Cinecity Top 10 Poll – 2008 – The Dark Knight

With the festival looming, CINECITY has announced it build up campaign, and what kind of movie fan Brightonian would I be if I didn’t get involved. But what is it all about? Read on…

CineCity 2012, Brighton Film Festival is approaching, and from 15th November to 2nd December the City will be taken over by films fans attending events in 10 venues including the ever brilliant Duke of York’s Picturehouse. This yearn is a special one as it is the 10th edition. To help with the build up, the boffins behind the festival have asked us fans to come up with our TOP 10 FILMS OF THE LAST 10 YEARS. I have decided to run a series of 10 posts with a feature on my favorite film from the chosen year.

But what would you choose? Why not get involved yourself. All you have to do is tweet, facebook message, or blog your top 10 films of the last 10 years and include the hashtag

The top films will be compiled and the results will be announced during the festival, but do not panic I will report back here to announce the winners to those of your overseas.

But remember to see your fave, get involved!!

The Dark Knight (2008)

‘2008’ was a booming year for SUPER HERO and comic movies. We were blasted with an Action-packed ‘The Incredible Hulk’, a funny and entertaining ‘Iron Man’ and a freaky yet beautiful ‘Hell Boy 2’. But then along came one to silence them all. It was more action packed, deeper, darker, and possibly even freakier. Christopher Nolan’s Gotham City epic is the film that has stayed with me as the best film from 2008 not only amongst its peers but also overall. It is a rich, complex and visually thrilling piece of cinematic entertainment stronger than any other comic book movie we had ever seen. For the first time in Comic Book Movie history a film actually picked up some major awards at the Oscars, one for the deceased Heath Ledger and his turn as the Joker, and the other for Sound editing.

Many people dismissed the film as simply a comic book movie, saying it is not worthy of any merit. In my opinion it is a richly textured Drama/Action/Adventure film that is incredibly gritty and realistic albeit it with super villains and costumed heroes.

Filled to the rafters with an A-List cast that includes Christian Bale as the intimidating caped crusader and the flamboyant and arrogant Bruce Wayne and Gary Oldman as the righteous and just James Gordon. But, it is the late Heath Ledger that really shines throughout. I was concerned about it before seeing the film, thinking it was just Hollywood buzz after his death that was elevating his performance to way above its station. But I sat there on my first viewing completely dumb struck. Ledger is scary, mad, dark and psychotic. Heath Ledger IS The Joker. Everything I had read growing up reading comic like The Killing Joke was being breathed to life by the now deceased actor. Gone are the camp and comic elements that we saw in the 60s TV Show and even in Tim Burton’s original film, replaced with chaos and fear. He is intense and vibrant… for once the buzz was right.

The style and tone of the film is so much improved on the first Nolan outing. Batman Begins felt real, but this one feels even more so. It was the first Batman film NOT to feature the name Batman in the title, yet it is the best ever Batman film to date.

There is something special about the second film of a trilogy, much like Empire Strikes Back this is easily the best of the Nolan Batman Trio.

Our previous instalments can be found here -

2002 - Talk to Her

2003 – Mystic River

2004 – Sideways

2005 – Walk The Line

2006 – Pans Labyrinth

2007 – There Will Be Blood

CINECITY BRIGHTON FILM FESTIVAL WILL RUN FROM 15TH NOVEMBER TO 2ND DECEMBER 2012 FOR MORE INFO VISIT THEHOMEPAGE HERE