Iron Man 3

My View:  Iron Man 3  (2013 )  PG-13  Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is obsessed with building more of his Iron Man suits, however they are causing him sleepless nights and are straining the relationship with his girlfriend, Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow). A new villain, named Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), is suddenly attacking the U.S. and is hell-bent on destroying everything Tony holds dear, including Pepper. Iron Man has done it before, but can he come back from the brink of destruction once more?  I enjoyed this film more than Iron Man 2, as I felt the action sequences were well done and exciting. The chemistry of Downey and Paltrow from the earlier films is still there and working.  What I didn’t like about the film is that all through the film, Tony Stark is making quips, and that constant need to utter a  punch line after punch line became old after a while. But, overall this is an entertaining film.  Ben Kingsley does his usual brilliance with the bad guy Mandarin, and it is worth seeing in 3-D for all the action sequences. Be sure and stay through all the credits as there is a bonus scene at the end of the film.    My Rating:  Full Price   Iron Man 3 Website

The 50 (A Movie from My Best/Worst Films of All Time):

#6 Worst Film

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians  (1964)  The children of Mars are upset because Santa Claus doesn’t visit them at Christmas time.  So the Martians hatch a plan to kidnap Santa and bring Christmas to Mars.  The film is filled with horrible costumes, acting that gets on your nerves and incredibly poor special effects. Legendary bad actress Pia Zadora (The Lonely Lady) makes her big screen debut as an earth child who is kidnapped to Mars along with Santa. She sings the show stopping number, Hooray For Santy Claus, which, much like the rest of this film, will haunt you for years.    Santa Claus Conquers the Martians Info

Forgotten Film:  Jacob’s Ladder  (1990):   R  Part horror film, part psychological drama that stars Tim Robbins as Jacob Singer, a man, who at the start of the film is an American soldier in Vietnam under attack.  The next thing we know, Jacob wakes up in the New York Subway, dressed as a mailman, trying to figure out how he got there and what has happened to him for the last 4 years. The film is full of mystery and suspense, with director Adrian Lyne doing a masterful job taking us back and forth between the present and the past where Jacob relives the traumatic experiences of his life.  Robbins is brilliant as the tormented Jacob, a man who only wants to find out the truth, but may never get it.    My Rating:  Full Price   Jacob's Ladder Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Gangster Squad (2013)  R  I didn’t like this film about an elite squad of  1950’s Los Angeles policemen who try to stop a mob boss (Sean Penn) from taking over the city.  I felt the film had an almost cartoon-like feel to it, as if they were remaking the 1990 Warren Beatty film, Dick Tracy.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Gangster Squad Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  After Earth (2013)  PG-13  I only have to tell you one thing about this film, and you can make up your mind on whether to see it or not:  It’s directed by M. Night Shyamalan, whose last three films were The Last Airbender (2010), The Happening (2008) and Lady in the Water (2006).    After Earth Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Iron Man 3:  Costumer to Mr. Cheadle

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You:  Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)  PG-13  I have always been more a fan of the Star Trek series than Star Wars.  I loved the first J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek (2009) film, which, I thought, was a fresh take on the series.  Can’t wait to see what kind of bad guy Benedict Cumberbatch will play in this one.    Star Trek Into Darkness Website

Until Next Time!