Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Reality Crashes Down on Reality TV Beneficiaries
I've often wondered why the folks from the Extreme Makeover Home Edition rarely ever go back and see how the families they helped have made out. Now I know. It's really a shame. This family was basically given a house that was worth nearly half a million dollars. Free and clear! But that apparently was not enough. My question is. What did they spend $450,000 on?
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Dark Knight Review
I got a chance to see "The Dark Knight" this past weekend, and I have to say that it definitely tops all the other comic book-based movies of this summer. I am even inclined to say that it may be the best comic book-based movie ever. It's that good. The acting (especially that of the late Heath Ledger) is superb. The characters are well-written to be complex and nuanced. Finally, the story itself creates a world where costumed vigilantes and bizarre villains is a plausible reality. It's a wonderful formula that results in a huge success.
I think the thing that really works for this film is the fact that the filmmakers decided to tone down the cartoonish nature of the villains. The Joker is scarred, but he is wearing warped clown make-up instead of being permanently disfigured by a fall in a vat of chemicals. The other main villain, Two-Face, looks like someone who was horribly scared should look. No two-tone suits, face and hair here.
This infusion of realism is what makes the film really shine. As you watch, you are captivated by what the villains are doing not in how ridiculous the Joker or Two-Face look. Batman/Bruce Wayne is a man. He has a lot of hardware and skills to help him. But he is a man. He has doubts. He has desires. He also has faults. He's not the perfect, obsessed crime fighter from the comics.
The only minor complaint I have is that the film feels a little long. There is a lot of story to tell, but some of it could have been told more succinctly. The action scene in China, while entertaining could have been left out completely without hurting the story. But any short-comings are made up by the acting.
I know that some critics have tried to tone down their praise of Heath Ledger's work in this film because of the tragedy of his death shortly after filming. But I think that is unfair. This is his finest work. You don't see Heath Ledger in this film, you see the Joker. I can't imagine anyone exceeding his performance here.
Kudos also go to Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. Each of them brought their A-game for this film. Maggie Gyllenhall and Christian Bale also deliver fine work. Dumping Katie Holmes for the role of Rachel was a master-stroke.
The Dark Knight has raised the bar for the comic book genre of films. It has also done what few sequels have been able to do, exceed the original in quality. I liked Tim Burton's Batman movies. But seeing this has convinced me that as entertaining and innovative as Burton's movies were, they fall very short of the greatness that Christopher Nolan has unleashed here.
I think the thing that really works for this film is the fact that the filmmakers decided to tone down the cartoonish nature of the villains. The Joker is scarred, but he is wearing warped clown make-up instead of being permanently disfigured by a fall in a vat of chemicals. The other main villain, Two-Face, looks like someone who was horribly scared should look. No two-tone suits, face and hair here.
This infusion of realism is what makes the film really shine. As you watch, you are captivated by what the villains are doing not in how ridiculous the Joker or Two-Face look. Batman/Bruce Wayne is a man. He has a lot of hardware and skills to help him. But he is a man. He has doubts. He has desires. He also has faults. He's not the perfect, obsessed crime fighter from the comics.
The only minor complaint I have is that the film feels a little long. There is a lot of story to tell, but some of it could have been told more succinctly. The action scene in China, while entertaining could have been left out completely without hurting the story. But any short-comings are made up by the acting.
I know that some critics have tried to tone down their praise of Heath Ledger's work in this film because of the tragedy of his death shortly after filming. But I think that is unfair. This is his finest work. You don't see Heath Ledger in this film, you see the Joker. I can't imagine anyone exceeding his performance here.
Kudos also go to Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. Each of them brought their A-game for this film. Maggie Gyllenhall and Christian Bale also deliver fine work. Dumping Katie Holmes for the role of Rachel was a master-stroke.
The Dark Knight has raised the bar for the comic book genre of films. It has also done what few sequels have been able to do, exceed the original in quality. I liked Tim Burton's Batman movies. But seeing this has convinced me that as entertaining and innovative as Burton's movies were, they fall very short of the greatness that Christopher Nolan has unleashed here.
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