July 2008 Archives

The Dark Knight has set a new box office record at Birmingham's IMAX cinema.

More than 6,000 tickets have already been snapped up to see Batman on the five-storey high screen.

And that smashes Harry Potter out of sight at the 385-seater cinema.

Last night's Midland IMAX premiere was packed not only with punters but special guests, too.

Batman, Robin, the Joker and Harley Quinn all turned up.

The Batmobile and Batbike from the old Adam West TV series were wheeled out.

And comic book artists toured the crowd, offering instant artwork and caricatures.

Those who attended went away with goodybags containing a three-way hologram poster depicting Batman, The Joker and Harvey Dent.

Plus Batman comics galore, courtesy of Birmingham's mighty Nostalgia & Comics.

But top on the collectable list were the Dark Knight VIP badges issued to those in the private zone.

If you were lucky enough to get one, hold on to it.

"The response to the movie here at IMAX has been phenomenal," says Thinktank media boss Caroline Durbin. "The tickets have been flying out faster than the Caped Crusader.

"We had huge demand for the last Harry Potter film, which we screened in 3D but it was nothing like this. Everyone wants to see The Dark Knight."

To book tickets, click on www.imax.ac

Went to see Dark Knight at a special sneak preview screening last night.

Now I know you don't want me to give anything away - so here's a 'yes and no' guide to the biggest Batman blockbuster of them all.

Does it live up to all the hype?
No

But is it the best Batman movie ever made?
Yes

Is it the best action movie of the year so far?
Yes

Does it have scenes of graphic violence?
No

But is the Joker scary?
Yes

Are there moments when I might feel uncomfortable?
Yes

Should it be rated older than a 12a?
Yes

Is it too long at two-and-a-half hours?
No

Is Heath Ledger (The Joker) as good as they say he is?
Yes

Does he deserve a posthumous Oscar?
No

Do any of the main characters die?
Yes

Can you tell me which ones?
No

Is it faithful to the comic books?
Yes

Is it a re-run of The Killing Joke?
No

Are there villains other than The Joker?
Yes

Are the special effects cool?
Yes

Does it follow on from Batman Begins?
Yes

Is it all set in Gotham City?
No

Is it all set within the USA?
No

Should I go see it on the big IMAX screen rather than the normal cinema?
Yes

Want to read a full review (be warned there may be spoilers)?
Yes

Then see Roz Laws' review in the celebrity or movies section of www.sundaymercury.net

Or head over to the Geek Files - our sister site at www.coventrytelegraph.net - for David Bentley's in-depth verdict. But keep the surprises to yourself!

Forget the fan films and teasers.

Here's the real thing.

The official trailer for the new Terminator movie.

And it looks as if the series' reputation may be saved.

I'll be back ...

The ever youthful Richard Alpert is to play the key role when Lost returns for series five.

Nestor Carbonell has signed on for the duration after getting assurances that he will become a regular character on the island, rather than a cameo attraction.

So far Alpert has figured in just 10 episodes of Lost, although each appearance has added a new twist to the tale. Now he must help John Locke take control of his new kingdom.

Locke, as we know from the end of series four, has only a short time to live. But, as I've said before, the dead rarely stay dead too long.

Carbonell's diary is fast filling up. He'll next be seen as the Mayor of Gotham City in the Dark Knight movie which brings Batman back to the big screen next week.

(If you haven't entered Anorak City's competition to win IMAX tickets, shame on you!)

And he's sealed a deal to voice one of the characters in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, yet another Warner Brothers cartoon take on the caped crusader.

Let's just hope he doesn't don once more the mantle of Batmanuel, the spoof superhero he played in The Tick TV series. Yes, it's on DVD if you really must ...

WIN tickets to see the new Batman movie on the giant IMAX screen.

Dark Knight: The Imax Experience previews on Thursday July 24 - and you could be among the first to see it.

We're giving away three pairs of tickets to the preview today.

And the Gotham City thrills can't get any bigger!

The IMAX screen at Thinktank as high as a five-storey building and as wide as four buses.

What's more, you're surrounded by 42 speakers of state-of-the-art digital surround sound, putting you in the movie.

"In continuing the story of such a great icon I'm thrilled to be able to expand the scope of the film, not just in terms of its story, but in giving Batman and the Joker the largest possible canvas on which to face off," says director Christopher Nolan.

"No existing technology compares with the IMAX format in terms of its ability to throw the audience into the action, and we're very proud and excited to use this technology in a way that no-one has before!"

To book tickets head for www.imax.ac or call 0121 202 2222.

But here's how you could win some for free!

Simply tell us the name of the late Brokeback Mountain star who plays the Joker in the new movie.

Is it (a) Heath Ledger, (b) Edward Heath or (c) Heath Cliffe?

E-mail your answer, along with your name, address and daytime phone number, to entry@mrn.co.uk stating 'Mercury Dark Knight' in the subject box. Web/e-mail entries are free.

Entries close at midday on Friday July 18, 2008. Standard Trinity Mirror rules apply. See www.trinitymirror-midlands.co.uk/rules. Please note you must be aged 15 or over to enter this competition.

Trinity Mirror group companies may contact you by phone, letter or e-mail with details of goods and services you may be interested in. If you don't want to receive e-mail, add 'no alerts' at the end of your entry.