The Joker

So, after seeing Dark Knight again on IMAX, I realized just how great a character The Joker is and just how great Heath Ledger was in portraying him.

I think the scariest thing about Joker is that, as he mentions in the film, he isn't a monster. Just like Batman, he is a human being who, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, took on this personae. I like how the film doesn't explicitly go into Joker's past, but there are moments when Ledger's performance hint at the character's depth.

One scene that sticks out in my mind, as I mentioned after the screening, was when Batman is riding towards Joker on the motorcycle, threatening to run him down. Joker is taunting him, asking him to "do it, hit me." The scene is so compelling to me because Ledger reads the lines not only as a taunt, but as a plea. In that moment, I might go so far as to say that Joker is quite vulnerable, that he has had enough of his life, of whatever demons are haunting him. His lust for destruction and violence then, seems to stem from his own self-hatred.

This is the kind of subtlety that comes through in Ledger's performance, which is why it is so brilliant.

THE DARK KNIGHT

The more and more i think about this film, the more and more it affects me and I realize how much I love it, and how much of an impact it had on me. 

First of all, Heath Ledger put his heart and his soul into this role and it shows. The Joker still lives within me, and his words echo in my head. 

"Why so serious?"  

As a character he is absolutely terrifying. Not because his insanity, but because of his SANITY. Underneath this maniacal exterior there is a purposeful being who is aware of his actions and revels in the consequences.  I can only compare this performance to that of Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men where Javier Bardem plays the same role in a completely different way, but with the same result: it messed me up. Riding home on the subway at 2am was not the best thing to do after watching psychotics aimlessly murder. 

Then there's Aaron Eckhart who played Harvey Dent magnificently.  Gotham's "White Knight" (I didn't get the pun on the film's title until I watched it a second time, cuz I'm an idiot) was perfected by Eckhart's personality and infectious smile, which made his fall from grace that much more heartbreaking. His screams "Why did you come for me??? Nooo!! RACHEL!!!" resound in my ears and overwhelm me with emotion. His transformation was well played and believable, despite being a character who is comically so black and white. 

The juxtaposition of chaos and order between Batman and the Joker, as well as the "two sides of the same coin," theme was well thought out in conversations between the two characters. Both freaks, both vigilantes. One who is shunned by society and one who is acceptable only because of convenience (according to the Joker). 

Cons: Batman's dialogue was a little over the top. At times he sounded like forced and silly, especially during cliched speeches about good triumphing over evil.  Also, the fact that neither of the boats blew up at the end was unrealistic. That kind of altruism doesn't exist, especially from a citizenry who just condemned Batman after years of accepting him as a crime fighter. 

All in all, the movie was more than enjoyable, and certainly lived up to the hype. I knew it was gonna be good when the previews kicked ass. (WATCHMEN 3/6/09!!!)  

Best Scene: Joker's entrance at the mob meeting. CLASSIC.

  

Best Shots: Joker's face surrounded by darkness in the interrogating room. 

                     Half of Harvey Dent's face being washed over with gasoline.

            Joker sitting by himself in his holding cell, slouched over with this unforgettable grin.

The Wicker Man

Michele found these clips of The Wicker Man, and it's either the best or worst movie ever. You be the judge.