Film Review: "The Dark Knight Rises"

I get tired of having to restate this opinion, but let me verify that I do not spend $15 to see a movie with the expectation, much less the intention, of hating it. Even with this particular film, against which this week has me particularly jaded, I went in with an open heart and a cautious mind, as I do with every film. When you get down to the bare skeleton of it, the film either has to be entertaining or compelling, which is something I can say both previous Batman films from Christopher Nolan did in unison. "Batman Begins" was stunning, insightful, and tightly plotted for the first 70 minutes, and "The Dark Knight" was a nonstop hammering of terrifying notions of terrorism, insanity, and political morality. Moreover, it was a complete piece of cinema, honest and deliberate in all its ideas.

Christopher Nolan has frequently stated that he always devotes himself to the film at hand, not thinking about the future and allowing for there not to be one after the film concludes. I assumed that would go both ways, with films not relying on past sympathy either. In respects to "The Dark Knight Rises", he breaks the promise that each of his films must stand on their own. However few people who go into this film with no previous knowledge of the series will be lost in rushed and extraneous story arcs. It doesn't work as a film on its own, but it doesn't trust the memory of the previous films. Alone, it's a string of plot details carried on from the first two films, but it doesn't tonally reconcile with the first two films in the slightest.

Oscar Park: "Take Shelter" & "50/50"

This weekend had two films with moderate Oscar chances come out, but neither one has that many chances to merit a post of their own, so here we are. Obviously the more apparent of the two is "Take Shelter", which got strong reactions out of Cannes, and has continued that through this weekend. Michael Shannon is obviously the main talking point here, and the Academy has had a notable fancy for him in the past. I'd be particularly shocked if he didn't make it for this one. The other potential candidate for the film would be Jessica Chastain, who has too many films this year to dial out of the conversation.

I suppose the conversation could dwell between this, "The Help", and "The Tree of Life", but how the hell are we going to get people to rally under a single one of those? "50/50", on the other hand, has only one possibility in the cards, and that's for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. With heavyweights like Michael Shannon in the pot, how much of an impact can he really make? True, the odds are considerably against him, but don't write him off so immediately. If nothing else, you can expect some sort of Golden Globes traction. Unless Robert Downey Jr. steals it away from him for "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows". I kind of doubt it, though.

"Take Shelter"

Strong Possibilities: Best Actor (Michael Shannon)

Potential Causes: Best Supp. Actress (Jessica Chastain)

"50/50"

Potential Causes: Best Actor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

For Your Anticipation: I'm Gonna Throw Up

I don't think many would have pegged this as one of the top films coming out this month, but it's been a really sad and depressing year for comedies. There's a bit of irony in that the one with most depressing subject matter has the most potential. Honestly, I keep hearing about people getting illogically excited for "What's Your Number?" and I'm wondering why that energy isn't being pointed towards "50/50". This isn't an insensitive sort of film, and there's some kind of honesty going on here. It's based on the writer and Seth Rogen's experience of this. There's got to be some honesty in the pot.

"50/50" Trailer

I haven't exactly missed out on any trailers from the past two days, but I haven't gotten them up until now, so there's enough to talk about. First up is 50/50, a dramedy starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen. Dealing with the subject of a fatal disease in a comedic context is a tricky thing, but it worked in Funny People, and it seems to work with 50/50. The trailer is embedded below. Take a look and leave a comment!

Theatrical Trailer: Hesher

If the first trailer managed to make me feel mixed about the potential of Hesher, this one just eliminates all that uncertainty. One of the things that felt so off about that first trailer was how typical it felt, like it was holding itself back from being a gritty indie flick. This one just rocked my socks off, because all the insanity wasn't held back, but it wasn't over the top. A nice touch is the end credit card being placed before the title card. I really don't care if critics take this film to pieces. I'll see it either way.

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Theatrical Trailer: Hesher

And this officially makes five films on the Natalie Portman post-Black Swan film series, and this one looks like it's doing more than just having simple fun. In a change of pace, Portman isn't the main attraction to be had in here, with several different actors offering up their considerable talents. Rainn Wilson (The Office), Piper Laurie (Carrie), and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) add their collective talents to this project. Obviously the one people are going to be talking about Levitt, seeing as he's playing a character named Hesher in a movie called Hesher. This looks like an off kilter sort of film, but it looks extreme in probably the best sense. We'll have to wait to see if there's anything Oscar worthy from it, but if anybody gets accolades for their work, it will be Gordon-Levitt. Take a look at the trailer and comment below at your earliest convenience.

"Enveloped In His Rapture"

It's a bit too easy to forget why Inception was such a towering achievement, so consider this a healthy reminder.

"Dark Knight" Sequel Rumors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt as The Riddler?

Here's a riddle for you: If Christopher Nolan isn't attached to direct the sequel to The Dark Knight yet, are any casting rumors regarding the film true? Put simply, no, but this is one that I truly wish was true. Rumors have been echoing across the interweb that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will reteam with Nolan for his third film based on the Batman comic books, this time in the face of The Riddler. The Riddler has been the villain that most have speculated will play a pivotal role in the sequel, and since initially talk that Johnny Depp would be best for the role, attention has shifted to the Inception star.

Why am I so certain it isn't true? Because when has news about the hyped up sequel that hasn't come straight from the mouth of Christopher Nolan ever been true? Answer: Never. Nolan is the only one you can trust when it comes to news about his movies. Both Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman have slipped up about these rumors, mistaking them for truth. When the people starring in the damn movie don't know what's going on, how can we? Now as much as I'd love Gordon-Levitt to take the role, I'm going to say right now that unless it comes from Nolan's mouth, it isn't true. The only true facts about the Dark Knight sequel are that Jonathan Nolan, Christopher's brother, is penning the script based on a story by Chris Nolan and David Goyer, and it's to be released on July 20, 2012. For now, that's the end of it.

Oscar Lookout: Inception's awards prospects

After taking eighteen paragraphs to write about how much I loved Inception, I've gotten tired of talking about it, so I promise this will be the last you hear about it from me for a while. The film's Oscar prospects have been all over the board, and people are definitely uncertain of how the academy will react. If it were me, I'd have the film up for several major categories. I really enjoyed the film that much, and I think that people agree. The box office estimates for Sunday were about 2.5 million less than what the film actually made, so word of mouth is surely doing wonders for the film.

I think that this film will probably linger on through to awards season, and it will definitely be nominated for Best Picture at this year's Oscars. I'm very certain of that, because that's pretty much why the Academy expanded the field to ten nominations. They did it so that some of the more audience friendly pics would have more of a chance. If they don't have at least three films that grossed north of $200 million nominated for Best Picture, they have pretty much failed. I also believe that Nolan will be nominated for Best Director, because his attention to detail shows up in every frame of the film. It's a crime that he was snubbed in 2008 for The Dark Knight. It won't happen again this year.

The technicals are a lock no matter what. We don't have to worry about nominations in Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Art Design Visual Effects, Film Editing, or Original Score. It may have some trouble nabbing a cinematography nod, but I think it will make it. The screenplay for the film stands a good chance of being nominated, because it's one of the most original works that's been made in a long time. The biggest question mark on the board is the actors. There are reservations about whether or not any of the actors really deserve it, but I think DiCaprio's work this year, split between Inception and Shutter Island, is deserving of a nomination. It would be an unfair snub to cancel him out on that.

As for the supporting work, it is all really fantastic here. I can see Marion Cotillard being nominated for her fractured portrayal of Mal, but the role may be too small for much recognition. On the other hand, Vanessa Redgrave was nominated for six minutes in Atonement, so we can't be too worried about that. Of the supporting actors, if anyone were nominated, I'd have a hard time deciding between Ken Watanabe and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Both are exceedingly charming in their roles, and both would be fine nominations. So here are the awards the film has chances at being nominated in: Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Editing, Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supp. Actress (Marion Cotillard), Supp. Actor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Ken Watanabe)

Inception Review

After the collosal success of The Dark Knight, everyone was waiting for Christopher Nolan to jump on board for the final installment of his Batman saga. I can't tell you how grateful I am that he didn't. Inception may very well be the film Nolan is remembered for. There have been many vivid interpretations of what dreams really are, but very few of them are as acurate as the ones Nolan presents here. It's obvious that Nolan has done quite a bit of lucid dreaming, because all of the dream logic this film utilizes is very real. It's very hard to break down the outstanding qualities of Inception without literally breaking this review down to focus on different aspects of the production, so here we go.

The Plot: Inception, in case you haven't heard yet, deals with Dom Cobb (Leonardo Dicaprio), an extractor who uses a device to share dreams with other subjects in order to extract information from them. Saito (Ken Watanabe) proposes that Cobb perform inception (planting an idea in someone elses mind) in order to take down a high profile competitor (Cillian Murphy), and in return Dom can return to America and rejoin his children who have been left parentless after the death of his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard). Cobb accepts, and the rest of the film involves his quest to return to his family.

That's as far into the plot as I'm willing to go, because it's really something that you have to experience for yourself. I feel sorry for anybody who gets the ending of the film spoiled to them. Suffice it to say that this is the most original concept that's been explored in years. The last time I remember seeing a truly original science fiction film is WALL-E. Nolan proposes many unique concepts in this film, and tries something that's never been tried before. He never takes the plot of the film further than it needs to go, and it goes pretty far. Nolan respects the journey these characters take too much to compromise that just by putting on the old razzle dazzle.

Many have drawn analogies from this film to The Matrix, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Blade Runner, but oddly enough, the film I most related this film to was Up. I am indeed speaking of the 2009 Pixar film that was nominated for Best Picture this past year. It does seem like a stretch, but they both deal with similar subjects. Both deal with men trying to get over the loss of their wife, and they constantly try to keep them alive. Carl Fredrickson kept his alive through the house they built together. Cobb keeps his wife alive through his dreams. That is the emotional core of the film, and it works splendidly in both cases.

The script by Christopher Nolan is very complex and creative, but once you understand the film, you really do get the chance to relish its creativity. It's clear that Nolan's spent years working on this film, and it was his ambition to challenge audiences integrity. It doesn't become endlessly confusing, and in many ways is refreshingly up front with the audience concerning several plot points. He doesn't weave convoluted and pretentious riddles. He composes simple and heartfelt ones. Inception is a film of the mind and the heart, and it exists on such a grand scale that is nearly impossible to acheive.

The Action: It's hard to keep an audience's attention throughout an entire two and a half hour running time, but then again, it's hard to do just about anything that Inception has done. There isn't a moment in this film when something isn't happening. The action in the movie is at a level higher than anything that regular filmmakers can put together. The action exists both in reality and in the dream world. You get the idea that things are happening in each layer of perception that are preventing Cobb from succeeding. The tension gets continually more palpable as the stakes get higher.

Whereas the action in The Dark Knight felt a little sluggish at times, there is a spontaneity displayed here that keeps us from falling asleep (get it? haha). Of course, a few explosions never hurt, do they? Events that occur in one level of the dream trickle down to the other levels, and it's brilliant just watching it all unfold before our eyes. One of the greatest action scenes, not only in this film, but in any film, is the Joseph Gordon-Levitt's zero gravity hallway fight sequence. It's a little too short for my tastes, but it is so perfect in its execution, that I marvel at how they filmed it without visual effects.

The Cast: This was one of the few instances in which every single actor portrayed on screen was absolutely perfect in their roles. Leonardo DiCaprio has really grown to become one of the best actors of our time. His work in Titanic, like everything else in that film, isn't really spectacular. However, 13 years later, he grown to be able to tell so much about the characters he portrays, even if it's not necessarily on the page. He goes far deeper into his character than Heath Ledger ever did in The Dark Knight, a bold statement, but one I hold on to. Cobb is a deeply flawed human being, and despite being the lead, he's one of the bad guys. He's a criminal and a con man, yet we get behind him.

Lets get to the very core of the character of Cobb. He's a widow, trapped by guilt. He is constantly uncertain of reality. He's a man with several years of experience, and when he says he's the best extractor, that is why. Most of all, he doesn't care too much about moral values. All he cares about is getting home to his family, whatever the cost. One of the brilliant things that Nolan does is take these usually antagonistic characters and give them the proper background to make you feel for them. Many have related DiCaprio's character to his in Shutter Island, but there are some very obvious differences.

Cobb and Marion Cotillard's character, Mal, share the emotional backbone of the film. Heist movies are most often devoid of any emotional value, but Cobb and Mal's story truly brought me to tears. Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) gracefully embodies the different incarnations of Mal. She appears as both a whole person and a malevolent projection. For a great deal of the film, she isn't a fully rounded character, because she isn't meant to be. She's just a shade of the woman Cobb loved. Not the real thing.

The rest of Cobb's team bring quite a bit to the table. Joseph Gordon-Levitt ((500) Days of Summer) is quickly becoming one of the great rising stars in the business. His performance, while not too deep, is one of the most charming of the group. Ken Watanabe may be one of my favorite actors for the first half of the film when he is most utilized, and he plays a avaricious business man in a way that endears the audience to him, rather than repulses. Tom Hardy hasn't done a whole lot of screen work in his time, but he comes on screen with such an energy that shows that he clearly is having as much fun playing the role as we are watching him do it. Dileep Rao (Drag Me to Hell) plays the geeky scientist that you need in every science fiction film, but he does it to a lessened degree.

Ellen Page plays Ariadne (her name being the only part of the script that seems slighty forced), who is the architect of the dream worlds the team enters. At first she works as a conduit for the audience, asking the questions that we kind of need answered. As the story goes on, she becomes Cobb's closest confidant, and Ellen Page excells in one of her first serious roles. She's just got this fresh young spirit to her that never goes away no matter how many roles she takes. I really want to see her take on some more challenging roles, just so I can see if she can handle it. She probably can.

The other emotional character in this film is Robert Fischer, played by Cillian Murphy. He has various emotional issues with his dying father, and they have really shaped him as the sort of frail yet angry soul needed in order for inception to work on him. As they get deeper in the dream, his emotional arc really comes full circle, and props to Cillian for making it believable. Even the minor characters who have very little to do with the actual story bring what they can to the table. Tom Berenger, Talulah Riley, Lucas Haas, Michael Caine, Pete Postlethwaite, and Michael Gaston all do stunning work in their brief time onscreen.

The Technical Aspects: People can go ahead and bash the brilliant narrative elements all they want, claiming they are too convoluted and coldhearted. That's an opinion based solely on the viewer. That's something that you'll miss out on if you're not careful, and it is something that can be as simple as missing a train. If you give the film the same amount of attention that you'd give another person in a conversation, you should be fine. However, even if you slack off for the entire film (not recommended), you will still be able to fully admire the technical brilliance of the piece. There is so much to admire about this film, other than the story.

The visual effects of the film are top notch, but the film doesn't rely on them. Nolan very firmly believes in filming whatever you can in real environments. There is little to no green screen on this film, but at the points where visual effects are in play, you don't really notice. It's not that they're extremely real, but they just blend in with the look of the environment. Remember those waves that opened up the theatrical trailer, and how I was sure that those were computer generated. Brilliantly enough, they were real. That's the sort of beauty that is rarely captured in life, and props to Wally Pfister for capturing it the way he did.

Pfister's work in the film is amazing as it always is, but this being an action film, there are a few hiccups. The shaky cam is never to the point in which you have no idea what's going on, but it keeps some of the shots from being at the same painterly level as the action shots in The Dark Knight. However, we do get quite a few beautiful shots in this film. The folding city is an amazing sight to see, and I can't wait to see it in IMAX so I can get the full sweep of it. The hallway fight sequence is one of the most brilliantly shot scenes I've come to witness. However, my favorite shot (or rather two shots) of the film is Cobb and Mal on the railway as a train comes rushing forward. Pfister's work here may not earn him his long overdue Oscar, but it'll add another nomination to resume.

The art direction department does splendid work, and they are the true architects of the dream world. It's strangely beautiful at times, and they add to the visual spectacle of it all. The sound editing and mixing is quite something, creating some of the trademark sounds of the film, but it's the score by Hans Zimmer that will be drawing in the audience's ears. I was a little worried when Zimmer said that the score would be very electronic, but I was just to caught up in the epic feel of the music to notice. He's woven so many melodic themes into this film, and the fact that he did it without seeing footage from the film makes it so much more impressive.

Conclusion: For the past two days I have been barrelling through internet chat session where people keep on debating about Inception's quality. Quite a few people keep on saying that the film is in no way a masterpiece, and I tried to keep that in mind while watching the film, but I simply couldn't. The few flaws I did find with the film were forgivable. Inception is, in this reviewer's opinion, a masterpiece by definition. It's a film that's been made by a master of the art who is at the top of his form. My deepest thanks to Christopher Nolan for giving us this. After the film is over, people will want to know what I interpretted of the ending, so I will try to say it as simply as I can while trying not to give away any spoilers. However, out of fear that I will, I place a huge SPOILER WARNING!!!! After two viewings, I stand in the firm belief that the totem topples. Of that I am 100% sure, beyond any reasonable doubt.

A+