IRON MAN 2

Robert Downey Jnr	Tony Stark/Iron Man
Scarlett Johansson	Natalie Rushman aka Natasha Romanoff
Gwyneth Paltrow	Pepper Potts
Don Cheadle	Lt Col James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes
Sam Rockwell	Justin Hammer
Micket Rourke	Ivan Vanko
Samuel L. Jackson	Nick Fury
Directed by	Jon Favreau
Running time	124 minutes.

The first screen adaptation of the Marvel Comics character Iron Man was released in 2008. It earned $585 million from worldwide ticket sales, two Academy Award nominations, for sound editing and visual effects and critical acclaim for Robert Downey’s performance in the leading role and Jon Favreau’s direction. All very good reasons for its sequel released just two years later when the spectacle and thrills of the first film are still fresh in memory.

Jon Favreau opens his film in a dingy Moscow flat where an old man is watching Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) declaring on international television that he was Iron Man. The old man is very bitter because he claims that the Iron Man technology was his and stolen from him. He pleads with his son Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) to make Tony Stark pay for the theft. Meanwhile, back in the USA, Tony Stark hovers over New York in his Iron Man suit before he makes a spectacular landing on a stage prepared for the lavish launch of his dream project, The Stark Expo.

However, all is not glamour and glitz for Tony Stark. He must face a Senate hearing about his reluctance to divulge the secret of his invention to the US Army, His wit and charm and wise counsel from his friend Lt Col James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) see him swagger through this with no problems. He must also keep an eye on Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) a ruthless business competitor who out to win a government contract for the provision of hi tech armoured suits copied on Iron Man’s but not so perfect. Desperate for help, Hammer calls in Ivan Vanko from Moscow.

Although fitted in the now familiar template of sophisticated big screen video games, “Iron Man 2” does not fail to satisfy the tastes of an audience in search of a value for money escapist film. The leading roles are played by actors who possess charisma and great screen presence. Leading the cast are Robert Downey as the cool, suave and carefree Tony Stark and, in sharp contrast, Mickey Bourke, the heavily tattooed, scruffy, gold toothed Ivan Vanko. Gwyneth Paltrow who reprises her role as Stark’s assistant Pepper Pott is her usual elegant, assured self, now with higher executive responsibilities and calling the shots in the Stark Business corporation. Good performances come as expected from Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, very unusual in jet black hair, playing two mysterious agents set to watch Tony Stark’s steps and moves.

The action pieces are breathtaking. Adrenalin starts flowing at breakneck speed when Vanko goes for Stark in a sequence set at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix circuit during a Formula 1 race where Stark is driving. The stunts and mayhem in this sequence and the many action scenes that follow are amazing. Computer generated images fill the screen with mind-blowing futuristic IT gadgets that billionaire Tony Stark works and plays with in his mansion. The slick and funny script helps Jon Favreau and his actors to deliver 124 minutes of non stop thrills and entertainment.

CEMETERY JUNCTION

Christian Cooke	Freddie Taylor
Tom Hughes	Bruce Pearson
Jack Doolan	Snork
Felicity Jones	Julie
Ralph Fiennes	Mr Kendrick
Emily Watson	Mrs Kendrick
Written, produced and directed by	Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Running time	95 minutes

“Cemetery Junction” tells the story of three young working-class men who live in the same Reading neighbourhood mentioned in the title. Their characters are as different as can be but their friendship is very solid. Freddie Taylor (Christian Cooke) who lives with his parents and an insufferable grand mother knows what he wants. He wants a suit and tie job, big money, a big house and his own Rolls Royce. He does not want to end up labouring in a factory like his father, a part played by Ricky Gervais, or his other friend Bruce Pearson (Tom Hughes) who works in the same plant. Bruce is an angry young man, very disillusioned with his drunkard father who he thinks was not man enough to fight his wife betrayed and left him. He vents his anger in the fights he picks at the drop of a hat. Snork (Jack Doolan), an affable dork who boasts a horrible tattoo of a half naked winged female vampire on his chest, completes the trio.

Freddie finds a job as an insurance salesman with a company owned by Mr Kendrick (Ralph Fiennes), a self made man who comes from the same deprived conditions of Cemetery Junction. Freddie is doing well and visits the Kendrick home frequently where he gets to know the daughter Julie (Felicity Jones) who is engaged to an arrogant upstart. He also watches with discomfort her suffering mother Mrs Kendrick (Emily Watson) who remembers that the last time her husband thanked her for a cup of tea was ten years back. It does not take Freddie long to realise that it is love warmth and affection that make a family, not money.


Ricky Gervais needs no introduction, especially to those who followed his popular TV series “The Office” and “Extras”. His breakthrough in films came also with a certain degree of success. Set in 1974, “Cemetery Junction” looks very much like those fine British working class/angry young men films of the sixties – “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning” comes to mind. Although this film does not reach the same heights, it gives a fairly good account of young persons with their angst, hopes and dreams and their urge to escape from disillusion. The main attraction in Mr Gervais’s film is the mixture of fine acting talents that he managed to bring around. Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson are superb and give a touch of class to the film while the promising young actors who play the key roles give an excellent account of themselves .

XRAR

The third film on release this week is a Maltese joint production between Bronk Productions Ltd and Ghaqda Kazin tal-Banda San Filep AD 1851.

Directed by Tonio Vella on an original screenplay by Dr Godfrey Farrugia, “Xrar” has a cast that includes Claudio Tonna, Antonella Galea Loffreda, Joe Quattromani, Ronald Saliba, John Suda, DR Godfrey Farrugia, Brian Bonnici, Mary Rose Mallia and Joe Galea

Feasts and fireworks are the underlying theme of this film that tells the story of a young family man dedicated and determined to keep alive the art of fireworks manufacture he inherited from his forefathers. Set against the traditional spectacle of local village feasts, “Xrar” explores all the emotions, hardships and tragedies experienced by persons involved, directly and indirectly in the art of pyrothecnics.

Film making is an expensive art. Considering the technical and financial limitations of local film makers and producers, one must commend and support local film projects such as “Xrar” that are pioneering the development of a young Maltese film industry.

Films are released by KRS Film Distributors Ltd.



Top ten films in Malta: 28 April - 2 May 2010


1 CLASH OF THE TITANS

2 THE LAST SONG

3 DATE NIGHT

4 THE SPY NEXT DOOR

5 NANNY MCPHEE AND THE BIG BANG

6 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

7 ALICE IN WONDERLAND

8 THE BOUNTY HUNTER

9 PERCY JACKSON AND THE LIGHTNING THIEF

10 XRAR (Preview)