BREAKING: The Godfather has been assassinated by the Joker

[charlie and algernon]

The Dark Knight is now the #1 movie of all time over at IMDB.com. Assassinating the long entrenched Godfather with an amazing 9.5 out of 10!!

http://www.imdb.com/chart/top?tt0468569

[KitchenWitch]

1. GEEZ post a spoiler warning on that!

:D

[charlie and algernon]

3. ah yes, the climatic battle between Vito Corleone and the Joker.

Classic movie making. I especially loved when the Joker said "Leave the Canoli, take the gun."

[jobycom]

6. The severed Penguin's head in Sal's sheets was a bit much.

:shrug:

[sasquatch]

2. Sweet Jesus

Well it is the prime candidate to knock off the champ.

[charlie and algernon]

4. idk, i was always hoping Shawshank would mount the charge

Shawshank had it briefly recently but was retaken shortly thereafter.

[jobycom]

5. It will fall, but probably not really far.

I think this is a film for the ages.

Some of its popularity is because of Heath Ledger's death, but even without that, it's impressive. It may be one of those films that changes ideas about filmmaking for years. It's smart, it's relevant, it's exciting, and it says something. It's a sign that Americans are tired of mindless pablum and are looking for art with substance again.

When I saw it, the audience connected with it, in a rare way. Felt like being a part of something, without class or ideology or age or any division. Haven't felt that in a long time, in a theater or anywhere.

[charlie and algernon]

7. i think it stays in the top 10, certianly top 20

the lord of the rings all started high in the top 10 and have since worked their way down to 14, 20, and 31. I think TDK stays in the top 10, probably settle into 8 or 9. Of course we could both be wrong and TDK stays the number 1 movie of all time as people start to see beyond the circus around Heath Ledger and the story of crime and corruption underneath it all.

[jobycom]

8. I think it'll be top 10 for a while. Maybe forever, who knows?

It's better than at least half the top 20. When you get into that top 10, it's hard to pick an order anyway.

It's not just the story of crime and corruption, it's the look into the darkness of the soul, and what desperation and fear and grief can make a person do. And what limits there should be in fighting such evil. Batman Begins had a criminal so bent on fighting evil that he was willing to slaughter an entire city to kill its criminals. Perfect commentary on Iraq and Afghanistan, but so well done it could equally apply to what our enemies do to us.

"The Dark Knight" shows a city so gripped in fear that it turns on itself, and a hero so troubled that he is on the verge of becoming the enemy he fought in the last battle. The villain is a true terrorist, unconcerned with any goals or outcomes, including his own life. He is only interested in destruction. Perfect commentary on someone like Bin Laden, which makes the moral struggles of the three heroes equivalent to America's reaction to catch him. What limits are there? Torture? Vigilante killing? Revenge? Does the hero have the right to violate everyone else to save them?

And the climactic battle with the victims on the boat... I don't want to give even a hint of spoiler. But that was powerful.

And Christopher Nolan gave no firm answers. He let the questions be the answers, and left all answers with some validity. It wasn't a sermon, it was an exploration of chaos and extremes, and of order. And of the human soul. And there was no moral ambigity, just an ambiguity of action.

Like the Godfather movies, really, only more relevant to now. Amazing film.

[charlie and algernon]

9. this movie is going to be huge like we haven't seen

In my small town, both the 10:20 and 10:50 shows were sold out tonight. I sat in the back of the 10:50 show and watched everyone on the edge of their seats whenever the joker made an appearance. It's going to knock Titanic out of the water and it's going to hold a spot in the top 10 for a loooong time.

[jobycom]

10. Argh. The Titanic comparison.

Remember, for a year or two that was considered by many to be the greatest film ever? Now half the world claims they hated it (I guess they were dragged to the theaters under duress). It's the "Thriller" phenomena--great success brings great loathing. I hope this film doesn't go down like that.

[charlie and algernon]

11. oh I mean, knock Titantic out of the highest grossing movie of all time