony Stark, Marvel's resident genius, billionaire playboy and titular armored hero. Gwyneth Paltrow returns as Tony's assistant turned CEO of Stark Industries and sometimes love interest Pepper Potts. Mickey Rourke steps onto the scene as Ivan Vanko, the son of a disgraced Russian physicist and genius in his own right, who bears a serious grudge against our hero. Sam Rockwell is an arms manufacturing rival of Stark's, Justin Hammer, who will do anything to get the upper hand on Stark and get the desired Pentagon contract. Scarlett Johansson is added as a sexy new Stark employee who may have more going on than meets the eye... and Don Cheadle replaces Terrance Howard as Stark's loyal military liaison and friend, James "Rhodey" Rhodes. Director Jon Favreau plays Stark's loyal right-hand man, Hap "Happy" Hogan. Downey Jr. brings an irreverent sense of playful fun to the whole enterprise, and the rest of the cast just feeds off of him. Favreau smartly lets his star-studded cast have fun with material that could otherwise be stuffy or ridiculous. This film picks up where the last one left off - with the world (and Stark most of all) dealing with the ramifications of the events of the last film - with Tony Stark having made a quantum leap in technology, leaving the rest of the world scrambling to catch up. Everyone wants a piece of the Iron Man technology, from the U.S. government (primarily Senator Stern - portrayed by a very puffy Gary Shandling), to foreign nations, to his competitors. Iron Man has publicly stamped out conflict across the globe, and is serving as self-appointed protector of U.S. security and global peace, Stark is cheered everywhere he goes, and Iron Man draws adoring throngs of fans. Meanwhile, trouble awaits, as the technology he believes is 5-10 years away for anyone else to develop, the miniature "arc-reactor" that serves as the power source for the Iron Man suit, is developed independently by Vanko, and the reactor which keeps him alive is also poisoning him, a fact that is exacerbated by Stark's continued use of the Iron Man suit. While Stark's position spirals out of control due to causes both external and internal, causing those close to him to question Stark's sanity - Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. pop onto the scene with some much-needed guidance. Oh, and Jim Rhodes dons the armor and becomes War Machine - who is really awesome. 
