TDKR

The Dark Knight Rises. Wowsers, I loved it. As usual there'll be no spoilers here.

The opening weekend has been a little bit marred by a lone gunman entering a cinema in Colorado and mindlessly shooting people. Dick. Ban guns. All guns. You don't need those sorts of guns to protect yourself. End of.

Anyway, back to the main event. I saw TDKR at the IMAX. I had a great seat two rows from the back. I imagine a front row seat of the IMAX could be sore on your neck and or your eyes.

It starts with a stunning scene filmed high above the Highlands. Inverness area to be precise. No visual effects here, all performed by real stuntmen. Spectacular. That's as far as this post will go with the story. I'll not spoil it. 

Bale was his usual cool self. His Batman is deep, lonely, wanting, noble, a fighter, a force for good, just one really good Batman. To me anyways. I haven't really seen other ones. I was never into that other set of films with Michael Keaton et al.

It's hard to describe scenes without giving too much away, so i won't. I was surprised by how much I liked Ann Hathaway's cat burglar woman Selena Kyle. Albert (Sir Michael Caine) looks older and it fitted well with the story, since we are now 8 years on from The Dark Knight. Master Wayne is a recluse. His body and mind battered, bruised and scarred by his previous exploits. Commissioner Gordon is hiding a few secrets too all the while still seeking out The Batman. Enter the new baddie, Bane. Bane (as you'll all have seen no doubt) wears a mask. A mask that hides most of his face and gives him this robotic-type voice, but it's all in Bane's eyes... He's a formidable enemy. We have a young buck on the block called Blake. What a mouthful that was, and a pure accident! Yes, Blake. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (from Inception and 10 Things I Hate About You and 50/50 and 500 Days of Summer) to be exact. I've always loved him in movies. He outwardly appears young both as himself and as Blake, but as Blake he grew and his story is a nice addition to. 

In TDKR, Nolan has given us endings to stories. He's tided up loose ends (cliche alert). There are some stunning visuals and the pace quickens up towards a climax. It crept up on me mind you and i was sat there at one point thinking oh my god, this is too tense! heart beating ten to the dozen.

In short I loved it and am so glad I went to see the previous two films last week on the big screen. I'm going to go back for a second viewing, so good it was. I hope that you're familiar with the previous two films and have seen them recently before you see this. It'll make it all the more special.

Go see.
Angela x

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Revisiting Batman as the Dark Knight Rises

Last night I headed off to the cinema to see the Batman double showing before this weeks release of the Dark Knight Rises. Of which I am way too excited to see. I managed to get a single seat in the back row. It was near the edge so was pleased that no one's big head may disturb my view. I sat in my seat and the screen started to fill up. A few people came and sat in my row and then a group of about 5 came along and were all friends. Turns out they'd booked tickets online at different times and i was stuck bang in the middle of their little group. Of course we swapped seats which suited me even more as it was back row as well as being on the aisle so there would be no instructed view.

The screen popped into life a little past 6pm and played some trailers of movies. Total Recall with Colin Farrell!?! It looked kinda like The Matrix to me.

Anyway, The Dark Knight Rises trailer came on and everyone went silent. Then there was applause afterwards. I always think applause in the cinema is a bit weird. Awkward even. How do you feel about it?

People were still coming in and the films were about to begin. I couldn't wait and was so glad I hadn't watched any of them for a long time. Batman Begins began...

There were things i'd forgotten. There were scenes where I noticed little details I probably missed on my grainy portable tv when I first watched the dvd. I'm sure you all know the story so far, about Bruce Wayne and how he becomes Batman. If you don't then give it a watch.

What I appreciated more on this showing was the scale, the detail, and of course you can't escape the great relationship that Alfred and Master Bruce have. I also really like Katie Holmes in the movie. I thought it was a tad sad that she wasn't on board for The Dark Knight. When we first see, or rather hear Morgan Freeman and Lucius Fox, I could not help but smile. I want him to narrate my life. I just know that everything would turn out right then. I'd forgotten that Liam Neeson was such a good baddie too. Just one of the many, and of the many father like figures in Bruce Wayne's oh so dark and lonely life.

Let's talk about Christian Bale. I'm surprised it's taken me seven paragraphs to get here. Awesome Batman. Brought the right touch of mean and moodiness to this character. The close ups were also good *wink* He's so handsome. But every time I see a close up part of me keeps thinking back to Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) and that scene where he does the face mask and slowly peels it off. I have never seen such flawless and clean skin on a boy! Have a look, it's extraordinary.

When the first movie ended there was a round of applause, from some quarters. Again, awkward. Then a 20 minute break.

I could not for the life of me remember the exact story to The Dark Knight and I'm so happy I couldn't. It made it even more like a first screening. Of course we all remember this film as being Heath Ledger's last one. And what a last one he gave us. Wowsers. The camera loves him, as do we all I'm sure. Such a sad loss. But let's not cry. Instead let's remember his Joker. A wonderful baddie, if a baddie can ever be wonderful. And yet in the end, I sympathised with him, The Joker. His little on screen video to the crowd and the "ha haha ha ha hahaha ha ha ... ha ha" staccato dialogue, great. We can only imagine what working on set with Christian Bale and Heath Ledger must have been like. Electric i'd guess.

Maggie Gyllenhal takes the role of Rachel in the second movie. And like i said before, i missed Katie Holmes in it. We also get an all too short scene with William Fitchner, i likes him. We get more Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and (I forgot to mention) Gary Oldman. Wonderful Commissioner Gordon. He's on Batman's side. Another father figure, but yet does he know Batman's real identity? I don't think he does.

I'm glad I went and revisited these movies before the final part of the trilogy. It's a sad day but we have the dvds to remind us what a brilliant director Christopher Nolan is. These films have to be seen on the big screen, or at least a big telly. I don't have a big telly so this was a treat of the highest order for me.

Roll on the weekend when I will see Dark Knight Rises on the big screen in IMAX! Waaaaaa. I'm excited. I can't wait to find out the fate of our beloved heroes Bruce, Alfred, Lucius, James Gordon. AND I cannot wait to see Tom Hardy's Bane, and what terror and darkness he brings to Gotham, 8 years on from the last instalment. If I'm completely honest, i'm not too sure about Catwoman. I'll keep an open mind. The countdown is on...

Angela x

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