Movies

Iron Man: I think Hollywood is finally starting to really understand the way a superhero movie is supposed to go. Cuz this is a really good one. Fun and enjoyable. And what everyone says about Robert Downey Jr. is true: he really is perfect as Tony Stark/Iron Man.

And as a side note: I saw bits and pieces of The Incredible Hulk over the holidays (the new good one with Edward Norton, not the lame pathetic one of a few years ago that everyone is trying to forget.) Just enough to realize that they are trying to potentially combine the two stories in what would presumably be an incredibly sweet multiverse. I'd kinda like to see more of the comic book movies doing this.

War, Inc.: Um. Weird. Very weird. Is this what taking hallucinogens is like? John Cusack + Joan Cusack + same movie = cool, though.

Yes Man: Very fun. With only one moment I would like to scrub from my memory. What was this movie rated anyway? I still have no idea. Either a slightly risky PG-13 or a fairly tame R. This is kind o f a nice bridge for someone like me who likes Jim Carrey a lot when he's in serious movies ( The Majestic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Truman Show) but isn't thrilled by the comedic stylings of Dumb and Dumber. Funny, but not stupid funny.

Lions for Lambs: I really liked My Dinner with Andre, and this movie goes along fairly similar guidlines. All it consists of is a series of conversations. Big name actors: Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise. But only about four major sets. And it probably took ... two days to film. Asks some nice questions about civic responsibility. If you're in the mood to think, this is a good movie.

And a very special review for Quantum of Solace:

Requirements for a James Bond movie:

• Fast and cool cars: Um, maybe. But those cars at the beginning were being filmed in such a jerky manner and the were destroyed so quickly it was hard to tell. - 10
• Fast and sexy women: Well, Bond did sleep with one woman. It seemed pretty forced though, like a scene from another movie. He didn't even act attracted to any other woman. -7
• Provocative names: The girl he slept with was named Strawberry Fields. + 2
• James Bond theme music: Played once. At the end of the movie. -10
• Trademark gun barrel following Bond across screen: At the very end of the movie instead of right before the opening credits like it's supposed to. - 5
• Nifty and interesting gadgets: A cell phone. Considering cell phones these days? Not very nifty or interesting. - 10
• Vodka martinis: Were those supposed to be martinis he was drinking? The impressions most of the audience was left with was no. -10
• Being shaken and not stirred: The martinis weren't and the audience was only shaken by how *not* a bond movie this was. - 10
• Q: Non-existent. - 20
• M: The excellent Judi Dench. Of course she's been around since the Brosnon bond era when she took over as M and as been wonderful ever sense. + 10
• Eccentric villains: Lame. Lame lame lame. -7
• Exotic villain fortress locale: I'm split on this. The main villain of this film was based out of a loading dock. But the organization he was part of had a really neat meeting in a modern opera house. -5
• Wit and sarcasm: No, Bond was mainly just bitter and angry. -7
• Trademark opening credits: Silhouettes of naked women and guns in the sand. It'll pass. +5
• Good song playing in opening credits: Sucked. -5
• Bond. James Bond.: Not Bourne. Jason Bourne. The filmmaker's seemed confused about this. -10

That brings our grand score to a 1 out of 100. And I didn't even do the math ahead of time. If it wasn't supposed to be a Bond movie it would be fine. But it's supposed to be Bond. Ergo it sucked.