And even more praise for the Dark Knight

I know it's been said a million times already but count me in as well in saying that The Dark Knight really lives up to the hype and deserves all the praise and accolades received. The Nolan brothers have written one of the most complex and satisfying screenplays. The storytelling here is terrific and all characters are given ample time to shine. I can't really add to what already has been said about Heath Ledger's performance except that it shook me to the core in a similar manner as Javier Bardem's portrayal of Anton Chigurh in "No Country for Old Men." I have to be honest and say that I was unsure of Christian Bale's performance in Batman Begins but I now think he's more comfortable as Batman and gives such a strong performance that you really empathize with Bruce Wayne much more so than any of the previous actors. And I gotta give an ovation to Gary Oldman. He is one of the most underrated actors of our time. I hope he gets some Oscar recognition soon. Amazing actor.

Other comments - great soundtrack/score, just the right amount of action that furthers the story - nothing gratuitous, great blending of CGI + live action (the lack of which is huge pet peeve of mine) .

The Dark Knight is one of those examples of why film lovers love film so much. As great as Batman Begins was it now feels like more of a prologue and you (at least I) get the feeling that Christopher Nolan just couldn't wait to unleash the story he really wanted to tell in the Dark Knight. The film definitely takes a darker turn something typical of 2nd chapter movies (ie SW Empire Strikes Back, Indy Temple of Doom, LOTR Two Towers, etc) . At the end of the movie, the enigmatic title of the film suddenly is not so enigmatic anymore.. it's very fitting.

I'm tempted to see the film a second time but this time on IMAX. It really does deserve repeat viewings to really soak in the experience.