I Am Ironman
It was Monday evening and I could wait no longer. I grabbed my 13 year-old son Tommy and I said, “Don’t ask any questions get in the car and do as your told… We’re going to see Ironman… Now let’s move it!” We arrived at the new mega-monster stadium seating theater to a mega-throng of moviegoers of all ages. The price of gas certainly hasn’t depleted anyone’s discretionary income here. As I looked up at the board for the movie times the next two showings at 8:30 and 9:15 were sold out! Damn, I hate that! So we killed time at the mall then returned 45 minutes before show time in order to get primo seating, which we did. My kid asked for popcorn so I said, “Just a normal sized bucket and soda,” and he nodded. Of course he comes back with Hefty Lawn and Leaf bag filled with popcorn and a Janitor in a Drum tankard of Dr. Pepper. “It was only a buck more for the upgrade dad! Oh yeah, and I got this shoebox filled with Nestle’s crunch balls.” I asked, “Where’s the change from my fifty,” and he said, “What change?”
Of course a plethora of previews were shown which included Batman, Dark Knight (which looks awesome), Indiana Jones (Also looking awesome), and Mike Myers as the Love Guru (he mimics Deepak Chopra’s voice to a tee.) But enough of the previews already. I wanna see some kick-ass, bad boy, righteous mutha-fuggin super hero rock and roll action, and I WANT IT NOW! And that I got as Ironman did not disappoint in any way. This movie is fun and this movie rocks. It holds your attention from beginning to end with not only tremendous action, beyond wicked Industrial Light and Magic special effects, but surprisingly good acting by the entire cast, especially Robert Downey Jr.
I’ve been a Marvel Comics geekazoid fan from early childhood since 8 years-old when I cut eye slits out of one of mom’s buckets to wear as a helmet, donned a bathroom towel cape, and cracked my little brother in the gnads with a broom handle, all while declaring that I was ZMAN…Farts of Steel! (I still do that ritual when he visits, which understandably isn’t very often.) I loved Marvel Super Heroes, Thor, Captain America, Spiderman, Hulk, The Submariner, and especially Ironman. And the beauty of the film is that Director Jon Favreau has retained that wonderful comic book feel throughout the movie with out cheesing it up or making it cornball. Downey is a fabulous Tony Stark – boyish yet devilish charm, with a snarky, dry sense of billionaire humor. Gwyneth Paltrow is darned cute as Stark’s personal assistant (Pepper Potts) who in one scene where Tony has an overnight romp with a hottie TV reporter, Pepper tells the woman she often takes out Mr. Starks trash in the morning. And Jeff Bridges is excellent and believably rotten as the cigar smoking Obadiah Stane - YES, oh my God in heaven, they showed a man smoking a cigar in a movie that kids will see. Sound the alarms oh politically correct do-gooders of society - children everywhere will see this film and want to smoke cigars too - then before you know it it's crack and meth and the entire family unit is destroyed! Ahhhhhh! (U-hum, sorry for that little outburst folks, I'm a little touchy when it comes to this subject as you might have guessed.)
The musical score was especially captivating as a heavy metalish, chunka- chunka guitar sound accompanied Starks robotic building scenes, much like watching an episode of American Chopper as the Tuttle boys weld and configure a a mean looking work of iron. Guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave contributed guitar work to the overall soundtrack.
If you’ve seen the numbers, the flick is a massive box office success, doing over 200 million worldwide as of May 5 (yesterday.) And I was shocked at how good the reviews have been for a film of this type – Rotten Tomatoes giving it an almost unheard of 93% reviewers thumbs up. And of course, the audience went crazy during action scenes – especially this doofus yelling “THAT IS SO COOL!” every 30 seconds.
Now I understand the appeal for comic fans and kids, but why has the general public taken so well to this movie. Here’s my Zman, Stogie-Sucking Polack from New Jersey theory… The American people are dealing with a lot of weird crappola these days – Egotisitacally crooked, retard politico turd smugglers who dominate our every waking minutes, including wacky side kicks, racist reverends, and blue dress blasting hubbys – gouging oil and gas prices affecting the price of goods and the overall economy – and our boys are still in Iraq and Afghanistan where some Mother’s and Father’s Day’s will be greeted by their sons in caskets. You can’t even find a fellow Republican that doesn’t admit that GW has f@#ked this country up pretty damned good to the point where we are hated and mocked the world over.
Ironman is good. Ironman is for the people. He’s ultra cool and a bad-ass mutha who takes no prisoners. He’s handsome, a ladies man, brilliant and rich. Plus he’s a high-tech, walking talking machine that men and techno gadget lovers grunt over like primal cave dwellers. The guy flies faster than navy jets, shoots heat seeking missiles from his arms, and has the strength of a hundred men. What the hell is there not to love about this dude?
Ironman is a diversion from the everyday ugliness we Americans face. Tony Stark is our hero, a man who can almost single handedly end world terror and have the United States standing tall once again. Whether fictional or real, we need Ironman. We need to cheer, laugh, and yell at the movie screen once more. We need to believe in our hearts that maybe this super hero isn’t really that far fetched and that we could see him in our lifetime.
Marvel Studios has announced that the stars have signed on for two sequels making an Ironman trilogy for the fans. (Hopefully they won’t do a Matrix where the first was awesome but 2 and 3 suck to no end.) I don’t think so with this one. Now they can introduce Super Villains and all kinds of crazy foes for the man who says he’s really in a Titanium Alloy suit but "Ironman is kind of catchy" and will do.
After three months of captivity in a cave, Tony Stark asks for one thing and one thing only before his press conference – a cheeseburger – an American cheeseburger. Sorry PETA, somehow the hero in the metal suit just isn’t the type to beg for a tofu soy patty.
Ironmaningly Your,
Tommy Z.
JR Cigars Blog With the Zman
Of course a plethora of previews were shown which included Batman, Dark Knight (which looks awesome), Indiana Jones (Also looking awesome), and Mike Myers as the Love Guru (he mimics Deepak Chopra’s voice to a tee.) But enough of the previews already. I wanna see some kick-ass, bad boy, righteous mutha-fuggin super hero rock and roll action, and I WANT IT NOW! And that I got as Ironman did not disappoint in any way. This movie is fun and this movie rocks. It holds your attention from beginning to end with not only tremendous action, beyond wicked Industrial Light and Magic special effects, but surprisingly good acting by the entire cast, especially Robert Downey Jr.
I’ve been a Marvel Comics geekazoid fan from early childhood since 8 years-old when I cut eye slits out of one of mom’s buckets to wear as a helmet, donned a bathroom towel cape, and cracked my little brother in the gnads with a broom handle, all while declaring that I was ZMAN…Farts of Steel! (I still do that ritual when he visits, which understandably isn’t very often.) I loved Marvel Super Heroes, Thor, Captain America, Spiderman, Hulk, The Submariner, and especially Ironman. And the beauty of the film is that Director Jon Favreau has retained that wonderful comic book feel throughout the movie with out cheesing it up or making it cornball. Downey is a fabulous Tony Stark – boyish yet devilish charm, with a snarky, dry sense of billionaire humor. Gwyneth Paltrow is darned cute as Stark’s personal assistant (Pepper Potts) who in one scene where Tony has an overnight romp with a hottie TV reporter, Pepper tells the woman she often takes out Mr. Starks trash in the morning. And Jeff Bridges is excellent and believably rotten as the cigar smoking Obadiah Stane - YES, oh my God in heaven, they showed a man smoking a cigar in a movie that kids will see. Sound the alarms oh politically correct do-gooders of society - children everywhere will see this film and want to smoke cigars too - then before you know it it's crack and meth and the entire family unit is destroyed! Ahhhhhh! (U-hum, sorry for that little outburst folks, I'm a little touchy when it comes to this subject as you might have guessed.)
The musical score was especially captivating as a heavy metalish, chunka- chunka guitar sound accompanied Starks robotic building scenes, much like watching an episode of American Chopper as the Tuttle boys weld and configure a a mean looking work of iron. Guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave contributed guitar work to the overall soundtrack.
If you’ve seen the numbers, the flick is a massive box office success, doing over 200 million worldwide as of May 5 (yesterday.) And I was shocked at how good the reviews have been for a film of this type – Rotten Tomatoes giving it an almost unheard of 93% reviewers thumbs up. And of course, the audience went crazy during action scenes – especially this doofus yelling “THAT IS SO COOL!” every 30 seconds.
Now I understand the appeal for comic fans and kids, but why has the general public taken so well to this movie. Here’s my Zman, Stogie-Sucking Polack from New Jersey theory… The American people are dealing with a lot of weird crappola these days – Egotisitacally crooked, retard politico turd smugglers who dominate our every waking minutes, including wacky side kicks, racist reverends, and blue dress blasting hubbys – gouging oil and gas prices affecting the price of goods and the overall economy – and our boys are still in Iraq and Afghanistan where some Mother’s and Father’s Day’s will be greeted by their sons in caskets. You can’t even find a fellow Republican that doesn’t admit that GW has f@#ked this country up pretty damned good to the point where we are hated and mocked the world over.
Ironman is good. Ironman is for the people. He’s ultra cool and a bad-ass mutha who takes no prisoners. He’s handsome, a ladies man, brilliant and rich. Plus he’s a high-tech, walking talking machine that men and techno gadget lovers grunt over like primal cave dwellers. The guy flies faster than navy jets, shoots heat seeking missiles from his arms, and has the strength of a hundred men. What the hell is there not to love about this dude?
Ironman is a diversion from the everyday ugliness we Americans face. Tony Stark is our hero, a man who can almost single handedly end world terror and have the United States standing tall once again. Whether fictional or real, we need Ironman. We need to cheer, laugh, and yell at the movie screen once more. We need to believe in our hearts that maybe this super hero isn’t really that far fetched and that we could see him in our lifetime.
Marvel Studios has announced that the stars have signed on for two sequels making an Ironman trilogy for the fans. (Hopefully they won’t do a Matrix where the first was awesome but 2 and 3 suck to no end.) I don’t think so with this one. Now they can introduce Super Villains and all kinds of crazy foes for the man who says he’s really in a Titanium Alloy suit but "Ironman is kind of catchy" and will do.
After three months of captivity in a cave, Tony Stark asks for one thing and one thing only before his press conference – a cheeseburger – an American cheeseburger. Sorry PETA, somehow the hero in the metal suit just isn’t the type to beg for a tofu soy patty.
Ironmaningly Your,
Tommy Z.
JR Cigars Blog With the Zman
Posted by zman at 11:58 AM | Link | 19 comments
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Re: I Am Ironman
IRONMAN rocks. I loved that movie. My son thought it was good, but I LOVED it. And I never read the comic book. There was an IronMan comic??? Seriously.
Why is the general public liking this movie? Because of the story. I assume the original comic never takes place in Afghanistan, so by making it timely like they did, it makes it more believable. And then dealing with the inner turmoil that Tony must of dealt with and then him trying to change who and what he was and had become made for a story that rivetted me to my seat. However, Bridges character as the over-weight cigar-smoking bad-guy did nothing for our cause, but he was a great bad-guy. I don't think they used enough of Rhodes in this movie, but I am certain in IM-2 we will see much more of him. One question: Is Pepper such a wuss in the comic too?
Why is the general public liking this movie? Because of the story. I assume the original comic never takes place in Afghanistan, so by making it timely like they did, it makes it more believable. And then dealing with the inner turmoil that Tony must of dealt with and then him trying to change who and what he was and had become made for a story that rivetted me to my seat. However, Bridges character as the over-weight cigar-smoking bad-guy did nothing for our cause, but he was a great bad-guy. I don't think they used enough of Rhodes in this movie, but I am certain in IM-2 we will see much more of him. One question: Is Pepper such a wuss in the comic too?
Posted by robert on May 6, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
I never really read the comic, and was kind of interested in seeing the film, and may still, it just sounds like fun.
I did, however, catch the disney channel Iron man toon marathon and watched one episode. Jeeze, what a pile of dork fodder. Obviously intended for other people than me.
I did, however, catch the disney channel Iron man toon marathon and watched one episode. Jeeze, what a pile of dork fodder. Obviously intended for other people than me.
Posted by briandg on May 6, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
I liked it as well, as did both my boys. My only complaint: I'd have liked Black Sabbath's Ironman in the soundtrack in the flight scenes. That would have been outstanding!
Posted by somnus on May 6, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
Maybe Ozzy could be a super villain in the next one?
Posted by zman on May 6, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
Zman you evil weenie, nice job of chumming up the waters with that final poke at Peta.
I don't even think you'll need to set the hook because the bait is screaming!
Yes, the movie was terrific. I too thought about how great it would be if IM was for real. And I do got the hots for Ms. Pepper Potts!
I don't even think you'll need to set the hook because the bait is screaming!
Yes, the movie was terrific. I too thought about how great it would be if IM was for real. And I do got the hots for Ms. Pepper Potts!
Posted by V-Twin Vern on May 6, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
I was always a Spidey fan growing up. I don't remember reading a lot of Iron Man comics as a kid. Sabbath's song should have been the love theme from Iron Man, the movie. Thwip-p-p-p-p-p!!!!!
Posted by Garfiend on May 6, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
My wife asked me ikf there was any connection between BS ironman and the comic character last night. Obviously to me, the theme of the song is some sort of weird, hallucinatory ballad about some creature that was pissed off at an ungrateful world. Didn't the song come out later than the comic?
Posted by Briandg on May 6, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
One of the things that may have helped make this movie such a success was the fact that Marvel financed the movie themselves, instead of licensing the character to another studio. This way, they retained more control over the tone of the film, and the finished product.
They've always written a great story. I'm really looking forward to seeing it myself in the theater.
There are certain movies that just HAVE to be seen on the big screen, in glorious Technicolor, with Dolby digital sound blasting all around you. That's not the case with chick flick romantic comedies, but for films such as this, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc., it's mandatory. Although with big screen TV's and killer home theater systems, the experience at home can approach that at the theater. But what it can't duplicate is the atmosphere of watching it with a crowd of other people. The only bummer is that you either have to sneak in your own munchies, or do like Zman, and ante up what seems like fifty bucks for gargantuan, oversized concessions.
Marvel announced a slate of upcoming self-produced films including Iron Man 2 on April 30, 2010, Thor on June 4, 2010, and The First Avenger: Captain America on May 6, 2011.The studio will release The Incredible Hulk on June 13.
I can't wait. And they have many more characters, as well.
In the words of the immortal Stan Lee,
"Excelsior"!
They've always written a great story. I'm really looking forward to seeing it myself in the theater.
There are certain movies that just HAVE to be seen on the big screen, in glorious Technicolor, with Dolby digital sound blasting all around you. That's not the case with chick flick romantic comedies, but for films such as this, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc., it's mandatory. Although with big screen TV's and killer home theater systems, the experience at home can approach that at the theater. But what it can't duplicate is the atmosphere of watching it with a crowd of other people. The only bummer is that you either have to sneak in your own munchies, or do like Zman, and ante up what seems like fifty bucks for gargantuan, oversized concessions.
Marvel announced a slate of upcoming self-produced films including Iron Man 2 on April 30, 2010, Thor on June 4, 2010, and The First Avenger: Captain America on May 6, 2011.The studio will release The Incredible Hulk on June 13.
I can't wait. And they have many more characters, as well.
In the words of the immortal Stan Lee,
"Excelsior"!
Posted by roadlizard7 on May 6, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
Briandg - Ironman first appeared in Marvel Tales of Suspense in March of 1963, so the answer is yes. I've always wondered if there was a connection. Mr. John Osborne may hold the answer.
Posted by zman on May 6, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
I have been talking about a Thor and Captain America movie for sometime and now it's reality. These are two characters that will make for great flicks, but as in Ironman with Robert Downey, casting is crucial. The problem with Thor is that you need a monstrous muscle guy who can also act. Plus Cap is a great story as the WW2 hero fell into ice in suspended animation and awoke in the early 60's. Maybe Mike Myers plays the Captain?
Yeeeeeaaaah Baby!
Yeeeeeaaaah Baby!
Posted by zman on May 6, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
But what it can't duplicate is the atmosphere of watching it with a crowd of other people.
Posted by roadlizard7
I am ready to plop down 10 large to trick out my media room so I don't have to deal with watching movies with a crowd of other people. Like zman mentioned he had the guy saying “THAT IS SO COOL!” every 30 seconds. And I have been to numerous movies where dorks talk on their cellphones during the movie. We ended up going to the 2PM in the afternoon showing on Saturday when we saw it and the theater which holds over 1k only had 200 people in it. So it was perfect. But I have been in the same theater when it is packed and it sucks having little Johnny banging up against the back of your seat a dozen times during the film and little Lizzy screaming to her friends are all the way on the other side of theater for some stupid reason. Plus, the biggest detracter from going to a movie theater over at home, no pause for piss breaks. Damn it sucks getting old. LOL
Posted by roadlizard7
I am ready to plop down 10 large to trick out my media room so I don't have to deal with watching movies with a crowd of other people. Like zman mentioned he had the guy saying “THAT IS SO COOL!” every 30 seconds. And I have been to numerous movies where dorks talk on their cellphones during the movie. We ended up going to the 2PM in the afternoon showing on Saturday when we saw it and the theater which holds over 1k only had 200 people in it. So it was perfect. But I have been in the same theater when it is packed and it sucks having little Johnny banging up against the back of your seat a dozen times during the film and little Lizzy screaming to her friends are all the way on the other side of theater for some stupid reason. Plus, the biggest detracter from going to a movie theater over at home, no pause for piss breaks. Damn it sucks getting old. LOL
Posted by robert on May 6, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
Yeah Z, that movie was pretty kick-ass. I especially liked the part where Jim Rhoads looks at the other suit and says, "Next time."
robert, you're right on when it comes to annoying people in the theater. Somehow, my girlfriend and I are always behind the guy who insists on kicking our seats or talking or both throughout the whole movie. BUT, I will say that there's no substitute for seeing a really good movie with the theater full of people. When the whole room gasps, laughs, or cheers is part of the moviegoing experience that I really enjoy. Just keep that damn jerk away from my seat.
robert, you're right on when it comes to annoying people in the theater. Somehow, my girlfriend and I are always behind the guy who insists on kicking our seats or talking or both throughout the whole movie. BUT, I will say that there's no substitute for seeing a really good movie with the theater full of people. When the whole room gasps, laughs, or cheers is part of the moviegoing experience that I really enjoy. Just keep that damn jerk away from my seat.
Posted by hawaiian brian on May 6, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
I've gotta say that I would rather have a gasoline enema than sit in a theater with even ONE person. I hate people worse than monkeys, squirrels, or even Brussels sprouts.
But, there is also the fact that a balrog looks like a cockroach that was dipped in light stick goop when you see it on my television. Hell, I woulda taken a flyswatter after the thing.
But, there is also the fact that a balrog looks like a cockroach that was dipped in light stick goop when you see it on my television. Hell, I woulda taken a flyswatter after the thing.
Posted by briandg on May 6, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
Zman, interesting that you pointed out the fact about Jeff Bridges character smoking a cigar in a PG movie. I don't think Stan Lee would ever go PC on us. Jonah Jameson the newpaper editor in Spiderman also smokes a cigar on screen.
Posted by Trogladyte on May 6, 2008 at 9:53 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
Superman, Batman and Spiderman were the comics of the Boomers. Mad magazine was pretty big when I was twelve.....in 1961.
I'm still looking forward to seeing the movie. You guys that saw this movie with your sons....that sounds like fun.
I'm still looking forward to seeing the movie. You guys that saw this movie with your sons....that sounds like fun.
Posted by torpedo on May 7, 2008 at 12:22 AM
Re: I Am Ironman
Tons of fun.
Posted by zman on May 7, 2008 at 6:48 AM
Re: I Am Ironman
When I was a kid, I dug Batman/Superman/Spiderman. There was a series of half hour cartoons that were on for each day of the week. One was for Captain America, one for The Submariner, one for the Hulk, one for Thor and one for Ironman. I am looking forward to seeing the movie.
Posted by Darren in Detroit on May 7, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Re: I Am Ironman
I can't wait to see it! Get job on the blog Zman! You rock !
Posted by Old Man Metal on May 7, 2008 at 9:49 PM
Re: I Am Ironman
my sons game was rained out yesterday, and because of your great review of IRONMAN, I picked my 2 sons up from school (8 and 10 yrs old)and went and saw the movie, WE LOVED IT...
one thing though, nobody on here mentioned staying through the credits after the movie and they show Tony arriving home and there is Samuel L Jackson as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D waiting for him, settimg the tone for the sequel......
the ticket lady gave me the heads up to stay through the credits, or else we would've been gone....
one thing though, nobody on here mentioned staying through the credits after the movie and they show Tony arriving home and there is Samuel L Jackson as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D waiting for him, settimg the tone for the sequel......
the ticket lady gave me the heads up to stay through the credits, or else we would've been gone....
Posted by aqualung on May 8, 2008 at 11:28 AM
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