A “Marvel”-ous Beginning: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of “Iron Man.”

By Michael Lyons

It’s what Super Hero movies are all about.

“Iron Man” debuted ten years ago this summer: a compelling origin story filled with terrific action set pieces, sharp humor, a lead character full of charm, timely themes and yes, even heart.

Based on the Marvel comic book that dates back to 1963, “Iron Man” also ushered in a series of movies and film franchises, the likes of which had never been seen before and culminates this weekend with “Avengers: Infinity War,” the grand opus of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And it all began with the story of Tony Stark, a smart-aleck billionaire playboy who has inherited Stark Industries, a defense company, from his father.  While in war torn Afghanistan, demonstrating his company’s latest missile, Tony is taken captive by a terrorist group and forced to build another weapon.  In order to survive and escape, Tony crafts a crude, iron suit.

Once back home, Tony finds another “war” brewing, when he discovers that not all at his company is as it seems.  He begins to refine and redesign his suit, soon emerging as the red and gold glowing hero, Iron Man.

With that story comes a most compelling hero’s journey.  By almost losing his heart to shrapnel, the smug Tony Stark gains his true heart, when he decides to turn his back on the world of war and fight for those who can’t help themselves.

“Iron Man” hinges on the power of its leading man and Robert Downey, Jr. is quite powerful as Stark/Iron Man.  In a career-defining role, Downey brings much of his own quick, knowing wit to the role and combines it with sympathetic vulnerability.  His Tony Stark is a truly unique creation, standing out among numerous other cardboard-like super hero alter egos.

Downey is backed up by a perfect supporting Cast, including Gwyneth Paltrow as love interest Pepper Potts, who perfectly lobs verbal barbs back at Tony; Jeff Bridges is all rumbling, ominous tones as the villainous Obadiah Stane and Terrance Howard as Tony’s best friend Rhodey has such great chemistry with Downey, it makes one wonder what the future movies would have been like with him (he was later replaced by Don Cheadle).

At the helm of “Iron Man” is a most unexpected choice for director, Jon Favreau.  Best known for lighter fare like “Elf” and “Zathura,” he directs “Iron Man” with a deft hand, knowing when to inject humor and also choreograph exciting action scenes that demonstrate real stakes.

“Iron Man” was released on May 2, 2008 and began a parade of films that has followed almost each year since.  Additionally, the film helped make Marvel Studios a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, as they took a creative approach to creating film series and sequels.

Unlike previous film franchises, Marvel’s exist in their “shared universe,” much like comics themselves, with characters and stories appearing in and out of each film and allowing moviegoers to have a real investment in them.  For a decade, these Marvel characters have become true heroes, re-igniting the comic book movie genre and moviegoing itself (not to mention defining the now eagerly awaited “post credit sequence”).

And it all started with the story of Tony Stark, the man who finally looked beyond himself to become “Iron Man.”

It’s what Super Hero movies are all about.

Sources: Wikipedia

IMDb

Many Happy “Returns”: Laugh Away Tax Day with Two Classic Sitcoms

By Michael Lyons

For many, April 17th will be just another Tuesday.  Others, however, have seen that deadline looming like a dark cloud on an every approaching horizon.

Tax Day.

A large part of our collective, responsible society, who have procrastinated since W2’s made their first appearance in their mailboxes earlier this year will spend the days before April 17th pouring over Tax Forms like they’re cramming for a final exam.

If filing your income taxes has you stressed, take an hour break and spend some time with two classic TV sitcom episodes that centered on income taxes and did what few have done: they found humor in the I.R.S.

“The Honeymooners:” “The Worry Wart” (Originally aired April 6, 1956)

Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason, who else?!?) receives a letter from the I.R.S.  At first, thinking it’s his tax return, he believes that this is good news...until he realizes it’s a letter asking him to report to their office the next morning.

The already nervous Brooklyn bus driver becomes completed bug-eyed and anxious, when he becomes convinced that he is being audited.  What follows is a night in which Ralph and best friend Ed Norton (Art Carney, again, who else?!?) stay up, pouring over Ralph’s tax return, searching desperately for any mistakes.

The scene ranks as one of the comic duo’s most hysterical moments, filled with sharp, back-and-forth banter (and a “flub” by Gleason that remained in the show), which results in Ralph, once again, throwing Ed out of the apartment.

“When I get to five,” bellows Ralph, “You better be out the door.  Now, I’m going to count!”

“I’m not scared of you,” answers Norton.  “If you could count, they wouldn’t be investigating your taxes!”

Of course, the next day, at the I.R.S., things are not as dire as they seem (no spoilers here), but through it Ralph and Ed learn a lesson about honesty and integrity.  That’s right, the whole 75 cents Ralph won at the company picnic gets accounted for!

“The Odd Couple”:  “The Ides of April.” (Originally aired January 19, 1973)

One stormy and rainy New York night, a letter from the I.R.S. arives at the apartment of sloppy sportswriter Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman) and fastidious photographer Felix Unger (Tony Randall).

Oscar seems like the perfect candidate for an audit letter, but instead, they find out it was meant for Felix, who, just like Ralph on “The Honeymooners,“ has to report to the I.R.S. office the next morning.

Felix gets himself so worked up that when Oscar finds him the next morning he thinks Felix has taken a whole bottle of sleeping pills.  What he finds out is that Felix has only taken one pill...at seven in the morning!

When Felix gets to the I.R.S., he is so worked up that he unwittingly turns in Oscar, when, the heat of the moment, he suggests that instead of him that the Agent investigate someone like his roommate, whose returns are sloppy and late.

Felix then discovers the real reason they called him in: he forgot to sign his check.  In fact, the reason that the I.R.S asked him to come in, in person, is that they wanted to meet the person who turns in the most perfect tax return year after year.  As the staff gathers and applauds, Felix smiles and says, “Many happy ‘returns!’”

However, it’s not all smiles when Felix gets home, when it’s learned that, thanks to Felix’s off-handed remark, Oscar is now being audited.  In fits of panic Oscar attempts to fix his return and pour over receipts that are written on everything from footballs to cocktail napkins.

It’s not looking good for Oscar when he gets his turn at the I.R.S., but Felix arrives at the last minute with some new found information that may just save his roommate!

Again, no spoilers, except that this is Randall at his neurotic-best as Felix while Klugman does a great, slow-burn with his frustration and anxiety.

Both of these episodes, like both series themselves, do what they do best: finding the character and humor in life’s trails and tribulations.  In fact, DVD’ sets of both “The Honeymooners” and “The Odd Couple” would be a great way to spend one’s tax return!

Sources: Wikipedia

IMDb 

Before “Player One” was “Ready”: Video Game Movies of the ‘80’s

By Michael Lyons

It may be Spring of 2018, but “Ready Player One” makes it feel like Summer in the ‘80’s.

Steven Spielberg’s immensely entertaining adaptation of Ernest Cline’s novel tells the tale of a future in which society escapes into a virtual world called the Oasis.  Young Wade Watts races against other players in this video-game-like reality to uncover “Easter Eggs” that provide clues that allow the winner to rule the Oasis.

Populated by pop culture references and icons (mostly from the ‘80’s), “Ready Player One” unfurls like an ‘80’s summer blockbuster ABOUT ‘80’s summer blockbusters, which in turn has been directed by Spielberg himself, THE architect of the summer blockbuster!  Talk about “meta!”

If you’ve seen it (and if you haven’t, stop reading and get to your local “multiplex!”), you are no doubt like many: nostalgic for not only ‘80’s movies, but for many of the video games that came from that decade and gave birth to over thirty years of obsessive video game play that followed.

To help fuel this reminiscent vibe, here are three movies, that were not only ‘80’s summer blockbusters and blockbuster “wanna-bees,” but they center around the video game world.

So, take off your Members Only jacket, sit back back and put your high top sneakers up, because from three ‘80’s summers in a row, we are about to go “back in time!”:

“Tron” (Released July 9, 1982)

The spiritual godfather of so many movies that have followed, “Tron” was a box-office disappointment upon its initial release, but its cult status and importance in film has increased since its initial release.

The story of video arcade owner Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a former computer programmer, who finds himself pulled inside a computer and a video game world has become the flashpoint for computer generated images that now dominate almost every major Studio film.

The images of the battle tanks, the soaring recognizers, the disc battle, the solar sail and other inventive scenes and vehicles inside the world, coupled with the still viscerally entraining Light Cycle race were absolutely jaw dropping for audiences at the time who were weaning themselves off of Pong and becoming obsessed with Atari.

In today’s age, where CGI can create a better reality than the one we live in, these scenes seem more like a quaint period piece.  We are like ‘90’s audiences watching “Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.”  However, without “Tron,” the advancements in technology that have changed how movies are made would have never happened.

Despite its clunky story, there’s no denying for any movie fan that “Tron” is a visually exciting time capsule; a movie about video games made at the precipice of their popularity!

“War Games” (released June 3,1983)

“Shall we play a game?”  Spoken in a monotone, computerized voice this has become so familiar to so many movie fans and synonymous with our ever growing technological world.

It’s the question posed by a government computer named War Operation Planned Response (nicknamed WOPR) to two teenagers (Mathew Broderick and Ally Sheedy) who accidentally hack into the computer, looking to play a video game and instead wind up launching thermonuclear war.

What follows is a tense, government conspiracy thriller, deftly directed by John Badham (who had another hit this same summer with “Blue Thunder”).  Additionally, as the teens in the film search out and find a scientist named Falken (John Wood) who created the computer and is now in self-imposed exile, the film develops an emotional tone at its center, which meshes well with the “ticking clock”-like plot.

This makes “War Games” a rarity for its time and now: a summer blockbuster about video games with hardly any special effects that’s focus is on characters and a story with a dark, foreboding cautionary tale message that’s still resonates today.

“The Last Starfighter” (Released July 13, 1984) 

After its release, famed film critic Gene Siskel counted “The Last Starfighter” as one of his “guilty pleasures.”  It’s easy to see why.

When one thinks of popcorn entertainment that’s as light and breezy as the summer time it was released during, this film fits the bill.  And no need to look any further than a movie that will make you feel smothered in the ‘80’s.

“The Last Starfighter” tells the tale of a dreamer named Alex (Lance Guest),  a teenager who lives with his mom in a trailer park and excels at video games.  In fact, the video game he plays actually acts as a recruiting vehicle for interstellar beings (a nice touch).

Due to his high score, Alex is recruited by an extra terrestrial con-man named Centauri (the always wonderful Robert Preston), who eventually convinces Alex to come with him, join the ranks of Starfighters to defeat the evil Xur and defend the galaxy.

What follows is a pretty “by the numbers” film, but still an oh-so-entertaining one, in its earnest attempt to build a world and utilize still developing computer effects.  Made just two years after “Tron,” The spaceships and effects in “The Last Starfighter” don’t show much advancement, but they are still an exciting glimpse into the Stone Age days of CGI.

Added to this is a wonderful supporting performance by veteran actor Dan O’Herlihy (hidden under lizard-like alien makeup) as Alex’s sidekick, Grig.

With its predictability and a style that’s simply copying the Spielberg/Lucas playbook, there’s a lot to balk at in “The Last Fighter,” but with its wholesome, gee-whiz quality, there’s also a lot to like.

Each of these films serve as perfect companion prieces to “Ready Player One,” as all films are about both the virtues of escapism and the importance of living in the real world.  As Wade himself says about reality: “It’s real.”

Sources: IMDb

Wikipedia