I present 4 tests to determine the answer.

The Dark Knight has entered the J-L Top Movies of all Time Discussion (a sad place in the corner of my mind where even the rest of my brain does not give a sh-t what I am talking about). I decided after many requests (actually, only one, by a Russian comic named Slava) to see what my top movies of all time are and if The Dark Knight makes it to the top of the list. I will evaluate movies on several categories and see where TDK stands.

TEST #1: Is it one of your classic top films (meaning would your choices seem respectable to people who like “film” instead of “movies”)?:

A top 10 of these would be Amadeus, Lord of the Rings – 3 parts of one whole – kind of like the Holy Trinity of films, The Godfather, Saving Private Ryan, The Departed, United 93, The Insider, Malcolm X and… The Dark Knight.

So it passes the first test.

TEST #2: Do I enjoy it the film, possibly more or equal to the films in test #1, even if it is not technically on the level of those films (or something some people call “shit-y”)?:

A top 10 here would be:

Hoosiers, Old School, There’s Something About Mary, School of Rock, A Knight’s Tale, Arlington Road, Contact, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, Music and Lyrics and… The Dark Knight

Test 2 – check.

TEST #3: How many times have you seen it in the theater?:

Two times: Ghostbusters, Batman (1989),Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990, not 2007), A Knight’s Tale, The Borune Identity, Terminator 2, Forrest Gump, Dreamgirls, The Fellowship of the Ring (once on re-release), Superbad

Three times: The Two Towers (once on re-release), The Return of the King, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko (obviously if Michael Moore stars as Bilbo in The Hobbit we may have to re-evaluate all of this)

Four times (pending – Imax tickets in hand): The Dark Knight (test 3 check)

Test #4: Would you forgo sex to see this movie?

Well this blog I think answers that question, especially if you a woman reading it. Only one movie probably cost me relations and that was the collective Lord of the Rings, not because I chose it over sex, but because the mere mention of the film can cause some women to dry up like the Sahara. Batman may be cooler, but seeing a movie 4 times will basically act as repellant to most women.

So after all these tests I think it is clear that the Dark Knight is now crowned www.jlcauvin.com’s best movie of all time. Just the fact that it killed Heath Ledger, almost killed Morgan Freeman and got Christian Bale’s mother and sister punched speaks to its power.