Top 10 Michael Fassbender performances

Greetings, reader!

Jyväskylä city council member, dear family friend and fellow movie buff Yannick Lahti recently requested that I post a ranking of my top 10 favorite Michael Fassbender performances. This was a nice call to action, as Fassbender is one of the best actors in his generation, and someone who always feels just a bit underrated and not-talked-about-enough despite the vast fame and acclaim that he has gotten. So here are the top 10 best Michael Fassbender performances!

10. Burton P. Christenson in Band of Brothers (2001)

While he appears in most episodes of HBO's masterful World War II miniseries, technical sergeant Burton "Pat" Christenson is never one of the more fleshed-out and high-focus characters of the series. But a young, undiscovered Fassbender is perfectly solid and believable in his role, and characters like this are important.

While larger-than-life characters like Richard "Dick" Winters (Damian Lewis) and Don Malarkey (Scott Grimes) are the most memorable, it's characters like Christenson who underscore the gripping point that it was regular young men, not fabled warrior legends, who were thrust into this war and all wars. Having only appeared in one short film and 3 episodes of a soap opera before this, Band of Brothers can be seen as a massive catalyst into greater things for Fassbender's career.

9. Stelios in 300 (2006)

One thing that I really appreciate about Fassbender is that he is the complete opposite of a typecast actor. While only some actors are really typecast and always stuck in playing similar roles, it seems that most of Hollywood's big names suffer from the phenomenon at least to some degree. But here's a testament to just how un-typecast Fassbender is: when I started laying the groundwork for this list, scrolling through his IMDB was quite mind-blowing as I hadn't remembered/realized that it's the same guy in 300, Band of Brothers and many of the other productions I've seen him in. He's able to play any sort of character with equal credibility, and he always disappears into roles so thoroughly, that you never really think that "Hey, this is the guy from all those other things!" when watching Fassbender in a movie.

If there's any common ground to be found in his roles, one could argue that his characters are almost always quite serious ones - even in a non-serious movie, his character is likely to be more serious than his fellow characters. But even that rule has an exception: in Zack Snyder's sword-and-sandal flick 300, Fassbender's character Stelios is one of the few non-serious characters, often cracking jokes with his Spartan warrior bros. We never go very deep into his character, but he's very charismatic in the role and is responsible for some of the film's more memorable moments.

8. Michael in Pitch Black Heist (2011)

This 13-minute short film can be found on YouTube, and is certainly worth watching for fans of heist films, short films, plot twists and/or Michael Fassbender. He plays half of a heist-pulling duo, completed by castmate Liam Cunningham. Both actors manage to showcase an impressive chunk of acting skill in the short runtime, with especially Fassbender's character (aptly named Michael) fleshing out likable and unlikable sides, a fairly rich backstory, and some interesting motivations all while planning the heist and having amusing conversations with Cunningham's character Liam.

7. Lt. Archie Hicox in Inglorious Basterds (2009)

We're still on the topic of managing to pull off an excellent and memorable performance in a short amount of time - sure, Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds is a long-ass film, but Michael Fassbender really only appears in one sequence. Still, his character Lt. Hicox manages to be one of the film's most memorable characters, as he does so much with the time he's given.

Hicox is a British commando undercover with the Nazis in World War II Germany, and the scene where his cover is blown during an intense game night in a German pub is one of the film's best moments. The character's believability as a British lieutenant being equally believable as a supposed German officer (until his fingers give him away during a fateful order of three more beers), and his panic-on-the-inside-but-keeping-cool-on-the-outside as he struggles to maintain his composure in the tense aftermath is a real showcase of Fassbender's acting chops.

6. Carl Jung in A Dangerous Method (2011)

I was a fairly big psychology geek in high school, taking all the possible optional courses on the subject and choosing it as an extra subject for my matriculation exams despite having no obligation for it. I can't believe that this version of Veikko Hoffman was never informed of the existence of A Dangerous Method - a biopic of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, with the two infamous psychoanalysts being played by Viggo Mortensen and Michael Fassbender. While my biggest 'psychology phase' was over by the time I found out about this film and got around to watching it, it was still a neat experience to follow the story of this famous partnership and subsequent falling-out on the silver screen.

Fassbender's take on Carl Jung is cold and distant, yet still somehow more humane and likable than Mortensen's calm and collected interpretation of Freud. The actors have an odd yet compelling chemistry, and Fassbender brings Jung's smart and revolutionary yet notoriously stubborn mind to life in a believable and well-executed manner. Playing a famous historical figure is never easy, but he sure gets the job done.

5. David in Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus is an intriguing film, as it was first drafted as a prequel to the Alien franchise, but ended up straying so far into the writers' imaginative visions that it ended up being more of a stand-alone sci-fi film that happens to take place in the same universe as Alien and has some neat connections. The film's most interesting character is undoubtedly the android David, and Fassbender was the perfect casting for the part.

Androids bringing their non-human perspective may have once been a groundbreaking narrative tool in science fiction, but by 2012, the trope had been a bit overused in various franchises, including the very franchise that Prometheus was a somewhat-prequel-ish-addition to. Therefore, a new twist was brought to the idea, with writer Damon Lindelof envisioning a whole new type of android narrative that takes a deep look at the relation between androids and humans, holding a mirror to humanity while also bringing to question just how human-like an android can get.

Fassbender's performance brings this vision to life with brilliance, as he plays David as a thoroughly believable non-human machine who was programmed for certain functions, yet he also evolves a sense of curiosity, as well as instances of superiority and greed throughout the film's plot. It's a tough role to play, but Fassbender sure was up for the challenge.

4. Edwin Epps in 12 Years a Slave (2013)

Actors often say that they enjoy playing villains more than heroes, as one can have so much fun bringing an evil character to life. But I'm guessing that there's a limit to that - playing a truly dark and twisted villain in a realistic manner must be very difficult assuming that the actor himself is a good person, as one must pull demons out of oneself and be believable as a truly horrible human being. So I'd imagine that Michael Fassbender didn't have too much fun when portraying sadistic and deeply racist slaveowner Edwin Epps in this Best Picture winner, but he sure does a great job with the role.

He has somehow only gotten two Oscar nominations in his career*, and it makes sense that one of them was for this gripping and powerful film. It can't be easy for such a nice-seeming guy to really give his everything into a role as a man representing humanity at its very worst - we also get to see Fassbender's charming side in the film, but in the context of this character, it just makes it extra-sickening to see such a rotten person cracking jokes and making light of the conditions his slaves were living in. It's the darkest performance of his career, and one of his best.

*He didn't win either time, but if his career continues on the same track, I'd be willing to bet money that ten years from now Fassbender will have at least one Academy Award on his resumé.

3. Macbeth in Macbeth (2015)

The task of ranking my top 10 all-time favorite actors is one that has eluded me to this day, but I'd say that Sir Patrick Stewart, Denzel Washington and Michael Fassbender would all have a very fair chance of making that top 10 once I finish it some day. So the fact that all three have played the title role in a film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Scottish tragedy is quite special, and saying which of those three performances is the best is extremely difficult. They all come out on top in some category: Sir Patrick did the best job at reciting Shakespearean dialogue and living up to the role's fabled grandeur out of the three, while Denzel conveyed the character's gradual corruption from sympathetic hero to horrid villain in the most tragic fashion - but it's Michael Fassbender who does the very best job conveying the character's ambitious, power-hungry and eventually unstable nature. And he does it with quite the twist.

This particular version of the story, directed by Justin Kurzel, stays mostly very loyal to the Bard's source material, but takes one bold viewpoint in its narrative: instead of simply being driven mad by lust for power, or being manipulated by his wife, as we've seen before, this iteration of Macbeth seems to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or something of the like. This gripping take makes for a fascinating backdrop that makes perfect sense: after years of fighting brutal wars, Macbeth is numb to violence and starts to lose his grip on his morals and sanity, which drives him into committing the character's notorious power grab and subsequent actions.

Fassbender was the perfect choice to play this version of the character, as his Macbeth doesn't start out as a heroic warrior and end up as a complete villain as is tradition: rather, he starts out as what I'd imagine to be a very realistic take on a medieval soldier who has been through too much for one man to handle, and his gripping character arch into full-on madness feels grim and real. It's a tough balance to bring a new side to an iconic character while also staying true to the original, but Fassbender walks that line beautifully, making for one of the best leading performances across all Shakespeare-based movies.

2. Erik Lensherr / Magneto in X-Men: First Class (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

First off: no, I didn't make a mistake, I simply chose not to include X-Men: Dark Phoenix in the list of appearances, because Fassbender deserves better than to be affiliated with that trainwreck that shamelessly dragged many of the franchise's greatest actors into it.

Anyways, while the X-Men films aren't quite as highly regarded overall in the superhero genre as the Dark Knight trilogy or the MCU at its greatest, it is hard to deny that they may very well be the best-acted superhero films ever made. Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen were so sublime in the original trilogy, blowing the world of cinema away with how good of an acting performance one can pull off in a comic book flick, that expectations were sky high for the actors chosen to play the young versions of Professor X and Magneto in the prequels. And against all odds, both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender rose to the occasion, providing brilliant and powerful performances absolutely on par with the legends whose boots they were filling.

Fassbender is simply enthralling in the complex, villainous role of Erik Lensherr / Magneto. He plays the character's more evil side so well that you'll be equally frightened by and angry at this machiavellian megalomaniac who is so ruthlessly betraying his former friends - yet he manages to play the character's more fragile and humane side with such vulnerability, that you can't help but feel for him and understand where he's coming from to a degree.

The gripping nature of watching Lensherr and Xavier become friends in the first prequel X-Men: First Class (2011), knowing how badly they will eventually turn against each other, is made extra powerful by the fact that Fassbender's interpretation of the character is so damn humane and even likable at his best, so that the bond between the characters feels real. This makes it all the more heartbreaking when the actor portrays Lennsher's arch into fully-fledged villainy with emotion and gravitas. It takes a great actor to make you hate how much you care about a character.

1. Steve Jobs in Steve Jobs (2015)

It takes a talented actor to pull off a major performance, let alone a leading performance, in a film written by Aaron Sorkin - the scripts by the world-class screenwriter are so demanding, with their sense of stress and dramatic hurry, balancing of snappy fast-paced dialogue and powerful individual lines bordering on profound, and well-written and fleshed-out character archs. When the right actors are found, however, a Sorkin script can push an actor to pull off a performance of unforeseen greatness - one thing that great actors such as Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg and Eddie Redmayne all have in common is that their #1 finest performances all come from Aaron Sorkin movies/shows.

And joining that prestigious bunch is Michael Fassbender, as I see his title role in Sorkin's Steve Jobs biopic Steve Jobs as the greatest individual performance of his career thus far. He got nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the infamous Apple co-founder, and a win would've been very much in the question if the film hadn't had the ill fate of being released in the same year when Leonardo DiCaprio defied the very limits of acting in order to finally win his Oscar for his work in The Revenant.

Here's the amazing thing about this performance: Michael Fassbender doesn't look like Steve Jobs all that much, nor is he made-up to share a particularly striking resemblance, and his way of speaking doesn't sound like the real-life Jobs all that much either (Sorkin has been known to prefer that the actors in his biopics focus on interpreting the character in the script, rather than imitating the real-life celebrity in all their mannerisms). But by the end of the film, you'll feel like you're watching the real Steve Jobs instead of an actor playing a role. That's largely thanks to the script where every line Jobs speaks is something you could imagine hearing from the real guy's mouth (I swear, I didn't intend for my Michael Fassbender list to turn into an Aaron Sorkin praise-fest), but also thanks to the actor being so believable in conveying Jobs' philosophy and behavior that there was no need to focus all that much on looking like him and imitating him.

In this movie, Fassbender is the wittiest, most riveting version of himself, and he delivers each line with dramatic perfection. He portrays the lead character as a true and believable antihero - someone who feels truly prickly and insincere for large chunks of the movie, yet is still very much human, so that you can see where he's coming from and root for him despite his more frustrating moments and actions. On one hand, it's a bit hard to believe that he could ever top this role, but on the other hand, I do feel like Fassbender has it in him to pull off an even greater and more career-defining performance in the next decade or two, and that will eventually win him his Oscar.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I rank the top 10 TV shows that combine comedy and drama.

Ranking Every Movie in the Harry Potter Universe (Including Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore)

Greetings, reader!

Like many in my generation, I grew up reading and watching Harry Potter, with this fantasy world being one of my very favorite things during childhood, and one of my greatest sources of nostalgia during adulthood. I recently saw the newest instalment of the Fantastic Beasts spin-off series - I naturally went to see it with my mother, who became quite the Potter fan herself via her kids once upon a time. Curious to see what I think of the third Fantastic Beasts film? Read this post to find out where it's placed in my ranking of all the Wizarding World films!

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

"You're too good, Newt. You never met a monster you couldn't love"

Even my least favorite Wizarding World movie isn't all bad - the sequence in Hogwarts is a lovely burst of nostalgia, Eddie Redmayne is delightful as always as Newt Scamander, and Jude Law's young Dumbledore is an intriguing addition.

But, for the most part, it's pretty bad.

The first Fantastic Beasts film worked so well for two major reasons: the main character, and the titular beasts. Following the wonderfully quirky Scamander being himself, while dealing with a variety of lovable, imaginative and visually spectacular fantasy creatures, made for just the sort of lighthearted spinoff that fits the Potter universe like a glove. So, naturally, the sequel has less Newt, less creature shenanigans, less lighthearted Potter fun, and basically tries to be a Marvel movie for most of its runtime. Nothing wrong with Marvel movies, mind you - the whole "THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO END UNLESS WE DESTROY THIS EVIL PURPLE SKY BEAM" shtick just feels very out-of-place in the Potter world. The second Fantastic Beasts tries to do too much, feels quite over-stuffed, and most definitely forgets the fantastic beasts from the damn title.

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

"You were willing to put yourself in danger to save a perfect stranger. Seems to me you're the kind of average Joe the world needs right now"

The newly released third Fantastic Beasts flick is certainly a step into a better direction. It still has its share of flaws, as the wild jumping between dark seriousness and light silliness is a bit extreme at times, and it still focused a tad less on Newt and his creatures / more on the various human subplots than I would've liked. Also, parts of the film were downright painful to watch because Mads Mikkelsen's version of the villain Grindelwald is so painfully Putin-esque that his scenes constantly reminded me of the horrors in Ukraine - but given the time when the movie was written and shot, this is obviously just a freakish coincidence so I won't let it affect my opinion of the film.

Anyways, there were lots of delightful positives in the newest instalment. The references and connections to the Harry Potter books/movies hit the right spot, as the film wasn't over-filled with such fan service, but the neat little easter eggs every now and then made my inner child squeal with excitement. There was some amazing visual fantasy concerning the creatures that the spin-off series is (or should be) all about, and Redmayne's role as Newt Scamander continues to be one of my favorite things in blockbuster cinema. Also, even though I criticized the second instalment heavily for focusing too much on non-creature-related large-scale matters, I do have to admit that the election storyline in this film was very well done and captivating.

9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

"Well, my philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice"

I'm sorry - I know that my list would be more interesting and sexy if it didn't have the structure of all Harry Potter movies at the top, and all Fantastic Beasts movies at the bottom. But that's just the reality of things - though I like the first Fantastic Beasts film quite a lot and it certainly comes close to some of the Potter films, it just isn't quite on the same level.

Still, there's a lot to enjoy in this thoroughly decent if not mind-blowing spin-off. Eddie Redmayne is at his peculiar best in this film, and unlike the later instalments, this one actually is about Newt Scamander and his titular fantastic beasts. These fantasy creatures are a visual delight, and they make for many amusing moments in this light and entertaining film. While it may not quite be on the level of quality achieved by the Potter films, the Fantastic Beasts films do have their share of fantastic moments, and most of them come from the first and best instalment.

8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

"Uh...Dean was told by Parvati...please don't ask me to say it again. Hagrid's looking for you"

"Well you can tell Ronald..."

"I'M NOT AN OWL!"

While it is decent enough to beat the Fantastic Beasts films (though it beats the first only with a very narrow margin), The Goblet of Fire has always been my least favorite out of the eight Harry Potter films. This has a lot to do with director Mike Newell, one of the four different directors who have helmed a Potter film, and whose first and last project in the franchise was this instalment. Newell's directing isn't exactly bad - it's just generic. Between Chris Columbus' nostalgia-magical child-friendly style in the first two films, Alfonso Cuarón's thoroughly unique and zany vibe in the third one and David Yates' large-scope dark-undertones vision for the later films, all of the franchise's directors have brought their own twist to make the franchise richer, except for Newell and his solid-but-bland touch.

Also, I have some issues with the script - I know that not every good part from the book can fit into the two-and-a-half-hour runtime, but with most Potter instalments, I find myself agreeing with what was cut and what wasn't, but no so much with this one. The Quidditch World Cup game is one of the most fascinating moments in the Goblet of Fire book, and I never really got the reasoning behind the film showing so much of the hype beforehand and the events afterwards, but cutting the actual Quidditch match, which certainly would've been a sight to see on the silver screen.

Still, at the end of the day, it is a Harry Potter movie, and beloved elements of the franchise like the talented cast, the whimsical score, and the brilliant set design coupled with state-of-the-art visuals are as lively as ever.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

"Seems silly, doesn't it? A wedding. Given everything that's going on"

"Maybe that's the best reason to have it. Because of everything that's going on"

This one causes major mixed feelings, and that alone makes it into one of my least favorite Potter films - the franchise's best entries have very little to complain about, so a Harry Potter flick being somewhat of a mixed bag means that it can't be among the top tier despite being quite spectacular in its best moments.

There's a lot to love here, as the large-scale intensity of the Deathly Hallows book comes across well in the film adaptation - you'll feel the despair of the main characters, as they go rogue and race against time in order to find Voldermort's (Ralph Fiennes) horcruxes before it's too late. Still, I do have a few problems with the movie: namely, while splitting the final book into two films was the overall right decision, it hurts this film a bit while giving an advantage to the more climactic second part. When a two-and-a-half-hour film is just the first part of a story, the pacing feels a bit off, and all of the book's very best parts are left for the much better second part to deal with. Also, I never really got behind the film's decision to float the idea of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione (Emma Watson) as a couple, and the infamous dance sequence just feels awkward.

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

"You may not like him, Minister, but you can't deny: Dumbledore's got style"

This film was never going to be the best Harry Potter film, as it had an impossible job to accomplish. At nearly one thousand pages long, the fifth book in Her-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named series is by far the longest, which means that the filmmakers had to cut out an unforeseen amount of material when condensing the gargantuan book into a compact-ish feature film. While this does hurt the film to a degree, as it isn't quite as great as a whole as the very best Potter films, I do respect how good of a job the film does with this challenge.

The film's biggest strength (when excluding the obvious biggest strength of every Potter film, which is that they are basing their story off masterpieces of fantasy literature) is the debut of director David Yates, who would go on to direct all three Potter films released after this one, as well as every film so far released in the Fantastic Beasts series. Whereas the family-friendly style of Chris Columbus was perfect for the two first films, the hiring of a director like Yates was the perfect way to convey the gradual turn into more mature themes and darker storytelling that the books underwent. His style is just magical and whimsy enough for the film to still feel like proper Harry Potter, but it is a much more dark and serious atmosphere when compared to earlier instalments, and this atmosphere would go on to define the latter half of the Potter film franchise.

5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

"You both realize, of course, that in the past few hours you have broken perhaps a dozen school rules"

"Yes, sir"

"And that there is sufficient evidence to have you both expelled"

"Yes, sir"

"Therefore, it is only fitting that you both receive...Special Awards for services to the school"

I was recently working on an upcoming post of my favorite Marvel movies, and I described The Eternals by writing that "It's beautifully directed and the production values are pure quality - but I just don't like the film". I suppose that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is quite the opposite. It is in many ways the least well-made Potter film, as the script has its share of plot holes, the production quality isn't on the level that the franchise would reach in later instalments, and the whole thing is based on my least favorite Potter book. This explains why Chamber of Secrets has the franchise's lowest IMDB rating, and why many would consider it the franchise's worst offering.

However - I just really like the film.

Rupert Grint's Ron Weasley is at his funniest, while young Hermione is wonderfully witty and Harry is still getting used to the wizarding world with an endearing bafflement. The plot may not be as smart as in many other Potter films, but it's filled with fun and memorable sequences. While the pure and unbridled magic of the first film may have slightly worn off, it's still mostly there, as Chris Columbus' directing and John Williams' musical touches make this into the next-best thing in terms of the franchise's nostalgic "kids' movie" side. It's a thoroughly entertaining instalment, carried by the childlike enthusiasm of early Harry Potter.

4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

"Why is it, when something happens, it is always you three?"

"Believe me, Professor - I've been asking myself the same question for six years"

Like The Chamber of Secrets, this instalment also seems to be one of the most opinion-splitting instances in the series, as many fans of the books have criticized it for taking more creative differences from the source material than any other Potter film. I do understand that, but the thing is that I mostly agree with the bold decisions made. The sixth book is one of Her-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named best, but it has some storylines that might've not worked on the big screen or didn't fit into David Yates's vision for the final four films, so I don't have a problem with the film's occasional side paths from the source material. It's always better for a cinematic adaptation to retain the book's atmosphere despite changing some story elements, than for the film to follow the book's story very carefully but without managing to feel like the book, atmosphere-wise.

And feel like the book it does - all of the defining elements of The Half-Blood Prince are there, from the strange one-on-one lessons between Harry and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) to the mystery of the Half-Blood Prince's strange book and the coming-of-age archs of the main characters on the verge of adulthood. While many details from the book are changed, the most important parts stay the same - I won't spoil the film's climactic scene on the off-chance that someone who has lived under a rock for the last few decades is reading my Harry Potter post, but I suppose you know what I mean by that scene. And that scene goes down in the film just like it does in the book, capturing the moment's super-intense build-up and dramatic fallout gracefully.

Also, while very much not being a horror film, The Half-Blood Prince contains perhaps the most effective jump scare of all time - the hand grabbing Harry in the cave sequence. I've seen the film several times, to the point that I know exactly when it's going to happen and can therefore be extremely prepared for it, yet still it somehow makes me jump every time.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends"

When my older brother Ville was watching these films for the first time, my parents deemed me too young to watch them - seven years was the age when I was finally allowed to read the first book and then watch the film. Sometimes before that, my brother and mother were watching the first film, and Mom let me watch the first fifteen minutes or so. I was so enthralled, that after it was time for me to go to bed before the film got scary, I decided to sneak up behind the staircase and continue watching the film in secret. I probably got about half an hour further before Mom noticed me in my hiding place, and sent me to bed. Thinking back on this afterwards, it isn't only a story of how magical and addictive the Harry Potter world was for me as a little kid, but it's also hilarious as my shenanigans were absolutely something that Mr. Potter himself would've gotten up to.

When I finally read the book, it became an instant favorite - and the film complimented the experience with perfection. Already at such a young age, I could appreciate that the film felt just like the book to a staggering degree - several years and deep dives into cinema appreciation later, I'm able to come to the same conclusion with more analysis to back it up. The casting is impeccable, John Williams was the best person in the world to create a musical soundscape to fit this fantasy world, and Chris Columbus' directing (coupled with the Oscar-nominated set design team) brings Hogwarts to life in a remarkable fashion. The first Potter film is one of the most magical, whimsical and pure films ever made, which is why it has infinite re-watch value to us who grew up with Potter.

2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

"But you know happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light"

I was struggling to find the words to describe just how special this movie is, even within the high standard of Harry Potter films. So, for writing inspiration, I watched the trailer for The Prisoner of Azkaban, which I hadn't seen in years - and watching it put a tear of nostalgia into my eye. That's how special the film is. The mere trailer is such a powerful viewing experience, just because it offers a glimpse into the way in which the franchise's third instalment is Harry Potter at its peak, with the combination of eerie mystery and pure magical fun being at its very best.

Hiring Alfonso Cuarón to direct this film was a genius move, as his peculiar style was just what the series needed. While all Potter films feel aptly magical in their adaptation of Her-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fantasy world, Cuarón brought it to a next level - his attention to detail makes the Potter universe feel more magical and vibrant than any other film in the franchise. The film is also just riddled with memorable dialogue, epic payoffs, and moments that truly felt larger than life when watching them as a dazzled child. If you only watch one Potter film in your life, it should be this one.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

"Lily? After all this time?"

"Always"

"Is this all real? Or is it just happening inside my head?"

"Of course it's happening inside your head, Harry. Why should that mean that it's not real?"

"If we die for them, Harry, I'm going to KILL you!"

"Not my daughter, you bitch!"

Well, I mean - the fact that I simply couldn't choose just one quote to represent the film, and therefore had to go with four different ones, really says it all. It's a bit cliché to choose the final instalment as my favorite, but in my mind, it simply is the very best one. Deathly Hallows is my favorite Potter book, and most of its greatness comes to life in this second-half adaptation, which is one of cinema's' great franchise finales along with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) and Dark Knight Rises (2012). From the intense Gringotts heist to Alan Rickman's Oscar-worthy acting in the emotional Pensieve sequence, from Harry's fist-pump-worthy return to Hogwarts to the heartfelt 'Nineteen years later' ending, the film does a fantastic job bringing the book to life and creating many of the franchise's greatest moments - though there are two in particular that I want to single out.

Number one - Harry and Voldemort's final duel. It is very rare for a moment in a film adaptation of a book to be better than the book's version of the same moment, though it has been known to happen on a few special occasions - the battle of Helm's Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Tyrion's (Peter Dinklage) trial in Game of Thrones (2011-2019) come to mind. But the best example I've ever seen of a scene being better in the movie adaptation than in the original text is Harry and Voldemort's final duel. In the book, it's slightly anti-climactic - it doesn't weigh the otherwise perfect book down too much, but the way in which the fight goes down (I won't spoil the details) could've been better. It's an extremely bold decision to change such a major scene in the film, but I'm so very glad that they did, because in the movie that scene is much, much better.

And number two - Neville's (Matthew Lewis) moment of glory. As a clumsy and awkward kid who faced his share of bullying when growing up, Neville was always the character I related to the most, and the character whose story I was most invested in. The character made me feel represented and understood, which really meant a lot when growing up. What meant even more was his gradual arch into a more confident and capable version of himself, eventually becoming one of the story's biggest heroes. While the Deathly Hallows book gave him a spectacular moment of heroism that always gave me goosebumps, the film upped the moment even further with the chills-down-your-spine scene where Voldemort is gloating at the Hogwarts side who have seemingly lost the battle, only for Neville to stand up to him with a blistering speech and moment of courage that turns the tide. That scene is empowering to the maximum, and my favorite moment in the entire Harry Potter film franchise.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I post a list requested by local political figure, family friend and fellow film enthusiast Yannick Lahti: the Top 10 Michael Fassbender performances!

Top 5 Clint Eastwood Movies (And Top 5 Clint Eastwood Movies)

Greetings, reader!

Well, my dear father Dave turns 60 years old this Sunday, so in his honor, I'm ranking the best performances by his favorite actor, Clint Eastwood, as well as the best-directed films by his favorite director - Clint Eastwood. There's a lot of overlap in these categories, as Eastwood stars in many of the films he's directed, but there are also many that he directed where he doesn't act, as well as some great performances by him in films directed by someone else. Anyways, here are the top 5 acting performances, as well as the top 5 best-directed films, by the man whose name spells 'Old west action' when you rearrange the letters.

#5 in directing performances: J. Edgar (2011)

Eastwood does a thoroughly solid job directing this biopic of notorious FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. The script by Dustin Lance Black takes a surprisingly humane look at the man, not painting him as a full-scale monster as history often presents him, but rather taking a deep dive into why the complicated man was the way he was. Eastwood's skillful directing realizes this vision gracefully, and it is further complimented by the lead performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, who (as always) understood the assignment. It is a dark and dramatic biopic, and Eastwood's trademark gritty style fits it like a glove.

#5 in acting performances: Blondie in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)

The charisma of a young Clint Eastwood in classic spaghetti westerns such as this one is a peculiar sort of charisma. He mostly makes gritty facial expressions and spits out equally gritty lines of dialogue every now and then. But it works like a charm - it's no wonder that the man is considered pretty much synonymous with the western genre. Eastwood in this film is one of the all-time classic western gunslinger performances, and no other actor could pull it off in quite the same way.

#4 in directing performances: Gran Torino (2008)

Eastwood's directing of this film (that he also stars in) is down-to-earth, even minimalistic to a degree. There's no stylistic flair and no extra touches, nor does the film need them: it's all about the dialogue, and the events in the film's small-scale setting, to the point that it almost feels like you're watching a stage play from the silver screen. Nick Schenk & Dave Johannson's script comes to life with just the no-bullshit straight-to-the-point atmosphere that the story and characters call for, making this into one of the finer offerings in Eastwood's directorial catalogue.

#4 in acting performances: Frank Morris in Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

My top 3 favorite Clint Eastwood role performances are all from films that he also directed, which means that Escape from Alcatraz is my all-time favorite performance by him in a film by another director. In this thrilling Don Siegel movie, Eastwood plays legendary real-life convict Frank Morris, the mastermind behind the most famous escape attempt from the notorious Alcatraz prison.

I was absolutely fascinated by this true story in my teen years (don't we all have that phase in our youths when we watch Prison Break for the first time and become heavily intrigued with all sorts of escape narratives? Oh, it's just me? Okay...), and when I finally got my hands on this cinematic adaptation of the escape, it certainly met my expectations. Eastwood's take on Frank Morris was exactly how I had imagined the man when reading about the escape, and he carries the role well with his trademark badass grittiness.

#3 in directing performances: Invictus (2009)

They say that the very best acting performances are born when the actors are being directed by the very best directors. Well, Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon both earned Oscar nominations for their two performances in Invictus, and they are largely regarded as some of the very best work those two big names have done in their careers.

Eastwood's powerful directing helps elevate these performances to greatness, with especially Freeman's take on Nelson Mandela being extremely powerful and memorable. Clint does an excellent job bringing the challenging and gripping atmosphere of post-Apartheid South Africa to life, as he does directing the intense sport sequences as the film follows the South African rugby team's road to glory.

#3 in acting performances: Josey Wales in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

With a sharp contrast to his western performances prior to this one, Eastwood took on the titular role of Josey Wales with an unforeseen level of seriousness. His characters had always been gritty, but being like that in a stylized Sergio Leone spaghetti western is one thing, while bringing the same energy into a more serious semi-revisionist western about a man who lost his family and is out for revenge is a whole other thing.

His grit has less mystery and more context here, making his role as the cold shell of a man into a very grim and powerful showcase of his acting chops. The same film barely missed out on my list of Eastwood's five best directing performances - it is very well-directed especially when considering that it's one of his first feature films, but it's not quite on the same level that he would gain in the next decades with more experience under his belt.

#2 in directing performances: Unforgiven (1992)

This was the first time Eastwood was nominated for the Best Picture and Best Director categories in the Academy Awards - and he ended up winning both. This was quite the deserved win, as Unforgiven is an unforgettable film with a unique position in its genre: it can be seen as the last 'real western' due to its embracement of certain traditions in a dying genre, while also being seen as a revisionist western that broke new ground. Deconstructing the western genre by going against its clichés while also feeling like a true western at its heart is a difficult job for a film to accomplish, but Eastwood sure was the right man for the job.

Set in the small town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming in the 1880's, and consisting of character archetypes such as the sheriff (Gene Hackman), the young hot-shot gunslinger (Jaimz Woolvett), the old and retired legendary gunslinger grudgingly returning for one last job (you guessed it - Clint Eastwood) and his old partner-in-crime (Morgan Freeman), Unforgiven has all the elements for a classic western in its recipe. But Eastwood twists expectations into a strong and powerful statement, as the film's dark atmosphere and the deeper nature of the characters go against the expected stereotypes. No wonder this guy is my Dad's favorite director.

#2 in acting performances: Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino (2008)

Gran Torino is one of those select few movies where Clint's acting is even more impressive than his directing. On one hand, you could argue that the role in question is so close to home that he more or less doesn't need to 'act', as he plays the part of a grumpy conservative badass. I'd be shocked if it turned out that the film's iconic line "Get off my lawn" hasn't been uttered by the real-life Eastwood more than a few times in his life. That being said, playing a role close to home also brings its own unique challenges, in channelling oneself into the role yet managing to separate truth from fiction.

Eastwood walks this line well, and the gradual redemption arch of his character Walt Kowalski comes across with grit and grace. The film's highlights are the conversations between Kowalski and Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), as Clint manages to convey many complex emotions and philosophies through very little facial expressions and vague lines of dialogue. No wonder this guy is my Dad's favorite actor.

#1 in directing performances: Jersey Boys (2014)

Directing a musical requires tons of skill and work. While Jersey Boys is just on the edge of whether or not it qualifies as a musical per se, as the song-and-dance sequences are relatively few and the film has more spoken dialogue and non-music scenes than typical musicals, the movie does utilize many of the genre's elements nonetheless. It's not a production you might expect from the guy who brought us Million Dollar Baby and American Sniper, but it sure shows range and creativity on his part.

The delicate balance between mafia movie dialogue and Broadway musicals is quite excellent, as we follow an account of the band The Four Seasons, with attention paid both to the group's music career as well as their entanglements in organized crime. In the parts where people are bursting into song with wonderful choreographies, you'll chuckle at the mental image of macho tough-guy Clint Eastwood directing such a picture, but in scenes like the one where Tommy (Vincent Piazza) is threatened by loan sharks because he owes the Five Families 150 grand, you'll say "Yeah, this checks out".

#1 in acting performances: Bill Munny in Unforgiven (1992)

If The Outlaw Josey Wales was Clint Eastwood toning his gritty cowboy charisma down to a more realistic, down-to-earth and grim level, then Unforgiven is the last step in this process as the actor achieves 'serious western' perfection. His take on the 'retired old gunslinger grudgingly returning for one last job' trope isn't the typical R.O.G.G.R.F.O.L.J., as the anti-hero morals and dark backstory of Bill Munny give some powerful context to the character's attitudes.

While Best Director and Best Picture are the only Oscars Eastwood won for Unforgiven, he also got nominated for the Best Leading Actor category for the first time in his career for the same film. And no wonder why - his gripping performance is classy and complex, and my personal favorite from his prolific career. He's very much himself in essence, doing the sort of gritty and grumpy cowboy role one would expect, but the way he interprets the character's dark nature and weaves it into his performance throughout various nuances is truly impressive. As a director, Unforgiven is Eastwood's second-greatest achievement in my view, but as an actor, it is his finest hour.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I post my ranking of the films in the Harry Potter universe, including the newly released Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).

Top 10 Batman Movies

Greetings, reader!

Well, I have a lot of thoughts on the newest Batman movie The Batman (2022), and what better way to express them than showing how it fits in my ranking of all Batman films? So, that's today's list.

One big problem in making this list was finding the exact concept for the ranking - does Joker (2019) qualify, as it is a take on a classic Batman villain and it also features Bruce Wayne, yet it isn't really about Batman? What about Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), where Batman is arguably the main character, but it follows a team of many superheroes and therefore isn't a Batman solo film? It would've felt wrong to make this list and exclude Joker, as it is such a fantastic take on Batman lore, but it also would've felt wrong to make this list and have Joker in the top three, ahead of many "actual Batman films".

Therefore I decided to meld these two together, making a list where I think of "Batman movie" as a genre more than a franchise. Any film is eligible, but they're ranked based on how good they are as Batman movies. Of course, the overall quality of the film plays a massive part, but this means that films where Batman isn't the sole focus are eligible for the list, but they won't necessarily be as high up as the films where the caped crusader is front and center. I swear, this makes perfect sense in my head. I hope you enjoy!

10. Batman: The Movie (1966)

"Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb!"

I love dark and gritty reboots as much as the next cinema enthusiast, but there's something to be said for campy old-school superhero cinema as well. This cinematic continuation of the popular 60's TV series is nowhere near the cinematic levels of the more serious modern takes on the iconic superhero, but it is by no means a bad movie - it's entertaining as hell. Adam West's take on Bruce Wayne may be the least layered out of the many live action versions we've seen of the character, but he's very charismatic and lovable (not to mention his fantastic dynamic with Burt Ward's Robin).

The villains come to life in a similar fashion - they're far from the complex and tragic takes on the characters we'd see in future adaptations, but Cesar Romero's flashy Joker and Burgess Meredith's zany Penguin are perfectly suited for this type of superhero film. It's silly, but it works in its own category.

9. Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

"What are your superpowers again?"

"I'm rich"

If I were ranking these films only based on how good they are as movies in general, and not as Batman movies, the Snyder cut of Justice League would be quite a bit higher - it's one hell of a superhero epic. I couldn't place it too high on a Batman list like this, as it focuses on so many DC superheroes in many locations and narratives, that we don't get all that much Gotham and Bruce Wayne storylines as we do in the films specifically about Batman.

Still, the ambitious four-hour runtime does leave plenty of room to explore Snyder's take on Gotham City, with classic Batman characters like Uncle Alfred (Jeremy Irons) and Commissioner Gordon (J.K. Simmons) playing nice supporting roles. Ben Affleck's Batman is front and center throughout the film, and while the Caped Crusader is at his most compelling when working solo in Gotham-centric stories, this film proves that he is also quite captivating as the reluctant team-leader when the world calls on him to be just that.

8. Joker (2019)

"I used to think that my life was a tragedy, but now I realize, it's a f**king comedy"

Like the previous entry, Joker would also be much higher on this list if I ranked them purely on cinematic merit and not based on how good they are as Batman films. It's impressive that a film that doesn't feature Batman per se is on this list to begin with, and that is thanks to the script and its execution being one hell of an intriguing take on Batman lore.

First off, Gotham City feels more real, more bleak and more Scorsese-esque than ever before, and is definitely one of the best out of the many versions we've seen of the iconic milieu over the years. Bruce Wayne plays an important part in the film, albeit being a side character whose journey to becoming the Batman is still ahead - important parts of the Batman origin story are reinvented in this film, in a grim and clever fashion.

But of course, the main focus is in the titular character, as the movie is all about fleshing out the classic Batman villain Joker in the most realistic and dark interpretation of the character to date - a tragic case of a mentally ill 'victim of society', who never received the help he needed and was eventually pushed over the edge into madness and violence. Joaquin Phoenix plays the part with the tremendous skill. Who knew that a comic book villain could make for the foundation of an Oscar-winning psychological drama?

7. Batman Returns (1992)

"The heat's getting to me. I'll murder you momentarily, but first, I need a cold drink of ice water"

It's weird how Tim Burton directed both of the late 80's / early 90's Batman films starring Michael Keaton in the title role, yet the second one feels infinitely more Burton-y. It's like he directed 1989's Batman with the idea "Let's just forget that I'm Tim Burton for this one film, and simply make a Batman movie that looks and feels like a Batman movie", but then made the sequel with the idea "On second thought, I am Tim Burton, so let's make my Gotham City f**king look like it". I swear, you'll think you've stumbled upon the live action non-musical adaptation of Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) when watching the opening sequence, with the gothic look and creepy-magical Danny Elfman score and all.

That is by no means a bad thing - Burton's trademark lavish quirks make for a colorful and unforgettable take on Gotham, and a fresh contrast to more modern superhero cinema. These days, the trend is to make your villains as non-fantasy and down-to-earth as possible (What if The Penguin is just a mobster? What if Catwoman is just a skillful burglar?), but in this imaginative film, Danny DeVito's unforgettable Penguin is more or less a full-on man-penguin hybrid, and Michelle Pfeiffer's unforgettable Catwoman is feline to the maximum as well. Even Keaton himself is more bat-like in this animalistic sequel than he was in the original. It all works in an entertaining (if occasionally over-the-top) manner, making for a decent but not mind-blowing Batman flick.

6. Batman (1989)

"Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

Tim Burton's first Batman movie may be less of a trademark Burton film, but it is a better Batman flick as a whole. Michael Keaton is certainly one of the greatest in the gallery of talented actors who have played the role, as the key to his performance working so well is the unique manner in which he plays Bruce Wayne. His Bruce isn't the smooth and charming billionaire we've seen in Christian Bale, nor is he the super-reclusive shell of a man we saw in Robert Pattinson's take - this Bruce Wayne is a well-known public figure in Gotham's social circles, but the millionaire is eccentric and downright unstable from time to time. In a nutshell, out of all the Bruce Waynes we've seen on the silver screen, his is the one that makes you think "Damn, it's actually believable that this guy would go out at night to beat up criminals while dressed as a bat".

Complimenting the story is The Joker, played here by the legendary Jack Nicholson. Sure, it's not the best-ever version of the character, but the bar is incredibly high when considering that two different actors have won an Academy Award for playing a version of the Clown Prince of Crime. While this Joker isn't quite on the levels reached by Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, it does tower above many other Jokers, like the Cesar Romero role from the 60's or Jared Leto in the DC Extended Universe. This film isn't super-dark like the more modern Batman adaptations, but it also isn't hammy and cheesy like the 60's Batman and the general superhero norms of the time, making for a combination of popcorn entertainment and dark undertones that truly feels like 'classic Batman'.

5. The Batman (2022)

"Fear is a tool. When that light hits the sky, it's not just a call. It's a warning"

And so we arrive at the film of the hour! Matt Reeves' new Batman adaptation isn't perfect, as there were some small elements that didn't quite stick the landing, but the ambitious production works wonders as a whole. Mainly, the reasons why the newly released 3-hour superhero epic isn't even higher are A) the fact that at times it inevitably feels like it's in the Dark Knight trilogy's shadow as the style is different but not all that different from that gold standard, B) the fact that for a dark and gritty 'non-traditional superhero film' it utilizes certain superhero clichés a bit too much, and C) the pacing felt a bit off (at a certain climactic point it feels like the movie's about to be over, only for a slightly out-of-place third act to begin).

But those are minor complaints when compared to the multitude of elements where the film succeeds incredibly well. Gotham City is fleshed out in an intriguing manner - we're used to seeing it as a generic crime-infested city where crime and corruption just sort of happen, but here we dive deep into the complex dynamics between the police department, municipal politics, organized crime and lower-tier criminal gangs, and Batman himself fits into this interwoven puzzle with perfection. Matt Reeves wanted to specifically focus on the 'detective' side of the character in this film, and following Batman and Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) uncovering clues in a well-written mystery narrative is thrilling.

Robert Pattinson puts a new spin on the title character; gone is the smooth playboy billionaire we're used to. The famous Gotham figure Bruce Wayne barely exists here, as he has withdrawn himself from public life and lives a hermit-like existence in his lonely abode, putting all of his focus on his secret life as the Batman. However, the supporting cast is arguably even more impressive, as Zoe Kravitz outdoes predecessors Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway to become the best-ever version of Catwoman, while classic villains The Penguin (Colin Farrell) and The Riddler (Paul Dano) are reinvented in a genius manner, making for realistic and relevant versions of slightly outdated character concepts.

4. Batman Begins (2005)

"As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed. But as a symbol...as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting"

Even my least favorite instalment of Christopher Nolan's revolutionary Dark Knight trilogy makes it this far on my list - that's how one-of-the-all-time-great-film-franchises it is. Sure, Batman movies have gotten progressively darker, grittier and more down-to-earth bit by bit (the Tim Burton films were more serious than preceding instalments, while the Dark Knight trilogy upped the seriousness further, and Joker took it to the maximum), but I'd argue that the most significant jump happened right here. Not just because Batman Begins was more serious than the superhero movie genre had been thus far, but also because it was simply better cinema.

Between the talent of Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman in perfectly fitting roles, the level of acting is ridiculously excellent. The dialogue is mysterious and clever as one can expect from a Christopher Nolan script, and Gotham City is as vibrant and alive as it is dark and crime-infested. The two latter parts of the trilogy may have upped the game even further, but Batman Begins does the important job of rebooting the character and starting the story to make those sequels possible, and it contains the hands-down best version of the origin story we've seen a million times.

3. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

"If you seek his monument, look around you"

Yeah, I recognize that this list contains a few unpopular opinions that would have me crucified by fans of DC Comics and cinema in general if my blog had a larger readership. The fact that I consider the generally quite reviled Batman v Superman to be not just misunderstood and good, but honestly somewhat of a masterpiece and one of superhero cinema's greatest gems (I'm not exaggerating), may be the most controversial of my movie opinions, at least based on how much angry yelling it has caused in my social circles whenever it comes up in conversation. But I'm standing by it: Batman v Superman is deeply misunderstood, and will always be one of my favorites.

I could write essays upon essays on why I love this film, but this is a Batman list and not a general movie list, so I won't even get into all of the genius in how Zack Snyder gradually builds the DC Extended Universe, paints Superman (Henry Cavill) as a God complex -suffering tragic hero, and uses religious symbolism to make the film feel larger than life with its somewhat profound themes. That's an essay for another day. But here's why the polarizing 2016 film is one of the very best Batman films in addition to its other triumphs:

Ben Affleck's Batman isn't quite on the level of Bale and Keaton, but it is a thoroughly solid performance and perfect for this particular film. There isn't overtly much time to tell his story, as the film had to balance rebooting Batman with also being a sequel to Man of Steel (2013) and building up towards Justice League (2021), but with remarkably little screen time, they create one of the most compelling Batman stories in cinema. We witness the trauma Bruce Wayne grew up in, the difficult yet oddly warm dynamic he has with Uncle Alfred (Jeremy Irons), and how these factors molded him into a violent vigilante criminal with a heart of gold beneath all the grittiness. We see him fighting notorious Gotham criminals in fantastically intense and well-coordinated action sequences, we see him balancing his double life in an intriguing manner, and we see mysterious allusions to his past that leave much for the viewer to read into between the lines.

His contrast with the film's other lead character, Superman, really highlights the character's motivations and philosophy in a powerful manner, shining light on both his flaws and virtues. With this particular version of Batman in this particular version of the DC universe, it just makes so much sense that he would grow to be bitter and resentful about the flashy superhero with God-like powers, who has recklessly caused inadvertent harm while fighting bad guys all through metropolitan Gotham and who can't save everyone as much as he maybe should with the capacity of his powers. Likewise, the resentment that Superman feels towards Batman holds a mirror to how much the iconic caped crusader should or shouldn't be glorified, as important questions are asked concerning the way in which he answers violence with violence, works from the shadows against the law, and utilizes fear. It's a complex and thought-provoking take on the character, and I love every minute of it.

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

The middle instalment of the Dark Knight trilogy is in IMDB's Top 10 highest-rated movies of all time, is often seen as the greatest superhero film of all time, and would certainly top most fans' list of the greatest Batman movies. While it doesn't quite reach the #1 spot for me, it isn't far behind, as I can thoroughly get behind all the respect that fans and critics alike have shown towards this film. It's always a tough job to make a sequel better than the original, but from the very first scene where The Joker (Heath Ledger) pulls off a suspenseful bank heist to the backdrop of a Hans Zimmer score with unforeseen intensity, it feels like we're on a whole new level of great cinema than what we got with Batman Begins.

As much attention as Ledger's sledgehammer performance has rightfully gotten, I would like to point out that Christian Bale's lead performance in this film doesn't get enough praise. The main (anti-)hero and villain compliment each other so well, and their dynamic throughout the film is riveting. While the Joker does end up stealing the show, that isn't his primary function in the story: his primary function is to act as the perfect antidote to Batman, someone who will question his role as Gotham's Dark Knight, make him question his own rules and philosophy, and eventually try his very best to push him over the edge and into villainy. We've never seen Batman pushed so far and into such dramatic extremes as in this film, much thanks to Joker being such a next-level villain. In addition to this dynamic being the film's central highlight, the script is tight and perfectly paced while Christopher Nolan's directing is at its very best and the ending scene is one of cinema's most memorable.

Why would a film this amazing not be at first place? Well, here's why...

1. Dark Knight Rises (2012)

"I do fear death. I fear dying in here, while my city burns, and there's no one there to save it"

"Then make the climb"

"How?"

"As the child did. Without the rope. Then fear will find you again"

Many people give the Dark Knight trilogy's final outing a lot of flack for containing a few key plot holes, such as no explanation to how Batman got from The Pit into Gotham so quickly. Wait, let me phrase that differently - many people clearly enjoy showcasing how much smarter than everyone else they are, much more than letting one's guard down to enjoy a cinematic experience. I mean seriously, I'm not even gonna use the "don't forget that these are superhero movies at the end of the day" argument, but rather the "don't forget that these are movies in general" one. Movies. I mean, the entire reason that fiction exists is that things could happen that cannot happen in this boring reality of ours. Which is why it really grinds my gears that so many "cinema enthusiasts" go to any film, be it superheroes or Star Wars or anything, and expect nothing but hyper-realism - they're really missing the point of fiction.

Christopher Nolan is the master of suspending disbelief with good reason - he's a smart guy, I'm sure he knows that some of the things in his movies couldn't happen in real life, BUT IT'S NOT REAL LIFE NOW IS IT? It's a goddamn movie. I've studied writing enough to know that your storytelling options are very, very limited if you want everything to be realistic and believable, and we'd have a very boring and narrow selection of movies if everyone went for the standards that IMDB reviewers and YouTube critics are demanding. Nolan creates stories where very epic things happen at the expense of the events sometimes not being 100 per cent realistic, and if you want 100 per cent realistic, then maybe your first choice shouldn't be a f**king Batman movie.

With my love letter to this certain breed of "critics" out of the way, I will now explain why Dark Knight Rises is my favorite Batman film.

I feel deeply connected to Dark Knight Rises. In 2012, I was in the cinema watching the trailers that come before the movie begins, and saw the trailer for this film. I hadn't seen any of the Dark Knight movies yet, and for most of the trailer, I didn't know that I was watching the preview for a Batman movie - I didn't know what this trailer was for, but I knew that it looks epic and powerful and breathtaking. By the time we see Christian Bale in the bat-suit at the trailer's end, followed by the title card "DARK KNIGHT RISES", I recalled hearing from my brother about this movie series that has rebooted Batman into a super-serious and epic antihero character. And I knew that I immediately have to see the first two instalments, because I had just witnessed the greatest trailer I have ever seen (an opinion I still hold to this day).

When I finally saw Dark Knight Rises, it was everything I had expected. While I do understand why most people see The Dark Knight as the trilogy's greatest moment, I personally have to disagree - for me, everything that Christopher Nolan set out to do with this trilogy comes to a point of perfection with this climactic film. Dark Knight Rises is Nolan's vision of Gotham and the legend of the Dark Knight in full form, and it is a thing to behold. Every time I re-watch this film, I'm blown away by how everything in it makes me feel the exact same emotion that I felt as a twelve-year-old kid, watching the trailer for the first time.

To my specific movie taste, this film just works like a charm: Michael Caine provides what is possibly the best performance of his legendary career, Hans Zimmer's score is nothing short of soul-shattering, and the symbolism of the pit/climb narrative is some of the most powerful storytelling I've seen in any form of cinema. The sequence of final scenes, where Gary Oldman profoundly recites a passage from Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities while we see a montage of several events that are escalatingly mind-blowing and climactic yet ambiguous in a delightfully Nolan-esque manner, is on par with The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King's (2003) final sequence in the category of the greatest-ever endings to a film franchise. So yes, to me, Dark Knight Rises is the best Batman film of all time, the best DC Comics film of all time, and one of my favorite movies.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week, as I celebrate my father David's 60th birthday by ranking my top 5 favorite films by his favorite director (Clint Eastwood), and the top 5 performances by his favorite actor (also Clint Eastwood).