One-minute reviews: Premam, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, 36 Vayadinile, India Pakistan, Uttama Villain, Komban, Yennai Arindal and Nanbenda

Premam: 

Alphonse Putharen is a movie maker to watch out for. After the mighty impressive ""Neram", his second feature film, "Premam" is a instant classic. How can anyone even think of conceiving a movie on multiple love failures in such a breezy, light-hearted manner yet with moments that tug your heartstrings. Nivin Pauly can do no wrong and Sai Pallavi is an overnight heartthrob. Infinite times better than "Autugraph" and hundred times better than "Life Ishtene", both movies which are among my all time favorites. 

4.5/5

Tanu Weds Manu Returns: 

"Tanu weds Manu returns" is watchable mainly for Kangana Ranaut's superlative performance. I can't remember a dual role that is so convincingly portrayed on screen in recent times. Deepak Dobriyal keeps the audience in splits with his antics. On the whole, it is a mediocre movie made praiseworthy by terrific Kangana.

3.5/5

36 Vayadinile:

"36 Vayadinile" is a shrunk version of How Old Are you. As a result it has lost the soul of the original but for the ones who watch it for the first time it would be a decent female empowerment saga. Jyothika scores in her comeback with a restrained performance. On the whole, though it is not that moving it is entertaining nonetheless.

3.5/5

India Pakistan: 

"‪India Pakistan" has its damn hilarious moments in between large stretches of dreariness. Vijay Antony's hattrick though he has more or less the same dead pan expression throughout the movie. One time watch.

3/5

Uttama Villain:

I got a choking feeling at the end of the movie. What will Indian cinema be without Kamalhassan, the actor. Thought of it makes you depressed.‪ ‎"Uttama Villain‬" what a movie. What an actor. 

4/5

Komban:

"Komban" is an engrossing watch, keeps to hooked to the screen till the end. Judicious mix of action and family sentiments keeps everyone entertained. Karthi and RajKiran chemistry sizzles and might bring a tear or two.  

3.5/5

Yennai Arindal :

Goutham Menon is getting monotonous, hackneyed and knackered with his movies, be it action or drama or romance. Experts for few sparks from Ajithkumar and Arun Vijay now and then, "Yennai Arindal" is a big yawn. 

2.5/5

Nanbenda:  

If you do it for the first time, it is novel and enjoyable. When you repeat it for the second time, it gets a bit weary but bearable nonetheless. But when third time on the trot, it gets plain irritating and repulsive. Udayanithi, Shanthanam and Rajesh & co must realize it before it is too late. "Nanbenda" is too much to bear. 

1.5/5

100 days of love: 

"100 days of love" is a cute little romantic movie which takes its own time to meander into your mind and stays on for few days. Essentially a new age romcom, steady screenplay, cute lead pair, light mood, and excellent technical credentials make it a happy watch.  

3.5/5

Puli Teaser

Puli Teaser

When his contemporaries are stuck in the banal preposterous spilth it is refreshing to see Vijay taking up refreshing projects. .... Puli urumbuthu 8)

Interstellar to O Kadhal Kanmani - One-line reviews

Interstellar to O Kadhal Kanmani - One-line reviews

Interstellar: 

As a person with average intelligence, I can't understand what were they trying to depict in "Interstellar". At the same time surprised at many others who seems to have understood what was going on. Was it a special show for Physics buff i went to.... Found it hard to control my sleep ‪#‎Interstellar‬.

Linga:

It would have been an honorable retirement if he had retired after "Enthiran". Now it is totally embarrassing seeing him play a guy of mid 20's prancing around heroines younger than his daughters and doing stunts that are the precise reasons why people mock at him.

On the whole, "LINGAA" rombaa LONGAAA

2/5

Anegan:

Anegan is just about average. Terrific idea very simplistically told.

Tamilukku en1ai Aluthavum :

Tamilukku en1ai Aluthavum is very entertaining. Hyperlink format screenplay very neatly presented. If only they could have made it a bit shorter and crispier it would have become a sleeper hit.

Kakkisattai : 

Kakkisattai : boring wannabe star vehicle that never takes off constantly pulled down by a very convenient and lax - lazy screenplay.

Enakkul Oruvan:

Enakkul Oruvan, a half hearted and half baked remake of Lucia. When it comes to remakes and retaining the flavour, tenor and tone of the original, there is no one who comes anywhere near to Jayam Raja.

Rajathanthiram :

Rajathanthiram is a very good and engaging heist movie that deserves better promotion and bigger box office returns.

Valiyavan:

Valiyavan has one of the silliest reasons for revenge that the audience were laughing out loud when the director intended touching sentiment sequences.

O Kadhal Kanmani:

In my 1st decade mouna ragam, 2nd alaipayuthey, 3rd ‪#‎OKKanmani‬. Manirathnam redefining romance over the decades

O Kadhal Kanmani

My review: O Kadhal Kanmani

Mani Ratnam, a man not shy of courting controversy by dealing with subjects that are considered contentious in the Indian society is at it again with his latest movie, "O Kadhal Kanmani" (OKK). The movie touted as a modern day romance deals with a subject which is almost a taboo in the current India especially post May, 2014, "live-in relationship". I am quiet surprised at the lack of noise by the saffron brigade who seem to be busy protecting the relevance of yellow sacred thread that sanctifies marriage, "Thaali" in the streets of Vepery, Chennai.  

Politics aside, OKK is a movie that offers a glimpse of what Mani is capable of to the current generation whose understanding of the auteur stems from the half-backed movies like "Raavanan" and "Kadal". For the others it is a throwback to the days of "Alaipayuthey" and "Mouna Ragam", two movie which are milestones when one think about modern-urban romance. Movie feels fresh, unpretentious, and to the point without undue digressing, even the routine Mani Ratnam's artistically picturized duet is missing here. All we have here are few montages with the background songs that carry the story forward. 

The auteur in Mani rears his head in the form of economical use of spoken words, liberal use of montages, signature lighting with maximal use of darkness (though OKK is surely the most colourful  of Mani Ratnam movies with the liberal use of bright colours), fetish for locomotives be it trains, buses, jeeps, bikes. At the same time in spite of his usual trappings, movie looks and feels contemporary. The light-hearted manner of handling the even most trickiest of situations which the young crop of directors are becoming adept with has also rubbed onto Mani Ratnam. Here we have Bhavani, (terrific Leela Samson) wife of the lead pair's landlord who suffer from Alzheimer's coming out with her innocent retorts which leaves the audience in splits. 

Mani has kept a lively pace in the first half. Movie just breezes past you, but it does get tend to meander a little in the second half towards the end before finally picking up moment in the climatic portions. Dulquer Salman is just adorable as the protagonist Adi who like all the Mani Ratnam heroes of the past enthrall the female audience. His Tamil diction is one of the best from a non-native actor, especially from the god's own country, bereft of any accent. But the movie is wholly Nitya Menen's. Without someone like her, the character of Thara would have become undone. It is she who lights up the screen and it would be difficult for any one take one's eye out of her, in spite of terrific performances all around. Like I had mentioned earlier, Leela Samson is just terrific. Credit should also goes to the writer who has conceived this character without the usual melodrama associated with it. Prakash Raj is as usual reliable in his portrayal. 

Movie gets its strength from one of A.R.Rahman's best background score in recent years. The background score is just top notch that is of international class. Songs are chart-busters. P.C.Sriram's cinematography exudes the youthful exuberance of the overall superstructure of the movie. 

I thought Mani Ratnam has just compromised a bit in the end with his conforming climax. Why could a couple can't be in love irrespective of the distance and time without marring ? Why is that it is only  marriage that offers security for a long distance relationship ?  Nonetheless he deserves plaudits for bringing such an issue into the mainstream. 

Overall, "O Kadhal Kanmani" may not be as deep or layered as Mani Ratnam's earlier movies, but certainly it is one of the most entertaining of his. 

Bottomline: Hip and happy

3.5/5

Iyobinte Pusthakam

My review: Iyobinte Pusthakam

Amal Neerad's "Iyobinte Pusthakam" is a visual treat. With the cinematographer and director in Amal Neerad competing with one another it is a field day for the audience to devour a period drama with ample dose of action, suspense and thrills. Aided with a solid script by  Gopan Chidamabaram, Amal has trasnformed it into epic proportions by his characteristic making, both visually and cerebrally. The intelligence of the writer is evident from the seamless confluence of the story with some of the significant historical events that happened during the period between 1900 and 1976, the timeline of the film's story. 

Though movie ambles along at a leisurely pace it does so with purpose. There is hardly any digression from the plot except two unwarranted songs in the second half. The focus with which the story is told keeps your interest glued on the screen. Towards the end the gore gets a bit over done but story of jealousy, deceit, revenge and infidelity warrants it nonetheless. 

Lal is the fulcrum around whom the whole movie travels and he has lived the character of Job aka Iyob with perfection. The various shades of his character as it evolves from a slave to servant to finally becoming a master himself and his eventual decline and demise are wonderfully brought on the screen by the veteran. Fahad Fazal as Iyob's youngest son does a terrific job himself with his understated histrionics in contrast with that of his elder brothers.    

Jayasuriya is a revelation in his role of a conniving businessman with his cool visage and coldblooded smile that leaves you dumbfounded. Padmapriya sizzles in a mysterious role while Isha Sharvani has nothing much to do. Both Chemban Vinod Jose and Jinu Joseph as the two elder evil sons of Iyob are terrific in their roles. Reenu Mathew, Lena, Srijith Ravi and Vinayan along with a long support cast do their parts to perfection. Overall the performance of the actors in the movie is terrific and is one of the prime reason why the movie leaves you with a lasting impression.

Neha S Nair and Yakzan Gary Pereira's musical score and background score complements the narrative vision of the writer and director. As said earlier, Amal's cinematography is one of the biggest pluses for this movie. Movie is technically one of the best ever to have come out of Malayalam film industry. Movie is fertile  with lost of memorable shots aided amply by the lush locales of Munnar and the western ghats. 

On the whole, "Iyobinte Pusthakam" is a well made movie with a clear cut narration aggrandized by terrific making. 

Bottomline:  A visual treat with some cerebral topping. 

3.5/5

Gone Girl

My review: Gone Girl

No one even in their wildest of dreams can come out with such a chilling story of a couple whose marriage is under strain. To come out with a story as brutally chilling as "Gone Girl", you must be one of those who is either twistedly intelligent or intelligently twisted. Wonder how could Gillian Flynn can come out with such a decadent tale of love, hate, revenge and misery with such lyrical undercurrent. David Fincher's screen adaptation of Flynn novel is a spine chilling thriller that entertains married couples more than anyone else, albeit with all its guilty pleasure. 

The movie warrants an inquisitive viewing to piece together the bits into a whole to make sense of  it all. Along the way loads of emotional investment happens unwittingly that may leave you drained in the end   salubriously all the same with the glee of having watched a wonderfully crafted movie. The screenplay never looses its steam, keeps you at the seat's edge all through with its numerous twists and turns. It reaffirms the fact that the twists and turns of a crooked mind is more horrific and adrenaline pumping than the fast and furious metallic actioners.   

Besides Flynn's terrific screenplay and Fincher's brilliant direction, what makes "Gone Girl" what it is is the acting from its lead, Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Everyone is at awe with the power-packed performance from Pike as a borderline cum dissocial Amy Dunne who goes to the extreme extent possible for revenge. Indeed she has given her career best in the role that has shades that are oblivious to a normal psyche which she has identified and portrayed magnificently.

 But in my opinion it is Ben Affleck's portrayal of awkward Nick Dunne that takes the cake. Without his terrifically understated performance, the impact that Pike was able to make would not have happened. Towards the latter half, when his hidden layers keep unraveling one by one, the gradual transformation his character undergoes that reaches the crescendo in the interview scene and later when he gets reunited with Amy are just tremendous. 

On the whole, "Gone Girl" is a terrific thriller, a sociopathic commentary on the disintegration of the institution of  marriage in the modern times of an anomic society. 

Bottomline:  Must watch and goosebumps guaranteed.  

4/5

Poojai

My review: Poojai

If you have seen all of Hari's movies so far, then you are the only people who can endure this torture thy name, "Poojai". There is not even one scene or a shot that you have not seen so far in his movies. Right from the first frame till the last, novelty and plausibility goes for a toss. Movie follows strictly the template of hero scene, heroine scene, song sequence,villain scene, comedy scene, family scene, action sequence, then again hero scene, heroine scene...go on till the end, with the only variation is in the number of song sequences decreases and the action sequences increases as the movie progresses. And if in the end of it all if you don't get an excruciating headache, then you should get your head scanned to check whether something that is remotely related to what is known as brain is present or not.

Vishal after a brief detour into the sensible territory with his previous couple of movies has again forced himself into the nonsensical territory with "Poojai". Shruthi Hassan has come back to Tamil cinema after poor start to her career armed with the loads of "talent" she has gained by her substantial stint in the Telugu movie industry through her "legendary" performances in the movies like "Balupu" and "Race Gurram". Rest of the caricatures are given life by loads of supporting actors and actresses. A special mention to the comedy track starring Soori, Pandi and Imman Annachi, "Legen...wait for it...dary". In the movie's endeavor at excruciating headache, this "out-of-this-world-intelligent" comedy track has a king's share in it. 

Less said about the music and movie's songs, the better. Yuvan....., so sad. On the whole, the homeostasis of Tamil cinema industry seems to get restored as for every "Goli Soda", and "Thegidi", we have a "Poojai" and "Yaan".   

Bottomline: A terrible film.

1/5