Wow, today ended up being a pretty good day or me. Granted I had more adventures in the car. Right when I think I’m doing pretty well with the stick it comes back to bite me in the butt – and of course it always happens when other people are in the car as well – that’s just a given. Bethany and I were taking a quick drive around the block when I had some problems shifting gears, I’m not really sure what I did wrong, but I think it was just fate. Grrrr.
So first off I had an awesome night that started out with Bethany making me dinner. She made this awesome pasta with this really good sauce/juice that was put in it – which included pine nuts. It was really awesome! Honestly it was the best meal I’ve had in quite a while – even better than the chicken dish that I made her last week. There’s something about someone preparing a meal for you that makes it taste that much better! She is awesome
Then the night only got better when we went to go see Batman begins! What a FREAKIN’ GREAT movie that was! There was so much that is awesome about this movie I’m not really sure where to begin.
First off – the story! What a great premise! Ever since the last franchise of Batman movies ended with the George Clooney Batman, I thought that the "Batman" movie franchise spiraled into the earth, never to return again. But this movie has single-handedly resurrected the franchise. This movie did the best thing it could have possibly done – completely ignored the previously made movies. This is a completely new Batman, with a completely new backstory. Batman’s origin, while conceptually well-established has always been a bit sketchy when it comes to detail. The person who took the best stab at this was Frank Miller when he wrote "Batman: Year One", and in many ways the story mirrored a lot of the premise (it’s been a while since I’ve read that book, but as I write this I’m on Amazon ordering the Trade Paperback). But getting back to the point – David S Goyer had a wide range of creative license in writing this story. He was able to take it beyond the pages of the comics and put something together that feeds and rekindles the Batman franchise (which is now over 70 years old!). As far as super-hero movies go, the story was excellent – totally on par (and perhaps surpassing) Spiderman-2. Like Frank Miller, Goyer really was able to develop the characters (especially Batman) and the conflict that occurs throughout the movie – justice vs. vengeance. A quote from the movie that has profoundly been ringing in my head for the last few hours:
"As a man, I’m just flesh and blood. I can be destroyed. But as a symbol…..I can be everlasting. I can be incorruptible. I can be something terrifying."
I’d love to get into the story more, but I don’t’ want to spoil the movie for those who haven’t seen it, plus I’m really riding on emotion right now and I want to think more about it before I write more about it.
But a few other tidbits…
-The Batmobile – AWESOME! Definitely the best Batmobile from the movies. It reminded me a lot of the Batmobile in Miller’s "The Dark Knight Returns". Something funny – with my whole car dilemma I leaned over to Bethany when we first saw the car and I joked "I bet Batman knows how to drive a stick!". SPOILER BEGIN – Then later in the movie when Batman wants Sergeant Gordon to drive the car he asks "Can you drive a stick?" – SPOILER END – too funny!
-Batman’s suit – Definitely the most realistic out of all of the suits! It rivals the suit used in the 1989 movie, but it’s a lot more practical. You could see how Batman could move like he did – it seemed a lot more agile! And of course -TONS better than the tights from the 60’s!
– Finally – Christian Beale – Now I know what all of you girls are saying. Bethany said the same thing, "Christian Beale is the hottest Batman!". So yes, there’s definitely something for the ladies to enjoy during the movie. But as far as Batman goes, I would have to say that he is definitely the best Batman out of all of movie Batmans! During the movie when he was interrogating that corrupt cop – his voice was absolutely booming – exactly what I pictured in the comics whenever Batman was pissed. His "Batman voice" definitely made a bit part of it. He did an excellent job acting. As Bruce Wayne he was outstanding, but it’s hard to compare him to Michael Keaton (with the age difference and the fact that the movies are set on different events in Batman’s life). Beale was awesome as young Bruce Wayne, then when he returned to Gotham (in the present time) he did a pretty decent job. Beale wasn’t as charming as Bruce Wayne should have been, but at the same time the character wasn’t written that way.
But if I were handing out awards, here’s how they would go:
Best Bruce Wayne – Michael Keaton. Part of it was that he was the original, but to me he is what I envision as the charm of Batman, but also reveals the inner-person who really is Batman. In the suit Keaton did a pretty good job as well, just not great. – Runner Up: Beale
Best Batman – Christian Beale – for the reasons stated above. Beale has snared that award from Val Kilmer, who is now in 2nd place. 3rd place is Keaton.
Crappiest Batman – George Clooney. I like Clooney and I like his work, but dude’s melon does not belong in the "cowl of the Bat". Really that whole "Batman & Robin" movie was an abomination.
Outside of Crash (which is an excellent movie in many different ways), Batman is definitely my pick of the summer so far!
FREAKIN’ BATMAN!!!
Up next – what’s the greatest Super Hero movie of all time? Where does Batman Begins rank?