What I'm watching

#393/#110 The Dark Knight Rises

8 years have passed since the events of the Dark Knight and Gotham has moved forward, now stronger than ever. Using Harvey Dent as a shining example, the police have eliminated organised crime within the city and there has been no need of the Batman (Christian Bale). When cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) breaks into Wayne Manor however, Bruce Wayne’s interest is peeked and when the mercenary Bane (Tom Hardy) appears in Gotham, so to is the Batman’s. This raises the question though: Is Bruce Wayne still capable of being the Batman anymore or will this be Gotham’s final reckoning?

I should firstly say that I enjoyed this movie and that it’s definitely a good capping point to the Nolan-verse Batman franchise. That said, I think The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Inception and the Avengers are all better, more enjoyable movies.

Everything I’ve said before that was good with this film’s predecessors is still present here. Its got some great action, interesting set pieces, a complex and well thought out plot (all be it a little convoluted this time), a good score and great cinematography. This time around however, it also has a lot of exposition dumps required to keep the audience up to speed, a lot of long period where nothing seems to happen as a result of these long talking scenes and the whole endeavour feels overly long and nowhere near as tightly self contained as the others in the trilogy. The Dark Knight and Inception are both long films with complex subject matter and dialogue heavy scenes but they both held my attention more and felt like they were building to something: DKR doesn’t quite achieve this.

Cast-wise, all the returning figures are still great in their roles (Gary Oldman and Michael Caine giving particularly poignant performances) and the newer additions are the highlight of this instalment. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Officer Blake provides a good everyman, giving a top notch performance and holding the audience’s attention. Additionally, I had no doubts that Tom Hardy could pull off the physicality of Bane, given his performance in Bronson, but I was a little concerned his performance would be marred by half his face being covered for the entire film.  His eyes, voice and actions however managed to show he was every bit the calculating bruiser. The voice did take a little getting used to but you adjust easily enough before the end of the movie. The jewel of the film however, was Hathaway as Selina Kyle. The subtle changes, the sexuality, the playfulness with Batman, the fluid morality and her ease with manipulation were ever bit the Catwoman we’ve come to know and love from the comics, shows and games. Easily the best on screen Catwoman to date. The only weak link in the entire cast I felt, was Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate. She felt largely superfluous and more of a plot point than a real character until the very end of the movie. Rather than it being Cotillard’s fault though, I’m beginning to think the Nolan boys just aren’t that good at writing female characters.

I’ve seen this film twice now, and it definitely got better the second time around, but there is just some ineffable quality missing which prevents it from elevating to the level the previous films set. I like it, I will buy it on DVD and I will happily watch it as part of a great trilogy of films but I do not love it as I was hoping to. 4/5

#386/#103 The Dark Knight

(Rewatch)

A new villain calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) has begun terrorising the streets of Gotham, seeking to undo all the good achieved by the combined efforts of Batman (Christian Bale), Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). What seems like an annoyance at first, soon becomes a deadly threat to the city as the Joker causes corruption and chaos in his wake.

What is there left to say about this film? Batman Begins raised the bar for all following Batman movies and the Dark Knight just leapt right over it setting its own new bar. Nolan and Co stepped it up a notch in this one and showed just how film making should be done. This isn’t just a great superhero film, it’s a great film regardless of genre. It showed that a film can have mass appeal without resorting to the lowest common denominator and that films could still be smart.

All of the things I mentioned in my Batman Begins review which made the overall product fantastic (the stunts, cinematography, music etc) are all back with a vengeance. CGI is sparingly used and practical effects dominate the screen. The returning cast of Bale, Caine, Freeman and Oldman, who now has a greater impact and presence in this film, all perform wonderfully while Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker will go down in history as one of the all time great performances.

I was among his many naysayers when it was first announced he would be playing the part but he shut us all up very quickly. I enjoyed Jack Nicholson as the Joker in the original Tim Burton Batman but that was just Nicholson ramping up his crazy levels rather than playing the Joker. Ledger’s Joker is my generations Hannibal Lecter or Darth Vader; it’s an iconic role that will never be forgotten. Mark Hamill’s Joker might be my favourite overall Joker, but Ledger is definitely my favourite live action portrayal. 

The only problems I have with the film, and they are minor, are Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart. Eckhart is a wonderful Harvey Dent throughout the majority of the movie but I just don’t think he pulled off a very convincing Two-face. He plays Gotham’s white knight so well that I just have difficultly believing his sudden character shift. Gyllenhaal similarly was fine in her role, leaving much more of an impression that Katie Holmes, but I still feel Rachel was a fairly mediocre character from the beginning and any reliable actress could have filled the role. I have no clue how this could have been fixed but it is what it is.

As I say, these grips are minor when compared to the overall awesome which is the rest of the film and it deserves all of the praise it recieves. I don’t see this movie being overshadowed anytime soon. 5/5

#385/#102 Batman Begins

(Rewatch)

When billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) witnesses the death of his parents as a child, he begins a journey that sends him to the ends of the earth in search of training so that he can ultimately return to Gotham City and take up the mantle of the Batman.

This film came at just the right time to keep the Batman movie franchise going. The terrible memories of Batman and Robin were still fairly fresh in the minds of the movie going public so Warner Brothers decided to take a chance, giving this franchise to Christopher Nolan and allowing him to go in an unproven direction. This has paid out wonderfully for everyone involved. Nolan getting to do more kickass films (including getting Inception green-lit as one of the eventual benefits), the studio raking in the cash and the public getting a batman series worth watching.

Batman Begins gave us something we hadn’t really gotten before. It gave us a superhero movie rooted in the real world and it provided the first worthwhile film version of Batman’s origins. All previous attempts either only mentioned his parents deaths in passing or showed some brief flashbacks. This film shows us the origins, the training and the resolve Wayne had to obtain before becoming the dark knight, making it a strong movie and an even stronger first part of an eventual trilogy. 

One of the strongest elements of this movie was the casting with Bale handling the duel roles of Wayne and Batman fantastically, truly showing how one became the other over time. Silly Batman voice but you can see what he was trying to do with it. Additionally, Micheal Caine and Morgan Freeman both add an element of humour to these fairly dark films and Gary Oldman (while a little lacking this time around) does establish himself to be a larger part of the next. Liam Neeson also handles his role well, portraying a believable mentor figure and yet an equally calculated villain. The only weak link overall, I think was Katie Holmes as Rachel. There’s nothing wrong with her performance but her role could have been filled by any competent actress and nothing would be missed.

This is going long so I’ll just say the direction, the effects, the stunts, the action, the sets, the cinematography and the music are all equally as engaging as the actors in this picture and that they all come together to make a fantastic overall product. This film is only marred by the fact that its sequel shines so brightly that it pales in comparison. 4.5/5

#313/#30 Reign of Fire

(Rewatch)

20 years after the release of a dragon from an underground cavern, the world is infested with the beasts having killed off most of humanity. Living in a castle in Northumberland, England, Quinn (Christian Bale) and a small community live in constant fear of attack but are struggling on. This is jeopardised however when a group of Americans, lead by Deton Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey), show up content on tracking down the only bull dragon alive.

I saw this film years ago when it initially came out and the only thing I remembered about it was that someone in my English class plagiarised its plot as their own for a short story assignment we had to read aloud…and that they got away with it. The teacher didn’t have a clue. I just sat there looking around at a whole bundle of bored students who also didn’t seem any the wiser. I was shocked and impressed at the balls of the kid doing it because the film was still in theatres at the time. She got a pretty good grade for it as well.

Focusing on the film itself, it’s actually an alright watch. If you go in expecting high art you’re going to be disappointed but if you go in expecting an apocalypse movie with dragons then you’ll be quite content. The plots pretty paper thin when you actually think about it but it’s got some good actors, some enjoyable characters and some really entertaining dragon battles/effects.

Bale’s strong in the main role as the leader. His arc seems realistic enough and you buy it when people follow his orders but the movie is McConaugheys. His character is bat-shit insane but also a little endearing. He’s all the super macho marine archetypes mixed into one with a touch of big game hunter thrown in for good measure. He’s just fun to watch and, honestly, it’s my favourite of his performances because he’s not playing the cocky douchebag for a change.

It’s not one you ever think twice about but it’s one you would happily sit down to watch if you came across it while flicking through the channels. It’s easily the best dragon movie they’ve ever made (even if none of them are voiced by Sean Connery) 3.5/5

Oh and *obligatory Skyrim joke*

#268 The Fighter

(Rewatch)

Original Review

The only thing I want to add really is that Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams all give such amazing performances in this that you actually kinda overlook Mark Wahlberg in the main role. He’s absolutely at the top of his game in this movie as well and helps to give it its heart.

Of all the movies nominated in 2010 I think the fighter is one of the few movies which lends itself to rewatchability and I can see myself checking this film out several more times throughout my lifetime. 4.5/5

#153 Henry V

This film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s work shows the journey of King Henry V of England (Kenneth Branagh) as he establishes his rights to the French throne and the march to, and the battle of, Agincourt.

I hold the belief it is almost impossible to truly understand a Shakespearean play without first having been taught about the play by an English teacher. To wit, I can understand Twelfth Night, the Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet. All other Shakespeare plays I can gleam the main points from but the language will always bar me from truly understanding the rest.

With that stated, what I understood of Henry V was rather good. There is a strong purpose throughout the film, a good scene dealing with traitors, some rousing speeches (specifically the ‘we few, we happy few, we band of brothers’ one) and a climatic battle/finale. 

There is also more British thespian talent in this film than you can shake a stick at. You’ve got Branagh, Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Holm, and a baby Christian Bale. Branagh is both Henry and the director (gaining an Oscar nod for the latter) and he excels in both. There’s something about Shakespeare which just makes these actors better for some reason. Jacobi as the narrator especially shines in the role, despite only being in a few scenes. Similarly Blessed is the best I’ve ever seen him in his role.

Superbly directed film and well acted performances all around, sadly it’s my own limited knowledge of the play which I think will have lowered my score. 3.5/5

#150 American Psycho

Patrick Batman (Christian Bale) is your typical 80’s yuppie Wall Street business man. He’s obsessed with getting into the right clubs, having the best business card, keeping up with all his favourite bands…oh, and he happens to kill people for fun.

This was another one of those ‘I must get around to watching that’ movies. I remember seeing the trailer for it back when it first came out and I think everyone’s seen the Huey Lewis/axing scene at some point regardless of seeing the actual film.

I’m not quite sure what to make of this one. It’s a little like Bronsan in that I was left at the end going ‘Well that sure was… a thing’. Every time I thought I’d gained a handle on what was happening and why, another curve ball would be thrown in and I’m be left floundering again. I was convinced Williem Dafoe’s character was going to amount to something more relevant but nothing ever really transpires from it. Similarly, at the very end, I kept waiting for the Fight Club ‘ah-ha’ moment but it never came. On the one hand that was pretty good, on the other I was left thrown more by that that it took me a while to completely understand what had happened.

If nothing else Bale gives a very good performance as Bateman, and he completely sells the psycho aspect of his personality while also illustrating the normal facade he has to adopt to fit in. Also the aforementioned axe scene is just great, as is the one in which he invites his secretary over and contemplates all the ways in which to murder her.

I wouldn’t say I liked it, but then I can’t say I disliked it either so I’m not quite sure where to rate this one. Regardless of all of this, it did help inspire my favourite tv series Dexter to some degree, so for that I’m at least thankful, but I’d definitely say watch this one and decide for yourself. 3/5

#41 The Fighter

Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is a boxer that has always lived in the shadow of his more charismatic older brother Dicky (Christian Bale). When Dicky is sent to jail for being a crack addict however, this gives Micky the time he needs to escape the emotional clutched of his dominating family, get a new girlfriend (Amy Adams) and new management. With this new focus, Micky manages to get a shot at the title but Dicky is released from jail and it looks like things could begin to slide back into the way they were. 

The description I’ve given doesn’t really give this film justice. It’s based on a true story and there are a lot of different elements that all contribute to what makes this movie good but basically what it boils down to is the interactions between Micky, his family and his girlfriend.

Wahlberg turns in a good performance but it’s nothing really outside of the roles we’re accustomed to seeing him in. The powerhouse actors of this film however reside in Bale as Dicky, Melissa Leo as their mother Alice and Adams as Charlene. Every one of these actors turns in a performance that could earn them the golden statue and in Bale’s case is looking like it will.

It’s a somewhat predictable story, boxer overcomes adversary to become the champion in the end, but it’s the style and characters which make this film never seem stale. I’d almost say this is just a dramatic film that happens to centre around boxing than a boxing film.

Enjoyable film with some fine performances 4/5