FILM
Iron Man
The delightful and well-crafted Iron Man, based on the Marvel Comics franchise, is one of the smartest superhero films to come down the pike in some time.

Robert Downey Jr. again reveals why he is one of the best actors of his generation â€" allowing himself simultaneously to be playful and poignant as he adds enormous depth to the title role.
Unlike so many previous big-screen incarnations of a Marvel icon, Downey has carved out his own interpretation of Tony Stark/Iron Man, and yet he delivers on the established premise of the character â€" so as not to disappoint Iron Man’s legions of fans. PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content. Four Stars â€" Bill Zwecker
[Century Olympia: 11 a.m., noon, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Also Fr-Sun 10 a.m.; Galaxy Tacoma 6: noon, 12:55, 2:35, 3:35, 5:10, 7, 7:45, 9:40, 10:20.; Galaxy Uptown Theatre: Fri-Thurs, May 8 11 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1, 1:40, 2, 4, 4:30, 4:50, 7, 7:20, 7:40, 9:45, 10:05, 10:20.; Galaxy Uptown Theatre VIP: 1, 4, 7, 9:45.; Lakewood Cinema 15: 11 a.m., noon, 12:30, 1, 1:30, 2, 3, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5, 6, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8, 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30. Also Fri-Sun 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11, 12 a.m., 12:30 a.m.; Lakewood Towne Center 12: 1, 1:30, 4, 4:30, 7, 7:30, 10, 10:30; Longston Place 14: 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., noon, 1, 1:30, 2, 2:30, 3, 4, 4:30, 5, 6, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8, 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30. Also Fri-Sun 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11, 12 a.m., 12:30 a.m.; Regal Martin Village 16: 11 a.m., 12:30, 1, 1:30, 2, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8, 9:30, 10, 10:30. Also Fri-Sun 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11, 12:30 a.m.; Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: 12:10, 12:35, 3, 3:45, 6, 6:35, 8:45, 9:15]

MULTIMEDIA
Voice of the Americas
Local poet Lucas Smiraldo teams up with Seattle-based jazz composer Wrick Wolff for a spoken-word symphony titled Voice of the Americas. Smiraldo examines historical events from the last half of the century through the viewpoints of famous Americans. Ten local performers will channel Smiraldo’s words, which don’t pull any punches, through historical figures such as Che Guevara, Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, set to Wolff’s jazz, blues and world beat soundtrack.

Throw your tired history book in the trashcan. Voice of the Americas will blow your mind. â€" Michael Swan 

[Theatre on the Square, 7:30 p.m., $15, 905 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894, www.broadwaycenter.org]

MULTIMEDIA
Train
Tacoma's Barefoot Studios is staging a dance-theater show called Train. Josephine and Paul Zmolek researched the Depression-era train jumpers and hobos who would cross the nation on their way to finding better lives and employment in distant states. This workforce on the move got Zmolek thinking about the current flow of workers found in the illegal immigrant community and the political climate that surrounds them.  They set the two concepts to dance and added local artists as the background. Full story here. â€" Steve Dunkelberger
[Barefoot Studios, Friday, May 2-Saturday, May 3 8 p.m., $18, 1604 Center St., Tacoma, 253.627.2273]

LINK: The Bombadil Project and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: Let’s eat steak today.