The Potential of a Crimson Cube

First off, I want to thank everyone because this week marked my 1000 views mark. I know that's not a lot, but, hey, it feels good to me nonetheless. This blog is my way of showing appreciation. Sadly, we are leaving the summer Blockbuster season, and there really aren't many movies to look forward to until October...ish. Luckily there are plenty of movies out there to rent for cheap. Below is a list of ten movies that are currently at Redbox that I have seen. Yes, its a daunting task and you may think yourself,  "Carl, you watch way to many movies." Regardless, I do it all for you. (Disclaimer: this is not a true statement. Carl does in fact do most of this for himself. And, yes, he just spoke in third person... and liked it.) So below is my review of the movies and the chances I give that you'll actually like them. Enjoy!

Lockout

Chance you'll like it: 20%

Guy Pierce has nothing but my deepest respects, but unfortunately he has every ounce of my pity. How can such and incredible actor kept getting landed with the crappy roles. I was willing to like The Time Machine (Yes, it's a guilty pleasure from my teenage years; don't hate!) just for him, but liking this one was to much to ask. Granted, it had a lot of potential, but that may make it an even bigger disappointment. The film was predictable, hokey, rushed, and (at best) just plain fake. I can't say that I hated it, but I'm still a long way from liking it.

Chronicle 

Chance you'll like it: 60%
For all my loyal fans, ("...anyone... Bueller?") you'll remember that I actually put this one on my top ten movies to see this year list. To be honest, I'm actually baffled by this film. On the one hand, I thought it was brilliant, smart, and haunting. On the other, I thought it was dark, creepy, and well... haunting! If you don't like the shaky cam Blair Witch/Cloverfield, do yourself a favor and avoid this one. I, for one, love the way it makes a movie into a first person narrative. You never get that! The plot is beyond its predecessors though. This is what living a life with super powers would actually be like. There were several times that I thought to myself, for a  lack of better words, "That is stinking cool." It is not an easy movie to watch. The main character is not a hero and his spiral downwards is pitiful and gut-wrenching to watch. It's actually a hard message about what revenge will really do to a person. Overall, I have to give you lower expectations because of the camera work and the general icky feeling you'll have afterwards.

Wrath of the Titans

Chance you'll like it: 20% 

Wow. Why did we think we needed another one of these because they need one million punches to the face. You know it's got to be bad when the superior talents of Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes aren't enough to redeem it. I'll conceded that it was better than the first... but so was a VHS of Timmy the Tooth my brother got as a joke when I was a kid. This take on Greek mythology is just plain weird. I'm confused how Perseus is still considered human if he can break through stone walls (Yes, several) and not have a scratch on him. There is a maze that had merit, but unfortunately they cut away just when it could have got interesting. If every once and a while you need a good corn piece like I do, feel free to rent it. If not, for the love of all holy things, stay away!

John Carter

Chance you'll like it: 65%
As I mentioned above, sometimes when my wife has to work on Saturdays I get an inexplicable desire to watch a truly terrible movie that I know she would make me turn off if she was there. I rented this one with the expectation of filling that desire. Sadly, I was disappointed. All things considered I thought this was a pretty average action flick, and it even had a cool twist at the end. Yes, there were cheesy lines, blatant exaggerations in gravity differences, and a few minor pitfalls in the plot, but that pretty much sums up all science fiction, doesn't it? So, it may be a misplaced affection for Disney action films or my low expectations going it, but I think there is a chance you might like this one. Just make pretend that your about to watch Wrath of the Titans when you pop the DVD in and you're sure to love it! ;)

This Means War

Chance you'll like it: 45%

Oh, how were you not better? Tom Hardy and Chris Pine both did a great job in this film, and it still wasn't very good. The action is cliche while the plot was cheap and predictable. The only small saving graces were, as I said, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine. They had a surprisingly good chemistry with memorable humor. However, that is lost on Reese Witherspoon's character (who seems to change in every scene) and the most obnoxiously annoying best friend everyone. No, seriously, the best friend, played by Chelsey Handler, is so irritating that I'm pretty sure the violence rate in every home that experiences this movie is likely to go up. In another life, where we are free of that woman, perhaps this movie could have been good. As it stands, it's a mediocre movie you might want to save as a last resort.

The Artist

Chance you'll like it: 80%
It actually hurts me to give this a rating that low. I do so for two reasons: a) It's a black and white film, and b) it's a silent film. Some people may not be able to appreciate the brilliance of the film because they have to read some dialogue, but I'm hoping that's limited to only a few people. The acting is spot on, the plot is incredibly engaging, and the overall direction of the film is a spectacular experience. Imagine a more dramatic, symbolic version of Singing in the Rain. The film is so touching that I even started to feel bad that we ever switched from silent films to "talkies." It truly is a beautiful movie with the right amount of romance, humor, and music.

Mirror Mirror

Chance you'll like it: 70%
I know I already wrote about this last week, but, man, I still can't get over how impressed I was by this film. Alisa and I have since recommended it to her family and the responses have been good, so my hopes that you will enjoy it are ever increasing. I'll try to avoid beating a dead horse here. This film is just good, clean, family fun. From now on, I'll expect my live action fairy tale adaptations to be more like this. We've been quoting lines from the movie all week, and it's not getting old yet. All I ask is that you give it a chance. What have you got to lose? ;) If you want to know what I said about it last week you can use this link:
http://thecupboardunderthestairs221bbagend.blogspot.com/2012/07/fairest-of-fairest-in-fair-land.html

Sherlock Holmes

Chance you'll like it: 95%
Remember that dead horse I promised not to beat a few seconds ago? Well, someone better call PETA! I will never be able to say enough good things about this movie. I don't know why I'm putting this on here since I'm sure most of you already own it ;) However, for the small percentage of you that don't, get out and rent this movie tonight! The plot is fun and action packed, the Holmes/Watson dynamic is pure joy, the cinematography is incredible, and it's devotion to the books is deeply satisfying. Alright, I'll end my sycophantic rant now. But if you want to hear my praise for this movie you can look into this earlier post of mine:
http://thecupboardunderthestairs221bbagend.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-eliminate-impossible.html

Man on a Ledge

Chance you'll like it: 75%
This was another pleasant surprise. Yes, some of the humor was cliche, and I guessed the "secrets" pretty much the second the movie started, but still for a one time view that costs less than a $1.50 I think your sure to enjoy yourself. It has an Italian Job/Ocean's 11 feel with a more serious twist. There were just the right amount of tense "are the gonna make it" scenes without making it ridiculous. It's a pretty simple film, so my review is simple. There's a pretty good chance you'll enjoy watching it at least once, so check it out sometime.

Woman in Black

Chance you'll like it: 65%

Has anyone heard of The Turn of the Screw? It was actually one of the first horror narratives put into a novel. The reason it's called The Turn of the Screw is because the narrator is told that if he can tell a scary story that involves innocent children it would add an extra turn of the screw (In other words, make the tension that much more intense.) It's a great book you should check it out. This idea has been successfully used in films like The Sixth Sense and The Other. However, it's gotten to the point where I'm really getting sick of child gore and this movie encompasses all that. That being said, let's look a little deeper.

When I see movies that are supposed to be scary, I'm looking for one thing: originality that doesn't employ gore. For the most part, this movie accomplished that. There were enough creative jumps scenes to allow me to overlook "Harry Potter's" mediocre acting. After you you know how the story line plays out, you're left with a "everything that just happened was purposeless" feeling. That and the motivation of the feminine poltergeist was sketchy at best. But hey, she's a woman and men rarely understand them ;) Overall, I'd recommend it for a few harmless scares. (Minus my wife!)
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Side note: So remember that time I actually thought Redtails would be a good movie. HAHAHA! Oh, the follies of youth. Well, that train-wreck of a movie is also at Redbox now so you can see how wrong I was. But only if you're willing to waste 2 hours watching and 24 hours regretting you did!

Here's what I said before I saw it:
http://thecupboardunderthestairs221bbagend.blogspot.com/2011/12/year-of-nights-at-movies.html

And my apology after:
http://thecupboardunderthestairs221bbagend.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-redtail-recompense.html

Fairest of the Fairest... in the Fair Land

I'm gonna go ahead and throw my man card right out the window at the beginning of this post. This one is more for frivolous fun and mockery rather than for impassioned conviction or deep-seated interest. Have you noticed how many adaptions of Snow White there are out there right now. I mean, holy heck, I'm starting to believe that that teacher from The Amazing Spiderman was right, and there really is only one story in all of literature. So I'm going to do everyone a favor and save you time by letting you know which of all of them is the fairest in all the land... To cheesy?... It was too cheesy, huh?

 Let's start with the worst first.

7. Snow White and the Huntsman:

 Why in the world did this movie ever see the light of day? I understand, someone had the idea of turning a children's fairy tale into a dark-action movie. I'm confused who told that person it was a GOOD idea though. It was probably the same person that suggested making Kristen Stewart the title character. I know what it was, the director wanted Kristen Stewart's facial expression (Yes, there's only one) of bemused confusion to match the audience's. I regrettably gave this movie the benefit of the doubt because of Thor and Charlize Theron. As a result, I sat through some two hours of terrible writing, bad acting, psychopathic cinematography, confusing uses of magic, creepy underlining philosophy, and a shame of a movie. Do not waste your time here!

6. Snow White: Fairest of Them All:

Hahaha! OK, bad joke. You probably haven't heard this made-for-TV movie anymore than I have (Actually, now that I think about it, I sorta remember seeing commercials for something like this when I like 15).  Either way it's probably still better than the a fore mentioned movie which-must-not-be-named.

5. Sydney White:

 Some of you ladies may be upset this comes almost right after the movie which-must-not-be-named. Probably because most girls love Amanda Bynes. I did like the movie. It was funny enough the first time through. But for the most part, I don't enjoy modern adaptations of classic literature. I guess we could call the magic mirror interpretation clever, but than we'd have to overlook the idea Mark Zuckerberg received the wrath of every girl at Harvard in The Social Network for doing pretty much the same thing. And that's just creepy... It was probably the funniest use of the "heigh ho" line though!

4. Fairest:

 Don't judge me! I know this is a book for little girls. My wife and I book swap a lot. I love reading the same things as her. So when my wife started reading Uncle Tom's Cabin at my suggestion, I reciprocated by reading two of her childhood favorites. This was one of them. I just happened to be reading it when the Kristen Stewart tragedy and Mirror Mirror came out. It also coincided with a trip to Disneyland and my wife watching Once Upon a Time. Your probably not gonna love this book unless at one time in your life you were or will be a 12-year old girl. I did think it was a very creative take on the fairytale though. If you liked Ella Enchanted (same 12-year old girl stipulation) you'll like this take on Snow White. It's not a movie yet, just a quick read.

 

3. Mirror Mirror:

 Pretty much from day one I heard nothing but negative reviews about this movie. Seriously, it was tortured more than Wesley from The Princess Bride. So last night, when my wife and I were foiled in our attempt to rent Man on a Ledge, we settled for this. I was shocked. Was it a brilliantly deep movie? Not at all. Was it a beautiful and charming retelling of a CHILD's fairytale? Yes! First of all, the cinematography, set design, and costumes were spectacular! The acting was what you'd expect for a movie designed for kids (I loved the seven dwarfs). The plot was endearing and fun and really--for such low expectations--I completely enjoyed myself. In a word, the movie is cute. Man, how long before I can apply for that man card back...

2. Once Upon a Time:

 I fought my wife for a while on this one, but I never had a chance against someone so charming and beautiful ;) It took me a while to latch on, but now I'm hooked. I won't go into the whole show, but just know it's got a Lost type feel applied to a Disney style plot. Since Snow White and Prince Charming are two of the most important characters, I thought it should make the list. I actually think romance wise they have the best love story. Acting and special effects are nothing to get excited about but, hey, it's a TV show, not a movie. My one complaint is in their modern-alternate reality the two characters become adulterous liars. Not a fan of that! But I do like their fairytale background.

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:

Come on! If you didn't know this would be number one you should probably never come back to this blog again! It is a Disney MASTERPIECE. Consider this, it was the first full length animated movie ever, and there probably isn't a soul in America who hasn't seen it. If you can over look the creepy old lady/little girl voice (which is it?) of Snow White you really can't ask for anything more. I still quote lines from the dwarfs on almost a weekly basis. Just remember, "Women are full of wicked wilds." Even if you don't know what they are, you can still get um ;)

A Lasting Legacy of Epic Proportions

It is intimidating to share your opinions with the world. It's even more so when people start taking them seriously. If I disregard a movie and tell you that you should do the same, then you're not losing anything if you don't agree. If, however, I recommend a movie and you go see it based on my recommendation, that's a scary thought. Not only are you spending money, but you spent your time on a movie you may not like at which point your faith in my reviews goes to pot. You can begin to understand why critics are negative more often than not. This is my lame attempt of letting you know that I'm aware of that and am trying my best to be fair. These are MY opinions, and I expect someone to disagree on almost everything I write. I may hate a movie that you loved just because I saw it differently than you. If all our experiences were the same, we'd probably all love the same things. Thank goodness it isn't that way. So here are three quick rules to remember before we get started:

1. Forget the critics. The only way to know if you are going to like a movie is to see it!
2. The higher your expectations of a movie, the less likely you are to enjoy it. Try to be free of expectations.
3. Redbox is only a dollar (sometimes free) when in extreme doubt, wait.

That being clarified, let me show you why I'm pretty much always right. ;)
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If you haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises yet, wow! You either have a lot of self-restraint or you just don't give a dangling participial about pop culture... at all! This movie has been anxiously awaited since the credits rolled at the ended of The Dark Knight four years ago. Unfortunately, that creates a formula guaranteed to break rule number two. When you have a movie so close to perfection, you can't help but hope that the next one is going to be even bigger and better. Sadly, at the same time you think to yourself, "Well, gosh, I hope they don't do the exact same thing again," and thus you create a nearly impossible scenario. But oh! the sweet anticipation!!

I liked the movie. As a stand alone film, I can't say that I loved it. As part of a larger trilogy, yes, I loved it. So if you haven't seen it yet, here's what I liked and what I didn't like so that you can decide for yourself. If you have seen it, here's my justification.

Short Comings
1. Intelligent dialogue: Since it's a Chris Nolan movie, before I saw it I was convinced of two things. First, that it would be an intelligent film, and second there would be incredible action scenes. This film isn't just intelligent, it's brilliant. Sadly, the cheesy dumb dialogue that Nolan shunned in the past creeps into the film. In the last two films there was one or two cringe-worth lines a piece. In this film, we get one or two every half hour. Additionally, because this is such a brilliant movie, a lot of info has to be given to the audience. Usually that info is provided in lines that easily pass for everyday conversation. A couple times in this film your bombarded with info in a straight soliloquy. Personally, not a fan because it seemed... well, scripted.

2. A Batman film... without Batman?: Where the heck was Batman?! Let's just say if it were custody battle, Batman should be suing Bruce Wayne for visitation rights, that is, if the audience members are the children in this metaphor. We see the guy in a mere total of three scenes.... THREE! Granted, the focus is on Bruce Wayne in this film, but Batman is where the action's at! I came in expecting action scene unparallelled in the history of film. Sadly, I was let down. The action that is in the film is good, don't get me wrong, but Batman doesn't so much rise as he does... roll up into a sitting position and use the arm rest to straighten up.

3. Bane... really: I love Tom Hardy. I'm to the point that I will see movies just because he's in it. Sadly, I can't really tell you whether or not he was a good actor in this film because all we get are his eyes and bad voice overs. I mean seriously... what did that guy say half the film? It was like Darth Vader was practicing elocution lessons he got from Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady! I was lost for the first part of the movie until I could acclimate to his voice. The first time he fights Batman, he sounds like a airline pilot narrating a national geographic special, "Gsssk... and now we see the Batman trying to use the darkness to help himself... gssk." Oh, and we never really find out how everyone knows about Bane's infamy. A poor... poor villain to follow up the greatest villain of all time.

4. Secret identity: OK, this is almost a spoiler alert because it happens in the first thirty minutes but doesn't matter much I'll say it. Officer Blake (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a long speech all about how he was able to figure out Bruce Wayne was Batman because when he was a kid he saw Bruce and knew he was hiding something from the world because his parents died and he hide behind the same face and blah blah happened to the blah blah or something or other. Right, could have done without that and now I'll never be free of it.

5. Extracurricular activities:  Call me old fashioned, but I like my heroes to have high moral standing. Bruce Wayne sleeps with a women after sharing, like, two conversations with her. You don't see anything but the beginning kiss with implications just reek of "fluzzy." It was avoided in the first two films and wished it could have been in this one.

The Brilliance:
Now let's get to the good stuff!

1. Compelling entertainment: Not once in the whole two hours and forty-five minutes did I wonder when the movie was going to be over. I was so involved in what was going on that I completely lost track of time. That is a near impossible feat to accomplish especially when you consider that I already told you there wasn't a lot of action. The movie traps you instantly, and you don't realize it until it lets you go with the final credits. Well done, Mr. Nolan. Truly well done!

2. Quality acting: All three films have superb casts. Christian Bale has truly become the character of Bruce Wayne. To see him at the beginning of the week as a teenage boy in Batman Begins and see him at the end as an older, broken man is a testimony to that. Michael Caine's performance literally brought tears to my eyes. But you already know that of course. Morgan Freeman didn't appear as much as I would have liked but was still splendid. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt held his own in a all-star cast. I know everyone's biggest fear was Anne Hathaway but the incredible news is that she is passable! By no means is she great, but she was good and, ladies and gentleman, that is a miracle only Christopher Nolan could give you.

3. The ending: Say what you want about the ending, but I loved it. Perhaps that's because I saw how it was unfolding from the very beginning. If you doubt, me stay tuned until the end and I'll show you how. But it was cathartic and I loved it. It may not have been the epic ending I was expecting, but it was good for me. To me it was a perfect tail end to the trilogy and is upheld by the former two films.

4. Philosophy: As a movie, I thought it was good; as a philosophically and political journey, it was spectacular! This one might give some spoilers away so read with caution. One of the most powerful messages of the movie is where Bruce Wayne is at the beginning of the movie. It isn't the triumphant hero living in ease and luxury. He's a lonely, depressed recluse. Then we are treated to one of my favorite lines of the movie which oddly enough comes Bane. When they first fight, Bane taunts Batman by saying that "Victory has finally defeated you." It is such a true message of life. So many of us are willing to risk all when the tensions are high and the chance of victory is slim. But what happens if we win? Most of us seem to feel that we can just give up and coast because we've won it. Never forget that the hardest battle usually comes after the victory. Just look at the Revolutionary War. Peace is often more deadly than war time.

Second, you have to give props to Nolan for convincing everyone that the creepy chatting in the trailers was a negative, evil thing. In reality when you find out what it is, it's a beautiful message. The message to rise is one that is applicable no matter where you are in life. It connects so beautifully with the message of the first film on why we fall. There are no safety nets in our attempts to reach our highest potential; we must risk all to gain all. Man, I love the messages of this trilogy!!

5. Political message: This one might earn me some snide remarks I'm sure, but I'm just pointing out the messages of the movie as I see it. I spent the first thirty minutes of the movie or so kind of upset because it felt like class warfare had entered my movie-going experience. You hear several times in the first little bit how the rich are evil, bad guys. But than you begin to realize that people saying that are the ones who end up destroying Gotham. Catwoman is one of the biggest advocates of making the rich man pay. In one scene after Gotham has been reduced to French Style Revolution, we see her enter a ruined classy apartment. She picks up a photo and looks sad. When asked why she says, "A family used to live here." The girl with her responds, "Now we all live here." (A major desire of a certain political movement started in a New York park recently...) Rather than comfort her it seems to fill her with remorse. Bane ends up reducing Gotham to rubble by killing of the rich and letting the poor masses have whatever they can take.

Let's not forget here, the hero is a rich guy. But that's not really what made him a hero. He was a hero because of what he stood for. The message is beautifully connected through the three films. When Bruce Wayne comes back to Gotham he doesn't try and pass legislation to make the rich people give money to the poor. The message is that if the people are greedy and corrupt then the government will be to. You can't disassociate them. Batman's goal from the beginning is to shake people from their apathy with a dramatic example. If you want change, you be the change. You can't force it on others; you have to entice with example. That's what Batman is. And that's the formula for how we all can be Batman ourselves.

To sum up, it really is worth seeing. Although I probably won't see it again until its on DVD, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and will be buying it the first chance I get. And so ends the best trilogy of our age.

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Spoiler Alert!

If your still reading look up! This is a spoiler alert! I'm about to tell you all the secrets of the ending and how you can guess it.

Spoiler Alert!

You have been warned! ;)

Officer Blake as Robin. Really this is the easiest one. You can't honestly believe they brought Joseph Gordon-Levitt in to be a street level cop. Remember in movies, just like in life, everything has a reason.
Hint one: He tells Bruce he had a similar past as him.
Hint two: He knows Bruce is Batman, that is information only known by IMPORTANT PEOPLE in movies!
Hint three: Batman TELLS HIM TO WEAR A MASK!!! COME ON!!
The first time I saw him on screen, I was picturing his face with a mask on.

Bruce Wayne doesn't die. You had to be wondering if he would from the beginning to catch this one. Big hint. Nothing is cheap in action movies. If your going to film a scene it better be relevant. If it actually makes it in and the movie is already long you know it is RELEVANT. So the fact that they actually took time to film Alfred's flashback to when he used to hope he'd see Bruce at a cafe with a family should have given it away that it was coming back.

Miranda Tate is Ras al Ghul's daughter. This one took research. If you looked at IMDB you knew they were related. If not however, you still could have seen it coming. We already established the women was a fluzzy! Why else would she throw herself on the old cripple if it wasn't trying to gain his trust. Other than that, why would Ras al Ghul kick Bane out of the League of Shadows if he was his own son. That had to be something bigger going on.

Keep your eyes open. ;)

The Legend of a Dark Knight

That's right ladies and gentleman, we are less than a week away from the conclusion of one of the most epic trilogies of our time. In honor of that I thought we could take the time to look back at the past two films and see what it was that made Christopher Nolan's Batman so great. Then next week you can check back here and see if it ended as well as it started or if... OK, sorry for the laugh, we all know there is no other option here. ;)

Batman Begins

When this movie first came out, I was but a wee lad of nineteen. I had grown up in a world where superheroes were cheesy, and no one really expected them to be believable or realistic. All of a sudden, I was watching a movie that convinced me that a rich guy on a vacation to China could miraculously turn into a superhero. Mister Nolan, "You've changed things, forever. There's no going back." You mark my words, in the future this movie will be brought up as one of the most influential movies of the twenty-first century. Add with this an incredible cast, an epic story line, and an incredible soundtrack and you've got entertainment galore.

I think what I liked most about this movie was Nolan's twist on the view of the hero. Bruce Wayne wasn't a perfect individual. At first Bruce's hate and fear almost leads him to become the evil that he fears and hates. Instead, all the tragedy he experienced set him on a course to fight against those things and help others. He really learns the lesson that people fall so that they can learn to pick themselves back up. Side note: take a second and think about that in relation to the fact that he ends up dressing like a bat--the thing he fears most. Now that your mind is blown, we move on.

You know how in comic movies most people complain when there is more than one villain. Well, have people stopped to realized that Batman Begins technically had three and everyone loved it? Not only did you have Liam Neeson's character--who was perfect for a start up villain--but you also have the mob boss Carmine Falcone and Scarecrow! And can I just say well done, Mister Nolan, for your choice of Scarecrow and make him... well, freaky! It literally felt like Batman was up against the entire city of Gotham. But the coolest part was that the person that creeped you out the most was Batman himself. Pretend you weren't a little startled the first time you saw the giant bat literally snatching people up at the docks, but I know you were. It's a strong lesson that those who do bad things have more to fear than those that do good. 

The only thing that could possibly have made this movie any better would be if Nolan had cast Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as the guy that invents all of Batman's toys... wait, what? Chu gotta be kidding me! Now, granted it's a little rough to hear Christian Bale gargling marbles and the if I heard "if that train reaches the central hub, its gonna blow!" one more time I would have reached through the screen and punched the old man that said it, but those are easily forgotten. I mean, come on, he jumps down a whirlwind of bats and drives on buildings!! If you haven't heard, this movie is incredible. "Didn't you get the memo"?

The Dark Knight

Ladies and gentleman, this may be the perfect superhero movie. I'm not even gonna to address those people who only believe the movie was big because of Heath Ledger's death. The movie stands for itself and it's exceptional. True, the movie does owe a lot to Heath Ledger; however, his performance was so exquisite it was creepy. But let us not forget that it was the Nolan brother who gave him the words to say. Expect a post on this later, but I thoroughly believe that they created the best villain of all time with their interpretation of the Joker. I mean, come on, people, you were quoting his lines for years (you probably still are) even though he was a complete psychopath! For me, the reason that he is so scary is Alfred's explanation. The Joker really didn't really want anything but to watch the world burn.

Sadly, the evil character was written so well that we miss the amazing moral journey that Bruce Wayne goes through. I just got back from a weekend at a Church camp for youth and the biggest thing that struck me is that doing the right thing hasn't been "cool" for years. In this film we are taught that being the hero means... not always being the hero. Sometimes doing the right thing isn't popular and people will hate you for doing it. That is where Batman's true strength is shown; he wasn't being the hero, "he was being something more." Now that is an example that we can all look too! 

I was actually sad that Katie Holmes didn't return because I liked her more as Rachel, and, yes, it does shock me to say that. However, I don't agree with some peoples criticism of Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent which I thought was perfectly adequate minus the whole face impossibility thing... why wasn't he the one talking as if he was gurgling marbles... that would make more sense. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, of course, are perfect in this film, and I think more so in this movie that Gary Oldman is just as perfect. To make it even better the action and tension were ramped up times ten for this film making it a sublime piece of entertainment.  Mostly I just like that the Nolan's accentuate the good in people at the end rather then the negative, as is popular today.

 

In fact, I'll go so far as to say this isn't just a perfect superhero movie, it is a near perfect movie period. How can the Nolan's out do themselves with the next film? It's quite clear the action and tension will be even higher this time, but can the movie survive without an awe-inspiring villain like the Joker? I would like to say yes because I think that will gives us back the hero we deserve. Rather than focus on the bad guy we can focus on the good and all that he is willing to sacrifice for others. Let's also not forget that this is a trilogy. None of the movies are designed to stand on their own. The Dark Knight Rises will be great because of the last two movies success not despite it. I expect great things and I think it's safe to say you can too. Now... who wants to see a magic trick? ;)

The Perfect Cure For Arachnophobia

This is generally the part of my blog where I ramble on about my personal experience with so and so in the past and how it formed my opinion of the issue today. In an attempt to spark note that process, I'll let you know that I grew up watching the Spiderman cartoons, hated the first movie, didn't hate the second and was just as disappointed and ticked off with the third one as you. In short, I really don't think those movies should ever have been made. We finally have the movie that we deserved ten years ago, but sadly those original three may ruin this new epic for the average Joe. Here's my desperate attempt to not let Sam Raimi do any more damage.

I've come to realize that most movie critics... are morons. When Brave came out, I read several reviews stating that the film had a terrible and boring plot, but that it had amazing animation and was a Pixar film so it was therefore amazing...? Now this week I have read several reviews stating that The Amazing Spider-Man has a great plot and amazing acting, but that because it's a remake of a movie from ten years ago it's terrible... Fascinating. Let me get this straight, the complaint is that no one wants to see the same story again? So I guess that means people are done watching movies where an average (typically dorky) guy winds up getting news skills or powers, has some tragic/life altering event occur that solidifies his resolve to do good, falls in love, meets an antagonist, gets beat up, almost loses, but ultimately ends up saving the day. Well, say good bye to comic book movies because that pretty much encompasses them all!!

One review claimed it just doesn't work in a post Avengers world. Need I remind you that we got FOUR origin stories to set the ground for that one, and all were of them fairly similar. It's said in this movie that in fiction there is only one story. I don't know about that but when they all come from same mind (ahem Stan Lee ahem) your gonna end up with some deja vu. It's also a lame criticisms when EVERY ONE of the last Spider-Man films ended the exact same way!! Mary Jane thrice ends up getting kidnapped with the same result of Spidey saving the day and the damsel. At least this film is original! Do yourself a favor and avoid the "already seen this excuse" because tickets sales prove people don't mind seeing the same basic plot line over and over again. In fairness, there were one or two critics that complained the movie was just boring, but we can excuse them considering they were probably just eager to get home and watch their favorite episode of the Backyardigans on Netflix again.

Now let's discuss why the movie is a win on so many levels. I give you, Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. Look, I love Tobey Maguire, but he was just not the right guy for the job. I've said so from the beginning. It's not all on him though; Sam Raimi's Peter Parker was just written terribly. This new Parker has so much that the old one didn't. Here's the list to prove it.

Brains:

I re-watched  one of the old Spider-Man movies last night and realized that in order to make Peter Parker sound smart they just gave him something "sciencey" to say every once and awhile. That didn't try to create the illusion when the guy seems to be pleasantly baffled by the world around him for the rest of the film. For instance, "I kissed another girl and you're upset about it... I don't understand, I'm confused..." This new Peter talks the talk AND he walks the walk. Not only do we see double helix models, finished rubix cubes and personal inventions in his room, but Garfield's whole aurora screams nerdy with a side of street smarts. Peter Parker is supposed to be a boy genius, and we get that with this new film. Oh and by Jove, he reads! And it something other than poetry. ;)

Likeability:

They really tried to make the old Parker to come off as humorously awkward, but it ended up coming off as "climbing in your window, snatching yo people up" awkward. Mostly I just got really uncomfortable the more I watched him staring down Mary Jane from a distance. The new Parker is awkward with nervous ticks and nonverbal responses, but it is charmingly endearing. It's also refreshing that rather than seeing another newly empowered geek beat up his former bully, Garfield's Parker playful humiliates his high-school antagonist without resorting to any real violence. Plus there's no revenge killing, even if it was accidental in the original. Most importantly, he's funny! Try not to laugh at his encounter with the car thief. To sum up, he just hard not to like.

Vulnerability:
Ever notice how the old Parker would get thrown around and beat up than come home looking lemony fresh? Well Shakespeare would  be proud of the new Peter cause when you prick him, he bleeds! He's constantly hiding bruises and getting scars cleaned. I don't get how the old Spidey became impervious to thirty story falls but this movie shows that the web slinger is just as allergic to bullets as the rest of us. Most especially, he is also emotionally vulnerable. When Uncle Ben dies it's actually a tragic event for Garfield's Parker. And instead of covering it up with selfish guilt and revenge, we see him morn the loss and is overcome with grief. All of this is beautifully framed with grade A abandonment issues from his parents.

To be fair, some people have complained about a part of the movie that I can see looking more ridiculous than needed. During a point in the movie, Spidey is injured and needs to make it across the city. To help, a bunch of construction workers line up their cranes to that he can swing on them. I know, it does sound cheesy, but think about it. Do you really prefer the hero that doesn't need us pitiful humans to help at all? I think the message is Spidey can't do it all on his own. Instead he helps people and they in turn are willing to help him when he needs it. It's actually a great message that EVERYONE needs to do what they can to fight evil, not just the guys with super powers.

 Love Skills:

Peter Parker is a ladies man in the comics. Seriously, he gets like three of the most desirable women in the city to fight over him. I'm not really sure how Maguire's Peter got any girl by crying and being completely ignorant to the rules of basic flirtation.  That's not the case with Garfield's. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is watching Emma Stone's and his character fumble though a realistic attempt to schedule a first date. He's able to actually squeeze out a healthy relationship for a good portion of the movie which is rare.

Superhuman Guidance:
People don't generally end up great unless they have someone great to emulate. Most people need a good mentor/teacher. In the old movies, Uncle Ben had his one line of fame and than died. The rest of the movies than did their best to exploit that phrase for all they could get. We've all heard that "with great power comes great responsibility" a thousand times, but what does that really mean? If I'm not a superhero, I don't have to do jack?  Instead with this film, we get a strong parental presence from Uncle Ben. He doesn't just give one well phrased verse and disappear. He gives moral guidance through the first third of the movie, and we see Parker slowly work out how that applies for him the rest of the film. As Sheen's Uncle Ben says, when have the ability to help someone, we have a moral obligation to do it. It's not as catchy, but, man, it's implications are more powerful.

Oh and Aunt May is a billion times better. Rather than telling long boring stories that make Peter feel guilty and ultimately lead him to make the wrong decisions in life (all with poor acting), we see an Aunt May that is genuinely concerned for Peter and warns him that all secrets have a price. And she's smart! She figures out Pete's alter ego all on her own. I also really appreciate that she was left more in the background for this film so that we could focus on the legacy of Uncle Ben. I look forward to her being a bigger influence for good in the next film though.

Reality:

Most of all, the new Peter is realistic. Maguire's Parker went from average guy to super strength without really batting an eye. I don't know about you, but if I developed "Spidey senses," it would freak me out at first. That's the case with Garfield's Parker. He becomes paranoid and struggles to control his knew strength with humorous results. This also translates into action as a Superhero. When he sets up a spider web trap for the Lizard, we aren't left to believe he sat their perfectly poised the whole time waiting for something to happen. This Peter does what we all would: he gets out his cell phone and starts playing games.

I seriously wish I had time to talk about all the things I loved about this film, but you're probably already getting bored of me swooning over it. BUT just a few more things: Emma Stone is phenomenal in her role and so is Martin Sheen and Sally Fields. The plot is intelligent and thought provoking which I suppose could induce some to claim that it is "boring." One thing I can't complain about the old movies is Danny Elfman's soundtrack, which was near perfection. So I can't say this score by James Horner is better, but it is just as incredible in a new and different way. Let's just say it's the only music I have listened to for the past week. So as to not seem biased, I must grant that the Lizard borders on ludicrous. But I really can't make any excuse there because his whole presence drips with comic book cheese. However, Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors is spectacular.

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Seven years ago the history of comic book movies changed. When Christopher Nolan gave us Batman Begins we were given permission to expect intelligent superhero flicks. Since then directors have been trying to balance between being true to the comics and making realistic action films. With Christopher Nolan moving on to bigger things, it is comforting to know that Marc Webb is trying to follow in those footsteps. Go see The Amazing Spider-Man, and show the world that most people do like smart movies!

Riddles In The Dark

I have been blessed with two exceptional parents. My mother is one of the most kind, generous, and loving woman you will ever meet. I could honestly say--as a great man is reported as having said--that "everything I am I owe to my angel mother." However, I feel like I haven't had enough opportunities in my life to praise my father for the incredible man that he is. I have never in my twenty-six years of existence seen a man that works so hard without complaining. The trouble with getting older is that your childhood memories slowly begin to seep through the cracks like vapor. But the strongest memory I have is the first time my dad read to me. Don't get me wrong, my mom used to tell me bedtimes stories of all the fairytales practically from birth, but this is different. I can remember the spot on the carpet where I sat, where the light rested as it gleamed from the lamp, the darkness of the storm raging outside, and--most important all--the deep baritone of my father's voice as he read my brother and me the words from The Hobbit. My parents gave me a lot, but I owe my love of adventure and my love of stories to my father. So this one is dedicated to him.

It should come as no surprise that as a result of my childhood I am obsessed with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Another memory I hope to never lose is watching to all three Lord of the Rings movies for the first time with my dad (Even though he saw the second one without me first; I forgive him for that) ;) As my family will tell you (and some never seem to tire of telling) I became a fanatic. Now we are less than six months away from the first installment of the incredible prequel. As a result, I just finished reading The Hobbit for the millionth time. Whether your a diehard fan or are unfamiliar with the book, here is my suggestion: follow my example. Now is the prefect time for you to read it because you'll remember just enough to catch the parts of the movie others will miss but won't remember so much detail that you think, "Hey, what about..." Trust me, I've got your best interests in mind! Anyway, let's keep this about the book, and I'll return in six months with how epic the movie was.

Let's start by addressing you people you have not read the book yet... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR EVER LOVING MINDS!! Read the book!! OK, I promise that's out of my system. In all seriousness, there is no reason why everyone shouldn't at least give this book a chance. First of all. it's a mere 300 pages (depending on your copy) with fairly simply vocabulary. Additionally, you can't really call it 300 pages because probably twenty of those are songs written out. Trust me, if you've tried the Lord of the Rings and couldn't get pass the first ten pages, that is no excuse to turn this book away. It is a far simpler writing style. Don't, however, be deceived into thinking its a simple book. Tolkien's great skill in The Hobbit  is the ability to take adult ideas and complex philosophy and render it so that a child can understand. All the while telling a truly exciting story. 

For those of you that have read it before, don't worry, I give you permission to read it again no matter how many times you've read it before. ;) I had the unique opportunity to watch my wife read it for the first time and then teach it to a class for her student teaching last fall. What makes a book great is that you can read it a million times and have a different perspective with each. I had such an experience this time reading it. Have you noticed that our society is becoming more and more like Hobbits... No, really, we eat all the time, hate any breaks with routine, love gossip, and we have really hairy feet. Yet it's the experiences that burn all those Hobbit tendencies out of Bilbo that we usually try to avoid. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the only difference between adventures and trials is prospective. I guess there's one more difference: adventures make us better, trials tear us down. Try reading it again and seeing what you find this time.

Predictions for the Movie

I'm sorry, I know I said I'd keep it about the book, but everyone already knows it's awesome! You'll just have to indulge me. As most of you know the book is being split into two movies. My biggest curiosity is where they are going to leave us hanging with the first. We can safely assume from the trailer that Bilbo will at least make it to the ring. That's a given. So that means we'll see Bilbo's dinner with the Dwarfs, their encounter with the trolls, a good glimpse of Rivendale, their fight with the Goblins in the mountain, and the Bilbo/Gollum showdown. However, the first film claims that Legolas, who is a Mirkwood Elf, and Bard, who is all the way at Laketown, are both in it. I'm really doubting we get all the way to Laketown in this movie. 

My guess is we'll either be left hanging at the edge of Mirkwood when Gandalf leaves or, more likely since I see a lot of spiderwebs in the trailer, we'll make it to the Elves of Mirkwood and be treated to the Spiders in this film. There may be a small small chance that the curtain rises right as the dwarfs pop out of barrels in Laketown. But my guess is in true Peter Jackson style we'll only get to see glimpses of Laketown through out the film. I can also tell that we are in for a treat. It's listed that Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing not only the voice of Smaug but also the voice of the Necromancer. Furthermore, there are more wizards listed than just Gandalf in this flick. That's right fellas, were are gonna get to see the Wizards take on a broken Sauron! Sadly we'll have to wait until the second film for that. If that's the case, the second film may only consist of the Smaug show-down, the Wizard's showdown, and the Battle of the Five-Armies. I wouldn't complain if that were the case. Guess we'll see in December!

 

In the meantime, read the book again. Like I said, now is the time to do it so you can keep Tolkien's story fresh in your mind but not too ripe. I know I gave a lot of reasons for adults to read this book but really you should read it for your inner child. The one that's screaming for mystery, adventure, and heroism. The Hobbit delivers on all these fronts. It's like they say, "It's a dangerous business, going our your front door. You step onto the road and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."