Morgan Freeman

‘The Dark Knight’ Returns to IMAX Theaters on Jan. 23, 2009

BrianTT — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:13:48 -0700

CHICAGO – You can celebrate the very likely Oscar nominations for “The Dark Knight” or lament the film’s snubbing by the academy by revisiting Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece in all of its IMAX glory starting this Friday on Jan. 23, 2009.

“The Dark Knight” will reopen at four theaters in the Chicagoland area: the Navy Pier IMAX in downtown Chicago, the Seven Bridges IMAX in Woodridge, Ill.; the Lincolnshire 20 in Lincolnshire, Ill.; and the Randall IMAX 15 in Batavia, Ill.

True Heath Ledger fans and “The Dark Knight” junkies may feel the need to see the film on opening night at Navy Pier because they will also be admitted to a special screening of “Batman Begins” at midnight for no additional cost. Yes, the 9 p.m. show of “The Dark Knight” at Navy Pier IMAX scores you tickets for this one-time event. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children and can be bought at the Navy Pier IMAX Web site.

Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ action drama “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: Stephen Vaughan

All across the country, Warner Bros. is bringing back the IMAX presentation of “The Dark Knight” to give audiences one more chance to see the film on the big screen.

Dan Fellman (president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures) said in a statement: “‘The Dark Knight’ is a crowning achievement in every sense of the word. We wanted to provide one more opportunity for moviegoers to experience it on the big screen as it was meant to be seen.”

Christopher Nolan has already received a Directors Guild of America (DGA) nomination and producers Nolan, Charles Roven and Emma Thomas have garnered a Producers Guild Award nomination. A Writers Guild of America (WGA) award nomination for best adapted screenplay has gone to Chris Nolan, Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer.

Cast member Heath Ledger received a Screen Actors Guild award nomination and has also won a Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award and numerous other critics groups’ awards for best supporting actor.

“The Dark Knight” also won the Critics’ Choice Award for best action film and swept the People’s Choice Awards in five categories including favorite movie and favorite cast. It will very likely score a number of Oscar nominations when they are announced on Jan. 22, 2009. Heath Ledger’s searing performance is a front runner for best supporting actor.

“The Dark Knight” is being rereleased by Warner Brothers Pictures and stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. It was written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan and directed by Christopher Nolan. It will be rereleased in IMAX theaters on Jan. 23, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Family of Heath Ledger Responds to ‘The Dark Knight’ Golden Globe Nomination

BrianTT — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:11:00 -0700

CHICAGO – Heath Ledger’s searing performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight” has been earning acclaim all year and the late actor landed a posthumous Golden Globe nomination this morning when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association revealed their choices for the best of 2008.

The family of Ledger responded this morning with a statement republished by People Magazine. The father of the nominee for best performance by an actor in a supporting role said, “We thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for honoring Heath’s performance in The Dark Knight.”

Kim Ledger went on to say, “This nomination is deeply appreciated and is not lost on those of us who continue to love and miss him. We are so proud our boy’s work is being recognized in this way.”

Heath Ledger stars as the Joker in “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros., copyright DC Comics

To win the posthumous Golden Globe award, Heath Ledger will have to beat both Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. from “Tropic Thunder”, Ralph Fiennes from “The Duchess”, and Philip Seymour Hoffman for “Doubt”. The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be broadcast live on NBC at 8 p.m. EST on January 11th from the Beverly Hilton.

Heath Ledger passed away on January 22nd from an accidental overdoe of prescription drugs in his New York apartment.

Heath Ledger has already been nominated for best actor for “The Dark Knight” from The Australian Film Institute and supporting actor from the Golden Satellite Awards. This morning’s Golden Globe nomination is the second for Ledger with the HFPA choosing him for his work in “Brokeback Mountain” in 2005, a nomination echoed by the Academy Awards that year.

Read about all of the Golden Globe nominees.

Get the details on the Dark Knight Blu-Ray release.

Check out Adam Fendelman’s Five-Star Review of The Dark Knight.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Dark Knight’ Excels Technically But Misses Special Features

BrianTT — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:32:54 -0700

CHICAGO – The most highly anticipated movie of the summer was also the most highly anticipated Blu-Ray release of the year and that was before the film had even hit theaters. The hype paid off in critical acclaim and commercial success, and audiences should be satisfied with “The Dark Knight” on Blu-Ray, if not quite as blown away as they were at the multiplex.

In one of the most brilliant marketing decisions of the year, Warner Brothers included the first six minutes of “The Dark Knight” in high-definition 1080p on their special edition Blu-Ray release of “Batman Begins” earlier this year, giving audiences a taste of what the sequel would look like on the next-gen format. Most of us, heavily under the influence of the incredible viral marketing and hype for the biggest movie of the decade, watched those six minutes more than any other part of the “Batman Begins” Blu-Ray release.

The Dark Knight is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 9, 2008.

After “The Dark Knight” made a billion dollars (give or take) around the world, a special edition Blu-Ray release was inevitable. But Warner Brothers was clearly caught in a double-dip dilemma. Would they release all of the special features and produce one of the best Blu-Ray releases of the year or hold back and release an inevitable even-more-special edition to coincide with the Batman film following “The Dark Knight”?

They went with the latter choice. “The Dark Knight” is a technically beautiful Blu-Ray release, but the selection of special features and their execution is consistently frustrating and not up to the caliber of the movie itself.

With “The Dark Knight”, Warner Brothers has made two things clear. 1.) They are very interested in the potential of BD-Live, a special feature that could truly revolutionize the home viewing market and, in turn, the theatrical one. 2.) They’re going to ask for your money twice. There are just too many missing special features on “The Dark Knight” to not assume that they’ll be back for more. Come to terms with that, and you’ll enjoy “The Dark Knight” on Blu-Ray. But just know that it’s a placeholder.

As for the film itself, it would be hyperbolic overkill to review it for too long. “The Dark Knight” is the best superhero movie ever made. It’s what is often referred to as a game-changer - a movie that changes the genre forever. A new bar has been set. For more on the greatness of the film itself, check out HollywoodChicago.com publisher Adam Fendelman’s 5-star review.

The Dark Knight is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 9, 2008.

The most positively remarkable thing about the Blu-Ray release of “The Dark Knight” is that it represents perhaps Warner Brothers’ best video transfer to date. This studio led the way in standard definition, but backed the wrong army in the HD war and has only been doing Blu-Ray since the merciful end of that conflict.

But they have quickly risen to the top in Blu-Ray as well with “The Dark Knight” representing the apex of that rise. Put simply, the 1080p High Definition 16x9 Variable 2.40:1 and 1.78:1 (IMAX Sequences) video transfer is flawless. Films with as much darkness as “Knight” often lose the clarity of their color. Blacks blend into blues and browns aren’t as distinct as they should be. And it’s not surprising to see visual noise or loss of clarity in the dark backgrounds. NONE of that is apparent in the transfer of “The Dark Knight”. Stores looking to sell more Blu-Ray players this holiday season need only show this on a 24/7 loop.

And stereo stores should play it too. Sound is such a crucial part of director Christopher Nolan’s vision and the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track on “The Dark Knight” is perfectly mixed. Turn it up loud, wake the neighbors, and enjoy.

Before we get into what special features are included and their quality - a general note. “The Dark Knight” comes with no commentary tracks, no deleted scenes, and a bizarre selection of featurettes that miss the mark in providing a full look at what went into making and marketing this masterpiece. It’s not as much a case of what IS there being bad, it’s just poorly arranged and incomplete.

The Dark Knight is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 9, 2008.

The most interesting aspect of the special features for “The Dark Knight” is the attempt at interactivity. Users can provide their own video commentary and share it with their friends via BD-Live. Now your interpretation of “The Dark Knight” can be heard by all. BD-Live also allows for live chats with filmmakers, exclusive content not on the disc itself and more trailers for WB product than your average multiplex.

When I accessed it, all I got was the preview for the movie on a constant loop for a while. There are clearly some kinks still being worked out. Once that was cleared up, there are some interesting extras available for stream, including some pretty cool animated short films (that buffered forever but eventually played) and more behind-the-scenes information.

As for what is included, Warner Brothers has unwisely gone from including scene-specific featurettes picture-in-picture, as they had been most of this year, to something new called “Focus Points”. When they’re activated, a gold disc will appear in the upper corner of the movie when there’s a related featurette available. So, instead of watching the movie and having the b-t-s features available automatically, you’ll have to hold your remote in your hand the entire time. It’s a stupid change.

The entirety of the “Focus Points” can be watched in one, hour-long sitting under the banner, “Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene”. There are 18 mini-featurettes with relatively self-explanatory titles. They are “The Prologue”, “The New Bat-Suit”, “Joker Theme”, “Hong Kong Jump”, “Judge’s Car Blows Up”, “Challenges of the Chase, In IMAX”, “SWAT Van Into River”, “Miniature Unit”, “Destruction of Batmobile”, “Bat-Pod”, “Helicopter Crash”, “Truck Flip”, “MCU Explosion”, “Lamborghini Crash”, “Hospital Explosion”, “Mob Car Flip”, “String of Sausages Stunt”, and “Upping the Ante”.

The Dark Knight is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 9, 2008.

The second disc includes three featurettes, galleries, and trailers. Here’s where the missing pieces - no deleted scenes, comprehensive documentary, etc. - come into clear focus. The “Behind the Story” section includes two 45-minute featurettes called “Batman Tech” about the gadgets of the film and “Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight” about the history of the damaged hero. “Gotham Tonight” is a 46-minute collection of news broadcasts that were partially seen in the background of the film. It’s a lot of time with Anthony Michael Hall. All the excellent trailers and marketing materials are included in galleries.

“The Dark Knight” is one of the best movies of 2008 with one of the best video/audio transfers in the history of the Blu-Ray format. Those two things alone make it a must-buy, even if it’s pretty clear that you’re going to be asked to buy it twice.

‘The Dark Knight’ is released by Warner Brothers on DVD/Blu-Ray and stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Gary Oldman. It was written by Jonathan Nolan and directed by Christopher Nolan. It was released on December 9th, 2008.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘The Dark Knight’ Slideshow: 10-Image Gallery of New DVD, Blu-Ray Collector’s Sets

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:57:49 -0700

CHICAGO – In anticipation of the DVD and Blu-ray release of “The Dark Knight” on Dec. 9, 2008, we now have high-quality collector’s set images for your viewing pleasure and details about where to get them.

“The Dark Knight” from director Chris Nolan stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Chin Han, Eric Roberts and Anthony Michael Hall.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All image credits for this “The Dark Knight” slideshow are from here and here.

thedarkknight1: Best Buy will have a collector’s set in DVD and Blu-ray with a scaled-down version of the mask Heath Ledger wore as the Joker in the opening bank-robbery scene.
thedarkknight2: Best Buy will have a collector’s set in DVD and Blu-ray with a scaled-down version of the mask Heath Ledger wore as the Joker in the opening bank-robbery scene.
thedarkknight3: Best Buy will have a collector’s set in DVD and Blu-ray with a scaled-down version of the mask Heath Ledger wore as the Joker in the opening bank-robbery scene.
thedarkknight4: The steelbook version of the DVD and Blu-ray case, which will be available from Futureshop in Canada and FYE in the U.S.
thedarkknight5: The steelbook version of the DVD and Blu-ray case, which will be available from Futureshop in Canada and FYE in the U.S.
thedarkknight6: Walmart will sell a gift set for Harvey Dent believers. The two-disc DVD has his luck coin and a comic book.
thedarkknight7: A Blu-ray release for “The Dark Knight” with a scale model of the batpod.
thedarkknight8: “The Dark Knight” Blu-ray.
thedarkknight9: “The Dark Knight” Blu-ray.
thedarkknight10: “The Dark Knight” DVD.

Read our comprehensive film review of “The Dark Knight”.

See our 35-image “The Dark Knight” red-carpet slideshow.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

‘The Dark Knight’ Bestows Role of a Lifetime For Heath Ledger, Epic Proportions For Itself

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:01:00 -0600

CHICAGO – With only three short words comprising the film’s enigmatic title, “The Dark Knight” also boasts three epic claims to fame: the role of a lifetime for the late Heath Ledger as the hauntingly deranged Joker, one of the best films of 2008 and one of the greatest superhero films of all time.

In a year when Hollywood has the superhero woody comparable to when westerns where the greatest thing since sliced bread, “The Dark Knight” not only fares well against blockbuster competition with films like “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk” but also manages to rise above chartbuster status into a whole new league of undisputed justice.

FULL REVIEW
Read Adam Fendelman’s full “The Dark Knight” review.

RELATED IMAGE GALLERIES
View our exclusive Chicago red-carpet slideshow.
View our full, high-resolution “The Dark Knight” image gallery.

RELATED READING
Read our comprehensive news on “The Dark Knight”.
More film reviews from critic Adam Fendelman.

Rating: 5.0/5.0
(rarely perfect)

Though a decidedly dark and outcast Batman is the heart behind the marketing machine for “The Dark Knight” from writer and director Christopher Nolan (who also directed the film’s first iteration in 2005 entitled “Batman Begins”), Christian Bale in the seminal role has his show stolen by Ledger’s villain.

While to some it may be surprising to classify Bale’s performance as “B” list and Ledger’s as “A+” list, you almost feel modesty in Bale’s screen time to honor the true man of this film’s 142 minutes.

While “The Dark Knight” completed principal photography prior to Ledger’s death, Bale delivers an intricately muted role as compared to Ledger. While entwined with the power inherent in his superhero marauding, Bale’s also humbled from working with another man who was delivering the culmination of his life’s work.

Health Ledger disappears so convincingly and completely into the Joker that you struggle to remember him in anything else.

This is a telling testament to an illustrious – albeit too short – career of an actor who memorably broke free in transformative roles in films including “Brokeback Mountain”. Nolan – who for this film was significantly influenced by the 1995 film “Heat” – says he selected Ledger for the focal Joker role based on his “fearlessness”.

Ledger’s Joker is developed to the finest of details even down to his unruly tongue action and the sounds of his excess saliva. Moreover, Nolan and co-writing brother Jonathan Nolan (David S. Goyer was also integral in the film’s story) deliver to Ledger the best profundities of any talent in the star-studded film.

“The Dark Knight,” which is directed by Christopher Nolan and features Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall, Colin McFarlane, Joshua Harto, Michael Jai White and William Fichtner, will open everywhere on July 18, 2008 in traditional theaters and in IMAX. The film will show in IMAX for a continuous 72 hours for its opening Chicago weekend.

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “The Dark Knight” review. View our exclusive red-carpet coverage of “The Dark Knight” in Chicago.

Heath Ledger stars as the Joker in “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros., copyright DC Comics

Gary Oldman at Chicago’s Navy Pier for the red-carpet premiere of “The Dark Knight” on July 16, 2008. In the film, Oldman plays Lt. James Gordon.
Original photography for HollywoodChicago.com by Kris Kasperek of iKLiKphoto

Christian Bale as Batman on his Batpod in “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: Warner Bros., copyright DC Comics

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “The Dark Knight” review. View our exclusive red-carpet coverage of “The Dark Knight” in Chicago.

‘Wanted’ With Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy Concocts Curving Bullet in Gluttonously Entertaining Blockbuster

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:01:00 -0600

CHICAGO – With curving, clinking and kissing bullets, “Wanted” indeed does Chicago proud. And Angelina Jolie sells it. And Morgan Freeman is ominous. And in his body of work, James McAvoy – the star of this orgasmic summer blockbuster – becomes a man.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Many Chicagoans have been keenly aware of the film’s local filming throughout downtown Chicago and Broadview, Ill.

After also focusing its filming lens throughout the Czech Republic and Hungary, Chicago’s prominence reigns surprisingly dominant and central to the film’s assassin-based plot of one “apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice”.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “Wanted” in our reviews section.

View our huge, high-resolution “Wanted” image gallery.

Listen to our episode-two podcast on “Wanted” and more.

Read more news on “Wanted”.

James McAvoy is the man of the hour, and in a short 110 minutes, is handed a Hollywood renovation from an initially fear-laden, listless boy to a surgically precise killer who’d give Matt Damon’s character (Jason Bourne) in “The Bourne Ultimatum” a fight for his life.

“Wanted” features Chicago front and center not only in its aesthetics but also central to its high-adrenaline pacing and action sequences. The Universal Pictures film needed exactly this big-city, fast-action feel to haunt McAvoy with the necessary vibrations in his quest to decide who he really is.

While “Wanted” is chock full of innovation – especially in its fight sequences and “The Matrix”-inspired special effects on ludicrously entertaining Hollywood steroids – the film at times still falls victim to the traditional stereotypes of what you’d expect in an assassin action-thriller with an ever-increasing death count.

“Wanted,” which was pushed back to a June 27, 2008 release date from an initial March 28, 2008 plan, won’t accrue the high marks and huge numbers it deserves because of its story alone. This is an outright action fest of sensory enchantment, carnal killing and orgasmic delight.

“Wanted,” which opened everywhere on June 27, 2008, stars James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Common and David O’Hara.

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Wanted” review.

Fox (Angelina Jolie) shoots from the driver’s side of her Dodge Viper in the action-thriller that tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice in “Wanted”.
Photo credit: Universal Pictures

James McAvoy as Wesley in the action-thriller that tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice in “Wanted”.
Photo credit: Jaap Buitendijk

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Wanted” review.

Chicago’s Navy Pier to Feature ‘72 Hours of Batman’ For ‘The Dark Knight’ IMAX Premiere

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:08:17 -0600

CHICAGO – “The Dark Knight,” which for hordes of moviegoers across the U.S. is 2008’s most anticipated film, won’t just open on July 18, 2008 in Chicago to everyday fanfare. It was announced on Wednesday that the film will have “72 hours of Batman” that weekend at Chicago’s Navy Pier for its IMAX version.

Beginning with the first public showing at midnight on Friday, July 18 (late Thursday night), the film will show consecutively all weekend until late Sunday, July 20 (the midnight show). As well, various Batman-themed games, contests and prizes will add to the buzz throughout the weekend.

A scene from “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: The New York Times on March 9, 2008

Just in time for Father’s Day, tickets for every show that weekend go on sale this Thursday, June 12. Because it’s IMAX, the price is jacked up a bit to $15 for adults or $13 for children. Tickets can be obtained at http://www.imax.com/chicago. This is the film’s description:

“The Dark Knight” reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne. Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of lieutenant Jim Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets.

The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker.

The film also stars Academy Award winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) as Alfred; Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger (“Brokeback Mountain”) as arch villain The Joker; Gary Oldman as lieutenant Jim Gordon; Aaron Eckhart as district attorney Harvey Dent; Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes; and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) as Lucius Fox.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

New Poster Surfaces For ‘The Dark Knight’: ‘Welcome to a World Without Rules’

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:49:18 -0600

CHICAGO – The Joker played nice on Thursday and delivered new fan fruit for “The Dark Knight”: a movie poster sporting the new statement “welcome to a world without rules”. He used his popular viral site WhySoSerious.com to unleash the award.

Feast your eyes on the new poster below. View a high-resolution version here. View our full image gallery here for “The Dark Knight”. Read our extensive “The Dark Knight” coverage here. Stay tuned for another marvel in four days, too, which is speculated to be a new trailer.

This new poster for “The Dark Knight” was revealed on April 24, 2008 from a WhySoSerious.com viral marketing campaign. View a high-resolution version here.
Image credit: Warner Bros.

“The Dark Knight” from Warner Bros., which features Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy and Anthony Michael Hall, is scheduled to hit theaters everywhere on July 18, 2008.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Three Months Early, First Review For ‘The Dark Knight’ Surfaces Online

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:05:10 -0600

CHICAGO – With today being April 9, 2008 and with “The Dark Knight” scheduled to open on July 18, 2008, the difference between the two dates, of course, is more than three months. Even so, the first review for the monolithically anticipated film has just hit the Web in Portuguese.

Contributor Alexandre Winck for the respected Batman site Batman-on-Film.com reports that the review comes from a “well-known blog in Brazil” that’s part of the “largest media corporation” there, which is known as Globo. Winck says the author is a “respected journalist”. While the translation into English is a bit rough, you’ll get the gist. The following information may contain spoilers.

Director Chris Nolan on the set of “The Dark Knight”.
Photo credit: Released by the New York Times on March 9, 2008

My secret agent between the Armani suits saw a super private session for “The Dark Knight” and came out drooling. It will be a great success, he guarantees.

The gadgets – especially the [Batpod], [which is] responsible for an acclaimed action sequence – are crazy and Heath Ledger might receive a deserved [award?] for his Joker. [He is] a mixture of a fool/clown, schizophrenic, sadistic and crazy.

The guy delivered, got himself into the role and it’s unrecognizable. There will be no other Joker after him.

Many great scenes. Impeccable effects. Music and sounds pretty loud, but helping the story. They have a heartbeat they use in a sensational way [that helps to anticipate] the next scene [as] a psychological trigger [like in “Jaws”].

The cast is awesome. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman [steal] scenes in which all are present. Maggie Gyllenhaal [is] fantastic replacing Katie Holmes and Aaron Eckhart [is] a great surprise as the politician with a heart of gold whose personality changes after a horrible accident.

Another surprise is Eric Roberts as the mobster he knows so well how to do. Christian Bale [is] solid as ever [and] cool since Bruce Wayne is a rich playboy and Batman is the opposite. The film plays a lot with this duality. All the characters are complex, [have] ambiguities [and are] very interesting and delicate.

The humor … is totally dark. The movie is very dark and, in this version, a little too long. [It] will blow [everyone] away.

Due to its sensitivity, part of the next sentence is whited out in case you don’t want to read it. If you do, select it with your mouse.

Another scene … with Ledger [as] the Joker playing dead inside a body bag caused adverse reactions in the audience for obvious reasons. It will possibly be cut.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Super Bowl Spot For Chicago-Filmed ‘Wanted’ Surfaces Online

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:18:00 -0700

CHICAGO – You don’t have to wait until Sunday, Feb. 3 to watch the official Super Bowl spot for “Wanted,” which was filmed in part in Chicago and stars Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. The spot just appeared online at Yahoo! Movies. For your convenience and viewing pleasure, we’ve uploaded the new spot to YouTube and embedded it below.

We have also created a new Angelina Jolie screenshot from this spot and have it for you below.

Angelina Jolie in “Wanted” from the 2008 Super Bowl spot.
Screenshot created by Adam Fendelman, HollywoodChicago.com

See our Dec. 6, 2007 “Wanted” coverage where we report on why the film’s release date was pushed back.

Click here for our huge “Wanted” image gallery!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com