VENNILA KABBADI KUZHU

My Review: VENNILA KABBADI KUZHU

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu

Another Young team...Another movie set in the rural Madhurai-Dindugal area....Another movie with a novel theme...& it looks like yet Another movie with low expectation that is going to be a hit...

Plot: Story revolves around a fumbling kabbadi team which finally achieves glory & the price it has to pay for it...

Vishnu :Emotions & expressions comes naturally to him & his sombre face suits well to his characterisation.

Both the heroines Saranya Mohan & Shruthika are cute & cheerful though neither of them don't have much to do. Atleast Saranya has couple of songs to show while Shruthika is very native yet beautiful.

Kishore is first class & looks every inch a coach but His tamil pronounciation is an aural torture.

This is one of those movies in which the supporting cast rocks.Ayyapan , Appu , team captain , team member with voracious hunger , town bus driver , Hero's mother ....the list is long..

Technically the movie is rich & grand.

Laxman joins the list of promising young cinematographers . HIs work is praise-worthy.

Mu.Kasivishwanathan has chiseled the movie with great care.

Music director Selvaganesh is a worthy addition to tamil cinema. All songs are soft yet humworthy while BGM ably supports the narration.

Suseendran comes across as a director with a lots of potential in him to make it big .He has shown flashes of brilliance in this movie & will learn a lot from this experience .

Few brilliant scenes are the one in which Mari explains to Ayyapan why he ate very little which shows his affection towards his mom, the friendship between Mari & the Bus driver & the race scenes involving the two , the pep talk coach gives to the team during their first game , the Parotta shop scene....

Few negatives are there too. The sentiment in the end seems to forced into the script & looks contrived.The friendship between Mari & the epileptic opposite team member as well as the character of Shruthika were not used properly .Also the kind of impact that one gets when the underdogs win finally seems to be missing here.

Setting aside the few negatives , the movie has lots of positives to look up to & savour. On the whole movie is good .

Bottomline: Will have a favorable outing in the BO.

3.5/5

Kadhalna Summa Illa

My Review :Kadhalna Summa Illa

At the outset i want to clarify that Raj Co's part dubbed , part remade "KADHALNA SUMMA ILLA " from critically acclaimed Telugu movie "Gamyam" is not a routine masala commercial potboiler. It is an intelligently written piece of work with many layers of moral thoughts and messages intertwined into what seems to be a normal script; Kudos to Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi . The movie scores in driving home some very serious and contemporary issues in a very light hearted manner . Though the movie moves at it's own pace , Ravi Krishna enlivens the proceeding with his witty one-liners.

Plot : It is journey of a rich spoilt boy into a responsible man in his quest for love .

Ravi Krishna : He has single handedly carried the movie on his shoulders and with some great results at that. Never imagined that he will be so good at comedy before this one.And he makes a lasting impression on the viewers.

Shravanand: He looks every inch a rich savvy young businessman ala Madhavan in Anbe Sivam. (Though he has not matched up to his acting). He has done a decent job .

Kamalini Mukherji : A come-back of sorts for her and inexplicably barring one scene with Ravi Krishna almost all of her scenes have been dubbed from the original.Hence it lacks in the nativity factor as her lip-sinc goes awry.

M.S.Baskar has once again proved that however small a character may be, he is always there with a sterling performance.

All other characters have something significant to do to the screenplay .None has been wasted. Even Thejasri, whom we thought was there just for an item number , has a good role which goes along with the story.

Music is nothing but reusing Vidhyasagar , Manisharma and E.S.Moorthy's songs from Telugu. "Ennamo seithai nee " and "Om siva sambo sambo" are nice to hear as well so see.

Vincent's cinematography travels beautifully along with the story without any gimmicks.

Dialouges deserve a special mention . They are witty , hilarious and at the same time thought provoking.(Forgot the dialogue writer's name [:-(])

Ilankannan (who's first movie "Otran" was a decent effort) has faithfully followed Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi's effort in the original for some 40% of the movie that he has remade.Only thing is he may have done better in the last 15 minutes or so .The climax looks contrived and lacks some spark .

Go for it if you are of an intellectual kind .

Bottomline :Intha padam neenga ninaikara mathiri "SUMMA ILLA"....

3.5/5

Padikathavan

My Review:Padikathavan

The company with the midas touch , "Sun Pictures" have once again proved that what ever they touch turns into gold.Their 4th venture jointly presented by the legendary Vijaya Productions is sure to reap a bounty harvest this pongal.Suraaj has become a master in churning out action-comedies. And for Dhanush it proves once again what a shrewd decision maker he is .

Plot : A love story of an uneducated boy & an intelligent girl with lots of twists & turns .

Dhanush : He has done a neat job in a role that seems to be exclusively written for him. Though in the first half he disappoints with the same " love smitten angry young man " mode of his that has become redundant , he enlivens the proceedings in the second half along with Vivek. He dances like a dream & packs a punch in the comedy scenes. By trying out various genres & successfully at that ,he has proved that he is a worthy talent indeed who's actions speak volumes rather than his words.

Thamana : The story does not provide enough fodder for her talents though she looks gorgeous & glamorous in this movie than ever before. However she must take care as far as the lip-sinc is concerned .

Vivek: Though we see Vivek on screen ,the role he plays only brings Vadivelu in front of our eyes.(may be because it was originally written for him ) But it is one of the most hilarious comedy track we have seen from him in the recent times.The stomach ache due to the laughter has not reduced still.

Suman : His is more of a supporting role rather than that of a villain & it suits him better than over the top ones he played in the movies last year.

Shyaji Shinde & Atul Kulkarni have nothing new to offer.

Music by Mani SHarma is nothing to talk about. May be the songs may become hit after repeated hearing .

A.Venkatesh's cinematography is not spectacular but adequate for a commercial potboiler.

Story , Screenplay , Dialogues & direction are by Suraaj.He has come with a very interesting screenplay with enough twists & turns to keep one guessing till the climax. His dilagues , especially the humorous ones are a revelation.Though certain male-chauvinistic dialogues that come in the first half are clearly aimed at the front benchers.

But one aspect that irks the reviewer is how long the creators make movies with scenes which encourage eve-teasing & harassment of girls in the name of love.Also glorifying uneducated youth in the times of huge advancements in education sectors is laughable.

On the whole the movie is worth a hearty laugh & family get together.

Bottomline : Suraaj & Dhanush on a Hattrick.

3.5/5

Villu

My Review : Villu

The combo of PrabhuDeva & Vijay are back after their successful "Pokiri" with "Villu" which does have a Pokiri-hangover .The movie has all the ingredients of a commercial masala ,perfected by M.G.R & made use off by Rajinikanth- a care-free , all conquering hero ; dumb heroine who eventually falls for the hero ; caricature of a comedian ;menacing yet easily fallible villains ;always wailing yet courageous mothers ; hero introduction song ; fight-love routine ; foot-tapping songs; jaw-dropping dances;one-upmanship game between the hero & the villains;super-human stunts; mother sentiment for the ladies ; dose of patriotism .......It has it all.....

But for any movie to have a good reception among the audience it must have these ingredients in right proportion & must keep the audience engaged throughout.It is here that the creators of "Villu" have succeeded.

Plot: Any one who is familiar with the yesteryear movies of M.G.R & Rajinikanth can easily guess the plot.

Vijay :There are only a few in tamil cinema who are gifted with the kind of Charisma & ability to make a mark & rise above any script.'Villu' is yet another allround show by Vijay.He showcases all his strengths .His hard work is seen on the screen be it the dances or fights he excels. Only jarring note is that he may have done well to avoid playing the father's role .The impact would have been better if some other senior actor have played that role .

Nayanthara:As her salary goes higher & higher , her costumes go lower & lower , lesser &lesser & her acting worser &worser. He has become an expert in essaying the most dumbest of roles reserved for heroines.

Vadivelu: He is a delight in the first half but becomes irritating in the second half.

Prakash Raj: He may well have avoided such a poorly etched out role but for the fact that he owns a sensible movie company & it needs money to make movies such as " Mozhi "& " Abiyum Nanum".

Others in the cast like Devaraj , Anandraj, Aditya , Seeman ,Geetha ,Ranjitha follow the cliched mode as far as their contributions are concerned.

Special mention must be given to 'Fefsi' Vijayan for the hard work he has done in the stunt choreography.Stunts have come out very well.

Cinematography : Much talked about Cinematography of RaviVerman has nothing special to offer.In fact certain frames suddenly appear blurred .Wonder what was wrong.But he along with Prabhudeva & Vijay have given a treat in the "Nee kobapattal" song.

Music:DevisriPrasad has done a stupendous job in giving foot tapping numbers which have become very popular even beforw the release of the movie.He fails to live up to the billing in the BGM score though.

Prabhu Deva has tried his level best to repeat the magic of "Pokiri" here too .Though he seem to fail in that effort , he has given a pucca entertainer clearly keeping in mind the target audience who will lap it up with glee.Considering the personal distractions & turmoil he had undergone during the making of this movie ,the commitment he has shown to complete the movie deserves a pat on his back.

With all its moments of cliches & mundane characterisation what makes the movie click is one & only Vijay & his energy on screen.

Bottomline: Paisa-vasool.

3.5/5

A Aa E Ee

My Review :A Aa E Ee

Some 5 years ago AVM productions gave one of the worst movie from their stable "Anbe Anbe " but in front of " A Aa E Ee " it can be classified as a classic.Atleast it had relief for the viewers in the form of Vivek in it.But here it is 2hour 20minutes of no hold barred torture .I don't know how they can come out with such a boring movie in the times when even the television serials try out new things & keep the viewers interested for years... And to think of the movie was a hit in telugu (It is a remake of telugu movie "Chandamama")sends shivers into one's spine.

Plot :No one have any clue about it including the story writer...

As far as acting goes Arvind Akash has done his best sincerely but yet another bad choice from him..Monika is sincere in her efforts. Navdeep and Saranya Mohan irritate when ever they are on screen. Prabhu has tried hard to rise above a mundane characterisation but in vain.Rest of the cast are so poor that you can find better actors than them in your school dramas.

Music by Vijay Anthony is a saving grace. "Nata nadu rathiriyil" song is hummable ...though he need not exert too much as far as the BGM is concerned.

Technically movie is not better than the TV serials ..

Sababathy again hits a trough in his erstwhile sea-saw career. Wonder what made AVM remake this movie ...God only knows it...

Bottomline :Watch A Aa E Ee -- Take home Head-ache freely...

1.5/5

Silambattam

My Review:Silambattam

Cinematographer Saravanan's directorial debut "Silambattam" promised a lot but has failed to deliver what it set out to.Silambarasan time & again proves that he is yet to learn from past mistakes.In the time when even the most established of stars find it tough to carry a movie with a bad script on their shoulder ,kiddo like him must be careful in choosing movie that suits his age & his standing among the audience.

Movie has nothing novel to offer . First half is ridiculous where nothing happens except some inane comedy , vulgar dialogues & couple of songs which showcase Simbu's gymnastic talents as well the ample dose of heroine's anatomy.The saving grace for the movie comes in the form of the flashback which is the only redeeming part. After which the movie goes into "Lollu Sabha " mould & Simbu taking potshots at some of his adversaries (inadvertently at his self proclaimed gurus too... ).

Plot: the grand old revenge story of son settling score for his father's murder .

Silambarasan: He has given what all he has got .He emotes ,dances , sings , fights, cries,romances ,imitates , mouths punch dialogues, ........what else do you expect from a hero .Of the two characters ,Tamizh succeeds in creating an impression .He must take care not to imitate Rajni in action sequences & Vijay in Comedy sequences.

Sana Khan :She has a sizzling debut .Her role is a beaten to bushes heroine role - orthodox , pavadai thavani clad Brahmin girl who breaks free in the "dream " song sequences. (right from Jayalalitha, Latha,Mannjula....we have accustomed to it )One must congratulate the effort she has taken to lip sinc for the tamil dialogues though.

Sneha : Another cliche of a role who gives her all for the sake of her man including half her chromosomes even before marriage.

Kishore : He is becoming type cast in the role of a menacing ruthless villan.

Prabhu : sorry for him being reduced to do such a pathetic role.

Santhanam : His worst till date.

Music of Yuvan is the one which brought the crowds in the first place & keeps them inside once the movie rolls on.He has given a rocking album which has been made good use of by the director.

Madhi's cinematography is another aspect which warrants mention .He has proved that he can do justice to commercial masalas too.

Don Max's editing adds gloss to the songs .

Saravanan shows his potential in those flashback sequences but seems to have lost it as far as the rest of the movie goes.

bottomline: Simbu's search for a hit continues.....

2/5

Thiruvannamalai

My Review: Thiruvannamalai

" Thiruvannamalai " is better than Arjun's previous attempt "Dhurai " & far better than Perarasu's previous two - "Dharmapuri " and "Pazhani". Perarasu continues with his action formula here too but devoid of lousy romantic scenes , crude comedy and over the top sentiments which are characteristic of his movies .Though he has tried to attempt differently here , he has miles to go to traverse a altogether new path. The first half is very ordinary which is nothing but rehash of all his movies so far but the movie takes an interesting turn mid way after the introduction of the second Arjun & sustains the interest for a while before petering out into routine mundane self in the last half an hour.

Plot: Which ideology is better suited to fight the evils of the society of today - Ahimsha or violence.

Arjun: He has done well in the character of Guruji where his talents for histrionics comes to the fore though the other character is the routine masala action hero bashing up the baddies & shaking the legs with heroine in dream songs.

Pooja Gandhi: After a credible debut in " Kokki " , this is her second one in tamil but she has nothing much to do which is what one can expect in a Perarasu movie.

Saikumar: He does the pea-headed , hamming , evil politician part in this movie too . Nothing special to note.

Among supporting cast Karunas has done a good job in a character role having a tragic end .Others like Sudha , Meenal , Saravana Subbaih (director of "Citizen") have noteworthy roles.

Padmesh's cinematography hurts the eyes especially in the action sequences.

Jaisankar has edited the movie in such a manner that the pace is maintained through out.

Srikanth deva has nothing new to offer.

Perarasu seems to have identified his constituency & tried only to satisfy them.If that is his wont , he has succeeded this time too.

Bottomline: Run of the mill stuff.

2.5/5