Comments on: Why The Dark Knight Will Get Nominated For Best Picture http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture The Official Home of Correct Movie Opinions Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:28:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Prototype http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-179113 Prototype Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:22:57 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-179113 To the untrained (read "non-geek") eye, comic books, and the movies based off of them, are loud, brightly-colored, fun bits of eye candy; a temporary distraction from real movies that are somber and serious, movies that talk about big issues and feature Meryl Streep. The popular comic movies of the last decade or so have done very little to argue this idea: The Spider-man franchise was bright and exciting, Superman Returns was colorful and old fashioned, and Fantastic Four was childlike and retarded. They all had respectable box offices, (Spider-man I and II each broke opening day records), but no notable critic ever included any of them in serious Oscar conversations because they were, after all, just superhero movies. It's the same stigma that keeps out even the most excellent of porn films. Then along came The Dark Knight, a record-breaking, critically and commercially successful, bona fide phenomenon. If you didn't see it opening weekend, you were most likely in the minority of your office. If you didn't see it by the next weekend, everyone in your office hated you. It was directed by a real director and written by a real writer (both had Academy Award nominations to their name). Gone were the bright colors and goofy villains, replaced by moral ambiguity and the startling death of a major character. We watched a tense interrogation between a guy in clown makeup and another guy in a bat-themed costume complete with cape, and it didn't come off as frivolous or childish. For the first time, the creators acted like they weren't ashamed of the material. They didn't make it campy or self-referential, to let their cool friends know they were above it all. For once, they were treating the material as seriously as the fans did. The result was a comic book movie that will get serious Oscar consideration, and we're not just talking about the geeks campaigning for it on the Internet. Already there are two Golden Globe nominations for Heath Ledger, to go with nominations for awards from the Screen Actors Guild, and both the Chicago and LA Film Critics. To the untrained (read “non-geek”) eye, comic books, and the movies based off of them, are loud, brightly-colored, fun bits of eye candy; a temporary distraction from real movies that are somber and serious, movies that talk about big issues and feature Meryl Streep.

The popular comic movies of the last decade or so have done very little to argue this idea: The Spider-man franchise was bright and exciting, Superman Returns was colorful and old fashioned, and Fantastic Four was childlike and retarded.

They all had respectable box offices, (Spider-man I and II each broke opening day records), but no notable critic ever included any of them in serious Oscar conversations because they were, after all, just superhero movies. It’s the same stigma that keeps out even the most excellent of porn films.

Then along came The Dark Knight, a record-breaking, critically and commercially successful, bona fide phenomenon. If you didn’t see it opening weekend, you were most likely in the minority of your office. If you didn’t see it by the next weekend, everyone in your office hated you.

It was directed by a real director and written by a real writer (both had Academy Award nominations to their name). Gone were the bright colors and goofy villains, replaced by moral ambiguity and the startling death of a major character. We watched a tense interrogation between a guy in clown makeup and another guy in a bat-themed costume complete with cape, and it didn’t come off as frivolous or childish.

For the first time, the creators acted like they weren’t ashamed of the material. They didn’t make it campy or self-referential, to let their cool friends know they were above it all. For once, they were treating the material as seriously as the fans did.

The result was a comic book movie that will get serious Oscar consideration, and we’re not just talking about the geeks campaigning for it on the Internet. Already there are two Golden Globe nominations for Heath Ledger, to go with nominations for awards from the Screen Actors Guild, and both the Chicago and LA Film Critics.

]]> By: The Apprentice http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-177875 The Apprentice Sun, 21 Dec 2008 07:11:30 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-177875 I think dark knight should win, it was a complete film just like batman begins, it goes to the dark nature of a comic that is much darker than the kiddie painted up versions of batman we see everywhere, the joker was perfect, perfect actor, perfect look, I would've liked a little more from the two face side of harvey dent I have said that the dark knight deserves the oscar since the midnight showing, and I stand by it. But let's be serious clint eastwood is a new kind of beast in his old years lol he has made solid movies and his old weathered style adds to the mood of the movie, blood work, million dollar baby, and now both changeling and gran torino in 08, his style of storytelling, topics he addresses just screams oscar, heath gave the performance of a lifetime, he showed the humor of a man with no fear no aspirations of anything more than infamy, all this said clint eastwoods flurry of successes pretty much factor dark knight out of the equation not including the other great films of 08 I want so bad for it to win but I think the chances of it are slim, shame. I think dark knight should win, it was a complete film just like batman begins, it goes to the dark nature of a comic that is much darker than the kiddie painted up versions of batman we see everywhere, the joker was perfect, perfect actor, perfect look, I would’ve liked a little more from the two face side of harvey dent I have said that the dark knight deserves the oscar since the midnight showing, and I stand by it.

But let’s be serious clint eastwood is a new kind of beast in his old years lol he has made solid movies and his old weathered style adds to the mood of the movie, blood work, million dollar baby, and now both changeling and gran torino in 08, his style of storytelling, topics he addresses just screams oscar, heath gave the performance of a lifetime, he showed the humor of a man with no fear no aspirations of anything more than infamy, all this said clint eastwoods flurry of successes pretty much factor dark knight out of the equation not including the other great films of 08 I want so bad for it to win but I think the chances of it are slim, shame.

]]> By: wbianr http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-176403 wbianr Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:32:37 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-176403 It won't get nominated. Period. It didn't even get a golden globe nod. Aside from Heath Ledger getting a supporting actor nod, it wasn't nominated for anything else. Not one thing. Long live fanboy predictions and speculation and their inevitable disappointment and endless whining and complaining when reality peaks around the corner and slaps them in the face. Priceless. It won’t get nominated. Period. It didn’t even get a golden globe nod. Aside from Heath Ledger getting a supporting actor nod, it wasn’t nominated for anything else. Not one thing. Long live fanboy predictions and speculation and their inevitable disappointment and endless whining and complaining when reality peaks around the corner and slaps them in the face. Priceless.

]]> By: Christine Kim http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-175745 Christine Kim Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:07:40 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-175745 I definitely think so too. It deserves it so much, but that could just be my sentimental-for-heath-ledger side talking lol N e ways, can you guys all do me a VERY EASY favor? Just click http://secretcorner.weebly.com That's it. That's all you need to do; you can exit out right away if you want. I just need the hits so I can get a good grade for my computer class...thanks a bunch! I definitely think so too. It deserves it so much, but that could just be my sentimental-for-heath-ledger side talking lol

N e ways, can you guys all do me a VERY EASY favor? Just click http://secretcorner.weebly.com

That’s it. That’s all you need to do; you can exit out right away if you want. I just need the hits so I can get a good grade for my computer class…thanks a bunch!

]]> By: Kevin C http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-175728 Kevin C Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:23:11 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-175728 Jake- All valid points, I guess it just comes down to how much an individual is bothered by those things. For me, the voice was bad at the end of the film, other than that it was okay. Maggie Gyllenhaal actually worked for me. She wasnt some hot bimbo that the playboy persona would go for, but an intellectual equal and someone Bruce Wayne can be on the level with, a giant upgrade over Holmes in my opinion. As for the sonar, that is the only part of the film that screams "comic book movie!!" and while I understood that it was a plot point illustrating "how far do you go" and such, I could have done without it. Everything else to me was great. I thought the pacing was fantastic and the actions scenes were a merked improvement over Batman Begins. Harvey Dent was great, and I think the only reason Two-Face feels like he was rushed is because fans think of him as a villain and a super villain at that, someone who will be around to challenge Batman for a long time, but that really isnt who this character was at all. He was not the Two-Face from the comic, he was reinterpretation with an arc contained in this one story, if that pisses you off, fine but I dont really mind, even though I think Dent may return. Jake-
All valid points, I guess it just comes down to how much an individual is bothered by those things. For me, the voice was bad at the end of the film, other than that it was okay. Maggie Gyllenhaal actually worked for me. She wasnt some hot bimbo that the playboy persona would go for, but an intellectual equal and someone Bruce Wayne can be on the level with, a giant upgrade over Holmes in my opinion. As for the sonar, that is the only part of the film that screams “comic book movie!!” and while I understood that it was a plot point illustrating “how far do you go” and such, I could have done without it. Everything else to me was great. I thought the pacing was fantastic and the actions scenes were a merked improvement over Batman Begins. Harvey Dent was great, and I think the only reason Two-Face feels like he was rushed is because fans think of him as a villain and a super villain at that, someone who will be around to challenge Batman for a long time, but that really isnt who this character was at all. He was not the Two-Face from the comic, he was reinterpretation with an arc contained in this one story, if that pisses you off, fine but I dont really mind, even though I think Dent may return.

]]> By: Dr DRa http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-175256 Dr DRa Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:58:53 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-175256 Here is my picks The Dark Knight Quantum of Solace (perhaps) Defiance The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Valkyrie Here is my picks

The Dark Knight
Quantum of Solace (perhaps)
Defiance
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Valkyrie

]]> By: Jake http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-174991 Jake Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:39:27 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-174991 The Dark Knight is possibly one of the most overrated movies to come along since Titanic. The movie was good and that's about it. Great? Nowhere near. Whenever The Joker wasn't on screen this film took a nosedive. Christian Bale plays the brooding guy great but his Batman is laughable which is not good when he's the title character. Bale's Batman voice is over the top and grating. It comes off as forced instead of him being a natural bad ass. That voice got worse as the film went on. By the end I could hardly understand what he was saying at times and chuckled a few times at the horrible acting. As bjon86 mentioned before Maggie Gyllenhaal added absolutely nothing to this film. She was an uglier version of Katie Holmes and it's not possible for me to believe that Bruce Wayne would want this woman. Harvey Dent's character was good, not great. The way Two Face was rushed into the picture really undercut his character. And his reasoning for wanting to kill Gordon's family was flimsy at best. Christopher Nolan's direction and camera angles could also use some work. His action scenes feel like he went to the Michael Bay school of editing. Claustrophobic camera work and rapid-fire editing don't make for a great chase scene. The chase scenes in particular have no cohesion whatsoever. They made me think of Michael Bay's chase scene with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage in The Rock. His pacing was decent until the last half hour where it felt like another film tacked on. The Bat sonar stuff was ridiculous and looked like something that Joel Schumacher would have thought up. In fact if the last half hour were left off from this film I wouldn't mind it being nominated for best picture. The only aspect of this film that lived up to the billing was Ledger's Joker. He carried the film. Without him TDK is borderline average/above average in all aspects. The Dark Knight is possibly one of the most overrated movies to come along since Titanic. The movie was good and that’s about it. Great? Nowhere near. Whenever The Joker wasn’t on screen this film took a nosedive. Christian Bale plays the brooding guy great but his Batman is laughable which is not good when he’s the title character. Bale’s Batman voice is over the top and grating. It comes off as forced instead of him being a natural bad ass. That voice got worse as the film went on. By the end I could hardly understand what he was saying at times and chuckled a few times at the horrible acting.

As bjon86 mentioned before Maggie Gyllenhaal added absolutely nothing to this film. She was an uglier version of Katie Holmes and it’s not possible for me to believe that Bruce Wayne would want this woman.

Harvey Dent’s character was good, not great. The way Two Face was rushed into the picture really undercut his character. And his reasoning for wanting to kill Gordon’s family was flimsy at best.

Christopher Nolan’s direction and camera angles could also use some work. His action scenes feel like he went to the Michael Bay school of editing. Claustrophobic camera work and rapid-fire editing don’t make for a great chase scene. The chase scenes in particular have no cohesion whatsoever. They made me think of Michael Bay’s chase scene with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage in The Rock. His pacing was decent until the last half hour where it felt like another film tacked on. The Bat sonar stuff was ridiculous and looked like something that Joel Schumacher would have thought up. In fact if the last half hour were left off from this film I wouldn’t mind it being nominated for best picture.

The only aspect of this film that lived up to the billing was Ledger’s Joker. He carried the film. Without him TDK is borderline average/above average in all aspects.

]]> By: never-nude http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-174344 never-nude Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:43:29 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-174344 i agree and disagree. dark knight has it's flaws, and wall-e is far and away the best movie of the year. but return of the king was just boring as fuck i agree and disagree.

dark knight has it’s flaws, and wall-e is far and away the best movie of the year.

but return of the king was just boring as fuck

]]> By: cesihj http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-172627 cesihj Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:19:09 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-172627 i think bc the dark knight is the best movie since batman what about batman vs. dacaula? i think bc the dark knight is the best movie since batman
what about batman vs. dacaula?

]]> By: philmo http://themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-172037 philmo Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:27:05 +0000 http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/10/why-the-dark-knight-will-get-nominated-for-best-picture#comment-172037 cnristian as the dark knight, i don't hate. cnristian as the dark knight, i don’t hate.

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