Stick That Thumb...

Roeper is leaving Ebert and Roeper. Many movie review shows have been tried over the years. All have failed, except for the ones featuring Roger Ebert. It will be interesting to see what show Roeper ends up on. I don't blame him for leaving. Regardless whether Ebert was coming back, the show really took a turn for the worst when Disney refused to pay Ebert for use of the "thumbs" trademark, thus ending the show's last connection to the Siskel-Ebert period. The rumor is that Disney has been trying to produce the show as cheaply as possible.

I knew it was dark, but I wasn't expecting something this disturbing. The frenetic pacing doesn't allow the audience to relax, as the mayhem continues to ramp up. The Joker keeps Gotham City on edge, and the audience is on edge too, knowing that any character (save Batman) could die at any minute. The fact is, this movie is too extreme for mainstream audiences. There will probably be a big dropoff in box office next weekend, unless the older audience decides this comic book film is worth seeing. As for the two characters who died, one really wasn't part of the comic canon, and the other was a one-trick pony who didn't have much else to offer after this film.

I am still waiting for the "detective" Batman film. After all, Batman started out in Detective Comics. Sherlock Holmes is as popular as ever, with two films just announced for pre-production, so a Holmes-tinged Batman film would be an easy choice. And this would allow for a lighter, more deliberate story without moving backwards to the old mindless action standbys. Possibly the toned-down Riddler (in the form of a Moriarty) would work for this kind of film, although a heretofore unseen in the movies villain would also be welcome.

Joker Joker Joker

The Dark Knight is receiving great reviews, making it perhaps the best reviewed comic book movie ever. It will be interesting to see how well it does at the box office. I have previously speculated that the death of Heath Ledger might dampen the average moviegoer's urge to see this movie. That factor would be overwhelmed by an outstanding movie that leaves audiences awestruck by what they have seen. That could be the case here. Another factor is how dark the movie is. Audiences don't generally flock to dark movies. Anyone remember Batman Returns? This is allegedly by far the darkest adaptation of the Caped Crusader on celluloid. Too dark to refer to Bruce Wayne as the Caped Crusader. At least the movie should live up to its title.