Movie Moan - Jeff Katz And The Acolytes Of Nolan
Tue, August 21, 2012 We've been called some things on our show but this is the first time the phrase 'fanboys', 'nerds' or 'drooling fanboy nerds' wasn't enough. Apparently our love for 'The Dark Knight Rises' is some form of religious delusion, bordering on cultish and Jeff Katz is here to spread the word of truth.
After that very memorable episode where we spent the first 15 minutes talking about fast food, producer, writer, studio executive, and now director Jeff Katz has returned to Movie Moan against all odds for another bout of random insanity. Let's see what we have in store for him, and for you, this week:
7:15 mins - Jamie and Phil deliver their much anticipated review of 'The Expendables 2'. Are we in for another epic rant from the latter?
25:55 mins - The crew (including the welcome return of Queen Kristina) reflect back on the summer blockbusters of 2012 and each pick our biggest let down, leading to Jeff tearing down 'The Dark Knight Rises' for all its worth. Once he's done, Phil takes his own shot at 'The Bourne Legacy'.
50:10 mins - In the only news story of last week that mattered, we mull over the future of the potential 'Snow White & The Huntsman' sequel, and indeed Kristen Stewart's career.
Note: Just in case it's on your mind, we recorded this show on Sunday 20th August per our usual routine before the tragic news on the passing of Tony Scott, hence why it isn't covered here. However, Jamie has written a post on it which you can find here and has said all that needs to be said.
Download the audio only MP3 version right here:
Movie Moan - Jeff Katz And The Acolytes Of Nolan (audio version)
Reader Comments (2)
Entertaining podcast. As usual.
Jeff thoughts echo mine about TDKR. The movie looks good and the actors give good performances, But there is a fracture between the big picture and the character stories. Most of the feelings are manufactured and not earned over the course of the movie.
The final shot of Bruce and Catwoman only invokes a response because it is bookmarked by Alfred near the beginning of the movie.
The final shot of the movie with the potential new Batman only invokes a response because it is bookmarked by a orphan knowing who Batman is because he could see it Bruce's eyes. This one is really weak BTW.
Covering Bane's mouth was a big mistake. Having him being a front for Talia and then taking out by Catwoman compounded the castration of that characters. And his take out by Catwoman followed so quickly on the Talia reveal really deflated any momentum the picture had.
And I agree with Jeff's prediction, as time passes, the flaws in TDKR will become more apparent. Its much like what happened after the initial afterglow of TPM. Though in no way is TDKR as bad as TPM.
Was talking to my brother in law (who actually liked TDKR more than TDK) over the weekend and he protested that Selina Kyle is important to the story, because she rescues Bruce from further lapsing into reclusiveness, when she steals his fingerprints from the safe (though I'm still not entirely sure why Daggart needed those) and as the story goes on, he is able to forgive her for setting him up with Bane, because she made him live again. An interesting theory and one I don't totally disagree with, but if that was really Nolan's intention behind Wayne pretty much forgetting what she did to him, he should have nuanced that part of the story/subtext more clearly. Catwoman/Selina Kyle just wasn't very well realised. Some of it was the way she was written (did every line coming out of her mouth have to be some kind of "zinger"?), but I do think Hathaway was miscast in the role. Her and Bale didn't seem age appropriate ( they had no chemistry) and there is just something about Hathaway that always comes across as blank to me ; there is a squareness about her. People often talk about Nolan's films lacking emotion, which I don't agree with (they are reserved, sure, but they aren't emotionless), but one thing I DO think he isn't comfortable with is portraying any kind of sexuality! I don't mean to sound shallow here, but he made Catwoman totally un-sexy in my eyes! There was nothing really intriguing or aluring or kinky about her at all! (though some people will tell you she is a lesbian).
I've seen the TDKR twice so far and I accepted it more on a second viewing, but I have to say it was my biggest disapointment of the summer. Didn't help that I paid over £200 first time round (train, hotel, IMAX ticket) and saw it 1:30 AM in the morning!. Nolan tried so hard with the first two films to bring a certain kind of logic to the proceedings and for the most part he succeeded, but a lot of the third film felt very lazy in it's plotting. It was like he knew the series was coming to an end, so there was less of a need to prove that these films "were more than comic book movies!" and let the film go out with its lack of potent themmatic material (the "class warfare" talk was really all for nothing) and blatant plot holes.
Despite the C.G.I gore and lack of four letter words that start with the letter "f" (thanks Chuck!), I did indeed enjoy The Expendables 2... I even got a kick out of seeing Chuck on screen, who has easilly the best kill in the entire film! Shame a third one probably isn't going to happen (I knew something was wrong when my cinema wasn't even half full opening thursday night). If The Expendables 2 had been released first (like Missing in Action 2), last weekend's opening would have been closer to that $50M that a lot of people were predicting.
Rest in Peace, Tony Scott.