If these guys just realized the power of a nice, soft female could do for their lives, they're whole outlook of what's important could be altered drastically for the better.
How old are these guys? Have you ever tried leaving a Playboy lying around their desks? As long as it isn't the "Big Summer Movie Issue", it might broaden their horizons some.
If you ever paid attention to what I've posted over the months, I said, I work with these people. Not hang with them. I have to make a living; can't help who the job hires. )
So you have more in common with these virginal morons than I do.
How old are these guys? Have you ever tried leaving a Playboy lying around their desks? As long as it isn't the "Big Summer Movie Issue", it might broaden their horizons some.
These guys are in their early thirties or late twenties, I'm not really sure.
In their defense, they're both pretty good-hearted guys but way overzealous when it comes to Marvel stuff.
I tried to fix one of them up with a nice looking female who works in the office with us but once he found out that she was a Batman fan, he called off the date. I mean it was just a casual comment, nothing die hard.
See? ?:)
EDIT: One of them is twenty years old.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
If you ever paid attention to what I've posted over the months, I said, I work with these people. Not hang with them. I have to make a living; can't help who the job hires. )
So you have more in common with these virginal morons than I do.
Not really. I work with models. They work with... you. :007)
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
If you ever paid attention to what I've posted over the months, I said, I work with these people. Not hang with them. I have to make a living; can't help who the job hires. )
So you have more in common with these virginal morons than I do.
Not really. I work with models. They work with... you. :007)
Oh, man... *sigh*
Very hot women here in our workplace too looking for eligibles. So what? Women are still women despite the job title...What matters is the "end" result. When you get lucky with one, then I'll royally take you off of the island from them and properly give you the trophy that you deserve.
Honestly, the younger one reminds me alot of you, Night. Not the Marvel aspect of it but you two act the same on a few levels...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Christian Bale has responded to claims that DK should be cut or not even be released at all, out of respect to Heath Ledger. A warning, however, this article contains a spoiler (which I'm hoping is not a major spoiler, for I'm trying to avoid all major spoilers, but this article did not feature a spoiler tag. )
Christian Bale says Batman film must be released
HOLLYWOOD heartthrob Christian Bale has said it would be "bloody insane" to can or cut the movie The Dark Knight, which was a celebration of what dead co-star Heath Ledger did best.
Ledger is being tipped for an Academy Award for his last tragic performance as Batman's evil nemesis the Joker.
Some have called for the film not to be shown or for the scene to be cut showing Ledger faking the Joker's death and being carried into a Gotham City street in a body bag.
The 28-year-old was carried out of a New York apartment in January after being found dead from an overdose of prescription drugs.
"I think that's bloody insane," Bale, 34, said.
"The guy was brilliant. He would have wanted everyone to see it. This is a celebration of what he did best - entertain people."
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
This is a glowing review of Heath's performance in DK. It's an Australian review, however I don't think that one could argue that bias is the reason for this extraordinarily positive review.
Heath Ledger plays final wild card with class (by Stefanie Balogh)
IT takes less than five minutes into The Dark Knight for Heath Ledger to completely steal the spotlight and he never hands it back with his tour de force performance as the Joker.
The Dark Knight, Ledger's final completed film, is the fast-paced follow-up to Batman Begins and the film lives up to the hype.
The dark mortality tale - good versus evil and the choices in between - is destined to be the year's big blockbuster, and Ledger is sure to be a posthumous Oscar contender.
His take on the psychotic Joker is completely mesmerising, original and without peer. It easily surpasses the last portrayal of Batman's nemesis by Hollywood veteran Jack Nicholson.
Ledger's arch-villain is a captivating study in evil madness, with a manic, flamboyant and comic touch.
With jerky mannerisms and a demented scarred smile, concealed by white make-up, smudged red lips and black eyes, the late Australian actor transformed himself into the definition of menacing.
The Dark Knight is a dark and gritty look at the comic book hero with new gadgets, edge-of-the-seat action and great cinematography.
Christian Bale reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman. This time around, the Caped Crusader has all but cleaned up the mean streets of Gotham City, including a most unusual extradition of an offshore criminal.
His good deeds against organised crime have created a power vacuum ripe to be exploited by an evil mastermind.
Enter the Joker, seizing the opportunity for mayhem, and plunges Gotham into anarchy, toying with the law and taunting Batman to his limit.
"I'm not a monster, I'm just ahead of the curve," the Joker says.
As great as the all-star ensemble cast are - Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Maggie Gyllenhaal - no one comes close to Ledger.
Industry insiders are raving about his performance, with respected Los Angeles entertainment reporter Sam Rubin writing that Ledger is "The best villain in a superhero movie of all time. Really."
Few would disagree. At yesterday's press screening in Los Angeles, reporters applauded loudest when Ledger's name appeared on the final credits.
Before his death by an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in January in Manhattan, the 28-year-old made no secret of his desire to capture every aspect of the psychotic character.
His pursuit of perfection reportedly took a mental and physical toll on the star. During filming, Ledger was reported as saying the darkness of the role had troubled him.
"He's just out of control - no empathy. He's a sociopath, a psychotic, mass-murdering clown," he said of the Joker before his death.
Ledger was filming Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus days before he died.
Ledger's Joker is a scintillating performance that will cement his reputation as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Tragically, he is no longer around to hear the rave reviews and well-deserved plaudits, and the world of cinema is the poorer for his absence.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Thanks for posting those, Dan. I always liked Heath Ledger---I saw him for the first time in Roland Emmerich's The Patriot---but it wasn't until Brokeback Mountain that I came to truly appreciate what a talent he was.
If his work in TDK is as good as we're hearing, I sincerely hope he snags the first postumous Oscar since Peter Finch in Network.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I always liked Heath Ledger---I saw him for the first time in Roland Emmerich's The Patriot---but it wasn't until Brokeback Mountain that I came to truly appreciate what a talent he was.
He was a wonderful actor. I saw him for the first time in Monster's Ball, before becoming a big fan of his when I saw Ten Things I Hate About You.Brokeback Mountain, of course, did confirm to me that what a great actor he truly was. (Earlier this year, I saw I'm Not There, in which IMO he was one of the only two good things about the film.)
If his work in TDK is as good as we're hearing, I sincerely hope he snags the first postumous Oscar since Peter Finch in Network.
Who, like Heath, was also Australian; perhaps it's a sign. :v
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Another very positive (and pretty in depth) review of Dark Knight is up; beware a couple of minor spoilers therein. More "dark and grim" comments in this one; I hope that doesn't hurt the movie's box office potential. Regardless, these early reviews and those 12 clips have really stoked me to see this movie and check out Heath Ledger's performance. I have a feeling the next two weeks are going to feel pretty interminable.
While driving home from work today I was listening to the radio (WGN) and their movie reviewer said Batman is the best movie he has seen this year. He also said Heath Ledger's performance is amazing. I have to say I am psyched to see this movie.
There's also a very extensive and spoiler filled review by Moriarity over at AICN. He also praises the movie while also confirming that it is a very dark and even disturbing film. I am a little taken aback by all the comments about how violent the film is, and how oppressive it supposedly feels. While it has gotten universal praise so far, lots of reviewers seem to be marveling at the fact that it got a PG-13 rating and some even question whether anyone under the age of 14 or 15 will get the movie or should even be allowed to watch it.
I can not wait to see this film, but my god, the look of The Joker really creeps me out.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Direct from Wizard World, here are some impressions of the Gotham Knight animated DVD. In short, a pretty forgettable affair with mostly dull stories, an inconsistent art style, and lack of an overall narrative to hold the individual vignettes together. I was never too impressed by the artwork I saw for this (anime was never my thing), and it looks like most of the stories are similarly uninspired.
It seems that some film critics believe that Heath should win an Oscar for his role as The Joker: (Warning: a minor spoiler is mentioned.)
Heath Ledger gets critics praise for Batman role as Joker
FILM critics are calling for the late Heath Ledger to receive an Oscar for his 'unforgettable' portrayal of The Joker in new Batman film, The Dark Knight.
The first reviews of the new film in Britain's The Sun newspaper and Rolling Stone magazine praise Ledger's performance, calling it the role of his career.
Rolling Stone reviewer Peter Travers said Ledger "is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker".
"If there's a movement to get him the first posthumous Oscar since Peter Finch won for 1976's Network, sign me up.
"Miles from Jack Nicholson's broadly funny take on the role in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman, Ledger takes the role to the shadows, where even what's comic is hardly a relief."
The Sun said, "Heath steals the movie".
"This film is about one man, and that's Heath Ledger.
"His electrifying performance as The Joker serves up the most menacing, villainous appearance on screen since Hannibal Lecter.
"Ledger has upped the ante for much loved and revered Hollywood villains, and whether or not he wins an Academy Award, his performance will be forever remembered in celluloid history."
The Sun went on to say there were eerie moments in the film, "like when The Joker talks about death, particularly the image of this clown faced actor wielding a gun and pointing it at himself".
This was the last film Ledger completed before his death in January. He was part-way through filming Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus when he died.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I am a big fan of the first film's score and I can't wait for the upcoming movie, particularly for its score. On this note, via SHH:
Superhero Hype! just received the following announcement from Warner Bros. Records. You can also visit the new official website for The Dark Knight score here.
Two of the world's most renowned composers, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, will be performing together live for the first time, on stage at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square IMAX Theater prior to the world premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Dark Knight" on Monday, July 14, at 7pm.
These two world-class, award-winning composers teamed for the second time to create the score for this highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster "Batman Begins," which they scored in 2005.
Zimmer and Howard will be signing copies of the soundtrack at Virgin Megastores in New York on Tuesday, July 15, in Times Square at 7pm, and in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16, at Hollywood and Highland, also at 7pm.
The soundtrack for "The Dark Knight" will be released on Warner Bros. Records on July 15 prior to the film's nationwide opening on July 18.
Warner Bros. Records will release four different configurations of the soundtrack for "The Dark Knight": a standard jewel case CD, a 2 LP set of heavy-weight 180 gram vinyl version, a special edition digipack, and a collector's edition with special artwork to come after release.
As for Gotham Knight, I was lucky to get from a friend called William Wilson Wilkes, and I agree it's nothing special. The art is well done, but the plot is uninspired and boring and the dialogue is filled with cliches.
Various press releases indicated or implied that it's part of the Nolan films universe; it's -thank god- clearly not. Bale acted wisely to not provide his voice for it and I found that Conroy was rather bored with the part this time.
My 2 cents on it: don't bother.
Tee HeeCBT Headquarters: Chicago, ILPosts: 917MI6 Agent
Forgive me if this has already been reported, but apparently the History channel will be running an hour long special entitled Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight. The special will premiere on July 16th at 9:00 P.M.
A brief synopsis as well as show times can be found here
"My acting range? Left eyebrow raised, right eyebrow raised..."
Granted, there are only ten reviews there now, but so far TDK has a 100% rating on RottenTomatoes. (Hellboy II is in the 90s right now--a good sign.) For what it's worth, last night Jay Leno announced that Aaron Eckhart will be on the show tonight, and he couldn't help but enthuse that TDK is "the best movie of the year."
And here's an extraodinary find--ladies and gentlemen, I give you. . .
Here is an interesting article about Two-Face. Beware- it contains a few minor spoilers.
'A mirror of our times'
Geoff Boucher
July 5, 2008
THE trailers for The Dark Knight have shown quite a bit of Heath Ledger's scabbier, surlier reinvention of the Joker (think of Malcolm McDowell's thug from A Clockwork Orange but with kelp-coloured hair, scars and a hyena laugh) but the producers have been keeping the film's other Batman bad guy, Two-Face, under wraps.
"That's right, people don't really know yet," actor Aaron Eckhart says with a grin. "I can tell you that, basically, when you look at Two-Face, you should get sick to your stomach. Being the guy under all that, well, that was a lot of fun for me. It's like you would feel if you met someone whose face had pretty much been ripped off or burned off with acid. I can't talk about it beyond that because I don't want to give away too much of the plans by Chris."
Chris is Christopher Nolan, the British director of Batman Begins, the acclaimed 2005 franchise reboot, and of The Dark Knight, a tale that looks far darker and more psychological than other, sunnier superhero fare now in cinemas.
Heath Ledger's death and word of his incendiary performance in this film have made him the natural focus of early media coverage of The Dark Knight. But Nolan has said that the foundation of the film is the tale and transformation of Eckhart's character, Harvey Dent, from a crusading Gotham City prosecutor to Harvey Two-Face, a maniac whose face is ravaged on one side by a horrible injury.
In the comic books, the wounds come from a splash of acid thrown at the lawyer by a gangster on the witness stand but there are hints that in this film it might be the Joker who is responsible for the scars. Eckhart won't discuss that but he does say that the wounds are deeper than in the comics. "Chris is going way farther than people think."
Two-Face in the film is more of a vigilante hunting down the Joker than he is a criminal, as he has most often been portrayed in the comics. "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain," Eckhart's Harvey Dent says in the film.
"The difference between Batman and Two-Face is how far they are willing to go and how they make their point," Eckhart says. "Otherwise, we're talking about vigilante crime-fighting. That's what Batman is all about. He has a strong sense of justice. And Harvey Dent has an extremely strong sense of justice. He's a crime fighter, he's not killing good people. He's not a bad guy, not purely."
The 40-year-old Eckhart has a history of playing authority figures pulled away from the bright path. He was a cop on a path to destruction in The Black Dahlia, the slick tobacco lobbyist in Thank You For Smoking and the junior executive looking to punish women in Neil LaBute's In The Company Of Men. "I'm interested in good guys gone wrong," he says. "They're not the bad guy, they're the good guy doing bad things."
He joins a franchise with a deep roster of serious actors on board: The Dark Knight has Christian Bale back in the cape and Gary Oldman as Gotham's only honest cop, Jim Gordon, as well as Oscar winners Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Maggie Gyllenhaal is prosecutor Rachel Dawes, the romantic interest of Bruce Wayne.
"My guy identifies with everybody in the movie," Eckhart says. "Really, all of it is more than an adventure tale - it's somewhat of a mirror of our times. It deals with some fundamental questions of what's going on in society. To me, this film is about how Batman feels about justice, how he takes care of the city, how he feels about the Joker when he meets him and sees what he is capable of doing. It's not simple and it gets ugly. I think people will be surprised."
Los Angeles Times
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
I just finished watching BATMAN: Gotham Knight which came out today. Being probably one of the biggest Batman fans on this site currently, I couldn't have been more underwhelmed with this animated short. Drab and erratic would be describing it mildly.
The animation layouts for each story were very impressive but the intial artwork of the characters in motion were just okay to terrible.
Batman and other western characters have no business being drawn in eastern influences. The great Kevin Conroy's voice is just too manly for the Anime designs of Bruce Wayne let alone Bats. I just couldn't suspend disbelief enough to buy it...
Out of all of the story shorts, Deadshot was the most solid and entertaining of the lot...the rest are just too difficult to gauge right now. Perhaps once I get over the shock of wasting money on it, I'll be able to watch it again and grade them individually.
I cannot tell you how to spend your money, guys but do not purchase this dvd; Superman: Doomsday was waaay better than this one. My son absolutely hated B:GK artwork and stories.
Thanks for screwing up again, DC. I'm ashamed that Bruce Timm even had anything to do with this.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Forgive me if this has already been reported, but apparently the History channel will be running an hour long special entitled Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight. The special will premiere on July 16th at 9:00 P.M.
I just finished watching BATMAN: Gotham Knight which came out today. Being probably one of the biggest Batman fans on this site currently, I couldn't have been more underwhelmed with this animated short. Drab and erratic would be describing it mildly.
That's been the word from just about everyone who's seen this production. I for one never thought Batman would mesh well with the anime style and based on what I've read it looks as though most of the creative people behind these stories really didn't get the character. As you say, way to go DC & WB. 8-)
On a brighter note, Season 5 of The Batman came out today. This final season is notable because of all the great crossovers with other DC superheroes including Superman and Green Lantern (not to mention the formation of the Justice League). It's selling for a measely $13.99 on amazon.com.
The Batman Begins BluRay was also released today; in addition to a boatload of extras it also includes the 6 minute bank heist prologue to TDK. Again, Amazon.com has a great deal on it at only $17.99.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I just finished watching BATMAN: Gotham Knight which came out today. Being probably one of the biggest Batman fans on this site currently, I couldn't have been more underwhelmed with this animated short. Drab and erratic would be describing it mildly.
That's been the word from just about everyone who's seen this production. I for one never thought Batman would mesh well with the anime style and based on what I've read it looks as though most of the creative people behind these stories really didn't get the character. As you say, way to go DC & WB. 8-)
Tony,this film does not make for a good headliner to TDK at all. I'd like to know who okay'ed this because it was definetely the wrong approach to take.
I've been in arguements over the animation all day and I stand by what I say. Anime is best left on Asian projects...not Western/American properties like Batman. Put any spin on the popularity of the medium that you want but I'm not buying it. I went to the store with an open mind on this and shot myself in the foot. X-(
Have animators gotten that lazy or is it a cost-cutting move to send storyboards and scripts overseas to do the dirty work?
Whatever happened to great western animation like Watership Down or Heavy Metal? That stuff is classic. Even the old Disney animation like Fantasia puts current stuff to shame.
And once I heard Conroy's voice coming out of that Manga, emo-looking Bruce Wayne, that was it for me. They drew him like a 15 year old. Even Rino Romano's voice sounds manlier than the look this Wayne was portrayed.
Just another opening for the Sisters to razz me over.
On a brighter note, Season 5 of The Batman came out today. This final season is notable because of all the great crossovers with other DC superheroes including Superman and Green Lantern (not to mention the formation of the Justice League). It's selling for a measely $13.99 on amazon.com.
Thank you for the heads-up, Tony. I had no idea but I've always wanted this particular season. I went and got it last night and watched a few eps. This one is a much more gratifying purchase. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Have animators gotten that lazy or is it a cost-cutting move to send storyboards and scripts overseas to do the dirty work?
Given the weak dollar, I don't know that doing it overseas would save them all that much money. In the end, I just think the people who greenlighted this project were (a) enamored with anime as reimagining western characters in that style seems to be a popular fad these days; and (b) they were probably brainwashed into thinking they'd have another Animatrix (overrated though it is) on their hands.
The 75 minute running time almost guarantees that it will play on the Cartoon Network or similar outlet.
Whatever happened to great western animation like Watership Down or Heavy Metal? That stuff is classic. Even the old Disney animation like Fantasia puts current stuff to shame.
I think traditional hand drawn animation is becoming something of a dying art. I really don't follow trends all that much anymore but these days it seems that the computer is taking on more and more of the animator's responsibilities. Different, faster techniques are being used and actual hand-drawn cels are becoming a thing of the past.
And once I heard Conroy's voice coming out of that Manga, emo-looking Bruce Wayne, that was it for me. They drew him like a 15 year old. Even Rino Romano's voice sounds manlier than the look this Wayne was portrayed.
I saw a couple of clips of Conroy's voice coming from the "armadillo style" Batman and the seemingly teenaged, waifish Bruce Wayne; it just seemed so incongruous. As you say, his timbre is just way too deep to mesh well with the young, slight and slender build of Batman and especially Wayne in most of those stories. Ultimately, I think his inclusion was a last minute move to appease more traditional fans who weren't sold on this project.
Just another opening for the Sisters to razz me over.
Well, if they continue to give you a hard time, I can always forward another Spiderman "tribute" for you to share; something appropriately humiliating, maybe Spiderman being knocked out by Aquaman. :v
BTW, there should have been a movie coupon in your Gotham Knight DVD case good for one ticket to The Dark Knight; make sure you use it, at least that will soften the blow of the disappointing DVD somewhat.
One week to go until DK premieres in Australia. {[]
BTW, did anybody notice my article on Two-Face?
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
[Well, if they continue to give you a hard time, I can always forward another Spiderman "tribute" for you to share; something appropriately humiliating, maybe Spiderman being knocked out by Aquaman. :v
) Thanks, man. Sounds tempting. )
As far as the real deal, early reports are saying that THE DARK KNIGHT might just rival Spidey 3's opening weekend numbers. This article from Yahoo News:
Same Bat Time? Not Quite Joal Ryan
Wed Jul 9, 12:07 PM ET
Los Angeles (E! Online) - Just call him the Crack of Dawn Knight.
Movie theaters are adding 6 a.m. opening-day showings of The Dark Knight to meet demand created by sold-out midnight and 3 a.m. screenings.
"It's normal for movies like to this start at midnight," says Chad Hartigan, a box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations Co.
But 6 a.m. screenings?
"That's not normal," Hartigan says.
There are no hard numbers for how many theaters will stay open as the witching hour turns to the rise-and-shine hour at 6 a.m. on July 18, when The Dark Knight debuts. Overall, Hartigan says he expects the movie to play at 3,800-3,900 theaters during its opening weekend.
According to Ted Hong, vice president of marketing for the online ticket service Fandango, the unusual 6 a.m. show times are indicators of unusually strong interest.
"The Dark Knight is our fastest selling film in wide release this year," Hong says. "It trumps Iron Man, Sex and the City, Indiana Jones [and] WALL-E at the same point in their sales cycles—and it's even outpacing last year's Spider-Man 3 and Pirates [of the Caribbean: At World's End]."
Per Fandango, The Dark Knight will bow dark and extremely early in midnight showings on more than 1,500 screens. (Fandango and E! Online are both owned by Comcast.)
The service says "many" of those 12 a.m. screenings are sold out in cities both expected (New York, the model for Batman's troubled Gotham City) and not (Boise, Idaho; Council Bluffs, Iowa; etc.). MovieTickets.com, another online ticketing service, reported a total of 140 Dark Knight sell-outs as of today.
In a summer led by the $311 million-grossing Iron Man, The Dark Knight has been regarded as the blockbuster to beat. A sequel to Christopher Nolan's hit franchise reboot, Batman Begins, the new movie is receiving ecstatic early reviews—Variety called it "enthralling"—and Oscar buzz for the late Heath Ledger for his performance as the seriously unhinged Joker.
As early as two weeks ago, three weeks before the July 18 debut, Fandango was reporting "dozens" of premiere-night sell-outs. As of 10 a.m. this morning, still a good eight days before B-Day, The Dark Knight was accounting for 51 percent of all tickets sold by the service. At MovieTickets.com, the film was doing more business than six of that company's Top 10 all-time hits, including The Passion of the Christ and the second Star Wars prequel, Attack of the Clones.
Says Hong: "All indicators point to [next Thursday] as a very busy night at theaters across the country."
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
And once I heard Conroy's voice coming out of that Manga, emo-looking Bruce Wayne, that was it for me. They drew him like a 15 year old. Even Rino Romano's voice sounds manlier than the look this Wayne was portrayed.
That was ridiculous. It just looked completely wrong I really didn't like Gotham Knight at all. The anime style didn't bother me at all, (I love Ghost in the Shell SAC and Cowboy Bebop), but it was just bloody boring. The one possible exception was the Indian section, when Bruce gets taught by the exiled woman, but the rest of it...
An interesting little story on Christian Bale, apparently he really did stand on the edge of the Sears Tower, better him than me. Really looking forward to this movie, although I won't be at the 6:00 a.m. showing.
And once I heard Conroy's voice coming out of that Manga, emo-looking Bruce Wayne, that was it for me. They drew him like a 15 year old. Even Rino Romano's voice sounds manlier than the look this Wayne was portrayed.
That was ridiculous. It just looked completely wrong I really didn't like Gotham Knight at all. The anime style didn't bother me at all, (I love Ghost in the Shell SAC and Cowboy Bebop), but it was just bloody boring. The one possible exception was the Indian section, when Bruce gets taught by the exiled woman, but the rest of it...
Yeah, J.D., I'll admit that the Indian segment was smartly written as it tried to convey a bit of why Bruce is so tragically driven to find an answer to his pain but when comic book films get too introspective, it can be a real downer for me. There's really not much balance to this movie because I paid for a dvd expecting...I don't know, more Batman? By now, we all get what spearheads the Batman mythos; we got the refresher course from Batman Begins already. I wanted a cartoon film that gets you pumped for what's coming around the bend.
Only the DEADSHOT story seemed to keep the movie from being a total loss and even then the animators gave Bruce Wayne a pickle chin...or maybe that was a prominent zit? I couldn't tell.
Maybe it's the artist in me nitpicking but I just don't think that Batman belongs in the Anime circle; one story in an anthology I can see but not the entire film. Fantastic backgrounds (I'll admit) and still cells with only the mouths moving does not make this medium better than Western animation. Case in point: Emo-haired Bruce Wayne & as Tony referred to earlier, Armadillo Batman.
I'd hate to consider Gotham Knight as a potent supplement until TDK opens over the world. It never ceases to amaze me how alot of these projects get the ok from WB/DC.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
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How old are these guys? Have you ever tried leaving a Playboy lying around their desks? As long as it isn't the "Big Summer Movie Issue", it might broaden their horizons some.
If you ever paid attention to what I've posted over the months, I said, I work with these people. Not hang with them. I have to make a living; can't help who the job hires.
So you have more in common with these virginal morons than I do.
These guys are in their early thirties or late twenties, I'm not really sure.
In their defense, they're both pretty good-hearted guys but way overzealous when it comes to Marvel stuff.
I tried to fix one of them up with a nice looking female who works in the office with us but once he found out that she was a Batman fan, he called off the date. I mean it was just a casual comment, nothing die hard.
See? ?:)
EDIT: One of them is twenty years old.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Not really. I work with models. They work with... you. :007)
Oh, man... *sigh*
Very hot women here in our workplace too looking for eligibles. So what? Women are still women despite the job title...What matters is the "end" result. When you get lucky with one, then I'll royally take you off of the island from them and properly give you the trophy that you deserve.
Honestly, the younger one reminds me alot of you, Night. Not the Marvel aspect of it but you two act the same on a few levels...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
uhuh. 8-) I'm not sure you quite understand where I work.
Careful there, my friend - I'm no extremist.
Christian Bale says Batman film must be released
HOLLYWOOD heartthrob Christian Bale has said it would be "bloody insane" to can or cut the movie The Dark Knight, which was a celebration of what dead co-star Heath Ledger did best.
Ledger is being tipped for an Academy Award for his last tragic performance as Batman's evil nemesis the Joker.
Some have called for the film not to be shown or for the scene to be cut showing Ledger faking the Joker's death and being carried into a Gotham City street in a body bag.
The 28-year-old was carried out of a New York apartment in January after being found dead from an overdose of prescription drugs.
"I think that's bloody insane," Bale, 34, said.
"The guy was brilliant. He would have wanted everyone to see it. This is a celebration of what he did best - entertain people."
Heath Ledger plays final wild card with class (by Stefanie Balogh)
IT takes less than five minutes into The Dark Knight for Heath Ledger to completely steal the spotlight and he never hands it back with his tour de force performance as the Joker.
The Dark Knight, Ledger's final completed film, is the fast-paced follow-up to Batman Begins and the film lives up to the hype.
The dark mortality tale - good versus evil and the choices in between - is destined to be the year's big blockbuster, and Ledger is sure to be a posthumous Oscar contender.
His take on the psychotic Joker is completely mesmerising, original and without peer. It easily surpasses the last portrayal of Batman's nemesis by Hollywood veteran Jack Nicholson.
Ledger's arch-villain is a captivating study in evil madness, with a manic, flamboyant and comic touch.
With jerky mannerisms and a demented scarred smile, concealed by white make-up, smudged red lips and black eyes, the late Australian actor transformed himself into the definition of menacing.
The Dark Knight is a dark and gritty look at the comic book hero with new gadgets, edge-of-the-seat action and great cinematography.
Christian Bale reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman. This time around, the Caped Crusader has all but cleaned up the mean streets of Gotham City, including a most unusual extradition of an offshore criminal.
His good deeds against organised crime have created a power vacuum ripe to be exploited by an evil mastermind.
Enter the Joker, seizing the opportunity for mayhem, and plunges Gotham into anarchy, toying with the law and taunting Batman to his limit.
"I'm not a monster, I'm just ahead of the curve," the Joker says.
As great as the all-star ensemble cast are - Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Maggie Gyllenhaal - no one comes close to Ledger.
Industry insiders are raving about his performance, with respected Los Angeles entertainment reporter Sam Rubin writing that Ledger is "The best villain in a superhero movie of all time. Really."
Few would disagree. At yesterday's press screening in Los Angeles, reporters applauded loudest when Ledger's name appeared on the final credits.
Before his death by an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in January in Manhattan, the 28-year-old made no secret of his desire to capture every aspect of the psychotic character.
His pursuit of perfection reportedly took a mental and physical toll on the star. During filming, Ledger was reported as saying the darkness of the role had troubled him.
"He's just out of control - no empathy. He's a sociopath, a psychotic, mass-murdering clown," he said of the Joker before his death.
Ledger was filming Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus days before he died.
Ledger's Joker is a scintillating performance that will cement his reputation as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Tragically, he is no longer around to hear the rave reviews and well-deserved plaudits, and the world of cinema is the poorer for his absence.
If his work in TDK is as good as we're hearing, I sincerely hope he snags the first postumous Oscar since Peter Finch in Network.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
He was a wonderful actor. I saw him for the first time in Monster's Ball, before becoming a big fan of his when I saw Ten Things I Hate About You. Brokeback Mountain, of course, did confirm to me that what a great actor he truly was. (Earlier this year, I saw I'm Not There, in which IMO he was one of the only two good things about the film.)
Who, like Heath, was also Australian; perhaps it's a sign. :v
http://emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=10176
http://movies.ign.com/articles/884/884876p1.html
There's also a very extensive and spoiler filled review by Moriarity over at AICN. He also praises the movie while also confirming that it is a very dark and even disturbing film. I am a little taken aback by all the comments about how violent the film is, and how oppressive it supposedly feels. While it has gotten universal praise so far, lots of reviewers seem to be marveling at the fact that it got a PG-13 rating and some even question whether anyone under the age of 14 or 15 will get the movie or should even be allowed to watch it.
http://dvd.ign.com/articles/885/885146p1.html
Heath Ledger gets critics praise for Batman role as Joker
FILM critics are calling for the late Heath Ledger to receive an Oscar for his 'unforgettable' portrayal of The Joker in new Batman film, The Dark Knight.
The first reviews of the new film in Britain's The Sun newspaper and Rolling Stone magazine praise Ledger's performance, calling it the role of his career.
Rolling Stone reviewer Peter Travers said Ledger "is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker".
"If there's a movement to get him the first posthumous Oscar since Peter Finch won for 1976's Network, sign me up.
"Miles from Jack Nicholson's broadly funny take on the role in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman, Ledger takes the role to the shadows, where even what's comic is hardly a relief."
The Sun said, "Heath steals the movie".
"This film is about one man, and that's Heath Ledger.
"His electrifying performance as The Joker serves up the most menacing, villainous appearance on screen since Hannibal Lecter.
"Ledger has upped the ante for much loved and revered Hollywood villains, and whether or not he wins an Academy Award, his performance will be forever remembered in celluloid history."
The Sun went on to say there were eerie moments in the film, "like when The Joker talks about death, particularly the image of this clown faced actor wielding a gun and pointing it at himself".
This was the last film Ledger completed before his death in January. He was part-way through filming Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus when he died.
As for Gotham Knight, I was lucky to get from a friend called William Wilson Wilkes, and I agree it's nothing special. The art is well done, but the plot is uninspired and boring and the dialogue is filled with cliches.
Various press releases indicated or implied that it's part of the Nolan films universe; it's -thank god- clearly not. Bale acted wisely to not provide his voice for it and I found that Conroy was rather bored with the part this time.
My 2 cents on it: don't bother.
A brief synopsis as well as show times can be found here
-Roger Moore
And here's an extraodinary find--ladies and gentlemen, I give you. . .
Excerpts from Michael Bay's Rejected Script for The Dark Knight!
:007)
'A mirror of our times'
Geoff Boucher
July 5, 2008
THE trailers for The Dark Knight have shown quite a bit of Heath Ledger's scabbier, surlier reinvention of the Joker (think of Malcolm McDowell's thug from A Clockwork Orange but with kelp-coloured hair, scars and a hyena laugh) but the producers have been keeping the film's other Batman bad guy, Two-Face, under wraps.
"That's right, people don't really know yet," actor Aaron Eckhart says with a grin. "I can tell you that, basically, when you look at Two-Face, you should get sick to your stomach. Being the guy under all that, well, that was a lot of fun for me. It's like you would feel if you met someone whose face had pretty much been ripped off or burned off with acid. I can't talk about it beyond that because I don't want to give away too much of the plans by Chris."
Chris is Christopher Nolan, the British director of Batman Begins, the acclaimed 2005 franchise reboot, and of The Dark Knight, a tale that looks far darker and more psychological than other, sunnier superhero fare now in cinemas.
Heath Ledger's death and word of his incendiary performance in this film have made him the natural focus of early media coverage of The Dark Knight. But Nolan has said that the foundation of the film is the tale and transformation of Eckhart's character, Harvey Dent, from a crusading Gotham City prosecutor to Harvey Two-Face, a maniac whose face is ravaged on one side by a horrible injury.
In the comic books, the wounds come from a splash of acid thrown at the lawyer by a gangster on the witness stand but there are hints that in this film it might be the Joker who is responsible for the scars. Eckhart won't discuss that but he does say that the wounds are deeper than in the comics. "Chris is going way farther than people think."
Two-Face in the film is more of a vigilante hunting down the Joker than he is a criminal, as he has most often been portrayed in the comics. "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain," Eckhart's Harvey Dent says in the film.
"The difference between Batman and Two-Face is how far they are willing to go and how they make their point," Eckhart says. "Otherwise, we're talking about vigilante crime-fighting. That's what Batman is all about. He has a strong sense of justice. And Harvey Dent has an extremely strong sense of justice. He's a crime fighter, he's not killing good people. He's not a bad guy, not purely."
The 40-year-old Eckhart has a history of playing authority figures pulled away from the bright path. He was a cop on a path to destruction in The Black Dahlia, the slick tobacco lobbyist in Thank You For Smoking and the junior executive looking to punish women in Neil LaBute's In The Company Of Men. "I'm interested in good guys gone wrong," he says. "They're not the bad guy, they're the good guy doing bad things."
He joins a franchise with a deep roster of serious actors on board: The Dark Knight has Christian Bale back in the cape and Gary Oldman as Gotham's only honest cop, Jim Gordon, as well as Oscar winners Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Maggie Gyllenhaal is prosecutor Rachel Dawes, the romantic interest of Bruce Wayne.
"My guy identifies with everybody in the movie," Eckhart says. "Really, all of it is more than an adventure tale - it's somewhat of a mirror of our times. It deals with some fundamental questions of what's going on in society. To me, this film is about how Batman feels about justice, how he takes care of the city, how he feels about the Joker when he meets him and sees what he is capable of doing. It's not simple and it gets ugly. I think people will be surprised."
Los Angeles Times
The animation layouts for each story were very impressive but the intial artwork of the characters in motion were just okay to terrible.
Batman and other western characters have no business being drawn in eastern influences. The great Kevin Conroy's voice is just too manly for the Anime designs of Bruce Wayne let alone Bats. I just couldn't suspend disbelief enough to buy it...
Out of all of the story shorts, Deadshot was the most solid and entertaining of the lot...the rest are just too difficult to gauge right now. Perhaps once I get over the shock of wasting money on it, I'll be able to watch it again and grade them individually.
I cannot tell you how to spend your money, guys but do not purchase this dvd; Superman: Doomsday was waaay better than this one. My son absolutely hated B:GK artwork and stories.
Thanks for screwing up again, DC. I'm ashamed that Bruce Timm even had anything to do with this.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Great find Tee Hee, thanks for sharing.
That's been the word from just about everyone who's seen this production. I for one never thought Batman would mesh well with the anime style and based on what I've read it looks as though most of the creative people behind these stories really didn't get the character. As you say, way to go DC & WB. 8-)
On a brighter note, Season 5 of The Batman came out today. This final season is notable because of all the great crossovers with other DC superheroes including Superman and Green Lantern (not to mention the formation of the Justice League). It's selling for a measely $13.99 on amazon.com.
The Batman Begins BluRay was also released today; in addition to a boatload of extras it also includes the 6 minute bank heist prologue to TDK. Again, Amazon.com has a great deal on it at only $17.99.
Tony,this film does not make for a good headliner to TDK at all. I'd like to know who okay'ed this because it was definetely the wrong approach to take.
I've been in arguements over the animation all day and I stand by what I say. Anime is best left on Asian projects...not Western/American properties like Batman. Put any spin on the popularity of the medium that you want but I'm not buying it. I went to the store with an open mind on this and shot myself in the foot. X-(
Have animators gotten that lazy or is it a cost-cutting move to send storyboards and scripts overseas to do the dirty work?
Whatever happened to great western animation like Watership Down or Heavy Metal? That stuff is classic. Even the old Disney animation like Fantasia puts current stuff to shame.
And once I heard Conroy's voice coming out of that Manga, emo-looking Bruce Wayne, that was it for me. They drew him like a 15 year old. Even Rino Romano's voice sounds manlier than the look this Wayne was portrayed.
Just another opening for the Sisters to razz me over.
Thank you for the heads-up, Tony. I had no idea but I've always wanted this particular season. I went and got it last night and watched a few eps. This one is a much more gratifying purchase. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Given the weak dollar, I don't know that doing it overseas would save them all that much money. In the end, I just think the people who greenlighted this project were (a) enamored with anime as reimagining western characters in that style seems to be a popular fad these days; and (b) they were probably brainwashed into thinking they'd have another Animatrix (overrated though it is) on their hands.
The 75 minute running time almost guarantees that it will play on the Cartoon Network or similar outlet.
I think traditional hand drawn animation is becoming something of a dying art. I really don't follow trends all that much anymore but these days it seems that the computer is taking on more and more of the animator's responsibilities. Different, faster techniques are being used and actual hand-drawn cels are becoming a thing of the past.
I saw a couple of clips of Conroy's voice coming from the "armadillo style" Batman and the seemingly teenaged, waifish Bruce Wayne; it just seemed so incongruous. As you say, his timbre is just way too deep to mesh well with the young, slight and slender build of Batman and especially Wayne in most of those stories. Ultimately, I think his inclusion was a last minute move to appease more traditional fans who weren't sold on this project.
Well, if they continue to give you a hard time, I can always forward another Spiderman "tribute" for you to share; something appropriately humiliating, maybe Spiderman being knocked out by Aquaman. :v
BTW, there should have been a movie coupon in your Gotham Knight DVD case good for one ticket to The Dark Knight; make sure you use it, at least that will soften the blow of the disappointing DVD somewhat.
BTW, did anybody notice my article on Two-Face?
As far as the real deal, early reports are saying that THE DARK KNIGHT might just rival Spidey 3's opening weekend numbers. This article from Yahoo News:
Same Bat Time? Not Quite Joal Ryan
Wed Jul 9, 12:07 PM ET
Los Angeles (E! Online) - Just call him the Crack of Dawn Knight.
Movie theaters are adding 6 a.m. opening-day showings of The Dark Knight to meet demand created by sold-out midnight and 3 a.m. screenings.
"It's normal for movies like to this start at midnight," says Chad Hartigan, a box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations Co.
But 6 a.m. screenings?
"That's not normal," Hartigan says.
There are no hard numbers for how many theaters will stay open as the witching hour turns to the rise-and-shine hour at 6 a.m. on July 18, when The Dark Knight debuts. Overall, Hartigan says he expects the movie to play at 3,800-3,900 theaters during its opening weekend.
According to Ted Hong, vice president of marketing for the online ticket service Fandango, the unusual 6 a.m. show times are indicators of unusually strong interest.
"The Dark Knight is our fastest selling film in wide release this year," Hong says. "It trumps Iron Man, Sex and the City, Indiana Jones [and] WALL-E at the same point in their sales cycles—and it's even outpacing last year's Spider-Man 3 and Pirates [of the Caribbean: At World's End]."
Per Fandango, The Dark Knight will bow dark and extremely early in midnight showings on more than 1,500 screens. (Fandango and E! Online are both owned by Comcast.)
The service says "many" of those 12 a.m. screenings are sold out in cities both expected (New York, the model for Batman's troubled Gotham City) and not (Boise, Idaho; Council Bluffs, Iowa; etc.). MovieTickets.com, another online ticketing service, reported a total of 140 Dark Knight sell-outs as of today.
In a summer led by the $311 million-grossing Iron Man, The Dark Knight has been regarded as the blockbuster to beat. A sequel to Christopher Nolan's hit franchise reboot, Batman Begins, the new movie is receiving ecstatic early reviews—Variety called it "enthralling"—and Oscar buzz for the late Heath Ledger for his performance as the seriously unhinged Joker.
As early as two weeks ago, three weeks before the July 18 debut, Fandango was reporting "dozens" of premiere-night sell-outs. As of 10 a.m. this morning, still a good eight days before B-Day, The Dark Knight was accounting for 51 percent of all tickets sold by the service. At MovieTickets.com, the film was doing more business than six of that company's Top 10 all-time hits, including The Passion of the Christ and the second Star Wars prequel, Attack of the Clones.
Says Hong: "All indicators point to [next Thursday] as a very busy night at theaters across the country."
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
BTW, there are already rumors around that TDK will be released on home video on....
That was ridiculous. It just looked completely wrong
http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/07-11-08/?GT1=28101
Yeah, J.D., I'll admit that the Indian segment was smartly written as it tried to convey a bit of why Bruce is so tragically driven to find an answer to his pain but when comic book films get too introspective, it can be a real downer for me. There's really not much balance to this movie because I paid for a dvd expecting...I don't know, more Batman? By now, we all get what spearheads the Batman mythos; we got the refresher course from Batman Begins already. I wanted a cartoon film that gets you pumped for what's coming around the bend.
Only the DEADSHOT story seemed to keep the movie from being a total loss and even then the animators gave Bruce Wayne a pickle chin...or maybe that was a prominent zit? I couldn't tell.
Maybe it's the artist in me nitpicking but I just don't think that Batman belongs in the Anime circle; one story in an anthology I can see but not the entire film. Fantastic backgrounds (I'll admit) and still cells with only the mouths moving does not make this medium better than Western animation. Case in point: Emo-haired Bruce Wayne & as Tony referred to earlier, Armadillo Batman.
I'd hate to consider Gotham Knight as a potent supplement until TDK opens over the world. It never ceases to amaze me how alot of these projects get the ok from WB/DC.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -