1063 - Sex and the City

Yup. I like Gilmore Girls. Yes, I've seen every episode of Sex and the City. I'm OK with you all knowing that. I used to watch this show with my friend Victoria and we made plans to see the film together. I had been half-assed noticing that it was getting it's own ass handed to it in reviews, which made me want to see it even more to see what kind of a mess they'd made of it.

And then I saw it.

So where was this horrible piece of crap I was expecting?

I think there's something really sad going on right now in the entertainment medium. I don't disagree that they bring it upon themselves with all their sequels and prequels and adaptations and remakes and whatever other variation I've missed. But I get this feeling that people are just waiting for things to suck. Does anyone else feel this way? If you're walking into this film I'm not sure what you're expecting, but it delivered everything it needed to. It was a fine addition to the show and it hit the tone perfectly. I didn't even notice how amazingly long it was until it was over. Was it the best movie of the year? Shit, no. But I don't even think you can put it into those kind of categories. It was fun and full of all the themes that the show explored so well.

So for those of you who liked the show, you're going to enjoy yourself so long as you haven't been making lists of what you hope happens, etc... For those of you who didn't watch the show and think this film is going to suck, why would you even bother going?

1062 - Blade Runner: the final cut

So I'd never seen Blade Runner. My wife insisted that I watch it because of a script I'm in the middle of working on, since it's got a similar story. So I saw the final director's cut or whatever it's called. I did a little research before watching it and discovered that there's five versions of this film. Emily is fond of a previous version that has some kind of narration from Ford's character. I'd love to find that version and check it out, now that I've seen the cut that the director prefers.

I love it when we watch older sci-fi films and they start with date slugs like 2019 and then they cut to flying cars. We've got a little ways to go to get to where this film is in eleven years. I think films that take place in the near future should just avoid using years if at all possible, leave it up to our imagination.

This film landed right smack dab in the middle of Ford working on Star Wars and Indiana Jones, so it's interesting that, to me, he has a very distinct and different look about him in this film. I love the odd dress shirts and ties, etc... The whole film really is beautiful to look at, I think it would be even better on high def.

I wanted more of Rachael in this film. I think that she's underused and would have made the film a little bit more emotionally satisfying. She disappears for almost the entire last third of the film, being rendered useless as soon as Ford had his way with her. I like the openness to this ending. She Rachael like a unicorn? Unique? Will she not die? Will Deckard kill her to keep someone else from doing it? Is he a replicant himself (as Ridley Scott himself now claims, despite Ford's objections).

I'm glad to have seen it and I look forward to examining the special features on the DVD. There's a documentary which I believe is to discuss the different versions and how they came to be. Thanks for the film, Ridley, my wife was right - good reference material!

1061 - Gilmore Girls: season seven

Yes. I watch the Gilmore Girls. And you know what? I even like it. No. My wife does not force me to watch it. Did she force me to watch it at the beginning?..... maybe....

This show has been a trip from the beginning. It did this amazing thing with being able to combine this zany over-the-top comedy with a really heart-warming sensibility. I imagine this show walks a much finer line than the casual viewer notices. It's a gem.

So it's over. I'm OK with that. I'm a big fan of closure and things having an end. This show was starting to run the risk of going a little past it's welcome and it saved itself from that. It started with a woman who wanted to give her daughter amazing opportunities, and that's how it ended - with Lorelai sending Rory off into the world.

For you non-Gilmore fans there was a showrunner (person that oversees the series) switch between the last season and this one, and I'll admit it felt like a rocky start, but they pulled it off in spades. I'm not sure what the original showrunner, Amy Sherman, had planned for this season, but you know what? I don't care. This season almost had a new energy, characters were rejuvenated and even used better than they have been in the past. I really enjoyed it.

Now the only problem is that my wife and I have to find a new show to watch... good thing we've got a wide selection...

Dear Old Alma (1876-2008)

In what almost seems like a different life now, I used to be a documentary filmmaker. Mostly I worked on historical pieces chronicling the early years of Southwestern Ontario. My good friend Zach Melnick continues the work in my absence with the lovely Yvonne Drebert.
One of the most amazing things about working on these projects was the access that we got to old footage, photos, and in some cases buildings that the public couldn't get into. Alma College was easily the most amazing historical building I've ever had the pleasure to not only shoot in, but be in.
And now it's gone.
A 'suspicious fire' took out what many people had been trying to get demolished for years, but thanks to a passionate group, could not get passed. I read an article online saying that someone was finally able to convince the powers that be to demolish the place anyway. I guess it was just a matter of time. Such a beautiful building. It sparks an interesting question though. How much money can you put into the past? Should a building that's taking up land that could be used for other things remain just because of sentiment and history? I don't know the answers to that, I'm not sure there are answers beyond personal opinion. But I think in the case of places like Alma you should preserve them. They just don't make buildings like that anymore and the ones that still exist are few and far between, especially in more rural areas. I'll never forget the feeling I got the first time I drove up to it. I was in awe. I never thought I'd fall in love with a piece of architecture.
If you click on the title of this blog it will take you to the portion of the documentary I did that focused on Alma College. In it there's a lovely little story about the ghost of Alma College, Angela. And if you ask me I think it was Angela that burnt the place down, better to go in a blaze of glory than systematically torn apart by machines.

Scott Pilgrim

I have to give a big thanks to Mr. Aron Dunn for introducing me to the world of Scott Pilgrim. It's a comic series by Bryan Lee O'Malley and currently has four volumes, all of which you could probably read in a day, and since they're so wonderfully good, you'll probably have to.
WHAT IS SCOTT PILGRIM AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE:
Scott Pilgrim is a 23-year-old guy living in the big city with his gay roommate, just trying to make his way in this crazy world.
Scott Pilgrim likes the new girl in town, Ramona Flowers, but to win her heart, he has to defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends.

Sounds ridiculous, right? It kinda is, but in such a good way. Edgar Wright is making a film of this with Michael Cera in the role of Scott, and as excited as I am, I'm also a little concerned. There are certain elements of the way O'Malley tells this story that just won't translate to the screen. I could be wrong, in fact I hope I am. I'm not going to be a hater and say that the film is going to suck, I'm just going to go in and try to see it with fresh eyes - see what they come up with.
What I really hope doesn't happen is that they decide to americanize it. Part of my joy in reading the book is that it takes place in Toronto, we have Scott fighting at Honest Ed's and Castle Loma, playing a band gig at Lee's Palace, and eating crappy food at Sneaky Dee's afterwards, rolling down to The Beach on the weekend. It's Toronto through and through. It also captures that wonderful twenty-something era. I laughed out loud, I got emotionally involved and attached. I love these characters, I love how they speak, think, feel. They are my friends in paper form. They can be your friends too!
I strongly urge anyone and everyone to pick up this series. Right now volumes 1-4 are out, and if I'm correct there's two more planned, one should be coming out this summer *fingers crossed*. I can only assume that they'll plan to release the film and the final book around the same time.
Read it. Love it.

1060 - Year of the Dog

I've been following Mike White's career for a few years now and I've enjoyed all of the film's he's written, and I have to be honest that while I did enjoy this film, it would have been much better with someone else at the helm. It's works because of the wonderful cast (who you can't help but wonder what kind of favors were pulled in to get them), and the script, which like all of White's work is full of deliciously funny and also heartbreaking moments.

Laura Dern has a fantastic small role as the mother who you just want to smack. I hated her so much here - but in the good way. She's a great actress.

It's on DVD and worth a rental. I had quite a few moments of laughing out loud, as well as eventually being drawn in to it emotionally.

It was a good film that could have been great.

1059 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

If you've been reading this blog at all you know that I've been gearing up for this movie for the last little bit, rewatching the old films (could never get into the Young Indy tv series), humming the song almost non-stop, etc... I have to say that the only problem that I had leading up to this film was all the people that were just waiting for it to be bad, the people who weren't going to like it just because it plan and simply existed. The haters. You know if you're one of them.

I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to spoil anything, but if you're looking for a fun popcorn flick, you've found it. Were there over-the-top moments? Shit yes. But that's nothing new for Indy. You're not going into this film wondering if he's going to make it out alive or not, it's not that kind of film and I think you know it going in.

Marion's back, and my only complaint is that I wish she got to show off her distinct personality a bit more. It's not that she doesn't have a function in the plot, it's just that she's just such a unique character, but she's not used to her fullest abilities.

The theme of this film is returning. Returning us to an Indy film. My favorite thing about this film, and I don't think I'm ruining anything, isn't that Indy is looking for something, but he's trying to return something - which I thought was unique to the series, and I really enjoyed it. You get a little more detail on some of Indy's past through conversations with other characters, again I won't ruin the fun for you.

Speilberg has said in the past that he had seen this series as five films. I for one would enjoy another outing, especially if I think it's going to be a passing the torch film.

When I re-watch this on DVD I'll comment more indepth on some of the specific details I liked, but for now I'll just let you know that it's well worth the price of admission.

1058 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I have a soft spot in my heart for this one. I probably watched it the most as a kid. I don't know if it's my favorite of the older ones, but it's at least a tie with 'Raiders'. If nothing else I think that this installment is easily the most fun. It's got Sean Connery! I mean, come on. And he's great in this as the father of Indiana Jones (nice nod to James Bond).

The set and action pieces are really creative and smart, from the train at the opening, to the catacombs, the tanks, they're all really smart and well thought out. I mean, you always know that Indiana is going to get out of a jam, but the real joy is in watching him do it.

Some fantastic scenes, there's Harrison doing his Scottish accent, the Hitler autograph....

I'm going to go into the new one (hopefully tomorrow night) and just expect to have nothing but fun. I'm gonna get a big bag of popcorn, sit back and hope it takes me away.

101-150

the following was watched between June 13th, and August 3rd, 2004:

101. School of Rock

102. In The Navy

103. Along Came Polly

104. The Terminal

105. Selfless, Cold, and Composed

106. Old St. Nick

107. Corn-a-mental

108. Shooting Guns in Church

109. Lightyear

110. Echos

111. Here

112. Pavane For a Dead Skunk

113. Clowns at War

114. Reality

115. From A to You

116. Fahrenheit 9/11

117. The Crypt Club

118. Park Pleasures

119. La Sphatte

120. Cloning Granpa

121. The Man Who Lived in Leeds

122. The Regular Guy

123. Call Me a Paki

124. Bethany the Butcher

125. The Straight Jacket Lottery

126. Searching in Solitude

127. Psychle

128. The Stepford Wives (1975)

129. Bad Santa

130. The Best of Times

131. Spiderman

132. Fahrenheit 9/11

131. Spiderman 2

132. The Shape of Things

133. The Odd Couple

134. In America

135. Spiderman 2

136. Anchorman

137. King Arthur

138. Elephant

139. 20 Dates

140. The Butterfly Effect

141. Frida

142. The Bourne Identity

143. I, Robot

144. The Bourne Supremacy

145. Cold Mountain

146. Before Sunset

147. De-Lovely

148. The Village

149. The Battle of Shaker Heights

150. A Fistful of Dollars

* films 106-115 and 117-127 were all part of the 2004 Niagara Indie Film Festival

**you may have noticed that 131 and 132 have been repeated... not sure what to say, I screwed up in my original journal.  Huh.  Hopefully it'll even out over the course of time.  My bad.

1057 - High Art

Again, another film that more than likely isn't that well known to people. I only came across it because it had the same title as a project that I was working on and the description peaked my interest.

It's a story about a used-to-be-famous photographer who is rediscovered by an assistant editor at a photography magazine and their relationship. Considering the content it does a really great job of avoiding all the usual cliches that come along with these kinds of films (except, perhaps for the ending).

Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell are really quite good together, I buy their relationship hook, line, and sinker. Patricia Clarkson is amazing as this cracked-out German actress who is usually stoned, and likable despite herself.

Unfortunately the ending keeps me from giving this a full fledged recommend, but someone else will probably be able to look past it more than I can.

Great performances, beautiful look to the film. I dug it far more than I thought I would. Shame about that last reel, could have been a real diamond.

1056 - The Puffy Chair

This is a film that I found myself liking more and more as I went along. I won't go into super great details about the specific things I liked since this is the kind of film a lot of people haven't really heard about, so I don't want to ruin anything.

This is the kind of film that would live or die by it's cast. Full of unknowns, the cast is fantastic. They feel like real people complete with real problems and real shit that they need to work out. This is a great twenty-something film full of some really realistic sequences which anyone whose every been in a long relationship with be familiar with.

The worst I can say about the film without ruining too much is that it's 86 minutes and it feels like it's stretching even to get to that. That being said I don't know how much more you could have added to the story without it feeling overdone.

I could recommend this film to anyone who likes movies about human relationships. It's worth the rental.

1055 - The Constant Gardener

I had meant to see this film when it was first released but I never got around to it. To be honest I don't think the trailer interested me that much and it just seemed like a typical conspiracy thriller. Maybe it is, but it's one that's made quite well with a heart and intelligence. Weisz is quite deserving of her oscar in a role that's passionate, intelligent, sweet, charming, and lovely all at the same time. She was a treat to watch in her small role.

Ralph Fiennes is amazing as well. There's a great scene right off the top of the film where we see him empathize with a man who has come to tell him that his wife might be dead. It's just a sad and lovely scene.

The film is light and uplifting where it needs to be and effortlessly slides into thriller territory when the story goes there. Fernando Meirelles is a master story-telling and I'm looking forward to seeing Blindness even more now. The film is raw and beautiful to look at. It gets into you emotionally. The story itself, the conspiracy about the drug industry and it's profit over safety, is quite timely. The idea about saving who we can when we can, not just shrugging it off and saying that since we can't save them all why should we bother saving just a few.

Truly great film, glad I finally saw it.

1054 - Le Vie En Rose

There's been a lot of bio-pics come out in the last few years, and the majority of them are about singers/musicians. There's a common thread amongst a lot of them, as I believe that a lot of them, the ones that are compelling, have a common story. They have issues with relationships, substance abuses, and that's a large part of their tale. Walk Hard did a really great job of lampooning a lot of these films while still telling it's own story. The makers of that film would have had a field day with this one.

I think I hated this film. That might be a bit drastic, but I know that I didn't like it. Nope. I sure didn't. It was beautiful to look at, you could probably take any single frame from the film and have a beautiful photo to look at. Cotillard looked, and I'm sure acted exactly as Piaf did. So what? The story, if you'd like to call it that, was so fractured and, dare I say, boring, that I had nothing to grasp onto, nothing to care about. Piaf came off as a drunkard whose life she wasted. No specific reason was really ever given for her addictions. The film made you feel like a fly on the wall, which I suppose was the point, but by doing that you're not able to get emotionally involved or attached. The biggest mistake this film makes is trying to tell her life story from cradle to grave, and honestly, it's not that interesting. I'm sure an engaging film about her love affair with Marcel could have been made, but here it's just a part, even if it is the most interesting part. There is one single beautiful scene that happens ***SPOILER ALERT*** when she realizes that he has died ***END SPOILER*** but the film only works because they've taken a poetic license with it.

The scenes with her as a child are the most interesting in the film. After that is was a struggle to get through this sluggish piece of cinema. I could have easily turned it off, I cared that little about her story.

If you haven't seen this do yourself a favor and don't. I love artsy movies, but they have to be beautiful and tell an engaging story. I like pretty pictures as much as the next guy, but it's not enough.

1053 - Saw IV

I'm a fan of the Saw films. I was never a horror guy growing up, in fact I disliked them because of a mildly traumatic occasion when one of my older cousins tried to convince a six year-old version of myself that Freddy Kruger was chasing after me. Years of therapy later I'm able to watch horror films :)

I saw this in the theaters originally and watched it this time with the director's commentary. Bousman is fun to listen to, he's got no ego and is more than willing to talk openly about the process, including his opinion on producers. If you're into these films and filmmaking, it's a worthy commentary.

Like I said up top, I do like the Saw films and I'm actually looking forward to the next one as they have this wonderful little mystery going on as to what's going to happen. And I love that Scott Patterson was in this film (pictured above) and, if the story continues along how I think it should, he'll end up in the next film. He's a great actor and brings a lot to the series.

1052 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Still gearing up for the newest Indiana flick. Like Raiders I haven't watched this film in I don't know how long. I remember that when I was a kid I had this taped off of T.V. and the tape ran out when they were in the tunnel at the end, just as the water was coming towards them. I guess for me they always ended in that tunnel. It wasn't until I was in my teens that I finally saw the actual ending. Gotta be honest, I don't remember being that blown away.

Having just come off of re-watching Raiders and being really excited to re-watch Last Crusade I think this is my least favorite of the series. Not to dis it, it just feels... different. In a bad way? I don't know. We don't see a lot of voodoo dolls or blood drinking potions in the other installments, nor people ripping hearts out of people's chests with them still alive. I realize that there is a not quite realistic feel to the whole series, but this one's just a tad over the top. Don't get me wrong, it has great set pieces. I love the opening with the plane and the raft, love the oriental 'Anything Goes' dance number. In fact, the beauty of this being the first film (if you're thinking in chronological terms) Indy does have the biggest arch in this film in terms that he starts off as a selfish treasure hunter after glory and riches, and ends up realizing that artifacts actually mean something to people.

First time I ever noticed that the club at the beginning is called "Club Obi Wan", or that Dan Akroyd appears at the airport in the films first reel.

So although I don't think it's the best of the series, it still has a special place in my heart.

And come on, who doesn't love Short Round?

51-100

It's kind of fun to go through my old film journals.  This list was made while I was in film school, back in the days when I still had time to go and see the same films in the theatre over and over if I so desired, as you'll notice by some multiple listings.

the following films were watched between Apr 2nd & June 11th 2004:

51. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

52. A Nous La Liberte

53. Matchstick Men

54. Erin Brockovich

55. More

56. Something's Gotta Give

57. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

58. The Girl Next Door

59. The Limey

60. Pornstar

61. Kill Bill Vol. 2

62. Everybody's Famous

63. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

64. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

65. Rear Window

66. The Purple Rose of Cairo

67. The Cooler

68. Mean Girls

69. The Company

70. Supersize Me

71. The Office (British - Entire Series)

72. Kill Bill Vol.2

73. Take the Money and Run

74. Beautiful Girls

75. Me, Myself, and I

76. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

77. Looking For Mr. Goodbar

78. Shrek 2

79. The Deer Hunter

80. Gas Food Lodging

81. Shallow Grave

82. Hedwig & the Angry Inch

83. Annie Hall

84. Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade

85. Love Actually

86. Van Helsing

87. Dirty Pretty Things

88. The Fog of War

89. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein

90. Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

91. Bullets Over Broadway

92. Solaris

93. One Night in the Tropics

94. Mona Lisa Smile

95. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

96. Before Sunrise

97. Interiors

98. The Big Chill

99. Buck Privates

100. The Stepford Wives (2004)

1051 - Raiders of the Lost Ark

Am I gearing up for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Hell's yes! Again, like Ghost Busters it's been forever since I've seen this film and I'm looking forward to watching the other two in the upcoming weeks. I almost bought the new DVD set today but then I stopped myself knowing that I'll just eventually pick up the blueray set (when I break down and buy a blueray player, that is).

First off I was surprised to recognize Alfred Molina as the guy at the beginning that tries to double cross Indy and gets a spear through his head. If I did my research correctly this was his first role. Also apparently Danny DeVito was originally cast as Sallah. I can't imagine anyone other than John Rhys-Davies in that role.

This film is just a lot of fun and there's no surprise that it's turned into the franchise that it has. Especially this installment. When I was a kid we used to go to MGM as Disneyworld and watch the live action stunt show that had them recreate several scenes from this film live. The opening, the market place, and the plane/Nazi Bully scene where the guy gets cut up by the chopper. Watching those scenes never fails to bring me back to those vacations. Ahhh memories...

I love Karen Allen in this and I'm really excited to see her in the new film. It makes me happy that they're bringing her back.

I love how this film ends, it's a really unique statement in a way. That giant room with all those boxes and you just can't help but wonder what's in all of them, what adventures brought them into here? What secrets are they hiding???

It's also interesting when you think about what else was going on at the time. Both Ford and Lucas were splitting their time between Indiana Jones and Star Wars with the two series both making films one after another. I think I always just assumed that Indiana Jones came way later, but by the time the sequels kicked in the films were almost simultaneous.

Ho hum. Two more weeks to go until the new Indy...

1050 - Ghost Busters

I can't even remember the last time that I saw this film. I'd be surprised if it was since I started journaling. I blame this on Andy Hunter for spouting quotes from it all day long. You forget how many really great lines there are in this film until you re-watch it, "When someone asks you if you're a god - you say yes!".

The effects in this film are actually pretty good when you consider that it came out in 1984 and so was probably shot in '82. The cast is amazing and wonderful. It's hard to think that originally it was supposed to be Jim Belushi in Peter Venkman role, but died before it could happen. It's said that Slimer was meant to honor the late Belushi. Rick Moranis took a role that was originally intended for John Candy, and Ernie Judson stole the role of Winston from Eddie Murphy. Would have been a different film, that's for sure.

Someone told me today that they're in the midst of making an animated third film, which seems like an interesting choice, not that far off considering that there was an animated kids show of this. I know that there's been a video game in the works for sometime and I would be first in line to get it if it's offered on the Wii.

I can see myself re-watching this again in the near future with the commentary.

1-50

So in my absence from this blog I missed a thousand or so entries in the films I've been watching, in an effort to just bridge the absence I'm going to periodically list the films (just the films, no commentary) that I watched.  For the sake of this first list I'll include the original ten titles that do actually exist in this blog.

the following films were watched between January 1st, 2004 & March 27th, 2004:

1. Ordinary People

2. Rosemary's Baby

3. Vertigo

4. The Conversation

5. Rebecca

6. The King of Comedy

7. Peter Pan

8. American Splendor

9. Cold Mountain

10. Anything Else

11. Space Balls

12. Down With Love

13. Happy Accidents

14. The Red Shoes

15. Sullivan's Travels

16. Your Friends & Neighbours

17. Hannah & Her Sisters

18. Arsenic & Old Lace

19. Kramer Vs. Kramer

20. Mon Oncle

21. The Animation Show

22. In America

23. Monster

24. Owning Mahony

25. Thirteen

26. The Sting

27. Leaving Las Vegas

28. American Psycho

29. Sleep With Me

30. The Passion of the Christ

31. Lost in Translation

32. Spellbound

33. Triplets of Belleville

34. The Dreamers

35. Pirates of the Caribbean

36. Intolerable Cruelty

37. Lost in Translation

38. Matchstick Men

39. Starsky & Hutch

40. The Even Stevens Movie

41. The Ruling Class

42. Pieces of April

43. In the Mood For Love

44. Scarface

45. Capturing the Friedmans

46. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

47. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

48. Scenes From A Marriage

49. The Ladykillers

50. Jersey Girl

Where I've been & where I'm going

So I started this blog a really long time ago (3 years) and then I never really did anything with it.  I found the idea of blogging to be odd, something which should be personal, but is intended to be public.  But I like the idea of talking openly about my thoughts on film and stories as I think it forces me to think about it more than I would if I just kept it all inside my head.  So here I am.  I have another blog which you can see in my link section with Wildsound, although I've been really bad about keeping it updated.  Perhaps I'll try and make them both co-exist together.

You'll notice in my post below this one that it starts with "1049", I've been keeping a film journal since January 1st 2004, and so that was my 1049th entry into it (although it's not necessarily what I wrote, not that that matters), you'll notice at the bottom that I started out by literally scanning in my journal, but abandoned the idea after ten posts.  So what films did I watch between 10 and 1049?  Maybe when I'm bored in a future date I'll write down them in chunks and post them up on here for giggles.  

So hopefully I'll be much better at updating this as I intend to have it coincide with my film journal that I keep as well as a way to just discuss projects that I have on the go.  If you go to the link to my Triggerstreet.com page you'll see that I've been named 'Reviewer of the Month', which is fun - it's also a link to a few scripts I'm working on (although not always the latest draft, feel free to e-mail me for those.)

So that's all I've got, hope it's enjoyable in some degrees to read, feel free to drop me a line.

1049 - Iron Man

I often find that right before or right after I go see a film that has a 'back-story' I'll read up a lot on it. And by back-story I really just mean that has a world outside of the film that it draws on. Obviously the character of Iron Man has been around for quite some time, it's origins being during the Vietnam War, so it's interesting enough for me already to see the modernization that's being done with the character and using the current climate of war as a back-drop.

I like all kinds of movies, and the kid in me loves me some popcorn flicks. As an origin film I enjoyed this. I didn't know much about the character going in and so I wasn't locked in to too much prior to this, but I liked it and I think that it'll be interesting to see where the franchise goes after this film. Seeing how it made 100+ million in it's opening weekend it's safe to say they'll get at least a trilogy out of it. It's almost nice in that they don't have really well known villains like other comic book characters so they can really take the character anywhere they want to go, even though you're gonna piss off the geeks one way or another.

What really surprised me the most about the film was the chemistry between Paltrow and Downey. I look forward to seeing where they take it in the next installment.