CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.
Film Review: ‘Iron Man 3’ Starts Summer with a Mechanized Bang
CHICAGO – Critics and viewers fell in rapturous adoration of the legend of The Dark Knight when Christopher Nolan and his team took the risk of making character-driven superhero movies. To kick off the second phase of the Marvel Universe of films with this weekend’s “Iron Man 3,” Shane Black and the team behind this guaranteed blockbuster have done the same – presenting us with the most human Marvel flick since “Spider-Man 2.” Also, the best in this series and one of the best Marvel films overall. The quick wit and crisp pacing brought to the Marvel Universe by Joss Whedon remains intact despite a new director (Shane Black). Let’s hope the trend continues through the “Thor” and “Captain America” sequels upcoming.
Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
How character-driven is the start of “Marvel 2.0”? “Iron Man 3” is a comic book movie about PTSD. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., giving his best performance since “Tropic Thunder”) is still dealing with the trauma inflicted by what happened in New York in “The Avengers” (and I love the continuity from that beloved film instead of just pretending that it didn’t happen as comic book movies so often used to do). He’s suffering anxiety attacks and spends most days in his lab trying to perfect the newest version of his Iron Man suit, one that comes when called and forms to Tony’s body like magnets thrown at a fridge. With all business mountains climbed and his alcoholic, philandering past behind him, Stark’s main love in life is pure – Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), his guide and inspiration. Like a lot of great superhero flicks, “Iron Man 3” will find our hero’s relationship with his gal tested but Black and co-writer Drew Pearce find a way to turn storytelling expectations on their head at every turn, providing the narrative twists that have been missing from this franchise to date.
Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Iron Man 3” in our reviews section. |
A vaguely Osama-esque villain looms in the international consciousness as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) takes responsibility for a series of explosions around the world. As he gets closer and closer to his end game, President Ellis (William Sadler) calls on Colonel James Rhodes aka War Machine aka Iron Patriot (Don Cheadle) to help keep the country safe. When a scientist from Tony and Pepper’s past named Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) appears in their office with a heavy named Savin (James Badge Dale) by his side, it becomes clear rather quickly that Killian has a connection to the Mandarin. Killian has developed a technology that allows the body to regenerate, heal, and essentially become invincible. Small problem – it’s not exactly stable. Working with another figure from Tony’s past, a beautiful scientist named Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), Killian has discovered something that could change the future and decided to use it for personal gain.
Iron Man 3
Photo credit: Disney