It’s a choice: why Superman still

I miss my youth.

One of my first and most favorite memories are of watching the Christopher Reeve “Superman” series of movies. The era of their release, 1978-1987, was a pretty optimistic time for the USA, and for the Western world. Reeve’s embodiment of this incorruptible force for right was a revelation, even if the movies weren’t all great. Superman as a pop culture icon reached a new level.

Today, we act differently. Many people find it hard to trust, and the goodwill that seemed more common 25 years ago seems to be nearly impossible to find. I have heard rumblings throughout the comic book community that suggest that Superman is too old fashioned. I hear people crying out for a Batman, a darker hero who will take out the scary men in the shadows.

This is simply the OPPOSITE of true.

As much as I love Batman as a character, if we lose what Superman brings to the table, then our culture weakens. Superman COULD enslave the world, but because of the values he learned growing up on a Kansas farm, he wants to help. He WANTS to keep humanity from the abyss. He wants to try to make us better, because he knows that in doing so, he makes HIMSELF better.

Since I was about 6, I have had a real connection with the Superman character. That was when I found out that I was adopted. I remember trying to understand the concept. Once it all set in, I realized that I was like Clark: born to people I would never know, but raised by people who loved me and wanted to teach me right. I may not have grown up on a farm – unless tree farms count – but I did grow up in a town not unlike Smallville.  I would have nothing to feel good about if I had not absorbed the values my parents worked so hard to impart. I owe everything to them, and I will always be grateful.

The notion of someone choosing to do good will never be an antiquated one. In one of my favorite movies, “The Iron Giant,” the title character is told “you are who you choose to be.” The choice that the giant makes both inspires and breaks the heart.

As Superman’s story is retold for another generation, it seens to me that the story NEEDS to be retold for today’s kids. We will never be beyond choosing to help others. The capacity to move past our selfish natures is crucial to our society holding together. We should all aspire to be Superman. We should believe that the least of us can fly, as long as the rest of us try to help them lift off.

Avengers v. Batman: the pointless debate

Pardon me while I step onto my soapbox.

Fanboys, as I have said before, are an irritating bunch. I’m not talking about myself or others like me. I’m talking about the ones who, upon seeing a newly released still from a film, say things like “That costume f*%#ing sucks! This movie blows!” This same group likes to flop between liking or hating particular movies, directors, actors, etc. because they think it’s “cool” at the moment. These fanboys are currently blowing up an argument over whether just-released “The Avengers” is better than the upcoming “The Dark Knight Rises.” This debate is beyond ridiculous. I’m sorry, but that’s a lot like saying, “This Five Guys Burger is better than that Prime Rib.” Do you see where I’m going with this? The two are not similar.

Just to be clear, I’m not completely biased toward “The Dark Knight Rises.” if you know me at all, you know my passion for Batman, as well as my love for the first two Christopher Nolan movies. I really respect what Marvel has accomplished with their recent movies, though. I have enjoyed all of the movies leading up to “The Avengers,” and the payoff was worth it. The finale of “The Avengers” felt like a fitting reward for sticking around since “Iron Man” first teased this culmination of superhero powerhouses. I have to say, though, that the Avengers hype is well out of hand. Marvel fanboys are already touting it as the “best superhero/comic book movie ever.” I think that this is a huge exaggeration. “The Avengers” has some great dialogue and character interaction, but the first hour or so of the movie is pretty boring. The middle act plays out awkwardly. As I mentioned earlier, the final battle was the best part. In my opinion, as a 30+ year reader of comic books, I would put Avengers behind “Superman: The Movie,” “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” and “X-Men: First Class,” if we were to rank comic book superhero adaptations. I would even put the first “Spider-Man” on par with it.(Don’t get me started on how overrated “Spider-Man 2” is.)

Having said all of that, I want to make clear that I’m not comparing these movies to each other. I’m simply rating them on how true to their source material they are, and how closely the characters on screen match their comic book counterparts. I maintain that the goal in making “The Avengers” is much different than the goal in making “The Dark Knight Rises.” This idea of Marvel vs. DC is preposterous. The films in the Avengers series play out like classic single-issue comics. Nolan’s Batman saga is structured like a classical drama. Does it verge on melodrama? Yes…deliciously so. So far in the Dark Knight series, we have a first act that is all exposition, with a middle act that is all rising action. The third act has the difficult job of bringing the story to its best conclusion. No matter what the quality will be, I think that the film that Nolan and company will deliver will be a far, far cry from the type of movie that “The Avengers” is. You know what? THAT’S OKAY.

See you in July. The fire rises.

“The Dark Knight Rises” promises to be the epic conclusion that the trilogy deserves!

If you know me, even a little, you know that I have waited for few things more than I have waited for my first glimpse of the concluding entry in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Last night, it happened. I’ll break it down for you. Spoilers ahead…

The WB and Legendary logos appear in front of the blue flame from “The Dark Knight.”

Camera pans up quickly across the surface of buildings.

A title card reads “Every hero has a journey.”

Ra’s Al Ghul is heard in voiceover reciting the following from “Batman Begins:” “If you make yourself more than just a man…”

A shot from “Begins” of Bruce Wayne walking toward the village.

Title card: “every journey has an end.”

Ra’s: “If you devote yourself to an ideal, then you become more than a man.”

Shot from “Begins” of Bruce surrounded by bats in the cave.

Title card: From Christopher Nolan.

Ra’s: “A legend, Mr. Wayne. A legend.”

Shot from “The Dark Knight” of the Bat-Pod driving away from the camera.

Shot of Commissioner Gordon laying on his side in a hospital gown, holding an oxygen mask: “We were in this together…then you were gone.”

Shot from TDK of Gordon smashing the Bat Signal.

Another shot panning up the side of buildings, reaching to the sky.

Back to Gordon in hospital. “Now this evil…rises…” Shot of a man (Bane?) climbing out of a pit of some kind.

Gordon: “The Batman…has to come back…”

A shot of someone doing pushups.

Wayne/Batman(offscreen): “What if he doesn’t exist anymore?”

Gordon: “He must.” Blurry image.

Gordon (emphatically): “He must.”

Close on Bane’s face.

Camera pan reveals Batman logo amid tops of crumbling buidlings. Camera pushes into light. Screen whites out. Black letters: The Dark Knight Rises.

Massive chanting is heard in the background. Shot of Batman staggering backward and to the right, looking scared and winded. Bane moves aggressively into the left side of the frame.

Title card: The epic conclusion of the Dark Knight legend. Summer 2012.

What do I think? I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t expect this. I think that putting Gordon in harm’s way is brilliant. It’s been done before, sure. But if Batman has gone into seclusion, what better way to draw him back out? I like the idea that Bruce seems scared. This Batman has never been equalled physically. To pit him against someone that could potentially kill him is a fantastic and logical way to raise the stakes.

We know virtually nothing at this point. I would like to try to keep it that way. You know, like we used to do it before the interwebs…

Bane revealed!

Today, Warner Bros. Pictures published the first official photo from Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Below, you’ll see Tom Hardy as Bane, Batman’s most physically challenging enemy. As I expected, the Lucha Libre look is gone. In its place is a more practical mask, and by the looks of it, it feeds Bane’s trademark venom into his mouth or his sinus cavities. The super-cynical Fanboy crowd are already drawing comparisons to TMNT baddie shredder, but I promise you that Bane will be a more than worthy foe. I’m officially excited!

NEWS: Bane and Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises!!!!

FINALLY!!!! I’ve been waiting to hear who the villains might be in “The Dark Knight Rises” for what seems like forever. Tom Hardy will be playing Bane, and Anne Hathaway will be Selina Kyle. This is all per a press release from Warner Bros. itself, so it’s official! My thoughts…

How do you follow up the fantastically imposing threat presented by Heath Ledger’s Joker? To me, not with the Riddler. DEFINITELY not with the Penguin! Bane presents a real physical challenge, and he is linked to Bruce Wayne’s past. Bane brings the potential for great action AND story to this film. As for the Anne Hathaway news… I don’t really love the Selina Kyle character, but I do like Hathaway. I think she’s talented, pretty, and charming. Notice that the press release doesn’t mention Catwoman. She may just be a love interest. Let’s see…

This thing has potential. Now, if they will just announce that they’re gonna shoot at least some exteriors in Chicago…

The Dark Knight Rises – possible casting news

Unsubstantiated reports suggest that Charlize Theron is up for the role of Detective Sarah Essen in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Essen was a central character in Frank Miller’s “Batman: Year One” graphic novel and later in the regular Batman comic series. Jim Gordon and Sarah Essen fall in love and eventually get married. Vera Farmiga is said to be under consideration for the role of Julie Madison, Bruce Wayne’s fiancée whom he never marries. Julie Madison appeared in the earliest Detective Comics stories, circa 1939-1940.

I think that this is great news. Both of these ladies are very engaging and would be well cast in these roles! Now who is Hardy playing???

Batman 3 has a name!!! And NO Riddler!!!

This is the kind of news that makes me extremely happy. I have been a huge Batman fan for most of my life. I feel that Nolan’s first two Batman films are on par with Batman: The Animated Series as the greatest interpretations of Batman and his world outside of comic book form. Today, I learned that the title of Nolan’s third Batman film will be The Dark Knight Rises. This is a logical title to me. The end of The Dark Knight saw Batman accept the burden of blame for Harvey Dent’s crimes. In doing so, only then did he become “The Dark Knight.” There is nowhere for Batman to go but up. I feel Nolan will go for an optimistic, hopeful feeling similar to what he left us with at the end of “Batman Begins,” but with a more certain feeling that Batman will emerge as Gotham’s true hero. There will be a sense that he won’t need to shoulder an unnecessary and untrue burden to keep the flame of hope alive in his city. He will rise, establishing his resilience as a character. At least that’s my hope/prediction/speculation.

The news also came out today that The Riddler is not the villain. I’m so elated to know this. I personally don’t like the character, and I think it would have made for a boring movie. Tom Hardy is already cast, and I’m hoping he will play Bane. To force Batman to face and suffer defeat at the hands of a physically unstoppable opponent would give room for a more triumphant return and resolution.

My only other hope for this movie is that they shoot at least part of it in Chicago. I selfishly want to be an extra. Let’s just hope…

*update – Regular Nolan film-scorer Hans Zimmer is again doing the music. No word on James Newton Howard’s involvement.

Nolan-ites, rejoice!..maybe…

For those of us who can’t wait to see how Christopher Nolan will follow “The Dark Knight,” his grand crime opera, it seems we have something to look forward to. Tom Hardy, last seen as Eames in Nolan’s excellent “Inception,” has been cast in the final chapter of the Batman trilogy. No one is saying who exactly Hardy is playing, but it doesn’t matter. Nolan packs his films with fantastic actors, and gets great results from doing so. In addition to Bale, Ledger, Neeson, Oldman, Eckhardt, Caine, and Gyllenhaal, supporting players like Watanabe as the Ra’s stand-in/Ubu, Murphy as Scarecrow, and Wilkinson as Falcone have added greatly to the first two Bat-stories. According to , Hardy has been cast in a lead role. This could be the much-speculated villain, the Riddler, or another character. Who knows what Nolan has up his sleeve.

**Afterthought – Hardy would be physically right for Bane. This would be a great way to wrap the trilogy, in my very humble opinion.

On the downside, it seems that Warner Bros. wants to film in New Orleans. This saddens me, as Chicago has stood in for Gotham City very well throughout the first two movies. If it were up to Nolan, I’m sure he would film largely in Chicago. I hope that the production still ends up here at some point.

One last thing: for those of you who are speculating that Killer Croc is the villain based on the New Orleans locale, I say this: stop. Think. Would Croc work in the Nolan-verse? I say no. Additionally, I don’t think they’re going to set the film in New Orleans. They’re just filming there, probably to save money more than any other reason.

Until we hear more… keep the signal in the sky!

Re-Incepted: my second screening of the much-hyped flick

If you read my stuff regularly, then you know that I was chomping at the bit to see “Inception” again while it was still in theaters. On August 29th, 5 days after my birthday, I got my wish. Hollywood Blvd, a favorite theater of mine, sends out a pass for birthdays that’s good for free admission for up to eight people. We had 5: my girl Samee; her mom, Mary; Samee’s sister, Erica; Erica’s friend Mike; and, of course, myself. If you’ve never been, the great thing about Hollywood Blvd. is that they do full food service while you watch the movie. Said service is typically first rate. On this day, unfortunately, our waitress was nearly incompetent. Our drinks didn’t come. In fact, I had to track down another waitress to retrieve them. We weren’t asked if we wanted free refills OR dessert. Again, I had to track someone down. To top it all off, the waitress never brought change. Had I not asked for said change on my way out, she would have had a $10 tip for lousy service. Even this, though, could not ruin my experience with Inception: round 2!

The fun of the second viewing for me was in trying to see little details that I hadn’t seen the first time, while enjoying the things that had impressed me before. Honestly, though, I got so caught up in the experience that I didn’t always remember to look for new things. The actors all commit to the material in a way that made me want to follow their individual and collective journeys, even though I knew their outcomes. If anything, I questioned the motives of Cobb (DiCaprio) more in this viewing. He seemed to me to be more of a protagonist by default this time around. He has the capability of throwing anyone under the bus if it means he can see his kids again. The only reason that Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) has avoided this is because he reads Cobb like a book. The tension in their professional relationship is partly there because Arthur could potentially be a more efficient team leader than Cobb, and Cobb is threatened by this knowledge. Ariadne acts as a sort of conscience to Cobb, right down to forcing him to confront the projection of Mal in limbo. I didn’t fully appreciate her role in the overall plot the first time. And while Eames (Tom Hardy) isn’t crucial to Cobb’s story, I had forgotten what a brilliant character he is and how well Hardy brings him to life.

Nolan’s eye for an evocative image is certainly no less present here. I found myself staring in awe at many of the wide shots. His DP, Wally Pfister, knows how to frame gorgeous shots, as evidenced in many of Nolan’s films. It’s obvious here as well, with the snow scenes being an obvious standout. The filming angles in the anti-gravity scenes are also stunning.

For me, the bottom line is this: Inception entertains me. It engages me mentally. I enjoy the hell out of it. I doubt that it’s actually as deep as some people want it to be, but who am I to say? I love it. It’s a new classic and I will likely buy the DVD on the day of its release so that I may watch it many more times.

Also, the pizza was delicious.

http://www.atriptothemovies.com

The GoaT Roundup: summer movies 2010

At the outset, this summer seemed like it would be
disappointing. Now that essentially all of the major films have
been released, I can safely say that such was not the case for
me…at least not like I had expected. Action movies on the whole
left much to be desired, but there were a few overall bright spots.
I’m going to move through my summer favorites chronologically. Iron
Man 2 – this sequel is less deep and meaningful than the original,
but tons of fun nonetheless. Downey again portrays a nearly perfect
Tony Stark, as the story begins to hint at his alcoholism. Sam
Rockwell is appropriately slimy as Stark’s business rival, and
Mickey Rourke is very good as whiplash. And Scarlett
Johansen…………………….what was I saying? Errr… Don
Cheadle slips into the role of Jim Rhodes with no issues. Samuel L.
Jackson is mildly annoying as Nick Fury. The climax is tense and
mindblowing, and the setup for the upcoming Avengers movie is not
subtle, but exciting to anyone who ever enjoyed reading a Marvel
comic. Toy Story 3 – Woody, Buzz, and friends are given a beautiful
swan song in this funny, clever, deeply sad, and incredibly
touching tale of toys whose owner has grown up. In parts inspired
by One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, this movie is yet another
example of Pixar’s knack for delivering new variations on timeless
themes. Be ready for an emotional rollercoaster. Despicable Me – As
far as plots go, this one is fairly unique: a supervillain decides
to adopt three orphaned sisters in order to use them in his plot to
defeat his rival, but becomes unexpectedly attached to the girls
once they move in and get under his skin. Steve Carell is Gru, said
supervillain. Russell Brand is his assistant, Dr. Nefario. Neither
are recognizable, and both are quite hilarious in this unexpectedly
funny film that doesn’t add over-sentimental drivel and maintains
its light tone essentially throughout. Inception – My thoughts on
this movie are pretty clear. The interesting thing about this movie
is the polarizing effect it seems to have. People seem to really
get into it, or be lukewarm about it. It’s still my favorite this
summer, but only slightly ahead of… Scott Pilgrim vs. The World –
While this movie will not be for everyone, those who are of the
approriate era will appreciate the pop-culture pastiche that is
assembled here. Mostly a visually overcharged action movie, Scott
Pilgrim is also about getting comfortable in one’s own skin and
accepting oneself. Those who love Michael Cera will really enjoy
him here; those who hate him had best skip this one. Lots of
quotable moments and sharp supporting turns make this good film
great, along with a fun, overloaded soundtrack! Well, that’s it for
now. I’m hoping that the fall will bring some exciting
stuff…we’ll see!