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damalc 
"last watched: Sausage Party"
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Salopian 
"Four ever European"
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 Posted - 08/13/2008 : 02:06:49
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I haven't yet read the thread so am not going to go into much detail. I watched both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight today.
The former (safe 5/5) is definitely a better film than the latter (low 4/5) -- I'm surprised that the average scores here indicate a different view. I still enjoyed the sequel, but it's too long and has too many small arcs. Worse, it is too obviously set in the present -- Batman Begins has a far preferable timeless quality. The first film uses Bale more: as he is so versatile, it's a waste not to make use of that. The new Rachel is extremely annoying -- I actually found Katie Holmes to be quite good. Plus points for The Dark Knight are Ledger (though how hard is it to play psychopaths really?) and Eckhart. Don't know (or care) about the established comic-book history, but (spoiler) it's a shame in the circumstances to have killed off the latter's character but specifically kept the former's alive. Caine is quite good in both, which makes a nice change. |
Edited by - Salopian on 08/14/2008 11:22:19 |
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Ali
"Those aren't pillows."
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 06:33:48
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Agreed with Salopian in general, though my view of The Dark Knight is much more, shall we say, muted. |
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 14:34:08
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| We're a wonderfully select club you know. |
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turrell
"Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh "
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 14:51:02
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quote:
Originally posted by thefoxboy
Dark Knight
IMDB Top 250: #1
Thankfully its fallen 2 spots to #3 - only about 25 spots more to go, but that might be hoping for too much. (sure much better than Casablanca or Schindler's List - those films were hack jobs).
This film was superior as a summer action movie, but for many of the reasons mentioned here it should not be considered among the best in any genre all time. |
Edited by - turrell on 08/13/2008 14:52:28 |
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BiggerBoat 
"Pass me the harpoon"
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 16:53:47
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I loved it. Yes, I agree with Salopian that it had small arcs, but actually that is a mode employed by some comics (with the little caption box top left that reads, 'Meanwhile...')and it didn't bother me too much. Even when it went 'flat' somewhere in the middle I was still riveted. Since 'There will be Blood' I've become a little confused over what a film 'should' do anyway.
Thought that all the male characters were superb. Bale was peerless as Batman - I don't go along with this popularly held notion that he doesn't have presence; he absolutely immerses himself into all his roles and if he doesn't have the Clooney smirk or the Pacino hamminess it doesn't mean that he doesn't have star quality to me. As a fan of the comics I think he played that inner turmoil of Batman dichotomy with Bruce Wayne's palyboy insouciance to a tee.
Heath was great and found the perfect balance between psychotic and funny. Just like the comics.
Eckhart nailed it too. I've not seen too much of him but will be looking out for his films from now on. He has a Jeff Bridges amiability about him that is very endearing.
Gary Oldman toned down to the perfect level, but he's always good.
Then there was Gylenhall. Hmmmm. She just doesn't do it for me and I agree with Salopian again that Katie Holmes was preferable (why couldn't they get her again? Is it a scientology thing or did Tom ban her from being in a film that would overtake his highest grosser?). To me Gylenhall's face looks like it has melted a bit and she's just a bit blerrrgh, if you know what I mean. It just would have been nice to have been upset when she carked it.
Saw it two weeks ago and I'm still going over things that happened. To me that's a mark of a great film. And it had the added benefit of getting me over Spiderman 3 for a while. |
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silly 
"That rabbit's DYNAMITE."
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Salopian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 19:21:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
The new Rachel is extremely annoying
I've just realised that this is Maggie Gyllenhaal. Wow, the acting talent (and looks) weren't distributed evenly in that family.
Edit: Just seen that BiggerBoat has mentioned this too. I'm sure she looked much better not so long ago. Someone looking like Eckhart or Bale would so not go for her. Talking of them -- I thought Eckhart's (spoiler) thin, wide mouth was passable as a potential Batman -- it makes a change from films where all the other characters show no ability to take in any of the superhero's facial characteristics.
Who is it that reckons Bale doesn't have presence? Have they seen any of his films?! I really think he is the best actor of this generation. |
Edited by - Salopian on 08/13/2008 19:32:06 |
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 19:37:22
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What? She's superb in "Secretary" and excellent in the handful of other films I've seen her in. She's woefully miscast in this film, but that's not to criticise her obvious talent.
Anyway, aside from two very good films (and a whole lot of shit) Jake's not exactly the new De Niro. |
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Salopian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 19:47:17
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| Nah, he's been excellent in the last few things I've seen him in. |
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MisterBadIdea 
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 08/13/2008 : 21:33:34
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| I'm legitimately shocked that anyone could prefer Katie Holmes to the vastly superior Maggie Gyllenhaal. Ridiculous. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 08/14/2008 : 00:08:19
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quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea
I'm legitimately shocked that anyone could prefer Katie Holmes to the vastly superior Maggie Gyllenhaal. Ridiculous.
Maggie is an excellent actress, but she was a big 'meh' in this movie. I blame the script writers. Holmes would probably have been even more uninteresting with that vacuous role though. |
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Salopian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/14/2008 : 11:21:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Don't know (or care) about the established comic-book history, but (spoiler) it's a shame in the circumstances to have killed off the latter's character but specifically kept the former's alive.
Spoiler continued: Oh, Eckhart has signed up to the third film. I thought his character clearly died. I hope he hasn't survived in a lame comic-book way. |
Edited by - Salopian on 08/14/2008 11:26:35 |
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 08/14/2008 : 11:24:28
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| That is strange. I was very much under that impression at the end, and quite annoyed about it too. Sounds like simultaneously good and bad news. Quite appropriate given the character in question. |
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Salopian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/14/2008 : 11:54:53
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| Quite. I'll be glad of it if they can just pull it off well. You'd think they'd've just edited this one differently. |
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Topic |
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Dark Knight
