For the record, I thought it was great. Peerless as far as "comic book" movies go, and pretty much everything you heard about The Joker is true. I see no reason why this shouldn't be nominated in multiple categories come awards season.
Unfortunately ... we'll see just how much Hollywood remembers in January when nominations are announced ... because this is a big budget comic book film, the likelihood of "award" films that are released in december knocking it off from most things aside from technical awards and Heath Ledger is high ... and even then, the likelihood of Ledger winning may be too creepy for voters to get behind; the nomination may be enough for everyone's conscience.
Also, Ledger was great and if he hadn't decided to listen to Ozzy's advice this would have been a career defining role for him. BUT - I think he's getting more hype for his portrayal just because he is dead.
Also, the effects for Two-Face kinda sucked IMO. The rest of the movie did a great job of keeping everything looking 'real life', then you have what looks like an outtake from Pirates of the Caribbean for his face. Didn't mesh well. But I will forgive them because they totally redeemed the Harvey Dent character after Tommy Lee Jones to a big steaming dump on it.
I think it also resonates with a lot of people because of the morally ambiguous outcome. Batman takes the hit as being a murderer so people won't learn about that the incorruptible Harvey Dent was in fact corrupted by the evil of the Joker. So in a way..the Joker wins. Of course, now that Batman is facing multiple murder raps, he may as well just break the Joker's goddamn neck the next time they meet. So in a way...the Joker loses.
Also, more to the point, the Dark Knight has 23,000 votes. The others have a great deal more than that. So it may be on top for now, but I don't think "The Dark Knight" will stand up to "the Godfather" or the "Shawshank Redemption" over time.
He He. Ian - I just read your review on SC - and I think I must have disagreed with you on every point I made, except for the fact that it is a good movie.
Maybe I'm a little too harsh on Ledger. Looking back on it, it was a pretty damn good performance. If Walmart ever sells Bluray players for $100, maybe I'll get one of those and TDK, to go.
One thing (one of the many things) The Dark Knight did really well was blur the lines between what you expect from a "real" film and what you expect from a "comic book" film... after TDK I think people on both sides of movie-making will start to rethink what's possible. This was a fully-realized drama and action movie, not something that was built around a title character and existed in a vacuum.
As for awards, Ledger should be nominated and I think Eckhart should be, too. In fact, I wanted to see those guys (especially Ledger) more than I wanted to see Batman.
Fuck it, I hope it cleans up at awards season. Think about it - Crash? No Country For Old Men? Doesn't seem so far-fetched now, does it? I know those two winners were critical darlings, but when you stack them up against TDK I think it more than holds its own. In fact, I'd say the previous winners are at a disadvantage.
Having said that, it wasn't PERFECT... while I thought the Two-Face effects were superb, you'd be in unimaginable pain in that condition and unable to even get up and walk around, let alone soliloquize, shoot people and survive a car crash. But that's how real the rest of the world seemed... here it stands out in sharp relief, even though it's a "comic book" film. Also, I would have dialed the "Batman voice" down a few notches on the Intensity Level.
I guess the only other thing I can say is that I'm entertaining the idea of seeing this again in theaters - which is a pretty high compliment given that I don't see most movies a FIRST time in theaters.
The real reason I would see it again is because a lot of stuff moved REALLY fast and as a result I was like "What Just Happened?"
For example (SPOILERS) Jim Gordon getting "killed," Batman using his weapons on the police, The Enrico Palazzo sighting, and whatever Batman did to 2face at the end (SPEAR OFF THE BUILDING! MY GAWD, KING!)
First, I must correct my previous post - Christian Bale's best performance was in 'Harsh Times', not 'Hard Times' - although I'm sure that was a great Traci Lords movie.
Second, Not only can Christian Bale beat box office records, and bad guys as Batman, but apparently he can also beat his Mom!
Report: 'Batman' star accused of assaulting mom, sis July 22, 2008, 10:20 AM EST
LONDON (AP) -- Batman star Christian Bale was arrested Tuesday over allegations of assault, British media reported.
British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister complained they were assaulted by the 34-year-old actor at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight."
The women made the allegation at a local police station in southern England on Monday, Britain's Press Association news agency said. It later said Bale had been arrested, citing "police sources."
Asked whether Bale was in custody, a police spokesman did not refer to him by name but said: "A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault."
The spokesman spoke anonymously in line with force policy and refused to go into more detail. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.
U.S.-based representatives for Bale didn't immediately return messages seeking comment. Repeated phone calls to Bale's London representative went unanswered.
The Sun newspaper said police didn't question the actor Monday because they didn't want to interfere with the premiere of the movie.
Wales-born Bale first made a splash as the child star of Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" in 1987. His screen credits also include "American Psycho," "The Machinist" and "Batman Begins."
In "The Dark Knight," Bale reprises the role of wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman, a brooding vigilante superhero still scarred by the murder of his parents.
The film, which stars the late Heath Ledger as Batman's nemesis The Joker, took in a record $158.4 million at the box office in its opening weekend in the U.S. last week.
I have never considered hitting my mom, but I confess to locking my sister in a choke hold while my mom kicked me in the back of the head to try and get me to release it. So I can't throw any stones here.
For the record, I thought it was great. Peerless as far as "comic book" movies go, and pretty much everything you heard about The Joker is true. I see no reason why this shouldn't be nominated in multiple categories come awards season.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately ... we'll see just how much Hollywood remembers in January when nominations are announced ... because this is a big budget comic book film, the likelihood of "award" films that are released in december knocking it off from most things aside from technical awards and Heath Ledger is high ... and even then, the likelihood of Ledger winning may be too creepy for voters to get behind; the nomination may be enough for everyone's conscience.
ReplyDelete$155 Million in the first weekend. Christian Bale can now never stop being Batman.
ReplyDeleteSaw it. Liked it. Best movie ever? No. Best movie with Christian Bale? No. That's Hard Times. :D
ReplyDeleteAlso, Ledger was great and if he hadn't decided to listen to Ozzy's advice this would have been a career defining role for him. BUT - I think he's getting more hype for his portrayal just because he is dead.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the effects for Two-Face kinda sucked IMO. The rest of the movie did a great job of keeping everything looking 'real life', then you have what looks like an outtake from Pirates of the Caribbean for his face. Didn't mesh well. But I will forgive them because they totally redeemed the Harvey Dent character after Tommy Lee Jones to a big steaming dump on it.
I think it also resonates with a lot of people because of the morally ambiguous outcome. Batman takes the hit as being a murderer so people won't learn about that the incorruptible Harvey Dent was in fact corrupted by the evil of the Joker. So in a way..the Joker wins. Of course, now that Batman is facing multiple murder raps, he may as well just break the Joker's goddamn neck the next time they meet. So in a way...the Joker loses.
ReplyDeleteAlso, more to the point, the Dark Knight has 23,000 votes. The others have a great deal more than that. So it may be on top for now, but I don't think "The Dark Knight" will stand up to "the Godfather" or the "Shawshank Redemption" over time.
ReplyDeleteHe He. Ian - I just read your review on SC - and I think I must have disagreed with you on every point I made, except for the fact that it is a good movie.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm a little too harsh on Ledger. Looking back on it, it was a pretty damn good performance. If Walmart ever sells Bluray players for $100, maybe I'll get one of those and TDK, to go.
No worries ... I like disagreement and you have reasons for why you think how you do ... which is more than I can say for most people.
ReplyDeleteOne thing (one of the many things) The Dark Knight did really well was blur the lines between what you expect from a "real" film and what you expect from a "comic book" film... after TDK I think people on both sides of movie-making will start to rethink what's possible. This was a fully-realized drama and action movie, not something that was built around a title character and existed in a vacuum.
ReplyDeleteAs for awards, Ledger should be nominated and I think Eckhart should be, too. In fact, I wanted to see those guys (especially Ledger) more than I wanted to see Batman.
Fuck it, I hope it cleans up at awards season. Think about it - Crash? No Country For Old Men? Doesn't seem so far-fetched now, does it? I know those two winners were critical darlings, but when you stack them up against TDK I think it more than holds its own. In fact, I'd say the previous winners are at a disadvantage.
Having said that, it wasn't PERFECT... while I thought the Two-Face effects were superb, you'd be in unimaginable pain in that condition and unable to even get up and walk around, let alone soliloquize, shoot people and survive a car crash. But that's how real the rest of the world seemed... here it stands out in sharp relief, even though it's a "comic book" film. Also, I would have dialed the "Batman voice" down a few notches on the Intensity Level.
I guess the only other thing I can say is that I'm entertaining the idea of seeing this again in theaters - which is a pretty high compliment given that I don't see most movies a FIRST time in theaters.
The real reason I would see it again is because a lot of stuff moved REALLY fast and as a result I was like "What Just Happened?"
ReplyDeleteFor example (SPOILERS) Jim Gordon getting "killed," Batman using his weapons on the police, The Enrico Palazzo sighting, and whatever Batman did to 2face at the end (SPEAR OFF THE BUILDING! MY GAWD, KING!)
First, I must correct my previous post - Christian Bale's best performance was in 'Harsh Times', not 'Hard Times' - although I'm sure that was a great Traci Lords movie.
ReplyDeleteSecond, Not only can Christian Bale beat box office records, and bad guys as Batman, but apparently he can also beat his Mom!
Report: 'Batman' star accused of assaulting mom, sis
July 22, 2008, 10:20 AM EST
LONDON (AP) -- Batman star Christian Bale was arrested Tuesday over allegations of assault, British media reported.
British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister complained they were assaulted by the 34-year-old actor at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight."
The women made the allegation at a local police station in southern England on Monday, Britain's Press Association news agency said. It later said Bale had been arrested, citing "police sources."
Asked whether Bale was in custody, a police spokesman did not refer to him by name but said: "A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault."
The spokesman spoke anonymously in line with force policy and refused to go into more detail. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.
U.S.-based representatives for Bale didn't immediately return messages seeking comment. Repeated phone calls to Bale's London representative went unanswered.
The Sun newspaper said police didn't question the actor Monday because they didn't want to interfere with the premiere of the movie.
Wales-born Bale first made a splash as the child star of Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" in 1987. His screen credits also include "American Psycho," "The Machinist" and "Batman Begins."
In "The Dark Knight," Bale reprises the role of wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman, a brooding vigilante superhero still scarred by the murder of his parents.
The film, which stars the late Heath Ledger as Batman's nemesis The Joker, took in a record $158.4 million at the box office in its opening weekend in the U.S. last week.
I have never considered hitting my mom, but I confess to locking my sister in a choke hold while my mom kicked me in the back of the head to try and get me to release it. So I can't throw any stones here.
ReplyDelete"No Batman, don't!!!"
ReplyDeleteHe was being the hero they needed... not the one they deserved. Jeez, hadn't they seen the movie?
ReplyDelete16th Comment!
ReplyDeleteThe above comment is a transcription of Batman delivering his Mother's Day present.
ReplyDelete