The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

2/5

Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises is a middling experience from conception to execution. The plot is absolutely ridiculous, starring a bad guy with a more preposterously complicated and ludicrously conceived plan than a James Bond villain. The web is littered with countless reviews describing the innumerable plot holes in this film; my favorite is the "prison" that has no guards whatsoever and has an open hatch where everyone is allowed to attempt escape. (Luckily, this prison also apparently neighbors Gotham City!) In the bad science department, I think it actually one-ups Batman Begins, with its notion that someone's broken vertebrae can be realigned as if it were a shoulder dislocation (you know, because there's no spinal cord running through the "out of place" vertebrae that might be irreparably damaged). Also, our protagonist is absent for about half the film, during which time it turns into a WWII Nazi Germany movie.

And that's just the storyline. The technical aspects of the movie fared no better. Similar to the first one, the action is unintelligible thanks to close-ups, quick cuts, and poor lighting. The intro sequence is, quite honestly, unnecessary garbage. The acting is its own form of mess, except for Caine--who truly blew me away with a performance that should have been reserved for a far better film--and Hathaway. Despite the remarkable failure of the individual cinematic elements, The Dark Knight Rises kept me glued to my seat. Nolan is able to achieve an indescribable anticipation and a palpable excitement, an aura of cool. Unfortunately, it lacks any substantive backing to that nebulous quality, which would surely disappear if I were to see the movie again. Honestly, I cannot recommend this film. Despite all the hype and popularity, it is destined to become a cult classic, loved by a few and forgotten by everyone else.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1345836/

Short Cuts (1993)

5/5

Robert Altman's Short Cuts is a virtuoso masterpiece, pure and simple. The movie follows five or so LA couples and their chance interactions over the course of a few days. At turns horrifying and heart-wrenching, the vignettes are immediately captivating and always engrossing. You watch in breathless anticipation for the entire running time. Clocking in at three hours, it may seem daunting at first, but once you start watching, you cherish every minute of it. From the humorous to the grotesque, from innocence to cruelty, this movie examines the gamut of humanity in all its glory and all its shame. It reminds us what kind souls look like in the presence of mean spirits. And in the end we somehow feel closure without getting any resolution; we know what will happen without having to see it on screen. This is the mark of a true storytelling master.

The acting by the huge cast is complete and all-encompassing; they succeed at fully embracing and transforming into their characters after even the deepest and most detailed scrutiny. Whether it is an old man getting years and years of guilt off his chest or a young couple dealing with the grief of a lost child, they are wholly believable and real. The performances are absolutely impeccable, making the already powerful script that much more potent. Coupled with stellar directing, the thematics feel wide open and inviting. The movie encourages us to really think about our place in life, to genuinely contemplate what we would do if we were given the lots these people are given. We come out of the theater reminding ourselves about how lucky we are. Short Cuts is a truly magnificent film and a truly stunning achievement. I don't think anyone could watch this movie and be unmoved; it is everything we expect of the movies and more.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108122/

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

5/5

Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket is a flawless evocation of war's penalties, of its atrocities and its victims. The film is split in two parts, the first describing recruit training on Parris Island and the second reporting battles in war-torn Vietnam. Neither is forgiving, and the first is as brutal as the second.

The film starts with a ferocious intensity; the first forty-five minutes set up a suspenseful introduction that never lets you breathe until it's over. It composes a darkly comic atmosphere that is simultaneously unsettling and disturbing. You might find yourself laughing, but then quickly stop yourself as the horror mounts. The second half is almost as funny and just as frightening. It is the visceral counterpart to the cerebral first. Kubrick uses this symmetry, and echoes it in his shot compositions, to reveal multiple layers of meaning. A thematic analysis seems to be first and foremost in this film's creation. (For further analysis, I have linked a five page paper I wrote on it for class here.)

While Kubrick makes few, if any, cinematic mistakes, I am a bit baffled by some of his choices for dialogue and acting. The macho battle between Joker and Animal Mother when they first meet seems awfully staged and preposterously over-the-top. He clearly intended something by it (it would be impossible for him not to notice), but I just can't figure out what. Additionally, a few shots in the barracks/training scenes didn't quite match up. These complaints detract very little from the experience. After 20 years, it still holds up remarkably well and its easy to see its influence on future war movies. This is one film you don't want to miss.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/