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Saddled with an absurdly overlong running time, Iron Man suffers from an uneven and increasingly oppressive structure that ultimately negates the film's few positive attributes (ie star Robert Downey Jr's expectedly fantastic performance). Director Jon Favreau - working from Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway's screenplay - has infused the proceedings with a refreshingly down-to-earth sensibility that admittedly suits the material quite well, yet there's little doubt that the continued emphasis on superfluous sequences ensures that the whole thing hardly moves at the brisk pace one justifiably might've anticipated. And while the movie - which follows billionaire playboy Tony Stark (Downey Jr) as he drops his narcissistic persona to become crime-fighting superhero Iron Man after a near-death experience at the hands of terrorists - is undoubtedly a cut above such egregiously underwhelming summer fare as Transformers and Live Free or Die Hard, it does become increasingly difficult to recall a more disappointing big-budget extravaganza given the effectiveness of the cast and premise. That the film primarily possesses the feel of a first cut surely stands out as its most glaring deficiency, as Favreau includes an almost unconscionable number of sequences in which Downey Jr works on (and tweaks) the his character's super-powered suit. There's only so much one can take before such moments start to become repetitive and (eventually) interminable, and it does seem clear that the movie would've benefited from some seriously judicious bouts of editing (ie the entire opening hour could've easily been compressed into a blisteringly-paced fifteen minutes). There are highlights, of course - including the uniformly strong performances and a marvelous sequence detailing Iron Man's initial foray as a global crime-stopper - but it's inevitably impossible to view Iron Man as anything more than a missed opportunity (and that final battle is as overblown and tedious as one might've feared).

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Based on the cult '60s anime series, Speed Racer boasts as over-the-top a visual style as one could possibly imagine - with filmmaking duo Larry and Andy Wachowski infusing the proceedings with an eye-meltingly colorful sensibility that will surely polarize the majority of audiences. And indeed, it does take a substantial amount of time for one to get acclimatized to the film's unapologetically cartoonish look - a process that's undoubtedly hindered by the almost impossibly convoluted storytelling and downright hyperkinetic editing choices. Yet there reaches a point at which one is essentially forced to surrender to the Wachowskis insanely broad modus operandi, with the relentlessly propulsive structure and surprisingly strong performances certainly playing a key role in the film's ultimate success. The relatively simple storyline - which follows Emile Hirsch's title character as he attempts to overcome several obstacles to win a pivotal race - has, however, been augmented with a whole host of needless elements that have absolutely no place within the context of such a family-friendly endeavor, with the oddly difficult-to-follow subplot revolving around race fixing and corporate malfeasance surely the most overt and egregious example of this. It's subsequently not surprising to note that Speed Racer's 135 minute running time (!) has been padded out to an almost absurd degree, although - to be fair - there are a number of compelling sequences peppered even throughout the movie's lackluster opening hour (ie a gleefully ridiculous fight scene between Speed's extended family - which includes a chimp - and a small army of ninjas). That being said, one's dwindling interest is successfully resuscitated thanks to a thrilling mid-movie race that ultimately carries the proceedings through to its unexpectedly engaging finale - with the end result an overlong yet undeniably innovative piece of work that surely demands a big-screen viewing.

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Hopelessly uneven virtually from start to finish, What Happens in Vegas primarily wavers between obnoxious, sitcom-level hijinks and sweet, surprisingly romantic interludes - with the end result a slightly above-average romcom that's ultimately felled by its plethora of negative attributes. The storyline revolves around two strangers (Cameron Diaz's Joy and Ashton Kutcher's Jack) who get hitched during a drunken night of partying in Vegas and wake up determined to get the marriage annulled, with Jack's $3 million victory at the slot machines a short time later swiftly putting an end to that plan. After a judge sentences them to live together for six months, Jack and Joy proceed to make one another's lives a living hell through a seemingly endless series of pranks and cruel games of one-upmanship. Though the film gets off to a relatively promising start - the first reel is kind of fun and moves at a brisk pace - there reaches a point at which the central characters' relentless bickering becomes as tedious and interminable as one might've suspected. That both Diaz and Kutcher dial their respective performances up to a headache-inducing 11 during this section of the proceedings certainly doesn't help matters, as the actors' increasingly grating work inevitably infuses What Happens in Vegas' midsection with a nigh unwatchable vibe. And while the movie does improve as it drops the over-the-top shenanigans to briefly morph into a more traditional romantic comedy, there's an entirely needless fake break-up towards the conclusion that effectively brings the proceedings to a dead stop - with the viewer forced to suffer through an eye-rollingly hackneyed third act (albeit one that's topped off by an unexpectedly touching finale). What Happens in Vegas is hardly the worst film of its sort to come around in recent history - ie last week's Made of Honor was certainly far more objectionable than this - yet one can't help but wonder if there's anything of interest left to say within this increasingly stale genre.

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For the most part, The Ice Harvest generally comes off as an effective adaptation of Scott Phillips' admittedly superior novel - as screenwriters Richard Russo and Robert Benton retain many of the more memorable elements within Phillips' work (including the off-kilter structure and emphasis on unlikable characters). John Cusack stars as Charlie, a shady lawyer who teams up with a strip-club owner (Billy Bob Thornton's Vic) to rip off a local mobster - with complications ensuing after said mobster learns of the pair's efforts. There's little doubt that The Ice Harvest fares best in its opening hour, as director Harold Ramis' inability to sustain a consistent tone grows increasingly problematic as the film progresses - with the inclusion of a needlessly upbeat conclusion certainly not doing the proceedings any favors. This unevenness hardly proves disastrous, however, and it's ultimately impossible to deny the effectiveness of many of the film's attributes (ie Oliver Platt's hilarious turn as one of Charlie's bumbling cohorts). And while the movie is a far cry from its various cinematic cousins - ie Fargo - The Ice Harvest is a low-key, sporadically enthralling effort that should satisfy fans of Phillips' book.

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