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IRONMAN: from the ongoing comments at Nikke Finke's Deadline Hollywood article, and that site's report about IRONMAN's big opening weekend box office, it looks like this is a really enjoyable film.

I am particularly fond of Robert Downey, Jr.'s work -- who stars in IRONMAN as "Tony Stark" -- so reading from so many who have already seen this film, as to just what a successful performance Downey's provided in the lead, is great. The film's dialogue (screenplay by Hawk Ostby) is said to be entertaining and lively, so Downey's keen abilities in those regards appears to not have gone wasted here.

Also from the comments at Finke's site, the film does not dive into the "anti American" pratfall as to our military, our nation, the nature of weaponry, although, of course, true to Stan Lee's IRONMAN Marvel story-line, the entire character of Tony Stark is based upon a man who creates and then is forced to manipulate the use of military weaponry along with his role in the industry of weaponry. Hollywood, to-date, has persisted in a foolish effort in authoring ongoing negative stereotypes about the United States of America, especially as to our military, so reading the enthusiasm in the comments at DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD from many who identify as "Conservative," who have now seen IRONMAN and enjoyed it far above the average film, is good news, good news, indeed.

I never had my doubts about Downey's abilities to fulfill and excell in this role, however, contrary to what I read a year or so ago when news of him cast as IRONMAN, Tony Stark, first began perking. The man's truly talented and a sober Downey more than deserves to be back on top. The Tony Stark lead character and role are compelling -- I have always been a fan of the IRONMAN comic series for these reasons -- and it looks like, finally, a credible, enjoyable film has been made. So, go see IRONMAN -- I will, soon.

Very, very entertaining and funny broadcast, last night's THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO with Russell Crowe guesting, an uncomfortable Larry the Cable Guy joining later, and wrapped with an endearing musical performance by Willie Nelson.

From website CONSTANT CROWE, there are media files of the entire broadcast -- Crowe's appearance is concentrated in files 02 and 03.

Leno02142008-01a.wmv (78MB) [Monologue]
Leno02142008-01b.wmv (82MB) [Opening]
Leno02142008-02.wmv (43MB) [Russell - Part One]
Leno02142008-03.wmv (54MB) [Russell - Part Two]
Leno02142008-04.wmv (69MB) [Larry The Cable Guy - Russell also appears]
Leno02142008-05.wmv (30MB) [Willie Nelson and Russell appears for close]

I tried uploading the downloaded files to my server but it was like waiting for a snail to cross an asphalt highway -- I have no idea why because I have a huge amount of as-yet unused bandwidth and FTP capability. So, I've linked to them, as above, which I hope will be alright and viewed easily by trafficking over to Constant Crowe.

Speaking of Russell Crowe, he's been named as one of three Ambassadors for Sydney, Australia -- Crowe will be featured in a media campaign in the U.S. later this year to promote Sydney, Australia.

And, the DVD for AMERICAN GANGSTER is due out in a few more days. I have not yet seen this film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington (weighty interview with the two actors here), but am looking forward to the DVD (purchase and) viewing after reading such great press about the film -- though I'd have purchased the DVD anyway, whatever the press, based upon it being Scott's work with Crowe and Washington, either/or or any.

Another film starring Crowe --- 3:10 TO YUMA -- was out on DVD a month or more ago and what a film it is. Remarkable to see Crowe play a truly bad man, though honest to a point of near chivalry of sorts. Christian Bale, also starring, is equally remarkable as a vulnerable but heroic, stoic struggling rancher in the 1880's Old West in relationship both antagonistically and sympathetically to Crowe's villian. Supporting Actor Ben Foster, too, is not to be missed, does an exceptionaly job as an utterly snarly junior-bad-man as sidekick to Crowe's villianry.

The production quality of 3:10 TO YUMA is genuine and exceptionally well done accordingly -- the lighting is especially dear, as is the very accurate degree of ranch-worn working rural wear of all the characters: very well done, no betrayals by contemporary cosmetics in site.

I've yet to see any film starring Crowe that I haven't bought on DVD and enjoyed about as much as any I could and have, including the odd A GOOD YEAR, despite the critical bans of that lighter-weight tale. Crowe's a fine actor and continues to renew my faith in filmmaking and filmmakers.

Speaking of which, I read a February 11, 2008 interview with Ridley Scott -- probably my most admired, favored film director and producer and certainly an incredibly prolific artist what with the ongoing spate of excellent, unique titles he has and continues to direct and/or produce -- and Scott is now prepping to make ROBIN HOOD starring Russell Crowe as none other than Robin Hood. Should be lively! And wonderful, I'm thinking! 'Can barely manage to wait for that one. He and Crowe have just wrapped the production of BODY OF LIES co-starring Leonard DiCaprio, so, Crowe's a busy guy! So is Scott, by the way.

Thank Heaven our world with us in it has these wonderful artists, each and every one of them.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) West and East (WGA-e), are on strike. The union membership represents most writers who create the words -- screenplays, scripts -- from whence feature films and television programs are produced. The nemesis is the producers -- referred to as "the moguls," people who are, for most intents and purposes, the studios, the organizations that finance and make the physical process of production and later distribution possible for the films and television programs that began with -- and earn their money from use of -- the scripts.

Nikke Finke has about the best, up-to-the-minute coverage of the entire process ("On The Line - Strike News As It Happens" Part I and Part II) -- the strike itself, the daily discussions that are identified, the experiences of the writers along with many shared comments from the other production and studio people also affected -- from mostly the WGA, the writers', perspectives. There are a few "union heavy" or "thug" type comments here and there from obviously Leftwing socialist union members of the WGA, but for the most part, the comments shared by WGA members in Finke's comments section have been decent, informative, level and reasonable.

At stake in the strike is the residual income the WGA seeks from "new media" -- media streaming on the internet from work they've created -- and this issue is significant to the moguls because as goes the WGA configuration now if the strike is resolved, will also go the other unions in the entertaiment industry, specifically the Screen Actors Guild, if not all the others involved (crafts, Teamsters, all areas).

Unfortunately, the WGA has to work against (deserved) anti-union sentiments in the nation, and, a degree of disgruntled lack of sympathy from consumers (also deserved), due to the ongoing "bad product" of the last few years emanating from the entertainment industry. Many Americans, mostly, are well fed-up with the overwhelming "blame America first" range of films from Hollywood and the writers are taking most of the blame for that in the public eye so far.

A lot of writers, however, maintain that they are not responsible for the bad product of late -- that they write what they're asked to write, what the studios (those "moguls") expect, what they deem will sell and that is mostly blood, gore, destruction and anti-American screed.

I both agree with the writers and disagree -- I'm not keen on the entire concept nor functionality of unions but in this specific case, writers in the entertainment industry, the WGA as a union not only makes sense but is necessary. Also, WGA members have to support themselves and their dependents on per-project basis -- they're what the rest of us refer to as "independent contractors" and they have to maintain their own health insurance and retirement funds -- and very few of them are the big-money earners that the media makes the most of as to income news. They also must write scripts that someone is willing to purchase the use of; their ongoing source of income through non-active project times is the residual money they earn from rebroadcasts of films and television made with use of their words, and this residual income security is a benefit established by the union and wouldn't exist without a union effort involved.

But, as long as the anti-American screed standard persists among the moguls, that's what the writers create, or so the writers say. However, I wonder if but what the screed standard that is the problem for many of us consumers is actually the shared sentiment of a bad and badly affected industry.

On practical terms, I'd like to believe the writers are not responsible for the bad product but then there are the comments that persist on Finke's website from those antagonistic socialist WGA members, that seem to promote antagonism of capitalism as the primary issue -- if not of the strike, certainly now to continue one. Thus, I wonder just to what extent the entire entertainment industry remains respectable.

Once in a while, a really good if not great feature film comes along and a few times a year we get a remarkable broadcast on a television series, but otherwise, I find myself wondering if the vast majority of the film industry shouldn't be off applying for work elsewhere. Obviously, it's time for a change in the arrangements that keep many people pushing the negativity on the rest of us and thinking it's worth our dollars.