There have been almost two editions of “The Dark Knight” on both DVD and Blu-Ray. I’m happy to admit that they’re all warranted releases. Not only does Warner give us one of the best comic book movies ever made along turning Batman in a tragic tale of becoming a hero in situations he’s just not sure he handle. Take for instance the explosions in the hospital. What I love about the joker here is not that he has a distinct love for violence and doesn’t come with a sub-plot where we’re supposed to sympathize for his life story unlike the “Spider-Man” movies where villains couldn’t just be villains.
Tag Archives: Crime
LA Confidential (1998): 2-Disc Special Edition (DVD)
By my money, I consider James Ellroy’s “LA Confidential” to be one of the greatest crime dramas ever made. It’s an elaborate, morose, and brutally intelligent display of respective talents and truly keen storytelling that gets better with every single viewing. “LA Confidential” was not a real hit with me upon the first viewing; in fact I found it painfully mediocre once the credits began to roll. Suddenly, I found myself watching it repeatedly and soon discovered that it was a stellar piece of filmmaking that grew on me once I opened my mind a bit.
Redline (2007)
People bitch about how video games get a bad rap, but these days so many action movies are built around this concept that make them live action video games. It’s impossible not to hate on video games when so many action movies want to convince us that they really could be if a studio tried hard enough. Take “Redline” a movie thankfully obscure due to a poor release date and terrible publicity, but is really just constructed like a video game. We have cut scenes, colorful characters, bosses, and various drivers all of whom are introduced with profiles and name inserts by heroine Natasha who takes great pains to give us back story without the script ever having to do the work to good old fashioned storytelling.
Cool Hand Luke (1967) (Deluxe Edition DVD)
The first time I ever saw “Cool Hand Luke” was on cable, on a Sunday evening, edited, and filled with commercials. And yet all of the quality managed to be retained in spite of the obvious differences a network version would possess. And it still managed to earn its place as one of my top ten movies of all time. Possibly one of the greatest movies ever made embodying everything that a good movie for men should be made of. From clever dialogue, male bonding, some of the most memorable sequences ever filmed (Newman really ate fifty eggs?), and social undertones that I take away after every viewing. Lucas Jackson is that embittered war veteran, the man who is considered a war hero and yet hates his country with every inch of his being.
The Legend Of Billie Jean (1985)
This 1985 drama thriller is a gem, and one of my favorite guilty pleasures of all time. In spite of one of the cheesiest one liners in movie history: “Fair’s fair!” and having one of the coolest if goofiest theme songs of all time, somehow “Billie Jean” remains one of my favorite eighties gems. Back before I ever heard of cable television, I’d watch this four times a week on WPIX Television here in the Bronx and my what a classic we thought it was. And it still is, at least to me and a few other people out there. Billie Jean is just like every other girl her age, a wide eyed optimistic beauty whose only desire is to be left alone to have fun with her brother Binx during the summer.
Why "The Dark Knight" is Harvey Dent's Story
Warning: In the following article, we give away large plot twists, and massive spoilers to “The Dark Knight.” Please be wise in displaying caution.
What I’m going to say isn’t an exactly fresh new series of comments, but I think it elicits declarations again and again. As an avid comic book fan I’ve never found anything to enjoy about Batman. He’s a whiny, morose, boring character without any charm to him. But after watching “Batman Begins” and then “The Dark Knight,” it’s safe to say I was kind of wrong. I mean, “The Dark Knight” is without a doubt one of the greatest comic book movies ever made and will likely make many top 10 lists (including my own) once December rolls along. Everything Nolan and his brother have birthed with “The Dark Knight” sparks many allusions to the likes of masterpieces like “LA Confidential” and “Touch of Evil” with wonderful undertones of human cruelty, government corruption, and how easy society can crumble under the threat of a madman.
Dark City (1998) (Director's Cut DVD)
Let’s be honest kiddies, “Dark City” was “The Matrix” before “The Matrix” was ever in the pop culture lexicon, and Alex Proyas simply gets zero credit for ever bringing this concept to the forefront with his own Neo set amidst an unreal world where time is an illusion, and the thirties are ever lasting. One of the most underrated and under credited science fiction films of all time proved that Alex Proyas wasn’t simply a one trick pony directing “The Crow.” Filled with a beautiful view of a city on the borderline of illusion and pure nightmares, “Dark City” is a world that really may not be all that we see it for. The characters in this world are all living in a gritty, dank, and dreary series of landscapes that engulf one another in to an abyss where the puppet masters named The Strangers drift in the darkness preparing to change the landscape at a moments notice.