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Last we saw Iron Man Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) the world was in store for a new hero; one man that could clean up terrorism, take down evil doers worldwide, and single-handedly deliver world peace. But with great acts of heroism comes a price. Now with pressure from the government, other competitors, and personal medical issues, the narcissistic playboy hero must make new alliances in order to thwart the powers that be and stop the new threat of Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke). Vanko is a talented Russian physicist and son of one of the early inventors of the arc reactor, the technology that gives the Iron Man suit its power. And, what about the women in Tony’s life, how will his personal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and legal assistant Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson) get along, and just what exactly are their motivations for staying so close? Poised to kick off the summer blockbuster season Iron Man 2 offers plenty of bang for your buck in action sequences and cgi graphics. Performance wise, Downey Jr. continues on his streak of well played parts and has fun chemistry with Paltrow. Don Cheadle and Sam Rockwell add nice spice to the lineup as well; but, an underutilized Rourke leaves the viewer feeling perhaps a little less impressed in the villain department. Don’t get me wrong, Rourke is great in his role, I just wish we saw more of him. Other small roles played by Gary Shandling as a U.S. Senator, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury also round things out nicely. From a screenplay perspective I’m sorry to say there’s not a lot of new material to work with here nor is there anything terribly inventive about how the events of this film play out. It does everything you expect of it, but not a lot else. Bottom line, fun, yes, inventive, no. Worth your dollar? If you liked the first one, you’ll probably enjoy this one too, and remember to sit through all the credits for an extra treat. Iron Man 2 is rated PG-13.

2009 Oscar winner for best foreign film, The Secret in Their Eyes is the story of Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darin), a recently retired federal justice agent who decides to write a book about an unsolved case that continues to bother him 25 years later. In the process of writing the novel Esposito convinces the secret love of his life and coworker Irene (Soledad Villamil) to give him all information regarding the sealed case. Digging further Esposito attempts to solve the case once and for all, ampoule perhaps as catharsis and perhaps as a way into the heart of Irene. Regardless of his intentions, life changing discoveries are about to be made.
Many moving parts in the screenplay keep this murder mystery romance thriller moving forward and the audience on edge right up until its satisfying end. Admittedly, things are a bit confusing at first; but, the further we are immersed in Esposito’s flashbacks and recounting of events, the better our understanding of the overall story arcs become. Meanwhile sharp acting also plays out nicely showing real depth to the characters as they age throughout the film. Truly a gem of melodrama and worth your time if you enjoy foreign film. The Secret in Their Eyes is rated R.