Well - fanboy hearts rejoice - your beloved The Dark Knight might in fact be headed for Best Picture Nomination history. Now before you get excited about it actually winning (which I think I can say with certainty that it won't) you should prepare your hearts for a smaller jump of joy: you have a shot to sink the Titanic (all over again). While TDK didn't quite build up enough steam to battle the Titanic's mondo boffo Box Office record - all that changes now. Like the Titanic, which benefited from a rerelease after Oscar nomination, TDK will probably see a similar reswarm into your local theater. Have a lazy afternoon to blow? TDK it. Don't feel like going to work? TDK it.
After all - after today all of the hullaballoo about Barack vs. McCain will be over (one way...or the other) and we'll need some other conflict to occupy our time. TDK's Box Office rematch will work splendidly I think. So get out there and deliver the killing blow (you'll all need to help with this one).
But now we have to talk of a more disturbing matter to ye fanboys of Dark Knighteth glory: it will 
not win the Best Picture award. Lex, how can you say this with such certainty? My friends, I have seen one of the two pictures that will be [seriously] contending for the prize and TDK just doesn't come close. First, we have Slumdog Millionaire (with a review coming Friday) which boasts the mantle of "Danny Boyle's Best Film" ever (only surpassing Trainspotting, my personal fave, due to audience accessibility (ie it's not about heroine)). It's India's Cinema Paradiso with less sentimentality, riveting storytelling and a pace of intrigue that will keep every single critic on their feet for the applause worthy credits. If Benjamin Button wasn't so sentimentally apt - I'd say no other film even had a chance of winning.
But then again - there is Benjamin Button, a film with such incredible production values and acting (as far as I can tell so far) that it's probably going to sweep a few best actor/actress awards if not a Best Picture award as well. I know it seems early to say all this - and I know TDK freaks out there might be wetting themselves with possibility, but I must restress this: you will NOT see TDK actually receive the award so instead you should concentrate your efforts on the Box Office Domination (inflation or not). Haha.
What's really incredible about this? It's a superhero/fantasy flick not being shoved aside with a paltry "Special Effects", "Original Soundtrack" or "Cinematography" award. For once it's being widely recognized by critics that Superhero flicks (even if Batman isn't a SUPERhero per se) deserve equal consideration for dramatic prestige when done right. Even more significant is what this means for studios. Oscar Noms and especially wins for films encourages them to pursue more films of similar ilks that won. Nevermind that critics continuously bash the studios for rehashing old territory, for comic book movie fans this news couldn't be better - Superhero flicks are now being equated with cinematic prestige.
As if Warner or Marvel needed more prodding to continue their legacies - this will encourage studios to make the most of each and every upcoming comic book feature. Now more than ever I have to wonder if Thor could pan out as an Oscar contender. Elaborate costumes, Shakespearian dialogue and possible direction by Kenneth Branagh all point to a dramatic piece that just might amount to something good.
Or am I completely off base?
To see where critics stand on Best Picture viability for TDK, Slumdog, etc. go here.
