Matt spends two DARK KNIGHT'S this week on Blu-Ray, with many more to come!

The first time I saw THE DARK KNIGHT, I was left completely and truly speechless. Now I knew going in it was going to be something special. Those early trailers we first caught glimpses of 12 months ago showed what an exciting movie Christopher Nolan looked to have created, a confidence and a "no holding back" attitude he brought to the table which took the cuffs firmly off his work in BATMAN BEGINS. In the months leading up to the release it was impossible not to be sucked into the hyperbole surrounding THE DARK KNIGHT and in particular Heath Ledger's performance but once the credits rolled, I couldn't talk. I couldn't speak, I honestly couldn't believe I had seen that kind of movie that dealt with my favourite literary character, it went way beyond my admittedly insane expectations. In BEGINS, I always felt Nolan was a little restraint in what he gave us because he felt he needed to re-introduce a character who had become lost in the absurdity that was Joel Schmacher's BATMAN & ROBIN. He was more interested in making a good origin story for Batman, than necessarily the best film he could make with the character. For THE DARK KNIGHT, the gloves were off, the bigger budget and bigger scope of the story didn't seem to hinder him like it would many of his peers. He made the best movie he could, saving nothing for a third movie. He made the best movie he could make right now. Which is why it is so great. They weren't pandering for a part three. I came home, I felt like telling all those trolls, all those non-believers who I had to put up with over the years who said Batman would never make it back to the big screen, a BIG F U! All those that said Batman was a "dead" character of no value, as dead as the dodo. Even those that said BATMAN BEGINS was boring and not "the BATMAN they are used to". Well now I can always shove THE DARK KNIGHT into their faces. This is the complete on screen realisation of the character Bob Kane created in 1939 and I honestly don't think it will ever get better than this, no matter how many more movies they shoot in Gotham. THE DARK KNIGHT went beyond the comic book movie and into something else entirely. A movie that you aren't embarrassed to say could be the best sequel ever made. You don't flinch about talking about it in the same breadth as THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK or THE GODFATHER PART II. There's so many moments that haunt you for hours after viewing it, so many images that are now part of our popular culture of film and will stand the test of time. It's the movie that cements the name Christopher Nolan into cinematic lore. In 10 years time, probably a lot sooner... his name is going to be as well known in households as a Alfred Hitchcock or a Stanley Kubrick. He is the best filmmaker in the business today, no doubt. And his movies are changing the landscape of cinema. He is yet to make a bad one and in MEMENTO and THE DARK KNIGHT, he has made possibly two of the most significant movies of the decade. Nolan called Heath Ledger "fearless" when he cast him as The Joker and ya know, I think he reminded himself of himself. Nolan is truly fearless, the ambition he shows with shooting scenes completely in IMAX is going to influence a lot people. This is a distinguished and polished movie, if it wasn't about a costumed set of characters we won't even be thinking twice about this movie being nominated for Best Picture. It is that good. But you know that already, I can't imagine there is too many people reading this who haven't seen the movie yet. It made almost $1 billion after all. I have now seen THE DARK KNIGHT enough times I have to count it on two hands. I have seen the movie more times than I see most movies in my lifetime, even the ones I really enjoy. And that's an amazing statement considering it opened less than five months ago in theatres and I've only had this Blu-Ray transfer for a few days. And Blu-Ray is truly how you should enjoy this masterpiece. The picture quality is incredible, I heard they were sending out Blu-Ray screeners to the Academy for this movie and it's such a wise idea because the cinematography of Wally Pfister looks stunning here. And being able to see the movie shift aspect ratio for the bigger scope for the IMAX shots and back to the 35mm ratio is not as distracting as you would think. It actually gives the movie this weird feeling of being tighter when it comes to the scenes inside the city after the big expansive wide shots, more dramatic and cinematic. I still wish Nolan had recorded an audio commentary but the 18 behind-the-scenes video shorts are pretty comprehensive. I know Nolan doesn't like doing commentaries so at least he has taken the time out to record one of these. In a perfect world of course Jonathan Nolan, David Goyer, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman (his track on SE7EN is pretty cool), a film historian, a Batman expert or whatever could have been used for several commentary tracks. But alas, maybe that can be saved for another day? Of course you do have the option recording your own commentary and download others using your Blu-Ray Internet Connection. Maybe one day we will start seeing several audio commentaries which we can download of high quality? Hey, maybe I should record one Buy it now. It will be the most worthwhile purchase you will make this Christmas, I'm almost certain of that. I can't imagine any film fan not wanting this under the tree, that's if they can wait that long to grab it! THE DARK KNIGHT IS OUT THIS WEEK ON BLU-RAY