gone baby, gone (2007)

i first came across ben affleck's impressive directorial outing on region 1 dvd several months before it saw release in british theatres, due to the similiarities between the madeline mccann case and the one in the film. when attempting to 'sell' the concept of a ben affleck picture to my friends (most people still associating the guy with the whole ''bennifer'' circus) i used the notion that ''gone baby, gone'' felt like a big screen spin off of the television show ''the wire'', which i feel to be the greatest television show in the history of the medium. thats not to say that ''gone baby, gone" is as good a film as ''the wire'' is a television show, but the similiarities in tone and style are definately there. michael k. williams, ''the wire's'' 'omar' manages to make an appearance too.

on second viewing, some years after my initial one, the film held up greatly. casey affleck, ben's brother, shines in the role of a local private detective, employed by the family of a missing girl. while the ending of the film almost jarres with what has gone before, its not enough to distract from what is an all round great piece of film.

the dark knight (2008)

the average person's film of the year, the dark knight proved to be a genuine treat, despite what the online naysayers may claim. it was with an air of apprehensiveness that i approached it a second time, hoping that i wasnt just taken in by the hype upon release. im happy to reveal that not only did it hold up on a second viewing, but i actually enjoyed it more this time, removed of the hype and expectation.

comparisons to the wire must be made. the dark knight feels like a big screen outing of david simon's epic masterpiece in places, and im surprised more hasnt been made of this. sure the situation may be severely exagerated when put next to the wire, but the concept of a city on the edge, of a society out of control with hope being an unobtainable dream draws many parallels, as does the intricate nature of how the plot is held together.

for me it is gary oldman that is the key performer in the film, and the one who's performance i enjoyed the most. his is the most relatable arc throughout the film, and the one that is easiest to literally relate to. christian bale is great as batman, further cementing his place as the definitive person for the role. aaron eckhart as district attorney really struck me upon initial viewing, but upon this screening didnt have the same impact. thats not to say that hes not good in the role, hes great, it just didnt strike me in the same way. maggi gylenhaal, morgan freeman and michael caine provide ample support, although caine is seemingly the biggest casualty of such a huge ensemble, as his role seemed to have shrunk when compared to the size of his performance in 'batman begins'.

the concept of heath ledger as the joker, initially a bitching-point for most geeks with internet connection, is possibly the most successful aspect of the dark knight, at least for the masses. removed of the hype and expectation i was able to appreciate the role and performance much more, noticing his subtle nuances and the ticks and mannerisms that really make the character. while genuinely terrifying a character, he is also brilliantly comical too, highlighted in the hospital scene, where the joker vacates the future crime scene dressed as a nurse. while not a fan of the "ledger deserves an oscar" campaign i fully appreciate the performance and am pleased to see it, alongside his role in brokeback mountain, as a fitting legacy for the actor.

wanted (2008)

mark millar and myself have never quite gelled. a comic book loving friend of mine has encouraged a deep hate of the guys work and it appears to have stuck, so wanted passed me by on its original theatrical release this year. as it was a dirt cheap price on pre-order and and im a sucker for a summer blockbuster on a cold winter night i decided to pick this one up last week. as the actual concept of the comic book (loser finds out his father was a magneto/dr octopus/green goblin style super villain and he is his expected heir) i was kind of disheartened to discover that the film deviates from the original plot quite significantly, despite the story being appoved of by millar himself. add to this the macguffin that holds the whole film together is known as the loom of fate (it does exactly as it says on the tin) and i figured i would i'd pretty much hate the whole thing. alas i was surprised to fid that i really enjoyed wanted. mcavoy was an apt leading man, jolie performed as expected/required and morgan freeman added the usual gravitas to the elder role, with surprise of the day coming in the form of director timur bekmambetov's fellow night watch-alumni konstantin khabensky as the rat utilising bomb expert.

stylistically i felt as tho bekmambetov held back slightly. the film wasnt as over the top as night watch, tho thats not to say that wanted isnt bonkers as all hell, its just not as visually innovative as bekmambetov's previous work.