Iron Man Rawks!

[Belegon]

We're engaging in secret handshakes and codewords here. Don't worry. We just saved the planet from yet another alien invasion. All is well. Carry on, citizen.

 

[S-Des]

I can't tell you without spoilers. If you are sure you want to know, PM me.

I think you're the only one who caught what I was hinting at. I don't want to spoil it either, which is why I tried to be vague. But I'm pretty sure that's what they're trying to do with the new Marvel Studios (I think it's Stan Lee's favorite, if I'm not wrong). The thing is, it would be tough to do in this climate, so we'll see how they approach it.

 

[Belegon]

I think you're the only one who caught what I was hinting at. I don't want to spoil it either, which is why I tried to be vague. But I'm pretty sure that's what they're trying to do with the new Marvel Studios (I think it's Stan Lee's favorite, if I'm not wrong).

Bet you dollars to donuts 3113 is on the same page.

I'm approaching this development with the attitude that if anyone can do this, these are the right people to do so.

 

[S-Des]

Bet you dollars to donuts 3113 is on the same page.

I'm approaching this development with the attitude that if anyone can do this, these are the right people to do so.

I love Favreau...I always thought he was brilliant on Dinner & A Movie. It's good to see him hit the ball out of the ballpark with Iron Man, and I hope it's just the start. After Jackson set the standard with LOTR, it seemed like everyone wanted him to do every new project (HALO anyone?) because we don't trust most of the guys in the genre. Del Toro has a lot of people feeling he's in that group (or just on the fringe), and Favreau has definitely established himself. Unfortunately, most of the people are still like Bay or McG still and will continue to give us thin, popcorn movies that have more FX than story lines. You should spend some time at the movie sites, reading the talkbacks about the last 2 (3) Harry Potter movies. Almost no one is happy about the choice of director. The problem is, there just aren't enough thoughtful, tasteful ones to go around.

 

[Belegon]

I love Favreau...I always thought he was brilliant on Dinner & A Movie. It's good to see him hit the ball out of the ballpark with Iron Man, and I hope it's just the start. After Jackson set the standard with LOTR, it seemed like everyone wanted him to do every new project (HALO anyone?) because we don't trust most of the guys in the genre. Del Toro has a lot of people feeling he's in that group (or just on the fringe), and Favreau has definitely established himself. Unfortunately, most of the people are still like Bay or McG still and will continue to give us thin, popcorn movies that have more FX than story lines. You should spend some time at the movie sites, reading the talkbacks about the last 2 (3) Harry Potter movies. Almost no one is happy about the choice of director. The problem is, there just aren't enough thoughtful, tasteful ones to go around.

oh gawd, dude... I can't let myself get sucked in to a movie discussion site, I've got too many distractions as is *grin*

I'm not worried about Del Tor with PJ on the project as a producer. I think he'll be able to balance him out. Actually, it might be great if there is a slightly different feel. The two books certainly have that.

Story is everything and with the exact subject under discussion, character is everything. It needs to be believable that he really means what he says. So many just mouth those sentiments these days.

 

[Vermilion]

You're absolutely right and the biggest kudos for all this go, I think, to RD, jr.'s superior acting abilities. This may be kinda a "duh" observation, but I think there has a been a long-held fallacy (the 70's Superman movie notwithstanding), that Superhero movies can be made with either b-grade or just popular actors, no matter the quality or caliber of their acting abilities. The thinking, I believe, is that all the audience wants is to look at the cool costumes, gadgets, battles with villains. And that the movie can ride on all this other stuff and the main hero can be second rate or just lazy.

But really, as the most excellent Superhero movies have shown, the exact opposite is true. A person in a costume of any sort, be it armor or a cape and tights, needs to be truly excellent and superior at his craft to pull it off. An actor who is merely popular or b-grade just won't do. And if they fail, the movie fails no matter how excellent the costumes, villains, gadgets or fight scenes.

The 70's Superman movie proved this, it's weaknesses ignored thanks to Christopher Reeves astonishing performance; Hugh Jackman's Wolverine proved it, and Toby McGuire's Spiderman, and now RD, jr.'s Iron Man proves it. A superior actor, who takes the role seriously and can make the audience believe in the character no matter what funny outfit that character puts on or what absurd powers or background they have, will carry the movie. An inferior actor, however otherwise popular in other television or action movies, who can't get the audience to believe in them, will cause the entire movie to crash.

It doesn't matter what else the movie has going for it, if that keystone doesn't hold the rest won't hold. But if it does hold, other weaknesses (to a point) will be forgiven. I don't know if movie makers will learn from this lesson, probably not, but I sure hope they do as they've got a lot more superhero movies planned.

You forgot Christian Bale <worships>

x
V

 

[S-Des]

You forgot Christian Bale <worships>

x
V

I've got to admit, I've got a major man-crush on him (have had since American Psycho). He and Hugh Jackman are the two coolest actor's in Hollywood.

 

[Belegon]

I've got to admit, I've got a major man-crush on him (have had since American Psycho). He and Hugh Jackman are the two coolest actor's in Hollywood.

Got to say, I've ALWAYS thought RD Jr. was awesome. Since Less Than Zero and Chaplin. Personal struggles just made him human to me. I've always been on his side.

Man crush? nah. Just Johnny Depp and Adam Ant on those...

 

[S-Des]

Got to say, I've ALWAYS thought RD Jr. was awesome. Since Less Than Zero and Chaplin. Personal struggles just made him human to me. I've always been on his side.

Man crush? nah. Just Johnny Depp and Adam Ant on those...

Yeah, I should've added Depp to that list. RD Jr has been my favorite actor (when moderately sober) since he absolutely destroyed Chaplain (in a good way). That was one of the finest acting performances I've ever seen. If he had stayed sober his entire career, I wonder if we'd be talking about him as the finest actor of our generation? Still, no man crush on him. Too drinky.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I can't tell you without spoilers. If you are sure you want to know, PM me.

It's not much of a spoiler now that I know.

 

[S-Des]

I can't tell you without spoilers. If you are sure you want to know, PM me.

And it is officially announced! I think this will be amazing (or incredibly lame). http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36624

 

[3113]

And it is officially announced! I think this will be amazing (or incredibly lame). http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36624

LOL! I love that the announcement ends with a clip from the infamous Thor meets Hulk episode of the tv show! I remember it well (cringe). Lame doesn't begin to cover it. Embarrassing is more like it. There's a point where Thor and Hulk go running along the beach together Throbbs did a lovely drawing commemorating that unforgettable scene.

I'm not religious, but I'd seriously think about lighting a candle and praying hard for MARVEL to, somehow or other, avoid such embarrassment with the Thor movie.

I've no idea HOW they're going to avoid it, but I pray they do.

 

[jomar]

I think you're the only one who caught what I was hinting at. I don't want to spoil it either, which is why I tried to be vague. But I'm pretty sure that's what they're trying to do with the new Marvel Studios (I think it's Stan Lee's favorite, if I'm not wrong). The thing is, it would be tough to do in this climate, so we'll see how they approach it.

I thought it was pretty clear where it was heading if you stayed for the end credits. The trick will be to get there without a clunker.

 

[S-Des]

I'm not religious, but I'd seriously think about lighting a candle and praying hard for MARVEL to, somehow or other, avoid such embarrassment with the Thor movie.

I've no idea HOW they're going to avoid it, but I pray they do.

Well, they can go either of two ways (three if they decide to make it in the time of the vikings). They could do it tongue in cheek (ala the Hercules TV show), which would probably go over like a lead zepplin (I love that story) with the comic book crowd, or they could do it seriously, but without any emphasis on the Norse God thing, which makes Thor more like Superman (just with slightly different origins ). There was an interesting book series by Raymond Feist that had to do with creation and the power of "Lower Gods" vs immortal beings with super powers. Personally, I'd shoot for an extra-dimensional explanation, rather than trying to pretend there's a mountain they live on that no one has noticed up to now.

 

[S-Des]

I thought it was pretty clear where it was heading if you stayed for the end credits. The trick will be to get there without a clunker.

I actually figured it out while reading about the Hulk. He's going to confront a soldier who's been injected with the serum (who then actually fights him hand to hand for a minute). The soldier will later be intentionally exposed to the gamma rays to become Abomination. However, once the army has the serum, it's a pretty quick leap. The SHIELD thing wasn't that much of a tip to me because I never read the comics.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I have a question about the movie versus the comics.

SPOILER WARNING!!!

In the end of the movie, Stark fumbles about trying to deny being a hero for a bit, and then in the last second claims, "I am Iron Man." Was he truthful and open with the public about his exploits in the comic? Or did he hide behind obscurity in the mask like Batman and Green Hornet and such?

 

[S-Des]

I have a question about the movie versus the comics.

SPOILER WARNING!!!

In the end of the movie, Stark fumbles about trying to deny being a hero for a bit, and then in the last second claims, "I am Iron Man." Was he truthful and open with the public about his exploits in the comic? Or did he hide behind obscurity in the mask like Batman and Green Hornet and such?

I had the same question. I saw the cartoon series when I was young, but was never a fan of the comic. As far as I can remember, he kept his identity secret (can you imagine the line of trial attorneys lining up to sue the billionaire who flies around the city in an experimental metal suit?).

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I had the same question. I saw the cartoon series when I was young, but was never a fan of the comic. As far as I can remember, he kept his identity secret (can you imagine the line of trial attorneys lining up to sue the billionaire who flies around the city in an experimental metal suit?).

Although I have always wanted to see a superhero that is just an ordinary guy that walks around in everyday clothing saving people, but no one knows who he is because he is just too ordinary to be picked out of a crowd because he isn't wearing any kind of costume.

 

[Belegon]

SPOILER WARNING!!!! highlight to see text below...

In the end of the movie, Stark fumbles about trying to deny being a hero for a bit, and then in the last second claims, "I am Iron Man." Was he truthful and open with the public about his exploits in the comic? Or did he hide behind obscurity in the mask like Batman and Green Hornet and such?

I had the same question. I saw the cartoon series when I was young, but was never a fan of the comic. As far as I can remember, he kept his identity secret (can you imagine the line of trial attorneys lining up to sue the billionaire who flies around the city in an experimental metal suit?).

The government storyline that Tony is told to stick to in the press conference is the official comic book line. I have never seen any Iron Man animated stuff.

 

[jomar]

I actually figured it out while reading about the Hulk. He's going to confront a soldier who's been injected with the serum (who then actually fights him hand to hand for a minute). The soldier will later be intentionally exposed to the gamma rays to become Abomination. However, once the army has the serum, it's a pretty quick leap. The SHIELD thing wasn't that much of a tip to me because I never read the comics.

Interesting. They showed The Hulk trailer - Looks like it will be pretty good, especially with Ed Norton.

 

[3113]

they could do it seriously, but without any emphasis on the Norse God thing

Not gonna fly. Every Thor fan wants to see Asgard. And are they going to toss out the Shakespearian language as well? And how will this go over in Norway and Denmark?

In the end of the movie, Stark fumbles about trying to deny being a hero for a bit, and then in the last second claims, "I am Iron Man." Was he truthful and open with the public about his exploits in the comic? Or did he hide behind obscurity in the mask like Batman and Green Hornet and such?

In the comic he never revealed that he was Iron Man. The story he was supposed to give was the one he, himself came up with and was the one that he stuck to. And, in fact, there were others who wore the Iron Man suit now and then in his place when he couldn't manage it.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Far as I know, in the comics/animation, Iron Man is Tony Starks' guardian and is being financed by him, which gives him enough of a connection but never anything to suggest they are one and the same. I don't know what last year's "Civil War" shakedown in the comics' universe did for this arrangement. In that series, ALL U.S. based superpowered humans are given a mandatory order to legally register their secret identity and become public, which didn't go down so well with half of them and then they all started wrasslin'.

Another thing that's starting with Iron Man which will be a good move is the fact that Marvel is making all of their movie-based heros inhabit the same universe instead of their own singular realities. To point this out further, several superheroes are based in New York City alone (Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, Daredevil, The Punisher, The X-Men [upstate N.Y.]) but in each movie, they acted as if they were the only heroes going on in their universe. Spidey should've been at least SWINGING by the Baxter Building in the third movie! It was probably too early for any of them to collide in terms of creating sustainable franchises, but logically, they ALL should've been in the same realm.

Now, with Iron Man rumored to be in this summer's Hulk movie and with the Avengers' machine well in gear, the crossover effect just may be what's needed to give the superhero genre some much-needed facelifting. That, AND excellent directing!

 

[JagFarlane]

-sigh- felt so nice...felt like a lil kid all over again just enjoying the movie

 

[Belegon]

-sigh- felt so nice...felt like a lil kid all over again just enjoying the movie

Yeah, I'm seriously considering going again. And that's big, considering how many "event" movies are competing for my dollar this month.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Yeah, I'm seriously considering going again. And that's big, considering how many "event" movies are competing for my dollar this month.

Oh, I KNOW I'm going to see this joint again. Maybe in a month or so when the minor "down time" of the current early summer releases happens. Yes, it was that good, without question. I left the theater feeling a creative, positive energy I hadn't felt since I saw Sexy Beast yon years ago!