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Reviews
The Dark Knight (2008)
Let's put a smile on that face...
That is exactly what this movie did to me. From beginning to end, The Dark Knight manages to keep your attention focused on the events displayed frame by frame on the big screen, be it Heath Ledger's brilliant performance as the witty and elusive Joker or the deep topics of human nature the film exploits to a most outstanding display.
This time around, Batman is not as much the central figure of the movie as he was in 2005's Batman Begins. Instead, the film revolves around a more unexplored character: Cristopher Nolan's Gotham City. The Dark Knight exposes the true innards and dimension of Bruce Wayne's hometown as never seen before in a Batman movie. The interaction between law enforcers, criminals, and citizens builds a stage for the major characters to deliver their empowered performances on, each of them representing a part of Gotham that evolves in pretty interesting ways throughout the film.
Now, about the Joker, Heath Ledger's impression of him is absolutely fantastic. Some may think that Ledger's performance is being over-hyped and sweetened by the audience over his late passing as an act of commemoration, but the truth is they couldn't be more mistaken. You WILL leave the movie theater loving a "psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy". That's what's best of The Dark Knight's Joker; no matter how many atrocities he commits or how villainous he can get, people won't help but like him.
Lastly and since this is a spoiler-free comment, there isn't much else to be said about the movie other than I recommend it for both fans of the comic book and general audiences alike.
A definite 10 out of 10.
Kannazuki no miko (2004)
True love is forever...
This has to be probably one of the best anime series I've seen in the past six years; not because of the action (of which it has a plausible amount to share), but because of the intricate and beautiful story line that is built up carefully along the 12 episodes that this wonderful experience lasts. This anime is in most of its composition a heart-touching romantic plot, meaning that most adrenaline lovers out there will surely be turned down from going any further than the first 3 episodes or so. But for those who enjoy the ride and stay until the end, they will surely be rewarded with more than they could ever expect.
"Kannazuki no miko" is a love story anime that is worth noticing over other series and definitely pays off for those who truly appreciate it. There are also other aspects to relish about it, such as some of its cultural references towards the Japanese folklore or its majestic use of ambiance to set the moods in accordingly. The drawings and the music are pretty good elements too, surpassing that of any average anime.
A definite 10/10
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Only human...
Okay, I'll be honest. The first time I went to the movie theaters to see this movie I was really, really excited. Reloaded had left me all hyped up and I couldn't wait to see a movie that somehow promised to be the best of the trilogy. As the movie progressed I was unavoidably sucked in into the story, experiencing all kinds of emotions in the process, which varied from happiness, to sadness, to satisfaction, to disappointment, and even to anger. It seemed that with each passing minute not only the mood of the movie got darker, but also my expectations and hopes of it being the greatest of the Matrix series.
Some characters were utterly wasted and misused (the Merovingian and Seraph come to mind)and I know that the war of machines vs. humans is a cool concept for many, but may I remind everyone that the movie is called the "MATRIX" Revolutions? The scenes of humans defending against the machines were really well executed, no doubt about it. But after watching for more than fifteen minutes nothing more than bullets /flashes / fire / bullets/ more flashes/ many more bullets / many, many more flashes and fire it tends to get a little bit tedious. There I was, expecting to see Neo and crew kick some Exiles'and Agents' butts with mind-bending effects (only possible within the virtual computer world the Wachowskis created), but instead all I get to see is what I would expect to see in a Star Wars movie: ships flying, robots dying. I will admit, though, that the few scenes (specially the Super Burly Brawl) that take place within the matrix were awesome, but I also will admit that they were too short for anyone's good.
This are just some of the major weak points one will find in Revolutions. Why then, you wonder, do I grade this movie with an 8/10 if all the things I say about it are negative? Well, all I will say is that the story was rich in content and extremely beautiful, but the way it was delivered on the big screen left many things to desire. It still won't ruin the series for a true Matrix fan, but the same thing cannot be said about most people. I guess that after all Neo was still... only human...