Batman Begins

My favorite of all the batman movies. Best Bruce Wayne/Batman ever!

I am a big fan of Batman, both on screen, and even more so in the Comics. I love the way Miller chronicles the beginning and end of the Batman's career. This movie deals with an era that is kind of vague in the comic books. How did the Batman get those almost supernatural fighting abilities?

The Comics always showed him as getting good training, and having a lot of talent, drive and courage. But none of that explained why he was so indominatable in hand to hand combat.

Ras Al Gul as a mentor explains a lot. Ras is almost imortal, and has skills honed over thousands of years. In the books he has always liked the Batman, and despite having several opportunities, has never killed him. He believes the Batman/Bruce Wayne, will one day become Ras Al Gul...that they are no different.

This movie shows the subtle difference, and gives us all a lesson. The Batman cares and protects those who cannot protect themselves. Ras Al Gul also craves justice, but thinks those who are weak will hinder justice. In fact, in the comics, he sees mankind as a problem. So it is the Batman's compassion that keeps him from losing his mind, and becoming a bad guy.

Those of us who are powerful should remember this.

A few Good Men

As I watch this movie, about Marines at Guantanomo Bay I am struck by so many parrellels to Bush's War, and the people at Gitmo that are being held without trial. It also has a lot to say about how situations like the Abu Graid tortures happened.

In a Few Good Men the case becomes clear. A commander is ultimately responsible if he gives an illegal order. It is highly unlikely that highly disciplined soldiers would behave so horribly if it wasn't given the blessing of the commander.

In the movie Jack Nicholson is perfectly convinced that the ends justify the means, and that he and he alone is the law in Gitmo. In the movie, the law prevails. Now we have torture scandals where soldiers are being convicted, as they were in the movie, for doing illegal acts. They were convicted even though they were obeying orders.

But this movie shows how hard it is in a military court to question those who give the orders. How unlikely it is that those who are ultimately responsible will come to justice.

Is this the case in real life? Do we want to know? Or as Jack Nicholson says maybe "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!"

Cain Mutiny

This weekend I watched two movies about military justice- A Few Good Men and the Caine Mutiny. In Cain mutiny a group of officers struggles with how to confront an officer who is obviously short a few marbles...except for the ones in his hands. Bogart was at his very best, and the parrellels between him and Nicholson are unavoidable. Both films featured a handsom young officer who must make a hard choice. Do you let bad command slip, or stand up and risk everything to do what is right.

Unlike A Few Good Men, the ending is bittersweet. You wonder whether they should have supported their commander or not. Also, in a few good men the commander is crazy...but not a Few Good Men...in a Few Good Men the commander is just overconfident, and got the impression he was above the law.

Japanese Story

One of the few movies I have seen with an Asian man/White Woman mix. It starts off stereotypically making fun of a Japanese business man in Austriala on business whith a "bossy" blonde Australian woman who reluctantly becomes his guide. If someone figure out what happened at the lake let me know.

This movie has a couple of strange twists in it that make it fairly good. Pacing is a little slow.