Heath Ledger as Joker in The Dark Knight

Woke up this morning still thinking about The Dark Knight (TDK). My husband and son are planning on going to go see it this afternoon and I'm tempted to go with them to see it again.

I was thinking more about Heath in the movie and while I do really believe that his was outstanding, there was this part of me this morning that couldn't help but wonder if I was influenced in that belief by his death. So I did some googling this morning to see what else was being said about TDK.

I found this from The LA Times, The Envelope, The Awards Insider by Tom O'Neill:

Does Heath Ledger have an Oscar I.O.U. for 'The Dark Knight'?

Let's forget for just a moment about all of the hallelujah reviews surrounding Heath Ledger's performance in "The Dark Knight." Can Heath Ledger win an Oscar just because he's holding an I.O.U.?

...

Now Ledger really deserves it, if we believe the New York Times' review of his Joker in "The Dark Knight": " He’s just a clown in black velvet, but he’s also some kind of masterpiece."

"This is a career-making performance if ever there was one," says USA Today about Ledger in "The Dark Knight." "Too bad it was a career-ending one as well."

"Not since Hannibal Lecter has a villain been so terrifying, so engaging and so memorable," says E! Online. If that's an apt analogy, then it's good kudos news for Ledger considering Anthony Hopkins won best actor. But is that the category Ledger should compete in — or should he go supporting? Read more about that great debate — CLICK HERE.

I told Emily and Alex yesterday after seeing the film that I thought Heath's Joker reminded me of Hannibal Lecter. He was just totally evil.

Then I followed the link in the above article to the New York Times references and read this by Manohla Dargis..

Pitched at the divide between art and industry, poetry and entertainment, it goes darker and deeper than any Hollywood movie of its comic-book kind — including “Batman Begins,”

...

Mr. Nolan has found a way to make Batman relevant to his time — meaning, to ours — investing him with shadows that remind you of the character’s troubled beginning but without lingering mustiness. That’s nothing new, but what is surprising, actually startling, is that in “The Dark Knight,” which picks up the story after the first film ends, Mr. Nolan has turned Batman (again played by the sturdy, stoic Mr. Bale) into a villain’s sidekick.

That would be the Joker, of course, a demonic creation and three-ring circus of one wholly inhabited by Heath Ledger. Mr. Ledger died in January at age 28 from an accidental overdose, after principal photography ended, and his death might have cast a paralyzing pall over the film if the performance were not so alive. But his Joker is a creature of such ghastly life, and the performance is so visceral, creepy and insistently present that the characterization pulls you in almost at once. When the Joker enters one fray with a murderous flourish and that sawed-off smile, his morbid grin a mirror of the Black Dahlia’s ear-to-ear grimace, your nervous laughter will die in your throat.

..... [and finally] ...

Mr. Ledger’s performance and the film’s visual beauty are transporting. (In Imax, it’s even more operatic.) No matter how cynical you feel about Hollywood, it is hard not to fall for a film that makes room for a shot of the Joker leaning out the window of a stolen police car and laughing into the wind, the city’s colored lights gleaming behind him like jewels. He’s just a clown in black velvet, but he’s also some kind of masterpiece.

*sigh*


Yes it was a good movie....

Comic Con and SPN

...and back to SPN thanks to mrsr58 who keeps me on the SAA bandwagon.  She just posted a link to this great article about SPN and Comic Con...

Faithful Followers of Cult TV  [that's us!]

Some SAA-pertinent parts of the article..

On the mainstream-entertainment radar, the CW network's “Supernatural” is just a blip, a scrappy little TV show that is routinely clobbered in the Thursday-night ratings by “Grey's Anatomy” and “CSI.”

...

In the ever-expanding fan universe, the TV shows that make the most noise are often the ones most viewers have never heard of.

“I think the fact that we are not an out-of-the-box hit actually helps,” said “Supernatural” creator Eric Kripke. “Everyone feels like they're in on this very, very cool, wonderful thing that the general public doesn't know about. It makes them feel like insiders, and who doesn't want to feel that way?”

...

Comic-Con is sold out, with more than 124,000 people expected to attend.   [um...just....wow...all those people]

...

[and more on the SAA obsessiveness...]

How much more? How about subscriptions to “Smallville” or “Stargate Atlantis/Stargate SG-1” magazines, just $39.95 for six issues a year? Or $47.99 for a “Firefly” hoodie? Or tickets to star-studded conventions dedicated to “Supernatural” or “Battlestar Galactica,” where deluxe-admission packages can run as high as $439 for the weekend? (Parking and hotel fees not included.)

And YES!!!! for the below   \O/

Really. In the extreme-fan universe, the diffuse love of 16 million “Grey's Anatomy” viewers can't hold a candle to the laserlike beam of the nearly 3 million devoted who watch the underpromoted, overlooked “Supernatural.”.

We just RULE.

Ok, this whole article is just terrific GO READ IT HERE.

I'll just end with this description of US, the devoted fans...

“They are very clued in to things that are new. They are early adopters, and they are computer literate and computer savvy.”

My 2008 LJ Scrapbook

Opening this post to keep a scrapbook of my layouts, icons, etc. that I've used on my LJ in 2008. Found 2008_scrapbook  a short time ago and it seemed like a good idea.

This is going to be a WIP for a while...



01.22.08 Heath Ledger dies.  See posts here.
02.18.08 WGA Writer's strike ends.  It started on November 5, 2007 and resulted in a shortened TV season.  See posts here.
03.28.08 CreationCon Tribute to Supernatural - LA Con 2008.  fickleone  and I attend our first SPN Convention!  See posts here.
04.10.08 Emily has surgery for her nose.  See post here and here.
04.15.08 Infamous Twizzle Incident.  See posts here.
05.10.08 fickleone  and I decide to swap from the SPN Dallas Con in June to the November Chicago Con due to RL conflicts and Jensen cancelling for Dallas. 
05.15.08 SPN S3 Finale--No Rest for the Wicked.  See my reactions here.
06.21.08 Bob & I take a trip to Lincoln City for the weekend.  See post here.
06.24.08 Emily turns 20 (OMG!).  See my Happy Birthday Emily post here.
06.27.08 In which Karen gets old--arthritis 
07.07.08 In which my work life sucks
07.23.08 My two-year LJ-versary!  See post here.
08.05.08 Bobby turns ... well it was Bob's birthday!  He went fishing with a work buddy.  We had a family dinner at Outback.
08.11.08 In which I have a work meltdown
08.22.08 Tim turns 15.  But due to illness (mine) we don't celebrate until about two weeks later.  See my Happy Birthday Tim post & picspam here.
08.27.08 Family trip to Sunriver.  See post here.
09.07.08 J2 Soapbox Derby in Vancouver BC.  Jared and Jensen race each other for charity!  See posts here.
09.09.08 BuddyTV publishes a partial interview with the boys where it's said Jared & Jensen are living together.  See explosions here.
09.18.08 SPN Season 4 preimier episode Lazarus Rising airs.  See my reactions.
09.29.08 In which the universe kicks Karen soundly in the butt and tells her to get going.
10.17 thru 10.19.08 Three-day Creating The Life You Want workshop at the coast.
10.23.08 Amazing Eye of the Tiger Jensen performance.

00 | 07.15.08 - present | Impala Gold Variation.  Header by lierina . 
                                                Layout by me.


 
     

01 | 01.28.08 - 06.28.08 | Just Let Go by sweetgirl7808 
02 | 06.28.08 - 07.14.08 | Impala Gold.  Header by lierina . 
                                                  Layout by me.




       

01 | 09.08.08 - present  | SPN J2 Soapbox Sunglasses by apieceofcake 
02 | 06.02.08 - 09.08.07 | SPN Dean Dear LJ by noway_icons 
03 | 03.02.08 - 06.01.08| SPN Sam & Dean S3 DVDs by me
04 | 01.01.08 - 03.01.08 | Chatty by unknown




       

01 | 01.01.08 - present  | Shatner Pretty in Pink by unknown
02 | 05.01.08 - present  | SPN Dean Rock On by nyaubaby 
03 | 05.01.08 - present  | SPN Jared Dork by librarianstash 
04 | 04.01.08 - present  | SPN Jensen as Sam by me
05 | 05.01.08 - present  | SPN Jensen Green Eye by me

       

06 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Dean SAA Charter Member by me
07 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Dean Gargling by causette 
08 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Dean ?!? by dyslexia 
09 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Jensen Eyesparkle by stawberynvanila 
10 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Dean I Feel a Sin Coming On by gigglingkat 

       

11 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Jensen by mrsr58 
12 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Jensen-No Words by mrsr58 
13 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN J2-Adorable as Hell by mrsr58 
14 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN AVSC by mrsr58 
15 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Jensen Lips by mrsr58 

       

16 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Is It Thursday Yet? by schute23
17 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Boys Will be Boys by misty_creates 
18 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Dean Hates You by stealth__girl
19 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN J2 Magic Dance by caffienekitty 
20 | xx.xx.xx - present  | SPN Dean Dude by carmendove 

      

21 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Dean Don't Objectify Me by serenitysangel 
22 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Dean Over Shoulder by alchemilla 
23 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN J&J Soapbox by andune 
24 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN J2 Had the Time of My Life by mata090680 
25 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN J2 S3 gagreel dance by maichan0808

      

26 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Jensen Dramatic Chipmunk by speakfree 
27 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Jensen Kimono Dance by benitle 
28 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Ruby Deep Fried Crack by _cuethepulse 
29 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Sam Strap on Your Party Hat by mata090680 
30 | 09.29.08 - present  | SPN Sam The Antichrist Awakes by chal 

       

31 | 10.08.08 - present | J2 TV Guide S4 Promo #2 by apieceofcake 
32 | 10.08.08 - present | J2 TV Guide S4 Promo by apieceofcake 
33 | 10.08.08 - present | Jared TV Guide S4 Promo by apieceofcake 
34 | 10.08.08 - present | Darcy--It's so Involved Being Me by kaatie 
35 | 10.08.08 - present | SPN Castiel Thursday Cometh by maharet83 

       

36 | 10.24.08 - present | SPN Weird with Crazy On Top by raloria 
37 | 10.24.08 - present | SPN Jensen Eye of the Tiger I Did Good by angstpuppy 
38 | 10.24.08 - present | SPN Jensen Eye of the Tiger Jensen Rocks by dodger_winslow 
39 | 10.24.08 - present | SPN Jensen Eye of the Tiger Pointing by librarianstash 
40 | 11.02.08 - present | Canoe - Green by growyourwings 

       

41 | 11.02.08 - present | Autumn Leaves by growyourwings 
42 | 11.02.08 - present | Wonder & Whimsy by growyourwings 
43 | 11.02.08 - present | Autumn Sunflower by pkabyssinian 
44 | 11.02.08 - present | Autumn Equinox by pkabyssinian 
45 | 11.02.08 - present | Autumn Pomegranate by pkabyssinian 



46 | 11.02.08 - present | Artistry by dgtall   growyourwings

The Dark Knight (yes, again)

Bob and Tim just went off to see The Dark Knight.

I just sat down to my laptop which was still open on a search for TDK reviews. Some new items had been posted since I walked away.

Warner Brother's says TDK will definitely break the previous opening weekend numbers.

And several more reviews saying how outstanding the movie and Heath Ledger is.

And this from Blog Critics Magazine by Chris Beaumont...

The Dark Knight is a complex film. It does not offer up any easy answers, but instead adds layer upon layer of depth. The characters grow, breathe, change, develop, and become more than mere characters. All of the primary players take on important roles in a play that reaches Shakespearean heights, as they are forced to make more difficult decisions than they had ever had to make in their lives.

...

By now, you have probably read your fill of praise for Heath Ledger's performance. Critics must be sounding like a broken record, and let me tell you that the praise being doled out is much deserved. Heath Ledger is a force of nature; he commands your attention, he draws you in with a maniacal charisma. You dare not look away lest he turn his sights on you.

Hey! I thought Jensen Ackles is the force of nature! Oh well, I guess Heath can share the limelight a bit here. [SAA Moment Tagged.]

More from Beaumont...

The jaw-dropping performance, the way he commands attention, the way Heath poured himself into this role, everything points towards Oscar for Heath Ledger. It is a career defining performance, one that would have definitively placed him on the Hollywood map.

Another review I read this morning (can't remember where or which one) said that Heath just disappeared from the film...he *was* The Joker. I remembered thinking the same thing once or twice while watching the film.

Not to forget the other great performances in this film, Beaumont continues...

Christian Bale turns in yet another strong performance. He is fast becoming the definitive Batman. He has the skills and the presence to portray the conflicted Bruce Wayne, the emotionally tortured soul whose very existence is a battle within himself. Not only can Bale portray the emotional gravitas, he is more than capable of delivering the fisticuffs

....

Aaron Eckhart leads the charge as Harvey Dent, the new, take charge DA who is not afraid of putting himself in the line of fire, although he too is a conflicted soul waiting for a push in the right direction. Then there is Maggie Gyllenhaal, who steps into the role of Rachel Dawes vacated by Katie Holmes, and delivers. She carries a lot of emotional weight with ease. Not to be left out are the returning players from the first film, Michael Caine as Alfred, who is always ready with words of wisdom as well as possessing the wisdom to know when to deal with certain items (you will see in the film), Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon in a performance that gets you personally involved, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Bruce Wayne's chief gadget maker and confidant.

And Beaumont's bottom line..

Bottom line. I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is unrelentingly dark, but it is also emotionally involving as it takes you on a cerebral and visceral roller coaster through the darkened streets of Gotham. This is the finest film to reach the screens thus far this year, and one that actually deserves all of the praise it has received. From top to bottom, this is an amazing experience and one of the few summer blockbusters to work on this high an artistic level as opposed to just trying to deliver an enjoyable summer cinematic experience.

Paid account..finally did it

Took the plunge.  I now have a paid account with 105 icons!

Watch out. 

...um...  I guess I have to go find or make more icons now...