Archive for the ‘Gary Oldman’ Category

The Dark Knight Rises Movie Review

Posted: July 22, 2012 in Anne Hathaway, Batman, Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, The Dark Knight Rises, Tom Hardy
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Release Date: July 20, 2012 (2D theaters and IMAX) 
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures 
Director: Christopher Nolan 
Screenwriter: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan 
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman 
Genre: Action, Thriller 
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language) 
Official Website: TheDarkKnightRises.com

it’s been over 73 years since Bob Kane’s creation of the Batman, and in that time, the caped crusader has been the butt of much negativity; violence, vigilantism, negative viewpoints on homosexuality, and so on and so forth.  Fredric Wertham led a movement that tried to minimize the exposure children had to comics in general, with the Bat and bird taking the center stage as examples.  Batman endured however and became one of the most recognizable icons in American history, and possibly the world.

Nolan’s third film not only ends his Batman trilogy, but also brings a sense of closure to the Batman legacy that’s lasted for almost 75 years.  Within the pantheon of superheroes, Batman has almost always reigned supreme, and now we, as fans, are given the opportunity to see Batman in his finest hour, embracing that cultural symbol he has become within our society.

The Dark Knight Rises attempts spinning the 73 year legacy into a fantastic conclusion using elements established in the first two films.  However, there’s also the Wayne’s side of the story.  Let’s be honest, we don’t actually SEE Batman (Christian Bale) that often do we?  Batman makes an epic entrance onto the streets of Gotham, but then Bruce hangs the cape and cowl up until we pass the half way point in the movie.  During Wayne’s lull and fickle attitude towards becoming Batman again, we meet two new villains – Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), and Bane (Tom Hardy), both of which play very significant parts, as well as very different roles in the story.

First you have Catwoman, who isn’t really a bad guy, she’s just a thief.  She’s gorgeous, but not overly sexual.  She’s confident, but knows her limits.  She has some skills and training, but isn’t comically ninja.  And while she’s never actually referred to as Catwoman, she retains that sliver of Selena Kyle’s comic book personality that made her so interesting.  I love Michelle Pfeiffer, but Hathaway did one hell of a job in making Catwoman a part of the story while not sticking out like a sore thumb.

Bane has always been somewhat of an idiot in the comics, TV, and movies.  (Especially the movies. Who can forget that horrendous version of the super soldier from the 1997 Joel Schumacher film?)  Nolan has finally given Bane a reason for existing, and Tom Hardy brought him to life.  Bane’s presence out shined every other actor on the screen, and just like Catwoman, Bane had a nice character alterations in comparison to the comic.  There’s was no super soldier serum being pumped from a pack strapped to his back, but the pain he endured from breaking the pain numbing device strapped to his face left him recognizable but no where near as comical.

But TDKR is more than it’s stellar cast – it’s a fantastic journey into the life of a torn individual masking himself in the guise of Bruce Wayne, only to reveal his true self within a cape and cowl.  The Dark Knight was focused on Harvey Dent and the Joker, showing that Gotham truly is just a sick and twisted as Ra’s Al Ghul believed it to be.  Filled with plot twists, great action, philosophical and physchological elements, amazing film making techniques, and a few returning surprises from the previous two films, Nolan’s Batman trilogy is arguably one of the best movie sagas in cinema history.

Nolan borrows themes from the first two films and slips them right into his third installment.  Eight years after Harvey Dent’s death, Gotham has reached some semblance of peace and order – and the deceased white knight is praised for it.  However, Commissioner Gordon is tormented by the lie of Dent’s heroism and Batman’s criminal nature.  Enter Bane, who plans to reveal the truth to Gotham, and to continue Ra’s Al Ghul’s “noble” work and make certain he succeeds where the Joker failed.

Thus follows a series of events where Bane threatens all life in Gotham through poetic oratory and intense battle scenes.  However, amongst all the action, TDKR takes a surprisingly slower pace in the first 40 minutes, developing a story around Bruce and Alfred’s relationship, which might be some of the more powerful and emotional moments in the film.

Bruce Wayne, eight years after the Two-Face incident, is no longer in his prime – walking around with a bum leg and cane to hold himself up.  But his leg isn’t the only thing in a fragile state.  Bruce Wayne’s mind has reached a low point –  forcibly drawn into exile and suffering the repercussions of his choices while trying to find some way to come back and bring himself together.

I think everyone who’s seen the film would agree that the last 40 minutes are spectacular.  Nolan brought back a few villains from the previous two films, which is an aspect of the franchise that resembles the comics better than most comic book films.  With the exception Al Ghul and Two – Face,  the villains in Nolan’s Batverse don’t die – The Scarecrow has made an appearance in every film for goodness sakes!  And I suspect that, had heath Ledger not succumb to drug abuse, the Joker would have made a come back as well.

This film also pushes some boundaries.  You may think you’ve seen a city crumble in action movies before, but not like how you’ll see in TDKR.  It also brings an anarchist center point in play, making America’s fear of terrorism and the crash of an economy the focus of Bane’s onslaught.

A few minor complaints include Bane’s somewhat hard to understand diction.  I could always understand what he said, but I had to really listen.  (Hooray for speakers and an overly excited bass amplifier.)  And with Bruce Wayne playing hermit in his mansion, crippled and otherwise never seen by the public, why would anyone want to hire a cat-burgler to attach his name (and finger prints) to a few bad investments?  I also wondered what the heck happened to Selina Kyle’s girlfriend.  She just…vanished!

Of course, I took these tiny flaws lightly as the full 2 hours and 45 minutes of the film kept me locked and loaded, ready for anything!  Sure, you’ll find yourself wondering if Batman will ever show up at times, but if you allow yourself to sit back and enjoy a film attempting to try a new approach with the Wayne legacy, the Batman legacy will become that much more enjoyable for you.

Also, I won’t spoil it for you, but if you read the Batman comics, you’ll see one character’s alter-ego coming a mile away, but you may have trouble figuring the other one out.  It’s hard to go further than that…just trust me on this one.

The Dark Knight was a better film, but no doubt, TDKR is one of the best comic book films in history.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Movie Review

Posted: March 19, 2012 in Colin Firth, Focus Features, Gary Oldman, Mark Strong, Movie Review, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Tomas Alfredson
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Release Date: December 9, 2011 (NY, LA; limited: December 16) 
Studio: Focus Features 
Director: Tomas Alfredson 
Screenwriter: Bridget O’Connor, Peter Straughan 
Starring: Gary Oldman, Ciaran Hinds, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Svetlana Khodchenko 
Genre: Drama 
MPAA Rating: R (for violence, some sexuality/nudity and language) 
Official Website: TTSSmovie.com

In the middle of the 20th century, the effects of the Cold War continue to damage British internal relations.  The United Kingdom stands on the brink of loosing itself and struggles with security while attempting to stay on par with the rest of the world and their efforts in espionage.

Jim Prideaux is sent into Hungary by the Circus (Known as Control) on a secret mission.  But like all good Spy stories, the mission goes horribly wrong, and George Smiley (Played by Gary Oldman) is sent in to save the day with his keen wit and unequaled detective skills.

Much to the dismay of the British government, Smiley is secretly brought back on board with the Governments secret service unit, specifically to uncover the “mole” hidden within the ranks, endangering England by working as a double agent for the Soviet Union.  While going through the motions of his assignment, Smiley is haunted with his past and is forced to confront the details one by one.

Murders and dirty work unfold as the script progresses, certain to get your blood pumping and heart racing.  Even before the inevitable truth is unveiled, however, it’s the involvment and history of each character which truly makes this film the best of 2012.

John le Carré’s 1974 novel reeks of mistrust, twists and turns, and a plot driven by anonymity and uncertainty.  Before walking into the theatre, I never imagined that a modern-day thriller could have a script so well written that it could beat out some of the greatest films to come out in the last few decades.  No doubt, TTSS requires all of it’s viewers to pay CLOSE attention to every detail, which can be a bit trying…but the end result of all that hard thinking will result in one of the most rewarding movie going experiences in the history of independent film making.

Tomas Alfredson (a Swedish director who’s most recent accomplishment was a vampire center story titled “Let the Right One In”) took hold of an idea never meant for the big screen and completes it with flying colors.  TTSS is swarming with personality, tension, and teeth grinding moments, with a mystery that will have you guessing until the very end.  Let me be completely honest with you, I am NOT a fan of spy movies, but this film grabbed me like no other film I can remember seeing has.

From what I can tell, Alfredson had a daunting task before him.   Le Carré’s novel is far from being an EASY read, verging on being so complex that it becomes confusing.  The greatest challenge with TTSS is undoubtedly making sure everything important is included in the script.  Otherwise we, the movie goers, will have nothing to grab onto.  But even more importantly, the task of making all of that important information uncontrived and flow well is even more jolting for any director and screen writer.  How does one compress such a complex story into something tangible while keeping what made  le Carré’s book so fantastic?  What ISN’T spoken is just as imporant, (if not more important) as what IS spoken.

I think it was put best by cinematographer, Hoyte Van Hoytema, with his brief  one lined review of film,  ”It is a melancholic world set in small rooms, drenched in nicotine and bureaucratic sweat.”  Everything that this stellar cast radiates from their performance is soaked into everything surrounding them.  It’s an amazing accomplishment of cinematography, paying respect to the time period this story comes out of without sacrificing the importance of the cinematic beauty of the cities, rooms, and physical objects.

As already stated, the casting is one of the best I’ve ever seen.  I always praise the Harry Potter franchise at having one of the most expertly chosen casts in film history, but TTSS might have just beat it out.  Mark Strong presents a very strong and powerful portrayal of Jim Prideaux,even though it’s very brief. Colin Firth, as always, shows the best performance possible in a supporting actor role, with John Hurt giving us his usual (and all too familiar) role of the creepy leader of a questionable organization.

Gary Oldman, on the other hand, was amazing as he was surprising as the pick to play George Smiley.  So often do we see him playing these exceptionally animated and energized characters, it was very pleasant to see him play a character who’s quite stiff.  Oldman’s depiction of Smiley is not as the name implies; almost antisocial, tired, without the appearance of any ambition, and maintaining a grey undertone to his already faded personality. Despite these aspects to Smiley’s character, Oldman gives a certain amount of life and respect to his role, making him a joy to watch as he uncovers the mystery, piece by piece.

I won’t attempt at explaining the plot in any more detail than what’s already stated above.  To do so would take too much time and be quite cumbersome.  No doubt, however, this film is as complex as it is amazing.  Granted, it isn’t for everyone, and the reviews have shown it hasn’t been as well received as the hype was hoping for it.  But for me, it was nice to see a well written thriller that was reliant on the kind of eye covering moments found in films like Black Swan.  I could sit back and soak in every last detail as it drove my intrigued and yearning for the unveiling of the culprit.

Is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy a movie I’ll want to own on DVD?  You bet!  Is it a film that I would recommend to all my friends?  Yes indeed!  This film represents the very best of cinema and movie going experiences.  While it may not be a movie I’ll want to watch as frequently as I do Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or many of the comic book films that have come out in the last 15 years, I can honestly say, without a shred of doubt in me, that this is the greatest spy movie ever made and one of the best movies I’ve ever seen in my life time.

10 out of 10 stars

In Preparation For The Oscars

Posted: February 25, 2012 in Gary Oldman, Movie Review, Oscar Awards, Spy
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It’s so true, isn’t it?…..

While I love the Oscars, I understand how incredibly crappy the entire award show is.  A lot of the time, the nominees that win do deserve their award.  However, there is an underlying force that drives the winning choices by each guild, and its typically political and/or to make some sort of statement to the general public.  I always enjoy seeing the winners, and watching the Oscars, but there’s really nothing about the award show that I take TOO seriously.

Tomorrow the Oscars begin and while I won’t get to watch them live on TV, (no cable) I will be keeping tabs on the results as they are announced.  Like always, I like to hand out my own personal awards as to who I think deserves the Oscars.  I have my opinions for each category, but I don’t list them all here.  But if you are interested, below are my picks.  Comments and disagreements are welcome in the comments section.

My Picks 

Best Picture
While I believe that each film nominated this year is worthy of it’s nomination, There’s a film that should have made it into the category and taken the Oscar home.  Hugo is great, The Artist was amazing, and the Descendants was just good fun, but my pick for Oscar winner would have gone to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.   It was a blend of good story telling, fantasic cinematic work, wonderful acting, and superb direction.  Its slow paced progression did not detract from its intense and angst driven format, keeping me on the edge of my seat without overwhelming me.  But alas, it didn’t make the cut, which means Hugo or the Artist will most likely take home the win…Which would be perfectly fine with me.  My film rankings for 2011

Best Actor & Actress
Gary Oldman rocked it in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and with my love for that film, my pick for Best Actor would go to him.  It’s a tough call however, and all the nominees would be worthy of winning.
There should be no surprise that Meryl Streep is back in the nominated seat, and no doubt everyone will be wondering if she’ll take the Oscar home with her. Having not actually seen any of the films the Best Actress nominations are for, I can’t really speak to whom I think should win, but I’m guessing everyone’s eyes will be on Streep and Glenn Close.

Best Supporting Actor/Actress
Bridesmaids was funny, but not a film worthy of any awards other than best supporting actress…which should go to Melissa McCarthy for her chaotic role as the bumbling, seedy bridesmaid who brought in more laughs then even Kristen Wiig.  On a more on a serious note, Kenneth Branagh and Max Von Sydow are gems on the big screen.  However, I haven’t seen the two film so I can’t say who I think would win, but I suspect these two actors are at the front lines of acceptance.

Best Animated Film
I’m very partial towards the foreign films.  Granted, I’ve only seen two of the nominees, but that’s because I just didn’t have any interest in seeing Puss in Boot, or Kung Fu Panda 2.  Chico and Rita looks amazing, but I was in awe of A Cat in Paris.  It’s unique and older style of animation was a joy to see.  My pick for sure.

Best Animated Short Film
Pixar is great, they’ve never made anything I didn’t immediately fall in love with.  Having seen all the nominations a few weeks ago, I was certain that Pixar’s La Luna would take the crown away.  But then I saw The Fantastic Flying Book Of Mr. Morris Lessmore.  Pixar wasn’t able to secure a spot in the Best Animated Film category, but they could still walk away with an Oscar this year.  But my money is going to Mr Morris Lessmore!

To find out who’s nominated, and to make your own predictions, go to the Oscar Nominees website.