Iron Man 2

PG-13

2 hours, 5 minutes

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Warning: This review contains spoilers!

Iron Man, Iron Man, does whatever an iron can… wait…

The blockbuster of 2008 has a sequel, which should be a blockbuster of its own. Robert Downey, Jr. returns as Tony Stark only 6 months after revealing to the public that he is Iron Man. Naturally his life has become even more lavish and complicated with the added celebrity, but it’s no picnic for Tony. The miniature core reactor that keeps him alive is failing and starting to slowly kill him. With little options open to him, he starts prep for his death. This includes even more reckless behavior as well as handing over his company to Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). The government is breathing down his neck, his Iron Man technology is being replicated, and people are out to destroy him, namely Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) and Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell). Even his best friend takes a suit and turns it into a War Machine.

Being a avid Marvel fan and movie goer this was probably one of the strangest movie experiences of my life. The entire cast is lovable and Robert Downey, Jr. is all that you can hope for and more as the complicated Tony Stark. I went in hoping for the best, but for the majority of the movie I found myself sitting there thinking, “Wait… what?” The whole movie is slow with each scene going into the next moment without building into the next moment. It also suffered from the classic “Sequel-Syndrome” that adds too much character, too much attempt at story, and not enough character development. There was a lot of ad-lib, I understand that is how RDJ rolls and I appreciate it but I started to wonder if there was even an initial script to start with.

The villains are severely under developed in this film. Aren’t villains supposed to be scary? Sam Rockwell turned Justin Hammer into a extremely passive character. While he is a business man, I feel like I could kick his ass.

Ivan Vanko’s little origin story at the beginning completely killed all of the mystery of the character. The main plot rests on the Iron Man technology and that it won’t be replicated by anyone else for at least 5-10 years. Now, wouldn’t it have been way more interesting/scary if the first time we see Ivan is at the race track? This guy has the technology and no one knows why, plus he’s Russian, quiet, and scary. His backstory is something that the audience should’ve discovered along with the characters.

Some of the character motivations don’t add up at all. The best example to James “Rhodey” Rhodes. During Tony’s hearing in Washington D.C., he makes a point to stand up and protect his friend. Then somehow, after Tony gets drunk and starts blasting is own home with the suit, Rhodey decides to put on one of the spare Iron suits and battle it out with Tony. We all remember how long it took Tony to figure out how to use the suit in the first film. Now, Rhodey can just put it on without any trouble and easily use it? I don’t think so. After his tiff with Stark, he takes the suit to Justin Hammer to outfit with better weapons. Aren’t they supposed to be friends? They didn’t exactly have an actual falling out. Personally, if I was Tony Stark I would be PISSED.

Here’s where I get confused. The movie seems to pander on and on and then something happens. When the film kicks into the third act it suddenly turns into the good movie that I should’ve been from the start. I’m still don’t quite understand why Ivan would not wear his protective helmet during the climax of the film. Granted he may be over confident that he is going to win, but he’s not stupid. The end saves the movie, period. As frustrated as I was during the film, the ending almost made me forget about the whole thing. Something clicked in my head during the final battle scene (which was AWESOME) and I thought, “That’s what I’ve been waiting for.”

The anchor of the film doesn’t lie in the action sequels, but in the relationship between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. Anytime that they fought or bantered, it felt like pieces of the first film had been captured and carried into the sequel. As self absorbed as Tony Stark can be, when it comes to Pepper he is able to put her first. They are the heart and soul of films.

Marvel is definitely creating their cross-film universe. There was something about Iron Man, War Machine, and Black Widow all working together that felt a little bit like going home for Thanksgiving. Marvel stays very true to its characters, characters that the fans have all come to know and love for over 50 years. Keep your eyes peeled for references to their upcoming films.

Remember, stay after the credits. I giggled.

4 out of 5

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A Nightmare on Elm Street

R

1 hour, 37 minutes

Starring: Jackie Earl Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, and Kellan Lutz.

WARNING: This contains spoilers.

The franchise is back to haunt you! MWAH HA HA HA! Just when you thought Freddy was dead, Jackie Earl Haley shows up. The famous film franchise from the 80′s is back for more. Freddy Krueger, the child molester, is back for the revenge of his death and haunts the dreams of the children he once knew and abused. Although, most shake it off as “just a dream,” if Freddy kills you in your sleep you die for real.

Horror movies have to go the extra mile these days. With all of the added technology and the genre becoming more graphic, the question is how to scare on audience? The scares in this film are excellent, as they should be, but to anyone who has already seen the original there is nothing special about it. I don’t expect a lot of horror flicks, so I’ll be gentle with this one.

It is exactly what it’s supposed to be, a reboot. Same story and characters, but with better effects. I do feel that Robert Englund is the only man to play Freddy, Jackie Earl Haley did live up to the character and the perfect successor.

My favorite thing about this movie was the shift in character focus. The very beginning of the film focuses on Kris, until she’s killed in the first 20 minutes. Then it shifts to her ex-boyfriend who watched her die and then he’s killed. They pass the buck several times, which leaves you wondering if they are the new protagonist or the next to be killed. It was a new way to keep you on your toes, which I appreciated.

Also, I think it’s awesome when horror flicks don’t have a neat bow-tie ending and the villain wins. Naturally, this was left wide open for a sequel, which has been green lit. Getting back to the gritty Freddy roots is a good move. With the Saw franchise slowly winding down this may be the project to replace it. Although it is a little cheese-ball, I feel that it adds to the overall charm of the film.

3.5 out of 5

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The Losers

PG-13

1 hour, 38 minutes

Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, and Jason Patric.

I know I’m a little behind the curve on this one, but please bare with me…

Comic books have officially invaded the theaters and The Losers is no exception. This film, based on the comic book series of the same title, tells the story of a team of Special Ops that are betrayed by their handler and seek revenge. Jeffrey Dean Morgan stars as the team’s leader, Clay. Along with Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, and Columbus Short as his trusty team to take down Max, played by Jason Patric.

This is one of the more fun films to come out during April. Unlike films others like Kick-Ass, which is an obvious nod to comic books, this film makes you feel like you are actually in a comic book and remained consistent throughout the film. The characters are fun and likable, the action is great, and the comedy is top notch.

Chris Evans stood out, which he does just by showing up. He’s easily the most vivid and multi dimensional of all of the characters. Although his character of Jensen is nothing like Captain America, his performance has cemented my support for the upcoming Marvel project.

As much as I enjoyed this film, which was perfect for a Sunday afternoon, it was lacking. While it’s easy to grow attached to the characters they are very under developed. There wasn’t a strong enough emotional as the story progressed. The absolute worse part of the film was Jason Patric (Max), who was sorely miscast in this role. Although his character does some truly horrible things, he didn’t have enough depth to create a credible fear. Parts of the film tend to drag and I found myself getting lost here and there.

Side note: “I found myself getting lost.” I am hilarious!

This film had franchise written all over it, but because it missed its mark and didn’t hit a good box office number, this will probably be the only outing we see for The Losers. It’s fun and friendly, but not a knock-out. If anything, it’s worth it to watch Chris Evans do his thing!

2.5 out of 5

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“Pushing Daisies” follows the life of Ned, the pie maker, who has the unusual ability to bring dead things back to life. First touch life, second touch dead again and forever. Normally this wouldn’t cause too many problems until his childhood sweetheart; Charlotte “Chuck” Charles dies only for Ned to bring her back. They are head-over-heels in love and can never touch. Ned has partnered with Private Investor Emerson Codd to help solve murders with the use of his special gift.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Read My Whole Review!

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The Proposal

PG-13

1 hour 48 minutes

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenbergen, Craig T. Nelson, and Betty White

Oh, the romantic comedy. I feel that these kinds of films are the staple of any movie going experience. I understand that most people feel these movies are reserved for single women and couples, but branching out never hurt anyone.

In this one we meet Drew, the over worked assistant to publishing editor Margaret. Margaret is considered evil to everyone she comes into contact with, including her “faithful” assistant. She’s also Canadian and finds herself about to be deported. The scheme is hatched when Margaret forces Drew to marry her to stay in the country.

Most romantic comedies are cookie cutter films by definition, The Proposal is no exception to that rule. However, there is something about it this one that felt different even though it was the same over done movie we’ve all seen before. Ryan Reynolds is an absolute joy to watch and I was surprised by the obvious chemistry between him and Sandra Bullock. The finer points of the film were subtle, the comedy and the build up to them inevitably fall in love. The characters felt much more human as well as the experiences that they went through, regardless of the extraordinary circumstances. It didn’t feel over done or completely out of the realm of reality either. It was sweet, endearing, and for the first time in awhile I found myself really cheering for these two crazy kids to work it out.

The Proposal is a perfect movie escape and you certainly won’t regret spending the money on the ticket afterwards. These days it’s hard to do a romantic comedy right. Thank goodness this wasn’t a disappointment. Instead it was a delightful reminder of why the romantic comedy genre works in the first place.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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