calcat91355 Reviews

The Dark Knight (2008)

Pure Cinema

[9/10 · 30 July 2008]

It is rare that I am reluctant to leave a theater. Especially after sitting for over 3 hours (30 minutes before the film started). Usually, when I witness a great film, I enjoy the movie and then hit the aisles before the end credits have completed.

Not this time.

From beginning to unfinished end, this film ranks with "The Godfather" as one of the greatest pure works of cinema ever achieved. And I do not mean to diminish the likes of "Lawrence of Arabia", "Ben Hur" or "The Lord of the Rings" by including this film in their company. While those films were most definitely more epic in scope—taking place over a much longer period of time with infinitely more story to tell—Christopher Nolan and his crew have pulled off a modern miracle with this opus. Themes of good and evil play out during the 2 1/2 hour running time, through differing variations, with characters forced into dire scenarios, and action so kinetic and virile that you will barely have time to recover.

And speaking of the characters, the film realizes them so fully that they approach mythical proportions. There is a lot at stake, not the least of which is the end of life as we know it via the Joker. He is a terrorist without a conscience, and enjoys chaos. And suffering. And his manipulations know no bounds, as we witness late in the film during the murder of a key character. This film evokes heart-rending tragedy on a grand scale. And Heath Ledger should win an Oscar.

And yet, the tragedy is counter-balanced with cleanly-cut, beautifully-shot action sequences that will bring you out of your seat. One scene—which I will never forget—involves an 18-wheeler and the Batpod (a glorious invention), and I was so thrilled at the propulsion of this sequence that I yelled out involuntarily at the scene's climax. This movie will gather you up in its momentum and carry you away...it is that good.

And so, by the end of the film when the credits were rolling, I just continued to sit. I sat until the final note of music was played, and until the final name crawled off the top of the screen, so that the only thing left to display was the MPAA rating page. The lights came on and the ushers were beginning their cleaning duties.

And I still did not want to leave.

This is one hell of a movie.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Magnificent epic

[9/10 · 5 March 2006]

The Fellowship of the Ring was a monumentally entertaining film, the Return of the King was an amazing wrap-up to the epic of our times, but the most dramatic moment for me came at the end of the Two Towers. After 3 hours of sweeping vistas, excellent Shakespearean acting, and otherworldly sights and sounds, we are treated to a scene that still sends chills down my back and rouses me like nothing since the final scene in Rocky. A lone rider (we all know who), set against the top of a hill, massing legions of horsemen behind him. He appears just as the heroes are losing all hope. Once he begins his descent down the hill with his army behind him, the camera begins a slow pan over the top and down with them, showing the size and scale of their forces. The evil army below looks up with surprise, a bright light fills the screen, the camera focuses on the lead rider (again, we all know who) who lets out a wrenching battle cry, the music swells to unbelievable heights, and I am swept away like I've never been before.

This is cinema at its very best.

Ordinary People (1980)

Quietly heartbreaking

[9/10 · 15 January 2006]

I saw this movie 25 years ago, and my opinion may be slightly skewed. I was the same age as the character "Conrad" portrayed by Hutton and I had some of the same fears and insecurities at the time as his character displayed throughout the film. Although there wasn't any one emotionally devastating event in my life to trigger feelings of guilt, I nonetheless identified with Conrad's lost soul, and the effect on me was powerful. At that stage in my life, I was not one to be moved to tears over emotional drama...until this movie. I fought back the tears over two intensely poignant moments which I would not dare to reveal here.

Suffice it to say that over the years, and subsequent viewings, this film continues to hit me in different spots as I relate events on the screen to what I have come to know about relationships. It hits home on so many levels. It seems to be one of the only films to deal realistically with dysfunction in a seemingly "normal" home environment. The facade is there, but the truth lurks not too deeply underneath the surface. And, when the truth is finally revealed, it is one of the most simultaneously shattering and exhilarating moments I've ever seen in film.

While Conrad's journey to the core of his guilt is the emotional centerpiece of the film, some of the quietly played scenes between Conrad's mom and Conrad are as perfectly played as they are uncomfortable. I cannot remember who won the Academy Award for best actress of 1980 but the Academy made a huge mistake by not bestowing the Oscar upon Mary Tyler Moore. Her restrained frigidity haunted me and had me screaming for her to break through the ice...and at one of the rare moments where she finally does show any depth of emotion, it is a fascinating study of someone who, somewhere along the way, lost her ability to face reality.

So many great moments exist in this film, and apart from the emotional turning point about three-quarters of the way through, one of the most memorable moments for me - and one that I can never forget - is a simple scene of a father and son hugging each other. You'll know it when you see it. I dare you not to weep uncontrollably when it happens.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

Quite good

[7/10 · 27 November 2005]

I just saw "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" for the first time. I'm a major movie buff, but somehow had never caught this film in its entirety before. I finally decided to see it.

Besides the fact that I was embarrassed to be subjected to the scene with the delivery guy be-bopping and trying to represent the hipster generation, and besides the fact that it was a contrived situation to have a fabulously wealthy family whose happiness was never truly put to the test, I found myself quite moved by the powerful final performance of Spencer Tracy. His should have been the academy award performance of 1967. His emotion was real, and every word of his final speech was as relevant today as it was 38 years ago. And even though he was dying while making the film it was never apparent...his energy and conviction were genuine, and quite moving.

Other performances ranged from excellent to possibly overdone, but maybe some of them were reflective of the times. Hepburn's performance was strong, as the academy also noticed that year. However, I think Poitier's performance might have been a bit overstated. Somehow, I've never completely bought into his performances...I think it's just the way he projects himself that makes him seem a little over the top to me. Nonetheless, he generally acquitted himself well and displayed no less than a passion and conviction for the material. The daughter (Hepburn's real-life niece) came off a bit too bubbly and energetic, I think, but she was acceptable. Isabel Sanford had a line that made me cringe...she actually states to Poitier's character her disdain for his attempting to marry ABOVE himself! That floored me that a member of her own race would make such a self-demeaning statement. Were attitudes really like that in '67?

The scene with the idiot delivery guy should be excised from the film. It adds no comedy element, and only serves to frighten us into believing that once society must have thought that it was cool for kids to act this way.

For the final speech alone, this movie gets a 7 out of 10 from me.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Beautiful mess

[13 March 2004]

What a beautiful mess this film is. Amidst the blood and the battering lies a beautifully moving portrait of the death of Christ. Is that possible? Is it possible to "enjoy" watching the torture and agonized suffering of a man to his death? I believe so, but a couple of points about the movie should be made I think. Since I had heard of the legendary violence in this film I went in thinking the absolute worst: that I would be witness to acts so unspeakable as to be driven screaming from the theater. Didn't happen. In fact, this film moved surprisingly gracefully from beginning to end with absolutely NO lull. It is one of the most hypnotic films I've ever seen in terms of watchability. Yes, it is difficult to watch someone get beaten to death...but with Deschanel's (the cinematographer's) soft, rich colors and liquid movement of the camera this film is a treat for anyone who loves the art of film-making.

Two scenes that stand out in my mind include one that is given to possible creative license from Gibson himself, if not actually based in fact; the other one is poetic in its simplicity and was the one time in the film that I was afraid I was going to start bawling out loud, uncontrollably. These two scenes respectively are the death of Judas and Jesus' mother Mary's flashback of Jesus as a child. The first scene contains very disturbing images of Judas being tormented by demon-like children who chase him into the desert where he ultimately hangs himself above a rotting, maggot infested carcass. The second scene (the one I was in danger of losing it over) was a simple one. Jesus falls to the ground, beaten half to death, barely able to walk any further. Mary rushes to him as she has a parallel image of Jesus as a boy falling to the ground. This may not read as poignant but it was one of the most moving scenes of the film culminating in Jesus broken and tortured words, "See Mother? I make all things new." This scene may break your heart.

None of what I've said can be a spoiler to you who have not yet seen it, because we all know the story. If you can't stomach a lot of blood then skip this one. It's not for everyone (although everyone seems to be going to see it). But this is by far the most compelling Jesus' story ever made...and perhaps one of the most compelling films ever made.