Kim’s Movie Picks

The franchise lives!  Or more accurately: the franchise has been saved!

Yes, it’s hard to imagine any comic book hero with as many different interpretations, most especially on the modern silver screen, than Batman.  But thanks to the dogged determination of director Christopher Nolan, an outstanding performance by lead actor Christian Bale, extensive hype from Warner movie execs and enthusiasm from fanboys everywhere, this movie has broken through the regrettable, and forgettable, string of former Batmen. (Sorry, George Clooney – I still love you, but not as Batman.)

Even the title suggests wiping the slate clean: Batman Begins….

Director Nolan (Memento) likes his lead characters dark and complex and he certainly has a barrelful of both in this newest (and fans would say most-faithful-to-the-original-concept) Dark Knight. Christian Bale gives a depth and grace to this character that has not been seen in a long time on film. There is no tongue in cheek here, no campy-ness. This chronicle of Bruce Wayne’s transformation from young, grief stricken heir to adult, angry crime fighter is serious stuff with serious consequences.

Post-modern city landscapes, complete with monorails, broken down subway cars and sparse, but scary, street people give Batman Begins that brooding, world-weary atmosphere.

An eclectic, and strong, supporting cast helps to give this film additional heft: how can you argue with meaty performances from Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine?  One of the hooks for me in any sequel to this re-born franchise is the return of each of these characters, but most especially Caine who breathes new life into Alfred the butler, showing what a mentor and father figure he really was.  It gives the film balance and a tiny bit of wry, British-accented irony.

Three and a half out of four stars. Rated PG-13 for intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements. Take your teens, even the young ones. Not as loud as you might think, nor as violent. Lots of fast action and tightly edited scenes – and of course, car crashes, car chases and an even better Batmobile. It’s a Hummer – or at least a Hummer hybrid – there was no product placement that I saw. Sorry Ah-nold!

Cinderella Man, director Ron Howard’s newest film, raises your spirit, along with your blood pressure, as you watch the talented actor Russell Crowe take, and give, tremendous beatings in the boxing ring.

As the ultimate rags to riches story, this film, which tracks the comeback career of boxing legend Jimmy Braddock, is not only about a man’s man, and a man’s sport, it also jerks those tears until they stream down your face. Everyone should see this movie: it is the ultimate summer date movie.  And yes, even my teenager liked it.

Be aware that the movie has more than a tad of violence. It is about boxing after all. Or is it? This is sports legend come to life with a plot that gave first life to the phrase “Cinderella story.” Russell Crowe does his stoic warrior best and Paul Giamatti (late of the movie Sideways) is remarkable in his performance as Joe Gould, the boxer Braddock’s trainer/manager. Giamatti’s everyman face, his exuberance and pain, are all up there on the screen. His performance alone is worth the price of admission. Give this man an Oscar already!

At times this movie can be hard to take: The fact that it is based on a true story is not lost on the audience; in fact, it makes the Depression-era scenes of sacrifice and deprivation that much sharper, that more painful. And in these days of (let’s not yet call it a) Recession, the faces of the unemployed at the New Jersey Relief office take on a familiarity very close to home.

Renee Zellweger’s performance is admirable despite being trapped in the paper doll role of loyal wife. In a scene where she and her children salvage wood from a roadside billboard in order to stay warm, her character shows true grit and determination, not the expected shame or lack of pride. I would match this film against John Ford’s Grapes of Wrath for its gritty and unflinching portrayal of survival in the Great Depression and the subtle art of conveying dignity in the face of true desperation.

Three out of four stars. Rated PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language. Take everyone over age 14. This is a movie made to be seen on the large screen – the close-ups and camera angles put you inside each fight (which explains why I spent a lot of time looking at the floor!)