Iron Man (2008)

I'm betting that I liked IRON MAN a lot more than I should have just because I love Robert Downey Jr. so much and feel like he has lived a hard enough life to deserve his own action figure. That being said, the film is well-paced and funny in the right spots despite being helmed by a mediocre director.
I suppose that when you watch a superhero film (of which there are many this year), you're not supposed to engage logic, so I guess I need to shake off the film's ridiculous elements, like the fact that a billionaire in captivity for three months in Afghanistan would return to the states and ask for a cheeseburger first (which I do believe) but get it from Burger King (which is shameless product placement and a poor excuse for a well-earned cheeseburger).
I will also overlook that as Tony Stark makes a mad dash around the world, he lands in just the right spot in the middle east to reunite a father and son just as the father is about to get his head blown off. Talk about spatial awareness! And I'll try to shake the sense that this movie isn't just accidentally political, but intentionally so.
But I loved Downey. I loved Jeff Bridges (like I usually do). I loved that Bridges looks like Lex Luthor and I still didn't know he was the bad guy at first (I don't read this comic). I love that Tony Stark uses the same cell phone as me (but I'm wishing mine could do as much as his...damnit, Verizon!) I loved seeing Paltrow in a thankless part (she's overrated anyway). And I loved the concept of fitting your chest with a soup can and then throwing a radioactive diamond in there to gain these cool powers! Fun, fun, fun.

3.5 out of 4