Iron Man 3 (2013)

This was the second part of my first ever drive-in double feature, the first part being Monsters University. I had held out for years until there were two films showing that I thought would make the occasion worthwhile. The first one met that goal but this Marvel Universe sequel did not. I don’t know what happened to Tony Stark in The Avengers (which I have not seen) but the fun of the Iron Man series seems to have disappeared completely.

Months after the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is haunted by nightmares and panic attacks. To cope, he plunges himself into making dozens of new super-suits, drawing the ire of his girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Meanwhile, a once flaky scientist from Tony’s past (Guy Pearce) reemerges with a potentially game-changing new biomedical process. When an international terrorist called The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) destroys Stark’s home, Tony is believed to be dead. This allows him to work in secret to both uncover the secrets of The Mandarin but also to get his super hero groove back.

I’ve always believed that Iron Man was Marvel’s answer for DC Comic’s Batman- an incredibly smart person who makes up for a lack of super powers with brains and gadgets. While Batman often faces a number of flamboyant criminals, the Iron Man film series has featured more practical baddies. After defeating a corrupt businessman in a super-suit and a genius inventor in a super-suit, I was hopeful for more unique villain. The strength and power of the Iron Man suits require a villain of extreme abilities in order to pose much of a threat. In a way, Iron Man 3 splits the difference and creates two villains- one to challenge Tony’s brain and the other to challenge the power of his suits.

Unfortunately, neither villain really satisfies. The Mandarin seemed like a great villain at first and I even think his true identity is quite clever. But when you think about it, he is little more than the fusion of red herring and MacGuffin. The ruse doesn’t even make the second villain seem any smarter because he ends up being little more than your paint-by-numbers, overconfident, super-powered comic book villain.

As a summer blockbuster and a comic book movie, Iron Man 3 does not hold back on effects-heavy action sequences. The Extremis storyline lends itself to a lot of special effects at times, plunging the series deeper into the sci-fi realm. The whole connected Marvel Universe strikes me as deeply rooted in sci-fi but, not having seen The Avengers, Iron Man 3’s level of sci-fi takes something away from the series, which had been fairly realistic up to this point. Just like most summer extravaganzas, some of the special effects are too prominent and don’t pull off their intended illusions.

Superheroes struggling to find the drive to fight crime again is nothing new but it is interesting watching Tony Stark go through the process. His whole wallowing in a funk through most of the film creates an atmosphere that is more brooding mystery than summer action flick. It doesn’t go all Christopher Nolan-Batman on you but it is definitely a departure for the series. Had the villains worked out better, this probably could have been the best in the series instead of experiencing the growing pains that it does. Even its cathartic ending doesn’t satisfy because you know the Marvel machine won’t let one of its most bankable characters walk off into the sunset just yet.

RATING: 2.75 out of 5

Gandhi** (1982)

This is going to be a very short review for a very long film. While recent biopics have focused on the most interesting parts of their subjects’ lives, Gandhi is devoted to painting a broad picture of the life and work of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. While there is no lack of drama and power, director Richard Attenborough’s approach results in a slow pace that will be a turn-off for many viewers. But if you are determined enough to tackle this lengthy, weighty film, you will find yourself awestruck.

The film opens with Gandhi’s assassination and funeral. We then flash back to 1893, where Gandhi experiences segregation and injustice for being ‘colored’ while working as a lawyer in South Africa. This motivates the young man to lead a non-violent movement for the rights of Indian people in the country. After several brutal incidents with the authorities, Gandhi’s movement gains international attention and his people are awarded their rights.

Several years later, Gandhi returns to his homeland, where he is welcomed as a national hero. He is successfully recruited into being one of the leaders for India’s struggle for independence from the British Empire. Much of the film covers this, the bulk of his life’s work, as he uses civil disobedience to highlight Britain’s oppression of the Indian people. Many of Gandhi’s struggles, triumphs and disappointments play out as India moves towards independence and faces conflict after attaining that goal.

Gandhi is an epic film. The scope, the locations, the subject matter- everything about this film is epic. It may not feature any dazzling camerawork or mind-blowing special effects but you will have a hard time topping the human drama on display here. Independence, freedom, justice and dignity are all goals and themes that resonate with us all. Seeing one man lead such a large-scale struggle for all of these things is astounding. Add to this the fact that everything in this film is based on real events and you cannot help but be overwhelmed by the audacity and fortitude of Gandhi.

Ben Kingsley’s performance is crucial to this film’s success. Many biopics falter in casting and hire actors and actresses who bear little to no resemblance to the real person being featured. Kingsley, hands down, looks just like Gandhi in this film. It certainly helps that Kingsley’s ancestry hails from the same region of India as Gandhi but it’s more than just that. Kingsley goes all out for the part, losing a dramatic amount of weight and perfectly affecting Gandhi’s voice and mannerisms. Beyond Kingsley, not much really matters in this film regarding the cast. It’s a film called Gandhi and they got Gandhi so right it’s chilling.

Richard Attenborough has stated that he never meant to become a director; he just wanted to direct this film. Considering it took Attenborough nearly 20 years to make his dream project a reality, the attention to detail in this film makes all the more sense. Sure, this results in a three-hour-plus historical drama that may bore those in the current ADHD Generation to tears at times, but cinephiles, history buffs and anyone who cares about humanity in general will consider Gandhi a triumph. It truly is an experience that words fall short of describing, so I won’t even try elaborating further.

RATING: 4 out of 5

Schindler's List** (1993)

Don’t tell Hollywood that I didn’t give Schindler’s List my highest possible rating. I understand the power of the film and the drama that unfolds but the truth is that I feel that I’ve seen better and more heart-wrenching depictions of the Holocaust than what’s presented here.

That’s not to say List is without merit. It certainly is. The black and white cinematography works to its advantage when showing blood, and it allows for some very artistic and powerful use of light/dark contrast. The fact that the story is true also adds weight to the story, knowing that you’re witnessing an artistic depiction of reality.

Everyone can get something out of this film. We are all flesh and blood and we are all repulsed by the atrocities committed during one of the most senseless violations of human rights and of the human spirit in our history. There is a sticking point though. Schindler’s List will mean more to some than others.

Yes, it’s tragic and uplifting. Yes, it displays some of the horrors human beings had to go through at the hands of their fellow man. But, there is a very slight disconnect with the film, I think, if you aren’t Jewish. Jews will take more out of this film than non-Jews, because Jews are able to connect with this movie on a level no one else can understand. This is all our history, but it is a deeper part of their history than anything else.

Perhaps that explains the rating. I don’t know. It’s excellent and worth watching, but I’ll warn you- it is very, very long and may not be suitable for very sensitive people.

RATING: 4 out of 5