The Dark Knight Rises

**Just a quick note, this is a review of The Dark Knight Rises but I am also calling this an extended review.  I will also include reviews and comparisons of the other two movies in Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and also comparisons with the Batman movies of the 1990's.  In other words, it will be long.**

 
4 BIG DAMN STARS!!!!

"In the tradition of Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, a monumental blockbuster that could very well be nominated and win the Best Picture Academy Award."


Bear with me for a moment while I travel back in time a bit.  It's 1989 and Tim Burton has directed one of the most anticipated movies ever, an audacious version of the campy television series.  It was dark and ominous, yet had it's share of comedy.  The film had a powerful cast with Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight, Jack Nicholson at his deviant best as the Joker, Kim Basinger, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Palance, and Jerry Hall. I owned the VHS version and one of the critics quotes on the box read, "The movie of the decade." It was, it really was.  Then, in 1992, a sequel emerged called Batman Returns also directed by Burton and starring Keaton as Batman.  This movie also starred Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito as Catwoman and Penguin respectively. These two gave award worthy performances and in my humble opinion, this movie, which was even darker and more ominous than the first, was just as enjoyable as the one from 1989.  Any movie portraying a character called Batman has to be a dark movie, that's just movie law.  That is why the next two movies (well, one of many, many reasons why) are so damn ridiculous.  Batman Forever (1995) and especially Batman and Robin (1997) were such utter disappointments that I feel I have devoted too much writing space to them as it is.

That brings me to the 21st century.  In 2005, Batman Begins was released.  Directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento, Inception), this new version was to go back to the Caped Crusader's roots, way way back.  People and critics rolled their eyes (yes, including me) at another Batman movie after the last two disasters.  Batman Begins turned out to actually be a very awesome movie.  It was so dark, it was almost like a horror flick, like it always should have been.  I often called it an action horror.  As was the same with its sequel, The Dark Knight, which by the way is the 3rd highest grossing movie of all time.  The movies not only got back to the roots of the story, it gets back to the roots of an actual action movie, with real explosions and actual dialogue.  They are not polluted with fake green screen cinematography, and if they are, they do a damn fine job of hiding it.  Also, as far as The Dark Knight is concerned, it is easy to mention the Oscar winning performance from the late Heath Ledger, one of the finest performances of all time.

When the The Dark Knight Rises was released on July 20, 2012, it marked one of the rare times when the final movie in a trilogy out shined the original two.  This is an epic conclusion to a movie trilogy that has rocked movie theaters all over the world.  The story begins 8 years after The Dark Knight ended where Batman is blamed for the death of Harvey Dent, Bruce Wayne has been in hiding, and Gotham City's crime rate has dropped dramatically.  Of course, it being Gotham City, that cannot last very long when a new menace called Bane (played with titanic levels of awesome by Tom Hardy) shows up and wreaks havoc unlike the city has ever seen.

There are some supreme supporting players this go around. Michael Caine (in a powerful Oscar worthy performance) is back as right hand man Alfred Pennyworth.  Gary Oldman of course in his perfectly casted role of Commissioner Gordon.  Morgan Freeman, entertaining as always, continues as Lucius Fox, Batman's version of James Bond's Q.  Among the newcomers are Joseph Gordon-Levitt who portrays rookie cop Blake helping out through all of the before mentioned havoc.  A rousing addition if I do say so myself. Then, there is Marion Cotillard as love interest Miranda Tate.  I have to say that is was quite the refreshing change out of all the freaking Batman movies, having a love interest that can act and is not some anorexic no-talent who looks like she is 16 (not naming any names).  Finally, there is Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle.  Michelle Pfeiffer played the part in 1992 and for 20 years, as far as I was concerned, there was only one Catwoman.  She conquered the character and made the men of the movie her bitch.  Anne Hathaway's performance was very reminiscent, however I do not believe in spoilers, so I am not going pinpoint every little different detail because that will give away important plot points.  Hathaway almost channels Pfeiffer through most of the movie with her dark, brooding 'screw the world' attitude.  It's really hard to determine who I like better because their characters are different.  But I can tell you, Hathaway threw out the good girl and stomped on her ass for this role, which she rocked.  Tom Hardy's Bane will go down in movie history as an iconic cinematic villain.

The Dark Knight Rises ended a great American movie trilogy.  Christian Bale did the movie audience a solid as Bruce Wayne/Batman.  I found him a perfect fit for the Bat suit.  The casting people found a man who was in the perfect age range with a solid physique who could handle all the physical aspects of the role, and had perfect emotional timing, when to be dramatic and when to be funny.  The writing and storyline was hardcore, never let up on dramatic build up.  The great thing about the special effects is they never looked like special effects, the action always looked real, without all the stylized crap.  So, until the next remake, it is very safe to say that The Dark Knight Rises rose past the point of superior and will be an iconic cinematic achievement for decades to come.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Entertainer Profile - Charlize Theron

Welcome to the 1st of many Entertainer Profiles from the Critic of Southeast Texas.  These blogs are going to profile a certain actor (kind of an Entertainer of the Month type of situation) plus I will be reviewing their roles in some of their past roles. I will focus on movies and/or television projects past and present. Also, my favorite roles and go back in time with how he/she grew up and throw in some interesting trivia on that person that you may have never known. 

So, lets get to it.  My Entertainer of the Month for July 2012 is........

CHARLIZE THERON

It is no secret at all that Charlize Theron is an incomparable beauty, hailed at times as one of the most beautiful faces ever to grace the silver screen.  I certainly do agree.  However, this is a review of her incomparable talent, and this beauty is loaded with massive amounts of acting talent. This Oscar winning actress has built an impressive and very versatile resume over the past 16 years.  She stars in two of the most anticipated movies of the summer, Prometheus and Snow White and the Huntsman.  Her roles are generally on the darker side and these two movies are no exception.  Her portrayals of Meredith Vickers (Prometheus) and Ravenna (Snow White and the Huntsman) were evil at its best.

Her first role was in 1996 in a film called Two Days in the Valley. It was not a commercially successful movie but her portrayal of Helga Svelgen opened eyes in Hollywood.  I actually enjoyed the movie. It follows a eccentric group of characters over a two day period in Los Angeles and also has one of the best onscreen catfights ever, between Theron and Teri Hatcher.

At first glance, you would think she'd be the face of the romantic comedy world but she has chosen more dramatic, serious roles.  Honestly though, it doesn't matter the role for the talented Theron, she charges in and owns the character she is portraying (for example, Aileen in Monster).

Charlize was born near Johannesburg, South Africa and became a ballet dancer in her early teenage years and after a knee injury, started modeling at 18 then made her way to Los Angeles to embark on a movie career.  It wasn't long before an agent gave her a business card, then the juggernaut that was and still is an awesome career began.  A couple of things you may not know about her, she turned down Kate Beckinsale's role in Pearl Harbor and auditioned for Elizabeth Berkeley's role in Showgirls.


CST'S FAVORITE CHARLIZE THERON ROLES 
The Devil's Advocate (1997)

Mighty Joe Young (1998)
The Astronaut's Wife (1999)
The Cider House Rules (1999)
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
Sweet November (2001)
Trapped (2002)
The Italian Job (2003)
Monster (2003) - won the coveted Best Actress Academy Award and the Golden Globe for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos.  Theron gained over 30 pounds for the role and completely transformed her appearance.  However, she was not the original choice. Kate Winslet was the first considered for the role.  Winslet is definitely a fine actress but Charlize Theron made it one of the finest and almost legendary performances in history.

North Country (2005) - nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award and Best Actress in a Drama Golden Globe.
Arrested Development (2005) - Theron did a several episode stint on the cult classic television show playing Rita, a child like adult who has a relationship with Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman). It was such a brilliant comedic departure from her darker motion picture roles.
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Hancock (2008) - her first stint in the major summer blockbuster territory. I personally enjoyed her more than Will Smith. I am so ready for the sequel.
The Burning Plain (2008)
Young Adult (2011)
Prometheus (2012) - see my review
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) - see my review. In my opinion, should be her third Oscar nomination.


Millions of people went out this summer and watched the last two movies on the list.  I urge you to check out some of her earlier work and if you haven't already of course.  If it has been several years since seeing any of them, then watch them again.  It is a treat every time to see this timeless beauty stare into the camera, usually with a sinister glare, because sinister is what she does best.


Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Ted

4 STARS

If you go into this movie never having seen Family Guy then you will not know what it is like in the mind of Ted's writer/director/creator Seth MacFarlane.  Now I do realize many people have never seen the series about the misadventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family, but I guarantee, those people have heard or read about it.  I am personally a fan of the show but I do understand it is not for everyone and the same will be for this movie.  It is 106 minutes of raunchy, foul-mouthed depravity and I am not sorry to say, I loved it!!!!

Ted is the story of John Bennett (played with comedic brilliance by Mark Wahlberg) who as a young boy received a teddy bear as a Christmas gift and made a very special wish to make his bear real so he could have a best friend forever.  Jump 27 years later and John is a middle-aged man in a go-nowhere job with his bear still at his side, living in an apartment with John's girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis).  John and his best friend Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) share a bond so strong yet so vulgar, it would make even the filthiest pair of frat boys blush.  However, the pair keep their comedic train on the tracks the entire time, never stalling for a minute.

First of all, Ted is a grade A, primo adult comedy; and I emphasize ADULT.  I only do that because of  some remarks I have heard about how offensive the movie is.  Seriously people, that is why we have ratings and this is America, if you are offended, DON'T GO SEE IT!  I give this movie major props though for one really big reason: originality.  We all know the summer blockbuster season the past several years mostly shows the audience remakes (and now remakes of remakes), sequels, prequels, and now all the super hero movies.  I applaud MacFarlane for giving the audience this year a hundred million dollar blockbuster based on an original idea, and what a hilarious idea it has turned out to be.  All I can hope for now is, Ted will spawn a sequel of its own, or the very least, make a very special wish.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Snow White and the Huntsman

4 BIG STARS!

It's like Lord of the Rings meets Sleepy Hollow meets Pans Labyrinth.  Now, how awesome does that sound?  I was so surprised by this film.  Upon seeing the trailer for the first time, I was really looking forward to seeing it but had no idea how much I would enjoy it.  Just to let all of you and your kids know, this is not the fairy tale from our childhoods.

As of the July 4th weekend, one of the best movies of 2012 I have seen thus far. What a tour-de-force in everything: acting, writing, special effects, and especially, CASTING! Charlize Theron gives an Oscar worthy performance (but I know she will not be nominated) as the evil queen. Let me tell you, evil is not even the word for this woman; Theron transforms her into a bonafide monster (LOL, get it, monster, you know the movie she was in).  You definitely do not need to see this movie in 3D to feel her intensity explode from the screen.  This evil queen would take the evil queens of the past movies, slit their throats then set there corpses on fire and laugh while watching them burn and Charlize Theron is absolutely brilliant in the execution, so to speak.  Kristen Stewart punches Bella Swan in the face and tosses her out the window for this role. This Snow White is hardcore and Stewart beefs up her acting chops ten fold and shows the audience she can lead the charge.  Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman was an awesome choice, being the audacious protector at one time then kicking major ass at all the other times but did not just turn it into another Thor.  He made this role his own.

Seriously dark, yet enchanting. Action-packed yet emotional. Snow White and the Huntsman has the villain of all villains, the hero we all want, and the princess that will whoop yo ass but these characters are not frolicking in any  meadows.  It definitely pushes the limits of it's PG-13 rating with the fantasy violence and the special effects are inspiring. I realize as of the writing of this review, everyone is watching either Ted, The Amazing Spiderman, or Magic Mike but this one has been out for a while so many have already seen it and if you want to ditch those crowded theaters, see this one.  Also, throw out your common notions, the fairies in this tale are much more sinister.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

The Woman in Black

2 STARS

I had such high hopes for this movie.   Now, we as moviegoers are all aware of how the makers of movie trailers pick the best parts of a movie for their previews and so many times when we go to see the actual film, the trailer was very misleading.  This is one of those times.

Granted I did not see this movie until it came out on DVD, so a few friends had already seen it.  A great deal of them commented how it creepy it was and that it really was a great film.   I was very excited when I saw the trailer because everyone who knows me knows I love an awesome haunted house movie, especially when they take place in a time like the nineteenth century.  The Woman in Black started off well enough with a creepy storyline and a dark, ominous setting: a haunted mansion in 19th century England, completely surrounded by water with the exception of a causeway that links it to the mainland.  It even comes complete with the two scariest elements (in my opinion) a horror movie can have: lots of shots of dollfaces and creepy, spine tingling ghost children running amok. Those little bastards always give me the willies.

Daniel Radcliffe was adequate.  His performance was solid but if the movie would have met its own potential and grew in intensity like it could have, then I do believe his acting would have matched that intensity.  All the elements were there for a proper scare fest, it just wasn't executed properly.  The movie grows tired and a little lame with cheaply effects.  So, if you watch The Woman in Black and think you are going to be immensely scared, you will just be disappointed viewer on couch.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Prometheus

3 STARS

 I have ran into a lot of mixed reviews on this movie, before and after seeing it.  About half the people I know who have seen it thought it rocked and the other half though it blew chunks.  However, I have to say, Prometheus was far from making me loose my lunch.

It is a film directed by the great Ridley Scott (Aliens, Bladerunner, Gladiator) but he does say that it is not a prequel to Aliens but an original film in itself.  The movie centers on a group of scientists and researchers traveling through the universe, trying to discover clues to the origins of humans.  They land on an alien planet in their impressive ship, named Prometheus of course, where they get stranded and they run into much of what they are looking for and of course, a lot of what they never wanted to find.  The movie as a whole is impressive, especially in the beginning with some awe inspiring scenery during the opening credits.  The only reason I gave it three stars is the movie did take a little time to get off the ground.  After it did though, Prometheus becomes much more than all the Aliens sequels and what I like to call, pseudo sequels.

The cast is comprised of a group of extremely talented actors and actresses. Idris Elba is commanding as always in his role as Janek, the ship's captain.  The enigmatic Michael Fassbender (whom I becoming a fast fan of) portrays the android David in perfect sterile stoic fashion.  Guy Pearce, who had a versatile string of great movies in the mid to late nineties, seems to be back to  beefing up his even more versatile resume these days.  Lets just say, if it weren't for his distinct voice, he would be completely unrecognizable in his role which, in my opinion, is award worthy.  Then, there is the stunning  talent that is Charlize Theron.  Her performance as the cold and soulless Meredith Vickers was haunting and dead on.

The cast is impressive, the writing is far from predictable and cheesy, and the cinematography and production design is dazzling.  Ridley Scott does not fail us again as far as I am concerned and even though this is a new, original movie in itself, by the time the film reaches its incredible ending, you will be in familiar territory.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

The Raven

4 STARS!

First thing I need to say of this early hidden summer gem, best performance of John Cusack's career.  In the nineties and very early 2000s, we saw a string of great cat and mouse, serial killer thrillers (Seven, Copycat, Scream, From Hell, The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon, Saw).  However, it is something we as moviegoers, do not see anymore and that is a shame.  I personally love the serial killer genre.  So, when I first saw the trailer, I got very excited.  I mean come on, a serial killer thriller and Edgar Allen Poe.  I knew this was going to be a great movie; and I was right.

The name of the movie refers to one of Poe's most infamous poems, The Raven and of course, most of us who went to any high school in America, know of The Tell-Tale Heart.  The film takes place in 19th century Baltimore not long before the death of Poe when a serial killer begins committing murders based on the stories and poems of the famed American writer.  The police, led by Detective Fields (Luke Evans, Clash of the Titans, Immortals) enlist the help of Poe to get into the head of the madman and help catch him before time runs out for someone he loves.

The Raven has a large ominous cloud of sinister suspense running through it's veins.  I can describe it as Sleepy Hollow meets CSI (the Las Vegas one during it's first 7 seasons when it was great).  I actually the similarity to Sleepy Hollow, which is mostly in the cinematography.  When murder occurs in the tiny upstate New York town, Tim Burton puts a dark cloud in the skies because of the darkness on the ground, as is what happens to the city of Baltimore when it gets it's own madman.  There's almost a Gothic haze throughout both films which adds to the suspense.   John Cusack is definitely at the top of his game portraying the infamous American writer, poet, and literary critic.  Edgar Allen Poe was known for being very narcissistic, pampas, and the quite the drinker toward the end of his life in 1849 at the age of 40 when his literary river was quickly running dry.  Cusack portrays his intensity and vulnerability of the situation in an Oscar caliber performance. So, if you are like me and enjoy the ultimate, who-dun-it cat and mouse game then check out The Raven or you will become quite the mental oyster (watch the movie and then this will make much more sense).

Thank you and see you at the next blog.