Brash and Unrepentant..thats why IRON MAN works..

Retaining the soul of a comic book superhero is the most difficult task in a transformation to the big screen. Iron Man has seemingly ridden that storm well in both its first installment and the sequel. Marvel has this knack of reinventing its superheroes every 4 or 5 years,with Iron Man the change started in 2004. Over the years the primary aim for Marvel has been reaching out to a more adult fan base and this is more than evident in the new Iron Man comic book titles.Iron Man's movie heroics prompts Marvel to expand its fan base even farther.

What can one say about Tony Stark,aptly personified on screen by Robert Downey Jr. Brash,unapologetic,playboy,cynic and at times narcissistic too,not the way we have seen our textbook superheroes. Director John Favreau takes these characteristics and establishes the perfect connection with audiences. Time and again we have seen how many a superhero sequel has failed to live up to the expectations of the audience. Iron Man in 2008 was a robust introduction and the sequel has succeeded in taking the story forward.

The basic premise for the sequel is how Tony Stark realizes his father's dream and vision and his subsequent indoctrination to S.H.I.E.L.D. For the uninitiated S.H.I.E.L.D is a super secret government initiative of super men and women dedicated to protect America. Samuel L.Jackson's cameo as SHIELD agent Nick Fury has the responsibility of reining in Tony Stark's eccentricity and ignite his genius.

Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts has some serious competition this time round with Scarlett Johanson as SHIELD agent a.k.a the Black Widow. A small chink in the armor is the transformation of best friend and ally of tony stark, Col. James Rhodes into the War Machine. Don Cheadle looks haplessly out of place in an action movie,well we wouldn't mind if we see someone like Will Smith in part 3. Mickey Rourke walks and talks like the proverbial russian renegade scientist Ivan Vanko,until he puts on a iron man suit himself. I must give it to the director,the Monaco Grand Prix scene with the entry of Whiplash was outstanding.Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer of Hammer Weapons Inc; brings his own brand of villainy style and panache to a character so well documented in the marvel iron man series.

All these characters are intertwined with the IRON MAN series and are thus an integral part, as we look ahead to more mayhem in the coming years. Action sequences,visualization and tech show apart, IRON MAN 2 works without toeing the atypical superhero line. Well we all agree with Howard Stark,Tony is indeed your best creation.

My AVATAR review

Sci-fi and big budget action thrillers are meant to amaze and wow the audience into submission.If Avatar had wanted to do just that it would have been out in the theatres a lot earlier. But Avatar goes beyond the ephithets associated with this genre.The tagline "Enter the World" provides us with a clue about what we will experience with the vision and cinematic prowess of James Cameron.

Let's forget about the technology used or the special effects,it's the experience which leaves you flabbergasted.If imagination is a gift,then James cameron has used it perfectly to conceptualize and present his dream. Jaw dropping landscapes and breathtaking visual effects numb your mind when you go aboard Pandora.

The meticulous detailing of the pandorian landscapes and of the Na'vi (pandora indigenious people) sacred sites is a first.Some reviews earlier said that the movie does not have a great storyline but I beg to differ.As we have seen with the Abyss,Terminator and Aliens,Avatar has it's share of subtle messages and a story which moves you.

It's surreal that in 2154 the humans (skypeople) still don't care a lot for climate,people or even planets.Everything,everywhere it's still commercial gains first and humanity last. At a time when the world is struggling to agree at the climate summit,avatar gives us a looking glass to see where we are headed.

The movie fascinates your senses,making you feel at home with the Na'vi and their bonding with nature. No one noticed the 2hrs 45 mins running time,and all we could do is ask for more.
Yes James Cameron we can't wait for the sequels,prequels to Avatar.

The bar has been raised and a benchmark set yet again. It will be biased but we are going to compare other upcoming movies through the prism of Avatar. Go and enter the World of Avatar and watch it only in 3D.