Worlde

Heh, I love stuff like this.
Word clouds taken from the BC Rules of Court and 2 Timothy (^_^)

The Fanboy Feature - The Dark Knight

As if I couldn't write something about the summer's biggest movie.

Yes, even in my current vegetative state, I am still compelled to write my reflections about a blockbuster as singularly good as The Dark Knight (yes, the grammar sucks, that's why I used the word 'vegetative').

It's statistically improbable that you haven't already heard about the film's instant success (I mean, you are using the internet right now, right?), so I won't reiterate the critics' ravings about how good the story was, how amazing the effects were, or even talk much about Heath Ledger's chilling performance as the Joker.

I should say, however, that the Dark Knight clearly raises the bar for the entire superhero movie genre - it's a much darker and more cerebral film than Iron Man or Spiderman ever was. In fact, it's a much more sombre movie than Batman Begins as well, as the bulk of the movie does not rely on the 'invention' of Batman, but on the moral dilemmas that he faces now that he has established himself as an icon.

You don't leave from the Dark Knight thinking "Oh, that one fighting scene was so cool", or "Man, I wish I could drive the batpod". In fact, you don't even leave the theatre with the child-like fantasy of imagining what it would be like to leap around as the caped crusader. Unlike all other superhero films, you don't want to be Batman at all - you pity the character and the burden he's left with. It's rare to experience such a bittersweet aftertaste from a movie, and it's really remarkable that with all the wild stunts and special effects, the Dark Knight's true impact comes from its grounding in real world ethics and it's frightening portrayal of the Joker's madness.

Man, I can only hope the Watchmen will be this good.

NUMBER ONE - Marge vs. The Monorail (Season 4)

This is it - NUMBER ONE! Hope you've enjoyed my top ten - honorable mentions to follow.


“Monorail! Monorail! Monoraaail!” Just looking at the accompanying picture of Lyle Langley probably got the ‘Monorail Song‘ playing in your head. Indeed, this episode is number one in my books for being virtually unforgettable and standing the test of time.

Who can forget the hilarious beginning of the episode, with Homer’s scene-for-scene imitation of Fred Flintstone (at least until his unfortunate accident with a chestnut tree)? Phil Hartman’s slick salesman character also fits seamlessly into the Simpsons universe, and you just knew he’d get his just desserts at the end.

All in all, the episode has great timing, a sense of drama that wasn’t over-the-top, and was jammed packed with hilarious moments penned by Mr. Conan O’Brien himself. It’s definitely one of the quintessential Simpsons episodes that demonstrates the unparalleled sense of comedy and story-telling that has made the series so successful.

Oh, and Leonard Nimoy was in it too.

NUMBER TWO - The Last Temptation of Homer Simpson (Season 5)

“AHH!"
"...I mean, AH-low!”

Another classic Simpsons that’s well known for its quotables (“Hubba, hubba”), but this episode also clearly established Homer Simpson as the lovable oaf that other series have unsuccessfully tried to emulate. Yes, he’s stupid and his IQ seems to drop from season to season, but core to Homer’s character is also his genuine love for his family.

Everything in this episode attempts to push Homer towards infidelity, from his vision that suggests everyone would be happier if he left Marge, to the fortune cookie that urges him to find a new love. This isn’t the only time Homer has been tempted by other women (ie. Lurleen, the country music singer), but it is the first time he questions his faithfulness to his wife. It’s a brilliantly written episode that still has the usual Simpsons’ charm and bag of jokes, but adds a nice touch of humanity that has stayed true throughout the entire series.

NUMBER THREE - Cape Feare (Season 5)

Down to the last three! Considering how messy this top ten has made my blog, I'll have to consolidate them into a single post later. Hope you've enjoyed it so far!

The Simpsons has been pretty good with continuity and revisiting past episodes, but the Sideshow Bob episodes make up a completely separate arc on their own. Sideshow Bob has been the perfect archvillian for the series, personifying both the psychopathic killer and the ‘Wile-E-Coyote’ kind of eternal loser. “Cape Feare” is my favourite Bob episode, as it sticks to the relatively simple plot of the original ‘CaFear’, but also delivers excellent comedic timing. Bob’s lust for murder is made very palpable and disturbing, but it is constantly offset by the injuries he sustains while following Bart around (ie. 9 rakes in the face).



Homer is also especially dim-witted in this episode, and his stupidity plays off of Bart’s paranoia, such as the hilarious scene with the hockey mask and the chainsaw. In the end, the episode finds a great balance between typical Simpsons’ silliness, and dark, Hollywood suspense. It’s a shame that the newer instalments of the Bob saga aren’t half as good.