Right? At least in Movieland. Once the big blockbusters a.k.a. tentpoles start making their appearance, then it's definitely a sign that summer is upon us! (Just ignore that fluctuating mercury and the rain clouds that refuse to go away)
Back to the movie. Did I like? YES! Did my dad? Ditto, but he says less than the first, although we both agree on preferring this bad guy:
seemed much more intimidating/threatening than Jeff Bridges last time around...
seemed much more intimidating/threatening than Jeff Bridges last time around...
I found it to be just as much fun as the first movie, with a slightly darker edge in Tony Stark's madness, and with an even bigger ego -if that were possible! I did not dislike Scarlett Johansson (which I totally expected to), and had fun with the few Samuel Jackson scenes. The special effects are just as awesome as you'd expect. My big *argh!* moment would be with the recasting of a significant character... although I prefer Cheadle to Terrence Howard, but it's jarring to have to associate a new face and voice to a character in the same franchise... I had the same problem in The Dark Knight (yes Maggie Gyllenhall is a better actress than Katie Holmes, but she's so different from her I couldn't imagine her to be the same character, was very annoying!).
So all in all, for some explosive movie fun - and a great dose of Robert Downey Jr:
I'd definitely recommend the new Iron Man. :o)
I'd definitely recommend the new Iron Man. :o)
Summer... plenty of "big" movies all vying for out attention, although I'm highly disappointed that there's no Potter! (organised according to US release dates, links send you to the movies' official pages with trailers, images etc.):
-April/May-
- A Nightmare on Elm Street: nostalgia might take me to this... that and my sister's raving recommendation (she saw it last night). Although it wouldn't be the same without my sister's best friend from childhood who went through a phase of wanting us to watch these almost every weekend, which resulted in the 4 of us sleeping in the same room... That or putting in a Disney movie after.
- Iron Man 2 (you've read my take above)
- Shrek Forever After: I loved the first, thought the second wasn't bad... intensely disliked the third! But this one looks like it might liven things up and it is the last one so... nah! DVD for me (dubbing, the voices really sell this and Antonio Banderas doesn't even dub himself in Spanish anymore!)
- Robin Hood: Ridley Scott, what have you done? I don't quite feel Russel Crowe as Robin... too old! But I'm a sucker for anything related to our favourite thief and I'll see Cate Blanchett in anything so I'll definitely be there! And now that I've seen the 2nd trailer (definite improvement on the first)... I can't wait for next week!!! :o)
- Sex in the City 2: can they still use that title if most of the story doesn't take place in "the" city? I'm not at all convinced by this one... but having seen the full series and the first movie how can I avoid it? Although I shudder at the thought of Carrie and co. in Spanish, so I might actually be able to convince myself to wait for the dvd (unless a friend propses an outing in which case I'm trapped!)
- Prince of Persia: Jake Gyllenhall = good. Video game turned movie... not another one?!?! but the trailer looks great... on the fence, will probably be a spur of the moment decision.
-June-
- The Karate Kid: without mister Miyagi?! NO WAY!!! But... cute kid + lines like "I get it, you're like Yoda and I'm a Jedi"... probably catch it on dvd.
- The A Team: didn't they learn anything from Miami Vice and Charlie's Angels? Hit '80s TV series do not good movies make... but Bradley Cooper... yum! They're luring us in with chock-a-block action and eye candy! Dunno... doubtful unless my Dad drags me in. But wait! Is that Liam Neeson (in grey hair?!?!?) I see?! damn... I just might have to go after all... :p
- Toy Story 3: Haven't seen the second, won't be making it to the third
- Eclipse: Vampires vs Werewolves! Oh, and love-sick teens... Yup, I'll be there. :p
-July-
- The Last Airbender: just saw the trailer the other day... peaked my curiosity.
- Knight and Day: Tom Cruise is a +, Cameron Diaz is a - in my columns, but the trailer looked like a lot of fun so... knowing my dad he'll have me in the cinema for this one! ;o)
- Inception: Christopher Nolan + Leo DiCaprio?! ... I'm in!!!
- Salt: Angelina Jolie is back in action... should be fun! Plus it's been a while since we've gotten to see a woman kick some a$$ ;o)
- The Concert: I'm just adding this one in for those of you on the other side of the pond... this is a French movie I raved about before Christmas (see here), so go see it!!!
-August-
- Eat, Pray, Love: Julia Roberts. Travelling in gorgeous places. Need I say more? ;o)
- The Expendables: Sly Stallone is someone I usually avoid... but the trailer is tempting.
- Nanny McPhee 2: haven't seen #1 so...
Did I miss anything? Any of those caught your eye or previously on your radar of "yay! summer movies!!!"?
You'll get my take on them as I see them if they really excite me (Movie Magic/Madness series), or briefly summarized in my Monthly Movies. If you catch them before me (probably thx to delayed release dates in much of Europe) and want to warn me against one or give another a heartfelt recommendation, please do so! :o)
Thanks for the heads up on the upcoming movies, most of which I knew nothing about. I saw the trailer for Salt and thought I would see it, and we must have very different likes and dislikes, I would NEVER see Nightmare on Elm Street and will avoid Iron Man 2, since those action movies just tire me out. I look forward to hearing what you think of each of these movies as you see them! So Netflix works in your part of the world too, huh?
ReplyDeleteI almost didn't read this post - I'm going to see Iron Man 2 tonight and didn't want you to reveal any spoilers. Robert Downey Jr. - YUMMY!
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to Salt. I love Angelina Jolie when she goes all bad ass.
I wanted to see Iron Man 2 soooo badly when the trailer came out that I was considering some sort of film espionage. (But, not being much of a spy, I just decided to wait.) After a while I lost my hyped-up feeling.Which is why you should only make me watch trailers about a week before (ADD, you know). Now that you've given it a thumbs-up, I'm excited again. I hope I can go watch it with my fiance - and if not...well...I live right across the street from a dollar theater so I can wait until it migrates there. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm terrified of the next Shrek because even though I've liked them all, they quality seems to be on a pretty sharp downgrade. I would hate to hate Shrek. (if that makes any sense at all)
The Karate Kid...well...I'm just on the fence. I sort of want to see it, but I can't find myself disagreeing with the wealth of snarky remarks I've heard while watching the trailer. I may slink off to the movie theater by myself one evening.
Also, very interested in The Last Airbender, but not sure I'll go catch it on the bigscreen.
As for Salt...well I just don't know. Jolie just doesn't do it for me as an actress, but I may watch it if it makes it to the dollar theater across the street. After all, $1 movie...
Great post!
DJan, if I go see Nightmare it will be out of pure nostalgia for some fond youthful memories of the place where my family was happiest (and all of us under one roof!). Funny that it should be through a scary movie... but when you have a friend who insists on watching one of these almost every time she comes over... and she spent most weekends at our place... well those are a lot of memories!
ReplyDeleteNope, no Netflix! We still have this old fashioned system called heading over to see what's new at the video rental place! ;o)
Dive Girl, I would never (knowingly) spoil a movie! That's why most of my "reviews" are so vague, more a recount of my impressions! Specially in cases where I know I've seen the movie before most everyone else. Come back and tell us what you thought!
And yeah, badass Angelina = smiles! :o)
Glad to be of service Nicky! We don't have dollar theatres over here, so if I want to see something on the big screen (vs dvd) I need to keep track of things and find the time and pay the price. Fortunately I still get a student discount! Just a euro off... but with the number of movies I see that adds up to a lot! :p
These days I usually wait for the DVD to come out, but I do make exceptions a couple of times a year. I saw Avatar at the IMAX and loved every minute.
ReplyDeleteThe Lightkeepers with Richard Dreyfus and Blythe Danner just opened in Los Angeles on the 7th. That's the one I'm waiting for to come this way. I'm a sucker for a good romance and this movie has two couples, one young and the other old (second time around for them) and Dreyfus as a cantankerous, woman-hating character appeals to me. Set in 1912 on Cape Cod is really my style, you know I love all that vintage stuff.
Oh, but I do love Angelina!
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to Jolie kicking some ass, and check out my review of Nanny McPhee 2, it's excellent.
ReplyDeleteIron Man 2 was fine, but I really didn't love it.
Rhonda, some movies are just meant to be seen on the big screen! I save a lot for dvds, but when summer comes round, full of movies that are mostly to be admired for their special effects... most of them I see that one time on the big screen and then never again.
ReplyDeleteBut wish I had an IMAX in my neck of the woods, never been to one! :s
Andrew, I guess I'll check out the crazy Nanny McPhee on dvd at some point, once I've seen the first! :p
Oh Cris, I can't believe you've never been to an IMAX! Avatar was amazing, wish I could have seen it there a dozen times. I was just entranced with the effects.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that some movies must be seen on the big screen. When I was younger and lived in California, I was always at the theater, but since I've grown old and decrepit I find most of them very uncomfortable. So, I always have to ask myself, is this movie worth the pain? lol