Movie Review: The Dark Knight

"Holy fuckin' shit, Batman. The Dark Knight really lived up to the hype!"

Man. I can count the number of times I've been this blown away after watching a movie with the fingers on one hand. The first time was when I saw American Beauty nine years ago. I felt the same way after watching Frailty, Memento, Batman Begins, and now--- The Dark Knight.

Fine... call me extremely BIASED. Because I'm such a huge Batman fanboy. Add the fact that I'm also a huge fan of Christopher Nolan. Alright, the film isn't perfect. The transition on some scenes doesn't flow so smoothly, and if you have short attention span you might find several scenes confusing, dull, or even boring. For action fans, the fight scenes aren't really that intense--- the camera is way too close for you to appreciate the action. For the ultra conservative, okay... the film may be too violent for a PG rated motion picture. For those with nyctophobia, yeah--- some scenes are way too dark. And for the ultra fanboys--- yeah, the movie isn't 100% faithful to the source material. But I never said the film was perfect. A movie doesn't have to be perfect for it to be considered excellent. A movie based on a comic book doesn't have to be 100% faithful to be considered spectacular. For once, a movie did live up to all that hype--- something I didn't expect since I was way too psyched to watch this film, my excitement level practically reached high heavens. I firmly believe that anyone who'll say that this movie is awful aren't capable of distinguishing great movies from crappy movies. There's so much going on onscreen, one viewing may not be enough to really appreciate it. There are a lot of symbolisms and allusions, you'd still be thinking about the things you have seen hours after watching the movie. Clearly, this in not JUST a comic book movie, it's so much more. The word EPIC seems to be an inappropriate word to describe a comic book movie, but in this case, no other word seems to be more fitting.

Definitely 5 stars out of 5!... wait a minute...

make that 10 stars out of 5! :)

Batman: Gotham Knight

Batman: Gotham Knight is the third direct to video release from Warner Premier, the first two being Superman: Doomsday and Justice League: The New Frontier. This film was heavily promoted as a bridge between Batman Begins and its impending sequel, The Dark Knight--- a transitional story of sort. Obviously, this is an attempt to cash in on the anticipation for the sequel's imminent release, very similar to The Animatrix, another direct to video animated film that was released when the Matrix fever was at its peak in 2003. But whereas The Animatrix was a genuine attempt to answer questions and tie up loose ends--- and it did accomplish those goals, Gotham Knight does none of that. The six animated shorts do not really seem to be related to the Batman universe that Christopher Nolan has created. They don't even tie up loose ends from the first movie. Another blatant example of false advertising at its finest. Bridge between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight my ass.

To really appreciate this film, one should take it for what it really is. It's not a transitional story made to bridge the gap between the two films. Granted, the events shown could have happened in the time period between the two movies, but the time line is so vague that the events could have happened at anytime during Batman's life... and since they don't actually contribute anything to enrich the storyline in the first movie, nor do they foreshadow events that would happen in the sequel, it's misleading to refer to this film as transitional. The six animated shorts are simply glimpses in the life of the title character. That doesn't make it bad. For one thing, the animation is top notch. Different teams were assigned to each chapter (featuring top anime creators from Japan!), and although each style is remarkably different from the other, not one chapter was haphazardly done. They created the perfect blend of Japanese and American styles of animation. It's pretty obvious that a lot of effort was made to deliver what we see onscreen. Top writers were recruited to create the storyline for each chapter. While this seemed like a perfect idea on paper, these writers seemed to find it difficult to tell a story that would make a lasting impression. With just 10-15 minutes allotted for each story, who could blame them? The whole film runs for only 76 minutes... it would have been better if they just made each episode longer. The short stories are self contained, and when taken individually, some are pretty boring, but the better chapters, namely chapters 4 and 6, more than make up for them. It's not perfect--- the Batman Animated series shown in the 90's featured more compelling stories, but I would say this is still an above average effort (unlike the previous animated video release from Warner Premiere). Every casual viewer would most probably find something to like. As for Batman fans, this film is enough to whet their appetites a bit before all hell breaks loose when The Dark Knight is released... and that's only 5 days away from today! WOO-HOO!!!

The Dark Knight is Upon Us

Here's the latest, and so far--- the best trailer for The Dark Knight (courtesy of Domino's Pizza! LOL). I can no longer quantify the amount of excitement I have for this movie. Early reviews describe the movie as phenomenal, and I hope my lofty expectations are met. Christopher Nolan has never let me down before, and I'm sure that once again, he's going to deliver. July 18 is almost here and I'm definitely going to be one of those people who are first in line at the IMAX theater! :D

IMAX 2D

Two weeks ago, I watched the movie I Am Legend in an IMAX theatre. Some said I just wasted money because there were no 3D enhancements made for the IMAX version of the movie. I think I got my money's worth though. For one thing the admission price is cheaper compared to a movie with 3D enhancements... and while other people feel cheated when they watch the so called enhanced versions of movies only to find very little 3D effects that were haphazardly put in, I didn't feel cheated when I saw I Am Legend since I knew there were no 3D enhancements in the first place... Watching a 2D movie in IMAX is still one heck of an experienced. The screen size is gigantic, and the sound effects are greatly enhanced, something I didn't notice before. Watching a movie in a THX theater would seem ordinary after watching a 2D movie in IMAX!

Okay, okay... the main reason why I wanted to watch I Am Legend in an IMAX theater so bad was because I wanted to see the exclusive 6 minute footage of The Dark Knight that was attached to the IMAX version of the film! LOL. They reportedly used a special kind of lens, with the intention of putting the film on IMAX. The result was breathtaking. Unlike I Am Legend, The entire screen was filled up, and everything was crystal clear--- watching the entire footage was so immersive, for a second I thought I was part of the action taking place on screen! After seeing that 6 minute preview, there's absolutely no way I'm watching The Dark Knight in an ordinary theater!

On a side note, it's a pity Heath Ledger passed away last week. I know his untimely demise has been blogged to death by now, and I don't intend to make an entry about it. It's just that I never thought much about him as an actor until I saw his chilling portrayal of the Joker. What a pity. Who would've thought that he could put Jack Nicholson's over the top portrayal to shame.

Pimping the Bricks

Of all the toys I've played with during my childhood years, Lego toys were my favorite. Dino Riders action figures were a far second. I just can't get enough of those bricks. I couldn't wait to open each box and then follow the instructions on how to build those miniature buildings. Then I'd tear the whole thing down and make some original creation.

For the lack of anything else to surf while I'm waiting for some files to finish downloading, I visited the Lego official website for the first time. WOW. The latest revisions of the Lego castle, city, and space lines were amazing. The line up during my childhood years looked archaic in comparison. Then I looked at the other products.

Star Wars Lego? Harry Potter Lego??? Batman Lego?!!!

WTF. Lego has pimped those bricks! Since when did they have to resort to product licensing to sell those toys? Isn't the Lego brand enticing enough by itself?!

I'm in no authority to say what children like these days. Maybe Lego toys are viewed as uncool or passé these days. Maybe it's a business decision to keep up with the times, so as to prevent the company from going belly up.

It's just that... I can't help but feel that Lego and some of those licensed characters are mismatched. Star Wars looks pretty okay... It's quite similar to their space line... I'm no Harry Potter expert, but those Lego Men Harry Potter replicas all look so stupid. And look at the Batman Line up:




Batman has never looked so... UN-menacing.








The Joker has never looked so silly. Not funny at all. He doesn't look psychotic, he just looks dumb.








So the Penguin isn't vertically challenged anymore? He has Lego to thank for that.







And Catwoman... has never looked so UN-sexy... so UN-seductive. She looks like a 50 year old overweight pimp for crying out loud.





No doubt it's a top selling line. But the whole thing looks so forced and mismatched, i can't help but think of the whole line up as visual reminders the Lego brand has sold out.

Absolute Editions

DC comics has been publishing over sized editions of their best selling graphic novels for two years now, i think. I have seen those being sold in book stores and comic book shops, but I never considered purchasing them. First reason: those books seem to be created out of greed. Another attempt to get the fans to buy books that they already have, by creating even better editions. Just like those movie companies initially releasing dvd titles with little extras, then months later releasing the same movie with more extras... then after a year or so, you'll see another release saying it's the directors cut, or the ultimate edition, or the absolutely final and most complete edition.

Another reason: I ignored those titles out of preference. Sure, they'd look good in any bookshelf... an over sized hard bound graphic novel that comes with a slipcase--- the ultimate packaging. How can a comic book be even more special than that? But I knew I wouldn't prefer reading a huge comic book. That's a lot of weight to carry around. Besides being overweight, those things are also ridiculously overpriced. They range anywhere from 50 to 100 dollars. Why spend that much money just to read a story that you'll finish in one sitting? And besides, I already own the "normal" editions of those comic books. i wouldn't waste my money for the same comic books, no matter how many extras they pack in those new editions.

Two days ago, I went to a comic book shop to have a gift exchanged. A friend gave me a volume of Sandman, not knowing I already have all volumes. lol. Anyway, I was looking for a replacement, when I saw Batman: Hush volume 1. I've been looking for that book last year, but I could not find a copy. I chose that to replace the gift, and then I told the saleslady that I'm going to buy the second volume. Then she said that it was out of stock. Bummer. Then she said they have the absolute edition, which contains both volumes--- i could buy that instead. I laughed at first. I thought, you'd never get me to buy an absolute edition. Then I saw it. It really looked... nice... elegant. A black slipcase with the word HUSH in bold letters, containing both volumes of the softcover I wanted to buy. I didn't know what got into me... some sort of over excitement, as the child within me suddenly woke up from hibernation when he saw something he liked... I felt that I NEEDED to buy it. I WANTED it immediately. It was ridiculous to spend all that money for a graphic novel... but I was also ridiculously happy. I was down in the dumps for days, and just like that I was inexplicably happy. I guess that alone is enough to validate my action. :) I couldn't wait to tear open the packaging and savor my new purchase.

The story was great. Not over hyped as some fans were saying... I guess it's hard to live up to the hype when the writer is Jeph Loeb, and the illustrator is Jim Lee--- both well renowned, their collaboration was highly anticipated. The story is not as good as the Batman Classics like The Dark Knight Returns, or Batman: Year One, but it's up to par with Loeb's previous works (The Long Halloween and Dark Victory). I even think it's a bit better... though Jim Lee's artwork may be credited for that impression, because I've always loved his artwork. And the visuals in Batman: Hush are one of his best efforts! Sure, it's less mystery and more action, but that doesn't make it any worse. It may be less "intelligent", but that doesn't make it less fun to read. Some fans complain that there were drastic changes in the Batman Universe resulting from events presented here... I say change is inevitable. The series can't possibly grow if they remained complacent and chose to remain in the status quo.

Now that I've finished reading it, i still don't think of it as a wasteful purchase. Even if I don't open it again, it would still make a really nice display in my bookshelf. Lol. as for the other absolute editions? I'm still not going to purchase absolute versions of those graphic novels that I've already read... but I have my eyes on the Absolute edition of Kingdom Come. :)

No One's Laughing Now

They've finally revealed what the new Joker will look like. The very second I saw the image, all my doubts about Heath Ledger's casting have been set aside. I'm a fool to have questioned one of Christopher Nolan's decisions. Clearly, He knows what he's doing. The new Joker isn't cartoony, he doesn't look funny--- he looks real... creepy... gothic... macabre. Like Batman Begins, They're aiming for realism. Again, this new film won't be for kids. i can't wait for summer 2008. The Dark Knight is going to be phenomenal!!! Woo-hoo!

A Big Joke?

Various websites have reported that Heath Ledger has been cast as the Joker in the upcoming Batman Begins sequel. Even though those websites are legitimate, I'm hoping it's jus a rumor. I have nothing against Heath Ledger, but it's one very odd casting choice. It's one thing that he looks nothing like the Joker--- tons of make-up and special effects can take care of that. People have been saying the same thing about Christian Bale as Batman, and look how great he turned out. And if they plan to do a Joker Origin story as the main plot, when he was still a normal person, it could work. But my main issue is about his acting ability, which has been choppy at best. I can't think of a single movie where he proved himself to be a great actor, but I can think of a few movies where he was not. He's remembered for Brokeback Mountain, but is he remembered for that movie because of great acting or for something else? In contrast to the stellar cast of the first movie, wherein there were mostly thespians, consistently good actors, he seems out of place. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson... Ok, Katie Holmes was that one loose end.But knowing how great the first movie turned out, and how Christopher Nolan has never missed a shot before, I'm still optimistic. Let's just wait and see how this turns out... hopefully is doesn't turn out bad.

I mean, How bad could it possibly turn out? Unlikely just for one odd casting choice. I'll probably be one of those first in line when the movie comes out. I'm still burning with anticipation. But the minute I hear the Joker say "I wish I knew how to quit you, Batman...", I'm getting out of the movie theater.

Genesis of The Bat

Today, I’m extremely happy. I know this feeling is temporary, but I am happy...The word giddy would be a more appropriate term.

The inner child in me has come out again. LOL. I’ve just bought another Batman Graphic novel. It really seems silly for a 26 year old to derive pleasure from comic books--- I’d probably be amused at myself if I was another person. But hey, these are not childish comic books. Most Batman stories are dark and brooding. That makes them adult friendly, I guess. Now I’m on defensive mode. Haha. It’s a fact, though. Comic books are not just for kids. Just because a story is told through drawings doesn’t mean it caters to a young audience. Take the Watchmen graphic novel for instance. The story had a very mature approach, and it was even deemed complicated, some adults can’t even figure out what it was really about. And to prove I’m not the only one in my age group buying comic books, there are a lot of adults looking through those graphic novels in bookstores. And the prestige editions of some comic books cost a small fortune! It’s amazing that they’re often sold out. I doubt any kid could afford those. Heck, when I was a child I sure can’t afford those. Even now I can’t afford those. Hehe.

I’ve just recently discovered the wonders of the Batman comic books--- just last year, at the ripe age of 25. I didn’t really like Batman before--- whom I first encountered in those reruns of the Superfriends cartoon series and that campy TV show from the 60’s starring Adam West. Even just saying his name seems silly...BAT--- MAN. Ugh. But when I saw the two Tim Burton Directed Movies (the ones by Joel Schumacher were just plain crap, and ruins the character, so I’d rather forget them), I became fascinated with the character. The animated series shown during my early teenage years fueled that fascination further. That cartoon series was dark and gothic, and definitely not for kids only. It was the first cartoon series I’ve seen which had a mature way of telling a story, making it very adult friendly. Even now when I watch the reruns I can see the difference between this series and the other cartoons from my childhood--- like Thundercats, or the Transformers, or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I can’t even watch those shows now without cringing a bit, though I enjoyed watching them before. They seem so juvenile now, they were definitely made for children. The Batman animated series, on the other hand, is something I can still watch and appreciate. Also, It arguably had the best depiction of the Batman Character from the Comic books. His translation to the live action movies pales in comparison. Then came another cartoon series which I never got to follow. It was made by different people, and I didn’t like the way they handled the character. It seemed like they made Batman kid friendly again... and he never was meant to be kid friendly. Good thing the creators of the original series went on to create the recent cartoon series, Justice League. The way they portrayed the character was the same as before. And since that cartoon series was such an excellent show, I liked the character even more. He was dark and brooding, often a loner. I guess the fascination is rooted in the fact that he’s someone I can relate to. Dark. Brooding. Gloomy. Pensive. That’s how I am on most days, especially when I’m alone. Unlike superman, who was made to be picture perfect, squeaky clean, like some goody goody obedient boy scout who can do no wrong, Batman is also a normal person, with no super powers. Maybe that’s why more people can relate to him too. His stories are believable. Batman also has the most stories ever written for any comic book character--- even more than Superman, who’s perceived to be more popular. According to records, no other character even comes close. That has got to mean something. Every comic book writer seems to have some sort of batman story to tell.

Last year, came the movie Batman Begins. Naturally, I was one of those first in line to watch it. I was totally blown away! Thanks to Christopher Nolan, it was one of the best movies that I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Add the fact that it was a movie about a comic book hero--- what the director did was simply amazing. It was expected, though. He also directed the kick ass thriller Memento. Now I'm looking forward to his next movie, The Prestige. His decision to make the Batman universe realistic was a great one. i guess it helped that i wasn't that familiar with how Batman was portrayed in comic books, otherwise I might sound like some fanboy complaining about how much they changed several aspects of the character in the movie, how the Movie Batman isn't like the comic books Batman. As seen by someone who's not exposed to the character's comic book persona, I thought Batman Begins was one damn fine movie. Anyway...That did it for me. It was about time I get to know more about the character in the format where he originated--- in the comic book world.

See, I have always been a marvel boy--- mostly. As a kid, I bought a lot of X-men and Spiderman comic books. And okay, I also bought a lot of Archie Comics, too. A truckload of them. Haha. Sure, I bought the series about the Death of Superman, which was highly publicized at the time it was released--- I got caught in the hype. But when it came to superhero comics, The Marvel titles were the ones I bought on a regular basis.

First title I got was The Long Halloween, which was actually a gift from someone who found out I wanted to buy it but I was short on cash then. Hehe. I read it immediately, and read it twice. I felt such joy and elation, I was like a child who got exactly what he wanted for Christmas. It felt kind of orgasmic. Hehe. At that time, I thought the story was so good, that I wanted more Gotham stories. I searched the net for the best graphic novels. My next purchases were Batman: Year One and The Dark Night Returns, both by Frank Miller. Wow. Frank Miller is A God. I guess I’ll keep on thinking of him that way, unless I read the horrible The Dark Knight Strikes Again, so I won’t. hehe. Both stories were realistic, dark, gloomy, and violent. Definitely not for kids (so again I’m justifying my reading of comic books at my age? Hehe). The critics were right in proclaiming both titles the best batman stories ever written. What I bought today was Dark Victory, the sequel to the Long Halloween. It includes a retelling of the introduction of Robin… I hate Robin. He seems contrary to Batman’s loner persona. I prefer Batman stories without him… but what the heck. It’s written by Jeph Loeb, so it must be good. I’m normally stringy, and the book was quite expensive. But I didn’t care. Hehe. I just had to buy it. I can’t wait until I read it.

Next purchase would probably be Blind Justice, where they introduced the Character of Ducard, the man who trained Batman. I’ve seen a lot of copies, so I won’t have a hard time looking for one. But what I really want is The Killing Joke, written by Alan Moore, who also wrote Watchmen (which was named the Best Graphic Novel ever written). But I can’t seem to find it in any book store or comic book specialty shop! It seems that it’s not sold in this country!!! Argh! I’ve searched online, and apparently it costs anywhere from $30- $50, brand new. Pretty expensive for a graphic novel, even for a prestige edition... maybe I should postpone my search until I get job. Hehe.

Now excuse me while I go back to my reading...

LOL. I’m such a child.