Movie Reviews - Iron Man 2 and Babies

First things first, spoiler alert, secondly I do recognize the irony of going to see a movie about babies when we have a baby at home but that's just how it goes sometimes.

"Iron Man 2" - Starring; Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johannson, Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, with Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg and Jon Favreau, directed by Jon Favreau and written by Justin Theroux (screenplay) created by Stan Lee. In the beginning of Iron Man 2 we join the story 6 Months after Tony Stark defiantly told the world "I am Iron Man".  It seems as though Stark Industries has successfully "privatized world peace," but within the barren wasteland of Siberia a threat is looming, there Backlash, Ivan Vanko, has one thing on his mind, revenge. Locked within traditional struggle of good versus evil are other struggles that add substance and depth to the conventional narrative. Hidden in the sub conscience or "B roll" of the story are struggles with mortality, familial ties, metastasising of power in individuals and, of course, unacquainted love. The story won't win any awards for originality but it will stand toe-to-toe with many of the comic book genre with weightiness and control, there aren't many loopholes or instances where the audience has to grasp at something that makes no sense. As stated in my original review of Iron Man, Favreau is an expert at keeping the shots wide and simple using the graphics as tools to tell his story not to be the story. (Achem, I'm looking at you Transformers 2) Overall the story was fun and the characters likable with Downey Jr. leading the cast in an exciting ride through the twists and turns of a roller coaster of entertainment. 4.5/5 Remotes

"Babies" - Starring, ummm, the babies - Bayar, Hattie, Mari, and Ponijao. Directed by Thomas Balmes. This documentary follows four babies in locations around the world from birth until their first steps. Bayar, from Mongolia, Hattie, from San Francisco, Mari from Tokyo, Japan and Ponijao from Namibia, all grow up in very different surroundings but all remind us of our shared humanity. This film is absolutely adorable there's no two ways about it. At first I thought it would be awkward sitting and watching four little ones ramble around for an hour and a half with no commentary, no dialogue and absolutely no plot but I could not have been more wrong. These babies, and more correctly their families, show us the joy of life and the indelible human spirit. Watching this there is no need for social commentary, no need for nationalism, no need for politicking just enjoyment from the simplicity and beauty of human life, the joy of family and the innocence of youth. A perfect movie to sit and enjoy. Balmes' ability to sit back and watch and to find precious moments of comedy and love is unparalleled and bordering on the divine. The viewer has to do nothing but allow themselves to be open and to enjoy the simplicities of life. 5/5 Remotes.