MOVIE TRAILERS

I think that Iron Man is stealing the buzz crown only if due to the fact that Nolan and crew really haven't started leaking out the trailers yet. They've got lots of online games and interactive stuff, but the trailers, to me, are what really generate good word of mouth. Behold the return of Robert Downey Jr.; it's gonna be brilliant.

Anti-middle eastern? its anti-terrorist if anything? Maybe you forget there is a war going on right now.

TDK is No. 1, Iron-man is just...foreplay, and a good one too ; )

Most impressive is the fact that this film is made by the man whose last public offering was "Elf". I think he should direct "the Last Christmas" next. Re: Ramez- It is unfortunate that Marvel has throughout its long history dived head first into pro-military "Make a Bad Guy out of our military enemies". A glimpse through the covers of pre-60's era Captain America covers will see him in hand-to-hand combat with a) a Nazi super soldier named "Master Man", b) the Red Skull, c) all sorts of Japanese, German, etc. stereotypes, which his single fist (or gun, or missiles) would always overcome in the end in some pulp-cliffhanger type scenario. I agree that, at this point, it hardly seems fitting for Marvel to engage in such easy stereotyping- especially since, at the moment, their Comics writers have risen as a critical voice against the Bushies, time & again! From what I can tell, Ramez, the stereotype is introduced, but the plot will continue to reveal that all the glory, honor, and capital that Tony Stark raises designing weapons to combat America's "Baddies" literally 'blows up in his face'. Then, (not to spoil the plot, but this should already be self-evident from the Trailer) he will commit to a domestic agenda of fighting the crime-mongering industrial weapons corporations in America itself (as they seek to destroy his reputation, steal his Technology, etc.). I do think this will be a far higher contender against DC than Ghost Rider or any previous 2nd string releases. And the character is promising, as a stand-in for the ongoing war effort (lord knows Batman isn't even going to come close to approaching any discussion of real world issues, even at a superficial level). I agree that its sad to see Marvel engaging in blanket stereo-typing, basically just to get a rise out of its audience. I guess we'll see how this movie fares internationally, as opposed to domestically. Being a marketing saavy bunch, I could easily picture them tweaking the script or editing slightly, to make it more appealing to an international audience, as opposed to blood-thirsty, xeno-phobic, gun-toting Americanos. * Also- for a rather clever sendup of Marvel's tendency to bolster Militaristic daydreams in its youthful readers' minds, read 'The Authority'. There's a character who's easily a parody of Stan Lee, but much more mad, who used to write comics but then goes into business w/ the military of creating actual genetically enhanced super soldiers- which are basically Roided-up, hyper-aggressive updates of the staple marvel characters, but each clad in the muted greens of G.I. fatigues. They all get theirs in the end, so at least in the Comics world, there is a such thing as poetic justice.

Well, guess that's the last time I use an alternate spelling to my name for a post! Sorry Duece, you just picked exactly the wrong fight. I'm a native New Yorker living & working in Philadelphia, whose father was an engineer working in the World Trade Center during the 1st attack (mid-90's). My brother is a proud US Marine Captain who's served his time, and happened to inspire in me a great appreciation for the rich history of one of America's most innovative Art forms: the Comic Book. However, as my retired pops now lives in rural PA, smack btw. Philly & the Mason Dixon line, I fell witness to horrendous displays of american ignorance in the face of the 9-11 attacks, the terrorist nature of which was explained to me nearly a decade earlier, when my Dad came home from work covered in sut and black ash, and his 12 yr. old son had the gall to ask him, "What happened at work today, Dad?" Here in PA, I've seen people needlessly rude to gas station attendants, 7-11 employees, and the general public w/ their racist, prejudiced shows of knee-jerk 'patriotism'. Even stopped a guy in the middle of traffic who had a 'Calvin & Hobbes' sticker that had him pissing on the word "Arabs", just to pull alongside him and give him a big fat middle-finger, coming from a face w/ just a little more melanin than his own (I'm portuguese/spanish/chinese/filipino/Italian. Last name Fortunato, so yes: HALF red-blooded 3nd generation american, HALF melting pot 2nd generation melting pot American). I've had people pick beefs w/ me in bars, accusing me of being a lousy puerto-rican who should go back to his 'country' (which would still be...America??) to which I've showed my I.D. and displayed my 'Italiano' last name. They looked, grunted, and asked whose ass I wanted kicked. So yes, I believe there is a strong strain of xenophobia and ignorance-based blood thirst running rampant across our country at this moment in history. But I don't think it's hopeless, or even nearly reflective of what we're all about as a Nation. I just think that ignoramus bullies nation-wide have their leader in the big seat to point to and say: "See? See? We're RIGHT." And, quite simply, when we have another leader in place w/ just a few more IQ points, the rest of us who paid attention in class will have a leader to whom we can point and say: "Ugh. Thank God THAT debacle is over with. Let's get on w/ the business of running our country and taking care of our people, instead of picking pointless fights to waste American tax dollars by the billions." I would hope that you're catching yourself in a moment of flash-mail, and realizing "Holy crap, this guys one of us." And perhaps as you walk the streets of this fair country, you'll remember that it was founded not by Christian fundamentalists, but Free Thinking Statesmen, who quite frankly would not have the time to waste their breath on the likes of you, as they were concerned w/ crafting and drafting a model of government that would more equally distribute accessibility, power, and wealth. Or did you not do your homework, Mr. Bigelow? -Djomigod I know America is better than this.

Actually, it's interesting that with all this supposed understanding of what this country was built on, you believe that the nation was crafted to create wealth distribution. Man, when is the public school system going to reinstate civics as a required subject? Equal opportunity? Yes. Equal outcome? No way. The melting pot's always been more of a casserole, but we expected folsk who came here legally to become Americans. You should read up on Teddy Roosevelt's opinion on the subject. Anyway, there was a time in this nation's history when we'd whup an enemy, or the enemy of one of our friends, and we'd whup them until we won. Then, we'd run their podunk little burg until they were begging McDonald's and Taco Bell to build on every street corner. And, we damned sure didn't let them target our planes or break ceasefire agreements. But, that was back when we'd leave a real general in charge until the locals ponied up. If you believe that wanting to keep illegals out is xenophobic, you need a better dictionary. Tell you what, if you get your darling little democrat into the White House, will you stand as idly by as the demos did when that Arkansas used car saleman was too busy boffing the staff to actually respond to international terrorism? You can root for him or her as they run tanks tino 'compounds' full of children or send armed federal agents, guns drawn, into custody battles.

I will give you due props for the casserole comment, though. Clever and on point. [Djo

But, remember, we're the lemmings for pointing that out, Yawn. At least, 'True Lies' got it right. Here's hoping Iron man doesn't go too far off that deep end, like the rumblings from the GI Joe movie seem to indicate. America's got enemies that aren't American citizens, no matter their skin tone. Right now, it's extremists who claim Allah as their co-pilot. Does anyone REALLY believe that Iran is working on nukes as an energy source with all that bubblin' crude underneath? Is it inherently racist or xenophobic for the bad guy to NOT be a greedy corporate big wig? Anyway, trailers look good so far. Hopefully, the preaching ends at a 'great power, great responsibility' sort of zen. I can agree with that. If it goes 'military bad, American military evil', it'll die an early death...which'll suck as long as I've waited for special effects technology to catch up to my movie preferences. Make mine Marvel.