ANNA KARENINA * DARK KNIGHT RISES

Anna Karenina - I tried to read Anna many years ago and didn't get past the first few chapters.  I just couldn't keep up.  Friends were saying that the movie was so-so but that the costumes were great.  One night we decided to do this.  Steve gave a valiant effort but left the room after 30 minutes.  I stuck with it and just couldn't keep up.  It put me to sleep.  Again.  But I was determined to see this through!  What was the Anna Karenina magic?  The next day, I plotted a strategy.  I Wiki'd Anna so that I would know the story, spoiler alert be damned to some old russian writer.  Then I watched.  And it was OK!  Once you know the story, it's manageable.  Love Wiki.  Anna is a strange girl.  Repressed and seeming strong at the beginning of her story; she really goofs things up.   Dark Knight Rises - This is the third and final picture in the Batman trilogy.  I saw the first Batman which was very dark, so I skipped the second one, but wanted to see this since  Peter had loved it, and Steve was eager, especially after trying to sit through Anna, The Master and Amour.  This is a good movie.  It helps to know a little something about Batman, even if that is only that you watched Adam West when you were a kid.  It's a good movie with a good plot and decent acting, and it wraps the Batman story up beautifully.