The Match Cut Xtreme Crocheting Thread (and The Dark Knight)

[Russ]

If he gets a nom I predict he'll get the win on politics alone.
Maybe...just maybe...it's a helluva performance. And of course he'd win on politics: these are the Oscars we're talking about.

[Skitch]

I agree with you guys.

Could this open up the Academy to alternative genres that they normally ignore, such as comic book movies, horror, etc? Or would it be a passing fluke?

[Ivan Drago]

I agree with you guys.

Could this open up the Academy to alternative genres that they normally ignore, such as comic book movies, horror, etc? Or would it be a passing fluke?

Unfortunately it will be a passing fluke because instead of the Ledger performance being acknowledged as a truly great performance, everyone will just shove it aside and say "He didn't deserve to win it - he only won because he died."

[Sycophant]

Comic book and horror movies are only slightly less deserving of the Academy's attention than Oscar prognostication eight months in advance is of ours.

[/has a headache and is irritable]

[megladon8]

If he gets a nom I predict he'll get the win on politics alone.


And then allthe anti-populous fanboys will say how Heath Ledger was horrible, worst part of the movie, should have been someone else, etc. etc.

If the publicity had been different and his performance remained a sort of "cult favorite", these same people would laud over how brilliant it was.

Oh, cynicism...you never steer me wrong.

[Lasse]

I... uh... just hope for a good movie.:twisted:

[Ezee E]

I... uh... just hope for a good movie.:twisted:
That's fucking stupid.

[number8]

As much as I know this movie will rock and Heat Ledger looks brilliant, I don't think all this Oscar talk would be happening if he hadn't died.

No, it would still happen, he just wouldn't get an actual nom.

[Qrazy]

And then allthe anti-populous fanboys will say how Heath Ledger was horrible, worst part of the movie, should have been someone else, etc. etc.

If the publicity had been different and his performance remained a sort of "cult favorite", these same people would laud over how brilliant it was.

Oh, cynicism...you never steer me wrong.

Yeah I don't know... because people like that would already be hating everything and anything relating to the film on general popularity principle alone.

[Saya]

New Exclusive trailer from Dominos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_-NEBvaJHM)

"Does it depress you, how alone you really are."

[number8]

Yeah that might be my favorite one so far. Nicely put together.

[Lasse]

That's fucking stupid.

... no, you are!!!

[Watashi]

New poster:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p116/maceyshake/batsnewpostersmall.jpg

*pants explosion*

[Lasse]

It's so different from the others, but I like it on its own.

[Morris Schæffer]

Goddamn Wats beat me to it!:) Still, there have been approximately three billion posters of The Dark Knight in circulation so eventually they had to do something different.

[Sycophant]

Is there some brave soul who has ventured to quantify and compare the amounts of promotional material produced for movies? Because this has gotta be awful close to cake-taking.

[megladon8]

Apparently the movie's close to 150 minutes long.

Sweet.

[number8]

Apparently the movie's close to 150 minutes long.

Sweet.

The official run time is 2 hours and 32 minutes.

[Morris Schæffer]

Apparently the movie's close to 150 minutes long.

Sweet.

I'm inclined to wholeheartedly endorse this. If we'd been talking about "Pirates of the Caribbean IV: Quantum of Rum" I'd be worried.

[megladon8]

The official run time is 2 hours and 32 minutes.


...which is 152 minutes.

[Morris Schæffer]

...which is 152 minutes.

Everything just fits like a puzzle. Amazing! Can't wait!:lol:

[number8]

...which is 152 minutes.

I can count.

[Wryan]

I can count.

Survey says!......................... .............................. ...........................

[Qrazy]

...which is 152 minutes.

You said apparently, as if you'd heard somewhere, so he was clarifying the official time... just clearing this up before we get a cat fight.

[Wryan]

You said apparently, as if you'd heard somewhere, so he was clarifying the official time... just clearing this up before we get a cat fight.

Shut. The. Fuck. Up.

EDIT: And If... is a great movie. Just a "B"?

[megladon8]

You said apparently, as if you'd heard somewhere, so he was clarifying the official time... just clearing this up before we get a cat fight.


I wasn't being hostile. Hope it didn't come across that way.

[Ezee E]

So basically, you have to 76 minute halves.

Just to clarify.

[megladon8]

So basically, you have to 76 minute halves.

Just to clarify.


Only if it was Tarantino doing a Batman movie.

ZING!

[Qrazy]

Shut. The. Fuck. Up.

Shut up talking to me.

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/53945

EDIT: And If... is a great movie. Just a "B"?[/QUOTE]

I didn't feel the color changes were necessary or added anything (apparently it was just a budgetary choice) and the tonal shift near the end of the film didn't fully work for me. Certain character dynamics/arcs like Jute (sp?) were just dropped and we start with a relatively normal prep school environment and then everything ends so abruptly, so the pacing felt a bit off-kilter to me near the end.

[Qrazy]

So basically, you have to 76 minute halves.

Just to clarify.

Two.

Failure.

[number8]

E can count, but he cannot spell.

Stop your film-making dreams and become an accountant, fireboy.

[Skitch]

I think Wats may be the chosen one. Dude, are you ever off the net?

*sulks off, joy of new poster breaking news shattered*

[Ezee E]

E can count, but he cannot spell.

Stop your film-making dreams and become an accountant, fireboy.
Smacks head thwice times.

[Watashi]

Mark Hamill on Heath Ledger's performance of The Joker:


Mark Hamill, voice of The Joker in the critically lauded and fan favorite “Batman: The Animated Series,” had high praise for the late Heath Ledger’s performance as the Clown Prince of Crime in the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.”

“He went above and beyond my expectations,” said Hamill gushing with exuberance after a pre-screening of the film in Los Angeles. “I was talking with Bruce [Timm, producer of “Batman: The Animated Series”] a second ago and he said that this is how he always envisioned The Joker to be.”

Hamill, who has achieved pop-culture icon status with his role as Luke Skywalker in the original “Star Wars” films says that “Ledger will forever be remembered as an actor on the cusp of greatness. There is no doubt in my mind that had he lived, this role would have pushed him into the A-list, leading man territory. This kid would have received every script in Hollywood and would have had tens of millions of dollars thrown his way. If anything, Heath’s amazing role as the Joker is a testament to his range as an actor and his total devotion to his work. Heath Ledger is The Joker in the same vain that Christopher Reeve is Superman. It will take a hell of a lot to surpass Ledger’s Joker role. Actually, I feel pity towards the actor who has to follow in his footsteps as Joker,” said Hamill belting out a laugh and a Joker-sized grin.

Hamill himself was also an early favorite by fans who felt that he has the definitive voice of The Joker. “I was flattered when I would see my name appear on the list of possible Joker candidates,” said Hamill, tearing up as he remembers the fanboy devotion to his work as Joker’s voice on “Batman: The Animated Series.” “I was really very surprised at the outpouring of support. They said that if I wasn’t cast, then they should at least try to convince Warner Brothers to use my Joker voice to dub that of the actor’s.” With his boyish good looks now withering away, and wrinkles dominating his once ageless face, Hamill said that he had a chance to audition for the role of The Joker in “The Dark Knight.” “Oh yeah,” said Hamill, recalling the call he got from Warner Brothers about the audition, “I really wanted to do it. But Mr. Riley, my boss and manager of the ‘Denny’s’ restaurant where I work at wouldn’t let me off grill cleaning duty,” said Hamill, as he went back to the drudgeries of grill cleaning by using a blunt stick with aluminum foil wrapped at the tip to get the grime off the grill. “I have to get the grill clean before breakfast,” said a terrified Hamill, “Otherwise Mr. Riley will beat me!”

[Wryan]

Is Hamill really working at a Denny's or is he just funning us? Either way, it's a hilarious way to end that article: all serious and praise and then suddenly it's like "Where are they now?" Star Wars edition.

Oh and is Hamill suggesting that...

Joker survives and is hinted to return in a possible sequel? If they do another Joker Batman, it should be an insane Joker fanatic who's trying to follow in the real Joker's footsteps, which Batman comes to understand throughout the movie, allowing Ledger to remain the only "real" Joker. IMO.

[Dukefrukem]

holy shit. i had no idea hamill was the joker in TAS! He was also Hobgoblin in Spiderman!

man i really loved those characters too.

[DavidSeven]

Is that even a real article? You don't see many legitimate news items jump the shark by the fourth paragraph.

[number8]

He was just joking. It's typical Hamill. He's really humble like that. He knows (as duke just proven) that while animation enthusiasts know that he's been working hard every year of numerous cartoons (he's on Metalocalypse now), the general public think that he's disappeared into obscurity after Star Wars. He's cool with it.

[Skitch]

I LOVED the end of that article. I would love to sit down and chat with Hamill...he seems like a real cool guy.

[Sxottlan]

It's typical Hamill. He's really humble like that. He knows (as duke just proven) that while animation enthusiasts know that he's been working hard every year of numerous cartoons (he's on Metalocalypse now)...

I've seen his name in the credits. Which character is he?

[number8]

I've seen his name in the credits. Which character is he?

The guy always doing the Dethklok presentation to the secret council.

[Sxottlan]

The guy always doing the Dethklok presentation to the secret council.

Ah. I had hoped he was Nathan Explosion.

[Saya]

Christian Bale on Robin in future Batman sequels:

“If Robin crops up in one of the new Batman films, I’ll be chaining myself up somewhere and refusing to go to work.” (http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/07/02/batman_bale_says_no_to_robin_) :lol:

10 Reasons Why This Guy Loved The Dark Knight (http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/07/01/10-reasons-why-i-loved-the-dark-knight/)


1. The Movie is Epic - The Dark Knight is not just a superhero movie. It is the first comic book adaptation to transcend the genre. Imagine one of the greatest crime thrillers of all time which just happens to have a guy who dresses in a bat costume and fights crime. Think Godfather 2 or Heat, with a insane terrorist who paints his face like a clown and goes around killing random people. It’s expansive in feel and tone. It’s the type of film which you make a point to refer to as a “film” instead of a “movie”.

2. Bigger, Better, Longer - I’ll admit that I wasn’t completely blown away by Batman Begins. Sure, it was the best Batman film to date, incorporating darker themes and a sense of realism that the franchise had never seen before. But Batman Begins is also not without its problems. I think even hardcore fans would agree that the film suffers from third act problems. The Dark Knight is bigger and better in every single way. The film is 152 minutes (two hours and thirty two minutes) long, and every second is gripping. Does it feel long? Yeah. But at the same time I wouldn’t have removed a thing. Every single second is necessary to tell this story. Nolan even keeps some plot developments off screen which resonate in various scenes throughout the film.

3. Heath Ledger - Some friends have expressed concern that the death of Heath Ledger will taint their Dark Knight viewing experience. It doesn’t, and here is why - Heath is amazing. From the first second he steps on screen you will forget that their is an actor behind the make-up. Heath doesn’t play The Joker, he IS the Joker. You will believe that a psychopath wearing clown makeup is terrorizing a whole city. The performance is Oscar worthy. What Anthony Hopkins did for Hannibal Lector, Ledger does for The Joker.

4. Two-Face - At the core this movie is not about Batman, or even The Joker, but instead about Harvey Dent, and his transformation into Two-face. In a way the story is almost a Shakespearean tragedy of a man who goes bad. The screenwriters play against the established conventions of Two-face’s origin story to give you something new, refreshing, and ultimately more authentic than the story presented in the comic books. You will believe that a hero becomes the villain. And you might also be shocked at how long the two-face character appears on screen. It’s not just a tease - you will get everything! His computer generated make-up is so gruesome and realistic looking, that I’m shocked the film was able to get a PG-13 rating.

5. The Empire Strikes Back - The Dark Knight is The Empire Strikes Back of comic book movies. It is dark, bleak, and realistic. Kids looking for a fun superhero movie need to look elsewhere. This is a multi-layered, authentic crime tale. There is more than one casualty, and it doesn’t exactly end on a high note. Fans will eat the ending up. After sitting in the theater for two and a half hours, it will leave you wanting more.

6. IMAX - If you don’t see this movie in IMAX than you haven’t seen the movie. A few of the action sequences and many of the establishing shots throughout the film were shot using IMAX cameras. The result is breathtaking. There is a sequence where Batman leaps off the top of a building (you’ve probably seen it in the trailers) and the camera pushes in. It’s so vivid and high resolution that it almost felt like it was part of one of those motion controlled theme park rides. Going into the screening, I thought the IMAX thing was probably more gimmick than anything else. Previous IMAX presentations involved up-converting the 35mm film image to fit on the IMAX screen. The footage shot with the IMAX camera is amazing. Even if you’ve seen a traditional IMAX movie in the past, you will be blown away by seeing a Hollywood action film on the big big screen. It makes you wonder why more Hollywood productions haven’t begun incorporating the IMAX camera. I wouldn’t be surprised if the inevitable third Batman movie wasn’t shot completely shot on IMAX cameras.

7. Gotham City - The extensive on location filming in Chicago adds to the authenticity of Gotham City. There is never a moment that you feel like you’re watching a bunch of actors on a Hollywood soundstage.

8. Characters - Every character that appears on screen has a history. Even when Nolan doesn’t show us this backstory - we see it. Even a corrupt cop that has two lines of dialogue has an extensive past, at least I’m convinced they do. The world is so full of rich three dimensional characters, some of which only appear on screen for brief moments. And some of the characters do have backstories which were provided in the extensive viral marketing campaigns. If you participated in the alternative reality game online, than you will get more out of the film as a whole.

9. The Bat-Pod - You will love how the Bat Pod is introduced in the film.

10. Nontraditional - The screenplay is both multi-layered and nontraditional. I was caught completely off guard at the many wonderful choices that Nolan and Goyer made in the script. You will wonder how they got Warner Bros to sign off on the screenplay, and I mean this in a good way. Characters that you expect to die might survive, and characters you expect to live will meet their ultimate demise. Even Two-Face’s origin is not exactly as you expect. That said, I advise you to stay as far away from spoilers as you can, because this is a film you want to experience for yourself in a packed IMAX theater on opening night.

To me, The Dark Knight is an almost flawless cinematic experience. Is The Dark Knight one of the best films of all time? No. Where does it fit in my top 100? I’ll have to digest it a couple more times before my mind finds a suitable placement. Rewatchability is an important factor to me. While I do think this film will hold up to multiple viewings, I’m not sure that the expansive IMAX sequences (which are part of the reason why I loved this film) will translate in a home movie viewing environment.

I do believe that The Dark Knight is the best comic book adaptation to date. For me it takes over the spot held by Spider-Man 2. For others it might replace Superman: The Movie, X-Men 2 or The Incredibles. And who knows, some people might be disappointed. Those expecting a fun movie filled with hope might come out sadly disappointed. I’m also not sure this film will play for younger audiences. And I’m not even going to pretend to know what women might think of it. I can only tell you my thoughts. I can’t wait for you guys to see the film so that we can have a discussion.

[megladon8]

I love the last paragraph, and how he makes women sound like some alien creatures whose thoughts and opinions are totally unpredictable. :lol:

[Grouchy]

I love the last paragraph, and how he makes women sound like some alien creatures whose thoughts and opinions are totally unpredictable. :lol:
I think he's only implying it's a manly man's movie like Heat. Although, well, I know some women who like Heat.

I disagree with Bale's whole anti-Robin thing. Robin doesn't mean camp, he's an integral part of the Batman mythos and the closest Bruce Wayne can come to signify a father figure, given his serious daddy issues. Besides, if you follow the whole Batman chronology established by post-Crisis comics:

1. Year One - Batman arrives in Gotham City
2. Year Two - The villains (Joker, Two Face) and Gordon becomes Comissioner.
3. Year Three - Robin

[Milky Joe]

One film is just not really enough to do Batman/Robin justice, if you ask me. It would require a trilogy all on its own. It's best that he's left out of this.

[megladon8]

From IMDb...


Ledger's Co-stars Predict Oscar Glory

3 July 2008 9:15 AM, PDT

Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gary Oldman have tipped late actor Heath Ledger to win an Oscar for his role in The Dark Knight.

Ledger's Batman co-stars predict he will win over critics with his performance as The Joker at next year's Academy Awards - which will be held just over a year after his tragic death.

Bale, who stars as Batman in the forthcoming movie, says, "A lot of people talk about awards all the time, and it's early days. But if anybody deserves it, of course, it is Heath in this.

"I do think that Heath has created an iconic villain that will stand for the ages, and of course, I would love to see him get an award. But you know, to me, you can witness his talent, celebrate his talent within this movie. Anything else is gravy."

He adds, "Heath has done a phenomenal enough job that I would not be surprised (if he won)."

Fellow co-star Gyllenhaal, whose brother Jake starred with Ledger in 2005's Brokeback Mountain, tells MTV.com, "He hit it in the entire performance (in Batman).

"It's so difficult to do that in a huge movie like this and much easier to do in the tiny movies. That's why those are always the people who win Academy Awards.

"Heath was (amazing); it's so unusual, and it happens really rarely even for the best actors, that you just hit this stride in a role and you're totally free. And when that happens, you can do no wrong. It's incredible to be around, and that's what it was like with him."

And Oldman adds, "I think it's an incredible performance. I think it sets a new benchmark. It would surprise me if he didn't get a posthumous Oscar for it."

Only seven actors have received posthumous Oscar nominations, including Spencer Tracy for 1967's Guess Who's Coming To Dinner and James Dean, who was nominated twice after his death for 1955's East Of Eden and 1956's Giant.

Ledger was found dead from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in his New York apartment in January.

[Watashi]

You know that tingling feeling that Spinal gets when he sees an Asia Argento movie?

This movie will give me that feeling.

[number8]

Oh crap. Oldman let loose a big spoiler at the end of this interview (http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17085). I'll post a non-spoilery part:


Gordon’s quiet way plays in contrast with the loud and intense personas of Batman and the Joker. For Oldman, that is part of the appeal. “You have to kind of get out of their way when you’re doing something like that and that’s the challenge. I kind of like that,” he said. Not playing one of the bolder characters also has added benefits. “I’ve played a lot of weird roles and I look at Heath being thrown around. Those noises, apart from the punches to the face, are the actual Heath hitting the wall and being thrown around in that room by Christian. Those are the real sounds. I watched that and thought ‘Oh, rather you than me.’”

To Oldman, the Joker is a rather impressive character. “I would arguably say that it was possibly psychologically one of the most frightening screen villains ever,” he said. “I think it’s up there with Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth in ‘Blue Velvet.’ That’s pretty scary. We’ve got the original ‘Cape Fear’ with Robert Mitchum. That’s a villain. Hannibal Lecter. I think he moved the bar.” Of the actor that played the Joker, Heath Ledger, Oldman explained, “It’s like he’s tuned into a frequency. He’s found a radio station that none of us can hear. Sometimes it just happens with an actor. I’ve had a few [parts] where I’ve worked and I’ve felt in certain roles that it’s like breathing. It’s as easy as breathing.”

[megladon8]

Oh crap. Oldman let loose a big spoiler at the end of this interview (http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17085). I'll post a non-spoilery part:


Regarding the spoiler...

I imagine it's Joker that he kills?

[Skitch]

Regarding the spoiler...

I imagine it's Joker that he kills?

Regarding the spoiler Oldman spoke of...erm...WHAAAA?

As to your speculation, meg, it better not be the case. I fully admit to my fanboy insane love of Nolan's Batman work, but I will cry foul if that is the case. I hear rumors it be a different person, and while I am perterbed at that, I have to see it in context of the film.

Some villian deaths are left vague enough to be plausible for a reemergence in another film, i.e. Doc Ock.

[Watashi]

The entire score is online here (http://www.youtube.com/user/JWDaly08).

It's amazing.

[number8]

Regarding the spoiler Oldman spoke of...erm...WHAAAA?

As to your speculation, meg, it better not be the case. I fully admit to my fanboy insane love of Nolan's Batman work, but I will cry foul if that is the case. I hear rumors it be a different person, and while I am perterbed at that, I have to see it in context of the film.

Some villian deaths are left vague enough to be plausible for a reemergence in another film, i.e. Doc Ock.


I don't think it's the Joker, either. In other interviews, Oldman was talking about how Heath would have wanted someone else to take over the role in a third movie. I have a feeling it's Harvey who dies.

[megladon8]

I don't think it's the Joker, either. In other interviews, Oldman was talking about how Heath would have wanted someone else to take over the role in a third movie. I have a feeling it's Harvey who dies.


But isn't the scene at the bar the final shot in the movie?

[Watashi]

But isn't the scene at the bar the final shot in the movie?

Um, no. Two-Face plays a pretty dominant role in the film. It's not they show him as a last teasing shot for the third film. They reveal half-way through and fully develop him by the film's end.

[megladon8]

Um, no. Two-Face plays a pretty dominant role in the film. It's not they show him as a last teasing shot for the third film. They reveal half-way through and fully develop him by the film's end.


Yes, I know this. But he could have been thought to be dead, then come back for that least teaser. Like Catwoman in Batman Returns.

[Rowland]

Um, no. Two-Face plays a pretty dominant role in the film. It's not they show him as a last teasing shot for the third film. They reveal half-way through and fully develop him by the film's end.Yeah, even I know that and I've hardly been following this movie's development. I'm growing tired of the relentless, borderline-exploitative hype for Ledger's performance, so I'm beginning to really look forward to Eckhart's work.

[Watashi]

Yes, I know this. But he could have been thought to be dead, then come back for that least teaser. Like Catwoman in Batman Returns.

Or you know, people could have thought he was dead because he just gut half his body burned off by acid.

[Watashi]

Yeah, even I know that and I've hardly been following this movie's development. I'm getting tired of the relentless, borderline-exploitative hype for Ledger's performance, so I'm beginning to really look forward to Eckhart's work.

Yep. I'm anticipating Eckhart's work more than Ledger's too. The whole dual performance Eckhart went through sounded amazing and I can't wait to see it in the finished product.

[Saya]

I've read reports and a spoilerish review that heavily hinted at the things what 8 said.

New TV Spot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lo578I-HIA) (Has some spoilers)

And a Dark Knight Wizard World trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rw3-0BOyXo)

[Spinal]

You know that tingling feeling that Spinal gets when he sees an Asia Argento movie?


It's not really a tingling. More of a feeling of warmth and serenity. She is my Bodhi tree.

[number8]

That is going to be the best interrogation scene since Frank Pembleton retired.

[Saya]

I love his expression when the lights are turned on.

Another new TV Spot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiZ-e0k50yc). This one seems more like a recruitment video for Joker's gang. :P

[Skitch]

Yes, I know this. But he could have been thought to be dead, then come back for that least teaser. Like Catwoman in Batman Returns.

Yeah, that was what I was getting at. I'm okay with a cloudy ending to that issue.

[number8]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEKVMJK5NEY

HIS EYES! :eek:

[megladon8]

Regarding the outcome of the movie...

I'm thinking that Batman kills the Joker, in return for what he does to Dent.

[Grouchy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEKVMJK5NEY

HIS EYES! :eek:
Goddamn, what the hell is up with that?

[Saya]

Regarding the outcome of the movie...

I'm thinking that Batman kills the Joker, in return for what he does to Dent.

I'm pretty sure they are not killing off the Joker.

[Saya]

Goddamn, what the hell is up with that?

Yeah, it looked cool. Reminded me of this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0b/Batman_the_Animated_Series_log o.jpg

[Saya]

Another clip of the Joker party crashing scene. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w96uPYrkAE)

[Ezee E]

It might be time to just completely avoid this thread until after I see the movie. Too many spoiler posts. I've avoided them, but it's so tempting.

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEKVMJK5NEY

HIS EYES! :eek:

What about them? Isn't he simply holding a mask and the pavement is reflected in the eye sockets of the mask?

Incredible TV spot, but agree with Ezee E that this is the last one I'm watching.

Also, at this point I'm willing to go on record by saying that this might become my favorite superhero movie ever with the possible exception of Donner's Superman. Hell, critics are calling it one of the finest crime movies in a looooong time.

[megladon8]

What about them? Isn't he simply holding a mask and the pavement is reflected in the eye sockets of the mask?


No, at 22 seconds in, there's a shot of Batman with glowing blue eyes.

Fear toxin, perhaps?

[Morris Schæffer]

Ah yes, caught it now. This is going to be 150 minutes of sweetness.

[number8]

No, at 22 seconds in, there's a shot of Batman with glowing blue eyes.

Fear toxin, perhaps?

No, I remember about a year ago when they made all the hub-bub about the new suit, this was one of the things they said the new suit has. It's night vision or something, but they noted that it looks like the comic Batman.

[Saya]

Just finished watching Batman: Gotham Knight. It was ok, but there is something about anime with english voice acting that bothers me. I don't think it works very well, but maybe it's because I'm used to watching anime with Japanese voice acting. I think it would have been cooler if they mixed the English / Japanese voices up a bit between the segments.

I think the thing that hurts this movie the most is that each of the segments tries to establish it's own idea and individual story as well as an overlapping and continuing story across all the segments. Also, some of the segments felt a little bit too short.

I think the first clip was my favorite one. It's very similar to the Legends of the Dark Knight episode from the animated series with four kids giving their impressions of Batman. I really liked the animation in that one. I also liked the story of the Field Test short in which Lucius Fox creates a device for Batman that works a little too well.

It was suprising to see that Detectives Montoya / Ramirez and Allen pop up in a couple segments. Seeing as these shorts bridge the gap between Begins and The Dark Knight, maybe they will be in TDK as well.

[Ivan Drago]

The entire score is online here (http://www.youtube.com/user/JWDaly08).

It's amazing.

It's Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Of course it's amazing.

[number8]

It was suprising to see that Detectives Montoya / Ramirez and Allen pop up in a couple segments. Seeing as these shorts bridge the gap between Begins and The Dark Knight, maybe they will be in TDK as well.

They are. Nolan actually wanted to use Montoya but she ended up being too different from the comic counterpart so he changed the name to Ramirez so as to not to upset fans.

[megladon8]

I thought the soundtrack would end up just being re-treads of the same music from Batman Begins - and I wouldn't have complained, because that was a wonderful score.

But man, this is so different, and so much more amazing than I ever could have imagined.

The influence from Heat even stretches into the music, and it rocks.

[Grouchy]

About the eyes:


Designers improved on the design of the Batsuit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batsuit) from Batman Begins, adding wide elastic banding to help bind the costume to Bale, and suggest more sophisticated technology. It was constructed from 200 individual pieces of rubber (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber), fiberglass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiberglass), metallic mesh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh), and nylon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon). The new cowl was modeled after a motorcycle helmet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_helmet) and separated from the neck piece, allowing Bale to turn his head left and right and nod up and down.[89] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_%28film%29#cit e_note-suit-88) The cowl is equipped to show white lenses over the eyes when the character turns on his sonar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonar) detection.[90] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_%28film%29#cit e_note-kino-89) The gauntlets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauntlet_%28gloves%29) have retractable razors which are able to be fired.[89] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_%28film%29#cit e_note-suit-88) The gloves also possess hydraulics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic) for Batman to crush objects. The original suit will also be worn during part of the film. Though the new costume is eight pounds heavier, Bale found it more comfortable and less hot to wear.[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_%28film%29#cit e_note-wild-8)

[Watashi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUPBgYeanZ0&feature=related

Awesome.

[Sven]

Man, that guy bothers me.

[Dead & Messed Up]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUPBgYeanZ0&feature=related

Awesome.

That is awesome. The guy's Halloween theme is amazing - his harmonizing is out of control.

[Watashi]

Man, that guy bothers me.

Seriously?

The guy is incredible.

It's totally something one of us would do.

[megladon8]

Seriously?

The guy is incredible.

It's totally something one of us would do.



I've got a great voice.

Someone on here writes one, I'll do it.

[Watashi]

I've got a great voice.

Someone on here writes one, I'll do it.
Uh... yeah.

Nevermind.

[Sven]

Seriously?

The guy is incredible.

It's totally something one of us would do.

Well, perhaps I was harsh. I like his initiative and imagination. I definitely prefer him to the one guy who does scenes all by himself.

[Spinal]

No, no. You were right. That guy is annoying.

[Morris Schæffer]

Heh

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=789&show=review

Surprised with the rating for the video quality.:)

[Wryan]

Heh

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=789&show=review

Surprised with the rating for the video quality.:)


Great avatar! Fix the flash so its centered more over the lens and you've got rep! Hell you get rep anyway, but fix that flash.

:twisted:

[Saya]

Oh shit...two pics of Two-Face from the movie!

MAJOR SPOILERS!

http://i25.tinypic.com/2la660x.jpg

http://i32.tinypic.com/2rzcnds.jpg

More pics here on some guy's photobucket account;

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/joma1124/Dark%20Knight%20movie%20camera %20picutres/?start=0

[Skitch]

AWESOME.

[Morris Schæffer]

Great avatar! Fix the flash so its centered more over the lens and you've got rep! Hell you get rep anyway, but fix that flash.

:twisted:

Thanks! But I was always under the impression that the flashlight isn't coming directly out of the lens, but is a little thingie right next to it.:lol:

[Morris Schæffer]

Everytime a new review blurb gets added to Rotten Potatoes, it seems that it's even more euphoric than the last. Here's the latest:

"Daring and uncompromisingly different from previous incarnations of Batman, Nolan hasn't redefined the superhero genre as much as created an unforgettable piece of crime fiction within the context of that realm."

"Unforgettable"

"Unforgettable!!"

[Wryan]

Thanks! But I was always under the impression that the flashlight isn't coming directly out of the lens, but is a little thingie right next to it.:lol:

Doh! True enough, though the flash still seems to be a bit offcenter from the actual spot on the avatar. Nonetheless. :D

[Ivan Drago]

Oh shit...two pics of Two-Face from the movie!

MAJOR SPOILERS!

http://i25.tinypic.com/2la660x.jpg

http://i32.tinypic.com/2rzcnds.jpg

More pics here on some guy's photobucket account;

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/joma1124/Dark%20Knight%20movie%20camera %20picutres/?start=0



Must...resist...temptation...t o...click...spoiler.....

[Morris Schæffer]

Indeed Ivan. Stop posting that shit Saya!:P

[Saya]

I can't help it! You just have to hold on for a couple more days. :P

Also, it appears the concept art of Two Face that was leaked a while seems to be the real deal.

[Sycophant]

Eight months ago...

How much time is left till this movie comes out? We'll fill another thirty pages easy.

Nerds.
We've made 848 posts about this movie before this one. Admittedly, we've strayed from topic now and then, but there were also 921 posts on the old site.

Has any other film in Match Cut history garnered more than 1,769 posts? Especially before its release?

Fucking nerds.

[Ezee E]

Eight months ago...

We've made 848 posts about this movie before this one. Admittedly, we've strayed from topic now and then, but there were also 921 posts on the old site.

Has any other film in Match Cut history garnered more than 1,769 posts? Especially before its release?

Fucking nerds.
I'm sure something has. Just not sure what.

[Qrazy]

I'm sure something has. Just not sure what.

Mulholland Drivel?

[Sycophant]

Mulholland Drivel?
SNAP!

Rep to whoever actually compiles the statistics for most-discussed films round these parts.

[megladon8]

ComingSoon.net (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=46678) reports that trailers playing before this will include Terminator: Salvation, Watchmen and Ridley Scott's new film Body of Lies.

[Qrazy]

SNAP!

Rep to whoever actually compiles the statistics for most-discussed films round these parts.

Hehe I like it but I couldn't resist.

[Ivan Drago]

ComingSoon.net (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=46678) reports that trailers playing before this will include Terminator: Salvation, Watchmen and Ridley Scott's new film Body of Lies.

I'm expecting just teaser trailers, but teaser trailers that I'm eagerly anticipating.

[Saya]

Because of the high demand, some theaters are now scheduling screenings at 6 am. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/movies/09dark.html?ref=movies)

I thought this was interesting. Some guy saw the movie last night and said:


One last thing I'll say about the film: there isn't a setup for a sequel. Not even an after-credits bonus. Why? Because this is the definitive word on Batman.

I really wouldn't mind ending the series after this one.

[megladon8]

I really wouldn't mind ending the series after this one.


Yes, Nolan has said in interviews that he made The Dark Knight to work as the companion to Batman Begins in a 2-part story. He had no thoughts of "sequel" while making this.

However, he said the same thing while making Batman Begins - that he had no plans of making another until well after the movie was done.

Gary Oldman seems pretty positive about a sequel, though, and he says that he got the feeling WB wouldn't do it unless Nolan was onboard, because they are starting to realize that with a series like this, you need one director to helm it all, and keep the vision fluid throughout.

[number8]

Sorry, but Oldman is delusional. The money this movie is going to make? They're making a third one, with or without Nolan. The dealbreaker is Bale.

[Saya]

I don't know, I think they would make a third movie without Bale. There is so much money involved, can one actor really make a difference?

[number8]

There's precedence in the franchise. Most people are aware of the Burton-to-Schumacher drop off. Even if they lose Nolan, people would still give it a chance to see what a new director could do that's different but fresh, or they'd have no idea that they changed directors (see: X3). But if they lose both Nolan and Bale? People would lose the illusion of it being the same series (and maintaining the same quality) and they'd assume that they're taking the risk of watching the Schumacher of the new milennium. The early buzz would be gigantically negative. Do you really think X3 would do as well as it did if Hugh Jackman backed out and Rattner cast his own Wolverine?

[Watashi]

Batman: Gotham Knight was some breathtaking stuff. Don't understand where the ho-hum reviews are coming from. The story itself was fine, but I wasn't excepting Dini-esque material, just jaw-dropping animation from some of the top-notch Japanese animators. Good to see Romano, Timm, and Conroy working together again.

[Saya]

Do you really think X3 would do as well as it did if Hugh Jackman backed out and Rattner cast his own Wolverine?

I don't think it would do as well, but I do think it would still be a profitable movie and I think that is all that matters for the studio.

I hope you are right about Bale (that he is the dealbreaker) and I agree with you overall.

But in reality I think they would just throw so much money at Nolan and Bale that a third movie will be inevitable.

[Skitch]

Batman: Gotham Knight was some breathtaking stuff. Don't understand where the ho-hum reviews are coming from. The story itself was fine, but I wasn't excepting Dini-esque material, just jaw-dropping animation from some of the top-notch Japanese animators. Good to see Romano, Timm, and Conroy working together again.

Completely agree. The one I liked the least was the first short. After that, totally rocked.

[Morris Schæffer]

But in reality I think they would just throw so much money at Nolan and Bale that a third movie will be inevitable.

In the end, considering that TDK looks set to stun about a million times, the desire to see a third one will likely be far bigger than a mere realization that part two perfectly capped the series. Assuming that's the case.

[Grouchy]

I like trilogies better than dyptics, and I'm confident at least a third movie is coming, based on the money this one is already making.

But I wish Bale and Nolan take their time and space it out in the future to avoid Spiderman 3 syndrome. Sometimes pleasing the raving fan demands is not the best way to ensure quality.

[D_Davis]

Would losing Nolan be as much of a blow or change to a subsequent film as losing Burton? Opinions on which films are better aside, I can't think of anything that Nolan does that is "Nolanesque;" he doesn't possess a singular style that sets him apart from any other solid director. I don't see anything in any of his movies that makes me realize it was directed by him, except for the credits. That may be one of his strengths - his films don't rely on any one thing, except for quality filmmaking. However, this can also make it easier for the studios to replace him without most people noticing.

I don't think Bale makes much of a difference.

Batman, the character, is the draw, and is a much bigger property than Bale, or many actors, will ever be.

[number8]

I don't think it's fair to limit a director by easily recognizable stylistic flourish. He has a style that I can pinpoint (non-linear narrative and near-subliminal cuts) though it's said that TDK is Nolan's first completely linear film. But as a director, he made nearly all the decisions that led to the reboot being successful--including the casting choices.

[D_Davis]

I don't think it's fair to limit a director by easily recognizable stylistic flourish. He has a style that I can pinpoint (non-linear narrative and near-subliminal cuts) though it's said that TDK is Nolan's first completely linear film. But as a director, he made nearly all the decisions that led to the reboot being successful--including the casting choices.

Right - but I think, to most people, as in the general public, it is easier to discern a difference in visual style (especially one as extreme as Burton) than it is to discern subtle differences in narrative and editorial directing. People like my mom and dad know that "Beetlejuice" look, but I don't think they would be able to pick up on a Nolan-directed film.

He is more transparent - he lets the film speak for itself, where as Burton lets you know IT'S MY MOVIE!

While I personally haven't cared for any of Nolan's films, I do recognize him as a solid director. He just so happens to make films that I don't dig.

With that said though, I am now looking forward to this new Batman film.

Although, a huge drop-off in general quality is probably the most noticeable thing of all. Hence, a switch from someone like Nolan to someone like Ratner will be obvious.

[megladon8]

Sorry to make this brief because I am just running off for dinner, but I must completely disagree with you, D, and say that Nolan has one of the most distinct filmmaking styles of the new millennium.

Watching Memento, The Prestige and Batman Begins, it's easy to tell these were made by the same director.

[Ezee E]

It's particularly the editing of Nolan's films that I can see the most.

However, to make a comparison, I think Schmacher's films are completely different looking than Burton's. X3 is completely different than Bryan Singer's.

So yeah, take Nolan off, and it'll come across very different I think.

So put it in Herzog's hands!

[D_Davis]

Sorry to make this brief because I am just running off for dinner, but I must completely disagree with you, D, and say that Nolan has one of the most distinct filmmaking styles of the new millennium.

Watching Memento, The Prestige and Batman Begins, it's easy to tell these were made by the same director.

The only similarity I see in these films is that I didn't really like any of them.

:P

Haven't people been comparing this new Batman film to Michael Mann, saying it is akin to Heat or something? If Nolan is such a unique director, shouldn't they be saying it is Nolanesque, or something that could only come from Nolan?

I just don't see or get anything remarkable out of Nolan as a director on any special or extraordinary level. Of course, it could be that his films do not inspire me to study them on any relevant level, and so therefor I am not familiar with anything especially Nolanesque about them. I've seen each one once, and that's enough for me.

I would love to see a director like Herzog do a superhero film. But we all know what happens when we give unique directors the keys to comicdom - we get Ang Lee's Hulk. The best superhero film ever made, and also one that is totally and utterly despised by fans of the comic, so much so that the studio reboots it after only a couple of years.

Very disappointing.

I am really looking forward to seeing that Gotham Knight cartoon - that looks awesome. Dang awesome.

[Russ]

I would love to see a director like Herzog do a superhero film.
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/6426/superherzogyt1.gif

[megladon8]

The only similarity I see in these films is that I didn't really like any of them.

:P

Haven't people been comparing this new Batman film to Michael Mann, saying it is akin to Heat or something? If Nolan is such a unique director, shouldn't they be saying it is Nolanesque, or something that could only come from Nolan?

Well, no. Nolan has said that Heat is the film which inspired his vision of the film's tone and pace. DOP Wally Pfister (one of the best currently working, in my opinion) also used Heat's blue-tinged look and cold feel as inspiration. Most directors are inspired at one time or another by someone else's films, and use that in their own.




I would love to see a director like Herzog do a superhero film. But we all know what happens when we give unique directors the keys to comicdom - we get Ang Lee's Hulk. The best superhero film ever made, and also one that is totally and utterly despised by fans of the comic, so much so that the studio reboots it after only a couple of years.

Very disappointing.


Yes, this is really disappointing. I agree Hulk is one of the best superhero films of all time, and even though I had a blast with The Incredible Hulk, it doesn't touch Lee's film.

I also liked Eric Bana much more than Norton.



I am really looking forward to seeing that Gotham Knight cartoon - that looks awesome. Dang awesome.


Indeed.

Have you read about the new Batsuit in The Dark Knight, and how it's the first one to let the actor turn their head? Both Bale and Nolan commented on how it allowed them to film fights better, so we can see more of Batman without it looking kind of goofy.

[megladon8]

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2269/scan0007bq1.jpg


:pritch:

[Watashi]

Me seeing it midnight for free > You seeing it Friday night

Ah, the joys of working at a movie theater.

[Ezee E]

Me seeing it midnight for free > You seeing it Friday night

Ah, the joys of working at a movie theater.
Can you afford the gas to drive back and forth with that $6/hour wage?

:)

[Watashi]

Can you afford the gas to drive back and forth with that $6/hour wage?

:)

The wage is more than that.

I have a second job as well.

[Grouchy]

Once again, I really sense the Nolanesque style. Thrillers that focus on characterization, non-chronology edits, building tension, central characters with obsessive drives. I don't really wanna open an auterism discussion here, but shit fuck.

[megladon8]

And his brother is an amazing screenwriter.

I'm looking forward to the writing in The Dark Knight, since Goyer didn't have as big a role in the writing of this one.

[Grouchy]

And his brother is an amazing screenwriter.

I'm looking forward to the writing in The Dark Knight, since Goyer didn't have as big a role in the writing of this one.
Good to know.

I mean, I love the first two Blade movies, but not because of Goyer.

[D_Davis]

Once again, I really sense the Nolanesque style. Thrillers that focus on characterization, non-chronology edits, building tension, central characters with obsessive drives. I don't really wanna open an auterism discussion here, but shit fuck.

These are all things that good thrillers should have or things that thrillers can benefit from. They seem pretty typical to me, nothing really uniquely Nolan.

Again, I think he makes solid films, and even if I don't like them I can't deny that he is a talented filmmaker. I will not say his films are bad, they just don't appeal to me. I just think he is a transparent director, and I can easily imagine all of the films he has made being directed by someone else while still having the same tone, style, and execution.

Round and round we go!

:)

With that said, I am expecting to like this new Bat-flick more than Begins. Just based on the trailers I think it looks more interesting.

[Grouchy]

These are all things that good thrillers should have or things that thrillers can benefit from. They seem pretty typical to me, nothing really uniquely Nolan.

Again, I think he makes solid films, and even if I don't like them I can't deny that he is a talented filmmaker. I will not say his films are bad, they just don't appeal to me. I just think he is a transparent director, and I can easily imagine all of the films he has made being directed by someone else while still having the same tone, style, and execution.

Round and round we go!

:)

With that said, I am expecting to like this new Bat-flick more than Begins. Just based on the trailers I think it looks more interesting.
Just the fact that his movies are all thrillers points to a personal involvement besides the craft. If not, he'd be a handy man like Zemeckis. But, ok, take "building tension" out of my sentence and you have a couple of distinctive things there that don't apply to "things all thrillers should have". Like the fact that all of his protagonists are bent on an obsessive, self-destructive trip.

[D_Davis]

Many thrillers have protagonists driven by extreme obsession, which is often self-destructive.

This is a staple in the hardboiled detective genre and not something unique to Nolan.

[Grouchy]

Many thrillers have protagonists driven by extreme obsession, which is often self-destructive.

This is a staple in the hardboiled detective genre and not something unique to Nolan.
Ok, what about non-linear editing? He has used it on all his films until now.

I realize I'm discussing for argument's sake now. I see it, you don't.

[D_Davis]

Ok, what about non-linear editing? He has used it on all his films until now.

I realize I'm discussing for argument's sake now. I see it, you don't.

:)

Me too.

Again though, the non-linear narrative is also used quite frequently in thrillers and hardboiled detective stories. It is a popular trope to introduce a harrowing situation and then back up to trace the steps that led the hero to it.

Granted, Nolan uses it to a far more extreme measure in Memento. He definitely cranks the trope up to 11 here.

Tarantino uses non-linear narratives quite a bit, too. When I see such a film, I am more prone to think of QT rather than CN.

[Grouchy]

:)

Me too.

Again though, the non-linear narrative is also used quite frequently in thrillers and hardboiled detective stories. It is a popular trope to introduce a harrowing situation and then back up to trace the steps that led the hero to it.

Granted, Nolan uses it to a far more extreme measure in Memento. He definitely cranks the trope up to 11 here.

Tarantino uses non-linear narratives quite a bit, too. When I see such a film, I am more prone to think of QT rather than CN.
Nolan likes hard-boiled. And Christian Bale's nutcase.

[number8]

Me seeing it midnight for free > You seeing it Friday night

Ah, the joys of working at a movie theater.

Me seeing it this monday for free > your midnight showing for free.

[Watashi]

Me seeing it this monday for free > your midnight showing for free.


Me seeing it with a bunch of crazy Bat fans > you seeing it with press and critics

[Ezee E]

Me seeing it with a bunch of crazy Bat fans > you seeing it with press and critics
Disagree.

[Saya]

Damn, I have to wait for the 23rd to see it. It'll be an Imax viewing though! :)

[Skitch]

I'm hoping to get my Thursday midnight tickets today.

Oh, and the Gotham Knight animated dvd was sweet.

[Sycophant]

Disagree.

Emphatically.

[Scar]

Emphatically.

Dear God, yes.

[Ivan Drago]

Well, we did fill 30 pages after all.

Anyway, I'll be seeing this at midnight on Thursday, and on Sunday night with my family.

[Morris Schæffer]

I would love to see a director like Herzog do a superhero film. But we all know what happens when we give unique directors the keys to comicdom - we get Ang Lee's Hulk. The best superhero film ever made, and also one that is totally and utterly despised by fans of the comic, so much so that the studio reboots it after only a couple of years.

Or Nolan's The Dark Knight.

I'm reasonably certain numerous folks would consider Nolan to be a unique choice as well. Frankly, you don't have to like Memento to admit it's the kind of movie that Brett Ratner would never in a million years be associated with. To then hear that he, Nolan, is chosen to reboot the Batman Franchise must sound as sweet music to a lot of Batfans. So why did Batman Begins, and especially now the sequel, succeed where, according to you, Hulk failed? After all, both Bat movies don't appear to be all out action either. Basically, I don't wanna lay it all down to the choice of director. There could be other variables. Maybe audiences just don't care enough about Hulk? I certainly find him to be one of the least interesting of superheroes. Perhaps Bana just wasn't a big enough draw? How was the marketing campaign for Hulk? When was it released during the summer?

Didn't like Memento either btw.:)

[Grouchy]

Or Nolan's The Dark Knight.

I'm reasonably certain numerous folks would consider Nolan to be a unique choice as well. Frankly, you don't have to like Memento to admit it's the kind of movie that Brett Ratner would never in a million years be associated with. To then hear that he, Nolan, is chosen to reboot the Batman Franchise must sound as sweet music to a lot of Batfans. So why did Batman Begins, and especially now the sequel, succeed where, according to you, Hulk failed? After all, both Bat movies don't appear to be all out action either. Basically, I don't wanna lay it all down to the choice of director. There could be other variables. Maybe audiences just don't care enough about Hulk? I certainly find him to be one of the least interesting of superheroes. Perhaps Bana just wasn't a big enough draw? How was the marketing campaign for Hulk? When was it released during the summer?

Didn't like Memento either btw.:)
I think the key here is the action. Hulk was basically a sci-fi drama. The action scenes were beautiful to look at, but they weren't exciting. They had beautiful cinematography, CGI and composition, but they were only there to advance the story. Ang Lee chose not to halt the movie for an incredible set piece, because he was much more interested in the personality of his characters. Hence, a lot of people were left without their Hulk Smash and bored shitless.

Batman Begins balanced the action and the drama a little better. Which doesn't make it a better or a worse film. Personally, I like both movies a lot.

[Wryan]

DOP Wally Pfister (one of the best currently working, in my opinion) also used Heat's blue-tinged look and cold feel as inspiration.

Wally Pfister doing Dante Spinotti. Lovin' it.

...

And, personally, I think people overstate Hulk's importance and depth.

[Ezee E]

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2269/scan0007bq1.jpg


:pritch:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/bialasishaha/a2f8968ed48835e9.jpg

Eat it meg.

[Sycophant]

Your name is Ericr? Roffle! :lol:

[Rowland]

Mike D'Angelo has called it "the most thematically ambitious franchise blockbuster ever made, by several orders of magnitude."

[megladon8]

"This is not a Batman movie -- this is a 2008 version of The Untouchables with The Batman as Elliot Ness, The Joker as Al Capone, and much better toys."

-David Poland


"Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Michael Mann's Heat. Brian de Palma's The Untouchables. And now, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight can join the ranks as one of the best crime dramas in modern movie history."

-Staci Layne Wilson


"Daring and uncompromisingly different from previous incarnations of Batman, Nolan hasn't redefined the superhero genre as much as created an unforgettable piece of crime fiction within the context of that realm."

-Edward Douglas


"A dark, ambitious, mature and gritty crime saga the likes of which Michael Mann or Martin Scorsese would be proud to call their own."

-Garth Franklin


"Dark, grim, haunting and inventive, Dark Knight is nothing short of brilliant, representing Chris Nolan's most accomplished and mature work to date and the best and scariest comic-hero adaptation you're likely to see this summer, perhaps the whole year."

-Emanuel Levy




...yeah, this is going to make my life feel like it means something.

[number8]

I'm sure they meant it as a compliment, but boy, did The Untouchables sucked.

[Rowland]

Ehh, all of those critics are relatively worthless.

And yeah, The Untouchables is one of my least favorite De Palma movies.

[Saya]

The viral marketing for this movie has ended last night with big bang. They gave away loads of free Imax tickets for the movie. They are all sold out now though. But still, it was pretty awesome they did that.

http://www.whysoserious.com/kickingandscreening/

[Ezee E]

The viral marketing for this movie has ended last night with big bang. They gave away loads of free Imax tickets for the movie. They are all sold out now though. But still, it was pretty awesome they did that.

http://www.whysoserious.com/kickingandscreening/
I got lucky. Two minutes later or so and I'd have been out of luck. Denver was one of the last cities to get sold out.

[Saya]

I got lucky. Two minutes later or so and I'd have been out of luck. Denver was one of the last cities to get sold out.

The pic you posted was of those free tickets? That is awesome! :)

[Watashi]

Mike D'Angelo has called it "the most thematically ambitious franchise blockbuster ever made, by several orders of magnitude."

Yet he only gave it a 69....

Oh Angie... you so crazy.

[Boner M]

Yet he only gave it a 69....

Oh Angie... you so crazy.
Ambition /= success.

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm sure they meant it as a compliment, but boy, did The Untouchables sucked.

You're nuts!

[Skitch]

Your name is Ericr? Roffle! :lol:

Eriks unite!

[Skitch]

I'm sure they meant it as a compliment, but boy, did The Untouchables sucked.

I'm not a big fan either. It was okay at best.

[number8]

So, there's only 15 reviews, but it's currently 100% at the TM.

[Watashi]

Didn't 8 see this already?

TELL ME NOW!!!!

[Morris Schæffer]

Bzzz Bzzzz Bzzz. This just in. The Tomatometer has plummeted to 88%. I'm genuinely surprised.

[Ezee E]

Predictions for 8's one word review?

[megladon8]

Bzzz Bzzzz Bzzz. This just in. The Tomatometer has plummeted to 88%. I'm genuinely surprised.


Yeah, but the negative reviews are kind of silly...

"This movie is too in love with itself to make you love it."

[Rowland]

"This movie is too in love with itself to make you love it."That's not a review, it's one line.

[megladon8]

That's not a review, it's one line.


I know, I was posting the little blurb that was on RT.

[DavidSeven]

Yeah, but the negative reviews are kind of silly...

"This movie is too in love with itself to make you love it."

Well, that's just an excerpt. The review itself, while not especially eloquent or insightful, seems fair in its criticisms of the film.

What's really funny is that you can tell from the comments listed for each review that all the fanboys are tearing into the rotten ones despite not having seen a non-marketing endorsed frame of the film.

[Rowland]

I know, I was posting the little blurb that was on RT.I know, but you called the negative reviews silly, using that blurb as if it proved this notion.

[DavidSeven]

Somewhat random sampling of RT reactions to David Denby's negative review:


The Dark Knight Fan 1 writes:
on Jul 14 2008 10:16 AM

Look at his ugly *** face. Just by looking at it you can tell this guy has no life and craves attention by saying oh my god its in a constant climax I can't stand it!

582812
toombzie writes:
on Jul 14 2008 10:17 AM

holy ****, you didn't like iron man, forgetting sarah marshall, or dark knight. you are one load that should have been swallowed.

(Reply to this)
575442
jmills10 writes:
on Jul 14 2008 10:18 AM

seriously people, look at this review with a grain of salt, if you look at his track record he agrees with the tomatoe meeter 68% of the time which isnt good for a top critic.....does any body know why this guys a top critic


(Reply to this)
351822
TWINE006 writes:
on Jul 14 2008 10:19 AM

You do not deserve to live.

[Rowland]

Somewhat random sampling of RT reactions to David Denby's negative review:That's just about what I'd expect.

[number8]

Predictions for 8's one word review?

Wow.

[Sven]

Denby's review (for Wall E as well) is very good.

[Spinal]

"At times, the movie sounds like two excited mattresses making love in an echo chamber."

:lol:

[megladon8]

"At times, the movie sounds like two excited mattresses making love in an echo chamber."

:lol:


I...really don't understand that statement in any way.

[Spinal]

I...really don't understand that statement in any way.

Did you read the review? Probably makes more sense in context.

[Sycophant]

Somewhat random sampling of RT reactions to David Denby's negative review:

I will never experience the world the way these people do.

[megladon8]

Eh, I wasn't particularly thrilled with Denby's review.

He doesn't really say much except more Ledger-worship, which I'm getting tired of.

And his criticisms of the film seem more like criticisms of the Batman universe as a whole - and his pointing to Burton's Batman as a better film confirm that Nolan's vision just isn't for him.

Also, I question the end of his review...


...while making sure, with proper calculation, to set up the next installment of the corporate franchise.


This is the first time I have heard anyone say that the movie sets up for a sequel.

Every other review I have read states that the movie pretty much closes all doors, and the saga could be stopped here without any unanswered questions.

[number8]

Could go either way, really. The way the situation is at the ending is better if it's left alone, but it does set up an intriguing (and incredibly dark) third film. I was pretty surprised by the ending.

[megladon8]

Could go either way, really. The way the situation is at the ending is better if it's left alone, but it does set up an intriguing (and incredibly dark) third film. I was pretty surprised by the ending.


So am I going to be disappointed?

Or has all the build-up been worthwhile?

[number8]

So am I going to be disappointed?

Or has all the build-up been worthwhile?

You're going to be disappointed. Totally wasn't worth the hype. In fact, it was awful. I was bored out of my mind for 2.5 hours.

[Sven]

and his pointing to Burton's Batman as a better film confirm that Nolan's vision just isn't for him.

Right, but he does present legit criticisms of Nolan's vision, no? It's not that he's not digging it because he's a human-with-different-tastes-so-lets-agree-to-disagree. He doesn't dig it for a reason.

It feels kinda wrong when others broadly sum up an opposing argument as though the details of that criticism mean nothing. New peeve entry perhaps?

[megladon8]

Right, but he does present legit criticisms of Nolan's vision, no? It's not that he's not digging it because he's a human-with-different-tastes-so-lets-agree-to-disagree. He doesn't dig it for a reason.

It feels kinda wrong when others broadly sum up an opposing argument as though the details of that criticism mean nothing. New peeve entry perhaps?


But...that's not what I'm doing.

I'm stating why I disagree with his review. And that is, I get the feeling from his writing that he just doesn't like Nolan's vision of the Batman world, and he wasn't going to like the movie regardless.

[Watashi]

Denby's review is pretty damn horrible. He doesn't like Batman at all, stated in one of his earlier reviews.

[megladon8]

Denby's review is pretty damn horrible. He doesn't like Batman at all, stated in one of his earlier reviews.


Exactly, which is why it seems like an unfair critique in the first place.

Like my friend on another board, who hates all superhero movies, and considers Batman Begins to be one of the worst movies he's ever seen...ever.

I'm not exactly going to be relying on his word.

[Saya]

Could go either way, really. The way the situation is at the ending is better if it's left alone, but it does set up an intriguing (and incredibly dark) third film. I was pretty surprised by the ending.

Did you see it in Imax? If so, how was it?

[megladon8]

I'm anxious to know how #8 would compare/contrast it with Batman Begins.

[Ezee E]

15 hours.

[Sven]

I'm stating why I disagree with his review. And that is, I get the feeling from his writing that he just doesn't like Nolan's vision of the Batman world, and he wasn't going to like the movie regardless.

But he presents legitimate reasons for not liking it, and it seems that you (and the plethora of Batman fans that have commented on his review) are unwilling to address his legitimate criticisms for thinking the film is imperfect in order to sum up his response with a conclusion that you've drawn together more from your own biases than his. It's a fine review that gives reasons for not thinking that the specific film in question is a masterpiece.

[Thirdy]

It's amazing to see how all avid Batman fans are reluctant to accept a single bad review of the film in question. I mean, c'mon guys.

I'm still seeing this opening day.

[D_Davis]

Denby's review is pretty damn horrible. He doesn't like Batman at all, stated in one of his earlier reviews.


Exactly, which is why it seems like an unfair critique in the first place.

Like my friend on another board, who hates all superhero movies, and considers Batman Begins to be one of the worst movies he's ever seen...ever.

I'm not exactly going to be relying on his word.

Would you also dismiss the opinion of a person who loves Batman and loves superhero movies?

Are opinions only valid if they come from absolutely unbiased sources?

[D_Davis]

What if someone hates Batman, and other superhero movies, but loves this film, just as a movie?

Would this opinion be negated?

[Skitch]

Would you also dismiss the opinion of a person who loves Batman and loves superhero movies?


I'm constantly dismissed because of this, so according to most people...yes.

:|

[Pop Trash]

I do think critics who are dismissive of an entire genre aren't that great of critics. I think what Nolan seems to be up to here is treating the superhero genre in a serious way and observing these two characters (Batman/Joker) as two sides of the same psychotic coin. Both of them are dealing with their own psychotic issues by dressing up and either stopping or starting crime.

[NickGlass]

I do think critics who are dismissive of an entire genre aren't that great of critics.

Denby doesn't dislike the genre--he simply disliked "Batman Begins," which apparently is enough to make any of his opinions on "The Dark Knight" completely invalid.

[Scar]

Am I to completely disregard The Bauer's movie recommendations because he thinks that Boondock Saints is one of the greatest movies known to man?

[number8]

So I finished my review this morning. I have to wait until at least Thursday to post it officially, but I'm thinking of posting here for you guys. I need the word that it'll stay here, though.

[Saya]

I'd like to read it. It's not too spoilerheavy is it? If you don't want to post it, could you PM it? :)

[number8]

Eh, fuck it. Please don't repost or tell people on other boards about this:

-----

Christopher Nolan has a tradition for his Bat-cast and Bat-crew. Before shooting, he would screen a movie to serve as an inspiration for the one they’re about to make. For Batman Begins, it was Blade Runner. For The Dark Knight, it was Michael Mann’s Heat. Two completely different films, which explains why The Dark Knight seems more like a distant brother than a sequel to Batman Begins.

In the first film, Gotham is a creation—literally and figuratively. It’s a fictional, dark, excessively corrupt city, and it had to be built in a soundstage, not unlike the kind of city you’d find in a dystopian sci-fi movie. Here, Nolan scrapped that design and simply shot Chicago as Gotham, making it a real and virtually functional city. For the first time in a Batman movie, we see the bureaucracy and structure that make Gotham tick, including the stranglehold the mob has on it. The Heat influence isn’t just in the cold look of the film. Nolan took Chicago’s prohibition-era history of Gangsters and G-men and extrapolated it into the Batman mythos, only this time the crimebusting is a tad more theatrical than tax evasion charges. If Batman Begins was about how Gotham created a Batman in Bruce Wayne, The Dark Knight is about how that Batman affects Gotham. How would a real city—the cops, the government, the citizens and the criminals—react to the arrival of a relentless vigilante of the night?

There’s a reason why the movie is called The Dark Knight, sans Batman prefix. This isn’t a movie about Batman’s heroics or adventure. This is a movie about how crime festers and justice weakens in Gotham, and the kind of people it takes to defend a city like it. Is that person Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the vigorous new District Attorney who has the chutzpah to go toe-to-toe with the mob? At first, Dent’s crusade gives hope to Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) that his life as Batman can finally come to an end and he can be a normal person alongside his childhood sweetheart Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes, for the better). By the end of this tragic and somewhat depressing movie, however, we are going to see what a city like Gotham does to a White Knight like Dent, and why Bruce Wayne is forever trapped as Batman. As Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) put it, “He’s the hero Gotham deserves. A Dark Knight.”

The acting in the movie are universally excellent—pleasantly surprising is Gary Oldman giving his best performance in years with Gordon’s beefier role in this film—but the one that will be remembered is of course Heath Ledger’s Joker. The highest compliment I can give it is that I completely forgot about the media circus surrounding his death during the film. His voice, his looks, his expressions and even his movements are so unlike any of his previous performances that you barely recognize it was him. It’s only by the merit of Chris and Jonathan Nolan’s superbly tight screenplay that he didn’t steal the show completely. Ledger’s Joker is anarchy personified, both morbidly disturbing and darkly hilarious (one “magic trick” he performs involving a pencil and a man’s eyeball will make you cringe and bust a gut at the same time). His villainy provides the film with its most interesting moral questions as he terrorizes Gotham with one social experiment after another, trying to prove that deep down inside we are all savages, waiting for a chance to kick law and order to the curb. Is he wrong? Harvey Dent’s fall from grace suggests that Joker’s right, but Batman and Gordon have to prove that goodness can overcome, no matter how impossible it seems in a story as bleak as this.

After the movie ended and I was shuffling out of the IMAX theater in complete awe of what Nolan and co. had accomplished, I huddled with other press people, all of us nodding at each other that this is the movie we had all hoped it would be. It was surprising to us how Warner Bros. allowed Nolan to make a movie so dark and uncharacteristically sobering as what is supposed to be their number one summer tentpole movie. Given the hype and fanfare The Dark Knight has received over the past few months—surpassing other blockbusters like Iron Man and even Indiana Jones—you’d expect it to be the kind of movie that inspire a boyish cheerfest like Star Wars, not a straight-faced Best Picture contender. “Fun” is not a word that describes the film. It was then that I realized what excites me most about it. With luck, this might set a new gold standard for superhero movies.

In the 30s, we had gangster movies like Scarface and Public Enemy that are entertaining for their wild pulpiness, but often followed the same path and the same moral code. Then Francis Ford Coppola came out with The Godfather in 1972 and changed the landscape forever, paving the way for more complex crime movies like Goodfellas and Miller’s Crossing. Similarly, for the past decade we’ve seen many superhero movies that are great for what they are, Iron Man for one, but it’s become pretty apparent that they tend to follow similar arcs, especially when it’s the origin story. Even Batman Begins fell into this same sand trap. Enter The Dark Knight, arriving not like a breath of fresh air, but more like a punch to the gut to remind us that a superhero movie doesn’t have to be a good versus evil action movie.

If this is The Godfather of superhero movies, I can’t wait for what’s to come. These films might escalate for the better, or they might stay the same. One thing’s for sure, though: the next generation would have a hard time topping The Dark Knight.

[Watashi]

*goes to repost it everywhere*

Mwahahaha. What are you going to about it, Ary?

What are YOU going to do about it:?

[Wryan]

acting is or actors are...not acting are.

Otherwise cool. :)

[number8]

*goes to repost it everywhere*

Mwahahaha. What are you going to about it, Ary?

What are YOU going to do about it:?

I'm going to rape you in San Diego.

[number8]

acting is or actors are...not acting are.

Otherwise cool. :)

My plan worked!

*goes to change it*

[Ezee E]

Not gonna read, nope, not gonna read it.

Six hours.

[Sycophant]

Having read that, I'm going to leave this thread till I see the film. The last couple pages have been bringing down my excitement, while this here actually has me a little pumped to see the movie again. Well said, Mister 8. Come Saturday, we'll figure out whether I agree or not.

[Qrazy]

Denby doesn't dislike the genre--he simply disliked "Batman Begins," which apparently is enough to make any of his opinions on "The Dark Knight" completely invalid.

He's also just ugly, that's what invalidates it for me.

[Sven]

He's also just ugly, that's what invalidates it for me.

Also, are you going to take the word of a man who doesn't deserve to live?

[megladon8]

Denby doesn't dislike the genre--he simply disliked "Batman Begins," which apparently is enough to make any of his opinions on "The Dark Knight" completely invalid.


No, he dislikes Batman and all the lore associated with it.

It doesn't make his opinion invalid, just incredibly skewed.

And yes, I would dismiss a Batman-fanboy's review the same way, because they'll probably love whatever is given to them, as long as it isn't Batman & Robin.

I guess I'd say that reading several reviews is a better guage than any one, because then you get a whole variety of personal bias :)

[Sven]

No, he dislikes Batman and all the lore associated with it.

How can you make such an assumptive, dismissing claim? Show me where Denby says this.

[Spinal]

Yeah, I just got the impression that he dislikes the new dark, cynical, self-serious Batman.

[megladon8]

How can you make such an assumptive, dismissing claim? Show me where Denby says this.


He's said in reviews that he has no interest in the character or the mythos, and if I remember correctly his Batman Begins review stated that the reason he liked Tim Burton's film more is because of its borderline mocking attitude towards the source material, and how Burton's over-the-top style mirrored the silliness of the character.

[megladon8]

I'm getting the vibe that people think I'm one of the RT fanboys who just dismisses anything negative about the movie.

I assure you that's not the case, I just didn't think Denby's review was all that good.

[Sven]

He's said in reviews that he has no interest in the character or the mythos, and if I remember correctly his Batman Begins review stated that the reason he liked Tim Burton's film more is because of its borderline mocking attitude towards the source material, and how Burton's over-the-top style mirrored the silliness of the character.

What reviews has he said this in? I've done some researching and I cannot find what you are talking about. I also re-read his Begins review and he most certainly does not praise Burton for an attitude of mocking. This is the only thing that Denby wrote that even comes close to your accusation:


What was great about the first two movies in the current “Batman” series—“Batman” (1989) and “Batman Returns” (1992), both directed by Tim Burton—was the startling beauty and fantasy of the design, the perversity of the movies’ complicity with darkness, and the irony of Batman’s uneasy, faltering presence as the only force for good in a Gotham half in love with evil. The Burton movies were satirical and playfully nihilistic. When Joel Schumacher took over, for the next two pictures, the series became slovenly and pointless, and Nolan, exercising his ambition, is obviously determined to revive its stature.

That doesn't sound damning at all. In fact, it sounds like he's praising Burton for taking the character seriously. He says they're "satirical", but not of comic books or superheroes.

[Qrazy]

Also, are you going to take the word of a man who doesn't deserve to live?

Only if he posthumously reanimates himself in order to give me that word and even that's a maybe.

[transmogrifier]

He's said in reviews that he has no interest in the character or the mythos, and if I remember correctly his Batman Begins review stated that the reason he liked Tim Burton's film more is because of its borderline mocking attitude towards the source material, and how Burton's over-the-top style mirrored the silliness of the character.

Well, if he didn't say it, I would. Batman Begins is an incredibly well-made, boring film.

[D_Davis]

How can you make such an assumptive, dismissing claim? Show me where Denby says this.

It's in his essay titled:

Batman: Why I Hate Him, the Lore, and The Mythos Surrounding Him

Published in The Journal of Film Critics Against Superheroes, Vol. 2, No. 25, pages 1254-1503.

[Qrazy]

Well, if he didn't say it, I would. Batman Begins is an incredibly well-made, boring film.

Boring for... boring people maybe!

[Justin]

I honestly cannot wait to see the film, the fact that Berardinelli said it is the greatest superhero film of all time boosts my anticipation a little.

[Rowland]

What's with the Psychopaths on Rotten Tomatoes? (http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/15/fan-rant-whats-with-the-psychopaths-on-rotten-tomatoes/)

[Watashi]

It's not just RT, it's the internet. Look at the negative reviews on 300 and you'll see the same kind of comments.

[D_Davis]

What's with the Psychopaths on Rotten Tomatoes? (http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/15/fan-rant-whats-with-the-psychopaths-on-rotten-tomatoes/)

I was told, multiple times, to kill myself because of my review of Silent Hill.

[Watashi]

I was told, multiple times, to kill myself because of my review of Silent Hill.

So why didn't you?

[D_Davis]

So why didn't you?

Waiting for part 2, just to make sure.

There is no wrath like a fanboy's wrath.

[Ezee E]

Yes. It's totally :eek:, but not without a couple nitpicking flaws.

8's review, which I did not read, and would probably prefer others to not read until after seeing the film, is spot on. The superhero film may have come to its Mount Everest, and that's The Dark Knight.

Blah, blah, The Joker is fascinating to watch in every scene. blah blah balh.

[Sxottlan]

I haven't anticipated a film this much since No Country for Old Men. Indeed, it's my most anticipated film of the year (now that Star Trek has moved). And yet, I'm still astonished how serious some people are calling for the film to get nominated for Best Picture.

[Skitch]

Yeah, I loathe those kinds of comments. That being said, of the negative reviews I've read, they do seem to be grasping at straws, while not making good points for negativity.

[megladon8]

Surprise, surprise...

Armond White hated it (http://www.nypress.com/21/29/film/ArmondWhite.cfm).

[Pop Trash]

Surprise, surprise...

Armond White hated it (http://www.nypress.com/21/29/film/ArmondWhite.cfm).

Bahahahahaha...he uses his "hipster nihilism" critique right there in the headline. And I thought you guys were exaggerating about him using that phrase.

[Ezee E]

Watching psychic volleys between Batman, Dent and The Joker (there’s even a love quadrangle that includes Maggie Gyllenhaal’s slouchy Assistant D.A., Rachel Dawes) is as fraught and unpleasurable as There Will Be Blood with bat wings. This

Comparing it to There Will Be Blood, ha.

[D_Davis]

I have never agreed with Mr. White, but this single paragraph expertly conveys 2 years worth of forum posts from yours truly:


Remember how Tim Burton’s 1989 interpretation of the comics superhero wasn’t quite good enough? Yet Burton attempted something dazzling: a balance of scary/satirical mood (which he nearly perfected in the 1992 Batman Returns) that gave substance to a pop-culture totem, enhancing it without sacrificing its delight. Burton didn’t need to repeat the tongue-in-cheek 1960s TV series; being romantically in touch with Catwoman, Bruce Wayne and The Penguin’s loneliness was richer. Burton’s pop-geek specialty is to humorously explicate childhood nightmare. But Nolan’s The Dark Knight has one note: gloom. For Nolan, making Batman somber is the same as making it serious. This is not a triumph of comics culture commanding the mainstream: It’s giving in to bleakness. Ever since Frank Miller’s 1986 graphic-novel reinvention, The Dark Knight Returns, pop consumers have rejected traditional moral verities as corny. That might be the ultimate capitalist deception.


For Nolan, making Batman somber is the same as making it serious. This is not a triumph of comics culture commanding the mainstream: It’s giving in to bleakness.

Wow. I am in awe of this. He put into words exactly how I feel about Nolan's Batman Begins: he made it serious simply by making it boring and stripping away the fun. It's like a lot of video games now in which they bleach out the color to make it look more "mature," when really they are just making it look drab and dull.

Bravo Mr. White.

[Raiders]

But how great of an actor was Ledger to accept this trite material in the first place?

Was that really necessary? I don't expect reviewers to walk on eggshells when discussing his performance, but this seems like, of all things, a pot shot at a dead man whose death affected a great deal of people. I guess Armond will never end in his quest to be different from the *gasp* hipster society.

On the whole, it's a pretty good review, but I swear the man knows no other criticism than something being "hip."

[D_Davis]

Was that really necessary? I don't expect reviewers to walk on eggshells when discussing his performance, but this seems like, of all things, a pot shot at a dead man whose death affected a great deal of people. I guess Armond will never end in his quest to be different from the *gasp* hipster society.

On the whole, it's a pretty good review, but I swear the man knows no other criticism than something being "hip."

Yeah - that was lame.

I almost feel bad liking this review...

White is the anti-hip, isn't he.

[eternity]

"forgetting that superheroes are also meant to inspire hope."Seriously, Armond? Seriously?

Throughout the review, he expressed that because it doesn't fit the status quo of superhero movies, there's something wrong. Rate films on a case by case basis and not because "it's a superhero film", in which lumping it into a broad genre that can be defined and spinned into many different entities, that's well, ignorance I'd expect from a hipster nihilist.

[Pop Trash]

My mental image of Eternity is that of a hipster nihilist.

[eternity]

My mental image of Eternity is that of a hipster nihilist.Not too far off, to be honest.

[number8]

Wow. I am in awe of this. He put into words exactly how I feel about Nolan's Batman Begins: he made it serious simply by making it boring and stripping away the fun. It's like a lot of video games now in which they bleach out the color to make it look more "mature," when really they are just making it look drab and dull.

Bravo Mr. White.

That all sounds good and all, but there's one problem I have with it, which is a generalization that there is a singular comics culture entity, or a defined superhero genre that requires it to be, how you say it, "fun". That's archaic, man. And a myth. That's like damning a modern martial arts movie for not having the more flamboyant wuxia elements.

The Dark Knight may be somber, bleak, and stripped away of the more colorful "fun" of the misconception of the supposed culture, but it's still entertaining. The way any other somber, bleak, self-serious crime movies are entertaining.

[Raiders]

Since when is Batman a superhero, anyway? I think over time that perception may have set in, but my recollection is that he is more of a troubled crimefighter in an endlessly corrupt city. I have always considered him similar to a character like Constantine in that he has many flaws and many demons and he is fighting in a place similar to Hell, or the unnamed city of Fincher's Seven.

That's not to say I was a fan of Nolan's first film, since I don't know that gloomy and dreary really work for a film about a man dressed as a giant bat (it comes off much sillier on screen than on page) and Begins was just a little too monotone for my liking. But, I don't expect a Batman film to be about hope.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Since when is Batman a superhero, anyway? I think over time that perception may have set in, but my recollection is that he is more of a troubled crimefighter in an endlessly corrupt city. I have always considered him similar to a character like Constantine in that he has many flaws and many demons and he is fighting in a place similar to Hell, or the unnamed city of Fincher's Seven.

Yeah, isn't the most defining part of a superhero the fact that they have superpowers? Is Batman's superpower his endless supply of money? He doesn't really fit with the rest of the "superheroes" out there.

[Barty]

I see this tonight in IMAX at my theatre.

[Watashi]

I see this tonight in IMAX at my theatre.

*drink*

[Spinal]

Yeah, isn't the most defining part of a superhero the fact that they have superpowers?

No, it's tight-fitting rubber suits.

[Spinal]

Was that really necessary?

An idiotic comment. Many great actors have appeared in films that are certain to be more trite and of less consequence than this one. It's called making a living.

[number8]

An idiotic comment. Many great actors have appeared in films that are certain to be more trite and of less consequence than this one. It's called making a living.

If you read that 3-part interview with him that was posted a while back, Armond knows no compromise when it comes to art. You either do what he thinks is acceptable or you don't. "Making a living" and "Don't have enough budget" are foreign concepts to him.

[Ezee E]

Even though it is a highly serious film, there is a good amount of dark humor in The Dark Knight that Begins didn't necessarily have.

Such as Joker walking out of the hospital with a Nurse's uniform, messing around with the remote, and that awkward walk.

My only beefs with the film:

At 160 minutes, it does feel a bit long when we finally get to the end. Slightly bloated, even if it is good throughout.

Also, Morgan Freeman's storyline seemed to be too connected to the Patriot Act of today. I was half-expecting him to look into the screen and address us.

Also, despite it being dark and serious, when it wants to be entertaining, there are two or three action sequences that are more suspenseful and enjoyable then any of the other comicbook hero movies that we've seen in the past three years or so.

[D_Davis]

If you read that 3-part interview with him that was posted a while back, Armond knows no compromise when it comes to art. You either do what he thinks is acceptable or you don't. "Making a living" and "Don't have enough budget" are foreign concepts to him.

Is he consistent with his criticisms and definitions?

[number8]

Also, Morgan Freeman's storyline seemed to be too connected to the Patriot Act of today. I was half-expecting him to look into the screen and address us.

Well, they had to, really. Especially when the whole crux of the Joker's plot is all about the US' "not negotiating with terrorists" stance. The social reflection of the film, I think, is about the really hard sacrifices one have to make to battle evil/achieve safety.

I like that the movie didn't make the connection lightly, because that would make it cheap. They really bring forth the really hard choices.

[Ezee E]

Well, they had to, really. Especially when the whole crux of the Joker's plot is all about the US' "not negotiating with terrorists" stance. The social reflection of the film, I think, is about the really hard sacrifices one have to make to battle evil/achieve safety.

I like that the movie didn't make the connection lightly, because that would make it cheap. They really bring forth the really hard choices.
I think I would've understood it even if that aspect was gone completely. After all, the final choices that were made had a similar effect as far as "negotiating with the terrorists."

I'm not saying get rid of it though. Just those few lines between Freeman and Batman felt a little exaggerated and was a little out-of-place compared to the rest of the movie.

[number8]

Which ones? Where he says that he doesn't feel comfortable randomly spying on 3 million people? I think that's something reasonable for Lucius to say.

[Ezee E]

Which ones? Where he says that he doesn't feel comfortable randomly spying on 3 million people? I think that's something reasonable for Lucius to say.
That's the one.

Like I said, I was just expecting him to look straight into the camera and address the audience about the Patriot Act.

It's a minor quibble. I'm going to see it again by the time this weekend is over. After that, I'll see if it's a 10 or not. Probably will be.