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| July
Movie Reviews: |
| The Dark Knight - Kristyn
One word: Phenomenal! That is the best way I can describe
the latest film in the Batman franchise, "The Dark
Knight." The film is a follow-up to director Christopher
Nolan's 2005 "Batman Begins" and takes viewers
on a darker, more somber, ride through the streets of
Gotham City. This time around Nolan is at his cinematic
best, portraying the good and evil sides of this cast
of characters with glorious finesse.
In the film, Batman (Christian Bale) is fed up with
being the hero and wants to turn over the batsuit to
newly appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron
Eckhart) in a ploy to turn the public's eye away from
viewing him as a vigilante killer. He would also like
to put a halt on the growing relationship between Dent
and his love interest, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal).
To add to the mix, a psychopathic supervillain known
as The Joker (Heath Ledger) has Gotham City in upheaval
after recruiting all of the city's criminals on a mission
to kill "The Batman" once and for all.
The film clocked in at a little over two-and-a-half
hours, but never once did I find myself checking the
clock. The Dark Knight was completely enthralling from
start to finish, with edge of your seat action sequences
and spot-on dialogue that propelled the story forward
with never a dull moment to be found.
Stellar performances were provided by the entire cast,
with Bale solid as usual reprising his role as the "caped
crusader" - in my opinion, the best we have seen
filling the batsuit. Words can not even begin to describe
the exceptional performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
He brought darkness and true insanity to the character
at a level that has never been done before; this was
the role of a lifetime for Ledger, and his performance
lived up to all the hype. Just brilliant! Tragically,
due to Ledger's untimely passing, he will not be able
to enjoy his crowning glory for this role. I certainly
can not forget to make mention of Aaron Eckhart's excellent
job of playing Harvey Dent/TwoFace; he showed true acting
ability with the transformation of the character throughout
the course of the film.
"The Dark Knight" was truly one of the best
super-hero film adaptations I have ever seen, and I
am hoping Nolan is up for the task of continuing this
tale on to the next installment.
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| July
2008 Movie News & Reviews |
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| July
2nd |
► Hancock (Official
Site) stars Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Jason Bateman.
A hard-living superhero (Smith) who has fallen out of favor
with the public enters into a questionable relationship with
the wife (Theron) of the public relations professional (Bateman)
who's trying to repair his image.
► Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (Official
Site) is a drama based on the American Girl doll line and
will center on Kit Kittredge, a young woman who grows up in
the early years of the Great Depression. Starring Abigail Breslin,
Max Thieriot, Joan Cusack, and Chris O'Donnell. |
| July
4th |
► Tell No One (Official
Site) is a French thriller based on Harlan Coben's
international best selling thriller about pediatrician Alexandre
Beck who still grieves the murder of his beloved wife Margot
Beck eight years earlier. When two bodies are found near the
scene of the crime, the police reopen the case and Alex becomes
a suspect again. The mystery deepens when Alex receives an anonymous
e-mail with a link to a video clip that seems to suggest Margot
is somehow still alive and a message to "Tell No One."
It stars Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze, Andre Dussollier,
Kristin Scott Thomas and Francois Berleand.
► Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson
(Official
Site) is a new documentary (narrated by Johnny Depp) chronicling
the unbelievable life of the legendary journalist. Witness first
hand Thompson's amazing journey as he creates his seminal works
on politics, culture, and the American dream. |
| July
11th |
► Spenser Breslin stars in Harold
as a teen dealing with male pattern baldness who also happens
to be the new kid at the high school. Luckily for him he's made
friends with the janitor, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.
► Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Laurence,
The Stone Angel ( Official
Site) is the story of feisty firecracker Hagar Shipley
(Christine Horne, Oscar Winner Ellen Burstyn). Her passionate
heart has always ruled her head and her choices have put her
at odds with family and friends. With her life nearly behind
her, she sets out in search of a way to reconcile herself
to her turbulent past. Through her reflections we come to
know a passionate and rebellious young bride, her love for
her two sons, the freedoms she claimed, and the joys she denied
herself.
► August
follows Tom Sterling (Josh Hartnett) as an aggressive, young
dot-com entrepreneur who fights to keep his start-up company
afloat. Tom finds himself on a personal and professional downward
spiral as he struggles to reunite with girlfriend, Sarah (Naomie
Harris), regain control of his company from his investor Ogilvie
(David Bowie), and deal with age-old family wounds with his
father, David (Rip Torn) and his brother Joshua (Adam Scott).
The film also stars Emmanuelle Chriqui as Morela and Andre
Royo as Dylan. Check out a review for the movie before it
hits theaters here.
► Meet Dave (Official
Site) is an upcoming comedy film co-written by Bill Corbett
(formerly of Mystery Science Theater 3000 fame) and Rob Greenberg.
It is the story of a crew of miniature, human-looking aliens
who are seeking a way to save their doomed world. Eddie Murphy
will play the human spacecraft they travel in (Starship Dave)
as well as the ship's captain.
► With a signature blend of action, humor and character-based
spectacle, Hellboy 2: The Golden
Army, the saga of the world's toughest, kitten-loving
hero from Hell, continues to unfold. After an ancient truce
existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic
is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader
who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline
and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it's up to
the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless
dictator and his marauders.
► Journey
to the Center of the Earth 3-D is based on the classic
Jules Verne novel and stars Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson.
On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother,
a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a
fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.
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| July
18th |
► In an attempt to suss out her father's identity, a bride-to-be
invites three likely candidates to her wedding, resulting in
a wild familial encounter that incorporates the hits of ABBA
in Mamma Mia! Starring
Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Amanda Seyfried.
► In Space Chimps, (Official
Site) Ham III, the grandson of the first chimp astronaut,
is blasted off into space by an opportunity-seeking senator.
Soon, the fun-loving chimp has to get serious about the mission
at hand: Rid a far-away planet of its nefarious leader. Fortunately
for Ham III, two of his simian peers are along for the ride.
► In The Dark Knight,
Christian Bale once again embodies the man behind the mask.
The film reunites Bale with director Christopher Nolan and takes
Batman across the world in his quest to fight a growing criminal
threat. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman)
and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman has
been making headway against local crime... until a rising criminal
mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger) unleashes a fresh
reign of chaos across Gotham City. To stop this devious new
menace - Batman's most personal and vicious enemy yet - he will
have to use every high-tech weapon in his arsenal and confront
everything he believes.
► Transsiberian revolves around an American couple
traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railway from China to Moscow.
When they meet another couple, the result is a train ride full
of deception and murder. Ben Kingsley and Kretschmann will play
Russian police officers pursuing the couples. Starring Woody
Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Kate Mara, Eduardo Noriega, and
Ben Kingsley. |
| July
25th |
| ► Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young release
the documentary Déjà
Vu, which highlights their "Freedom of Speech 2006"
tour of North America. Since their debut in the late 'sixties,
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young have functioned as the "town
criers" of their generation. With songs like "Ohio"
and "Find the Cost of Freedom", CSNY were in the forefront
of Vietnam-era protest and anti-war sentiment. Though fondly
remembered for their harmonies and love songs, the band has
never lost its political edge.
"CSNY: Deja Vu" finds the band heading out on their
"Freedom of Speech 2006" of North America, featuring
music from Neil Young's controversial "Living With War"
CD. With "Embedded" reporter Mike Cerre aboard,
the film documents audience reactions to the music and the
band's ongoing connection with its fans, all against the backdrop
of the Iraq/Afghanistan War. The film also examines events
surrounding the Tour in the crucial election season of 2006.
► The X-Files: I Want to Believe (Official
Site) is a supernatural thriller and stand-alone story in
the tradition of some of the show's most acclaimed and beloved
episodes, and it takes the always-complicated relationship between
Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in unexpected directions. Mulder
continues his unshakable quest for the truth, and Scully, the
passionate, ferociously intelligent physician, remains inextricably
tied to Mulder's pursuits. Starring David Duchovny, Gillian
Anderson, and Amanda Peet.
► In Step Brothers, (Official
Site), two spoiled adult men are pulled into a new sibling
rivalry after their respective single parents get hitched. Starring
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. |
| July
30th |
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► The Rocker (Official
Site) tells the story of a failed drummer who is given a
second chance at fame. Robert "Fish" Fishman is the
extremely dedicated and astoundingly passionate drummer for
the eighties hair band Vesuvius, who is living the rock n' roll
dream until he is unceremoniously kicked out of the band. Twenty
years after his rock star fantasies are destroyed he joins his
nephew's high school rock band and takes them along for the
ride of their lives. Starring Josh Gad, Emma Stone, Rainn Wilson,
and Christina Applegate. |
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