Ok, so I finished watching season 1 of Californication. After like 5 episodes, I thought the show was truly excellent. I mean not truly, but it was a worthy distraction. By the end of the show, it became mildly ridiculous. There’s the good looking/troubled/charismatic writer, played by Duchovny, who apparently can get laid without trying. Now he’s hung up on his pseudo ex-wife, which in the hood we refer to as, baby mama. At first, it was funny because of the constant push and pull, teasing and jokes made with the married woman. However, it soon became totally lame because he became obsessed with her and it wasn’t really a joke anymore. Also she’s really not hot at all! I still remember her terrible character/accent from a pretty good movie, Ronin, and before I recognized that, I knew there was a reason I didn’t like her.
Then the season devolves into more hijinx, with the blackmailing, plot machinations and whatnot. Basically just forced story lines for no reason. I’m writing this post because this has become a disturbing trend in this emerging drama/comedy genre. Why do these shows feel like they have to be about something bigger? It should be a guilty pleasure and that’s just about it. Same exact thing happened with Weeds and Entourage, but fortunately it took them more than a season. These are fluff shows and I just want to be fluffed.
Whatever happened to the way it used to be? Did you hear any complaints about Three’s Company? I mean it was about 8solid seasons of the plot being based on misunderstandings and it almost coming out that Jack wasn’t gay. It was ridiculous, but it was funny and simple and didn’t try to be more. Same can be said of Saved by the Bell. Zack has a scheme, A.C. Slater is rival, Screech spills the beans. I think that show went for about 20 years.
Well that’s my rant, I guess I’m just a simple guy who pines for a simpler time, when our plots were consistent, lead women were hot and our homosexuals closeted.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
[tv] The Daily Show
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, is really the only TV show that I watch on a regular basis because a. it's funny b. it keeps me informed (sort of). Sure a lot of the stuff is repetitive and sometimes they use out of context material to make their point, which by the way when others do, they mock; however, it still is an excellent show as the rest of the news media a truly exposed for the unbelievable level of stupidity and frivolity that is at the core of what the news has become. Of course the Bush administration is a common and deserved target as well.
Anyway, the reason I mention it is that there’s a decent article in the NY Times about the show and I think it’s worth a read. I wish it would pick on him a bit for some of the laziness that has crept in, but I guess that would be asking too much for a piece that was intended to jerk off the subject or maybe that's just the hater inside of me talking and it's actually a flawless program.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/arts/television/17kaku.html?em
Anyway, the reason I mention it is that there’s a decent article in the NY Times about the show and I think it’s worth a read. I wish it would pick on him a bit for some of the laziness that has crept in, but I guess that would be asking too much for a piece that was intended to jerk off the subject or maybe that's just the hater inside of me talking and it's actually a flawless program.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/arts/television/17kaku.html?em
Saturday, August 9, 2008
[RIP] Skip Caray, 1939-2008
This post comes a little late. Skip Caray, a HOF broadcaster and a voice synonymous with Atlanta Braves baseball passed away last Sunday. I heard about the news and was in genuine shock, which at the time, I thought to be very strange. I mean, this was TBS' first season without any Braves games since I was born, let alone actually a Braves fan. So this season, I had MLB.tv but the broadcasters they have were a far cry from TBS' classic Four Horsemen - batterymates Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren and their counterparts Joe Simpson and Don Sutton. I missed the TBS guys, but hey no using crying over things you can't change, right? I mean, I barely noticed who was calling the games, just that it wasn't quite as good as it used to be. Well, over the last week, my tune has changed.
Losing Skip Caray has been, in many ways symbolic of the end of an era for me and millions of Braves fans. It seems like ages ago when we were head and shoulders above the rest of the NL and things aren't the same anymore. Hearing Skip's calls now just remind me of summers gone by, a cold drink in hand and listening to that old familiar "Braves win! Braves win!" brings back some fond memories.
A few things have come up that have brought me right to the point where I may have to break the #1 rule for America's pasttime. You know, that one about "no crying in baseball." First, we have this blog entry from Bomani Jones, a sportswriter and frequent ESPN.com contributor (who also happens to be a huge fan of "The Wire") and Braves fanatic, sharing his poignant and far-more-eloquent-than-I-could-hope-to-be thoughts.
Choice snippets:
Losing Skip Caray has been, in many ways symbolic of the end of an era for me and millions of Braves fans. It seems like ages ago when we were head and shoulders above the rest of the NL and things aren't the same anymore. Hearing Skip's calls now just remind me of summers gone by, a cold drink in hand and listening to that old familiar "Braves win! Braves win!" brings back some fond memories.
A few things have come up that have brought me right to the point where I may have to break the #1 rule for America's pasttime. You know, that one about "no crying in baseball." First, we have this blog entry from Bomani Jones, a sportswriter and frequent ESPN.com contributor (who also happens to be a huge fan of "The Wire") and Braves fanatic, sharing his poignant and far-more-eloquent-than-I-could-hope-to-be thoughts.
Choice snippets:
- What’s interesting, though — none of the Braves broadcasters from TBS get any love when people talk about the great voices of baseball. Maybe it’s because they aren’t the best. Skip’s nasal tone doesn’t do it for a lot of people, and the broadcast teams seemed to fade into the background of most games.
- That, to me, is what made those broadcasts so good. There has never been a less obtrusive set of announcers than Skip, Pete Van Wieren, Don Sutton and Joe Simpson. They know what they were talking about, but the game always took center stage. Nothing ever felt forced, and never was there a distraction to stop you from being able to enjoy the game. Somehow, they’ve never gotten proper credit for that.
Amen, Mr. Jones.
Second, we have a visibly shaken Ernie Johnson presenting a Turner Sports tribute to the man. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to watch for me.
I wish I could express it better, but Skip Caray was the voice of my childhood and it breaks my heart that he's gone. Anyone who knows me well knows I live and die with Braves baseball and I owe much of that to Skip and the rest of the old TBS crew.
RIP Skip - you were the best of the best and you've helped change my life forever. Thank you.
Monday, August 4, 2008
TV Roundup
OK here's what I'm watching and why I'm watching it:
Generation Kill - smartly written, produced and created by the same people who brought us the best television series ever, "The Wire," Generation Kill takes a similar uber-realistic approach to a touchy subject. This time, it's not the war on drugs in a torn-down city, its the war on terror in a torn-down country, i.e. the latest Iraq war. But yeah, I recommend it, though you should know that each episode in this miniseries is over 1 hour long and it does require a commitment. But like The Wire, the commitment pays off and you get ever further engrossed in it. And I like that the show doesn't use cheesy tactics like ominous music or character caricature to influence our decisions...it shows us the events and lets us use our own judgement to decide what we think. That is what separates good entertainment from popular entertainment. And remember - today's entertainment is tomorrow's art. Let's just hope our future generations judge us on shows like this instead of, say, American Idol.
Peep Show - I actually never saw this on TV because it's British and I've had to watch online. This was recommended to me by my brother/carbon copy and whaddya know, the kid has good taste. The funniest moments in this show are some of the most ridiculous, over-the-top, side-splittingly good scenes to ever grace your telly. Just watch for the crack-smoking, girlfriend-banging greaseball of perfection that is Super Hans.
Reality Bites Back - A show on Comedy Central that takes a bunch of low-name stand-ups and puts them in reality show rip offs, e.g. The Biggest Loser --> The Biggest Chubby, where contestants have to gain weight. Hardly thought-provoking or groundbreaking, but The Biggest Chubby featured this line by the contestants' personal trainer: "Get that hamsicle in your mouth, bitch!" And yes, a hamsicle is exactly what it sounds like.Fantastic. If you're not going to stretch the limits of art, at least stretch the limits of decency and they do in spectacular fashion.
Mad Men - A show that decidedly veers artistic instead of orgiastic. But yes, I like it a lot because it harkens back to a time (1960) when men were men - they smoked, cursed, drank, and slept around. Women? They were exactly what men told them to be. Now I know that sounds misogynistic but I don't really intend it as such. That's because the show takes place at the point in American history where the old school and new school collided in a way that wasn't seen again until the landmark case of AI vs. Jordan's ankles. But don't get me wrong, there's definitely a twinge of longing from me. A wish that, if only for a day, we could go back to the old rules and that attractive secretary I've had my eye on not only could be mine, but would have to be mine because that was part of the job description. Ah, everybody talkin' bout the good ol' days...
Shabadu (Lead Couch Potato)
Generation Kill - smartly written, produced and created by the same people who brought us the best television series ever, "The Wire," Generation Kill takes a similar uber-realistic approach to a touchy subject. This time, it's not the war on drugs in a torn-down city, its the war on terror in a torn-down country, i.e. the latest Iraq war. But yeah, I recommend it, though you should know that each episode in this miniseries is over 1 hour long and it does require a commitment. But like The Wire, the commitment pays off and you get ever further engrossed in it. And I like that the show doesn't use cheesy tactics like ominous music or character caricature to influence our decisions...it shows us the events and lets us use our own judgement to decide what we think. That is what separates good entertainment from popular entertainment. And remember - today's entertainment is tomorrow's art. Let's just hope our future generations judge us on shows like this instead of, say, American Idol.
Peep Show - I actually never saw this on TV because it's British and I've had to watch online. This was recommended to me by my brother/carbon copy and whaddya know, the kid has good taste. The funniest moments in this show are some of the most ridiculous, over-the-top, side-splittingly good scenes to ever grace your telly. Just watch for the crack-smoking, girlfriend-banging greaseball of perfection that is Super Hans.
Reality Bites Back - A show on Comedy Central that takes a bunch of low-name stand-ups and puts them in reality show rip offs, e.g. The Biggest Loser --> The Biggest Chubby, where contestants have to gain weight. Hardly thought-provoking or groundbreaking, but The Biggest Chubby featured this line by the contestants' personal trainer: "Get that hamsicle in your mouth, bitch!" And yes, a hamsicle is exactly what it sounds like.Fantastic. If you're not going to stretch the limits of art, at least stretch the limits of decency and they do in spectacular fashion.
Mad Men - A show that decidedly veers artistic instead of orgiastic. But yes, I like it a lot because it harkens back to a time (1960) when men were men - they smoked, cursed, drank, and slept around. Women? They were exactly what men told them to be. Now I know that sounds misogynistic but I don't really intend it as such. That's because the show takes place at the point in American history where the old school and new school collided in a way that wasn't seen again until the landmark case of AI vs. Jordan's ankles. But don't get me wrong, there's definitely a twinge of longing from me. A wish that, if only for a day, we could go back to the old rules and that attractive secretary I've had my eye on not only could be mine, but would have to be mine because that was part of the job description. Ah, everybody talkin' bout the good ol' days...
Shabadu (Lead Couch Potato)
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The K Zone 7.26.08
Fuck - I got black out drunk and I can't remember what happened after like 1:30am.
I DO remember my friend's girl telling me that her friend, if she didn't have a boyfriend, would hook up with me. Too bad her boyfriend was at her side while saying this. But maybe some groundwork was...ahem...laid.
So I woke up this morning with my contacts in, half my clothes still on, and the contents of my pockets - $6 in singles, 3 pieces of Winterfresh, and a wallet sans debit and/or credit cards - strewn across my floor. Plan A for the night was set into motion a long, long time ago; however, do to a case of bad timing, that fell through. So earlier this week, I launched a precarious Plan B. But as somewhat expected, that didn't materialize. So yeah, the events of last night were not what I had in mind but when Plan B fell through, I guess Plan BAC took over. Let's hope that something positive came from yesterday...but I'm not counting on it.
Kids: Don't drink - ever.
I DO remember my friend's girl telling me that her friend, if she didn't have a boyfriend, would hook up with me. Too bad her boyfriend was at her side while saying this. But maybe some groundwork was...ahem...laid.
So I woke up this morning with my contacts in, half my clothes still on, and the contents of my pockets - $6 in singles, 3 pieces of Winterfresh, and a wallet sans debit and/or credit cards - strewn across my floor. Plan A for the night was set into motion a long, long time ago; however, do to a case of bad timing, that fell through. So earlier this week, I launched a precarious Plan B. But as somewhat expected, that didn't materialize. So yeah, the events of last night were not what I had in mind but when Plan B fell through, I guess Plan BAC took over. Let's hope that something positive came from yesterday...but I'm not counting on it.
Kids: Don't drink - ever.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The K Zone
Gentlemen (I presume no ladies would waste their time on such dreck),
If this is your first time reading this blog and you have no significant interactions with me prior, you may be shocked to hear this: I am the unabashed king of strikeouts. I am the Nolan Ryan of strikeouts, just light years ahead of my peers. And I don't mean it in a good way - my strikeouts are legendary because of their embarassing nature and I am damn fucking proud of it. I mean, anyone can stike out here and there, but to do so on a regular and on such a spectacular basis? Well dear readers, I feel I am one of a kind.
Tonight, for example, I went out for drinks with friends not too far away from work and not too far away from home. In an series of unfortunate (or fortunate) of events, I ended up at an open bar for a girl I did not know well but I did manage to get cockblocked from by her 6'4" redneck brother previously on the 4th of July. Now normally, that would be bad enough. But not for me, that was only the tip of the iceberg. For you see, also at this open bar was a co-worker of a very close friend. Now the deal (come on, you knew there was deal) with this one was that she had denied me less than 2 weeks prior after insisting to my friend FOR 3 MONTHS that should I ask her out. So I did, thinking that I somehow had cracked the fucking Sphinx code to the female brain, but lo and behold, I got denied. Well, here I am, standing with a Black & Tan in hand, watching these two succubuses that had both denied me in July. So I didn't know exactly what these she-devils were up to - were they in cahoosts? was God just fucking with me? when would my dry spell end? - but I anticipated it would be a fun ride. And yet, it turned out to be anticlimactic. Girl 1, the formerly sure thing, the coworker of my friend, turned out to be OK to hang out with (which, along with her phat ass, is why I was into her in the first place) and Girl 2 didn't even remember me, though she kept making those googly eyes at me all night that drunk white bitches tend to do. The only good that came out of the whole night is was the launch of this regular blog update. Coming up next will be my first real-life encounter with an unabashed and ridiculously drunk coke whore. I got a free cigarette and a slice of pizza out of that one, which was one of the better end results.
And also, coming up this week is the b-day party of very good friend. To get an idea of the what I expect from this party - 2 years ago, at the celebration for this kid, I was completely blacked outl, hooked up with a random chick, and climbed into my friends' place @ 6:30am ala Jack Bauer...last year, I apparently took advantage of a girl, though I contest that charge given that my BAC was approximately 0.30. If you're blacked out, it doesn't count, right occifer? This year, all bets are off. Worry not, an update awaits.
Summa, summa, summa time
If this is your first time reading this blog and you have no significant interactions with me prior, you may be shocked to hear this: I am the unabashed king of strikeouts. I am the Nolan Ryan of strikeouts, just light years ahead of my peers. And I don't mean it in a good way - my strikeouts are legendary because of their embarassing nature and I am damn fucking proud of it. I mean, anyone can stike out here and there, but to do so on a regular and on such a spectacular basis? Well dear readers, I feel I am one of a kind.
Tonight, for example, I went out for drinks with friends not too far away from work and not too far away from home. In an series of unfortunate (or fortunate) of events, I ended up at an open bar for a girl I did not know well but I did manage to get cockblocked from by her 6'4" redneck brother previously on the 4th of July. Now normally, that would be bad enough. But not for me, that was only the tip of the iceberg. For you see, also at this open bar was a co-worker of a very close friend. Now the deal (come on, you knew there was deal) with this one was that she had denied me less than 2 weeks prior after insisting to my friend FOR 3 MONTHS that should I ask her out. So I did, thinking that I somehow had cracked the fucking Sphinx code to the female brain, but lo and behold, I got denied. Well, here I am, standing with a Black & Tan in hand, watching these two succubuses that had both denied me in July. So I didn't know exactly what these she-devils were up to - were they in cahoosts? was God just fucking with me? when would my dry spell end? - but I anticipated it would be a fun ride. And yet, it turned out to be anticlimactic. Girl 1, the formerly sure thing, the coworker of my friend, turned out to be OK to hang out with (which, along with her phat ass, is why I was into her in the first place) and Girl 2 didn't even remember me, though she kept making those googly eyes at me all night that drunk white bitches tend to do. The only good that came out of the whole night is was the launch of this regular blog update. Coming up next will be my first real-life encounter with an unabashed and ridiculously drunk coke whore. I got a free cigarette and a slice of pizza out of that one, which was one of the better end results.
And also, coming up this week is the b-day party of very good friend. To get an idea of the what I expect from this party - 2 years ago, at the celebration for this kid, I was completely blacked outl, hooked up with a random chick, and climbed into my friends' place @ 6:30am ala Jack Bauer...last year, I apparently took advantage of a girl, though I contest that charge given that my BAC was approximately 0.30. If you're blacked out, it doesn't count, right occifer? This year, all bets are off. Worry not, an update awaits.
Summa, summa, summa time
Monday, July 21, 2008
[film] "The Dark Knight"
Ok, so I really liked the movie and I think I want to watch it again as it was fun and I want to catch things in more detail, perhaps even in IMAX. However I was suckered in by the hype and the reviews. It’s probably the best super hero movie of all time, but it’s not really that amazing a “real movie”. Let’s keep it informal ok?
Disappointed: Christian Bale – This is my guy, but I wish he got to play Bruce Wayne more than Batman. That suit and the voice machine or whatever really hurts him. He’s such a great actor, but it’s like MJ trying to play with a 50 pound ball and chain shackled to him or the other MJ with AIDS, sure it's him, but not the same. Bruce Wayne is probably every guy’s fantasy, he is THE man. I always preferred Batman to Superman, because even though Superman obviously has the better powers, Batman gets to be Bruce Wayne, Superman has to be Clark Kent, no contest.
Thought was great – Aaron Eckhardt. Everyone is on Heath Ledger’s jock, but what about Aaron Eckhardt as Harvey Dent? I thought this performance was masterful. When he became Two Face, the costume design/CGI was totally badass. Although I guess I really didn’t understand too much why he was so mad at James Gordon, that kinda didn’t make sense. He should’ve really been out to seek vengeance on the Joker, but whatever I’ll let that slide, because I think he gives the best performance. I wish he didn’t die and they could have used him for the next installment.
Gordon – He had the same exact haircut as Bale, there were like 5 times I thought it was Bale when they were showing a Gordon scene and showed the back of his head first, the stache gave it away quick, but still… His character was weak (my lead comment was about his hair cut, should say something) – the whole faking his death thing was a little retarded. Gary Oldman is a good actor, one of my fave roles is him as the hijacker in Air Force One. I’m a little disappointed with his performance.
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Awesome! One of my favorite actresses, she was a 98% improvement over Katie Holmes. Ok so she’s not really “hot” in the traditional sense, but there is something about her, cute but a bit off (in a good way)… Anyway, great performance. I still think of her performance in "The Secretary", if you haven't seen it yet, do it now, thank me later.
Morgan Freeman/Michael Caine – Caine was decent, Freeman was passable, but that’s the best I can say about him. Enjoy the money fellas.
Good – Heath Ledger. He was more scary than funny, unlike Nicholson, who was more funny than scary. However, he did find ways to inject some humor into his role, I appreciated it. Not much I can say here that hasn’t been said elsewhere. However, I don’t think his performance warrants a “best actor” nomination, maybe “best supporting actor”, but not “best actor”. The only posthumous award he should be getting is from Philip Seymour Hoffman, who should do the right thing and give up his Oscar because Ledger got stiffed a couple years back. He should’ve also gotten the Oscar, hiyo! Sorry couldn't resist, $1 Jay Leno.
Other – cut out about 30 min, it’s too long. Has the director ever gone to a ballet? The ballerinas depicted in the movie looked, um structurally unsound, real ballerinas are built like gymnasts. Not that I'm complaining, but wondering if it was an inside joke or something.
The citizens – bad job, shame on all of you. Really, you want to give up Batman to the Joker because he’s caused your problems? You ungrateful bit*hes. WTF, I just don’t get it, hasn’t he cleaned up your streets and now he’s the bad guy because the Joker says so? Bah!
I’m sure I’ll think of more things, and perhaps have an update if I see it again, but that’s it for now.
Ubrnoodle
Lead Film Critic – The No Homers Club
The Dark Knight - Shabadu's review (rhyming not intentional)
First, the disclaimer. I moved to this country when I was 3 years old. For my first Halloween, at age 4, my 3 older female cousins decided to dress me up as a girl. I had no say in the matter and needless to say, that Halloween sucked balls. At age 5, when I was in kindergarten, I had my chance at revenge. I got to pick my own costume. Ah so much to choose from...cowboys, Ghostbusters, firemen, racecar driver...and lo...look at this...Superman! But wait...what is this...why, it is...the Batman. And so yes, I chose Batman over Superman. Since then, along with the help of a few select comic books and the single best superhero cartoon ever, Batman: The Animated Series, the Caped Crusader became my super of choice. Sure, he wasn't borne out of some nuclear blast or radioactive lizard bite or even from another planet - but that was precisely what made him cool. He was a regular guy (well, a regular billionaire) who wanted to kick ass and did precisely that. So yeah, I went into this movie with some history, and I really, realy wanted to like it. My expectations were high.
You know that feeling when there's so much tension and pressure building and when it all comes to a head, you're either left feeling invigorated or completely let down? Happens ALL the time in sports, lots of times with the opposite sex, and yeah, even some of the time with films. In situations like this, there's no middle ground. We put ourselves in those positions where 50% of the time, we're left dejected and distraught...but we know that the other 50% of the time, pure bliss awaits. Well, as far as movies go, that's what I felt throughout this movie. There was a smile carved into my face from the opening shot to the first credit. It wasn't flawless - a little long - but I can honestly say that considering this movie received as much, if not more hype than anything since Titanic, it's a minor miracle that the review above me is the first one that I've read that hasn't gushed over it.
Sidebar: Keep in mind the prior reviewer's taste, dear readers. For you see, Ubrnoodle prides himself on watching "films" not movies. He is a film snob, the type who chooses movies based on how few screens it plays on, the same type of person who would chide you for bumping Jay-Z's new record instead of the latest B-side by Black Thought (the irony, of course, is that Ubrnoodle is the anti-music snob, he loves the mainstream Jay-Z and has no idea who Black Thought is, but I digress).
Now, here's my opinion on different facets of the Dark Knight experience:
The Movie: the single best superhero movie ever. This was a movie for adults that happened to be based on a comic book. But not "for adults" in the way that Sin City was. As a regular movie, no, you won't find symbols about the materialistic soullessness capitalism breeds or some other stupid shit that poor/self-important people have time to waste thinking about. I would put this in the class of a Bourne movie, which is an action film with brains. Now, a Bourne movie won't win any Oscars, but it's damn fun and that's ultimately one of the reasons we watch movies to being with. And there are legitimate questions the film about "purpose" - which is really what all the best novels and films try to answer or at least explore. But yes, I saw the movie twice and definitely noticed the extra length the second time around thatswhatshesaid. However, even with that, I'd recommend catching this in IMAX - if ever there was a movie that should be enjoyed in that setting, it's this. The sound difference alone is worht the extra $2.
The Acting:
Bale - very good, not great. But to be honest, this was never meant to be Bale's picture. Batman has always been the Dark Knight. Moreseo than any other comic book character, Batman has been about the villains and their story. Gotham is much more fleshed out than any other superhero's city and that's because of how much we know about every villain's background and impetus for action. Begins was all about Batman, TDK was about the Joker first and Two-Face second, with Batman really being the thread that binds.
Eckhart - I agree, I think his performance was underrated. His transformation from the white knight to a shell of shattered do-gooder was almost bilbical, almost Job-like in nature. I think this was underrated, mostly because people saw his role as the reason for the added length of the film and forgot how good he actually was from start to finish.
Gyllenhaal - WAY better than Katie Holmes. Also way less hot, but I'm not a big fan of Katie and the confused, "did someone just fart?" scrunched up face she always makes. This was a good move and they killed the character off too, so that's fantastic.
Caine, Freeman - Elder statesman that just make anything they are in better. And this movie is no exception.
Ledger - I was a believer in this guy after I saw Brokeback. Yes, I saw Brokeback Mountain...and I thought it was pretty damn good. Without Ledger, it would have been that queer cowboy movie. With him, it was a poignant, well-acted, legitimately moving (no, not down there) modern tale of forbidden love. The only other person I thought would have been great for the Joker was the always weird, always interesting Crispin Glover. So yeah...Ledger was a source of disappointment. But the disappointment came from the fact that he will never have a chance to reprise this role. I considered this the best movie villainy since Hopkins in his first turn as Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, even better than Bardem in No Country. The guy would come in screen, have you laughing at something ridiculous he's doing, then you'd start to get a little nervous, and before you know it, he's got a knife in someone's teeth and you're insides were in knots...waiting, dreading, but unable to turn away. He invoked a visceral reaction everytime he was on-screen. I don't know if this was a more difficult role than in Brokeback, but you had to remind yourself that Ledger was in the movie. As long as the character was on-screen, Heath Ledger did not exist...it was simply The Joker, personified. Brilliant performance, brilliant writing for the character, and it's a shame we won't get to see any more of the Joker or any more of Ledger.
The Directing/writing - again, Nolan continues to deliver. He's really put together an extremely impressive list of contemporary classics. And I like that he doesn't seem to work on the standard fare that the Academy seems to love, i.e. epics, period pieces, stories about the retarded. He just makes tense, thoughtful, engrossing movies and I'm really hope he's at the helm for the next Batman. He and Bale are really the Dynamic Duo.
Oh yes, please say no to Robin for the next one.
Best overall experience I've had in a long time at the movies. Overall, thought it was a fantastic, fun film - exactly what you want in a movie like this. If you were looking forsomething else, I have to ask - why so serious?
Disappointed: Christian Bale – This is my guy, but I wish he got to play Bruce Wayne more than Batman. That suit and the voice machine or whatever really hurts him. He’s such a great actor, but it’s like MJ trying to play with a 50 pound ball and chain shackled to him or the other MJ with AIDS, sure it's him, but not the same. Bruce Wayne is probably every guy’s fantasy, he is THE man. I always preferred Batman to Superman, because even though Superman obviously has the better powers, Batman gets to be Bruce Wayne, Superman has to be Clark Kent, no contest.
Thought was great – Aaron Eckhardt. Everyone is on Heath Ledger’s jock, but what about Aaron Eckhardt as Harvey Dent? I thought this performance was masterful. When he became Two Face, the costume design/CGI was totally badass. Although I guess I really didn’t understand too much why he was so mad at James Gordon, that kinda didn’t make sense. He should’ve really been out to seek vengeance on the Joker, but whatever I’ll let that slide, because I think he gives the best performance. I wish he didn’t die and they could have used him for the next installment.
Gordon – He had the same exact haircut as Bale, there were like 5 times I thought it was Bale when they were showing a Gordon scene and showed the back of his head first, the stache gave it away quick, but still… His character was weak (my lead comment was about his hair cut, should say something) – the whole faking his death thing was a little retarded. Gary Oldman is a good actor, one of my fave roles is him as the hijacker in Air Force One. I’m a little disappointed with his performance.
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Awesome! One of my favorite actresses, she was a 98% improvement over Katie Holmes. Ok so she’s not really “hot” in the traditional sense, but there is something about her, cute but a bit off (in a good way)… Anyway, great performance. I still think of her performance in "The Secretary", if you haven't seen it yet, do it now, thank me later.
Morgan Freeman/Michael Caine – Caine was decent, Freeman was passable, but that’s the best I can say about him. Enjoy the money fellas.
Good – Heath Ledger. He was more scary than funny, unlike Nicholson, who was more funny than scary. However, he did find ways to inject some humor into his role, I appreciated it. Not much I can say here that hasn’t been said elsewhere. However, I don’t think his performance warrants a “best actor” nomination, maybe “best supporting actor”, but not “best actor”. The only posthumous award he should be getting is from Philip Seymour Hoffman, who should do the right thing and give up his Oscar because Ledger got stiffed a couple years back. He should’ve also gotten the Oscar, hiyo! Sorry couldn't resist, $1 Jay Leno.
Other – cut out about 30 min, it’s too long. Has the director ever gone to a ballet? The ballerinas depicted in the movie looked, um structurally unsound, real ballerinas are built like gymnasts. Not that I'm complaining, but wondering if it was an inside joke or something.
The citizens – bad job, shame on all of you. Really, you want to give up Batman to the Joker because he’s caused your problems? You ungrateful bit*hes. WTF, I just don’t get it, hasn’t he cleaned up your streets and now he’s the bad guy because the Joker says so? Bah!
I’m sure I’ll think of more things, and perhaps have an update if I see it again, but that’s it for now.
Ubrnoodle
Lead Film Critic – The No Homers Club
The Dark Knight - Shabadu's review (rhyming not intentional)
First, the disclaimer. I moved to this country when I was 3 years old. For my first Halloween, at age 4, my 3 older female cousins decided to dress me up as a girl. I had no say in the matter and needless to say, that Halloween sucked balls. At age 5, when I was in kindergarten, I had my chance at revenge. I got to pick my own costume. Ah so much to choose from...cowboys, Ghostbusters, firemen, racecar driver...and lo...look at this...Superman! But wait...what is this...why, it is...the Batman. And so yes, I chose Batman over Superman. Since then, along with the help of a few select comic books and the single best superhero cartoon ever, Batman: The Animated Series, the Caped Crusader became my super of choice. Sure, he wasn't borne out of some nuclear blast or radioactive lizard bite or even from another planet - but that was precisely what made him cool. He was a regular guy (well, a regular billionaire) who wanted to kick ass and did precisely that. So yeah, I went into this movie with some history, and I really, realy wanted to like it. My expectations were high.
You know that feeling when there's so much tension and pressure building and when it all comes to a head, you're either left feeling invigorated or completely let down? Happens ALL the time in sports, lots of times with the opposite sex, and yeah, even some of the time with films. In situations like this, there's no middle ground. We put ourselves in those positions where 50% of the time, we're left dejected and distraught...but we know that the other 50% of the time, pure bliss awaits. Well, as far as movies go, that's what I felt throughout this movie. There was a smile carved into my face from the opening shot to the first credit. It wasn't flawless - a little long - but I can honestly say that considering this movie received as much, if not more hype than anything since Titanic, it's a minor miracle that the review above me is the first one that I've read that hasn't gushed over it.
Sidebar: Keep in mind the prior reviewer's taste, dear readers. For you see, Ubrnoodle prides himself on watching "films" not movies. He is a film snob, the type who chooses movies based on how few screens it plays on, the same type of person who would chide you for bumping Jay-Z's new record instead of the latest B-side by Black Thought (the irony, of course, is that Ubrnoodle is the anti-music snob, he loves the mainstream Jay-Z and has no idea who Black Thought is, but I digress).
Now, here's my opinion on different facets of the Dark Knight experience:
The Movie: the single best superhero movie ever. This was a movie for adults that happened to be based on a comic book. But not "for adults" in the way that Sin City was. As a regular movie, no, you won't find symbols about the materialistic soullessness capitalism breeds or some other stupid shit that poor/self-important people have time to waste thinking about. I would put this in the class of a Bourne movie, which is an action film with brains. Now, a Bourne movie won't win any Oscars, but it's damn fun and that's ultimately one of the reasons we watch movies to being with. And there are legitimate questions the film about "purpose" - which is really what all the best novels and films try to answer or at least explore. But yes, I saw the movie twice and definitely noticed the extra length the second time around thatswhatshesaid. However, even with that, I'd recommend catching this in IMAX - if ever there was a movie that should be enjoyed in that setting, it's this. The sound difference alone is worht the extra $2.
The Acting:
Bale - very good, not great. But to be honest, this was never meant to be Bale's picture. Batman has always been the Dark Knight. Moreseo than any other comic book character, Batman has been about the villains and their story. Gotham is much more fleshed out than any other superhero's city and that's because of how much we know about every villain's background and impetus for action. Begins was all about Batman, TDK was about the Joker first and Two-Face second, with Batman really being the thread that binds.
Eckhart - I agree, I think his performance was underrated. His transformation from the white knight to a shell of shattered do-gooder was almost bilbical, almost Job-like in nature. I think this was underrated, mostly because people saw his role as the reason for the added length of the film and forgot how good he actually was from start to finish.
Gyllenhaal - WAY better than Katie Holmes. Also way less hot, but I'm not a big fan of Katie and the confused, "did someone just fart?" scrunched up face she always makes. This was a good move and they killed the character off too, so that's fantastic.
Caine, Freeman - Elder statesman that just make anything they are in better. And this movie is no exception.
Ledger - I was a believer in this guy after I saw Brokeback. Yes, I saw Brokeback Mountain...and I thought it was pretty damn good. Without Ledger, it would have been that queer cowboy movie. With him, it was a poignant, well-acted, legitimately moving (no, not down there) modern tale of forbidden love. The only other person I thought would have been great for the Joker was the always weird, always interesting Crispin Glover. So yeah...Ledger was a source of disappointment. But the disappointment came from the fact that he will never have a chance to reprise this role. I considered this the best movie villainy since Hopkins in his first turn as Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, even better than Bardem in No Country. The guy would come in screen, have you laughing at something ridiculous he's doing, then you'd start to get a little nervous, and before you know it, he's got a knife in someone's teeth and you're insides were in knots...waiting, dreading, but unable to turn away. He invoked a visceral reaction everytime he was on-screen. I don't know if this was a more difficult role than in Brokeback, but you had to remind yourself that Ledger was in the movie. As long as the character was on-screen, Heath Ledger did not exist...it was simply The Joker, personified. Brilliant performance, brilliant writing for the character, and it's a shame we won't get to see any more of the Joker or any more of Ledger.
The Directing/writing - again, Nolan continues to deliver. He's really put together an extremely impressive list of contemporary classics. And I like that he doesn't seem to work on the standard fare that the Academy seems to love, i.e. epics, period pieces, stories about the retarded. He just makes tense, thoughtful, engrossing movies and I'm really hope he's at the helm for the next Batman. He and Bale are really the Dynamic Duo.
Oh yes, please say no to Robin for the next one.
Best overall experience I've had in a long time at the movies. Overall, thought it was a fantastic, fun film - exactly what you want in a movie like this. If you were looking forsomething else, I have to ask - why so serious?
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