The Dark Knight - Cinemascope.

And here I thought I wouldn't get tickets.

The Cineplex's Cinema 2B, practically empty, was only occupying the four of us, a rowdy family with kids and ladies who looked dressed up enough for a prom and insisted on transliterating every scene to people sitting next to them, a couple with their tiny, well-behaved son wearing the cutest orange baseball cap over his stiff kurta and a dad with his three overactive boys. The latter repeated every shout and scream uttered in the movie and wanted a play-by-play of every scene including a loud session of trivia directed at their Dad regarding each and every one of Batman's personal reasons for anything from jumping off a high tower to driving his Batmobile at a deathly pace.

Which can only tell you one thing. Pakistanis: not ready for cinema.

After buying ridiculously expensive popcorn and soft drinks, we settled down to watch Heath Ledger in action, ready to devour each line of the film, for the fifth or sixth time at least since the release of the Dark Knight. We tried to ignore the loud disturbances and were actually happy to hear the eardrum-shattering noise drowning the "dhishoom-dhishoom" shouts of the kids (honestly I love kids, but some parents don't know when to tell their kids to zip it) and basically had a real nice time watching the 2-hour-plus flick again on the big (well, compared to my tv anyway) screen. During the intermission, the little dhishoom-dhishoom boy began dancing his butt off at Kismat Konnection's remixes.

After watching it again, my favorite parts of the movie are highlighted thus:

1. "People deserve to have their faith rewarded." - Batman.
2. "Because I'm not wearing hockey pants." - Batman.
3. "I like this job, I like it!" - The Joker.
4. "I'm not sure they'll let us," Harvey Dent referring to the bringing together of two tables together at a posh restaurant. Bruce Wayne responds, "Oh I'm sure they will. I own the place."
5. "Accomplice?" says Wayne to Alfred. "I'm gonna tell them the whole thing was your idea."
6. "Whatever doesn't kill you ... only makes you stranger." - The Joker.
7. "Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn." - Alfred.
8. "It was a big dog." - Wayne.
9. "Why so serious?"

And number 10:


The Joker: Aaah, never start with the head. The victim gets all fuzzy.
Batman: You wanted me. Here I am.
The Joker: I wanted to see what you'd do. And you didn't disappoint. You let five people die. Then you let them take your place. Even to a guy like me that's cold.
Batman: Where's Dent?
The Joker: Those mob fools want you gone because they want the way things were. But I know the truth. There's no going back. You've changed things. Forever.
Batman: Then why do you want to kill me?
The Joker (laughs hysterically): I don't want to kill you. What would I do without you! Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, no. You complete me!
Batman: You're garbage who kills for money.
The Joker: Don't talk like one of them. You're not. To them you're just a freak. Like me. They need you right now. When they don't, they'll cast you out. Like a leper. See their morals, their code, it's a bad joke Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down ... these civilized people .. they'll eat each other. See I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve.
Batman (has had enough, begins to beat the crap outta the Joker): Where's Dent?
The Joker (undeterred): You have all these rules! You think they'll save you?
Batman: I have one rule.
The Joker: Oh. Then that's the rule you're gonna have to break to know the truth.
Batman: Which is?
The Joker: The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules. And tonight you're gonna have to break your ONE RULE..