Movie Review: IRON MAN 3

IRON MAN 3
Director: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey,Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce


Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) should really start keeping tabs on all of the people he may have crossed or ignored in the past. Then again, that list may get way too long. His previous foes, including Obadiah Stane and Ivan Vanko, were previously connected to Tony and his father. Back in 1999, Tony met Aldrich Killian (Pearce) at a New Year’s Eve party but brushed him off and neglected to join him in his business venture, Advanced Idea Mechanics, A.I.M for short. Killian is a scraggly, disabled, and worn down man working with the Extremis virus which gives strength and regenerative treatments to humans.

In present day, Tony is out of sorts often suffering from panic attacks and a lack of sleep due to the alien invasion in New York (see Marvel’s The Avengers for this story). His girlfriend Pepper Potts (Paltrow) who is now the CEO of Stark Industries is worried about him and is growing tired of the consequences of him being Iron Man. To make things even worse, a terrorist by the name of The Mandarin (Kingsley) is sending threatening videos of the destruction he intends to inflect on the United States. It is probably no coincidence that he bears a resemblance to Osama bin Laden. An attack outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre leaves Tony’s bodyguard Happy (Favreau) badly injured and hospital bound. Tony sends a pretty ballsy message to The Mandarin saying he is not afraid and goes so far as to give his address out over live TV threatening that he is ready for whatever The Mandarin has to offer. The Mandarin sends his team to Tony’s gorgeous Malibu residence and destroys the place. With the help of a ten-year old boy and his friend James Rhodes (Cheadle), who is also suiting up in his own gear as Iron Patriot, Tony sets out to destroy The Mandarin and find out the connection between him and Aldrich Killian.

Black takes over the director’s chair from Jon Favreau who helmed the first two. The series needed a boost of fresh air after Iron Man 2. Fans left quite disappointed as the second film was weak and quite boring compared to the energy of the first one. Downey and Black previously worked together in the noir hit Kiss Kiss Bang Bang so it was reassuring to hear that collaboration would be back as Downey would be particular about who would sign on board for the third entry. Black wrote the film with Drew Pearce and they definitely know how to play to the strengths of these characters and actors. Each actor has great moments to shine without ever feeling like they are wimpy supporting characters in Downey’s movie. There are a few clever little twists thrown in to up the ante for the series and what is to come in the Marvel universe. The film also boasts the addition of the best villain in the series. Ben Kingsley is no stranger to playing the bad guy, but his take on The Mandarin is diabolical, sadistic, and dare I say funny at times. Each of the action sequences and special effects are top notch and impressive. The Iron Man suit alone comes flying onto Tony in various parts that connect all together once they hit his body.

These movies would be nothing without Robert Downey, Jr. I cannot think of another actor that would have taken on this role and given him the dimension he has been able to use with playing Stark. He can play the cocky comedic one-liners in one moment, kick serious ass in the next, and then have touching dramatic scenes with Pepper in an another scene. I would not be as big of a fan of the Iron Man character if it was not for Downey. If this was the last stand-alone Iron Man film, it would end on a high-note. I hope Downey comes back for The Avengers 2, but that will most likely be the last time he dons the Iron Man suit.

It should probably go without saying that you should keep an eye out for the Stan Lee cameo and stay after the credits for the additional fun scene that is always tagged onto Marvel movies. Don’t worry. No spoilers from me on what it entitles! Just trust that it is well worth sitting through the names of hundreds upon hundreds of people involved with the digital effects of the film.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: LAWLESS

LAWLESS
Director: John Hillcoat
Starring: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman

Bootlegging was the term for the illegal smuggling of alcohol during the Prohibition era. The Bondurant Brothers left their mark on Franklin County, Virginia as moonshine bootleggers. Forrest (Hardy), Jack (LaBeouf), and Howard (Clarke) have their turf and are not to be messed with unless you want to end up a bloody mess. They are known to have an "invincible" status. A group of lawmen led by Charlie Rakes (Pearce) from Chicago have stepped in and threaten the brothers in an attempt to share in their moonshine profits. While the brothers and the rest of the locals are living a shabby, dusty, and dirty life, Rakes comes in dressed in his finest clothes, gloves, and finely styled hair. His eyebrows have been so finely plucked they are barely noticeable.

Your standard bar brawl turns vicious one night at the Bondurant's saloon. Forrest wins the fight between the men and drags them out of the saloon. Along with his bar maid, Maggie (Chastain), he closes up the saloon for the night and heads out to his car. The gentlemen from the fight retaliate by attacking him and slashing his throat. Maggie happens to drive back to the saloon not knowing the fate of Forrest and gets bruised and beaten herself. Forrest stays true to his invincible self and survives the attack. Jack vows for revenge on the men and Rakes all the while trying to carry on the family business and wooing the local preacher's daughter (Wasikowska).

The movie is based on the book "The Wettest County in the World" by Matt Bondurant who is the grandson of Jack Bondurant. Like most movies based on real life figures, there is an antique photo of the real brothers that starts the final credits. Singer/Songwriter Nick Cave wrote the screenplay and composed the score for the movie. The storytelling is a bit choppy at times. The beginning of the movie feels very slow. It seemed as if Cave didn't know how to set up the characters or how to start the story before the catalyst that drives the rest of the movie happens. I get irritated when I feel like I don't know where the story is going. There could be far more depth and urgency with the story as well as the characters. The characters could have been written with more specificity instead of seeming like stereotypes. You've got the strong but silent brother, the young anxious brother, the flamboyant villain, the Tommy Gun toting gangster, the bar maid, and the quiet church girl.

Despite weak writing, the acting is fairly strong overall. I am not sure if Tom Hardy filmed this before or after The Dark Knight Rises but he still has his Bane body and uses that to embody his invincible status. Guy Pearce borders on over-the-top at times as the flamboyant Charlie Rakes. You definitely grow to hate his character. Gary Oldman is a perfect chameleon of an actor. Unfortunately, he is in the movie all too briefly. I would have loved to see more of his character. Hillcoat has directed a very violent and grisly movie. The added sound effects make every gun shot and throat slashing all the more graphic. While the movie has some good things going for it, it is done on a very simple surface level.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: PROMETHEUS

PROMETHEUS
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce



The year is 2089 and the origins of humanity are still baffling mankind. Archeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) have discovered some fascinating hieroglyphics in a cave off the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The hieroglyphics point to a star map. This same pattern/drawing has been found in numerous primitive drawings dating back thousands of years in various locations. They deem this all too eerie and are determined the drawings are meant to lead people to the stars which could unveil the answers to life’s origins. They board the vessel Prometheus which has been funded to explore this unknown world.



They wake up in 2093 as Prometheus has finally reached the new world. Shaw and Holloway are joined by other scientists as well as The Weylan Group who is financing the expedition. Meredith Vickers (Theron) is the Weylan Group representative that makes it perfectly clear that this trip is for the Weylan Group and not Shaw and Holloway. Decisions will be made by her in the best interest for the company instead of the crew or the findings. Rounding out the team is an android simply named David (Fassbender). He is made in the likeness of a human but does not contain a soul. Prometheus docks on a surface containing straight lines leading into a domed cavern. This formation suggests that a species had lived there at some point as the universe does not create straight lines in nature. What lies inside the cave proves to be exactly what they were looking for and then some. Their adventure only just begins as they unravel what is lost, hidden, and lurking in the cavern. One of the biggest pieces of discovery happens to be the head of a creature with human-like features. They bring it onboard to realize that its DNA matches human DNA. I will leave the rest of their discoveries and journey for you to unfold. This is the kind of movie that is better left knowing very little going into it.



When Prometheus was first announced by Ridley Scott, rumors went into overdrive as this was going to be the prequel to Alien. When you have a director returning to the roots of a genre that put him on the map, one can’t help want to make comparisons or try to tie it into a previous work. There is no doubt that Alien was groundbreaking and has left a legacy on the sci-fi genre. Yes, there are some parallels and similar items and themes between both movies. Do not worry if you have not seen Alien or if it has been some time. If you experience the movie as a standalone film and don’t try to make comparisons, I think you will enjoy it more.



Scott has gathered a great group of actors for his ensemble. Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender definitely stand out. Rapace is no stranger to very physical roles after her run as Lisbeth Salander in the Sweden versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. She is proving to be a very ballsy actress that can tackle a variety of genres. Fassbender is wicked as David who turns out to be more than your standard robot/android. David is very reminiscent of HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Charlize Theron is as strong as ever, but I wish her character would have been fleshed out more.



Many of Ridley Scott’s movies have been hit or miss lately. Prometheus scores as a hit in my book. The dark atmosphere he has created is visually stunning and fully believable. The film was shot in 3D, and the 3D technology works wonders for this style. It completely enhances the dark tight feeling of the cavernous tunnels and the hallways of the Prometheus. I appreciate when 3D is used to enrich a story over using it as a gimmick to make more money at the box office. Men in Black 3 falls into that category. One could say that the plot is fairly simple. I don’t see a problem with that as so many sci-fi films get too heightened and caught up in the science, technology, or conspiracy part of it. In that case, the story and language gets too muddled down with big words and concepts that your average movie audience cannot wrap their brain around. Screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof start the movie asking the question of how we got here on Earth, but turn the movie into asking what happens when you go in search of that big question. Prometheus is by no means a perfect movie. There are flaws and the very tail ending of the movie is a bit hokey. I still found myself on the edge of my seat haunted by what was all unraveling before me.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5)