I went to see Iron Man this weekend, and liked it a lot more than I expected. One big reason? It didn’t have just laughs and comic-geek thrills, but real, first-rate, non-F/X… acting! When Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, pulls Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts out onto the dancefloor for a little dipping and cooing, the rom-com byplay is superb.
Which made me connect a few movie-industry dots. Hey, remember the whining about the last Oscar telecast, with its low-wattage star vehicles and lower ratings, and all the hand-wringing the media, including EW, did over how to improve the Oscars? Here’s a thought. Hey, Hollywood and the Motion Picture Academy: Take a closer squint at the big summer movies. Take them, ahem, seriously. As far as I’m concerned, Downey’s performance should go on any short list that anyone draws up of potential Oscar nominees.
Oh, and another thought. Iron Man at my multiplex was preceded by a trailer for The Dark Knight. And if Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is as good as these clips suggest — and my brain starts popping every time I see his deliriously committed, smeared-makeup personification of pure, nut-job Evilness — then we’ve got a potential Best Supporting Actor nominee that will be much more than just a sentimental gesture to a cherished, departed actor.
Iron Man and The Dark Knight as Oscar-worthy — think about it… seriously.
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I too went to see Iron Man this weekend and I think Downey’s acting is superb. Out of the Best Acting nominees I saw only 3 performances and had no desire to see the rest. Downey’s transformation from snarky womanizer to soft hearted defender is fabulous. Academy take notice!
I haven’t seen the movie, but I agree with this sentiment. The Bourne Ultimatum should have been nominated last year, Casino Royale in 2006 and Batman Begins in 2005.
Johnny Depp got nominated for the first Pirates — so maybe they will seriously consider Downey!
I took my sons to see Iron Man. I did not expect to like it as well as I did. It was different than a lot of the comic book movies we are use to seeing. Downey made the movie. His performance was great. Loved him!!
Sure for something no doubt, but the roll out of films to come is too great and the season to early to start buzzing. Let’s not forget their is an aging Harrison Ford who’s all but retired about to hit the screen.
http://www.futureosophy.blogspot.com
Two words, Robert Downey! He nailed both roles, Stark and Iron Man. Great acting, directing and EFX. Very faithful to the comic book. A sequel is a certainty. Oh, and did you catch Stan Lee as HEF?
I always knew they should have nominated The Lord of the Rings Part I and II, but they did not, and all 3 movies were the same quality. The fans are not too far away from the truth. The Academy failed with the Oscar that Denzel got from Traning Day when John Q was a far superior movie and he should have got the Oscar for his out of this world performance. Buy the academy gave it for acting as a bad guy, which to me was not anything out of the norm. But that is how the academy is. So I hope that if Iron Man deserves it, gets nominated and let it be.
Unfortunately, Johnny Depp’s nomination for “Pirates” seems to be the exception rather than the rule.
I would also like to see some of the summer blockbusters and bigger movies in general get some Oscar love, not so much because it might make more people watch the Oscars, but because there is some genuinely brilliant work shining through all the spectacle.
I 100% agree with Jim that “Bourne Ultimatum”, “Casino Royale” and “Batman Begins” deserved some Oscar noms in major categories. Back in the day, movies like “Jaws”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Fugitive” could get nominated for Best Picture.
I don’t know if I’d nominate “Iron Man” for “Best Picture”, but if, at the end of the year, it stands up as one of the stronger movies, I’d love to see it get a nod over the token British period piece, or token quirky indie.
Also, Downey Jr. WAS fantastic and award-worthy playing every aspect of Stark.
Ken Tucker you speak the truth (as well as the previous commentors).
If only the Academy were “taking this seriously”! A nomination for Iron Man and The Dark Knight would be beyond awesome.
There shouldn’t be exception, a movie is a movie, but the academy (and don’t get me wrong, I did love some movie nominated at the Oscar) seems to be sucking all the fun from the Oscar!!! Generally, it seems the more depressing a movie is, the more chance it has to be nominated! In my humble opinion, Batman Begins was excellent, and so was Iron Man, pure fun, entertainment, story telling and acting that should be recognize!! (And I have this crush on Robert Downey Jr. since a long time, but that is getting off of the subject…)
I AGREE I AGREE!!
Along with having the Oscar Ballot-Caster people watch movies, they should also read EW/EW.com!!!! The Oscars would be sooooooo much better!!
Robert Downey, Jr. should get more respect from the Academy. So does Christian Bale, I have like them both since the beginning of time, but since they are both still constantly working, I really don’t think that either cares about that stuff.
Here is what the academy has boiled down to, the nominations equals more theatre expansions, therefore more money, whether the movies are worth the hype or not, people will go see them at least once to make up their minds. You academy voters, you devils you!
Robert Downey and Gywneth Paltrow were fantastic in Iron Man. I agree that Matt Damon deserves an award for the Bourne films, too. The guy was brilliant.
Ken Tucker for President! (Ceballos as running mate)
Absolutely it should, but not sure it will – even if deserved. I see more recognition likely being given for acting performances than for the movie itself, which is too bad because there is inevitable overbias for the traditional Academy darlings in lieu of the the occasional action movie that warrants best picture consideration. Along the same lines, the same should hold true for animation. I personally thought Ratatoille was the best picture last year. But that’s probably blasphemy.
Very simply… the Academy needs more categories! Note how many categories the Emmys and Grammys have…millions! Yes, the Academy DID add best animated film a decade or so ago. But they need a “best comedy” category and a “best action adventure” category.
Definately! Depp was robbed in the first Pirates movie!
I agree that comic/action/adventure films should be considered for Oscar nods, but I think it would kind of be a snub to Tobey Maguire and Christian Bale, if Robert Downey Jr. was the first to be nominated for one. However, I had no plans to see Iron Man and after I went with my dad, I was pleasantly surprised by how awesome and funny it was. And I usually don’t even like Gwyneth and she was also very enjoyable. Although I wish Terrence Howard didn’t have to play such a tight ass dork.
this was the best movie ever and i think this movie deserves 5 occars and alot more
Al Fredo-
If thinking that “Ratatouille” was last year’s best picture is blasphemy, then I’m at least as big a blasphemer as you.
http://whatjohnceballosthinks.blogspot.com/2008/02/johns-top-11-movies-of-2007.html
I knew the day Heath Ledger died that he’d be getting a Best Supporting Actor nomination next year for playing the Joker. I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t, and the dang movie hasn’t even come out yet — But if he were still alive, he wouldn’t have a chance. In the past few years, the Academy has developed an opinion of Commercial = Bad.
Well, Downey deserved an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor last year in Zodiac, and he was snubbed for that, so I would love to see him nominated for Iron Man, he was really good.
The Acadamy lost a lot of credibility with Crash, it’ll take awhile to earn that back.
Wierd! My friend that I went to see iron Man with on Sunday and I were talking about this. If Oscar wants more viewers they need to at least nominate actors and movies that the general public will go see, not just industry types and film buffs. RDJ should really be nominated for his work in Iron Man. So should the Director. Well done guys, well done!
I think it’s funny that a few weeks ago Mark Harris made some summer movie predictions including one about weeks and months of Heath Ledger Oscar buzz ending with the movie finally opening.
Ken Tucker, did you two plan this?
I also went to see Ironman on the weekend, and have to say that I honestly can’t remember being more entertained at a movie in many many years. Isn’t entertainment what movies are for anyway? Definitely nominate Robert Downey Jr.
Ironman was awesome – but mostly because of Robert Downey Jr. – he has come back from the brink – he has paid his dues – and his performance was Oscar quality – hopefully, he will get nominated instead of some indy film actor that only a few in hollywood think is great. How long has it been since a movie made $100M + in one weekend? It is about time we had some quality entertainment but it wouldn’t happen without quality actors like Robert Downey Jr. I look forward to the sequels!
Agreed, and I also think that it is time for a few new categories – especially best comedy. It would be a disaster to get too detailed like the Grammys, but a few extra categories would be really beneficial.
I honestly had not planned on seeing Iron Man, but now I’m seriously reconsidering (not in the least because I adore Robert Downey Jr…one of the most entertaining actors out there, IMO).
Saw a preview this weekend for The Incredible Hulk and I’m VERY excited to see my future husband Edward Norton knock it out of the park.
To Chris: Actually, Lord of the Rings 1 and 2 were in fact nominated for Best Picture. LOTR 1 was a hot contender to win, but it lost out to A Beautiful Mind – still don’t agree with that choice…
The Best Picture noms of all three LOTR films is one of the few things the Academy has done right lately. Otherwise, their general snubbing of great “action movies” like Batman Begins and The Bourne Ultimatum is dead wrong. Here’s hoping this year’s incredibly low rated Oscars will finally wake them up, and awesome films like Iron Man and (hopefully) The Dark Knight will finally get nominated, and RDJ and Ledger will get noms too.
And BTW, I totally agree that Ratatouille was the best film of last year.
For the better part of 2 years I’ve been keeping tabs on this project. I had already made up my mind that there was no way with Downey playing Stark this could work…..boy was I wrong. I attended a premire show Thurs. night and was totally blown away. Time for the “Academy” to come down to Earth and see what the people who spend the money that fuels their industry see, and start showing some recognition where it count.