tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post3858897545079407742..comments2014-06-27T08:24:47.308-05:00Comments on Cohodes' Ramblings And Pronouncements On Life, Art: PCP in Theaters - The Dark Knight RisesMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316546750682828397noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-29676690756130820682012-08-02T16:19:51.245-05:002012-08-02T16:19:51.245-05:00I am 100% for character development and especially...I am 100% for character development and especially within television am unable to watch shows that aren't heavily character driven. As much as I have tried to watch, I end up completely avoiding almost all procedural shows (CSI, Law & Order, Grimm, etc.) that don't have character growth and stories over time. Even shows that I loved in my youth that I have rewatched as an adult (ST:TNG for instance) I find can be a bit tiresome and draining on my viewing time. For instance ST:TNG has very little character growth over the 7 years it was on-air as many of the characters remained static and kept their "character class" distinctions pretty clearly. In the games I play and the books I read, character journey is huge for me. <br /><br />I would bet that good character development isn't the main requirement in order for a movie to be viewable/good. I know Godfather has great characters, beautiful shot, wonderful pacing - it is just the subject matter, the conflicts, the oppositions in the story - that don't excite me. I can find good themes and content and characters and conflict in most places (I've even enjoy Disney's Tinker Bell movies!). <br /><br />I certainly don't enjoy mish-mash frenzy movies (never will watch a Fast & Furious movie) and can find fun in popcorn movies as well. :)Ryan Bondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619158020965746884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-15316118275948916322012-08-02T14:35:30.608-05:002012-08-02T14:35:30.608-05:00Really it all seems to be just a matter of taste t...Really it all seems to be just a matter of taste then. I'd much rather watch a beautifully shot film with talented actors than a crazy mish-mash of action sequences spliced together in a frenzy any day. I haven't seen Prometheus yet but will when it comes out on video, so I can't comment on that one, but I personally thought that Godfather is one of the best films of all time. Maybe I just like character development? I dunno. You've given me some good food for thought tho so thanks.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316546750682828397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-19342982137765593142012-08-02T13:47:21.469-05:002012-08-02T13:47:21.469-05:00Almost everything you just commented on had to do ...Almost everything you just commented on had to do with the actual FILMING - which I agree with 100%. I agree that the characters were better developed and I felt for them more and all the comments about the Marvel movies are also applicable. But somehow, through all this, while I learned more about the characters and liked the look of the film...I found the fact that often the stories were so slow/ill-paced and the general topic of them was just not interesting to me. It is like when they make a movie with a bunch of actors/actresses who got academy awards but the movie that comes together is just not that interesting - ya know? Just because the look, pacing, and characters are there doesn't result in a great movie. Prometheus had many of these same issues for me and I am a DIEHARD Alien (and Ridley Scott) fan but I was terribly disappointed and intrigued at the same time for Prometheus.<br /><br />Sometimes just the subject matter of the plot isn't interesting. I have never cared for gangster or mafia movies no matter how good they are (Godfather, Godfather II, Goodfellas, Sopranos, Casio, etc.). Sometimes just the story isn't compelling even with interesting characters. Actually, that is somewhat the reverse problem of Star Wars Prequels - where the characters are generally shallow and the plot convoluted and confusing, but the pacing and energy and internal consistency (ignore the midiclorians and a few other things) remains consistent. Hmmm....Ryan Bondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619158020965746884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-77903304687365492672012-08-02T12:50:36.002-05:002012-08-02T12:50:36.002-05:00I think they were sort of going towards the storyl...I think they were sort of going towards the storyline from the comics of the Dick Grayson version of Robin - (who eventually becomes the hero Nightwing) also fills in as Batman when Batman has been incapacitated, because Gotham could never be without a Batman as you are right he is a force for good.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316546750682828397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-90237059338041624032012-08-02T12:36:41.680-05:002012-08-02T12:36:41.680-05:00I was actually hoping Joseph Gordon-Levitt's n...I was actually hoping Joseph Gordon-Levitt's name wouldn't be Robin, and that he would just take over as batman. Then it would truly be like batman isn't just a man, but a force of some kind (like they were saying in Batman Begins). I guess he could still just take over as batman, cause I mean he basically got access to the suit, but him being named Robin thing kind of pointed in a different direction.dasenelanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15848492904672834766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-84026778312066544242012-08-02T12:20:04.661-05:002012-08-02T12:20:04.661-05:00I will admit that this series has its slow moments...I will admit that this series has its slow moments that are sometimes drawn out, but that just leads to a deeper and stronger character development than more bang-pow action all the time comic book adaptations (Iron Man 2 for example). I didn't think they took it too slow though (unlike Thor or the 1st Hulk movie), I felt that the films struck the right balance. I think what I really liked best about the whole trilogy was that Nolan built a whole world for his characters, and that he also filmed the movies far more stylistically and more like an awesome dramatic movie than like a Michael Bay blockbuster. I'm glad he didn't go that route and have lighting-quick cuts all the time. I appreciated the longer shots and the move to the IMAX format whenever the action picked up, heightening the details on the screen.<br /><br />I am glad you at least are on the "liking it" stage with these films as opposed to not liking them. I wonder if your previous limited exposure to Batman had an impact on how you viewed the trilogy. Maybe those that had a deeper history with the character liked these films more because they were a better adaptation of Batman than any that had come before?Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316546750682828397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-6125078380246360432012-08-02T10:49:00.331-05:002012-08-02T10:49:00.331-05:00I have taken an opposite stance on the whole Batma...I have taken an opposite stance on the whole Batman series as a whole. The look/feel of everything was great and brought to it modern sensibilities, believably and grittiness that I hadn't seen much of before. I have not watched any of the animated shows nor read the comics and my exposure to Batman is limited at best. While I have always liked him as a character I have never delved too far into his story. These movies allowed me to do so. It wasn't until the 3rd movie came out that I was able to appreciate more of the Batman story as a whole due to various articles and podcasts that I have encountered since viewing 1 & 2 which increased my depth of knowledge and understanding of Batman as a character overall. I went back and rewatched 1 & 2 (which I hated at the time) and was only able to get them up to a level of "liking" them - but I would normally not include these movies in my wheelhouse or on any type of recommended viewing list. I love Nolan and everything else he has done but these 3 movies didn't cut it for me.<br /><br />Overall they were too long, drawn out and slow, confusing and confounding. If you do an actual timeline of how much time Batman is actually around as a player in Gotham it is technically only a few months between the 3 movies before he disappears as a legend. The 2nd movie was the best and I have heard from numerous sources that Nolan didn't want to do the 3rd movie at all and that he felt he wrapped things up in 2. He was affected by Heath's death and the 3rd movie became what he had to make in order to get Inception made for the budget he wanted. <br /><br />I saw the whole Robin (or at least a Batman mantle picker upper) coming at the beginning of the film before Robin even showed up. It just had that tone to it. The last 10+ minutes of the movie are basically the best part and it takes way to long to get there. <br /><br />I have various other points why this movie and this series didn't work for me - but with the # of people loving the series - I don't feel a need to oppose it and be in the minority. This isn't even a case of "if you don't have something nice to say" because I don't have much negative things to say, but I also don't have many positive things to say. Experiencing the Batman movies was like cleaning diapers - something I have to do so I can say I experienced it but otherwise I would have avoided the task if I was able to.Ryan Bondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619158020965746884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-51814738343774677582012-08-02T10:39:32.445-05:002012-08-02T10:39:32.445-05:00I think I blotted out Batman & Robin from my m...I think I blotted out Batman & Robin from my memory because it was so terrible, but yeah he was a minor villain in that one, I forgot that.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316546750682828397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4091920635291495283.post-82587939037540949472012-08-02T10:24:54.958-05:002012-08-02T10:24:54.958-05:00Quick note...Bane was in Batman 4, so was a reintr...Quick note...Bane was in Batman 4, so was a reintroduction.Ryan Bondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16619158020965746884noreply@blogger.com