FILM REVIEW: Iron Man 3

Set after the events of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 finds Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is struggling to come to terms with what happened to him in New York, alienating girlfriend Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow) by becoming increasingly focused on his work. However, he is soon called back into the world by the presence of a terrorist known only as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) who has succeeded in carrying out several dangerous bombings. Elsewhere, Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is now wearing a nice star-spangled Iron Patriot outfit in service of the President (William Sadler) and a new business rival for Stark appears in the form of Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce)

The third film in a superhero franchise always seems to be the trickiest one to get right and it is a milestone where there have been some catastrophic disasters; Spider-Man 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand are probably the first ports of call when considering just how far these franchises can fall. The Iron Man franchise, part of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, started off at dizzying heights with Jon Favreau's first instalment and crashed spectacularly back down again for Iron Man 2. Then of course there is the small matter of Joss Whedon's The Avengers (sorry, I refuse to call it Avengers Assemble, it just sounds silly), one of the biggest films of all time and a smash hit across the world. So, Iron Man 3 was responsible not only for following that, but also getting Tony Stark's own franchise back on track. So does it succeed?

Thankfully yes, with yet another risky move by Marvel paying off brilliantly. Hiring a director with only one directorial credit to his name and a screenwriter for whom this is his first blockbuster credit (though first of a few according to IMDB) is not the usual practice when it comes to tentpole franchise films. However, putting Shane Black and Drew Pearce on the film proves to be one of Marvel's most inspired choices to date, and they have made many over the course of putting together their cinematic universe. The pair taken the superhero genre and mashed it up a bit, scaling back from the grandeur of The Avengers and taking Tony Stark on a more personal journey.

There has also been a great deal of effort into adding more depth and meaning into their superhero film. It is awash with familiar iconography from the war on terror that instils a certain level of trepidation in any watching. The Mandarin's canny use of media to spread his message directly recalls Bin Laden's use of the very same whilst the emphatic rebranding of Iron Patriot is a subtle criticism of the USA's bullish foreign policy, also evidenced in some of the antics that Rhodes gets up to later in the film. That's not to say it gets too serious either, far from it. In fact, it's probably the funniest Marvel film to date (yes, possibly even funnier than The Avengers). Black's partnership with Robert Downey Jr has already yielded one fantastic film in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (a film that was instrumental in getting Downey Jr into the suit) and it seems that Black and Pearce knowing exactly how to write for the actor. 

Stark is as glib as ever, delivered with wonderful aplomb by Downey Jr even though he is very nearly upstaged by Ty Simpkins in their scenes together.  The partnership of Stark and Rhodes gets a decent amount of screen time too, offering the notch on the 'buddy' quota. However, the comedy performance of the film has to go to Paul Bettany as Jarvis. Given much more of a character to work with this time around, as well as a couple of malfunctions to contend with, Bettany's deadpan delivery works a treat with Black's screenplay and was a real highlight. 

There isn't a weak link amongst the performances either, particularly Guy Pearce as uber-businessman Aldrich Killian. Held up as a reflection to Stark in terms their different methods and approach to technology, Killian proves to be a good foil for Stark in their scenes together. Gwyneth Paltrow also gives her best performance of the franchise here and though I can't go into too much detail about her role, Pepper's character arc has been excellent across the three films and given a good finish. However, it is, as expected, Ben Kingsley who steals the film. He is simply sublime.

One of the most interesting aspects of the unfolding narrative is the way in which Black and Pearce analyse Tony's relationship with his alter-ego through some canny use of the suit itself. A big feature of the marketing, the Mark 42 doesn't disappoint, used as a symbol of Stark's fracturing hold on reality after New York and focalising his post-traumatic stress into something more tangible, both for the character and for the audience. The construction of the suit also means that, for a lot of the time, Stark isn't wearing the whole thing, maybe just an arm, or part of a leg, meaning the audience get a lot more Downey Jr, but also Stark on his own, learning to rely on his wits rather than his suit. As a result, the action sequences are thrilling and entertaining, particularly the third act battle which sees Stark use the suits as extensions of himself. It's a fascinating take on the psyche of the character and a neat piece of analysis on Stark's reliance on an external representation of his identity, the mask he wears to hide himself away.

For the most part, it's joyfully entertaining, but there are a couple of niggles that take the sheen of the red and gold paintwork ever so slightly. Rebecca Hall's role as Maya is sadly underwritten and despite getting some choice one liners, barely has anything to work with. She's a brilliant actress, most recently evidenced in the sublime Parade's End, but she feels wasted in the role, especially in comparison to the strength of Pepper's part in the wider narrative. The film also suffers slightly from the usual second act sag; whilst necessary to the developing plot, a couple of scenes lack the same zip as the first and third acts. They are small issues, but it does mean the film falls just short of a five-star rating.

An excellent start to Marvel's Phase Two and the best Iron Man film yet, it also feels like it could be the last time we see Tony Stark on his own turf, but somehow that's actually ok. The character has developed considerably since we first saw him swaggering across the Middle East and the conclusion here fits wonderfully with what has gone before. I'm sure we'll see Mr Stark, and therefore Iron Man, again, just not necessarily on his own.

P.S. If you liked Iron Man 3 and haven't seen Kiss Kiss Bang Bang yet, you need to get on that right away. Like now. Go.

****

- Becky

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TV REVIEW: Parade's End - Episode Five

The period drama comes to an end as Christopher continues to serve in the trenches, Sylvia hatches even more plans to try and get him back and Valentine continues to wait for him to return, picking up a sex education via early (considerably better written) prototypes of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Though featuring artillery bombardments, the Parade's End finale wasn't so much an explosive revelation as a slow meander towards the conclusion we all knew was coming (though in my case, not necessarily the one I wanted). Christopher (Benedict Cumberbatch) remains in the trenches, facing strafes and slightly deranged officers continuing a sonnet competition and wandering round without appropriate headgear. Sylvia (Rebecca Hall), now returned from France, continues to prepare for Christopher's life to be a misery when he gets back whilst also ending her five-year man-drought with a quick tumble in the bedsheets with former flame Gerald Drake (Jack Huston). Valentine meanwhile is at last given something to do after she discovers a sexually explicit book owned by one of her students, leading to her very own sexual awakening and the decision that she will 'ruin herself' with Christopher when he gets back. Oo-er.

There has been a battle right from the beginning of the series embodied in Christopher, the tension between tradition and modernity, the old and the new. Cumberbatch's stiff upper lip performance has been one of the main draws throughout the series and continues here, demonstrating Tietjens' discomfort with the world with every eyebrow raise and mouth twitch. Attempting to cling gallantly to the past, Christopher's efforts have been focused throughout on maintaining the status quo that everything else has threatened to destroy. This is no more apparent than in the wonderful scene in which he has tea and sandwiches served to him on a tray whilst sitting in a trench at the front. The Hun may be firing on him from all sides but goddammit it's time for afternoon tea!

It's the kind of attitude Sylvia has exhibited throughout as well though with considerably less restraint than Christopher. Everything must continue as it always had done, though of course, it didn't work out this way. Hall has been the standout performance in the previous episodes but here, with the focus more on Christopher and Valentine's eventual union, Sylvia is sidelined a little in the overall plot. That didn't mean she faded from view however; her last ditch effort to fake an illness to draw Christopher back in was both comical and slightly tragic, as was her venomous destruction of the tree at Groby. She's been advocating that particular form of arboreal revenge for a while and the hacking down of the tree was the last straw for Christopher. She also gets one of the best lines in the entire series, referring to Valentine as 'that scrub-faced ladies champion of the regular bowel movement'. Just fantastic and the final scene in which Christopher conveys in a look just how committed he is to Valentine was electrifying between Cumberbatch and Hall, demonstrating the chemistry that has made them such a compelling couple.

Narratively, Christopher was always going to leave Sylvia for Valentine but I'm still a little disappointed with that conclusion. Adelaide Clemens gave terrific performances in the first couple of episodes in which she had something to do and was more about being a rebellious suffragette than swooning after Christopher. Against Hall's towering performance, Clemens faded and Sylvia became the more compelling character, making me want to see her get Christopher after all. I don't necessarily think it was Clemens' fault; she was simply outgunned by both Hall and the writing that she was given. Valentine was meant to represent the pure versus Sylvia's corruption and sadly, that was all she ever was.

It's the only thing that occurs to me to be slightly negative about because the final scenes of the series were a fitting end for all of the characters we had got to know over the course of four episodes. Sylvia managed to manoeuvre herself as the future wife to the possible Viceroy of India through the newly promoted General Campion (Roger Allam). Allam has been one of the best supporting actors, mastering the look of bemusement that caused one of the episode's big laughs after Sylvia's unexpected marriage proposal. Christopher learned to let go of the past too, burning the log leftover from the Groby tree as a symbol of the beginning of his new life as both a singing war veteran and lover of Valentine. 

Parade's End has been in a different class right from its first episode; unashamedly literary and scripted with a wit and sophistication that is rarely seen in dramas of any kind at the moment. I'm going to call it now and say it will be heavily nominated when it comes to award season and well-deserved it would be too. Fridays nights are going to be poorer for its absence.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of Episode Four here.

Follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
Or follow her blog on beckygracelea.wordpress.com

TV REVIEW: Parade's End - Episode Four

The penultimate episode of the BBC adaptation of Parade's End finds Christopher (Benedict Cumberbatch) back on the front, leaving behind an anxious Valentine (Adelaide Clemens) whilst Sylvia (Rebecca Hall) makes her own plan to follow her husband to France.

Christopher has been helped to a safer position in the army training other soldiers thanks to brother Mark (Rupert Everett) and, despite General Campion (Roger Allam) finding him to be a nuisance, is doing rather well at it. Meanwhile back in London, Valentine anxiously awaits news of her would-be beau whilst continuing her job as a gym mistress. Elsewhere, Sylvia decides that now is absolutely the best time to go and visit Christopher in France and arrives in Rouen before anyone has the chance to do anything about it. There, she and Christopher attempt some sort of reconciliation but are interrupted before anything can truly be done.

After last week's slight dip, Parade's End was back on form in its fourth episode, providing more comedy and tragedy than you could shake a bayonet at. While the series has never been particularly sombre or po-faced, laugh-out-loud moments weren't exactly forthcoming outside of Rufus Sewell's appearances. In this episode however, the comedy is extremely well-pitched, though often erring on the side of black, and each time comes layered with a sense of poignancy that further highlights the drama of the characters' situations. In particular, the scene between Christopher and Patrick Kennedy's equally strung out McKechnie trying to outdo each other intellectually through sonnets and Latin was both very funny and deeply sad.

Another standout scene was the meeting between Christopher and Sylvia in the hotel, their first face-to-face conversation in a considerably long time. To use a technical term, both actors knocked it out of the park with Hall's monologue in particular adding a deep sadness to the pair's unsuccessful marriage. Just as it seems the pair are reconciling (with a spectacular grab-and-kiss move from Cumberbatch that no doubt resulted in a sudden outbreak of swooning), the poignant scene was replaced by a farcical confrontation between Christopher and Sylvia's former squeeze, Potty Perowne (Tom Mison) and a drunken superior officer. Had it not been handled with such skill, the transition from tragedy to farce could have been jarring and distracting, but fortunately it only enhanced what the previous scene had been demonstrating; Sylvia and Christopher just aren't meant to be together.

The focus on the central marriage means that some of the characters are found wanting in the wider episode arc. Most notable is Valentine, Christopher's not-yet mistress, who continues the pining and erstwhile glancing out of windows to fill the quota for this week's episode. I don't think it's necessarily Clemens' fault; she's not given much to work with narrative wise, other than thinking longingly about Christopher. As I've not read the books, I'm unaware of whether the much-touted union between Valentine and Christopher will ever actually happen, but Clemens' fading performance in contrast with Hall's towering screen presence is making me think I'd actually like Sylvia to get her man.

This week's episode is, to my mind, the best so far in a series that has been mostly consistent in its high standard. Blending comedy with drama is not always an easy balance to strike but this episode manages it well and is all the better for it. It's also easily the most action-packed instalment so far with more focus on Christopher's life in the army and his unfortunate scuffle with Potty.

And please, will someone just give Rebecca Hall an award already?

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of Parade's End - Episode Three here.

Follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
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TV REVIEW: Parade's End - Episode Three

Vicious rumours fly around London about Christopher Tietjens, returning wounded from the front, and his relationships with Valentine and Mrs Duchemin leading to a confrontation with Sylvia and his family. Sylvia meanwhile amuses herself with another admirer while McMaster ascends through the ranks of society whilst wrestling with his conscience.

Over the past couple of weeks, Parade's End was starting to become a nice little comfort blanket of a Friday evening, a gentle drama that takes in all the usual scandals, longing glances and the kind of performances that we just love to see in our BBC productions. This week, the burgeoning sense of comfort was offset slightly by the darker turn of events in the third episode, as the First World War is well and truly underway and the effects are felt both at the front and at home.

Christopher is wounded, harming his previously impressive mental faculties; watching a man who prides himself on his memory and knowledge struggle to remember someone's surname was unsettling and all credit to Benedict Cumberbatch for giving a truly moving performance. Elsewhere saw the sad demise of Rufus Sewell's Reverend Duchemin (a loss for comedy and Satan-spotting) and the accidental death of Christopher's father in an unfortunate shotgun/hedge incident.

It was this latter tragedy that gave us arguably one of the best scenes of the series so far between Cumberbatch's Christopher and his brother Mark, played by Rupert Everett. The chemistry between the two actors was excellent and it allowed for a greater understanding of Christopher's character, particularly in his fight for approval in both society and with his family. Tying into the rumours flying around about his alleged infidelity, you could see how Christopher has constantly striving for approval only to fall short and decide that if everyone thinks he's a philanderer, then he is going to prove them right by propositioning Valentine.

Adelaide Clemens has put in two good performances over the two previous episodes but here, I felt she had become severely underwritten. Gone was the feistiness and rebellious nature that had made her so compelling and in its place was a simpering little girl with nothing but eyes for Christopher. To be fair this had started in the last episode, but it became the overriding relationship dynamic here; instead of having sparky exchanges, conversations between the pair became all about her lifting his confidence. It is a shame, because previously, Valentine was a interesting character but now she seems to have been reduced to a stereotype, the virgin to Sylvia's whore.

Speaking of Mrs Tietjens, I can't heap enough praise on the trio of Rebecca Hall, Tom Stoppard and Susanna White for creating such a layered character for Sylvia, who in other hands could have easily become just another evil woman caricature. According to the little research I've done, the novel's version of Sylvia is just that, a harridan determined to ruin Christopher's happiness. The television series on the other hand, has created a woman desperately trying to get her husband back, just not being very good at doing it the nice way. Rebecca Hall's performance is the standout of the series so far and is fast becoming the main reason for sticking with the series (sorry Benedict).

The mid-point of the series sees a slight dip in quality from the previous two episodes, but there is still plenty to admire, particularly in the performances of the central duo of Cumberbatch and Hall (sounds like a specialist law firm). Next week promises more thwarting of the relationship between Valentine and Christopher as he returns to the front and Syliva makes a move.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of Parade's End - Episode Two here.

Follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea
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TV REVIEW: Parade's End - Episode Two

The troubled marriage between Sylvia and Christopher continues, despite her feeling completely trapped and he's still wrestling with his feelings for Valentine. Meanwhile, McMaster continues his affair with the bedraggled Mrs Duchemin while war is marching over the horizon.

The second episode of new BB2 adaptation of Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End continues exactly where it left, with everyone married to the wrong person and lusting after someone else. What I enjoyed particularly about this episode was how the historical background of the narrative plays so well into the struggles that each character was experiencing. For Christopher (Benedict Cumberbatch), it's the threat of the First World War as the domino effect of alliances forces each country to join in and he decides to join up, much to the criticism of everyone ever. The most interesting for me though, was the ongoing suffragette movement, not for Valentine (Adelaide Clemens), but for Sylvia (Rebecca Hall).

Last week saw Sylvia agree to return to Christopher and to faithful marriage, promising that she will not continue her extramarital affairs with the warning that she's going to do everything she can to make her husband's life miserable. Unfortunately, the exact opposite happens as Christopher's determined avoidance starts to drive her a little round the bend. Although Sylvia has not yet identified any leanings with the suffragettes, she becomes a physical symbol of what they're fighting for; she's trapped in a marriage that she cannot leave with a husband who does not love her. Rebecca Hall gives a fantastic performance this week, portraying a woman starving for attention. Far from the storm she threw up in the last episode, here Sylvia is calmly, slowly decaying.

Sylvia is one of the few characters though that actually articulates how she feels. For everyone else, there's weighty pauses and furtive glances. If there's one thing film, television and literature that we as a nation excel at, it's conveying the most overwhelming sense of repression. And we had it in spades in this episode from the sexual tension brimming over in the central love triangle to corsets as physical symbol of women's oppression. The latter, or rather the brassiere, was responsible for one of the best moments of the episode in which Rufus Sewell's delightfully mad figure performed the bra trick on poor, flustered Anne Marie Duff. In an hour full of dramatic tension, it was a great moment of humour, perfectly performed by Sewell.

Parade's End really is what I love about good old-fashioned period drama, it's slow-paced, full of scandal and a delightfully dry wit that stops it from being bowed down in all suppressed emotion. Hell, even the music always seemed to be on the point of reaching a loud, dramatic crescendo before simmering down again while Christopher glances morosely at the floor. It's fantastic television and the preview for next week suggests we may yet see some of that repression burst out.

- Becky

Read Becky's review of Parade's End - Episode One here.

You can read more of Becky's work on her blog: beckygracelea.wordpress.com
Or follow her on Twitter here: @beckygracelea

TV REVIEW: Parade's End - Episode One

If you hadn't already guessed, we at Assorted Buffery are suckers for period dramas. Or indeed any dramas come to think of it. But mostly those where you have beautiful people swanning about in beautiful clothes and talking in beautiful accents. Now the BBC, ever the purveyors of such drama, have adapted Ford Madox Ford's quartet of novels, Parade's End, starring Rebecca Hall, newcomer Adelaide Clemens and Assorted Buffery favourite, Benedict Cumberbatch.

Parade's End follows the turbulent marriage of Christopher Tietjens (Cumberbatch) to socialite and general mischief-maker Sylvia (Hall) and his subsequent relationship with a young suffragette, Valentine (Clemens). The central marriage is more one of convenience as Tietjens tries to shed his past as a bit of a cad and Sylvia wants to avoid scandal after falling pregnant, though a particularly energetic train carriage encounter suggests there is an attraction between them. It's a beautiful study of a relationship destined to corrupt both parties and enough repression to fuel English stereotypes for years to come. With director Susannah White helming the production and the ever-brilliant Tom Stoppard adapting the novel with a witty and polished script, the first episode of Parade's End was an intriguing, funny and thought-provoking hour.

Aside from the excellent direction and crisp script-writing, the programme's strength lies in its cast; Benedict Cumberbatch is everyone's man of the hour, from literature geeks to sci-fi nerds (he's appearing in Star Trek 2 as the as-yet unnamed foe - come on Gary Mitchell). Here, he masters the stuffiness inherent in Tietjens' logical character and giving him a wit and intelligence that makes him a masterful screen presence. Not particularly loquacious, it's left to Cumberbatch to convey Tietjens' inner conflict with a look, or cursory glance to the side and the moment with the horse was about as close to a breakdown as we're likely to get.

Providing the emotional foil to Cumberbatch's stiff upper lip, Rebecca Hall is a whirlwind of wit, lace and the occasional nipple, perfectly capturing the mercurial Sylvia. Providing much of the comedy, Hall's Sylvia is just as conflicted as Tietjens though without even an ounce of the freedom that he possesses. As we're reminded by the ever-present suffragette movement and Sylvia and Tietjens' own protestations, divorce was not kind to women, nor was wider society. Despite knowing her conduct is less than acceptable, she continues to live how she wants, manipulating whoever she needs to. Ending a relationship at gunpoint isn't for everyone, but Sylvia does it with a smile.

The supporting cast were every bit as good, with seemingly every character actor you could think of drafted in to present a very British period drama. Though not given much to do just yet, newcomer Adelaide Clemens managed to hold her own in scenes with Cumberbatch, giving Valentine a spirited yet rather naive quality. Stephen Graham, playing an intelligent good guy in a role wildly against type, gave good Scotsman and his relationship with Anne Marie Duff's character was very sweet. Elsewhere, Roger Allam cropped up as an indignant military man and Miranda Richardson as a slightly unhinged novelist and both shone with Rupert Everett and Janet McTeer providing a biting relish to their roles.

The first episode was not without a couple of flaws though, particularly in the rather speedy introduction to our main couple. Fast-forwarding through the opening developments of their relationship, it took a while for me to work out exactly where everyone was up to in each scene. However, once we had the anticipated meeting between Tietjens and the elf-like Valentine, everything settled down. We even got the most bonkers cameo ever seen on television (I'd wager that anyway) in the form of Rufus Sewell's buggery-obsessed and more than a little unhinged vicar. It was a glorious moment, perfectly highlighting Edwardian politeness whilst simultaneously revelling in Sewell's wide-eyed performance. Having not read the books, I don't know if his character is set to reappear, but I really hope so.

Much has been made of the potential rivalry between Parade's End and its ITV counterpart, Downton Abbey, with some saying that the BBC were simply trying to get one up on ITV after the disaster that was Upstairs Downstairs. Now, I love Downton Abbey (something you'll probably find out when it's back on television) but high literary drama it is not. In fact, if we're all honest with ourselves, Downton Abbey is to period drama what Coronation Street is to urban realism; the signs and comparisons are there, but it's too ridiculous to be taken seriously. Parade's End, by contrast, is a real thoroughbred period piece, betraying its literary foundations in every line and pregnant pause.

This summer has been a fantastic time for period dramas; with the fantastic Hollow Crown and now Parade's End, my yearly quota for corsets and riding breeches is already on the full side but when it's as good as this, I can stand a little more.

- Becky

You can follow Becky on Twitter @beckygracelea or find more work on her blog at www.beckygracelea.wordpress.com