Yutham Sei

My Review : Yutham Sei



“ Yudham Sei “ is yet another thriller from Myshkin presented in a lyrical manner. Myshkin seems to have mastered the act of presenting an action-thriller in a poetic style which did with elan in “Anjathey” . Though the movie has the “Anjathey ” hangover all through , “Yutham Sei” keeps one at the edge of the seat right from the scene one to the last. Though the screenplay is slow paced , Myshkin succeeds in weaving a storyline which engages the viewer glued to the screen all through.

The basic plot is strikingly similar to that of Sasikumar’s latest dud “Eesan” .The basic difference is the clarity of thought & purpose shown by Myshkin which was totally lacking in the former which led to its downfall.The background research is thorough & almost all the medical jargon mouthed in the movie is authentic & to the point .The manner in which director has managed to showcase reality is awesome though some sequences may be off-putting for many.

Myskhin has once again done away with the structuralistic model of Tamil cinema in that there is a protagonist who is not that all powerful but has his own shares of vulnerabilities & greyishness. There is no heroine or a comedian as such as well as there is no duets or romantic angles.This clarity of purpose that the director has shown coupled with courage shown by the producers in supporting that purpose has culminated into such a thoroughly enjoyable movie for the movie buffs.

One scene worth mentioning among many is that fight sequences in which Cheran takes on the assassins with just a nail-cutter.This will go on as one of the best action sequence of Indian cinema history.

One can only see the policeman J.K onscreen not actor Cheran which is in itself speaks volumes of the manner in which he has acquainted well with the character. Almost every other character is well casted & the actors have done credibly well. Be it Selva , Y.G.Mahendra , Lakshmi Ramakrishna , Jayaprakash , Manickam Vianayagam or the new comer Dipa Shah & many other unknown artists , the whole cast has performed exceedingly well.

Cinematography by Satya is another brawny point why this movie is a must watch. He has strictly followed Myshkin style of film making .The numerous low angle shots as well as the slow-motion shots which has become a signature style of Myskin is abound here too. Can’t help the thought that the low angle shots may be a bit overdone here .

Music is by K , which again has the typical Myshkin tough all through. Basically who ever the music director may be the background score of all Myshkin movies follow the same pattern. More so that invariably the dialogues are bare minimum & the music has to fill-in in most of the places which it does commendably.

To sum it up , “Yutham Sei ” is yet another movie from Myshkin which will make Tamil Cinema proud among the larger audience .Though he seems to have got trapped in to his own stereotypical mould , the end product is still worthy . May be he should try to break from the mould of his in the future , else his movies make become hackneyed .

Bottomline : Commendable.

4/5

Kavalan

My Review : Kavalan



Vijay is back to his vintage best in his latest flick “Kavalan” which has finally hit theatres after many hurdles. Movie is faithful to its original “The Bodyguard” which was a hit last year in Kerala directed by the same director , Siddique. This is the second one from the director-actor combo after the immensely successful “Friends”. Though they were not able to recreate the magic of the former , “Kavalan” is better than most recent few movies of Vijay.

“Kavalan ” is a reminiscence of those golden days of Vijay in the mid & late 90’s with many such romantic movies of his which made him the most popular up & coming hero of those days. Seeing Vijay trying to change his track of sorts is in itself quite refreshing for Tamil Cinema needs heroes of his stature & charisma to be around to bring in the variety . Hope that he is not pulled into the muddle of politics & lost forever to Cinema.

“Kavalan ” as a movie is not a path-breaking , artistic movie which can be classified as a classic. It has its share of downers like the patchy screenplay , poor editing with poor song placement , very average making , gimmickry in the form of stunts. Yet it is a refreshing simple romantic tale with the last 30 minutes of the movie having one of the best twists we have seen in the last few years.

First half has a meandering screenplay which is very wobbly & patchy with the comical duo of Vijay-Vadivelu providing the succour to the viewers in the otherwise below average half. The second half is where the movie’s screenplay picks up steam & tightens leading onto a good finale. Its been a long time since the days of “Kadhalukku Mariyadhai” or “Thullatha Manamum Thullum” that a Vijay movie has such a poetic ending.

Vijay is good as ever showcasing his all-round talents be it in emotional sequences or comedy . He has tried to underplay with certain sequences not in keeping with his mass hero image & its the way forward for him. He dances like a dream & agile in action sequences. His combination with Vadivelu is rip-roaring & they bring the roof down with their comedy.

Asin looks jaded & disinterested in the movie though she is as chirpy & ravishing as ever in the song sequences. Mithra as the other heroine is adequate.

Rajkiran’s character though bereft with confusion , his portrayal of the role is blemish-less. Roja , M.S.Baskar , Lingstone , Neepa , Bakru in the supporting cast don’t have much to do.

Vadivelu is good once again with his combination with Vijay after their immensely successful “Friends” , “Vaseegara” & “Sachein”.

Movie is technically not that great infact very average in that aspect. Ekambaram is the cinematographer & it is a far cry from some of his earlier works.

In Vidhyasagar’s music “Yaarathu” , “Pattampoochi” & “Sada sada” are delightful melodies while “Step Step Step it up” is a foot tapping number. It’s been a very long time since a Vijay movie without a “kuthu” number . Background score is patchy with good work in between largely average work.

On the whole , “Kavalan” is a perfect decent family entertainer sans any violence or gore or vulgarity. Coming in the background of string of box-office duds “Kavalan” may help Vijay salvage some pride in the B-O.

If you are a fan of vintage romantic Vijay of the yore , then “Kavalan” is your pick.

Bottomline : Vintage Vijay..

3.5/5.

Manmadhan Ambu

My Review : Manmadhan Ambu



The master story teller is back this time with a romantic comedy drama “Manmadhan Ambu” (short for “Man”nar , “Madan”agopal , “Ambu”jakshi ) . The manner in which screenplay is etched out lucidly with each & every details propounding a meaning in itself which comes out neatly & effortlessly is in itself a treat for cinema lovers.

The dialogues are crisp , intelligent & razor sharp & Kamalhassan has played with the language be it Tamil or English. “Intha ulaguthula nermaya irukaravangalukku thimiru than sir veliye..” , “Matrimony was lousy , but alimony was superb ” are just two of many such genius writing. The scene in which the lead pair exchange with their poems is not only a great piece of cinema in recent times it also evokes nostalgic memory of such a sequence in one of yesteryear Kamalhassan movie “Varumai Niram Sivappu” -“Chippi irukuthu muthum irukuthu”.

Story is nothing new but the treatment Kamalhassan has given is different with many characters whom one may think not related to the story comes to their own as the story unfolds. The way in which romance , drama , sentiments & not the least of them all comedy are blended into the story makes it a healthy cocktail refreshing your tired mind. And the last 30 minutes is one of the most rip-roaring hilarious sequence Tamil cinema has seen in recent times. Look out for the way in which the words are just played with & the “ crazy” Mohan influence is all for one to see.

KamalHaasan has not only excelled in these mentioned three departments of the movie , he is gracious enough to give a more challenging & more attractive role to Madhavan & let his role do the underplaying. Movie has nothing much to showcase the acting talents in him , however in couple of instances he shows us why he is regarded as the most talented actor the country has ever produced. The sequence in which Trisha reveals the truth about the accident is the just an example. All there was glimpses of his suave stylishness in couple of instances like when he rearranges the fallen garbage can , put his mobile into his pocket & the initial steps of the “"Dhagudu Dhattham" song.

Madhavan has the plump role in the movie & boy he has utilised it to the max. He steals the show & this will be one of his career best performances. He looked absolutely confident in his role & the manner in which he effortlessly managed to bring out those slapstick acts of his were commendable. His dialogue delivery has grown leaps & bounds & it was a carnival seeing him perform his role in this movie. Trisha has also done her part well & “act”ed this time after she started doing so in “VTV”. Her dialogue delivery was also good especially the confidence in which she has mouthed those poetic lines were praiseworthy.

Sangeetha is yet another performer , who has done a good supporting job. Though initially her role irritated a bit , she more than makes up for it in the last 30 minutes or so. Others like Kunjan , Manju Pillai , Urvashi , Ramesh Arvind also have done well.

Music by Devi Sri Prasad is good. "Neela Vaanam" is a good melody while "Who's The Hero" & "Dhagudu Dhattham" are foot tapping numbers. BGM was also fine , no qualms.

Manush Nandan’s cinematography aids in the travel of the story without undue gimmickry.

K.S.Ravikumar is the director who has helped his bit in bringing out the final product.

On the whole, initially though the pace is sluggish , after “Dhagudu Dhattham ” the movie picks up the pace building up expectation in the interval slot & after which it again reaches a plateau then really taking off in the final 30 minutes.

Bottomline : Pleasant..!

3.5 / 5

Eesan

My review : Eesan



After his glorious run in BO as the director, producer, actor , M.Sasikumar’s second venture as director is “Eesan” . Kudos for trying out a different genre this time not playing it safe in stick on to same genre which reaped rewards like most directors with successful first attempt tries to do. Thinking is good but the end result is not.

Movie is full of clichés. Corrupt politician, politician’s rouge son & his gang of corny friends, crooked policemen & one who tries to be honest among them, innocent girl from village coming to city to study along with naive dad & brother , rape that ensues & revenge...! Even the melodious family song showing the innocence of the family & village life...how many movies had such song right from “Pachai kiligal ” from “Indian”. The clichés which are abound is the major impediment to enjoyment & the amateurishness of the actors exacerbate it.

Screenplay is also very loose & looses focus over and over again . First half has nothing to offer except the scenes in pubs & the political cat and mouse game , every alternate scene , makes it tiresome . At the interval point however director manages to make the viewers sit up with anticipation & manages to keep up with it for some 15 to 20 minutes but once the identity of the mystery man is revealed it is followed by yet another stack of clichés.

The amount of violence in the movie is off-putting & unnecessary. May be Sasikumar must learn a thing or two from people like Mysskin as to how to create the same impact without showing much of blood & gore. And the lengthy rape sequence may also need urgent trimming.

The visual mastery he showed in his first movie is sorely missed here. Also the clarity of the story & screenplay as well as the novelty which all made “Subramanyapuram” a hit with both the critics & the masses are greatly missing here. Only novelty that one can come across in “Eesan ” is that Sasikumar has done away with the structuralism associated with Tamil cinema in the form of doing away with hero-heroine-villan-comedian stereotypes. Here there is no hero or heroine or villain. Everyone has some shades of grey & vulnerabilities which lead them into becoming a victim of the circumstances.

Coming to acting , except a very few , amateurishness is writ large on almost every other actors. This seriously prevents the viewers from getting the kind of impact the movie of this sort would have otherwise created.

Music is nothing much to write about thought the BGM is supportive to the story & adequate.

Kathir’s cinematography is an asset to the movie while Raja Mohammad has tried some innovative editing style which is catchy & trendy.

On the whole , “Eesan ” is violent , cliché-ridden, boring .

Bottomline : below - average

2/5

Nandhalala

My Review : Nandhalala



Based on the Japanese movie “ Kikujiro” , Mysskin’s “Nandhalala” is a travelogue with a brilliant background score by Ilayaraja & excellent cinematography by Mahesh Muthusamy. Mysskin the director takes the third place only though he is the man behind the movie as the whole.

Ilayaraja is back with his haunting violins which made movies like “Veedu ” & “Sandhya Raagam ” memorable. He is one musician who knows the value of silence . In many poignant sequences where a customary music director would have tried his level hard to put in some music to fill in the emotion , Raja just makes the silence evocate the emotions in the viewer. Ilayaraja is the foremost person why many would have ventured into the theatres showing this movie & he does satisfy them whole heartedly.

All the three songs that find a place in the final cut "Melle Oorndhu Oorndhu , "Onnukkonnu.”’, "Thalaattu Ketka Nanum" are haunting pieces . Hearing Ilayaraja & K.J.Yesudas after a long time in itself brings back the nostalgic memories in you.

Mahesh Muthusamy is the second most significant person of “Nandhalala” . Movie has lots of long shots & the manner in which he has literally played with the camera in his hand is astonishing. With the aerial shots , low-angle shots which he used to great effect in “Anjathey” in that famous sequence & the number master shots in the movie , Mahesh must have had a ball in showcasing his talents which he has in abundance.

Mysskin , the director has done a decent job while the screenplay writer must have dozed off a bit while the actor is completely off target. The confusion in which he has conceived & portrayed the mentally ill character is average to put it mildly. Bereft of the sensitivity , poignancy & authenticity Myskkin’s mentally ill protagonist is stereotyped , ill-etched & far-fetched from real.

Except that aberration, rest of the characterisation are well-etched and conceived & brilliantly portrayed by the actors , be it Aswath Ram as the other protagonist or Snigtha , the bikers , the shepherd , the lorry driver , the coconut vendor , etc. Nasser , though he comes in for just 20-30 seconds or so , he leaves a mark in your mind . And Mysskin’s speciality is the situational humour & the angst which come out effortlessly onscreen. Rohini is too young to be Mysskin’s mother , atleast some make-up would have done some good to hide her youthful demeanour.

The final 15-20 minutes disturbs you & leave a mark where the director & writer in Mysskin some to the fore but the two reasons why the movie makes a greater impact are one ,Ilayaraja & two , Mahesh Muthusamy.

On the whole , “Nandhalala” is a journey worth travelling .

Bottomline : Thalaatu..!

4/5

CHIKKU BHUKKU

My Review : Chikku Bhukku



Legendary cinematographer-cum-director Jeeva’s assistant Manikantan who completed the former’s last project “Dhaam-dhoom” after his untimely demise has come out with his first full feature “Chikku Bhukku”. The movie’s basic thread is inspired from “Love Aaj Kal ” but the comparison ends there for it is like comparing chalk & cheese.

“Chikku Bhukku” is viewer’s nightmare & it’s like the worst punishment one can go through in the name of entertainment. One shudders to think how can one end up watching such a movie in the first place wasting time & money. Moreover what must have been going through the mind of the producers when they convinced in frittering away their ?hard earned money in such an inane project. Manikantan has just squandered his chance big way.

Movie is very sluggish , amateurish , uninteresting , head-ache inducing , silly , absurd, .....losing at adjectives to describe it. Only solace is the 1985 part of the story even though it is not that novel atleast it tries to capture your attention.

Preetika is not only pretty but “acts” well too & an exact antithesis to what all that of Shriya , who looks jaded , doesn’t seem to know anything remotely related to acting .Infact Shriya trying to do a “Bommarillu” Genelia or a “Jab We Met” Kareena irritates the already battered & bruised viewer leaving him/her to squirm in the seat.

Arya’s portrayal of Sekhar is calm & matured while his characterization as Arjun is half baked & his performance too takes a beating due to that.

Shanthanam is the only reason why one may remain sane while watching the movie & he prevents the viewer from getting into a complete meltdown.

Music by Colonial Cousins Hari-Leslie is nothing attractive while Gurudhev’s cinematography is classy & the colour tone he has employed to show variation between the 1980’s story & the present day one is good. Technically movie is sound but content wise it has nothing to vouch for.

On the whole , please don’t recommend it to even most nastiest of your enemies.

Bottom-line: “ Chikku Bhukku “ – Total derailment.!

1.5/5

Va (1/4)

My Review : Va



Puskhar-Gayatri fresh from their different yet successful debut movie “Oram Po ” are back with yet another different attempt with “Va “(1/4) . The film's story takes place in one night, in which the protagonist, with the help of his would-be brother-in-law, hunts for a last liquor before leaving to Saudi Arabia. The freshness of the concept & the manner in which the movie has been shot are the strong points while the sluggish screenplay plays the spoilsport.

The direction is also patchy with some good sequences interspersed with some very ordinary & some very amateurish ones. While watching the movie sometimes one get a doubt whether the same due have done this movie too for they have done a very neat job in their debut feature.

Dialogues too are at times funny & at time kiddish. But the thing that make it worse is the bad dialogue delivery from Shiva & the one who has dubbed for Lekha. Shiva’s rendition of Kovai Tamil is simulated & doesn’t jell with his body language.

Shiva is getting typecast & he seems to be doing the same thing all over again right from his debut movie “Chennai 600028”. He seem to have reluctance to come out of his comfort zone which would make his survival difficult in the industry which is fraught with heavy competition. Or else he would end up as a comedy side kick in the near future.

S.P.B.Charan does a neat job of it as the brother-in-law of the hero .He has come a long way since “Unnai Saran Adaindaen ” in his expressions & histrionics. His dialogue delivery is way better than the hero & heroine while his comical expressions are a treat. His innocent & naive demeanor adds up to the effect.

Lekha has nothing much to do which the bane of the heroine of contemporary Tamil movies.She overdoes her expressions in many of the sequences & she needs to learn how to draw a line between comical expressions & insanity .

John Vijay is as competent as ever & after “Oram Po ” he gets a meaty role in this movie & he has utilized the opportunity well.

Nirav Shah’s cinematography is one of the USPs of the movie . He is as stupendous as ever but the green tone does gets under one’s nerve after a point.

G.V.PrakashKumar’s music has nothing much to offer while his BGM is pathetic to say the least. Its as if one is watching a amateur drama & BGM being given for it by some part-time musicians.

On the whole , “Va (1/4) ” is not as bad it is portrayed in the media . It does keeps one engaged in the goings-on with the intermittent phases of amateurishness that leaves one dismayed .

Bottomline : Appetizing but not enough kick to offer..!

2.5/5