xepherys

TM and I just saw a midnight showing. Amazing movie. Our local AMC Forum 30 sold out all 29 shows at 12:01. It was insanity! Great movie... I'll post more tmw (no spoilers)

__________________
The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible...
-- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato

My Homepage

RetroGunslinger

I'm far too tired to do anymore writing, so I'll just copy and paste my review and wait for the discussions to begin:

__________________
It's a rare pleasure in this world to get your mind fucked. Usually it's just foreplay.

M.B. Keene

Lasereth

Roger Ebert says it's possibly the best comic book movie ever made and that this movie transcends what comic book movies are. I will be seeing it this Sunday. The first one is tied for my "best comic book movie" status so I'm already a huge fan.

Shauk

You guys know about World of Warcraft eh?

So the new classes name is "Death Knight" and someone is telling me there is a scene where they discuss something about the Unstoppable Force vs The Immovable Object.

can anyone confirm this quip/random coincidence? also, the NDA and beta invites started going out for this today.

such craziness /paranoia

LoganSnake

I'm seeing this tonight!

It's going to be insane. All tickets for the entire day have beens sold out. We'll have to be in line an hour before it starts.

__________________
Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

Redlemon

I didn't see the last few Batman movies (I think the one with Catwoman was the last one I saw). Can I jump in now, or do I really need to track down the last one (whatever the title was) first?

__________________
I can't read your signature. Sorry.

xepherys

The last one, Batman Begins, was the first of this new era of Batman movies, starring Christian Bale and directed by Christopher Nolan. They are such a departure from ANY of the previous movies, that I highly recommend watching Batman Begins before watching The Dark Knight. I do, however, recommend watching BOTH this weekend!

They really are that much better. Akin to what Lasereth quoted Roger Ebert saying, Batman Begins was my favorite (and one of very few that I liked) comic movie adaptations. This one was even better... I'd say by a factor of at least 5.

Yes, the death knight... yes, this quip is made. I don't think that WoW was a motivating factor for it though. The further illumination made about that quote in the movie is far too sensible to have been a "toss in".

__________________
The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible...
-- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato

My Homepage

fresnelly

Consider yourself lucky.

Yes. You must watch Batman Begins before seeing the new one. Not that you won't understand the plot and characters of the new one without it, but it'll help immerse you in the world.

However, do NOT bother watching any more of the previous generation of Batman films directed by Joel Schumacher. The ones with George Clooney and Val Kilmer are pretty much write-offs. They are failed attempts at marketing to 11 year olds.

__________________
Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

Willravel

That's a good description. I can't imagine people not liking it.

shoegirl

Just got back from seeing this.... absolutely amazing. Loved it!

Heath Ledger gave such a fantastic performance, I can't imagine anyone being able to replace him.

jewels

Me, too. It was a stunning total package.

Regarding Heath Ledger, I have to ask this ...

Did anyone else fall absolutely in love with his character here? He manages to give The Joker this ever-so-slight vulnerability. I think I have this strange new fantasy.

And when did they start calling him The Batman? I don't recall that from Batman Begins.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

Frosstbyte

That movie left me reeling. I was quite prepared to be impressed, but not overwhelmed, after all the hype. Sometimes things that ought to be incredible just aren't. This was not one of those things.

As RG noted above, the Bale "Batman Voice" is a little...odd...but I don't think I have any complaints other than that. The movie was absolutely riveting from the first moment to the last. Well-written, well-directed, well-acted.

And it had that oh so rare ability to be a story whose ending I couldn't predict. Not in the whodunit sort of way, but rather the question of "when does this story end?" It means that the movie is great because there is no ending to the story. These characters, and their respective plights, feel persistent. You can't put a neat bow on the end of the movie. There's no happily or unhappily ever after. The characters survived (those who did) this particular ordeal, but their lives and struggles go on even though we're not there to watch it. At least for me, that is what separates a truly amazing entertainment experience from one which is great or good.

In a shameless plug, that's one of the reasons I like "Mad Men" so much. The exact plot arc is less important than watching the characters maneuvering around the conflicts in their lives, so when it ends, it doesn't have to be complete or neat. The Dark Knight captured this element perfectly. It could've ended before or after it did, and not made enormous difference in how I felt about the movie, because that wasn't what kept me riveted to the screen.

It wasn't what I expected, but it was much more than I would've hoped.

And uh, don't bring your kids if they are only age appropriate for Spider Man or Iron Man or even Batman Begins. This movie isn't for them. Not to get into a discussion of movie ratings, but the PG-13 is purely for bottom line purposes. This movie is dark, scary, unrelenting and haunting.

YaWhateva

This was the best movie I have seen in recent recollection. The only two parts I did not care for have already been stated: the sonar and bale's batman voice. Ledger was perfection as the Joker.

jewels, I didn't detect any vulnerability in him. It was more of the Joker just being the Joker to me. That's just the way he is.

__________________
“If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again.” - Bill O'Reilly

"This is my United States of Whateva!"

Prophecy

I generally don't go for internet speak, but OMG this film gave me chills. It is hands down the best Batman film ever made and perhaps the best comic book film as well.

An amazing cast from top to bottom. While Bail, Caine, Eckhart, Freeman and all the others put forth strong roles, the shining star is Ledger. Simply put, Ledger stole the show as Joker and put Nicholson's 80s version to shame.

For anyone that is even a remote fan of Batman I suggest you go see this film asap.

I think that's how he's referred to in the comics by Joker, that and as Bats.

__________________
La Disciplina È La Mia Spada,
La Fede È Il Mio Schermo,
Non salti Ciecamente In Incertezza,
E Potete Raccogliere Le Ricompense.

Frosstbyte

RE: Comparing various portrayals of the Joker, I don't know that it's fair to say Ledger put Nicholson's version to shame. I have zero doubt that if you'd asked him to play Joker like Ledger played him, Nicholson would do an outstanding job, but that's not the Joker he was asked to play. They're two very different and equally iconic portrayals of the same character and i think a preference between them is merely that, preference.

My personal problem with the Burton Batmans is Michael Keaton, who I simply can't take seriously. He's just a goofy-looking guy and I can't make that goofiness into a badass superhero. But you'll never see me argue with the Joker's GIANT revolver, frozen-smile killer make up or "Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moon light?" That shit, in the context of Burton's Gotham, is priceless.

jewels

True. I was able to rationalize it in my mind by thinking he didn't want the public to recognize Bruce Wayne's voice.


That explains it. Haven't read any comic books since I was a kid. Thank you!

I dunno. I kinda think that "I don't want to kill you. You complete me," is pretty freakin' awesome.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

RetroGunslinger

Technically, he was "The Batman" first, but later that was simplified to simply "Batman". Almost everyone in both new movies call him The Batman, too.

__________________
It's a rare pleasure in this world to get your mind fucked. Usually it's just foreplay.

M.B. Keene

Frosstbyte

Erm, my point was that they're both awesome, but in very different ways, and I'm glad both versions exist for me to enjoy, when my mood suits the noir/realistic or the gothic/hyperbolic.

jorgelito

Good movie. Definitely too long. About 30 minutes too long. Acting was superb all around. Maggie Gyllenhal was definitely the weak link. She also wasn't attractive enough to be the love interest. While Heath Ledger was good, I don't think he's irreplaceable. Remember, people said the same thing about Jack Nicholson's Joker. Maybe some future actor portraying the Joker will put Heath Ledger to "shame". Morgan Freeman is awesome as always, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, all great. Definitely not for kids.

__________________
"The race is not always to the swift, nor battle to the strong, but
to the one that endures to the end."

"Demand more from yourself, more than anyone else could ever ask!"

- My recruiter

LoganSnake

Went to the 10:15 show last night. ZOMG. The movie was all kinds of awesome. To give you an idea of how awesome it was, in a packed auditorium of 300+ people, nobody has ever checked their cell phone or talked.

__________________
Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

Seaver

The movie was absolutely intense. I plan on seeing it in the IMAX next time.

I agree, if my friend was drunk and hitting on her in a bar I'd do the friendly thing and drag his ass away. Yet Bruce Wayne is supposed to be in love with her? Please.

__________________
"Smite the rocks with the rod of knowledge, and fountains of unstinted wealth will gush forth." - Ashbel Smith as he laid the first cornerstone of the University of Texas

Willravel

I think Maggie's gorgeous.

sapiens

I agree.
She's interesting. She brought a lot more to the role than Katie Holmes did. Who is Bruce Wayne supposed to be in love with? A stereotypical supermodel?

Frosstbyte

I think she's attractive in kind of an atypical indy sort of way. She looked really good in Strange Than Fiction, for example. She doesn't really cut it when she's up next to Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart, who are very traditionally attractive. I agree that it was something of an odd juxtaposition and she didn't quite fit in. She did do an interesting job of channeling what Katie Holmes had already done with the character, though. It was curious to see Maggie playing Katie playing Rachel Dawes.

Spoiler: That being said, I do not think it is in any way a loss to the series that they killed her off. Between the change in actress and the general fact that the character wasn't all that compelling, I'm not going to spend much time worrying about it.

More interesting, I think, is whether or not Dent actually died and who, if anyone, could replace Ledger as Nolan's very much unresolved Joker. I can't tell you how much I would love to see the Joker return, if only so we could have Harley Quinn show up as his corruptible doctor at Arkham. Is that so much to ask?

In a word, yes, the negative implications of your diction aside. He's an absurdly wealthy, young, attractive billionaire played by one of the most attractive young actors of our era. The "matching principle" in my brain says that he should be with with the most attractive girl possible. And while she's certainly attractive, she's also certainly not making my top list. Katie Holmes is by far a weaker actress, but she has the "girl next door grows up beautiful" look pretty much locked down. I preferred Gyllenhal in the role, but Holmes looked the part.

sapiens

I don't see how my diction has negative implications. If you are referring to my "stereotypical supermodel" statement, the suggestion of a "stereotypical supermodel" was meant to highlight the focus on attractiveness alone evident in previous posts. I don't think that the only alternative is to Gyllenhaal is a supermodel.

Regarding the believability of Bruce Wayne being interested in Maggie Gyllenhaal's character, I suppose it's a silly argument, but:
1) Bruce Wayne is strange, distant, and emotionally unstable. (He has issues).
2) Bruce Wayne doesn't fit the mold of the stereotypical "absurdly wealthy, young, attractive, attractive billionaire". If he did, he wouldn't be much of a superhero.
3) There is more to mate value than physical attractiveness. Especially when considering a long-term partner.

I find Gyllenhaal believable in her role. I think that more than Katie Holmes, she was able to portray someone with intelligence, strength, and maturity. She fits the role better than Katie Holmes did. Katie Holmes wasn't believable as a district attorney. I don't see Gyllenhaal as a weak link. Perhaps the character could have been better written. If there was a problem with the movie, I think that it was too little time spent on Aaron Eckhart's character.

Willravel

Good point. When you look at the history of the comic book, the artificial Wayne often dates supermodels but he only has feelings for intelligent and often complex women.

Who do you suppose he loved more?
Gorgeous, somewhat shallow photojournalist?

Anti-social militant feminist vigilante?

sapiens

Yes. Bruce Wayne is publicly a playboy. He dates supermodels, but he doesn't fall in love with them.

I think that the major flaw in this movie (and all superhero movies) is the notion that the cure to society's ills is a single man. This is alluded to in the movie and has been explicitly mentioned by Nolan.

Frosstbyte

"Stereotypical supermodel" carries a lot of baggage as a phrase, but yes, I'm being picky.

I understand that having her be perfect isn't a great match because he's not perfect either, I just think they could have gone with a different actress who could have brought similar warmth and character to the role but who looked more like, well, Katie Holmes, if only she could act her way out of a paper bag.

Obviously it's a topic change, but isn't that an integral part of the fantasy of the super hero? That someone could come along and make everything better? I don't think it's supposed to be realistic, but it seems a fairly entrenched trait in human society to look for a hero to take care of our problems. Do you think these movies are feeding into that trait which you'd rather see downplayed or eradicated? Guess there is something to be said for forcing everyone to realize that they're in control, and that if they want things to improve, they have to do it themselves instead of waiting for someone else to come along and fix it.

At least Batman is doing a better job than Captain Hammer. Jerk.

P.S. Michelle Pfiefer as Catwoman may have been one of my first adolescent fantasies. I wonder if she's responsible for my latex and leather fetish. Probably.

Willravel

Batman is less a superhero and more a vigilante. The fantasy is about breaking down the walls of restraint and acting without societal limitations, while still maintaining morality. It's not about bedding beautiful women. We've got James Bond for that.

Frosstbyte

Sorry, I wasn't clear, my "that" was to Sapien's statement:

Rather than the fantasy of being a superhero and nailing hot chicks, which a superhero has problems doing because of the whole secret identity thing.

sapiens

Interesting questions! Yes, I do think the "single man" solution is an integral part of the superhero genre. I also agree that the perspective seems to be fairly entrenched in society. I'm reminded of an essay I read along time ago about Rosa Parks:
This is a topic for another thread. I do think that the superhero genre misrepresents paths to social change. That said, I liked the movie, I like superhero movies, and I don't fault superhero movies for their portrayal of a superhero solution to the world's problems.

Hain

I can't add more. Ledger's portrayal of the Joker was superb, a master at turning people into the monsters, he only being the agent of chaos.

Gotta disagree on this. I think she was much better than Holmes, in my opinion isn't saying much, but personally I think she is much better looking.

And holy crap, that was Cillian Murphy back as Scare Crow.

Redjake

Nothing I can say will describe how I feel about this movie better than this: THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! JESUS GOD THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This movie had so much good in it, it's ridiculous. Harvey Dent = awesome, Joker = awesome, action sequences = awesome, Christian Bale = awesome, it just goes on and on!!!

__________________
Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

noodle

First off, Onodrim, I looked for you!

I loved this movie. I've gotten bored and/or dozed off and zoned out dueing every movie I've seen in recent months. Including Rambo, the Conans, the Hulk, Iron Man and Redbelt. I was wide-freakin' awake for this one. My favorite was learning how to make a pencil disappear. Perfectly executed dark humor. But the Bat-voice just sucks. He needs his nose unplugged.

I wondered if anyone else caught that.

__________________

ShaniFaye

Ok so I dont really like comic movies, but I did really dig the last Batman (MUCH more than all the others). Y'all need to understand that the Joker is Dave's most favorite character in anything ever...god help me all the bookcase space thats devoted to him, so ever since the ending of the last Batman....he's been jonesing for this badly.

He's been like a kid at christmas all week and we'd long decided our viewing would be the first show on Sunday to hopefully not be in such a crowded theater.

Theater crowd was good, a little more than 1/4 full.

This movie was good (no way am I putting it in the "best ever" category, but as far as comic book movies I will put it as the best) and Heath was fantastic. Dave says he was SO much the joker from the Killing Joke and it impressed him greatly and that he'd built this movie up so much in his head he was really glad it surpassed that.

I enjoyed it....I thought there should have been way more Joker and less Harvey Dent though...oh and more Morgan Freeman

I think my favorite part was Spoiler: The Joker dressed in the nurses uniform walking away from the hospital and the 2nd detonation of the bomb oh and the "you complete me" line was great..."I wish I knew how to quit you" would have been classic as well lol

I'll give the movie a 10/10 but its still not the best movie ever....cant be here was no Alan Rickman ha ha ha

__________________
I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!

YaWhateva

That's a very long-standing idea in the batman universe. Kind of like a one can't survive without the other type deal.

__________________
“If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again.” - Bill O'Reilly

"This is my United States of Whateva!"

blahblah454

I can not wait to see this one! But unfortunately I am up in the boonies for another week

I am all ready to go though. I will be getting someone in the city to buy me tickets for the Sunday showing on the IMAX screen, I can't wait!!!

ironpham

A fantastic movie. 10/10

Spoiler: I love how it kept taking away the feeling of hope in humanity over and over.

__________________
SIGNATURE.

Reese

I didn't love the movie as much as you guys. The Joker was great but I don't think Harvey Dent's turn was played very well. The action was dark and edited poorly. The dialog was great, especially the Joker's. As was mentioned before, The sonar was kinda silly and didn't really fit into the more realistic feel of the rest of the movie. I like the movie because it didn't feel like a super hero movie. It was very easy to suspend disbelief and accept everything that was going on.

One thing I wonder,Spoiler: If the people on the ferry decided to use the trigger, you think the other boat would have blown or their own?

__________________
“It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick” - Dave Barry

xepherys

A couple of Box Office records: 'Dark Knight' sets opening weekend box office record - CNN.com. Not too shabby!

__________________
The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible...
-- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato

My Homepage