My Favorite Movies: Number 53

53. My Cousin Vinny (1992)

This movie was made for Joe Pesci, he plays the role of Vinni Gambini perfectly. And, besides a few minor roles, this film really introduced america to Marisa Tomei via an Oscar winning performance.

I’m not going to dig too much into the merits of this movie, but I think it's a classic and a perfect snapshot of early 90s movies.

The courtroom scenes are awesome, and the banter between Pesci and the judge are classic (Two Youts? Whats a Yout?). Joe Pesci is on point as the out of place out of towner in a small southern town, and full of humorous one liners.

But the scene that makes and steals this movie is when Tomei takes the witness stand. Her explanation of why the prosecution is asking a trick question is priceless. And because of this movie, and that scene, we all know what a positraction rear end is.

This is probably more of a childhood favorite and guilty pleasure than a film that belongs on a top movie list, but this is my list so I can do with it what I want.

My Favorite Movies: Number 54

54. Mallrats (1995)

Mallrats is Kevin Smith’s follow up to the cult classic Clerks, and became a classic in its own right as well.

This film introduced us to Jason Lee, who would become a staple in future Kevin Smith films. For me, it was the first time I fell in love with Claire Forlani, and the 2nd time I love with Joey Lauren Adams (Dazed & Confused). It also featured the 2nd major role for Ben Affleck following Dazed and Confused, and Shannen Doherty’s first major film role following the end of 90210.

This is my favorite and most quotable Kevin Smith Movie (much to the dismay of many Chasing Amy supporters). Which may be because this is the only film Kevin Smith did not edit himself.

Mallrats is all about quotable one-liners, and ridiculous hijinks as two loser “mallrats” try to win back their girlfriends.

The collection of characters in this film is impressive. The 15-year-old writing a book about sex, the guy that can’t see the sailboat (a schooner is a sailboat!!), Secuirty guard Le fours, the tri-nipple psychic, Ben Affleck playing a manager of Casual Male who likes to fuck girls in uncomfortable places (like the back of a volkswagen), Suiter #3 in the game show, and the gameshow producer/overbearing father to name a few.  

Though Jason Lee’s character steals the show with uncanny humor and delivery of what may otherwise be very elementary lines.

I love this movie, and might have watched it 20 times during my junior high years, and several times since. It’s a very worthy B-level movie that I can’t get enough of.

And That kid is BACK on the escalator!

A Collection of Trailers

A Collection of Trailers after the jump:

My Favorite Movies: Number 55

55. Aladdin (1992)

One of my favorite Disney movies. Following the 1st animated film to be nominated for best picture (Beauty and the Beast), Disney delivered another great addition to the Disney vault. Enchanting animation, even better music, and a great performance by Robin Williams all contribute to a well told and timeless story for all ages.

Comedy, romance, and adventure are all found in this tale about an orphan who falls in love with a princess.

Aladdin is a great protagonist, a young relatable street rat trying to keep his own with and woo his royal love interest. Jafar serves the role of the villain in this tale, and is excellent. Similar to Scar in Lion King, Jafar’s evil stems from his manipulative and subtle calculated deciets.

We also have the Genie. Not only does Robin Williams add great inflection and personality to this voice over, but the animators do a great job of portraying his performance. The Genie steals every scene he is in, and becomes more relatable than Aladdin. Most of the humor in this movie comes from Genie, and it’s top notch for a children’s movie.

One thing that was fairly difficult to pull off well in animation at the time, (mostly prior to Lion King in 1994 which is on a different level of greatness), is fast paced action sequences. But Aladdin is full of them, from the street chases to the final battle scene, the animation in near perfect.

Finally, as with all the best disney movies, the star of this film is the music. From the catchy tune of “Prince Ali”, to the comedic and fun “Never Had a Friend Like Me”, and finally the majestic “A Whole New World”.

(Triva sidebar: “A Whole New World” was the song that knocked Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” out of the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 100. The first, and only song from a Disney animated movie to reach #1 on the Billboard Top 100)

I loved this movie as a kid, and I’ll love this movie as I grow older. As with many disney films, it is timeless and to me one of the best movies in a string of the classic Disney movies of my childhood made between 1989 and 1994 (Little Mermaid, Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King). But you’ll have to wait until I get further down my list to find out which one is my favorite.

My Favorite Movies: Number 56

56. Bloodsport (1988)

This is a martial arts guilty pleasure for me. There’s nothing spectacular in terms of  plot development, acting, or special effects. In actuality this is a bad movie, but to me it’s just a good martial arts flick.

I love Van Damme, and this is my favorite movie from the Muscle from Brussels.

The movie has some cool fights and a storyline that is serviceable until the next fight scene. I don’t have much to say about this movie other than it’s a personal favorite for me.

My Favorite Movies: Number 57

57. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

I'm going to make this short, but this movie is creepy, sadistic, and straight fucked up....but I LOVE IT.

A Clockwork Orange is a notoriously violent, graphic and disturbingly brilliant movie.

The film is full of creepy and uncomfortable scenes ranging from rape, violence, torture, humiliation, and obscure rehabilitation methods all of which make you question your moral compass.

Malcom McDowell is awesome, and Kubrick creates beautifully shot scenes from ungodly subject matter.

I love films that give me an uncomfortable and twisted mind fuck. And this is one of the best. This isn't Human Centipede or Saw, where extreme violence/torture is done for shock value. This is a good story with large overarching themes and satirical commentary, it just happens to be a ridiculously fucked up story.

My Favorite Movies: Number 58

58. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

To me there are four definitive Vietnam War Movies - Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. The later three are better movies. The Deer Hunter and Platoon are best picture winners, Apocalypse Now was a Coppola, Brando, Sheen, Duvall masterpiece. Full Metal Jacket is less decorated and has a lot less star appeal than the other three, but its my favorite of the four.

Spartacus. Lolita. Dr. Strangelove. 2001: A Space Odessey. Clockwork Orange. Barry Lyndon. The Shining. Full Metal Jacket. From 1960 - 1987 Stanley Kubrick made eight movies, and all but The Shining were nominated for Oscars. Full Metal Jacket was the end cap to this revolutionary and iconic run of films (lets just pretend Eyes Wide Shut never happened).

Full Metal Jacket follows a very basic structure, it could almost be told in the theatre with a very definitive first and second act, each with its own climactic drama. The first part of the movie basically follows a bunch of vietnam bound soldiers during boot camp, the second part meets the same characters in the middle of the Vietnam War.

The 1st half makes this movie, and the story it tells could stand on its own without the 2nd half. The drill instructor is one of the most iconic movie characters of the 20th century. From the very onset of the film viewers are immersed in the world of Master Gunnery Sargent Hartman.

The first 45 minutes is chock full of one-liners, creative dialog and a cruel since of humor. All of which leads up to the best moment in this entire film, the bathroom scene.

Curiosity, horror, empathy, shock, and ultimately tension fill the emotional spectrum during this scene. I love scenes that create a tapestry of emotion and this scene does that perfectly, ultimately ending the 1st act and setting the tone for the 2nd. 

The second part of the movie is much less entertaining, and at times drags but it has it's moments. The John Wayne impressions, the Saigon working women, the battle scenes and the ultimate show down with a Vietnamese sniper. 

The first half makes this movie what it is for me, the second half is an acceptable cherry on top with its own emotional and tension filled scenes.

This is may not be the vintage Kubrick that you'd expect, but it's a decent end cap to an unparalleled run at filmmaking and my favorite Vietnam movie. 

Teaser...number 57 on my list is another Kubrick film

My Favorite Movies: Number 59

Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)

I feel like I can never give this epic tale the justice it deserves. This series turned me onto the fantasy genre, as I had never been much of a fan. To this day I have never seen a Star Wars film, and I didn’t see a single Lord of the Rings film until 2006. But, once I experienced this world I was hooked and couldn’t get enough. I watched all three films in three back to back to back days.

We have extraordinary characters in extraordinary circumstances, yet through it all we are able to explore their characters. A lot of people love the story lines, the fantastical journey of Frodo and the people that help him achieve his task of destroying that ring. Some people love the visuals, the scenery, the costumes, the make up, the set pieces, the elaborate world translated on screen by Peter Jackson. To me the best thing about this trilogy is the depth of the characters.

Make no mistake about it, while this is a fantasy series, in it’s essence it is a Human Story;  each character is explored no matter how big or small their role was, and with each installation we learned more about each character. Characters changed, they grew, they struggled, they faltered, and they overcame.  This degree of character depth is something you don’t find in films very often, and something that is very difficult to achieve in films of this genre with this many characters and parallel story lines.

What makes that character depth even more impressive, is that this wasn’t an art film or a dramatic period piece, this was an over the top blockbuster of the grandest scale. There were elaborate worlds of Middle-Earth created with immaculate set design, award winning technical achievements in special effects, and large scale battle scenes that make Braveheart look like an animated Ninja Turtles fight. And calling these battle scenes isn’t giving it justice; these are battle sequences during which there is a range of emotion and adrenaline that is unparalleled.  

Another thing I love about this series, is that each installation had its own tone/feel and contained storyline, while together the three films are telling one story – That’s not easy.   

Ultimately, this series elevated the fantasy genre to be palatable for the general public.

This is an ambitious film series, with complex themes, and serious exploration into the humanity of characters in all shapes and sizes.  It’s not often that you see achievements of this scale in acting, directing, editing, set design, costume design, and special effects to go along with quality story telling and magnificent imagery.

For three installations we were able to escape into Middle-Earth, we all shared Frodo’s journey, we all felt his emotions. We felt for Samwise, we couldn’t get a pulse on Golem’s intentions, we rooted for Legolas with every arrow pulled from his quiver, and we loved Gandolf the grey (and the white). We loved these characters, and we loved this world, and we loved these films.

My Favorite Movies: Number 60

 Se7en (1995)

Let’s get the particulars out of the way first - While Se7en didn’t win any Oscars, it did win 3 MTV Movie Awards, so there’s that.

Se7en basically launched David Fincher onto the scene; prior to this he had only directed documentaries and shorts. Not only was this pretty much his feature film debut (if you don’t count Alien 3, and you shouldn’t), he almost single handedly redefined the art of the opening title sequence.  Please watch the sequence in the YouTube clip above and you’ll understand. Designed by Kyle Cooper, this is widely regarded as one of the best and most revolutionary opening title sequences ever and the 2 minute intro might have a more lasting impact than the film itself.

The cast in this film is anchored by Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, and Morgan Freeman. I don’t know how you can mess up a film with that trio of actors, and none of them disappoint. Each plays their roles perfectly and it is their performances that suck the audience into a film with very disturbing context and imagery.

As for the film itself, we have an imaginative, sometime gruesome, but well written narrative – this is not a film for the faint of heart. Fincher gives us a wonderfully dark and suspenseful thriller that is fast-paced, gritty, and immaculately edited.

The best thing about this movie is that it doesn’t fall trap to the usual plot devices that most suspense thriller/horror movies do. The movie is less about who the killer is and more about what is he going to do next and how will he do it. This is a smart movie about a smart killer, and the movie is better because of that fact.

**SPOILER ALERT** (But seriously, if you haven’t seen this film yet, it’s almost been 20 years get on it)

The climactic scene at the end of the movie is an all time great. It puts the viewer into a moral quagmire and elicits the wide range of emotions in the audience that any good thriller should.  Brad Pitt finds out Kevin Spacey has killed is wife and put her head in a box, while also discovering his wife was pregnant. The audience is instantly dealing with what they would do in that situation, all the while wondering what Pitt’s character actually will do. Anger, Sadness, Vengeance, Shock, Disgust, all of these emotions, and probably more that I couldn't think of, run through the viewers mind at once. And that emotional clusterfuck is the perfect payoff to a well crafted thriller.

I love this movie, and to sum up my thoughts, I’ll leave you with some parting words from Ari Gold “Anyone that puts Gwyneth's head in a box is okay with me." 

My Favorite Movies: Number 61

Gladiator (2000)

This Best Picture winner is arguably the film that launched Russell Crowe into the Hollywood elite, winning Best Actor Oscar in his 2^nd of 3 consecutive nominations. Many knew him from The Quick and The Dead, LA Confidential, or Mystery Alaska, and he was nominated for best actor the previous year for his role in the little seen but critically acclaimed The Insider. However, it was this blockbuster from Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) that put him on the map for mainstream audiences.

Gladiator tells the epic story of a Roman general turned slave, seeking revenge for the death of his family at the hands of the Roman Emperor. Mostly fiction, with historical facts blended in, this story unfolds as a triumphant conquest of vengeance, while surmounting obstacles that would be overwhelming to an ordinary man. 

Ridley Scott transforms this story into a near perfect film. Every scene seems to capture the exact mood and tone needed to give the viewer a sense of the emotions the characters are feeling, while the actors are spot on at every moment. These emotions span the gauntlet from the cunning and power hungry Emperor, to the saddened, courageous and vengeful Maximus Aurelius.

The imagery and visual effects recreate a world that one can imagine as an exact replica of 2^nd century Rome with a perfectly recreated Coliseum, beautiful landscape shots, up-close and gruesome fighting scenes, and a plethora of phenomenal set pieces from the emperors quarters & slave chambers, to the arena floor.

From start to finish the viewer is enthralled with visually stunning imagery and Oscar worthy acting. The opening battle scene will echo for eternity, the chilling emotions Crowe gives as he discovers the death of his family are gripping, and Joaquin Phoenix gives an absolute perfect performance as he struggles with his disdain for Maximus while the people of Rome, including his wife, love him. By the end of this movie it’s Ridley Scott who should be screaming as the credits roll “Are you not entertained?”

My Favorite Movies: Number 62

Batman (1989)

One of the few Tim Burton movies I actually like, and the first film adaptation of Batman to take the dark and gritty feel of the comic books rather than the kooky Adam West TV version. Until the Dark Knight Trilogy came out this was the gold standard for which Batman movies should be compared, and in my eyes, all super-hero movies.

As with the Dark Knight, this film focused on The Joker. Jack Nicholas gives one my favorite performances of all time as the Joker wondering where Batman gets all those wonderful toys.  Unlike the Dark Knight, the arch of Keaton’s Batman is less about his personal struggles with being the caped crusader, and focuses more on his dealing with tracking down and stopping the Joker.

What people seem to miss when comparing the various Batman Movies is that being the BAT is not the hard part, we’re always going to root for the Caped Crusader. It’s the portrayal of Bruce Wayne that is the crux of any Batman movie, and in this one Keaton nails it better than any of his successors (including Bale). It’s this subtle, calm, confident and collected Bruce that gives us an emotional attachment to him. Unlike Clooney or Kilmer, who seem to just be going through the steps until they get to be Batman again, Keaton’s Bruce Wayne is a character of his own which adds a much needed dimension as we are rooting for Batman because we also see Bruce Wayne, not just because he’s the Batman.

While Nicholson, Keaton, and Burton are often the one’s heralded for this Batman installment, the unsung heroes in this movie is definitely Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox, reporter for the Gotham Globe. He provides a great comedic relief and serves as the voice of the Gotham citizens, I just love his character.

Overall, I loved this Batman. It’s slightly dated, especially after the Nolan versions came out, but it’s still an enjoyable ride, but leaves you with one question and one of my favorite movie quotes….”Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moon light?” 

My Favorite Movies: Number 63

Rounders (1998)

You can't lose what you don't put in the middle. But you can't win much either. 

This movie is chock-full of great poker one-liners, and the acting chops to pull them off. Matt Damon, Ed Norton, John Turturro and John Malkovich play perfectly together as there seems to be few wasted scenes when one of these foursome is present, and a couple great sequences between Damon’s protagonist and Malkovich’s Russian foe.

Damon’s narrating is a great complement to the on screen performances, guiding viewers to the intricacies of the card game, as well as the inner thoughts of Damon’s strategy. What makes this great, as in gambling, is that sometimes the narrations of his thoughts don’t play out how he imagines, sometimes he’s right sometimes he gets played. This realistic interpretation of a confident, if not cocky, gambler is a great window into the mental game of poker.

This isn’t a grand cinematic achievement like Damon’s Good Will Hunting, but rather an enjoyable movie with great acting by great actors, intelligent dialogue, with a convincing plot. It’s entertaining, quotable, and rewatchable which is why I consider it one of my favorite films.  

My Favorite Movies: Number 64

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (1969)

This classic western tale starring a pre-Sundance Robert Redford and the great Paul Newman hits the spot for me, despite pre-dating my existence by 15 years. It was nominated for 7 academy awards, winning 4.

Not only did this film shoot Robert Redford into stardom,  it also gave us an often parodied but all-time classic scene set to the Oscar winning song “Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head” by the great Burt Bacharach.

Overall, this movie is a bit more whimsical and lighthearted than your average western, but it has its bouts with the drama and gun fighting you expect from a classic western.

Redford and Newman’s chemistry is unmatched, and it’s hard to believe they would only work together once more in the 1974 Academy Award Best Picture Winner The Sting.

I love this movie, and if you are ever in the mood for a classic throwback, this is one that stands the test of time.

My Favorite Movies: Number 65

Gone in 60 Seconds: (2000)

This is one of the first movies I can remember having built up anticipation for prior to its release. I had already seen the original 1974 film and was in love to the point of obsession with 60s era mustangs (my first car was a 66 red mustang). I think I saw this movie in theatres no less than four times that summer.

I like this film for what it is: a star-studded, action-packed, Jerry Bruckheimer high-octane car chase blockbuster. I don’t try to claim it is anything more than that, but I love it. It is a true guilty pleasure. Though the ensemble cast of stars helps keep your attention with Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall, Giovanni Ribisi, Scott Caan, and Will Patton, the cars in the movie steal the show (pun intended).

I can’t mention this movie without mentioning Eleanor, that beautiful 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500. The whole movie built up to that car, as the unicorn to Cage’s character Memphis Raines. And the final car chase did not disappoint, racing through the tight city streets, the roar of the exhaust, sprinting through the LA river drainage with a shot of nitrous to out run a helicopter, and finally climaxing with a gravity defying jump off a perfectly placed tow truck kissing the top of an ambulance with the back tire on the way down. 

I have probably seen this movie 30+ times since it came out, and each time I love it as much as the first. It's not the best movie ever, but for me its one of my all-time favorites 

The Dark Knight Rises Review

The Dark Knight Rises

***SPOILERS BELOW***

The end of a perfect trilogy, start to finish.  Nolan’s Batman is to comic book movies, what the Godfather is to gangster/mob films and what Star Wars is to Sci Fi/Fantasy. As such I don’t think you can look at The Dark Knight Rises in a vacuum, but rather as the final chapter of a larger saga.

Batman Begins set the tone of the trilogy with one of the better origin stories ever told; Full of comic geek references, brought to life in a real-world setting with a very dark mood, fitting for batman.  

The formula Nolan created in Batman Begins, is what allowed The Dark Knight to be the iconic film it was. It was the perfect foundation that set audience expectations for a darker ride than the previous batman films, which allowed for character exploration instead of exploitation (which is often over done in the previous batman movies, think about Mr. Freeze/Two Face/The Penguin, exploiting their comical characteristics not exploring their motivations and character).

The Dark Night. This will forever be Nolan’s masterpiece. There wasn’t a wasted second in that film, from the dynamic performances, the beautiful shots of urban car chases and battle scenes in Chicago, and the expanded character development of Chief Gordon, Bruce Wayne, Lucius Fox, & Alfred.  And of course, Heath Ledger’s Joker – Legendary.  We know about the performance, but beyond Ledger is the development of that character. We explored his motivations; Nolan gave us alternatives to why his face was scarred, leaving us wondering and creating our own thoughts on which story was real; he constantly challenged Batman for the pure reason to see how Batman would react. We saw his disappointment when at the end neither of the boats blew up, and people’s nature wasn’t what he expected. That is one of the greater character explorations you will ever see on screen, in one of the better movies you will ever see.

Those two films set the stage for The Dark Knight Rises. Batman Begins set the tone and introduced us to a brooding and deeply troubled, Batman that Nolan so wonderfully crafted.  The Dark Knight was just  a perfect film, and elevated this Batman beyond just a comic book movie.

And now to The Dark Knight Rises.....

In many ways this was the perfect ending to the trilogy. An over the top, wonderfully directed end cap. The magnificent set pieces, the introduction to some of the favorite mainstream characters in the Batman universe (Cat Woman/Robin), as well as some geeky comic nerd characters (Talia Al Guhl/Bane). For the first time we have a villain that matches Batman’s wit, but also outmatches him physically.

Set in a Gotham without a need for Batman as a result of the Harvey Dent act, we are allowed to explore Bruce Wayne a bit more than the past films, and in my opinion this is Bale’s best Bruce Wayne performance. We also get to see a bit more emotion and development with Alfred and Lucius Fox.

Pittsburgh proved to be a great backdrop for this film, and Nolan once again proved he is one of the industry’s best at technically shaping scenes and large, grandeous production shots. All of the scenes with the flying Bat were excellent, the sound mixing was impeccable, and the large sweeping cityscape shots were magnificent. Nolan has become the gold standard for creating the experiences IMAX was intended for. If you don’t see this movie in IMAX you will never understand, you have to see this in IMAX.

Anne Hathaway did a great job with Selina Kyle, and Nolan plays it right by never referring to her as Catwoman. The common fan can easily deduce what role she is playing, and the comic nerds can appreciate the authenticity that her name carries. Batman and Catwoman have a notoriously love-hate relationship, and I wish we could have seen more of the hate side of things. She is one of the great villains in the batman universe, and it seems she flipped to be on his side really quick. But given all the characters that needed to be covered in this movie, I can give Nolan a pass for this.

Joseph Gordon Levitt. This guy has sure grown up since Angels in the Outfield. He was the star of this film. He owned every scene he was in. I loved that throughout the movie you could get a sense that he was going to be the one to carry the torch after Batman. It wasn’t too hard to predict that he would end up as Robin. This brings me to a catch-22 I have with my feelings.

On one hand I liked that even though it was fairly obvious he was going to be Robin, I like that you never got the sense that he was or will be serving as Batman’s side kick. Rather, it appears he will be taking up the mantle Bruce Wayne left behind. On the other hand I wish they wouldn’t have been so obvious with saying his real name is Robin. Since this revelation was made at the very end of the movie, I think Nolan could have given a tip of the cap to the comic nerds on this one. In the comics Dick Grayson is the real name of Robin, and he eventually takes on his own superhero identity as Nightwing to assert his independence. I would have liked them to use this name, to add some credence to JGL’s independence following the absence left by Batman. (Nightwing also plays a role in the Superman Universe, which would have been a great piece of nerdy speculation and/or connection to Man of Steel produced/written by Nolan on the horizon).

Once again Michael Cain is excellent as Alfred, however I’m not a fan of what Nolan did with him. Alfred stands by Bruce Wayne, he doesn’t leave him. “Endure, Mr. Wayne” he says in the Dark Knight. Alfred is the constant that keeps the Bruce Wayne/Batman dynamic in check. He is the one who cared for Bruce as a child, he is the one that helped Bruce understand the power and role batman must play for the citizens of Gotham. In Begins, Bruce asks Alfred “you haven’t given up on me?” and Alfred replies “Never”. He is the rock, he is not going to leave Bruce. EVER. It’s a minor complaint, but one that I wish wouldn’t have been written into the story.

I wish there was a little more Gary Oldman, a little more Morgan Freeman, but I didn’t find anything wrong with how their story lines and character arcs were portrayed.  I could have done without Matthew Modine though, that was a waste of screen time if you ask me. I wish everyone in the movie didn’t make the Bruce Wayne is Batman connection so easily,that’s privileged information and shouldn’t be easier than tying your shoes to figure out. I also could have used more explanation around how the Scarecrow ended up in the judges seat, connect the dots for me Nolan.

Talia Al Guhl. I Love Marion Cotillard (Inception, Public Enemies, Midnight in Paris), and her performance didn’t disappoint here either. I went into the movie, knowing she was playing Talia, so the fact that she was Ras Al Guhl’s daughter wasn’t as much of a plot twist to me as it was to the majority of viewers. However, I feel her role in this movie was entirely as a plot device rather than a character to add to the story. Talia is a complicated character in the comics, with a constant internal struggle between siding with her father’s criminal enterprises and her love interest in Batman. I think Nolan could have explored her motivations a bit more in this film, rather than have her just serve as the plot twist. However, when I watch this movie again, I will definitely be looking out for more subtle hints at this dynamic that I might have missed in the first viewing.

Tom Hardy is a beast. Physically, he fits the mold for Bane perfectly. It’s a tough role to play with that mask, his performance is largely physical and through his eyes, and he does it flawlessly. There is a lot of talk about his voice, but I think the raspy sometimes hard to understand tone of the voice is a perfect contrast to his mental superiority and physical make up. As I mentioned earlier, I love that Batman has a villain equal mentally and superior physically, at a time where Bruce Wayne/Batman is at his weakest emotionally and physically. However, I never truly felt that Bane exerted all of that physical force.

Sure, he broke Batman’s back and gave him a true beat down. But, that fight scene could have felt more powerful. I wanted Bane to deliver some blows that felt like they would go right through any human. I also felt like we needed more Batman in that fight, give me a grappling hook or some other “wonderful toy” to at least try to escape that beating, but instead Batman pretty much just took the beating. His only attempt at using a bat toy was to turn off the lights, and just like Bane, I laugh that off as a legitimate move Batman would make. Again, a picky complaint but an area I’d like to have seen a bit more out of from Nolan.

My biggest complaint, one that I think is the most legitimate outside of the nit-picky concerns I’ve already listed is how Nolan disposed of Bane. This is a BATMAN movie, and not just a movie, but a three part saga that will be the barometer for all future superhero films. Batman needs to take down the main villain, especially in the final installment of the trilogy. When you get to the last level in Mario does the princess take down King Koopa? HELL NO! Does Luigi warp down from a tube to sack Koopa with the shell from a green turtle? HELL NO!! Batman should’ve taken down Bane, and that’s my biggest complaint.

Finally, I feel like the movie had too many endings, and any one of them could have sufficed…the explosion (did Nolan Nuke the Fridge? Maybe not, but it was close), the reveal of Robin, Lucius Fox discovering Bruce fixed the auto pilot, The Italian patio scene. Nolan made it clear this was his last installment, there would be no sequel, so he could have done so many things to end this, but he just couldn’t leave the story without leaving it open ended. Sure batman and cat woman live on, Robin is taking over, etc. But what if Nolan actually killed off Batman? Wouldn’t that be a more epic ending, than the ambiguous open ended one we got? Would that not be the perfect way to cap a trilogy that redefined how superhero stories are told? Maybe he didn’t need to kill him off necessarily, but I would have liked it if he left me wondering.

I hope my myriad of concerns above doesn’t give the idea that I didn’t like this movie. I loved this movie. I loved this trilogy. I loved this universe. I loved all the characters. The Dark Knight Rises is probably a better superhero movie than any of the Spidermans, Avengers, Supermans, or any other comic movie.  However, to me it was also probably the worst movie in the Nolan trilogy. That should tell you how much I appreciate this saga. To me the worst movie in this trilogy is still better than almost all other superhero movies I’ve seen. My concerns and complaints are minor and nit-picky, because I love this series so much I want more out of it, so I create more in my criticisms.

At the same time, I accept what Nolan put in front of me as his vision and I love him for it. Bane could have been speaking Portuguese and broke Batman’s back with a badminton racket and I would have sat in that theater with a smile on my face. In Nolan I trust. He gave us the best watchful protector we’ll ever see, he created the most dynamic caped crusader ever put on film, he uncovered for us the origin and motivation behind the silent guardian we all love. He gave us THE DARK KNIGHT.