The Dark Knight

Movie:The Dark Knight

Genre: Action,Drama,Thriller,Superhero,All time great

Cast:Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart

Running Time: 152 min (approx.)

Rating: *****

"Do I look like a guy with a plan??"

"I think you and I are destined to do this forever"

The Joker

Two lines from a character who has probably created more hype prior to the release of the movie than seen in recent times. The Joker, played by Heath Ledger in this continuation of the Batman story is a character that is a balancing act, utmost treacherous. A little less and you take away the freakiness that Joker brings to the table, a little more and you get branded as the guy who messed it up. But, if you are blessed enough you walk that tightrope and make the character your own ;you get to portray this monster of a person given some of the "awsomest" lines and production values that set the standards. At the same time you must've crossed the Almighty for not living to see the day when the world is going crazy raving about the performance that is billed to bag an Oscar. Watching the Joker crashing parties and mob meetings, looting banks and doing everything and anything to bring Gothan on it's knees all the time smacking his lips and asking the question "Why so serious??" is as eerie a cinematic villain as any and more so if compared to other superhero movies.This villain knows no reason, has no motive and cannot be threatened with anything. All he wants is the world to join him in breaking all rules and let chaos take over; which he believes is the fairest way to live. Alfred the butler describes him the best when he says "Some people just want to see the world burn"

Enough about the Joker, let's talk about the movie (though it is hard to separate the two coz Joker is the movie). The Dark Knight takes off where Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins had ended. But The Dark Knight is a movie that is an experience in itself and you really do not need to know the first part to understand this one, apart from the sporadic appearances of the antagonist from the first part. Christian Bale takes up the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman and looks a lot more confident and assured from the first part, his small team played by stalwarts Michael Caine (as Alfred Pennyworth) and Morgan Freeman(Lucius Fox) are back too accompanied by the Gary Oldman playing Lt. Gordon. Maggie Gyllenhall replaces Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, Wayne's love interest. All of them seem to fall in place except for Maggie who's quite "thanda" really. But in a master stroke Nolan brings in Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, the goody two shoes DA in the city of crime. Eckhart puts in a performance that really sets you up for the contrast and fall he suffers at the end.

The action scenes and set pieces are awe inspiring to say the least, Nolan makes the batman a creature of the night by letting him loose in the skies of Hong Kong and the streets of Gotham. Watching Batman leap of a skyscraper his cape spread is a jaw dropper, only beaten by a smartly thought and brilliantly executed car/truck/batmobile scene. Some of the scenes of the movie have been shot on an IMAX camera supposed to give a 3-D ish effect if seen on a IMAX screen. People in Mumbai or places where such screens are available are well advised to view the movie there, I saw it on a normal 70 mm and was blown away.

The story is tight and tense, and despite being 150 minute movie, it has enough gas to keep you hooked. Background score is amazing and keeps the tone of the movie sombre yet escalates when required, in fact the score that plays just before the end when Lt. Gordon is giving a mini speech as to why Batman is The Dark Knight is super cool and will surely make your hair stand while you are leaving your seat.

Writing on this movie is actually equivalent to spoiling a lot of fun for people who haven't yet seen it, though that number is going to be pretty small. The subtexts in the movie are also awesome and some of the lines from the movie regarding chaos, anarchy and chance warrant a discussion for themselves. There is also the issue of avenging evil without becoming it.But I shall leave that all for later. Right now I shall end with two big thumbs up for the movie and a strong strong recommendation for you all to catch it. I give the movie 5 out of 5 stars because I believe there is no other rating that can convey the message "Watch it all costs on the big screen (IMAX if possible)"

Before I finish another gem of a line from the Joker in the movie

"You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one"

PS: The post was delayed due to various reasons ranging from some unexpected work and to some unexpected travel, but mainly because I wanted to watch this one twice before writing this one

Nacho Libre

Movie : Nacho Libre

Genre: Comedy

Cast: Jack Black

Director: Jared Hess

Running Time: 90 minutes

Rating: *** and 1/2

Review:

"I am I am, I am I am

I think I am I think I am

I'm glad I am

I'm proud I am

A real religious man"

Opening lines from a delightful track by Mr Loco mark the opening of this film as it shows a young Jack Black (an orphan staying in a monastery) stealing pieces of clothing to stitch together a dream costume for himself as a Luchador (Mexican Wrestler) named Nacho, only to be caught by the monastery people and given a bath to cleanse him of his "unholy" desire. That sets the tone for the rest of the movie, underplayed but rib tickling humour.

Nacho grows up to become a friar in the monastery cooking bland food for the orphans and secretly sketching away the costume designs for his unfulfilled dream. All changes when he sees an open contest inviting tag teams to wrestle. Nacho teams up with a street beggar named Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez) who had once robbed him of food. The hilarious duo are quite a sight with Nacho a short, fat guy with the Esqueleto the beggar- tall, thin and unkempt taking on the well oiled Luchadors and getting beaten up.

Back in the monastery Nacho finds his heart beating for Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera) who calls him "brother" and gently reprimands him for entertaining thoughts of becoming a Luchador. Watch Nacho attempt to woo the sister with his "expensive clothes" and his "strong body" in trademark Jack Black style, it's hilarious.

(PS: forgive me lord but the nun is beautiful, probably the most striking actress from Mexico after the days of Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz)

Amidst all this the story moves forward with some of the funniest jokes being played out on the screen. True, some of the gags are pretty common and in your face, but most of the humour is situational like the scene where Nacho fights with his tag team partner, the beggar who says "I don't believe in God, I believe in Saaince (read Science)" and baptizing him just before the match against "Satan's Cavemen". Sample this line from the movie:

"Nacho:I'm not listening to you! You only believe in Science. That's probably why we never win!

Esqueleto: We never win because you are fat! "

The fights themselves are a riot where this rag tag team loses all matches but wins peoples' hearts.

The story has the usual underdog coming on top theme, but Jack Black and the ensemble cast laces it with such unassuming humour that you will always keep smiling but never quite burst into a rapture. For instance, when Nacho tells the senior priest that he has been robbed of the chips the priest asks him with a deadpan face - "Did you not tell him that they were the Lord's chips? " or the poem Nacho writes when he is out in the wilderness:

"I ate some bugs.

I ate some grass.

I used my hand.

To wipe my tears"

I still don't know whether it is safe to so highly recommend such a movie because in essence it is Stupid, all of it, from Nacho's accent to some of the bathroom jokes, yet I laughed for most part of the movie and would'nt mind watching it again (which is more than I can say for any comedy I've seen recently). Jack Black has produced the movie and I see no other person who would take on such a role with such passion and belief, watch him riding his "bike", it's priceless .The director Jared Hess is known for his previous comedy Napolean Dynamite, which I've heard is fantastic and better than this one. Well, after watching this I can't wait to watch that one.

Final words - go out and rent the DVD, in all probability you should laugh away the evening, but if you hate it, then I think you believe in movie making as a Saaince.

Hancock

Movie : Hancock

Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman

Genre: Superhero/Comedy

Director: Peter Berg

Running Time (Approx): 90 min

Rating: ** and 1/2

Review:

Do you believe in the saying "All's well that ends well" ? Well if you do then there is a pretty strong chance that you shall leave the screen after watching the latest Will Smith flick Hancock disappointed. But then if you are a believer of "Well begun half done" then you wont have much to complain from this one.

The movie starts of delightfully with Will Smith essaying the role of a Super Hero(?) gone wrong with characteristic pizazz. The movie has such an interesting premise to start with that first 30 minutes are a riot. It's been a while since Hollywood explored the other side of such characters, the last I remember is the Hollow Man where Kevin Bacon plays an invisible man with absolutely no intentions of saving the world and instead becomes a murderous Peeping Tom. Though not as dark (and much funnier) Hancock is a delight when it is breaking the mould set by the previous summer hits and ironically falls flat when it looks to provide reason to the proceedings.

Hancock takes the help of an Image consultant Ray Emburey (Jason Bateman) to repair the damage his previous acts of "heroics" have caused. Here he meets his wife Mary (the beautiful Charlize Theron). Things improve as Hancock saves the day by foiling a bank robbery after serving time in prison. Everything is fine now but Hancock has fallen for the wife of the man to whom he owes his new life. The movie could have gone anywhere from here on, but the script takes a zany turn and we are instead treated to a sub-plot that is best suited for bed-time stories for kids. Hancock is a short movie approx 90 odd minutes of running time, but even still the last half an hour makes you feel the shortage of content the makers had with them. The bizarre ending, lack of a super-villain and the crazy crazy storyline combine to spoil the taste of a delicious looking movie.

I was watching an interview where Will Smith was answering a question on possible sequels to Hancock. He seemed pretty kicked about it (first black Superhero and all, if you leave Wesley Snipes Blade). So obvious is the maker's intentions about making a series out of this one that it is actually the reason the movie falters at the end.

Still it's a July 4, Will Smith starring, action laden, big-budget flick that has enough ammo to keep you engaged. The special effects are good, not overdone and more importantly easy to understand (remember the so-confusing Transformers?). But Thank God for Will Smith, without him the movie would have been a non starter. Watching him doing the "his head up your ass" act in prison is kickass enough to sustain you for the rest of the movie.

Sarkar Raj

Movie: Sarkar Raj
Cast: The Bachchans, Mario Puzo(?)
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Genre: Political/Family Drama
Rating: *** and 1/2
Review:

It is a little late in the day, but definitely deserving some blogspace ;the Sarkar Raj review

Now we know what Amitabh Bachchan was doing when all the media was asking him to reply to Raj Thackeray's diatribe. He was filming Sarkar Raj. The movie is as much a sequel to the popular first part as it is a cinematic reply to all the commotion that had surrounded Mr Bachchan in the last few months.

The movie begins 3 years hence from the first one. Shankar Nagre (Abhishek Bachchan) has stepped into his father's shoes all too comfortably, he is married, Maharashtra has a new CM and Sarkar has just turned 60. In steps Aishwarya Rai, with an idea that has the Nagre's divided. A power plant that will solve the state's power problems while displacing the residents of ahem Thackerwadi.

Shankar convinces his dad and embarks on a trans thackerwadi tour with the pretty miss. Along the way he gives her gyan about power, money and change(impressing her but really putting the rest of us off). Oppposing him is a be-spectacled, clean shaven, kurta pyjama clad wannabe politico (the director adds the red gamcha to leave no room for doubt).

Soon the heat is on the Nagre's who find that opening the plant involves a lot more than good intentions. Like the first part, a host of shady characters descend on the screen all wanting a piece of the pie. Or is it?

To the movies' credit it packs in enough tricks and twists in the plot to keep you hooked. The background score is a little loud for comfort but has it's roots in the amazing "Govinda" track from the first part. The actor's are too seasoned to botch up and both the Bachchans(male) pick up from where they left in the first part. Aishwarya has to look surprised/impressed/scared throughout the movie, the real waste is Supriya Pathak who should perhaps be paid the most for simply accepting to feature in the movie. The bad guys are many and easily forgettable, not one character sticks in your mind after the movie. But for the uncanny resemblance to real life characters this aspect of the movie lacks bite.

So does the movie work?

Surprisingly Yes, simply coz of the script, the legacy of the first part and the father-son combo who deliver. The direction is tight barring a few scenes like the unseen assasin(right out of a horror movie), and the climax which almost drags it's feet before suddenly realizing it is the climax !! and exploding.

If you liked the first part there is more than a fair chance that you will walk away satisfied if not gleefully anticipating the third installment..... (who'll star next Hrithik?... Neil Nitin Mukesh anyone?)

The Incredible Hulk

Movie: The Incredible Hulk
Cast: Edward Norton, Tim Roth, Liv Tyler
Genre: Action/Superhero(?)
Rating ***
Review:

The angry green man is back not only to bulldoze his enemies but also the perceptions people had built about the future of this series after the rather depressing first part. I for one belong to the side who actually liked that one. I thought Ang Lee had given us the most lyrical action that one can imagine with a lead who was well nothing more than an Ogre. Also the editing of the movie to me was a fine effort wherein the movie unfolded like a comic book (which is what is was). But the movie drew more jeers for it's handling of Bruce Banner, who came out like a unwilling hero (which again he was), and in the times when Peter Parker was fighting Doc Oc gleefully swinging , our sulking green friend did not cut an impressive figure.

Edward Norton a smart actor had auditioned for the role that eventually went to Eric Bana. Stung by the rejection, he was further appalled on seeing his favourite hero biting the dust on the silver screen. Teaming with the scriptwriters, he also went on to star in the The Incredible Hulk, the movie in question.

The Incredible Hulk makes two things pretty clear:

a) the makers have distanced themselves from the original with more than a 10 yard pole

b) the Bourne series have had more effect on the psyche of all future action movies than Ludlum or Paul Greengrass would've imagined

Right from the opening shots of a Brazilian chawl like dwelling to the chase sequences that follow, you can literally smell Matt Damon in the air. Not that it's a bad thing, but well, no marks for originality. But hell full marks for execution, the aerial shots of Rio are breathtaking to say the least and Norton with his baseball cap and vulnerable look on makes for some engaging viewing.

The movie introduces Tim Roth as the Abomination aka Emil Blonsky an overzealous commando who is drawn by Hulk's powers and wants some of the green juice for himself too. The anticipation for the final fight builds up nicely and finally Norton is able to put Hulk in the hero zone from the fugitive mould.

Jennifer Connelly is replaced by Liv Tyler in this one and as the General's Daughter she is fine. Emil Blonsky too swaggers away impressively throughout the movie. But like the first part, it are the effects that really leave you impressed. True we've seen them all before, but there is something about the scale of the action that Hulk indulges in that is well and truly his style.

All in all a movie that you shall not repent watching unless you were actually expecting an Ang Leeish sequel. And yes, watch closely; the opening scenes have a clue (that could'nt be Starker) for a guest appearance that is made right at the end.

Final Solution

Movie: Final Solution

Genre: Documentary
Director: Rakesh Sharma
Rating: Compulsory Viewing
Review:

"Die Religion ... ist das Opium des Volkes"

"religion is the opium of the masses"

Karl Marx

What do you write about a movie that shakes the very belief on which a nation is founded. A movie that shows Hitler and Mussolini live on; albeit wearing Saffron and brandishing trishuls. A movie that makes you squirm hearing what a man can do to another man. Final Solution is not as much a movie as it is a damning piece of video that takes you right in the middle of a land where religion and politics were mixed in horrific proportions to produce the most devastating results. Welcome to Gujarat 2002.

Sample this, a five year old boy recounting the deaths of his grandparents, aunts , uncles, parents to the last gory detail and declaring war on all Hindus when he grows up. A graveyard keeper refusing to speak of the condition of the bodies that he had to bury post riots. A VHP spokesperson stating that Muslims must accept Hindus as elder brothers and respect and obey to stay in the country. A Muslim crying after the election that unanimously brought Modi back to power, clutching to his voter's identity card fearing that one day he may be asked to prove his Indianness.

Final Solution takes you from election rallies to peoples drawing rooms all the while doing nothing but asking the right questions to the right people. To the movie's credit it does not allow the viewer to be distracted by some voice over or running commentary. All it does is club the right excerpt at the right place, at times bringing out the Contradiction so brutally that it is saddening. In one scene we are taken deep into Gujarat where the BJP election campaign is in full flow. The speaker is spitting venom; proudly stating that he had cleansed the area of all Muslims; he says if anyone goes to the booth and does not vote for the BJP, the ghosts of Godhra incident shall not let him/her rest in peace. The scene then cuts to a jubilant LK Advani post the Gujarat victory bloating that his party must be admired for maintaining a dignified silence on Godhra issue during the campaign when they had the chance to use it as an election issue.

In an interview the director Rakesh Sharma says "I decided to stay away from what I call the 'bookshelf interview' - having 'The Expert', 'The Sociologist', 'The Activist' who attempt to explain events to the audience. I wanted primary material, people's own voices, whether it was from within the minority community, the Hindu families who had lost lives, or the rightwing leadership" It helps, the movie is absolutely rooted to the ground. Hence what you get is not what any expert thinks of the riots but victims, survivors, witnesses, participants and perpetrators of that horrific event.

Strangely enough the issues raised in the movie are not specific to the Gujarat riots only. It is a testament on the use of divisive politics; in this case religion. But the recent Raj Thackeray diatribe against North Indians is eerily on the same lines.( Only if Hitler was alive, he would've been proud to have seen these guys in action). Frequently during the movie the director uses the dictionary meaning of words just to put forth his point, words like Genocide, Ghetto are explained to the viewer followed by some telling footage just to confirm your worst fear. Yes what happened in Gujarat was Genocide. Ghettos are not things of the past where Jews were segregated and later exterminated, it also happened in aapno Amdavad.

The movie was banned by the Indian Censorship Board. Rakesh Sharma then had to use a "pirate and circulate" effort wherein he circulated 10,000 copies of the movie free of cost asking people to circulate them among 5 more people and so on. Within 2 months 80,000 copies of the movie had found it's way to people. One of those was Nishant, my next door neighbor who got the movie during his IIT days. I don't think that the movie is still released for general viewing and you would probably have to download it, but no matter how you get it make sure you watch it.

21

Movie : 21

Genre: Drama

Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Lawrence Fishburne

Rating: *** and 1/2

Review:

"The house always wins"

Daniel Ocean; Ocean's 11

"...it is legal and more importantly , it is BEATABLE."

Prof Mickey Rosa ;21

Duping the casino's seems to be a favourite Hollywood hobbie, so many a times have the Vegas guys been robbed of their millions that you actually wonder how do they pay the bills for those fountains and lighting!

21 shows how you do not need layout plans of the vault, tapping the phones, and blowing out the power grid of Vegas to rob the Casino's. A group of MIT grads led by their Maths prof Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) learn how to count cards and beat the dealer in Blackjack a game Rosa says, is simple Math.

Told through the eyes of Ben Campbell(Jim Strugess) who needs the dough to fund his Harvard dream, 21 is a stylish entertainer. Jim Strugess essays the role of the brilliant yet reticent guy on the Campus who with his buddies tops all the courses, yet cannot find the guts to approach a girl. All that changes when he is spotted by his Maths prof. in a lecture. He soon learns that Prof Rosa is not only charming teacher, but also a brilliant businessman (of the most bizarre kind). He trains Ben alongwith a team of other equally sharp students to stump the casino's.

Life changes for Ben on every weekend when Rosa takes this oddball team of Mathematicians to Vegas and rake some serious Moolah (and gets a girlfriend too). Ben soaks it all as he gets to lead a life that he only dreamt of, though at the the expense of losing his nerd friends. The movie then takes a predictable path as Jealousy and Greed kick in within the team. Ben finds out that the Prof. is not all that sweet and the Casino's find that something is wrong somewhere and set a soon to be redundant thug (Lawrence Fishburne) after this team. Soon enough Ben has to make choices to set things right in his life. How he does that makes up for the climax of the movie, which sure does take you by surprise.

By the posters the movie seemed to be a Kevin Spacey movie, but make no mistake the movie belongs to Jim Sturgess. As Ben the guy is at ease playing the both the Nerd and the Gambler. It is his performance that keeps you rooting for him throughout the film. Kevin Spacey is well Kevin Spacey, very few people can deliver a line like this guy and here too as Prof Micky Rosa he is absolutely brilliant in the scenes where he has something to say, but sadly his role keeps tapering as the film progresses and by the end you actually seemed to have lost track of this brilliant, maniacal professor. But the movie is not about the prof as much it is about the students, and they all perform well.

The movie is supposed to be based on real life incidents, difference being the team's ethnicity. In real life the team was comprised of only asians while here Ben is shown as the leader of the team with a couple of Asians tossed in for the effect. But then it's Hollywood and who really needs re-assurance that we guys are actually smarter than the Americans eh?

The movie is well paced at approx 2 hrs and alongwith it's stylish Vegas shots and some good background score never lets you drift away. All in all a paisa vasool flick that never gets heavy on you and leaves you with the feeling of having seen something Fresh!

Mere Baap Pehle Aap

Desperate times call for desperate measures; and it was nothing short of a desperate measure that led me to watch this excuse of a movie. In fact watching the movie gives you a sense of paranoia. What if the IT dept. is keeping an eye on my movie habits? Watching this movie is a sure hint of excess and disposable wealth.(not true sadly)

Nothing justifies watching this movie but in my defence it was the only show playing and I had to kill time. Anyways the movie is all about Akshaye Khanna and Paresh Rawal playing dad and son who have nothing else in the world but to take care of each other(Akshaye Khanna plays a CEO of a mall(?) and he is and engineer with just 3 years of work ex!!, some career move that!!). Om Puri plays a lustful divorcee on the hunt for a new wife. Together he and Paresh play out some of the most distasteful jokes I've seen on the big screen ably aided by a foul mouthed Archana Puran Singh.

The movie has an interesting premise but fall flat when it comes to developing a real story out of it. From one numbing joke to the other the movie drags on for a never ending 2.45 hrs before Naseerudin Shah makes a cameo and puts you out of your misery.

How Priyadarshan is able to convince actors such as Akshaye Khanna, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri,Shobanaa (from Mitr- my friend) and more importantly the Producer to do this film is beyond me. The man must be a marketing genius.

So if you are planning to catch this movie consider options such as:
Cutting Nails
Changing Cells of your Wall Clock, T.V.Remote etc
Writing your name with you left hand
I'm sure you'll find these activities more rewarding and satisfying than spending a good 3 hrs watching this film.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS