The Dark Knight Rises

Just came back from the movie. Let me say this:
Don't compare TDK to TDKR and you'll enjoy the movie a whole lot more.
Its no secret that this series has its root in TDK but this is a separate movie. Any comparison will just ruin it for you.
 
Haven't seen TDKR yet but I have to say that although I did enjoy TDK, I don't understand the hype around these movies. I mean sure they are blockbusters and probably in the top tier of Hollywood releases and I know that Batman is an icon with crazy following. But to be counted among the best movies (best 5, or even the best) of all time, that's something I don't understand. I know it's subjective, but this is where I question myself as to why am I a minority.

Still gonna watch TDKR but certainly not excited enough to see first day, or even first week maybe. (like I am gonna find tickets anyway :p)
 
Ha Ha :lol:
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starchazer said:
But to be counted among the best movies (best 5, or even the best) of all time, that's something I don't understand. I know it's subjective, but this is where I question myself as to why am I a minority.
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Depends on where you're getting that "best 5" from. If it's from different users then you already answered that in your latter statement. If you're going by IMDB's list, then it's in top 10 amongst the other 249 movies, and that's just based on average rating. I personally think Shawshank Redemption is over-hyped and doesn't deserve to be the best movie of all time, does that put me in a minority? May be. But who cares? I'm not curious over it's hype, nor do I question it. I just say "meh" and move on. It doesn't affect my judgement, nor does it make me any less a movie buff than what I am right now. It just means I don't share the "top 5" list as someone else. That's it!

*wipes groggy eyes*

Dam! Need to hit the sack. Got a show at 10:00 in the morning. :D
 
Pardon me good sir, but was it better than Ra-1? or was it Ra-VAN? Anyway, you know what I mean; you're favorite movie, basically. :ph34r:
 
Don't look at me, I was just making conversation.

EDIT: We have Apex, Aces and Baatli online. :p

EDIT 2: It's Baatli! You sly devil. ;)
 
A movie with a good plot and story line but very less action and very less appearance of batman :) , overall i would say a good watch but nowhere near TDK
 
Ok here're some of the epic and hilarious sequences I recall from the movie. Spoilers follow so be careful!

At the manor planning to meet the orthopedic.....

Wayne: Do we have any cars?

Alfred: I guess we have one or two left.

Wayne drives out of the Wayne Manor in the Aventador!




Catwoman: My mother warned me not to get into a car with a stranger!

Batman: This is not a car!



At the gathering.....

Wayne: Must've lost my ticket.

Valet Attendant: Your wife said you were taking a cab home.

Wayne: My wife?

Selina steals the Aventador. Major ROFL there! xD



At the Wayne Enterprises....

Wayne: I'm retired.

Lucius Fox: Well let me show you some stuff anyway. Just for old time's sake.
 
Ethan_Hunt said:
Depends on where you're getting that "best 5" from. If it's from different users then you already answered that in your latter statement. If you're going by IMDB's list, then it's in top 10 amongst the other 249 movies, and that's just based on average rating. I personally think Shawshank Redemption is over-hyped and doesn't deserve to be the best movie of all time, does that put me in a minority? May be. But who cares? I'm not curious over it's hype, nor do I question it. I just say "meh" and move on. It doesn't affect my judgement, nor does it make me any less a movie buff than what I am right now. It just means I don't share the "top 5" list as someone else. That's it!

*wipes groggy eyes*

Dam! Need to hit the sack. Got a show at 10:00 in the morning. :D
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I don't think "where I got the best 5 from" is relevant. TDK is all over the internet. Many of my friends too consider it one the best film of all time. At times they tell me it's a sin not to like TDK. I don't "dislike" the movie. But I just can't put it in the same place as others do. And it's not the hype that killed it for me; I didn't even see TDK in theater. I saw it on Blu ray. That's months months after it was released in theaters and the hype faded out. But when I finally see a movie that's considered one of the finest cinematic works and don't like it as much, it certainly makes me "think". Do I think about it when I am eating, shitting, sleeping? No. But I do think often, when it's discussed, or when a sequel arrives. But eventually, like you, I have moved on. Just because I am sharing my view doesn't mean I am still "stuck" there.

And TDK is not alone, there are countless others movies that puts me in minority (that goes for both liking and disliking a particular movie). I happily like to remain a minority and would never change my judgement due to others, but as a filmmaker myself, I am always trying to find what things must have appealed to the audience and whatnot (and I count myself in the audience) and if there's a movie that everybody likes and I don't, I try to give it a second watch (and trust me, some movies DID grow on me on 2nd viewing) and discuss it with others. So when the hype makes me curious, I don't necessarily question "why's everybody liking this movie" but it's also a question to myself "why don't I like this movie when everybody does? And what exactly is it that I don't like in it" and so on. You see, every individual has a different outlook at things. I guess that's my way. :)
 
starchazer said:
I don't think "where I got the best 5 from" is relevant. TDK is all over the internet. Many of my friends too consider it one the best film of all time. At times they tell me it's a sin not to like TDK. I don't "dislike" the movie. But I just can't put it in the same place as others do. And it's not the hype that killed it for me; I didn't even see TDK in theater. I saw it on Blu ray. That's months months after it was released in theaters and the hype faded out. But when I finally see a movie that's considered one of the finest cinematic works and don't like it as much, it certainly makes me "think". Do I think about it when I am eating, shitting, sleeping? No. But I do think often, when it's discussed, or when a sequel arrives. But eventually, like you, I have moved on. Just because I am sharing my view doesn't mean I am still "stuck" there.

And TDK is not alone, there are countless others movies that puts me in minority (that goes for both liking and disliking a particular movie). I happily like to remain a minority and would never change my judgement due to others, but as a filmmaker myself, I am always trying to find what things must have appealed to the audience and whatnot (and I count myself in the audience) and if there's a movie that everybody likes and I don't, I try to give it a second watch (and trust me, some movies DID grow on me on 2nd viewing) and discuss it with others. So when the hype makes me curious, I don't necessarily question "why's everybody liking this movie" but it's also a question to myself "why don't I like this movie when everybody does? And what exactly is it that I don't like in it" and so on. You see, every individual has a different outlook at things. I guess that's my way. :)
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I had a similar feeling during Avatar. Everyone must have remember that hype - tickets selling for 1000 bucks in B'lore PVR, people travelling to Hyd'bad for IMAX view.
I watched the movie thrice in theaters - first it was in a local theater, second in a multiplex (one of the best - Mysore Infy multiplex) and third in IMAX - Mani Square, Kolkata.
And I had the same feeling - why this hype. Its just normal CG which I everyday see in my PC. yeah, people laughed at me when I said my games looks better than Avatar. lol. :p
I liked that movie, but could find it worth worshipping.

And the same now. TDKR - no doubt a fine show. I too had great expectations from it. But I am disappointed. And I am having a feeling that I am too in that 'minority'. But I will give it a second (or more) watch and see if its gets any better. :p
 
starchazer said:
I don't think "where I got the best 5 from" is relevant. TDK is all over the internet.
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It IS relevant. You see, it depends on where you're polling your statistics from to form such a conclusive opinion on something. This movie is hyped, just like any other big budget Hollywood movie was. If you look at it's previous movies box-office success, this shouldn't come as a surprise to you. It's plastered all over the Internet because that's what Internet does, it spreads the word. If you want to give into it's hype or not, that's your choice. Heck, I just came back from the show and I saw a bunch of teenagers in my adjacent row yapping "Hey wait let me update my status on Facebook about it". Not sure if it's a boon or bane (no pun intended), but this is how this generation works. Why do you think Justin Bieber is so hyped?

starchazer said:
Many of my friends too consider it one the best film of all time. At times they tell me it's a sin not to like TDK. I don't "dislike" the movie.
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Why can't it be their best movie of all time? Terminator 2: Judgement Day is my "best movie" of all time and I'll have a bunch of other folks to agree with me. Should we start questioning that too?

To tell someone it's a sin to not like a freakin' movie is literally considered as a joke. It's just their way of over-reacting to something that they have liked and enjoyed.

starchazer said:
But I just can't put it in the same place as others do. And it's not the hype that killed it for me; I didn't even see TDK in theater. I saw it on Blu ray. That's months months after it was released in theaters and the hype faded out. But when I finally see a movie that's considered one of the finest cinematic works and don't like it as much, it certainly makes me "think". Do I think about it when I am eating, shitting, sleeping? No. But I do think often, when it's discussed, or when a sequel arrives.
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These 2 statements feel a bit contradictory to me. Where did you get the impression from that it was one of the finest cinematic works? It's obviously the peoples talks, their reactions for the movie, and your beloved Internet. Their "hype" for this movie being branded in such a way, developed your curiosity. This curiosity must have created some expectations and when those expectations weren't met, you weren't in agreement with those bold statements. This is the same thing that happened to me when I saw Cannibal Holocaust, which was considered to be the "holy grail" of gore movies. I had various people who recommended it to me and even now, you'll have people who swear by it. I didn't find it that gory at all, in fact I found it to be quite amusing. So the hype turned out to be a downer for me.

starchazer said:
But eventually, like you, I have moved on. Just because I am sharing my view doesn't mean I am still "stuck" there.
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Who said anything about you being "stuck" anywhere, or even implied it for that matter?

starchazer said:
And TDK is not alone, there are countless others movies that puts me in minority (that goes for both liking and disliking a particular movie). I happily like to remain a minority and would never change my judgement due to others, but as a filmmaker myself, I am always trying to find what things must have appealed to the audience and whatnot (and I count myself in the audience) and if there's a movie that everybody likes and I don't, I try to give it a second watch (and trust me, some movies DID grow on me on 2nd viewing) and discuss it with others. So when the hype makes me curious, I don't necessarily question "why's everybody liking this movie" but it's also a question to myself "why don't I like this movie when everybody does? And what exactly is it that I don't like in it" and so on. You see, every individual has a different outlook at things. I guess that's my way. :)
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I'll try to sum this up as best as I can. Let me first start off by why I feel that Nolan's Batman movies (and that includes The Dark Knight) deserve the attention that they are gaining at the moment. I have seen all the previous Batman movies back in my teenage days and that was a time of casual movie watching for me. Back then, I thought Batman Forever was the ultimate Batman movie and that Val Kilmer was was an excellent Batman. Oh the naive days. Then as maturity kicked in and I started to analyze movies more deeply, I realized how amateurishly some of those movies were handled, Batman & Robin taking the cake. Fast forward to 2005, we get Batman Begins. That's close to 8 years after the abomination I mentioned in my previous line. I went in with zero expectations and only with my faith in this comic book character. When the movie, I realised how brilliantly this movie was conceived. How ever detail about Batman's horrible past was acknowledged, how he was trained in the League of Shadows, how he dedicated his life to fight crime, why he wanted to keep his identity a secret, how did he get those gadgets built, his nemesis etc. Everything was spot-on. This was done with technical splendor and not with some half-arsed script with some cheesy lines. This movie had amazing production values. It was everything a Batman fan dreamed of and a good action flick for the general audience. This is how a dead franchise was revived, in style I must say. It was a serious and honest attempt, which paid off.

Naturally, when The Dark Knight released, the hype surrounded it because it's predecessor had set the benchmark so high. Post it's release, I still remember it being rated as the second best movie in IMDB's top 250 list for at least a week. Then as the dust settled, the average ratings faded with it. It was a fantastic movie, don't get me wrong. But if you're just curious about the hype, then this generation has learned to create it. An age where the Internet and mobile phones now propagates news faster than any news channel or paper. If you're a film maker, then you'd probably think (just like me) why do movies like 'Dabangg' perform so well, while Anurag Kashyap's 'Black Friday' had to struggle to even release in our cinemas. I know, I do. But then I realise, it's just what people sometimes enjoy watching and they don't need to over-analyze every last detail of it. They just let their guard down and have fun. So do we take their reactions to the movie as the absolute truth? May be, may be not.

Which brings me to a line you stated "I don't necessarily question "why's everybody liking this movie" but it's also a question to myself "why don't I like this movie when everybody does? And what exactly is it that I don't like in it". Let me ask you this, from a film-maker's stand-point, what would you prefer? Quality in your work or adopting the latest trend in commercially successful movies, albeit you not justifying it's success?

I hope this is taken in a healthy spirit. :)
 
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