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Jeremy Banks
Issue date: 5/6/05 Section: Features
Well, summer's here, and you know what that means: intolerable heat, long hours at crappy jobs, the Fourth of July and those Hollywood blockbusters. Summer is regarded as Hollywood's most profitable time, and with a few exceptions, it never fails to deliver. It can also make or break a franchise. There are many films due out this summer and several will be mentioned in this article, but there are two that deserve particular mention.
Batman Begins- This is one of the most anticipated films of all time. I have been a die-hard Batman fan since I was seven years old and I hope that this one does not disappoint. The pressure is on for Warner Brothers to deliver and reinvent the franchise after the flop that was Batman and Robin in 1997. This time it's Christian Bale in the cape and cowl, David Goyer, writing the story and Memento director Chris Nolan at the helm. I have to tell you, I am partial to Tim Burton's Batman, but after viewing Memento and watching Bale in American Psycho, my confidence level is up. Screenwriter David Goyer, who wrote the Blade trilogy, said of Bruce Wayne and the film in an interview, "Bruce is more dark and realistic in our picture than in any previous incarnation. He contemplates first-degree murder, and my inspiration for the script was The Man Who Would Be King and Lawrence of Arabia." The buzz is off the charts, and seeing the trailers thus far, this looks like a classic in its own right, even if it is not as good as the 1989 original.
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith- George Lucas' epic saga finally comes to an end on May 19, 2005. This is arguably the most anticipated film of all time. The birth of Darth Vader: who in their right minds cannot be excited about that? George Lucas has said in starwars.com interviews that he could have written a movie about Vader running around killing people, but he chose not to because he was not interested. He was more interested in Anakin Skywalker's fall from grace rather than people dying. That is not to say that Sith does not have its fair share of killing. It will be interesting to see Hayden Christensen's portrayal this time around, after he was savaged by critics and fans alike for 2002's Attack of the Clones. Judging by the trailers, the real star of the film will be Senator Palpatine, who is revealed as Darth Sidious, and goes on a reign of terror in his own right. Kevin Smith, director of Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back has already viewed the film and had this to say, "It is a thousand times darker than the Empire Strikes Back, and you'll feel like you're watching Othello or Hamlet."
Batman Begins- This is one of the most anticipated films of all time. I have been a die-hard Batman fan since I was seven years old and I hope that this one does not disappoint. The pressure is on for Warner Brothers to deliver and reinvent the franchise after the flop that was Batman and Robin in 1997. This time it's Christian Bale in the cape and cowl, David Goyer, writing the story and Memento director Chris Nolan at the helm. I have to tell you, I am partial to Tim Burton's Batman, but after viewing Memento and watching Bale in American Psycho, my confidence level is up. Screenwriter David Goyer, who wrote the Blade trilogy, said of Bruce Wayne and the film in an interview, "Bruce is more dark and realistic in our picture than in any previous incarnation. He contemplates first-degree murder, and my inspiration for the script was The Man Who Would Be King and Lawrence of Arabia." The buzz is off the charts, and seeing the trailers thus far, this looks like a classic in its own right, even if it is not as good as the 1989 original.
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith- George Lucas' epic saga finally comes to an end on May 19, 2005. This is arguably the most anticipated film of all time. The birth of Darth Vader: who in their right minds cannot be excited about that? George Lucas has said in starwars.com interviews that he could have written a movie about Vader running around killing people, but he chose not to because he was not interested. He was more interested in Anakin Skywalker's fall from grace rather than people dying. That is not to say that Sith does not have its fair share of killing. It will be interesting to see Hayden Christensen's portrayal this time around, after he was savaged by critics and fans alike for 2002's Attack of the Clones. Judging by the trailers, the real star of the film will be Senator Palpatine, who is revealed as Darth Sidious, and goes on a reign of terror in his own right. Kevin Smith, director of Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back has already viewed the film and had this to say, "It is a thousand times darker than the Empire Strikes Back, and you'll feel like you're watching Othello or Hamlet."