This is a local blog, for local people

You are here - www.itsnotpretty.com
Talk to me - inchy@REMOVETHISBITitsnotpretty.com

Meet my inner child - www.freewebs.com/restlessnatives

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Iron Man

'Iron Man' was a Marvel cartoon character that went largely unnoticed in the UK. Unless you lived up here in Scotland and watched Glen Michael's Cartoon Cavalcade on a Sunday afternoon, the chances are you've never really heard of him, but clearly that's all changed now that the Hollywood blockbuster of the same name has hit our screens.
Myself and The Demon watched it last night and I have to say that I enjoyed it, but for all the wrong reasons.

The bad points:
The plot is the traditional action movie fare, the CGI is as obvious as Karl Malden's nose, the action sequences are as far fetched as The Matrix, the Stars & Stripes is everywhere, it's an Audi product placement festival, and anyone who speaks English with a foreign (i.e. not American) accent is clearly evil and must die.

The good points:
Robert Downey Jnr.
The film is entirely carried by Robert Downey Jnr, he's excellent in it. Without him, it would slide into the septic tank of action movie anonymity that films like Daredevil, Electra, and all the Batman movies up until the last one, have plopped into. I actually struggle to think of many other actors, who could have saved this film, because RDJ (it's easier to type) is actually quite a rare thing in Hollywood these days. He's cheeky but likeable. That's the best way I can describe how I think of him, and I hope that's a description that works internationally. Sure, he's damaged goods, but from doing jail time in 1999 and being fired from Ally McBeal in 2001 for substance abuse, he's made a rather spectacular comeback. It just goes to show that, unlike Rob Lowe, the "public" will forgive almost anything as long as you have a nice smile. By all means, get wasted on drugs, just don't fuck a 16 year old.

8 comments:

Helga Hansen said...

Rob Lowe was 24 when that happened, and let's face it, Inchy, there are plenty of girls out there who, at 16, look much older.

Another sad fact is that girls of that age often lie about how old they are, not realising the implications of being "jail-bait".

Rob Lowe was at the height of his fame then, and let's face it, when you're 16, and your idol says he wants to shag you, just how easy is it going to be to say "no thanks, I can't, I'm only 16", especially when you've lied about your age already (he met her at a bar, where she had to lie to gain access) AND it's something you don't think you can pass up on?

It's easy to pass judgement when we're "older and wiser", but sometimes you need to think back to when you were the same age!!

Inchy said...

Chill, Helga.
At no point in this post did I 'pass judgement' on Rob Lowe. I don't care if he had sex with a girl of 16. It wouldn't bother me one way or another who, where, or what, he stuck his dick into.
The point of that part of the post was to highlight how 'the public' will forgive some things and not others. One mistake = career over, sustained abuse = star billing. See my point?

The Preacherman said...

Ah!!! Shagging 16 year olds. That's why my public never forgave me. Always wondered what I'd done - also who I'd done come to think of it......

Inchy said...

That was probably legal back in the 50's, wasn't it Preacher?

lol

Helga Hansen said...

:D I'm chilled... can I have my teddy back now, please? The one I threw from the cot...

JW said...

I've just come back from seeing Iron Man ... and I must admit I didn't view it quite as harshly as you did! Then again, I rather enjoyed The Matrix too!

Should I blush as I write that?

I do agree whole-heartedly though that RDJ (wish I'd thought of abbreviating it like that on my blog!) carried the film. His performance was definitely memorable and the only risk now is that he could end up being linked inextricably with that role. That would be a real waste of his talent.

Inchy said...

Ro - My comments about the plot weren't a criticism, far from it, I love a cheesy action/sci-fi flick. They were just an observation. As for RDJ being stuck in the suit? Can't see it. He's just not the type cast type. I do actually think he's a good, versatile, actor. From the days of 'Weird Science' right through to 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' and 'Zodiac' his acting prowess hasn't been in question, just his reliability. I originally thought him a strange choice for 'Iron Man' but I'm glad to say I'm wrong.

Anonymous said...

I think R Kelly is finding that out the hard way as well, Inchy :))

And poor old Rob Lowe, do you know how much I salivated over his giant poster when I was 14??

Anyway, I am also a fan of the great 'RDJ'...his early stuff is warm and funny and wonderful.