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Post by lauraa on Jul 17, 2008 10:09:26 GMT -5
Hey guys! Just had to do a quick drive by and SQEEEEEE about going to my movie tonight! Karl and I are going to see the midnight screening of The Dark Knight tonight!!!! #snoopy# LUCKILY I convinced Karl to get tickets in advance... he didn't believe me when I told him how quickly they were going. Well, he found out last night when he went to buy them!!!! 19 of the 20 screens (at the theater we go to) are showing the flick and 17 are already SOLD OUT as of last night!!! I've been following the progress of this movie for my entertainment site since it was first announced, and I thought this day would NEVER come! Both of us are HUGE Christopher Nolan fans (the director)... he did Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, etc... BRILLIANT Director! And, the cast... WHOA!!!!!!!!! I know some people are torn about wanting to see this movie (*ahemNancyahem*) because of Heath... and how hard it will be to see him after what happened... it was was such a huge loss, he was such a talented actor and looked like he was a GREAT new daddy... But, he did leave his mark on the world with this flick... what a legacy he left! I often compare it to Brandon Lee and The Crow. He will be forever memorialized in that wonderful film! I still watch that one over and over! I think this movie will be the same for Heath. The entire cast is pushing for at least a posthumous Oscar for Heath. They also dedicated the entire premiere to him, flying his family in for it as well. Nolan also showed a memorial on film after the movie (at the premiere). Now, that would be tough to see, but what a sweet gesture. Anyway, I hope my excitement and probably my screams of how good the movie was (tomorrow after I've seen it) will somehow honor his memory. I know from all the reviews I've read, that it is Heath that made this movie what it is... the reviews are insane with excitement... not a negative one out there yet! So, if I go a little nuts about this, it will be due to the awesome performance and legacy Heath left us. So... to Heath and the entire cast and crew of The Dark Knight! And, to me getting to FINALLY see it tonight!!!! #schol# xoxoxo Laura
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Post by mbucksfan on Jul 17, 2008 13:46:18 GMT -5
I'll be anxious to hear your report. I read somewhere that the movie was so intense that it was reported Heath was having sleeping problems and that may have somehow been implicated in his death. on a brighter note(don't laugh Laura) I am excited about Mama Mia coming out tomorrow because I have always been not so secretly infatuated with Pierce Brosnan. Even my husband knows! I have never seen Merle Streep be anything less than brilliant in a part so while the stage play and probably the movie was/will be thin on plot, I found the play lots of fun and hope the movie does well. Loved Abba too back in the late 70's It was fun disco stuff
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Post by lauraa on Jul 17, 2008 14:42:35 GMT -5
Hey Mary Beth... yeah, I heard those same rumors. But, considering the film was long wrapped and he was already on his next movie (the Terry Gilliam flick), I would tend to believe that his recent separation from Michelle and less time with his daughter was probably more of the reason for his insomnia and restlessness. ?? Just my opinion though. I know of actors that have had to play a much darker and more personal role on screen and they know it's a role, and they separate it from their own life. I've just never believed the movie had anything to do with his depression/insomnia, whatever he did in fact have. The Ambien especially is such a BAD "sleep aid"! People who have taken it have been known to sleepwalk, one report even told of someone sleep-driving and drove right off a cliff! It's like you have no control over what you do! I was SO hoping they'd ban that crap after this. Had he done this intentionally, there certainly wouldn't be full bottles and pills still around him. So, my guess is he tried some Ambien, it didn't work quick enough and he took another, or tried something else... the memory goes on that stuff, so he may not have even realized what he was taking or how much! I dunno, just rambling my opinions!!! But, I've NEVER thought it was intentional, or that the movie had anything to do with it. As for Mamma Mia, go enjoy! Not my cup of tea... I love musicals, but I just really can't stand Abba!!!hahaha Love the cast though! So, you also be sure to let us know how it was!!! Ok, I'll stop rambling on now!!haha xoxooxoxo
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Post by sunshine on Jul 17, 2008 14:47:02 GMT -5
Hey Laura, Don't mind this kind of 'drive by' at all. But, I don't think I can bring myself to go. Don't know why his passing effected me so, but it has. Please come tell us all about it tomorrow.
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Post by ange4mig on Jul 17, 2008 20:27:34 GMT -5
It sounds like a great movie. It will be hard to see it, but I plan to go. Thanks for all the interesting info, Laura. Looking forward to hearing what you thought of it!
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Post by lauraa on Jul 18, 2008 18:43:12 GMT -5
Hi All!!!!! Thought I'd drop by and give my 2 cents... #punten# It was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Soooo complex, so well directed, so well shot, so well acted... everything you want in a movie, THIS HAD!!!!! Karl and I were a bit worried because we've seen every trailer, bootleg and spoiler out there, and thought we might know TOO much about it... uh, we were WAY WRONG!!!!!!! Those trailers told us NOTHING!haha There were so many surprises that we realized we actually knew very little about it beforehand!!!!haha The cast was AMAZING!!!!!!! It was VERY character driven, and each one had a big role... it was also very fast paced, so you'd go from one character to the next very quickly... even though it was all tied in together... but it was cool because character driven films are so much better, and I wasn't interested in just a "Batman and Joker" film! The special fx.... HOLY SH!T!!!!!! Mind Blowing!!!!! Truly AMAZING!!!!!!!! I don't really want to say too much about the story, because I don't want to give away anything!!! But, if you like brain twister movies where you really have to think, and you like figuring things out... this is definitely one you'll want to see!!! Although, you may NOT be able to figure out some of these surprises!!!hahaha Now, as for Heath. I DID let Nancy know that it was not hard at all to see Heath on screen, I think it was mainly because of the makeup, his voice was different, and he even had different mannerisms... so, you never through the whole movie thought of "Joker - Heath". All the performances were GREAT, but yes... Heath's most definitely is Oscar-Worthy!!! It was pure genius how he pulled this off!!! If ANYONE out there (not saying in this forum, just in general), ever doubted his acting abilities before... they certainly won't now!!!!!! But, like I said before, it was never "Heath" on screen, it was definitely the character he played. So, I would highly recommend this film to anyone and everyone!!!!! xoxooxox
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Post by imbadd on Jul 18, 2008 19:51:14 GMT -5
Hey Laura, Don't mind this kind of 'drive by' at all. But, I don't think I can bring myself to go. Don't know why his passing effected me so, but it has. Please come tell us all about it tomorrow. Laura, I love the drive by - THANKS Nancy, I feel the same even watching the previews. Heath was one of my faves. We own many of his movies ...
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Post by lauraa on Jul 19, 2008 10:18:27 GMT -5
Hi guys!!! I just HAD to post this! I'm sooo happy for everyone involved with DK for this!! I was wondering how this would do compared to the frenzy of the Star Wars flicks... well... see for yourself!!! #thyahoo#
(From The Hollywood Reporter)
'Dark Knight' sets midnight record 18 Jul 2008 8:19pm EDT - By Gregg Kilday Midnight was anything but dark at those theaters across the country hosting 12:01 a.m. screenings of the new Batman movie.
Warner Bros. reported Friday that the early morning screenings of The Dark Knight grabbed a record $18.5 million. Of that total, $640,000 came from the large-format screens presented the movie in Imax.
And that $18.5 million haul is just counting the cash from the 3,040 theaters that screened the movie at midnight -- it doesn't include the grosses from the 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. showings that some theaters booked.
To put it in perspective, Dark Knight set a new high mark, displacing the previous record-holder, 2005's "Star Wars -- Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," which collected $16.9 million in 2,915 theaters when it made its midnight debut.
The Christopher Nolan-directed super-movie, starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, settles into a record 4,366 locations Friday as it sets about dominating the weekend.
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Post by lauraa on Jul 21, 2008 0:55:06 GMT -5
#thWooHoo2# THIS JUST IN!!!! #thblissysmile# All those midnight screenings, viral ads and Gotham websites paid off this weekend. Big time. The Dark Knight's estimated $155 million debut is the biggest opening weekend of all time, beating fellow superhero sequel Spider-Man 3, which premiered with $151 million last summer. And, that's not the only box office record the Caped Crusader tucked under his utility belt this weekend. The Christopher Nolan-directed feature starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger shattered the single-day opening record with its $67 million haul on Friday and its opening night screening became the highest-grossing midnight showing ever with $18.5 million. #chamtoast#
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Post by silentone on Jul 21, 2008 8:29:46 GMT -5
I can't wait to see it. Now I just need to find the time. Not taking the kids so I guess it will be girls night out because hubby could care less about seeing it!
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Post by Sophia on Jul 21, 2008 19:44:17 GMT -5
Hey all,
Matt and I saw "The Dark Knight" on Friday night...the girls were on a sleep over so we had the night to ourselves! Woo!! We went downtown to try and catch the 10 p.m. but it was SOLD OUT as well as the 11:15 pm so we were so bummed!! Then, as we were walking away a theatre worker came out and said that they were going to add a Midnight and 12:30 am showing!! Yay!! So, back in line we went...bought tickets for the Midnight show and then went for coffee and dessert at a nice Italian cafe to kill some time.
The movie was AWESOME!! Matt wasn't too excited about seeing it and was worried that the movie and Heath's portrayal of The Joker had been over hyped and wouldn't live up to expectations but he LOVED it!! It was better than I could have even imagined...all the characters were so well cast! From Christian Bale to Michael Cain and everyone in between.
About Heath's portrayal of The Joker...he took it to another level. He was brilliantly evil and played the role with such intensity. It was an honor to watch such an amazing performance.
I can understand that it would be hard to see Heath in a movie after his tragic death but it was actually a really healing experience to see this most incredible actor in the role of a lifetime!! What a legacy to leave behind...this, in my opinion, was his best work yet!!! I read that his family flew from Sidney for the opening in NYC...must have been heartbreaking but also a great joy to watch him in this movie and be proud of his great talent and everything he brought to the character.
I truly think that it will be impossible to ever cast anyone else as The Joker...they are going to have to retire him as a villain in any sequels.
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Post by ange4mig on Jul 21, 2008 22:55:08 GMT -5
Laura and Sophia- thanks for the great scoop on the movie! It's interesting to hear your perspectives on it. I'm really looking forward to seeing it. How cool that opening weekend was a record-breaker!
eta - ooooops - forgot a word
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Post by Sophia on Jul 22, 2008 2:37:42 GMT -5
You are very welcome, Kay!! When you go see it, let us know what you think!! Yes, it is very cool that the opening weekend was a record-breaker!!!
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Post by lauraa on Jul 25, 2008 0:54:07 GMT -5
Ok guys... I know this will be long... but, it's SO worth it! These are just a few of the comments from the REAL critics out there!!!!
If anyone is still debating on whether or not to see this one, these will certainly help!!!! ;DMarc Lee, The Daily TelegraphThe Dark Knight has plenty of high-speed, maximum-volume action sequences, but it is also one of the most intelligent big-budget Hollywood movies of recent times; and no sympathy vote is required for a cinematic creation as accomplished as Ledger's deranged, demonic Lord of Chaos. It is a genuinely unsettling, brilliantly nuanced portrait of evil. Tim Teeman, The TimesThe talking point [of The Dark Knight] thus far has been Heath Ledger as The Joker. Will the performance accord him a posthumous Oscar? Is it odd to watch the actor? No, because he delivers a career-defining performance. With his face a peeling façade of clown paint and his mouth a blurred slash, The Joker is the embodiment of anarchy and antiorder. Ledger is so terrifying and unpredictable that his very presence on screen makes you horribly nervous. Mark Dinning, EmpireAs was, perhaps, always inevitable, The Dark Knight is Ledger’s movie. It is a towering performance. From his menacing, pencil-packing greeting to Gotham’s Mob fraternity, to the threat and fire he conjures in exchanges with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s sexy, sophisticated brief and “The Bat-maaan”, to the Sophie’s choice surprises of the third act, he is pure, powerful, immense. A force of f***ing nature. Peter Travers, Rolling StoneI can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker. 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. Total FilmThere’s no doubting the limelight will be on the late Heath Ledger, burning brightly as he embodies an icon. Dig out the thesaurus and run through the superlatives: chilling, gleeful, genius... It's a masterpiece of a performance. The 'meeja' Oscar talk is tasteless, in that the Academy usually ignores comic- book entertainment and the hyperbole is because he has died, but let it be said that it’s such a fearless, fierce, menacing turn that comparisons with Jack Nicholson don’t come into it. This is the definitive Joker. Richard Corliss, TIME[Heath Ledger], who died in January at 28 of an accidental prescription-drug overdose, is magnificent. Echoing the sly psychopathy and scary singsong voice of Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal Ledger!), Ledger carries in him the deranged threat of a punk star like Sid Vicious, whom he supposedly took as one of the models for his character. Justin Chang, VarietyAfter Ledger’s death in January, his penultimate performance (with Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” still to come) will be viewed with both tremendous excitement and unavoidable sadness. It’s a tribute to Ledger’s indelible work that he makes the viewer entirely forget the actor behind the cracked white makeup and blood-red rictus grin, so complete and frightening is his immersion in the role. With all due respect to the enjoyable camp buffoonery of past Jokers like Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson, Ledger makes them look like -- well, clowns. Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood ReporterLedger's performance is a beauty. His Joker has a slow cadence of speech, as if weighing words for maximum mischief and contempt. He moves languidly as if to savor his dark deeds, his head and body jerking at times from an overload of brain impulses. Christy Lemire, APNolan was wise enough to give Ledger plenty of room to shine - albeit in the actor's indelibly perverse, twisted way. There's nothing cartoony about his Joker. Ledger wrested the role from previous performers Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson and reinvented it completely. Yes, he's funny, wringing laughs from both clever one-liners and maniacally grand schemes. But because there's no logic behind his mayhem, he's also truly terrifying. That his attacks grow larger each time, regardless of the collateral damage, makes him so genuinely disturbing. Ledger seems to have understood that, and brings an appropriate - and riveting - unpredictability to the role. It's also a neat touch that his makeup, which looked like a slapdash effort from the start, steadily deteriorates, streaking, cracking and peeling away as the film progresses; it's an outward manifestation of his psychological spiral. David Fear, Time Out New YorkNext to Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard’s propulsive drone of a score, Ledger’s performance is the most dynamic element of the movie. What the late actor accomplishes with little more than a nurse uniform and a Groucho Marx waddle makes the various explosions, as well as Bale’s raspy, remote characterization, pale in comparison. If Nolan’s only goal were to add to another revisionist wrinkle to an iconic villain, Ledger’s brutal, batsh!t malevolence would qualify The Dark Knight as a success.
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Post by USMiGfan on Aug 6, 2008 10:06:41 GMT -5
OMG, I saw The Dark Knight this past weekend! I can find no other way to describe the movie other than "it's DARK!".
I don't think it's a "must see on the BIG screen" if you have a really good sized TV at home, but the movie is a definate must see! Heath Ledger's performance was off the scales! VERY talented actor, and in my opinion, far surpassed Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
Oh, and Christian Bale - HELLLOOOOO! #hot_007#
P.S. the movie is very complex, I'm going to have to watch it a few times b/c I got so confused and lost in the storyline. And I also add that if you are a true Health Ledger fan, you will not want to miss this performance, it is indeed his finest and defining moment. (hope this helps Nancy, you won't be dissappointed).
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