Frank Miller's Batman

My Hoopla reading continues, as I sit down to read three of the Batman adventures written by Frank Miller in Hoopla.  Miller might be my very favorite Batman creator, and these three comics are all absolutely brilliant.

Batman: Year One

Maybe my favorite Batman story ever.  Shows both Batman and James Gordon's first year of fighting crime in Gotham, as well as their efforts to confront a corrupt police force.  Incredibly well drawn, with a style that really shows you the grit of inner city Gotham.  Also has some great dialogue and narration.  A truly noir take on Batman.

The Dark Knight Returns

From a formal perspective, this may be the best Batman story out there.  It's certainly the most influential, having had an impact on the Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck Batmans in equal measure.  This tale of a futuristic Batman who has gone insane, and his insane war on crime in Gotham, is sheer, operatic fun.  His fights against the Joker and Superman are unforgettable, and the depiction of the media here predicts a lot of the off-the-wall media personalities we see today.

The Dark Knight Strikes Again

Some people don't care for this sequel to The Dark Knight Returns, but I think it's every bit as good.  It really ups the ante in showing the insanity of this futuristic world (particularly the media), and while it may be more comicbooky, I really enjoyed its looseness and unpredictability.  Lots of very funny and very moving moments here.  A very worthy follow-up to its predecessor.

Top five (final draft)

Okay, okay, after some reconsideration, I've decided There Will Be Blood is just too dark to be on a top five.  A great film, but just too dark (especially that ending).  Here is my revised, and hopefully final, top five.  For brevity's sake, we'll skip the notes this time: 1.) Raging Bull 2.) Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 3.) Prometheus 4.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 5.) Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice.  Have a nice night!

Top five (revised)

Hello, all.  This weekend I got a chance to finally rewatch There Will Be Blood, and it was great!  So good, I think it's actually not high up enough on my top five.  So, I've made some rearrangements.  See what you think: 1.) Raging Bull - see comments on previous top five.  2.) Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - I've been going through a David Fincher phase lately, and I think this one is the cream of the crop.  I regretted not having any Fincher on my previous top five, and now I'm correcting that.  This one says so much about our modern, technological world, and at the same time takes place in some very old- fashioned places that are just fascinating.  Some great themes concerning feminism are in here, too.  One of my very favorite movies.  3.)  There Will Be Blood - In addition to the comments made on my previous top five, I'll say that this one has a lot to say about the limits of capitalism and the dangers of living in a wrecked economy.  Daniel Day-Lewis is a powerhouse!  4.) Prometheus - Okay, I decided to put it on here.  The inspiration for Elizabeth Shaw: Security Officer and the movie I've seen more times than any other.  A great parable about the nature of religion (and true faith).  5.) Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Rewatched this over Memorial Day weekend.  Sure it borrows heavily (lots of dialogue) from The Dark Knight Returns, but it's the most fun I've ever had at the movies.  A real treat for us Bat fanatics.  Until next time!