Change Your Image
jaydub331
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
When you watch it, you actually marvel that they got it right.
I'm not sure how I would segue into what I'm about to say so I'll just say it right up front to set the tone for the rest of the review: Batman: The Animated Series is not only structurally brilliant in each episode, but also teaches the reality of human interaction to younger viewers who may not be getting enough of that in other cartoons that they watch. Not that I'm saying that this is strictly for kids, nor that this is just a great cartoon. It certainly is excellent in its own right in any medium. The artistry is very minimalist yet extremely striking and detailed at the same time, especially the architecture within the show. It has something of an otherworldly and nostalgic old-time classic film feel to it, as does everything in this show.
I have to say that I generally like to get into TV series that have a sense of continuity beyond one or two episodes so I wasn't sure that I would like this. Honestly, each episode is 20 some minutes of great storytelling that it doesn't even bother me anymore. The storytelling elements can be very artful and intricate, almost Hitchcockian sometimes and I don't believe that's TOO much of an exaggeration. Although the dialogue sometimes make you realize now and again that this is geared towards younger viewers, it doesn't detract you. But I think one of the greatest achievements of this show is its ferocity to show people the pathos and rawness that you can easily relate to in real life. And within that, there are moments of poetic justice and other sensational and operatic storytelling elements at work. In other words, it's heightened reality. And it's very riveting!
I was also a bit pleasantly surprised to see a few playful sides to Batman (when he's not Bruce Wayne), that I wasn't used to seeing, especially after seeing the Nolan films. This is a tiny spoiler but...I recall the end of one episode when the Joker was hanging by a rope over an abyss of some kind and he was pleading Batman to help him up. And then you see Batman with a sly smirk and his head resting on his hand as a gesture to mock the Joker a little and let him "stew just a little bit more". Of course afterwards, he saved him. But I have to say it's really interesting to see a generally dark and brooding (though complex and very interesting) character let loose once in a...well, long while.
The score fits perfectly with the tone of the show and crescendos complementary to the events. I do admit, however, that I was slightly taken back at some of the darker elements of the show. Taken back in a good way though because frankly I didn't expect it. There was one episode early on with Scarecrow's origin story and there were some disturbing sequences of a girl in a cell with a bunch of roaches or some other crawling on her body. Dr. Crane was performing experiments and fear is what makes him tick. There is something very macabre and mature about animating something like that. As fictional as it is, it does make you think of the reality of such a horrid situation. And the keyword I mentioned just now is mature. Batman: The Animated Series doesn't like to insult the intelligence of its viewers. Look, as much as I love shows like the 80s TMNT and Thundercats, those shows are clearly for kids whereas this one dares to make kids think more like adults while exercising the children in them by showcasing a really bad-ass protagonist.
The voice work is excellent albeit over-the-top with a bit much zing to some of the lines sometimes. That's perfectly fine with me, it maintains the fantasy and the feel of watching something very elemental. As far as actual fight scenes are concerned, this is something else I have to praise. When you watch cartoons, the fights can get pretty static. Not so with this show, the creators/writers understand that Batman cannot excel with brute strength or quickness alone. They understood that Bruce Wayne is supposed to be an exceptional detective. His astuteness is, for me at least, a big reason of why he is so compelling. He is a human being after all but uses everything in his arsenal from technology to psychology to achieve his goals. Therefore, when Batman gets into altercations, he finds very creative ways to get through a tough spot. He uses shadows very well and even uses incapacitated goons to fool the ones still trembling to take Batman down.
So in closing, Batman: The Animated Series is a terrific experience regardless of whether you're a superhero fan or not. It appeals to what we know of our world and its protagonist is someone that inspires empathy. There is something actually romantic about the mythos of Batman and this show captures it perfectly!
United 93 (2006)
Gruesome, thought-provoking, and most importantly, evokes admiration for true American heroes
I can't help but feel ashamed that for quite a while, I wouldn't see this movie. Not because it's horrific, mind you, but because of the fact that I once foolishly assumed that this was exploitative film-making, that not only would it fail to honor the heroes in United 93, but also that it would cheapen the significance of one out of four awful incidents of that tragic day. I absolutely loved the way "25th Hour" from Spike Lee handled the 9/11 subject matter: as a background and parallel to the characters' lives. I couldn't imagine watching something that directly dealt with it. I can't say how deeply upset "United 93" made me, and yet how proud I am that someone sitting next to me on the subway potentially could have that kind of courage to deal with unimaginable circumstances, I certainly am unsure as to how I would handle something like that. Despite that I knew what the outcome would be, I never stopped rooting for the terrific ensemble cast, and even within the last few minutes, the film provoked a feeling that somehow and some way, the passengers would survive. I remember that when it happened, I was in a college dorm watching the WTC footage live on the television. As gut- wrenching as I felt back then, the scenes that took place at the various control centers made me realize how lucky I was to have the comfort of friends around me as opposed to having to directly deal with the situation. The light small talk that the passengers were having before and after lift-off is very human and very scary: that something very ordinary as talking about your grandchildren with someone sitting next to you could happen within the same few minutes that a hijack would occur. On a side note, I'm still very wary of watching "World Trade Center" from Oliver Stone, as I find that his style is "more is more", and that he has all the moving parts of a Hollywood Blockbuster that overall lacks humanity. However, I was wrong about this exceptional film, and so it's possible that I may be jumping the gun again. Now though, I at least feel I owe it a viewing to make up my mind.
Jibeuro (2002)
Simplicity at its finest, assumes that the viewers are intelligent SPOILERS
It seems that with the more South Korean movies I see, I'm starting to see a trend of great storytellers showing us what's happening instead of telling us, or have the characters tell us. Thus is the case with "The Way Home", where every shot is simple, the camera unimposing, and yet poignant and breathtaking at the same time. When we see Sang-Woo walking up to his grandmother's house 10 paces behind her, no one has to explain how reluctant he is. The beauty of this film also lies in what's not shown to us. Sang-Woo eventually meets a young girl about his age who intrigues him. For a good portion of the movie, he is trying to make a connection with her but doesn't seemingly succeed. Then when least expected she comes running to him asking where he was because she wants to play with him. Afterwards, it cuts straightaway to Sang-Woo in bed at night giggling with joy to himself of the prospect of his young crush while he coyly covers his face with the comforter, a feeling that hopefully all of us has had the pleasure to experience, and even as we get older, we can still reminisce about something that is just as personal. In this way, the film doesn't insult our intelligence and we automatically know that the previous events are the cause for his jubilance. We did not actually need to see what happened between those scenes because the filmmakers trust us to fill in the blanks. Another example is when Sang-Woo finally verbalizes his feelings for his grandmother (which by the way is a good payoff considering what their relationship was in the beginning), it consists of a beautiful yet still unencroaching shot where he is crying and all we see is the back of the grandmother's head. In a heart-tugging moment, all that needed to be done by the actress who plays the grandmother was for her to lift her hand to her face and we already know her point of view of what's going on. There are no intense tearful closeups or strings playing in the background. We already know that she's crying. And yet after all that, Sang-Woo still has trouble saying goodbye to his grandmother when he finally has to leave with his mother witnessing it. In an American film, I'm almost certain he would be directed to hug her for dear life and plead his mother to let him stay longer. This kind of real human behavior portrayal is a testament to the insight of the filmmakers who understand that in life, expression of something even as beautiful as love can be a difficult thing to do, especially in the presence of someone else.
On a more personal note, this movie struck a chord with me because it gave me insight to a life that is very foreign to me. Me being Asian-American is only one aspect of it, but I will be the first to admit that I am spoiled up the wazoo and there will be a lot of convincing for me to give up HDTVs, the internet etc. It made me truly appreciate people who are rich in spirit and can find pleasure in simple things, which is something I always try to fool myself into thinking that I can do. But truthfully, I do not know if I could live in that house without all the amenities that I'm used to (although the mountain scenery would be a sight for sore eyes).