Iron Man 2 Mostly Lives Up to the Hype

Iron Man 2

Starring: Robert Downey Jr; Gwyneth Paltrow; Mickey Rourke; Don Cheadle; Scarlett Johansson; Sam Rockwell; Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Jon Favreau

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is back and once again proves that bad ass boys have bad ass toys. Picking up where Iron Man left off, Tony Stark has confirmed publicly that he is Iron Man. This does not sit well with Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) who demands that Stark turn over the suit to the US Government. Stark refuses and the Senator turns to Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) to duplicate the suit as a weapon.

Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) is in Russia plotting his revenge against Tony Stark for wrongs Ivan perceives were committed against his father by the senior Stark years before.

Unfortunately, Tony Stark is dying. Ironically, the palladium in his arc reactor that was designed to save his life is poisoning him and his continued use of the Iron Man suit is only making the problem worse. Determined to make the most of his remaining days, he becomes reckless and begins taking chances both in business and his personal life. During the Monaco Grand Prix, Stark is attacked by Vanko. Though Stark survives the attack and Vanko is captured, Vanko has attracted the attention of Hammer, who realizes that he needs serious help to recreate any of the Stark technology.

The remainder of the movie is filled with spectacular special effects, an amazing fight scene between Tony Stark and his friend, Lt. Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury who is once again trying to recruit Stark for S.H.I.E.L.D. Paltrow is excellent as Pepper Potts, playing straight man for Downey Jr’s Stark. They have an excellent chemistry and it’s actually a shame that they don’t get more time together on screen.

Rourke’s portrayal of Vanko aka Whiplash is authentic and played with the same intensity he throws into any role. Cheadle’s Rhodes is much looser played than Terrence Howard’s version in the first Iron Man but the role was not a stand out role as was Rourke’s. While I understand that Justin Hammer is supposed to be an obnoxious, egocentric ass, Rockwell took his portrayal over the top and down into a pit. He was the single most obnoxious character on the screen. I did find the character familiar before realizing that Rockwell must have watched Tropic Thunder prior to the start of filming and was channeling Tom Cruise’s Les Grossman.

Overall, Iron Man 2 delivers as a great action flick and super live action depiction of the Marvel Comic. Nothing really new under the sun but it is worth it to watch on the big screen to fully appreciate the effects and sound. This is one movie that should be seen at least once on the big screen. Oh, and be sure to stick around for a preview after the credits. That little teaser was enough to make me jump for joy.

The New Nightmare on Elm St does the original justice...and then some

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

I can remember when the original "A Nightmare on Elm Street" came out. I wasn't allowed to see it when it came out because it wasn't a movie you would usually allow a seven year old to see. However, it was only a few years later that I got to watch it at a slumber party. It scared me pretty bad but, again I was only 9 or 10. However, thanks to my brother, I was already a bit of a horror movie aficionado so I watched the other movies as they came out. I've actually grown to love Freddy as the villain, mostly because of the amazing way Robert Englund portrayed him. Having said that, when I heard there would be a remake, my first thought was "Why mess up a good thing?" I had very low expectations, especially after seeing the preview ("been there, watched that, got the t-shirt" was my thought) but I was curious when I saw there would be a little Freddy backstory. That aside, I was not expecting much out of this movie other than to be bored stiff.

I was wrong....


***Caution: Spoiler Alerts!***

One, two, Freddy's coming for you...

First off, we are transported into Freddy's world. The first intended victim is Dean, played by Kellan Lutz. Sitting in a diner, he struggles to stay awake to keep from dreaming. He tries to explain his fears to his friend, Kris (Katie Cassidy), but is unable to fully explain before Freddy quickly takes him out. (Sorry Twilighters...maybe Emmet Cullen could have killed Freddy but then it would have been a five minute movie...ten if the fight scene had gone on long enough.)

Three, four, better lock your door...

One by one, the Elm Street teens begin to realize that they are dreaming about the same man. They realize that they knew each other as very young children and that their parents are covering something up. Been done before? Yes. But then there is Freddy and he is proof that everything old is new again.

Five, six, grab your crucifix...

Jackie Earle Haley leaves the pop culture humor out of Kruger and leaves him with the sick and perverted comments of a true serial killer and child molester. As we learn more about his story, we find that the children were all students at a pre-school where Kruger was a gardener. The kids told their parents that Freddy molested them, the parents hunted him down and burned him alive as he screamed out, proclaiming his innocence. This leads to the big question: did the parents murder an innocent man on the basis of the confused imaginations of small children and he is now seeking revenge on the children for said lies? Or is this a killer and child rapist looking to finish tormenting his now grown victims with no limitations?

Seven, eight better stay up late...

"Nightmare" has many jump out of your skin moments. You will find yourself looking over your shoulder as you leave the theater. You will find yourself looking at your bed with apprehension, wondering if this new, creepier & not-so-funny Freddy will pay a visit to your dream land. You may even wonder if your mind is playing tricks on you as you daydream...

Nine, ten never sleep again...

This is a Nightmare for the next generation. If there are to be sequels, I truly hope that they spawn from this new storyline as opposed to dredging up and rewriting the past. The writers of this movie pay homage to Wes Craven by taking an idea and making it their own without trashing the concept. Of course, not being a big fan of sequels, my hope is that this franchise is now over and Freddy in the new incarnation is dead...

...or is he?

American Idol: The march of the serial killers & hopeless nuts

Last night was the first night of American Idol. Coming to us from the city of Boston...and confirming why I am perfectly happy on the west coast.



First up was Miss Muffin Top...a woman who was convinced that because she could win the AI video game that it meant she was to be the next American Idol.



There was the typical blond hippie guy who couldn't sing but would keep "singing as his passion" despite getting told by the judges to stop.



The animai girl...whose own mother rolled her eyes at the thought of her daughter doing well on the show...(then why encourage her you stupid woman)



But the stand out bad performance has to be the guy in the thick glasses and the brown shirt...police should search his apartment for bodies immediately. That guy has "serial killer" written all over his body. He sang "House of the Rising Sun" and even that song came out sounding like a threat. I could picture him drilling the knees of someone strapped to a table while singing it while his previous victims dissolved in vats of acid in his basement.



Were there good singers? Yes. The Jim Morrison guy who broke both his wrists falling out of a tree had a good voice. Also a 16 year old girl who had soulful voice I didn't think it was possible to belong to a white girl. All in all...a very mixed bunch. Tonight they are heading south. Let's see how things go downhill...ahem...I mean improve...from Boston.



Oh Victoria Beckham? Make-up covered stick insect. 'Nuff said.

I'm so addicted to email, Facebook and Twitter, I have to hide it from my wife - Telegraph

I'm so addicted to email, Facebook and Twitter, I have to hide it from my wife - Telegraph

As I write this, someone is sending a sheep my way via Farm Town on Facebook, I have been invited to join two Mafia's and someone I don't know in Australia is asking to be my friend so I can join her Sorority.

Hold on...be right back...

Sorry, thought I had a response to my tweet but it was just my Blackberry notifying me I had email from some Nigerian prince's nephew.

I love Twitter. I used to love Facebook because I was able to talk to a bunch of people from high school. Now I am inundated with Mafia, Pirates, Farm Town and hug requests that I can't bear to log in there anymore. I am still addicted to Twitter and don't see that passion fading anytime soon at least until the Mafia bots swarm there too.

I have been yelled at by my seven year old daughter because I tweet at the dinner table. When on vacation, I used the time at rest stops to catch up with the hundred or so postings of people I follow and posted a few new ones of my own.

Wait just a moment....

Sorry, @ThatKevinSmith & @cyborgturkey are too funny to not read and my honey, @EthanRayne just got home...

Where was I? Oh yeah...my Twitter addiction...

Of course, it's not just Twitter. I also check my email compulsively. I got a Blackberry just so I could check my email compulsively. I rarely use it as a phone. In fact when it does ring, I stare at it blankly wondering what the hell is going on.

I need to cut back on my Twitter, just as I need to cut back on my World of Warcraft game time. Without Twitter though, there are a host of people I never would have met. I wouldn't have met the man of my dreams, wouldn't have met my adopted Twitter brother or met the host of other people I now consider friends, though we have not met in person.

I have local friends of course. I have my Rollerderby sisters, my co-workers and my other friends that I probably don't talk to half as much as I should because life has just gotten too damn busy. I love my Twitter family and am happy to be a part of that community. I just need to learn when to NOT check my messages or tweet...

Like now...

~M~

My name is Michele and I am a recovering Twilight fan

Yes, I got hooked on Twilight. I was suckered into reading the whole bloody series by someone who said "Hey you like books? You'll love this one!" I too was drawn into the series as a vampire fanatic & Buffy devotee (hence why I have found the Buffy vs Edward clip so therapeutic) which is my explanation for my devotion for this series.

Was Twilight a good book? Yes. Were New Moon & Eclipse good follow ups? Yes. Did Breaking Dawn jump the shark? Oh dear lord, absolutely! I watched the Twilight movie about two dozen times and debated with my co-workers as to who was cooler, Edward or Jacob. I even got other people to read the series like a good drug dealer. (C'mon, try it. You'll like it and you can quit anytime!)

Then, I inoculated myself with REAL vampires. I watched every episode of Buffy and Angel (that's another obsession but one I am not ready to let go of) and fawned over Spike and Angel...OK, mostly Spike...and began to see Twilight for what it really is. Bella is the weakest female heroine I have run across in a long time, Edward is an obsessive stalker and Jacob is an egotistical prick. And for some reason, there is this whole sub-plot involving no sex outside of marriage...

Of course, Spike and Angel were both with stalker tendencies and not entirely stable (Angel got all nasty when he did the nasty; Spike had sex with a robot he had built to look like Buffy) but Buffy didn't immediately fawn over either of them. She also didn't surrender all of her life and power to them. She was, in her words, cookie dough and both Spike and Angel would have to wait until she was done baking. Bella immediately turned over everything to Edward. She was prepared to give up her humanity, her life, her friends and family to be with this guy who was very dangerous, wanted to kill her and snuck into her room every night to watch her sleep.

If this is how young girls are seeing relationships, this is dangerous ground. Edward may have had some romantic qualities and who wouldn't want to spend all of eternity with their one true love but overall, he's creepy and dangerous. Girls shouldn't look to him as the epitome of a real man, they should see him as what they don't want in a boyfriend and life long companion.

In the meantime, I may watch New Moon if only for the effects. I will probably watch Eclipse and Breaking Dawn as well. Then I will head home and pop in a Buffy episode and see how a strong woman really behaves.

Why supermarkets are off their trolleys | Carol Midgley - Times Online

Why supermarkets are off their trolleys Carol Midgley - Times Online

Oh for the love of all that is sacred and holy...what has this world come to? You can't take pictures of your own children at a park because of fears of pedophilia...can't buy alcohol for yourself if your child is with you because you may be buying it for them...lectured on proper pregnancy diet by the supermarket deli clerk...what the hell?

Have we gone so far down the road of needing nanny laws and covenants that it's not just lawmakers telling us what to do now? Is it the extreme paranoia of being sued? Do we really think that the sick & twisted perv pedophile is going to be so brazen (and stupid) as to take their kiddie porn shots to Wal-Mart for developing so that any parent who takes a cute pic of their kids in the bathtub is arrested & their children placed in protective custody?

This article title says it all...but it's not just supermarkets that are off their trolleys...it is the whole world. We are so focused on protecting everyone from themselves that rather than enforce laws already in existence we create new ones that are, essentially, fucking common sense. I know that it's not a good idea to give your child alcohol...however if I want to buy a bottle of wine and my seven year old is with me, does the clerk really believe that I'll be pouring her a glass the second we get out the door so therefore I should not be allowed to buy it? If I'm pregnant, do I really need the deli counter clerk telling me I should not be purchasing the potato salad, ham, roast beef and colby jack cheese but instead lean turkey and fruit salad because it's healthier? Let's not even go into what would happen to said clerk if I were in a delicate condition and such a comment were made...the meat slicer would definitely be involved...but I digress....

I do not need to be regulated into doing the right thing...I had parents who taught me that. I understand not everyone does but people still learn right from wrong. If someone is determined to do the wrong thing, no law on the books would stop them. If it did, our prisons would be empty.

This whole business of a zero tolerance policy has gotten entirely out of hand. All it does is punish good people while doing nothing to deter the criminal and evil elements of society from committing whatever vile acts that they are going to do. We really need to think about where we are going down this road and step forward as a nation, as a world, and say "enough is enough!"

You know it's Freaky Friday when...

Ok, seriously. Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize? NASA shot the moon to find water? Where the hell have I been for the past 24 hours?

I understand that Obama did not campaign for the NPP. My consternation is not with the POTUS but with the idiots on the Nobel comittee. Seriously? After 11 days Obama is eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize because he what...showed up & wasn't George W Bush? When liberals sit back and say "What the hell?" you know it's nuts.

As to NASA & the moon...well, I can only imagine that this is what they were striving to accomplish.