don cheadle

Review: Iron Man 2

Chick 1 says:iron-man-2b1

Yay!!!!  It’s time for Iron Man 2.  Can they repeat their success with even more moving parts?  Let’s see!

The Basics:  After outing himself as Iron Man, Tony Stark now has to deal with the added pressure & publicity, the US Government, and a new development with the arc reactor in his chest, and naturally a new round of villains.

What I Liked:  The original cast return with extras and are still having a blast.  Of course, Downey Jr is a hoot whenever he’s onscreen and excels at playing the arrogant ass that is also vulnerable and likeable.  And while I liked Paltrow in the 1st movie I thought she was the weakest part of the original.  But here she is hysterical, even stealing a couple of moments from Downey, not an easy feat.  Cheadle does just fine as the replacement Rhodey and has great chemistry with his co-stars.  Our villains are on fine form too; Sam Rockwell as the cheesy Justin Hammer & Mickey Rourke as the brooding Whiplash.  And even Jon Favreau gets a piece of the action.  The first & third acts move along nicely and the movie never takes itself too seriously.

What I Didn’t Like:  The second act, which was the best part of the original, is actually a little slow in places, even when RDJ is onscreen (which seems impossible).  Scarlett Johanson is stiff and cold and that works for her character sometimes but also feels one dimensional.  There was also one scene in particular that I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be serious but came off as funny.

Bottom Line:  There’s action, comedy, drama, and a bit of romance; the perfect blend for a summer flick.  (Did I mention how cute RDJ looks?)

Posted on by Chick 1 in The 2010s 1,418 Comments

I Can’t Wait: First Trailer for Iron Man 2

Chick 1 says:

Hurrah!!!  First footage from Iron Man 2.  I don’t think I need to say anything more.

Posted on by Chick 1 in I Can't Wait! 2 Comments

Casting Notes

Chick 1 says:

File these under “I Hope They Know What They’re Doing.”

Old & New News:  There is no shortage of rumors surrounding the casting iron-man1of Iron Man 2.  We’ve already discussed the replacement of Terrence Howard with Don Cheadle here.  Added to the mix is Tim Robbins as Stark’s dad, obviously in flashbacks.  That could work.  I like that they keep casting “serious” actors in a superhero movie. 

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Posted on by Chick 1 in Casting Notes 61 Comments

Casting Notes

Chick 1 says:

Here are some recent (& not so recent) tidbits on casting upcoming projects.  Enjoy.

New News – Iron Man 2:  So reports are out that Terrence Howard is not returning to Iron Man 2 but will be replaced by Don Cheadle.  My first temper-tantrum like reaction is, “NOOOOOOOOOOO!  NOOOOOOO….. wait…Don…Don Cheadle…….that….that could be…..cool.”  While Robert Downey Jr’s performance & Jon Favreau’s direction & commitment to invisible CGI were the top reasons for Iron Man’s success, Downey was also backed up by a solid supporting cast.  I enjoyed Howard as Stark’s friend & military liaison James Rhodes, especially seeing a high ranking colonel with his strange little girl voice.  But let’s face it, Don Cheadle is an amazing actor & can easily fill & maybe even improve the role.  While I will miss what Howard would have done as War Machine, I very much look forward to seeing what Cheadle will do.

In a side note, while on tour promoting Tropic Thunder, RDJ reported that when the first pictures of him in black-face came out, Cheadle called him & asked, “Are you playing the black me?”

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Posted on by Chick 1 in Casting Notes 143 Comments