Bulbous also tapered!

[Moetown]

Strange double bill:

Black Francis opening for Stone Temple Pilots.

[Bizarro]

Sangrias + mojitos + beer = happy day. 

[matthew]

I just don't know what else you can possibly expect from the experience but a commercial movie. 

Me neither. This is why I must resist the urge to see superhero movies from now on (except the Watchmen, which I  quietly dreading) no matter what the reviews are like on Crappity. Those types of commercial films only make me angry, much of the militarism and jingoism in them of late has really gotten to me. Obviously the military figures heavily into Iron Man, but still...too much screen time dedicated to depicting the camaraderie of the young soldiers in Iraq.

They're betting the studio on this, they're not going to take many chances...but you're right -- commercial=minimized risks.

It's well understood that these movies will follow a blueprint.  But that ignores the interior decoration.  Yes, you know the direction the story will take and how it will all end.  That's a given.  But plot structure is not all there is to a movie.

I found nothing remarkable about the movie except I found myself contemplating the charisma of Mr. Downey Jr.

Who was the broad?

[matthew]

When we were kids though (comic fans that is) we all wanted to see these characters in a movie. I'm just glad that now that we get to see that happen that the movies aren't total piles of crap. And I'm glad to see the characters in the hands of people who get them and care about doing them  justice. Unlike almost every adaptation before the first X-men movie (with the exception of Superman:the movie)
There've been some major stinkers but who knew they'd get Iron Man down so right.

Yeah, I get what you are saying, and I believe I understood your and Kurt's opinions from day two, I just don't find I am on the same page. It surprises me that I even watch them at all. When I do it is often when I am distressed or depressed or simply want a break from thinking about the world's miseries. Then I realize I cannot escape myself and end up analyzing the messages imparted in the text and subtext. That is when I become truly miserable to be around.

That being said, how do you fuck up the Fantastic Four??

I have no idea. That surprised me. I assumed the Fantastic Four would tower above all others given the rich source material inherit in the family dynamics of the group. The film never had a chance considering some of the casting. Jessica Alba? (I totally just noticed that Jessica Biel and Jessica Alba are two different women - no, really). 

And I have to say I don't see how anyone can really do a good Cap movie.

It has already been done.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/SzauKpDdRlY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/SzauKpDdRlY</a>

I hope they do but  when you look at the history of the character who is he really? he might be the one character that is simply impossible for an audience to relate to.  Cap is really at his best when juxtaposed with other heroes.  On his own the only way to make him work is just to have non-stop action. 

I do agree with you

[matthew]

the point is... embrace the silliness and take it seriously and make a movie that little kids can enjoy.

I dig it. But what was the deal with Spider-man 3?

[matthew]

From what I've been reading, The Dark Knight might just be a fine film though.. People are already calling it a crime epic not unlike The Godfather II..?!
if we get the Godfather II of super-hero movies I'll be a happy camper.

enh...maybe someone will drag me to that. I doubt it, actually, as I do believe even Jeremy has had his fill (though he loved SM3. I informed him I could no longer be friends with him.). He generally announces..."I'll just wait for my brother to download it." now when big dumb action movies are mentioned.





What the hell, any movie without Chris O'Donnell is okay by me.

[matthew]

Michael Bay does a much better job of cityscape demolition than Favreau of course.  I don't think you can pin that cliche on just Marvel.  That is standard blockbuster MO now.  CGI makes it affordable, therefore it must be done in EVERY action movie.

But that is why I used Transformers as my example. 

On a related note I watched Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer recently (with Rifftrax) and I did get a kick out of the scene with the ferris wheel. We miss the dumb smash-em-up scenes when they are absent:

"Yes, yes, yes! More gradual lifting."

"This is why kids love the comics - not the fights or action, but the long and intense sequences of holding things in place."

I do not know why you quoted this in its entirety. The lines in typeface are from the Rifftrax.


Jesus, couldn't they think of a suffix superior to, or at least less eighties than, "trax"?

[matthew]

If it can't scare kids, it's not a very good kids' movie as far as I'm concerned.

That is actually an excellent tool of measurement for children's films.


Movies that scared me to death:..The  Dark Crystal...The Labyrinth...The Ewok Movie...Time Bandits...and they are the ones that remain with me.

[matthew]

Strange double bill:

Black Francis opening for Stone Temple Pilots.

Um...is that cool? What did we decide in the end?

[Tripp]

for the record;  I didn't care for SM3 (but I don't blame Sam Raimi, if he'd gotten to make the movi e he wanted to I think it would've been great)

I have never seen Transformers and don't ever plan on it. Not my era of nostalgia and it looks to me to be the quintessential 'commercial' flick. 


I can't wait to see Wall-E.

[Tripp]

Watchmen is gonna be a hard-sell.  I heard there's gonna be a teaser trailer in front of Dark Knight and you know there will be a text blurb saying something about it being the best selling graphic novel of all time and they might even throw in some of it's respectable literary nods. Maybe that will get a few people to go get it and read it but it probably won't. 
But when it comes out I think the world is gonna scratch it's collective head.  It doesn't exactly have a feel-good ending. And are they really gonna show a bunch of big blue penis?  It might very well be the ultimate bad Alan Moore adaptation.

[Moetown]

I don't have very strong opinions about superhero movies.

I don't have many strong opinions about anything.

[Doctor Rock]

The final countdown starts in August.

   

I'm gonna pop them rollin' eyeballs right out yo head.

Boy, are we grumpy or what?  Go eat those special sugar cubes, Evan.  You look like you need to. 

[Poop Fresh-Herbed Pickles]

for the record;  I didn't care for SM3 (but I don't blame Sam Raimi, if he'd gotten to make the movi e he wanted to I think it would've been great)

What's this story?

[Doctor Rock]

I don't watch superhero movies.  I didn't grow up reading Marvel and DC comics.  All I know about superheros comes from reading you guys.