Oh my god, those Coraline boxes are sheer genius, and what a marketing coup they are, too. Raises my hopes for the movie, indeed.

If various bloggers are getting them, I have this hope that Jilli would get one for Gothic Charm School.

but the starkness of the ending was just about Gotham and Bruce and Batman and Harvey and Two Face. Oh, and Jim Gordon.

As a crazed Batman fangirl, I was *stunned* by how grim TDK was. And -- I read the comics still. I had no illusions that Batman was going to be an Adam West throwback. The comics are pretty grim, but still, TDK was unrelentingly grim.

Which it *had* to be to tell that story (which I maintain was really Harvey Dent's story all along, just as Batman Begins was Jim Gordon's story), but my god. I still haven't watched it again.

I came out of TDK reeling and babbling. I loved Batman Begins, despite a few issues with the length, but TDK blew me away. I know what you mean about watching it again, though -- I want to, but I feel like I need to ready this time.

It is very much Harvey Dent's story, I think. Totally agree.

Oh, I hope jilli gets one too!

That would totally rock.

Which it *had* to be to tell that story (which I maintain was really Harvey Dent's story all along, just as Batman Begins was Jim Gordon's story),

Lemme ask you though, Tep-- did you buy Harvey's complete fall from grace? This idea that he had been the "uncorruptable one?" That was kind of my one quibble with it-- that I saw glimmers of Harvey's dark side and I didn't completely buy him as the White Knight character that he's supposed to be, to make the fall into darkness that much more a victory for the Joker.

Mind you, I haven't seen it since I saw it in the theatre back in July and Lewis just bought it on Blu-Ray (he hasn't see it yet) so I expect we'll be watching it in the next couple of weeks. Maybe my mind will have changed by then.

that I saw glimmers of Harvey's dark side

But isn't that why he had the nickname of two-face before he got it burned off? Everybody saw glimmers of Harvey's dark side.

Yeah, but he got the name two-faced because he was trying to catch dirty cops. It's the kind of phrase you use to try and tar someone with the same brush, when you're actually the one in the wrong.

Like I said, I have to see it again, but I thought one of the biggest themes throughout this particular film adaptation was the idea that Harvey was absolutely uncorruptable and that's why he was such a tempting target for the Joker.

I don't think it was that he was uncorruptable. Or actually, I don't really think he was corrupted. He was pretty much driven mad by what happened, and he pursued revenge with the same fervor that he'd pursued justice.

If Jilli got one of those boxes, we'd hear the squeeing from the East Coast, no need for B.Org or LJ to carry the news.

Good assessment.

I too was impressed all to hell by TDK. It was gutting, though, on a number of levels. Brilliant stuff.

(And, randomly, I remember being struck at one point by how bloody many unAmericans were in the movie. Well, okay, I was thinking Brits, but then there's Heath too... really, it would serve me right if the next Doctor Who were played by an American. Or Claudia Black. Because Bruce Wayne is being played by a Welshman. Fair play.)

Meanwhile, I've just been to see Inkheart, and I enjoyed it immensely. It's a couple of years since I read the book, so I didn't have that whole jarring-comparison-with-text thing going on; afaic, it was a cracking adaptation. I have a considerable fondness for Brendan Fraser, but it was a splendid cast, and I think that I may need shirtless!firejuggling!Paul Bettany to be shown every Christmas. Farid was terribly disarming, although it's a shame they couldn't find anyone remotely Arabic to play him. Still, pretty, and I'm shallow. (Also, I think that I need Dustfinger/Farid slash. Stat. And then some.) And Jennifer Connolly played Paul Bettany's character's love interest! Which was sweet, I thought. Bless. And Andy Serkis! OMG, I love him SO MUCH! With his lovely pretty eyes and his fabulous delivery and his INTENSITY, God he's good. He's really, really bloody good, and I'm always delighted to see him on screen. And this time he was all bald, and I kept thinking: "Gollum! It's Gollum!" And wanting to hug him and squeeze him and call him George. Bless.

Ahem. In conclusion: fun movie. Good cast. Pretty scenery. Hit a number of my kink buttons. (Reading, writing, ink letters scrawled on skin, shirtless Paul Bettany being angsty and bonding with a pretty boy... Er - that last bit's a new kink button. Well, the Bettanyness of it is, at any rate.)