Week 3 of 52 - the great movie experiment continues!

This week was a curious mix of comedy, superhero movies, animation and Foreign gems.  It's almost become routine to watch a movie a day now, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it.  Remember to click follow while you're here and get updates when they're ready.  Some great recommendations this week, check it out.

January 15th - X-Men

Long before Batman Begins, Spiderman or Iron Man came along, there was Bryan Singer's X-Men.  This was before Comic book movies had built in mass audiences, and Batman & Robin had seemingly killed off any desire of the movie going public to see them again any time soon.  An unknown Aussie was cast as the iconic Wolverine, Shakespearean Thesps such as Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart were cast as Magneto and Professor X.  The trailers slowly came out, and anticipation started to build.  This could be the real deal.  A $50 million dollar opening weekend later, and suddenly Superhero movies were cool again.  This was no over the top, colourful kids movie.  X Men was dark, dealt with the holocaust and themes of acceptance.  It was a comic book movie made for adults, with the merchandising and toylines an afterthought instead of a priority.  A standout movie at the time, it's still an entertaining flick.  But the bar has been raised since and it may not be quite as good as you remember.  It seems to me that just as it was getting started, the movie ended.  X2 picks up beautifully and is clearly a superior movie (will make it my movie of the day soon), but there is no doubt of the important role that the original X-Men movie played.

7/10

January 16th - The Inbetweeners Movie

I've never been into The Inbetweeners.  I caught one or two episodes and it always seemed to me to be trying too hard to be shocking and disgusting.  Maybe I was just unlucky.  There's always a time for disgusting humour, hell the Farrelly Brothers have made a career out of it.  But the episodes I saw were just cringeworthy and not particularly funny.  That being said, I caught the trailer to this a few weeks ago and wondered if you would have needed to be a fan to enjoy it.  It turns out, you could come to this as a newbie like me and still enjoy it.  The plot is the simplest in the world.  Four friends from school all go off on a lads holiday in search of 'clunge' (that's women to you and me).  And that's pretty much it.  But it's always about the characters, and although The Inbetweeners are all cliched characters (thick one who's good with ladies, bragger who isn't, geek and the one who always wants to have a girlfriend), it's their friendship that comes across as genuine.  It's a rites of passage movie, an American Pie for the Brits.  And it's also disgusting and funny in equal measures.  It doesn't always work, but if you don't laugh at the Headmaster's speech as the start, then I'm afraid you're a little dead inside.

7/10

January 17th - Jumper

An original superhero movie, not based on an existing comic book, but based on a book and adapted by one of the writers of X-Men 2?  Where do I sign?  Unfortunately, this is a movie where the ideas are fantastic, some of them are well executed, but it all just feels so underwhelming and undercooked.  Hayden Christensen is actually on good form here (calm down Star Wars geeks, he's not that bad an actor!) as the cocky Jumper of the title.  All he has to do is picture a place, and boom, he's there.  Some of the imagery is fantastic, from standing on the clock hands of Big Ben to lunching on the top of The Sphinx.  The only regret he's ever had is an unfulfilled crush from his childhood (isn't there always a girl?), so he goes off in search of her.  At the same time, there are agents who are out to punish those who have this ability, citing that 'only god should have the power to be everywhere at once'.  It's almost as if that line was written specifically for Samuel L. Jackson, as he chews the scenery as one of those agents.  There are a couple of good action sequences, and the discovery of another Jumper who's played by Billy Elliot.  There are hints at a bigger war and also mysterious family ties to this ability.  But again, like X-Men, it seems to end just as it's getting going.  The movie is only 85 minutes long, and you can't help but feel that another half hour of this would improve the movie dramatically.  Well, that, or a sequel.

6/10

January 18th - Hot Shots Part Deux

Remember when Charlie Sheen was more known for being a movie star, with a range from dramatic to comedic, and not just a cheap punchline on Twitter?  Don't get me wrong, I like many others, watched on intrigued by his very public meltdown.  But here is a reminder of why he was once a highly bankable actor.  Admittedly, Hot Shots Part Deux hasn't aged that well.  The last time I watched it was years ago, and I remember it being side splittingly funny.  And while that isn't the case anymore, there is still some fun to be had here, especially with Lloyd Bridges President Tug Benson.  For similar movies I'd probably go with the Naked Gun movies now.  Altogether now - 'I loved you in Wall Street!'

6/10

January 19th - Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

How's that for a movie title?  I first came across this movie as it was heavily advertised in DC Comics for the last few weeks.  Being a creature of impulse I saw it was £6.99 on Amazon for the blu ray and just ordered it.  So glad that I did.  This is part of the Cine Asia label, that is collecting the works of Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li amongst others, and giving them a bit of spit and polish for Western blu ray audiences.  These are unfortunately not movies that you will see inheriting your local multiplex.  And that is such a shame as there is more inventiveness, innovation and breathtaking beauty in these movies than 95% of Hollywood's output.  Detective Dee is set in 9th Century China, as they are about to inaugurate their first Empress.  A series of murders start to occur, and even though he has been imprisoned for 8 years, there is no-one better than Detective Dee to investigate the case.  Think of Sherlock Holmes meets Bruce Lee and you're almost there.  The action is superb, the cinematography exquisite and it is funny as well.  Highly recommended.  Brilliantly bonkers filmmaking and the standout movie of the week.

9/10

January 20th - Batman: Year One

This is an odd title to review.  The graphic novel by Frank Miller is iconic, and this sticks very closely to it.  The animation is very good, and Bryan Cranston is perfect for Lieutenant James Gordon.  But it just doesn't quite work.  For one, having Ryan from The OC voicing Bruce Wayne / Batman is such an idiotic choice it's not even funny.  And it all just feels so unnecessary.  Batman Begins took a lot of inspiration from the graphic novel, and as a movie interpretation of the beginnings of The Dark Knight, Nolan's movie is pretty much the benchmark.  Batman: Year One covers the first year of Batman, as Bruce Wayne returns from over 15 years in exile.  In the comics, having the time and date jump around is pretty standard.  In a movie, it's pretty jarring and some scenes are mere seconds long.  As I say, it's a pretty faithful adaptation.  But what works in comics, doesn't always translate well to the screen.  Buy the graphic novel instead.

6/10

January 21st - Horrible Bosses

I actually caught this at the cinema.  At the time, I was really looking forward to it being a fan of Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey and Colin Farrell.  I'll admit, I was pretty underwhelmed.  There were bits and pieces that were funny but it just wasn't as good as I expected.  So I approached a repeat viewing with a bit more caution.  And although it wasn't amazing, it certainly held up.  The story is basically three guys who would like to kill their bosses but don't want to spend 25 to life in jail.  So they trade murders and go about trying to make them look like accidents.  As I say, there is some fun to be had with the movie, but in places it feels like a missed opportunity.  It needed more of Colin Farrell's scumbag boss, more of 'Motherfucka' Jones and maybe a bit less of trying to show everyone Rachel from Friends swearing and talking dirty.  This is funny to a point, but I think they take it a bit far as it was probably their best marketing tool.  As I say, above average but there are certainly better comedies out there.

6/10 

And there you have it, week 3 done and dusted.  Next week I have Shame, They Live and Woochi: The Demon Slayer (another from my new favourite label Cine Asia) lined up.  May finally get round to watching Warrior as well!  As I say, remember to click follow and I'll see you here next week!

Until next time...........

The great 365 day (actually 366, damn leap year) movie experiment continues!

So week 2 begins.  I have indeed kept up to date with a movie a day.  The only day where it became a struggle was after the 14 hour shift from hell on Saturday.  Luckily, Ghostbusters will help me through any funk!  I was also made aware during the week that this is in fact a leap year, therefore adding one extra movie to the slate.  Just my luck!  Any suggestions for February 29th?  Best I've heard so far is Groundhog Day, feel free to top it.  Just know that if you suggest the sh*tty rom-com that is in fact called Leap Year, you're no longer welcome to view my blog!

Anyway, to the movies!

January 8th - 50/50


Anyone who has kept up to date with my blog will know I'm a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  He consistently makes interesting movie choices and has been in some of my favourites from the last few years - Brick, (500) Days of Summer and Inception to name but a few.  Seth Rogen? Pretty much the opposite.  I tend to avoid any movie he's in as he essentially just plays his role from Knocked Up Every. Single.  Time.  And Knocked Up wasn't even that great!  But here, they make perfect best friends, dealing with Gordon-Levitt's character developing cancer. It's a strange balance the movie has to keep between humour and serious subject matter, but it just about manages it.  It's also a movie with a lot of hope and an ending that will warm the heart.  Just don't go into it believing that this is along the same lines as Superbad.  It's much better than that.  Definitely recommend you check this out.

8/10


January 9 - Rear Window


My birthday?  Only one movie was ever going to be watched and that is Alfred Hitchcock's greatest cinematic achievement - 1954's Rear Window. The poster hangs proudly framed on my wall.  It astounds me that this movie was made nearly 60 years ago.  Back in a time where special effects were not the be all and end all of movie making. When the script was the most important aspect of any movie.  When Hitch was at the height of his creative powers.  James Stewart was the most bankable movie star on the planet, and Grace Kelly the most beautiful.  There is not a single wasted frame, a single wasted line.  Everything is just perfect.  This is my go to movie whatever the occasion.  It follows James Stewart's photographer, who after getting a little too close to the action at a racing circuit, is confined to a wheelchair with nothing to do but 'look out the window at the neighbours all day'.  Naturally his mind wanders and he suspects one of them has killed his wife.  As well as that there's the lonely woman a few floors down, a newly married couple to his left, a composer struggling with his latest composition to his right, and the biggest danger of all, a girlfriend who wants to tie him down.  I really cannot recommend this movie enough.  It has hidden depths yet is deceptively playful.  Perfection.

10/10

January 10th - Up in the Air


This is a movie I've been wanting to catch for a while. I didn't even let the fact that the man responsible for making the atrocity that is 'Juno' directed this.  Highly acclaimed, rewarded at the Oscars and it has George Clooney headlining.  Personally I think it's unfair that a man as cool and good looking as George Clooney exists, but he is the definition of a movie star.  And it is he who carries this movie.  It is about a man who travels around America for 330 days a year, firing people from large companies and helping them through this transitional period of their lives.  He is so good at it, that he actually is able to make it sound like he is doing you a favour.  This all changes when his company modernises the way they can do their jobs, by firing people over skype and therefore saving themselves the thousands upon thousands of dollars they spend sending their employees in person.  To a man who can fit his life 'into a backpack', this is not good news.  He has no family close by, no wife or girlfriend and the most minimalist of apartments.  It all changes, as ever, when he falls for a woman...I found this movie to be very uneven.  The first half, dealing with this lifestyle and how good he is at living it, is almost playful and light.  Then he goes home for a while and it changes into something else.  Then he finds out the truth about the woman he has fallen for.  Then the company changes their stance again and is going to send agents out on the road.  It just switches focus and tone a few too many times for my liking.  I enjoyed it to a degree, but certainly wouldn't be in a rush to watch it again.

6/10

January 11th - The Bourne Supremacy


Part 2 of The Bourne Trilogy.  And these movies really do just get better as they go along.  Paul Greengrass, director of United 93, had come on board to direct this installment and this is where it finds its groove.  Bourne is living in India, off the grid, with his girlfriend Marie.  He still suffers from crippling flashbacks as he tries to piece his life together from before he was shot.  But he is doing so peacefully and staying far away from Treadstone.  All this changes when Marie is shot and killed and Bourne is framed for a botched CIA operation in which agents were killed.  Bourne sets out to find out what really happened, and find who killed Marie.  Along the way he also discovers the details of the flashbacks he's been having of his first ever operation.  The action here is fantastic, the story layered and intelligent and the ending strangely poetic yet perfectly fitting for a movie within this genre.  It's actually surprising that it's a route that has never been taken before.  Suffice to say that once I watched this, Ultimatum was not going to be far behind......ps I don't really think the Bourne movies are anything like the Bond movies, I just thought this was a perfect cartoon drawing of Matt Damon!

9/10

Day 12 - After the Sunset


Well, it had to happen somewhere. There had to be a stinker along the way.  I really should have known when the words directed by Brett 'The Hack' Ratner (to give him his full name) popped up on screen, that I was in for a logic free zone, a continually poor attempt at humor (almost always from a homophobic standpoint where two men even being close to each other is supposed to be funny) and a mercifully short running time as ideas where thin on the ground.  It all stinks of 'we're Hollywood, let's just get money and fly to paradise and make up a movie as we go along'.  The worst thing is that the idea is pretty solid. Most heist movies end with the big score, this one starts with it, and then asks the question - 'what next?'.  In a perfect world, this could have been a sequel to The Thomas Crown Affair, with Pierce Brosnan reprising his role, and a bit of grace and intelligence brought to the table.  And certainly a better director.  As I say, decent ideas, poorly executed.  The mark below is almost just for Salma Hayek being in an assortment of bikini's for the whole movie.  About the only thing Brett Ratner got right.

3/10

Day 13 - The Bourne Ulimatum


After the movie that I'd had to endure the day before, I needed to have my faith in movies re-established.  Look no further than the concluding chapter in the Bourne Trilogy.  I know they're currently making another Bourne movie, 'The Bourne Legacy' with Jeremy Renner.  I'll reservce judgement until I know more.  But at least it won't have Matt Damon in it and therefore this can remain an almost perfect trilogy.  Bourne still hasn't put all the pieces back together in his life. He is having more crippling flashbacks of how this all began.  A high ranking CIA official is out to sell company secrets, holding talks with a prominent Guardian journalist.  Suffice to say, deep cover teams are assigned to take him out. But Bourne would like to question him before they can, and hopefully learn the truth about himself.  The structure of these movies is interesting.  As they move forward, they actually go backwards in Bournes story.  1st movie - Last assignment.  2nd movie - 1st assignment.  3rd movie - How it all began.  Again the action is superb, a hand to hand fight scene my personal highlight.  But the script is just so clever and full of ideas and that elusive thing for most Hollywood scriptwriters - logic.  Best movie trilogy of all time?  It's certainly in with a shout.

10/10

January 14th - Ghostbusters


A 14 hour shift on my first day back to work after a weeks holiday.  Over 500 people served during those 14 hours.  I was tired, and just glad to be home.  I needed a pick me up, something easy to watch but damn enjoyable and worthwhile at the same time.  Enter the perfect storm of Ghostbusters.  This is a movie that is so revered because of it's 80's roots, and the perfect cast.  If this was made today with state of the art effects and a cast of people like Seth Rogen, McLovin and Brett Ratner directing, it would be awful to behold. Luckily they got it perfect the first time and this timeless property should never have to be remade. Following three scientists who study the paranormal, they decide to go into business for themselves when the university they are working in cuts off their funding.  Sensing this is a unique and lucrative market, they set themselves up as the Ghostbusters.  Perfect timing too, as all the ghouls want to come out to play in New York City.  Bill Murray of course, steals the show, but this is a collaborative effort with the script, direction and acting all just jiving to the letter.  Altogether now - 'It's true your honour.  This man has no dick.' Best putdown ever?  May be hard to beat.

10/10

And there it is - week 2 down, only 50 more + change to go!  Next week I have The Inbetweeners movie, Warrior, Shame and X-Men on my slate.

Remember to click follow on my blog at the side.  Let me know I'm actually writing this for an audience of some kind!

Until next time........

The Great 365 day movie experiment!

I always have trouble coming up with New Years Resolutions.  I don't smoke.  I don't want to drink less.  I don't want to go running 5 times a week.  But on New Years Day this year I finally came up with a good one for a movie lover like me - Watch a movie a day.

It's not going to be easy.  On January 3rd I had to watch a movie after a 14 hour shift.  Went for Blade Runner as that is a movie that has no problem holding my attention.  There may be days I'm not in the mood, but I'll soldier on and go for a movie with a shorter running time!

January 1st - The Bourne Identity

The first part of Jason Bourne's story.  This is a trilogy with no weak links, and is one of my favourite trilogies ever made.  It may even be the best, though Lord of The Rings, Back to the Future and Toy Story may have something to say about that! The Bourne Identity follow's Matt Damon's amnesiac spy, as he desperately tries to piece his life back together after he is found unconscious in the water with two bullets in his back. The story takes him from Marseille to Zurich finally ending up in Paris.  This is a cut above your average thriller, with an intelligent script and great performances.  It gave Matt Damon a new lease of life and made James Bond up his game.  A great standalone movie which is made even better when watched with the movies that follow them.

9/10

January 2nd - Drive

Along with The Tree of Life, Drive was my favourite movie of last year.  It's just so effortlessly cool.  From the performances, to the soundtrack and direction.  Everything is note perfect and it just washes over you as you watch it.  What I think is great about it is that it could have succeeded just as much by following any of the plot threads.  It could have been a sports movie about the Driver's Nascar career.  It could have been one heist after another as his driving skills were showcased.  It could have been a simple romantic movie where the protagonist has a dark secret.  Instead they made a realistic Superhero movie with the Driver being indestructible in protecting a woman and her son.  Any justice and this would be sniffing around the Oscars. But they don't tend to reward movies that have the main character stomping a man's head into pulp.  But they should do.....

10/10

January 3rd - Blade Runner

Forget Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey or E.T., Blade Runner is THE definitive Science Fiction movie.  It features Harrison Ford's best ever performance as Rick Deckard (Given that this man played Han Solo and Indiana Jones, this is no small compliment).  Deckard is a 'Blade Runner', a bounty hunter who specialises in 'retiring' replicants.  Several of these replicants have escaped from a mining colony, and have integrated themselves in human society.  Given they are human in appearance, right down to the fact they sweat, they are very hard to target.  Deckard is on the case.  But is he human or a replicant himself? What does it even mean to be human?  Is it showing compassion like the last replicant shows to Deckard?  Are all of our memories real or can they be injected?  Does that make them any less real to that individual?  Blade Runner asks some big questions, all the while being a damn entertaining and visually stunning movie.  Science fiction just doesn't get any better.  Though I would argue it has been matched since with Inception...

10/10


January 4th - Rocky IV

And I followed one 10/10 movie with another.  Albeit a very different beast!  I make no apology for my love of Rocky IV ie Rocky single handedly defeats Communism!  This movie, better than any other I think, defines the 80's.  Black and White heroes and villains.  Big heavy synth soundtrack.  Pro America messages.  Montages.  Passionate speeches about doing the right thing.  It has it all.  It's just one of those movies that gets your blood pumping.  You know Rocky is going to win but that doesn't matter.  It wears its heart on its sleeve.  This is the kind of movie they just don't make anymore.  Rocky Balboa was actually a great attempt at recapturing former glories, but it was never going to match this highpoint.


10/10

January 5th - The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

This was the first movie I tackled that I hadn't seen before.  I've actually owned it for quite a while as I'm a big fan of Tommy Lee Jones, but I just never got round to watching it.  Turns out, it was a gem of a movie just waiting to be discovered.  The story follows an old ranch hand played by Jones.  He is befriended by an illegal immigrant, who is then killed in a tragic shooting accident by the local authorities.  It is covered up and as no-one really knew Estrada, they bury him quickly and hope the whole mess will just blow over.  Jones finds out, digs up the body and kidnaps the killer.  He wants him to help escort the body back to Mexico, so that Estrada can be buried in his village.  It's a very old fashioned piece and that is one of its strengths.  It echoes the work of John Ford.  It is exquisitely shot, the vistas of Texas and Mexico appearing stunningly beautiful, especially on blu ray.  Makes me wish that Tommy Lee Jones would direct a bit more.

9/10

January 6th - Closer

Otherwise known as the movie where Natalie Portman plays a stripper.  It's a very 'grown up' movie for lack of a better phrase.  It deals with intertwining relationships in modern day London. The dialogue is at turns witty and laced with vitriol.  There is genuine hatred between characters and it can be pretty brutal about relationships.  It also has the benefit of having a scene where Clive Owen tells Julia Roberts to 'Fuck off and die', something we've all wanted to say for inflicting Mona Lisa Smile on the world.  It's a pretty good movie, though I would have loved to have seen the play on which it was based.  Might work better within that environment.  But still, it's probably Jude Law's best ever performance, and also Julia Roberts.  But be warned, it's not a movie to watch with your mother!  The Anti-Rom Com.

8/10


January 7th - Chinatown


An undisputed classic.  This is one of the finest movies ever made, in any genre.  Jack Nicholson has never been better (Though his performance in The Shining does come close).  Roman Polanski was at the height of his powers, and Robert Towne's script remains the template for budding scriptwriters (like me!).  It's set in pre war Los Angeles, as Nicholson plays Jake Gittes, a private investigator.  He is hired by Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband, who she suspects of cheating on her.  The further down the rabbit hole Gittes goes, you just know he's not going to come out clean.  Polanski apparently had a huge run in with the Towne, who wanted to change the films now iconic ending for a happier resolution.  Years later, Towne admitted he was wrong.  Note perfect filmmaking.

10/10

And there you have it.  Week 1 complete!  On my slate for the next week I have M:I 4 on IMAX, Warrior and Bourne Supremacy amongst others.

Until next time.........

The Dark Knight Rises trailer - broken down by a fanboy......

 
Before you continue reading, please watch this....



Okay, done?  HELLS YEAH!

I know I'm a fanboy of Batman.  I think he is the greatest character ever created, in any medium be it fiction, comic books, movies or tv shows.  He has no super powers, no ability to fly, be invisible, or turn green with rage.  What he does possess, is an unbreakable desire to protect the citizens of Gotham city.  To make sure that the pain he felt when his parents were so desperately taken from him, will never have to be endured by anyone else.  With an indeterminable wealth, he scoured the globe, allowed the best people to teach him how to fight, how to protect himself, how to make himself appear to be 'more than just a man'.  In the world of comics, there are no two better writers than Grant Morrison and Scott Synder for who Batman is and what he means to the modern world.  I highly recommend you pick up whatever editions are available by these two formidable writers.



But before that, it was Frank Miller and Alan Moore who resurrected the Dark Knight.  Made him 'more than just a costumed superhero'.  The Batman tv series in the 60's, for all it's cheese and poorly written lines, is fondly remembered.  Who can forget the shark repellant spray built into Batman's utility belt?  But it was a joke Batman.  It had no depth, no relatability and was just pure popcorn.  It was Moore and Miller who decided it could be more.

Frank Miller wrote The Dark Knight Returns and Batman Year One, Alan Moore wrote The Killing Joke.  Both were outstanding pieces of fiction, and rejuvenated the comic book industry as much as it did the character of Batman himself.  This led to the character becoming popular again, and with it a movie was born.  Batman (1989) was a good movie.  Not a great one, but it was for a long time, along with Richard Donner's Superman, the defining comic book movie.  Looking back, Jack Nicholson's Joker is the best thing about the movie.  Not Batman, not Bruce Wayne, but The Joker.  The pattern however was set.  The sequels that followed were always about which villain was going to be introduced.  Batman Returns?  Michelle Pfeiffer's sexy Catwoman stole the show.  Batman Forever?  The turn of Jim Carrey's The Riddler.  Batman and Robin?  Well...er...let's just pretend it doesn't exist.

With Batman and Robin killing the franchise for almost 10 years, it was left to a English filmmaker to bring back an American icon.  Who was cast?  A Welsh man.  Slowly but silently, a major cast was assembled.  Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine (Again all British or Irish actors).  The pieces started to fall into place and Christopher Nolan made one of the best decisions he ever did.  He focused on Bruce Wayne, and how he came to be Batman.  Watch the movie again, and you'll see that Batman doesn't appear until almost an hour into the movie.  This was as much about the man as it was the myth.

With Batman Begins proving to be a success (as much on DVD as it was at the Box Office), The Dark Knight was greenlit.  Heath Ledger was announced as The Joker.  Everyone raged.  They thought there was no way he could capture one of the most iconic villains of all time.  'Bring back Jack Nicholson' believe it or not was amongst the cries.  Well, we all know what happened next.  A billion dollar box office and an unfortunately posthumous Oscar later, and suddenly Ledger's Joker was more revered than the great Jack Nicholson's.  But again, watch the movie, and you'll see The Joker is only in it for 30 minutes in total.  It was very much Bruce Wayne / Batman's movie.

Which leads us to The Dark Knight Rises.  The first teaser trailer was launched six months ago, and now we have a proper trailer to analyse.  But this is where Nolan is clever.  I only watch the official trailers like this, and no iPhone recorded footage, because in Nolan we trust.  Go back and watch the trailer for Inception.  I went into the movie pumped, and yet for 30 minutes, I was still unclear what it was about.  The Dark Knight?  There's no footage from the last hour of the movie.  Nolan understands that some of us still like to discover the movie in the theatre as it's playing, and not have every single plot twist and story beat spoon fed to us in the trailer.

And again, he pulls it off.  Here's my own breakdown, though I'm sure I've missed some things.

The trailer begins with the American National Anthem being sung over some other footage.  Very foreboding, and I love the shot of Bane rising from the depths as the personification of innocence, a small boy, sings his heart out.

As the camera pans over the crowd, a few people are holding up signs.  One of them spells out Rogues, the name of the Gotham football team team.  Look at 'R', looks a bit like the Robin symbol.  Reading too much or a cute nod to the comics?  Or a hint we may see the Caped Crusader take on a partner during the movie?

This leads to Alfred talking.  As he does, a figure approaches a silver dish, using a cane to support himself.  Some speculation has Ra's Al Ghul returning (Did we see him die in Batman Begins?), but my guess is it's Bruce Wayne.  Nolan has already stated that Batman is going to get hurt in this movie.  Bad.  Alfred's dialogue about not being able to protect Bruce would certainly support this.  Even as Alfred says this, we see Bruce, and he looks like a defeated man.

Then we hear people talk about how this is a time of peace not war, as Commisioner Gordon takes the stage.  This appears to be taking place outside of Wayne Manor.  Did Bruce pay for this?  Does he want Gordon to step down, knowing what he's sacrificed to get Gotham into a state of peace?

There are pictures of Harvey Dent behind Gordon as he is about to speak.  Did Dent's death galvanize the city in the same way as Bruce's parents deaths did 30 years previously?  Is Bane about to expose the truth of what actually happened to Dent, sparking the mass riots and civil unrest glimpsed further into the trailer?

Which leads to my favourite shot of the trailer.  As the speeches go on down below, it looks like the shadow of Bruce up high on Wayne Manor.  He remains the man in the shadows, never seeking the plaudits or adulation.  But with the overlaying music, it appears that he's solemn.  What has he had to give up in order to help Gotham get to where it is?

Then we have Bruce go into a ballroom, with Hathaway's Selina Kyle talking over the top about how it will all not last.  About how the rich are about to find out that nothing good lasts forever.  Bruce dances with Selina as she talks (a nod to Batman Returns?), and is left appearing broken, almost fearful  that she is right, and that it's only a matter of time.  Does he possess the same desire to step up again?

'A storm coming' - definitely in the form of Bane.  Hardy looks menacing in every shot he is in this trailer.  He walks up to you, you know something bad is going to happen.  The Joker was always going to challenge Batman's mind, but Bane is going to challenge him physically and based on the footage in the trailer, even Batman cannot compete with this monster.

'You and your friends better baton down the hatches' - who is Selina referring to?  Bruce Wayne's allies?  Or Batman's?

We then have rioter's looting the rich.  A nod to our own reality with the London riots?  The shot of the man, fearing for his life, cowering under a set of drawers only to be pulled out by force is a frightening possibilty.  At first, I wondered if it was Alfred!

As Selina walks away, look at Bruce.  Obvious grey streaks have appeared in his hair.  He is less confident.  Nolan has stated this takes place 8 years after The Dark Knight, what has he had to sacrifice in that timeframe?  Hunted by the police, blamed for Dent's death, it all has to take it's toll.

Prisoners then march out of a destroyed gate, Bane awaiting them.  Is this like the Knightfall comic series which ends with Bane breaking Batman's back, leaving him paralysed and his spirit broken?  Is he breaking inmates out of Arkham and forcing Batman to exhaust himself taking them all down?  And will he then pounce on Batman when he is weak and weary?

Bruce then appears to be in some sort of prison and sporting a beard.  Is he undercover?  Has Bruce been arrested for something?  Has Batman been caught and his identity revealed?  Seems like a foreign prison of some kind.

Then our one money shot.  A football player runs with the ball as the ground swallows up all of those who are behind him.  Awe inspiring stuff.  Note that the players name is Ward.  Another hint that Robin could be in this movie? (Burt Ward played Robin in the tv series).

'When Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to die' - The one line Bane speaks in the trailer.  And he appears to be saying it to Bruce, not Batman.  In the comics, Bane works out Batman's identity and targets Bruce himself.  Does he know?  And also, 'you have my permission to die'.  Does this mean he is going to break Batman, let him watch his city be destroyed, and then kill him?  Cold blooded bastard, and exactly the kind of adversary Batman needs.

Then the trailer settles into a montage of shots.  Marion Coilltard is briefly glimpsed.  The official character list has her as Miranda Tate, a woman who works for Wayne Industries.  But speculation leads to her being Talia Al Ghul.  Bruce leans on a cane as he smiles at her.  How badly has he been beaten?

A man in a suit in freefall.  Must be Bruce, some sort of danger appearing at the party.

Batman holding some sort of ray gun?  He needed his sonar device to track The Joker in The Dark Knight, is this what he needs to challenge Bane?

A massive truck charges through Batmobiles.  But these are not black but camouflaged.  Has Bruce donated the design to the police?  The army?

Men descending down what appears to be the well that Bruce fell down as a child.  Are they going to attack Batman in the Batcave having learned his identity?

A quick shot of Joseph Gordon Levitt, brandishing a shotgun, backing off.  Officially he's playing a cop.  Speculation has it he could become Robin.

A quick money shot as Bane approaches Batman on the steps of Gotham courthouse as a massive riot engulfs them.  The most notable thing about this is that it takes place in broad daylight.  Batman has always been a creature of the shadows.  A spook story.  Does he even really exist or did the media just make him up?  By showing up in broad daylight, he loses the shock factor about his appearance.  Again, are these the lengths he has to go to to challenge Bane?

And then, my second favourite shot of the trailer.  The Batwing?!?  This does not look like anything out of the comics, nor the earlier movies.  This looks state of the art and akin to a flying Batmobile from Nolan's movies.  It appears to be behind a fleet of camouflaged Batmobiles.  This means war, just how extreme has Bane gone?

And then THAT music builds to a crescendo, leading into the line THE LEGEND....ENDS.  Will Nolan do the unthinkable and kill Batman?  Leave his legacy as what Gotham needs to thrive?

Who knows?  I'm sure I've missed plenty, but this is why Nolan is so clever.  He shows you a lot, but nothing at the same time.  If you catch anything else, feel free to comment below.

But one thing is clear, this trailer seems to be one of the most talked about current events of today, in any media or newsform.  If this doesn't tell how big this movie is, nothing will.

Until next time...........

IN NOLAN WE TRUST.

Californication is almost back........

In the space of a day, I find out there's a movie on the way of one of my favourite shows, and then I catch a trailer for the new season of one of my other favourite shows.  Californication is a guilty pleasure.  It has the depth of a puddle and a misogynist asshole as the lead, but he's our misogynist asshole and a damn fine writer, so we let him away with it.  Check out the trailer for the new season, starting the day before my birthday.........



Until next time........

24 movie? The clock is now ticking..............

24 remains one of my favourite TV shows of all time.  In fact, I'm currently watching through the very much underrated 2nd season (just say the words 'Kim' and 'cougars' to know why many a fan doesn't rate this season).

Before I went to LA to study, me and my brother attempted to watch one entire season in real time, choosing season 4.  It remains one of my fondest memories.  We set ourselves the target of a bottle of beer an episode.  The first 5 or 6 episodes seemed to drag as we would finish the beers 10 minutes into them.  By episode 11/12, it was a case of downing the beers in the last few minutes of the episode.  It became a struggle.  But we made it in the end, and my bond with 24 was complete.

Season 5 I was able to enjoy whilst I was living in LA, looking forward to a new episode every monday, live on Fox.  This was when 24 was at it's peak.  There was constant fanboy debates about whether 24 or Lost was the better show.  Kiefer was always doing interviews.  And season 5 ruled the Emmys that year.  It was, without a doubt, my favourite season as it had Charles Logan in it, simultaneously one of the most gutless but interesting characters in all of 24's history.

Season 6 turned out to be a major disappointment for many, but for me, seasons 7 and 8 rank among some of the best of the entire shows run.  This was probably, in part, due to the shows relocation, to Washington and New York, respectively.  The last ten episodes of season 8 were outstanding, Jack finally completing his transformation into the ultimate badass, as he had nothing left to lose in his life.  The return of Logan into these episodes undoubtedly helped, and when Jack Bauer disappeared from that satellite view, to run off into the sunset, it seemed that 24 would ride off into the sunset with him.

There had been murmurings of a movie for a long time, but for me, the best opportunity would have been when 24 was at its zenith in popularity and critical acclaim.  But it looks like we may be getting another fix of the mighty Bauer after all.

20th Century Fox has assigned studio fave Mark Bomback (UNSTOPPABLE, LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD and Len Wiseman's TOTAL RECALL) to map out Jack Bauer's peril-fraught two hours.  I haven't seen Unstoppable but I dug the hell out of Die Hard 4, and good things are being reported about the remake of Total Recall (smartly, they've went in a different direction from Arnie's take on Philip K. Dick's short story).

According to Deadline, Fox expects to have a filmable draft by the end of the year, which will then allow them to cast and crew up in anticipation of an April start. There's no word yet on which of our favorite characters will be reunited/resurrected for this big-screen jaunt. A director has yet to be attached, but it won't be Tony Scott (as was previously rumored).

My choice?  If you can't get an A-list director of Michael Bay standard, then give it to one of the series director's, as 24 always had a big screen look.  As long as Jack's back, it'll be all good.  Oh, and the movie better begin like this, just to remind us who the terrorists will be fucking with...........




Until next time........

Dark Knight Rises set pictures.......

I have to admit I've been very good when it comes to The Dark Knight Rises spoilers.  I like to be surprised when a movie comes out.  I don't like to pre judge it simply based on out of context pictures or videos.  This week, Christopher Nolan and crew have been shooting on the streets of New York and the internet has been bombarded with pictures, eye witness reports and videos.  Videos?  Not for me.  Spoiler on set reports?  Not interested.  A few leaked pictures displaying what looks to be an escalating action sequence in snowy weather?  Hey, I'm only human.  There's nothing spoilery below, but it's enough to continue to get me excited for next years best movie (TM).......

And just in case you've been living under a rock, here's the only trailer released so far, though we're to believe there will be a new one either before Sherlock Holmes (WB angle) or Mission Impossible (IMAX angle).

Until next time......