THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
With The Dark Knight Rises now on Blu-Ray, we thought that this would be a perfect time to revisit it with a Mini-Review. The scope here was great and that was my favorite part of it. The cast was amazing, the writing top notch, and the directing was great. I liked this more than The Avengers which I felt became too cluttered as it went along. Lots of recognizable faces in this one. Definitely better then Batman Begins, but just a step down from The Dark Knight.

Overall, this is a great way to end one of the greatest trilogies in film history. Nolan did with superhero films what Coppola did with mob movies. He reached and got to a bar higher than what anybody would ever expect from a film like this. It was definitely worth seeing in theaters (twice) and you should own it on Blu-Ray. I hope Warner Brothers sees what Nolan did and allows for that spin-off to happen, if you know what I mean (and those who have seen it will know what I’m talking about).

If you haven’t seen this one yet, make it the next movie on your list.

[rate 4.5]

Check out these Batman related Blu-Rays for sale…

Release Date: August 29, 2012
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Director: John Hillcoat
Starring: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, and Guy Pearce
Plot: Lawless is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant’s family in his novel “The Wettest County In The World”, the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation’s most notorious crime wave.

Thoughts: I should really be more excited for this film. It has a lot of the things I like in my gangster movies and yet, for some reason, the trailer’s have underwhelmed to the point where I’ll likely wait for this movie to pop up on Netflix or TV before I actually watch it.

Lawless is a film that stars Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, and Jason Clarke as brothers who run a bootlegging business during prohibition era America and finds them hunted by the authorities as they try and build up their increasingly illegitimate business. Directed by John Hillcoat, the man responsible for one of the most depressing films of the last decade in The Road, and the terrific western The Proposition. I cannot help but feel like the star power of Lawless might hurt it more then make it great. Unfortunately for Shia LaBeouf, it is hard for me to buy into him being increasingly more dramatic in his films. He has shaken his Disney image but he has yet to shake his sense of comedic timing in his more serious roles and I cannot help but get the feeling from the trailers that, as the youngest brother of the core group, he’s going to be the one designated with unleashing the quippy one liners this film will have.

Now, what is likely going to get me to see the film is really if the word of month is good enough that I’m practically forced to go to the theater by friends just to see it. Unfortunately, though, I cannot help but shake the feeling that this film will be underwhelming even with all the talent that is on the screen.

THE BOOK OF ELI
I finally got around to watching this 2010 post-apocalyptic movie, and I wanted to like this one. I really did. Don’t get me wrong, the cinematography was great and the visual appeal was there, the casting was spot on with real talent (Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis), but when it is all said and done, this movie just wasn’t very good.

It is a film that tries to build to something great, pulling the audience through clever twists, all the while being a thought provoking idea- only it fails on all levels and I place the blame squarely on the script. This film could have been something so much more and I hate all of the potential that was wasted here. Washington, Oldman, and The Hughes Brothers have done better work. If only they kept rewriting the script to beef up the actual content maybe this film would’ve been good. As it is, it is “meh” at best and I would not recommend it.

Want to watch a post apocalyptic film? Go see something else, anything else, just don’t watch this. Not worth your or anyone else’s time, because time is more valuable then this film.

[rate 1]

You can check out our full crop of Mini-Movie Reviews by heading over to this link. Don’t forget to post below to let us know your thoughts on The Book of Eli!

This past week at the San Diego Comic Con, fans of Twilight got a treat with a panel that featured author Stephenie Meyer, and cast members including Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Ashley Green, Jackson Rathbone, and new to the cast Mackenzie Foy. During the panel they introduced footage from “Breaking Dawn Part 2”. Included in the footage was Bella (Stewart) dealing with being a vampire and the bloodlust that comes with it. She also hunts down a mountain lion.

Personally, I’m not a fan of the Twilight series and while it has had a positive effect of bringing vampires back in the spotlight, these are not vampires in any classic sense of the word. They go out in sunlight (and sparkle), have reflections, and none of the classic weaknesses (ugh). Pardon the pun, but the vampires of Twilight are completely toothless.

Thankfully we do have reasons to care about vampires again! With Twilight going away, the doors will be open for some good vampire movies and fiction to return.

It’s funny how easily it is to forget that Shia LaBeouf is actually a good actor. The three unwatchable Michael Bay Transformers made him into a laughable caricature of himself, but this is the same kid who starred in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Disturbia, and Holes. He has talent, he just isn’t able to show it that much. Hopefully Lawless changes that trend.

In the movie, based on the book The Wettest County in the World, LaBeouf co-stars with Tom Hardy as the Bondurant Brothers. The brothers are two bootleggers in Prohibition-era Virginia who are threatened by authorities who want in on their profits. The movie’s awesome cast includes Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, and Guy Pearce.

In addition to Lawless, Shia LaBeouf also has an illustrated book of poetry called Let’s Fucking Party. With no more Transformers in his future, let’s hope Shia is able to rebuild his credibility. 

The original RoboCop was one of my favorite movies as a kid. Sadly the sequels didn’t hold up to the original, and the television spinoff are better left unseen. When I heard that they were remaking the movie I was annoyed. Ugh. Yet another remake of one of my favorite 80s movies (grumble, The Karate Kid, grumble). But this one is shaping up to be something special.

José Padilha, the director behind the Elite Squad flicks, took over the project from Darren Aronofsky (who is one of the most interesting directors that keeps coming close to doing genre movies – Wolverine, Batman Year One, and now RoboCop). I’m not familiar with Padilha’s work, but his casting choices have been inspired. In the past month, both Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson were announced in roles; Oldman as the scientist that invents RoboCop and Jackson as an over the top television personality/mogul. Now they have stepped up the game even more by casting House MD‘s Hugh Laurie as the villainous CEO of OCP –the company in the original RoboCop that practically owns Detroit. The title role is being played by The Killing‘s Joel Kinnaman, with Abbie Cornish rumored to be portraying his wife.

So far the RoboCop remake is doing something very right with its casting. Hopefully they have worked just as hard on getting the script right and everything else will follow suit. I’m still hesitant, but getting more and more excited for this flick.

Release Date: July 20, 2012
Studio: Warner Brothers
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine.
Plot: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham’s finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy. (via IMDB)

Thoughts: Well the end is in sight for a journey that began eight years ago and is arguably one of the greatest cinematic trilogies of all time. Christopher Nolan’s Batman franchise took comic book movies to a new level. Placing the character in the real world and giving the characters and story that sense of realism that could make you believe that this could actually happen. The Dark Knight Rises is shaping up to be THE movie of 2012.

The Dark Knight Rises, like it predecessors, boast an impressive cast. Joining the returning Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine are Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I think out of three films, this cast seems to be the best by far. Nolan has said that he didn’t want to save anything from this movie and this looks like it. While not a lot is known officially about the story, that hasn’t stopped the fanboys and internet writers from speculating.

From the trailers and other footage that’s been released, It seems like Nolan is sticking true to his word. There’s already a sense of epicness to this and a feeling that this will easily top anything that’s been done in the two previous films. Hardy and Hathaway look impressive as Bane and Selena Kyle/Catwoman. I like the fact that the film is set quite a while after the events of The Dark Knight. (8 years is official figure I keep hearing). Not only is this a great story setting but this could be a great move for Warner Brothers. With Nolan definitively stating this is the last Batman film he is directing. It’s been rumoured that he will be on the reboot as a producer much like his role on next years Superman Reboot “Man Of Steel”.

If that is the case, this reboot or next series of films could take place in those eight years. Bale has recently said he would up for a fourth film if the story is right- but we’ll have to wait and see. The Dark Knight Rises will be giving an epic conclusion to this wonderful journey and I think it will be the best movie of the summer. I’ve seen The Avengers and loved it, but I just think that TDKR will be better. Nolan hasn’t let us down yet and I think he will be able to top everything else we’ve seen. Either way, July 20^th can’t come quick enough for this Bat-Fan.

Lots of stuff is going on in the world of entertainment. The NBC late-night drama continues, shows are coming and going, and Avatar is finally being challenged at the box office. Welcome to The Pit.

• The Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman post-apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli managed to edge out James Cameron’s Avatar out of the top spot at the domestic box office on Friday  by about a million dollars. Can it beat it on Saturday and Sunday to take the weekend? Maybe.  I have a feeling that Avatar might keep the top spot thanks to the 3D and Imax showings.

• Earlier this week it was announced that Peter Sarsgaard was in final talks to take on the villainous role of Dr. Hector Hammond, a villain that I never really cared about in the comics. He is a great actor, I just wonder where they are going to go with the character.  I’m still not sold on Blake Lively as Carol Ferris, she seems too young and just not suited for the role.  Today it was revealed that Mark Strong is up for the ultimate GL villain, Sinestro. That my friends, could be perfect casting.  Strong vs Ryan Reynold’s Hal Jordan in a space battle with two of the most powerful weapons in the universe? Badass.

• Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock full on kissed at the Critics Choice Awards after they tied for Best Actress. Ewwwwww.

Moving on to TV, there have been lots of renewals, included in the mix is:

• ABC: The Middle, Cougar Town, Modern Family
• CBS: The Good Wife, NCIS: Los Angeles
• Fox: Glee
• Starz: Spartacus: Blood and Sand
• TNT: Men of a Certain Age

What is really interesting about this is the second season pick-up for Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which hasn’t even started its first season. The show looks like a pretty cool cross between 300 and Gladiator and co-stars Lucy “Xena” Lawless.  If I got Starz, I’d totally watch it, but as it is I’ll have to wait for it to come on Netflix.  None of the other listed shows are really surprising, I love Glee and ABC’s new comedies have been doing good.  Modern Family is hysterical and has an awesome cast.  Men of a Certain Age hasn’t been killing in the ratings, but with the talent behind it I’m not surprised that it is continuing.