OT: Movie Thread

[GordonHowe]

I laughed like hell with Violent Night.
not what I expected.

Really?

The title didn't give it away?

 

[Gee Wally]

Really?

The title didn't give it away?

I didnt expect the humor.

 

[GordonHowe]

I didnt expect the humor.

So, silent night, deadly night?

That is hilarious as well, surfacing well before our irony drenched, post Letterman ethos,

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

 

[smithformeragent]

I tend to lean towards Begins too. It's a very well-crafted origin story. The plot is simple but engaging, the characterization is good, and it's the one film in the trilogy that really gets close to realizing Nolan's idea around 'what if Batman was real?'

With TDKR I agree there are some good ideas in there, and you can see where they were going with some things that are interesting concepts. But for me the execution is lacking and most of those ideas just never get fleshed out the way they should. Instead we get plot points that either make zero sense or never really go anywhere.

Wayne's knee is actually a good example of that - it's been so bad that it's forced him to limp around for 8 years, but he never once bothered to get it assessed and treated until he decides to come out of retirement? I get he was depressed and grieving etc. etc., but really? Why would you do that to yourself? And then Fox gives him the super-powerful brace for it, such that he can kick down a brick wall, but it's then never mentioned again, so that whole little sequence really has no payoff. The basic idea it's conveying is obvious - Bruce is older and beat up and out of shape and hasn't taken care of himself and now needs to rush/cheat his way back into form - but the way that concept is presented just doesn't hit the mark.

Anyway, musing over. Back to our regular 'Bergeron watch' programming...

Taking this discussion here for follow up

It’s interesting that TDKR and Batman V. Superman both borrowed elements from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

It would be interesting if we ever got an authentic live action adaptation of that graphic novel.

I think Batman works best when the stakes are relatively low.

You have him take on R’as Al Ghul’s thugs, Scarecrow, and the Joker and it’s believable.

You put him on the battlefield with Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, etc. and he literally can’t keep up no matter how many gadgets he has at his disposal. He’d get his ass handed to him.

I liked The Batman, but it’s so dark and depressing that I can’t go back and rewatch it multiple times like I did the Nolan films or even the Keaton ones.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Taking this discussion here for follow up

It’s interesting that TDKR and Batman V. Superman both borrowed elements from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

It would be interesting if we ever got an authentic live action adaptation of that graphic novel.

I think Batman works best when the stakes are relatively low.

You have him take on R’as Al Ghul’s thugs, Scarecrow, and the Joker and it’s believable.

You put him on the battlefield with Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, etc. and he literally can’t keep up no matter how many gadgets he has at his disposal. He’d get his ass handed to him.

I liked The Batman, but it’s so dark and depressing that I can’t go back and rewatch it multiple times like I did the Nolan films or even the Keaton ones.

I agree, Batman works best in a world without super powers, when he's grounded in at least some semblance of reality. It doesn't necessarily have to be 'gritty' or aiming at some kind of hyper-realism, just plausible and reasonably grounded.

I thought Reeves' The Batman did that well for about the first three-quarters of the film. You're right, it's very dark and really quite bleak, but I bought into the character and the way he went about things, and the villain was interesting and seemed to have a coherent motive. But for me the last quarter just went miles off the rails and undid most of the movie's earlier good work, to the point where it almost felt like a different film. I haven't gone back to it because I found the ending so disappointing, but perhaps it's worth another watch sometime.

I actually reckon the Lego Batman was about as good an adaptation of the character as any of them, despite being, well, lego, and family-oriented. I'm not much of a comic book reader, but it seemed to me to really get into the essence of Wayne/Batman and what makes him tick in a very clever way, underneath all the jokes and songs.

The character's been done and represented in film in so many different ways in the last 30 or so years, and really probably needs a rest. But modern Hollywood doesn't work that way, so I'm sure we'll keep getting Batman in various works as long as they make money.

 

[Troublesome 85]

Havent been to a theater since Dunkirk. Napoleon is going to change that.

 

[GordonHowe]

I agree, Batman works best in a world without super powers, when he's grounded in at least some semblance of reality. It doesn't necessarily have to be 'gritty' or aiming at some kind of hyper-realism, just plausible and reasonably grounded.

I thought Reeves' The Batman did that well for about the first three-quarters of the film. You're right, it's very dark and really quite bleak, but I bought into the character and the way he went about things, and the villain was interesting and seemed to have a coherent motive. But for me the last quarter just went miles off the rails and undid most of the movie's earlier good work, to the point where it almost felt like a different film. I haven't gone back to it because I found the ending so disappointing, but perhaps it's worth another watch sometime.

I actually reckon the Lego Batman was about as good an adaptation of the character as any of them, despite being, well, lego, and family-oriented. I'm not much of a comic book reader, but it seemed to me to really get into the essence of Wayne/Batman and what makes him tick in a very clever way, underneath all the jokes and songs.

The character's been done and represented in film in so many different ways in the last 30 or so years, and really probably needs a rest. But modern Hollywood doesn't work that way, so I'm sure we'll keep getting Batman in various works as long as they make money.

My favorites are TDK & TDKR.

Yes, I paid to see Batman ('89). It was okay. The rest of that "franchise" was, imho, crap.

I prefer character actors to movie stars.

Check Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain. Then check The Dark Knight. That's range. That's an actor.

Brian Cranston



You can have fun with Nicholas Cage, but have you ever seen



Put me off booze for a week.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

The worst movie ever made. I lasted 20 minutes wondering why I didn’t stop at 15

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

My favorites are TDK & TDKR.

Yes, I paid to see Batman ('89). It was okay. The rest of that "franchise" was, imho, crap.

I prefer character actors to movie stars.

Check Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain. Then check The Dark Knight. That's range. That's an actor.

Brian Cranston



You can have fun with Nicholas Cage, but have you ever seen



Put me off booze for a week.

Heath Ledger was amazing. As you say, huge range, and a great ability to really get into and 'inhabit' his characters. Died far too young - I think in a way he was just getting started as an actor and he could have done a lot more fantastic work. At least we can appreciate what we have. Out of all the recent crop of Australian actors to emerge in the last 20-30 years, he was arguably the best.

 

[EverettMike]

Barbie down.

Oppenheimer to go.

 

[Si Hopkins]

Havent been to a theater since Dunkirk. Napoleon is going to change that.

Recently rewatched Dunkirk after watching Darkest Hour starring Gary Oldman as Churchill during the war. Talk about range, Oldman is unreal. Darkest Hour and Dunkirk are a great 1-2 punch.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Recently rewatched Dunkirk after watching Darkest Hour starring Gary Oldman as Churchill during the war. Talk about range, Oldman is unreal. Darkest Hour and Dunkirk are a great 1-2 punch.

Not sure if you read non fiction, but "Splendid and the Vile" is Erik Larsson's latest and it's on Churchill. Fabulous book - top notch. Much better than Darkest Hour, and I enjoyed the movie.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Not sure if you read non fiction, but "Splendid and the Vile" is Erik Larsson's latest and it's on Churchill. Fabulous book - top notch. Much better than Darkest Hour, and I enjoyed the movie.

I love Erik Larsson. Splendid and the Vile is incredible.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Barbie down.

Oppenheimer to go.

I’ll be interested to see what the reviews on Oppenheimer are, sounds like it’ll be good.

 

[EverettMike]

I’ll be interested to see what the reviews on Oppenheimer are, sounds like it’ll be good.

I'm not reviewing it (just feature coverage), but I can let you know what I think at some point tomorrow.

 

[Mainehockey33]

I'm not reviewing it (just feature coverage), but I can let you know what I think at some point tomorrow.

Looking forward to it. Looks like one I might go see in IMAX.

 

[GordonHowe]

Heath Ledger was amazing. As you say, huge range, and a great ability to really get into and 'inhabit' his characters. Died far too young - I think in a way he was just getting started as an actor and he could have done a lot more fantastic work. At least we can appreciate what we have. Out of all the recent crop of Australian actors to emerge in the last 20-30 years, he was arguably the best.

I thought Christian Bale was Australian, too. English.

Say what you will about kiwi Russell Crowe,

 

[GordonHowe]

Recently rewatched Dunkirk after watching Darkest Hour starring Gary Oldman as Churchill during the war. Talk about range, Oldman is unreal. Darkest Hour and Dunkirk are a great 1-2 punch.

Oldman is great. Those English actors!

Sid and Nancy (1986) was my introduction,

 

[smithformeragent]

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I thought Christian Bale was Australian, too. English.

Say what you will about kiwi Russell Crowe,

Don’t leave out LA Confidential

 

[sarge88]

Saw The Sound of Freedom on Sunday.

Obviously very heavy.

I felt I had to watch it though because I work and have worked with so many kids who have been victimized or trafficked.

Because of what I do, I’ve become very good at compartmentalization, but there were scenes in this movie that even challenged my ability to do so.

This movie is so important though. There is obviously no entirely accurate way to determine how many children are trafficked each year, but if you don’t work in my field, I can almost gurantee that you’d be shocked at the number.

If you truly don’t think you can handle it, I understand, entirely.

But if you can, please see it.

You never know how things like this can inspire people to do good things.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Saw The Sound of Freedom on Sunday.

Obviously very heavy.

I felt I had to watch it though because I work and have worked with so many kids who have been victimized or trafficked.

Because of what I do, I’ve become very good at compartmentalization, but there were scenes in this movie that even challenged my ability to do so.

This movie is so important though. There is obviously no entirely accurate way to determine how many children are trafficked each year, but if you don’t work in my field, I can almost gurantee that you’d be shocked at the number.

If you truly don’t think you can handle it, I understand, entirely.

But if you can, please see it.

You never know how things like this can inspire people to do good things.

The scary part as well is media calling it a conspiracy theory

 

[sarge88]

The scary part as well is media calling it a conspiracy theory

I won’t get political. But feel free to send anyone who doesn’t think this is happening at a disgustingly alarming rate to me.

If they have a heart, I’ll break it in 2 minutes with some things that kids I work with have endured.