#it is Peak Cinema and we can truly go no further. perfection has been achieved pack it up everyone

[chloecherrysip]

I told ya, see!? As long as we're together, everything's gonna be okay!

[nikitasbt]

The Assassin (刺客聶隱娘, 2015): the quintessence of Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s visual style

The journey of Taiwanese New Wave director and a living god of Oriental cinema Hou Hsiao-Hsien has been very long and hopefully, it is not over yet. There were many rumors on his new film starring Shu Qi, though it is not confirmed if a 72-years-old master would release it or not. Till date, his latest film is The Assassin (2015) which became another feature receiving mixed reviews in his home country Taiwan and becoming quite acclaimed in Europe. The film had brought Hou Hsiao-Hsien the award for Best Director at Cannes Film Festival, his second reward at Cannes.

According to Hou Hsian-Hsien himself, the modern audience in Taiwan has been changing a lot during the last years with the further expansion of the Internet. His films have always been not for farm obscurity in Taiwan, as the viewers there still watch Hollywood films of a different sort. Now it is even more challenging for Hou to entertain the viewers, and it seems like The Assassin was doomed to be praised only in Europe. We can't say the film is not dramatic, but it requires utmost attention towards aesthetics, patience, and full immersion into the visuality of the world created by Hou Hsian-Hsien. You can't skip anything, and The Assassin is sort of enchantment you fall under. Unfortunately, such spells might be unable to penetrate many viewers, yet it doesn't make the film of Hou less vivacious.

The Assassin is based on a plot revolving around the outstanding professional assassin Nie Yinniang and adapts for the screen the ninth-century Chinese story written by Pei Xing. The girl was betrayed by her family and sent to the monastery high in the hills to be brought up. From the age of ten, Yinniang was raised by nuns in exile and trained to become an assassin. She slays the victims assassinating different officials and big-wigs. Yinniang is impeccable in her skills, but her heart doesn't allow to execute some killings she considers dishonorable. In order to test Yinniang's spirit and resolve, her superior gives her the task to kill Yinniang's own cousin Tian Ji'an (portrayed by Chang Chen) who also used to be betrothed to her. She hasn't gotten over the feelings to him, as we learn later. Moreover, the family drama had deeply affected her being, and the assassins’ wounds don’t get healed with the years passing by. While encountering Tian Ji’an, she also meets his wife, concubine, father, other assassins and many other extra characters forming the story. In short words, the plot is all about Yinniang's inner fight between the resolve to follow the orders and her heart's desire to contradict them. However, the way Hou delivers the story is very mysterious and not quite clear, so many viewers might be confused. It doesn’t bother the director so much, as the plot is not a thing of drastic importance in The Assassin.

Commonly for Hou, the plot of the film is not something the viewers would be really paying attention at. Just like for example in Shanghai Flowers or A City of Sadness there is nothing much going on, in terms of action. The Assassin is de-facto a wuxia film, but there are very few instances where the characters cross their weapons. These scenes don't stand out in the beauty of combat but come up to emphasize the drama. But the real action is missing, and this is Hou's intention. The majority of viewers would try to follow this simple plot for the first 20-30 minutes and then they are to decide whether to immerse fully into the visual sophistication of The Assassin or to give it up.

The visuality and imagery of The Assassin are on the highest peaks of Hou's style development. It's hardly unlikely you would find so many vivid and sophisticated landscapes depicted in such manner in other films. The way Hou shows them is hard to describe as these landscapers swamp your mind and immerse into the old times you can really feel and taste. This is realistic and beautiful as in the epic legend at the same time. The work on decorations is absolutely impeccable. It reminds of Shanghai Flowers very much, but this time all props are even more tense, bright and gorgeous. There are very few locations in the film, but both nature spots and buildings are made in a perfect way emphasizing the significance of every littlest thing. The design of costumes is also just classy - watching Yinniang wearing her black outfits and her hair is one-of-a-kind experience leaving you enthralled and mesmerized.

As I already mentioned, the film falls short in the narrative part, and we just need to ignore the concept of domination of the narration in the cinema. The only way to watch The Assassin is to let the stream carry you wherever it goes and to observe every detail. The pace of the film is extremely slow and hypnotic, this is the real example of Oriental arthouse where the visual delights overwhelm all other parts of the film. However, it is very different from those Asian wuxia films that became very popular in the United States. Unlike those films, The Assassin is not really moving and it doesn't give a glimpse into "bizarre Asian culture" and crazy sword fights with wild visual effects. Hou’s film would fascinate those who are already deep into Oriental romance, drama, and culture. Hou Hsiao-Hsien is not against editing, but we see that he still employes slow dramatic close-ups and long takes to avoid too much of montage. The camera work is never frenetic. Camera sashays with tremendous grace, slowly immersing the viewers into the boundless of The Assassin. It feels like the time had stopped, as Hou's camera reveal this adorable dream.

Shu Qi's role of Yinniang is worth mentioning in separate articles and passages. A haunting and mysterious assassin would say only a few words when the film opens. The next time we hear Yinniang talking would be somewhere at the second hour of the run. Her role doesn't presume many expressions, as she lacks emotions. This illustrates the battle inside the protagonist. Many viewers might be alienated by the fact that her face doesn't change often, but there is something magical and enigmatic about her look emphasizing this Oriental drama. Shu Qi is wrapped into the beauty of The Assassin’s costumes, decorations, landscapes, diversity of bright colours and stunning images, yet everything revolves around her, and she is able to be perfect till the very end where she slowly walks away during the ending credits. Perhaps, it was a difficult work for Chang Chen to play his part as he is completely overshadowed by Shu Qi in her most exuberant and memorable role in the cinema so far.

To sum up, The Assassin is a truly Oriental romance many viewers would find dull and slow. From the other hand, for those who enjoy the boundless dimensions of the Oriental world's sophistication and mood, The Assassin would be an unforgettable delight. The film lacks a coherent narrative part, but it is extremely beautiful. It entertains with sublime visual methods of Hou Hsiao-Hsien and kills with the performance of Shu Qi playing this haunting and alluring assassin Yinniang. Once again, Hou decided to rely upon visuality, and this is a challenge the Taiwanese New Wave master accepts. He encounters the world of modern cinema where the film has to come up with moving action and call upon the similar instincts and predilection of the audience raised on the Hollywood rubbish and clips where you can always skip half or even more without losing anything. Hou Hsiao-Hsien keeps making his films against all odds, despite some adjustments. His style remains unique, and the beauty of The Assassin is worth millions of faceless features. The Assassin is another great achievement of his career and one of the best modern Oriental films I have seen.

[chicagoindiecritics]

New from Kevin Wozniak on Kevflix: The Top 25 Movies of the 2010s

We’re finally here.  The 2010s are officially over (and have been for almost two weeks now) and what a decade it was.  When the decade began, I was in my final semester of film school at DePaul University in Chicago.  Now, ten years later, I run my own website as a movie critic.  Did I see myself in this position when the decade started?  Absolutely not.  I still can’t believe this is something I get to do and something I will continue to do for the unforeseeable future.

When it came to making this list and what movies made the list, I looked at a number of factors.  I looked at the movies I’ve revisited the most over the years.  I looked at the movies that had the biggest emotional impact on me.  I looked at the movies that I felt were important to cinema and movies that were important to me.  I looked at movies that made me go, “wow”, and movies that I simply love.  Like all of the “Best of the Decade” lists, this was incredibly hard to make and this is a list that if you asked me rank these movies again in a month, it would probably change.  But for now, here are my picks for the best movies of 2010s.

        25. AVENGERS: ENDGAME (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2019)

After eleven years and over twenty movies, the Russo Brothers gave us a fitting conclusion that is as big and epic as movies get.

    24. WARRIOR (Gavin O’Connor, 2011)

A deeply emotional spots drama about family and forgiveness coupled with realistic, crushing MMA scenes.

    23. TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich)

Even with a fourth installment, Toy Story 3 still manages to be a sweet and touching end to Andy’s journey with Woody, Buzz, and the gang.

    22. POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING (Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone, 2016)

The funniest movie of the decade also features base-shattering, smartly written rap songs.

    21. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT (Christopher McQuarrie, 2018)

The best action movie of the decade and the peak of Tom Cruise’s insanity.

    20. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky, 2010)

Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror film features career-best work from Natalie Portman.

    19. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2013)

Another Coen classic, this time about a struggling folk singer who just can’t catch a break.

    18. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson, 2014)

Wes Anderson’s masterpiece is one of the most gorgeous movies of the decade.

    17. A STAR IS BORN (Bradley Cooper, 2018)

Bradley Cooper was a one man wrecking crew as he produced, co-wrote, starred, and directed this remake of a Hollywood classic that he made his own.

    16. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (George Miller, 2015)

An insane, non-stop thrill ride from the great visionary George Miller.

    15. SPOTLIGHT (Tom McCarthy, 2015)

A riveting, disturbing procedural.

    14. LA LA LAND (Damien Chazelle, 2016)

Chazelle won a well-deserved Oscar for his lovely L.A. musical.

    13. SPRING BREAKERS (Harmony Korine, 2013)

Harmony Korine’s spring break nightmare featuring a legendary performance by James Franco.

    12. THE IRISHMAN (Martin Scorsese, 2019)

Martin Scorsese’s three-and-a-half-hour crime epic is a somber look at loyalty and regret as we get old.

    11. INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

A mind-blowing crime thriller with the best final shot of the decade.

    And now, the top ten movies of the 2010s.

      10. THE AVENGERS (Joss Whedon, 2012)

The 2010s will forever be remembered for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and though Endgame ended it with a bang, it was 2012’s The Avengers that made this universe what it ended up being.  Five movies came together into one in a seamless fashion thanks to writer/director Joss Whedon, who effortlessly blends humor and action within the stellar cast.  The Avengers changed the game forever.

  9. HEREDITARY (Ari Aster, 2018)

No movie this decade haunted me more than Ari Aster’s debut, Hereditary.  The best horror film of the decade is more than just scares and is really a look at a grief-stricken family drama about dealing with a horrific tragedy.  Toni Collette is masterful as the mother of the family who slowly begins to crumble as she dives further into the life of her recently deceased mother, giving one of the best performances of her career and the decade.  Aster made a movie that will crush your heart and scare the hell out of you.

  8. LINCOLN (Steven Spielberg, 2012)

The 2010s were a great decade for Steve Spielberg.  This was a decade where Spielberg focused a lot on political stories, making a series of films I like to call his Amendment Trilogy.  This trilogy kicked off with 2012’s Lincoln and what a way to start it off.  This is stately look at Abraham Lincoln trying to emancipate slaves and end the Civil War is a gorgeous and captivating film.  Led by an Oscar-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, who embodies the sixteenth president in a way no one else could, Lincoln is stunning work for Spielberg and ushered in a new stage in his career.

  7. GET OUT (Jordan Peele, 2017)

The best original screenplay of the decade belongs to Jordan Peele’s Get Out.  This darkly funny horror satire about black life in white America is a startling eye opener, as Peele looks at a black man (Daniel Kaluuya, giving an acting class in nuance) spends the weekend at his white girlfriend’s house until things go awry.  There are scenes that will have you laughing and scenes that will shock you and Peele balances the tones like a true pro.  This is the best debut film of the decade and film that only gets better the more I watch it.

  6. THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (Martin Scorsese, 2013)

The Wolf of Wall Street is balls-to-the-walls chaos.  A film of non-stop drugs, sex, money, and debauchery, and it all came from a 72-year-old Martin Scorsese.  Leonardo DiCaprio gives a career-best performance as Jordan Belfort, a stock-broker who rose to the top of the game, only to lose everything in a heap of drugs and crime.  Much like another Scorsese masterpiece, Goodfellas, Scorsese paints a portrait of the worst kind of people.  Mean people who are only in love with money, greed, and doing whatever the hell they want.  Yet we love every single one of them and want to join Belfort’s firm.  Scorsese had one hell of a decade, but The Wolf of Wall Street was his best.

  5. CREED (Ryan Coogler, 2015)

How do you reinvent a historic franchise?  That’s what Ryan Coogler did with Creed, a continuation of the Rocky franchise that also launched a new film series and made Michael B. Jordan a star.  What Coogler does best with Creed is find heart of the story and the heart of the Rocky franchise.  This has always been a franchise about friendship, family, never giving up, and finding yourself and that’s what he made here, as we watch Adonis Creed (Jordan) try to make a name for himself in the shadow of his father and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone, who hasn’t been this good since the original Rocky).  Coogler added a great visual style, a killer soundtrack, and tons of emotion to make Creed endlessly rewatchable and the biggest surprise of the decade.

  4. MONEYBALL (Bennett Miller, 2011)

Brad Pitt gives the best performance of his illustrious career in Bennett Miller’s Moneyball.  He plays Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane, a man who builds his team around the idea of buying runs not players, something completely different from every other baseball team.  But more than that, Moneyball is a movie about man who loves baseball with all his heart, yet anytime he gets close to a field, things go wrong for him.  This is a movie about taking chances and accepting your failures.  This is one of the best baseball movies ever made and there is barely any baseball action.  This is all about what happens inside the dugout and what goes on in the back office and thanks for stellar directing and a smart screenplay, it’s more exciting than any baseball action would be.

  3. DUNKIRK (Christopher Nolan, 2017)

If there was a director who owned the 2010s, that man was probably Christopher Nolan, who kept pushing the boundaries of cinema with every movie he made, whether it was how it was written or the scale of the film.  In under two hours, Nolan showed us how masterful he is at understanding space and scale while also making a film that transcends convention to make Dunkirk, one of the greatest war movies ever made.  This is a relentless movie about a group of soldiers trying to survive the attacks at Dunkirk during World War II.  Nolan does this by showing us happenings on land, the sea, and the air, all being shown in different time frames, while never showing us the enemy once.  My heart was racing the entire film and I was in complete awe of Nolan’s technical brilliance here, while also making us care for these soldiers and their survival.  Dunkirk is Nolan’s crowning achievement as a director.

  2. WHIPLASH (Damien Chazelle, 2014)

I remember the first time I saw Whiplash.  It was an early morning screening on the second day of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.  From the opening shot of Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller, in a breakout performance) practicing on his drum-kit to the epic, earth-shattering finale, I knew Whiplash was a truly special movie.  Damien Chazelle’s sophomore effort is a war film is a music room.  A blistering, brutal look at what it takes to be perfect and asking the question of how far is too far?  JK Simmons gives the best supporting actor performance of the decade as Fletcher, the tyrant music teacher to Andrew who pushes him to his limit.  In an era of participation trophies and effort medals, Whiplash comes along and tells you to shove it.  To be the best, you myst be willing to push yourself to beyond what you can think.  You must give every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears to get what you want and failure is not an option.  This is a movie that will kick your ass and have your heart racing and palms sweating from minute one.  Chazelle made an exhilarating masterpiece on his second try.

  1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (David Fincher, 2010)

The Social Network is not only the best movie of the decade, but it is the most important one as well.  David Fincher’s account of the invention of Facebook and the controversy that followed is a movie that has not only held up, but improved over the years, as our dependency on technology has increased throughout the decade  This is a movie that captures everything about today’s society. Aaron Sorkin’s rapid-fire, impeccable screenplay about one man’s rise to the top by losing everything around him, including his closest friends, is an all-timer. Sorkin’s words are a spark off the page and are more exciting than most action movies.  Fincher’s work behind the camera has never been better. This is the best work of Fincher’s career.  A culmination of everything he has done in his career, both visually and narratively, giving us striking images while utilizing the quick editing and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score (the best of the decade) perfectly in the film.  The cast, led by Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, and Justin Timberlake, is perfect, giving life to Sorkin’s words in their own creative, genius way. There is no film that represents our current time in history like The Social Network. It is a film that years from now, even decades, people will look back and see what America was at this time.  It is the best film of the decade.

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Iron Man (2008) Review

To kick off this re watch and individual review of each film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe we must of course start at that humble beginning that is so cherished by the fans of this franchise: Iron Man. I'm sure it won't surprise anyone to hear that I have seen this movie many times, so I did have some preconceived notions and feelings towards it before this viewing. I still tried to dive back in as unbiased as possible with the mindset of a new viewer. While some opinions have developed further during this latest watch, I find it leaves a similar impression on me no matter how many times I see it. It’s still a fresh take on the super-hero genre that is full of entertaining performances, great dialogue and a fun edge. Even with all the charm Iron Man has to offer, though, its crowning achievement is introducing the world to Tony Stark, who is easily one of the best written and performed characters I have seen in a long running franchise. This is his origin story, and though we have seen a lot of those throughout the years you would be hard pressed to find one executed this well.

I would describe Marvel Studios' Iron Man as a "risk that was played safe". Iron Man was far from a household name before 2008, and while it turned out that his origin adapted well into film, choosing him was risky in itself when the "A-listers" (Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, ect.) had until then dominated cinema. Jon Favreau’s unique style of humor was also a venturesome choice in the superhero genre. However, by sticking to what I believe to be relatively safe story structures as a base, the tone of the movie was able to hit the right chords and as a result Iron Man himself became an “A-lister”. On paper, though, other than rightfully avoiding some common tropes of the genre, the full plot is moderately formulaic. It is the story of a man and the dire circumstances that put fantastic abilities into his hands, forcing him to gain a new moral outlook. With this sense of what is right he uses his “powers” to do good in the world, and ultimately he must face a villain with opposite ideals and unnatural strengths of his own. Obviously these are only the most bare story beats, but they still follow a structure that we are familiar with. So how does such a standard story end up feeling fresh and inventive? Part of the credit must go to Favreau, who took his one of a kind style and blended it into a fun action film. There may be the occasional rough moment in the flow and overall tone of Iron Man, but it’s only natural considering Favreau was working in a genre that was unfamiliar to him. I also found that these moments were few and far between, and noticeable only when paying close attention. Even catching the rare tonal issue, it still doesn’t really detract from the film’s entertainment. Plus it was more than worth it to have Jon Favreau’s particular flare to a movie like this. It is that very style, along with the excellently written characters, that made Iron Man special. That is, of course, along with the undeniable talent of Robert Downey Jr.

When a story follows such a basic formula, even when does so very well as it does here, one of the best ways for a movie to really shine is to focus on strong characters. That is a strength that this motion picture definitely has. The best example of this is undoubtedly Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark. Stark has some cool qualities in the comic book stories he originated from- he is a genius, he is incredibly wealthy, and he is a total playboy- there's even some great development later on from what I can tell (though I haven't read very much), notably his use of alcohol to cope with the problems he faces. Despite having a lot of interesting characteristics on the surface, I feel like the character is still missing something in the source material, at least earlier on. For some reason he is still hard to connect with. The cocky, witty, and larger than life persona that Downey brings to the role does a lot to fill that hole in the cinematic franchise, but what truly makes the film version of Tony Stark so compelling is easily Downey's believable performance throughout the strong character arc that was written for him. Tony finally seeing his legacy from the other, darker side of the spectrum is definitely written effectively; but it is the actor's ability to convey his newfound sense of what is right, along with his disillusionment with the life he had before that is truly great.

There was a character that I actually enjoyed a lot more than I remembered during this watch, as well, and that would be Pepper Potts. Personally, I've always liked her relationship with Tony Stark, but her character isn’t given very much growth or development in the first Iron Man. That’s how I feel, anyway, and that is probably why her part in the movie wasn’t one of the main things I remembered. However, despite not having a ton of depth in this movie I don't find her to be poorly written, either. I also found Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance to be pretty enjoyable this time around, too. I especially enjoyed the chemistry between her and Downey, their back and forth being one of the aspects of the movie I liked the most. I was very much invested emotionally in the scenes they shared, and I look forward to seeing their development in future movies as I continue my re watch. 

Yet on the other side of the coin is another important character who unfortunately is not a highlight of the story: Obidiah Stane. The character is not exactly weak, and works relatively well in the first two acts. Jeff Bridges also does fine work with what he was given. As he predictably shifts into the feature villain, though, he seems increasingly two-dimensional, cheesy, and ineffective. As we all know, this trend became a recurring problem in the earlier entries of the MCU; an underdeveloped villain with bland abilities who exists mainly to be a source of conflict. This very well could have been deliberate seeing as the heroes are obviously the spotlight in this series, and for this film having a very standard villain that embodies the opposite of Stark’s growth does work... but honestly his role “working” is about the most that can be said for his contribution to the movie. The deepest part of the character is how he represent's Tony's past, other than that he's just an asshole with a bigger suit.

Before I move on from the characters, I do want to mention a couple of the smaller characters who had an impact on the film. The first being Yinsen, the man in the cave with Tony. The beginning of their relationship admittedly felt a little forced, but they did have a few nice moments as they worked together that felt genuine to me. I'm glad that there are some effective scenes to keep me invested in their relationship, because at times he does unfortunately seem to only be there for the plot and for Tony’s development. His death in particular felt forced to me, and even though his reasons for his self-sacrifice weren't too much of a stretch, the scene just came off as an attempt to add some quick drama to the journey that Tony had started. It may feel a little contrived but that feeling is short lived, and the moment is not over-done, at least. Overall the character does serve the film’s narrative and is obviously an important part of Stark’s life.

Other than Yinsen I really wanted to comment on Phil Coulson because... well honestly because I just love him so much. Coulson's role in the movie has its importance, but it is still a pretty small part. The fact that he is so memorable just goes to show you awesome Clark Gregg is as an actor; he has such great chemistry with everyone he interacts with, and his character is a great way of serving the individual story while simultaneously setting up S.H.I.E.L.D. for the Marvel universe. Ultimately, Gregg utilizes a great balance of humor and mystery to convey the next-level "importance" of the organization. In my notes for this re watch, my exact wording is "Phil Coulson is a treasure" and I feel like that's all I need to say.

While the basic story is not the highlight here, there are some things that it executes splendidly. It handles the underlying themes of Tony Stark's path from war-profiteer to hero with great care, not only showing more ugly sides to war but also making it easy for the viewer to understand how Stark thinks and feels both before and after he is abducted.  The first Iron Man film also tells what I believe to be the perfect origin story. It does this with a surprisingly effective utilization of pacing, starting with the very first scene. I love the opening minutes, and all they do is use dialogue to give us our first taste of who Stark is. Then we are immediately thrown into the action with the abrupt ambush that leads to his capture. That’s when the story pulls back to give us his history and show us a little more of his character, and having already invested the viewer in the story it very quickly gives us all we need to know going forward. I do typically dislike when a movie starts off with a bang then goes back in time to give us more information that we need, because it can get tedious when we really want to see what happens after the opening action. This is not a big issue here, though, as the pacing is very quick and the movie is still in its early phases when we get back to the initial conflict. We are only "taken back" to show us what is absolutely crucial to know, and it doesn't drag on too long or come off feeling forced.

After Stark’s thrilling escape sequence, he is free from the cave to return home, and we move into the second act... which is the best part of the film. Downey's performance is at its peak during the upheaval of Tony Stark’s original life, and the characters have all of their best interactions during this portion of the movie. For a story that primarily focuses on characters, this is definitely some of the most entertaining material. The third act is, unfortunately, the weakest one, as it has the job of turning Stane into the villain and ultimate climax of the movie. Stane's actions as a villain feel forced, especially his actions that lead to the creation of his suit. Even his final fight with Iron Man just feels like it's happening for the sake of having a "big fight" at the end. Stane's dialogue is a little cheesy, and there are moments where things seem to happen just so that there can be more tension and conflict- specifically when Stark is on the ground helpless and Stane keeps missing his shots by a lot. He even has some throwaway line that goes something like "you ruined my targeting system but I'll still kill you". Not an exact quote but it had that awkward feeling of just being written to give us a reason why the hero is being given more time to act in such tense situation. In the end Stane is a weak villain, and when the movie has to focus on him it is not at its best. However, the wrap up and conclusion of the film that comes after this fight is amazing and pretty much makes up for it. It manages to sum up the story that was being told and remind you of the things that made you enjoy it in the first place. The scene where Tony Stark admits to being Iron Man in front of the press is rightfully loved for being a very cool moment for Tony Stark/Iron Man, but it is also a brilliant ending to an origin story. By definition we are getting the story of how Iron Man came to be, it is very fitting that the movie ends at the moment he is truly "born".

CONCLUSION: Despite Favreau's slight inexperience with the genre, a fairly weaker climax/villain and a few moments that feel like they exist solely to move the plot forward, Iron Man succeeds with an entertaining  and unique style accompanied  by an absolutely stellar performance by Robert Downey Jr.- and the result is a very fun watch. The cinematography is on point, featuring a few shots that will remain truly iconic... I particularly love the shot of Tony presenting his missiles as they explode behind him, not to mention almost every second of the first time Tony suits up and uses Iron Man to undo the damage done by his company. The score composed for the film also adds what it needs to, and some of the song choices will pretty much make you to get pumped up. This is why a standard origin story for a comic book hero can make you forget that you know where the story is going... if done right, there are so many inventive ways to tell that story with a different voice. Is this the best movie ever? No. Is it the best Marvel film? The answer for me is still no. That said, it was a great stand alone movie, an even better origin story, and set up a universe so subtly that upon first viewing you didn't even notice that it did anything of the sort. The fact that the world building was done in the background made the post credit scene that teased the Avengers so much better. You had no idea how great an established universe around this movie would be, but when you see that it could happen you suddenly realize how much you want one. Iron Man is not a masterpiece of cinema, nor does it try to be. It was just one hell of a fun ride that not only launched what is arguably the biggest film franchise of all time, it also gave us a fresh new look at the tired superhero genre and redefined our expectations of it going forward. RATING: 7.5 Next: The Incredible Hulk