The Dark Knight Rises SPOILER FREE Review

I realize this movie literally just came out at the time of this posting and that is why this review is SPOILER FREE! Please refrain from posting any sort of spoilers in the comments section so the readers have a chance to see the film for themselves. Thank you!

Let me preface this by saying that I am a huge Batman fan and have been for a long time. I began collecting Batman comics and action figures when I was five years old and eventually got a Batman tattoo when I was 18. I have made it a point to see every incarnation of Batman on screen both large and small and The Dark Knight Rises is no exception.

Back in 2008, I was stoked to see The Dark Knight. I loved the title. It was edgy, original, and summed up the themes of the film presented in the trailers (which I watched every day). I spent months growing out my hair and traveling to several Goodwill stores to piece together a very convincing Joker costume. The film instantly became my favorite movie of all time and I saw it about 8 times at the theater. To me, this film was a perfect ten. I couldn't fathom a sequel to it. I distinctly remember after it ended, having my arms covered in goosebumps and thinking how I wouldn't care if this was the last one because the ending was so epic.

Fast forward to buzz surrounding the new film, which was yet to be titled. I was trying to guess the villain: Riddler? Hugo Strange? Bane? And the title: The Caped Crusader? The Dark Knight Returns? Batman Ends? I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Slowly details began to emerge and I wasn't thrilled with the title The Dark Knight Rises, but I figured the studio may have pushed to keep the title similar and I knew better than to question Nolan's motives (after all I remember scoffing at the thought of Heath Ledger portraying the Joker). I was excited about Bane and lukewarm on Catwoman, but again I don't want to doubt a genius.

As the previews came out, the lackluster posters (compared to The Dark Knight), and what little of a viral campaign there was I began to lose my excitement. Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to see the movie, but I wasn't as involved. At first, I thought it might because I was getting older, perhaps more mature about things (ha!). When it came right down to it, I just knew it couldn't live up to The Dark Knight and I didn't want to get my hopes up. Deep down I was doing just that. I was thinking, maybe I'll be surprised and Nolan will out do himself yet again.

I told my friends from the start that The Dark Knight Trilogy is akin to the Original Star Wars Trilogy: Batman Begins = Star Wars, The Dark Knight = The Empire Strikes Back, and The Dark Knight Rises = Return of the Jedi. This is exactly how this movie was; it was Jedi. It completely met the expectations that I had in my mind for what it was going to be and what it meant to the series, but I was disappointed that it didn't meet my hopes.

That being said, as a standalone movie it is phenomenal! It's just hard to follow something like The Dark Knight and I guess that's what I was hoping for. I really enjoyed this movie a lot. The first two acts are intense and really set the tone for how the movie is going to be and how Gotham and its citizens have changed in the 8 years since the events in The Dark Knight. I have a few problems with how things are played out in the third act. I won't go into details, but I will say that a few of the events feel a bit rushed. Like the first two acts take their time to set some things up and in the end it is resolved with relative ease. Also, there is a bit of "hokeyness" towards the end that kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. It was a nice sentiment, but I found myself thinking "Nolan is better than that."

I think I'm being a bit more critical than I should because I have seen what Nolan is capable of and I thought this film would exceed my expectations rather than just meet them. I did like the film for the most part and I'm sure people would disagree with some of these thoughts, but like I said in my head I'll always compare it to The Dark Knight.

I love Nolan and everything that he's done for the series and I think that he was the best possible director there is for Batman. It was an honor and a privilege to let us witness and experience his vision of Batman. I am hopeful that Warner Bros will let us digest this series and enjoy it before they rush out another Batman reboot a few years down the road.

Breakdown of The Dark Knight Trilogy:

Batman Begins - 9 out of 10 Batarangs!
The Dark Knight - 10 out of 10 Scars!
The Dark Knight Rises - 8 out of 10 Tumblers!

RAWR(for more)

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

This review will be different. Everyone who knows me knows that I am extremely anti-spoilers. I hate them and I do my best not to be the source of them. That said, I can't really do this review without spoiling this movie. I won't be telling you what happens, but in order to accurately voice my frustration, I have to tell you something that doesn't. So the entirety of this review will be behind the Rawr!, click if you like. But bare in mind that you will learn what you WON'T be seeing in this movie.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth entry in the franchise and may just be the most anticipated film of the summer, if not the year. The film is finally here after a nine month delay. Was it worth the wait?

Well, Kind of.

The story revolves around Dumbledore tracking down elusive memories about the origins of Tom Riddle, the boy who would grow up to be Lord Voldemort. That, however, takes a backseat to the seemingly endless longing stares and snogging sessions between characters.

HP6 is more about the budding love lives of the characters than anything else.

Let me cover the positive before I get to the negative.

The film looks beautiful. It's a gorgeously shot film from beginning to end. It's visually stunning in every way you can think of. I know a lot of people were worried about David Yates handling of this series and he has done a stellar job so far.

The cast is marvelous as well. The kids just get better with each role, especially Emma Watson who has really grown as an actress from each film to the next. Rupert Grint is at his charming best but, as usual, there is not near enough of him. He seems to be delegated to the background, even when he is being prominantly featured. He is one of the best things about this franchise and it just seems like the producers don't know how to properly utilize him or his character. Odd, considering it's all right there in front of them in the books.

Other characters like Luna Lovegood, who is one of my favorites, and Neville Longbottom, are barely more than extras and completely wasted.

Another underused highlight is Helena Bonham Carter's Bellatrix Lestrange. She is delightfully evil in this part and she is barely used.

That seems to be the theme of the film really. Underusing some great characters and delivering a woefully underwhelming movie.

What we have is a beautifully shot, wonderfully acted film that is stunning to look at but in the end goes absolutely nowhere.

It's a slow boil to zero payoff. It felt like the movie was written only as a way to get to the big event of the movie (most of you know what that event is, however, I won't reveal it here). Nothing else happens. Not a thing worth mentioning. You get the feeling that what we are watching is going to lead up to something. People who read the book certainly know that something major is going to happen but it never does.

This movie has absolutely no climax.

This is the spoiler part I was referring to so skip ahead if you want.

In the book, we are witness to a major attack on Hogwarts. An epic battle where everyone is thrust into the war. Students and teachers alike are fighting to save the school. This gives so many people their shining moments. This shows that Dumbldore's Army is capable of fighting the Death Eaters and that Harry has tought them well. This is a HUGE moment in the book. It leads up to the major event.

This battle does NOT happen in the movie. There is no battle for Hogwarts. In fact, there is no battle whatsoever. The school is invaded by Death Eaters but they do nothing except break some glasses and witness said major event. There is absolutely NO point in them even being there.

The problem is this takes away a huge chunk of the emotional impact of the events that follow. Granted, the aftermath of this event is very emotional and touching, but it's just not as powerful as it should be.

That is the major flaw of this film. It lacks the power of the book. It's enjoyable enough but overall it just feels like a step towards the next film instead of a launching pad. We should be jumping out of our chairs with excitement for the next films. Instead, I just feel like shrugging my shoulders and I feel like it's only because this movie has not a shred of real excitement to it.

It has laughs and it has some tears. There are glimpses of greatness but it is nowhere near the film it should have been. In fact it is barely a glimmer what it could have been.

I really can't believe that J.K. Rowling approved the script this way and don't understand how Warner Bros. thought it was okay to release a movie with such a weak ending.

There is absolutely no pay off whatsoever and it's rather frustrating. Half-Blood Prince is a giant missed opportunity. What could have been the best film of the franchise, one that ends with an amazing sequence of events, the kind of jump out of your seat thrills, instead goes out with a whimper and leaves us kind of indifferent as to wanting more.

Should you see this movie? Absolutely. See it because you love the characters and the story (even though it's barely advanced in this film). It's not a bad film it's just a bit of a let down. Especially in terms of what they chose to omit.

This might go down for me as the biggest disappointment of the year.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is in theaters officially tomorrow, but, there are some showings starting tonight.

RAWR(for more)

TV Clip: The Best of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

The Best of Whose Line Is It Anyway? arrives in stores on June 9th. To celebrate the release, check out this hilarious clip featuring the immensely funny Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles.

RAWR(for more)

"State of Play" BBC miniseries

It’s amazing how much of a difference a few hours can make.
I watched the critically-acclaimed BBC miniseries “State of Play” mere days after watching the feature film adaptation. I found the film to be very frustrating; little more than a collection of clichés from other (better) films about journalism and political corruption. From the character shortcuts to the suspiciously reactionary themes, State of Play seemed like a waste of a capable director and talented cast.

My disappointment in the film grew exponentially when I watched the miniseries. The story of a murdered young woman and her relationship to an up-and-coming politician seems pretty run-of-the-mill, but, in the hands of writer Paul Abbott and director David Yates, the serpentine plot unfolds in a way that never feels manipulative; rather, everything feels organic and character-driven.

And what great characters they are. From the persistent journalist to the reluctant informant to the shady politician, these characters benefit greatly from the miniseries format. These characters aren’t genre conventions. They are real people, allowed room to breathe. From one episode to the next, a character can go from likable to despicable without feeling inconsistent. It feels contradictory, to be sure, but in that messy, sympathetic way that real people have. We spend six hours with these characters, getting to know their strengths and their flaws, knowing what they can withstand and what they can’t.

It helps that these characters are played by committed actors; performers willing to do whatever the character requires. They are not self conscious, trying to milk more out of a scene than is there.

This is also a strength of the director, whose instinct is not to over-explain things. In the film, Russell Crowe’s seasoned journalist eats Pop-Tarts on the way to work, as he drives a beat-up jalopy. He is generally unkempt and doesn’t care. He’s a journalist, dammit, and can’t be bothered with such trivial things as looking presentable!

In trying to show us “everything we need to know” about the character in what he drives, how he dresses, et cetera, director Kevin McDonald overdoes it and creates a character that we’ve seen a hundred times before in other films.

The same character in the miniseries, however, is just a guy like everybody else. His car isn’t great, but it’s not crappy, either. He dresses casual, but not like he just rolled out of bed. In allowing the character to seem average, rather than trying to represent the essence of “experienced journalist,” David Yates embraces the spirit of journalism itself, staying true to the facts and not embellishing more than he has to.

This commitment to reality permeates the whole miniseries, which comes in handy during the more fantastic moments. Scenes of violence or other sensationalism are handled with the same matter-of-fact attitude as everything else, which helps us to buy something that we might not otherwise.

I never believed any of what was happening in the film State of Play, and yet, in the miniseries, every sordid story element felt like it could happen in the world that we currently occupy. The plot points themselves are almost exactly the same, but the miniseries has the advantage of time; time to immerse the viewer in this world of intrigue and deception. Given enough time to get to know the characters and situations, even the most ludicrous story developments can seem perfectly plausible.

That is why the film State of Play never stood a chance at being as good as the miniseries. And that is why I recommend anybody who is a fan of journalism movies or political thrillers go out and rent “State of Play” as soon as they can.

RAWR(for more)

Harry Potter Release Date Changed Again!

Warner Bros. has moved the release date of the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Fear not, this time they are moving the release date up. Instead of Friday, July 17th, the film will now open on Wednesday, July 15th.

Get those tickets NOW!

RAWR(for more)