Movie Review Monday: Dark Knight Rises

Miracle of miracles, Manny and I got to see a second movie in a theater this calendar year ! Thanks, Sissy, (that's my "Sissy," Lauren, btw, not Jenna, who is most often referred to as such on this blog) for pushing me to get the babysitter and go for it, and for paying for the babysitter to boot! I feel like I'll need to watch it a few more times to really appreciate it, but here are some of my current thoughts:

I'm a huge fan, so no disrespect, but Joseph Gordon Levitt finally looks like he aged past 11. Congratulations on graduating from puberty Jo! ;) He was so great in this film.

image taken from here

Speaking of looking old, I rather like how old they made Christian Bale out to be for this role. Having ogled him since Newsies, it was a little shocking to see him look all wrinkly, but I think his having joint pain and reclusive tendencies really helped humanize him and expand on the theme of "anyone can be Batman."

image taken from here

I was embarrassed by how giddy the boy-toys in this film made me feel. They were just cool. Batman's new "not a car" looks like some sort of flying cockroach.

image taken from here

The Dark Knight was going to be pretty near impossible to follow, and when I saw trailers with Anne Hathaway, I got a sour feeling in my stomach that disappointment was going to be inevitable. But she actually fit into the role quite nicely and really enhanced the film, rather than totally detracting from it as Katie Holmes had in Batman Begins. Ugh. I'm still mad at Katie for that one. Way to go, Anne!

There is a twist towards the end that I felt like I should have been able to see coming, but it still managed to totally catch me off guard. Instead of humanizing the villains in the slightly more obvious way as he did in the Dark Knight, Nolan kind of went around through the back door this time, and it surprised me with such punch that I could not hold back tears. Impressive.

Debatably cheesy one-liners abounded. I look forward to watching this a few more times to really appreciate a few of them though. The only one I was able to hold onto was,

"This only gets fixed from inside the city."

I thought that was a great picture for those of us who aim to be "helpers," thinking we can disregard the strengths or desires of the person or people we're aiming to help. On individual, group, and large scale levels, change must be born from within. 

My mother-in-law recently shared some wise advice with me about parenting. She had read that "parents don't actually want what is best for you, they want what is safest for you." Wo. That cuts to the quick. As a parent now myself, one of my hardest jobs is relinquishing the desire to be a constant safety net. And it is amazing what my child, and I myself, can do when we have to rise ;) to the occasion. I don't want to give too much away in case you haven't already seen the film, but I do think it illustrated something of this point in a poignant way.

Not quite so shockingly amazing as Dark Knight, but completely entertaining and worthwhile. He had a few rough starts in his career, but after this one, I decided, as a rule, I will just have to see all Christopher Nolan films made into the future. I must also note that it sure seems like he's found his preferred cast. So it still gets 2 claws up from me. Have you see it, Lobsters? What did you think?

Movie Review Monday #24: 50/50

And now, a guest movie review from a woman who reads this blog faithfully and gave birth to me: Mama! You can call her Robyn. (And you can read more of her thoughts at her blog, http://graceisgr8.blogspot.com/)

Hello, Lobsters! I’m filling in as your Monday Movie Reviewer due to my daughter Emily’s lack of viewing new movie releases (do you think she might be just a smidge busy lately?). You will find that my criteria is a bit different for indicating my approval/disapproval. When you’re married to an entertainment narcoleptic, the greatest indicator of an intriguing movie is staying awake; hence, we go with “eyelids up.” Just be advised.

50/50 is a dramedy in the vein of Steel Magnolias or Terms of Endearment, with clever, realistic writing. In this film, we can attribute the realism to its writer actually being the subject of this “based on a true story” script. The story centers around a manly friendship cemented by warm, unexpressed feelings, profanity and the overwhelming desire to have multiple intimacies with the opposite sex (and how cancer can be used to make these conquests much simpler). But be aware, Lobsters, this is not a chick flick or soggy tissue cinematic event. There are ample opportunities for deep emotions to not be expressed and heartfelt words to not be said. Instead, they are replaced by some actions that speak rather subtly though there is no need for decoding.

Joseph's days of shoulder length locks are gone.

Adam is played by the multi-talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who can take a single thought and, with the tiniest glint in his eye, convey a clear message. He's a 27 year-old boy/man with a quiet, meticulous existence whose life has been interrupted by the inconvenience of a rare form of cancer. The story unfolds and settles itself around Adam’s incongruous best friend since childhood, Kyle, played with dry profanity and inappropriate commentary and suggestions by Seth Rogen. No spoiler alert here, because if you can wade through the language and a brief but awkward and completely honest scene with Adam and a bar conquest you will recognize the sparkles and gems that twinkle out in this delightful film.

Highlights:

·        Bryce Dallas Howard as Adam’s self-centered girlfriend. Pitch perfect.

·        Anna Kendricks as the young therapist who tugs at your heart. We  love her!

·        Angelica Huston as Adam’s overbearing mother who is caretaker to his father who has Alzheimer’s (by the way, big thumbs up for the guy who plays Adam’s father. Just watch him - you’ll be amazed).

All in all, Lobsters, I would recommend this movie. And for myself and Mr. Boyd, we give it two eyelids up!