REVIEW: Talon, Volume One: Scourge of the Owls

PLOT: As a young performer with Haly's Circus, young Calvin Rose was secretly being raised to be a master assassin--a killing machine called a Talon. The Talons have always served the mysterious Court of Owls, a group of wealthy individuals who will stop at nothing to maintain their grip on power in Gotham City. When Rose defects from the Talon's ranks, he is marked for death and spends the next few years using all his training to hide from his former masters. After years on the run, Rose finally returns to Gotham City following the horrors of "The Night of Owls." He'll set off to investigate what remains of the Court of Owls, but will he be able to gain his freedom at long last?

REVIEW: Scott Snyder has proven at this point that not only is he a great writer for Batman, but he is also a great writer of comics in general with a title like Swamp Thing as evidence. I mostly picked up this volume of Talon because I know that Snyder is a quality talent, but also because it's Gotham oriented and I can't turn down anything Batman. This book plucks a character from Batman's Court of Owls storyline Calvin Rose, and follows him as he seeks revenge on his former group of Owls when he realizes that Gotham may have been emptied of his personal demons. The main reason I like this book so much is that it's dark, which is something that Scott Snyder has rarely shied away from in his writing. He is able to take such a comical world and turn it into something darker and deeper than it ever has before. It's one main reason that the New 52 Batman is so great and has become a new standard for the Batman comic books. Calvin Rose is a Talon of the Court of Owls, which if you aren't familiar with, may require some reading of Snyder's Batman to get an introduction to. The evils that the Court of Owls is capable of committing are atrocious and really personify a villain that can strike the fear into characters in a book, as well as the reader at home. Talon yet again proves that Snyder is a mainstay in current comic writing, and can do much more than just Batman, even though this predominately takes place in Gotham City. This is much recommended to fans of the New 52, Batman in general, and possibly Pink Floyd's The Wall because the Owl masks are just too reminiscent of it to ignore.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Superman: For Tomorrow

PLOT: A cataclysmic event has struck the Earth. Millions of people have vanished without a trace. No one is left unaffected; not even Superman! But after a year, Superman is left with many questions. For a hero who tries to have all the answers, it's torture. And, just as the action heats up and the stakes are raised, one huge question emerges: Just how far is Superman willing to go "For Tomorrow"?

REVIEW: I joke a lot about how much I hate Superman. I'm not a Superman fan, because of my undying love for everything Batman. It just so happens that typically Batman is the one the Justice League is counting on when Superman fails them, and always gets Supes out of trouble. However, I do read some Superman because I know that there are good stories in all kinds of packages and if it's a comic book then I guess I'll read it. I mainly wanted to read Superman: For Tomorrow because it's written by Brian Azzarello. Azzarello is currently working the New 52 Wonder Woman and even did some Batman in the form of Joker, which is great if you haven't read it. I was not only pleased with this graphic novel but also surprised at really how great it was. It also was a pretty serious story for Superman, and was kind of depressing. Superman finds himself at a loss for an idea of a future after a device has triggered random mass vanishings in the world. He befriends a priest at the beginning and throughout his questioning and narrative to him, Superman finds the reason he does what he does for the people of Metropolis. This is not an action packed Superman comic, but it really goes in depth in thinking about the character and that is one of the few ways I enjoy reading Superman. I like it when the character of Superman is analyzed, because even though he's all powerful, he struggles the most with being a human, or the perfect human in his mind. It's a dilemma that most all of us can relate to, so it provides for a great Superman reading experience. Also, expect the beautiful artwork, as usual from Jim Lee.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Swamp Thing, Volume Two: Family Tree

PLOT: Alec Holland is back as the Swamp Thing, fully formed as the protector of The Green. Immediately upon his return, he must battle his way through the Bone Kingdom and The Rot to free his ally - and ex-girlfriend - Abigail Arcane. But will the cost of freeing her be...fighting her? Nothing, not even this titanic battle, will prepare Swampy for what he has to face next--a resurrected and even more dangerous Anton Arcane!

REVIEW: I loved the first volume of the New 52 Swamp Thing, and there are so many reasons for that love. One, it's written by Scott Snyder who in recent years has proved himself to be one of the better new talents in comic writing. Currently working on the main title for Batman, he's frequently proven capable of blending dark elements into super hero stories that make them beautiful on the page and in your mind. Also, Swamp Thing has been one of the better drawn titles of the New 52 behind only Batwoman in my mind. The excellence continues in the second volume of Swamp Thing and the story gets even wilder. I loved the story with Arcane and the threat that he presented not only to Alec, but to others as well and the horror that he brought with the rot. What I love about Swamp Thing and the adjoining hero, Animal Man, is that the story is so dark and the art is so gruesome that it provides for a truly unique comic book experience. You could classify these as horror comics, and they do kind of come off the page a little on the adult side because the artwork is just so vivid but haunting. You can read superheroes everyday, but you can't always get this world that you have with Swamp Thing. I would highly recommend reading this title of New 52, as it is easily my favorite behind Batman and most of us know how much I enjoy Batman titles. Pick this up, and observe the perfection in artistry from this team of talented artists and take note that you aren't going to see panels as breathtaking as you see here too often, so enjoy them while we can.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )
STORY : ( 9 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Justice League, Volume Two: The Villain's Journey

PLOT: Now that the team's origin story is complete, we shift to the present-day Justice League! What has changed? Who has joined the team since? And why does Green Arrow want to join those ranks so badly? Plus, the birth of a new super-villain! Someone is out to get the Justice League and he is determined to show the world how mortal these godlike beings really are!

REVIEW: I'm no longer that surprised anymore when I read a New 52 graphic novel, and find it to be so great that I just can't believe it took so long to do what they've done with all of these heroes. The first volume of Justice League was great, and probably the easiest and quickest read of all the New 52. It sets up their origin for how they came to be with each other, and it pits all of their personalities against one another and shows how dynamic of a group they are. One of the strengths in this book is the display of that very same thing, the bond and familiarity they have with one another's quirks and personalities is great. Everyone has a different way of speaking, or going about things, and in small arguments they use those to make fun of each other or bring someone back to reality. There are quite a few directed at Batman, which I really enjoy, because to this Justice League they're all pretty aware that Batman is the best of them and that's why they've agreed that he's the leader. That however, does not keep them from making fun of him, as he's often on the receiving end of this team's humor.

There are a lot of other things I love about this volume of Justice League, one of them being I think in the second issue of the collection where Green Arrow will stop at nothing to keep trying to butt in and join their team in a battle to prove he's worthy of the League. The way they show it battle after battle, from each page to the next really added to the humor of it and is probably really great set up for what is to come. Also, the villain was awesome. He goes by Graves, and he is able to bring the Justice League to their knees with weakness because his power is showing people their loss, and using it to incapacitate them. He's a great villain for them because no one in the Justice League is short on loss, and missing a loved one. I just also love the dark storylines that New 52 has had no problem incorporating into their new world, and making it really accessible for adults, as much as teens. As usual, I would highly recommend this volume of New 52 Justice League, as well as any other New 52 title out there right now. In addition, I'm not sure what all of the fuss was about with Wonder Woman kissing Superman. I get it, and it doesn't bother me, but it did come out of nowhere and in a pretty much cookie cutter chick flick moment between the two at the end of the volume. They could have at least used a little creativity in putting them together, but hey they might just be super wonderful together. Who knows.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Batman: The Dark Knight, Volume Two: Cycle of Violence

PLOT: The Scarecrow has returned to Gotham City, but he's no longer the meek punching bag Batman is used to. The villainous genius has always preyed on the worst fears of his victims, but has refined his legendary fear toxin to even greater effectiveness and deadlier consequences. As the Scarecrow's origin is unfurled, Batman must find out not only how to conquer this dangerous psychopath, but how to beat his own worst fear.

REVIEW: Yet another brilliant New 52 Batman entry. Batman: The Dark Knight, Volume Two: Cycle of Violence does amazingly dark things for the character of Scarecrow and it really frightens on the page. The way that Scarecrow is drawn is just haunting, with his lips sewn together but still having the capability of talking. Hell, half his jaw is hanging off of his face for some of the book and he doesn't even seem to notice. Everything about this volume is dark and gritty, and it's unforgiving. Scarecrow is probably the scariest I've seen him in a Batman comic, and Batman is nearly at his most helpless against him. Struggling to remember why what he does is right by him, Scarecrow makes Bruce's journey through his mind that much more difficult when he loads him full of a new, and more powerful fear toxin. There aren't really any other villains in this book besides the Penguin who makes a small appearance when the Scarecrow is prepping his newest plot. This isn't the strongest of the New 52 Batman titles, but it surely makes a point to be one of the darker entries. If you like your Batman in the shadows with a side of spooky, this volume of Batman: The Dark Knight is definitely for you.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

TOP TEN TUESDAY: The Holy Trilogies

This weekend is a huge weekend for movies, and it very well may be the last big weekend of the summer. The big, upcoming horror hit You're Next promises to be this year's most talked about horror film and is still holding steady at 90% fresh on RottenTomatoes.com a few days before its release. I have advanced screening passes to go check it out tomorrow night, so I'll have to let you know how accurate that figure is. It didn't look all that great to me when seeing trailers but from what I hear it sounds like a gruesomely good time and pretty promising. Also, for the non-adult crowd and probably more likely tween girl crowd we have the highly anticipated release (for said crowd) of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which is the latest young adult novel adaptation that is all the craze. I expect it to be yet another mock-Twilight that is trying to capitalize on the success of previous films based on teen novels that drive the girlies crazy. I'm not entirely sure what the attraction is to these films, based off of book after book that appear to be highly overrated (I'm a librarian, I know these things). There are a handful of limited release films like the kung fu entry The Grandmaster which looks pretty intense and dramatic, as well as Nicolas Cage and John Cusack's The Frozen Ground, which proves that neither can find much else to do. The movie that I'm extremely ecstatic about coming out this weekend is The World's End which is the final entry in the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. If this is your first time visiting the site, you may have question as to why I would be so excited for such a thing but those of you who are familiar with my tastes know why. Fans have been waiting quite awhile for this third film from writer/director Edgar Wright, writer/actor Simon Pegg, and buddy Nick Frost to follow up their well-respected first two films Shaun of the Dead (my favorite movie ever) and Hot Fuzz (which is equally great). I can't hardly put into words how excited I am about The World's End and how well it's being reviewed thus far, so I've decided to count down the top ten film trilogies of all-time, or at least the ones that I've seen all three films to. There is a huge list of trilogies that are worthy of this list, and obviously the trilogies wouldn't exist if at least one to two of the movies were amazing. However, I have narrowed it down and so I present to you, my holy trilogies of film.

10. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

 

This is a trilogy that is probably up much higher on the list for most but because I was introduced so much later in life, it doesn't hold quite as special of a place in my heart as it does for other fans of film. Obviously, Indiana Jones is a very popular character because he became part of the title after the first film. Most people don't even know that Raiders of the Lost Ark did not have an "Indiana Jones and" attached to the beginning, and it wasn't until the creative team saw the power of the name Indiana Jones, did they begin attaching it to the beginning of the movie titles. Kind of similar to how First Blood turned Rambo into a sensational franchise character, and thus ended up becoming part of the rest of the titles. Matter of fact, why didn't that end up on my list... Anyways, Indiana Jones became an iconic character for two reasons that I can see. One, the outstanding acting of Harrison Ford as a hero with an attitude was proven yet again in these films as he became probably the greatest action/adventure character ever created. Doctor by day, adventurer by night and if it wasn't for Ford's incredible ability to create a character that's as funny as he is serious, it could have easily been a flop. The second reason this trilogy works so well is because of the big creative mind behind it, Steven Spielberg. The guy is a film legend for a reason, and this trilogy is one of the many examples brought to attention when recalling his prolific career in filmmaking. I'm not the biggest fan of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom but it is still pretty entertaining, and the other two films are just classic. Raiders of the Lost Ark is easily one of the greatest action/adventure films ever made.



9. Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

 

Another trilogy that I wasn't really introduced to until much later in life, though I had seen the first film a couple of times growing up because of my parents showing it to me and loving Michael J. Fox. When I received the Blu-ray trilogy box set for my birthday though a few years ago, I was able to watch all three films and I was instantly in love. At the time the gift giver knew my obsession with all things nerd, and of course Blu, so it was a wise choice and I suddenly discovered how much I was a fan of Back to the Future. These are some films that are just downright fun, and even watching them today they for some reason don't feel all that dated. Not to mention the strange coincidences like the Star Wars film playing in the background in the future of Back to the Future Part II and other things. These movies are a little corny but they have earned their place in popular culture due to notable scenes and the famous DeLorean, and just being downright entertaining and fun. Also involved in this trilogy is Steven Speilberg, but not as a director who would be Robert Zemeckis that is also known for fun and usually family films. This is one of those classic trilogies that just has to be introduced to your children when you have them, or your family when it's completed. It's a truly magical experience that I believe will stand the test of time for years to come. Marty is going to continue being McFly until someone else makes as fun of a time travel movie as these ones.

 

8. The Evil Dead (1981)

Evil Dead II (1987)

Army of Darkness (1992)

 

There are several horror trilogies that you could probably include on here, but none of them are quite as successful through the entire run as Evil Dead was. The only other comparable series was the Scream trilogy but the third film just doesn't do that whole series any justice by being a joke of itself. Evil Dead however, progresses from being a truly frightening experience full of demons, evil, and brilliant practical FX work into quite possibly the greatest horror comedy of all-time. Army of Darkness is a cult classic for many reasons, but mainly because of its sense of humor. Horror comedies often have struggle with balancing the elements of both a comedy, and a horror film. Army of Darkness executes on both sides perfectly, and presents one of the funnest adult horror films you'd ever see. It's so corny in a way, but at the same time you recall all that the character Ash has gone through up until that point and know that evil is bound to find him yet again. One of the reasons I love the Evil Dead trilogy is obviously because it's horror, but the amazing use of practical FX back in the 80's and early 90's was just stunning. The witches or whatever you want to call them, from the first two films, are downright creepy and some of the monsters after the first film are insane. There's also a reason they made a remake, and it's because these films were great then and they're still great now, and though it didn't need an update the Evil Dead trilogy is as relevant today as ever.
 

7. The Bourne Identity (2002)

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

 

There are so many action trilogies out there in the world, but I feel there are few that match the intensity of these films. From The Bourne Identity forward, they continue to up the ante and match the intensity of the previous film by adding more layers to the story and a lot more action. The Bourne Ultimatum in my opinion, may be one of the greatest action films of all-time and though it's not like action films of the 80's, it wallops as Matt Damon cruises through his enemies in the best ways possible. There are a lot of great fight scenes and action scenes throughout this whole trilogy, but there is a lot of well acted drama too and that's what sets these films apart from the rest of the action trilogy canon. The scene in the third and final film where Jason Bourne sets up his followers by making them think he is elsewhere, when he really is in their offices placing the call to them. It's just brilliant hero stuff, and you can't help but root for Bourne as he is easily misunderstood and just wants to be normal. There are a lot of things that you can relate to as a viewer, but when your hero is so relatable it makes it that much easier to get involved and root for the guy. If you have seen The Bourne Legacy but never saw the first three films, or never had any interest in this trilogy, I highly recommend it. It will be regarded as an action/drama classic series of films by the time 15 years have past on The Bourne Ultimatum.
 

6. The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The Godfather: Part III (1990)

 

I obviously didn't see this classic trilogy until much later in life, other than the horse at the foot of the bed scene on a few countdowns of classic film moments. It's a hardcore drama through and through, and if you don't believe me you can take a look at the total runtime for this trilogy. There are several reasons this trilogy is one of the greatest, and for me there are a few other reasons that make it not the single greatest ever like a lot of people claim it is. First of all, the third movie is so far off the mark of the first two it makes it hard to claim that the entire trilogy is legendary. When anyone thinks of these films, it's usually moments from the first two. Imagine a world where The Godfather: Part III is equally as intense as The Godfather: Part II. The acting of Marlon Brando is most of what makes this classic for most, but take a look at other actors that got their start in the mob here. Al Pacino does amazing work, as well as Robert De Niro, and let's not forget the master director behind all of these films. Martin Scorsese has proved since nearly the beginning of his career that runtime is not a problem, because the film that he makes will be great. His movie can be listed as four hours long, and everyone is still going to see it because Scorsese can craft some of the most epic drama films anyone has ever seen. There is no one that rivals his talent when it comes to hard-hitting dramas, and The Godfather trilogy is proof that even after nearly ten hours of The Godfather goodness, you can leave folks wanting more. Of course, let's not hope for it because if The Godfather: Part III is any proof, a fourth entry would just be really long and good, but not great like these first two films are. Scorsese won't touch it either, unless they make him an offer he can't refuse.

 

5. Clerks. (1994)

Mallrats (1995)

Chasing Amy (1997)

 

I don't know how many regard the first three films of Kevin Smith as a trilogy, but it is packaged and sold as one so I thought it deserved its spot here. Similar to the trilogy that is the reason for this list, Kevin Smith's Jersey Trilogy is comprised of three films that have their own stories and main characters, but all take place in the same fictional universe that Smith has created since making Clerks. back in 1994. They are comedies, and they are rude, crude and most often socially unacceptable but that Kev Smith has always had a knack for writing truly authentic people into his movies. Clerks. was a comedy that no one expected when it came out and despite its lacklusted performance in terms of money, it has become a cult classic and of course began the launch of Smith's wild career that has now landed him as one of the biggest commentators of Hollywood today, at least for us fan boys. When Clerks III finally hits theaters in the somewhat near future, I may have a more literal trilogy to put on a list like this, but for now I felt that Smith's work needed to be acknowledged. These are merely his first three films, and each one touches on a different subject matter while all retaining Smith's unique voice as a writer and director. Chasing Amy may be one of my favorite love stories ever, and the only reason I can't call it a chick flick because it is truly a love story written for dudes to enjoy, and Ben Affleck nails it.
 

4. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

 

Oh my god, I know but please don't kill me. Star Wars not being in the top three trilogies of all-time might as well be a betrayal to my geekdom and status as a film fan. Really, it's one of my favorites as it's sci-fi and action, and I grew up on it but the three above this just really have quality written all over them. Despite the high entertainment value of the Star Wars trilogy, I can't say that they're the most brilliantly written movies and present intense dramas without a little corn. The special effects are amazing, and so is the action and sesne of adventure. Nothing can beat these films, and like I said with Back to the Future, Star Wars is one of those that will be passed down from generation to generation just because of what it is. It's still as relevant as it was more than 30 years ago, if not more so now today than it was then. Kids grow up knowing what Star Wars is, and it's ingrained into their DNA somehow to just love. It's rare that you find a person out in the world that doesn't know who Darth Vader is, or Luke Skywalker. Everyone knows some of the basic stories and characters of Star Wars, even if they've never seen a minute of the films in their life. It's truly a testament to the power of the universe that George Lucas has created, and the multitude of new stories in science fiction novels and the merchandise and spinoffs created for kids are the proof. There is nothing quite like Star Wars and I dare you to find a trilogy that is more well recognized than this one is. Maybe, in a galaxy far, far away.

 

3. Toy Story (1995)

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story 3 (2010)

 

This is the trilogy that I think of when it comes to my childhood. I pretty much grew up watching these characters and these films, and when the final one came out a couple of years ago it was able to strike me directly in the heart when it looked like it could be the end of all our favorite toys. I was such a little kid when the first one came out, and I loved it because it was a Disney movie and it was computer animated and it was so cool to imagine your toys coming to life and being their own people when you weren't around. It kind of matched the magic of The Indian in the Cupboard which was also one of my favorite movies growing up. The first film is a hands down family classic, and while I don't think the second film is anywhere near as good, it holds its own against a lot of the family film competition. Each one of these films taught a valuable lesson in life, and I think it's truly amazing that even after 15 years they were still able to do that, and to teach something to the same crowd that started out watching Toy Story as a kid. Toy Story 3 had me and about everyone else my age in tears when we saw the film, because it was a group of people that we had come to know and love in these films and we didn't want to see them go. It's a lesson taught to kids and adults alike in the third film, and I really can't think of a trilogy that quite does what Toy Story can. It is as close to magic as you can get, and go figure it's Disney.
 

2. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

 

Definitely the most successful trilogy when it comes to Academy recognition, Peter Jackson's epic take on the trilogy of books written by author J.R.R. Tolkien rung in a new era of film. It was the biggest and most epic adventure since some of the classic trilogies you saw earlier on in this list. This was the trilogy of my generation, and it has the length to show up all the rest. From the beginning, the magic of Tolkien's Middle Earth is woven so perfectly by Peter Jackson. Everything seems to have leapt straight off the pages and created directly from the words of Tolkien, and while I haven't read much of the trilogy of books, I could tell that they were pretty faithful to them. The plethora of characters provides enough choices for anyone to pick a favorite, and it ranges from bad ass to straight up cowardly, and intelligent to moronic. There really aren't too many words that can explain the magic of the Lord of the Rings films without actually seeing them for yourself. There are those who swear by the extended editions but you'd be looking at about a 12-hour day of all Lord of the Rings. But definitely try this trilogy out, and if you've only seen one or two shame on you. This is a trilogy that has to be experienced from beginning to end, because it is the greatest fictionalized adventure of all-time, at least in my opinion. This film series should be listed next to epic in the dictionary, because it is most definitely so.

 

1. Batman Begins (2005)

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

 

For the second week in a row, Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman films tops the list. It really goes to show how much I love Batman, but also how truly great these films are as an entire piece of work. We all have our favorite film from the trilogy, most would say The Dark Knight, but together they serve as one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. Of the heroes rise to the occasion turned into an overwelcome stay in the underbelly of Gotham. No one could have made these films quite like Nolan, and I don't think it could or can be done, any better than it has been here. I hope it's a long time before they try to reboot the character and do something new, and I hope that if they do it turns into an R-rated horror fest like the recent comics have. If you've only seen one of these movies, or if you've never watched them sequentially, you ought to give it a shot. These movies are the definition of quality film. This is what should be studied in schools, because it's one thing when you make a good superhero movie like Marvel Studios has been in recent years. But when you make a hero film that could serve just as well as a police drama or wild action movie, you know you have gold. This trilogy is the definition of perfect, and honestly all trilogies that strive for similar goals should aspire to be what Nolan has crafted.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Heroic Humans

It's been more common in superhero films recently, but sometimes our beloved heroes aren't blessed with any true superhuman powers. Some of them exemplify the best of human beings, and while it is rare, it is always a great thing to see ordinary people do extraordinary things. This list was extremely hard to compile, as most superhero films revolve around characters that are supernatural in some way, shape, or form. Some may argue that the heroes on this list also have some sort of additional ability that is superhuman, but as far as I know all of these characters are human as can be. There were a lot of possible lists to be done, but this was the most concise option. This weekend sees the release of two biopics, Lee Daniels' The Butler and Jobs, and though a list of the top ten biopics would be great, it was extremely difficult to narrow down to 10. Also, I had thought of doing a list of top ten African-American centric dramas for Lee Daniels' The Butler, but even that just didn't seem right. It just now occurred to me that I could even do a list in support of Paranoia with Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, and Harrison Ford, of movies that star a young male lead popularized from teenage heart throbbing (Abduction with Taylor Lautner anyone?). But on top of those three films releasing this weekend there is also the release of the sequel Kick-Ass 2, sequel to 2010's Kick-Ass. I'm extremely excited for the sequel and I really loved the first so, I think I'm going to enjoy the new one. Especially with the new character Colonel Stars and Stripes played by Jim Carrey, I know it's going to be a blast. I'm really disappointed that Carrey has withdrawn his support for the film due to recent interest in preventing gun violence, but he completed the role and fortunately for us we'll still get to see his crazy, comedic hero. So anyways, here is the list of the top ten super hero films that have human heroes with no powers other than the power of soul and the human heart.

10. Dredd (2012)

Maybe not resembling a human in the closest terms, the futuristic judge, jury, and sometimes executioner Dredd begins the list at number ten. A remake of the of the 1995 Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone as Dredd, Dredd has Karl Urban playing the futuristic super cop. The reason he Dredd makes the list is mostly for being the badass that he is. In the film, he rarely shows a trace of human emotion but uses his moral compass to guide him through his daily job responsibility of judging those who have committed crimes and determining their punishment on the spot. Something about the judge, jury, and executioner role strikes me as intriguing and extremely human because is it not our humanity that allows us to judge others for what they have done? If it weren't for our ethics and morals as human beings, the purpose of the Judges in this movie would make no sense. But it is because of our relation to wanting to be a Judge like character in our every day lives, judging those whom we disagree with, that make the character so appealing. Karl Urban knocks badass out of the park, but shows just the tiniest spark of humanity to show that not all heroes have to have powers or superhuman ability, to save the day.

9. Super (2010)

Super was a much buzzed about independent film a few years back, and rightfully so. Coming off of the heels of Kick-Ass, filmmakers were trying their hand at creating a human hero that audiences could sympathize with. This was to be the ultimate attempt and there were a lot of fans of this film starring Rainn Wilson as Frank Darbo who becomes the Crimson Bolt. Concerned about his wife getting involved in the drug trade, he comes up with his "super" alter ego to scare the pants off his enemies. He eventually befriends Ellen Page who becomes Boltie, his trusty sidekick. I for one, wasn't all that impressed with Super after seeing it and preferred another one of the Kick-Ass mockbusters over it, that wasn't nearly as hyped. I think the fact that Super saw the rounds at some film festivals helped its credit, and starring people that were just far enough removed from A-list that it seemed like an independent hit with these people acting their asses off. Rainn Wilson was his typical self, as was Ellen Page and Liv Tyler. So for me, I wasn't as impressed as everyone else was, but this was still a good dark comedy playing off the success of Kick-Ass and I recommend it if you're a fan of the type of the movie.

8. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

I love this movie. I straight up have a dripping heart's full of love for this movie. Directed by Edgar Wright, famously known for the Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the upcoming The World's End), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World shows the incredible talents of and up and coming genre director who has quite a following. Surprisingly Simon Pegg and Nick Frost don't make cameos in the film, as they're Wright's buddies and they usually form the trio that has made my favorite movie of all-time (which if you don't know what it is by now, then it sucks to be you). This movie was hyped from the beginning because of the obvious talent in the director's chair, but even once it had been seen by several people it was receiving a lot of good buzz. It's based off of a comic series of the same name, and now that I've read the books I appreciate the film a lot more. It is literally frame for frame, panel by panel nearly what the book is, and the movie look so much like a real life comic book it's awesome. Containing probably the best movie cameo outside of the one in X-Men: First Class, this starred a handful of people outside of the main stars Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. If you haven't seen Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, all I will tell you is this. When Scott Pilgrim wins, his enemies are turned into piles of coins and even though he's human, he always finds a way to defeat his seemingly superhuman enemies, also known as Ramona's seven evil exes. Some may argue the human aspect of Scott Pilgrim, but I'd say he's pretty damn human as he practically walked into victory with each evil ex on accident.

7. The Punisher (2004)

Not really popularly known for being that great, 2004's The Punisher starring Thomas Jane as Frank Castle was one of my favorite films as a teenage boy for obvious reasons. It's packed full of action, but on top of that it had a lot of acting talent in the form John Travolta as the bad guy, as well as one of my favorite actors currently, Ben Foster. This film was part of the resurgence in Marvel properties being turned into feature films, but it was also before Marvel Studios went off on their own to make the movies without production company interruption. I was happy to see this film made because I was a huge fan of The Punisher growing up but I also just loved R-rated movies because I wasn't allowed watching them. I read the novelization of this movie before I was able to convince my dad to take me to see it. Thomas Jane is an action star who has yet to be recognized for it, and he was perfect for the role of The Punisher in my opinion. A big, somewhat hulking man that is stockier than he is tall, got the job done in getting revenge against his family's killers. This is about as compassionate and vengeful a tale as you get, and it shows Castle's heroicism over everyone else in the Marvel universe that he squares off against. It's hard not to get absorbed into Frank's story as a fellow human being, because he loses his family and essentially his entire life in a flash and gets the chance to do what we all would wish to do in that situation. Get revenge, and punish those responsible, ourselves.

6. Defendor (2009)

In the time that Super was popular and generating mass amounts of buzz, this was the film I was talking up in its place. Woody Harrelson plays Arthur Poppington who becomes Defendor and believes that he is now a super hero. He uses everyday techniques to fight crime and is forced to try and save the teenager he befriends in Kat Dennings' Katerina Debrofkowitz. The reason this movie is so much better to me is that it has so much more heart than that of Super. The Crimson Bolt is faced with quite a villain from the getgo in Kevin Bacon who is an absolute douche and drug kingpin, but Defendor is faced with an everyday crime and wants to solve it. There is something about Arthur Poppington that draws a lot of sympathy, and I'm not sure if it's because he is mildly stupid or seems to have some sort of learning disability. He fully and wholeheartedly believes that he is a super hero, and it's that which draws the attraction to the character for me. Also, the platonic relationship he creates with Katerina is heartwarming especially after you see that he's not trying to save a loved one, he just sees wasted innocence and wants to preserve it just like his has been. There is something about Harrelson's portrayal in Defendor that just hit me in all the right places, and if you were a fun of Super, Defendor is a must-see film.

5. Kick-Ass (2010)

The reason for this list in a way, is 2010's Kick-Ass. Touted as a movie that was no-holds barred action but with super heroes that were just kids aspiring to be heroes in costumes, it was a pretty big hit at the box office. Most of the reason in my opinion for it being a hit, was Hit Girl herself played by Chloe Grace Moretz who is slowly building a reputation as she gets older. It was rumored at the time that even she was not allowed to see the final product because it was that hardcore. I will admit, that Kick-Ass definitely didn't shy away from language and blood along with senseless violence, but it wasn't enough to really cause the ruckus that it did, and again is seemingly having people speak out against. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the titular hero Kick-Ass, which is based off of a graphic novel by the same name written by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., and plays the role of a kid pretty well. Also, Nicolas Cage plays Big Daddy who is Hit Girl's father and eventually teaches the two how to fight crime appropriately and by the book. I really like Kick-Ass even though it is very hyperviolent and quite unrealistic, because it has a sense of humor and there is the definite human element. There is actually one scene where Kick-Ass unnecessarily rescues an innocent man from a crime and there are spectators recording the video which becomes the debut of the hero, and it's actually a very heartwarming scene despite the beatings issues on both sides.

4. Watchmen (2009)

Not entirely comprised of human beings, Watchmen is the adaptation to the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore. It's a classic fictional work even outside of its graphic novel genre, and the movie is a pretty faithful adaptation because of it. The story mostly focuses on the Watchmen, who are a band of superheroes, some super and some not, that are tasking themselves with fighting crime in their city. Heroes like Doctor Manhattan and Rorschach obviously have some sort of supernatural element to them, but the majority of the Watchmen are human beings and that is where the story focuses. Nite Owl and The Comedian are two of the main heroes of the Watchmen and Nite Owl is the central character, at least to me, when reading the book or watching the movie. A lot of people had problems with this movie, and there were even people that said it didn't do the original book justice. I for one thought that Zack Snyder did a phenomenal job on the movie adaptation, and you all should know by now that I have a bone to pick with him as a director. The director's cut is even better than the theatrical cut too, but it also extends the show time to over three hours which isn't an easy feat for most viewers. I would recommend watching it though, and most of you should know by now through my reviews that Watchmen is easily the greatest graphic novel of all-time, and the story takes a deep and often dark look into the psyche of humans who wish to be supernatural, and superhumans who would do anything to be human again.

3. Batman Begins (2005)

If you know anything about me, seeing this movie at number three should provide you with the rest of the top three choices. Obviously most of you have seen the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, but there may be some of you who are still not swept up into the craze yet. Really, they are some of the best films to be made in the action genre, and considering that it's based off of a comic book and a human hero protecting the city he grew up in, it's pretty damn impressive. In Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming the Batman is chronicled through his life as a child into his journey outside of Gotham where he was trained by Ra's Al Ghul and his school of ninja warriors. Bruce battled many things before he was battling villains like The Joker and Bane, mostly himself. Tormented by the loss of his mother and father, Bruce resolved to protect those who needed protection in Gotham. He did this because of his sympathy for the citizens of his city, and he did not want them to suffer as he had. When his incredible amount of resources showed that he would have everything to protect Gotham at the tip of his fingers, he took it upon himself and created a persona. This alter ego became known as the Batman, as he struck fear into the hearts of the grimy underbelly of Gotham, and thus became known as the city's masked vigilante.

2. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Then finally the film that everyone had been waiting for came, The Dark Knight Rises. The conclusion to the epic Batman trilogy by a hopefully now renowned director, Christopher Nolan. As if the analyzation of the character of Bruce Wayne and his crime fighting alter ago Batman couldn't get any more detailed, Nolan found a way to pit him against the apocalypse, or at least the biggest that he could face as one man. Never before had the threat extended past people he know, or beyond the city. Bane found a way to exploit Batman's weaknesses, as a human being, and created a plan that would destroy the very fabric of Bruce's existence. Even though Bane is also a human being, a tough one at that, he is another perfect villain to be alongside Batman in a struggle of good and evil. All of Bruce Wayne's human characteristics are brought to the surface by Bane, and he is truly more explored as Wayne in The Dark Knight Rises than in any other film. The threat became so big that it was almost even too big for Batman, and once it was Batman that was infamously defeated by Bane, it was Bruce Wayne that has to perservere and conquer the evils of Gotham City. This movie comes just about as close to The Dark Knight as it can. The haunting portrayal of Bane by Tom Hardy is a great follow-up to Heath Ledger's Joker, though it could never be topped for obvious reasons. If there was ever a time where I was forced to choose between the latter two films of the trilogy, I don't think I could do it.

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

But where Batman Begins renewed the faith of fans in Batman film, then came the sequel The Dark Knight. Famously known now as Heath Ledger's final complete role, where he plays The Joker, this movie packs one hell of a punch. It is hands down my favorite movie of all-time, and I don't foresee it being dethroned anytime soon. The hype for this movie was insurmountable, and it was all because Christopher Nolan had successfully transformed Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman, into believable human characters. Prior to his trilogy, Batman had become a cartoon character, and really an embarrassment to the character's history via Bat credit cards and terrible puns. What Nolan did with The Dark Knight was further the character analyzation of Batman by pitting him against his number one foe, The Joker. Heath Ledger's performance though captures the essence of evil in human form. The Joker, known for causing mischief in his own dementedly fun way, is also a human being that poses the villainous threat to Batman. Without Ledger's terrific portrayal as The Joker, Christian Bale's Batman doesn't see as much human reflection as it does in the second film. Bruce Wayne is forced to look at himself as a human being, and critique himself on the choices he makes as Bruce, and as Batman. There is a reason I think this is the greatest movie of all-time, and it's not just because it's about Batman, or The Joker. It's because these films that Nolan crafted are so much more than just a good guy against a bad guy, but it truly takes a deep look into what makes Bruce, Batman, and vice versa. This is my love letter to Nolan's Batman trilogy, signed sixthreezy.

REVIEW: Batman and Robin, Volume Two: Pearl

PLOT: Damian Wayne, a.k.a. Robin, must prove to Batman, as well as the previous Boy Wonders that he's every bit the hero that his father is in the wake of the cataclysmic events of the best-selling BATMAN & ROBIN VOLUME 1: BORN TO KILL.

REVIEW: These New 52 comics are something else let me tell you, but any of the Batman series are just off the charts awesome. Batman & Robin is by far one of the better of the group, probably right behind the actual Batman comic itself in quality. Batman & Robin is so good though because it runs off of Grant Morrison's storyline of Robin being Damian Wayne, who is Batman and Talia Al Ghul's son. This volume focuses particularly on Damian and his status as Robin, and though there's not a huge villain present throughout it's a very great collection. If there was a villain it would be the thing named Terminus, that at times is severely dark and creepy. In one of the last few issues though he turns Gotham into a crazy land where Batman is feared on an entirely different level than the man in the cowl ever intended. Though the actual battle itself is short, the concept of the villain trying to ruin Batman by not attacking the Bat himself, but attacking the city he has sworn to defend, in the name of Batman. It's all really haunting, and all the while we have the story with Damian swirling in the background. Perhaps, leading to the next volume which I believe the Death in the Family storyline is going to be redone which I'm super excited for. I don't want to go too much else into this, but it's a great volume of Batman comic and I highly recommend you read this New 52 series if you haven't started already. Batman & Robin is extremely dark, thought-provoking, and takes our heroes to ends they've never seen. This is a definite pickup as well if you're a fan of Robin too, and it really takes a good look at the current character and analyzes him in his surroundings with all of the previous Robins and his father Bruce Wayne, Batman. This book features some seriously grim covers too, but beautiful all the same.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Batman Incorporated, Volume One: Demon Star

PLOT: Eisner Award-winning fan-favorite writer Grant Morrison concludes the Batman epic he began nearly a decade ago in BATMAN & SON, pitting the entirity of Batman Incorporated against the Leviathan organization headed by the Dark Knight's former romantic interest Talia al Ghul. As Leviathan enacts a plan that threatens the world, Batman and his allies must fight against the rising storm--but not everyone will make it out of the encounter alive.

REVIEW: It was only two weeks ago when I reviewed Joe the Barbarian by Grant Morrison and really loved it. I remember saying how I had a love/hate relationship with the author because his work in comics is typically outstanding, however there are some characters he just doesn't get as good of a grip on. Batman is not one of those characters, as Morrison was seemingly meant to write Batman stories for DC. Though the writing at times is a bit confusing, and the story can lose you (especially in some of the other Batman arcs) there's just something so special about his way with the Bat. Some of his Batman arcs have been among the most liked by the fans, and I often see his name in my list of Top 10 Batman graphic novels. He has an outstanding vision for the character, and brings a darker edge to the comic than has ever been previously explored except by a Frank Miller, whom I have the same relationship with.

This is technically the second volume of Batman Incorporated, as the first volume came out pre-New 52 but it definitely leads into this story. Another outstanding entry into Morrison's Bat-folio, and it's amazing that his story is continuing to unfold across several Gotham titles including this one. The end of Demon Star is most definitely a cliffhanger if I've ever read one, and now I absolutely cannot wait for the second New 52 volume of Batman Incorporated! Also, Chris Burnham deserves a round of applause for the outstanding art in this book. It has several looks throughout, but he does a great job at bringing Morrison's vision to life much like the artists before him have been capable. It's almost as if Grant brings the best work out of people in his books, and maybe they in turn do the same for him. All I know is that this should have been called Demon Stars, because it's worth way more than just one. Yeah, I'm clever so what.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 ) 

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Joe the Barbarian

PLOT: Collecting the acclaimed 8-issue miniseries! Joe is an imaginative eleven-year-old boy. He can't fit in at school. He's the victim of bullies. His dad died overseas in the Iraq war. He also suffers from Type 1 diabetes. One fateful day, his condition causes him to believe he has entered a vivid fantasy world in which he is the lost savior—a fantastic land based on the layout and contents of his home. His desperate attempts to make it out of his bedroom transform into an incredible, epic adventure through a bizarre landscape of submarine pirate dwarves, evil Hell Hounds, Lightning Lords and besieged castles. But is his quest really just an insulin deprived delirium—from which he can die if he doesn't take his meds—or something much bigger?

REVIEW: I'm half tempted to just write "wow" and leave the review at that, because that is how stunned I am by Joe the Barbarian. I picked this up not really knowing what to expect, but figure that if Grant Morrison had written it, that it was at least worth a shot. I have a love/hate relationship with Morrison as he's been hit or miss with me in the past. I love his work on Batman for the most part, but All-Star Superman never hooked me (not that any Superman comic really has yet). This is the best comic I've read this year in 2013, I have been blown away with everything about this graphic novel. I don't want to go too much into how the side-by-side stories relate to one another, because it's so wonderful to read on the page as we follow our hero Joe through the book. I do love the little cameos by familiar characters throughout the book as well, which gives the story it's very hyper-fantasy feel.

Grant Morrison writes a story that serves as two stories in one, and reminds me of other fiction I've read before but he gives it his own cool spin. It's truly just great writing, as Morrison proves once again that there's a reason behind his name being towards the top of the list when it comes to original comic writers today. I really like Joe as the main character, even though he's a young boy and is obviously struggling throughout the book, he's never completely down or out. His love for life and his pet Jack are brought to life through Morrison's writing, but also the artwork of Sean Murphy who does an outstanding and remarkable job here. This is an A+ comic all the way around, and after reading this entire brilliant volume, one can only hope that Grant Morrison either has more Joe the Barbarian or similar quality stuff still in him. It's not really a super complex story, which can sometimes be expected from Morrison, and that's what amazes me so much is the simplicity of the story yet the gigantic emotional and visual punch it packs is out of this world.

This book is a must-read for all fans of comics and/or fantasy. You will not be disappointed. A beautiful book, truly amazing.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )
STORY : ( 10 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: The Dark Knight Rises

PLOT: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

REVIEW: The Dark Knight Rises has unquestionably been the most anticipated movie of the summer, if not the entirety of 2012. The main question now is, did it live up to the hype? If you're asking me that question, the answer is undeniably yes and it's by a long shot. Christopher Nolan has done what few other filmmakers have ever challenged themselves to do, let alone successfully done, and that's make a trilogy that gets better with each film. The only comparison I can make to Nolan's Batman trilogy is Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings trilogy which scored itself quite a lot of recognition by moviegoers, critics, and the Academy alike. Nolan's trilogy has not been recognized quite on the same level as Peter Jackson's by the Academy, but I think with The Dark Knight Rises Nolan has finally proven himself to the fans and critics that he's a mainstay in modern cinema. Not only that, but I feel that he has now proven himself to the Academy and should be recognized in the category of Best Director as he has yet to be nominated for the award. But Christopher Nolan does not single-handedly make this movie what it is, as he has assembled an oustanding cast throughout his years of filmmaking. Actors and actresses, old and new, provide an oustanding range of acting for a superhero film to date. The score to the film is another big part of what drives The Dark Knight Rises into your heart and mind, and even though it's somewhat a copy from the other films, it's very much at the wheel of this third and final installment. Where this film falls short though is left to each individual viewer, and there are complaints that can obviously be made, but when a filmmaker astonishes you so much with his magical direction, you can't help but put those complaints aside for the appreciation of one hell of a film, directed by whom I would like to call, the modern master magician of film.

Christopher Nolan's track record is still a bit sparse, but from time to time I have to remind myself that his track record is also nearly perfect as well. Ever since Memento, Nolan has continuously delivered films that have entranced audiences everywhere. He's done it in several different genres, though some would argue that most of his films are of the action variety. He's done it in several different ways too, and a film I often find myself using to describe his style is The Prestige. Most of his films consist of the three acts discussed in the film: The Pledge, The Turn, The Prestige. Some would say that his Batman trilogy was a per film, demonstration of just that. In Batman Begins, Nolan clearly redefines Batman as a character and grounds his mythos in reality, as opposed to a lot of other creations in the Bat-universe. What was typically known as a superhero movie, had now become something as simple as a crime drama. But what Nolan did was intertwine these elements that were previously only seen in summer blockbuster superhero films, into a film that could be watched by almost anyone and be seen as something other than a popcorn action film. There was heart, humor, drama, action, dazzling performances from the cast, and brilliant writing and direction to the point that the viewer almost forgets that they're watching a Batman film. With Batman Begins, Nolan showed The Pledge of his trilogy by introducing us to this new version of the common character, all the while remaining true to the character of Bruce Wayne and his basic story. Then came The Dark Knight, the absolutely spellbinding film that defined several careers in the making, and unfortunately led to the loss of a true up and coming star, Heath Ledger. His extraordinary vision of the Batman in absolute turmoil, pitted against one of the greatest villains of all-time (not just in the Bat-universe), the Joker. It was a film that finally proved superhero movies weren't just for kids, and it wasn't just for comic book geeks,  it could be for everyone if given the chance. It was a true villain's movie also, showing that our heroes are only what their villains make them, and a haunting portrayal of the Joker showed just how serious a Batman film could be. Though the performance of Ledger as the Joker is the most memorable portion of The Dark Knight, Nolan was meanwhile leading us along through another one of his acts in the Batman trilogy. The Turn, as it was, demonstrated by Nolan and his evolving cast of talent to bring the Batman universe to a bigger scale than had ever been seen in film. It was an unseen titan of a movie before Ledger's death, which then only propelled it into absolute insanity (much like the Joker himself). The success of The Dark Knight finally gave Christopher Nolan the mainstream attention he so deserved years previous, and thus began the demand for more of Nolan's Batman, or The Prestige of his Batman "magic". With The Dark Knight Rises, it was thought that the quality of its predecessor was unreachable, and that at best he could only find what made the first film so great. Not only were most wrong, but they were caught up into The Prestige of Nolan's magic as well. This film clearly shows all of Christopher Nolan's strengths as a director. He so subtly injects everything you need to know and feel into his film, and it isn't until it's necessary to realize their importance to the plot do you notice it. I think this could very well be his biggest and best accomplishment to date, reason being that not once since or before Peter Jackson's Return of the King have I seen a third film so easily top the previous two films before it. It's absolutely amazing how great of a film The Dark Knight Rises truly is, but of course, not all of the credit can go to Nolan.

The acting talent in The Dark Knight Rises is insurmountable in the world of superhero film, and the only reason it's possible is because of the amazing Chris Nolan. By far though, Nolan has made use of one actor more than any other in all of his films, and that is the talented Christian Bale. Bale has assumed the role of Batman since Batman Begins, and has slowly transformed himself into the Bruce Wayne we now see in this third installment. Coming from young and reckless, to brave and bold, and now weathered, beaten, and still reckless. When we first see Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Rises, he is walking around with a limp and cane, and has obviously seen better days. Eight years have passed since we last saw the wealthy bachelor in action as the Batman, and though only half that time has passed in the real world, Bale is able to portray that in such a subtle way. The tormented Bruce Wayne that I know and love so well from the comics, is brought to the screen with such perfection that I couldn't help but smile even though Bruce had found himself at odds with Gotham, and the world. The Dark Knight Rises is the definite Bruce Wayne film, as you can say Batman Begins was for Batman, and The Dark Knight was for the Joker. I can't really point out directly what it is that makes his performance so much wiser and roughed up, but you really feel that Bruce Wayne hasn't seen the lights of Gotham in eight years, or since we last saw him at the end of The Dark Knight. Bale at this point though has done something that no other Batman actor before him has done, and that is to actually become Bruce Wayne, and even more so to become the Batman. Never when you watch any of the previous incarnations of Batman on film, do you truly see the character on screen as Batman and not even think of the actor hiding behind the cowl. Christian Bale's on screen presence is little to none, and it's so easy to lose yourself in Nolan's mastery of creating an ultimately believable and real Batman. Christian Bale, is Batman. Christian Bale, is Bruce Wayne. There's also no doubt in my mind at this point, that there is no one else who could have done this as well as he has done it and I'm so glad that Nolan discovered the brilliance of Bale as an actor in the early 2000's. Nolan's only success in finding acting talent however, is not just with Christian Bale, but also with the supporting casts of his films, especially in his Batman trilogy.

Obviously, none of us will ever be able to forget the stunning performance given by the late Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight which won him a posthumous Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. When Heath was first chosen for the role of the Joker, I along with many others thought "how in the hell is this young actor going to even come close to anything that's the Joker, surely it will be awful". The result was absolutely jaw-dropping, and I'll credit that to Christopher Nolan knowing the talents of actors and where they can take themselves, when no other director is willing and/or able to find these skills for their own films' daring roles. Again in The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan has hand-picked his actors specifically for his Bat-world, and he does it well. Bane, a character previously tackled (and should have been sacked) in the god awful Batman & Robin, is now treated with respect in Nolan's universe. Chosen for the role is yet another up and comer, Tom Hardy. I first saw Hardy in the film Bronson, where he played the infamous criminal Charlie Bronson. He was bulked up and made out to be an absolute monster in this film, so it was no question to me whether he could appear as the brooding and menacing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. My doubts stemmed from the fact that after such a wonderful performance from Ledger and the Joker, how do you top that in the next film with a villain that to me, is equally as threatening to the Batman. Bane is commonly known from the Batman comic arc of Knightfall, where he famously breaks Batman's back and puts him out of commission as Gotham's savior while he goes rampant on the city. Bane is a very smart villain, probably one of Batman's smartest foes, and it just seemed like such a hard villain to tackle after the Joker, especially in Nolan's universe. What Tom Hardy and team came up with was absolutely brilliant, and it's really uncanny how it works so well in the film. Hardy's English accent goes nowhere, and honestly may even be a little stronger in the film. Along with the Vader-like mask combo, it provides for an ultimately disturbing voice performance that completely commands the viewer's attention. Being that Tom Hardy's performance is limited to his eyes, partial facial expressions, and his masked dialogue, I find that it's equally as impressive as a performance like Ledger's. Sure it's not of the same physicality as the Joker, but it's equally as haunting and entrancing, as I would say that every scene in this film where Bane is on the screen, my eyes were glued. Though Bane and Batman are the main antagonist and protagonist in The Dark Knight Rises, there are so many other performances that continue from previous films and ultimately reach their arc's end, as well as other new additions to Nolan's mythos.

When I first heard that Anne Hathaway would be in Nolan's third Batman film, I just thought "well there goes half the movie". Anne Hathaway to me, is almost as bad as Sandra Bullock, and while she is nowhere near as bad, I was still worried that she would completely suck the life out of her role much like Katie Holmes did her role in Batman Begins. However, Hathaway as Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman completely caught me by surprise. She absolutely nailed everything about the Catwoman character that appeals to me. She had the sex appeal, she had the attitude (or cat-titude, if you will.. Meow!), and more than everything else, she grounded the character completely into Nolan's universe even though I totally thought it was impossible. And again, I was amazed that someone who I never could have seen in a Batman film, was selected by Nolan to take on one of the most well-known Batman characters and straight up nailed it. Again, Nolan knows the skills of his acting crew and I don't think I could ever doubt any of his choices again. Another new addition in The Dark Knight Rises, is Joseph Gordon-Levitt as young cop John Blake. I've been a big fan of JGL since his breakout role in the film Brick (which if you haven't seen, is definitely worth a watch), and I knew he would pull his weight here much like he did in Nolan's previous film Inception. I really like Blake's relationship with Bruce Wayne and Batman, and I think it was a big proponent of what made this Bruce Wayne tale so epic and important to the story. His character really puts it all out there for the audience to see, if you hadn't noticed it from Bale's brilliant performance in the first place. Marion Cotillard also shows up big in this film as another recycled talent from Inception, and really plays her character well on both sides of the coin. There were many other small roles in the film that were given bigger parts this go around, which made them feel like new, along with a few other new small roles which were all well-acted. There is an unbelievable amount of actors in this film that I recognized, and it made me realize midway through just how large and epic this film really is. That any actor out there, was probably dying to just to play someone like a Security Guard #2 role.

Of course, many of the supporting characters from the previous two films make a return in the third installment as well. Morgan Freeman again plays Bruce's technological support Lucius Fox, who again provides a lot of the comic relief in the film. Freeman is undoubtedly a great actor, and again shows the importance of Lucius Fox to Nolan's Batman arc. Also returning from the first two films is Michael Caine as Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth. Caine has most definitely done a fantastic job throughout playing Wayne's caretaker, and really only "family" member he has left. Caine is a wonderful actor, who by now is very seasoned in the art, and this film is definitely his breakout performance under the guise of Alfred. There are many heart-to-heart interactions between Bruce Wayne and Alfred in The Dark Knight Rises, several of which brought tears to my eyes. There is one gut-wrenching scene in the final minutes of the film with Alfred speaking to Bruce, that almost sent me to the floor, curled into a ball and sobbing uncontrollably. Never have I found myself moved to tears by any of Nolan's Batman films, but there were at least a couple of times in the last half hour where I found myself glassy eyed. Even after the movie was over, and I was discussing it, I was unable to recount a few of the final moments from the film without losing control of my voice. It just goes to show how powerful this film truly is, and Caine's performance this time as Alfred is absolutely oustanding, and shows just how integral Mr. Pennyworth is to the existence of Bruce Wayne and the Batman. The other returning character present is Jim Gordon played by the great Gary Oldman, and as usual does a fantastic job as Batman's one and only trusty ally in the G.C.P.D. It's not really his most prevalent and awe-inspiring performance, as it is pretty much Jim Gordon per usual, but also as usual he's still a very important piece to the epic scope of a puzzle that The Dark Knight Rises is.

The last, but definitely not least important piece of the puzzle is the score composed by Hans Zimmer. Zimmer has done the scores for all three of Nolan's Batman films, and having done so he is able to piece together a familiar yet unique musical setting for The Dark Knight Rises. This score is so intense and demands the attention of the listener on a subconscious level. It reminds me of the driving scores behind a film like David Fincher's The Social Network, where it absolutely commands the viewer to watch what is happening on the screen. It adds a whole other level to the film, and it's merely just playing in the background the entire time. Zimmer has done a lot of great work on a lot of great projects, but his score behind this film may be some of his best work to date. In the end, The Dark Knight Rises is nothing short of a masterpiece. It cannot be credited to just Christopher Nolan, though most of it has to be put under his name because of his unreasonable ability to suck in a viewer of his films. It also can't be credited to the cast and crew in any specific order. Much like the rest of Nolan's Batman films, it is all of the elements and talents put together that provide for a truly unique, cinematic experience that brings Batman, and other heroes and villains to the level of reality like its never been seen before. Yet again, Christopher Nolan has proven to us that superheroes can exist on an Academy quality level of film, and still remain true to their source material without being hokey or corny. I demand that Nolan finally be recognized by the Academy for Best Director in 2012. I would also love to see Christian Bale finally recognized for his one of a kind performance as Bruce Wayne and his masked alter ego, the Batman. On top of that, I'd even be happy to see Tom Hardy be recognized for his performance as the spine-tingling Bane, though I doubt the latter two of three will happen. The Dark Knight Rises was a special occasion of the summer, and of 2012, and of cinema history in general. Not only has the Dark Knight risen, but so has the expectation for superhero film in the future, as well as any movie that Christopher Nolan decides to make next. We are all waiting for your next magic trick, sir.

ACTING : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 10 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )