Geekery continueth

[triadruid]

Forgot to notate last week that we watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith - which officially makes it the first movie since Hackers that I've seen with Angelina Jolie in it (and I'm not even certain she was the same person then), that's how little she fascinates me. However she was quite good in this, and things like Gia, Gone in Sixty Seconds, and Girl, Interrupted have been on my list anyway... so maybe I'll get around to it.

Anyway, the movie was quite good, far from the train wreck I feared. She and Brad Pitt do have some real chemistry, and the tango salsa scene is priceless. It's very much an action-comedy in the best sense of both words (think: everything True Lies tried to be and failed). If you're on the fence about it, give it a try.

Last night, however, was Batman Begins, the Christopher Nolan tackling of the Batman mythology. It was pretty good...up there with the original Keaton/Batman movie overall, with a stronger Bruce and weaker enemies (but nowhere near as bad as Mr. Freeze & Poison Ivy, I'm told). Excellent mythologizing/continuity attempts, even things you weren't expecting, which I of course won't tell you about here since most of you probably haven't seen it. Alfred was perfectly cast, and Commish Officer Sgt. Gordon was... stunning. If you don't know who's playing him yet, do yourself a favor and don't look yet. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Couldn't really care about the Katie Holmes pop-up character, but then again, it's Katie Holmes, I haven't really seen her in anything I can remember...

Someone compared this to the original Superman movie, which I think has some merit. It's got similar pacing and painstaking detail, clearly done as a labor of love as much as of box office. And also, Batman's a ninja.

Thus endeth the movie reviews. Time to get my asseth to worketh.

P.S. That movie on TV last night? The Waterdance. Possibly interesting.

Comments

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

How could Sgt. Gordon not be stunning? It would be physically impossible for him not to be. Also, the acting would be good. I'm just saying.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it took me several seconds to recognize him as (that actor) in his first scene than as (that character), which I consider a testament to his skill.

And, he's playing against his usual type of late, which is a Good Thing™.

Errr...

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

several. seconds. longer.

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

Yes, well. Others of us have known about this for months and have been saying things like "OMGHE'SGOTONTHESEREALLYGEEKYBUTSTILLHOTGLASSESWHAT'SUPWITHTHAT!!!!!!111eleventy!!

Not me, of course, but some of us.

Some among us, are *weird*.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Good thing it's not us.

Really, I got stuck on the cast list at the "Liam Neeson = Henri Ducard" stage (see below). Nothing below that really registered, which may be why I didn't know Katie Holmes was in it.

She "digs" Scientology?

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

Forgettable at best, and she currently seems to be making a lot of poor, erm, career choices right now, doesn't she?

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

And also, Batman's a ninja.

Eff Batman. Liam Neeson's a ninja!

And I quote from the parking lot

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

"Dude, you just got your ass kicked (repeatedly) by Liam Neeson!"

I mean, I suppose I should have expected it, what with Qui-Gon and Rob Roy, but still...

I may need a ninja icon. Further reconnaisance is required.

Re: Liam Neeson

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Errrrr, and Excalibur. And Darkman. And...*smacks forehead*

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

I tremulously await my turn to see this movie, in an actual theatre if at all possible. Need to compensate for the trip to see Madagascar with the two little ones.

That can probably be arranged.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Take your husband with you, if you're able/inclined.

I think you'll find a lot to like about this film.

Re: That can probably be arranged.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

::sigh::

[lysana.livejournal.com]

Some of us out here liked True Lies for what it was. But Smith looks fantastic to me. Right up my alley.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

I certainly enjoyed pieces of True Lies (the pseudo-spy with the outrageous accent in particular, and his comeuppance), but the whole thing didn't hang together very well for me (even in an action movie universe). Granted,I haven't watched a WHOLE lot of Ahnold-vision movies lately, since about...oh, Eraser?

I had to wonder...

[wildnsquirrelly.livejournal.com]

Do you suppose that the "bail" comment before/during "Batman's first fight scene was was a weak attempt at a pun, or am I reading too much into it? Also- I actually had to IMDb the film to find out who played Gordon. Wow! That man is a f**king chameleon! Id there anything he CAN'T play?

Re: I had to wonder...

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

No.

Re: I had to wonder...

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Which fight scene? In China, before he meets Ducard? I don't remember it...

Re: I had to wonder...

[wildnsquirrelly.livejournal.com]

No man, I mean his first (I think) fight as Batman. It took place in the shipyard among a lot of shipping connexes.

I liked that film so much I *may* have to see it again.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Oh, that fight. The fat cop says it?

I think it was just dialogue, no pun intended...

I might see it again (the fight scenes were REALLY disorienting), but I think I'll wait to see if they do a second one by Nolan, and if it's also good. Then I could start Collecting the Whole Set!

Yep, and yep...

[wildnsquirrelly.livejournal.com]

That was my only real beef with the movie too, and one I shared for the latest Star Wars. Bruce Lee could move faster then the human eye could detect, but he had enough sense to slow things down to make his fight scenes look good. Things don't have to be a blur, or so filmed with ridiculously tight shots to convey great, heroic combat. Not to mention the fact that it does the choreographers, stunt persons, and the actors themselves a horrible disservice. Let's see those kicks fly! Throw those punches! Sure, I know how muddled actual hand-to-hand combat can seem, but we're looking for more theatrics, less realism there.

I should note that the only truly disappointing fight sequence in Batman Begins was the last one with Ras.

Re: Yep, and yep...

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think it's a downside of modern movie-making that the music video has infiltrated, and our collective attention span has dropped below 1.0 seconds. I liked the older, wider-shot fights, too...Jackie Chan still seems to be following this model. I noticed it in Star Wars too, sometimes you couldn't see who was doing what with a lightsaber until it had already happened.

I did hear a good argument for why this film might be taking that approach, though (especially the fight on the dock): Batman's such a force of mystery and stealth that the criminals can't really tell where he's at, and neither can we...on that level, it worked. But for the fight in China/Tibet at the opening, or at the very end? Completely unnecessary, IMO.

[chainwoman.livejournal.com]

Katie Holmes has been in Phone Booth, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Go, and known mostly for Dawson's Creek... Nothing as big as Batman, but she is building quite a resume... I agree with your sum up of her role and never have really cared for her in any of the above listed movies/tv show. However, I do admit to watching Dawson's Creek, but it was all for Joshua Jackson... Yum, yum, lick, lick...

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, Dawson's Creek, that's where I'd seen the name before (didn't watch the show, but I did watch a lot of WB or whatever it was on, at the time).

I think the only one of her prior movies I even thought about seeing was Go... thanks for the run-down.

[chainwoman.livejournal.com]

LoL Love the Icon!