Cinema Alliance Movie Reviews

Directed by Shane Black this time around, Iron Man 3 has a familiar feel to it but with a more serious overtone. The story is also more character driven by Tony Stark and less so by his metallic counterpart. The script was definitely stronger to me, there were some intense moments as well as lighter notes that gave you a chance to laugh a little too. That’s a tough balance to do well and maintain and they did that with this film.

Stark is threatened by a much more direct, well equipped and brutal foe this time. I won’t get into much detail in this review as I really don’t want to spoil anything for anyone…

My only complaint is how things resolved at the end and the way Pepper Potts was involved, seemed a little out of place and not consistent with character and abilities. That’s my inner geek speaking but it was enough for me to jump out of the film mentally, therefore suspending my suspension of disbelief long enough to distract me from the movie. Other than that, I liked the way things wrapped up and really enjoyed the storyline’s left turns, there were some surprising moments.

The effects and production are stunning to see on the big screen but not overly done. The acting is great to watch too with a strong cast across the board including Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Jon Favreau, William Sadler, and the great Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin.

I’d definitely recommend seeing this in the theater if you’re into Iron Man, and be sure to stick around after the credits.

reviewed by Sean McKnight

You can tell a movie is generally effective when you want to change your lifestyle somehow after seeing it. This is one of those movies.

I walked out of the movie wanting to make sure I knew everything about my wife’s health information. It made me feel concerned about her and those close to me. The intensive research that went into this movie really paid off, it’s very well done and creeped me out.

As you may have guessed it’s a movie about a virus. A particularly nasty one that kills people within a very short period of time and is highly infectious, spreading by touch. The rate it kills and how quickly it is spread puts it way ahead of the CDC and everyone else that’s trying to deal with it’s consequences. The viral attack starts with Gwyneth Paltrow and a number of others in a Chinese casino. A number of whom are traveling through other cities and countries on their way to their home. Before ya know it, marshall law is declared and things are getting out of control.

But that’s where Steven Soderbergh puts on the brakes. He takes you right up to the edge of the cliff, walks you alongside it so you can get a good look at it, and then lets go of that tight grip he has on the back of your neck as you relax again. Nerve-racking but still with a strong sense of reality. I appreciate this style a bit more compared to Rupert Emmerich who loves to blow up the planet in all it’s apocalyptic CG glory whenever he has a disaster film going on. Soderbergh doesn’t go quite that far, he lets you and your imagination build it’s own fear on what if that actually happened and maybe more importantly, what would happen next?

The story is told from different viewpoints including the immune husband, the doctors trying to find the cure, the CDC that’s working to contain it and the media that’s spreading information, like, well, you know… Each scene from the different perspectives has it’s own look and feel. Soderbergh does a lot with color and pacing that make him distinctive amongst his peers. The sound and music (which can be discordant) also lend themselves nicely to the tone, which is jarring at times.

The actors here are all on their game and includes Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Eilliot Gould, Demetri Martin, and Matt Damon who puts out an especially passionate performance. I have to say that Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, and Laurence Fishburne are also compelling to watch.

Wash your hands and don’t touch ANYTHING in the theater when you go see this.

reviewed by Sean McKnight