Iron Man 2

So it has been a few weeks since I had time to post. Work piled on plus I was sick for the last 2 weeks, life was a bunch of suck. However, an event that I attended a few days ago was so awesome, I need to put it out here.

Iron Man 2. Ever since Iron Man came out a few years ago, I have been looking forward to the next chapter of the story. The movie mostly delivered on its promise of bigger action and grand ideas, trying to develop a world that The Avengers and the individual movies for each comic book series will exist in. And I would guess that is the main issue. Iron Man 2 seemed more concerned with fleshing out the Avengers universe and less with developing a short term story (as in to the end of the movie). I enjoyed the movie on a whole though, the action was fantastic, the actors did a good job all around, and the direction was solid. I would have gone a different direction on the script, focused more on his father, and how their relationship influenced Tony to do what he is doing now.

This post is more about the experience surrounding seeing the movie. On Thursday a friend of mine sent me a message telling me that Jon Favreau had just posted on his twitter page that a special screening was to take place in Austin on Tuesday, the 27th. The first 200 people to RSVP via the form supplied were to get a invite, though this RSVP would not guarantee a seat in the theater, so we would need to show up early.

After thinking about it for all of 3 seconds, I submitted the form, and waited to see if I would get a response. I later heard that it spread around the Internet quickly, and within the first 30 minutes it was way past the limit. One came very late on Monday night, around 6:30, and my friend and his girlfriend also each got one. After considering it for a few hours, I called in sick to work, and we made plans to meet up at the theater.

I left around 9AM on Tuesday, and headed up to Austin to the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse. I got there around 10:30, read my book and listened to music for a few hours, and when my friends showed up went to get something to eat. After a visit to the comic store and getting soaked by gutter water splashed from a fucking bus, we got in line to await our Iron Man 2 destiny.

As more people showed up, we started talking to some of the people in the line. Several cool people were there, and we ended up having some quality conversation. The dude behind the three of us mentioned that there was a rumor on twitter a Tyler Stout Iron Man 2 poster was to be sold at 5pm before the show. My buddy started geeking out, and with good reason. Tyler Stout is a fucking awesome artist, and often does work commissioned by the Drafthouse.

Just before 5pm, we 3 went into the theater to check out the Mondo Tees store front, and low and behold, Iron Man 2 poster. We got in line, I got a single normal one, my buddy bought two, normal and variant, his girlfriend did the same. After packing away our purchases, we got tickets and waited in the lobby line. It was around this time that the Paramount security guys started showing up in the theater, and making announcements that people would not be allowed to bring any device that can take a picture(i.e. most cell phones), and to leave them in their car. Around 6:30 we were scanned with wands and shuffled into the theater, and with the reserved seats for the press, only about 80-100 people who waited in line got in.

We then proceeded to wait in the theater for a unknown amount of time, as no one had a cell phone, and who needs a watch?? :). At some point, the theater darkened, and well, this happened. As promised, my left ear was a bit deaf for a while. The movie then started, and while I have my issues with it, mentioned above, it was a rocking good time and I plan on seeing it again.