random: Just how AWESOME are Batman Begins and The Dark Knight?

Hi there I know this is random...

Yeah as we await the arrival of Christopher Nolan's newest masterpiece Inception, the fanboy in me wishes to seek your views on the Batman franchise whose future is yet undecided.

Batman Begins
This is freaking awesome. After walking out of The Dark Knight I forgot how good Batman Begins was until I watched it again on DVD. The character development and plot development was awesome. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman as supporting cast is just awesome.
As much as I have nothing against Burton's Batman 1989, I think Batman Begins is really a much superior take on one of fans' favourite superhero. Nolan gives us a not only convincing story behind Batman and Bruce Wayne, but allows the audience into Batman's motives and destiny. In my opinion, the final 30 minutes or so of Batman Begins were jsut goddamn awesome and perhaps even better than that of TDK.
First we have a completely random party at the Wayne's. Then Raz Al Ghul showed up and Bruce turns against the people, his friends and acquaintances so as to settle this matter himself, as Bruce Wayne the orphan and as Batman the messiah. Raz ignores Bruce's objetions ('there is still good people here') and proceeds to burn down the Wayne manor, and Bruce Wayne is defeated. In steps Alfred to pick him up, just as he did when Bruce was a child. Bruce proceeds to fulfil his own destiny, completing his personal journey and transformation but defeating the master who taught him all, saving his beloved city at the same time. It was awesome.

The Dark Knight
What was so great about this movie is that it really is more than a movie. It is not a combination of moving images and surrond sounds , but instead it was what a movie should be in the first place: an experience. Nolan managed to captivate the audience and amazingly, which I feel no other action movie has done so far, control the movie's mood and SYNC it with the audience, meaning the audience felt just like what the characters in the movie felt, just like what Nolan wanted them to feel. What went on in the movie was a 120 minute mood and emotional journey. Usually this is only achieved in indie movies with an obvious theme (Hotel Rhwanda, Pursuit of Happiness etc), but to do it in a major superhero, action summer blockbuster is amazing stuff.

Without going deeper into Ledger's perfomance (as I'm sure many has already done), this movie is an example of literature on the big screen. The things we hated and found so useless as we were studying literature and Shakespeare...the literature features your teachers wanted you to identify in plays and in novels, well they were used here, right in this big budget action movie.

There were just so many goddamn amazing scenes. The Dent-Rachel bomb scene was beautifully yet tragically shot, and ultimately provides a more than convincing motivation and explanation for Two-Face. The sight of Dent bellowing for the one he loves right before his imminent death and Rachel proclaiming the love that Dent will never hear and never receive and understand. It was amazing, and Nolan even manged to throw in Batman, Gordon and the Joker into this tragic love scene.

The Batpod chase scene. I won't say I have watched all the good action movies out there, but I dare say I've watched a lot of them. And I dare say the Batpod chase scene is the best action sequence I've watched my entire life. Nowadays, action scenes are usually an excuse to blow up some stuff and link them loosely to the main plot, and in the case of superhero movies, a chance to showcase the hero/villians' powers. This, is entirely different. What was so amazing about this chase scene is that the audience ENTERS this scene understanding exactly WHY each main character is doing what he is doing but not knowing WHAT is going to happen. From the moment Nolan brings in the foreshadowing in the roadblock, all hell breaks loose, a controlled madness and chaos, which is what this movie and the Joker are all about. Anyone who can see this link, and countless more in this movie, will really be able to appreciate just how arty this movie is.

The Two-Face meets Batman scene. Essentially Nolan brings in the three saddest characters in the movie together and make them talk about life. How stupid does that sound? But Nolan does it so beautifully, so tragically, with each character explaining himself and the special bond between the trio of Batman, Dent and Gordon. The score here is unbelievably dark, go listen intently if you have the chance. Nolan builds up the darkness in this scene and climaxes it with Batman being shot. Seriously, how many superhero movies, or indeed, action movies can lay claim to the fact that the main character is actually hurt and make the audience genuinely worried?

There's just so much more I have to say about this 2 amazing movies, but seeing as I have written enough random stuff, I wish to see your views.
I do apologize if the topic is too random or too lengthy.