Hello Kitty Monstrosity of the Day: Hello Iron Man

Weapons-grade cuteness?

Movie Madness: the 50 Greatest Opening Sequences Ever

Fantastic!  Be warned, though, that the article contains video of all 50 opening sequences, so it could potentially eat up a couple hours of your life!  I'm glad to see that the opening titles of "Watchmen" made the list.  The movie itself ultimately ended up being ambitious but flawed, but all the same, in my review I did say how awesome the opening sequence was.  Still, the opening sequence of "Iron Man" is awesome too in an entirely different way.

Friday Fun Video: "Iron Baby" Movie Parody

This is fantastic! Look at this adorable riff on the original "Iron Man." Even more adorable: the knowledge that this was done by a doting dad with his baby girl. Awwww.

Movie Madness: Can't Wait To See "Iron Man 2"!

The FlickFilosopher says what I'm thinking! Here's a nice recap about why we all loved the first "Iron Man" -- it's Robert Downey, Jr.:

Downey was so much the reason that Iron Man worked as well as it did that the film felt like it was just waiting for him to return whenever he wasn’t onscreen ... and that includes the scenes in which Downey disappears into the Iron Man armor. They should have called the movie Tony Stark.

Film Culture Commentary: Best Sci-Fi Films of the Decade

Let the debate begin!

I'm delighted to see Joss Whedon's fantastic "Serenity" make the list, too. I have reviews online for "Moon," "Star Trek," and "Wall-E."

UPDATE: Another list: 20 best sci-fi flicks of the decade, including "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" on the basis of technology.

The Voice of Jarvis in "Iron Man 2"

Please, please, let it be Paul Bettany again, reprising his vocal role from the first flick. Jarvis was one of my favorite details of that entire glorious enterprise.

Geek Fun: My Little Pony + Iron Man = ?

My Little Pony +Iron Man = PONY STARK, of course!

Via io9, here is something that's even more adorable than the actual Tony Stark. (La Parisienne and Alessandra, this one's for you.)


Pony Stark by ~trillions on deviantART

Movie Madness: Looking Forward to "Iron Man 2"

OK, Comic Con is over, and in the aftermath of the information glut, I have only a couple things to say:

1. "Iron Man 2."

2. May 7, 2010

Principal photography is, apparently, over!

The cast looks impressive, and though I am no fan of Scarlett Johansson, I'm pleased as punch that Sam Rockwell (recently brilliant in "Moon") is playing Justin Hammer. Here's hoping the sequel keeps the delightful action-humor of the first!

Plus, the viral marketing campaign has started. Check out StarkIndustriesNow.

Now for La Parisienne, because Mamma needs a new crush to purr over, here is a little gift:

Ladies, start your engines.

UPDATE 1: The response from La Parisienne: "We like something with a few miles on it." LOL!

UPDATE 2: Oh, all right. In fairness to the Cinema-Mad Sibling and all of MM's chivalrously male readers, here you go:

UPDATE 3: Hmmm, should I make a new "eye candy" blog tag?

Film Culture Commentary: the 50 Greatest Movie Trailers of All Time

Of course, that's up for debate! Nevertheless, here is the list -- and each movie title links to a separate page with more details AND (even better) video of the trailer in question.

See, a really great trailer makes you want to run out and see the movie.

Enjoy! (Via the Rhetorican.)

Oh, I can't resist. The Cinema-Mad Sibling and I really enjoy stand-up comedian Pablo Francisco's parody of movie trailers (and he does do an uncannily accurate impression of the famous "movie trailer voice"). Here it is:



Sometimes the trailer ends up being better than the movie! On that note, check out what the Onionistas did last summer:

Movie Review Preview + Nerd Journal: "Star Trek"

I'm working on a full review, but I saw the movie yesterday afternoon (finally!), and here are some first impressions.

One-word review: Awesome!

One-sentence review: Set phasers on STUNNING.

The thing is this year's "Iron Man," not to mention exactly the jolt of life that the Star Trek franchise needed.

I spent most of the film sitting there with a big silly grin plastered all over my face. The thrill is back. The fun is back. The MAGIC is back. In geekspeak, it's a nerdgasm! This flick races along at breakneck speed like a roller coaster, and it is a fantastic ride. Plus, there's no careful diplo-speak, hand-wringing moral lessons, conundrums that seem to tie people's hands; instead there's the fabulously liberating sense of people freed to ACT -- and act with unfettered vigor, act to take your destiny into your own hands. And, boy, is there a lot of action! (You know, much as I love Picard's erudition and all that, sometimes I just want to see a young, energetic, self-confident Kirk throw punches at bad guys -- and Chris Pine performs admirably.) There is a certain wild, unbridled joy in kicking butt without hesitation or apology, and this flick indulges that with gusto.

Even more remarkably, for once a movie lived up to the hype, hope, and expectation. This thing blows all the competition out of the water (Wolverine who?) and sets the bar sky-high for the rest of this summer's would-be blockbusters (OK, John Connor and Optimus Prime, you're all on notice). "Star Trek" has thrown down the gauntlet: THIS is how you reboot a franchise. THIS is how you make an origin film. (THIS is what the miserable Star Wars prequels should have been like, by the way. George Lucas, you just got schooled.)

So, in acknowledgment of all this, since credit must be given where credit is due to JJ Abrams, who helmed this project and more or less achieved Joss Whedon status with it:

Dear JJ,

ALL IS FORGIVEN.

And I do mean, ALL. The sheer awesomeness of "Star Trek" has wiped out every disappointment and misstep you've ever inflicted on me. They're all gone -- the total stupidity of the final season of "Alias," the unwatchable current state of time-warping nutcases on "Lost," the complete inability of "Fringe" to spark any enthusiasm, the casting of Keri Russell in "Mission Impossible 3"... All of it's gone as if it'd never happened. Magically, just like in the Trek flick, you've gone back in time and changed everything.

Live long and prosper, JJ. And enjoy the new blog tag dedicated to you.

Sincerely yours,
MM, XOXOXOXOXO

PS
Don't think for a minute that I've relaxed my standards, though! Screw up "Trek" in the future, and I am setting my phaser on "TOTALLY VAPORIZE INTO SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLES."

On a related note:

The Cine-Sib has raved about the flick (his haiku review is here), and so has La Parisienne; both of them are working on full reviews, and I'll post them as soon as I get them.

The Sibling, by the way, had teased me before I went to the theater. He laughed and predicted I would come back with a nerd-crush on Kirk or Spock. Nope, that didn't happen. There was some nice eye candy, though: Hikaru Sulu, played by Korean-American John Cho (here's a nice interview with him in a Korean newspaper).

You mean "stardate" isn't a matchmaking network?

UPDATE 1: The Cine-Sib guest-blogs about the context of the Abrams Trek revolution.

UPDATE 2: My full review is now online.

Movie Madness: Tony Stark Suits Up

Lately there's been eye candy for the guys here (i.e., Zoe Saldana and Heidi Klum in full Trek glory), but it's time for the ladies.

So for La Parisienne in particular -- and for your humble blog hostess too -- I post this fresh photo from the set of "Iron Man 2." It's Robert Downey Jr. taking a break but still oozing that unmistakable, devilish, Tony Stark charm. But is it worth purring over? Hm. Well, it's cooler in terms of sheer attitude than the first photo from the set...

Clothes do make the man.

Movie Madness: Wolverine Premieres, but MM's Arc Reactor Heart Is Elsewhere

It's May 1, movie mavens, so -- FINALLY -- the summer movie season is officially here! Now we have something to talk about besides swine flu, foreign policy flops, and our own imminent economic apocalypse! YAY!

The new X-Men movie premieres today, but the reviews are mixed. Even the Cinema-Mad Sibling isn't excited, and I can't seem to find enough motivation to go out and spend $10 for the thing. Is anyone else excited about Wolverine? (I mean, besides one very enthusiastic fellow from the New York Post?)

Yes, you read that right -- not even the Cine-Sib is excited. (His heart is elsewhere -- he's longing for the "Star Trek" reboot and "Transformers 2." Oh, I'll happily, eagerly throw down $10 for each of those. "Star Trek," by the way, premieres on May 7! Giant alien robots arrive on June 24.)

Then I check my email and find a little gift from the Sibling. Oh, just a reminder about where my superhero preferences really lie. Here is the first official still photo from -- yes, kids! -- "Iron Man 2." Oh, yeah. Give me a playful, quippy Tony Stark (with lots of tech toys) over a scowly, growly Wolverine (with the adamantine manicure issue) any day. Sure, they're both bad boys, but one is actually fun. And Robert Downey Jr. is that good in the role.

La Parisienne, let me share the eye candy both human and technological (note the different stages in developing the Iron Man suit!):

Back in black.

Mmmm, yeah! Better than coffee on this rainy, windy, chilly un-summery morning!

Thanks, Cine-Sib! Next time we're at the cinema together, I'll pay for your ticket -- and maybe even the popcorn to express my appreciation.

Geek Fun: Iron Man Versus Bruce Lee

Dedicated to the Cinema-Mad Sibling. Enjoy, all! (Via the Movie Blog.)

Movie Humor: Wolverine, Dr. Manhattan, and Rorschach Bicker

Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan from the current "Watchmen" movie and Wolverine from the upcoming summer flick bicker about their films.  Enjoy, movie fans!  (You'll remember the creator for his hilarious Iron Man videos from last summer.)

Film Culture Commentary: If Geeks Ran the Oscars

Now these would be awards worth watching!  The Oscars as they actually exist are just plain BORING.

No, gentle reader, in addition to traditional award categories like "Best Actor" and "Best Director," the Geek Oscars would have fabulous new categories like "Best Scene of Crap Getting Blown Up" and "Best Attempt to Earn the Fanboys' Wrath."  

Film Culture Commentary: Thankful for Robert Downey Jr.

Too true. MTV names Robert Downey Jr. the actor we're most thankful for in 2008. Plus, what an appropriate mix of entertainment news and holiday themes!

Blurb:

When the movies brain trust here at MTV News bandied about names for the one actor we are ultimately most thankful for in 2008 it was a no-brainer. Which actor energized and elevated two blockbusters to heights above and beyond what any of us expected? We knew he was an amazing actor but ... a superhero? A dude playing the dude disguised as another dude? For those reasons and more, Robert Downey Jr. is the actor we are most thankful for.

Movie Madness Returns: the Holiday Movie Season!

I do love my movies. This means that for me, the year is broken up into Summer Movie Season, Holiday Movie Season, and the Limbo of Lame Flicks that occupies all other times. Generally speaking, summer is for blockbuster, loud, colorful, mindless fun, while winter is for family films, often second-tier action movies, silly holiday-themed flicks, and Oscar Bait. Lots and lots of Oscar Bait.

Summer 2008 was, overall, a good one, buoyed up by the joys of "Iron Man," The Dark Knight," and "Tropic Thunder."

Now it's time to look forward to the holiday movie season. What flicks will I be going to see with my cronies? I'm thinking these:

• "Quantum of Solace." New James Bond film. What can I say? Granted, Dirty Harry hated it and Christian Toto isn't crazy about the movie either, which means that I lower my expectations. Also, can someone please tell me what the heck is a "quantum of solace"? And can solace actually be measured in any meaningful way? Why does the title sound like something right out of a physics seminar? One more thing, if I may: I know the whole "Daniel Craig is Bond" is an attempt to reboot the franchise, but are the moviemakers going to wipe out everything that make a Bond flick a Bond flick and not just another spy action movie? I'm talking about Moneypenny, gadgets, quips, giggleworthy names, and all that.
  
• "Bolt." OK, fine. It's a cutesypoo cartoon. Puppies.
  
• "Twilight." Oh, this thing is going to be dreadful, so naturally La Parisienne and I are planning to go see it so we can mock and jeer. Hey, nobody said you had to like a movie in order to see it. In fact, we're thinking that a happily harsh little hatefest might be cathartic!
• "Australia." Why? I want some gorgeous Aussie cinematography, that's why. I don't care about Nicole Kidman, but Hugh Jackman's OK.
  
• "Transporter 3." I won't be going because I want to, but I can guarantee you that the Cinema-Mad Sibling will want to see it -- and will drag me along. Same for the next one:
• "Punisher: War Zone."
  
• "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Science fiction! Admittedly, the presence of Keanu Reeves (have you noticed that his expression never changes from movie to movie?) is something of a warning, but then again, it couldn't possibly be worse than "Constantine."
• "The Tale of Despereaux." It looks like "Ratatouille" Redux, but a little cuteness might be good after the guaranteed bloody nonsense of "Transporter" and "Punisher."
  
• "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Fascinating premise, but I don't care much for Brad Pitt. Makeup should be amazing.
  
• "Defiance." A girl can only watch a certain number of World War II period filcks over Christmas holidays, and I think I'd rather see Daniel Craig than Tom "Valkyrie" Cruise.

I'm not even really excited about any of these. I feel jaded!

Movie News: Don Cheadle Replaces Terrence Howard for "Iron Man 2"

Howard was very good as Rhodey, but Cheadle might be even better. This is one re-casting that I don't mind! (As long as Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark, all's well with the sequel.) Anyway, I can't wait for "Iron Man 2." Hellooooooooo, War Machine!

"Iron Man" Throws Some Hot-Rod Red Into Blu-Ray Sales

"Iron Man" rules the Blu-Ray sales records!

I don't have Blu-Ray, but I did get my DVD on the day it was released. Ah, "Iron Man." One of the most fun movie experiences of the summer, it's now my autumn solace amid mounting academic papers, whiny undergraduates, frosty temperatures, and (of course) GLOBALFINANCIALARMAGEDDONWE'REALLGOINGTODIE.

At the rate things are going, "Iron Man" might be the last DVD I'll be able to buy for a while!

Movie News: Cinema Fans Hope to Break World Record for Movie-Watching

The current record for non-stop movie-watching is 120 hours and 23 minutes. A group of movie fans is trying to break that record. Good luck, fellas. You're going to need it! The contest is being hosted by Netflix.

Amusing trivia: the first flick on the list was "Iron Man." The list contains 55 more movies after that. I'm really curious about what's on that list!