'The Dark Knight' (PG-13): There's no doubt about it: With "The Dark Knight," Batman (Christian Bale) has spread his wings and has soared to new heights. With a brooding atmosphere of panic and dread, darkly complex characters and a compelling narrative that challenges moral and ethical boundaries, it could best considered a crime drama.

Punctuated by a nightmarish performance by the late Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight" easily ranks with, if not above such contemporary classics as Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" and Michael Mann's "Heat." The only difference between writer-director Christopher Nolan's second Batman adventure and its crime epic predecessors is that the heroes and villains just happen to wear costumes, masks and makeup, and use high-tech gizmos in the battle of good vs. evil.

"The Dark Knight" blasts off with an elaborately plotted bank robbery scene in Gotham City by The Joker and his thugs -- a calling card of sorts to the city's criminal underworld, now headed by Salvatore Maroni (Eric Roberts) that this clown-faced criminal is a serious force to be reckoned with. But while The Joker and Maroni don't see eye-to-eye, they both know what stands between them and complete control of Gotham is Batman.

But as they soon find out, Batman has allies -- Gotham's new District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) -- who are also willing to put on a brave face in public and hit Maroni and his fellow thugs where it hurts. With the emergence of the new heroes, it finally appears that Wayne will be able to hand off the crime fighting to someone else to gain some semblance of a normal life.

But as soon as Maroni's operation is dismantled, The Joker takes over the crime scene in a brutally sadistic fashion, racking up a toll of death and destruction, forcing Batman back into the game. The trouble is, the mayhem has escalated to the point whether the citizens of Gotham are wondering whether the crime-fighting trio -- chief among them Batman -- is doing more harm than good.

Responding to the chaos and anarchy that The Joker has created, Batman and Dent become more obsessed than ever in their plight as they each approach the fine line between hero and vigilante -- and the sort of evil they've sworn to fight.

Of course, the monstrous dark cloud hanging over "The Dark Knight" for months has been Ledger tragedy, who completed his role of The Joker before his untimely death in January.

The amazing thing is, and this is testament to Ledger's acting ability, he becomes from the first second he appears onscreen and ratchets up the intensity throughout the film with his herky-jerky mannerisms, a horrifyingly maniacal laugh and unmerciful methods of dispatching his victims. Defying naysayers who doubted his casting, Ledger has definitely had the last laugh with his take as The Joker, by taking on a character made iconic by Jack Nicholson and reinventing it in a way that will likely never be surpassed.

While Bale delivers big again as Batman and Ledger is ominous as The Joker, the character of Dent perhaps has the biggest arc in the film. As the ambitious attorney who leaves fate to chance with the toss of a two-headed coin, Eckhart shows great range as do-gooder who truly becomes "Two-Face" when he's burned by the flipside of good. It's a great performance that will be appreciated over time as "The Dark Knight" makes its way to becoming a movie classic.

While Batman's roots are in the comic book realm (followed of course, by the campy classic television series and series of films starting late 80s), Nolan clearly set a new, darker tone for the Caped Crusader in 2005’s "Batman Begins." It’s darker yet in "The Dark Knight," and parents should know up front that it's not your ordinary comic-book inspired movie. Menacing moments, particularly involving The Joker, may frighten kids under 8, so parents should watch the film alone first before deciding if the film is age appropriate.

DVD Features: The two-disc edition includes the six original scenes shot in IMAX in their original formatting; production featurettes on the new Batpod, Bat-Suit, and more; six "Gotham Tonight" episodes (the news program featured in the film) and more. (Warner Home Video).

Also New:
'Horton Hears A Who!' (G): If "Horton Hears a Who!" proves anything, it shows that a Dr. Seuss film adaptation works much better in animated form than in live-action. True, it's not hand-drawn, but computer-animation brings the fantastical feeling of Seuss' creations to life much better than the bizarre make-up and heavy costumes of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "The Cat in the Hat."

Of course, "Who!" voice star Jim Carrey was the star of "The Grinch," but you get the feeling that his physical comedy -- particularly his facial expressions -- were lost in the translation of playing the mean, green one.

But as Horton the elephant in this Seuss offering, Carrey comfortable slips behind the microphone to give a winning performance. A large elephant with a big heart (and ears), Horton struggles to protect a microscopic community of Whos even though his neighbors don't believe him.

Fast moving, funny and heartfelt, "Horton Hears a Who!" is perhaps most remarkable because of its stunning animation and vibrant colors. In addition to Carey the voice cast is top notch, including Steve Carell as the mayor of Whoville and Carol Burnett as Horton's devious neighbor Kangaroo.

The voice cast also includes Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jaime Pressly and Amy Poehler, and newsman Charles Osgood provides the film's warm narration.

DVD Features: Commentary by directors Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, a new "Ice Age" short, sneak peek at "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," and more. (Fox Home Entertainment)