The Dark Knight

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Also, do you think they were setting up Gordon's kid to be Robin? just a thought.

I kind of sensed that but wouldn't that be a serious re-write of the Robin story. I guess they could.

[hblask 1]

I saw this movie last night and have been thinking about my reaction since then. This is an extremely interesting movie, about as close to avant garde film-making as you can get in a mainstream movie. The structure is especially interesting. In a movie about chaos vs order, rather than good vs evil, the plot moves along chaotically. At any given time it has multiple directions it could go, and it chooses some other one. There isn't just one plot arc to follow, but many, with new ones thrown in randomly. Even the individual fight scenes were chaos. Rather than punch-block-parry scripted fight scenes, we get a blur of motion and tumbling. I never felt quite settled, and I think that's the point. The Joker, as a villain, is interesting, too, and Heath Ledger gets everything he can from the role.Having said all that, I think the movie didn't live up to the build-up. And I think Heath Ledger wouldn't be getting the attention he is for this role if he hadn't conveniently pulled the oldest career move in the book. Don't get me wrong, it's a really really good movie. But with so long of a buildup and so much fuss over Heath Ledger, I'm not sure *any* movie could live up to it. When you think about it, there are better action movies (T2, the original Indiana Jones, etc), better crime dramas, better psychological dramas, better villains. This is one of the best combinations of *all* those elements that I can think of.So yeah, definitely worth seeing, definitely a great movie, but avoid the hype (probably too late for that) and let it be a surprise. I think the structure of the movie is the star, not Heath Ledger or the plot of the action sequences.And for those who want to argue about what a great villain Ledger's Joker is, I have two words for you: Anton Chigurh. Is it fair to compare him to The Joker, considering the difference in genre? When for months ahead of time we hear that Ledger's Joker is one of the best villains in movie history, and how recently we met Chigurh, yeah, it's a fair comparison. So again, yeah, it's a great role, done well, but I think Ledger's death has as much to do with the hype as his performance.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Agree to disagree then. I think it succeeded all expectations. I don't remember the last time the theater was sold out for every viewing the entire weekend. People were having to settle for Hell Boy or hang around 40 minutes for ticket sales to the next viewing.

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

I saw this movie last night and have been thinking about my reaction since then. This is an extremely interesting movie, about as close to avant garde film-making as you can get in a mainstream movie. The structure is especially interesting. In a movie about chaos vs order, rather than good vs evil, the plot moves along chaotically. At any given time it has multiple directions it could go, and it chooses some other one. There isn't just one plot arc to follow, but many, with new ones thrown in randomly. Even the individual fight scenes were chaos. Rather than punch-block-parry scripted fight scenes, we get a blur of motion and tumbling. I never felt quite settled, and I think that's the point. The Joker, as a villain, is interesting, too, and Heath Ledger gets everything he can from the role.Having said all that, I think the movie didn't live up to the build-up. And I think Heath Ledger wouldn't be getting the attention he is for this role if he hadn't conveniently pulled the oldest career move in the book. Don't get me wrong, it's a really really good movie. But with so long of a buildup and so much fuss over Heath Ledger, I'm not sure *any* movie could live up to it. When you think about it, there are better action movies (T2, the original Indiana Jones, etc), better crime dramas, better psychological dramas, better villains. This is one of the best combinations of *all* those elements that I can think of.So yeah, definitely worth seeing, definitely a great movie, but avoid the hype (probably too late for that) and let it be a surprise. I think the structure of the movie is the star, not Heath Ledger or the plot of the action sequences.And for those who want to argue about what a great villain Ledger's Joker is, I have two words for you: Anton Chigurh. Is it fair to compare him to The Joker, considering the difference in genre? When for months ahead of time we hear that Ledger's Joker is one of the best villains in movie history, and how recently we met Chigurh, yeah, it's a fair comparison. So again, yeah, it's a great role, done well, but I think Ledger's death has as much to do with the hype as his performance.

Obviously there is no pleasing you.Edit: You didnt get it.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

I have an interest in the idea of being into comics, and the ones you listed there (other than Sandman, which I haven't read. Any particular book or series?) are all incredible, but a) I really don't know where to start and B) to become appropriately scholarly would take like thousands of dollars that I'm not prepared to spend or thousands of hours on nerd forums begging scans off people who make you and I seem like varsity lettermen.

Well, I was fortunate that I lived in a town which had the best pound for pound comic book store I'd ever been in. It was a very small shop, but it had an incredibly good collection of mainstream and underground comics. They also had couches, nad would let you sit and read comics and graphic novels for hours. it was a great place to read and check stuff out and learn about good stuff.In terms of "mainstream" comics, IE Comics made by the major comic book houses, I would recommend Trans metropolitan, The Authority, Anything ever made pretty much by Alan Moore ( including his line of America's Best comics), Anything by Bendis, but in particular Powers and the two new avenger titles he took over, The allred/milligan run on X-Force/X-Statix. Garth Enis has a certain appeal, and his run on Preacher is legendary, and he's the first person to really write The Punisher correctly ( IE as both absurd and incredibly brutal). Anything by Neil Gaimen is excellent the sandman series being his most famous and best achievment. the series runs serially, so I'd start with issue 1 ( or, graphic novel 1) and work up from there. I also like Fables, some (not all, judge on the writer) "HellBlazers". Also, the "Ultimate" marvel line has it's good moments, particularly the ultimate spiderman. Will Eisner also was about 50 years ahead of his time. Beyond DC and marvel, it becomes really hard to make recommendations, because the stuff often rests on personal tastes in art. Many "indie" comics are too self absorbed. Someone like Chris Ware does it really well, others.. meh. I would recommend getting the compliations "Best American Comics 2006" and "2007" , as they are collections of several great artists and are a good place to find people you like. Crumb and Spielgelman are like the god fathers of "Indie" comics. I would also recommend Joe Sacco, who puts out these fascinating "journalism comics", where he goes to places like palestine and Sarajevo and makes comics about it. Also Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" is a fantastic piece, a comic about the artform itself, and is a great place to learn. Stuff put out by the publishing companies "Drawn and Quarterly" and "Fantagraphics" tend to be excellent more often than not. Your best bet is to find a good comic book store ( which is hard to do. YOu need to find one in "hip" parts of town, that don't have a bunch of back issues, but do have a huge selction of non-marvel and DC. If all else fails, fly to Olympia, Wa, and go to "The Danger room)

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Re: Ledger's joker. Yes, there was a great deal of hype about his performance, and it's impossible to judge what our reaction would have been, if he hadn't died. That said, it was still amazingly creepy, a very intense performance, and clearly the best thing about the movie.I do think this movie does have flaws, and I think some of the wild praise of it is sheer hyperbole. I think the ending was particularly bad. But I think it's merits, things like Ledger's performance, far out shine it's flaws.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Obviously there is no pleasing you.Edit: You didnt get it.

Smoke and a pancake?

Well, I was fortunate that I lived in a town which had the best pound for pound comic book store I'd ever been in. It was a very small shop, but it had an incredibly good collection of mainstream and underground comics. They also had couches, nad would let you sit and read comics and graphic novels for hours. it was a great place to read and check stuff out and learn about good stuff.In terms of "mainstream" comics, IE Comics made by the major comic book houses, I would recommend Trans metropolitan, The Authority, Anything ever made pretty much by Alan Moore ( including his line of America's Best comics), Anything by Bendis, but in particular Powers and the two new avenger titles he took over, The allred/milligan run on X-Force/X-Statix. Garth Enis has a certain appeal, and his run on Preacher is legendary, and he's the first person to really write The Punisher correctly ( IE as both absurd and incredibly brutal). Anything by Neil Gaimen is excellent the sandman series being his most famous and best achievment. the series runs serially, so I'd start with issue 1 ( or, graphic novel 1) and work up from there. I also like Fables, some (not all, judge on the writer) "HellBlazers". Also, the "Ultimate" marvel line has it's good moments, particularly the ultimate spiderman. Will Eisner also was about 50 years ahead of his time. Beyond DC and marvel, it becomes really hard to make recommendations, because the stuff often rests on personal tastes in art. Many "indie" comics are too self absorbed. Someone like Chris Ware does it really well, others.. meh. I would recommend getting the compliations "Best American Comics 2006" and "2007" , as they are collections of several great artists and are a good place to find people you like. Crumb and Spielgelman are like the god fathers of "Indie" comics. I would also recommend Joe Sacco, who puts out these fascinating "journalism comics", where he goes to places like palestine and Sarajevo and makes comics about it. Also Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" is a fantastic piece, a comic about the artform itself, and is a great place to learn. Stuff put out by the publishing companies "Drawn and Quarterly" and "Fantagraphics" tend to be excellent more often than not. Your best bet is to find a good comic book store ( which is hard to do. YOu need to find one in "hip" parts of town, that don't have a bunch of back issues, but do have a huge selction of non-marvel and DC. If all else fails, fly to Olympia, Wa, and go to "The Danger room)

Now I will return to the comic book store where it is I that hands out the insults.

[ComicBookGuy 1]

I must hurry back to my comic book store, where I dispense the insults rather than absorb them.

FYPWorst PosterEVER!

[HollywoodAFD 0]

FYPWorst PosterEVER!

Thanks Big... my bad. LOL

[Tehtoe 3]

Going to see it in 3 and a half hours.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Going to see it in 3 and a half hours.

Get there early

[Moneyball16 0]

I saw it last night and liked it alot, but still didnt really like the ending with the coverup and even though I think the character of Harvey Dent is a good one, when he becomes Two-Face I think he becomes pretty lame.

[showstopper24 0]

The movie has taken in $155.34 million beating Spider Man 3's record of $151.1 million. That's pretty freakin' good.

[dEv~ 19]

The movie has taken in $155.34 million beating Spider Man 3's record of $151.1 million. That's pretty freakin' good.

Is this the final number? How bout instead just posting ur usual garbage include a link to back it up.

[Moneyball16 0]

http://www.imdb.com/chart/ I think this is good news. Spiderman 3 doesn't deserve to be #1 or anywhere close.

[NortonFan 0]

http://www.imdb.com/chart/ I think this is good news. Spiderman 3 doesn't deserve to be #1 or anywhere close.

I agree, that movie was one of the gayest movies I've seen. I mean really, what the fu.ck was with the dancing, emo hair, music, ect ectAlso, if it hasnt been said, DK beat the record midnight debut record which was held by Star Wars episode 3 with 16.9mil and DK made 18.5mil. Then it broke the single-day box office record of 59.8mil held by Spider-Man 3 when DK made 66.4mil. They said that even though DK broke the opening weekend record that Spider-man still sold more tickets due to price of admission going up at theaters.http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/...e.ap/index.html

[IamStewie 0]

Holy underwear Batman! $155.34 million !That's pretty freaken awesome, I'll say.

[Suited_Up 2]

While I might be able to agree that maybe the movie didn't quite live up to an impossible hype.....The Joker did!

[showstopper24 0]

Is this the final number? How bout instead just posting ur usual garbage include a link to back it up.

How about finding one yourself

[Vinnie_Terranova 5]

How about finding one yourself

way to tell him, ss24.im with you on this one, that info is everywhere.

[Jadaki 0]

I just got back from seeing it and caught up in this thread. Re: Scarecrow & the fake batmen.I don't think they were working together, Scarecrow had his own hitmen who the Batmen were attacking and at one point the Scarecrow uses his gas on one of the batmen who tries to grab him while getting into the van. The guy in the Jokers crew who Dent holds at gunpoint later is not the Scarecrow.

Re: Ledger's joker. Yes, there was a great deal of hype about his performance, and it's impossible to judge what our reaction would have been, if he hadn't died. That said, it was still amazingly creepy, a very intense performance, and clearly the best thing about the movie.I do think this movie does have flaws, and I think some of the wild praise of it is sheer hyperbole. I think the ending was particularly bad. But I think it's merits, things like Ledger's performance, far out shine it's flaws.

BigD nailed it with this post. If it wasn't for Ledgers performance which was a great combination of creepy and humorous then I think I would prefer Batman Begins to this one.

[ReraiseAllIn 0]

I just got back from seeing it and caught up in this thread. Re: Scarecrow & the fake batmen.I don't think they were working together, Scarecrow had his own hitmen who the Batmen were attacking and at one point the Scarecrow uses his gas on one of the batmen who tries to grab him while getting into the van. The guy in the Jokers crew who Dent holds at gunpoint later is not the Scarecrow.

I saw it for the second time yesterday, and I will now admit my initial post being wrong. The Scarecrow does gas one of the fake batmen, thus completely blowing my previous theory out of the water.

[Tehtoe 3]

Get there early

I bought my tickets online obv.Thoughts:omgomgomgomg <33333

[Suited_Up 2]

I just got back from seeing it and caught up in this thread. Re: Scarecrow & the fake batmen.I don't think they were working together, Scarecrow had his own hitmen who the Batmen were attacking and at one point the Scarecrow uses his gas on one of the batmen who tries to grab him while getting into the van. The guy in the Jokers crew who Dent holds at gunpoint later is not the Scarecrow.BigD nailed it with this post. If it wasn't for Ledgers performance which was a great combination of creepy and humorous then I think I would prefer Batman Begins to this one.

Bolded: Wow, I missed that someone actually said that. WTF? He's in the garage w/ the mask, and then sitting tied up next to the fake batman. That's it.On the 2nd part... I think I agree. The Joker made this movie.Anyone else a little annoyed by Bale's "Batman Voice"?

[Sportsmack 0]

Anyone else a little annoyed by Bale's "Batman Voice"?

*raises hand*