Batman : The Dark Knight

Nolan does it again. He's directed a movie you cannot understand fully the first time you watch it and you want to appreciate the finer aspects of the movie by watching it again and again. And when it's a Batman movie which is so complex, you know what a great job it is. IMDB no.1 within 4 days of its release is no mean feat. Though it is no true reflection of a movie's greatness, what is surprising is that with more than 140000 votes the movie's rating has become more or less stable at 9.4. Now it can simply not go below Godfather, theoretically speaking.

So is the movie really that great, after all? It sure is. No doubt. Be it late Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker, or the flawless direction of Christopher Nolan, or the breathtaking visuals and action sequences, everything makes the movie a thorough entertainer. Though I haven't watched all the Batman movies, I am sure I am right when I say the movie captures the essence of Batman like no other movie prior to this has. What is most appealing is that the film resembles a regular crime movie, with the superhero element underplayed to such an extent that nothing seems unbelievable in the movie.

In the acting department, Heath Ledger stands out undoubtedly. The images of The Joker are what remain perfectly clear in your mind after watching the movie. He delivers his lines with such clarity and precision that makes his character all the more impressive. In fact, the reason one would want to watch the movie a second time would be to appreciate the finer details of the movie, apart from The Joker's portrayal. Such is the level of performance Heath Ledger has delivered. Christian Bale fits the bill perfectly and is more impressive than he was in Batman Begins. The Batman voice is a tad annoying though. Aaron Eckhart as Two-face Dent is the other important character in the film. His coin-flipping antics get a little boring(Being an Indian, one can't help wondering if Two-Face was inspired by Sholay or vice-versa) though it is one of the important concepts of the Batman comics - "The world is cruel, and the only morality in a cruel world is chance. Unbiased. Unprejudiced. Fair".

Talking about concepts, the movie also presents several issues related to philosophy/psychology, but the way they are dealt with may not be said to be really awesome or anything. There have been better attempts. However, being a Batman movie, there's less scope for it anyway. All said, it's 2 1/2 hours of pure entertainment. Though Dark Knight can't be called the best movie ever made, it certainly is and will be the best superhero movie ever made.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall - as the name implies, this is a movie ideal for those guys out there who're just out of a relationship. Well even those just into a relationship would appreciate it. Not to say that happy and single guys won't have a good laugh watching the movie. I just did.

Starring Jason Segel(who has also done the writing credits), Kristen Bell as the titular character, and Mila Kunis, the movie is about the journey the hero goes through after a break-up with the leading lady and if he eventually overcomes the hangover. Humour is the highlight of the movie, but it's not one of those typical rom-coms. There is no overdose of emotion. Everything is light-hearted. The director, Nicholas Stoller deserves credit for making good use of humor in many parts of the movie. Jason Segel has a body language that suits the style of comedy very well. Russell Brand delivers a great performance as a European pop artist Aldous Snow. Some of his lines are truly hilarious for the timing with which they're delivered and the effect they produce. Mila Kunis is totally ravishing as Rachel the receptionist and will certainly make any guy forget any Sarah Marshall.

Most of the film is shot in Hawaii and this sets a light tone for the movie visually too. Parental advisory: There are quite a few explicit scenes in the movie, even full-frontal nudity. Now guys, don't jump and download the movie immediately. It is male full-frontal nudity. But its use in the movie is just in a humorous manner, which makes it acceptable. Overall, this movie's certainly recommended for anyone looking for a good laugh with one of the movies that released this year.