Movie Review: ‘The Dark Knight’ July 6, 2008

 

What can I say? There are moments in film history when everything is pushed aside and performance exceeds genre.

Batman Begins told audiences and film critics it was possible to root a comic book generated superhero in reality. Earlier this year Iron Man set out to do the same but lost its balance in the final act. The Dark Knight manages to exceed expectation with a villain so maniacal, his desire for destruction begins to make sense to the point you understand his desire for all out anarchy while you are cheering for the opposition in a war that basically boils down to one side against individual terrorism.

Heath Ledger presents himself as The Joker in a role that defines a career. It is unimaginable it would come to the point that a film based on a comic book character could actually have such an impact on one person. On a generation. Ledger’s decent into what is, and has become, The Joker makes Jack Nicholson’s interpretation look like nothing more than a simple clown. “Wait until they get a load of me,” says Jack… Wait until you get a load of Heath says I.

The Dark Knight presents a character so destructive and without a care for those landing in his path of decimation that you are left to your own devices. Love him. Hate him. Hate to love him or love to hate him, director Christopher Nolan has guided an actor into a dark realm not often realized. The Joker finds his place alongside villains that go by the name of Hannibal, Scarface and John Doe himself. A nameless, unrecognizable entity you won’t be willing to or able to admit is Ledger until the credits roll. My biggest problem with Batman Begins was the water evaporation device used at the end of the film. The apparatus took a film firmly cemented in reality and sent it into something of a comic wonderland, easily recognizable by fans and audiences expecting such a twist in narrative. Fortunately, this film suffers from no such problem.

However, this is not a film/review solely dedicating itself to the loss of a fallen actor, obviously destined to continue his influence on film as we know it. Aaron Eckhart has never changed his style or approach, but since Thank You for Smoking it seems he has finally tossed a wrench into the mainstream and said, “Look at me!” With The Dark Knight he continues his ascent into recognition with a role (and a film) that adds weight and credibility where it may otherwise be abandoned and ignored. Eckhart’s Harvey Dent is a man to cheer for and empathize with at every turn.

The Dark Knight is an emotional rollercoaster extending from the characters portrayed on screen to the audience sitting comfortably as they watch an inexplicable series of events unfold. Sure, there are a few imperfections here and there, but to point them out would not only waste paragraphs but also spoil the experience. Fingerprint how? After-party what? None of it matters because five minutes later you have an entirely new dilemma to concern your little brain with.

I could tell you about Bale’s Batman/Bruce Wayne, but it would be a continued exercise in explaining the man that “is” and the man that is underneath. The Dark Knight is a political machine in duplicity and an exercise in gaining an edge no matter the means, and while it may play into the life of Americans and their inadequate Commander in Chief, it rings true on a fictional level as well. “Know when to say when,” never felt so appropriate.

In terms of comic book film adaptations this is the pinnacle. The argument saying this is the Godfather Part II of comic book movies would insinuate that Batman Begins is on equal terms with the original Godfather, which is far from true. However, if we could call this The Godfather of comic book movies I wait anxiously for what may/will become the film that caps off the trilogy.

Mamma Mia! The Movie July 3, 2008

 

“My, my how can I resist you” indeed! Mamma Mia! is the theatrical equivalent of an armchair journey to an island with a bluer than blue sky and a fuller than full moon — a mythical land where young lovers live happily ever after and older lovers get a second chance at love.

Yes, Mamma Mia! is kitsch, but irresistibly so since its feather-weight all’s well that ends well story keeps bursting into songs by the disco era’s Swedish super group, ABBA. As a good sob story brings out the tissues, so this bouncy kitschical sets shoulders swaying and arms waving joyously (that includes all ages and the most , buttoned-down types).

Those ABBA hits, twenty-two in all, are the foundation for this phenomenally successful musical that has settled in at the Winter Garden after already wowing audiences abroad and in other cities. Catherine Johnson has proved herself a master at custom-tailoring a story to transform a golden oldies concert into a valid musical. She has fashioned a book (with a little helping from the 1969 movie Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell) soaked in a bright and cheery atmosphere and with enough characters and incidents to neatly and naturally accommodate the songs as production numbers.

The plot can be summed up to fit into a seashell from the mythical Greek island where it spins out: Donna Sheridan (Louise Pitre) is a forty-something single mother and owner of a small island hotel. Her twenty-year-old daughter Sophie (Tina Maddigan), about to marry a hunky guy with the color-appropriate name of Sky (Joe Machota), yearns for her unknown dad to walk her down the aisle. Mom’s diary leads to three potential dads (Dean Nolen-Harry Bright, Ken Marks-Bill Austin, David W. Keeley-Sean Carmichael). One almost expects a number called “Dad, Dad, Dad, I Want to Know My Dad” to go with such favorites as ” Honey, Honey”, “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” and “Money, Money, Money”. At any rate, Sophie is convinced she’ll recognize her true father and so invites all three men to the wedding (telling neither mom or fiance). This serves as the basis for exploring some genuine relationship themes and also puts enough people, of various ages on stage to create the possible setups for the songs. In addition to Donna, Sophie, Sky and the three maybe dads, there are the young couple’s pals, the hotel employees, and two other invited guests — Donna’s sidekicks from her wild and wooly days as the leader of the band, Donna and the Dynamos — the much-married Tanya (Karen Mason) and roly-poly cookbook writer Rosie (Judy Kaye).

As the wedding guests arrive and Sophie meets the three could-be dads, a familiar song is never long in coming, always accompanied by knowing smiles of recognition from ABBA acolytes. That’s not to say that if you aren’t a dedicated groupie, you won’t get a charge out of the well orchestrated music. ABBA songs didn’t climb the top of the easy listening charts for nothing.

One of the show’s most winning aspects is that it doesn’t go overboard on the sets you associate with $100 tickets. There’s just a touch of smoke and the design is basically a moveable unit set. The songs’ metamorphoses into production numbers are often achieved with modest touches — for example, Louise Pitre’s show-stopping rendition of the title song, which is used to introduce her rueful romantic memories, is accompanied by a chorus of the island’s natives peeking over a wall.

Pitre, with her striking silver hair is a true pop diva. Her singing is better than her acting. However, she is quite fine in the touching scene where she helps her daughter into her wedding gown. That scene conveys the mother-daughter relationship at its most substantive. Tina Maddigan, who like Pitre, is a holdover of the Toronto production, is an endearing Sophie.

The song that comes off as the most truly musical theater number is “Take a Chance On Me” in which Judy Kaye amusingly makes a stab at nailing down a mate. Kaye is musical comedy dynamite. Karen Mason is perfectly cast as her tall, thin and luckier with men counterpart, Tanya.

Dean Nolen’s Bill Bright is the most memorable of Donna’s former lovers though all are competent. Joe Machota is fine as Sky, with abs that should appeal especially to the youngest females in the audience.

The choreography is highly energetic, the lighting is superb and the costumes fun, with the best reserved for the big dessert — an encore that’s really a mini ABBA concert tagged to the show, with the lead players disappearing just long enough to come back in eye-popping, deliciously tacky silver lame costumes to raise the applause to the highest decibel level. Perhaps the show’s managers will some time allow the ecstatic, arm waving human yo-yos to turn in their ticket stubs for a five or ten dollar standing room admission to the encore. But then — mamma, mia — they might have a stampede.

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk June 18, 2008

 

Marvel has done it again. Early this summer it was the surprise hit Iron Man that had moviegoers buzzing. The good folks over at Marvel followed up with another installment of The Incredible Hulk. A lot of people, including myself, were skeptical of this film because of the last failed attempt at this franchise. This Incredible Hulk is nothing like what we saw in Ang Lee’s Hulk.

The movie opens as Bruce Banner (Edward Norton)a fugitive on the run who is living in Brazil, hiding from who he is, and trying to find a cure. Banner is quickly spotted by General Ross (William Hurt) and is on the run again. With no cure in sight Banner returns home to find some answers.

This movie reminds me of the old TV show that I loved so much. There are only going to be a few scenes with The Hulk. It was important that whoever played Bruce Banner could carry the film. I’ve been a huge fan of Edward Norton since Primal Fear and American History X. In this film Norton does such a great job of playing someone who does not want to be the Hulk. A man who is not happy with what he’s become and wants to find answers. Because of the Hulk he has to isolate himself from other people. You get the sense that he’s not sure he can control the monster within.

One of the great performances of the movie is Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky. An old soldier who wants who is obsessed with the power the Hulk possesses. His obsession with this power only grows stronger as the movie goes on. Blonsky reminded of the steroid issues in our sports today. A person who is past their prime who will inject themselves with anything for the opportunity to “win”.

My suggestion: One of the better movies I’ve seen this summer. I don’t think this movie disappoints at all. If you are a fan of the comic book, it is a must see. I enjoyed every minute of it. Good script, great action and even a few laughs to keep the movie going. I loved what I saw out of this movie and I hope to see more. Not to mention there is a cameo at the end of the movie that had the whole theater buzzing. Can’t wait to see what Marvel does next.