Christopher Nolan, 2008 (8*)
The sequel to Batman Begins is another terrific film from director Nolan. Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne, as does Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman in their same roles. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays the romantic interest in this movie, and Aaron Eckhart (Thank You for Smoking, Conversations with Other Women) is terrific as a district attorney who sees Batman as an ally and helps take on major organized crime from the legal and respectable perspective. Head villain this time is The Joker, played very darkly and realistically by the late Heath Ledger in his last role. Don't expect the humor we saw from Jack Nicholson as the original film Joker, this one's a truly homicidal psychotic with possibly the worst hair in the history of cinema, green(ish), greasy, and stringy. Perhaps a little long, down a star for slowing the pace, but still with some terrific action sequences and special effects.