Pete's Write

A movie franchise always has it's highs and lows, and each person will remember the best of a series of movies and regret watching the lows. Robert Downing Jr IS the Ironman, and he has added the personal touch to the man in the metal suit, with his larger than life megalomaniac style, and it will be hard to think of another person who can play this superhero better. Nevertheless, the high in the franchise, most will probably agree, is the first movie or the combination Avengers movie, helmed superbly by Josh Weldon. The trouble with the third installment is perhaps the need to break out of the same mold with more of the over the top larger than life RDJ swagger, and new cool gadgets and the like. So they bring in Shane Black, best known for his efforts in writing Lethal Weapon, and he tries to add a more human factor in, plus a bit of conspiracy into the show, and he throws in heavyweights like Ben Kingsley, expands Gwyneth Paltrow&#

GI Joe will sell a certain number of tickets regardless of it’s actual quality, since there are a considerable number of economically viable folks now in their 30s or 40s who remember the old cartoons and toys very fondly. The first remake about 3-4 years ago, didn’t do too badly either, and was a commercial if not a critical success. The formula is simple, get some fine, handsome, fit young men, partner them with the latest weapons and gadgets, throw in some equally fine hot ladies with outrageous figures, and add plenty of explosions, and viola, you have a movie that even Michael Bay could endorse. You will see some of the old main stars from the first movie back here, plus some new additions, and I have to say getting Bruce Willis in the picture and let him have some fine quips (“my cholesterol is a little high”) is a hoot. There is little character development time, but who cares? This isn’t Oscar winning fair, and revels in the booms per minute, and

A couple lived for many years together... a long life, fulfilling and happy. During this time, the wife kept a metal box which she told the husband never to open, and he dutifully obeyed. One day after almost sixty years of marriage, as the wife lay on her deathbed, she called the husband over, feeling it was time he knew what was in the box. He brought it over and opened it for her. Inside the box, there was a couple of knitted sweaters, and a big wad of cash, worth almost $100 000. The wife then explained, that before they were married, the grandmother of the wife had advised her, that whenever she felt angry with the husband, she should knit a sweater... At this point, the husband smiled proudly and in his heart, he was glad that she was only angry with him only twice. He nodded, told her he understood what the sweaters were about, and asked about the big pile of money... She replied "oh, that the money I got from selling all the other sweaters.." Married