MOVIE REVIEW - THE DARK KNIGHT

This summer has been full of comic book heroes and not so comic book, but heroes, hitting the big screen. And when I say ‘hitting the big screen’, I mean bringing it so hard to the silver screen your popcorn jumps out of your hand.

Case in point, THE DARK KNIGHT. Yes, everyone and their mother have heard that this sequel to BATMAN is something to behold. And the reasons are simple. First off, let’s talk about the late Heath Ledger’s phenomenal turn as a psychotic Joker. I know I am not making any huge leaps by saying that Ledger made some really interesting and strong choices as an actor in this role, playing the Joker as a man whose brain is as chillingly screwed up as Alex in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. I feel like Alex and Cruella Deville got together for one night of lust and all of a sudden The Joker pops out, full grown and ready for mayhem. There has been much talk about a posthumous Oscar nod to Ledger, and in my opinion, he totally deserves it.

Now with so many acting props being given to Ledger for playing The Joker so perfectly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the rest of the cast were lackluster, but to my surprise, Christian Bale played a good mature, confidant, and almost cocky Bruce Wayne. His Batman, however, I have an issue with. Now when I first saw BATMAN RETURNS, I thought this is a definite upgrade from George Clooney. And then I heard him talk. Allow me to lay this out for you. I understand that Batman is a mysterious man who has to have a raspy voice, but this time around, the raspy is walking a fine line between acceptable and ridiculous. And honestly, with his mouth breathing and open bite talking, I could barely keep my palm from constantly smacking myself in the forehead and eye long enough to hear Bale speak in his rubber suit. And Maggie Gyllenhaal, although a GREAT improvement as Rachel Dawes when compared to Katie Holmes, really needs to stand up straight. And saying lines with a little more emotion to make me care about her would have helped, but hey, this movie is more about the man in the rubber suit, right? Yes, I am that judgmental.

I have to admit one of my favorite things about this film is that it tells an incredibly fun story with great stunts, practical stunts! I am a fan of action and love great stunt choreography, and was smiling from ear to ear during the Bat Pod sequence. Why this particular scene, you ask? Honestly, this is one of the most magnificent scenes because it isn’t CG, it’s a stunt guy, riding a motorcycle through a building, all shot extremely well. Real stunts like that inspire a certain adrenaline rush in me…when I first started watching movies, most action scenes were done for real, with stunt men. Seeing this being done in THE DARK KNIGHT was like remembering a first kiss was, or holding the hand of that guy in 7^th grade I had a huge crush on. It was that good.

And the goods don’t stop there; Christopher Nolan did great jobs with the Director and Screenwriter hat. The story keeps you interested with its twists and turns, and Nolan isn’t shy about exacting the right emotion in the right location for a certain scene. Two of my favorite movies in recent years have been MEMENTO and THE PRESTIGE, so with those movies under his belt, you know to expect more than just a comic book movie for the sake of satisfying a comic book fan, you know you’re in for a full story, and no doubt this movie delivers it.

And although it has taken me a few weeks to post this review (do I really need to with everyone saying how good it is?) I did see it at the midnight showing, the night it opened. Yes I am one of those. I hope you don’t mind.

MOVIE REVIEW - Wanted

I know, I haven't stopped talking about this movie, but I really liked it.

And...Let's just get this out of the way. A fraternity of assassins who take a 'nobody', open up his pandora's box of killing, turning him into a 'somebody' with gore all over the place doesn't exactly send a great message to the audience, but we go to the movies to lose ourselves, not judge our psyches. Otherwise, I'd probably be institutionalized by now, and only allowed to read Judy Blume books.

'Wanted' is a movie that is bloody, action-packed and chock full of great performances by both James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie. Russian director, Timur Bekmambetov, of both 'Day Watch' and 'Night Watch' fame, makes his first big budget American blockbuster exactly that, a blockbuster movie brimming with amazing special effects, seamless action sequences, a pretty solid story, and big name actors.

James McAvoy stars as your run of the mill office drone who becomes “wanted” when he hooks up with Angelina Jolie’s character, Fox - and in six weeks flat, he’s transformed from a pencil pusher into a deadly assassin - this is every guy's fantasy right? And while it might seem odd that the producers didn’t cast a 6-foot tall, barrel-chested Adonis in the lead role, the movie stays true to the original graphic novel and McAvoy does a bang up job. Watching McAvoy morph physically and mentally on-screen is fascinating. This is also the sexiest and deadliest role I’ve ever seen Angelina Jolie play. Though I could watch her read the yellow pages and be enthralled. And while the film’s plot has a number of twists and turns that make the story compelling, the real stars of the film are its special effects. With bullets bending, rippling through the air, heart-thumping choreographed car chases and fight scenes, this movie surpasses all my expectations.

MOVIE REVIEW - Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D!

Any movie that requires its viewers to wear unflattering eyewear makes me a little suspicious. Which is why I wasn’t expecting to like 'Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D' but I did. ‘Journey’ is a loose adaptation of the Jules Verne novel of the same name.

The story centers around a geologist, played by Brendan Fraser, his nephew and their mountain guide – and they all go off in search of Fraser’s missing brother. After a rockslide, they are thrust into a heart-stopping underground adventure where treacherous falls and prehistoric monsters lurk around every corner. Their only hope for escape is to use Jules Verne’s novel as their roadmap to ascend from the world of mayhem they’ve just plunged into.

No, this isn’t the most inventive storyline and a number of scenes lean towards children’s movie, but if you give it a chance it will surprise you. The acting, led by a boyishly charming Frazer, is solid. Director Eric Brevig, who served as visual effects supervisor on many action films, is a good fit for an effects heavy movie. Plus the plot twists come partnered with 3-D technology, giving this movie it's POP.

As much as I hate the cliché of saying that a movie is a thrill ride, I have to say, this movie is a thrill ride. I was on the edge of my seat and even got a little queasy during the much promoted cart sequence. And just a warning, if you’re afraid of heights, you may want to stick with the 2-D version of this flick. I speak from experience.

Now I'm not saying this film isn't cheesy, but it happily embraces it and has a lot of fun doing so. This movie is surprisingly funny, family friendly, and is an exciting ride into a dark and dangerous fantasy world for adults and kids. Bottom line: I walked out thinking it’s as good or better than any theme park ride. I say see it, especially if you can find it in 3-D. And yes, the 3-D glasses will make you look like a giant dork, but everyone else will too.

My girls

What do my girlfriends look lik? Well from this pic, if they look like ladies shotgunning a beer so we can head out to dinner, then you'd be right! This weekend has been funfilled days of girl talk, bonding, food and drink. Now we're all headed to palm springs where we will be sunning ourselves and I will blog from there!

American Alligator

He's totally thinking 'b!tch, you're lucky there's 4 inches of glass between us.'
Sent via Chi-Lan's gold nuggetBerry