The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

I have been looking forward to this moment for four years and it did not fail to impress. I was seriously expecting The Dark Knight Rises to be nothing compared to The Dark Knight, but it was just as good. The Dark Knight Rises is set years after the previous film. Bruce Wayne has become a recluse, but he must come out of hiding when Bane threatens to rip Gotham City apart.
Note: I do not recommend reading this without seeing the film.

In my opinion it's the characters that really make this film great. The film contains the usual characters Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman (Christian Bale), Alfred (Michael Caine), James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). But, it also boasts some new characters, John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Selina Kyle a.k.a Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), Bane (Tom Hardy) and Miranda Tate a.k.a Talia al Ghul (Marion Cotillard).
Bruce Wayne has in some ways gone back to Batman Begins. He is no longer Batman, so lives a life in the shadows. He refuses to see anyone and his company is falling apart. But, when he goes back to being Batman he sees only two options; Kill Bane or die doing it. I liked this version of Batman because he started to fear death and seemed more relatable. I also liked the fact that some characters had guessed that Wayne was Batman and that others were told. It was nice ending. Taking off the mask as it were.
Wayne has many father figures in his life and I like the fact that you see a part of all of them acting like one. Alfred disappeared for a large chunk of the film and I seriously missed him. Batman isn't the same without Alfred. He couldn't watch Wayne destroy himself because he wanted him to have a life and a family. James Gordon, now Commissioner was struggling with the lies he had told about Harvey Dent and I felt really bad for him because he had lost everything because of those lies. I like his character because he will stop at nothing to rid the city of crime, but he needs the help of Batman and he believes entirely in him. Lucius Fox looks after Wayne's company in his absence and he continues to gather weapons/tools to aid Batman. He will do anything to help Wayne and this is why I like him. They're all loyal to Bruce Wayne and believe in Batman.
John Blake is an everyday police officer that rises up the ranks dramatically to detective during the conflict with Bane. I really liked that he had a similar but less privileged past to Wayne and that he knew that Wayne was Batman. The twist at the end made everything better, when you discover his real name is Robin. It leaves Christopher Nolan with a chance to do a sequel (Please :'( ).
Selina Kyle is a new character in Nolan's trilogy, but she had to compete with Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman. There was no competition really because they were different. In this film, she was stealing from the rich because there were so many in need in Gotham City. A twisted Robin Hood. I liked her because she didn't even know what she wanted and when it came down to it, she wanted to help rather than run. I also liked that she was never referred to as Catwoman in the film and that her goggles were cats ears when on her head.
Right, Bane...I have mixed opinions about Bane. I liked him and thought he was a good villain. He looked amazing, I hardly recognised Tom Hardy. He looked an awful lot better than the Bane in Batman & Robin (1997). He was different kind of villain to the Joker. I do prefer the Joker, but Bane was one of the better Batman villains. However, I found him really hard to understand at times and that was a bit off putting.
Miranda Tate is at first the love interest of Bruce Wayne and I liked that I was never sure if she knew that he's Batman or not. I thought that her being the true villain behind Bane and being Ra's al Ghul's daughter were great twists. I had heard about her being his daughter at the beginning of the production, but I dismissed it. I also liked that her and Bane seemed to be in love. It made Bane seem more human rather than beast.
I have to mention the little appearance made by Jonathan Crane a.k.a The Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) because it made me giggle because he was the judge and jury against the privileged members of Gotham's society.

There is a lot I can say about the setting because it's exactly the same as the other films and it's New York City renamed as Gotham City. I love that it is used in Banes plan as he cuts off a large part of the city. I also liked that it was set during the day for the majority of the film because it was like the Batman was rising from the ashes and he couldn't hide in the dark anyway due to Bane's ability to see the him in the dark. I also liked Batman's new form of transport, The Bat. Batman was flying.

I really enjoyed the narrative because it was full of twists and turns that you do not entirely expect. Which is always good when it comes to watching a film that is nearly three hours long. However, it is really worth sitting through it. I liked that in a way the film had gone in a full circle because it was similar to Batman Begins. I also liked that the Nolan brothers had kept close to the comics by having Bane break Batmans back. The ending is slightly predictable, but it is great all the same. I walked out of the cinema and would have happily sat and watched it again straight away. I don't want to say a lot because I find it hard to describe. I read a review in a paper that said the film took too long to get into the action, but I felt that it was good because if you had just lost the woman you love and turned a city against yourself, it'd take some time to get back into the game. Plus, you really follow Bruce Wayne's journey. I really enjoyed it.

It is rare for me to leave a film with a massive grin and this film is still making me smile just thinking about it. It was a great ending to a great trilogy. I applaud Nolan on breaking the bad sequel issue. He is a great writer and director making these films great. I am really sad that it's over, but I will always have hope for another Nolan Batman. It will never be the same again. I'd like to see someone try and top these films. Good Luck.

Top 10 Greatest Villains

I was thinking about my favourite villains the other day and I found it really hard. I started off with my favourite films, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) and was sat there thinking the villains aren't massively amazing in the films. So, it got me thinking who my top 10 greatest villains.
I would like to point out these are my greatest villains from the films I have seen. You may have different ideas.

10. T-Rex Jurassic Park (1993)
Ok, it's not the greatest villain ever, or a person, but he is scary. He's a dinosaur with massive teeth. I put him on my list because as a child I refused to watch it because I was so scared of the T-Rex.

9. Loki Thor (2011) and Avengers Assemble (2012)
I felt obliged to include Loki because I love his character. I think he's a good villain because you understand his motives.

8. Scar The Lion King (1994)
He kills his own brother, makes his nephew watch and will stop at nothing to hold onto the throne of Pride Rock, including the attempted killing of his nephew. He's evil.

7. The Evil Queen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Her motives explain why she's on my list. She wants to kill an innocent girl just because a mirror has told her that she is more beautiful than her.

6. Alex DeLarge A Clockwork Orange (1971)
The boy enjoys drinking drugged milk, brutal violence and sexual assault. Enough said.

5. Norman Bates Psycho (1960)
Not only does he kill his own mother, but he proceeds to dress up in her clothes and kill other women and this is all because he hates women. Plus, he made my friend scream like a little girl.

4. Agent Smith Matrix Trilogy (1999-2003)
The computer system that loathes humans and will stop at nothing to leave the Matrix (He hates the smell). He is an unfair fighter as he creates multiple versions of himself and to stop one man and this is why I have included him.

3. Darth Vader Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (1977-1983)
The bringer of the Emperor's wrath, the man who can kill with a look and his determination to corrupt his own son get him on my list and into spot number 3. (He is also slightly cool)

2. Amon Goeth Schindler's List (1993)
His character I believe is the definition of evil. His emotionless, cold and callous attitude to the inmates of the camp and his enjoyment at shooting them and their suffering make him truly evil.

1. The Joker The Dark Knight (2008)
I really like the Joker and I feel he is the greatest Batman villain, if not the greatest villain of all time (so far). He is different because he has no plans for world domination, revenge or personal game. He just enjoys playing his little game with Batman and killing others. He enjoys the idea of the world burning and him and Batman the only two left in an endless battle. He is a great villain and it will be hard to top him (Good Luck Bane).

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Snow White and the Huntsman is the second film to be released this year based on the Brother's Grimm fairytale. This version is classed as a twisted fairytale and is very unlike the images I have seen for Mirror Mirror (2012). When the Huntsman is ordered to kill Snow White, he instead becomes her protector and mentor in her quest to defeat the Evil Queen.

Snow White is packed full with stars and is one of the best parts of the film.
I wasn't expecting a lot from Kristen Stewart as Snow White because I was basing her performance as an actress on Twilight (I do not like Twilight). However, I was surprised because she was quite good. Unlike the other versions, Snow White wasn't waiting for her one true love to come and rescue her. Instead, she took an active role in her liberation.
Chris Hemsworth plays the rugged, drunk Huntsman and I thought he was really good because he was just as good as the Knights and I wanted to give him a hug because he has had a hard life (As you've probably gathered I want to give many characters hugs). I also liked the fact that he featured more in this version of the story because you understand why he lets Snow White go. Plus, he's a bit of eye candy for the ladies.
The 'prince' (he's not really a prince), Snow White's childhood friend, William is played by Sam Claflin. The first film I saw Claflin in was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger's Tides and I thought he was good, but I think he's better in Snow White because he's more, use a bow and arrow and less preachy. He was more active in Snow White. I also found his character slightly adorable because he felt awful for leaving Snow White behind and he's obviously in love with her.
Personally I think one of the best scenes is when the dwarfs are introduced. Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Johnny Harris, Eddie Marsan and Brian Gleeson play the most amazing dwarfs I have ever seen (minus Gimli). The dwarfs are great because they are grumpy, caring and very handy to have in a fight. They can also sing and dance. They are also great because as you slowly realise who is playing the dwarfs, you sit in a state of 'Oh my God,' and 'that's epic.' My favourite dwarf is Gus (Brian Gleeson) because he is so happy and lovely.
Chalize Theron plays the evil Queen, Ravenna and I love this take on the character because she wasn't just vain. the obsession ran deeper. I also thought the idea that it was men's obsession with female beauty cause her obsession was inspired. I also liked that we saw her use a range of cool powers.
Sam Spruell plays Ravenna's brother, Finn and he was also surprisingly good because he was really creepy. I was slightly disappointed that the cut across his face made by Snow White didn't leave a nasty scare. That would have added to his creepy personality.
Now, the magic mirror is no longer cheesy. There is no actors face pasted onto a mirror. Instead, it's a golden disc that melts and morphs into a caped man with no face (this is the best way I could describe it, sorry). I liked this because it was slightly scary as the queen was the only one who could see him.
I was annoyed by the changing accents of Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth because they weren't necessary in the first place.

I had expectations of the settings in Snow White from the posters. Initially, I thought they had copied Alice in Wonderland (2010), but once again I was surprised.
It is no secret that I love the Disney princess films and I was happy to see that the Dark Forest looked exactly like the one in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. All of the dead, twisted trees made the forest that bit creepier. I also liked the idea that the forest played with your fears and the troll at the bridge because he looked like part of the forest.
The Fairy Sanctuary was amazing and I wish it was real. The tall trees, green grass and sunshine was a beautiful change to the dark, dull settings featured earlier in the film. The weird and wonderful plants added to its beauty. My particular favourite were the mushrooms with eyes.
The Castle was just how you would imagine an evil fairytale castle to be and I loved that it was surrounded by the sea because it made it seem impenetrable.

The story followed a similar layout to the previous versions of Snow White. All of the key scenes were there; Snow White escaping, the Huntsman being sent to kill her and failing to do so, Snow White biting the apple and a kiss waking her up. But the twists, in my opinion, made the story better. The Huntsman taking care of her makes more sense than the previous versions where he leaves her to wonder into a dangerous forest. My favourite twist was the Huntsman's kiss waking Snow White rather than the prince's (William) because it plays with your expectations.
However, I do have some issues with the story. My friends and I felt that the magic needed explaining more because you never understand it entirely. For example, you don't know why only the Queen can see the man in the mirror. I also feel that as an audience, we are left without closure and that is infuriating because you don't know who Snow White ends up with. The Huntsman or William? We can't expect closure either because it is very unlikely that a sequel will be made as they have killed the villain and left a happy-ish ending. My friends and I came up with multiple endings that would have left us feeling a bit happier because we would have had closure. But, alas it is too late.

Overall, I found the film to be a happy surprise and I quite enjoyed the twists and turns. I also enjoyed the humour because it was added at the right moments.