First off, let me say I loved this film. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from it. The rather disconcerting poster did not reveal much and though I had seen a trailer, I mustn’t have paid much attention to it.

However, I did know that I love Steve Carell in pretty everything he has done and I guessed that this would be more Little Miss Sunshine thanThe 40 Year Old Virgin and I was right. It isn’t a laugh-out-loud comedy (I believe it is described as a dramedy but that word always reminds me of camels so I don’t like using it) but it is warm, touching, funny, and chock full of good performances.

Juliette Binoche plays the love interest and she brings a touch of class and intrigue to the character. You can see why he is so taken with her so quickly, only to discover that she is his younger brother’s girlfriend. The action centres around an annual family get-together at Dan’s parents’ house in New England (I guess, I haven’t looked it up).

Carell really brings pathos to this role and the audience is firmly in his corner as we cheer on this widowed man with three girls to raise. These girls really could do with a kick in the arse, by the way, as they give him no credit for all he does for them; Instead the two eldest just seem intent on bitching him out for his rather rational and fair parenting. I guess teenagers are devoid of compassion. Anyway.

The large ensemble cast with the likes of Amy Ryan (love her in the Office season finale!) and Dane Cook (I didn’t he was an actor as well as a comedian – In fact I really don’t know much about him at all but this was not what I was expecting) all contribute to the feeling of warmth and family that is so integral to the lives of the characters and ultimately make Dan’s feelings for his brother’s new girlfriend so hard for him to handle. If you like Little Miss Sunshine, then give this a whirl.

I had heard good things about this film before I saw it. Wil Wheaton wrote a favourable comment about it and I had heard good things also from friends who had seen it. I was NOT disappointed. It was absolutely superb. It was very funny. Very funny indeed. The script was dynamite. I was so happy to see that Robert Downey Jr. was just brilliant.

The effects were solid and the machine-on-machine fighting blew Transformers out of the water.

Jeff Bridges was excellent and almost unrecognisable (until he starts to talk with that distinctive voice of his) as the benevolent/malevolent Obadiah (what a cool name!).

I loved the sassy Pepper Potts, played very well by the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow. She deserves an award just for the scene near the end where she has to run in extremely high heels! I am loving her red hair too! All this girlie talk trivialises her input in the film and I don’t mean to. She brings a sensitivity, strength and she had great chemistry with RDJ – so much so that ricardo actually commented that he was disappointed they didn’t kiss! Aw he is a Tony/Pepper ‘shipper!

Terrence Howard was superb as the good friend and all-round good guy Jim Rhodes.

I am glad for IMDB.com for times when I forget to look for an actor’s name in the credits. The voice of the computer Jarvis was frustratingly familar and British and I now know is Paul Bettany. I was told to wait though the (very long) credits for a sneaky extra scene at the end and it was definitely worth it (although the scene is not very long so if you do wait, which you should, be prepared!).

I also now want to buy Back in Black by ACDC and Ironman by Black Sabbath!

We went to see the film 21on Wednesday night at an advance screening which as it turns out is a lot less exciting than it sounds. It just means Wednesday was the first night it was shown. Then it was not the next night. Then is starts for real tonight. Not sure I see the point as the ticket price was the same. ANYHOO. The film aiit. Not great but aiit. Rich and I had both read (and very much enjoyed) Ben Mezrich’s book Bringing Down the House and the film really didn’t have any surprises because of that.

The lead Jim Sturgess did a good job at being the super-intelligent dorky MIT student who gets involved in a crazy life of weekends in Vegas counting cards for muchos $$$. I am not so keen on Kate Bosworth (she needs to eat a burger, y’all). I haven’t loved her in anything since Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!. YES I watched that. A couple of times. I didn’t mind her Lois Lane in Superman Returns. I just don’t love her. Kevin Spacey was just superb as the friendly professor with a seriously dark side. It was very cool seeing Las Vegas now that we have been. Our experience was slightly less rockin’ than theirs though. All in all it is worth a look but maybe wait for the DVD?

In case you haven’t seen the trailer:

I am watching The Wedding Singer. It is awesome.