An absolute legend of a film

Right, where to start?! As you can probably tell from the title of this review, I was extremely impressed with this film. As a fan of superheroes in general from a very young age to this day, I was horrified by the absolutely atrocious protrayal of batman by the likes of George Clooney and Val Kilmer. For the most part, I consider these two to be good actors but the script was just sooooo terrible that they could do nothing to make the films any good!
When I heard that Batman Begins was going to return to the comic's dark and gritty roots, it was like a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, I thought Batman Begins was a fantastic film but I must admit that when I heard about the Dark Knight, I doubted it would live up to the standard set by its predecessor. Thankfully, I was wrong as the second installment more than equals Batman Begins.
Bale is brilliant as always as the hero Batman but the true star of the show has to be the late Heath Ledger. Many may think it was all hype but of those of you who haven't seen the film and think it's being exagerated, buy this and see for yourself. I won't ruin too much of the plot but I will say that it is far far darker than anything you may have seen in the genre before. The joy of the batman films is that they can be made serious without them seeming like a mockery, as has been done before with super-hero films. The lack of insane superpowers obviously makes this a much easier feat to achieve as you find yourself believing that it could really happen!
Right, so there's some positive stuff, now for the negative. I have only two gripes with this excellent film:
1) Morgan Freeman and Michael Cain were sadly neglected, which is almost criminal when dealing with actors of their calibre
2) Two-Face only appears in earnest for about 20 mins, which while being understandable considering the presence of the joker and the storyline in general, is a shame because the character was done so very well.

Let's face it, two bad points in a film this long? That's pretty good going!! One more thing as a word of warning: this film as been given a rating of 12. Now, I want to meet the people who did that and get their heads examined. DO NOT let anyone below the age of 15 see this, the sight of Two Face alone will give a 12 year old nightmares for months and he/she will definitely develop a fear of clowns!!

Not a fan, but my 9 year old is!

My then 8 year old dragged me along to see this. I'm a cynical, long-in-the-tooth 42 year old who doesn't have time to watch adverts much less a super hero movie. So yes, I found the story implausible and far-fetched, and would have fallen asleep if the music wasn't so loud......but my son LOVED it - and is now hassling me for the DVD which will be in his Xmas stocking.

So, if you're buying for a pre-teen they'll love it, but stick in the mud accountants like me won't!

Dreadful

This has got to be one of the worst films of its genre. I thought at first, and then realised, I was actually watching a bunch of clothes hangers with fabrics trying to act.

The script was so thin on value and character dimension you could have slipped a cigarette paper in between unnoticed. Even when trying to classify this as a bit of fluffy entertainment I felt completely let down.

It's always a bit sad when actresses past their prime of youth try to maintain a 'forever young' image and then look like they've been flayed for all their sins only to have had the skin re-applied by a oneyed butcher with two left hands.

The actresses looked like and acted as if they were just about ready to go into mummification, and the only thing that made them look alive were these garish clothes, cut to look as if they were made with the left-overs of a cloth remnants sale at Bergdorf Goodman's. Never even mind the hairdos effected in a windtunnel and then sprayed to perfection by a restyling crew of plasterers.

Miss SJP particularly looked as if she'd just been resurrected from Egypt's Antiquities collection, quickly filled with hot air which began to seep out during the making of this piece returning her to the original skin and bones look.

Sadly this piece of celluloid just about hovers below sublime ridicule. Straight to the bin to join Pearl Harbor DVD (2 Disc Set) [2001]....Oh Gawwd!

Don't even compare this with Mamma Mia! [2008] which is a treat.

More the Joker's story then Batmans.

Could the movie live up to the hype? Most definitely. Buy this film if only to see Heath Ledger's portrayal of Batman's arch-enemy the Joker. His performance is worth the cost of the blu-ray alone. I always though that Jack Nicholson's performance would set the standard, but Heath Ledger's Joker knocks that into a hat.

This is a continuance of the Dark Knight created originally by Bob Kane and later re-invented by Frank Miller. Batman ain't Mr NIce Guy and nor should he be. In fact Batman comes across as harder and possibly mentally unstable but then again to wear latex and a cape you have to be a bit mad.

If I found one fault in the film, it would be that it is too long. I would have rather this had been extended and made in too parts like Kill Bill. That worked so well and I am sure this would have been just as good and a continuing legacy to Heath Ledgers best performance.

copy protected

if you want to watch this on your computer, don't bother paying for the boxset.

The Wire

Cracking series.

Had heard alot about it and it lived upto it's billing.

Enjoy

Good rather than excellent

Film in which Will Smith plays John Hancock, a Los Angeles based superhero who despite his using his super powers to fight crime is despised by the public because he is a drunkard and clumsy in the use of his powers, often causing millions of pounds of damage to public and private property in his efforts to bring criminals to justice. One day Hancock saves the life of PR executive with a heart Ray Embrey (played by Jason Bateman), and to show his gratitude Ray decides to take Hancock under his wing to help him to rectify his public image problem. With Ray's help Hancock starts learning how a superhero should behave - and look - and how to endear himself to the public. Through his relationship with Ray Hancock gets to meet Ray's family - wife Mary (played by Charlize Theron) and his young son - and when Ray and his family query Hancock as to his origins Hancock reveals something that no one until that point knew: he has no memory of his past. But everything will change for Hancock when it transpires that Mary has a secret of her own and Hancock gets involved in a love triangle with her and Ray. And when some dangerous criminals that Hancock helped put behind bars come after him looking for revenge when Hancock is at his most uninvincible will Hancock survive?

Comments: I enjoyed this film. Will Smith plays the role of superhero Hancock well, both as the interesting uncouth and unpleasant drunk he is at first and the more polished - and familiar - type of superhero he becomes after his makeover by Jason Bateman's PR exec. The special effects are first-rate, Bateman makes for excellent support and Charlize Theron is suitably mysterious as the wife with a secret. There are also a number of moments of wry humour (although the film is not a comedy). Personally I never get tired of seeing superheroes fighting against crime or the forces of evil - as long as it's done well, which it is in this film. However although the enjoyment factor in this film is high Hancock's back story is not developed enough or given enough detail in the film, weakening the end product somewhat. Smith and Theron's charisma and star power carry the film but the lack of sufficient information about the character Hancock's origins means that this film is good rather than excellent.

Outstanding

This is one of, if not the, finest T.V shows ever made. However you choose to rate it - acting, direction, writing, editing, music - it triumphs in each and every category.

It is by turns dramatic, thought-provoking, funny, inspiring and educational. Not since the 4077th M*A*S*H stopped taking casulties have I been so taken by a group of characters.

This is the perfect antidote to the reality of what a mess everything is after eight years of Bush. It is impossible not to watch and wish that these people really were the leaders of the world.

Could have been a lot better...

Took a while to heat up - my interest grew and the excitement rolled - then a big dissapointment for an ending (perhaps that was the point) but these types of endings may make for good reading - but not very interesting for a film.

Not all bad

I watched this with my girlfriend and she (like a lot of women I hear) was in floods of tears.

Call me a"typical bloke" if you will, but I was not emotionally drawn into it. I didn't see any chemistry between Swank and Butlers characters so never really bought their relationship. I thought Swanks character had better chemistry with that of Connick Jrs.

Anyhow, it's an ok film with some funny moments - had the casting been a bit better I too may have had a tear in my eye

Sub-titles //

Soundtrack is in English, Italian and Spanish.

Sub-titles are English, English for the Hearing Impaired, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Portuguese and Dutch.

Fantastic feel good factor

I bought this after watching the ITV showing with my other half. He even enjoyed following the twists to this story. Whilst Colin Firth still is the ultimate Darcy all the characters were really well portraited.

I would recommend this to anyone, it doesn't ruin the story and moves at a respectable pace. A lovely feel good factor in this gloomy time, good to see something light hearted and well acted.

Super!

I bought te set in August from amazon.com. We live in Japan which is really slow at showing new programmes from the US and UK and in the summer of they were still showing season 3! We couldn't wait and weren't disappointed. The medical cases as really bizarre and the new situation of House creating a new team is highly entertaining (although Foreman's position is not quite clear and doesn't quite fit the new situation it seems ... and its a bit strange to see Cameron more smiley and jolly). You do lose a bit of fizz towards the end of the series (the new team don't have that snap crackle pop like the old ones). However, the last two episodes are brilliant! It's just a shame the series was so short. The extras on the DVD set are a bit better than previous DVDs as you get snippet interviews with the cast. I would certainly recommend this set.

blood is thicker than water

Despite bringing in a case (of sorts) at the end of last season there is a fair bit of fallout for Baltimore's boys in blue at the beginning of season two. Lieutenant Daniels has been banished to the basement archives and McNulty is a fish out of water working with the harbour police. In fact the first few episodes show brilliantly how ill at ease he is. His barrel chest looks likely to topple him over the side of the boat and there's a repeating joke about his inability to tie any kind of knot. The action shifts for the most part away from the projects run by Avon Barksdale (who now languishes in jail with his nephew D'Angelo) and his crew and to the docks where stevedores and longshoremen ply their trade. In the modern age there is plenty of money to be made from those anonymous looking shipping containers but when one of them is found to contain the bodies of 14 eastern European women a new case begins.

Some slightly transparent plotting allows Daniels out of his underground exile with carte blanche to assemble his old detail (and the promise that if they bring in a case the team will become permanent - very handy for subsequent series) but once things get going it's just nice to have them all back together again. Only McNulty is left adrift and we see his private life following that familiar collision course from the first season. His drunken conversations with 'Bunk' are a particular highlight (and should come with subtitles of their own). We also get to meet Mrs McNulty for the first time as he tries to patch together his relationship.

At the centre of the case is the Sobotka family: Frank is a union official, knee-deep in corruption, his nephew Nick, short on hours at the docks, is doing what it takes to make money whilst also trying to keep Frank's son Ziggy from messing it all up. This series lacks some of the interest of the first. The dock workers can be difficult to care about at times because they are often shown to be just plain stupid. Higher up the ladder is 'The Greek' who with his constantly clicking worry beads is the enigmatic boss. The police work too doesn't get its hooks into you in the same way. Perhaps because of what they've learnt from the first case it all feels far more procedural rather than as if they're feeling their way through. But this is still a compelling series as we watch the personal lives of the team develop, that conflict between home and work putting strains on relationships.

Barksdale's crew continue to fascinate and it is Stringer Bell, played brilliantly by British actor Idris Elba, who exerts all the power whilst Avon does his time inside. His hands are on everything, and I mean everything, and I wonder how that might develop in season three. Could there be some possible conflict in the future? The thief Omar is the other really strong character, still stalking the streets looking to revenge the murder of his 'boy'. Underneath his chilling exterior there is that passion of a man wronged and he is given some of the more memorable utterances. The script continues to be wonderfully baffling at times and maybe suffers in places from much more obvious political point making but whilst it may not have been as impressive a series it still remains far more engaging, serious and worth watching than anything comparable from this side of the water.

Exellent

This is a beautiful, sad and very funny costume drama, really a treat. The acting is super and the costumes, surroundings are one of the best so far. I would highly recommend this for any costume drama fan!

Great entertainment

As a fan of superhero movies, I have been a happy man recently. The quality of these movies has increased massively over the past few years. The Dark Knight, Spiderman and Hulk movies are great improvements on previous efforts.... can Iron Man keep up... OH YES! Watched this last night on my brand new 1080p TV and was blown away with the picture quality... amazing. Then you have the film itself. Sets up the character brilliantly, I really like Stark the playboy, and you are really convinced with his epiphany. With good performances from all the actors, great special effects and CGI that is not obvious, this made for a very entertaining 2 hours. Even sets you up for an exciting sequel..... a must buy for super hero movie fans, especially on Blu Ray

The film for girls in 2008

I really loved Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging as it is light-hearted and funny, yet realistic with film-y qualities. It is a must see for all teenage girls as it relates to the problems we may have, and is just a fabulous film to relax to. Watch it with an open mind and you'll love it!
I found that as a British"chic-flic" it was much more realistic than the plastic-style ones from America. Nothing is exaggerated any more than the average teenager would and the way Georgia is is very natural.
It involves everything from friendship to family, school to social life, and, of course, boys!
If you want a film which a girl from about 12 to 17 can relate to and enjoy, this is it. Also, if you have read the books it is a fab adaptation, but it does change a lot of the things which happen, so don't expect it to be as good as the books, just different.
Buy this and you (hopefully) won't be disappointed!

Great - but don't bother with the extra features!

Yes, there are some historical innacuracies but it makes little difference to the enjoyment of this hugely watchable and brilliantly done drama - due to all concerned, it's quality stuff.
The only thing that lets it down in my opinion, as a DVD, is the poor extra features offering. For some inexplicable reason these features start with several very short snippets starring 3 Americans, of all people, who waffle on offering empty opinions or stating the bleeding obvious whilst insisting on calling them 'the Too-derrrs' throughout! CUT!
Peter O'Toole's own contribution is fine but is marred rather by an extremely patronising American woman doing a voiceover....yee gads! Give those a miss but as for the series, I loved it and wait eagerly for the next instalment. And Henry not putting on enough weight? This is still early in his reign...we're only on wife number 2....and hey - were any of us actually there???

Just incredible....

Amazing. Truly amazing. The best, most moving war movie or series, or, anything, that i have ever seen. Truly moving, after wathching it I felt a huge kinship with the men of easy company. I even set my background as band of brothers. Buy this.

The Beautiful and the Damned

This was 'watercooler' TV in the 80s,(it wouldn't be today, of course). When I first saw Brideshead all the interest - and the talk - seemed to be about Sebastian (the character and the actor playing him). New Romantics nicked the fashion ideas, families went to visit Castle Howard at the weekends. Redtops found a few half-witted Oxford students clutching teddybears and took photos to amuse their readers. And there was a sudden increase in the number of (Blair-like) conversions to Catholicism.

Watching it all again, I appreciated so much that hadn't at the time moved me - the romance between Charles and Julia, the sense of damnation hanging over the characters.

I've put Brideshead away now, but I am sure I'll revisit it again in another 27 years time, God willing.