The Dark Knight Rises

Batman was created by Bob Kane and was first published by Detective Comics(DC Comics, effectively known afterwards)in 1939. It featured a protagonist that had no superpowers, but a wide assortment of gadgets. The protagonist wore a cape and cowl modeled after a bat. Bruce Wayne, the man who became Batman, was scarred for life when he witnessed the murder of his parents at an early age. Batman has been featured not only in comics, but in TV shows, including the campy 1960s series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Then in 1989, Batman was reintroduced to audiences by Tim Burton, with the lead character of Bruce Wayne/Batman played by Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson as The Joker. The film was an immediate blockbuster, featuring dark and gothic undertones as befitting a Tim Burton film. Tim Burton would direct the sequel, Batman Returns which featured new villains, such as The Penguin(Danny DeVito) and Selina Kyle/Catwoman(Michelle Pfeifer). The sequel was also a success, but wasn't as widely accepted as the first film. A second sequel, Batman Forever, would see Val Kilmer in the title role and featured The Riddler and Two-Face as the main villains. Directed by Joel Schumaker, Batman Forever was more campy and featured more neon lights than the previous films. The third sequel, Batman and Robin would again see Batman recast. George Clooney stepped into the role. Unfortunately, Batman and Robin was nothing more than a glorified toy commercial. It was a spectacular failure at the box office and threatened any possible future films. In 2005, Batman would again return to the screen, but with fresh talent. Christopher Nolan of Momento and Insomnia would direct the film with Christian Bale in the lead. Featuring the talents of Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, and Morgan Freeman, Batman Begins threw all doubts out the window with a far more realistic and grittier take on the character and the City of Gotham. It wound up being a real money-maker and a sequel was commissioned. Christopher Nolan would again take the reigns and Bale would return. Darker and more violent than the first film, The Dark Knight upped the stakes, not just for the people of Gotham, but Batman himself when The Joker(Heath Ledger)comes knocking. Released in 2008, The Dark Knight was heralded as one of the best comic-book movies of all-time and rightly so, with great performances, particularly by the late Heath Ledger. Originally imagined as a trilogy, Nolan's films would culminate with a very spectacular final film, which takes things to a whole new level.

8 years have passed since the events of The Dark Knight. Batman, accused of the murder of Gotham's shining knight, Harvey Dent, has disappeared along with Bruce Wayne himself. The years have not been kind. Bruce Wayne is a broken man, in more ways than one. Forced to use a cane to help walk around, the years of being the caped crusader have taken their toll on Wayne, physically and emotionally. He remains a recluse until a beautiful cat burglar, Selina Kyle(Anne Hathaway) infiltrates his mansion and steals his mother's pearl necklace. Faced with running out of money, Bruce Wayne finds himself pulled back into the world of crime when a mysterious and demented terrorist, Bane(Tom Hardy), arrives in Gotham to wreak havoc.

Batman has always had his fair share of memorable villains. In Batman Begins, he faced off against Ra's Al Ghul(Liam Neeson, who makes a cameo appearance in Dark Knight Rises)and Scarecrow(Cillian Murphy). In The Dark Knight, we had The Joker, who was much more of a terrorist than a clown like Nicholson's character was. Heath Ledger's performance was unbelievable awesome. He was psychotic and demonic and strangely funny at the same time. Now, in The Dark Knight, the real villain shows up in the form of Bane, played to perfection by Tom Hardy who really bulked up for this film. Bane isn't a psychopath the way that The Joker was, but instead of the lumbering dumbass that we saw in Batman And Robin, Hardy's character is not only physically overpowering, but extremely intelligent and patient. It isn't before long before he takes complete control of Gotham, in one of the most spectacular and explosive sequences in the trilogy. I mentioned that Bane was physically overpowering. This is extremely evident when he and Batman clash for the first time. It's an incredible one-sided fight, considering how long Batman's been out of action. The other "villain" is Catwoman, played by the beautiful Anne Hathaway. Unlike Michelle Pfeifer's femme fatale character, Anne Hathaway's character is more of a survivor than a true villain and a real foil for Batman. The stakes in The Dark Knight Rises are upped to nth degree, as Batman is in serious jeopardy, as is the entire city. One of the new characters, Detective Blake is played by Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, who does an amazing job. But one of the most effective performances comes from Michael Caine, who plays Alfred. I'll just say: Wow, this is the best I've seen from Caine in many years. Christian Bale really ups his game as a beaten-down Bruce Wayne who's faced with more uncertainty than he's ever faced before in his life, financially, physically and psychologically.

The Dark Knight Rises is the darkest and most violent of the trilogy. This is never more evident than in Batman's first confrontation with Bane, as I've said before. Not only that, there are casualties on all sides, but the ones who get stuck in the middle are the people of Gotham who are held hostage by one of the most vicious villains that Batman has encountered. Christopher Nolan has always had an eye for detail and realism in his Batman films, but he never forgets where the character came from. He also adds some nods to Batman Begins with a cameo from Liam Neeson as Ra's Al Ghul. There are twists and turns in the story that are far from predictable. The resolution to the film is very well done and ties up the trilogy with a neat little bow. The Dark Knight Rises is quite possibly the best comic-book movie this year. I loved The Avengers, but The Dark Knight Rises is a completely different beast and is more centralized. It's hard for me to say that Dark Knight Rises is better than the previous film, because honestly, in terms of quality, they're about the same. But I do think that Tom Hardy's Bane is far more of a menace than The Joker, mainly because Bane is cold and calculating and doesn't just....do things like The Joker. As far as comic-book movies go, The Dark Knight Rises is one of the better ones. It also does a good job at tying up loose ends.

Overall, The Dark Knight Rises gets a 10/10 from me. It's awesome in every way. The word is, is that Warner Bros wants to reboot the franchise again, since Dark Knight Rises is the last Batman film for both Christopher Nolan AND Christian Bale. I don't see it happening for quite a while, because Nolan's films have some serious staying power.

On a much more serious note: In Aurora, Colorado during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, a gunman entered a movie theater and opened fire on an audience, killing 12 people, including a 6-year old girl and injuring many others. It's one of the worst mass killings that the United States has seen in recent history, so I would like to extend my prayers and condolences to the families of the victims of this heinous crime, and I would urge others to do the same.

Prometheus

Prometheus

Postby meezookeewee » Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:25 pm


Ridley Scott. The man who directed one of the most terrifying science fiction movies ever, returns to science fiction after 30 years. During that 30 years, Scott has directed some of the most spectacular films ever made: Blade Runner, Legend, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven. Ridley Scott knows how make an awesome movie. His real breakthrough was Alien, which was released in 1979. Described as "Texas Chainsaw Massacre in space," Alien took us on a terrifying journey into the dark, bringing us face to face with one of the most terrifying creatures put on screen. Being a huge success, Alien spawned three sequels, two spinoffs, several video-games and hundreds of books and graphic novels. After 4 movies, the series started to stagnate, and was eventually pushed to the back-burner. A couple of years ago, Fox announced it was working on a prequel to Alien. Intriguing, but didn't sound like a good idea. Then they got Ridley Scott involved, and THAT got me interested. What started out as a prequel eventually became something very different.

The film opens in 2089 on an island off the shores of Scotland, where two scientists make an incredible discovery. Dr. Elizabeth Shaw(Noomi Rapace) and her beau, Charlie Holloway(Logan Marshall-Green) discover ancient cave paintings indicating that life on earth may have been created by other-worldly beings. 4 years later, an expedition into space is underway, headed by an icy businesswoman, Meredith Vickers(Charlize Theron). Also along for the ride is android, David(Michael Fassbender), who has his own reasons for being there. They eventually discover the planet where they might meet this race of beings, called Engineers. They soon discover ruins that appear to be eerily similar to ancient ruins on Earth. To say anymore would be to spoil the movie, and I certainly won't risk it. What I will say that there are twists and turns in the story that you may not see coming, and others that you might. One of the questions people have asked if it is tied to Alien in anyway and the answer is yes. It takes place in the same universe as Alien, but as to Prometheus' connection to the original film? I won't say. What I will say, is that there are several directions an inevitable sequel could go.

Acting-wise, it's pretty strong across the board, with Noomi Rapace taking top-billing as Dr. Shaw. There's a scene involving her and some medical machinery that has to be seen to be believed. She throws herself into the role. Charlize Theron, plays the requisite corporate scumbag, but she doesn't seem nearly as evil as she appears. She's a bit of a mystery. The real standout of the film, though is Michael Fassbender as the android. I don't think there's anything else I can say about Michael other than to say he's quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. The other actors are pretty much disposable. Visually, this film is spectacular. From the opening montage to the storm on the planet to the Engineers themselves, this is a dark film that's heavily influenced by H.R. Giger's work. A lot of the ship designs and environments that you see from Alien show up here, particularly the Space Jockey design. So, visually, it ties in with Alien in many ways, but it also manages to be different from Alien. The ship, the Prometheus is far more advanced than the Nostromo, which was designed to be flown by "truckers." The Prometheus is clearly a scientific vessel, so the sets are far more sterile and stylistic than the Nostromo.

Now, the pacing of the film is kind of slow, but it's allowing us to get to know the main characters. The pacing may be off-putting to some who are expecting a more action-packed thril ride. While it's definitely a thriller, it's not balls-to-the-wall. It's deliberately paced, much like Alien, so the tension can build. Ridley Scott is a master of building tension. Another issue is that the film asks questions, but few of them are answered. I feel that's appropriate for this film, because it instills a sense of mystery. I mean, if you're asking questions about creation, you might find some answers, sure. But you may not like some of those answers, and I think that's what Ridley Scott was trying to do with Prometheus. This is definitely a sci-fi movie to be sure, but it also hits the right notes in terms of horror as well. It's dark, it's creepy and its not particularly clean. Is it gory? Not gratuitously, as there are certain scenes that get fairly graphic.

I have to admit, ever since hearing about Prometheus, my expectations have been all over the board. Is it an Alien movie or not? The answer, quite simply is yes AND no. On the one hand, there is definitely a connection to the first film, and it's not particularly subtle about it. On the other hand, it ventures into different territory altogether, and it works as both an Alien prequel-of-sorts and as a completely stand-alone film. It's not necessarily required that you watch the Alien movies to get what's going on in Prometheus, but what you get out of it may depend upon whether or not you've seen the previous films. This is not going to be a movie for everyone. It may be too slow for the adrenaline junkies, and it may not be Alien-centric enough for fans of the Alien series. But what we DO have here is a very solid sci-fi movie that has the potential to go in different directions depending on who directs a sequel, and I truly believe there will be. Will there be another Alien movie centered around the xenomorph that was featured in the previous movies? At this point, it's up in the air. Prometheus could very well give Alien a much-needed shot in the arm. Ridley Scott's first science fiction movie in 30 years manages to impress on every level. Great acting, with some interesting twists and turns in the story and a definite nod to Alien make this an experience that really needs to be seen on the big screen. While I'm certain there will be a director's cut on Blu-Ray sometime in the future, I think Prometheus is excellent as it is. Overall, I give it a solid 9/10. It's one that's worth checking out.

Freerunner

Parkour can be best described as a discipline that emphasizes getting from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. Google the term or free-running and you can see for yourself some of the crazy things that the people who use parkour can do. Parkour was developed by David Belle, but the history of parkour's movements go back decades. They just haven't had a name put to them. For most people, the only way they have heard of parkour is through film. District B13 was among the first action films that employed the sport. Parkour was also used in the opening scenes of the James Bond reboot, Casino Royale. As a result of it's effectiveness in movement, parkour has been used by governments as a tool to help train their military. The sport has gained in popularity as it's been featured not just in films like District B13, but also video games like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Mirror's Edge. Free-running is similar but emphasizes more self-expression and more acrobatic creativity. When movies base themselves around a specific sport, the results can be.....mixed.

Free-runner opens on a bunch of...well free-runners in a race for money. Jumping over people, cars, and each other, they try to reach the finish line. During one of the races, the group are kidnapped by a ruthless billionaire who pits them against each other in a lethal race. With collars attached to explode when an hour passes, the group are forced into a life-or-death race to the finish. If you're going to make a movie based specifically on a sport like free-running, actually make the movie ABOUT free-running. Don't add in a retarded plot like a bored billionaire pitting athletes against each other to make more money. It doesn't work. It also doesn't help that the acting is uniformly awful. The mustache-twirling billionaire without a mustache is particularly grating. There's a lot of stuff in here that just screams....ripoff. For instance, you've got a token black guy with a pirate patch over one eye. Who does he resemble, I wonder? Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury from The Avengers? No....couldn't be. What about the Vulcan neck pinch he employs to paralyze his victims? I kid you not, this guy literally grabs people by the back of their neck and squeezes and they go into convulsions. Really?! Not only that, the unnecessary gore gets in the way.

What about the action scenes? When you can actually see what's going on, they're actually pretty spectacular, since they don't use wires, except for safety reasons. The scenes where they jump through windows and off buildings? They actually do that, no special effects involved or green screens. It's pretty awesome. But the problem is, is that you can barely see what's going on, because the camera work sucks. They don't focus on anyone in particular and the camera shakes like a chihuahua on crack. It's amateurish at best. The stunts and fight scenes aren't half-bad, but as a result of crap camera-work, you don't really see a lot and in a movie dealing with parkour/free-running, you want people to see what's going on. Freerunner is just a bad movie overall, and nothing really comes together. Crap plots involving a hospitalized grandfather and kidnapped girlfriend? Padding. For a movie that runs only 88 minutes, it felt longer. Had they cut out all the stuff in between action scenes, the film would probably be only thirty minutes or so, but that would be worth more than what we got. If you want to see a movie about parkour or freerunning, check out District B13 instead. You get much more bang for your buck with that movie, and best of all, you can see what's going on. Overall, Freerunner gets a 5/10. It gets a 5 because when you finally see some of the stunts, they're awesome, but the rest of the movie is a complete joke.

The Rocketeer

Movies based on comic books go back decades. The one that really made comic book movies popular was Superman: The Movie, released in 1978. There have been smaller movies based on popular comic books throughout the 80s and 90s that ranged from horrendous, like Roger Corman's version of Fantastic Four to the stellar, like Tim Burton's Batman. But somewhere in the mass of movies released in the early 90s, a true gem of a movie was unfortunately overlooked and flopped at the box office: The Rocketeer. The character first appeared in 1982 as a back-up feature of Mike Grell's Starslayer series.

The film opens in 1938 Los Angeles with ace pilot Cliff Secord(Bill Campbell) flying his plane in preparation for an airplane show. He spots some gangsters running from the cops and is subsequently shot down, but survives. The crooks have apparently stolen a top-secret rocket pack from industrialist/aviator Howard Hughes(Terry O'Quinn). The guy running the show behind the theft of said rocket pack, gangster Eddie Valentine(Paul Sorvino) works for famed Hollywood star Neville Sinclair(Timothy Dalton) who may not be who he says he is. Together with his girlfriend Jenny(Jennifer Connelly) Cliff tries to keep the rocket pack from falling into the wrong hands, while engaging in some high flying mischief himself. The Rocketeer is perhaps one of the most underrated films in the past 25 years. It has a solid story with a great lead in Bill Campbell, who plays a flawed yet earnest pilot trying to make the best of a floundering career when he discovers the rocket pack. Jennifer Connelly is great as Cliff's love interest who gets tangled up with Timothy Dalton's character. Timothy Dalton of James Bond fame, makes a great villain in Neville Sinclair. He comes across as a very charming actor, ironically enough, and then turns evil at the drop of a dime and it's seamless. He does it very well.

Joe Johnson, who would direct last year's excellent Captain America: The First Avenger, has directed a fantastic adventure film that pays homage to the comics and pulp stories from the 30s, 40s and 50s, without actually naming them. The film is well paced and the action sequences are thrilling with Secord flying all over the place with the rocket pack. It's also a film that has a sense of humor. While respecting the stories that inspired it, it also pokes fun at them as well. Like Indiana Jones, The Rocketeer has a particular look that's right of the 30s. While the film isn't perfect and there are plot holes abound, nevertheless, the earnestness of the film and the fantastic direction and acting make this a film that's worth watching by any fan of cinema. With a rousing score by legendary film composer James Horner, The Rocketeer is a blast-to-the-past that will have you on the edge-of-your seat rooting for the good guys the way that action movies used to do years ago.

On a side note, the film was made for $40,000,000, but it only grossed $46,000,000 during it's entire theatrical run around the world, which is a shame. This a great adventure film that will have you wanting to strap on a rocket pack and take to the skies. It's very underrated, but I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes adventure stories. Overall, barring some plot holes, I give the film a solid 9/10. It's spectacular in every way and then some. With fantastic acting, a great story and characters, The Rocketeer deserves a place on the shelf of any movie fan.

Das Boot

*SPOILER ALERT*

War movies are almost a dime-a-dozen these days. The genre has been around in the film industry for well over 60 years. The genre didn't really pick up steam again until Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan hit theaters in 1998 and it hit hard. Realistic, emotionally engaging and well-acted, Saving Private Ryan brought the War movie genre to the front lines. But there is a sub-genre that people have overlooked recently: The submarine movie. I'm talking about recent movies like U-571, K-19 Widowmaker, Crimson Tide and The Hunt for Red October. But the one movie that I believe truly stood out among all others was Wolfgang Peterson's Das Boot(The Boat).


Taking place in a German U-Boat in 1942, Das Boot follows the crew of a submarine just heading out to sea. Lead by Captain Willenbrock(Jurgen Prochnow), the young crew sets out to face enemy warships during the Battle of the Atlantic. Truth be told, there really isn't much to more to be said about the story, as it would spoil things, but Das Boot basically shows what life is like 100 feet below the surface of the ocean on board a German U-boat. It's claustrophobic and cramped with long stretches of boredom, but when the action hits, it's literally jarring and extremely violent when hit by depth charges. Das Boot is perhaps the most realistic submarine movie I have ever seen, with authentic sets aboard an actual U-Boat. What's also unique about this film is that it's told from the perspective of the Germans during World War II. Mind you, it's not about the holocaust or the atrocities happening in Germany, because from the perspective of the sailors, they had no idea what was going on back home, and the film takes that into consideration and allows the audience to get to know the crew aboard the submarine and doesn't even mention what's happening in Germany. Throughout the film, you get to see the crews as best friends and some tensions do rise, but that's to be expected in such a cramped environment. But the one guy that holds it all together is the captain played by Jurgen Prochnow in of his most memorable roles. Jurgen's character exudes confidence, strength and the will do what needs to be done to win the war and get his crew home. But as the film progresses, you begin see doubt cross not only HIS face, but his crew as well, and after attacking a warship and they surface to finish the job, they finally witness the horror of war with their own eyes and it really drives home the fact that while the sailors are German soldiers, they're human too, and it's not something they want to remember.


In Das Boot, a lot of the film takes place inside the submarine. You get to witness day-to-day life among the crew as they have their ups-and-downs, and you get to see them have hope that they will make it home to see their loved ones. There's a lot of these character moments in this film, but that's not to say there isn't any action, because there is. But a lot of it isn't seen. Instead you get to witness the sailors being rattled by depth charge explosions and the sparks and leaks and the chaos that erupts in a submarine during a violent confrontation. That makes the film far more intense than you would expect it to be. You really begin to root for this crew and you hope that they make it home alive. And that makes the ending of the film so effective. But I won't say anymore on that. I'm reviewing the Director's Cut of Das Boot on Blu-Ray which runs about 3 and a half hours in length. The theatrical cut ran 2 and a half hours and there's an uncut version that runs nearly 5 hours. Despite the film's length, it doesn't actually feel that long at all, as the pace is almost perfect. There's enough time between action scenes to allow for character development, and when the action hits, it hits hard and it lasts. It's truly chaotic.


Das Boot was released in 1981, so it didn't have the "benefit" of CGI. The special effects that you did see were all practical and done with miniatures, and for a film like this, released when it was, makes for a more convincing experience. And an experience it is. Das Boot is highly regarded as one of the best films ever made, and it's very hard to argue that sentiment. Far as I'm concerned, it's the best submarine movie ever made. That's not to say that the other movies that I mentioned were bad: Not at all. They were very good movies, but none of them managed to truly capture the detail of what it was to be on a submarine during World War II. Das Boot did just that, with excellent performances across the board, engaging musical score and a story that is riveting and dramatic. It doesn't get any better than this. Das Boot gets a perfect 10/10. On a side note: The film was made in German, so that's the best way to see it, with English subtitles. Das Boot comes easily recommended.

Black Hawk Down

In 1993, The United States sent the Rangers and Delta Force into Somalia to capture the warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid for seizing food and aid shipments that were meant for the civilians. What was supposed to be an hour-long operation was turned upside down when two Black Hawk attack choppers were shot down over Mogadishu. The choppers were piloted by CWO Cliff Wolcott and CWO Michael Durant. Wolcott was killed on impact and Durant was captured by enemy forces. What was supposed to be a simple raid turned into a fight for survival against an entire city aimed at killing every single American soldier that set foot in the Bakara Market. The whole operation was led by Major General William Garrison, who wound up accepting full responsibility for the outcome of the raid. Black Hawk Down was based on the book written by Mark Bowden which chronicled the raid. Directed by legendary director Ridley Scott, Black Hawk Down was released to theaters in 2001 and was nominated for several Academy Awards, and won two of them: One for best editing and one for Best Sound.

Black Hawk Down opens as Delta Operators pounce on a particular target associated with Mohammed Farah Aidid, Osman Atto(George Harris), who ends up being interrogated by General Garrison(Sam Shepard). Turns out, a group of Aidid's lieutenants are holding a meeting somewhere in the city, and by capturing them, the US forces will be closer to capturing the warlord. The ground forces, commanded by LT. Colonel Daniel McKnight(Tom Sizemore)are to secure the surrounding area while Delta Force, headed by Lt Colonel Garry Harrell(Zelijko Ivanek) are to infiltrate the building and capture the enemy soldiers. As the teams are about to leave, armed Somalis shoot down the Black Hawk piloted by CWO Wolcott(Jeremy Piven). McKnight tells his second-in-command, Captain Steele(Jason Isaacs)to find and secure the crash site. Steele takes a small group of Rangers, which include SSGT. Matt Eversman(Josh Hartnett), Specialist John Grimes(Ewan McGregor), Specialist Lance Twombly(Tom Hardy), and SPC Shawn Nelson(Ewen Bremner). Eversman's group ends up getting split up from the convoy and Captain Steele, but manage to locate the crashed chopper. Shortly afterwards, a second chopper is shot down. This one piloted by CW3 Michael Durant(Ron Eldard). In a race against time to secure both crash sites, the US forces fight for their lives in one of the most intense close combat situation in US History since the Vietnam War.

Black Hawk Down boasts one of the largest ensemble casts of any war movie I've ever seen. Jason Isaacs, Ewan McGregor, Josh Hartnett, William Fichtner, Eric Bana, Jeremy Piven, Tom Sizemore, and Sam Shepard to start with. This movie also showcased some of the up-and-comers like Orlando Bloom and Tom Hardy. The acting caliber is top-notch. While a couple of the characters are fictional, most of the actors play the soldiers that were actually in Somalia at the time. Also, Black Hawk Down, being based on true events, is very gritty and realistic in terms of combat and how soldiers behave during intense situations. The film was supervised by Michael Durant, who was captured by Somali forces and held for 11 days, before being released. As a result, there's an air of authenticity to the film, which makes it more intense. The combat scenes in Black Hawk Down are extremely intense and at times extremely bloody. But, like Saving Private Ryan, the purpose of having such violent scenes is to show the audience that war is very ugly and brutal, and there are casualties on all sides.

Black Hawk Down had a limited release in December of 2001, and eventually had its wide release on January 18, 2002. For the most part, the film was well-received, except by the folks in Somalia, who claim that there's serious elements of racism in the film. I personally didn't see it. The film is very well-paced and doesn't feel like it drags. Some critics claim that there isn't much in the way of characterization, and to a certain extent, they are correct. But I don't think that's a weakness of the film. I think because the whole getting-to-know-the-soldiers routine while probably would've been interesting, I think it would have slowed the film down. This being a Jerry Bruckheimer production, there is a certain style to the film which makes it chaotic. Ridley Scott's direction helps keep the film contained and focused. The score, produced by Hans Zimmer, helps provide the emotion, by not being bombastic like you hear in so many action films, but it's subdued and Zimmer collaborated with several other people, which gives the soundtrack a unique and varied flavor.

There's a recurring theme in most modern war movies after Saving Private Ryan. The theme is that the soldiers that fight in a war are not just following orders, but look out for each other as well. As one of the characters in Black Hawk Down states, "Most people won't understand, that it's about the guy next to you." That theme helps make for a more emotionally compelling experience.

For as long as mankind has been on earth, we've been fighting and killing each other for one reason or another, be it for oil, land or what have you. Wars have consequences, on a personal and economic level. Some reasons don't make sense. As for why we were in Somalia, the official word is that the civil war in Somalia had caused the deaths of more than 300,000 civilians. We went in to remove one of the warlords responsible, and wound up in one of the most intense firefights in US history. 19 American soldiers lost their lives, and the Somalis suffered approximately over 1,000. Two Delta Force snipers, SFC Randy Shughart and MSG Gary Gordon were inserted near the second crash site, and were killed defending it. Because of their bravery, they were posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor, the highest level of commendation that anyone can receive. Two weeks after Durant was released, President Clinton ordered The Rangers and Delta Force out of Somalia. In 1996, Mohammed Farah Aidid was killed. General Garrison retired the following day. I honestly don't think I can stress just how important it is to recognize the soldiers that have given their lives in combat so that others can live. US soldiers across the world put their lives on the line everyday, and I think it's a great disservice to ignore them. We may not always agree as to why our soldiers are there, but they should be supported regardless.

Overall, Black Hawk Down is an intense war movie and anyone remotely interested in the genre should check it out. While it's not a perfect film, I think it's effective and very compelling. I give it a 9/10.

Enter The Dragon

In 1966, a television series premiered starring Van Williams. It featured a protagonist wearing a green suit and mask and fought crime while having a day job as a newspaper publisher. However, it was the Green Hornet's sidekick, Kato that garnered the most attention. Kato was played by the up-and-coming martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee took the world by storm with his martial arts displays in The Green Hornet. So much so, that he was offered to star in his own films. Between 1967 and 1973, Lee had starred in several films, which included The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon and Enter The Dragon. During that time, Bruce Lee had also developed his own unique style of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do(Way of the Intercepting Fist), which incorporated not only Wing Chun kung-fu, but other styles of martial arts. Enter The Dragon was Bruce Lee's final completed film before his untimely death in 1973.

Enter the Dragon opens on a small martial arts demonstration at a Shaolin temple in Hong Kong, between two fighters, Lee(Bruce Lee) and an unknown fighter(Sammo Hung). He is then informed by an Interpol agent, Braithwaite(Geoffrey Weeks) that an upcoming martial arts tournament is hosted by a renegade Shaolin monk, Han(Shih Kien). Braithwaite suspects Han of human trafficking and drug smuggling, and uses the tournament to further his schemes. Joining Lee is gambler Roper(John Saxon) and street-wise Williams(Jim Kelly).

Enter The Dragon opened to critical acclaim world-wide. With a stellar cast that includes not only John Saxon and Jim Kelly, it also featured several up-and-coming Asian martial arts stars including Bolo Yeung, Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan(in a brief cameo appearance). Han's henchman, O'Hara is played by Karate expert Robert Wall, who also appeared in Way of the Dragon alongside kickboxing champion Chuck Norris. With a good story, great acting, memorable characters and stellar fight choreography by Bruce Lee, Enter The Dragon is widely considered the greatest martial arts film ever, and withstands the test of time. Unfortunately, Bruce Lee didn't survive to see the film's success. As a result of an allergic reaction to pain medication, Bruce Lee passed away at the age of 32 in Hong Kong in 1973.

Bruce Lee is considered by many to be the one person who introduced Kung-Fu to the west and made martial arts as popular as it is today. Every martial arts movie that has been made so far has been influenced in some fashion by Bruce Lee. His enthusiasm for martial arts has inspired many people for over 30 years, and because of him, Jeet Kune Do became more popular, and stars like Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, and Sammo Hung became huge international stars as a result. Bruce Lee had two children, Shannon and Brandon Lee, who also followed in their father's footsteps. Sadly, Brandon was killed in 1993 in a freak accident while filming the gothic action film, The Crow. Shannon Lee left acting and became the CEO of Bruce Lee Enterprises and oversees the licensing of her father's name and likeness. Bruce Lee's legacy has and still is being felt all across the world today. As a martial arts actor, Bruce Lee had no equal, he was charismatic and funny. Enter The Dragon stands the test of time as one of the greatest movies ever made and the best Kung-Fu movie ever made. If there is any downside to Enter The Dragon, is that it was Lee's last completed film. Other than that, this movie is beyond reproach. There have been similar movies made after Enter The Dragon, but no-one in their right mind has attempted to re-make or re-imagine it. It is untouchable.

It should be noted that there have been movies made of Bruce Lee, the most popular of which is Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, which starred Jason Scott Lee as Bruce. But, while spectacular at times, failed to really explain Bruce Lee's life story. Enter The Dragon is the quintessential Bruce Lee film, but I would also recommend some of his earlier works, like Way of the Dragon, The Big Boss and The Chinese Connection. There are no words adequate enough to explain the influence Bruce Lee had on almost everything. Philosophy, martial arts, film, Bruce Lee has been a part of it all and none of it has been the same since, and no-one has come close to duplicating what Bruce Lee had accomplished in his short time on Earth. Enter The Dragon gets no rating, because it doesn't need one. It is without a doubt my personal favorite martial arts movie and it never gets old. It's one I would recommend without hesitation to anyone remotely interested in kung-fu movies.