THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - Emotional, frightening, exhilarating, exhausting, unbelievable. This film certainly didn't disappoint.

The weekend just gone was the weekend I had been looking forward to for the past year. If anything now I am gutted that it is all over as now I don't have a major film I am highly excited about. Now I have seen it all that anticipation has gone. However let me tell you what I thought of it because unlike other big films this year, such as Prometheus, this did not disappoint. Before I go on let me tell you I am not a diehard Batman fan. I have become more so ever since Nolan's take on Batman Begins but before that they were just superhero films that I could take or leave. Nolan has turned them into films that I can't get enough of and it is him I have to thank for that as his take on it is so good. Is it Nolan or Batman I like? Well I have to say a bit of both.

Right this film is fantastic!!! Let me tell you that right now it is one of the best films of all time and let me tell you why it is. It isn't particularly the best in a standalone film. What makes it so good is that it is part of a big picture and it is a brilliant addition to an already brilliant trilogy. Not one of these Batman films is poor and if anything The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises has made Batman Begins a better film. At first it was just a good film but since the next two films in the trilogy you realise how good the first one is. Batman Begins is the set up; The Dark Knight introduces Batman's major nemesis who is the first one to test him mentally, this film also has the midpoint in where the love of his life is killed. This final film then introduces his toughest enemy, one which he just cannot beat and brings the entire arc to a complete resolution. That is why this film is so good, because of the two before it and the complete circle it comes round to.

It has been eight years since Batman has taken the fall for Two-Face's crimes and now he is edging to put on the cape and cowl once again. It is as if he is desperate to find someone to battle, his life is crumbling without it. When he finally gets the opportunity he realises he has made a big mistake as he is past his best and this new threat is physically far too good. This has to be the most emotional of the three films. This new villain is just too much for him to take, and also too much for his closest allies to take. Emotions run high when he falls out with Alfred over his decision to return, probably giving us the most emotional scene of all the films. On top of this his closest friend in the police force, Gordon, is struggling to contain this evil, and gadget expert Lucuis Fox is struggling to keep hold of Bruce's money. As Bruce Wayne his world is falling apart, and when he rises as Batman once again he finds out that he himself is not strong enough to deal with this new world. A fight scene between him and Bane is one of the most frightening, sad fist fights I have watched. To thank for the emotional rollercoaster you will got through has to be the actors and the writers. The dialogue has you thinking but the delivery from the actors is perfect. Michael Caine is constantly over looked in his role and he shouldn't be. Morgan Freeman is the best he has been as Fox and Oldman is as good as usual. Tom Hardy as Bane is frightening and brutal in his ways and is a role only Hardy could do (more to come on him in a moment). Joseph Gordon Levitt however is the best newcomer who is perfect for his role and his character is the most interesting of the new ones. Marion Cotillard plays her character with ease and doesn't have much to do really; meaning the star for the female cast is without a doubt Anne Hathaway. Her Selina Kyle is perfect, and in the opening half she really proves her doubters wrong. By the halfway mark you forget she is Hathaway and she is Selina Kyle. The star of the show though is Christian Bale. He has often come under criticism for his portrayal but I think he is superb. His Bruce Wayne is haunted and ageing, his Batman is arrogant and obnoxious, and once he transforms after his lesson from Bane he becomes the complete opposite and is just brilliant at showing off his different range of emotions and physicality. Mr Bale to me is/will only ever be the Batman.

My main point is going to go on with the character of Bane. For starters his voice isn't a major problem. Yes it is hard to understand but really it is intriguing and I wanted to hear more. If you pay attention it is clear but at times you may miss it but it isn't a major problem. The accent he puts on is also strange but actually brings another piece of intrigue to the character. The only problem with the character though is that he isn't as good as the Joker. This isn't a comparison between Hardy and Ledger but the characters themselves are not in the same league. I much rathered watching the Joker than I did Bane, who other than his brute force had no particular personality. His fight scenes were some of the best but he isn't anywhere near as fun as the Joker. Another slight problem with the film is that there are so many new characters that at times some of the main players will be gone from the screen for long periods of time. Bane is not on screen quite as much as you would hope which probably highlights his lack of personality. We also don't really see much of Batman but this wasn't as much of a problem as it was all about learning if that was the right thing to do. We also get a rather lame cameo which felt a little thrown in and could have easily been left out.

Despite one or two negatives this is still a phenomenal film. It is a great finish to a brilliant trilogy. The final hour of this one is nonstop action and the way in which Bane turns Gotham is upsetting when you have lived within this community since the first film. I would definitely rate this as a 10 out of 10 movie, along with the previous in the trilogy; however I do think The Dark Knight is slightly better due to the character of the Joker, but I don't want that to take anything away from this film as it had me gripped from start to finish. The direction was great, the script was great, the acting was superb, the characters were interesting, and the ending was just the perfect end. This is the most emotional and most frightening of the trilogy, and also the most satisfying. Christopher Nolan has brought new life to a superhero that I don't think anyone else could. If you haven't seen it yet I suggest you go right now as I am already itching to go again and it is only fair that I let people at least watch it once before I see it again.

Pros: The acting is brilliant and it is edge of your seat stuff for almost three hours.

Cons: A silly cameo that I could have done without.

10 / 10


Top 10 of 2012 so far:


1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10
2. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
3. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
4. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
5. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10
6. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol     7 / 10
7. The Grey     7 / 10
8. Prometheus     6.5 / 10
9. Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World     6.5 / 10
10. The Amazing Spider-man     6 / 10

In Cinemas This Weekend: The most anticipated film of the year has finally arrived.

This week sees the film we have all been waiting for finally released for the viewing public. The film is preparing to be so huge and has already sold out in standard multiplexes and IMAX cinemas. It has reportedly made over $25 million in pre-sales alone, now that is something. I have been looking forward to seeing the film so much that I booked tickets as soon as I could, and I still only managed to get tickets for a showing tomorrow morning in IMAX as it had already sold out. I have also been to the cinema this week to see a double bill of the first two movies also. This is pant wetting excitement. Have a look at which film I'm talking about below but if you don't know by now you must have been on a different planet for the last six months. I had heard that a couple other films are to be released also but upon research none of these are going to have a nationwide release so it is probably worth just telling you about the film that millions will be flocking to see this weekend.


1. That's right it is time for Christian Bale to don the bat suit once again in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.  8 years after taking the fall for Two-Face's crimes Bruce Wayne is a shadow of the man he once was, that is until a terrorist leader known as Bane rides into Gotham demanding it turns to ashes. It may be time for Bruce to save Gotham once again, and could it be for the final time? Also starring: Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, & Tom Hardy. Want to see the epic conclusion?

The Dark Knight Rises trailer



Go see this film, it will be epic. I will be reviewing it on Monday so if you are unsure whether or not to see it come back and have a look at what I thought and see if it will help make up your mind.

NEWS - Dwayne Johnson reveals he's eyeing DC Comic adaptation 'Lobo'

News this week has been rather flaky and scarce. Not much has particularly surfaced that could be classed as need to know information. The piece I have decided to forward onto you then is the news of one of the next DC Comic adaptations being 'Lobo' and that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is in contention to play him.

Now I don't know much about this Lobo character. In doing some research I have discovered he is sort of an intergalactic bounty hunter that was first designed as a mock character of Wolverine and Punisher. Now not knowing much else on the project other than the possibility of who will play the title role, I do not want to really go into too much opinionated detail on the film or role. Hopefully with what Nolan has done to Batman, Warner Brothers and DC understand what makes a cracking superhero film so I'm sure this one will turn up trumps.

QUESTION: What is Steve Carell's best film?

The latest Steve Carell film, Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World, was released last week and has been greeted with some pretty decent reviews. The question I want to ask then is which of his films is your favourite? Now I don't want the films he has small cameos in or is part of a bigger ensemble, such as Anchorman which I would argue is a Will Ferrell film, but the films he is the leading man in. Have a look at the five I have selected below for which film that Steve Carell is the leading man in is the best.







1. CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE - Released last year Carell plays a man who has recently split from his wife and attempts to get back in the dating game via 'training' from ladies man Ryan Gosling.











2. DATE NIGHT - Starring alongside Tina Fey as a married couple who become tangled in a web of conspiracy and false identity when they pinch another couple's reservation in a posh restaurant.








3. EVAN ALMIGHTY - The sequel to Bruce Almighty, Carell still plays the character of Evan Baxter only this time he is the one communicating with God. Evan must build an arc and gather all who must survive in the story much like Noah's.










4. GET SMART - Carell is Maxwell Smart, a secret agent who is promoted due to the death of everyone else in the organisation. Completely incompetent at his job Smart must attempt to save the World much like James Bond crossed with Johnny English.











5. THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN - Steve Carell's first leading role in which he plays a man who has yet to sleep with a woman. His friends at work decide to do all they can to get his sex life kick started despite their different views on women to his.









There are others which are good, and Little Miss Sunshine doesn't quite qualify as he isn't the leading man, but there are others there that are pretty good and if you think of any others scribble them in the comments below.

New on DVD this week: We Bought A Zoo

A handful of films hit DVD racks this week, ranging from dramas to comedies to action flicks to horror. You name it this week is releasing it. Also a couple of Hollywood superstars are on show plus a group of Navy SEALs who are thrown into the acting ring. Take a look at this week's releases and decide what will keep you entertained on these wet nights.


Recommended
WE BOUGHT A ZOO - Matt Damon and Scarlet Johansson star in this drama about a father moving his family to a desolate zoo which he intends on renovating and re-opening.


We Bought A Zoo trailer








CONTRABAND - An action flick starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale as a married couple who are dragged through the mill when a local gangster demands Wahlberg comes out of retirement to earn him his owed money smuggling drugs. With Kate's brother's life at stake what choice has her husband got?


Contraband trailer







ACT OF VALOR - The film with the real life Navy SEALs in which they are sent into a war zone in order to save a kidnapped CIA agent.


Act Of Valor trailer









THE DEVIL INSIDE - Handheld camera horror about a Mother who is in care after killing three people during her own exorcism. Her daughter's curiosity gets the better of her and she partakes in a series of exorcisms to find out what really happened to her Mother.

The Devil Inside trailer








A THOUSAND WORDS - Eddie Murphy stars in this comedy about a literary agent who finds a Bodhi tree that enforces valuable lessons and consequences of every word we speak.


 A Thousand Words trailer

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD - Makes you question as to what you would do with 3 weeks to live.

This week we side stepped the macho men stripping and decided to see the new 'comedy' film from Steve Carell. Before I begin let me tell you that this isn't actually a comedy film. The marketing material may have you believe it is a comedy and the casting of Carell you would have thought guarantees this, however do not believe it. Yes it does have comedy elements but it is more a drama than a comedy. I could hear many sighs and complaints about the film throughout from groups who believed this was a comedy and instead had a film with more dramatic moments than comedy ones. To me this didn't make it a bad film as it actually works better as a light-hearted drama as opposed to an over the top comedy.

The plot is basically the title. Steve Carell plays Dodge whose wife runs from him, quite literally, when the radio announcer makes us aware that a giant asteroid is heading for Earth and all will perish in three weeks. Whilst basqueing in his new found loneliness he meets Keira Knightley's Penny who is depressed as she has missed the last plane to England and will never see her family again. When a riot ensure outside their apartment block they run with the promise that they will help each other seek the people they want to spend their last days with. What comes next is a road trip across America where they meet people who are handling the news in completely different ways. We have the extremes of people killing themselves early, others who have hired assassins to kill them and ones who decide to party in an orgy like way at a TGI Friday's style restaurant. It actually makes you question yourself as to what you would be doing in their situation.

The comedy elements in the film are few and far between, and in the screening we were in they weren't really greeted with many laughs. Instead most of the viewers were falling for these characters who were slowly falling for one another. That is the film basically. It isn't an end of the world epic it is a love film about two mismatched people. Dodge being a complete loner with no ambitions and Penny being a quirky hippie type. They are a mismatch but they are such good characters that you are wishing them to get together. The story is much more a character driven one with an Armageddon type back story. What is great about this as a back story is that there is no links to people attempting to save the world, or any hope that any one will survive. All of the fates are mapped out the moment this film begins. And due to this being the case it makes the ending that much better and more emotional, without a typical action packed scene. For an end of the world movie is does have a small budget as special effects are at a minimal.

The actors in the film are great. Carell is quite good at playing these types of roles but from the offset we route for him as he really looks like that lonely man. The opening scene where his wife bolts off to be with her lover is heartbreaking and instantly we are on board his journey. He is actually pretty good at a dramatic character as well as a comedy one. Knightley is also better than usual. At times she is slightly annoying but she plays the quirkiness in her character rather well. She also holds her own in a few emotional scenes with one being a phone call to her family, that Carell adds to due to his simple stare he gives her as she struggles to contain her emotions. They also play out the final scene fantastically and it was one of those scenes that ends in such a way that you feel satisfied at what you have just witnessed. It was an emotional rollercoaster. There are also cameos from several stars who most of you will recognise, all playing a character on their emotional journey. Each plays a character treating the news in their own way, and we must all sit their pondering which one of these we would be.

Granted this won't be the best film of the year but I think at the moment it is one of the most surprising. One because it isn't typical of the stars involved and two because I was completely drawn into these characters and into their world. It really is a lovely film that goes much deeper than an apocalyptic action flick. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a comedy. If you are a fan of Carell for his comedic performances alone than perhaps this is not for you, but if you like him as an actor full stop, than I definitely suggest you give this a go. I went in unsure what to think and I was not disappointed in the slightest.







Pros: Gets you thinking and the performances are brilliant.

Cons: Not as funny as the marketing would have you believe.

6.5 / 10


Top 10 of 2012 so far: (new feature: click on the film to be sent straight to the review)


1. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
2. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
3. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
4. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10
5. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol       7 / 10
6. The Grey     7 / 10
7. Prometheus     6.5 / 10
8. Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World     6.5 / 10
9. The Amazing Spider-man     6 / 10
10. American Reunion     6 / 10

In Cinemas This Weekend: Something for the ladies.

This week sees four films released for your viewing pleasure, and in one of the films cases viewing pleasure is a guarantee especially if you are female. The film I'm talking about is on every young ladies lips and social networking sites have been swamped with comments on this film from every woman out there, and it isn't 50 Shades Of Grey. I'm not sure if I will see the film I'm talking about as I may be the only man in there so I may have to wait a few weeks till the hype has worn off. Instead I will look down the list below and see what else is on. If you are a man, like me, than I suggest you do the same.



1. The film I am on about above is MAGIC MIKE but I'm sure you already knew that. The film sees Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, and Matthew McConaughey all removing their clothes seductively. The story is of a young man entering the stripping game and being mentored by the famous Magic Mike. The film is loosely based on Tatum's career choice before he was a Hollywood star so perhaps he can really nail this role. Also starring: Olivia Munn. Are you a red blooded female?

Magic Mike trailer


2. Next up is a sequel to a well known cartoon franchise. The extinct animals are back and this time they are dealing with a shift in their continent that has cast them adrift on a block of ice. These animals are Manny, Diego and Sid and the film is ICE AGE 4 CONTINENTAL DRIFT. If you love the first 3 films I'm sure this will be your cup of tea. Starring: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo & Aziz Ansari. Another adventure for the ice age?

Ice Age 4: Continental Drift trailer


3. A mix match acting set up is up next in SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD. The mix match is with the two leads who are Steve Carell and Keira Knightely, two actors you would never expect to see alongside each other. The film follows their journey across America as they search for family and old partners due to the giant meteorite heading for Earth. Also starring: Melanis Lynskey & Adam Brody. Do you have a friend for the end of the world?

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World trailer




4. Finally is school drama DETACHMENT starring Adrien Brody as a substitute teacher who drifts from classroom to classroom around the school, but during his latest assignment he begins to make a fascinating connection with the students and the teachers. Also starring: Christina Hendricks, Marcia Gay Harden & Lucy Liu. Did you like you sub teacher?

Detachment trailer

There are your films for the week. I'm sure the choices will divide the men, the women and the children, so perhaps you should all go to the cinema and enter different screens. Anyway make this week count as next weekend we see the biggest release of the year enter cinemas and you may struggle to budge in your local multiplex. Basically go see these film this week as there may not be room for them next.