A Modern Guide To Movie Going (Holiday Season 2015 & Beyond)!


We’re falling into the Holiday Movie Season, kicked off  last weekend by the mediocre SPECTRE and The Peanuts Movie. Things will start to get crazy with the release of Mocking Jay Part 2 and Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur, all culminating with the biggest movie release of all time: Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Whether Star Wars is pulling you out of your Netflix hole, or you’ve been going to the movies all year long enjoying hits like Mad Max: Fury Road, Jurassic World, and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, you will find this Guide To Movie Going in the 21st Century! extremely useful.

Trust me. I work at a Movie Theater. And I got to a lot of Movies!

Don’t use Fandango!

I have worked at two of the three major theater chains in the United States and there is one constant: DON’T USE FANDANGO!Fandango Bag Puppets

It’s almost a dirty little secret, especially since the “Pre-Show” at my chain has a Fandango commercial! But we (theater chains) don’t want you to use it! It’s not always accurate, for whatever reason, so you’ll get stuck with tickets to a showtime that doesn’t exist!

Always use the theater chains’ direct website, where tickets are on sale, the surcharge is no larger than Fandango’s, and the times are actually accurate! I’m talking www.cinemark.com or www.amctheatres.com. I don’t know Regal’s website…

I guess it’s not too hard to tell which of the three chains I didn’t work for!

Make sure you check Movie Times for the day you are going!!!

We no longer live in an era where Movie Showtimes are the same from Friday through Thursday. Theaters have events now. And almost all movies get an early evening release on Thursdays (gone are the days when only movies like Star Wars got midnight releases). Showtimes change day to day.

Sherlock The Abdominable Bride Christmas SpecialWe’ve got Live Concerts, Classic Series Films, Live Sporting Events (including Video Game tournaments…), and Special Screenings like the Dr. Who and Sherlock Christmas Specials coming up in late December/early January. Very, very rarely will all three Weekend Days have the same showtimes, even more rare on weekdays!  

Don’t look up today’s times if you’re going to a movie tomorrow! Check the day you are going, otherwise you may show up for a showtime that doesn’t exist.

And NEVER look up said showtimes on Fandango!!!

Double Check Movie Times the day you are going!!!

Unless you have tickets in hand, double check the showtime the day of the movie. Sometimes theaters will “Wild Cat” a showtime, meaning we may cancel a showtime of The Intern to make room for another showing of SPECTRE. It’s very, very rare, but it does happen!

Know your Theater Chains and the Brands that fall under their Umbrella. amc theatres logo

Let’s break this down fast so you don’t try to use a Gift Card at the wrong Chain:

AMC is AMC Theatres. As the company has acquired other companies like Kerasotes, they rename the theaters so it’s simple. AMC Gift Cards work at all AMC locations, NOT at any theater lacking the AMC name.

Cinemark and Regal keep most the names of the theater chains they have purchased. So…

Regal LogoRegal is also known as United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres.

Cinemark LogoCinemark also has locations called Century Theatres, Rave, Tinseltown, & CineArts.

Know where your gift cards will work by understanding the above hierarchy!

IMAX is no longer the only Big, Loud Screen in Town.

You’re going to want to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on something big!

A few years ago Regal, AMC, and Cinemark decided to make their own, “Premium Format” to compete with IMAX, which had begun incensing it’s name to Theater Chains without actually delivering the full “IMAX Experience.” IMAX Screens of old were 70mm format, taller than they were wide, but now IMAX is just a name plastered on screens that run floor to ceiling with incredibly large speakers. I noticed the change seeing The Dark Knight 1st on a real IMAX Screen, with the image Christopher Nolan intended, and then seeing it on one of the “fake” Digital IMAX Screens that cut most of Nolan’s superior image.IMAX Comparison

Well, the three chains succeeded… partially… instead each creating their own “Premium Format” to save on IMAX licencing fees. AMC called theirs ETX, Regal went with RTX, and Cinemark features X D (have to space the letters or WordPress makes a XD face. 😦 ). All are just as good as Digital IMAX… unless it is one of the dozen or so “True” IMAX Screens left in the US.

Reserved Seating is on the way… and here to stay!

If you don’t have it already, the Industry is moving toward “Reserved Seating,” meaning you pick your seats when you buy your ticket. Don’t fight it, don’t whine, Reserved Seating will be the standard by the end of 2016, and it ain’t going anywhere!

Reserved Seating is the perfect tool to buy tickets in advance. If you bought Star Wars tickets the minute they went online after that Monday Night Football trailer for my theater, then you also picked your seats, which means you can show up minutes before showtime, no waiting in a looooong line for hours, and still have the best seat in the house.Star Wars The Force Awakens Final Trailer #3 Han Solo and Chewbacca

And it doesn’t really change the movie going experience on a day-to-day basis. What’s the difference between picking a seat at Box Office vs. when you walk into the auditorium? You’re going to pick the same seats… unless they are already sold… which is no different than walking in and seeing another guest already sitting where you like to sit. In fact, picking seats at Box Office let’s you see what’s left in a nearly Sold Out show! Don’t walk in blind, caught with only the front row. Know what’s left before dropping a dime.

Don’t be a Dummy. No Masks or Fake Weapons, Dummy!

Star Wars fans are whining about not being able to wear their Chewbacca, Stormtrooper, or Darth Vader (or Kylo Ren!) masks. And they can’t bring in fake guns. Or Lightsabers.Star Wars The Force Awakens Final Trailer #3 Finn Removes Stormtrooper Helmet

Look, I’m a Fanboy who dressed as Captain America for the entirety of the 1st Avengers opening weekend as a theater manager. I was dressed like Batman the night a theater not 30 miles from my own theater was shot up. Your sadness over losing masks and Lighsabers is not nearly as severe as the sadness of losing a loved one.

Stop being a Goddamn Baby and welcome to the 21st Century!

And that’s all you need to know! Here’s your handy-dandy guide to movie going, still good in 2016!

BATMAN V SUPERMAN Teaser for the Teaser Trailer Gives You One Thing You Want To See


Okay, so Trailer number two today, for Batman V Superman: Justice Begins, (check out Trailer #1, the new Star Wars trailer here!) is so quick and content-less, that I’m slightly embarrassed to be sharing it here.

But it’s the tiny bit of content that is exciting! In this most teaserly of teaser trailers for a teaser trailer, you will see one amazing thing: a shot of Batman’s new, glorious cowl!

We’ve seen it pictured before (below), but seeing the suit through the lens of a camera, even if CGI’ed… is amazing. Here’s the original peek we got months upon months ago.Batman Vs Superman: Justice Begins Batman and Batmobile Ben Affleck

I didn’t notice the stitched together look of the new suit until this “teaser trailer,” but it is evident in the picture above when examined closely.I love this stitched together look which is simpler, less-armor, more-classic Batsuit that really hearkens more to the costume of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns than Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.Batman Vs Superman Justice Begins Batsuit Stiched Look Chest

Its even go ‘dem short ears I love! And the nose is more human than past masks that gave Batman more of a mini-beak! (In the trailer at least; the original image below is more beaky.)Batman Ben Affleck Batman Vs Superman Justice Begins

Batman V Superman: Justice Begins has been generous (though not nearly as generous as Marvel of late!) with official pictures of other key characters like Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), and even Aquaman (Jason Momoa). And let’s not forget Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg)!

Let’s look at those now, shall we?Superman Henry Cavill in Batman Vs Superman Dawn of JusticeWonder Woman Batman Vs Superman Justice BeginsBatman Vs Superman Justice Begins AquamanBatman Vs Superman Jusitce Begins Lex Luthor Jesse Eisenberg

I’ll wager you can tell which is which.

Today’s teaser was meant as an invitation from director Zack Snyder to see the first full, real Teaser Trailer at IMAX on Monday… if your state gets it…

The rest of us will hopefully get the full trailer online next week as well.

Until then, all we really have is dirty laundry. Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice Superman Suit

Official ‘Daredevil’ Trailer Is Feature Quality (Again)… AND Brings Us Kingpin


I said it before (when the teaser trailer dropped) and I can safely say it again after watching the official trailer for Netflix and Marvel Studios’ ‘Daredevil;’ it looks like we have the equivalent of ‘The Dark Knight’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on our hands. And a show with a truly cinematic scope and style.Daredevil Fights In The Rain on Netflix

Don’t get me wrong, I have no delusions that ‘Daredevil’ will be as good as DC’s ‘The Dark Knight,’ but the trailer still reminds me of ‘Batman Begins’ none-the-less. And that is a fantastic thing!

Unlike Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and to a lesser extent, ‘Agent Carter,’ ‘Daredevil’ is the 1st MCU show that doesn’t feel nor look like TV. It plays like it has the effects and intensity of a more down and gritty Marvel movie, but with the bonus of 10 episodes instead of 2 hours (2 and 1/2 if you’re ‘Age of Ultron’).Daredevil Jumps Through A Window on NetflixUnlike the globe-trotting/Earth saving, “Captain America and his colorful friends,”* Daredevil (played by Charlie Cox) sticks to the streets of his city, Batman style: Hell’s Kitchen in NYC.

But it doesn’t mean his struggle is any less intense then his could-be-eventual-allies’ silver screen adventures.

Watch the trailer now!

 “I have to be the man this city needs.”

Hmmm, Matt Murdock/Daredevil, that sounds like something Nolan’s Batman would say…

It’s not a copy, it’s just the darkest we’ve seen the MCU get, a trend that will continue with all five planned Netflix series: ‘Daredevil,’ ‘AKA Jessica Jones,’ ‘Luke Cage,’ ‘Iron Fist,’ and then the ‘Avengers’ style team up, ‘The Defenders.’

The UK rated ‘Daredevil’ a 15 (we here in the US don’t rate Netflix programming), the closest to ‘R’ that Marvel Studios has ventured. Mike Colter, who plays the title character of his own show, claims ‘Luke Cage’ will be equally dark and gritty.Matt Murdock's Scars on Netflix

Yet, the trailer doesn’t let you forget ‘Daredevil’ is part of the MCU:

“Maybe if he had an iron suit or a magic hammer, that would explain why you keep getting your asses to you.”

Why not get the whole NY gang together?
Why not get the whole NY gang back together?

Maybe one day, he’ll join the Avengers. Or, even cooler, why not have ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Spider-Man’ cross paths now that the web-head is part of the MCU? They’re both dedicated to saving NYC and would make interesting allies.

Whatever ends up happening with the Daredevil character down the line, it sure looks like Marvel Studios and Netflix are off to a great start!

Marvel’s ‘Daredevil’ hits Netflix on April 10th!

* Quoted from Baron Von Strucker in the mid-credit sequence for ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

The 6 Best Scenes from ‘The Dark Knight’


Ben Affleck as Batman in 'Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice'(And they’re not just action scenes!)

Batfleck Vs. Superman (also known by the silly title ‘Batman V. Superman: Justice Begins’) is still over a year away with a scheduled release date of March 25th, 2016. In the meantime, I think we should all take a step back to admire the greatest comic book movie of all time; Christopher Nolan’s 2008 film ‘The Dark Knight.’

Breaking Batman
Breaking Batman

I wanted to do the top 5 scenes of the entire ‘Dark Knight Trilogy,’ but that was too limiting as there are too many fantastic scenes in my ‘The Dark Knight Trilogy’ to cover here. I couldn’t even narrow just ‘The Dark Knight’ down to 5 favorite scenes. I need 6 to do the job!

Without further ado, here are the top 6 scenes from ‘The Dark Knight’ in the order they happen in the film’s narrative.

1. The Heist

The Bank Heist is quite the little scene to open and therefore establish the tone of the 2nd movie in Nolan’s Batman Saga. Inspired heavily by the Michael Mann film ‘Heat,’ the scene twists a classic heist into the Joker’s (Heath Ledger) plot, all while setting you on complete edge using the heights of IMAX and the sharp cords of the Joker’s theme… all screaming “Chaos.”

The Joker poses as one of his own henchmen.
The Joker poses as one of his own henchmen.

2. Decent Men In An Indecent Time

The Joker’s heist may kick off the movie, but it is a decision made by three men that really set events in motion.

To defeat Gotham’s biggest recognized problem, the mob, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale) make a pact that will dictate the fate of all three involved, as well as collateral damage of Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal).Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, and Batman Meet on the Roof

Gordon warns,

“We’re going after the mob’s life savings. Things will get ugly.”

Replies Dent,

“I knew the risk when I took this job, lieutenant.”

Dent Lights The Bat SignalDent accepts the risk willingly, as do Batman and James Gordon.

It is this pact that will determine the destiny of all three men; destroying them all by the end of the film.

3. Dent’s Dark Side

‘The Dark Knight,’ specifically the scene just covered, is largely based on my favorite graphic novel ‘The Long Halloween’ by Jeph Loeb and by Tim Sale.

Nicholas D'Agosto's Harvey Dent in 'Gotham'
Nicholas D’Agosto’s Harvey Dent on ‘Gotham’ has quite the temper.

In the comic, Dent’s dark side is hinted at early in the story; long before the accident that scars him. Let’s just say he may may have done more than take a henchmen down an alley and flipped a coin to decide his life. But we’ll get to that now.

Dent spends half the movie as Gotham’s “White Knight,” the honest and law-fairing District Attorney bringing hope to Gotham. I would argue that Dent’s dark side is introduced too late in the movie; around the hour mark. Even here, the film form is not as severe as his comic version. Hell, ‘Gotham’ showed Dent’s short fuse in the first episode introducing the young assistant D.A.

Shift Thomas wearing Rachel Dawes' name; signaling her as Joker's next victim.
Shiff Thomas wearing Rachel Dawes’ name; signaling her as Joker’s next victim.

The 1st sign something is amiss with Gotham’s White Knight is when he interrogates Joker’s henchmen Shiff Thomas; the man wearing the name tag pegging “Rachel Dawes” as the Joker’s next victim.

The Darker Side of Harvey Dent.
The Darker Side of Harvey Dent.

Thomas gets the ‘ole coin flip multiple times, gun held to his head, until Batman stops Dent. The Dark Knight warns the D.A. that if anyone saw what Dent was doing, faith in the White Knight and Gotham would fail.

Even going off the cuff, Dent left the fate of  Shift Thomas to his double-sided coin. He (likely) meant Shift Thomas no terminal harm.

Still, that Dent darkness has to appear somehow.

4. Batman Interrogates The Joker

Batman’s one rule comes back to bite him in the ass. By a rabid dog chasing cars.

"You Complete Me!"
“You Complete Me!”

It’s really hard not to love this scene. Though Batman has the Joker in his gauntlets, Joker has all the power.

“You have NOTHING! Nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with your strength.”

The Joker, Beaten but Still LaughingIt really is powerful to watch Batman wail on Joker to no avail. His “one rule” that prevents him from killing leads to the deaths of others in the film. This same number was over 600 by the time the pair face off for the final time in Frank Miller’s ‘The Dark Knight Returns.’

In this case, his one rule kills Rachel and blows Dent halfway to hell. But it is this rule that separates Batman from the masked villains. Even though he may lose to the Joker this scheme, I think he may get him in the end…

5. An Unmovable Object and An Unstoppable Force

Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin dies the old fashioned way.
Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin dies the old fashioned way.

‘The Dark Knight’ breaks the superhero’s genre one rule, established in classic films like 1989’s ‘Batman’ and carried on to nearly-modern day ‘Spider-Man’ (2002) and ‘Batman Begins’ (2005): kill off your villain so the end is nice and tidy.

The Caped Crusader does toss the Clown Prince of Crime off the Pruitt building… only to catch him with his grappling hook, much to the Joker’s disappointment.

“Oh, you. You just couldn’t let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible, aren’t you? You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.”

Joker and Batman: Destined to BeBoom! That’s comics in a nutshell.

Spider-Man doesn’t kill the Green Goblin in the comics (well he does, several, but some come back… and, you know, crazy Marvel stuff); they clash again and again and again. And there are very few foes that have been clashing longer in the comics than Batman and the Joker.

6. The White Knight Vs. The Dark Knight

Rachel Dawes and Harvey DentThe real finale. The one we were promised when Gordon, Dent, and Batman meet on that rooftop in the first act.

Things got dirty. And all three of these decent men in an indecent time were torn to shreds by the joker, but none more than tragic Harvey Dent.

“What happened to Rachel wasn’t chance. We decided to act! We three!”

Batman knows what’s up! Cause he’s the world’s greatest detective.

But Harvey Dent is the apparent loser in the room, having lost his fiance (and scared his face), with no knowledge that Bruce carried similar feelings for Rachel.  Two-Face Finale

In the comics, Bruce Wayne blames himself for not revealing to Harvey Dent who he was. For not showing Dent who fought alongside him for the soul of Gotham. For remaining anonymous and letting Gordon and Dent take the brunt of mob vengeance.

In the movie, even in this immense time of crisis, Batman is able to vocalize the importance of Harvey Dent to Gotham; why he was chosen.

“Because you were the best of us! He wanted to prove that even someone as good as you could fall.”

So rests the soul of Gotham in these three-warriors-torn-asunder’s final moments together. Harvey “Two-Face” Dent deciding each of their fates with a flip of the coin.Dead Two-Face from The Dark Knight

This scene completes the movie. Three young men with rose-color glasses are wrung through the shredder as a promise they made destroyed their partnership and their lives. Classic Nolan/Batman tragedy.

2014 Movies to Geek Over


Now that 2013 is behind us, with Khan, Iron Man, and the Long Ranger down for the count, it is time to look forward to the movies to come in 2014!

First, an incredibly spooky trailer for the licensed version of PACIFIC RIM… GODZILLA! (From the very same Legendary Pictures as PACIFIC RIM… and HANGOVER… and DARK KNIGHT).


Is this the Godzilla I deserved but did not get in 1998? It sure looks creepy and realistic as hell. How do we defeat a Kaiju without Jagers? Continue reading “2014 Movies to Geek Over”

The Dark Knight Trilogy in 10 Minutes


Epic! Like a super trailer for my favorite trilogy.

That’s right, DARK KNIGHT replaces STAR WARS and/or INDIANA JONES. It’s just so damn well written and interconnected. One of the few trilogies that actually comes full circle.

Never has a comic-book adaptation been treated so seriously. It’s not for kids, it’s some serious shit!

And so it will live on, as a classic.

Better Class of Criminal (IV) – 2012’s Terrible 3, Featuring Bane and Silva


EXTREME SPOILERS AHEAD FOR AVENGERS, DARK KNIGHT RISES, AND SKYFALL.

Possible SPOILERS for any other films referenced.

We’ve finally reached 2012, a year full of great villains! Perhaps the best year for antagonists in this modern age!

Some 2012 Villains spent their time in glass cages...
Some 2012 Villains spent their time in glass cages…

All of 2012’s “Terrible 3” fit the mold I discussed in previous posts of “A Better Class of Criminal” (Part IIPart III). All 3 deserve to be on the list of 100 greatest villains ever; any other year, each would be the highlight due to less steep competition from the other 2.

Loki (Tom Hiddleson), THE AVENGERS

Only one way to keep Loki from grinning at you.
Only one way to wipe that grin off his face…

Loki is the weakest of the 2012 “Terrible 3,” yet he is still fan-diddily-tastic and miles above most antagonists on the silver screen (technically, billions of miles above, since he is from Asgard…).

Let’s tick the boxes off for the traits we’ve already covered ad nauseum…

1) Loki has a mastermind of a plan. The demi-God is always on step ahead of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and even his own brother, Thor. More specific, like great villains past (think the Joker), his plan involves being captured in order to destroy the Avengers from the inside. In his case, he wants a shot at the monster S.H.I.E.L.D. brought on their own Hellicarrier, Bruce Banner aka the Hulk.

Glass cages are all the rage in 2012!
Like I said, the glass cage is all the rage in 2012!

Even past his capture and escape, Loki is a step ahead of Captain America and team, setting up at Stark Tower before even Tony Stark realizes it.

Loki grins as he "stabs" a man in the eye.
Loki grins as he “stabs” a man in the eye.

2) Loki loves his work. He smiles so often, with such evil and glee, even when things look there worst for him. My personal favorite is the smile Loki pops off while “removing” a man’s eyeball before he first encounters Captain America in Germany.

He smiles when he arrives on our planet, as Thor threatens him, as he watches Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America clash, as he passes Banner’s lab in cuffs, as he threatens Black Widow, and even when Tony Stark taunts him in the third act. Loki’s having so much fun he can’t contain himself.

Loki Smiles
Smiles All Around

As a result, so do we! A lot of credit has to go to the actor, Tom Hiddleson, on this one. As written, Loki could be played more seriously, but Hiddleson nails Loki’s playfulness.

3) Speech! Speech! – Loki may not have a unique voice like his predecessor, The Joker, or his successor, Bane, but he can still deliver quite the evil speech.

To the people of Germany:

“Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.”

To Black Widow:

“I won’t touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you! Slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear! And then he’ll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I’ll split his skull! This is my bargain, you mewling quim!”

To Hulk:

“Enough! You are, all of you are beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I shall not be bullied by…”

Ok, so not all Loki speeches end so great...
Ok, so not all Loki speeches end so great…
No one fucks with Phil Coulson... except Loki.
No one fucks with Phil Coulson… except Loki.

4) Loki is unique. Sure, we’ve seen many super-villains over the years, but Loki is a God/Alien. He considers himself a fallen king, driven mad by the power of the Tesseract and envy of Thor. He sees the human race as ants, something very few to no villains mentioned previously feel. After all, even those like Norman Osbourne aka the Green Goblin, who sees himself as above regular people,  was human himself before experimentation.

5) Loki makes it personal. He attacks the Avengers “where they live” (according to Tony Stark), killing friend of the team Agent Phil Coulson.

Bane as painted by Casey  Calllende.
Bane as painted by Casey Callende.

Bane (Tom Hardy) , THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

I argue that Bane is an even stronger Nolan Batman baddie than Joker… and most people call me a fool.

Joker may have tested Batman’s one rule… and corrupted Gotham’s White Knight, Harvey Dent… but BANE BROKE THE BAT! And held Gotham hostage for months, keeping the entire US government at bay.

The original comic panel from KNIGHTFALL
The panel from KNIGHTFALL

My favorite scene in Nolan’s entire DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY is Bane and Batman’s initial fight in the sewers. Not only is the action perfectly brutal, leading to the destruction of Batman – the final moment true to the exact panel from the comic – but every line Bane utters during the fight is gold; instantly classic. Both the writing, and the all important delivery by the extraordinary Tom Hardy make the scene the best of the comic-book-movie crop:

“Not as serious as [your mistake], I fear…

Let’s not stand on ceremony here, Mr. Wayne.

Peace has cost you your strength. Victory has defeated you!

Theatricality and deception. Powerful agents to the uninitiated. But we are initiated, aren’t we Bruce? Members of the League of Shadows. And you betrayed us!…

I am the League of Shadows! I’m here to fulfill Ra’s al Ghul’s destiny!Bane - Theatricality

You fight like a younger man with nothing held back. Admirable, but mistaken.

Oh, you think the darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t see the light until I was already a man. By then it was nothing to me but blinding!

The shadows betray you, because they belong to me!

I will show you where I have made my home whilst preparing to bring justice to Gotham… Then I will break you.

Your precious armory, gratefully accepted. We will need it.

Ah yes, I was wondering what would break first… your spirit… or your body?!?!”

CLICK “READ MORE” BELOW FOR MORE BANE GOODNESS! NOW WITH SILVA FROM SKYFALL!

Continue reading “Better Class of Criminal (IV) – 2012’s Terrible 3, Featuring Bane and Silva”

A Better Class Of Criminal – Quite-Nearly-Modern To Today! (Part II)


Possible SPOILERS Follow for any movie mentioned.

"Star Trek Into Darkness"  (2013) Villain
Benedict Cumberbatch As “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013) Villain

Previously, I wrote about cinema villains of decades past, so now it’s time to move onto the modern film baddie; more eccentric, devious, and brilliant than ever.

Each blockbuster villain these days appears to be trying to erase audiences’ memories of the last great antagonist, by going even more eccentric, unique, and disturbing than the previously established norm. I’ll examine the evolution from simple yet scary baddies like Owen Davian (Philip Seymor Hoffman, M:I:III)  to the game-changer that was Heath Ledger’s Joker, as well as all the great villains he inspired including what’s to come in 2013.

BaneVillains today out-banter the hero, are streets ahead with a master plan anticipating the protagonist’s every move, like to be captured (“it’s all according to plan“), live by their own, disturbing yet clear moral code, speak in weird voices, and nearly always enjoy their “work.”

I will not only take us through the most recent gem to grace the screen, SKYFALL’s Silvia (Javier Bardem), but beyond as well, looking ahead to what next summer’s blockbusters IRON MAN 3 and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS have to offer.

First off, one nostalgic “childhood” favorite I nearly missed in Part 1:

Agent Smith1999 – Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving)

Okay, so he’s technically a computer program, which more-or-less makes him a machine, which eliminates him from this category (see Part 1 rules).

But the acting is so memorable…

So, I’m shoehorning the good Agent in.

Smith has a moment that is now the cornerstone of the modern villain; the intriguing yet twisted speech that delivers the character’s “philosophy” in a chilling manner. (Nearly all the villains we are looking at today have a great/creepy speech or monologue.)

It’s all about that virus talk he gives Morpheous:

“I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You’re a plague and we are the cure.”

red skullWith Weaving’s expert delivery, you can feel the mix of hatred and jealousy oozing out of every line of the chilling speech. Now we know that all we are to this great baddie are annoying germs.

Expert writing like this combined with memorable acting are key ingredients for any worthy villain. Smith has similar exchanges with Neo and Cypher, all oozing a certain amount of evil that is hard to fake (don’t know what that says about Red Skull… I mean Hugo Weaving).

Now for…

Top Villains of the Slightly-Less-Early 21st Century (Modern Era)

Owen Damien2006 – Owen Davian (Philip Seymor Hoffman), M:I:III

I honestly didn’t know PSH had it in him, but goddamn is the man terrifying. Not so eccentric as much as the classic, cold, ruthless boss-type who has his help killed at the drop of a hat (or the stain of a shirt…).

Just. Plain. Scary.

“Who are you? What’s you’re name? Do you have a wife? A girlfriend? Because if you do, I’m gonna find her. I’m gonna hurt her. I’m gonna make her bleed, and cry, and call out your name. And then I’m gonna find you,and kill you right in front of her.”

The above dialogue is so good it’s almost like a reversal of the great TAKEN speech!

Between this threat and the intense interrogation scene of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Owen Davian is by far the strongest Mission: Impossible baddie. He is perhaps also the best example of classic “just-plain-scary” villainy in the past decade.

Best Villain of the 21st Century's 1st decade? Yes. Yes, indeed.
Best Villain of the 21st Century’s 1st decade? Yes. Yes, indeed.

2007 –  Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Almost no one in the US knew Javier Bardem before this role, but after seeing the Coen Bros. darkest yet greatest masterpiece (a Best Picture Oscar winner, none-the-less), it is undeniable that Bardem is one of the world’s greatest acting talents.

He made a bowl cut scary. Nuff’ said.

Though I am going to continue saying (writing) things, anyway.

Even Diabolical Foes Know Milk Keeps Bones Strong!
Even Diabolical Foes Know Milk Keeps Bones Strong!

Terrifying like Davian, Anton is not short his share of eccentricities. From the cattle gun, to his coin toss (“friend-o”), to his very precise yet skewed moral code, Bardem really set the mold for the great antagonists of late. His taking the time to drink a glass of milk in the precisely paced movie is just one example of the extra details that make villains like this fun and memorable.

(Anton is not the only villain on this list who enjoys milk…)

Likewise, characters like Chigurh and The Joker are effective because they have a very strict set of rules or  a precise yet skewed “moral code.” They stand by it, all their moves are dictated by it, it makes perfect sense to them, but is just off enough to scare the shit out of us.

It’s not about the money for Chigurh, it’s about honor, keeping your word, and getting the job you were paid to do done.

“This is what I’ll offer – you bring me the money and I’ll let her go. Otherwise she’s accountable, same as you. That’s the best deal you’re gonna get. I won’t tell you you can save yourself, because you can’t.”

Bardem’s fresh and scary antagonistic performance was rewarded with an Academy Award for best supporting actor, a trend that would continue for another year.

Always calm, cool, collected, and with a solution for everything, you do not want Chigurh on your tail.

Did I mention he’s incredibly violent?

Cause he is….

2008 – The Joker (Heath Ledger), THE DARK KNIGHT

JokerWith a lot to live up to, due to the already classic Jack Nicholson portrayal of the joker (included on my “Top Classic Bad Guys” list from the previous blog), fan-boys were certain pretty-boy Ledger could not pull off the “crown prince of crime.”

Instead, Christopher Nolan and Heath Ledger chose the “grim jester” take on Batman’s arch-nemesis, making the Joker darker than ever before. The killer clown still had plenty of eccentricities, though his enjoyment in his work is curbed in comparison to Joker as seen in 1989’s BATMAN, THE ANIMATED SERIES, or the comics.

Ledger’s Joker builds on the aforementioned evolution of villains in the 21st century, basically defining many of the strongest that follow.

Everything about Joker was unique, from the way he talked to the way he walked. To the way he licked and smacked his lips. Even non-Batman fans were quoting the trailer months prior to release; “And here… we… go!”

“You’re just a freak in a mask… like me!”

Joker is a “better class of criminal” because his plans are always two to three steps ahead; something now common in today’s action films. His plans were so diabolical that they were never what they seemed, usually accounting for how Batman would respond to each play.

This included allowing himself to be captured, a “plan” used by many of the following villains on this list.

(Davian was even captured, and though it did not appear to be part of his plan, he escaped without much difficulty, giving him access to Ethan’s identity and wife. Anton is also in custody at the beginning of NO COUNTRY, though I can’t remember if there is any indication as to whether this was intentional or not.)

Joker NurseDespite my earlier criticism about his enjoyment with inducing mayhem, Ledger’s Joker does manage to have a fairly decent time: “I like this job! I like it!”  The scenes were the Joker lightens up a bit (Why So Serious, Heath?) are the best, setting the standard for memorable villains to follow.
1 of 3 HOBBITs!Now, I was going to finish this blog here and now, but it has grown far too long as I write it. So, like Peter Jackson and his HOBBIT, I have decided to make the “Better Class Of Criminal” series into 3 parts.

The 3rd post should be out later today or tomorrow, covering all the great villains that follow 2008’s Joker, many sharing quite a lot in common with the grim jester and each-other. I’ll continue onward to three upcoming  villains whose trailers suggest they follow this modern design of the antagonist (Mandarin from IRON MAN 3, anyone?).

The Tragedy Of The Superhero


These last few days I spent mulling over Harvey Dent, who I proposed was possibly the most  tragic figure in all comicdom.

At work I think about Dent, when I commute I think about Dent, when I’m having a conversation with you, I’m not listening, I’m thinking about Harvey Dent.

The White Night who fell from grace. A man, who just like Batman (and Liam Neeson’s  Rhas A Gul), who was more important as a symbol than an individual.

I still intend to write about Dent in depth analyzing the character are presented in the Long Halloween comic and The Dark Knight film; Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer confirmed was their primary influence on the highest grossing comic book movie of all the time was Long Halloween). Harvey’s not just a man; he’s a symbol. Corrupt Gotham’s only great hope.

But the more I thought about Dent, the more I realized nearly all the great comics are tragedies.

Start with Batman. His parents were murdered in front of him, but instead of becoming a serial killer like all the characters on Dexter with childhood trauma, the murder and lack of personal revenge drove him to the brink of insanity.

What kind of person dresses like a Bat?

Crazy people, that’s who.

Bruce Wayne will never have a normal life (not even a life normal for a billionaire). He’s Batman until someone else can take his place; Batman until Batman is no longer needed.

Even if retirement does happen, Bruce Wayne no longer exists. He has been Batman since the day his parents were shot.

Batman’s greatest tragedy is that Batman will always be needed. Ironically, his escalating the crime fighting game by becoming a masked vigilante only leads to other villains with “a taste for theatrical.”

Then, there’s Superman. He lost his homeworld, but his most tragic aspect is that he just may be the reason supervillains and aliens flock to Metropolis (as explored in the New 52 Superman). Which begs the question, was Metropolis actually safer before Superman?

Spider-Man is also an interesting case. Like Batman, he wants to prevent future shootings of people like Uncle Ben. Of course, more so than Wayne, Peter Parker holds himself responsible for his uncle’s death, a death that shook him into embracing the gift science gave him.

Yet Spider-Man too, with carry that guilt and responsibility his entire life. No matter how many villains he aprehends, he’ll always haunted by Uncle Ben.

Spider-Man, like Batman, has given his life to those in need. There is very little time for a normal, happy life with a family. Parker’s wife and children would always be a target, assuming his secret identity is comprimised, which does happen from time to time.

Spidey also has other deaths that weigh heavy on him, like those of Gwen Stacy and her father, Captain Stacy.

Then there’s Captain America, our countries first super soldier. I’m not sure how the comics handle it, but in the film Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers ends up frozen only to be thawed in the present. Everyone he knew is dead, including Peggy, to whom he promised a dance.

Capt.’s tragedy is that he will forever be a man out of time and place.  I man with American ideals that no longer exist.

There are plenty of other examples I could throw out here, but I think I hit most the biggest tragic heroes and I’m gettin’ sleepy.

Got to get up at a reasonable hour to head to Mile High comics for new comic wednesday… and Avengers Vs. X-Men Issue #1.

Keep watching Breaking Geek for future blogs including my more in depth look at Harvey Dent.