The Dark Knight Rises - 10 stars out of 10

The Dark Knight Rises - 10 stars out of 10

"The Dark Knight Rises" is a stunning finale to arguably the best superhero trilogy in history.  While it fails to match the perfection of "The Dark Knight," it achieves its goal: to properly complete Christopher Nolan's vision of the Batman story.  It is absolutely necessary to see this film in the context of the other two and I recommend watching the previous installments within a week of seeing this finale.  What many may perceive as weakness in the middle of the film where there is little action and even less Batman, I view it as strength because all of the pieces are being set in place for two of the most jaw-dropping twists that you will ever experience.  Nolan was not looking to make the greatest Batman film of all time - he was looking to prepare us for the culmination of Bruce Wayne's character development over the course of three films.  This "Who's Who" cast list speaks for itself as Nolan introduces a few of his favorite "Inception" actors - Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy as Bane (and wow, is he frightening).  I was skeptical when I saw Anne Hathaway's name, but she is sexy and smart as Selina Kyle (and ten billion times better than Halle Berry).  Gary Oldman is given the opportunity to really show off his acting chops (with much success) and Michael Caine delivers the emotional monologue that we've all been waiting for.  Simply incredible, especially when you toss in Morgan Freeman in his usual awesomeness and Christian Bale as the ultimate hero.  Hans Zimmer's score is particularly good in this film, with the bass making the floor rumble and his heroic themes that build tension until the very end.  The fight sequences are great and, while Bane isn't as good of a villain as Joker, he is the right character for the job.  He gives this film a different tone since he is well-spoken and carefully calculates his crimes (while being fierce and aggressive) instead of an unpredictable madman.  The plot is carefully woven around Selina Kyle and most of the other characters in the story until everything comes full circle in the end, not only being set up by the events of this movie but also by events from "The Dark Knight" and "Batman Begins."  Everything from this film and its predecessors leads up to the perfect ending to this story, but maybe not the way that any of us expected.  If I was going to choose one of these films to watch on a Friday night, I would definitely go with "The Dark Knight."  But if I was going to cite the reason that Christopher Nolan's presentation of Batman is simply better than any other superhero series, the credit would belong to this film.  "The Dark Knight Rises" is the climax of the Batman series and will leave you frozen in your theater seat saying "Wow..."

The Dark Knight - 10 stars out of 10

The Dark Knight - 10 stars out of 10

"Batman Begins" set the bar really high and I don't know if anybody believed that it could be topped; and yet, "The Dark Knight" undoubtedly trumps its predecessor.  Christopher Nolan once again utilizes a character-based script to create a film that makes a strong statement, carrying the theme of justice that connects his entire trilogy.  With Bruce Wayne's backstory explained in the previous installment, this sequel allows Nolan to focus on developing the most evil, sinister, psychotic villain in movie history: Joker.  This new movie icon provides pure chills with a disturbing, fearless desire to "burn the world down."  Even though I was never a fan of his prior to this film, I believe that Heath Ledger established himself as one of the greatest actors in the history of film with his role in "The Dark Knight."  His interpretation of the Joker, while nothing like previous depictions, is villainous perfection.  A motivated killer can be very frightening, but a relentless psychopath without a fear of death is about as scary as it gets.  If you've seen Ledger in any other role, you likely would not recognize him as the Joker.  His voice that varies from playful to a growl, the subtle mannerisms like the licking of his lips, and the way that he moves is a complete transformation away from the actor that we know.  Joker is just plain terrifying and Ledger's posthumous Oscar is more than a tribute - it is an indication of cinematic genius.  Although most of this review is dedicated to Ledger (as it should be), Aaron Eckhart is incredible as Harvey Dent.  Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman are amazing again, and there is really only one problem with this film: Maggie Gyllenhaal.  I hate Katie Holmes for not signing on for this sequel and allowing her role to be taken over by an annoying actress who looks like her face is constantly smushed up against a glass window.  She is simply awful in this role and actually detracted from the fine performances of everybody else.  But it is easy to get over it with the nonstop action, strong plot, excellent acting by the rest of the cast, and self-sacrifice by Batman.  With the Joker running rampant, this story has so many unexpected twists, particularly his "social experiment" with the two ferries on the water and by making Batman choose to save his love or his cause.  People may be asking you "Why so serious?" as you unwind from this film, but it's simply because the tension of this film will be visible on your face as you comprhend the levity of the hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one that it needs right now.

Batman Begins - 10 stars out of 10

Batman Begins - 10 stars out of 10

Christopher Nolan has given Batman his greatest identity in "Batman Begins."  Leaving behind the cheesy action comedies of the 90's, Batman has never had so much grit.  This much darker perspective of Gotham City has brushed aside fantasy villains like Mr. Freeze and focused on transforming these classic comic villains into believable, real life threats to our society.  Nolan's origin script is inspired, relying on character development instead of special effects as it paints a hopeless portrait of our society and the symbol (not the man) who can save us.  This version of Batman must discover the difference between justice and revenge, struggling with the disgust that he feels toward the murderer of his parents.  The script cleverly explains how Batman received his ninja training by tying his teacher into the overarching plot, rather than throwing in an explanatory flashback that is unrelated to the rest of the film.  But Nolan's project goes far beyond the script.  Masterful acting brings the characters to life, with Christian Bale becoming a beacon of hope that we truly do cheer for amidst his turbulent circumstances.  Alfred is much more than a butler as Michael Caine turns him into the devoted friend and steadfast support of Bruce Wayne.  Cillian Murphy is a great psychological villain and Liam Neeson gives Ra's al Ghul an interesting persona as a villain who is attempting to bring good to the world in an evil way, but more importantly, the film focuses on Batman becoming a symbol of hope instead of "Ooh, look at the c'ool' villain with the Austrian accent!"  Lucius Fox is a great character and who better to play this role than Morgan Freeman with that little bit of fun in his attitude that plays so well off of Bale.  Also, you have to mention Gary Oldman because he's just one of those actors that makes you like any character that he portrays.  This character-based approach to Batman has elevated the film beyond the realm of "Oh my gosh, that explosion was so awesome!" and given it a strong theme and meaning that carries through the entire series to the climax of the final film.  "Batman Begins" redefined the genre of superhero films.  This merger of superheroes and realistic settings has created a line of dramatic films (Iron Man, Captain America, The Amazing Spiderman, etc.) that are easily comparable to the critically acclaimed films that sweep the Oscars each year and have a legitimate place in cinematic stardom.

The Hangover - 5 stars out of 10

The Hangover - 5 stars out of 10

This movie is SO over the top!  There were too many f-words for my taste and I just felt really sorry for the characters the entire time (I call this the "Meet the Parents" effect, where so many things go wrong that I just feel bad).  Luckily, the wedding singer starts singing that ridiculous song so I was able to stop feeling bad and just laugh.  From the tiger to Mike Tyson, you'll never know what to expect next.  Zach Galifanakis is hilariously awkward throughout the entire movie, Ed Helms plays a clone of "Andy Bernard" from The Office, and Bradley Cooper holds the story together as they try to recover from their amnesia and retrace the steps of their crazy night.  The best feature of this movie is how the end credits pull this entire mysterious story together.  This won't ever be a classic like "Happy Gilmore" or "Anchorman," but it's still good for a few laughs.

The Game - 7 stars out of 10

The Game - 7 stars out of 10

Few movies possess as many twists as "The Game" and if that's your thing, you will enjoy this movie in some respect.  David Fincher does a great job of changing the viewer's perspective of what is imaginary and what is reality.  Unfortunately, after all of the twists are complete, we are left with a completely far-fetched and not believable story.  "The Game" provides an enjoyably jaw-dropping viewing experience but realize that the end may leave you unsatisfied.

The Natural - 9 stars out of 10

The Natural - 9 stars out of 10

This movie really caught me off-guard.  I was fully expecting a stereotypical baseball plot but The Natural is anything but typical.  Any film with Redford or Duvall is sure to have great acting, but cast both of them and add a stellar performance by Basinger (usually the good girl but perfectly portraying an AWFUL human being here) and the audience will be satisfied.  I didn't care for Glenn Close in her role, but then again I struggle to see her as anything but Cruella DeVil.  The mystery of Roy Hobbs' life (which is never fully revealed) gives this movie lots of intrigue as his peers only know that he comes from "here and there."  The baseball is fun to watch and it's great to watch a movie with a main character that you really want to cheer for.  Combine all of these attributes with Randy Newman's gorgeous soundtrack and his theme that will surely send chills down your spine, and you'll understand why this is one of the greatest baseball movies created.