(Aside: I have, like, 50 or so other Netflix movies on my list to review at some point. I'm just jumping these ahead in line because, three! Film festival!)
Iron Man 2 was fine. I mean, there was nothing strictly wrong with it. But it did lose the excellent pacing of the first one. All the elements that made the first one good were there, but none of them was taken to the logical extreme to really push the movie back into 'awesome' territory. It felt like they padded it out, and paradoxically, like they didn't spend the right amount of time on the important elements. After some excellent selections, Marvel is sliding back into mediocre territory, even with the big-budget fare. Here's hoping they see this, and not just the opening weekend box office, and can turn this around.
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Not having read the books, but familiar with the story of the author, I went in to the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo having only really seen the trailer... for one of the later movies in the series. And it was good stuff, I admit. Good acting, great characters, and a compelling story. The Scandinavian production added something to the quality, as the American remake will seem so less... foreign. Check it out. (Please note: there's a very graphical rape scene, so those with such triggers should be forewarned.)
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Finally, The Men Who Stare at Goats was an entertaining show. Given the stellar cast they put together, I wish I could say more. But it was funny in parts, and really close to a great flick. Worth catching on cable some time, though.
(Add to your Netflix queue by clicking here.)