Courtney’s Movieblog

It’s plainly obvious that there’s going to be another Batman movie. Even if the ending was not a huge cliffhanger, it’s made too much money for there not to be a sequel. The question is: who will be the next villain?

Christopher Nolan said that he wanted to do the lesser-known villains, but that didn’t stop him from doing The Joker (albeit from a creepy new perspective). Some people have speculated the Riddler will be the next one, but come on. Too much like the Joker, and not nearly good enough to measure up to Heath Ledger. Plus, let’s not forget Jim Carrey in Batman Forever.

Personally, I’d like them to try their luck with Catwoman. I know that nobody can outcrazy Michelle Pfeiffer and that the spin-off with Halle Berry was a disaster. Still, Batman needs a new love interest, and who better to step in than Selina Kyle/Catwoman? Given the great job they’ve done with the first two movies, they could pull it off. Just as long as they don’t make her look like a stripper/dominatrix.

Here are my casting suggestions to crack the whip:

1. Uma Thurman: I know she was already Poison Ivy in Batman and Robin, but we all know she can do better.

2. Beyonce: She hasn’t done anything in a while. Guys would see the movie just to watch her in the catsuit.

3. Sarah Michelle Gellar: We all saw Buffy; we know she can kick ass. Plus, she hasn’t done anything in a while. This could resurrect her career.

4. Anne Hathway: She was decent as 99 in Get Smart, so she can continue shedding the “good girl” typecasting with a femme fatale role.

5. Eliza Dushku: Ditto ass-kicking.

6. Rosario Dawson

7. Christina Applegate

8. Rachel Weisz

9. Zooey Deschanel: She’s definitely acts and sounds sassy enough to be Catwoman.

I know some of these choices sound dubious, but do you really want someone like Angelina Jolie or Jessica Alba when they’ve already done a bunch of sexy superhero roles?

As always, if you have your own suggestions or reasons why you agree/disagree with mine, feel free to leave a comment!

So I just heard that Christian Bale got arrested for allegedly assaulting his mother and sister. I was so shocked; I don’t pretend to think I know celebrities, since they just keep surprising you, but I honestly didn’t think he was the type of guy to do that. Of course, since this is only an allegation (so far), it might not be true, but what a thing to happen when The Dark Knight had just made a very successful opening!

I don’t think there should be worries that this will affect the future performance at the box office; between this, the overall positive reviews, and Heath Ledger’s creepy performance and untimely death, it will make more people want to see it.

In fact, people might start to think that this movie has a curse on it. Yes, it sounds stupid, but this wasn’t the only bad thing to happen surrounding the film. There was of course, Heath Ledger’s death by drug overdose, surrounded by rumors that he was disturbed by playing a psychopath (which has repeatedly denied by cast members and friends). And then there was the technician that was killed while preparing one of the film’s stunts. By the way, there is a nice little dedication at the film credits for both Ledger and the technician, though I didn’t stay long enough to see it.

Seriously, rumors of movie curses have happened before for films like Poltergeist and The Omen — and not just because they had crappy sequels. Whether they’re true or not, people just eat this stuff up, making the film more popular.

So don’t be surprised if you start hearing about a curse on The Dark Knight. But still, I really hope this thing with Bale isn’t true or at least a misunderstanding.

There’s a reason why Batman goes by “The Dark Knight.” Even though he’s a hero, people are frightened of him. The criminals are scared of him because he beats them to a pulp, of course, but the people are afraid of him because he looks like a villain. They see him as a vigilante, someone who is going to take the law into his own hands, no matter what. The only thing he won’t do to criminals is kill them, but he comes pretty close to treading that line. In short, he’s willing to do whatever it takes for justice, even if that means everyone will despise him.

So it’s fitting that the highly anticipated sequel to Batman Begins is titled The Dark Knight. It not only focuses on Batman, but also of the dark nature of the human race in general. How far is Batman or anyone will go to do what’s right? And what is right: the greater good, or saving your own life by eliminating evil?

Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) faces that question as he continues to clean up Gotham City, while his old flame Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is in a relationship with the new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). It isn’t just Rachel who is enamored of him: all of Gotham has dubbed him the “White Knight” because he strikes fear in the heart of the mob while maintaining his intregrity. He’s basically doing Batman’s job with a likable appearance. So Batman begins to think that maybe Dent is the hero Gotham needs.

Then along comes a random psychopath in a clown suit whose only identity is known as The Joker (Heath Ledger). A lover of anarchy, he starts killing and blowing up innocent people and public officials, demanding that Batman reveal his true identity. Dent, Batman, and Gordon (Gary Oldman) attempt to track him down, but the Joker is always one step ahead of them. With the casualties mounting, Batman must decide what limits he’s going to take and what he’ll sacrifice in order to stop the Joker and preserve the safety of Gotham.

The Dark Knight takes everything you know or could predict about superhero movies and turns it on its head. The plot moves at a somewhat disoriented pace, yet at the same time keeps you on your toes, becuase you won’t know which characters are good, what choices they’ll make, or basically what to expect next. It’s so suspenseful that even if you’re not sure what’s going on, it’s impossible not to be on the edge of your seat.

With the exception of Katie Holmes, whose role as Rachel Gyllenhaal replaced, everyone from the original movie has returned, and their performances are more spectacular than the last movie, if that’s even possible. Bale once again proves that he is Batman, and manages to be forceful and anguished without getting on the audience’s nerves. Michael Caine returns as Alfred and is welcome as comfort for Batman and comic relief for the audience. And while Gyllenhaal didn’t make me like Rachel anymore than Holmes did, she didn’t come off as the typical whiny superhero love interest.

Now that all the other stuff is out of the way, we can get to the nitty-gritty: Heath Ledger’s last official role as The Joker.

If a performance can make you forget, for two hours, that the actor died of a drug overdose, then that person is truly an actor.

Ledger’s performance is nothing quite like what you’ve seen in any version of Batman. Sure, the Joker does make you laugh, but make no mistake: he’s not trying to be funny. There’s a scene in the movie where he describes himself perfectly: he’s a terrorist. He has no master plan, other than to screw over every human being in the world until he’s the last one standing. Then he’ll sit back and watch everyone and everything burn.

And chaos isn’t fun without people trying to stop him. He isn’t afraid of defeat or even death. He plots to kill Batman, but realizes having no enemy would give him no purpose; he loves the thrill of the chase. The most unnerving part of his character is that even after it’s all over, nobody knows who he is. He tells stories about himself (mainly how he got the scars that the white makeup and lipstick is covering), but there are so many version that nobody knows which one is true. It’s frightening when someone you know is out to get you, but a random stranger you know nothing about and yet knows everything about you is a force to be reckoned with.

That’s what makes his performance so terrifyingly brilliant: to display all that in a character that at the end of the day no one will ever know.

Yes, there will probably be another Batman movie that will try to be as dark as its predecessors. But there will never, ever be an actor who could play the Joker like Heath Ledger. There will never, ever be another actor like Heath Ledger.

9 out of 10 Sparty Heads.

There are plenty of things that people don’t like to see in movies. For instance, I don’t like movies with:

1. Downer endings, like “we’re all screwed, the earth is doomed, etc”

2. Gross-out visuals

3. Pets getting hurt or killed

4. Corny dialogue

5. Cliche plots

6. Stereotypical characters

7. Certain actors that shall remain nameless

8. Cheaters

9. Plots that are too confusing to even understand

10. Suicide scenes.

What are the things in movies that you don’t like to see? Please share.

Thelma & Louise is the epitome of “men suck” movies

I’ve seen it a bunch of times before, and though it’s not one of my favorite movies, it is kind of refreshing to see a women action flick. But I never stop feeling surprised at how strong the feminist/anti-male theme is. Considering how many Lifetime movies I’ve seen, that’s saying something. Only unlike those films, this one is actually watchable and has good acting.

Quick recap of the plot: Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) are two friends that go on a road trip. On the way, they stop at a bar where Thelma is almost raped by a random scumbag. Louise saves her, then shoots the rapist when he insults her. They flee the scene, and since Louise won’t go to the police (it’s implied that she was raped before), they decide to go to Mexico. However, the cops are hot on their trail, and they are soon forced to break the law more times to survive.

Seriously, aside from Louise’s boyfriend who gives them money and the sympathetic cop that tries to convince them to turn themselves in, there isn’t a decent male character in this movie. Although I didn’t like how the “nice” cop kept referring to them as “girls.” They’re women, for God’s sake, that’s so sexist!

Even the hot drifter J.D. (Brad Pitt in the role which apparently won America’s heart) screws them over; he steals their cash and sells them out to the police. It’s been debated by many fans whether a night with Brad Pitt would be worth a million dollars. Personally, I don’t know if I would, since he smokes and supposedly cheated. It would have to be a once in a lifetime event for me to even consider it.

The story would be ridiculous if it wasn’t for the good acting. Still, if movies were logical, no one would ever want to see them.

I think this was on AFI’s “Most Inspiring Movies” list, but I don’t know why it would be. The ending sucks, if you ask me. The only way they could get away is by driving off the Grand Canyon. True, they didn’t get caught and you don’t actually see what happens next, only it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess. The chances of them making it were a million to one — maybe even less.

I can only imagine how the audiences must have reacted back when the movie was first released. They probably went in thinking, “Oh, two women on the run! This is going to be fun and exciting!” I bet they never expected how it would end. Then again, getting caught and being sent to jail would have been even more of a downer.

Let’s hope they’d never get it in their heads to remake this movie. However, I guess since there might be one of A Nightmare of Elma Street (I really hope it’s a rumor), anything is game for Hollywood these days.

I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I can’t stand direct-to-DVD Disney sequels, or at least the idea of it. I think it’s ridiculous that they make sequels to movies that never needed them in the first place; they even go as far as to make sequels or prequels to movies that are 50 years old, like Cinderella, Peter Pan, or The Jungle Book. I find it shocking that the last two sequels actually got in theaters first.

That doesn’t mean all of them were necessarily bad. But it’s sad to see how what was once an at best entertaining idea has been degenerated into a cheap, unimaginative way on getting kids to buy their merchandise. Most of the ones that I actually liked were ones that 1) had good stories, 2) had most of the original cast back, and 3) were follow-ups to movies that were only a few years old (maybe 10 at most).

Here’s a list of the Disney sequels that I thought were good:

1) Toy Story 2: At least this one was in theaters instead of just direct-to-video. We all loved the first film, so everyone was glad to see Buzz, Woody, Mr. Potato Head, and Slinky again. And how great was it that got to have Barbie as a character? I just think doing a third one might be pushing it.

2) Aladdin and the King of Thieves: Robin Williams came back as Genie. ‘Nough said.

3) The Lion King 1 1/2: Okay, this one was really pointless and retconned the original movie. But I loved Timon and Pumbaa and I thought it was at least funny.

4) An Extremely Goofy Movie: Any DVD movie with Mickey, Donald, or Goofy is good because they’re characters you can use over and over again. They didn’t belong to any specific movie.

5) The Rescuers Down Under: This one gets credit for having good animation and being released in theaters first. Although I don’t really remember when the first movie was released so it may break my “don’t have sequels to old movies that didn’t need them” rule. At least Bernard and Bianca officially became a couple.

6) Return of Jafar: I know the animation wasn’t as good as the original film and someone else played the Genie, but I still liked it. It made a good introduction to the TV series, which I wish would be released on DVD one of these days.

7) Kronk’s New Groove: I saw this one on TV. I thought The Emperor’s New Groove, while not a classic, was a funny movie, and this one was just as funny and entertaining, so there isn’t really anything bad I can say about it.

8) Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: This one is more of a spin-off of Toy Story than an actual sequel, but I thought it was cool seeing Buzz as a cartoon character than an actual toy. I also used to watch the TV series that followed.

This was somewhat embarassing for me to admit, given my stance on Disney sequels in general. But you have to admit that some of them are good. Just not all of them. I mean, The Little Mermaid III: Ariel’s Beginning?!!!! Come ON!!!

So is anyone else going to admit the Disney sequels they liked? As always feel free to share in your comments!

Now the word on the net (The Leaky Cauldron and the Coming Soon website to be exact) says that Harry Potter will not be one of the trailers shown with The Dark Knight. It’s speculated it might be shown on August 15 for the Clone Wars movie.

That trailer had better be spectacular if they’re going to make us wait so long.

As the release for The Dark Knight draws closer, the hype is increasing. There have been some early reviews circulating, like one from Rolling Stone, that are more or less positive, so it looks like the film will live up to its hype.

The trailers I’ve seen look pretty good, except for one minor detail, which is the continuing angst between Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). I know this is jumping to conclusions, but I don’t think replacing Katie Holmes with Gyllenhaal is going to make me like the character of Rachel any more. This film has her dating Harvey Dent (eventually Two-Face), which Bruce isn’t too happy about since at the end of the first film, she was all, “Well, I can’t be with you now, but maybe when Gotham doesn’t need Batman anymore, we can get back together.” And now in this film, she’s changed her mind, going, “Don’t make me your only hope for a normal life.” Well, if she felt that way, she should have made a clean break at the end of Batman Begins instead of giving him false hope!

Seriously, I hope this film doesn’t make Batman join the League of Sad Sack Superheroes because of his love life. In the original Batman franchise, he had a new love interest in every movie. Playboy behavior, yes, but at least he didn’t mope around and pine over lost loves; he brooded enough to begin with! It’s bad enough they did this crap with Superman and Spider-Man, do they have to ruin Batman too?

Actually I did read the review from Rolling Stone, which claims that a main character — they didn’t say who — dies in the film. I have my suspicions, and if they are true, I may give the sideplot more credit.

Anyway, another rumor surrounding the film is that a trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be attached. Additionally, we finally have some official movie stills found at The Leaky Cauldron that look pretty good. Since the director did such a good job with the fifth film, I’m hoping that regardless of what this film changes, the film will still be good. I just don’t want him to screw up the Harry/Ginny plot; in an interview found at The Leaky Cauldron, he stated that there is a “almost kiss” that’s interrupted by Death Eaters, but kept silent about whether there will be a real kiss. Maybe he’s just trying to refrain from giving anything away for those who haven’t read the book.

November can’t come soon enough. Neither can July 18.

The film version of Get Smart is a good film to watch if 1) you like movies that are funny enough to give an audience a good time or 2) if you miss the spy humor of Austin Powers.

Like many films derived from TV shows, the film serves as a prequel for how the TV characters got to be where they are. Based on the popular 60’s TV show starring Don Adams, Get Smart is basically about two spy organizations battling each other: CONTROL (the good guys) and CHAOS (the bad guys). When CHAOS infiltrates CONTROL’s lair, blowing the cover of several of its best agents, CONTROL promotes one of analysts, the hapless Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell) to be an agent, while most of its surviving agents, including the famous Agent 23 (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) are forced to take over the office work. Max teams up with the seemingly cold and practical Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) in order to stop CHAOS from using nuclear weapons on the world’s cities.

For the record, my initial problem with this film was casting Carrell in the role originated by the late Don Adams. I remember Don Adams. Don Adams was the voice of one of my favorite childhood cartoon characters, and Steve Carrell is no Don Adams. However, now that I’ve seen it, I can say that he must have studied Don Adam’s part very closely. His mannerism are a little similar to how Adams acted, but he doesn’t copy them directly; like many of his films, there are scenes where he screams and humiliates himself. But at least Carrell never fails to be funny, no matter whether the film is good or bad.

Anne Hathaway was also a dubious choice for Agent 99, given the age difference between her and Carrell. The movie tries to overlook this by explaining that 99 has actually undergone several plastic surgeries to protect her secret identity, so that she’s actually older than she looks. She and Carrell don’t really have romantic chemistry. Still, they are funny together, Hathaway often playing straight man to Carrell’s physical humor.

Basically, this film serves as a good time for anyone who just wants a laugh. There is a lot of gross-out elements and sexual innuendo, only in this case, those are the things that never fail to be funny. There are also several amusing cameos, including James Caan and Bill Murray. Fans of the original show will be happy to know that the film includes several of the most popular gadgets like the shoe-phone, the “cone of silence,” and Max’s car. As far as TV/movie remakes go, this could have been a lot worse.

6 out of 10 Sparty Heads.

Fans of Meg Cabot, author of the Princess Diaries will be happy to know that another one of her series Queen of Babble has been optioned as a film, with Kirsten Bell of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Veronica Mars cast as the lead character, Lizzie Nichols.

I really love this series, so I’m excited about it being a movie, although I thought Jennifer Garner would be the lead, since in her books, Lizzie was once mistaken for the actress. I don’t know whether they’ll combine all three books into one movie or just do the first book for the plot, but either way, it should be good!