The Pianist (2002) (7/10)

All you want to play is the piano - and you are good at it. And the war breaks out. and with it hell. You are captured and spend time in captivity. Helping here and there a bit but not being able to do much. Surviving. And you get a break. You find humanity in the enemy. Or a small part (with a large mind?) of the enemy. You survive and are united with your art.

The Pianist (2002) (7/10)

The Presitge (2006) (8/10)

A magical movie executed to great effect. Two rivals trying to better each other with plots and counterplots, feats and counterfeits. Using tricks and people to trick people. The machine, the men and the magic. Many hats off. Stooping to lower nadirs just to raise oneself in ones own esteem.

The Presitge (2006) (8/10)

Hot Fuzz (2007) (6/10)

A dark comedy. Well, more correctly a dark mystery. A lone officer trying to find out things with no willing help. In fact lots of obstacles. You won't generally laugh out loud, but will smile. Is violent though. Or rather that is the purpose of it. Its the story of a rather peaceful little place. The high points are more for bringing the story together rather than other things like acting.

Hot Fuzz (2007) (6/10)

The Dark Knight (2008) (8/10)

A slick, fast-paced, no-nonsense (if you pardon the fantastic moves - but then you won't go to this movie if you were not in a pardoning mood anyway) movie with a good number of twists. While the masks can to an extent mask your acting skills, the body language was indicative enough that the actors meant business. Though the title has the word dark in it, it was certainly not as dark (in an art movie sense) as the original batman which seemed as if shot in an Indian town with perpetual powercut. Very elaborate plans were executed in very short precise intervals. That in fact seemed a major shortcoming where it is difficult to grant a poetic or otherwise license.

The Dark Knight (2008) (8/10)

Valu AKA The Wild Bull (2008) (8/10)

Another delightful movie starring Atul Kulkarni. It hits the bulls eye in capturing the peripheral village atmosphere replete with its politics and pettiness as also purity and plain pleasures. There are no complications and everyone can be hopelessly selfish as that is the only way that exists. Dealing with the job at hand. Long term plans normally do not feature. Take the bull by the horns.

The sprinkling of innocuous humour is what makes the movie stand out. It fits in very naturally. Forest the brother of documentary? Perhaps only when a girl can dance like a bull.

Valu AKA The Wild Bull (2008) (8/10)