[Get It $60]

With more than 10 hours of footage and over five years in the making, Planet Earth will blow you away.  You could travel the globe for the rest of your life and never witness the beauty and wonder found on this five disc set.  Having a party?  Throw one of the Planet Earth DVD’s in as background noise and your guests will think you spiked the punch with LSD.   This DVD collection redefines natural history filmmaking and gives me a new found respect for the Discovery Channel and their ability to provide the highest quality programming on the planet.

Award-winning actress and conservationist Sigourney Weaver narrates this 11-part series. You’ll be amazed by never-before-seen animal behaviors, startling views of locations captured by cameras for the first time and unprecedented high-definition production techniques.

Features:

• 11 episodes and bonus materials
• A behind-the-scenes look at the equipment, technology and danger that went into the making of this incredible series
• Behind-the-scenes featurettes on each episode
• Bonus disc featuring “The Future” documentary – a three-part companion series revealing the vulnerability of the natural history of earth.

Pole to Pole
Mountains
Deep Ocean
Deserts
Ice Worlds
Shallow Sea
Great Plains
Jungles
Fresh Water
Seasonal Forests
Caves

[See It $10]

 
Did O-Stone jump on the Bush Bashing Bus or is W. a fair crack at the 43rd President of the United States?

For those of you that don’t know, Oliver Stone, the mastermind behind JFK and Nixon has fired out a new Presidential film with what he describes as "a fair and true portrait…" of the highly criticized George W Bush. 
It’s true that Stone doesn’t dwell on the overplayed topics of cocaine, Halliburton, 911 or Katrina, but he doesn’t exactly paint Bush as the most apt president in U.S. history.

Before you get all keyed up about Oliver Stones new movie W., lets remember that Ollie probably knows much more about George Bush Jr than any of you (unless George W happens to be reading this review, in which case please take note that our comment section does not have a spell check).

You may have your own opinions regarding our 43rd President, but the Oscar winning director and Stanley Weiser have done the research that brings to light the person behind the stupid look. 
The biggest problem I see with this film is that it’s too harsh (too true) of a representation for the shit-kicking Bush lovers and far too empathetic for the left-wing junkies.  Just because the man is our president doesn’t mean he’s perfect nor does it mean he’s completely depraved. 
If you can let go of the conjectures you’ve amassed over the past eight years you might find that you enjoy the movie.

With Josh Brolin’s career exploding, thanks in part to his co-staring role in No Country for Old Men, and performances like this one, he joins Anthony Hopkins and Kevin Costner on Stones growing list of political films.  I’m not sure how Jr. carried himself in his younger years, but Brolin’s eloquent merger of public flaws and subtle mannerisms had my brain believing that it was actually Georgy-boy up on that screen, especially during the presidential years.

From the start we’re introduced to all the Presidents men.  With the voice of reason played out in the overacted role of General Colin Powell (Jeffrey Wright), and an equally mechanical performance from Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, the opening scene felt more like a Saturday Night Live skit than a peek into deliberations at the white house.  Certainly both roles were cast wonderfully in terms of appearance, but whether it be Ollie’s choice, an editing decision, or inexperienced acting, Powell and Rice seemed like impressionists playing off obvious idiosyncrasies, an effect grossly compounded by the outstanding performances by Josh Brolin and Richard Dreyfuss as George W. and Dick Cheney respectively.

The always wonderful Scott Glenn (Donald Rumsfeld) adds to the satirical mood when we see him inappropriately sketching Rice’s portrait during the opening oval office meeting, where Cheney lurks in the background like a sith lord watching over his young president apprentice.

The cast is full of other excellent actors such as James Cromwell  (George Herbert Walker Bush), Ellen Burstyn (Barbara Bush), Elizabeth Banks (Laura Bush) and Toby Jones who couldn’t have been a better fit for the role of Karl Rove.

Stone might "claim the high horse and take the low road" on this one, because he definitely knew the message he wanted to paint.  That message reads something like, George W. is an impulsive child suckling at Cheney’s tit and crying for his daddy to notice something other than the fact that he’s a complete waste of flesh that couldn’t even dream of getting excepted to the online University of Phoenix without his family lineage.

I’m not sure if there’s a scene of W’s younger years that didn’t show him with a bottle of alcohol, dancing on a bar, or calling daddy from jail.  But one of the dominating themes of the film was the George Bush/George Bush relationship or lack there of.  With harsh language like, "Who do you think you are, a Kennedy?" and "You disappoint me Jr. deeply disappoint me." it would be interesting to know exactly what kind of interaction these two U.S. presidents had in the past and currently hold today.

The run time is a bit long, and the chronological but non-sequential flow makes the film seem drawn out; right when you think it’s wrapping up you’re brought back to Bushy Jr flipping cards and pounding beers.

Midway through the film George Jr. begins to turn his life around and exchanges one mindless addiction for another when he trades the bottle for
a cross. No need for Jimmy or Jack when you’ve got JC.  Through born-again Christianity and a sober yet cloudy mind, Jr’s ambition peals back the layers of black wool to quell the subcurrent of Jeb’s alpha dog stature in daddy’s eyes.  When Senior’s second presidential run doesn’t earn Jr. the same gleam of respect as the first, G.W.B. tries his own hand at politics with a victory in Texas.  The sweet taste of power and respect help churn Jr’s evangelical mantra "God wants me to be president".

           Most of the film is devoted to the physiology of the man through personal interaction, recklessness, reliance on his cohorts, and conjectures of Jr’s own insecurities regarding failure and living in Papa Bush’s shadow.  It’s interesting to see Cheney subtly cast as the puppet master guiding curious George toward important decisions that always seem to be made over lunch or a leisurely walking of the dog.

"It’s not torture… it’s simulated torture".

"As long as it’s not torture, this country doesn’t torture" (they only simulate torture; whatever that means). 
Ummm, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it must be torture.  But when we throw a name like "enhanced interrogation techniques" it seems to make sense to Bush.  According to Stone asserting his alpha status whenever he’s pressured by Dick also seems to make sense, "Hey Vice, when we’re in meetings, keep a lid on it… I’m still the President".

Much like Bush’s Presidency, the latter part of the movie is dominated by the decision to invade Iraq.  Consumed to go bigger and better than his more diplomatic father took Desert Storm in 91, Jr. pushes for a reason to overthrow Saddam.  "The date for the war is already set" Bush babbles to Tony Blair (Ioan Gruffudd) in response to a plea to allow inspectors more time to uncover WMD’s.

Back in the operations room Powell vainly attempts to remind everyone that Iraq had nothing to do with 911, while Rumsfeld appeals to Bush’s ego, "we sweep up all the bad guys in one big swoop, related or not". "We’re missing our perspective", Powell reasserts and continues to describe the difficulties that are sure to come with an invasion of Iraq.  Bush and Rove sit smugly behind in the shadows while solid points and valid concerns from Powell are completely disregarded.  What form of government will replace Saddam, what’s our exit strategy?  Two questions that preface the meat and potatoes of the film and incite perhaps my favorite line which encompasses George W. Bush’s narrow minded Roman-esque non-appreciation for foreign culture and government:
"Any kind of government will do, as long as it’s a democracy". 

Of course it will, because that’s all you know, so it must be the best, right?  I know Georgy boy isn’t the sharpest crayon in the box, but somewhere along the line he must have noticed that the American system is broken, for instance, when he was elected.

Still in the operations room, Cheney decides to stop pussy-footing around.  Lets talk oil!  If we don’t control the middle eastern oil reserves now, Russia and China aren’t going to be lining up as allies when their own wells run dry.  We need to "develop their (Iraq’s) resources"…Ollie drops a bomb on us here,  "We don’t leave", "there is no exit.  We stay" Cheney sputters with a scowl of pride in unleashing his own little masterpiece plan.  We want to ally with Iran who controls 40% of the worlds oil.  Perhaps this is where Jr. swallows the advise he tried to feed to his father, "Don’t think about it too much, it just screws you all up".

When Bush addresses congress with the need to invade Iraq, we see actual footage of John McCain, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton all clapping at the prospect of war; interesting decision Ollie, what does that mean?

Of course the war begins to go horribly wrong and after visiting disfigured soldiers in the hospital, poor Bushy has the audacity to complain about being born with a silver spoon in his mouth; to calm his anxiety, he’ll go and see CATS his favorite Broadway play.  Of course this all happens in the world of Oliver Stone, but as with The Things We Carry sometimes fiction is closer to the truth.

Some of Bush’s public blunders are used in scenes of private setting, which together with speculative dialog regarding the essence of policies under the Bush administration, provide a more realistic look at actual events, since no one but the parties in attendance know with what candor or stupidity things were discussed; these tidbits add a good flavor to the film without coming across entirely manufactured.

Now, do I think Bush Jr. is an idiot?  Well, yes.  But I don’t believe he’s a bad man, and this is what Oliver Stone attempts to imply.  He may have the best intentions for Americans and the United States of America, he just happens to have a very limited capacity to rationalize and an even more limited vocabulary to to express his narrow-minded views.  Even with the stupid things Bush has said in public ("is our children learning"), Brolin delivers them in a context that you actually appreciate the candid effort with which W. tries (and fails horribly) to communicate.  If the man stopped using metaphors and catchy lingo at every turn, he might not have such a difficult time; but such is the way with politicians.  As W. says to Laura in the film, "politics is not a library, it’s a kick ass skull crushing war".  Apparently one more war that Bush is losing.

At the close of the film we see the April 2004 press conference where Bush struggles to define his presidency and the mistakes he’s made.  Brolin does an excellent job capturing the disconcerted president while his cabinet stands by with uneasy concern.  He’s like the friend you don’t want at your parents dinner for fear of what might come out of his mouth.   

The film ends wit
h George W. Bush’s legacy up in the air. 

[Moe Info]

  Does anyone like a single theme song from a James Bond movie?  If there was an Oscar for worst lead-in to a film, the psychedelic double O7 bounce-around intro’s would have the longest running streak in cinematic history.  Maybe number 22 is a charm and the first musical duet in Bond history will likewise be the first JB theme that doesn’t require mushrooms and peyote to enjoy.   

The eccentric guitarist/vocalist and the Princess of soul have recorded the theme song “Another Way to Die” for the most recent James Bond adventure titled  “Quantum  of  Solace,”.  The soundtrack will be released by J Records on October 28th, 2008, while the movie is set to début on the 7th of November.

*Is it double O seven or double zero seven? 

The song, “Another Way to Die” was written and produced by Jack White, who also acts as the guitarist, drummer, and singer (duet with Alicia Keys) on the track.  The film for which this little number was put together, “Quantum  of  Solace” stars Daniel  Craig who reprises his role as Ian Fleming’s seductive and sophisticated James Bond.  
The Movie will extend the longest-running film franchise in motion picture  history with number 22. 

[Tickets $10]

Step Brothers would be a pretty descent film if there was no script, dialog, actors, or sound; at least then I could have fallen asleep instead of idly watching as my brain cells committed suicide.
  
If you don’t value your time, then by all means go check out this film. 
If you’re a Will Ferrell and John C. Riley fan, you’ll be sure to get more than a few chuckles from this completely senseless movie. 

It’s more than apparent that Will and John got together over a bag of Doritos and said lets make another movie where we bounce around like boiled sea-monkey’s with underdeveloped hamster brains shouting obscenities at each other.  They then finished their bag of chips along with the entire movie script.
On a positive note, the tacitly deficient duo does nail the emotional self-absorbed pubescent boy routine, sometimes delivering an unassuming laugh or two, but I’d still stick it right below Talladega Nights on the laugh-o-meter.  Boats and Hoes!

*Spoiler alert! Will Ferrell acts like an idiot, again.

Brennan and Dale, are inchoate 40-year-olds that are emotionally complacent with 10-year-old mindsets and parasitic relationships with their single parents (Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins).   Shortly after hitting it off at a medical convention, Mom and Dad tie the knot, forcing Brennan and Dale to live under the same roof.  The two’s juvenile feuding drives a wedge in the newlyweds marriage while landing the two knuckle heads on the streets to fend for themselves.  Suddenly (and completely inconsistent with either character’s already defined skill sets) the two independently develop tact and a sense of responsibility.

Their newfound ability to function above a second grade level drive’s Dale’s father to embolden Brennan to sign onstage in order to save the Catalina-Wine-Mixer from disaster and fulfill the dream of “Prestige Worldwide” (Dale and Brennan’s duet band).
Of course Brennan joins Dale onstage and for the first time showcases his “combination of Fergie and Jesus” voice which not only saves the Catalina-Wine-Mixer, Brennan’s job, and his parents marriage, but also heals his brother Derek’s (Adam Scott) lifelong animosity towards him, while simultaneously mesmerizing his crush and therapist (Andrea Savage), who just happens to be visiting the island on that day.  All the while, Derek’s emotionally abused and sexual desperate wife (Kathryn Hahn) who has fallen for Dale, almost loses her panties watching them on stage; definitely throw them the award for most awkward kiss!

More than any other Will Ferrell Movie, it’s obvious that Step Brothers is entirely improv; it’s just two guys having fun in front of the camera.  If I didn’t already understand Will Ferrell’s sense of humor I would say the movie was an ingenious satire on the stereotypic Hollywood drama. 
“You know that part in the Wizard of Oz, when the flying monkey’s pull apart the Scarecrow…it was like that”. 

Director: Adam McKay
Cast: Will Ferrell, John C. Riley, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins.
Rated: R for crude and sexual content and pervasive language
Running time: 1:33

[Official Site]

Let me preface this review by saying that anyone who found either of Burton’s Batman adaptations better than Nolan’s “Batman Begins” doesn’t meet the minimum brain cell requirement for this Blog; kindly finish your Spaghetti-O’s and log out.
Oh, and if you enjoyed any of Schumacher’s monstrosities, fear not, there may be help on the horizon.

Blah, Blah, Blah, lets get to the good stuff.  Everyone wants to know what’s going on with the latest Heath Ledger hype. Is his performance Oscar worthy or is everyone blowing it up because he passed away earlier this year? The short answer (and only answer) to this question is YES!
Yes some people are Heathcliff obsessed because this brilliant young actor has unfortunately passed on.  However, before doing so, Ledger succeeded with ferocious veracity in transforming an already iconic comic book villain into the most terrifying yet intriguing villain of ALL TIME; without a doubt Oscar worthy. 

To prepare for the role, Ledger locked himself in a hotel room for six weeks formulating the character’s voice, posture, and psychology.  He recorded the Joker’s thoughts and feelings in a diary to help guide his performance during the filming.

I ask myself, would I like this movie as much if Heath Ledger wasn’t in it?  The answer is a resounding “NO”.  He brought too much to the table.  Ledger reshaped not only the persona of the Joker, but raised the bar, perhaps too high for anyone within the superhero genera to ever reach again.  I’m the first to admit that to even find an equivalent role where someone could hope to touch the quality of Ledger’s work would be difficult, but styles and formats change, so we’ll all have to just wait to see what the future brings. 

WARNING, Spoilers ahead: Bruce Wayne is Batman!

With Bob Kane’s comic book template, director Chris Nolan repaints the canvas of cinematic history with a star studded cast and the birth of a new iconic image that actors and directors will only ever dream to duplicate in the wake of Heath Ledger’s Joker. 

Four ensembled characters and their less prominent companions flirt with a string of universal struggles within the world microcosm which is Gotham City. Unfortunately for the inhabitants of this metropolis, the balance between justice and power, control and anarchy, represent life-or-death realities that push the limits of human integrity in the name of self-preservation.  The film will have you paralyzed with uneasy anticipation as these themes unfold.   

Though the audience never seems to question the legitimacy or need for the role of Batman, the city of Gotham rightfully and realistically has concerns regarding the terrorist behavior this capped crusader has invited to their city.  Would any major US city act differently? 

Gotham’s new dynamic duo: the epitome of honesty, Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the goldenboy District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) successfully assuage their differences in a joint effort to bring down the mob. Rounding up half of Gotham’s criminals in a single day was enough for even Wayne (Christian Bale) to consider hanging up his bat-boots and graveyard shifts for a renewed relationship with assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who has stirred Master Wayne’s emotions by shacking up with a worthy suitor, Harvey Dent.

Since the downfall of Falcone’s corruption network, public figures with integrity, such as Dent, have stepped forward.  Salvatore Marconi (Eric Roberts), the new figurehead for the mob faction of assorted gangs, is such a non threat that the need for a masked vigilante martial artist seems silly.  Of course this is before we’re witness to the true murderous capabilities of the most unpredictable, sinister criminal presence to ever walk the big screen.  With the coming of pure chaos, Dawes realizes that there will always be a need for the Batman, and chooses Dent over her first love.  Though inconsistent with her strong character (but necessary to move converging themes), Rachel drafts a letter to Bruce, (entrusted to Alfred) which is to break the news of her marriage intentions to Harvey. 

Jonathan and Chris Nolan hit the ground running, introducing the Joker with a deceptively clever bank heist.  The calculating demonic Joker, is perhaps more cunning and intelligent than even our superhero Batman.  Unlike most cinematic masterminds, the Joker delivers on his promises of terror and succeeds in pinning Batman and the rest of Gotham into a merciless death grip.  I can’t stress enough how seamlessly Ledger brought together the spontaneity and humorous spark of the character with simple gestures and voice adaptions, that the average movie goer will probably never fully appreciate and could only in retrospect rationally expect.  Never did his actions or humor seem contrived, even from the back glance of a sharp critic.  With a pinch of body language that spoke of caution in the presence of the dark knight and uncertainty in the face of a volatile situation, Heath was nothing short of spectacular and neither was Nolan when he cast the Australian born talent.  There is a reason that directors choose certain actors for specific roles, but I don’t believe anyone could have hoped for this.

The beauty of the character is Ledger’s non contrived responses and reactions. With movements that don’t seem manufactured, choreographed, or systematic the Joker shifts around with a damaged and suggestive history; a style all his own. 
With pure not inserted comedy, you find yourself wanting to see more of the Joker, perhaps even rooting for him, not because you relate, but because he’s so damn interesting.  As a viewer, you can’t help but love his ability to push your hypothetical limits with complicated schemes and erratic behavior that outline his simple analysis of human nature. 
Safe as you are in your theatre seat, you still squirm with cringing anticipation at what the Joker might do with his knife, only to laugh at  the monsters childlike ability to derive pleasure from the things you only wish you still could; the simplicity and excitement of hanging your head out the window as you drive or laugh at another’s misfortune. This is a mesmerizing performance that Ledger immerses himself in and truly makes it his own.

We get the sense that the Joker has merely overstepped the bounds of genius into the realm of a pitiless psychopath, as he puts it, “a living embodiment of chaos”.  The haunting prankster fears neither pain or death, perhaps even enjoys it.  “I don’t want to kill you” gleams the Joker, “you complete me”. 
Heath tapped into something so out of control that the haunting cackles reverberate through the entire film, right up to the dedication to Ledger and the technician Conway Wickliffe, who was killed on set while preparing one of the film’s stunts.

Devilish and masterfully chaotic acts of terror are executed as easily as they are conjured for this troubled genius. The audience is led to believe that the Joker contrives these elaborate plans without meticulous architecture. Certainly a glimpse into the preparatory steps of the Joker’s recruiting henchman and detailing contingency plans would detract from the carefree nature of the enigmatic character.  However, we do see concessions made when things don’t turn his way, for example he is refused his one phone call and thus provokes the detaining officer into a brawl to gain control of the situation.

“It’s what happens when an unstoppable force collides with an immovable object”.

For everyone still romanticizing Nicholson’s 1989 Joker, get over it.  You know you’re aging when you think old is synonymous with better.  The same goes for the Comic-Con dorks that suck themselves to sleep because the film didn’t stay true to the comic book.  News flash, the comic was stupid and unrealistic.  You didn’t complain when Batman lost his tights or the bat-mobile got spiced up. 
Like the line from the movie “they’re only as good as the world allows them to be”, so how about you either let go of the past and look at the masterpiece in front of your face, or stick to Ghost Rider and the Hulk.

Ledger talks about playing the Joker,

“You know, I was a big fan of Jack Nicholson – still am – his portrayal of the Joker was perfect for Tim Burton’s world and if Tim Burton had come to me and he was doing the sequel and he asked me to play the Joker in his movie, I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t. Because you couldn’t touch what Jack Nicholson did. It would be a crime. When Chris came to me, I’d already seen Batman Begins and I really liked it. Because I’d already seen it, I already knew the world, which he had created…”

Truth be told, I’m also a Tim Burton fan, but Nolan’s Batman blows Burton out of the water, especially the Joker.  More mystery shrouds Heath’s character than the Nicholson harlequin. 
This is a more gritty realistic psychopath that reflects the movement of Hollywood action films from the mere ability to produce a moving picture film with special effects to the believability audiences now need to project their escapism onto the landscape of the real world.

There was definitely a time and a place for Nicholson’s Joker, and that was when the movie industry was more concerned with selling toys than with making quality films.  Bottom line, is that Heath pulls off a far more comical role while somehow managing to make the Joker far more disturbing. Basically, Jack doesn’t have jack on Ledger.  The dark schizophrenic fusion of Jeffery Dahmar and Hannibal Lector trapped in Clockwork Orange as The Crow, Heath’s new iconic supervillian makes Nicholson’s flamboyant Joker look like a birthday clown. 

There can never be another interpretation of what the Joker might be, this is it! Heath did it.  It’s his Moby Dick, his master piece, the perfect last line of a triumphant poetic career.  If he doesn’t deserve a posthumous Oscar then the Oscars don’t deserve the gold they’re plated with.

When you do see The Dark Knight, do it right and get your ass to an IMAX (Image Maximum). According the Warner Bros. “The Dark Knight” is the first major feature film to even partially shoot using IMAX cameras.  With six sequences (including the entire opening scene) done utilizing true Imax technology, you’ll feel as though you’re watching the story unfold through a window. 
At the screening I felt the sensation of being in a helicopter viewing the city and standing behind batman as he prepared a basejump from a Hong Kong high-rise.  With industrial magic, the IMAX technology squeezes a highly distorted 180 degree field of view onto the 70 mm IMAX film.  When filming, the camera angle coincides with the final projection to recreate a wider panoramic view.  The result is awesome!

Speaking of the opening sequence, it was nice to see an actual bright bustling city opposed to the normal drudgy CGI Gotham that we’re used to. With new life breathed into the metropolis via an amalgamation of shots from Chicago, London, and WB Studios, this film not only delivered Batman from the shadows of the comic book world, but also used direct references to the world at large, with Batman traveling outside of Gotham for the first time in order to apprehend a Japanese Mob accountant in Hong Kong. Of course we did see Bruce Wayne travel beyond the boarders of Gotham in Batman Begins, but without specific references or landmarks the audience was still pigeon-held into the DC fantasy world.

With Heath Ledger’s amazing take on the Joker, lets not forget there are some great actors and great acting other than Ledger in this brilliant film.  Did you see American Psycho, the boy can act.  I think it’s more than worth mentioning that Aaron Eckhart did an excellent job portraying a passionate public figure with deeper issues bubbling under the surface.  Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are always a pleasure to watch, and Maggie Gyllenhaal who steps in for the none-too-missed Katie Holmes gives her character a much more professional feel.

 
                         “What doesn’t kill you makes you stranger.”

With all the fun and excitement, this film wasn’t without flaw.  First off, Nolan really packed too much into the story line, there just wasn’t sufficient time to evolve all of it.  Harvey Dents transformation probably being the crux of the problem.  With that said there wasn’t much time wasted on mindless fighting like the Matrix debacles.  This does mean that the crap-for-brains action junkies are going cry that it moved too slowly, but the fact is that the movie flowed through the story better than most action/content packed films of shorter lengths. With a delicate balance between, believa
bility of unreality, action, plot, dialog, and keeping the drama queens and stupid action junky morons on the same page as the deeper meaning philosophers for a duration of two and a half hours, Nolan really couldn’t have done a better job bringing the superhero genera into the realm of true quality.

For the viewers that liked the first movie because Nolan brought a sense of history and tradition to the character and better explained those particularities, like, how did Bruce Wayne build his bat cave, or bat-mobile?, The Dark Knight audience is left to remember that this is indeed a sequel and that character origins and development were accomplished in the first film, although with the lack of character exploration the film seems extremely packed especially with the intentional lack of history on the Joker who seems to take a backseat to the enormity of the film.  We’re also left to deduct that the same lengths were taken to protect Batman’s identity, while say, manufacturing a new Batsuit. 
While I don’t find the procedural qualities and character development carry-overs to be negatives, I really wasn’t fond of such gross negligence from the law officers.  Though mistakes are made all the time in law enforcement, I feel as though it’s cliché and poor form to not work around a better solution.  “Hmm, the upper route is blocked by a flaming tractor trailer, let’s immediately panic into breaking protocol and herding ourselves into the Jokers obvious trap”.

I also wasn’t so pumped about Nolan spoon feeding me information, I caught onto the cell phone trick, I didn’t need Lucius Fox to so formally explain it.  But I suppose for the big stuff he wanted to keep the stupids on board.  I’m not so sure about using that platform as a spring board into Morgan Freeman’s retirement from Batman films; it wasn’t necessary.  There was no need to dramatize the situation and have the reasonable and easy tempered Lucius Fox resign as CEO of Wayne Enterprises with the “I’m taking my ball and going home” attitude because he had a dissenting opinion on George W’s patriot act.  He could have just retired.  With that said, Nolan did create an interesting parallel to our war on terror, but the real concern isn’t so much wire tapping as it is the need for vigilante heroics in the first place. 

  Perhaps less rational than Lucius hissy fit over Bruce’s invasion of personal liberty is Bruce’s decision to unmask himself in public or assume the blame of someone else’s murders. Why not just leave those murders unsolved? The only reason to blame Batman was to increase the drama; stupid.  He was already a vigilante (illegal to begin with) leave it at that.
As far as the unmasking goes, why would the highly intelligent Bruce Wayne ever consider giving in to a terrorist request?  His character should know full well that such a stunt wouldn’t quell a masochistic knife wielding agent of chaos, it would only make him and the people he cares about targets.  Oh yeah, can we cut down on the synthesizer batman voice?  Does Bruce turn into a robot when he puts on the Batsuit?  Maybe if they explained a voice adaptor in his suit or something, but it just doesn’t fit to add that crap during editing.  And how about that velvet cape. In some scenes it looks like a throw blanket and other times he’s jumping off of buildings while it turns into a rubbery electric membrane hybrid hang-glider…wtf?

This just shows how very difficult and delicate the process of screen writing can be, especially with a separate wardrobe and editing team.  It may have all seemed logical on paper, but on the big screen, it’s a stretch.  It is worth mentioning that the CGI was not abused. The scenes with Two Face were masterfully accomplished.  

Kudos to Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard on a score that built tension that even a warm stick of butter couldn’t cut through.

Micheal Caine and Morgan Freeman talk about Heath Ledgers performance as the Joker

Following the lead of the movie, this post is done in memory of Heath Ledger …

It’s painful to see such a talented energy such as Heath Ledger taken at such a stage in his career.  Any fan of acting or film can’t help feel an instant connection to the young actor that seemed to love his craft as much as the life he lived so deeply.

[Get It $16]

Personally I’m a fan of the prequal: “Yes City for Young Women”. 

If you’ve seen No Country for Old Men and didn’t like it, you didn’t understand it.  If you understood it but didn’t like it, you have horrible taste; either way you’re a massive loser and should immediately take your own life along with any offspring you’ve produced.
Even though you’ve never seen or heard of Javier Bardem before this, his chilling portrayal of the embodiment of fates evil hand was an unmitigated display that can only be defined by Bardem’s personification of the concept of what his character represents; easily on par with Anthony Hopkins representation of Hannibal Lector.  

Tommy Lee Jones plays the Yin to Javier’s Yang; “Ed Tom” and “Anton”  (pronounced almost the same throughout the movie) was not a mistake my friends.

*Warning: The Read On section contains a synopsis spoiler

The Coen brothers masterfully executed a serene rendition of No Country for Old Men, a 2005 novel by American author Cormac McCarthy. 
With brilliant acting and delicate attention to detail, every clip, word, and action has a specific meaning; so watch carefully. 

 
With two hours of vivid detailed and exciting plot unfolding, the quick paced conclusion which seemed to elide over the typical cheesy climax, strongly emphasized the underlying significance of what these characters represent.  From the beginning, this story seemed not so much a recounting of events as a representation of the hidden axiom that “evil” is a constant in the world.  Watch for the use of animals, the number 13, and hidden metaphors to foreshadow the twisting rhyme of fate. 

When the character you’ve been rooting for the entire film is without warning eliminated, you’re yanked right out of Hollywood and back to the cold hard inevitability that everyone is going to die, including you. 

Llewelyn Moss, a cowboy welder (played by Josh Brolin) who is destitute from two tours in Nam and looking for a taste of a thrill falls into the ultimate dualistic struggle as evil begets evil when he chooses the almost irresistible temptation of 2.5 million dollars cash over the opportunity to save another mans life. With a new avenue presented after each chosen path, the winding road of life can be looked back on as a series of fateful turns leading to a specific destination. Llewelyn fell off the blood trail for his injured antelope and as the animal slowly bled to death alone in the vast country, Llewelyn followed the path of the last man standing, in doing this he inherited burdens which would eventually lead to his own trail of blood by a man not so easily distracted from his set course.
By the time Llewelyn attempted to balance his decision, his fate had already been sealed as he found his salvation lying dead next to a blown out window.  He never seemed to learn that no matter where he ran, the indestructible consequence of that decision would catch-up with him. Broken and beaten his destitution became physical, but he was briefly given a second chance, and again squandered the opportunity of releasing his burden to Wells and thus hastened his demise while inviting more violence and horror into his life.

Though Llewelyn’s ultimate intentions were to provide his wife Carla Jean with the promise of a better life, she was by her own path an extension of his ego and thus subject to the emerging pattern of Llewelyn’s fateful choices that had already claimed her fate. Unfortunately for Carla Jean, she and not her loving husband understood that there are repercussions for every action; she later forces Chigurh to learn this lesson.

A darkly complicated and exotic Anton Chigurh is a finite projection of violence as it manifests itself as the operation of fate in the lives of individuals that are forced to confront it. From the beginning his bleeding wrists cast the character as a mortal who is completely reconciled with death, violence, and evil as forces binding the natural world. He finds purpose as he rationalizes existence through the application of these constants.

Though great care was taken to show Anton Chigurh’s mortality through physical wounds, he non-the-less represents a conduit for the dark forces of fate. We know little about him, he comes from nowhere, he appears as an allegory for the inevitability of death and potential for violence in all men. As Llewelyn reply’s to the lady by the pool “Just, uh, lookin’ for what’s comin’… as she unwittingly responds “Yeah, but no one ever sees that”, for if they did, their fate would already be sealed as Chigurh so humorously reveals to the nervy accountants inquiry as to whether he will be killed; “That depends. Do you see me?”.

Carson Wells (played by Woody Harrelson) knows all to well the forces at play. He recalls the exact date that he assuaged his own fate, and seems genuinely surprised if not impressed that a simpleton such as Llewelyn Moss had accomplished the same feat, “you’ve seen him and your not dead, hum.”.

This quasi-supernatural force masterfully incarnated by Javier Bardem is emblematic of the mystery of violence itself, where it comes from and how it spreads. Llewelyn “knows what beer leads to”, so he say’s, but according to the woman by the pool, “beer leads to more beer”, as violence leads to more violence.  Even Chigurh must face the repercussions of his actions after Carla Jean forces him to choose a path of his own (opposed to purely enforcing the outcome of everyone else’s chosen route). She knew the coin held no weight for her already sealed fate, “I no’d exactly what was in store for me…I ain’t gonna call it…the coin don’t have no say, it’s just you”.

With Carla Jean refusing to wager on the coin, Chigurh is forced to kill by his own accord, and like Bell’s story of the steer that fought back, that fateful decision leaves Chigurh with a crippled arm. Fleeing the crash scene, Anton has now left his own trail of blood, but only after infecting two young boys with the seed of violence and greed in an almost exact recount of Llewelyn’s jacket purchase as he crossed the boarder in an effort to escape what was coming.

The cycle never ends, even when we spend our lives trying to stop it. There’s no use in dreaming otherwise or remembering false accounts as Sheriff Ed Tom Bell realizes in the powerful biting climatic monolog of Tommy Lee Jones.

Through the eyes of an aging small town Texas Sheriff, we are witness to an old mans perception of evil across time.  Sheriff Ed Tom Bell’s perspective sets the stage for the entire meaning behind this film. 

The insightful opening monolog, combined with the final recounting of a dream shows that Bells vision of the past was as unrealistic as his wishes for the future. We know from Ellis’s account of the gruesome murder in 1909 that there were no good old days, just different perceptions. “All you can do is try to endure and if your lucky, retire”, sputtered Ellis.

As Bell pointed out, corruption starts with the youth, “Anytime you quit hearin’ ’sir’ and ‘ma’am,’ the end is pretty much in sight”, yet the psychopathic Chigurh addressed his elders with “sir” as he represents a new unfamiliar evil that embodies the kind of old-fashioned code that Bell inaccurately yet earnestly mourned the passing of.  Ed Tom can’t stop reconstructing his idyllic past and comparing himself to the old-timers. His dream is far preferable to the reality he sees himself as unable to confront or escape even after he surrenders himself to it; in the hotel with Chigurh.

Chigurh had no need to kill Bell unless seen by him, and that in-itself is symbolically impossible.  Ed Tom and Anton are polar opposites and thus are not meant to cross paths, as evil is not meant to recognize goodness and kindness cannot understand violence.  As both characters stared into the TV, we saw for the first time that they are opposite sides of the same coin, or opposite sides of the same door. Both characters are very calm and collective, yet the first and only time you see fear in either character is when they’re shown on opposite sides of the hotel door; possibly about to confront each other. 

“It’s not that I’m afraid of it, I always knew you had to be willing to die to even do this job” said Ed Tom at the opening.  But he doesn’t want to sacrifice or “put his sole at hazard” in order to recognize the nature of Chigurh. If Ed Tom sacrificed his innate integrity in order to meet that sort of evil, it would be waiting for him, as Anton was waiting behind the door and as it was waiting for his grand daddy who was shot in his doorway (and “died in the night”).

Bell learned that no one could show him his path, he would have to carry his own light through the darkness of violence, just like his father did before him, anything else would be a dream.

I salute the Coen Brothers adaption of this story not only as a masterful representation of violence as it affects humanity, but their ability to create art targeted less towards the general populous of America and more towards the philosophical mind. 
Hopefully this film will act less to desensitize youth in a complete juxtaposition as it’s intention, and rather help people realize that we live in a time like any other, in that we must continually reevaluate laws, customs, and trends in an effort to find new ways to be human. 

**For those of you that don’t think No Country should have won “Best Picture”, look for my review of “There Will Be Blood” when it comes out on DVD.