Just finished watching Dark Knight Rises, and I am just hoping upon hope that Nolan makes some more. I feel like the most recent Batmans and Bonds have been so much better than the past ones- maybe the just represent the dirtier, grittier, more visceral zeitgeist, but they have all been exceptional. And I have never been a fan of hers, but I really felt like at points Anne Hathaway was running away with the show. She was really, really, good.
And thus ends my discussion of a movie that was released six months ago and no one wants to talk about anymore.
Genine
I still haven’t seen it. But I will one day.
MattR
Jim Gaffigan feels your pain.
Comrade Mary
I saw it this summer. While it was a bit of a hot mess, Hathaway was really fantastic.
Punchy
Can I assume from the movie’s title that it’s a Obama documentary about the 2012 elections?
Wag
Skyfall was amazing
trollhattan
Reading this nearly crushed my soul, but I recommend it nevertheless.
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/jared-loughner-1212
We need to defend even the Costas and Bloombergs when the gun nuts come gunnin’ for them. We need to back the gun fetishists down. We owe it to Christina-Taylor Green.
MattR
Also, enjoy Mike Lawrence’s description of Christian Bale’s batman voice.
handy
@Punchy:
Well, it is rather fascist so…
Karmus
I liked the previous Bat-movie a bit more, but this was enjoyable. Anne Hathaway was definitely one of the highlights. If I wasn’t a fan of hers before, I am now.
handy
I liked DNR more than I expected going in, but yeah, it had a creepy right wing let’s-show-the-dark-side-of-Occupy vibe to it.
Hattie
Why am I getting sidebar ads for Spanx and overactive bladder syndrome?
Spaghetti Lee
I forget who, but someone pointed out how similar Skyfall and The Dark Knight are in certain ways. An overarching theme of ‘Do we need (protagonist) anymore, or is he more trouble than he’s worth?’ Scenes of the hero (or a proxy) having to be accountable to the public, the hero going into a self-imposed retirement, the villain who wants to show the heroes that they’re not really heroes, the villain who gets himself captured on purpose (add The Avengers to that, too), and so on.
And of course, Dark Knight Rises isn’t terribly different from Dark Knight: some of the above apply there as well. I kinda wonder if we’ve gone as far we can go with gritty and deconstructive, at least with these franchises, and I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing something a little more lighthearted if (when) they get new installments.
Irony Abounds
Not everyone shares your view of the movie. Plot holes galore.
Bob In Portland
Just saw “Prometheus” tonight.
Lots of tentacles.
ruemara
I have not yet seen it so, no spoilers.
TheMightyTrowel
@Hattie: Because that’s what google thinks you want. All those sidebar ads? Tailored for you based on your search history.
You’re welcome.
MikeJ
@Bob In Portland: I’ve seen enough hentai to know where this is going…
RobertDSC-PowerMac 466
I had the same trouble with this that I did The Dark Knight, namely that Gotham City looks like a real city, not a fictional city. The Gotham City in the Burton/Schumacher films was significantly more believable tha the Nolan trilogy.
I liked Bane up until the twist at the end. I was disappointed in that, especially after playing the Batman Arkham City game. A certain character in the game and in the movie don’t match up and it bugs me.
I also wish Catwoman had a better disguise and a whip. /spoiled by Arkham City Catwoman &Michelle Pfeiffer.
On the whole, I liked it. I also liked it better than The Dark Knight, but less so that Batman Begins. Batman Begins is still my favorite of the Nolan trilogy.
TheMightyTrowel
@MikeJ: Trust me, hentai makes more sense and leaves you feeling more satisfied than Prometheus.
karl
Didn’t see the movie, but I can recommend the “Honest Trailer”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQJuGeqdbn4
Spaghetti Lee
@handy:
http://seriousfilm.blogspot.com/2012/07/4-reasons-your-political-interpretation.html
Kind of disjointed, but I think this post makes some points about why TDKR isn’t fascist, and also why it doesn’t particularly matter. Also some good points in the comments, and a sidebar defense of The Incredibles, which I think is a great superhero movie that, for whatever stupid reason, liberals feel obligated to trash because conservatives have written pages of guff about how it’s a secret love note to Ayn Rand (never mind that the director explicitly said he wasn’t trying to push any political ideology.)
My opinion is just watch what looks interesting and stop making every last thing a political battle. No one ever died from hearing an opinion they disagree with, and no election has ever been decided by box office returns.
butler
@Irony Abounds: Thanks, that was at least as enjoyable as the film itself.
To me, this whole Batman Trilogy was kinda… eh. Visually they were great. Obviously they tried to explore some themes which aren’t always looked at in big mainstream movies, and some of the performances were outstanding (agree about Hathaway in this one).
But I guess I’m just not a big enough fan of Batman comics to really appreciate these three films, since I think they require you to know a fair bit about the back story in order to suspend disbelief enough to accept the universe they are set in. The massive plot holes, the pacing, the editing choices and cuts they didn’t help things either.
Bnut
Am i the only one who didn’t think Skyfall was that good? All I heard was how dark it was and how awesome the action sequences were shot. I didn’t see either compared to the last 2 Craig films. Bardem’s character was perfectly acted, but that didn’t save it for me.
freelancer
You guys see HEAT? I wanna talk about it now!
handy
@Spaghetti Lee:
Hmm. I found it pretty overt.
Loved The Incredibles.
Joel
I thought the Dark Knight Rises was disappointing. Weak villains, meandering plot. I disagree about Hathaway, I didn’t get her purpose in the movie. I should add that I liked the Burton directed Batmans, although the Dark Knight was the best in the entire franchise.
Chris
@RobertDSC-PowerMac 466:
Word! Batman Begins was the best and TDKR the worst (all’s relative), IMO. I agree with the rest of your criticisms too, Gotham lost all the unique personality it had in the first movie when it became New York by another name.
MattR
@freelancer: I wanted to talk about it 23 comments ago ;)
Cacti
I find Christian Bale boring as hell as Bruce Wayne.
handy
@Cacti:
I feel the same about Craig as Bond. Totally doesn’t work for me.
Yutsano
@MikeJ:
You have no idea how many questions this answers.
YellowJournalism
Hear, fucking hear! I get sick of those arguments that allow people to dismiss what is probably one of the best Pixar films, if not one of the best animated movies. Do people really believe that the guy who wrote and directed The Iron Giant (another great) would truly support such a horrible work view as Ayn Rand’s as the main message of his film? People are reading into it what they want to, much like they have done with Nolan’s Batman, and liberals are reacting to that rather than the films themselves.
And John, may I put in a request for an Argo thread when it comes out on DVD, since I lack a babysitter to allow me to see it? (I don’t know why it’s killing me to not see that movie! It’s like I know I’m missing out on a piece of film history somehow…I have good feeling about Affleck’s career a a director down the line. Ben “Reindeer Games and Mallrats” Affleck. Go figure!)
Chris
@Spaghetti Lee:
To me, it was the exact opposite of Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged is about the wealthiest, most privileged members of society deciding to crash that society because they’re not getting enough hugs. The heroes in the Incredibles serve society anonymously, expect no reward for it, and continue to serve society even after it’s decided it no longer likes them. It’s a complete 180 from what Ayn Rand preached.
Mike in NC
Skyfall, Lincoln, and Flight were all very good movies. It’ll be a tough competition between Denzel Washington and Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actor.
YellowJournalism
@Cacti: I find him excellent as Bruce Wayne but not as good as Keaton as Batman. Now let the flaming begin…
cactusjackwallace
@Chris: It’s not New York by another name, it’s Chicago. (By that I mean that Gotham was always Chicago to Metropolis’ New York.) That may be why Nolan filmed in Chicago, because he saw the comparison.
Yutsano
@YellowJournalism: @Chris: This is so weird. This thread just gave me déjà vu.
Cacti
@handy:
I haven’t seen any of the James Blond (sic) filmology.
Chris
@Yutsano:
Yes, I’m repeating what I said a day or two ago in a thread that was mostly dead. Sorry.
YellowJournalism
@Yutsano: I swear I had this same conversation months ago on another web site! I even made the same Keaton argument. (Confession: LOVE him as Batman/Bruce.)
ETA: Oops, I see that you’re talking about the Incrediles part, but I’ve had this argument on web sites and in person. The ones in person got pretty heated, especially when the two of us arguing almost throttled another person in the room for dismissing the discussion as being ridiculous because it was over a “kid’s movie.”
MattR
@Cacti: James Bond. Isn’t he a famous English author?
Chris
@cactusjackwallace:
TDK was filmed in Chicago. But by TDKR, it looked like New York to me.
In the comics, though, I agree about Metropolis and Gotham being New York and Chicago.
Console
I thought skyfall was average. And Archer has robbed me of any joy I could get out of a fight that takes place on a moving train.
The two best things about the movie were how beautifully it was shot and the theme song.
As for Dark Knight Rises, I also recently saw it, and loved it.
lamh35
anyone else looking forward to Zero Dark Thirty. its the Bin Laden film that conserv claim the Obama admin gave classified info to right? I read that it’s already won a lot of critics awards and it hasn’t been released yet.
Joel
@karl: That was great. The Red Letter Media guys are the same people who gave us the awesome Plinkett review that Cole posted two years back (Phantom Menace). The Avatar review is even better.
handy
@Chris:
I think most of TDKR was filmed in Pittsburgh.
lamh35
@Mike in NC: my sister loved Flight & believe me she’s not usually into serious films, but it had Denzel is in it and I dare u to find a Black woman who won’t see a movie if Denzel is in it
Yutsano
@Chris: Okay, so I’m not losing my brain. :)
@YellowJournalism: The Incredibles is such a great tale about how really what makes us different makes us stronger. But as a Randian screed? I think not. In fact, the whole point at the end was them teaming up as a family. Saint Ayn would not approve.
freelancer
Argo and Lincoln are the best films of the year that I’ve seen. I also really enjoyed The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. But we are still in December and there are a ton of films I haven’t seen.
John M. Burt
We’ve got it on reserve at the local library.
Something like 47th on the list.
So, we’ll see it eventually.
BTW, I hear there’s going to be a sequel to DC Comics’ 52. Think it’ll be any good?
TheMightyTrowel
@freelancer: Also, I know i’m in the minority here, but OMG Ben Affleck with floppy 80s hair liberally streaked with white was so fricking edible.
The prophet Nostradumbass
One of the more disgraceful things done by a branch of our government recently is the Senate’s rejection of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, because of nutso right wing conspiracy garbage.
Chris
@Spaghetti Lee:
Now that I read the article – word up to “the villains have no political agenda.”
Especially true in TDKR. The whole “revolution” is Bane, the mercs he brings from the outside and the criminals at Blackgate Prison – which makes any comparisons with OWS or the teabaggers fall flat. Unlike the Joker, Bane never gets any regular citizens to come out and play.
And, of course, the bad guys’ only motive was revenge. The movie was basically Die Hard With A Vengeance after a Chris Nolan makeover.
YellowJournalism
@TheMightyTrowel: I’ve always been one whose taste went to the Matt Damon side of that coin, but Affleck’s career and looks are aging VERY well.
freelancer
@TheMightyTrowel:
I thought the movie was excellent. Affleck doesn’t really do anything for me lookswise, being a straight male. He’s handsome, I suppose, but it’s kind of generic. I think he’s talented as hell as a director though. Gone, Baby, Gone; The Town, and now this. Amazing work for 3 films.
Yutsano
@YellowJournalism: I think they’re both aging quite well. Good Irish genes coming through quite strongly there.
YellowJournalism
Started watching the Colbert Report. The AndroGel segment is going to make me per my pants from laughing so hard.
And Colbert is so adorable when geeking out over his Hobbit guests.
YellowJournalism
@Yutsano: Not ashamed to admit that Matt Damon has been at the top of my “list” since Good Will Hunting.
Felonius Monk
Saw trailers earlier this evening for Django Unchained. New Quentin Tarantino flick with Jamie Foxx and DiCaprio. It will probably make the wingnut heads explode — the trailer shows the black slave grabbing the whip from the white overseer then beating the shit out of him. Now this is a hero I can believe in — screw BatGuy.
slag
I miss Kay.
TheMightyTrowel
@Yutsano: My mom is 7 years older than my dad. My dad looks 15 years older than her. Gotta love the Irish genes.
@YellowJournalism: Also, on the Damon v. Affleck wars (and I grew up in Boston, trust me, they’re wars), I am pro-Damon (particularly when he talks) most of the time, but something about the Argo hair just does it for me. Apparently Affleck’s kids and wife (J Garner) hated it which only cements my impression that, pretty as she is (and how hot was she in Alias?!), Jen Garner has very little going on between the ears.
Chris
@Felonius Monk:
“Anybody bring any extra bags?”
“NO! NOBODY BROUGHT ‘AN’ ‘EXTRA’ ‘BAG!'”
“I’m just asking.”
Domino
Loved Skyfall. Seems like Craig has really come into the character.
Dark Knight Rises was good, but not great. Nolan is good, but is limited.
Felonius Monk
@Chris:
Chris
@Felonius Monk:
I’m looking forward to that one. Looks like an Inglorious Basterds remake, starring slave owners instead of Nazis, black people instead of Jews, and (fair’s fair) a German bounty hunter instead of an American commando force.
Like you said… I suspect the wingnut rage will be loud.
Yutsano
@TheMightyTrowel: When Damon throws his Southie accent out there I admit it’s rather, um, inspiring. But I also tends to go for tall guys, so I’d have a really tough time choosing.
I won the genetic lottery in aging. No one at my work thinks I’m 40 and the premature graying gene has mostly skipped me. My youngest brother is particularly annoyed about that fact. :)
Felonius Monk
@Chris: It looks like a pretty good supporting cast — haven’t seen Don Johnson for awhile and Bruce Dern even in his old age is still pretty awesome as a meanie. Looks like fun.
TheMightyTrowel
@Yutsano: ha ha! I meant that he can string together reasonably sophisticated ideas in grammatical and coherent sentences and paragraphs – that’s a serious turn on in my world. If i went soft at the knees for a boston accent my cousins might have something to be worried about and that would be… weird…
Gustopher
I’m tired of bleak, nihilistic movies. The recent Batman and Bomd movies have done very little for me — fine movies, but why do I want to spend my time watching relentless grimness.
I’ll just keep going back and watching the Tim Burton Batman and the Roger Moore Bond movies, thank you very much.
Joel
@Gustopher: Batman Returns wasn’t bleak? The whole Penguin arc was like an evil Edward Scissorhands.
owlbear1
@Bob In Portland:
I must say I thoroughly enjoyed watching that crew die.
It’s too bad some of them escaped.
Narcissus
Gotham isn’t Chicago, it’s the seedy, nightmare side of New York. Metropolis is the ray-gun utopian side of New York.
patrick II
I didn’t like Skyfall. James Bond lost or was duped at every turn. The opening segment has him loosing the secret disk. After that the bad guy causes mayhem in London. After that Bond his duped into bringing the bad guy into the heart of MI6 which is what the bad guy wanted all along. The bad guy then invades MI6’s computers, nearly kills M, and Bond temporarily wins the day by driving her away — but drives her away to an isolated castle where she is defended only be an old man with a double barreled shotgun — and she gets shot and eventually bleeds to death. Bond has killed the bad guy — but he was about to commit suicide anyway. Not much of a win when MI6 and parts of London torn apart and M dies.
My fried says it was good anyway because it showed the sensitive side of bond and how everyone must suffer loss sometimes. I said it was like the Lifetime movie of the week with bigger explosions.
Give me the real James Bond back, not some angst ridden Patsy.
Ellyn
I haven’t seen it. Maybe I’ll watch it if it’s on Netflix.
Xenos
@Felonius Monk:
Frederick Douglass did exactly that. I bet that had some fire-eaters and copperheads seething.
patrick II
@Felonius Monk:
I also liked that the Lincoln the vampire slayer movie caste the white slave owners as vampires sucking the life of their slaves/property. It is a much more accurate portrayal southern elite than the noble heroes of the lost cause.
Anne Laurie
Tip to both Denzel Washington and Matt Damon fans: If you haven’t seen Courage Under Fire, you need to. Amazing performances from both of them, as the yin and yang of two soldiers failing to cope with their traumas.
Even Lou Diamond Phillips turns in a great performance, and nobody but me respects LDP.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Mike in NC:
If the trailers for Hyde Park On Hudson aren’t highlighting the very best scenes of him, Bill Murray might shake things up.
Randy P
Thread is probably dead, but two comments:
1. I had no idea I was supposed to hate The Incredibles, one of my all-time favorites. I love every minute of that movie and every geeky minute of the DVD extras.
2. Any English people out there? Is it my imagination or did Michael Caine dial up the Cockney a notch or two? I know that’s his native accent but I didn’t think it was so pronounced in most of his movies.
lol
@John M. Burt:
Countdown (to Final Crisis) was already sort of the sequel to 52 except it was a big wet fart.
So it really depends on who they have writing it. The original 52 had a ridiculously great and varied team of writers: Waid, Morrison, Johns and Rucka with Giffen doing page breakdowns. Morrison and Johns are too busy and Waid and Rucka aren’t at DC anymore IIRC. I don’t know what sort of writing team they can get that would compare.
rumpole
People still care John.
Didn’t see it either. After colorado, my thought was to wait for DVD.
different-church-lady
@Hattie: Only your doctor knows for sure.
The Other Bob
I think Nolan is also making the upcoming Superman movie. Should be cool.
Brachiator
@John Cole:
You get to see her again this Christmas in Les Misérables.
@Felonius Monk:
I absolutely expect Rush to bloviate about how Django Unchained contains coded messages direct from Obama inciting violent revolution. Bet on it.
schrodinger's cat
@Cacti: Same here, never got what the fuss was about the Dark Knight. Ok I did watch it at home rather than the theater may be that made the difference?
TheWatcher
@handy: Nope. My friend worked on it. It was filmed in NYC for the most part.