The Dark Knight Rises

Justin and I saw The Dark Knight Rises on July 21, 2012. What an epic conclusion to an amazing trilogy!!! Christopher Nolan did an excellent job with this. I was very impressed with the theme of anarchy mixed in with physical and emotional pain/loss on two sides of a personality. There were things from the comics that were added in which made the movie seem more authentic and fun to watch. The movie connected all three parts of the trilogy really well, particularly focusing on Batman Begins, but looking at The Dark Knight in terms of Harvey Dent. Batman has retired for the time being in the 8 years since the night Dent died. Christian Bale did a great job of portraying a man scarred from nightly combat and trying to repair his existence as Bruce Wayne. Encountering the wily ways of jewel thief Selina Kyle (an important element from the comics/animated series that was omitted in other features) leads to several complications for Bruce Wayne as Selina Kyle's skills lead to problems for Bruce Wayne. Anne Hathaway did a great job in the role of Selina/Catwoman. I liked her portrayal of the character dancing between being a hero and a villain which is what Catwoman is. Tom Hardy as Bane was very good, and I thought his chaos was better than The Joker's in The Dark Knight. Everything Bane does is strategically planned, and like the comics they made him intelligent and somebody that leads. Of course, he is still a mercenary that was brought up with the same teachings as Bruce Wayne. Gotham City is basically crumbling with Batman out of the picture for the time being. Selina Kyle's skills actually make Bane capable of carrying out most of his plans, which fascinated me. The female characters in this movie determine the direction of the movie. Marion Cotillard's Miranda Tate is the most important character overall. You just have to watch to see what I am talking about. I marked out at a certain plot twist let's just say. It was done in an intelligent manner, and one that makes sense in conjunction with the comics and the animated series. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was my favorite part of the movie, though. He starts out as beat cop John Blake, but gets promoted to detective by Commissioner Gordon because of his bravery and ability to be a hero for Gotham. Blake knows secrets about characters and this knowledge along with his own natural abilities lead him to be an integral part of the battle against Bane's Revolution!! The action sequences/battle scenes are some of the best I've seen, and I thought each main character was given equal time to do something in the main battle at the end. The first battle with Batman and Bane is hard-hitting and in your face. It's what it should be. Bane beats the hell out of Batman in this instance. The second face to face battle with them leads to the mark out plot twist I said. I liked some things they did with Joseph Gordon-Levitt towards the end of being a hero without a mask. An excellent cast with well-written characters, great storyline, incredible action scenes, and scores that captured the emotion and personality of the characters, as well as the scenes make this movie a 5/5 for me and one of my favorite movies of the year. Very impressive conclusion to a great trilogy of movies!!

To Rome With Love

Hello all: its me the other Geek who goes to the movies.

Yesterday, I went to see Woody Allen's new film " To Rome with Love". In recent years, I have learned to avoid the Woody Allen movies that Woody Allen actually appears in. However, I will say this one has built off of the success of "Midnight in Paris" and his more recent successes.

Like most Woody allen movies, this one features parallel stories lines. Unlike others where there is some interception, these characters remain for the most part unrelated. You have stories of what should have been, regret, lessons learned and excitement for the future rolled up into one film.


The movie deals with the traditional Woody Allen theme of "Regret" and changing your future. Alec Baldwin's character advising his younger self about his future was an example of this. Roberto Benenni's storyline was much along the same lines. His character went from no body to celebrity overnight. When his 15 minutes of fame was literally over, he missed the craziness and the recognition. 


I will say this movie got very busy for me at times. Alec Baldwin and David Eisenberg's story line got me confused at first until I realized it was the older architect trying to direct the younger in the ways of love and the world. The story line of the young married couple having last flings before they settle down for good, was another confusing story line. I am leaving out the others. 



Overall, the movie was enjoyable. Very busy.  I'm going to give it a 3/5. 

Savages Review

Justin and I saw Savages on July 7, 2012. This was an intense, emotional thrill ride that kept you on the edge of your seat for the entire film. The plot involves a love triangle, drug empires, family relationships, and secret partnerships. Each piece of the puzzle fits together nicely and all gets meshed together for the finale. Ben and Chon are best friends and share a relationship with Ophelia, but she is referred to as O throughout the movie. They are a tight knit group as is evident from the opening moments. Ben wants out of the business, while Chon, who is an army man serving stints in Iraq and Afghanistan which led to the business they are currently involved with believes this is a good business. Elena Sanchez needs them for her operation which also includes Lado and Alex Reyes. They go to extreme measures to keep them involed, which leads to the kidnapping of O. What follows is a chaotic adventure with a corrupt DEA agent, Elena and the Baja Cartel, and two men trying to get back the woman they love. There are double crosses, plot twists, and teasers that keep you into the movie. The performances were very good for the most part. I was very impressed with Aaron Johnson as Ben. He did such a great job struggling with the violence of the business they entered into. Very well done!! I thought Taylor Kitsch did well as the hot head and the one acting on impulse to counterbalance the negotiator/peacemaker in Ben. Blake Lively did a tremendous job as O, and I felt that her casting was perfect for the role. I knew that I would like Salma Hayek's Elena from the start. She did such an awesome job as the boss of the whole operation with a tough attitude, but still maintaining her motherly affection for her daughter Magdalena (who becomes a major part of the plot). Salma Hayek is definitely one of the legit most gorgeous women of all time as well. There was a scene where she was having a conference call with Ben and Chon and showed how devious her character can be with Chon and his gun. The suspense in the scene was amazing!! The suspense would continue throughout the movie. Benicio Del Toro as Lado was insane and made you hate his character. He was definitely a true villain. I felt that the tensions between Elena and Lado, as well as his creepy demeanor towards O were very well done. The man did what the role asked for. Also, Demian Bichir played Alex Reyes. He reminded me of his Esteban Reyes character in Weeds. John Travolta knew exactly what to do with the role and it worked. His role as DEA Agent Dennis is alot of what connects the stories. We get some intense scenes of violence which fit in perfectly with the tone of the movie. All the stories of the individual characters connected well and flowed to the conclusion. They approached the ending in a unique way and I thought it worked well. The first ending is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The second ending worked well as it still established the bond between the three leads, but the way it was presented in the first ending was really great. I think Oliver Stone was on top of his game with this movie. Usually, I kind of scoff at his work, but he impressed me here. I think alot of it has to do with the fact that the stories were well done, and the actors were cast well. I definitely give this a 5/5. I can't wait to get this one on DVD. It was a good movie filled with great performances, memorable scenes, great dialogue, and connection between stories.