| Home |
| About |
| Archives |
| Links |
| Anime |
| Arts |
| Books |
| CDs |
| Decluttering |
| Disney |
| DVDs |
| Family |
| Games |
| Japanese |
| Jpop |
| Life |
| Manga |
| Memories |
| Movies |
| Pals |
| Photos |
| Poetry |
| Trips |
| Videos |
|
Latest Flickr
|
|
Latest Twitter
|
 Feed |
 Twitter |
 Facebook |
| Netflix One-Liners 10.09 | |
|
10.01.2009
11:45 AM | Link0 comments |
 Capricorn One: This was a fantastic movie to watch with the guys, featuring a semi-science fiction plot about a faked Mars landing, the "acting" of both Telly Savalas and OJ Simpson, and some of the most incredible airplane chase aerobatics I've ever seen (seriously)!Celebrity: I've always loved this black & white Woody Allen film (with Kenneth Branagh practically doing a Woody impression in the lead role) about a writer's mid-life crisis, filled with awesome self-searching dialogue and a crazy night with Charlize Theron! Batman Returns: Since I watched Tim Burton's Batman in my last Netflix batch, I decided to watch the sequel (definitely the only Batman sequel worth seeing), featuring Michelle Pfeiffer's cool version of Catwoman and Danny DeVito's totally disgusting Penguin. Batman vs Dracula: I never got around to watching this animated feature until now, and I really wasn't missing anything, although it was kind of cool to get into this incarnation of the animated Caped Crusader (since I haven't watched The Batman series in a long time). What's Up, Tiger Lilly?: Woody Allen's comedic re-dubbing of some classic Japanese spy films wasn't nearly as funny as I remembered, although I was really excited to see Kumi Mizuno (my favorite Godzilla girl) in one scene! State and Main: I always get into David Mamet's dialogue, and I really like this crazy satire of Hollywood filmmaking as it takes over a small town, and even though I realized I had already seen this movie (after about 20 minutes), I still watched it to the end! Space Battleship Yamato: Of course, I used to watch Star Blazers (the US dubbed version of this anime) as a kid, so I watched this two-hour "summary" version of the entire original series (in the original Japanese!), which definitely loses something in the reduction, but it was a blast to make it to Iscandar again! The Animatrix: Although the live-action Matrix films get worse as the trilogy progresses, this collection of animated shorts set in the same world is absolutely fantastic, featuring incredibly clever and interesting writing, awesome animation, and fascinating back-story to the whole saga! Big Man Japan: There's no way a kaiju fan like me wouldn't enjoy this funny mock-documentary of a super-sized protector of Japan, but the absolutely crazy ending (or non-ending, I should say) left my pals and me kind of flabbergasted. The IT Crowd Season 3: Each season of this British series is funnier than the last, and this third season is totally genius, including an accidental armed robbery involvement and a hilarious parody of social networking called Friendface! |
| Netflix One-Liners 9.09 | |
|
9.01.2009
5:49 PM | Link0 comments |
 Batman: I love re-watching old favorites on Watch Instantly, so it was fun to check out Tim Burton’s original Batman movie again, which really ignited the whole superhero entertainment industry, as well as inspiring the Batman Animated Series!The Poseidon Adventure: I hadn’t watched a disaster movie in a long time, so I thought I would take a look at one of the classics, and I was actually pretty impressed with the story, upside-down effects, and characterization (especially by Gene Hackman). Poseidon: I couldn’t resist watching this modern remake so soon after the original, which of course had tons of flashy effects, but really fell short in the character department (everyone was basically boring or stereotyped). Armageddon: Yes, I had never seen this before, and truthfully, I only wanted to watch it since it’s so often parodied, but at least now I know the first two-thirds are really terrible (so much sap!), but the action scenes in the final third are pretty cool. Across the Universe: I remembered being intrigued by the trailer for this musical inspired by Beatles music, and even though I’m not into 60s culture, I absolutely loved the film and the creative way they integrated all of the original lyrics! Beneath the Planet of the Apes: Every few years I have to watch all of the Planet of the Apes films (which are all on Watch Instantly except for the first), so I had fun as usual watching the creepy mutants take on the gorillas! Escape from the Planet of the Apes: I love all the subtle laughs in this movie (such as “grape juice plus”), but it’s still a fantastic setup for the bizarre timeline (though I always crack up at the “Mama! Mama!” chimp at the end!). Conquest of the Planet of the Apes: I’m fascinated by the details of how the apes gain intelligence, but the extended battles run a little long for me, though I think Caesar’s final speech is pretty chilling. Battle for the Planet of the Apes: Even though this final film is really low budget, the way it ties everything together (including clips from Escape) is still pretty genius, and Caesar’s character is interesting and complex! Hancock: I totally missed this in the theater, so I was glad to find it on Watch Instantly, even though the second half of the movie was a little too “out there” to balance out the superhero farce feeling of the first half (still a decent film, though). |
| Secret Origins Featuring the JLA : 3 of 5 | |
|
7.14.2009
12:09 PM | Link0 comments |
 I love finding graphic novels on PaperBack Swap, since I know I'll enjoy just about any DC Comics edition I can find, and it feels like I'm getting them for free! This particular book isn't quite as slick as other comic collections (the pages are basic newsprint rather than glossy paper), but it's still a nice long set of seven stories that I found pretty interesting. The first story features the entire Justice League facing yet another alien invasion, but the rest of the chapters all focus on the origin tale of each hero. Of course, some of these have been told a million times - it must have been really rough to figure out yet another way to relate the Batman story, but I think they did a nice job with Batman himself somewhat narrating at a crime scene similar to one that took the lives of his parents. A few of the origins are extremely complex and complete, covering the full history of the character (including previous Golden and Silver Age versions!). Things move a little too quick just to fit everything into the book, but I still was totally fascinated to read classic facts I never knew before, such as the final end of Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern, all the different versions of the Flash, and especially the sweeping tale of Aquaman, which is definitely long enough to be it's own book (and it probably is!). Since Superman's story is so well known, the angle this time involves Bruce Wayne going undercover to talk with the Kents, which was pretty cool. Some fans might be disappointed in the "rush job" these stories get (admittedly, a few are so compact they read like an encyclopedia entry), but I had a great time reading this book!
|
| Superman/Batman Vol 1 / Public Enemies : 4 of 5 | |
|
6.29.2009
5:21 PM | Link0 comments |
 Every now and then you can find a nice DC Comics graphic novel available on PaperBack Swap, and since I already own Volume 2 of this series (which I got as a side-effect of my crazy scavenger hunt video project), I snatched this first volume up the moment I saw it. I'm glad I did, since I was really impressed with the story and artwork, and now I want to check out the rest of the saga! Although there have been many stories featuring Superman and Batman together, I love the way this one is written using parallel narratives. The inner dialogue of both Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne is presented in different color text blocks, and it's fascinating to constantly read what they are thinking (which is often contradictory, but always respectful of the other hero). In this story, Lex Luthor has become president, and blames a huge Kryptonite meteor headed for Earth on Superman, putting a billion dollar price on his head. Of course, this attracts tons of villains (and even heroes, too, since Luthor represents the US Government), so this book is filled with guest stars! I really enjoyed the battles with Hawkman and Captain Marvel, as well as the climax with Luthor in his mechanized armor, but unfortunately the final solution to destroy the meteor was a little dumb. However, the way this story is told more than makes up for that fault, and it's worth it just for the opening segment of Superman and Batman's origin flashbacks, presented from the exact point of view of baby Kal-El and young Bruce (brilliant!). I guess I'll have to re-read Volume 2 now that I've decided to keep going with this series!
|
| Batman: The Animated Series Vol 4 : 4 of 5 | |
|
5.21.2009
12:02 PM | Link0 comments |
 For the past few weeks I've been enjoying this final volume of the Batman animated series (yet another Christmas DVD set), although I prefer the first few seasons more than this one. This time around (from 1997-1998) Warner Bros. went with a completely new design of the show in more ways than one - all of the character looks were updated to be more angular and modern, and Batman operates much more as a "team leader", since Batgirl, Nightwing (the original Robin) and Robin (now Tim Drake) are all full-fledged crime fighters. This season doesn't have quite the same level of style (no more beautiful title cards, for example), but there are still several classic episodes that everyone loves. Over The Edge is a brilliant dream sequence that explores the end of Batman (and even includes the death of Batgirl), and Old Wounds does a great job of explaining the Dick Grayson split and transition into becoming Nightwing. Holiday Knights is a really fun set of vignettes, including the hilarious Harley & Ivy Christmas spree, and this multi-part style is also used in the fantastic Legends of the Dark Knight, which features a glimpse of the campy 60s Batman as well as the gritty Frank Miller Batman! Watching these episodes again was really fun, since I remember how shocking the visual redesign was to me in the beginning, which now seems totally normal. Most of the designs are successful (especially Scarecrow, who went from silly to terrifying), although reducing Mr. Freeze to a living head was a little much (and I also think the female characters like Batgirl and Poison Ivy were sexier before). It's nice that almost all of the rogues gallery is used in this season (most likely to show off their new looks), so overall there's an episode for everyone. The bonus features are wimpy as usual, with only three half-hearted audio commentaries (which I totally enjoyed anyway!), but this is still an essential DVD set if you're a Batman fan!
|
| Laugh along with Batman | |
|
1.09.2009
12:42 PM | Link0 comments |
 Although Warner Bros. will never top the equisite Batman Animated Series, I'm always interested in new shows that attempt to re-invent Batman in a fresh way. The latest Batman series to appear on Cartoon Network is The Brave and the Bold, and I have to say that I'm enjoying the heck out of it! Rather than continuing with the dark, moody side of the Dark Knight, this series goes back to Batman's campier days, with tons of corny banter and ridiculous situations that are far from normal (such as adventures in space or fighting dinosaurs). Each episode is also a different team-up with semi-obscure characters, and I love seeing who they will feature next! I've really enjoyed seeing heroes like Blue Beetle, Red Tornado, Green Arrow, and even Plastic Man (and the villians they battle tend to be on the weirdo side also). The overall style is pretty retro, with lots of thick black outlines (and Batman's profile really shows off that chin), funny episode titles (that always end with an exclamation mark!), and an awesome jazz score. While most of the episodes are full-on action and laughs, I was surprised by the excellent emotional flashbacks in the Christmas episode, which gave me even more respect for the series. It also looks fantastic in HD, which I saw at my parents house since they have Cartoon Network in HD (I hope it comes to Austin soon)! The Brave and the Bold is a truly fun and campy take on the Caped Crusader, and I'm definitely hooked!Labels: batman |
| Batman Chronicles / Vol 3 : 3 of 5 | |
|
9.26.2008
7:57 AM | Link0 comments |
 I'm still enjoying the Batman Chronicles series, although this volume lost a little of the charm of the previous books (maybe I'm just getting used to the old 1940s style, or maybe I was in the mood for something more modern). There are a couple good Joker stories, and I like how he always seems to die at the end (and then they show how he survives at the start of the next story). All of the other villains are just normal crooks, except for Clayface (although he's still just an actor with make-up at this point), but there are a few crazy stories with plots like fighting pirates at sea or teleporting into a fairy tale book to rescue a scientist's daughter (that one was particularly goofy). At first the Batmobile is still a red car, but finally gets a new paint job and bat head towards the end, and we also get to see the Batplane (which actually transforms into the Batboat at one point). In one story, Batman surprisingly uses a gun to disarm a villain, but they are careful to note that Batman would never carry a gun. Speaking of the narration, I still like the melodramatic stuff, but sometimes it gets a little annoying, since they describe every detail of each fight. This volume is pretty thick at 200 pages, but it barely covers a year of publication (ending in the middle of 1941). I'm not sure how long this series will go - I don't think I have the stamina to read it all, but I'm sure I'll hang on for a few more, especially since I want to see more super-villains emerge!
|
| Batman: Gotham Night : 4 of 5 | |
|
8.23.2008
11:58 AM | Link0 comments |
 I was a little leery of buying this DVD because I knew so little about it, but since I really wanted it as part of my Batman animation collection (and because I knew Bruce Timm was involved), I decided to get it. I definitely made the right decision, since I haven't enjoyed an animated experience with so many "Wow!" moments in a long time! Gotham Night is a collection of six short stories that loosely tie together, set in the world of the Batman Begins and The Dark Night movies (although they wisely still used Kevin Conroy from the animated series as the voice of Batman). Each segment has a different director and studio, so each story has a unique style. Since nearly all of the studios are Japanese, this is essentially Batman set in a cutting-edge anime world! This style probably isn't for everyone, but I completely loved seeing so many various styles and designs for Batman's costume and villains, creative use of CG, and all kinds of truly unique animation techniques - this is the perfect film for Batman fans who are also animation geeks! In fact, my favorite part of watching the movie was going nuts as each new segment began, since it's always a complete change from the previous style. The entire movie is animated in full 16:9 widescreen, which looks spectacular during the many expansive views of Gotham City. I can't begin to discuss each of the six stories, but I should at least say that Have I Got a Story for You was my least favorite animation-wise (though the plot was cool), and Field Test gave me the most thrills, since it's the closest to traditional anime (coolest Batman costume ever, if you ask me!). Working Through Pain has a fantastic plot, and Deadshot is one of the best Batman fights ever animated. The bonus material was a little lacking for my taste, although I really enjoyed the long Bob Kane biography, since I knew nothing about him until now. Gotham Night has received some mixed reviews, but I was blown away - if you're open to see Batman in an entirely new way, you owe it to yourself to watch it!
|
| The Dark Knight : 5 of 5 | |
|
7.26.2008
6:49 AM | Link0 comments |
 Until now, Batman Begins was the best Batman movie ever made, and now it's been topped by this incredible sequel! All of the fantastic dark, serious, and realistic elements of the first movie are back in full-force, completely embracing the nature of Batman as merely a human who constantly must keep his own sense of justice in check. This is exactly why the Joker is such a perfect villain, since he represents an even darker side of the Dark Knight, and this film's new version of this classic character is sheer genius. Heath Ledger's development of the Joker is so perfect, since his voice and mannerisms transform him into a deranged nerd gone wild - even though no true backstory is given (since the Joker's own story telling changes on a whim), you can almost imagine his personality and events that might have lead to his crime spree. The musical score really adds to the Joker's scenes as well. At certain moments a long, slow crescendo begins that keeps rising until a dramatic moment explodes on the screen, and it certainly adds tension and apprehension that something is about to erupt! As soon as I heard the name Harvey Dent in the trailer, I knew there was a second villain in the mix as well (minor spoiler!), but it's a shame that a cool character like Two-Face has such a short time in the movie. Actually, my only complaint is The Dark Knight really seems like two movies pushed together, which could have easily been made into separate normal-length films (although I'm sure the director must have a had a reason, which will probably come out in the third movie!). Of course, the action and effects are incredible and the Batpod is really cool, but they don't overshadow the actors or take over the story at all. I can't decide if The Dark Knight is the best super hero movie ever, but there's no doubt that it's earned the title of "best Batman ever"!
|
| Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman : 2 of 5 | |
|
5.19.2008
11:49 AM | Link0 comments |
 After finishing the entire Batman Animated Series recently, I thought I should check out some of the direct-to-video animated movies that I've missed over the past few years, so I started with Mystery of the Batwoman. This is a 2003 feature, created in the style of the New Batman Adventures, but most of the time the animation looked too clean to me, especially after enjoying the grit of the original animated series. The plot was fairly interesting, though, revolving around three possible suspects, and includes some classic villains like Penguin, Bane, and Rupert Thorne. There are some nice ties with the plot lines of the various series, such as the Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) & Bruce Wayne relationship implication, and some nice funny lines, too ("I miss working for the Joker" was a great one!). The voice work is well done, as usual, and even though I wasn't too fond of the new-style Penguin voice, it was fun hearing Kelly Ripa play a clumsy scientist, especially since my Mom is such a fan. But overall, I wasn't terribly impressed with this movie - it was definitely lacking in the coolness that Timm/Dini could have brought to the project, which is well-demonstrated in the bonus short called Chase Me, which is the best part of the DVD. This Batman/Catwoman "music video" has a brilliant plot that captures that special Batman feel with much more class! I'd still recommend this DVD for Batman fans who like to see everything there is to see, but if you're being selective with your DVD watching time, I'd check out something classic like Subzero instead.
|
| Batman Chronicles / Vol 2 : 3 of 5 | |
|
5.12.2008
8:22 PM | Link0 comments |
 After enjoying the first volume of Batman Chronicles so much, I decided I had to continue with this series, since I'm fascinated by the extremely early adventures of this iconic hero, this time from 1940. The stories in this volume begin to take a different tone, since Robin is usually there to pal around with, and Bruce seems to really enjoy his pipe-smoking bachelor lifestyle, although a few plots include his fiancee Julie (which was news to me!). Besides the Joker, there are a few more villain introductions, although they are definitely different than we know them today. Catwoman wears a full cat-head mask, which looks pretty silly, and Clayface is simply an actor in makeup (for now!). The cool thing about these stories is most of them are actually presented as mysteries - lots of suspects are introduced, and Batman really gets to be a detective and solve the crime. But along with the intellectual side comes some extreme violence, with bad guys being tossed around and even slammed into walls (which the narrator loves to call a "sickening thud" over and over again). Robin often uses a sling as his weapon (always with a David & Goliath reference), the Batplane shows up a few times, but there's still no official Batmobile - I'm looking forward to its introduction. If I didn't have so many other books waiting for me to read, I would already be buying the next volume of this series by now!
|
| Batman Beyond / Season One : 4 of 5 | |
|
3.13.2008
7:30 PM | Link0 comments |
 I remember being really skeptical when Batman Beyond was first on TV, but I soon realized that the creative team of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini could make Batman cool even set in the future! Now this series is respected on its own (at least by me), so I was shocked to learn it was originally green-lighted by Warner Bros. purely as an idea to get younger viewers - the show was put into production with almost no pre-production development! They really came up with a cool premise quickly, though, with an elderly Bruce Wayne hanging up the cape because his ailing body forces him to break his "no guns" rule. Soon Terry McGinnis becomes Bruce's assistant and the new Batman, and begins to fight crime in his amazing powered suit and ultra-sleek Batmobile (with awesome red lighting in the interior). The future world (with Barbara Gordon as the new commissioner!) has some great new villains, such as Inque, whose liquid movements make for some fantastic animation, and Shriek, who fights with sound waves (this episode also includes a daring sequence with no sound at all). The show really has a unique feel to it, starting with its frenetic opening titles (created with no CGI, amazingly) and ultra-modern theme (I enjoyed the music so much I even bought the soundtrack CD years ago). This DVD set has a few commentary tracks and a super-short documentary, but at least I learned a lot of fun tidbits listening to them. I think I enjoyed this series even more than when it was first broadcast, proving that Batman is simply timeless!
|
| Batman: The Animated Series Vol 3 : 5 of 5 | |
|
2.27.2008
7:07 AM | Link0 comments |
 For the past couple years I've been enjoying this series as one of my Christmas DVDs, and this year is no exception! This set once again proves that the amazing talents of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini produced the best version of Batman ever created, and it was fantastic to watch these episodes toward the end of the original series run. Once again, there are lots of introductions, beginning with the two-part Shadow of the Bat which contains Batgirl's first appearance, as well as the original episode featuring Scarface (the Ventriloquist). Speaking of Batgirl, I've always loved Batgirl Returns, since I have a limited edition cel from that episode, so I loved seeing this classic Catwoman/Batgirl team-up story again! There were even a couple episodes that I'm fairly sure I hadn't previously seen, including the hilarious Harley's Holiday, as well as Showdown, with an interesting appearance by Jonah Hex. It was sad to see the show change to The Adventures of Batman and Robin near the end, since they switched to a new opening title sequence that wasn't nearly as effective as the original. There are fewer commentaries on this set, which is a shame, although one episode includes a "video commentary", which is kind of silly, since there's nothing special about watching people talk in a small inset box! As always, I really enjoyed learning new things about the show - my favorite fact this time is there was a rule to never have background music in the Batcave (even though the show is fully scored), and the ominous ambient sound effect used was recorded inside Hoover Dam! I may not be able to wait until Christmas to check out the next DVD set, since my Batman fandom has been kicked into high gear!
|
| Superman/Batman Vol 2 / Supergirl : 3 of 5 | |
|
12.11.2007
7:55 AM | Link0 comments |
 I like reading a good graphic novel every now and then, but this was an unexpected purchase! Since I kind of forced my pals to buy this as part of a scavenger hunt for my Christmas video (it's a long story...), I bought it from them and finally took the time to read it. This is a collection of several issues of the Superman/Batman comic series, telling the story of Supergirl's "re-introduction" to the DC Universe (I really didn't know about her part in Crisis on Infinite Earths, but the introduction filled me in). The story is really well-told, using some interesting dual narration via the thoughts of both Superman and Batman - this is a great device that really added a lot of insight into these characters, which is tough to do with icons that everyone knows so well. Wonder Woman is thrown in as well (since Kara needs some Amazonian training), and the big villian is Darkseid, meaning a good deal of the action takes place in Apokolips. Unfortunately, the transition from a story about trust and family to an action tale is way too rushed - I kept flipping back in the book to see if I had missed a page! Still, there's some good action, and plenty of cool Batman moments, as well as "Superman gets really mad" (which always has to happen in epic stories like this), but ultimately it seems like it was too easy to defeat Darkseid. The artwork is really nice, even though I wasn't too thrilled with Superman's ultra-square jaw (it looks good on Batman, but not on Clark!). I'm not really complaining, though - I enjoyed reading this book, and it makes me think I should pick up graphic novels like this more often!
|
| Batman Chronicles / Vol 1 : 4 of 5 | |
|
11.27.2007
12:21 PM | Link0 comments |
 After rereading the old Eternals comics I enjoyed as a kid, I've been eager to discover the original stories and artwork of famous characters, so I was excited to find this fantastic series which presents all of the original appearances of Batman in a nice (and extremely affordable) graphic novel format. This first volume was incredibly fun to read, since I had never seen Batman's original beginnings as a regular feature in Detective Comics (starting in 1939). The artwork is somewhat crude, but still dynamic and full of charm (and dramatically improves as the series progresses). I love the old style of narration, which describes everything Batman is doing right there on the panel in front of you, and I like the nostalgic touches (such as Bruce Wayne always smoking a pipe!). I was amazed that Batman's origin story isn't told until several issues have past, and it only takes a page and a half to cover it! Robin's origin is pretty short as well, but he's only getting started as this volume ends with the first issue of Batman's own comic in 1940. There are a few regular villains, such as Doctor Death, Hugo Strange, and of course, the Joker, but it's fun to see Batman go up against weird things like werewolves, too. Batman himself is definitely a tough guy, and he barely thinks twice about killing his enemies if he has to, which certainly changes later on. If you're fascinated by the humble beginnings of one of the most popular heroes of all time, you'll definitely enjoy this book, and I'm certainly ready to continue with the next volume!
|
| Batman: The Animated Series Vol 2 : 5 of 5 | |
|
3.29.2006
9:36 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm so glad that one of the best cartoon series ever produced is available in it's entirety on DVD. I completely enjoyed the Volume 1 set, and now I'm hooked again after watching Volume 2 (which was yet another DVD set I got for Christmas last year)! This set has some of the best episodes of the entire run, including the two-part Robin's Reckoning, which features the original "Flying Graysons" and the death of Dick's parents, which is extremely dramatic and well-staged. There are also two incredible stories that have become classic among Batman fans, namely Almost Got Him (featuring all the villains playing cards and trading Batman fight stories) and Harley and Ivy (the hilarious first team-up of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy). It's cool to see the first appearances of Barbara Gordon in several episodes, too, before she dons the Batgirl costume! I was surprised at how many great episodes I had forgotten about - there are lots of creative plots to enjoy in this set. Once again, each DVD contains a commentary track for one of the best episodes on the disc, and it's always interesting to hear Bruce Timm and Paul Dini (among other artists) talk about their work (they love to point out mistakes and dust on the cels, too). I can't wait to check out Volume 3, and there's still Volume 4 to watch after that!
|
| Bat meets girl | |
|
1.12.2006
7:43 PM | Link0 comments |
 Last night I caught up on some TiVo recordings, which reminded me that I should say that I've really been appreciating The Batman more lately. While Warner Bros. will never top the original fantastic animated series that forged an entirely new animation style, the latest episodes of this incarnation have been pretty entertaining (and certainly much better than the first season of the series). I usually hate it when adaptations mess with characters and their origins, but I have to say that it was interesting to see the new Clayface and Poison Ivy come from close friends of the main characters. This season everything is new, from the theme song to the Batmobile (since the old one was destroyed), along with a new Batgirl - younger, sassier, and so far pretty cool (definitely not as sexy as the original animated version, but still totally cute)! Her two-part origin episode, Batgirl Begins, was really well done (even though the narration was a little cheesy), so I'm looking forward to seeing her more often. I'm finally used to the Joker's character design, too - now if they would only do something about Catwoman's ginormous ears!
|
| Batman Begins : 4 of 5 | |
|
6.20.2005
8:31 PM | Link0 comments |
 I was pretty excited about this film from the moment I heard they were making it, since the previous series of Batman movies had tanked so terribly (thanks a lot, Jim Carrey). I think Christian Bale is an excellent choice, since he wears the billionaire role well (just like his suit-wearing killer in American Psycho), and he looks pretty natural in the Batman costume, too. When I first saw pictures of the Batmobile, I was worried, though - all of the sleek styling was gone! But after seeing it in action, I think the tank-style vehicle is pretty believable. That's what really sets this movie apart from the other Batman tales - it's the first story that all seems believable, or at least it's presented in such a non-camp way that everything is taken seriously (except for a few well-paced one-liners). I can definitely say that it's the best Batman movie ever! Still, there are a few flaws. Even though Katie Holmes is nice to look at, her character is completely invented for the movie (though the other characters, even minor ones, all have comic book roots). I also thought the editing was a little too MTV (quick cut city) - it's a fine style for action scenes, but they keep up the crazy pace even during slower dialogue moments. But overall, there may never be a better Batman presentation, so get to the theater and enjoy!
|
| Batman: The Animated Series Vol 1 : 5 of 5 | |
|
10.12.2004
7:47 PM | Link0 comments |
 This is the series that really signaled the rebirth of superhero cartoon animation, and finally brought some serious stories and characterization back to Saturday morning TV! I was a fan of this show from the beginning, and I've seen every episode many times (in fact, I recorded most of them on VHS and tried to catalog the entire run of series), but it's so much nicer watching these on this four DVD set. A few episodes have a commentary track with Bruce Timm, who created the distinct look of the characters, and several of the directors, which reveals lots of interesting facts (for example, all of the backgrounds are painted on black paper to constantly give the series a dark look). There are a few so-so episodes in this collection, which is the complete first season in order, but they are more than made up for by classics such as Two-Face, Feat of Clay, and Heart of Ice! I really like the story of the Mad Hatter also, since the Alice in Wonderland references are fantastic. This is by far the best superhero cartoon ever, with each episode styled as mini-movie, so I can't wait to continue enjoying this series again with Volume 2 (but I have to wait until January)!
|
| Batman: The Movie : 2 of 5 | |
|
7.25.2004
10:02 PM | Link0 comments |
 Of course, I'm a Batman fan, which includes the classic campy series from the 60s. I had seen this movie (released after the first season of the series) on TV a few times, but one day I was at the mall and saw this DVD in a bargain bin for only five bucks! How could I pass that up? Several months later, I've finally made it through the whole thing - I had to watch it in several sessions, because even though the 30 minute show on TV is great, nearly two hours of it is just too much! The plot involves the four major villains - Joker (I always thought it was goofy that they put the white makeup right over Caesar Romero's mustache!), Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman (who unfortunately is Lee Meriwether here - everyone knows Julie Newmar is the real Catwoman!), and a crazy scheme to "dehydrate" everyone in the United Nations for big ransom money. The good thing about the movie is the budget allowed them to build the Batcopter and the Batboat, which are really cool, but there are some absolutely goofy effects here (the shark attack at the beginning is one of the worst!). The DVD has some fun bonus material, including the theater trailer in Spanish! Anyway, even though I was bored several times (hence the low rating), it's still a fun movie (if you can take it!).
|
| Bat Thumb : 2 of 5 | |
|
11.13.2003
5:27 PM | Link |
 Even though I wasn't blown away by Thumb Wars, I couldn't resist trying out another one of Steve Oedekerk's thumb films. Bat Thumb is a pretty good parody of the Batman films, following the gothic look and Danny Elfman soundtrack, but created entirely with miniature sets and real thumbs (in costumes with super-imposed eyes and mouths). The humor is pretty silly - part of the joke is just the way these goofy thumbs look, and the rest is just weird stuff like Batman's sidekick Blue Jay and his stupid costume (and his tendency to follow too closely to Bat Thumb's booty while they climb walls). The villain is No-Face, who wants to erase the faces of everyone in Gaaathumb City (of course). I'm sure I'll rent more of these thumb movies - they're short, fun, and well-manicured.
|
| Batman: The Dark Knight Returns / Frank Miller : 5 of 5 | |
|
2.03.2002
12:10 AM | Link0 comments |
 This graphic novel was a birthday gift from my pal Shelly, who knew that I was a big Batman fan, but somehow missed out on reading this landmark series. The Dark Knight series truly gave us the dark, serious Batman that we love today - even the fantastic animated series traces it's style to here. The story is fantastic - Bruce Wayne is getting old, but still must carry out his work as Batman, and the plot explores his troubled psyche quite well. Yes, we have a girl Robin and some Joker battles, and even a major Superman fight (you'll have to read it to find out why), but the real star is the characterization! All of us live double lives, right?
|
| Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker : 3 of 5 | |
|
7.28.2001
12:47 PM | Link0 comments |
 This poor project has suffered from so much controversy, and now I know why. Without going into detail, this film was delayed at the last minute so they could rewrite, reanimate and totally screw up several key scenes to get a wider audience. Comparing this to Mask of the Phantasm is a joke. Anyway, Return of the Joker is still really enjoyable, though the "transformation" (you'll know what I mean if you've seen it) is pretty extraordinary (and pretty lame). Just another case of "This could have been so good if only...".
|
| Gotham Girls | |
|
1.01.2001
4:19 PM | Link0 comments |
 Everyone knows that 90% of the appeal of Batman (especially the animated series) can be attributed to the gorgeous babes, both heroes and villains. Of course, the big four are Batgirl, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and now they have their own site (part of the usual Warner Bros. set of animation sites). Here you can find little Flash movies and info about the girls, and some seriously cool desktop wallpapers to drool over. (I wonder if the attraction to animated women has been codified by the psychiatric community?)
 Visit site
|
