logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2017
2h 14m

The Dark Knight

Blank Check Productions
About this episode

Griffin and David this week discuss the second film in Nolan’s Batman Trilogy, The Dark Knight. How was Michael Mann’s Heat an influence on this movie? What does Commissioner Gordon mean by “playing it close to the vest?” Also, why so serious? Together they examine the electrifying performance of Heath Ledger, Nolan’s love for temporalities, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes and why the Academy Award for Best Picture category changes after this movie comes out.


Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.

Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!

Buy some real nerdy merch.

Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord

For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Jul 6
Vamps with Caroline Framke
Our Amy Heckerling series comes to an end with 2012’s Vamps, a film produced too late to have an appropriate budget, and too early to be a streaming series. However - we find it charming! Caroline Framke returns to the podcast after 6 years (an eternity for us, but probably a bli ... Show More
2h 47m
Jun 29
I Could Never Be Your Woman with Karen Chee
Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Amy Heckerling and Paul Rudd stars as ????? in a totally normal movie that might actually be a voodoo curse made against Amy’s enemies. Oh, also Saorise Ronan makes her FILM DEBUT. What a picture! The incomparable Karen Chee joins us to talk about 2007’ ... Show More
2h 23m
Jun 22
28 Years Later
Blank Check is going back to the British Isles with Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and one extraordinarily well-endowed zombie this week as they discuss 28 Years Later. This movie has so much to love in it – wet bones, third-act Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer doing a thing, the Angel of ... Show More
2h 53m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
S14 Ep707: Batman Begins (W❤️M)
“I, in my home, right now, have a bat from the movie Batman Begins” - Steve On this week’s episode, W❤️M month continues as we chat about Chris Nolan’s fabulous comic book adaptation, Batman Begins! Has there been a softer Little Boy Bruce Wayne in cinema? Why couldn’t they have ... Show More
2h 54m
Aug 2024
PAUL DINI AND BATMAN THE DARK NIGHT - ISSUE ONE - WITH @RobAyling
Dive Deep into the World of Batman with Rob Ayling! In this episode, we sit down with the incredibly talented @RobAyling to explore the first issue of "Paul Dini and Batman: The Dark Knight." Get ready for an in-depth discussion about the iconic storytelling, brilliant artwork, a ... Show More
41m 56s
Feb 2019
The Ranking - Batman Movies
Holy delayed podcast, Batman! Yes, it's finally here - the Batman edition of The Ranking, the podcast/magazine crossover in which four Empire writers - Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, Dan Jolin, and Olly Richards - argue the toss over a series of movies. In this case, it's the Batfil ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2024
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Hates You. Will You Return the Favor?
Sean is joined by Van Lathan to discuss ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ the off-putting sequel to Todd Phillips’s 2019 ‘Joker,’ starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga (1:00). They discuss the jukebox musical format’s successes and failures, the filmmaking vs. the experience of watching it ... Show More
1h 46m
Feb 2025
The 10 Best Movies at Sundance, and the Astonishing ‘Nickel Boys’
Sean and Amanda discuss the evolving story of Karla Sofía Gascón’s old tweets (1:00) and what it might portend for the ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscar hopes. Then, they discuss an underwhelming Sundance 2025 (12:00) before diving deep into one of the best movies of 2024, ‘Nickel Boys’ (44:0 ... Show More
1h 44m
Jan 2025
Batman 1989 | Episode 445
Mark Maddox joins Jim in an in-depth discussion of Tim Burton's superhero classic "Batman," starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Michael Gough, Billy Dee Williams, Tracey Walter, Jack Palance, Wiliam Hootkins, and Jerry Hall. This "Dark ... Show More
1h 24m
Apr 2015
Gotham S:1 | Under The Knife E:20 | AfterBuzz TV AfterShow
AFTERBUZZ TV – Gotham edition, is an “after show” for fans of FOX's Gotham. In this show, hosts Monse Bolanos and Steve Kaufmann discuss episode 20. Gotham revolves around the Gotham’s future commissioner, Jim Gordon and takes place within the Batman universe. Fox hopes to use Go ... Show More
48m 31s
Apr 2019
"The Beginning..." Season 5 Episode 12 'Gotham' Review
Today on the final Gotham, hosts: Steve Kaufmann, Karla Beltran & Zack Peters talk about; -Bruce Wayne appearing as Batman -Batman Fights the Joker -Commissioner Gordon has a mustache -Barbara Gordon is the Queen of the Overworld? -Barbara Lee Gordon= Batgirl? -Selina Kyle recast ... Show More
45m 14s
Oct 2024
From the Archive: Joker (2019)
Between its late-August premiere at Venice (where it won the festival's top prize) and its release in theaters here in the States, Todd Phillips' JOKER provoked every possible response, with some calling it one of the best films of the year and others calling it the absolute wors ... Show More
35m 2s
Jan 2025
Covering Our Best Films of 2024
Happy New Year! Austin and Raymond get into their best films of 2024. What makes a film a "best" film? Was it your experience of watching the film? The performances? The craft? Because it was made by Sean Baker? And stick around until the end for our best performances of the year ... Show More
1h 47m