Sci-fi adventure. 2008. 120 min. With Robert Downey Jnr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow. Director: Jon Favreau. 10LSV.
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Jeremy Morrison
Cocky billionaire playboy and arms manufacturer Tony Stark (Downey) has a change of heart about his work after he’s abducted in Afghanistan and forced to build missiles for a mysterious organisation.
He secretly builds a powerful suit he uses to fight his way to freedom. Disillusioned by his first-hand experience of the destruction his company’s weapons cause, he builds a new, sleeker armoured costume and, as Iron Man, sets out to destroy the weapons. But every hero must face a villain - and Stark’s turns out to be one of his oldest allies.
With its award-winning cast the movie has a better pedigree than most superhero adventures and balances slick action with warm, humorous performances, especially from Downey and Paltrow, his put-upon PA.
Special features: deleted and extended scenes. Look out for the two-disc edition with four hours of featurettes on everything from the making of the film to the history of the comic-book character.
CONFESSIONS OF A GAMBLER
Drama. 2008. 87 min. With Rayda Jacobs, Abeeda Scello and Ganief Marais. Director: Amanda Lane. 13L.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Willem Möller
Based on Rayda Jacobs’ award-winning 2003 novel this film set in Cape Town tells the story of a proud middle-aged Muslim woman, Abeeda, who develops a crippling gambling addiction after her son dies of Aids. To add to the drama Abeeda is attracted to her sister’s husband.
The film could have done with tighter direction. But it’s worth seeing for the mesmerising portrayal of addiction and Jacobs’ fantastic performance as Abeeda. Her monumental on-screen presence brings every scene to life as she shows she’s at least as good an actress as a writer. Special features: none.
