The Dark Knight (2008)

Batman aka Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) really was The Dark Night in this movie. It’s just a shame there wasn’t more of Batman without the armor. This movie was the sequel to Batman Begins. Usually when you hear the term ‘sequel’ you think, oh no, disaster. That was not the case in my opinion on this movie. Batman is on a quest, his usual quest of saving Gotham from it’s unusual villains, continue building his empire, and trying to get the girl as well.
The villain this time is ‘The Joker.’ He’s played by Heath Ledger. Let’s take a moment first to remember Heath Ledger. His role as The Joker in this movie was his last before his untimely death. He died just as the movie production was wrapping up, so there were no re-takes of any (or maybe very few re-takes) of his performance. His performance was amazing. He portrayed the most psycho-like Joker I have ever seen. From the way his head twitched, to his voice, to the way he licked his lips, to the way he held his knife. He was serious and focused. He knew what he wanted. One of those things he wanted was to hurt Batman – not just physically but emotionally as well.

As for the plot…Wayne Enterprises (Batman’s company) is negotiating with a Hong Kong based securities firm who also happen to be negotiating with Gotham’s mafia. Jim Gordon, the Lieutenant is trying to expose this scheme between the mafia and this firm while the new District Attorney – Harvey Dent (played by Aaron Eckhart) who the people of Gotham just adore and his girlfriend the other District Attorney – Rachel (played by Maggie Gyllenhall – who could not act at all in this movie) and who Batman is in love with – are trying to put behind bars. In the midst of all this the Joker comes in and ruins everyone’s life. He forces Batman to choose between saving Harvey or saving Rachel. Batman chooses. Rachel dies and half of Harvey’s face gets blown off (oops, did I just spoil the movie for you). Harvey then turns to the dark side to avenge everyone for the death of Rachel. (Nevermind how Batman must feel). At the end of the movie, Batman and the Joker have a fight typical of comic book characters brought to the big screen. I think we’ll have to wait until the next movie to find out what ‘really’ happens.

Batman himself gets an upgraded bat-suit, new car, motorcycle, and gadgets. He’s helped by Alfred, his long time butler, and Lucius Fox – head of the board at Wayne Enterprises. All of which I thought worked very well in the movie. ‘Batman: The Dark Night’ was action packed, had a fun cast of villains, some old friends, and made for a great summer blockbuster.

By Lauren Boykin

Wanted (2008)

This is not a stupid action film. This is a great action film. One of the best. Story, well, lets not be concerned with that so much. Let’s just say there is enough there to keep your interest up, but if you think about it for a second allusions to Fight Club ,Star Wars: A New Hope, and The Matrix are more than obvious.

It stars my main man James McAvoy; who has the distinction that nothing I have seen him in as been in even remotely mediocre. The Last King of Scotland, Atonement, Ten for Starters,Penelope have all been great. He even had a small part in the T.V. series of Band of Brothers. Wanted was no disappointment. It was great.

The movie is gripping or probably unintentionally funny at all times. There is not one dull moment. The styled violence gets better and better. It is surely something that I have not seen on the screen before.

The movie is set in Chicago, and makes Chicago like an amazingly cool city. I was just there last year, and I surely didn’t think so.

It also starts Angelina Jolie in a role somewhat similar to her husbands role in Fight Club, which gets less interesting the more you think about it. She looks really good in a dress, but I guess she is a sex symbol for men and lesbians alike. That f#$ked-up girl role really fits her.

The actors carry the film and the non-stop action is full of an endless supply of cool moves. I don’t want to give too much away but there is a good twist in there to look forward to. Also, like the movie Speed the climax of the film is in the middle, and then the movie picks up again.

The dialogue is surprising good. There are some biting phrases, which are sometimes aimed at the audience.

There’s not too much more to say about it, except that Danny Elfman did the music. It is not too long, and it surely one of the best movies to come out this year. I have been see one too many hero movie. One more comic book movie would surely drive to me to library, but this one is an exception.

I highly recommend Wanted, because it is one great ride.

The Promotion (2008)

This is a film that leaves you with no solid answers. It is basically a competition between to flawed men to become the next supermarket manager.

Being one of those off-the-beaten pass comedies that are usually so distained by Americans that they only live in small art theaters, then if they’re any good have a cult following; meaning they have a small audience. This is usually the guy or girl listening to The Shins on the ipod who knows more about movies than his or her current job.

The Promotion is no exception. It is really slow, which can be good for a indie movie, but it is also saturated with subtle humor and wisdom.

The movie stars Stifler (Seann William Scott) from American Pie and big lovable loser John C. Reilly. Not be forgotten the ultimate nice-girl in film/TV Jenna Fischer.

What is striking about this movie is how realistic this story could be. You have Stifler who playing a not so ambitious guy who is trying to work his way up in his job that he took in high school in a supermarket. At age 33 this will be his first big promotion. He is an assistant manager who is looking to become a manager of a new store. The conflict comes in when Richard (Reilly) comes in from Canada to also compete for the same job. Both men are presented as very flawed, but not too flawed. They start to sabotage each other as they go into the interview process and each have a lot to loss if they don’t get this job; such as their homes and wives. They start to crack under the pressure, and it comes down to who will be more broken.

Now this isn’t some Hollywood movie where you watch a bunch of crazy funny scenarios a la some screw ball comedy of the 80’s. Instead, people just seem as petty as in real life.

In a way, this is not a good film to see if your motivation when seeing movies is to escape, because it can really feel like someone’s work. This seems to be the trend these days and Jenna Fischer, from the Office TV show, presence is no coincidence.

Overall, I liked The Promotion, because it left me something to think about after the movie was over. It also left me a little stressed.

Almost forgot, this is yet another movie where Jason Bateman has a small part.

LeatherHeads (2008)

This is really a throw away movie. I saw it months ago and didn’t really think it was worth writing about. It might be ready for rental now. Check itunes.

The reason why this movie is so disappointing is that it had so much promise based on who was in it. It is a George Clooney movie. I like George Clooney, a follow Taurus, usually makes really good movies, and I will go and watch; asking questions later. The cast was rounded out with Renee Zellweger and the U.S. Office’s John Krasinski.

Besides having A-list actors in it, the look of film was cool. It has that Jazz age look but in beautiful color, which I haven’t seen before. Finally the plot, the beginning of the American football league is an interesting topic. It really could have been a good movie.

About the only thing it did well as the Art Direction and Cinematography. It looked beautiful. Being a fan of silent movies from the 1920’s of Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, I can say that Leatherheads showed the period quite accurately. It even matches up with my Grandfather’s descriptions of the 1920’s. He even played football in the early 1930’s.

The colors in the film were beautiful. Chicago looked great and so did everything else. Sadly the rest is mediocre.

The movie is too long. The acting outside of Clooney is pretty bad. Jokes are lame. Frankly, it gets boring a lot. Leatherheads missed the blue note in the Jazz age.

Then we came to the end by Joshua Ferris

I guess this was a very really good book, because in the end I found that I really cared for the characters. I had an emotional reaction to their misfortunes at the end of the book.

I picked up this book when the New York Times put it in its top ten book of 2007 (fiction). I can’t remember exactly when about the article made me want to read it. I paid for price at Barnes and Nobles, which is something I rarely do.

The book is basically about life in an office. This time it is a Chicago ad agency, but it could be any office in the U.S. In the story, everyone is slowly being laid off, as it is set in the dot-com bust of a few years ago, but it rings true today. It was unnerving reading a story about people getting laid while lots of people in my own office have been dropping or “walking the Spanish” as they put in the book.

The book, which is Then we came to an end is a perfect book about the culture of an office. Really, I think every college or high school should be forced to read this book, so they can ask themselves if this (“the office”) really for me, or they can prepare themselves, because working in an office is like, especially when you are young, being in first grade again. You have to do so much more than kindergarten, which is basically college and especially grad school. You have recess, try to talk to your neighbor and look for a place to take a nap. This book captures everything about that perfectly. Ferris, the author, does it with much whit and insanity. He gets the archetypes right. The bitch, the boss, the scape goat, etc., and all their disorders are presented like the Canterbury tales or more aptly the Decameron.

I hope I didn’t forget to mention that it is so funny. There are definitely some laugh out loud moments. lol.

While I was reading this book, I used it as a guide of office pranks. I switch people’s chair to see if they would notice. I went to different floors to determine who had to the best coffee. It was the fifth floor on my building. These and other great ideas I lifted right the pages much to my co-workers’ bewilderment.

There is the TV series “The Office” both in UK and US versions. That’s really bizarre, and not too realistic because it is so extreme. It’s funny though. This book has too be drawn from real experience because some of the stuff written about has that “it must be true feeling,” because you can’t make that stuff up, and there are time where you think that this part of book is out of the author’s imagination. At other time you figure he was just a fly on the wall.

The Chicago part seems dead on. I hear the same voices and styles when people my Chicago office tell stories. It has the same feel.

This is Joshua Ferris’ first book, so you can’t anything else by him. He lives in Brooklyn now, maybe his next one will be more ghetto. Totally great book, read it.

Mr. Magoruim’s Wonder Emporium (2007)

This is a hard one. This is a probably a good for very little kids, and the few kids that were in the audience were laughing every now and then. The adults laughed a little less.

The name Mr. Magoruim’s Wonder Emporium has a feel of a 1970’s kids movie. It had a Charlie and the Chocolate factory (the original) feel to it, in that it seemed to try to amaze in a really low concept and low tech way. Like a giant bouncing ball is a grand idea in concept, but hey it’s large CGI ball that could be done in a first year animation major. It’s a little boring.

The movie centers around huge magical toy store in Chicago. They don’t make a big deal that it is Chicago, but if you have ever been there you will recognize it. There are a lot of crazy things going on in that toy store. Some of it has it’s moments, like Kermit the frog shopping there (some how doesn’t work without Jim Henson’s real voice), and wooden Dinosaurs alive and playful were cool.

Dustin Hoffman plays Mr. Magoruim, avid shoe-wearer, he is exactly how you might picture such a person: crazy hair, clothes, and absent minded. Natalie Portman, who must have been growing her hair out from V is for vendetta, is about to inherit the store, but she doesn’t want it. Magoruim hires an accountant, played by Jason Bateman, who he called “the mutant,” to gauge the worth of the store. There is some kid in there, who wears a different hat everyday but has no friends. All together they work things out.

It is a cute, simple story, but really not much to write home about. I think after first grade your kid might be too sophisticated for it.

Topbeagle in Chicago