Why So Serious?

There are three kinds of movies. Those that you watch, and immediately forget about. Those that you watch, and remember for some time. And then there are those movies, those rare diamonds in the rough, that leave a lasting impression. The movies that make an imprint so deep that you will never be able to forget them. The Dark Knight, needless to say, falls in this category.

Very rarely does a movie live up to the hype and PR publicity spread before its release. This one, however, not only lives up to it, but surpasses it beyond all expectations. Those who have seen it, will know why. Those who haven't seen it as yet- go watch it! Please. This is one movie worth watching.

I must admit I've never been a big fan of superhero movies. I never quite liked either George Clooney or Val Kilmer in the role of Batman, Michael Keaton I thought was slightly better. But Christian Bale fits into the role completely. I thought so while watching Batman Begins a few weeks back, and now, having watched The Dark Knight, I'm absolutely sure. It's almost as if the role were tailormade for him. Bale portrays Batman perfectly, as the humanised superhero- the masked vigilante who protects Gotham City, the man whose struggles rage within.

And just like there are some movies that you do not forget, there are some roles that go down in history. Example of the moment- the late Heath Ledger's Joker. He played the part to perfection. Ledger's twisted maniacal performance is simply stunning. He gets into your head with his stories of how he got his scars, he makes you laugh at his sick jokes, he makes you shudder when he's at his evil best. He's a psychopath, pure evil through and through. People are saying his Joker is far better than Jack Nicholson's Joker, but really, I think it would be unfair to make a comparison. Both are very good in their own way. Nicholson's Joker had a strangely wicked sophistication, while Ledger's Joker is the very manifestation of evil. Even in a nurse's costume, he sends chills down your spine. And when he says, "Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face!"... Well, you want to cover your eyes at the grotesqueness of it all, yet you can't tear yourself away, because he's just THAT good.

The movie is fantastically made. The special effects are wonderful, the direction and cinematography top-class, even the background scores suit the mood perfectly.

The acting is brilliant too- leaving aside Bale and Ledger, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart pulled off a great job. Particularly, Eckhart's transformation from the fallen White Knight to Two-Face is stunning- he plays both the roles of good and bad with equal ease. Even Maggie Gyllenhaal was quite decent. Christopher Nolan truly has taken the Batman series to a whole new level.

But the movie belongs to Ledger. From beginning to end. Of course, Bale holds his own. But you can't help but marvel at the sheer dedication with which Ledger threw himself into the role. He's the Joker through and through- psychologically disturbing and sadistic, right from laughing hysterically while getting beaten up by Batman, to clapping in the prison cell, from the paint-smeared face to all his little speeches dripping pure evil and contempt for society- this is THE villain- pure evil. As I said, one of the roles that will go down in history.

It's a shame to die without getting the recognition you deserve. A shame not to be able to ride high on the success and accolades your dedication brought you. And it's heartbreakingly sad that you were taken away so soon, at such a high point of your career. But you went out with a bang. Leaving behind a true legacy. And for that, I applaud you. Bravo, Heath. May your soul rest in peace.

To someone who probably won't even read this.

I knew people would talk. I expected them to. I even knew what they'd say. It's in human nature to gossip, after all, to sit down and talk about the latest scandal.

But never in my wildest dreams did I think you would be one of them, and say those things. How could you even think that way about me? You call yourself my friend? You don't know me at all, if you think I'm capable of such things.

It's strange how quickly friendships can end. You haven't made me cry, you haven't offended me, I'm beyond all that- but you are no longer my friend.

P.S. - Next time, have the guts to say it to my face, and not sneak around behind my back, badmouthing me.

Note: This you is definitely not the same person as the one mentioned in one of the previous posts, titled "You". They're as different as chalk and cheese. And I couldn't be more grateful for that.

Home-Alone

There is something rather nice about having the house to myself. Cooking for myself. Being completely independent, managing the shongshar, and handling Ma's work while she's away. I am having to remember a whole lot of issues at once, coordinate lots of things at the same time, and do many many jobs. It's tiring, it's stressing, it's difficult, but it's also exhilarating. I am feeling this sense of accomplishment.

I'm proud of myself.

Time to give myself a hug.

An update.

Firstly, I am celebrating my new Unlimited Internet connection. My mom is sick and tired of me exceeding the Broadband Bandwidth limit, so she thought this would be a better option. Now I can download music and movies to my heart's content! Woohoo! Watch out Torrent, here I come!
College has reopened, and thank God for that. It's so much fun being back. Sitting on the Ledge, hanging around near Worldview, laughing about random things, JUDE is the life! This semester will be tough, though- with Old and Middle English and Renaissance Literature hanging over our heads. *pulls hair out in nervousness*
Have watched quite a few movies lately.
First came The Prestige. A film about two magicians in turn-of-the-century London, who keep trying to outdo each other, but at the cost of what...?
It's a brilliant movie. I am just in love with the line "Are you watching closely?" (I actually kept it as my Gtalk status display for a few days!) Also, I am usually a Jackman fan, but I have to say, as much as Jackman was good in this movie, it was Bale who stole the show. I've never particularly liked Bale, but The Prestige has completely changed my opinion! He was mind-blowing. This movie is a *must-watch*. Definitely one of the best films I've seen in quite a while.

Next up, is The Illusionist. Also a movie about magic, starring Edward Norton. IIf you compare it with The Prestige, well- it's nowhere close. But on its own, it's a pretty decent movie. Edward Norton's acting is top-notch, he gives a silent efficiency to his role as Eisenheim. Jessica Biel is rather good as well.
And after these, I watched P.S. I Love You. (Special thanks to Shreya). Beautiful movie. What is love? Is it compromise? Is it a connection? Is it making grief easier? Is it all of these things?
The movie explains how love can cross all kinds of boundaries. It's not your typically cheesy romantic stuff. Gerard Butler is fantastic, great acting combined with fantastic eye-candy looks. (His Irish accent does get a bit garbled at times, though.) Hilary Swank is great as well.
This made for a good watch. Left me feeling all warm and fuzzy.
And lastly, I watched Love Actually. Of course, this one I've seen before. It's one of my all-time favourites. This is a movie you can watch over and again, and never get tired of. You can watch it with friends, you can watch it alone, or you can cuddle up with that special someone and enjoy it. Anything goes. From Hugh Grant's dance down the stairs to Keira Knightley's wedding video, from Colin Firth's disastrous debacles with his Portuguese help to Liam Neeson's love advice to his stepson, from Emma Thompson's wonderful acting to Rowan Atkinson's fabulous guest appearance- this movie tops just about everything else.
Onto the next thing, I have chanced across the recipe for Baked Alaska. I shall be trying it out soon, when Guppy and Divya come to visit next week.
Also, Ma is leaving for a week's trip to London on Monday. I shall have the house to myself. Whayhey! *rolls about in glee* I have told her to get me back bulls-eyes.
I am currently downloading songs from P.S. I Love You, and the movie Bridget Jones' Diary.
My throat feels sore, and my voice is taking on a hoarse-yet-shrill tone. Waah!
Tomorrow is lazy Sunday. My favourite day of the week.
That's more or less the update for now. See you all soon!