Okay, I know Julie is going to talk about one of the big movie openings tomorrow and give her review of Mamma Mia. So I thought I’d talk about the blockbuster I saw this weekend.
Yes, The Dark Knight.
And I have one word for you: WOW
Actually, I have six words for you: WOW–Heather Ledger Needs To Win The Oscar For This Movie! (Okay, that was more than six but I’m too lazy to recount, I’d originally meant to say Heath Ledger Should Win The Oscar…but, well, you get the point.) 
Anyway, back to the movie, I’d have to say this is the best comic book-based movie I’ve ever seen. Mainly because it was SO unlike a comic book movie! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve liked all the Spidermen movies. A lot. But with those, there was a certain element of comfort, where you just know certain things won’t happen and certain lines won’t be crossed.
There are no such lines in the Christian Bale Batman movies, which is why I so like them. They don’t have a comic book “feel”– they feel like real people, in a real place, battling real darkness. And you just can’t be sure of anything…who’s going to live, who’s going to die. This Harvey Bent/Twoface put Tommy Lee Jones’s (who I adore, don’t get me wrong!) to shame. He broke my heart and I wanted his story to go differently, even though I already knew which direction his character had to go.
There was not one moment of campiness like in the earlier Batman flicks. I mean, come on, I love Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito, but their versions of the Joker and the Penguin were just over-the-top wacky.
Now back to Heath… there is absolutely nothing wacky about the way Heather Ledger plays this role. He is utterly brilliant. Malevolent and terrifying, yes, but I swear, there were moments when I really empathized with the Joker! He was obviously insane, but what a fabulous character. You never really know him, he lies about his past so much that you don’t know his story. You never know his name, never know where he lives. And yet when he is on the screen, you simply CANNOT look at anyone else. I was actually afraid in this movie like I have never been scared in a comic-book movie.
I have long thought Heath Ledger was a rising star in Hollywood. Not because of Brokeback Mountain (I didn’t particularly like it, though he was wonderful in it, I just had a major problem with the infidelity) but just because of the versatility he always brought to his performances. As the Joker, he really does create a new standard for screen villains. His Joker is a Nurse Ratchet or a Norman Bates or a Hannibal Lecter.
As for the Oscar, they say they won’t give it to such a dark character, but they sure gave it to Anthony Hopkins for Hannibal Lecter. And watching this was like watching that–you despite his actions but simply cannot look away for a moment when he is on the screen.
Anybody else like the comic book movies? I really loved Iron Man, which was out a few months ago. Probably for much the same reason. The superheroes are not superheroic, they’re just normal, human, with failities and foibles, rising above themselves to do what’s right.
So how about it–anybody seen it yet? What’d you think?
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
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I so want to see this movie, but decided to wait until the buzz settled down first. Just watching the previews, you get such a sense of unpredictability about it, especially Heath’s portrayal of the Joker. I really like that it’s not campy.
I recently saw “Iron Man” and loved it, but then I’m a fan of Robert Downey Jr so that wasn’t a stretch. I can’t say I’m a fan of the whole comic book hero thing, but I do like it when we see more of the human element to their characters.
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Let’s just say I went to SEVEN stores yesterday searching for the Comic Con issue of Entertainment Weekly. I’m complete geek girl. (Okay, part of that was because of my crush on Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who’s playing The Comedian in The Watchmen, which is on the cover of EW, and the trailer is playing with Dark Knight.)
We were supposed to see Dark Knight this weekend but the dh hurt his back. The boy saw it last night and loved it, wants to see it again. Hopefully we can see it this week while he’s gone….
Oh, and Iron Man – AWESOME!!!! LOVED it!
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haven’t seen it…don’t really like comic book movies…I have heard this was excellent, though. I am curious to hear Julie’s assessment of MOMMA MIA. All I can say, it had potential, but MISCAST (I haven’t see it, either!).
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I haven’t seen it yet, but plan to go this weekend. My brother sent me a text when he walked out of the theater telling me it was amazing. He even plans to go back again this weekend. Thanks for the great review!
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Saw it opening night (make that midnight) and am going again today. They are already trying to figure out who will play Joker in the next one (the storyline needs it) and are having an awful time doing it. Once you see it, you will know why. WOW!!
There is an interesting program on History Channel about The Batman. Saw it last night. Very insightful about the character itself.
I know The Joker was a villian, but his character was just soooo… I wish I knew what I wanted to say. I rooted for him as much as I did The Batman.
As for IronMan- it was sooo good. Hope you all stayed for the credits. Very important clip there. I can’t wait for the next Marvel movie. They have finally come into their own. How could you not love Tony Stark, even if he did build weapons of mass destruction??
I have to go mow lawns before I can go to the movies…
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Mary, I have the Comic Con issue at my house. I was just going to give it to a friend for one of the doctors offices. I can get it to you if you want it. Just email me at mslizalou@comcast.net
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Mary, you should subscibe to Entertainment Weekly.
I do . I got a deal throught the mail one year for 10 dollars but I saw on the website that you can get it for 15 dollars per year. great deal.
I have the Batman copy of EW which I am tucking away and the kids want to keep the cool Watchman issue.
Mow back to The Dark Knight. Loved it.
Christian is the perfect Batman, but Heath he stole the show.
If he doesn’t win an Oscar for his performance I will loose all faith in the Oscars.
I was so upset when I found out about Heaths death I was on the computer and I have the scrolling news and it flashed across before it was on tv.
What a loss.
:bigcry:
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I haven’t seen it, and don’t know that I will because I’m more of a comedy girl myself, but my oldest has seen it twice (he did the midnight show too) and he can’t stop talking about it.
He called me early Friday morning to tell me about it. His words, “I was more affected by that movie than Fight Club. In fact, I was more affected by that movie than any movie I have ever seen (thousands of movies in his library). And I was deeply disturbed because I actually could understand where the Joker was coming from. He made sense to me.”
And that really freaked my son out. He loves movies – especially horror movies, and I’d be hard pressed to find any movie that he hasn’t seen – but he said this movie was the best he’d ever seen and was “the perfect movie.”
And that Heath Ledger should absolutely win the Oscar and like someone else said, there was a flaw in the system if he didn’t win it. But then I ask myself, “Was it worth it?” He told his father he couldn’t sleep and that he felt like he was going crazy because of that role and that’s why they had him on the various medications he was taking. It’s so sad that he lost himself in mastering the character.
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I really, really, really want to see the Dark Knight. But haven’t yet. I love the new Batman movies with Christian Bale as well. I’m so glad they took out the comic book feel and made him human. I loved watching him give all the gadgets he’d and Morgan Freeman came up with a test run. It was nice to know that nothing worked perfectly the first go round.
I have seen Iron Man and it was great, so much fun. I love Robert Downey Jr and am so glad he got his life together.
I hope that Heath Ledger wins an oscar but with the fickleness of Hollywood who knows what will happen.
Have a great day all,
Cher
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I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s on my to do list. I’ve always been a fan of Heath and have followed his career from the start. He was fantastic. I’ve heard nothing but awesome reviews from this movie. I’ve never been much of a comic book movie fan, but this I know I’m going to love without a doubt.
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Did anyone see Christian Bale was just arrested for supposedly assaulting his mother and sister? (I haven’t seen the movie yet. Hubby wants to so I may get there this week)!
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Yeah, I just read that on the headline news about Christian. Now how messed up is that? Why would you assault your own family that way?
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I am not sure I want to see this movie. It does not seem like my cuppa. However, I did not particularly want to see Iron Man, either and I LOVED it.
It was a wonderful movie and I loved the acting by Robert Downey, Jr. He was amazing in this movie.
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We haven’t seen Dark Knight yet, but definitely plan to. Hopefully this weekend! :banana:
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:bat: I can’t wait to see the Dark Knight.
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I went to the midnight show and it was amazing. I was so disturbed by the Joker, but as you said Leslie, I couldn’t look away everytime he came on screen. I feel like the Dark Knight really made you think about humanity, I totally want to see it again!
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YES! I saw that Carly, about Christian Bale and could only go
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Thanks for the great review. I will probably not see The Dark Knight, not my kind of movie! I’ve never seen any of the comic book movies, not my kind of movie. Now Mamma Mia, that is my kind of movie. I will be very interested to see what Julie says. I really want to see it.
Leslie, I love the picture of Heath as himself. Last night on Entertainment Tonight they were talking about Heath & the movie so they were showing clips of him through the years. It was sort of like watching him grow up. I feel so sad that his daughter won’t ever get to know him. Everyone is really talking Oscar for him which would be a wonderful tribute. :heart1:
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I saw the Dark Knight today, and I REALLY liked it. I’ve been waiting for it since Batman Begins – and I hope they make another. (Likely it’s already in the works…) I’m wondering about Two Face. I just… expect him to come back. And I liked the little cameo Cillian Murphy had. Maybe it was just how disturbing he was, but Joker… :\ I was not so much in love with. Maybe the whole tongue licking whatever thing reminded me so much of Barty Crouch in Harry Potter.
I’d go see this movie again :wink:
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I saw the news about Christian Bale. I agree with Leslie
BTW, Brenda e-mailed me last week and said she will get back to me on the pages I sent her back in Feb before National. :giggle:
Hopefully, I’m getting close to what she wants so keep your fingers crossed!
Cher
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Yes, my review for Mamma Mia is going up tomorrow…katie, I think you and I will disagree on the casting, LOL!
As for Dark Knight, I haven’t seen it and I doubt if I will. You all know I *love* comic books/cartoons and Batman is my all-time favorite superhero. But I love the Michael Keaton version best of all. I love Christian Bale, don’t get me wrong and think he was hugely fabulous in Batman Begins, but I like the comic-bookness of the Keaton/Nicholson version. It was the perfect transition/combination of the comic book’s darkness and the campiness of the tv show.
I don’t like being disturbed by movies…and I don’t like disturbing movies that will haunt me. I’ll wait for pay-for-view where I can fast forward through the scary parts. I mean…if Leslie was scared, I’ll be hysterical. I’m a big wimp.
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Hello to all,
Haven’t seen Dark Knight and likely won’t ever see it. I feel there was
too high a price tag on that film!
Pat Cochran
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One of my buds went to see it but he saw it at IMax and said it was total kick ass movie.
The thing I hear the most is how it got away with a PG rating then a R rating, not because blood, but because how intense it is.
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I haven’t seen it yet, but I want to see it. Christian Bale is great as Batman. I wondered about the rating, too, because I’ve heard it may be a bit much for the younger kids.