Barfi

It does not revolutionize Bollywood in any way nor is it an example of superlative cinematic brilliance. There are flaws, and lots of them. But, at the same time, it's a lesson in the long-lost art of simple filmmaking without being pretentious. The effort is so genuinely heartwarming that it comes out through the characters in the film. I've been extremely critical of Ranbir Kapoor in the past. Maybe he is dumb, but he sure can act! In Junior Kapoor, we do see glimpses of his grandfather. His goofiness is so bloody infectious. He does not play the sympathy-card, he just lets the film carry him along instead of trying what Bollywood heroes desperately try to do - to carry the film on their shoulders. The character is central, not the hero. One of the very few Hindi films I've seen where the audience connects with the character, and not the hero. Ileana is effortlessly sweet and quite unexpectedly brilliant. Saurabh Shukla delivers a standout and stellar performance. The strength of the film lies in the characterisation - so under-toned, and pitch-perfect to counter-balance the trappings of melodrama. The cinematography is breathtaking and so is the music. The visual imagery adds to the emotional quotient of the film. The earnestness of Anurag Basu does suffer a blow because of the predictability of the plot since the temptation of repetitiveness unwittingly underwhelms the magic created in the first half, and, of course, the disappointing performance of Priyanka Chopra. Instead of under-emoting, she overdoes it. Somehow she goes retard trying to portray an autistic girl. Don't judge this film through the prism of cerebral dissection and critical analysis. For once, listen to your heart, not the critics.

The Dark Knight Returns

The Dark Knight has risen! The storm came, roared thunderously and blew everything away! Watching the film evokes the same kind of ecstasy as that of making love. It starts with an extended foreplay, builds up slowly, escalates wildly and culminates into an explosive, intense and unrelenting orgasm. In fact, it's a thousand times better than an orgasm. It's as close as having that romanticized elevated sense of being numb close on the heels of death. When you go numb and your senses fail you, and you are transported into a world that is beautiful, heart-wrenching, dark, compelling, unreal and majestic - you know that the storm has hit you, the fire that rose has engulfed you. The best part of Nolan's Batman trilogy is that all the 3 films are distinctly different from each other. It would be unfair to compare The Dark Knight Rises with the previous two installments. Batman Begins was a Renaissance-moment, a triumphant interpretation of the caped crusader. His damaged psyche torn apart by guilt and fear - Nolan nails it with precision. And, the original treatment was so refreshing when Rachel points out that Bruce Wayne was the mask that Batman wore, not the other way round. The Dark Knight was edgier, darker, representing a world where chaos and order co-exist and complete each other; the sadistic sinisternerness of the Joker, blurring the boundaries between being amoral and being diabolical, is evidently portrayed - "What am I without you? To them, you are just a freak, like me. You complete me." It dealt more with the psychological, a duel between the Agent of Chaos and the Fallen Knight, whereas The Dark Knight Rises is much more physical. Nolan wanted it to be a spectacle, an extravagant and dazzling finale on epic proportions, and he did achieve it. It's no-holds-barred, outrageous and heart-pounding, gut-wrenching, raw action on one hand and on the other, it captures Batman's emotional vulnerabilities like never before. For the self-appointed critics - please stop comparing. Applaud and acknowledge the genius of Christoper Nolan.