Electric Dreamstate

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Review: Speed Racer


The Wachowski Brothers mark their directorial return after a five years off with the kid and LCD-user friendly Speed Racer.

The Plot:
Speed Racer, looks up to his brother Rex Racer who races cars. However, Rex Racer gets killed and then Speed Racer needs to race to win. Or something. The plot is inconsequential when it isn't incomprehensible.

Good:
• This movie REALLY looks like a cracked out acid trip. There's a weird hyperactive energy here that's all over the place. The final race where Speed wins (spoiler I guess, sorry), ends with a 2001-esque sequence that plays out like a hyperactive visual orgasm. It takes the style of the old cartoon and ramps it up.
• The movie is at it's best when it's really pushing how over the top it is. Whenever their crazy shit is going on you can't tear your eyes away.
• The kid and the monkey are distractingly annoying less often than you would expect (although they are still distractingly annoying).

Bad:
• The plot.
• Any sequence where the hyperactive style goes away and it becomes more like a regular movie. There are two scenes in particular where Speed is getting a pep talk from his parents that just DRAG.
• The kid and the monkey.
• The idea that Racer X could be anyone BUT Speed's brother Rex. Seriously.
• It was too long.

Overall:
It was impressively insane. I don't know if it was enjoyable though. Not really.

 
 

Review: Iron Man

The first summer movie hits, and it features one of the more interesting Marvel heroes and the Robert Downey Jr.'s second coming (or third coming, or maybe fourth).

The Plot:
Tony Stark is a super-genius and a playboy, making billions as the head of Stark Industries, the world's largest weapons manufacturer. After a successful sales call in Afghanistan, Stark is kidnapped and taken captive by a terrorist group called the Ten Rings. They want him to make them a bomb. He makes a suit of robotic armour instead, and then escapes. Having a crisis of conscience, he decides to make a new better suit and become a superhero. Iron Man is born.

Good:
• Hits all of the necessary superhero story points perfectly.
• RDJ portrays Stark as capable, narcissistic, caring and a little crazy. It works.
• The suit is pretty bad-ass.
• The movie has a sense of child-like wonderment tempered with a realistic gravitas. Only not that pretentious.
• Simply fun from start to finish.
• Best post-credits Easter-egg ever.

Bad:
• Jeff Bridges's bad guy seems a touch too over the top and buffoonish in the movie.
• The stereotypical terrorists.
• Not quite enough Iron Man.

Overall:
Very few summer blockbusters hit the sweet spot of FX, characterization, cheezy fun, seriousness and pace as Iron Man. Although may not be the best summer blockbuster coming out this year (although who knows), it may well be the most easy to enjoy without reservation. Worth seeing on a big screen.