I'm Baaack!

Look out - I'm baaaack!

Chicago was wet and rainy with the last remnants of Gustav hanging over our heads. Well we were there to work anyway, but I was dying for some good 'ol Chicago deep-dish pizza. After the last morning session, the rain stopped long enough for us to walk to Giordano's a couple of blocks away for an early lunch. Ah, patience does have a purpose.

The pizza was magnifique! We had a sausage, pepperoni, and onion deep-dish stuffed pizza. The cheese was oozing out with every bite. It was SO worth the wait.

We stayed at the Hyatt on Wacker Street along the downtown riverwalk project. I had a great view from my fourteenth floor window. Saw the torrent of rain splashing in the water from on high. It sure would have been nice to have walked during the afternoons when the exhibit hall was closed. Alas, it will have to wait for another time.

Our driver, Mark, had so much fun telling us all about the movies shot in Chicago, about how the scene in "The Dark Knight" where the semi rig was driving down the road was shot just down the street from our hotel at 3:00 am. The CTA trains reminded me of "While You Were Sleeping" and then of course "The Lake House" was shot there as well. Had no idea so many modern movies were placed in Chicago. I think Mark was proud of the fact.

I'm dying to read up on some of the history of the buildings in downtown Chicago, specifically the clock tower building across the street from our hotel. It has a very gothic feel to it. Mark mentioned that some of the architecture reminds him of some beautiful buildings in Jerusalem. My mother would love it!

Maybe I can go back someday - NOT in September though.

Dark Knight Review

Oh my gosh! We just got back home from seeing "The Dark Knight" at the theatre. Totally engrossing. Completely creepy and psychotic. I loved it!

Batman shows his true colors all throughout this movie. When he's good, he's really good. When he's bad, he's even better.

You'll understand when you see the movie.

No longer the tortured soul, Batman understands exactly what he's doing and why. There's the power. There's the Prestige (hat tip to another Christian Bale movie). Who can be trusted? Who can't? There's death and destruction everywhere. One particularly surprising.

Not so much that the death occured - it was to be expected. No, more that they killed the character off too quickly. That was the only truly unexpected moment in the whole movie. Chris and John Nolan have me teetering on the edge, wondering who the next villain will be.

I have my hunch.

It is sad that Heath Ledger has left this world. He made one heck of a Joker - a twisted, soul-less, evil character with no remorse or mercy. A complete psychopath of psychopaths. You want to see inside the mind of a terrorist? This is about as close as you can get. With this movie, Heath Ledger left his mark on our lives - a fitting end to the most incredible actor of our time. The Joker should never be resurrected. No one else could do him justice - RIP.

Bruce Wayne even shows himself heroic in a snap of an instant. Too bad for that Lamborghini! How he talks his way out of it is quite funny. I'll leave it at that.

The next movie will be quite interesting. Everything about this movie will be alot to surpass in #3 - how in the world will they do it? I think bringing back the humanness of Bruce Wayne and how he carries on will be key.

The next movie should open with the dedication party of the new main wing of Wayne Manor. Let them continue working on the east wing, just get Bruce moved back in. That penthouse is not where he belongs. We need the Batcave. It's an important nuance to the story, to the Batman persona. Then there's an important meeting that needs to take place at that opening party. We'll see if the Nolan brothers take it where it needs to go.

If only they'd let me be a silent party to the writing of the screenplay.