Ok. I am going to preface this by saying that I did fall asleep during the midnight release. Blasphemy, I know. But I am planning on giving this masterpiece a second viewing. Not only on the basis of my failings, but because I think that it deserves it. I also want to state that my heart goes out to the victim in Colorado.
Spoilers sorta kinda, eh you know to do.
Here we go. The Dark Knight Rises is the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan's "reality" based Batman movies. I came into viewing of this film super skeptical due to how great The Dark Knight was, almost using it as a measuring stick to find out how other Comic Book movies are done. I did leave a little disappointed...AND HERE'S WHY!
Nolan has been selective in his selections of using Batman's Rogues Gallery. From me, the Nolan triliogy has been about the villain selection. Growing up with the psychotic Batman, I know what to expect a Batman to look on film. The direction that Nolan has taken with his rogues have interested me deeply, and are the reason I love his Batman films. While other films have gone for the more powerful/super power types (Poision Ivy and the like), Nolan took a direction to "reality" I am assuming. Using Ras al Ghul, Scarecrow, Joker, Two Face, Bane, and Catwoman (who I think isn't necessarily a villain, but her motives don't line up with Batman...so... villain). Nolan seemed to already use the Batman trump card in already using the Joker (and what I Joker it was). Ledger's performance was simply perfect, and I will say that Hardy and Hathaway's performance is not on this level. Not that it is their fault, but the direction of the film white washes their importance, solely focusing on the psychology of Batman. The villains in The Dark Knight take a step back and let Batman (more Bruce Wayne) tell the final chapter in this story. Early on, Batman is dominated by the villains showing a new level of weakness from Mr. Wayne. I was surprised by Anne Hathaway's performance of Ms. Kyle, in that she stuck to the character integrity, survivalness, and heart of the character. Catwoman plays the game with her own rules and nobody else's, and I am glad that this stuck to the characters development. I was disappointed in how little screen time that Catwoman, due to how two villains seemed to work well in Batman Begins. It wasn't until the very end of the movie that I begun to understand Nolan shaping of Bane's character. During most of the movie, he's shown to be an intellectual and an extremely powerful person, with his motives being masked. If you haven checked out Bronson (another movie starring Tom Hardy), do. When first announced, I was skeptical of Hardy's acting skills. That movie changed a lot of my thinking.
Christian Bale also pushes his Batman character further. The Dark Knight shows vulnerable Batman, where he is debating on whether to give up the cowl or continue to fix the problems that Gotham has. Bruce Wayne loses everything, and here we see the true character of what Batman is, and whether Bruce Wayne has the mental toughness to keep patching up Gotham's problems. That being said and all, this is the Batman that everyone expected. And that is a good thing. I think any alterations to the character of Batman that we as an audience have come to know, would have been a great disappointment.
DO NOT misunderstand me, by all means GO AND SEE THIS MOVIE! Nolan has done a superb job in creating a believable Batman universe that was well casted and shot. However, if you are expecting something better than The Dark Knight, you will be disapointed. That is to say that this movie does not have Heath Ledger Joker in it. I felt like The Dark Knight was an excellent end to a extremely well done movie.
...if only they have put The Riddler in :(
-TE
After watching The Hunger Games for the second time thanks to some generous friends last night, I finally feel comfortable talking about the narrative of the story. When I first read the book, I felt i needed to push some argument forward about it, and the second viewing of the movie seems to have pushed me over the edge.
Spoilers...duh.
Much like Twilight and The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games will more than likely be made into to films (and possibly rebooted as well). I fully realize that my understanding of the book may come at a disadvantage due to my gender, so there is also something that I could be completely missing in the story (however, that is your job to tell me when I am wrong). I must also mention that I have only read the first book of the series.
My issues mostly revolve around the character of Catniss. While the jarring narration of The Hunger Games trilogy does take a sometime to get accustomed to, the audience is subjected to every thought that Catniss has. Every emotion, feeling, or philosophical quandary is in full view of the reader. While the reader gets to know Catniss on a level unparalleled to any other character, she still feel just as hollow as a Twilight female character. Maybe this is done so that the reader can identify with the character of Catniss easier (it is a young adult novel). I will say that she is fully fleshed out, and outside of survival, Catniss does not have any genuine emotion (outside of Rue being killed).
The character of Catniss seems to be a reaction to the environment around her, making her emotions and thought a construction in order for her to survive. Her relationship with Peeta is something that happens out of necessity, and is pushed forward due to her time away from Gale (think that is his name). Catniss seems to not have any strong emotions towards anyone outside of her family. She develops a hatred for the Captial during her time in the hunger games (like you do), however she plays the part of the caring mother instead of the teen lover.
What I am trying to get at is Catniss motivation really. I know that she is forced into a hole as to what she needs to accomplish and how that is to be done. However, emotions such as love and caring are quickly thrown out as it is obvious how Catniss feels about making new friends to try to win over people. She does this with the aid of Peeta, who being genuine in his feelings becomes more of a meat shield and someone else to take care of. Gender roles do seem to be flipped, however that does not mean that Catniss needs to be as cold hearted or educationally dead towards everyone else because she is in the situation that she is in (granted being forced to kill 24 other people while living in the crap hole that in District 12 in Panem seems to be something not to be to happy about).
I think what this boils down to is how Catniss is viewed by others. While to most, she is hailed as a positive female role, she does have some major flaws. Doing what is necessary in order to survive does not make someone a hero, it makes them a survivor, which is what Catniss is. After the death of her father, she took up his mantle and started taking care of her family (which is completely fine). However, she is still in that mind set at the end of the book and the end of the movie. She seems to be looking out for only herself and her survival so that she can begin to provide for her family again (again, completely fine). Just do not sell me on the idea that Catniss is in love with the male interests in the books. It is to clear (at least to me), that Catniss is out for herself and herself alone (growing up in a post apocalyptic where the government controls everything will do that to you). Which again, is completely fine, because it teaches that women should not be dependent on other in order for them to be happy. This mindset does alienate the character of Catniss in more of a warning rather than an example to follow.
...Also seeing Jennifer Lawrence fake smile has got to be one of the most awkward things that I have seen on screen.
-TE
