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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Of Bats And Men

Over the weekend The Boyfriend and I saw Iron Man. He loved it. Of course, it's only natural he would. Notorious playboy, who manufactures weapons for a living, and invents an "iron" suit that allows him to fly and kick ass. I mean, what red-blooded, testosterone-laden man wouldn't love that concept? So enchanted was The Boyfriend by this movie that he told me he liked it better than Batman Begins.

Put on the brakes there Iron Boy.

I did enjoy Iron Man. For a superhero movie it was pretty darn good. Now that Robert Downey Jr. has stopped ingesting junk for a living, it's really shown in his work. I thought he was fabulous in the understated Zodiac, and he's got a charming, rascal-y quality to him in Iron Man. I liked it more than any of the Spider-Man movies, certainly better than Superman Returns, and even a little better than the X-Men movies. But better than Batman? Um, no.

To illustrate my point, one of the previews to Iron Man was a new Dark Knight trailer I hadn't seen yet. Oh man, I am desperate to see this movie. The Joker! Harvey Dent! Christian Bale looking scrumptious! I don't think Maggie Gyllenhaal is quite "pretty" enough to play Rachel Dawes, but she's certainly a better actress and not nearly as annoying as Tom Cruise's personal robot, Katie Holmes. So major props there. Sigh, it is depressing though to watch Heath Ledger swagger his way though these clips as The Joker. You could make the argument that Brokeback Mountain already "made" him - but this movie would have launched his career into the stratosphere, says I. There's no other way to slice it - it's so damn depressing and such a god-awful waste.

6 comments:

Katiebabs a.k.a KB said...

OMG I Must see Batman!! After seeing Heath Ledger in the original trailer playing The Joke, my heart stopped.

And this weekend is my Indiana Jones fix and then Sex in the City and my Big fix. :D

Wendy, have you seen the trailer for The Happening by M. Night? OMG freaky. Someone hold me!

azteclady said...

I cried when I read about Heath, and I'm still so sad, I don't know when I'll be able to see this movie. I mean, I really want to see it but... man, it sucks bad.

Kristie (J) said...

I'm with AL. I imagine everyone who sees it will be thinking of Heath Ledger and what a great talent we lost.
I was surfing on TV not long ago an came across Roar - the short-lived television show he did a while ago. I didn't watch it - it was too sad.

Alyssa said...

"God-awful waste" doesn't begin to cover it. From what little we see of him in the trailer, this looks unlike anything he's ever done before. He's incredibly versatile.

I'm convinced he's making movies on the other side, but it's not the same thing.

CindyS said...

I loved Heath Ledger before Brokeback Mountain and knew it was just the beginning for him. I watched the trailer for the Batman film and had to be told it was him. Now that is damn powerful acting. When the actor's persona gets completely lost. Too sad for words.

That said, I have to say I'm ready to see Robert Downey Jr. playing Ironman. I have to admit that there hasn't been a role I haven't drooled over him in. Yep, even when he wasn't stone cold sober. The man oozes talent.

CindyS

Karen Scott said...

Oh, I cannot wait for Dark Knight. Christian Bale is beyond delicious.

As I watched the trailer, I found it hard to believe that Heath Ledger is actually dead. So sad.