Caterpillar

Lieutenant Kurakowa returns home from the Sino-Japanese war as a decorated war hero. He is literally a husk of his former self with his limbs torn off and no auditory perception. But that does not stop him from abusing his wife who in turns feels duty bound to take care of his needs. A disturbing film that examines the effect of Japanese wars on both the soldiers and their families.

Rating: * * +

The Dark Knight Rises

Gotham finds itself fairly free of crime in the aftermath of the Harvey Dent's death and the Dent act. Batman seems to have disappeared in to the twilight and Bruce Wayne has turned hermit. With a sinking Wayne Enterprise and a guilt filled Commissioner Gordon, Gotham seems ripe for the picking again. Enter the mysterious Bane. But then there is always Batman. There are hints of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns in the makeup of the film, however the majority of the plot seems to be from Knightfall. Christopher Nolan has also thrown in some hits against Occupy Wall Street though that could be a matter of interpretation. In spite of that the movie turns to be an excellent final piece in Nolan's Batman trilogy.

Rating: * * *

Shob Charitro Kalponic

The film swirls around a poet, Indranil and his attractive wife, Radhika (Bipasha Basu). Indranil is reckless while being a genius and Radhika is constantly picking up the pieces of their life behind him. His recklessness drives her in to the arms of her colleague and thoughts of divorce enters her mind. But the sudden death of Indranil takes the decision out of her hand. She soon starts re-discovering her relationship with her husband when a publisher asks her to finish one of his works. There are fantastic performances all around including Ms.  Basu for a change. But the standout is Sohag Sen as the maid, Nador Ma who stands like a rock next to Radhika. Another masterpiece from Rituparno Gosh.

Rating: * * +

Shrink

Dr. Carter, a psychiatrist played by Kevin Spacey (who always does well with roles involving marijuana smoking) wanders the film in a depressed stoned haze treating his Hollywood patients with compassion. Other than that all I can recall about the movie is the main character's refusal to sleep in his bedroom and something about a screen play. 

Rating: * *

Rabbit Hole

A couple's grief for the loss of their four year old son is splashed across the screen. Becca (Nicole Kidman) wants to move on while Howie (Aaron Eckhart) clings on to every bit of their son's past. This coupled with Howie's desire for another child slowly builds an invisible wall between them. The movie is a dispassionate look at the creation of the wall as supporting characters show up and cement the bricks that pile up. 

Rating: * * +