Why so serious?

So much has been written about The Dark Knight that saying anything else about it would be cliched at best and plagiarism at worst. However, having just seen the movie, I feel compelled to spread the word. The movie is - not to put too fine a point upon it - SUPERB. It is the best comic book movie ever, and I dont think there can be a better one. I was always a Batfreak, and I am always wary of things that other people praise, but this movie has exceeded my wildest expectations.

Without further ado, here is a list of the things I loved about the movie -

The characters:

1. The Joker - the guy is a genius, evil personified, who is always one step ahead of Batman, the police and the District Attorney. The freak without a plan, a disciple of chaos, the single most powerful character of the movie had me hooked. Heath Ledger, with his nervous flicking of the tongue, really lives as the Joker. The 'irresistable force' more than matches Batman's 'immovable object'
2. The concept of Batman as menacing - I always thought of Batman as a good bloke, but after this movie, I can see why he is a menacing presence to all
3. Two Face - the ultimate rational being, who gives everything a 50-50 chance. Also, a victim of fate

The ideas:

1. That Batman is unique in that he need not be a hero, and so can do what is right. This special quality makes him transcend the usual crop of (now seemingly) daft superheroes
2. That chaos is more menacing than the most scary 'plan'
3. That it is ok to burn down the forest to get the rogue bandit

The gadgets:

1. The Batbike - uber cool. What else can I say?
2. The brightly blinking 'parachute' that flies up
3. Two Face's coin

The dialogue:

1. Why so serious?
2. One must die a hero, or live long enough to become a villian

The technique:

1. The fast pace and buildup of suspense in the screenplay
2. The background music - haunting and enticing

This is the third Christopher Nolan movie that is in my list of all time greats - after Memento, The Prestige and The Dark Knight, what will he come up with next?