Monday, July 23, 2012

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, PG-13 ( 2 hr & 45 min )


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where:  CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when:  Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
show:  3:15 p.m.
costs:  $10.00 Ticket + $4.50 medium 30.0 oz Hi-C Fruit Punch/Pink Lemonade combo = $14.50
auditorium:  8
seat:  5th row, 8ht column

2nd time


 


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where:  CINE ARTS @ PLEASANT HILL in Pleasant Hill, CA
when:  Monday, July 23rd, 2012
show:  10:15 p.m.
costs:  S10.50 Ticket + $13.58 dinner @ Buffet City in Concord, CA, before the movie ( + $2.42 Tip ) + $4.50 20.0 oz VitaminWater Lemonade + $5.00 Benicia Bridge Toll = $36.00
auditorium:  1, the Cine-Dome
seat:  6th row, 22nd column

3rd time




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where:  EDWARDS FAIRFIELD STADIUM 16 & I-MAX in Fairfield, CA
when:  Tuesday, July 24th, 2012
show:  10:40 p.m.
costs:  $17.50 Ticket + $3.00 medium Popcorn ( a $1.00 upgrade on a $2.00 small Popcorn All-Day Tuesday with a Regal Movie Watcher Rewards Card ) + $1.50 Kernel Seasonings Nacho Cheddar popcorn topping + $0.00 small 32.0 oz Diet Coke ( Free Reward on my Movie Watcher Rewards Card ) = $22.00
auditorium:  12, with the I-Max screen
seat:  5th row, 5th seat


synopsis/overview:  Ra's al Ghul's Legacy

The Dark Knight, a.k.a. Batman/Bruce Wayne ( Christian Bale ), resurfaces after eight years in seclusion to do battle with Bane ( Tom Hardy ), a terrorist leader who is out to destroy the city of Gotham.


noteworthy scenes:  1.) Airplane; 2.) Dent Act; 3.) Pearl necklace; 4.) Fingerprints; 5.) Sewer; 6.) "He needs you; he needs Batman"; 7.) Hospital; 8.) Cameras; 9.) "Your wife said you were taking the cab home"; 10.) "Let me show you some stuff anyway"; 11.) The pit; 12.) Stock exchange; 13.) Bike chase; 14.) "We might have the wrong animal there, Sir"; 15.) Clean Slate; 16.) Batman and Catwoman ( Anne Hathaway ); 17.) "So, that's what that feels like"; 18.) "I am using the truth, Master Wayne"; 19.) Broke; 20.) "I'm choosing to trust you"; 21.) "A necessary evil"; 22.) "The power's been shut-off"; 23.) Batman vs. Bane; 24.) "Your armory"; 25.) Interrogation; 26.) "She will be fine"; 27.) Cement factory; 28.) Trap; 29.) Bombs; 30.) Football field; 31.) Written statement; 32.) The ninety-nine percent; 33.) Dislocated vertebra; 34.) Heir; 35.) "Supplies for your journey"; 36.) "Pretty generous for a thief"; 37.) "Death by exile"; 38.) "I like the girlfriend, Mr. Wayne"; 39.) Flare; 40.) "The mask is not for you. It's to protect the people you care about"; 41.) "I came to stop you"; 42.) Decoy; 43.) "Tell me where the trigger is. Then, you have my permission to die"; 44.) The child; 45.) "About the whole 'No Guns' "thing", I'm not sure I feel as strongly about it as you do"; 46.) "'Nothing like a little air superiority"; 47.) "I guess we're both suckers"; 48.) "No auto-pilot"; 49.) Grave site eulogy at Wayne Manor; 50.) The bequests; and 51.) New beginnings.

audience reaction:  The audience liked it. And some people gave it a "Hands Clapper" ending.

2nd audience reaction:  There wasn't much of a reaction from this crowd of about a dozen people.

3rd audience reaction:  Not much in the way of a reaction from this crowd, too.

recommendation:  I liked it. But the ending was kind of a "let-down" for me. Go see this if you're a Batman fan.

spoiler alert!  Why didn't they just take-off the hoods before they had the prisoners board the plane? I don't think old Alfred ( Michael Caine ) could keep that mansion all neat-and-tidy all by himself, anyway--'not to mention mowing the lawn. How did Batman snatch the hostage from the back of the bike, "Spider-Man" style? When the bad guy fell off his motorcycle, shouldn't that have been enough to damage the portable computer that he had in his backpack? When the Batbike's wheels spun around sideways, it should have made for a bumpy ride for the Batman and, later on, for the Catwoman. Batman's fight against Bane would have ended sooner had Batman just poked Bane in the eyes, Three Stooges-style! Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck. Speaking of Bane, how was he able to eat and drink, and how was he able to brush his teeth? And is it just me or did Tom Hardy make his Bane character sound like the late Bela Lugosi's Count Dracula doing a bad impression of James Earl Jones's Darth Vader? And speaking of voices, was I the only one who laughed when Batman talked funny because Bane got him by the throat? Don't tell me that the football player couldn't hear and feel the explosions going off behind him. If he was paralyzed from the waist down, he probably stank-up that place with his urine and feces. And, again, if he was paralyzed from the waist down, then his legs wouldn't have moved the way they did when he rolled himself out of bed. If I were that old prisoner giving Bruce some inspirational talk, it would have been something like this: "Look, you big, stupid idiot: You have the height advantage, the reach advantage and the jump advantage over that little child.  So, go and put them all to good use!" Ahh ... how was he able to climb, let alone jump, if he couldn't even walk without a cane, in the first place? He was stripped of his costume and gear--especially his leg brace--so how was Bruce able to walk with his arthritic knees in the cold winter weather? When Batman saved Detective Blake ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt ) from the bad guys, the ensuing fight was poorly choreographed--any one of the armed bad guys could have easily shot Batman. If I were Catwoman, I would have said, "Where's the instruction manual for this thing because I need to spend some time reading it and familiarizing myself with this vehicle's functions? Then, I need to practice handling it for a while before I go on that rescue mission you want to send me on. And where's my damn helmet? You got one on! So, where's mine?" Those cops trapped in the sewer for three months didn't have a grooming kit with them or changes of uniform but they all came out looking "fresh". And since those cops were holed-up in the sewer close together for that length of a time, where did they go to pee and poo? When those cops--who were "packed like sardines in a sardine can" on that street--charged, the bad guys sprayed them with bullets from automatic rifles but most of the bullets just landed well in front of the cops--no matter how close the cops got to the bad guys! Either the bullets that the bad guys used on the cops had an extremely short range or they were too small for the rifles' barrels or both. What was wrong with the terrorist couple's love affair--'not explosive enough that they had to resort to using real explosives ...? Is it really possible for the propeller-powered Bat to stay ahead of rocket-propelled missiles for that long-length of a time? The passenger didn't have the seat-belt on when the truck crashed down to the lower level street; so, the passenger should have been smashed against the windshield or flown through it. The back of that truck could only be opened from the outside; yet, he was able to kick it open from the inside. The nuclear device was ticking-down to zero but ... they stood around to listen to the dying person talk, anyway---I would have panicked and said, There's no time to dilly-dally. That thing's gonna blow-up any second now! For the sake of argument, let's say that that craft could fly at a maximum speed of 600 mph ( a very generous estimate to begin with, considering that it is propeller-powered ), that means that it could travel at 10 miles per minute; so, if he ejected from it even at 30 seconds before the nuclear explosion, he would be five miles from ground zero which would still put him within the bomb's blast radius--but he was still in the cockpit at approximately 5 seconds before the explosion! Commissioner Gordon ( Gary Oldman ) better not turn-on the Bat Signal anytime soon.

fyi:  On Thursday, July 19th, I got off work at 8:00 p.m. And I didn't have to be back at work until 4:00 p.m. the next day, Friday.  So, that left me with plenty of time to go see the midnight show for this movie since the local area theatres each had several listings for midnight shows. And, if I left my condo at around 11:20 p.m., I would be at any one of the local area theatres of my own choosing with plenty of time to get a ticket, buy something at the concession stand, and then find myself a seat in the auditorium. But, as tempted as I was to go see a midnight show, I talked myself out of it at the last minute because I was feeling "a little under the weather" and because I had a bad feeling about it, that someone was gonna get shot. So, I decided to just stay home, instead. Little did I know just how right my premonition was; and neither did I know the gravity of the whole situation until I came home from work at around 2:00 a.m. yesterday, a Saturday, and learned of the tragedy while I was on-line.

I felt so sad for all of those innocent lives lost! My heart went out to the victims and their families. I was so depressed upon learning of the tragedy that I had a hard time doing my Delta Brainwave Frequency Sound Meditation yesterday, early in the morning. I interspersed my meditation with prayers for the victims, and a personal plea to God to help me overcome my sadness and depression.

My sadness and depression stem from the fact that I had a similar premonition prior to 9/11 ( read my blog on DEAR JOHN [ February 2010 ] ). And in both instances, my premonitions were very vague. Had my premonitions been crystal-clear, I might have been able to help avert such tragedies. This monitive psychic ability of mine cannot save lives and is, therefore, worthless! It's not a Divine gift after all, it's just a psychological burden.

Late last night, at work, a co-worker of mine, Tom, asked me if I had seen the Batman movie, yet. I told him that I wasn't gonna go see it right away out of respect for the dead. I didn't want their senseless deaths trivialized. He told me that I shouldn't boycott the movie because of it. And I said that I wasn't boycotting it, that I was just gonna wait a while before going to see it.

When I got home just a little after 3:00 a.m. today, I went on-line to fandango.com to read-up on the tragic shooting and to see what people's comments on it were. After much deliberation, I decided to see the movie later on today.


Tragic Shooting: 12 Dead, 71 Injured in Aurora, Colorado
by: Eric Davis on July 20, 2012 at 10:31 a.m.
( California is one hour behind Colorado )
Article and photo from fandango.com

Earlier today, a 24-year-old lone gunman brought at least three guns, a gas mask, tear 

gas and a bulletproof vest into a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado and opened fire

during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. As of last count, 12 people are

dead and at the time of this writing, 71 injured.  According to reports, the suspect's

name is James Holmes. He was born in 1987 and has no prior police incidents, save

for one traffic ticket last year.

President Obama was "shocked and saddened" to hear the news, saying, "We are

committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our

people, and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by

moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American

family." The theater is located approximately 15 miles away from Littleton, Colorado,

where in 1999 two kids shot up Columbine High School, killing 13 and wounding a

dozen others. At this time there is no relation between the two shootings.

Warner Bros. has canceled tonight's Paris premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in the

wake of the shooting, while the cast has canceled all interviews. In a statement

released to the media, the studio said, "Warner Bros. is deeply saddened to learn

about this shocking incident. We extend our sincere sympathies to the families and

loved ones of the victims at this tragic time.”

Our hearts go out to all impacted by this tragedy.

Director Christopher Nolan has issued the following statement:

"Speaking on behalf of the cast and crew of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' I would like to

express our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire

Aurora community. I would not presume to know anything about the victims of the

shooting but that they were there last night to watch a movie. I believe movies are one

of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold

on screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the

idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an

unbearably savage way is devastating to me. Nothing any of us can say could ever

adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but

our thoughts are with them and their families."


THE CONSPIRACY:


The United States of America is the only country in the world with a highly-armed citizenry! We American Citizens are probably more heavily-armed than any Third World Country's soldiers. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution gives the American Citizens the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The two tragic shootings mentioned in the above article, as well as other recent tragic shootings, are fueling the anti-gun lobbyists' debate. They argue that nobody can feel safe in any community for as long as its citizens have guns, using the shootings as ( extreme ) examples.

What they purposely omit is the fact that the United States' "shadow government" has developed a mind control device that can project/implant thoughts into any random unsuspecting subject and have said subject do "certain things". What the "shadow government" wants is for Congress to pass a Bill that will negate our Second Amendment Right to Keep and Bear Arms! Once the Bill is in force, it will be much easier for our own soldiers and police officers to round-up dissidents, i.e. all civilians, and herd us into detention/concentration camps as the New World Order goes into effect. And the United States becomes a collection of detention/concentration camps full of prisoners/slaves/test subjects/food sources ( ? ).

The German Jews were not allowed to keep and bear arms ( according to a conspiracy theory article that I read a few years ago ), and they ended-up in concentration camps. Yes, there's a chance that History will repeat itself, if we allow it. Buy your firearms and ammunition now, while you still can! It's 2012, everyone .... ( Go read my blog on the movie, 2012 [ November 2009 ], if you haven't yet! )

Something to seriously consider: The Hegelian Dialectic ( from a 2 hour and 25 minute YouTube video, NWO: Secret Societies and Biblical Prophecy, Volume 1 [ revised ]. It starts at one hour into the video presentation. )

A philosopher named Georg Hegel ( 1770 - 1831 ) came-up with a "three step plan" which a rogue government can implement to control its own citizens, called "The Hegelian Dialectic."

-Step one: Create the PROBLEM. Otherwise known as, "The False Flag Attack."

-Step two: Control the REACTION. By blaming an imaginary enemy or part of a society over which the rogue government wants to exercise complete control.

-Step three: Offer the SOLUTION to the problem that It Created In The First Place! By way of war or a set of regulations.

Now, see how this "three-step plan" works in the above conspiracy:

-1.) The "shadow government" wants to have complete control over American Citizens given the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms. It addresses the problem by using a secret mind control device to pick-out innocent citizens ( with no criminal records, whatsoever ) and control their minds to force them to go on a mindless/senseless killing rampage.

-2.) The "shadow government" then reacts by blaming our Second Amendment Right to Keep and Bear Arms as the root cause of such evil acts.

-3.) Finally, the "shadow government" gets Congress to pass an Anti-Gun Possession Law as the only solution to the problem which it secretly created in the first place. And once our Society is stripped of its Right to Keep and Bear Arms, we end-up like the Jews did in Nazi Germany!

Does the Hegelian Dialectic fit into the 9-11 scheme? You betcha! And it can all be summed-up into two words: Patriot Act. Go watch the YouTube video which I mentioned above.

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I like the Batbike. They should make a production model out of it.

word of advice:  Rise up to the challenge.


tidbits: When I stepped-out of my condo, I headed straight for Selecta Pilipino Buffet on Springs Road here in Vallejo, CA, for lunch, my first meal for the day. I was gonna go home afterward, but the hot weather made me decide to see this movie a.s.a.p. instead of later on in the evening.

But, first, I decide to swing by Best Buy to get a top-up card for my Virgin Mobile cellphone--and to use their men's room because "nature was calling".

After the movie, I went to the nearby Target Shopping Center's Dollar Tree Store to buy a 32 oz Powerade Mountain Berry Blast, a 3-litre bottle of Root Beer, and a toilet bowl cleaner.

Then, I went to the Vargas Mexican Market on the corner of Mini Drive and Sonoma Boulevard here in Vallejo to buy a pastry, a can of Gandules ( Pigeon Peas ) so I can cook some Arroz Con Gandules, and a 2 litre bottle of Atlacatl Cola Champagne ( just out of curiosity ).

I took the long way home as I headed down Sonoma Boulevard. When I got to the corner of Sereno Drive, I spotted a female panhandler standing on the center island. She was holding up a sign which read: "Help with dinner." But she looked like she already helped herself to some dinner from the taco truck stand to her right and from the Carl's Junior Hamburger Restaurant and the Smart and Final Grocery Store to her left. I say this because she was fat and had a bulging belly.  It anything, she needed to skip dinner and cut down on her daily intake to lose all of her gut-fat.

2nd tidbits:  The Chinese buffet didn't have anymore steamed rice when I got there. They only had fried rice left. And I don't like eating fried rice at a buffet because it just adds more salt, starch, fat and cholesterol to the rest of what I will be eating. Consequently, I didn't eat that much. In other words, I didn't get my money's worth!

P.S. My Fried Rice is better than any of the fried rice dishes that I sampled at over a dozen Chinese buffets.

P.P.S. After finishing my dessert at 9:36 p.m., I read my Fortune Cookie fortune which said: "Every friend joys in your success."

Hah! the parasitic hangers-on that they are.  In other words ... "A friend in need is a friend, indeed."

3rd tidbits:  When I arrived at the theatre, a tall black man came up to me and asked me if I had some spare money to pay for his bus fare. He added that he just got a job. I just brushed him off because I don't give money to strangers who will just use it to buy cigarettes, beer, liquor or drugs. When I got home, I went on-line and checked the local bus schedule for that area. The last bus service for that area is at 7:00 p.m.--and it was close to 10:30 p.m. when he asked me for some money! The scams people try to pull on others, I swear ....

In the auditorium, I overheard the guy sitting two seats away to my right complain to his buddy that they got suckered into paying extra just to see the movie--in 2-D ( not in 3-D )--on a bigger screen. Well ... that's the whole point about "The I-Max Experience", whether the movie is in 3-D or not! At least, they came out of it all the wiser for the experience. Welcome to the ( suckered ) club.



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