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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Riverworld Blu-ray Review



While I love the idea of a channel dedicated to science fiction, The SyFy Channel (formerly the SciFi Channel) seems to be in an identity crisis hence the name change. This is a channel that cranks out a ton of original movies that are questionable in quality such as Mansquito and Mega Snake, but they also had great shows like Battlestar Galactica and Stargate SG-1. I was curious as to where this movie would fall as far quality counted. Although my wife loves their movies like Mansquito but I absolutely hate them. Those movies usually have C or D list actors, poor special effects, and a terrible script. That being said, when she started this movie without me and shut it off after watching it for around 30 minutes, it didn't inspire much hope for me especially when you take into account the 3 hour running time. But being the dedicated reviewer I am, I sat down and watched the whole thing while my wife happily spent her time more productively.


Film (1 star out of 5 stars)


From what I've gathered from doing some background research for this review, is that Riverworld is based on a series of novels written by Philip Jose Farmer which was optioned by the SciFi channel and made into a pilot starring Brad Johnson but wasn't successful enough to become an ongoing series. I don't know how much this film follows the books it's based on as I haven't read them, but it seemed like the movie was missing a lot of narrative threads that would have helped. If you do decide to read the novels, start with the first one, "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" which was published in 1971 and continue until the final one of the series "Gods of Riverworld" which was published in 1983. I highly suspect, although I can't prove it, that these books were inspired by the Star Trek episode "The Savage Curtain," which aired in March 1969 and dealt with forces of good and evil joining forces with long dead historical figures in battle. In the case of the Star Trek episode (which was done a lot better than this), Kirk and Spock are joined by Abraham Lincoln and other historical figures from Star Trek lore. In Riverworld, Matt Ellman (Tahmor Penikett) will be joined by Mark Twain (Mark Deklin who's the best reason to watch this movie) and Tomoe Gozen (Jeananne Goossen), while his foes are Richard Francis Burton (Peter Wingfield), Francisco Pizarro (Bruce Ramsay) and Judas Caretaker a blue (Alan Cumming) who likes to do mystical waterboarding . In any case, Matt and his girlfriend (Laura Vandervoort) are killed by a suicide bomber for reasons that are never really fleshed out well, and they wake up separately in different areas and years apart in a place called Riverworld.



It turns out that Riverworld is in something of a civil war between blue alien caretakers who don't really seem to fighting each other so much as manipulating the humans that wash up on the shore after coming back to life. Hardly any plot device is answered with only a token effort at explaining why everyone that arrives to Riverworld can speak English. (Think the matrix). This movie has the unique distinction of being a study of contrasts. It either needed more time to fully develop the story from the novel or it should have just cut its losses and been a lot shorter as part of the frustration of viewing this movie is seeing the possibilities of what it could have been. As a concept, Riverworld works as most people would love to have the opportunity to interact with famous historical figures, not to mention have another chance at living after being killed, but in execution Riverworld fails. Character motivations are muddled, there are no character arcs at all, and the plot seems to go in the same endless cycle that the constantly revived characters experience every time they die. This should have made a great tv show as no one ever really dies in Riverworld, and you could have a ton of guest stars arrive as well as any historical figures you wanted. The whole concept should be a slam dunk but sadly, this is a movie is a missed opportunity.



Video (2 out of 5 stars)


The picture quality had the same up and down quality as the special effects. In some cases, it had a clean look to it while other times, it was hazy and soft. The 1.78:1 1080p/24 VC-1 encoding for Riverworld isn't very remarkable and oftentimes it was too dim. For some reason there was no consistency in quality as some scenes are sharp and detailed while others for some reason look like they've been shot with Vaseline on the lens.



Audio (3 out of 5 stars)

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is serviceable but nothing more. There were moments of good surround use and a few instances of good use of the subwoofer, but seeing as how this was mostly likely a fairly low budget production I doubt they spent a lot of time working on the soundtrack. Dialogue is clear and the sound field is primarily focused on the front speakers which wasn't too surprising. 



Special Features (1 out of 5 stars)


The lowest point of this disc is the extras. They are so laughable that they should have been left off the disc so as to not insult the customer. For what it's worth, here they are:



Behind the scenes with Alan Cumming – For those of you that are interested on what it looks like to be painted blue. That's really all it is.


Riverworld Trailer




Final Thoughts (1 out of 5 stars)


I would recommend either reading the novels this book was based on or if you like this concept watch "The Savage Curtain." This is a movie of missed opportunities, although it does have some moments it is weakened by a muddled script and a low budget. Some movies can rise above those issues with some creativity and imagination, but this is not one of them. If you really want to see this movie I would recommend getting it from Netflix and not buying it.


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Friday, June 18, 2010

Crazy (Blu-ray Review)


Crazy tells the story of Hank Garland whose name may not be recognizable to most people, but the people he played guitar with and the songs he played on are surely are.  Garland was one of the most in-demand session guitar players in Nashville and he played for the likes of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Conway Twitty, Patsy Cline, and Jerry Lee Lewis along with lots of others.  I’m a big fan of a lot of those people and I had never heard of his name before this movie but after finding out that he toured with Elvis from 1957-61 and played guitar on a bunch of his hits: Hound Dog, A Fool Such as I, Stuck On You, A Big Hunk O’ Love, It’s Now Or Never, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Surrender, His Latest Flame, Can’t Help Falling In Love, and Crying In The Chapel. Other hits he played on were Oh Pretty Woman, What I’d Say, Crazy, I Fall To Pieces, Jingle Bell Rock, and Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. This amazing career was cut short after a car accident that left him in a coma for months which ended up leaving him unable to play as he once did.

Film  (3 out of 5 stars)

These music biopics are fairly common nowadays and they all seem to follow the same formulaic pattern as this one does.  It doesn’t help that this one has to follow the likes of  Walk the Line and Ray both of which were very successful and well done with Academy Awards going to both of them.  That’s not to say that this movie isn’t good but it does pale in comparison when compared to its predecessors. This movie starts out as they all must with the point in their lives when their talent is finally discovered.  Crazy skips the usual beginning that shows what early tragedy set the artist off to greatness and saves it for the last half of the movie where Garland’s life unravels until the abrupt end of the movie.  Garland is portrayed by Waylon Payne (who played Jerry Lee Lewis in the superior Walk the Line and who is named after his godfather Waylon Jennings), who captures the mercurial man’s cockiness and moody temperament well. Payne acquits himself well and handles the musicianship of the role authentically as he really is a musician and has released an album of his own (The Drifter.)  Although I don’t think he looks much like the real Hank Garland, he’s very good in the role and that’s more important.

After opening for Hank Williams Sr., young Garland finds some success and begins to start playing clubs.  He soon meets the woman of his dreams Evelyn (Ali Larter) who seems to see through his usual pick up lines but is still interested in him anyway.  Both of them are damaged goods but for a time things go well as they thought themselves to be kindred spirits.  It isn’t long before their personal demons along with his career begin to dissolve their sanity and the life they shared.  To be fair, while doing research for this review, I read several accounts from Garland’s family and friends that said this movie was completely inaccurate.  If what they say is true, then there is quite a lot of this movie that can only be described as slanderous.  Garland was somewhat involved in this movie but he died while it was in production so it’s hard to say who is right.

In any case, according the movie, Garland went into a downward spiral that he never recovered from and it robbed his ability to play like he once had which is the real tragedy as he was one of the best guitarists in the country according to Elvis.  Fabricated or not, all of the actors do a fine job and there is a good selection of songs that he worked on played throughout the movie.  This movie was a lot better than I thought it would be but it has an abrupt awkward ending and in some cases scenes were removed from the film that could have explained character motivations.  There is a deleted scene that would have cast Evelyn in an even worse light if it had remained but at the same time it would have explained her actions in an earlier scene but then again according to the family it never happened so who’s to say? What is factual is that Hank Garland was one of the best guitar players to have ever lived and rubbed shoulders with some giants of the music industry. He was one of the pioneers that tried to stop the practice of not paying musicians for songwriting contributions because they were already getting paid to play.  He argued that they should not only get some credit for their input but also some money for it.  Garland was an interesting man, who was part inspirational but also a cautionary tale of what can happen when you let your personal demons consume you.

Video  (3 out of 5 stars)

For a small independent movie, I was surprised at the fairly good picture quality of the movie.  The 1080p AVC MPEG-4 video encode is presented in a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and the picture was better than expected.  With a variety of scenes taking place in dark clubs or out in the bright sunshine, the picture consistently looked sharp.  Detail was good in close-up and the DP made sure Ali Larter looked great throughout the movie.  This isn’t reference quality but nonetheless for an independent movie it looks better than it should.

AUDIO (3 out of 5 stars)

The 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/2.0 sound quality of the movie was acceptable, but there wasn’t much use of surround speakers as it primarily focused on the front speakers.  Dialogue was clear and the various songs peppered throughout the movie all sounded great and it was nice to hear the original versions of the songs and not cover versions.  As a side note there were cameos by singers Katherine McPhee, Sean Colvin, Stacey Earl, Mandy Barnett as well as by the executive producer of the movie Steve Vai who played Hank Williams Sr.

Special Features (1 out of 5 stars)

The only special feature on the disc are some deleted scenes. That’s it.
 

Final Thoughts (3 out of 5 stars)

I enjoyed the movie, but not enough to watch it again.  The performances were good and the music was a great bonus, but unlike movies like Walk the Line that were about a star just about everyone knew and cared about, Hank Garland is unknown for the most part as he spent the majority of his career behind the scenes and uncredited for what he did do.  For me personally, knowing that Garland’s family objects to the portrayals and the events that this film focuses on doesn’t help.  Even though there is a message stating that the movie was inspired by actual events, I would have preferred if the writers and director had made more of an effort to capture the man’s life.  Real life has a knack for being more interesting and unbelievable anyway and if they really wanted to honor Garland’s memory, they should have taken the time to do it right.

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Illusionist Blu-ray Review


I’ve always loved movies about magic so I was looking forward to reviewing The Illusionist which I missed in the theaters.  I remember this movie came out around the same time as The Prestige so there were dueling magician movies just like volcano, Wyatt Earp and asteroid movies, which usually ends with the first movie doing well and the second one suffering. That didn’t happen this time however, as The Illusionist made over $20 million less worldwide than The Prestige did even though it came out two months before it with the advantage of being the first out of the gate. That’s not to say it didn’t perform well at the box office or that it’s a poor movie as neither one of those statements are true. It made a healthy $87 million worldwide and it’s an excellent movie. Let me tell you why... 

THE FILM (4 out of 5 stars)
The movie begins with Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti) informing Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell)information about an illusionist named Eisenheim (Ed Norton) who despite being warned by the Chief Inspector, keeps making the dead appear on stage. Then we flash back to Eisenheim’s childhood where his younger self (Aaron Johnson) met his soon to be soul mate Sophie, the Duchess von Teschen (Eleanor Tomlinson) by impressing her with his magic tricks.  Their burgeoning love is complicated by the fact that they come from different financial classes and it doesn’t take long for them to be split up to maintain that class structure.  Frustrated by society’s prejudice against his social standing, Eisenheim decides to travel the world to learn more magic so when he returns to Austria he will have a higher place in the same society that had scorned him years earlier.
So 15 years pass by before Eisenheim returns and starts performing to larger and larger crowds until one night, the Crown Prince Leopold and his soon to be fiancée (an older Sophie played by Jessica Biel) are in attendance.  Eisenheim asks for a volunteer to assist him that isn’t afraid of death and Leopold callously forces Sophie to be the volunteer.  Of course the two soul mates recognize each other and begin to surreptitiously meet which raises the suspicions of the Chief Inspector who Leopold has tasked with keeping an eye on Sophie in exchange for promises of career advancement down the road.  The problem for the Chief Inspector is that not only does he love magic and Eisenheim’s show, but he is also sympathetic to the man himself. Giamatti does an excellent job portraying a man who is forced to walk a tightrope due to his shifting loyalties. Throughout the movie, one is never sure what he will do as he is conflicted himself.

Ed Norton was trained in sleight of hand for this role by Ricky Jay and James Freedman and it shows as he performs several tricks himself and does a flawless job.  He turns in a warm performance which is a nice change of pace to see from his usual roles.  His character of Eisenheim cares about people and treats everyone fairly, saving his disdain and subtle mocking of the upper-class to be revealed during his show.  He pushes it too far though when he makes a fool out of the Crown Prince and his family through one of his illusions.  Leopold forces the show to close early in an attempt to rid himself of the upstart illusionist. Rufus Sewell has made a career playing these types of villains and he always does a great job. Part of me feels bad that these seem to be the only roles he gets but at the same time, there is a reason for that as he is so good at it.


Jessica Biel is lovely as ever as Sophie and does a nice job with a role that one wouldn’t think of her for.  According to the Director’s Commentary, Biel showed up for her audition in period clothes to help sell her performance.  It obviously worked, and she does a fine job in the movie.  She’s no damsel in distress as she proves throughout the movie.  This wasn’t the usual stereotypical role so I can see why she fought for it.  Director Neil Burger has created an unusual hybrid movie that is equal parts romantic, magic, and mystery that works really well.  It’s always hard to mix genres like these, but he pulls it off with aplomb with a lot of help with from an excellent cast.

VIDEO (3 out of 5 stars)

Stylistic decisions by the Director inherently affect the presentation of this 1.78:1 AVC/MPEG-4 AVC/MPEG-4 encoding.  In an attempt to conjure (no pun intended) a suitably appropriate period look, the picture has been desaturated and washed out with deliberate flickers added to make it feel more like an old time silent movie.  In one love scene for example, it was lit only by kerosene lamps for an authentic feel although the air had to be cleared after each take as no one could see anything!  Despite the efforts to make this look period, the video is still pleasing to the eye and nice details can be seen.  This is just one of those stylistic choices that don’t lend themselves to High Definition but I still think it looks fine. You can see some film grain and it’s a nice clean and hasn’t had too much DNR or digital compression used and overall I think it’s a perfectly acceptable quality if you take into account the choices made by the Director and the DP.

AUDIO (4 out of 5 stars)

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio is presented well with clean clear dialogue and ambient surround use when appropriate.  Special mention must be made of Phillip Glass’s score for the movie which is lush and mysterious and quite an addition to the movie.  It is served well by the audio on this Blu-ray and I liked that the movie didn’t resort to audio gimmicks for this type of movie and instead just presented a nice clear delivery that suited this kind of film.  This isn’t a bombastic of assault on your ears that alternates between being deafening and then making you crank up the volume to try to hear what the actors are saying, but it is effective and totally appropriate for the movie.

SPECIAL FEATURES (1 out of 5 stars)

Now we come to the disappointing part of this review.  While Disc 1 has the High Definition version of the movie, Disc 2 has the Standard version and some meager extras.  The really sad part is the fact that the extremely short featurettes duplicate themselves.  The same actor excerpts are used for both of them so if you see one you’ve pretty much seen both of them.  The other bewildering decision is the fact that if you want to listen to the Director Commentary, you can only listen to it on the DVD disc as it is not on the High Definition disc at all.  For what it’s worth here are the extras:
Feature Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Neil Burger (DVD only)
The Making of the Illusionist Featurette
Jessica Biel on the Illusionist Featurette

FINAL THOUGHTS (3 out of 5 stars)

While this is a great movie and I believe this release has the best picture quality it will get as well as excellent audio, I can’t whole-heartedly recommend this as the extras leave a lot to be desired.  I hope that eventually a Director’s Cut Edition may be released with a lot more comprehensive extras and the commentary track on the HD disc.  Because of the lacking nature of the special features I have downgraded my total to three out of five stars.  It would have been great to see a featurette that showed Norton learning sleight of hand to prepare for the role. There has to be more available behind the scenes video that they should have added than was included here.  If you don’t care about the special features then I can heartily recommend this Blu-ray to you as the movie and cast are excellent and it was directed and scored with a lot of finesse and confidence.

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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Power Kids (Blu-ray Review)

Power Kids [Blu-ray]When Brian from www.whysoblu.com asked me to review this movie, I had never heard of it and I wasn’t even sure if it was an animated movie or live action. When it arrived in the mail I saw that it was produced by Prachya Pinkaew, who brought us Ong Bak and The Protector starring the great Tony Jaa (who has now retired from movies to become a monk), so my interest in it increased. That is, until I watched it. Power Kids or 5 Huajai Hero as it was originally titled, is a strange hybrid that starts off as a movie for children but quickly becomes something else entirely which explains the “R” rating it received. I don’t think the violence in the movie necessarily deserved that rating but I believe it received that rating because most parents would see the title and cover and believe that would be a good movie for kids. This may be a cultural difference between Thailand and the U.S. but I don’t think most parents would want their children to see this movie despite it being a movie about kids. But then again, I wouldn’t recommend any parents to see this either. Let me tell you why…


Film (1 out of 5 stars)

If you ever wondered what it would look like to cross Home Alone with Die Hard this is that movie only with more kids, terrible acting, and a clichéd script that I’m convinced was created by randomly picking plot devices from a hat. They should have just called this movie Thai Hard and been done with it. The movie is also bursting at the seams with unfortunate stereotypes whether it’s the gruff teacher who canes his wards but really cares for them, to the skinny old man that foolishly wants to learn Muay Thai and is taught by the kids, and of course the big, loud, drunk American that gets his ass beat by a bunch of kids. I won’t even go into the Rebel leaders who were cardboard cutouts. Of course, one of them has a change of heart at the end (spoiler alert: literally ha ha ha!) and it’s hard to even write a serious review of a movie that had no respect for itself or its audience. But I’ll try to set an example and finish this review for our audience.

I’m a big fan of Muay Thai action movies and I think Tony Jaa is this generation’s Bruce Lee, but unfortunately, he is not in this movie although he is mentioned in the trailer for this to entice people to see it. Instead, this movie focuses on a bunch of kids who are mostly orphans who are being taken care of by “Uncle” although it’s never really made clear exactly why they are there and if it’s an orphanage or just a martial arts school. Honestly though, it really doesn’t matter. In between getting caned daily, these kids are learning Muay Thai for self-defense but they don’t hesitate to use those skills on drunk bullies that are foolish enough to fight small children. The fight scenes are serviceable but the movie is constantly undercut by its own script and direction. For example, in the scene where the 6’4 muscle-bound man who weighs 215 pounds is beaten senseless by 5th graders, this giant of a man attempts to kick a child but instead he kicks a stack of hidden weights. To mine this vein of comedy gold, we watch as it takes him several seconds of wondering what he kicked, then several more as he lifts the cover off the weights, only then (and this is the where true genius comes in), after about 10 seconds total does he realize he hurt himself! Don’t worry everyone; the toes that actually kicked the weights aren’t hurt, but inexplicably his shins are! It’s that kind of quality filmmaking that you can look forward to in this movie.

You know it's time to stop drinking when a 10 year old can kick your ass.

I realize that there are a lot of people that enjoy these types of performances where everyone overacts and spends the entire movie either mugging for the camera or embracing their assigned stereotype but I’m not one of them. This isn’t a slight on the kids in the movie either, as they are the best thing about the movie. Just like Home Alone, this is a film universe where all of the adults are morons and only the kids can save the day. The only difference is that these kids know kung fu and they aren’t afraid to use it. The random script generator decided that these kids band together to get help get the youngest boy in their group a replacement heart from another kid that conveniently died when he needed to. The catch is that the replacement heart is in a hospital overrun by terrorist rebels and only small children can infiltrate it to retrieve the heart. That’s right…it’s Die Hard in a Hospital! Except this time, it’s four small unarmed John McClanes against a group of well-armed men who have taken hostages. I wanted to hear one of them say, “I’m too young for this shit!” but alas, it did not happen.

This is such a rip off of Die Hard they even had a scene of two children swinging from the rooftop to crash into a window feet-first. It’s this part of the movie that got it it’s “R” rating as many people are machine gunned and killed left and right while the intrepid kids keep doing the same cartwheel kicks over and over because once you open up a can of whup-ass there’s no stopping until it’s over. This movie is shameless, exploitive, campy, and so bad that it’s unintentionally funny. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then by all means try this movie out but don’t show this to your kids thinking that this is a Power Rangers movie.

"Oh, yes. What was it you said to me before? Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker."

Video (2 out of 5 stars)

This movies was obviously low budget and most likely filmed on low grade film so although this is high definition, it looks washed out and I don’t think they even did any color correction at all. The colors are muted and there is no fine detail evident even in close ups. Long range detail is even worse but on the plus side there doesn’t appear to be a lot of DNR or compression effects. I think that this is about as good a picture as this movie can get based on the film stock used for the movie. Being a low budget movie, you can’t expect too much in this department even when it’s on Blu-ray.

"Next time you have a chance to kill someone, don't hesitate." "Thanks for the advice."

Audio (2 out of 5 stars)

The audio quality is equal to the video quality as it is low budget but serviceable. There are two lossless audio tracks one being the dubbed version and the other the original Thai track and if you want a good laugh listen to the dubbed version. I’ve already stated my thoughts on the cast’s overacting but whoever they used to do the dubbed version decided those efforts weren’t enough and in an attempt to top it, they ingested tons of sugar, coffee, and possibly speed before recording their tracks. You’ve got to hear it to believe it. Dialogue on the dubbed track was clear but I kept wondering if this movie was secretly supposed to be like Kung Pow. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track does the bare minimum but that’s about it. The soundtrack occasionally used the rear speakers to create a surround effect but it was mixed really low and wasn’t very effective.

"Welcome to the party pal!"

Special Features (1 out of 5 stars)

As with all of the other features on this disc, expectations shouldn’t be too high as far as special features go. There are two extras on this disc:

The Making of Power Kids – A basic documentary that features the director and the kids talking about the movie.

Behind the Scenes Footage – A look at the stunts, injuries, and outtakes from the film.

"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."


Final Thoughts

I probably should cut this film more slack as it had production issues (filming started in 2005 with a different director until the two child leads were injured and another director was brought in later to finish the film), it obviously has a low budget, and the kid’s fighting skills aren’t too bad, but I just can’t get over the acting, the script, the direction, and especially the dubbed voices. This is a terrible movie full of clichés, stereotypes, overly cloying mawkishness, and unintentional humor from poor acting and a randomly generated script. This is a movie that would be perfect for Mystery Science Theater 3000 to take a whack at. It’s too bad that this Blu-ray doesn’t give you the ability to create your own commentary track like Death Race did because there would be a lot of hilarious results if it did. Watch at your own risk but keep the kids away until you’ve survived it and can decide whether or not you want them to see it.

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Three of My Favorite Soundtracks

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Sean Ferguson

When Gregg Senko of www.whysoblu.com suggested that we write about three albums that changed our lives at first I thought that it would be pretty easy to do, until I really started to think about it. Should I cover only movie soundtracks or should it be non-movie related like my co-workers picks? Even now, as I am writing this, I have no idea what I will end up with as my picks. If you’ve read my bio section on the staff page of the website, you know that I have eclectic taste in music. The Beatles are my favorite band and John Williams is my favorite composer, but I also like some techno, old country, and of course rock and roll, but the majority of my cds are movie soundtracks. For me, a movie’s soundtrack is indelibly linked to the movie and I can’t separate the two. Movie soundtracks allow us to revisit the movies in our minds especially in the days before being they were released for home viewing. It also provided the score to our own daydreams and the epic battles with our Star Wars figures. I’ve gotten speeding tickets because I was enjoying the music too much and too loudly to notice the police officer behind me until it was too late. As much as I love the other cds in my collection, nothing touches my emotions more than a movie score especially if it’s from John Williams. His music seems to have a direct line to my heart and mind and his scores have been the soundtrack to my life so it’s only fitting that I begin with him.

The Empire Strikes Back – John Williams

Just like the movie Star Wars from which it came from, I didn’t think there was a way that the soundtrack could be topped. I was wrong on both counts. Not only did The Empire Strikes Back surpass Star Wars as a movie, but the soundtrack firmly established itself as the superior score as well. The Star Wars soundtrack has many excellent tracks and I love it, but it now seems slow and meandering in parts when compared to the laser focus of the Empire soundtrack. Williams faced a daunting task with the follow up to Star Wars which was the top-selling score of all time with over 4 million albums sold. To achieve that, he created new themes and greatly expanded the amount of music so the movie would have almost non-stop music. The greatest addition from this new score was without a doubt the new “Imperial March” which also served as Darth Vader’s theme. If you aren’t thrilled when listening to this I highly suspect that you are as dead as a Norwegian Blue Parrot. You can now hear that theme on cell phones (it’s one of my ringtones), sporting events, and it has so permeated popular culture that I bet there are people who are aware of it that haven’t even seen the movies (a travesty I know).


The soundtrack had a lot more fantastic tracks than just that incredible March though. There was also “Yoda’s theme”, which added an emotional weight to the movie as the wizened Jedi Master taught Luke the ways of the Force, and one of my all-time favorites: “Han Solo and the Princess”. This heartfelt romantic yet tragic track told of the love between a Princess and a scoundrel which is crushed by the Empire with the Imperial March overpowering the tender moment. This leads to the “Carbon Freeze/Luke Pursues the Captives/Departure of Boba Fett” cue which is the reason this is my favorite soundtrack of all time. Williams brilliantly blends every theme together for this career defining tour-de-force. I remember sitting in the theater watching the carbon freezing scene and feeling absolutely sucker punched at not only the prospect of losing Han Solo to Boba Fett, but also by this astounding music. Even today, that scene still chokes me up. When the movie was over I was shaken to my core as I was completely shocked by the ending where the heroes had been beaten in every way possible, a concept which had never occurred to me before. The stakes had been raised to an unimaginable level and it was pure torture for me to wait to see it resolved by the third in the series: Return of the Jedi. For me, The Empire Strikes Back both the movie and the soundtrack, is my all time favorite across the board. This was John Williams at his finest and it doesn’t get any better than this.

Raiders of the Lost Ark – John Williams

Even if you don’t agree with me at least you have to admit I’m consistent. As Empire is not only my favorite movie all time as well as my favorite soundtrack, the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie and soundtrack are linked together as my second favorite movie/soundtrack. This soundtrack also provides one of my other ringtones, “The Raiders March,” which is another fantastically memorable theme. I think just about everybody can hum the main theme for Indiana Jones which is a testament to how catchy and well written it is. Although Williams had less time to write for this soundtrack than any of his other projects, this is one of his best. What I love about this score is that it covers so much thematic territory. It has humor, dread, fast paced action cues, and awe-inspiring music for the Ark of the Covenant that both excites and frightens you as it should. I remember how hard it was to get this and the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom soundtrack. In fact, I had to get them imported from Japan to get them on cd until they finally wised up and released them here in 2005.


From dodging darts in Peru, to the bar fight in Nepal, and discovering a hidden map room that showed the location of the Ark, this soundtrack was as essential to the success of the movie as Harrison Ford. It’s another round of classic themes as Marion gets her own theme and even the Ark has its own beautiful yet ominous theme. Who can forget the scene in the map room with Indy holding the staff of Ra when the music soars as the sunlight creates a beam from the medallion showing the hidden location of the Ark? Or the thrilling music from the desert chase as Indy chases a Nazi convoy on horseback to retrieve the Ark and ends up getting shot and thrown out of a moving truck only to be towed behind it as he struggles to return? That musical cue aptly named “Desert Chase,” is the track that I do not allow myself to listen to while driving. It makes me far too aggressive and usually gets me a speeding ticket but it’s one of my all time favorite tracks. You also can’t forget the music at the end of the movie where the wrath of the Ark is unleashed on the Nazis. Just like the visuals, it starts off as a beautiful awe-inspiring melody and turns terrifying when the Ark punishes anyone that dared to look. It still gives me goose bumps listening to it at high volume and it wasn’t topped until Temple of Doom’s sacrificial chant which was even darker and more chilling. To me, Raiders is perfection and I love every minute of both the movie and the soundtrack. I'll add a link at the bottom of this article for a great boxed set out that gives the special edition version of all four Indiana Jones soundtracks that I highly recommend.

Star Trek II- The Wrath of Khan – James Horner

James Horner has composed many excellent soundtracks and another one of my favorites of his was Aliens. I picked Wrath of Khan because it means more to me although I love the Aliens movie and the soundtrack. You see, I’ve been a fan of Star Trek since I was a little kid who watched the original series while I waited for my Dad to come home from work so we could eat dinner. It’s funny the things you remember like that. Even though I love Star Wars more, Star Trek isn’t too far behind as I love the original cast and their characters. While I was very disappointed in the first Star Trek movie (although the soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is fantastic), I was completely blown away by Wrath of Khan. It is by far my favorite Star Trek movie and probably in my top 10 movies of all time. Just like the movie, James Horner removed all of the fluff and cheesiness of the past and made a robust swashbuckling score. This was the Star Trek movie and soundtrack that I had been waiting for and both of them kicked ass. Director Nicholas Meyer was the perfect man for the job and he hired the perfect composer for it. They both saw the movie as a naval adventure in space and worked together perfectly to capture that feeling with tracks like “Enterprise Clears Moorings,” with its rousing fanfare as the ship sets off for adventure.


The score is amazing as it veers from playful to dangerous with Khan and his crew determined to make Kirk pay for his actions from years ago. I can’t say enough good things about this score whether it’s the theme for the Enterprise, Kirk, Spock, Khan, or even the Genesis Device. The battle in the Mutara Nebula is an amazing achievement filled with breathtaking cues as the Enterprise battles the Reliant with all sensors down. It ends very emotionally with a tragic yet hopeful refrain of Spock’s theme as he sacrifices himself to save his ship and crew. Horner couldn’t have done a better job and it remains his best work. This Star Trek score would only come close to being matched 10 years later by Cliff Eidelman who did the score for Star Trek VI – The Undiscovered Country which was another fantastic score that almost made the list but it didn’t have the same emotional impact on me that this one did.

Final Thoughts

Perhaps another time I will do another round of albums that changed me that aren’t movie soundtracks but I am happy with these three. All of these soundtracks mean a lot to me and I listen to them all the time. If you do not own them, you should do yourself a favor and run to the store to buy them. These three soundtracks are the best example of how much a score can contribute to a movie and what a difference it makes on which composer is hired. These soundtracks are a part of me and the love I have for those movies. No matter where I am or what I am doing, if I hear any of these soundtracks I can picture the movie in my mind and be instantly transported back. Few things in life have that kind of power and that’s why these are my three picks.

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Invictus Blu-ray Review

I’ve always had a weak spot for rousing sports movies where the underdogs battle the odds and win, so I was looking forward to Invictus for that reason plus the great cast and the direction of Clint Eastwood, whom I’ve admired as an actor and as a director. Unlike say, Rocky, Invictus is about more than the sport and it’s more akin to Hoosiers where the results of a championship have a broader effect on a community or in this case a country. The life of Nelsen Mandela (or Madiba as he was affectionately called), just begged for a bigscreen biopic due to the hardships he endured to eventually bring about much needed change for South Africa. I

n fact, Morgan Freeman and his partner Lori McCreary had been developing their own movie about Mandela (Madiba) for years based on his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom,” before joining this production. Talking with Mandela, Freeman said, “”Madiba, we’ve been working a long time on this other project, but we’ve just read something that we think might get to the core of who you are…” Before he had finished, Mandela said, “Ah, the World Cup.” For Lori McCreary, that was “when I knew we were heading in the right direction.”

Mandela was the leader of the anti-apartheid Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) when the South African courts convicted him of sabotage along with other alleged charges. Mandela spent 27 years in prison, with most of them spent on Robben Island in a cell that was so small that you could stretch your arms and touch both sides of the cell. After finally being released in February 11, 1990, one would think that he would want revenge for his unjust imprisonment like the Count of Monte Cristo, but revenge was the last thing he desired. Instead of dreaming of how he could get even during that long 27 year sentence, he instead made plans on how to make things better. As he says in the film, “Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.”

Mandela desired peace and reconciliation and he knew that the only way to achieve that was by providing an example for the rest of South Africa. He began with forgiving those that imprisoned him. His efforts led to the first multi-racial elections where he was elected the nation’s first black President. That was the first step towards healing the rift between blacks and whites but Mandela knew that more steps were needed. While watching a rugby game, Mandela observed that,”All the whites cheer for South Africa. All the black cheer for England.” With the realization that the majority of his nation rooted for their opponent, instead of the national team Springboks (which Mandela did himself when he was younger), Mandela decided that the Springboks would be the springboard for the unification of South Africa. This movie is based on that effort.


Film (4 out of 5 stars)

Morgan Freeman stars as Nelson Mandela and delivers his customary excellent performance. Freeman is always good even in bad movies, but here he completely disappears into the character, becoming Nelson Mandela. In fact, Nelson Mandela himself said at one point that only Morgan Freeman could ever portray him correctly. Freeman does just that here by portraying the man with all of his principles and the charm he seems to effortlessly have. Freeman prepared for his role as Mandela by watching some tapes of him to perfect his accent and rhythm of speaking as well as spending time with him at Mandela’s home. However, the most difficult part for Freeman to duplicate was Mandela’s charisma: “I wanted to avoid acting like him; I needed to BE him, and that was the biggest challenge. When you meet Mandela, you know you are in the presence of greatness, but it is something that just emanates from him. He moves people for the better; that is his calling in life. Some call it the Madiba magic. I’m not sure that magic can be explained.”


The film also stars Matt Damon as François Pienaar the captain of the Springboks rugby team who Mandela tasked with winning the Rugby World Cup. Damon was a little concerned about playing Pienaar because of the size differences between them but was told by Eastwood, “Hell, you worry about everything else. Let me worry about that.” Upon meeting the real François Pienaar, Damon told him “I look much bigger on camera.” Like Mandela and Freeman, Pienaar and Damon spent time together discussing rugby, his philosophy on being a captain, and training methods. Damon took all of that and combined it with an authentic South African accent and became Pienaar.

The film shot at actual locations to preserve historical verisimilitude such as the exterior of Nelson Mandela’s house, the offices of the Union Buildings, the seat of government in the capital city of Pretoria, and Ellis Park Stadium. The movie provides an interesting contrast between the opinions and attitudes between the black and white communities in South Africa. Both sides didn’t trust the other and the nation was on the brink of a civil war. Mandela was certain that if he could get the nation to rally behind the national rugby team the Springboks, that it would go a long way to the peaceful unification of his nation. By throwing his political capital and charisma behind the Springboks, Mandela took a huge gamble that even his own advisors begged him not to do. In fact, as the film shows us, Mandela paid a heavy personal cost to achieve his goals as he essentially lost his family because of his prison sentence and later non-stop efforts.

Since the Springboks were themselves considered a symbol of apartheid, Mandela met with Pienaar and asked him to lead his team to the World Cup so it would inspire the nation and bring them together. By inspiring Pienaar himself, Mandela started a chain reaction where a newly invested Pienaar did his best to inspire his team and improve their game and reputation with the public. The following events are inspiring as we see small personal moments add up to a larger change in society. The film shows us that one man can make a difference and how his efforts can start a ripple effect that can change a nation.


Clint Eastwood has delivered another no nonsense old-fashioned film that keeps its narrative clean and without the heavy sentimentality that would have occurred in less sure hands. He is famous for his quick filming style and straight forward techniques and he employs them well here. There is no gimmicky look at me shots or anything that diverts attention away from the movie to the director. A lot of people complain that Eastwood doesn’t have a recognizable directorial style but that’s the point. Instead of putting himself before the movies he directs, he focuses on the story he is trying to tell. Whether or not that is in a western, a romance, a drama, or a biopic like this, Eastwood stays true to the source. He has proven to be a master of all genres much like his acting career and an inspiration to other directors such as Steven Spielberg who is impressed that he is still directing at the age of 80.

Video (4 out of 5 stars)

The good news is that Warner Bros. has maintained its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1 which is nice. The film has a slightly washed out grainy look that was intentionally done as part of the realistic style of the movie and I’m guessing also to match better the large amount of real newsreel footage. Most of the movie was filmed in harsh daylight which adds an extra sheen to it. Director of Photography Tom Stern and Director Clint Eastwood have obviously gone for a stylized look but the colors still pop out especially the rugby uniforms. That style doesn’t lend itself to be used as a reference disc but I have no complaints.


Audio (4 out of 5 stars)

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround field is well used especially during the rugby matches where the rear speakers really kicked in. The dialogue is crystal clear and front heavy and this was a very satisfying sound palette. The audio was far more satisfying than the video. You will clearly hear every blow, kick, and grunt during the games. They did a stellar job on the audio and they should be commended for it.


Special Features (4 out of 5 stars)

The movie comes with high definition video supplements, a BonusView picture-in-picture feature with Clint Eastwood, BD-Live and bonus DVD and digital copy.

The supplements provided on this release are:

Vision, Courage, and Honor — Join Clint Eastwood and those that lived through the events in this movie in the Picture in Picture viewing which gives the inside story of the making of the film and the real life history, this Blu-ray exclusive provides a rare glimpse into the process of Clint Eastwood.

Mandela Meets Morgan - Nelson Mandela and Morgan Freeman meet to prepare for the film.

Matt Damon Plays Rugby – Watch Matt Damon learn the game of rugby.

The Eastwood Factor – An excerpt from the upcoming film about Eastwood’s life and career produced by esteemed film critic and documentarian Richard Schickel.

Invictus Music Trailer

BD-Live

DVD

Digital Copy — Standard definition copy of the movie for transfer to a Mac/PC or iTunes/Windows Media compatible device.


Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed the film and would recommend it easily. For those wondering what exactly Invictus means, it’s Latin for “Unconquered.” It came from a poem by William Ernest Henley that Mandela used to keep going. The final two lines were especially important to Mandela which was,” I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” That is also a good encapsulation of the movie. While watching the special features I also enjoyed the excerpt from the upcoming Schickel documentary on Eastwood as well as preview to the Clint Eastwood career retrospective box set called 35 films, 35 years at Warner Bros. which covers the bulk of his career as both an actor and as a director. It’s unfortunate that it is only a DVD release. In any case, if you enjoy uplifting biopics and rousing sports movies, then this is the movie for you. Eastwood has proven himself to be a master craftsman again.


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Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Review


Let me begin this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes. Like many of you I’m sure, it all started with a movie called Young Sherlock Holmes that was directed by Barry Levinson and produced by Steven Spielberg. That movie spurred me into reading every single Sherlock Holmes story that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote. I didn’t just devour the stories either as I also watched all of the great movies that were made with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce up to the excellent television series starring Jeremy Brett. On top of all that, there have been countless radio dramas, plays, movies, and re-imaginings throughout the years which brings us to the latest reinvention of Holmes by director Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey Jr. as the inestimable Holmes with Jude Law as Dr. Watson. This latest effort to update and modernize Holmes depends on how precious you are about the source material and your appreciation of Downey Jr.’s take on the celebrated sleuth.


THE FILM

The film opens with a wonderful shot of a dark, rain slicked cobblestone street as a carriage whisks by only to be followed by the camera after a delicious pause as the viewers join in the chase by proxy. We follow the carriage as it winds its way through a dark atmospheric London that we have rarely seen on screen before. Thus, the movie begins right in the middle of a case as Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) are en route to stop a serial killer before he can kill again. The decision to start the movie in this fashion without the usual back story that shows Holmes and Watson’s beginnings is a brave decision that might have possible thrown some viewers that were not aware of the duo’s history.

By assuming that most people have a general understanding of that history, Ritchie is able to jump right into the action from the start which brings us to another reason why some Holmes purists may object to the movie which is that this is primarily an action film. Although in the books, Holmes employed a fighting style known as Baritsu, he rarely had to employ it but when he did such as his fight with his nemesis Moriarity, he was quite effective. In this movie, not only does he participate in club fights, he uses his analytical prowess to win in the fastest time by planning his moves far in advance. Ritchie uses a flash-forward slo-mo shot where we are witness to Holmes’s meticulous planning only to see him then actually perform the same moves in real time to disastrous effect. The third reason why some purists may object to this retelling is the apparent use of the supernatural which really didn’t play a part in the stories although the subject fascinated Conan Doyle who was a believer in such things. The movie managers to have it’s cake and eat it too as viewers won’t be sure whether or not the dark Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) really has mystical powers or not.


Like all good mysteries this has many twists and turns as we follow the 19th century dynamic duo through London as they try to ascertain what is going on. The appearance of Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) as the one person who has bested Holmes adds another wrinkle to the plot as she requests help from Holmes in tracking down a dwarf for her mysterious benefactor. The scenes between Holmes and Adler are played for comedic effect as it’s easy to see they both care for the other but Holmes’s paranoia is especially funny as he is constantly worried about being bested again. That doesn’t stop him from accepting the case though and that kicks off a series of action set pieces as Holmes and Watson follow the trail. 

Speaking of Watson, the interplay between him and Holmes is not only true to the source but also honest and funny. Both men have their flaws and it’s obvious that they are better together than separate which Holmes understands and the reason that he does all he can to keep Watson away from his fiancé Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly.) Also making an appearance from the books, Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan) joins in the case as the Scotland Yard detective that is always five steps behind Holmes. The cast is rounded out by James Fox as a high ranking bureaucrat and a great performance by frequent Ritchie collaborator Mark Strong as the mesmerizing Lord Blackwood. I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention the great soundtrack by Hans Zimmer that made me immediately think of the Harry Lime theme from The Third Man. It’s a fantastic soundtrack that somehow straddles the line between being right for the time period as well as modern thanks to the skill of its composer. The music is a character in tself and adds a lot of fun and energy to the movie.


Final Thoughts

I highly recommend this movie for all Sherlock Holmes fan and especially to the people that have never liked Sherlock Holmes. This modernized update should be able to bring both camps together thank to the great cast, music, and direction.

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Favreau Turns Iron Into Gold - Iron Man 2 Review


In 2008, Iron Man was released to an audience that wasn’t very familiar with the character and with a lead actor that had a history of personal demons that never allowed him to achieve the success his talent deserved. It turned out to be an explosive combination that raked in over $535 million worldwide. By taking the risk of giving Downey Jr. the role of a lifetime in Tony Stark, Director Jon Favreau pulled off a an amazing success story for both the movie and for Downey Jr. personally. For me, Robert Downey Jr. is one of the greatest actors of his generation but his past issues seemed to constantly derail a career that should have been celebrated far more than it has been. His past roles in movies such as Less Than Zero, Soapdish, Natural Born Killers, Wonder Boys, and especially Chaplin and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, showed his incredible range as both a dramatic and comedic actor.


His performance in Chaplin was so acclaimed that he was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor. It seemed to me that when he didn’t win the Oscar for Chaplin, Downey Jr. seemed to go into a personal and professional freefall. That freefall seemed to stop once he joined the Ally McBeal cast, but that ended badly too. It wasn’t until 2003 with Gothika, (where he met his future wife and good influence Susan), that he seemed to be back on the comeback trail. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang may not have been a huge commercial hit but his brilliant portrayal of sometime magician Harry Lockhart reminded the industry how good he could be if given the chance. Even still, it was a tough sell for Favreau to convince the studios that Downey Jr. was the right man to play Tony Stark. For Favreau though, it was a sure bet. “We didn’t want to just go with a safe choice. The best and worst moments of Robert’s life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That’s Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth that goes beyond a comic-book character that is having trouble in high school, or can’t get the girl. Plus, he’s simply one of the best actors around.” [1]


For his part, Downey Jr. appreciated the support he received from Favreau and he intended to justify it. ”I’m more diligent than I used to be,” Downey says. ”I want[ed] to show Jon he was right to have faith in me. Whatever questions might have arisen about my life weren’t issues with him.” [2] The combination of the two of them produced a loose improvisational style for the first Iron Man movie that brought a more naturalistic and playful approach that was a far cry from other superhero movies such as The Dark Knight. While The Dark Knight was dark, operatic, and deadly serious, Iron Man was giddy and fun and the audience responded wildly to the fresh approach to the genre. With the massive success of the first movie, it seemed a foregone conclusion that there would be a sequel especially when the first one ended with Tony Stark announcing that he was Iron Man. Two years later and after taking a break to launch a new franchise with Sherlock Holmes and stealing the show as a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude, in Tropic Thunder, Robert Downey Jr. is back as the Invincible Iron Man.


The Film

Iron Man 2 begins six months after the first movie and the entire cast has returned with the exception of Terrence Howard as “Rhodey” Rhodes, which was fine with me as I thought he was the weakest link in the first movie. Director Jon Favreau has returned as well, despite some early contract disagreements with Marvel that threatened the chances of his return. We now find that Tony Stark has leveraged his already considerable reputation and popularity into new heights thanks to his one-man quest for peace. That crusade inevitably causes Stark problems both personally and professionally. 

Tony Stark by all outward appearances has everything under control, but in reality his private struggles are beginning to overwhelm him. Outside forces are conspiring against him, he is also dealing with his own self-destructive demons, all while fighting a senate committee for control of the Iron Man suit, which forces his best friend Rhodey (Don Cheadle) to walk a fine line between his friendship with Tony and his military duties. Stark’s enemies include a jealous competitor named Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) who wants nothing more than to be Tony Stark, and there is also the vengeful figure from his father’s past named Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke). 

As if all that wasn’t enough, Tony also discovers that the palladium element in his arc reactor that has been keeping him alive is also poisoning him. To survive, he must not only discover a new element that can generate the power he needs, but he also must make it work with his Iron Man suit. There is also the potential for romance between Stark and Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow), if he could only stop keeping her at a distance through his actions and banter. Stark’s seemingly irreverent attitude towards life is exposed to be a convenient front that hides his personal feelings that he feels he can’t share with anyone. It turns out that Stark has always believed that his father did not love him and it’s not until he sees some old footage of his father does he finally understand his family history and the legacy he has inherited.

The film primarily focuses on the concept of family legacy and how one generation can pass down their successes and failures to the next. In the 70’s Howard Stark and Anton Vanko teamed together to try to create a new energy source but their partnership fell apart due to their different objectives. Howard Stark had a dream of providing abundant energy for all while Anton Vanko was only interested in the technology solely for his own financial gain. Their falling out led to Vanko’s descent into obscurity and poverty while Stark’s fortunes skyrocketed. Just like their fathers before them, Tony Stark and Ivan Vanko are the flip sides of the same coin. On one side of the coin is the celebration of ingenuity and the good fortune that comes with it and the other side being a cautionary tale of what can happen when you use that genius for selfish reasons. As flippant as Tony Stark presents himself, he does want a peaceful world and is working hard to make it happen. Ivan Vanko on the other hand, only wants Tony Stark to pay for the injustice he believes Howard Stark perpetuated against his father. They will both use the same technology that was invented by their fathers to try to achieve their different goals.


Robert Downey Jr. is superb once again as the narcissistic and arrogant Tony Stark. It is a testament to his acting ability that he keeps Stark likable and easy to root for despite the character’s many flaws. I can’t think of another actor that could portray this role as well as Downey Jr. It’s obvious that a lot of his own personality and humor has gone into the role with a lot of dialog improvised by him during filming. It was the role he was born to play and it’s typecasting in the best sense of the word. He is aided by a stellar cast who all do well in their respective roles. Don Cheadle makes Rhodey true to the previous installment’s version but also makes it his own. Other newcomers to the franchise include Mickey Rourke, who makes the most of his limited appearances and exudes menace. He is a serious threat as he has Stark’s intelligence as well as the brawn. 

Another new addition is Sam Rockwell who is great as the weaselly Tony Stark wannabe Justin Hammer who will do anything to beat Stark at his own game. The beautiful Scarlet Johansson plays S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, the Black Widow (although she is never referred as such in the movie). Past stalwarts from the first movie include Gwyneth Paltrow as Stark’s longtime aide who has to assume more responsibility this go around and Nick Fury as played by Samuel L. Jackson who does his best to help Stark be the man his father wanted him to be. For continuity fans, Iron Man 2 takes place during the events of The Incredible Hulk as the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are sent to New Mexico to try to resolve that situation. I love how Marvel is cross-pollinating each of their franchises. There are several easter eggs that I won’t reveal that will definitely play a part in future productions such as Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and of course the ultimate team up movie: The Avengers. The groundwork is being laid by each movie and Iron Man 2 does its part too. I am really looking forward to seeing all of the characters join forces down the road.


Jon Favreau’s direction is more assured this time and the ambush of Stark on a Monaco racetrack is well staged and exciting as well as the final battle at the end. There is a lot more action this time around but there is also a lot more time spent on the characters as well. In fact, the middle of the movie slows down while Stark has to come to grip with his family legacy and his feelings about his father and the people in his life. Rhodey and Pepper are both getting concerned about Stark’s irresponsibility with the Iron Man suit and doing what they can to help him, which causes some friction between all of them. Some may complain that all of these interactions should have been edited more but I enjoyed seeing a big superhero movie take the time to examine what makes a hero but also the cost that comes with it. 

For Stark, being Iron Man is literally killing him every time he uses the suit but he continues to do so because he believes in his cause. Once he learns to let go of his negativity (which Vanko never does), Stark can see things from his father’s perspective, which changes everything for him. The idea of accepting or cursing a family legacy and dealing with the fallout from that decision is an interesting one to be found in a summer popcorn movie. Like The Dark Knight before it, this is a superhero movie that isn’t afraid to offer more than the usual formulaic hero beats the villain story. All of the characters have their own flaws and they succeed or fail despite them. Despite being worth millions of dollars, Tony Stark is still relatable because he is as human and as imperfect as the audience watching him. That fact, along with Downey Jr.’s fantastic portrayal of Stark combines to make a winning combination that elevates the genre once again.


Final Thoughts

This is a great movie that expands on the first one and allows some character growth along with some great action scenes. I highly recommend seeing it in on an actual IMAX screen while you still can! Make sure you stay to watch the end credits so you don’t miss the scene that take place once the credits are over.


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