Random Movie Recommendation

It goes without saying that this Sunday's random movie recommendation needs to be all about Iron Man 3.

Haven't seen it yet?

That's OK.

But you need to see it. Really.

Here's why:

It's completely and utterly awesome.

Why?

Well, I'll tell you.

First and foremost, in this third installment about everyone's favourite playboy millionaire tech genius superhero, the creators still manage to be innovative. It would seem a daunting task for any director to take on Iron Man 3 after the previous two, excellent films, not to mention the widely acclaimed (and deservedly so) "The Avengers". However, Shane Black does a magnificent job with this film, and he deserves a serious round of applause.

*applause*

There.

The writers have also done a terrific job. I took particular pleasure in a hilarious reference to Shakespeare actor Laurence Olivier (at which I, my father, and a handful other audience members who were also, no doubt, literature geeks, laughed heartily). I can only give the writers my heartfelt congratulations.

*more applause*

The score was very decent. Nothing out of the common way, to my mind, but dramatic, and generally effective. We can say that Brian Tyler is not exactly a John Williams, or a Hans Zimmer, but he's young, and he definitely has potential. It also needs to be stated that the opening track to the film was Eiffel 65's "Blue (Da Ba Dee)". Yes, I'm being serious.

It was hilarious.

(Also, if you were wondering, that music video is totally head trippy.)

Now, actors.

Robert Downey Jr. continues to do his thing marvelously. Tony Stark has been affected a great deal by the events in "The Avengers", and in this Iron Man installment, he struggles with insomnia and panic attacks. Seeing the development of Stark's character is very interesting, and Downey Jr. does a good job.

Back again, we also have Don Cheadle and Gwyneth Paltrow, both of whom do great jobs, as they always do. It also needs to be noted that Paltrow has a scene towards the end that is pretty darned awesome.

Now, new faces. First, we have Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin.

Now, Ben Kingsley is always solid, but here, he really takes the cake. Elaborating on his performance would, sadly, force me to reveal some fairly major plot details, so I won't say any more, except that he is bloody fantastic.

I, however, want to dwell, for a moment, on Guy Pearce.

Why?

Because I love him.

I mean, look at him.

Who wouldn't love him?

Pearce plays Aldrich Killian, a scientist who, very generally speaking, has been researching the realms of human biology, and the alteration thereof. Kind of.

Guy Pearce always performs brilliantly, but I feel he's never given very much credit. He's one of those guys most people have seen in several films, but cannot remember the name of.

I first saw him in the 2002 adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo". Well, I should say, it was more a film project based loosely on the original novel. Still, in it, Guy Pearce played Fernand Mondego, Edmond Dantes' friend and confidant, who later becomes his mortal enemy.

But I'm going off topic. Back to Iron Man 3.

It is a fast-paced, thrilling film with all the humour and excitement we've come to expect from the Iron Man franchise. The only criticism I can offer is that certain of the fight scenes are cut so quickly that it becomes difficult to follow them. If they were slowed down just a tiny bit more, it would make these scenes flow better. This is an easy trap to fall into, though, for a director, and it is a mistake that is easily forgiven, given the outstanding quality of the rest of the film.

I give the movie a 10/10, and highly recommend you go to your nearest movie theatre and see it. Now.