Modern Moviegoer

Box Office 12/5

2008-12-05T15:45:00.002-05:00

Back from vacation.

This weekend should be a slow one after the excitement of the past few weeks. The only big opener is the new Punisher. Don't expect any big numbers from this one. This is the third attempt to get this franchise going, and it just won't work. Michael Jane was the best chance and that bombed. Even the new superhero trend can't help this mess. The top three (Four Christmases, Bolt, Twilight) will be the same as last weekend but Punisher will probably hit double digits.

Box Office 11/21

2008-11-21T12:28:00.003-05:00

This is the weekend that everyone has been excited about. Twilight, a movie passed on by every major studio and propelled by one of the best integrated marketing and PR campaign, finally bows. To make matters more intriguing, Twilight competes with a standard Disney (read: studio) family movie, Bolt. It's looking like the marketing machine behind Twilight will take this thing by long shot (they even got "South Park" to spoof the franchise, putting it up there with High School Musical, Oceans 11, and Obama- all major successes).

I would look for Twilight to still exceed expectations, and do this weekend with $65 Million - even frat boys have been talking about it. Bolt I'll put at $31 million due to the domination of Twilight. Summit Entertainment has really made their name with this one.

Box Office 11/14

2008-11-14T12:58:00.001-05:00

Only one word describes this weekend's BO: Bond. Competing only against a limited opener indie- Slumdog Millionaire, and boosted by one of the largest and most dedicated fan bases, this movie is primed to break the bank. I'm calling it at $65 million this weekend.

Box Office 11/7

2008-11-07T12:54:00.002-05:00

With a new president (a democrat at that), non-competing openers, and great holdovers, this weekend should be great for the box office.

HSM3 and Zack and Miri will remain in the top ten and have decent takes. The winner this weekend though will be Madagascar 2. The previous installment nearly hit $50 mill, so I'm going to call this one to actually make that mark.

For those not in the family movie demographic (and who are opting out of Kevin Smith's brand of humor), Role Models starring Paul Rudd (a personal favorite of mine) and Sean William Scott makes its bow. With a whopping 73% on rottentomatoes.com, this could be a surprise success. I'm going to call it with $9 million for this weekend.

Soul Men also opens this weekend. The movie, which has the two late stars Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, aims for a different demo and might make it into double digits. I think it will only do at most $10 million in business though.

Studios should be happy with the haul as everyone else's sales are still slumping.

Halloween Box Office

2008-10-31T13:57:00.002-04:00

For the first time in about 5 years, Halloween hits on a Friday. Don't look for a stellar BO despite solid holdovers (HSM3, Saw V) and decent openers (Zack and Miri, Changeling). Changeling expands its run this weekend into a wide release, but even with Angelina, Clint, and the Oscar buzz, look for it at about $9 million.

Zack and Miri has the Kevin Smith clan behind it (a very loyal fan base) as well as Seth Rogen's and (though he has now part in making this movie) Judd Apatow's fan bases. I think it will close in on number 2 with $14 million.

HSM3 will probably stay at #1 with about $18 million ( a major drop from last week). Saw may still hold on to #2 - it is a Halloween pic. However, look for it to drop into the low teens.

The other opener is The Haunting of Molly Hartley. This pic is small in scope, has bad critical reception, lacked in marketing, and is saved only by its inclusion of "Gossip Girl" cast member Chace Crawford and a well-picked release date. The show's been solid in the ratings and has a very loyal fan base. It'll scare up single digits, at best $6 mill.

Box Office 10/24

2008-10-24T13:26:00.002-04:00

While Disney denies it, the weekend is in the bag for High School Musical 3. The other big opener, Saw V will also perform, but does not have the pull of the HSM family franchise. HSM3 is the first of the HSM series to get theatrical berth and though it was a television hit in ratings and has become a cultural phenom, this is uncharted waters. If it is successful (which it will be), it introduces, perhaps, a new format in formulating franchises- especially for the other corporate studios who have television channels in their holdings (i.e. Paramount-Viacom's MTV, CBS; Fox; Universal- GE's NBC).

Numbers-wise I think we'll see $50 million for HSM- a big guess. Because they aren't in competing markets, Saw V will better the previous installment and take in $35 million opening weekend. That's right, I'm calling a HUGE weekend at the box office. The DJI is down another week and singing/dancing teeny-boppers and blood-filled torture scenes may just be the emotional cure people are looking for.

Box Office 10/17

2008-10-17T14:23:00.002-04:00

Sorry, but no $ predictions this weekend-haven't had much time this week. As for spots, Max Payne will be number one for certain. The movie everyone is talking about this weekend though is W. BO wizards don't know what to think about it-it's controversial with a strong marketing push. I think it will do well just because of the air-time it's received.

Wallll- Eeeeee

2008-06-28T16:01:00.006-04:00

The Pixar machine rolls out yet another, fully-formulated, intergenerational, merchandise-friendly, and still all-around-touching piece of box-office gold.

It will take the number one spot in the numbers this weekend with about $62 mill at this point (for those interested, Wanted is making a hell-of-a, better-than-expected showing, as predicted). The question that remains now is whether or not it can become the biggest opener of the Pixar slate (having to top the Incredibles at 70.5 mill). Is it deserving of that kind of money? Absolutely.

While there is barely a word spoken for the first half hour of the movie, it could not be more captivating, and not just for the kids that filled the matinée I attended. WALL-E (whose design is straight out of Short Circuit, see: Johnny-5), is endearing and emotionally compelling. He is the only “living” resident left on Earth, save for his little cockroach friend, left to clean up the garbage that left by a wasteful consumer-culture. The piece of the story that keeps the parents (and college students) interested, is the social commentary present right from the start.

I know what you're thinking, another preachy film highlighting humanity's abuse of the planet and global warming and all that jazz. As a big opponent of movies that exploit that message (see: The Happening), I can say for certain that WALL-E focuses more on the laziness of humanity and our dependence on technology than the whole environmental thing – humans, while occupying a spaceship on hovering La-Z-Boys for 700 years or so, degenerate into formless blobs.

The heartwarming nature of the film comes from the love story between two robots (if Nemo can travel from a dentist office drain to the ocean, robots can fall in love). With the dailogue between the two mostly consisting of them calling each other's names (EVE, or EVA as WALL-E pronounces it, is the other robot who has been sent to search for plant life), the credit really goes to the animators here. Two cold metal objects, one looking very much like an Apple product (Pixar is a Steve Jobs brainchild), become distinct, full, and sometimes fiery, characters. They both have a twinkle in their eye, something Pixar has mastered, and souls that can make you feel sorry for the cell phone you traded in with your last upgrade. Also, the lack of defined gender roles is refreshing as there are no real sex determinants (the names maybe qualify but the character traits are traditionally reversed). EVE is often times dominant, aggressive, and trigger-happy, and WALL-E, an emotional romantic, craves affectionate touch and true love (and is a big fan of the classic musical, Hello Dolly).

Since the dialogue is lacking, a thrilling score by the established (read Ocsar-nominated) Thomas Newman ( The Good German, Finding Nemo) drives the feeling of the film. One moment he clanks along during the high-speed chase involving malfunctioning, misfit machines, and the next he's crafting a mid-space, robot ballet.

Oscar Gold?

Stanton, whose work has mostly been in screenplay writing, makes a solid directorial debut here. Oscar worthy? Probably not, but he'll have a few more productions coming his way after this if he wants to try for it. Every gear moves smoothly in tandem, and Stanton architects it all as a true cinematic engineer.

Some reviewers have thrown around the idea of WALL-E as a Best Picture contender (Disney has said they are pitching it as such). Despite the film's determination, I think is a little too soon to be saying. The Oscar season is just beginning (at this point last year, people heard Juno, they thought Alaska). I see it a shoe-in for Best Animated Feature, but with Cannes's finest about to hit the big screens, I think, I hope there is more to come in the big category.

Wrap Up

The movie falls under the Good Movie category. It causes some reevaluation of our reliance on computers (something the Millenials can never have to much of), contains some revolutionary aspects of the genre (a near-silent, wishy-washy robot headlining a film is more daring than Remy the rat last year; plus the animation is out of this world), and it might establish itself as a pop-cultural icon (this has still yet to be seen). It has proficiency is multiple aspects of the film-making process, but its recycling of the standard Pixar formula disqualifies it, in my mind, from being a Great Film.

Someone asked me after I saw it, if I thought it topped Nemo? I still have to sit on this, maybe a second watch will affect my answer. What do you all think?

Box Office 10/2

2008-10-03T12:49:00.005-04:00

There is a jam-packed box office this weekend with a lot of openers and some decent holdovers from last weekend (Eagle Eye, Burn After Reading). Though they all target different demos, the competition might bring the individuals down.

The top two this weekend are Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. One's a family friendly sing-a-long helped out by a traditionally popular animal ("yo quiero taco bell"), and the other's a teen comedy with red-hot young star Michael Cera. Cera's one-note, deadpan awkwardness has seen solid response from the comedy crowd that went for Superbad and the Apatow laughers, as well as the quirky, indie audience that first hopped on the Juno bandwagon. Since Chihuahua has a wider appeal (someone has to bring those kids to the movie) and is opening on more screens (3,215 compared to Nick and Nora's 2,421), I think it's a shoe-in for the top spot. My guess is that it will bark up somewhere in the $26 million range while Nick and Nora will play to the likes of $18 million.

Other major openers include Blindness, a dark story about a worldwide epidemic that causes almost every person to go blind, based on a book that got rave reviews from my literary sources. With a star-studded cast and solid marketing strategy, it could carry some weight, but something tells me with the current mood of the country (see: the Dow Jones), most people will opt for something lighter. Look for the 35+ crowd at the theaters. The movie might see (haha... get it?) double digits, but will probably come in somewhere around $7.5 million.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, with starrers Kirsten Dunst, Simon Peg, and, a college fan-boy fav, Megan Fox, is a comedy that looks rotten so far, but may make for a decent show if my prediction about the need for light entertainment holds true.

Other small screeners are the western Appaloosa, which has received decent reviews and widens its release, and Bill Maher's docu, Religulous, which, personally, seems like the best shot at real entertainment this weekend.

An American Carol, the blatant spoof on Michael Moore, looks silly, stupid, and saveable only by a member of the Farley family. Don't look for it in the top ten.

Box Office 9/26

2008-09-26T13:55:00.002-04:00

Another week of BO predictions:

I am going to side with the obvious choice for the top spot this weekend with Eagle Eye. Shia's on a hot streak with 3 straight hits, and this one should be no different (especially with the director of Disturbia behind the camera). My guess is it'll take around $28 million.

Other noisemakers this weekend are Nights of Rodanthe (which couldn't look less interesting) and Miracle at St. Anna, the Spike Lee directed 2 and a half hour epic. Because of bad reviews, I'll say Miracle will finish with $11 million. Rodanthe will take #2 with $13 million.

The movie I'm most looking forward to this weekend is Choke. Since I read the book, I've been tracking this project since the casting (which appears to be excellent). I hope the movie doesn't disappoint. Not being a wide release, it won't make the top ten.

Notorious

2008-09-24T15:16:00.002-04:00

Well the preview has hit for the new biopic Notorious. The movie, which looks like a cross in style between 8 Mile and Ray, highlights the life of rapper Notorious B.I.G. It's been getting solid buzz and Jamal Woolard is a dead ringer for the dead rapper. Let's hope it doesn't disappoint the solid fan base, because, with solid marketing, this could be a big winner at the box office. Here's the trailer:

Big Box Office 9/12

2008-09-12T13:29:00.004-04:00

Well I have been the past two weeks or so without Internet. I know how unimaginable a plight it must seem in today's world to be disconnected for more than a day. Let me tell you it was awful. I had to depend upon Entertainment Tonight and E! for my movie news. No more however. I am back online and heading back to the theaters this weekend.

Several heavy hitters bowing, and you can bet the box office will be a little buffer than it was for Bangkok Dangerous.

Righteous Kill:
We have the reteaming of DeNiro and Pacino, two classics. Think Heat part II but instead of adversaries they're partners. While the reviews haven't been so hot so far, I'm still going to see it. I haven't been a fan of Pacino's recent work so much, but DeNiro is always great, and the two of them together warrants my ass in a seat.

Burn After Reading:
This is the talk of the town right now. Brad Pitt + George Clooney + Coen Bros.= Hit. It bears the standard quirky stamp of Joel and Ethan's atypical comic quips (not seen in No Country), and already is registering a 77% on RT. All the elements are there, but can this more colorful and off-kilter comedy capture the top spot?

The Family That Preys:
Tyler Perry is at it again. I'm not a fan, but he's been blessed with big numbers before. As the only movie actively pursuing African-American audiences, he'll climb the charts and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him at #1.

The Women:
I'm probably not going to see this movie. A big ensemble cast of female stars might have been able to push some summer movies far, but I have my doubts for this one. Biting reviews and lack of mainstream marketing will keep it out of the top 3.

I think Righteous Kill will take the top spot this weekend at $25 million with Tyler Perry closely tailing. The Coen Brothers are not known for big opening weekends (especially with their comedies) and the theater count for Burn is little below that of the other two. Look for it at number 3 with somewhere around $18 million.

Apologies

2008-08-20T21:10:00.004-04:00

I apologize for my lack of BO predictions this weekend, but a vacation is necessary. I will be back soon with more insights on the modern movie biz. For now here is my belated review of Pineapple Express:

I was skeptical, I'll admit it. I thought this was going to be another hyped up disappointment. I had watched the preview about 100 times, and listened to Paper Planes about 100 more. I was wrong. The movie is what I'm sure pineapple express (the potent pot smoked in the movie) is, a ticket to a lot of laughs, goofy good times, and a feeling that will make you want to come back for more.

The movie centers around Seth Rogen playing Dale Denton, or really, he's just playing Seth Rogen. While the performance is as unoriginal as Will Ferrell's past few, it has yet to lose it's humor as I believe Ferrell's has. His grumpy, sarcastic loser, who in this movie smokes massive amounts of marijuana and serves sepeonas as a living, comes through with funny cracks here and there. However, I can't imagine this act can be kept up for long.

Denton, after witnessing a murder, flees with his drug dealer in order to avoid joining the deceased, and this is where the hilarity ensues. The real credit for the humor in the movie goes to James Franco as Saul Silver, the drug dealer who is happy, laid back, thoughtful, forgetful.... um, pretty much just the classic stoner. He pulls it out without deriving from Cheech, Chong, Harold, or Kumar (or his Freaks and Geeks character like much of Apatow's old school crew from the show) and that is the brilliance of his performance. I laughed so hard at most of the things he said, I missed a great deal of the other characters dialogue. Him and Seth Rogen make a pot-smoking, gun-toting team of super-stoned-heroes the likes of we haven't seen since Blunt Man and Chronic.

Similar praise can be bestowed upon Danny McBride who plays Red, Saul's "thugged out," and untrustworthy, but clutch, connect for shipments of the finest weed in the area (the title character of the movie). Mcbride never breaks, lands every line, and makes the perfect third for the Franco-Rogen duo.

While there is sloppy editing and direction, specifically the scene where Gary Cole and Rosie Perez (yes, that Rosie Perez) break out [of character] laughing, the lightheartedness of the story and characters excuse it. The movie is a candidate for second watch as many jokes are missed through laughter (also little things such as the Chinese mob speaking Korean make me think there are details to be appreciated). I would give it my "Good Movie" ranking, and a "Great Comedy", but its status as legendary (probably a far-reach) is dependent on the second go around and future quotability. It's an instant "hit" with it's target audience (for which the cops were present to prevent engagement in illegal activities) and it was a moneymaker so a sequel will be shot for sure.

Box Office Predictions 7/8

2008-08-08T00:28:00.002-04:00

Well no Step Brothers this week (sorry Ryan), just couldn't handle the standard Will Ferrell performance. Instead I went to Pineapple Express, of which my review will appear this weekend.

I am positive that Pineapple will take the #1 spot of the week/weekend with an estimate of $42 mill for the 5 day run (the advertising was lengthy, well-placed, and the buzz is insane--the Finke disagrees), just above the Dark Knight which will be back with another $40 (no one can stop the momentum), and Traveling Pants (ughh) will take 3rd with $30 million (well, it is a sequel and girl ensembles are in right now post- Sex In The City). I was pretty accurate last week, let's see if I can make it 2 in a row.

Meanwhile if you haven't heard the news, Brad Pitt has signed on to Inglorious Bastards, the new Tarantino WWII pic. This project is picking up star power and buzz fast, I hope the hype won't flounder -- it actually sounds intriguing.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson

2008-08-03T13:26:00.004-04:00

A hot July night. Rolling out of my driveway I make moves toward the GW bridge heading out to meet a friend in Downtown Manhattan. Speeding down the FDR with the East River as my neighbor I glance at the lunatics sharing the road with me. Business men coming off their jobs trading the lives of others, crazed taxi and limo drivers weaving in and out, and just those regular run-of-the-mill psychos waiting for you to cut them off just to blast you with angry horns are only some of the colorful paint drops in this canvas of a city. Why ignore them? Engage, speed, weave, curve quickly, be aggressive. I refuse to follow these crazies, I like to have the open road to the future, to what's next.

Eventually I make it downtown, where the numbered grid dissolves into a named mess of cross streets. The West Village is funny place, a strange collection of weirdos in costume, trannies in full dress, druggies, hobos, failing thriving artists, all looking for promise in a pessimist's world... good people. The place reeks of history, poor artists, and pot. It's hard to ignore the footprints of figures like Dylan and Warhol. I pull down cobblestone Prince street and as my car bumps along I try to look for a parking spot in this goddamn city which is harder than making it three blocks without running over a biproduct of the capitalist American dream.

I squeeze my car in spot that may not exist and make my way to the mulitplex. The Angelika is a fortress of indi strength. Its few theaters are filled with artsy flicks from documentaries to Asian fairy tales. Yuppies slum there in an attempt to show how "in touch" they are, and they are accompanied by the vagrant-looking film-junkies, there to prove their credibility as "true appreciators" of the art.

We, a collection of young professionals save for myself, purchase tickets and try to find some seats. The theater is a piece of shit, a run down old shadow of today's high-market multiplexes with plush stadium seating and endless sales pitches. It's simple and the perfect environment for the film we're about witness. The previews show nothing of the overbudgeted crap that hollywood's been dumping out recently, instead it sticks to arthouse presentations that only a few will ever enjoy. Eventually comes our feature presentation, a documentary of the late, great Hunter S. Thompson.

I did my best to give you a taste of the late author/journalist/miscreant's style, and to also introduce you to Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S Thompson. The documentary is the perfect way to experience the writings in the way in which they were written. The film does justice to size of the author, physically, culturally, and egotistically, but without fawning over its subject. The Doctor would have been proud to see his legacy treated as such, and by people who match him in stature (and not all of them fans). George McGovern, Pat Buchanan, Jimmy Carter, and Jimmy Buffet are just a few of the names to fill the slate of commentators. Hunter's wives and even his son Juan make appearances to discuss the man they knew intimately, and with the uniquest perspectives in the film, except for director Alex Gibney. Gibney unites the whole thing, illustrating Thompson from birth to self-inflicted death. He gets a solid boost from Johnny Depp's reading in his now famous Hunter Thompson voice (perfected in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and soon to be reprised in The Rum Diaries).

While the film runs about a half hour too long, it does still hold you until the end if you, as I am, are a fan of Thompson's life and work. It focuses mainly on his career as a journalist, his run for sheriff, and two of his famous works Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing: The Campaign Trail '72. Gibney relates the campaign footage to today's events, but not so much to be overdone, or overshadowing Thompson's story. It does also provide insight to his work with the Hells Angels and Tom Wolfe comes out in his classic white suit to discuss Thompson's attendance of the mixer with the Merry Pranksters, a rather compelling segment.

The man is shown mostly through the words of his beloved artist Ralph Steadman, as the Gonzo he was: fast, loose, angry at times, violent at some, but an artist and dedicated American throughout. His love of guns, drugs, and fast cars/bikes sometimes entertains but when he carries over to alcoholism and addiction, it saddens to see the star burn out. When eventually reaching his suicide, you aren't sure whether to believe that it was a cowardly move, or a courageous gesture by the deranged outlaw. In the end, his optimism for the future of America, and his love of freedom provide scope to view the upcoming election through. In the end, Gibney leaves the audience with a question Thompson was so fond of asking: what next?

Box Office Predictions 7/31

2008-08-01T14:18:00.002-04:00

This weekend will be interesting, that's for sure. Can Dark Knight make a third week at number 1? Can the Mummy return for one more successful sequel? Can Kevin Costner have a hit with a movie that sounds less interesting than a Tin Cup and Waterworld double feature?

Well my predictions is that the mummy will come to life with $45 million. Brenden Frasier is coming off Journey to the Center and he's been getting great press recently, plus the world is in China frenzy (Not sure if you all heard about the opening sequence directed by House of Flying Daggers helmer Yimou Zhang, but early reports is that it's going to be a high-flying extravaganze). However, this franchise is too old, and even Rachel Weisz pulled out so I think it will only make #2 at the BO. Dark Knight will remain at #1 with a take of $48 million still pulling strong past the $400 million mark. I think Swing Vote will bomb, maybe pulling in $5 million from the die-hard Costner crowd. I am not sure whether I will have a review this weekend since neither of the new releases interest me, but I have Gonzo on the way and maybe I'll give Step Brothers a try...maybe...

Poisonous Gossip

2008-07-31T14:13:00.006-04:00

Well with all the superhero and superhero spinoff flicks coming into the landscape, I was waiting for my interest to spike. . . and finally it has. Today, news was released of a Spiderman spinoff. No, not Mary Jane. Not Harry (he's dead). This time they're looking to capitalize on Heath Ledger's success as the villain of pure evil. That's right, it's Venom, the illest killin' villain's getting top billin'. Check here for details, but to summarize, there's no word yet whether Topher Grace will be reprising the role (let's hope not) and the word is that the agencies are hunting to land this trophy for any number of their clients (since it is not a superhero, but still has a big budget, the field is open). Are you as excited as me? And who would you like to see embrace the evil goo?

New Harry Potter Trailer

2008-07-30T21:11:00.003-04:00

While it wasn't THE most exciting trailer I've seen recently (see: Benjamin Button trailer), I have produced the newly released Harry Potter and The Halfblood Prince preview upon request. Take a look, let me know what you think. Will this be the best HP movie yet?

Dark Knight: Comment Responses

2008-07-24T18:02:00.001-04:00

Let me say first and foremost, I appreciate the response on my latest review; I read all comments and take each into account.

The most standout thing mentioned was definitely the fact that Batman never saves anyone... this is very true, and frankly it's surprising that no one's pointed it out until now. The only people that I could think of (other than the little girl Ryan mentioned) were the fake Batmen, and they put themselves in danger. It is a new era of superheroes, but I can't agree more that they should save people instead of just warrring with super villains.

Anonymous- I was 100% in agreement with you about the role not being Oscar worthy, but, and I am not sure why, it just stayed with me long after the movie; I still can't let it go, and I like Josh's defense. On that same note, I am right there with you in hoping that competition is on the way (we still have the best from Cannes ready to drop, but based on the buzz I'm not holding my breath).

As to the criticisms of Bale, I don't join you guys, but respect your reasoning (my only rebuttal is to point out previous actors' take on the role which is in it's nature, simple) . The comments on MG and the batmobile: hilarious.

As to JennaG, the responder to my Wanted Comment Response: I guess we just have very different views of the meaning of a movie... and after reading your comment, I hope you are well...

Too funny...

2008-07-23T15:16:00.002-04:00

This is for all of you Star Wars fanatics out there (I am not one of you). Enjoy

The Dark Knight: An Experience for the Modern Moviegoer

2008-07-22T17:39:00.007-04:00

As I waited for The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience, I could barely contain my excitement. An hour before the the movie, the line wrapped the perimeter of the mall and vibrated with nervous energy. There was no way to have avoided the hype, or the myth and mysticism surrounding the last performance of the late Heath Ledger. As we shuffled into the large, empty theater, the amped AC provided perfect atmosphere: dark and cold.

It begins with the already well-known (and I think instant classic) bank robbery scene where we get a view of Gotham's new strain of crazy. The story then takes off turning this way and that (the Six Flags ride of same name and similar nature was inversely disappointing) and it helps (and adds to the enjoyment) to have watched the Gotham Cable News broadcasts before you go. This way, you can understand the state from which the movie starts (some time has passed since Begins).

I soon realized that the reviewers who labeled the film as a roller coaster ride were wrong. There are no upward climbs, no corkscrews, no flips; the movie is one terrifyingly, thrillingly steep drop with a few sharp spins thrown in for good measure.

The story's twisted thickness tests the characters and their thriving relationships. Without giving too much away, and with respect to the breathlessness of the movie, here are the basics: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) tries to rekindle romance with Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who's dating Gotham's shining new D.A., Harvey Dent (Aaron Echkart), who works with Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) to clean up mob-ruled city streets utilizing the masked (and now frequently imitated) vigilante, "The Batman" who, as you know, IS Bruce Wayne and who, as you find out, donates to Harvey's campaign. Of course all of this falls into chaos with the entrance of the Joker (and his clown-masked Arkham escapees) and some don't make it out... but that's fun for you to enjoy. (For more fun, watch for Scarecrow cameo.)

The character development stands unrivaled in the genre, even in Spiderman. The characters, and they all feature as leads, find their truths violated, their codes reconstructed, their lives ruined. No one is free, not Batman Bruce, nor DA Dent, not even Alfred, lovable butler and father figure, or Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), the dark knight's merlin, are spared. We see their relationships and stability endure, mutate, or collapse under the strain of their stone city crumbling. The actors all perform with artistry and ease, allowing in depth insight yet maintaining subtlety, all of them lost in the people (they stretch farther than normal characters) they portray.

The plot and character development were sufficient, but what held me was the movie's grasp of modernity in a technical, political, and spiritual sense.

The Ways of the Future

With Nolan's sweeping wide shots, and sharp, dark close ups, you will not lose focus, you will not calm down, you will be free-falling (in IMAX it actually feels that way) down Gotham's moral void one minute, and be swallowed by evil's distinct face the next. For a 2 and half hour run time, it flows to the finish. It's a drama and action thriller that ADD-ers of my generation can enjoy without squirming.

As for the IMAX, it IS the future. While the trend's grown recently, we've reached a turning point (you can't buy New York Dark Knight IMAX tickets for days). With Internet pirating and international bootlegging, the industry must keep ahead of the curve, creating a movie-going event that will attract viewers who can see it for free in the comfort of their homes. This is the way to experience movies in the new generation and Nolan plays to, and masters the medium (do NOT see in regular theaters). Frighteningly heightened cityscapes and daring base-jumps make you feel everything, but never to the point of being unpleasantly overwhelmed. It avoids harping on the novelty of the huge screen and booming sound (see: Beowulf), but artfully uses these aspects to enhance the ambience, the story, and the themes. The movie is designed to suck you in and does just that.

No Laughing Matter

The movie's relevance, brilliance, and necromance come from one man: The Joker. Not Heath Ledger, he doesn't appear in this movie.

The thing Ledger created: an instant classic. Holding to his ancestral influences, while bringing a new, true horrific psychology to the part, it never breaks, it never stops, no matter how much you wish it would. A day later, I can't stop thinking about it. This Joker dives off the deep end of insanity, but sinks in heavy with reality, the reality of villainy that knows no bounds, no limits, no motive, no rules.

These are the "evil-doers" our generation faces. The bad guys who laugh, mock and revel in destruction. Those who view individuals as worthless and death as a way of life (not just talking about Islamic extremists people...). He is the worst nightmare of every man, woman, and child, a boogeyman brought to life. A terrorist, a criminal, he illustrates pure evil. Every word chills, ever smirk cuts, every flick of his snaking tongue petrifies. He contains within the wrongs of the world, and the havoc wrought to stop them. The Greatest Generation shot Nazis, the Boomers faced off with Russians, but our generation's adversaries have always been somewhat blurred, and never as well represented, even hid behind a purple suit and make up.

I was against the Oscar buzz from the beginning. How could a 1-dimensional role like a comic book crook be worthy of the highest acting reward? I won't say he's a shoe in for the winner (there has been little competition thus far), but a nom he deserves at least. He steals the show, and the audience can't decide whether they want to laugh, scream, hide or cry.

Wrap Up

This was a Great Film and a perfect example of a quality action Blockbuster (evidence against those who believe in action for action's sake). It added to the superhero genre (and it's been attempted at quite a bit recently, with still more to go); the Joker will certainly surpass the film's initial fame in pop-culture history; it challenges beliefs about good and evil, heroes and villains, and justice; and as for historical importance? See: the BO records, the IMAX issue, and the political commentary. Everything about the filmmaking was well done, but nothing's perfect. There were a few (VERY few) lines of laughable dialogue and superhero cheesiness which were to be expected, but were unnecessary. Also some scenes lacked much needed scoring (I'm not a fan of dropping the music, see: No Country For Old Men). Also, and I'll admit there was no way to fix this without sacrificing something else, I wish Harvey Dent/Echkart had a little more chance to shine, perhaps in his own movie (I'm trying not to ruin it, see for yourself).

Let me know what you thought? Was I too kind or not kind enough? What's the verdict on the Joker and Oscar buzz? Can a sequel ever live up to this?

Food For Thought

2008-07-21T12:49:00.002-04:00

Weekend Review
Well another weekend of Box Office boom. My predictions for The Dark Knight were off by about $30 million (who knew it would set 9 records, even Finke was off by $20 mill), but my Mamma Mia! prediction was only about $2 million off, so I'll call this one a wash.

Not Something To Joke About
Two items crossed my path today while crawling the nets. Here's some food for thought for the modern moviegoer who was able to get tickets to the hits of the weekend:

From Laffy to Daffy to Dark
This is a history of the character of the Joker. Ever wonder where Chris Nolan/Heath Ledger came up with the modern murdering maniacal madder? Your questions are answered here.

America's Song, Dance, Death, and Destruction
This article (just a paragraph) analyzes this weekend's box office hits in the context of the world. An intriguing look into the psychology of film.

My review of Gonzo is coming and Dark Knight will be posted tomorrow.

Monetizing YouTube

2008-07-18T16:14:00.001-04:00

So it appears as if Lionsgate is leading the way into the YouTube years. They will be the first to engage in a deal with YouTube offering, in great proportions, clips and movies (such as Dirty Dancing) to be posted up on a sponsored channel.

While Viacom continues its lawsuit against YouTube (which is justified), Lionsgate is deciding to look past the infringement in order to gain future revenue (as well as some in the mean time as part of a profit sharing agreement). They are viewing it, as all companies soon will, as a chance to build their brand among viewers, especially those in younger demos. This is not the end, this is the future.

Predictions

2008-07-18T00:16:00.003-04:00

Sorry so late, out seeing Gonzo, review will follow soon...
Here are my predictions for the two big openers this weekend:

The Dark Knight
While the studio is saying $90 million and the Finke has it $130, I'm going to take $125. I have a feeling the long run time is going to keep the amount of screenings down and will discourage audiences from watching later showings. However, this movie has no shortage of pre-adult and adult viewers. The IMAX is a big boost to this record breaker. My review will be finished Tuesday.

Mama Mia!
This mesh of musical and Merryl merriment is going to mark up $30 million. She's a winner, and the wise man insight is that it is a great alternative to dark action thrill ride.

To: Anonymous RE: Comment on Wanted post

2008-07-17T15:54:00.000-04:00

I don't believe (and I did address it in the post) that a movie's intentions should diminish the expectation of decent plot line. This movie, as all movies are, was designed to make money yes, but it took the work of a writer to create a screenplay, a director to create a vision, and actors to execute it correctly and with artistry. I am sure these people would not be happy knowing their purpose is for money alone.

They would probably, at the least, want to know that their hard work went into an entertaining project. I personally (and this certainly does not apply to everyone) want my entertainment to be intriguing and creative. That is how I judge movies. Don't misunderstand however, your criticism is not ignored and will factor in to my process from now on.