Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3. Iron. Man. 3. Was amazing, we all know, but I think, out of the three movies, was also the one with the greatest character development.

However, I noticed a horde of people complaining about how “out of character” Operation Clean Slate was: “that’s CRAZY - he would NEVER blow up his suits!!”

Well actually, yeah, he would. For starters, Tony’s always been reckless, sporadic, and very much an impulsive guy. Examples being when, in the Avengers, he destroyed the Leviathan by flying straight through it - I MEAN WHO THE HELL THINKS THAT’S A GOOD IDEA? 
(answer: Only Tony.)

Also when he decided to test his prototype when being thrown out of a building by a maniacal demigod – anyone else would just use a different suit, but Tony’s always retained that “ready, fire, aim” ideal.

Another example comprises of pretty much the entirety of the second movie; Iron Man 2: Stark Justifying his Life-Threatening Condition by Acting Like a Douchebag. He never thinks about what he’s doing; he goes for it because he has the confidence (or insanity??) to believe it WILL work.

So destroying the creations he worked SO hard to perfect? No biggie. He’s so carefree about the decision as well: “what the hell – it’s Christmas.” … but more than that, he has a huge reason to destroy them in this movie. He explains the suits as a cocoon whilst Pepper describes them as a distraction.

The suits were only his starting point, and Tony didn’t realise this until now. His mindset is adequately summarised by: “sometimes you have to walk before you can crawl." He knows it’s time to move on. This fresh start, in turn, will help him sleep, reduce his anxiety attacks, and prioritise the one person he really and truly cares about.

If there’s anyone Tony WOULD destroy the suits for, it’s Pepper.  I mean, c’mon, he spent the entirety of the movie trying to protect her, risking his own life to do so… so destroying his work for her isn’t reeealllyy that much of a stretch.

Also the suits, metaphorically, are like drugs. One feels such an elation when taking them that one want more.
You base your existence on this sole belief that it helps. In a sense it’s your escape, your one way out of the crappy world you live in. It’s your armour – you know it’ll keep you going after a bad day, keep you strong and independent. but slowly they change you, and your priorities, and your health… until the only way out is to just say “screw it”, pull yourself away, and start over. Sound familiar?

NOW. If there’s one thing we should be complaining about, it’s that Tony drives away, at the end of the movie, in an electric Audi R8. An eco-friendly sports car? C’mon. that’s not cool.

And Then Along Came a Spider...

I saw this movie a few days ago, in preparation for Ramadan where I would abstain from such viewings haha. And I have to say, it really did live up to my expectations. To be honest, in comparison to the last Spiderman movie... Things could only get better.

Peter Parker
I really love Andrew Garfield. I had seen his work before, in movies such as The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, and television shows such as Dr Who. So I was perfectly aware of what he was capable of. Despite this, I walked into the cinema with slight concerns. Peter Parker was a very unique character, and I wanted confidence in Garfield and his portrayal. And, thank God, he managed to pull it off. Peter Parker was exactly how I would picture him; a silent sufferer, a genius...and of course, a hero. He knew what he stood for, and wasn't afraid of the consequences. Despite his chivalry and courteous demeanour, he was incapable of striking up a decent conversation with the women. I think in many ways he was like Steve Rogers, or Captain America... A hero in the making. Furthermore, the poor guy was so conflicted over his upbringing, he often switched moods in a heartbeat. Garfield had the audience feeling WITH him; we smiled when Peter was happy, we practically sobbed when he was sad.
I also really loved his relationship with Gwen. It was so awkward and bumbling to begin with, before they finally managed to smooth out those social crevices and fall into a 'proper' relationship. Gwen was what I consider a strong character; her confidence and bubbly nature made her extremely likeable, as well as her ability to pull herself together in the most dangerous of situations.

however...
With every positive there must accompany a negative. I loved the Lizard, as well as Dr Conners when he's in a more humane state, but I didn't like the CGI they used for his transformation. I personally think he didn't look reptilian enough. Or green enough, haha. Weird, huh? Maybe I'm the only one, but I used the cartoons of my childhood as reference material for everything in the movie, and the Lizard didn't quite bring it. In the Spideman cartoons the Lizard looks much more like a crocodile, with visible scales and a greener tinge to his body.

Another thing that bugged me; the nerd inaccuracies. Has the director/screenplay writer never seen a nerd before?! They don't use BING! Nor do many nerds skate! Or have the amazing spiked up, messy ruffled hair. Or wear sexy skinny jeans. Again, I don't know, maybe I'm letting personal taste overshadow the conventional nerd outlook... But that's seriously where Garfield went wrong- he looked too good to be a convincing geek.

Hey, if that's all I can complain about, then I think we're okay.

Overall Rating - 8/10
Action packed, with the perfect mingling of humour and romance, this is definitely a movie I'll watch again. If possible, I recommend seeing it in 3D on the big screen. The effects are brilliant, and the POV shots are dizzying. You'll enjoy every minute, as if Spiderman is taking you on a tour of Manhattan.

A Little Ray of Sunshine.

A group of astronauts are sent on a mission to reignite the diminishing sun.


So I saw the movie Sunshine the other day. There were many aspects of it that provided me with positive expectations prior to viewing. I mean, it’s directed by the legend that is Danny Boyle, my sudden favourite Chris Evans plays a leading role, and the concept is pretty intriguing too.

Initially, maybe stupidly, I expected the movie to be so ‘feel-good’ I could watch it with my family the next week. My. GOD. It’s so intense, so horrifying, but so amazingly beautiful at the same time. I think Boyle really captures the perfect essence of space and the universe: yeah, it’s not safe, but wouldn’t we all love the opportunity to explore in space regardless?

hmm... Just agree with me, people.

And Boyle is a genius. Like 28 Days/Weeks Later, Sunshine was so grandiose, whilst maintaining the brutality of an apocalyptic life. 

And let’s not forget the actors. Okay, so they were all great, but my main focus is on Chris Evans and Cillian Murphy (Mace and Capa). Murphy was the lead in the movie, so naturally he would be the one to have his greatest moment of glory. And he did really well; I loved his character :)




BUT, I genuinely think Evans was the star of the show. Until this movie, I had considered Evans a good actor… but I was completely wrong. He is amazing. He played the arrogant dickhead really well, and I didn’t like him originally because of his rough attitude towards the other members of the crew. So easily angered, so quick to retaliate, etc. but then nearer the end of the movie everything falls into place; I understood how he felt, what they had to tolerate to save the world, and exactly how HUGE a burden was resting on his shoulders… and without spoiling anything, his moment to shine was both heartbreaking and admirable at the same time. I’m so proud of his performance in that movie… like a strange mother.

However, having complimented this movie like a beast, I’m going to state the one complaint I have. I feel the storyline wasn’t explained properly. I dunno, maybe I’m just stupid, but there were so many moments where I (and my friends) were confused, and just watching with a “whaaaa?” expression on our sorry little faces. It seemed like Boyle forgot about who would be watching it, like “I understand, the cast understands… so what more dya need?”

…This movie’s being viewed by thousands, darlin’.

Overall rating: 7.5/10

I loved the concept, the acting, the amalgamation of fear and sci-fi… but there were too many moments where I was left confused. I’m also not a huge fan of depressing endings... is that a spoiler? I… I mean… that was just a random fact about me. Nothing to do with Sunshine, silly ;)

"...we have a Hulk."

((part 2 - part 1 in the previous post))

Now, everyone who had the privilege of seeing the movie on the day of release said the same thing to me: the Hulk stole the show. They were totally correct. I have a new-found adoration for the Hulk, Bruce Banner, and ultimately the talented Mark Ruffalo, who was the first actor to play both characters.

The “Ruffalized” Hulk was amazing. Banner was quiet, charming and a genius. The Hulk was a savage monster, blinded by rage to destroy … well, you get the jist. Because of this, he refrained from unleashing the beast, and attempted to use his calm demeanour to resolve all situations that arose. I loved how his character, both as human and beast, managed to find the perfect balance between comedy, and full-on awesomeness. 

Best Non-Spoiler Moment: again, so many to choose from… uhm… that random punch to Thor’s face XD

What a legend. No, I mean he actually is; that’s Mr God of Freakin' Thunder to you!

I love how strong a character, and how sweet a brother Thor is; despite all of Loki’s crimes, Thor still believes there is good within the poor fella, and therefore doesn’t want to beat the crap out of him… just yet. They have a few moments where Thor literally tries to knock some sense into his deluded brother, but to no avail. Which is emotional; one scene between the Demi-Gods in particular focuses on their relationship, how they feel about their lives, how they perceive one another, and why the consequences have led to this moment. 

Best Non-Spoiler Moment: without a doubt, the “he’s adopted” line. Hilarious, particularly because it’s Thor’s justification XD

I love Joss Whedon, because he is adamant on making his female protagonists as hardcore as the male ones. He’s all about equality, and therefore, Natasha Romanoff, aka- The Black Widow, is simply amazing. She’s got the brains, the beauty (I mean, it IS Scarlett Johansson), and the epic moves.

She’s quite often beating up more people than the others combined. Boom.

I also love her almost-sardonic sense of humour. She says these epic one-liners with such monotony that the hilarity is increased tenfold ;)

Best Non-Spoiler Moment: her interrogation scene. Only she could beat up that many people whilst being… er… compromised >.<

Overall rating: 9/10

It’s received a 9, purely because I hardly ever give movies a 10. This movie is a must-see for EVERYONE. I think the best way to describe it is as a rollercoaster ride. It moves like a bullet, constantly tipping the emotional scales; one moment you’re laughing, the next you’re close to tears. The comedy is mixed within the action and the drama so, SO finely, that the majority of the time it's so relieving to have something to laugh about, especially as the character relationships and Loki’s backstory is truly heart-wrenching, when stripped down to the origins and basic nature. Of course, I didn’t review all the characters, but I could write a whole blog post on each separate Avenger, along with Nick Fury, Maria Hill and Agent Coulson <3 

I assembled for the Avengers, and given the results, I might do again, a few more times. Definitely one of the best action films I have ever seen. 

xxxx