Anchorhead

With God as my witness;  Early this morning, while I was out in the front yard, a group of about five crows landed in my neighbor's tree.  They made quite a ruckus for a few minutes and then flew away.  They aren't common this deep into the city.  I see them maybe once a year.  I should have taken it as a sign.  ;-)

(Mild spoilers)

Got back from The Dark Knight Rises about an hour ago.  I was pleasantly surprised.  In fact, very pleasantly surprised.  All my concerns of bloated story, too many main characters, scene chewing, etc were all for nothing.  Bane as a character and as an on-screen presence was pulled back, as was Selina Kyle. They're handled very well, particularly Selina.  They add to the story, as opposed to smothering it the way the Joker did in Dark Knight. 

Selina's character and story were interesting and nicely done.  I found her engaging - and not just for her incredible physical beauty.  *swoon*  Her character was someone I wanted to know more about and see more of.  Great stuff all the way around from Selina\Hathaway. The film left me wanting more of her, which I think is a sign of a great portrayal.

It's largely a Bruce Wayne story and I was fine with that.  The action was fine, but I enjoyed the cerebral portions more.  Some of the darkness was back, which was also a welcome change.

Really dug the tie-back to Batman Begins.  It felt like part of the first film much more so than DK did.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt was outstanding.  I loved the nod that he was Robin the whole time, without actually being the traditional Robin. He was Bruce's partner, without a costume.  Fucking genius.

I also loved the ending.  Great on all counts.  They leave it all up to your imagination and I thank them for that.  I also dug how Selina is with Bruce, but nothing is made of it.  Truthfully, if you're not paying close attention, you could miss her.  I also loved how she was completely unaware of anything at the restaurant.  Again - superbly handled.

Gentleman, and ladies of the board - I was wrong.  And I'm quite happy about it.  I'll see it again and I'll have the DVD as soon as it's available. 

TV's Frink said:

Big ups to my wife for sending me here:

http://mckaylaisnotimpressed.tumblr.com/

ALLOL

Saw a few on there a few days ago that I thought were very clever. 

She's not impressed with the killing of Bin Laden.

She's not impressed with Mars.  Love the shadow.

Bingo and Gaffer,  I totally missed your bee posts.  Nicely done on both. 

[off-topic]
Speaking of which, I have a feral colony in my yard that I'll be removing later this year.  Pics when I do.  Gigantic.  It'll be an all-day task. 
[/off-topic]

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Dark-Knight-Rises-Now-that-we-know-the-cast/post/586741/#TopicPost586741

Well, that's exactly what's happening.  ;-)  Tomorrow is a 9-80 Friday for me.  My Batman\007 nerd friend called me today and we're going to the matinee showing.

Review sometime this weekend.

Cold heated orb that rules the night

Removes the colors from our site

Red is grey and yellow white

But we decide which is right

A tip of the cap, Mr. Bolt. Nicely done.

http://olympics.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/usain_bolt_stops_during_live_interview_to_acknowledge_us_national_anthem_video/11390599

Gaffer Tape said:

Hmm.  The 22nd from the left.

Nicely done, sir.  ;-)

I'm a life-long 007 nerd (since 1973).  I won't bore the board with my 007ness because it would take too long.  I am also a member of a 007 board - http://commanderbond.net/   I seldom post on their boards (no camaraderie, too many name-takers), but I do use it for all my 007 information. 

I saw the trailer for a trailer thread over there.  Lame.

none said:

The US broadcaster NBC is facing growing criticism after editing their delayed coverage of the London 2012 opening ceremony to replace the "memorial wall" tribute section with a Ryan Seacrest interview with Michael Phelps.

 

I'll say this much regarding the Olympics.  NBC is the worst, by far, when it comes to "presenting" the Olympics.  It is so sterilized, packaged and produced, the "live" broadcast is nothing more than a DVD commemorative presentation.  Fucking maddening to watch.

Got up to make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and damn missed the Bond portion.  *%#@!

These folks might be able to help.

http://forum.rebelscum.com/forum.php?s=7db9a58a40aeb059073f179250f8f40f

Bingowings said:

Jar Jar Binks : Lust For Glory

Man,  that one works on title alone.  ;-)

Cobra Kai said:

ok, so I guess I missed something.  I'm relatively new here, though.

I didn't want to derail the thread.  You can search around for various posts over the years if you're interested.  The short version -  I've seen Jedi twice, Phantom once, none of the SEs, nor the last two movies.

I last watched Star Wars77 six years ago, Empire80 about 15 years ago.  I'm an EU person.

When I was a kid, the theater sometimes had some low-volume background music playing in the partially lit theater.  When the lights went down, a few trailers, then the film.  There was one constant throughout the 70s for me.  I've probably seen this bumper 200 times;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F_tv1XNoCc

It's a totally different experience in the theaters of today.  Man, you're bombarded with commercials and TV previews prior to the film, then 5 or 6 trailers at ear-piercing volume, then the movie.  The seats are more comfortable these days though.  ;-)

On topic;

I don't think I've ever been to a movie where there was a short shown first.

Cobra Kai said:

Anchorhead said:

 

The stills I've seen from the last two films look like they just went full-on kids' cartoon for him - flipping around, twirling lightsaber. 

 

So, you never saw the last two?

Apparently we haven't been properly introduced.  ;-)

I did not.

darth_ender said:

1. No offense intended to anyone

 

 

2. This is a site filled with armchair movie critics, the overanalytical and the oversaturated.

Pick one.

rabscuttle1 said:

I like TPM, but ...

Hold it right there!!

The phone was ringing, I'm back.   Now, where were we?

;-)

On topic;  I liked the way he was presented in Empire.  To me, he worked perfectly as the voice of the past.  He lost his mystical, wise old soul feeling in Phantom.  The stills I've seen from the last two films look like they just went full-on kids' cartoon for him - flipping around, twirling lightsaber.  It would be hard to undo that much damage to the character, even with Zahn at the helm.

captainsolo said:

I saw Memento, because it's one of those movies that everyone raves about in film school. Aside from the single  story gag, there is nothing of any resonance. It is slow, dull, tepid and genuinely uninteresting like every other Nolan film that I have seen save for Begins which must have been a fluke or something and Inception which I still have not seen and thus must continue to be ignored...;)

I would have to say that's exactly where I am on all things Nolan.  I just don't get the cult following.  Your mention of how "everyone raves about in film school" reminds me of other instances where things can take on a cult status with people blindly following without questioning (Apple products).

My Batman\007 nerd friend is like that.  In his mind, Nolan is on par with Spielberg, Kubrick, Scorsese, Howard, Hitchcock, etc.  If Nolan makes a film, it's automatically phenomenal - months before it's even released.  To me, it borders on The Emperor's New Clothes.  

Because I liked Batman Begins so much, I decided to give other Nolan films a look.  Other than The Dark Knight, I've yet to make it more than 15 minutes or so with any of them.  Way too much convoluted story - every time out.  It's like he films his entire idea & thought process for a film, without ever bothering to reduce it or fine tune it. 

I found Inception to be particularly unpleasant.  I lost interest almost immediately.  I felt like I'd seen it all before.  It came dangerously close to being an ad for the software they used for the CGI,  a la The Matrix.  Sometimes less is more.

Anyway, I'll end up seeing this (cable or theater) because it's Batman and I'm a huge fan of the character since the 60s.  However, after barely making it through Dark Knight, I don't expect much.

bkev said:

I'm disappointed Anchorhead thinks this is a movie that can wait til the home release, I usually really enjoy hearing his perspective on movies.

I work a schedule called a 9\80 - every other Friday off.  Pretty common these days in corporate.  It allows me some nice movie\shopping\whatever time when those types of places are less crowded. 

I have a Batman\007 nerd buddy who went to see it opening night.  He didn't offer up an opinion or any spoilers because he'll probably want me to go see it with him on one of 9\80 days.  If I do that, you guys know I'll be right on here with a review.

In the interest of disclosure; I've perused a few spoilers because I don't have an emotional interest in this film. Villain\Catwoman\Robin\ the endless will he or wont he retire\etc\etc\etc.  I still might go, but I'm going in tainted.  Might be pleasantly surprised, might be just what I expected (too much of everything).  Either way, I'll give an honest opinion if I go.

Now - we get a Skyfall thread going and I'm all over it.  That's a franchise I've been very involved in for 40 years. Uber-nerd comes to mind.  I've been a Batman nerd for even longer, but Batman is such a contaminated entity that I've reduced it down to only what interests me and let the rest go or ignored it outright, much the same way I have Star Wars.

Warbler said:

I've decided to see "The Dark Knight Rise"  tonight

Warb, I think I'm most interested in your opinion of the film.  You sometimes have some surprising takes on sequels.  When I think you won't dig something, you do.  When I think you will, you swear it off as non-existent. 

Since I don't plan on seeing it in the theater, I'll just wait until cable.  Dark Knight was, for me, a weird mix of worn out from pre-release hype - eventually followed by disappointing story and film.  It's looking like Batman Begins and Batman89 are it for me.  Ultimately I'll probably end up buying Dark Knight just for the Chicago scenes (love that city).

Anyway, I expect your take to be interesting either way.

43 years ago today.  It was a very big deal and a truly magical time to be a kid, particularly here in Houston.

Excellent points Bingo. I hope my thoughts didn't come across as a call for any type of censorship - they aren't that at all.  I just hope it was the type of random nutjob you mention,  as opposed to a carefully researched plan.  I hope he picked last night to crack because he just happened to pick last night. My rant was more of a frustration.

It would be even more reassuring (as inappropriate as that might sound, given the circumstances) if he wasn't even sure which film he was walking in through the exit of.  I'd hate for this to lead to any type of artistic suppression.  The handling of how art is presented should be left to the potential viewers.   

If this thing snowballs, or worse, has copycatters - we might have a TSA sort of entrance to theaters.  If that's the case, I'll be getting that 60" plasma after all.

SilverWook said:

I sincerely hope no one here was in the middle of the terrible thing that has happened overnight in Colorado.

Movies have always been a "safe harbor" to me. Some of my happiest memories are from being in a movie theater. For someone to do something like this sickens me and makes me angry.

My first thought, and really my only thought on it currently, is that I truly hope it had nothing to do with the film itself.  In The Dark Knight, the Joker was presented (in viral ads, as well as in the film itself) as a character to look up to.  Someone who isn't bound by the rules and pressures of modern society. Someone who is beyond the commoners.

The film, and in particular the year-long advertising juggernaut, nearly glorified that sort of calm, almost joyful disregard for human life.  Thousands of people embraced the character as an awesome achievement, not just from an acting standpoint, but from a sort of "an answer for our times" viewpoint.  People couldn't wait to "be him".

That fucking endless cultural loop of "some people just want to watch the world burn"  was grating, to say the least.  I worry that someone acted on it last night.  The mask, the smoke bombs, the calm ending of human life - sure seems like more than a coincidence.

Nobody's fault but mine
It's nobody's fault but mine
Try to save my soul tonight
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine

Devil he told me to roll
Devil he told me to roll roll roll roll
How to roll the log tonight
Nobody's fault but mine

Brother he showed me the gong
Brother he showed me the ding dong ding dong
How to kick that gong to life
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine

Got a monkey on my back
M-M-Monkey on my back back back back
Gonna change my ways tonight
Nobody's fault but mine

I will get down rollin' tonight
N-N-N-Nobody's fault.

I honestly can't put into words how iconic his work is or how big a part of my world it's been for 35 years.  Man, he's the visual connection to so many of my favorite films.  He also did the covers for the Indiana Jones novels.  Great stuff.

SilverWook said:

The aerial view reminds me of the Apollo landing sites. Truly alien looking...

That's for sure.  The term middle of nowhere has never been more fitting.