Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises

To kick off Ethan's birthday weekend, we went to see The Dark Knight Rises at the Grandin Theatre. Johnny and Ethan and Graeme and I took up the center of the center row, and I continue to love the Grandin for reasons far more emotional than cinematographic.

The movie was wonderfully relevant, actually. I continue to be impressed with how Nolan works current societal threads into the batman mythology. This was definitely about the one-percent dialog, and Nolan again managed to present the discussion without being preachy. If anything, including Catwoman not only presented the concept but also presented the conflict inherent in it, and in traditional Nolan style, the conversation remains open and ongoing.

Graeme and I were all pins and needles when Bane and Batman fought, and Ethan leaned over and whispered, "Uh, mom, I think I need to warn you: Bane is known as the man who broke the Batman." He was wonderfully compassionate as the movie rendered the storyline, and even his wealth of knowledge didn't spoil the unfolding of who the enemy is and why it's worth fighting for what you love.

And of course, the explosions and gadgets were awesome.

I will miss the Nolan-Bale-Caine-Freeman rendition of my favorite angsty antihero.