Gravity

My review: Gravity

Hollywood's fascination with survival stories and resilience in the face of a disaster has always kindled the interest of the viewers especially considering the fact that it is fertile ground for awesome visual imagery and special effects treat. Usually it is either doomsday or alien attack or a genetically modified monster wreaking havoc. Refreshingly here comes a disaster movie which is set in space with first class direction and acting, above all one of the best making ever as far as the technicalities are concerned. "Gravity" is one hell of a visual extravaganza that transforms you to the space where you along with the protagonists in the movie experience the ordeal having your adrenaline pumping for about two hours and taking time to recover from the aftermath of it.

"Gravity" is one of those movie which you experience rather than you just seeing it. Movie makes you anxious, claustrophobic, resigned, hopeful, expectant, hopeless, nauseous, hallucinating and finally elated. The gamut of emotions that you go through while experiencing this movie is mainly due to splendid writing (Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron), brilliant performances from Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, good direction (Alfonso Cuaron) and above all "out of the world" (literally..!) visuals and visual effects (Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki). 

Rarely we get to see a science-fiction movie that has loads of human emotions seamlessly built into the narrative and at the same time keeps the thrills and excitement going. It is a rare blend to achieve which the makers of this movie were able to accomplish. Partly the writers and partly the actors are responsible for it. 

George Clooney as the cheerful Lieutenant Matt Kowalski, the commander of the team on board the space shuttle, the Explorer. His casual and calm demeanor in the face of imminent  catastrophe makes him one of the most likable and memorable characters in a science fiction movie.  Sandra Bullock has a more physically demanding role to play with more screen time (she is there in almost every frame). She has worked hard to portray Dr. Ryan Stone on her first space mission who eventually becomes the sole survivor of the cataclysm. That the two were able to evoke the kind of emotional responses from the viewers in spite of being masked most of the time by the space suit that they were is a remarkable achievement indeed.

Steven Price's musical score relies at most places on the power of silence which is used to a great effect. "Gravity" is best enjoyed in a 3D cinema, preferably in a IMAX screen with  Dolby Atmos surround system.. 

On the whole, "Gravity" works to a great extent mainly due to its human content apart from stunning visuals, technical wizardry and the adrenaline pump.  

Bottomline: "Out of the world", quite literally 

4/5

Pattam Pole

My review: Pattam Pole

There are certain movies that appear very interesting and riveting on paper but sadly when made into a feature film somewhere things gets muddled and fails to create the same impact onscreen. Ace cinematographer Alagappan's directorial debut "Pattam Pole" is a classic example to the adage getting "lost in translation". Honeymoon is over Dulquer Salmaan for he needs to get careful in choosing his movies henceforth. "Pattam Pole" is weakest of his till date.

It is not that the movie is a total wash out but the interesting moments which are few and far in between get marred by cutesy effort from the director. A simple story that could have been made in a more riveting manner gets diluted by the maker's overindulgence in his passion which is totally sucks out the soul from the narrative. In his pursuit to make a stylish movie, Alagappan ends up making a soulless movie. 

Story is nothing new. Oft repeated theme of two youngsters from different religious background falling in love with each other and the problem that ensues. The relief here is that the problem doesn't come from neither the families nor the religious community. It is the egoistic and self-centered lovers themselves who become spoke in their own wheels. Interesting premise that but cliched screenplay with beaten to bushes scenes and dialogues mars the flow of the movie. To make the matters worse the screenplay is sluggish and the pace abysmal.

Dulquer Salman is all at sea with his performance as Karthik, a Tamil Brahmin who falls in love with a  head-strong christian girl. It is probably for the first time that Dulquer is so careless with his performance. Only solace is his rendition of Tamil dialogues which don't carry an accent. Malavika Mohanan is a refreshing face but has a long way to go as an actress. Support cast is made of solid actors all of whom are under-utilized by the director. 

Movie's strengths are its music and visuals. M.Jayachandran's musical score is very good with movie having good number of melodious numbers. The cinematography is astounding and is a visual treat. 

On the whole, "Pattam pole" is a soulless, synthetic and boring movie with music and cinematography offering some solace. 

Bottomline: Artificial

2/5 

Nayyandi

My review: Nayyandi

Now and then you get to see a movie which makes you wonder what was the purpose with or for such a movie is made in the first place. Especially so when it involves not one but two national award winners in its crew. Sargunam's Dhanush starrer "Nayyandi" is a total wash out. It is two and half hours of unmitigated torture that one would think twice before foisting it on even the most dreadful of  your enemies. 

Inspired from yesteryear Malayalam blockbuster "Meleparambil Aanveedu" "Nayyandi" is totally messy. Wonder what made Dhanush sign this project considering the fact the it has been a very long time since he has given a decent box-office hit. And also the same Malayalam movie has already been remade in Tamil in the 1990's by Pandiarajan as "Valli Vara Pora" which was a huge flop. 

First half of the movie is atrociously lazy and dumb. Nothing much interesting happens and not laughs what so ever other then couple of really funny scenes like Dhansuh trying to defy gravity by jumping across a well or from one tree to another, a monkey-man impersonation may be. Second half is very very mildly tolerable mainly due to better writing which ensure one can laugh with the movie instead of at the movie like in the first half. Or is it due to the rock bottom mediocrity achieved by the makers in the first half which brings down your expectation to the point of no return that even semblance of normalcy make it look like something great to laugh about.

Dhanush tries hard to infuse energy into this pathetically written role but to no avail. Normally an effortless performer in "Nayyandi" Dhanush's acting is synthetic. The bubble surrounding Nazriya Nazim gets burst with her performance in this movie. It goes to show that actress of her type needs a good director to extract work. Her she is all at sea. Especially her overt cutesy expressions in the song sequence is irritating to the core. Sriman and Sathyan at least manage to infuse some laughter mainly due to better writing in the second half. Soori is  not that lucky. 

Gibran's songs barring the novel "Teddy bear" song are not that interesting. Background score is no better. It is really surprising to see Velraj's name in the title credit as the movie's cinematographer because after his work in movies such as "Aadukalam" and "Engeyum Eppodhum" his work in this movie is pretty ordinary. Not that this movie deserves better. 

On the whole, "Nayyandi" is one forgettable movie for both the makers as well as the viewers as it is a silly movie lazily made.

Bottomline: Pathetic to the core

2/5

Vanakkam Chennai

My review: Vanakkam Chennai

Luck seem to smiling on the Udhayanidhi family. First when very few expected it to be a hit, Udhayanidhi's debut movie as hero "OKOK" became a blockbuster hit last year. Now when his wife Kiruthiga was making her debut as writer-director with "Vanakam Chennai" very few expected it to be watchable. Movie has got released amidst absolutely zero expectation but the end result is that movie is not only watchable but thoroughly enjoyable too.   

Though the movie's storyline has influences from a number of sources both domestic and international, "Vanakam Chennai" as a breezy rom-com works big time. Movie is simple in its storyline, screenplay and execution. The makers have not made any lofty claims about the movie to be the next big experimental film that would change the face of the Indian cinema and they don't pretend to do it too. 

Made in a lighter vein movie instills an infectious energy and cheerfulness into the viewers as it progresses. The romance also happens as the story moves forward. One can't point out a particular point to tell when hero or the heroine fell for each other. Like it happens normally most of the times especially when the couple start of as either  friends or foes the love that happens has no point source. Also that the movie's heroine is a strong character without being a female chauvinist (which is how a strong female character is usually conceived especially in the movie made by female movie makers) who has her fair share of insecurities and doubts is a refreshing aspect of the movie. 

Though the movie is not without its share of blips. Kiruthiga fails to decide where to end a scene as a result many comical and interesting scenes gets prolonged which cuts down the impact of the scene. She should either learn when to say cut during the shoot or sit with the editor and sharpen his scissors judiciously.  But considering this is her debut movie, may be it can be excused for the larger picture is enjoyable.  

Shiva has improved to a large extent in his acting but still it is way short of what is expected from versatile actors to have a long run in the cinema industry. He has tried his best in the emotional sequences but needs more effort. But it is a step in right direction for him. He has started trying new genres which is good for him. Priya Anand actually carries the movie on her shoulder. Her character is well written and she has well internalized it. She excels equally in comical as well as serious sequences. However she continues with her poorly done make-up this time too.  

Day has come when Shanthanam has become a liability to a movie rather than being an asset. He has started to become irritating with his oneliners. In this movie too his character could have been done by someone else. These are warning bells for him because it took a long period for a similar thing to happen for Vivek or Vadivelu. But it has been a fast rise and turning out to be a fast decline for Shanthanam. 

Anirudh's songs are already a rage with the youngsters. "Oh penne" is his signature melody while "Osaka osaka" is a delightful number. His background score is also good. Richard Nathan's cinematography has helped in presenting the movie in a grand and suave manner.

It is a promising debut for Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi. It seems to be the season of rom-coms. After the success of "Raja Rani", "Vanakkam Chennai" too will follow suit as an eminently watchable romantic comedy.

On the whole, "Vanakkam Chennai" will do good business in the multiplexes and cities with youngsters especially female crowd loving it. 

Bottomline: A breezy light-hearted romcom. 

3.5/5

Onayum Aatukuttiyum

My review: Onayum Aatukuttiyum

After that misadventure called "Mugamoodi", auteur Mysskin is back with a bang. His latest movie "Onayum Aatukuttiyum" (OA) is yet another testimony to the fact that Mysskin is one Tamil director who can be rightly called an auteur. All his movies (even his wannabe commercial masala) bear a strong personal style which reflects his creative vision. His influence gets reflected not only in his making style, shot composition, acting style of his cast, musical scores, etc. 

Without any disrespect to the great man Ilayaraja, OA's background score has Mysskin movie stamp than Ilayaraja's which once again reiterates the creative control this auteur has on his films. I am a huge fan of Ilayaraja, especially his background scores, but this is may be the first instance that I saw a director's influence in his music. I may be musically ignorant or it might be a naive statement but whether it is Sunder C.Babu or K or Ilayaraja (with exception of "Nandhala" where Ilayaraja stood out inspite of Mysskin's influence ) the background score in Mysskin's movie sounds similar which elevates even the most mundane of scenes beautifully. 

As said earlier Mysskin's making style, shot composition, his signature low angle shots, static camera shots are there in OA too. But here it gels wonderfully well with the narrative unlike "Yudham Sei" where at certain places it looked forced. His movies also have unique colour tones like green tinge of "Anjathey" or bluish tinge of "Nandala". In OA it is reddish which is apt for the theme of the movie. 

At present there are very few makers who are well informed and well researched on various topics like Mysskin. When a promising youngster like Atlee still shows key bunch as a remedy for fits, Mysskin surprises with his medical knowledge. The terms used, techniques and whole enactment of the surgery episode deserves credit. His intelligence and knowledge is not only restricted to that sequence but also to the working style of police department as well as the gangsters and many more other areas. Also he seem to be a keen observant of people around him, not only regular ones but also the marginalized people like eunuchs, homeless mentally ills, elderly securities, to quote a few who all have significant parts to play in the movie.   

Movie has lots of sequences which would make the viewer proud. The screenplay is like a pack of cards stacked in a puzzle such that when one end is pushed it seamlessly make a wonderful pattern as everything is placed perfectly to fall in order. Right from the first shot till the end every sequences, every scene and every shot is placed seamlessly that they move on like the pack of cards making for an awesome viewing. It is so engrossing and wonderful that before you notice it is two and half hours that has elapsed. 

Mysskin as the Wolf has put his sweat, blood and soul into the character. He excels as a daredevil murderer on the run who has discovered his softer side only recently but his gory past still catching up with him. He is just about perfect for the role. Only place where he gets overboard is when he tells the story of a wolf and the goat family to the young kid in the cemetery. Sri as the goat, Chandru is brilliant. He takes of from where he left in "Vazhaakku en", if not better than that. Shaji as the CBCID inspector Lal is outstanding. He is so spontaneous. Except for the idiosyncratic villain gang, every character in the movie is written with utmost care and individuality and the persons who have enacted them have also done their roles with utmost sincerity. Even minuscule of roles stays in your mind like the police constable who instantaneously wishes in the time of crisis, the mentally ill person who cares a damn for money, etc. 

Balaji V Rangha is the cinematographer who has shot the movie in Mysskin's style. He is a worthy addition to a healthy line up of wonderful technicians from the south.

On the whole, "Onayum Aatukuttiyum" is the kind of movie which needs the backing of a big studio, a wider release and publicity and a grand reception from the connoisseurs of Tamil cinema. 

Bottomline: Respect.

4/5 

Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara

My review: Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara

"Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara" (Idhaba) written and  directed by Gokul starring the star of the season Vijay Sethupathi is an average fare. It is a case of combination of inadequate translation of the script on to the screen, lazy direction and poor casting. But it is not all downhill because movie does boasts of things that keep you interested. May be the high standards last few movies of Vijay Sethupathi has set might have played the spoilsport for Idhaba. It is difficult to say whether it is a boon or bane for his movies but it is to Vijay's credit that he has already created a reputation for himself. 

Primary reason why Idhaba is watchable is Vijay Sethupathi. It is a pleasure to see him enact "Sumaar Moonji" Kumaru. Though the characterization and its writing is downright silly and crude, Vijay makes it eminently watchable and enjoyable. His body language, "madras bashai" (Madras dialect of Tamil), attitude and variations in his dialogue delivery, almost everything that is associated with Kumaru is thoroughly enjoyable. His understanding of his character and its shades and variations is improving with every passing movie of his. Only thing is he must be mindful of trying out various genres without getting himself confined to his comfort zone which seems to be comedy.

Earlier I have mentioned that movie looses out in translating things from paper onto the screen. Many scenes are testimony to that fact. Especially the ones involving Ashwin and Swathi as well that involving the accident and the tension that ought to have followed it in the hospital scenes. In neither of these places the writing ensures the correct form of emotions are transformed onto the viewers nor they have any intensity they ought to have created. This may be also due to poor or rather lazy direction. Laziness is more starkly visible because Gokul has tried to dare something different, with glimpses of hyper-link format of narration (though he has not strictly adhered to that format) and dark-comedy in that murder story that gets intertwined into the narrative.

Among actors talent like Pasupathy is grossly underutilized . Here he is restricted to buffoonery. Ashwin is like fish out of water. He tries his level best but sadly that effort shows on screen which distracts the viewers from enjoying his portrayal. Swathi is yet another case of poor casting. Also she looks disinterested in the proceedings. Nandhitha is better, both in her characterization and her own portrayal of Kumudha. Soori makes you laugh with his idiosyncrasies.   

"En veetula" and the prayer song are good to hear enjoyable numbers from Siddarth Vipin. However his background score is noisy. Mahesh Muthusamy's cinematography is adequate for this movie. 

On the whole, Idhaba is watchable primarily for Vijay Sethupathi. 

Bottomline: Sumaar movie.

2.5/5