Iron Man

(Iron Man released on DVD today)

This is one of the very best superhero/comic book movies I have ever seen. Second only to The Dark Knight. I saw Iron Man in the theater this past summer, which is something I reserve for special effects-type movies. (Movie tickets are just too expensive now-a-days.) I wasn't disappointed in this movie one bit. The effects were way cool, the acting wasn't too over the top, the storyline wasn't too corny (as some can be), etc. Of course, it was a bit unrealistic, but it is a comic book movie after all.

I am a fan of Robert Downey Jr. from way back. He was great in Less Than Zero and pure genius in Chaplin. Of course, as the years went by, he spent more time in the news for his arrests and drug addiction. No sign of those problems here. Downey's acting is as stupendous as it ever was, and in some scenes, he even appears to be poking a bit of fun at himself. His sarcastic, smart alec style of humor is perfect for the part of Tony Stark. (And the fact that he's still pretty hot doesn't hurt either.)

With all the flying through the air and such, probably the most unrealistic part of this movie was Gwyneth Paltrow running around in those impossibly high heels. But that's a guy-created comic book thing. And I have to admit, this was one of the few (if not the only) times I didn't absolutely hate the superhero's "love interest." This movie didn't get all into that, as I'm sure the sequels will at some point, and her character was actually pretty likable. But I'm betting her feet were killing her at the end of the day.

If you didn't get to see this in the theater, or even if you did, rush right down and rent it now. Or, better yet, buy it. This is one worth owning so you can see it over and over again.