Not as good as the previous films.
Synopsis: Eight years after the last film, Bruce Wayne must reemerge as Batman to fight off a new threat to Gotham, Bane.
In the wake of the tragedy in Colorado, The Dark Knight Rises may no longer have the enthusiastic following it had previously, however I went to honor those loyal movie-goers who attended the midnight movie and never got to actually finish the film they waited so long to see.
Characters:
Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale): His character has gotten a lot weaker since TDK. He is completely broken in more ways than one and, despite the actual symbolic and literal rising, he is not at the same strength as he was before. His voice is still annoyingly raspy, but his Batman dialogue is very much cut down. This Bruce Wayne is similar to the character from the beginning of Batman Begins. He has gone full circle (aka nowhere).
Alfred (Michael Caine): He is awesome as usual, but he disappears half way through the movie. There really is not much to say about his character, although I think he needs a big hug. He works so hard only to have Bruce Wayne return to being Batman and endangering his life for a city that doesn't appreciate him and blames him for a crime he didn't commit.
Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Anne Hathaway): She is a modern femme fatale in leather spandex and heels (which can't be practical). She is just... there. She is an instigator of some plot threads, but does not do too much else.
Bane (Tom Hardy): He is not as threatening as the Joker. He stands around a lot when he's not fighting Batman and makes speeches in a Sean Connery voice that's amplified so much that it sounds like a dubbing rather than someone speaking through a mask. The times he does fight Batman, he is really a threat to the characters, but he did not induce fear in the audience like the Joker (at least not for me). He seems to be more talk than fight, although that might be because he could crush most people like bugs. His plan: Destroy Gotham as Ra's al Ghul planned. However, he pointlessly draws it out in an attempt to break the spirits of the Gothamites, thus allowing Batman and the police to retaliate and (as this is a melodrama superhero movie) win.
Commissioner Gordan (Gary Oldman): Like Alfred, Gordan is incapacitated through most of the movie. However, I liked how his character arch and relationship with Batman was completed at the end of the film.
John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt): The rookie cop who is suddenly catapulted to detective because of plot conveniences. Also... side-kick!
Other characters were not really memorable, but there were a few minor characters/cameos that made me smile like the nerd I am.
Cillian Murphy returns as Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane, although he is not mentioned by name. He is clearly recognizable and his role is a bit humorous. It makes me wonder whether it was originally written for the Joker, but was redone due to the death of Heath Ledger.
Liam Neeson pulls an Empire Stikes Back Obi-Wan Kenobi thing to move the plot forward and reveal something about a character that Bruce Wayne misinterprets.
Lastly, for those who have watched the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, Burn Gorman (Owen Harper) has a minor role in the movie, and he does a great job with the material he has.
This movie is the weakest of the trilogy and has much more in common with the first film than the sequel. One could take out The Dark Knight entirely and not really miss a thing due to the fact there are flashbacks from both films within this one (although they are luckily few and far between).
Overall rating: 3/5
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Moonrise Kingdom
With a star studded cast like this, one would thing it would be more dynamic. Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Harvey Keitel are all minor characters as the story focuses on the romance between two troubled pre-teens.
Again, a short summary: Two young lovers, Sam and Suzy, run away from their homes in a small island village causing the girl's parents, the police Sheriff, and Sam's Scout Troop to comb the island in search of them.
Describing this movie in one world: Bland. It is supposedly a comedy-drama, but the only comedy comes from little quirks from Suzy's parents (Bill Murray (Zombieland and Ghostbusters) and Frances McDormand (Fargo)), such as the mother using a megaphone to call her family for a meal. However, they and many of the other adult actors are wasted and expressionless - as is the entire child cast.
Few of the characters have any depth and some of them feel contrived or one-note. However, the most interesting character is probably Captain Sharp, the police sheriff, played by action star Bruce Willis. He gets a tiny bit of character development that does not go anywhere.
The children do not have much to work with as they seem like lifeless and expressionless mannequins. They do well for child actors and Sam (Jared Gilman) is even likable at times.
Overall, if the audience either grew up in the 1960s (the time setting of this film) or was part of the Boy Scouts, they would enjoy this film. It was okay, but nothing to write home about.
Rating: 2.5/5
Again, a short summary: Two young lovers, Sam and Suzy, run away from their homes in a small island village causing the girl's parents, the police Sheriff, and Sam's Scout Troop to comb the island in search of them.
Describing this movie in one world: Bland. It is supposedly a comedy-drama, but the only comedy comes from little quirks from Suzy's parents (Bill Murray (Zombieland and Ghostbusters) and Frances McDormand (Fargo)), such as the mother using a megaphone to call her family for a meal. However, they and many of the other adult actors are wasted and expressionless - as is the entire child cast.
Few of the characters have any depth and some of them feel contrived or one-note. However, the most interesting character is probably Captain Sharp, the police sheriff, played by action star Bruce Willis. He gets a tiny bit of character development that does not go anywhere.
The children do not have much to work with as they seem like lifeless and expressionless mannequins. They do well for child actors and Sam (Jared Gilman) is even likable at times.
Overall, if the audience either grew up in the 1960s (the time setting of this film) or was part of the Boy Scouts, they would enjoy this film. It was okay, but nothing to write home about.
Rating: 2.5/5
Sunday, July 15, 2012
People Like Us
This is a tear jerker. For those of you who don't read the summaries online or in the paper, here's one: Sam (Chris Pine) a barter salesman must deal with the death of his estranged father, his estate, and the skeletons in his closet. One of the skeletons turns out to be a daughter, and Sam's dad asks him to take care of her. Single mom Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) must deal with the death of her estranged father and her son's misbehavior at school.
This film is very much character driven. It examines the emotions that link family together, no matter how thick or thin the blood is. It is also a journey of self rediscovery (Sam) and self discovery (Frankie). The film also looks at how difficult it is to be a single mom with no one to help in a time of need.
Chris Pine, who is famous for playing the new James T. Kirk in Star Trek (2009) and the upcoming sequel, is wonderful as the conflicted Sam and plays the awkwardness of the situation well. Because Sam and his family are not close (that's an understatement), he has become cold due to his work and need to persuade people to see things his way. He has an entire character arch throughout the film, and the change is miraculous.
Elizabeth Banks, famous for playing Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games, plays Frankie. As a single mom, she tries to juggle her job as a bartender and her son's life in and out of school. Just like her son, Frankie has many problems, but she is trying to better herself for the sake of her child. Unfortunately, she does not have much money and can barely scrape by on her salary. Through the movie, Frankie discovers that she can stand up for herself and move forward, and Sam and her son are instrumental in this journey.
This is the first time I have seen Michael Hall D'Addario, and he did wonderfully as Frankie's son Josh. The movie even gives the audience a peek into the bullying in school and how some children act out to either be cool or stave off the more belligerent kids. He unfortunately doesn't get much dynamic and can seem to be a bit of a one tone character for most of the film, but that changes once Sam reveals his relation to Frankie.
Michelle Pfeiffer, who has been in many films but is probably most remembered for her role as Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992), plays Sam's mother, Lillian. Although this is a smaller part, Pfeiffer shows the grief of a widow in emotional pain, along with her character's own issues that need to be worked out through the course of the movie.
The film shows a lot of heart and drew a lot of sniffles and even some tears from the audience. It touches the hearts and souls of anyone who has unexpectedly lost or found a loved one. If you enjoy films that make you smile while you cry, this film is for you.
Rating: 4/5
This film is very much character driven. It examines the emotions that link family together, no matter how thick or thin the blood is. It is also a journey of self rediscovery (Sam) and self discovery (Frankie). The film also looks at how difficult it is to be a single mom with no one to help in a time of need.
Chris Pine, who is famous for playing the new James T. Kirk in Star Trek (2009) and the upcoming sequel, is wonderful as the conflicted Sam and plays the awkwardness of the situation well. Because Sam and his family are not close (that's an understatement), he has become cold due to his work and need to persuade people to see things his way. He has an entire character arch throughout the film, and the change is miraculous.
Elizabeth Banks, famous for playing Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games, plays Frankie. As a single mom, she tries to juggle her job as a bartender and her son's life in and out of school. Just like her son, Frankie has many problems, but she is trying to better herself for the sake of her child. Unfortunately, she does not have much money and can barely scrape by on her salary. Through the movie, Frankie discovers that she can stand up for herself and move forward, and Sam and her son are instrumental in this journey.
This is the first time I have seen Michael Hall D'Addario, and he did wonderfully as Frankie's son Josh. The movie even gives the audience a peek into the bullying in school and how some children act out to either be cool or stave off the more belligerent kids. He unfortunately doesn't get much dynamic and can seem to be a bit of a one tone character for most of the film, but that changes once Sam reveals his relation to Frankie.
Michelle Pfeiffer, who has been in many films but is probably most remembered for her role as Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992), plays Sam's mother, Lillian. Although this is a smaller part, Pfeiffer shows the grief of a widow in emotional pain, along with her character's own issues that need to be worked out through the course of the movie.
The film shows a lot of heart and drew a lot of sniffles and even some tears from the audience. It touches the hearts and souls of anyone who has unexpectedly lost or found a loved one. If you enjoy films that make you smile while you cry, this film is for you.
Rating: 4/5
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