The Dark Knight: My First Thoughts (Spoilers All About)
This is not a comic book movie; this is a film, first and foremost. The title, dear Lord, the title – it makes so much sense now. It’s true: the Joker is a trickster god. Poor, poor Harvey Dent. Rachel Dawes to Harvey: “yes, yes I do!” James (the son) to Gordon: “why is he running?” The Bat-Pod is awesome and Batman’s handling of it is so totally safe. The film utilizes the idea in story making of “give ‘em what they want but not what they expect”. An apt line from Batman ‘89: “where does he get all those wonderful toys?” The Godfather-like hit on certain individuals.
As I try to dissect all my thoughts running wild in my mind, there’s one thing that’s loudest of all: The Dark Knight lives up to all the hype. This is a very well crafted and well executed story. It’s so good that if you take away the cape, the cowl, the white face paint, and the scars, the film would still work. It’s still to raw in my mind to judge it objectively. I’ll need to watch it again and another in IMAX. I can’t think clearly, so I’m going to let my thoughts swim out.
I think all this “no Robin” is a big ‘ole fake out; the children love Batman. Where Spider-Man 3 failed The Dark Knight succeeds: you love, they die. Great sense of time. Oh my goodness, they used the Penthouse, even I don’t know that history of Batman. Anyone notice that Bruce dumped the glass full of wine out on the balcony? How about the Joker? How they “drink” = their personality! Surprised how much of The Long Halloween is in this. Loved the bits of the MCU, reminds me of Gotham Central.
I’m getting tired and sleepy. I waited in line for 5+ hours. AMC was packed like sardines, never saw it busy like that. It was if it was a Friday or Saturday night. The concession stands were busy at 11:30 PM. All the theatres were showing the film, from the giant screens to the small ones. It was hot during the end but almost everyone stayed until the end.
I’m getting tired. And sleepy.
Thoughts On “Wall*E” and “Wanted”
From the first trailers “WALL-E” captured my imagination and made me into a young kid again. There was just something there with the near-audible voice, Wall-E’s body, his eyes, and arms that all conveyed the same message as a talking person. And the film did not once disappointment. Well maybe, I always want these Pixar flicks to be never ending, but alas that can never be the case.
On one hand, the immediate hand, the film’s about robot love that we quickly realize is love nonetheless. But littered throughout the movie are a variety of messages and ideas such as commentaries on the future of humanity, the intermingling of big business and government, the environment, and what I think the movie is all about, the redemptive nature of the universe.
I don’t think I need to recap the story since I believe everyone on Earth will see it but the film is about Wall-E, a robot who cleans up trash, and how he meets EVE and falls in love. And along his way to love, he sets off a chain of events that brings humanity back to Earth. That’s the story. But there’s just more of it. There’s the sense of loneliness and aloneness in the world. Friendship as typified by the best-friend-forever bug that follows Wall-E. Wall-E’s own inquisitive mind. And then there’s the other plot about humanity and how Earth has become littered. Man had messed up Earth, soared to the heavens, and left robots to clean their mess hoping that Earth will one day be rehabitable.
700 years happens. Man is now fat and immobile and needs the assistance of flying machines and dohokeys that let them communicate with others. But for these humans communication is done through virtual means; almost no actually or physical communication. Ah but Wall-E changes all that. Wall-E ignites a spark back into humanity that causes them to slowly remember how things should be and return to Earth.
It’s weird. There’s almost little dialogue in the movie but the movie emotes many things. It’s like a silent movie or a play without words, only actions and expressions. And amazingly we understand each of the characters.
Wall-E is full of heart.
Wanted. Wanted is a whole other beast. Wanted isn’t a cerebral movie but rather a movie that appeals to the senses and lust. There’s not much to talk about the plot since it’s a combination of fish-out-of-water, revenge, and a little coming of age but the execution is done outstandingly.
Quickly the film is about Wesley Gibson who leads a pathetic life but learns that he’s a part of a secret society and possesses great power that he acquired from his father. But this secret society is one of assassins who kills based upon a literal loom of fate woven in linen. Forgoing right or wrong, they “kill one to possibly save a thousand”. There’s scenes of Wesley growing into his new world, bits of history about his father and the secret society, and of course betrayals.
This movie is all about action and curving bullets and knives and rats with explosives. It’s a high-octane film with similarities to Fight Club and the Matrix. There’s not more I can say about it. I enjoyed it but it’s not a cerebral film.
Wanted is a suitable meal for the senses.
Review of “The Incredible Hulk”
I’m not that familiar with the history of the Hulk. Sure I know the basic story: Bruce Banner, doctor and scientist, was a caught in an accident involving gamma radiation that turns him into the monstrous and powerful, green-skinned Hulk. And that’s my only history with the character. Of course I know small parts like Betty Ross, Bruce’s love; General “Thunderbolt” Ross, Betty’s father and the Hulk’s capturer; and Rick Jones, the teenager that caused the accident that turns Bruce into the Hulk when he gets angry. But as with other Marvel Comics stories that have 30 years worth of history, there’s been revisions to the origins, re-tellings, and re-imaginings – just like the movie.
Now I don’t recall Ang Lee’s movie but I do remember watching it in theatres and enjoying myself. I was probably biased since I thought it was awesome seeing the Hulk realized on the big screen and didn’t really notice the plot of the movie, which focused more on the drama than the action. But with Louis Leterrier’s movie we get an action packed film that’s adding to a “cinematic Marvel Universe” that started with Iron Man.
Drama’s good but the Hulk is a character that works better when he’s smashing or growling or fighting, which he does in spades throughout the movie. And boy what a movie! It’s similar to Iron Man but the Incredible Hulk moves to a different beat. From the opening scene to the very last, the film moved rhythmically as a person’s heart would beat if they were on a roller coaster. There was urgency in everything that Ed Norton’s Bruce Banner did. He was racing to find a cure to his “disease” and racing to be sure that nothing like him can be unleashed. But of course, that’s what happens with Tim Roth’s Emil Blonsky.
Enough of the story. The trailers and TV spots already paint it out: Hulk vs the Abomination. Now with the action. Early in the movie when we see the Hulk, we’re re-introduced by him by not seeing him at all. For a short while there it was if we were watching a horror flick where instead of cringing at the sight of the monster, we’re cheering him on. We see the Hulk dispatch of his enemies from within the shadows, but when the dusts settles and we finally see him, the Hulk is a friggin’, bad-ass monster of nature. Within the movie there’s three big Hulk fight scenes and with each one the stakes escalate considerably. And that last one, whew boy is it ever a dozy. This is what we’ve been waiting for. The Hulk goes on an all-out rampage against the Abomination. It’s total chaos and destruction. And just when the Hulk goes savage, Betty arrives.
Ang Lee’s film focused more on Bruce’s relationship with father while in Incredible Hulk we see Bruce’s relationship with everyone around him, especially with Betty. My God, there’s a beat at the end of the second Hulk battle that’s reminiscent of King Kong and Universal Studios’ old horror movies where there’s a young woman with a monstrous creature where you don’t know if she’s going to die or if she holds some sway with the monster. Betty realizes there’s a part of Bruce locked away inside the Hulk and when she sits down next to the emerald giant amidst a rainy night on the cliffs, you have one of the most poignant moments of the entire film. It’s maybe the whole idea of the Hulk that deep down within “our” monsters there’s a bit of ourselves and our humanity in there.
I enjoyed the movie very much and there so much there to watch that plays to the fans of the stories and Marvel Comics. There’s a beat that potentially sets up the next villain for the Hulk, a connection to Iron Man and the story building up to an Avengers movie, a connection between the Hulk and a certain super-soldier serum, and great appearances by Martin Star, Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, and Stan Lee.
Go watch this movie now!
