18 Replies to “Thanks…”

1. Robb Allen says:

   October 16, 2005 at 8:43 pm

   You won’t be disappointed.

   Or you might be. Hard to tell with you people.

2. Jeff Goldstein says:

   October 17, 2005 at 12:40 am

   I like the Tim Burton Batmans.  Beyond that, not so much.  But I’ve liked Nolan’s other films, so I suspect I’ll be pleased with this one.

3. Seth Williams says:

   October 17, 2005 at 2:21 am

   I’ve always been a batman fan, especially the Frank Miller Dark Knight masterpiece (in which Batman stops the hell out of Superman, and I’ve always thought would make a great movie).

   I don’t like the Tim Burton movies, I don’t like the cartoonish quality of the cinematography and the liberties he took with the story-lines. Although, it’s worth noting that I liked the movies when they first came out, and my interest in Batman grew out of the movie, and not vice versa.

   It’s very different from the Burton films, but I think you’ll enjoy the movie. It’s very dark and gritty, and has a good feel to it.

4. ahem says:

   October 17, 2005 at 3:32 am

   Batman Begins is one of the only recent films I’ve seen in the theater that I felt good about. It was well worth the money. I haven’t run into one that’s been able to make that claim for several years. Mid-way through the movie, I was vowing to add the DVD to my collection.

   The only down-side is the miscasting of Katie Holmes, but it’s a minor imperfection in an otherwise solid film.

5. Yogimus says:

   October 17, 2005 at 3:37 am

   The dog dies at the end.

6. ss says:

   October 17, 2005 at 4:32 am

   I really liked the Burton ones. But I had to concede that this newest one is my favorite. Batman and Gotham itself are much more real in this one. Less soundstagey.

7. jso says:

   October 17, 2005 at 5:17 am

   Perhaps I liked Batman Begins so much, simply because it wasn’t anything like the previous 2 Batman movies.

8. Roger Fraley says:

   October 17, 2005 at 10:09 am

   Don’t get your hopes too high. The tumbler was pretty good.

9. RS says:

   October 17, 2005 at 11:20 am

   I have to side with the “You’ll love it” camp.  Michael Caine was fantastic in Batman Begins – sly, subtle, and funny.  Cillian Murphy too – my son was a big fan of his from 28 Days Later, and now I can see why.  I was a bit skeptical about whether Bale could pull off the central part, but I thought he rose to the challenge.

   Hopefully Jeff will weigh in about the interesting political and ethical points raised in the film.

10. Slartibartfast says:

    October 17, 2005 at 3:57 pm

    I was a bit skeptical about whether Bale could pull off the central part, but I thought he rose to the challenge.

    If you haven’t seen The Machinist yet, you need to.  It made me forgive him completely for being associated in any way with Shaft.

11. Ben says:

    October 17, 2005 at 5:04 pm

    Best film I saw in theaters this year.  I even drove up to Atlantic City to see it in IMAX.  Awe.  Some.

    Bruce Wayne’s arc in Batman Begins shows exactly what Lucas should’ve done with Anakin (ending up on the opposite side of morality), and couldn’t.  If that makes any sense.

    TW: Car.  The Batmobile is one bad-ass car.

12. benrand says:

    October 17, 2005 at 5:20 pm

    I thought it sucked. Too much politics and earnest teeth gnashing.

    The ending was ridiculous. And what the hell is with his voice suddenly sounding like it was put through an octaver when he put his suit on.

13. RS says:

    October 17, 2005 at 5:43 pm

    Slartibartfast – I had completely forgotten about Bale being in Shaft!  And I think you’re right – he is amazing in The Machinist, not least the De Niro-like physical transformation he underwent for the part.  I have to confess I was impressed by his performance in American Psycho as well – purists might quibble about fidelity to Ellis’s book, but I thought Christian Bale brought out an interesting element of pathos in the otherwise repellent Patrick Bateman character.

14. Tman says:

    October 17, 2005 at 6:04 pm

    Definitely one of the top five in the last few years in my opinion. Bale and Caine work very well together and the hidden gem is Morgan Freeman.

    Special effects are well done, and if you are a fan of comic books you’ll love the way the fight scenes are less Jacki-Chan, more blurry-action comic-book-by-frame style.

    Interested to here what you think Jeff. Let us know.

15. RDub says:

    October 17, 2005 at 8:05 pm

    RS: I hated the book version of American Psycho.  Just didn’t hold my interest, although admittedly I picked it up just to see what all the fuss & protesting was about.  The film worked very well as a dark satire, I was really surprised.

    Plus anything where Jared Leto gets axed to death has at least that going for it.  It would have certainly improved “Alexander”, for example.

16. ss says:

    October 18, 2005 at 12:06 am

    Ben-
    
    Totally hear you on the Anakin comment. Batman is cooler now that we know “the man behind the bat.” Darth Vader is a bigger, whinier wanker than we could have ever guessed now that we know Anakin. Darth Vader is a petulant dipstick who would love to pass as a troubled and idealistic prodigy gone evil. Sorry. There were kids more clever and more troubled in my Sunday school class than Anakin was.

17. dorkafork says:

    October 18, 2005 at 7:38 am

    I talked about it right after I saw it.  I feel pretty much the same, good but not great.  Lots of funny bits, ending could’ve been better.  Remembering Gary Oldman’s performance is tipping me towards buying it.

18. Slartibartfast says:

    October 18, 2005 at 5:04 pm

    Plus anything where Jared Leto gets axed to death has at least that going for it.  It would have certainly improved “Alexander”, for example.

    Oh, you did not just match one of my reasons for liking Fight Club, in which Jared Leto gets his face pounded to a bloody mess.

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