Iron Man has energized the comic book film mainly due to Robert Downey Jr.  His portrayal of Tony Stark shows that if you pick the right actor, you can satisfy comic book fans while still bringing in typical film-goers.  I really enjoyed the playboy attitude, because that is Tony Stark.  The only place where I was worried was when Stark transforms from the happy go lucky boozer that could care less where his weapons go to the humanitarian hero.  Downey moves flawlessly into the role of the hero without over acting the part.  You still get Stark without moving towards that cheesy save the world hero that provides no interest to the audience.  Downey stole the film and created a Stark that could last for quite a few more films.  I was also impressed with The Dude, I mean Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges).  Bridges has this great ability to play the corporate nutcase rather well.  Even setting up Col. James Rhodes (Terrence Howard) for a future role of War Machine was brilliant.  I even have to admit that Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) was well cast and worked nicely playing the Miss Moneypenny to Stark.  Paltrow may not be a favorite of mine, but she certainly found her stride playing opposite Downey.

Another reason that Iron Man functions so well is that there are only moments where you cross into that very comic book feel that has made Spider-Man a bit uninteresting and practically destroyed the X-Men franchise.  Only the final battle crossed the line, otherwise you have a solid film that speaks to the masses.  Typically in an origin story, you lose interest because either you already know the origins or the filmmakers try and put too much into a short time frame.  Iron Man proves that with the right pacing and the right context, you can provide an origin that is interesting and still moves the film forward.  However, I did wonder how stupid the kidnappers were that they simply did not realize he was making a big suit of metal.  Oh well, nothing can be perfect.

I also have to comment on the humor in the film.  By adding just the right amount of jokes, the film does not get bogged down with would could have been a very serious tone.  Those moments are perfectly timed and perfectly placed.  Oh and I know you’ve seen me writing dirtier things than that!

Overall, Iron Man is perhaps one of the best comic book adaptations that should have never been adapted.  I really do not know of that many people who were excited when an Iron Man adaptation was announced.  Other prospects made more sense, but Iron Man proves that sometimes seemingly bad ideas can be turned to gold.  I am actually excited about more prospects like Iron Man and the next Iron Man film.  I am beginning to worry that the comic book genre of films may be hitting overload.  The deluge of films to come may erase any traction that films such as Iron Man have gained in the marketplace.  Will people keep going to comic book films?  It really depends on the quality of those films.  One bad Thor or one good Watchmen could really make a difference.

There are two reasons I watched Stick It. First, I have a secret passion for Bring It On. There, I’ve said it. I love that horrible little cheerleader movie. It is a gooey piece of film candy that sticks to your teeth and no matter how much you brush and floss, it’s still there whenever it comes on TV at 3 in the morning. Stick It was marketed as the gymnastics version of Bring It On (from the same writer as well), so I had to watch it. The second reason is for Missy Peregrym, who plays the lead Haley Graham. She is also a major character on one of my new favorite TV shows, Reaper. She was even on Heroes! So when you combine the two, you get a horrible film you have to watch with a very nice looking lead. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything could go wrong and it does. Look, Stick It has the same storyline as every other film in this genre. Rebel gymnast is forced to go to a gymnastics school when she runs afoul of the law. She overcomes personal demons to save her life and save the lives of everyone around her. She changes everyone for the better. That’s about it, no less no more. That’s a good thing because I do not think the actors could handle much more. So Ms. Peregrym is actually decent in her role, although perhaps her stunt double is better. Her rebel style of gymnastics is quite cool on film. The other standout in the cast is her gymnastics coach Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges). Wait a second, The Dude is back again in one of my reviews. Although this is not a great role for Bridges, at least his performance manages to elevate the film. I am going to stop there because quite frankly, the rest of the cast needs some work.

So are there any redeeming qualities in this film? Surprisingly, there is a political commentary on the way in which gymnastics is scored based on archaic guidelines and biased judges. Now, perhaps this would mean more if I cared. I do not. It makes for a great story but if you have no connection to the sport, the commentary is only seen as a device to make Haley more accessible.

This film is no Bring It On, but I really cannot bash it. They took a formula, changed it a bit, and created at least some unique tweaks. Bridges and Peregrym are quite good in their respective roles, even if everyone around them is not. Stick It does not stick to your teeth the same way Bring It On does, but there are a few chunks that get wedged back in the molars. Not enough for multiple viewings, but enough to justify having watched it in the first place.

Most kids will love the penguins, who doesn’t? Oh yeah, those that have recently watched March of the Penguins and Happy Feet. I have to tell you, I thought Happy Feet was not very good. Compared to Surf’s Up, Happy Feet is a bland regurgitation of a Disney film with forced environmental consciousnesses (which is good, but heavy handed when it’s animated penguins). Surf’s Up has a fresh attitude, but suffers the problem of being another penguin film; although compared to the rest it is the one to watch.

My favorite aspect of the film was the voice talent. It was fun trying to figure out who everyone was, and then laughing at how close the characters sometimes got to their voices. Jeff Bridges as Big Z was about the best match, I kept waiting to here him say, “It’s just Z, not the Z, just Z.” Hmm, I wonder if The Dude was his inspiration for the voice? How about Shia LaBeouf as Cody Maverick, Zooey Deschanel as Lani Aliikai, or James Woods as Reggie Belafont. Each one added to their character through their voice. I was even shocked by how perfect Jon Heder was as Chicken Joe. You see this slacker chicken surfer and wonder how many times the directors told Heder, “How about Napoleon as a chicken?” Yes it sounds like a cop out, but Chicken Joe should be similar to Napoleon. I was even glad to see Diedrich Bader voicing Tank Evans, which was another perfect match. And to think that I used to like him on The Drew Carey show, it’s nice to see him working.

Overall, Surf’s Up is a fun movie that offers more than just some disguised adult humor. It has a great story and a perfect way of presenting that story. The characters are lovable, but not because they are cute. They are lovable because they have personality, which is sometimes lacking in children’s films. For those of you who have ever viewed Creature Comforts, much of this film will remind you of the style used for those shows. That’s a bonus for some of us who hope a film version of Creature Comforts would appear. I am glad that Surf’s Up tried something a bit different, it worked.