Iron Man 2 (!!!!!)
IM2 MIDNIGHT SHOWING! HEARTS IN MY EYES, GUYS! I love these characters.
I am enamoured! I am giddy. I will be watching it again. And seriously, it’s something about the RDj/Tony Stark combo, because while I didn’t find him all that in Sherlock Holmes, Tony Stark!RDJ? I DIED, GUYS, I DIED. The plotline fit and it wasn't too overly complicated, but still had some very important shout outs to the comics (the drinking problem, for one, even though it was masked), it all meshed together and didn't leave you WTFing all over the place. You understood why the characters where doing what they were doing even if you didn't agree with it. I do think the middle was a bit too exposition heavy, but it kinda worked? Maybe I'm a little too high with the love right now, but while I can see how the middle exposition bit could have been reduced in length and information, it also feels like the movie (ie. Tony) needed it. The arc reactor issue = drinking problem was a little heavy handed if you know the history, but if you didn't it worked because the plotline was planned out. Maybe a little too precisely with a little too much gravitas, but better more detail than no detail at all. But hey, ROGER STERLING was Tony's dad and how perfect is that!? A Mad Men raised Tony! Too fitting if you ask me.
Whiplash was such a surprise! I liked him! His motivations were understandable if a little handwavey (MY DAD > YOUR DAD, STARK. FAMILIAL REVENGE FTW.), but he was good bad guy. Smart too. I like smart bad guys. Rourke did a really good job with him. INTENSE, GUYS. His opening Darth Vader "NOOOOO" scream aside (LOL no actor should be asked to do that). And ScarJo. ANOTHER PLEASANT SURPRISE. There was so mach talk about her and honestly I didn't pay attention to it, but her character was actually drawn out well. SHE WAS S.H.I.E.L.D AND KICKED ASS, AND DIDN'T, REPEATING THAT, DIDN'T THREATEN PEPPER'S POSITION AT ALL. (Which, let's be honest, was a worry for most people.) Hell, she and Pepper worked together really well. Still, Tony + Pepper + Happy (+ Rhodey)= EPIC TEAM OF AWESOME. (One word: Monaco.)
Tony continues to own my soul. He's so messed up, but he trying! Failing and falling sometimes, but trying! His birthday party-- woah to the second hand embarrassment and sadness that followed. (Here's the only time I really didn't like Natalie/Natasha. It was stupid advice to give him, esp considering what we find out about her later: that she was S.H.I.E.L.D. I liked that Pepper called her out.) The plotline of him grappling with arc reactor, which was killing him, but at the same he can't live without it was an interesting internal motivation to give. While the alcohol might have been more true to comic history, I also get why they didn't go that route. Drunk Hero doesn't transcend as easily or as sympathetically as Hero Dealing With His Own Mortality. I love that he was going to tell Pepper over a burnt omelette and Venice. OH, TONY. The movie never makes light of their relationship, and just much Tony needs her in his life. Again, OH TONY.
AND PEPPER. NOTHING IS MORE AWESOME THAN PEPPER POTTS. SHE RULES THE WORLD, LITERALLY. She basically runs Stark Industries in Tony's place, and then she actually runs Stark Industries. Not because Tony is incompetent or anything like that, even if could care less about the day to day of the company, but because SHE'S THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. I loved their littler banter/argument when he promotes her/gives her company. OH, SHIP, YOU SO WONDERFUL. Seriously, every second they're together on screen it's magic. (But the helmet kiss was cut out! Fail! That's why I have the trailer saved.) Her and Tony in the office! MY HEART. "I need you." Such a small line, buried under their banter-arguement but when RDJ delivered it was all you heard. It was all I heard. And then. THERE WAS A FIGHT/QUITTING/KISS. And they sold it. THEY'RE IN A KINDA SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP. HE'S TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY HER. OMG, GUYS. THEY ARE PERFECT. (And I'm 100% sure that Pepper is still CEO.)
TONY AND RHODEY. EPIC BFFS. I love that they fought and then they fought as they made up. There were no real apologies because they just got on with shit. And then Rhodey teased Tony and Pepper. I LOVE THESE THREE. They legit made the movie for me. (On Cheadle vs. Howard: to me, there's no either or. Don Cheadle brought a different energy to Rhodey simply put. Terrence Howard was good, there's no denying it and I love him and RDJ in the first one, but there was sometime more idk mature(?) about them this time around. I think there was stillness in Rhodey with Cheadle that there wasn't with Howard, even if personally I think TH looks more the comic books Rhodey than Cheadle. TH was, I think, the right Rhodey for the first, but DC was the right one for the second. In a way I can never pick which I like better because they both sold the character.)
Sam Rockwell was a good Justin Hammer. He was a little over the top at times but he made it work. Also a good foil for Tony, and could actually stand up to RDJ as a performer. Both can can pull of the humour with the same levity and still keep you interested when they're not. Hell, he even danced a little. HE'S GOT SUCH SLICK MOVES.
Other things! Agent Coulson came back! LOVE. So did Major Allen (TOMIN to all SG peeps). Double love. NICK FURY HAD WOLVERINE MARKS ON HIS FACE. Or at least that's how I chose to interpret the three scars across his bad eye. Tony Stark used Captain America's shield to level his project. LOL FOREVER. The Avengers! And secret post credits new character. (Admittedly, not one of my favourites.) Tony's computer! Geeky heaven.
(and because I'm officially protective about it: I don't want anyone to go expecting a The Dark Knight type sequel, because they're two different franchises with different motivations. Yes, we have a broken heros, but they're not the same guy. I love them both, but differently and it's okay.)
Final verdict, I still love the first one MORE THAN LIFE, but dudes, this was FANTASTIC. A JOYRIDE. I truly enjoyed it and it left me fulfilled. I don't think I even need a third instalment, though I won't say no to it.
This post is probably a hot mess, I'll look over it tomorrow morning.
P.S. Gonna go pass out now.
I am enamoured! I am giddy. I will be watching it again. And seriously, it’s something about the RDj/Tony Stark combo, because while I didn’t find him all that in Sherlock Holmes, Tony Stark!RDJ? I DIED, GUYS, I DIED. The plotline fit and it wasn't too overly complicated, but still had some very important shout outs to the comics (the drinking problem, for one, even though it was masked), it all meshed together and didn't leave you WTFing all over the place. You understood why the characters where doing what they were doing even if you didn't agree with it. I do think the middle was a bit too exposition heavy, but it kinda worked? Maybe I'm a little too high with the love right now, but while I can see how the middle exposition bit could have been reduced in length and information, it also feels like the movie (ie. Tony) needed it. The arc reactor issue = drinking problem was a little heavy handed if you know the history, but if you didn't it worked because the plotline was planned out. Maybe a little too precisely with a little too much gravitas, but better more detail than no detail at all. But hey, ROGER STERLING was Tony's dad and how perfect is that!? A Mad Men raised Tony! Too fitting if you ask me.
Whiplash was such a surprise! I liked him! His motivations were understandable if a little handwavey (MY DAD > YOUR DAD, STARK. FAMILIAL REVENGE FTW.), but he was good bad guy. Smart too. I like smart bad guys. Rourke did a really good job with him. INTENSE, GUYS. His opening Darth Vader "NOOOOO" scream aside (LOL no actor should be asked to do that). And ScarJo. ANOTHER PLEASANT SURPRISE. There was so mach talk about her and honestly I didn't pay attention to it, but her character was actually drawn out well. SHE WAS S.H.I.E.L.D AND KICKED ASS, AND DIDN'T, REPEATING THAT, DIDN'T THREATEN PEPPER'S POSITION AT ALL. (Which, let's be honest, was a worry for most people.) Hell, she and Pepper worked together really well. Still, Tony + Pepper + Happy (+ Rhodey)= EPIC TEAM OF AWESOME. (One word: Monaco.)
Tony continues to own my soul. He's so messed up, but he trying! Failing and falling sometimes, but trying! His birthday party-- woah to the second hand embarrassment and sadness that followed. (Here's the only time I really didn't like Natalie/Natasha. It was stupid advice to give him, esp considering what we find out about her later: that she was S.H.I.E.L.D. I liked that Pepper called her out.) The plotline of him grappling with arc reactor, which was killing him, but at the same he can't live without it was an interesting internal motivation to give. While the alcohol might have been more true to comic history, I also get why they didn't go that route. Drunk Hero doesn't transcend as easily or as sympathetically as Hero Dealing With His Own Mortality. I love that he was going to tell Pepper over a burnt omelette and Venice. OH, TONY. The movie never makes light of their relationship, and just much Tony needs her in his life. Again, OH TONY.
AND PEPPER. NOTHING IS MORE AWESOME THAN PEPPER POTTS. SHE RULES THE WORLD, LITERALLY. She basically runs Stark Industries in Tony's place, and then she actually runs Stark Industries. Not because Tony is incompetent or anything like that, even if could care less about the day to day of the company, but because SHE'S THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. I loved their littler banter/argument when he promotes her/gives her company. OH, SHIP, YOU SO WONDERFUL. Seriously, every second they're together on screen it's magic. (But the helmet kiss was cut out! Fail! That's why I have the trailer saved.) Her and Tony in the office! MY HEART. "I need you." Such a small line, buried under their banter-arguement but when RDJ delivered it was all you heard. It was all I heard. And then. THERE WAS A FIGHT/QUITTING/KISS. And they sold it. THEY'RE IN A KINDA SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP. HE'S TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY HER. OMG, GUYS. THEY ARE PERFECT. (And I'm 100% sure that Pepper is still CEO.)
TONY AND RHODEY. EPIC BFFS. I love that they fought and then they fought as they made up. There were no real apologies because they just got on with shit. And then Rhodey teased Tony and Pepper. I LOVE THESE THREE. They legit made the movie for me. (On Cheadle vs. Howard: to me, there's no either or. Don Cheadle brought a different energy to Rhodey simply put. Terrence Howard was good, there's no denying it and I love him and RDJ in the first one, but there was sometime more idk mature(?) about them this time around. I think there was stillness in Rhodey with Cheadle that there wasn't with Howard, even if personally I think TH looks more the comic books Rhodey than Cheadle. TH was, I think, the right Rhodey for the first, but DC was the right one for the second. In a way I can never pick which I like better because they both sold the character.)
Sam Rockwell was a good Justin Hammer. He was a little over the top at times but he made it work. Also a good foil for Tony, and could actually stand up to RDJ as a performer. Both can can pull of the humour with the same levity and still keep you interested when they're not. Hell, he even danced a little. HE'S GOT SUCH SLICK MOVES.
Other things! Agent Coulson came back! LOVE. So did Major Allen (TOMIN to all SG peeps). Double love. NICK FURY HAD WOLVERINE MARKS ON HIS FACE. Or at least that's how I chose to interpret the three scars across his bad eye. Tony Stark used Captain America's shield to level his project. LOL FOREVER. The Avengers! And secret post credits new character. (Admittedly, not one of my favourites.) Tony's computer! Geeky heaven.
(and because I'm officially protective about it: I don't want anyone to go expecting a The Dark Knight type sequel, because they're two different franchises with different motivations. Yes, we have a broken heros, but they're not the same guy. I love them both, but differently and it's okay.)
Final verdict, I still love the first one MORE THAN LIFE, but dudes, this was FANTASTIC. A JOYRIDE. I truly enjoyed it and it left me fulfilled. I don't think I even need a third instalment, though I won't say no to it.
This post is probably a hot mess, I'll look over it tomorrow morning.
P.S. Gonna go pass out now.