Iron Man 3

    I was concerned with this latest installment of the Iron Man series. Since Iron Man 2  there has been Avengers Assemble, and I was very intrigued with how they were going to integrate that film into Tony Stark's history within his own franchise.
    I found myself rather pleased with how it was done. Iron Man 3 was a kind of sequel to Avengers Assemble. Stark finds himself to be suffering from anxiety and panic attacks brought on by what he had to go through in the Avengers. The fact that none of the other Avengers were in the film was also handled well, as Iron Man wasn't saving the world, but saving himself and the people he loved. It was made a personal vendetta.
    The villians matched Stark in humour and stage presence. Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian and the brilliant Ben Kingsley as The fearsome Mandarin were excellent.
   Although probably not as good as the previous two installments in the franchise, Iron Man 3 still hit all the right spots for any fan of the comic book hero. Remember to stay to the end of the credits, as there's a funny scene that should not be missed.

For fans of Iron Man, comedy and an action packed ride.

Stars ***

Bernie

   In my opinion Jack Black  has struggled in recent years to star in anything even half decent. Films such as Year One and Gulliver's Travels were big disappointments, so I almost passed up on Bernie.                              
   However, that would have been a mistake, as Bernie is a very good film based on a true story about an assistant funeral director who strikes up a companionship with a mean wealthy widow, played by Shirley MacLaine, in the small town of Carthage, Texas. Her meanness towards him leads towards her death by his hands and he goes to great lengths to cover up her death. 
   Jack Black is excellent as the incredibly friendly and slightly camp Bernie and there are other good roles from the likes of Matthew McConaughey. Bernie is funny, intriguing and actually quite a sad film. It is good to see Jack Black still has the ability to act and pick films with substance.

For fans of Jack Black, true stories and slightly camp expressions.

Stars ****