Batman Begins (2005)

Starring: Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman
Director: Christopher Nolan
Country: USA
Genre: Action

I’m the bat, man.

The Dark Knight is obviously herald as the superhero movies to end all superhero movies, but it wouldn’t be half as strong as it is without a firm structure to stand upon. Batman Begins is one hell of a film. It’s the reboot to put all other reboots to shame. The elements really aligned, from a suspiciously talented director to a dream cast that makes the mouth water. Add to it a script that stays faithful to the character while crafting an intriguing and thrilling story, plus cinematography by incredibly skillful up and coming director of photography, and you have a rock solid flick. Christopher Nolan has almost single handedly shown that even superhero movies should be taken seriously in addition to how entertaining they can be.

1001 Movie Club: Seven (1995)

David Fincher was surely shot into prominence right out the gun with his feature directorial debut as the third installment in the ultra successful Alien franchise. Three years later he sealed his fate in the directors hall of fame by not only sidestepping the sophomore slump, but progressing leaps and bounds to experienced veteran status. Fifteen years later, Seven is still pointed to as one of the go-to gritty neo-noir stories for anyone interested in the crime genre.

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Shutter Island (2010)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Director: Martin Scorsese
Country: USA
Genre: Thriller-ish.

At Shutter Island nothing is as it seems.

In his fourth collaboration with DiCaprio, Scorsese has pulled out one of his best performance, and crafted perhaps one of his most interesting films. Sure to infuriate some and delight others, Shutter Island is all about evoking a response out of the audience – participation. It’s a detective story about a detective, but the investigation isn’t the investigation that the detective is investigating. Or is it? It raises a lot of questions, and doesn’t take the audience for granted in finding the answers for themselves. Also, in a departure from his usual visual style, Scorsese has created one of his more luscious looking, albeit foreign feeling, films to date.

An In-Depth Look: Shutter Island

For nearly forty years Martin Scorsese has been one of the more prestigious American directors. From his rebellious early days of anti-heroes, to his classy gangsters and tough guys, his worldly melodramas, two things has been ever prevalent in his films: blistering character studies and a constant reinvention of directorial style. Shutter Island may be the culmination of Scrosese’s accumulated knowledge of film.

Reception to Shutter Island has been all over the place. Some consider it a confusing mess, others consider it eloquently puzzling.  Both arguments can be completely justified. Scorsese’s newest film is a confusing mess and can definitely wear on the nerves of those who don’t buy into its allure, but those who do will find a plethora of rewarding characteristics.

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Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
Director: Shane Black
Country: USA
Genre: Crime, Comedy

Hopefully with RDJ’s new-re-found fame, people will discover this amazing piece of entertainment.

Robert Downey’s career comeback didn’t happen overnight as one might suspect.  For nearly a decade he honed his craft doing little under the radar films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. There is something so appealing about this film: it has a decent little mystery, a edgy-enough style, and a bubbling chemistry between its actors who all put in super fun performances. Perhaps it shouldn’t be to surprising to find out the man behind the hilarious back and forth between the main characters comes from the mind who also brought us Leathal Weapon. But in his directorial debut, Shane Black shapes perfect escapism. This neo-noir has a tongue-in-cheek tone that the Coen Brothers would be jealous of, and Downey knocks it out of the park. It’s fascinating how engaging (and hilarious) his 50’s style detective narration can be.

The Departed (2006)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson
Director: Martin Scorsese
Country: USA
Genre: Crime

X marks the spot.

And down the rabbit hole we go. The Departed is one of the bleakest films I can remember, even counting Taxi Driver. Scorsese’s lament on personal descent is practically maddening and completely immersive. Even upon multiple viewings it’s as potent as it ever was. The complex story follows parallel lives of a criminal posing as a cop and a cop undercover as a criminal, both making choices that they cannot turn back from. Scorsese is above all else a lover of films and keeps it entertaining (in a car wreck on-looker sort of way.) The pacing is brisk, it speeds by despite its running time and never feels slow. Top it off with an ensemble of amazing actors, (yes even Walberg,) and you’ve got yourself one hell of a film.

Minority Report (2002)

Starring: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton
Director: Steven Spielberg
Country: USA
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action

Minority Report is the best action science fiction film noir directed by Steven Spielberg this decade!

Like most great science fiction films, Minority Report combines grandiose scenes of action spectacle with intellectual technological theories and an undercurrent of moral themes. In a lot of ways this film totally feels like a Spielberg film, and in a lot of ways it doesn’t. Some of the action sequences are perfectly suited next to Raiders of the Lost Ark or the classic hand to hand combat between Tom Hanks and Leo in Catch Me If You Can. But a lot of the exploration into the moral and scientific themes feels more like him compensating for A.I. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. Overall, Minority Report is just entertaining if a bit overlong. Any way you slice it, Spielberg is a master storyteller. It’s a shame that some of the special effects won’t hold up in another couple of years.