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GAF Cinephilia: Are there other film series as "complete" as Christopher Nolan's Batman?

Jsisto

Member
Not sure I agree with the assessment that Nolans batman trilogy didn't tell a continuous overarching story. Might not be the deepest character development ever, but I always viewed them as Bruce growing over the three films, overcoming his past and trauma through the Batman, and ultimately coming to peace with himself and no longer needing batman at the conclusion. Hell of a lot deeper than any current superhero stuff as far as I'm concerned.
 
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Doom85

Member
Telling a complete story in which all plot developments are dictated from the internal logic of the plot.

James Franco Reaction GIF


Characters should move the plot, not…..the plot moving the plot.
 

Scotty W

Gold Member
James Franco Reaction GIF


Characters should move the plot, not…..the plot moving the plot.

Why was Joker the villain in the second, why Bane in the third? This is impossible to answer from within the frame of the plot, or of the characters. They are the villains just because. And that is why the coherence of the trilogy is largely superficial.
 

AJUMP23

Gold Member
Why was Joker the villain in the second, why Bane in the third? This is impossible to answer from within the frame of the plot, or of the characters. They are the villains just because. And that is why the coherence of the trilogy is largely superficial.
The system. Man the system.
 

Doom85

Member
Why was Joker the villain in the second, why Bane in the third? This is impossible to answer from within the frame of the plot, or of the characters. They are the villains just because. And that is why the coherence of the trilogy is largely superficial.

Joker was set up at the end of Begins. Bane and Talia are connected to the League of Shadows who were the villains in Begins. And if you can’t understand the villain’s motivations in these films and think it was “just because”, then you must have actually been asleep during half of them, because they were explained quite thoroughly. The only thing superficial here is your attempt at “analysis” of these films.
 

Scotty W

Gold Member
Joker was set up at the end of Begins. Bane and Talia are connected to the League of Shadows who were the villains in Begins. And if you can’t understand the villain’s motivations in these films and think it was “just because”, then you must have actually been asleep during half of them, because they were explained quite thoroughly. The only thing superficial here is your attempt at “analysis” of these films.
You are totally missing the point.

I am not saying that each individual film doesn’t have any coherence. Of course they do, they wouldn’t be great films if they didn’t.

And I am not saying the series itself has NO coherence- Bruce Wayne does.

Setting up a villain for a sequel does NOT give coherence, because they could set up ANY villain for a sequel. They could just as easily have made the third film about the Riddler or the Penguin, or introduced Catwoman and Robin in the second film. And why only 3 films?

The reasons for all these decisions lie outside the characters and story, but rather in BUSINESS decisions.

Sorry your toys are not high art.
 

Power Pro

Member
I feel like Dark Knight Rises disproves your assertion, because that movie is just...flawed. I always felt like there is a story that's completely missing between Dark Knight and Dark Knight Rises.
 

FunkMiller

Gold Member
I feel like Dark Knight Rises disproves your assertion, because that movie is just...flawed. I always felt like there is a story that's completely missing between Dark Knight and Dark Knight Rises.

The problem was Nolan didn't really want to tell the ongoing story of Batman... he just wanted to finish it. So, skip right to the end of his career.

The baffling, stupid and idiotic choice was to have Batman retired for eight years. One of the most bone-headed decisions in cinema history.
 
You are totally missing the point.

I am not saying that each individual film doesn’t have any coherence. Of course they do, they wouldn’t be great films if they didn’t.

And I am not saying the series itself has NO coherence- Bruce Wayne does.

Setting up a villain for a sequel does NOT give coherence, because they could set up ANY villain for a sequel. They could just as easily have made the third film about the Riddler or the Penguin, or introduced Catwoman and Robin in the second film. And why only 3 films?

The reasons for all these decisions lie outside the characters and story, but rather in BUSINESS decisions.

Sorry your toys are not high art.
I think part of the issue here lies with Gotham itself. For the first time ever, the city itself had no distinct identity when it always did in the past. Nolan’s Gotham is just modern day New York and Chicago mashed together. Because of that, the villains feel like they appear from nothing, rather than feeling like actual inhabitants of Gotham.
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Rises is a 7/10 at best. It's a flawed movie with a slick coat of Nolan paint.

Toy Story 1-3 was probably the best trilogy put to film until they went and ruined it with 4, which while still a good movie, was entirely unnecessary.
 

Buggy Loop

Member
Many good choices already here. I’m on phone so I won’t bother to rename them but, one of them is in my mind that’s less Hollywood action :

Before sunrise
Before sunset
Before midnight

One of the few romantic movies I tolerated with my girlfriend. Fun to follow Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy from 1995 to 2013.
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
One I havn't seen here:

Harry Potter. The seven film series can go up and down in quality a bit, but overall its a very high mark for a serialized movie series.
 
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