Robert Downey Jr.

‘Captain America: Civil War’ has everything a superhero movie needs to save the day

I don’t normally post TV spots. For one, they’re on the short side, and they rarely have anything really new or interesting to comment on. But there are exceptions, like this Japanese tv spot for Captain America: Civil War. Sure, the spot features a teensy-weensy bit of new Spider-Man footage. If you pause and squint, you …

Advancing in the Wrong Direction A few weeks ago, a new TV spot for Captain America: Civil War was released during Super Bowl 50. As 30-second spots go, it’s pretty good, and I’m still looking forward to this movie as much as anything else this year. Of the many new bits of footage and action to …

Ant-man hits theaters on Friday, and with its release marks the end of Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Phase Three kicking-off next May. Depending on how big of a Marvel fan you are, this news will come as either exciting, or painfully boring. A surprise appearance by Agent Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in …

People thought PTA doing an art house Adam Sandler movie was weird. How about a live action kids movie about a wooden boy? Via THR, Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film following Inherent Vice may be a version of Pinocchio that Robert Downey Jr. has been developing for the last several years. Anderson is being brought …

The Avengers clicked with both Marvel fans and general audiences because we loved watching these massive egos clash for the first time. It was the perfect blend of action and attitude, and its mastermind, Joss Whedon, was handed the golden ticket to Marvel’s keystone franchise. The long-awaited sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron, shows the strain of trying to be bigger-and-better while still indulging the subtle pleasures of its predecessor. It succeeds, just barely, on the strength of a talented cast and our fondness for these characters. Still, it’s a decidedly somber affair that will turn off casual fans, and it stands as the most impersonal, and arguable weakest installment of Marvel’s vaunted “Phase Two.”

While the film won’t make its debut until May 1 (in the United States), some critics in Los Angeles recently had Avengers: Age of Ultron screened for them and they shared their quick thoughts via Twitter and so far the response is very positive. Mike Ryan, Uproxx Just saw AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. Soooooooo many …

Wonder Boys Directed by Curtis Hanson Written by Steven Kloves from a novel by Michael Chabon USA, 2000 The written word is an art form that is almost as old as mankind itself. To form sentences which eventually comprise paragraphs and so on to create beauty and evoke powerful emotion in readers is a skill …

The Judge is an actor’s showcase that gets lost in the weeds of tired family dynamics and clunky subplots. There are moments when Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall are allowed to take their characters into more dangerous places, but mostly they’re just constrained by an uninteresting story. The result is a film that packs no emotional wallop and builds to a conclusion that is neither surprising nor satisfying.

Chef Written and directed by Jon Favreau USA, 2014 It’s been roughly 7 years since Pixar released their best film to date, Ratatouille, which manages to be both a celebration of food and of the creative spirit. A great artist, that film argues, can come from even the most unlikely place, and so the world …

Chances are if you’ve seen a movie in the last 10 years, you’ve heard a Hans Zimmer score. Zimmer, a German composer and music producer, is responsible for over 100 scores since the mid-1980s. He’s one of the most popular composers today, scoring for major directors like Ron Howard, Christopher Nolan, and Guy Ritchie. Most …

It was only a few weeks ago that the Howard Hawks classic The Big Sleep, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, was reviewed for the purpose of this column. Certainly an amusing film, the highlight of which is the pitch perfect acting from each and every cast member.

  When it comes to spectacle and narrative, Iron Man 3 delivers in spades. This CG-fuelled spectacular is undeniably entertaining and judging by the box office sales, we should expect a fourth installment in the near future. After 10 minutes of end credits, we are treated to the usual Marvel tag-on scene which of course …

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Directed by Shane Black Written by Brett Halliday (novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them), Shane Black (screenplay) US, 2005 In his directorial debut, Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang begins, as with many noirs, with a crime. This crime, a robbery of a children’s toy store, however, lands the protagonist …

Elementary – Pilot episode Directed by Michael Cuesta Written by Rob Doherty Aired on Thursday, September 27th 2012, 10/9c on CBS. Now, it is going to be a good year or so before the much-anticipated third series of Sherlock returns to UK TV screens.  As much as fans cannot wait to see how Cumberbatch’s Holmes marks his return, …

The Avengers Written and directed by Joss Whedon USA, 2011 Following four years of films establishing the majority of its protagonists, Marvel Studios’ superhero ensemble film finally arrives. The Avengers teams up Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk, all established cinematic leads, as well as some agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., fronted by Samuel L. …

The Raven Directed by James McTeigue Written by Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare USA, 2012 In a room of posh, opulent women, Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) commands their undivided attention by reciting the film’s titular poem, The Raven. Enamored, one of the women tries her hand at poetry as well. Crude, unsophisticated and juvenile, …

The Avengers Written by Joss Whedon Directed by Joss Whedon USA, 2012 The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 1 & 2, Thor and Captain America; all of these Marvel Studios-produced superhero films were made with their own aspirations and goals, most of which were achieved to varying levels. Alongside each picture’s own aims, Marvel created its …

  In February, news of an upmost upsetting nature came to light. Barely a month after the second season of Sherlock finished on UK screens, CBS revealed their intention to do a version of the show – Elementary – but based in New York. I’m going to be honest. Quite frankly, the idea may not …

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Written by Michele and Kieran Mulroney Directed by Guy Ritchie USA, 2011 Guy Ritchie’s previous Sherlock Holmes film was marred, especially, by irritating aesthetic choices and an over-reliance on the banter between its leading men. Rather than charming, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s exchanges were instead annoyingly smug, …

Vanity Fair have released their annual compilation listing of the top 40 earners in Hollywood breaking every total down into upfront fees, back-end, and ancilliary revenue. It seems the top earner is estimated to have grossed more than the second, third and fourth earners combined. The list features both actors and producer/directors and only calculates …

This past Saturday, July 24, at the San Diego Comic-Con, shall be marked as one of the most epic gatherings for a film collaboration in geek history. The full major cast of The Avengers appeared on stage at the end of the Marvel Studios panel with confirmation of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Mark Ruffalo as …

“Iron Man 2 suffers from a distinct case of sequelitis. It is unfocused, messy and clumsily handled, and alas much of the charm and wit that the original employed to win over its viewers is largely absent.” Iron Man 2 Directed by John Favreau The first Iron Man movie a couple of years ago was …