The Dark Knight Rises

I don't know if I have ever started a review like this but I want you to do yourself a favor and stop reading after this first paragraph, in fact stop reading everything about this movie. There are no spoilers in this review, I'm not going to ruin anything but if you really want to enjoy this movie then you need to get away from it all.   If you are anything like me before you saw this movie you read everything that came out, you rewatched the previous ones, you are probably even shaking in anticipation.  Nothing I write is going to sway your opinion one way or the other, and being one of the most hyped movies EVER how can this movie possibly rise to the occasion. Plus with reviewers getting death threats for posting anything negative about the movie I think a step back would do us all some good.  So step away and go enjoy The Dark Knight Rises and what I can promise you is an epic finale to a near perfect series.

Alright so now you are either someone who has followed my directions or a rebel who enjoys torturing thenselves.  For the latter while I appreciate your devotion reading everything will not make Friday come any faster.  For those who have seen the movie:  OH MY GOD HOW AWESOME WAS IT RIGHT AHHHHHH! I loved this movie.

While the movie is long, a running time of 164 minutes, I don't know if anything could have been cut.  It seems like it takes a while to get there, but everything seems so important.  If anything it feels like some of the movie was rushed (if that is even possible at almost three hours).  After examining the movie, it is impossible to tell what if anything could have been cut out.

You already know what you are getting from the series regulars like Christian Bale (A growley and deep voice), Morgan Freeman (a wonderful smile and clever quips), and Michael Caine (a stirring speech to inspire the Bat-Man).  But what about the newbies?  Well they are just as good, if not better.  By now I am sure everyone has seen Anne Hathaway in her cat suit, but her performance is just as hot.  I loved that while the script contained some not so subtle quips Selena Kyle is never referred to as Catwoman.  And why would she be, she is just a regular hi-tech burglar.  It makes the whole thing feel more realistic which keeps the audience entrenched.  While it was assured a couple movies ago that Joseph Gordon Levitt was a star now there is no doubt.  Tom Hardy plays an incredibly soft spoken part for a man so powerful.  It is impressive just how jacked he got for this movie, and while there are some moments that are hard to hear the mask doesn't stop you from understanding the character.  As for Marion Cotillard, Nolan thought her performance was so necessary he pushed back the filming schedule and the release just so she could be cast in the movie and it is tough to disagree with that.

The effects are amazing.  One of the features that make Christopher Nolan the best director of our current generation (and he is, don't kid yourselves), is his love for filming things without CGI whenever possible.  It is not possible to film the bat wing flying inbetween buildings, but the opening sequence featuring a mid-air hijacking was incredible and really set the tone.  That along with the reemergence of Batman into the public eye and the football sequence that we have all seen by now (and if not the trailer is at the bottom) are just as epic as the buildup to the movie has been.

Christopher Nolan is able to pull off a climax in modern day storytelling that I think many directors today are afraid to even try, worried they may not be convincing enough.  All the anticipation builds to this conflict making the ride totally worth getting there.  You can not help but be on the edge of your seat, feeling the danger these characters are in.  Plus knowing that this is the end for Nolan and Bale, that they are done with the series doesn't help you feel at ease.  There is a real sense of danger throughout, I'm sure the eight year old inside you is scarred.  Nolan has shown before he is remorseless and loves to leave his viewer wanting more.  He leaves you wondering: could this really be the end?

The direction that Nolan chose to take this movie is amazing.  There is not any cartoonish silliness and his trilogy has set a new almost impossible bar to reach in what we should expect from our blockbusters.  The combination of fierce and well shot action sequences set against real world concerns of class inequality and terrorism is an amazing feat.  Even more astonishing may be keeping his movie away from the 3-D glasses, although if you get the chance some of his long shots are definitely worth an IMAX viewing.  I won't say it is better than The Dark Knight, it's not.  That movie was near perfect and Heath Ledger's performance was untouchable but the finale is edge of your seat stuff.  The Dark Knight Rises is an amazing conclusion to a near perfect trilogy.  A

2011 Oscars: Actor

A couple more guys who have already won the Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA awards will be looking to continue their hot streak heading into the Academy Awards. First let's look at the highly competitive Best Actor category.

BEST ACTOR
Javier Bardem, "Biutiful"
Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"
Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"
Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"
James Franco, "127 Hours"

Colin Firth is going to win. And frankly his performance alone may vault this little British movie to Best Picture. More on that Saturday. Moving on.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, "The Fighter"
John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"
Jeremy Renner, "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

Like any race it really comes down to two nominees. But all men deserve and did fantastic jobs in these roles. The only role I would even think to toss out is Mark Ruffalo, as he is out shined by his co stars and the rest of the men in the category. His character's laid back attitude doesn't really have enough pop to claim the night's award. Josh Hawkes and Jeremy Renner are both held back by the politicking of the event. For those who have not seen Winter's Bone, Uncle Tear Drop starts as frightening then evolves to sympathetic as the movie progresses, but unfortunately not too many people saw it, so he's out. It is tough to pull out the best part of The Town, but Renner was definitely the best actor in it. His character was great and his flirtations with anti-hero and villain stole the show but The Town received so few nominations that it would be unlikely many will vote for him. Worry not, this young actor will be nominated many more times before it is all said and done.

This leaves as always two actors left to fight it out. As I mentioned in my past reviews of both The Fighter and The King's Speech both men were fantastic and deserved awards for their performances. But since the last tie happened in 1969 this is highly unlikely. Christian Bale is the odds on favorite to win and it is completely justified. Bale has always been known to immerse himself in the role. His method acting has finally paid off as this bug eyed druggie both elevates and deflates his brother's boxing career. The entire audience felt the gamut of emotions as he was likable and hated in the same breath and that is what made him so interesting. His performance brings out the best of the other actors as they try to keep up with his energy. Much like Bale elevated the cast around him Colin Firth better remember to thank Geoffrey Rush for all the give and take in their performances. Rush provided the levity to Speech that was so desperately needed to give the film some heart. Bale's performance was the second best of his career (Patrick Bateman being the obvious best) and he deserves the statuette and should come out on top. But if anyone is going to play upset it will be the speech therapist.

What do you think, will the British men be taking away all of our gold with them across the pond or do you see someone else winning. Is it possible for the host to win the award? Let me know what you think. Tomorrow I will look at the director's which is historically one of the biggest precursors to who will win the night’s big award.

The Fighter

Recently it seems like a lot of movies are moving Northeast. The cities here seem to have split personalities from hoity-toity, ivy league elitism to gritty drug filled cesspools. Seeing this movie in Boston added a little something special to the screening. Boston often gets depicted as a tough place to live with a lot of characters who tend to be rough around the edges. The Boston accent is one of the most notorious out there and often gets butchered as actors try to pick up the nuances of Boston, but really just turn into a caricature of the city. The accent even trips up people who previously lived here, looking at you Affleck. It has been tough for Boston to shed this image even though Lowell, where the story takes place, is actually 30 miles north of Boston.

Cut to inside the theater where a man in his 60s is smoking the same unfiltered camels he has clearly been smoking for the past 40 years. A fight almost breaks out on the left side of the auditorium over the incident. Sorry Menino, the caricature is hear to stay, time to embrace it. That is exactly what director David Russell does with The Fighter, he allows the city of Lowell to breathe and really come into its own. Whether it's them walking down the street, talking with everyone they pass, or its the training they do in preparation for the fight. Lowell is heavily featured in this movie, for better or worse.

In fact one of the most subtle performances in the movie comes from the man who has tried to get this movie made for four years. Mark Wahlberg (here to be known as Marky Mark) stars and produces in this movie about the Irish boxer Mickey Ward looking to keep his career going as long as possible. He trained everyday for four years in preparation for this film to look and understand the part. He also shopped the film around to as many people as possible including Martin Scorsese. It wasn't until Russell came along, whom he previously worked with on Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees that all his efforts came to fruition. For all the effort Marky Mark puts into his film he chooses to stand aside as the lead character and let his co-stars do the heavy hitting. It is to his credit as his understated performance really helps the movie excel.

The hardest hitting performance in the movie is hands down Christina Bale as Mickey's half-brother and trainer Dickie. Just as Dickie stole the spotlight off Mickey in the family, Bale steals it away from Marky Mark. He is infectious, loyal and tragic all rolled into one as Dickie is cursed with addictions to both the lime light and crack that nearly destroy him. In his past life he was able to knock down Sugar Ray Leonard and it seems to be in that life that Dickie wants to live, and almost everyone is willing to cater to that. There is no one out there in Hollywood who would be better suited to take on this character. His method tendencies, which have gotten him in trouble in the past is what makes him perfect for this role in what is sure to finally get him a Oscar Nomination, and most likely be the heavy favorite to win among the Academy. Seriously how has Bale never even been nominated for the award?

Although it may be tough to see past Christian Bale, Melissa Leo also pulls out a fantastic performance as the mother of the boxing duo. She is trying to manage Mickey's career but it is never clear whose interests she really has at heart. It would be silly to try to cast her singularly as the monstrous mother as she is so much more than that. She is strong and determined to make sure the family stays together and has an army of daughters to ensure she achieves her goal at whatever expense. Opposing his mother is Amy Adams as the underachieving girlfriend, she proves her versatility as an actor branching out from her typical sweet demeanor. In this movie she shines as a character hardened by strife and the only one strong enough to pull Mickey away from the talons of his mother.

It is the relationships in Mickey's life that drives the heart of the movie. All the characters seem to know what is best as they battle over Mickey's soul. Marky Mark understands the talent he has surrounded himself with and it is to his credit that he decides to step back and allow the chemistry of the project to take over.

Inside the ring the cinematography differs from other boxing movie. In Rocky, for example, every hit seems to be a haymaker and for the most part that is what the audience wants to see, but not how a real boxing match takes place. To capture the feel of the fights Russell chose to use Beta Cameras, which is what would have been used to capture the fights in the early nineties. They also received help from the HBO film crews whose years of experience around the ring helped the fight scenes feel more plausible than previous boxing movies.

Boxing as a sport seems to be headed to the wayside with the emergence of mixed martial arts. Leaving most of us to only admire times and stories gone by. Wahlberg proves that he cares about this project and his passion is projected off the screen to the viewers. A-