Jon Favreau directingIron Man and starring Robert Downey Jr. was all I needed to hear to get excited about this movie. When the trailer came out, it just raised my hopes even higher. His portrayal of Tony Stark as a self-centered alcoholic billionaire looked pitch-perfect — And I’m happy to say that the movie doesn’t disappoint. First of all, the balance between humor and drama is well-done. (In particular, the scenes where he tests the armor in his garage with his robot assistants are priceless.) Secondly, they nailed the story arc for Tony – he starts out as completely irredeemable, and by the time he puts on the armor, you understand the transition he’s been through. It’s believable. Finally, Jeff “The Dude” Bridges as Obediah Stane was an unexpected but brilliant bit of casting. All in all, it was great. I can’t recommend it strongly enough. Oh, and be sure you stay through the credits!