It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
It is my favourite live-action Batman film simply because it's the only one whose focus is predominantly on the character of Batman. Thankfully, they nailed the character right out the gate.
Same here, Bale immediately sold me on the role, but then again he typically wows me in most films I see him in. He's got quite the range.
Going to see Glass pretty soon. Big fan of Unbreakable and Split. Has anyone else seen it yet?
That he does. He's a phenomenal worker. 100% dedication every time.
That's a fair point, though I maintain that Keaton sold us the conflicted, weird and reclusive Wayne better than Bale was afforded the chance to. A lot of that has to do with the writing and Nolan's more pronounced interest in the symbolism of Batman as a character rather than the duality of Batman himself.
So I would probably take Bale in the suit, but I'd take Keaton's Bruce Wayne.
1. The Dark Knight Rises- my favourite of all the films. Love the story and pacing. Big fan of Hardy's Bane and Hathaway's Catwoman. Epic climax is well handled.
2. Batman Begins- The first 'real' Batman film for me. A bit slow in the first half but once Wayne becomes Batman it's non-stop brilliant.
3. Batman (1989)- Disappointed when I first saw this at the cinema. Made the mistake of making the film in my head before I saw it and being suckered by the ridiculous hype. On repeat viewing this is a wonderful take on Batman and Keaton knocks it out of the park.
4. The Dark Knight- While this has some amazing stuff in it, as a whole I find it drags in places and the introduction of Two-Face grinds the film to a halt, as does the Ferries sequence. Ledger is fantastic though and it's an epic film.
5. Batman Vs Superman- Not a massive fan of this but Affleck makes a good Batman/Bruce Wayne. Nice to have him play an older more cynical Batman. The warehouse fight is stunning.
6. Batman Returns- While Pfeiffer's fantastic Catwoman nicks the whole film this is more a Tim Burton film than a Batman one. Not my idea of Batman and the whole thing is too set bound. Nothing in it convinces that this is an actual city.
7. Batman Forever- I actually quite liked Kilmer's take on the Dark Knight but the whole film is too camp and cartoony. A noisy stupid migraine of a movie. Schumacher did the series no favours but the worst was yet to come.
8. Batman & Robin- An annoyingly stupid film that owes more to the TV show Batman than the film incarnation. Something serious Batman fans would never embrace. Colossal waste of time and money.
Mine will be like this.
1. Batman Begins (wonderful film. One of the best actually and the birth of the reboot phenomenon. I think this is the fantastic Christian Bale's best performance as Wayne/Bat. I also really like Neeson and Holmes in this).
2. TDKR (in some ways I prefer this to the other two films in the series because it's a nice blend of fantastical scope with grounded narrative. I think this is Bale's second best performance in the series and sometimes I think he's actually better here than in BB.).
3. TDK (blew me away in the theatre and continues to do so with every subsequent viewing. A masterpiece which greatly influenced a certain Bond film).
4. Batman Returns (love this film. Dark and disturbing. Pfieffer kills it and her scenes with Keaton make the film. Walken is creepy.)
5. Batman Forever (I like this one too. Exaggerated fun. Nicole Kidman's Chase Meridien is great and Carrey is awesome.)
6. Batman (never been a fan to be honest - must watch it again and see if I can reassess. Something about the aesthetics don't work for me. PS: Also, I've never liked the Joker being the author of all Wayne's pain. Keaton is amazing though, particularly when he loses it).
7. Batman vs. Superman (meh. I don't like Affleck as Batman and the 'Martha' shenanigans were awful. Eisenberg was crap too.)
8. Justice League (I can't remember much about this film. It was very forgettable. There was one scene where WW chews out the Bat at HQ which resonated, and that's about it. Oh, and Henry's digitized moustache removal).
9. Batman and Robin (the DAD of the franchise)
that's one helluva great comedy.
Mine, at this moment and time, would be:
Batman Begins - a great origin story, well told with efficiency and heart. Bale's best performance as the character and the best looking live-action Gotham City.
The Dark Knight - bigger and more epic than its predecessor in ways that are both better and worse, it nevertheless remains consistent with the themes set out in BB and works them strongly into Bale's characterisation and contrasts them wonderfully with Ledger's Joker, who is rightfully considered one of the best villains of all time. A sagging third act lets it down a bit, but it's still a fantastic film.
Batman Returns - wrote about this at length last month after seeing it on the big screen so I won't repeat myself other than to say......it's weird and wonderful, both campy and jet-black dark. I love it.
Batman - the film that turned Batsy into a real heavy hitter. It's made with a lot of love and has plenty of iconic moments. Keaton is superb, as is Nicholson. The score and general atmosphere make up for some dodgy matte painting work which hasn't aged well. Burton essentially tee'd up his fully-fledged foray into expressionism in RETURNS here. Pity he didn't bring back Prince.
The Dark Knight Rises - a great opening hour is a saving grace for a massively disappointing end to the Nolan trilogy, which amplifies both the good and bad things of the previous two films to clunky heights. A badly written, poorly edited final act undercuts any good work the first act does in bringing back Batman. It actually fares worse with each rewatch, so I've decided to stop watching it in the hope that one day, in a few years, a spontaneous revisit will change my mind. However, I doubt it.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - as clunky as TDKR but with even more angst, BVS is such a bizarre film that unfortunately doesn't have a clear goal in its mind until late in the game. Affleck and Cavill are pretty good, however the film chooses to force them to clash through an awful villain scheme that makes no sense. Lex Luthor should not have been such a prominent figure in this.
Batman Forever - I mean, this is so 90s that I have a soft spot for it. The music alone is worth it not being a completely unrewarding watch. It's pretty rubbish, but compared to the follow-up, it's a masterful example of subtlety.
Justice League - I can't write too much about this without flaring my nostrils, so I'll just focus on the film's treatment of Batman and say "WTF". Everything fresh and nuanced that Affleck brought to his Caped Crusader was thrown out the window in favour of a Tony Stark style quip-monster, except.....not funny.
Batman & Robin - one of the worst films ever made.
BB
TDR
BR
BM
BMvSM-- so bloody bizarre, bad and OTT I'm beginning to like it as a "WTF am I watching??"
BF
JL
BM&R
I had an opportunity to view this Guillermo del Toro directed film last weekend and meant to post about it earlier. I’m not too familiar with this director’s work, but have read that he likes to dabble in the macabre. I’d say this is not so much a horror movie as it is a gothic romance of sorts. I found it reasonably entertaining, if perhaps a bit familiar due to the deliberate use of imagery and symbolism. One thing that really impressed me was how stunning everything looked. Del Toro and cinematographer Dan Laustsen deserve credit for crafting a film where even scenes of extreme violence have a sort of otherworldy romanticized flair. Lighting, shot composition, production and costume design are similarly all top notch, and the film drips with rich atmosphere. Helping things along are an excellent cast and intriguing premise: Tom Hiddleston & Jessica Chastain are aristocratic English siblings who may not be all that they initially seem; Mia Wasikowska is Edith, a young American daughter of a wealthy land owner and aspiring ghost story novelist who may be their target; and Charlie Hunnam is a potential suitor & protector. The brother / sister pair woo Edith and take her back to their eponymous crumbling English mansion (a wonderful set), which is a proverbial house of horrors replete with secret rooms and dark creatures. There she must confront her destiny and overcome her childhood fears. It’s a decent film (Chastain in particular is impressive), but the imagery is what really stood out.
--
Vice (2018)
This isn’t meant to be a horror story either, but one could perhaps be forgiven for thinking it is given who it's about. It’s also intentionally comedic and satirical. One can’t help but think it’s deeply biased in its surface level portrayal of Barack Obama’s distant cousin, the 46th Vice President (and by some accounts, the de facto 43rd President) of the United States. Nevertheless, it’s entertaining due to a superb cast anchored by Christian Bale in the lead. Bale completely transforms into Cheney, and his mannerisms and voice intonation are chillingly accurate. Director Adam McKay reunites him with Big Short co-star Steve Carrel (who plays Rumsfeld here). The always excellent and versatile Amy Adams is Lynne, Dick’s wife, who was apparently a far more important player in his rise and success than I was previously aware. Sam Rockwell stars as the infamous Bush Jr. The film shows Cheney’s initial rise to power during the Nixon administration under the mentorship of ‘Rummy’, followed by his time as Defense Secretary under Bush Sr. (when America first bombed Iraq) where he hones his skills and finally his time as the most powerful man on the planet during the 00s where he brings everything he’s learned to bear (when the second bombing and massacre took place). I can appreciate how this may not get much attention, but Bale is outstanding.
Slender man (2018) - okay what can I say, mehh
The Thin man (1934) - A classic with Loy & Powell in a funny and brilliant movie in which 007 would be most certainly have been drunk under the table.
Rocky II
Che: Parts One and Two
Had to go with the whole package, I love this each time I see it. I do prefer Part One - it feels a lot more "epic" in scope, the gunfights shot by Soderbergh are always tense, and I guess I enjoy it more since it's a lot more optimistic for Che and co., versus the revolutionaries' inevitable downfall and loss and death throughout part two.
Burning
An absolutely fantastic Korean thriller from 2018 that kept me guessing the whole way through, up until that blunt and shocking finale. Ashamed to say a lot of the themes and subtext probably flew over my head during the initial viewing, but I guess that's what a rewatch is for. Looking forward to this one hitting blu-ray or 4K.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Really didn't expect this one to be anything more than so-so, but I loved it and thought it was very fun. I still would've preferred to see what Sacha Baron Cohen could've done as Freddie, but I thought Malek did wonderful in the role, despite him not actually being the one to sing. It's also refreshing seeing Mike Myers in film, as rare as it is.
The Royal Tenenbaums
I never tire of this movie, it very well may be my favorite of Wes Anderson's. It has a great cast, filled with lots of Anderson staples, a really good soundtrack, some sharp humor and witty dialogue (when isn't that the case with Wes, though?) and as always, symmetry-filled sets and rooms.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
And this one would make my Top 3 of Anderson's filmography. One of those enjoyable films geared towards kids that adults can also enjoy, also with a great soundtrack. I'll never fail to be impressed by stop motion features, they really are something, I'd never have the patience to do something like that.
Boy Erased
Another solid Joel Edgerton directorial feature, with strong performances and some unflinchingly raw and tough to watch scenes throughout, though it's not a surprise given the subject of gay conversion therapy and its inevitable failure. I enjoyed it, though I could've done with something a bit more straight-forward and not so disjointed in its unveiling of moments and progression of scenes.
Brazil (1985)
This bizarre yet totally brililant retro-dystopian film from the curious mind of Terry Gilliam comes with a great performance by Jonathan Pryce (our very own Elliot Carver), a thrilling story and a lot of great model/miniatures work that really comes to life on screen.
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Had to officially watch my Criterion copy of this, I loved it even more the second time around. Effortlessly cool and it's driven so well by a great mystery.
La Jetée (1962)
With a hauntingly nostalgic feel, a lush score, and being told entirely through photographs and narration, La Jetée may stand as one of the most unique and admirable films I've ever witnessed - a love letter to memories of youth and what the drive of love or nostalgia can accomplish, all wrapped up in a dystopian World War III setting involving drugs, time travel, and nuclear devastation. Stunning, tragic, and romantic, I loved it.
Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Perfection, definitely won't ever tire of watching this one.
Django Unchained
With lush cinematography, bloody action and shootouts, absolutely cutting dialogue that's as witty and sharp as it is uncomfortably hilarious, Tarantino shows that he hasn't lost his magic after all these years - just the opposite. This exciting western follows Django, an escaped slave who teams up with a German bounty hunter to hone his skills and eventually track down his slave wife, with the aim of buying her freedom or helping her escape. The cast and acting is equally tremendous, with Foxx playing the lead wonderfully, Christoph Waltz returning to test his protagonist skills, and Leonardo Dicaprio displaying previously-unknown talents by playing a filthy, brutal, hateful racist and slaveowner.
The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)
Filled with tired clichés and twists you'll see coming ten miles away, this unnecessary sequel to a killer adaptation by David Fincher is devoid of raw originality and essentially all of the magic that made his 2011 installment so fresh and wonderful and dark. Everyone starring in this feels like a pale imitation of what's come before, from the acting to the title sequence, and it's no surprise that this was an even bigger bomb than the aforementioned film (something the studio aimed to avoid in the first place - so much for that).
Close (2019)
This Netflix action movie is light on impressive action (or action in general, really) and is filled to the gills with cliches, predictability, and an overall generic, by-the-numbers feel, giving us yet another forgettable Netflix entry to toss onto the ever growing pile that nobody was asking for. You'd be doing yourself a favor by avoiding this one like the plague.
Mikey and Nicky (1976)
While this one seems loved by critics, I found it to be aggravatingly pointless and aimless in its intentions. While there's a good film to be found underneath it all - an exciting plot of a man helping his childhood friend flee a hitman of the mob, with two legendary actors at the helm - it simply falls short of leaving an impact or wowing me, with a lot of scenes meandering about and not really going anywhere, until the film finally (and thankfully) ends.
In The Heat Of The Night (1967)
It took me far too many years to finally see this one, and I'm ashamed to say that, as it was quite the powerhouse of a film, with ignited racial tensions and a drive to do ones job, no matter the opposition, leading the way as Sidney Poitier stars as Virgil Tibbs, a black Philadelphia detective who is stuck in the deep south investigating the murder of a prominent white man, and will use his skills and smarts to get to the bottom of it, even sidelining the racists of the town as he does so. Of course, patience is tested and new friendships are surprisingly created in this stunning, sweaty mystery, all elevated by the likes of Quincy Jones' marvelous score.
The Kid Brother (1927)
Packed with witty, slapstick humor, some exciting action and an absolutely mesmerizing, grand and adventurous orchestral score, this makes for one entertaining silent comedy from the minds of Harold Lloyd and Ted Wilde. I never got tired of watching Lloyd's Harold Hickery use his smarts and quick thinking to outmaneuver and trick both family members and foes alike, it was a blast.
The Island Of Lost Souls (1932)
Could one consider this a monster movie? If so, chalk this up to being one of the best and most unnerving I've ever seen. I was surprised at how enamored and focused I was at the H.G. Wells tale unfolding on screen, as a shipwrecked man arrives ashore an island with a mysterious doctor and a bizarre group of half men/half beasts. It had a fascinating story, a great cast (including the all-time legendary Bela Lugosi), and for an early 1930's film, some truly stunning practical effects and makeup work to bring the creatures to life. This may be my only experience with Wells' story being adapted to film, yet I look forward to returning to it again soon.
Fear and Loathing in las Vegas (1998)
I can't count how many times I've seen this film - it'd certainly make my Top 50 All Time - but it never, ever fails in making me laugh or keeping me uncomfortable or making me wildly intrigued at the mad, fever dream-like, psychedelic imagery unfolding before me on the screen. An adaptation of the late Hunter S. Thompson's work, this follows a journalist and his attorney, both wildly into hardcore drugs, float, fraud and cheat their way through a few days in Las Vegas. This film is absolutely the best way to experience what drugs are like without actually taking them - often times, you'll wonder if what you're seeing is actually happening. Utter madness, this acid-fueled trip, and likely not everyone's cup of tea.
Blood Simple (1984)
The first full length feature from the minds of the Coen brothers is a dirty, neo-noir thriller starring the ageless Frances McDormand as someone torn between two men - her filthy ex-husband and her new boyfriend. The problem? The two men work together, and through a string of bizarre circumstances and coincidences, everyone's world will be turned upside down in an upheaval of betrayal and confusion. You can see some ideas and motifs in play here that the brothers would go on to later work with, and though it might not reach the soaring heights of some of their other fare, I found this to be quite the killer introduction from them, with a foreboding score and intriguing character mistrust further elevating the film.
King of Jazz (1930)
Ahh, jazz, my absolute favorite genre of music. It's so timeless, much like this wonderful Pre-Code, John Murray Anderson film. This one features the talented and jovial Paul Whiteman conducting the band throughout numerous storybook "scenes," which play out on stage and across massive sets, which get bigger and more awe-inspiring as the running time progresses. Of course, I wouldn't recommend this to those who aren't fans of jazz or even stage plays and performances, but if you are, you're in for a real treat. I can't begin to imagine how stunning and grand this was to audiences in 1930, nearly 90 years ago, because it's still impressive now.
I quite enjoyed this film – it actually had me laughing out loud on occasion. Full of humanity and heart, it’s based on a true story of Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and Tony 'Lip' Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), who befriend one another when the former hires the latter to be his driver. Shirley is a world class and affluent pianist who is on a concert tour through the Deep South. He’s also black, and it’s the early 1960s before segregation was abolished. Therefore he requires someone who can make sure he has safe passage. Vallelonga, as a former bouncer, fits the bill. The film is essentially a long road trip of personal discovery by two men who are very different from one another in more ways than one. Vallelonga is warm and gregarious whereas Shirley is a bit cautious and introverted. Both have integrity and strong morals however, and consequently they connect. The film raises some interesting questions about belonging, fitting in, and false expectations (from within one’s culture, from other cultures and even by those who are discriminated against). Mortensen and Ali are excellent, and are worth the price of admission. This is a top 10 of 2018 for me.
That's how I was, until the past few weeks, now that more of the significant films are being made available for home viewing. I think I'll be able to make a Top 10 with ease, but I do miss the years when it was a real challenge making one because there was so much out that I loved. Here's to next year, hopefully.
I really enjoyed it. The characters make this film. I love how the psychiatrist was especially intrigued by Irena since he knew she was not suffering from any mental illness.
The Seventh Victim (1943)
I went in blind and it wasn't until I finished the film that I read it described as "horror film noir". When I realized it was just that it somewhat came together in my mind for me. It's a good film, but I felt it lacked something. My impression is that ultimately the whole business with the Devil worshippers was meant to exemplify how Jacqueline, suffering an existential crisis, was willing to associate herself with anyone or anything who could lend her life some sort of meaning. I figure the worshippers are portrayed in a somewhat anodyne way to show how not even they could provide what Jacqueline was looking for. Still, I find them underdeveloped as a story element. We learn basically nothing about them (in fact, they are not referred to as worshippers until the very end). They could've been a source of mystery but you have to dangle the carrot to make it work; i.e. tell us something about them to keep us intrigued. The film runs mostly on plot (it is noir, after all) with little substance until the very end. I felt they needed to take the idea of Jacqueline's existential angst and make more extensive use of it throughout the film, and through the characters, to make it work. The ending almost makes up for that, though.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
It has certainly aged very well. Very good and unnerving film. I read about how they added this frame story to it to make the ending
That and Brazil are two of my all-time favorites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfVDUOYECSU
Watched this one for the first time not too long ago, and really enjoyed it. Have you seen the two sequels? Watched They Call Me Mister Tibbs! a couple a weeks ago. Not as good as In the Heat Of The Night, but worth checking out if you like 70's crime films. They Call Me Mister Tibbs! also features LTK's Anthony Zerbe in one of the roles.
Have yet to watch The Organization (the third and final film about Virgil Tibbs), but will do so soon.
My Dog @Creasy47 !!! What an amazing collection of films! Some ive heard of but yet to see. I will be referring to this list as of today. Great mini reviews!
Last night I was lucky to catch a 35mm print of HEAT.
The wear and tear of the 25 year old stock merely added to the charm of seeing my favourite film of all time with 200 other people. My Dad saw Pacino and De Niro share the screen in February '95 when I was only a little lad, and last night he saw it with me. A very special occasion and a wonderful belated birthday present for myself.
I love sharing films with my son-- indeed, very special times (and what a kick-ass film to go to!).
I do look forward to sharing similar experiences with my own son. It's wonderful when new films are magical, but it's true when they say "we'll always have the old ones", and even more so when you see them on the big screen - it's always like seeing them for the first time.