Writer's Block: A Posthumous Oscar for Joker?
I'm torn.
Was Heath's performance absolutely amazing? Yes. Did it blow my mind? Most definetely. But was it the best performance in the movie? Not necessarily. I am torn between Ledger and Aaron Eckhart who was perfect, and I feel that this was Eckhart's movie. Had Ledger not died, he would most certainly have been praised for his portrayal of my favorite Batman villain but I think Eckhart's performance is overshadowed by Ledger's death. I haven't seen the spotlight on him and he is so great in the movie. While every other character stays more or less the same, Eckhart's Harvey Dent evolves gradually and in a believable way that has you watching with disbelief.
But then again, Ledger steals the scene once he shows up. His Joker is creepy, you know he's not Jack Napier, some lame thug. I attribute the fact that he is scary and unpredicatable to the fact that he has no origin like the other heroes and villains and therefore you don't know how he ticks but that isn't anything new. "If I have an origin, I prefer it to be multiple choice" is from Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's "The Killing Joke".
Ledger's performance shines but I can't stand the hype. Would there be such an unanimous outcry for him to be awarded an Academy Award had he not died a couple of years back? I don't think so. I hate the thought that he should get an Oscar simply because it is dead and because it would "legitimize the comic book movie genre" as I have heard people say. But I'm not of the mindeset that someone who is still alive should necessarily be awarded the award, either. I'd like to see the other performances this year to them make up my mind. That being said, I don't think that Ledger is a bad contender. Overall, his lifework is very interestind and he didn't choose to do a movie only because he needed money; he was selective and I always appreciate that.
This is a short explanation why I'm not sure if I'd prefer Ledger or Eckhart to be nominated but should either of them be nominated, they would both deserve it. But, let's face it, if anyone starring in "The Dark Knight" is nominated, it will be Heath Ledger.
Was Heath's performance absolutely amazing? Yes. Did it blow my mind? Most definetely. But was it the best performance in the movie? Not necessarily. I am torn between Ledger and Aaron Eckhart who was perfect, and I feel that this was Eckhart's movie. Had Ledger not died, he would most certainly have been praised for his portrayal of my favorite Batman villain but I think Eckhart's performance is overshadowed by Ledger's death. I haven't seen the spotlight on him and he is so great in the movie. While every other character stays more or less the same, Eckhart's Harvey Dent evolves gradually and in a believable way that has you watching with disbelief.
But then again, Ledger steals the scene once he shows up. His Joker is creepy, you know he's not Jack Napier, some lame thug. I attribute the fact that he is scary and unpredicatable to the fact that he has no origin like the other heroes and villains and therefore you don't know how he ticks but that isn't anything new. "If I have an origin, I prefer it to be multiple choice" is from Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's "The Killing Joke".
Ledger's performance shines but I can't stand the hype. Would there be such an unanimous outcry for him to be awarded an Academy Award had he not died a couple of years back? I don't think so. I hate the thought that he should get an Oscar simply because it is dead and because it would "legitimize the comic book movie genre" as I have heard people say. But I'm not of the mindeset that someone who is still alive should necessarily be awarded the award, either. I'd like to see the other performances this year to them make up my mind. That being said, I don't think that Ledger is a bad contender. Overall, his lifework is very interestind and he didn't choose to do a movie only because he needed money; he was selective and I always appreciate that.
This is a short explanation why I'm not sure if I'd prefer Ledger or Eckhart to be nominated but should either of them be nominated, they would both deserve it. But, let's face it, if anyone starring in "The Dark Knight" is nominated, it will be Heath Ledger.