Box Office Report: "Bourne" starts a short legacy

The Summer box office season may be finding a kind of resurgence in itself, even if it comes at the cost of quality cinema. I'm speaking of course of the latest installment in the Jason Bourne franchise, which almost entirely disassociates itself from what made the first three films so thrilling. Tony Gilroy simply doesn't have Paul Greengrass' style, and the box office shows audiences aren't quite buying the franchise turnaround. Sure, "The Bourne Legacy" had a stronger-than-usual opening, but didn't bring at all the same numbers as its predecessors had. I imagine things only going more mildly from here on, much to my dismay.

Will Ferrell comedy "The Campaign", in the meantime, has been playing up the market elsewhere to similar effect. By that I mean the allure is more enticing than what people end up seeing, with many disappointed in how uninspired and not particularly entertaining it was. Once again, sight unseen, but the trailers paint a reliable enough picture of how dismissible this film is. "Hope Springs" is the only film this weekend that's even slightly rewarding viewers what they came to see, that being a light comedy with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones. It's simple, unambitious, and maybe even a viable option. It's performing adequately as usual. Overall, this weekend didn't bring the box office back to where it was a year ago, with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Help" giving the market an optimistic boost.

THE LISTS: Best below-the-line elements in Christopher Nolan's films

It's rather easy to underestimate how suffocating the cloud of hype for "The Dark Knight Rises" can be, even if you're trying to ignore it. Fact of the matter is that they simply didn't have a midnight screening for "Alps" for me to get excited about, so what else is a man supposed to do with his life except delve back into Nolan's filmography? Plenty ideas crossed my mind when deciding on where to focus my energies, one being the performances across Nolan's now eight films, but that's really something that requires much more time and further films in order to pick out the best. It's inferred that Nolan has plenty left in him.

At this moment, what seemed rather appropriate to do was go below-the-line with Nolan's films, especially considering how "The Dark Knight" achieved a rather difficult across the board perfection of sorts which this sequel hopes to continue. Nolan has worked with a lot of the same people across his career, switching up partners every once in a while when it seems prudent, and he's rather likely to find even more collaborators over the rest of his career, as well as continue the ones he has made. Given that we don't know what the future holds for him after "The Dark Knight Rises", which more and more is seemingly like a cutting point in Nolan's career, now is a rather good time to consider his collaborations thus far.

"The Man Dresses Up Like a Bat. Clearly He Has Issues."

I feel like Christopher Nolan could craft this into the plot for Inception 2, if he were ever to make one. In any case, this is a really fun interesting fan item.

It Took Me Two Minutes to Understand This

Awards 2010: Writer's Guild of America Winners

This week, I did something that I haven't done since late 2009. I sat down and watched Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight from start to finish. I'd seen fragments of it on television, usually during the ambitious gotham city car chase that takes place in the middle of the film. I can honestly say that I've never fully realize the full scale of Nolan's accomplishment until just now. At face value, it's a dark crime thriller with some breathtaking action set-pieces propelling it, but what always shook me to my core was that final 25 minutes. The Joker had already made it abundantly clear of his intention to show the citizens of Gotham as the murderous fiends they truly are. Ultimately what that final showdown, and what the entire film actually boils down to is the struggle to keep hope alive at whatever the cost. The stakes are made so personal by the face-off between Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon, and that menace shows how painful it is to live in a world with absolutely no hope. That was what made the film so unforgettable.

With that said, Inception is never going to come close to what that film meant and what that film did. To even suggest that is crazy, because Nolan creates a softer film with less emotional stakes. It's dazzlingly well crafted with a powerful and under-appreciated supporting turn from Marion Cotillard, but it won't be what Nolan is remembered for. Recently I have been twisting and turning at how unbearably predictable the Oscar race has become, and it's so unbearable because it's currently in favor of The King's Speech, which is quickly becoming my least favorite film of the bunch, aside from The Fighter. It's amazing how unanimous praise can expose your despise for a film.

Yet this evening we got a glimmer of hope that maybe everything isn't set in stone. Inception took home the WGA award for Best Original Screenplay, making it Nolan's first win at the prestigious awards. For the past seven years the WGA has been spot on in predicting the outcome of the race, despite the strict rules of qualification. This year, The King's Speech was cut out of the race because of such technicalities, so this could break the WGA's streak of voting so correctly. However, I manage to believe that Nolan still has a shot at the win. The message of outcry amongst the fans at Nolan's omission from Best Director has been heard, so voting for Inception could also work as a bit of damage control.

Of course Aaron Sorkin also took the obvious win for his precise screenplay for The Social Network, which has a much greater struggle for the win in Best Picture. It'll be a struggle for David Fincher to recieve his deserved Best Director win against the undeserving Tom Hooper. I feel a greater stream of optimism this evening than I have in a long time. I've adjusted my Oscar Predictions page, so check it out. The winners are listed below.

Best Original Screenplay: Inception
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Documentary Writing: Inside Job
Miniseries/TV Movie Adapted Screenplay: The Pacific
Miniseries/TV Movie Original Screenplay: The Special Relationship
Episodic Comedy: Modern Family
Episodic Drama: Mad Men
New Series: Boardwalk Empire

Hardy Reteams With Nolan for Third "Batman"!

At this point, I'd like to bring everyone who ever loved cinema together to celebrate this news, however small it may be. Tom Hardy, who played the pivotal role of Eames in Christopher Nolan's Inception, is teaming up with the acclaimed director again for the impending sequel to The Dark Knight. They're obviously keeping quiet the name of the character he'll be playing, which may or may not be the villain. However, he would make a dashing Riddler. Hardy is hardly a household name as of now, but this role, whatever it may be, could very well catapult him into the upper echelons of stardom. Nobody can say that Christopher Nolan doesn't pick favorites, but you'd be daft to question his choices. Less than two years now before this holy alliance reaches full potency!

Christopher Nolan's Next IS "Batman 3"

It's been a long time since I last talked about Christopher Nolan, as he's been out of the news quite a while since Inception came out more than two months ago. This latest news has been quite obvious for some time, but never actively confirmed by him. Personally, I was worried that Nolan would leave behind his Batman franchise altogether to somebody else. Fortunately, he has reaffirmed his intent to direct the sequel to The Dark Knight, slated for release in July of 2012. As for the plot and villain of the next film, he's still keeping things as close to the chest as always. Michael Caine expects production to begin in May of next year, but I've learned to take anything reported from a source that isn't Nolan himself with a grain of salt. Nolan knows his time table, so lets trust he will have time to make it spectacular.

"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.