The Other Summer Blockbuster

I'm sure everyone is anticipating Thursday's opening of Episode III (I am). And most of you will be watching it at midnight (I will). And while I feel confident this will be the best of Lucas' prequels, I also believe that the summer's best movie won't open for another 4 weeks. Mark your calenders. My summer "begins" June 15.

Yep, I can't wait to see Batman Begins. I loved Tim Burton's Batman movies. I even tolerated Batman Forever. But I've been waiting for definitive Batman movie. One that would explain why some rich guy would want to dress up like a bat and fight crime (By the way, Batman & Robin never happened). From everything I've read, Batman Begins is THE definitive Bat film I've been waiting for. For a complete synopsis and FAQ click here.

The cast is a who's who of Oscar nominees/winners: Christian Bale (Batman/Wayne), Gary Oldman (Sgt., not Commissioner Gordon), Michael Caine (Alfred), Morgan Freeman, Tom Sizemore (mob boss Carmine Falcone), Liam Neeson (Bruce Wayne's Jedi teacher, just kidding), Rutger Hauer and Ken Watanabe (from Last Samurai). Not mentioned, Katie Holmes and Cilian Murphy (guy from 28 days Later as the villain, Scarecrow). The director is the guy who directed/wrote one of my all time favorite movies, Memento.

Basically, it's an origin story. The theme of the movie: fear. Which is perfect because the Batman in the comics is meant to be a scary MF. They're shooting for the same kind of intimidating Batman in the new movie. So no Bat nipples and no cheezy lines like "Hi, I'm Batman" (from the last Batman movie that never happened). This movie is going to be awesome. But don't take my word for it. See the two trailers, the final trailer and the (better) international trailer [it's the one on the far right].

JD (yes, I'm a geek)