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Now showing at the Fargo, Paraormal Activity, is a low budget(I’ve heard/read $11k and $15k) horror show

Fargo Reviews — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:07:08 +0000

Now showing at the Fargo, Paraormal Activity, is a low budget(I’ve heard/read $11k and $15k) horror in the same genre as The Blair Witch Project. The only thing is that, stepping out of character, in my opinion, the former is at least 10 times better than the latter.

As a general rule, I don’t like “scary” movies for the very simple reason that I don’t generally get emotionally involved with the movies. It is,. after all, “only a movie.” Supernatural activity also does not in general interest me for the very simple reason, explained by one of the cast of four in the movie who specializes in paranormal activity, most, if not all, paranormal activity isn’t.

However I was passing the Fargo Theatre last week at 4:45 and noticed gther was a 5 O’clock showing, so given all the media discussion of this movie, I thought I’d give it a try.

The movie, produced by Jason Blum and Oren Pei, directed by Pei and distributed by Paramount, is a hand held video pseudo documentary of a young couple, not married, that move into a new house. Now, it is important to the story that it is not the house that is haunted, but the female half of the couple, played by Katie Fetherston. I don’t need to tell you that strange things start happening, particularly at night when the couple has a video cam running in their bedroom. Realism is enhanced by the lack of a music score.

Much of the film is just film of the couples day to day activities, and is somewhat boring. But maybe that’s intentional. The strange things that happen are achieved without CGI, but by the old fashioned method of moving things when the camera is off. I found this refreshing, and if I was prepared to believe any of this, would have made the film more believable.

Thee actually is a plot, which I had figured out about half way through. But that isn’t the point of the movie. As I said, I’m not usually scared by movies, but I was startled on at least one occasion(I won’t say when), and that’s saying something.

For a “scary” movie, this is the best I’ve seen in quite some time. The genre was perfect, if the couple(Micah Sloat is the male half of the partnership) is acting, it wasn’t apparent. If you liked the Blair Witch Project, I think you’ll like this a lot more. If you like drama, you might just enjoy this for how well done it is. If you like CGI, chase scenes or things blowing up, there’s none of that here.

Entertainment:    B+
CGI                    N/A
Susoense:          B
Acting:              A-

Fargo-Moorhead movie buffs were treated to several showings of the Manhatten Short Film Festival.

Fargo Reviews — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:53:36 +0000

This past weekend Fargo-Moorhead movie buffs were treated to several showings of the Manhatten Short Film Festival. Fargo was the only city in North Dakota to screen this “festival.” There were 173 screenings world wide on five continents. There were screenings in all 50 United States, with additional screenings in Mexico and Canada to make up the North America screenings. The other continents were Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.

The Manhattan Short began 12 years ago with outdoor screenings on a side of a truck. This year, there were 432 submissions. Ten of these were selected to be sent to the venues mentioned above. The audience were given cards with each of the 10 films lilsted, and each viewer was asked to vote for his/her favorite film. The worldwide votes will be tallied and the winner declared. The screenings all took place during the week of Sept 22 thru 29.

As would be expected, the films were all of high quality and were perfectly fitted for the new Fargo Theatre Off Broadway. There were thought provoking political/ethical films, comedies, animation and more. There wasn’t much in the way of action or romance. Normally, I wouldn’t attempt to review every film in a festival(of course,m this wasn’t really a festival: there were several screenings of all ten films) but In this case, I think each worthy of some comment, so I’ll give it a try.

The first offering was The Boundary, directed by Julius Onah. Film is about an American citizen who had emigrated from the Middle East at some point in his life. He and his family are returning from a trip to their native land to visit relatives, and presumably the boundary of the title is the border between Canada(apparently) and the US. Having crossed the border, the father(Alexander Siddig, Syrianna) is detained because he has the same name as a suspected terrorist. The movie is about his detainment and near incarceration in some suspected terrorist facility before, at the last moment, the FBI notifies the Homeland Security agents that the fingerprints don’t match, and to release Siddig immediately. This is done, but what had been a joyful homecoming had soured in the process.

Se are supposedly a free people and the cornerstone of our democracy is the respect of human rights, both of ourselves and of others. Our actions as a society, in my observation over more decades than I care to admit, has been anything but. At the risk of degrading my review with personal ethical opinion, I have always thought that by denying human rights to others in order to protect what we believe to be our own is misguided and contadictory. This film makes this point poignantly, and it got my vote.

The second offering was Love Child from Swedish director Daniel Wirtberg. It was about a family that with a five year old gril that adopts a cat. The girl, whose real name is Kidra and does a remarkably believable job in the role, finds herself left out of her parent’s attention universe which is concentrated on the cat. Finally, she goes out unnoticed by her infatuated parents and comes back dressed in a cat suit. There’s probably moe to this movie, but I thought it a cute idea, while empathisizing with the girl.

The third short, Mozambique, was filmed by seventeen year old Alcises Soares of Mozambique. I’m nt sure what language the film’s dialogue, but there was no doubt some Portuguese(as is, I believe, the director’s name), as Mozambique, on the east coast ofr Africa, was a Portuguese Colony until the early seventies.

The moviie is about the devastation caused by the AIDS epedimic in East Africa, and in particular its affect on the family structure. In the movie, a boy about Soares’ age tries to unite with what is left of his family.

Next was an animated short, Skhizein, from Director Jeremy Clapin of France. I think this movie a clever idea with interesting CGI. The idea is that the main character, Henri, is struck by a 150 ton meteorite and is somehow knocked 91 centimeter out of reality. So in order to effect anything in the physical world, he had to act 91 centimeters away from whatever he was trying to do. For example, if he wants to answer a phone, he must pick up the receiver by grasping the handpiece by closing his hand on thin air exactly 91 centimeters from the actual phone. The movie could be considered as a comment on mental illness versus different perceptions. Skhizein means “split” of “cleave” in Greek. A cute idea, amusing in the sense of “The Red Balloon.:

From Spain, the next offering was Parking, by Jorge Molina. The story is about an executive who, when leaving work one day, goes to the parking garage to get his car, only to find someone already iin it. The movie is about, I think, about the unstringing of the highly strung executive as he talks to his friend on a cell phone while trying to get his car back. There’s supposedly some message here about failure, but I didn’t really follow that. This is probably as good a point as any to remark that I found the excerpts before/after the film of the director explaining what the film meant annoying. This is not to say Parking is not a good movie on whatever level one wishes to view it.

There was an intermission followed by an Italian film, A’Mare, directed by Martina Amati. Amare means “To Love” in Italian, but with the apostrophe(A’Mare), it means the man in the sea.

The film is about two boys, about 10, I would guess, that live in a costal fishing village in Italy that go fishing, as they always do, get too far from land, and discover a man floating in the sea. He turns out to be alive, but just barely, The boys are unable to get any passing boa\oats to stop and help them. Thjey finally are able to return to their village and the man recovers, swimming away as a fish or porpoise. The title is an intentional double entendre, being about the filial love between the two boys which was explored by their discovery of the man(apparently Moroccan) in the sea.

Next was Plastic, from Australian director Sandy Widynata.

Preparing for a date, Anna, who is initially displeased with her physical appearance, discovers that she can alter it by pulling on her skin. After trying several different make-over’s, she decides her original appearance wasn’t so bad after all. Not a new idea, but fun anyway.

Perhaps the most intereesting film in my opinion was Miente, directed by Isabel De Ocampo from Spain.

The movie was about the exploited immigrant girls in Spain and what their lives as prostitutes, particularly in the case being examined,. the result on the whole family. Dreams are mixed with reality in ths film, so there is some symbolism and some outright drama. I iwsh the film were longer and supplied more detail so I would have had more to think about.

Lashabiya is a very thought provoking movie, at least to me, from Israeli director Yehezkel Lazarov. It takes place in an elementary schoolyard(supposedly Laxarov’s own, and consists of a game between an outnumbered Israeli and initially ten Palestinians. They play a game, reminiscent of hide and seek, with certain rules. The armed Palestinians try to get to the Israeli while he is hiding his eyes. If he catches one of the moving, the Palestinian is dismissed, as are others for violating other rules. Eventually, there’s one Palestinian and the Israeli left. The just stand and stare at each others as the sound of playing children flood the theater. Lots of food for thought here, I think: The children are the important thing of course, but the two enemies are just staring at each other, not doing anything. I wish the director hadn’t told me so much.

The final film was Hammerhead, from the UK, directed by Sam Donovan.

The relevant story is about the effects of divorce on the child, Boris in this case. Boris’ mother works in an aquarium, and gives him a hammerhead mask to take with him one day when he is picked up by his father. Now hammerheads have eyes protruding out in either direction from their bodies, so they can’t really see what’s ahead of them, only to distinctly different sides. So Boris can see only see two disconnected images when he wears the mask, often of his father on one side and his mother on the other.

As many children of divorced parents would do, Boris trys to untie his parents on a shark spotting trip, but the futility of his efforts is underscored by the presence on the trip of his mother’s female lover. Boris disappears for a while, uniting his parents in their concrn for him, but that’s bout all. something here bout the irresistable force against the immovable object, but more about the tragedy of divorce’s effect on children.

I found all the offerings of high quality, each with some interesting story, point or twist. I must admit my expectations were probably too high: I sort of expected an oscar winner with every film, and that did not happen.

I think we are extremely fortunate to have events of this caliber in our area. Kudos to Margie Bailey and the Fargo Theatre for elevating the level of culture in our area.

Army of Darkness, a cult favorite of most of our entourage.

Fargo Reviews — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Well, it’s fall again, time for the Fargo Theatre to start screening their midnight Friday and Saturday cult film classics. Now, I’m not much iof a cult film buff, and midnight is getting a bit late for me(I’m not as young as I once was or wish I still were), fo I don’t make many of these. But when I do, it’s always a hoot because the audience is usually so into the film and not taking it at all seriously.

This last Friday some friends of mine and I took in Army of Darkness, a cult favorite of most of our entourage.

Army of Darkness is the third in the “Evil Dead” trilogy, began in 1982 with “Evil Dead” by Sam Raimi. There followed “Evil Dead 2,” and then in 1992, the climax, “Army of Darkness.”

The first two movies in this trilogy are klow or no budget standard Grade B horror films. Then, somehow Dino De Laurentis aquitred and produced the finale. This movie had a budget, and it showed. Instead of grainy film, the film quality was first rate. There were many actors and extras and the script and acting was at least professional.

The movie begins with a review of what happened in the first two; at least enough so that the viewer wouldn’t be missi9ng any information needed to understand the -er- plot of the current offering.

The movie concerns a big box store worker played by Bruce Campbell. Somehow, he gets transported back to 13th century England, already a rip off of the sci fi time travel flick “Timeline.” He and his ‘73 Oldsmobile land right in the middle of one of the usual English Viking conflicts. What happens to this conflict I’ll leave in case you want to see the movie, and the reest of the story involves Campbell trying to retrieve a magic book that will, among other things, allow him to get home. So there is much adventure, fighting with real characters and animated ones, in which just about every adventure, horror or war story beginning with The Odyssey, and ending with The Lord iof The Rings, is ripped off (hmm, Oh yes, The Lord of the rings was written before 1992).

The two hours and one minute passed very quickly, since virtually every scene was stolen from somewhere else. Maybe not side splitting stuff, but I was amused constantly during the movie.

This movie is strictly for B-grade horror fans, but remember, this is supposed to be cult classic. If movies like this are tolerated by you, as this one was by me, viewing them with a cult audience can be a lot of fun, as it was for me in this case.

Entertainment value: B
Relevance: None at all
Necessity toi suspend disbelief: total.

Animated children’s movie Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Fargo Reviews — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:28:57 +0000

Released in July and now playing at Century Ten is the animated children’s movie Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs. When I say children’s movie, I mean it: I would say the appropriate target ages would be 5 – 10, although one of my companions was 12, and he seemed to enjoy the movie a lot. There is, of course, the usual humor directed at the adults accompanying the kids, but this movie is a little light on that. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself, sitting through most of the movie with a bemused smirk on my face.

The animation is terrific, as is the development of the animated characters. The story, which of course I won’t divulge, centers around an Ice Age extended family consisting of a pair of mammoths, one of whom is pregnant, a sabre toothed cat, a sloth and a few lesser mammals. They fall through the ice one day and find themselves in a tropical world inhabited by dinosaurs. They are guided in their journey in this netherworld by a smart character Buck the weasel.

Their journey involves dealing with the unfamiliar world of the dinosaurs and the world of dinosaurs dealing with them. The story(written by Peter Ackerman and Michael Berg) is complicated and well constructed. The adults might enjoy watching it play out.
There are probably lots of Disney-esque messages about family values, accepting who you are and others as they are, as well as some fel good love conquers all ideas. I chose not to think too hard about these issues: I don’t think they were meant to be.

I think most kids will really liike this movie, and there’s enough to entertain most adults. If you like movies like, for example, Bambi, or rather would like to take your children to it, I think this movie an excellent. If you want anything else, go somewhere else.

Story: B+
Animation: A
Relevance: Good question.
Entertainment value: B+

The Golden Corral in fargo offers a tremendous variety of well prepared dishes, and the served portions are not skimpy.

Fargo Reviews — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:18:54 +0000

Before the closing of the Royal Trough – er – Fork, a new all you can eat chain had opened in Fargo, called the Golden Trough – er – Corral. It’s located just west of Gander Mountain, east of 45th St and south of I-94. If the two events(the closing and opening) are connected, it’s easy to see why.

The Golden Corral offers a tremendous variety of well prepared dishes, and the served portions are not skimpy. They have every part of the meal in fine diversity. I’m not particularly impressed with their salad bar(I’m not sure that from what I’ ve read in various consumer magazines that eating from restaurant salad bars is a good idea anyway), but I do appreciate the inclusion of fruit in the salad bar.

The specialty dishes vary from day to day, and may include things like Italian Sausage with peppers and onions, liver and onions, chicken prepared several ways, pork steaks, various fish offerings with several choices of vegetables and balked potatoes with several other potato preparations. Their is a grill that offers streak cooked the way you want it, and they’ll show the inside of the steak to make sure it’s done to the temperature you like. Naturally, the steak is inferior to steak house quality, but it is good nonetheless. There is also pizza and a whole steam table of various hot dishes. I agree with their own description of “Awesome Yankee Pot Rost.”

Three is also a large selection of desserts, including ice cream and baked goods. A dinner roll is delivered to your table(you can get more than one if you ask) along with honey butter. This is, to me, the main shortcoming of the buffet. There are no other breads or other choices for butter so, if you’re like me and sugar intolerant, you’re sort out of luck.

Everything seems to be clean, the staff hard working and eager to give quality food and service. The price is around $10. Admittedly the food is not the greatest, but it is good, probably as good as it can get for food prepared in mass quantities. I think it a really good deal, and the only reason I might not there as often as I would like is there is real temptation to take way too much. Oh, unless you go late or early, its very crowded.

Everlasting Moments Now showing on the big screen at the Fargo Theatre the winner of five Swedish academy awards.

Fargo Reviews — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:13:00 +0000

Now showing on the big screen at the Fargo Theatre the winner of five Swedish academy awards, a film by 76 year old director Jan Troel.

The movie is another of many “literature on the screen” that so many indies seem to be these days. It is period piece, set in Sweden, beginning in 1907 and continuing through World War One and a little after. An interesting period of history, one tht I’ve always wondered about. Specifically, if World War I was really a world war, then how were the Scandinavian countries, for example affected? Well if this movie is true to the time, they were, so the movie interested me from that perspective.

The movie is essentially about the Larsson family. The father, Sigge(Mickhel Persbrant), is a laborer and a drunk. The story is told as a narrative
by the oldest daughter, Maja, in a large brood of children. The story centers around the trials of the Larsson family and in large part, Sigge’s wife Marta, played by Marta Heiskonen. This is amusing, since Heiskonnen is apparently a Finnish name, and the Marta of the movie is also a Finn.

I loved the depiction of life in Sweden during this time period(the movie begins in Malmo, but moves around, as a drunk would), the early motor cars, the street scenes, complete with street cars. Recall that in that period of history there was a significant socialist or communist movement. Capitalism and Royal power were being called into question. All of these issues are dealt with in a gentle fashion.

The Larsson family is, of course, not wealthy. In desperation, Marta digs out an old camera to sell, and takes it to a camera shp run by the Dane Mr. Pedersen(Jacob Christensen). Instead, Pederson shows her how to use the camera and how to turn a profit doing so. So this is all the meat for the story, which I won’t divulge, but really the film just tells the story of this family during the 15 year of so period. The acting was excellent and the cinematography very satisfactory. However, I must say that I didn’t buy the progression of the disease of alcoholism in Sigge nor Marta as an alcoholics wife. Also, the movie is iin Swedish with English subtitles. The subtitling could have been a lot better.

So, if you like period pieces and/or “literature on the screen” I think you’ll enjoy this one. If cause scenes and violence, or mysteries are your bag, then I think you should look elsewhere.

Story: B
Acting: A
Believability: B
Historical Interest: A-

At the beginning of this review I mentioned the “Big Screen” at the Fargo Theatre. There is also a small theatre attached to the main building called The Fargo Theatre Off Broadway. This is a brand new, modern, theater that seats 99, a good number for movies showing at the Fargo. The seats are comfortable, the sound system good, and there is a very attractive and spacious lobby with old movie posters on the walls. It does not have a separate entrance than the main theater. I look forward to seeing more movies in this venue.

Now showing at the Fargo Theatre’s Off Broadway theater is the celebrated Indy “Sugar.”

Fargo Reviews — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:17:50 +0000

First, about the movie. Sugar is a nineteen year old pitcher from the Dominican Republic, one of the poorest countries even in Latin America, whose real name is Miguel Santos, played charmingly by Atteni Perez Santos(don’t hold me to strict accuracy on that first name). Sugar attends an academy in the Dominican Republic put on by the fictitious Kansas City Knights. Naturally, he is offered a minor league contract by the Knights, to pitch for the Bridgeport Swing, a Class A farm team. There actually is a Swing, but it’s the Quad City Swing. In fact, one of the billboards in the background of one of the baseball scenes advertizes that team. So much for perfect cinematography and continuity.

Sugar is given a home with a straight laced protestant family(take note). So that’s all the background I need to discuss the movie.

Now, there are a lot of Dominicans in the major leagues. This movie ios about some that aren’t. In fact, it’s not really about baseball at all. It’s about culture shock, and Sugar’s ability to adjust, or lack thereof, to life in the United States. Or so it would seem. The plot is too complex, in my view, to make any sweeping generalizations, but, but I think it more interesting the total lack of understanding the kingly Higgins’ show toward Sugar, who does learn English rather quickly(the Higins’ don’t learn any Spanish, even though they have a history of taking Dominicans under their wing.

Well, that’s too much about the story. I don’t want to sway another viewer’s opinions with my own. The movie is slow paced, and the constant interacting of Sugar with other Dominicans, Americans and other hispanics complex and requiring attention. The movie is pretty clean: not much foul language, a little drug use, but it’s not gratuitous: it’s important to the story.

This movie will not appeal to baseball fans looking for a baseball movie. It is not a drug lord movie. It’s just a movie about human relations, more like the movie “Class” than “The Rookie.” If you need adventure or action, this movie is not for you. If you like character studies and studies in human emotions and development, then I think you’d like this.

Acting: B+
Script: B+
Relevance: B+

Tuesday night the 19 on time entries to the Fargo 48 hour film festival

Fargo Reviews — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:12:09 +0000

Tuesday night the 19 on time entries to the Fargo 48 hour film festival were screened in two separate showings, one supposedly at 6:30 and another at 8:15. Both were about an hour late.

19 is a large number for this event. The 48 hour fio\lm festivals is an international event, with the winners at each level advancing a level. According to the moderator, the international body wants 24 films, but 19 was close enough. Good thing, or Fargo would have lost the event, or at least was in danger of doing so.

For those not familiar, teams of filmmakers sign up, are given a genre(eg: romance, comedy, mystery, etc) a character that must appear, in this a pizza shop employee, a name that a character must have, in this case Nick or Nicole Nelson, a prop that must be in the film, in this case a laptop, and a line of dialogue that must be included, in this case “You’ve got to give me something to work with here.”

The teams then have 48 hours to produce a movie within these parameters. There were 19 on time submissions and a few late ones that were shown on Tuesday as well.

Most of the teams were made up of tweens or young adults, so one can imagine what Tuesday night was like. FUN. Loud, raucous with loss of cheering and laughter. Most movies had a pizza delivered by a pizza delivery guy named Nick Nelson. Fortunately for most of us, Sammy’s Pizza, across the street, was closed when the second session was over. As it happens, one of the films was filmed almost entirely in Sammy’s. Another, “Mother’s Day” had one of its three segments filmed in the gift shop at the Red River Zoo. Seems a character was trying to buy a T-shirt for his mother for mothers day. Problem is, his mother didn’t like animals, and the gilt shop had no other types of T-shirts. I mention this to give sort of a flavor of what the films were like. Regardless of the genre, I could classify them all as comedy.

Obviously I cannot review all 23 films that were shown. Bishop: a tale of Gene Harris was a Thriller/Suspense movie. It was actually quite good, with an actual plot with a twist, impressive given the short time allowed, or force, however one views it. This is perhaps a good time to mention that I thought the acting professional, except in a very few instances.

“Gold” was a musical that took place in a pizza parlor. Tremendous audience response and my vote for best in show. “Amlore Pizza” of the Sci-Fi genre was about aliens that delivered Pizza Amore to everyone ordering a pizza delivered. Amore is, as most will know, Italian for love, and that’s what the recipients engage in once they get their pizza. What happens when a pizza is delivered to a man and his dog is left to the imagination.

“The Gospel of Nick Nelson” is about a novelist writing about Jesus’s ministry when a pizza is delivered, and the author and the pizza delivery guy(Nick Nelson, naturally) discuss and change the novel, and finally ask Jesus himself, who sqays he’ll ask his dad.

The inclusion or exclusion of any entry above is not intended to suggest any film over another, except in the one case. I enjoyed the movie “Special Delivery,” which would have my vote as the grossest. I had my adoptive grandsons, ages 7 and 12 with me, and do not think a cat eating semen off a laptop screen was appropriate for them. I think that in the future some mention should be made of the ratings these films might have had they been rated would be appropriate.

I’ve been going to these since they started in Fargo a number of years ago. Each year it gets better, and I hope they continue for a long time. To anyone young at heart and/or with a sense of humor, i recommend these festivals thoroughly. To learn more)in particular who won), go to www.48hourfilm.com/fargo

Now showing at the Fargo Movie Theater, a French offering, “The Class.”

Fargo Reviews — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:29:50 +0000

Now showing at the Fargo, a French offering, “The Class.”

This is an interesting movie about a French high school, and one class in particular as it navigates through the school year. The story, if it is one as opposed to real life drama, which it may well be, as far as I’m concerned, focuses on a French class. The high school is apparently not one with many upper middle class students. If we think our educational system has a diverse bunch of students, just remember that the French Colonial empire once rivaled the British in magnitude. So, we have moslem students, not only black students, but some from Africa and some from the Caribbean, and of course ordinary Franks.

Most of the scenes are set in the French classroom with the teacher trying his best to deal with unruly, disinterested and aggressive students. There are also shots of faculty meetings whee the less than perfect situation. Some of the teachers just want to give up entirely, and sometime I was tempted to agree with them.

I don’t think there’s any real message here, such as Th. fundamentally good or bad nature of adolescents or mankind in general. It’s as though someone just set a camera in a classroom and let it run. I found the depiction of the different student personalities and ethnic groups interesting, although I didn’t particularly enjoy the movie.

If you enjoyed “Blackboard Jungle” or would enjoy “Fast Times at Ridgemont HIgh” only without the humor, then you might like this. If you require any action or dramatic script, it isn’t here(except for brief shoving matches.”

Cinematography:   B
Relevance:           B*
Storyline:            N/A

Latest Batman installment, “Dark Knight.”

Fargo Reviews — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:01:00 +0000

The Fargo Theatre, as it often does after an awards ceremony, recently had a limited showing of the latest Batman installment, “Dark Knight.” The recent awards ceremony was, of course the Golden Globes.

In this installment Ethan Hawke plays The Batman(how he’s referred to in this movie) and Michael Caine plays his ever present butler. There is no Robin. And, as everyone except those that skip anything to do with movies, the Joker is played by the late Heath Ledger.

I found the movie an action and explosion filled version of a combination of “A Clockwork Orange” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster.” The Clockwork Orange connection is that in both movies, law and order are broken down. There are several instances in Dark Knight where citizens will not call the police or go to a court or police station since it is not safe. Of course, since in the movie Gotham has become Chicago, the fear may niot be far from wrong.

Even The Batman is being sought as a criminal(he certainly does not always stay within the strict confines of the law, but this is Chicago, er, Gotham, so who does?)

In to this crime infested mess enters The Joker, whose agenda is to simply to destroy everything, and District Attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Ekhardt, a white knight, or Daniel Webster if you get my drift. You’ll just have to see the movie to see if you agree with me on this.

The movie consists mainly with a special police task force(presumably honest), Dent, and The Batman pursuing The Joker as he blows up buildings, cars, busses, people, in what is almost a psycho-drama. In the last third of the movie, which some have said is weak, Ledger’s performance is so compelling that I think he deserves the Oscar he most surely he posthumously will get. Lots of chase scenes, The Batman flying down from the tops of buildings, so the movie should be great fun for those that like that sort of thing. Of course, all Batman movies are about the struggle between good and evil, but there are some attempts in this movie to introduce thought producing ideas, involving this eternal struggle as well as raising issues about what motivates some of these characters. I won’t divulge exactly what I mean here: I think if you see the movie, you should think for yourself.

I found the movie a bit boring(once I’ve seen one horrendous explosion, I don’t really feel enthralled by a dozen more) and the psycho drama aspect a bit thin, but I certainly enjoyed myself.

The movie will certainly appeal to Batman fans, fans of chase scenes, and those that like action with a little thought provoking material thrown in. Outside the Batman genre, I think this movie compares somewhat with “The French Connection.”

Acting: A
Screenplay: B
Action: B
Special Effects/CGI: B+