The entire movie is structured as a character study and dissection of character and motive. There's little else besides character development. The action is just window dressing and even it only serves to advance the predonimantly character driven plot. I'm sorry, that's the only time I've ever seen this film criticized for its defining aspect.

Blu-ray is actually experiencing a far warmer welcome by an already more tech savvy consumer market than DVD experienced throughout the same time period of its launch a decade ago. Its not only not dying, the format has a heretofore unseen push by the major studios who have dumped so much money and effort into its becoming the next defacto video format they've basically (and prematurely) pulled the plug on their own DVD brands to usher in, by force, this new format. So far, consumers have acclimated nicely. The further push into HD becoming more mainstream accessible will only see growth for blu-ray. Is this a good thing? Not necessarily. As a blu-ray collector, I'd be just as pleased to see the SD DVD format survive for the foreseeable future with blu-ray acting to serious film aficionados the way laserdisc acted next to VHS. Things have grown faster than I originally anticipated.

Of course they are, and very few other films this past year deserve the accolades I hope The Dark Knight reaps by hitting the refresh button.

WB to Re-Release The Dark Knight Jan. 23

Warner Bros. Pictures is bringing The Dark Knight back for a return engagement in theaters and IMAX on January 23, 2009, giving audiences one more chance to see the film on the big screen. The film will re-open nationwide, it was announced today by Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution.

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, "'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."

One of the most celebrated and successful films of this or any year, The Dark Knight has been hailed by both critics and audiences since its original release last July. The film garnered widespread acclaim for its artistic and technical achievements, including the work of its outstanding cast and its director, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Christopher Nolan (Memento).

Led by Christian Bale, reprising his role from Batman Begins, and Academy Award® nominee Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain), the ensemble cast also includes Academy Award® winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules), Gary Oldman (the "Harry Potter" films), Aaron Eckhart (Thank You for Smoking), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Stranger Than Fiction), and Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby).

In addition, critics and moviegoers alike applauded Nolan's revolutionary use of IMAX cameras to film some of the most challenging action sequences ever created—a first for a major feature film.

Nolan directed The Dark Knight from a screenplay written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Charles Roven, Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan produced the film, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers.

Collaborating with Nolan behind the scenes were two-time Oscar®-nominated director of photography Wally Pfister (The Prestige, Batman Begins), Oscar®-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley (The Prestige), Oscar®-nominated editor Lee Smith (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (Topsy-Turvy). The music is by Oscar® winner and multiple Oscar® nominee Hans Zimmer (The Lion King, Gladiator) and seven-time Oscar® nominee James Newton Howard (Michael Clayton, The Fugitive), who previously collaborated on the score for Batman Begins.

Originally released on July 18, 2008, The Dark Knight broke virtually every possible box office record to become the top-grossing film of 2008 and the second-highest grossing movie (domestically) of all time.

Source: Warner Bros. Pictures

Seen it multiple times, am picking up the blu-ray, and will still be seeing it again in theaters. I'm pumped for this re-release.