The Dark Night

The Dark Knight: Best Batman movie ever? Absolutely. Best superhero movie of all time? Almost (answer may change to “yes” after another viewing). This latest bat adventure is different from previous superhero films in that it works more as a crime drama than an over-the-top action flick. Even without any of the bat gadgets or any of the bat stunts you would still be engrossed in the strong storyline - the gadgets and stunts are just a big plus. As for all of the hype concerning Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker = Deserved. He owned this role. Equally impressive and not to be overlooked is Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon whose character was at the heart of the film. Aaron Eckhart plays Harvey Dent/Two Face who I thought did an excellent job as well. In fact, Christian Bale who is an amazing Bruce Wayne was probably the weakest of the four. This is not a knock on Bale, but rather praise for the whole cast. The movie opens up with the Joker about to cause havoc on Gotham City’s mob scene. Meanwhile Batman is working closely with Gordon to rid the streets of crime. They are trying to go for a big blow against the mob instead of just making small arrests. Furthermore, Gordon and Batman are ready to start working with Harvey Dent, a district attorney with the same goal as them. Can the three of them work together to make Gotham safe again or can the Joker pit them against each other to cause even more disorder? “Holy 4-star movie Batman!”

Ry's Rating: A-

If this movie had Parents they would be: Heat & Batman (1989)

With a running time of 155 minutes

This film is rated PG-13

Wall-E

Wall-E: It really seems like the team at Pixar can’t make a bad movie. Their latest offering, Wall-E may just be the best of the bunch. At its core, Wall-E is a simple and innocent love story. The movie is set about 700 years in the future when mankind has left Earth because the planet has become overrun with their own garbage. Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth Class) is the only robot still working to clean up the planet until another robot named EVE arrives on her own mission. Wall-E may not know exactly what EVE is trying to discover, but that does not stop him from making a discovery himself….love! The adventure then blasts off to space where we see how the human race has evolved, or really how they have un-evolved. The film works on multiple levels. Besides the love story, it also serves as a good sci-fi story and all the while is extremely amusing from start to finish. Neither of the lead robots has much dialogue so much of the storytelling and comedy is done in visuals and is reminiscent of the great Chaplin/Keats silent films. Meanwhile, the animation is done so well that you almost forget you are watching an animated movie – this is especially true for the 1st half of the picture. It is also the 1st half of the movie that reels the viewer in and makes you care so much for Wall-E and EVE. It is a film that gets the label “A movie for the whole family”. While this is mainly true, I do not think it is for younger children as I am not sure it will hold their attention. But anyone over the age of 5 will agree, Wall-E is one of the year’s best!

Ry's Rating: A-

If this movie had Parents they would be: 2001: A Space Odyssey & The Little Mermaid

With a runtime of 107 minutes

This film is rated G

Iron Man

Iron Man: The barrage of superhero movies continues, this time with Robert Downey Jr. playing the man underneath the iron. In most circles (minus the hard core) Iron Man is a second or even a third tier superhero (lets just say he would probably be parking cars at Superman’s birthday party). In fact, I really did not know anything more about him other than: Iron suit painted red & gold. The movie is formulated much like all of the other opening acts in superhero franchises. The first half of the movie unveils how the superhero came to be -- then a bad guy emerges with like powers and is defeated just before the credits roll. It comes down to likable characters and an interesting plot. In this case, Iron Man is blessed with both. Downey is absolutely perfect as Tony Stark, an arms dealer who is taken hostage in Afghanistan while on a business trip. He is on top of the world up until this point - being best described as a rich, cocky, womanizer, alcoholic. The story behind the origin of the iron suit and thus the birth of Iron Man is extremely well done and interesting. It is also not very hard to see the correlation between the movie’s message and the current world perception of the United States. After his experience in Afghanistan, Tony Stark realizes what kind of responsibility comes with being a superpower in the world – that weapons should only be used as a last resort. Terrence Howard and a bald Jeff Bridges also turn in a couple of top rate performances. After his film debut, it is safe to say Iron Man will not be parking cars at Superman’s next bash…….he may actually have a seat at the bar!
Ry's Rating: B+

If this movie had parents they would be: Lord of War & Batman

With a runtime of 126 minutes
This film is rated PG-13

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones 4: It has been 19 years since we last heard the crack of his whip and seen his famous fedora. The biggest question from fans was in regards to Harrison Ford’s age and if he could still pull off Indy in the way we would like to see/remember. I feel the film did an excellent job of addressing his age, but not overplaying it. Yes there are laughs supplied from Jones being older and not as capable, but for the most part Indy is still Indy and that is still fun to behold! The story gets going instantly - Communists, who have replaced the Nazis as the evil villains have captured Indiana in hopes he could lead them to a supernatural treasure. Just when Dr. Jones is about to wash his hands of the situation a young man named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) arrives with a letter that only Indy would be able to understand, thus hurling him back into the adventure. The chemistry between LaBeouf and Ford is what really carriers the picture. Furthermore it is the element that separates this adventure from the previous three and also the justification for why Indy came back to the big screen to begin with. The action is done in that classic Indiana Jones style. You can expect astonishing car chases, creepy caverns, and some good old fashion fist fights. The film even supplies some extremely corny moments, although I believe all Indy film are wounded by this. In the end….was it worth the 19 year wait? Probably not, but a chance to catch up with an old friend like Indy…..definitely worth a trip to the theater.
Ry's Rating: B

If this movie had Parents they would be: Raiders of the Lost Ark & The X-Files

With a running time of 122 minutes

This film is rated PG