Rebooting Batman – Hypothetical Casting

There are going to be more Batman films; that’s a given. While it seems weird bringing up the subject so soon after the conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s stunning trilogy, in a year, maybe two, audiences are going to be hankering for some serious Bat-action. If the release of The Amazing Spider-Man and next year’s Man of Steel tell us anything, it’s that the masses don’t care about reboots. They want superheroes on-screen as long as filmmakers can offer the goods. But, where do we go from here? The answer: anywhere.

The Trouble with Quibbles: The Dark Knight Rises – Part 2

The quibbling continues as Bryan and I discuss our feelings about The Dark Knight Rises. If you haven’t already, be sure to read part 1 of this Quibble.

The Trouble with Quibbles: The Dark Knight Rises – Part 1

I’ve been wrestling with the anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises on an ever-increasing level over the last few years. Until a few weeks ago, it was a gradual thing, nothing too grand, but then we got to July and with the film only weeks away, I kinda lost it. I went batty. Prepping for Shooting the Script’s Batman coverage only exacerbated things. I gave in and have been on a Bat-binge for the last three weeks. This exponential increase in eagerness to see the film combined with the events surrounding the release of The Dark Knight Rises has been overwhelming. When I finally saw the film it was less like entertainment and more like treatment… like getting my fix… like something I had to do… like a release… of all this pent up eagerness mixed with anxiety. It was a very bizarre movie-going experience. It’s strange how ridiculous the simple act of going to see a movie became. It’s only a movie. Still, something about Christopher Nolan’s trilogy–and Batman in general–has given us a lot to talk about.

Gotham’s Finest: Best Bat-Casting

Actors have been taking shots at Bat characters for nearly fifty years now, longer if you count the serials. Below is the list of the ten greatest cast actors and the characters they played.

“OMG, Heath Ledger so better be number one or I’m going to lay a smack down.” – The Internet

Heath Ledger isn’t on this list. Frankly, I’m tired of talking about how great he was as the Joker. We all know and we all agree, it’s inspired. He won the Oscar.

If I Were King of the Oscars…

You’ve seen the Oscars, I listed my top ten, now it’s time for my nominations. Some of these the Academy got right, others not so much. Here is what my personal ballot for 2010 would look like.

10 Quick Thoughts on Oscar Nods

I’m sure everyone has heard by now that Academy Award nominations were announced today, so I thought I’d list a few things that I found agreeable and a few I did not. A few notes before I start. This list is mostly for surprises so I’m not going to waste time expounding about Christian Bale’s much deserved first nomination or how mediocre The Kids Are All Right really is because it was widely expected that they would be nominated. Also, I have not seen everything (yet…although I don’t know if I’ll make time for Country Strong), so make of that what you will. If you want the best online awards coverage I suggest you check out In Contention. In the meantime, here are my two cents.

My Favorite Films of the Last Decade #5

Alfred Pennyworth: …some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

Not Your Stepping-Stone – Review: The Fighter

I’m going to try really hard not make any obvious boxing puns or analogies while writing this. I will, however, compare The Fighter and director David O. Russell to the phoenix. Much like the phoenix, arising anew from the ashes, Russell seems to reinvent himself with each new film. From Spanking the Monkey to Flirting with Disaster to Three Kings then I Heart Huckabees and now The Fighter, he seems, like most great artists, to be perpetually evolving, with the one constant being that he makes great films.

Top Twenty of the Decade #9 & 10

Batman: Do I look like a Cop?!
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Joker: I think you and I are destined to do this forever