MOVIE REVIEW: The Dark Knight Rises (2012) + some thoughts on the shooting

This past Saturday, I walked into a packed AMC with three security guards keeping watch at the ticket booths. Perhaps relieving to some after the events of this past weekend, though it was hard sitting down and trying not to think about what happened. Ultimately, I let myself go with the film. I can attest that it fulfilled it's purpose; we go to the movies in order to escape the pressures of the day. Even though The Dark Knight Rises is a gritty, violent thriller, it's a story of good versus evil at it's core. What happened in Aurora was an unfortunate and tragic consequence, and at this stage in the game, I feel like enough has been said as far as gun control in the United States. There's still a lot of questions that need answering, but it's important that I move on.

Eight years after the death of Harvey Dent and Joker's reign of terror, a new villain surfaces in the form of Bane, and Commissioner Gordon struggles to keep crime under control. After the previous film's events, Bruce Wayne is reduced to a near-recluse with a limp, until he encounters a new adversary in the form of "cat burglar," Selina Kyle. Eventually, while pursuing Kyle, Wayne crosses paths with Bane and learns that he has an even grander scheme to destroy Gotham than ever before. However, conflicts both personal and formidable prove daunting to Wayne, even for this installment.

This is perhaps the darkest of the Dark Knight Trilogy, second sequels usually are. And with strong film sagas, this film had a tough act to follow with it's predecessor's first-class production. The story had some strong twists and continued Christopher Nolan's excellent tradition of bringing great character development to the series. Action sequences are not as plentiful as in the previous film, but come in short, exciting bursts. Production values were absolutely strong across the board.

Acting was solid; the reprising characters continued their roles in fine form. Bane is one of the more interesting villains I've seen in a film; he's a dangerous combination of brains and brawn, looks like Darth Vader crossed with Steve Austin, and sounds like Patrick Stewart doing a bad, garbled impersonation of Albert Einstein. Anne Hathaway stole the show for me as Catwoman, sure, I probably have a thing for her, but it's the restrained sexiness and cunning wit that won me over. She's one of the best things about the show.

Ultimately, I can't say if Rises is going to be a standalone classic, but it's a fitting conclusion to arguably the best comic-book superhero trilogy in film history. And in case you were wondering, I personally think it may be slightly better than this year's box-office behemoth The Avengers, because of the more dramatic tone of the story.

9/10

Peace, and God bless the families in Aurora, Colorado.
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Ted (2012)

Some of my friends have grown weary of Seth MacFarlane, saying "Family Guy" is no longer funny and several of his other TV exploits are equally perfunctory. Thankfully, the man had the good sense to transition into film this year; with a concept I was instantly sold on - a foul-mouthed teddy bear who gets stoned, drinks, and picks up women. What could a guy not possibly love? It's a unique twist on the "bromance vs. romance"-type of story that doesn't quite escape the cliche'd trappings, but is fresh and enjoyable take on what happens when the characters of an innocent, childhood fable grow up. This, ladies and gentleman, is Ted.

On Christmas Day, 1985, a young, lonely Boston boy named John is given a teddy bear by his parents. Having no friends to call his own, he names the bear "Ted" and makes a wish that his bear could talk. His wish is granted and the now-inexplicably anthropomorphic Ted becomes an overnight celebrity, making rounds on the talk-show circuit but remaining a consistent source of companionship to John, and the two become best friends. Flash forward to 27 years later, John works as a clerk for a rental car company, is in a four-year relationship with an advertising exec named Lori, and still lives with Ted. Over the years, Ted has picked up a penchant for partying, smoking a bong, watching bad movies, and bringing hookers back to the apartment, much to Lori's chagrin. She gives John an ultimatum: Kick Ted out, or she'll kick herself out; something the two best buds have difficulty dealing with.

As earlier stated, Ted is a typical story of "bromance vs. romance" wrapped in a fluffy, fuzzy package (...that sounded odd...). This gives the film an unfortunate sense of predictability that it doesn't shake throughout the entire run, but that doesn't stop it from being entertaining. Seth MacFarlane's crude, oddball humor thankfully outweighs the cliches. Some jokes fall flat, but most of them work. It's the concept that I'm really enamored with, and the performances from the cast are strong enough to carry the story through the bumps. There's an interesting twist/subplot towards the end that involves Ted getting himself into serious danger. It made me kind of wish the film based it's story more around that sort of structure, but for the most part, I was happy with the result (and the fact I only spent $5 for a ticket).

I had a difficult time rating Ted, because the more I dwelled upon the film, the more I felt better about it. I think it's just that I'm so enamored by the concept, that I'm allowing it to let me forgive some of it's more glaring flaws. Could Ted have been better? Sure. Is it enjoyable and entertaining? Absolutely!

...And how can I forget the Thunder Song:

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Artist (2011)

Vintage cinema rarely resurfaces and becomes an outright hit, and that's perhaps one of the reasons why some people (or film snobs, if you will) who I know saw The Artist were scratching their heads when the film won Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. I'm happy to report that the honors the film has received over the past year are undisputably deserved. The film is much more than a revisionist gimmick that employs a now-obsolete silent-filmmaking technique; it is a comment on the changing social structure of the time, amidst the advent of modern technology. In this case, the catalyst is sound in film, or "talking pictures." And while the film is unsurprisingly thin on plot, I find it simply amazing that the director made a choice to aesthetically revive the old techniques of the silent era.

In 1927, George Valentin is the top actor in silent film, in Hollywood. Soon he meets Peppy Miller, a budding starlet who is about to transition into "talking pictures" at the advent of the sound era. Like many others of the time, George dismisses "talkies" as a mere novelty with little artistic merit, but the innovation takes Hollywood by storm and while Peppy's career skyrockets, George's stagnates in light of the changing times. It's a simple story about tradition, and ultimately redemption.

And aside from the story, this is a meticulously shot picture that duplicates so many elements of silent film to a tee, right down to opening credits, that it has a great "like-you-were-there"-kind of quality. The music also plays an important role, being one of the only "sounds" the audience can actually depend upon. The composer does a wonderful job by utilizing the score to heighten moods and emphasize some of the physical comedy. Being a silent film, the creators have the added challenge of stretching the actors beyond words and depending on physicality and subtle imagery in order to get a point across. It pays off, mostly because while it's not Chaplin or Keaton, the slapstick is very restrained and sensible. Most especially enjoyable are the moments between George and his precocious dog.

As much as everything in The Artist is brilliant, the plot itself is nothing new. It's simply a revisiting of the typical "rise-and-fall" story in the context of a revisited film technique, augmented thematically by the film's intentional technical limitations. That doesn't mean the film is any less enjoyable, just don't go in expecting a completely original story. Although, overall, it was a treat to see The Artist as a new entry in revisionist cinema. I definitely plan on watching it again.

9/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Prometheus (2012)

The biggest controversy surrounding Ridley Scott's latest, Prometheus, is if the film is really a prequel to Alien or not. The best answer I can give while trying to ride a fine-line of spoiling too much is: "There's strong evidence that the film is a prequel to Alien"). Not that I was dying to know while watching it, but the films do share commonality with the notable plot points that occured in Alien. While Prometheus wasn't really anything groundbreaking for me, I still enjoyed it for thought-provoking entertainment.

A team of scientists stumble upon evidence linking early human civilizations to one another, in spite of existing in different areas of the globe. They track the message to a jungle planet, and encounter an underwater cave that was once populated by an alien species who happen to be the true ancestors of homo sapiens. But as with all science, the team has lots of questions and little answers, and the consequence of curiosity happens to manifest by some deadly encounters and turncoat conspiracies.

This was a hard film for me to rate; the production values for Prometheus are top notch, but why oh why did the story take such an ambiguous lull by the film's third act? The most obvious answer might be "so that they can have a sequel." Yet, for me, there was so much build up and potential for the film to bank on making me walk away shaken and stirred about the fate of humanity, that instead, I only felt "hmm, that was cool!" My other guess is along the way, the studio shaved off a few minutes of plot, as what often happens with Mr. Scott's work. An extended cut on DVD seems very possible down the line, and could rectify the loose ends. I'm not saying every film needs to explain for itself, but with Prometheus, the story and premise were so fascinating that it almost seemed necessary.

On the plus side, Prometheus has a lot of aesthetic appeal going for it. The unmistakable H.R. Geiger set designs evoke that unsettling, organic feel that made the Alien saga so cool. The suspense and special effects are handled very subtly and conservatively; there are certainly enough moments in the film that will impress and shock at the same time, perhaps even both. I predict at least an award nomination or two in the effects or art department, come next spring.

Finally, if you have any reason to see a film in 3D, I'm happy to report that Prometheus is absolutley worth it! You don't necessarily miss out on any "money shots" by seeing it in 2D, but Scott keeps the effects subtle, much like Avatar. Here where the atmosphere, holographic computer screens and other elements of these strange new worlds manifest. Where some films you end up spending over $10, and the effects are far and few in-between, Prometheus features constant atmospheric effects that bring a strong vividness to the picture. Definitely worth checking out.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Dictator (2012)

Ali G? Check. Borat? Check. Bruno? Check. It took only about a decade, but Sasha Baron Cohen managed to give his three main characters from "Da Ali G Show" defining feature films. While the media exposure forced these comedic gems into retirement, Cohen managed to rake in a lot of cash, fame, and lawsuits in the process. Yet, being the comedic genius that he is, he still manages a few tricks up his sleeve, and brings us his first narrative comedy feature with The Dictator. While the results aren't quite as memorable or fresh as his earlier work, it's still an enjoyable, and very funny film.

Admiral General Aladeen (a parody by Cohen of the late, Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddaffi) is the Supreme Dictator of the North African Republic of Wadiya (which happens to be in the same place as Eritrea). As presumably the last totalitarian nation in the world, the UN calls upon Aladeen to appear before the council and sign a treaty promising democratic reform, in light of his human rights abuses and harboring nuclear weapons. Upon arrival in New York City, and with plans to sabotage the signing, Aladeen escapes an abduction attempt (losing his signature beard in the process), and discovers the abduction was staged by his brother; the Defense Minister, who is puppeteering Aladeen's double to sign the treaty. Stripped of his identity, Aladeen wanders into an edgy organic food market, run by a hyper-sensitive young woman named Zoey (who, along with her store, is a parody of everything leftist, politically correct, and hipster). While the two are complete opposites, she ironically becomes Aladeen's only hope on the journey to reclaiming his sovereignty.

For anyone who's familiar with Cohen's brand of humor, The Dictator has many of the same elements of his earlier films, although, not as badly rehashed: The foreigner coming to America with the resulting culture clash, losing everything and hitting rock-bottom, sudden epiphany over cultural differences, and above all; a smattering of offensive-yet-hysterically-un-PC humor. Most of the humor works, but a lot of it does not feel as edgy or spontaneous as it did in his earlier works. I mainly presume this is the case, primarily because Cohen has some great opportunities throughout the film to really jab at current politics and social mores, but he doesn't attack them as strongly as he does with the situational comedy. Take these words as a caveat for anyone who is expecting a more political slant towards the humor, based on the film's subject matter.

Otherwise, while not his best film since Borat, The Dictator still offers enough laughs and general entertainment value to stand on it's own as a summer event comedy. Even it's featherweight political humor was enough to sustain my interest, despite my desire for that aspect to be much stronger. As a vaguely-relevant endnote, out of all the trailers that preceded it, I am most looking forward to The Campaign, with Will Ferrell and Zack Galfinakis. Perhaps this is due to it's timing towards the Presidential Election, but the political backstabbing seems like a fresh enough concept for me to enjoy.

7/10

And for anyone who missed this year's Oscars, here's Cohen's hysterical Red Carpet appearance as Aladeen:

And Aladeen's hysterical rendition of "The Next Episode," because I can (NSFW!)

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Dark Shadows (2012)

Surprisingly, the opportunity for me to see films this summer is unusually optimistic, I missed practically everything in the 2011-2012 academic year, but I’m hoping to make up for that with what’s turning out to be a strong summer movie season. Last week’s offering for me was Dark Shadows, a Tim Burton-directed adaptation of a cult, gothic soap opera from the 60s. Up until the release of the film, this show was unbeknownst to me. It’s popularity amongst baby boomers apparent from how my mother (who I consider to be very “hip”) spoke very enthusiastically of it. Sure enough, Burton, and stars Johnny Depp (who is also a producer) and Michelle Pfeiffer (who’s always a pleasure to watch) were also huge fans of the show and the chemistry of the three is quite wonderful. While it’s not one of Burton’s strongest creative offerings, the love put into the project is apparent, and is overall, an enjoyable film to watch.

In the 1760s, young Englishman, Barnabas Collins immigrates to Maine with his wealthy family, and they begin a successful fishing business. The business helps develop the town, eventually adopting the Collins’s namesake and respect. However, a spurned witch, jealous over Barnabas’ newfound love, curses the family, kills the girlfriend, and turns Barnabas into a vampire; condemning him to a coffin until 1972, when he is finally unearthed by an unsuspecting construction crew. Barnabas relocates his former estate, now in the decrepit care of his ancestors. His newfound cousin, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, informs him that the family assets dried up, and the family business is all but gone. Barnabas reveals to her a hidden treasure vault, which helps fund restoration of the estate and the fishing business (now re-established as a cannery). However, Barnabas’s old flame is also alive and well, and still out to get the unsuspecting vampire.

There’s a lot going on in Dark Shadows, which makes for a bit more of a complex narrative than expected for a comedy. I didn’t really mind the meandering script, because I felt like the creative and aesthetic aspects of the show made up for it. The costumes and art design are excellent, and acting is terrific. Depp brings another fun characterization as Barnabas, bringing great highbrow humor to the “fish-out-of-water” aspect to the story. Pfeiffer is fantastic as always; her grace and restraint evokes that of classic film stars of the golden age of Hollywood. Chloe Moretz plays her rebellious daughter, and while it’s obvious she’s being typecast as an edgy teenager, she services the role just fine. Helena Bonham Carter plays the family psychiatrist, and is amusingly aloof. There are a couple interesting twists that occur, and the ending leaves less closure for some of the characters than I’d hoped for (as well as an obvious sequel-setup), but I still left feeling pleased.

Prior to watching Dark Shadows, I had heard mixed things like “uneven”, “sloppy”, and not scary enough. All these criticisms are valid, depending on your perspective on Burton. Sure, the man’s made a lot of dark films, but there’s no denying he has a lighter side, too (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Ed Wood). The tone of Dark Shadows is akin to that of his earlier efforts, in fact, it comfortingly reminded me of something he would have made in the early 90s. The silliness and dark fantasy vibe are comparable to say, The Addams Family. I can easily recommend it for anyone that enjoyed the former film, and fans of the show should get a nice nostalgia kick.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Avengers (2012)

Finally! After what seemed like ages, Marvel finally released the superhero film I was actually waiting for. As much as I enjoy the genre for it's special effects romps and cheesily-written one-liners, the glut of sequels, reboots and introductory films were becoming far too routine (and irritating towards my finances). The Avengers actually steps up to the plate and offers the audience much more of a cohesive film; one that stands up to the likes of Spider-Man, and maybe even The Dark Knight. At least it was one of the better superhero films I'd seen, in recent memory.

After Loki, Thor's nemesis, accidentally falls from Asgard to Earth, he corrupts Hawkeye and steals a powerful energy source from S.H.I.E.L.D. commander Nick Fury. Col. Fury assembles his close circle of superheroes: Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America, The Hulk; and later on, Thor. The new team: The Avengers set out in search of Loki and try to stop him from from unleashing the forces of his world upon Earth through the use of this new energy.

Although the plot sounds typical of superhero movies with it's predictable good-versus-evil dynamic, The Avengers is different in that rarely does one see a film with a group of well-known superheroes matching wits with one another. Marvel may have started this trend with X-Men, but it's so infrequently used, from what I presume to be because of economic reasons. After all, the film is expected to make over a billion in it's third week; I presume from the excellent marketing and hype brought on by the preceding films. Director and writer Joss Wheadon takes great advantage of this setup, and finds great opportunities for humor and character development. These end up translating into some stellar performances from the cast. What I did feel like the film was lacking that would've truly made it a standout, was pathos. Sure, there was a sense of urgency to the film's events, but at the heart of the story's goofy, comic-book trappings, I didn't think the dramatic moments resonated with me as much as they did with Christopher Nolan's Batman series.

Things also get off to somewhat of a slow start in the begining, but after the film's first hour, it becomes relentless and pure action, with some of the amazing team dynamics being masterfully portrayed in the climactic, New York City, battle royale. Also, I didn't find Loki to be that engaging or threatening enough of a villain. But for those of you who've seen the film, it was satisfying to see one particular scene, which ends with Hulk refering to him as "puny god", because it basically summed up my feelings about his character.

Despite my few criticisms, I thought The Avengers was a lot of fun, and definitely has my pick as one of the better films of 2012. I didn't see it in IMAX, but with the exception of the two showcase battle scenes, I eventually confrimed from other sources that IMAX-viewing is only necessary for the diehard fans, as it is nothing groundbreaking. Summer movie season has gotten off to a fantastic start.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon