Side by Side

The start of the 21st century can be marked as an era which ushers in new technologies at a breakneck speed.  This technology has changed not only the everyday lives of people, but how they are able to render the human condition through artistic mediums.  Whether it be molecular gastronomy for food or remixing and sampling for music; we’ve all seen artists adhere or dissent from these new innovations to justify their claim to the truth within a medium.  No movement is in a more precarious situation than the battle between digital and film within the movie industry. This ongoing battle is the subject of the inquisitive and compelling documentary, Side by Side.

The film documents the growth and history of both the photochemical and the digital process.  Keanu Reeves (in probably the best performance of his career…) interviews a collection of many cinematic giants including Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, David Lynch, Danny Boyle, George Lucas, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, and Steven Soderbergh.  While some like Lucas, Cameron, and Lynch encourage the growth of digital and the rejection film, others, like Nolan and Scorsese, insist film is cinema at it’s purest form.

    The arguments go on and on: digital allows for instant feedback, as well as detail manipulations in mis-en-scene in post-production, whereas film is expensive and time consuming.  Digital allows for a wider array of stories to be told. Robert Rodriguez remembers the tedious and restrictive nature of shooting on film, saying his Sin City would not have been possible without digital.

But film advocates ask “Why trade my paints for crayons?”, arguing the quality of film will always be the standard. Without a filter, do the quality of films become progressively worse? In terms of quality, film is still hands down far superior, being able to capture both nuance and contrasts in the shot.  However, not many new film cameras are being made; meaning film has reached its peak. Digital technology, however, can only improve.  

     Side by Side is an explorative and unbiased look at cinema’s heritage and it’s future. It poses how should movies be made, how should watch them, and how should they be integrated into our lives.  Ultimately, Side by Side declares the medium may or may not matter, only the truth and heart that goes into story. Which format is better? That’s for you to decide. Just stack them against each other, side by side.

The Dark Knight Rises

I think we can all say we were looking forward to this one. A lot. We tried not to; we really tried to stay wary of all summer blockbusters, but I think deep down we knew this would be fan-fucking-tastic. Nolan never flops, right? Well yes and no.  

All of the Batman films in the Nolanverse have a tone reflecting the villain of the film.  Psychological and demented for Begins; calculating and cunning for The Dark Knight; and brutal and physical for Rises.  This works for and against the film itself.  While we see gorgeous cinematography and visceral performances by the entire cast, the movie itself was bogged down by plot holes and an overwritten script.   
The film moves pretty smoothly for a 2 hour and 45 minute film, but the overall pacing of the film felt too clunky; it overwhelmed itself with the wrong aspects of the plot.  The overly ambitious story made it too busy to build to a true climax. Reflecting the difference in villains, it doesn’t quite maintain the controlled chaos executed so well in The Dark Knight. The action is kind of everywhere, but also kind of nowhere.
Here’s the weird thing: The movie has this huge anti-occupy/anti-communist feel to it. While we get that Nolan has no stake in these and wasn’t trying to use Rises to discuss any of these politics, it’s hard to ignore some of the imagery that drips with relevance to the last year.

All in all, it seems a little careless to raise such burning questions and not give it the respect it deserves.
Watching the film, we had a good time. Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy both  capture and redefine the original comic book villains. Hathaway oozes with sensuality, and her minute mannerisms demonstrates the crafty mind and agile body of Catwoman. On the other end of the spectrum, Tom Hardy gives a brute and physical performance to an otherwise one-note character.  

Nolan is no slouch with the camera as well, capturing the melancholy of Gotham as a majestic city landscape of haunting beauty. The action sequences were also memorable; Bane and Batman face-off in a gritty and carnal scene which is reminiscent of a boxer in a bout way past his prime.

Will you see Rises? Yes.  Will you have a good time in the theater? Probably.  Does it bring a satisfying conclusion? Sure. But it is nowhere near the magnum opus we were expecting from Christopher Nolan.