I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said about this fantastic film. I don't think I'll be able to assimilate it all until I see it a second or third time. I will say that, as a film and literature teacher, this was thrilling. As a long time Batman reader, this film made me even happier. There are a lot of people who have only experienced the play between the Batman and the Joker on television, or perhaps in a few comics. But after years of reading the comics, I am overjoyed to see Nolan and Goyer pull on the more subtle themes that the great writers at DC have explored over the years... the obsessive and cyclical relationship between Batman and the Joker... the blood that Batman might arguably have on his hands for NOT killing the maniac each time they meet... the idea that Gotham city might have chosen Bruce Wayne to be Batman... and the ultimate ideals that Batman represents. This is one longtime fan and student of film and comics glad to see these characters and stories done right, and done true justice.
Reviews
5 Reviews
X-Men: The Last Stand
(2006)
Not bad, but wasted potential
27 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I have very mixed feelings about this film. SPOILERS... There were points I enjoyed, things I liked. As a fan of the comics, I saw many nods to the audience that were appreciated. The acting was strong (given what the actors had to work with), the action was good, but... there were several mistakes made with this. I can't help but think that these moments I enjoyed could have been in a movie that worked very well cinematically (which X2 did), which this didn't. Why knock out half of your established characters in the third movie of a trilogy and add new ones? I'll take one Mystique, who has been built into a strong character over the course of two films, than 10 anonymous mutants who only serve as a means to show off CGI. The treatment of Cyclops was inexcusable, and the death that happened halfway through the film angered me so greatly that I almost walked out. After the credits, I felt much better, but I still can't help but feel that so much more could have been done with this. If only FOX had been willing to wait a year and get Singer back at the helm. If only they hadn't trimmed Mardsen's part down for his involvement with Superman Returns. If only the script writer had worked with the characters that had been developed in the previous two films, instead of tossing them out the window and starting at square one. I guess I'll enjoy this one, but I think that I'll always dream about the film that could have been...
Wild Orchid
(1989)
More than meets the eye
15 May 2006
There is more, I think, to this film than most people give it credit for. Sure, it's full of sex and naked people, but it also manages to be erotic and sensual at the same time. It's certainly not the commercialized absurdity that you'll find late night on certain premium channels. More than that, though, is that it's a decent psychological study of a man who's completely divorced himself from reality. Like so many celebs of our time, money and success has allowed him to distance himself from whatever parts of reality that make him uncomfortable. Emily's naive and honest approach manages to reach him. His speech near the end, before the final 'scene,' is really impressive, and Mikey really is a great actor. Sure, Ms. Otis leaves something to be desired, but she's working in a role where her lack of comfort helps the part. Emily is out of her element, just is the actress playing her is, and even if this makes her transparent, it also makes her believable. Jaqueline Bisset is wonderful as always. All in all, if you watch this film without fast forwarding from sex scene to sex scene, you'll see a fairly human story mixed with a sexual journey that I think Zora Neale Hurston would have appreciated.
The Crow: City of Angels
(1996)
So often viewed in the wrong light
18 August 2004
I often think that people look at this film in the wrong context. This is not a sequel to The Crow (a great film in its own right). Instead, it is simply another tale of the Crow. The first was a gritty revenge story set in a realistic Gothic/punk world with a touch of the supernatural.
The Crow: City of Angels is a fairy tale.
And like a fairy tale, there is no real attempt to conform to the rules of the real world. In this world, the sickness of a city is palpable and can be seen by the light that covers it (yellow). The city is run by a man who, as an earlier reader noted, is demon-like in visage and manner. A girl can even paint her death before it happens (perhaps unwittingly, perhaps not). Portents and symbolic abound. Once you accept this, you'll understand why the symbol of the crow appears around each victim, why a small cage can drop exactly where a bird lands, and why Ashe must climb the tower of his enemy (rather than just take the elevator). This movie is, in all ways, a fairy tale, full of magic and not-quite-human characters. A note on the lighting: Borrowing from Fitzgerald, you'll notice that the sickly yellow that denotes the sickness of the city bathes nearly every shot, save where a character stands apart from this sickness. Sarah, for example, often is given a red or green light. Beckett, the only member of Judah's group that seems to have a conscious, similarly gets different lighting during his death scene. Ashe and his son also get this coloration.
The lighting choices are intentional and symbolic to those who know to look for them. I understand why most people don't care for this film, and I don't fault them. I do feel that if viewed for what it is, and taken by itself (not as a sequel, as it really isn't one), the film is a beautiful tale of magic, tragedy, and loss. 8 out of 10
The Crow: City of Angels is a fairy tale.
And like a fairy tale, there is no real attempt to conform to the rules of the real world. In this world, the sickness of a city is palpable and can be seen by the light that covers it (yellow). The city is run by a man who, as an earlier reader noted, is demon-like in visage and manner. A girl can even paint her death before it happens (perhaps unwittingly, perhaps not). Portents and symbolic abound. Once you accept this, you'll understand why the symbol of the crow appears around each victim, why a small cage can drop exactly where a bird lands, and why Ashe must climb the tower of his enemy (rather than just take the elevator). This movie is, in all ways, a fairy tale, full of magic and not-quite-human characters. A note on the lighting: Borrowing from Fitzgerald, you'll notice that the sickly yellow that denotes the sickness of the city bathes nearly every shot, save where a character stands apart from this sickness. Sarah, for example, often is given a red or green light. Beckett, the only member of Judah's group that seems to have a conscious, similarly gets different lighting during his death scene. Ashe and his son also get this coloration.
The lighting choices are intentional and symbolic to those who know to look for them. I understand why most people don't care for this film, and I don't fault them. I do feel that if viewed for what it is, and taken by itself (not as a sequel, as it really isn't one), the film is a beautiful tale of magic, tragedy, and loss. 8 out of 10
Hardware
(1990)
Art for the Trained Eye
13 October 2003
This is my favourite movie, hands down, and I believe one of the best ever made. I will admit that it can be a bit off putting to the untrained eye, but if you take the time, you will see that this is one of the most impressive, symbolism laden films ever made. Keep some very basic themes in mind, and you'll start to see beyond the great acting and stellar cinematography. The eyes are the windows to the soul. Water purifies and cleanses. On the surface, this film is about a robot that goes crazy in an apartment in the future and kills some people. Underneath, it's about the violation and destruction of one of the last bastions of hope and beauty in a messed up world. If you an answer some of these questions, you'll start to see the grander picture: Who covers their eyes when they fight the MARK 13. Compare this to who lives, and who dies. Who is the drifter (hint: he used to be an angel)? What two events happen in the shower, under a deluge of water, and why? Where is the drill on the MARK 13 located, and why is the last shot of Jill attacking it a removal of this drill? The first 4 letters of the MARK 13's serial number are BAAL. Why? Who or what is BAAL? Did you notice that the MARK 13 runs around killing people with an American flag on it's head, with a drug that smells like apple pie? Who is Jill quoting when she refers to the MARK 13 as being "our final solution?"
As you can see, there is far more to this film than meets the eye. If you'll give it a chance, and watch more than 20 minutes of it, you'll see what an incredible work of art this movie is.
Additionally, if you are interested in my scene by scene breakdown and analysis of this film outlining all major themes and symbolism, email me and I'll be happy to provide one.
As you can see, there is far more to this film than meets the eye. If you'll give it a chance, and watch more than 20 minutes of it, you'll see what an incredible work of art this movie is.
Additionally, if you are interested in my scene by scene breakdown and analysis of this film outlining all major themes and symbolism, email me and I'll be happy to provide one.
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