In theatres: Iron Man 3, rated PG-13

A comic book action hero, translated to the big screen, should produce a film worthy of many bags of popcorn consumed without noticing while eyes are glued to the story. Marvel’s Iron Man 3 delivers in this regard. Robert Downey Jr.—as industrialist Tony Stark and superhero Iron Man—drives the movie, combining wit, deep self doubt and the brashness you expect. It all starts when villains destroy his personal world and he sets out to find those responsible for the heinous crime. Through quips, introspection and action, Downey delivers perhaps the best performance of the franchise, with the story hanging on a single, simple question: does the suit make the man or vice versa? The pitch is so refined, you easily forget the pulp fiction aspect. For fans of the other comic book riffs, Iron Man 3 is very much worth a look.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall

 – Also playing at Sidney’s Fox Theatre is 42, rated PG-13