Taare Zameen par (Hindi)

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Taare zameen par - I don't know if enough is being said about this movie yet, or is going to be said. First reactions from viewers will be that it's a great movie, that the actors are awesome and the story is well written.

For me, it was good to see a re-affirmation that it does not take a lot to make a difference in somebody's life. It takes willingness, and taking a stand for the other person's cause.
Taare zameen par is outstanding cinema because it's so articulate and sensitive about the plight of the young boy Ishaan, under played fantastically by Darsheel Safary, and also because it defines what movie making in Bollywood can become with the right ingredients.

Aamir shines as he does always - sincere, straight forward. He proves he makes as good a director as he is a lead actor.

Shankar-Ehsan-Loy find an occassion to do many things: Break loose, re-visit their roots, reach new levels. I'm about to buy the CD in the next couple of days.

By the way, I'm all the way with you Aamir, this is the way one should emote, empathise and empower. "Black" makes awful movie watching (Poking my finger into my throat.....groan!)

200 Pounds beauty (Korean with English subtitles)

Figured may as well spend the time at the Singapore airport lounge doing something different - writing on my blog about a Korean movie! This movie has apparently broken all Korean movie records recently and got many rave reviews and nominations to some popular awards.
Happened to watch it on the flight back from melbourne and liked it pretty much.

I would say while this is a pretty bold subject they've chosen, in the sense you dont get to see too many movies talking of extreme make-overs involving plastic surgery, (or drastic surgery as the in-flight mag put it) it's also true that you get hooked on due to some good acting and direction. The emotion flows well during the second half and the filmmakers have done well to say what they're out to say.

It's been an age-old debate of looking good vs. being good, appearance vs. substance, body vs. soul ..etc. The movie picks up from where Bridget Jones stopped writing and goes on to explore what happens when a girl decides she knows the way to get the guy and the job she wants. I think it's a bit drastic for a girl to decide to go for a head-to-toe makeover but in the end you do feel the sensitivity of the issue. Kim A-jung, the lead actress, has acted quite well as the girl after the makeover to expose the confusions in the girl's mind and the painful emotional journey she goes through during the story. Also, MAN... CAN SHE SING!!??

After all the talk of 'internal beauty' and 'appearances do not matter' and blah-di-blah-di-blah :) let's accept it. Girls can get insecure about appearances and they have to work out what to do with their insecurities. Also, the guys ought to really show it to them that they would love them irrespective just because of who their women are and they would never want their women to get a 'job' done to please the guys. The very thought makes me shudder.

Well i was quite frankly surprised by how the movie led itself. Not to say I think there aren't good movies made in Korea, but it's just the lack of awareness to us folks. Time to finally swim out of the holly/bolly wood shores and explore more! But where do we and how do we start? If readers know of any good leads of movies from the east, please write in!

I would recommend this movie to all, even if you don't understand Korean.
Extremely surprised to not see an IMDB entry (!!) Let me see if my review guru James Berardinelli has caught this movie yet?

Addendum: Found it with the original korean name under IMDB!
Minyeo-neun goerowo

Mungaaru maLe (Kannada)

ಯಾವ ಹನಿಗಳಿಂದ..ಯಾವ ನೆಲವು ಹಸಿರಾಗುವುದೊ
ಯಾರ ಸ್ಪರ್ಷದಿಂದ..ಯಾರ ಮನವು ಹಸಿಯಾಗುವುದೊ..ಯಾರ ಉಸಿರಲ್ಯಾರ ಹೆಸರೊ..ಯಾರು ಬರೆದರೊ
ಯಾವ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಹೂವು..ಯಾರ ಹೃದಯದಲ್ಲರಳುವುದೊ..ಯಾರ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಪೂಜೆಗೆ ಮುಡಿಪೊ..ಯಾರು ಬಲ್ಲರು
ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆಯೇ..ಏನು ನಿನ್ನ ಹನಿಗಳ ಲೀಲೆ

’ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಅಂತೆ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಅಂತೆ, ಛೆ!’ ಅನ್ಕೊಂಡು ಒಳಗೆ ಬಂದವನಿಗೆ ’ಮತ್ತೆ’ ಒಂದು ಚೂರು ’ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಪ್ರಣಯ’ ದ ವಿಷಯಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಯೊಚಿಸಿ ಅದೇ ಗುಂಗಿನಲ್ಲಿ ರೋಮಾಂಚನಗೊಳ್ಳುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿ, ಭೂತದ ದೃಶ್ಯಗಳು ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಭೂತದ ತರ haunt ಮಾಡಿ, ಕುಣಿದಾಡಿ, ಚುಚ್ಚಿ ಎನೋ ಒಂಥರ pain ಅನುಭವಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಎದ್ದು ಬರುವಾಗ ಪುನಃ ’ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಅಂತೆ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಅಂತೆ, ಹ್‍ಮ್‍ಮ್!’ ಎಂದು ವಾಸ್ತವತೆ ಅರಿತುಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ’ಹನಿ ಹನಿ ಪ್ರೇಮ್‍ಕಹಾನಿ’ - ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ
ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆಯೇ..ಏನು ನಿನ್ನ ಹನಿಗಳ ಲೀಲೆ!!

ಯಾಕೋ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ನ್‍ನಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯ ಬರೀಬೇಕು ಅನ್ನಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಮತ್ತು ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದೂ ವಿಮರ್ಶೆಯನ್ನೂ ಬರೆದಿಲ್ಲ ಅದಿಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ.

’ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ’ ಅಂತ ಪ್ರತಿ ದಿನ COMEDY ಮಾಡುವವ ಅನ್ನೋ image ಇದ್ದ ಗಣೇಶ್, ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ ಚಿತ್ರದಿಂದ ಸಾಧಿಸಿರುವುದು ಅಸಾಧ್ಯವಾದದ್ದೇನಲ್ಲ ಆದರೂ ತುಂಬ ಹೊಗಳಬೇಕಾದ ವಿಶಯ ಏನೆಂದರೆ ಅತಿ natural ಆಗಿ, ಅನುಕರಣೆ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ straight from the heart ಅನ್ನುವಂತೆ ಅವರ ಪಾತ್ರ ಮೂಡಿ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಅನುಮಾನ ಇಟ್ಕೊಂಡು ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದವರ ತಲೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೊಡೆದ ಹಾಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಭೆಯನ್ನು ಪ್ರದರ್ಶಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. A case of total perception change. ಆದರೆ ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದಲ್ಲೇನೊ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಪಾತ್ರ ತುಂಬ ಒಪ್ಪತ್ತೆ; ಮುಂದೆ ಬೇರೆ ಬೇರೆ ಪಾತ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ನಿಭಾಯಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ ಅನ್ನೋದು ಕಾದು ನೋಡಬೇಕು.

ಚಿತ್ರ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆದ ಹೊಸದರಲ್ಲಿ ಗಣೇಶ್‍ನ ಮಿತ್ರರು ಸೇರಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ಪತ್ರ ಬರೆದು ಅದನ್ನು ವಿಜಯ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ printಮಾಡಿಸಿದ್ದರು. ’ಗಣೇಶ ನೀನು ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನೇ ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಪರದೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ತಂದಿದ್ದೀಯ. ನಮ್ಮ ಕಥೆ ಹೇಳಿ ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ನಗಿಸಿದ್ದೀಯ, ಅಳಿಸಿದ್ದೀಯ, ಮೆಚ್ಚುಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಚಪ್ಪಾಳೆ ಹೊಡೆಯುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೀಯ’ ಅಂತೆಲ್ಲ ಬರೆದ್ದಿದ್ದರು. ಅದನ್ನು ಓದಿ, ನಾನು ’ಓಹ್! ಈ ರೀತಿ ಇರೊ ಚಿತ್ರ ಐ.ಟಿ ಕಂಪನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮ್ಯಾನೇಜರ್ ಆಗಿರೊ ನನಗೆ ’ಅನ್ವಯಿಸೋದೇ’ ಇಲ್ಲ, ಇಷ್ಟ ಆಗೊಲ್ಲ’ ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಅನ್ಕೊಂಡೆ.
ಹಾಗೇನಿಲ್ಲ...ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ’ಅರೇ! ಇದು ನನ್ನ ಕಥೆ!!’ ಅಂತೇನು ಅನ್ನಿಸದಿದ್ದರೂ, I could relate to it well.

ಅವನಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು ಅವಳನ್ನು ತಾನು ಪ್ರೀತಿಸ್ತಾನೆ ಅಂತ...ಆದರೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿವರೆಗೂ ಆ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಸುರುಳಿ ಸುತ್ತಿ ಬಂದು ಅವನ ಕುತ್ತಿಗೆಗೆ ಸುತ್ತಿ, ನಗಬೇಕೋ ಅಳಬೇಕೋ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗದ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೆ ಅಂತ ಅವನು ತಿಳಿದಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ತಾನು ’ಸೋತ’ ಅನ್ನುವ ಭಾವನೆ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಈಗ ಪ್ರೆಮದ ನಶೆ ಜೊತೆ ಮಳೆಯ ರಭಸ ಸೇರಿ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಅರಿವಾಗ್ತಿದೆ, ಆ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಅವನಿಗೆ ದಕ್ಕದೆ ಇರಬಹುದು ಅಂತ. ಇದೇ ಮಳೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಹುಚ್ಚನ ಹಾಗೆ ಖುಶಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಣಿದಿದ್ದ, ಈಗ ಅವನ ಮೇಲೆ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಪರಿವೆಯಿಲ್ಲ, ಜಗತ್ತಿದ್ದರೇನು ಬಿಟ್ಟರೇನು ಅನ್ನೋ ಸ್ತಿಥಿ. ಕಣ್ಣೀರು; ಆದರೆ ಮಳೆ ಇರೋದ್ರಿಂದ ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಅವನ ಕಣ್ಣೀರು ಗೊತ್ತಾಗ್ತಿಲ್ಲ.
ದೃಶ್ಯ ನೋಡಿ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಬೇಜಾರಾಯ್ತು. ಯಾಕೆ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸಿ ಈ ಥರ ಹುಚ್ಚರ ಹಾಗೆ ಆಡ್ತೀವಿ ಅನ್ನಿಸಿತು.
ಹೀಗೇ, ಅಂದು ನಾನು ಮಳೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ’ಮೈ’ಮರೆತು ಸುರಿಸಿದ ಕಣ್ಣೀರಿನ ನೆನಪಾಗಿ, ಇಂದು ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡುತ್ತ ಕಣ್ಣು ಮಂಜಾಯಿತು. (ಸಿಟಿಯ ’ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಇದ್ದರೂ ಒಬ್ಬಂಟಿ’ ಅನ್ನೋ ಥರ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಣ್ಣೀರು ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಗೋಚರಿಸುತ್ತೆ?) ಇದು interval ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ....ಬಾಕಿ ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡುತ್ತ ಆ ಕಹಿ ಮರೆತು, ಮುಂದೆ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರಲಿರುವ ಸಿಹಿ ಸಿಹಿ ಘಟನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಅಪೇಕ್ಷಿಸುತ್ತ Enjoy ಮಾಡಿದೆ.

Overall ಚಿತ್ರ ತುಂಬ ಅರ್ಥಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿದೆ.
ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಯೋಗರಾಜ್ ಭಟ್ ಅವರ ಮುಂಚಿನ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳು ನಾನು ನೋಡಿಲ್ಲ, ಆದರೆ ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದಿಂದ ಅವರು ಪ್ರತಿಭಾವಂತ ಮತ್ತು clever ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಅನ್ನೋದು ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತೆ. ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ mass public ಗೆ ಖಂಡಿತ ಇಷ್ಟ ಆಗತ್ತೆ ಆದರೂ, ತುಂಬ ಯೋಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಸದಭಿರುಚಿಯಿಂದ ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಪ್ರಭಾವಶಾಲಿ class ಚಿತ್ರ ಕೂಡ.

ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದ strong point, ಇದರ ಸಂಗೀತ, ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ. ಮನೋ ಮೂರ್ತಿ sudden ಆಗಿ ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರ ರಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಿಂಚಿರುವ ಸಂಗೀತ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ. Poetry ಅಂದರೆ ದೂರ ಓಡಿ ಹೋಗದೇ ಇದ್ದರೂ, ಅಷ್ಟೇನು ಗಮನ ಕೊಡದಿರುವ ನನ್ನಂಥವರೂ ಮತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಮೆಲಕು ಹಾಕಿ ಹಾಡ್ತಾನೇ ಇರೋಣ ಅನ್ನಿಸುವಂತಹ ಗೀತ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ (ಜಯಂತ್ ಕಾಯ್ಕಿಣಿ ಮತ್ತು ಯೋಗರಾಜ್ ಭಟ್ ಅವರಿಂದ)...ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದ ಹಾಡುಗಳು ನಿಜವಾಗಿಯೂ ’ವಿಸ್ಮಯಾ’!!!

ತುಟಿಗಳ ಹೂವಲಿ..ಆಡದ ಮಾತಿನ ಸಿಹಿಯಿದೆ
ಮನಸಿನ ಪುಟದಲಿ..ಕೇವಲ ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಸಹಿಯಿದೆ
ಹಣೆಯಲಿ ಬರೆಯದ ನಿನ್ನ ಹೆಸರ..ಹೃದಯದಿ ನಾನೆ ಕೊರೆದಿರುವೆ
ನಿನಗುಂಟೆ ಇದರ ಕಲ್ಪನೆ
ನನ್ನ ಹೆಸರ ಕೂಗೆ ಒಮ್ಮೆ..ಹಾಗೆ ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ
ಅನಿಸುತಿದೆ ಯಾಕೊ ಇಂದು..ನೀನೇನೆ ನನ್ನವಳೆಂದು
ಮಾಯದ ಲೋಕದಿಂದ.. ನನಗಾಗೆ ಬಂದವಳೆಂದು

ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಅಂಶ ಏನಂದ್ರೆ ಬಹುಶಃ ಜೋಗ್ ಜಲಪಾತ ಇಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಮನೋಹರವಾಗಿ (ಅಥವಾ ಇಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಭಯಂಕರವಾಗಿ?) ಯಾವುದೇ ಚಿತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೆರೆ ಹಿಡಿಯಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿಲ್ಲ!

ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ ಅತ್ಯದ್ಭುತ ಸಿನೆಮಾ ಏನಲ್ಲ, ಆದರೆ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ತಲೆ ದೂಗುವಂತಹ ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ. ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದ ಯಾವುದೋ ಒಂದು ಭಾಗಕ್ಕೆ ರಿಲೇಟ್ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬಹುದು, ಅಂತ ನನ್ನ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ. ಅದಕ್ಕೇ ಎಲ್ಲ್ರೂ ತಪ್ಪದೇ ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡಿ. ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗ ಸಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದ ಸ್ತಿಥಿ ಬರಗಾಲದ ಸ್ತಿಥಿ; ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಒಂದು ಚಿತ್ರ ಬರೋಕ್ಕೆ ಜನ ಕಾಯುತ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದರು. ಬಂತು, ಜನ ಮುತ್ತಿಗೆ ಹಾಕಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆದ ಹಲವಾರು ವಾರಗಳಾದ್ರೂ ಕೂಡ ಪೀ.ವೀ.ಆರ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಆಟಗಳು ತುಂಬಿ ನಡೀತಿವೆ. ಯೋಗರಾಜ್ ಭಟ್ ಅವರು ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಒಂದು ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯಕರ ಸಂದರ್ಶನವನ್ನು ಓದಿದ್ದೀರಾ? ಬೇಕಾದರೆ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸಿ, ಕಳಿಸ್ತೀನಿ. ಓದಿ ಮಜಾ ತೊಗೊಳ್ಳಿ; ಬಾಯಿ ತುಂಬ ಬಯ್ದಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಬೇರೆ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕರನ್ನು ;-)

Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (Hindi)

Youtube Trailer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QLX8pENQjys

I think, at times, TV promos choose the wrong things to showcase a movie. The TV promo of Honeymoon travels Pvt. Ltd has the main actors dancing away crazily to Sunidhi Chauhan's voice singing 'Sajnaaji vaari vaari jauu ji mein ....aisa mera pyaar haii'. Kitna bhaddha gaana hai - I thought. Ill-composed - if there is any word like that.

Huuh! Not really; in fact, seen in the spirit of the movie the song is quite alright and so is the movie. Quite the quick paced medley of romantic stories and far better than the recent musical bollywood 'blah' - Salaam-e-ishq!!!

So we have good acting, funny twists, sensible nuances to some couples - Shabana and Boman ki jodi - wah huzoor! All these will keep you hooked on and never come across as too overly melodramatic and hence boring. (Nikhil Advani - please note!)

What really won my heart was the way debutante director Reema Kagti and the scriptwriters have chosen Radio Mirchi for surrogate marketing and specifically used retro Hindi movie songs to pack a punch to flashbacks. Hats off!

I guess we all are filmy at times, but don't admit it :) passing off scenes from our lives as filmy kahani.
So, pack a punch the movie does when, for instance, the character Madhu walks out heartbroken since she just realised the person she loved is married and the stereo in the rickshaw blares 'dil haa dil ye sheesha hee toh hai' or, in another scene with the usage of 'dekho maine dekha hai ye ek sapna'...

I'm a sucker for these; kinda makes you wait for the next one! This is not new by the way. Remember Shahrukh wooing the sexy sari girl Sushmita with 'chaand mera dil'? Also, of course, how about 'chahiye thoda pyaar' in Taxi No. 9211 - Very niiiice.
It's good to see people still like retro music :) Waiting to see more from Reema!

Batman Begins (English)

IMDB: http://imdb.com/title/tt0372784/
Trailers: http://movies.virginmedia.com/synopsis/default.asp?filmid=4056&sec=syn

How did I ever miss this movie on the big screen? How?

Caught it on HBO last week. Batman has too long a legacy of comic books, cartoons, TV shows and motion pictures, in black and white as well as colour, for me to newly introduce this super hero. For somebody like me who grew up using towels and bedsheets at home to mimic the caped crusader flying away from buildings and structures, (read chairs and tables) Batman has been fascination unlimited, Batman has been source for mystified amazement.

So, obviously, very soon I had sought out all movies made on Batman and relished them (including the TV version starring Adam West and Burt Ward - Holy unexpected comedy, Batman! **BANG** **POW**).

Till now, I was of the opinion that Michael Keaton and his Batman came closest to portraying the 'spirit' and the tradition of Batman, as created by Bob Kane. Val Kilmer was just good and George Clooney - forget it, just plain pathetic. Michael Keaton was a treat to watch and he underplayed the role of Bruce Wayne so much that you would start thinking 'Wait a minute.. Is this really Batman??!!'

With 'Batman Begins' acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, of 'Memento' fame, has accomplished something amazing. Here's a new one, which is equal to the best in class, if not better. The fundamental difference that makes this movie a 'class' is the treatment.

Batman does not 'begin' in a jiffy. It is not in a few seconds that Bruce Wayne disappears into his bat-cave and zooms out in his Bat-mobile blazing fire! No details are missed on why Batman took on the moral responsibility to save Gotham City from criminals and no details are missed on how he got over his vengeanceful selfishnesses.

Speaking of criminals, the criminals here are not clowns, they are not mutants....they are CRIMINALS, and the story establishes a genuine cause for Gotham to be really REALLY scared! It looks, finally, like they are not kidding you. It looks ......like Batman is in business.

So while you are being taken through what may seem a wee-bit too technical revelation of how Batman began, you eagerly wait to see his first appearance....and boy does he 'appear'? (Does he at all?.. Batman is infamous for his 'now he is here, now he isn't' act)
You never have a chance after that to breath. It's the most effective appearance and also an effective first appearance, if you may, of Batman I have seen. Christian Bale is right on the money - he is 'freaaaaaky'.

You should watch the 'Making of Batman Begins' to know the pains the team has taken to build this technically and visually superb action flick. It's edge of the seat RE-ITERATED.
The Bat-mobile - see it to believe it.
The Climax - only word I can say is 'PHEW'.
The fights - never before in a Batman movie. Observe the fight in his intro scene, it's actually like a comic book scene!

I think Batman movies had reduced the character to a joke. 'Batman Begins' does a terrific job of putting Batman back where he belongs. Michael Caine is marvellous as the butler who 'nevaah' stops believing in Master Bruce. Great support by Katie Holmes and Morgan Freeman.

That said, no batman movie can match the aura that Michael Keaton created with his underplayed performance. My recommendation(s) when anybody speaks of this topic: 'Batman' by Michael Keaton and 'Batman Begins' by Christian Bale.
If this movie is screened ever again in halls near to me, I swear, I'll drop whatever I am upto ....and just GO! :-)

Added in 2011: ...and then came 'The Dark Knight'!! Now eagerly awaiting 'The Dark Knight Rises'

Guru (Hindi)

Guru is powerful cinema.
Guru is good entertainment.
Guru is pacy storytelling.......

- Yes it's all that but GURU is a movie where I found something more compared to other Maniratnam movies, the best of which according to me are Agni Natchatram, Nayagan, Mouna Ragam and Pallavi Anupallavi.
It does quite less to insult the viewer's intelligence.

Abhishek Bachchan gives a solid portrayal of Guru! He is successful because his role has character and haunts you for a while even after you leave the hall. He is utterly believable for most part of the movie, but only loses you for a while as he gets too patronizing on the judicial committee. That, I guess, could not have been avoided. It's only during that scene that the story stretches your imagination a wee bit.

Capitalism - few movies explore this concept. Guru would be one.
The movie begins with how our Gurubhai started off, with resemblances to Godfather II in these early scenes.
There are parallels you can draw from Nayagan of course, and also some what from Al Pacino movies (none of which can end without a pompish glorified speech by Pacino at the end!). But do notice, coming back to Godfather, the court room prosecution scenes - clearly inspired from Godfather where Pacino gets interrogated.
====>> Addendum!! Come to think of it, this scene is more inspired by Howard Hughes's interrogation in 'The Aviator' <<======

Capitalism - The way Mani has chosen to go here is to bring up a grey area about how moral or amoral can a capitalist become, or also, to what extent can that be alleged? Mani treats the topic with mastery here. For most part, it's a glorious story of how Gurukant Desai builds 'India ki sab se badi company' but some of the strongest scenes of the movie come from Mithun Chakraborty and Madhavan who play people persistent on bringing down Guru's empire to dust.

What made me like the movie most? While it's true that the whole movie is 'almost' a glorification of Guru's rise to power, it's also true that the movie is as much a 'think-for-yourself' challenge to the audience. How can a capitalist tyrant, merciless in his goals, justify the side effects to the society during his process of erecting an empire that will beat the first world giants? It's a grey area, and it looks like the writers want to start a public debate. Well not so much, it's only an attempt to portray it, as it was (!)

Some aspects such as below really caught my attention and made me appreciate Mani as a film maker: -
1) "60 crore logon me se tumhe yahee mila?" - Nariman point in the early 80s. Interesting to think how they would have shot it! (Assuming rest of the 'Mumbai' is a set in the Madras talkies studios)
2) Did anybody notice the Kagaz ke phool poster and the Taj mahal song on the LP? Quite thoughtful.
It does not at all seem like a south indian director is at the helm of affairs? Full marks on the ace dialogues and Abhishek's acting.

Aspects that kind of made me twitch:
- Aishwarya Rai
- Aishwarya Rai
- Aishwarya Rai
It's true that actors are 'rangmanch kE kaTputliya' in the director's hands, but literally?? Spare us!!! She is so wooden/plastic/puppetish (whatever-you-want-to-call-her) in Barso re megha megha and Dum-dara-dum, that you can say she is being herself again! Somebody asked me 'Has Vidya balan acted better than Aish?' What a question!? Vidya is a goddess - acting, looks, grace :). How I wish she was the heroine.

Speaking of songs, Dum-dara-dum, the song that ARR has dedicated to his association with Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan during the decade, stays in your mind.
Found a blog that tries to capture the meaning of the song:
http://sagittarian-ramya.blogspot.com/2006/11/tere-bina-lyrics-guru.html
Bappi lahiri has a good time doing the 'almost satirical' ek lo ek muft.

The ever-ethereal lyrics by Gulzar play out like nobody else's can and remind you of his earlier work. For example: ae hairat-e aashiqui jagaa mat; pairon se zameen, zameen lagaa mat...

Enough said - Good stuff, so go get it!

Other suggested reading:
WIKI homepage of GURU, with vignettes by the main actors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_%282007_film%29