Iron Man 3

Saw it twice this weekend, one with family and the other with someone special.

I liked it for the most part though it's not what some fanboys/girls were expecting and there are some spoilers that are already driving some insane.

I will say this:  apparently this story is based loosely on an Iron Man story from years ago and upon hearing some of the specifics of that story, I'm glad that the writers/director took some liberties.

Speaking of which, Shane Black (who might very well have one of the coolest names in history) is to be commended on this being only his second film directing.  Though upon reading his IMDB page, I had NO idea that he wrote the Monster Squad in the '80's.

But still...

He made the movie "darker" for sure but ironically it's the funniest of the three.  Jon Favreau is to be commended on getting the franchise started on the right foot but I think over all the film works.  If you're a fanboy of the comics then you're gonna be pissed.  I think the plot twist in the middle was daring and you didn't see it coming but I don't know if I agree with it.  Would have been better if the Mandarin was who he said he was.

Kind of a shame that Happy has more to do in this film and is quickly dispatched, but at least they didn't kill him off like Cyclops.  Shame that the Iron Patriot gets hardly any screen time and it was kind of pointless that they changed his name.  Also Pepper was a better character than Mary Jane Watson was in the Spidey films but here she is kind of subjected to just being the damsel in distress.  Still a pretty good character all in all.

Now when it comes to movie trilogies to which the over all story arc is not present in all three (Star Wars was in essence one story in three films) then I think film makers would be wise to look at the Iron Man trilogy and learn from what it did right and where it stumbled.  I think it succeeded more than it failed.

Way better than The Dark Knight Rises.

Man of Steel vs. Iron Man 3

It seems to me that the big showdown of the nerd movies this year is Man of Steel vs Iron Man 3.  Now after the disappointment with The Dark Knight Rises and the first trailer of Superman kinda leaving a bad taste in every one's mouth, it seemed like Stark's third outing was going to be a sure-thing.  It also helps that Marvel has been on a roll over the past five years and still riding a freight train of awesome after The Avengers.

However, I need to mention a new article on joblo.com:

http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/scoop-early-screenings-of-man-of-steel-reveal-more-about-the-tone-action-and-superman-kicking-all-kinds-of-ass

It's encouraging, if it's real and I would say that Iron Man 3 has some major competition.  I would have to mention the new IM3 trailer, too:

http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/trailer-for-iron-man-3

Again, I guess we'll have to wait and see just which is the better film.  I would say that the geeks this year are going to be either very satisfied...or crushed.  Just like last year with Batman not living up to the hype, at least we were all happy with Avengers.

Tony Stark's Dilema

The new Superbowl commercial for IronMan 3 shows people falling to their death and only Tony Stark can save them....at least four of them...out of thirteen.  Quite the feat, for any superhero.

Which brings up an interesting dilema:  What if he truly CAN'T save them all?  That might be the focus of this scene and an important plot point.  Though he ends up saving some, a few (possibly most) die and instead of being seen as a hero, he might be instead blamed by members of the press, the goverment and the public.

 

Sure, superheroes can do incredible things, but they can't do everything and though Tony is smart, I wonder just HOW is he going to save all of them?  Maybe the film will be bold and not give the scene a happy ending like John McClain in Die Hard 2.  An entire PLANE of people died despite him trying everything he could.

 

 

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

I'm still annoyed by the new armor, though.