Batman & Bill

Batman is one of the best known comic book characters.  Most people also know that Bob Kane created the character, but that isn't the whole truth.

In 1939, after the success of the Superman comics, Kane had an idea for a new superhero: the Bat-Man.  He brought in his friend Bill Finger to help define the character.  Kane's contract with Action Comics (which became DC Comics) gave him sole credit for the character, even though Finger wrote the stories and Kane did the drawings.

Finger's contributions to Batman were largely unknown until Marc Tyler Nobleman began researching the origins of the Batman comics.  After 75 years in obscurity, can Nobleman and Finger's descendants get Finger's contributions to Batman acknowledged?


Batman has a long history in the public spotlight, starring in a long-running comic strip along with a series of live-action and animated movies and TV shows.  All of these programs list Bob Kane as the creator of the strip.  When Nobleman began researching Batman's origin, he discovered the name Bill Finger, and many comic book artists/writers knew the name.  Nobleman was intrigued and changed his story to focus on Finger and started researching him.  His book, "Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret co-creator of Batman" was published in 2012.

Nobleman's book serves as the basis for this documentary.  It features interviews with Nobleman, comic book artists, and people who knew Finger.  It also features interviews (recordings and TV footage) of Kane talking about Batman.

It is a fascinating story about the man behind Batman... the man who created/developed many of the details that made/make Batman so intriguing.  Kane and Finger were friends and polar opposites.  Kane enjoyed the spotlight and died a wealthy icon while Finger only gave one interview in his lifetime and died penniless and alone.  The filmmakers compare and contrast these figures.  Kane doesn't always come off well... denying Finger's role in the 1960s, but also wrote in his autobiography that Finger deserves credit for the character... without trying to fix it.

Ultimately, in 2015 DC Comics reached a settlement with Finger's granddaughter Athena Finger.  Finger is now publicly acknowledged alongside Kane in all Batman TV shows and movies, beginning with TV's Gotham (in Season 2) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and all future projects involving Batman.

The documentary is produced by Hulu and available for streaming through their site.  It is worth checking out!

Batman: The Movie (1966) / Batman (1989) / Batman Returns (1992) / The Dark Knight (2008) / The Dark Knight Rises (2012) / The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
TV: The Batman

Batman & Bill (2017) 93 minutes
Director: Don Argott & Sheena M. Joyce
Starring: Marc Tyler Nobleman
Thomas Andrae
Althea Finger
Bill Finger
Carmine Infantino
Bob Kane
Travis Langley
Todd McFarlane
Jerry Robinson
Arlen Schumer
Edith Lyn Simons
Roy Thomas
Michael Ulsan
Jerry Robinson

Silence (2016)

In the 17th century, Jesuit priests Father Sebastiao Rodrigues (Garfield) and Father Francisco Garupe (Driver) learn that their mentor, Father Cristovao Ferreira (Neeson) has renounced the faith.  Father Ferreira was a Portugese Jesuit who went to Japan.  The Japanese authorities are persecuting Christians and forcing priests to commit apostasy.  Father Rodrigues and Father Garupe don't believe the rumors and ask Father Valignano (Hinds) to send them to Japan to find their friend and learn the truth.

Father Valignano allows them go into Japan, but warns that they will be the last priests sent to the country.  They are guided by Kichijiro (Kubozuka), a drunk Japanese man who wants to go home.  They are hidden by the citizens of Tomogi, who are hungry for the priests influence, but afraid of the Inquisitor (Ogata).  The priests are hidden by day and tend to the villagers by night.  Can they find Father Ferreira and survive their trip to Japan?


In 1966, Shusaku Endo wrote the novel "Silence" about the hidden Christians in Japan ("Kakure Kirishitan") following the Shimabara Rebellion in the 1600s.  Father Ferreira was a real person during this time, the other individuals depicted in the novel are fictional.

The novel was a huge success and won the Tanizaki Prize.  Endo adapted the novel into a stage play.  It was also adapted into an opera, another novel, and several movies.  Martin Scorsese read the novel and it became his passion project.  He was interested in making it into a film in the 1990s, but his dream was not fulfilled until 2014.  They filmed in Taiwan and had to contend with weather issues.

It is not an easy film to watch.  It is brutal and doesn't shy away from showing the harsh reality of the torture the Japanese Christians had to endure.  It is intense and nerve wracking, but not overly bloody.  The story is slow and deliberate and fully uses it's 2 hour 41 minute running time.

Andrew Garfield takes the lead as Father Rodrigues.  The film follows his journey / life in Japan and his letters serve as the narration through much of the film.  He is a complicated and sympathetic character, changing  most of his views from the beginning of the film.  He is joined by Adam Driver as Father Garupe.  He is a more solemn and emotional character, while still sympathetic.  Liam Neeson's Father Ferreira opens the film, but does not interact with the characters until 2 hours into the film.  Yosuke Kubozuka is the conflicted Kichijiro, who pops into Rodrigues' life throughout the film.  Issey Ogata is the feared inquisitor, an articulate and imposing man.  He is aided by Tadanobu Asano as the Interpreter, who is the friendly but exacting interpreter for Rodrigues confession.

Garfield and Driver undercover disturbing physical transformations.  At the beginning they are priests in Portugal, with clean robes and faces.  That all changes when they enter Japan where they are hungry and dirty, physically wasting away.

The film is very quiet.  There is minimal music and the dialog is sparse in places.  Many conversations are hushed and secret, but there are moments of heart-breaking screams and anguish.  Those moments have a greater impact since the majority of the film is quiet.

The film asks difficult questions about faith and belief, without offering clear answers.  And despite the reputation of it's director and stars, the film is not widely known.  It was nominated for the Oscar for Best Cinematography, along with other international awards... but only won a single award from the London Film Critics Circle.

The film is an experience and leaves you thinking... it's hard to watch, but incredibly well-made and worth checking out.

Silence (2016) 161 minutes
Rating: R for some disturbing violent content
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Andrew Garfield as Sebastiao Rodrigues
Adam Driver as Francisco Francisco Garupe
Liam Neeson as Father Cristovao Ferreira
Tadanobu Asano as Interpreter
Ciaran Hinds as Father Valignano
Issey Ogata as Inoue Masashige
Shin'ya Tsukamoto as Mokichi
Yoshi Oida as Ichizo
Yosuke Kubozuka as Kichijiro

Becoming Bond

In 1968, Eon Productions began looking for the man to replace Sean Connery as James Bond.  They hired George Lazenby for the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service and offered him a sizable contract to continue the role for 6 more films.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service was Lazenby's first acting role.  When he was cast, he was a successful model, best known for a Fry's Chocolate Ice Cream advertisement.  Prior to modeling, Lazenby was a car salesman.

During the 1969 publicity tour for the film, Lazenby announced that he would not be continuing as Bond.  Fans were shocked and Lazenby's life would never be the same.


I recently watch/reviewed On Her Majesty's Secret Service to prepare for this documentary.

Director Josh Greenbaum turns the camera on Lazenby to tell his life story.  Lazenby speaks directly to the camera and occasionally pauses to answer questions posed by Greenbaum.  While he tells his story, the events are reenacted.  Jason Maybaum is George as a child, then Matthew Josten takes on his teenage years.  Josh Lawson, who starred on TV's House of Lies and is a recurring character on Superstore, is George as a adult.  As the film progresses, they also add Lazenby's commercials (the actual clips) and videos of some of his Bond interviews.

The story is remarkable, causing Greenbaum to interrupt and ask if the story is true.  Lazenby is a charismatic narrator and even though part of the story (him becoming Bond, him leaving the role) are well known, you still want to see what will happen next.  It doesn't change my opinions about On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but it was a fascinating documentary... and it sheds some light on the man that played Bond once and walked away.

Becoming Bond (2017) 92 minutes
Director: Josh Greenbaum
Starring: George Lazenby
Josh Lawson as George (reenactment)

The Lady Eve

"I need him like the ax needs the turkey."

Jean Harrington (Stanwyck) is a con artist, with her father "Colonel" Harrington (Coburn) and Gerald (Cooper), who poses as their valet.  On board a ship from Africa to America, they find Charles Pike (Fonda) the naive heir to the Pike Ale fortune.  Pike has no interest in the family business and prefers to spend his time studying snakes.

Everyone on the ship knows his name and family.  All of the women try to catch Pike's eye, but only Jean succeeds.  While the Colonel and Gerald try to swindle Pike's money, Jean starts to fall for him.  Pike's valet, Muggsy (Demarest), is suspicious of Jean and her intentions.  Will Jean get her shot at love, or will her past ruin everything?


The story is based on Monckton Hoffe's "Two Bad Hats" (Hoffe was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Story).  Director Preston Sturges wrote the screenplay for the film.  It is a fast-pace (both the story and the dialog) story with lots of comedy and slapstick.  It also has a great romance and an incredible leading lady.

Barbara Stanwyck is wonderful in this film.  She is clearly in control throughout the film, with a deftness at both card and people handling.  She is the most interesting person on the screen and has a story or comeback for every occasion.  It is one of best known films/roles and one of 2 great comedic films she made in 1941 (the other was Ball of Fire).  Henry Fonda also had a knack for comedy (though he is best known as a dramatic lead) and really sells the awkward and clumsy nature of the character.  Throughout the film he is the main source of slapstick, repeatedly falling throughout... but it never feels old or unwelcome.

They are joined by a strong cast of character actors.  Charles Coburn is an excellent con artist, while also showing genuine warmth and emotion toward's Stanwyck's Jean.  Melville Cooper and Eric Blore add some humor as their con artist friends.  Eugene Pallette is perfect as Horace Pike, Charles' father.  And William Demarest hits all the right notes as Muggsy (especially at the Pike family home).

The film is considered a classic and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1994.  It features on many top movie lists and appeared on several of the American Film Institute's (AFI) top lists: 100 Years...100 Laughs and 100 Years...100 Passions, and was nominated for several others.

The Lady Eve (1941) 94 minutes
Director: Preston Sturges
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck as Jean Harrington
Henry Fonda as Charles Pike
Charles Coburn as Colonel Harrington
Eugene Pallette as Horace Pike
William Demarest as Muggsy
Eric Blore as Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith
Melville Cooper as Gerald

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone

Gavin Stone (Dalton) was a popular child star.  As an adult, his career is over due to his partying lifestyle.  No one takes him seriously. After his latest stunt, he has to complete 200 hours of community service at the megachurch in his hometown.

Pastor Allan Richardson (Sweeney) puts him to work as a temporary custodian.  On his first day, Gavin discovers the church is preparing for their annual Passion Play.  The play is directed by the pastor's daughter, Kelly (Johnson-Reyes), who is not impressed with Gavin.  However, he has the best audition and he is given the role of Jesus.  As Gavin works off his community service hours, he is forced to live with his estranged father, Waylon (Flynn).  Can Gavin get his life together and rejuvenate his career?


This film was produced by Vertical Church Films and in 2015 WWE Studios acquired the distribution rights for the film.  It was released/distributed by WWE, indie distributor BH Tilt, and Walden Media.  The script was written by Andrea Gyertson Nasfell and directed by Dallas Jenkins.

The story is predictable, but it is still a fun ride.  The characters are interesting and keep the film / story from being too one-dimensional.  Brett Dalton, best known for his role on TV's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is charming and keeps the character from becoming veering into the ridiculous.  You want him to succeed.  Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is a great comedian and I love her stand-up and her characters on Mad TV.  I enjoyed seeing her take on a serious role.

The main characters were good, but it was the side characters that really get a chance to shine.  Neil Flynn is always great, and I loved him on Scrubs, he is gruff but entertaining.  Then there are his friends in the show: Doug, John Mark, and Anthony.  Tim Frank is John Mark, the naive Bible nerd.  He is endearing and adorable.  Patrick Gagnon is Anthony, the amateur / wannabe actor, who grabs your attention from the beginning.  And finally former professional wrestler Shawn Michaels is Doug, the biker with a heart for others.  He is a delight.

It is an entertaining film that keeps your attention until the end.

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (2016) 92 minutes
Director: Dallas Jenkins
Starring: Brett Dalton as Gavin Stone
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes as Kelly Richardson
Neil Flynn as Waylon Stone
D.B. Sweeney as Pastor Allan Richardson
Shawn Michaels as Doug
Tim Frank as John Mark
Patrick Gagnon as Anthony

The Lego Batman Movie

"Batman's life lesson number two. Vigilantes don't have bedtimes."

"Yes!  So what's the vigilante policy on cookies?"

"Unlimited!"

Batman (Arnett) is the hero of Gotham City.  By night he protects the city from any threat and is beloved by the people.  By day he is Bruce Wayne, the wealthiest man in the city, who lives on an island with only his trusted butler Alfred Pennyworth (Fiennes) to keep him company.  Alfred forces him to go into the world as Wayne for Commissioner James Gordon's (Hector Elizondo) retirement party.  At the party, the new commissioner is introduced: Gordon's daughter Barbara (Dawson).  Barbara is a rising star with big plans for Gotham, which include making Batman unnecessary.

Her speech is interrupted by the arrival of all of the villains in Gotham.  They are led by Joker (Galifianakis), who has plans to take over the city.  The city backs Barbara's plan, the villains are sent to Arkham, and Batman is no longer needed.  He is forced to turn his attention to his adopted son, Dick Grayson (Cera).  When the villains escape, can he find the way to balance between Batman and Wayne?


After the success of 2014's The Lego Movie, and the popularity of the character of Batman, it was a smart choice to give the character his own film.  Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the directors of The Lego Movie, served as producers on the film and gave directing duties to Chris McKay, who was the animation supervisor on The Lego Movie.

The story, written by Seth Grahame-Smith, pays homage to the history of Batman.  It references the previous film versions of the character (in Lego form) and the 1960's live-action TV show.  All of his villains, including the ridiculous ones, appear, along with all of his Bat-themed vehicles... and the shark repellent from Batman: The Movie.

Will Arnett returns as Batman and again gives it his all.  Michael Cera and Ralph Fiennes are funny in their roles.  Rosario Dawson is strong and in control.  They made the smart decision to have actor Billy Dee Williams (who played Harvey Dent in the 1989 Batman film, but did not get to complete the transformation in to villain) play Two Face.

The film is funny, while still having a lot of heart.  It is emotional and the character grows until the end.    It holds up to the reputation and high standards of The Lego Movie, and makes me excited for the next film in the series: The Lego Ninjago Movie (to be released in September 2017).

The Lego Batman Movie (2017) 104 minutes
Director: Chris McKay
Starring: Will Arnett as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Zach Galifianakis as Joker
Michael Cera as Dick Grayson / Robin
Rosario Dawson as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl
Ralph Fiennes as Alfred Pennyworth
Jenny Slate as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn