War of the King Bat!

War of the King Bat? Curious? Well, actually I am just combining the names of three movies I want to comment on.

BATMAN BEGINS

This movie was awesome. It is my favorite Batman movie so far. Even though I read a lot about how this movie had a lot at stake due to how bad the last one was, I liked the last one. It was corny, but I loved Arnold in it, and thought it captured the ‘comic book’ feeling of a cartoon comic with flambouyant characters and over the top action and corny one liners. I don’t think it is fair to compare the last one with Batman Begins, because the entire premise is drastically different. This Batman is a modern batman – it takes place in our world, in our day. There is a lot of screen time devoted to how Bruce Wayne learns his non-supernatural powers for fighting. It made the story believeable.

Best part: When Batman actually summons bats to his aid – that gave me goosebumps. (Not a spoiler, its in the trailer) The batmobile is pretty cool too. I think I could drive one of those.

Downside? Katie Holmes is cute, but felt out of place in this movie – way too young to be a powerful downtown DA – and (like Padme in EP3) totally unbelievable in her declarations of love. Go back to Dawson’s Creek girl, leave Gotham to the pros.

Best line: At one point in the movie Katie (forgot her character’s name) sees her true love trying to act as a billionaire playboy. He has two ‘babes’ on his arms and is driving a fancy car and is only playing the part of rich spoiled son of a billionaire at Alfred’s request (to remove any suspicion of him at maybe being the ‘Bat’) – she sees him and is hurt/disapproves. He wants to tell her this is all a front, but can’t as they are in public. He tries to say, ‘this, what you see, this isn’t me‘ but she replies something to the effect: “It’s not who you are underneath, it’s what you do that defines you” unknowing of course, of the real actions he is taking at great personal risk. It is a good scene because you want her to know the truth – but her words cut in – it’s not what you say that counts, its what you DO that counts. And that is a line worth taking home from the theater.

WAR of the WORLDS

Just went to see War of the Worlds. In many ways I agree with my little bro’s anaylsis:

…it is a lot more intense and more visually stunning than its 1950s version. Spielberg sure knows how to create an intense scene. Besides Morgan Freeman’s narration — one of the coolest movie voices out there, along with James Earl Jones — there really is not a whole lot of explanation for anything……. there is a lack of a plot. That’s fine, though, because the movie was really in the spirit of the Wells novel. The tripods really looked like all the old classic artwork you’ve seen — not like the wimpy alien tripods constructed in the version 50 years ago….. the movie revolves around Cruise’s family and his quest to keep them together and reunite them in the end while massive alien machines obliterate the planet. Why the aliens come, you never really know, and how they eventually are taken down, is only loosely explained. But those two parts consist of just a brief intro/conclusion. It’s the middle part of the film where there is utter destruction and it’s all very well done. I was leaning forward and biting my nails for a good chunk of the film — especially in the scene that takes place in actor Tim Robbins’ basement. You’ll see what I’m talking about…..

Sara and I enjoyed it too, and I agree it is a Big Screen movie. There was some parts that were kinda gross, but the vast images of destruction were visually spectacular. It does bug me that in so many movies today, we root for the main characters, but seem numb or indifferent to those who die. (the ending narrative says that a billion people died.) Each of those billion had ‘stories’ too – people they loved, homes, hopes, dreams… but we only see them as vaporized victims or bodies floating down a river. The fact that the main characters survive somehow still leaves me unsatisfied that so many others perish. While I enjoyed the suspense and the action, I did feel the movie just moved along without really building, and there never was a climax. I love movies like True Lies where you think you are at the climax and it just keeps getting more intense, the and actors’ situations keep getting more and more impossible, and yet you know somehow they will conquer this foe/challenge. Tom and family do nothing heroic, nothing daring, and in fact, make a lot of stupid decisions and should have died. The movie could have been titled “The Luckiest Family on Earth.” They stayed in the worst locations running with the masses instead of employing any survival strategy. I couldn’t find any reason to root for them, other than they were the only people in the movie we were introduced to. And the fact that he was a loser divorced dad really made me wonder why I was supposed to root for him over many other characters who were probably better people who were just wiped out. In the end, this movie was fun and thrilling but left me very unsatisfied. Independance Day may have been far fetched, but at least when it ended you had someting to cheer about.

KING KONG

OK, I know, this movie isn’t even out, but it was the first trailer in a long time that people cheered and clapped after. It is AWESOME and not just because the main characters name is Karl. (DOWNLOAD HERE) I thought Lion the Witch and Wardrobe was the movie I was most looking forward to, but now I am very conflicted. King Kong looks to be a bit scary for kids, but looks to me like what Jurassic Park was supposed to be.

Let me know what you thought of Batman or War of the Worlds via COMMENTS.

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Kidologist

Karl Bastian is the founder of Kidology.org, the creator of ToyboxTales.com, and the author of OrderoftheAncient.com. His personal website is Kidologist.com He is Big Kid with a passion for equipping and encouraging those who minister to children.

11 Comments:

  1. We loved Batman–it was by far the best Batman movie yet. It was interesting to see the “story behind” Batman. And yes, the Batmobile was way cool!

    Haven’t seen War of the Worlds–I’m waiting for Charlie and Chocolate Factory. That looks like it’s got promise!

  2. I agree with all your reviews. But that’s because we’re brothers and we like the same movies pretty much. Thanks for stealing my comments from my blog — I’m honored! First a link off kidology and now a quote on pastorkarl.com. I’m big time now.

  3. Oh, boy – Charlie and Chocolate Factory – LOVED the book as a kid, but the movie looks weird to me. I don’t like Jonny Depp at Willy Wonka – he was an awesome pirate, but he is creeping me out with this movie. But I’ll wait and see when it comes out.

  4. I’m looking forward to Wonka. You have to remember that this is not a remake of the previous movie; this take is more closely related to the book. And I think that the vehicle in Batman is not a Batmobile, but rather a “Tumbler”.

  5. yeah, yeah, yeah…. Batmobile/Tumbler, whatever. Yes, it was a Tumbler (the military’s name for its creation) but it WAS the Batmobile – the mobile driven by the Bat, even if they didn’t specifically call it that. Every Batman has a Batmobile, and this one rocked.

  6. It was the first version of the Batmobile is youre going witht he prequel story. It was a raw, unfinished prototype that was available for Bruce to try out. He liked it, as we see in the movie, and he then modifies it into the “Batmobile” that we all know and love. So technically, it IS the first Batmobile. Batman just didn’t have time to put bat symbols on it with the urgent wave of crime!

  7. Miss Betsy Gecko

    Batman Begins was so good that I almost wished I hadn’t seen Episode III three times – sorry Pastor Karl, I know how you love Star Wars. So do I. I do agree with your thoughts about Katie Holmes’ part. It doesn’t fit.

    The King Kong trailer assures me that I will probably be screaming several times during that movie. Don’t be conflicted about the movies, just think of it as a separation of the Lord of the Rings people. You are allowed to love both of them. Peter Jackson with King Kong and the Weta people doing the costumes/etc. for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

    I have yet see the War of the Worlds. Unlike most people, I’m looking forward to Dakota Fannings’ performance, not that of Tom Cruise.

  8. Dakota Fannings was the best actor in the movie. Lots of shots down on her cute scaried little face, but she did a great job – scared, but also crying and serious scenes too. This may be her “ET” but hopefully she doesn’t have the bumpy road growing up that Drew barrymore had.

  9. Dakota Fanning’s ET? She already has made it big with Man on Fire, Hide and Seek, The Cat in the Hat, Uptown Girls, Sweet Home Alabama before War of the Worlds. I was looking as forward to her performance in WOTW as I was Cruise’s also. As I’ve said in my blog. It’s not like Cruise is the greatest actor, but all of his movies are usually pretty good. Maybe WOTW will be the biggest film Fanning has been in to date, but Barrymore hadn’t been in as many hits before she had ET. If you saw Hide and Seek, Fanning was actually better than Deniro. The movie ended pretty poorly, but Fanning was really good in it. She is an amazing little actress.

  10. All those movies, and I’d never heard of her. though I didn’t see any of those movies. ok, cancel the ‘drew barrymore’ comment. I’m a new fan of that little girl. :)

  11. I totally agree with your perspective on Batman. Cool movie! I also liked the last Batman movie…it was fun.

    Still haven’t seen WOTW yet. Now will have to see it on the big screen!

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