list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Batman Returns on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Batman_Returns/2477/default.aspx Title: Batman Returns
Year: 1992
Director: Tim Burton
Plot: In this first sequel to 1989's Batman, the Caped Crusader (Michael Keaton) is up against the Penguin (Danny DeVito), the hideously deformed scion of a wealthy Gotham City family. The Penguin plots with evil businessman Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) to become mayor and then turn Gotham into a cathedral of crime. Upon overhearing these plans, Schreck's mousy secretary Selena Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) is tossed from a high-rise window by her boss. Rescued by a covey of kittens, Selena transforms into the leather-clad Catwoman. In this guise, she teams with the Penguin and Schreck to divvy up their ill-gotten gains and help discredit Batman-but she also has her own scores to settle. Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens, Vincent Schiavelli and Jan Hooks play significant bits, while Pat Hingle and Michael Gough make returns as, respectively, Commissioner Gordon and Alfred the Butler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 71
Number of Lists: 56
Number of blog posts: 7
Number of discussion threads: 6
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 13:22:55 GMTBatman Returns1992Tim BurtonIn this first sequel to 1989's <a href=/films/2476/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Batman</a>, the Caped Crusader (<a href="/players/P____37277/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michael Keaton</a>) is up against the Penguin (<a href="/players/P____17602/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Danny DeVito</a>), the hideously deformed scion of a wealthy Gotham City family. The Penguin plots with evil businessman Max Schreck (<a href="/players/P____74206/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Walken</a>) to become mayor and then turn Gotham into a cathedral of crime. Upon overhearing these plans, Schreck's mousy secretary Selena Kyle (<a href="/players/P____56469/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michelle Pfeiffer</a>) is tossed from a high-rise window by her boss. Rescued by a covey of kittens, Selena transforms into the leather-clad Catwoman. In this guise, she teams with the Penguin and Schreck to divvy up their ill-gotten gains and help discredit Batman-but she also has her own scores to settle. Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens, <a href="/players/P___110164/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Vincent Schiavelli</a> and <a href="/players/P____33135/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jan Hooks</a> play significant bits, while <a href="/players/P____32458/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Pat Hingle</a> and <a href="/players/P____27964/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michael Gough</a> make returns as, respectively, Commissioner Gordon and Alfred the Butler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide71Tag Target (>10)56763http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u35889we1ul.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Batman_Returns/2477/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_May_4_Express_Yourself/625/42028/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 5/4/2009 10:05:53 PM
Body: Yet another theme that I've been wanting to do for a while now. I'd like to talk this week about expressionistic film. I think maybe we should try to define it first. I'm probably not the best person for this, I think you could pretty accurately call expressionism an art movement, started in Germany in the early 20th century in which reality (the world) is distorted in order to reflect emotion..... Still with me? Its pretty easy to understand once examples are used so let's start that. As I said earlier, this art form was started in Germany so naturally, early German films are great examples. Think of the buildings and backdrops of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis. In the former, the buildings were all standing twisted and sideways to display a chaotic and unnerving feel. While in the ladder, the city was very much larger than life and completely oppressive. Later, many German directors like Billy Wilder and Fritz Lang moved to the states and continued their expressionistic style in the film noir vein with films like Double Indemnity and The Big Heat respectively. Film noir is really defined as an expressionistic film movement as a whole. Filmmakers used smoke and fog in the shots to lend more of an unsettling and suspicious feel to the films. ** from Double Indemnity - notice venetian blind shadow give the "behind bars" look ** Director Tim Burton has somewhat rehashed and revamped expressionism in modern films. His sets for Gotham in Batman and Batman Returns are throwbacks to the earlier looks of the German films. Edward Scissorhands' costume and set are both very exaggerated in their look to add a stark contrast to the character backdrop relationship. There is one more film I'd like to mention that fits this catagory to a T. But, I will wait until later in the hopes that someone else mentions it first. I will only say that its a film that came out within the past 15 years and its an obvious homage to one of the early German films. I really would like to see someone else mention it before I do. So there you have it. I absolutely love this theme and I hope I've given y'all something at least to think about.
]]>Tue, 05 May 2009 02:05:53 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme5/4/2009 10:05:53 PMYet another theme that I've been wanting to do for a while now. I'd like to talk this week about expressionistic film. I think maybe we should try to define it first. I'm probably not the best person for this, I think you could pretty accurately call expressionism an art movement, started in Germany in the early 20th century in which reality (the world) is distorted in order to reflect emotion..... Still with me? Its pretty easy to understand once examples are used so let's start that. As I said earlier, this art form was started in Germany so naturally, early German films are great examples. Think of the buildings and backdrops of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis. In the former, the buildings were all standing twisted and sideways to display a chaotic and unnerving feel. While in the ladder, the city was very much larger than life and completely oppressive. Later, many German directors like Billy Wilder and Fritz Lang moved to the states and continued their expressionistic style in the film noir vein with films like Double Indemnity and The Big Heat respectively. Film noir is really defined as an expressionistic film movement as a whole. Filmmakers used smoke and fog in the shots to lend more of an unsettling and suspicious feel to the films. ** from Double Indemnity - notice venetian blind shadow give the "behind bars" look ** Director Tim Burton has somewhat rehashed and revamped expressionism in modern films. His sets for Gotham in Batman and Batman Returns are throwbacks to the earlier looks of the German films. Edward Scissorhands' costume and set are both very exaggerated in their look to add a stark contrast to the character backdrop relationship. There is one more film I'd like to mention that fits this catagory to a T. But, I will wait until later in the hopes that someone else mentions it first. I will only say that its a film that came out within the past 15 years and its an obvious homage to one of the early German films. I really would like to see someone else mention it before I do. So there you have it. I absolutely love this theme and I hope I've given y'all something at least to think about. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/10/40945.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/10/2009 6:01:08 PM
Body: If you buy the kids only one new video release this week, make it Pinocchio. Obviously. But if you have enough spending money to buy two, pick up Howard the Duck as well. Finally on DVD in America (with a Special Edition no less), the infamous flop is anything but a great film. Yet it is hardly one of the worst films of the 1980s, despite its reputation. For the past 23 years, I’ve stood by my childhood love for Howard the Duck, constantly acknowledging that I even owned Ellis Weiner’s novelization of the film. Technically, the best reason to defend the movie’s existence is that it directly led to the creation of Pixar. But this reason doesn’t influence anyone to watch the thing. So, in order to defend the movie’s onscreen worth, I’ve come up with ten points for why you should pick up the new Howard the Duck disc and not feel at all guilty about doing so. 1. It’s No Longer the Worst Lucasfilm Production Take your pick — there’s The Phantom Menace or there’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, either of which could certainly take the prize for being the worst movie to come from George Lucas in his 40 years producing films. Well, maybe not worse than More American Graffiti. But both films were far bigger creative and franchise disappointments than Howard the Duck (financial success is another story, of course), and so they have a relative sort of wretchedness that places them in the bottom of Lucas’ Sarlacc pit of a career. Even if you’re one of those defend-to-the-end Star Wars fanboys who will argue the pros of Menace, at least then consider Willow to be worse than Howard the Duck. The blatant Lord of the Rings rip-off has its historical relevance, but looking back on it now, it’s even more dated than Howard. And regardless of how groundbreaking it was, Willow’s visual effects don’t hold up quite as well as Howard’s old-fashioned, and oft-celebrated craftsmanship. But that’s another point… 2.  The Special Effects Are Technically Brilliant Those of us who prefer go-motion and other non-CGI effects work will always pay respect to ILM’s achievements on Howard the Duck, particularly their efforts with the Dark Overlord creature in the movie’s final act. People unfortunately tend to focus on the $2 million duck suit (see point #3), but even then Howard didn’t deserve its Razzie for Worst Visual Effects. To compare it to digital creatures, the monster would fit in just fine in either of the Men in Black movies. And for its own time, it was a magnificent creation. So it existed alongside a silly costumed creature in an overpriced B-movie, it still deserved an Oscar nomination for F/X in 1987, a year the Academy recognized Little Shop of Horrors and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (and incomparable winner Aliens). 3. The Duck Suit is Still Better Than Most CGI Those of us who grew up with Muppets, Chewbacca and other non-computer-generated fantasy creatures had no problem with Howard the Duck’s titular fowl being represented as a dwarf in a duck suit. The issue with the effect, though, is that allegedly Lucas had wanted Howard to be a CG creation, but the technology just wasn’t there yet. So, costumes and robotics, all of which reportedly cost $2 million, were viewed as a relative disappointment. But think of how few great CG characters there have been in the past 20 years, and then seriously attempt to argue that Howard would have been any better if made in the years of CGI supremacy. Now, also remember that 1986 was a year that gave us fine puppetry, costumed dwarfs and robotics like that found in Labyrinth (also a Lucasfilm production), Little Shop of Horrors, Legend, Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator, Troll (sure, why not?) and, yes, Howard the Duck. So really, the only thing disappointing about the duck suit is that it doesn’t really look like the comic book character upon which it’s based. Of course, it’s not likely that a CG version of Howard would have been any more faithful. 4. Parallels, Puns and Playful Philosophy Some fans of the original Howard the Duck comics could argue that the duck suit is hardly the worst offense of unfaithfulness. Other complaints might be the alteration of Beverly’s career or the occasional sacrifice of the comic’s tone in order to pander to younger audiences. But real sticklers may take issue with Howard’s origin, the inclusion of Duckworld (which did come from the comics but wasn’t Howard creator Steve Gerber’s idea of what the character’s home world was like) and the punny parallels that came with it. Yet for those of us who love corny jokes and puns, the idea of an alternate world where everything’s the same, just with descendants of ducks rather than apes, is a lot of fun. It’s the same appreciation that allowed me to enjoy the ska scene and the similarly parallel worlds of The Flintstones and Dinosaurs and the parodies in MAD Magazine. In the first few minutes, we get treated to the following cheesy but delicious sight and audio gags: a Rolling Egg magazine, a Playduck magazine, movie posters for “Splahsdance,” “Breeders of the Lost Stork” and My Little Chickadee (starring W.C. Fowls and Mae Nest), and commercials for feather fungus treatment and the Crazy Eddie spoof “Crazy Webby.” This, plus the opening credit narration and theory of Duckworld evolution were enjoyable to a kid in the midst of learning about Darwin and pondering the existence of alternate worlds. 5. Jeffrey Jones as Dr. Jenning/Dark Overlord Between Howard the Duck and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Jeffrey Jones was one of the biggest and best villains of the summer of ‘86. For kids, anyway. But even adults recognized the quality of Jones’ performance in Howard, as Dr. Jenning, the scientist who becomes possessed by the Dark Overlord. To cult audiences, he may have seemed like just another Dr. Lizardo/Lord Worfin (of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), but while John Lithgow was fine and nutty, Jones is much creepier and much, much more evil, even when he finds time to be deadpan hilarious during the greatest scene in the film, in the “cajun sushi” diner. 6. The Diner Scene Although it’s mostly thanks to Jones that this scene is so memorable, it’s not just his performance alone that makes it so terrific. Every time I watch the movie, I look forward to the entire episode, from Jones/Jenning/Dark Overlord’s exposition to the waitress’ interactions with the “family” to Howard’s pie and quack-fu fight with a bunch of rednecks. And I will always recommend the movie for this scene alone. It includes a lot of disturbing elements, such as Beverly’s claim that she’s Howard’s girlfriend and the angry mob’s desire to kill and cook a talking duck man, that might have worked better had Howard been represented as an animated character rather than a guy in a suit (bestiality and homicide is just fine in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Looney Tunes cartoons), but it’s also one of the weirdest and funniest scenes from any comic book adaptation ever. 7. Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzler I would go so far as to argue that Lea Thompson’s crimped-haired Beverly is the hottest female comic book character come to (cinematic) life, but that is certainly subjective. Plenty of people probably prefer Kirsten Dunst, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Michelle Pfeiffer, Pamela Anderson or even Margot Kidder. But Thompson is definitely in there as one of the greatest physical incarnations of a comic book femme d’ fantasy, and the scene where she goes to bed with Howard wearing barely a bit of lingerie (as creepy as the scene is infamous for being) is up there with Dunst’s wet tshirt/upside-down kiss in Spider-Man and any of Pfeiffer’s bondage-bound Catwoman scenes in Batman Returns as one of the hottest moments from any comic book adaptation ever. 8. Cherry Bomb and the Howard the Duck soundtrack Beverly may not have been a rocker in the comics, but this was the 1980s, and you had to have a great synthpop soundtrack, so the character was given a change in career as the leader of a Runaways-inspired band called Cherry Bomb. And for having beaten out more musical contenders for the role, including The Go-Go’s Belinda Carlisle and Tori Amos (then of Y Can’t Tori Read), Lea Thompson does quite well singing such catchy tunes as “Howard the Duck” and “Hunger City.” Cherry Bomb’s music also had some help from Thomas Dolby, George Clinton, Joe Walsh and Stevie Wonder. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Oscar-winning composer John Barry (Out of Africa; the James Bond films) contributes a very fine score. 9. It’s For Kids Because everyone always defends the Star Wars prequels as being for kids, as if that’s really an excuse for faulty filmmaking, I’m going to do the same here. But to do that, I guess I have to also defend the idea that it is indeed a movie for kids. Watching the thing, it’s hard to tell, because there is a lot of content and humor that only adults can or should appreciate, and certainly one of the biggest criticisms with the movie is it’s fluctuations between wanting to be a biting, sarcastic comic book adaptation for older audiences and fans of the source and needing to be a silly movie for kids. But for all the duck nudity, sexuality and other material better suited to mature audiences, there’s not really anything harmful to a kid, and there’s millions of us ‘80s children who grew up okay to prove it. So, while you adults may not be able to enjoy Howard the Duck anymore, even as a nostalgic artifact, your kids will probably like it as much as you used to. 10. It’s Not Redundant Unlike some comic book adaptations, Howard the Duck isn’t a straight lift from the pages of the source material, and it’s better off for it. Some fans of the comic may be annoyed with Howard’s appearance or Beverly’s occupation or the absence of any of Howard’s usual foes, but those of us who saw the movie first can appreciate the differences, because these allow for a better introduction to and curiosity about the comic. In a way, it’s to the original Marvel series as The Incredibles is to the graphic novel of Watchmen (though it’s certainly not anywhere near as smart nor well-crafted as The Incredibles). Now, if you still aren’t sure whether or not you should get the DVD, watch some (or all) of the movie on Hulu: Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:01:08 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/10/2009 6:01:08 PMIf you buy the kids only one new video release this week, make it Pinocchio. Obviously. But if you have enough spending money to buy two, pick up Howard the Duck as well. Finally on DVD in America (with a Special Edition no less), the infamous flop is anything but a great film. Yet it is hardly one of the worst films of the 1980s, despite its reputation. For the past 23 years, I’ve stood by my childhood love for Howard the Duck, constantly acknowledging that I even owned Ellis Weiner’s novelization of the film. Technically, the best reason to defend the movie’s existence is that it directly led to the creation of Pixar. But this reason doesn’t influence anyone to watch the thing. So, in order to defend the movie’s onscreen worth, I’ve come up with ten points for why you should pick up the new Howard the Duck disc and not feel at all guilty about doing so. 1. It’s No Longer the Worst Lucasfilm Production Take your pick — there’s The Phantom Menace or there’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, either of which could certainly take the prize for being the worst movie to come from George Lucas in his 40 years producing films. Well, maybe not worse than More American Graffiti. But both films were far bigger creative and franchise disappointments than Howard the Duck (financial success is another story, of course), and so they have a relative sort of wretchedness that places them in the bottom of Lucas’ Sarlacc pit of a career. Even if you’re one of those defend-to-the-end Star Wars fanboys who will argue the pros of Menace, at least then consider Willow to be worse than Howard the Duck. The blatant Lord of the Rings rip-off has its historical relevance, but looking back on it now, it’s even more dated than Howard. And regardless of how groundbreaking it was, Willow’s visual effects don’t hold up quite as well as Howard’s old-fashioned, and oft-celebrated craftsmanship. But that’s another point… 2.  The Special Effects Are Technically Brilliant Those of us who prefer go-motion and other non-CGI effects work will always pay respect to ILM’s achievements on Howard the Duck, particularly their efforts with the Dark Overlord creature in the movie’s final act. People unfortunately tend to focus on the $2 million duck suit (see point #3), but even then Howard didn’t deserve its Razzie for Worst Visual Effects. To compare it to digital creatures, the monster would fit in just fine in either of the Men in Black movies. And for its own time, it was a magnificent creation. So it existed alongside a silly costumed creature in an overpriced B-movie, it still deserved an Oscar nomination for F/X in 1987, a year the Academy recognized Little Shop of Horrors and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (and incomparable winner Aliens). 3. The Duck Suit is Still Better Than Most CGI Those of us who grew up with Muppets, Chewbacca and other non-computer-generated fantasy creatures had no problem with Howard the Duck’s titular fowl being represented as a dwarf in a duck suit. The issue with the effect, though, is that allegedly Lucas had wanted Howard to be a CG creation, but the technology just wasn’t there yet. So, costumes and robotics, all of which reportedly cost $2 million, were viewed as a relative disappointment. But think of how few great CG characters there have been in the past 20 years, and then seriously attempt to argue that Howard would have been any better if made in the years of CGI supremacy. Now, also remember that 1986 was a year that gave us fine puppetry, costumed dwarfs and robotics like that found in Labyrinth (also a Lucasfilm production), Little Shop of Horrors, Legend, Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator, Troll (sure, why not?) and, yes, Howard the Duck. So really, the only thing disappointing about the duck suit is that it doesn’t really look like the comic book character upon which it’s based. Of course, it’s not likely that a CG version of Howard would have been any more faithful. 4. Parallels, Puns and Playful Philosophy Some fans of the original Howard the Duck comics could argue that the duck suit is hardly the worst offense of unfaithfulness. Other complaints might be the alteration of Beverly’s career or the occasional sacrifice of the comic’s tone in order to pander to younger audiences. But real sticklers may take issue with Howard’s origin, the inclusion of Duckworld (which did come from the comics but wasn’t Howard creator Steve Gerber’s idea of what the character’s home world was like) and the punny parallels that came with it. Yet for those of us who love corny jokes and puns, the idea of an alternate world where everything’s the same, just with descendants of ducks rather than apes, is a lot of fun. It’s the same appreciation that allowed me to enjoy the ska scene and the similarly parallel worlds of The Flintstones and Dinosaurs and the parodies in MAD Magazine. In the first few minutes, we get treated to the following cheesy but delicious sight and audio gags: a Rolling Egg magazine, a Playduck magazine, movie posters for “Splahsdance,” “Breeders of the Lost Stork” and My Little Chickadee (starring W.C. Fowls and Mae Nest), and commercials for feather fungus treatment and the Crazy Eddie spoof “Crazy Webby.” This, plus the opening credit narration and theory of Duckworld evolution were enjoyable to a kid in the midst of learning about Darwin and pondering the existence of alternate worlds. 5. Jeffrey Jones as Dr. Jenning/Dark Overlord Between Howard the Duck and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Jeffrey Jones was one of the biggest and best villains of the summer of ‘86. For kids, anyway. But even adults recognized the quality of Jones’ performance in Howard, as Dr. Jenning, the scientist who becomes possessed by the Dark Overlord. To cult audiences, he may have seemed like just another Dr. Lizardo/Lord Worfin (of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), but while John Lithgow was fine and nutty, Jones is much creepier and much, much more evil, even when he finds time to be deadpan hilarious during the greatest scene in the film, in the “cajun sushi” diner. 6. The Diner Scene Although it’s mostly thanks to Jones that this scene is so memorable, it’s not just his performance alone that makes it so terrific. Every time I watch the movie, I look forward to the entire episode, from Jones/Jenning/Dark Overlord’s exposition to the waitress’ interactions with the “family” to Howard’s pie and quack-fu fight with a bunch of rednecks. And I will always recommend the movie for this scene alone. It includes a lot of disturbing elements, such as Beverly’s claim that she’s Howard’s girlfriend and the angry mob’s desire to kill and cook a talking duck man, that might have worked better had Howard been represented as an animated character rather than a guy in a suit (bestiality and homicide is just fine in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Looney Tunes cartoons), but it’s also one of the weirdest and funniest scenes from any comic book adaptation ever. 7. Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzler I would go so far as to argue that Lea Thompson’s crimped-haired Beverly is the hottest female comic book character come to (cinematic) life, but that is certainly subjective. Plenty of people probably prefer Kirsten Dunst, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Michelle Pfeiffer, Pamela Anderson or even Margot Kidder. But Thompson is definitely in there as one of the greatest physical incarnations of a comic book femme d’ fantasy, and the scene where she goes to bed with Howard wearing barely a bit of lingerie (as creepy as the scene is infamous for being) is up there with Dunst’s wet tshirt/upside-down kiss in Spider-Man and any of Pfeiffer’s bondage-bound Catwoman scenes in Batman Returns as one of the hottest moments from any comic book adaptation ever. 8. Cherry Bomb and the Howard the Duck soundtrack Beverly may not have been a rocker in the comics, but this was the 1980s, and you had to have a great synthpop soundtrack, so the character was given a change in career as the leader of a Runaways-inspired band called Cherry Bomb. And for having beaten out more musical contenders for the role, including The Go-Go’s Belinda Carlisle and Tori Amos (then of Y Can’t Tori Read), Lea Thompson does quite well singing such catchy tunes as “Howard the Duck” and “Hunger City.” Cherry Bomb’s music also had some help from Thomas Dolby, George Clinton, Joe Walsh and Stevie Wonder. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Oscar-winning composer John Barry (Out of Africa; the James Bond films) contributes a very fine score. 9. It’s For Kids Because everyone always defends the Star Wars prequels as being for kids, as if that’s really an excuse for faulty filmmaking, I’m going to do the same here. But to do that, I guess I have to also defend the idea that it is indeed a movie for kids. Watching the thing, it’s hard to tell, because there is a lot of content and humor that only adults can or should appreciate, and certainly one of the biggest criticisms with the movie is it’s fluctuations between wanting to be a biting, sarcastic comic book adaptation for older audiences and fans of the source and needing to be a silly movie for kids. But for all the duck nudity, sexuality and other material better suited to mature audiences, there’s not really anything harmful to a kid, and there’s millions of us ‘80s children who grew up okay to prove it. So, while you adults may not be able to enjoy Howard the Duck anymore, even as a nostalgic artifact, your kids will probably like it as much as you used to. 10. It’s Not Redundant Unlike some comic book adaptations, Howard the Duck isn’t a straight lift from the pages of the source material, and it’s better off for it. Some fans of the comic may be annoyed with Howard’s appearance or Beverly’s occupation or the absence of any of Howard’s usual foes, but those of us who saw the movie first can appreciate the differences, because these allow for a better introduction to and curiosity about the comic. In a way, it’s to the original Marvel series as The Incredibles is to the graphic novel of Watchmen (though it’s certainly not anywhere near as smart nor well-crafted as The Incredibles). Now, if you still aren’t sure whether or not you should get the DVD, watch some (or all) of the movie on Hulu: Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/christhilk/archive/2008/10/16/36423.aspx Post By: ChrisThilk
Post To: ChrisThilk Blog
Post Date: 10/16/2008 8:01:43 PM
Body: Everyone is linking to this clip from the “Batman” TV show as an example of what to expect from last night’s debate. While that’s a decent point to make I’d also like to point out that whatever episode this was taken from obviously served as the inspiration for Batman Returns.        Originally posted on:Chris Thilk
]]>Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:01:43 GMTChrisThilkChrisThilk Blog10/16/2008 8:01:43 PMEveryone is linking to this clip from the “Batman” TV show as an example of what to expect from last night’s debate. While that’s a decent point to make I’d also like to point out that whatever episode this was taken from obviously served as the inspiration for Batman Returns.        Originally posted on:Chris Thilk http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/10/8/36053.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/8/2008 5:01:13 PM
Body: If John McCain doesn’t become the next President of the United States, perhaps he could take a completely different sort of gig, as The Penguin in the next Batman movie. Of course, there’s already a worthy candidate for that role, too, but if Philip Seymour Hoffman doesn’t want the job, Christopher Nolan should give it to the senator. That is, if Nolan actually decides to include the villain in his next installment, and so far it hasn’t seemed likely that he would. The idea of McCain as The Penguin sparked from a campaign speech the presidential candidate gave last Friday in which he inadvertently channeled Burgess Meredith while congratulating his running mate, Sarah Palin, on her performance at the VP debate the night before. Since then, YouTubers galore have sampled the speech, whether using the audio to redub a scene from Batman Returns, as you can see in today’s Clip (and here), or intercutting the audio and video with footage from Meredith’s portrayal of The Penguin on the old Batman TV show, or simply drawing in the necessary accessories and props to make McCain look like Meredith’s Penguin. The whole trend may have actually begun with a little joke on The Young Turks talk show. But how about it? Ehh? Throughout the Town Hall debate last night, while watching McCain waddle around that stage, I couldn’t get the Penguin thing out of my mind. He’s perfect for the part. Ehh? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:01:13 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/8/2008 5:01:13 PM If John McCain doesn’t become the next President of the United States, perhaps he could take a completely different sort of gig, as The Penguin in the next Batman movie. Of course, there’s already a worthy candidate for that role, too, but if Philip Seymour Hoffman doesn’t want the job, Christopher Nolan should give it to the senator. That is, if Nolan actually decides to include the villain in his next installment, and so far it hasn’t seemed likely that he would. The idea of McCain as The Penguin sparked from a campaign speech the presidential candidate gave last Friday in which he inadvertently channeled Burgess Meredith while congratulating his running mate, Sarah Palin, on her performance at the VP debate the night before. Since then, YouTubers galore have sampled the speech, whether using the audio to redub a scene from Batman Returns, as you can see in today’s Clip (and here), or intercutting the audio and video with footage from Meredith’s portrayal of The Penguin on the old Batman TV show, or simply drawing in the necessary accessories and props to make McCain look like Meredith’s Penguin. The whole trend may have actually begun with a little joke on The Young Turks talk show. But how about it? Ehh? Throughout the Town Hall debate last night, while watching McCain waddle around that stage, I couldn’t get the Penguin thing out of my mind. He’s perfect for the part. Ehh? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/4/33522.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/4/2008 3:01:15 PM
Body: It’s funny how out of control a rumor can spin on the web. The Angelina Jolie as Catwoman “news” has to be at the top of the list of most reported unconfirmed rumors ever. And it’s sad that it’s not actually true, because after seeing Jolie in the dominatrix outfit she wears at the beginning of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I’d be perfectly fine seeing her wear another tight black costume for a possible third Christopher Nolan-directed Batman movie. But who instead could play the part, if Jolie is indeed not interested, or not even offered the role (or, obviously, if Catwoman is not in the movie, as screenwriter David Goyer has apparently hinted)? One theory says that Maggie Gyllenhaal will return in the follow-up to The Dark Knight, this time donning a catsuit (Graeme at io9 strongly disputes the idea). Another terrible suggestion is to cast the too-cute Zooey Deschanel as the villainess. A far more interesting recommendation, from Catherine Bray, is Tilda Swinton. But I think the character needs to be a little sexier. Plus, I want to dismiss Bray’s idea on the principle that it’s included in the DenOfGeek list, which consists mostly of the usual hot young actress ideas that probably get thrown around for every casting decision like this. I’m actually shocked that Eva Green wasn’t anyone’s pick, as she’s one of those hot young actresses, and she’s done the “good and bad at the same time” thing in Casino Royale. She was even part of my list until a better candidate edged her out, mostly on the idea that we don’t need to see her replay Vesper Lynd in a Catwoman costume. So, who did make the cut? Check out my 10 favorites, in descending order, after the jump: 10. Halle Berry - She is a good actress, and she was a great sport in accepting her Razzie for playing the character in Catwoman, so wouldn’t it be neat if Nolan gave her a second chance at the part? It certainly fits with the nine lives thing. Plus, with a better script, better direction and, most importantly, a better outfit, the Oscar winner would do a much better job. 9. Cate Blanchett - Another Bob Dylan vs. Bob Dylan showdown! (The Dark Knight’s Christian Bale and Heath Ledger each portrayed Dylan in I’m Not There, as did Blanchett). And Nolan can round out the villain casting with Ben Whishaw as Riddler, Richard Gere as the Penguin and Marcus Carl Franklin as Anarky (or he could be Robin?). Seriously, though, after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I’m not sure we ever need to see her as another blockbuster villain. Besides, there’s other Oscar-caliber actresses who would be more enjoyable. 8. Penélope Cruz - Like this sexy Spanish lady, who I thought of for the role based on her line from Vanilla Sky, “I’ll see you in another life, when we are both cats.” Wait, would that mean Tom Cruise would have to appear as Catman? Hell, I’d deal with that if I got to see Cruz prance around with a tail attached to a form-fitting bodysuit. 7. Maggie Cheung - It’s been 12 years since Cheung wore a tight black catsuit for Assayas’ Irma Vep, but she’d still be damn hot as Catwoman. Unfortunately, she has retired from acting, last appearing in Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 and Assayas’ Clean back in 2004. 6. Rachel Weisz - Something about her wonky eyes makes me think she’d be a good Catwoman. I can’t quite explain what I mean by that. She did a fine job as an attractive yet ultimately evil character in Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, so there’s another point for her. 5. Emily Blunt - A well-meaning bitch in The Devil Wears Prada, I’d love to see Blunt do more of the same, only in a catsuit. In a way, she’s like my fill-in for the excluded Eva Green, since I continually mix up their names, and Prada costar Anne Hathaway, who too many people think is as good a choice. 4. Emily Mortimer - Basically my choice for the obscure, indie-cred slot, since I don’t agree with the Deschanel suggestion. Plus, I can see her building off her short stint as the two-faced “Phoebe” on 30 Rock in order to play a terrific villainess. 3. Emily Watson - The last of three candidates named Emily, Watson has always been my favorite love interest for Christian Bale (she’s played opposite “Batman” in Metroland and Equilibrium). Third time’s the charm, I say. 2. Marion Cotillard - I know, I’m probably including too many Oscar nominees and winners in this list, but after Ledger’s performance as The Joker, the role of Catwoman requires talent along with beauty. Besides, Michelle Pfeiffer was nominated for two Academy Awards prior to playing the part in Batman Returns and Halle Berry won an Oscar before giving her Razzie-winning performance in Catowman. So, as the most recent recipient of the Best Actress trophy, the chameleon-like star of La Vie en Rose seems the most appropriate. Oh, and some guy already did a rendering of what she’d look like. 1. Sean Young - The part she always wanted. And what fun it would be for Catwoman to be an older woman. You know, as in a cougar. Which is a kind of cat. There have been crazier ideas — though maybe not crazier actresses. However, Young’s unstable personality should make for an unpredictable and unbeatable performance. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:01:15 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/4/2008 3:01:15 PMIt’s funny how out of control a rumor can spin on the web. The Angelina Jolie as Catwoman “news” has to be at the top of the list of most reported unconfirmed rumors ever. And it’s sad that it’s not actually true, because after seeing Jolie in the dominatrix outfit she wears at the beginning of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I’d be perfectly fine seeing her wear another tight black costume for a possible third Christopher Nolan-directed Batman movie. But who instead could play the part, if Jolie is indeed not interested, or not even offered the role (or, obviously, if Catwoman is not in the movie, as screenwriter David Goyer has apparently hinted)? One theory says that Maggie Gyllenhaal will return in the follow-up to The Dark Knight, this time donning a catsuit (Graeme at io9 strongly disputes the idea). Another terrible suggestion is to cast the too-cute Zooey Deschanel as the villainess. A far more interesting recommendation, from Catherine Bray, is Tilda Swinton. But I think the character needs to be a little sexier. Plus, I want to dismiss Bray’s idea on the principle that it’s included in the DenOfGeek list, which consists mostly of the usual hot young actress ideas that probably get thrown around for every casting decision like this. I’m actually shocked that Eva Green wasn’t anyone’s pick, as she’s one of those hot young actresses, and she’s done the “good and bad at the same time” thing in Casino Royale. She was even part of my list until a better candidate edged her out, mostly on the idea that we don’t need to see her replay Vesper Lynd in a Catwoman costume. So, who did make the cut? Check out my 10 favorites, in descending order, after the jump: 10. Halle Berry - She is a good actress, and she was a great sport in accepting her Razzie for playing the character in Catwoman, so wouldn’t it be neat if Nolan gave her a second chance at the part? It certainly fits with the nine lives thing. Plus, with a better script, better direction and, most importantly, a better outfit, the Oscar winner would do a much better job. 9. Cate Blanchett - Another Bob Dylan vs. Bob Dylan showdown! (The Dark Knight’s Christian Bale and Heath Ledger each portrayed Dylan in I’m Not There, as did Blanchett). And Nolan can round out the villain casting with Ben Whishaw as Riddler, Richard Gere as the Penguin and Marcus Carl Franklin as Anarky (or he could be Robin?). Seriously, though, after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I’m not sure we ever need to see her as another blockbuster villain. Besides, there’s other Oscar-caliber actresses who would be more enjoyable. 8. Penélope Cruz - Like this sexy Spanish lady, who I thought of for the role based on her line from Vanilla Sky, “I’ll see you in another life, when we are both cats.” Wait, would that mean Tom Cruise would have to appear as Catman? Hell, I’d deal with that if I got to see Cruz prance around with a tail attached to a form-fitting bodysuit. 7. Maggie Cheung - It’s been 12 years since Cheung wore a tight black catsuit for Assayas’ Irma Vep, but she’d still be damn hot as Catwoman. Unfortunately, she has retired from acting, last appearing in Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 and Assayas’ Clean back in 2004. 6. Rachel Weisz - Something about her wonky eyes makes me think she’d be a good Catwoman. I can’t quite explain what I mean by that. She did a fine job as an attractive yet ultimately evil character in Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, so there’s another point for her. 5. Emily Blunt - A well-meaning bitch in The Devil Wears Prada, I’d love to see Blunt do more of the same, only in a catsuit. In a way, she’s like my fill-in for the excluded Eva Green, since I continually mix up their names, and Prada costar Anne Hathaway, who too many people think is as good a choice. 4. Emily Mortimer - Basically my choice for the obscure, indie-cred slot, since I don’t agree with the Deschanel suggestion. Plus, I can see her building off her short stint as the two-faced “Phoebe” on 30 Rock in order to play a terrific villainess. 3. Emily Watson - The last of three candidates named Emily, Watson has always been my favorite love interest for Christian Bale (she’s played opposite “Batman” in Metroland and Equilibrium). Third time’s the charm, I say. 2. Marion Cotillard - I know, I’m probably including too many Oscar nominees and winners in this list, but after Ledger’s performance as The Joker, the role of Catwoman requires talent along with beauty. Besides, Michelle Pfeiffer was nominated for two Academy Awards prior to playing the part in Batman Returns and Halle Berry won an Oscar before giving her Razzie-winning performance in Catowman. So, as the most recent recipient of the Best Actress trophy, the chameleon-like star of La Vie en Rose seems the most appropriate. Oh, and some guy already did a rendering of what she’d look like. 1. Sean Young - The part she always wanted. And what fun it would be for Catwoman to be an older woman. You know, as in a cougar. Which is a kind of cat. There have been crazier ideas — though maybe not crazier actresses. However, Young’s unstable personality should make for an unpredictable and unbeatable performance. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmgaming/Re_Cast_BATMAN_3/563/33381/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: LadyKaede
Post To: Filmgaming
Post Date: 8/1/2008 10:22:33 AM
Body: There are several directions the story might take. If the mob as represented in the last two movies morphs into big business, either The Kingpin or a re-imagined Penguin (so called because he is a dandy and wears a tux, perhaps?) might be logical villains. But I think the one thing we can be sure of is that Batman will enter the next movie depressed and bereft. With the demise of Rachel and the disenchantment of Lucius, he’s got nobody left on the Bruce side of his life except Alfred, who can only do so much (and is too easily taken for granted). Bruce is reviled as a wasted twit, and Batman is hated as a cop-killer. I think it’s time to revive the thread from 1992’s Batman Returns in which Batman falls in love with the alter ego of his nemesis, and yes, that means Catwoman. Handling the origins of the character briefly and believably will be the most difficult technical problem, but Chris, Jonathan and David certainly seem up to the task. Early talk on the ’Net of Angelina Jolie for this role is misguided. Unless you put her in full body armor and mask her voice like Darth Vader, no audience will buy it that Batman doesn’t recognize her when she’s on the prowl. What’s required for the role: Someone with a ‘look’ as malleable as Christian Bale’s or Gary Oldman’s. Someone who is age appropriate, but can handle the stuntwork credibly. Someone who can play the line between sanity and madness, perhaps between madness and genius. I give you Charlize Theron, and submit as evidence her work as Aileen Wuornos in 2003’s Monster, and her work as the title character in 2005’s Aeon Flux. I guarantee she would stand up perfectly against Bale whichever masks the two are wearing, and wipe the vision of Halle Barry from our collective memories.
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:22:33 GMTLadyKaedeFilmgaming8/1/2008 10:22:33 AMThere are several directions the story might take. If the mob as represented in the last two movies morphs into big business, either The Kingpin or a re-imagined Penguin (so called because he is a dandy and wears a tux, perhaps?) might be logical villains. But I think the one thing we can be sure of is that Batman will enter the next movie depressed and bereft. With the demise of Rachel and the disenchantment of Lucius, he&rsquo;s got nobody left on the Bruce side of his life except Alfred, who can only do so much (and is too easily taken for granted). Bruce is reviled as a wasted twit, and Batman is hated as a cop-killer. I think it&rsquo;s time to revive the thread from 1992&rsquo;s Batman Returns in which Batman falls in love with the alter ego of his nemesis, and yes, that means Catwoman. Handling the origins of the character briefly and believably will be the most difficult technical problem, but Chris, Jonathan and David certainly seem up to the task. Early talk on the &rsquo;Net of Angelina Jolie for this role is misguided. Unless you put her in full body armor and mask her voice like Darth Vader, no audience will buy it that Batman doesn&rsquo;t recognize her when she&rsquo;s on the prowl. What&rsquo;s required for the role: Someone with a &lsquo;look&rsquo; as malleable as Christian Bale&rsquo;s or Gary Oldman&rsquo;s. Someone who is age appropriate, but can handle the stuntwork credibly. Someone who can play the line between sanity and madness, perhaps between madness and genius. I give you Charlize Theron, and submit as evidence her work as Aileen Wuornos in 2003&rsquo;s Monster, and her work as the title character in 2005&rsquo;s Aeon Flux. I guarantee she would stand up perfectly against Bale whichever masks the two are wearing, and wipe the vision of Halle Barry from our collective memories. http://www.spout.com/blogs/aidanbrack/archive/2008/7/27/33143.aspx Post By: aidanbrack
Post To: The Bigger Picture
Post Date: 7/27/2008 5:25:07 PM
Body: It's been three years now since Batman Begins was released and to say that anticipation for The Dark Knight was high would be an understatement. I cannot remember a film other than The Phantom Menace for which anticipation has been so high. Fortunately this film delivers on most of that expectation and is, in my opinion, the best Batman film to date. Spoilers follow When Tim Burton returned to the Batman franchise to shoot Batman Returns, he imposed a darker style on the film than in his first effort. Nolan follows the same path, albeit to more acclaim, as he shows us a world threatened by anarchism and the breakdown of order. This world is less stylised than the Gotham of previous films - this feels much more like a modern, Western city. The banks look real, the buildings look real and as a result the violence that hits this city feels more immediate and disturbing. Opposite Christian Bale's Batman is the excellent Heath Ledger who deserves the critical acclaim his performance received. I am not ready to say that he wipes the floor with Bale's more subtle and mannered portrayal of Wayne/Batman but you find yourself on the edge of your seat whenever he appears on screen. This Joker is unhinged and anarchistic. He toys with that audience as much as he does with Batman, feeding us conflicting stories of his origin and what he wants. By the end we know that all he desires is chaos and to shake our confidence in our neighbours. He wants to twist those characters around him and manipulate them emotionally. He succeeds in doing this with the vulnerable Dent, Gotham's new district attorney whose biggest flaw is believing his own hype. The Joker, in one of the movie's best scenes, convinces him in the power of chaos and turns him into a loose, unpredictable weapon. What I loved about that scene is that the Joker gives Dent power. All through the movie there is this recurring pattern of the Joker urging people to kill him, almost as if he wants to be put out of his misery. He is not a criminal - Eric Roberts' mafia boss and their ilk are clearly flagged up as the criminals. No, this Joker is simply unhinged and psychopathic. There were several scenes that I found myself closing my eyes during, unsure about just how brutal they were going to be. I wanted to watch but found this Joker so complete a characterisation that I found myself feeling uneasy. Aaron Eckhart's Two Face conversely is a character whose story is raced through far too quickly for us to appreciate him. To call him the second villain on the piece is misleading. He is no more, nor no less than the Joker's weapon. The bomb he has planted that is about to go off (incidentally, I love that when he is turning Dent into that weapon he is wearing an "I believe in Harvey Dent" sticker). His make-up is effective, albeit slightly too ridiculous to be genuinely scary. If I have nightmares about the way a character looks tonight it will not be him but rather the Joker in my mind. We see his change and I felt I understood it but I wished that we could have spent longer with him. These final portions of the film feel rushed and a dramatic change of pace. Eckhart's performance does not have the manic energy of Ledger's and the result is that suddenly the adrenaline falls away. The Joker is in custody, we know we shall not see him again in the movie, and the people on the boats are now safe. The danger we have been building up to has passed and that which remains feels smaller and disconnected from the emotional drive of the film. I disagree with critics who think that Two Face should have been in the next movie instead of tacked onto the end here. That would require a very different characterisation and a decidedly different journey. This character is motivated by a very personal hunt for revenge. This character is not capable of playing at master criminal (which never felt all that realistic in Batman Forever anyway) - it would not be true to the journey that Nolan has begun in this film. Nolan uses the Dent storyline to reinforce the question that Batman keeps asking himself throughout this movie - "am I a force for good or evil in the end?", "have things become worse because of me?". The answer Nolan hints at is that Batman is needed because ultimately all are corruptable. He wants to give up the fight, hand his mantle onto Dent - an elected figure - but even as a human we see that Dent does not match up to his perfect picture he has painted. Yet the messages of this film seem confused. It displays fears about the use of surveillance technology and even has Lucius say "no, I think this is wrong" - yet Lucius is prepared to utilise the very systems he criticised moments before "just this one time". It talks about the dangers of handing power to just one individual and yet suggests that no one but Wayne/Batman is capable of holding this degree of power without becoming a monster. I was left feeling that Gotham had been made more "real" to make a political point and yet I was unsure at the end what the point was. Perhaps that makes it a success - I am sure that there will be many people leaving the film debating what its message actually is. In some ways I prefer a movie that asks difficult questions of us without presenting us with set or easy answers. I look forward to seeing where the franchise heads next and I hope that Nolan and Bale stick around. I am a little uncertain how they can top this - after all, the villains left are decidedly second tier (Mr Freeze has been suggested but would bring back unfortunate memories of Batman and Robin) - but I think this movie demonstrates that a film can be complex and thought-provoking and yet still be a massive box office draw. It feels to me to be so much closer to the spirit of the comic books than anything that has come before it. And to think - I haven't even had space here to talk about Jim Gordon, Alfred, the Batbike, Rachel Dawes or the more subtle humour used throughout this effort... I'm sure however that this is a movie that will be talked about for some time to come - particularly when we get to Oscar season.
]]>Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:25:07 GMTaidanbrackThe Bigger Picture7/27/2008 5:25:07 PMIt's been three years now since Batman Begins was released and to say that anticipation for The Dark Knight was high would be an understatement. I cannot remember a film other than The Phantom Menace for which anticipation has been so high. Fortunately this film delivers on most of that expectation and is, in my opinion, the best Batman film to date. Spoilers follow When Tim Burton returned to the Batman franchise to shoot Batman Returns, he imposed a darker style on the film than in his first effort. Nolan follows the same path, albeit to more acclaim, as he shows us a world threatened by anarchism and the breakdown of order. This world is less stylised than the Gotham of previous films - this feels much more like a modern, Western city. The banks look real, the buildings look real and as a result the violence that hits this city feels more immediate and disturbing. Opposite Christian Bale's Batman is the excellent Heath Ledger who deserves the critical acclaim his performance received. I am not ready to say that he wipes the floor with Bale's more subtle and mannered portrayal of Wayne/Batman but you find yourself on the edge of your seat whenever he appears on screen. This Joker is unhinged and anarchistic. He toys with that audience as much as he does with Batman, feeding us conflicting stories of his origin and what he wants. By the end we know that all he desires is chaos and to shake our confidence in our neighbours. He wants to twist those characters around him and manipulate them emotionally. He succeeds in doing this with the vulnerable Dent, Gotham's new district attorney whose biggest flaw is believing his own hype. The Joker, in one of the movie's best scenes, convinces him in the power of chaos and turns him into a loose, unpredictable weapon. What I loved about that scene is that the Joker gives Dent power. All through the movie there is this recurring pattern of the Joker urging people to kill him, almost as if he wants to be put out of his misery. He is not a criminal - Eric Roberts' mafia boss and their ilk are clearly flagged up as the criminals. No, this Joker is simply unhinged and psychopathic. There were several scenes that I found myself closing my eyes during, unsure about just how brutal they were going to be. I wanted to watch but found this Joker so complete a characterisation that I found myself feeling uneasy. Aaron Eckhart's Two Face conversely is a character whose story is raced through far too quickly for us to appreciate him. To call him the second villain on the piece is misleading. He is no more, nor no less than the Joker's weapon. The bomb he has planted that is about to go off (incidentally, I love that when he is turning Dent into that weapon he is wearing an "I believe in Harvey Dent" sticker). His make-up is effective, albeit slightly too ridiculous to be genuinely scary. If I have nightmares about the way a character looks tonight it will not be him but rather the Joker in my mind. We see his change and I felt I understood it but I wished that we could have spent longer with him. These final portions of the film feel rushed and a dramatic change of pace. Eckhart's performance does not have the manic energy of Ledger's and the result is that suddenly the adrenaline falls away. The Joker is in custody, we know we shall not see him again in the movie, and the people on the boats are now safe. The danger we have been building up to has passed and that which remains feels smaller and disconnected from the emotional drive of the film. I disagree with critics who think that Two Face should have been in the next movie instead of tacked onto the end here. That would require a very different characterisation and a decidedly different journey. This character is motivated by a very personal hunt for revenge. This character is not capable of playing at master criminal (which never felt all that realistic in Batman Forever anyway) - it would not be true to the journey that Nolan has begun in this film. Nolan uses the Dent storyline to reinforce the question that Batman keeps asking himself throughout this movie - "am I a force for good or evil in the end?", "have things become worse because of me?". The answer Nolan hints at is that Batman is needed because ultimately all are corruptable. He wants to give up the fight, hand his mantle onto Dent - an elected figure - but even as a human we see that Dent does not match up to his perfect picture he has painted. Yet the messages of this film seem confused. It displays fears about the use of surveillance technology and even has Lucius say "no, I think this is wrong" - yet Lucius is prepared to utilise the very systems he criticised moments before "just this one time". It talks about the dangers of handing power to just one individual and yet suggests that no one but Wayne/Batman is capable of holding this degree of power without becoming a monster. I was left feeling that Gotham had been made more "real" to make a political point and yet I was unsure at the end what the point was. Perhaps that makes it a success - I am sure that there will be many people leaving the film debating what its message actually is. In some ways I prefer a movie that asks difficult questions of us without presenting us with set or easy answers. I look forward to seeing where the franchise heads next and I hope that Nolan and Bale stick around. I am a little uncertain how they can top this - after all, the villains left are decidedly second tier (Mr Freeze has been suggested but would bring back unfortunate memories of Batman and Robin) - but I think this movie demonstrates that a film can be complex and thought-provoking and yet still be a massive box office draw. It feels to me to be so much closer to the spirit of the comic books than anything that has come before it. And to think - I haven't even had space here to talk about Jim Gordon, Alfred, the Batbike, Rachel Dawes or the more subtle humour used throughout this effort... I'm sure however that this is a movie that will be talked about for some time to come - particularly when we get to Oscar season. http://www.spout.com/groups/Five_for_Five/Re_A_New_Challenge/255/28032/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Five for Five
Post Date: 4/30/2008 8:31:26 PM
Body: [quote user="porcupine"] Here's a twist: Make a Five for Five list of movies that are all in the same series. There are limited possibilities, some I've just thought of are Star Wars, the Bond films, Star Trek... I'm sure there are others. I might be able to do a Star Wars one, but in all honesty I do at least like all the films, so I really wouldn't be able to give any of them a one. So there you go, extra points for the first person to do it. Go! [/quote] Here we go: Batman 5 * Batman Begins 4 * Batman Returns 3 * Batman 2 * Batman Forever 1 * Batman & Robin My opinion of Batman, Batman Returns and Batman Begins seems to change whenever I get a chance to re-watch one them. So this is the current ranking for them. It will definitely change over time. And we'll see how this changes with the release of The Dark Knight.
]]>Thu, 01 May 2008 00:31:26 GMTmercurialFive for Five4/30/2008 8:31:26 PM[quote user="porcupine"] Here's a twist: Make a Five for Five list of movies that are all in the same series. There are limited possibilities, some I've just thought of are Star Wars, the Bond films, Star Trek... I'm sure there are others. I might be able to do a Star Wars one, but in all honesty I do at least like all the films, so I really wouldn't be able to give any of them a one. So there you go, extra points for the first person to do it. Go! [/quote] Here we go: Batman 5 * Batman Begins 4 * Batman Returns 3 * Batman 2 * Batman Forever 1 * Batman &amp; Robin My opinion of Batman, Batman Returns and Batman Begins seems to change whenever I get a chance to re-watch one them. So this is the current ranking for them. It will definitely change over time. And we'll see how this changes with the release of The Dark Knight. http://www.spout.com/blogs/alienlazer/archive/2007/8/27/18961.aspx Post By: AlienLazer
Post To: AlienLazer Blog
Post Date: 8/27/2007 10:41:04 PM
Body: Putting something as sexy as Catwoman with the Penguin was a great combination, unlikely allies, but genius idea. Christopher Walken always has that "crook" thing going for him in the movie business mainly because of his accent, but you got to love him. Michael Keaton sucks, but this movie still rocks with it's dark twists and aspact.
]]>Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:41:04 GMTAlienLazerAlienLazer Blog8/27/2007 10:41:04 PMPutting something as sexy as Catwoman with the Penguin was a great combination, unlikely allies, but genius idea. Christopher Walken always has that &quot;crook&quot; thing going for him in the movie business mainly because of his accent, but you got to love him. Michael Keaton sucks, but this movie still rocks with it&#39;s dark twists and aspact. http://www.spout.com/blogs/popcornnroses/archive/2007/8/27/18882.aspx Post By: popcornnroses
Post To: popcornnroses Blog
Post Date: 8/27/2007 11:55:00 AM
Body: If you haven't checked out Subject:CINEMA before, now is a GREAT time to try it out. On this final week of our "Hero Heat" month, hosts Kim Brown and TC Kirkham tackle all aspects of The Dark Knight! And there's so much...we couldn't fit it all in! Listen Now! Subscribe via FeedBurner Subject:CINEMA on I-Tunes This week's show: All aspects of the Batman phenomenon, from the early serials to the upcoming feature film The Dark Knight, and everything in-between. Includes The Batman/Superman Hour, Batman (1966 series), Superfriends, The New Adventures of Batman, Batman:The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, feature films Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Begins (2005) and almost a dozen more shows and movies! E-mail Subject:CINEMA Leave Us a Voice Mail!Visit our MySpace page Check out our Podshow Site Vote for us on Podcast Alley THIS WEEK'S NOTES: There is a HELLA LOT of Batman stuff out there. In fact, there was so much, we couldn't fit it all into one show....SO Wednesday, watch for part two of the show, with more Batman stuff, plus our e-mails, memories of Batman from our listeners, and the final installment of our huge S:C Trivia Challenge, plus more more MORE! Same Popcorn Time, Same Roses Channel, Different Bat Day!What we DID fit into this show was a look at the character, and EVERY SINGLE TV AND MOVIE PROJECT from the 1943 serial to the upcoming 2008 feature film The Dark Knight, except one, which will be coming up on the Wednesday show. And as the week goes on, you'll see plenty of Batman stuff popping up, exclusively on our parent site, Popcorn N Roses... On Tuesday, our Trailer Trove will feature the opening credits and trailers from ALL the various Batman productions... On Wednesday, Part two of "You've Got Batmen In Your Belfry!" On Thursday, the debut of our new Popcorn N Roses HOT SITE OF THE WEEK featuring a Batman-oriented site And on Friday, our first weekly PNR Online Film Festival featuring a great Batman-oriented trailer. NEXT WEEK ON SUBJECT:CINEMA We get an extra day in the weekend, but S:C will be on time next Sunday with a complete rundown of all the fall movies hitting your local theater. Our Fall Movie Preview....Be There. Aloha!
]]>Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:55:00 GMTpopcornnrosespopcornnroses Blog8/27/2007 11:55:00 AMIf you haven&#39;t checked out Subject:CINEMA before, now is a GREAT time to try it out. On this final week of our "Hero Heat" month, hosts Kim Brown and TC Kirkham tackle all aspects of The Dark Knight! And there&#39;s so much...we couldn&#39;t fit it all in! Listen Now! Subscribe via FeedBurner Subject:CINEMA on I-Tunes This week&#39;s show: All aspects of the Batman phenomenon, from the early serials to the upcoming feature film The Dark Knight, and everything in-between. Includes The Batman/Superman Hour, Batman (1966 series), Superfriends, The New Adventures of Batman, Batman:The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, feature films Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Begins (2005) and almost a dozen more shows and movies! E-mail Subject:CINEMA Leave Us a Voice Mail!Visit our MySpace page Check out our Podshow Site Vote for us on Podcast Alley THIS WEEK&#39;S NOTES: There is a HELLA LOT of Batman stuff out there. In fact, there was so much, we couldn&#39;t fit it all into one show....SO Wednesday, watch for part two of the show, with more Batman stuff, plus our e-mails, memories of Batman from our listeners, and the final installment of our huge S:C Trivia Challenge, plus more more MORE! Same Popcorn Time, Same Roses Channel, Different Bat Day!What we DID fit into this show was a look at the character, and EVERY SINGLE TV AND MOVIE PROJECT from the 1943 serial to the upcoming 2008 feature film The Dark Knight, except one, which will be coming up on the Wednesday show. And as the week goes on, you&#39;ll see plenty of Batman stuff popping up, exclusively on our parent site, Popcorn N Roses... On Tuesday, our Trailer Trove will feature the opening credits and trailers from ALL the various Batman productions... On Wednesday, Part two of "You&#39;ve Got Batmen In Your Belfry!" On Thursday, the debut of our new Popcorn N Roses HOT SITE OF THE WEEK featuring a Batman-oriented site And on Friday, our first weekly PNR Online Film Festival featuring a great Batman-oriented trailer. NEXT WEEK ON SUBJECT:CINEMA We get an extra day in the weekend, but S:C will be on time next Sunday with a complete rundown of all the fall movies hitting your local theater. Our Fall Movie Preview....Be There. Aloha! http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
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