Shubham Dutta

THE DARK KNIGHT(2008) Directed by - Christopher Nolan ●Just when you thought that you had overdosed on superheroes, the Caped Crusader returns in one of the most stylish extravaganzas in years. And yes, he blows your socks off. ● It’s a gazillion-budgeted movie crammed with special effects, but not to worry. The Dark Knight isn’t just about pumped-up sound and fury signifying nothing. Director Nolan, who helmed Batman Begins (and gave you the memorable Memento), is in dazzling form here while tackling the classic conflict of virtue. ● Virtue, of course, is represented by the well-heeled Bruce Wayne aka Batman (Christian Bale). On the other end of the spectrum, meet the Joker (Ledger) who is as diabolical and creepy as they come, his face a virtual canvas of menace. ● As it happens with most superhero blockbusters, the plot is secondary to the outbursts of action. These have been filmed by IMAX cameras, not only with technical panache but with wit and imagination – be it a bank robbery, pyromaniacal explosions, somersaulting cars or midair daredevilry. ● Throughout, you are at the edge of your seat – anything could happen in a scenario where the Joker actually baits Batman, hissing out the line, “You make me complete,” which is likely to be included in the all-time quotable dialogue of Hollywood cinema. ● Steadily, you come close to Batman exhausted by his public image of the invincible vigilante. No pop psychology is required to pub into his mind. Instead, you can understand his weariness as he zips through the skyscrapers of Gotham City (recreated in Chicago) and Hong Kong. Even as the Joker is in cohorts with a crime syndicate, Batman is propped by a good-guy District Attorney (Aaron Eckhart) who may or may not have his own agenda. ● In the course of its two-and-a-half-hour length, The Dark Knight whips up plenty of suspense and tension. On the downside, the women characters (Maggie Gyllenhall and Co) are one-dimensional and quite redundant to the narrative. ● Of the supporting cast, Michael Caine as the ultra-efficient butler and Morgan Freeman as the gizmo-smart scientist, add star value to the project. Christian Bale, portraying the Caped Crusader the second time around, is bankably impressive. ● Clearly, the late Heath Ledger as the Joker steals the show. Although the part was played to stunning effect by Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), Ledger’s performance is absolutely original, captivating, and as it happens, poignant. After a long time, then, here’s a must-experience

JOKER(2019) Directed by - Todd Phillips Movie Review: Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) isn’t happy with his life. He struggles to make money as a part-time clown while sharing a rundown apartment with his ailing mom (Frances Conroy). But Arthur lives in a city struck by hard times where a decent, honest living is difficult to come by. He also suffers from a condition that causes him to break into uncontrollable laughter. None of this stops Arthur from dreaming big. He aspires to be a stand-up comedian and attempts to write jokes in his diary. Caught in between it all, Arthur slowly begins to lose his grip on sanity. ● It’s immediately apparent that this is not your standard comic book fare. Todd Phillips painstakingly constructs the story of a man at his wit’s end when pushed beyond his breaking point. Phillips doesn’t glorify mental illness but instead makes a compelling case of a deeply disturbed individual struggling to find a coping mechanism in the form of an unhinged alter ego. This also resonates in his gritty vision of Gotham City, a metropolis brought to its knees, and crime is just a way of life. Only the rich and corrupt seem to be unaffected by the mayhem – a pertinent notion in present times. Set in the early 80's, this fictional city is reminiscent of that era with impeccable production and a time-relevant, yet unsettling soundtrack that evokes a constant sense of uneasiness. ● Arthur Fleck’s gradual descent into madness has a distant parallel to ‘Taxi Driver’, also featuring Robert De Niro, so there’s a sense of joy for the cinephile to see him here. But, none of the cast holds a candle to Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role, captured by a dedicated and immersive performance. Watching Phoenix disappear into character makes one fear the actor’s sanity as he creates his own unique version of the villain. At first, his wiry, awkward frame stumbles to get from one place to the next, but when he eventually transforms, he becomes graceful, resembling an agile dancer. It’s simultaneously difficult to watch and yet, impossible to take your eyes off him. If Joaquin Phoenix finally wins an Academy Award for this performance, it will be hard to argue against it. Disturbing and intense, yet undeniably brilliant, this may very well become the definitive origin tale of the Joker.