Right about here is where all the gushing and excitement and enthusiasm should begin, because I'll tell you right off the "bat" that Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is cause for celebration indeed. But then you'll figure out -- after only one sentence -- that I pretty much loved this movie, and then you'll head off to another, more unpredictable film critic. But it's the WHY that interests me so much. What I enjoyed about Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Hellboy 2 could probably be covered in one lengthy -- and inevitably nerd-tastic -- conversation between the two of us. But The Dark Knight... Well, clearly we're approaching a whole new level here.

Several of the pre-release gushings are accurate. Some say "Scorsesian" and others reference Michael Mann. Many spend paragraphs on the (truly amazing) penultimate performance by Heath Ledger, while others will revel in the grown-up tone or epic scope of the film. What amazed me most about The Dark Knight, among several things, is that the flick's got more layers than an onion farm -- and yet it never loses touch with the idea of FUN. True that we're talking about a comic book fun that's decidedly more melancholy than the cinematic exploits of The Marvel Gang, but dang if TDK isn't supremely satisfying for about a dozen different reasons.

Well, what do you know? It turns out that not only is Jeff Bridges the man responsible for the patron saint of stoners everywhere, but apparently the guy can sing too. Variety reports that Maggie Gyllenhaal and Robert Duvall have signed to star alongside Bridges in the country music drama Crazy Heart.

The indie drama is based on Thomas Cobb's debut novel of the same name, and centers on an alcoholic country star with the unfortunate name of Bad Blake. Scott Cooper (who will also direct) has adapted the story of an alcoholic country music singer (Bridges) who is in the midst of a professional and personal meltdown. When a journalist (played by Gyllenhaal) blows through town to interview the fading star, the two begin a relationship that helps Blake get his life back on track.

Plus it turns out that all three stars have some previous musical experience. Duvall starred in Tender Mercies back in 1983 (which also centered on an alcoholic country singer -- and won Duvall an Oscar for Best Actor), Gyllenhaal did a little singing in the flick Happy Endings, and Bridges has already released an entire album -- and here I was thinking the guy was only a great actor and pretty decent photographer. I would assume that as Blake, Bridges may be doing the bulk of the singing (with original music provided by T Bone Burnett), but it's good to know he has some back-up if he needs it.

Crazy Heart is scheduled to start filming on location next month in New Mexico.

The pop-culture appetite for Batman seems inexhaustible; thousands of comic books, several movies, endless animated iterations, some of which are quite good and some of which are rather bad. Is there any real need to return to the character beyond the profit motive, though? After the financial and critical success of Batman Begins, the powers-that-be behind The Dark Knight could have made a safe bet of a sequel; a little more action, a few more actors, more of the same and a few extra explosions.

What's telling about The Dark Knight, though, is how risky it is -- how it's bold and brave and truly exciting, full of rich and strong performances and some real ideas along the way. Why return to Batman? It turns out that for Christopher Nolan, the reason to come back is that there's something to say about, and with, the character even after decades of stories and multiple reinventions. I was hoping The Dark Knight would be good; I had no idea that director and co-writer Christopher Nolan was going to make a film that not only addressed the philosophical and political conflict between the rule of force and the rule of law but also takes on the timeless clash between order and chaos ... and, along the way, evokes everything from Michael Mann's Heat to John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. ...

This summer may be confusing to some less blog-literate moviegoers thanks to two recast roles. In both The Dark Knight and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a prominent character is played by a new actress. In the former sequel, "Rachel Dawes" will be played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, replacing Katie Holmes, who had the role in Batman Begins. In the latter, "Eveyln Carnahan O'Connell" will be played by Maria Bello, subbing for Rachel Weisz, who appeared in both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns.

This certainly isn't the first time characters have been recast with different actors, and over at The Onion, the A.V. Club has listed 20 such memorably jarring switcheroos, which they're calling The Darrin Effect (after the famous character replacement on TV's Bewitched), in television and film. Surely everyone recalls when Sarah Chalke took over the part of "Becky" on Roseanne; the writers even occasionally even slipped in some reflexive jokes about it. And let's not forget the glaring problem of recasting Jodie Foster's Oscar-winning role of "Clarice Starling" -- Julianne Moore played the part in Hannibal. Or the tragic yet surprisingly respectable replacement of Michael Gambon for a deceased Richard Harris in the Harry Potter movies.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the opening night premiere of American Teen (in theaters July 25) as part of the third annual Sundance Institute at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music). The Sundance fav launched an eleven-day festival of sorts, showcasing the best of the best from this year's Sundance Film Festival; 22 features and 36 shorts in total, plus filmmaker Q&As, parties, art installations and tons of Brooklyn hipster-watching.

The screening itself was completely sold out and held inside the gorgeous BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, where, conveniently, free popcorn and bottles of water were handed out at the door. And as my wife pointed out after we sat down: "They're smart -- free things always put a person in a good mood before a film." Indeed! Before the curtain rose on American Teen, a number of folks approached the mic for some words, while the crowd cheered every time 'Brooklyn' was used in a sentence. The speakers included BAM President Karen Hopkins, Sundance executive director Ken Brecher, Brooklyn Borough President (and an awesome guy) Marty Markowitz, Katherine Oliver, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, BAM Cinema Club Chairs Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, and, finally, American Teen director Nanette Burstein (sporting a very pregnant belly) and one of the film's teenage stars, Hannah Bailey (pictured above).

Check out a gallery from the premiere, the film and the prom-themed after party below -- then head after the jump for my thoughts on American Teen. (All pictures courtesy of the fine folks at the Sundance Institute and Paramount Vantage.)

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Update: Cinematical was informed that the film still does not have a title, though we imagine one will be announced soon. See full (and accurate) press release after the jump.

Since news first broke about Sam Mendes making the leap to comedy with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, I've become awfully curious to see if the man famous for heavy subject matter can pull off a straight rom-com. Coming Soon has received a press announcement from the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tuscon, Arizona, and according to them, the spa has been chosen as one of the locations for the road flick. More importantly, we now know that the film is going by the slightly awkward title of Farlanders.

McSweeney's founder Dave Eggers co-wrote the script with his wife, Vendela Vida, and the story centers on an expectant couple played by Krasinski (sporting some much-maligned facial hair) and Rudolph as they travel the US looking for the perfect place to start their family. The film has a big ensemble cast to play the various 'characters' our couple will meet along the way -- including some very funny women like Catherine O'Hara, Cheryl Hines, and Allison Janney.

Production began back in April, and according to the release, the Arizona shoot will begin in June. Some of the other locations include Colorado, Connecticut, and Florida. There is no official release date, so I guess I'll have plenty of time to get used to that title.

Farlanders The Untitled Sam Mendes Comedy is due to arrive in theaters in 2009.

Here's another casting switch-up for you. Variety reports that not even a month after Toni Collette signed on for a role in Sam Mendes' untitled "relationship comedy,"* she's out and Maggie Pinch Hitter Gyllenhaal is in. The actress dropped the gig when delays messed up the schedule, so Maggie stepped up to the plate. First she replaces Katie Holmes, and now, Collette. Maybe she should also add: "suitable substitution for just about any actress" to her resume. My favorite Satan-worshipping makeup artist has come a long way!

The film focuses on a couple who decide to travel across the US, trying to find a perfect place to hunker down and raise their family. Collette was set to play their friend, a university professor who thinks their child will be dysfunctional no matter where they live. Variety ups the description by saying that she's a bohemian prof who is an old friend of John Krasinski's character. (Maya Rudolph is playing his wife.)

In its vagueness, it doesn't sound like the best plot I've ever heard, but I imagine that it could make for some entertaining cinema between the eye of Sam Mendes and the words of Vendela Vida and Dave Eggers. As for Gyllenhaal, I like seeing her continue to expand her diverse portfolio of roles. Production is currently under way in Connecticut.

*"Relationship comedy" keeps getting used to describe this film. Are the powers that be trying their darnedest to keep people from calling it a romcom?

I'm not entirely too sure where this video came from (I believe a few links popped up in the SHH forums), but it's up on YouTube now, so we're all good. Check out the first video of Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes above, as she speaks out to members of the Gotham City press on why she feels everyone should support Harvey Dent (as played by Aaron Eckhart in the sequel). Gyllenhaal, as most of us already know, took over for Katie Holmes after the actress decided not to return for The Dark Knight. It's not much, and this doesn't look to be part of the film (though maybe it will show up on a TV screen in the background somewhere), but those who were curious to see Gyllenhaal in action can finally do so now.

Personally, at this point I'm dying to see a Harvey Dent political commercial. I want children asleep in their beds, and a calm voiceover to say something like, "It's 3am in Gotham City, and the phone rings. Who do you want answering that call? Batman? No ... how about District Attorney Harvey Dent." Check out the video above, and let us know what you think of Maggie Gyllenhaal in this role? I've always had a thing for this gal, so I dig her in just about anything. You?

The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

There were some subscriber-only hints about this movie over at THR earlier this year, and now the cats out of the bag. Variety reports that Maggie Gyllenhaal and Paul Bettany are heading to Australia for director Shirley Barrett's South Solitary. The feature is one of many that is going to be funded by Film Finance Corp., as it gears up to join the Australian Film Commission and "make a super agency called Screen Australia."

According to IMDb, the film will focus "on a disgraced young woman and a soldier suffering from the ongoing effects of shell shock who discover a great need for companionship and hope in the face of hostile elements." I have a feeling you can tell who will play what role. There is no word on when this will be set, but it could be either present-day or the past, since one of the other films being funded focuses on Australian SAS soldiers in Vietnam (The Last Man).

It might seem like Maria Bello is a strange replacement for Maggie Gyllenhaal. She might not be the last person I'd pick to take over (that honor might go to someone like, say, Jessica Simpson), but she's also not someone I would think of. However, it completely fits in this case. Gyllenhaal was set to have a small, flashback role in the upcoming adaptation, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. She was going to play the title character's mother in the flashbacks. Now The Hollywood Reporter posts that Bello is in final negotiations to take over the role, as Gyllenhaal backed out due to changes in scheduling.

Considering the fact that Pippa Lee is being played by Robin Wright Penn, Bello is a great fit. She looks more like the other actress, and is a bit easier to buy as a relative. As for Gyllenhaal -- the scheduling doesn't interfere with other work, but rather, her family time. She's chosen to spend this time with husband Peter Sarsgaard and their child while he films that lascivious UK movie, An Education. Or, maybe she's just keeping an eye on things to make sure that sexual education doesn't jump off the set? (I kid!)

You might remember that back in October, a new project started to gear up called The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. Based on Arthur Miller offspring Rebecca Miller's upcoming novel (that she adapted and will direct), the pic will focus on "a dutiful wife whose husband falls for a younger woman, freeing her to explore her buried sensuality and leading to a very quiet nervous breakdown."

I was ouching just at the thought of sensual exploration leading to a nervous breakdown, but now I have two reasons: along with the added cast just posted by The Hollywood Reporter, it's been confirmed that Robin Wright Penn is the wife, and Winona Ryder is the younger woman. For frak's sake, there's only a handful of years between the two women. Are they planning to age Wright Penn, or do they just think she looks that much older?

Anyway, adding to the tasty cast is Keanu Reeves, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Alan Arkin, and Monica Bellucci. Arkin will, of course, play the husband who leaves Wright Penn in the dust, and Bellucci will play his first wife -- so he's a dude who loves those May-December romances. Gyllenhaal will get the honor of appearing in flashbacks as Pippa Lee's "diet pill-addicted mother." Julianne Moore is some "lesbian novelist." And finally, Reeves gets to explore Wright Penn's sexuality. Now it all makes sense -- fool around with Keanu and you'll go crazy!

Once everyone finishes up their current gigs, production will kick into gear this April in Connecticut.

Although Warner Bros. decided not to debut anything Dark Knight related during their official panel, the studio staged an elaborate stunt outside by painting a phone number across the sky, followed by a message from the Joker. For those who'd like to play along without skipping to the end of everything, call this number: 1-800-395-9646. Follow the riddles given to you on the phone over at the website we talked about earlier today. Eventually, as you pass each step, the above photo will appear. Looks like Maggie Gyllenhaal ain't having such a swell day. And yes, that's Heath Ledger as the Joker with a knife up to Mags' sweet face.

As you move further along in the Joker's game, eventually you'll be provided with the first teaser trailer for The Dark Knight ... in glorious HD quicktime. It's taking a really long time to load the best quality trailer, but I got through pretty quickly with this link. As expected, it is the same trailer we wrote about yesterday (the one that was leaked onto YouTube) in which no actual footage is shown; just a fairly heated conversation between Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) and Alfred (Michael Caine). The Joker's voice pops on briefly, a Joker card flies at the screen ... and we're out. Stay tuned to Cinematical as we've been all over ComicCon and will share all the glorious breaking news as it hits.

As J. Peterman once said, "I am smack dab in the middle of a good old-fashioned cat fight!" While recently discussing her role in next year's Bat-sequel The Dark Knight, Maggie Gyllenhaal dunked Katie Holmes into a Dawson's Creek of verbal abuse. Gyllenhaal is taking over the role of Rachel Dawes, which Holmes originated in 2005's Batman Begins. Check out this quote from Gyllenhaal, but you might want to put a jacket on first: "I'm not thinking of it as a role that anyone's played before. I'm not walking into Katie Holmes' performance. I'm thinking of it as an opportunity to play somebody who's alive and smart. Chris (Nolan) asked me to do this because he wanted me, not because he wants some generic lady in a dress." Daaaaaamn! No she didn't!

I'm not sure Holmes really deserves any more negativity at this point. She's in a mercilessly mocked marriage that no one seems to take seriously, she's got a new baby, and she hasn't exactly been adored by the critics. Holmes certainly gave a pretty weak performance in Batman Begins, but let's give the gal a break here, no? What do you guys think about this, is Gyllenhaal being too harsh on Holmes? In the interview, Gyllenhaal also mentions that she might give the Jackie Chan thing a try in the film: "I'm really excited about it. I mean, it's not some silly action movie. Chris Nolan is directing, Christian Bale's starring. I'm really excited and curious about doing a couple of stunts in Batman." Why do all "serious actors" feel they have to justify being in action movies? They always have to point out how different and superior this one is to all the others, or its "I'm only doing this crap so I can finance my pet project -- a tone poem about migrant Chinese workers." You want to do an action movie, silly or otherwise, do it! We don't need to hear that you'd normally be above such frivolous projects.