THE HERO GOTHAM DESERVES: I guess we haven't had up a full-on spoilerrific discussion of The Dark Knight yet, but it's about time. (i.e., saw it tonight.)

And I want to start with what didn't work about the movie for me, so I can get it out of the way (not that it's insignificant), but the problem of the movie is Batman himself. Specifically, that he's basically physically indestructible (and esp. in hand-to-hand combat), and that he seems to have an unlimited ability to conjure the devices and resources he needs to do whatever he wants. A hero without limitations is not terribly interesting, and as good as Christian Bale was in Christopher Nolan's The Prestige (or, for that matter, American Psycho), I didn't feel he was given a lot to work with here.

Heath Ledger, however, was, and the performance is all that and then some. There's nothing at all linking this performance to his in Brokeback Mountain other than the presence of a Gyllenhall; it's all twitchy and crazy and all sorts of awesome just like you've heard that makes you sad once the film's over. Not that I'm among those who believes that learning this part made him mad; I'm just sad we won't get to see what else he could do.

The other part of the awesome was the plot -- in general, all the post-9/11 ruminations about what it takes to defeat irrational, implacable evil, and whether one must always abide by "the rules" in doing so; and specifically, holy frack, the prisoner's dilemma, one of those genius plot devices which, in concept and execution, even surpasses things like the endings of The Usual Suspects or The Prestige because it was about more than just entertaining the audience but also provoking them to reconsider the film's theme. (In that regard, the film that comes to mind is In the Company of Men, mostly because of the Aaron Eckhart connection.)

It's impossible to talk about this movie further without going into spoilers, and almost certainly we can't do it without lifting the No Politics ban for a bit. Play nice, and I'll meet you in the basement.

THE ENDOWED ALOTT5MA CHAIR IN CULTURAL STUDIES OF THE AMERICAN HEARTLAND STILL NEEDS A PRIMARY BENEFACTOR: Despite the diversity of our crew there there persists certain gaps in knowledge among the bloggers here -- metamorphic petrology and the Younger abstention doctrine still leading the list -- but I also recognized recently that we really don't know that much about country music between us. So given how much good press that Sugarland's been receiving of late, I invited our friend and frequent commenter Jenn to explain them to us Yankees:

I got better things to do than my to-do list anyway.

I came to country from folk music. So did one of my favorite country acts. In Decatur, Ga., there is a club called Eddie’s Attic. Folkies, like Indigo Girls, have been linked to it regularly, but Eddie’s Attic has also been prominent in producing acts such as Shawn Mullins (known for his pop song “Lullaby”), John Mayer, and the well-respected and increasingly popular country act Sugarland. Sugarland started out as a trio of folk singers -- Kristin Hall, Kristian Bush (of Billy Pilgrim), and Jennifer Nettles (of Soul Miner’s Daughters). In short, their background and resulting music is a bit more eclectic than you normally expect from mainstream country.

Not that I want to oversell this. Sugarland (now a duo with Nettles and Bush) is definitely country -— with a twang in the vocals, a sob in the voice (where appropriate), the use of the word “ain’t” in the lyrics, and the frequent appearance of a steel guitar and/or dobro and/or mandolin. But how many mainstream country records include a lyrical shout-out to an alt-country hero like Steve Earle? (Answer: I can think of one and I’m kind of reviewing it in this post.) Nettles and Bush write their own music, Bush plays on every song, and Nettles’ voice is one of the best in country music today.

And unlike with some country divas who could be mentioned, not every song is an exercise in the vocal gymnastics that Nettles can definitely do. Compare a few: Baby Girl was their first hit, and yeah, there are some serious glory notes going on. But Want To had a completely different vibe (and the video scored serious points with including shots of the Chrysler Building). Stay was a break-out for them, completely stripped-down. Their latest single All I Want to Do highlights their fun side.

Not that Sugarland is perfect. Sometimes, they get a little too cutesy. I was loving their song Steve Earle (where Nettles begs, “Steve Earle, Steve Earle, please write a song for me,”) when it took a sharp u-turn into goofy. I’ve enjoyed every CD -- I’m just waiting for the one that they will make where I love every song. Because I think they’ve got it in them. (No pressure.)

Some have asked if Sugarland will stay together, given a couple of well-received turns that Nettles has taken on her own, including a great version of The Night That the Lights Went Out in Georgia on the Reba McEntire Giants show (well worth watching, BTW, as it also features some other great performances, including two by a certain Kelly Clarkson, linked on that same youtube page), and a Grammy-Award winning collaboration with Bon Jovi, Who Says You Can’t Go Home? I hope that they stay together, as they mesh so well together as a duo and seem to like each other. Plus, someone, somehow, has to convince the world that there is something better in the world of country group/duos than Rascal Flatts and Montgomery Gentry, now that the Dixie Chicks are somehow no longer country. Really, that’s all I ask. (And 3under5 agrees, right?)

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE: I was never a big X-Files fan, but I enjoyed the movie enough that I took in the sequel tonight. Remarkably, in a world of Internet spoilers, very little about the plot has leaked, other than that it's a stand-alone story (with no aliens, black oil, or the like) and that questions about Scully and Mulder are answered. Both are accurate. The movie opens with a woman being attacked for unknown reasons, followed by a creepy old man (Billy Connolly) leading a pack of FBI agents through a snow-covered field. The old man franticly begins digging and uncovers a severed human arm.

Thereafter, two FBI agents come to a hospital, looking for "Dr. Scully," who, apparently, has become a Dr. Addison Montgomery clone over the past few years, helping sick kids with highly experimental surgery--an FBI agent is missing, and their sole lead is a man claiming to have psychic visions who led them to a human arm--they'd like her help finding Fox Mulder. Cue spooky electronica. From there, the plot spirals madly, hitting the Catholic Church, stem cell research, what happened to Mulder and Scully over the past several years, several quite gory off-screen deaths, medical experimentation (both licit and illicit), and an appearance by one character that provoked mild applause. It's all well and good until an ending (particularly an epilogue during the credits) that paints an overly sunny face on the whole thing. Overall, it's slight, but entertaining--it would be a darn fine TV movie, but on the big screen? Not so much. Response in my theatre ranged from "That was awful!" to "Well, except for the last 5 minutes, that would have been a pretty good episode of the show!" View at your own risk.

ANOTHER REASON TO BE UPSET ABOUT PHIL'S SNUBBING: Nikki Finke reports that this year's Emmys will be co-hosted by the 5 "Reality Competition Host" nominees--Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst, and Ryan Seacrest. Over/under on number of Klum wardrobe changes during the night is 3. Could we at least work Tim Gunn in there somehow?

PART OF THE "BERLANTI FULL EMPLOYMENT ACT:" OK, Sassy Nurse Edna on Pushing Daisies is awesome enough, but add to it that she's playing Emerson Cod's mother, and we reach new and daunting levels of awesome.

BESIDES AN OBVIOUS DAY TRIP TO THE BOYHOOD HOME OF JUDGE REINHOLD: The family and I are heading to Bethany Beach, Del., tomorrow for a week of sun and fun. The sun part I've got pretty much covered--we are a short walk to the beach--but I am reaching out to you for some suggestions on the fun end, especially stuff a girl nearly seven and a boy nearly nine might enjoy. Dining recommendations are also gladly accepted.

SUMMER COCKTAIL SERIES #8: PIMM'S CUP

TOASTING PLANET GEORGE

Given British weather, it is nearly inconceivable to me that the British did any serious astronomy without wintering in Spain. It may be enough that , prior to the 20th century, before the skies were choked with street lamps, one could simply step outside to observe on a favorable evening. No special purpose trip to the country required.

So when we did a jaunt through the UK in 2002 and spent a couple of nights in Bath, I stopped at the Sir William Herschel Museum. Not much of a tourist trap (a Boy Scout tourist snare, perhaps), no gift shop with an "I saw Herschel's Uranus" t-shirt. But as most of my pre-Industrial Walter Mitty fantasies involve my being a gentlemen-scientist, as well as my being a bit of an astronomy buff, we checked it out. Herschel, of course, is the fellow who discovered Uranus in 1781 and who, rather grateful for the a 200 pound annual stipend from King George III, suggested the 7th planet be named Georgium Sidus, George's Star.

We spent a couple of nights at a lovely bed and breakfast just up the hill across the Avon. It was a warm evening, ahead of dinner, and we were sitting out on the lawn when the proprietor offered us a drink. Mrs Earthling, as is her want, asked for the fellow's own preference. On a fine English summer day, he said, one should have a Pimm's Cup.

And so we did. The weather that day and evening was clear and perfect and it wasn't much of a stretch, with the sun just starting to head down for the day over the city, we raised a glass to Sir William Herschel, discoverer of Planet George.

I am, generally speaking, not a fan of infused aperitif. Pernod, Campari, the inexplicably artichoke-based Cynar. Pimm's No. 1 is a gin-based drink, infused with all sorts of citrus and spicy things. Kind of bitter sweet on its own, but it mixed with some combination of lemonade, ginger ale, soda water, and a variety of citrus over ice, it becomes a very crisp afternoon drink.

My preferred mix is:

3 ounces of Pimm's (Pimm's is about 25% ABV)
5 ounces of lemonade
2-3 ounces of sparkling water

or, alternately, 3 ounces of Pimm's, 8 ounces of ginger ale

Mix all over ice, garnish generously with citrus. The English will often add a slice of cucumber, which is more traditional among the English. But then, so was flogging.