The Dark Knight

I already declare this the best movie of the year. Hands down.

After eagerly anticipating this movie since it's prequel, Batman Begins, arrived in theatres a few years ago, I must say that The Dark Knight does not disappoint. In fact, it even exceeded my expectations, and I was already sure that it was going to be really damn awesome.

Is this review biased? Definitely. After all, Batman is not only my favorite superhero, but I loved Batman Begins and absolutely adore Christian Bale. But don't worry. Everything I'm about to tell you is 100% true.

So the Batman saga returns with a deeper and darker agenda this time around. Director Christopher Nolan takes the tortured hero and throws him into a twister of complexity and chaos as he deals with external foes as well as internal woes. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) continues to find himself increasingly dealing with the troubles of being a superhero as his childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) finds a new beau in Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). To make matters much much worse though, even though crime has been deterred significantly, the Joker (the late Heath Ledger) shows up to turn things completely upside down, offering Batman a taste of evil unlike any other.

Indeed, the beauty of Nolan and Ledger's rendition of the Joker is that he is presented more as a symbol than as a simple villain. In line with tradition, the Joker elicits some chuckles and causes trouble, yes, a lot of it actually, but it's the surreal taste of sociopathic psychosis perfectly portrayed by Ledger that opposes Batman and everything he stands for. This Joker is driven by something incorporeal, and if I may quote him, he is a true "classic criminal." Unlike the plot of the first movie, this problem doesn't have a simple solution, and the dilemma goes beyond the surface and delves deep into the complexity of the human mind.

Things get even more complex with the transformation of Harvey Dent into Two-Face. While I expected it to happen, I had no idea his presence in The Dark Knight would play out as it did. Although it made things a little harder to follow at the end, it did introduce an entirely new moral aspect to the story, and even if it was a bit preachy, it was definitely deep.

But even if you're not into the pathos of a story, there's enough eye-candy to satisfy the average viewer. Stunning angles, boisterous Bat-vehicles, gliding between buildings and turning on walls, there's plenty of fancy action throughout. Oh and of course there are explosions galore.

The only problems I might have with the movie are the typical stupid things that the characters in movies do. For example, Rachel leaves the safety of Bruce's penthouse and Harvey knocks over a drum of oil that leads him to become you-know-what. But honestly, the numerous plot twists (naturally fed by the Joker's psychopathic personality) kept me on my feet and surprised the entire time. As the movie progressed, the mood became increasingly intense, and at the very end it was dark and beautiful at the same time. Bruce Wayne as Batman must play a more tragic role in his future, and the Joker has succeeded in showing him how alone he might be.

I'm not really sure how a sequel would work, but like the last movie it left off on a similar note, except instead of the idea that Bruce is creating his own category of enemies, he now has to deal with the dilemmas that reside within himself and his choices.

Anyway, in summary, this installment in the new Batman saga is definitely something to watch. It's much much darker, more intense, and even though it's a little too obvious with the morals the screenplay is enough to strike a person into awe. While the Batman veterans like Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman portray their characters with much talent, Heath Ledger delivers the performance of his lifetime and breathes life into the character that's been flattened all these years into a two-dimensional clown. Christopher Nolan has once again done it, bringing respect back to the Batman franchise with a film that is deeper, darker, more meaningful and so much more sensible. In fact, that's what I've personally always found attractive about this movie and its prequel, the fact that this isn't just some corny let's-make-money superhero movie. No, this is a movie that is authentic and profound.

Rating: 5/5

Picture copyright (c) Warner Bros., DC Comics, and anyone else involved...

WALL-E

This is going to be a terribly, terribly biased review, but what can I say? Pixar just knows how to make things work.

This time around, Pixar brings a love story to the big screen, beautifully bringing to life the adventure of a robot named WALL-E who travels into space to pursue EVE, a robot sent to earth with a top secret "Directive." What ensues is a simply glorious tale of love, perseverance, and the idea that perhaps the finest things in life are those that are right in front of us.

Indeed, compared to their other works, this film certainly contains heavier content. Beginning the story on what resembles a somewhat post-apocalyptic earth, the story continues to incorporate humorous but actually rather horrific possibilities for mankind's fate while toying with several end-of-the-world, pop culture references (note the pet cockroach in the teasers).

That aside, however, there's still plenty of humor delightfully sprinkled throughout the movie. In fact, while rather ironic, WALL-E's personality is human enough that the movie can mirror the ups and downs of human emotions themselves, causing us to frown at WALL-E's letdowns, smile at his curiosity, boo at his adversaries, and cheer for his determination. What makes this movie so beautiful though is WALL-E's pure simplicity as a robot, which somehow manages to expose the most basic nature of the human heart. Really, I would say the average audience member should be able to empathize with WALL-E's loneliness and then heartfelt fascination with EVE.

As for the other characters, EVE herself has a determined and fiery personality, and she and WALL-E are later accompanied by a team of "rogue robots," each with its own crazy character that just keeps the laughs rolling. (My personal favorite is M-O, the little cleaning robot.) The horribly obese Captain of the Axiom is also rather entertaining, and evokes plenty of chuckles as long as the viewer chooses to ignore just how bad his obesity really is.

Furthermore, apart from the aforementioned, the computer animation is outstanding, smooth, and flawless. I know I say that every time, but Pixar pioneers this state-of-the-art technology (always experimented with in their short films) in order to incorporate it into their feature films. And in this movie, the audience sees just how accomplished Pixar is as the studio takes its creations for the first time into space. Spaceships, stars, and galaxies galore, the detail and imagery is stunning, and as a Pixar fan, I love seeing how far the studio has come from its Toy Story days to today.

Overall though, WALL-E is a truly fantastic film that I really think only a person without a heart could not enjoy (sorry to that person). While the story delves into several humorous but actually very real issues, it still manages to present itself as a simple but unique love story that truly is like no other. While this movie is already unique due to its ability to tell a story with little dialogue and by relying on mostly music and character movements, it is outstanding because of its ability to show us what is beautiful in life. And it is that which makes it such a completely memorable and worthwhile film to watch.

In fact, I really don't even think I can rate this film. It's just too meaningful to be given a number. But if I must...

Rating: 5/5

Though if it made sense to, out of 5 I'd give it a 10.

Oh, and by the way, the short film in the beginning was absolutely hilarious too.

Picture copyright (C) Disney Pixar.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

For lack of a better word, this was definitely one of the most action-iest movies I've seen in a long time. And even though there were plenty of times Indy and his crew went through things no human being could possibly survive through, I must admit that it was pretty damn entertaining.

Now, I'm reviewing this as a general viewer, as I've never quite seen the original Indiana Jones movies so I don't know how this film compares with those original blockbusters. In fact, there were some references to past films that elicited light laughs from the audience, references I would never have gotten were my movie companion not an Indy fan herself.

As a general viewer, however, I thought the plot was pretty solid and the dialogue and visuals certainly very funny and very entertaining. While the story mixed legends with conspiracy theories (leading into a genre I'm not very fond of), I thought the writers did an excellent job of piecing things together and making the plot rather believable (to the extent conspiracy theories can be believed though of course). As for the dialogue and tone of the characters, their conversations with each other were hilarious. It wasn't anything too witty, but it certainly did have that old classic humor any viewer at any age would love. Also, the visuals sparked plenty of laughs themselves, and even when they didn't, they still proved fantastic eye candy, delicious and succulent and at times even over-the-top... but still in a good way of course.

The characters were lovable as always. Indy (the great Harrison Ford), with his trademark fedora and bullwhip, has still got that charm (not to mention stamina!) even though he's reached senior citizen status. According to my companion, his character is a bit different now that he's older, but good wine acquires better taste as it ages, and his attitude is still very appropriate and very himself. Can't say much about Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), but from what I've read she's still got that spunk and sunny smile that I can attest to seeing. The talented Shia LaBeouf makes another great appearance in film, this time as the hilarious but rather talented Mutt Williams, a boy who seeks out Indy on behalf of his mother. (Oh, and the rumors? Yeah, no surprise there.) The shape-shifting Cate Blanchett also plays Irina Spalko, the crazy Colonel-Doctor and main antagonist of this Indy movie who is relatively badass in her own right.

Anyway, to sum it up, it was a marvelous movie with fantastic special effects but the same old characters. The plot was solid and the humor abundant in this latest installment, sure to please nearly any moviegoer who is looking for a little adventure in their lives (or two hours of it at least). While my Indy-fan friends did enjoy it, I can't personally claim that fans of the originals will love it. But again, as a general viewer, it was a very satisfying movie that pleased both the eyes and the mind.

Oh, the barely-veiled, little moral-of-the-story line at the end was super-corny though. Other than that, it was pretty kickass.

Rating: 5/5

Picture copyright (c) Paramount Pictures (I think) and etc.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Even though this has been out for two weeks now...


I'll give you two circumstances under which you should see this film:

1) If you liked the first one AND can call yourself a fan.
2) If you're bored.

Why? Because honestly, it's a lot like the first movie. Too alike, and overall even worse. Whereas the first movie was actually rather exciting (in my opinion anyway), this one is lacking in many areas.

PLOT: While perhaps it's a bit more noble this time, the storyline still revolves around Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicholas Cage) and his attempt to clear his family name. A little boring, no? What was even more annoying though was that the FBI realizes there's something fishy going on with the antagonist, but the realization doesn't even matter. What's the point in having your integrity restored if no one is even there to help you?

STORY: As for the story itself, there really isn't anything special about it this time. By this point, the viewers are used to the characters finding and following little clues, and the movie fails to keep the audience on their toes (probably because its lacking the idea of a chase). Despite expanding to an international scale, it is only to a certain extent and the new scenery hardly offers anything truly exciting to the film. Furthermore, I've found that there's quite a lot of distractions in this movie. The actions scenes were a bit too much honestly, and I think the intensity of those few scenes is simply way too great for a movie like this. While it does make decent eye candy, one cannot help but think it pointless and overboard. Also, love between the main characters is okay, but extending that to the protagonist's parents? Actually, I take that back. The relationship between the main characters wasn't even sweet this time around (and like the rest of the movie fails to satisfy the viewer's questions and expectations).

CHARACTERS: Well, I do like the cast. I think they perform wonderfully with each other. Personally, I think Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) could have used a bit more screen time as I think the movie could have used a bit more humor, but I do like the cast when they're together. The villain isn't as fun this time around though. In fact, he invokes a bit of sympathy eventually, which really doesn't do the movie much good in the end.

THE END: Unsatisfying, I must say. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but honestly, there isn't much to spoil. While I wouldn't go as far to say that it's disappointing, it's hardly as exciting and heart-wrenching as the first movie. Riley gets a nice surprise at the end though.

Despite all these setbacks, however, I think this movie is entertaining enough for the bored moviegoer. It desperately lacks closure and the entire movie is laden with used but open-ended plot devices (and can I smell a sequel?), but if you don't care, then maybe this is the movie for you. All I can say is... just don't expect too much.

Rating: 3/5

Picture copyright (c) Disney and whoever else is involved.

Sweeney Todd

I am a sucker for musicals. And if you're like me, this isn't something you're going to want to miss.

Twisted plot. All-Star cast. Stellar singing. Stellar songs. And blood, blood, blood everywhere.

(Note: There's a reason why it's rated R.)

But unless you a person that will pass out from seeing large amounts of blood (which aside from the color does not even look remotely real), I wouldn't let it stop you from watching this excellent adaption by none other than Tim Burton himself.

The mood is gloriously dark, and there is quite a bit of contrast and parallelism between characters throughout the film. Aside from the bits of CG motion in the very beginning of the film (something I simply never liked), the movie was extremely well put together and the cinematography flowed beautifully.

The plot is magnificent itself. It is incredibly bloody obviously, but those with an appreciation for the macabre will take delight in this murderous musical. The killings are overly dramatic, I admit, however, it seems strangely appropriate for this grotesque story.

As for the cast, it is clear from the opening credits that the movie is dense with quality acting. Veterans such as Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett), Alan Rickman (Judge Turpin), and Timothy Spall (Beadle Bamford) portray their characters with ease and perfection, while other actors such as Jamie Campbell Bower (Anthony Hope), Laura Michelle Kelly (Beggar Woman), Jayne Wisener (Johanna), and Ed Sanders (Toby) make their noteworthy big screen debuts.

Despite not being professionally trained singers (with the exception of Laura Michelle Kelly), however, the entire cast executes their respective songs superbly. Disproving all criticism concerning the casting of the musical, all have surprisingly gorgeous voices, even Ed Sanders, who I would naturally assume is really quite young and inexperienced. Especially since Steven Sondheim's lyrics are so unique, for all the actors to have sang the songs with such emotion and beauty is a true accomplishment on their parts. Additionally, even the orchestral background music is full and fulfilling, complimenting the singing perfectly.

Holistically though, the story itself is certainly one to watch. Though I admit that I was worried that despite the excellent music and lavish display of blood, such a magnificent musical would lack a decent ending, I must say that the end is actually quite satisfying.

A macabre musical that is genius itself, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a must-see for musical lovers and [open-minded] moviegoers alike.

(I think I'm going to run out and get the soundtrack now too.)

Rating: 5/5

Picture copyright (c) Dreamworks/Paramount and WB.

The Simpsons Movie

Forget Barry Bonds. Here's the real Homer to watch for.

"Spider Pig. Spider Pig. Does whatever a Spider Pig does."

(Sorry for the delay, but friends always come first.)

So if you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend you get down to the movie theater quick and do so. Especially for Simpsons fans (though I'm sure you've all seen it by now), this isn't something you're going to want to miss.

Just imagine a typical Simpsons episode. Irrelevant start, Homer screwing up, dooming the town, and so on. Now, take that and blow it up to epic proportions, truly worthy of the movie screen! Sure, it's your same basic Simpsons, making pop culture references and classic trademark jokes here and there, but longer obviously and with a little bit more oomph. However, our favorite family hasn't gotten starstruck though. It's the Simpsons, bigger and better than ever before, but at the core it's still just The Simpsons, the way we've always loved them.

The script was highly clever, and the show managed to maintain its integrity and keep true to its trademark humor, free of crude jokes that other similar shows such as Family Guy make frequently. No, The Simpsons Movie upholds its classic, good-natured humor that many people have revered them for... with some surprises and added genius too.

And if you haven't seen it, I'm not going to spoil it for you, but the beginning really does start out with a bang. It's pure genius, and you'll absolutely love it (and the rest of the movie of course).

The animation was really nice too (an obvious upgrade from the usual drawings we're used to seeing on television), and clearly a lot of effort was put in (as you'll later discover if you choose to stay for the credits).

Even if you're not quite a fan of The Simpsons, I still highly recommend that you go see it. It's full of endless humor, so unless you've proclaimed yourself a Simpsons-hater for whatever legitimate reason I really do suggest that you give it a try. There's something to laugh at for everyone, and something for everyone to laugh at as well.

Rating: 5/5

Trailer:


Picture copyright (c) Matt Groening, 20th Century Fox, and whoever else...

Oklahoma!

The musical, that is.

WHERE: Smithtown Center of Performing Arts (2 E Main St.)
WHEN: 8PM Saturday (7/28) and 2PM Sunday (7/29)
COST: $15

So is it worth it?

A bunch of kids (in fact, it's comprised of only kids) prancing around on stage and singing in their high-pitched, undeveloped voices?

You'd be surprised. Who would have known there were kids so young who can sing so well?

Of course, they're not near Broadway level, but they're clearly on their way. The acting was pretty good, but there are obviously going to be difficulties with coordinating the voices of a group of kids ranging from ages 7 to 17. The older kids clearly have more control over their voices, which are pleasant enough to make your ears smile. As an ensemble though I thought they could use a bit more work, but their performance seemed to improve dramatically by the end sequence, as if they finally decided to concentrate on their intonation as a group.

Choreography was lacking however (though many of them are surprisingly quite agile and acrobatic). I suppose the sequences were supposed to imitate wild, spontaneous, Midwest hoedowns, but lack of timing and style hardly gets you moving like a well choreographed act. Nobody seemed to be following anyone, and it was that lack of synchronization that really dropped it down a level and turned the stage into a mere hodgepodge of color. Again though, since you're dealing with a group of people where the number of years of experience in dancing and other arts really does make a difference, it's difficult to judge.

The cast seemed well placed though. Everyone did an excellent job assuming their roles, and were well paired off. There was also this adorable little boy in blue that kicked really high and pranced around a lot, one of the perks to watching something featuring a bunch of younger kids. If you're looking for someone to watch for though, I'd go with Ali Hakim, not that you have a chance in hell of missing him. He doesn't have his own little song though, so if you want a really nice voice to listen to, I'd go with Curly (plus there's Dream Curly for the dance scene). There's also Jud, who was the only character with a complex enough persona to actually instill emotion within you, which he does rather well. If you're looking for a girl, there's Aunt Eller and Laurey. However, Aunt Eller doesn't have too many singing parts, and Laurey's voice isn't as pleasant when she reaches for the much higher pitches.

So overall, this comical love story was quite enjoyable and it's sure to make you laugh. If you haven't heard of it or don't know what it's about, you'd probably think it would be stupid, but quite honestly, I think this is something worth giving a try.

If you can't appreciate incompletely developed child talent though, then I wouldn't bother, for as a standard show I'd give it a 3/5. But given the situation, and the wide age range of all the young thespians, I think they all did a fabulous job of brushing the dust off this old Midwestern musical.

CONS: Young, partially inexperienced cast in both singing and dancing; slow first act

PROS: A few notable singers; somewhat catchy songs; you learn how to spell "Oklahoma"

Rating: 4/5

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Naturally, HP5 was bound to be exposed to a wide spectrum of criticism. I, however, would like to look at this from two different points of view...

AS A FAN: I thought they actually did a relatively good job of including all the important parts. Of course they've sliced up the book, but unlike other fans I can hardly say that they've "butchered" it. It's understandable that they've left so much out, especially with a book that was mainly filled with background information and character development, but to be completely honest, I thought all that filler made the book really boring and annoying in the first place. So I really do believe that there really isn't a reason to be upset. Since the scripts are approved by J.K. Rowling herself anyway, the movie definitely shows the most important bits, and while not as fluid as the book, it gets the job done.

AS A MOVIEGOER: I'm not quite sure if I would have enjoyed it as much were I not [somewhat] familiar with the books though. It's definitely a bit confusing, which is naturally a turnoff. However, the special effects and imagery were absolutely stunning, so if you're in the mood for a bit of nice eye candy I'd definitely go check it out. Director David Yates and the crew did an excellent job interpreting and bringing the fifth book to life, and I'd also like to compliment Composer Nicholas Hooper who adapted to the great John Williams's original score brilliantly. The actors were mostly wonderful as well. Kudos especially goes to Imelda Staunton (Professor Dolores Umbridge) who does an absolutely incredible job inciting hate while managing to remain uncomfortably unfazed, and Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) for recreating her character's insanity flawlessly. Old regulars like Alan Rickman (Professor Snape) were priceless as always, and though some of the kids could still use a bit of work, they're definitely improving (most of them anyway, though that's another, more personal story).

Anyway...

OVERALL: Well, to be honest, I wasn't really feeling these so-called passions these kids (or at least Harry) are supposed to be feeling. Although this is supposed to be the first book that really leads into the final installment, I still feel as if there could have been a bit more closure. Also, though the movie had a few great lines, the movie was also so fast-paced that some of the witticism was probably sent through the ears unheard and unappreciated. Anyway, it just didn't leave me with that "good-movie" feeling. Although it did successfully remind me of why and how much I loved Harry Potter a few years back, looking at it as a movie alone, I can only label it satisfactory, and nothing more.

Rating: 3/5

Picture copyright (c) J.K. Rowling/WB/whoever else is involved...

Ratatouille (Rat-a-too-ee)

Ratatouille est délicieux!

I really can't recall the last time I watched something so simultaneously hilarious and heart-warming. Sure, I may be a bit biased since I happen to love all Disney Pixar movies, but I really did find this quite enjoyable.

Even before the movie started, I was already in tears. Their trademark shorts are definitely pure genius. This short, titled "Lifted," revolves around a young alien who must demonstrate to a scrutinizing instructor his less-than-adept skills at a task (situation sound a bit familiar?), which is in this case abducting humans. Pure humor ensues that is really just spontaneous and fun, and even though at second glance, the humor is simple and even childish, Pixar really manages to pull it off and prove once again that sometimes, combined with the idea that life is man's greatest joke, some things never get old.

As for the feature presentation, I have not found a movie this delightful in ages. A story about a rat (Remy) who wants to be a chef is eccentric enough, but throw in an awkward, talentless boy (Alfredo Linguini... really) who needs the rat's help to cook and a creepy man (Skinner) and his determination to take over Chef Auguste Gusteau's famous restaurant, and you've got one crazy comedy with plenty of mishaps and chases to keep the audience entertained for a while. A tough female chef (Colette) and Remy's brother (Emile) appear as well, which helps keep things even more interesting. Also, since a lot of the humor is quite physical (ex: getting hit with a pan), you can keep your brain on summer mode and still enjoy it (which I would say makes it great for younger ones).

It's not just random humor though, and like all Disney Pixar movies there is always some underlying message, which is in this case, that one may pursue and become something regardless of where he or she comes from, something that really hits home when the restaurant is challenged once again by the harsh critic Anton Ego (who realized that he failed to put it out of business despite his first review).

Even from an artistic point of view, I thought that the animation was fluid and absolutely gorgeous. Kudos goes to the wonderful animators at Pixar, who accomplish new things with every movie.

Anyway, it really is quite heartfelt, and I highly recommend it. It's great for everyone! While I was there, the kids really seemed to enjoy it, and there were plenty of adults laughing their bums off too (which was actually sort of funny in itself). So go watch it. Even if you don't enjoy it, I guarantee you'll have plenty of laughs.

To sum it up, Ratatouille is simply delectable.

Rating: 5/5

Picture copyright (c) Disney Pixar.