SG at the Movies: Dreaming of The Dark Knight

Mr. SG dragged me to the movies on Saturday to see The Dark Knight in IMAX. (Seeing that the movie had the best weekend of any movie ever, I don't think we were the only ones.) Mr. SG has a predilection for IMAX, especially when it comes to movies made from comic books or graphic novels (read: Spiderman 3, 300, etc.) So it was no surprise that he had to see The Dark Knight in IMAX, making us wait until Saturday afternoon to see it.

The IMAX is always fun, but this movie was amazing without it. It was the first blockbuster in a very long time that I have absolutely loved. I honestly don't have anything bad to say about it. (Apparently no one else does either.) The movie just kept you hooked for two and a half hours, making the time fly by and the story important to all. I guess I do have one bad thing to say--I don't really care for Maggie Gyllenhaal. I want the old Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) back--there was more chemistry I think. But other than that it was brilliant.

Heath Ledger was at his finest in this role as the meniacal Joker. It's hard to believe that the same actor that played the flamboyant, schizoid, derranged Joker also played the quiet, soft, and demure cowboy in Brokeback. Although I think his portrayal was brilliant, I wonder if there would have been the same hype around the role if he were still alive. I wonder if there would be Oscar talk, seeing that movies of this nature often aren't seen as serious contenders for such awards. Nevertheless, I'd agree with the nomination and the award if it were given to him. Every time he was on the screen, the entire audience would light up. It could have been the Joker show and everyone would have been in rapt attention.

Aside from the sadness of it being Ledger's potentially final role, I feel that the other actors may not get their due. Aaron Eckhart is quietly becoming one of my favorite actors. (I mean, have you seen Thank You for Smoking?) Sure he's hot as hell and that doesn't hurt, but he is a consistently quality actor. His portrayal of Harvey Dent (aka "Two-Face") was emotional and heart-felt. Then there's Christian Bale, who I never thought could pull off the caped crusader, making Batman and Bruce Wayne a little more subtle, and definitely more complex than previous go-rounds. Couple that with amazing supporting acting from Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine and you don't just have a blockbuster--you have a truly spectacular piece of entertainment.

I'm afraid Mr. SG will take my excitement over this film to mean that I can't wait for other comic book/graphic novel films (he's already salivating over The Watchmen). Neverthless, for the first time in a long time, I was happy to be at the movies to see one.

For as it is said, "what doesn't kill you makes you stranger." Consider me a tad stranger.