Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
Suit up for action with Robert Downey Jr. in the ultimate adventure movie you’ve been waiting for, Iron Man! When jet-setting genius-industrialist Tony Stark is captured in enemy territory, he builds a high-tech suit of armor to escape. Now, he’s on a mission to save the world as a hero who’s built, not born, to be unlike any other. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges, it’s a fantastic, high-flying journey that is “hugely entertaining” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wal
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Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
A FAMILY LEARNS IMPORTANT LIFE LESSONS FROM THEIR ADORABLE, BUT NAUGHTY AND NEUROTIC DOG.When a dog wriggles his adorable rear end into a human’s life, the human will never be the same. And both Marley, the dog, and Marley & Me, the movie, manage to endear themselves deeply despite a few wee flaws. Readers of the John Grogan bestseller already know the raffish charm of the incorrigible yellow lab puppy, Marley, adopted by Grogan and his wife because she’s “never seen anything more adorable in my
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Review by Peggy C. O’neil for Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
Rating:
I didn’t expect to like this movie, but wound up loving it. I laughed
at every scene, and cried like a baby at the end. Lot’s of emotional
rollercoaster rides with this touching comedy. Experiences everyone
has endured with a beloved pet. They make you mad, they make you laugh,
and they provide that unconditional love when you need it. Then they
break your heart, make you feel hopeless you can’t help them, and give you those memories of endearment you will never forget. What is life
without a Marley in your life?
Review by Mary E. Clarneau for Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
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This movie is excellent. I read the book before entering the theater on Christmas Day. I am a huge Jennifer Aniston fan so I am usually first in line to see her movies anyway, but I was amazed at how closely the movie followed the book. We have a man and wife, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston who are hopelessly in love. When the husband realizes his wife may soon want kids, he knows he is not ready and instead opts for a dog instead. They are easy enough and it can delay the process of children for a couple years right? They didnt bargain for the trouble that Marley would bring them. They could rarely vacation because they couldnt find someone to dog sit what they called the worlds worst dog. In the end you realize all the hardships that Marley has helped bring them through and helped to bring them closer together, further proving that dogs can be a mans best friend.
Excellent movie, great performances from both main actors, and watch for Eric Dane the comical womanizer that gives his friend advice, from dogs, to women. Definitely worth watching and worth owning.
Review by Chiibi for Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
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There is a lot of controversy about this movie….it seems like people either love it or hate it. I’m in between….
I did not see Marley and Me in the theaters but being a dog-lover since I was born, I was interested and borrowed the DVD from my boss a few days ago as my mother wanted to see it as well.
For all you who have heard from lots of angry parents claiming “false advertising” and “deceiving trailers”, I’d like to confirm that yes, that is somewhat true. If I had young brothers or sisters or children of my own, who wanted to see a cute and funny family dog movie, “Marely and Me” is not the movie that comes to mind here.
This for two reasons:
One, the movie’s focus is on the marriage of a new couple and their struggles through a married life. It doesn’t soley focus on the dog, he more so takes a backseat in most of the film, apart from the first hour or so. Children will adore the puppy Marley in the beginning, but their attention will go elsewhere when things get more serious after Marley grows up.
Two, is the mature content of the movie. There are several sexual references (nothing too explicit), some profanity, and darker scenes that are definitely too intense for younger viewers. I wouldn’t suggest Marley and Me to anyone under 12…or any child who has not had “The Big Talk” yet. Because these scenes are most likely going to trigger the question that must be answered with “The Big Talk”. Sure, innuendo goes right over the young ones’ heads. But the last scene is the real clincher. It’s going to have them crying so hard that it makes me say “Please completely abandon the idea of showing the movie to a kid. They won’t be able to handle it.”
My best suggestions for kid-friendly, family-friendly cute dog movies with HAPPY endings and very little adult content:
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Beethoven (only the first flick)
Lassie (most mature of the three but will definitely touch your heart.)
Now that we’ve covered that fact that this is NOT a children’s movie, onto the actual review:
It’s good but it could’ve been a bit better. Again, for two reasons:
One, it’s a bit too long. Cut a half-hour out and it’d be fine.
Two, the relationship between the family and the dog wasn’t really developed enough in my opinion. Marley spent most of the movie destroying things and terrorizing people and I kept waiting for him to do something heroic or outstanding in order to redeem himself but…he doesn’t, aside from a comforting scene here and there. When Owen Wilson’s character comments to the vet that Marley stayed up all night to watch over their sick son, I was thought “…..what? Why didn’t they show that then!?” And because of this flaw, it really takes out much of the impact the ending is supposed to have. I’m a crier, a dog lover, and very sensitive. But the most I got was slightly teary-eyed. Marley and Me’s biggest mistake was that it doesn’t give the viewer enough time to fall in love with Marley before it’s time to say good-bye to him.
…….although if you hate crying and feeling depressed, this COULD be a good thing.
Oh, did I mention that the dog’s euthanasia scene is completely milked for all it’s worth? Yeah. It’s like the directors are doing everything possible to get you to cry that it almost feels insulting. They drag it out so far that I was saying to myself, “Come ON…enough is enough…it’s far too obvious…just STOP IT!” I don’t like to be beaten over the head with stuff. Owen telling Marley that he’s a great dog as he dies was the thing that triggered my tears. The sad music and the home movies, and the children’s euthanologies just made me roll my eyes and say “…um….trying a little TOO hard now”.
So where’s the good stuff? Well, it lies in the film’s originality, talented acting, and ability to tell the realistic story of a any dog owner’s life. There is something here any person who has raised a puppy can relate to-all through the parts of Marely’s mischeviousness, I myself kept laughing and saying “YUP, MY DOG DOES THAT!!” Some of his antics are exaggerrated but not to point beyond disbelief-and that makes it even funnier. Comments like “Now he’s eating the floor” and “Now he’s eating your briefcase” had my family of three burst into laughter because as dog owners, we know what it’s like.
The acting is GOOD. The characterization is GOOD too. Despite what you’ve heard, Jennifer Aniston is NOT Rachel Greene at all in this. She’s an admirable, take-charge, responsible and independent mother, who as a human of course has her limits but she only complains ONCE about it. She also still looks pretty good for her age….I’d imagine that’s a bonus for you men out there who like to look at her. *laugh* And the children are all very adorable and Owen plays a good father who even when he dislikes his job, puts his family first in every choice he makes.
As many have said before, this is a good movie to see with teenagers or significant other. The romance is well-done. But also see it if you love dogs or have owned one. Whether it’s dogs, romantic love, or having a family, Marley and Me most likely has at least one thing any older viewer can relate to.
Review by Cubist for Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
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There are quite a bit of extras on the “Bad Dog Edition” that fans of this film will no doubt enjoy exploring.
There is a collection of 19 deleted scenes with optional commentary by director David Frankel. We see John and Jenny go house hunting in Boca Raton. There is more footage of them choosing to adopt Marley. Naturally, there is more of Marley’s antics as well.
“Finding Marley” takes a look at the 22 dogs used in the film. One dog in particular had the most screen time. We see how his trainer got him to do various things and it is amazing to see how well trained he is.
“On the Set with Marley: Dog of all Trades” is an “interview” with the dog that played Marley including on the set footage provided by a camera located on the pooch’s head.
“Breaking the Golden Rule” features the cast and crew talking about how Marley & Me is not a dog film per se but about the Grogan family. The cast speaks admiringly of each other and, of course, the dogs.
“Animal Adoption” champions adopting your pet from a shelter or pound. It covers some of the things to consider when you want to adopt an animal. This is one extra that everyone should see.
“Purina Dog Chow Marley & Me Video Contest Finalists” features footage of dogs doing all sorts of funny, goofy and adorable things that did not qualify for the Hall of Fame but were pretty entertaining in their own right.
“Purina Dog Chow Video Hall of Fame” features the best of the best.
Also included is the requisite “Gag Reel” with the cast blowing their lines and so on.
“When Not to Pee” shows how a spontaneous moment of dog urination was recreated and took two dogs and several takes to pull off.
Finally, there are some trailers.
Review by TV Critic for Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
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‘Marley & Me’ is a great adaptation of the novel by Josh Grogan. It kept all the emotional elements as well as the fun. Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson had amazing chemistry together in this heartfelt film. It is more than just a dog movie, surpassing hit dog films such as ‘Beethoven,’ ’101 Dalmations,’ and ‘Homeward Bound.’ This film concentrates on the family and how a dog affected the lives of this family for both good and bad. It’s a good representation of a young couple and how they evolve as they have children and move on in life. Along with it, is shows the life cycle of a dog, which is something that rarely gets shown honestly in films. It shows the good, the bad, and the painfully tragic elements of having a dog. The end of the film is very true to the book and I’m glad because it is probably the most important part of the story and it’s nice to see it portrayed honestly for fans of the book.
Overall, I think viewers will enjoy this film. Jennifer Aniston is sweet as the supportive wife and Owen Wilson shows how he’s much more than playing screwball characters and can be tender and emotional as well.
Review by Lawrance M. Bernabo for Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
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Once again I begin with a warning that you need to sit through the really, really long credits for what might be the best cameo appearance since Sean Connery showed up as King Richard the Lionheart at the end of “Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves.” That was the last time I remember people really applauding a cameo in a film, although I should point out that everybody left at the end of the first showing of “Iron Man” were True Believers who instantly recognized the actor and the character as soon as the first words were out of their mouth. Ironically, the cameo by Stan Lee in the film seemed to go right by the audience, because there was no reaction to what was a pretty good gag (it happens when Stark shows up at the big party).
Now that I have that bit of business out of the way, let me say that “Iron Man” is the best comic book superhero movie I have seen since “Spider-Man 2.” I would say that the latter is better, mainly on the strength of Alfred Molina’s wonderful performance as the villain and the great fight sequences between Spidey and Doc Ock that take place on the vertical as well as the horizontal axis, but “Iron Man” might be the more solid film (i.e., lower top but higher bottom). There was a point when the number of comic books that Marvel was putting out exploded (e.g., the New Universe titles) and I dispaired over all of the idiotic cloning with Spider-Man and was down to reading only two Marvel titles: Daredevil and Iron Man. This was back when Frank Miller was doing DD and Tony Stark was a full-blown alcoholic. Daredevil might have been cooler, but as Iron Man, Stark always had the advantage that he was a regular guy, by which I mean that he did not have any superpowers. He was just a really smart guy who could invent the gadgets that would make Iron Man work (eat your heart out Ned Kelly). That is certainly what we get with director Jon Favreau’s pre-summer blockbuster, with the added angst of Stark growing a conscience and using his armored alter-ego to help restore balance to his own little corner of the universe at war.
Ultimately the best parts of the movie are the opening act, in which Stark is captured (Afghanistan today instead of Vietnam of the Sixties)and has to built the metallic grey Tin Woodsman on roids prototype armor, and the second act, where he works out the new suit. This movie has two or three of the best violent slapstick gags you have ever seen in one of these movies, which engenders some of the biggest laughs. The origin of the character is fairly faithful, for being updated, to what happened in “Tales of Suspense” #39, which was plotted by Stan Lee, scripted by his brother Larry Leiber, drawn by Don Heck, with a cover art by Jack Kirby (who created the character’s original look, although it was Steve Ditko who first drew the red and gold armored version). There certainly is more than a touch of “Transformers” to the way Stark dons the Iron Man armor, but as much as I would give credit to the specific effects in this movie, attention must be paid to the screenwriting teams of Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby (“Children of Men”) and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway. For all of the humor in the script, there is a strong thread of serious stuff extending throughout this film.
As Tony Stark, Robert Downey, Jr., a superb actor whose skills in the verbal repartee department were honed on “Ally McBeal,” may well be the most glib superhero we have seen on the silver screen. Certainly he is more glib than we would every have suspected Stark to be, but of course Downey’s personal life clearly echoes the character ark of his character (it is that resonance as well as his undeniable talents that make him perfect for the role). As Pepper Potts, Gwenyth Paltrow is more of a romantic figure for Stark than she was in the comic book, especially since Happy Hogan (director Favreau) has been relegated to a minor role as Stark’s bodyguard to make room for the character of Jim Rhodes. However, the point is not so much potential romance as it is the fact that with Paltrow we have an actress who can go toe to toe with Downey in quick paced nuanced conversation (although many will think that Downey’s best scenes are with his robotic assistant with the fire extinguisher). Besides, by have Rhodes instead of Hogan we not only get another acting talent on the level of the Downey and Paltrow with Terrence Howard, but as fans of the comic book know (and the movie acknowledges), one day down the road Jim is going to get to be in the red and gold suit.
Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) is set up as a godfather to Tony Stark and a regent to Stark Industries instead of being a rival munitions magnate, which provides a bit of Oedipal conflict to the proceedings and compels the big fight at the end to be with Iron Monger (I was actually hoping for Titanium Man even though I was half expecting the Mandarian). But most people who come to see this movie are not going to know any of this stuff, and even most of the comic book fans who will end up making repeat trips to the theater to see this one are not going to be old enough to remember the original Virginia “Pepper” Potts who ended up with Happy Hogan versus the “The Ultimates” version of the character. All that really matters is that the cast and characters are a perfect mesh and the people who put this movie together should be thinking not just about a sequel but about a series. With this launching platform, Iron Man could well replace Superman in the Big Three of comic book superheroes in the movies along with Spider-Man and Batman.
Review by M for Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
Rating:
Okay, first off if you own a Web Enabled Blu-ray player like a PS3, you’re going to have to wait a long time before you can watch this Blu-ray after you pop it in. Why? Some pinhead executive at the movie studio/blu-ray production house thought it would be cute to require you to download some stupid software you’re probably not going to use for “extra features” BEFORE you can even get to the main menu. I had to wait so long to watch it I thought the disc was defective. I had enough time to call Amazon and arrange a replacement. (Then I installed installed Windows XP to my MacBook and I was still waiting. If you’ve ever installed XP you know how long that takes too.) This means that each time I pop this Blu-ray into a new player, like if I take it to a friend’s house, I’m going to have to tell my friend(s): okay let’s just wait an hour then we can watch the movie. This is completely and totally absurd. I hope whoever decided this was a good idea gets fired.
After about an hour and a half, I was able to watch this movie though. It’s a really great movie. It’s right up there with WALL*E and The Dark Knight. It has a very fun comic book feel to it, while not being absurdly stupid. If you can suspend your disbelief for 120 some odd minutes, it’s a great ride.
Robert Downey Jr. is a great Tony Stark. When I first heard he was cast as Iron Man, I thought “yeah right! This movie’s gonna suck.” But I was very wrong. He pulls off the ladies man/billionaire playboy/hot shot role very well. But this is only half of the movie: The other half: Iron Man action scenes are just flat out cool. The poses/angles they choose and CGI work are all great. This is a first rate production.
Also, I didn’t know who his assistant was before the credits rolled but she looked familiar (Turns out it was Gwyneth Paltrow) and she made a really interesting character too, for a supporting role. You even have Jeff (“The Dude”) Bridges in there doing a great job playing Stark’s second in command.
Oh, and when the credits roll, don’t turn off the movie. There’s a little scene after all the credits that fans of the comics and fans of this movie shouldn’t miss.
Summary:
The Blu-Ray gets a 1 star for the incompetence of whomever decided it was a good idea to make people download something before they could even see the main menu.
The Movie Gets 5 Stars for great execution – cast/acting, storyline, effects, and action scenes. Dare I say: This is the best Marvel Comics movie to date.
Review by Douglas Len for Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
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This is a great superhero film that the whole family can enjoy.
If you are wondering what the special features on the 2-disc DVD are, here they are:
The IRON MAN Ultimate Edition two-DVD set is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Total runtime is 125 minutes. Bonus features include:
Disc 1:
Feature film
Deleted/Extended Scenes
Disc 2:
I Am Iron Man
– The Journey Begins
– The Suit that makes the Iron Man
– The Walk of Destruction
– Grounded In Reality
– Beneath the Armor
– It’s All in the Details
– A Good Story, Well Told
The Invincible Iron Man
– Origins
– Friends & Foes
– The Definitive Iron Man
– Demon in a Bottle
– Extremis and Beyond
– Ultimate Iron Man
Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test
The Actor’s Process (scene rehearsal with cast)
The Onion “Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full Length Film”
Image Galleries
Review by Justin Heath for Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
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There was a big question mark looming over the theatrical adaptation of Marvel’s Iron Man property. It was in the guise of director Jon Favreau. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the Favs, but when I heard he was helming a big budget comic book flick…let’s just say I was a little worried. Once his cast was set and the fanboys started humming across the internet I started to ease into the decision with high anticipation. Thankfully, after finally seeing the finished product, I was not disappointed in the least. With a great mix of the professionalism and stakes seen in both Spider-Man and X-Men and the comic wit and sheer fun of Fantastic Four, Iron Man shows how a comic can be brought to the screen successfully without all the added drama and weight. We finally have a film with the essence of what makes these picture books so popular, the action and mythology along with a sense of adventure and humor. Favreau never bogs us down with overwrought emotions nor speaks down to us with gags and poorly written jokes. Instead he delivers on his promises and gives us a solid initiation into what could be a great trilogy or more.
Favreau seems to have had an idea to get an origin story out while not boring us with long drawn out back story. His ability to give us dual information at once is nicely orchestrated, showing Tony Stark in his basement creating while the TV in the background explains what is happening in the outside world of the Middle East and inside his own company. We as an audience are allowed to put the pieces together amidst the witty banter of Stark and the wonderful special effects. By the end of the film it is quite amazing how much information you will realize you now know, all culminating in a decent final battle, but more importantly a segue into the inevitable sequel. We are allowed entrance into the character evolution of Stark as he goes from war profiteer to man of action and cause, all while seeing the technology improve and advance before our eyes. Much like Batman, we have a hero here that needs help in fighting crime. He has no superhuman abilities besides his brain and being able to see his thoughts go from paper to reality is a feat of magic. Every stage is shown, every failure and success. It’s quite the ride in and of itself, but when you add onto it the threat of global war and destruction, it can only get better.
The real success here is in the bold move of casting an actor over-40 to be a superhero. This takes guts, because no matter how appropriate it is, most studios would have said, “no, change the story and make him younger so we can churn out as many of these babies as we can.” I don’t know how he did it, but Favreau got Marvel to get Robert Downey Jr. to play Stark, a sarcastic Lothario with the brain capacity of Einstein. I truly can’t think of anyone better suited to the role and he proves it by nailing every single scene. I’m sure there was some ad-libbing, but even if not, his comic delivery and ability to switch on a dime to a sincere seriousness at will shows his masterful craft.
As for the rest of the cast, they all do well. Jeff Bridges plays the bombastic creature of villainy over-the-top, but appropriately so; Terrence Howard is nice as the friend and military liaison, not given much to do, but definitely sowing seeds for the future; and Gwyneth Paltrow is good as the sweet assistant Pepper Potts who at times seems a little underwritten and more female prop than anything else, but comes through with some nice moments in a very comic sort of way. I also really liked Shaun Toub as Yinsen, Stark’s savior, and Clark Gregg as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Good to see Favreau giving another actor turned director props, (Gregg’s directorial debut comes out later this year in the form of Chuck Palahniuk’s Choke). I just wish he would have shied away from putting himself in the film. It’s one thing to be seen split-second, (like Stan Lee), but its another to give yourself a thankless role with multiple scenes, just adding fuel to the fire on people’s opinions of egotism stemming from the drinking game created off of the TV show “Dinner for Five” and how many references to Swingers was made each episode. I’ll forgive, though, because, once again, I’m a big fan.
One can’t forget that this is an action film above all else, so we can’t just praise the actors; every effect is also quite brilliant. Those scenes of Iron Man flying amongst fighter jets in the trailer seemed really lame, but when in context they deliver. The suit itself is amazing as well, through every mach stage right to the end. My main highlight, however, was with the computer systems that Stark utilizes. The multiple screens, instant holographic reproductions, and ability to actually interact with those 3D representations is stunning. We can create them in fantasy, but it’s just too bad we can’t yet in real life.
Now Iron Man is not a perfect film, nor even a perfect comic book adaptation. What it is, though, is a fun, comic actioner that should light up the box office. The final showdown is a bit of a whimper in comparison to the back story and machine creation; a crucial element is saved from destruction in the one contrived bit of screen writing, (not quite utilized in the way I thought, although still for the same means); and some moments seem a tad campy rather than witty, but otherwise this is some topnotch cinema that should definitely be seen on the big screen. I can’t wait to see how the story progresses in a couple years.
Review by Cubist for Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
Rating:
The first disc features 11 deleted and extended scenes. There’s more of the opening ambush with Tony Stark being more proactive. We also see more footage of Rhodes and it quickly becomes apparent that he was the character with the most scenes cut from the film. We also see Tony and Pepper Potts attend another party.
The second disc starts off with the impressive “I Am Iron Man,” a 108 minute making of documentary that can be viewed in seven segments or altogether, taking us through various aspects of the production. For example, we are taken step-by-step through the construction of the Iron Man armor with Robert Downey Jr. cracking jokes while being fitted for it. It’s amazing how much of the suit is practical and looks really good in person. This is due in large part to the genius of the late-great Stan Winston and his company. Also included is plenty of soundstage footage of scenes being filmed.
“The Invincible Iron Man” is a six-part documentary on the comic book, tracing the history of the character. Stan Lee says that he modeled Stark after Howard Hughes, for the most part. He also mentions that he was never fully satisfied with the look of the armor – hence its many changes over the years. This doc also covers various key characters and storylines in excellent detail with several people who worked on the title over the years talking about their contribution to the mythos. This is a very well done overview of the comic book.
“Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man” examines the CGI work that went into realizing Iron Man’s powers, like flying, his repulsors, and so on. Director Jon Favreau says that he likes to use practical effects whenever possible, which is wonderfully refreshing to hear, and in this film he mixed the practical with CGI.
“Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test.” Incredibly, the actor had to do a screen test because the studio deemed him a risky proposition and this footage shows that he had a handle on the character very early on.
“The Actor’s Process” features fascinating footage of Jeff Bridges and Downey rehearsing a scene with Favreau. It’s great to see these guys at work and offers insight into how they put together a scene from the film from an acting point-of-view.
“The Onion’s Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full-Length Film” is a funny satire where a newscaster “breaks” a story of how the Iron Man trailer will be made into a film that pokes fun at the rabid nature of the hardcore fanbase of the character.
Finally, there are “Galleries,” featuring concept art, technology stills, behind-the-scenes photographs, and poster art.