Theme Week

A Better Batman

/ / Movie Reviews, Theme Week
  • Title: The Dark Knight
  • IMDB: link

“Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Christian Bale returns to the role of Bruce Wayne, and his pointy-eared alter-ego Batman.  The sequel takes place months after the end of Batman Begins.  Batman and Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) have been busy squeezing the Gotham mob, and with the help of the golden-haired District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), they hope to make real changes in Gotham.

However, there’s a new player in town.  A psychotic mystery man named the Joker (Heath Ledger) who, after robbing them blind, offers his services to Gotham’s crime families to kill the Batman.

There’s so much to discuss.  And I haven’t even mentioned the love triangle between Bruce, Harvey and Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal, taking over the role Katie Holmes played in Batman Begins) or the in-fighting among the mob, or the cops on the take.  Whew!  The film is a bit long at 152 minutes, however it’s also chocked-full of plot; there’s barely a wasted moment.  This is the Batman movie fans have been clamouring for.  I’m betting good money that more than one fanboy will wet himself.

…

A Better BatmanRead More »

A Better Batman Read More »

Our ‘Knight’ In Shining Armor

/ / Movie Reviews, Theme Week
  • Title: The Dark Knight
  • IMDB: link

Though there are plenty unsure of him, it’s made clear at the beginning of The Dark Knight that Batman (Christian Bale) has done a lot to clean up Gotham since the events in 2005’s Batman Begins.  But he never saw a foe as strange and evolved as the Joker (who you are probably pretty aware was played by the late Heath Ledger).  Like a virus that evolves to survive the new antibiotics that is Batman, he’s a permutation of the typical criminal unpredictable, gets results and worst of all, seems immune to the power and threats of the Caped Crusader.

It makes for terrible timing – it was just looking like the day Bruce Wayne could quit his night job was within sight, with the newly elected Gotham District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) looking like a serious figure to unwaveringly enforce the law onto a corrupt city.  A real man to serve the city is going to be easier to follow than a grown man playing dress-up.  But by the time the Joker settles into front page news, it’s clear that Gotham’s never been worse off.

…

Our ‘Knight’ In Shining ArmorRead More »

Our ‘Knight’ In Shining Armor Read More »

The Dark Knight

/ / Movie Reviews, Theme Week
  • Title: The Dark Knight
  • IMDB: link

“Why… so… serious?”

In a summer of super heroes and villains both on screen and off screen The Dark Knight rises above and knocks all of them off the charts. This film will stand the test of time going darker and deeper into a world of crime and punishment than anybody ever has for a comic book film. The Dark Crusader (Christian Bale) holds on to what little humanity he has through his close companions Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), if not for them he would loose all compassion and be swallowed into his own mask of self-pity and battling ego.

Alfred, is life time friend and butler, keeps it real, he reminds Bruce Wayne from time to time that causalities occur and it’s his role as Batman to endure and move on. Sometimes you have to accept the loss of a few innocents to save the masses. Lucius is Bruce’s right-hand man at both running his company and building him the most recent vehicles, uniforms and gadgets to keep Batman safe on the streets of Gotham. Lucius also does a great job of reminding Bruce when he is crossing over into territory that goes too far in the name of saving Gotham City and its residence.

…

The Dark KnightRead More »

The Dark Knight Read More »

Batman Begin Again!

/ / Movie Reviews, Theme Week
  • Title: Batman Begins
  • IMDB: link

Diehard fans of The Dark Knight have long since given up on a cinematic treatment that gives us a definitive Batman.  We all long to forget Adam West’s camp-o-rama, Burton’s Batman was just weird and violated some central tenets of the Batman mythology, and Schumacher?  Well, the less said the better. (Two words: Bat Nipples).  So news that Christopher Nolan was giving us a Batman: Year One tinged reboot of the series was met with equal anticipation and dread.  Nolan is certainly a genre-fan favorite, considering the success of Memento, but he’s otherwise unproven, and the superhero film is not an easy one to get right.

…

Batman Begin Again!Read More »

Batman Begin Again! Read More »

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

/ / Home Video, Theme Week
  • Title: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
  • IMDB: link

“I need it to be different now.  I know I made a promise, but I didn’t see this coming.  I didn’t count on being happy.”

The return of Bruce Wayne’s (Kevin Conroy) lost love (Dana Delany) to Gotham and the arrival of a new mysterious villain are the ingredients to what is, at least so far, the best Batman film ever made.

Taking pieces from both Frank Miller’s Barman: Year One and Mike Barr’s Batman: Year Two this animated flick gives us a new villain for Batman to fight and ghosts from the past which must be confronted.  The best scenes of the film involve the flashbacks of Bruce Wayne weighing his new feelings for Andrea (Delany) versus the vow he made to his parents.  Of all the Batman movies made Mask of the Phantasm does the best job of capturing the continually tortured soul of Bruce Wayne on screen.

Also included are flashbacks scenes of Bruce Wayne’s first night out as a vigilante, with missed success (something missing from Batman Begins) and a look back at the first moment Bruce Wayne donned his famous costume in one of the best Batman scenes ever.  Neither Tim Burton nor Christopher Nolan have given us anything as perfect in this simple shadow non-reveal reveal of Batman’s first appearance.

…

Batman: Mask of the PhantasmRead More »

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Read More »