Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

So, I actually wrote this review right after Batman v Superman was released and quickly became to busy to remember to post it. Now, I've remembered, and you get to recall your feelings toward this film. 

Isn't that nice?!?

Expectations:

Disaster of the year?... Possibly. Disaster of the decade?... Probably. 

Batman is my favorite superhero (by a large margin), and I truly adore the Nolan-directed Dark Knight trilogy, which deserves as much praise as it can possibly receive, critical or otherwise. Nolan changed all superhero movies... forever! Even Marvel wants to be a little bit darker! But, they will never be able to touch the baddies of Nolan's Bat-universe. Regardless, there was no bone in body that expected Batman v Superman to even come close to Nolan's films. Ben Affleck could never top Christian Bale. Henry Cavill could never get me interested in Superman. And, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor? I mean, what's up with that? 

Plot/Characters:

First and foremost, let me say that Zack Snyder's ridiculous, pre-film request to avoid spoilers was absolutely unnecessary. Did he think Batman v Superman was going to be discussed like Star Wars or something? I don't understand that? Anyway, I'm going to spoil a few things, in this section. So, proceed with caution...

For a film that I thought would be an absolute disaster, I was overwhelmingly surprised by how much I enjoyed watching everything unfold. Sure, it was simple and dumb, at times, and there were several huge, gaping holes in the story. But, overall, it was a lot of fun and truly intrigued me, with regard to how Batman and Superman would "v" one another. And, don't worry, I wasn't in a super critic-friendly mood. As soon as I saw Thomas and Martha Wayne pop up for yet another rendition of their untimely deaths, I was ready to run screaming.

Ultimately, my favorite thing about the film was how Affleck's Batman already had a history and seemed to have the same darkness and coolness that we came to know and love with Bale's Batman, without us having to endure the origin story. And, while it is certainly tough to sit through Henry Cavill playing any character, Superman's own crises were well-founded, and the scene with Superman arriving at the Capitol Building was pretty awesome, even if the outcome was terribly telegraphed.

The biggest flaw in the film was the disastrous Martha Kent, played by Diane Lane. First, in a film filled with 300 cameos, we truly could have done without Martha Kent. Second, why is Superman able to sweep in from some random, hallucinatory mountaintop and rescue Lois Lane, but he can't take the time to rescue his mother from the back alley of her diner? Third, and most ridiculous, what kind of superhero hears his dead mother's name, and immediately forgets every piece of vengeance in his heart, and decides to follow the god of Superman to the ends of the earth? Take Martha Kent out of this film, and everything improves--10 times over. The second biggest flaw in this film was the blatantly unnecessary plugs for the Justice League characters that were absent from this film. Nobody cares about Aquaman or Cyborg, and The Flash already had a cameo. So, why do you need to have some secret file with convenient video evidence that these people exist? A: YOU DON'T.

However, I will defend one character that has been questioned since the first trailer for Batman v Superman was released--Lex Luthor. There is one reason, and one reason only, that The Dark Knight is considered the best of the Nolan-directed Batfilms... The Joker. And, when the Joker has already been delegated to another DC film and there is no hope of ever reaching Heath Ledger's villainous performance, what is Zack Snyder supposed to do? Well, this one is easy. You just turn Lex Luthor into a younger, makeup-less joker and see what happens. But, little did Snyder know that viewers would be attached to the Lex Luthor of old, even if they hadn't considered the character in 20 years. I've yet to understand why people think that a different version of Lex Luthor is automatically a bad version of Lex Luthor. There were things about the character that I didn't enjoy, particularly the most dramatic hair-shaving sequence this side of Les Mis. But, ultimately, he was just meant to move the plot along and bring Batman and Superman together, and even Lex Luthor didn't expect that a woman's NAME would cause Batman to rethink his entire life.

Conclusion:
If it wasn't so easy to find flaws within the film's attempt to create drama and establish a broader DC universe, more people would be open to seeing just how fun Batman v Superman really was. Obviously, that is a sad excuse to make for any film, but I truly believe that people should ignore the critics on this one, go watch the movie, and have a good time! It was an easy watch with plenty of action and solid characters. Sure, they were characters that we already knew, but, if I had a dollar for every time that I've had to re-imagine Spiderman, I would at least be able to buy my ticket to Captain America v Iron Man. In a world where The Avengers are a bunch of has-beens, Batman v Superman is a breath of fresh darkness, and I look forward to what comes next. I give Batman v Superman 3.14 out of 5 stars

Interstellar

 

Expectations:
Although we only get a film from Christopher and Jonathan Nolan every two years or so, my praise for the films written and directed by the brotherly duo has permeated many months of this blog. That said, most of you already know how much I love the Nolan brothers and their epic films. From Inception to The Dark Knight to The Prestige, these guys know how to get to me in some special way, and, of course, I expected nothing less from Interstellar. In fact, when I first heard about Nolan's new "space film," I was convinced that Interstellar was going to be the greatest Nolan flick of all time. Why?... Well, I don't know!... Then came the trailer, which was quite underwhelming, in my opinion. If Gravity had yet to be released, maybe I would have been impressed with the visuals, and, had we not seen soooo much of Matthew McConaughey over the past year, maybe I would have been intrigued with that casting move. Unfortunately, as the release of Interstellar got closer and closer, my expectations continued to slowly fall. But, about thirty minutes into the film, when all plot twisting hell began to break loose, I remembered what I long for in a Nolan flick... and why I long for it...

Plot:
Very few people have Nolan's ability to construct such a complex storyline in such a short time frame (although many people complained about the 3 hour run time). I mean, the fact that Inception was able to make any sense, at all, to anybody, really fascinates me, to this very day! Interstellar was able to take advantage of that same understandably complex world in which Nolan's ideas grow, and the film did so with much more ease than I had expected. Of course, I can't say too very much on here, without spoiling anything, but I challenge you to find a more complex, science fiction storyline with such a great heart and so many flowing emotions, throughout! Interstellar was a bit of a mold-breaker for Nolan, with a different feel and a much different setting. However, Nolan stuck to his guns and produced one heck of a story, which is exactly why we tend to always love his films.

Characters:
Although the acting was not poor, there were really no standout performances from any actresses or actors. Sure, there were a few intriguing characters, but nobody was able to blow me away (which is quite a common theme among Nolan films... save The Dark Knight).

Negatives:
Ellyn Burstyn's character (who shall not be named, for the sake of spoilers) was extremely awkward, in my opinion. At that point in the film, I was a bit too caught up in trying to figure out what the heck just happened to really be able to soak in her very short role in the film. But, if I had been able to pay attention more, I still don't see myself liking her. It was just a little weird, for some reason. Additionally weird was the presence of the "smart robots," CASE and TARS, voiced by Josh Stewart and Bill Irwin. They just did not feel necessary, at any point in the film!

Positives:
Although his performance lacked the soul of his turns in The Wolf of Wall Street and Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey was still quite impressive in the lead, as Cooper (which miraculously turned out to be his last name, at some point in the film). Honestly, I can't think of another Nolan character that ever earned as much empathy as Cooper earned in the first hour of Interstellar. Kudos to both McConaughey and the Nolan brothers for building a film around such a great lead character.

Conclusion:
While Interstellar will never be thought of as Christopher Nolan's greatest film, it did manage to exceed my lowered expectations and impress me quite a bit. Like never before, Nolan was able to go beyond intriguing me and reach a level that made me truly care what happened to the characters. I have always cared about the outcome of Nolan's films, but the characters are typically nothing more than a piece of the puzzle. This time around, Cooper was the entire picture! There were certainly Nolan-esque moments and impressive visual elements, but, in the end, most of those aspects were washed away, in order to keep the focus on the characters. If you are not a fan of Nolan's other films, check out Interstellar, as it provides many different elements that are sure to impress any moviegoer. I give Interstellar 3.85 out of 5 stars.

Behind the Camera

To be honest with you guys, I'm no expert in picking up on the "behind the scenes" differences from one movie to the next. I don't know how to properly judge how well a movie was directed, how well edited a movie was, or whether the script was lacking in certain qualities. Sure, over time, I have picked up on many tendencies, but I am not "trained" to be able to pick a film apart in that way. I just tell you guys what I liked and didn't like about each film that I see, and that's why I consider myself average. Nothing I write is intended to be over your head, because I consider myself to be at your level. With all that being said, there are still a few film/TV-makers that I tend to enjoy, for one reason or another. Is it because of the tonal, stylistic, other-big-word nature of their work? Or maybe they tap the camera and add a little darkness?... Heck if I know! For all I know, they lucked up and tricked me into liking their work! Regardless, I like the stuff that they make, and, really, that's all that I care about.

That was a very long introduction, but it was intended to help you understand that this list may come off as a bit shallow... because it kind of is! I have listed for you a few folks that make movies and television that I absolutely love. They may direct or write or produce, but all I know is that I see there name, and I immediately want to watch. I just like them, and it really is that simple! In my eyes, these are the guys who can do no wrong behind the camera...

 



The Coen Brothers
As I look back on my life and ask myself "Tanner, what movie have you quoted more than any other?" I would definitely say that award would be handed to O Brother Where Art Thou. Maybe I can blame that on my being from Mississippi. I mean, I think every person in the state has seen the film. Maybe I can blame it on the fact that it is my favorite comedy of all time. I mean, who wouldn't quote their favorite comedy of all time. Regardless, I quote it, and it has basically become a consistent part of my vocabulary. Add to that their other great, country, old timey films, like True Grit and No Country for Old Men, and you have yourself quite the repertoire. And, Inside Llewyn Davis is sure to add itself to that list this month (or at least hopefully it will). I don't know why, but the Coen brothers have me hooked...

 



J. J. Abrams
On May 21, 2010, I, Tanner Jones, graduated high school, and I was quite proud of myself, completing 13 years worth of hard work and whatnot. However, regardless of what happened on that Friday night, all I cared about was what would come just two days later... the series finale of LOST. If you know me well or if you've ever read my blog, you probably know that I love LOST! Looking back, I probably should have soaked in graduation a bit more, but oh well! Now, after having watched the series through three whole times, I am absolutely confident that LOST is my absolute favorite TV drama of all time, and a good portion of LOST's greatness can be attributed to the great J.J. Abrams. As the co-creator and showrunner (for about four episodes), maybe Abrams wasn't as influential to LOST as Carlton Cuse or Damon Lindelof, but, without him, the show never makes it to TV. As if creating my favorite TV show wasn't enough, J.J. has gone on to bring us two fantastic Star Trek films and the underappreciated Super 8 to the big screen. Throw in all of his other successful TV shows, and there is no denying that he has one of the greatest sci-fi/fantasy minds ever. As a big Star Wars fan, I really can't wait to see where J.J. takes the franchise, and I really hope he keeps up his traditional, extreme secrecy as we get closer and closer to 2015.

 



Aaron Sorkin
While LOST will probably always be my favorite TV drama, my first ever TV drama love is none other than... The West Wing. Now, to be honest, I don't really understand how I had a clue what was going on with the show. I was 9 years old when the show started! 9 years old! There's no way that I could have completely understood the politics surrounding The White House, but, nevertheless, I watched the show every Wednesday night with my parents, loving every second of it. Without Aaron Sorkin, The West Wing would not have been made, and I would not have those fond TV-watching memories with my parents. Then, after years of Sorkin-silence, The Social Network came to theaters, written by none other than my main man. While watching The Social Network in the theater, I thought it was a pretty good movie. Luckily for me, Best Buy had the film for $12 on the Tuesday it was released on DVD, and I can't pass up that kind of deal. Now, after having watched the film about 100 times, it is probably my favorite movie ever. Of course, many of you will denounce me because my favorite movie isn't some 50 year old, black and white film, although each person should be entitled to his or her own opinion. I just love the movie! Add such great movies as A Few Good Man and Moneyball, and you have quite the resume. Recently, his presence has continued to engulf my life in the form of The Newsroom, which has quickly become one of my favorite dramas on television (regardless of what some critics may say about it). It had been a long time since the Emmy's made me as excited as they did when Jeff Daniels won best actor for his leading role on the show. When he was giving his speech and made the comment about Aaron Sorkin making entertainment that mattered, I just wanted to jump and shout for joy! Sorkin has truly influenced my TV-watching life, and I certainly hope that he continues to do so, as his career moves along.
 

 

Christopher Nolan
In the case of Christopher Nolan, I thought I might be a bit star-struck or something. Not only is The Dark Knight the greatest superhero movie ever, but also Batman is my favorite superhero of all time. I mean, you could probably put anyone behind the camera, and I would still like Batman. However, as I continued to think (and as Ben Affleck's presence draws near), there is no doubt that, without the Nolan brothers, The Dark Knight isn't the greatest superhero film of all time. On top of that, Inception and The Prestige are two more of my favorite films of all time, and I respect anyone who can come up with those mind-blowing storylines. In fact, we are now less than one year away from Nolan's next film, Interstellar, and I am already super duper giddy. Of the four names in this short list, Nolan is probably the one who I'm least able to determine what I like about his films. I mean, the Coen brothers are good at quirky, goofy drama and comedy, J.J. Abrams can do sci-fi unlike anyone else in the 21st century, and Aaron Sorkin can create dialogue that could make anything sound important and over your head. What does Nolan do?... I dunno. All I know is that I love everything he touches, and I hope that streak continues with Interstellar!



I don't really know how to close this post. So, in the spirit of the Coen brothers and their inability to come up with a good ending to a film... Bye!

Man of Steel

 

Expectations:
Admittedly, I know very little about Superman, as a comic character. As a kid, I did watch Lois and Clark with Dean Cain and, growing up, I watched a few seasons of Smallville. However, I don't think I have ever seen an entire Superman movie, and, honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the immortal super hero. The invincibility of Superman has always kept me from really caring what happened to him, because you know he is going to kick butt and survive (same goes for you, Wolverine!). Nevertheless, as an average movie viewer, just like you, my mind is quite vulnerable when it comes to good ad campaigns for films. In my opinion, even with the unnecessary Chrysler and Marines commercials, Man of Steel was advertised quite well, and I really loved the vague teasers that were first released last summer. Not only were the teasers intriguing, but I loved the darkness that felt similar to The Dark Knight trilogy. As I've confessed to you many times before, Christopher Nolan is one of my filmmaking heroes. Anything with the Nolan name attached to it will rob me of $8 and hopefully blow me away. So, with Nolan producing Man of Steel, my expectations and excitement skyrocketed. Even though he lacked the cajones to actually kill Batman in The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan knows what he's doing, and Zack Snyder has plenty of experience, although I hate 300.

Plot:
Going in, I was really thinking that I would get 20-30 minutes of Clark Kent's childhood, but, instead, there was a really long birth scene, which led straight to Henry Cavill as grown-up Clark Kent. Initially, I was disappointed about the lack of childhood, mostly because I wanted more Kevin Costner, who plays Clark's earth dad. However, in the end, as I was enduring the ten billion fight scenes, I was thankful that Kent's childhood did not linger on. Surprisingly, the biggest problem I had with the film was the fight scenes. The visual aspects of the flying and punching was really cool, but the results of one punch may send someone flying through ten buildings, while the next only sends them into the next room. The inconsistencies were quite annoying. Also, each of the ten billion big fight scenes felt like "the big one," which left me a bit disappointed when the final fight scene actually came. At that point, I was just ready for the fighting to end. But, I did enjoy watching the character grow, as the film moved along, mostly because Clark Kent was actually a really good guy with a great head on his shoulders. It was not the usual "I don't really know how to be a super hero" storyline.

Characters:
The focus of this film was on Superman close to 100% of the time, which is expected with the first film in any super hero franchise. Unfortunately, this focus takes away from the success of the villain and any other major characters in the film. Luckily, Henry Cavill was good enough to deserve 100% of the focus.

Negatives:
Let's start with the worst and work our way up... Laurence Fishburne's turn as Perry White, editor of The Daily Planet, was SOOOOO awkward and unnecessary. Will he be integral in the future films? Absolutely! Did he need to make an appearance in this film? Yes! But, that doesn't mean that we need to watch him try to pry some random coworker out of some rubble for like 20 minutes! It just frustrated me, if you couldn't tell. Next we have Lois Lane, played by Amy Adams, who didn't seem to have the spark that she really needs to have with Cavill's Superman. They randomly fell in love, as many super hero couples do, and it just didn't feel hard enough to conceive. It took poor Batman two films to get his girl, and then she quickly blew up. Finally, Christopher Meloni's Nathan Hardy was quite unnecessary as well. Sure, Superman needs to come alongside the military, but he doesn't need to become best friends with thirty different officers.

Positives:
As I've said already, Henry Cavill was great as Clark Kent/Superman, and I was pleasantly surprised. I really thought the filmmakers would go with a more well known actor, after Brandon Roth's failed attempt to revise the role in 2006, but Cavill was certainly the right choice. Kudos to whoever found him! I also enjoyed Harry Lennix's General Swanwick, who turned out to be the NECESSARY military connection that Superman needed, unlike Nathan Hardy.

Conclusion:
With the entire country's expectations as high as they were, I am very pleased that Man of Steel was able to succeed in meeting said expectations. While it didn't blow me away, it did leave me satisfied, and I never lost interest throughout the course of the film. Cavill was brilliant, and I hope he shows up in future non-Superman films. Even with the ten billion fight scenes, the focus remained on Superman, meaning that picking the right Superman was the key to making this film good enough... and it was good enough. The future of this film series could be very bright, if the action is contained a bit. If I were in charge, I would take the reigns away from Zack Snyder, but that probably won't be happening. Nevertheless, I will be watching the inevitable Man of Steel sequel/Justice League prequel, regardless of who is directing. I give Man of Steel 2.99 out of 5 stars.



Repeat

 

In all of my 21 years of life, there is no telling how many movies I have seen. Not only am I clueless about how many films I have seen, but also there are so many different types of films that I have seen, from my early days of The Land Before Time, The Mask, and Toy Story to my present days of The Hangover, Argo, and........ Toy Story. Regardless, as I grow older, I am realizing that there are fewer and fewer films that I can watch over and over and over again. When I was little, I would watch my Disney movies day after day, and I was a perfectly happy child. Today, however, I just can't watch films more than like once every six months or so, and they have to be really, really good for me to even take the time to watch them more than once. Some of this reduction of movie-watching time is due to the fact that I don't have time to do much of anything, with college, work, and friends taking so much of my time, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Also, I go to the movies almost every week, which takes up much of my weekend fun time. However, regardless of how much time I have or how long it has been since I last watched a movie, there are a small number of films that I can watch over and over and over. Are they my favorite films of all time? Not necessarily. But, they all have something about them that makes it very easy to pop that disc into the movie machine. So, I have compiled a list of five films that I can watch at any time of any day and be utterly satisfied. If you have not seen any of these films and are scared of becoming a film addict, steer clear! You cannot stop once you start!...

#5-The Dark Knight

Batman is my favorite superhero of all time, and Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite movie-makers of all time. So, it would have been hard for me not to love The Dark Knight. I will admit that there are times when I fast forward to the parts with The Joker, but it's not because I don't love Bruce Wayne. Seriously, though, who wouldn't want to watch the greatest superhero movie of all time over and over? It may not be the movie that we deserve, but it is the movie that we need, today and every other day.


#4-O Brother Where Art Thou?

I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers, who have impressed me with many of their films. However, O Brother Where Art Thou is easily their best film and probably my favorite comedy of all time. I can easily quote the entire film to you. So, if you ever need a good laugh, come find me and ask me to tell you an O Brother Where Art Thou story. It's sure to relieve. I'm pretty sure that most everyone has seen this film, at this point, but, in case you haven't, prepare yourself for the high amount of floor rolling that you will be participating in... Gopher, Everett?


#3-The Hangover

The Hangover has absolutely redefined the entire comedic genre, and I don't think everyone realizes it. On top of that, it's the comedy of my generation. Hence, my generation redefined the entire comedic genre. Seriously, how many people get excited about PG-13 comedies these days? That's right... No one... For that, you can thank The Hangover! Anyway, none of that really makes me want to watch it over and over. The fact that it is freaking hilarious makes me want to watch it over and over, and, every once in a while, I need to be reminded that tigers hate cinnamon.


#2-Midnight in Paris

Of the five films on this list, Midnight in Paris is easily the least popular and probably the least expected. It is unlikely that you have seen this film, so please go out and rent it! This Woody Allen original has such an amazing vibe that makes me want to move to Paris and write a novel each and every time that I watch. If you are nostalgic, like me, you will absolutely love this film. Please! Please! I beg of thee! Watch Midnight in Paris!!! It will make you feel great about life.


#1-The Social Network

Over the past 2.5 years, there is no movie that I have watched as many times as The Social Network. When I saw the film in the theater, it did not have a very large impact on my life. However, after I bought the DVD (for $12 at Best Buy on its release date!!), I fell in love with the film and the characters. I have never watched a movie that made me feel as smart, thanks to Jesse Eisenberg's turn as Mark Zuckerberg. Although people dislike Zuckerberg's character, they must remember that he isn't an asshole, he's just trying so hard to be one. Whether or not this story is completely true, I absolutely love the film and the characters. When I tell people how often I watch The Social Network, they never seem to understand my connection to the film. I believe that they would fall in love with it, if they would watch it more than a couple of times. If I have never said it before on my blog, Aaron Sorkin is one of my favorite people in the world of film and television. He wrote The Social Network, Moneyball, The West Wing, A Few Good Men, and, most recently, The Newsroom on HBO, and I truly love each and every one of these productions. Really, there is nothing that I dislike about The Social Network, and that is why I can watch it over and over and over, more than any other film...



I would have made the list longer, but there really aren't any more films that I can watch with such repetition. As time goes on, I'm sure that I will stop watching some of these films as often, and I'm sure that I will start watching new films over and over, so there is nothing set in stone. This list is nothing but a snap shot of Spring 2013. Also, just to clarify, I do not have the largest DVD collection of all time. I may watch a lot of movies, but I probably only buy 5 or 6 movies each year. One day, when my girlfriend and I combine our movies, we will have a large collection, but, until then, I remain average. Finally, to reiterate what I have already said, this is NOT a list of my favorite films of all time, just ones that I can watch over and over. Maybe one day I will give you a list of my favorite films, but I'm going to keep you waiting for now. Hope you enjoyed, and I hope you go watch these films, if you have yet to do so. Then, watch them again... and again.... and again.........

The Dark Knight Rises

Before I begin this review, I just want to remind everyone to say a prayer for those involved in the shootings in Colorado. I was at the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, but my memories of the night will likely forever be overshadowed by the evil actions of one man. There is nothing we can do for those lives lost on that horrible night, yet we can always remember to cherish our time here on this planet, because we never know when it might run out.

My review of The Dark Knight Rises is going to be a bit different from my usual reviews, as it will contain some spoilers. I just wanted to warn everyone, just in case you haven't seen it yet. Normally, I don't spoil anything, so do not be discouraged from reading my other reviews!

Expectations:
If you didn't know, I had a long post last week about my expectations for The Dark Knight Rises. You can read the post here.

Plot:
The most disappointing aspect of the film, in my opinion, was the fact that I was required to re-imagine a brand new story. I wish the film would have started where we had left off, at the end of The Dark Knight. While it did help with the introductions of Bain and Catwoman, the plot build-up of the political themes was completely forgotten by the end of the film. What was introduced as a stab at big government, turned into another attempt for Ra's Al Ghul to take a stab at Batman. It wasn't awful, but it could have been much better. If you took the epic nature of the ending and spread it throughout the rest of the film, it would make for a film at least ten times better. As I said in my expectations, I wanted Batman to die... Well, Batman died!... Then he didn't... However, I was ok with it, because we were allowed to feel the emotions that came with a dead Batman. We were allowed to see the praise that was received, the tears that were shed, and the truth that Batman could be anybody. Along with this, we were also allowed a happy ending.

Characters:
While the plot was a bit below expectations, the characters greatly exceeded my expectations. From unforeseen villains to unforeseen love interests, this movie was your typical action flick. The difference was the fact that most every member of the audience was more attached to these characters compared to your average action film. The events that played out weren't just happening to any old character; they were happening to The Dark Knight, who we have come to love.

Negatives:
Let me start with a question. Why in the heck was Scarecrow (played by Cillian Murphy) even necessary to mention in this film? He is by-far the worst of all Nolan-created Batman villains, yet he won't go away! Also, I don't understand why Matthew Modine's Foley (the stupid detective) was necessary. We were already getting an extra cop when Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Blake showed up, and his introduction was ok. However, Foley was trying to act like he had been an integral part of the Gotham police force forever, and we have never seen him. It just angered me. On top of that, I was going to hate on Marion Cotillard's Miranda Tate, but she saved herself at the end.

Positives:
Christian Bale, as Bruce Wayne, is undoubtedly the greatest Batman of all time, and he continued that legacy in The Dark Knight Rises. When remembering this film, however, I will always think of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's great(ly predictable) performance as Blake. Gordon-Levitt is one of my favorite actors, and, while this wasn't his best performance, Blake's character was fantastic. It would be so, so fantastic if whoever took over Batman next just took up where Christopher Nolan left off, with Blake as Batman. While the hero was epic, Bain (played by Tom Hardy) and Catwoman (played by Anne Hathaway) were equally as great in their villainous roles. I was really worried about each of them, but they really were great Nolan-created villains. I even enjoyed Catwoman's not-so-villainous ways. Finally, kudos to Alfred (played by Michael Caine) for almost making me cry four-times thus far.

Conclusion:
Wow! A conclusion it certainly was! While it wasn't Christopher Nolan's best film, it was a satisfying conclusion to one of the best trilogies of all time. Could it have been better? Probably, yes. But, I honestly can't think of how I could have made it better, so I can't be too harsh about that. Nolan gave us so many great characters in these three movies that I hated to say goodbye. I really wish that he would just make a new Batman film every year for the rest of eternity! Doesn't look like that's going to be the case. My only hope is that the director of the next Batman film, whoever that may be, will do half as well as my man Christopher Nolan. Until Batman returns, we will have to be entertained by Nolan's take on Batman, which doesn't bother me one little bit. I give The Dark Knight Rises 3.24 out of 5 stars.

My Expectations for The Dark Knight Rises

Before I even started this blog last year, I could not wait to be able to talk about The Dark Knight Rises, which, at that point, had no title. I fell in love with Batman when I was like a day old, and he always has been and always will be my favorite super hero. You see, Batman has no super power, and, because of that, he is the most relatable and realistic of all super heroes. While some people agree with me that Batman is the greatest, others believe him to be boring, due to his lack of super-human abilities, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. The problem, however, lies in the fact that those who disagree with me are wrong, because Batman is THE GREATEST. Period. In addition to my love for Batman, I also have a great love for Christopher Nolan, who is probably my favorite film director. While I love Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Inception and The Prestige are two of my most favorite movies ever, which should mean a lot to you.

Plot Expectations:
While The Dark Knight is almost every one's favorite Batman film, Batman Begins probably has the greatest storyline of the first two Nolan Batmans. I expect the storyline in Rises to fall somewhere between the two. It looks as if Nolan is going to give this film an extremely political feel, which really intrigues me. However, as a fiscal conservative, I hope he doesn't piss me off too bad. Aside from that, let me tell you what I hope for the most. I hope that Nolan has the intestinal fortitude to kill off Batman. You might ask me why I would hope for such a thing, so let me give you an answer. My hope is for great closure in the series, and an ending that no one is expecting. I have been close to tears in many a movie, then someone would swoop in and save my favorite character from meeting imminent death. For once, just once, I want to be swept off my feet by the ending of a film. Nolan has the opportunity to do that. We will see if he succeeds.

Character Expectations:
Worries:
1) Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.
2) Bane's voice not being easy to understand.
3) The number of big stars in the cast.
4) My ability to keep my focus off of Marion Cotillard's beauty.

Intrigue:
1) Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character.
2) Will Batman make it to the end?
3) Will Alfred make it to the end?

Highest Hopes:
1) That Batman won't make it to the end.
2) Great performance by Tom Hardy.
4) That I won't be too miserable at work on Friday morning.

Overall Expectations:
Christopher Nolan is an absolute genius, and he never makes anything sub-par. Because of this fact, I am not at all worried about the outcome of The Dark Knight Rises. I hear so many people talking about how, without Heath Ledger's Joker, this movie will not be able to come close to The Dark Knight, which is ridiculous. When I love a series of movies, I don't judge each film based on the successfulness of its predecessor. I love every Transformers film, but the first one is obviously the best. I can love every Batman film, even if Rises isn't the best movie ever. My excitement is wrapped up in the fact that I'm going to get a new freakin Batman movie on Thursday! I could care less about anything else!

Great Expectations: July 2012

While June may have been the month with the most to offer when it came to number of interesting movies, July is the month that contains BATMAN!!! I cannot wait until The Dark Knight Rises comes out!!! You just have no idea! Actually, you probably also have this overwhelming emotion toward Batman. So, join me in celebration of Batman, Christopher Nolan, and (the smokin) Marion Cotillard. I promise that you can expect a glowing review of The Dark Knight Rises (after I have watched it at least twelve times). I already have my midnight premiere tickets, and I'm saving for the next eleven tickets! Sure, there are other movies coming out in July, but nobody really cares!!!


The Dark Knight Rises!!!!! (July 20th)

Movie News for the Week of July 5, 2011

1. After taking a break from acting to obtain his college degree, Haley Joel Osment will return to the big screen in a Frankenstein-like movie. The movie, entitled Wake the Dead, will bring the story of Frankenstein to the modern world. This will be the first of many upcoming Frankenstein movies.

2. Will Smith is attempting to bring Hurricane Katrina to the big screen in American Can and wants Denzel Washington to play the lead role. Smith was originally supposed to star in his own production, but now he wants Washington.

3. I new idea called Movie Pass was recently introduced at a San Francisco movie theater and has many people talking. For only $50 a month, you can go to the theater as many times as you desire. This sounded amazing when I first heard it, and everyone was talking about it last week. Unfortunately, AMC frowned at the idea, which really hurts its chances of succeeding nationwide. Let's just continue to hope and pray that something comes through because I believe this is a great idea.

4. The second Thor movie has been given a release date for summer 2013. Marvel movies seem to be going nowhere, considering Iron Man 3 is also due out summer 2013.

5. The creator of Sex and the City has revealed one of her desired choices for the rumored prequel. Selena Gomez is now one of the front runners to play Charlotte, if the prequel becomes a reality. Another name that has been tossed around is Blake Lively.

6. Christopher Nolan is set to produce a secret supernatural thriller. Keith Gordon, known mostly for directing TV shows such as House and Dexter, will direct the film, based an an unknown novel. Details are certainly few and far between, due to Nolan's secretive nature.

A Little Something for the Potter Fans:
If Harry Potter were made into South Park character.