I Don't Believe. And I Don't Want To Anymore

When considering what movies to go see this weekend it was between Hellboy 2 and Step Brothers. I missed Hellboy the first time around because I was away for the weekend but I'm really more in the mood to laugh and Step Brothers has a more convenient show time so I'll probably go see that. Maybe I'll catch both though. There should be a third movie on that list though, shouldn't there?

Yes, The X-Files: I Want To Believe comes out this weekend. And yes, I was a huge fan of the show. Keyword there is was. I know the plot of the flick. It sounds stupid. It has nothing to do with the conspiracies in the show which is probably a good thing because even if I did feel like rewatching 9 seasons worth of the show I doubt I'd know what the hell was going on. The finale was a mess that provided answers to questions I'd already long-forgotten and stopped caring about.

People tend to think I'm a fanboy. And to some degree it's true. There are certain movies I love, franchises and TV shows that I will defend with every fiber of my being. But nothing is perfect. And if the quality of a show starts to decline I'm not gonna give it a pass because "It's the X-Files dude!" No, that's not good enough. It wasn't good enough then and it's not good enough now. I abandoned the X-Files around the time Duchovny left to...well I don't know what he left to do but he left. I hear the stand-alone episodes during Robert Patrick's tenure were very good. I'll have to check them out some day. But the truth is I'm not really a hardcore fanboy. I saw the new Indiana Jones. Seeing Indy again for the first time was awesome. Seeing Marion and Indy together was awesome. Watching these two characters I love traipse through a plot that was at times silly, put into situations that at times bordered on self-parody...I refuse to join the fanboys who defend it. The movie was OK. It was the worst of the series. Shia Lebouef had a Tarzan scene. CGI prairie dogs. A nuke-proof fridge.

I'm sorry, but there are some things I just can't abide. Just like I can never defend anything but the last fight in Phantom Menace I can't defend large swaths of Crystal Skull. And I can't defend the decision to bring back two beloved characters whose arc ended long ago in a story that would have been one of the show's weakest episodes. Their story was done. Their finale was painful, poorly written and largely unsatisfactory. But it was over. The X-Files would go down as a great show that set up the TV landscape for all the LOSTs, ALIASes, and FRINGEs that have come since. In the end they just couldn't get it done but at least it was a great ride at times.

So why this? Why ruin the reputation of a show that already was suffering and was only now recovering its rightful place in the pantheon of TV classics? It's painful enough to read critiques that recall the show's glory days only to remind us that the reason it isn't held in higher esteem is the creators' lack of foresight. But to bring it back now only to underscore its one tragic flaw?

Chris Carter put together something special. He laid the groundwork for the genius of JJ Abrams to dominate genre television (say what you will about his Star Trek reboot and horrible Superman script, watch the last season of LOST and tell me it doesn't keep you on edge through every single episode). He probably made it easier for Joss Whedon to introduce us to a certain Vampire Slayer and her undead love. But enough is enough.

Chris Carter, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Sam Raimi, and anyone else with a franchise to exploit: please stop. I don't cherish having to defend franchises, stories, and characters that were once beloved because you have an ego that needs inflating or an itch that needs to be scratched. Restraint, temperance; these are virtues. You cannot top your glory years. You cannot revive and recapture the magic of our chidlhoods. Seeing Harrison Ford on the screen with a fedora at 60 will never be the same as seeing him when I was 5 and begging my mom for a whip. The Star Wars universe doesn't need to be expanded by you Mr. Lucas, it's obvious you no longer relate to these characters nor its fans. To be honest it's clear you hold us all in contempt and to a degree resent us. Spielberg; you reinvented yourself as a masterful dramatic storyteller. Hone that skill. Leave the CGI-wizardry and ambitiously large action scenes to your successors (Minority Report and War of the Worlds were great; until the last half of the latter and the final 20 minutes of the former, both of which were far too lengthy to begin with).

It's tough enough being a fan of genre fiction. People don't get it and most dismiss it. Don't make it harder by turning once-gold-standards into cautionary tales for the likes of Christopher Nolan and Jon Favreau. I don't need new installments, the DVDs are just fine for me. Nobody made a sequel to Casablanca or Citizen Kane. There is no Gone With The Wind trilogy. Please take note.

Thank you,
A Fan

The Dark Knight

I've been debating writing this review since Saturday. I've seen the movie twice already and can't wait to see it again (this time on IMAX). Truth is I just don't know how to do this movie justice. It goes so far beyond what you expect, so far beyond what you think it will be that reviewing it seems like a lost effort at encapsulating perfection.

And that's what this film is; the perfect Batman movie. And more; a perfect crime movie. Take away the costumes and what you're left with is the most taut, twisted and unexpected thriller since Se7en. Take away the superhero and what you have is the type of film that would be at home with a December release date and strong Oscar buzz.

And yes, Oscar buzz. Why not? There isn't a single weak link in this movie in terms of acting. Heath Ledger's performance is already legendary so I won't add much except this: I've been watching Heath since 10 Things I Hate About You and I've liked him in everything he's been in. The late actor's face has been everywhere for months now. Anytime the Joker was on screen I looked for the guy who played Mel Gibson's son, the guy who wooed Julia Stiles and earned himself knighthood. I never, not once, found him. All I saw was a sick, insane, creepy lunatic. A man whose very voice sent chills up my spine and set my hairs on end. This performance is just amazing and believe me when I tell you that as sadistic and gruesome as the Joker's jokes are you will laugh. My friend did and she's not the type who takes to jokes about murder. What an incredible actor.

But the Joker isn't the only character and the film doesn't suffer one bit when he's not on screen. Quite the contrary it continues to shine as brightly with Christian Bale once again lending a menace to the Batman that's never been seen outside the pages of the comics. Aaron Eckhart sells his role and his transformation in a way few actors could. And he gets help in doing so from Maggie Gyllenhall. I dislike Katie Holmes in any role that doesn't involve some variation of her Joey character from Dawson's Creek. Batman Begins suffered for her presence. Gyllenhall brings depth and strength to a character that becomes pivotal to events in the film and upon whose acting ability (along with Aaron Eckhart's) the movie hinges upon. Because this film wouldn't be half of what it is without those two being pitch perfect in their roles. Kudos to Ledger but I can't stress this enough: without Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes being as incredibly played by their actors as they were this movie would sink in the last hour.

Another performance that should not be overlooked is that of Gary Oldman as police lieutenant Gordon. Playing a villain is always fun and interesting to watch but playing a good guy, a truly good guy, can often be a pitfall. It is Oldman's incredible talent that makes this performance not only interesting but also a close second to Ledger's.

Michael Caine also delivers a solid character in reprising his role as Alfred and he shines in selling Bruce Wayne/Batman as a very real, well-rounded character. Without Alfred and Bruce's chemistry it'd be hard to relate to the titular character or sympathize very much. Their dynamic is great and I have a hunch their relationship will become more prominent in future films as the Batman continues to consume Bruce.

But the biggest compliment I can pay the film is this: I never saw any of it coming. All the credit for this goes to co-writer Christopher Nolan (with brother
Jonathan) and his direction. Every twist, every plot point is expertly and subtly set up and executed. On a repeat viewing I was amazed by how every single line and action had some effect on the narrative but never on the first viewing do you notice this. The characters are too interesting, the story moves too swiftly for you to process and think "oh, that's gonna come back later." There are also no lingering shots or cutaways here winking at you and making you feel like a 10 year old with no deductive reasoning skills. The plot plays out the way all films should; in the moment with the audience too engrossed to realize where they're being led or that they're being led anywhere at all.

While watching The Dark Knight you won't be aware you're watching a movie. You'll be too busy experiencing a masterpiece.